The start to the 2024/25 campaign has been underwhelming, to say the least, for West Ham United, with the club failing to have the immediate success desired after an ambitious transfer window.

Over £100m was spent on new signings to provide new boss Julen Lopetegui with all the ammunition needed to be a success during his debut campaign as the Hammers boss.

However, the Spaniard has endured a difficult start to life at the London Stadium, winning just two of his opening eight outings – with his only Premier League win coming over Crystal Palace back in August.

Pressure is already mounting on the 58-year-old given his below-par start to life in the capital, with this weekend’s fixture against Ipswich Town a pivotal outing if he is to be a success with the Hammers.

Whilst Lopetegui is yet to pull up any trees as West Ham boss, multiple of his new additions have also failed to impress, including one player who arrived at the London Stadium with high expectations.

Guido Rodríguez’s stats at West Ham

After arriving on a free transfer from Spanish side Real Betis this summer, midfielder Guido Rodriguez joined West Ham with real pedigree after his consistent displays in LaLiga which saw him rack up 173 appearances for Los Verdiblancos.

However, his start to life with the Hammers hasn’t been plain sailing, often failing to impress despite starting all six league matches since his summer transfer.

His most embarrassing moment undoubtedly came in the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, with the Argentinian star hooked after just 38 minutes by Lopetegui, subsequently being replaced by Tomas Soucek.

Rodriguez still has time to turn around his below-par start to life in England, but given the club’s current poor form since Lopetegui’s arrival, he may find himself in and out of the team as the Spaniard looks to find a settled starting eleven.

The experienced boss may regret sanctioning the sale of one player who has starred away from the London Stadium after securing a permanent move during the summer transfer window.

The former West Ham star who’s outperformed Rodriguez

Boyhood West Ham fan Flynn Downes spent one season in the club’s first team before a loan spell at Southampton last season, in an attempt to gain more regular game time.

After helping the Saints secure an immediate return to the top flight, he departed the Hammers in a £18m deal, ending his stay in the capital without an appearance under the new boss.

However, it may be a decision that Lopetegui could regret given his form for Russell Martin’s side, which has seen him outperform new signing Rodriguez in numerous key areas for a midfielder.

Games played

6

6

Minutes played

540

460

Progressive carries

2

0.2

Progressive passes

4.8

2.4

Pass accuracy

93%

84%

Tackles won

1.2

1

Interceptions

2

1.6

The “monstrous” talent, as described by current boss Martin, has completed more of the passes he’s attempted this season, with more of his attempts being progressive compared to the Argentinian.

Downes has also started defensively, winning more tackles and completing more interceptions per 90, potentially showing Lopetegui what he’s missing by offloading the 25-year-old.

Does the club miss him? Potentially, with his box-to-box profile providing that dimension that the Hammers have been desperately lacking since his appointment during the summer.

It’s still early days for the 58-year-old during his time at the helm, but Downes’ desire to succeed for his boyhood club could’ve proved to be the difference for the club during their current slump in form at the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

