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Didier Deschamps does not count himself as "one of the intimate friends" of Zinedine Zidane as the ex-Real Madrid boss is linked with the France job.

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• Deschamps to leave the France post after WC 2026
• Zidane is seen as one of the candidates to succeed him
• Has not managed a team since leaving Real Madrid

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since taking charge of France in 2012, Deschamps has overseen an era of remarkable success, guiding the team to victory at the 2018 World Cup and leading them to two additional major finals – Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Despite his accomplishments, it has been confirmed that Deschamps will step down from his role following the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With an official timeline now set for his departure, speculation has intensified over who will take the reins.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Zidane has long been tipped as a future France manager, with his coaching achievements at Real Madrid making him an ideal candidate. His first stint in charge of the Spanish giants saw him claim three consecutive Champions League titles in just two-and-a-half years, an extraordinary feat that solidified his reputation as one of football’s finest tacticians. Now, with Deschamps’ departure date set, Zidane has emerged as the leading contender to lead Les Bleus.

• WHAT DESCHAMPS SAID

  Although Deschamps and Zidane have shared the pitch as teammates for both Juventus and Les Bleus, rumours have long suggested that the two do not see eye to eye. However, in a recent interview with , Deschamps refuted the notion of a bitter rivalry, emphasizing that while they may not be close friends, there is a strong sense of mutual respect between them.

  “Another great preconceived idea!” began the France manager. “We spent a lot of years together. There is still a lot of respect between us. By the way, the last time we saw each other, we exchanged and talked well…there is still, on both sides, a form of recognition of each other’s success. I am not one of his intimate friends. We both have our own lives but whatever happens, there will always be respect between us."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  As the countdown begins to World Cup 2026, all eyes will be on Zidane and the French Football Federation (FFF) to see whether the long-awaited transition finally takes place. If Zidane does take over, he will have the challenge of maintaining the high standards set by Deschamps while bringing his unique philosophy to the national team.

Newcastle United booked their place in the semi-finals of the League Cup with a convincing 3-1 win over Brentford at St. James’ Park on Wednesday night.

The Magpies will now wait to find out who they will be playing over two legs in the January semi-finals, in the hopes of returning to Wembley for the first time since 2023.

Sandro Tonali’s first-half double had the hosts in front at the break before Fabian Schar made sure of the result with a second-half finish from close range, with Yoane Wissa netting a consolation in stoppage-time.

The headline of the night was, of course, the performance of Newcastle’s number eight in the middle of the park, as the Italian stole the show.

Sandro Tonali's match-winning performance

It was the Italy international who set the tone for the evening at St. James’ Park with his rasping effort from distance in the ninth minute to make it 1-0, beating Mark Flekken with a low drive.

The former AC Milan star added his and Newcastle’s second of the match just before half-time as Anthony Gordon’s corner was met on the volley by the midfielder to beat the Brentford ‘keeper at his near post.

Tonali’s two goals were far from the only impressive aspect of his performance, however, as the central midfielder also completed 93% (56/60) of his attempted passes, to help the Magpies control the game.

The Italian dynamo also won six of his 11 ground duels, completing four tackles to win possession back for Newcastle, which shows that he offered quality in and out of possession.

Performance in Numbers

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Thankfully, Tonali’s phenomenal performance in midfield for Eddie Howe saved Alexander Isak, who did not enjoy his finest night at St. James’ Park against the Bees.

Alexander Isak's performance in numbers

The Sweden international played, arguably, his worst game of the season on Wednesday night, but it did not matter in the end because of the Italy international’s magic display.

For the first time in any competitive game this season, Isak lost 100% of his duels (minimum five contested), failed to register a single shot on target, failed to generate any ‘big chances’, and had under 30 touches in more than 45 minutes.

He played the opening 77 minutes of the match and did not have any significant contribution to the match in or out of possession for the Magpies.

As you can see in the table above, Isak was dominated by the Brentford defenders, who outmuscled him out of the game, and did not register a shot on target or create a ‘big chance’ for his team.

