Tag Futebol

It's a great time to be an Arsenal fan at the moment.

After a weekend of thrilling Premier League action, Mikel Arteta's side find themselves atop the table once more, and to make things even better, they're just a game away from the Champions League quarter finals.

The north Londoners are a world away from the team that used to struggle to finish in the top four, thanks to some brilliant transfer business and the promotion of talented youth stars like Bukayo Saka.

For example, it wasn't long ago that one of the biggest flops in the club's recent history earned a higher base salary than the Hale End gem and provided very little in return.

Bukayo Saka's salary at Arsenal

The talismanic youngster made his full debut for Arsenal on December 13th, 2018, at just 17 years old, in a Europa League clash against Qarabag FK.

In the five and a half years since, the Ealing-born gem has made 215 appearances for the Gunners, scoring 54 goals, providing 55 assists, and playing everywhere from left-back to right-wing.

Right-Wing

85

30

24

0.63

Right-Midfield

55

18

16

0.61

Left-Midfield

35

4

8

0.34

Left-Back

21

1

5

0.28

Left-Wing

8

0

1

0.12

Central-Midfield

7

1

1

0.28

While the "incredible" youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has been wowing fans since he first pulled on that red and white shirt, his performances over the last two campaigns have been truly exceptional – some might even say world-class.

Last year, the 5 foot 10 wizard scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 appearances, whereas this season, he has already scored 16 goals and registered 15 assists in just 36 games, making his recent £195k-per-week contract incredibly easy to justify for the club.

That said, it's still a serious investment from the Gunners and means the 22-year-old has the fifth-highest base salary at the club, although just a few years ago, there was someone on even more who made little to no impact on the team.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan's salary at Arsenal

Yes, the player in question is none other than Armenian superstar Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who, along with Alexis Sanchez, was a part of arguably the worst swap deal in Premier League history in January 2018.

The Yerevan-born midfielder was a talented player at Manchester United, but he could never replicate the immense output the Chilean managed in London.

That said, in his first six months in red and white, the then-29-year-old managed a respectable return of three goals and six assists in just 17 games, although that was as good as it got for the former Borussia Dortmund star.

The following year saw his output take a hit as he scored six goals and provided seven assists in 39 games, meaning he averaged 0.33 goal involvements per match, which would be fine for a youngster or squad player, but not someone on £200k-per-week – which made him the second-highest earner at Arsenal.

Total Wages

£16.6m

Appearances

59

Cost per Appearance

£281k

Goals

9

Cost per Goal

£1.8m

Assists

13

Cost per Assist

£1.2m

Goal Involvements

22

Cost per Goal Involvement

£754k

With the move not working out, the club sent the 5 foot 10 midfielder on loan to AS Roma for the 2019/20 season before letting him leave for free the following year.

In all, the 35-year-old spent 83 weeks earning £200k as an Arsenal player, meaning that his total cost to the club was around £16.6m, or £1.8m-per-goal, or £754k-per-goal-involvement, making it hard to describe the transfer as anything other than a failure.

West Ham are "very serious" about signing one club's £15 million star who could end up making a "very, very good" move to east London, according to pundit Carlton Palmer.

Moyes under pressure as new contract delayed

All the noise at West Ham right now is surrounding manager David Moyes and his future at the club.

ExWHUemployee shares Moyes update after speaking to people within West Ham

The Hammers have been linked with a new manager.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 21, 2024

Winless in 2024, the Hammers fanbase is growing increasingly impatient with Moyes despite them winning the UEFA Europa Conference League last May and qualifying for Europe in each of his full campaigns.

While the aforementioned is true, West Ham also flirted with relegation to the Championship last term, and there have been some complaints over Moyes' dogmatic style of play – which isn't exactly easy on the eye.

14th

22/23

6th

21/22

7th

20/21

16th

19/20

Supporters were seen holding "Moyes out" banners during their 2-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, and it is believed West Ham are looking at alternative managers, should results get any worse.

It will be interesting to see exactly who is in the West Ham dugout this summer, and who the club could bring in to back him.

West Ham "very serious about signing" Hayden Hackney

Indeed, technical director Tim Steidten will need to turn his attention to the transfer market once Moyes' future is resolved, and pundit Palmer says West Ham really want to sign Middlesbrough starlet Hayden Hackney.