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After West Indies tumbled to 55 all out in their opener against England in Dubai, their head coach Phil Simmons said they just couldn’t wait for the next game to shake it off. West Indies similarly fell in a heap against South Africa despite Evin Lewis’ half-century, and now they are desperate to break out of the funk.They will have to do so without Obed McCoy, who has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament with injury.Bangladesh are in the same boat, having lost both their matches in the Super 12s and Mohammad Saifuddin to injury. Nicholas Pooran, the West Indies vice-captain, reckoned that Friday could be their best opportunity to get their first points.”Yeah, I think Bangladesh after losing two games – they are in the same situation as us as well,” Pooran said. “So, I think it’s going to be a good challenge for us tomorrow. We need to get that victory and playing in Sharjah as well… We know Bangladesh have a lot of spinners as well. It’s definitely going to be a challenge for us as well and it’s how bad we actually want it.”Reflecting on the twin batting collapses, Pooran admitted that West Indies’ batters were “not good enough” in Dubai, but backed them to fare better in Sharjah.”The mood in the camp is still good,” Pooran said. “The guys are gelling really good; I think we’re really hurt at losing those two games and we have only ourselves to blame. But the mood is still good. We know what we have to do and everyone is up for the challenge.”Jason Holder coming into the team…obviously, he’s a quality player as well. We’re happy to have him and we wish him all the best. With the batting order and the batsmen, we just didn’t rise to the occasion to be honest. If you can accept that you weren’t good in the first two games… I think as batsmen and as a team we’ve already accepted that we didn’t come to the party and we’re looking forward to moving forward and hopefully we can do much better.”Pooran had been bumped up to No.3 to offset Lendl Simmons’ go-slow on Tuesday. Keeping Pooran at the top could potentially neutralise Bangladesh’s left-arm spinners – he strikes at nearly 171 against left-arm orthodox in T20 cricket – but he held his cards close to his chest.”For me it’s just about doing what the team wants me to do, to be honest,” he said. “At the moment, the tournament is just for us to put our hands up and perform whatever role the team requires from me.”It doesn’t really matter to be honest. We back our batsmen 100%. Doesn’t matter if it’s a right-hand or left-hand batsman. We back them to do the job for us – whoever is playing in that XI tomorrow, they’ll have specific roles. We have a wonderful captain and he knows what he’s doing as well. So whatever he says goes and we back him to make some really good decisions for us tomorrow to be successful.”Pooran felt his familiarity with the Bangladesh players, having played alongside the likes of Liton Das and Afif Hossain for Sylhet Sixers in the 2018-19 BPL, could come in handy on Friday. During that season, Pooran hit 379 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of just under 160. Only Rilee Rossouw, Tamim Iqbal and Mushfiqur Rahim had scored more runs than Pooran in that BPL.”It helps a lot,” Pooran said of the BPL experience. ‘I’ve spent a bit of time in Bangladesh as well, not only me but a lot of the other guys as well. We have good friendships; we make good friendships with the guys. We get to understand them and learn off them as well, especially in different conditions. So going into the game, [we] actually know what these guys do – being a bit familiar with it and I think that helps us a lot as batsmen and as bowlers as well.”

The Premier League champions were put to the sword as Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard and Thomas Partey also netted

Arsenal put rivals Manchester City to the sword with a seismic 5-1 win at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. The Gunners tore apart the Premier League champions with a dominant performance which included three second-half strikes, allowing Mikel Arteta's side to close the gap on leaders Liverpool back to six points.

The hosts went ahead inside two minutes after catching City cold at the back. Manuel Akanji had his pocket picked by Leandro Trossard, and the loose ball was shifted on by Declan Rice into Kai Havertz. He cut it back selflessly for Martin Odegaard to convert and send an already fired up home crowd crazy. Arsenal had the ball in the net again soon after when Gabriel Martinelli dinked Stefan Ortega, but he was denied by the raising of the offside flag and the goal was chalked off immediately.

The first chance of note for City came midway through the first half when Josko Gvardiol nodded a corner towards goal, only for David Raya to thrust up an arm and tip it onto the crossbar, a save which brought a smattering of appreciative 'oohs' when later shown on the big screens. And with their next attack, Arsenal ought to have gone two up. Ortega sold Mateo Kovacic short with a pass from the back, allowing Rice to challenge and the ball to roll to Havertz, but with all the time in the world, the German dragged his shot from close-range wide.

Just after the break, City found a leveller. Savinho had plenty of time to swivel on the ball inside the 18-yard box, and his chipped cross found Erling Haaland, who ghosted ahead of William Saliba to head beyond Raya. However, Arsenal very quickly found themselves ahead again – within 38 seconds of kick-off, in fact – with Thomas Partey's strike from 20 yards taking a wicked deflection off of John Stones and dropping into the far corner.

The Gunners were purring and added their third through Myles Lewis-Skelly, who cut inside onto his weaker right foot and curled home with a strike too hot for Ortega to handle. The teenager then celebrated by mimicking Haaland's former zen celebration. Arsenal weren't done there, either, as City were unlocked at the end of a quick breakaway, with Martinelli teeing up Havertz to finish and atone for his earlier misgiving.

