Glasgow Rangers have the opportunity to secure their place in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup today as they host Partick Thistle at Ibrox.
The Light Blues are unbeaten in all competitions since returning from the break for the World Cup in Qatar and will be hoping to continue that run as they come up against Championship opposition this afternoon.
Michael Beale’s side head into the match off the back of a 2-1 win over Ross County in the Premiership last time out, thanks to goals from Malik Tillman and Borna Barisic.
This cup clash provides the head coach with a chance to make a few changes to his side and here is how we predict the Light Blues will line up…
What could Rangers’ XI look like against Partick Thistle?
Beale could look to bring in McGregor, Raskin, Tillman, and Colak to replace Jon McLaughlin, John Lundstram, Fashion Sakala, and Alfredo Morelos.
Starting between the sticks, Beale could bring in the 41-year-old veteran as the English boss has been rotating his goalkeeping options throughout the campaign, with McLaughlin (ten) and the ex-Hull man (15) sharing out the Premiership appearances.
In midfield, Lundstram will need to be replaced as the Englishman is out injured and this provides the coach with the chance to unleash Raskin for the first time from the start.
The 21-year-old midfielder, who was once dubbed as a “spider” by The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell, made an impressive impact off the bench last time out as the maestro won 100% (4/4) of his duels and completed 86% of his passes, which suggests that the dynamo is comfortable with the physicality of Scottish football.
In attack, Football FanCast published an article explaining why Sakala should be ditched from the team and Tillman could come in to start on the right of the attacking trident behind the striker after scoring off the bench against Ross County.
Finally, Colak – who has scored 11 goals in the Premiership this season – has not started a game in any competition since the 8th of January – against Dundee United – and the Croatian international could come in for Morelos to build up his match sharpness and, hopefully, his confidence.
West Ham United are now interested in signing Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, according to journalist Steve Kay.
The Lowdown: Nelson lacking game time
Nelson has made just seven appearances in all competitions for Arsenal this season, and the arrival of Leandro Trossard in January indicates that his game time is going to be even more limited in the second half of the campaign.
Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the winger would love to stay at the Emirates Stadium, but with no contract offer on the horizon to extend his stay beyond the summer, he may have to start thinking about moving elsewhere.
The Latest: West Ham interested
According to Kay, West Ham are interested in bringing the 23-year-old to the London Stadium in the summer transfer window, although they may face competition for his signature, with Sassuolo also named as potential suitors.
The Arsenal academy graduate’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning that he will be able to join on a free transfer.
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The Verdict: Get it done?
Despite only receiving limited minutes in the Premier League this season, the Englishman has impressed whenever he has been given the opportunity, scoring a brace in a 63-minute cameo against Nottingham Forest in October.
The speedster has displayed his creative side in the EFL Cup, picking up an assist in the 3-1 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion, while his dribbling ability has also been on show.
Hailed as ‘explosive’ by football scout Jacek Kulig, the Arsenal ace ranks in the 95th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, averaging 2.93, while he also places in the 97th for touches in the attacking penalty area, highlighting his ability to get on the ball in dangerous areas.
Nelson needs a fresh start if he is going to fulfill his lofty potential, and West Ham should definitely look to sign him in the summer window.
Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a major blow to their chances of achieving success in the 2022/23 campaign, as Rodrigo Bentancur has been ruled out until the end of the season.
The Uruguayan midfielder suffered a body blow in the 4-1 defeat to Leicester in the Premier League on Saturday, and it has now been confirmed that the dynamo is set for a significant spell on the sidelines.
The club’s official account tweeted: “We can confirm that Rodrigo Bentancur has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee and will be out of action for the remainder of the campaign. He will undergo surgery before beginning his rehabilitation with our medical staff.”
Only Harry Kane (7.39) has averaged a higher Sofascore rating than the former Juventus man (7.21) in the Premier League for Tottenham this season, which illustrates how important the 25-year-old has been to Antonio Conte’s team.
With Yves Bissouma also out injured after ankle surgery, the 53-year-old must find a regular partner for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the middle of the park for the coming months.
Who should replace Rodrigo Bentancur for Tottenham?
Conte could find his Bentancur replacement in the form of Spurs academy graduate Oliver Skipp, whose chances have been few and far between during the current campaign.
The £40k-per-week midfielder has only started three Premier League matches this season, after starting 14 in 2021/22, but he has the potential to be a combative warrior alongside the Denmark international.
During his time on loan at Norwich, his former manager Daniel Farke heaped praise on the youngster, saying: “Oliver is a perfect lad. So humble. He is a brilliant loan signing.
