Watch the best strikes from the year that was in our compilation of the Scottish Premiership's greatest goals of 2023.
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Sunday, December 31, 2023
Ian Wright slams Arsenal star and names four other players being targeted
Ian Wright slammed Gabriel Magalhaes after Arsenal’s defeat to Fulham and has named four other players who are being targeted by opposition teams.
The Gunners were beaten 2-1 at Craven Cottage on New Year’s Eve and have now lost two Premier League games in a row in what is a blow to their title hopes.
Gunners legend Wright was left unhappy with Arsenal defender Gabriel over Bobby De Cordova-Reid’s winning goal and felt he could have done better.
‘Gabriel Magalhaes is such a big guy, Bobby De Cordova-Reid is a smaller guy, I thought he should have been more dominant in the situation,’ Wright told Premier League Productions.
‘It goes over his head but that one when he does the leg… he’s got to be moving to attack the ball instead of waiting.
‘Look at the space he’s in, he doesn’t move out of that space in the whole time. That cannot be right.
‘You’re a defender. You’ve got to be on the move and be ready to react. Those margins, getting that wrong, it has cost them.’
Meanwhile, Wright feels that rival teams in the Premier League are targeting Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice – with the ex-striker questioning why his former club do not have a ‘Plan B’ in matches.
‘With good players, you have to take chances and pass the ball into dangerous areas,’ Wright added. ‘Bukayo Saka has got to hold the ball up.
‘These are the things they have to work on, because people will go tight on Saka, they will go tight on Gabriel Martinelli and they will go tight on Martin Odegaard.
‘Then they’ll restrict the passing from the defence into Odegaard so he can’t turn and then pass to Saka.
‘What’s happened is that people know that. If you stop Odegaard, you’re probably going to stop the service to those guys.
‘If you stop Declan Rice and get in his face, he is going to pass sideways. That is what people have worked out. So what is our Plan B?’
MORE : Why Oleksandr Zinchenko missed Arsenal vs Fulham on New Year's Eve
MORE : Mikel Arteta explains decision to bench Gabriel Jesus as Eddie Nketiah starts vs Fulham
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Saturday, December 30, 2023
Crystal Palace 3-1 Brentford: Roy Hodgson 'really happy' with Eagles performance
Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is "really happy" with his side's performance in a 3-1 win against Brentford at Selhurst Park.
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Friday, December 29, 2023
Man Utd flop has contract terminated by new club just three months after leaving Old Trafford
Former Manchester United centre-back Eric Bailly has had his contract terminated by Turkish club Besiktas just three months after joining them.
Bailly only left United in September to join the Super Lig side but the 29-year-old’s time in Turkey has been a disaster and has now come to an early end.
The Ivory Coast international spent seven years at Old Trafford between 2016 and 2023, making 113 appearances for the Red Devils.
Bailly played just eight times for Besiktas after leaving the English top-flight and the club have put out a statement to confirm that they have parted ways with him.
‘Eric Bailly’s contract has been terminated by mutual agreement,’ Besiktas confirmed on Friday. ‘We wish Eric Bailly success in his career.’
Bailly was banished from Besiktas’ first-team squad earlier this month following a defeat to rivals Fenerbahce.
In a statement after that loss, Besiktas said: ‘Information from our club. 5 players from our Football A Team have been excluded from the squad.
‘Our Football Teams General Coordinator Samet Aybaba; He announced that Vincent Aboubakar, Valentin Rosier, Eric Bailly, Rachid Ghezzal and Jean Onana were excluded from the squad due to poor performance and incompatibility within the team.’
Bailly was involved in a bust-up with his own teammate Tayfur Bingol in November.
The defender has now become a free agent and will look to revive his career at a new club – which could be Spanish side Villarreal – according to reports.
MORE : Erik ten Hag names five Man Utd players who are set to return in January
MORE : Barcelona 'determined' to sign Man Utd star ahead of January transfer window
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Ange Postecoglou concedes Tottenham squad is ‘nowhere near’ strong enough ahead of January transfer window
Ange Postecoglou has brandished his Tottenham squad as ‘nowhere near’ strong enough before pouring cold water on any hopes of an active January transfer window.
Tottenham were handsomely beaten 4-2 by Brighton on Thursday as they missed out on the chance to move back into the top four.
Spurs remain riddled with several injury concerns, with Cristian Romero – now sidelined for a month – the latest to join the injury list.
