L’Equipe reports that Celtic are in advanced talks with Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy to make him their long-term successor to Brendan Rodgers at Parkhead.

The outlet claims that the French tactician could be in the dugout for the club’s Scottish Premiership clash with St Mirren on Saturday if a £2m compensation agreement can be put in place before the weekend.

Nancy will be looking to build on the success that Rodgers, as shown in the graphic above, had with the Hoops during his second spell in charge of the Scottish giants, and Johny Kenny is one star who he will surely be looking forward to working with.

How Johnny Kenny could fit into Wilfried Nancy's system

Per Transfermarkt, the French boss typically plays with a 3-4-2-1 system but has also utilised a 3-5-2, 3-4-1-2, and a 4-4-2, which means that there is the potential for Kenny to be used as part of a front two.

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The Ireland international has scored four goals in his last four appearances for the Scottish giants since Kelechi Iheanacho suffered a hamstring injury, with Martin O’Neill placing his trust in the youngster during his spell in interim charge.

Kenny’s best performances so far, arguably, came in the 4-0 win over Falkirk at Parkhead in the Premiership, as the 22-year-old centre-forward scored half of his side’s goals.

His recent goalscoring exploits have put him in a good place ahead of Nancy’s potential arrival, and he could play as part of a front two for Celtic if the manager goes with a two-striker formation.

Celtic’s last striker to score 20 or more goals in a league season was Kyogo Furuhashi, who scored 27 goals in the 2022/23 campaign, but it is not Kenny who could be Nancy’s own version of the Japan international.

The young star who could be Celtic's next Kyogo Furuhashi

Callum Osmand broke onto the scene for Celtic in the League Cup semi-final clash with Rangers earlier this month, as he came off the bench to score his first senior goal.

The Jersey-born star then came off the bench to win a penalty against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League, but went down with a hamstring injury shortly after and is set for a spell on the sidelines.

Once he is back and available for selection, though, Nancy could unearth his own version of Kyogo and an upgrade on Kenny by playing him in the centre-forward position, either on his own or alongside the Irishman.

Reporter Mark Hendry described Osmand’s goal against Rangers as Kyogo-esque and said that the forward was “so dangerous” for the Hoops in that semi-final clash.

The former Wales international’s career statistics in comparison to Kenny’s also suggest that he is more likely to develop into a Kyogo-type goalscorer in the Premiership moving forward.

Academy + first-team

Kenny

Osmand

Appearances

149

82

Goals

47

49

Games per goal

3.17

1.67

Assists

11

13

Games per assist

13.55

6.31

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Osmand scores and creates goals at a greater rate than the Ireland international, with two more goals in 67 fewer matches in his career at youth and first-team level.

The former Fulham youngster’s exceptional goal return in the statistics above illustrates how exciting he is as a centre-forward prospect, which was evident in his recent cameos for the first-team before his injury.

Osmand’s form at the top end of the pitch for Fulham and Celtic suggests that he has the potential to be an even better number nine option than Kenny, as well as being Nancy’s own version of Kyogo.

Therefore, the potential Celtic manager will be hoping that the 20-year-old talent is back from his hamstring injury sooner rather than later, so he can get to working with him as quickly as possible.

Related Not just Ralston: Nancy must ditch Celtic dud who "unsettles defences"

Wilfried Nancy should immediately drop this Celtic forward from the starting line-up once he arrives.

Posts ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

When Eddie Howe reflected on Newcastle United’s form at the start of the November international break, he would have felt the weight of back-to-back Premier League defeats against Brentford and West Ham United.

He also would have known the significance of a big performance against Manchester City at St. James’ Park when club football returned, and so it was momentous to have battled to victory against Manchester City on Saturday evening, recovering ground in the race for European football.

The season’s still young, and there is optimism regarding the Magpies’ hopes of finding success once again this year, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson will already be looking toward the future, and they have earmarked Elliot Anderson as the perfect player to take this project to the next level.

The latest on Anderson to Newcastle

As far as Newcastle are concerned, the Anderson situation is twofold: they will absolutely be in the thick of any upcoming battles to bring their academy graduate back home, and they will surely need to make concessions of some description, given the Tricky Trees are set to demand in excess of £100m for their prized player, who is also being chased by Manchester United

Anderson, 23, was sold to Forest in 2024 for a fee in the region of £35m. This was signed off by PIF officials bearing gritted teeth, having felt forced into cashing in for the homegrown talent in order to balance the books and placate PSR.

