Bayer Leverkusen snatched a 2-2 draw with Roma, and 4-2 aggregate win, to advance to the Europa League final, keeping their invincible season alive.
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Leandro Paredes scored twice to give Roma 2-0 leadGianluca Mancini's own goal sent Leverkusen through, will play Atalanta in finalLeverkusen kept invincible season with 96th minute equaliserGettyTELL ME MORE
Roma took the lead – much against the run of play – when Leandro Paredes converted from the penalty spot shortly before half-time. They added a second after an hour to level the tie, Paredes again burying a penalty. But Leverkusen – as they have so often this year – found a crucial goal. Granit Xhaka's whipped corner evaded everyone except Gianluca Mancini, who turned the ball into his own net. Josip Stanisic offered further heroics deep into stoppage time, scoring in the 96th minute to keep Leverkusen's undefeated campaign going.
AdvertisementGettyTHE MVP
How does Xabi Alonso keep doing it? Roma were good here, and for long stretches, appeared to have done enough to make it through to the final. But the manager was shrewd in his substitutions, introducing a flurry of attacking talent that gave his side a vital edge as the game wound down. Leverkusen's first of the night – although fortunate in its nature – felt inevitable. And their second was somehow even more predictable, another late miracle to keep an undefeated campaign alive. What a season it has been; and there could be more to celebrate soon.
THE BIG LOSER
It was all going so well for Matej Kovar – until it wasn't. The Czech international made a flurry of stops throughout the evening, and it seemed for a while that his heroics might just have been enough to carry Roma into a second straight Europa League final. But it wasn't to be. He, in fact, was the sole reason that the Italian side won't be playing in Dublin next month. Kovar made a woeful error from a corner, coming out to claim a cross and getting nowhere near it, leaving a stranded Mancini out of position – and helpless as he turned the ball into his own net.
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Alonso's side have already tied up the Bundesliga title, but still have a fixture there to worry about when they face 14th-placed Bochum on Sunday. Attention will soon turn to the final, though, held in Dublin in early June where they'll take on Atalanta.
Shoaib Malik threatened a late jailbreak for Multan Sultans, with a 24-ball fifty, but they eventually lost by seven runs
The Report by Deivarayan Muthu15-Feb-2019 How the game played out A record PSL stand between debutant Liam Livingstone and the No.1 T20I batsman Babar Azam followed by Mohammad Amir’s expertise at the death fashioned a tight seven-run opening win for Karachi Kings.How did this even get this tight after Livingstone and Babar struck up a 157-run opening stand – the highest for any wicket in the league? After the fireworks at the top, Karachi’s innings fizzled out in the end as they lost 6 for 26 to be limited to 183 for 6.Multan Sultans’ captain Shoaib Malik blitzed a 24-ball fifty – headlined by 4,4,4,4,6 off Ravi Bopara in the 14th over – and then former Karachi King Shahid Afridi and Hammad Azam threatened a late jailbreak in the chase. But Amir’s bag of slower cutters and rapid yorkers, combined with sharp catching in the outfield sealed Multan’s fate.Babar Azam chops one down to third man•PCB/PSLTurning points Livingstone and Babar teed off against the new ball on a pitch that got slower as the match progressed. They ran up 53 in the Powerplay and never looked back. Multan then managed only 38 for 1 in their first six overs. When Multan needed 20 off the last two overs with five wickets in hand, they were in with a strong chance to script a come-from-behind win. But Amir got rid of Afridi and Azam in a four-run penultimate over to set Multan up for a narrow defeat.Star of the dayThe new kid on the block: Livingstone. He’s a star for Lancashire in the T20 Blast in England and even had an IPL contract with Rajasthan Royals before he forayed into the PSL. He regularly ventured down the track and upset the lines and lengths of Multan’s bowlers. The highlight of his 43-ball 82 was the breathtaking one-handed six off Mohammad Ilyas in the 14th over. When the seamer pitched one up on off, Livingstone’s bottom hand flew off the bat, but he still generated enough power to launch it over the long-off boundary with the top hand.And oh, he even dared to step out against Afridi’s fizzing arm balls. One such advance down the pitch saw him drill Afridi over the sightscreen.The big missKarachi’s collapse of 6 for 26. After the rollicking opening stand, they were well-placed to notch up a 200-plus total, but their middle order faltered against Chris Green’s offbreaks and the change-ups from Junaid Khan and Andre Russell. On another day, such a collapse might have cost them the game. However on this day, Amir saved them.Where the teams standThis is only the second game of the season. Karachi slotted in behind Islamabad United, who top the table by virtue of a superior run rate. Multan are right behind Karachi while Lahore Qalandars are at a familiar position: rock-bottom.
