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Rangers were beaten 1-0 at home to Celtic on Sunday afternoon and it has led to an interesting claim emerging over the future of manager Michael Beale, courtesy of journalist Jonny McFarlane.

What went wrong for Rangers against Celtic?

The Gers faced a huge Scottish Premiership clash at Ibrox on Sunday, as they hosted their bitter rivals, going into the match one point behind them after three matches. A win would be a much-needed boost for Beale, following their demoralising 5-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League last Wednesday, but it was clear that a loss would also be a damaging early blow in the SPL title race.

Rangers felt aggrieved when Kemar Roofe's goal was eventually disallowed by VAR in the first half, due to a foul in the lead-up to him finding the net, and from that point on, things only got worse. Kyogo Furuhashi fired home impressively just before half-time to give Celtic the lead, silencing the home fans, and despite pushing hard for an equaliser, Beale's men couldn't find one in the end.

It means that the Gers are now four points adrift of their adversaries, and while it is still clearly early days in the new season, it is already a deficit that is not going to be easy to claw back.

The result has further heaped the pressure on Beale, who appears to be on thin ice currently, not least because of the grim way his side exited the Champions League last week.

Is Michael Beale's job under threat?

Taking to Twitter after the defeat to Celtic, McFarlane was critical of the job Beale is doing, claiming he now has "major problems" as he looks to keep his job:

"Michael Beale has major problems. Hard to see the identity. A performance littered with mistakes. Toothless in the top end of the pitch and prone to errors at the back isn’t a great combination."

There is no question that Beale now has to be under huge pressure to stay in the Ibrox hot seat, following a terrible few days for him, both in Europe and domestically.

For too much of the game against Celtic, there was a lack of quality and genuine guile on show, with good chances few and far between, having only three shots on target. Granted, the Hoops' defence was opened up on occasions, but it always felt as though the visitors had more cutting edge in the final third, and they could easily have scored a second goal as the minutes ticked by after the break.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

With the international break now arriving, those high up at Rangers now have a key period in which to make a big decision over Beale's future, with some supporters certainly keen on the idea of him being relieved of his duties, despite only taking charge last November.

There isn't enough patience in the modern game, so sacking Beale could still feel knee-jerk, despite the losses to PSV and Celtic, but if he is retained, performances and results have to improve drastically as soon as Rangers return to action, starting away to St Johnstone on September 16th.

England coach said he was “embarrassed” by what his fellow countrymen had done during the Cape Town Test

Andrew McGlashan27-Mar-2018England coach Trevor Bayliss believes the strength of feeling in response to Australia’s ball-tampering crisis is a symptom of how the team has played their cricket in recent times.Bayliss, a former New South Wales coach who knows Steven Smith well from his days as a young allrounder at the state, said he was “embarrassed” by what his fellow countrymen had done in South Africa.In his time as England coach Bayliss has faced Australia in two Ashes series, the most recent ending in a 4-0 defeat that involved a number of fractious moments, including the Cameron Bancroft-Jonny Bairstow headbutt incident in Perth which came to light during the Brisbane Test.”I think a lot of what they’re copping at the moment comes from the way they have played their game,” Bayliss said. “It’s almost like teams and people around the world have been waiting for them to stuff up so they can lay the boot in. I don’t think you can say when any culture has changed. It’s one of those things that continually, over a period of time, builds and builds and unfortunately on this occasion it’s gone too far.”As an Australian, I’m embarrassed. Steve is a lovely young bloke who has made a terrible mistake and I’m sure Cricket Australia will work out the course of action required. It’s nothing to do with us but it will be interesting to see what they come up with.”However, Bayliss insisted he didn’t have any issues with how Australia had managed to obtain their reverse-swing during the Ashes. Since the drama unfolded in Cape Town, footage has emerged of Bancroft allegedly putting sugar in his pocket during the Sydney Test while reports have said that David Warner told England players of his tactics after the series. “I thought we were outplayed by a much better team. I’ve got no complaints,” Bayliss said.Away from the controversies engulfing Australia, Bayliss agreed with the view of ICC chief executive David Richardson that the game as a whole has to look at its image.”It’s not just Australian cricket that’s being thought of in a negative way, it’s going to be the game as a whole. Players and teams around the world have got to take a step back and have a bit of a think about the way they go about things and make sure the game continues on into the future and held in the best possible light by everyone.”

