Leeds United may look at their 1-1 draw with Preston North End in the Championship as two points dropped, despite their last-gasp equaliser.

They conceded a sloppy goal to go 1-0 down, as Pascal Struijk was easily beaten down the channel and Illan Meslier appeared to parry the ball into the corner of his own net.

Mateo Joseph helped to force a late own goal through Jack Whatmough but the result has now left the Whites three points behind Sheffield United in the table.

During the match, however, it was revealed that the West Yorkshire side have had an interest in one of the players from the opposition line-up.

Leeds United's interest in Preston star

Sky Sports commentator Gary Weaver was speaking during the first-half about Leeds’ search for a number ten to bolster their squad ahead of the January transfer window, and mentioned their interest in Gus Hamer, Emi Buendia, and James McAtee.

The Whites were linked with all three over the summer, including having a bid of £13m rejected for Sheffield United star Hamer, but a new attacking midfielder has been thrown into the mix.

Weaver claims that Leeds “have had a look at” Preston star Mads Frokjaer-Jensen in the past, with regards to their attempts to land a new playmaker.

There was no further mention of whether or not they remain keen on him or how much North End would want to allow one of their key players to depart from Deepdale next month.

Transfer Focus

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

Daniel Farke should, however, push to secure a deal for the Danish wizard in January because the German head coach could unearth his own version of Pablo Hernandez.

Why Frokjaer-Jensen could be Farke's Hernandez

Firstly, Frokjaer-Jensen is similar to the former Leeds star in the sense that he is a right-footed playmaker who can operate centrally or on the right flank.

Hernandez played 66 times for the Whites on the right flank, drifting inside into central areas to affect the play, and the Preston whiz started on the right wing on Saturday – creating one ‘big chance’ for his team.

Preston have averaged 47.1% possession in the Championship this season, which means that the Dane is in a team that does not create plenty of opportunities for him to thrive at the top end of the pitch. Whereas, Leeds average 62.1% possession and could provide him with more chances to showcase his quality.

As you can see in the table above, the creative potential is there for Frokjaer-Jensen to improve his output in a team that has significantly more of the ball.

The 25-year-old star, who produced eight goals and three assists in 28 league games for Odense in the 2022/23 campaign, could operate as a right-footed playmaker on the right flank, or as a number ten, like Hernandez.

Leeds’ former Spanish magician created 41 goals in 175 matches for the club, which shows that it would take a lot for the Preston man to emulate his success, but his creative quality in a low-possession Preston team suggests that Farke could unearth his own Hernandez by singing him in January.

Farke could drop Solomon in Leeds swoop for "incredible" 15-goal star

Leeds United have been linked with an interest in the impressive young attacker.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 13, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Com um elenco recheado de jogadores tecnicamente acima da média, Vítor Pereira ainda não encontrou a formação ideal que dê ao Corinthians o vigor físico que o português tanto almeja. O coração dessa agressividade está no meio-campo, especialmente na posição de volante, e Cantillo parece ter cada vez menos espaço com o treinador.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansApós folga, Corinthians se reapresenta e inicia preparação para estreia na Copa do BrasilCorinthians18/04/2022BrasileirãoPalmeiras inicia venda de ingressos para o Dérbi na Arena BarueriBrasileirão18/04/2022BrasileirãoTrês jogadores do Corinthians entram na seleção do torcedor da 2ª rodada do BrasileirãoBrasileirão18/04/2022

> GALERIA – Veja todos os treinadores estrangeiros do Corinthians

O colombiano foi relacionado pelo técnico para a partida da segunda rodada do Brasileirão, contra o Avaí, mas foi cortado por opção do próprio Vitor Pereira, que precisou limitar a lista para 23 jogadores.

Dessa forma, o camisa 24 do alvinegro paulista não entrou em campo pela quarta partida consecutiva na temporada, e isso tem relação com a chegada de Maycon, que aumentou a concorrência na posição.

