The visitors succumbed to one of the worst collapses in ODI history

Mohammad Isam02-Jul-2025

In a matter of 15 minutes, Bangladesh’s batting unfurled in an ugly collapse, one of the worst in ODI history, handing Sri Lanka a 77-run win in the first ODI. Bangladesh slipped from 100 for 1 to 105 for 8 in the space of 20 deliveries. Those were the fewest runs added from the fall of the second wicket to the eighth.Wanindu Hasaranga and Kamindu Mendis engineered the collapse. They are essentially three bowlers in two as Kamindu bowls both left-arm orthodox and right-arm offbreak. There were no real demons in the Khettarama pitch, though there was one in the outfield. Hasaranga and Kamindu took three wickets each, but credit should also go to Sri Lanka’s fielding. Milan Rathnayake’s superb throw and Janith Liyanage’s diving catch sparked Bangladesh’s collapse.Sri Lanka had earlier made 244 in 49.2 overs, courtesy of their captain Charith Asalanka anchoring the innings. The left-hander struck his fifth ODI century, second as the Sri Lanka captain. Bangladesh had their moments too, with Taskin Ahmed, returning after an ankle injury, taking four wickets.Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto got Bangladesh to a fine start, adding 71 runs for the second wicket. Both were batting fluently, until, disaster struck.Shanto’s dive couldn’t beat debutant Rathnayake’s throw from deep square leg, in the 17th over. He made 23, but with Tanzid unbeaten on 61 at the other end, Bangladesh would have still thought they were on top.Asalanka introduced Hasaranga in the 18th over, partly because finally a right-hander had arrived at the crease. Litton Das fell lbw for a duck to the legspinner’s second ball. Litton has now failed to reach double-figures in his last eight ODIs, stretching back to December 2023. It was his fourth duck too, in these eight innings.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Two balls later, the set batter Tanzid played a poor shot against Hasaranga, hanging back to blast him to mid-off. Liyanage took a brilliant catch, diving high to his right. Tanzid made 62 off 61 balls, with nine fours and a six.Kamindu then bowled the best delivery of this collapse, getting his left-arm spin to zip through Towhid Hridoy’s defensive push. New captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz was next to go, trapped lbw by Hasaranga’s googly, falling for a duck in the next over.Kamindu then took a brace in the 21st over. First he removed Tanzim Hasan, when Maheesh Theekshana caught him at short midwicket nicely. Kamindu switched to right-arm offbreaks, and had Taskin Ahmed trapped lbw, to make it 105 for 8.Theekshana then got Tanvir caught behind before Jaker Ali’s 51, with four sixes and as many fours, reduced Bangladesh’s margin of defeat to less than 100 runs.Earlier, Asalanka held the Sri Lanka innings together after he decided to bat first. The left-hander struck six fours and four sixes in his 106 off 123 balls, but had little support at the other end. He crossed 1,000 runs at the R Premadasa Stadium where he stands level with Sanath Jayasuriya, Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar after scoring his fourth century at the venue.Asalanka’s knock was critical to Sri Lanka getting out of trouble after they slipped to 29 for 3 in the seventh over. Tanzim removed Pathum Nissanka for a duck, before Taskin got Nishan Madushka to drag his away-going delivery to his stumps.Wanindu Hasaranga wheels away in celebration•Associated Press

Taskin then had Kamindu caught at mid-off, also for a duck, as Bangladesh felt they were on top. They controlled the scoring rate during the 60-run fourth wicket stand between Kusal Mendis and Asalanka. Debutant Tanvir had Mendis lbw for 45, leaving Asalanka with a lot of recovery still left to do.He added 64 runs for the fifth wicket with Liyanage, who eventually struck one down long-off’s throat after making 29 off 40 balls and followed it with a 39-run stand for the sixth wicket with Rathnayake.Asalanka forged on, hitting some nice shots but mostly batting as the innings anchor. He added 34 with Hasaranga, and while there wasn’t much pace to the partnerships, it held Sri Lanka in place.Taskin removed Hasaranga and Theekshana in the same over before Asalanka reached his century in the 48th over. Looking at the final scorecard, Sri Lanka would be grateful that their captain never gave up despite the wickets falling regularly at the other end.

