England captain Joe Root has said that no cricket should be played this summer if “the game itself, how it’s played and the intensity it’s played at” is compromised in any way.The ECB have drawn up extensive contingency plans to play cricket behind closed doors in a ‘bio-secure’ environment, with the intention of fulfilling scheduled Test series against West Indies and Pakistan.Root said he was “confident” that it would be possible for England to play international cricket at some point this summer, but stressed that the health and wellbeing of players and staff was “paramount”.ALSO READ: England players face ‘long stint’ away from home as part of Test planning“It’ll all come down to what the government decide we’re allowed to do,” Root told Sky Sports. “We’re obviously tied by their decision-making and all we can do is to try and plan as much as possible, and make sure that guys are fit and ready to go if and when we’re given the chance.”I think if the game is compromised then it shouldn’t be going ahead. I don’t think the game itself, how it’s played, the intensity it’s played at… I personally feel that if you can’t play Test cricket at its absolute best, then we shouldn’t be playing it because it’s not a fair reflection on the sport.”There’s been talking about changing the ball, and it’ll be interesting to see things that you could potentially change… [but] from a personal point of view I’d like to think that the product itself and the standard of Test cricket would not be compromised to play those games.”Root’s own situation is complicated by the fact that his wife, Carrie, is expecting a baby at some point this summer, and raised questions as to whether he would be able to attend the birth and then return back to a bio-secure “bubble” in time to play soon after.”It will be a challenge from that side, and there will be other guys involved that have similar problems,” Root said. “I suppose we’ve got to be quite flexible in these times. You’ve got to move with what’s happening. Within seven to eight weeks, things could drastically change and we could be in a very different position.”We’ve got to look at safe ways of getting guys in and out of the bubble. If that was a possibility, would I be able to get to the birth? Would I then be in isolation for two weeks? Would I be able to be tested coming back into a bubble? Who knows exactly how that would look right now. Those are discussions that will have to happen in the coming weeks.”As for the environment itself, Root said that things would look “very different” to a typical Test match week for players and backroom staff, but that “it’s probably manageable”. Games would have to be played at the Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford – the two major grounds with on-site hotels with a significant number of rooms – with parts sectioned off to minimise outside interactions.”You’d all be together throughout – you wouldn’t be interacting with the opposition, with broadcasting crews, with media, officials. It would just be trying to keep that as tight as possible.”Within the grounds it would be very similar: going into separate lunch rooms, how the changing room would look still depends on a few things. It would be a very different look and feel to how a normal Test week would go and the environment we normally work in, but I do think it’s probably manageable.”

Liverpool turn their attention back to the Premier League this weekend as they travel away from Anfield to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

The Reds have the chance to move level on points with Arsenal at the top of the division, although they would need a big ten-goal swing in goal difference to go ahead of them, if they pick up all three points against Marco Silva's side.

Jurgen Klopp's men, despite winning the second leg 1-0, were knocked out of the Europa League by Serie A side Atalanta on Thursday night, and must quickly move on from that disappointment to bounce back in the Premier League.

Liverpool have also failed to win in their last two domestic outings, with a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace and a 2-2 draw with Manchester United, which is why it is so important that they return to winning ways today.

Klopp may look to make some changes to the starting XI that lined up against Atalanta last time out. With this in mind, the boss must unleash Diogo Jota over Cody Gakpo.

Cody Gakpo's goalscoring form

The Netherlands international was selected to lead the line, with Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah either side of him, but he failed to register a single effort on goal.

He has only scored one goal, which came in a 3-1 win over Sheffield United, in his last seven matches for the club in all competitions, which speaks to his lack of goal threat.

The 24-year-old forward, who was signed from PSV in January of last year, has scored 21 goals in 74 appearances for Liverpool so far, but has only managed six strikes in 30 games in the Premier League this term.

Appearances

30

xG

6.33

Goals

6

Big chances missed

5

xA

1.6

Assists

3

As you can see in the table above, Gakpo is almost underperforming his xG and has been helped out by his teammates, who have scored three goals from 1.6 xA created by the former PSV star.

Quite simply, the right-footed attacker has not provided a consistent threat in the final third as either a scorer or creator of goals, whether that is down the left as a winger or through the middle as a centre-forward, in the Premier League.

