The score was 93 for 4, then 130 for 6. You’d call most centuries from that situation gritty, or tenacious, but not a century from this dude

Andrew Fidel Fernando at the P Sara Oval24-Aug-2019So you think you have style. People compliment you on your outfits. You’re at a high-end hairdresser a couple of times a month. In between the visits, there is never a strand out of place. When you go out, you order the classiest drinks – spirits, neat. Your vehicle is the envy of your peer group, washed, waxed, vacuumed, scratch-free: immaculate. At weddings, you’re cutting up the dance floor, admirers staring from all corners of the room, the bride and groom feeling thoroughly outshone. It’s understandable. You are convinced you are smooth in civilian life. You think you’re the shit. I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you’re no Dhananjaya de Silva. Next to him on a cricket field, you’re trash.The P Sara Oval is among the most testing venues on the planet, for batsmen. There’s a bit of pace, a bit of bounce, a bit of seam and swing, a bit of spin, and a lot of wickets. It’s been 16 years since the last drawn Test at this venue. De Silva arrived into a 93 for 4 situation, which quickly deteriorated into a 130 for 6 situation. A century from a No. 6, from here, would generally have to be gritty, and if you’re batting with the tail, farming the strike, and pushing the score out to much further than it should have got, your innings has got to be tenacious, right?But you’d never use these adjectives for this de Silva innings. You’d never use them for any de Silva innings. He slinks down the pitch, long-sleeved, limbs relaxed, a stream meandering in paddies. He strokes a lofted four over cover, raps gloves, goes back, slouches into his stance. Against the quicks, in this innings, he was majestically languid. They kept trying to bounce him. He kept hooking them casually for six.There is no more casually graceful player right now, because every act, even the mistakes, are imbued with an air of indifference. So he nailed that shot but it went straight to the fielder. No big deal. There’s another ball coming. So he dropped an offbreak short and the batsman bashed it for four. Relax. It’s just cricket. Nobody died. This is merely superficial, of course, because deep down, he genuinely cares. He was yanked up and down the order like a marionette for years – a process that sent his batting average into a nosedive. In the meantime, he improved his bowling to such an extent that he began being picked primarily for his offspin in limited-overs cricket.Dhananjaya de Silva runs one through point•Getty ImagesIn the field, Sri Lanka have no one else of his quality – a player who can be reliably deployed almost anywhere. He rides the boundary like an Old West outlaw passing on a mustang through the middle of a dusty town. When he is in the slips, it is less a cordon, more a Sunday afternoon hangout sesh in a coconut grove. He leaps, catlike, to make another a spectacular save at point, and when teammates rush up, he holds out his palm out for only lowest of low-fives. It’s cool, fellas. Just a saved four. Don’t lose your minds.Then he’s called up by the captain to send a few overs down. There are spinners who wear sunglasses when in action. Sometimes they even look suave. De Silva doesn’t need the shades. His action isn’t classical, but like with everything he does, it seems entirely effortless. You know in your mind that he’s participating in an elite sport, and in some spells, like the one in Port Elizabeth in February, making vital contributions to an eventual victory.You understand that to get to this level, there must have been sweat and sacrifice. But aesthetically, de Silva has his feet up, in a hammock. Later in the day, Tom Latham produced a hundred that was objectively more impressive, because unlike de Silva he had not been dropped in single figures, and there were far fewer edges for four behind the wicket, but Latham is basically the anti-de Silva – he always looks like he’s hard at work.Occasionally de Silva held the pose after a cover drive, but where this, for other batsmen, is their most visually pleasing state, de Silva is just as nonchalantly glorious when in actual motion. Like he is made of liquid rather than flesh and bone.Maybe you are an important person. Maybe you fight for human rights, help protect the environment, drive your nation’s economy, make decisions in parliament, pass judgement in court. De Silva is only a cricketer, but he would look way cooler than you doing any of that.

What’s that smell lingering in the air over Newlands?

