Glasgow Rangers’ turbulent start to the season continued at the weekend as Philippe Clement’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee United in the Scottish Premiership at Ibrox.

Sam Dalby opened the scoring for the visitors in the 36th minute when he headed home Vicko Sevelj’s deep cross past Jack Butland. The visitors could have extended their lead through Dalby and David Babunsk, but were made to rue their misses after the break when Vaclav Cerny levelled to rescue a point for the Gers.

Rangers’ Scottish Premiership results this season
Matchday	Opponent	Score
12	Dundee United	1-1
11	Hearts	1-0 win
10	Aberdeen	2-1 loss
9	St Mirren	2-1 win
8	Kilmarnock	1-0 loss
7	St Johnstone	2-0 win
6	Hibernian	1-0 win
5	Dundee United	1-0 win
4	Celtic	3-0 loss
3	Ross County	6-0 win
2	Motherwell	2-1 win
1	Hearts	0-0

Speaking after the game, Clement said: “We don’t need to speak about titles now; we need to speak about raising our level because we don’t have control over how many points other teams take.

“It’s totally not acceptable to lose that many points. We all know, I know, the players know so there’s hard work to be done to make that better in the next couple of months.”

Clement sack update from Rangers

As a result of Rangers’ difficult start to the campaign, Clement’s future appears to be hanging in the balance. Last month it was reported by Football Insider that the Gers were preparing to sack the 50-year-old if things did not improve, with results having fallen below the expectations of the club’s hierarchy.

Despite winning just two of four Premiership games since then, however, Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke now claims Rangers will “not make an immediate decision” on Clement’s future.

The publication claims to have been told by sources that pressure is mounting on the Belgian, but that he is set to survive past at least Rangers’ Europa League clash away at Nice on Thursday.

McCoist makes Rangers claim on Clement replacement

A number of names have emerged as potential replacements for Clement should he be given the chop at Ibrox, including Kjetil Knutsen, Kevin Muscat, and Derek McInnes. Steven Gerrard, who guided the Gers to the Scottish Premiership title in 2020/21, has also been linked with a return to Glasgow.

Rangers legend Ally McCoist, for one, thinks the former Liverpool and England star would be welcomed back with open arms.

“He would be welcomed back. He won the title in his time at Rangers and he would be welcomed back.”

McCoist said, however, that he doesn’t think Gerrard’s return would fix Rangers’ problems, which he said “go far greater than the manager.”

“It works its way down if things aren’t right at the top. No full-time chairman, director of football or chief executive. There is none of that happening at this moment in time and that has to happen. I don’t care what anyone says, it must have an effect on the pitch if things are not good off it.”

Last season, Oliver Glasner took the reins at Crystal Palace halfway through the campaign, leading the Eagles to a brilliant tenth place finish in the Premier League.

However, so far this season, the loss of Michael Olise, some injury issues throughout the squad, and just a slow start overall has led Palace into 18th place, currently languishing in the relegation zone.

Palace averaged 41.6% possession last season, took 12 shots per match, and conceded just 12.1 shots per game. However, so far this term, the Eagles have averaged 44.6% of the ball, taken 14.3 shots per match, and allowed 13.7 shots per fixture.

The numbers tell us they haven’t actually been as bad as their league position suggests, and a few injured players returning, adding some extra quality, could start to see a shift in results and allow them to climb out of the relegation zone.

Crystal Palace team news before Newcastle

Glasner will remain without Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca, who are both out with long-term injuries, Franca suffering a rib fracture, and Riad suffering from a knee injury.

Adam Wharton is expected to remain out, as he is recovering from a groin injury which he had surgery to address. The Eagles are hoping to have the English midfielder back in the coming weeks.

Daichi Kamada also remains out through suspension, after his straight red card against Fulham. However, one man who’s capable of replacing Kamada in the team could return from injury for this game, as Eberechi Eze looks set to play a part against Newcastle for the first time in a month.

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

Fantastic Crystal Palace star must return to the lineup

Speaking in a recent press conference the manager confirmed that Eze is on the verge of returning to the match day squad, with last week’s clash against Aston Villa providing to be soon for the England international.

