Former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has sent a message to Kylian Mbappe ahead of Sunday's Clasico clash against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid head into the match against the defending Spanish champions on top of the table and with Mbappe in red-hot goalscoring form. Mbappe has 10 goals in just nine league outings this season and will be out for more against Hansi Flick's side.
Real Madrid and Barca to renew hostilities
The first Clasico of the 2025-26 season takes place on Sunday as Barcelona travel to the Bernabeu to take on Real Madrid. The Catalan giants won all four meetings against their bitter rivals last season, meaning revenge will certainly be in Madrid minds ahead of the match. Real Madrid lead Barca by two points ahead of kick-off but know that victory will extend that gap and give Los Blancos a boost in the title race. However, another victory for Barca will see Flick's side move top again and strengthen their hopes of retaining their league title.
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Ramos sends message to Mbappe
One man who knows all about El Clasico is Ramos who played in the famous fixture 43 times during his incredible career with Real Madrid. The defender, who now plys his trade in Liga MX with Monterrey, is looking forward to the fixture and expects Mbappe to shine. He told El Chiringuito: You know very well that I am a Real Madrid until death and I hope that Madrid wins, that my brother 'Kyky' plays a good game. I will motivate him. I often speak with him, he is at the top level, I hope he will have a great match and that the three points will stay at home."
Ramos also spoke about his own future, with his contract at Monterrey due to expire in December. The former Madrid star says he's enjoying life in Mexico and is eager to stay: "I hope to stay in Mexico, it's a country that treats me wonderfully well."
Mbappe on red-hot scoring streak
Mbappe has shone in the early weeks of the season for Real Madrid. He's currently on an eight-game scoring run for Los Blancos and is enjoying the best start to a season in his career. Manager Xabi Alonso has been full of praise for the France international. He told reporters ahead of their Champions League clash with Juve: "Not just the goals. His positive influence on the team is almost as important as his teammates following him with and without the ball. He helps us control games. He's always going to score goals. He's done it everywhere. His vital and personal moment is very good. He's very analytical and intelligent, he does things for reasons, everything fits together in his head now, and that's why he's doing so well."
Meanwhile, Mbappe says Real Madrid are starting to understand what new manager Alonso wants from his team after replacing Carlo Ancelotti at the helm. He told : "They're different, two generations of coaches who have crossed paths. Ancelotti is one of the best in history. When you arrive, you're happy to play for him; he's always close to the players. Xabi wants to help a lot, but he's younger. He has more need and desire to prove himself with Real Madrid, to achieve things in his first big opportunity at the best club in the world. We're going to try to help him win as many titles as possible. It's an important year for Real Madrid and the national team. We're starting to understand what the manager wants from us, but we have to improve to get where we want to be."
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Mbappe's Clasico record
Mbappe may have been on the losing side four times against Barcelona last season, but he still made managed to score five goals in those games. He even bagged a hat-trick in the 4-3 defeat in May, becoming just the third Madrid man ever to manage the feat in an away Clasico after Ferenc Puskas in January 1963 and Karim Benzema in April 2023.
