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Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters will already be fearing the worst regarding their side’s bottom-of-the-table position in the Premier League.

Only a sorry two points have been accumulated so far this season, with the Old Gold hierarchy ultimately left with no choice but to sack Vitor Pereira, after Wolves slipped to their disastrous eighth loss of the campaign already away at Fulham on Saturday.

Now, the hunt is on to appoint a miracle worker in the West Midlands, who can turn around this awful start, with a whole host of names being tipped to take on the vacancy.

The latest on Wolves' hunt for a new manager

The only certainty at the moment is that Gary O’Neil will not be re-entering the Molineux dug-out.

Indeed, rumours had begun to circulate that O’Neil was the favourite to take over from Pereira and return in dramatic circumstances. But, the ex-AFC Bournemouth head coach has since withdrawn himself from the race, after holding advanced talks.

Moreover, Michael Carrick is also on Wolves’ radar, with the former Middlesbrough manager still looking for work after being let go by Boro.

With three caretaker matches in charge of Manchester United also under his belt, he could potentially relish the chance of being a saviour for Wolves in the top division.

Carrick’s replacement at the Riverside Stadium in Rob Edwards is also high up the alleged priority list, having previously lined up for Wolves as a player, before earning his managerial stripes at Luton Town and beyond.

Yet, the most out-there name being linked to the Wolves vacancy right now could be viewed as Erik ten Hag, with reports from ESPN indicating that the Dutchman is ‘interested’ in holding talks with the Molineux outfit over the vacant job.

It’s stated that Ten Hag would like to return to the Premier League after his torrid spell at Manchester United, having had his already tattered managerial reputation put through the wringer again when axed three games into his Bayer Leverkusen stint this season.

Still, even with his back-to-back failures hanging over him, ten Hag has been a success in his career elsewhere, as Wolves potentially prepare to welcome a new Nuno Espirito Santo-style figure to Molineux.

How Ten Hag can be Wolves' new Nuno Santo

Despite his sketchy recent track record, the ex-Ajax manager would also be seen as an upgrade on O’Neil walking through the door.

Indeed, despite being the butt of many a Red Devils joke by the time of his dismissal, the 55-year-old guided United to 44 top-flight wins from his 85 games in charge. O’Neil has only 25 league wins next to his name on the contrary.

With other high-profile managers also struggling to get a tune out of the Premier League giants, since he left the Theatre of Dreams, it’s clear the problems run far deeper in Manchester than just who occupies the stressful dug-out.

Nuno has also been up against it in the top division since exiting Wolves, with spells at Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest not exactly going to plan. But, having overseen 73 wins in charge of the Old Gold in the top-flight, he is still heralded as one of the finest bosses they have possessed in the elite division in recent memory.

Despite his wobbles, Ten Hag will hope he will be seen as a similarly ambitious appointment, like when Nuno entered the Wolves dug-out in the Championship after successful stints in La Liga and Liga Portugal, when taking in his glittering managerial numbers above.

The unemployed boss collected three Eredivisie titles as manager of Ajax, with a Champions League semi-final run also being spearheaded by the Dutchman, who has been noted as being a “world-class” operator by his former United midfielder in Fred.

An FA Cup success also came his way during his hot-and-cold reign in Manchester, as the 55-year-old attempts to become a much-loved name at Molineux by steering Wolves away from certain relegation.

If he pulls that unbelievable feat off, he will definitely be seen as the second coming of Nuno – with Ten Hag also regularly setting his teams up in the Portuguese’s preferred 4-2-3-1 make-up – as another bold coup of an appointment potentially goes down a treat.

After all, landing Ten Hag would surely be seen as a more exciting development than retreading old ground with O’Neil.

Wolves want Rob Edwards after Gary O'Neil snub, timeline of appointment revealed

Is the former Luton Town boss the right man for the job?

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 4, 2025

One of the biggest stunners of the most recent MLB offseason was longtime manager Craig Counsell ditching the Milwaukee Brewers and signing a new contract to be the skipper of the rival Chicago Cubs.

