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Bernardo Silva has claimed that Arsenal had an "unfair advantage" over Manchester City during their Premier League clash at the Emirates on Sunday. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after Gabriel Martinelli's dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser cancelled out Erling Haaland's early goal in the first half, with the Gunners extending their unbeaten run against City to six matches.

Martinelli spoiled Man City's party with late equaliser

City were just minutes away from securing a crucial win against Arsenal on Sunday but Martinelli spoiled Pep Guardiola's party as the Brazilian winger came off the bench to score a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser. The result ensured the Gunners stay second in the Premier League table while City are down in ninth.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSilva bemoans lack of recovery time

Arsenal went into the key Premier League fixture after playing Athletic Club last Tuesday in the Champions League, while City took on Napoli two days later.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News after the match, Silva bemoaned the lack of recovery time for City, saying: "I am saying this because we didn’t lose. If we lost, I wouldn’t say this. But the reality is, we cannot come to one of the most important games in the season with such a disadvantage, in terms of rest. It is not fair to play one of these games like this. It is just not right. They had five days, and we had two-and-a-half days. In one of the most important games, this cannot happen.

"I wasn’t feeling in a perfect condition to play like this, and people who have not played at the highest level don’t know how it feels to play a game like this. You need to be at your best condition. We saw [Abdukodir] Khusanov getting injured because these games demand a lot. I feel it is just frustrating that we couldn’t be at our best level simply because of the decision of someone that thinks it is fair to come away after two-and-a-half less days than Arsenal. But in the end we did well in terms of fighting, resilience and sticking together and sticking to the plan. It is just frustrating we conceded very late in the game."

He added: "I felt the difference in the first half. If you play at the highest level you know that two days playing against one of the best teams in the league, away, with the travel, you need at least one more day to recover. It doesn’t matter if Arsenal had four, five or six days [to recover], just give us one more day, and that gives us three-and-a-half days. Then you make it an even game. Two-and-a-half days is not enough to recover our bodies and to perform at the highest level. It is just not enough."

Calls for 'common sense' to prevail

The Portugal international once again hit out at the congested fixture schedule, which is taking a toll on the fitness levels of players across Europe. "We have tried, they don’t listen to us. It is what it is. We would like to change something, but it never changes," Silva said. "It does not really matter, but for the fans, for the respect of the clubs, and for the fairness of the competition, I don’t think what happened today [on Sunday] was good. Look, the schedule is the schedule and I understand you have different competitions and UEFA, the Premier League, and the broadcasters want to make their money and I understand all those sorts of things.

"What we ask is that we don’t mind playing every three or four days, and we don’t mind playing 60 games because we are used to that. But what we ask for is common sense because this is one of the biggest games of the season. And it is not because of us. I don’t think that they are trying to make us lose a game. It could happen to Arsenal or Liverpool in a few months. But when you are playing an Arsenal vs City or a City vs Liverpool or Liverpool vs Arsenal, you need to have a bit of common sense, and understanding of these situations and in such an important game, the players need to be in the same physical conditions otherwise, I don’t think it is fair. I know it might have happened to other teams in the past. It did not feel like we were in the same physical condition as them."

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Getty ImagesUp next for City: Huddersfield then Burnley

Guardiola will be expected to rotate his starting lineup heavily for City's Carabao Cup third-round fixture against Huddersfield Town on Wednesday. City are due to host Burnley in their next Premier League fixture three days later.

