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That total was built on the back of a blazing opening stand, while the rest of the batters ensured MI maintained their momentum through the innings

Karthik Krishnaswamy30-May-2025Mumbai Indians have a 17-0 record while defending 200-plus totals in the IPL. They have set Gujarat Titans a target of 229 in the Eliminator, after posting the second-highest total in any IPL playoff game.That total was built on the back of a blazing stand of 84 between a new opening pair. Jonny Bairstow, replacing Ryan Rickelton who has left on international duty, smashed a 22-ball 47 on his debut for his third IPL team. Rohit Sharma, dropped twice in the first three overs of the match, went on to score 81 off 50 balls.The middle order built on these efforts with panache, with Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya hitting three sixes each to ensure MI maintained their momentum right through the innings. They hit 17 sixes in all, the joint third-most in any innings in IPL 2025.Related

• Mumbai Indians' turnaround decoded: death overs tamed, middle overs mastered

• No more second chances for Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans

MI chose to bat a day after Punjab Kings, sent in, had been bowled out for 101 at the same venue. This was a different pitch, however, with even bounce and none of the seam movement of Qualifier 1.GT, however, could have had MI in trouble early, only for Gerald Coetzee and Kusal Mendis to put Rohit down on 3 and 12. Within minutes GT were firmly on the back foot, with Bairstow tonking Prasidh Krishna for 26 runs – though two of his boundaries came off the edge – in the fourth over.Bairstow fell in the eighth over, but MI kept punching. Rohit’s use of the sweep against GT’s spinners was particularly noteworthy, bringing him 27 runs – the most he’s scored with variants of the sweep against spin in any IPL innings for which shot data is available – off just six balls.He slowed down after reaching his half-century, only scoring 31 off his last 22 balls, but the rest of MI’s batters ensured there would be no let up in the scoring rate, and Hardik finished things off with three sixes off Coetzee in the final over.

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Celtic teenager Ewan Henderson got an opportunity to impress during Saturday’s friendly against French Cup winners Rennes and delighted fans with his performance.

The Hoops hosted the Ligue 1 side as part of their preparations for the new season, sandwiched in between a two-leg UEFA Champions League qualifying encounter against FK Sarajevo.

C’mon the Hoops’ Keith remembers the late Phil O’Donnell in the video below…

As a result, it was an opportunity for Neil Lennon to build the fitness of some of his fringe players as well as give some new signings a run out.

Christopher Jullien made his Celtic Park bow, with midfielder Luca Connell also pulling on the green and white hoops for the first time.

However it was homegrown prospect Henderson who stole the show with a classy attacking midfield performance, getting a good 77 minutes of action under his belt in the 0-0 draw.

The Scotland youth international made his competitive debut for the club last season, making five appearances in total and assisting three times.

Supporters are excited about his future and after getting another glimpse of him this weekend took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

Also: collapsing after big opening stands, and most first-class catches

Steven Lynch08-Nov-2016Three men were out for 110 in Sri Lanka’s Test last week. Was this some sort of record? asked Tushar Trivedi from India (and many others)

Those 110s by Kusal Perera, Upul Tharanga and Dimuth Karunaratne for Sri Lanka against Zimbabwe in Harare last week did set a new mark for the highest score made three times in the same Test match. The previous-highest three-peat was 99, by Dennis Amiss, Majid Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad in the match between Pakistan and England in Karachi in 1972-73. The previous-highest scored three times by the same team was 78, by Desmond Haynes, Viv Richards and Richie Richardson for West Indies against New Zealand in Port-of-Spain in 1984-85.South Africa have won their last three Tests at Perth. Has anyone else managed this against Australia? asked Mikkel de Vries from South Africa

