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Glasgow Rangers secured their second successive victory at Celtic Park with a dominant performance in the Old Firm derby.

The Light Blues cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over their biggest rivals with Connor Goldson bagging a brace, meaning they now have a four-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table and Steven Gerrard will have been secretly pleased to see his side dominate the midfield battle from start to finish.

The Rangers boss has lamented the lack of a ball-carrying midfielder in the past, which explains why he was so delighted when the Gers signed Bongani Zungu on a season-long loan from Amiens two hours before the close of play on deadline day.

Scott Arfield and Steven Davis bossed the Bhoys in their own backyard, but it was Glen Kamara who was the best of the bunch in the midfield.

The 21-capped Finland international continued his fine form for club and country with another comprehensive display in the Old Firm clash.

SofaScore graded the 24-year-old as one of the best players on the pitch – he won seven out of his nine ground duels (77%), whilst he made three tackles, one clearance and one interception, and successfully dribbled past three out of four players.

The Daily Record gave Kamara an 8/10 rating, claiming he picked “the right moments to keep it short and simple or burst into advanced areas with examples of ball carrying”, whilst The Independent were also impressed, insisting he was a “very clever player” who “won the battle against Ntcham and allowed the game to tick over favourably for Rangers.”

If you look at his heatmap, you can see that he was involved in the build-up play on the right before Goldson’s second goal.

It’s hardly surprising that Kamara received praise from Rangers fan Oli McBurnie. The Sheffield United striker tweeted “Glen Kamara is really good at football btw” after the game.

With Zungu’s arrival and with Ryan Jack’s immenent return, it’s fair to say that the midfielder may have been nervously looking over his shoulder as his place was by no means assured. What better way to send the boss a timely reminder with a big performance in one of the biggest games of the season?

AND in other news, Rangers must sign Alfredo Morelos to new contract after Gerrard comments…

Tottenham Hotspur have lost just one of their last 13 matches in all competitions and are in line to continue that run of red-hot form when they head to the Hawthorns to face West Bromwich Albion for Sunday’s midday kickoff.

Jose Mourinho and his men head into the weekend sitting in third place, just two points behind defending champions, Liverpool.

Meanwhile, the Baggies sit third from bottom knowing that an embarrassing defeat could spell the end for Slaven Bilic’s reign, so Spurs ought to capitalise on a team that is in dire straits.

And the Special One could do that by not only starting Gareth Bale, but playing him in a different role.

We’ve previously outlined why the Welsh superstar should play on the left flank, though for this encounter, perhaps Mourinho should listen to Owen Hargreaves.

Speaking to BT Sport (as transcribed by The Boot Room) after Spurs’ win in the Europa League on Thursday evening, the former Manchester United and Germany midfielder said:

“Out wide, he’s got to be tracking back but with his fitness, he isn’t going to do that. In the no. 10 role, he is closer to the goal and that’s what you want. He could be unplayable.”

West Brom have leaked the most goals of any Premier League side, conceding an average of 2.28 goals per game. Meanwhile, Spurs are the top-flight’s most lethal scorers, managing an average of nearly 2.6 goals per match.

That’s mainly down to the form of Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, who have combined for 14 goals and ten assists, but then if you throw Bale into the mix behind the pair, it’s one absolutely frightening prospect.

The £22.5m-rated club legend has only played 38 minutes in the Premier League, however, he opened his account last time out, scoring the winner against Brighton and Hove Albion in what was quite the fairytale moment.

He must start against a faltering and feeble Baggies side on Sunday, if Mourinho is brave enough, then select him over Giovani Lo Celso in the hole and then watch the goals flow in.

Bale, once dubbed as a “cannonball” by former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, could disrupt Bilic’s side tenfold with his “exceptional physical qualities.”

Spurs could well take top spot before both Liverpool and Leicester City play later that day.

AND in other news, £18m-rated Spurs lightweight has given Jose Mourinho a new headache…

Glasgow Rangers defender Nikola Katic could replace Filip Helander sooner rather than later as he is close to returning from his horror knee injury.

What’s the word?

The 23-year-old underwent surgery in the summer as Steven Gerrard was forced to dip into the transfer market to sign Leon Balogun – who has turned out to be an absolute gem since his arrival at Ibrox.

It’s hard to imagine Gerrard making many changes to the back four, as Balogun, Borna Barisic, Connor Goldson and James Tavernier have excelled in recent months, but they could be boosted by Katic’s return as recent reports have revealed that he could be back after a busy festive period.

Speaking to the Daily Record, his agent Ives Cakarun said: “All is going well.

