Rangers were beaten 1-0 at home to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership over the weekend and it has led to a fierce debate over the future of manager Michael Beale.
Did Rangers deserve to lose to Celtic?
The Gers were hoping to overtake their rivals in the SPL table on Sunday afternoon, knowing that victory would take them two points ahead of them, giving them an early advantage in the title race in the process.
Instead, it proved to be a hugely frustrating afternoon at Ibrox, with Kyogo Furuhashi's late first-half strike ending up being the difference between the two sides.
Kemar Roofe had seen a goal ruled out by VAR before Celtic had opened the scoring – it was either a harsh or a fair decision, depending on your stance or level of bias – and Beale's side never truly threatened to consistently create chances after that goal, despite some half-decent openings.
The defeat has cranked up the pressure on Beale, who was already feeling the heat going into the match, having overseen a dreadful 5-1 loss away to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last week.
There is now much debate of whether the Englishman should keep his job or not, and it is certainly a talking point that is creating plenty of anger among the Rangers fanbase.
Rangers head coach Michael Beale.
What has Barry Ferguson said about Michael Beale?
Speaking in response to an angry caller on The Go Radio Football Show on Sunday, former Rangers captain Ferguson reacted angrily to being told he was a "cheerleader" for Beale, claiming calls for the manager's head are "absolute garbage":
"What are you talking about cheerleader? You are four games into a season and you are wanting a manager out? I totally disagree with you, there you go. I totally disagree with you and I am allowed my opinion. How am I a cheerleader for him? Don't say I am a cheerleader. You are talking absolute nonsense mate."
The behaviour from the Gers fan accusing Ferguson of being a cheerleader is indicative of the modern football supporter, with so many feeling that former players try too hard to defend managers and generally stick up for the club they used to be play for.
This is largely nonsense, of course, and Ferguson is simply showing some patience with Beale, feeling that sacking a manager just four games into the new season would be knee-kerk by Rangers, at a time when there is no need to panic and stability is needed at Ibrox.
Granted, the last two matches clearly haven't been good enough, and the manager deserves a lot of the criticism that has come his way, but while in the past bosses were given more time to overcome a difficult period for their team, there are now calls for sackings to take place as soon as a slightly iffy spells arrive.
For now, Beale arguably has enough credit in the bank to keep his job, but if results don't improve a lot once the international break is over, a decision may have to be made.
Southampton have earned a reputation for being able to produce an almost-constant stream of excellent young talent through their academy system over the years.
Who are Southampton's most valuable academy graduates?
Whether they made the breakthrough at first-team level for the Saints or not, a number of top players in Europe started their careers within the youth set-up on the south coast.
Jamal Musiala
£94m
Ben White
£47m
Luke Shaw
£36m
James Ward-Prowse
£32.5m
Tyrone Mings
£18.8m
Valuations per Transfermarkt
The likes of White, Musiala, and Mings eventually made their names elsewhere, but Ward-Prowse and Shaw both excelled at St. Mary's before moving on.
There are a number of talented young prospects currently on the books at Southampton and they will now be hoping to follow in the footsteps of those mentioned above, as well as the likes of Theo Walcott and Gareth Bale, who have since retired after impressive careers.
One academy player who could be a future first-team star for the Saints is U21 midfielder Kamari Doyle, who could be the next Will Smallbone to establish himself as a regular within the senior squad.
How old is Kamari Doyle?
The talented youngster only turned 18 last month and has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and grow into being a viable option for Russell Martin on a regular basis.
Southampton's head coach has already shown that he has been impressed by the brilliant teenager as he offered him a first-team appearance in the League Cup against Gillingham in August.
Southampton manager Russell Martin.
Unfortunately, the Saints lost 3-1 but Doyle's promising cameo off the bench in the second-half was enough to suggest that there is the potential there for him to make an impact at senior level in the future.
The 18-year-old ace created two chances, provided one assist, and completed 88% of his attempted passes, which included two of his three long passes, in just 45 minutes of action, as per Sofascore.