You’re right in thinking that Australia have a good record at the WACA ground in Perth – they have won 24 of the 43 matches there, and have drawn eight. Of their 11 defeats, South Africa have been responsible for the last three, in 2008-09, 2012-13 and 2016-17; the Proteas drew their only other Test there (in 2005-06), so are undefeated in Perth. England have won there only once, against an under-strength Aussie team during the World Series Cricket era in 1978-79; New Zealand pulled off their one and only victory in 1985-86, when Richard Hadlee took 11 wickets; and India won in 2007-08. But West Indies won their first five Tests at the WACA – in 1975-76, 1984-85, 1988-89, 1992-93 and 1996-97 – before coming down to earth with an innings defeat in 2000-01, and suffered another reverse in 2009-10.Apparently the Aussie collapse at Perth was the third-worst for a team whose openers put on 150 or more. What are the two entries above this? asked Stuart from South Africa

In the first Test against South Africa in Perth, Australia lost all ten wickets for 86 after David Warner and Shaun Marsh put on 158 for the first wicket. The only two lower totals after an opening stand of 150-plus were both by Zimbabwe: in their second innings against West Indies in Bulawayo in July 2001 they collapsed from 164 for 0 to 228 all out, then six months later in January 2002 they reached 153 for 0 in their first innings against Sri Lanka in Galle, only to subside to 236 all out, with five wickets apiece for Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya. The lowest completed innings to include a 150 partnership for any wicket is Sri Lanka’s 216 against South Africa in Durban in 2000-01 – Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene added 168 for the third wicket, but the other nine batsmen managed just 35 runs between them.Geoff Boycott was over 40 years old when he played his 100th Test, at Lord’s in 1981•Getty ImagesHow many players have scored more than 200 runs in a Test over two innings without being dismissed, as Kraigg Brathwaite did for West Indies against Pakistan? asked Savo Ceprnich from South Africa

It was a slight surprise to discover that Kraigg Brathwaite, who made 142 and 61 – both not out – for West Indies against Pakistan in Sharjah last week, comes in only 17th on this particular list. It’s headed by the New Zealander Stephen Fleming, with 343 runs in undefeated innings of 274 and 69 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in April 2003; Sachin Tendulkar also made more than 300 runs over two innings in a Test without getting out, with 241 and 60 for India v Australia in Sydney in 2003-04. The most runs in a Test without getting out is, of course, Brian Lara’s 400 not out in just one innings for West Indies against England at St John’s in 2003-04. I was even more surprised, however, to realise that Brathwaite was the first opener ever to remain undefeated in both innings of a Test match.Who are the youngest and oldest players to appear in 100 Test matches? asked Timothy Rankin from England

The youngest man at the time of his 100th Test cap was England’s Alastair Cook, who was 28 years 353 years old when he reached three figures, in Perth in 2013-14 (he undoubtedly hoped for a better result: Australia won by 150 runs). Cook beat Sachin Tendulkar’s previous mark – he was 29 years 134 days old when he played his 100th Test, for India against England at The Oval in 2002. All the other 62 players to date who have won 100 or more caps were over 30 when they reached their century; the oldest remains Geoff Boycott, 40 years 254 days old against Australia at Lord’s in 1981. Clive Lloyd (in 1983-84) and Graham Gooch (1992-93) were both 39 at the time of their 100th caps.Former England keeper Bob Taylor took a record 1473 catches in first-class cricket•PA PhotosWho has taken the most catches in his first-class career? asked Sivaraman Narayanaan from India

There are nine men – eight of them wicketkeepers – who have taken more than 1000 catches in their first-class careers. All of them had long county careers in England, and top of the pile is Bob Taylor, who started with Derbyshire in 1960 and played on for them to 1988, when he was 47. Taylor, who also appeared in 57 Tests, finished with 1473 catches; 176 stumpings gave him 1649 dismissals all told, another record. The only outfielder on the list is Frank Woolley, with 1018 for Kent and England during a career that stretched from 1906 to 1938, by which time he was 51. The next man to join the list ought to be Nottinghamshire’s Chris Read, who ended the 2016 English season with 995 catches. It’s not too fanciful to suggest that Read will be the last man ever to reach four figures – the next current player on the list is the 36-year-old Essex keeper James Foster, with 775.Post your questions in the comments below