And in stoppage time, the Gunners found their fifth. Substitute Ethan Nwaneri cut inside from the right and let fly with an audacious strike from just outside the box, leaving Ortega helpless with a phenomenal hit.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (7/10):

Thrown back into the starting line up despite being an injury doubt earlier this week, and boy did Arsenal need him. Came up with some extraordinary saves in the first half to keep his side ahead.

Jurrien Timber (6/10):

Booked for a late challenge on Savinho, though otherwise was solid enough to force the Brazilian away from the left flank.

William Saliba (6/10):

Stood his ground brilliantly until he somehow let Haaland evade him for City's equaliser. Regained that composure once Arsenal swiftly retook the lead.

Gabriel (7/10):

Enjoyed his duels with Haaland plenty, even screaming in his face early doors such was his confidence of coming out on top.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (9/10):

Absolutely incredible at both ends of the pitch. Never hid in a one-sided battle with a disappointing Foden before selling the sturdy Stones for his well-taken goal.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield

Thomas Partey (8/10):

Swept up with a series of interceptions, ultimately taking the ball off Foden leading to his deflected goal.

Declan Rice (7/10):

Motored his way about the pitch without much resistance from City's flimsy midfielders. He set the tone with the aggressive pressing leading to Odegaard's opener.

Martin Odegaard (7/10):

Got the ball rolling with the early goal, though still doesn't look 100 percent in his actions or movement. Squandered a few chances to open City up in transition, though that seldom mattered in the end.

Getty Images SportAttack

Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

Had the requisite pace and endeavour to drive at City, as best demonstrated by his run leading to Arsenal's fourth, but question marks will remain over his consistency.

Kai Havertz (7/10):

For the first hour of the game, Havertz looked certain to go down as the villain of the day given how shocking his miss in the first half was. Nevertheless, he worked hard for the cause and was eventually rewarded with a goal.

Leandro Trossard (7/10):

Linked play well and, perhaps crucially, knew when to divert attention to the gifted Lewis-Skelly coming infield.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Ethan Nwaneri (8/10):

Replaced Trossard for the closing stages, capping off a great day with a wonderful goal.

Mikel Merino (N/A):

Came on for Odegaard late on.

Riccardo Calafiori (N/A):

Given a late run out in place of hero of the day Lewis-Skelly.

Raheem Sterling (N/A):

On for Havertz for a few minutes.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

Haaland's goal aside, this was probably as emphatic performance as he could have hoped for against former teacher Guardiola.

“My heart was racing high, but I just took a few deep breaths at the top of my run and tried to make sure I manage my skills.”

Deivarayan Muthu18-Oct-2021

Four wickets in four balls to be in elite company alongside T20 superstars Lasith Malinga and Rashid Khan. Knocking off the winning runs in the chase. Scooping up the Player-of-the-Match award. Curtis Campher packed his World Cup debut with plenty of highlights as Ireland opened their T20 World Cup campaign with a resounding victory against Netherlands in Abu Dhabi.The start, however, wasn’t as rosy for Campher. After being introduced into the attack in the seventh over, Campher floated two half-trackers that were cracked to the square boundaries. He said he offered an apology to his captain Andy Balbirnie before switching ends and his own fortunes. When Campher darted a short delivery down the leg side, Colin Ackermann was late on a pull and ended up snicking behind to wicketkeeper Neil Rock. He then went full to attack the pads and stumps. Ryan ten Doeschate and Scott Edwards were both dismissed lbw, playing around their front pads. Campher completed the sequence when he had Roelof van der Merwe chopping on.Related