Manchester United have faced managerial uncertainty recently and Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on developments that could follow at Old Trafford.

Manchester United pressure on Ruben Amorim eases a little

Supporters of Manchester United will be the first to tell you that this season hasn’t all been plain sailing so far. However, Ruben Amorim looks to have bought himself more time after helping to deliver a competent 2-0 victory over Sunderland.

After some turbulent results, the Red Devils rounded off the international break with a display that showed signs of recovery, alongside some excellent performances, notably from Senne Lammens. Optimism will now start to flow ahead of the Premier League return.

ESPN FC pundit Steve Nicol took time to praise Amorim’s side for their ‘comfortable’ performance, claiming that the win was the first match in a long time where nobody would’ve been able to ask any questions of Manchester United.

He stated: “I bet you, Amorim wishes every Saturday could be like this. I can’t remember the last time we watched Manchester United, home or away, where there wasn’t at some stage, some sort of drama, whether it’s giving a lead away, or whether it’s a comeback or or whether it’s just rubbish.

“I mean, for the first time ever I can remember in recent memory, there’s nothing to say about this Man United side. It was comfortable. As soon as Mount scored, they never looked in any danger.”

Nevertheless, consistency needs to be the focus for Manchester United after the break; otherwise, there will be a return of familiar rumours linking other managers to Amorim’s role at the club.

Speaking of which, Romano has now delivered an update on one man who could be a candidate to succeed the former Sporting boss if he does end up being relieved of his duties.

Romano: Man Utd are on good speaking terms with Gareth Southgate

Communicating on his YouTube channel, Romano confirmed that Manchester United hold an excellent relationship with Gareth Southgate, though he conceded that they are heading into the international break feeling far more comfortable with Amorim at the helm after Saturday’s triumph.

He said: “Man Utd were not going to sack Amorim even if Man Utd were going to lose the game against Sunderland. Even in that case, he was not going to be fired. That was the plan of Man Utd unless completely crazy things happened, like losing, I don’t know, 3 or 4 or 5-0. But, for example, losing the game, I don’t know, 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, something like that – Amorim was not going to be fired.

“I spent basically the last 10 days telling you that Gareth Southgate was in the media, but there was never a concrete negotiation between Man Utd and Southgate or his representatives. There is a very good relationship between Southgate and INEOS, but never a negotiation. And Man United wanted to show their support to Amorim.”

Amorim was always likely to gain an extended crack of the whip off the back of a victory. Still, Southgate would be an astute plan B option should results begin to head south over the coming months.

The 55-year-old retained a 59.8% win ratio in charge of England and has previously been labelled “ruthless” by John Stones. On the flip side, the main concern over him taking over at Old Trafford would be the fact he hasn’t managed in the Premier League since 2009.

Middlesbrough fans will remember him well for stabilising the club in the top flight. Nevertheless, managing Manchester United is an entirely different kettle of fish, an honour Amorim seems set to retain for now.

Tottenham boosted their chances of reaching the knockout stages of the Champions League with a commanding 4-0 win at home to Copenhagen, despite playing much of the second half one man light. Goal-scorer Brennan Johnson was sent off with Spurs already two to the good, but Thomas Frank's side showed fantastic character to score twice more as they put in arguably their best performance of his tenure so far.

Tottenham pulled ahead just before the 20-minute mark. Copenhagen clumsily gave the ball away in the Spurs half, allowing Rodrigo Bentancur to win possession back and hand the reins over to Xavi Simons, who quickly saw Johnson darting in behind the high defensive line and fed him down the right-hand channel. Goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski came a long way out of his box to challenge Johnson and missed, with the Welshman cooly rolling the ball in from a tight angle.

