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Stade Brest manager Olivier Dall’Oglio continues to vocalise his regret of letting Ibrahima Diallo leave the French club this summer. The midfielder joined Southampton in a last minute deal worth £11million, according to BBC Sport, but he is yet to start for his new side yet.

Diallo has been limited to just two cameo appearances for the Saints, due to directly competing with senior player Oriol Romeu. However, Ralph Hasenhuttl will continue to monitor the Frenchman in training and he could tweak his midfield to accommodate the new recruit.

Whenever this decision comes, Southampton will certainly benefit from his presence in the middle of the park. Brest haven’t won a single game since Diallo left for England and Dall’Oglio isn’t hiding away his true feelings.

“The loss of Ibra affects us. We’re very conscious of that,” the manager told Ouest-France. “Ibra took a lot of space in that team, so there’s also some thinking about the future, in the winter transfer window, where we need to strengthen in that area, and I think it risks being a priority.”

A huge boost for Southampton

The Saints are currently in fine form, heading into their next fixture off the back of a win over the Premier League leaders. Now fifth in the table, Southampton will be looking to keep this momentum going in order to ensure a top ten (or maybe higher) position is definitely on the cards this season.

Having Diallo in his ranks will be a huge boost for Hasenhuttl. With a strong and reliable 21-year-old to call upon should he need to, he won’t be short of options in case the worst is to happen.

According to Sofascore, the midfielder averaged two tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 9.8 successful duels per game. These numbers will be of huge help to Southampton’s backline, who are often caught out and aren’t on the same page as the attack. Strong midfield options will keep Hassenhuttl’s scales level, ensuring one part of the team isn’t underperforming compared to another.

Diallo will also provide crucial injury cover and healthy rotation, to not just rest up players but also keep the opposition guessing how the squad will lineup next.

In other news, Southampton should look to phase Nathan Redmond out following Everton display…

Scotland played out a performance on the international stage that fans will never forget. On a bitter cold evening in Serbia, it was Celtic’s Ryan Christie who handed the victors the lead in the second half. In an agonising turn around, the Serbs hit back at the death and forced another half an hour of playing time.

As the 1-1 draw trickled down to penalties, it would prove to be Scotland who held their nerve. The shootout went in favour of Steve Clarke’s men, who ended a 23-year absence from major international tournaments.

But it wasn’t just Christie who pulled his country through a tough fixture. His domestic teammate Callum McGregor also massively stepped up to the plate in Scotland’s time of need.

Callum McGregor impresses for Scotland

As well as providing the assist for Christie’s goal, the 27-year-old was a real pain for Serbia’s defence. According to Sofascore, McGregor completed 100% of his long balls, dribbles and ground duels. He played the full 120 minutes and didn’t look like letting up at all. He additionally made one key pass but didn’t hesitate to contribute to supporting the defence either.

His one tackle and four interceptions only further highlight his determination to see Scotland over the line, mirroring performances he puts in for Celtic on the weekly.

Indeed, in the Hoops’ 4-1 win over Motherwell last time out, McGregor maintained a 95% passing rate as well as again, 100% successful dribbles and long balls. The £20,000 per-week dynamo also bagged himself a goal in their 3-3 league draw against Aberdeen, and completed two interceptions, two tackles and two clearances (as per Sofascore).

Whilst Neil Lennon has been ruthlessly chopping and changing his squad recently, McGregor’s recent performances for both club and country will send him a very clear message. Under no circumstances should the manager consider swapping him out.

In other news, Celtic must prioritise permanent transfer for “revelation” striker Mohamed Elyounoussi…

Manchester City have been linked with a move for Aston Villa ace Jack Grealish in recent weeks and the Englishman’s superb performances this season suggest that he could be the man to replace David Silva at Manchester City.

It was suggested by the Daily Star recently that the Citizens are considering a January move for the Villa captain, after his excellent start to the 2020/21 season.

The England international has enjoyed an incredible start to the new season for Dean Smith’s side, having contributed four goals and five assists in just seven top-flight appearances for the Villans, resulting in an average rating of 8.18 (per WhoScored).

This puts the 25-year-old behind just Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane in terms of the league’s best performers so far this season, so it is no surprise that he is attracting interest from teams such as Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s side are still coping with the loss of the legendary David Silva after he joined Real Sociedad on a free transfer this summer following a hugely successful spell with the Citizens.

In 10 years with the club, the Spanish magician would go on to make an incredible 436 appearances, contributing 77 goals and 140 assists (per Transfermarkt).

Whilst there is obvious expectation on the shoulders of young Phil Foden to step up as the 34-year-old’s successor, he is just 20-years-old, whereas Grealish would bring a lot of experience, as well as leadership, to this Manchester City team should he join the club.

