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Rangers are now stumbling eight points behind bitter rivals Celtic after a couple of poor performances and results, and the wheels might well be falling off from within.

Steven Gerrard has never been afraid to voice his concern if he believes something isn’t right.

A relentless worker, leader and role model during his playing career and a tough manager now, Gerrard has been true to form when addressing some of the major concerns he has over the attitude of his squad.

Fans aren’t exactly disagreeing with him either with most echoing his concerns that players have done little to deserve being so complacent at such an important stage of the season.

Gerrard may be right, but by publicly outingÂmembers of his squad he’s playing a very dangerous game.

Indeed, in an age where internal revolts can dictate the future of a manager’s career at a club, we’ve already seen the likes of media shaming pro-Jose Mourinho ousted from both Chelsea and Manchester United after his players took a disliking to his practises.

And that’s someone who’s experienced major success throughout his long and illustrious career.

Gerrard, for all his quality as a player, is unproven as a manager.

There’s a very fine line the current Gers boss would do well not to cross if he wants to make a success of his first big job in coaching.

With Everton having lost six of their last eight Premier League games, manager Rafael Benitez has come under immense pressure in recent weeks, with his job at Goodison Park seemingly under threat.

Even though club owner Farhad Moshiri recently sent a message to Jim White saying that the 61-year-old’s job is safe for the time being, there has been a recent update which could throw the Spaniard’s future back into the realm of uncertainty, which could be very exciting for many Toffees fans.

What’s the latest?

According to The Mirror (via Daily Express), Moshiri has reportedly demanded a meeting with Benitez before Everton’s next league match against Arsenal on Monday and apparently “wishes to speak to both Benitez and members of the board to discuss what is going so wrong.”

The former Liverpool manager got his tenure at Everton off to a reasonably good start by winning four of their opening six league games of the season, but since the start of October, their results have been very worrying.

In fairness to Everton and Benitez, the Toffees have had to deal with some unfortunate injury issues, with the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes all sidelined at the moment.

Even though Moshiri has apparently said in his message to White that Benitez “needs time to have his mark on the squad” and that he will be “supported to add depth to the squad,” this could well be a smokescreen for the time being before their reported meeting, which could well lead to a very different outcome if Moshiri thinks Benitez isn’t the right person to lead the team.

Taking into account the fact that a lot of Everton fans are not particularly happy with Benitez at the moment given the team’s dismal run of form, as some of them were before he even joined the club in the summer, it would be safe to presume that many will have their fingers crossed that Moshiri will change his tune about the manager when he flies in from the USA to have his meeting with Benitez.

Indeed, speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Paul Brown noted that the 66-year-old businessman is not “particularly patient” with managers at Goodison Park when things begin to turn sour. This development could excite those Everton supporters who would gladly see the back of the Spaniard.

Taking into account their poor run of form, it does seem as though something needs to change at the Merseyside club to get their season back on track.

With the January transfer window on the horizon and their current injury woes, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the club do some business in the window rather than get rid of Benitez to see if he can turn their fortunes around.

In other news – Forget Coleman: Everton lightweight who lost 91% duels may have just cost Benitez his job…

Celtic are planning a move to bring Jota to Parkhead on a permanent basis.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Sky Sports, who claim that Ange Postecoglou’s side will active their option to buy the 22-year-old before the end of the current campaign.

The report added that a deal coukd be secured due to the fact that Celtic negotiated a £6.5m purchase clause in the winger’s season-long loan switch from Portuguese side Benfica this summer.

Fans will be over the moon

Considering just how impressive Jota has been since his arrival at Parkhead back in August, the news that the club are planning to turn the forward’s temporary switch into a permanent deal is sure to have left Celtic fans over the moon with glee.

Indeed, over his 11 Premiership appearances this season, the £3.15m-rated winger has bagged five goals, provided four assists and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as making 1.5 key passes and taking three shots per game – the joint-19th and joint fourth-most in the league respectively.

These returns have seen the £7.1k-per-week winger average a SofaScore match rating of 7.38, ranking him as the seventh-best performer in the top flight so far this season.

The 22-year-old has also turned in a number of show-stopping performances over his five Europa League outings, scoring two goals, registering two assists and creating four big chances for his teammates, with these metrics seeing the Portugal under-21 international average an even more astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.40.