The India batter has looked good in his two innings this series but will want a few more runs to show for it

Alagappan Muthu13-Dec-20245:07

Gill: We should consider this as a three-match series from now

It didn’t take long for the memories to come flooding back for Shubman Gill. People forget he played a big part at the Gabba in 2021.Only 21 years old, playing his third Test match, he walked out into perhaps the most intimidating stage Australia had to offer – their captain Tim Paine had made a point to remind them of that when they were able to salvage a draw in Sydney earlier – and looked like he belonged.Gill at his best is comes with a volume warning, because when he hits the ball, it just reverberates around the ground. Sometimes you feel like you could pick out his shots with your eyes closed because the connection is so crisp.Early in India’s chase of 329, he hit Mitchell Starc off the back foot all along the ground through cover and on commentary former England cricketer Isa Guha exclaimed, “Crunched! Sound off the bat. Shubman Gill. Wow!” It is unmissable. The 91 he made at the top of the order set India up for the miracle that followed.”Definitely very nostalgic when I came here,” Gill said on the eve of this year’s Gabba Test against Australia. “The whole team was coming and just walking to the stadium again after 2021 win, felt very nostalgic.”Related

Khawaja, McSweeney steady for 13.2 overs before rain ruins day one of Gabba Test

Struggling batters brace for tough test at the Gabba

Past and present weigh on India, and Australia

Rohit is used to leaving a mark, but not like this

Apart from that natural gift, he seems very well attuned to the vagaries of batting. He understands how things can go wrong and spends ages in the nets trying to fix them. He also understands how things can go right. Former India coach Ravi Shastri recently spoke about how Gill had gone up to Rishabh Pant at tea on the final day of the 2021 Gabba Test and pointed out that Australia might resort to Marnus Labuschagne’s legspin to tide them through to the second new ball and that was a time to cash in. (Labuschagne bowled only one over though)Gill was shaping to be an important weapon for India on this tour, but he injured himself while training and had to miss the first Test at Perth and his return in Adelaide came with a pink-ball handicap. Gill looked good in the first innings making 31 runs, 20 of them through boundaries, and then he missed a straight ball and got lbw.”When you are out there one of the challenges is can you play the game how you want to play the game irrespective of what’s happening on the other end or what’s happening on the scorecard and I think I faltered in the first innings around because of that,” Gill said, “Because what happened on the other end I kind of took that on me.”There was a period where I didn’t get to face, maybe I faced one ball in like four overs and then the next ball that I faced I kind of missed a straight ball, a fuller ball [and was lbw]. But these are the challenges that you face while playing a Test match, you might not get the strike for three or four overs, you might get the strike less or you might face like 18 balls on the trot.”1:52

How can India bounce back in Brisbane?

Looking good but not going on is part of why Gill’s Test average is at 36.45 after 30 Tests. He has crossed 20 in 33 of his 57 innings. So he’s good at getting starts but converting them is a problem. More than half of those 33 innings have ended before he could bring up fifty.In Adelaide, he pointed to the mitigating factor. “Just the dynamics of a pink-ball Test,” Gill said, “We don’t play [it] as much, and just playing at night, it is a little bit harder to gauge the seam position and the hand position at which the ball is released, so it is a bit more difficult to look as a batsman.”Sometimes when you feel like you’ve got the flow going, you start to push things. Playing on the up. On 29 off 27 against England in Chennai 2021, Gill thrust his hands out at Jofra Archer the next ball and was caught at mid-on. He’d hit five boundaries in that short stay, he thought there was one more for the taking. Reaching outside the line of his body. On 36 off 54 in Cape Town in 2024, he got sucked in by Nandre Burger’s left-arm angle and handed a catch to gully. Gill’s stillness at the crease – which is usually a strength because it keeps his head level and really helps him out when he plays his back foot shots – worked against him here.Australia will test him like that too. And in a million other ways. “I think the intensity at which the games are played here, especially Test matches is one of the most difficult things,” Gill said, “To be able to maintain that intensity throughout the course of five days is what makes touring Australia so difficult, and I think more than anything it is the mental intensity and the mental fitness that is required here in Australia, especially here [at the Gabba].”It will be fascinating to see how he comes through an examination like that.