The 25-year-old sensation, who has produced seven goals and four assists in 14 outings in the Premier League this season, simply had an off night and struggled to work his way into the match – in what was his worst performance of the campaign.

Howe, though, will be pleased that his team could still score three goals and secure a place in the semi-final of the League Cup without his star striker at the peak of his powers, as it shows the quality depth to his side.

Newcastle make offer for gem who's more dominant in the air than Dan Burn

He would be an interesting signing for Eddie Howe’s side, but they face competition.

By
Ben Browning

Dec 18, 2024

It shows the strength of the Newcastle team that a player like Tonali can step up from midfield to score two goals to save the day when Isak is not at his best.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has opened up on Trent Alexader-Arnold's mindset as the full-back nears a summer move to Real Madrid.

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• Alexander-Arnold set to move to Real Madrid
• Questions raised over Alexander-Arnold's focus
• Slot speaks out on full-back

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alexander-Arnold has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid as Los Blancos look to unite the right-back with his England team-mate and good friend, Jude Bellingham, at Santiago Bernabeu. Reports have suggested that Real Madrid are nearing a free transfer agreement for the 26-year-old as his contract with the Reds runs out this summer.

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  Questions have been raised by the media and Liverpool fans over the last couple of weeks about Alexander-Arnold's commitment towards the Reds for the rest of the season. However, Liverpool boss Slot has insisted that the right-back remains "focused" on recovering from his hamstring and getting back on the pitch for his current club.

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  WHAT SLOT SAID

  Slot told reporters when asked to comment on Alexander-Arnold's proposed move to Real: "His situation is that unfortunately, he is injured. Otherwise, people probably would have spoken about him having one or two brilliant performances for the England team.

  "But he is injured, so for him he is fully focused on his recovery, and for us, we are trying to help him to be back as early as he can."

• WHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?

  Alexander-Arnold will be looking to end his stint at Liverpool with his second domestic crown, as Slot's side sit 12 points clear at the top of the Premier League with just nine games to go. The Reds are due back in action on Wednesday when they host Everton in a Merseyside derby clash.

Virgil van Dijk snapped at Michael Owen in an awkward interview after Liverpool moved closer to the Premier League title with Everton win.

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• Liverpool beat Everton 1-0
• Have emerged as the favourites to land the PL title
• Van Dijk had awkward exchange with Owen

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Diogo Jota’s goal proved decisive as Arne Slot’s side restored their 12-point lead over Arsenal at the top of the table. Despite their strong position in the title race, Liverpool’s hopes of a quadruple have faded over the past two months. They suffered a shock FA Cup exit at the hands of Plymouth, were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris Saint-Germain, and fell to Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

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  Former Liverpool striker, Owen, shared his thoughts on the Reds' campaign on Premier League Productions and claimed that while winning the league would be a major achievement, there would still be a "bitter taste" given how the season initially shaped up.

  "It’s been a frustrating couple of weeks," Owen said. "Liverpool were poised to have a phenomenal season, if they win the Premier League it’ll still be fantastic but with a little bit of a bitter taste because it was building into something special. I think it Liverpool fans hard, and the manager and the players, to go out of competitions in quick succession.

  "The dust will settle, everyone will realise if it’s the Premier League they win at the end of the season and only the Premier League that’ll be an incredible season and they would’ve snapped your hand off for that at the start of the season. But it doesn’t stop the feeling of the last few weeks and to get that winning feeling back will be really important to everybody connected with the club."

• WHAT VAN DIJK SAID

  During a post-match interview, Owen put this perspective directly to Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk, asking how difficult it was to mentally recover from cup disappointments and focus on finishing the Premier League season strongly.

  Owen asked Van Dijk: "I’m just thinking in terms of the season so far, if you’d have said at the start of the season you were going to win the Premier League I’m sure people would’ve been over the moon. However, it was building into something really special – how hard was it after a couple of big defeats in cup competitions to get your mind tuned back into the Premier League and to finish the season well?"