Everton's transfer business in recent years has arguably been some of the worst in the Premier League, with the Toffees spending a reported €118m (£102m) in the last two seasons, only to battle relegation in both.

As talks with 777 Partners to complete a takeover of the club reportedly reach an advanced stage, too, those at Goodison Park must ensure that their recruitment improves in future windows. One thing that the new owners will want to avoid is suffering transfer losses on players who arrive full of potential, before going onto become a flop to forget, and leaving for a small fee.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

When it comes to departures throughout the summer transfer window, Alex Iwobi's exit was the biggest that Everton suffered, coming late on. The midfielder completed a move to Fulham on deadline day, leaving Sean Dyche's side short in midfield.

Even with most of the transfer windows shut, the exits are still coming, however, with another midfielder edging closer to an exit to the Turkish Super Lig, ending a mixed spell at Goodison Park in the process.

According to TeamTalk, Fenerbace are in advanced talks to sign forgotten man Andre Gomes for as little as £5m, after initially making the move to Everton for a reported £22m in the summer of 2019. If the move takes place, Everton will be looking at a loss of around 77% in what is damning evidence of just how poor they've been in the transfer market in recent years.

With the transfer window slamming shut in the Turkish Super Lig on Friday, Fenerbahce will need to act quickly if they want to complete a move, that's for sure, but it's certainly a deal that would suit all parties.

Should Everton sell Andre Gomes?

As much as Everton would be taking a loss on Gomes by selling him to Fenerbahce before the deadline, the Spaniard has become a forgotten man at Goodison Park after spending last season on loan at Lille in Ligue 1, so it is the right decision.

It briefly looked as though he could get a chance under Dyche when he was included in the squad to face Fulham on the opening day – three absences since then suggest that all parties are ready to cut ties, however.

Those in Merseyside will at least make room on their wage bill with Gomes' exit, given that he currently earned a reported £112k per week at Goodison Park.

In another world, it could be argued that Gomes could have earned a second chance in the Premier League, and grabbed it with both hands, but that doesn't look likely to happen.

According to FBref, for Lille last season, the midfielder made 8.84 progressive passes per 90, and managed five goal involvements. So, there is still a capable player in there. It just doesn't look as though Gomes will get the chance to show that again at Everton.

Wicketkeeper Tim Paine will lead the side for the last two days of the contest, and Smith and Warner will play under him