Desde que o camisa 5 retornou ao Timão após buscar refúgio no Brasil em razão da Ucrânia por tropas russas, o Timão vem jogando com dois volantes e é ele quem vem formando dupla com Du Queiroz,mesmo não estando nas melhores condições físicas.

> TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Timão na Copa do Brasil

Até Roni, que recentemente renovou o seu contrato até 2024e vinha se recuperando de uma lesão no joelho, está ganhando mais oportunidades que o colombiano. Nos dois jogos do Brasileirão até aqui, o garoto foi o escolhido para entrar no decorrer das partidas contra Botafogo e Avaí.

No início do ano, Sylvinho havia garantido que Cantillo começaria a temporada sendo o volante titular, mas o atleta de 28 anos foi chamado para defender a seleção colombiana nas Eliminatórias para a Copa do Mundo, e isso abriu espaço para Du Queiroz ganhar mais espaço e se firmar no time. Dos volantes do elenco corintiano, o camisa 37 é quem mais jogou com Vítor Pereira.

Contra a Portuguesa-RJ, nesta quarta-feira (20), pelo duelo de ida da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil, em Londrina, Cantillo deverá receber nova chance para provar que ainda pode ser útil para o Timão, já que a ideia de Vítor Pereira é rodar o elenco e dar oportunidade aos reservas contra a equipe carioca, tendo em vista os jogos contra Palmeiras e Boca Juniors na sequência.

MINUTOS DOS VOLANTES DO TIMÃO SOB O COMANDO DE VÍTOR PEREIRA
Du Queiroz – 631 minutos
Maycon – 228 minutos
Cantillo – 180 minutos
Roni – 119 minutos
Xavier – 0 minutos

continua após a publicidade

Tottenham are set to be busy in the January transfer window, and have now made an enquiry about signing a new midfielder for Ange Postecoglou in the winter window, though they may have to wait to secure his arrival in north London.

Tottenham's transfer plans

Currently marooned in the bottom half of the Premier League with 10 losses in 20 games, Tottenham are in the midst of a crisis.

Injuries have crippled their campaign to date, with all of their centre-backs missing through injury or illness in the second half of their 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United. Elsewhere, both Richarlison and Wilson Odobert have been sidelined for much of the season, while Rodrigo Bentancur has served a long ban and Guglielmo Vicario is set to be absent until February.

Such issues have forced Postecoglou to make ends meet, with Archie Gray and Djed Spence playing at centre-back against the Magpies. However, with the January transfer window now open, the Lilywhites have a chance to address some of their squad problems, and are expected to be busy.

The club have already announced the signing of goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in a deal worth a reported £12.5m, while they are also thought to be targeting a defender and a forward this window.

Postecoglou has already suggested his side may be busy, admitting before the defeat to Newcastle that “the club are working hard to try and sort of get some help for the playing group” and that “it’s no secret we need to bolster our numbers up a little bit, so the club’s working hard on that.”

Now, it appears that they have taken an interest in an international midfielder.

Tottenham make enquiry for "underrated" Inter midfielder

That is according to TEAMtalk, who report that Spurs are one of the sides to have enquired about Inter midfielder Davide Frattesi this winter.

The Italian is keen to leave San Siro due to a lack of game time, and there is reported interest from English trio Manchester United, Newcastle United and Spurs as well as Roma.

Valued at €50m (£41.5m), a deal would likely be low on Tottenham’s list of January priorities given their current situation with injuries, but it would be in keeping with Postecoglou’s desire to strengthen his midfield, with the Lilywhites having been one of the sides keen on signing Conor Gallagher from Chelsea last summer.

Any deal would likely have to wait until the summer, with Inter wanting “to keep their players until at least after the Club World Cup this summer”, despite reports elsewhere suggesting that Frattesi himself is open to an exit sooner.

Often overlooked in Serie A, Frattesi was dubbed “underrated” by Italian Football TV, who added that he “always performs for club and country” despite “not getting the minutes he deserves”.

