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As Liverpool prepare to square off against Eintracht Frankfurt in hope of getting back to winning ways for the first time in four games, a medical expert has provided an injury update on Ryan Gravenberch.

Carragher makes fresh Man City comparison amid Liverpool form

Liverpool were dominant last season as they shocked the rest of the Premier League by stealing the crown in their first year under new manager Arne Slot. Any concerns that they would drop off entirely without Jurgen Klopp were put to bed in emphatic fashion and those at Anfield quickly rewarded Slot for such an impressive debut campaign.

In an unprecedented summer for the Reds, they spent around £400m, broke their transfer record twice, and welcomed the likes of Alexander Isak, Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. On the transfer front, Liverpool couldn’t ask for much more.

Yet, just a few months later, Slot has been left scratching his head wondering just how his super-team have just lost their fourth straight game, against Manchester United at Anfield of all teams. It is the toughest period of the Dutchman’s reign so far and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has delivered his verdict.

Liverpool must hope to bounce back like Man City did in the second-half of last season, but will have to wait for one player to return from injury before they are back to full strength and can begin their return to form.

Injury expert delivers Gravenberch verdict

When it rains it pours for Liverpool. The Reds watched on as Ryan Gravenberch was forced off with injury to compile their misery in a fourth straight defeat in all competitions last weekend.

Mac Allister upgrade: Liverpool preparing huge offer to sign £69m "monster"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool midfield is malfunctioning this season.

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By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 21, 2025

The Dutchman, alongside Virgil van Dijk, is arguably the most irreplaceable player in Slot’s squad, but those at Anfield must now figure out how to do exactly that.

Injury expert Physio Scout delivered insight on Gravenberch’s twisted ankle this week, claiming that the midfielder is likely to miss up to two weeks of action in the likeliest scenario, albeit there is another much worse possibility.

“Lateral ankle sprains often look worse than they are if swelling and instability are minimal,” they said. “A Grade 1 sprain and a quick return are most likely… However, any ligament damage confirmed on imaging could see him sidelined for several weeks.”

Assuming a Grade 1, this could see the midfielder make a return to action against Real Madrid on November 4 or in the absolute best-case scenario, as soon as Brentford this weekend.

Already ruled out for the Frankfurt game after being omitted from Liverpool’s travelling squad, it’s imperative that Liverpool get Gravenberch back into their side as soon as possible.

A new report from Spain has underlined the steps Real Madrid are prepared to take as they aim to recover Franco Mastantuono after he was diagnosed with pubalgia, the same injury that has plagued Lamine Yamal in recent weeks. The Argentine youngster was ruled out ahead of the clash against Liverpool last week, with no recovery timeline in sight at the moment. However, Los Blancos remain calm regarding his situation.

• Mastantuono diagnosed with pubalgia after solid start at Madrid

  Ever since arriving from River Plate in a blockbuster €45 million ($53m/£39m) deal, Mastantuono has made quite a place for himself amongst the Real Madrid faithful. The Argentine prodigy made his debut in the first game of the season against Osasuna, coming on as a substitute for the final 22 minutes. Since then, he played in eight La Liga games and three Champions League games, starting in nine of those games and staking his claim for the right wing position. 

  Even though he scored just one goal and delivered one assist, his all-round game, ability to find spaces, his drive and hunger, and unparalleled determination made him a unique profile within head coach Xabi Alonso's setup. 

  However, he suffered his first setback as a Real Madrid player ahead of the Champions League trip to Liverpool last week. The club confirmed that Mastantuono had been diagnosed with pubalgia, the same injury Lamine Yamal has been facing struggles with for the past few weeks. Subsequently, he missed the clash against Rayo Vallecano over the weekend, with no recovery timeline in sight. 

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  Madrid's plan to recover Mastantuono

  However, Spanish publication have revealed the steps Los Blancos are set to take to ensure Mastantuono's recovery is as smooth as possible. Mastantuono’s battle with pubalgia has been dragging on for several weeks, though his first official absence only came against Liverpool. No one at Real Madrid is setting a recovery date, not even the medical staff. His progress will depend entirely on how he feels each morning. For now, the Argentine teenager continues his recovery away from the pitch, with cautious optimism that he could return to light training during the international break.