The Englishman, who's made 21 second-tier appearances for Boro this season, could end up costing them around £15 million.

“West Ham, amongst other Premier League clubs, are very serious about signing Middlesbrough’s young star Hayden Hackney,” Palmer told Football League World.

“Hayden’s been blighted by injury this season, which has hampered his season somewhat. But he has done very, very well in now being selected for the England U21s.

“With Middlesbrough’s lack of consistency this season, it’s going to be difficult for them to overhaul a seven-point deficit to at least get in the play-offs. So, it is a feeling that Hayden will leave Middlesbrough in the summer for pastures new. Certainly, he will be going to the Premier League, and it’s believed, although he’s had a dip in form, that Middlesbrough would be looking to expect a fee of £12m to 15m.

“Obviously, it’s always difficult to see whether a player can step up to the Premier League, but he’s a young lad with plenty, plenty of ability, and that has earned him a call-up to the England U21s. So, yes I think should Middlesbrough not get promoted this season, we could see Hayden Hackney leaving.

“You look at a club like West Ham, would he get a chance to play at West Ham? Probably more likely to break through into West Ham’s first team than one of the bigger clubs, so yes that could be a very, very good move for the player.”

Chelsea are thought to be eyeing up a summer move for one Premier League player, with the Blues impressed with what they’ve seen.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues, under Todd Boehly, have splashed the cash in recent years, however, it hasn’t had the desired effect on the pitch under a number of different managers.

Mauricio Pochettino is the latest boss to struggle at Stamford Bridge, with the most recent disappointment coming in the EFL Cup final loss to Liverpool.

Chelsea eyeing move for "unique" new manager to replace Pochettino

The Blues know his club well.

ByCharlie Smith Mar 6, 2024

The FA Cup is the last remaining chance of silverware for the Blues, who already seem to be looking to the summer for further reinforcements.

A new striker appears to be of interest, with Napoli’s Victor Osimhen a target, however, Manchester United appear to be rivalling the Blues for the Nigeria international.

Meanwhile, AC Milan winger Rafael Leao is also on the club’s radar, seen as a possible replacement for Raheem Sterling, should the latter depart Stamford Bridge.

However, attacking additions aren’t the club’s only priority heading into the 2024/25 season, with further signings at the back also on the cards.

Chelsea looking at Antonee Robinson move

According to sources close to GiveMeSport, Chelsea are thought to be "seriously interested" in signing Fulham defender Antonee Robinson, with a new left-back to rival Ben Chilwell their top priority.

In fact, those at Stamford Bridge have been scouting the left-back ‘for the past year' and have been impressed by a number of aspects of his game. Chelsea like his attacking mindset and pace, whereas they also feel his defensive duties have improved and that Robinson has 'good recovery traits'.

As a result, Chelsea are weighing up a summer move and believe he should be valued at £35m, although Liverpool have also been linked alongside interest elsewhere.

Liverpool 4-3 Fulham

8.62/10

Fulham 3-1 AFC Bournemouth

8.28/10

Everton 1-1* Fulham

7.69/10

Fulham 5-0 West Ham

7.52/10

Crystal Palace 0-0 Fulham

7.49/10

Robinson has gone from strength to strength since joining Fulham from Wigan Athletic back in 2020 and is now valued at a career-high €20m by Transfermarkt.

The 26-year-old, who can also turn out as a left midfielder if needed, has made 140 appearances for Fulham, becoming a regular under Marco Silva, while also winning 39 caps for the USA. He was hailed by journalist Alexandre Gangue-Ruzic during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Robinson has been Fulham’s second-best performer behind Joao Palhinha during the current campaign, as per WhoScored, and came in for praise in December from Silva, who said after a defeat at Liverpool:

"What a performance from him, he was at a high, high level. I am pleased for him because some games before, he probably wasn't at his best, so it has been good to see him react."

Sunderland are reportedly interested in appointing an "incredible" former Premier League manager, as they search for Michael Beale's long-term successor at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland manager latest

Beale was sacked by the Black Cats on Monday, despite only taking charge of 12 matches after arriving back in December, with the job he was doing not deemed good enough by the board. Sunderland were beaten 2-1 away to Birmingham City last weekend, which proved to be the straw that broke the camel's back, especially after the Englishman seemingly ignored a handshake with Trai Hume as he left the field.

