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Glasgow Rangers kicked off their Scottish Premiership season with disappointment, as they were held to a 1-1 draw away from Ibrox against Motherwell.

The Light Blues had the lead at Fir Park for most of the evening, thanks to an opener from James Tavernier, but Emmanuel Longelo’s crisp strike just before the end of the 90 minutes secured a draw for the home side.

Russell Martin will surely be gutted that his team were unable to see it out to claim all three points on the opening day, and may not have been too pleased with some of the performances from his players on the pitch.

One player who still looks to be adjusting to the drastic change in the style of play under the new head coach is central defender John Souttar, who does not look at home in a risk-taking defence.

John Souttar's performance against Motherwell

The rough and tumble Scottish brute is a physical defender who can dominate opposition attackers in one-on-one duels, and that was the case against Motherwell as he won two of his three ground duels and four of his five aerial contests.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

However, Souttar is tasked with defending large spaces because of the positions that the full-backs take up and the risks that Rangers take, and he does not have the mobility to deal with those situations consistently.

The Scotland international did make seven clearances, including one vital one in the six-yard box after Jack Butland spilled the ball, but he also made an error that directly led to a shot and was outpaced down Motherwell’s right flank one too many times.

Souttar was far from the only less-than-impressive performer on the park for Rangers, though, as Martin must drop Danilo for Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Viktoria Plzen.

Why Rangers must drop Danilo

The Brazilian forward, who was awarded a 5/10 player rating by GlasgowWorld, was selected to lead the line ahead of Cyriel Dessers, whilst Hamza Igamane was unavailable due to injury.

Unfortunately, the former Feyenoord marksman was even worse than Souttar and should be ruthlessly dropped by Martin for the game against Viktoria Plzen.

Whilst Souttar offered strength defensively and made seven clearances to help his side out, Danilo had very few redeeming factors in his performance, as he struggled on and off the ball.

The Brazilian lightweight played 63 minutes and only contested one duel with the opposition centre-backs, which shows that he did not anticipate the game well enough, or show enough desire, to get stuck in for his team.

As you can see in the table above, Danilo also failed to register a single shot on target and did not create any ‘big chances’ for his side in his 63 minutes on the field.

This means that the 26-year-old striker was a liability in and out of possession, as he offered very little at the top end of the pitch and very little physically when Rangers did not have the ball.

Therefore, Martin should ruthlessly ditch Danilo from the starting XI for the game on Tuesday night, as he has not done enough in the last three games, as a starter, to justify his continued inclusion.

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Dessers, who won as many duels (one) in 28 minutes as Danilo won in 63 minutes, may get a chance to show what he can do in a Martin team from the start.

RCB have played three finals previously; PBKS have made it to the final only once before

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jun-20252:31

Will an 18-year-long wait end this season?

The IPL will have a new champion after Punjab Kings beat Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad on Sunday night to set up a summit clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Neither team has won the IPL before.The IPL final is on Tuesday, June 3, also in Ahmedabad.RCB will be playing an IPL final for the fourth time, having finished runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016 to Deccan Chargers, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, respectively.PBKS have been in an IPL final only once before, in 2014, when they were known as Kings XI Punjab and lost to Kolkata Knight Riders. The 2014 season was also the only time that PBKS had made the playoffs since the concept was introduced in 2011. Their captain Shreyas Iyer is the first IPL player to lead three different teams to the finals: he was captain of Delhi Capitals in the 2020 final and led KKR to the title in 2024.PBKS and RCB had finished Nos. 1 and 2 in the league stage, with nine wins, four defeats and one no-result each in 14 games. There was very little difference between their net run rates too. While PBKS had beaten RCB in Bengaluru, RCB won the reverse fixture in Mullanpur.They met in Qualifier 1 on May 29 in Mullanpur, where RCB dismissed PBKS for 101 and won with ten overs to spare to book their place in the final first. PBKS had to travel to Ahmedabad to play MI in Qualifier 2, and they beat them for the second time in the span of a week to qualify for the final.