As such, the news that Celtic are planning to make the forward’s loan deal a permanent move before the end of the season will undoubtedly be a major deal for everyone involved with the club.

Also, for a transfer fee of just £6.5m, it is undeniable that the Bhoys will have sealed something of a transfer masterclass if they do go on to pull the trigger on their option-to-buy clause.

In other news – “I’ve heard”: Celtic dealt big transfer setback, fans will be fuming

Rangers have received a boost with the news that Borna Barisic is happy at the club, as per Football Scotland. 

The lowdown

The Gers have already lost one full-back this month, with Everton snapping up Nathan Patterson.

Barisic has also attracted Premier League interest, this time from Watford, who tabled a £2m bid last month which was promptly dismissed by the Scottish champions.

The Croatian’s £18,000-per-week contract, signed in January 2020, still has two-and-a-half years to run.

The latest

Football Scotland reporters Mark McDougall and Euan Robertson wrote that Barisic is ‘enjoying life in Glasgow’, and it would apparently take a bid of £5m for Rangers to even consider letting him go.

The report added that the Light Blues are in ‘a strong negotiating position’ after the club-record sale of Patterson last week.

The verdict

Keeping Barisic would be a big boost for Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Rangers, and it would also illustrate the benefits of parting with Patterson.

The Croatian is a trusted lieutenant, selected for 12 Premiership games and all six of the Gers’ Europa League group stage matches this season.

He has also been the team’s third strongest performer according to SofaScore metrics, with an average rating of 7.3/10. Indeed, in the Light Blues’ squad, only James Tavernier (3.4) has created more chances per 90 minutes than Barisic.

His former manager Steven Gerrard hailed him as a “top player” back in 2019, praise which is merited judging by the above statistics, so to hear that the 29-year-old is quite happy to remain at Ibrox despite Watford’s interest should come as a real fillip to everyone associated with Rangers.

In other news, many Rangers fans flocked to this double exit claim

Trezeguet may leave Aston Villa on loan before the end of the transfer window, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans. 

The lowdown

The Egyptian joined Aston Villa ahead of the 2019/20 season in an £8.75m move from Kasimpasa. He has since made 64 appearances for the club, although he spent much of 2021 sidelined by a serious knee injury and has played just 10 top-flight minutes since recovering from that setback.

His current goal tally stands at nine, while he has also served up five assists during his time with the Midlands outfit. His £32.5k-per-week contract still has 18 months left to run.

Trezeguet is currently away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), and it’s unclear if that will complicate any potential transfer. They are due to meet Ivory Coast for a round of 16 tie on Wednesday, just five days before the January deadline.

The latest

During The Athletic’s matchday discussion on Saturday, Evans was asked whether time was ‘up’ for wingers Bertrand Traore or Trezeguet given Gerrard’s preference for a narrow 4-3-2-1 formation.

The journalist replied: “Traore, I feel, will be back up now. Maybe an impact player? Trezeguet is going to struggle for minutes so he may go on loan.”

The verdict

Where might Trezeguet end up?

It was reported earlier this month that Galatasaray were keen to take him back to the Turkish Super Lig and had initiated talks with Villa.

Steven Gerrard has already allowed Anwar El-Ghazi to leave this month, but in Philippe Coutinho, Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore, he will have ample options in the wide attacking areas even if he lets Trezeguet go too.

Some Villa fans may be sad to see the 27-year-old go, because his commitment has never really been in doubt. For instance, his former manager Dean Smith described his ‘running numbers’ as ‘incredible’; while former Villa defender Alan Hutton hailed his willingness to close people down, even if he did look like a ‘headless chicken’ at times.

At least a loan move could enable Trezeguet to reinvigorate his career while still maintaining ties with the club so that they aren’t just barging him out the door unceremoniously.

In other news, lots of Villa fans flock to links with this Serie A maestro

Newcastle United have suffered a major injury blow over Federico Fernandez ahead of their Premier League clash against Liverpool on Thursday night.

What’s the story?

Eddie Howe’s side take on the Reds at Anfield looking to bounce back from their resounding 4-0 defeat against Leicester last weekend, but will have to do so without the services of Fernandez.

Writing on Twitter, Sky Sports journalist Keith Downie said: “Federico Fernandez has a thigh injury and will miss the next couple of weeks for Newcastle. Eddie Howe doesn’t expect to be able to to select the defender over the festive period.”

