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Celtic head into the final international break of the year off the back of a 4-0 win over Kilmarnock at Parkhead under Martin O’Neill in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

The interim head coach has won both of his league games in charge of the club by a 4-0 scoreline, and those two results have left the Hoops seven points behind Hearts in the table, with a game in hand.

Celtic now have an international break to assess their managerial situation after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation last month, following a 3-1 defeat to the league leaders.

The Hoops may decide to go with a longer-term option in their bid to overtake Hearts and claim the Premiership title once again, rather than allowing O’Neill to see out the remainder of the season.

Celtic set to make move for managerial target

In fact, a fresh report suggests that the Scottish giants are making moves to bring in a new head coach to take O’Neill’s place and replace Rodgers at Parkhead.

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According to TEAMtalk, Celtic are set to make a formal approach to appoint Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen as their next permanent boss this season.

The report claims that the Hoops are ready to make a move for the Norwegian tactician after they learned that he is keen on taking a step up in his career, and that a move to the club would match his ambitions, because of their budget and European football.

TEAMtalk adds that his contract at Bodo/Glimt is due to expire in January, meaning that compensation now would be minimal, but it does not reveal whether or not he would want to see out the final two games of the Eliteserien season.

Why Celtic should appoint Kjetil Knutsen

The Hoops should appoint the Norwegian boss, who Johan Mjällby claimed would be the “perfect fit”, because he could come in and crush Hearts with his track record of winning titles.

Knutsen’s Bodo/Glimt side are currently one point behind Viking in the Eliteserien with two matches left to play, and they have won the title in four of the last five full seasons.

Knutsen’s Eliteserien success with Bodo/Glimt
Season	Matches	Points (position)
2025	28	64 (2nd)
2024	30	62 (1st)
2023	30	70 (1st)
2022	30	60 (2nd)
2021	30	63 (1st)
2020	30	81 (1st)
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the Celtic target knows what it takes to win domestic leagues and to coach a team to achieve success on a consistent basis, which is exactly what the Hoops will be looking for in their next head coach.

The Scottish giants are currently seven points behind Hearts, but that could be four if they win their game in hand, and there is still plenty of football left to be played before the end of the season.

Bodo/Glimt had never won the Eliteserien before Knutsen took charge of the club, and now they are serial winners who have dominated the league for the past five or six years.

Celtic would be hiring a proven winner who can lead a team to glory, even in difficult circumstances, given that his club had never won a league title before his arrival, which is why he could be the dream appointment to crush Hearts this season.

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Therefore, the Bodo/Glimt tactician could be the perfect man to come in and win the league title for the Hoops, despite the position they find themselves in, because of his impressive track record when it comes to winning league titles.

Australia will start the Ashes without Cummins and Hazlewood and have two debutants in the XI but they aren’t fretting it

Alex Malcolm20-Nov-20251:55

Starc confident in replacements for Cummins and Hazlewood

Steven Smith projected a sense of calm sitting in front of a huge media throng as Australia’s captain on the eve of a home Ashes series.He’s been there and done this many times before. But this is a little different. That Smith was sitting there as the stand-in captain was not plan A for Australia.That they are playing without two of their big three fast bowlers, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, in a home Test for the first time since 2022 was definitely not plan B.That they have picked two players, Brendan Doggett and Jake Weatherald, to debut in the same Test for the first time since 2019, and a seventh different opening partner for Usman Khawaja in 16 Tests, was not even plan C.Australia are unsettled and vulnerable. But while there is a popular belief, at least externally, that England must win in Perth to have any chance in the series, there is no sense that Australia feel Perth is make or break. The lessons of last year’s loss to India in Perth before winning the series 3-1 are fresh in their minds.”I think you want to try and win the first Test match and get yourself ahead of the game, I suppose, or the series,” Smith said on Thursday. “But I think either way we look at last summer, we lost the first Test match and we were able to claw the series back.”We’ve got a lot of belief in that change room, if the result doesn’t go our way this week, that we can turn it around. We saw it last year. So ideally, we play well this week, and we’ve got potentially Patty on the table next game. Josh, I don’t know, but I think we’ll see how this week pans out.”Steven Smith: There’s always so many words said before the [Ashes] series•Getty ImagesAustralia have learnt some clear lessons from 12 months ago. Despite their public protestations after copping a shellacking from India in Perth that caused a firestorm of criticism from home fans, they knew internally they had been undercooked going into that series.Related