Despite injury, Eze has been the hub of creativity for Palace this season, a burden that was often shared between himself and Olise in the past. Scout Jacek Kulig described Eze as “fantastic” back in 2020, and the 26-year-old is now a consistent member of the national squad.

Kamada has often played in his advanced role this season, and Palace fans will be glad to see Eze back, adding more variation to their attacking play in those advanced zones.

Goals

0.34

0.21

Assists

0.26

0.21

xG

0.33

0.09

xAG

0.11

0.09

Progressive Carries

3.00

1.88

Progressive Passes

5.00

5.65

Shots Total

4.14

1.58

Key Passes

1.78

1.74

Shot-Creating Actions

4.67

3.33

Successful Take-Ons

1.89

0.29

The metrics above show how much more effective Eze has been in creation for the Eagles, averaging more key passes, more shot-creating actions, more progressive carries per 90, and better output in both goals and assists this season.

The summer signing only ranks ahead of the former QPR man in one metric analysed above, and that is progressive passes per 90. This is most likely due to the deeper midfield role the Japan star has played on several occasions in the absence of Wharton, giving him more build-up responsibility in their own half.

The return of Eze could be exactly what Palace needs to start converting their chances and find that extra creative edge in games. With the Englishman in tow, they stand a far better chance of climbing their way out of the relegation zone and saving Glasner’s job.

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Chelsea return to Premier League action today as they prepare to take on Thomas Frank’s Brentford side at Stamford Bridge in the evening kick-off.

The Blues beat Astana away from home in the Conference League on Thursday, winning 3-1, thanks to two goals from Marc Guiu and one from Renato Veiga.

Enzo Maresca handed chances to a number of young stars in a heavily rotated side, with the likes of Veiga, Guiu, Sam Rak-Sakyi, and Carney Chukwuemeka all featuring.

The Chelsea head coach should go back to his Premier League regulars for this clash with Brentford, though, and Cole Palmer is, perhaps, the most nailed-on player to come back in.

Cole Palmer's form this season

The England international, who was not included in the Conference League squad, has been in sensational form in the top-flight this term and should start tonight.

Palmer started the last Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday and scored twice in the 4-3 win, with both of his strikes coming from the penalty spot.

The left-footed wizard has now scored 11 goals, created 11 ‘big chances’, and registered six assists in 15 appearances in the league so far this season for the Blues, which speaks to his importance in the final third.

Palmer has the quality to be a match-winner and difference-maker for Chelsea at the top end of the pitch and should come straight back into the starting XI this evening.

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

However, it may be as important for Maresca to start another Blues attacker against Brentford, as Jadon Sancho has been in fantastic form of late.

Why starting Jadon Sancho is important for Chelsea

The English magician, whose £25m permanent option price tag was hailed as an “amazing bargain” by Ian Wright, has produced two goals and one assist in his last four matches for Chelsea in all competitions, including a strike against Spurs on Sunday.

His goal against Tottenham came at a crucial time for the Blues. They were 2-0 down after 11 minutes and Sancho’s sensational drive inside from the left and low finish into the bottom corner from distance pulled a goal back and started the comeback for the away side.

The Manchester United loanee’s all-round play in the game was also vital for Chelsea because his composure and intelligence on the ball are conducive to high-quality football.

Touches

66

69

Pass accuracy

87%

79%

Passes completed

47

33

Possession lost

10x

16x

Open play shots on target

2

1

As you can see in the table above, Sancho completed more passes, with a higher success rate, and managed more open play shots on goal than Palmer did, despite the left-footed ace having more touches.

The former Borussia Dortmund star thrives on linking up with teammates and playing the extra pass to create the best possible outcome for his team, which was best illustrated by his excellent pass to release Moises Caciedo in the box, who then won the first penalty that Palmer scored from.

Sancho’s decision-making, reliability, and quality in possession on the wing make him an incredibly important part of Maresca’s attacking unit, as illustrated by his recent goal contributions and his exceptional performance against Spurs.

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That is why unleashing him from the start against Brentford this evening is as important as bringing Palmer back into the starting line-up is, as they are both crucial to the attack.

The Rossoneri star evaluates fictional characters' hypothetical soccer skills, with Batman shockingly finishing at the top of his list

• Lebron James finishes second in unexpected soccer talent list
• Yoda, Peter Griffin, Shrek and others feature on Pulisic’s list
• The AC Milan star called up for the USMNT for March international break.

• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  Batman as a soccer player?

  Christian Pulisic, known for his creativity on the field, took his talents to… pop culture soccer scouting? The AC Milan and USMNT star put his soccer expertise to the test by ranking how well fictional icons like LeBron James, Shrek, Yoda, SpongeBob, Peter Griffin, and yes, Batman, would fare on the pitch. The hilarious rankings were shared in a video posted on Instagram by The Bread Basket — because who wouldn’t want to see Batman take the pitch?

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• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Pulisic has been in fine form for AC Milan this season, contributing to 24 goals across all competitions, a tally that includes three goals in his last two league games for . It has been a key reason why the Milan giants are back in the running for a potential place in Europe next season although they do face a tough fight ahead as they currently sit ninth in Serie A.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Following the start of the international break, Christian Pulisic and the USMNT will face Panama next in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals and then the finals, depending on their results against Panama on March 21. Following that, Pulisic returns to AC Milan as the Rossoneri face title challengers Napoli on March 31 in Naples before returning home to host Internazionale for the first leg of the Coppa Italia semifinal on April 3.

Arsenal have now had two opportunities to close the gap to league leaders Liverpool and failed.

A week ago Arne Slot’s side had no fixture due to the adverse weather which meant the Gunners could have narrowed the bridge between the two teams to four points.

Sadly for Mikel Arteta’s men, they ruined that opportunity, drawing 1-1 with an impressive Fulham side at Craven Cottage.

Having then beaten Monaco in the Champions League they welcomed Everton to the Emirates Stadium but once again struggled to create goalscoring opportunities from open play.

In fact, Arsenal were so underwhelming that they only created two big chances during the course of the match.

Believe it or not, there were some positives…

Arsenal’s best players against Everton

It won’t come as a surprise to many to learn that despite drawing 0-0 on Saturday, it was the effervescent Bukayo Saka who stood out the most in red and white.

The England international has taken himself to the next level this season, notably scoring five goals and assisting ten in the league thus far.

Despite not finding a goal involvement against the Toffees he was without a doubt the best player on the pitch and was unfortunate not to find the net.

Perhaps Arsenal’s biggest chance in the second half fell to Saka who hammered a volley towards the front post only for international colleague Jordan Pickford to sprawl to his left-hand side to make a fine save.

Passes

William Saliba – 103

Touches

Gabriel – 118

Key passes

Bukayo Saka – 3

Crosses

Saka – 10

xG

Martin Odegaard – 0.59

Defensive actions

Ashley Young – 14

Blocked shots

James Tarkowski – 3

Interceptions

Young – 3

Tackles

Young – 7

Duels won

Gabriel & Gueye – 9

A constant livewire on the right, it was a shame he didn’t get much help from his colleagues in the final third.

Still, at least assistance was forthcoming from a stern defence with the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba shining at the back. To sum up their influence and Arsenal’s dominance, no two players had more touches on the field than their 118 and 117 respectively.

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

That trio aside, not too many covered themselves in glory.

Arsenal’s big underperformers against Everton

One of Arsenal’s biggest underperformers at the Emirates was skipper Martin Odegaard, something that was summed up by his withdrawal in the 62nd minute.

It is unusual for the Norwegian not to create much but that was exactly what happened on Saturday as he left the field with 0 key passes to his name.

Once again, Gabriel Martinelli also faltered on the left-hand side, with his performance against 39-year-old Ashley Young really unconvincing.

The Brazilian won just one of eight duels during the game while Young walked away from north London having completed more tackles (7) than any player on the pitch.

Martinelli’s afternoon wasn’t helped by Mikel Merino, a player who was brought in to improve the club’s dynamics on the left-hand side of the pitch. Sadly, the Spaniard has been inconsistent since signing from Real Sociedad over the summer.

He didn’t offer much at all during his 69 minute outing against Sean Dyche’s side with his performance summed up by the fact that his pass count of 19 was fewer than even goalkeeper David Raya (22) managed.