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“To be honest, I wasn’t really thinking about it [emulating Malinga and Rashid],” Campher said at the post-match press conference. “Maybe it will set in a little bit later, but I’m just trying to do what I want to do – when Tendo walked in we knew we had to go straight to him and that worked and then just carried on to Edwards too. Both those [attacking the stumps] were plans worked out from the analyst and that kind of fit into my game, so maybe in a few hours or a few days, it might rub off. But to be honest I’m just happy with the win and that’s all that matters.”So, how did Campher manage to compose himself before the hat-trick ball?ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“My heart was racing quite high, but I just took a few deep breaths at the top of my run and just tried to make sure I manage my skills,” Campher recalled. “Obviously, I didn’t really finish the last over as well as I wanted to, but I’m learning and I’m young. I’m just trying to do the best that I can.”Campher credited fellow seamers Mark Adair and Josh Little for handcuffing Netherlands in the powerplay and making life easier for him. Adair, in particular, operated with great control, coming away with 3 for 9. Only Kevin O’Brien has conceded fewer runs in a four-over spell for Ireland in T20Is.”Personally for me, it [four in four] gives us a lot of momentum,” Campher said. “As a bowling unit when you have three guys going under six, it makes a big difference. As far as a bowling unit, we’re really good I think. On another day, I can go for 10s and 12s, but the pressure that the guys built there managed to make me get the wickets. So, listened to Mark Adair, Josh [Little], Simi [Singh], and Whitey [Ben White], we hunted as a unit and I was actually lucky to get the results.”Campher was recently on the sidelines, a shoulder injury forcing him to sit out the three-match World Cup Super league series against Zimbabwe in September. He had injured his AC joint in his shoulder while diving on the field during his T20I debut in August. Prior to that, he had undergone surgery for a long-standing ankle problem. Quite naturally, he was pleased to be back in action although he didn’t expect his World Cup bow to be as grand as this.”I might sound like a broken record, but right now I’m just really enjoying my cricket. I’m just happy to be on the park and have this opportunity,” he said. “I think people take for granted if you play [for] a long time. When I got injured – obviously no one should have injuries – but to bounce back and actually just start enjoying my cricket, just grateful to be out there, whether I get hit for 60 or 70 or don’t score a run, I’m just happy to be out there and playing for my country.”

Leeds United maintained their place in the top six in the Championship with a comfortable and convincing 3-0 win over Coventry City at Elland Road on Saturday.

The Whites were looking to build on their 2-0 win away at Cardiff City last time out and did exactly that, keeping a fifth clean sheet in seven matches in the division.

Daniel Farke will be hoping that his team can push on and close in on the top two places in the league to avoid the play-offs in their promotion efforts.

The West Yorkshire outfit finished third in the Championship last season, missing out on the top two, and went on to lose 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final.

Their failure to earn promotion to the Premier League left them open to teams from top-flight clubs coming in to take their best players, as Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Archie Gray, and Glen Kamara all moved on to West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur, and Rennes respectively.

Summerville was a particularly big loss after he won the PFA Championship Player of the Season award for his efforts in the 2023/24 campaign for Leeds.

Crysencio Summerville's form for Leeds

The Dutch forward, who cut in from the left wing, enjoyed a phenomenal campaign in the second tier after the Whites had been relegated from the Premier League.

Summerville stepped up after the likes of Jack Harrison and Luis Sinisterra left on loan and emerged as the star of the show for Leeds on a weekly basis.

He stepped out of their shadow to rack up 28 goals and assists combined in 41 starts during the regular season in the Championship, as the electric forward showcased his ability to provide regular quality as a scorer and a creator of goals.

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old sensation had reason to be frustrated with his teammates because they did not make the most of the quality opportunities that he created for them.

They only scored nine times from the 17 ‘big chances’ that the former Feyenoord man put on a plate during the season, which suggests that they were wasteful in front of goal as a team.

Whereas, Summerville scored 19 goals from 16.41 xG and this shows that he was a clinical finisher who made the most of the chances that were created for him.

The Dutch star ranked within the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.39), and the top 4% for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.30).

This shows that he was among the best in his position in the Championship at both scoring goals from open play and creating high-quality chances for his teammates.

His move to West Ham was, therefore, a big blow, but it also provided others with an opportunity to step out from his shadow to shine, which is what Wilfried Gnonto is now doing.