The three who quit are Naimur Rahman, Khaled Mahmud and Enayet Hossain Siraj

Mohammad Isam31-Oct-2024The BCB has removed 11 directors from the board after they failed to attend three or more consecutive meetings, in accordance with the board constitution. The list includes former president Nazmul Hassan and BPL chairman Sheikh Sohel.The others are Manzur Kader, AJM Nasir Uddin, Anwarul Islam, Shafiul Alam Chowdhury, Ismail Haider Mallick, Tanvir Ahmed, Obeid Nizam, Gazi Golam Murtoza and Nazib Ahmed. In addition to the 11, the BCB accepted resignations from three other directors: Naimur Rahman, Khaled Mahmud and Enayet Hossain Siraj.All of the above names have been missing in action since the Awami League government was dethroned on August 5 following a violent student uprising. They have direct or indirect connections with the Awami League. Nazmul was the sports minister, Shafiul an Awami League MP while Nasir was a former Chattogram mayor during the Awami League’s 15-year reign. Sohel and Nazib are relatives of Sheikh Hasina, the former prime minister, while Mallick was Nazmul’s close associate.The BCB had 25 directors in all before the fall of the government and 10 remain after the departure of those 14, as one had passed away before August.The BCB also formed a constitution amendment committee headed by director Nazmul Abedeen. According to the press release, “the committee will be responsible for assessing the current BCB constitution, identifying areas of improvement and proposing amendments that align with the strategic goals and evolving needs of the BCB”.Two weeks after an interim government was sworn in on August 8, the BCB directors elected Faruque Ahmed, the former Bangladesh captain, as the president while Abedeen, the renowned coach, also became a director. They took the places of Jalal Yunus who resigned as a director and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam was removed as director.

Manchester City have been making waves so far during the summer transfer window as Pep Guardiola attempts to win back the Premier League title.

Indeed, no fewer than four players have moved to City, and there is scope for plenty more in the coming weeks.

Kyle Walker has left, as has Kevin De Bruyne, with Guardiola streamlining his squad.

With the Englishman departing, City have targeted a swoop for a Serie A player who could add something extra to the right side of their defence.

Man City ready to close in on Serie A star

Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki have all arrived at the Etihad ahead of the 2025/26 season. Despite City exiting the Club World Cup earlier than anticipated, the three players could be vital for the club next season.

Now, according to reports in Spain, City could be set to close in on a deal to sign Inter Milan star Denzel Dumfries, with the Etihad side ready to accelerate their move for the rampaging talent.

He has a release clause worth £21.5m, as per the report, but this expires on July 15 and it looks as though Guardiola is keen to activate it before the deadline.

The right side of the defence is a position which needs to be strengthened massively and Dumfries could be an excellent signing.

He could turn out to be Guardiola’s very own Bryan Mbeumo, who has been heavily linked with a move to rivals Manchester United this summer.

Why Manchester City must sign Denzel Dumfries

United’s attack could look very different should they secure a deal for Mbeumo in the coming weeks.

Off the right flank last season, he registered 28 goal contributions in the Premier League – 20 goals and eight assists – proving he would be an excellent signing for Ruben Amorim.

Dumfries could turn out to be Guardiola’s own version of the Brentford forward. Despite not playing in quite such an advanced position, the Dutchman did record similar statistics to Mbeumo throughout last season, with FBref noting the pair to be similar players among wingers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Indeed, according to FBref, the pair performed similarly when it came to shots per 90 (1.74 vs 2.08), shot-creating actions (2.53 vs 3.8) and goal-creating actions (0.18 vs 0.53) in their respective domestic leagues.

Goals

7

Assists

2

Big chances created

6

Total duels won per game

3.9

Tackles per game

0.9

Balls recovered per game

2.2

Both players are superb at bursting forward down the right flank in order to either get a shot away or to create chances in the final third, with Dumfries notably registering 17 goals and assists in all competitions last term as an advanced wing-back.

Journalist Alan Rzepa described Dumfries as a “monster” all the way back in 2021, but fast-forward four years, nothing has changed.