Spurs ought to have doubled their lead before the break when a lovely, flowing team move saw Simons square the final pass for Randal Kolo Muani, who somehow fumbled the chance to score his first goal for his new club by firing wide from close range.

Shortly after the restart, the hosts found that second goal. Pedro Porro's long ball over the top was chased all the way by Kolo Muani, who blocked Kotarski's clearance and retrieved the high clearance with an immaculate first touch before selflessly passing to Wilson Odobert to finish.

But the game threatened to turn when Johnson was shown a red card on 57 minutes. The winger caught Marcos Lopez on his heel with his studs, and after consulting with VAR, the referee gave him his marching orders.

However, that only seemed to galvanise Tottenham, who scored their third of the evening soon after. Joao Palhinha nicked the ball back on the edge of the Spurs penalty area, and Micky van de Ven proceeded to sprint almost the entire length of the pitch before firing beyond a helpless Kotarski. Seconds later, it was four as another quick breakaway saw Odobert slip in centre-back Cristian Romero, who managed to reverse the ball back for Palhinha to smash in at the back stick.

Richarlison rattled the underside of the crossbar with a powerful header from a Porro cross before Spurs were awarded a penalty when Dane Scarlett was tripped by Junnosuke Suzuki. Brazil's No.9 stepped up and, would you believe it, hit the exact same spot on the bar again. However, that mattered little in the grand scheme of things as Tottenham ran out convincing winners.

GOAL rates Spurs' players from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Guglielmo Vicario (6/10):

Once roundly criticised for his inability to catch a cross, the Italian goalkeeper guarded his six-yard box superbly to hoover up Copenhagen crosses. Only really tested by way of shot-stopping from distance.

Pedro Porro (7/10):

Gave the ball away a couple of times in his own half early doors but was much better defensively here than he has been all season. Came up with the daring long ball which led to Odobert's goal.

Cristian Romero (7/10):

Swept up for Van de Ven whenever the Dutchman went marauding into midfield in a role-reversal of their usual tasks. Found himself playing up front for a brief few seconds before teeing up Palhinha for Spurs' fourth goal. Subbed for Danso.

Micky van de Ven (8/10):

Wow. Came into the game with a point to prove after walking off without clapping the fans against Chelsea on Saturday, left as the name on everyone's lips for the right reasons. Hardly troubled at the back and then ran Copenhagen ragged with one hell of a sprint right through their entire team to score Spurs' third.

Destiny Udogie (7/10):

Spurs have missed natural width down the left despite the emergence of Spence as an outstanding one-v-one defender. Combined well with Odobert throughout. Taken off for the England full-back eventually.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Rodrigo Bentancur (7/10):

One of several players eviscerated by Jamie Carragher on Monday Night Football this week, but responded excellently with a top performance at the base of midfield, winning possession back and moving it on at pace.

Pape Matar Sarr (7/10):

The engine behind Tottenham's direct performance. Always looked to play the ball forward and bring attackers into play as soon as possible.

Xavi Simons (8/10):

His best performance in a Spurs shirt since moving from RB Leipzig at the end of the summer window. His clever thinking set Johnson racing away for the opener, while Kolo Muani denied the Dutchman two other assists in the first half. Sacrificed for Palhinha after the hosts were reduced to 10 men.

AFPAttack

Brennan Johnson (7/10):

From hero to zero, from an objective sense. Put Spurs ahead with a well-taken finish from a narrow angle, only for his night to end early after VAR recommended a red-card review for a high, if weak, foul on Lopez. Fortunately, this only spurred Tottenham on to demolish their visitors.

Randal Kolo Muani (7/10):

Missed a couple of sitters but was always in the right place at the right time and grabbed an assist for countryman Odobert. The fans showed their appreciation for his efforts with a standing ovation when coming off for Richarlison.