A look at the batting records Babar Azam achieved during the three-match series against West Indies in UAE

Bharath Seervi05-Oct-20162 Batsmen to score centuries in each match of a three-match ODI series. Babar Azam became the second cricketer to achieve this after South Africa’s Quinton De Kock achieved the feat against India in 2013-14. Azam also surpassed de Kock’s record of most runs in a three-match bilateral series.8 Batsmen who have scored three or more centuries in consecutive ODI innings. Azam became the eighth batsman overall and third from from Pakistan, after Zaheer Abbas and Saeed Anwar, to achieve this feat. Kumar Sangakkara is the only player to hit four consecutive ODI centuries.2 Number of times Pakistan have whitewashed a series of three or more matches in UAE – both against West Indies. Before this, they had done the same in 2008-09.0 Players to have made their career’s first three hundreds in successive innings before Azam. For Pakistan, Inzamam-ul-Haq is the only other player to bring up his first two centuries in consecutive innings.349 Previous highest run-aggregate by a Pakistan batsman in any three consecutive ODI innings, by Saeed Anwar in 1993-94. He made 107, 131 and 111 in successive innings. Azam overtook his tally by scoring 360 runs in three innings – 120, 123 and 117. The record for most runs by a batsman in three consecutive innings is 411, by Rohit Sharma (264, 9, 138).3 Centuries by Azhar Ali – most by a Pakistan captain in ODIs. He went past Inzamam and Shahid Afridi, who made two centuries as captains in 77 and 34 innings respectively as compared to Azhar, who has batted in 28 innings so far.2013 Last time Pakistan put up two 300-plus totals in any ODI series or tournament, against Sri Lanka in UAE in a five-match series. In this series, they’ve made scores of 284, 337 and 308. This was only the ninth such series for Pakistan.6.23 Pakistan’s run rate in this series – their fourth-highest in any bilateral series consisting of three or more matches. Their previous highest run-rate in a series against West Indies was 5.37.21 Number of innings taken by a Pakistan batsman to score three ODI centuries prior to this. That record was set by Nasir Jamshed. Azam has now scored as many centuries in just 18 innings. He now has 886 runs, needing another 114 runs in next two innings to become the quickest player to 1000 ODI runs.2 Pakistan left-arm bowlers who have taken 100 or more ODI wickets. Wahab Riaz became the second to reach the milestone in this match. Wasim Akram (502 wickets) was the first to do so.

Jude Bellingham praised Vinicius Junior's attitude and labelled him Real Madrid's 'inspirational leader' after his sublime display against Osasuna.

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• Vini bags hat-trick against Osasuna
• Brazilian moving on from Ballon d'Or
• Bellingham also on the scoresheet

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Vinicius Jr played like he has a point to prove as Real Madrid bounced back from back-to-back defeats to thump Osasuna 4-0 on Saturday. The Brazilian winger was instrumental, scoring a hat-trick in a statement display as he moves on from losing the Ballon d'Or award last month.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was also a pleasant afternoon for Bellingham, who scored his first goal of the season for his club. The 21-year-old endured a slow start to the campaign as he battled injury and accommodated new team-mate Kylian Mbappe, but he'll hope to kick on from here and reach last season's heights.

  The England international was full of praise for Vinicius after the win, praising his attitude and labelling him Real Madrid's "inspirational leader".

• WHAT BELLINGHAM SAID

  "I am proud of him for how he behaves on the field, he is a leader for us and we look to him for inspiration and when he plays like that he is unstoppable," Bellingham said.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BELLINGHAM AND VINICIUS?

  The duo will head off for their respective international camps, with England in Nations League action while Brazil have two World Cup qualifiers to come. They'll reunite for Real Madrid's clash with Leganes on November 24.

Aston Villa and Argentina star Emiliano Martinez has retained the Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d'Or awards.

