Roberto Firmino has weighed in on some of football’s biggest debates ahead of Liverpool’s blockbuster clash with Real Madrid, picking Mohamed Salah over Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr over Luis Diaz. The ex-Liverpool star praised both rivals but revealed his admiration for Vinicius’ energy and Salah’s unmatched consistency ahead of Champions League clash.

• Firmino names Salah and Vinicius among favourites

  Former Liverpool forward and Brazilian international Firmino has shared his picks between some of the world’s top footballers, siding with Salah and Vini when asked to choose between the duos Salah-Bellingham and Diazi-Vinicius. Speaking to , the Brazilian, who currently plays for Al Saddi in the Qatar Stars League, didn’t hesitate when asked to compare two of his former Premier League peers.

  When asked who he would choose between Diaz and Vini Jr., Firmino responded: “It’s very difficult to choose so simply. But… Vini!” He also showed loyalty to his former teammate when asked to pick between Bellingham and Salah, replying: “Mo Salah.”

  Firmino’s choices come ahead of the high-powered Champions League showdown between his former club Liverpool and Madrid, a fixture he described as “one of the best matches you can find in world football.” The Brazilian made it clear that his heart remains with the Reds, “as a Liverpool fan, I hope the Reds win.”

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  Firmino 'a big fan of Vini’

  The ex-Liverpool man also expressed admiration for Vinicius, both as a player and as a person, commending the Madrid forward’s attitude and skill while defending him from critics. “Vinicius is a great player. I had the opportunity to be with him on the national team and play against Real Madrid,” Firmino said. “Personally, he’s a really good guy. I think it’s normal for opposing fans to put pressure on him, but what I don’t like is when they bring up racism.”

  The Brazilian also offered advice for his compatriot on how to handle off-field distractions, saying: “If I were him, I’d try not to listen too much to what’s being said outside the stadium. I’d try to focus on football regardless of what people say. I wish him all the best. I’m a fan of Vini, and I love him as a footballer.”

• Salah still shining at Anfield

  Firmino’s selection of Salah over Bellingham highlights not only his respect for Liverpool’s Egyptian icon but also his enduring bond with his former teammate. Salah and Firmino formed one of the most formidable attacking trios in modern football alongside Sadio Mane, powering Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League glory under Jurgen Klopp.

  During his eight-year stay at Anfield, Firmino scored 111 goals in 362 matches. His connection with Salah on and off the field was central to Liverpool’s success, and his latest comments reaffirm the admiration he has for the winger’s professionalism and consistency.

  While Bellingham has recently emerged as a superstar at Madrid, Salah remains Liverpool’s heartbeat. Firmino’s nod to his former teammate serves as a reminder of the Egyptian’s longevity and impact at the highest level, a player who continues to deliver even as Liverpool undergo a new era under Arne Slot.

  The Brazilian, who now stars in Qatar’s top flight, continues to follow Liverpool’s fortunes closely and believes the Reds’ evolution under Slot could soon yield major results. Having seen Klopp step away in 2024, Firmino recently also hinted on the Diary of a CEO podcast that his former manager might one day return to the dugout: "I think he's taking a break, I think he's going to go back to coaching a club. Whether it's Liverpool, only he can say."

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  Liverpool vs Real Madrid set for UCL showdown

  Firmino’s comments arrive just as Liverpool and Real Madrid prepare to renew one of football’s fiercest modern rivalries at Anfield. The Reds head into the Champions League encounter after a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Aston Villa, but their opponent is looking too dangerous under Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid remain in imperious form, winning 13 of their last 14 matches, and leading their league's table, after clinching the intense Clasico, and beating Valencia 4-0.

  Arne Slot’s side will need all their firepower, including Salah’s leadership, to overcome Alonso’s relentless Madrid, who boast Kylian Mbappe's form, along with Vinicius, and Bellingham also in unstoppable form. The stage is set for another European classic, one that Firmino, watching from Doha, will surely be following with emotion and pride for both his former club and his fellow Brazilians.