Wilson Odobert (8/10):

No single player has made the left wing spot their own at Spurs so far this season, but the young Frenchman strengthened his credentials with a goal while showing a growing understanding with the likes of Udogie, Simons and Kolo Muani. Subbed for Scarlett late on.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Joao Palhinha (7/10):

Brought on to shore up the midfield after Johnson's red card, ended up on the scoresheet. Now up to four goals in his Spurs career already. Technically got the assist for Van de Ven too.

Richarlison (5/10):

Replaced Kolo Muani. Hit the bar with a header and then a penalty.

Djed Spence (6/10):

Came on for Udogie.

Kevin Danso (6/10):

On for Romero.

Dane Scarlett (7/10):

Afforded some extremely rare first-team minutes in place of Odobert. Won the penalty which Richarlison missed.

Thomas Frank (9/10):

After the calamity of the Chelsea loss, Frank desperately needed a result and performance like this to improve his popularity among Tottenham fans. His selections and substitutions were spot on.

أرسل النادي الأهلي اليوم الأربعاء، شكوى للاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، يطالب فيها، وبشكل عاجل، بالتحقيق فيما جرى من تجاوزات غير أخلاقية من جماهير نادي الزمالك بحق لاعب الفريق الأحمر أحمد سيد زيزو وأسرته.

وشهدت مباراة نهائي السوبر المصري بين الأهلي والزمالك، والتي فاز بها الأول بهدفين دون رد، تجاوزات من جانب جماهير القلعة البيضاء ضد لاعبهم السابق زيزو.

طالع أيضًا | مجدي عبد الغني يوجه رسالة لـ زيزو: كان يجب أن تصافح نائب رئيس الزمالك بـ “رجولة”.. والجميع يعلم لماذا انتقلت لـ الأهلي

وشدد النادي الأهلي في بيانه على أن زيزو تعرض لهتافات مسيئة وألفاظ خارجة على مرأى ومسمع من كافة الحضور في ملعب المباراة، وفي مقدمتهم الدكتور أشرف صبحي، وزير الشباب والرياضة، وكل قيادات المنظومة الكروية.

وأوضح الأهلي في شكواه أن هذه التصرفات تكررت كثيرًا في الفترة الماضية – ولا تزال – لعدم وجود ردع لمرتكبيها.

وأكد النادي الأهلي على أنه يرفض المساس بحقوق أي من لاعبيه، ويطالب بتطبيق اللوائح والقوانين، واستعادة الحقوق الأدبية للاعبه، ورد اعتباره ترسيخا للقيم الأخلاقية، وتعزيزا لمبدأ التنافس الشريف.

A pristine innings from Steven Smith and Cameron Green’s first half-century at No. 3 put Australia in control of the second Test in Grenada on a day limited to 58.3 overs by three rain interruptions, a lethargic over rate and latterly bad light. However, regular breakthroughs after tea kept West Indies in touch although the surface remained a challenge for batters.Smith, playing with the lingering effects of the compound dislocation he suffered in the World Test Championship which requires him to wear a splint on his right little finger, barely put a foot wrong during an innings studded with classy drives. There was general shock, not least from Smith himself, when he fell lbw to Justin Greaves for 71 shortly after tea – the DRS confirming ball had struck pad first – leaving the series still waiting for its first century.Greaves became the somewhat unlikely figure to keep West Indies’ hopes alive when he then had Beau Webster edge to a lone slip. After a third shower briefly suspended play, Travis Head was cleaned up by Shamar Joseph, defeated by the angle from round the wicket, leaving Alex Carey the key figure in terms of how many more Australia could add. After the second day’s play, Roston Chase said West Indies would be confident chasing anything under 200 – they are now going to need considerably more than that.Related