“We hope Nikola will be ready for January. It was a big operation, cruciate ligaments and both meniscus.”

So, Helander could be in danger of being the odd man out as it’s becoming increasingly apparent how much competition there will be in Gerrard’s defence in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Massive Rangers injury boost

The 27-year-old was expected to become a first-team regular starter as he said he wanted “to win trophies” with the Gers after signing from Bologna but it’s fair to say that this hasn’t been the case so far – just 8 games in the Premiership during his debut campaign at Ibrox is proof of that – although it’s worth remembering that he missed a large chunk of last season due to a foot injury.

It looks like it could be a different story now though, as Helander has already made 10 appearances in the top flight so far this season. However, the 13-cap Sweden international has arguably been overshadowed by the arrival of Balogun in the summer, who has been a consistent performer for Gerrard’s side in recent weeks.

Another reason why he could become the odd man out is that his performances in the Europa League this season have left a lot to be desired so far, as he was at fault for two goals in the 3-3 draw with Benfica in Lisbon earlier this month, as he was dribbled past three times and only won two out of eight ground duels, via SofaScore.

In two appearances in the European competition last term, Katic made two tackles and one clearance per game, whilst he was only dribbled past 1.5 times per game, as per SofaScore, whilst he also managed one shot per game, which shows that he can be a useful attacking threat as well.

Gerrard has heaped praise on the Croatian defender in the past, paying tribute to the matchwinner after he scored against Celtic to secure 2-1 win at Celtic Park last season, saying: “The kid is a winner and a warrior. We know what he gives. Anyone his age, after giving the penalty away, might have gone into their shell. It might have affected their performance.

“But if you knock Niko Katic down, he’s gonna get back up and come again. That’s the man, that’s the player.”

It’s no surprise former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan has described the news as a “massive boost” as the £1.4m-rated centre-back could usurp Helander in the not too distant future if he returns from his ACL injury in January.

There’s no doubt that he will be nervously looking over his shoulder when Katic does indeed reunite with his teammates in the end, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Bongani Zungu’s injury blow could give Glasgow Rangers star Ryan Jack big chance…

Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has admitted that he is hopeful that Joe Aribo will be available again for the Europa League clash with Standard Liege on Thursday night.

The Nigerian attacking midfielder was forced to miss the past two games due to an undisclosed illness, but is now back in training ahead of tonight’s game.

Whilst Ryan Jack remains a “major doubt” for the clash, Aribo is set to return in some capacity against the Belgian club, which will be a huge boost for the Ibrox boss, as he has become an integral part of Gerrard’s side since he first arrived at the 54-time Scottish champions.

He was heavily involved in their Premiership title bid last season, although they ultimately came up short as they finished second, as Celtic were crowned champions for the ninth time in a row.

In the process, he was named the Young Player of the Season, having scored three goals and supplied eight assists in the top flight, via Transfermarkt.

It’s hard to believe Aribo is still only 24 as it feels as though he has been around forever and a day, even though the Gers only signed the Nigeria international from Charlton Athletic in 2019.

The versatile player, who can play on the right or in a more central role, has made 11 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring four goals in the Premiership, whilst he is averaging 1.8 shots, 1.4 key passes and 1.6 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

In contrast, even Scott Arfield has only mustered 1.6 shots, 1 key pass and just 0.5 dribbles on average per game, as per WhoScored.

Arfield has been in such fine form in recent weeks, with three goals and two assists in total in his last three games.

But the fact remains that the 32-year-old isn’t getting any younger, and there may soon come a point where Rangers will have to refresh their squad, which is one of the oldest in the first division.

Gerrard may not have to look very far to find the perfect replacement, that’s for sure.

Whilst tonight’s game may come too soon for Aribo, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him make a brief cameo off the bench.

AND in other news, Ianis Hagi and Kemar Roofe start, no room for Morelos: Glasgow Rangers Predicted XI vs Standard Liege…

Exciting news on Celtic’s summer target Mark McKenzie has emerged after the defender admitted that he would be open to a move to Parkhead in January.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Philadelphia Union ace highlighted Virgil van Dijk’s success story as something that has inspired him. If the Hoops return for the £2.7million-valued centre-back next month, they could be looking at their next big club project.

McKenzie can be Celtic’s Ajer replacement

The 21-year-old defender has already dropped a huge hint with his recent interview and if that’s not enough to convince Peter Lawwell, he must look at the bigger picture. Celtic run a very high risk of losing star centre-back Kristoffer Ajer amid a flurry of interest all across Europe.

Several clubs came knocking for his services in the summer but the Hoops were able to hang onto their 6’5 colossus. However, as he continues to shine in Glasgow, it’s surely only a matter of time before he is whisked away on his next journey.

