Leeds United have had a difficult Premier League season, with struggles to perform on the pitch and managerial changes aplenty, which has ultimately led to the threat of relegation to the Championship growing by the week.

The Whites have just two league fixtures remaining to retain their top-flight status as they are currently two points inside the relegation zone and recently appointed Sam Allardyce will be desperate to deliver a positive climax to a stressful season for the supporters.

Andrea Radrizzani and the powerbrokers at Elland Road will be feeling the pressure this summer after failing to put together a successful recruitment strategy to comfortably compete in the Premier League, while reckless decisions combined with their poor planning will ultimately be pinpointed should Leeds be relegated next weekend.

Indeed, the club did make an ambitious effort to replace key players like Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips in the summer, and in the attacking department, newcomers like Wilfried Gnonto and Luis Sinisterra have shown promising signs, however, the same can't be said for some of the midfield personnel acquired.

USMNT's World Cup star Tyler Adams was brought in to replace Phillips, signing a five-year deal at Elland Road last summer and becoming a revelation in the centre of the pitch, but a season-ending hamstring injury in March has left Leeds to rely on his less than impressive international teammate, Weston McKennie.

Will Leeds sign Weston McKennie permanently?

The 24-year-old Juventus midfielder was a warmly welcomed signing in the January transfer window, joining the West Yorkshire club for the rest of the season to add some depth in midfield.

However, McKennie has not had the desired impact whilst occupying a spot in the heart of the Leeds team since the turn of the year and has struggled to make the difference desperately needed to get Leeds out of trouble.

Over 17 Premier League appearances, the American liability has failed to complete the majority of his duels (57%) and offered no goal contributions so far, as well as averaging just 24.6 accurate passes, 0.6 successful dribbles and losing possession of the ball 11.2 times per game.

Not only that, McKennie has been the recipient of a lot of criticism for his displays in a Leeds shirt, with Sky Sports commentator Joe Blitz slamming the player for his performance against Fulham last month:

“It’s such a poor pass out from McKennie which Tete intercepts. And an even worse challenge. Very reckless,” said Blitz.

“He is not quite flavour of the month with the Leeds support due to a couple of high-profile errors leading to goals. That won’t help his cause.

“A lot more was expected from him when he arrived from Juventus in January.”

It is reported that the club have an option to complete the permanent signing of McKennie for £30m this summer, but with the club in such a precarious position in the Premier League, it seems unlikely that a deal is something that would make sense at this moment in time.

With that being said, when considering the transfer fee and salary commitments alongside the midfielder's lacklustre performances, it would also make little sense to commit to a permanent deal – and instead, Radrizzani should be focusing his efforts on finding new additions who can improve the team next season.

Glasgow Rangers followed up their impressive Old Firm derby win last weekend with a 3-1 win over Hibernian away from home on Sunday in the Scottish Premiership.

The Light Blues led 1-0 at half-time thanks to a stunning free-kick from captain James Tavernier. He shaped to cross the ball into the box before whipping a strike into the top corner, which caught out David Marshall at his near post.

Romanian international Ianis Hagi then made it 2-0 in the 55th minute as the attacking midfielder rebounded his own blocked shot to rifle a strike into the bottom corner from just inside the box.

Todd Cantwell completed the scoring for Rangers in the 86th minute. The Englishman followed in after Marshall's save from Tavernier and slotted the rebound into the back of the net before Paul Hanlon scored a consolation goal in stoppage time.

There were a number of impressive performers on the day for Michael Beale and one player who stood out alongside the skipper – who was involved in two of the three aforementioned goals – in a rare appearance was central defender Leon King.

How did Leon King perform against Hibernian?

The Light Blues academy graduate staked a claim for a starting position heading into next season with a composed and efficient display at the heart of the defence in his first start since November.

He was pivotal to what Rangers did, both in and out of possession, as they were able to completely dominate Hibs from start to finish.

Defensively, the 19-year-old gem could not put a foot wrong as he cruised through the game with impressive ease – as per Sofascore, the 6-foot enforcer won 100% (10/10) of his duels and made four clearances, two interceptions, and four tackles – no other Gers player won more individual battles.