Ruefulness has since shifted to regret. Anderson has been described as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League” by England manager Thomas Tuchel, who has designated the star as a regular starter alongside Declan Rice as the 2026 World Cup looms large.

While Newcastle’s vested interest could lead to an exciting and concerted bid – Howe said at the start of October that he “would love him to” come back home – but it’s not as if the Toon engine room is lacking without him.

That said, Joelinton appears to be winding down after years of tireless and robust service. Anderson would surely dovetail into a trio with Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

If Newcastle have to shuffle a few things, so be it, and there’s one rather brazen sale PIF could permit to ensure the club have the finances to pull a bid off next year.

The Newcastle superstar PIF could sell

It may well be a controversial move, but Newcastle have floated the possibility of selling Anthony Gordon about for some time, with Liverpool interest in their one-time academy talent in 2024, before United opted instead to cash in on Anderson.

Gordon joined Newcastle from Everton for around £45m in January 2023 and, after a testing start to life on Tyneside, made significant progress across the 2023/24 campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year after recording 21 goal contributions in the Premier League and serving as a talisman as Howe’s side battled through an injury-hit year.

But last season, as Newcastle went from strength to strength, returning to the Champions League and winning the Carabao Cup, Gordon regressed, only scoring six Premier League goals all year.

Though his playing style has put him in a promising position to beat the likes of Marcus Rashford to a regular starting berth at next year’s World Cup, more is needed from a player of his calibre, whose once untouchable place on Howe’s left wing is looking far more apt for replacement at this stage, especially with injuries and suspensions contributing toward his poor form this year.

Then, of course, we have Harvey Barnes, whose brace against City underscored his worth in this system. That’s three goals in two Premier League matches for the former Leicester winger, whose incisiveness from the wing works well against Nick Woltemade’s unique striking game, willing to drop deep and influence play while also playing the part of a powerful target man.

Gordon’s blistering speed and ability to stick to the flank or weave inside to wreak chaos are two brilliant aspects of his game, but he needs to offer more, and his inability to do this could see Howe sell him to fund a move for Anderson, perhaps making a shrewd winger signing to complement Barnes besides.

Because frankly, Gordon’s form in front of goal hasn’t been good enough for a while. The Three Lions star was said to have entered “Gabriel Obertan territory” after the loss at West Ham, which, for one of the most prominent wingers in England, self-proclaimed as a “nightmare for anyone” he comes up against, is not good enough.

25/26

7

0 (0)

24/25

34

6 (6)

23/24

35

11 (10)

22/23

16

1 (0)

Should Gordon fail to establish prolific form before the end of the season, there will be more than just a few questions placed by his name. Given that Liverpool have expressed an interest over the past couple of years, not dissuaded by Newcastle’s £100m valuation, could there be regret that he was not sold sooner?

Barnes, after all, is beginning to find goalscoring form, and Gordon has failed with 60% of his dribbles in the top flight this term, also missing big chances while failing to break his duck.

Gordon at full speed and potency in the final third and up and down the touchline is a dangerous adversary for even the finest of defenders. But his declaration of a nightmarish playing style can only go so far if he is unable to produce clinical results at the end.

We need only look at the Alexander Isak saga and the potential that Woltemade offers in the box to understand that selling Gordon for the right price would not be detrimental for Howe’s longer-term plans.

And if those funds are used to bring Anderson back home, thus completing what may well become the best central midfield in the whole country, then it would surely be a worthwhile move.

Newcastle have already got a bigger talent than Barnes who's "like Mbappe"

Newcastle United have a bigger talent than Harvey Barnes in an 18-year-old who is similar to Kylian Mbappe.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 24, 2025

A dominant 4-0 win for Stuttgart in the Europa League was overshadowed by controversy after Go Ahead Eagles forward Victor Edvardsen mocked Angelo Stiller with an offensive gesture, sparking backlash and a brief on-field scuffle. While Wesley Sneijder condemned the act as “absolutely unacceptable,” Stuttgart downplayed the incident and strengthened their push for a top-eight finish.