Davide Frattesi in 24/25

Starts

4

Goals

3

Assists

1

Minutes per goal/assist

148.5

Could Tottenham be the place to offer him those regular opportunities and reap the rewards?

“He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously and it shows on the field”

Mohammad Isam28-Jun-2022The fast bowlers showing the ability to take wickets from slow pitches was the biggest gain for West Indies from their 2-0 win over Bangladesh, according to head coach Phil Simmons.Alzarri Joseph was the series’ top wicket-taker while Kemar Roach became only the sixth West Indies bowler to take 250 wickets during the series. Kyle Mayers and Jayden Seales contributed with regular wickets while Anderson Phillip made an impressive debut in St Lucia.Related

Jayden Seales, Obed McCoy, Odean Smith earn maiden West Indies international retainers

'We have to improve in every department' – Shakib

West Indies canter to 2-0 series win after quick bowlers finish the job

It had a big impact on Bangladesh, who got bowled out for less than 250 in all four innings in the Test series, losing both games by big margins.”The first (Test) wicket wasn’t conducive to fast bowling but we got them out for low scores,” Simmons said. “In this Test match, to get them bowled out on the first day on a comparatively slow wicket, gave us the driver’s seat. The fast bowlers deserve a lot of credit. We have worked hard in the two series, and come out victorious. This one maybe wasn’t as hard as the first one, the important thing is that at the end of the day, the W is behind the two Tests. We won 2-0 in Bangladesh in 2021 as well. You have to take all those things, and sit back and enjoy it.”Simmons was happy with Roach in particular helping out the young pace attack. Roach, who debuted in 2009, had a series to remember for reaching the 250-wicket milestone. He was lauded by West Indies greats Curtly Ambrose and Michael Holding, whose tally he crossed during the St Lucia Test.”(Roach) is helping the fast bowlers to mature quicker. I think he has an exceptional influence on all the young fast bowlers. He has taken his role as the senior pro very seriously. It shows on the field. You can see him talking to them, who are trying to do the right things all the time. I think his influence has been massive to these young fast bowlers.”Mayers, too, emerged as an all-round factor for the first time in his short Test career. He contributed mainly with the ball in Antigua, before hitting his second Test century in St Lucia, a backs-to-the-wall counterattack.”He brings in the wicket-taking factor. He is not express, but he puts the ball in the right areas. If he bats normally, he scores quickly in all three formats. I have to get him to understand that he needs to bat normally. Once we get that, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.”Phillip also had a good first outing but Simmons felt that nerves got the better of him at times. “I think he had a good debut. Two wickets earlier on, but he got a bit of cramps. It comes with all the nervousness that comes with your first Test match. If you are not nervous, something is wrong.”He was nervous, and it didn’t help him. He bowled well in both the innings. He did what the captain wanted him to do.”

Liverpool, despite sitting top of the Premier League, top of the Champions League and advancing into the final four of the Carabao Cup, are still awaiting some much-needed news on the contract front.

Liverpool transfer news

Barring one slip-up against Nottingham Forest, Arne Slot’s Liverpool side have been unstoppable so far this season and look on course for what they hope to be the first of many historic campaigns under the Dutchman. The quality within their squad and even outside of their strongest side was on full show once again against Southampton, as a much-changed Liverpool side sent the Saints packing in the Carabao Cup.

Amid such a successful season so far, however, a darkening contract cloud has continuously threatened to rain down on the Reds’ campaign and disrupt what would be the ultimate first season without club legend Jurgen Klopp.

As things stand, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all set to leave as free agents at the end of the campaign. And whilst reports have been more positive regarding Salah and Van Dijk’s Anfield futures, those in Merseyside are still facing a nervous wait for good news on all three.

Slot was let down by 103-touch Liverpool man after 5/10 Southampton display

Liverpool made it through to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup after a 2-1 win against Southampton.