The hunt is now on for the Championship side to find a new long-term manager, with Mike Dodds named as interim boss until the end of the season.

A move for Will Still could be possible, with the 31-year-old having a release clause at Reims that means he may leave this summer, but another name has also been thrown into the hat.

Sunderland eyeing Steve Cooper

According to a report from TEAMtalk, Sunderland are eyeing a move for Steve Cooper, with the Welshman sacked by Nottingham Forest earlier in the season.

"Steve Cooper is also out of work after leaving Nottingham Forest. He missed out on the Crystal Palace job despite links, as they have appointed Austrian coach Oliver Glasner to take over from the departing Roy Hodgson.

"Cooper will likely be keen to re-gain his Premier League status and wait for the correct opportunity, but a club the size of Sunderland holds a lot of potential that sources say could be of interest to Cooper."

England Under-16s

2014-2015

England Under-17s

2015-2019

Swansea City

2019-2021

Nottingham Forest

2021-2023

Cooper could be a brilliant high-profile appointment if Sunderland manage to pull it off, considering he has only recently been in the Premier League, doing a superb job with Forest for much of the time. Sam Allardyce was certainly impressed with what he saw, saying of the 44-year-old recently:

"Steve is one of the only managers to say he has too many players. Dealing with that can distract your focus. You want to keep them all involved and use them if you can and see what they’ve got, but ultimately, it’s a very tough decision. Steve has done an incredible job dealing with these issues as well as getting good results."

Cooper, who shares the same agency as Trai Hume, Anthony Patterson and Patrick Roberts, has genuine pedigree that would make him such an eye-catching arrival at the Stadium of Light, not least because he won the Under-17s World Cup with England back in 2017, in a side that featured the likes of Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho.

Sunderland flop was compared to Zidane, now he's worse than Ba

This Sunderland signing was boldly compared to Zinedine Zidane before joining.

ByKelan Sarson Feb 19, 2024

The former Swansea City boss is a manager who likes to adopt a ball-playing approach, which will no doubt appeal to Sunderland fans – he is known to prefer an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation – but if a Premier League offer arrives, that could act as a problem for the Black Cats, making this one to watch.

انتقد روي كين أسطورة مانشستر يونايتد، ميكيل أرتيتا، المدير الفني الإسباني لفريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي آرسنال، بعد انتقاده للتحكيم عقب الخسارة ضد مانشستر سيتي.

آرسنال لعب شوط كامل أمام مانشستر سيتي بـ10 لاعبين وحافظ على تقدمه حتى الوقت القاتل، قبل أن يخطف جون ستونز نقطة هامة لأصحاب الأرض.

وبعد المباراة، هاجم ميكيل أرتيتا التحكيم، مشيرًا إلى أن نفس السبب الذي أدى لطرد تروسارد بالإنذار الثاني، لم يتسبب في حصول دوكو على بطاقة صفراء، بعدما ركل الكرة.

بعد المباراة علق روي كين في تصريحاته عبر شبكة “سكاي” البريطانية: “يخرج المديرون الفنيون كل أسبوع ويقولون إن كل القرارات ضدهم، يجب عليهم أن يتقبلوا الأمر”.

وأضاف: “في قرارة نفسه، سيكون راضيًا بنقطة واحدة، لكنه لم يظهر القليل من اللباقة باعتباره مدربًا لفريق كبير، كان يستحق البطاقة الحمراء، ما فعله على خط التماس كان مبالغًا فيه”.

وأكمل: “لقد انتهى الأمر، على أرتيتا أن يتناول الدواء ويمضي قدمًا، والأهم أن يظهر بعض الأناقة في تصريحاته”.

واختتم: “يجب أن يتعلم كل مدرب بأن بعض اللاعبين يقومون بأشياء سخيفة على أرض الملعب، يجب أن يظهروا بعض الأناقة بقولهم إن اللاعب منح الحكم فرصة لطرده، وليس الحديث عن التحكيم”.