This was his second first-team appearance for the club after Ruben Selles handed him 14 minutes off the bench in a 3-1 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League at the end of last season, in which time the then-17-year-old completed 100% of his five attempted passes.
How has Doyle performed at youth level?
The versatile dynamo has emerged as a possible future star for the Saints due to his phenomenal form for the club's U18 and U21 sides in recent seasons.
Doyle eased through matches at U18 level as he racked up an outstanding 19 goals and nine assists in 32 matches at that age bracket, which includes 15 goals in 24 U18 Premier League clashes.
This led to the attacking midfielder, who can also play in central midfield or on either flank, being promoted to the U21 squad, where he has been able to thrive ever since.
To date, Doyle has scored seven goals and provided 13 assists in 35 U21 games for Southampton's academy. The England U19 international has registered two assists in two Premier League 2 outings so far this season, to go along with his one assist in one League Cup clash.
These statistics suggest that the English magician, who has produced ten assists in ten career games as a right winger, is capable of contributing with goals and assists on a regular basis from a midfield or wide position.
He has also showcased his ability to be a threat from set-pieces with a stunning free-kick against Preston North End in the FA Youth Cup, as shown in the clip above.
The left-footed whiz put pen to paper on a professional contract in 2022 and academy director Matt Hale described him as an "excellent" talent who the club believe has a "bright" future ahead of him.
It is now up to him to prove to Martin that he has what it takes to deliver for the first-team week-in-week-out, in the same way that Smallbone did during pre-season.
How did Will Smallbone perform last season?
The Southampton academy graduate moved away from St. Mary's to gain valuable experience on loan with Stoke City in the Championship last term.
Smallbone averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.00 across 43 league matches for the Potters as the central midfielder displayed his ability to make an impact on and off the ball from the middle of the park.
In possession, the Ireland international showed off his creative quality with 1.6 key passes per game and seven 'big chances' created in total for his teammates, which led to five assists to go along with his three goals, as per Sofascore.
Former Stoke loanee Will Smallbone.
He then used his spell with Stoke to improve and hone his skills, which allowed him to catch Martin's eye in pre-season and the talented ace has been an impressive performer so far this season.
Smallbone has averaged a fantastic Sofascore rating of 7.47 across three Championship outings for the Saints, which is the highest rating of any current player at the club and shows that he has been one of the team's outstanding performers.
The 23-year-old maestro has created a phenomenal 3.7 chances per game for Martin's side so far, which is 0.9 more per game than any of his teammates.
What's next for Doyle?
Doyle must now use Smallbone as a prime example of the benefits of a loan spell away from the club and how it can set you up for future success at St. Mary's.
Another four months or so of development football and, potentially, the odd first-team appearance could prepare the 18-year-old ace for a loan move during the January transfer window to give him regular minutes in the second-half of the campaign.
This could then provide him with an opportunity to showcase his attacking quality in a senior environment, whether that is with another Championship team or further down the Football League, and Martin can then reassess where he is next summer.
Doyle could go out on loan to, for example, a League One team and replicate his academy form, which could then open the door for him to be given a chance to fight for a place in the Scottish head coach's first-team group for the 2024/25 campaign.
Over the course of the past few years, Everton have been on a steady decline and have now repeatedly avoided their first-ever relegation from the Premier League by very fine margins.
Due to their recent downfall, you could be forgiven for forgetting the quality the Toffees have had at their disposal only going as far back as the late 2000s to early 2010s.
Players like Leighton Baines, Marouane Fellaini and Tim Cahill were just a few of the names making Goodison Park a nightmare for away teams to visit under the leadership of manager David Moyes.
As seen in the Premier League today with sides like Brighton and Hove Albion, the Merseyside outfit under the Scotsman were a great fit for players to develop their career and fulfil their potential.
Who were Everton’s best talents under David Moyes?
Having mentioned some of the Toffees' star players, there were a number of bright talents who were given their chance under David Moyes. Some of which, would go on to make a name for themselves, while others never really took advantage of the opportunity.