The January transfer window is not far away and it could be a busy month for Celtic if they decide that they need to bolster their playing squad.
It has been a disappointing first half of the season for the Scottish giants as they have left a lot to be desired in all competitions so far under Brendan Rodgers, since he replaced Ange Postecoglou in the dugout after the 2022/23 campaign.
They were knocked out of the League Cup, which was won by Rangers on Sunday, by Kilmarnock in August. The Hoops have also dropped out of Europe as they finished bottom of their Champions League group.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.
Rodgers has also overseen back-to-back Scottish Premiership defeats to Hearts and Kilmarnock in their last two outings in the division, which means that Rangers would go top of the table if they win their games in hand.
Their struggles domestically and in Europe have been a cause for concern and that is why they could dip into the market in January to bolster their squad with some key additions.
One area that may need to be addressed is the centre-back position as Nathaniel Phillips is due to return to his parent club next month.
Celtic transfer news – Phillips and Xavier Mbuyamba
Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph has confirmed that Celtic are 'not expected' to attempt to extend his loan spell beyond the January window.
The journalist has stated that the defender was brought in on a short-term deal, for the first half of the 2023/24 campaign, to provide cover for injuries at the back.
However, the English giant has not done enough with his performances on the pitch when called upon to convince Rodgers or the club to keep him, or at least attempt to keep him, for the remainder of the season.
He is now due to return to Premier League side Liverpool, who will then have a decision to make on his immediate future, and this will open the door for the club to sign another centre-back to take his place.
Nat Phillips
One player who could be a dream replacement for Phillips is Volendam central defender Xavier Mbuyamba, who was linked with a move to Parkhead over the summer.
Sky Sports reported that Celtic and English Championship side Watford were both keeping tabs on the Eredivisie colossus ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
The outlet claimed that he has been likened to former Hoops star and current Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk due to his 'huge potential' and similar style of play.
Dutch giants Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were also said to be interested in a deal to sign the young titan to bolster their respective defences earlier this year.
However, Mbuyamba did not end up sealing a move away from his current club and this means that January is another opportunity for any interested parties to test the water.
If Celtic can tempt Volendam into a sale next month then he could arrive as a fantastic replacement for Phillips, who struggled during his short time in Glasgow.
Nat Phillips' Celtic statistics
The 26-year-old defender, who could still feature in three matches before the end of 2023, has made eight appearances in all competitions for the Hoops.
Minutes played
62
Clearances
One
Interceptions
Zero
Tackles
Zero
Blocks
Zero
Duels won
Zero
Duels lost
Two
Sofascore rating
6.3
As you can see from the table above, his only start in the Champions League for Rodgers was a disaster as he struggled badly throughout the match.
The Liverpool loanee was not able to impose his physicality on the opposition and his one clearance was the only noticeable piece of defensive work in 62 minutes of action.
His inaction on the pitch was also an issue with his performances for the Scottish giants in the Premiership. He currently ranks 24th within the squad for tackles (0.2) and 12th for interceptions (0.3) per game.
Phillips also ranks sixth, behind Maik Nawrocki, Stephen Welsh, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Liam Scales, and Gustaf Lagerbielke, for clearances (2.3) per match.
Rodgers must instantly unleash £24k-p/w Celtic star over Phillips
The on-loan Liverpool defender had a howler against Kilmarnock on Sunday.
ByDan Emery Dec 13, 2023
One of his attempted defensive interventions led to disaster in his last outing in a Celtic shirt as the centre-back turned a cross into his own net, sliding in front of Joe Hart, to help Kilmarnock on their way to a 2-1 win earlier this month.