Counsell's contract with the Brewers had expired, but most expected him to join former Milwaukee president of baseball operations David Stearns with the New York Mets. Instead, Counsell—a Milwaukee lifer and the face of Brewers baseball for many years as a player and manager—opted to head 90 miles south to Wrigley Field.

The first year of the Counsell era in Chicago hasn't gone as planned. The Cubs entered Friday with a 78-75 record that has them in second place in the NL Central—but 10 games behind Milwaukee, which officially clinched its second straight division title on Wednesday.

"The message sent is there's a big gap. They're ahead of us by a lot," Counsell said Thursday of the Brewers. "It's a talented team. On and off the field, it's a talented team. But there's a big gap. We've got room to make up, there's no question about it."

Milwaukee entered the 2024 campaign as underdogs in the NL Central. The Wisconsin city is the smallest market in MLB and its team has the 21st-ranked payroll at just under $115 million. The Cubs, meanwhile, hold a $229 million payroll, which ranks seventh in baseball.

"Frankly, that makes it daunting," Counsell said. "They've been good, man. For the whole division, I say that about the other teams, too. They've created a gap the last two years in the division. We've got room to go, man."

Counsell became the highest-paid manager in baseball when he signed with Chicago for five years and $40 million back in November 2023. He has plenty of work to do still to live up to that big paycheck—the top of that list being dethroning his former employer and current division rival.

Midfielder Marc Bernal is reportedly weighing up whether to seek a move away from Barcelona in January as he looks to earn more playing time this season. The 18-year-old has made just four appearances for the Spanish giants following his return from the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which saw him miss the majority of the 2024-25 campaign.

• Bernal back after over a year out injured

  After emerging through Barcelona’s youth system at the start of last season, Bernal’s campaign was cruelly cut short after he sustained the serious knee injury in his side’s 2-1 La Liga victory over Rayo Vallecano in August 2024.

  However, after 382 days on the sidelines, Barcelona declared Bernal was fit once again on 13 September. And the Berga-born prodigy then made the perfect return as he recorded an assist in the Blaugrana’s 6-0 league victory over Valencia a day later, with Fermin Lopez, Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski all scoring braces at the Estadi Johan Cruyff.

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  Report claims midfielder is considering January loan move

  Keen to ensure he is not rushed back too soon, Bernal has subsequently made just three more appearances for Barcelona this season – against Real Oviedo in the league and both Paris Saint-Germain and Olympiacos in the Champions League.

  And in a new report from Spanish publication Bernal is reportedly considering all his options ahead of the January transfer window opening in less than two months’ time. The report claims that while Hansi Flick’s side are not planning on allowing Bernal to leave, the youngster is believed to be considering a loan move in his bid to earn more minutes.

• Bernal left out of Spain's Under-21s squad

  Bernal has also been left out of Spain’s Under-21 squad ahead of the upcoming international break, with head coach David Gordo citing a lack of playing time for his exclusion.

  “Marc is one of our own, but he’s not in a comfortable situation right now,” said Gordo. “He’s getting very little playing time. And we’ve brought the squad we think will best help us get six crucial points for our league position.”

  Spain U21s are preparing to take on San Marino and Romania in their next two European Championship qualifiers on Friday, 14 November and Tuesday, 18 November respectively. Gordo’s side are currently unbeaten in qualifying, having won their opening three games in Group A.

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  Barca co-star Yamal returns to Spain squad

  One Barcelona player who will represent his country during the international break is Lamine Yamal, who has been called up for Spain’s double-header against Georgia and Turkey. The winger was left out of La Roja’s squad for their World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria in October after Barcelona said his pubalgia injury had resurfaced.

  However, Spain boss Luis de la Fuente had no qualms about recalling Yamal, saying: "I think the answer is obvious. I watched his last game [against Club Brugge], and I believe he’s in perfect condition. 

  “His coach [Flick] said he was ready to play. He's getting back to being the player he always has been, and we celebrate that. He will stay with us as long as we consider it appropriate.