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O atacante Rony não vive grande fase no Palmeiras e vem sendo um dos atletas mais criticados pela torcida nessa sequência de derrotas do Verdão nesta reta final de temporada.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasOpinião: Palmeiras vive a sua tragédia anunciada com Leila Pereira no poderPalmeiras20/10/2023PalmeirasOLHAR DO PORCO: Política do Palmeiras deve ferver na próxima semanaPalmeiras20/10/2023Humor EsportivoNova camisa do Palmeiras vira piada nas redes sociais; veja detalhes e relembre outros casosHumor Esportivo20/10/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Com 13 gols no ano, Rony tem 10 bolas na rede a menos do que no ano passado, quando terminou a temporada de 2022 como artilheiro do Verdão, com 23 gols.

Sem marcar diante do Atlético-MG, Rony chegou ao nono jogo sem balançar as redes e nos últimos mil minutos dentro de campo, fez gol apenas no Deportivo Pereira, nas quartas da Libertadores 2023.

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A fase de Rony expõe como o ataque do Palmeiras despencou de produção neste segundo semestre. De melhor ataque da Libertadores e do Brasileirão, hoje o Palmeiras possui o terceiro melhor ataque do Brasileiro, com 40 gols, empatado com Flamengo e Athletico-PR.

Raphael Veiga e Artur, os outros dois maiores artilheiros do Verdão no ano, também vivem uma seca de gols e o último atacante do elenco a marcar um gol foi Endrick, na derrota por 2 a 1 para o Red Bull Bragantino.

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Abel Ferreira vai precisar mexer com o brio desse elenco e achar uma resposta tática para que o poderoso ataque alviverde volte a funcionar e as vitórias consequentemente.

Pressionado pela torcida do Verdão, Rony pode até ir para o banco de reservas, algo que jamais aconteceu no trabalho de quase três anos de Abel Ferreira.

+ Do amor ao ódio: o passo a passo da implosão da relação de Leila Pereira com organizada do Palmeiras

O próximo duelo do Verdão no campeonato é diante do Coritiba, no Couto Pereira, justamente o time pelo qual Rony marcou seu último gol no Allianz Parque pelo Brasileirão.

Stand-in captain Maharaj suffered a left groin strain while batting in the second innings of the first Test, Muthusamy will replace him in the team

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2025

Stand-in South Africa captain Keshav Maharaj has been ruled out of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo because of a left groin strain. Allrounder Wiaan Mulder will lead the side in the second Test starting July 6.Maharaj captained South Africa in Test cricket for the first time after Temba Bavuma did not recover from the hamstring strain he suffered in the World Test Championship final. Maharaj returned a match-haul of four wickets with his left-arm spin apart from scoring a half-century in the second innings. He sustained the injury while batting on the third day of the first Test, which South Africa won by a whopping 328 runs.This will be Mulder’s first time of leading a team in first-class cricket. He has made 87 red-ball appearances, 20 of them in Tests. His only experience of captaining the team came for Leicestershire in the quarter-final of the One Day Cup 2022 against Kent. Mulder is coming off a productive match, scoring his Test best of 147 in the second innings to follow his four-wicket haul in the first innings.Fellow left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy has been named Maharaj’s replacement for the next Test while Lungi Ngidi, originally set to join the squad ahead of the game, has been released. Maharaj was not part of the T20I tri-series to follow, with New Zealand being the third team.