Four wickets in 12 balls puts Hampshire back in command on rain-affected day

Paul Edwards at Headingley27-May-2019

Fidel Edwards summoned a Hampshire response•Getty Images

Fidel Edwards is 37 years old. He can also be rather a taciturn fellow. But neither of these things was of much moment this afternoon as the West Indian took four wickets in 12 balls to help dismiss Yorkshire for 188 on a day which might otherwise have been remembered primarily for its delayed start, its five interruptions and the stately gavotte of the covers.Edwards is still capable of bowling at a decent lick. He does not need to pepper batsmen with bouncers although he spices his overs with the short stuff to prevent opponents thinking they can play him off the front foot with impunity. But his greatest strengths remain his accuracy and his ability to generate pace with a low slingy action.Yorkshire were already modestly placed on 170 for 5 when Edwards was called into the attack from the Kirkstall Lane End just before half-past-five on this first evening. But half an hour later their innings was in total ruin. Jonny Tattersall was tempted to nibble at one which moved a little off the seam and was caught behind for 14. Next over Edwards accounted for David Willey when the all-rounder who was last week omitted from England’s World Cup squad attempted one drive over the top too many and was caught at mid-on by Keith Barker for 34.Willey’s dismissal was a vital breakthrough for Hampshire. The Yorkshire batsman had been given a warm welcome by the Headingley crowd and, as if intent on showing England what they were missing, had hit six powerful boundaries. It is no wonder his services are still highly valued by Yorkshire officials, quite regardless of the interest apparently shown by Warwickshire last week.But Edwards claimed his scalp and followed this success five balls later by bowling Steve Patterson for a duck with a trademark full-length delivery. Ben Coad suffered the same fate in the next over and thus Edwards finished with season’s best figures of 5 for 49, the 25th five-wicket haul of his long career. “Fidel blew some toes off,” said James Fuller later.Yet Fuller, too, deserves credit for his contribution on a day when Hampshire did not greatly miss Kyle Abbott, who was ruled out of this match with a slight calf strain. Indeed, despite losing the toss and making a sluggish start against the Yorkshire openers, Harry Brook and Adam Lyth, Fuller and Barker were soon making the sort of breakthroughs their team needed on a wicket where the ball regularly nipped around. Left-arm seamer Barker produced good balls to take the edges of both Adam Lyth and Gary Ballance’s bats and those successes followed the departure of Harry Brook, who inside-edged Edwards on to his stumps in the eighth over.The loss of three wickets in 45 minutes after lunch was followed by Yorkshire’s most encouraging cricket of the day as Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Jack Leaning put on 51 runs in 21 careful overs and took the score to 116 for 3 before Leaning edged Fuller to Ajinkya Rahane at slip. Then Kohler-Cadmore, who had produced the pleasantest batting of the day, twice driving Fuller down the ground for four, was yorked by the former Gloucestershire and Middlesex seamer for 45. It was an innings which promised rather more than it delivered but the promise, in Kohler-Cadmore’s case, should be enough to excite Yorkshire supporters at this early stage of the season.The rest of the day belonged almost exclusively to Edwards and the Hampshire attack. One doubts Mason Crane got near to bowling an over. Yorkshire gained a late boost when Oli Soames was leg before to Ben Coad when only five balls were left in a day from which 27 overs had been trimmed by showers which were never far away. And yes, the shape of this game has yet to become clear. But Hampshire can be satisfied with their efforts and Edwards can sleep well this evening.

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Aston Villa secured a wonderful comeback win against Brentford on the weekend to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to six games after they last suffered a loss against Nottingham Forest at the beginning of November.

Unai Emery’s men have also secured qualification to the Europa Conference League knockout stages and this season could certainly be one to remember if they manage to maintain this current form.

With continental football over until March, the Spaniard will now be focusing on the top flight and if the Midlands side defeat Sheffield United on Friday evening, they will jump to top spot in the table.

If Liverpool and Arsenal draw on the 23rd, Villa will be top at Christmas for the first time since 1998, yet even being in the top four is an incredible achievement.

The Blades are bottom of the table and this could suggest Emery makes a few changes to his starting XI from the tie against Brentford.

Latest Aston Villa transfer news: Unai eyes £40m deal; Saudi club want star

It’s a huge summer for Aston Villa and Unai Emery as they prepare for the Champions League.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2024

With this in mind, we at Football FanCast predict what team the former Arsenal boss will pick tomorrow evening…

1 GK – Emiliano Martínez

No surprise to see the Argentinian continue to start in the Premier League as he has missed just one match in the top flight this campaign.