  His modest returns despite being the player with the 10th most minutes in the squad concern neither the player nor the club. This stage is viewed as part of his natural progression, and his reduced involvement prior to injury is considered a normal developmental phase, not a setback.

  Inside Valdebebas, Real Madrid’s staff often cite the examples of Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Federico Valverde, and Endrick as reminders that young stars need time to adapt. All of them arrived at a similar age and initially went through gradual integration. By comparison, Mastantuono’s first months are seen as a success, validating the club’s long-term plan for his development.

• Emphasis on strengthening Mastantuono's lower body

  During the recovery period, heavy emphasis will be placed on physical conditioning. When Mastantuono first broke through at River Plate, he was full of natural talent but lacked physical power. Under the club’s supervision, he followed a strict regimen designed to build muscle mass while maintaining agility. Working closely with trainers, he gained around 10 kilograms of muscle in a controlled way, ensuring his style of play remained fluid, dynamic, and explosive.

  At Madrid, his physical recuperation is expected to continue with a different focus. The priority is no longer upper-body strength but lower-body power and core stability – key areas for preventing the kind of muscular issues that often affect explosive players like him. The training program aims to enhance balance, acceleration, and endurance while reinforcing the area most affected by his current groin injury.

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  Madrid determined to transform Mastantuono into world-beater

  Pubalgia is notoriously persistent, but both player and medical staff view this pause as an opportunity for healing. The recovery process will be gradual: rebuilding strength, resuming ball work, and only then returning to full team training.

  In Madrid, there’s no sense of panic. Only confidence. Mastantuono’s injury is seen not as a setback but as another step in his long-term evolution. The plan remains the same as ever: progress carefully, stay patient, and prepare one of football’s brightest young talents for the demands of the elite game. 

  Both the ongoing season and Mastantuono's career have a long way to go. The Argentine international has given enough demonstration about his capabilities in the full whites of Los Blancos, and it goes without saying that he will become a key fixture for Alonso upon his recovery. For Mastantuono, another driving force is the chance to break into Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina squad for next year’s World Cup – a stage that could symbolize the passing of the torch from Lionel Messi to a new generation.

It’s been 25 years since a World Series winner repeated as champion, 50 years since Carlton Fisk ended one of MLB’s greatest games and most important telecasts, 75 years since baseball introduced the first bullpen car and the rule to mandate the home team bats second and 100 years since Pittsburgh beat Washington through the worst weather conditions of a World Series Game 7: rain, mist, fog and a field described by the as a “swampy bog.”

Happy new year, baseball fans. No sport is as informed by its past like baseball. While the Los Angeles Dodgers look fully capable of going back-to-back, the odds say you’re still better off taking the field rather than the Dodgers.

The biggest joys of a baseball season are always found in the surprises. But until then, to get you ready for 2025 here is what we know is coming. Be they milestones, schedule highlights, comebacks or trends to watch, here are 25 for ’25:

1. The return of Shohei Ohtani to the mound

You didn’t forget, did you? Before he blew out his elbow, Ohtani was one of the best pitchers in baseball. From 2021–23 he was 24–16 with a 2.84 ERA and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings. In that span he ranked second in ERA+, third in ERA, third in strikeout rate and fifth in winning percentage (for a Los Angeles Angels team without a winning record). The Dodgers will slow-play his return, especially since surgery to repair his non-throwing shoulder set back his rehab timeline. You might not see Ohtani on the mound until late April or May and he probably will make only about 20 starts in Los Angeles’s six-man rotation. But imagine if the Dodgers get to October with a rotation of Ohtani, Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. Good luck, world.