In Serie A last term, he scored seven goals and grabbed two assists. Given that City’s full-backs scored just eight goals between them all season, adding someone like Dumfries would be an excellent move.

For a fee of £21.5m, Guardiola could well be signing his very own Mbeumo-esque figure on the cheap. Someone capable of shining in the Premier League with his attacking talents on the right flank.

If it all works out, Dumfries might just quietly be the signing of the summer for City.

Romano: "Agreement sealed" as Man City win race and sign 18 y/o ex-PSG gem

The paperwork has now been “signed” over a move to the Etihad.

ByHenry Jackson Jul 11, 2025

Leeds United are back in the big time, and deservedly so, shaking off their Wembley heartbreak to secure the Championship title last time out – reaching 100 points in the process.

Another year in the second tier may suggest that Daniel Farke’s side are now better prepared to make the step up to the Premier League, although is that really the case?

The team that came so close in 2024 was blessed with the dazzling duo of Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville, for instance, the former having contributed 16 assists in total that season, while the latter man registered 21 goals for the Yorkshire side.

With both men having since flown the nest, question marks remain surrounding Farke’s current attacking crop. Indeed, Brenden Aaronson provided just four goal involvements during his previous Premier League stint, with Daniel James registering one fewer while on loan at Fulham during that 2022/23 campaign.

Those prior woes don’t necessarily mean that Leeds’ attacking unit will flounder again next term, although it is evident that more firepower is needed before the window is out. As it is, reports appear to suggest that the Elland Road side are working to find a solution to that problem.

Latest on Leeds' search for a forward

The Whites have so far only bolstered their attacking ranks with the free transfer addition of Wolfsburg’s Lukas Nmecha, albeit with reports earlier this week outlining that contact had been made regarding a move for Juventus’ £12m utility man, Timothy Weah.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Whether the United States international ends up at Elland Road remains to be seen, however, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano outlining that Ligue 1 side Marseille are also engaging in talks amid a potential move for the 25-year-old.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, French outlet Foot Mercato have noted that Leeds are among a quintet of clubs who are keen on signing Borussia Monchengladbach forward, Franck Honorat, with Farke and co said to be showing ‘strong interest’ in the Frenchman.

As per the report, the likes of Nice and Freiburg are also keeping a close eye on the 28-year-old, while both Valencia and Stade Rennais are also said to have entered the frame, with Honorat previously lining up for Brest in Ligue 1.

Valued at £11m by Football Transfers, the experienced talent has spent the last two seasons in Germany, although a fresh start could be on the horizon. Might it be worth Leeds taking a punt?

Why Honorat could be Farke's new Rutter

The signing of an exciting and versatile French talent from the Bundesliga – ring any bells?

Of course, Leeds forked out a club-record fee of £35.5m to prise the aforementioned Rutter from Hoffenheim in January 2023, with the former France U21 international shaking off a quiet first six months in Yorkshire to emerge as a real shining light under Farke’s watch.

In all, the 23-year-old registered 26 goals and assists in just 66 games prior to his £40m switch to Brighton last summer, having been the creative hub in the side in 2023/24, having created 22 ‘big chances’ in total in the second tier.

While at 28, Honorat isn’t exactly a ‘prospect’, he has been described as “one to watch” this summer by journalist Santi Aouna, having showcased his own creative flair for Gladbach in recent seasons.

Indeed, in just 56 games for the German side, the in-demand forward – who, like Rutter, can operate centrally or on the flanks – has already registered 22 assists, alongside chipping in with ten goals, having been a revelation since his 2023 switch from France.

Games (starts)

32 (28)

19 (18)

Goals

3

4

Assists

9

7

Big chances created

19

12

Key passes*

2.8

2.7

Pass accuracy*

74%

76%

Successful dribbles*

0.7

0.6

Total duels won*

2.4

2.3

Possession lost*

15.1

13.3

As for last term, in particular, Honorat notably provided seven assists and created 12 ‘big chances’ in the Bundesliga, having boasted a stellar average of 2.7 key passes per game from his 19 appearances. For comparison, Rutter averaged 1.9 in that regard during 2023/24.

