West Ham thought they had the new Payet, then Moyes sold him for £2.5m

West Ham United have struggled to make a huge impact in the Premier League so far this season, winning just three of their opening ten meetings in 2024/25.

Julen Lopetegui’s suffered yet another defeat on Saturday afternoon, losing 3-0 to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground after Edson Alvarez saw red for the second time in just a few weeks after a second bookable offence.

As a result, the Hammers currently sit 14th in the table, just six points clear of the relegation zone, with the Spaniard struggling to make the immediate impact many fans would’ve hoped for.

Only three sides have shipped more goals since the beginning of the season, with their tally of 19 goals conceded making it difficult to come away from any matches with any tangible reward – often needing multiple goals to secure just a point.

Given their recent struggles, many must wish they had the calibre of one former player who caught the eye during his stint as a player in East London.

Dimitri Payet’s stats at West Ham

French midfielder Dimitri Payet arrived in the summer of 2015 for their final season at the Boleyn Ground, looking to make a huge impact on the club’s first team.

However, no one could have envisaged his impact with the Hammers, taking everyone by surprise during his 18-month stint in the Premier League.

Former West Ham star Dimitri Payet

His debut year at the club saw him notch 12 goals and 14 assists in all competitions – which included a memorable free-kick in the meeting with Crystal Palace.

However, after registering nine goal contributions during the first few months of the 2016/17 campaign, Payet’s time in England would come to an abrupt end after the Frenchman submitted a transfer request and ended up rejoining former side Marseille.

No fan can begrudge the midfielder for wanting to return to his homeland, but there’s no denying his impact has been hugely missed – with his ability to create a moment of magic out of nothing something which Lopetegui’s side desperately lack.

However, at one point, many people thought that the Hammers had secured a deal for one talent who could’ve followed in the footsteps of Payet and been the perfect replacement for the attacking midfielder.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

The man who was meant to be the next Payet

The summer of 2018 gave West Ham the opportunity to strengthen their squad and finally replace Payet nearly 18 months after his return to Ligue 1.

As a result, the hierarchy turned their attention to Brazilian winger Felipe Anderson, securing a £36m deal to sign him from Italian side Lazio – breaking the club’s record transfer in the process.

Felipe Anderson celebrates scoring for West Ham United.

However, the excitement over the deal would be short-lived given his lack of impact at the London Stadium, making just a total of 73 appearances over a three-year spell in the Premier League, scoring just 12 times with ten of his goals coming in his debut campaign.

He would receive praise from teammate Aaron Cresswell, with the left-back stating:

Anderson would rapidly fall down the pecking order in the 2020/21 season, featuring just five times under David Moyes, resulting in a loan move to join Portuguese side Porto.

The move would fail to catapult him back into the Scotsman’s plans at West Ham, subsequently re-joining former side Lazio in the summer of 2021, three years after leaving, for a fee in the region of just £2.5m.

2018/19

40

10

5

2019/20

28

1

6

2020/21

5

1

2

Total:

73

12

13

Such a transfer saw the club losing £33.5m in just three years, a shocking deal all-round, with the club still yet to find the perfect replacement for Payet in 2024.

Given the fee and hype around such a transfer, it’s such a shame that the move never lived up to expectations – setting the club back millions and delaying their ambitions of filling the void left by the Frenchman.

Felipe Anderson for West Ham

Unfortunately for both parties, Anderson simply wasn’t cut out for the demands of the Premier League, as demonstrated by his rapid decline which now sees him feature for Palmeiras back in his homeland.

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1 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 5, 2024

Marnus Labuschagne eager for James Anderson duel with 'target on the back'

Australia’s No. 3 is one of the few players who will enter the Ashes with substantial cricket under his belt

Tristan Lavalette03-Dec-2021Unburdened by leadership responsibilities, a focused Marnus Labuschagne hopes to emulate the consistency of the great Test batters of this era knowing he has a “target on the back” ahead of his home Ashes debut.Labuschagne has had a remarkable rise since his breakout Ashes tour in 2019 after being thrust into the Lord’s Test as a concussion substitute. With a rapidly blossoming career now boasting five centuries at an average of 60.80 from 18 Tests, Labuschagne has made Australia’s previously troubled No. 3 position his own and shored up the top-order alongside veterans David Warner and Steve Smith.Unquestionably a Test star after a couple of dominant Australian summers, Labuschagne has quickly ascended into the top echelon of batters worldwide but knows a continual pile of runs will be needed to be ranked among the modern greats.Related

