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Glasgow Rangers are still looking for their first win of the Scottish Premiership season after they were held to a 1-1 draw by St Mirren away from Ibrox on Sunday.

The Light Blues needed academy graduate Findlay Curtis to come off the bench to score an excellent goal to rescue a point for the side late in the second half.

Russell Martin’s team looked bereft of quality at the top end of the pitch until Curtis and James Tavernier, who supplied the corner that led to the goal, came on as substitutes.

If the head coach wants to bring the captain back into the starting XI, in the Champions League or against Celtic next weekend, Max Aarons may need to drop out.

Why Max Aarons should be dropped

The Bournemouth loanee is not a horrendous player and he did not put in a terrible performance against St Mirren on Sunday, but he does not offer the same level of attacking threat that Tavernier does.

Aarons has only created one chance in three starts in the Premiership for Rangers, per Sofascore, and did not create any chances in 69 minutes on the pitch in this match.

The English full-back has not offered enough going forward, whilst Tavernier has only started one of the three games and created three chances for the team, per Sofascore.

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This is why Aarons should be dropped from the XI to add more creativity to the side, but the defender is not the only player who should be ruthlessly dropped, as Lyall Cameron’s position should also be under threat.

Why Lyall Cameron should be dropped

Martin must ruthlessly ditch the Scottish central midfielder alongside Aarons after the former Dundee man put in a disappointing display against St Mirren.

The manager knows that he will get a hard-working, tireless, performance from Cameron, who runs his socks off, but the quality in and out of possession was not there for him on Sunday.

He missed a very presentable opportunity to open the scoring when Jayden Meghoma whipped a brilliant ball into the box, although it was maybe at a bit of an awkward height.

Aside from that miss, though, the 22-year-old central midfielder’s all-round performance was not good enough to justify him keeping his place in the team against Celtic next weekend, looking beyond the second leg against Club Brugge.

Vs St Mirren

Lyall Cameron

Minutes

90

Shots on target

0

Dribbles completed

0/1

Big chances created

0

Ground duels won

0/6

Aerial duels won

0/1

Tackles + interceptions

0

Dribbled past

2x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Cameron failed to deal with the intensity and the physicality of the clash with St Mirren, as he lost 100% of his duels.

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The opposition found it far too easy to get the better of him in one-on-one situations, and he did not make up for his lack of physicality with quality or creativity on the ball in the final third.

Mohamed Diomande won more duels (one) and made more tackles and interceptions (two) in just 26 minutes off the bench for the Light Blues, which suggests that he may have more to offer to the team out of possession as a physical presence.

Rangers may need physicality to deal with Celtic next weekend at Ibrox, as they look to close the already-growing gap to their rivals, which is why Cameron should be ruthlessly ditched from the XI alongside Aarons.

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Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has plenty of work to do in the window, though there are still question marks remaining over one of his most recognisable stars heading into the summer.

Celtic's summer transfer plans begin to accelerate

Plenty of movement is expected in both directions at Parkhead once the off-season comes around as the Bhoys look to build for next campaign’s Champions League qualifiers.

Currently, Celtic are a point off being crowned Scottish Premiership champions and still have a domestic treble in their sights, which, in turn, is bound to raise the stock of several assets who are already well-regarded in the football world.

Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Nicolas Kuhn are among those who may attract interest from elsewhere this summer, making it a priority for Brendan Rodgers to do his due diligence on potential replacements.

According to reports, Slovan Bratislava star David Strelec is a target at Parkhead and may be available for an overall package of £5.9 million, alleviating some of the strain on Celtic’s slim forward line.

Furthermore, Mathias Kvistgaarden is a long-term Hoops pursuit, even if his £13.5 million valuation could discourage the Parkhead hierarchy from pushing forward in their bid to sign the Denmark Under-21 international.

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Either way, there is an acknowledgment that a refresh will be needed to maintain hunger for silverware over the next few years. Several Celtic stars may consider their options this summer; it is just the nature of a squad cycle’s lifespan in Glasgow’s east end.

