All posts by h79snht.top

Glasgow Rangers had to watch on as their city rivals were crowned champions of the Scottish Premiership for the fourth time in as many seasons.

The Light Blues, who were held to a 2-2 draw by St Mirren last time out, are a whopping 17 points adrift of first place with more matches left to play, which shows that they have not even made it a close race.

Rangers made the decision to part ways with Philippe Clement earlier this year and brought Barry Ferguson in on an interim basis until the end of the season.

The former Scotland international and ex-Rangers midfielder has only won three of his seven Premiership games in charge of the club to date, which does not suggest that he is the right man to take the job on a permanent basis this summer.

The Light Blues need a manager who can bring success back to Ibrox next season. A manager who can bring a league title back to Ibrox next season.

They need to find a head coach of Brendan Rodgers’ calibre. The Northern Irishman had proven himself to be a good manager in the Premier League before his move to Celtic, where he has been incredibly dominant.

Why Brendan Rodgers has been a big success in Scotland

Prior to his first spell at Parkhead, Rodgers earned promotion from the Championship with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign and finished 11th in his first top-flight season with the Welsh outfit.

That earned him a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2012, and he led the Reds to seventh, second, and sixth-placed finishes in the Premier League in his three full seasons in charge.

Rodgers joined Celtic for the 2016/17 campaign, winning the Premiership title in his two full seasons at the helm, before joining Leicester in early 2019.

The Northern Irishman enjoyed a largely successful time with the Foxes, winning the FA Cup in 2021, before his return to Celtic in the summer of 2023.

Season

Matches played

League position

22/23

28

19th

21/22

38

8th

20/21

38

5th

19/20

38

5th

18/19

10

9th

Stats via Transfermarkt

Since returning to Parkhead, Rodgers has claimed the Premiership title in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns, and has the chance to win the domestic treble by beating Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final this season.

This shows that he has been a huge success on the other side of Glasgow, and that may be down to, in part, because he arrived at Celtic off the back of several seasons of impressive performances as a manager in the Premier League.

Kevin Thelwell is set to join Rangers as their new sporting director this summer, after his contract with Everton expires, and he reportedly has a former Premier League manager in mind for the job.

Thelwell tells Rangers who would be a good appointment

According to Football Insider, Thelwell has told the 49ers, who are part of an ongoing takeover at Ibrox, that former Everton and Burnley head coach Sean Dyche would be a fantastic appointment for the club.

The report claims that Ferguson is not expected to be given the job on a permanent basis, after his interim spell comes to an end, and this means that the club will be in the market for a new head coach.

Football Insider reports that Thelwell is a big fan of Dyche, with whom he worked at Goodison Park, and he believes that the English boss has the mentality and character to thrive at Ibrox.

The outlet adds that the sporting director also believes that the manager’s direct, physical, style of play would go down well with the supporters in Glasgow.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Expand Collapse

However, Football Insider does not reveal whether or not Dyche, who was relieved of his duties by Everton in January, would be open to a move to Ibrox this summer.

If the 53-year-old tactician is interested in joining the Light Blues, the 49ers could land their own version of Brendan Rodgers by bringing him to the club.

Why Rangers should appoint Sean Dyche

The experienced boss would arrive with similar credentials to the ones that Rodgers first arrived at Celtic with, as he has tasted promotion from the Championship and seasons of midtable finishes in the Premier League.

Dyche has shown that he can get a team to win matches regularly to earn promotion, finishing second and first in the 2013/14 and 2015/16 Championship seasons respectively, but he can also set up a side to be resolute and tough to break down, to avoid relegation from the top-flight.

Sean Dyche’s Premier League career

Season

Matches played

League position

24/25

19

16th

23/24

37

15th

22/23

18

17th

21/22

30

18th

20/21

38

17th

19/20

38

10th

18/19

38

15th

17/18

38

7th

16/17

38

16th

14/15

38

19th

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Dyche has only been relegated from the Premier League in one of his full seasons in the top-flight, although he did leave Burnley on the edge of relegation with eight games left in the 2021/22 campaign.

The former Toffees head coach, therefore, knows how to create a good team spirit and a gritty mentality because he has led so many sides to safety throughout his time in the English top-flight.

