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It was recently reported that Tonda Eckert is in pole position to be named the permanent Southampton manager after an impressive performance as the interim head coach.

The German tactician has won four of his five Championship games in the dugout, notably beating Charlton 5-1 away from home, but did lose 3-2 to Millwall last weekend.

It would be understandable if Sport Republic feel that Eckert has done enough in his interim spell in charge to earn the job on a permanent basis, but there is cause for concern with the former U21s boss.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

The Saints are in a position, having just come down from the Premier League, where this may be their best chance to return to the top-flight before they have to cash in on more of their top talents with parachute payments dwindling.

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This means that it would be a big risk to appoint a permanent manager based on five games as a first-team manager in England, as he had never managed a game at any level in any country before this run of matches, per Transfermarkt.

It is hard, therefore, to judge whether the first four wins were a byproduct of a ‘manager bounce’ or if they were down to his coaching, as he does not have a managerial history to back up his credentials.

Southampton need to find their next Nigel Adkins, who joined from Scunthorpe United to lead Saints to promotion from League One and the Championship and left the club in 15th place in the Premier League in his only season in the top-flight.

Instead of appointing Eckert, Sport Republic could hire their own version of Adkins by making a move for reported target and free agent manager Michael Carrick.

Why Carrick could be Southampton's next Adkins

Like Adkins, Carrick would arrive at St. Mary’s with a wealth of experience in English football already under his belt, thanks to his time with Middlesbrough.

The former Saints boss had managed Scunthorpe for four seasons, including two in the Championship, and won promotion from League One on two occasions, before taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League.

Carrick, of course, will not have to get the club out of the third tier, thankfully, but he is an English manager who has the potential to be a brilliant appointment.

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

One of the reasons why he could be a great hire for the Saints is that he has achieved success in the position that they currently find themselves in, as he took Boro from 18th to 4th in his first season with the club.

The former Manchester United midfielder then led Middlesbrough to 8th and 10th place finishes in the second tier, but they ranked 5th and 6th for Expected Points in those two seasons, per FotMob, which suggests that his coaching deserved higher league finishes than it got.

Carrick, who Tom Cleverley once claimed “oozes class” as a manager, is a proven Championship head coach who has shown, over three seasons, that he can coach a team to deliver play-off quality performances, which Eckert, through no fault of his own, does not have in his corner.

The ex-Boro boss also picked up seven points in two games as interim manager at Manchester United in the Premier League before his spell in the Championship, and played 481 games in the division as a player, per Transfermarkt.

This suggests that he could also be an appointment with the Premier League in mind, because of his experience at that level, whilst Eckert has never played, managed, or coached in that league.

Therefore, Carrick appears more likely to be Southampton’s next Adkins than Eckert is, because of both his proven quality in the Championship as a manager and his potential to be a successful Premier League boss.

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This is why Sport Republic should consider pushing to appoint the English tactician as their next permanent manager, rather than giving the interim German boss the job on a permanent basis.

Leeds United picked up a crucial win on Wednesday night, as they beat Chelsea 3-1 to go outside of the relegation zone. With 14 points to their name in as many games, it has certainly been a struggle for Daniel Farke’s side this season.

However, they are in good form. Of course, they beat the Blues this week at Elland Road, and last Saturday were unlucky to drop points away to Manchester City.

Only a goal in the 92nd minute from Phil Foden could sink Farke’s team, who were close to the ideal week in their relegation fight.

Indeed, there have been some standout players over the past few days for the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds’ best players in their last two games

It is hard to pinpoint just a couple of players who have excelled for Farke’s side against two of the Premier League’s title challengers, with the whole squad impressing. However, one player who shone was defender Jayden Bogle.

Against City, he played as a right-back, and won 100% of his tackles and three ground duels coming up against Jeremy Doku. On Wednesday, he had more of an advanced role and made great use of it.

Operating as a wing-back on the right flank, Bogle assisted Ao Tanaka, who made it 2-0 to Leeds on the stroke of half-time.

Another standout from the impressive performances this week was summer signing Lukas Nmecha. The German striker has been in good form this term and added to his goal tally at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. He’s now bagged four times in the top flight this season.

Whilst he didn’t find the back of the net against the Blues, Nmecha still made a real nuisance of himself for the Chelsea backline.