The Dutch gem has not done enough to prove that he deserves to be a regular starter for the Reds through the middle of the pitch, and that is why the manager should drop him down to the bench for this clash with Fulham.

Jota must now be unleashed in his place as the Portugal international has the finishing quality to put Fulham to the sword this afternoon.

In fact, former Liverpool defender and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher claimed in January that the forward is "clinical" in the final third and a better finisher than Salah, as well as legends Luis Suarez and Robbie Fowler.

Mohamed Salah's finishing this season

The Egypt international's finishing has not been at the peak of his powers in the Premier League for the Reds so far this season, with some wasteful displays from the attacker.

Over his last four league appearances for Liverpool, Salah has had an astonishing 23 shots on goal and scored one from open play and one from the penalty spot.

The experienced star has scored 17 goals from 26 matches in the top-flight, which is a solid return, but it has come from an Expected Goals (xG) of 18.27.

Salah has missed 13 'big chances' in the division and his xG underpeformance suggests that the attacker should have more goals than he has.

Appearances

38

xG

21.68

Goals

19

Big chances created

15

Assists

12

As you can see in the table above, the 31-year-old whiz also underperformed his xG in the Premier League last season, with 19 goals from an expected tally of between 21 and 22.

These statistics show that Salah's finishing has not been impressively efficient in the league over the last two campaigns, as he has missed 30 'big chances' and scored 36 goals from an xG of 39.95.

Jota, on the other hand, has been ruthless in front of goal for Liverpool and Klopp must unleash his lethal finisher from the start ahead of Gakpo this afternoon.

Diogo Jota's big xG overperformance

The Portuguese ace scored seven goals from an xG of 6.5 in 22 appearances and 12 starts in the Premier League during the 2022/23 campaign.

He made the most of the opportunities that his teammates created for him in front of goal throughout the season, and that has been the case once again this term.

Appearances

5

Starts

2

xG

2.08

Goals

3

Big chances created

2

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, Jota has been efficient in the Europa League this season, with three goals from 2.08 xG in five outings before the Reds were knocked out of the competition on Thursday night against Atalanta.

His finishing in the Premier League has been even more impressive. The former Wolverhampton Wanderers star has fired in nine goals from an xG of 4.91 in just 13 starts, and 20 appearances in total.

Jota, who has also recorded four assists in that time, has two goals and one assist in his last four Premier League starts for Liverpool, and must be brought back into the XI.

His exceptional finishing quality, with 16 goals from 11.41 xG in the league since the start of last season, backs up Carragher's comment on him being a better finisher than Salah, who has been wasteful during the same period.

The Portugal international has proven that he has the ability to be ruthless and effective in front of goal when his teammates create high-quality chances for him, which is something Gakpo is yet to prove.

Therefore, the £140k-per-week star should be selected to lead the line for the Reds against Fulham this afternoon, as his statistics suggest that he is Klopp's best choice to fire his team to the win against the Cottagers.

Chelsea have reportedly made a move to sign Ivan Toney from Brentford as they aim to hijack his potential move to Saudi Arabia.

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Chelsea make bid for ToneyEnzo Maresca keen for a strikerBlues have spent huge money this summerGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Per Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol, Chelsea have made a move to sign Toney from Brentford as they aim to hijack his potential move to Saudi Arabia. Al-Ahli are said to have made an "incredible" offer, but the Blues are hoping to persuade him to remain in the Premier League, having so far failed to convince Victor Osimhen to leave Napoli.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea have spent a staggering €260m (£219m/$290m) this summer, and have already secured no fewer than 12 first-team signings. Joao Felix and Pedro Neto both bolster the Blues' attack but manager Enzo Maresca has said that he wants a new No.9, and Toney has subsequently been identified. While Al-Ahli have made a bid to sign the England international, Chelsea hope that the lure of staying in England may sway matters.

DID YOU KNOW?

Toney has also been linked with a move to Arsenal this summer before Al-Ahli took the lead in the race to secure his signature. Toney will now have a decision to make. He has not played thus far this season.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Toney will hope to resolve his future before the summer transfer window slams shut on August 30. Chelsea are next in action on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa Conference League play-off against Servette. They lead 2-0 from the first leg.

Leeds United know that they are one step away from securing their place in the Championship play-off final when they welcome Norwich City to Elland Road on Thursday night.