Ben Davies and Emerson Royal once again partnered up in a makeshift central defence combination, with Postecoglou frank about the threadbare nature of his squad after the game.
‘The way we play takes a fairly hefty physical toll – more than the way other clubs play,’ the Australian said.
‘For us to sustain and maintain that and be a team, it’s no secret we need a strong squad. We’re nowhere near that at the moment, understandably so.’
January will see the reopening of the transfer window, but it will also beckon on the latest wave of absentees for an already beleaguered Tottenham squad.
Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma and captain Son Heung-Min are due to head off to the African Cup of Nations and Asian Cup respectively and Postecoglou was reticent to promise much in the way of January incomings.
‘We are where we are but nothing magical is going to happen in January,’ the 58-year-old said.
‘What we need to do is just keep building. We’ve had one window with this team to change it around, to do things differently.
‘The fact that we’re in the position we are is a credit to the players. We’ll see what we can do in January but ultimately, it’s about building a side that will get us to where we want to be.’
Tottenham host in-form AFC Bournemouth on New Year’s Eve as they look to bounce back from their midweek defeat and end their calendar year on a positive.
MORE : Ange Postecoglou slams VAR for not sending off Brighton star during Tottenham defeat
MORE : The games Son Heung-min will miss for Tottenham due to the Asian Cup
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Gemma Wiseman: Team GB and England deaf women's footballer dies aged 33
Gemma Wiseman, who represented England and Great Britain's deaf women's teams, has died at the age of 33.
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Thursday, December 28, 2023
Hugo Lloris: Tottenham goalkeeper in talks over free transfer move to Los Angeles FC
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is in talks to join Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC on a free transfer, ending 11 years in north London.
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Hugo Lloris in talks with MLS side as he finally nears Tottenham exit
Hugo Lloris looks set to finally leave Tottenham with the former club captain reportedly in talks with MLS side Los Angeles FC.
The World Cup winning goalkeeper looked set to depart north London last summer after 11 years at Spurs, eight of which spent as their skipper.
He was given the all clear to leave by Ange Postecoglou, but despite being linked with a whole host of clubs around the world, he ended up staying put as none of them would guarantee that the 37-year-old would be first-choice keeper.
Even a return to boyhood club Nice could not tempt Lloris and he has remained at Tottenham, though he has not featured in a matchday squad this season, with Guglielmo Vicario and Fraser Forster ahead in the pecking order.
Furthermore, he is no longer club captain, with Son Heung-min taking the armband and spearheading Spurs’ unlikely resurgence under Postecoglou.
But it seems that Lloris’ time with the Lilywhites is at an end, with various sources including the Daily Mail reporting that the Frenchman is close to joining LAFC with talks with the American side in its final stages.
Founded in 2014, the MLS side famously count Hollywood star Will Ferrell among their many co-owners.
Lloris joined Tottenham from Lyon for £11million in 2012 and has since gone on to make 447 appearances for them – ranking eighth on the all-time list – keeping 151 clean sheets.
In 2015, Mauricio Pochettino named him the new captain, replacing Younes Kaboul, but he was unable to win silverware with the team, reaching the 2019 Champions League final and two League Cup finals.
He had better success with France, whom he also captained from 2012 to his international retirement in 2022, and is his country’s most capped player of all time (145 appearances).
Under his leadership, Les Bleus won the 2018 World Cup and 2020/21 Nations League, and also reached the finals of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup.
MORE : Mauricio Pochettino breaks Chelsea record with his starting XI vs Crystal Palace
MORE : Liverpool approach Fulham over signing Antonee Robinson amid injury crisis
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Fabio Silva: Rangers agree loan deal for Wolves forward
Wolves forward Fabio Silva is on the verge of a loan move to Rangers.
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Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino breaks Chelsea record with his starting XI vs Crystal Palace
Mauricio Pochettino named Chelsea’s youngest Premier League starting XI in history for Wednesday night’s clash against Crystal Palace.
The Blues play the Eagles at Stamford Bridge with both sides desperately needing a win following poor runs of form that have left the London clubs in the bottom half of the table.
Pochettino is potentially fighting to keep his job but his task has been made trickier thanks to a number of injuries and suspensions that have ruled out the likes of Reece James, Enzo Fernandez, Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling.
As a result, the line-up the manager has selected has made a bit of history: with an average age of just 23 years and 21 days, it’s Chelsea’s youngest Premier League starting XI.