The German was not the only Leeds attacker who stood out in the last week.

From "Bang average" to undroppable

The Whites are not short of attacking options after a busy summer. They already had the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Joel Piroe and Wilfried Gnoto, three of the players at Farke’s disposal, who all played a big role in their promotion.

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Nmecha was brought in to add to that depth, as was Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The former Everton star made the move to West Yorkshire upon the expiry of his contract on Merseyside. It was a tough start to life at Leeds, though.

The 28-year-old did not exactly set the world alight with his start in a Leeds shirt. He’d only managed one goal in his first ten Premier League games, and that was away to bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It meant the England international had to face some criticism for the lack of form in front of goal.

Earlier in the campaign, defender-turned-pundit Michael Dawson said on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday he was looking “bang average”, following the defeat to Fulham.

However, that form has recently taken a huge upturn. In what have arguably been his side’s two toughest games so far this season, Calvert-Lewin got himself on the scoresheet against both City and Chelsea.

It wasn’t just his goals that made these performances impressive, but the manner in which he played. He was a handful off the ball, winning 15 duels on Wednesday night, and six at the weekend.

He won three fouls in each game, too, making an impact despite having minimal touches.

Calvert-Lewin – last two games
Stat	vs. Man City	vs. Chelsea
Touches	15	35
Shots	1	3
Duels won	6	15
Fouls won	3 (1 penalty)	3
Goals	1	1
Stats from Sofascore

His performances were enough to earn him a pair of 9/10 ratings from journalist Graham Smyth. Against the Citizens, he praised Calvert-Lewin for the fact that he ‘gave Leeds much more presence’ and said he ‘brought others into play’ superbly against the West Londoners.

With two goals in as many games and some good centre-forward performances outside of that, it is easy to see why Calvert-Lewin could be considered undroppable for Leeds. After a tough start, it seems like he has finally begun to show his best form.

It does seem unlikely that Farke will omit the striker from his starting XI ahead of the game against Liverpool on Saturday. Instead, he will be hoping he provide further troubles for Virgil van Dijk and the rest of the Reds’ defenders.

If Calvert-Lewin can replicate such a performance again, it will go a long way to helping Leeds achieve their goal of Premier League survival.

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Arsenal are preparing a £70m offer for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, who is now unhappy with manager Xabi Alonso, and keen to play under Mikel Arteta.

There are arguably question marks over whether the Gunners need to bring in another forward, off the back of a fantastic attacking display in the 4-1 rout against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, with Eberechi Eze bagging a hat-trick.

Such is the depth of the attacking options Arteta has at his disposal, Gabriel Martinelli was unable to get off the bench against Spurs, with Leandro Trossard bagging his fifth goal of the season in all competitions, while also setting up Eze’s third goal.

Arteta has also confirmed that Martin Odegaard and Viktor Gyokeres were close to being involved in the North London derby, and added: “Unfortunately, [Odegaard] wasn’t 100% to be involved in such a game, but Noni [Madueke] is back and Gabriel [Martinelli] being back is a boost for us.”

However, with the Gunners perhaps keen to seize the chance to finally win the Premier League title, they are now lining up a move for a new forward ahead of the January transfer window.

Arsenal preparing offer for Rodrygo

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now preparing a package worth a total of €80m (£70m) to sign Rodrygo, with the Brazilian now unhappy with Alonso and keen to leave Real Madrid before the 2026 World Cup.

The 24-year-old is eager to receive consistent game time ahead of hopefully heading out to North America with Brazil, and he is keen to play under Arteta, alongside the likes of Eze, Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Having already tried to sign the Madrid forward in the past, Arteta remains in ongoing talks with his representatives, which means they could be the favourites in the race for his signature, ahead of Liverpool.

Although game time has been hard to come by this season, the Brazil international has certainly impressed in a Real Madrid shirt in the past, receiving particularly high praise from journalist Bence Bocsak back in July.

Since then, the versatile forward, who can play at striker and on both wings, has continued to impress in Europe’s elite competition, picking up two assists in three Champions League outings this season.

The report makes it clear that Rodrygo is being targeted amid Martinelli’s uncertain future, and it would certainly be worth pursuing the Real Madrid ace if his compatriot were to move on next year.

However, Arsenal are currently very well-stocked in attacking areas, and £70m would be a huge fee to pay for a player who may not be a necessary addition.