Nevertheless, there could now be a twist involving one of Rodgers’ disciples who has seemed destined to leave the club for a few months, per reports.

Celtic star Greg Taylor could u-turn and extend his contract

In recent times, Greg Taylor has become a prime candidate to leave Celtic as even with weeks until the end of the season, no news of a contract extension has emerged regarding the Scotland international and he is now set to become a free agent this summer.

Nevertheless, journalist Mark Guidi has made clear that Taylor could yet stay at the Bhoys, claiming that the gap between player and club in negotiations over a new deal isn’t ‘insurmountable’ despite suggestions to the contrary.

Greg Taylor’s successful spell at Celtic

Appearances

210

Goals

9

Assists

33

Trophies

10

Guidi stated on Go Radio: “Maybe having seen the reception he got from the Celtic supporters on Saturday, he’s clearly a very popular member of the squad.

“He’s a good guy around the dressing room, good guy around the training ground. He got his family, his young family, involved on Saturday.

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“Maybe he’ll just think, do you know what? If Celtic can come up with a bit, by all accounts, they are a good bit apart in terms of what he’s been offered and what he’s looking for. It’s a good bit, by all accounts, but it’s not insurmountable.”

Kieran Tierney has been quietly announced ahead of the summer. Nevertheless, his frequent injury problems over recent years mean a reliable competitor in his position will be needed to handle another congested fixture schedule.

Taylor won’t have designs on playing second fiddle, but competition for your role is the nature of the beast at Celtic. Following months of speculation, could an unexpected stay still be on the cards?

Liverpool are now closing in on a move for a £179,000-p/w player who has been described as a “miracle”, according to a report.

Liverpool setting the pace

Life under Arne Slot could hardly be going any better, as the Reds are sitting four points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a game in hand, but it is crunch time in regard to three of their star players’ futures.

The trio of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have reportedly all been offered contracts, moving swiftly after the latter confirmed he was “more out than in” following the win away at Southampton last month.

In terms of potential new arrivals, Liverpool have been weighing up an £8m move for young Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller, having received “glowing reviews” from club scouts.

Not only that, but Slot seemingly has long-term plans to bring in a new centre-back, perhaps as competition for Van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, having recently been named as an admirer of Bologna defender Sam Beukema.

While Slot will be hoping to keep one of the Premier League’s top right-backs at the club amid Alexander-Arnold’s uncertain future, there are also signs he could be looking to strengthen his defence on the opposite side.

Liverpool’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Fulham (h)

December 14

Tottenham Hotspur (a)

December 22

Leicester City (h)

December 26

West Ham United (a)

December 29

Manchester United (h)

January 5

Alphonso Davies available on free transfer

According to a report from Football Insider, the Reds are now closing in on Bayern Munich left-back Alphonso Davies, having been tracking him ahead of a potential free transfer in the summer.

As Davies is out of contract at the end of the season, he is free to enter negotiations about a pre-contract deal from January onwards.

Liverpool had initially appeared to have been priced out of a deal due to the defender’s high wage and signing-on fee demands, but they now believe they can reach a deal.

That said, Real Madrid are currently in pole position to secure the Canadian’s signature, so there is set to be stiff competition.

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Should the Reds be able to get a deal over the line, it could be a real statement signing, given how highly the £179k-per-week defender is rated by former teammate Ivan Perisic, who described him as a “miracle”.

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The Canada international has now chalked up 215 appearances for Bayern Munich, during which time he has proven himself to be a real threat on the front foot, amassing a total of 11 goals and 34 assists.

Despite his attacking prowess, the former Vancouver Whitecaps man has been praised for his ability to recover defensively, indicating that he could be a brilliant acquisition for Slot and perhaps a necessary one, considering Andy Robertson will be 31 at the end of the season.

Whilst it has all felt rather quiet at Anfield in recent weeks, it appears that Liverpool have been handed an unexpected boost in their pursuit of Arne Slot's top target.