  Van Dijk, however, was visibly unimpressed by the suggestion that the team’s season had lost its magic. His response was direct: “So you’re suggesting the season is not going to be special anymore?”

  Owen replied: "It will be, absolutely, it will be special, but I thought it could’ve been building into something very special."

  However, Van Dijk was quick to challenge Owen and said: "Well, I think we have to change that narrative a little bit. We’re fighting for the biggest prize of the season, we worked so hard for it, 20 teams are working so hard to be on top of the Premier League. We have eight games to go, we know what’s at stake, we have to go for it, we have to fight, we have to enjoy the whole ride and then let’s see. Like I said, it’s still looking very special in my eyes.

  "I think what you said, at the start of the season, I think no one expected us to even try to fight on all four fronts, obviously we’re at the stage now where we’re still fighting for the biggest, and that’s the reality. It’s still a possibility that this season will be very, very special."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Following the interview, Owen insisted his point was fair and added: "I stand by what I said. If you had said at the start of the season that Liverpool would win the Premier league, it’s a very, very top season. As Virgil said, not many people gave them a chance really, especially changing their manager after so long with Jurgen Klopp being there. However, it was building into something incredibly special and I just wondered after a couple of weeks of disappointment how hard was it to re-focus, but obviously he gave us the answer."

Glasgow Rangers Premiership title hopes went up in flames on Boxing Day as they suffered their fourth league defeat of the season against St Mirren, conceding a late goal to lose 2-1.

If the pressure on Philippe Clement was easing up after several weeks of solid performances, then this defeat puts him right back at square one. Matches against Motherwell and Celtic are coming up over the next six days and more dropped points could see his position become untenable.

While thoughts are on these games, surely one eye is focused on the upcoming January transfer window, which gives the Ibrox side a chance to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season.

Much will depend on how much of a budget the manager will be handed once the winter window opens next week, and he might have to sell a couple of players in order to raise significant funds.

This could see several players leave Ibrox, with one current first team player already attracting interest ahead of January – Cyriel Dessers.

Why Rangers should finally sell Cyriel Dessers

Unfortunately, Rangers are now in a position where they have to sell players before thinking of making signings, such is the nature of their finances.

Hopefully, Clement is ruthless and moves on those who are either taking up a place in the squad that isn’t warranted, or earning a lavish wage which is not representative of their performances on the field.

This could see a host of players depart the club next month, but it is Dessers who is the one attracting the most attention as of late.

Before Christmas, news emerged from France that Saint-Étienne were showing a keen interest in the striker ahead of making a potential move for the player once the window finally opens.

This wasn’t the first time that the Nigerian international had drawn interest from elsewhere. During the summer transfer window, Cagliari were hoping to bring the forward to Serie A, but no move ever materialised.

Things might have been different if Clement had more centre-forwards in his squad, but with Danilo still recovering from a knee injury and Hamza Igamane still settling in at Ibrox, it was perhaps too risky to sell Dessers.

January could be the ideal time for the club to recoup what they paid for him 18 months ago, especially as he hasn’t been the first choice over the previous few weeks.

Transfer Focus

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

Across 28 games in all competitions for the Gers, Dessers has found the back of the net on 12 occasions, yet he has scored just three league goals since the start of September.

Recently, Danilo and Igamane have taken turns being deployed as the lone striker in Clement’s 4-2-3-1 system, meaning Dessers has had to settle for a place on the bench.

Additionally, the striker is also earning £27k-per-week, which places him among the highest earners at the club.

All of these factors should be taken into consideration with regard to his future. Is he contributing enough considering his high wage? The answer is no. Therefore, if a decent bid arrives, then the Light Blues should accept it.

This could free up funds for Clement to move for a player they have been linked with lately who is currently shining in South Africa…

Rangers' search for a striker

As reported by South African news outlet SNL24 (via the Scottish Sun), the Light Blues have been keeping a close eye on striker Iqraam Rayners, who currently plays for Mamelodi Sundowns.

“There has been an enquiry about Iqraam (Rayners) from Rangers of Scotland,” a source told SNL24.