The latest he can link up with RCB is on May 26 in Lucknow, a day prior to their final league fixture against LSG
Shashank Kishore22-May-2025
Tim Seifert is currently playing for Karachi Kings in the PSL•PCB
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have signed New Zealand wicketkeeper Tim Seifert as a temporary replacement for England’s Jacob Bethell. Seifert is currently playing for Karachi Kings in the PSL and his arrival into India will depend on how his team progresses. He’s available to be picked from May 24, the IPL said in a press release.Kings are set to play the PSL Eliminator against Lahore Qalandars on Thursday night, while the PSL final is slated for May 25 in Lahore. This means the latest he can link up with RCB is on May 26 in Lucknow, a day prior to their final league fixture against Lucknow Super Giants.Opening the innings with David Warner at Kings, Seifert has so far scored 226 runs in nine innings as an opener at a strike rate of 145.80 with a best of 47. Seifert has previously featured in the IPL, all too briefly, for Delhi Capitals (two matches in 2022) and Kolkata Knight Riders (IPL 2021).Related
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Seifert’s signing comes on the back of Bethell’s unavailability due to national commitments. Bethell is set to leave for England after Friday’s fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad, which was moved from Bengaluru to Lucknow owing to adverse weather conditions in south India.Bethell has so far featured in two matches for RCB in his maiden IPL season. Replacing an unwell Phil Salt in the line-up, Bethell struck a 33-ball 55 in his previous innings against Chennai Super Kings on May 3. That, incidentally, remains RCB’s most-recent outing in the tournament too; their home fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders upon IPL’s resumption following a ten-day break was abandoned in Bengaluru last Saturday.Bethell aside, RCB are uncertain over the availability of Australia quick Josh Hazlewood, who is currently in Brisbane at CA’s High-Performance Centre in preparation for next month’s World Test Championship final.Last Friday, RCB director Mo Bobat said they’d been in touch with CA over Hazlewood, but that they were adopting a wait-and-watch approach as he recovers from a shoulder niggle that he picked up ahead of RCB’s fixture against CSK.Meanwhile, South Africa quick Lungi Ngidi too will miss the playoffs for RCB as he prepares for the WTC final. Last week, Ngidi was replaced by Zimbabwe’s Blessing Muzarabani as a short-term replacement.RCB are currently chasing a top-two spot, having won eight out of their 11 matches in the league phase. They next play on Friday against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Lucknow before rounding off their league stages by playing Lucknow Super Giants.
A superb opening stand of 188 between Paul Walter and Dean Elgar stunned champions Surrey at the Kia Oval after they had looked to be in control of the Rothesay County Championship fixture.Walter was the main aggressor, hitting 19 fours in his 118, and former South Africa opener Elgar, though never comfortable at the crease, simply used all his experience to scrap his way his 60 not out from159 balls.By stumps, Essex were 195 for two in their second innings – 133 runs in front – with Nathan Smith removing both Walter and nightwatchman Simon Harmer, for a duck, in the closing overs.Surrey had themselves been rallied earlier on an absorbing second day by Sam Curran’s classy 70 and Jordan Clark’s 54 in an eighth wicket stand of 82 in 14 overs. That partnership not only rescued Surrey from the depths of 144 for seven, in reply to Essex’s first innings 217, but was also instrumental in earning them an eventual half-way lead of 62.Walter and Elgar’s subsequent heroics, however, leaves the match intriguingly poised with two days left. Walter, 31 next week, looked surprised when he was given out caught behind slashing at a widish ball from Smith but his fourth first-class hundred was a wonderful effort.Elgar, by contrast, remained unbeaten despite several close calls. On 33, just after tea, he edged Smith clean between first and second slips for four to bring up Essex’s 100. Neither fielder moved, while later in the final session Elgar survived two impassioned appeals for caught behind and also edged Curran just short of second slip.Kasun Rajitha, the Sri Lankan Test seamer, was another Essex second day hero, taking five for 87, his best figures of the season so far, but it was the batting of Walter and Elgar that has perhaps tilted this game back towards the visitors.Using all six of their frontline pace bowlers, Surrey tried everything to break the Walter-Elgar partnership – and Dan Worrall in particular bowled without luck in an excellent eight-over spell immediately after tea – but the two left-handers stood firm until Smith broke through in the 50th over of the innings.The day began with Surrey, on 94 for three overnight, slumping to 144 for seven before Curran and Clark pulled the innings around with a stand of increasing authority.And, when Curran pulled once too often at Rajitha – the legside field featuring both an inner and outer ring, placed there specifically to punish any miscued stroke – Smith arrived to help Clark make sure of a batting bonus point.Brought on for only his third over, strangely late in the innings at 250 for eight, off spinner Simon Harmer soon dismissed Clark for 54 when Elgar at slip did brilliantly to knock up an edged cut and complete a fine reflex catch from the rebound.And, having seen last man Worrall drive his first ball high into the pavilion for six, Harmer was also swiped over extra cover for four by the Surrey fast bowler before snaring him for 13 courtesy of a more straightforward catch at slip by Elgar.Smith, who hit one memorable off-driven four off Rajitha, batted well for his 24 not out to underline the New Zealand international’s all-rounder status.Rajitha had earlier made the initial inroads by seeing Dom Sibley edge to first slip, dismissed for a determined 41, and then pin Ben Foakes lbw for two with one that just moved enough back into the right-hander off the seam as he pushed forward.Shane Snater then defeated an ambitious whip-drive to leg by Jason Roy, who succeeded only in thin-edging the seventh ball he had faced to send his middle stump cartwheeling, while Jamie Overton also departed for a duck when edging a loose drive at the persevering Rajitha.Curran, however, pulling profitably, on-driving Jamie Porter for one magnificent four and producing a number of sweetly-timed offside strokes off both the front and back foot, moved serenely to his half-century from 64 balls.Clark, settling in quickly and scoring at a run a ball with some powerful driving punctuating an otherwise watchful defence, provided Curran with the support he needed to push Surrey up to and then beyond Essex’s first innings total.Between them, indeed, the batting efforts of Curran, Clark, Smith and Worrall had turned a precarious Surrey position into a mid-match advantage. That was soon negated by Walter and Elgar, but this game could still go either way.
After failing to impress once again as Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the season against Crystal Palace, Jamie Carragher has pinpointed “another problem” that Florian Wirtz is having at Anfield.
Slot: Liverpool "have to go back" to set-piece strength
In what is becoming quite the trend, Liverpool were undone by two set pieces against Crystal Palace as the Eagles shocked the Premier League champions late on at Selhurst Park. Eddie Nketiah’s late strike was the fourth goal that Liverpool have conceded from set pieces this season in a record that Arne Slot admitted must change.
The Dutchman said in his press conference ahead of the Galatasaray game: “Last season I said many times, the reason we hardly conceded was that 11 players worked incredibly hard to make it difficult for the other team to even create a chance.
“That’s what we have done this season many times as well, but you can work as hard as you want but a set-piece is almost a different game inside a game. That was, by the way, one of our main strengths last season, that we hardly conceded from set-pieces.
“We have to go back to that, we haven’t changed our set-up, we haven’t changed anything, so we have to prove in the upcoming weeks and months that we were maybe a bit unlucky in conceding some set-pieces.
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“That can happen in five or six games [and can be] difficult to see it for the long term. We definitely have to improve because I also see teams in the Premier League that win games by set-pieces, and we lose games because of set-pieces.”
It’s not just set pieces that Liverpool should be concerned with, however. £116m arrival Wirtz is yet to make his mark and many have had their say as to why that is, including former player Carragher.
Carragher pinpoints "another problem" for Wirtz
Without a goal or assist since the Community Shield, there’s no denying that Wirtz is struggling to adapt to life at Anfield. The German has looked a shadow of the player that many know he is capable of becoming at Anfield and Saturday’s defeat has welcomed some uncomfortable questions.
Taking the chance to have his say on Wirtz’s struggles, Carragher actually told Monday Night Football that the form of Alexis Mac Allister is causing the midfielder “another problem”. The Argentine has faced injury struggles since the end of last season and has endured his own poor form on the pitch as a result.
There’s plenty of truth to that statement. In Wirtz’s most impressive Premier League display, he only showed signs of life against Arsenal when Mac Allister was replaced by Curtis Jones and no longer occupying similar spaces to the former Bayer Leverkusen star as a result.
The big question for Slot this summer revolved around how he would get both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak in his side. As it turns out, however, his biggest problem could be fitting both Mac Allister and Wirtz into his midfield.
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have built their season on defensive solidity.
Heading into their clash with Arsenal, the Magpies boasted the lowest expected goals conceded (xGA) in the league at 2.5, highlighting just how compact and resilient they had been.
That statistic shifted after Arsenal generated 2.04 xG at St James’ Park, pushing Newcastle down to second-best in the league.