That said he won’t come cheap with his club valuing him at £80m in the summer, and you’d expect, following Villa’s impressive start to the new season and the fact that Grealish signed a new five-year contract in September, that it would take a huge offer for them to let their captain leave.

The playmaker impressed England manager Gareth Southgate in his first start for his country against Belgium last week, with the former Middlesbrough boss saying:

“I thought Jack Grealish had an absolutely outstanding game. Losing Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford, we lose a lot of speed. But I can’t fault the attacking play until the last chance.

“I saw what I knew I would see from Jack, someone with the bravery to play. He took the ball in tight areas, his technique was good, we knew he would buy a lot of free-kicks. I thought he was outstanding – he should be delighted. I explained to him what we wanted to see when we brought him in in September.” (per BBC Sport)

Therefore, the midfielder is clearly rated highly and it would difficult to argue against him being a success with Manchester City should he opt to leave Villa to join Guardiola’s side in the near future.

It was something of a surprise when Leeds United man Robbie Gotts joined League One Lincoln City on loan ahead of this season but his impressive performances this season seem to suggest that the Yorkshire club made the right decision.

The 21-year-old joined the Imps on a season-long loan in October and has been a regular in Michael Appleton’s side since then, having made seven appearances in all competitions, featuring as both a right-back and a central midfielder.

When he joined the club, Appleton was full of praise for the youngster, telling the club’s website:

“He’s got bags of quality in possession of the ball and he’s got the energy and athleticism to get up and down the pitch too.”

Gotts’ performances have helped Lincoln make a superb start to the League One campaign, as they currently sit second in the table ahead of this weekend’s game away at Rochdale.

Bielsa has kept faith in young midfielder Jamie Shackleton at times this season, with the academy graduate having made three appearances in the Premier League this season, in which he has averaged a less than impressive 6.3 rating (per WhoScored).

Whilst Gotts is obviously playing a lower level, his performances have earned him the praise of Leeds fans on Twitter recently, so if he can continue as a regular in this Lincoln side, perhaps he could challenge Shackleton for his spot in Leeds’ first-team when he returns.

Marcelo Bielsa is well aware of the youngster, having praised his efforts after the made his debut in the Whites’ 1-0 defeat against Arsenal last season, so there seems no reason why he couldn’t establish himself as a regular in the Argentinian’s side in the future.

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Leeds fans will be hoping that Gotts continues to feature regularly for the Imps and helps them to promotion to the Championship, which would be a great experience for the 21-year-old.

And, in other news… Orta must prioritise handing a new contract to Bielsa favourite before it’s too late 

Glasgow Rangers and Steven Gerrard have a lovely little distraction to focus on this Wednesday.

They are currently soaring high, 13 points ahead of Celtic in the race for the SPFL and now they have the opportunity to stamp down their intentions for more silverware.

They take on St Mirren in the Scottish League Cup quarter-final and thus, we could see a number of changes made to the XI. This isn’t an important game but if Rangers really want to dominate then Gerrard still needs to field some of his most experienced and important individuals.

With that in mind, we’re tipping the Light Blues to make as many as five changes to the side that beat Dundee last weekend.

The one enforced change comes up front where Alfredo Morelos will definitely miss the tie.

He was given a yellow card for elbowing Mark Connolly in the win over Dundee but that has since been upgraded to a red. Consequently, he’ll now miss the next two games through suspension.

Therefore, we think that Cedric Itten deserves to lead the line. He has started only four matches since his summer move but netted in the Europa League last week.

There are further changes beside him in attack, one that replicates the forward line we saw against Lech Poznan. Ryan Kent and Kemar Roofe both drop out with Joe Aribo and Ianis Hagi favoured on the flanks.

There is just the one change in midfield where we’re tipping Bongani Zungu to get the nod ahead of Steven Davis. Zungu has just two starts to his name but deserves an opportunity. He started in their last League Cup outing so it wouldn’t be a great surprise to see him come in.

Defensively, we think Gerrard will go with a familiar backline, deciding to only switch up his goalkeeper.

Allan McGregor played against Dundee but with Jon McLaughlin favoured in the previous two games before that, he could start instead.

In other news, Wilson has been given a transfer boost in Rangers’ pursuit of 3-goal gem…

Celtic are currently looking to bring Bright Osayi-Samuel to Parkhead as he enters the last six months of his contract. The winger has attracted a lot of attention thanks to his pace and ability on the ball, which is extremely hard for defenders to deal with.

However, a pre-contract next month to bring him to the club in the summer is not soon enough for Neil Lennon. The boss is reportedly looking to rush through a deal and sign him immediately in January. Considering the Irishman’s future at the club could potentially hang in the balance of Celtic’s transfer window, it’s no wonder he wants to recruit such a strong attacking player straight away.