“I don’t think there has been an offer from them at this stage. What I know is they have shown interest and they continue monitoring him.”

There is no information on how much Rangers would have to pay to bring the South African to Glasgow, but it appears he is doing everything right in order to earn a big move abroad.

If a move for Rayners is concrete, this could see Dessers finally packing in what would be a popular move among the supporters. That’s for sure.

How Iqraam Rayners compares to Cyriel Dessers

Rayners may be the same age as Dessers, but he is currently in the form of his life for his club side.

Across just 17 matches in all competitions, he has scored 13 goals while chipping in with an assist, a wonderful strike rate in front of goal, that’s for sure.

Indeed, throughout the entirety of 2024, he has notched 24 goals for two clubs, which has led writer Joshua Henricks to hail the player as “impressive” due to his goalscoring ability.

Domestically, Rayners averages 1.7 shots per game, has created one big chance while succeeding with 75% of his dribble attempts. Crucially, he has missed only one big chance, indicating that he is more clinical in front of goal than Dessers, who tends to miss a large number of chances.

The 29-year-old has also shone for his country throughout 2024, scoring four goals in ten games for South Africa, with two coming during qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations as the nation avoided defeat in their group.

This proves that he is able to star on the international stage, suggesting he may not be fazed by moving to Ibrox in January.

With Hamza Igamane making the move to Scotland from Africa earlier this year and adapting fairly well, hopes are high that Rayners, who has more experience than the young Rangers striker, could follow suit.

Once again, finances could be the crux of any potential deal. If interest in Dessers is genuine, then securing a decent fee for the 29-year-old could certainly aid in Clement’s future transfer plans.

Will Rayners be included in this? Only time will tell, but the South African has proven his talents in front of goal throughout the calendar year.

Not just Bajrami: Clement must drop Rangers man who lost 11 duels

Rangers suffered defeat to St Mirren on Boxing Day

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By
Ross Kilvington

Dec 27, 2024

The four midfielders are yet to make their mark in U.S. colors, but all have serious upside that could help Pochettino's World Cup plans

When Mauricio Pochettino looks at his player pool, he has plenty of questions. The USMNT are strong in one or two areas – winger, central midfield – but wide open in others. Recent losses to Panama and Canada in the CONCACAF Nations League proved that, if nothing else, there is ample of room for improvement in this team.

An optimist might say this is a good thing, especially given that there are some intriguing options to work with.

And perhaps the most perplexing spot is the midfield. In Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Yunus Musah, Pochettino has three established internationals who all play regularly for top European clubs. They were excellent at the 2022 World Cup, but have barely featured together at full fitness since. Three years on from thoroughly outplaying an England midfield, that trio can't necessarily be counted on.

Of course, absence breeds opportunity, especially in international football. And the U.S. does have some intriguing backups. Johnny Cardoso, Tanner Tessmann, Aidan Morris and Gianluca Busio have a combined 52 national team appearances. None of the three have managed to hold down an extended run in the squad.

But they have shown, albeit in glimpses, that they could be in line for more minutes with this summer's Gold Cup and next year's World Cup on the horizon. And if Pochettino is to change his lineup – or has to shift things around due to injury – each could have a shot with the first team.

GOAL looks at the pros and cons of each, and asks who might be the first to break into the XI.

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  Johnny Cardoso: Up next?

  Perhaps the most obvious candidate for the XI, Cardoso could yet be the kind of defensive midfielder that national teams crave. Tall, strong, and smart on the ball, he is everything that a modern No. 6 should be. Things haven't quite panned out to date – Cardoso stalling through the 2023-24 season as Betis struggled.

  This campaign, though, looks different. After an unstaeady start to the season, he has settled in of late. A fine showing – including a well-taken header – against Real Madrid on March 1 kicked things off. More recently, he was named Man of the Match in the derby against Sevilla, with Betis winning that fabled fixture for the first time in seven years.

  He's a bit of a strange player, though. Cardoso's defensive numbers are elite, and he's a real expert at holding down the base of midfield while a second central player roams. What he doesn't do particularly well – which might certainly hold him back from cracking the XI – is progress the ball forward.