Even so, Howe’s side have only conceded five goals all season while keeping four clean sheets, with only Liverpool and Arsenal managing to find the net against them.
Against the Gunners, Newcastle were disciplined and well-drilled, often forcing Mikel Arteta’s side into less threatening areas.
Yet all that hard work was undone in the 96th minute, when Gabriel Magalhães rose highest to score the winner.
How Gabriel helped to down Newcastle
It was a bitter pill to swallow given how well Newcastle had restricted Arsenal, but Gabriel’s decisive intervention underlined the fine margins at this level.
The Brazilian’s influence was evident beyond his goal. He disrupted Nick Woltemade and marshalled the defensive line with authority.
His performance earned him a man-of-the-match rating of 8.6 – a reminder of just how important he is to Arsenal’s title push.
Even if there was that one blemish with Woltemade, it’s safe to say he’s become a force in the Premier League in recent years.
Gabriel’s journey at Arsenal since arriving from Lille in 2020 has been one of steady progression.
Now 27 years old and valued at around £70m by Transfermarkt, he has cemented his reputation as one of the Premier League’s most commanding centre-backs.
His partnership with William Saliba has been the bedrock of Arsenal’s recent success.
Together they have anchored a backline that has kept 29 clean sheets over the last two seasons, while goalkeeper David Raya has claimed consecutive Golden Glove awards.
Beyond his defensive qualities, Gabriel provides a consistent goal threat.
His headed winner against Newcastle was his 21st goal for Arsenal, a remarkable tally for a central defender.
That ability to contribute at both ends makes him invaluable to Mikel Arteta’s side. Statistically, he remains a well-rounded force.
Matches Played
6
Minutes
540
Goals
1
Tackles
8
Blocks
12
He completes just over 56 passes per match with a 90.2% accuracy rate, while also contributing 4.79 progressive passes per 90 minutes.
Defensively, he averages 0.95 tackles, 0.46 challenges, and 1.6 blocks per 90, illustrating his balance of proactive interventions and last-ditch defending.
His dominance in the air, as demonstrated against Newcastle, adds yet another dimension to his game.
Arsenal'sGabrielMagalhaes and WilliamSaliba
Having also earned 15 caps for Brazil, Gabriel is now a figure of experience and consistency on the international stage.
If Arsenal are to go one better than last season, his blend of physicality, set-piece threat, and defensive nous will be central to their challenge.
But, do the Toon have their own answer to the big Brazilian?
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Newcastle's answer to Gabriel
While Gabriel left St James’ Park with the headlines, Malick Thiaw walked away with plenty of admirers after what has been described as an “outstanding” performance.
The 24-year-old German, a £30m signing from AC Milan, is only a handful of games into his Newcastle career but already looks like a player with huge potential.
Thiaw’s numbers against Arsenal painted the picture of a defender unfazed by one of the toughest attacking units in Europe.
He won four of his six aerial duels, cleared his lines eight times, and registered one interception.
Crucially, he was not dribbled past once, underlining his ability to stand his ground in one-v-one situations.
On the ball, he attempted 23 passes, completing 20, showing the composure that made him such an attractive signing.
He sits in the 95th percentile for pass completion among centre-backs in Europe (93.1%), completing almost 59 passes per match.
He averages 4.43 progressive passes per 90, nearly identical to Gabriel’s 4.79, and also attempts more progressive carries, at 0.60 per 90 compared to Gabriel’s 0.38.
Defensively, Thiaw’s 1.19 tackles per 90 outstrip Gabriel’s 0.95, while he also makes 0.70 blocks per 90.
These numbers highlight subtle differences in style. Gabriel excels in last-ditch defending and aerial duels, while Thiaw appears more proactive in stepping out to intercept and more comfortable driving play forward.
Both are commanding presences, titans at the back, but Thiaw’s on-ball security may give Newcastle an edge in building from the back once Eddie Howe’s attacking system clicks.
The prospect of the summer arrival forming a long-term partnership with Sven Botman is tantalising.