  "Watching the game the other day, Lamine is fit to play. We have two very important games and we need to field our best players. We have two hugely important matches to qualify for the World Cup, the stakes are massive and we want the best players with us.”

It’s the start of a new era for Newcastle United at boardroom level.

Last week, Ross Wilson was appointed as the club’s new sporting director.

They’ll be hoping he sticks around in the role, having succeeded Paul Mitchell, who held the position for only a year, while Dan Ashworth only held the post for two years, before being placed on extended gardening leave prior to his ill-fated five-month stint at Manchester United.

Wilson himself has previously been a sporting director at Huddersfield, Southampton, Rangers and, most recently, Nottingham Forest, spending two seasons in the East Midlands before now heading to Tyneside.

Under Saudi ownership, Newcastle are certainly one of the most ambitious clubs around, so Wilson is likely to oversee plenty of high-profile deals, but which current squad members will need to be phased out in the coming year or so?

Newcastle's squad transition under PIF

Since the Saudi takeover in 2021, a lot of the Newcastle squad have remained virtual ever-presents.

Eddie Howe has been in charge of 183 matches to date, with 12 players featuring in at least 100 of them, nine of which are currently at the club.

Sean Longstaff, Miguel Almirón and Alexander Isak are the only trio of exceptions, and the latter’s record-breaking departure could signal the start of a new era.

Chalkboard

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

Using the £125m yielded from the no longer very popular Swede’s sale, the Magpies spent around £256m last summer, recruiting five new senior players on a permanent basis.

Yoane Wissa and Jacob Ramsey are yet to make much of an impact due to injury, but Anthony Elanga and Malick Thiaw have established themselves as part of the first-choice lineup, while Nick Woltemade has made quite the early impression, scoring four goals already.

So, while players such as Bruno Guimarães, Fabian Schär, Dan Burn, Jacob Murphy, Joelinton, Anthony Gordon and Nick Pope have been stalwarts of the Newcastle team for around four years, players are going to have to be eased out, and for one in particular, he could be on borrowed time.

Newcastle's ageing star set to be phased out

Kieran Trippier will always go down in history as Newcastle’s first signing of the Saudi era, arriving in January 2022 for around £12m.

With previous club Atlético Madrid, he’d won the La Liga title the season before and was first-choice for England at the time, thereby representing a major coup for a side in the Premier League relegation zone at the time.

Well, to date, he has made 132 appearances for the Magpies, starting all eight Champions League fixtures they’ve had, as well as both EFL Cup Finals, donning the armband during the defeat to Manchester United at Wembley.

So far this season, Trippier has also started five of seven Premier League fixtures, but was left on the bench against Bournemouth, before coming on towards the end against Arsenal after Tino Livramento was stretchered off with a knee ligament issue.

Considering he’s set to be sidelined for around eight weeks, Trippier will be required to deputise for now, but there’s already started to be a changing of the guard in terms of Newcastle full-backs, with Livramento earning three England caps, while Lewis Hall’s performances on the opposite side are catching the eye too.

Writer Scott Wilson labelled Trippier Newcastle’s “talisman” shortly after his arrival but, now 35 years old, his importance is starting to be diminished.

So, let’s compare the England international’s statistics from last season to the year before.

As the table outlines, by pretty much every metric included, Trippier’s numbers worsened last season compared to the year before.

His chance creation numbers drastically decreased, as did his out-of-possession statistics, including ball recoveries and tackles.

This is a clear sign of a player in decline, which is to be expected given the player’s age, but with Trippier in the final year of his contract, one of Wilson’s biggest challenges will be finding a replacement who has not only his quality but also his leadership skills.

Before Dan Burn: Newcastle "leader" is the first player Wilson must ditch

This Newcastle United star, who was once called a leader by Alan Shearer, is now on borrowed time on Tyneside.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 13, 2025

Arsenal's Eberechi Eze has shared that he was ready to sign for the Gunners' rivals Tottenham Hotspur before a call with Mikel Arteta sealed his move to the red side of north London. The former Crystal Palace star had agreed a move to Spurs, but when Arsenal swooped for his signature at the last moment, he never had any doubts about moving to the club he supported as a boy.