Ashes rivals take two wickets each to seal five-overs-a-side contest

ECB Reporters Network via Rothesay05-Jul-2025Lancashire 55 for 2 (Lamb 21) beat Essex 47 for 7 (Cross 2-9, King 2-17) by eight wickets (DLS)Ashes rivals Kate Cross and Alana King equally shared four wickets to set Lancashire Thunder up for a convincing rain-affected Vitality Blast win over Essex Eagles at Emirates Old Trafford, keeping their Finals Day hopes alive.England seamer Cross and Australia legspinner King struck twice apiece in the space of 10 legitimate balls in the sixth and seventh overs of what turned out to be an eight-over Essex innings as they slipped to 38 for six and later totalled 47 for seven.A two-hour rain delay ravaged a fixture which both sides realistically needed to win to maintain hopes of a top-three finish, and it was Thunder who claimed the five points as they reeled in a revised 52-target in six overs thanks largely to opener Emma Lamb’s 21 off 17 balls.Thunder’s fourth win in nine games – this by eight wickets on DLS – means they leapfrog Essex into fifth place and are now 11 points behind third-placed Bears with five games left. Thunder face them in a crunch clash here tomorrow afternoon.Essex, meanwhile, lost for the sixth time in nine and have a mountain to climb.Thunder, who importantly won the toss and elected to bowl first, made a fast start with the ball either side of the two-hour delay from just after 11.20am.First of all, Essex reached 24 for two after five overs.Seamer Phoebe Graham was making her first competitive appearance of the summer for Thunder, and she struck in the fourth over when she uprooted the leg-stump off Lissy MacLeod as she aimed a heave across the line.Left-arm swing bowler Tara Norris then had the other Essex opener Lauren Winfield-Hill well caught low down at cover by Ailsa Lister following a miscue in the next. Only four more balls were bowled before play was halted.Then, upon the resumption, with an eight-overs per side game now in motion, Thunder struck four times in the first 10 legitimate balls back to all but end any realistic chance Essex had of winning, the visitors crumbling to 38 for six.King had compatriot Maddie Penna well caught low down at square-leg by Lister off a full toss before getting Cordelia Griffith caught behind cutting later in the sixth over.In the seventh, Cross uprooted Jo Gardner’s off-stump and had an attacking Eva Gray caught behind.Amara Carr was then run out off the final ball of the innings. Opener Winfield-Hill was the only Essex batter to reach double figures with 13.Eve Jones set Thunder on their way in the chase with an eye-catching straight driven boundary off Esmae MacGregor’s seam before dragging Gray’s seam to midwicket on 17 – 29 for one in the fourth.England’s Lamb hit three leg-side boundaries before being run out with only four runs required.While the Red Rose host the Bears tomorrow (1pm), Essex face league leaders Surrey at The Kia Oval (midday).

England overcame an astounding collapse and a rash of fielding errors to defeat India by five runs and keep their T20I series alive in a last-ball thriller at the Kia Oval.England squandered the most promising of starts at 137 without loss in the 16th over – built on excellent half-centuries by Sophia Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge – by losing nine wickets for 31 runs in the space of 25 balls. Deepti Sharma and Arundhati Reddy claimed three wickets apiece and N. Shree Charani two.After an 85-run opening stand between Smriti Mandhana, who scored a classy half-century, and Shafali Verma, India looked like overhauling the target with ease, especially after being gifted several lives by the home side’s poor fielding. Lauren Filer bowled with searing pace, particularly in her final over – the 16th of the run-chase, in which she prised out Mandhana – and finished with 2 for 30 as England’s only multiple wicket-taker. Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Bell and Issy Wong took one each.India needed six off the last ball of the match, bowled by Bell, but Harmanpreet Kaur picked out Ecclestone at mid-off, allowing the hosts to claw their way to a 1-2 series scoreline with two matches to play.Dunkley’s 75 off 53 balls was her first innings of note since the start of the international summer when she scored an unbeaten 81 in the first T20I against West Indies. For Wyatt-Hodge, her 66 off 42 ended a run of 17, 17, 0, 0, 0, and 1 since her previous T20I fifty, which came during the second match of the series in Australia on England’s ill-fated Ashes tour.Whether such a rousing win – under the leadership of Tammy Beaumont, who was standing in for injured captain Nat Sciver-Brunt – can turn the series around remains to be seen, especially given that England were outplayed in the first two games. But they have given themselves a chance and rekindled a series in which India will be looking to turn things back in their favour in the fourth match in Manchester on Wednesday.

England’s openers set the stage

With Sciver-Brunt sidelined by a groin injury, England needed a big stand from their openers and they delivered. Dunkley’s shot selection was top-notch throughout and she cashed in on a second life when she was dropped on 43 to reach fifty off 35 balls. Importantly she pulled her batting partner with her as Wyatt-Hodge finally settled from a scratchy start with 11 off 15 balls at the end of the seventh over to 30 off 25 at the halfway point of the innings, then 50 off 34. Wyatt-Hodge’s second six went a long way beyond the rope when she slammed a Reddy delivery back over the bowler’s head, the ball dropping just shy of the first row of spectators. She raised her half-century in the next over – Sneh Rana’s second – with consecutive fours, driven through the covers and flicked over midwicket.