King also won all six of his contests on the ground and both of his aerial duels and this shows that King was able to dominate the opposition attackers, who did not get any change out of the Scottish defender, which also increased the number of opportunities his side had to make things happen going forward.

The teenage titan was also key to what Beale's side did in possession of the ball – as per Sofascore, the 96-touch ace completed 85% (67/79) of his attempted passes, 100% (1/1) of his dribbles, and created one chance for his teammates.

This shows that the £4k-per-week tank was not a liability on the ball and was, instead, able to drive the team forward with the ball to find teammates in good positions, which then allowed them to showcase their quality in the final third.

Therefore, King's performance was exceptional at the back as the youngster was able to combine sublime defending with composure in possession to dismantle Hibernian alongside the usual protagonist in Tavernier, who himself created three chances and scored from right-back as he made a huge impact at the top end of the pitch.

Manchester United could well be closing in on their first signing of the summer transfer window, following an update in the club's pursuit of Chelsea contract rebel, Mason Mount.

What's the latest on Mount to Man United?

According to journalist Jacob Steinberg, writing on Twitter, the Red Devils are looking "increasingly likely to sign" the England international ahead of next season, with The Athletic's David Ornstein previously reporting that the 24-year-old was "leaning towards" a move to Old Trafford.

Writing in his attached piece for The Guardian, Steinberg revealed that the former Derby County loanee has already agreed personal terms with United regarding a summer switch, with it expected that Erik ten Hag's side will 'win the race' for his signature.

The report suggests that the Carabao Cup winners will have to splash out around £60m if they are to snap up the 36-cap ace in the coming weeks, despite the Portsmouth-born dynamo having just 12 months left to run on his existing deal.

Should Man United sign Mason Mount?

With Ten Hag seemingly eyeing a top-drawer midfield addition this summer, there may be some concern as to whether Mount totally fits the bill, with the Stamford Bridge sensation having typically operated in an attacking midfield role or on the flanks during his time in west London.

That being said, however, the "technical" talent – as recently praised by club legend Gary Neville – does have experience lining up in a number eight berth, having registered 14 goals and ten assists while predominantly featuring in that role during his spell on loan at Eredivisie side, Vitesse Arnhem in 2017/18 – at a time when Ten Hag was reportedly keeping watch at Ajax.

Mount's suitability for that dynamic role can also be shown by the comparisons that have made been between himself and an iconic figure of United's history, with former captain Roy Keane stating in the past that the Three Lions star is "almost like Paul Scholes" as he "plays like a kid on the street' and because "it all comes very easy for him".

That comparison bodes well for the impact that the exciting "game changer" – as hailed by writer Tom Overend – could make at the Theatre of Dreams, with Scholes having been a majestic presence at the heart of the midfield for almost two decades.

Much like Mount, the playmaker-turned-pundit began life in a more advanced role behind the centre-forward, although gradually went on to adopt a more deep-lying role later in his career, going on to be hailed the "the best midfielder of his generation" by Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola.

Also lauded as "untouchable" by French icon, Zinedine Zidane, Scholes would ultimately rack up 155 goals in 718 appearances for United in all competitions, helping Sir Alex Ferguson's side to 11 league titles, four FA Cups and two Champions League triumphs in that time, among other honours.

One notable facet of the Englishman's game was his ability to make that "killer pass" – as lauded by Sir Bobby Charlton – with Mount also sharing that probing, front-foot approach, as he ranks in the top 7% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for progressive passes.

Of course, going on to emulate a figure such as Scholes will prove some task, although the likeness between the pair should well spark much excitement among United supporters as a deal for the Blues ace looks to be ramping up.