A look at how the voting has gone so far in our T20 World Cup poll

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Oct-2022 • Updated on 22-Oct-2022ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Final

Yuvraj Singh’s 70 vs Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*: Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*

Semi-finals

Yuvraj Singh’s 70 vs Shahid Afridi’s 51 & 2-16: Yuvraj Singh’s 70Rangana Herath’s 5-3 vs Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*: Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*

Quarter-finals

Marlon Samuels’ 78 & 1-15 vs Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*: Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*Umar Gul’s 5-6 vs Shahid Afridi’s 51 & 2-16: Shahid Afridi’s 51 & 2-16RP Singh’s 4-13 vs Yuvraj Singh’s 70: Yuvraj Singh’s 70Lasith Malinga’s 5-31 vs Rangana Herath’s 5-3: Rangana Herath’s 5-3

Round of 16

Yuvraj Singh’s 70 vs Daryl Mitchell’s 72*: Yuvraj Singh’s 70Lasith Malinga’s 5-31 vs Jos Buttler’s 101*: Lasith Malinga’s 5-31Michael Hussey’s 60* vs Marlon Samuels’ 78 & 1-15: Marlon Samuels’ 78 & 1-15Shahid Afridi’s 51 (34) & 2-16 vs Alex Hales’ 116*: Shahid Afridi’s 51 (34) & 2-16RP Singh’s 4-13 vs Virat Kohli’s 82*: RP Singh’s 4-13Shane Watson’s 3-34 & 72 (42) vs Rangana Herath’s 5-3: Rangana Herath’s 5-3Stephan Myburgh’s 63 vs Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*: Carlos Brathwaite’s 3-23 & 34*Umar Gul’s 5-6 vs Shaheen Shah Afridi’s 3-31: Umar Gul’s 5-6

“The way he made [bowling] changes, it’s a think-out-of-the-box kind of a thought process, he looked good,” Piyush Chawla says of Rajat Patidar’s IPL captaincy debut

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-20252:02

Did Salt’s takedown of Varun seal the chase for RCB?

A total of 174 was probably never going to be enough. Not against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Not at Eden Gardens. And not with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt “walking the talk” with a blazing start that pretty much finished Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) off in the IPL 2025 opener with a large chunk of the game left to play.By the end of three overs in the chase, RCB were 37. Salt was the early aggressor, but Kohli wasn’t much behind. Then came the over that perhaps ended the game. The fourth of the innings. Varun Chakravarthy, bowling much earlier than KKR would have planned. Kohli took a run off the first ball, and then Salt went 2, 4, 6, 4 and 4. One of the stars of India’s Champions Trophy win and KKR’s spin frontman, taken down.”This is completely walking the talk, the way Salt and Virat started, and the way Virat ended, [it] was setting a precedent, and saying, ‘you know what, this is the kind of cricket we’re going to play; if you can score more than us, all the best’,” Varun Aaron, the former India quick, said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show.Related

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Former India batter Ambati Rayudu added, “That over quickly sealed it, the confidence of KKR was completely shattered in that over.”By the end of ten overs, RCB were 104 for 1, with Salt gone. KKR, earlier, were 107 for 2 after ten overs. Not too different. But it’s not just about the numbers. You knew it had gone away from KKR by then. Kohli being in the middle was a major factor. It was a chase, after all.”Kohli, generally, loves to finish the game, stay not out. But here, he stayed not out with the intent. He continued batting with that intent,” Rayudu said. “That shows that… if Kohli is ready to do that, the rest eight [batters] will do that for RCB. And that’s a great, great sight. That shows his leadership in the batting department.”Kohli batted till the end, remaining unbeaten on 59 off 36 balls. He hit four fours and three sixes in his innings, not slowing down at any stage. The fifty came up with a four off Harshit Rana in the 13th over. And then, with the target within touching distance and Rajat Patidar first and then Liam Livingstone dealing mostly in biggies, Kohli stood at the other end and watched the fun.”Everyone sings his praise for a reason: he gets these runs, especially when the team needs it, in a chase,” Aaron said. “There are a lot of batsmen who get a lot of first-innings centuries, first-innings runs, but he always manages to get those important runs in a chase. And that is priceless to any team, to the Indian team, to RCB, and leadership in his own role is going to be important for RCB.”1:29

