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Liverpool's last lap under Jurgen Klopp has seen a detrimental stumble that has allowed Arsenal and Manchester City to take command in the Premier League title race, with hopes of clinching the trophy minute at this point.

To triumph against the odds would take an incredible nosedive in form from both rivals at the final stage, compounding the recent struggles that have seen Liverpool crash out of the FA Cup and the Europa League.

And while the Carabao Cup was clinched back in February, there is an unavoidable, unshakeable sense of poignancy, of regret, surrounding what teased to be a stunning ending, fitting of the dynasty that the 56-year-old created on Merseyside.

Still, Liverpool have rebuilt following the dismal efforts of the 2022/23 campaign and perhaps it's apt timing for Klopp to stand down, relinquish the reins and allow the club to enter its next phase.

Arne Slot is the man to succeed the German, and he will find the complex situation around Mohamed Salah at the forefront of his concerns when he touches down in Liverpool this summer.

Mohamed Salah's recent form

Last summer, with Liverpool losing their place among Europe's elite, Saudi side Al-Ittihad sought to secure a flagship signing by bringing Salah to the Middle East, though their eye-watering £150m advance was rejected by FSG last August.

Salah, who was respectful throughout the process, remained at Liverpool and proved exactly why keeping him in the squad was such a pivotal success, having plundered 24 goals and 13 assists across 41 appearances for the Reds this season.

The Egyptian star ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists and touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 21% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

He's been the linchpin of a largely excellent campaign, though this recent decline in form has been concurrent with his side's acute nosedive, with Liverpool's wastefulness in front of goal the crux of the slump.

Indeed, the £350k-per-week forward has scored just one goal across his past six Premier League outings, failing to assist a teammate and winning only two matches.

The 31-year-old still has much to offer at the apex of the great game and pointers suggest that he feels remaining at Liverpool, where he has bagged 298 goal contributions from 346 fixtures, notably winning the Premier League and the Champions League, is the best place for his remarkable career.

However, Salah's imperfections have been accentuated following the recent dip, the fatal blip, and now there is a palpable sense that Slot may not view Salah as the fulcrum of his Liverpool attack when the Dutch manager gets to work on English shores.

Slot and his tactical brand have a semblance to that of his Anfield predecessor, Klopp, but there will of course be changes and his thrash-metal style could see the prolific Egyptian lose that unwavering starting berth that has already cracked, a fissure stemming from his decline and seeing Klopp bench him twice in the past four top-flight outings – erupting in a heated touchline row.

Should Salah remain at the club, as is expected at this point, it's unlikely that a high-profile, high-cost replacement will be targeted this summer, but Dominik Szoboszlai could find himself undergoing a tactical alteration…

Why Slot must unleash Szoboszlai at right wing

Few would question that Klopp knew what he was doing when he fashioned Szoboszlai into a deeper-lying midfield position than he might be accustomed to, signing the Hungarian gem from RB Leipzig for £60m last summer.

Turbo-powered, elegant and enterprising, Szoboszlai proved to be a colossal upgrade on Henderson in the centre of the park, even being declared as an "artist" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his early exploits in the Premier League.

But injuries and an unrelenting schedule have taken their toll on the 23-year-old, who has been one of the most noticeable strugglers throughout the recent period of inconsistency in Liverpool's campaign, starting only one of the Reds' last three league games.

Still, as per Sofascore, over the duration of the Premier League season, the £120k-per-week dynamo has completed 87% of his passes, averaging 1.7 key passes and 5.6 ball recoveries per game.

But this has all been as an operator in the heart of the midfield, a position that is not his natural placement but necessary to charge Klopp's team – the recreation of players such as Gini Wijnaldum in the past further proves this point.

Slot plays with a 4-2-3-1 formation and, as such, will probably not use Szoboszlai at the base of the engine room, where Alexis Mac Allister would thrive alongside a specialist No. 6.

Hailed as a "generational talent" by journalist Marcel Moeller during his career in Germany, Szoboszlai might just find that in a new system, playing a role that better suits his skill set, he rises to a position of prominence and sustains it under the guidance of Slot.