Wilfried Gnonto's performance against Coventry

The Italy U21 international was pivotal to Leeds’ success against Coventry with a sublime performance on the right flank for Farke on Saturday.

Gnonto, who was handed a player rating of 8/10 by LeedsLive, scored the opening goal in the game with a terrific finish into the top of the net from Junior Firpo’s pullback. He timed his run into the box to perfection and met the cross brilliantly to beat Ben Wilson.

The former Inter youngster then produced the cross for Joel Piroe’s goal to make it 3-0 to the Whites in the second half, which meant that he ended the match with a direct involvement in two of the club’s three goals.

As you can see in the table above, Gnonto offered up an incredibly effective display for Leeds, with one goal from two shots and one assist from one ‘big chance’ created.

He was able to showcase his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals, despite losing possession 13 times, and appears to have stepped out of Summerville’s shadow this season.

Wilfried Gnonto's improved performances

In the 2023/24 campaign, the 20-year-old forward only started 19 of his 36 appearances in the second tier as he failed to nail down a regular starting berth throughout the entire season.

In those 36 outings in the Championship, Gnonto provided the team with eight goals and two assists, just about hitting double figures for goal contributions, and this shows that he was not quite at the same level as Summerville – who was involved in 28.

Now that the Dutchman has moved on from Elland Road, the electric Italian winger has stepped into the spotlight and has been a key player for Farke, starting all seven of the club’s league matches so far.

As you can see in the table above, Gnonto has taken more responsibility on the ball in matches for Leeds since Summerville left the club, taking around 18 more touches per game on average.

This has helped to unlock the best of his creative quality after the forward had only managed to create five ‘big chances’ in 36 appearances last season. He has already created three ‘big chances’ for his side this term and is showing that the quality is there for him to be a scorer and a creator for the Whites.

Gnonto has stepped out of Summerville’s shadow and now looks set to be the star of the show for Leeds this season, as he was against Coventry on Saturday, by providing regular goals and assists on the flank as the key man for Farke out wide.

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Captain says Mushfiqur Rahim dismissal was “turning point” as small chase got out of hand

Mohammad Isam17-Oct-20215:10

Nafees: Bangladesh never looked like they were in the game while chasing

Bangladesh captain Mahmudullah, frustrated with their shock six-run defeat at the hands of Scotland, said that they failed to bat aggressively throughout the 141-run chase. However, he still believed that Bangladesh could turn around from this messy start, particularly if they reviewed where they went wrong.”I am very much frustrated,” Mahmudullah said. “Our batting is a concern. We have to bat better. We have to play aggressive cricket, regardless of the situation. We have a deep batting line-up, with Mohammad Saifuddin at No. 9. We may need to think over some changes tomorrow.”We didn’t deliberately bat slowly. We couldn’t hit those boundaries. We have to bat better next time. A lot of things will come up since we lost the game. I think we didn’t play well today, but we are a good T20 team. We have the capability. When we play our best cricket, we can win games.”Related

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Mahmudullah said that the chase never took off, and when wickets fell at crucial points, it kept raising the asking run rate even though they were chasing a moderate total on a flat pitch.”We couldn’t make runs in the Powerplay. You need to start well chasing 140. I think Mushfiqur [Rahim] and Shakib [Al Hasan] made some recovery but in the middle [overs], we didn’t bat well even though it was on a good wicket. We made more mistakes.”I think some big overs off the spinners would have raised our run rate, but probably losing wickets in the middle overs prevented us from getting those big overs. The asking run-rate, as a result, went up.”Mahmudullah said that he, Afif Hossain and Nurul Hasan, tasked with providing quick runs in the second half of the innings, couldn’t quite get going, but also pointed out how Mushfiqur’s dismissal after making 38 off 36 balls turned the game in Scotland’s favour.”I think Mushy’s wicket was the turning point,” he said. “He was batting well today. A set batter has to stay. Maybe I didn’t bat according to the situation. We should think better as a batting unit.”If Afif and I, or Sohan [Nurul] and I could have carried a little longer, it would have brought us closer. But credit goes to their bowlers. They executed well. We made silly mistakes, and paid for it.”But Mahmudullah didn’t blame his bowlers who leaked 85 runs in the last eight overs, rather praising them for getting the six early wickets.”I think the bowlers were on the right track. We had them at 53 for 6, but then they had a good partnership. They played better cricket than us. We were just not good enough tonight. Mahedi [Hasan] and Shakib bowled very well. Maybe we could have bowled better in the death overs, but our batting was really bad. If we don’t take stock of it, it won’t get us anything good.”