2. The challenge system for balls and strikes

A sneak peek at the future of baseball is here. Every team (but not every ballpark) will get a trial run in spring training with the major league version of the system that has been used in the minors. The pitcher, catcher and batter each can challenge the pitch call by an umpire. Each team gets two challenges per game. (Challenges are retained if the appeal is successful.) Quickly, a video on the scoreboard shows whether the path of the pitch entered the strike zone, similar to line calls in tennis. The speed, accuracy and fan engagement should lead to calls to implement the system in the regular season this year. That’s not happening. But after proper review by MLB and the players, it should be in place for 2026.

3. The Decision, Roki Sasaki version

It’s coming between Jan. 15 and Jan. 23. Sasaki is not a finished product, and he will be under an innings limit in 2025, but the 23-year-old righthander with sick fastball movement and a nasty split has the ceiling of being one of the best pitchers on the planet. And he could be had for an international signing bonus no greater than $7.5 million and pitch this year in the majors at a minimum salary. Twenty teams sent interest to his agent, Joel Wolfe, which begs the question: why are 10 teams not even trying? Sasaki will soon narrow the field down in Round 2 and may visit the cities of teams that make the final cut. With careful handling, Sasaki has the stuff to be an instant sensation.

4. The first full season of Paul Skenes

The way Skenes finished the season (four earned runs and eight walks in his final seven starts) validated how well the Pittsburgh Pirates guided him through his rookie year. He averaged only four innings per start in his seven minor league outings, then pitched with at least five days of rest in all his major league starts. Will they pitch him on four days occasionally in 2025? Will they let him throw 180–190 innings this year, as he should have no problem reaching? His command, more so than his velocity, is what sets him apart. He could dominate MLB in 2025, starting with Opening Day, March 27 against the Marlins in Miami.

5. The Baseball Hall of Fame vote

Will Ichiro Suzuki be a unanimous selection? Will fellow first-ballot candidate CC Sabathia join him at what would be a huge induction ceremony in July? Will Billy Wagner, who fell five votes short last year, make it in his final try on the writers’ ballot? Will Carlos Beltrán (up 10.6% last year) continue to gain momentum after getting dinged for his role in the 2017 Astros’ sign-stealing scandal? How much support is there for first-time candidates Dustin Pedroia and Félix Hernández? The answers will come Jan. 21.

Sadio Mane says he rejected a move to Manchester United a year before signing for Liverpool. When the forward was impressing at Southampton, the Red Devils were keen on signing the Senegal international. But Mane has revealed he was "not convinced" by then-manager Louis van Gaal's assertion that he would be a first-team regular.

• Mane wanted by Premier League giants

  Mane joined Southampton from Red Bull Salzburg in 2014 for just under £12 million ($15.5m), which was a club record fee at the time, and went on to score 25 goals in 75 appearances. But before he headed to Anfield for a fee worth up to £36m ($47m) in June 2016, Mane had the chance to move to Van Gaal's United the year prior. However, he seemingly had doubts that he would play ahead of the likes of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie, and Angel Di Maria at Old Trafford. The decision to bide his time proved to be a good one as he went on to become one of Liverpool's all-time greats, guiding them to Premier League and Champions League glory in a six-year spell.

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  Mane unconvinced by Van Gaal's pitch

  In addition to Rooney, Van Persie, and Di Maria, United also had attackers such as Memphis Depay and Anthony Martial – which planted more seeds of doubts in Mane's mind.

  The Al-Nassr star said, via ESPN: "Manchester United called me that time, I was talking to Van Gaal. I was talking to Van Gaal that time. Rooney was there. And Di María was there. And … and [Memphis] Depay was there. When they failed to get me, they bought [Anthony] Martial. Van Gaal called me and he said, 'Mané, how are you? What are you doing?' He said, "I want you to come to Manchester United. I said, 'Really?' He said, 'Yeah.' I said, 'OK. Now I'm talking to my agent. [Van Gaal said] 'We'll see what is the best, because I know you're a good player and you can help the team, and we can help you also to become better players'.