“A fantastic lad. He reminds me a little of Max Aarons in his first season, who also delivered with unbelievable consistency, with no mistakes, never injured, never ill.”
In that spell with the Canaries, Skipp played 45 Championship games and made 150 tackles and interceptions combined, along with a total of 57 blocks.
This means that the England under-21 international made 4.6 defensive actions per game for Norwich, which shows that he was putting himself in excellent positions to win back possession, or at least hamper opposition attacks.
Meanwhile, Bentancur has made 93 tackles, interceptions and blocks combined in the Premier League this season in 18 appearances, averaging 5.2 per outing.
These statistics indicate that Skipp has the potential to deliver a similar volume of defensive actions per game if Conte, who once hailed the talent’s “great passion”, can get him playing to the peak of his ability in the middle of the park.
Therefore, the Italian must unleash the 22-year-old in response to the Uruguay international’s injury, and then it will be up to the youngster to grasp his opportunity.
A significant development has emerged for Aston Villa and the return of one of their injured stars this month…
What’s the latest on Diego Carlos’ injury?
According to the Birmingham Mail, Diego Carlos fully returned to first-team training with the squad on Tuesday ahead of his comeback from rupturing his Achilles on his home debut against Everton earlier this season.
The report claims that the defender was only involved in light sessions last week, after Unai Emery revealed that the centre-back was back out on the grass prior to the defeat to Arsenal, but is now fully integrated with the rest of the group.
It is also suggested that the Brazilian enforcer, who arrived at the club from Sevilla last summer, could be involved against Sunderland for the U21s on Friday night to help with his match fitness.
Terrific news
This update is terrific news for Emery as it shows that the defender is on the right track to being involved in the Premier League in the final few months of the campaign.
Carlos may need a few weeks to build up his fitness to a point where he can be starting matches in the top-flight but being back out on the grass and in full first-team training is a huge step in the right direction.
Speaking about the defender’s return, Emery recently said: “Diego Carlos is a very good player. He has a good mentality and he’s a winner. I think, progressively, he will help us. He will play as soon as possible, not in the starting XI maybe because, progressively, he needs to keep confidence and keep fit. When he is going to start with us in training I think he will be important to us.”
The 29-year-old has the potential, as the head coach has stated, to be a key player for Villa as his form for Sevilla in recent seasons proves that the former Valencia ace can produce exceptional performances on a regular basis.
In 34 LaLiga appearances, the centre-back averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 and won 62% of his individual duels – keeping 13 clean sheets – last term.
The gem also averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.99 in 33 outings in the Spanish top-flight in the 2020/21 campaign – helping his side to keep another 13 clean sheets.
However, no central defender for Villa has averaged a score higher than Ezri Konsa’s 6.81 this season and Tyrone Mings’ score of 6.91 was the highest in 2021/22.
This suggests that Carlos could be Emery’s best option in the heart of the defence if he can return to full fitness and replicate his Sevilla form in the English top-flight in the coming months.
Leeds United are responsible for producing a number of world class players over the years. There was a point in time when their academy seemed like a never-ending talent factory, with a constant flow of future England internationals bursting onto the scene in a style even Micah Richards would be proud of.
In recent times, that talent factory has slowed down ever so slightly, with the modern game more focused on improving via the transfer market, and not the option closer to home in the form of academies. Those at Elland Road will still be hoping to discover the next best thing in the next few years, however.
With that said, we’ve ranked the 10 most successful academy products in Leeds United history.
10) Fabian Delph
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Going onto captain Aston Villa after graduating from the Leeds United academy, Fabian Delph was one of the most talented young England midfielders at one stage, even earning himself a move to Manchester City.
At The Etihad, Delph picked up two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and three League Cups, playing a part in the famous ‘Centurions’ team.
He went on to play for Everton before eventually retiring at the end of last season.
Delph also racked up 20 caps for England between 2014 and 2019.
9) Kalvin Phillips
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Someone who will look to replicate Delph’s success at Manchester City, Kalvin Phillips was a fan favourite at Leeds United, where he helped the club back into the Premier League.
Phillips also played a key role in helping Leeds survive in the Premier League, and he earned himself a move to City.
He has also been an England regular under Gareth Southgate, and was a member of the squad at both Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup.
If he can become a key player at City, he’ll climb this list.
8) Gary Kelly
One of the best right-backs in Leeds United history, Gary Kelly made an incredible total of 501 appearances for the Yorkshire club, even playing for the side that reached the Champions League semi-final in 2001.
Kelly was as consistent and loyal as they come, and more than deserves his place on this list.