His mixture of experience coaching title-chasing teams and sides that wanted to avoid the drop suggests that he could be a great fit for Rangers, because he can use the former experience to compete for the title in the Premiership and the latter experience to produce hard-working, gritty, displays in big European matches.

Therefore, Dyche, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by Kieran Trippier, could follow in Rodgers’ footsteps as a proven Premier League coach who could arrive in Scotland to win major trophies in Glasgow, but this time at Rangers to end Celtic’s dominance in Scottish football.

Related Better than Rose: Rangers considering move for "amazing" 4-3-3 manager

Rangers are reportedly considering a move for a manager who would be an even better appointment than Marco Rose.

Posts ByDan Emery Apr 30, 2025

It is now down to Thelwell and the club to see if the former Burnley stalwart would be willing to take on the role, and if he is the best option available out of all of their targets.

Arsenal and sporting director Andrea Berta have identified a new “priority” forward target for manager Mikel Arteta, following an excellent run of form since the turn of the year, and his current club are apparently resigned to losing him.

Arsenal exploring summer deals for attackers

As widely reported, a key item on Berta’s agenda this summer is bringing in new attackers, both out wide and at centre-forward.

Related Arsenal: Berta set to table bid for "top player" after £202m transfer boost

The Italian will have a big warchest to reinvest into Arsenal’s squad.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 11, 2025

Bukayo Saka was sorely missed during his lengthy absence, which occurred thanks to a serious hamstring injury, while uncertainty surrounds the future of Leandro Trossard as he fast approaches the final season of his contract at Arsenal.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

April 23rd

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

GiveMeSport claim Arsenal could bring in a star alternative to Saka on the right-flank and a left-winger to cover the likes of Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli. A top target for the wide area is Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, who’s been heavily linked in the last seven days, following credible reports that Berta held talks with his representatives recently.

Williams will command huge wages of around £250,000-per-week to potentially join Arsenal, though, so Berta will be looking at other options as well, with there being no guarantee that the Spain international does end up completing a move to N5.

As well as a winger, Arsenal are firmly in the market for a new striker, and it is believed Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres has shot up to the very top of their wishlist quite recently.

According to reports in Portugal this week, Arsenal are preparing to make an offer for Gyokeres before the end of 2024/2025, so the Swede’s potential Premier League move could finally be on the cards after two sensational campaigns in the Primeira Liga.

In terms of a stand-in or competitor for Saka out wide, the Gunners have also been surprisingly linked with £200,000-per-week Man United outcast Antony recently, following his rejuvenated spell out on loan at Real Betis.

Arsenal identify Man United forward Antony as "priority" target

The Brazilian has racked up two goals and two assists over his last nine La Liga games for Betis, finding his feet quickly in Spain under Manuel Pellegrini since joining in January, and his 2025 performances haven’t gone unnoticed at Arsenal.

According to Spanish media sources, Arsenal have shortlisted Antony as a new “priority” target, and Betis appear resigned to losing the 25-year-old after his loan spell considering this competition from the Premier League.

The winger would be open to extending his Betis stay, according to this report, but all signs point towards him returning to Old Trafford or finding a new landing spot before the beginning of 2025/2026.

His rumoured price tag is set at around £40 million, which is seen as more realistic after his excellent loan at Betis, so he would be a fairly cheap option, discounting Antony’s wages.

He’s also been likened in playing style to PSG star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, but following his lacklustre time in England, this move would be considered a huge gamble.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has been handed a boost in his pursuit of a 52-year-old’s appointment in N17, with the high-ranking board chief said to be seriously attempting to bring him to north London.

Ange Postecoglou makes comment on Tottenham future

Following an alleged Ange Postecoglou row with Spurs supporters in their 1-0 London derby defeat at Chelsea, where he was seen goading the away end over Pape Matar Sarr’s introduction, the Australian has received serious backlash.

Related Tottenham ready to move for "elite" Postecoglou replacement after Chelsea loss

The Australian is treading on very thin ice right now.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 4, 2025

Postecoglou brought on the Senegalese in place of Lucas Bergvall, which prompted boos from the Lilywhites fanbase, with Sarr then equalising with an excellently taken, albeit brief, strike from long-range.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

In response, the Tottenham boss cupped his ear to those who jeered his decision to bring Sarr on. This incident hasn’t gone down well with supporters and critics alike, but Postecoglou has since insisted that he was merely celebrating the goal, which was eventually ruled out for a foul in the build-up.