Minutes played

69

Touches

37

Accurate passes

19/23 (83%)

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

1/3

Accurate long balls

0/1

Shots

1

Successful dribbles

1/1

Ground duels won

2/3

Aerial duels won

2/3

Tackles

1

Interceptions

0

Truth be told, Merino offered so little in possession that it was alarming with just two key passes and a single shot. He also lost the ball nine times in a game where he looked restricted in his ability to evade the press and keep the team ticking over. It was hardly a surprise, therefore, to see him earn a rather average 6/10 match rating from Football.London come full-time.

A look at his heat map also tells you that he needed to do more. The Spain international wasn’t required much inside his own half but also didn’t show a great deal on the edge of his own area, failing to offer the much-desired qualities Arsenal have been after since Granit Xhaka’s departure.

As a result, it would not be a surprise if Arteta dropped his summer signing back to the bench for their clash with Crystal Palace next week.

While on paper a trio of Declan Rice, Merino and Odegaard should work, a more tried and tested configuration that involves Jorginho or Thomas Partey might be wiser.

Arsenal were let down by "uninspiring" 5/10 star who lost 88% duels

Arsenal dropped points for the third time at the Emirates Stadium this season.

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تحدث رونالد أراوخو، لاعب فريق برشلونة، عن تأهلهم إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا رغم خسارتهم اليوم أمام بوروسيا دورتموند.

واستضاف ملعب “سيجنال إيدونا بارك” مباراة الفريقين في إياب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، حيث خسر برشلونة بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

ورغم الخسارة، تأهل برشلونة إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، مستفيدًا من فوزه في الذهاب بأربعة أهداف دون رد.

وقال أراوخو، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “أنا سعيد، لقد وصلنا إلى نصف النهائي بعد غياب طويل، لقد استحق هذا النادي ذلك التأهل”.

وواصل: “لم نصل إلى تلك المرحلة منذ ست سنوات، أنا سعيد بذلك، في مرحلة ما بدا وكأن تلك المباراة قد أفلتت من أيدينا، ولكننا نجحنا في الصمود ووصلنا إلى نصف النهائي”.

وعن اختلاف النتيجة بين المباراتين، قال: “لقد غيرنا لاعبينا قليلًا، هناك الكثير من المباريات ودقائق لعب طويلة، هذا أتاح لنا مساحة من أجل التناوب”.

وأفاد: “هكذا هي منافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا، لقد رأينا ذلك في هذه البطولة مرات عديدة، إنها صعبة للغاية، ولهذا السبب لم نصل إلى نصف النهائي منذ فترة”.

واسترسل: “أنا مع النادي منذ ست سنوات، ولم ألعب في نصف النهائي قط، أنا سعيد لأننا نؤدي بشكل جيد، لقد تأهلنا وهذا هو الأهم”.

 

Bangladesh will lodge an official complaint about South Africa’s “deplorable” sledging during the Durban Test after, according to them, the umpires ignored their on-field complaints. The BCB is, in fact, planning to complain to the ICC about both the sledging as well as the overall umpiring during the game.Bangladesh have already filed one complaint – about the umpiring – during the ODI series, but want to take up some other issues that cropped up during the Test, which Bangladesh lost on the final day by 220 runs after collapsing for 53 in their second innings.Related

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Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, BCB cricket operations chief Jalal Yunus said, “We have already lodged one complaint about the umpiring after the ODI series. The match referee [Andy Pycroft] had an argument with our manager Nafees Iqbal, but then we gave him a written complaint. We will lodge another official complaint about this Test match.”Mominul Haque, the Bangladesh captain, also spoke up, joining Yunus as well as team director Khaled Mahmud, selector Habibul Bashar and Shakib Al Hasan in expressing disgruntlement with the umpiring.”Sledging is quite normal, but the umpires didn’t seem to notice it,” Mominul said after the game. “The umpiring in the match is not in our control, but I think the ICC should think about bringing back neutral umpires.”On Sunday, after the fourth day’s play, Mahmud and Bashar criticised the match officials, while Shakib, who left the tour early because of personal reasons, had also tweeted that the ICC should look at reinstating neutral umpires considering the improved Covid-19 situation in most parts of the cricketing world. At the end of the fourth day’s play, Tamim Iqbal was also seen speaking to the umpires but it is not clear what they spoke about.Bangladesh made lbw appeals on multiple occasions during South Africa’s second innings, especially in the first two sessions on Sunday. They opted for a review when Dean Elgar was given not out on the field by umpire Marais Erasmus in the fifth over after being hit on his back leg. But he survived on umpire’s call as ball-tracking showed that the ball was only clipping off stump.Then, in the 19th over of the innings, Bangladesh successfully overturned Adrian Holdstock’s not-out decision for an lbw against Sarel Erwee. According to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary, it “looked so out to the naked eye and it was a surprise that the on-field call was not given despite a screeching appeal”.In the 26th over, Khaled Ahmed was denied an lbw decision against Keegan Petersen. Bangladesh didn’t take that review but replays showed that it would have hit the stumps and would have been out had the review been taken.The main indication that emotions were running high was when, on the fourth morning, Ebadot Hossain, while bowling, threw the ball back in Dean Elgar’s direction after it was hit to him, and the pair exchanged words. Umpire Holdstock had to ask the players to calm down.Yunus also went back to the issue with the sightscreens, which delayed the start of the Test. He said that Bangladesh had expected the umpires to make up for the lost time as the Test went along.Should we go up? In this case, they did, and got the wicket of Sarel Erwee•AFP/Getty Images