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town07-Jan-2020If a brain fart had an odour, it would be what Quinton de Kock smelt like after he hit a Joe Denly long-hop straight to midwicket in the post-tea session. It would reek of regret, pong with impatience and give off a whiff of what-could-have-been.It lingered in the Newlands air, with the inevitable realisation that even South Africa’s longest fourth innings in more than four years was not enough to hold onto their series lead. That was long after Dean Elgar’s self-confessed first-innings “big one” and de Kock’s more recent fluff.De Kock is not the batsman South Africa would have expected to be at the forefront of a block-a-thon, especially after he flicked the first ball he faced fine for four, but he has never scored fifty runs slower in a Test than he did at Newlands. His relative restraint against the spinners, especially with the ball spitting out of the rough outside his offstump, suggested a maturity de Kock has previously been thought to lack. He spent two hours and nine minutes at the crease, faced 107 balls and did not score off 83 of them.ALSO READ: Seven things we learnt from a memorable match”He was going really well and we felt he had it under control,” Faf du Plessis said. Until that long-hop. De Kock could have hit that anywhere and he knew it. As the catch was claimed, de Kock stood motionless in disbelief, both hands on the top of his bat handle, a slight squat to his stance, in a position that said “oh no.”England celebrates the wicket of Quinton de Kock•Gallo Images/Getty ImagesHis was the first of five wickets South Africa lost for 11 runs in 17 overs to fall 50 balls, or maybe 40 minutes, short of saving the match. While de Kock’s wicket added the final stench, the fumes emerged much earlier.If a brain fart had a smell, it would be what du Plessis smelt like after he swept Dom Bess straight to square leg having batted with restraint for 57 balls, with memories from Adelaide 2012, Johannesburg 2013 and Colombo 2014 mushrooming. Du Plessis doesn’t need to listen the war stories, he was on the front line on all three occasions. If there was one player in the South African XI that the rest would have bet their houses on to secure the draw, it would have been du Plessis.For 79 minutes, he absorbed pressure, most of the time showing only defensive intent. As deliveries from James Anderson jagged off the seam, du Plessis dead-batted them to put himself out of harm’s way. He played one risky shot – a splice over gully – and one aggressive shot – a drive through point, and was readying to take the shine off the second new ball. But, 3.4 overs before it was due, Bess dangled a delivery outside off, du Plessis went at it with hard hands, thinking it would go over the fielder, but found him.”With everyone around the bat, with square leg and midwicket up, I [was trying to] go over the guy. To sweep it in the middle, was a mental error,” he said. “When you have a few guys around the bat and the ball spinning out the rough, you try and manipulate the field a little and spread it but all we needed was for me to drop anchor.”Faf du Plessis sweeps and is caught at square leg•Getty ImagesThat may not be where the match was actually lost, however.If a brain fart had a smell, it would be what Elgar smelt like after he threw away a beckoning hundred and a strong position in the first innings when he mowed Bess to mid-off. South Africa had recovered from 40 for 3, to 157 for 3, Rassie van der Dussen had bedded in and a partnership was developing. Though the first innings seems like an unfair place to start working through the fog of this defeat, it is actually where the indigestion came from.South Africa were building the foundations of a lead before they lost 7 for 66 and conceded a 46-run first-innings deficit. Elgar’s dismissal sparked the collapse and though blame cannot, and is not, being laid at one player’s feet, Elgar knows he got that wrong. So do the rest. Asked where the game was lost, du Plessis said: “First-innings runs. We got ourselves into a position where we should have got a little bit more.”All that means the performances of the senior trio in South Africa’s top six will have wrinkled a few noses and furrowed a few brows while the men themselves will look at their junior members and blush. Pieter Malan on debut, Rassie van der Dussen in his second Test and to a lesser extent Zubayr Hamza in his fourth all showed the temperament the situation demanded. Malan played a knock that may confine Aiden Markram to the domestic system for the foreseeable future, van der Dussen has almost certainly laid claim to the No.5 spot and Hamza’s technique should set him up for a long stint at No.3.The new players are what du Plessis said is “needed for us to move forward. You need guys to come through in a transitional period and put their hands up and say, ‘I am going to make this spot my own.'” The same thing is happening to England, where Dom Sibley’s century changed the complexion of the game.Before this series started, it was seen as a contest between which problem-riddled line-up could cobble together more runs, with good reason. Since the beginning of 2019, England have played 25 Test innings and being bowled out for less than 300 some 15 times, including nine scores under 200. South Africa have batted in 18 and been dismissed 14 times for less than 300, with five scores under 200. Compare that to India, who have only been bowled out twice in 11 innings over the same period, once for under 300, and Australia, who have had five out of 23 innings under 300, and you will understand why the ICC Test Championship points table looks the way it does.While England’s 2019 was studded with batting blowouts, South Africa were consistently poor. The former speaks to issues in approach, the latter, issues of personnel. Already, though, both problems have showed signs of being resolved. In South Africa’s case, it may even be the turning of a corner.”Two months ago, we were very weak mentally. We exploded quickly. Sometimes you will improve by losing,” du Plessis said.So maybe if a brain fart had a smell, it would not be as putrid as it sounds. It may carry the scent of change.