  "And then I said, 'OK, so my question: you have Depay, you have Rooney, you have Di María, you have Van Persie, I think the same. 'So where am I going to play?' That was my question, because me, I want to play. He said, 'I know your talent, you're good. But if you do good training, good impression, you will play. But we have another player which is also good'.

  "I was not convinced about his explanation. I talked to the coach, but he told me that I will play if I'm good; if not. But at the time, me, I was not ready, I can say. I was young. I still needed someone to help me more. And one or two more years to become what I want to be. Because I was still in Southampton; I was not consistent. And then we said, 'OK, we'll see'."

• Mane could have joined Liverpool's rivals

  Mane also revealed he spoke to Tottenham the same summer that United tried to sign him. In fact, the pitch that Spurs put to the Senegalese was more tempting. 

  He said: "I have a meeting with Tottenham. At the same time, Mauricio Pochettino called him [my agent] and he said, 'I want to have Sadio to come to Tottenham training ground. And then I go to Tottenham training ground one week after. I see the facility, I meet the coach, I talk to him, and I was more convinced than the Man United project. Because Man United was too many… the problem was too many big players."

  What might have been for Mane…

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  What comes next for Mane?

  Since leaving Liverpool, where he scored 120 goals in 269 matches, Mane has played for Bayern Munich, before joining current club Al-Nassr in 2023. Now, he is targeting winning trophies for Cristiano Ronaldo's team. 

  He added: "It’s normal to dream big because Al Nassr is one of the best teams in the league. The title, we know [that it’s a target], so we don’t need to talk about it. And, of course, having new players like Kingsley [Coman] and Joao [Felix], which is a dream for us to get them because we need them and we are really happy to have them. For sure, the fans and the club expect a lot, but I have no doubt about it that they will deliver for us. It’s going to be a really exciting season for all of us. We can’t wait to achieve the best things that we want."

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca seems to have pulled a major U-turn over one of his axed stars as a photo from Cobham training reveals his surprise change of heart.

The Blues are back to winning ways after suffering a shock 2-1 home defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland in October, with Chelsea winning three out of their last four in all competitions and briefly climbing to second in the Premier League table.

The in-form Joao Pedro scored Chelsea’s only goal of the game to seal a dominant 1-0 victory over London rivals Tottenham, maintaining Chelsea’s impressive derby record, and followed that up with a comprehensive 3-0 triumph over bottom-side Wolves in their last match before the international break.

The victory came despite Maresca making eight changes from their midweek 2-2 draw with Qarabağ in the Champions League, continuing his rotation policy that has seen a grand total of 93 starting eleven changes in all competitions so far this season — the most of any Premier League side.

Their plethora of injury problems throughout the campaign, which has seen Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Josh Acheampong all sidelined at various points, has forced Maresca’s hand in this regard.

Chelsea also have 25 players in their squad who’ve been given at least 45 minutes of playing time this term, with only Nottingham Forest and West Ham (24) coming anywhere close to that number.

Two of the only Chelsea players who’ve not seen a single minute thus far are ‘bomb squad’ outcasts Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi.

Both men, after failing to secure moves away in the summer, are training in isolation, with Sterling causing quite a stir when he posted an image of him training alone and very late at night in what looked like a barren training complex.

This social media post even prompted the PFA to intervene and ensure that Chelsea weren’t treating the duo unfairly, coming after Maresca previously stated there was no way back for either man and they’d continue training away from the group.

When asked if they could play their way back into the first team, Maresca’s reply was brief, and it was a resounding ‘no’ (The Mail).

Sterling, who spent last term on a failed loan spell at Arsenal, has been linked with a move to Celtic ahead of the January window. Disasi, meanwhile, was surprisingly spotted training with the first team this week — despite Maresca previously saying there was no way.

Enzo Maresca pulls U-turn over axed Axel Disasi as Cobham photo reveals surprise call

In a twist, The Mail have shared a photo from Cobham of Disasi tussling with Liam Delap in an international break session, with Maresca now going back on his word and allowing the Frenchman to compete with his squad after all.