• 'Today was a nice sign' – Green hoping to trend upwards at No.3

• King and Seales do their bit to make West Indies' grand plan work

• Seales' late strikes, King's 75 put Australia under pressure

• Hard work done but no pay day for Green as questions linger

There remained regular signs of uneven bounce – Green received a delivery early on which scuttled for four byes – but the ones that shot low were either not straight or were able to be kept out. As had been evident on the first two days, batting became more manageable as the ball got softer which added to the importance of the 93-run stand between Green and Smith in taking the sting out of the attack.Green, who had done the hard work in the first innings but couldn’t take advantage of being given a life, brought up his first half-century as a Test No. 3 with a perfect straight drive. However, he was again left furious when he chopped on next ball, dropping his bat to the ground in anger before trudging off.Overall, though, it was a step in the right direction. He nearly fell for West Indies’ short ball plan when he top-edged short of deep square leg, but he defended solidly and waited for anything with a hint of width to put away through the off side.Cameron Green got to fifty the ball before he was dismissed•Associated Press

Australia had resumed on 12 for 2 after a difficult finish to the second day where Jayden Seales removed both openers. Progress from Green and nightwatcher Nathan Lyon was sedate before a 40-minute rain break. Shortly after the resumption Lyon edged to third slip where John Campbell, who has had an indifferent time in the field, clung on with a juggle.Lyon had joked in a pre-play interview that Smith thought he should retire to let him bat straightaway. Smith, whose preparation for returning to the side included a session a New York batting cage, received a brutal first ball from Alzarri Joseph which took the glove of his injured hand but he looked in the zone from the off.Smith did well to keep out a delivery from Anderson Phillip that kept low, from which point on he limited his trigger movements to remain stiller at the crease. He collected back-to-back boundaries off Shamar Joseph – a straight drive and one through the covers – as his game looked in top working order despite the recent lay-off.When the ball got soft, West Indies went for a bouncer strategy with, at times, three on the leg-side rope, a deep third and a short leg but Smith was rarely bothered by it. While variable in bounce, the pitch does not have great pace which made a bouncer-barrage hard work although it may have been in part to try and get the ball changed.Smith’s fifty came up from 79 balls with a leg glance and he greeted the introduction of Greaves by stepping out of the crease and clubbing him straight down the ground. Chase’s offspin was then sent straight for six as Australia sensed a chance to cash in on their hard work.After Green’s dismissal, Head came out and threaded his first delivery through the covers with a rasping drive. Another crisp drive, this time off Greaves, took him into the 20s at better than a run-a-ball. He went down a gear after tea amid the loss of Smith and Webster before falling late in the day. But Carey was swiftly into his work and Australia’s bowlers will hope he can given them a cushion of another 50 runs.

Everton will surely feel smug about the number of top-drawer academy products they’ve managed to uncover.

The likes of Anthony Gordon and John Stones have the blue half of Merseyside to thank for kickstarting their Premier League careers, before Newcastle United and Manchester City beckoned, while Everton undoubtedly got more out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin than what was expected, after once picking him up as an 18-year-old prospect from Sheffield United.

71 goals would come Calvert-Lewin’s way across 273 games, but even he will know his rise to Toffees first-team glory pales into insignificance when weighed up next to Wayne Rooney’s remarkable ascent from teenage prodigy at Goodison Park to world-beater with Manchester United.

David Moyes was the boss who first gave Rooney a chance in the Everton senior mix at just 16 years of age, as the Scotsman now goes about assessing what promising youngsters he currently has at his disposal at the Hill Dickinson Stadium who could also go on to have an extensive career at the very top.

Everton's most promising youngsters right now

Many of the Everton U21s personnel right now will surely be dreaming of their Rooney moment in the spotlight under the Glaswegian.

Omari Benjamin could well feel he’s deserving of a first-team opportunity very soon, especially if Beto continues to fluff his lines on Merseyside, with the former Arsenal youth player turned rising star at the Toffees boasting two goals this season in Premier League 2 action.

Up to 12 goals in total now for the U21s, it only feels like a matter of time before the 19-year-old hotshot is handed some men’s minutes.