Osayi-Samuel would be ideal Lennon signing

The Hoops have endured a wretched season compared to their usual standards. Their up and down results mean that they will likely lose out on a tenth consecutive Premiership title to the hands of arch rivals Rangers. Steven Gerrard and his men are still yet to lose a league match this term and Celtic have simply been unable to match their tenacity.

It’s also a worrying thought that Mohamed Elyounoussi, their top scorer of the season, is due to return from his loan spell in the summer. Unless they arrange a deal to keep him permanently, the Bhoys will lose a massive part of their attack.

But even with Elyounoussi’s departure, the club has academy graduate Mikey Johnston waiting in the wings for his big chance in the senior team. However, Lennon does not have a recognised right-winger on his books and he has been forced to deploy the likes of Ryan Christie and David Turnbull in this position.

Whilst they have both done a solid job, a club of Celtic’s calibre needs to sign a natural wide-man. Bringing £6,500 per week Osayi-Samuel to Parkhead would fit a huge gap in the roster.

QPR boss Mark Warburton has sung the praises of the “outstanding” attacker, who tallied six goals and nine assists last season (via Transfermarkt).

In other news, Signing Mark McKenzie would be huge move from Lawwell…

It was a night those Aston Villa players and the fans watching back at home will never ever forget.

Heading into their FA Cup third round clash against Liverpool on Friday night, there was real concern over whether the game would even go ahead, such was the nature of the circumstances for the home side.

But Mark Delaney’s clutch of academy starlets more than held their own against the Premier League champions. If anything, their 4-1 defeat at Villa Park may actually go down as one of their most proud, and praise-worthy performances and games of the season.

And Ben Chrisene, who was one of two 16-year-old’s on the night, typified Villa’s fight and desire.

Stationed out on the left-hand side, and coming up against Mohamed Salah on that flank – winner of two Premier League Golden Boot awards – his work was cut out from the first minute, making sure he helped out teammate Callum Rowe who was behind him.

As per Sofascore, Chrisene won 100% of his duels, and made one tackle and clearance apiece as he carried out Delaney’s game-plan to an absolute tee.

And whilst understandably he didn’t have too many opportunities to showcase his ability going forward, he stuck to his task well and never got carried away.

Such was his performance, that The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece declared on Twitter that Chrisene was “like a mini Gareth Barry”.

And in his post-match player ratings, Preece added: “Really like this kid. Chrisene was signed by Exeter in the summer amid interest from the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea. He’s really calm on the ball and is Gareth Barry-esque in his approach; tidy, neat in possession and a good left foot. Chrisene was one of two 16-year-old’s in the starting XI.”

If Johan Lange was watching the game, then he no doubt would have been left impressed by Chrisene’s debut. A central midfielder by trade, but someone who quite clearly play off the left too, the teenager showed that his versatility could be a huge asset for Villa going forward.

Just like former Villa star Barry, having someone in the team who can be a jack of all trades and fill in for the team wherever needed can be a priceless commodity. Especially in the modern world of inflated transfer fees and wages.

Chrisene could save Lange and Villa millions if he continues on his rise to stardom.

Off the back of an impressive first-half to the season, Leeds United head into their FA Cup third round clash against Crawley knowing that a cup run could well be the icing on the cake this year.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have more than delivered on their minimum objective of trying to stay in the division, and actually find themselves just six points off the top four at the moment.

The clash against Crawley on Sunday afternoon will give the Leeds boss a chance to go one better than he did last year, when he saw his side exit at the same stage when they lost to Arsenal.

Bielsa will no doubt look to give some of his key first-team stars a rest, and with that in mind, below is a look at how the Whites might line up.

In goal, regular number one Illan Meslier is likely to be rested with Kiko Casilla coming in to take his place in between the sticks.

The back-four is likely to see significant changes, with Bielsa revealing in his pre-match press conference that both Liam Cooper and Diego Llorente could be available to play.

The Leeds boss did suggest that Cooper was in more of a condition to feature, and that could see him partner Pascal Struijk in the back-line, with Luke Ayling given the afternoon off.

Either side, Stuart Dallas, and 21-year-old starlet Leif Davis may get the chance to impress.

Kalvin Phillips’ suspension for the game against Brighton means there will be absolutely no reason for him not to start in the cup, and he could be joined by Pablo Hernandez and Jamie Shackleton.

Further forward, Helder Costa and Ian Poveda may come in from the side-lines to stake their claim for a first-team spot, whilst Bielsa may wish to unleash summer signing Rodrigo in the number nine role.

Predicted XI: Casilla; Dallas, Cooper, Struijk, Davis; Phillips, Shackleton, Hernandez; Costa, Rodrigo, Poveda.

Glasgow Rangers may struggle to offload George Edmundson in the January transfer window after Steven Gerrard confirmed the defender has suffered an injury.