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Weatherald and Doggett handed debuts in first Ashes Test

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Australia expects as Golden boy Green aims for Ashes peak

Every member of the squad bar Khawaja played the most recent Sheffield Shield round to prepare for the opening Test, something that didn’t happen last year. Every member of the chosen XI bar Travis Head and Mitchell Starc have played at least two first-class games in the last month, which again was not the case last summer. Perth golf courses have been frequented this week, but quantifiably less often than in the training period last year.The hype has been unprecedented. On another scale to last year, even with the inflation that India can bring. But for Smith, entering his ninth Ashes series as a player and his fifth on home soil, it has felt like par for the course.”It’s pretty standard,” Smith said. “I’ve been involved in a few now, and there’s always so many words said before the series. But for us, I think it’s about just ignoring the outside noise, concentrating on our processes, what we do well as a team and trusting and backing that throughout. It’s exciting that we’re starting tomorrow. Everyone’s been raring to go for the last few days of training and even before that.”Australia have maintained their own bubble. There were no leaks to the media of the initial Ashes squad. There was no leaks of the XI until Thursday morning, which was a pretty good achievement given the binary nature of the choices the selectors had.Even the public pontifications on how Bazball will fare in Australia have been left to ex-players, the media and the punters. Australia’s current players have consistently spoken kindly this week about the quality of England’s team and the brand of cricket they play.There were moments in the 2023 Ashes in England when Australia did look “rattled” in the field as England’s Bazballers swung momentum violently at times as only they can.The proof will be in the pudding, but Smith certainly portrayed a sense that Bazball is not “in their heads” as the Barmy Army’s song suggests.”I think it’s just playing the tempo of the game that needs to be played at each certain time,” Smith said. “I’ve no doubt throughout this series, there’s going to be periods of the game where a few of their batters get off and they score some runs quickly. And for us, it might be about being a little bit defensive in those moments. And then finding the moments where we can attack a bit more and just playing the game, really, that’s in front of us, and not letting it drift too far before we implement the plans that need to be played at that certain time. I guess that’s as simple as I can put it right now.”There are as many unknowns about Australia as there are about England ahead of this series. But it is clear Australia are not gripping the steering wheel tight in Perth. The result will be the result. Reinforcements are almost certain to come soon given how good Cummins looks in the nets.It might be the calm before the storm. But even if the storm comes, an understrength Australia appear prepared for it.

Southampton were hit with a hammer blow on Saturday when they conceded in the 97th minute to lose to Millwall at The Den in their last Championship game of the month.

After fighting to make it 2-2 through Fin Azaz, the Saints defence fell asleep at a crucial moment to allow Tristan Crama to sneak in unmarked at the back post to score the winner.

It was a brutal way to lose a game of football, but it was also the first loss of Tonda Eckert’s time in interim charge, after four wins in his first four games in the dugout.

The latest on Tonda Eckert's future at Southampton

Football Insider recently reported that the German tactician is in the driving seat to land the role on a permanent basis, thanks to winning his first four matches in the Championship.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

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The outlet claimed that the former U21s boss is the leading candidate to take the job from Sport Republic, ahead of more experienced managers who have been on the shortlist, including, but not limited to, Russell Martin.

However, Football Insider added that Eckert will still be given more time before a final decision is made, and that a permanent appointment is not imminent at this moment in time.

With this in mind, there is still time for Southampton to look elsewhere for their next manager, which is why they should push to hire Brendan Rodgers, who was linked with the role shortly after Will Still’s departure.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

Sport Republic, as they will, need to consider the short and long-term consequences with their next managerial appointment, because there are two elements at play.

In the short term, they need a manager, whether that is Eckert or someone else, who can guide the team up the table and into promotion contention to get back to the Premier League.

However, in the long term, the Saints need a boss who can then guide them to safety in the top-flight, because Martin was unable to do that after winning promotion with the club, which illustrates the importance of hiring a manager who can achieve both tasks.

Rodgers, once described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, is a highly experienced Premier League manager who knows what it takes to be successful at that level, having managed Leicester, Liverpool, and Swansea in the top-flight.