The second match of India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand is likely to be pushed back by a day to October 20

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Sep-2016

The second match of India’s upcoming ODI series against New Zealand is likely to be pushed back by a day. According to the original schedule released by the BCCI, the day-night match was to be played on October 19 at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi. But it is now set to be played on October 20, with the BCCI having approved a request from the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) to not have it clash with the North Indian festival of .”It is a big festival in Delhi,” a senior BCCI official said. “We realised having a day-night match during the festival might be disruptive.”The selectors, meanwhile, will meet in Delhi on September 12 to choose India’s squad for the three-match Test series against New Zealand, which begins on September 22 at Green Park in Kanpur. The first Test is set to be India’s 500th Test match.New Zealand’s tour will begin with a three-day warm-up match against Mumbai from September 16 to 18. They will then play three Tests in Kanpur, Kolkata and Indore, and five ODIs in Dharamsala, Delhi, Mohali, Ranchi and Visakhapatnam.

Glasgow Rangers are closing in on their second signing of the summer, with Dujon Sterling set to be announced shortly as Michael Beale looks to get a head start on his transfer business.

What’s the latest on Dujon Sterling to Rangers?

According to one Football Insider correspondent, Rangers “are set to announce” defender Dujon Sterling as their second summer signing, with the Chelsea product the "next to join at Ibrox" on a pre-contract deal.

Beale previously worked with the youngster during his time as youth coach at the Blues and the right-back spent the whole of the 2022/23 season on loan at Championship side Stoke City.

He will follow Kieran Dowell, who signed a pre-contract agreement to join the Ibrox side from Norwich City just last week, and it appears as though the 42-year-old is trying to do the majority of his transfer business early.

Will Dujon Sterling be a good signing for Rangers?

James Tavernier looks as though he still has a few years left in the tank having ended the campaign as joint top scorer along with Antonio Colak for the Light Blues, having netted 18 goals across all competitions, adding in ten assists.

Adam Devine has been given his chance to shine on occasions this term, featuring six times in the Premiership while offering attacking qualities similar to Tavernier as he has created two big chances, averaged one key pass per game and succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, indicating he could potentially have a future as the long term heir to the 31-year-old.

Sterling may disrupt those plans, however, with Beale obviously looking for more strength in depth in that area and the Englishman could stake a claim as a solid backup option to the captain.

Defensively, Sterling has the edge over the Scotsman as he has won more duels per game (4.5 to 1.8), made more tackles (1.7 to 0.7) per match and made more interceptions (1.3 to 0.2) per outing, albeit having played more matches than the Rangers starlet.

This shows that although Devine does offer a solid attacking threat, 6 foot 1 Sterling would provide greater defensive stability and could be a more viable option heading into the future than the 20-year-old.

Stoke manager Alex Neil even lauded the defender earlier this season for his defensive abilities, saying: "Dujon, for me, is arguably one of the best one-on-one defenders I've seen. There are very few players who get past him – he is strong, powerful and determined."

Having also been celebrated as "very Michael Beale", this is an acquisition that appears to tick plenty of boxes for Gers.

Hopefully, he can make a solid impression at Ibrox with the manager looking as though he has secured another young talent for nothing, saving funds to invest in other areas of the team.

Glamorgan lost their last six wickets for just ten runs as Leicestershire pulled off an incredible victory in their Division Two Specsavers County Championship match at Grace Road