The Whites were held to a 0-0 draw at Carrow Road in the first leg of the semi-finals against the sixth-placed team on Sunday, which left it all to play for in the second leg.

Daniel Farke's team know that a win, by any means, will book their ticket to London to face either West Bromwich Albion or Southampton, who play their second leg on Friday night, in the final.

The focus must solely be on this clash with the Canaries, rather than thinking about Wembley or the Premier League, and the German head coach could look to make some alterations to the starting XI that lined up in Norfolk.

With that in mind, here is FFC's predicted Leeds lineup to take to the field against the Yellows in Yorkshire in this mammoth play-off clash this week…

1 Illan Meslier

Starting off between the sticks, Illan Meslier should retain his place in goal after he kept a clean sheet against Norwich at Carrow Road.

The French titan had very little to do as the hosts rarely threatened his goal, which meant that he was able to coast to a relatively comfortable shutout in the first leg.

2 Sam Byram

At right-back, Sam Byram deserves to keep his place in the starting XI over Burnley loanee Connor Roberts and Archie Gray for this second leg clash.

The England defender, who joined the club on a free transfer from Norwich last summer, produced the tackle of the game on Sunday with a terrific sliding challenge on Borja Sainz to stop the winger from racing one-on-one with Meslier in the second half.

3 Joe Rodon

Joe Rodon won six of his eight duels, including all three of his battles on the deck, at Carrow Road last weekend, which shows that he came out on top in the physical contest.

The Wales international prevented Josh Sargent from having an influence on the match and will be hoping for similar luck against the USA international this time around.

4 Ethan Ampadu

Alongside the Tottenham Hotspur loanee, Ethan Ampadu should continue at centre-back after he contributed to a clean sheet against the Canaries last weekend.

The natural defensive midfielder has been called upon at the heart of the defence this year and produced another fine display in the first leg, completing 99% of his passes and winning 100% of his ground duels.

5 Junior Firpo

Junior Firpo should be a relatively easy selection for the German head coach to make as he is the only natural, senior, left-back option in the squad.

Leeds do not have another left-footed full-back in their first-team and this means that the former Barcelona defender should, once again, retain his place on the left side of the defence.

6 Glen Kamara

In the middle of the park, Glen Kamara must start after his impressive showing for the Yorkshire-based side in the first leg of this play-off clash.

Leeds supporters voted him as the Player of the Match at Carrow Road with his performance in midfield against the likes of Marcelino Nunez and Gabriel Sara, which is why he should keep his place on Thursday night.

7 Ilia Gruev

Alongside the Finland international, Ilia Gruev could start in midfield on the left side of the double pivot for the Whites.

The Bulgarian maestro completed 92% of his attempted passes and created one chance in the first leg, which shows that he was very reliable in possession and looked to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

8 Dan James

The first alteration to the starting XI could come on the right side of the attack as Welsh wizard Dan James could be unleashed from the start.

Archie Gray, who FFC urged to be dropped from the lineup after his poor display in the first leg, could come out of the team to make way for the Wales international.

The teenage gem lost five of his seven ground duels, failed to complete any of his three attempted dribbles, and only completed 63% of his attempted passes against Norwich.

James, who was once hailed as "electric" by journalist Sanny Rudravajhala, scored 13 goals and provided seven assists in the Championship this season.

He could provide a much-needed attacking spark after Leeds mustered up just six shots and two shots on target in the first leg.

9 Wilfried Gnonto

Gray dropping down to the bench would free up a spot in the number ten position and that could allow Farke to play Gnonto in a central role.

The Italian youngster has scored 20 goals in 47 matches as a second striker in his career, which suggests that the potential is there for him to be an effective option in the role behind the main centre-forward.

10 Crysencio Summerville

On the left of the attack, Crysencio Summerville should retain his position after a bright showing at Carrow Road last weekend.

The Dutch magician created two chances and completed 100% (2/2) of his attempted dribbles in the match against the Canaries.

He ended the regular Championship season with a terrific return of 19 goals and nine assists, and will surely be looking to add to his tally for the campaign on Thursday night.

Newcastle United could be ready to turn their long-standing interest into a bid this summer, with one star now certain to leave his current club.

Bruno Guimaraes' future up in the air

The future of Newcastle's star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes remains unclear heading into the summer transfer window, a fact which will cause concern among the Newcastle fanbase. Eddie Howe is desperate to keep the Brazilian, but has made no promises should offers come in.