While there was still no sign of Sterling, Disasi’s recall to first-team training makes for an intriguing development, and one which will make on-lookers wonder whether he’s done enough to earn back Maresca’s favour.

After playing only 18 per cent of available Premier League minutes under Maresca last term, Disasi failed to establish himself as a regular starter domestically, despite captaining them in the Conference League and largely playing as an emergency right-back.

Aston Villa sealed his loan signing for the remainder of 2024/2025 last January, coming after Disasi reportedly rejected a loan to Tottenham, insisting on competing with Unai Emery’s side in the Champions League instead.

Disasi’s brief flashes ultimately failed to convince Villa to make the move permanent, and when the summer transfer window opened, Disasi found himself back in Chelsea’s notorious bomb squad alongside Sterling.

Having rejected moves to Crystal Palace and West Ham among others, and despite rumoured interest from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Disasi snubbed multiple opportunities, leaving him stranded at Stamford Bridge.

With the January window looming, Maresca could well be planning to hand the 27-year-old some minutes as a way to drive up interest from suitors, but we’re purely speculating here.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was seemingly robbed of his eighth home run of the season on Sunday afternoon during his team's 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. After the 32-year-old launched what looked to be a fair ball to deep left field in the top of the 8th inning, the umpire crew ruled the hit foul and, upon further review, upheld it.

Judge's manager, Aaron Boone, ripped the blown call after the game, calling it "remarkable" that they missed it. Judge himself—while bluntly summing up what had happened—decided to take a more measured approach.

"It was a fair ball," he told reporters. "It's just tough in a situation like this, in a Minor League park where the foul poles aren't that high."

For context, the Rays are playing at Tampa's George M. Steinbrenner Field this season due to damage at Tropicana Field from Hurricane Milton. The park typically serves as the Yankees' spring training facility as well as the home to the Rays' Single-A affiliate, the Tampa Tarpons.

"They missed it and we're just got to move on," Judge said.

With their win on Sunday, New York moved to 14-8 on the season as they sit in first place in the American League East. They're now headed to Cleveland on Monday to take on the Guardians, with first pitch from Progressive Field set for 6:10 p.m.

Jamie Carragher criticised a struggling Liverpool star as the Reds were dealt another humiliating defeat at Anfield, this time at the hands of PSV Eindhoven.

Curtis Jones admits he's out of "answers" after Liverpool defeat

Where do Liverpool go from here? This is no longer a blip. The Premier League champions are in a full-blown crisis that not even Anfield could protect them from against Nottingham Forest and PSV. Their crown has been ripped from their head in ruthless fashion and serious questions are being asked of manager Arne Slot.

Curtis Jones looked a man defeated at full-time, as he admitted that he doesn’t have the “answers” to Liverpool’s current form, which has seen them lose nine of their last 12 games in all competitions.

The academy graduate told reporters: “I don’t have the answers. Honestly, I don’t. I’m saying that to everybody. It’s just unacceptable. I don’t even have to wait to think about it. I’m past being angry inside.

“I’m at the point now where I just don’t have the words. It’s hard because I’m playing for the team I support. I’m a fan, and I’ve seen this club all my life. In a long, long time, I haven’t experienced a Liverpool team going through a period like this with results like these.

Ranked: The worst title defences in Premier League history

Look away now, Arne Slot…

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 25, 2025

“But at the end of the day, we still have that badge on our chest. And until that badge is gone, we’re always going to fight. We’re going to try and get this team back to where it needs to be, show everyone again what this club is about and why people call it the best team in the world. But right now, we’re in the s***, and it needs to change.”

Carragher also didn’t hold back behind the scenes on CBS, ripping into Ibrahima Konate after the Frenchman endured another disastrous outing at Anfield.

Carragher rips into Konate after "sackable" PSV performance

Caught on camera watching the game behind the scenes on punditry duty for CBS, Carragher slammed Konate and claimed that it was a “sackable offence” for Slot to start the struggling defender against PSV.

Konate, who is out of contract in the summer, has been one of the most disappointing players in Liverpool’s recent run and continued his struggles against PSV – missing his interception for their third goal.