He will be looking for only his fifth clean sheet against Sheffield Utd, however, and this could go a long way to securing three points.

2 CB – Ezri Konsa

Emery deployed a 3-5-2 formation against the Bees, and it did the trick during their 2-1 victory, and he will use this tactic again.

Konsa has featured in 25 matches this season, and he is becoming a key part of Emery’s side as they chase glory.

3 CB – Diego Carlos

The Brazilian has recovered from a tough debut season in the Midlands to playing a major role in Villa’s resurgence under Emery.

He made just three appearances last term due to suffering a serious injury in August 2022, but has regained fitness and has made eight league starts thus far.

4 CB – Pau Torres

The Spaniard retains his place from the weekend victory, and it means Emery will keep the back three as it was ahead of the tie against the Blades.

Signed from Villarreal in the summer, Torres has started every single Premier League game after coming on for the injured Tyrone Mings during the first game of the season against Newcastle United and has turned into one of the best signings of the summer.

5 RM – Leon Bailey

Matty Cash didn’t enjoy the best of games against the Bees as he was forced into a more advanced role. The defender missed a big chance, succeeded with just one dribble and won just two ground duels, and he should well be dropped for the game tomorrow.

Bailey will replace him and the former Bayer Leverkusen winger has been in wonderful form this term. He has scored eight goals and grabbed eight assists in just 23 matches so far and his presence on the right could give Villa a greater attacking threat from the wing.

6 CM – John McGinn

The Scot was rested against Zrinjski but came on with 30 minutes remaining – notching an assist – and he will continue his streak of starting every single league tie this term on Friday evening.

With four goals and two assists in the Premier League, the 29-year-old offers an attacking threat from the midfield area and this could be crucial as the season goes on.

7 CM – Douglas Luiz

Boubacar Kamara is suspended for the Blades clash having picked up a red card on the weekend and this will mean Luiz returns to the starting XI following his own suspension.

The Brazilian has been in sensational form this term, registering ten goal contributions from the heart of the midfield and with interest coming from Arsenal regarding a potential January swoop, Emery has placed a £100m price tag on him.

Hailed as “outstanding” by writer Martin Laurence back in 2021, the 25-year-old has gone from strength to strength and is a huge asset to Villa.

8 CM – Jacob Ramsey

The academy graduate keeps his place from the win over Brentford and this completes the central midfield trio for Villa.

The 22-year-old has suffered a stop-start first few months of the season due to injury issues and has made only one league start during 2023/24, but this will change tomorrow evening against the Blades.

He is scoreless since netting against Brighton back in September, but a clash against the bottom club in the league presents a wonderful opportunity for the youngster.

9 LM – Alex Moreno

Like Ramsey, Moreno has also suffered his own injury issues and made his first appearance of the season against Legia Warsaw at the end of November, and he even scored the winner.

Operating in a more advanced role against Brentford, the left-back managed to get on the scoresheet once again, and he will retain his place ahead of the clash against the Blades.

10 ST – Moussa Diaby

The Frenchman has tended to be deployed in a more central role during his league appearances this term and while he hasn’t quite lived up to the vast expectations upon his arrival in the summer, the 24-year-old has still scored four times and grabbed five assists.

Emery will likely continue to persevere with him in an advanced role, and he will partner Ollie Watkins against Chris Wilder's side.

Glasgow giants Celtic are looking to make it back-to-back wins in the Scottish Premiership as they play host to Hibernian at Parkhead this evening.

The Hoops are top of the league and eight points clear of their closest rivals heading into tonight's matches, which means that their lead could stretch into double digits if results go their way, albeit having played one game more.

They have only won two of their last five outings in all competitions and one in their last three, with tonight's clash a chance to change that.

It was far from a perfect performance last time out against St. Johnstone as the hosts had a surprise lead at half time through a scrappy goal from close range by forward Diallang Jaiyesimi.

However, brilliant second half goals from Callum McGregor, who scored a terrific strike from range to make it 1-1, Matt O'Riley, and James Forrest secured all three points for the league leaders.

Brendan Rodgers and his side are now heading into a busy festive period of fixtures and could look to utilise his squad whilst dealing with any fitness and injury issues he has to contend with.

Celtic team news

The Bhoys head coach has revealed that Luis Palma is fine and available for selection after he appeared to come off with an injury on Sunday.