Newcastle defender Sven Botman.
Botman’s anticipation and positional discipline, combined with Thiaw’s composure, could provide Newcastle with a defensive pairing to rival Arsenal’s Gabriel-Saliba axis.
Against Arsenal, Thiaw didn’t just look like a stopgap in Fabian Schär’s absence – he looked like a centre-half ready to shape Newcastle’s future.
His performance against the Gunners suggested he has the physicality, intelligence, and technical quality to become one of the Premier League’s standout defenders.
If Newcastle’s rise continues, Thiaw could be at the heart of it.
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Chelsea picked up all three points in their first game after the international break. The Blues were victorious against Nottingham Forest, securing a 3-0 win over Ange Postecoglou’s side at the City Ground to pile the misery onto the Australian manager.
Three second-half goals from Enzo Maresca’s side were enough to earn the win. The West Londoners opened the scoring through Josh Acheampong, who bagged his first goal in professional football. It was a well-directed header from the centre-back.
He was teed up by Pedro Neto, with the Portugal international getting on the scoresheet himself moments later. That goal came from a well-hit free kick from outside the penalty box, doubling the scoreline. Reece James added a third late on for Chelsea to cap off a wonderful showing.
It was complete dominance from Maresca’s side. They certainly tested Mats Selz in the Forest goal, and had 17 shots, finding the target six times. The visitors also slightly dominated possession, with 51%, and created four big chances.
There were certainly some standout players for the Blues, who picked up their second Premier League win in as many games.
Chelsea’s best players vs. Forest
TNT Sports awarded Chelsea captain James player of the match after a stellar performance against Forest. It was the Cobham graduate’s 200th game for his boyhood club, which he celebrated with a goal and assist.
Whilst the assist for Neto’s strike was a simple roll of the ball, a matter of yards, his strike was excellent.
The England international pounced on a misdirected punch from Mats Selz, which rifled into the back of the net to add a third for Chelsea.
It was arguably not the best goal of the match, though, with Neto’s low free kick a real standout. The Portugal international bent his effort into the back of the net with his left foot, managing to get his strike through a mass of Forest defenders to put Chelsea two goals up.
His cross for Acheampong was a well-paced delivery, too.
One person who was particularly impressed by the performances of both James and Neto was Matthew Judge, a journalist for Goal. He gave the Blues skipper an 8/10 and their number seven a 9/10 for their scintillating performances.
The Chelsea duo were two of their standout players at the City Ground, although one of their half-time substitutes also performed well.
Chelsea's new Werner
After a rather underwhelming first half, Chelsea manager Maresca shuffled the pack and made three half-time substitutes. Jamie Gittens replaced Alejandro Garnacho out wide, and Moises Caicedo came on in midfield for Romeo Lavia.
The other change the Blues made proved to be a smart move. Andrey Santos was replaced by Marc Guiu, with the Spanish striker impressing during his 45-minute cameo. It was a hard-working display from the former Barcelona star.
He “completely changed the game” in the second half, according to football podcaster Terry Flewers. He praised Guiu for the fact that he was a “real presence up top.”
Certainly, the 19-year-old stretched the play and made Forest’s defenders work hard to cope with his runs in behind.
It was a showing that certainly left a good impression on Judge. The journalist said Guiu was constantly ‘working tirelessly up top’ for his side, and praised him for winning the foul, which led to Neto’s free kick.
The stats from the game show how tirelessly the former Sunderland loanee worked.
He only had 13 touches, completed 100% of his passes and had three shots. He had a good impact in a short amount of time.
Guiu key stats vs. Forest
Stat
Number
Pass accuracy
100%
Touches
13
Shots
3
Fouls won
1
Duels won
2
Stats from Sofascore
It wouldn’t be outlandish to compare Guiu’s performance to one Chelsea fans may have seen from Timo Werner.
Like the German striker used to do for the Blues, he ran relentlessly and was constantly making runs in behind to stretch Forest’s defence.