  His passing numbers, in fact, are pretty dismal. He ranks in the 56th percentile among center midfielders in pass completion percentage, 11th in progressive passes, and 23rd in through balls. Those numbers would seem to run counter to Pochettino's preferred system of quick transitions.

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  Tanner Tessmann: Defensive enforcer

  Tessmann is a remarkably similar profile of player to Cardoso. Both are physically imposing defensive midfielders. Both are 6-0 or taller. Both play as part of a double pivot – and function in the sitting role while a more active midfielder buzzes around them. Tessmann, though, is far more limited, a specialist rather than intriguing plug-and-play option.

  He may have established himself as a regular for Lyon, but Tessmann is still a defensive midfielder who is very good at defending – and not much else. In open spaces, when snuffing out counter attacks, he might some day be elite. He is fierce in a tackle, and smart enough on the ball to recycle possession.

  But he struggles when the game speeds up, and has to play under pressure. He doesn't have the instinctive "La pausa" – reading of the game – that most top quality defensive midfielders do.

  For the USMNT, that makes him problematic. Pochettino has experimented with him in a number of different roles, either as a defensive or box-to-box presence. And he has never looked quite at home in either. When the game slows down, he can't pick an incisive pass. When it speeds up, he looks a bit overwhelmed.

  But he might yet have a role to play. He could be vital, in fact, if the USMNT need to shut games down. Throwing an extra center back on for defensive solidity isn't as cool as it used to be – coaches instead typically opting to pack their midfield and constrict spaces. Tessmann would seem to be ideal for such a role.

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  Gianluca Busio: The outside man

  Busio, for his part, is a more attack-minded player who is comfortable higher up the pitch. An all-action type capable of playing all over the middle of the park, he is perhaps the most intriguing option of the bunch – who might be more reliable on a roster in a major tournament. For Venezia, he plays in the middle of a midfield trio, serving as the all-action presence while the two beside him tend to function in more defensive roles.

  It's a difficult ask of the American. Busio's legs or fight cannot be questioned, but it's tricky to operate in such a role, especially given he plays in a 19th-place side who routinely have significantly less of the ball than their opponent. Venezia, in fact, are 18th in Serie A in ball possession, and 19th in goals per 90 minutes.

  In effect, Busio is charged with carrying a massive load in an outmatched team. There are, of course, many examples of athletes standing out among a poor roster. But Busio's potential feels slightly untapped – especially because he has seldom been given an opportunity to show what he might be able to do in a high-level team that has the ball more.

  His MLS career, from 2018-2021, showed glimpses of what he might be. He was a classy presence for Sporting KC, and entrusted with a primary role in a competitive side. Perhaps Venezia was the wrong move for a player of his ilk. But Pochettino has already given him a look. There may yet be more to come going forward.

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  Aidan Morris: Jack of all trades

  Morris, too, might be able to offer something. The least experienced of the quartet, he could certainly provide in a pinch. The former Columbus Crew midfielder earned a move to Middlesborough after establishing himself as a weaving presence in the middle of the park in MLS.

  He is, in many ways, more similar to McKennie than Adams, a player who performs at a solid level in multiple areas of the game without particularly standing out anywhere. He will certainly have been battle-hardened by the English Championship – and could be a part of the Gold Cup roster.

  He impressed in the dead rubber fixture against Canada last September, but is yet to make his mark under the new manager. Consider him more of an emergency option than man knocking on the door.

Celtic are now expected to attempt a double transfer swoop this January, with a “sensational” player being targeted, according to a report.

Celtic set for January transfer business

It appears as though the Hoops could be active in the transfer market this winter, with Brendan Rodgers having recently held a summit with major shareholder Dermot Desmond and chief executive Michael Nicholson.

The trio discussed potential new arrivals in January, and a left-sided attacker was identified as a priority target, but it is not the only position Rodgers is looking to strengthen.