Of course, the most famous talent who Moyes brought through the ranks at Everton, would be Wayne Rooney. Other than now being regarded as one of the greatest to ever play in the Premier League, not much else needs to be said about Rooney – his achievements speak for itself.
ARSENAL’S PARLOUR BATTLES WITH EVERTON’S ROONEY DURING THEIR ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE SOCCER MATCH AT GOODISON PARK. Arsenal’s Ray Parlour (L) battles with Everton’s Wayne Rooney (R) during their English premier league soccer match at Goodison Park, January 7, 2004. The match ended 1-1. NO INTERNET/ONLINE USAGE WITHOUT FAPL LICENCE, FOR DETAILS SEE WWW.FAPLWEB.COM REUTERS/Darren Staples
More names include the likes of Joleon Lescott and John Stones, who were both signed from elsewhere by Moyes and would go on to earn separate moves to Manchester City, each winning several honours at the club.
However, with some of the talents being nurtured into the stars they would become later in their careers, it didn’t always work out that way with every incoming brought in by the now-West Ham United boss.
One example of such a player would be Royston Drenthe.
Who is Royston Drenthe?
Drenthe was a Dutch midfielder who in the early stages of his professional career, looked like he had it all to become one of Europe’s biggest stars.
A loud personality, the Dutchman had impressed so much in his teenage years at Feyenoord and in the Netherlands ranks, that Spanish giants Real Madrid were willing to offer huge amounts to sign him. Madrid signed Drenthe in 2007 for £12m, when he was 20-years-old.
After making the dream start for Madrid, scoring a 40-yard stunner on his debut for the club, it was hard to see it not working out for the 5ft6-talent. This would, however, be the peak of his spell with Los Blancos.
Although Drenthe would feature regularly for Madrid in his opening season, he would fall behind in the pecking order when another young talent, Marcelo, made his breakthrough to the first-team.
With Drenthe’s attitude concerning those higher up in Madrid, the final straw would be when he was booed by his own fans, which caused the Dutchman to refuse to play. He would be loaned out for the following 2010/11 season, to fellow LaLiga side, Hercules, though his behaviour again caused problems when he arrived a week late for training after the winter break.
Due to his time in Spain taking an unexpected turn, Drenthe’s next move would be abroad.
He would seal a loan move to the Premier League with Everton, ahead of the 2011/12 season.
How did Drenthe perform at Everton?
Upon his arrival, Toffee’s fans weren’t too sure what to expect from the 24-year-old, especially after seeing the outcome of his spells with Madrid and Hercules. Though with David Moyes having gained himself a reputation of being able to turn careers’ around, it would only be fair to have given him a chance to impress.
Comparisons were quick to be labelled on the Dutchman, with many seeing similarities to former fan-favourite midfielder, Steven Pienaar. Both were recognised as having off-pitch issues but if given the opportunity to impress on the pitch, could display their talent in the Premier League.
Drenthe, however, was unable to live up to the expectations at Goodison Park, and his comparisons to the recently departed South African may not have helped his case. His loan spell was plagued with behavioural issues which essentially ruled out any hopes he had of remaining at the club beyond his initial loan.
Perhaps the breaking point in his relationship with David Moyes, was when he reported late for training ahead of Everton’s huge FA Cup semi-final with Merseyside rivals Liverpool and was therefore omitted from the squad.
He ended the 2011/12 season having scored four goals and seven assists in a total of 27 games in all competitions, which was in fact his best return for a season at that point in his career.
As far as Everton were concerned though, the negatives that came with Drenthe outweighed the positives and a permanent move was never likely.
Where is Royston Drenthe now?
Since being released by Real Madrid upon his return from Everton, Drenthe has played for 11 clubs in total.
In 2016, he even took a two-year break from football in an attempt to pursue a career as a rapper, which was ultimately unsuccessful.
After making his comeback to football in 2018, Drenthe has spent time back in both Spain and his native Netherlands. While in his first spell at third-tier Dutch side, Kozakken Boys, the ex-Madrid midfielder was declared bankrupt by the courts in Holland, having reportedly lost his career earnings worth more than £3m.