India hit backCharani’s flippant shrug and flicker of a smile said it all when she had Wong caught behind attempting to cut a wide ball outside off. England were in the midst of the most dramatic of meltdowns and Charani, the 20-year-old left-arm spinner who made her T20I debut in the first match of this series, was in the thick of it with two wickets in as many deliveries. She had just lured Paige Scholfield down the pitch, her swing in vain as Richa Ghosh whipped off the bails with the batter well out of her ground.Sophie Dunkley and Danni Wyatt-Hodge put on a century stand•Getty Images

There was to be no hat-trick for Charani, or Deepti, who removed Ecclestone and Filer with the first and second deliveries of the final over of England’s innings, which had gone from promising to pitiful at breath-taking speed. Dunkley’s innings had come undone when she skied a Deepti full-toss and the bowler wheeled round to take the ball neatly over her shoulder. Alice Capsey failed to pass 5 for the third time in this series when she attempted to ramp Arundhati and was well caught by Charani at short backward square leg.Arundhati struck twice more in the same over, the 17th, first with a slower ball which Wyatt-Hodge struck straight to Harmanpreet at deep cover to end her redemptive knock, then pinned Amy Jones lbw next ball, although it took an India review to overturn Jacqueline Wilson’s decision. Beaumont needed to steady things but she missed an attempted sweep off Radha Yadav and was bowled for just 2, setting the stage for Charani to add to her leading wicket-taker’s tally of eight for the series so far and match figures of 2 for 43.

Fielding woes abound

India had made their share of fielding errors in this match. Charani saw two chances put down off her second over. Wyatt-Hodge was on 17 when Jemimah Rodrigues dropped a sitter at deep midwicket and she evaded the same fielder’s fingertips next ball as Rodrigues leapt in vain trying to pull the ball down before it cleared the rope. Dunkley was then handed a life when she chipped to cover and Harmanpreet failed to hold on.Then it was England’s turn. Bell looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her up when she fumbled a chance right in front of a full stand at deep third, the ball dribbling into the rope for Shafali’s second four in as many balls from Filer – her first scoring shots of the match. There was no consolation when Bell, standing in the same place, plucked Shafali’s ramp out of the air and held on for the most spectacular of takes, but landed sprawled across the boundary, her arms and the ball well over.Capsey shelled a chance off Harmanpreet’s top-edged pull to midwicket in Filer’s final over, but Filer made the crucial breakthrough with her next delivery as Mandhana picked out Ecclestone at mid-on. She didn’t let up, striking Richa Ghosh on the helmet with her very next ball as Charlie Dean did well to collect at point. She briefly thought she’d put Filer on a hat-trick until replays showed no contact with the bat.

Mandhana all class

Shafali and Mandhana set India’s run-chase off to an excellent start with their opening stand. Mandhana had led their reunion at Trent Bridge with a maiden T20I century as Shafali felt her way back into the side with a laboured 20, which she then followed up with just 3 in the second match in Bristol. However, her 25-ball 47 in London included seven fours and marked another encouraging step in her comeback before she was bowled by Ecclestone. Mandhana’s innings was another classy one as she raised her fifty in 38 balls.England found a real sense of hope when Filer had Rodrigues caught behind off a faint edge and in her next over accounted for Mandhana. Ghosh was put down by Bell at short backward square, but fell to Dean’s outstanding catch in the deep off Wong, the fielder roaring and pumping her fists to thunderous cheers from the crowd.The home side’s fielding woes weren’t done though. India needed 12 off the last over and when Scholfield dropped Amanjot Kaur off the third ball, bowled by Bell, they needed eight. A dot ball followed and then Harmanpreet cleared mid-off but could only manage two form the penultimate delivery. As she attempted to clear the rope for the winning runs, Harmanpreet picked out Ecclestone at mid-off and England sealed an unlikely victory.

Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce, a Westlake, Ohio, native and lifelong Cleveland sports fan, had his fandom levels for Cleveland sports teams questioned after he attended Game 1 of the ALCS between the Guardians and New York Yankees with his girlfriend and pop star Taylor Swift.

Fans couldn't help but notice that Kelce wasn't wearing any gear respresenting the Guardians. But Kelce, who posted an excited message on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the Guardians' thrilling walk-off win over the Yankees in Game 3 on Thursday, also took the time to set the record straight on his Cleveland sports fandom.

Well, there you have it. Kelce, who was raised on Cleveland sports and played football at the University of Cincinnati, made it clear that it shouldn't matter if he wears Cleveland sports gear or not—anyone who knows him knows he's a true fan.

Kelce's response to the critics prompted the Guardians, clearly in a good mood following the dramatic victory, to take to X and poke fun at the Chiefs tight end with a lighthearted joke.

Now, would be one heck of a response.

All things considered, it’s been a good start to the season for Arsenal this year.

Mikel Arteta’s side look as defensively resolute as ever, are that bit more potent going forward, and most importantly of all, sit one point clear of Liverpool atop the Premier League table.

However, it has not been the perfect start, and one of the main reasons why is yet more injuries to important first-teamers, such as Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian had to come off before half-time against West Ham United for the third league game on the bounce before the international break, and will be out of action with an MCL injury until midway through next month at the earliest.

Yet, it’s not all doom and gloom, as, thanks to his squad, Arteta now has a few options to replace the talented number eight, including one slightly unorthodox one involving an international in red-hot form.

Why Odegaard will be such a miss

With recent updates making it clear that Odegaard will be out of action for at least another month, it’s easy to understand why some fans would be worried.

After all, while he had a poor season last year, he was named the club’s Player of the Year for the two campaigns prior, and is undoubtedly one of the most talented players in the squad.

For example, when he is at his best, the Drammen-born maestro is someone who can collect the ball from deeper areas of the pitch, glide past a player or two and deliver a brilliant pass for someone to finish.

Moreover, while it wasn’t on show last year, the former Real Madrid gem has a lethal shot, making him a dual threat, as evidenced by his 41 goals and 40 assists in just 205 appearances for the club.

Finally, even though it wasn’t a particularly large sample size, the 26-year-old international was starting to get back to his best in the last few games.

He helped to change the game against Newcastle United, and then against Olympiacos, he could have had a handful of assists, given the number of chances he created.

The left-footed dynamo was also looking good against the Hammers before he was forced off.

Minutes

95′

Expected Goals

0.72

Expected Assists

0.93

Assists

1

Key Passes

4

Touches

86

Long Balls (Accurate)

10 (7)

Shots on Target

1

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (1)

Clearances

1

Tackles

1

In short, it’s hard not to see Odegaard’s absence as a significant setback for Arsenal, but Arteta does have a few options to choose from when it comes to replacing him, including one international.

The Arsenal player who could replace Odegaard

When thinking of possible solutions to Odegaard’s injury, the name that’ll likely come to most fans first is Eberechi Eze.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

After all, the Englishman played in midfield for Crystal Palace last season and has been in good form domestically and internationally over recent weeks.

However, while playing the 27-year-old in place of the Norwegian could well work, it would leave Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard as the only options on the left, and neither one has impressed when starting this season.

So, another option Arteta could take is starting Mikel Merino in place of the club captain.

Now, this might not be the most popular idea, as some could view it as more of a defensive solution, but that does not have to be the case, as if the last year has shown anything, it’s that the former Real Sociedad star is a real goal threat.

For example, his headed goal against Newcastle United was his seventh Premier League strike in 2025, and impressively, that is two clear of Martinelli, who is the club’s second top scorer in the competition in the calendar year.

As if that isn’t enough, the Spaniard has also scored two goals and provided three assists in the Champions League last season, and has been on fire for La Roja this year.