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• Aston Villa 'keeper wins award for second year in a row
• Beats likes of Donnarumma, Lunin and Maignan
• World Cup winner honoured once again

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper has again been honoured with the Yashin Trophy, the award presented to the best goalkeeper of the year, which is selected by former Ballon d'Or winners. It has been running since 2019, and has been won by Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Thibaut Courtois, and Martinez himself, who was first given the award in 2023.

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  The Argentine won the World Cup in 2022 and played a key role once again last season as his country won the Copa America. He kept a clean sheet in five of the six games, including the final, as they beat Colombia 1-0. He also kept 15 clean sheets for Villa in all competitions as his side remarkably qualified for the Champions League.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Martinez began his career at Arsenal but only made 38 first-team appearances for the club before moving to Villa in 2020. In Birmingham, he has made 171 appearances, and has made the No.1 shirt his own.

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• THE FULL YASHIN TROPHY RANKINGS

  Martinez finished first, and Athletic Bilbao's Unai Simon finished as runner-up. In third was Real Madrid's Andriy Lunin, while PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma and AC Milan's Mike Maignan round out the top five. In sixth was Inter Milan's Yann Sommer, while Giorgi Mamardashvili, who is on loan at Valencia from Liverpool, was seventh. Porto's Diogo Costa, Mamelodi Sundowns' Ronwen Williams and Borussia Dortmund's Gregor Kobel rounded out the top 10.

Aston Villa could look a rather different team when they take to the pitch for their first Premier League game against West Ham United compared to the final game of last term.

This is due to the club having to sell players in order to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) before June 30, otherwise, they could face various sanctions.

Unai Emery is clearly working hard to avoid such penalties, as Douglas Luiz, Omari Kellyman and Tim Iroegbunam are either close to departing or have already left the Midlands side in recent weeks.

These sales will allow the manager to complete a deal for players such as Ian Maatsen, who looks set to join from Chelsea, with plenty more in the pipeline over the coming weeks.

Despite raising some funds already, could Emery perhaps cash in on another one of his prized assets this summer? Particularly as there is a chance he could receive a fee which might be too hard to turn down.

Aston Villa could sell Ollie Watkins this summer

Why would Emery want to sell Villa’s highest goalscorer from last season? A player who is currently in England’s Euro 2024 squad and still has so much to offer.

Well there are a few reasons. Firstly, there appears to be no shortage of interest in the centre forward.

Arsenal are a club who have shown plenty of admiration for the player in recent months as Mikel Arteta seeks to bolster his attacking options, while Chelsea were showing some interest late last year in a bid for the Englishman.

He will turn 29 midway through the 2024/25 campaign, which indicates that he might not get much better than what he is now. Could this give Emery a licence to sell him during the current window?

Watkins currently has a market value of €52.6m (£44m) according to Football Transfers, which has been rising steadily ever since the start of last season.

There is no doubt Emery will want a higher fee than that should interest in Watkins remain over the next few weeks, especially going by his record last season.

Indeed, the 28-year-old found the back of the net 27 times last term, chipping in with 13 assists as he emerged as one of the biggest stars in a Villa team which secured fourth place in the Premier League.

Not only does he know the league, but his finishing skills could prove to be a game-changer for the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea.

Should an offer arrive, Emery must surely strike when the iron is hot. Especially considering there could be a perfect replacement available…

Aston Villa's dream Ollie Watkins replacement

According to i News, Villa are among a host of English sides eyeing up a move for LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David this summer.

Manchester United currently lead the race as they have already made contact with his representatives, but with Champions League football to look forward to, could this potentially swing the odds in Villa's favour?

With just one year left on his current deal, it appears he could be departing the French side this summer. Lille president Olivier Letang has confirmed that bids of around £25m could be enough to secure his services ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

There is no doubt the Midlands side need some added quality and bringing a player such as David to the club in the summer could give them a massive boost.

Why Jonathan David would be a good signing for Aston Villa

His statistics from last season prove that the Canadian is one of the finest centre-forwards on the continent.

Across 47 games in all competitions during 2023/24, the 24-year-old scored an impressive 27 goals while grabbing nine assists too.