Now 36 years of age, Drenthe is once again playing for Kozakken Boys in Holland’s third division, having re-signed for the club this past summer from Spanish regional side, Racing Merida City.
Club
Transfer Fee
Kozakken Boys (2023-)
Free
Racing Merida (2022-2023)
Free
Real Murcia (2022)
Loan
Racing Murcia (2021-2022)
Free
Kozakken Boys (2019-2021)
Free
Sparta Rotterdam (2018-2019)
Free
XerxesDZB Zondag (2018)
Free
FC Baniyas (2015-2016)
Free
Kayseri Erciyesspor (2015)
Free
Sheffield Wednesday (2014/15)
Loan
Reading (2013-2015)
Free
Alania (2013)
Free
Everton (2011/12)
Loan
Hercules (2010/11)
Loan
Real Madrid (2007-2012)
£12m
Feyenoord (2005-2007)
£0m
Unfortunately for Drenthe, as his footballing career is seemingly nearing its end, he will simply be remembered more for the person he was off the field, rather than the incredible talent he briefly displayed going all the way back to his teenage years.
West Ham United are now keeping close tabs on a "world-class footballing talent" ahead of a potential January transfer swoop, according to a report.
What's the latest West Ham transfer news?
West Ham are in the market for a new defensive midfielder in the January transfer window, with Football Insider reporting they are keeping close tabs on Celta Vigo's Fran Beltran, who is regarded as a specialist at pressing and defending midfield spaces.
There were indications the Hammers could also move for an attacking midfielder, with former player Jesse Lingard training at the club since August, however they have now ended their interest, and the Englishman is eyeing a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.
In terms of potential defensive targets, it has now been reported that David Moyes could swoop for Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande, but there may be stiff competition for his signature, with Arsenal also believed to be keen on the 19-year-old. Diomande is not the only player who West Ham and Arsenal share an interest in, with The Mirror reporting the two clubs could be set to go head-to-head for the signature of Paris Saint-Germain winger Ousmane Dembele, and Tottenham Hotspur are also keen.
The winger only made his move to the Parc des Princes in the summer transfer window, but he has failed to find his feet in the French capital, after joining from Barcelona in a £50m deal, and there have been calls for him to be dropped from the starting XI.
Dembele has featured in all of PSG's last five matches, but he has so far failed to find the back of the net, meaning there is already speculation over his long-term future at the club, although he may be given a little while longer to prove himself.
The report states it is unlikely PSG would be willing to sanction a move so early into his career in France, but if he does become available, then the Hammers could make a move, with Moyes on the lookout for more attacking firepower in the January transfer window.
How good is Ousmane Dembele?
There are indications the France international could be a real upgrade for West Ham in attack, given that he has been lauded as a "world-class footballing talent", and a "magical creative winger who has few equals" by journalist Muhammad Butt.
The Vernon-born forward has experience playing for some of Europe's top clubs, namely Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona and now PSG, and he put in some very solid performances for Barca last term, weighing in with five goals and seven assists in La Liga.
Soccer Football – World Cup – Group C – Denmark vs France – Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, Russia – June 26, 2018 France’s Ousmane Dembele reacts during the match REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov
Not only that, but the former Dortmund man is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 99th percentile for progressive carries, and the 96th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.
Dembele could help take West Ham to the next level, given the talent that he has at his disposal, and the Irons should continue to monitor his availability ahead of the January transfer window.
Derby County have been handed a boost after learning that one of their first-team players is set to return to action during today’s game vs Cambridge United in League One.
What's the latest team news at Derby?
At Pride Park, Paul Warne is currently without Conor Hourihane, Liam Thompson and Joe Ward, who are all out on the sidelines and won’t be involved for this afternoon’s fixture against Mark Bonner’s side, but someone who is in an even worse situation than his fellow teammates and has had to cut his spell short is Elliot Embleton.
The Rams star joined the club on a season-long loan from Sunderland over the summer, but having sustained a serious thigh injury during training last week, he’s been forced to return to his parent side in the northeast to undergo immediate surgery.