In eight games for the European Champions, the 6 foot 2 titan has scored eight goals and provided one assist, which is a run of form that has seen his manager, Luis de la Fuente, claim he is “on the same level as Pedri and Rodri.”

So, with all that said, it might well be worth Arteta playing him in a more attacking midfield role over the coming weeks, giving him license to arrive late in the box or even act at times as a second striker to Viktor Gyokeres.

If the Pamplona-born star can replicate some of his international form for the club, fans might quickly view his inclusion in the midfield as an attacking decision, not a defensive one.

Ultimately, the manager has the squad to try a few different things over the next month or so, but based on his output and clear threat, Merino deserves a chance to cover for Odegaard.

Arsenal star is "biggest talent in England" & he could take Saka's #7 shirt

The incredible Arsenal gem could become Mikel Arteta’s future Bukayo Saka replacement.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 16, 2025

Martin O’Neill boasted an imperious record against Rangers when he was first Celtic manager, so can he continue that now that the 73-year-old is back in the Parkhead hot-seat two decades later?

To date, the Northern Irishman has won 16 of his 27 Glasgow derbies, losing only eight, the first of which was certainly the most memorable, a 6-2 victory in 2000, in which both Chris Sutton and Henrik Larsson bagged braces.

Now though, having been parachuted back into the role, following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation on Monday, O’Neill is faced with a huge League Cup semi-final on Sunday, coming after Wednesday night’s confidence-boosting 4-0 victory over Falkirk.

If the Hoops are going to prevail at Hampden, thereby setting up a final date with either St Mirren or Motherwell, O’Neill has to make some tough selection decisions, but simply must start one star in place of Celtic’s club-record signing.

Arne Engels' Celtic form

Arne Engels arrived at Celtic on deadline day in the summer of 2024 with sky-high expectations, given that he was replacing Matt O’Riley, one of the best midfielders the club has seen in modern times, as well as the fact that he cost £11m, a club-record fee.

Well, so far, the Belgian international has not flourished in the way many hoped, or indeed expected.

In 68 appearances for the Hoops, Engels has scored ten goals and registered 15 assists, but just two of these goals have come from open play, most recently on target against St Mirren on 1 March, converting a penalty during a 5-2 victory in Paisley.

Prior to starting the last three matches, Engels had not been a regular in the lineup this season, introduced off the bench on nine occasions, with Rodgers favouring summer signing Benjamin Nygren in his position.

Well, the 22-year-old has not grasped these recent opportunities with both hands, considering the Scotsman awarded him a 5/10 rating following last Sunday’s 3-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle, a match in which he lost possession on 25 occasions, nine times more than any other Celtic player.

The Celts can ill-afford that level of wastefulness at Hampden on Sunday, so O’Neill should relegate Engels back to the bench and start a midfield alternative.

Who Martin O'Neill should start in place of Arne Engels

O’Neill does have plenty of midfield options.

Callum McGregor is a lock, while Nygren returned to the midfield three on Wednesday, having been deployed further forward for Rodgers’ final two fixtures, with Reo Hatate the obvious candidate to complete the trio.

Since arriving in January 2022, the Japanese international has made 156 appearances in hoops, scoring 28 goals and registering 28 assists.

His only goal of this campaign, to date, was a rocket at Pittodrie against Aberdeen in August, thereby only brought on for the final 13 minutes against Falkirk this week.

Nevertheless, Hatate’s statistics from last season underline his importance to this Celtic side.

Minutes

3,849

6th

Goals

11

5th

Assists

9

5th

Shots

92

1st

Big chances created

18

1st

Average rating

7.29

7th

As the table highlights, Hatate was a vital figure in Celtic’s team last season; in fact, of the four players who scored more goals than he did, only Daizen Maeda is still at the club, with compatriot Kyōgo Furuhashi, Adam Idah and Nicolas Kühn having all departed.

Hatate also led the way in terms of shot and big chances created, while he has previously netted three times against Rangers, on target twice during his Glasgow derby debut in February 2022, one of the most famous nights Parkhead has witnessed in a long time, as well as firing into the bottom corner in vain back in March.