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Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, pleaded guilty last spring to charges for bank and tax fraud after stealing nearly $17 million from Ohtani, in part to pay off gambling debts he accumulated.

On Thursday, published audio of Mizuhara impersonating Ohtani to push through a $200,000 wire transfer from one of Ohtani's accounts, a recording obtained by the Department of Justice.

During the audio, the bank representative asked who she was speaking with, to which Mizuhara could be heard saying in response, "Shohei Ohtani."

While impersonating Ohtani, Mizuhara claimed that the wire transaction was for a car loan for a friend. When asked by the bank representative if there would be future loans to the same friend, Mizuhara responded, "Uh, possibly."

In the court filing the audio was obtained from, prosecutors are reportedly recommending a sentence of almost five years for Mizuhara. Mizuhara is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 6. His sentencing date has been postponed multiple times previously.

The U.S. Attorney’s office is expecting Mizuhara to pin the blame for his theft on an addiction to gambling, but U.S. attorney Jeff Mitchell refutes that notion.

“Even if defendant is addicted to gambling, it cannot fully explain defendant’s conduct because defendant used the stolen funds for numerous personal expenses that had nothing to do with gambling,” Mitchell wrote in a court filing Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, via . “Ultimately, the government submits, the motivating factor behind defendant’s crimes was not a gambling addiction but rather greed.”

After a disastrous few weeks, Liverpool have now reportedly joined the race to sign a bargain Bundesliga ace in an attempt to solve their current defensive problems.

Klopp fails to rule out Liverpool return

After four defeats in a row, the last thing that Arne Slot needed to see was a Liverpool legend’s admission that he could still one day return to the club. But that’s exactly what Jurgen Klopp handed him when speaking to Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO podcast. Speaking more openly than ever before, the German failed to rule out an Anfield return.

That said, Klopp also took the time to hand Slot plenty of praise, having watched on as the Dutchman secured Premier League glory in his first season at the club.

The Liverpool legend said: “I tried to make it as easy as possible for the guy who would come after me. We have had a lot of contact after I left. He is a super good guy and got the best out of the team.”

Whether Slot will turn to Klopp for advice in the face of Liverpool’s current problems is something that only he will know, but there’s no denying that he needs a solution from somewhere.

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The Reds were once again fragile from the off on Sunday, with Manchester United the latest team to benefit, and Harry Maguire’s late goal ensured that it’s four defeats in a row for the Premier League champions.

For all their spending in the summer, breaking their transfer record twice, Liverpool’s weaknesses are clear for all to see and Michael Edwards must return to the transfer market in search of a solution in January.

Liverpool enter race to sign Diogo Leite

As reported by Milan Live, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Diogo Leite from Union Berlin in 2026. The Portuguese defender will reportedly be available for just €5m (£4m) next year and has attracted interest from those at Anfield as well as AC Milan and Wolverhampton Wanderers as a result.

It should come as no surprise that Liverpool have found themselves in the race to sign the central defender. As things stand, Slot has just three senior centre-backs to choose from in Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez, who fans will remember cost a similar fee when he joined from Charlton back in 2015, just £3.5m.

Although Marc Guehi is officially set to leave Crystal Palace as a free agent in the summer, there’s no guarantee that Liverpool will win the race for his signature in such circumstances. Instead, they may be better off targeting someone like Leite.

Dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig during his Porto days, Leite represents the kind of bargain deal that Edwards initially became known for at Anfield. Now, he could return to what he does best to get the Reds back on track.

MatériaMais Notícias

A semana começou turbulenta para o Grêmio. E tudo isso por conta do resultado negativo contra o Internacional, no clássico disputado no domingo (8). No Beira Rio, a equipe de Renato Gaúcho foi derrotada por 3 a 2. Mas o que complicou a situação e polemizou foi a reação que Renato Gaúcho teve no final da partida.

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Quando a partida terminou, viajou direto para o Rio de Janeiro sem prestar nenhuma entrevista pós-jogo, nem mesmo a coletiva. Essa reação teria gerado um incômodo até mesmo em Alberto Guerra, presidente do time.

– Do segurança ao presidente, do faxineiro ao CEO, ninguém no Grêmio concordou com essa decisão. Foi uma decisão unilateral do treinador. Entendemos, ele tem compromisso amanhã de manhã. Achamos que ele deveria estar aqui dando suas explicações, mas é uma decisão que ele tomou e internamente vamos avaliar isso- disse o dirigente.