• Edvardsen mocks Stiller in Stuttgart's win over Eagles

  What should have been a routine European fixture turned volatile in the 73rd minute when Go Ahead Eagles substitute Edvardsen fouled Atakan Karazor before provoking Stiller with a mocking gesture, repeatedly pointing at his nose. The moment ignited chaos. Stuttgart players immediately confronted the Swede, a scuffle broke out, and referee Mohammed Al-Hakim struggled to restore order amid shoving, shouting and rising tempers.

  Stiller himself was visibly furious, arguing with Edvardsen and the referee before both players were cautioned. The tension briefly halted the flow of the game, but its emotional weight lingered. Former Dutch star Sneijder, working as an pundit for , condemned the act sharply: “I find it sad. Such things are absolutely unacceptable.” His words echoed the dominant sentiment across social media, where the clip spread rapidly.

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• AFP
  

  Stuttgart refuses to escalate matters amid Stiller incident

  Despite the incident’s intensity, Stuttgart chose restraint as their official stance. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth, speaking after the match, declined to fuel the controversy further.

  "I saw it, but from a distance it was still difficult for me to assess. It's about Europa League points for Deventer just as it is for us," he said. "So if emotions are running high and then quickly subside, and the referee takes the right measures, then it's not all that big of a deal. Therefore, everything's fine."

  Stuttgart’s intention was to move past the flashpoint quickly, focusing instead on their strong European campaign. Stiller, substituted in the 80th minute, received visible support from teammates, and the squad regained composure almost instantly.

  After five matches in the Europa League, the Bundesliga club stand 12th in the table with three wins and two defeats. However, the differences in points aren't much with top spot holder Lyon on 12 points while Stuttgart are on nine.

• Stuttgart demolish Go Ahead Eagles in important Europa clash

  The team delivered one of their most complete European performances of the season, dismantling the Go Ahead Eagles 4-0 at De Adelaarshorst. Jamie Leweling opened the scoring in the 20th minute after pouncing on a defensive error, then doubled the lead at the 35-minute mark with a composed finish. Bilal El Khannouss extended the advantage in the 59th minute, and Badredine Bouanani sealed the result deep into stoppage time.

  The win moved Stuttgart to nine points pushing them back into contention for a Europa League top-eight finish. Their broader season only strengthens the optimism: Stuttgart sit fifth in the Bundesliga with seven wins from 11 matches.

  The team also continue to rely heavily on Stiller, whose evolution into one of Europe’s most sought-after midfielders is becoming impossible to ignore. Even amid transfer speculation, Wohlgemuth maintains composure.

  “He has a contract with us. It’s far too early to speculate about that… Of course, one or two clubs will have had their eye on him. He's having an outstanding season. Maybe he'll even play in a World Cup, we'll see. We're happy he's with us."

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• AFP
  

  What comes next for Stuttgart?

  Stuttgart's form across competitions suggests a squad capable not only of competing but also of evolving into a consistent presence in major continental fixtures with clash against Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on December 6.

  For Stiller, his storyline remains one of the season’s most intriguing subplots. Bayern, Borussia Dortmund, and Premier League clubs continue to monitor him closely. Yet Stuttgart insist they will handle the growing interest without distraction. Internally, they acknowledge the attention is natural given the midfielder’s exceptional season, but outwardly they maintain a steady, controlled approach.

There was plenty to see at Dodger Stadium on Monday night, when K-pop star V, of BTS fame, was in the house to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

And among other notable moments from his appearance, which also included him bowing toward pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto ahead of his big throw, V was spotted linking up and sharing a brief hug with two-way Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani in the dugout before later getting on the mound.

Very cool stuff; two sensations in their own right, teaming up for what would eventually be a blowout win over the Reds. L.A. crushed Cincinnati 7-0, and V was lucky enough to be featured on the ensuing social media graphic.

Watch that meet-up with Ohtani below:

The appearance comes as BTS works to re-enter the zeitgeist after breaking for mandatory military service in South Korea. The plan right now is to release a new album next spring … if V isn't first signed to the Dodgers, that is.

The New York Mets and Seattle Mariners put on a show Sunday night at the Little League Classic. Young ballplayers competing for youth baseball's ultimate prize got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see their favorite MLB stars up close and a tremendous amount of fun was had per usual.

The Mariners organization and its fans would have had a decidedly worse time had their cornerstone outfielder Julio Rodriguez suffered a significant injury while sledding down a hill on a piece of cardboard, which almost became a reality when a member of security took a spill and nearly landed on his ankle.