A new midfielder could also be brought in, with Manchester United’s Christian Eriksen deemed a potential target, although Neil Lennon does not believe the move has much chance of happening due to the Dane’s high wage demands.

However, Eriksen is not the only Premier League midfielder on the shortlist, with Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke revealing that Celtic have two other targets in mind, both of whom currently ply their trade for Chelsea.

According to O’Rourke, the Hoops are expected to make moves for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka in the January transfer window, with the duo currently out of favour at Stamford Bridge.

Both players have failed to force their way into Enzo Maresca’s plans, and they have started to attract interest from a number of other clubs.

However, Dewsbury-Hall is believed to be keen on staying in the Premier League, which could make it difficult for the reigning Scottish Premiership champions to get a deal over the line.

It would be viewed as a “great pick-up” if Celtic are able to get this potential double signing done this winter, but it remains to be seen whether either player could be tempted by a move north of the border.

Celtic target "would snub other offers" to seal Parkhead move – ex-scout

He was loved by the fans during his time at Celtic.

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By
Barney Lane

Dec 26, 2024

Dewsbury-Hall performing well in Europe

The Chelsea duo have largely been limited to appearances in the Conference League this season, finding it difficult to break into a team that is performing above many people’s expectations in the Premier League so far this term.

Dewsbury-Hall has been particularly impressive in Europe, picking up two goals and an assist in six outings, and he had a fantastic year with Leicester City in the English Championship last season, with 26 goal contributions in 44 games.

Rodgers knows the 26-year-old very well from their Leicester days, having lauded him as “sensational” in the past, so he could perhaps use the existing relationship to tempt him into a move to Parkhead.

Chukwuemeka is a little less proven, given that he is still only 21 years old, but he already has 37 Premier League appearances to his name, and a move to Celtic could provide the Englishman with the perfect platform to prove himself.

As such, it would be exciting news if Celtic are able to pull off a double signing this January, but it seems a little unlikely given that Dewsbury-Hall wants to stay in England.

Well, where did that come from?

Scottish champions Celtic had gone into Thursday’s Old Firm derby flying high, leading their Glasgow rivals by 14 points at the Premiership summit, having also failed to even taste defeat in the top flight.

Up against a Rangers side who had failed to win in four of their last five games in all competitions, the form book bizarrely went out the window, as the away side limply wilted at Ibrox.

Goals from Ianis Hagi, Robin Propper and substitute Danilo secured a deserved win for under-fire boss Philippe Clement and his troops, with Celtic left to lick their wounds amid what was a bruising defeat to kick off 2025.

The Hoops’ comfortable advantage at the top of the table will at least provide some comfort for Brendan Rodgers, although the Northern Irishman will certainly be conducting a post-mortem after far too many of his charges went missing on the day.

Celtic's worst performers vs Rangers

From back to front it was a grim performance for the away side, a point perfectly illustrated by the fact that they had just four shots in total throughout the 90 minutes, while the hosts had 24 attempts on Kasper Schmeichel’s goal. That came despite Celtic having the edge on the ball, as shown by their dominance in possession (61% vs 39%), as per Sofascore.

Chalkboard

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

There was an undoubted sense of lethargy across the park for the Hoops, with the attacking unit looking particularly out of sorts. On the flanks, both Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda looked a shadow of their usual selves, losing the ball on 27 occasions between, having barely had a sniff up against a makeshift Rangers defence.

As for Kyogo Furuhashi, the Japanese marksman did see a beautifully taken goal correctly chalked off for offside, although the 29-year-old was otherwise ineffective, touching the ball on just 15 occasions, and failing to win a single duel.

Elsewhere, it was a rare off day for long-serving skipper, Callum McGregor, while at right-back, the trusty Alistair Johnston looked away off the pace, having notably lost the ball 20 times, and won just two of his nine duels.

Meanwhile, Rodgers’ decision to persist with Liam Scales ahead of summer signing Auston Trusty seemingly backfired, with the Irishman particularly culpable amid a grim overall performance.