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“I was lucky to get the opportunity in 2019 and go on with it,” Labuschagne said on Friday from his local club Redlands in Brisbane. “The target is on the back now. I’ve got great examples from this generation to look up to…Williamson, Smith, Root, Warner, Kohli…who consistently score runs.”Labuschagne was unmovable at the crease during his tour de force 2019-20 Australian summer, where he scored four centuries against Pakistan and New Zealand, but found things a little tougher last season against India, whose talented quicks bowled a straighter line with two square-legs often in place. After a slow start to the series, Labuschagne seemed to work things out and finished the series with a century at the Gabba although India famously clinched the series.There is a belief that an England attack led by talisman James Anderson might follow India’s playbook in their quest for a similar upset.”They certainly can try,” Labuschagne said. “India are very used to bowling those plans, that comes second nature to them. Bowling straight on lower bouncing wickets, up and down where it’s reversing.Marnus Labuschagne has the advantage of some solid domestic cricket under his belt•Getty Images”In England, traditionally, they’re bowling a little bit wider. I can’t tell you what they’re going to bring, but I can just prepare for everything that might be thrown at me.”Having not crossed paths during the 2019 series when Anderson was injured during the opening match at Edgbaston, Labuschagne will face him for the first time in Tests in what shapes as a pivotal battle in the Ashes. “I really can’t wait for that challenge to face Jimmy,” he said. “You don’t take that many wickets and be England’s best ever without being quality.”Quarantines and Brisbane’s nefarious weather have played havoc for both teams ahead of the first Test, but Labuschagne comes into the Ashes well prepared having peeled off two centuries for Queensland in the Sheffield Shield.He was confident, however, that Australia’s T20 World Cup winning players wouldn’t be underprepared with the red ball. “Everyone’s been preparing well wherever they’ve been,” Labuschagne said. “It’s time for us to gel, get the banter back in the squad and get the band going again.”Having been overlooked for a Test leadership post, Labuschagne said he “wasn’t disappointed” and backed newly-installed duo Pat Cummins and Smith.”I think they’re the right people for the job right now,” he said. “Captaincy and vice-captaincy are something that you don’t search for, it’s something that comes to you. If it does come down the track, I’ll be thankful, and if it doesn’t, I’ll also be happy because I’ll just hopefully be scoring runs for Australia.”

Forget Burns: Mckenna can solve Ipswich’s Ogbene issue by starting £15m ace

It’s been a mixed start to the Premier League season for Ipswich Town this year.

Kieran McKenna’s side currently sit in the relegation zone with just four points and a goal difference of minus 11, yet the feeling is that they have played some good football here and there and still have a real chance of survival.

Moreover, considering that they have already faced teams like Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa, and Brighton & Hove Albion in those nine matches, their four points look a little better.

However, the Tractor Boys will need to start picking up more points, and today’s six-pointer against Leicester City is the perfect opportunity to do so, although McKenna will have to start someone else in place of the injured Chiedozie Ogbene, and it shouldn’t be Wes Burns.

Why Wes Burns shouldn't start against Leicester City

Okay, so the first thing to say is that during his career at Portman Road, Burns has shown himself to be a reliable provider of goals and assists.For example, in his 38 appearances last season, the Welshman scored six goals and provided four assists, equating to a reasonable average of a goal involvement once every 3.8 games.

Wes Burns

However, in his seven appearances so far this season, the 29-year-old has yet to score or assist a single goal, and considering he’s played 402 minutes of football, that’s an issue.

Moreover, aside from the match against Southampton, the former Fleetwood star has yet to impress with his all-around game. For example, the East Anglian Daily Times’ Alex Jones gave him a 6/10 match rating vs Brentford, 4/10 vs Everton and 5/10 vs West Ham United.

Overall, Burns will undoubtedly have a role to play should Ipswich stay up this season, but given the importance of this afternoon’s game, he should remain on the bench, and another dynamic attacker should start in place of Ogbene.

Why Jack Clarke should start against Leicester City

Yes, McKenna should look to bring Jack Clarke into the starting lineup for the injured Ogbene.

Now, it is true that the former Sunderland star hasn’t started the season in scintillating form, but he has still shown more attacking intent than Burns has, and in his ten appearances, totalling 577 minutes, he’s scored one goal and provided two assists.