Callum McFadden describes Hatate as “one of the most naturally gifted players” Celtic have had in recent decades, while Martin Crawford of Breaking the Lines asserted that he is ‘the best player in Scotland’, adding that the ‘naturally refined technician’ possesses incredible ‘energy, determination and…. football intellect’.

Arriving from Kawasaki Frontale for just £1.5m, Football Transfers believe the midfielder’s current market value to be around £9.23m, representing one of the best bargain buys in Scottish football history, and there were a few contenders during the Ange Postecoglou-era.

Bringing it back to this Sunday’s derby, Hatate’s on-ball quality and out-of-possession work-rate makes him a must starter for O’Neill.

Danny Röhl is set to deploy Rangers in a 3-4-2-1, giving the midfield pairing of Mohamed Diomandé and Nicolas Raskin a lot of ground to cover, so Celtic need to do everything they can to win this midfield battle.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Unlike Engels, Hatate has proved consistently capable of producing big moments in the biggest matches, so the Japanese international, alongside captain McGregor and Nygren, is surely the way to go, with midfield the real strength of this Celtic team.

Centre-back and centre-forward, given the ongoing injury crisis….. not so much!

O'Neill 2.0: Celtic chasing "one of the best coaches" as Ange alternative

Rather than Ange Postecoglou, should Celtic appoint “one of the best coaches” in the EFL who would repeat Martin O’Neill’s success from 2 decades ago?

ByBen Gray Oct 31, 2025

Thomas Tuchel’s assistant coach Anthony Barry has explained why he believes England can and will win the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next summer. Barry praised the character of the Three Lions squad and claimed that this England side had both the talent and mental fortitude to lift the trophy for the first time since 1966.

Barry and Tuchel form strong pair

Barry and Tuchel have worked together on a number of occasions previously, before the pair agreed to take the reins after Gareth Southgate’s long spell at the helm and Lee Carsley’s interim time in charge. The former lower-league midfielder has been at the German’s side at both Bayern Munich and Chelsea, and when Tuchel agreed to take charge of the Three Lions, Barry was the obvious choice to partner him in the Wembley dugout.

As per a report in The Times, FA technical director John McDermott knew that Barry was the right fit to take the England assistant role, and the 39-year-old quickly agreed to the position, excited at the prospect of not just returning home, but also to oversee a talented crop of players at the next World Cup.

The assistant has shared why he is confident in his players and, having already secured qualification to the game’s biggest tournament, can start to look ahead to just how they can become World Champions in New Jersey next July.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesBarry's blueprint for success

Speaking to , Barry explained that “it is a huge privilege” to work with the English national team, but the real enjoyment comes in working with this generation of England players. The assistant said that he and Tuchel spent an afternoon in a cafe in Munich detailing how they would help bring a “second star to England”.

On that meeting, Barry said: “You start to do analysis. Okay, what’s the squad? What’s the mission? Pretty quickly we had the feeling that [winning the World Cup] is something we could do with this not only level of player but, we thought, character of player. We thought there were some real lads in the squad.

“We have 360-degree profiling of all the players, psychological, technical, tactical, physical, and we don’t view them just as individual players but how they interact: how will this player psychologically affect this player, can he play with him tactically.”

He continued to share that they have psychologists and scoring systems that help the coaches measure body language, behaviour, inter-squad interaction, and the manner in which players share information with others. This analysis also allows the coaches to understand when an individual requires further support.

An 'impossible' task

According to Barry, building the right environment is just as, if not more, important as being tactically impressive. Given the short windows in which the England coaching staff will work with their players, the assistant admitted it is difficult to implement a playing style akin to a free-flowing Barcelona or Manchester City.

“In international football, you will never create a team on the field that can play the way the Barcelona of old or the recent Man City did, it’s simply impossible,” he explained. “But if you can create a brotherhood, a connection, an energy between each other, then that’s the petrol in the car. When I worked at Chelsea, I could tell by the players walking out the door [for international duty] who was going to win. I could tell, because they wanted to go.”