Therefore, the Hoops are justified in their decision not to extend his current loan spell as the English flop has not proven himself to be a good option for the manager to call upon.
The statistics that show why Celtic should sign Mbuyamba
Whereas, Mbuyamba's impressive form for Volendam in the Netherlands since the start of last season suggests that the potential is there for him to come in as a big upgrade on Phillips.
During the 2022/23 campaign, the 6 foot 5 colossus averaged an eye-catching 2.3 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, and 5.4 clearances per game across 28 Eredivisie matches.
No Celtic player has managed more tackles or clearances per outing so far this season, and only Nawrocki (2.5) has made more interceptions per clash.
Mbuyamba's 2022/23 statistics.
These statistics show that Mbuyamba, who also won 53% of his duels last season, has the defensive quality to make vital interventions at an impressive rate in comparison to Rodgers' current options in that position.
The Dutch titan, who has missed nine games through injury this term, has won 63% of his physical contests in the Eredivisie during the current campaign and contributed with three tackles and interceptions combined alongside 4.3 clearances per game across five starts.
Mbuyamba, who was once described as an "elegant" and "dominant" defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would also come in with plenty of time left to develop and improve over the years to come.
The former Chelsea prospect turns 22 on the 31st of December and this means that Celtic would be signing a player with long-term potential, as aforementioned in Sky Sports' report that compared him to van Dijk, rather than a short-term option like Phillips.
Therefore, Rodgers could land a dream replacement for the Liverpool loanee by swooping to sign Mbuyamba, who could make an immediate impression on the pitch with his outstanding defensive attributes in comparison to the club's current central defenders.
Christian Pulisic scored twice for AC Milan against Cagliari and after the game the USMNT star had touching message for his mother.
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Pulisic scores twice in 5-1 win over CagliariMilan play with mothers' names on shirtPulisic dedicates goals to his motherWHAT HAPPENED?
Playing one day before Mother's Day, AC Milan announced that they had made the decision to have their players wear their mothers' names on the back of their shirts against Cagliari. After scoring two goals for the Rossoneri, the USMNT star was full of pride and dedicated his performance to his mother via an Instagram post.
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Pulisic made the Instagram post and posted the caption: "Those goals were for you mom ❤️❤️#harlow"
THE BIGGER PICTURE
The two-goal showing capped off what was a wonderful performance for AC Milan as they cruised to a 5-1 win with goals also coming from Ismael Bennacer, Tijani Reijnders and Rafael Leao. Milan have now all but confirmed their second-place finish in the Serie A ahead of Bologna and Juventus.
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WHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?
The USMNT star and AC Milan will now take on Torino on May 18 and Salernitana on May 26 as they look to finish off the season with a streak of wins.
Daniel Farke has spent much of the season down a body at left-back after Leeds United's Junior Firpo suffered a serious knee injury. Firpo only played his football of the season in November and has started just the one Championship game up to this point, coming off the bench on seven occasions.
The Dominican set-up two goals in Leeds' 3-0 victory over Birmingham City last time out, but that seemingly hasn't stopped up Farke considering some alternative options in his position. Indeed, it seems that Leeds may dip into the market for a familiar face.
Taylor named as possible option
Charlie Taylor joined Leeds at the age of nine and, after loan spells at Bradford, York City, Inverness and Fleetwood, he established himself in the first team, winning the club's player of the year award in the 2015/16 season. However, just a year later, he chose to leave Elland Road at the end of his contract despite receiving an offer to extend his stay (BBC Sport). He had the opportunity to join Premier League club Burnley instead, and he took it.
Burnley defender Charlie Taylor.
Taylor ticked past 100 first-team games in his initial spell with Leeds, scoring three times and assisting 13 more, but he may have the chance to add to that tally, with journalist Graeme Bailey telling the One Leeds Fan Channel that a comeback could be on the cards. "I keep hearing Charlie Taylor's name," he says, explaining that "a left-back is someone they want" and predicting that one will arrive in West Yorkshire.