Daniel Brettig in Cape Town25-Mar-2018Steven Smith and David Warner have been removed as Australia’s captain and vice-captain for the remainder of the Cape Town Test against South Africa, as the first fallout of the ball-tampering confession Australia made on the third day of the Test. Wicketkeeper Tim Paine will lead the side for the last two days of the contest.”Following discussions with Steve Smith and David Warner they have agreed to stand down as captain and vice-captain respectively for the remainder of this Test match,” Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said on the morning of the fourth day’s play. “This Test match needs to proceed, and in the interim we will continue to investigate this matter with the urgency that it demands.”As I said earlier today, Cricket Australia and Australian cricket fans expect certain standards of conduct from cricketers representing our country, and on this occasion these standards have not been met. All Australians, like us, want answers and we will keep you updated on our findings as a matter of priority.”The CA chairman David Peever said the decision to appoint Paine followed an emergency Board meeting. The CA integrity chief Iain Roy and team performance manager Pat Howard are en route to Cape Town. “The Board of Cricket Australia has endorsed Tim Paine to step in as acting captain for the remainder of this Test,” he said. “Both Steve and David will take to the field today under Tim’s captaincy.”The Board fully supports the process for an immediate investigation into what occurred in Cape Town. We regard this as a matter of the utmost seriousness and urgency. We will ensure we have all information available to make the right decisions for Australian cricket.”Roy’s arrival and investigation may result in charges under CA’s code of behaviour, which features separate clauses relating to “unbecoming conduct” and “cheating”.The decision to remove Smith and Warner, who took the field at Newlands under Paine’s leadership, came hours after the Australian government had called on Cricket Australia to take such a decision. The country’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has also called the incident a “shocking disappointment”.The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Chair John Wylie, the ASC Board, and CEO Kate Palmer – essentially speaking for the Australian government – called for severe action against more of the team. “The ASC condemns cheating of any form in sport,” it said in a statement. “The ASC expects and requires that Australian teams and athletes demonstrate unimpeachable integrity in representing our country.”Given the admission by Australian captain Steve Smith, the ASC calls for him to be stood down immediately by Cricket Australia, along with any other members of the team leadership group or coaching staff who had prior awareness of, or involvement in, the plan to tamper with the ball. This can occur while Cricket Australia completes a full investigation.”The incident took place during the afternoon session and was picked up on by TV cameras. A small, yellow object was seen in Bancroft’s hands after he had worked on the ball, and he was also captured taking it from his pocket and placing it down his trousers. The footage showed Bancroft rubbing the rough side of the ball, the opposite side to which he would usually be trying to shine on his trousers. He put the object down his pants apparently after being spoken to by the substitute Peter Handscomb, who had come on to the field after speaking to coach Darren Lehmann over walkie talkie. Lehmann seemed to speak to Handscomb after footage of Bancroft working on the ball was shown on the TV screens at the ground.The umpires Nigel Llong and Richard Illingworth were then seen speaking with Bancroft, though they did not choose to change the ball or penalise the Australians five runs – the statutory on-field penalty for illegally changing the condition of the ball. When Bancroft spoke to the umpires, he was shown holding a bigger, black cloth rather than the small yellow object he had earlier seemed to place down his trousers.Smith and Bancroft owned up to the offence at the press conference after play on the third day, and Smith said the leadership group within the team had known about the plan to tamper with the ball.

Celtic could be set to lose one of their integral senior players in January, and a fresh report has revealed which club are trying to tempt him into leaving the Scottish Premiership.

What's the latest transfer news at Celtic?

Over the summer, Brendan Rodgers had a busy window, bringing in a total of ten fresh faces which included the likes of Luis Palma, Tomoki Iwata and Nathaniel Phillips, but whilst the boss was busy getting players into the building, he was equally working on some of them leaving.

In terms of outgoings, Jota was the biggest name to depart having joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, alongside Carl Starfelt and Albian Ajeti who also completed exits just to name a few, as per Transfermarkt, and even though the window has now closed, all eyes are focused on January.

At Parkhead, Daizen Maeda only arrived permanently last summer following a previous successful loan from Yokohama F. Marinos, and despite still having another four years remaining on his contract, he's already been linked with a move elsewhere this year.

The Japan international emerged as a serious target for Premier League side Southampton at the start of the year, and even though a deal failed to come to fruition after the 25-year-old admitted that he was firmly focused on the job at hand, there’s a possibility that he could have his head turned by a bigger club in the future.

Is Daizen Maeda leaving Celtic?

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are "keeping close tabs" on Maeda, where Ange Postecoglou is plotting a reunion with his former attacker. The Celtic star is a player being "looked at" by the club's ex-boss as he looks to bolster his options out wide in N17.

The Lilywhites are in the process of "conducting their due diligence" on the left-winger, with his versatility to operate on both flanks making him an "attractive" prospect.

Spurs are "exploring the conditions" of a swoop, and it's claimed that the outfit north of the border would be looking to receive £25m to sanction his sale, the same fee that saw them let go of Jota.

How many goals has Daizen Maeda scored for Celtic?

