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.

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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 summer transfer window saw Arsenal enjoy one of the most exciting transfer windows in their illustrious history.

Edu had left the club and Andrea Berta had arrived. The job he performed was incredible during his first window in charge of recruitment.

Viktor Gyokeres was the marquee addition but the likes of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke have bolstered the forward line and ensured that Mikel Arteta can afford to rest and rotate a little bit more.

The defence was also strengthened, of course it was. Arteta loves a defender. Although, with both William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes currently out injured, it’s probably just as well Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie signed.

So, what could January hold?

Where Arsenal could strengthen in January

Given the mass spending over the summer, it’s quite unlikely that Berta signs anyone throughout the winter.

That being said, with injuries ravaging the squad, it would not be a total surprise to see even more depth added.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

It’s in the forward line where another player could arrive. Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz have both been linked, as has someone from Real Madrid.

According to Caught Offside, both Liverpool and Arsenal are ‘preparing their bids’ for Brazilian winger Rodrygo.

The Gunners were linked with the Madrid star right throughout the summer window but he ultimately ended up staying at the Bernabeu.

A few months on and rumours of a Rodrygo move to north London are gathering pace again. Caught Offside state that as a result of the attacker’s limited game time this season, they are willing to sanction his exit if a bid of around £78m is made.

Liverpool and Arsenal both currently lead the race but you would sense a move to Anfield is more likely given the Gunners already have plenty of options in wide areas.

Why Rodrygo would be a good signing for Arsenal

How we judge Rodrygo is a tricky one. This season, the 24-year-old has played 16 games but has only started three times in LaLiga. He’s failed to score and only registered two assists. It’s pretty evident why he’s searching for a way out of Madrid this winter.

Last term was a better one for the Brazilian, scoring 14 and supplying 11 goals for his teammates. That said, he failed to score in his final 13 league outings. Worrying signs.

At his best, however, he is “one of the best wingers in the world” in the words of analyst Spencer Mossman. He’s also a “world-class superstar” in the eyes of former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric. He’s certainly seen a few greats come and go in the Spanish capital.

It was only back in 2022/23 that Rodrygo, still a spring chicken in the world of football, scored 19 goals. He’s a goal threat and a creative outlet too. He’s rather similar to Eze in that regard.

While Rodrygo can play on either flank, it’s on the left, one of Eze’s best positions, where he’s most at home. Both fabulous ball carriers and comfortable in tight spaces, they are particularly alike with regard to their flair and the excitement they offer in the final third.

Rodrygo vs Eze since 2023/24
Stat (per 90 mins)	Rodrygo	Eze
Goals	0.31	0.37
Assists	0.19	0.21
Expected goals	0.32	0.36
Shots on target	1.18	1.17
Key passes	1.93	1.95
Progressive passes	4.08	3.72
Shot-creating actions	4.64	4.42
Successful take-ons	2.32	2.47
Stats via FBRef.

Analysing their numbers over the last two and a half seasons, it’s clear to see just how alike the two dynamic forwards are.

Over several metrics they’ve been registering near identical numbers, specifically when it comes to shots on target, key passes and shot-creating actions.

Eze has been a breath of fresh air since joining Arsenal from Palace. That hat-trick against Spurs will go down in history as one of the most memorable moments from a north London derby. To sign a similar player in Rodrygo, therefore, is sure to delight supporters.

Creative, capable of scoring goals and fleet-footed, another Eze could be on their way to north London.

Arteta must drop Arsenal star who had fewer touches than Raya vs Brentford

It was a game to forget for the Arsenal star on Wednesday night.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Dec 4, 2025

The local boy got three wickets in an over as West Indies were bowled out for 140

Alagappan Muthu13-Nov-2025″A beautiful summer’s day,” Jacob Duffy said as the tree tops and the cloud cover exchanged high-fives and the temperature just about strayed out of single digits. Dunedin was a picture postcard, provided you were a fast bowler.The West Indies players in the dugout were all bundled up. Those that ventured into the middle were just bundled out. Duffy finished with 4 for 35, and in the process became the third-fastest New Zealand bowler to 50 T20I wickets and the primary force that led his team to a 3-1 series win.