ByEthan Lamb Dec 19, 2024

According to Caught Offside, FSG and Liverpool have now offered Alexander-Arnold a contract worth £7.1m more per year than his current Anfield deal, which is worth a reported £9.4m-a-year.

As per Caught Offside, the talented right-back has been offered a deal worth €20m-a-year (£16.5m-a-year) in the hope that he will finally put pen to paper and end any concerns over his future.

Even after such an offer, however, Liverpool are still reportedly unsure whether he will be tempted into joining European giants Real Madrid, who are planning a January meeting with the right-back to discuss a potential summer move.

Liverpool must end Alexander-Arnold uncertainty

In the middle of a title race and in their first season of what they will hope to be an era full of success under Slot, Liverpool need to get their answers from Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah before their contract talks dominate the headlines and distract away from their pursuit of glory. The last thing any dressing room needs is an unanswered question on the future of a star player, let alone three.

The case of Alexander-Arnold seems particularly uncertain, but he too must come to a decision sooner rather than later. Either he stays put at Liverpool and becomes one of the highest-earners at the club before cementing his legacy as a true Anfield great, or he chooses the life of a Galactico and the chance to create undeniable history. It’s quite the choice, to say the least.

As for Liverpool, they must at least plan for the worst. The likes of Jeremie Frimpong have already been mentioned in recent weeks and the Reds must be prepared to make their move for the Bayer Leverkusen man or, indeed, an alternative option to replace Alexander-Arnold at the end of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur have now opened talks over a move for an “excellent” defender this month, according to a report.

Spurs in need of a defender

Tottenham find themselves in an injury crisis at the moment, particularly in defence, with Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies and Micky van de Ven all currently on the treatment table. As such, Spurs have started looking at potential new signings for the January transfer window, holding internal talks over a move for Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite.

Discussions have also taken place over a move for Crystal Palace left-back Tyrick Mitchell, with Ange Postecoglou keen to bolster his backline, which has leaked far too many goals so far this season.

Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Newcastle United (h)

January 4th

Arsenal (a)

January 15th

Everton (a)

January 19th

Leicester City (h)

January 26th

Brentford (a)

February 2nd

Last month, Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov emerged as a target for the Lilywhites, and there has now been a promising new update on their pursuit, which indicates that progress has been made in recent days.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Tottenham have now opened talks with Lens over a deal for Khusanov, having identified the defender as a suitable target for the January transfer window.

However, there may be competition for Khusanov’s signature from Premier League rivals Newcastle United, who have also commenced talks over a deal, so the Lilywhites may have to move quickly.

Leeds United have also made contact to discuss a deal, but the Uzbekistan international is said to be unconvinced that a move to the Championship would be a good career move. Postecoglou is said to be keen to bring in at least one new defender this month, with the Lens defender, who is valued at around £25m by his current club, now becoming a major target.

Khusanov impressing in Ligue 1

The 20-year-old is ranked as one of Lens’ best-performing players in Ligue 1 so far this season, and it is clear to see why so many English teams are in the race for his signature. Journalist Coralie Salle lauded the starlet as “excellent” back in October, while also describing him as fast, powerful and a good receiver of the ball.

Tottenham make January approach to sign £149,000-per-week Barcelona star

The Lilywhites could secure a bargain.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 31, 2024

One of the youngster’s best attributes is his interceptions, ranking in the 99th percentile on that metric per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, while also placing in the 77th percentile for tackles and the 75th for clearances.

Amid the injury crisis at N17, it is clear that Postecoglou will need to bring in a new defender in January if he is going to get Spurs’ season back on track, and Khusanov is showing signs he could be a long-term success at the club.

As such, Tottenham should try to get the move done as quickly as possible, in order to avoid Newcastle getting a deal done first.