Postecoglou is now facing more pressure than ever before, especially following Tottenham’s sixteenth defeat in the Premier League alone this season, with Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola reportedly Levy’s top managerial target to succeed the tactician.

Celtic’s former boss was candid when asked about his long-term future this week, suggesting that Spurs need to think more long-term.

“I’ve almost lasted two years, it’s pretty good for Tottenham,” said Postecoglou on his job.

“At some point, I think the club needs to stick to something. If I say it now it sounds self-serving and defeats the purpose, so maybe not now. But I think that if you want to change the course of your events, you need to change materially a lot of things in terms of the way your outlook as a club.

“Last year was a good year, I don’t care what anybody says. We lost Harry (Kane). I know everyone talks about our start (but) we lost Harry, we finished fifth, we changed the way we played.

“It seems like, you have one good year, you have one poor year and then that’s it, ‘let’s move on to the next’, but that’s what I accepted so I can’t sit here and say, ‘ah, woe is me’. That’s the challenge I accepted.”

Daniel Levy handed Tottenham boost over appointing Fabio Paratici

As well as a new head coach, the north Londoners have been tipped to re-hire ex-managing director Fabio Paratici, who would play a key role in the managerial recruitment process.

Reports suggest that Levy has held talks with Paratici over re-joining Tottenham, and the chairman has apparently been “working hard” on his possible return (Graeme Bailey), but Milan are major foils in this move.

The Rossoneri are chasing their own sporting director, with Paratici’s worldwide football ban set to end on 30th June this year. However, according to Calciomercato, Tottenham have been handed a boost in their pursuit of the 52-year-old.

It is believed that Milan’s talks with Paratici have collapsed over various clauses they couldn’t agree upon, handing Levy a clear run at bringing back a former employee who enjoyed a productive stint at the club.

The Italian played a major role in Spurs’ appointment of Antonio Conte, whilst also orchestrating deals for Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr.

Former Premier League referee Peter Walton has revealed to no one’s surprise that Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson was the hardest manager to deal with as a referee.

Peter was a Premier League referee from 2003 until 2012, when he retired from his on-pitch duties to take up the role of general manager of the Professional Referee Organization in North America, which he performed until 2018.

Since then, he has returned to British shores to feature regularly as a pundit and officiating expert on TNT Sport’s football coverage, and you can read our exclusive chat with him below, in partnership with talkSPORT BET.

Who was the toughest manager you had to referee?

“Sir Alex Ferguson. He didn’t win what he wanted by being a shrinking violet. He didn’t keep United at the top of the tree for so many years by being nice to everybody. I’ve received the hairdryer treatment for sure.

“The manager’s office at Old Trafford is next to the referee’s room at Old Trafford and at the end of a game I’d go in there, I’d pop the door open and say cheerio. Normally that would be met with ‘thanks very much, see you next time’ but they played Portsmouth one night and Man United lost two full-backs through injury.

“One was when one of the Neville lads kicked through and caught the studs of an opponent. He got hurt – it was not a foul – the other one was a foul, I gave the foul. After the game, I tapped on the door as I normally do and I went to say ‘cheers, all the best’ and he went absolutely ballistic at me. Apparently, I’d caused the loss of two full-backs and there were a few Anglo-Saxon words in there. Of course, he always had a very short fuse.”

What was the hardest ground to officiate at?

“Thinking of grounds, the hardest one to referee at was Goodison Park. It’s a shame Everton are leaving there but Goodison Park always evoked an atmosphere for me.

“It was quite a feral place for me at times. The whole place would erupt and they would always encourage me if I was having a bad game. It was always a tough one to referee – when I looked at the fixtures and saw I had Everton I thought ‘here we go’.”

What's the toughest refereeing decision you ever made?

“I made a decision that was right but I didn’t agree with it. That was at Goodison. Everton were playing West Ham and West Ham were fighting for their Premier League survival. There was a striker called Freddie Piquionne and I cautioned him earlier in the game for a centre-forward’s challenge, he got nowhere near the ball. He was on a caution and we put that to bed.