Other names catching the eye include Justin Clarke, who also boasts two goals himself this season in the Premier League 2, alongside 18-year-old Joel Catesby, who is more of a creative force than a goalscoring menace, having accumulated seven assists to date in both the U18 and U21 picture.

Moyes will have to err on the side of caution with some of these promising starlets, however, with the gap between youth football and the pressures of the Premier League a notoriously hard one to bridge.

That’s why the youth-focused boss will be over the moon with how well this other exciting youngster is doing out on loan away from Everton, as the Toffees potentially now have their best prospect since Rooney burst onto the scene.

Everton's biggest prospect since Rooney

The once wide-eyed number 18 would never look back after being slotted into the first team at just 16, with 17 goals and four assists tallied up for the Toffees during his first stint on the Merseyside, ending up being just the start of his unbelievable tale in the Premier League.

Harrison Armstrong will hope his current loan spell with Preston North End is a similarly memorable first chapter he can look back on in a few years time after he’s exploded in the Everton first-team set-up, with one Preston-based content creator already tipping him to have a “huge future” beyond Deepdale.

Armstrong has even picked up a Man of the Match accolade out on loan in Lancashire, too, with seven duels won across the course of his bruising 90 minutes, the sort of grit Preston needed to complete a 3-2 comeback win over Sheffield United on Friday night.

With three assists also next to his name in the Everton first-team picture, it’s clear that there’s a plausible pathway to the senior side for Armstrong under Moyes when this formative stint is complete, having also been previously dubbed a “first team regular in the making” at Everton by journalist Richard Buxton.

Everton U18s

22

5 + 1

Derby County

15

1 + 0

Everton U21s

15

3 + 1

Everton

8

0 + 3

Preston

8

0

The bold claims don’t stop here, either, with another Preston-oriented voice also wildly stating that he “will play for England one day” long after his Championship journey is up.

After all, the likes of Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins must still be eternally grateful for their respective EFL educations, before they then went on to receive a Three Lions cap.

Everything is pointing in the direction of Armstrong being Everton’s brightest prospect since Rooney’s whirlwind moment, with it now being up to the 18-year-old to succeed with all this hype weighing down on him.

Fewer touches than Pickford: Everton flop must be axed if Richarlison joins

This Everton dud will surely be on borrowed time even more if Richarlison rejoins the Toffees.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 27, 2025

There's a new favorite to win the National League Rookie of the Year award at FanDuel Sportsbook. 

San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill has passed Pittsburgh Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes in the latest odds, moving to -120. Skenes is still -105 to win the award, but it's clear that Merrill, who has been gaining momentum for weeks, is now the favorite.

This odds movement was something that was predicted by our own Reed Wallach, who pointed out the possibility of the Pirates shutting down Skenes later this season once the playoffs are completely out of reach.

After Skenes was viewed as a virtual lock to win the award earlier this month, Merrill has continued to make a case, hitting .289 with 17 homers and 69 runs batted in for a Padres team that has the top wild card spot in the National League.

Skenes (7-2, 2.30 ERA) has cooled off a bit since the All-Star break, posting a 3.13 ERA across five starts. While he's still pitching extremely well, Skenes isn't the runaway favorite due to his lack of game time in the MLB (16 games).

With Merrill at 122 games and counting, this market could shift further in his favor if Skenes is shut down the for the season at some point in the next month.

The NLCS kicked off Sunday night in Los Angeles with the Dodgers rolling over the Mets, 9-0, in a game that was pretty much over after the fourth inning. The Dodgers have now gone 33 straight innings without giving up a run, which ties a postseason record set by the Baltimore Orioles in 1966.

While the Dodgers' pitching staff has been lights out, they did get some help from the Mets on Sunday night, specifically from Jesse Winker, who made a mind-boggling decision on the basepaths.

With the Mets trailing 6-0 in the fifth inning with nobody out, Jose Iglesias hit a single to center field. Winker got a good jump off of first base and it appeared he'd easily got to third base when he suddenly stopped halfway there and ended up getting thrown out at third.