Once again, he found himself hooked in the second-half as Slot desperately attempted to turn the game around. By the time that the defender departed the game in the 76th minute, Konate had made just three tackles and won zero aerial duels on another evening to forget.

It’s a timely reminder that, despite breaking their transfer record twice in the summer, Liverpool made a major mistake when they missed out on Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

As bad as Konate & Van Dijk: £85m Liverpool duo cannot start together again

The Los Angeles Angels will be without superstar Mike Trout for a little while.

Angels manager Ron Washington announced Thursday night that Trout was being placed on the injured list due to a bone bruise in his left knee. However, Washington added that the injury was not believed to be significant and that tests showed no structural damage in his knee.

Trout exited Wednesday's loss to the Seattle Mariners during an at-bat in the third inning when he tried to run out a ground ball. After the game, Trout told reporters his knee was feeling better, but he was left out of the lineup for Thursday's series opener against the Detroit Tigers.

It's another trip to the IL for the oft-injured Trout, who just hasn't been able to stay on the field over the past several years. He suffered a torn meniscus in the same knee last season, and before that, dealt with a broken hamate bone, a back injury and a calf sprain.

The Angels have lost six straight games and currently sit in last place in the AL West with a 12-18 record.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl should be relatively pleased with his start to life in the dugout at Ibrox, with four wins out of four in the Scottish Premiership so far.

The Light Blues beat Livingston 2-1 at Ibrox in a controversial clash in their first game back after the international break, as no penalty was awarded for handball against Emmanuel Fernandez, who also scored the opening goal in the match.

Rangers got the job done, though, and claimed all three points thanks to a second-half strike from Mohamed Diomande, who tapped into an empty net at the back post.

The Ivorian central midfielder had an open goal in front of him because Bojan Miovski made a brilliant run over the top and poked the ball to Diomande as the goalkeeper came out to meet him.

It was a moment of real quality from the Macedonia international to help clinch all three points for the Scottish giants on Saturday, after what has been a difficult start to the campaign.

The Light Blues bolstered their attacking ranks with the £8m signing of Youssef Chermiti and the £4.2m signing of Miovski in the summer, and supporters may need to be patient with both of them.

Why Rangers fans need to be patient with Miovski and Chermiti

Rangers splashed the cash to bring those two centre-forwards to Ibrox, particularly Chermiti, and you can understand why some supporters may not be happy with what they have produced so far this season.

Both strikers have only scored one goal so far in the Scottish Premiership under Russell Martin, Stevie Smith, and Danny Rohl combined, which shows that they have rarely provided much in the way of quality in the final third.

As you can see in the table above, Chermiti and Miovski have both failed to offer value for money in the league since their respective big-money moves from Everton and Girona in the summer.

Rangers and their supporters should still have some patience, though, because Miovski is a proven Premiership goalscorer who can offer quality if he hits his stride.

The left-footed attacker, as shown in the graphic below, was a prolific scorer during his time with Aberdeen, before his move to Spain last year, and this suggests that there is still hope that he can turn his Ibrox career around.

Chermiti does not have the same history of goalscoring, having failed to score a single first-team goal in two seasons with Everton, that Miovski behind him has to suggest that he will come good, but the Portuguese striker is only 21.

The former Toffees flop has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and signed a long-term contract at Ibrox, which is why there may need to be patience with him to allow him to flourish as a player. It is not his fault that former sporting director Kevin Thelwell spent £8m on him, and he should be given a chance to prove his worth in the years to come.

Whilst patience is needed with Miovski and Chermiti, who were both permanent additions signed to long contracts, there are some other summer signings who should not be awarded the same patience.

Chalkboard

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

Nasser Djiga was brought in on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers during the summer transfer window in an attempt to bolster Russell Martin’s defence, but he has been an even bigger waste of time than the two strikers.

Why Djiga has been a worse Rangers signing than Miovski and Chermiti

The Burkina Faso international is only on loan from the Premier League side until the end of the season and the club do not have an option to make the deal permanent next summer.