Taylor reunion makes a lot of sense
Bailey says that "Leeds fans are quite indifferent" about the prospect of Taylor returning, and that's not especially surprising when you consider the circumstances in which he left. When it came to it, he snubbed the club who had originally given him his shot, although he could hardly be blamed for wanting to play top-flight football when Leeds were struggling to get promoted.
Still, rather than holding any past grudges, the Elland Road faithful should focus on the team's current prospects, and Taylor's huge experience could be a real asset. He's played 126 games in the second tier and even more (149) in the Premier League, which could come in handy if Leeds, currently fourth in the Championship and on course for the play-offs, go up.
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Journalist Andy Jones has called him "phenomenal", while his manager Vincent Kompany has spoken highly of his professionalism on more than one occasion. Last season, when he had to fill at centre-back, Kompany applauded Taylor's "open-minded" approach and willingness to help the team in whatever way possible (Burnley Express), and earlier this year, he praised the veteran's performance against Nottingham Forest after being left out of the squad the previous weekend.
"The seasoned professionals…at a certain age you know the only reward you get is if you put in the work in training every day, then your chance might come.His chance came and he took it with both hands and we are happy with that."
At the age of 30, and with only six months left on his deal, you dont imagine that Taylor would command a particularly large fee. As such, this is a move that could make a lot sense – minimal risk, and the opportunity for a healthy reward.
The captain warned his team against getting stuck in predictable ways after their third defeat in a row
ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2019Winless after three games, Royal Challengers Bangalore will need to be more “experimental” and “brave” when things aren’t going their way, if they are to turn their fortunes around this season. This was Virat Kohli’s view after Royal Challengers slipped to a 118-run defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, which he termed as one of his side’s “worst losses ever”.The platform for Sunrisers’ thumping win came from their openers Jonny Bairstow and David Warner, who both made hundreds and put on 185 in just 16.2 overs. While giving the two batsmen credit for their “brilliant effort”, Kohli felt his bowlers could have varied their plans to them a little more.”Probably one of our worst losses ever. I mean, there’s literally nothing I can explain right now,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation. “Nothing went right for us from ball one, until the last wicket fell in our batting innings, so really difficult one to explain, I guess. We were outplayed in all departments by a quality, quality side, and this showed why they won the previous year, made the finals last year, and now they’re up and running again, so credit to them, they played really well and deserved to win.”We could have tried a few different things, probably [taking the] pace off the ball and a few more bouncers in our innings should have been good, but we really didn’t try anything once those guys got in. It was very difficult to contain runs, and a few of the edges just fell in between as well, you need some luck going your way, get a couple of wickets and stop the run flow.”But the way they batted, I think it was outstanding, just to show intent for 16-17 overs on the run is a brilliant effort, especially in the first innings, where we thought the ball wasn’t coming on as well as the second innings. So credit to both of them, they were world class today and they definitely deserved to be on the winning side.”Kohli once again stressed on the need to be more flexible, and not become predictable, when asked about Royal Challengers’ prospects for their next game, against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.”Well, the pitch is definitely going to be nice, so we’re going to be in with a contest again. We have to bring our A game to the table. What we did against Mumbai [Indians] is the kind of intensity we need to bring to the ground, and when things don’t go our way we need to be a bit more experimental, a bit more brave out there in the middle.”If we go through the motions, if we do the regular basic stuff, then things are going to keep going away from us. So we’ll have to find ways of winning moments, and eventually getting the result our way and really get going in the tournament, which is very important. If we want to gain some momentum we need to start well, and probably next game should be that game for us.”Kohli opened the batting in Royal Challengers’ season-opener against Chennai Super Kings, but has since moved down to No. 3. He felt this lent his team the best possible balance, and didn’t think any drastic changes were necessary for the rest of the tournament.”We’ve thought about that initially as well. When I’ve opened I’ve done well for the team, but the important thing is to find the right balance in the batting line-up, and I feel myself at three brings in that balance to the side,” Kohli said. “Myself and AB [de Villiers] batting together has always been an advantage for us, so that’s probably the mindset behind me batting three. So I don’t see that changing.”We just need a better start from the boys up front. Just three games into the tournament, we still have 11 games, and things can turn around pretty quickly in this particular league. We’ve seen that in the past, so we’ve got to stay optimistic, not think of too many changes now, and just go with that set batting order and try and capitalise on the moments that come our way.”