Liverpool taking a patient approach to transfers

While few expected Slot to dive head first into his maiden transfer window in charge of Liverpool, the lack of action on the transfer front may be of concern to some of the Anfield faithful. Despite there being no incomings at the club as of right now, there have been no shortage of rumours surrounding stars who could be making the move to Merseyside this summer.

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The name that has dominated the majority of the headlines around Liverpool has been that of Anthony Gordon. First offered to the Reds in order to ease Newcastle United's financial worries, the club have remained intent on bringing the player to Anfield this summer.

A recent report has also linked Liverpool with a move for Genoa midfielder Morten Frendrup. It is claimed that the Serie A side would entertain offers of around £21million for the Denmark under 21 international this summer. Joining Frendrup on Liverpool's list of potential targets is Wolves winger Pedro Neto, who also has interest from across the Premier League's top six.

With Liverpool's summer business bound to kick into gear anytime soon, there has been a development in the pursuit of Slot's top target this summer.

Gleison Bremer transfer update

As reported by Sport Witness, the Italian press have named the price it will require for Juventus to part ways with Gleison Bremer this summer. It was previously thought that the Serie A giants were reluctant to sell the defender for any fee, however the report states that an offer of €70million (£59million) would satisfy the Turin outfit.

The higher ups at Anfield are said to have asked for information on Bremer's situation at Juventus, meaning that they are likely already aware of this figure. This development follows news from last week that Slot had identified the Brazilian defender as his top target this summer with the Reds' new boss clearly eager to bolster his side's backline.

Whilst it is not yet known as to whether Liverpool would be willing to meet Juventus' valuation of the player, it does give the Anfield faithful hope that the deal can actually be done during the summer transfer window, If Liverpool are to get a deal for Bremer over the line they would be getting their hands on a highly rated defender who would no doubt be an instant improvement to the Reds' defence.

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The 27-year-old featured 36 times for Juventus in the Serie A last season as the Old Lady finished third in the division. The Brazilian defender also managed to bag himself three goals over the course of the campaign, showing another dimension he could add to Slot's side.

Whilst there plenty of work still to do to get the deal over the line, this development is a step in the right direction as far as Liverpool are concerned. With the number that Juventus would consider letting Bremer leave for now known, this deal could be one that develops quickly throughout the final weeks of the window.

An "extraordinary" player who has been compared to Samuel Eto'o "could interest" Everton in the summer transfer window, with a player-plus-cash deal mooted.

Everton transfer news

The Blues have been linked with a host of players in the summer, with former Celtic youngster Karamoko Dembele one player who has emerged as a possible target. He has even been likened to Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Jack Harrison joined Everton on loan from Leeds United last summer, and having done well overall in his first season at Goodison Park, it looks as though Sean Dyche is keen to make his temporary move a permanent one. They are believed to be in pole position to snap him up.

In terms of long-term additions, 16-year-old Mason Melia has also been backed to join the Blues in the near future, with the St Patrick's Athletic forward seen as a huge prospect in his homeland of Ireland.

Now, it looks as though Everton are in the mix to acquire the signature of a player who is known around the world.

Everton could be offered "extraordinary" ace

According to Sport [via Sport Witness], Barcelona youngster Ansu Fati "could interest" Everton this summer, with the Spaniard one of four names mentioned in the report, along with Fermin Lopez, Clement Lenglet and Sergino Dest.

He could arrive in a player-plus-cash deal involving Amadou Onana, who has been linked with a move to Barca endless times in recent months.

Fati is on loan at Brighton currently, but his time at the Amex Stadium hasn't gone to plan, only starting three games in the Premier League this season, with 15 appearances coming his way overall. Barcelona are expected to offer up the four players for Everton to take their pick from, hoping to lower the sum required for their own deal for Onana.

Fati, Harrison & McNeil Premier League 23/24

Fati

Harrison

McNeil

Appearances

15

22

25

Starts

3

20

23

Goals

2

3

2

Assist

0

3

5

Shots per game

1.5

1.1

1.7

Dribbles per game

0.3

1.0

0.8

Key passes per game

0.4

1.0

1.9

The Barcelona ace is still only 21, however, so it would be foolish to write him off, especially as he has been compared to Barca legend Samuel Eto'o in the past. He has also been lauded by former manager Xavi.