Rayudu: Pleasing to see that Kohli kept going hard

On the subject of leadership, there was Patidar, RCB’s new captain who has now started this phase of his career with a big win. When he walked out, at 118 for 2 in the 12th over, the runs still had to be scored. He scored 34 of them, and he scored them in just 16 balls. And earlier in the day, he rung in the changes, and though the changes didn’t seem to work in the first half of the KKR innings, they came off later, especially with the reintroduction of Krunal Pandya.”The first game, he looked a little nervous, which is obvious, because when you are leading your team at such a big stage,” Piyush Chawla, the former India legspinner, said. “But as the tournament will progress, he will look even better, because today, the way he made [bowling] changes, it’s a think-out-of-the-box kind of a thought process, he looked good.”With all that intent in the chase, the two points were in the bag in 16.2 overs. KKR had been 153 for 6 at the same stage in their innings, and scored just 21 more in the 22 remaining balls. That – the wickets in the middle overs and the lack of runs at the end, as a result – was where the game was won and lost. As Kohli, Salt and Patidar underscored in their rapid chase.

Tottenham are in dire need of attacking reinforcements as we fast enter the business end of this summer transfer window, especially after Son Heung-min’s departure to the MLS and a heartbreaking update on James Maddison’s knee injury.

Spurs announced on Thursday morning that the latter is set to undergo surgery on a ruptured ACL, which is expected to keep him out for a very large portion of 2025/2026, with Maddison joining fellow chief creator, Dejan Kulusevski, back on the sidelines after only just returning to action.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

It’s a hammer blow for Thomas Frank, who was banking on Maddison to be their star number 10 this season.

Having already been robbed of participating in the Europa League final due to that same right knee, the England playmaker will now watch from the side once again as Spurs try to forge ahead without him.

The pressure is now firmly on Spurs’ recruitment team, specifically chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange, to dig their heels in and source an immediate replacement for Maddison as soon as possible.

Reports have linked the club with a move for Eberechi Eze at points this window – an ideal fit stylistically, but with Crystal Palace digging their heels in and Arsenal pursuing a deal for the 27-year-old, it won’t be easy.

Tottenham have also contacted Man City over a move for Jack Grealish in recent days, according to Fabrizio Romano, but Everton are currently in more formal talks and ahead of Frank’s side in the race right now.

Harvey Elliott is another attacking midfielder who emerge as a target for Spurs, as per talkSPORT.

However, RB Leipzig are currently in discussions over the England Under-21 sensation, so Spurs will need to decide whether they’re going to potentially rival Ole Werner’s side pretty soon.

Frank is faced with the near-impossible task of somehow filling the voids left by Maddison, Son Heung-min and the injured Dejan Kulusevski, with a report by Turkish news outlet Takvim now claiming Tottenham could turn to the Süper Lig for answers.

Tottenham to make "official offer soon" for Galatasaray star Baris Yilmaz

As per the media outlet, Galatasaray forward Baris Yilmaz is of serious interest to the north Londoners.

The 25-year-old, who played in a variety of attacking roles last season, ended 24/25 with 14 goals and six assists in all competitions – starting on the right against Tottenham when the Turkish champions beat them 3-2 in the Europa League.

Now, Takvim states that the player’s agent recently met with Galatasaray chiefs to discuss his future at the club – sending them a clear message about Tottenham’s serious interest.

The unnamed representative informed Okan Buruk’s side, as quoted by Takvim, that Tottenham “will make an official offer soon” for Yilmaz.

Galatasaray are set to demand around £30 million for the Turkey international, who also played a key role during his country’s surprise run to the Euro 2024 quarter-finals last year.

Yilmaz has been linked with a move to the Premier League for some time, and members of the media believe he could be a “fascinating” option for any English side.

“Yilmaz is different,” said journalist Graeme Bailey to the Geordie Boot Boys in January.

“He’s a fascinating player. He can play anywhere across the front three and is a very clever footballer. He’s a good age. He’s an interesting one to keep an eye on. Nottingham Forest have looked, and there are others in the Premier League too.”

da aposte e ganhe： Paul Pogba will always remain a what-if player for Manchester United, given his failure to sustain his success during his spell as a first-team member at Old Trafford.

da supremo： The Frenchman left the club on a free transfer, before joining in a then world-record £89m transfer just a couple of years after originally being allowed to depart the Red Devils.

The midfielder was known for his moments of magic, but questions were always asked about his commitment and effort, which held him back from being one of the elite players in world football.