Over the last couple of years, Chelsea have struggled to match the levels produced by Thomas Tuchel, with the German being a monster hit with the supporters as a result of his success.

He was appointed as manager back in January 2021, taking over from Frank Lampard, going on to achieve the unthinkable just a couple of months after moving to Stamford Bridge.

The former PSG boss would mastermind the Blues to a 1-0 win over fellow Premier League side Manchester City in the Champions League final – claiming just their second European Cup triumph in Portugal.

Such an achievement will always make him a fan favourite in West London, with many arguing he was unfairly dismissed by the hierarchy back in September 2022.

Current boss Enzo Maresca is yet to match the heights set by the German, but he will need time to work his magic given the influx of additions – something which Tuchel missed after his dismissal.

Chelsea’s hunt to land a number nine in 2025

Nicolas Jackson has been Chelsea’s number-one striking option over the last couple of years, notching a total of 26 goals in his 68 outings for the Blues.

However, his injury, coupled with the lack of depth, has seen the hierarchy constantly linked with various attackers all over Europe – as they try to push the club closer to the top of the division.

The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen and Jonathan David have all been linked with a move to the Bridge in recent weeks, showcasing the potential quality the club could attract this summer.

The window doesn’t open yet for another couple of months, with qualification for the Champions League only boosting their chances of landing a top-level talent to take the side forward.

Many supporters must wish they had their own version of one world-class star, with one player previously predicted to emulate his success before his eventual departure.

The player who was tipped to be Chelsea’s own Harry Kane

Striker Harry Kane is a player who’s always been associated with goals, understandably so given his goalscoring exploits wherever he’s played throughout his career.

The 31-year-old is Tottenham Hotspur’s and England’s record scorers, notching a total of 280 and 71 goals respectively – even carrying on his superb form with Bayern Munich.

He joined the Bundesliga giants in 2023 and has scored 77 times in just 83 appearances across all competitions, highlighting the clinical nature he possesses in the final third.

However, the Blues could’ve had their very own version of the talisman in the form of Timo Werner, who was sold for £25m by Tuchel in the summer of 2022, returning to former side RB Leipzig.

The 29-year-old has high hopes of being a success in the capital, costing £45m just two years prior – taking the Premier League by storm in his first year, notching 14 combined goal contributions.

2022/23

RB Leipzig

40

16

5

2023/24

RB Leipzig

14

2

1

2023/24

Spurs (loan)

14

2

3

2024/25

Spurs (loan)

27

1

3

Total:

95

21

12

Such a run of form would lead to teammate Ben Chilwell comparing him to Kane and that he had the potential to be world-class during his time at the Bridge.

It’s safe to say the striker had divided opinion during his time as a Blue, with the club certainly making the right call in offloading him given his lack of form over the last couple of seasons.

He’s spent the last two years on loan at city rivals Spurs, scoring just three times in his last 41 outings – looking wasteful and past the level required of a player in England’s top flight.

There’s no denying he failed to live up to expectations during his time at the Bridge, struggling to prove Chilwell right in his claim and ultimately unable to live up to the hype.