Across Europe’s top five leagues, David ranked in the top 17% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.58) when compared to his positional peers, while also ranking in the top 3% for pass success rate per 90 (82%), which shows that he is more than comfortable linking the play with those who are playing behind him, which could prove useful for Emery next season.

U23 scout Antonio Mango lauded David for being “absolutely insane” when it comes to his scoring record, while further praise came from Canadian journalist Tony Marinaro, hailing the Lille marksman as "one of the best strikers in the world", no mean feat in today’s game.

Among his teammates last season in the French top flight, David ranked highly in a number of metrics, notably first for goals and assists (23), shots on target per game (1.4) and penalties won (two), while ranking fourth for key passes per game (0.9) and third for big chances created (eight), showcasing his all round game.

Not only would David be a solid presence in the final third for Villa next season, but he is also able to drop slightly deeper to link up well with fellow teammates, creating chances for them going forwards.

Cashing in on Watkins might be the last thing on the minds of supporters, but it is clear that David can offer a well-rounded game.

Combine this with the fact he would cost just £25m, not yet reaching his prime, and a move for the Canadian centre-forward is looking more and more attractive.

He is currently representing his nation at the 2024 Copa América, scoring the winner for Canada in a 1-0 win against Peru, which puts them in a good position to reach the quarter-finals of the event.

If he continues to impress in the competition, Villa may have to battle against more than just Man United with regard to signing the talented striker, as there are plenty more European heavyweights out there who could certainly do with a player just like him.

If Emery can bring him to the Premier League, it would be seen as a massive statement of intent, that’s for sure.

Aston Villa want to sign a "monster" who's similar to Bellingham

Unai Emery eager to sign this talented midfielder this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 26, 2024

Thomas Frank has reacted to Manchester United's sacking of Erik ten Hag as the Brentford boss opens up on reports linking him with the Red Devils.

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• Man Utd part ways with Erik ten Hag
• Thomas Frank linked with vacant job
• Brentford boss opens up on rumours

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United and INEOS finally made the decision to part ways with Ten Hag after months of speculation as the Red Devils struggled to find their footing since the start of the season. The Red Devils have a number of names on their shortlist to take over at Old Trafford, including Brentford boss Frank. The Bees' head coach has now reacted to Ten Hag's sacking and opened up on reports linking him with the vacant role at United.

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  WHAT FRANK SAID

  Speaking to the media, Frank responded when asked about the Manchester United job: “It’s a very delicate question. I’ve got a big responsibility to Brentford, the fans, [owner] Matthew [Denham], the leadership, the staff, and I’ve got one focus and that’s to do our best and beat Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.

  “I’ve said many, many times but I’m very happy here. It’s one of the best clubs in the world. What happens in the future, who knows? But I’m very, very happy here."

  When asked if he had the right to talk with other clubs after six year with Brentford, he said: “It’s difficult for me to say – that’s a hypothetical situation. I always try to be as transparent as possible. I’ll repeat myself. I’m very happy here and I can see myself being here for a long, long time in the future.

  “Of course, I’ve also said that maybe if something comes up and I think, ‘That’s an opportunity I’d like to try’, okay let’s see. But for now, no, I’m very, very happy here.

  "It’s more difficult [to focus] when you guys keep asking questions. I just want to focus on Sheffield Wednesday and focus on winning the game. But I get it’s a part of it.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Frank was also questioned about how he felt for Ten Hag after being sacked by Manchester United this early in the season, to which the Danish coach responded: “Of course, I feel for Erik. He is a great coach and has a great career. He did a good job at Manchester United, two trophies in two years.

  “It’s a non-stop developing football world and that is more than acceptable. At these big clubs, there are massive expectations but there has to be a reality check. There are three teams in Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool who look to be above everyone.

  “When you are head coach you always feel for guys who lose their jobs. It’s life. It happens. There are better people to judge that (improvement). He had a very good first season and had more than a few injury problems.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  The Manchester United top brass will be hard at work finding a potential replacement for Ten Hag. For the moment Ruud van Nistelrooy will serve as the interim coach till a decision can be reached.