He racked up over 200 appearances during his second spell in Manchester, but ultimately struggled to match the huge fee he returned to the club with.

However, his individual brilliance will always outshine the tough times he spent at the club, with current boss Ruben Amorim able to land his own version of the 32-year-old this window.

The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer

Benjamin Sesko undoubtedly remains as United’s main target this summer, as the club look to provide the boss with the talisman he craves during his spell in charge.

Talks have already been held between the players’ representatives and the Red Devils hierarchy, but any deal will be an expensive one, given the current £78m asking price.

However, the Slovenian international isn’t the only player currently on their radar, with work also being conducted to secure a deal for Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra.

Marca’s latest update claims that Amorim’s side have already reached out to the LaLiga giants over a move for the 22-year-old, who’s currently valued at £25m.

The report also states that AC Milan are also currently exploring a move for the Spaniard, which could see the Red Devils spring into action for his signature in the near future.

Why United’s latest target could be Amorim’s own Pogba

Along with his effortless ability to change a game, Pogba was known for his ball-carrying talent, which often saw him run the game when he was performing in full flow.

During the 2017/18 campaign he spent at Old Trafford, the former Juventus star registered 4.1 progressive carries per 90, a figure that ranked him within the top 5% of all players within England’s top-flight.

His dominance on the ball is further backed up by current professional Declan Rice, who placed the Frenchman within his top three players he’s ever come up against.

United’s current midfield is currently lacking the dynamism that Pogba possessed, which should come as no surprise given 33-year-old Casemiro is still one of the options at Amorim’s disposal.

However, the manager could be about to land his own version of the former fan-favourite this summer, with Guerra possessing a lot of the qualities that made the World Cup winner a hit with the supporters.

Guerra, who’s been labelled “special” by analyst Ben Mattinson, managed to register 4.8 progressive passes and 1.8 progressive carries per 90 – able to glide past opponents when in control of the ball.

Such a skillset may come as a surprise given his 6”2 frame, sitting just one inch smaller than Pogba, with the pair freakishly talented with the ball at his feet given their height.

Javi Guerra’s stats for Valencia in LaLiga (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

36

Goals & assists

6

Progressive passes

4.8

Passes into final third

4.2

Take-ons attempted

2.7

Carries into final third

1.5

Tackles won

1.7

Stats via FBref

However, the youngster’s talents are also further reflected in his tallies of 1.7 tackles won and 1.7 clearances made per 90, able to do the dirty work at the heart of the side before making the desired impact higher up the field.

At just 22, he’s already made a name for himself for his ability to find the net from distance, with his effort against Espanyol arguably the best of his career.

Pogba also managed to possess such a quality, as seen by his own catalogue of strikes, which always managed to excite the fanbase – something which Guerra could do himself should he join the club.

Given his £25m asking price, a deal should be a no-brainer, potentially landing themselves a bargain this summer with a player who could emulate the levels produced by the former world record signing.

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Manchester United have turned their attention to another striker alongside Benjamin Sesko.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Aug 1, 2025

أعلن نادي ليفربول الإنجليزي عن الفائز بجائزة رجل المباراة أمام آرسنال، باختيار جماهير الفريق، عقب التصويت عبر الموقع الرسمي للنادي.

والتقى ليفربول وآرسنال مساء الأحد بمنافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج” على ملعب “الإمارات”.

وتعادل ليفربول بهدفين لمثلهما أمام آرسنال، حيث أدرك محمد صلاح هدف التعادل للريدز في الدقيقة 82.

وفاز إبراهيما كوناتي بجائزة رجل مباراة ليفربول وآرسنال، بحسب اختيار جماهير ليفربول عبر الموقع الرسمي للنادي.

وقد تم التصويت لإبراهيما كوناتي كأفضل لاعب في مباراة ليفربول تقديراً لأدائه، مع احتلال هدافي المباراة محمد صلاح وفيرجيل فان دايك المركزين الثاني والثالث على التوالي.

فيما أعلنت رابطة البريميرليج في وقت سابق عقب اللقاء، فوز محمد صلاح بجائزة رجل مباراة ليفربول وآرسنال، بعد تصويت الجماهير عبر الموقع الرسمي للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.