• 'One chat with Mik Arteta…'

  On August 19, Eze had seemed set to join Spurs in a blockbuster move that would underscore the club’s ambitions under new boss Thomas Frank. Daniel Levy had all-but sewn up the minor details and the England international looked certain to make a switch to north London.

  One day later, the midfielder made a final call to the Arsenal boss with a desperate plea. The FA Cup final hero had supported Arsenal as a youngster, even playing for the club’s academy, and wanted to make a late check that there was no way to move to the Emirates. By the evening, Arsenal had struck the same deal with Palace and completed the hijack of Spurs’ top transfer target to send the footballing world into meltdown.

  Speaking about that phone call, Arteta explained: “That shows you how much he wanted to come. It's very different sometimes because you want to be very open and transparent with the players as they have to make decisions in their careers but I'm delighted to have him. I'm delighted to have him, I can tell how much it means to him and his whole family."

  A few days later, Eze was unveiled to the raucous Gunners crowd ahead of their victory over Leeds United and, in showing the cold shoulder to their bitter local rivals, had ensured he was already considered a fan favourite.

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  Eze goes back to school

  Now with a handful of games and a goal under his belt at Arsenal, Eze is a key man in the Gunners’ midfield and will face his former club on Sunday. Eze will play against Palace for the first time since making his £60 million ($81m) move and, ahead of the crucial game, returned to south London to visit a school.

  As per , Eze was put in the hotseat and thrown a barrage of questions from excited students – including one pertaining to that last-minute Spurs snub. Asked whether he would have signed on the dotted line for the Lilywhites, Eze admitted that “I was prepared to go to Tottenham, but from the moment Arsenal came, it was always going to be them”.

  Gazumping Spurs has already paid dividends for the Gunners, who had initially been planning to use the Englishman on the left-wing. Following the injury to Martin Odegaard, Eze has been deployed centrally in midfield and provided a creative spark that was missing from the Gunners midfield when they also lost their captain to injury last season.

• Arsenal look to strengthen grip on top

  Despite a string of impressive performances, Eze is yet to truly explode at Arsenal. He has chipped in with a handful of assists and scored his first goal in the Carabao Cup, but will now be looking to get on the scoresheet in the Premier League against Palace. He is no stranger to goals in this fixture either, having found the back of the net with a sumptuous volley at the Emirates last season.

  Should Arteta’s men see off the Eagles, they will maintain, or potentially extend, their advantage at the top of the division. They are three points clear of second-placed Manchester City and four clear of champions Liverpool as their quest for a first Premier League title since 2004 continues.

  With just three goals conceded across all competitions this season, the Arsenal defence has provided an impeccable foundation for the club’s attacking players, now featuring the mercurial Eze, to make the difference. The new Gunners’ new look attack is yet to truly fire on all cylinders, but with Eze starting to find his groove, Arsenal could start to stamp their authority on their lofty perch.

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  A first encounter against Palace

  Sunday will provide an emotional encounter to Eze, who departed the Eagles as a hero. The Englishman scored in both the semi-final and final of the FA Cup to write his name into the history books at Selhurst Park. As well as FA Cup success, he helped the club beat Liverpool to lift the Community Shield and provide the Palace fans with yet another special day at Wembley.

  Despite his affinity with the club, the 27-year-old will have to avoid letting the occasion get the better of him if the Gunners are to take the maximum points available and compound Palace’s recent disappointing run of form.

Everton’s 2025/26 season has opened with a sense of both transition and promise.

After five matches, the Toffees sit in 10th place in the Premier League with seven points, though they were knocked out of the Carabao Cup this week by Wolves.

The club’s summer business has been shaped by significant departures and bold moves in the transfer market, signalling a shift in strategy under David Moyes.

Veterans Ashley Young, Abdoulaye Doucouré, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all departed, leaving gaps in leadership and experience.

In their place, Everton turned to proven top-flight quality in Jack Grealish from Manchester City and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from Chelsea.