Glasgow Rangers should have their eyes firmly set on kicking on to win the Scottish Premiership title next season after they fell short once again this year.

The Ibrox giants have now failed to win the division in each of the last three campaigns, finishing second behind their local rivals each time, and they must now end that barren run in 2025.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has already been hard at work to make changes to the playing squad, with Oscar Cortes joining on a second loan and permanent deals for left-back Jefte and central defender Clinton Nsiala already agreed.

The likes of Bristol City's Tommy Conway, who is currently at the European Championship with Scotland, and Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland have also been linked with moves to Glasgow this month.

It was also recently reported that Scottish giants have struck a €2m (£1.7m) deal to snap up Moroccan centre-forward Hamza Igamane this month, with the striker now waiting to undergo a medical before the transfer can be officially completed.

That does not look to be their end of their business this month, however, as they are also reportedly pursuing a deal to sign a star from the SPFL.

Rangers submit contract offer to sign Scottish star

According to the Daily Record, the Gers are pushing to secure an agreement with central midfielder Connor Barron, who became a free agent at the end of last month.

The report backs up the claim that Igamane is set to join in a £1.7m transfer and adds that the club want to bring in the Scottish dynamo shortly after that move is finalised.

It states that Rangers have put an improved contract offer on the table for the 21-year-old talent, whose deal with Aberdeen expired at the end of May.

The Daily Record adds that Philippe Clement and Koppen are facing a fight to land his signature as they are not the only team interested in signing him.

Hellas Verona, from the Serie A, and English Championship sides Plymouth, Stoke, Cardiff, and Swansea have also submitted offers in an attempt to secure his services ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Barron is now weighing up all of the proposals on the table before making a final decision on his future, and the Gers will be hoping that their improved offer is enough to convince him to make the switch to Ibrox.

The report states that Rangers would then need to agree a fee with Aberdeen if the midfielder agrees to join, as the Dons would be due compensation for bringing him through their academy. If they fail to reach an agreement with the Premiership side then it would go down to a tribunal, which would decide how much they have to pay for him.

Clement could now land two exciting talents who could thrive alongside each other on the pitch by landing Igamane and Barron this summer.

Why Hamza Igamane is an exciting signing

Firstly, the centre-forward has plenty of room left to grow and develop at the age of 21, which means that he can be a long-term signing for the club.

Igamane could be a project player for Clement, as an attacker who can improve with more experience over the years to come, whilst also having the potential to make an immediate impact on the pitch for the Scottish giants.

His form in his native Morocco this season suggests that the quality is there for him to make an impact in the final third if he can quickly adapt to football in Scotland.

As you can see in the table above, Igamane showcased his ability at the top end of the pitch with ten direct goal contributions in 16 starts – more than one every other start on average.

That came after the talented youngster's return of six goals and one assist in 18 league appearances in the Moroccan top-flight during the 2022/23 campaign.

He is a versatile forward who can play through the middle, out wide, or in an attacking midfield position, and his creative and dribbling qualities, as highlighted in the table above, could make him an interesting option to use in a deeper role behind a starting centre-forward.

Why Connor Barron could thrive alongside Hamza Igamane

If Igamane is deployed in a number ten position, or as a second striker, then Barron could thrive behind him as a box-to-box midfielder for Rangers.

The 21-year-old battler has the advantage of already having experience in the Premiership, with 24 starts in the division this season, which suggests that he could hit the ground running at Ibrox.

Barron already knows what it takes to perform in the Scottish top-flight and his performances during the 2023/24 campaign suggest that the quality is there for him to be an excellent addition to the squad.

As you can see in the table above, the young talent played regularly in the league and showcased his ability in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

His three assists and four 'big chances' created from a deep-lying midfield position indicate that the 5 foot 9 dynamo likes to play forward and create for his teammates, which could make him a perfect option to play behind Igamane as he could look to find the 21-year-old attacker in dangerous positions on a regular basis.