“There hasn’t been impartial umpiring in this Test match,” he said. “It started on the first day. We were held up for half an hour at the start of the game because of the sightscreens. We were deprived of the initial advantage.”To make up this half an hour, they extended the lunch session, instead of starting early, which we usually see. It is definitely at the umpire’s discretion, but generally we see them making up for lost time by starting early. These are subtle technical things.”It is, however, understood that both the teams had agreed to the playing conditions, which includes the rule when it comes to making up for lost time, before the start of the Test.Yunus said that Bangladesh were also concerned about how the umpires treated the Bangladesh players when they complained about the sledging by the home side.”They surrounded [Mahmudul Hasan] Joy when he went out to bat,” he said. “They were saying something. He couldn’t say anything back since he is a junior player. It was deplorable. Instead of controlling the situation, the umpires warned our players whenever we made complaints against the sledging.”Sledging definitely took place from both sides, but when they started it and took it overboard, we complained to the umpires. It wasn’t acceptable. We properly condemn it. We have to accept the umpires’ decisions, but the ICC must reinstate neutral umpires.”

It might be a cliché, but over the last few years or so, Arsenal have been on a pretty remarkable journey from mid-table strugglers to one of the best teams in the country.

The Gunners may well have looked lacklustre in the last month or so, but under Mikel Arteta’s premiership, they have challenged for the Premier League in back-to-back campaigns, and they may well do so for a third if things go their way in the coming weeks.

Now, a large part of the North Londoners’ rejuvenation is undoubtedly down to Arteta’s tactical brilliance and leadership qualities, but equally important have been the signings he’s made.

The likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Magalhaes have all played critical roles in the last few years, but there was one addition made just over three years ago who has been utterly transformational and could now be worth a small fortune.

Arsenal's 2021 summer signings

So, the player in question officially put pen to paper on a long-term deal with Arsenal in the summer of 2021, but before we talk about him, let’s examine a few other additions made in that transfer window, starting with Ben White.

The Englishman joined the Gunners from fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion for a whopping £50m that July.

While there were plenty of detractors at the time, it would be hard to describe the move as anything other than a roaring success.

In his first season with the club, the Poole-born ace almost exclusively played in the centre-back position, but upon the introduction of William Saliba the following summer, he moved to right-back, where he remains a key member of the team today, 146 appearances later – he also netted the club’s 10000th goal last season.

The club signed another versatile defender that same summer, splashing £15.5m on Bologna’s Japanese international Takehiro Tomiyasu, although things have not gone quite as well for the 26-year-old since.

Now, that is not down to his ability, as the club were delighted to hand him a new contract over the summer, but instead, his fitness, as since joining the Gunners, he’s missed 62 games for club and country and is currently out of action with a knee action.

However, the Fukuoka-born ace has not been the only 2021 arrival to suffer from injury problems this season, although his fellow summer arrival is now back in the team, justifying his comparisons to some of the best players in the world and the potential mammoth price tag that comes with those comparisons.

The Arsenal star who could be worth a fortune

Okay, so with two 2021 additions already accounted for, and the likes of Aaron Ramsdale and Albert Sambi Lokonga no longer at the club, it’s probably not a surprise that the player in question is none other than Martin Odegaard.

The midfield maestro may have joined the club on loan in January 2021, but it wasn’t until August that the club opted to spend £30m to make his move permanent, and what a decision that was.

In 159 appearances, the Drammen-born dynamo has racked up a seriously impressive haul of 35 goals and 27 assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.56 games.

However, it’s not just his output that makes the “sensational” Norwegian star, as dubbed by The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid, such an essential member of the team; he’s also an incredible leader, captaining his national team and being handed the armband by Arteta in 2022, despite being just 23 years old at the time.

In short, the former Real Madrid gem has become an essential member of this Arsenal side in countless ways, and as such, has won comparisons to some of the best players in the world, including last season’s PFA Player of the Year, Phil Foden.

The comparison stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the number one most similar midfielder to the Gunners star.

Now, to get a better idea of how this conclusion was reached, we can examine the underlying metrics in which the pair ranks most closely, metrics including but not limited to progressive carries, non-penalty expected goals, shots on target, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Odegaard & Foden
Statistics per 90	Odegaard	Foden
Progressive Carries	2.98	2.30
Non-Penalty Expected Goals	0.17	0.23
Shots on Target	0.42	0.33
Passing Accuracy	82.9%	82.9%
Passes into the Penalty Area	2.77	2.30
Crosses into the Penalty Area	0.21	0.33
Live Passes	43.2	47.9
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

Comparisons to such a superb player should be celebrated in their own right, but there could be more reasons for the board to be happy, as if the two midfielders are positionally and statistically similar, while also being just a year apart age-wise, should they not be valued similarly?

Arteta and Co will certainly hope so, as Transfermarkt values the City star at an eye-watering €150m, which converts to around £125m.

So, while he doesn’t have that valuation today, it wouldn’t be farfetched to say that in Odegaard, Arsenal have an incredible £125m superstar in the making.

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Life in the Premier League has been brutally tough for Ipswich Town this season.

Kieran McKenna’s side have looked impressive in plenty of games and picked up brilliant points against Manchester United, Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion, yet as things stand, they remain in the relegation zone.

However, there are reasons to be optimistic for the Tractor Boys as they picked up their second win of the campaign in a hard-fought encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers on the weekend and still have the sensationally gifted Liam Delap in their ranks.

The 21-year-old poacher is still somewhat raw but has played a key role in several impressive results this season, so recent reports linking the club to a striker who’s currently outscoring him should excite the Portman Road faithful.

Ipswich Town transfer news

According to a recent report from Italian publication TUTTOmercatoWEB, Ipswich are one of several sides interested in Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath.

In fact, the report claims that both the Tractor Boys and fellow Premier League side West Ham United have already made contact about the player, while there is growing interest from the continent as well.

No price is mentioned in the story, but in an interview with Football League World in the summer, Boro expert Phil Spencer suggested it would take an offer of around £20m to tempt the Championship side into selling their star striker.

It could be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Lath’s sensational form, it’s worth pursuing.

Why Ipswich should sign Lath

So, in reality, there are two primary reasons Ipswich should be looking to sign Lath in January, and they are intrinsically linked.

The first reason is that McKenna needs to add more talent to his squad.

While the Northern Irishman undoubtedly has a number of incredibly gifted individuals within his team already, a large portion of the side is the same one that he had in League One, which just isn’t sustainable.

However, the club need to ensure they bring in bodies that’ll help improve the overall level of the squad, and that is where Lath and his brilliant output come in.

For example, in just 36 appearances last season, the 25-year-old poacher found the back of the net 18 times and provided one assist, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.89 games.

Impressively, he has maintained his strong performances this season as well.

He currently has a tally of eight goals and two assists in 22 appearances this season, equating to a goal involvement every 2.2 games.

Appearances

36

22

Goals

18

8

Assists

1

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

0.45

This output also means he is outscoring Delap, who scored six goals and provided one assist in 17 games for the Tractor Boys.

Now, it’s important to clarify that we aren’t saying the “quality” forward, as dubbed by Spencer, is a better striker than the former Manchester City ace, but just that he has the raw ability to be a great forward.

Moreover, while he wouldn’t come in and displace the Winchester-born star, he’d be an excellent backup and someone who’d undoubtedly improve the overall level of McKenna’s squad and, therefore, the team’s chances of survival.

Ultimately, Lath might not be a household name, but he has shown enough in the last two years to warrant a team like Ipswich to take a chance on him.

Worse than Phillips: Ipswich may have made a mistake signing £15m ace

The talented player has not got to grips with life at Ipswich.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 10, 2024

Bayern Munich’s frustration following their stalemate with Mainz has been compounded by the confirmation that Manuel Neuer will miss the final fixture of 2025 through injury, handing another crucial opportunity to backup option Jonas Urbig.

• Bayern confirm Neuer blow

  Following Bayern’s surprisingly gritless 2-2 draw against Mainz at the Allianz Arena on Sunday, the club confirmed that captain Neuer sustained a significant muscle injury during the contest.

  The 39-year-old goalkeeper, who was visibly grimacing in the closing stages of Sunday’s match, underwent a detailed medical examination in Munich on Monday. The diagnosis – a muscle tear in his right thigh -officially rules him out of action for the remainder of the year. While the timing is unfortunate as Bayern look to consolidate their position at the summit of the Bundesliga, it forces a rotation at the back that sees Urbig return to the starting lineup for the third time in the league this season.

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  Thigh tear compounds Mainz misery

  The injury adds a bitter postscript to a match that Bayern Munich will be eager to forget. Neuer was kept busy throughout the encounter, powerless to stop headers from Kacper Potulski and Mainz talisman Lee Jae-sung as the visitors exposed rare lapses in the Bavarian defence.

  Medical staff have indicated that a muscle tear of this severity typically sidelines a player for several weeks. In the middle of a standard campaign, this would see Neuer miss a significant chunk of domestic action. However, the timing of the injury is arguably the only positive to be drawn from the situation. With the Bundesliga entering its traditional winter hiatus after the upcoming matchday, the actual impact on Neuer’s season is minimal. He will miss the trip to Heidenheim but is expected to be fully recovered and ready for the resumption of the league campaign in January.

• Urbig returns for third Bundesliga start

  Neuer’s enforced absence clears the path for 22-year-old Urbig to step back into the spotlight. The highly-rated young goalkeeper, who joined Bayern in January with an eye on eventually succeeding the veteran, has already been trusted with the gloves twice in the Bundesliga this season and has reportedly impressed the coaching staff with his displays in training. Vincent Kompany’s willingness to rotate him in earlier in the campaign showed a clear belief in his abilities, and Sunday’s match offers Urbig another chance to showcase his development.

  Kompany is expected to hand Urbig the start for the final match of 2025 against Heidenheim. This fixture, however, poses a different challenge to his previous outings. Heidenheim, who sit second-bottom of the table, have built a reputation as one of the Bundesliga’s most uncomfortable opponents on their own patch at the Voith-Arena, known for their relentless pressing and set-piece prowess. While Urbig has looked composed in his limited minutes so far, a commanding performance away from home in such a hostile environment would be a significant statement of intent as he looks to cement his status as the heir apparent.

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  Kompany demands defensive reaction

  The loss of Neuer strips the Bayern defence of its most vocal organiser at a critical moment. Without his sweeping presence behind the high line, the tactical dynamic shifts, placing greater responsibility on the centre-back pairing to protect their younger goalkeeper.

  The team's centre-backs will need to be flawless to ensure Urbig isn't left exposed. The focus in training this week will likely shift to defensive solidity and communication. Kompany knows that ending the year with a win is non-negotiable to keep the chasing pack at arm's length. 

  While Neuer will be frustrated to miss the final game, the upcoming winter break serves as a perfectly timed reset button. Instead of rushing a return, the goalkeeper can focus entirely on his rehabilitation over the festive period. The club’s medical team is confident that with rest and treatment, the tear will heal completely, allowing Neuer to return to team training during the January camp in optimal condition.

  For now, the spotlight shifts entirely to the collective. Bayern must navigate one final hurdle without their leader. If they can overcome the tough test in Heidenheim and secure a victory with Urbig marshalling the defence, it will prove that the squad has the depth and resilience required for a title charge. The Mainz result was a stumble, and the injury is a setback, but the response next Sunday will define the mood heading into 2026.