Last year, with Leipzig, he principally played on the right wing, reaping the lion's share of his direct goal contributions through such means. Salah will hope to hold down his long-time Liverpool position but Slot's football demands energy, movement and multi-functionality.

Salah is averaging 0.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League this season, winning 35%, as opposed to 2.2 per fixture during his historic 2017/18 term, succeeding with 63% of his forward forays. Szoboszlai, clearly, offers more energy than that declining aspect of the Egyptian game.

Ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 4% for progressive carries and the top 5% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, the 6 foot 1 player is patently pushing toward his favoured role in and around the final third.

He might not have the elite goalscoring ability of Salah, but this style of play could suit the new regime just perfectly, with Trent Alexander-Arnold spraying passes into the danger area that his Hungarian counterpart can latch onto with penetrative pace and power.

Who knows, perhaps Salah might find himself shaping into a new, more central position, where he can maintain his sharpening playmaking ability – no Premier League player has created more big chances than he this term (21) – and benefit from the robust creative qualities of Szoboszlai.

One thing's for certain, Slot has much to chew on when he arrives at Anfield, tasked with leading Liverpool to more glory after the brightest period in generations.

Liverpool hit the jackpot on £75m "legend" who was better than Salah

Anfield enjoyed one of its ultimate blinders by bringing this phenom to Merseyside.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 30, 2024

The series would serve as an appetiser for the hosts to the bonanza of the upcoming PSL

Danyal Rasool10-Feb-2021

Big Picture

After an entertaining Test series where the 2-0 scoreline belied the competitiveness of the cricket, Pakistan and South Africa move on to the shortest format. This is a series both sides will cherish for very different reasons. For Pakistan, it serves as an appetiser to a five-week-long bonanza of T20 cricket in the shape of the PSL which starts later this month, and will mark, for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began, the presence of crowds for a cricket match. The visitors, on the other hand, can put their heart and soul into these three matches, not knowing when they play next, following Cricket Australia’s controversial decision to call off their tour to South Africa citing Covid-19 concerns.Pakistan have to be the clear favourites simply because of the youthful, inexperienced side South Africa line up with. Initially selected because they wanted to keep their senior players rested for the now-cancelled Australia tour, South Africa opted to stick with that fresh-faced side, a far cry from the team that ended Pakistan’s record-breaking 11 T20I series-winning streak two years ago.Related

• Miller: 'As a senior, I would like to step up in different areas'

• Boucher: Lack of match awareness in 'big moments' cost SA

• Cele, Rickelton, Snyman get maiden SA call-ups

Pakistan will look to put an indifferent performance in the T20I series against New Zealand behind them, while hoping to replicate the spirit of the Napier T20I, where they pulled off a victory from a deeply unfavourable position. At home, meanwhile, they have been solid in T20I cricket since a disastrous 3-0 reverse against a severely depleted Sri Lanka side 18 months ago. However, the wins since then have only come against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and South Africa represent the biggest threat to that recent uptick in T20I form, no matter the absences.South Africa’s most experienced player David Miller admitted they would come under heavy pressure, and recent form indicates that. The visitors have not won any of their last five T20I series, last triumphing against Sri Lanka nearly two years ago. Heinrich Klaasen captains them on this tour, but with little obvious firepower either with bat or ball, his side will have to produce a level they have struggled to attain of late to seriously test a well-drilled Pakistan side that knows the Lahore conditions inside out.

Form guide

(Last five completed matches, most recent first)
Pakistan WLLWW
South Africa LLLLW

In the spotlight

Haider Ali misfiring in New Zealand meant Pakistan were left a bit short on firepower in the powerplay, and a return to form would give the home side an invaluable boost. With Fakhar Zaman’s form declining and Mohammad Rizwan, despite his Napier heroics, not quite explosive enough to hold down a permanent opening spot, Haider’s emergence has been perfectly timed. Alongside Babar Azam, who is set to return after his absence in New Zealand, Pakistan have the perfect mix of quality and power at the top. Haider demonstrated the sort of impact he could have on a game on debut against England and at home versus Zimbabwe, and with the PSL – where he shot to prominence – right around the corner, he likes this time of year.Janneman Malan will be high on confidence following scores of 67, 95 and 69* in his last four List A matches•Associated Press