Transforme sua paixão pelo futebol em profissão. Descubra o caminho com o curso Gestor de Futebol!

O Lance! entrou em contato com alguns jornalistas que acompanham de perto a equipe, no Rio Grande do Sul, que opinaram se acreditam que Renato Gaúcho estaria ou não forçando sua saída do Grêmio.

Leonardo Sonda, Band RS
Não acredito em tentativa de forçar uma saída do clube. Mas, é inegável que o comportamento recorrente é um desrespeito de Renato com a “instituição” Grêmio. Ainda não está claro o motivo da viagem apressada do treinador ao Rio de Janeiro, torçamos para que nada de grave tenha acontecido. Porém, em outros momentos com comportamentos semelhantes, Renato demonstrou absoluta consciência que não seria demitido sob qualquer hipótese, por tudo que aconteceu quando foi demitido do clube em 2021. Portaluppi tem superpoderes no Grêmio: manda, desmanda, define suas folgas e dias de trabalho. Talvez, o momento mais constrangedor da noite tenha sido a entrevista do Presidente Alberto Guerra. Não por culpa do Presidente, que faz uma boa gestão até aqui, mas por reforçar nos microfones a indisciplina do seu treinador. O clube exigiu que Renato falasse após a partida e foi ignorado. No contexto gremista, a insubordinação é normalizada e premiada com alguns dias de folga na cidade maravilhosa.

Bruno Flores, repórter da Rádio Gaúcha
– O ponto mais importante do caso em que o Renato não aparece para a coletiva após a derrota acachapante no Gre-Nal é a falta de comunicação. Dias antes do jogo, o técnico comunicou que tinha um compromisso inadiável e que viajaria. O presidente Alberto Guerra contemporizou e apostou que Renato mudaria de opinião após o clássico, o que não aconteceu. Ficou o dito pelo não dito e cada um tem suas razões, mas nada foi acertado definitivamente. Aqui em Porto Alegre, não existe nenhum elemento que faça parecer o Renato está forçando uma saída. Porém, uma relação é feita de elos, e alguns foram quebrados entre o técnico e o presidente do Grêmio com esse episódio constrangedor.

Tainan Nunes, repórter Canal TN
– Acredito que não, porque o Renato sempre costuma viajar para o Rio em Data FIFA já que o Grêmio se reapresenta só quinta-feira. Porém o fato de ter não dado coletiva prejudicou muito o ambiente entre ele e o Guerra pensando em 2024.

Luciano Coimbra, jornalista esportivo de Porto Alegre
– Renato e o Grêmio vivem um relacionamento cheio de poréns… O Grêmio tem no Renato um ídolo que trouxe o clube de volta as conquistas estaduais, nacionais e continentais. Muito por isso ele é idolatrado cada vez mais pela torcida e por muitos dirigentes. Claro que essa relação tem seus altos e baixos e a derrota no Clássico Grenal 440 somada a sua não participação na entrevista coletiva após a partida estremeceu um pouco este convívio. A direção gremista sabendo que Renato tinha uma viagem agendada para a noite após o Clássico já deveria ter conversado com o treinador para trocar a passagem para outro horário no dia seguinte ou até mesmo fretar um vôo para esse deslocamento ser feito no mesmo dia. Ingenuidade da direção gremista que esperou o resultado da partida para conversar com o treinador. Se a vitória estivesse sido conquistada, ele viajaria igual e ainda tiraria onda que estava falando pouco ou nem falando porque não precisava após mais uma vitória em clássico. Como a derrota aconteceu, as explicações precisaram ser dadas pelo presidente Alberto Guerra e pelo auxiliar Alexandre Mendes. Não vejo que esse episódio de ontem tenha sido para forçar uma saída do clube. Isso já ocorreu outra vez justamente após o Grenal 413, também no Beira-Rio, onde o Grêmio venceu por 2×1. À época, Renato ainda brincou na “coletiva” que a lesão do árbitro Jean Pierre o atrasaria e ele perderia seu voo. Ele faria a mesma coisa caso tivesse vencido neste último jogo, mas optou por sair sem conceder entrevista para não precisar explicar a fraca atuação da equipe e a derrota para o rival.