One club’s new signing is reportedly dreaming of a move to Leeds United and could see his deal terminated as a consequence, according to a fresh report.

Leeds strengthen their ranks with Guilavogui signing

It has been a strong start to the Championship season for Daniel Farke’s side, with their most recent 2-1 win over Watford continuing their impressive early form.

The result, their third win in the last five games, moved them up to third in the Championship, level with second placed Burnley and just three points behind early leaders Sunderland, though both Leeds and Burnley have lost fewer games than the Black Cats.

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Leeds are set to be strengthened in the weeks to come following their announcement of the signing of veteran free agent Josuha Guilavogui, who arrived on a deal until the end of the season after being released by Mainz at the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

His arrival comes three weeks after injury ruled out both Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev for the rest of 2024, leaving just Joe Rothwell and Ao Tanaka as recognised senior options in the Elland Road engine room.

Guilavogui can also play at centre-back, which will hand Farke further options as the fixtures in England’s second tier pile up. Though the 34-year-old is yet to make his debut for the club, it is hoped that he will be able to get up to speed quickly to be slowly integrated into Championship football.

Ipswich think new signing wants Leeds switch

According to a report from Football Insider, Ipswich Town are growing frustrated with Kalvin Phillips just months after his arrival from Manchester City. The England international arrived from Manchester City on a one year loan deal over the summer, having failed to impress at the Etihad since signing a £150,000 a week deal to move to City from Leeds in 2022.

Phillips has started five of Ipswich’s opening eight Premier League games, but has only managed to play 90 minutes once and is yet to truly impress in Suffolk, with reports suggesting Ipswich chiefs are not happy with his physical condition.

It follows on from a disappointing loan spell at West Ham United, where David Moyes was forced to come out and defend him on several occasions.

“Kalvin Phillips is a really good player, an international player, an excellent footballer and I do believe we can still make something out of the time we’ve got left with him here”, he explained.

Kalvin Phillips in the Premier League since leaving Leeds United

Club

Appearances

Goals/assists

Yellow Cards

Manchester City

16

0

1

West Ham

8

0

2

Ipswich Town

5

0

1

“What he needs is support behind him, people to help him, and we’re going to stand with him, help him as much as we possibly can.”

Now, this report claims that senior figures at Portman Road think his “head is still at Leeds”, and that he wants a return to Yorkshire and his boyhood club, a fact which could see them “terminate” the loan deal from Manchester City in January.

It is added that they have been “amazed” at Phillips’ lack of mobility and running power” and consider the former England man “nowhere near the level of a top Premier League footballer” as things stand.

Of course, a return to Manchester City does not mean that Phillips will be free to move to Leeds, with his hefty salary likely a stumbling block, but should Pep Guardiola be desperate to offload the 28-year-old, a return to Elland Road could be on the cards.

Glasgow Rangers will be looking to carry on where they left off in the Premiership as they face a trip to Rugby Park this afternoon to play Kilmarnock.

A 2-0 win over St Johnstone during their last outing before the international break meant they had won their previous three league games; can the Light Blues make it four in a row today?

Philippe Clement won’t just be aiming for all three points, but also ensure his team deliver a solid performance in the bargain, scoring a few goals in the process.

Against the Saints, several players stood out, yet one failed to truly showcase their abilities – Mohamed Diomande.

Why Mohamed Diomande could be dropped by Clement

The promising midfielder played just the opening 45 minutes against the Saints a couple of weeks ago, coming off at halftime to be replaced with Connor Barron.