“My intention would be to keep Bruno for as long as we possibly can because I can,” Howe said. “But I can never make guarantees because that would be absolutely foolish of me.

"I’ve been in football long enough to know you never know what is going to happen tomorrow. But he’s an integral part of the team and playing really well at the moment. A lot will depend on our ambitions and where the club is going in the foreseeable future. We need to show we’re moving forward.”

Guimaraes has a release clause believed to be set at £100m, and is attracting interest from across the Premier League, with recent reports claiming that a fee of around £80m will be enough to see him leave Tyneside with PSG, Manchester City and Arsenal all interested.

Report: Newcastle eyeing bargain move for “outstanding” striker this summer

He has also been linked with a move by Liverpool.

By
Henry Jackson

Apr 22, 2024

It is believed that Newcastle need to bring in up to £50m to comply with the Premier League's financial fair play rules, but the sale of Bruno for a £55m profit would allow them to spend more this summer. And they appear to have already identified a replacement.

"Priceless" player set to be sold

That comes in the form of Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher, who is set to be sold by the Blues this summer. Gallagher wants to stay at Chelsea, and Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino also wants him to stay, having utilised him a lot this season.

"I think he is a player with a great commitment to the team," said the Chelsea manager after their win at Selhurst Park in February.

"He is always trying to compensate in every situation, in offensive and defensive situations. It's priceless to have a player like him."

However, he is out of contract next season and is yet to agree fresh terms on his current £50,000 a week deal, while his homegrown status makes him a more valuable asset for Chelsea to offload as they look to comply with their own financial fair play issues.

Conor Gallagher vs Bruno Guimaraes 23/24
	Conor Gallagher	Bruno Guimaraes
Appearances	30	31
Goals and Assists	9	10
Pass accuracy	88.9%	84.6%
Shots on target per 90	0.5	0.36
Tackles and interceptions per 90	3.91	3.33
Fouls committed per 90	2.4	1.35
Yellow cards	8	9

Because of this, Football Insider claim that he will "definitely" be sold this summer and have added Newcastle to the list of suitors chasing his signature alongside Tottenham. The Magpies have previously seen efforts to lure him out of Stamford Bridge fail but are now "weighing up" a move once more in a bid to bolster their midfield ranks.

It remains to be seen whether they firm up their interest into a formal bid, but given their longstanding interest in the midfielder, it is not an unlikely outcome.

First-class competition voted through by slim margin

George Dobell07-Jul-2020Counties may be offered an opt-out of this season’s first-class competition as part of plans to restart domestic cricket.While the first-class counties voted by a narrow margin to play first-class and T20 cricket in the abbreviated 2020 season, it is understood one or two retain strong reservations about hotel stays. Hampshire, in particular, are understood to have doubts about the safety of such trips. They, along with several other sides, voted to start the season with a 50-over competition and not play first-class cricket in 2020.What the vote means in essence is that the county season will begin at the start of August. It will, subject to withdrawals, feature three regional groups of six teams who will each contest five first-class games. The two top sides at the end of that qualifying period will contest a final played over five days at Lord’s which is likely to start on September 29 and could finish as late as October 3.ALSO READ: Regional red-ball competition in prospect as counties vote on season formatsDiscussions over what to call the competition are ongoing, but the Bob Willis Trophy is a strong possibility. Willis, the former England captain, died in December. The counties are hopeful this game will be broadcast by Sky but will attempt to stream it if not.The T20 Blast season will start on August 27 and end with Finals Day at Edgbaston on September 26. Clubs remain confident that some spectators will be allowed into grounds before the end of the season. There will be no domestic 50-over cricket this year.Although the vote was far from unanimous – unconfirmed reports suggests it finished 11-7 – most clubs appear happy to go with the majority decision. Leicestershire, for example, expressed a preference to start the season with List A cricket but have confirmed they will happily take part in the first-class competition. It may be relevant that it was made clear to reluctant counties that if they opted out of first-class cricket this season, they may not be welcomed back in the future.Hampshire are probably the most reluctant at this stage. It is understood that, during the meeting of county chairs to discuss options, their chairman Rod Bransgrove expressed strong discomfort over asking players to put themselves in positions where they could be at risk of illness or injury. It is also understood that, following the vote, he has formed a sub-committee of the Hampshire board that will advise on the safety implications of away travel. At this stage, the club have yet to confirm their intentions.Social distancing measures being put in place before the first Test•Getty ImagesThere is some irony in Hampshire’s reluctance to stay in hotels. The England and West Indies squads as well as broadcasters from Sky and the BBC are all currently staying in hotels at the Ageas Bowl, their home ground. But the level of investment into creating something approaching bio-secure venues for international teams cannot be replicated at a domestic level and there have been concerns expressed that county players are not receiving the same level of protection as international players. All players will be obliged to opt in before they are considered for selection.The majority of the counties, however, hope that as passions cool there will be an acceptance over the schedule. They remain hopeful that all 18 counties will participate. The ECB have put no deadline on counties confirming their involvement, but hope to sign the schedule off at board level later this week.With the city of Leicester currently in lockdown, it may well be that the club’s home games are played at Kibworth CC. Lancashire, meanwhile, are expected to play their home games at Liverpool, while Hampshire are currently training at Arundel and could be facing the prospect of playing every game away from home. Derbyshire, too, may lose their ground for several weeks as it is likely to be the venue for women’s internationals.