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gettySerbia and Albania provide chance to build

England have games against Serbia and Albania on Thursday and Sunday next week, two tests which provide Tuchel’s team an opportunity to keep building towards the World Cup. The England boss will have to cope without Marc Guehi, who has established himself as a key part of the Three Lions’ defence, after the centre-half was ruled out with bruising to the bone in his foot.

Jude Bellingham also returns to the England squad for the first time since being ruled out with a shoulder injury and could look to force his way back into the starting line-up for these final World Cup qualifiers.

Newcastle United head into another Champions League tie in mid-week off the back of a disappointing result in the Premier League on the road.

Before facing off against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica in mid-October, and convincingly putting them to the sword 3-0 in Europe’s illustrious competition, the Toon had come up short away at Brighton and Hove Albion in a 2-1 loss on the South Coast.

Eddie Howe will hope he gets a similar response out of his troops when Athletic Club travel to Tyneside on Wednesday night, as Newcastle’s “passive” afternoon against the Hammers – as journalist Craig Hope put it – resulted in the away side coming away empty-handed from the London Stadium in a 3-1 loss.

Howe will have been left with lots to chew over from that defeat, as he cut a forlorn figure after the match, while Nuno Espirito Santo jumped for joy, as he momentarily stopped the West Ham rot.

The changes Eddie Howe must make vs Athletic Club

The usually mild-mannered Howe blasted his team’s performance as “unrecognisable” of what Newcastle is all about. Indeed, as Toon great Alan Shearer noted post-match, it was a “leggy” performance rather than an energetic one.

Joelinton, again, showed signs of his worrying decline against Nuno’s hosts, as the quiet Brazilian won just three of his seven duels during the 3-1 defeat.

Off the back of such a lifeless showing, both Lucas Paqueta and Freddie Potts dominated proceedings centrally for the East Londoners, as Paqueta scored a long-range bullet to level the match in the first half, while Potts also managed to win one more duel than the below-par number seven, on what was his first league start of the season.

He could be in danger of being dropped for the coming clash with the La Liga outfit; therefore, with Anthony Gordon also at risk of the axe, having lasted just 45 minutes at the London Stadium, before being taken off.

With no goals or assists next to his name in the Premier League this season, it isn’t a shock to see journalist Charlie Bennett state that the ex-Everton winger is “not undroppable”, heading into the St James’ Park clash on Wednesday.

But, as much as it’s slightly contentious whether the likes of Gordon and Joelinton will actually be dropped, it feels a far more pressing matter that this duo must be axed from the starting XI immediately.

Newcastle duo must never play together again

Halloween might well have been done for another year when West Ham and Newcastle locked horns, but the Toon’s defensive performance was still scarily below-par.

Heading into the showdown at the London Stadium, the relegation-threatened hosts had only managed to score a meagre seven Premier League goals all season long.

But, with Howe selecting Emil Krafth and Dan Burn as his two full-back options, the Hammers were in luck going forward, as can be seen by looking at their disastrous performances in greater detail.

Indeed, combined, the makeshift full-back partnership managed to win zero tackles and won just two of their seven duels.

Krafth would, thankfully, be put out of his misery at the half-time interval, but – when he was still on the pitch – he also failed to muster up one single successful dribble to try and turn his faltering team more of a front-foot threat.

Burn lasted the full 90 minutes, though, with the Blyth-born battler also failing to complete a single successful dribble, on top of squandering possession a costly 14 times.

As one analyst put it at the final whistle, both the underperforming number 17 and number 33 are more “centre-back profiles”, with Newcastle becoming “less dynamic” this season as a result of these two options being regularly chosen as limited full-backs.

Howe will pray he can call upon Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall in these problem areas, soon, with Hall back on the substitutes bench against the Hammers, after a lengthy spell out with an injury.

Kieran Trippier could also be available again for the test of Ernesto Valverde’s men on Wednesday night, as Howe now tries to put together a coherent XI, that removes the possibility of Krafth and Burn lining up as a car-crash duo.

Worse than Pope: Howe must drop Newcastle star who lost 100% ground duels

Eddie Howe has a lot of Newcastle United selection decisions to ponder over after his side collapsed to a 3-1 loss away at West Ham United.

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