That means the £15m Englishman is currently averaging a goal involvement once every 3.33 games, or every 192 minutes, which isn’t too bad for the start of his first full season of regular top-flight football.

Appearances

50

42

Goals

11

15

Assists

14

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.45

Moreover, during his final two seasons with the Black Cats, the “unplayable” winger, as pundit Adrian Clarke dubbed him, was simply sensational, racking up a tally of 26 goals and 18 assists in 92 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement once every 2.09 games, and while it’s unlikely that he’ll be able to produce numbers that impressive in the Premier League, he could get close with more game time.

Lastly, while the York-born star has primarily played off the left in recent seasons, he has made 44 appearances at right-wing in his career and is naturally right-footed, so starting on that side shouldn’t be an issue for him and his ability to play on both sides might help him to interchange with the likes of Sammie Szmodics and Conor Chaplin, thus making the team’s attack less predictable.

Ultimately, Burns is a useful player, but if McKenna wants to help Ipswich continue to develop and move forward as a team this season, he should look to bring in Clarke for the injured Ogbene instead of the Welshman.

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The loanee couldn’t find his feet after leaving Ipswich.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 1, 2024

'Wayne literally knocked down walls' – Plymouth owner heaps praise on 'wonderful' Rooney for 'saving the club from fraying' despite Man Utd legend's dismal record of four Championship wins in seven months

Plymouth owner Simon Hallett has spoken positively about Wayne Rooney and his wider impact at the Championship club beyond just on-field results.

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Plymouth owner lifts lid on RooneyEx-Man Utd made positive impressionResults & style trumped everything elseFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Hallett discussed in an interview with the kind of things that Rooney achieved in his short coaching spell at Plymouth, which included knitting people together at the training ground by "literally knocking down walls" to create open working spaces.

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Overall, Rooney's time at Plymouth will be remembered as the latest short-lived stop on his fledgling managerial career. In August, he was named permanent successor to Ian Foster, who had similarly struggled after replacing the very successful Steven Schumacher. Plymouth lost 4-0 against Sheffield Wednesday in Rooney's first game in charge and had only won four league games by the time he left on New Year's Eve, officially by mutual consent, sitting bottom of the Championship. And yet, Hallett remembers those seven months more fondly than results alone would suggest.

WHAT SIMON HALLETT SAID

"Wayne literally knocked down walls," Hallett revealed. "He had walls between various people in the football department removed (at the club’s offices), so they sat together. He was wonderful around the club. He was very good with fans, to the point where we had to restrain him. I remember we were having a meeting with somebody and one of their staff said, 'My sister runs a local primary school, can you visit?'. And Wayne said, 'Sure'. But we had to say, 'Wait a minute, he is very busy!' I know it sounds silly because he's such a big celebrity and he's famous for some bad decisions, but he's a very decent human being. The impact he had saved the club from fraying."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Although Rooney seemed a great fit for Plymouth in many ways, Hallett admitted that the split was ultimately down to the former England and Manchester United captain insisting on a very specific style of play. Hallett added: "He was committed to a way of playing football we were simply unable to execute."

Man City player ratings vs Arsenal: Phil Foden falls flat after awful Manuel Akanji error sets the tone for another dreadful display from the Premier League champions

The champions gifted the Gunners their first two goals, and from there they fell apart in north London

Manchester City showed their struggles are far from over as they suffered a humbling 5-1 loss against Arsenal on Sunday. The reigning English champions were self-destructive from the beginning, and the likes of Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Bernardo Silva didn't put up much of a fight under Arsenal's pressure.

It was the worst possible start for City as Maniel Akanji surrendered an early goal. The defender failed to deal with John Stones' risky pass and Arsenal were quick to pounce, with Kai Havertz setting up Martin Odegaard. The visitors almost gave away a second goal thanks to an awful ball from Stefan Ortega resulted in a shot from Havertz, but the German's effort went wide.

City grew into the game with Savinho and Omar Marmoush looking to create something as Erling Haaland was kept silent up front for the entire first half. The striker reminded the Gunners he should never be written off, though, when got up to meet Savinho's perfect delivery and head past David Raya.

However, just 38 seconds after the restart, Arsenal were ahead again through a deflected strike from Thomas Partey, and just six minutes later they were 3-1 up through a fantastic Myles Lewis-Skelly strike.