Whilst they lost money at the time of selling him back to his former employers, it was certainly the right call, with his value likely to plummet further given his recent unsuccessful stint in North London.

He's like Gyokeres: Chelsea plot bid for "one of the best STs in the world"

Chelsea are targeting another player to improve the options within the final third.

1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 1, 2025

Leeds United are back in pole position in the intense automatic promotion tussle unfolding in the Championship, with a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Tuesday night sending them straight back to the top of the unpredictable division.

However, nothing is set in stone just yet, with Daniel Farke’s Whites in an equally promising position last campaign, only for playoff final misery to greet them at the hands of Southampton.

This promotion near-miss had the potential to completely break the West Yorkshire outfit – considering the amount of notable sales that were later signed off on – with the likes of Georginio Rutter and many more heartbreakingly swapping the second tier for luxurious Premier League pastures.

How Leeds' record sales are now performing

Leeds did hold onto Rutter for longer than they would have anticipated, with the enigmatic 22-year-old not actually leaving Elland Road for good until the middle of August last year.

Still, even with all that time to prepare for the exciting Frenchman’s departure, his eventual £40m exit to Brighton and Hove Albion would prove to be a difficult pill to swallow.

After all, Leeds have never really replaced Rutter’s firepower in the number ten position back at Elland Road, with the Seagulls number 14 now up to an impressive eight goals and five assists this season, whilst Farke persists with the likes of Brenden Aaronson.

At least Farke has full-throttle wingers such as Manor Solomon and Largie Ramazani to call upon to make the £25m sale of Crysencio Summerville less painful, with the Dutchman experiencing an up-and-down spell at West Ham United to date.

Summerville has only picked up a meagre one goal and two assists from 22 appearances this season at the Hammers, with injury difficulties getting the better of him this year so far.

Whilst both Rutter and Summerville have blown hot and cold, there is one former Leeds man who has transformed into one of the world’s best away from West Yorkshire, leading to some bold valuations appearing above his head.

The "special" Leeds ace now worth £100m

It won’t come as the greatest shock to see this ex-Whites favourite excelling so much far away from England, considering he is their record sale at a hefty £55m when Victor Orta signed off on his exit to Spain.

As has been seen in the unfortunate tale of Kalvin Phillips, sometimes a more opulent environment can work against you, but Raphinha is now regarded as one of the shining stars in world football at Hansi Flick’s treble-chasing Barcelona.

In Europe’s elite competition alone this season, the spellbinding Brazilian has managed to match Lionel Messi’s ridiculous Barca numbers, with Raphinha now up to a staggering 19 goals and assists from just 11 outings.

Moreover, the constantly captivating 28-year-old has a ridiculous 50 goals and assists in total from 45 overall appearances, with the Barca superstar more than living up to Marcelo Bielsa’s claims now that he was “special” when playing out of his skin week in week out at Leeds.

24/25

Barcelona

45

28

22

23/24

Barcelona

37

10

13

22/23

Barcelona

50

10

10

21/22

Leeds

36

11

3

20/21

Leeds

31

6

9

His consistent excellence at the Camp Nou has even led to bids worth around €100m (£86m) reportedly being made, with these insane numbers tallied up also leading to lofty FBref comparisons being drawn to well-known names across Europe.

Those include the likes of Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer, who are worth around the £128m and £111m mark respectively, according to Transfermarkt.

Flick and Co will just be savouring the brilliance of Raphinha for as long as they can, whilst his ex-employers find themselves far more removed from the grandeur of European football fighting it out to return to the Premier League.

Perhaps, the Whites may be ruing Orta’s failure to rake in an even bigger transfer fee…

Leeds have an "unplayable" star but he's in danger of being Costa 2.0

Leeds will be hoping he can turn up in the Premier League

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 10, 2025

Arsenal are now readying a £30m bid for an attacking midfielder, who plays for one of their Premier League rivals, and there is a feeling it could be accepted, according to a report.

Gunners looking to strengthen in attack

As we edge closer to the end of the Premier League season, it is becoming more apparent the Gunners need to bring in reinforcements in attacking areas this summer, with Mikel Arteta once again having to make do without a striker yesterday afternoon.