ECB Reporters Network22-Sep-2016
ScorecardCharlie Shreck took four wickets to help bundle out Glamorgan (file photo)•Getty ImagesGlamorgan lost their last six wickets for just ten runs as Leicestershire pulled off an incredible victory in their Division Two Specsavers County Championship match at Grace Road.Resuming on 11 for 1 and needing 181 to win, the visitors were wobbling when they lost two early wickets. Left-arm seamer Dieter Klein was the man responsible, swinging the ball at pace to take the edge of Jacques Rudolph’s bat before knocking Owen Morgan’s middle stump out of the ground to leave Glamorgan on 36 for 3.It should have been four, but Leicestershire dropped Will Bragg off his first ball, delivered by Klein and edged between wicketkeeper Ned Eckersley and first slip Paul Horton. Horton got his fingers to the ball, but couldn’t hang on, and it proved an expensive miss as Bragg and Aneurin Donald added 53 for the fourth wicket.Donald, who began his innings needing to score 40 to reach 1000 Championship runs for the season, was on 23 when he pushed tentatively at a Charlie Shreck outswinger and edged to second slip, but Bragg continued to make Leicestershire pay, going on to a half-century as Glamorgan lunched just 45 runs short of what would be their fourth Championship win of the season.Few could have predicted what would happen next. Clint McKay, charging in from the Bennett End seamed consecutive deliveries back in to win leg-before decisions against Kiran Carlson and then – perhaps a touch fortunately – Craig Meschede.In the following over, Mark Wallace pushed forward to Shreck and edged to Eckersley and Timm van der Gugten, deep in his crease, survived only one delivery before being pinned leg before by the veteran Cornishman.Michael Hogan drove airily and edged McKay behind the wicket, and then a despairing and desperate Bragg, who had been watching in disbelief at the other end, lofted Shreck high towards the cover boundary where Harry Dearden, making his home debut, held the calmest of catches to seal the most unlikeliest of wins.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBangladesh’s pursuit of a first Test win over England has been nothing if not absorbing. Following their narrow defeat in Chittagong, they once again fought themselves into a promising position in the second Test, leading by 128 runs and hopeful of setting England a significant fourth-innings target to chase on a wearing surface. Only Bangladesh’s recent record – and history itself – would lead you to bet against them.The second day at Mirpur highlighted their fragility, as well as the weaknesses of an England team one-and-a-half games into a seven-Test odyssey on the subcontinent. England were struggling to stay afloat after being reduced to 144 for 8 during the morning session, 19-year-old offspinner Mehedi Hasan bewitching the top order for his second consecutive six-for, before a record stand between Chris Woakes and Adil Rashid carried them into a scarcely believable first-innings lead.Bangladesh’s openers responded with a counterattack against the new ball, led by the irrepressible Tamim Iqbal, before two wickets in three balls caused another tremor. Mahmudullah’s dismissal from the last ball of the day, slogging wildly at Zafar Ansari, then took the gloss off a recovery stand of 86 with Imrul Kayes and England, mindful of the way Bangladesh plunged from 171 for 1 to 220 all out on Friday, will not have given up hope. Like one of the many tributaries flowing into the Bay of Bengal, this fluctuating match has refused to follow a set course.

Root leaves field with stomach complaint

England’s prospects of pulling off what promises to be a taxing run-chase could be dealt a blow after Joe Root was laid low by a stomach complaint on the second afternoon in Dhaka.
Root, who top-scored in England’s first innings with 56, left the ground early during Bangladesh’s second innings and is currently being assessed by the team medical staff.