City hoped the humiliation was complete in the 76th minute when an Arsenal counter-attack ended with Havertz squeezing it past Ortega, but Ethan Nwaneri added a fifth late on.

GOAL rates City's players from Emirates Stadium…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Stefan Ortega (5/10):

Gave Arsenal a great chance with a silly pass that Havertz wasted. Perhaps should have done better with a couple of goals, too.

Matheus Nunes (5/10):

A weak point defensively and didn't offer enough going forward.

Manuel Akanji (3/10):

Gave the ball away for Odegaard's goal in the worst possible start.

John Stones (4/10):

Set Akanji up for failure with his early pass and put up no resistance for either of Lewis-Skelly's or Havertz's goals.

Josko Gvardiol (5/10):

Had some decent moments but was exposed defensively.

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Bernardo Silva (5/10):

Took the sting out of City's attacks by constantly passing backwards.

Mateo Kovacic (7/10):

Put in a solid performance. He fought for the ball and tried his best to get something going.

Omar Marmoush (6/10):

Excellent dead-ball deliveries and a few good passes before he went off after 72 minutes.

Getty Images SportAttack

Phil Foden (4/10):

His terrible pass sent Partey on his way to a stunning goal, summing up the Englishman's performance.

Erling Haaland (5/10):

Was out of the game until he popped up with the equaliser in the 55th minute.

Savinho (7/10):

Was really lively on the wing and teed up Haaland with a fantastic cross.

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James McAtee (5/10):

The damage was done by the time he came on, and he was kept quiet.

Kevin De Bruyne (5/10):

Didn't have much of an impact after his 72nd minute introduction.

Pep Guardiola (4/10):

His team were always second best in this game, with his key men kept quiet and others making glaring and costly mistakes.

8/10 Aston Villa star was just as good as Tielemans vs Fulham

Aston Villa were victorious against Fulham this weekend, beating them 3-1 at Craven Cottage. It was an eventful game, entailing four goals, two red cards, and a missed penalty.

Fulham took the lead after just five minutes, with Raúl Jiménez scoring his fourth Premier League goal of the season. Morgan Rogers quickly equalised, scoring in the ninth minute to make it 1-1. Then, after just 27 minutes, Fulham had the chance to make it 2-1, with Andreas Pereira missing a penalty (saved by Emiliano Martínez).

Villa struck next, making it 2-1 in the 59th minute, Ollie Watkins netting his 5th of the season, before Joachim Andersen received his marching orders for a “last man” foul in the 64th minute, leaving Fulham with 10 men. In the 69th minute, Issa Diop scored an own-goal, making it 3-1 to Aston Villa.

Jaden Philogene was then sent off in the final minutes of the game, despite only coming on in the 61st minute, after receiving two yellow cards in the 88th and 93rd minute. Villa now sit fourth in the Premier League on 17 points, and a large part of that is the excellent form of Youri Tielemans.

Youri Tielemans' performance

The 27-year-old has started the season in fine form, now making ten appearances, scoring one goal, providing three assists, and totaling 891 minutes played. The Belgian has formed a brilliant partnership in midfield with international teammate, and new signing, Amadou Onana, providing Unai Emery’s side with brilliant balance.

And Tielemans shone once again, making 62/68 passes (91% completion), four key passes, 4/5 long balls, getting his assist, and winning 5/8 of his ground duels, showing his ability to contribute on both sides of the ball.

Stat

Tielemans

Minutes

90

Assists

1

Touches

92

Accurate Passes

62/68

Key Passes

4

Crosses

3/10

Long Balls

4/5

Dribbles Completed

1/1

Ground Duels Won

5/8

Aerial Duels Won

1/1

Tackles

2

The form of the Belgian duo is keeping some talented names out of Emery’s first XI, with Ross Barkley, Boubacar Kamara, and even John McGinn on the bench against Fulham. Whilst Barkley and Kamara are slightly more likely to be affected by the form of that double pivot, McGinn can play a number of positions, so the fact he is missing out is down to the form of another Villa star, in the shape of Rogers.

Morgan Rogers' performance

Rogers was given an 8/10 match rating by BirminghamMail for his performance against Fulham, which included his 2nd goal of the season.

The 22-year-old has made ten appearances for Villa in all competitions this campaign, scoring two goals, and providing two assists so far.

The English attacking midfielder took three shots in the game, scoring a goal, providing one key pass, and completing his only attempted dribble (100% success rate) during the game.