There are five changes from the Christmas Eve loss at Wolves with Thiago Silva, Armando Broja, Lesley Ugochukwu, Palmer and Sterling dropping out.
Taking their place are Moises Caicedo, Benoit Badiashile, Mykhailo Mudryk, Ian Maatsen and, most notably, Christopher Nkunku who makes his first start for the club.
20-year-old Malo Gusto is the youngest member of the XI, while 26-year-old Nkunku is the oldest.
Interestingly, it’s the youngest top-flight XI since Manchester United’s from their win over Palace in May 2017 and the eighth youngest in Premier League history.
The youngest line-up in the league came courtesy of Middlesbrough, with their side that lost to Fulham in May 2006 having an average age of 20 years and five months.
Discussing his youthful side, Pochettino told Amazon Prime: We have a young team! We have to deal with expectations and what it means to play for Chelsea.
‘In time we’ll find the right balance but at the moment it’s a tough period. But we need to be positive.
‘I think we need to react and increase our level of concentration. We cannot afford to lose this type of game. We trust the players on the pitch and hope we can have a good game.
‘We need to be more clinical and need to be so strong. Today’s a great opportunity to show we can react.’
MORE : Liverpool approach Fulham over signing Antonee Robinson amid injury crisis
MORE : Tottenham recall young forward ahead of Son Heung-min leaving for Asian Cup
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Liverpool approach Fulham over signing Antonee Robinson amid injury crisis
Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Fulham over the possibility of signing defender Antonee Robinson in January.
Victory at Burnley on Boxing Day has moved Liverpool top of the table and they go into the new year with great confidence that they can win the Premier League title.
However, their chances took a little knock recently after Kostas Tsimikas was ruled out indefinitely after breaking his collarbone during the 1-1 draw with Arsenal last week.
With Andy Robertson also out with a shoulder injury and not expected back until the end of January, Jurgen Klopp has no natural left-backs at his disposal, with Joe Gomez set to deputise in that position for the time being.
Additionally, Joel Matip will miss the rest of the season with an ACL injury which has left the Reds perilously short on defensive options, and as a result they’re looking to invest in reinforcements when the transfer window re-opens.
To that end, the Express report that Liverpool have approached Fulham to make enquiries about Robinson regarding his availability and how much a move for the left-back could cost.
It is said that the USA international is open to moving to Anfield but a deal could prove expensive as he only signed a new contract five months ago that is set to keep him at Craven Cottage until 2028.
The 26-year-old, who was previously on the books of Liverpool’s rivals Everton, joined Fulham from Wigan in 2020 for just £2million.
To date he’s made 127 appearances for the Cottagers and was named in the 2021/22 Championship Team of the Season as his side stormed their way to the title.
It remains to be seen whether Marco Silva would be willing to let the defender go with his side just six points clear of the drop and in danger of getting dragged into a relegation fight.
In the meantime, Fulham can do Liverpool a favour in the title race when they host Arsenal on New Year’s Eve, with the Reds set to take on Newcastle in the first Premier League match of 2024.
MORE : Tottenham recall young forward ahead of Son Heung-min leaving for Asian Cup
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Rasmus Hojlund ‘frustrated’ with Man Utd teammates and hated by everyone, says Paul Parker
Rasmus Hojlund is ‘frustrated’ with his Manchester United teammates and is hated by everyone, according to Paul Parker.
Hojlund finally scored his first Premier League goal in Tuesday’s 3-2 victory over Aston Villa following 1026 minutes of top-flight action.
United legend Paul Scholes felt that Hojlund was ‘lucky to be on the pitch’ after it took him 15 Premier League games to get off the mark.
The Denmark international striker moved to Old Trafford in a deal worth £72m this summer.
‘Everyone hates Manchester United and Rasmus Hojlund,’ Parker told Tipsbladet.
‘Experts and critics hope that he fails because he plays for the world’s biggest club, which nobody likes.
‘The good thing is that the fans have always supported him, and they will continue to do so.
‘I think he has been frustrated with his teammates because they don’t provide him with the best conditions to score goals.
‘The good thing about Hojlund is that he doesn’t show it on the field, and he never behaves like a diva, which we have seen especially Cristiano Ronaldo do in the past.
‘I actually think he could benefit from being more selfish. He should tell Rashford and Garnacho to give him the ball every time they have the opportunity.