The Sunrisers batsman has hit form at a vital time for his side, just as their overseas players head off, and the surfaces on offer in Hyderabad have certainly played a role
Ankur Dhawan in Mumbai02-May-2019Sunrisers Hyderabad must have breathed a sigh of relief when the exits of some of their overseas stars coincided with Manish Pandey finding form. He returned to the side against Chennai Super Kings, and has since strung together scores of 83*, 61 and 36.This is seemingly the first time since joining the franchise last year that Pandey has played with a sense of freedom. His strike rate has shot up to 164, the boundaries are flowing with greater frequency – every 4.8 balls – and, at least for the moment, he has shelved the reputation of being a notoriously slow starter. Before he was benched, Pandey’s strike rate for the first ten balls of his innings was just 89.7. Since returning, he has struck at 173.3 during the same period.The question is, what is he doing differently? “I don’t think it’s a technical thing,” coach Tom Moody said when asked on the eve of their match against Mumbai Indians.”Manish came into the tournament in some good form, he didn’t quite get going as he would have liked in the early part of the tournament, but I don’t think his form and timing had deserted him.”Pandey amassed 331 runs and averaged 66.20 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, India’s domestic T20s that preceded the IPL. Stunningly, among the top fifty run-getters, his strike rate of 171.50 was the third highest after Sunrisers team-mate Ricky Bhui and Knight Riders’ batsman Rinku Singh.Moody went on: “I think, you know, he just didn’t take the opportunities early on, that he should have taken. Maybe the time of reflection, when you’re out of the side, can do someone a world of good and it certainly has with Manish. He has had that time out of the side and reflected on not so much a technical thing but maybe just his whole approach to his batting and he has come back all guns firing, which for me is a credit to him and a sign of the quality that he possesses.”Last year around this time, when Pandey was struggling for fluency, Moody told reporters in Hyderabad that it was due to the sluggish home surfaces that Pandey wasn’t able to impress the people who were asking questions. But they, the Sunrisers management, were pretty happy with his short stint thus far. Curt perhaps, but not entirely untrue. In four of the seven matches in Hyderabad, the team batting first failed to cross 147, the pitch proving to be best to bat on against the new ball. For the middle order it was donkey work. In six innings at home, Pandey averaged 19 and his strike rate was down to 108.The surfaces that he has batted on since returning to the side this year have certainly been better, but perhaps there’s been another contributing factor: a promotion to No. 3.On the face of it, ever since he was roped in by the franchise, that should have been his rightful position. But, contrary to popular belief that Pandey made a name for himself at No. 3 for Knight Riders, it was in fact at No. 4 that he truly prospered.With Knight Riders designating Sunil Narine as their pinch hitter, everybody including Manish Pandey dropped one position down. Robin Uthappa was the new No. 3, and Pandey was left to negotiate the middle overs.However, unlike Hyderabad, where surfaces have tended to be unpredictable and often two-paced, rendering the middle phase of the innings the hardest to bat, the re-laid Eden Gardens track was a batting beauty, if anything one that assisted seamers early before settling down.That season in 2017, Pandey batted at No. 4 on nine occasions, averaging nearly 57 and striking at 135, both better than Rohit Sharma; Rohit and Yuvraj Singh were the only two players to have played more innings in that position that season.Besides, moving to Hyderabad meant playing in a side that, even without David Warner last year, had Shikhar Dhawan at the top and captain Kane Williamson occupying the No. 3 slot. This year, it was even harder to slot him at three when Sunrisers were at full strength. He had to wait his turn.
Xavi hit out at Barcelona supporters after hearing chants against club president Joan Laporta during their final home game of the season on Sunday.
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Barca fans hit out at presidentXavi slammed critical chantsCoach's future still uncertainWHAT HAPPENED?
