Sports
Man United have a goalkeeper problem, but solving it might have to wait
As he walked into his first Friday news conference of the season, coach Ruben Amorim was keen to point out the upgrade Manchester United‘s Carrington training center has undergone over the summer. A designated media theater has been set up in the first-team building as part of the £50 million revamp and on his first visit, a smiling Amorim was suitably impressed.
“Better, eh?” he said as he sat down in front of reporters to answer questions ahead of Arsenal‘s trip to Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the Premier League campaign.
With the cameras on, he spoke for around 20 minutes about some of the other changes the club have made since the end of last season. Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko have arrived to give the squad a fresh look. Amorim has even changed the way his team prepare for home games, deciding it’s better that they meet at Carrington and travel to the stadium later than have his players eat their prematch meal at Old Trafford and wait around for hours until kickoff.
But among the sound bites on Sesko, team preparations and Arsenal, there was a key point that Amorim wanted to get across. Yes, he is hoping for a much-improved season after United’s worst domestic campaign for more than 50 years. The one caveat: “We cannot change everything in four weeks.”
This feeling was particularly pertinent after the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal. Altay Bayindir‘s mistake, which allowed Arsenal left back Riccardo Calafiori to score the winner, prompted an inquisition in the postmatch news conference about why United have not signed a new goalkeeper this summer. Amorim chose to defend Bayindir and double down, saying that he’s “happy” with his goalkeeping group, which also includes André Onana and Tom Heaton. In his head, though, you can imagine he was repeating his quote from three days earlier: “We can’t change everything in one summer.”
Sources told ESPN that signing a new first-team goalkeeper was discussed as early as January, but after a season in which United managed just 44 Premier League goals — the fifth-worst mark in 2024-25 — Amorim and recruitment staff decided it was more important to rebuild the attack. More than £200 million has been spent on Cunha, Mbeumo and Sesko in the hope United will have more of a cutting edge. It does, however, mean that other improvements to the squad — namely in goal and in midfield — might have to wait. CEO Omar Berrada has already squeezed every last penny out the budget.
It’s similar to the situation former coach Erik ten Hag faced when he took over at Old Trafford in 2022. The Dutchman identified very quickly that he needed a different goalkeeper from David De Gea, the No. 1 at the time. But with other positions also in need of strengthening, Ten Hag chose instead to spend his money on Lisandro Martínez, Casemiro, Antony and Tyrell Malacia.
– Predicting how Wirtz, Gyökeres and other big Premier League transfers will perform in 2025-26
– 10 European storylines to follow: Liverpool and City rebuild, Barca’s defense, more
– To keep up with their Premier League rivals, Man United must master the art of offloading players
There was hope that De Gea might learn to become better on the ball with a year of coaching. In the end, Ten Hag decided to cut ties with the Spaniard and sign Onana in summer 2023.
Onana has endured a roller coaster two years at United. There have been some stunning saves, particularly one on a shot by Liam Delap against Ipswich Town in Amorim’s first game in charge. Yet there has also been a catalog of mistakes. Two against Lyon in the Europa League in April saw Amorim decide to drop the Cameroon international for the next Premier League game against Newcastle United.
It sums up Amorim’s predicament that at St. James’ Park he picked Bayindir, who then also made an error in a 4-1 defeat.
2:21
Ogden: Man United have the worst two goalkeepers in the Premier League
Mark Ogden explains why he believes Ruben Amorim needs to sign a new goalkeeper at Manchester United.
Amorim can make a strong argument that United should replace Onana. In his two years in the Premier League, he has made five mistakes that have directly led to goals — the fifth-most by any goalkeeper during the same period. His save percentage of 68.5 ranks only 11th in the league, while he ranks 12th for goals prevented per 90 minutes.
United have looked at other goalkeepers during the transfer window. Aston Villa knocked back a loan bid for Emiliano Martínez shortly after Onana suffered the hamstring injury that kept him sidelined during preseason. There was brief interest in Joan García before it became clear he wanted to join Barcelona from Espanyol. United are also looking at Senne Lammens at Antwerp, but he’s not considered a No.1.
The message from United sources since the defeat to Arsenal is that any additional transfer funds raised by departures — most likely Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund — are likely to be reinvested in a midfielder rather than a goalkeeper. Onana is available for around £30 million, but there has been little interest since a tentative enquiry from Monaco in June. The club expect hi to stay, and he’s expected to reclaim his place for the trip to Fulham on Sunday, and as things stand, he will remain United’s No. 1 for at least another year.
The game at Craven Cottage gives United the chance to build on the positivity generated by the performance against Arsenal and put their first points on the board. Amorim has made a lot of changes in an attempt to bury the memory of last season and start moving forward, but the one in goal may have to wait.
Sports
Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair talks fine for pro-Palestinian message on eye tape: ‘It’s bigger than me’
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Houston Texans pass rusher Azeez Al-Shaair spoke out about the fine he received for wearing a pro-Palestinian message across his eye tape during a playoff win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Al-Shaair talked to reporters outside his locker in the wake of the Texans’ loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday. He was hit with a fine of $11,593 for having “Stop the genocide” emblazoned across the tape, according to ESPN.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans during the national anthem before the wild-card playoff game against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
He told the media he was aware what he did would garner a fine.
“I knew that that was a fine. I understood what I was doing … I was told that if I wore that in the game, I would be pulled out the game,” he said, via ESPN. “I think that was the part that I was confused about because I understood that was a fine but I never seen Stef (Stefon Diggs) get pulled out of a game for having eye tape with writing on it.