The resurrection of England’s first innings, another stark reversal of fortunes, demonstrated the point. Having been eight down and 76 runs in arrears, Woakes and Rashid put on 99 together as Bangladesh visibly wilted after a dominant morning session in which they had claimed five wickets and seemingly regained control of the match.Their mettle was further tested by an off-field intervention. England had edged in front when Woakes, on 38, slapped a high full toss from Sabbir Rahman straight to midwicket but Chris Gaffaney, the TV umpire, deemed the delivery a no-ball for being above waist height – an undoubtedly harsh decision – and England went on to add another 22 runs to their total. Given that was the margin between the sides in Chittagong, it could still prove crucial.Tamim and Imrul wiped out the deficit, as momentum continued to shift and England’s spinners once again came under attack. Ansari removed Tamim for his maiden Test wicket and Ben Stokes struck in the following over but Imrul moved past 50 and was steady at the close – even if Mahmudullah was not.The Woakes-Rashid partnership was England’s highest for the ninth wicket in Asia and kept the tourists in game after another trial by spin. At lunch, England had been left sagging on the ropes and contemplating a significant first-innings deficit, despite a battling fifty from Joe Root.Woakes and Rashid were initially only focused on getting to the break, though both needed some luck to survive. Woakes was given out caught behind but successfully reviewed, while Mushfiqur Rahim’s resort to the DRS could not dislodge Rashid after the ball deflected off his body to slip. Rashid could also have been stumped when Mushfiqur dropped the ball on to the wicket but the bails stayed in place.They remained glued together for almost the entirety of the afternoon session, playing straight against the softening ball and frustrating Bangladesh’s hopes of a potentially decisive lead. After 57 overs exclusively of spin, Mushfiqur finally called on his one seamer, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, before the captain turned, slightly in desperation, to Sabbir, who ought to have had Woakes as his first Test wicket – though it was neither a shot nor a delivery to be proud of.Gaffaney’s decision further deflated Bangladesh and although Mehedi had Woakes smartly caught at leg slip by the diving Shuvagata Hom four runs short of a second Test half-century and Steven Finn did not last long, edging to Mushfiqur in the next over, the scales had tipped England’s way.On this security-heavy tour, England have become used to travelling in convoy through closed-off roads, free from the usual traffic, Dhaka’s notoriously sclerotic system bypassed. The two Tests against Bangladesh have been similarly fast-moving, the traditionally glacial progress of subcontinental cricket melting into something far-less predictable.The challenge for England was clear from the outset. Mehedi was again Bangladesh’s spin kingpin and there were already signs of the pitch offering more grip after Moeen Ali edged the third ball of the day to slip on the bounce. Fourteen runs had come from 11 deliveries in slightly frantic fashion when Moeen tried to manufacture a sweep and Mehedi slid the ball past the bottom edge to shudder off stump.During an extended morning session, which spanned almost 40 overs, on a surface that was perfectly suited to the talents of the home attack, Mushfiqur bowled his three spinners throughout. Root provided the principal roadblock to Bangladeshi ambition. He survived one tough chance to slip and many more deliveries spitting past the bat to compile his first half-century of the winter before becoming the eighth man out shortly before lunch. Having seen Taijul Islam spin the ball practically at right angles past his bat, he was defeated by the very next delivery, one that pitched in almost exactly the same spot only to zero in on leg stump.Jonny Bairstow was the only other top-order batsman to reach 20, while Ansari, the debutant at No. 8, hung in as best he could. It took a superb reaction catch from Shuvagata at gully to remove him, giving Mehedi his five-for in the process; he became only the second offspinner after Sonny Ramadhin to do so twice in his first two Test matches.Taijul might have dislodged Root on 19, but Mahmudullah failed to get more than fingertips on a thick edge that gave him little time to react as the ball diverted past Mushfiqur’s gloves. The next delivery brought the wicket of Stokes, taken at short leg for a duck, the ball spinning in sharply from over the wicket to deflect off the inside edge via the thigh pad.England were 69 for 5 and once again in need of a sixth-wicket rescue job. Bairstow provided one of sorts (these things are relative), although his 45-run association with Root was not quite enough to extend a run of 50-plus stands that had stretched back to England’s defeat to Pakistan at Lord’s in July. The Yorkshire pair were proactive in their running and watchful in defence, accepting that the ball would frequently rip past the edge but quickly resetting their sights for the next delivery.Bangladesh reviewed unsuccessfully when Root was on 33, seeking an lbw, but after their doughty association had held for 16.3 overs – by far the longest of the innings until Woakes and Rashid came together – and England were perhaps just beginning to think about parity, Bairstow played absentmindedly around Mehedi’s first ball back into the attack to be pinned in front of his stumps.

حقق روما فوزًا هامًا على نظيره فروزينوني، بثلاثية نظيفة، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن الجولة 25 من الدوري الإيطالي على ملعب بينيتو ستايربي.

تقدم دين هويسن لاعب يوفنتوس المعار لروما في الدقيقة 38، لينتهي الشوط الأول بتقدم الضيوف.

في الشوط الثاني، سجل الإيراني ساردار أزمون الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 71، ثم اختتم ثلاثية الذئاب، الأرجنتيني لياندرو باريديس من ركلة جزاء.

طالع أيضًا.. مورينيو: تمت إقالتي من روما على يد شخص يعرف القليل عن كرة القدم.. وسأعود

فوز روما هو الرابع لـ دي روسي مع الفريق في 5 مباريات، بعدما تلقى الهزيمة من إنتر في الجولة الماضية، منذ أن تولى قيادة الفريق خلفًا لـ جوزيه مورينيو يناير الماضي.