Bang, bang, bang

West Indies were put in and bowled out for 140, having lost four wickets in 11 balls in the powerplay. A batting line-up that was focused on making the most of the field restrictions was undone on a pitch with live grass, so in addition to the overheads that almost ensured swing, there was pace and bounce.Duffy harnessed all that help in the third over when he dismissed Shai Hope (top-edging a pull), Ackeem Auguste (bowled by the ball moving in late) and Sherfane Rutherford (caught behind trying to charge him).The first of those wickets took Duffy’s T20I tally to 50. This was his 38th match. Only Trent Boult (36) and Lockie Ferguson (37) have got there quicker. One of the Southland’s own now sits among New Zealand’s elite.His spell on Thursday also left Duffy with a strike rate of 13.8, the very best among the 20 Black Caps bowlers with at least 20 T20I wickets, and an average of 17.05, the second-best of that same group.New Zealand beat West Indies 3-1 to win the T20I series•Getty Images

West Indies’ sinking feeling

West Indies have a long and powerful batting line-up. Over the course of this series, they’ve added 277 runs at a strike rate of 176 going six down. So emerging from the powerplay at 47 for 4 wasn’t exactly the end of the world.But there was a tipping point when Rovman Powell, who threatened an incredible rearguard just last week by helping his side recover from 93 for 6 to get within touching distance of a 208-run target, fell in the seventh over.Roston Chase and Jason Holder eventually conceded to discretion being the better part of valour, putting on a partnership of 42 in 34 balls. But both set batters fell within five balls of each other and Matthew Forde joined them soon enough, leaving the score 94 for 8 in the 14th over.West Indies tried. They tried to plug the leak but all they did – on land reclaimed from a lake in old Pelichet Bay – was sink.Tim Robinson again started in a hurry•AFP/Getty Images

Robinson evokes McCullum

New Zealand had their own trials as the ball kept jagging around all day. But with the target as modest as the boundaries either side square of the wicket – 63m each – the jeopardy was reduced.Tim Robinson came out and nailed his Brendon McCullum impression, right down to the cock of the wrist just as the bowler releases the ball and the addiction to hitting up in the air. He made 45 in 24 balls with five fours and three sixes, though the shot of the day belonged to Romario Shepherd, who first cleared long-on, then the stands, and almost what remains of the old Dunedin art gallery.Devon Conway was content to go at a slower pace, bringing up 1000 T20I runs at home, and eventually sealing victory with eight wickets and 26 balls to spare.

Lamine Yamal's frustrations at being substituted off in Barcelona's 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday night might have rubbed some people up the wrong way, but the Spanish star proved he has the elite mentality that only the game's greatest – such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – possess.

Yamal hooked in Champions League

Yamal missed a total of five minutes at the end of the Champions League win over the German side at Camp Nou on Tuesday, but that did not stop him from showing his frustrations after his number was held up in the 89th minute. His night was fruitful, providing an assist, creating two chances, and having 110 touches of the ball, but it's not the first time his emotions have seemingly got the better of him. A few weeks ago, in the 3-1 win over Alaves – a game in which Yamal scored – he pulled off a similar stunt, giving a stone-faced look at his manager as he walked straight past him and to the bench. That night, the 18-year-old admitted he was frustrated with how he played, and that he holds himself to higher standards. The match against Frankfurt looks to be a similar situation, with Yamal proving he has a Cristiano Ronaldo-esque mentality, that there is always room for improvement, and he wants to be on the pitch for every minute possible.

That will not stop Flick from bringing his brightest talent off if he feels it is necessary, as he explained after Tuesday night's clash. He said: "We changed Lamine with a few minutes to go because he was booked and it was late," the German said. "If he was a bit annoyed, then I fully understand and I like it. I was a player too. It's fully acceptable, not a problem." Yamal is not the only star in La Liga to have erratic reactions to being hooked. Vinicius Junior has often caused a stir with his outbursts of emotion on the pitch, and it almost always comes down to the big-name players feeling like they have more to contribute. More often than not in modern football, the player outlasts the manager, and in Flick's case, he must manage Yamal carefully to avoid his own early dismissal. To his credit, he's doing everything right up to now.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportFollowing in CR7's footsteps

Ironically, Yamal plays for Real Madrid's biggest rivals, but there are a lot of clear similarities between him and the great Cristiano Ronaldo. Like the Portuguese superstar, Yamal wears his heart on his sleeve and isn't afraid to show emotion. All he cares about is winning, not emulating those who came before him. Barca's No.10 went out of his way to claim he does not want to be Lionel Messi, the man who wore his shirt number for so many years in Spain and to such incredibly high standards. He said: "I think that Lionel Messi is the best footballer of all time, but he also knows that I’m a good player. There will be mutual respect if we play against each other. He knows that I’m not trying to be him, to play like him, or wear the 10 like him. I want to follow my own path."