Big picture

Welcome back to the five-match ODI series, although, maybe, for the last time? Not since before the 2019 World Cup has there been a bilateral contest of this length in the men’s format. For Sri Lanka and Australia, it’s an extended opportunity to work on their games ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup, but these matches will have no bearing on qualification as they aren’t part of the one-and-done Super League (just nod and accept, it’s a cricket thing).There will be a glut of ODIs over the next nine months as FTP and Super League commitments are completed before the cut-off date. Australia have been particularly light on in the 50-over game since the pandemic; they did not play a single match at home last season and have had just two series -against West Indies and Pakistan – since late 2020.This will also be the first time they have had the majority of their first-choice ODI squad together in more than 18 months – Adam Zampa is missing on paternity leave – so while injuries have created some complications, it marks a moment where planning for the World Cup in India can start to get serious, in conditions that at times may not be a million miles away from those at the tournament. It is a chance for Andrew McDonald and Aaron Finch to start forming the style of one-day cricket they believe can be successful (early hint: expect an aggressive outlook with the bat that started in Pakistan).Related

• Australia's twin ambitions: win the ODIs, prepare for Tests

• If ODIs feel irrelevant now, just wait till the next FTP cycle

Australia will rotate through their fast-bowling depth, which is being tested with Kane Richardson now ruled out of the ODIs with a hamstring injury. Mitchell Starc will miss at least the first two matches, while Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood will be managed. There may also be some different batting combinations tried. Travis Head’s successful return in Pakistan means there are no shortage of top-order options, and when Mitchell Marsh is fit and Cameron Green ready to bowl, the all-round depth is well served.Sri Lanka have named a 21-player squad, which may seem a touch excessive for a home series but at least means they can tick the all-bases-covered box. Their ODI cricket remains inconsistent and they are currently outside the automatic-qualification zone in the Super League. They have won their last two series, at home against South Africa and Zimbabwe, but have dropped what could be vital games in both. This will be the first ODI series under new coach Chris Silverwood.As ever, when facing Australia in subcontinent conditions, there will be a temptation to go with a spin-heavy attack, but Sri Lanka’s prospects will come down to whether their batting order can perform consistently. The record-breaking finish to the chase in the final T20I was a timely confidence boost. There is also significant excitement around uncapped 19-year-old allrounder Dunith Wellalage, and he may get a chance in the XI.

Recent form

(last five matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka WLWWL
Australia LLWWLKusal Mendis has to do well with the bat if he wants to remain the No. 1 contender for the wicketkeeper-batter’s position•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight

If Kusal Mendis is given the nod as the wicketkeeper [see below], he will need to repay the faith with the bat. In the six ODIs he has played in the last two years, he has a top score of 36 and there are no shortage of candidates to take the gloves with Dinesh Chandimal and Niroshan Dickwella also part of the large squad. An ODI average of a tick under 30 from 80 innings feels underwhelming for a player of Mendis’ talent.Pat Cummins is among a group of senior Australia players returning to ODI colours since late 2020. He left the IPL early to recover from a hip injury, which Finch revealed he had been carrying for the last 12-14 months. These one-day matches will also act as his tune-up for the Test series in Galle. Cummins’ only previous cricket in Sri Lanka came when he was part of the 2012 T20 World Cup.

Team news

Nineteen-year-old Wellalage, a left-arm spinner who bats pretty well, seems likely to debut on Tuesday, joining a spin attack that comprises Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana. This means Chamika Karunaratne is likely to be the second seam option behind Dushmantha Chameera.Sri Lanka have a few options on the wicketkeeper-batter front. They could keep Mendis in place, though he wasn’t particularly effective with the bat in the T20Is. Charith Asalanka will likely move down to his familiar No. 5 position in ODIs. Word from captain Dasun Shanaka is that they will keep the six batters, two allrounders, three bowlers combination from the ODIs. Bowling-wise, Hasaranga, Chameera and Theekshana are pretty much certain to play.Sri Lanka (possible) 1 Danushka Gunathilaka, 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 5 Charith Asalanka, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Chamika Karunaratne, 9 Dunith Wellalage, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Maheesh TheekshanaAustralia’s injury list is growing with Kane Richardson the latest casualty. Jhye Richardson has been preferred ahead of a second frontline spinner in Mitchell Swepson. Finch said they were keen to use Alex Carey at No. 5 to provide another left-handed option in the middle order.Australia 1 David Warner, 2 Aaron Finch (capt), 3 Steven Smith, 4 Marnus Labuschagne, 5 Alex Carey (wk), 6 Marcus Stoinis, 7 Glenn Maxwell, 8 Ashton Agar, 9 Pat Cummins, 10 Jhye Richardson, 11, Josh Hazlewood