The Blaugrana fans voiced their anger towards the president as they ran out 3-0 winners against Rayo Vallecano in their penultimate La Liga game of the 2023-24 campaign on Sunday. A section of the home crowd whistled at the "Barca yes, Laporta no" chants, but head coach Xavi heard enough to speak out against them, too.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT XAVI SAID
"To be totally honest, I didn't like it," Xavi said. "It's not nice for me. What I want is union and that the family [club] is good, but it's the fans who decide. I don't like it when someone is singled out."
He added: "We have to be united. Three weeks ago we spoke about being united and taking this project forward and that is still the case."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Xavi announced earlier this year that he would leave the Catalan giants at the end of the season, but eventually agreed to remain at the helm beyond the summer. Despite his U-turn, there have been calls for him to be sacked and reports there is still a possibility that Laporta and Co. could still opt to replace him ahead of next season.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?
Barca's issues extend well beyond Xavi, however. The club has been plagued by financial troubles in recent years and they may have a difficult time finding funds to strengthen the squad further during the next transfer window.
Glasgow Rangers were defeated 1-0 by German outfit Hertha Berlin in a mid-season friendly over the weekend as their stay in La Manga ended in disappointment.
Of course, it was a chance for the players to build up their match fitness after two weeks without a game, but the performance was underwhelming to say the least.
Philippe Clement stated that he deliberately worked the players harder in the build-up to the clash in order to see them playing with “really heavy legs” but they couldn’t pull off a win.
They return to domestic action this Saturday in the Scottish Cup and an improved performance could set the tone for the next few months ahead.
Before then, however, the Belgian will be aiming to bring in another player during the January transfer window, with a few new names recently linked with a move.
Rangers’ search for a left-back
While Clement needs to improve a few areas of his senior squad, it is the left-back area which is proving to be rather problematic at the moment.
Ridvan Yilmaz appears to be on his way out of Ibrox this month, but the Gers have recently rejected a loan-to-buy offer from Galatasaray for the young fullback.
Add to that Borna Barisic’s contract situation – he has entered into the final few months of his current deal – and it is evident that the 49-year-old coach needs to sign at least one left-sided defender this month.
Dutchman Gijs Smal has been linked with a move to Scotland, while Josh Doig was even mentioned as a potential player Clement wanted to sign this month, although this looks like it won’t happen now.
Journalist Alan Nixon has given a recent update on their chase for a new defender, saying: “Rangers chase Pring”, which is in reference to Bristol City full-back Cameron Pring.
The defender is currently under contract until 2026 and this suggests that City are under no pressure to move on one of their finest players this month, but could Clement make a concrete offer in the next few days?
The Englishman can also operate at centre-back and this versatility will be of huge importance to Clement as he aims to strengthen his squad.
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ByRoss Kilvington Jan 13, 2024
Dinamo Zagreb are showing interest in bringing Barisic back to his homeland amid rumours they will offer him a pre-contract deal, and it is beginning to look like the next few months will be his last in Glasgow.
Pring could be a more than able replacement for the Croatian, especially judging by his displays this term.
What Borna Barisic offers Rangers
Since joining the Light Blues in the summer of 2018 for a transfer fee in the region of £2m, it is fair to say that the club have gotten their money's worth out of the defender.
Across the previous five and a half years, the 31-year-old has made 224 appearances for the Premiership outfit, and it has been his attacking qualities which have shone brightest during his stint with the Gers.
Indeed, over these 224 games, Barisic has registered 62 goal contributions – nine goals and 53 assists – which works out as a goal involvement every 3.6 matches, an impressive stat for a defender.
Rangers defender Borna Barisic.
This season, Barisic currently ranks fourth for assists (two) in the top flight and second for key passes per game (2.2), yet he only ranks seventh for interceptions per game (0.9) and ranks second for possession lost per game (17), which showcases exactly where his strengths lie.
Looking to the future, Clement will be looking to bring in a player who can not only push forward as well as Barisic but be an improvement defensively.
Could Pring be the ideal candidate to take over the reign of the Croatian gem?
How Cameron Pring compares to Borna Barisic
For starters, the Englishman is six years younger than Barisic, meaning the Gers will get much longer service out of him should he make the move north of the border this month.