Arteta’s side dropped another two points in the Premier League title race at Goodison Park, although Leandro Trossard did manage to get on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw against Everton, which left them 11 points behind Liverpool.

A new striker is of particular interest to Arteta, and three centre-forwards continue to be linked with moves to the Emirates Stadium, namely Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko.

Berta now convinced £48m star wants to join Arsenal after recent meeting

The Italian thinks he’s “hugely attracted”.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 5, 2025

However, with Bukayo Saka’s absence exposing the lack of depth in the squad earlier this season, a winger could also be brought in by new sporting director Andrea Berta, with Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams now thought to be interested in making the move to north London.

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal and Berta may want to bring in another attacking midfielder and are readying a €35m (£30m) bid for Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss.

El Khannouss could be set to leave Leicester at the end of the season, with his side now looking very likely to be relegated from the Premier League, and the Gunners have seemingly offered him an escape route.

The north Londoners believe the Moroccan has great potential, and there is a feeling Leicester could be willing to cash in, given their difficult financial situation amid impending relegation to the Championship.

"Special" El Khannouss needs to leave this summer

It hasn’t been the best of debut campaigns in the Premier League for the 20-year-old, having picked up just two goals and one assist, however, it was always going to be a tall order to stand out in such a poor side.

With the Foxes set to be relegated, the Belgian-born starlet needs to move on this summer, and there are indications he could be a solid signing for Arsenal, having been lauded as a “special” player by some members of the media.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson also speaks very highly of the attacking midfielder, which suggests his attacking numbers could increase dramatically if he played in a better side.

A new striker should be Arsenal’s priority for the summer, but it is promising news that El Khannouss is also being targeted, given the lack of depth in attacking areas.

Tottenham Hotspur have initiated contact over potentially appointing an “exciting” and “attacking” manager to replace Ange Postecoglou, with speculation continuing to mount in regard to the Spurs boss’ long-term future.

Ange Postecoglou makes admission over Spurs job

The 59-year-old is said to be facing a last chance to maintain his position in the dugout for next season, following a lacklustre Premier League campaign where Spurs find themselves 14th in the league after 16 top-flight defeats in total.

Related Tottenham hold talks with "top" £40m player who Arsenal have contacted too

The north London duo have both reached out.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 10, 2025

Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media outlets report that the Europa League will be crucial in saving Postecoglou’s job at Spurs, and failure to perform in the competition will more than likely result in a change of manager.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is also believed to be Tottenham’s top managerial target if they decide to go in a different direction to the ex-Celtic gaffer, while Fulham’s Marco Silva, Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi and Brentford’s Thomas Frank have all been linked in the last fortnight.

Speaking in a pre-match press conference ahead of the Lilywhites’ crucial Europa League quarter-final clash with Eintracht Frankfurt, Postecoglou admitted he’s aware of some sentiments that he could be sacked regardless of their European campaign.

“I came to this club with a clear purpose of rejuvenating a squad that was coming to the end of a cycle,” said Postecoglou on his future.

“I just think we’re in that position that the good stuff we may do is going to be turned into a glass half full rhetoric and from that perspective I don’t think that can be a driver in what we want to do. The lads are really keen to bring success to the club.

“I don’t think you’re going to win that argument of convincing people, well I think [someone] wrote that even if we win it, I’m gone anyway.

“That’s not having a go at you, that’s just saying the general sentiment of people.”

Tottenham are also reportedly interested in Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who’s just guided the Eagles to an FA Cup semi-final and has impressed with the job he’s done at Selhurst Park.

Tottenham make contact over Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner

Last week, it was claimed that Tottenham are real admirers of Glasner, who Red Bull’s head of Global Soccer, Jurgen Klopp, really likes and is targeting for RB Leipzig.

Now, Sport Bild have another update on the Austrian and Spurs’ interest.

It is believed Tottenham have made contact for Glasner, and they’re seen as serious threats to Leipzig’s prospects of hiring the 50-year-old, considering they can tempt the Austrian with a higher wage packet.

