Rayan Cherki
January 2026
Evra called out Cherki for disrespecting United after Cherki’s earlier quote about wanting to “kill” United resurfaced following City’s derby defeat. Cherki started on the bench and came on at half-time, but had no meaningful impact as United controlled the game; Evra posted a pointed response online, tying the loss to Cherki’s pre-match bravado.
Alvaro Arbeloa
January 2026
Arbeloa criticised supporters who chanted “Florentino resign” during his first home league win, arguing the protest came from people who do not truly support the club. After replacing Xabi Alonso and starting with a Copa del Rey upset loss to Albacete, Arbeloa steadied things with a Levante win via second-half goals from Mbappe and Asencio, but the match was dominated by sustained anti-Perez chants from early on.
Franz Wagner
January 2026
Wagner described relief after returning from a high ankle sprain to play in Berlin, saying the moment mattered and he feels good heading into the London matchup. He accelerated his rehab target around the Germany game, acknowledged rust is normal after injury, and credited the difficulty of replicating NBA speed during rehab as he settles back into form.
Marc Guehi
January 2026
Reports say Guehi’s private jet aborted a Manchester landing before touching down safely as he travelled to complete a £20 million move, with the timing adding to Glasner’s public frustration. The aborted landing was attributed to runway disruption, and the transfer was framed as Palace avoiding losing Guehi for free in summer; Glasner said he learned of the sale shortly before a match and criticised the club’s handling.
Lisandro Martinez
January 2026
Martinez invited Scholes and Butt to confront him directly after they questioned his ability to handle Haaland, with Martinez responding that criticism is easy on television but different in person. Pre-match comments suggested Haaland would overpower Martinez, but United’s defence held firm in a derby win; Martinez used the outcome as leverage to dismiss the talk and emphasise focusing on performances.
Oliver Glasner
January 2026
Palace leadership moved to calm sack talk and keep Glasner through the end of his contract, despite his public criticism of the club after losing key players and enduring a long winless run. Glasner described the squad as abandoned after Guehi’s sale and transfer noise around Mateta, and the chairman held talks before deciding continuity was preferred; Palace still involved Glasner in January business and expect a turnaround.
Ja Morant
January 2026
Iisalo said there is a good chance Morant plays against Orlando in London after practicing fully, while the team downplayed ongoing trade speculation and focused on results. Morant’s availability hinges on how his calf responds overnight, with Memphis aiming to stabilise after poor form; Orlando came in boosted by Franz Wagner’s return from a high ankle sprain and the lift of playing in Europe.
Harry Kane
January 2026
Bayern overturned a 1-0 half-time deficit to win 5-1, with Kane scoring early in the turnaround and Bayern extending their unbeaten run. Gnabry equalised, Kane finished after an Olise pass, then Bayern piled on through Tah, Pavlovic and Olise as Leipzig collapsed in the second half, reinforcing Bayern’s dominance and Kane’s prolific scoring form.