Check this out:

Not great.

MLB fans blasted him:

Game 2 is Monday afternoon at 4 p.m. ET.

The Mr. October of the New York Yankees went yard again in Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers—and no, it’s not Aaron Judge. 

Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton blasted a jaw-dropping two-run homer out of Dodger Stadium to give his team a 2–1 lead in the to of the sixth. Stanton sent Dodgers starter Jack Flaherty’s pitch into the left-field seats in a booming hit that “scraped the sky,” per Fox announcers. It marked Stanton’s 17th career postseason home run and his first in the World Series.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and many others in the sports world couldn't help but marvel at Stanton’s monstrous homer.

So, too, did Dodgers star Freddie Freeman.

Fox cameras caught Freeman completely awestruck on the field as he watched Stanton’s moonshot leave the ballpark. 

Simply no words.

Stanton has now crushed a home run in each of his last four games for the Yankees. The ball traveled 412 feet and reached a max speed of 116.6 mph, marking the hardest-hit batted ball in the World Series under Statcast, according to MLB’s Sarah Langs. 

With his 17th playoff homer, Stanton moves up in the all-time rankings and is tied with Bryce Harper, David Ortiz and Jim Thome in career postseason home runs.

With the job still there for the taking, one candidate is now reportedly keen to become Rangers manager as soon as possible ahead of Kevin Muscat.

Rangers manager shortlist explained

​​Now that Steven Gerrard has taken himself out of contention, the race to become the next Rangers manager has been blown wide open. The 49ers have just a few days before the Gers return to action against Dundee, but find themselves back at the drawing board and assessing their current options.

Several names have been mentioned as a result, ranging from Graham Potter and Kieran McKenna all the way to current favourite Muscat. All three of those options certainly have strong points too, handing those at Ibrox quite the task ahead.

Serial winner who worked with Ange now "favourite" for Rangers job

The Gers may have identified their man…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 15, 2025

Potter, for example, has managed at the highest level compared to any other candidates, but his time at that level wasn’t exactly the most successful of his career. Now, after struggling at West Ham United before facing the sack, his stock is at its very lowest.

McKenna, meanwhile, is almost Gerrard-esque. Going from Manchester United coach to a managerial role elsewhere, he made history at Ipswich Town in 2024 by becoming the fifth manager in English football history to achieve back-to-back promotions from the third division to the top flight. Although since relegated back to the Championship, that achievement still stands.

Neither of those names are the current favourites, however. Instead, that’s where Muscat comes in. The Shanghai Port boss was previously in contention for the role before Philippe Clement jumped ahead in 2023, and could now finally get his chance.

That said, whether Rangers are keen to play the waiting game as the Chinese Super League campaign approaches its conclusion is another question entirely. Instead, they could turn towards a manager who’s keen to start as soon as possible.

Chris Jack: Danny Rohl wants Rangers job ASAP

As reported by Rangers Review’s Chris Jack, Danny Rohl now wants to take the Rangers job as soon as possible ahead of Muscat and other candidates. The ex-Sheffield Wednesday boss, who rose to prominence as Hansi Flick’s assistant at Bayern Munich, has been out of a job since leaving Hillsborough at the end of last season and represents an exciting young manager.

If Muscat forces Rangers to wait until mid-November to arrive, then the door could open for Rohl to arrive instead. The last thing that the 49ers should want is more uncertainty and hiring their next manager sooner rather than later will be the key to avoiding that.

Whether Rohl is the right man for the job is the question. The 36-year-old is by far the most inexperienced candidate for the job, but perhaps the most exciting. It ultimately comes down to whether the 49ers want to take another risk after already failing with their appointment of Russell Martin.

Described as “brilliant” by Sheffield Wednesday star Barry Bannan, Rohl could yet receive the biggest opportunity of his career courtesy of Rangers.