With an approach apparently made, supporters will be intrigued to see Palace chairman Steve Parish’s glowing endorsement of Glasner, who lavished the head coach with praise following his appointment last year.

“He has an outstanding record, and we believe he is the right manager to take the club forward at this pivotal stage,” said Parish last season.

“Wherever Oliver has gone so far in his managerial journey, success has been quick to follow, and we believe his ambition, as well as his exciting and attacking approach is the perfect fit for getting the most from our talented young squad in the remainder of this Premier League season and beyond.”

Taking this into account, and his solid managerial candidate, he could be a strong outside candidate to rival the likes of Iraola and Silva.

When West Bromwich Albion handed Tony Mowbray the reins for his second spell at the Baggies, another promotion, one that the impressive Carlos Corberan failed to deliver, was being dreamt of.

Indeed, Mowbray has been here before when guiding West Brom triumphantly to the Championship title back in 2008, with his task in the here and now to steer the West Midlands outfit to a playoff finish.

Part of that great side were players like Graham Dorrans, James Morrison, Robert Koren and, of course, Jonas Olsson.

Perhaps Mowbray has found his next version of the big Swede in 2025.

Jonas Olsson's time at West Brom

Last time the current manager took West Brom up to the promised land of English football, Mowbray did, unfortunately send his side straight back down.

But, the dismal relegation that did occur at the end of the 2008/09 season – which ultimately cost the manager his job – didn’t mean it was all doom and gloom at the Hawthorns, with Olsson sticking out as a formidable performer even as the Premier League slipped out of his new team’s grasp.

In total, the Swedish powerhouse tallied up 261 appearances donning a Baggies strip, with this unfortunate relegation blot on his resume not deterring him from going on to amass eight goals and six assists in the Premier League from 201 clashes.

Often using his towering 6 foot 5 frame to resiliently battle and grind out important wins, there’s one player in Mowbray’s current camp who bares similarities to the modern West Brom icon by displaying equal amounts of grit.

West Brom's new version of Olsson

The second-tier promotion chasers were very proactive in the busy January market, with the likes of EFL sharpshooter Adam Armstrong joining the ranks on loan, alongside Tammer Bany joining from Scandinavia in a surprise switch.

Amazingly, this isn’t the only pursuit from this neck of the woods that West Brom have signed off on in recent times, as tough defensive battler Torbjørn Heggem joined from Swedish top-flight side IF Brommapojkarna for a modest £500k last summer.

Heggem has managed to instantly fit in – much like Olsson after his move in 2008 – with a header being powered home back in December eerily similar to the many goals the Swede scored in crucial moments.

Moreover, the ex-Brommapojkarna titan has managed to shore up Mowbray’s side like the memorable number 4 before him, seen in Heggem winning a high five duels on average per Championship clash.

Games played

39

Games started

39

Goals scored

1

Assists

2

Touches*

67.8

Accurate passes*

44.5 (88%)

Ball recoveries*

3.3

Clearances*

4.9

Total duels won*

5.0

Clean sheets

12

The “outstanding” summer recruit – as he’s been lauded by pundit Carlton Palmer for his Baggies heroics – has also managed to collect 12 clean sheets from his 39 second-tier appearances, resulting in Heggem cementing himself as a regular by missing zero Championship games this season.

Heggem would love to round off his stunning debut season in England with a promotion in hand, as the 26-year-old no-nonsense defender potentially becomes more and more like West Brom’s next Olsson if he passes any upcoming hurdles in front of him with flying colours.

Best signing since Pereira: West Brom have struck gold on "special" star

West Bromwich Albion struck gold when snapping up this lethal attacker.

ByKelan Sarson Mar 31, 2025

Glasgow Rangers showed plenty of fighting spirit under Barry Ferguson once again during his interim period in charge as they came back from 2-0 down to draw against Aberdeen.

The result was made even better by the fact that Ross McCausland was sent off for the Ibrox outfit after receiving a second yellow card just five minutes before the interval.

With the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie coming up against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday evening, it was evident that Ferguson was thinking ahead to that game, making nine changes to his team.