The truly elite players in football want to be involved in every minute of every game across the season; that much has been evident in Yamal's time at the top so far. At 18, he has played over 8,000 minutes, significantly more than most players of his age, due to his astonishing breakthrough at just 15 years old. For that reason, Flick's decision to rest him at every available opportunity is somewhat justified. But what the German might find, going forward, is that Yamal's demands will increase, as he grows older, gets even better, and becomes a more globally recognised figure in the sport. When that moment comes, it will be better to just step back and let him shine. 

Overwhelming support for Barca's wonderkid

The consensus across social media is that Flick handled Yamal's frustrations in the media well enough – another clear indicator that it would be wise for the Blaugrana head coach not to get on the wrong side of the evolving superstar. One fan, @BEANle, explained his interpretation of the moment: "Lamine Yamal wasn't mad he’s just passionate. Kids who love the game never want to come off and that fire is exactly what makes him special."

Another, @DKostanjsak, reminded everything of the importance of the Barca man, adding: "Lamine Yamal is still the biggest game breaker in the world of football. His ability to flip the script from 0 to 100 is one of Barcelona's biggest weapons. But it's up to Flick to maximise that. At the moment, we're not getting the most out of the world's best."

Finally, @Ayse_Crypt said: "Barca fans should be relieved. We finally have a young talent who doesn’t hide when things get tough. He wants every minute, every duel, every moment. These are the guys who become club pillars."Getty Images SportA long career ahead

Unless there is a dramatic change, Yamal is going to be a Barcelona player for a long time. He has the ability to smash records, both in Spain and Europe, but only if he is given the freedom to grow into a role filled by Messi before him. As much as he might not be fond of them, the Messi comparisons aren't going anywhere. Lamine Yamal is going to be a name associated with football for the next decade at least, and it is not too-far fetched to suggest he could go on to become one of the greatest players of all time. While no player is bigger than the club, the support of the manager in ignoring the minor misdemeanors is only going to help Yamal on that path to legendary status. And Flick, for now, appears to have it spot on.

The England captain insisted it was not a “skill issue” that caused the meltdown in Perth as the tourists plot their fightback

Vithushan Ehantharajah29-Nov-20252:51

Ehantharajah: This defeat will hurt for England

One of the few success stories from Jon Ronson’s , a book that delves into the worryingly compelling world of online humiliation and real-world consequences, comes from Max Moseley.The ex-Formula One boss’, ermmm, extra-curricular peccadilloes were plastered all over the papers in 2008. And yet, not only did he manage to survive those stories – even retaining his position as FIA president – he emerged more popular than before simply because he refused to be shamed by them. Even considering the economic and social factors that allowed Moseley to emerge unscathed from such scandal, the underlying reason why, Ronson posits, was through owning the facts of his now public sexual proclivities.Related