Yet, he did miss a couple of chances, rounding the goalkeeper but missing the target, and squandering a one-vs-one opportunity.
Of course, Werner – who notably missed 18 ‘big chances’ in the Premier League in 2020/21, as per Fotmob – was synonymous with wasting those golden chances, just as Guiu did at the City Ground, with little end product to match his impressive work ethic.
However, it is important to bear in mind he is just 19 years of age. There is still plenty of time for Guiu to hone the clinical side of his game, as he looks to nail down a regular spot under Maresca.
Certainly, his outing at Forest will have done him no harm.
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When you’re part of a team that has a history of falling at the final hurdle and the final hurdle is right in front of you – as was the case on the third evening of South Africa’s Boxing Day Test against Pakistan – the last thing you want is to be reminded of all the times you’ve fallen. So what did South Africa’s coach Shukri Conrad do?He reminded them.”I thought it was the opportune time to lay down that challenge. Maybe because we had another chance. If it didn’t go our way, we had another chance in Cape Town,” Conrad said at Lord’s, two days before the World Test Championship [WTC] final. “It didn’t go down kindly, but at some stage that conversation needs to be had. It’s all about choosing when to have that.”And that is the way Conrad operates. He does not sugarcoat because, as he told ESPNcricinfo, “in our country, the minority are walking for pleasure but the majority are still walking to get to work,” and there are far more real pressures than the result of a cricket match.Related
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So with South Africa 19 for 3 during the Boxing Day Test, chasing 148, he asked them if they wanted to be remembered as chokers. By lunch on day four, they were 116 for 8, but an hour later, Marco Jansen laced Mohammad Abbas through point for the winning runs and answered Conrad. Emphatically.Does winning under the kind of pressure South Africa faced at SuperSport Park mean they will no longer be referred to by their least-favourite c-word? Obviously not. Only winning an ICC trophy will do that, and probably not even this one. It may take winning an ODI World Cup. But they’ve started to address the decades-old elephant in the room in case it takes a peep at them again this week.”We touched on it (the Boxing Day Test) briefly the other day,” Conrad said. “What were the learnings from that? And what’s the response we can expect, and we’re looking for?”Crucially, one of the learnings was that Jansen, who had the yips at the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final, was among the pair that got them over the line against Pakistan and seems to have outgrown his nerves. At that World Cup, Jansen admitted to feeling extremely anxious before big games, to the point where his father had to provide him with soothing Bible verses. Now, he holds his own but Conrad was careful to remind those present that Jansen is only 25 years old, and may still get overawed.”The sense of the occasion and the expectation weigh on them, but they’ll get better the more they’re exposed to that,” Conrad said. “There’s been a lot of growth. You look at the calmness he showed towards the end in that chase against Pakistan and I think that will stand him in really good stead.”At least, Jansen is one of the seven players who have played at Lord’s and against Australia before. For the others, there is the additional challenge of being at a hallowed ground against a much-vaunted opposition for the first time, but they’ve spoken about that too.”It’s difficult not to get the place out of your system. Let’s embrace it and whatever comes with it,” Conrad said. “We can’t wish it away. These were some of the conversations that we’ve had, taking it in and making sure you settle yourself down. There are going to be nerves and the excitement levels are starting to ramp up. It’s a great occasion, and I’d rather be part of it than not.”Especially because, “you can only win it if you play in finals,” Conrad said, refusing to dwell on the one South Africa lost at the T20 World Cup last year. “The more finals you play in, you obviously improve your chances of winning. It doesn’t weigh heavy on us. It’s unfair to burden this group with anything that’s gone before. We know we want to and we need to win another ICC event, (after the 1998 Champions Trophy) but whatever tags come along, we don’t wear that.”Instead, what South Africa have chosen to label themselves as is a team that pull together rather than relying on any standouts because they have so few. Over the cycle, they have nine different batters score hundreds and four different bowlers take five-fors and they’ve cast the selection net wide while Conrad’s gambles have often paid off. Now, he has a final roll of the dice and two major selection decisions: who will bat No.3 and who will be his third seamer?Wiaan Mulder looks set to take the No. 3 spot•AFP/Getty Images
Wiaan Mulder seems set to take the No.3 spot, as he did in the warm-up game, but Conrad appears to still be debating who that seamer will be. “The new ball is critical. There’s been a lot of talk about when the lacquer comes off the ball, and you obviously still need guys that are as effective with that ball when the lacquer comes off and it tends to swing a little bit more. That will be a consideration. The bounce here with the older ball can be a little bit inconsistent, can be a bit slower.”That implies Lungi Ngidi could get the nod over Dane Paterson or Corbin Bosch while South Africa are unlikely to dispense with a spinner, especially as dry conditions have dominated in the lead-up. “Obviously, this is not a venue where spin is a massive factor in terms of wickets taken but we know spinners can play a role here both as wicket-takers and doing an important holding role.”Keshav Maharaj is one of only three players – Temba Bavuma and Kagiso Rabada – being the other two to have played more than 50 Tests and South Africa’s inexperience is considered to be one of the things that make them the underdogs against an impressive Australian team.”Inexperience of the batters is very apparent in terms of the number of Tests played, but I think there’s a quiet confidence amongst the batting group,” Conrad said. “They might not have the superstar names amongst them, but I think as a collective we’re pretty confident.”
Crystal Palace have been one of the form teams in the Premier League this term and could now look to the top-flight for a Marc Guehi replacement.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi responds to transfer speculation
Plenty of speculation followed Crystal Palace star Guehi around this summer. Nevertheless, a last-minute move to Liverpool fell through for the England international, who is out of contract at Selhurst Park in 2026.
In an open conversation surrounding his future, the former Chelsea man made it clear on international duty that his only priority at present is focusing on securing his place in England’s World Cup squad.
He said: “For me, it doesn’t really matter, to be honest. As long as I’m playing well and helping Palace, there’s definitely an opportunity for me to be here as I am today.
“Whether it’s sorted or not, it’s not really the most important thing to be honest. Personally, I don’t know if I can think that far ahead. I like to just take it step by step, and that is just focusing on the games that I have at Palace and any upcoming opportunities I have here.”
Oliver Glasner has also been targeted by Nottingham Forest due to being out of contract next summer. Ultimately, Crystal Palace are a club on the up, and others are keen to prize away their main assets after an excellent start to the Premier League campaign.
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Rumours are unlikely to die down if success is continually delivered at Selhurst Park. Either way, putting contingencies in place to prepare for the future will be a key part of their upcoming plans.
With that in mind, Crystal Palace have identified a potential replacement for Guehi should clubs continue to make their interest in his services known.
Crystal Palace want to sign Max Kilman to replace Marc Guehi
According to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, Crystal Palace want to sign West Ham defender Max Kilman to replace Guehi, and they could now make a January move to try and secure his services.
However, any deal will be a difficult one to do amid Nuno Espírito Santo’s admiration towards the defender, who was a key part of his Wolverhampton Wanderers side when both worked together at Molineux.
Five similar players to Max Kilman (FBREF)
Scott McKenna
Dinamo Zagreb
Ko Itakura
Ajax
Marc-Oliver Kempf
Como
Kialonda
Lecce
Kevin Danso
Tottenham Hotspur
The London-born man is under contract at West Ham until 2031 and arrived at the Hammers for £40 million on a contract worth £100,000 per week, hence why it may take a significant push to tempt Kilman into crossing the divide.
Making eight appearances this term across all competitions, the 28-year-old has been ever-present on the left-hand side of their backline, and it now remains to be seen whether he would be open to a change of scenery.
Crystal Palace could well mount a credible challenge for the European places this term and Kilman could be tempted by the prospect of replacing such a key figure, though it will be interesting to see if Guehi is sold in January to make room.
It is also worth noting that quality strikers, like Villa’s Ollie Watkins, have called Kilman a “top player”.