Had it not been for injury, the Gladbach man could well have even improved upon that return of goal involvements, albeit while still standing out as an exceptional ball carrier, after ranking in the top 15% of wingers and attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga for progressive carries per 90.

That is a trait that is no doubt shared with his compatriot, with Rutter’s dribbling prowess evidenced by the fact that he ranked in the top 4% of his peers for successful take-ons per 90 in 2023/24.

Like Rutter, Honorat may not exactly be a household name at present, but he could prove to be Farke’s next playmaking magician at Elland Road, if a deal can be struck.

Yes, competition for his signature is fierce, but that can only be a good sign…

Better signing than Krstovic: Leeds considering bid for £21m striker

Leeds are considering a move for a star who would be even better than Nikola Krstovic.

5 ByDan Emery Jul 4, 2025

Now that Rangers have a manager in place, their transfer window activity can begin in earnest.

Last week, Russell Martin was unveiled as the 20th permanent manager in Rangers’ 153-year history, but he faces a big task to guide the Gers through Champions League qualifying this summer and then, ultimately, aiming to topple their rivals at the top of the Scottish Premiership.

That will all be a tough task, but could Martin land his dream midfield signing early into his tenure in Glasgow?

Rangers' chasing midfield reinforcements

While recruitment as far as new players are concerned hasn’t been Kevin Thelwell’s first priority since heading to Rangers, attention can now finally turn to who could improve the squad at Ibrox.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Well, according to a report by Alan Nixon of the Scottish Sun, Martin would like Rangers to sign midfielder Flynn Downes this summer.

The 26-year-old played for Martin at Swansea and Southampton, initially on loan when the Saints gained promotion from the EFL Championship last year, before he made his move from West Ham to the South Coast permanent a year ago for a reported £18m fee.

That sky-high price tag could prove to be a severe stumbling block, considering Rangers’ record signing of all time is the £12m paid to sign Tore André Flo in 2000, while the highest fee they’ve paid in the modern era is £7.5m for Ryan Kent in 2019.

Nevertheless, after Southampton were instantaneously relegated from the Premier League after just one season back in the top-flight, there could potentially be a fire-sale at St Mary’s, with Downes possibly amongst those sacrificed.

So, could he be reunited with his former manager north of the border?

How Downes compares to Lundstram

Signing English players from down south is certainly not a new strategy for Rangers, with John Lundstram certainly one of the more successful of their imports of the modern era.

After failing to make a senior appearance for Everton, the midfielder, fair to say, was a bit of a journeyman, playing for Doncaster Rovers, Yeovil Town, Leyton Orient across two spells, Blackpool, Scunthorpe United and Oxford United.

He belatedly burst onto the scene at Sheffield United, making 62 Premier League appearances for the Blades, a key figure as Chris Wilder’s team finished ninth in 2019/20 as a newly-promoted club.

Nevertheless, it was only once he got to Glasgow that Lundstram truly found a home.

In total, the midfielder featured over 150 times for Rangers, scoring 11 goals, including the late winner against RB Leipzig that booked the club’s place in the Europa League Final, winning the Scottish Cup and League Cup, starting all three finals.

He ultimately departed for Trabzonspor on a Bosman last summer but, should Downes arrive, Rangers supporters would be hoping he could have a similar impact to that of his compatriot.

Host Dan Woffenden describes Downes as “class”, while Roshane Thomas of the Athletic labels him an excellent passer, also documenting how he ‘thrived under manager Russell Martin’ when the pair were together at Swansea.

Meantime, Chris Beaumont of Total Football Analysis praises the midfielder’s ‘fantastic engine’ and ‘physical presence’, asserting that he is one of the ‘hottest midfield prospects’ in English football.

So, let’s assess his statistics in the EFL Championship from the 2023/24 campaign.