Cricket Australia will revert to using the Kookaburra ball through the Sheffield Shield season for 2020-21, partly in an attempt to bring spinners back into the game, following four years where the second half of the competition had used the Dukes although they would consider a return to two balls in the future.The split season was introduced in 2016-17 as a way to give Australian players more experience against the Duke which had caused them problems overseas, especially on Ashes tours of England. With the Ashes being retained 2-2 last year – the first time Australia had managed to do that in England since 2001 – there was some success behind that move.However, there has been considerable criticism from players in the domestic game about the Dukes, including that the extra help it gives the quick bowlers means less opportunity for spinners in the Shield. Last season spinners averaged 47.25 in the Shield with Steve O’Keefe, who retired earlier this year after not getting a new contract with New South Wales, the leading bowler at 21st in the overall standings with 16 wickets at 22.25.ALSO READ: Steve O’Keefe demands more help for Australian spin bowling“The introduction of the Dukes ball has been a worthwhile exercise, particularly in the lead up to overseas Ashes series where the Dukes is used so well by our English opponents,” Peter Roach, Cricket Australia’s head of cricket operations, said. “We have been happy with how the ball has performed when used in Australian conditions over the past four seasons.”We do, however, feel that reverting to one ball for 2020-21 will provide the consistent examination of our players over a full season that CA and the states are presently seeking. The Kookaburra is the ball used for international cricket in Australia and many parts of the world and we see benefits this season of maximising our use of it.”We have noted that spin bowlers in the Sheffield Shield have been playing less of a role in recent seasons, most notably in games when the Dukes ball is in use. We need spinners bowling in first-class cricket and we need our batters facing spin. We hope that the change to one ball with have a positive benefit here.”We see a definite opportunity to reintroduce the Dukes ball at some stage in the future.”Last season, a newer version of the Kookaburra was used in the first two rounds of the Sheffield Shield.”We have worked very hard over many years in conjunction with boards around the world to develop a cricket ball that brings out all the skills of players,” Brett Elliott, group managing director at Kookaburra Sport. “We will continue to work with the sport to finetune our processes to produce the best possible cricket ball for the different formats.”

Manchester United are happy to sell a hugely experienced player in order to sign a "magnificent" star in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update.

Man Utd manager & transfer news

The Red Devils will want this season to come to an end now, with their performances and results dipping well below what was expected throughout the campaign. It has heaped pressure on manager Erik ten Hag, with a number of potential replacements for the Dutchman emerging.

One such individual is Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel, who has guided his side into the Champions League semi-finals, and has experience of English football after being in charge at Chelsea.

In terms of possible incoming signings, United reportedly have concrete interest in Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, who will be out of contract at the Turin giants at the end of the season. That means he would be available on a free transfer, making it less of a risky addition.

Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is another player who has been linked with a summer move to Old Trafford, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe potentially seeing him as an upgrade on Andre Onana between the sticks. The Red Devils are also believed to be in pole position to snap up Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, who is wanted by a host of Premier League clubs ahead of next season.

Man United could replace player with "magnificent" ace

According to a new report from The Daily Star, Manchester United will look to replace Harry Maguire with Jarrad Branthwaite this summer, as they look to get a deal over the line for the Everton man.