بهذه النتيجة يصبح روما في المركز السادس برصيد 41 نقطة، بينما فروزينوني يتجمد رصيده عند النقطة 23 في المركز الخامس عشر. أهداف مباراة روما وفروزينوني في الدوري الإيطالي

Tamim Iqbal can play in Chittagong Vikings’ first match of this season’s BPL, after the tournament’s member-secretary said the suspension he picked up during the Dhaka Premier League only applied to 50-over matches

Mohammad Isam04-Nov-2016Tamim Iqbal can play in Chittagong Vikings’ first match of this season’s Bangladesh Premier League. The tournament’s member-secretary Ismail Haider Mallick has said the one-match domestic suspension Tamim picked up during the Dhaka Premier League only applied to 50-over matches.”Tamim will be suspended for the next 50-overs domestic match since he was handed the punishment during the Dhaka Premier League,” Mallick said. “This [BPL] is a franchise league. If he was to be suspended, we would have mentioned it during the players’ draft. He can play tomorrow.”A three-member special committee formed by the BCB suspended and fined Tamim at the end of last season’s Dhaka Premier League for his involvement in an incident with the umpires during Abahani Limited’s match against Prime Doleshwar Sporting Club on June 13. A BCB press release dated June 22 had said that, “for breaching the code of conduct for players during the match, Abahani Limited captain Tamim Iqbal Khan has been fined BDT one lac and also suspended for one domestic tournament match”.Since Tamim hadn’t been in Chittagong Division’s National Cricket League squad last month, it seemed that his suspension would apply for his team’s first match in the BPL, since this is the first domestic tournament he has been available for since the DPL, but the BPL’s governing council has interpreted it differently.

Celtic are in the market for a new head coach as they prepare for the 2023/24 campaign after they were rocked by the loss of Ange Postecoglou this week.

The Hoops enjoyed a terrific weekend as they beat Inverness at Hampden in the Scottish FA Cup final to secure the domestic treble, after winning the double with the Australian boss last term, and it only took a few days for that joy to turn to disappointment.

Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur came calling and Postecoglou was officially confirmed as their new manager on Tuesday, as they finally landed their replacement for Italian boss Antonio Conte.

Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond and chairman Peter Lawwell, along with the rest of the board, must now appoint his successor. 90min recently reported that Brendan Rodgers, Jesse Marsch, Matthias Jaissle, and David Moyes are possible candidates.

Who is Matthias Jaissle?

Desmond could find the dream Postecoglou replacement by appointing 35-year-old RB Salzburg boss Matthias Jaissle, who has been in charge of the Austrian giants for the past two seasons.

The now-former Hoops boss is a proven winner who has been able to manage successful teams throughout his career. He has a points-per-game average of 1.92 and has won 177 of his 306 domestic league matches, while losing just 73 in his time in Australia, Japan, and Scotland.

This allowed him to be a huge success at Parkhead as the 57-year-old won 2.64 points per game across 66 regular season Scottish Premiership outings, which led to two titles for the club.

In comparison, Jaissle, whose coaching was once hailed as "top quality" by journalist Josh Bunting, has only been in senior management for three years, after spending two seasons at U18 level, but has averaged 2.47 points won per game across 103 matches in his career so far.

The young tactician has only lost three of his 63 Austrian Bundesliga fixtures with Salzburg and has won the title in both of his seasons in charge, to go along with one Austrian Cup.

These statistics show that the German, who typically deploys a 4-3-1-2 formation, knows how to instil a winning mentality and is capable of leading teams to back-to-back titles, much in the same way that Postecoglou did with Celtic before his move to Spurs this week.

Therefore, Jaissle could be the dream replacement for the Australian; he is a young, up-and-coming coach who has already shown promise as a manager who turns his teams into winning machines, something the Hoops should be looking for to continue their dominance of Scottish football.

Whilst the German boss is a young head who has not proven himself in a major European league, or in Scotland, his work at Salzburg suggests that he has the qualities required to be an excellent appointment for Celtic.