Brendan Rodgers (Premier League)

Season (club)

Games

Position

22/23 (Leicester)

28

19

21/22 (Leicester)

38

8th

20/21 (Leicester)

38

5th

19/20 (Leicester)

38

5th

18/19 (Leicester)

10

9th

15/16 (Liverpool)

8

10th

14/15 (Liverpool)

38

6th

13/14 (Liverpool)

38

2nd

12/13 (Liverpool)

38

7th

11/12 (Swansea)

38

11th

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, the only season that Rodgers did not have his team competing for a top-half finish was when he was sacked with ten matches to go in the 2022/23 campaign.

His overall history in the division suggests that he has the managerial chops to keep the Saints in the Premier League if they earn promotion, whilst Eckert has no previous experience at that level and would go in as a novice in that respect, just as Martin did.

Meanwhile, Rodgers is also coming off a second stint with Celtic in Scotland, where, as shown in the graphic above, he won four trophies in two full seasons in Glasgow.

The Northern Irish boss won four Premiership titles in four full seasons with the Hoops over two spells with the club, per Transfermarkt, which shows that the experienced manager also knows how to coach a team to win matches on a consistent basis.

That is further backed up by the fact that he won the Championship play-offs to win promotion to the Premier League with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, before finishing 11th in the top-flight with the Welsh outfit.

Rodgers is, therefore, a manager who has a proven track record of being able to achieve what Southampton need in the short and long-term, whilst Eckert has made a strong start to life in the Championship but does not have a proven record, with no top-flight experience.

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This is why Sport Republic should push to appoint Rodgers as their new permanent manager, if the former Hoops boss is willing to make the move, because he could be a big upgrade on Eckert with his reputation and proven coaching ability.

CA have backed the process the umpires went through although say ideally it would have happened more quickly

Andrew McGlashan07-Oct-2025

Chris Green’s reaction to his dismissal has brought a sanction (file photo)•Getty Images

Chris Green has been handed a code of conduct breach for dissent after being involved in the unusual situation of being given out and then recalled to the crease during New South Wales’ Sheffield Shield match against Western Australia at the WACA.Green was initially given out caught behind by umpire Gerard Abood as he ducked a bouncer and made it clear he was unhappy with the decision. After a lengthy period where Abood consulted with the square-leg umpire, the decision was changed.Cricket Australia has acknowledged the correct decision was ultimately made but said it should have happened more promptly. However, they said that Green’s reaction played no part in the process and that the umpires had no knowledge of replay footage which had been shown on the broadcast.”Under CA playing conditions clause 31.6, umpires are permitted to consult the other umpire to clarify points of fact so they can arrive at the correct decision,” a CA spokesperson told ESPNcricinfo. “Whilst CA doesn’t encourage this in the ordinary course, there are rare occasions where it is appropriate for umpires to clarify points of fact so they can arrive at the correct decision.”CA acknowledge that the correct decision was ultimately made in this case, but would have preferred this to have occurred more promptly.”It should be noted that under no circumstances did the batter’s actions contribute to the umpire reviewing or overturning the decision and the umpire did not see a replay before the decision was reversed.”While Sheffield Shield matches are streamed in high quality, there is no third umpire for matches except in the final and replays aren’t used in making decisions.CA also said that the second time Abood raised his finger was to confirm to a player that the initial decision was out. “Further, the umpire did not give Green out twice. His second signal of out was to clarify the original decision to a participating player,” the spokesperson said. “CA also wishes to advise that Chris Green was issued a code of conduct breach for showing dissent at an umpire’s decision during a match.”Green was dismissed eight runs later on the third day when he toe-ended a pull to second slip.Speaking after the match, which NSW won by 74 runs, WA coach Adam Voges said the way Green had reacted to the initial dismissal was not good for the game.”I think the umpires make make incorrect decisions and that’s part of the game. I understand that,” he said. “I guess probably it’s just not a great look when a player remonstrates with an umpire for a period of time and then that gets overturned, and I guess the message that that sends is probably not a good one.”So if he’s been done for dissent, so be it. But I don’t have much more else because I’m not out there and don’t hear the conversations. We’ll leave it at that.”

The need for results over the coming weeks has been heightened. Arne Slot made a telling comment on his hopes of Liverpool progressing deep into the Carabao Cup when fielding a much-rotated team with a bench full of youngsters (average age of 19) against Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening.

The Eagles won 3-0, their third win over the Reds this term, and that’s now six losses from seven matches in all competitions for Slot’s side, who are very much in crisis mode.