Here's the footage, which thankfully ends with everyone invovled getting up and getting on with their day.

That is too close for comfort. And you have to feel for the security person here who was simply trying to hustle to do the job and ended up losing to gravity. Before they were even able to get upright some unhelpful person is joking about a potential Rodriguez ACL injury. It's rough out there.

Rodriguez will be paramount to the Mariners' playoff hopes going forward and their ability to make a deep run if they get there. Plenty of people breathing a sigh of relief realizing this could have been worse.

تحدث جيمي ريدناب، محلل بكة سكاي سبورتس البريطانية عن افتقاد صلاح لشيء ما مع ليفربول تحت قيادة آرني سلوت في ظل عدم مشاركته أساسيًا في مباراتين متتاليتين.

وواجه ليفربول نظيره سندرلاند مساء أمس، الأربعاء، ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي.

وحسم التعادل الإيجابي 1/1 مباراة ليفربول أمام سندرلاند في مواجهة قوية للغاية واستمرت إثارتها حتى اللحظات الأخيرة.

ولم يبدأ صلاح المباراة أساسيًا للمرة الثانية بعد جلوسه على دكة البدلاء أمام وست هام في المباراة الماضية، وحل بديلًا أمام سندرلاند مع بداية الشوط الثاني.

اقرأ أيضًا | ريدناب: وجهتان محتملتان لـ محمد صلاح في يناير بسبب سلوت

وقال ريدناب في حديثه عن استبعاد صلاح بعد المباراة: “لا أعتقد أن الأمر سيختلف عما حدث عندما تم استبعاد آلان شيرار من قبل رود خوليت قبل سنوات عديدة وانتهى الأمر بصدام كبير حيث كان يجب على أحدهما الرحيل، لكن يبدو الأمر وكأن شيئًا ما يجب أن يحدث”.

وأضاف: “لن يكون محمد صلاح راضيًا على الإطلاق عن كونه لاعبًا صغيرًا في هذا الفريق”.

وأردف: “سواء كان ذلك في يناير أو في الصيف، إذا وجد الأندية المناسبة، أعتقد أنه لديه الحق في الرحيل إذا لم تسر الأمور في طريقه”.

واستطرد: “لا أستطيع إلا أن أتوقع هذه النتيجة، الآن وقد انكسرت الثقة، وخاصةً مع لاعب مثل صلاح، فهو بحاجة إلى هذه الثقة والحب من المدرب”.

وأتم: “صلاح سيشارك في كأس أمم إفريقيا وكان يجب على المدرب إشراكه في المباريات لأنه بطبيعة الحال سيغيب لمدة 8 مباريات عن ليفربول”.

MatériaMais Notícias

Luis Zubeldía, técnico do São Paulo, decidiu não relacionar James Rodríguez para o jogo desta quarta-feira (8) contra o Cobresal, pela Libertadores. Além de ser ausência no Tricolor, o meia deve deixar o clube na próxima janela de transferências, se chegarem propostas.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

➡️ Aposte R$100 no Lance! Betting e ganhe R$384 se o São Paulo vencer os dois tempos contra o Cobresal

De acordo com informações publicadas inicialmente pelo jornalista André Hernan, em seu canal no Youtube, o “tema James Rodríguez” é algo delicado no São Paulo. O Tricolor espera a chegada de ofertas e não dificultará a saída do jogador.

O meia não viajar ao Chile, onde será disputado o jogo pela Libertadores, foi uma decisão técnica de Zubeldía. James está em forma e, em vídeo publicado nas suas redes sociais, apareceu mantendo o físico em casa.

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– Eu tomo decisões em relação ao que vejo e para isso estou aqui, para tomar decisões. Se não está o James, é porque considero que tem que estar outros companheiros. Tenho clara qual é a minha profissão e tenho clara qual é a minha responsabilidade. Um treinador vive tomando decisões, e tratamos junto com o meu estafe que essas decisões sempre sejam em favor do grupo e que sejam, em sua maioria, positivas. Então, todos estão considerados, mas ao final do dia ou antes dos jogos, tenho que tomar decisões – disse Zubeldía, sobre ausência de James Rodríguez ainda na última partida do São Paulo, contra o Vitória.