However, on a more positive note, Max Bird, who has missed the last five games in the third tier due to carrying ankle ligament damage, is finally expected to stage his comeback, as the boss has now delivered a fresh update on the fitness of the defensive midfielder.
Is Max Bird injured?
Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Warne confirmed that Bird will be available for the visit of Cambridge, whilst also sharing news on a few of the other injured players in the Midlands.
As quoted by the club’s official website, he said: “Max Bird will definitely be involved this weekend. We've missed Birdy. He brings a control on the ball and a real energy. I felt him and Tommo were our standout players early in the season, so they've both been a big miss. Who doesn't want their best players back?
"Joe Ward isn't far off, Liam Thompson is a little bit further behind and Conor Hourihane shouldn't be too far behind either.”
Derby County midfielder Max Bird.
How old is Max Bird?
Bird is currently 23 years of age so he’s very much in the prime years of his career, which has been highlighted by the extremely positive form he was in prior to his absence, so Warne having him back at his disposal today will be a real boost for Derby.
The Wasserman client, who pockets £7.9k-per-week, has provided two assists in three league appearances so far this season, but even if the final product doesn’t always come to fruition, the left-footed ace continues to pose a constant threat to the opposition’s defence.
The Burton Upon Trent-born talent has been averaging two shots and the same number of key passes per outing, via WhoScored, and his excellent contribution to the side has previously seen him described as an “underrated” player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Furthermore, Bird is a versatile operator having been deployed in four different positions since the start of his career, including three roles in the midfield and even in the heart of the defence at centre-back, so overall, it will be a huge positive for the staff, his teammates and supporters to have him involved again.
Sunderland are on a quest to return to the Premier League and in the early stages, it is going swimmingly well.
The Black Cats have won four of their last five matches and the most recent punishment they handed out – a comfortable 3-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday – has propelled them into fourth position after nine matches.
Tony Mowbray's side put in a truly domineering display at Hillsborough, recording 68% possession, six shots on target, an xG of 1.57 and accurately completing 91% of their passes, as per Sofascore.
If Sunderland can translate that level of performance into their fixture against Watford this evening, the visitors could be in trouble.
The Hornets have conceded three goals in each of their last two matches as defeats against Leeds United and Middlesbrough have highlighted their defensive frailties that the likes of Jack Clarke and Mason Burstow will be looking to exploit.
Ahead of this Championship clash, Mowbray has had to deal with a worrying pile up of injury concerns with a few key players absent.
What is the latest Sunderland team news?
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the veteran manager revealed that an injury to an unnamed key player could make the team sheet look very different this evening.
Sunderland were already expected to be without Timothee Pembele, Dennis Cirkin, Aji Alese, Corry Evans, Pierre Ekwah and Bradley Dack, but it appears that injury list has now become even longer.
Sunderland midfielder Bradley Dack.
Refusing to reveal who had picked up an injury following the win over Wednesday, Mowbray made it clear that the player would be a huge loss going into their match against Watford.
He said: “Without telling you everything, we’ve had to do some tactical changes today.
“You’ll see the team when it comes out, but there’s a big difference with the injury that’s been picked up."
Whoever the missing player is will need someone to step up and be counted in their absence, similar to how Alex Pritchard has more than replaced the injured Bradley Dack by putting in a string of superb performances.
How has Alex Pritchard performed this season?
A lot can change in a short period of time in football and Pritchard's renewed importance to the first team emphasises that mantra. In the summer, he was deemed surplus to requires after Sunderland didn't offer him a new contract and Mowbray was under the elusion that he was going to depart.
He said: “I don’t want to get too prescriptive about it, but it looks like Pritch is going to leave the football club. We have to move past that, we have to move on – that’s football."
Sunderland attacker Alex Pritchard.
With Mowbray consigned to losing his attacking midfielder, the 30-year-old was expected to find another club but a deal to lure him away from Wearside never materialised, and the former Tottenham man remained at the club after the deadline.