‘He is the best player on the team, so they should give him the ball all the time, just like we gave the ball to Eric Cantona all the time when I played.
‘I think he might face a tough time now. If you think the critics will be quiet, you are mistaken. Expectations are higher for him now, and everyone will expect him to score consistently.
‘So, I believe that the next goal, if possible, will be even more important but also more challenging for him because he has to prove that it wasn’t a lucky punch.’
MORE : Paul Scholes names returning Man Utd star who can 'be the difference' for Rasmus Hojlund
MORE : Sir Jim Ratcliffe urged to get rid of 11 Manchester United players by Dean Saunders
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Newcastle ‘confident’ of signing Manchester City outcast and Manchester United target Kalvin Phillips
Newcastle United are ‘confident’ they will beat the likes of Manchester United to the signing of Manchester City star Kalvin Phillips, according to reports.
Phillips is expected to leave the Etihad in January having struggled for form and fitness since joining City from Leeds 18 months ago.
Despite his recent struggles, Phillips still has a great reputation and as such many clubs are interested in his services, including Juventus, Everton and Crystal Palace.
United have also been tipped to make a shock move for the 28-year-old, but St. James’ Park is said to be his most likely destination.
Newcastle have a long-standing interest in the player, and The Telegraph now report that they are ‘confident a deal can be thrashed out that is acceptable for both them and City’.
Negotiations are yet to begin, but the Magpies want to open talks over a loan deal as soon as possible amid their poor form and injury crisis, with midfielders like Joe Willock, Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali stuck on the sidelines.
Eddie Howe is an admirer of the player and views a new midfielder as a top priority after a run of one win in five has left his side eighth in the table and seven points off the top four.
Much of Newcastle’s January business will be restricted to loan signings and free agents to ensure that the club stay within Profit and Sustainability rules, with former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea also on their shortlist.
Phillips himself is keen on leaving City as long as it guarantees lots of game time, with a place in England’s Euro 2024 squad at stake.
If Newcastle are to sign anyone, they’ll want to do it as soon as the transferwindow opens, as they face title contenders Liverpool, City and Aston Villa in January, as well as an FA Cup tie against arch-rivals Sunderland.
MORE : Tottenham recall young forward ahead of Son Heung-min leaving for Asian Cup
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Tuesday, December 26, 2023
Fulham boss Marco Silva defends Bernd Leno for shoving Bournemouth ball boy
Marco Silva has defended Bernd Leno and played down his clash with a Bournemouth ball boy after the Fulham shot-stopper shoved the youngster during Tuesday’s 3-0 defeat.
The west Londoners fell two goals behind when Dominic Solanke converted a spot-kick just after the hour-mark and, soon after, Leno rushed to try and take a goal kick quickly as Fulham pushed for a way back into the game.
But he was unhappy with the speed at which one of the ball boys was retrieving the ball, running over to grab the ball himself and pushing the youngster as he did so.
Leno was already on a yellow card but escaped a second booking for his action, with referee Tim Robinson noting the incident but waving for play to continue.
The ball boy was spoken to by a steward to see if he was OK while Leno was booed by the home fans for the rest of the match despite taking advantage of a break in play to apologise and give him a hug.
Fulham boss Silva has now jumped to the defence of his goalkeeper and taken a swipe of his own at the Bournemouth ball boys.
Asked about the incident, Silva told BBC Match of the Day: ‘I spoke with Bernd before I came off, I saw the moment.
‘I don’t know if it was instruction or not, but the ball boys were always delaying.
‘The game should be the same if one team is winning or not. The ball boys were always delaying, Bernd wanted to play quickly and he took the ball from the ball boy.
‘He didn’t push him, it wasn’t strong enough and he apologised. He is a top professional.’
On his side’s performance in the defeat, Silva told Amazon Prime Video: ‘Bournemouth deserved to win. When you concede goals the way we did, we don’t deserve to get any points from the game.
‘We concede the first, really sloppy. Nine players plus Bernd [Leno] behind the ball and we let the player run 20 or 30 metres to make an assist. That is completely our fault.
‘I think the first half was really balanced, both teams trying to win the game. We had our chances, they had their chances then after 44 minutes we were really sloppy, not aggressive enough and they score.
‘That makes it difficult for us, we wanted to react but we didn’t really create enough. So they deserve the three points.’
MORE : Alan Shearer urges Newcastle United to sign former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea
MORE : Arsenal consider move for Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha as Douglas Luiz alternative
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