“In the second half Everton were winning 1-0 but West Ham made it 1-1. And when Piquionne scored what would be a winning goal for West Ham to make it 2-1, he peeled away and went into the away support that was at Goodison over at the far side and the away support surged forward. In doing so there was a group of young lads at the front of the seating area who weren’t crushed but they nearly were.

Related All 20 referees working in the 2024/25 Premier League – list

There are 20 full-time professional referees on the Premier League’s elite list.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Feb 16, 2025

“Freddie raced over to them but unfortunately, it was a safety issue. Referees had been briefed only a month before about clamping down on players creating safety issues for fans and you had to caution them for doing that.

“Freddie came back onto the field with the security and police sorting out the young lads at the front of the crowd and I shook my shoulders and said ‘Freddie you’ve got to go’. He shook my hand and actually said ‘thank you’. It was the right decision in law but it didn’t sit greatly with me.”

INEOS are now reportedly prepared to spend more than £100m to sign Raphinha from Barcelona under one circumstance at Manchester United in 2026.

The Red Devils owners have not been afraid to spend big on transfer fees in the last six months, despite their cost-saving measures off the pitch. Sir Jim Ratcliffe continues to back Ruben Amorim, who has shown signs that he could yet turn things around at Old Trafford, and that could yet result in further much-needed reinforcements.

INEOS have already seen the majority of their summer signings settle into life at Old Trafford, with Bryan Mbeumo even picking up the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for October to match Amorim’s Manager of the Month achievement. The former Brentford forward scored three goals and assisted one other to earn the award.

After watching Mbeumo pick up the award and claiming the Manager of the Month prize himself, Amorim told reporters: “The credit is not mine, the credit is for my players. They did really well, and our goal is to win the next one because it means we win football matches.”

The former Sporting CP boss, more than anyone, will be well aware that there’s still a long way to go, however, and INEOS must still back the Red Devils in the transfer market.

Related Forget Mbeumo: "Phenomenal" Man Utd star was the real player of the month

Bryan Mbeumo has won the Premier League Player of the Month, but one other Manchester United star may feel hard done by.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Nov 7, 2025

On that front, those at Old Trafford have already been linked with 2026 moves for the likes of Elliot Anderson and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. Anderson would be a particularly impressive signing, given how he’s starred in a struggling Nottingham Forest side as of late, whilst Vlahovic would undoubtedly add depth to Amorim’s frontline.

Neither of those players would be as impressive as Raphinha though, who has scored twice against Man United throughout his career.

Man Utd prepared to spend over £100m on Raphinha

According to reports in Spain, INEOS are now prepared to spend €120m (£105m) to sign Raphinha if Man United qualify for the Champions League this season. Qualification for the competition would hand the Red Devils further financial freedom and the ability to attract stars such as the Barcelona winger.

The Brazilian would instantly become Man United’s record signing at £105m, finally dethroning the £89m fee that they paid to sign eventual flop Paul Pogba in 2016.

Unlike the Frenchman, Raphinha may well prove to be worth every penny after becoming one of the best wingers in the world at Barcelona and finishing fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Whether a club-record bid would be enough to lure Barcelona into a sale is the big question. Manager Hansi Flick should be desperate to keep hold of his winger, having told reporters last season: “He has good dynamics with the ball and he has had an extraordinary match. His offensive and defensive dynamics, and his good technique, are something special. I have never had a player like him and he helps us a lot.”

Forget Cunha & Mbeumo: "Explosive" Man Utd star is coded for the Fergie era

Celtic’s interim head coach Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Wednesday night’s clash with Dundee at Parkhead will be his final match in the dugout for the Scottish giants.

The experienced manager stepped in after Brendan Rodgers resigned at the end of October and has won six of his seven matches in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, to date.

Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy will then take over as the permanent successor to Brendan Rodgers and will face a baptism of fire at the weekend against league leaders Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

The French boss will be watching on from afar for the clash this evening and will have one last chance to assess the players who will soon be at his disposal before being tasked with organising them in training.

O’Neill will also be keen for his last game to be a memorable one, leaving Nancy with the team in the best possible position, by claiming all three points against Dundee.

The experienced boss may look to make some changes to his starting line-up from the side that beat Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road on Sunday in order to secure the win this evening.

