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With Valerien Ismael’s West Bromwich Albion side heading into Friday night’s Championship fixture off the back of their first league defeat of the season, the Frenchman will undoubtedly be hoping for a much better result at The Hawthorns in order to get the Baggies’ automatic promotion push back on track.

On paper, Albion appear to have a good chance of doing so, as tonight’s visitors Birmingham City have been out of sorts in recent weeks, with Lee Bowyer’s side picking up just one point from their last five Championship fixtures.

Furthermore, Ismael could also be set to welcome back Matt Clarke to his matchday squad on Friday, with the Brighton loanee having not featured in any of West Brom’s last seven league games due to a hamstring injury.

What West Brom have been missing

While West Brom have not exactly been haemorrhaging goals in the absence of the centre-back, conceding just four times in the seven fixtures in which Clarke has not featured, the Baggies only managed to pick up three wins in this period – the same number they managed in the three games in which the 25-year-old has featured this season.

Indeed, the £2.7m-rated man has turned in consistently solid displays in a West Brom shirt, averaging 2.3 interceptions, one tackle, 2.7 clearances and 0.7 key passes and winning a whopping 7.3 duels per game.

These returns have seen the defender who Graham Potter dubbed a “quality” player average a SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Ismael’s joint eighth-best performer in the second tier.

Furthermore, Clarke’s return to the starting XI would also facilitate Conor Towsend’s move to his more natural position at left wing-back, with the 28-year-old having filled in as part of Albion’s back three in the absence of the Brighton man.

As such, so long as the £21k-per-week centre-back is indeed fit enough for the game against Birmingham, it would seem advisable for Ismael to reinstall Clarke to his starting XI tonight, as the defender very much looks to be exactly what Albion have been missing in recent weeks.

In other news: Ismael masterclass: West Brom struck dream deal over “massive” £6.3m-rated gem

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Celtic are in contract talks with Anthony Ralston.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by the Daily Record, the 56-year-old Hoops manager confirmed earlier reports that Michael Nicholson has initiated negotiations with the right-back regarding the extension of his current deal at Parkhead.

Speaking about the defender’s new deal, Postecoglou said: “In terms of Tony, Michael Nicholson is in charge of that area. My focus is trying to make sure that Anthony continues his development because he’s been fantastic.

“Contract negotiations will take care of themselves. There’s very little need to feel angst about it. The club has a lot of faith in Tony. That’s why they gave him a new contract before I even started here. I gave him a chance and you’d have to say he’s grabbed it with both hands so far.”

Fans will be buzzing

It is hard to disagree with Postecoglou’s claim that Ralston has taken the opportunity handed to him so far this season, as in the absence of injured summer signing Josip Juranovic, the 22-year-old right-back has been one of Celtic’s most impressive performers.

Indeed, over his eight Premiership appearances, the £5.5k-per-week defender has already scored two goals, provided two assists and has created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking 1.5 shots and making 1.8 key passes per game.

The player who Brendan Rodgers dubbed a “huge” talent has also impressed in metrics more typical of his defensive position, helping his side to keep four clean sheets, in addition to making 0.5 interceptions, 2.5 tackles and 2.1 clearances and winning 7.5 duels per match.

These returns have seen the 22-year-old earn an exceptional average SofaScore match rating of 7.78, ranking him as the Bhoys’ best performer in the league among those still at Parkhead.

However, it is not only Ralston’s domestic displays which have caught the eye but also the right-back’s performances in his three Europa League fixtures, having scored one goal, made six key passes and averaged a SofaScore match rating of 7.10.

As such, considering these statistics, the news that the club are hoping to extend Raltson’s contract should not come as a surprise to Celtic fans, who must undoubtedly be buzzing with what they have seen from the £270k-rated man so far this season.

In other news: Postecoglou must unleash “phenomenal” 21 y/o Celtic prodigy, he’s destined for the top

Steven Gerrard has built a strong Rangers squad full of talented players to compete for places in the starting XI at Ibrox throughout the course of the season.

One position where the Gers have had a strong battle is the left-back spot. Calvin Bassey and Borna Barisic have both started four Scottish Premiership matches each as they continue to fight to be the regular starter on the left side of Gerrard’s defence.

Bassey has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.10 with 1.8 key passes per game and 63% of his duels won. Barisic, meanwhile, has averaged a score of 7.40 with 2.3 key passes per game and 58% of his duels won, suggesting that he has a slight edge over the ex-Leicester man when it comes to creativity.