Kelly also won 52 caps for the Republic of Ireland, playing for his country at the 2002 World Cup.
A true one-club man and Leeds legend.
7) David Batty
Football – 1998 FIFA World Cup – Second Round – England v Argentina – Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint Etienne – 30/6/98 England’s David Batty has his penalty saved during the shoot out Mandatory Credit : Action Images / Brandon Malone
Never one for the spotlight, David Batty quietly enters this list as one of the most successful players to come out of the Leeds United academy.
The midfielder made an impressive 228 appearances for his boyhood club, and also played for both Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers, where he won the Premier League title.
He bookended his career at Elland Road, playing for them between 1987 and 1993, and between 1998 and 2004.
A player who loves Leeds, and was loved right back by the fans.
6) Paul Robinson
Football – FA Barclaycard Premiership – Leeds United v Charlton Athletic – Elland Road – 8/5/04 Leeds’ Paul Robinson reacts as Jason Euell’s penalty hits the back of the net to make it 3-2 Mandatory Credit: Action Images / John Sibley Livepic
One of the most consistent goalkeepers to ever grace the Premier League, Paul Robinson played for Leeds United, Blackburn Rovers, Tottenham Hotspur, and Burnley, keeping a total of 88 Premier League clean sheets in 375 appearances.
His legacy as an English football and Leeds United legend still remains to this day.
He was good enough to become England’s No.1, a player who represented his country on the very biggest stage.
It could be argued he was more successful elsewhere, but at Leeds, he truly blossomed into an excellent goalkeeper.
5) Jonathan Woodgate
The fact that Jonathan Woodgate became a Galactico at Real Madrid should instantly cement his place as one of the most successful academy graduates in Leeds United history, even if it didn’t work out in Spain.
The central defender remains one of the best defenders to ever play for the Yorkshire club.
He represented Leeds with distinction between 1998 and 2003 but left as a financial crisis engulfed the club, moving to Newcastle United.
He would go on to win the League Cup with Tottenham, scoring the winning goal in the 2008 League Cup final against Chelsea.
4) James Milner
Soccer Football – FA Cup – Final – Chelsea v Liverpool – Wembley Stadium, London, Britain – May 14, 2022 Liverpool’s James Milner reacts REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
If this was a lactate test, then James Milner would be clear as the number one.
In a list of successful Leeds United academy graduates, however, he finishes a more than respectable fourth.
The Liverpool midfielder has won it all in what has been an illustrious career, and he doesn’t look like slowing down either, even at 36.
A regular England international and a truly unbelievable athlete, Milner has been superb for decades.
3) David Seaman
FA Cup Final at the Millennium Stadium in CardiffArsenal v SouthamptonArsenal captain David Seaman celebrates the winning goal from Robert Pires.17th May 2003.
One of England’s best ever goalkeepers, David Seaman didn’t actually make an appearance for Leeds United’s first-team.
Instead, he went on to have incredible success elsewhere, mainly at Arsenal, where he kept 218 clean sheets in 509 games.
At the North London club, Seaman also won three Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and one League Cup.
He also played for England at multiple major tournaments, including the World Cup.
2) Gary Speed
The late, great Gary Speed remains one of the best players to grace Elland Road.
In total, he made 226 appearances for his boyhood club, even winning a league title in 1992, and Community Shield in 1993.
He also starred for Newcastle United, where he made 285 appearances during his time at the club.
Speed is greatly missed, and retired with a huge cabinet filled with trophies.
1) Denis Irwin
Manchester United v Chelsea 5/3/94 F.A.Premiership Pic : Action Images / John Sibley Chelsea’s Steve Clarke takes on Manchester United’s Denis Irwin
One of the greatest players to ever play for Manchester United, it’s with great irony that we place Denis Irwin top of our list of the successful academy graduates to come out of Leeds United.
The left-back only made two appearances for Leeds, before joining Oldham Athletic and eventually making the move to Old Trafford, where he won seven Premier League titles, one Champions League, three FA Cups, and one League Cup.
He goes down as one of the best left-backs English football has ever seen.
It’s a real shame for Leeds that they didn’t know what they had with Irwin.
So, there you have it, our list of the most successful academy products in Leeds United history. Do you agree with our picks? Or do you believe that we’ve missed out some deserving players? Let us know in the comments!
Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer business has been slammed after their shock exit from the FA Cup on Wednesday evening.
For the second season running, the Premier League outfit were knocked out at the fifth-round stage to a Championship team, this time Sheffield United providing the scalp on their own turf, Bramall Lane.