O colombiano possui contrato até junho de 2025 e estava insatisfeito com sua minutagem em campo, no início deste ano. Ele tentou rescindir com o clube de forma antecipada, mas as conversas não avançaram. Então, mudou de ideia e decidiu permanecer.

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Com a troca no comando técnico de Carpini para Zubeldía, James Rodríguez parece ter perdido ainda mais espaço no São Paulo. Em 2024, são oito jogos, um gol e uma assistência.

Tudo sobre

James RodríguezSão Paulo

Jamie Carragher has taken a fresh swipe at Mohamed Salah for supposedly not leading by example amid Liverpool's poor run of form. The Reds legend commended captain Virgil van Dijk for speaking to the media and demanding more from his team-mates. But the former Anfield favourite thinks Salah shouldn't shirk his responsibilities, especially after being vocal about his contract situation last season.

• Carragher feuds with Salah

  This time last year, Carragher branded Salah as "selfish" for publicly expressing his disappointment at Liverpool not offering him a new deal.

  He said on Sky Sports: "The most important thing for Liverpool this season is not the future of Mo Salah, it's not the future of Virgil van Dijk and it's not the future of Trent Alexander-Arnold. The most important thing is Liverpool winning the Premier League. That is more important than any of those players, and if he continues to put comments out or his agent keeps putting cryptic tweets out, that's selfish, that's thinking about themselves and not the football club."

  The Egypt international bit back at Carragher but the feud eventually ended when the former Roma man signed a two-year deal at Anfield. Fast forward to the present, and the ex-England man has laid into the 33-year-old again in light of Liverpool dropping to 12th in the Premier League and losing six out of their last seven league games. 

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Salah needs to 'come out as a leader'

  Like Liverpool, Salah has struggled to make a telling impact for Arne Slot's team this season. The forward scored 34 goals last season but this term, he has just five goals in 17 matches. Following the Reds' 3-0 loss to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, skipper Van Dijk said "everyone has to take responsibility" for their current malaise, and urged his team-mates to get the Merseyside outfit out of this mess. Now Carragher wants Salah to do something similar going forward.

  Before Manchester United's 1-0 loss to Everton on Monday, he said on Monday Night Football: "I think Virgil van Dijk, after the game, has come out again and spoke, as he should do as a captain, he's called Liverpool a mess. I must say, on the back of all these Liverpool defeats, it's always Virgil van Dijk who comes out. And as I said, the captain should do that, but there should be other players in that dressing room coming out and speaking for the club. A year ago this weekend, Mo Salah wasn't shy in coming out and speaking about his own situation, about the club not offering him a contract. I only ever hear Salah speak when he gets man of the match, or he needs a new contract. I'd like to see Mo Salah come out as one of the leaders, as one of the legends of Liverpool, come out and speak for the team. He shouldn't always be the captain. But, obviously, the manager is the one in the firing line. Any manager with results like that, as you said, if they were part of the bottom four or a promoter team, would be under pressure. So there's no doubt the manager is under pressure now with results like that, on the back of being champions, but also on the fact of what Liverpool spent in the summer."

• Slot positive about Liverpool's future

  While Slot was naturally disappointed with Liverpool's recent results, months on from spending more than £400 million on players this summer, he struck a defiant tone ahead of a busy run of games. The Dutchman added that a "solution" for the Reds could be within their grasp.

  When asked if his players are low on confidence, he replied: "I don't feel this, or I don't see this. After we go 1-0, we struggled. I tried to pump them up and give them the information to start the second half well. Immediately, they go 2-0 up. The players kept trying, I can't blame them for that. They blocked every shot we had. The solution is not that far away. We created chances in every and it's not as if we give away 10 chances. That will not go on forever but we have to look at ourselves and what we can do better when we concede a goal. Two games in a row, we haven't scored."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  What comes next for Liverpool?

  Liverpool will hope to put the Forest loss behind them when they host PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday at Anfield. The Reds have had more joy in Europe's elite competition this season, so this may be the perfect game to reignite their campaign. After that, they face West Ham, Sunderland, Leeds United, and Inter Milan in the space of 10 days.

The NZ captain has a signature deadpan style and even World Cup pressure hasn’t been able to dilute it

Sruthi Ravindranath22-Oct-20254:19

Preview: ‘Wounded’ India favourites against New Zealand?