Flynn Downes 2023/24 Championship statistics
Statistics	Downes	Championship rank
Minutes	2,550	163rd
Completed passes	2,019	29th
Pass completion %	93%	3rd
Short passes completed	1,152	12th
Touches	2,419	50th
All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

It is worth mentioning that statistics from Downes’ season in the second-tier were used due to how generally hopeless Southampton were in the Premier League this season, thereby providing a data set that is uninformative.

Also worth noting that, according to Global Football Ranking, the Championship is the 11th strongest league in the world, compared to the Scottish Premiership down in 43rd, thereby offering a slightly more comparable level.

Thus, what the numbers do underline is that Downes is a high-quality passer, ranked third for pass completion percentage, while more than half of these passes were short, between five and 15 yards.

So, in Martin’s system that prioritises possession, he could be exactly the midfielder Rangers require, potentially having an equally enormous impact at Ibrox to that of Lundstram.

Martin could land dream 1st Rangers signing who's "very similar" to Raskin

Rangers could replace Raskin with a South American starler

By
Ross Kilvington

Jun 8, 2025

Glasgow Rangers have already confirmed that Barry Ferguson’s time as interim manager of the Ibrox club came to an end after the Scottish Premiership season concluded.

The Light Blues were held to a 2-2 draw at Easter Road on the final day of the league season, as Rangers cemented their second-placed finish behind their city rivals.

Ferguson’s interim spell ended with six wins, five draws, and four defeats in 15 matches in all competitions, which was far from impressive on paper for the inexperienced Scottish coach.

It has now been confirmed that he will not be in contention for the job on a full-time basis, as the Gers are now looking elsewhere for a permanent successor to Philippe Clement, who was relieved of his duties in February.

There have already been plenty of interesting names linked with the vacant managerial position at Ibrox, ranging from British coaches, foreign coaches with British experience, and left-field coaches with no experience in British football.

One of the names who has been mentioned alongside the Rangers job in recent weeks is Real Madrid assistant first-team coach Davide Ancelotti, the son of Carlo Ancelotti.

Why Rangers should avoid Davide Ancelotti

There have been some contradicting reports on the club’s interest in the Italian tactician of late, with talk of an offer from the Gers and then a report saying that was false and that he wants to join his father with the Brazil national team for a year.

Whether he is a serious candidate for the job or not, the 49ers and Kevin Thelwell should look elsewhere in their search for a new head coach because of the job facing the next manager ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Rangers have finished second in the Premiership in each of the last four seasons, watching their city rivals lift the trophy each year, and need a head coach who can bring success back to Ibrox.

Whilst Ancelotti is an exciting prospect, because he has yet to manage at first-team level and is full of untapped potential, the fact that he is an unknown quantity as a manager also counts against him for this particular job.

Davide Ancelotti’s coaching career

Club (role)

First-team manager

Matches

Real Madrid (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

233

Everton (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

67

Napoli (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

73

Bayern Munich (Assistant manager)

Carlo Ancelotti

60

Real Madrid (Fitness coach)

Carlo Ancelotti

119

PSG (Fitness coach)

Carlo Ancelotti

77

Stats via Transfermarkt

The 35-year-old coach, as shown by his career path above, has not been a first-team manager to date, as he has only worked as part of his father’s coaching staff, as either a fitness coach or as an assistant manager.

Whilst there is a lot of brilliant experience in some of the best leagues in Europe at some of the biggest clubs in the world there, Ancelotti has not proven himself as the main man and that is why Rangers, in their current situation, should look elsewhere.

Rangers want to appoint new manager this week

As per a fresh report from the Daily Mail, Rangers are looking to appoint a more experienced manager as they are set to hold talks with English boss Steven Gerrard.

The report claims that the club are planning to hold talks with the Liverpool legend within the next 48 hours to discuss a potential return to Ibrox, having left the job to join Aston Villa back in 2021.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

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It states that Gerrard, who is currently without a club, is currently the frontrunner to land the role, and that Rangers want to have a deal wrapped up by the end of this week if possible.