A 79th-minute solo effort from Iliman Ndiaye sealed the victory for the Blades as he weaved his way past Spurs’ lacklustre backline before slotting a tidy finish past backup goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
After the full-time whistle, journalist Delme Parfitt was quick to lambast the likes of Richarlison and Ivan Perisic, two summer signings that have failed to make a desired impact for the Lilywhites.
“Dreadful night for Spurs. Outfought and outplayed. Richarlison and Perisic both desperately disappointing signings,” he said.
How did Ivan Perisic perform vs Sheffield United?
The 34-year-old, signed by Antonio Conte, was certainly one of a multitude of poor performers up in Sheffield, with the Croatian veteran proving wasteful in the final third as he squandered numerous chances.
Indeed, Perisic managed only 19 passes at an accuracy rate of 58%, which was the worst of any Spurs player on the pitch by quite some margin, whilst he also lost possession an eye-watering 34 times, meaning he lost the ball every other touch, via Sofascore.
This included just one accurate cross from 11 attempts (9%), so it’s no wonder his teammates struggled to impose authority on the second-tier opposition in and around the penalty box, with Richarlison being hooked by the 65th minute.
As a winner of three league titles and one Champions League, Perisic is one of the more experienced and successful members of this Spurs squad, so his quality is needed in a game like this, yet to see him fail to deliver is ultimately a huge disappointment, just as Partiff stated.
The versatile left wing-back was also slammed as being “so, so bad” and “one of the worst” by writer Andrew Gaffney, as well as being “a massive waste of money” by The Athletic’s James Maw.
He may well have been a free transfer but for wages reported to be in the region of £180k-per-week, you’d want to see a lot better, especially as the former Inter Milan star has made just one Premier League goal contribution since the end of October.
A lot of the fanbase may turn to Davinson Sanchez – a usual scapegoat in a moment like this – for their frustrations or fellow defender Ben Davies, who both registered considerably lower Sofascore ratings on the night, but players of Perisic’s calibre failed to step up and that has to be a major cause for concern.
AND in other news, Alasdair Gold shares eight goalkeepers looked at by Paratici…
Chelsea fans online have been left delighted after January transfer singing Mykhailo Mudryk registered his first direct goal contribution with an assistÂthis weekend.
What’s the latest on Mykhailo MudrykÂand Chelsea?
The Ukrainian winger arrived this winter amid much speculation about his future. Indeed, while it looked as though he was set to end up at Arsenal, Todd Boehly swooped in with a stunning £89m offer to land the now-former Shakhtar Donetsk star.
However, arriving for such money puts an awful lot of pressure on a player to perform and it’s fair to say Mudryk hadn’t exactly hit the ground running in England.
In fact, he’d failed to score or even pick up an assist in any of his first six appearances for the club in all competitions. This meant he was perilously close to being handed out the 007 nickname once handed to Jadon Sancho after his first seven outings for Manchester United passed without a direct goal contributed (zero goals and zero assists in seven games).
However, on Saturday afternoon, as the Blues took on Leicester City away from home in the Premier League, Mudryk managed to pick up an assist for Matteo Kovacic’s goal while.
Indeed, the midfielder’s volley sealed a 3-1 win for Graham Potter and co, while it also spared his new teammate of the embarrassing 007 label that no doubt would have been attributed to him. It was a much-improved performance from the winger who also unfortunately had a goal ruled out for offside.
As evidenced on Twitter, the Chelsea fans were clearly delighted with this development. Here are some of the best reactions…
Tottenham are reportedly monitoring the progress of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse ahead of a potential summer move.
The Lowdown: Ward-Prowse on the move?
The Englishman has possibly been Saints’ standout player in a season full of struggles, with the south coast side currently sitting 19th in the Premier League.
Ward-Prowse has eight goal contributions (six goals and two assists) in the league in 2022/23 to date, showcasing his world-renowned free-kick-taking ability with a winner at Chelsea last month.
With Saints potentially getting relegated this season, the 28-year-old could be looking for a fresh challenge and he has been linked with a move away recently.
The Latest: Spurs eyeing up move
According to Football Insider reporter Pete O’Rourke, Daniel Levy and Co are ‘monitoring’ Ward Prowse’s situation at Saints currently, with a possible summer switch on the cards.
Southampton are resigned to losing their skipper if they are relegated, and Spurs have recently been hit hard by injuries in their midfield department.
The Verdict: Could be a top signing
Ward-Prowse, who actually has an impressive eight direct goal involvements against Spurs, is a top-quality footballer who has arguably been playing at a lower level than his talent merits for some time now, considering he is an 11-cap England international.