Two losses in the first three games, and the next two washed out. New Zealand’s World Cup campaign has veered off track, but on the eve of an all-important clash against India, captain Sophie Devine was all calm, answering questions at the press conference in her signature deadpan style.”Thanks for not saying I’m old. I appreciate that, experienced is nice,” she said on being asked how her near 20 years as an international cricketer might help her in Thursday’s high-pressure game.New Zealand haven’t had much game time lately but they’re embracing the “underdog badge with pride”, Devine said, also acknowledging the pressure her side will be under playing in Mumbai in front of “99.9%” of India fans. But she also feels “real empathy” for hosts who have come under scrutiny after losing three matches in a row.”We’re really stepping towards that pressure,” Devine said. “In all honesty, I can’t begin to imagine the type of pressure that the Indian team is under. I know when we played at a home World Cup [in 2022], the pressure that we felt to perform in front of our home crowd was at times overwhelming. I can’t imagine what that’s like with a billion people tuned into the TV screens and the expectation and the weight that’s on their shoulders.””These are the moments that you want to be playing cricket in – a pretty much knockout game against India in India at a World Cup. We’re obviously under no illusions that India are still the favourites, without a doubt. And we will wear the underdog badge with pride, as Kiwis often do.”India might have home advantage but when it comes to ODI World Cups, their win-loss ratio against New Zealand is 0.2, the lowest against any opposition. Does that give New Zealand a psychological edge?Sophie Devine has 260 runs at the World Cup at an average of 87•ICC/Getty Images

“Yeah, ask me after the game tomorrow because I think that’s generally the way it goes, isn’t it?” Devine quipped. “We can get confidence from the fact that we’ve played them in pressure situations before. But tomorrow’s a new game, everyone starts on zero.”Related

'It sucks' – Devine emotional about World Cup exit and impending ODI retirement

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New Zealand in must-win territory with rain in the Navi Mumbai air

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Muzumdar: Dropping Rodrigues against England 'one of the toughest decisions'

Whether it’s the atmosphere or the profile of the game, Devine hopes it serves as a learning experience for the young players in her side.”Some youngsters that we’ve got, they’ve still played cricket under different pressures and have had to perform at different stages,” she said. “It is such a cool opportunity. This is why you play high-performance sport, it’s why you play international cricket. To be put under the most intense pressure and see how you stand up.””To me that’s just a really exciting opportunity to not only showcase the women’s game, but showcase New Zealand cricket,” she said. “And as you mentioned, we’ve had a great record, not just females, but males as well, of playing India in these sort of tournaments.”Rustiness is a concern – New Zealand haven’t played a full game in nearly 12 days – but so is the forecast. With rain having already sabotaged their campaign, Devine responded in her trademark style when informed there’s more in the forecast.”I’m not surprised, to be honest. I expect there to be rain everywhere we go at the moment,” she said, shrugging. “But you can’t control the weather. We’ll deal with it if it comes. There’s no point worrying about it until it actually falls down and the umpires call you off, we’re just focused on what we want to do.”Thursday’s clash will also be New Zealand’s first outing at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, but they’ll be banking on local knowledge from Amelia Kerr, who has played six WPL matches at the venue.”Not just tomorrow, but everyone expects Melie to perform and to give to this group,” Devine said. “She’s played a lot with Harman [Harmanpreet Kaur], she’s obviously played with the Mumbai Indians here. Hopefully she’s got a few fans in the crowd as well that’ll be cheering for New Zealand and her.”Melie knows some of those Indian players really well. They also know Melie well. I think the Indians probably have enough pressure on them coming from the rest of your country to try and perform and get through to a semi-final, which I know is the expectation for them.”Devine ended the press conference in her typical style: “We’ll let the Indian public and the media and all that give the Indian team enough pressure and we’ll just keep going about our thing.”

There is little to suggest that Liverpool are close to turning a corner and sustaining a respectable level of performance any time soon. What is most concerning is that the Reds and their boss, Arne Slot, have shown little sign of finding a solution to any of the many problems plaguing their campaign.

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence lies in tatters. There is a grudging acceptance across the red streets of Merseyside that Arsenal’s grip on top position is out of reach. Certainly, the gulf in quality between the two sides this season suggests that Liverpool will have to settle for a lesser prize on the league front.