The Celtic players who could be dropped against Dundee

Football FanCast have already suggested that right-sided winger Luke McCowan should be dropped from the team after he failed to impress against Hibs at the weekend, with no shots on target or ‘big chances’ created, per Sofascore.

The former Dundee man has been tasked with filling in out wide in recent games, due to the lack of natural options in that position, but he was ineffective last time out, which could provide Benjamin Nygren with a chance to play in that role.

On the other side of the pitch, Marcelo Saracchi could make way for Kieran Tierney at left-back, as the two defenders have shared the workload so far this season in the Premiership.

25/26 Premiership

Saracchi

Tierney

Appearances

7

10

Starts

6

6

Minutes

405

609

Big chances created

2

2

Assists

1

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the statistics above, they have both started six league games this term, and it could be Tierney’s time to start this evening after coming off the bench against Hibs.

Another player who could be dropped from the starting line-up, alongside Saracchi and McCowan, is left-sided attacker Hyun-jun Yang, who played a part in Arne Engels’ goal with a deflected cross for the Belgian on Sunday.

Aside from that deflected cross, the South Korean forward offered little to the side in or out of possession on the left flank. Per Sofascore, he played 86 minutes without registering a key pass, a ‘big chance’ created, or a shot on target, as his part in Engels’ goal did not count as an assist.

The 23-year-old star, who scored against Feyenoord last week in the Europa League, also lost 75% (3/4) of his duels throughout the game, per Sofascore, which shows that he was not strong enough in his physical battles.

With this in mind, and the fact that they have Hearts to play on Sunday, O’Neill should ruthlessly ditch Yang from the starting line-up to provide another player with an opportunity to impress.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

Dropping the South Korea international could allow the experienced boss to finally unleash rarely-seen winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha on the left flank against Dundee tonight.

Why Celtic should unleash Michel-Ange Balikwisha

The Belgian forward played 59 minutes across three substitute appearances in O’Neill’s first three games in charge, but has been an unused substitute for the last four matches in all competitions.

We are not privy to what goes on behind the scenes, in training and in tactical meetings, and the experienced boss will have his reasons for not giving Balikwisha much game time in recent weeks.

However, in a three-game week, this clash with Dundee ahead of the meeting with Hearts on Sunday provides the manager with a chance to give the summer signing from Royal Antwerp a start for the first time.

In fact, Balikwisha has not started a game for Celtic since the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock away from home in September under Rodgers, per Sofascore, which means that the winger has not had many opportunities to showcase his quality.

Balikwisha in 25/26 Premiership

Opposition

Minutes

Hibernian

0

St Mirren

0

Kilmarnock

0

Falkirk

29

Hearts

30

Dundee

26

Motherwell

12

Hibernian

16

Kilmarnock

58

Rangers

65

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic winger started his first two games in the Premiership against Rangers and Kilmarnock, after signing from Royal Antwerp, but has not gotten a look-in since then.

There is more to come from Balikwisha in a Celtic shirt because his form for Royal Antwerp in Belgium suggests that he does have the potential to carry a threat at the top end of the pitch.

Per Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old wing wizard scored 30 goals and provided 17 assists in 145 matches for Antwerp, yet he has only managed two assists and no goals in 12 outings in all competitions for the Hoops.

The only way he will improve and adapt to Scottish football, though, is by playing matches and getting used to the intensity and physicality of the division, which he cannot do from the bench.

That is why O’Neill should give Balikwisha a rare opportunity to start against Dundee as a parting gift to Nancy, as it would provide the winger with another opportunity to develop as a Celtic player ahead of a fresh page under the next manager.

Therefore, the interim manager should ruthlessly drop and rest Yang from the starting line-up this evening, bringing the rarely-seen Belgian in to give him a chance to stake a claim for a place in the side moving forward.

Related Nancy could bin Celtic star who's been the biggest winner of O'Neill's reign

Incoming Celtic boss Wilfried Nancy could drop this star who has been the biggest winner of Martin O’Neill’s reign.

Posts 1 ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

This has been a whirlwind four days for Liverpool Football Club.

The problems engulfing Arne Slot and his side are no secret; they’re well-documented, but things have only got worse in recent days.