In a fairly inexperienced touring party, Janneman Malan stands out for his pedigree and quality. Arguably one of the players who might have earned a call-up in a full-strength side, Malan’s recent form makes him one of South Africa’s trump cards this series. It might have come in the 50-over format, but 67, 95 and 69* in his last List A matches – coupled with a match-winning 129 not out against Australia last year – means confidence isn’t something the 24-year old will be short of. A strike rate in excess of 135 in T20 cricket is indicative of Malan’s potential in the shortest format, and there’s little reason this couldn’t be his breakout series.

Team news

Azam’s availability means Rizwan will likely drop lower down the order despite his heroics in New Zealand. Asif Ali and Hasan Ali are likely starters, while Shaheen Afridi may get a rest.Pakistan: 1 Babar Azam (capt), 2 Haider Ali, 3 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 4 Khushdil Shah, 5 Asif Ali, 6 Hussain Talat, 7 Faheem Ashraf/Iftikhar Ahmed, 8 Mohammad Nawaz, 9 Hasan Ali, 10 Haris Rauf, 11 Usman QadirGlenton Stuurman and Pite van Biljon may start for South Africa, while a spin-heavy strategy could see George Linde, Jon-Jon Smuts and Tabraiz Shamsi all feature.South Africa: 1 Janneman Malan, 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Jon-Jon Smuts, 4 David Miller, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (capt &wk), 6 Pite van Biljon, 7 Dwaine Pretorius, 8 George Linde, 9 Lutho Sipamla 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Glenton Stuurman

Pitch and conditions

Dry, sunny weather of late in Lahore means that true to form, the Gaddafi surface should be a belter for run-scoring. There’s no inclement weather about either, and a full game should play out.

Stats and trivia

• South Africa have never lost a T20I series to Pakistan.
• Statistically, there isn’t an obvious answer as to what the side winning the toss should do at the Gaddafi Stadium. Batting first has resulted in six wins in T20Is, while chasing has produced five.
• Miller needs 99 runs this series to leapfrog his teammate Faf du Plessis as the third-highest T20I run-scorer for South Africa.

Quotes

“We are here to win. We are here to represent the Proteas in the best possible light, regardless if you’ve played your first game or your 100th game.”

Aston Villa are readying a bumper new deal for one of their "underrated" players, according to a fresh update.

Aston Villa contracts

The Villans have been in fine form on the pitch during Unai Emery’s first full season in charge, bringing in a number of new players during the summer and winter windows.

Currently, Villa are battling Tottenham for a top-four finish in the Premier League, something which would guarantee Champions League football.

Aston Villa looking to sign £75,000-a-week midfielder ahead of Tottenham

Aston Villa and Tottenham’s on-field battle looks set to carry over to the summer transfer window.

By
Josh Barker

Apr 9, 2024

There are just six league fixtures remaining for Villa, who are also in the last eight of the Europa Conference League, winning 2-1 in the first leg of their quarter-final against Lille on Thursday evening.

Away from the pitch, NSWE and Monchi have secured new deals for a number of important players, with Ezri Konsa, Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey all putting pen to paper on improved contracts during the 2023/24 season.

As can be seen, Villa have no contract concerns about letting go of any of their players for free this summer, and it looks as if they now want to tie down another star player to a new deal.

Aston Villa in talks over new Douglas Luiz deal

HITC have provided a new update on the future of Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz. They claim that Villa, amid interest from Arsenal, are ‘preparing a bumper new contract for Luiz’ and have now ‘opened dialogue’.

Luiz, currently on £75,000-a-week in the Midlands, could soon receive an offer that would make ‘him one of the highest-paid players at the club’.

The Brazilian has been a regular under Emery this season, missing just one Premier League game through suspension and making 46 appearances in all competitions.