Liverpool have been outclassed in successive top-flight fixtures, and change is surely needed now. Indeed, Liverpool languish in 11th place in the Premier League, having scored 18 goals and conceded 20.

Defensively, it’s been a mess, and the noise concerning Ibrahima Konate is only intensifying after the thrashing dealt by Nottingham Forest brought the French defender’s season to its lowest ebb.

Why Konate is becoming a huge problem for Liverpool

Konate, 26, was immense throughout the 2024/25 campaign, a powerful partner for Virgil van Dijk. He, of course, won the Premier League title, settling as a regular starter in Didier Deschamps’ France squad too.

Now, Konate is only offering the vestiges of that former level. What is most frustrating is that he has proven his quality before, but the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold beside him as exposed Konate’s issues in establishing confident build-up patterns.

But these two versions of Konate are so staggeringly opposed that it is hard to accept this is the same player. Errors and baffling decision-making have been central parts of the £70k-per-week talent’s season, and you can’t help but question whether he is somewhat distracted by outside noise.

Konate is playing out the final year of his contract at Anfield, and though FSG have offered him an extension, there has yet to be a breakthrough as speculation regarding Real Madrid’s interest continues to linger.

The season-ending injury suffered by Giovanni Leoni in his first game for the club after signing from Parma for £27m this summer was a cruel blow. A detrimental blow. The 18-year-old’s absence has been keenly felt, not least because a move for Marc Guehi fell through on deadline day.

With Slot insinuating that Liverpool’s focus this winter might be on areas further upfield (heavy speculation centres on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo), it might be that the Reds opt to make do at the back.

If this is to be the case, Slot must surely hand one of the club’s most talented young defenders a chance to shine.

Liverpool's academy Konate solution

Slot has shown a willingness to give youth a chance since taking over at Liverpool before the start of last season. Amara Nallo, for example, has been handed a few opportunities at senior level, albeit with those outings on the major stage leaving the up-and-comer beleaguered after red cards in both matches.

However, Nallo isn’t the only teenage centre-back who is playing himself toward senior contention, with 19-year-old Wellity Lucky inching toward a breakthrough after commanding displays for Rob Page’s development side.

The Spain-born defender moved to England aged 11 before joining Liverpool’s academy scene, and he has gone from strength to strength in the years since joining, having now made 60 appearances for the club’s respective youth levels.

Earlier this season, the “highly-rated” defender, as he was described by Reds reporter Ben Bocsak, made his professional debut off the bench as Slot’s side were beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace at Anfield in the Carabao Cup.

In the process, he was rewarded after being “outstanding this season” in the Premier League 2, as has been said by youth correspondent Jack Lusby.

A commanding and dominant defender with a promising ability to read and then snuff out opposition attacks, Lucky has shown that he can take his power and potential and transfer that over to contests against senior opponents. In the Football League Trophy this term, Lucky has impressed against the bustle of outfits like Crewe Alexandra and Chesterfield for the U21s.

Front-footed and fast, you could even say that he offers shades of a player like Konate, which could make adding him to the mix an attractive prospect from a stylistic standpoint.

Matches (starts)

2 (2)

Touches*

90.5

Accurate passes

61.5 (88%)

Key passes*

0.5

Dribbles*

1.5

Ball recoveries*

6.0

Tackles + interceptions*

3.0

Clearances*

5.5

Duels (won)*

5.0 (83%)

It might not have been against top-level opponents, but for Lucky to have won 83% of his duels across the two fixtures bespeaks his incisiveness in defensive phases. Moreover, his cameo against Palace last month saw him complete all 22 of his attempted passes while making a recovery too. Small factors, but promising nonetheless.

Slot continues to show a reluctance to give Joe Gomez a run of chances, and if Konate continues to flatter to deceive, it’s surely only a matter of time before things change there.

Could that open up an opportunity for a youngster such as Lucky? After all, he has earned Slot’s approval already this year, and Nallo’s struggles under the boss’s wing suggest that Lucky could be set for a promotion sooner rather than later.

To throw Lucky into the deep end would hardly be a propitious move, but if Slot can ease him into life among the big boys, this could add an exciting and fresh dimension to a defence crying out for support.

Read between the lines and you could surmise that Liverpool will prioritise a wide forward this summer. In this, the need for academy support at the rear is significant, and Lucky could be the shrewd solution to thread the connection between the club and the fanbase back together.

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