The pressure on Slot has never been greater. That 3-3 draw with Leeds was rough, but Mo Salah’s post-game comments lit a fire that’s been burning away since Saturday.

Liverpool chose to drop him from the squad and who knows whether we’ll see the great Egyptian in the famous red shirt again.

Salah posted a picture of himself in the gym as the rest of his teammates prepared in Milan for their Champions League clash with Inter.

Slot’s side, however, were resilient, they showed an improved attitude and it got them over the line on Tuesday night. They kept things tight to seal a late 1-0 win inside the San Siro.

How Slot's tweaks improved Liverpool

With Salah absent from the squad, Federico Chiesa out with illness and Cody Gakpo missing through injury, it meant that Slot decided to operate with a diamond formation.

Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak operated as the two central strikers with Alexis Mac Allister behind and while the forward line was still largely non-existent, the defence was hugely improved.

As Slot said a few days ago, Ibou Konate has been a “little too much at the crime scene” this season, referring to his mistake-riddled performances.

Well, the Frenchman and indeed club captain, Virgil van Dijk, looked back to their best against Inter. They did so against two menacing centre-forwards in the shape of Marcus Thuram and Lisandro Martinez.

The Liverpool centre-backs reduced the two strikers to just one shot on target. Konate and Van Dijk also won seven of their 11 duels, competing on average 92.5% of their passes.

The midfield three in front of them got through plenty of work to aid the defensive cause. As a consequence, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch and match winner Dominik Szoboszlai look undroppable.

Add Florian Wirtz into the equation at the weekend too, and you would sense that the German is tailor-made for a diamond formation at the front of the midfield.

That being said, not everyone in red did their duties well. Some might say Liverpool’s big-money summer signing is as much a problem as Salah right now.

Liverpool's big problem after Inter

While Salah has been excluded from the squad, Slot needs to find a way to get more goals from his side.

Starting Isak and Ekitike together is a start but there is one huge problem; the Swede hasn’t been good enough.

His fellow striker has been one of Liverpool’s most impressive players this term, bagging eight goals in all competitions. In many senses, he looks like the £100m plus addition, not Isak.

We can no longer make any excuses for the £125m man. Of course, with no pre-season, he needed several weeks to get up to speed but we are now in December, he should be at full fitness, playing like a man who cost more money than any English club has ever spent on a single player.

Chalkboard

Expand Collapse

Two goals later and he looks like one of the biggest flops in football history. There is still time for the former Newcastle United attacker to come good but judging by his display in Italy this week, it won’t be anytime soon.

Once again, Isak lacked the energy and desire to press hard from the front. He also lacked the ability to link the play and most vital of all, he didn’t have any goal threat.

Isak vs Inter Milan

Minutes played

68

Touches

25

Accurate passes

10/11 (91%)

Shots

1

Shots on target

0

Successful dribbles

0/1

Key passes

0

Successful crosses

0/1

Duels won

3/7

Stats via Sofascore.

Liverpool World’s Will Rooney handed the record buy a 5/10 rating, noting that he ‘faded’ as the first 45 minutes wore on, bemoaning the fact that the club are still ‘failing to make the most of his attributes’.

That bit may be true, but he’s not doing enough himself either. He registered fewer touches than Alisson (45) and also only completed ten passes against Inter.

While you don’t always need your centre forward to have too many touches to impact a game – Erling Haaland is the prime example of that – they need a higher degree of influence from Isak now.

If Salah is going to leave Merseyside behind then they’ll need someone to step up as soon as possible. Sadly, Isak doesn’t look capable of doing that.

It’s likely Slot will keep the same formation he operated with on Tuesday when Liverpool face Brighton in the league at the weekend but that team shouldn’t include Isak. Perhaps it’s time to give Chiesa a run in the team.