In the grand scheme of things, the result wasn’t important, especially as the domestic season is all but done for the Light Blues.

The game did present an ideal chance for several fringe players to make an impression against the Dons. The likes of Danilo, Rafael Fernandes, Findlay Curtis and McCausland were all given starts at Pittodrie.

Given the most important match of the season is fast approaching, none of the aforementioned players took their chance to shine against the Dons.

In McCausland’s case, his brief cameo on the pitch could well turn out to be one of his last games for the Ibrox side.

Why Ross McCausland was sent off against Aberdeen

The Northern Irish winger was given his first league start since the 2-1 loss to the same opponents all the way back in October 2024.

He received an early yellow card before he chopped down Aberdeen player Topi Keskinen in what was a senseless challenge that saw him receive a second yellow and ensured the Gers would play the rest of the game with ten men.

After breaking into the first-team squad last season due to an injury crisis, McCausland looked to have a bright future ahead of him, although there were certainly a few things to work on.

The current campaign hasn’t exactly been much of a success, as the winger has featured 25 times for the club, with only seven of those coming in the starting XI.

A tally of just three goals and a solitary assist has been registered from those matches, hardly numbers which have given the Ibrox faithful much confidence in his abilities.

Chalkboard

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

Across his 13 league matches this term, the youngster has registered only 1.2 shots per game while creating no big chances, averaging just 0.6 key passes per match and succeeding with only 0.8 dribbles each appearance for the Light Blues.

In Europe, these numbers decrease even further, as he has averaged no key passes per game while succeeding with 0.7 dribbles and recording only 0.4 shots a match in the Europa League.

Goals

3

0

Assists

4

1

Key passes per game

1.4

0.6

Big chances created

3

0

Successful dribbles per game

0.9

0.8

It has become evident that he isn’t up to the required standard to be a regular at the club, especially if the new manager wishes to embark on a title challenge next season.

If a decent offer arrives this summer, then McCausland should be offloaded at the first available opportunity, no doubt about that.

He isn’t the only one who must be sold when the summer transfer window opens either, as someone who was signed just last summer must headline the list of those expected to depart Rangers.

Bajrami's performance against Aberdeen in numbers

Nedim Bajrami was making his first start for the club since a 3-1 victory over Dundee United in January. With a chance to make a solid impression ahead of the second leg against Bilbao in midweek, it’s fair to say that the Albanian failed to take his chance.

Deployed in a deeper role than he is perhaps accustomed to, Bajrami struggled throughout the match, taking just 44 touches and completing only 25 of his 32 passes against the Dons.

Bajrami lost possession ten times, registered no shots and failed to deliver an accurate cross throughout his time on the pitch. The former Sassuolo man was subbed off with 25 minutes remaining and quite frankly, must not start again in Light Blue.

Journalist Ben Banks of Glasgow World gave Bajrami a match rating of just 4/10 for his performance on Sunday and it is clear he has regressed massively since arriving at Ibrox last summer.

With yet another lethargic display for the Light Blues, Bajrami may have started his last game for the club.

Why Bajrami could be sold this summer

The midfielder joined Rangers in a deal worth around £3.4m towards the end of the 2023 summer transfer window.

It appeared as though Philippe Clement had landed a decent signing, as Bajrami did showcase his talents during his first few months at Ibrox.

He scored on his first European start for the club against Malmö in September, adding goal involvements against Aberdeen, Dundee and Motherwell, with his goal against the latter sending the Gers through to the League Cup final.

Since the start of 2025, however, Bajrami has recorded only four assists in all competitions, with none coming in Europe.

Stevie Clifford, who runs the Four Lads Had a Dream, criticised the player back in January after a string of poor performances, saying: “I’ll highlight it again, it’s not singling him out, but Nedim Bajrami is not offering enough at all. We need him to influence games & be involved, largely anonymous so far, again. £4m is big money to do it in these type of games & he’s miles off it so far.”

He hasn’t become any more influential since Clifford said this and his spell in Glasgow may be short-lived, especially if a new coach comes in who wants to sell a few players to raise transfer funds.

If an offer comes in that would see Rangers recoup the majority of the £3.4m they paid for him, then the board will certainly be keen on accepting this, without a shadow of a doubt.

Some transfers work out well, while others don’t. That is the nature of the beast. In Bajrami, Rangers thought they had a player who might take them to the next level, especially considering he had shone at Euro 2024 and in Serie A. Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out like that.

As bad as McCausland: Ferguson must instantly drop £5m Rangers man

Rangers fought back from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie against Aberdeen, but one flop in particular came in for scathing criticism.

ByBen Gray Apr 13, 2025

It has been a strange season for Alejandro Garnacho. The Manchester United attacker has ten goals and eight assists across all competitions this term, but just six of those 18 goal involvements have come in the Premier League, in 31 games.

With that being said, the 20-year-old has achieved a huge milestone this season. Last weekend, he scored his 15th Premier League goal, coming against Newcastle United as Ruben Amorim’s side slipped to a 4-1 defeat.

Impressively, that took him past his idol, and one of the best players in United’s history, Cristiano Ronaldo, for goals at the same age. At 20 years old, the former Red Devils number seven had just 14 top-flight goals.

However, Garnacho certainly has a way to go before he can match Ronaldo’s legacy at Old Trafford.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Man Utd legacy

Once described as “the greatest player of all time” by former teammate Gary Neville on Sky Sports, few in history have done it like Ronaldo. The 40-year-old is now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia, but his extraordinary career really took off during his first spell at Old Trafford.

After signing for United in 2003 for a reported £12.24m, the Portugal star scored 118 times and grabbed 60 assists in 292 appearances for the English giants.

He was phenomenal, winning three Premier League titles in a row and the Champions League in 2007/08.

That 2007/08 campaign was nothing short of extraordinary, with United winning the double and Ronaldo the Ballon d’Or in 2008, becoming the best player on the planet. He scored 42 goals and provided eight in 49 games in all competitions that season.

His move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009 for a then-world-record £80m was certainly devastating for the Red Devils. He was, in many ways, irreplaceable. Although their success continued, it was never easy to replace someone like Ronaldo.

Well, they might well be in danger of a repeat situation this summer, in a deal worth even more than Ronaldo’s back in 2009.

Man Utd’s new Ronaldo in 2025

If you asked United fans 16 years ago which player they would least like to be sold, Ronaldo would likely have been the answer. Well, in 2025, the answer to that question would surely be Bruno Fernandes.

It has been an unforgettable season for United’s captain Fernandes, in what has been a poor season as a side. He has an incredible 16 goals and 18 assists in 46 games in all competitions for the Red Devils.

His eight goals and ten assists in the Premier League this term ensures it is his second-best season in terms of output since his move to United back in 2020. The only season he exceeded those numbers was 2020/21, when he scored and assisted 29 goals. As Statman Dave said, he is a “machine”.

It isn’t easy to pinpoint one performance from the Red Devils’ number eight that has been his best this season. He has managed multiple goal involvements in a single game eight times, but his best was arguably the excellent hat-trick against Real Sociedad in the Europa League.

Indeed, Fernandes’ underlying FBref numbers compared to other midfielders in the last 365 days are astounding. For example, the 30-year-old averages 9.32 progressive passes, which ranks him in the top 3% of midfielders.

Goals and assists

0.65

99th

Key passes

3.15

99th

Progressive passes

9.32

97th

Shot-creating actions

5.93

99th

Ball recoveries

6.10

85th

United fans – and Amorim – may be worrying that their captain will leave the club, given Madrid were recently linked with a move. At the end of March, the Daily Star claimed Los Blancos are targeting a £90m move for their talisman.

That would see him leave for even more than Ronaldo did all those years ago, and given Fernandes’ importance to this United side, there is certainly a case to be made that this would be an even bigger loss.

The Red Devils will surely be hoping Fernandes doesn’t become their new Ronaldo, in that sense.

Upgrade on Rashford: Man Utd leading the race to sign £30m "monster"

Man Utd are looking for attacking reinforcements this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 16, 2025