He’s also chipped in with 10 goals and 10 assists, currently ranking as Villa’s second-best performer behind Watkins, as per WhoScored. Emery has recently explained the reasons behind Luiz’s improvement in front of goal, saying:

"He is a player who has always had a good instinct to get into the box. He is scoring goals because his instinct is very good. He is feeling comfortable getting into the opposition box when we are in the attacking third."

Luiz also been praised by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, who called the Brazilian “underrated” earlier in the campaign.

The 2014 World Cup winner offered candid reflections after completing his Vancouver Whitecaps debut, expressing surprise at MLS’s physical demands

• Former Bayern Munich star acknowledges adjustment period
• Immediately stepped into leadership role during debut
• Veteran compares position to familiar roles throughout his career

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• WHAT HAPPENED

  Thomas Muller finally made his MLS debut, and the German legend came away impressed by the league’s intensity. Now, he believes it’s only a matter of time before he finds his rhythm with the Vancouver Whitecaps.

  “I think in the duels the pace and the intensity is really high,” Muller said in his postmatch press conference. “I can find some points where the team can improve…I'm now here for a week. Maybe it's better to ask me this question after a few months.”

  Muller also touched upon his position within the Whitecaps formation, coming on as a replacement for Jeevan Badwal as the number 10 in the 61st minute.

  “Yes, I always played during my career almost between the lines, in the pockets,” Muller said when asked if his role is what he expected. “Even if I started on the right wing, I was always finding gaps in the box as well. Do my runs, do my work against the ball. So, normal stuff.

  “Try to be as dangerous as well, to strike a goal or to score a goal. And find the last pass…I feel quite comfortable in this role in the gaps, in the left gap, right gap.”

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• WHAT THOMAS MULLER SAID

  Despite having barely settled in Vancouver, Muller revealed he felt instantly comfortable directing teammates and organizing defensive structures during his limited minutes, explaining that communication has always been fundamental to his playing style, regardless of team or competition.

  “Yes, yes, 100 percent,” Muller explained when asked about his role as the leader on the field. “Um, yeah. Jesper [Sorensen] expected from me, but he knew before when they brought me in, that this is natural behavior of me."

  He added, “If I'm on the pitch, I try to organise my own position first, but when I see something, what I think is good for the team to adapt about positioning or intensity, or passing gaps, then I will communicate with my teammates directly. And yeah, I think that that will never change, even if it's my first game.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Muller made his MLS debut for the Vancouver Whitecaps against the Houston Dynamo, coming off the bench in the 61st minute, and even scored with his first shot on goal, but an offside in the build-up meant that the goal was ruled out. The game ended 1-1 with Brian White opening the scoring in the sixth minute through a penalty before a sensational 90+1 equalizer from José Artur de Lima Junior levelled things up.

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  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Muller and the Vancouver Whitecaps will face St. Louis FC next on Aug. 23 at home, followed by a road trip to face Orlando City on Aug. 30 in MLS.

If the management thinks Suresh Raina might not be up for it on a green, bouncy track, it will make sense to look beyond him for the next two games, especially since they will want him confident ahead of the World Cup

Sidharth Monga in Durban24-Dec-2010Those who have followed Suresh Raina’s career closely will think they are caught in a time warp. It was in November 2006 that he first played in South Africa. The game was an ODI in Durban, the same venue where India now strive to keep the series alive. Back then, the whole team collapsed alright, but the way Raina got out has become instructive. Andre Nel bowled a short-of-a-length delivery, around off, angling away, and Raina with his feet stuck poked at it away from the body, and Jacques Kallis accepted the offering at second slip.That was all Raina could manage on that tour. He was sent back home mid-tour, and was not considered for the World Cup, India’s next major assignment.Four years later, just before another World Cup, Raina has come back to South Africa, and nothing seems to have changed. In Centurion, Kallis bowled short of a length, around off, Raina anticipated bouncers, didn’t get close enough to the ball, and poked. Twice in one Test: edging one, and guiding the other to slips. Things, though, were supposed to have changed. In those four years, Raina has established himself as a dangerous batsman in limited-overs cricket. He has become one of the few batsmen in the world with a century in each of the three formats, including a Test ton on debut and 62 and 41 not out in his second, in a stiff chase. He has scored loads of runs in South Africa in the IPL and in the Champions League. Overall he has grown a lot in confidence. The way he got out in Centurion, though, remains a massive worry for India.Moreover, Raina now has scores of 32, 3, 20, 3, 1 and 5 in his last six Test innings. Neither the captain nor the coach has tried to hide concern regarding his No. 6 position, especially given they are in the middle of their biggest challenge in Tests, and in a country where top-class bowling is bound to test Raina. And in Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Kallis, South Africa have top-class bowling that will go all out on a track whose primary feature is thick grass. However, the team management says it is yet to decide on whether to drop Raina.We are always at risk of reading too much into nets sessions, but symbolism was easy to get into as India practised two days before the Boxing Day Test. After the warm-up, Gary Kirsten kneeled down to give slips practice to what has now become a regular cordon of Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, Raina and Virender Sehwag. A few hits into that session, Raina was hit in the ankle by a half-volley. Soon Dravid went to the physio for some attention to his finger, and in came Cheteshwar Pujara, the man who should be the obvious replacement if the team management decides against Raina, to take slip catches.By the time Raina got repair work done and came into the nets, Pujara was already batting with the regular middle order in the nets either side of him. Raina even bowled a few loopy offbreaks to Pujara, which the latter played comfortably. And when Raina did get a bat – which does suggest that that hit on the ankle didn’t do much damage – he found Pujara in the net on his off side. Pujara remained in his eye-line, and there is no doubt Pujara is in the eye-line of the team-management.However, as Pink Floyd asked Eugene to be, this team has – barring exceptions like Abhimanyu Mithun – been careful with that axe. MS Dhoni’s funda has been to give a player enough chances before dropping him so that he can look beyond the said player without thinking of him. A three-Test series, though, hardly gives him that luxury, especially when his side is 0-1 down already.It is an important decision for Dhoni, Kirsten and the senior players to make going into perhaps their most important Test match. If they do persist with Raina, it could have larger implications. For he is sure to play in the ODIs on this tour, which – going by evidence so far – is more of his game. And Raina is a confidence player. His strength is to make the most of it when the going is good for him. If the management thinks Raina might not be up for it on a green, bouncy Test track, it will make absolute sense to look beyond him for the next two games. There is a World Cup in home conditions to follow after this testing tour, where they will want Raina to be at the top of his confidence.Before coming to South Africa, Raina said, “To succeed in Tests, your temperament is more important than your technique. How you handle pressure situations and how you work your way out of trouble through grit and courage is also important.” If he plays a further part in this series, Raina will need all that grit and courage, for the technique has already been found wanting.

Who's hot, who's not? GOAL ranks all 30 teams across Major League Soccer

It was a weird weekend of MLS action. Three of the top five teams in the East dropped points, while in the West, two of the top three did so too. Call it a Leagues Cup hangover, but plenty of clubs capitalized on the moment, and with the season winding down, it could be looked at as a crucial weekend of MLS action.

In the East, Orlando City obliterated Inter Miami without an injured Lionel Messi, while both FC Cincinnati and the Philadelphia Union dropped points. Meanwhile, in the West, both the Vancouver Whitecaps and Minnesota United lost respective matches, paving way for the Western Conference to fall into the hands of San Diego FC – who continue to excel in their debut season.

With 28 Matchdays in the books and the postseason format now officially announced, who's leading the pack, and who's falling short of expectations? GOAL presents the latest 2025 MLS Power Rankings.

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  30D.C. United

  Prior Ranking: 30

  Result: Lost to New England 2-0

  Ramifications: Ten games without a win across all competitions, and five regular-season losses in a row for the first time since 2020.

  Close to hitting rock bottom.

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• 29Los Angeles Galaxy

  Prior Ranking: 28

  Results: Lost to Seattle 4-0

  Ramifications: The Galaxy's season has been a wash for quite some time, so in all reality, a lopsided result like this doesn't ring alarm bells. What does matter is they're off to the Leagues Cup knockout stages. They played three games in nine days, and the four-day turnaround to face an elite Sounders side wasn't enough time to recover.

• 28St. Louis CITY SC

  Prior Ranking: 29

  Result: Defeated Nashville 3-1

  Ramifications: CITY secured just their fifth win of the season here, but hey, it was a good performance and they deserve their praise for it. Nashville was nowhere near their best, but CITY played a great game. Roman Burkï had his best performance of the season in net, and their attack finally clicked.

  St. Louis fans will take that every day of the week.

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• 27Atlanta United

  Prior Ranking: 25

  Result: Drew Montreal 1-1

  Ramifications: Just underwhelming result after underwhelming result for Atlanta. It's a record on repeat. It's like a broken CD or cassette. At a certain point, things need to change, and sooner than later. 

Glasgow Rangers are back in action in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday night as they travel away to face Dundee in their rearranged fixture.

They were initially supposed to play each other before the recent international break only for a waterlogged pitch to force a postponement on the day.

The Light Blues now have the chance to move back to the top of the division with a win against Dundee, as they are currently one point behind Celtic with one game in hand on their rivals.

This comes after Phillipe Clement's side battled back to secure a 3-3 draw against the Hoops at Ibrox on Sunday, with a stoppage time equaliser from Rabbi Matondo ensuring the hosts did not go four points adrift of the opposition in the top-flight.

The Belgian boss may now look to make some changes to his starting XI from that game, and here is FFC's predicted Gers lineup to take to the field against Dundee.

1

Jack Butland

Despite letting in three goals against Celtic, Jack Butland should retain his place between the sticks as it could have been more than three without his presence.

The pick of his saves came during the first half as the former England international acrobatically tipped a Matt O'Riley header that was destined for the top corner over the bar.

2

Dujon Sterling

After the draw with the Hoops, FFC urged Clement to boldly drop captain James Tavernier to the bench after his poor display on Sunday to put down a marker to the rest of the squad ahead of the title run-in, showing that no one is exempt from being punished for below-par performances.

The Englishman, who did score from the penalty spot, was caught out by Daizen Maeda for the first goal and was robbed in possession by the Japan international again in the build-up to the corner that Celtic then won a penalty from.

This could open the door for Dujon Sterling, who won ten of his 12 ground duels against the Hoops, to play on his natural side on the right against Dundee.

3

Connor Goldson

Giant central defender Connor Goldson could be selected from the start again on the right of the centre-back pairing, after he won five of his seven duels against Celtic.

The English titan did give away a penalty, when his outstretched elbow was enough for the referee – with the help of VAR – to point to the spot, but could be in the starting XI on Wednesday.

4

John Souttar

Scotland international John Souttar put his body on the line in the Old Firm clash and was forced to wear a protective bandage around his head during the first half after a collision in the air.

Clement will be hoping for more brave defending, with less serious physical consequences, from the former Hearts star between now and the end of the season.

5

Borna Barisic

Sterling moving over to right-back would open up a space for Borna Barisic to return to the XI as the first change to the team that started on Sunday.

The Croatia international has provided three assists in 16 Premiership matches so far this season, and may look to add to his tally against Dundee – who have conceded the second-most goals in the division (54).

6

John Lundstram

Former Sheffield United enforcer John Lundstram could keep his place at the base of the midfield for Rangers after a solid display against Celtic.

The English ace won 100% (2/2) of his aerial battles and completed 85% of his passes throughout the match, which shows that he was strong in the air and largely reliable in possession under pressure.

7

Mohammed Diomande

Alongside Lundstram, Mohammed Diomande could keep his place in the starting lineup in spite of a mixed showing in midfield in the Old Firm clash.

The midfielder was sloppy on the ball at times, with a pass success rate of 79%, but did also create one 'big chance' and won eight of his 15 duels on the deck and in the air combined.

He could keep his place in the XI ahead of former Norwich City midfielder Kieran Dowell, who came off the bench against the Hoops on Sunday.

8

Todd Cantwell

In the attacking midfield position, Todd Cantwell could come in as the second change to the starting XI, with Tom Lawrence dropped to the bench.

The former Derby County midfielder only completed 58% of his passes and failed to register a shot on target or a key pass in 69 minutes on the pitch.

Cantwell has produced five goals and four assists in 18 league starts for the Light Blues so far this season, and should be selected in the number ten position against Dundee.

9

Abdallah Sima

The third alteration to the starting lineup could come on the right of the attack as Abdallah Sima could make his return to the XI ahead of Scott Wright.

Clement brought the Senegal international, whose spirit has been hailed as "outstanding" by journalist Josh Bunting, off the bench against Celtic and he made a telling contribution as his deflected effort found the top corner to make it 1-1 at the time.

Sima, who has scored 11 Premiership goals this season, offers far more than Wright, who has zero goals and zero assists in 19 league matches this term, and should start.

10

Cyriel Dessers

Cyriel Dessers should retain his position as the starting number nine for Rangers as he is the only recognised number nine option in the squad, with Danilo and Kemar Roofe unavailable.

Says the role was “toothless” and the board wasn’t paying heed to the committee’s recommendations

Umar Farooq04-Sep-2020Iqbal Qasim has resigned from his position as the PCB cricket committee head, calling the role “toothless”. According to the former cricketer, the position only sounds like an important one, while the actual decision are mainly taken by the PCB executives on their own. The PCB, on accepting Qasim’s resignation, insisted that the responsibilities delegated to the panel were limited to recommendations only.Qasim had taken over from Wasim Khan as the head in January, and presided over two meetings so far.”The scope of the committee is very limited and I, despite being a former cricketer, am not able to contribute for the betterment of cricket,” Qasim told ESPNcricinfo. “If they [PCB] don’t want a collective discussion on domestic cricket affairs then there is no point staying there. I took the role to contribute for the betterment [of cricket in Pakistan], but I cannot recommend a single match referee and even an umpire in the system. It is painful to see the injustice being done to cricketers who have played cricket, fulfil all criteria, but still suffer. They pretend that it’s a serious committee but the scope doesn’t allow me to recommend the people who I think are good enough. If that isn’t happening, I can’t allow them to use my shoulder.”When the committee was formed in October 2018, it was claimed to have wide-ranging powers to oversee the state of all aspects of Pakistan cricket but wasn’t allocated any decision-making power. The members were supposed to meet thrice a year to discuss a variety of issues, including concerns at the first-class level which have drawn increasing attention over the last few years.The committee soon started developing differences with the PCB and failed to form any sort of consensus on outstanding cricketing issues. Its first chairman, Mohsin Khan, resigned after eight months for reasons never made public. That resulted in then PCB CEO Wasim taking on the additional role of heading the committee. It was on their recommendation that the Mickey Arthur-led national coaching panel was removed.The PCB then made drastic changes to the domestic structure in the last two years on its own, including abolishing the department teams.Qasim, who worked as a director of the National Bank of Pakistan (sports division) till 2015, has been vocal about the resumption of department cricket and was optimistic that the board would arrange at least one tournament for the departments every year.However, the PCB said that the role of the department sides was already eliminated well before Qasim came on board.”It is indeed sad that a cricketer of the calibre, repute and experience of Iqbal Qasim has voluntarily decided to step down,” the PCB said in a release. “His services to cricket, both as a player and as an administrator, are outstanding. However, it was disappointing for the PCB to see its cricket committee chairman, instead of supporting meritocracy and respecting the decision of the independent panel, decided to resign after his ‘recommendation’ was not entertained.”The PCB is also at pains to explain that when Iqbal Qasim accepted the offer to head its cricket committee on January 31, 2020, the role of the department sides had already been eliminated under the new PCB Constitution 2019, which came into effect on August 19, 2019. He had walked into the role knowing the framework and regulations under which the current PCB management was operating that had no space for the PCB-organised department cricket.”Qasim, who played 50 Tests and 15 ODIs for Pakistan, has been involved with the PCB in various roles, as team manager, chief selector and member of the domestic tournament monitoring committee. The PCB hoped he would “continue to offer his services in future, nevertheless”.

As Rangers look to complete their title comeback in the Scottish Premiership, reports suggest that those at Ibrox have been handed a major boost ahead of a potential summer deal.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers have been a side transformed since the arrival of Philippe Clement, who has taken the Scottish giants into position to win the Scottish Premiership when they looked down and out under Michael Beale earlier in the campaign. The former AS Monaco boss has been backed along the way too, with three arrivals in the January transfer window.

Mohamed Diomande, whose loan deal will become permanent this summer, Fabio Silva and Oscar Cortes all came through the door at Ibrox and have all had the chance to make an impact ever since. Now, ahead of the summer, rumours have already begun to circle over further potential incomings under Clement.

Reports have already linked Rangers with moves for the likes of Motherwell teenager Lennon Miller and FC Twente full-back Gijs Smal in two deals that would add depth to the current side at Ibrox. But the first name through the door could be one that fans in Glasgow are already familiar with.

Update: None of Rangers' returning injuries back in time to start vs Celtic

A big blow for Philippe Clement ahead of huge game.

By
Henry Jackson

Apr 5, 2024

According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Wolverhampton Wanderers will now accept lower offers for Fabio Silva this summer. Clement reportedly wanted to sign Silva on a permanent basis in January, before being forced to settle for a loan deal due to his price tag.

The Rangers boss admitted via the Daily Record: "We will see what the situation is. I would prefer to buy Fabio but he was too expensive for the club so that's why it's a loan."

With earlier reports suggesting that Rangers were set to make contact over a permanent deal for Silva, it should be seen as a major boost that Wolves are now supposedly willing to part ways with the forward this summer for a "huge" loss on their original outlay.

"Generational" Silva will only get better

Having already shown glimpses of what he's capable of, with four goals in 15 appearances to his name, Silva is likely to get even better with a permanent move to settle in Scotland. At just 21-years-old, the forward is far from the finished product, but the potential is certainly there, even if he struggled to show it at Wolves at times.

Having initially cost Wolves as much as £35m in 2020, the Midlands club are likely to suffer a significant loss on their investment to the benefit of Rangers this summer, who will be left to pay a potentially lower fee and Silva's reported £40k per-week salary.

Among those disappointed that things never worked out for Silva will be Wolves executive chairman Jeff Shi, who showered the 21-year-old with praise via the official Wolves website.

Arsenal have already spent £190m ($256m) in the summer transfer window, but Mikel Arteta admits they are "looking at options" before the deadline.

• Gunners have spent big in summer window
• Seen Gyokeres register first goal for the club
• More comings & goings possible at Emirates

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners are aware that they need to invest heavily after seeing Premier League rivals do likewise – with reigning champions Liverpool enjoying a lavish spending spree of their own, while Manchester rivals City and United have worked hard on bolstering their respective ranks.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Cristhian Mosquera and Kepa Arrizabalaga have all arrived at Emirates Stadium. They have strengthened a squad that is hoping to mount a title challenge in 2025-26.

• WHAT ARTETA SAID

  Arteta has hinted at more business to come, with the Spaniard telling reporters on the back of a 3-0 victory over Athletic Club in the annual Emirates Cup: "Let's see what happens, in terms of where the squad is in the next few weeks. But we are actively looking at options. As well, there are a few players that, maybe, they have to leave as well. So, we will be open to see what happens."

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  Prolific striker Gyokeres, who was acquired for £64m ($86m) from Sporting, opened his goal account against Athletic Club and Arteta believes a more direct style will play to the Swedish star’s strengths. He added: "That's his nature. I think everything that he does – his movement, the way he times his runs, the way he predicts the next move, where the space can be and where the ball is going to land – that's the instinct that he has.

  "That's why he's scored so many goals in the last few seasons, so that's not a coincidence, it's his ability and he's constantly looking for it. I think he pins both centre-backs. He's a player that, when you leave him with the space one against one, he's going to destroy you. So he's going to create a lot of space as well for us and there is the moment that, in any situation, there is a player there that can score a goal."