That means, as it stands, the central defender should only be judged on his performances in the short-term because he is not a player who the Light Blues will benefit from if he develops and improves by the end of the campaign, as he will be off down south to England again.

Therefore, on current performance levels, Djiga looks to be an even bigger waste of time than Miovski and Chermiti, because he is not delivering quality on the pitch for Rangers in the present.

The Wolves loanee, as shown by the table above, has been in and out of the side in recent weeks and months, which has been because of his inconsistent performances.

Injuries to John Souttar and Derek Cornelius provided him with a chance to impress against Livingston, but his error for Tete Yengi’s equaliser was described as “appalling” defending by reporter Tom English, as the centre-back allowed the forward to run off the back of him to score from a long pass.

That mistake against Livingston on Saturday is far from the first one that he has made in a Rangers shirt. Four Lads Had A Dream claimed that he

“genuinely looks lost” during the 3-1 defeat to Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup earlier this month.

Djiga also got off to a poor start to life at Ibrox in August. He was sent off in a 1-1 draw with Dundee at Ibrox before making a ‘disastrous’ error at the start of the club’s Champions League play-off qualifier against Club Brugge.

These examples show that the central defender has been an unreliable performer for the Light Blues throughout the season, for both Martin and Rohl, which is why he has been a dismal signing on current evidence.

That is also why he has been an even bigger waste of time than Miovski and Chermiti, because the two strikers were permanent signings on multi-year deals and have time to turn things around, whilst Djiga was a season-long loan signing who should be making an instant impact.

The new Ryan Kent: Rangers can unearth "electrifying" Gassama upgrade

Rangers have a possible upgrade on Djedi Gassama who could be their next Ryan Kent, but he has not played any minutes this season.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 23, 2025

Unless the Wolves loanee can drastically turn his form around and prove himself to be a reliable figure at the back for Rohl, he may go down as one of the worst signings of the Thelwell era, which lasted one summer.

Manchester United wonderkid JJ Gabriel rubbed further salt into Liverpool’s wounds as he celebrated like Alexander Isak after netting a hat-trick in his side’s 7-0 thrashing of the Reds’ Under-18s on Saturday. The highly-rated 15-year-old enhanced his burgeoning reputation with a remarkable performance which helped Darren Fletcher’s youngsters move up to third in the U18 Premier League table.

• Another miserable afternoon for Liverpool

  Liverpool fans are having a tough time currently, with the first team struggling under Arne Slot after having slipped to a ninth defeat in 12 games last time out in the Champions League against PSV. There was more misery on Saturday afternoon as Liverpool's Under-18s came up against bitter rivals United and slumped to a 7-0 defeat at the AXA Training Centre in the Premier League.

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• Gabriel enhances reputation with hat-trick

  United forward Gabriel put in another eye-catching display with a clinical hat-trick. The teenager showed brilliant skill, twisting and turning in the box to make it 2-0 to the Red Devils. He then escaped more defenders with another goal for 3-0 and then ensured he went home with the match ball by finishing off a well-worked move to wrap up the scoring late on for United. Gabriel also managed to troll Liverpool's struggling big-money signing Isak by imitating his goal celebration. It's the sort of performance that will have United fans purring about their rising star, who appears to have a very bright future ahead of him.

• Amorim to call on JJ Gabriel?

  The teenager, who was born in London and has spent time at the academies of Arsenal, Chelsea, and West Ham, has been at United since 2022. In that time, he has impressed through the club's age groups, so much so that he took part in the Red Devils' first-team training last month. The youngster, who earned a sponsorship with Nike at the age of 11, is understood to have taken part in a full 11 vs 11 practice game. Perhaps he will get more chances to play with Ruben Amorim's side in 2026.

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  What next for Man Utd wonderkid?

  Gabriel, who is still too young to even play in the FA Youth Cup, will hope to continue his excellent scoring form when United's U18s host Newcastle's U18s next Saturday in a game between third and second in the division, respectively.