AC Milan prepared a summer offer of £14million for the Norway international and it’s unlikely they – and many others – will just drop their interest completely. Should Ajer be poached in summer, or even in January, Lawwell will have to make a new central defender his priority. Especially given the fact that Shane Duffy is only on loan and will return to Brighton in six months.

McKenzie is the perfect fit to join the Hoops and he has already expressed his desire to make the move sooner rather than later. His ability to stand strong in the heart of the defence as well as ping long balls towards the attackers will suit Neil Lennon’s team very well.

This move is something that Lawwell should be all over, as it would be a huge statement for both the club and the player.

In other news, Rangers transfer blow could be big positive for Neil Lennon…

With no wins in their last five Championship games, things are looking rather bleak for Nottingham Forest at the moment.Chris Hughton’s side are on the slide, and find themselves hovering in the relegation zone, and just four points off bottom-placed Sheffield Wednesday after 16 games.The weekend saw them slip to yet another defeat in the league, falling 2-0 to Reading. Their cause wasn’t helped by the fact Ryan Yates got himself sent off after 15 minutes, with a penalty from Lucas Joao, and a second-half strike from Michael Morrison enough to claim all three points for the Royals.But whilst Yates will understandably come under fire for his red card, another Forest player arguably let Chris Hughton down just as much: Anthony Knockaert.The winger, signed on loan from Fulham in the summer, has struggled immensely to find his feet at the club, providing just one assist in 13 games, and not even finding the back of the net once.And on Saturday, he was as bad as he has been all season. As per Sofascore, he had no shots on goal whatsoever over the course of the 60 minutes he was on the pitch, provided just one key pass, and only made 12 successful passes in total.His performance even saw some fans insist that they never want to see him play for the club again, calling for the club to get rid of him when they can.

Whilst Yates may get his fair share of the criticism – and rightly so – Knockaert shouldn’t be let off for his awful performance either.

Leeds United have been linked to many a rising star over the years, particularly in their lead up to their Championship winning season. Some deals have come off whilst others have fallen short of the mark, with Todd Cantwell being one name that the Whites missed out on.

However, now the hype around the versatile playmaker has died down, Victor Orta can look back with hindsight that he made the right decision by not signing the Norwich City ace.

Leeds right to snub Todd Cantwell transfer

If there’s one thing that Marcelo Bielsa would benefit from in his current squad, it’s more creativity in the middle of the park. And whilst the 22-year-old looked a man to solve this issue, his dip in form this season says otherwise.

Although Cantwell was, and arguably still is, viewed as one of England’s hottest prospects, his return of just one assist in his last 15 appearances for Norwich leaves a lot to be desired. Considering the fact that the Canaries are currently top of the Championship and stand a good chance of promotion, the England youth international isn’t as clinical as he was in the Premier League.

Cantwell attracted a lot of attention during his rise to England’s top flight. His ability to play on either wing plus in the heart of the midfield turned a lot of heads, alongside his keen vision and skill on the ball. His former youth coach Gary Cockaday lauded him as being able to pull things off that were “god-given”, in an interview last year with The Athletic.

Whilst he is still an impressive talent, his recent form is no different to that of Adam Forshaw. The forgotten Leeds midfielder hasn’t featured for his club since last season due to suffering a hip injury. But before he was sidelined, the 29-year-old seldom contributed a goal or assist.

In his 52 appearances for the Whites, he has managed just two assists (via Transfermarkt). Had Leeds moved for Cantwell, who is valued at £18million, they would just be wasting money on a player too similar to Forshaw.

In other news, Orta must sign off on William Saliba January loan move…

Joseph Masi has revealed that reports linking West Bromwich Albion to Mamadou Sakho are wide of the mark.

WBA not after Sakho

With the Baggies currently 19th in the Premier League table with just one win to their name, this promises to be an important transfer window for Sam Allardyce at the Hawthorns.

West Brom have been linked with a move for Sakho, along with Cenk Tosun, but Masi says that the Baggies are unlikely to make a move for either player.

Shame

Allardyce signed Sakho when he was the manager of Crystal Palace, so he is a player that the manager clearly knows. It is, therefore, somewhat of a shame that there is seemingly nothing in this reported interest.

The £8.55m-valued, 29-time France international (Transfermarkt) has a good pedigree, having appeared for Paris Saint-Germain and Liverpool in the past, while he was called “incredible” by Roy Hodgson earlier this year.