The Dutch boss had turned his attention toward the daunting run of upcoming fixtures before the opening whistle screeched in midweek, and now there is not an emphasis but an expectation that wins will be struck to stop the rot and turn back toward the compelling title defence that was anticipated after a summer of record-breaking spending.

01/11/25

Premier League

Aston Villa (H)

04/11/25

Champions League

Real Madrid (H)

09/11/25

Premier League

Man City (A)

22/11/25

Premier League

Nott’m Forest (H)

26/11/25

Champions League

PSV (H)

If we can take a sliver of optimism from this abject run of form, it’s that, having played an overload of matches away from home, four of the next five take place down Anfield Road, having lost on home soil to Palace on Wednesday too.

There simply has to be a swift upswing. Looking at it from a wider lens, though, it may well be that some Redmen have entered the final phase of their careers on Merseyside.

The Liverpool players Hughes needs to sell

Sporting director Richard Hughes was lauded after his emphatic summer transfer window, overseeing a staggering rebuild at Liverpool after Slot defied expectations to win the Premier League in his first year at the helm.

But the summer upheaval has sent it all in a bit of a spin. Still. Though we must reserve judgement on under-firing newbies such as Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, there are certain veterans at the club who aren’t pulling their weight.

Take, for example, Joe Gomez, who is Liverpool’s longest-serving player but now shows the rust of a man who has been afforded few chances to impress in recent years, with injuries and superiorities elsewhere in defence keeping him on the fringe.

Against Palace, the England international struggled to impress, lacking any semblance of command in a backline that was without the calming presence of Virgil van Dijk.

Minutes played

90′

Goals conceded

3

Errors made

1

Touches

92

Accurate passes

69/76 (91%)

Possession lost

9x

Recoveries

5

Tackles

1/1

Interceptions

3

Clearances

8

Ground duels

1/3

Aerial duels

3/4

Wataru Endo has been something of a stalwart since arriving at the club for a smart fee in 2023, but the 32-year-old’s role has diminished as his time in England has dragged on.

Stodgy athleticism and limitations on the ball have kept the Japan captain from being anything more than a tackle-first substitute under Slot’s wing, and now it appears he is approaching the end of an illustrious couple of years in Liverpool, unable to offer a viable solution at number six.

Liverpool should have better options in the middle of the park, in any case, but that doesn’t appear to be so as the 2025/26 campaign rolls into its fourth month.

The Liverpool midfielder who's failing Slot

We’ve been here before. Jurgen Klopp’s injury-hit Premier League champions were overwhelmed across the 2020/21 campaign, and scrambled to salvage Champions League football toward the end of the term.

But the deterioration of 2022/23 was more concerning, with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho flattering to deceive in the middle of the park. The Reds needed to rebuild, and so fashioned together the title-winning engine room of the past few years.

The standout of that rebuild has been Alexis Mac Allister, instrumental to lifting Liverpool back off the ground in 2023/24, after joining from Brighton for around £35m, and then revelling in winning the Premier League last season.

Now, he’s fallen off a proverbial cliff, with his sedentary performances in midfield not those of an elite, robust midfielder. One Liverpool content creator actually said it “looks like Fabinho’s season”, when the Brazilian slumped from his formerly imperious level as the midfield anchor, his legs gone.

Goals

0.17

0.00

Assists

0.17

0.19

Touches

64.41

63.09

Pass completion (%)

83.5

83.5

Shot-creating actions

4.16

2.84

Progressive passes

6.13

3.60

Progressive carries

1.25

2.27

Successful take-ons

0.55

0.00

Ball recoveries

5.13

4.74

Tackles & interceptions

4.05

2.65

The data does suggest that Mac Allister lacks his former vim and vigour, but given that he is only 26 years old and regarded as a “superstar” of a midfielder, as has been said by pundit Joe Cole, this is deeply worrying for those of a red persuasion.

For Fabinho, though only 29 at the time of his £40m transfer to Al-Ittihad, had played 219 high-octane, turbo-charged matches as the heartbeat of Klopp’s Liverpool team, and going from 1.25 carries per game in his first season in England to an average of only 0.51 in 2022/23 emphasises his loss of athleticism.

For a player of Mac Allister’s all-encompassing midfield quality, it’s imperative that Slot gets a tune out of him once again. If the Argentine does not click into gear this season, Liverpool will struggle to hit their stride.

There will be an expectation around Anfield that Mac Allister’s dip in form is not permanent, and that he’s back on his A-game before long.