Big miss for Newcastle

The Argentine has played just the seven times for the Magpies in the Premier League this season, and was named only on the bench against Leicester in the Tyneside club’s previous outing.

Last season, as per Whoscored, Fernandez was the club’s best performing centre-back via average match rating, and it was no surprise that he earned rave reviews for his performances.

Naming him as his player of the year for Newcastle in December 2020, The Athletic’s Chris Waugh said: “Federico Fernandez, the immovable object at the heart of Newcastle’s defence, deserves this accolade due to his consistent excellence. He is never flashy, but the 31-year-old is one of the few dependable performers – goalkeepers Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow also made this imaginary shortlist – and embodies the admirable resilience of this side.

“He may not offer a highlight reel of pyrotechnics like Saint-Maximin, but Newcastle fans take just as much pleasure out of watching compilations of Fernandez’s tackles, headers, interceptions and blocks as they do their forwards’ goals.”

With the Christmas schedule set to take its toll, Fernandez picking up a muscle injury is a very bad sign of what could potentially happen to the Magpies – even more so when you consider the fact they’re in a perilous relegation battle.

The last thing Howe needs is players dropping out with injuries just when he needs them, and with games against Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United all before the New Year, he can’t afford to lose any more.

Magpies fans will surely be gutted with the latest injury news on Fernandez.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have made an enquiry for this star…

With the international break now firmly in the rear view mirror, Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa will be desperately hoping to pick up some much-needed momentum when his side take on Spurs on Sunday afternoon.

The Whites picked up four points from a possible six in their last two Premier League games before the internationals and will look to kick on when they make the trip to north London to face Antonio Conte’s side.

Bielsa was given a significant injury boost earlier in the week when Junior Firpo was declared fit, and he should be thrust straight into the starting line-up for the clash against Spurs.

While Firpo may not have been a regular starter at former club Barcelona last season – he played just 18 times in all competitions – he is the kind of attacking left-back who seems to be a perfect fit for Bielsa’s Leeds.

He was once tipped for big things by French defender Eric Abidal, who told Diario Sport (via Tribuna): “He’s a player with a lot of potential. He could be one of the best left-backs in the world. I always tell him that he must work hard and be aware of the (style of) play. He’s going to get better, for sure. It’s always difficult to get started at Barca.”

Speaking to The Yorkshire Evening Post, player analyst Josh Hobbs said of the flying full-back: “Going forwards, he’s a good dribbler – particularly when he gets up to speed and he can steam past players. He likes to play a pass into midfield and then sprint down the line to receive in behind and get into the box.

“His delivery in wide areas is usually a fizzed low cross, which is dangerous as often if the player at the front post misses it, can be met by somebody running centrally or to the back post.”

The £12.5m-rated machine is exactly what Leeds need to help break down Spurs and get their attacking play firing on all cylinders.

His pace and power down the left flank could cause problems for Conte’s back three and give the Whites a potent attacking threat which could really terrify Spurs if they’re not on their game.

Meanwhile, Leeds have been handed a transfer update on this star…

Manchester United have not made any moves in the transfer window so far in terms of new additions but have been linked with a host of players in various positions, with the appointment of Ralf Rangnick building hope of a change in direction for the club as they seek their first trophy since 2017.

The club have had another disappointing season, struggling to get comfortable in the top four, winning just nine of their first 19 league games, but they have had a good run so far under Rangnick since he joined the club in November.

The German went unbeaten in his first five Premier League games and the team picked up 10 points out of a possible 15 in their last five games prior to this evening’s clash at Aston Villa. That has put them in a more competitive position for the remainder of the season as they chase a Champions League qualifying place.

The squad has shown weaknesses during disappointing performances this season, most recently in their 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier this month, and Rangnick will need to identify the areas which can be improved over the coming months within his squad.

One player who has been linked with the Red Devils during this transfer window is Chelsea centre-back Antonio Rudiger, who has been an outstanding performer for the Champions League holders this season, and now it seems that he has attracted the attention of the Manchester club.

Rio Ferdinand 2.o

The German defender, who is out of contract in the summer, has won 78% of his aerial duels and helped Chelsea to keep eight clean sheets this season, with the 6 foot 2 beast also scoring three goals and providing four assists in all competitions so far, proving he is effective both defensively and offensively.