Since first putting pen to paper at Celtic, Maeda has posted 32 contributions (19 goals and 13 assists) in 76 appearances (prior to today's game vs Dundee) which shows how prolific he can be in the final third, but it’s not just the impact he makes when hitting the back of the net that he brings to the side.

The JEB Entertainment client has been deployed in six different positions since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so despite his versatility being attractive to other clubs, it makes him a great option to have in the building.

Furthermore, Maeda has helped Rodgers’ side to secure four trophies following his arrival, including the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup, and the “dangerous” threat that he provides, as described by journalist Josh Bunting, will only help to increase that number moving forward.

Warwickshire wrapped up a comfortable victory at Edgbaston to strengthen their position at the top of Division Two

ECB Reporters Network06-May-2018
ScorecardWarwickshire strengthened their position at the top of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two table by completing an eight-wicket win over Derbyshire before lunch on the final day at Edgbaston.Requiring 89 for victory Warwickshire resumed on the last morning on 19 for one and Ian Bell set the tone for a comfortable closing out of victory by driving Duanne Olivier’s first ball sweetly through the covers for three.On a turning pitch, leg-spinner Matt Critchley was Derbyshire’s main hope of pulling off an unlikely win and he struck in his second over of the day when Dominic Sibley fell lbw.But that glimmer of hope for the visitors was effectively snuffed out in Critchley’s next over from which Jonathan Trott took ten runs, including two cover-driven fours, to take his team past 50.That flurry saw Critchley taken out of the attack and 17-year-old, Kandahar-born, England Under 19s off-spinner Hamidullah Qadri brought into the attack. Trott soon punched him to the long-off boundary and, fittingly, in the match during which he announced that he will retire at the end of the season, went on to see his team through to victory.Trott ended unbeaten on 35 (45 balls, seven fours) and Bell on 34 (53 balls, six fours).Warwickshire’s victory was built upon a solid display with the bat which saw them pass 400 on a wicket which required watchfulness and the excellence of Jeetan Patel and Henry Brookes with the ball. The pair shared 18 wickets (Patel’s match-figures ten for 170, Brookes’ eight for 119) to more than compensate for the loss from the attack of Ryan Sidebottom who suffered a side-strain while bowling in Derbyshire’s first innings.Derbyshire were left to reflect upon match which ultimately brought an emphatic defeat but in which they competed for long periods to suggest they are capable of sustaining their bright start to the season.

West Ham United return to domestic cup action tonight as they prepare to mount a bid to win the Carabao Cup, with League One side Lincoln City welcoming David Moyes' side to the LNER Stadium.

The Hammers have been in fine form this season and, despite losing the past two Premier League matches to Manchester City and Liverpool, will hope to build on last season's success in winning the Europa Conference League title.

The Carabao Cup is probably the lesser of the four competitions the Hammers are fighting in this term, but will be one Moyes will hope to win nonetheless, but he must ensure a potential banana skin is avoided against the Imps.

What's the latest West Ham team news?

Aaron Cresswell is still sidelined with injury and will miss the trip to Lincoln, so Ben Johnson is likely to start at left-back.

Having impressed on his debut against Backa Topola in the Europea League last week, £19m summer signing Konstantinos Mavropanos is expected to start in defence alongside veteran Angelo Ogbonna.

Moyes could opt for a two-man axis in the middle, partnering Thomas Soucek in the middle with Pablo Fornals.

In attack, Said Benrahma and Maxwel Cornet are both sure to start, but whether Mohammed Kudus gets the nod after starting from the bench in the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday remains to be seen.

Yet to start in the Premier League this term, Danny Ings may well start up front, but West Ham's Scottish manager should consider the possibility of starting precocious youngster Divin Mubama as the spearhead, with the forthcoming tie possibly the perfect chance for him to showcase his skills.

Should West Ham start Divin Mubama vs Lincoln?

The 18-year-old striker has only made six appearances for West Ham, but has already scored his first goal and supplied his first assist, with both contributions coming in the Conference League last season.

Indeed, etching a goal and an assist across his two performances in Europe, Mubama has made his early mark and will now hope for the current campaign to be one of great strides on a personal level.

That maiden goal certainly caught the eye of journalist Josh Bunting, who said: ”Divin Mubama with his first West Ham senior goal. Has been flying for the youth teams this season but he has a massive future ahead of him. Is quick to adapt into different play styles. Not just a goal-scorer but has that link up play. Protects the ball very smartly for his age.”

Praised for his "instrumental" role in the Hammers' youth set-up by Academy manager Kenny Brown, having plundered 54 goals and seven assists from 86 outings for the U18s and U21s, Mubama knows where the back of the net is and could use the match against Lincoln as the perfect seasonal launchpad to set him in his stride.

While very much in the embryonic stage, the 6-foot Mubama boasts enough offensive ability to start over Ings and indeed Michail Antonio – who came under fire for his non-entity performance against the Reds last weekend, taking only 24 touches and completing only five passes all game, as per Sofascore.

Both strikers are distinguished veterans at the highest level, but perhaps now the time is apt for a changing of the guard, and Mubama is the man for the job.

Their first assignment will be the ICC’s annual meeting in Mumbai later this month, to discuss the playing conditions for the Test Championship in 2019 and the scrapping of the toss, among other topics

ESPNcricinfo staff23-May-2018Former Australia women’s captain Belinda Clark, New Zealand coach Mike Hesson and Scotland captain Kyle Coetzer have been appointed to the ICC Cricket Committee – for a three-year team each – which will convene in Mumbai on May 28 and 29. Among the topics for discussion at the annual meeting are the playing conditions for the Test Championship in 2019, the scrapping of the toss and day-night Tests.Clark has replaced Clare Connor, who completed her third three-year term on the committee. Hesson replaced Darren Lehmann, who was declared ineligible after he resigned as Australia’s coach following the Test series against South Africa. Coetzer was brought in for Kevin O’Brien as the Associate Members representative. O’Brien was ineligible after Ireland achieved Full Member status. Incidentally, O’Brien was the Man of the Match for his 118 against Pakistan in Ireland’s first Test, earlier this month.Committee membersChairman: Anil KumbleEx-Officio: Shashank Manohar (ICC Chairman) and David Richardson (ICC Chief Executive)Past Player representatives: Andrew Strauss and Mahela JayawardenaCurrent Player representatives: Rahul Dravid and Tim MayFull Member team coach representative: Mike HessonAssociate Members representative: Kyle CoetzerWomen’s Cricket representative: Belinda ClarkFull Member representative: David White (NZC chief executive)Media representative: Shaun PollockUmpires’ representative: Richard KettleboroughReferees’ representative: Ranjan MadugalleMCC representative: John Stephenson (MCC’s Head of Cricket)

Manchester United’s season took a turn for the worse last weekend as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace – a team who they had comfortably dispatched 3-0 just a few days before.

Erik ten Hag may be starting to feel the heat as the result means his team have won only three of their opening seven Premier League ties and unless a sudden improvement is made, the pressure will continue to ramp up.

There is a break from league duty as the Champions League takes centre stage this week, with United welcoming Galatasaray to Old Trafford this evening and nothing but three points will be good enough, especially if they hold any ambitions of progressing from their group.

The Dutchman could change up his starting XI for the tie, especially following a few poor displays from several players, including summer arrival Rasmus Hojlund.

How did Rasmus Hojund perform vs Crystal Palace?

The young Dane has struggled to really get going so far at the Red Devils, averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.45 across four matches in the Premier League, managing just 0.5 shots on target per game along with missing four big chances.

He did net against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, yet his display on the weekend was rather underwhelming to say the least.

The 20-year-old took three shots during the game yet failed to score while also winning only three of his seven ground duels along with taking just 25 touches of the ball, and it was clear he couldn’t quite get into the game.

With Galatasaray representing a different challenge, Ten Hag should unleash Anthony Martial from the first whistle and drop Hojlund to the bench to see if this makes any difference.

Will Martial start for Man United against Galatasaray?

While it's safe to say Martial has failed to live up to the vast expectations upon arriving in Manchester back in 2015, he has proven to be a solid option from which Ten Hag could call on this term.

The £250k-per-week forward has started just twice in the league, averaging only 36 minutes per game across five appearances, but he has managed to make one key pass per game, succeed with 50% of his dribble attempts along with winning 71% of his ground duels per game, indicating that his physical presence is clearly a boost for Ten Hag.

The Frenchman even grabbed an assist in the tie against Bayern a few weeks ago, despite spending just nine minutes on the pitch while he made one key pass and created a big chance, suggesting he could thrive if given a spot against the Turkish side in Europe’s elite competition.

Paul Scholes hailed him last season, saying: “Every United fan knows he has real talent. But we just need to see it more often.

“The lad’s got real ability. He’s been quiet for 18 months, we’re not sure what's happened to him, injuries, confidence, but the lad has got ability, we need to see more of it. He can score a lot of goals.”

Hojlund may be the future of this United side, but Ten Hag needs goals now and Martial could shine if given the opportunity tonight.

Chelsea have received a devastating blow following recent updates on one of Mauricio Pochettino's injured players, according to reports.

Chelsea updates: Disasi form, Maatsen exit, Guirassy links

Speaking to Chelsea's official website, summer signing Axel Disasi has talked up the partnership he has built in central defense with Benoit Badiashile at Stamford Bridge.

Disasi stated: "Me and him complement each other really well. I’m perhaps more of a duels player, while he likes to receive the ball and start up attacks. But it’s not a case of him not being a duels player and me not being a receiver of the ball. These things, they just work well. We feel great together.

A transfer update on Ian Maatsen has indicated that the Netherlands international is being targeted by Barcelona as a potential replacement for ex-Blues fan favorite Marcos Alonso. Maatsen is tied to Chelsea until the summer of 2025; however, he has featured for the Premier League side for just 83 minutes this campaign, with Levi Colwill being preferred to other options on the left-hand side of Pochettino's backline.

Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy has hit the headlines this term following his blistering run of goalscoring form; however, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has issued some Chelsea transfer news that has distanced the Blues from a potential move for the 27-year-old.

Romano said about links between Chelsea and Guirassy: "Serhou Guirassy – For sure clubs are following the in-form Stuttgart striker, but at the moment I’m not aware of any contact with Chelsea or Arsenal, that would be pure guessing as I’m not aware of any negotiation or contact. I think we should also respect Stuttgart, he’s a key player for them and his focus is 100% on Stuttgart."

Serhou Guirassy's incredible form – 2023/24 all competitions

Appearances

8

Goals

14

Assists

2

Chelsea injury update – Wesley Fofana

Reliable reporter Simon Phillips has issued a devastating Chelsea injury update on his Substack Si Phillips Talks Chelsea, indicating that Wesley Fofana could be out for the remainder of the campaign after the Frenchman underwent anterior cruciate ligament surgery in the summer.

Phillips has signalled that his 'sources are fearful' that the former Leicester City man could be out for a long time to come, with this latest prognosis being one of a long line of frustrating setbacks for the 22-year-old, who joined Chelsea from the Foxes for £75 million back in 2022.

The FA Cup winner has managed to make just 20 appearances in all competitions since arriving at Stamford Bridge, registering two goals in the process (Fofana statistics – Transfermarkt).

Last term, Fofana impressed in Chelsea's backline despite a campaign to forget on the field for the Blues, making an average of 1.3 interceptions and 2.2 clearances per fixture in the English top-flight, according to WhoScored.

Despite this, Fofana is once again the victim of horrendous luck and Chelsea fans will hope he can recover and eventually return fit and firing following a torrid time for the imposing defender in SW6.