However, this startling drop-off dredges up unwanted memories of Fabinho’s own fall from grace at Anfield, and Slot will be gravely hoping that lightning hasn’t struck twice on the Liverpool squad.

Another Chiesa: Slot's treatment of Liverpool star is a "sackable offence"

Liverpool have a shrewd solution to one of their biggest problems this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 30, 2025

أبدى حازم إمام، لاعب الزمالك السابق، رأيه في قائمة منتخب مصر المعلنة من قبل حسام حسن المدير الفني للفراعنة، استعدادًا لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا.

وأعلن حسام حسن، قائمة تضم 28 لاعبًا لخوض المعسكر الأخير، قبل خوض منافسات بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا القادمة بنهاية شهر ديسمبر الجاري.

طالع | قائمة منتخب مصر استعدادًا لـ كأس أمم إفريقيا 2025

وقال إمام خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “أرى أن قائمة منتخب مصر التي أعلنها الكابتن حسام حسن معقولة”.

وأضاف: “تريزيجيه لا يوجد لاعب شبهه، لاعب مجتهد جدًا هجوميًا، يصنع فرصًا كثيرة ويتجه نحو المرمى بشكل متكرر، ويلعب من قلبه”.

وأكمل: “الأفضل لـ أحمد سيد زيزو أن يلعب على الجهة اليمنى، وهو يجيدها، لكن عندما يلعب في وسط الملعب لا يكون كما في الجهة اليمنى”.

وبسؤاله لو خُيّرت أن حذف خمس أسماء من قائمة منتخب مصر من ستختار؟، ورد: “سأحذف محمد صبحي ومحمود صابر ومصطفى فتحي ومحمد شحاتة وصلاح محسن”.

ومن المقرر أن ⁠يبدأ منتخب مصر مبارياته ببطولة أمم إفريقيا يوم 22 ديسمبر بمواجهة زيمبابوي ثم جنوب إفريقيا يوم 26 وأنجولا يوم 29 ديسمبر في دور المجموعات.

He had scored his last international century in August 2023, and when he ended that drought on Friday night, Babar Azam stood almost expressionless before sinking to his knees

Danyal Rasool15-Nov-2025It was a grateful Babar Azam that appeared at the press conference as Friday night yielded to Saturday morning. Much of that gratitude was reserved for his supporters – and there is a legion in Pakistan. A large chunk had braved the bitter cold of the Rawalpindi night waiting to watch him tick off the final few runs to get to his 20th ODI hundred, one that they have waited over 800 days and 83 innings for, and one that ties him with Saeed Anwar at the top of the ODI hundreds list for Pakistan.”The amount of support I got from my fans, not just in Islamabad but everywhere, was great,” Babar said after Pakistan beat Sri Lanka to clinch the series. “I got support everywhere in Pakistan and it gave me a huge boost. The fans, they never deserted me in my hard times. It’s in those hard times that you work out who your true allies are.”It helped that Babar came to the crease with Pakistan in a position of relative comfort after the openers got them off to a strong start. But that cushion has existed recently, too, and though Babar’s scores have begun to tick upwards – he scored a couple of half-centuries against South Africa and got other starts – he had got himself into a habit of squandering them.Related

• Stats – Babar ends 83-innings wait, equals Saeed Anwar's mark

• Babar breaks century drought to help Pakistan win series

“I got starts in the previous series but I couldn’t convert them into big runs,” he said. “When our innings began, we wanted to build a partnership. When Fakhar [Zaman] and I were playing, I was giving Fakhar the strike as much as possible, because he’s a player who can change a game. The longer he’s out there, the other team’s in pressure.”Then Rizi [Mohammad Rizwan] and I were planning on playing according to the situation and doing what was required. We played according to that and built our partnership. I was backing my strengths and had confidence in myself.”As Babar began to inch closer to the milestone, the tautness in the stadium was palpable. He appeared, for a fleeting while, to be competing not just against his own demons, but also the target. The runs Pakistan required were diminishing rapidly, thanks largely to a confident innings from his long-time accomplice Rizwan. However, with five to go, he steered a short delivery towards the on side to send his fans into raptures.Babar himself was more subdued, appearing to let the moment wash over him. He stood almost expressionless for a while, before sinking to his knees and lowering his head.”It was a tough time,” he said. “But I backed myself, worked on what I needed to improve, as well as my fitness. In the end, it’s about belief. These things will go on in your life and you can get stuck in a negative thought process, asking why it’s all happening to me. But you need to stick to your plan and believe that you’ll get your reward.”Pakistan will hope this innings signals resurgence rather than one final cathartic raging against the dying light. Babar, still only 31, can reasonably expect to have a large chunk of his useful career ahead of him. And that’s what his focus has immediately turned to with a newer, fresher optimism.Babar Azam, still only 31, can reasonably expect to have a large chunk of his useful career ahead of him•AFP/Getty Images