'Shellshocked' Stokes hails Head for 'knocking the wind' out of England

Bazball's last stand: build your own Ashes fantasy adventure

Stokes: Calling England arrogant is a step too far

England have not disgraced themselves to that degree on this Ashes tour. Entire universes separate a two-day defeat in the opening Test match and, say, a lifelong penchant for questionable dress-up and sadomasochism. But to go by the coverage here in Australia – and some back home – Bazball has bared its arse to the world.And so, on Saturday, not governed by shame but duty, Ben Stokes took the initiative. England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick had been pencilled in to address the media at the start of a training session at Allan Border Field, some 8km north of The Gabba, where England will be situated from Sunday. Stokes, however, decided the first official engagement since last Saturday, in the immediate aftermath of Australia’s eight-wicket win, should come from him.It was an opportunity for clarity amid what he perceives to be a sea of conjecture and unfair criticism. He disagreed with the notion his team were arrogant and gave context to their no-show for the Prime Minister’s XI fixture in Canberra. At the forefront, however, came home truths around a key position squandered – 105 in front after lunch on day two, with nine second-innings in hand, that eventuated in one of England’s most embarrassing Ashes defeats.Ben Stokes gets back into training ahead of the second Test•Getty Images”We had our foot on the throat of Australia at that time,” said Stokes, ruefully. “And I guess a good one [thought] is…you’ve never got enough when it comes to the bat and you’ve never got enough on the board when you’re trying to bowl a team out.”That’s a mentality thing. If you can think of it more like that, that will send guys out there with that real clear mind – not only about how we want to operate but where the game currently is sat. You’ve never won til you’ve won, and last week was a great example of that.”We were in such a commanding and controlling position in that Test, particularly after the first innings – being [effectively] 105 for 1, getting a lead and making them chase down 200 [205] there was still a lot of belief that we were going to do this. That doesn’t mean we don’t look back on important moments and know we could have been better, and in how we executed that.”You can all agree with me, it’s not a skill issue or a quality issue that we have with regard to that moment in that game happening. We’re all really, really good players. We’ve all shown that at different moments throughout our careers. It’s just having an understanding of where that was at that moment in time. Being 100 for 1 in the third innings was an unbelievably strong position to be in.”The introspection in the days since has come both as a team and individuals. Stokes revealed he has been wondering what he could have done differently in the field, particularly in the early stages of Head’s remarkable 123 from 83 deliveries. Stokes, shellshocked in the immediate aftermath, has since found faults in his own captaincy. He was perhaps guilty of sifting through plans too quickly, not letting them settle. Spamming the bumper ploy when England’s success had come through nailing a length. Not bowling Joe Root early enough to change the pace as Head – a leftie – began swinging for the fences.There will be much interest in England’s approach with the bat in Brisbane•Gareth Copley/Getty Images”We’ve used that time to reflect on all those kinds of things, not only from a team point of view but me as a captain – the job I have to do out there. The next time we’re potentially in a situation like that, I’ll be in a better place to handle something that happens so quickly.”I know there were areas in that fourth innings where I could have been a lot better as captain. I am the person who makes decisions about how we go out there and operate, and I am the one who gives the plans to the bowlers. On reflection of myself, I wasn’t as clear as I normally am in those moments.”That’s something I have thought about, what I can do better as a captain and a leader. Making sure wherever the game is, whatever the momentum is swinging or not, the key thing for me is to be completely crystal clear with my bowlers.”

That’s why it was such a strange feeling at the end of that game because it happened very, very quickly. We lost a game we were in control of and we all know thatBen Stokes

Clear messages, full hearts, can’t lose – therein lies the actual essence of what Stokes and Brendon McCullum have tried to instill since they joined forces in 2022. Stripping away the add-ons of Test cricket has always come with the ultimate goal of being better at Test cricket. And even in defeat, all Stokes and McCullum ask is whether you can be satisfied in having committed to your role in your own way.Self-flaggelation is discouraged – the final two sessions at Perth Stadium underlines cricket does a good enough job at promoting self-hatred – but honesty remains a vital tool. And it was instructive that Stokes decided to reiterate the blueprint here and now, when it is under its most intense scrutiny.”We keep it very simple, which is always looking to put the opposition under pressure, but then also understanding the moment we need to absorb the pressure that is being piled on to us from the opposition,” he said. “We know that we are very, very good at the first bit and we all know there are areas that we can be better doing the second bit. That is the key of it. We do that and understand that. We don’t take anything for granted around anything.Ben Stokes said England have taken time to reflect on what went wrong in the first Test•Getty Images”We’re not going ‘oh, well’, because we don’t do that. We don’t shrug it off and think ‘next time hopefully it will happen’. We are professional sportsmen, we pride ourselves on how we go about things and we pride ourselves on the results of the games we’re playing in.”We all know that we definitely could be better in those moments and I think it showed in that third innings. That doesn’t take away how well we played for the vast majority of that game, although it was quick. That’s why it was such a strange feeling at the end of that game because it happened very, very quickly. We lost a game we were in control of and we all know that.”It is likely the majority of the XI will get the chance to show they have learned from last week’s mistakes. Mark Wood is expected to miss out, but the 10 remaining could be rolled out again, each with their own shot of redemption.The second Test, ultimately, represents a do-over. The chance to shape the narrative, even if the odds are skewed very much in Australia’s favour given their dominant record in day-night cricket.Harnessing that energy and channeling it into squaring the series will not be easy. Even with the time that has passed since the opening defeat, there are still five days to go. Five more days of talking, five more days of wondering. England will be gagging for the pink-ball Test to begin.

Birmingham City have now reportedly joined Crystal Palace in the race to sign an impressive AFCON winger who would be an instant upgrade on Kyogo Furuhashi.

Chris Davies: "Difficult defeat to take" against QPR

Birmingham couldn’t have asked for a more frustrating night if they tried against Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday. The Blues clawed their way back to level terms thanks to Patrick Roberts in the 93rd minute, only for Kieran Morgan to snatch all three points for the hosts in cruel fashion three minutes later.