Edmundson and Jordan Jones were hit with a seven-game ban by the SFA for breaching regulations after they were caught attending a private gathering with people “outside their household.”

Reports have emerged over the past week that the club are subsequently considering sending both players out on loan.

Once hailed as a “faultless” defender by Gerrard, Edmundson has only made one appearance across all competitions this season, while Jones has played four games, and they have yet to feature for the first team since serving their suspension.

The Daily Record revealed the duo have been deemed surplus to requirements by Gerrard and could be heading for the Ibrox exit amid interest from several English Championship and League One clubs.

However it seems like the Light Blues may struggle to offload the injured Edmundson which means Gerrard could be forced to keep the Manchester-born centre-back for the time being at least.

“Jordan Jones has a calf issue and should be back next week,” Gerrard said.

“George Edmundson is off to see a specialist as he has an issue with his hip area.”

There’s no doubt the news will be a devastating blow for Ross Wilson, who had given the green light for the duo to go out and get some minutes under their belts between now and the end of the season.

The double blow is bad news for Gerrard with time starting to run out in the winter transfer market, after football finance expert Kieran Maguire claimed the Gers may have to sanction the sales of players to compete on the same playing field as Celtic.

Getting rid of Edmundson albeit on a temporary basis would have at least helped to alleviate some of the financial pressures of their colossal wage bill, as he reportedly earns around £4,200-per-week at Ibrox.

However, they may have to rule out a loan move after his latest setback. Whether this will remove any doubts about his long-term future at Ibrox remains to be seen.

AND in other news, Rangers target John Lundstram produced one of his worst performances in the FA Cup…

Leicester now reside at the top of the Premier league after their victory over Chelsea on Tuesday. While the race for the title is often nerve wracking, and filled with uncertainties. Many believe that this is Leicester’s year to take the title and repeating the success of the 2015/2016 season. The success of the team again is a real possibility and for that reason we cannot rule out the chance that they could repeat the same victories again this season.

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Leicester are the top of the league currently, just because they have won more games than anyone else this season, so far. The Foxes actually reached the middle game of the season on Tuesday evening, due to them playing the 19th game and making it their 12th win overall. In addition to this, they have managed to score 35 goals this season too, putting them behind Liverpool’s top goal score of 37.

There is no doubt about it, the quality shown in playing by the team of Leicester is of the best currently out there. Their games speak for themselves, and they really do deserve the tops spots of the table, there is no doubt about that at all. Their wins against Manchester City, Tottenham, Arsenal and Chelsea, have been superior game quality, and a testament to what kind of team they are within the business at the moment. There is nothing we can do or say, that will take away from that, that is for sure.

There has been a question that has popped up in the midst of all the game time we have witnessed this season: why are Leicester losing to less football positioned teams? Despite them conquering the champions of previous seasons, Leicester still manages to lose against Fulham, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. It has proved to be a very recurring theme that cannot be explained for. If Leicester are hoping to really be the big reigning champions of 2020/2021, they will need to squash this character trait for their playing style, and fast. Because one thing is certain, if they wish to progress forward at the top, they cannot afford to lose out on those extra points from lower teams within the league.

Despite the missing presence of Pereira, Ndidi, Perez, Soyuncu and Amartey, Leicester have still managed to use Jamie Vardy heavily for their current success. Rodgers has rested the players without having to sacrifice major points, here and there. They have still managed to attain an abundance of quality play, using a fluidity within the 3-4-2-1 formation strategy. This combination is what allows Rodgers to make the team give rise to the playing style options that they have showcased very recently.

When mentioning the manager, it is clear that many will question the effectiveness of the quality that he brings to the field for the players. However, one thing is certain, he is no stranger to combatting a challenge and making the best out of a scenario that Leicester have faced previously. Rodgers has managed to almost win with Liverpool during 2013/2014, and now with Leicester, he has brought them up considerably during their last four seasons. Other successes to his career include the title win for the Celtic team within Scotland, with two great seasons within Glasgow showcasing his keen eye for attention to details. He’s managed to do a superb job for the King Power Stadium, by keeping the Leicester players consistent overall, especially after they lost key players like Maguire and Chilwell for example.

To conclude, can we say that Leicester have what it takes to take the title again this year, and are they worthy contenders? The answer is, of course, they need to be. They cannot dismiss their chances over small mistakes made earlier. By ploughing forward and maintaining their consistency, they will persevere within the top four positions at least or the top two. The lockdown made them stumble in the pace they possessed naturally, and for that they lost out to the Champions League, due to their defeat to United. One thing we should keep in mind now however, is that the points they total now, actually do line up with their past win during 2015/2016, so this should definitely leave them hopeful of what they can achieve if they persevere with the same discipline.

All we can do now is wait and see what kind of surprises (good ones hopefully), that they manage to bring out of the bag.