Barron, who was once hailed as "tenacious" by Belgian scout Niels Liebens, also has the athleticism and defensive awareness to consistently win possession back, as shown by his 5.3 ball recoveries per game, and his 56% duel success rate.

This means that he can excel at breaking up opposition attacks with key interventions and that would then create more opportunities for Rangers in transition, which Igamane could thrive in due to his aforementioned dribbling quality.

Tipped to score 40 goals: Rangers could sign big upgrade on Dessers

The Light Blues have been urged to swoop to sign the SPFL centre-forward this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 17, 2024

The Morocco U23 international could receive the ball from Barron, after the midfielder wins possession back, and then use his ability to effectively beat his man to open up the pitch and make things happen in the final third.

The Premier League side saw several chances go begging as they edged out their Ukrainian opponents at the Emirates on Tuesday

Arsenal edged past Shakhtar Donetsk 1-0 in the Champions League, but needed an own goal from keeper Dmytro Riznyk to claim the win on a night when missed chances and injury concerns took centre stage in north London.

The hosts dominated the majority of the contest and looked set for a comfortable success when Gabriel Martinelli's shot came back off the post and deflected in off the unfortunate Riznyk just before the half-hour mark.

But they wasted several chances to put the game to bed, with Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Jesus both guilty of poor misses before the break, while Leandro Trossard saw a weak penalty saved after the interval.

The hosts survived a nervy final few minutes to make it seven points from a possible nine so far in Europe, but Mikel Arteta's injury-hit squad lost Calafiori to a worrying looking knee injury with Sunday's crucial meeting with Liverpool looming large.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (7/10):

  Had very little to do on the night, but was alert in the dying seconds to make a vital save to deny Pedrinho.

  Ben White (5/10):

  Replaced by Merino at half-time. Didn't look 100 percent fit and was on a booking, which might explain the substitution.

  William Saliba (7/10):

  A fairly comfortable night's work after his red card at the weekend. Never really put under pressure.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

  Looked to defend on the front foot as always. Made a couple of important blocks.

  Riccardo Calafiori (7/10):

  Missed a golden early chance to open the scoring. Got forward well at times and linked up with Martinelli. Went off injured in the second half after appearing to twist his knee. Worrying for Arsenal.

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  Midfield

  Thomas Partey (8/10):

  The dominant player on the pitch in the first half, both with the ball and without it. Getting back to his very best, which is a good sign. Moved to right-back for the second half after White went off.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Looked to drive forward when he could. Had a couple of sights on goal he could maybe have done better with. Played some nice cross-field passes.

  Gabriel Martinelli (7/10):

  Bright on the left and is unlucky that the first goal will not be credited to him after it went in off the keeper. Arsenal's stand-out attacker.

  Gabriel Jesus (6/10):

  Should have scored just before half-time and you could see that miss weighed heavily on his shoulders. Played OK aside from that. Got on the ball a lot playing on the right wing and caused Shakhtar problems.

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  Attack

  Leandro Trossard (6/10):

  Buzzed around all night and caused problems with his pressing. Had some nice touches and glanced one header just wide early in the second half. Really poor penalty late on, which summed up Arsenal's night in front of goal.

  Kai Havertz (6/10):

  Unable to score for the eighth successive home game. Worked hard, but didn't really get a chance all night. It was a surprise not to see him take the penalty.

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  Subs & Manager

  Mikel Merino (6/10):

  On for White at half-time. Made a few important blocks defensively, offered very little in attack.

  Raheem Sterling (5/10):

  Couldn't really get into the game. Little impact.

  Myles Lewis-Skelly (N/A):

  Replaced the injured Calafiori.

  Jorginho (N/A):

  On for the final few minutes.

  Mikel Arteta (6/10):

  Made a couple of changes to his starting XI but resisted the urge to bring in Ethan Nwaneri. Could have brought on the youngster at half-time, but went for Merino instead. His team lacked spark in the central areas as a result.