Rogers’ persistence to make things happen in the final third for Villa, driving them forward, and looking to create for himself and others, has been a breath of fresh air this season for the fans, which is why he was just as good as Tielemans on Saturday.

If the form of Tielemans and Rogers, who scored his first goal of the campaign against Ipswich in the clip above, can continue, along with many others such as Watkins, Jhon Duran, and Martinez, Villa could be in good stead to challenge for the top four again.

NCL Round 3: Centuries galore but Enamul Haque Jr steals limelight with 500th first-class wicket

All four teams in tier 1 now have one win each

Mohammad Isam03-Nov-2021All four teams in tier 1 of National Cricket League 2021-22 now have one win each. Khulna Division was the latest to win, when they trounced Dhaka Division by an innings and 27 runs at the Sylhet Academy ground.Earlier in the day, Rangpur Division beat Sylhet Division by six wickets in the adjacent Sylhet International Cricket Stadium, where Enamul Haque Jr became the second Bangladeshi bowler to take 500 first-class wickets.Best batters
Nahidul Islam’s maiden first-class century set up Khulna’s big win. Having played 31 matches in seven years, Nahidul is more known for his T20 exploits in the BPL. Here, he hammered 12 fours and six sixes in his 175, helping Khulna to 419 in the first innings.Amite Hasan got his second first-class century when he made 170 not out against Rangpur. The 20-year-old struck 17 fours in his 385-ball knock during which he spend more than eight hours at the crease, but it couldn’t help Sylhet prevent the loss.Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Mominul Haque struck centuries for Chattgoram Division against Dhaka Metropolis, with the pair adding 208 runs for the third wicket. Joy made 112 with nine fours while Mominul struck 11 fours in his 103. Dhaka Metro’s Shadman Islam also made 132 off 228 balls, hitting 17 fours and a six.Sohag Gazi, playing for Barishal Division, slammed five fours and ten sixes in his 95-ball 113, before veteran Farhad Hossain made an unbeaten 108 for Rajshahi Division in their drawn tier-2 encounter.Best bowlers
Rangpur’s opening pair of Robiul Haque and Mukidul Islam took seven wickets each in the game to help their side to the win. But it was Enamul who stole the limelight when he took his career tally to 500 wickets when he had Jahid Javed caught behind on the fourth day. Only Abdur Razzak, who retired earlier this year, has more first-class wickets (634) for Bangladesh.Taijul Islam, meanwhile, picked up his sixth ten-wicket haul, when he took 10 for 220 against Barisal. Monir Hossain also took a five-wicket haul in the same game.Mehidy Hasan Miraz had a good outing against Dhaka Division, taking 6 for 41 in the second innings to go with his 67. Raihanuddin also registered a match-haul of 9 for 154 in the same game.Best match
Khulna, who won the last completed NCL in 2019, picked up their first win this season against Dhaka Division. Batting first, Khulna posted 419 all out with Nahidul’s career-best 175. Dhaka were 162 for two in reply but were shot out for 231. Asked to follow on, Dhaka dragged the game into the fourth day but Miraz’s six-wicket haul dashed their hopes, as they were bowled out for 161.Points to ponder
Rangpur are on top of tier-1’s points table with 15.89, followed by Khulna (13.75) and Dhaka (13.63). Barisal lead tier-2 with 16.9 points.Players to watch
Among those who will be involved in the Pakistan Tests later this month, Mominul, Shadman, Taijul and Miraz all performed very well in this round. Allrounders Nahidul and Gazi struck centuries too.

'We can win it' – Darts sensation Luke Littler backing Man Utd to claim silverware in one competition this season despite torrid Premier League form under Ruben Amorim

Manchester United fan Luke Littler believes his beloved team can still win a trophy this season despite a torrid campaign so far.

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Man Utd struggling this seasonLittler still believes in Red DevilsBack them to win trophy this seasonFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 2025 PDC World Championship winner has backed the Red Devils to lift the Europa League trophy this season, while also discussing the positives and negatives of playing in the competition next term.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWHAT LUKE LITTLER SAID

He told : "I think if we get Europe it’s a good thing, but if we don’t it’s a good thing too. You’ve seen the likes of Chelsea do really well with no European football, so if United don’t get it this season they will be really fresh because they won’t have to play as many midweek games. I do have high hopes for us in the Europa League this season, though. I think we can win it."