Unsurprisingly for a team towards the bottom of the table, West Brom are struggling defensively. However, the scale of their problems at the back are particularly worrying – they have already conceded 39 goals, which is at least six more than any other side. Clearly, defensive reinforcements are needed – it looks like Sakho, though, will not be coming in.

In other news, West Brom fans want to sign this Championship man.

David Moyes risks making an unforgivable mistake in the January transfer window by eying Red Bull Salzburg forward Patson Daka as Sebastien Haller’s replacement.

What’s the word?

According to the Mirror, the Hammers have been offered the chance to sign Daka after Haller’s £20m move to AFC Ajax left Michail Antonio as the club’s only senior striker.

Moyes is on the hunt for Haller’s replacement, yet has insisted the Irons will only spend on attacking arrivals this month if the right option becomes available.

Salzburg are thought to value Daka at £25m after he netted 15 goals in 17 games prior to the Austrian winter break, including striking home eight in eight Bundesliga games – only failing to score once after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The 18-cap Zambia international is apparently keen to secure a switch to the Premier League, which would bring the curtain down on a three-and-a-half-year spell at the Red Bull Arena for the 2017 African Youth Player of the Year.

Daka’s stock rose considerably during 2020 as he became the most-valuable current Bundesliga player, as he enjoyed a career-best season, hitting 27 goals and providing 12 assists across all competitions after offering six goals and two assists in the previous campaign.

An unforgivable mistake

Despite Daka’s impressive contribution with RB Salzburg, Moyes opting to instruct West Ham co-owner and Chairman David Sullivan to splash the cash on the 6ft ace would see the Hammers boss risk making an unforgivable mistake.

Haller proved to be an unmitigated flop in claret and blue as he was unable to suit the one-striker system Moyes has favoured throughout his second spell at the London Stadium, but those signs were clear from his time with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Before joining the Irons in a club-record £45m deal during the costly Manuel Pellegrini/Mario Husillos era, Haller was one of the stars of a Frankfurt side as he played beside mobile and lethal forwards Luka Jovic and Ante Rebic rather than lead the line on his own.

Moyes often questioned Haller’s ability to play solo, noting via quotes by the Evening Standard: “I think Seb, a 6 ft 4 centre-forward and you’re leading the line, I think you are expecting much more of that. Maybe Seb isn’t completely that type. We are still finding out exactly what Seb’s attributes are in that case.”

Haller’s failings will likely remain at the London Stadium despite his exit if West Ham opt to target Daka, for Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch has never fielded the Zambian as an isolated centre-forward throughout his 69 games in charge of the Austrian side.

Marsch only ever deploys sides featuring two out-and-out strikers leading the line, thus Moyes would be spending big on a player who, like Haller, may not understand the role he is signed to play.

AND in other news, David Sullivan can seal West Ham’s dream Sebastien Haller heir in an “extraordinary” gem.

After falling to a controversial 2-0 defeat to Manchester City last time out, Aston Villa will be hoping to get back to winning ways when they take on Newcastle United on Saturday night.

Dean Smith’s side were on the wrong end of a contentious VAR call at the Etihad Stadium, with the Villa boss himself getting sent off in the process for his protests.

The Midlands side do have the perfect opportunity to bounce back immediately with a home clash against one of the Premier League’s most out-of-form sides in Newcastle – the Magpies have failed to win any of their last nine games in all competitions.

Smith may consider making a couple of changes to keep things fresh, but by and large, the Villa side should remain the same. And with that in mind, below is a look at how they could line up against Newcastle on Saturday evening.

In goal, Emiliano Martinez will be hoping to add to his impressive eight clean sheets in the Premier League this season, with goal-shy Newcastle having only managed 18 goals in 18 games.

The back four could remain unchanged, with the likes of Tyrone Mings eager to put things right after being at the centre of that VAR controversy. The main doubt of course surrounds Matt Targett who was substituted with a quarter of an hour to go against City, and that could see Neil Taylor come in from the cold.

In midfield, Morgan Sanson’s potential arrival from Ligue 1 giants Marseille means the likes of Douglas Luiz and John McGinn will face intense competition for their places.

But for Saturday’s game, McGinn’s fifth yellow card of the Premier League season against City has ruled him out of contention, and that should see Marvelous Nakamba return from the cold.

The big call Smith may look to make is dropping the £78k-per-week earning Bertrand Traore, who had a disappointing game against City, and recalling Anwar El Ghazi, who’s been in superb form in recent weeks with five goals in six games.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Taylor; Luiz, Nakamba; El Ghazi, Barkley, Grealish; Watkins.

Meanwhile, Villa could find a perfect partner for Douglas Luiz in this midfield magician…