Nicky Butt, the former Manchester United midfielder, launched a sharp attack on Argentine Lisandro Martinez, the English team's defender. Because of his participation in raising a political banner confirming the Falkland Islands’ dependence on Argentina, following his country’s victory over England in the World Cup semi-finals, he noted that such behavior would not have passed without a strong reaction within United’s dressing rooms in the past.
Martinez was among a group of Argentine national team players who raised a banner reading: “Las Malvinas is Argentinian,” meaning “The Falkland Islands are Argentine,” after beating England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-final. The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) imposed a fine on the Argentine Football Association amounting to 235 thousand pounds sterling. Because of what he described as a show of a political nature.
According to the British newspaper "The Telegraph", Butt, who won six titles in the "English Premier League" with Manchester United, said that Martinez does not deserve sympathy in light of his actions and performance on the field, noting that the player lives in England, but he appeared celebrating the Argentine flag against the English national team.
He added, during his speech on the “Piers Morgan Uncensored” program: “He lives in our country and dances carrying the Argentine flag in the World Cup.” What does he do? Then he expects people to pat him on the shoulder when he has a bad game.”
The former United player criticized what he considered to be a contradiction between the defender's performance and his statements criticizing the club's management, after Martinez asked United officials to make more efforts in the transfer market, expressing his disappointment with technical director Jason Wilcox, following the loss to Atletico Madrid 0-2 in the Champions League.
Butt said that Martinez behaves with excessive sensitivity towards criticism, even though he criticizes those responsible for the club, adding: “He has the audacity to appear in an interview and criticize officials because of contracts, while he himself is not performing at good levels. If the club were to sign new players, he would be one of the first to replace them.”
Butt also linked the defender's poor performance to his expulsion against Chelsea, on Saturday, in the match that United lost 0-2, after he caused a penalty kick before receiving the red card, criticizing his elbow tackle during the match.
Butt recalled the dressing room atmosphere during his time with United, saying that Martinez would have been subjected to harsh criticism if he had behaved in the same way at that time, adding: “In our days, they would have completely torn his head off. Everyone would have said to him: Who do you think you are to talk about your colleagues in this way, while you are performing at this level?
He added that the player's status does not give him the right to belittle his teammates, even if he is the best player in Europe, considering that Martinez has moved from a player loved by the fans to a player whose departure the club's fans demand.
The Argentine defender has been subjected to mounting criticism recently, especially after his statements regarding Manchester United's contract policy, in addition to the decline in his level and the team's negative results.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of committing a public order offence, before being released on bail.
Videos have emerged on social media showing a Coventry City fan taunting Sunderland fans by referring to Bradley Lowry.
Bradley, a Sunderland fan, nicknamed the "Black Cats", captured the hearts of football fans around the world after he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a rare type of childhood cancer. He passed away in 2017 at the age of six.
Video clips circulating on social media showed a fan holding up a picture of Bradley during a match held last Saturday in the English Premier League between Coventry City and Sunderland.
West Midlands Police said in a statement on Tuesday: “A teenage boy was arrested in Coventry. On suspicion of committing a public order violation, it was decided to release him on conditional bail.
Gemma Lowry, Bradley's mother, issued an emotional statement through the Bradley Lowry Foundation the day before yesterday, Sunday, in which she called on everyone not to "direct any hatred, threats, or harm" to the boy or his family.
Describing him as her “beautiful little boy,” Bradley’s mother said, “He deserves to be remembered with love, not hate,” adding, “Seeing a beautiful memory like this (the photo) used in a very cruel way really hurts my heart.”
She continued: “We are a family that loves football and follows Sunderland FC in all its matches, whether at home or away. I don't mind football jokes, but can making fun of a child who died of cancer be considered a joke?
Bradley's mother explained in her statement, which was reported by the British news agency "PA Media": "I hope that the club will take appropriate measures, and that the boy's family will help their son realize the extent of his cruel behavior."
She stressed: “I do not want any hatred directed at him, so please, do not do that. Let this situation be a lesson for him to learn from.”
Gemma Lowry concluded her statement by saying: “Behind that picture, there is a little boy who was loved infinitely, and a family who misses him every day.”
The police had said, the day before yesterday, Sunday, that the boy had surrendered himself to the authorities, explaining in a statement: “We understand the state of dissatisfaction and anger that this clip aroused in society and among the members of the victim’s family.”
The police noted: “We confirm that our officers are keen to inform the family of developments in the investigation, and are working in close coordination with both clubs.”