Rodgers has confirmed that the Honduras international, who has plundered four goals and five assists in seven Premiership starts, has not suffered a hamstring strain and that it was simply a case of cramp.

The Northern Irish tactician has also praised the competition within his squad and suggested that there will be opportunities for the players currently on the bench and out of the matchday squads to work their way into his thinking for a starting XI place.

Marco Tilio has only made one appearance for Celtic this season after dealing with an injury after his summer move and Rodgers has stated that he is back in training and fighting to get back into the mix.

Celtic may already have their dream Maeda heir in "phenomenal" 5 ft 7 whiz

The summer signing is yet to make his first-team debut for the Hoops this season.

By
Dan Emery

Nov 23, 2023

Wingers Liel Abada and Daizen Maeda have also returned to training this week after their respective injuries but they could need to wait for future fixtures to be back in action as they look to return to full fitness after time away from the pitch.

With the potential inclusion of fringe players to deal with fixture congestion, Rodgers must now unleash Hyeon-gyu Oh from the start and move Kyogo Furuhashi to a new role in reaction to his recent poor form in front of goal.

Kyogo Furuhashi's season in numbers

The Japan international's performances under the Northern Irish boss have been disappointing in comparison to his showings under Ange Postecoglou over the previous two seasons.

Celtic's star forward won the PFA Scotland Men's Player of the Year award for the 2022/23 campaign as he plundered goals at an incredible rate.

Kyogo racked up 27 goals and two assists in 31 Premiership starts last term, having scored 12 times in 16 league starts the previous season, which was an average of one goal every 1.15 starts.

Statistic	Kyogo in 22/23 Premiership (via Sofascore)
Appearances	36
Sofascore rating	7.11
Goals	27
Assists	Two
Big chances missed	16

However, the 28-year-old marksman's form at the top end of the pitch as he has produced six goals in 15 league appearances and 14 starts during the current campaign.

This means that the Japanese ace has managed one goal every 2.33 starts on average in the Scottish top-flight so far this season for the Hoops.

It has not been down to a lack of service coming his way from his teammates, though, as the former Vissel Kobe star has missed seven 'big chances' in those 15 outings.

Kyogo scored 11 more goals than he missed 'big chances' last term, in comparison to having spurned one more chance than he has scored this time around.

He has only scored one goal in his last eight matches in all competitions and has not been able to offer physicality and a presence to make up for his lack of goals.

The Celtic whiz has lost 79% of his aerial duels and only won 1.6 duels – of any kind – in his 15 Premiership appearances throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

This shows that the 5 foot 7 centre-forward has not been able to provide a presence for Celtic at the top end of the pitch, which is why Rodgers could move him into a new role by unleashing Oh ahead of one of the midfielders.

The 6 foot 1 Celtic striker could lead the line and that would allow Kyogo to drop into a number ten or second striker role alongside or behind the South Korea international.

David Turnbull, who failed to score or create any chances from the start against St. Johnstone, could make way to open the space for a new-look front two to be formed.

Hyeon-gyu Oh's season in numbers

The 22-year-old whiz has only started one of his 12 Premiership appearances so far this season but has made a positive impact off the bench.

Oh has contributed with three goals and only missed three 'big chances' in those 12 outings, after a return of six goals in 16 matches and three starts during the second half of last term.

Crucially, though, he has been able to win 1.6 duels per match and 41% of his aerial battles – despite averaging 31 minutes per game, which is significantly less playing time than Kyogo's 73 minutes per clash.

This suggests that Oh, who has scored two goals in his last three league outings, could cause more problems for opposition defenders with his physicality and offer Celtic a better outlet to play up to when they are under pressure due to his strength and aerial ability.

The South Korean dynamo, who was once hailed as an "improving" talent by South Korean hero Jung-won Seo, could lead the line and do the dirty work to then allow Kyogo to float about and focus solely on doing damage when the ball drops in dangerous areas in-and-around the box.

Therefore, Rodgers could unleash the Japan international in a new role as a second striker or number ten by bringing Oh in to start as the team's number nine.

Glasgow Rangers will be hoping to take confidence from their recent run of three Scottish Premiership victories in a row into the Europa League clash against Real Betis on Thursday evening.

The Gers have secured European football after Christmas, but it remains to be seen what competition they will feature in.

A win against Betis will ensure they remain in the Europa League, but anything less coupled with a Sparta Prague win over Aris Limassol will mean they drop into the Europa Conference League.

Philippe Clement will surely aim to win every match he takes charge of, yet he has some decisions to make, especially with a crucial League Cup final coming up against Aberdeen on Sunday.

With this in mind, he could make a few changes to his last starting XI in the 3-1 win over Dundee for the trip to Seville.

We at Football FanCast have predicted the lineup that Belgian could choose for the last group stage match of the campaign on Thursday evening, with two possible alterations from the weekend.

1 GK – Jack Butland

The ever-reliable Englishman has not missed a match this term and this seems unlikely to end anytime soon.

Butland has made some big saves during European ties against PSV Eindhoven and Sparta Prague this season and his performances domestically have arguably kept the Gers within touching distance of Celtic in the chase for the title.

With 13 clean sheets in 28 matches, the former Crystal Palace shot-stopper will be aiming for his 14th against the La Liga side.

2 RB – James Tavernier

The captain scored and grabbed an assist during the previous league match against Dundee on the weekend and he will be hoping to break his goalless run in the Europa League on Thursday.

The 32-year-old has yet to register a goal contribution during the group stage this season, but this could be a good omen. As during the run to the 2022 Europa League final, Tavernier failed to score during the group stage before finishing as the top scorer in the competition.

3 CB – Connor Goldson

The Englishman was rested by Clement during the clash against the Dens Park outfit on Saturday in preparation for the two upcoming matches.

That was just the third match Goldson has missed all season, yet the breather may have done him the world of good.

The 6 foot 3 titan could be unleashed against Betis and Aberdeen over the next four days, and he could be integral to Clement with his towering presence at the back.

4 CB – John Souttar

Leon Balogun was not included in the Europa League squad by Michael Beale and this means Souttar could be unleashed from the start on Thursday.

The Scot played the whole game against Dundee and, while he has missed a few ties this term due to a niggling injury, it appears as though he is back to full fitness just as the fixtures are coming thick and fast.

5 LB – Borna Barisic

Like Balogun, Ridvan Yilmaz was also left out of the aforementioned squad for the group stages and this looks like a bigger mistake with every passing game.

This means Barisic will start his fifth group stage clash of the season, although he has yet to register an assist during those matches.

With his contract expiring in a few months, the Croatian defender will need to impress Clement if he has any ambition of securing an extended deal.

6 CM – John Lundstram

The 29-year-old ace has returned to form this season and is fast becoming one of the few players Clement can depend on, as he has started every single match since the Belgian tactician took over.

He will be hoping to have another commanding performance in the middle of the pitch that gives the Light Blues the best chance of securing a victory and a chance to repeat their heroics from 2022 in the process.

7 CM – Jose Cifuentes

The midfielder hasn’t quite hit the ground running during his spell in Scotland yet, however, there is still time for him to establish himself in the centre of the pitch.

The Ecuadorian was sent off against Dundee and, despite the club appealing the decision, Cifuentes will now miss the League Cup final and the Premiership clash with St Johnstone.

This means Clement will unleash him alongside Lundstram, yet he will face a selection headache for the following two matches.

8 RW – Ross McCausland

The youngster was dropped to the bench during the 3-1 win over Dundee, but he came on for the second half.

Rabbi Matondo was the one who replaced him in the starting XI, yet the Welsh winger will drop to the bench for the European tie as Clement may look to keep him fresh for the final on Sunday.

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This gives McCausland a chance to shine once again in Europe, as it was on this stage that he netted his first goal for the club during the tie against Aris.

9 AM – Todd Cantwell

Since being taken off after just 36 minutes during the previous continental game, Cantwell has knuckled down and showcased his talents by being deployed in his more favoured number ten position.

The Englishman has found the back of the net just once during the current campaign and there would be no better week than this one for him to add a couple more.

10 LW – Abdallah Sima

The 22-year-old is another player who Clement can depend upon to be fit for every match as he has started every single match under the 49-year-old thus far.

Not only that, but the winger has scored four goals during that time and this has taken his tally to 13 for the entire campaign.

If he can add to this total during the next couple of matches, the Gers will stand a solid chance of winning both games.