The one-time Aberdeen loanee endured a particularly “disastrous” opening period – as per journalist Ryan McGinlay – having squandered possession in the build-up to Hagi’s opener, having also far too regularly played his side into trouble, after losing the ball on 12 occasions.

Such a poor display requires scrutiny, although – as shown above – it would be unfair to pin the blame solely at Scales’ door. Indeed, teammate Reo Hatate is another who deserves to be ousted from the starting lineup following his drab performance.

Reo Hatate's game in numbers

It was almost three years ago that the diminutive playmaker properly announced himself to Celtic supporters following his stunning brace against Rangers at Parkhead. Six domestic trophies – and 115 appearances – have followed, with the Hoops certainly getting value for money from their £1.4m investment.

That said, with competition in those midfield ranks now fierce amid the permanent captures of Luke McCowan, Arne Engels and former loanee, Paulo Bernardo, Hatate’s role as an undisputed started starter may need to be reconsidered, particularly after Thursday’s performance.

The former Kawasaki Frontale midfielder was simply outplayed and outfought by those in blue, having notably won just a solitary duel on the day, while making two errors leading to a shot.

The typically tidy and industrious talent was also way off the mark when on the ball, recording a measly 65% pass accuracy rate after also losing the ball on 16 occasions. Indeed, a somewhat overhit dinked cross to Maeda at the back post late in the second half summed up both his night and Celtic’s night as a whole.

With Hatate also failing to even register a single key pass as the visitors struggled to create anything of note, it was no surprise when he was eventually hooked on the 75th-minute mark. The 27-year-old was fortunate not to have been withdrawn sooner.

With St Mirren – who recently got the better of Clement’s side – now up next for the champions, it could be a perfect time for rotation, with Hatate among those who deserve to drop to the bench following such a shock, lacklustre outing.

Celtic can sign new Rogic in move for "special" star who's "like Odegaard"

Celtic are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League talent.

By
Dan Emery

Jan 2, 2025

Mason Greenwood and Luis Henrique have reportedly ignored the advice of some Marseille team-mates as frustration grows over an 'amateurish attitude'.

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• Marseille have hit a difficult patch
• Reports of dressing room mutiny
• Problems continuing for Roberto De Zerbi

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to RMC Sport, the 'nonchalance' of Greenwood and Henrique is continuing to annoy some individuals at Marseille. Senior players like Geoffrey Kondogbia and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have been said to try and reason with the duo but have been unsuccessful so far in their attempts. There has already been talk of a mutiny at the club, with players not happy with Roberto De Zerbi's methods.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The report adds that some players are showing an "amateurish attitude" and seem less committed at Marseille than others. This comes at a time when Marseille have lost four of their last five games and may miss out on Champions League qualification after initially being outside contenders for the Ligue 1 title.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  These reports come just over a month after De Zerbi questioned Greenwood's attitude and application, although they have seemingly reconciled since then. RMC add that Henrique is expected to be sold this summer in order to free up funds for the French side.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Marseille will hope to reignite their season when they host Montpellier in Ligue 1 on Saturday night.

Leeds have confirmed they have sold a £10m defender who has been on their books since 2022 to Eintracht Frankfurt.

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• Leeds confirm sale of defender
• Was signed for £10m in 2022
• Set to play against Tottenham

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rasmus Kristensen was loaned to the Bundesliga side last summer and a permanent move has now been agreed for an undisclosed fee. He has been a fixture for his new club, playing 26 times this season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kristensen signed for Leeds in 2022 as Jesse Marsch looked to assemble a squad that could survive relegation in the Premier League. United did go down that year, though, and the full-back spent the 2023-24 campaign at Roma before switching to Germany for this season.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kristensen is set to play his first match as a permanent Eintracht player against Tottenham in the Europa League on Thursday. He played 90 minutes last week as his side secured a 1-1 draw that puts them in a good position ahead of the second leg on their own patch.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LEEDS?

  Leeds have long since got used to the fact that Kristensen no longer features for them and have other things to worry about, sitting top of the Championship with four matches to play. Daniel Farke's side know that a maximum of three wins from their final four games will see them promoted to the Premier League.