All going well, the English manager could be holding up a Gers scarf for the second time before next Monday, although there is no mention of how interested he is in making a return to Glasgow.

With this news in mind, the club must convince Gerrard to return to Ibrox before the end of the week during these talks that are due to take place within the next 48 hours because he would make supporters forget about wanting Ancelotti.

Why Gerrard would make Rangers forget Ancelotti

As aforementioned, the Real Madrid assistant manager would arrive at Ibrox as a huge gamble by the club, given his lack of senior managerial experience, but that would not be the case with Gerrard.

In fact, the English head coach may be the safest possible appointment for Rangers to make, given that he is the only Gers manager who has won the Premiership in the last decade.

The former England international lost more games than he won at Aston Villa (19 vs 13) and Al Ettifaq (20 vs 19) after moving on from Ibrox in 2021, but there is no mocking his record during his time in Scottish football.

After being given time to build a squad in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns, Gerrard won the Premiership title in the 2020/21 season with 32 wins and zero losses in the top-flight, an achievement that was described as “unbelievable” by journalist Leanne Prescott.

Gerrard’s last 50 Premiership games at Rangers

Stat

20/21

21/22

Matches

38

12

Wins

32

8

Draws

6

3

Defeats

0

1

Points

102

27

Points per game

2.68

2.25

League position

1st (Champions)

1st

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the 4-3-3 manager only lost one of his last 50 matches in charge of the club, and left the team at the top of the table before Giovanni van Bronckhorst failed to follow up with another title success.

Gerrard, once dubbed “amazing” by Glen Johnson, has proven that he can deliver a successful style of football at Ibrox, given his incredible record across his last 50 games and the title that he won in the 2020/21 campaign.

Rangers have failed to win the Premiership in the last four seasons, and they need a head coach who can bring the title back to Ibrox next term. So, who better than the only man to have done it in the last decade? That is why appointing Gerrard could make fans forget about the exciting potential of bringing Ancelotti in for his first managerial job.

Related Not just Butland: Rangers flop may have played his last game at Ibrox

Several Rangers players wont be at the club next season after the 2-2 draw with Hibs.

Posts ByRoss Kilvington May 17, 2025

Looking towards the summer transfer window, Aston Villa have now reportedly joined the race to sign a 15-goal striker alongside a number of their Premier League rivals.

Aston Villa's UCL hopes still alive

With two Premier League games remaining, Aston Villa still have some hope of qualifying for the Champions League. They need Chelsea, Newcastle United or Manchester City to slip up, but must do their own job to stand a chance.

Imagine him & Nypan: Aston Villa open talks to sign Jhon Duran 2.0

Aston Villa could sign an ideal player for Nypan this summer

ByRoss Kilvington May 9, 2025

They did their bit on Saturday night after seeing off Bournemouth away from home, winning 1-0 thanks to Ollie Watkins’ strike and some heroic defending, despite a late red card for Jacob Ramsey.

Victory at Bournemouth means that Villa have put the pressure firmly on rivals Nottingham Forest, while they are now poised to pounce following Man City’s draw at Southampton and ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Newcastle.

By qualifying for the Champions League, Villa would instantly ease any financial concerns and be in a position to compete for some of Europe’s most interesting talents in the transfer market once again. And that could yet see a Champions League finalist make his way to the Midlands.

Aston Villa join Goncalo Ramos race

According to CaughtOffside, Aston Villa have now joined the hectic race to sign Goncalo Ramos from Paris Saint-Germain this summer. The forward is reportedly open to leaving the French champions in a bid to gain a starting role elsewhere.

Sparking interest from Villa, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle among others, the Portugal international, who shares an agent with Marco Asensio, isn’t exactly short on suitors.

Amid recent rumours that Chelsea and others are interested in signing Ollie Watkins this summer, Ramos could emerge as an ideal option for those at Villa Park.