“At the end of the day, it’s bigger than me, the things that are going on. If it makes people uncomfortable, imagine how those people feel. I think that’s the biggest thing. I have no affiliation, no connection to these people other than the fact that I’m a human being. If you have a heart and you’re a human being and you see what’s going on in the world, you check yourself real quick. Even when I’m walking off this field, that’s the type of stuff that goes on in my head. I check myself when I’m sitting here crying about football when there’s people who are dying every single day.”
The NFL rulebook states in Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8 what players are allowed and not allowed to wear on game days. The rule states, “Throughout the period on game-day that a player is visible to the stadium and television audience (including in pregame warm-ups, in the bench area, and during postgame interviews in the locker room or on the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office.
Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans exits the field during the playoff game against the Steelers at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
“The League will not grant permission for any club or player to wear, display, or otherwise convey messages, through helmet decals, arm bands, jersey patches, mouthpieces, or other items affixed to game uniforms or equipment, which relate to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns. Further, any such approved items must be modest in size, tasteful, non-commercial, and non-controversial; must not be worn for more than one football season.”
Al-Shaair has supported Palestinians in the past, including wearing “Free Palestine” cleats for the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” campaign during the 2024 season.
Al-Shaair had “Free” written on one side of his shoes in the colors of the Palestinian flag. On one shoe, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return,” was written. On the side of his other shoe, he included the number of Palestinians reportedly killed and wounded in their war with Israel.
The shoes were for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, which he also supported in 2023.
“I feel like it’s something that’s trying to be almost silenced,” Al-Shaair told the Houston Chronicle at the time. “On either side, people losing their life is not right. In no way, shape, or form am I validating anything that happened, but to consistently say that because of [Oct. 7] innocent people [in Gaza] should now die, it’s crazy.
Azeez al-Shaair of the Houston Texans shakes hands with Aaron Rodgers of the Steelers after their playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
“[Other people] try to make a disconnect and dehumanize people over there. And it’s like, they’re human beings. Being a Muslim, we see everybody the same; Black, White, Spanish, whatever you are; you can be orange, like, we’re all human beings.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Al-Shaair was also part of the Athletes for Ceasefire organization.
Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
The 2024 class of Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye and Bo Nix have already led their teams to playoff success.
Source link
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has halted team preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after Pakistan announced its support for Bangladesh’s decision to boycott T20 matches in India, sources told Geo News.
The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 is set to take place from February 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.
The team management will be briefed later on the future course of action, the official said.
They have also been asked to prepare a contingency plan in the event Pakistan decides not to participate in the tournament.
Pakistan has expressed full support for Bangladesh’s decision not to travel to India for the World Cup, describing Bangladesh’s security concerns as reasonable and valid.
Officials have added that if the issue concerning Bangladesh’s participation remains unresolved, Pakistan will reconsider its own participation in the event.
The sources confirmed that Pakistan is fully backing its neighbours, describing Bangladesh’s security concerns as “reasonable and valid.”
Yesterday, reports emerged that Pakistan is reviewing its participation in the tournament if Bangladesh’s concerns are not resolved satisfactorily.
Insiders emphasised that no country should face pressure or threats regarding hosting responsibilities.
On January 11, the PCB expressed willingness to host Bangladesh’s fixtures in the T20 World Cup if venues in Sri Lanka are unavailable.
All Pakistani venues are reportedly ready to stage World Cup matches, with officials highlighting the successful hosting of major ICC events, including the Champions Trophy 2025 and the ICC Women’s Qualifier.
In a related development, Cricket Ireland (CI) clarified that the ICC will not move Ireland’s group-stage matches from Sri Lanka, dismissing reports that Bangladesh might swap groups due to travel concerns.
“We’ve received definitive assurances that we won’t move from the original schedule. We’re definitely playing the group stage in Sri Lanka,” a Cricket Ireland official confirmed.
A final decision on Bangladesh’s participation, particularly regarding travel to India, is expected by January 21, following recent discussions between the ICC and BCB in Dhaka.
During their second meeting in a week, the BCB reiterated its willingness to compete but expressed a preference for playing matches outside India, with Sri Lanka proposed as a possible alternative.
The ICC has maintained that the original schedule will remain unchanged, with Bangladesh placed in Group C.
Their opening match is set against West Indies in Kolkata, followed by two more group games at the same venue, before concluding in Mumbai.
The ICC told the BCB that there is no specific threat to the Bangladesh team.
The ICC is expected to nominate a replacement team, with Scotland currently next in line based on rankings.
Billy Bob Thornton on how his "Landman" role is a personal phenomenon
Reliance misses third-quarter profit estimates at $2.06 billion for the October-December quarter
Trump says world ‘not secure’ until US has Greenland
-
Tech7 days agoNew Proposed Legislation Would Let Self-Driving Cars Operate in New York State
-
Sports1 week agoClock is ticking for Frank at Spurs, with dwindling evidence he deserves extra time
-
Entertainment6 days agoX (formerly Twitter) recovers after brief global outage affects thousands
-
Fashion1 week agoSouth India cotton yarn gains but market unease over US tariff fears
-
Fashion1 week agoChina’s central bank conducts $157-bn outright reverse repo operation
-
Sports1 week agoUS figure skating power couple makes history with record breaking seventh national championship
-
Sports4 days agoPak-Australia T20 series tickets sale to begin tomorrow – SUCH TV
-
Entertainment1 week agoFive killed in road accident in Khyber