The report states that the Red Devils "intend" to use their current centre-back as "bait", allowing him to move to Goodison Park while the Blues star heads in the opposite direction.

This could be a perfect piece of business by United this summer, with Maguire not representing the future at Old Trafford, considering he is now 31 years of age. There are also constant doubts over whether he is good enough to be a key man, with his lack of pace preventing Ten Hag from deploying as high a line as he may like to.

Branthwaite could be a fantastic addition for United, standing out as one of the brightest young defenders around at the moment, starting 33 Premier League games this season and averaging 2.8 aerial duel wins per game in the competition – only James Tarkowski has more in the Toffees defence. He has also been lauded by Newcastle and England legend Alan Shearer, who has said of him: "Magnificent at the back. Nothing got past him against West Ham."

Man Utd can now end Casemiro experiment with return of "fantastic" player

Positive news for Ten Hag.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 5, 2024

It is time for Ratcliffe to find fresh young blood who can be the fulcrum of his boyhood team for many years to come and Branthwaite is ideal in that respect, coming in as a long-term signing, but also a player who can be a key man from the off.

Glasgow Rangers can end their season in style as they prepare to travel away from Ibrox to Hampden Park for the SFA Cup final on Saturday.

The Light Blues won the League Cup earlier this term, shortly after Philippe Clement's arrival in Glasgow, and they now have an opportunity to complete a clean sweep of the domestic cup competitions in Scotland.

They missed out on the Scottish Premiership title, as they finished second behind their closest rivals, and they can dish out a bit of revenge on Saturday by beating Celtic to secure the SFA Cup trophy.

The Gers come into this game off the back of a 3-3 draw with Hearts in the Premiership on the final day of the season last weekend, as the Jam Tarts struck an equaliser in stoppage time.

Clement could now make a few changes to his starting XI from that draw in order to give his team the best chance of lifting another piece of silverware this weekend.

With that in mind, here is FFC's predicted Rangers lineup to take to the field at Hampden Park for this cup final clash with the Hoops…

1 Jack Butland

Starting off between the sticks, Jack Butland should be selected to play as he has been the manager's first-choice shot-stopper throughout the season so far.

Signed on a free transfer from Crystal Palace last summer, the former England international kept 18 clean sheets in 38 Premiership outings for the Gers.

2 James Tavernier

The captain, James Tavernier, should retain his position at right-back. He knows how to step up on the big occasion, as the English whiz did in the League Cup final at Hampden Park earlier this term.

Tavernier scored the only goal of the game against Aberdeen in the final to secure the trophy for the Light Blues, and the ex-Newcastle United prospect may hope for similar success this weekend.

3 Leon Balogun

The first change to the starting XI could come at the heart of the backline as Leon King could be brutally dropped to the bench to make space for Leon Balogun to return.

Football Insider's Sean Fisher handed King a player rating of 4/10 for his performance against Hearts, as Lawrence Shankland enjoyed great success against him, and FFC published an article urging Clement to ruthlessly bin him from the XI for the cup final.

Balogun, who was once hailed as a "tremendous" player by ex-Rangers man Alex Rae, is an experienced operator who played the full 90 minutes against Aberdeen in the League Cup final earlier this season, keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.

Therefore, the manager should unleash the Nigerian titan, who won 68% of his duels in the Premiership, from the start to marshal the backline.

4 Ben Davies

On the left of the centre-back pairing, Ben Davies could retain his position in the starting XI to offer a naturally left-footed balance to that side of the pitch.

With John Souttar and Connor Goldson both missing out on the matchday squad against Hearts, the former Liverpool man may also be the only experienced option available to partner Balogun.

5 Borna Barisic

The second change to the starting XI could come at left-back as Borna Barisic could come in to start ahead of B team prospect Robbie Fraser.

Ridvan Yilmaz is a big doubt for the game after coming to Clement with an injury issue this week, which leaves the Croatian international as the only experienced option in this position.

Fraser only played two Premiership matches this season, with one start, and it would be a risk to chuck him in from the start for a cup final, which opens the door for the experienced Barisic to come in.

6 Mohammed Diomande

Mohammed Diomande should line up at the base of the midfield once again and look to bring dynamism to the middle of the park against the likes of Reo Hatate and Matt O'Riley.