Having come off the bench in each of the first six Championship matches, Pritchard would get his chance to shine after Pierre Ekwah hobbled off with an injury against Queens Park Rangers, and it's an opportunity that the Englishman has welcomed with open arms.
Since making his first start of the campaign against Blackburn, the £7k per-week wizard – previously dubbed by Christian Eriksen as "skilful" and "one for the future" – has chalked up two assists in his last three appearances.
With Pritchard's creative juices beginning to flow, he has become the hub of Sunderland's chance creation, making 1.4 key passes per game, recording an 83% pass completion, creating four big chances with an expected assist (xA) of 2.17, as per SofaScore.
Sunderland's supporters would have feared the worst when Dack and Ekwah sustained injuries but Pritchard's redemption arc in the starting XI is a timely reminder of how quickly things can change in football.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou's arrival has been a revelation, having now picked up his second Manager of the Month award eight games into the Premier League season, but appears to already have his eye on the winter transfer window.
Indeed, despite making a wealth of changes this summer, having sold Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in August, there is certainly a new look to Spurs but still, excitingly, room for improvement.
With that in mind, perhaps there is substance to current rumours linking the London club to a creative rising star, who would certainly offer a new dimension to the attack.
What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?
According to reports in Turkey earlier this week – as relayed by The Sun – Tottenham are interested in signing 24-year-old winger Kerem Akturkoglu, who won the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray last season.
Rated at £15m, Akturkoglu – who is nicknamed 'Harry Potter' – is a fleet-footed and dynamic player who primarily features on the left wing.
Journalist Haldun Domac claims that West Ham United have also registered an interest, while Liverpool are long-term admirers of his qualities.
Who is Kerem Akturkoglu?
Old Trafford. October 3rd. Galatasaray have just secured a historic 3-2 victory over Manchester United to move four points clear of Erik ten Hag's side in the Champions League. Akturkoglu scored the leveller after 71 minutes, having been "very impressive" on the night – according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst.
The 23-cap Turkey international has, in total, posted five goals and seven assists across all competitions this season, with his creativity earning him the nickname of "assist king".
He would bring a different kind of threat to Tottenham's offensive left channel, with Richarlison quite direct in his craft, albeit scoring two goals and assists apiece this season.
Akturkoglu has already demonstrated his aptitude against top Premier League sides, and especially with Manor Solomon ruled out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on a knee injury, it might be a prudent move.
The Galatasaray star is actually outperforming his Brazilian counterpart across a number of key metrics, which could prompt Postecoglou to issue a transfer offer and enhance his team's prospects of achieving their lofty seasonal ambitions.
Akturkoglu
Richarlison
0.43
0.23
0.57
0.45
2.71
4.09
1.43
1.59
0.43
0.45
As the table delineates, Akturkoglu is performing at a much more incisive level than Richarlison, outscoring him while taking far fewer shooting opportunities, as evidenced by claims that Spurs' mercurial forward has been a "joke" by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino.
Richarlison is definitely making improvements to his game after struggling last year, having joined Tottenham from Everton in a £60m transfer and scoring just one Premier League goal all season, but he's by no means cemented an unwavering starting berth.
Akturkoglu would provide an altogether different approach, with his creative flair perhaps working a treat for Heung-min Son, who is serving as the club's centre-forward and doing so with aplomb, having scored six goals from his last five outings in the top-flight.
And while Richarlison will be confident of restoring his past vigour this term, moving for Galatasaray's glittering gem would be a big statement of ambition for a Tottenham team on the cusp of newfound heights.
Leeds United travelled to Stoke City on Wednesday night full of confidence after coming from 2-0 down to record a 3-2 victory over Norwich City on Saturday afternoon
Unfortunately, the Whites were unable to carry that momentum to the bet365 stadium as they fell to a 1-0 defeat late on and were ultimately punished for their shambolic performance.
The major talking point ahead of kick-off was Daniel Farke's decision to drop Crysencio Summerville, whose brace dragged Leeds back from the jaws of defeat and inspired them to secure three points late on against the Canaries.