For its part, Coventry City FC confirmed that it is aware of the video clips circulating on social media, stressing in its statement: “The club does not tolerate abusive behavior, and will communicate with the relevant authorities to determine the appropriate action that will be taken.”
The circle of anger is expanding in Newcastle United, after the stands of St. James' Park turned into a source of increasing pressure on German coach Matthias Jaisse, following the team's loss to Everton 1-0 on Monday, in the second defeat against the same competitor in four days, amid a disappointing performance that reopened questions about the young coach's ability to lead the club's ambitious project.
The fans' booing at the end of the match was not just a reaction to a passing loss. Rather, it reflected a clear decline in confidence in a team that has not yet succeeded in providing the level expected of it, whether on the offensive or defensive level. Although the fans supported the players throughout most of the match, the repeated mistakes and lack of offensive effectiveness sparked a state of frustration in the stands.
The loss to Everton further complicated Jaisle's situation, according to the British BBC, after his team suffered its fourth defeat in the last 6 matches in the English Premier League, leaving its score frozen at 11 points in thirteenth place, at a time when the German coach was hoping that the confrontation would constitute an opportunity to restore balance, after being eliminated by the same team from the English League Cup.
The details of the match were no less harsh for the coach; A mistake by goalkeeper Lukasz Hornicek caused the only goal, after he failed to deal with Tyreek George's shot, so the ball slipped out of his hands, and striker Tierno Barry found himself facing an empty goal, while Newcastle's suffering increased when substitute Jacob Ramsey was sent off in the last minutes, after receiving two consecutive warnings.
Jaisle admitted his responsibility for the situation, saying that he understood the fans' anger after the team's performance, and that the amount of work required to improve the level was great. He also admitted that his players lacked the audacity in possession, and relied excessively on long balls, at a time when they were unable to implement the style of play they were trained on.
The numbers reveal a crisis that goes beyond negative results. Newcastle lost 7 home matches during 2026, more than any other team in the English Premier League, and also failed to keep a clean sheet during their last 14 home matches, which is the longest series of its kind in the history of its participation in the competition.
On the offensive side, the picture appears more worrying, after the team only scored 12 goals in 9 league matches, and only succeeded in scoring once during the last 47 shots in various competitions. Although his players shot 17 balls against Everton, only two of them were on target, an indication of the team's lack of accuracy and effectiveness in the final third.
Concerns multiply as the team suffers defensively. It received the largest number of shots among the league teams this season, while its players committed errors that led to goals, a tally surpassed only by Sunderland and Hull City. Newcastle also lost 16 of the last 18 league matches when they conceded the first goal, which reflects the difficulty of coming back in matches after falling behind.
These indicators worried former English defender Jamie Carragher, who expressed his fear about the team’s future, considering that Newcastle seemed dull and boring at home, an image he did not expect from a team led by a coach coming from the “Red Bull” system known for high pressure and direct attacking play.
Carragher pointed out that the presence of a young coach and a group of young players makes the task more difficult in light of the absence of victories, anticipating a difficult season for the team, especially since the fans were waiting for a more bold and energetic style, commensurate with Jaisle’s coaching identity and previous experience.
The arrival of the 38-year-old German coach came as part of a transitional phase that followed the departure of Eddie Howe after five years he spent leading the team, but the task became more complicated with the club losing a number of its most prominent players during the summer, including Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimarães, which imposed additional challenges on the coach in building his new squad.
Newcastle's great ambitions seem far from the reality of the current team, after its CEO, David Hopkinson, spoke at the beginning of the year about the possibility of the club entering the circle of the best clubs in the world by 2030. These goals are now facing questions in light of the decline in results and the lack of clear indicators of the development of the sports project.
For his part, team captain Dan Byrne confirmed that the tension has become felt on the field, pointing out that the absence of victories reflects on the confidence of the players, and that the tense atmosphere in the stands makes restoring confidence more difficult. He added that the team provides acceptable levels in the spaces between the two penalty areas, but it lacks decisiveness in attack and solidity when defending its goal.
These developments put Jaisle to a real test; He is no longer required not only to improve results, but also to rebuild the relationship with fans whose patience is waning, and to convince them that the team is capable of regaining its offensive identity that was linked to its appointment.
Newcastle is preparing to face Fulham away from home on Saturday, before hosting Arsenal, the defending champion and leaders, on November 21, then facing Brighton away from home 8 days later. These matches will be an important milestone in determining the direction of the season, at a time when the German coach needs quick results to stop the wave of anger and give his project an opportunity to regain confidence before public pressure turns into a major crisis.