“Whenever you score runs, your confidence goes to a different level. It’s been a long period, but I backed myself and never compromised on my hard work. I believed in myself, and that’s the most important thing,” he said. “Lots of thoughts come into your mind about what’s happening to you. Lots of coaches talk to you and give you various kinds of advice. Then you have to assess what is working for you.”While he made a particular point of thanking two of his coaches in Shahid Aslam and Mansoor Rana, he also acknowledged the limitations of what others can do when a player finds himself in a rut: “These are people who have been with me since I was a child, and they know everything about what I require. The time hasn’t been easy, and so I’m grateful to them. But ultimately you have to back yourself. People, coaches, and everyone else can just tell you. You have to do it yourself so self-belief is paramount.”It is exactly the advice he had for any younger players who find themselves in a similar situation, insofar as anyone’s situation in Pakistan can truly be similar to Babar’s. “The advice I’d give to any youngster who’s stuck in bad form is belief,” he said. “You can motivate yourself for a few days but hard work and dedication needs to be there every day.”Though Babar claimed that his faith in his process had never wavered, he admitted the value of seeing it play out in a competitive match that actually mattered. “When you win matches, that’s a different kind of confidence.”

Liverpool are reportedly ready to seek inspiration from a familiar face if Premier League title-winning manager Arne Slot is relieved of his coaching duties at Anfield. With the Reds struggling for consistency in the 2025-26 campaign, and Mohamed Salah cutting a frustrated figure, Steven Gerrard is seeing a stunning return to Merseyside speculated on.

• Klopp also being linked with Anfield return

  Jurgen Klopp has already seen an emotional retracing of steps to Liverpool mooted, with the German having stepped down as Reds boss in the summer of 2024. He saw his successor, Dutch tactician Slot, deliver title glory during a memorable debut campaign.

  The wheels have fallen off since then, though, with the Liverpool bandwagon not rolling as freely as it once was. A bright start to the current season saw a number of late goals recorded, with those efforts papering over some alarming cracks.

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• Getty/GOAL
  

  Points dropped & Salah strop: Why Slot is under pressure

  The Reds have suffered six defeats through 15 top-flight fixtures this season, while also enduring humbling reversals in Champions League competition against Galatasaray and PSV. Two more points were dropped from a commanding position last time out during a dramatic 3-3 draw at Leeds.

  After that contest, Egyptian superstar Salah – who has been named on the bench for Liverpool’s last three games and saw no minutes at Elland Road – came out and aimed a stunning blast at a club that he has represented with distinction across eight glittering years.

  Salah has accused the Reds of throwing him under the bus during a difficult season, while admitting that his working relationship with Slot has broken down. Transfer talk is now raging again around the 250-goal icon who only signed a new two-year contract back in April.

• Return of a legend: Gerrard considered as interim boss

  All was happy in the Liverpool camp back then, but Slot and hisunderperforming players are now facing some uncomfortable questions. The man calling the shots has maintained that he boasts the full support of his board.

  Slot has said when asked if he boasts backing there: “Yeah but not in the sense that they tell me every single minute ‘we support you’, ‘we support you’, ‘we support you’.” We talk a lot. If we are winning, last season, and if we are losing. And then they are helpful to me, to the team.

  “So yeah, we do have those conversations, but they don’t call me in every single minute of the day to tell me that they still trust me. We do have the normal conversations and in those conversations I feel the trust.”

  It remains to be seen whether the Liverpool hierarchy continue to support Slot or start to consider a change in the dugout. According to , some thought has been given to another fresh start.

  It is claimed that “Steven Gerrard is under consideration to step in on an interim basis if Arne Slot is sacked”. If such a move were to happen, then a stunning homecoming would be taken in by the legendary former Reds captain.

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  Gerrard career: Anfield icon & mixed managerial record

  Merseyside native Gerrard took in 710 appearances for Liverpool in his playing days, scoring 186 goals while lifting Champions League and FA Cup honours. He is considered to be a GOAT by many at Anfield.