The "baller" – as lauded by the German himself following his stellar individual display – was dropped for Jadon Anthony, while Daniel James and Glen Kamara made way for Wilfried Gnonto and Ilia Gruev.
Despite performing terribly on the night, Farke's men did have the opportunity to take the lead from the spot, however, Patrick Bamford was entrusted to take the penalty and blazed it over the bar, as Leeds were left cursing their decision to let him take it.
In the end, that miss proved to be the turning point as Stoke stole the three points in the 80th minute courtesy of a Pascal Strujik own goal.
Leeds United's worst performers against Stoke
As the saying goes, the real test of any footballer is if they can do it on a cold and windy night in Stoke and on this occasion, it appears Leeds weren't up for passing that test.
Given the outcome of the result, it is easy to pass the blame on the pantomime villain Bamford, who missed from 12 yards out, but there were several other players who hardly painted themselves in a positive light, especially from a defensive point of view.
Archie Gray was described as looking "jaded" by Leeds United writer Beren Cross for his performance against Norwich and unfortunately for the youngster, he put in a similar display against Stoke, recording the joint lowest match rating (6.4), as per SofaScore, while losing possession on 19 occasions and winning four of his nine ground duels.
On the same flank, there was also another notable villain in the form of Wilfried Gnonto, who was making his first start for the club since returning from injury, and it's fair to say, it was one to forget.
The stats behind Wilfried Gnonto's performances vs Norwich
The 19-year-old wouldn't have expected to be pulling on a Leeds United jersey again this season after handing in a written transfer request this summer, but a move never materialised and the Italian has an opportunity to showcase his talents in the Championship.
The £20k per-week dud, however, will be fearing for his place in the side moving forward following an abject display on Wednesday night, with the Italian struggling to make an impact in the final third.
Those woes were evidenced by the fact that the versatile forward player – who can operate centrally or on the left – recorded zero successful dribbles as he failed to utilise his skillset against the Potters, having also made zero key passes on the night and lost possession 13 times, as per SofaScore.
Off the ball too, the teenager shirked the responsibility of winning possession back for his team, putting in a rather weak display which saw him win only four of his 11 ground duels and make three fouls.
The player with the joint worst match rating of any starting player on the Leeds side (6.4/10), even lower than that man Bamford (6.5) – as per SofaScore – it was no surprise to see him hooked in the 70th minute, especially after making just 38 touches in the match, fewer than teammate Illan Meslier recorded between the sticks (67).
With performances like that, Leeds will potentially have regretted not selling him when they had the chance to in the summer.
It may not have been vintage, but Manchester United got back to winning ways with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Fulham this afternoon, with the Red Devils leaving it late at Craven Cottage for the second season running.
A year on from Alejandro Garnacho's stoppage-time strike over Marco Silva's men to seal a 2-1 win, it was the turn of under-fire skipper, Bruno Fernandes, to produce a rare moment of quality for the visitors, after an early effort from Scott McTominay had been controversially ruled out for offside.
The composed finish from the Portuguese magician at the death will undoubtedly steal the headlines following a grim week for United, with the 29-year-old sparing both his and his teammates blushes on the day.
Bruno Fernandes' performance in numbers vs Fulham
It is fair to say it has been a dire week – and season – for the former Sporting CP man, with the experienced figurehead having been rested for the defeat to Newcastle United in midweek, after previously coming in for criticism from club legend Roy Keane regarding his status as captain following the Manchester Derby.
The best way to respond to such critique is to produce on the field, although it wasn't exactly a sparkling performance from Fernandes on the whole against the Cottagers, as he was notably "poor and wasteful" throughout the contest – in the words of journalist Sam Pilger.
Bruno Fernandes
That was evident as the £240k-per-week playmaker lost possession 20 times with things just not clicking into gear in the final third, having also provided just one key pass from his number ten berth – lower than his 2.8 average for the season in that regard.
Alas, the 61-cap international did manage to conjure up one moment of magic at the death to claim a perhaps dubious Man of the Match award, although it is fair to say it was teammate Harry Maguire who was the "worthier winner", as per Pilger.