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Ruben Amorim's side sit 13th in the Premier League and are well off the pace in the hunt for European football in 2025-26. However, they can still play on the European stage next term if they either win the Europa League or FA Cup in the coming months.

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United will hope to progress to round five of the FA Cup when they host Leicester City on Friday night.

Group 1 scenarios: Australia frontrunners for second spot

South Africa play the second game on Saturday and will know what they need to qualify

S Rajesh04-Nov-2021Australia’s stunning victory against Bangladesh, with 82 balls to spare, has completely turned around the net-run-rate story in Group 1. With West Indies knocked out, it is now a straight race between Australia and South Africa for the second semi-final spot. Here is a look at what they need to do in their final games to qualify.Australia
South Africa
From -0.627, Australia’s net run rate has jumped up to 1.031, thanks to their ridiculously one-sided win against Bangladesh. This means they are now the frontrunners to take the second spot in the group: South Africa, who are also on six points, have an NRR of 0.742 and have table-toppers England to negotiate in their last match, while Australia take on West Indies, which should surely be an easier proposition.Australia will be through if they beat West Indies and if England beat South Africa. If Australia lose their last game and South Africa win theirs, then South Africa will qualify as the second team.If both Australia and South Africa lose and remain on six points, then the defeat margins will determine which team ends up with a higher NRR: if Australia, chasing 161, lose by 20 runs, then South Africa can lose by no more than three runs (chasing 161) to be ahead of Australia on run rate. If Australia score 160 and win by 10 runs, South Africa will have to win by at least 32 runs (with the same score) to finish with a better NRR than Australia. Since South Africa play the second game on Saturday, they will know what they need to do to qualify.While Australia’s NRR has improved significantly, England still remain firm favourites to top the group. Even if Australia beat West Indies by 100 runs, they will need England to lose by around 43 runs to top the group.

Clement hands Rangers big injury boost regarding £12k-a-week "fighter"

Rangers have received a big boost regarding their current injury situation, with Light Blues boss Philippe Clement providing a key update on a 23-year-old “fighter”.

Injury problems hampering Rangers

The Gers return to Scottish Premiership action on Sunday lunchtime, making the trip to Kilmarnock ahead of what feels like a must-win clash for Clement’s side.

It has been an adequate start to the season for Rangers, but a far from perfect one, allowing Celtic and Aberdeen to gain an advantage at the top of the league table, while Champions League elimination at the hands of Dynamo Kyiv has already come their way.

One thing that has played a part in the Scottish giants not always hitting top gear is injuries, with Clement having to make do with numerous key players throughout this season. The likes of Ridvan Yilmaz, Rabbi Matondo and Ross McCausland are among those struggling with fitness issues.

Having a fully fit squad could make such a difference for Rangers, handing them stability while also giving them more opportunities to rotate – and a positive update has now emerged about the situation.

Rangers given injury boost

Speaking ahead of the weekend clash with Kilmarnock, Rangers manager Clement said that Yilmaz should return to training “next week”, also giving an update on other players:

“Hagi is suspended. Cortes will be out for several weeks. Ridvan I expect back in training next week, Matondo later on next week or the following week. Danilo is back training with the squad – we will see how fit he is for the weekend.”

This is welcome news regarding Yilmaz, and others for that matter, with the left-back limited to just two starts in the Scottish Premiership so far this season. His last appearance came against Dynamo Kyiv back in August, with his two-month absence a big blow for Clement.

His 2023/24 stats for Rangers show that he averaged 1.5 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game across 26 league appearances last season – ranking third and first respectively within the Gers squad – showing his attacking quality.

The £12,000-a-week Turkey international has been hailed as a “fighter” by Clement, while Barry Ferguson said of him last season: “The little man has made a huge impression ever since the winter break and has nailed down the left-back berth for himself.”

However, it is important that Yilmaz is eased back into the fold rather than rushed back in, with his lengthy absence potentially meaning he may take time to get back to his sharpest form.

If he can get fully fit and back in the team by the end of the month, it will be fantastic news for Rangers, providing Clement with more depth and giving sterner competition to the likes of Jefte and Dujon Sterling.

Clement could move on from Hagi by unleashing "exciting" Rangers teen

Rangers will be without the Romania international for their next three Premiership games.

ByDan Emery Oct 19, 2024

Yilmaz is still a young player with so much to offer for the Gers, so the hope is that this latest absence is his last injury setback for a while, allowing him to excel as his side’s first-choice left-back.

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