Given his age and ceiling as a player, Fati would be an exciting option for Everton to take a punt on, and the fact that the above report states that he needs to "find a new club" this summer suggests he is the most likely candidate in any player-plus-cash deal for Onana.

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Manchester United are reportedly looking to sign a "perfectionist" and a "magnificent player", according to a new report.

FC Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd

The Red Devils’ season went from bad to worse on Wednesday evening after a chaotic Champions League defeat to FC Copenhagen. Things started well for Erik ten Hag’s side after two early goals from Rasmus Hojlund, although Marcus Rashford’s red card seemed to change the game.

Copenhagen drew level before half-time, but when Bruno Fernandes put the visitors in front again from the penalty spot, it looked as if United could pull off a crucial victory. However, two late goals ensured a third defeat from four group games, leaving them bottom of the table.

It is not just in the Champions League where United have struggled, with five defeats from 11 in the Premier League, while also being knocked out of the EFL Cup last week. As a result of their poor start, it looks as if new signings are being looked into by those behind the scenes at Old Trafford. Sir Jim Ractliffe is expected to be in control of sporting decisions when he completes a 25% investment, and it looks as if a double deal is being eyed up.

Man Utd transfer updates

According to 90min, Man Utd are interested in AS Monaco pair Vanderson and Youssouf Fofana, with right-back and central midfield are areas that Ten Hag wants to improve. Former Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell is viewed as a target to take up an Old Trafford role, so it is interesting to see the Red Devils’ interest in both players.

Vanderson is regarded by some as the best young right-back plying his trade in Europe, with former Monaco manager Phillipe Clement labelling the player as a “perfectionist”.

“He had an exceptional adaptation here [last season]. We have already spoken about that. He is also a player who is and continues to interest lots of big clubs. That can possibly do something to the mindset, not that he didn’t have his feet on the ground, but Vanderson is very ambitious and a huge perfectionist.

“Every day he wants to be better than the last. That can give him a lot of pressure, lots of stress with all of the ambition that he has. We need to manage that more for him. If I left him to it, he would train for 18 hours a day. He is like that.”

Meanwhile, Fofana, a central midfielder who can play in a holding role or on the right, has recently caught the eye of a number of Premier League sides. The recent report suggests that Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United all have the Frenchman on their radar.

The 24-year-old has been hailed as a "magnificent player" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and he appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation.

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Therefore, moves for both players could be shrewd ones with Ten Hag wanting to bolster his right-back and midfield ranks, and it looks as if the pair could be Ratcliffe’s first serious move in charge of sporting calls at Old Trafford.

Mark Goldbridge believes personal terms between Manchester United and Sofyan Amrabat have been agreed following Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla's update on a potential deal.

Is Amrabat joining United?

Fiorentina were just two games away from winning their first piece of silverware since 1996 last season.

La Viola reached the Coppa Italia and Europa Conference League final after a brilliant campaign under Vincenzo Italiano in which the club battled with some of the best while playing attractive, possession-based football. There was immeasurable heartbreak in Florence as the club narrowly lost both finals 2-1.

One of the key cogs in the seamless Fiorentina machine was Amrabat, the club's holding midfielder. The 26-year-old, who captured minds and hearts at the 2022 World Cup with Morocco, was the orchestrator in the centre of the park, starting attacks with his wonderful passing range and press resistance, and breaking up play with his biting tackles and physicality.

Impressive performances always attract attention in football and unsurprisingly Amrabat is now being courted by some of the world's biggest clubs – one of whom is Man United.

Alfredo Pedulla's latest update suggests that a deal is close with Amrabat reportedly having agreed to join the Red Devils, while a fee in the region of €30m including add-ons could persuade La Viola to sell one of their star men.

Reacting to Pedulla's reports on The United Stand YouTube channel, Goldbridge believes that United must have agreed personal terms with Amrabat, paving the way for an exciting deal.