Both players add flair and creativity to the midfield.

Perhaps more importantly, Moyes has overseen a clear push towards youth development.

Alongside 22-year-old Thierno Barry, the club added highly rated teenagers Tyler Dibling from Southampton and Adam Aznou from Bayern Munich.

Everton were also linked with the likes of Abdul Fatawu (21) and Omari Hutchinson (21), highlighting the direction of travel.

With Goodison Park increasingly becoming a platform for emerging stars, Moyes appears determined to blend youthful exuberance with established quality.

Tyler Dibling is a prime example of Everton’s youth drive

At just 19 years old, Tyler Dibling has become the poster boy for Everton’s summer recruitment.

The winger was one of Southampton’s most promising prospects last season, making 33 Premier League appearances.

Though he scored just two goals and registered a single assist in 1,874 minutes, his impact extended beyond statistics. Dibling’s direct dribbling style drew admiration from scouts across the country.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich were all credited with interest before Everton secured his signature in a deal worth up to £42m – the club’s biggest signing of the summer.

For Moyes, who had grown frustrated with the lack of activity earlier in the window, Dibling’s arrival marked a decisive statement of intent.

The England U21 international has already been trusted with minutes for the Toffees. He came on in the Merseyside derby, replacing Iliman Ndiaye – a significant moment for a player tipped to play a long-term role in Moyes’ plans.

His signing was also strategically important, filling the right-wing berth vacated by Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom.

What sets Dibling apart is his well-rounded statistical profile.

He ranks in the 92nd percentile for fouls drawn (2.49 per 90) and an incredible 98th percentile for penalty kicks won (0.10 per 90), per FBref.

Defensively, he is remarkably diligent for a teenager, ranking in the 88th percentile for tackles in the midfield third (0.86) and in the 98th percentile for percentage of dribblers tackled (61.5%).

He also excels in blocking shots (96th percentile, 0.24 per 90) and consistently challenges defenders, ranking in the 87th percentile for attempted take-ons (5.28) and 81st percentile for successful take-ons (2.16).

This blend of defensive tenacity, attacking ambition, and technical flair makes Dibling one of the most intriguing prospects Everton have invested in for years.

His presence offers fans hope that the club’s commitment to youth will produce tangible results in the seasons to come.

Kieran Dowell was the one that got away

For every Dibling, however, there is a cautionary tale.

Kieran Dowell is one name that still lingers in Evertonian memory, though not for the reasons once hoped.

A product of the club’s academy, Dowell made his debut in 2014 at just 16 years old during a Europa League group stage.

His talent was evident early on, and he became part of the U23 squad that won the inaugural Premier League 2 title. Yet Dowell’s path never truly took flight at Goodison Park.

A series of loan spells followed, including stints at Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United, as Everton searched for the right environment for his development. Ultimately, he was unable to establish himself as a first-team regular, and in 2020, he departed permanently for Norwich City for £1.5m.

Now 27, Dowell is playing for Rangers in Scotland, where he has made six appearances this season, including three in Champions League qualifying.

During his time at Norwich, though, the left-footed attacking midfielder, who has a similar profile to Dibling, had some moments of pure quality, including the wonderful link-up with Emi Buendia in the clip below.

Journalist Alex Dicken once remarked that he “offers something different in the final third,” and indeed, Dowell’s creativity has been valued previously, with that creativity also on display in that strike against Huddersfield.

He also enjoyed a strong international youth career, representing England at every level up to the U21s, for whom he made 17 appearances, his last cap coming in 2019.

The hope will be that young Dibling’s trajectory ends differently, as another talented, young, left-footed playmaker, cementing Everton’s gamble on youth as the foundation for lasting progress.

Dowell showed great potential as a youngster and went on to showcase his quality with Norwich, winning the Championship in the 2020/21 campaign, which is why the Toffees may feel that they messed up by selling him for just £1.5m in 2020.