Chris Davies admitted that the defeat was “difficult to take” when reflecting at full-time, telling reporters: “It was a very difficult defeat to take. To get ourselves back in the game at 1-1 and with a minute to go, you think that’s it’s going to be a point to take away but it wasn’t to be.

“Working towards half time and getting in at 0-0 would have been a reasonable start for us in the first half, but again we’ve conceded the first goal, and it’s given ourselves a big job.

“We’ve got a lot to do, we did get going in the second half, we were pushing and pushing. I was really pleased we could get that goal and then at the end it was a strike that went through a lot of bodies through into the goal.

“At half time I wasn’t happy with the performance. I thought it was well below par what we can do, I thought we were making a simple game look a lot harder than it needed to be.”

That one defeat has dropped the Blues down to 11th and three points behind Hull City in sixth. If they are to gain a Championship playoff place by the time that May arrives, then a January move for a player of Philip Otele’s calibre should be Birmingham’s priority.

Birmingham join race to sign Philip Otele

According to GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs, Birmingham have now joined the race to sign Otele and are rivalling Premier League side Crystal Palace for the winger’s signature in 2026.

The 26-year-old has been included in Nigeria’s preliminary squad for the Africa Cup of Nations and could secure a place in Eric Chelle’s final squad before starring at the tournament.

Ahead of the tournament, Otele has already been in fine form for Basel in Switzerland, scoring eight goals and assisting another three in 26 games this season. By contrast, Kyogo has surprisingly struggled since arriving at Birmingham.

Many expected the former Celtic man to be among the signings of the season, but he’s yet to score a single Championship goal and was recently guilty of a glaring miss with the net wide open. It has simply been a nightmare spell for the summer arrival. A move for Otele could cost Kyogo his place, too.

The winger has had plenty of admirers throughout his career, with former CFR Cluj manager Adrian Mutu, who worked with Otele, telling reporters last year: “He possesses impressive physical strength, speed and technical skills. Although he can still work on his finishing, the interest doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Birmingham scouts spotted keeping tabs on exciting star alongside Wrexham

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is only a few weeks away from having the chance to make changes to his playing squad for the first time since he joined the club.

The German boss arrived after the summer transfer window, which was spearheaded by Russell Martin and Kevin Thelwell, which means that he does not have any of his own signings.

Whilst the former Sheffield Wednesday boss will want to make some signings of his own to bolster the squad, Rohl may also want to move some of the current players on in the January transfer window.

The Rangers players who should be let go in January

There are several current first-team duds who should be moved on ahead of the second half of the season because they do not look like key players for the new manager.

Chalkboard

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

Clinton Nsiala, for example, is yet to play a single minute of football in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt, and has only made the matchday squad on four occasions.

With John Souttar, Derek Cornelius, Nasser Djiga, and Emmanuel Fernandez ahead of him in the pecking order when fit, an exit in January could be the best move for his career.

Rabbi Matondo, per Transfermarkt, is another player who has not played a single minute of action this season and has not made any matchday squads, which suggests that he may be free to find a new club in January if he is not part of the manager’s plans.

Finally, Kieran Dowell should also be moved on in the winter amid reported interest from English Championship side Hull City, who are looking to sign him on loan.

Why Kieran Dowell should never play a minute under Danny Rohl

The English attacking midfielder, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Birmingham, played 384 minutes across six appearances in July and August under Martin and failed to score any goals before picking up an injury.

He was even described as “non-existent” by Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar in the 2-0 win over Panathinaikos in July, as he failed to create a single chance in 75 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore.

Now back fit, having played for the U19s with Dujon Sterling last month, Dowell has not been involved in a single matchday squad for Rohl, per Sofascore, which suggests that he is not in the manager’s thoughts for the first-team.

With Hull said to be interested in signing him, Rangers appear to have the opportunity to move him on from Ibrox on loan for the second half of the season, before his contract expires in the summer, per Transfermarkt.

The Light Blues would, therefore, be allowing him to leave on a free transfer after his loan spell at Hull ends, which would give the Tigers a chance to assess whether or not they want to sign him permanently ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

On top of having that option, Dowell should also not play a single minute for Rohl between now and January because Lyall Cameron would be a better player to bring in if the manager wants to change his attacking midfielder.