This diversity in his play from the centre-back position is similar to that of United legend Rio Ferdinand, who also used his pace and ability to read games and dictate play both in his defensive and progressive actions, as well as leadership qualities in the backline which earned him legendary status at Old Trafford.

If the £31.5m-rated Chelsea gem were to join the Red Devils, Ferdinand would definitely approve too, as the ex-United star claimed that Rudiger “isn’t getting beaten” in his position. Speaking on his podcast last year, the 43-year-old gushed: ‘He isn’t getting beaten by no one at the moment the way that he’s on it and he’s concentrating.’

Rangnick will have a challenge on his hands if he plans to sign the defender from Stamford Bridge this summer, as many other clubs are interested in securing his signature – including Chelsea themselves, who have also opened contract talks with the player and his agent over the last few days.

It’s clear from the praise and statistics above that Rudiger is a sublime defender, so the United boss must do everything he can to bring the 28-year-old to Old Trafford.

In other news: Alex Crook gives an update on this potential Man Utd signing

Celtic are closing in on a deal to bring Cameron Carter-Vickers to Parkhead on a permanent basis this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Record, who claim that, despite the increased interest in the centre-back’s signing – with the likes of Burnley, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Leicester City all believed to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the 24-year-old – Celtic are now in pole position to land the Tottenham Hotspur defender at the end of the season.

The report goes on to state that Ange Postecoglou’s transfer team are currently locked in negotiations with the Premier League side concerning the activation of their £6m option to buy clause for the USA international – a deal which could eventually rise to £10m with add-ons.

Finally, it is claimed that, with Champions League football all but secured ahead of next season, people close to Carter-Vickers believe that Celtic Park is the best place for the American to continue his progression in the game.

Huge coup for Celtic

Considering just how impressive Carter-Vickers have been for Celtic since his season-long loan switch to Glasgow last summer, it is unsurprising to learn that a number of Premier League sides, as well as the Hoops, are keen to secure the centre-back’s signature at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, over his 27 Premiership appearances this season, the £2.7m-rated defender has been flawless in the Celtic backline, helping his side keep 14 clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 4.4 clearances and winning six duels – at a success rate of 68% – per game.

The £22k-per-week American has also chipped in for the Bhoys in an attacking capacity, bagging four goals – one of which was the winner against Rangers on Sunday – and registering one assist, as well as taking an average of 0.6 shots and making 0.3 key passes per fixture.

These returns have seen the 24-year-old average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.36, ranking him as the fifth-best player in the top flight of Scottish football in the current campaign.

As such, it is clear for all to see why there is so much interest in Carter-Vickers this summer, as well as why sealing his permanent switch to Parkhead would be something of a major coup for the runaway Premiership leaders.

AND in other news: Postecoglou drops huge behind the scenes update, it’s great news for Celtic

Celtic captain Callum McGregor could feature against rivals Rangers this evening, Anthony Joseph reports.  

The Lowdown: McGregor a regular under Ange

McGregor, who Ange Postecoglou praised for the ‘massive’ role the midfielder plays both on and off the pitch, has made 33 appearances this season.

The 28-year-old had to be replaced against Alloa Athletic last month with a facial injury, which has kept him out of the wins against Hearts and Dundee United.

Postecoglou initially labelled the injury as ‘significant’ and expected the club captain to be out long term, but it seems as if he could make a surprise return this evening.

The Latest: Joseph’s post

Joseph took to Twitter on Tuesday ahead of the crucial Glasgow Derby to relay comments from Postecoglou on McGregor.

He posted:

“Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou has told Sky Sports News that captain Callum McGregor has been recovering well from his facial injury and there is “a chance” he could be involved tomorrow against Rangers.”

The Verdict: Brilliant

Postecoglou is expected to make a late call on McGregor, who would have to play with a protective mask, but it’s brilliant to see that he has a chance.

Some Celtic supporters may have been fearing the worst when Postecoglou labelled the injury as ‘significant’ just last week, but he is back on the training pitch and doesn’t seem to be far away from a full return.

Hopefully, he’ll be able to feature in some capacity tonight, with a win at Parkhead taking the Hoops back to the top of the Scottish Premiership.

In other news: ‘I can tell you…’ – BBC Radio 5 Live man shares key on-air info on ‘unbelievable’ Celtic ace.