The £100,000-a-week midfielder has shown great loyalty to Saints, but at 28, now feels like the time to test himself elsewhere and Tottenham could be ideal for him.
Ward-Prowse would come straight in as a key man, having racked up 330 Premier League appearances and been called ‘phenomenal’ by former teammate Charlie Austin.
His technical ability is nicely complemented by a tenacious edge – he averages 1.7 tackles per game in the league this season – and he could help Spurs’ midfield look more formidable moving forward.
An update has emerged on Everton and their interest in signing Iliman Ndiaye in the upcoming summer transfer window…
What's the latest on Iliman Ndiaye to Everton?
According to Football Insider, the Toffees remain keen on a deal to snap up the Sheffield United centre-forward ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
The report claims that the club failed in their attempts to sign the Senegal international during the January transfer window as Sean Dyche was unable to bolster his squad after arriving in Merseyside.
It is stated that the Blades could be forced to cash in on the attacker for a fee in the region of £15m if they are unable to tie him down to a new contract, with his current deal due to expire at the end of next season.
Where does Iliman Ndiaye play?
Ndiaye plays in the Championship for Sheffield United and is mainly deployed by manager Paul Heckingbottom as a support striker or as a centre-forward, which means that the gem could come in to improve Dyche's options at the top end of the pitch.
The 23-year-old could arrive as a big upgrade on current Everton striker Neal Maupay, who is a similar type of player in that he is a sub-6 foot number nine who works best alongside another attacker.
In the Premier League this season, the Frenchman has struggled badly since making the move from Brighton last summer and is on one goal and zero assists in 20 appearances so far.
Everton's Neal Maupay warming up ahead of a Premier League match
The 26-year-old attacker has averaged a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.59 and missed five 'big chances' throughout the campaign, which shows how wasteful the flop has been in front of goal.
Ndiaye, meanwhile, has scored 11 goals and provided seven assists in 36 Championship appearances for Sheffield United – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.05.
He has created six 'big chances' for his teammates and produced one key pass per outing, while the Toffees dud has created 0.3 per game, illustrating that the attacker can regularly open up opposition defences to go along with his goal scoring quality.
The Blades star, who was once hailed as a "FIFA cheat code" by former team-mate Tom Graham, could offer more than Maupay at the top end of the pitch, both in terms of his finishing and his creativity based on their respective statistics this season, if he can make the step-up to the top-flight.
Therefore, Dyche could land a £15m upgrade on his current French flop by striking a deal to sign the Senegal international from Sheffield United this summer.
Barcelona have been dealt a blow as long-term transfer target Martin Zubimendi has appeared to commit his future to Real Sociedad, making a summer transfer unlikely.
What's the latest on Martin Zubimendi and Barcelona?
The Spain international had been linked with a move away in previous windows, with Arsenal and Barcelona reportedly interested, but he has now spoken out about his future.
The 24-year-old, who has over four years left to run on his £51k-per-week contract at Anoeta, has claimed that he was not interested in any potential transfer and has reaffirmed his commitment to La Real.
Speaking to Sport (as relayed by Fabrizio Romano), the Spaniard appeared to shut down any talk of a summer move to Camp Nou.
"I told my agents that I don’t want to hear anything, especially last January.
"When someone wants to be in a club, the buy-out clause doesn’t matter. It will be another calm summer, I’m happy at Real Sociedad."
Do Barcelona need Zubimendi?
Zubimendi may have been eyed up by Xavi as a long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets, who could move to MLS this summer, and the Barcelona manager has compared the two players in the past.
"He is more physical and faster than Busi, who is better technically. But it’s not just Zubimendi, it’s all the players in midfield," Xavi once stated before Barcelona faced La Real.
"We have a great team visiting us. Zubimendi is a great player."
If Barcelona's midfield stalwart does depart, Zubimendi could help replace their longest-serving player.
He ranks well physically compared to other central midfielders in Europe's top competitions over the past year, as he places in the top 15% for clearances and aerial duels as per FBref, which could help replace Busquets' 'explosiveness' in the middle of the park.
However, given that Barcelona are not only hamstrung by financial problems, but also have Frenkie de Jong and Franck Kessie waiting in the reserves, they may not need a major investment into Zubimendi just yet.
De Jong ranks significantly higher in passing, ball-carrying and ball progression, suggesting that if he was to play in a deeper midfield role, he could be better than Zubimendi in linking the play between defence and attack.
With Zubimendi's release clause set at £53m and the player seemingly unwilling to move, it appears to be a deal that Barcelona should steer clear of no matter what happens to Busquets this summer.