  The 45-year-old would be available to step in if required by the Reds to take their reins on an interim basis through to the end of the 2025-26 season. That is because his own managerial career is currently on hold.

  He started out in style when leading Rangers to Scottish Premiership title glory in 2020-21, but has since found the going tough at Premier League side Aston Villa and in the Saudi Pro League with Al-Ettifaq.

  Gerrard’s spell in the Middle East came to a close in January. He has returned to punditry duty since then, while turning down the chance to head back to Ibrox. Any opportunity to return to his roots would be much tougher to snub, with Liverpool still mulling over whether an SOS call needs to be sounded.

Nottingham Forest have begun to see an excellent upturn in their form since Sean Dyche took over the club. He’s won three from his first six games, including Saturday’s exceptional 3-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield. It has certainly been a positive start to his tenure.

Indeed, there have been some excellent individual performances since the Englishman became the Forest manager. Morgan Gibbs-White has been one of the standouts, with three goals in his last three Premier League games. The likes of Nicolo Savona and Igor Jesus have also been in impressive form.

With his side in excellent form, Dyche could well turn to the transfer market as he looks to add more quality to the Forest squad.

The latest on Nottingham Forest's transfer plans

It seems like the East Midlands side are looking to add depth in midfield. Reports in the past few days suggest they are plotting a move for talented Belgian midfielder Nathan De Cat, although the likes of Bayern Munich are challengers for the 17-year-old’s signature.

Transfer Focus

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However, if that move does not materialise, Forest are also considering Everton midfielder and former loanee James Garner.

According to a report from Football Insider, the club are “looking at him” and could make a move, with his contract up in 18 months.

However, this will not be an easy deal to do. There are a host of Premier League clubs interested in the former Manchester United man, with Newcastle United, Aston Villa and West Ham United all keeping tabs.

As for the price, he could cost upwards of £20m, according to a report in mid-November.

Why Garner would be a good signing for Forest

24-year-old Garner has been pivotal for the Toffees this season. He has excelled as a full-back and in the middle of the park, with Everton gaffer David Moyes relying on that versatility several times this season.

Indeed, Garner has played 11 times in the Premier League, operating in different areas of the pitch. He’s played three games as a left-back, scoring a thunderbolt in one of those, seven times in the heart of the midfield, and once at right-back.

Of course, a move to Forest would see Garner return to the club. He played a historic part during his first stint, a loan from Man United.

He played 69 times in Garribaldi Red, scoring and assisting 18 times, and helping Forest return to the Premier League. Statman Dave described him as a “special” player during his time at the club.

If Garner was to make a move back to the City Ground, and Dyche utilised him in midfield, he might well form a strong partnership with Gibbs-White. Unsurprisingly, the England international is a key player under Forest’s new boss.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder has been in excellent form under Dyche, with the third of his three goals in the top flight coming last weekend at Anfield. However, he has been a consistent performer in Garibaldi Red his whole time at the club.

He’s recently brought up his 50th goal contribution for the club, and has 22 goals and 31 assists in 135 games. Gibbs-White excels as a number 10, but there are times when he needs to play deeper to help Forest out defensively.

The signing of Garner, however, could change that. The Everton man is someone who could play with Gibbs-White in midfield and take some of the defensive responsibility off the Forest number 10. His defensive numbers are impressive, averaging four tackles and interceptions per game this season, for example.

Garner vs. PL midfielders

Stat (per 90)

#

Rank vs PL midfielders

Defensive 3rd tackles won

1.36

Top 11%

Interceptions

1.45

Top 11%

Clearances

2.73

​​​​​​​Top 9%

Blocks

1.64

Top 19%

Stats from FBref

This sort of defensive nous could make Gibbs-White unplayable for Dyche’s side. With a player like Garner behind him, and Elliot Anderson of course, it might mean he is less shackled defensively, thus being able to be more effective going forward.

This midfield dynamic could hugely benefit Forest, and make them a more potent team in attack. In this market, £20m is a nominal fee for a player who knows the club and can benefit the side.

Related Not Zinchenko: Dyche could now drop “incredible” Nottingham Forest star

Sean Dyche could ditch this Nottingham Forest star alongside Oleksandr Zinchenko for his Premier League return.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Oct 26, 2025

The Detroit Tigers are in a predicament.