Related FSG can keep Salah at Liverpool by hiring "the best young coach in Europe"

Arne Slot has only a tenuous grasp on his position in the Liverpool dugout.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair 3 days ago

The former quick said Boland could seam it “off ice” and not having to wait could help the debutant

Matt Roller20-Nov-2025Brett Lee has encouraged Australia to give debutant Brendan Doggett the new ball on his Test debut against England on Friday, after Steven Smith declined to confirm who would open the bowling with Mitchell Starc.Doggett, a fast-medium outswing bowler, has been a prolific wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield and has generally been used as an opening bowler by South Australia. Boland also opens the bowling when he plays in the Shield for Victoria but has built a formidable record as a change bowler across his first 14 Tests, taking 62 wickets at 16.53.Related

Weatherald and Doggett handed debuts in first Ashes Test

Australia's injuries fuel English optimism but task ahead is huge

Smith: If the result doesn't go our way, we can turn it around

Smith, who will stand in as captain for the first Test in the absence of Pat Cummins, would not confirm who will share the new ball with Starc in Perth. “We’ll see in the morning – or hopefully, maybe two mornings,” he said on Thursday.But Lee, who took 310 Test wickets as an Australia tearaway between 1999 and 2008, suggested that Doggett should open the bowling to help calm any nerves on debut.”Maybe that’s the best thing for his nerves,” Lee said at a Fox Cricket event on Thursday. “If they lose the toss tomorrow and they’ve got to bowl first, then Steve Smith might go, ‘Alright mate, you haven’t got time to get the nerves. Take the brand new ball and shape a few away.'”It’s not like he’s just been picked out of the blue. He’s been around the squad now for a long, long time. He’s trained with the guys, he knows the guys very well personally. He’s had a couple of really good Sheffield Shield seasons back-to-back, so he’s done the work and he’s earned that opportunity.”But when you walk out there tomorrow at 10.20am, it doesn’t matter. All that hard work is now going to be transformed. Take that nervous energy, take that pressure, take that opportunity, and hopefully he gets a bag of wickets.Scott Boland and Brendan Doggett will make history for Australia, the first time they have field two Indigenous cricketers in a Test XI•Getty Images

“The thing with Scott Boland is that he can bowl anywhere: I reckon he’d get the ball to seam off ice, he’s so good.”Smith said that Doggett had impressed in Australia’s training sessions at Perth Stadium this week, earning him selection ahead of Michael Neser: “He gets the ball down at nice pace, stands the seam up,” he said. “Hopefully, whenever we bowl, he can get the ball in the areas we know that he can. If he does that, I’m sure he’s going to create plenty of chances.”Curator Isaac McDonald has promised a pitch with “pace and bounce” for the first-ever Ashes Test at the venue and Lee believes that fast bowlers will be rewarded for “patience” across the five days, encouraging them to settle into a fuller length than normal due to the extra carry.”You’ve got to bowl a lot fuller, that five-metre length, over here in Perth,” he said. “The teams that get excited when the ball flies through [to the keeper] generally get punished, because nothing goes on to hit the stumps. [Aim for the] top of off, and that means a fraction fuller if it’s a wicket that’s quite bouncy.”They have to attack, but you can attack and still be patient…. You’ve got to adjust your length in order to hit the top of off stump, which brings in the slips. We will see a lot of catches go through the slips region if there is pace. As a bowler, my form of wicket and dismissals over here is I want the ball to go behind to the keeper, first or second slip, or gully.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Fim de preparação, porque vai começar o Campeonato Brasileiro. O Vasco ficou mais de um mês sem jogar, por ter sido eliminado precocemente do Cameponato Carioca. O Cruz-Maltino fez três jogos-treino durante este período até a estreia na competição e venceu em todos os testes.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasVascoGaldames revela que Mocca torce para o Vasco: ‘Ganhou uma camisa’Vasco12/04/2024VascoGaldames abre o jogo e revela motivo da escolha pelo Vasco: ‘Passo perfeito a carreira’Vasco12/04/2024Mercado do EsporteBrasileirão 2024 inicia com sete SAFs; veja valores e detalhesMercado do Esporte12/04/2024

➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

➡️A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

⚽ VASCO 5 X 0 OLARIA
O Vasco goleou o Olaria por 5 a 0 no CT Moacur Barbosa. Os gols foram de David, Clayton (2), JP e um contra. O técnico Ramón Díaz optou por escalar um time completamente alternativo.

Escalação do jogo-treino: Keiller, Puma Rodriguez (Lucas Eduardo), Maicon, Luiz Gustavo (Lyncon) e Victor Luís; De Lucca, Mateus Carvalho e JP; David (Rayan), Serginho e Clayton.

continua após a publicidade

⚽ VASCO 2 X 0 VOLTA REDONDA
No segundo desafio do hiato sem partidas oficiais. Os gols cruz-maltinos foram marcados por David e Clayton

Sem informações sobre a escalação.