Goldbridge said: "Within a few minutes of me finishing the eight o'clock show last night, this came out: 'Amrabat has chosen Manchester United after contacts today'.

He added: "This to me sounds like personal terms agreed. That is what I interpret that as because we have definitely not agreed a deal with Fiorentina. We might be about just starting that, but we've definitely not agreed the deal with Fiorentina. But this reads like terms agreed."

Despite Pedulla not implicitly stating that Amrabat has agreed terms with Manchester United, the fact that the midfielder has supposedly given the green light to make a switch to Old Trafford is certainly positive news for United supporters.

With Fred and Scott McTominay potentially leaving the club in the near future, midfield reinforcements are essential for Erik ten Hag's United plans.

At 26-years-old and with a wealth of experience at the highest level already, Amrabat would be a player capable of making an immediate impact for the Red Devils and easing the burden on Casemiro's shoulders.

How good is Amrabat?

While traditionally though of as a destroyer in defensive midfield, Amrabat is a player with the capacity to influence the game across the field.

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One of his major strengths is his passing ability and, when compared to other midfielder in Serie A last season, the Moroccan ranked in the top seven percent for passes completed per 90 (59.59), the top one percent for total passing distance per 90 (1203 yards) and the top three percent for successful pass accuracy (88.8%).

He also ranked in the top three percent for medium (93.9%) and long (84.1%) passing accuracy, progressive passes per 90 (7.93) and passes into the final third per 90 (7.12).

His defensive abilities are superb as well, something showcased at the World Cup in a team that utilises a low block and defensive strategy. Compared to other midfielders at the tournament per 90, he ranked in the top three percent for tackles in the defensive third (2.05) and 12% for recoveries (7.77).

Amrabat is an incredibly well-rounded central midfielder and, despite not being the most glamourous signing Ten Hag will ever make, the Fiorentina man would undoubtedly improve the Red Devils next season.

Tottenham Hotspur might have won over the weekend, but it was hardly a performance for Cristian Stellini to be proud of, as they crawled over the line amidst numerous dubious refereeing decisions that swung the game in their favour.

Hosting an impressive Brighton and Hove Albion side that have more than earned their praise for this campaign, Roberto De Zerbi was bringing his outfit full of confidence that they could topple a struggling Lilywhites outfit.

Their 65% possession and 17 shots certainly suggested they nearly did so too, and that is without mentioning the penalty that they have since been told they should have had. Instead, the visitors have had to settle for zero points and yet another PGMOL apology.

That is not to suggest that there were no positives for the hosts to take, as the three points that were questionably gained have kept them somewhat in the fight for top four.

It also saw a return to form for Harry Kane and most notably Heung-min Son, who both scored in the same match once again.

However, they papered over the cracks of another all-around poor display by a few key individuals who are all perhaps overstaying their welcome.

None embodies this stance more so than Hugo Lloris, who has recently returned to the lineup.

How did Hugo Lloris play vs Brighton?

Although Saturday did not represent the Frenchman’s poorest display in a Spurs shirt, he continues to inspire little faith in his defenders with an ever-erratic style of goalkeeping.

Not for the first time did the 36-year-old come charging out from a corner only to get a weak fist onto the ball, narrowly avoiding another embarrassing mistake to add to the four that have led to a goal already this season.

His performance earned him a 6.7 rating, making just three saves and one high claim. However, it was the distribution of the £100k-per-week stopper that truly let him down. The ageing 'keeper would maintain an abysmal 45% pass accuracy, completing just 14 passes. Only three of the 20 long balls attempted actually found a man too, as per Sofascore.

As the modern-day goalkeeper evolves, constantly demanding more from them to contribute to the build-up, Lloris only gets left even further behind.

It was even a surprise to see him so quickly displace Fraser Forster, considering the gulf in quality hardly merits such a rapid recall.

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Not only this, but those aforementioned VAR calls also bailed out the captain, with Alexis Mac Allister's deflection “bamboozling” the Frenchman, as per journalist Tom Barclay, for the Seagulls’ second disallowed strike.

This summer marks a huge one for Daniel Levy, who must get plenty right to ensure his outfit does not continue to stagnate.

Whilst a new manager will be top of his priorities, perhaps following that, with the transfer war chest he will likely have to promise, some funds could be invested into finally displacing Lloris this summer.

League leaders Celtic return to Scottish Premiership action away to Dundee United later today, with Ange Postecoglou’s side hoping to restore their nine-point advantage at the top of the table with victory over Liam Fox’s men.

The Old Firm giants head into that meeting at Tannadice off the back of a thumping 5-0 victory at home to Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup last weekend, with that emphatic result ensuring that the Parkhead outfit are firmly in the mix on all three domestic fronts.

The Hoops will also be buoyed by their impressive record against the Tangerines so far this season, having run out 9-0 and 4-2 winners, respectively, in their previous two meetings earlier in the campaign.

Looking to secure yet another triumph this time around, here’s how Football FanCast predicts that the Scottish champions will line up:

(4-3-3) – (GK) Hart; (RB) Johnston, (CB) Carter-Vickers, (CB) Kobayashi, (LB) Taylor, (CDM) McGregor, (CM) Mooy, (CM), Hatate; (RW) Abada, (ST) Oh, (LW) Maeda.

The Glasgow side have been handed a major boost for today’s encounter with both Greg Taylor and Cameron Carter-Vickers likely to be in contention after returning to training this week, with the only significant injury absentee set to be that of full-back Anthony Ralston once again.

With that in mind, we predict that Postecoglou will make four changes from the side that claimed victory a week ago, with the aforementioned defensive duo of Taylor and Carter-Vickers set to be reinstated in the backline, in place of Alexandro Bernabei and Carl Starfelt.

Although the latter man has been a regular fixture in the side of late – with the Swedish machine having previously been described as “immense” by journalist Josh Bunting – there may well be a desire to see the returning Carter-Vickers line up alongside January arrival, Yuki Kobayashi.

As for the midfield, the experienced duo of Callum McGregor and Aaron Mooy – who has been described as a “key contributor” by his manager – could well be joined by Reo Hatate, with Scotland international David Turnbull the man to give way.

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Ahead of that creative trio, Postecoglou may well see the wisdom in handing recent addition Oh Hyeon-gyu a debut outing from the start, with the “hungry” 6 foot 1 asset – as lauded by his new boss – no doubt hoping to make an instant impression for the Bhoys through the middle.

That introduction could allow top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi the chance to earn a well-earned rest, while the dynamic duo of Daizen Maeda and Liel Abada are likely to keep their places on the flanks.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Memphis Depay to north London in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte will monitor the Netherlands centre-forward during the Qatar World Cup, before deciding whether or not they will make a move for the 28-year-old this winter.

The report goes on to state that the striker is available to sign in the January market and could even be allowed to leave Barcelona on a free transfer, while the striker himself is believed to be open to a return to the Premier League.

“Unreal”

While it is true that injuries have limited Depay to just three outings for Barcelona so far this season, considering just how impressive the Dutchman was for Xavi’s side in 2021/22, the argument that the 28-year-old would be an unreal signing on a free transfer is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his 28 LaLiga appearances last time out, the £22m-rated forward was in astonishing form in the final third, scoring 12 goals, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.2 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £174k-per-week talent who Liam Canning dubbed “unreal” average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.26, not only ranking him as the Catalan club’s fourth-best performer in the league but also as the joint tenth-best player in the top flight of Spanish football as a whole.

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Furthermore, with the 81-cap international being able to operate from attacking midfield, as a support striker, on either wing and as a centre-forward, Depay’s extremely impressive positional versatility would also appear to make him something of a perfect fit for either of Conte’s 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 set-ups at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

As such, should the Dutchman prove in Qatar that he still has what it takes to perform at the highest level, it would look to be an extremely wise decision for Paratici to launch a move for the 28-year-old this winter, as Depay would undoubtedly make an unreal addition to Tottenham’s current attacking options.