For the Robins this term, Pring currently ranks second among the squad for assists in the Championship (two), along with ranking fourth for key passes per game (0.8) and second for successful dribbles per game (one), demonstrating his attacking qualities in the second tier.
More importantly, however, is his defensive performances. Pring not only ranks second in the squad for tackles per game (2.2), but he also ranks second for interceptions per game (1.4), while ranking first for possession lost per game (21.2).
Like Barisic, Pring clearly gets up and down the left side of the field often, which means he is at more risk of losing possession, and it is clear that the 25-year-old offers a solid defensive ability to go with his desire to push into the final third.
These statistics certainly suggest he would fit into the starting XI fairly well, being able to take over Barisic’s responsibilities with ease, especially considering he has outperformed him on various metrics.
Writer Kai Watson – founder of the informative and insightful Rangers Journal – lauded Pring when analysing the defender on X, saying:
“The first thing to note about Pring is that he’s an absolute unit. 6’1, very strong and powerful. The unusual thing about this link, compared to the other left backs, is that he excels in the defensive areas of the game. He’s not the chance creator the likes of Barisic and Tavernier are as the usual full back options.”
The 6 foot 1 brute looks like he has all the necessary requirements to fill the slot which could soon be vacated by Barisic and, while he might not offer such large attacking contributions, his defensive acumen will more than make up for this.
Accurate passes per game
33.1
29.8
Key passes per game
2.2
0.8
Big chances created
1
1
Tackles per game
1.6
2.2
Total duels won per game
4.4
6.4
It remains to be seen just how much City value their defender amid the recent links to Rangers, and it could be interesting to see just how much the former Club Brugge coach is willing to pay to strengthen a key area of the squad.
Will he make a move this month? Or perhaps wait until the summer, when he has more time? There are far too many questions at the current moment in time and the supporters will have to place their trust in the manager to do what is right for the team.
Arsenal, after returning to form in style with a 5-0 thumping of Crystal Palace, could now shift their focus towards the transfer market, where they've reportedly made quite a U-turn following initial speculation.
Arsenal transfer news
It's been a quiet month for the Gunners, who completed the majority of their spending during the summer transfer window it seems, welcoming the likes of Declan Rice and Kai Havertz. That hasn't stopped the rumours from circling over potential winter arrivals, however. The likes of Real Sociedad winger Ander Barrenetxea and Bayern Munich defender Matthijs De Ligt have been names mentioned this month when it comes to incomings, but instead, the Gunners may need to turn their focus towards keeping hold of players after making a transfer U-turn.
De Ligt
According to Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal have rejected West Ham United's initial approach to sign Emile Smith Rowe on loan this month and now have no intention to let the academy graduate leave on loan this month. Romano posted on X:
This comes after earlier reports suggested that the midfielder could be heading for the exit door at The Emirates. According to TeamTalk, Arsenal were open to offers for Smith Rowe this month, only for the latest update from Romano to claim otherwise in what is a complete change in stance from the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta recently spoke highly of the England U21 international amid the rumours, saying:
"I’m really happy with Emile. He’s in the right trajectory. Now, he’s settled, he’s training really well and you know I’m not going to talk about individual situations."
"Great" Smith Rowe can earn Arsenal revival
Looking at Smith Rowe's injury history, it's fair to say that the Hale End graduate hasn't exactly been fortunate since rising to stardom under Arteta. Whilst he has been consistently sidelined, the likes of Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz and others have gradually taken his spot to significantly limit his game time. It is a positive that Arsenal have made such a transfer U-turn, however, and now Smith Rowe could push on and regain his starting place in a side hoping to win the Premier League title this season.
Groin Injury – 19/20
2
Head Injury – 19/20
2
Shoulder Injury – 20/21
15
Groin Surgery – 22/23
14
Knee Injury – 23/24
9
When Smith Rowe is fit and firing, he has earned plenty of deserved praise, including from Arsenal legend Michael Thomas, who told Caught Offside: “I have been extremely impressed with Emile Smith Rowe and the ease in which he’s made the step up into the first team.
“I’ve seen a lot of him at the academy and he has undeniably great talent. For me his vision, choice of pass along with his work rate are all exceptional. He sees things and doesn’t shy away from trying anything.”