Harry Maguire's statistics vs Fulham
Having been stripped of the armband after making just eight Premier League starts last season, it looked as if Maguire's time at Old Trafford was coming to an inevitable end over the summer, having fallen way down the pecking order under Ten Hag.
Harry Maguire
Fast forward a few months, however, and the 30-year-old has been reinstated as a central cog in the defensive machine, the former Leicester City man capitalising on the injury woes of his positional peers to cement a place in the starting lineup once again.
Partnered with veteran ace Jonny Evans – with World Cup winner Raphael Varane watching on from the bench – the England international proved that he is becoming rather "undroppable", according to ex-United 'keeper Peter Schmeichel, with a dominant performance in west London.
The towering brute notably won nine of his 12 total duels on the day after repeatedly putting his body on the line for his side despite sustaining a head injury early on, with the Sheffield native seemingly playing through the pain barrier to help steer his side to a vital three points.
While the resurgent talent did lose possession on 11 occasions, he regularly looked to try and tee up those ahead of him with an incisive threaded pass, having made 12 passes into the final third – more than any other player on the pitch.
Composed on the ball and colossal off it, such a performance was a reminder of what Maguire can offer the side when at his best, with the centre-back's gritty and determined display typifying what United need as they seek to grind out results over the coming weeks.
In the meantime, Ten Hag can breathe a little easier – for another few days, at least.
It's been suggested that an in-form Tottenham Hotspur star could actually end up costing manager Ange Postecoglou, despite his terrific performances.
Tottenham's star players – 2023/2024
The north Londoners are still unbeaten after a superb run of eight wins from their opening 10 top flight games – a start which has both thrilled supporters and taken critics by surprise. Postecoglou's arrival from Celtic in June was met with some skepticism at first, with the Australian possessing little experience in an elite division like the Premier League. However, the rejuvenation of Spurs has, thus far, put the doubts surrounding him to bed.
Tottenham look like a team transformed by barely recognisable from Antonio Conte's last season in charge. Both summer signing James Maddison and club legend Son Heung-min have formed a deadly partnership going forward, while centre-back duo Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are enjoying a rock-solid understanding at the heart of Postecoglou's defence.
The likes of Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie have also starred as Spurs' new regular inverted full-backs, and it's hard to really pick a weak link in this Lilywhites team, even though Richarlison has been criticised at points and some doubts surround his place in the starting eleven. However, one Tottenham ace who's stood out as somewhat of an unsung hero is new goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
The Italy international, who's started every single league game as Postecoglou's new first-choice shot-stopper, has made some crucial saves in big moments; with Vicario being praised by ESPN pundit Janusz Michallik recently.
“It’s easy to point at James Maddison, all the goals and how they’re scoring in so many different ways. But defensively what he’s done is even more impressive. They’re the second-best defensive team, look at Vicario, Google probably went down when Vicario came to London because nobody paid attention to who he was, but, today, we’re talking about Sanchez, Onana and Raya, here you have Vicario who is excellent."
Vicario could cost Ange at Spurs
Despite his sensational form since joining from Empoli in the summer, former Premier League star Mark Schwarzer now suggests that Vicario may not be the calibre of keeper to maintain Tottenham's place at the top of the table. Sharing his doubts over Vicario, BBC pundit Schwarzer explained to the Optus Sport Podcast this week:
Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.
“Look, I think he’s done really well, I really do. I think he’s done really, really well. I want to see how it goes on further into the season.
“I hold my hands up, yes, so far, he’s done well but there are still question marks in my head about whether or he is the right goalkeeper for them moving forward. At the moment yes, it’s all positive, all working fine for him. I’m not quite sure just yet, but he has had a good start to the season.”
The 27-year-old, who signed for Spurs to the tune of less than £20 million, is apparently making Tottenham very happy with his performances.
"Tottenham are very happy with Guglielmo Vicario and his impact with English football," said Fabrizio Romano on Vicario recently.
"Understand real fee invested by Spurs to sign Vicario from Empoli was €19m. Top signing."