They had an incredible first half of the season and were the first team in Major League Baseball to reach 60 wins. The hot first half comes off an improbable run to the postseason last year, where they earned one of the final wild card spots before they were eliminated by the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series.

American League Cy Young Award winner and this year's All-Star Game starter Tarik Skubal was a major force behind that run, which has continued into his dominant 2025 campaign. Through 21 starts this year, he has a 10-3 record with a 2.09 ERA and 171 strikeouts. The bad news for Detroit, though, is that they are in the midst of a serious slide while Skubal only remains under team control through the '26 season, when he's likely in store for the largest free-agent contract for a pitcher ever.

Still gripping onto an eight-game lead in the AL Central after losing 12 of their last 14 games, the Tigers need to go for it this year and add some talent ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Their biggest need is for a high-leverage relief pitcher, maybe even two, to help support their 4.18 team ERA amongst relievers this season. But they could also use a big bat to lift their slumping offense. And if the price is right, they could even use another starter behind Skubal if Jack Flaherty, who had a solid outing Sunday, continues his disappointing season down the stretch.

That's a lot of needs, but their top-tier farm system could certainly help bring in some high-level talent at the deadline. That is, if the Tigers are willing to part with any of their top prospects which is a big risk, especially when you take Skubal's uncertain future into consideration. MLB Pipeline's No. 6 prospect Kevin McGonigle is likely off limits, but they also have No. 10 prospect Max Clark should they be open to including him in a trade for a big return. There's also No. 34 prospect Bryce Rainer, No. 51 Josue Briceño and No. 77 Thayron Liranzo who round out Detroit's top-five. Rainer is likely off limits too as he was just drafted last year, but Briceño and Liranzo could be included in deals for the right price.

With plenty of top farm talent to help them get one or multiple win-now pieces, here are four targets that make sense for the Tigers as the trade deadline quickly approaches:

Eugenio Suárez — Third Baseman, Arizona Diamondbacks

Suárez has heard his name in trade rumors all season and he enters the deadline as the best bat on the market. His 36 home runs on the year trail only Cal Raleigh, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge for the most in the MLB. He started his career as a Tiger back in '14 before Detroit traded him to the Cincinnati Reds after just one season. Suárez recently told Evan Petzold of the that he'd be interested in a return and that it would mean a lot to finish where he started. But that's currently Arizona's decision, and the D-Backs are likely to take the highest offer with many suitors interested in the 36-year-old slugger. The price will be high, but the Tigers could put together a package that may make the D-Backs bite.

Jhoan Durán — Relief Pitcher, Minnesota Twins

The Twins may not be willing to deal Durán, especially to an AL Central rival. They are currently 5.5 games back of the last wild card and 10 games behind the Tigers in the division. But if they do decide to sell, he could fetch a solid haul on the open market. In 47 games this year, Durán has a 1.90 ERA with 52 strikeouts and just 10 earned runs allowed in 47 1/3 innings pitched. Those numbers would instantly push him to the front of the Tigers' bullpen ahead of Will Vest, who has a 2.58 ERA in 45 1/3 innings this year. Durán is under team control through the '27 season which could bring the Tigers to justify the competitive package they'd need to offer.

David Bednar — Relief Pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates

Bednar would immediately help the Tigers' bullpen and is likely more gettable compared to other targets like Durán. The Pirates demoted Bednar to Triple-A Indianapolis early this season after three rough outings, but he has bounced back nicely following his return to Pittsburgh. He hasn't given up an earned run in June or July, making 19 appearances and throwing 18 1/3 innings in that time. On the season, he has a 2.19 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 37 innings. He remains under team control through the '26 season, making a reasonable $5.9 million this year.

Sandy Alcántara — Starting Pitcher, Miami Marlins

If the Tigers look to boost their starting rotation, they could bring in another former Cy Young Award winner in Alcántara, who won the National League honor in '22, to put behind their ace in Skubal. Alcántara hasn't had a strong season for the Marlins by any means, posting a 5-9 record with a 6.66 ERA through 20 starts, but he threw seven scoreless innings in his most recent start and could provide depth for a team who relied on bullpen games during last year's playoff run. That method won't be sustainable if the Tigers are serious about winning while Skubal remains under team control. If Alcántara can return to his dominant form, he'd certainly be a welcome addition for any playoff team. Plus, he's under contract through the '27 season, with a club option on the final year of his deal.