Ange Postecoglou is reportedly in the running for the Celtic hot seat following Brendan Rodgers' resignation, as the Australian is looking to land himself in his third club in six months. In the wake of the Northern Irishman's acrimonious exit, the club has turned to a familiar face for temporary stability in the form of Martin O’Neill, the legendary figure who guided the Hoops through one of their most glorious eras in the early 2000s.
According to , Celtic have drawn up a three-man shortlist of potential replacements for Rodgers: Postecoglou, Robbie Keane, and Kieran McKenna. Former Tottenham boss Postecoglou, who was sacked after leading the club to the Europa League title in May, remains a beloved figure at Celtic and would be a popular appointment, despite his disastrous 39-day spell at Nottingham Forest. His two-year reign with the Hoops from 2021 to 2023 delivered two league titles, two League Cups, and a Scottish Cup. For the time being, 73-year-old O’Neill will step in alongside former midfielder Shaun Maloney to guide the side through a turbulent few weeks. Yet, he made no attempt to hide his intentions that he’s not in this for another long stint in the dugout and revealed the profile Celtic are looking at for their next appointment.
"They are looking for a permanent manager," he said. "The events of the past 24 hours are quite stunning. I’ve been called in to do the job of interim manager and that’s the way it will be." When further pressed on whether he might stay, O’Neill stated: "That’s never been discussed. I would say no, I think I’ll just go into the sunset. That’s not been discussed and I wouldn’t imagine it [happening]. They are looking for a young manager with proven ability who has got a bit of a track record."
However, report has mentioned that, despite O’Neill’s claim that Celtic want a “young manager", Postecoglou may actually be the board’s preferred choice if terms can be agreed.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesKeane & McKenna also in the frame
Another popular name on Celtic’s list is Robbie Keane, the former Republic of Ireland star who had a brief yet eventful spell at the club as a player. Keane’s managerial career has taken off in a surprising fashion. After success in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv, he is now leading Ferencvaros in Hungary, where he has already lifted the league title. The 45-year-old, who works alongside former Stoke City cult hero Rory Delap as his assistant, has earned a growing reputation for his methods.
Meanwhile, McKenna, the highly regarded Ipswich Town manager, also remains on Celtic’s radar. However, finances could get in the way of finalising a deal. McKenna, just 39, has built an impressive resumé since taking over at Portman Road in 2021, guiding Ipswich from League One to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions. His reputation soared last year when both Manchester United and Brighton held talks with him. Reports even linked to the Chelsea job. However, Celtic face a major obstacle as Ipswich will demand hefty compensation from the Scottish side to let McKenna leave. Even after Ipswich’s relegation back to the Championship, he remains under contract until 2028, meaning any deal could cost the Hoops over £5 million, a fee the club is unlikely to sanction for a manager. Ipswich are also unwilling to let their man go. The club believe that the tactician can guide them straight back to the Premier League and are determined to resist any approach from Glasgow.
Celtic legend wants Ange back in the hotseat
Postecoglou was brutally sacked by Nottingham Forest on October 20 after just eight games, marking the shortest permanent managerial tenure in Premier League history. Yet, for many in Glasgow, those six forgettable weeks in England don’t tarnish his reputation.
Speaking on , former Celtic striker Chris Sutton said: "It could happen, I mean, would I like to see him back? Yeah, eventually, why not? I really enjoyed Angeball. Well, I think Brendan will leave at the end of the season – if [Postecoglou] just slots in next season, I would love to see Big Ange back. He’s respected at Celtic, the job he did. Brilliant, Angeball, what a brand of football."
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Getty Images SportCeltic working round the clock to find new manager
Rodgers’ abrupt departure has rocked Celtic, following the 3-1 defeat to Premiership leaders Hearts at Tynecastle. O’Neill’s appointment is seen as a stopgap to stabilise the dressing room ahead of two massive fixtures: a league clash against Falkirk on Wednesday, and the Scottish League Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden Park on Sunday. For O’Neill, whose last managerial job came with Nottingham Forest in 2019, this return feels more like a rescue mission than a revival.