Appearances

12

33

Goals

0

9

Conversion rate

0%

17%

Key passes per game

0.7

1.6

Big chances created

3

6

Assists

0

5

The Scottish starlet, as shown in the table above, appears far more likely to make an impact in the Scottish Premiership as an attacking midfielder, after a return of 15 goal contributions last season.

Cameron, however, has been an unused substitute in seven of the last eight games in all competitions, and in all of the last four, per Transfermarkt, which shows how difficult it is to get a place in the team under the German head coach.

Therefore, given how far down the pecking order he is, it is hard to see a situation where Dowell ends up playing any minutes on the pitch for Rangers before he has the chance to join Hull on loan at the start of next month.

This is why the former Norwich City playmaker, who has registered zero goals and one assist in six games this season, should never play for Rohl, and why he should be allowed to leave on loan in January before being released on a free transfer next summer.

Bid already submitted: Rangers could sign a "very pacy" Gassama replacement

Rangers could replace Djeidi Gassama on the wing by signing this reported target in the January window.

ByDan Emery 3 days ago

The left-footed flop has only provided two goals and three assists in 38 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, since his move from the Canaries in 2023, which illustrates how little he has contributed as an attacking force on the pitch in his time at Ibrox.

Bo Bichette is on the open market for the first time in his career, and it seems he’s attracting plenty of interest in the early stages of free agency.

There had been some speculation that the Blue Jays shortstop may fare better at a different infield position in free agency, but early indications are that he’s still garnering a lot of interest as a shortstop.

According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the bulk of the interest in Bichette thus far this offseason has been with the intention of utilizing him at shortstop. However, Morosi also noted that teams with an established shortstop already on the roster have expressed interest in bringing Bichette on board at second base or even third base.

Although Bichette had a solid season at the plate in 2025, he struggled defensively. He ranked dead last among qualified shortstops in terms of outs above average at -13, and he had one of the weaker arms at the position, too.

Moving him to second base would potentially be a better fit for his arm, though there are seemingly still teams who are eyeing him at shortstop.

Bichette missed much of the postseason with a knee injury, but when he returned to the field for the World Series, he was inserted at second base instead of his usual spot at shortstop. Bichette hadn’t played second base since 2019 when he was still in the minor leagues, but he performed well defensively in the Fall Classic.

In 2025, Bichette slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. His .840 OPS was his best since 2020. He’s in the market for a long-term deal, and it seems his subpar defense at shortstop isn’t dissuading potential suitors thus far into the free agency period.

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Após muita polêmica, a dupla formada por Flamengo e Fluminense venceu, de forma oficial, a concorrência pública pelo Maracanã. Agora, o consórcio formado pelas duas equipes administrará o estádio pelos próximos 20 anos. A informação, publicada no Diário Oficial, foi divulgada pelo Fluminense no Instagram do clube.

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Licitação cercada por polêmicas

Flamengo e Fluminense administram o Maracanã desde abril de 2019, com Termo de Permissão de Uso que foi renovado seguidamente. Apenas na última renovação e mediante cobrança do Tribunal de Contas do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (TCE_RJ), o Governo abriu para concorrentes. Nesta época, o Vasco, que reclamava participação na gestão, abriu mão do processo alegando favorecimento aos rivais cariocas no TPU, a sigla do termo de uso provisório do equipamento público.

Mesmo sem entrar com recurso até o momento, o Vasco deve protestar na justiça comum pela gestão do Complexo Maracanã.

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The Dodgers were able to win their second straight World Series title on Saturday night by beating the Blue Jays 5-4 in a legendary Game 7 at the Rogers Centre.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who pitched six innings in Los Angeles' Game 6 win on Friday night, entered Game 7 with one out in the bottom of the ninth and then worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings to lead the Dodgers to their dramatic victory. He was named the World Series MVP for his heroic efforts, which also included a complete game gem in Game 2.

The righthander had a very subtle classy move in the bottom of the 11th inning that the Fox Sports cameras were able to pick up. Yamamoto was seen tipping his cap to Toronto's Vlad Guerrero Jr. as the slugger prepared to step into the batter's box with his team trailing by a run.

Here's how that played out:

That was such a great moment at such a pivotal moment of the game. Guerrero would go on to hit a double but then Yamamoto was able to close things out thanks to a double play that was brilliantly turned by Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts.

Yamamoto gave up just one hit and had one walk in his relief appearance. He finished his second season with the Dodgers with a 12-8 record and then really became a force in the postseason. Along with his complete game in the World Series, he also had a complete game win over the Brewers in the NLCS.

Fans loved that hat tip from Yamamoto: