Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement is beginning to turn the tide at Ibrox after a run of eight matches unbeaten in all competitions, including four straight wins.

Football Insider reported last month that pressure was mounting on the Belgian manager’s head amid a run of poor form at that time, including a 3-0 loss to Celtic, a 1-0 loss to Kilmarnock, and a 2-1 loss to Aberdeen.

The outlet added that the board were not going to make an immediate decision on his future, though, as they want to give him until the League Cup final to buy himself some more time.

Rangers face off against the Hoops at Hampden Park in the final on Sunday, after they face Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League on Thursday, in the hope of landing a second trophy in as many seasons.

Clement, no matter what happens on Sunday, has already achieved more than his predecessor, Michael Beale, did in the dugout, given his League Cup success last year.

The former Rangers head coach was relieved of his duties last year and replaced by the Belgian boss after a difficult time as the main man in Glasgow.

Michael Beale's worst Rangers transfer dealings

Beale, who had been the assistant at Ibrox under Steven Gerrard in the past, had one full summer transfer window in charge of the club, in 2023.

He made nine additions to the first-team squad in that window and had mixed success. The four players signed permanently for transfer fees were Danilo, Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers, and Jose Cifuentes.

Danilo has missed 46 games through injury since his move to Ibrox so it is hard to judge whether or not he should be deemed a successful signing at this point.

Dessers has had mixed success with 22 goals and 33 ‘big chances’ missed in the Scottish Premiership since the start of last season, which shows that he has been incredibly wasteful despite having a respectable goal return.

Lammers scored two goals in 31 matches in all competitions before being sent out on loan to FC Utrecht and then sold to FC Twente in the summer, after just one year at Ibrox.

Cifuentes, meanwhile, is still contracted to Rangers but is on loan at Aris Saloniki until the end of this season, after making just 20 appearances in his first year with the Gers.

Beale also allowed the likes of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos to leave on free transfers, and cashed in on Antonio Colak, Glen Kamara, and Fashion Sakala, in order to free up space for his own signings.

The sale of Kamara, in particular, has turned out to be a howler from the English boss, as he has gone on to thrive away from Ibrox in recent seasons.

How much Rangers sold Glen Kamara for

In the summer of 2023, Championship side Leeds United swooped in to sign the Finland international from Rangers for a reported fee of £5m, as Beale seemingly deemed him surplus to requirements.

Kamara only started 12 of his 22 appearances in the 2022/23 campaign, with Beale in charge for the majority of that term, and struggled with his lack of game time, averaging 1.0 tackles and interceptions per game and failing to register a single assist.

The 29-year-old star, who former boss Neil McCann hailed as being “made of iron”, had been a key player in the previous, 2021/22, campaign under Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the middle of the park, before the English coach came in and, seemingly, did not see him as a key part of his plans.

He also started 11 of the club’s 14 matches en route to the final of the Europa League that season, contributing with one goal and two assists from a deep-lying midfield position.

Starts

28

Goals

3

Assists

3

Pass accuracy

91%

Tackles and interceptions per game

1.7

Duel success rate

54%

As you can see in the table above, Kamara was a regular starter under van Bronckhorst in the Scottish top-flight and was incredibly reliable in possession, as a midfield metronome for the Gers.

However, Beale seemingly did not see the value in the Finnish midfielder and opted to cash in on him in the summer of 2023 and, just over a year later, the player’s performances have him on a similar level to a £58m-rated sensation.

Glen Kamara similar to PSG star

After spending a year at Leeds in the Championship, losing in the play-off final, Kamara completed a permanent transfer to Ligue 1 side Rennes this summer.

His form for the French team this season has led to Paris Saint-Germain star Warren Zaire-Emery being listed as the most similar player to him in Ligue 1, as per FBref.

As you can see in the chart above, both players are incredibly progressive passers and creative midfielders who do not offer a great deal defensively or as goalscorers.

They are midfield metronomes who want to have plenty of touches to progress the ball forward to find teammates in dangerous areas in the final third.

Zaire-Emery has an Estimated Transfer Value of roughly £58m on FootballTransfers and this highlights how impressive Kamara’s form for Rennes has been this season, as his performances have been incredibly similar to the French sensation’s.

Appearances

12

Pass accuracy

91%

Assists

1

Tackles + interceptions

2.5

Duel success rate

54%

As you can see in the table above, Kamara has completed an eye-catching 91% of his passes in the French top-flight and held his own in duels with opposition players off the ball.

The Finland international, as was the case in his time with Rangers before Beale’s arrival, has been a metronomic presence in midfield and is now showcasing his quality in a major European league.

Therefore, Beale messed up by cashing in on the central midfielder for £5m as there could have been more to come from Kamara in a Rangers shirt, based on how his career has gone since moving on from Ibrox.

Forget about Igamane & Hagi: The Rangers star who is saving Clement's job

The Glasgow Rangers star has returned to provide the team with an injection of quality.

ByDan Emery Dec 9, 2024

After holding nerve in four must-win games, England primed for tough bout with South Africa says captain

Valkerie Baynes28-Mar-2022Heather Knight believes that effectively playing “knockout cricket” throughout the latter half of the World Cup group stage will stand England in good stead when it comes to the real thing.England, the defending champions, have won four matches on the trot after defeats in the first three left their semi-final qualification hopes hanging by a thread. They take on South Africa on Thursday in a replay of the 2017 semi-final in Bristol, which England won by two wickets with two balls remaining.”We’re in a very good place,” Knight said. “We still probably haven’t played our best cricket yet, which is more exciting, I think, and something we feel like we’re building towards, hopefully at the perfect time.”The really pleasing thing is we’ve reacted brilliantly to knockout games. We’ve been playing knockout cricket since the fourth game, so to be able to deal with that is great for going into the semi-final. Having that mentality to have the pressure on you and that if you lose you’re out, we’ve had that for a while now, so I think that will be a really useful thing for us.Related

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“The same things apply, just keeping it really simple, going into that semi-final not changing too many things and just doing what’s gone very well for us recently.”In that previous semi-final clash with South Africa, England overcame an almighty wobble in which they lost 3 for 6 in the space of 12 balls after a comfortable start chasing 219. Some 14 players from that match could feature in the likely line-ups across both teams on Thursday. However, Knight believes her team’s more recent experience of dealing with pressure will have more of a bearing against a South Africa side which has won five out of seven group games in this year’s tournament, including a three-wicket win with four balls to spare against England.”We’ve been used to dealing with the pressure of the last four games,” Knight said. “So having a process as individuals and as a team is quite important, and knowing what the stakes are, it’s just useful just to know that we’ve been successful and it’s brought the best out of us. I think that will build a lot of confidence going into Thursday.”We’ll have to bring our best cricket and we’d love to obviously have the same result as 2017. It would be a little bit nicer if it wasn’t as close because that’s probably one of the most nerve-wracking finishes to a cricket game I think I’ve ever had, to make a home World Cup final.”Heather Knight says her side are peaking at the right time•ICC/Getty Images

Knight credits her team’s “remarkable” turnaround, which also followed a disappointing Ashes campaign in Australia immediately before the World Cup, to remaining calm and working to fix the areas that were letting them down, namely poor fielding and the conceding of too many extras.”It was just being honest with what had gone wrong and realising that a lot of it was in our control and mainly just trying to stay positive around the group,” she said. “You don’t want to go crazy and make a huge deal out of it. You’re just desperate to obviously try and turn it around and I think you do that by remembering what what has made us a very good team, what we do really well, and try and execute that.”Fielding mistakes proved costly for England in their group game with South Africa. Laura Wolvaardt was dropped three times in the process of top-scoring with 77, and she remains the competition’s leading run-maker with 433 so far, 75 ahead of second-placed Meg Lanning of Australia.England will also be wary of Marizanne Kapp, who has shown her allround match-winning ability during this tournament, dangerous seamer Shabnim Ismail and opener Lizelle Lee, even though she has only reached double figures twice in six innings so far with a top score of 36.”I think Lizelle Lee’s had quite a quiet tournament, and not forgetting how explosive she can be, and making sure we’re having plans in place for all their batters is pretty important,” Knight said. “But it’s no secret Laura’s going to be a key wicket for us, trying to get her early. We obviously had a few opportunities to do that in our first game but couldn’t take them so we have to be really on it from ball one and start quite quickly.”South Africa are no strangers to close encounters at this World Cup, their victories over Pakistan, England, New Zealand and India all coming down to the final over – the last ball in the case of India. Having lost just one match, to Australia before a washed-out game with West Indies, South Africa are unbeaten batting second in 16 matches, which could influence Knight’s decision should she win the toss.Veteran seamer Anya Shrubsole is available for selection, having been rested during England’s final group-stage match, a 100-run win over Bangladesh. While Knight was yet to see the Christchurch pitch, she expected it to be the same one on which they defeated Pakistan by nine wickets. That surface was a green-top, albeit a week before the South Africa game, on which seamer Katherine Brunt and spinner Sophie Ecclestone took three wickets each.The winner of the England-South Africa game will face in the final either Australia or West Indies, who play the previous day.

Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement will be hoping the next few weeks are positive and that the Ibrox side can reach the turn of the year still having a chance of winning the domestic title, with the League Cup nestled away in the trophy cabinet for good measure.

It’s a lot to ask from the Belgian, but if he wishes to remain in the Light Blues dugout, then these are the targets which must be set, as second-best is not good enough, that’s for sure.

With the rumours circling around the manager amid the links to the Belgium national team job, the 50-year-old might not even be in charge for much longer.

Regardless of who is in charge, the January transfer window is a major chance for the Gers to move on some players who don’t have long left on their current contracts, while bringing in a new signing or two to bolster their squad.

With this in mind, here’s a look at a dream Rangers starting XI from January onwards, as the club look to improve during the second half of the campaign.

1

GK – Jack Butland

Jack Butland might not be at the level he displayed during his first six months at Ibrox, but the Englishman is still a dependable keeper between the sticks.

Aged only 31, his long-term future at the club looks secure. Liam Kelly is the current deputy, and he will be able to fill in whenever required, yet it will be Butland who will remain as the number-one choice over the next few months.

2

RB – Ryan Barnett

James Tavernier’s future has been heavily discussed of late. The captain is entering into the final 18 months of his deal and January could be the final chance for the Ibrox side to sell him for a decent fee.

If he does go, a replacement right-back will be required. In recent weeks, the Gers have been linked with a move for Wrexham defender Ryan Barnett, who could be an ideal replacement for Tavernier.

This season, he has recorded a goal and six assists in 18 games, showcasing his attacking talents. Could this mean he would slot into Tavernier’s role with ease?

3

CB – John Souttar

John Souttar was impressive for Scotland during the recent international break, playing 90 minutes in the wins over Croatia and Poland, even grabbing an assist during the latter tie.

For Rangers this season, the centre-back has missed only one game and while he has looked susceptible in a few games, overall, his performances have improved vastly since he first joined.

4

CB – Neraysho Kasanwirjo

The versatile defender signed on loan until the end of the season, with an option to buy included in this deal. During his time on the pitch, the Dutchman has looked solid and can play across the back four.

It is at centre-back where his future should lie, however. Leon Balogun is out of contract at the end of the season, while Robin Propper hasn’t impressed, meaning the youngster should be given the chance to shine alongside Souttar.

5

LB – Jefte

Jefte may only be 20, but his exposure to senior football this season will aid his development superbly.

Yes, he will face competition from Ridvan Yilmaz when he returns from injury, but in the long term, Jefte could be the ideal Borna Barisic successor.

6

CM – Connor Barron

It was clear that a refresh was needed in the midfield during the summer. Signing Connor Barron and slotting him straight into the engine room is perhaps the most important thing Clement has done this term.

The 22-year-old has a bright future and has played a part in every single match for the club during 2024/25 thus far.

7

CM – Nicolas Raskin

The Belgian has enjoyed a resurgence of late, being someone who Clement can trust in the middle of the pitch.

Injury issues may have hampered his start to the season, but Raskin has impressed recently. Against Olympiacos in the Europa League, the midfielder made four key passes, won 50% of his ground duels and made seven tackles during the game as the club secured a 1-1 draw.

He and Barron could form a partnership which could shine for the next few years at least.

8

RW – Kwame Poku

Vaclav Cerny may be in decent form, but his loan finishes at the end of the season. According to Graeme Bailey, the Gers have been linked with a move for winger Kwame Poku of late.

The Peterborough United star has scored ten goals and recorded seven assists in just 17 games this term, which works out as a goal contribution a game.

Hailed as “unplayable” by manager Darren Ferguson, Poku could be an ideal long-term option as the right-winger for the Ibrox side, no doubt about that.

9

AM – Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian can exude his creative talents when deployed as a number ten and this could suit the team far better in the long run, allowing Barron and Raskin to sweep up everything at the base of the midfield.

Diomande has created three big chances, averages one key pass and succeeded with 1.1 dribbles per game in the top flight this term. From now on, he should be unleashed as an attacking midfielder.

10

LW – Nedim Bajrami

While not his usual role, Nedim Bajrami has taken to the left wing with ease since joining Rangers. In 14 games, he has scored three goals and grabbed one assist.

Despite Rabbi Matondo and Oscar Cortes returning from injury soon, Clement must continue to utilise the Albanian out wide, especially considering his impressive displays.

The two spinners have opened the bowling for the second time in the ongoing series, and been among the wickets too

Firdose Moonda10-Apr-2022With the new ball “ragging”, as Sarel Erwee put it, Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer can continue to stake a claim for playing together as a spin duo in the future. The two opened the bowling in the second innings of the Gqeberha Test against Bangladesh, as they had in the first Test, and have already dismissed the top three and could be eyeing a repeat of their performance in Durban, where they took all ten second-innings wickets to bowl South Africa to victory.Theirs is an unusual combination – Kingsmead was the first time since 1970 that South Africa had played two spinners in a home Test – but given their skills, could be something that South Africa make use of more often, as they move away from their heavy reliance on pace. On slower, late-summer pitches, South Africa have altered their strategy completely, to the point where they planned the declaration around how best to use the spinners.Related

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After deciding to set Bangladesh a minimum target of 400, Dean Elgar declared with half-an-hour left to play in the day, knowing that in fading light with the ball turning, things would not be easy for Bangladesh. “As an opener, It makes your heart flutter a little bit [to see spinners with the new-ball],” Erwee said. “It’s not a nice period, that twilight period. And we’ve got two world-class spinners, so it makes it even worse to go and face them.”Maharaj took the first wicket with a ball that turned away from Mahmudul Hasan Joy and took the edge, and then got Najmul Hossain Shanto with one that didn’t turn as much. After that, Harmer got one to spin and take Tamim Iqbal’s edge. The indecision they created in the Bangladesh batters’ minds underscored their vast experience and ability to build and maintain pressure, which appears to be rubbing off on each other.”They’ve played a lot of cricket for a lot of years so they know their craft through and through,” Erwee said. “They’ve got different variations, they bowl at different speeds and they’ve bowled in different conditions around the world.”South Africa’s next Test assignment is in England, where Harmer has enjoyed many seasons of county success and Maharaj has also had goot times. It would seem a no-brainer not only to include them both in the touring party but to even play them in the XI, and their performance in Gqeberha may well be on the selectors’ minds.

“We share a good relationship off the field so you get to know each other and what makes each other tick. Taking that off field relationship onto the field makes you understand your partner a little bit better”Sarel Erwee on his partnership with Dean Elgar

At the other end of the South African scorecard, in the batting department, another kind of solid partnership is taking shape, with Erwee and Elgar putting up impressive early numbers. In eight innings together, the pair has posted two century and two fifty-plus stands and average 49.62, a vast improvement on the 31.48 that Elgar and Aiden Markram shared. Erwee put their success down to their friendship off the field and their familiarity with each other’s games.”We share a good relationship off the field so you get to know each other and what makes each other tick,” Erwee said. “Taking that off field relationship onto the field makes you understand your partner a little bit better.”But does he think, with one hundred and two scores in the 40s, he has done enough to lay claim to the spot in the medium term? “I’ve got to put up some bigger scores on the board to help myself,” Erwee said.Erwee won’t have any more domestic cricket to do that this season, but he has probably done enough to merit being included in the squad this winter and continue to challenge Markram for the long-term role.

The pressure is rising for Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil. The bad results continued into this week for the Old Gold, after West Ham United got a crucial 2-0 win over their relegation rivals. That leaves the Midlands club in 19th place in the Premier League with nine points to their name.

The Old Gold are rumoured to be targeting Jose Mourinho as an ambitious £5m replacement according to reports. Well, the legendary manager is good but not a magician and would need his entire squad to pull together as they look to keep the club afloat in the Premier League.

Matheus Cunha would no doubt be a crucial player under Mourinho, as he looks to continue his fine form this season.

Cunha’s stats in 2024/25

Despite the Old Gold being the second-worst side in the Premier League, according to the table, Cunha is actually having a phenomenal season. He has played all 15 games for the club in the top flight so far, scoring seven goals and grabbing three assists.

Impressively, the Brazilian forward has scored or assisted multiple goals in a single game twice this season. Unsurprisingly, they have both been matchwinning contributions, against Southampton and Fulham.

Against the Cottagers, he scored twice and grabbed an assist to help his side win 4-1 away from home.

He is actually on track to exceed his goals and assists total from the 2023/24 campaign, where he was impressive, too. The Brazilian forward scored 12 goals and had seven assists in 32 games last term, an average of 0.59 goal involvements per game. At his current rate of 0.66 goals and assists per game, he will beat that.

Not only does Cunha look Wolves’ best player by watching him, as games such as the 4-1 win over Fulham show, but he leads the way in many different stats this season, as per Sofascore. That includes the most big chances created with nine and the most combined goals and assists with ten.

Stat

Number

Rank

Goals

7

1

Assists

3

=1

Goals and assists

10

1

Big chances created

9

1

Key passes per game

1.9

1

Dribbles completed per game

1.8

=1

It is fantastic that Wolves have such a deadly player in attack, but they do not have many players who can profit from his creativity, aside from the in-form Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has six top-flight goals.

To give themselves the best chance of survival, the Old Gold have been linked with someone who could also form a great partnership with Cunha, potentially under Mourinho.

Wolves' search for a striker

The player in question here is Cunha’s fellow Brazil international Igor Jesus. According to a report from Brazilian news outlet UOL last week, Wolves are interested in signing the £16m striker in the January transfer window. However, they will face competition from Everton for his signature.

Jesus currently plies his trade in his homeland for Botafogo, after leaving UAE outfit Shabab Al-Ahli earlier in 2024. He has impressed so far for Fogo, scoring eight goals and grabbing five assists in 31 games for the club.

The 23-year-old scored on his debut for his national team, for whom he has featured in the same squad as Wolves midfielder Andre but not Cunha. The goal will certainly pique the interest of the Molineux faithful, making a late run across goal to meet a cross and direct it home with his head.

This signing could be the perfect one to link up with Cunha. Jesus could be the man to convert all the chances his compatriot creates. To have three assists despite having created nine big chances is not a good reflection of Wolves’ attackers.

However, bringing in a clinical machine like Jesus could be the player Cunha needs to put away his chances, and they could develop a formidable partnership together. This could certainly go a long way to pulling Wolves out of the relegation zone, particularly should that man Mourinho take charge in the near future.

The Portuguese coach enjoyed notable Premier League success in the past when deploying his own Brazilian marksman, with Diego Costa – who was also briefly on the books at Molineux – having scored 25 goals in just 57 games under the serial winner at Chelsea.

Signing Jesus, then, makes a lot of sense for Wolves. They would be showing intent by backing rumoured new manager Mourinho early, whilst £16m doesn’t blow all the budget and leaves some for other investments.

Transfer Focus

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

However, the Old Gold board would be signing the striker they, and Cunha, need, to help survive relegation from the Premier League.

Wolves must now sell £90k-p/w flop who Shi was “delighted” to sign

Wolverhampton Wanderers could be due a clear out this January.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 12, 2024

Manchester United have been handed a massive boost as it has emerged that one of Europe’s elite is ready to turn down Barcelona in order to join Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford in the upcoming transfer windows.

Amorim takes charge at Manchester United

Amorim’s first game in charge of Manchester United took just 81 seconds to ignite as Marcus Rashford put his side ahead against Premier League new-boys Ipswich Town.

However, it was all downhill from there as Omari Hutchinson grabbed a deserved equaliser for the hosts on the stroke of half time before a low-key second half saw Ipswich edge the better chances and left Manchester United forced to settle for a point in East Anglia.

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Ruben Amorim will undoubtedly be wanting to strengthen his Manchester United attacking options.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 26, 2024

There were immediately clear issues for Amorim to solve, with Rashford chosen to start as a striker but offering little except the goal, while Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee were both introduced from the bench in the second half to little effect.

Elsewhere, Diogo Dalot looked uncomfortable in his new wing-back role, while Bruno Fernandes was also sidelined for much of the game on the right hand side of attack.

“I know it is frustrating for the fans but we are changing so much in this moment with a lot of games,” Amorim explained after the game. “We are going to suffer for a long period. We will try to win games but this will take time.”

While tactics are likely to improve the Red Devils, part of the changes at the club will come in the transfer market, and United have been handed a boost in that regard.

Man Utd favourite destination for in-demand star

That comes as it has been claimed that Viktor Gyokeres is ready to turn down interest from Barcelona to reunite with Amorim at Old Trafford next summer, should the Red Devils opt to move for him.

The Swedish striker is among the hottest properties in world football, having scored 33 goals already this season across all competitions and caught the eye of several clubs including Arsenal and Barcelona.

It was under Amorim that he really found his feet among Europe’s elite marksmen, and he is now keen to repay that faith by reuniting with his former boss at Old Trafford.

Appearances

68

Goals

66

Assists

23

Minutes per goal/assist

64.1

That is according to The Sun, who claim that “Gyokeres has his heart set on a move to the Premier League and a reunion with ex-boss Ruben Amorim at Manchester United”, meaning that he will turn down any Barcelona approaches.

Gyokeres could certainly arrive as the undisputed no.1 striker at Old Trafford, despite Amorim’s experiment with Rashford against Ipswich, and his ability to both hold the ball up and find the back of the net with astonishing regularity could help turn the Red Devils into genuine top four contenders and more.

He is thought to be available for just £63m next summer, despite having a €100m (£84m) release clause written into his Sporting contract, thanks to a gentleman’s agreement between the club and player.

A proven goalscorer who has thrived under Amorim and wants to move to Old Trafford, is this the most obvious transfer for the Red Devils?

Wednesday’s match got a go-ahead just over an hour before the scheduled start

Nagraj Gollapudi20-Apr-2022

Tim Seifert is the latest Delhi Capitals member to test positive for Covid-19 this IPL•BCCI

Tim Seifert has become the second overseas player, after Mitchell Marsh, in the Delhi Capitals camp to test positive for Covid-19. The update came shortly before the scheduled start of Capitals’ match against Punjab Kings at Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium on Wednesday. The positive result emerged after a round of Rapid Antigen Tests conducted on Wednesday morning and it is learnt that Seifert, the New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter, will be moved to a facility away from the team hotel to isolate.For a while, there appeared to be question marks around the match, but the Kings players first and then their opponents reached the venue, before 6.30pm local time. ESPNcricinfo has learnt that the organisers had kept open the option of rescheduling the match, which on Tuesday was shifted from Pune to Mumbai. It is also learnt that the IPL had asked the Capitals team to conduct another round of tests on the franchise’s personnel before they left for the ground.”Things have been a little bit interrupted with Mitch Marsh down with Covid,” Ricky Ponting, the Capitals head coach, said on Star Sports before the game. “Our session yesterday was pushed back. The preparations haven’t been perfect and I addressed the group about the two options we have – we can drag our backsides around or we can take the positives around and realise that we are here for a big tournament with a great franchise. You need leaders to stand up and so far [David] Warner has been great, Rishabh [Pant] is good and Mustafizur [Rahman], apart from an over or two has been good.Related

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“The tournament for us so far has been stop-start. I think it’s all there. The players are very aware of the way I want them to play. There have been interruptions with player availability but we haven’t spoken much about that. Two wins in two games here and we should get used to playing on the side pitches.”Seifert is the sixth member of the Capitals contingent to test positive, after Marsh, physio Patrick Farhart, sports massage therapist Chetan Kumar, team doctor Abhijit Salvi, and social media content team member Akash Mane.While there had been doubts about the match taking place after the initial set of positive results, the prospects of it going ahead had brightened by late afternoon on Tuesday, when Capitals were given permission to conduct a training session. The IPL, though, laid down the condition that only the players and the coaches would be allowed to attend the session, which took place at the Bandra-Kurla Complex in Mumbai.The decision to change the venue – from Pune to Mumbai – was taken at a meeting on Tuesday “to avoid any further incident due to any undetected case during a long-distance bus journey in a closed environment”, since the teams are based in Mumbai.It is understood that Marsh was moved to hospital as a precautionary measure after he felt unwell, including experiencing chills. The others who tested positive had been moved to a separate facility outside the team hotel because the hotel where the Capitals are staying had laid down the condition that anyone testing positive, including those that are asymptomatic, would need to move out of the premises.From the IPL 2022 playing conditions…What happens if a player or squad member tests positive for Covid-19 during the IPL?
The participant who tests positive will have to isolate for a minimum of seven days, and during that period, he will be tested on the sixth and seventh days. For him to re-enter the team’s bio-secure environment, he will have to provide two consecutive negative RT-PCR tests taken 24 hours apart, full resolution of symptoms, see that there are no fresh symptoms for more than 24 hours, and that there have been no use of medications for more than 24 hours.What happens if a team is affected by multiple Covid-19 infections and many of their players are unavailable?
A franchise can field a team if there are a minimum of 12 players available for them, including at least seven Indians and one substitute. If a team has fewer than 12, the BCCI will attempt to reschedule the match for later in the season. If, for some reason, that is not possible, the matter will be referred to the technical committee of the IPL, and the decision of the committee will be “final and binding”.Earlier, when the rescheduling of a match was not possible, the franchise unable to field a team would lose the points to the opponent.

Celtic have the chance to win their first piece of silverware of the 2024/25 campaign today as they face Rangers at Hampden Park in the League Cup final.

The Hoops were knocked out of this competition by Kilmarnock last season and had to watch on from afar as their Glasgow rivals lifted the trophy.

Brendan Rodgers can make up for that by winning it this time around and his side come into the match off the back of a 0-0 draw with Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.

The Northern Irish head coach may look to make a couple of changes from the starting XI that lined up in Croatia, including the return of Arne Engels to the team.

Why Arne Engels should start against Rangers

The summer signing from Augsburg could be brought back into the line-up because his performances on the big stage have been impressive so far this season.

Engels has recorded three assists in two matches in the League Cup, including two assists against Aberdeen in the semi-final, and this speaks to the creative quality he can bring to the side.

The Belgium international has also scored one goal and provided three assists in six appearances in the Champions League, further proving that the young gem can step up to provide contributions in the final third in big matches for the Hoops.

Engels could come in to replace Paulo Bernardo and the 21-year-old starlet may not be the only change, as Rodgers could boldly unleash Adam Idah from the start ahead of Kyogo Furuhashi.

Why Adam Idah should start against Rangers

The former Leicester and Liverpool boss must bring the Ireland international in from the start because he has the physical qualities to suit starting a big match.

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Kyogo lost 100% (4/4) of his duels and completed just three passes in 72 minutes against Dinamo Zagreb, whilst Idah won 100% (2/2) of his duels and completed three passes in 18 minutes off the bench.

The 6 foot 3 marksman can hold the ball up and get involved in the build-up phase more effectively than Kyogo, who struggles to get into matches at times due to his lack of physicality.

Appearances

14

12

Starts

10

5

Goals

6

5

Big chances missed

14

8

Duel success rate

35%

42%

Aerial duel success rate

20%

56%

As you can see in the table above, the Japanese forward has only scored one more goal than Idah in the Scottish Premiership, despite starting twice as many games and missing six more ‘big chances’.

The Irishman, who was once hailed as “incredible” by Rodgers, has also won a far greater percentage of his duels and aerial contests, which illustrates how much more the former Norwich man brings to the game from a physical perspective.

Therefore, the Celtic boss must boldly unleash Idah ahead of regular starter Kyogo, who could be a fantastic option off the bench if the team needs a goal in the second half, given his return of eight goals in 15 clashes with Rangers.

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The San Antonio Spurs duo were spotted in attendance watching on as Angel City and San Diego Wave battled out a 1-1 draw.

Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes attend NWSL matchSpurs teammates demonstrate support for women's soccerAngel City FC face Portland Thorns next in the NWSL.Kelvin Kuo-Imagn ImagesWHAT HAPPENED

San Antonio Spurs teammates Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes were spotted at the Banc of California Stadium, watching Angel City FC's match against San Diego Wave FC. The NBA stars' attendance created a buzz of excitement among fans and media alike. Not only that, both Paul and Barnes were given a jersey with their names on it and were also seen engaging with fans and taking photos throughout the match.

AdvertisementWHAT ANGEL CITY FC POSTEDTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The appearance of high-profile athletes like Paul and Barnes underscores the team's growing appeal and the increasing visibility of women's soccer. The Spurs players' attendance alongside Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis has brought additional mainstream attention to the match and the league, highlighting the community's support for the NWSL.

Kelvin Kuo-Imagn ImagesWHAT’S NEXT?

Following their hard-fought 1-1 draw, Angel City FC sit seventh on the NWSL table, two points behind league leaders Orlando Pride. They face Portland Thorns at Providence Park on March 22 next before returning to the BMO Stadium to host Seattle Reign FC on March 31.

MatériaMais Notícias

Paulo Sousa comandou o primeiro treino no Ninho do Urubu em 10 de janeiro. Desde então, ao longo das últimas nove semanas, o treinador fez uma série de testes e controlou os minutos do elenco, utilizando 28 atletas em 11 partidas. Agora, com os clássicos contra o Vasco abrindo a fase decisiva do Estadual, o momento é de validação do time titular. A tendência é de uma equipe próxima à da Supercopa do Brasil, indicando os “11 ideais” do Mister neste momento.

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Em 10 partidas no comando do Flamengo, Paulo Sousa mandou a campo 10 times diferentes. Apenas com Léo Pereira e Rodrigo Caio como desfalques, o Mister tem a chance de repetir um time pela primeira vez. Em relação aos 11 que iniciaram o jogo contra o Atlético-MG, a principal dúvida é em relação a João Gomes, que tem a forte concorrência de Thiago Maia e Andreas Pereira.

Na defesa, além do goleiro Hugo Souza, o time deve ter Fabrício Bruno, David Luiz e Filipe Luís, e, do meio para frente, Rodinei, Everton Ribeiro, Arrascaeta, Bruno Henrique e Gabi são os prováveis titulares, como foi na Arena Pantanal.

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Paulo Sousa já testou atletas em diferentes posições, inclusive dentro de um mesmo jogo, como têm acontecido com Everton Ribeiro, por exemplo, e já deixou claro que não se prenderá a 11 titulares ao longo do desgastante ano que terá pela frente. Contudo, a indicação de uma base nas partidas mais importantes do Estadual, assim como na Supercopa, indicam como o técnico pretende desenvolve o Flamengo para os momentos mais decisivos da Libertadores, Copa do Brasil e Campeonato Brasileiro que virão pela frente.

A escalação para o clássico contra o Vasco, contudo, só será divulgada horas antes da bola rolar no Maracanã, às 20h. Afinal, Paulo Sousa comanda as atividades no Ninho do Urubu de portas fechadas e, como já mostrou, não tem problemas em fazer alterações, e também não faltam opções: Pedro, Vitinho, Marinho e Lázaro, entre outros, estão à disposição para a partida desta quarta.