César Fabris, Rádio Imortal
– Renato hoje é a principal figura na história do Grêmio, em cima disso tem uma liberdade fora do comum para o futebol brasileiro. O fato dele ter saído sem dar coletiva só prova o quanto ele tem liberdade. O que chamou atenção foi a diretoria reprovar internamente e extremamente. Na antiga gestão acontecia fatos parecidos e sempre teve omissão. Não vejo uma maneira dele forçar a saída, simplesmente é o Renato sendo Renato. Toma as decisões sem pensar na opinião pública ou da diretoria.

Juliano Piasentin, jornalista esportivo
– É constrangedor o episódio em que Renato Portaluppi deixa o Beira-Rio sem conceder a entrevista coletiva no domingo, após a derrota no GreNal 440. No entanto, isso não quer dizer que o comandante tricolor esteja forçando uma saída do clube do qual é ídolo e já virou estátua. Renato é gremista declarado, em todas as ocasiões que deixou o Grêmio nas passagens anteriores, as saídas aconteceram sem trauma. Em 2011 e 2021 Portaluppi pediu demissão, em 2013 não renovou o contrato ao final da temporada. Não é de sua índole forçar a saída, ainda mais em Porto Alegre.Sobre a coletiva de imprensa, em 2018, após vitória por 2×1 no mesmo Beira-Rio, mas pelo Gaúchão, Renato não respondeu as perguntas dos jornalistas. As diferenças são duas: vitória tricolor e um pronunciamento. O motivo: também uma viagem para o seu amado Rio de Janeiro.

Luã Hernandez, jornal Zero Hora
– Não acredito que o Renato esteja forçando uma saída do Grêmio. Ele sempre gostou de ter essa autonomia, seja para indicar jogadores, expor suas ideias sobre futebol, administrar as folgas ou viajar para o Rio quando tivesse algum compromisso. Por isso, esse casamento entre Renato e Grêmio sempre deu liga, porque ele cuidava mais do que apenas de treinar o time e tinha liberdade para tomar decisões, mesmo que impopulares. Mas, dessa vez, desagradou a diretoria e isso foi exposto publicamente. Raras vezes vi algo assim na relação entre clube e Renato. Pode ser um indicativo de atrito em uma relação que parecia muito amistosa. Agora vamos aguardar o desenrolar desse episódio, mas me parece um indicativo de que, para 2024, Grêmio e Renato podem seguir caminhos distintos.

Jamal Musiala is finally back on the grass after spending three and a half months on the sidelines with a fractured fibula and dislocated ankle suffered against Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup. The Bayern Munich prodigy has now taken his first major step toward full recovery. Smiling, confident and motivated, Musiala is “taking it step by step” as he returns to training.

Musiala hits the ground running after freaky injury

The week was already filled with good news for the Bavarian fans and to top it off, Bayern have confirmed the return of Musiala to training. After months of rehab and controlled physiotherapy, the Germany international returned to the Sabener Strasse training pitch, marking his first outdoor session since his brutal injury in July. The club’s social media captured the emotional moment with Musiala jogging lightly, then breaking into a grin as he stretched under the sky.

“It was great for me to be back on the pitch. It felt fantastic,” said the 22-year-old midfielder, beaming. “And the most important thing: my foot felt good.”

His return follows a long recovery period after undergoing surgery for a dislocated ankle and fractured fibula. Thursday’s light running and coordination work with Bayern fitness coach Simon Martinello marked what Musiala described as “a very big step.”

AdvertisementGetty ImagesThe long road to recovery for Musiala

Since the July setback against PSG, Musiala has followed a methodical recovery plan under Bayern’s medical and conditioning team. From regaining motion to building strength, each phase was tracked closely. “My first jump a few weeks ago, then my first run on the Alter-G, now on the pitch. Every week, you take a new step forward,” he shared.

His focus now is gradual progression by regaining speed, balance, and confidence before kicking the ball. “It’s always step by step. You don’t want to do anything too quickly. When I come back, I want to be at 100 per cent, at a good level. That’s why we’re taking our time,” said the midfielder as he emphasises patience over pressure.

Behind the calm determination lies Bayern’s carefully managed rehab strategy. The club aims to have Musiala back in competitive shape by late 2025, without risking setbacks. His recovery has mirrored that of team-mate Alphonso Davies, who is also returning from an ACL injury sustained earlier this year.