The 22-year-old star won 53% of his duels in the Premiership as he proved that he can hold his own in physical contests in Scottish football.

7 Nicolas Raskin

Alongside Diomande, Nicolas Raskin could be trusted to compete in midfield after his impressive performance against Hearts, when he won 12 duels and completed seven tackles.

The Belgian battler could use his tenacity and workrate to close down Celtic's players and stop them from dominating the middle of the park at Hampden.

8 Ross McCausland

Academy graduate Ross McCausland should start on the right side of the attack after a fantastic run of form in recent weeks for the Scottish giants, with two goals and two assists in his last four matches.

The Northern Ireland international offers direct running and pace down the right flank and could help to push Greg Taylor back, to limit his impact going forward.

9 Todd Cantwell

In the number ten position, Todd Cantwell's recent form suggests that he is the best man to select in this role once again for this cup final clash.

The English attacking midfielder has produced two goals and one assist in his last two appearances for the Light Blues, and will be looking to be a difference-maker against Celtic.

10 Abdallah Sima

The third change to the starting XI could come on the left flank as Brighton & Hove Albion loanee Abdallah Sima could return to the team ahead of Scott Wright.

After ending the Premiership season with two goals, both of which came in a recent 5-2 win over Dundee, and zero assists in 23 games, Wright should not be trusted to make an impact against Celtic at the top end of the pitch.

Sima, who scored 11 goals and provided two assists in 17 league starts, should replace him in the XI after making his return from injury off the bench against Hearts.

Twin brother Craig and Dom Bess’ Somerset deals also up at end of season

Matt Roller01-Aug-2020

Jamie Overton will leave Somerset at the end of the season•Getty Images

Jamie Overton will leave Somerset at the end of this season after signing for Surrey on a three-year deal.Overton, one of the brightest fast-bowling talents in the country, was offered new terms by Somerset but has opted to make the move to The Oval, citing the need for a “fresh challenge to test myself and see how good I can be”.He was named in Somerset’s team for their Bob Willis Trophy opener against Glamorgan, and will play for the club for the rest of the season.”Jamie is a genuine quick bowler and his pace and bounce gives a real X-factor to his armoury,” said Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket. “His style of bowling will be well suited to The Kia Oval pitches. He has all the necessary attributes to play for England and we will be working hard to help him achieve that goal.”ALSO READ: Warwickshire sizing up move for Bess as Patel successorOverton said: “From the moment that Alec made contact and talked me through the opportunity, I was excited about coming to Surrey. I’m obviously aware of the club’s history and success and these were all major attractions for me in moving from Somerset.”I’ve got high aspirations and I’m hoping that being here and working with all involved on and off the pitch I can achieve those dreams. I’m obviously very disappointed to be leaving Somerset. I’ve had a great nine years at the club and loved every minute of it, but I feel it is time for a fresh challenge in cricket.”Overton’s move may come as a surprise given Somerset’s recent success, but he has rarely been part of their first-choice attack, with twin brother Craig, Lewis Gregory and Josh Davey all ahead of him in the County Championship pecking order in recent years. They recently strengthened their seam-bowling stocks with the additions of Jack Brooks and Vernon Philander (whose deal has now been cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic) and Overton had to go on loan to Northamptonshire last season to get first-team cricket.He is highly-regarded by the England management, and was part of the 30-man training group ahead of the West Indies Test series following regular appearances in Lions squads, including as a non-playing reserve in Australia last winter.Overton went on loan to Northants in order to get playing time last season•Getty Images

While Surrey have a vast number of seamers on their books, they are regularly without the Curran brothers due to international call-ups and seem unlikely to extend Morne Morkel’s contract once Kolpak registrations are cancelled at the end of the year. Liam Plunkett and Jade Dernbach are both primarily limited-overs bowlers, while Stuart Meaker left for Sussex at the end of last season.For their Willis Trophy opener, they are down to the bare bones, with allrounders Jordan Clark and Rikki Clarke, 19-year-old James Taylor and Matt Dunn the only available seam options. Gus Atkinson, Nick Kimber and Conor McKerr are not currently match fit, with Reece Topley also on England duty.For Somerset, there are concerns that Overton may not be the only departure this year. Twin brother Craig is also out-of-contract – though is certain to be offered new terms – while Paul Farbrace is hopeful that he can lure Dom Bess to Warwickshire.