AC Milan have reportedly asked USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino to omit star player Christian Pulisic from his upcoming squad. The Serie A side want the winger to finalise his recovery in Milan to be fit for the derby match against Inter, as manager Massimiliano Allegri seeks to finally deploy Pulisic in attack alongside Rafael Leao in the crucial fixture.

• Pulisic nearing return as injury rehab continues

  Milan are in discussions with US Soccer to request that Pulisic be left out of Pochettino's upcoming USMNT squad, according to a report from . The Rossoneri are eager to manage the winger's final stage of recovery from a hamstring injury at the club's headquarters ahead of the crucial derby clash with Inter after the international break.

  Pulisic's return is seen as a vital solution for manager Allegri, who is reportedly enduring a strained relationship with striker Santiago Gimenez. The 27-year-old winger is recovering from a tear to the biceps femoris in his right thigh, an injury he sustained while on international duty during a friendly against Australia in the last break.

  While the initial prognosis suggested a 20-day absence, his recovery may be slightly ahead of schedule. Pulisic will miss Milan's upcoming Serie A fixture against Atalanta in Bergamo on Tuesday. However, he could be in contention for a return at San Siro against Roma on Sunday. If that match is deemed too soon, his return is considered certain for the following game against Parma.

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  Pulisic provides update as Milan seek USMNT exemption

  Pulisic confirmed he is progressing well in a recent social media post, easing concerns over a long-term lay-off.

  "It's been a tough couple of weeks, but my recovery is going great, and I can't wait to get back," he posted.

  With Pulisic not expected to be 100 percent fit before the international break, Milan have begun mediation with US Soccer. reports that the club has asked for Pulisic to be omitted from the squad for the upcoming friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay.

  At a minimum, Milan hope Pochettino will excuse the player from the second friendly against Uruguay, which is set to be played in New Jersey. The Rossoneri's primary motivation is the Derby della Madonnina against Inter, scheduled for the first weekend after the break. Having Pulisic remain at the club for a full training block is seen as a significant turning point for their preparations.

• Allegri's 'ideal attack' hampered by Gimenez-Pulisic-Leao issues

  Pulisic’s return is viewed by Allegri as the key to solving his side's "striker problem." The report from Calciomercato states that the relationship between Allegri and striker Gimenez is at an "all-time low," with the Mexican international starting more from a lack of alternatives than tactical preference.

  Allegri has reportedly been keen to deploy his ideal attacking duo of Pulisic and Leao, a partnership he has not been able to test this season due to successive injuries to both players. Before his injury, Pulisic was in strong form, registering four goals and two assists in six Serie A appearances.

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  What next for Pulisic and AC Milan?

  While Pulisic focuses on his recovery, Milan must navigate their midweek clash with Atalanta without him. All eyes will then turn to his potential availability for the Roma fixture and the subsequent decision from USMNT coach Pochettino.

  An exemption from international duty would be a major boost for Allegri as he looks to finally field his first-choice attack for the high-stakes derby against Inter.

Looking to get contracts done far earlier these days, Liverpool are now reportedly planning talks with two of Arne Slot’s key players in the coming months.

Liverpool confirm Leoni injury blow

It was meant to be a dream come true for Giovanni Leoni when he stepped out at Anfield for the first time on Tuesday evening. And for 80 minutes it was exactly that. The Italian, at just 18 years old, looked as composed as a veteran centre-back and showed off exactly why the Reds were so keen to secure his arrival from Parma in the summer.

A dream start quickly turned into a nightmare in the 81st minute, however, when Leoni suffered a knee injury that is likely to end his campaign before it’s truly got started.

Liverpool confirmed the news and the defender, himself, took to social media to say: “I want to sincerely thank every single who has shown me support in this difficult moment. It wasn’t the debut I had always dreamed of but I will give everything to be back playing in this magical stadium as soon as possible. Thank you so much.”

England star wanted by Real Madrid tempted by Liverpool and Man Utd interest

The Reds could finally get one over on the Spanish giants.