Musiala appreciates Bayern and his teammates support

Musiala’s comeback has been strengthened by the camaraderie around him. Davies, who himself knows the grind of long-term recovery, joined him on the pitch during his individual session. “Phonzy supported me,” Musiala said with a smile. “The team, the fans, you can see we’re all one big family. The support definitely helps. It gives us extra motivation that the fans miss Phonzy, me and all our injured players.”

That sense of unity has defined Bayern’s atmosphere through a difficult injury phase. Beyond Davies and Musiala, Hiroki Ito also remains in recovery after a metatarsal fracture. Despite the setbacks, the energy at Bayern's training facility remains positive with the sight of Musiala running again serving as a symbolic lift for the squad.

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AFPTaking it step-by-step

Musiala’s return is a reminder of Bayern’s faith in its young stars. His journey has been steady, guided by patience and precision. With every stride, the anticipation builds while the Allianz Arena faithful await the moment when number 10 glides across the pitch once more.

The German international’s mindset reflects maturity beyond his years. He’s not in a rush, knowing that recovery is not just physical but mental. “I just want to come back at the right time and help the team again,” he said. With Musiala back, and Davies and Ito nearing their returns, the club can look forward to a fully reinvigorated squad.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin is in desperate need of a positive performance and result for the latest Scottish Premiership clash this afternoon.

The Light Blues have had their worst start to a league season in 47 years, with four draws and one defeat, and the manager is coming under plenty of pressure.

Martin, who arrived in the summer, has overseen four wins in 14 competitive matches in charge of the Scottish giants, which is simply not where the expectation level is.

The former Scotland international’s side were beaten 1-0 by Genk on Thursday night in their first match of the Europa League campaign, and it is safe to say that some supporters are not expecting him to be in post for much longer.

It is clear that Martin needs to win the fanbase back at Ibrox. To do that, his side needs to string together strong performances and results on the pitch to show the supporters that the team is heading in the right direction.

This afternoon’s clash with Livingston could be the first step on the path to winning the fans back, and that is why the manager must finally drop Mikey Moore from the starting line-up.

Why Mikey Moore must be dropped by Rangers

The 18-year-old forward has failed to impress since signing for the Scottish giants on a season-long loan from Europa League champions Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window.

Despite his lack of impressive performances on the pitch, the England youth international has started all four of the club’s last four matches in all competitions, either on the left or the right flank.

His form in the Premiership, starting two of his three appearances in the division, has been particularly disappointing since his move to Ibrox from Spurs, as the youngster has been unable to provide the spark that Martin’s team needs on the flank.

xG

0.04

Bottom 10%

Goals

0.00

Bottom 3%

xA

0.10

Bottom 21%

Assists

0.00

Bottom 3%

Chances created

1

Bottom 3%

Dribble success rate

33.3%

Bottom 23%

As you can see in the table above, Moore ranks incredibly lowly among his positional peers in the Premiership in a host of attacking metrics as a winger, with no goals or assists and only one chance created in his three outings to date.

The young attacker, as heard in the clip above, claimed that he wants to be one of the best players in the world in the future, but he has yet to show such potential on the pitch for Rangers.

Against Genk, Moore was substituted at half-time after failing to register a single key pass or shot on target in 45 minutes, per Sofascore, in that loss to the Belgian outfit.

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Therefore, Martin must ruthlessly ditch the teenage talent from the starting line-up in order to unleash fellow summer signing Oliver Antman on the right flank against Livingston.

The former Southampton boss needs a positive result and performance to regain some faith amongst the fanbase, and the Finland international could contribute to both of those things.

Why Oliver Antman should start for Rangers

With Djeidi Gassama on the left flank and Bojan Miovski, potentially coming in for Youssef Chermiti, through the middle, Antman could line up on the right to create an exciting front three for the Gers.

The winger was signed from Go Ahead Eagles in the summer transfer window and has shown glimpses of the quality that he can provide out wide on the right flank.

Rangers supporters got an instant look at the kind of creative quality that he can offer on his debut against Viktoria Plzen in August, as he whipped in a fantastic cross for Gassama to score in a 3-0 win for the Gers at Ibrox.