The international break has given some players a rest and others an opportunity to show Gerrard that they deserve to start against Hearts next weekend by impressing for their country. Barisic falls into the last category as he caught the eye in a 2-2 draw for Croatia against Slovakia on Monday night.

He played the full 90 minutes of their World Cup Qualifying match and was handed an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.1 for his performance. Outside of Luka Modric and Andrej Kramaric, the two goalscorers, only Marcelo Brozovic (7.6) was given a higher rating.

Defensively, he was solid. Per SofaScore, he made one clearance and two tackles as he won an eye-catching seven of his 11 duels on the pitch, including 100% of his aerial battles. Along with this, he was not dribbled past once in the entire game, showing that he didn’t allow himself to be beaten easily down the flank.

In possession, Barisic was excellent. The Croat completed 96% of his passes, including four of his five attempted long passes. The left-back was also successful with 100% of his attempted dribbles and created one chance for his teammates, as he enjoyed 85 touches of the ball on the night.

This shows that he was superb in possession and efficient with his passing selection, whilst he was also able to beat his man with his athleticism to get the side up the pitch.

His performance will surely have caught Gerrard’s eye ahead of Rangers’ clash with Hearts this weekend. Barisic’s excellent display for Croatia may well have secured his place in the starting XI ahead of Bassey too.

AND in other news, Big update emerges on crucial Rangers figure that should leave fans concerned…

Celtic will also be without Giorgos Giakoumakis for Thursday’s Europa League meeting with Real Betis, John McGinley reports.

The Lowdown: A number of absentees

Ange Postecoglou looks set to be without a number of first-team regulars against the La Liga side.

Captain Callum McGregor has a knock while summer signing Liel Abada won’t be available due to religious reasons.

Kyogo Furuhashi and Greg Taylor are also injured, and it appears as if the Hoops will be without another attacking summer addition in Giakoumakis.

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The Latest: McGinley’s tweet

McGinley took to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to shed some light on Postecoglou’s options for the Europa League clash.

He claimed that as well as McGregor and Abada, Celtic will also be without Giakoumakis, James Forrest and Taylor.

“As well as Callum McGregor and Liel Abada – Celtic will also miss Giorgos Giakoumakis, James Forrest and Greg Taylor tomorrow”.

Giakoumakis is yet to make his Celtic debut, with Postecoglou admitting he ‘isn’t quite ready’ in regards to full fitness.

The Verdict: Ajeti again?

Albian Ajeti took his opportunity on the weekend with a brace against Ross County in his first start of the season, so it appears as if he may get the nod again.

Postecoglou is without Furuhashi and Giakoumakis, so Ajeti would be the obvious choice as he is the only remaining senior striker available.

It isn’t ideal not being able to call upon Giakoumakis, even from the bench, but that’s what the Hoops will have to deal with.

In other news: Reporter claims Celtic could now bring in former Parkhead centre-back as McKay’s CEO replacement. 

Rangers came from behind to beat Hibernian 2-1 in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday as they reclaimed their spot at the top of the table.

Hearts had moved ahead of the Gers on Saturday with their 2-0 win over Motherwell, but Steven Gerrard’s side were able to claim the three points against Hibs to return to the summit.

Kemar Roofe and Alfredo Morelos scored in the second-half after an opening goal from Kevin Nisbet had put Hibernian in the lead.

Despite the victory, there were some negatives to take from the match for Rangers. For example, one player who struggled out on the pitch was central midfielder Joe Aribo.

The ex-Charlton man lined up as the most advanced of the three central midfielders and failed to grasp his opportunity to impress in a forward role. He was unable to make much of a positive impact on the match before being substituted by Gerrard in the 79th minute.

On the ball, Aribo failed to showcase his creativity. Per SofaScore, he had zero key passes and gave away possession of the ball 15 times from 54 touches, completing 80% of his attempted passes and failing to complete a single long pass or cross in his time on the pitch.

This is particularly frustrating as he is capable of providing quality in the final third of the pitch. He has averaged 1.8 chances created per game in the Scottish Premiership this season, which shows that he does have the ability to open doors at the top end of the pitch. That is why his failure to do so against Hibernian let Gerrard down.

Against the ball, Aribo left a lot to be desired. Per SofaScore, he lost eight of his 13 duels on the pitch as he made one tackle and no interceptions. This suggests that he was not strong enough to deal with the Hibernian players in 50/50 duels throughout the match.

It is worth noting, however, that Aribo was subject to a red card challenge from Ryan Porteous in the 30th minute. Although the Hibs centre-back did not make full contact with his tackle, Aribo may have been shaken up by the incident and that could have affected his performance in terms of battling for possession.

Overall, though, it was a disappointing display from the midfielder and one that will have left Gerrard feeling let down heading into the international break.

AND in other news, 118 touches: Rangers beast with 95% pass accuracy was Gerrard’s unsung hero vs Hibs…

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba is reportedly leaning towards signing a new contract with the club after months of deliberations.

What’s the story?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the 28-year-old World Cup winner is now favouring extending his stay at Old Trafford after entering the final year of his current contract.

Pogba has entered the final year of his deal with United and was heavily linked with a move to Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain over the summer, before they signed Lionel Messi.

And while Ornstein claims that no ‘meaningful progress’ has been made over a new deal, meaning the France international could still leave on a free in 12 months’ time, Pogba is said to be impressed by the recent progress made by the Red Devils and could put pen to paper on fresh terms as a result.

“Recent events are believed to have had a profound effect on Pogba, and there is now a feeling that opting to stay with the 20-time English champions is becoming a realistic possibility,” the well-known and reliable journalist wrote.

“With the transfer window closed, talks are expected to resume in due course, and although Pogba can speak to foreign suitors from January, it is anticipated that his mind could be made up sooner.

“How Pogba and his team-mates fare in the campaign, the success of their signings, United’s longer-term vision and offers from elsewhere will be among many factors influencing his decision.

“The lack of movement in talks suggested joining the likes of Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid looked likely, and while that may yet occur, he is currently thought to be leaning the opposite way,” he concluded.

Manchester United fans will be absolutely buzzing

News that Pogba is believed to be open to signing a new contract at United will leave the club’s supporters absolutely buzzing, given his influence on the team.

The former Juventus maestro has been in excellent form for many months now and has started the new campaign in emphatic fashion, providing seven assists in just four Premier League games.

He’s struck up a magnificent partnership in the Red Devils’ engine room with Bruno Fernandes, and the duo could be central to any future success that the club has.

Therefore, this latest revelation will give United’s fanbase, manager and players alike renewed hope that a successful new era is beginning at Old Trafford, with Pogba potentially a key figure in that.

And, in other news…Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Man United update, fans will be absolutely delighted 

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has told The Transfer Tavern that Manchester City’s reported £127m bid won’t even get Daniel Levy to the table.

The Premier League champions have already seen a £100m bid for the Tottenham striker knocked back, and according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, are now preparing to make a higher offer in an attempt to finally land their target.

But Tottenham are standing firm ahead of the approaching deadline as they desperately try to keep hold of their talisman.

Kane hasn’t featured for Tottenham in either of their competitive games but could be involved against Wolves on Sunday having reported back to Hotspur Way for training after missing the opening-day victory over Manchester City.

City, who recently signed Jack Grealish for a British record fee of £100m, haven’t returned with another offer since their opening one was rejected last month.

And Bridge told The Transfer Tavern that the improved bid won’t change chairman Levy’s mind:

“I know Fabrizio Romano said €150m, which is £127m, but from what I’m told, that won’t even get Daniel Levy to the table.”

Javed Miandad, the former Pakistan captain, has been named the PCB’s director-general

Cricinfo staff19-Nov-2008
Javed Miandad: captain, coach and now PCB’s director-general © Getty Images
Javed Miandad, the former Pakistan captain and coach, has been appointed director-general of the PCB. The appointment isn’t a complete surprise as Miandad’s name had been linked to several roles in the board, and he had also met Ijaz Butt, the chairman, recently.The exact nature and ambit of the role is not yet clear, but Miandad hopes first to lift Pakistan’s standing in the ICC rankings. Pakistan, who have not played a Test in 2008, are sixth in the Test rankings and fourth among ODI teams.”The main purpose of my appointment is to look after the cricketing affairs in the board,” Miandad told . “It’s good that the new chairman of the board [Ijaz Butt] is inducting former Test cricketers in the PCB and I hope it would benefit Pakistan cricket in the future.Among former players handling positions in the PCB is former fast bowler Saleem Altaf, who only last month had been named as director-general, but is now the board’s chief operating officer. Altaf’s current position had originally been scrapped when his appointment as director-general was made.Speaking to Miandad said, however, that his role would be a purely cricketing one, not overlapping with Altaf’s role. “Basically I shall be overseeing the cricketing side. That includes both domestic and international levels as well as the academies. For this I would be going to different parts of the country.”I won’t be involved in the PCB’s administrative matters because that is the domain of the COO. And at the same time I won’t be intruding in the path of Aamir Sohail [director NCA]. Generally I am here to help develop the standard of our cricket .”A spate of changes have taken place in Pakistan cricket after Butt, a former Test player, assumed charge. Former Test batsmen Ijaz Ahmed and Shoaib Mohammad were appointed to an interim selection committee, with Saleem Jaffar, the surviving member of the previous three-man panel, named chairman of selectors. Talat Ali, the team’s permanent manager since October 2006, stepped down, with Yawar Saeed, a veteran administrator and former manager, taking up duties for the ODI series in Abu Dhabi.Sohail, the former Pakistan captain and opener, was appointed director of the National Cricket Academy (NCA), replacing Mudassar Nazar, who left for a coaching post with the ICC last month. Wasim Bari, the former wicketkeeper and chief selector, was appointed director of human resources and administration. On Tuesday, Bari had said the PCB would aim to cut down heavily on the administrative expenditure of running the organisation in order to cope with decreased revenues.Miandad had been tipped to take over as Pakistan’s coach following the dismissal of Geoff Lawson last month, but to the PCB’s disappointment, he turned down a fourth stint in charge of the team, instead offering to help the board in an advisory position. Butt admitted Miandad was the board’s first choice for the job, now taken up by Intikhab Alam.

Some Liverpool supporters are unhappy at an update regarding Nat Phillips’ future, with the Reds willing to sell him this summer.

The Reds suffered terrible injury misfortune at centre-back last season, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all missing most of the campaign.

Liverpool managed to battle their way to a third-place finish in the Premier League, however, with Phillips playing a key role in that achievement. The 24-year-old was drafted in from nowhere in order to alleviate the issue, making 17 appearances in the league, 15 of which were starts.

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Despite Phillips impressing at the heart of Liverpool’s defence, he could find chances few and far between this season, with key players back fit again and Ibrahima Konate joining from RB Leipzig.

According to journalist Jonathan Norcroft [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], Liverpool value the Englishman at between £12m and £15m and would accept a “buy now pay later” deal for him this summer.

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Liverpool fans unhappy at Phillips update

These Reds fans have taken to Twitter to show their frustration at the news, with some wanting Phillips to stay put and others claiming that it proves the club aren’t desperate for money.

“I’m not happy about this, sell Gomez”

Credit: @Munash_Tondoya

“I don’t want Nat to leave. There I said it. By October I fully expect at least Matip and Gomez to be addressing some form of injuries. We also have no certainty Ibou is gonna immediately take to the physicality of this league. Keep the lad here. Especially if the fee isn’t instant”

Credit: @jondickson_

“So the issue is not money. Okay”

Credit: @Kea_IsTheName

“So that clearly shows we’re not desperate for money and we’re just stingy”

Credit: @ahmedlfc

“What a bad joke. That just shows we have the money but we will not spend it because we’re stingy. I just hope, by that way of thinking, we’ll not have many problems…”

Credit: @Seyjith

“This is bad, Nat is a very good player”

Credit: @IkeoneP

In other news, some Liverpool fans have reacted to an update from journalist James Pearce. Read more here.

Leeds United are unwilling to pay the £8million Huddersfield Town are demanding for Lewis O’Brien, according to The Athletic‘s Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on O’Brien

Marcelo Bielsa may be on the lookout for a backup to Kalvin Phillips this season, in order for the Whites star to be given a breather now and again after a long, gruelling campaign followed by Euro 2020 in the summer.

One player who Leeds have been continually linked with is O’Brien, who has been a key man at Huddersfield, making 82 appearances for the Championship club.

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The Latest: Hay provides key update

Writing in a Q&A for The Athletic on Friday [via Sportslens], Hay confirmed that Leeds are interested in signing O’Brien, also saying ‘Bielsa likes him’.

The Whites don’t want to spend the required £8million for his services, however, which could scupper a potential deal happening.

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The Verdict: Is £8m too much?

While O’Brien has clearly been an influential figure for Huddersfield, winning the club’s Player of the Year award in 2019/20, £8million does arguably sound a little steep for someone plying their trade in the Championship.

At 22, the midfielder is admittedly a long-term prospect with plenty of time to develop, but Leeds may be wise looking elsewhere unless the Terriers lower their demands.

It would be a hefty amount to spend on a player who wouldn’t even be going into the starting lineup regularly, despite once being hailed as ‘incredible’ by Huddersfield writer Steven Chicken.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly still keen on signing a player who shone at Euro 2020. Find out who it is here.