By
Tom Cunningham

Sep 25, 2025

For the teenager, it’s an undeniable blow. For Liverpool, it’s a problem that they must now solve. Without Leoni, the Reds have just three senior centre-backs available, with one of those being the injury-prone Joe Gomez. Suddenly, Slot is just two injuries away from turning towards an auxiliary defender.

That said, one of the options that could play there if the emergency situation occurs is reportedly about to enter contract talks and keeping hold of him is now more important than ever.

Liverpool planning Jones & Gravenberch contract talks

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Liverpool are now planning contract talks with Ryan Gravenberch and Curtis Jones.

Gravenberch, now one of the most important players at Anfield, is set to be rewarded for his new role well before his current deal runs out in 2028. Jones, meanwhile, has until 2027 and is arguably due a pay rise up from his current £19,000-a-week salary.

Bailey told TBR: “When it comes to Liverpool contracts, I think Curtis Jones will be sorted pretty soon. Ryan Gravenberch will be the next cab off the rank after that. They know they’ve got a potential world-class player on their hands.

“Previously, they’d been linked with the likes of Caicedo and others, but in Gravenberch, they believe they’ve got someone who, for his age, can hold a candle to anyone in world football. He’ll be dealt with very soon, too.”

It’s deals that both have certainly earned as Premier League champions and that is likely to be reflected in any potential wage increase in the near future.

Hold the back page! Hold the front page! While you’re at it, hold all the pages in the middle as well!

Rangers football club have won a match!

On Saturday night, against a backdrop of widespread anti-Russell Martin protests, the Gers beat Hibernian 2-0 at Ibrox in the League Cup quarter-finals.

When Martin Boyle seemingly broke the deadlock for Hibs, the mood turned mutinous but, thankfully for Martin, referee Nick Walsh disallowed the goal for handball.

Then, very much against the run of play, Rangers scored twice on the cusp of half time, with Nicolas Raskin breaking the deadlock, heading home James Tavernier’s inch-perfect corner.

Soon after, in injury time, Raskin was the architect, playing the ball in-behind for Mikey Moore, who squared it to Bojan Miovski to score his first goal in Rangers blue.

So, finally something for Martin to build on ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League opener against Genk in Govan, but which members of his squad have made themselves undroppable?

Nicolas Raskin's return

Raskin was back in the Rangers lineup on Saturday and, as literally every onlooker could’ve predicted, he made the team so much better!

Before this, following a falling out with under-fire manager Martin, the Belgian was left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, before not even being included in the matchday squad for the Gers’ last two matches, the drab goalless draw with Celtic and then the miserable 2-0 defeat at the hands of Hearts.

Following the latter, presenter Darrell Currie was perplexed as to how Martin thinks it could possibly be a good idea to leave his “best player in the stand”.

Last season, Raskin was named Rangers’ Players’ Player of the Year and Fans’ Player of the Year, underlining that he was unquestionably their stand-out performer.

Earlier this month, the 24-year-old started and scored for Belgium in a World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan at Stade Constant Vanden Stock, alongside Youri Tielemans and Kevin De Bruyne, who aren’t bad are they, suggesting he is pretty decent?

Chalkboard

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

Thus, going forward, Martin has to set aside his differences and build the team around his talisman, but has someone else made themselves equally as undroppable as Raskin?

Rangers' new star attacker

As already mentioned, Miovski bagged his first goal for Rangers during Saturday evening’s victory, and it’ll likely be the first of many.

During his time at Aberdeen, the North Macedonian international scored four times against Rangers, but could have more than that for the club in just a few weeks’ time.

In total, he netted on 44 occasions for the Dons, so how does that compare to recent Rangers strikers?

As the table outlines, in recent years, Dessers and Morelos are the only Rangers strikers regularly reaching 20 or more goals in a season, with the Colombian, by some distance, the club’s best centre-forward of the recent era.

Well, Miovski has shown that he is capable of reaching those heights himself.

His tally of 26 goals in the 2023/24 season for Aberdeen, thereby earning his £6.8m move to Girona, is made all the more impressive by the fact that the Dons actually finished down in the bottom of the Premiership table, with four of these goals coming in Europe too, on target against BK Häcken, HJK and PAOK.

In, what should be, a more dominant team, Miovski will be capable of scoring even more goals, hoping this weekend simply opens the floodgates.

Upon his arrival, Martin praised the striker’s “movement, intelligence, and ability to score goals”, so could he be the man to keep his boss in situ?

Thus, ahead of the Thursday night European tie with Genk, the North Macedonian is simply undroppable, clearly the Gers’ best striker option, with Danilo having done very little since arriving from Feyenoord, while the jury is still out on new signing Youssef Chermiti, considering he hasn’t scored a senior goal for anyone since May 2023.

Ferguson thinks he knows Rangers stars who are an Ibrox problem for Martin

This weekend feels huge for the manager.

By
Henry Jackson

Sep 20, 2025

Coventry boss Frank Lampard slammed Portsmouth manager John Mousinho for his behaviour after overseeing a 2-1 victory at Fratton Park on Tuesday. The win continues Coventry's unbeaten start to the Championship campaign and, while Lampard was thrilled with the three points, he was not impressed with his counterpart after clashing with Mousinho on the touchline during the match.

• Managers clash in touchline row

  The two managers were spotted exchanging words and having to be separated in a heated touchline row during Coventry's victory over Portsmouth. Mousinho was unhappy at the failure to award a penalty for his side with the score still at 0-0 after Jay Dasilva appeared to block Yang Min-hyeok's cross with his arm. However, referee Gavin Ward did not point to the spot and the game continued. Coventry then went on to win thanks to two goals from Brandon Thomas-Asante, while Makenzie Kirk pulled one back deep into stoppage for the hosts. The penalty call sparked a confrontation between Lampard and Mousinho, which lasted for several minutes and did not go down well with the Coventry boss.

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  Lampard slams Mousinho for behaviour

  Lampard shared his take on the incident after the game, telling reporters: "I haven't seen it again. I didn't think it was one at the time. I think it is a stadium where the crowd can put pressure on the referee and I don't think added pressure on the fourth official was necessary."

  Mousinho also offered up an explanation and said he had no problem with Lampard: It looks a clear penalty to me. The ball strikes his arm way outside of the body. I spoke to the referee and he wasn't looking at the incident – he was looking at the box – but I still expect someone from the officiating team to pick it up. I was trying to speak to the fourth official about it but I couldn't do it. But there is no needle with Lampard. I just spoke to him there and my main problem is with the officiating team for not dealing with it differently. It is a disappointing result, but I think it was a fair result overall. We got ourselves back into the game too little, too late."

• Coventry flying high in the Championship

  Lampard may not have been happy with Mousinho, but was thrilled to see his side pick up a fifth straight win in the Championship. The Sky Blues now lead the way and sit four points clear of Middlesbrough, although Rob Edwards' side do have a game in hand. Thomas-Asante scored both goals for Coventry, to take his tally to eight for the season, but Lampard warned his side after the match they can't afford to relax despite their great start to the new campaign.

  "I thought we played well. To come here and look as powerful and dangerous in front of goal, and we could have scored one or two more, was good," he said. "People will get excited, and that ramps up when you win games but our job is to stay on it and stay diligent. We are happy with the start to the season with the performances and results, but we know what this league does if you relax."

  There was also praise for Thomas-Asante after his brace, as Lampard added: "From day one of pre-season, he has been amazing. He's been fit, hungry and fresh. For us as staff to have someone who moves from left side to right side to number 10 to number nine, gives us everything. Then you add his talent and his confidence at the moment and he deserves a lot of credit. All he needs to do now is stay humble and keep doing it. We need the talent he is showing at the moment to continue."

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  Lampard rebuilding reputation at Coventry

  Lampard is currently rebuilding his managerial reputation at Coventry. The Sky Blues were 17th, and just two points above the drop zone, when he took over, but are now flying high in the Championship and look set to challenge for promotion to the Premier League. There is still a long way to go, of course, but Coventry's next three fixtures are against teams in the bottom half of the table, meaning Lampard will be confident his team can maintain their current hot streak.