Unfortunately, the right-footed attacker is yet to get off the mark, for goals or assists, in the Premiership for the Scottish giants, but his performances have shown signs of promise.

Whilst Moore’s displays have been overly underwhelming and lacking in redeeming features, Antman’s performances in the Premiership suggest that he is heading in the right direction.

xA

0.27

Top 16%

Pass accuracy

89.3%

Top 8%

Chances created

2.73

Top 14%

Successful crosses

0.45

Top 50%

Assists

0.00

Bottom 3%

Shots on target

1.36

Top 16%

Goals

0.00

Bottom 3%

As you can see in the table above, the Finland international is doing the right things. He is testing goalkeepers with shots on target and creating chances for his teammates at an impressive rate, but the goals and assists are not there yet.

The promising thing for Antman is that the input – shots on target and xA – are there, which suggests that the output – goals and assists – will eventually follow if he keeps it up in the final third.

The 24-year-old star, who reporter Chris Jack claimed has “feet like drumsticks”, delivered six goals and 15 assists in 32 appearances in the Eredivisie for his former club last season, per Sofascore, which shows that he can contribute with goals and assists on a consistent basis.

That suggests that his impressive input is not a flash in the pan and that Antman is likely to consistently do the right things in the final third, which is why it is just a matter of time before the goals and assists follow.

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With this in mind, Martin must brutally ditch Moore from the starting XI to play Antman on the right against Livingston, in the hope that today is the day that it all comes together for the Finnish maestro.

DC’s assistant coach says Axar “leverages off a lot of senior players and coaches”

Ashish Pant09-Apr-2025Axar Patel is not the “only voice” in the Delhi Capitals (DC) changeroom and he makes sure to “leverage off a lot of the other senior players in the group and the coaches” – that’s the observation of assistant coach Matthew Mott.Axar has had a sensational start to his DC captaincy career, winning all three games for his team, the only side unbeaten going into Thursday. This, despite not having a lot of experience in the role. Coming into IPL 2025, he had led his state side Gujarat in only 23 matches across formats and led DC in one game last year.Mott, who himself joined the DC team only ahead of this season, said what made Axar the leader stand out was his ability to ensure that all the players felt a part of the team.Related

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“He’s been amazing,” Mott said ahead of DC’s outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in Bengaluru. “Obviously, I didn’t have a lot to do with him before this tournament, but he’s just got a great balance on cricket and life.”A lot of the times, he’ll just summarise the group and make sure the players are included, they’re having fun, they’ve got a smile on their face. He talks a lot about that. I think he’s played enough cricket now to know that it can be a pretty fickle game at times. You’re well aware that when you’re winning, it’s all rosy and it’s all good.”I like to think that he’s got that character where if we do have a bad day, he’ll be just as positive. The message will be very similar. I think he also leverages off a lot of the other senior players in the group and the coaches.”He’s not taking it all on himself. I think he’s got some fantastic people around him. He’s got a lot of experience to draw on, particularly at this venue. He doesn’t come across as being the only voice. He wants to leverage off others and make sure he’s getting the best out of the people around him.”Mott was also confident about Jake Fraser-McGurk coming good in IPL 2025 despite a lukewarm start to the tournament. Fraser-McGurk was one of the breakout stars of IPL 2024 where he came in some way into the tournament as a replacement player for Lungi Ngidi and lit up the stage.Jake Fraser-McGurk has “full autonomy” from DC’s leadership•Delhi CapitalsThe 22-year-old Fraser-McGurk had smashed 330 runs in nine innings at an average of 36.66 and a barely believable strike rate of 234.04. He is, however, yet to replicate those numbers this season, having managed just 39 runs in three innings with a strike rate of just 100.”I think the role that Jake plays in every side he’s in, it’s high risk, but when he has his day out, it’s what is the goal,” Mott said. “There’s a lot of games to go and he’s got full autonomy from all of our leadership. Axar, in particular, has doubled down on him just playing the way he plays and really take the game on from ball one.”A lot similar to what you see from the likes of Phil Salt and people like that. When you play that high-tempo game, it’s obviously high-risk as well, but he does some things that not many players in the world can do.”We look forward to him playing on a great surface out here that’s known for being a great batting surface as well. I’m sure he’s really looking forward to his next opportunity.”‘Du Plessis moving around a lot better’Faf du Plessis looks set to feature in DC’s next game against his former franchise after sitting out the previous match owing to a groin niggle. He had an extended net session on the eve of the game, hammering a number of solid blows, one of which almost hit the press box windowpane. He later strolled to the main playing surface and shadow practiced for a bit before heading off.Du Plessis, who was RCB captain for three years, has a tremendous record in Bengaluru in the IPL:651 runs in 17 innings at an average of 46.50 and a strike rate of 161.94. He has also shown decent form in the two innings so far this season, with scores of 29 and 50.”I think he’ll get assessed today by the physios,” Mott said of du Plessis. “With a view to playing, he certainly looks like he’s moving around a lot better from the naked eye. The beauty of the schedule so far is we’ve had some really good breaks, and he’s now had a good break.”He’s a key player for us, but what it did show is the depth that we’ve got and the players’ ability to adapt and come in there. I thought KL [Rahul] in the last game was amazing to come in at short notice and play an innings like that to really set us up for the win. If he’s [du Plessis] available or not, I think we can adapt.”

The mood around West Ham United isn’t great at the moment.

Graham Potter’s side look just as dysfunctional as they did last season, and as things stand, the club have not done enough business in the market.

For example, while the additions of Mads Hermansen, El Hadji Malick Diouf and Kyle Walker-Peters are great in isolation, they’re enough to ensure the team aren’t dragged into a relegation battle.

Fortunately, reports have now linked the Hammers to another exciting talent, although the player in question is another full-back, one who’d already be an upgrade on Walker-Peters.

West Ham target Walker-Peters upgrade

With the transfer window still open for another week or so, West Ham simply have to bring in some more bodies, and, based on reports, it looks like they’re trying.

Transfer Focus

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

Mateus Fernandes has been the most heavily touted for a move to the club, with some stories claiming the Hammers have already gone in with a second offer, while AS Roma striker Artem Dovbyk has recently been touted for a potential loan move that would see Niclas Füllkrug go the other way.

However, it now looks like another deal is close to being completed, one that would see the Hammers land an exciting talent who’d already be an upgrade on Walker-Peters.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spanish publication Sport, which has claimed that West Ham are very interested in Hector Fort.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Hammers are already in talks with Barcelona over a potential loan move, and that it could be finalised as soon as next week.

The young Spaniard might not be a particularly well-known player to Premier League fans, but he looks like he could be a future star, and would be an instant upgrade on Walker-Peters.

How Fort compares to Walker-Peters

Now, it should be said that Fort would be joining the team with significantly less experience than Walker-Peters.

However, at just 19 years old, that seems like an unfair stick to beat him with, and it could be argued that the experience he has is valuable in a different way.

For example, while he has played far fewer games, he’s already played at a much higher level than the Englishman, making 30 appearances for one of the biggest teams in the world in Barcelona.

Moreover, he’s already made three appearances in the Champions League and played 17 La Liga games during the club’s league-winning campaign last year.

With that said, the best way to see how the pair really stack up against one another is by taking a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers from last season.

Unfortunately for the former Saints star, he comes out as a distant second-best when we do this.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.17

0.11

Progressive Carries

2.15

3.52

Progressive Passes

4.00

4.29

Progressive Passes Received

5.08

4.44

Shots

0.92

0.62

Passing Accuracy

90.1%

88.2%

Key Passes

1.54

0.74

Passes into the Final Third

4.15

3.67

Shot-Creating Actions

2.46

1.94

Tackles Won

1.23

0.90

Blocks

1.85

0.83

Interceptions

0.92

0.59

Carries into the Final Third

2.31

2.22

Ball Recoveries

4.92

4.17

Aerial Duels Won

0.46

0.34

For example, the “immense” youngster, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, comes out way ahead in most relevant metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, key passes, shot-creating chances, tackles won, blocks, interceptions and more, all per 90.

These numbers paint the picture of a full-back who is more than solid in defence, but then also capable of being a real attacking outlet, either through carrying the ball up the pitch, or passing it into dangerous areas.

Moreover, he appears to be the sort of player who’d cope with playing at wing-back as well, which is perfect for Potter.

Ultimately, while Walker-Peters brings plenty of experience to the squad, Fort looks to be the more dynamic and exciting defender, and therefore, West Ham should do what they can to get this deal over the line as soon as possible.

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