Even without consistent starts at PSG, the 23-year-old has showcased his quality by scoring an impressive 15 goals in all competitions following their Champions League semi-final victory over Arsenal in midweek.

After an “outrageous” start to his Portugal career, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Ramos will be desperate to take his international form to club level on a more consistent basis this summer – something that Aston Villa could yet offer him.

ESPNcricinfo’s writers pick their favourite shots of IPL 2024

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2024

Rishabh Pant’s no-look whip vs Venkatesh Iyer

By Karthik KrishnaswamyRishabh Pant has played that no-look, no-feet, no-care-in-the-world whip over fine leg numerous times in his career, and he has done it off bowlers far better than Venkatesh Iyer. But every Rishabh Pant thing that Rishabh Pant did during IPL 2024 was an occasion to celebrate, and this shot was particularly heartwarming because it involved a significant amount of knee-flexing, and we all know what Pant’s knees have gone through. This was another sign that Pant was back, properly, reconstructed ligaments and all.MS Dhoni sent Yash Dayal’s full toss over the roof in Bengaluru•BCCI

Dhoni’s 110 m six vs Dayal

By Sidharth MongaRCB’s comeback from one win in eight matches into the playoffs was the story of the tournament. After every kind of miraculous effort, it still came down to a youngster bowling to MS Dhoni in the final over to deny CSK the required net run rate to knock RCB out. Yash Dayal tried a back-of-the-hand slower ball, ended up offering a juicy full toss, and Dhoni monstered it over the Chinnaswamy stands and onto one of the roads. Now it is said that Dhoni aims to hit such a morale-busting six first ball of the last over following which bowlers lose their composure, which is more urban legend than anything. This shot is my favourite of this IPL because it led to another, opposing urban legend: because Dhoni hit the ball out of the ground and lost it, Dayal could execute slower deliveries with the replacement ball that was dry, and redeem himself after having been hit for five sixes in the last over by Rinku Singh last year.Ruturaj Gaikwad hit a six against Mumbai that impressed his former captain•BCCI

Gaikwad wows Dhoni

By Alagappan MuthuMS Dhoni knows sixes. So, when his eyes widened, and he pushed his lips up and out, as he watched the ball sail over the boundary with an appreciative nod, it’s proof that something special has happened. Akash Madhwal was bowling. He had seen the batter charge at him. Making room outside leg stump. So he corrected his course. And dragged his line wide. Ruturaj Gaikwad was mid-move when he realised he was out of position. This was a ball that he wasn’t supposed to reach. It was also a ball that he hit for six over point. Gaikwad is far from the ideal T20 batter but his sense for timing and placement can tempt even the most esteemed jaws to hit the floor.

A look at some of the standout numbers from the Galle Test which lasted just over two days

Sampath Bandarupalli01-Jul-20221 The 10-wicket win in Galle was Australia’s first Test win in Sri Lanka while batting second. Their previous seven Test wins in Sri Lanka came when they batted first. Since 2003, Australia have won only four out of the 19 Tests when they batted second in Asia. The previous three wins in this period came in Bangladesh.22.5 Overs batted by Sri Lanka in their second innings, their shortest all-out innings in Test cricket. The 24.2 overs they batted against Australia in the Melbourne Test in 2012 was their previous shortest innings. The 491 balls batted by Sri Lanka in this match is their lowest in a home Test and the third lowest in a Test match (where they were bowled out twice).ESPNcricinfo Ltd920 Number of balls bowled in the Galle Test. These are the fewest balls bowled in a completed Test match hosted by Sri Lanka. The previous shortest completed Test in Sri Lanka was 1056 balls in the 1986 Kandy Test between the hosts and Pakistan.3 Number of Test matches with an average runs per wicket less than 25 and a run rate of four or more before the Galle Test. In fact, the run rate of 4.27 in this Test match is the ninth highest in a Test match and the highest in Sri Lanka.