⚽ VASCO 2 X 1 AMÉRICA-MG
O Vasco venceu por 2 a 1 no último desafio desta intertemporada. O América-MG foi a vítima. Clayton e Vegetti balançaram a rede pelo lado Cruz-Maltino, enquanto Fabinho descontou para o Coelho.

Sem informações sobre a escalação.

Agora, o próximo desafio do Vasco na temporada é oficial. O Cruz-Maltino estreia no Campeonato Brasileiro contra o Grêmio, às 16h, em São Januário.

continua após a publicidade

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFutebol NacionalVasco

Maxwell was struck on the right wrist by a Mitch Owen straight drive while bowling in the nets and will likely miss the India series in late October

Alex Malcolm30-Sep-2025

Glenn Maxwell has been ruled out with a fractured wrist•AFP/Getty Images

Australia have suffered another injury blow with Glenn Maxwell ruled out of the T20I series against New Zealand with a fractured right wrist after being hit by a Mitchell Owen straight drive while bowling in the nets in Mount Maunganui.Maxwell has been sent home and will see a specialist in the coming days. It is understood Australia’s medical staff are expecting a relatively quick recovery but he will be in doubt for the five-match home T20I series against India which begins on October 29. He would be more likely to be fit for the start of the BBL in mid-December subject to the advice from the specialist. It adds to a wretched run of injuries for Maxwell dating back to the broken leg in 2022.Sydney Sixers and New South Wales wicketkeeper-batter Josh Philippe has been called up. Philippe was close to being inclided when Josh Inglis was ruled out with a calf injury but Alex Carey was selected ahead of him.Related

Stoinis gets his chance to make T20 World Cup bid

New dad Jamieson is keen to defuse some fireworks on the cricket field again

Inglis out of T20 tour of New Zealand with a calf strain, Carey called up

Philippe is not a like for like replacement for Maxwell, but Australia needed an option to cover Carey if he got injured on the morning of the match as they had only one keeper in the original squad and Maxwell was set to be Australia’s unlikely short term fallback to keep in that scenario.Maxwell’s injury further complicates Australia’s planning towards the 2026 T20 World Cup with the next eight games seen as a key block to bed down their best XI. Australia are now missing two of their most dynamic and versatile batters in Inglis and Maxwell for the series against New Zealand. They are also missing Cameron Green who has remained home to play Sheffield Shield cricket in the lead-up to the Ashes and he will also miss the T20I series against India in order to prioritise his Ashes preparation.Pat Cummins will miss both series due to the hot spot in his back while Nathan Ellis is also missing the New Zealand series for the birth of his first child.Maxwell is also the first-choice fifth bowler in Australia’s line-up and was set to match-up against New Zealand’s left-handers. Matt Short is on return from injury having missed the past two series against West Indies and South Africa and will be needed to bowl some overs. Marcus Stoinis also returns to the squad and will be capable of bowling the overs that Green was unable to in the previous two series.Captain Mitch Marsh is unlikely to bowl again in the short term and remains an unknown as far as bowling goes for the World Cup. Australia is also keen to continue to develop Travis Head’s offspin in the shortest form. He has a decent ODI record with the ball but has only bowled six overs in T20I cricket in 41 matches and none in his last 24 dating back to April 2022.Josh Philippe last played for Australia in 2023•Associated Press

Philippe returns to Australia’s T20I set-up for the first time since 2023 having come off an impressive tour of India with Australia A where he scored 123 not out, 39 and 50 in the two unofficial Tests against India A in Lucknow. But while his red-ball form has been strong in recent years for Australia A, his T20 returns have not been as prolific for Sixers in the BBL.He has made just one half-century across the last two BBL seasons and has struck at under 130 across 24 innings in that time. He has only two scores above 13 in 12 T20Is striking at just 109.48.Australia preferred Carey because of his ability to play as a finisher in a rejigged line-up despite replacing Inglis who is the permanent No. 3. Philippe has opened in half his T20I innings and never batted lower than No. 4. He has only batted lower than No. 4 10 times in his domestic T20 career but has not done so since 2020.