Pitch and conditions

Although the last T20I became a reasonably high-scoring game, there were also times when both sides struggled with the bat. The day-time element to the ODIs could be a factor. In the Sri Lanka-Zimbabwe series earlier in the year that was held entirely in Pallekele, the opening match saw Sri Lanka chase down 297 reasonably comfortably before Zimbabwe defended 302 and were then bundled out for 70. There is a chance of storms interrupting play.

Stats and trivia

• Warner, Smith, Cummins and Maxwell have not played an ODI since facing India in late 2020.
• The last bilateral ODI series between the two teams was in Sri Lanka in 2016 when Australia won 4-1. National selector George Bailey was Player of the Series then.

قال محمد أبو العلا، لاعب الزمالك الأسبق، إنه يشعر بالدهشة من طلب محامي أحمد سيد زيزو بإجراء جلسة التحقيق الخاصة باللاعب خارج نادي الزمالك، وفي مقر اتحاد الكرة.

وأضاف في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “الزمالك”: “بديهيًا، هذا الطلب غريب بعض الشيء، نادي الزمالك كان دومًا مقرًا آمنًا للاعبيه، وزيزو نفسه لم يُعرف إلا من خلال الزمالك، ونجوميته صنعها النادي وجماهيره”.

الزمالك يرد في بيان رسمي على طلب التحقيق مع زيزو في اتحاد الكرة

وتابع: “زيزو يمشي الآن مرفوع الرأس بفضل الزمالك، وما يحدث حاليًا لا أجد له تفسيرًا سوى أن هناك من يُحرّكه ويصر على استفزاز نادي الزمالك”.

وواصل: “من النادر أن يطلب لاعبا خوض التحقيق خارج ناديه الذي يرتبط معه بعقد، الزمالك تعامل مع زيزو باحترافية كبيرة، والدليل أنه كان يشارك في المباريات قبل تجديد عقده، وكل الأمور كانت تسير بشكل طبيعي”.

وأردف: “أستغرب كثيرًا من محاولة اللعب بالألفاظ، وتحويل الأمر إلى مادة للشحن والتصعيد، هناك من يدفع زيزو للتصرف بطريقة تُفسر على أنها استفزاز واضح للنادي وجماهيره”.

وختم أبو العلا تصريحاته قائلاً: “منذ متى أصبح نادي الزمالك مكانًا غير آمنًا للاعبيه؟! ما يحدث الآن غريب جدًا ويقترب من الكوميديا السوداء التي يعيشها النادي مؤخرًا”.

Glasgow Rangers enter 2025 having secured their first Old Firm victory since May 2023 in what was a dominant performance by Philippe Clement’s men at Ibrox.

Heading into the traditional festive clash between the two teams, Celtic were the overwhelming favourites to pile even more pressure on Clement as they looked to go 17 points ahead in the Premiership.

Rangers had other ideas. They stamped their authority early as Ianis Hagi netted a lovely finish and the Light Blues didn’t take their foot off the gas throughout the clash.

Second-half goals from Robin Propper and Danilo secured a stunning 3-0 win as a host of players shone during the game.

Rangers’ best performers vs Celtic

Truthfully, it is hard to pick just one standout player. Everyone battled for each other and showed plenty of fight against a team that has caused the club so much pain recently.