During the first half, he lost possession seven times while making zero tackles or interceptions in what was another poor display.

Indeed, the 22-year-old even received a match rating of just 4/10 by Glasgow World for his performance, and it could be time for Clement to drop the Ivorian to the bench against Killie.

Assists

1

Touches

43

Possession lost

7

Interceptions

0

Tackles

0

Key passes

2

With Nico Raskin shining in the same match, it looks like Barron will come back into the starting XI to partner the Belgian, thus seeing Diomande dropped to the bench.

The Rangers star who could replace Diomande

Since joining from Aberdeen, the young midfielder has played a part in every single match so far this term.

The clash against the Saints was just the second match he had not started for the Light Blues, but after Diomande’s lacklustre display, the Scot should be brought back into the team.

Hailed as “very impressive” by Scotland U21 manager Scott Gemmill, Barron has emerged as a key component in Clement’s midfield, showing maturity way beyond his tender years.

In the Premiership this campaign, Barron has succeeded with 91% of his passes, averaged 69.6 touches per game, made tackles and recovered 3.7 balls per game, showcasing his abilities at the heart of the midfield.

These attributes have made him an instant hit with the Ibrox faithful, especially considering they snapped him up for free during the summer.

There is no doubt that he will continue to get better and better as time goes on, especially with exposure to European football on a regular basis.

While he has formed a decent partnership with Diomande, it will be interesting to see him and Raskin slotting into the engine room against Killie.

Chalkboard

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

The duo have the potential to shine and a solid showing from the pair could mean Diomande has to work even harder to get back into the starting XI.

Three points is all that matters at Rugby Park this afternoon, although a good performance could certainly boost morale among the supporters, no doubt about that.

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MatériaMais Notícias

O atacante Alessandro acredita que pode repetir o feito e marcar contra o Avai, neste domingo, às 16h, no Gigantão das Avenidas, pela estreia do Campeonato Catarinense.

O atleta do Marcílio Dias já balançou as redes do Avai na Ressacada, em 2021, pela Copa Santa Catarina. O time do interior venceu por 2 a 0.

-Acredito sim que a história pode se repetir (risos). Seria bom demais estrear vencendo e fazendo gol. É um jogo especial. Estamos preparados – falou Alessandro.

O atleta do Marcílio Dias também afirmou ter melhorado os pontos fracos para a temporada de 2022.

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– Eu particularmente foquei em melhorar os meus pontos ‘fracos’ e acredito que posso ajudar muito a equipe – disse, antes de exaltar o elenco.

– A preparação para o campeonato tá sendo bem produtiva, todos se dedicando ao máximo para juntos fazermos um excelente Catarinense – finalizou.

Harry Kane has the power to leave Bayern Munich after ensuring an exit clause was written into his contract following his move from Tottenham.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Kane has release clause in current Bayern contract
• Was available for €80 million (£66m) in January
• Clause has now dropped significantly

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Kane joined Bayern from Tottenham in a blockbuster £100 million ($125m) move back in 2023. The forward is famously yet to win a trophy with the Bavarian giants but has been in prolific form, scoring 55 goals in 50 Bundesliga matches to make history at the Allianz Arena. Yet Kane does have the power to trigger a release clause in his Bayern contract should he wish, according to which could potentially lead him to a return to the Premier League. The England captain was available for just €80 million (£66m) in the January transfer window but that clause will now be available again next winter at the reduced fee of €65m (£54m).

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There's no suggestion at all that Kane wants to leave Bayern or has even pondered an exit. The striker has settled well in Munich and will be hoping to end his trophy drought this season. Bayern currently top the Bundesliga table by six points from Bayer Leverkusen and will face Celtic for a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kane is contracted to Bayern until 2027 but club chiefs have been looking at potential successors in the long term, with Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres of interest to the Bavarian giants.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KANE

  Kane has been in good form recently for Bayern, scoring four goals in his last three games, and will be hoping to continue that run on Friday against Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga.