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South Africa will play two matches in Colombo, first against Sri Lanka and then against Pakistan

Madushka Balasuriya16-Oct-2025For the first time this World Cup, South Africa will be playing in Colombo. While this is going to be a fairly significant change in conditions as far as batters are concerned with the pitches at the Khettarama having shown to be tougher to score on, South Africa are banking on the knowledge gained on their recent tour of Sri Lanka to help them manage.”I think now we as a team, we kind of know the players, especially me as a bowler. I know there are ways to bowl, their strengths and their weaknesses,” stated Nonkululeko Mlaba on the eve of their match against Sri Lanka. “So yeah, it was very important for me to actually read and to know the players.”Mlaba is likely going to play a crucial role if South Africa are to come away victorious, with the left-arm spinner having picked up eight wickets across the first four games of the tournament. With those wickets coming in India, she would have been forgiven for being excited by the prospect of bowling on the spin-friendly surfaces in Colombo, however she’s happy to focus on keeping things simple. After Sri Lanka, South Africa will face Pakistan in Colombo on Monday, before moving to Indore to meet Australia.Related

• Rain, redemption and a race for the semis: SL face SA in crucial Colombo clash

“I think it’s my second time playing here. Because we had a tri-series against Sri Lanka and India, and yeah, it’s always good to come back here and hopefully this time around I’ll just do well for the team.”One thing that I normally do best is just sticking to my good lines and lengths, and the rest will take care of itself.”South Africa have faced some tough challenges already across this tournament, most notably in their heavy opening game loss to England. But even in their three wins, they have been forced to work hard for the results.Against India and Bangladesh, it was a strong rearguard that saw home two tricky chases, while it was only against New Zealand where the win was relatively comfortable. Mlaba believes there are no easy games in this tournament”I just feel like each and every team is very hard to play against because we played against Sri Lanka in a tri-series and also played against them at home, and they beat us in a few games.”They definitely have a good team – the spinners, they’re very good. And [Chamari] Athapaththu herself, she’s quality. So as a team we don’t underestimate any team, we just play our own game and try our best to win the game.”One running theme across South Africa’s matches this tournament has been a tendency to allow teams back into the contest from a position of strength, most recently when Bangladesh fought back from 78 for 5 to post a total of 232. Mlaba, however, is not unduly concerned.”That’s obviously part of the game,” she said. “You know we as a team, you start off well and then sometimes you just lack here and there, but then it’s just a matter of trying to bring the team together and just try and focus and do well in that certain period.”I’ve watched a lot of games and a lot of teams, they’ve also been going through the same as us. So, it’s just part of the game, it’s cricket.”

Left-arm wristspinner is returning to India to prepare for the upcoming Test series against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2025Left-arm wristspinner Kuldeep Yadav has been released from the T20I squad in Australia to return to India and prepare for the upcoming Test series against South Africa.Kuldeep has now been included in the India A squad for the second four-day game against South Africa A beginning on November 6 at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. India A won the first game on Sunday, with Rishabh Pant scoring 90 in a chase of 275.The BCCI said in a statement that the request to release Kuldeep had come from the Indian team management. Kuldeep had played only one of the three ODIs and the first two T20Is in Australia. He was left out of the XI for the third T20I in Hobart and Washington Sundar took his spot. India play the fourth and fifth T20Is in Carrara and Brisbane on November 6 and 8.Related

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India’s first Test against South Africa starts on November 14 in Kolkata.India squad for last two T20Is in AustraliaSuryakumar Yadav (capt), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (vc), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.India A squad for second four-day game vs South Africa ARishabh Pant (capt & wk), KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sai Sudharsan (vc), Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Harsh Dubey, Tanush Kotian, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed, Gurnoor Brar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Kuldeep Yadav

Manchester United’s 2024/25 campaign handed Ruben Amorim and the hierarchy a huge task of winning the fanbase over ahead of the ongoing season.

The Red Devils’ 15th-place finish in the Premier League was nothing short of an embarrassment, with such a standing the club’s lowest since the division’s formation back in 1992.

The Europa League gave the manager a chance to redeem himself, but such a competition brought about more misery – losing the final in Bilbao to fellow English strugglers Tottenham Hotspur.

Despite all the failures of Amorim’s debut year at Old Trafford, the hierarchy decided to stick with the 40-year-old for 2025/26 – even handing him over £200m worth of funds to improve the first-team squad.

However, further embarrassing defeats against League Two side Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup once again led to rumours over the manager’s long-term future in the role.

He’s since managed to win three league games in a row for the first time in his tenure, with some of his tactical tweaks finally starting to take effect 12 months on from his appointment.

The impact of Bruno & Mbeumo in Amorim’s system at United

Despite United struggling massively last season, it didn’t stop club captain Bruno Fernandes from impressing and producing some astonishing numbers in the final third.

The 31-year-old ended 2024/25 on a combined 37 goals and assists, by far and away the highest tally of any player in the squad – with his efforts saving the club from a relegation battle.

However, after the recent summer spending spree, the Portuguese international has been forced to operate in a deep-lying central midfield role – but it hasn’t taken away from his incredible ability in attacking areas.

Bruno currently sits on a total of four goal contributions, but his underlying stats highlight the bearing he is still having on creating carnage for the opposition.

In the recent Premier League outing against Nottingham Forest, he registered a total of four chances created – the most of any player on the pitch at the City Ground.

Bruno has also created the most chances of any player in the first-team squad this campaign, with his average of 2.8 per 90 ranking him in the top 3% of all players in the division.

Most of his opportunities have fallen the way of Bryan Mbeumo, with the 26-year-old tasked with the responsibility of transforming the club’s lack of quality in the final third.

The Cameroonian cost a whopping £71m including add-ons from Brentford, but has already made an immediate impact despite the pressure of the price tag looming over him.

He’s scored four times in his first ten outings for the Red Devils, but like Bruno, his underlying figures are the ones that greatly highlight his impact in the Premier League during 2025/26.

Mbeumo’s total of 1.4 shots on target per 90 ranks him in the top 4% of all players in the division, undoubtedly contributing to his impressive goalscoring tally.

He also ranks in the top 4% for crosses completed and the top 10% for successful dribbles – further reaffirming how he’s helped transform the club’s ability to impress in front of goal.

The United star who’s becoming the best in the world

The impact of Bruno and Mbeumo in the final third simply can’t be understated, with the duo playing a key role in United’s recent revival under Amorim this season.

The pair have played a key role in the majority of the club’s goals in the Premier League this campaign, with such a situation night and day from the previous year.

Amorim’s men have already netted 17 league goals in just 10 outings to date, which is already 45% of the efforts registered during the embarrassing 2024/25 campaign.

Such an investment has already been worthwhile, which has certainly set the first team on the right trajectory for success if they can sustain such levels in the years ahead.

As for the defensive department, they have often come under fire for their lack of quality – with the majority of which being directed to goalkeeper Andre Onana.

However, the centre-backs in front of the shot-stopper didn’t cover themselves in glory, resulting in the Red Devils conceding 44 times in just 38 matches.

The hierarchy backed Amorim in the summer, as previously mentioned, even landing a new goalkeeper in the form of Senne Lammens from Belgian outfit Royal Antwerp.

The 23-year-old cost a fee in the region of £18m during the recent window, subsequently being an investment for the immediate and long-term future at Old Trafford.

His arrival has brought a newfound sense of confidence in the defensive department, already keeping a clean sheet and only conceding five times in his four senior outings for the Red Devils.

Amorim’s men currently remain unbeaten during the youngster’s spell in the first-team, which is no coincidence given the struggles of those who have filled the void before him.

His stats from the early stages of his career at Old Trafford no doubt highlight his impressive start to life in England, which has seen the side rise up England’s top-flight.

Senne Lammens – Man Utd stats

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

4

Minutes played

360

Saves made

12

Goals prevented

0.4

Goals conceded

5

Clean sheets

1

High claims

5

Passes completed

48

Stats via FotMob

Lammens has achieved a 71% save percentage to date, whilst making three saves per 90 – tallies which have certainly prevented the side in numerous key moments.

He’s also achieved a goals prevented xG of 0.38, ranking him in the top 8% of all ‘keepers in the league – which has led to one analyst tipping him to become one of the “best in the world”.

The Belgian’s ability to quickly transition the play has also aided Mbeumo and Bruno, with his tally of 8.8 accurate long balls per 90 able to quickly start a counterattack for Amorim’s men.

Given his tender age, it’s certainly frightening how exciting Lammens could be at United, with the 23-year-old able to fill the void between the sticks for at least the next decade.

Should he carry on his current path under Amorim, there’s no reason as to why he can’t play a vital role in any success endured by the Red Devils in the near future.

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Sunderland ended a run of three matches without a win by turning around a 2-0 deficit to beat Bournemouth 3-2 at the Stadium of Light on Saturday in the Premier League.

Summer signing Bertrand Traore grabbed his first goal for the club to make it 2-2, before substitute Brian Brobbey scored for the second time in three matches off the bench to secure all three points.

The work done by Kristjaan Speakman and his team in the summer transfer window can only be described as miraculous at this moment in time, given that the Black Cats are fighting for European football, rather than battling against relegation.

Ranking Sunderland's top five summer signings

Sunderland, including permanent deals, free agents, and loans, made a whopping 15 additions to the team that earned promotion from the Championship in the 2024/25 campaign.

It is hard to look past Robin Roefs and Granit Xhaka as being the two best signings made by the club, as they are both undroppable stars within Regis Le Bris’ side.

The Black Cats number one has prevented 3.28 xG more than expected in 13 Premier League games, per Sofascore, whilst Xhaka has showcased his vast experience, starting all 13 matches and providing one goal and four assists from the middle of the park.

Ranking Sunderland’s 5 best summer signings

Rank

Player

1

Robin Roefs

2

Granit Xhaka

3

Nordi Mukiele

4

Noah Sadiki

5

Omar Alderete

As you can see in the table above, we have put experienced signings Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete, as they have played a role in Sunderland only conceding 13 goals in 13 games so far.

Noah Sadiki also has to be up there because of his brilliant work rate in the middle of the park, averaging 2.7 tackles and interceptions per game across 13 starts, per Sofascore, after his £15m summer move from USG.

Of course, not every single signing goes to plan, and Sunderland are no exception. For example, Simon Adingra is currently on track to become the new Jeremain Lens on Wearside.

Why Simon Adingra may be the new Jeremain Lens

The Black Cats splashed £8m to sign Lens from Dynamo Kiev in 2015 to bolster their wide options, but he only went on to play 24 matches for the club, per Transfermarkt, with four goals and three assists to show for his efforts.

Lens found game time hard to come by after Dick Advocaat was replaced by Sam Allardyce. The winger went as far as to call it “annoying” and stated “I did not come to the Premier League to sit on the bench”.

He then went out on loan to Fenerbahce and Bestikas before signing for the latter permanently in 2018, ultimately leaving the Stadium of Light as a flop.

Unfortunately, Adingra may already be on the same path as the Dutchman after the club paid £21m to sign him from Brighton in the summer, making him the second-most expensive signing in the team’s history, behind the £27m deal for Habib Diarra.

Sporting director Speakman noted in the Ivorian star’s unveiling that he was “excited” to see the 23-year-old in action for the Black Cats, after the youngster had scored 12 goals in 73 games for Brighton, per Transfermarkt.

However, Adingra has not hit the ground running at the Stadium of Light, playing in eight of the 13 Premier League games this season, and is yet to register a goal or an assist, per Sofascore.

The right-footed flanker has struggled badly for game time in the top-flight his season, with one minute played in the last two matches, which will not be what the Black Cats were expecting when they decided to splash £21m on his services.

Adingra’s Sunderland career

Opposition

Minutes

Bournemouth

0

Fulham

1

Arsenal

26

Everton

0

Wolves

0

Man Utd

37

Nottingham Forest

12

Aston Villa

0

Crystal Palace

69

Brentford

25

Burnley

63

West Ham

76

Stats via Sofascore

Adingra has been a bit-part player for Le Bris, with the likes of Traore and Chemsdine Talbi ahead of him in the pecking order, and it remains to be seen whether or not he can turn things around to become a key player for Sunderland.

If it gets to January, or next summer, and he is still struggling for minutes and rarely getting off the bench, the former Brighton man may end up in the position that Lens found himself in, where a loan will be needed for him to go out and play regular football again.

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Sri Lanka have never beaten Australia in ODIs but they have the advantage of playing at home

Madushka Balasuriya03-Oct-20252:44

Can the Australia batting juggernaut be stopped?

Big picture: Sri Lanka need to up their gameIf there were even the faintest doubt about who the favourites for the 2025 Women’s World Cup were, they were put to bed as swiftly as an Ashleigh Gardner blade swing after Australia’s dominant win over New Zealand in their tournament opener.In Indore, Australia started fast and stumbled, but like an unrelenting force, they just kept coming. In the end, their victory was less about outplaying New Zealand and more about brute-forcing the result. As far as early tournament markers go, it was an impressive one.Against India in their opener, Sri Lanka too set an early marker of the sort of side they are. They had India reeling at 124 for 6 but then proceeded to drop each of the next four chances that came their way to let the hosts claw themselves back into the contest and register a fairly comprehensive win eventually. Discipline followed by indiscipline; bad undoing the good.Related

'Good to start with best teams' – Sri Lanka's Athapaththu ready for Australia after India

Sri Lanka have not played an ODI against Australia since 2019, but they know what they need to do. Resilience has been a buzzword for Chamari Athapaththu, and in that sense it’s clear that any lingering hang-ups from that opening defeat will be well behind them come Saturday. But execution might be the more pertinent declaration if they’re to show their best selves against the defending champions.With free entry being granted to the stadium, Sri Lanka will also be hoping for substantial home support. They’re also very familiar with the Khettarama surface, as the high-performance centre where the national players train is located there. So while Sri Lanka have never beaten Australia in an ODI, the conditions for an upset are nevertheless in place.Form guideAustralia WWLWW (last five ODIs most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLLWWVishmi Gunaratne’s form is a concern for Sri Lanka•ACC

In the spotlight: Ashleigh Gardner and Vishmi GunaratneLike the surprise manifestation of a final boss’ second health bar after you think you’ve finally got them beat, Ashleigh Gardner sits spearheading Australia’s lower middle order. Her 115 off 83 against New Zealand served to highlight not just the resilience of this Australian outfit, but their entire aura. While her role is a challenging one, it’s invaluable in that it affords the licence for those above her to play with freedom, while allowing her to provide guidance to those below her. And it means that while she is at the crease, Australia are never beat.In August 2024, Vishmi Gunaratne struck her maiden ODI hundred against Ireland. Her three innings in the lead-up to that read 40, 50, 44. But in ten innings since then, she has not been able to cross 36. While Athapaththu would be the obvious pick for this section, if Sri Lanka are to challenge Australia, they need the rest of their batting to chip in in a big way. Gunaratne has been out of sorts, but Sri Lanka will be banking on her rediscovering her groove even though it’s her first ODI against Australia.Team news: Brown or Schutt?Australia are unlikely to make any changes to the batting, though it remains to be seen if Darcie Brown continues in place of Megan Schutt.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Beth Mooney, 5 Annabel Sutherland, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Kim Garth, 10 Alana King, 11 Darcie BrownSri Lanka played their first-choice XI against India, and it’s unlikely there will be any changes.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Hasini Perera, 2 Chamari Athapaththu (capt), 3 Harshitha Samarawickrama, 4 Vishmi Gunaratne, 5 Kavisha Dilhari, 6 Anushka Sanjeewani (wk), 7 Nilakshika Silva, 8 Sugandika Kumari, 9 Inoka Ranaweera, 10 Achini Kulasuriya, 11 Udeshika PrabodhaniAshleigh Gardner scored a brilliant hundred against New Zealand•Getty Images

Pitch and conditions: Rain could play spoilsportThe pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium has traditionally offered up an even contest between bat and ball. However, efforts have been made recently to make it more batting-friendly, so there may not be as much in it for the spinners as usual. As for the weather, there is a distinct chance of rain in Colombo throughout the afternoon.Stats and trivia: Australia 11-0 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka have lost each of their 11 ODIs against Australia. Athapaththu is 80 runs away from 4000 ODI runs. Gardner’s 51 wickets are the most by an Australian since the 2022 World Cup. They are the joint-third-most in that period among all players.Quotes”The beauty of a World Cup is you play every different side and you have to prepare. You don’t really get time to learn. You’ve got to come out firing. But I think our group’s got some awesome heads on our shoulders and we are able to assess conditions and adapt to whatever’s thrown at us.”
“We’re playing against the best team. The world champions. But if we can execute the right plan at the right time, I know we can beat any team. But execution is the most important thing, rather than the skill and the mindset. So we’ll have to play our best game tomorrow.”

Daniel Farke is battling to keep his job at Leeds United and a fresh update has now dropped regarding his future at Elland Road.

The Whites now sit 18th in the Premier League table, having lost five of their last six games in the competition, heaping the pressure on Farke with Leeds already linked with new managers such as Brendan Rodgers.

Former scout Mick Brown recently told Football Insider that 49ers Enterprises were even looking to make a change during the summer.

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Opinion is split amongst Leeds fans about Farke’s future and what the next steps should be, with Adam Pope providing insight on the situation this week.

Pope makes new claim about Farke succession plan

Speaking on the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast [via MOT Leeds News], Pope shared an update on Farke’s position at Leeds. While the BBC journalist stated the 49ers do not currently have someone “waiting in the wings”, he was then asked if they have someone they’re “looking at”, providing an intriguing response.

This now feels like a critical period for Farke, with Leeds’ results simply not good enough after some better ones earlier in the season, leading to them sliding into the relegation zone.

The German will know that improvements have to happen or 49ers will have to make a big decision, but unfortunately for him, next up is a trip to Manchester City on Saturday afternoon, which is nearly as tough as it gets.

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An ugly scoreline at the Etihad would crank up the pressure to new heights, and it would be a surprise if the Whites weren’t eyeing up potential replacements for Farke, with Rodgers perhaps the most likely given his status as a free agent with top flight experience.

He wants to join: Leeds choose number one manager candidate as Farke nears sack

Bangladesh captain Litton Das elected to bowl in their Asia Cup opener against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi.Litton said he decided to bowl since they were not aware of the pitch conditions at the venue. He confirmed that Bangladesh were playing three seamers, two spinners, and six batters.Hong Kong captain Yasim Murtaza was happy despite losing the toss because he wanted to bat first anyway. Murtaza said that the batters made some mistakes against Afghanistan and that they wouldn’t want to repeat them. There were no changes to the Hong Kong side, with Murtaza backing the same XI to come good tonight.The pitch report sugges a dry surface with some cracks opening up but remains run friendly. The shorter boundary on one side of the ground could interest the battersOne losing record promises to come to an end tonight. Bangladesh have never won a T20I in Abu Dhabi. Hong Kong are yet to win an Asia Cup match.Bangladesh XI: 1 Tanzid Hasan, 2 Parvez Hossain Emon, 3 Litton Das (capt & wk), 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Shamim Hossain, 6 Jaker Ali, 7 Mahedi Hasan, 8 Tanzim Hasan, 9 Rishad Hossain, 10 Taskin Ahmed, 11 Mustafizur Rahman.Hong Kong XI: 1 Zeeshan Ali (wk), 2 Anshy Rath, 3 Babar Hayat, 4 Nizakat Khan, 5 Kalhan Challu, 6 Kinchit Shah, 7 Yasim Murtaza (capt), 8 Aizaz Khan, 9 Ayush Shukla, 10 Ateeq Iqbal, 11 Ehsan Khan

West Ham United boss Nuno Espírito Santo has been handed an injury update, with one member of his squad not set to return until nearly Christmas.

West Ham prepare for Man United clash after Liverpool defeat

The Hammers travel to Old Trafford on Thursday seeking to make amends following their first defeat since October, but Lucas Paqueta’s suspension after his sending off against Liverpool leaves Nuno with a real selection headache.

West Ham’s 2-0 loss to the Merseysiders on Sunday ended a three-match unbeaten streak, with Paqueta’s bizarre dismissal proving very costly.

Another Brazilian, Luis Guilherme, could make a rare start in his compatriot’s absence, while Crysencio Summerville is also a major doubt to face Man United after missing Liverpool with a calf problem.

Man United, meanwhile, arrive in confident mood after Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount both scored in a 2-1 comeback at Crystal Palace over the weekend.

Matheus Cunha could return after missing recent matches with a head injury, though a place on the bench appears more likely.

On paper, West Ham will be given encouragement by the fact they’ve won four out of their last five meetings against the Red Devils and completed the double over them last season.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

However, West Ham rank joint-second in the league for goals conceded from open play with 14, and first for goals conceded from set-pieces with 10 – weaknesses Ruben Amorin will undoubtedly look to exploit.

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Alongside Summerville and Paqueta, another player who’s set to sit out of this one is young defender Ollie Scarles.

The West Ham academy graduate, who’s been out of action since breaking his collarbone against Leeds United, has now returned to no-contact training as he slowly builds his capacity.

Following Nuno’s update, the Portuguese has now been handed a more specific timeline when it comes to the full-back’s return.

West Ham without Ollie Scarles until nearly Christmas

According to Hammers News, West Ham will be without Scarles until nearly Christmas as he continues his gradual comeback.

The Englishman could be back to face Man City on December 20 at the earliest, coming as a slight boost for Nuno given the difficulty of a trip to Eastlands.

However, the tactician might not want to risk him either, considering just how serious Scarles’ injury was and the delicacy of his recovery.

Once the England Under-20 international is back fit and firing, he’ll be a valuable asset, with Nuno starting him in each of his last two appearances before succumbing to injury.

Called West Ham’s ‘most exciting prospect since [Declan] Rice’ by members of the media, Scarles excelled at youth level with three goals and 14 assists in 50 appearances for the Under-18s.

The defender also racked up 13 goal contributions (six goals, seven assists) for the Under-21s, and Scarles has since been handed 19 senior cameos in all competitions for the east Londoners.

West Ham appear to have high hopes for the youngster, who most notably put in the best performance of his career to date in a 1-0 win away to Arsenal back in February.

Can Rangers continue their Premiership winning run?

Well, the Gers did bring to an end their seven-match losing streak in Europe on Thursday, albeit a 1-1 draw with ten-man Braga at Ibrox did little to boost their hopes of reaching the Europa League knockout phase.

Back in the Premiership, Danny Röhl has won four out of four since arriving in Glasgow, albeit his team will kick off down in fifth place when Falkirk visit Ibrox on Sunday.

This is followed by clashes with Dundee United at Tannadice and then Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in the next week, presenting the Light Blues with a golden chance to climb up the standings, so which forgotten summer signing should Röhl unleash in these matches?

Can Rangers rely on Mohamed Diomandé?

Most would agree that, in a squad that otherwise lacks quality, the strongest part of this Rangers team is their midfield pairing of Nicolas Raskin alongside Mohamed Diomandé.

However, while the Belgian continues to impress, the same cannot be said of the Côte d’Ivoire international.

On Thursday, Diomandé was sent off in the dying embers of the underwhelming 1-1 draw with Braga, a pretty harsh dismissal in fairness, but this was his second red card of the Europa League already, having also been dismissed for a tackle on Zakaria El Ouahdi when Genk were 1-0 winners in Govan.

Thus, having now been sent off twice, the Ivorian will miss the next two Europa League fixtures against Ferencváros and then Ludogorets Razgrad.

That aside, he more broadly is not showing his best form this season, scoring his first goal of the campaign to snatch victory against Livingston last weekend.

Nevertheless, as a reflection of this, Diomandé has not been called up by les Éléphants manager Emerse Faé since June, putting his participation at both next month’s Africa Cup of Nations and the summer’s World Cup in doubt, unless his form improves.

Thus, searching for solutions as he attempts to configure a winning team, perhaps Röhl should leave Diomandé on the bench against Falkirk on Sunday, instead starting Rangers’ forgotten summer signing.

Rangers' forgotten new recruit deserves an opportunity

Given that Rangers brought in 13 new recruits during a busy and expensive summer, the first of those new recruits has been overlooked.

Back in January, 23 year old midfielder Lyall Cameron agreed to join Rangers on a pre-contract from Dundee, thereby arriving in the summer for mere compensation, having established himself as one of the Premiership’s most outstanding young players.

Of course, at the time he put pen to paper, Philippe Clement was still the manager, with a lot of change happening during the intervening six months, later admitting that the knowledge Russell Martin “didn’t sign” him was being used as extra motivation to prove his worth.

During his final season at Dundee, Cameron scored 14 goals across all competitions, an impressive return considering the Dark Blues finished tenth, narrowly avoiding relegation, certainly showcasing his talent.

Kai Watson was very much impressed, noting that “ball carrying, chance-creation, tenacity and vision” are his primary attributes, praising his “ability to be in the right place at the right time” in the penalty area, calling the signing a “no-brainer”.

Well, towards the start of the season, Cameron appeared set to be a key figure, starting three Champions League qualifiers and two of the first three Premiership matches, scoring his first goal for the club against Viktoria Plzeň on the road.

Overall, the Scotland under-21 international accumulated 409 minutes of action across July and August, but has seen a miserly ten minutes on the park subsequently, introduced as a late substitute by Röhl during home Premiership wins over Kilmarnock and Livingston.

Nevertheless, he surely deserves more of an opportunity, so let’s compare his statistics to those of Diomandé.

Goals

0.3

0.2

Assists

0.2

Zero

Shots

1.2

0.7

Shots on target

0.7

0.4

Chances created

1.8

0.9

Big chances created

0.19

0.17

Passes completed

32.1

39

Forward passes

16.3

10.4

Duels won

4.1

4.9

Ball recoveries

5.8

4.9

Tackles

1.2

1.4

Ground duels won %

44.5%

45.5%

Touches

63.8

65.4

Average rating

7.12

6.54

Note: all stats are Premiership only and per-90.

As the table documents, Cameron’s Premiership statistics last season are pretty much universally more impressive than those of Diomandé this time round, all on a per 90 basis, the Scotsman doing so for struggling Dundee, making it all the more impressive.

Cameron scored more goals and registered more assists, as well as coming out on top for a wide variety of underlying metrics, including shooting, chance creation, passing and ball recoveries.

Thus, considering Rangers’ lowly league position and, at best, mixed form, it is frankly baffling that Cameron has been given pretty much no playing time by Röhl, a fact that the German head coach should rectify against Falkirk on Sunday.

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Rohl must bin Chermiti for Rangers star who was the SPFL's "best player"

After another anonymous performance by Youssef Chermiti against Braga, Danny Röhl must start the “best player in the league” against Falkirk on Sunday

ByBen Gray Nov 29, 2025

Christian Pulisic broke the deadlock in the 54th minute of the Derby della Madonnina, finishing from close range after Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer could only parry Alexis Saelemaekers’ long-range effort. The chance came from a swift counterattack, with Milan recycling the break before Pulisic reacted quickest in the box to slot home the opener.

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  Securing Milan advantage

  Pulisic delivered the decisive moment in the Derby della Madonnina, scoring in the 54th minute to send AC Milan to a 1–0 win over Inter Milan. The goal capped a blistering counterattack orchestrated by Massimiliano Allegri’s side, beginning with a crucial midfield interception from Youssouf Fofana. The Frenchman released Alexis Saelemaekers on the right, and the Belgian’s powerful strike forced Yann Sommer into a save he couldn’t push clear, allowing the alert Pulisic to finish from close range.

  The goal marks Pulisic’s seventh in all competitions this season and his fifth in Serie A, continuing his excellent form since returning from injury.

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• AFP
  

  Allegri's tactical approach pays dividends

  Allegri's decision to deploy a 3-5-2 formation with Pulisic and Leão as a front two has proven effective thus far despite Internazionale dominating the opening minutes of the second half. The home side for the derby, the Rossoneri were under the cosh prior to Pulisic’s goal. The match itself leaned in favour of the Nerazzurri, with Inter hitting the woodwork twice in the first half through Francesco Acerbi and Lautaro Martínez, the latter denied by an exceptional save from Mike Maignan.

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  Milan rivals set for season-long battle

  Sunday’s result could have significant implications for the Serie A title race. The victory lifts AC Milan to 25 points, putting them just two behind league leaders Napoli and level with Roma. Inter, meanwhile, remain on 24 points and drop to fourth place – only their third league defeat of the season.

  With the table so tight, the derby result could prove pivotal in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive title races in recent years.