Nicolas Raskin was given the captain’s armband and was wonderful. The Belgian won 60% of his duels contested, made two key passes and looked solid in the heart of the midfield.

Hagi delivered arguably his finest performance since suffering his serious knee injury in January 2022.

In addition to grabbing the opener, the Romanian made four key passes, registered five shots, and delivered eight crosses.

On the opposite wing, Vaclav Cerny showed plenty of attacking intent, even hitting the woodwork twice during the game as he should have added to his goal tally.

Accurate passes

Cameron Carter-Vickers (86)

Shots on target

Ridvan Yilmaz (3)

Ground duels won

Mohamed Diomande (7)

Tackles

Nicolas Kuhn (4)

Key passes

Vaclav Cerny (5)

A special mention must go to Mohamed Diomande, however, as the midfielder was the beating heart of the team, showcasing his class alongside Raskin in the heart of the midfield for the Gers.

Mohamed Diomande’s game in numbers vs Celtic

Diomande did everything but get on the scoresheet against the Parkhead side. Clement has deployed him as a number ten at times this season, but this afternoon, his job was to nullify the Celtic side and control the game.

Finishing the game with a 92% pass success rate while taking 54 touches indicates how impressive he was at this, never giving the Celtic players a moment’s peace to get into any sort of rhythm.

While he may not have contributed much in an attacking sense, Diomande offered plenty defensively. Indeed, the Ivorian won seven of his 11 ground duels contested, made three tackles and only lost possession five times throughout the 90 minutes.

Journalist Jonny McFarlane even hailed Diomande as “excellent” alongside Raskin and Hagi at half-time, and it was very much a mature performance by the young African.

Clement’s first Old Firm victory at his seventh attempt will surely give the Light Blues plenty of confidence heading into 2025. The result must act as a catalyst for the club to push on and try and catch their rivals at the top of the table.

Whatever happens, the 3-0 win today proved that Rangers can go toe to toe with Celtic.

The 12 most expensive signings in Scottish Premiership history

We have taken a look at the biggest transfers in the history of the Scottish top flight, so expect Celtic and Rangers to dominate.

2 ByRoss Kilvington Dec 31, 2024

Smriti Mandhana’s team must beat Velocity by a substantial margin if they are to defend their title

Annesha Ghosh25-May-2022

Who are playing?
In the third and final league-stage fixture of the fourth edition of the Women’s T20 Challenge, Deepti Sharma’s Velocity square off against Smriti Mandhana’s Trailblazers at Pune’s MCA Stadium, at 7:30pm on Thursday.Related

Pooja Vastrakar once again proves she is the X-factor

Dhoni fan Kiran Navgire hopes to be a big hit

Harmanpreet, Shafali pyrotechnics give brand India boost

What’s at stake?
A 49-run defeat in their first round-robin game, against Harmanpreet Kaur’s Supernovas, has thrust defending champions Trailblazers into a must-win situation. To make it to the final, not only will Trailblazers need to defeat Velocity but also do so by a substantial margin.A victory for Velocity sends them into their second final in three seasons given they are the only team, other than the Supernovas, with a win on the board. Supernovas, meanwhile, have already booked their berth in a third straight final by virtue of one win in two games and a superior net run rate (NRR) over the other two sides.What’s the NRR situation?
If Trailblazers bat first and score 160, they need to win by at least 32 runs to eliminate Velocity. If they chase 160, they would need to overhaul the target in around* 16.1 overs. (*The NRR might change slightly if they hit the winning runs with a four or a six.)There’s no way both teams can overtake Supernovas’ net run-rate, which is 0.912 after their league-stage campaign, courtesy a win against Trailblazers on Monday and a seven-wicket loss against Velocity on Tuesday.Velocity’s NRR is 0.736, so if they lose – a requisite for all three teams to be on two points each – their NRR can’t improve. If they win, they set-up a face-off against Supernovas, the side they went down to in the 2019 title clash.Head to head
The two sides have faced each other only twice. Having been added to the three-team Women’s T20 Challenge set-up one year later than the other two sides, Velocity, led by Mithali Raj at the time, beat Trailblazers by three wickets in Jaipur in 2019. Danni Wyatt and Shafali Verma, then uncapped and only 15 years old, were the architects of that Velocity triumph in Jaipur.When the two teams met in 2020, figures of 4 for 9 from Sophie Ecclestone, who is part of Supernovas this year, helped bowl out Velocity for just 47 in Sharjah. Trailblazers polished off the target in 7.5 overs with nine wickets in hand.How the squads stack up
Trailblazers: Smriti Mandhana (capt), Poonam Yadav (vice-capt), Arundhati Reddy, Hayley Matthews*, Jemimah Rodrigues, Priyanka Priyadarshini, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, S Meghana, Saiqa Ishaque, Salma Khatun*, Sharmin Akhter*, Sophia Dunkley*, Sujata Mallik, Shradda Pokharkar.
Velocity: Deepti Sharma (capt), Sneh Rana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Ayabonga Khaka*, Kiran Navgire, Kate Cross*, Keerthi James, Laura Wolvaardt*, Maya Sonawane, Natthakan Chantham*, Radha Yadav, Aarti Kedar, Shivali Shinde, Simran Bahadur, Yastika Bhatia, Pranavi ChandraLaura Wolvaardt smashed a 35-ball 51 in Velocity’s win against Supernovas•BCCI

Form guide of key players
Laura Wolvaardt: The South Africa top-order batter made an unbeaten 35-ball 51 in Velocity’s win against Supernovas, deftly negotiating windy conditions. With that innings, she became the first overseas player to score fifties across the WBBL, the Hundred, and the Women’s T20 Challenge, where she’s playing her first season. Designated the captain of the Velocity batting group by coach Devika Palshikar, Wolvaardt is the anchor Trailblazers would look to uproot early.Jemimah Rodrigues: The 21-year-old India batter had a golden opportunity to stamp her authority on Trailblazers’ innings in their loss against Supernovas. But she could manage only a 21-ball 24 at first-drop, flat-batting a catch in the 14th over when she had both the time and the platform to play a more significant innings. With the Birmingham Commonwealth Games scheduled for July-August, a match-winning knock could inject confidence in Rodrigues and the Indian team alike.Shafali Verma: The Velocity opener smashed the fastest Women’s T20 Challenge half-century on Tuesday, getting to the mark in 30 balls. Her discomfort against Supernovas legspinner Alana King, however, could be the cue for Trailblazers captain Smriti Mandhana to introduce Poonam Yadav in the powerplay. Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad, too, could pose her a challenge early.Salma Khatun: The Bangladesh offspinner leaked 13 runs in her first seven wicketless deliveries against Supernovas but went at just a run a ball in her next 17 which fetched two wickets. She took out the in-form Harleen Deol for 35, breaking a 37-run stand with Harmanpreet and later removed King. If Trailblazers are to keep a leash on Velocity’s top order, Salma will have to expertly play her dual role of a breakthrough-giver and container again.What to look forward to
: It’s more than just a contest between two captains or a top-flight left-hand opener vs an offspinner who operated with aplomb in the powerplay in the previous game. The bragging rights will be up for grabs as the India and Sydney Thunder team-mates, who have shouldered vice-captaincy duties at the national level recently, go head to head. Deepti, captaining in the Women’s T20 Challenge for the first time, has her nose ahead in the race to the final. Can Mandhana outpace her to the winning post? England seamer Kate Cross struck twice in her first eight balls on Women’s T20 Challenge debut. The Supernovas top order appeared tentative in the face of the bounce and movement Cross was able to extract, using the wind and change of angles to good effect. With Matthews, who made a 14-ball 18 in the first game, set to continue as opener in the right-left combination with Mandhana, her approach against Cross could make for fascinating viewing in what’s set to be a high-octane clash.