Category Sports News

What could be one of the key matches on Sunday after the Scottish Cup weekend is over, and attention turns to the most intriguing Premiership title races in a long time.

Rangers, who are second on goal difference, are eager to capitalize on Heart of Midlothian’s surprise match against second-placed Celtic, who are second behind.

Former Rangers’ midfielders Charlie Adam, Paul Hartley, one-time Celtic and Hearts players, and Barry McKay, who both played for Hearts and Rangers, all agree that the current three-horse race is too close to call.

After Celtic have been the “dominant force” for most of the past 15 years, Hartley believes it is “good for Scottish football” and that “it’s about time” we had “a proper title race.”

It’s wide open, according to Adam, while McKay is “sitting on the fence” about where the silverware will go.

Hearts are six points clear of the leader, but Derek McInnes’ side suffered a double blow on Saturday when they lost to Falkirk at home in the Scottish Cup on penalties and top scorer Lawrence Shankland injured in addition to important midfielder Cammy Devlin’s absence.

How do Hartley, McKay, and Adam anticipate the Edinburgh side’s response then?

PH: “I didn’t think that would have occurred at the start of the season, but I think Derek has built a strong squad.”

And they’ve lost two games in a row in the league. They always recover from defeats.

“I think Tynecastle’s fans really believe they can win the league because you can see the atmosphere there,” he said.

We’ve already experienced that season’s opening with a strong start in 2005-06, but this season feels completely different.

You can see why the players are believing as well because they have a very good, experienced manager, are well run, and have a good board.

You can see the team’s spirit and the apparent rift between the players and the supporters.

“I believe Hearts are favorites because of their consistent displays.

“Two key players,” Devlin has done a fantastic job for them. Because he is the captain, the goals he can score, and his first-team experience, Shankland is the key player.

“I think the weekend game is obviously huge for them, but I think they’ve always had these doubts about how well they’ve performed and received the outcome they needed.

“I just believe there is a genuine groupness there. They have a really strong core group of players and excellent leadership.

At the top end of the pitch, we have one of the best finishers in the country. They have a strong defense, are excellent in the middle of the park, and have some guile and flair on the sides as well.

Shankland is a very clever footballer who really brings the other goals into play as well, and you can’t ignore his goals either. He will be a big miss if he is missing.

They’re a truly top team, and what you hear outside indicates that they will only get better.

It’s certain in them to beat Rangers and Celtic coming away because they’ve had question marks on them before.

I don’t understand how they can’t do it given their performance this year.

CA: “I believe Hearts has been in unimaginable form historically.” What Derek’s built has been incredible for a team that has been assembled with a new manager at the start of the season.

After sacking Wilfried Nancy, who had a disappointing run-up to Brendan Rodgers’ departure in October, Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has returned for his second stint as interim manager and third overall.

PH: “It’s unlike Celtic, isn’t it? ” They’ve had a lot of success, but this season has been strange.

Everyone can see that they are short of players and have to switch managers three times.

“Martin is getting tired. He is frequently asked about player recruitment and strikers in press releases.

Everyone is aware that they require strikers, or at least one striker, and that they also require reinforcements. Therefore, there will be a large window.

“The winner will determine the difference between the three clubs,” the statement continues.

CA: “It’s important for them to have Martin back and win the last few games to regain a little bit more confidence.”

After Russell Martin’s early departure in the first season, Rangers have also changed their head coach and are now thrust back into the title race under Danny Rohl.

Danny has done a fantastic job, CA says. He is aware of Rangers’ intentions and actions. He behaved as a manager for the Rangers should. In the media, he spoke very well.

“Has he played the best football?” Probability isn’t, but he has produced results, which is important, especially since winning football games has been done quickly.

The club, supporters, and owners are all attempting to do the right things, according to the owner. The owners made mistakes, and they have since corrected them.

“They’ve obviously done some good business,” he said, “but I believe they also need a goal scorer who can really affect their top end of the pitch.”

Rangers are quiet and content while operating quietly in the background. It’s obvious that they haven’t seen Connor Barron in a while, so they needed to add a midfielder and a left-back.

BM: “Of course, the manager has come in, and he’s just won on the board,” and that’s the most crucial thing for any manager.

“It’s brought a real unity between the squad and him to start piqueing fans’ interest as well as his ongoing work on the pitch. I’m confident that he will be pleased with the fact that they’ve already done a small amount of business.

You’ll start to really see his type of team once you start to see more and more players join. They will be right there if they can just keep running their own business and winning the games.

PH: “He’s done a fantastic job since the new manager comes in. He has them well-drilled and organized. They are therefore in a strong position to win the title.

According to BBC Sport, Frank is being closely watched at the club as they consider putting an end to his seven-month reign.

Despite their struggles this season, Spurs have so far publicly supported Frank, but Saturday’s home defeat by West Ham has put pressure on him even more.

He described the lunch that he had on Monday with Vinai Venkatesham, the company’s CEO, and other board members Nick Beucher and Johan Lange as “all good.”

Before Tuesday’s Champions League game against Borussia Dortmund, Frank stated, “We had a good conversation about life, football, and the future of the club.”

In recent weeks, at least one executive member of the club has actively questioned whether Frank should be allowed to leave.

Spurs are 14th in the Premier League, having won just seven of their 22 games this year, and many supporters appear to have already lost faith in the former Brentford manager.

At the weekend, his own fans chanted “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” but Frank believes he can win back the supporters’ trust.

Everyone will support us, he said, as long as we win football games and ensure that we do so.

“It’s not my time,” I said. It’s about keeping up the team and players.

Frank added that he only has 11 of the team’s regular first-team players available for the match against Dortmund.

Ben Davies, Richarlison, Rodrigo Bentancur, Mohammed Kudus, Dejan Kulusevski, and James Maddison are just a few players who have been sidelined with long-term injuries for Spurs.

Joao Palinha, a midfielder without a chance for a Dortmund game, is suspended, and Conor Gallagher, a new signing, is ineligible until the knockouts because he has already played in the Champions League for Atletico Madrid this year.

He remarked, “We need everyone to be there for us from the beginning. particularly the players, especially the team. Anything can happen if we have that support. Magic is a possibility.

Despite being given Tuesday’s Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, Frank’s position is still in serious danger.

The Spurs hierarchy has been weighing whether to continue with Frank over the past 48 hours.

Frank stated on Monday that he felt the powerbrokers at the club were wrong, and that the Dortmund game appears to have sparked an unlikely turnaround.

Before Saturday’s game at Burnley, Frank would find himself in a risky position if the Germans defeated him.

The fans’ opposition to him has grown, and there will only be more calls for his dismissal.

Members of the hierarchy have also turned against Frank, according to BBC Sport’s revelations on Sunday, with at least one senior executive suggesting that he lose his job.

Victory over Dortmund might give Frank some respite from the resentment and vitriol that has been directed his way.

In a move to end the booze ban in Scottish football, supporters may be able to purchase alcohol at a Scotland game later this year.

The Scottish FA has confirmed that the trial could take place prior to the World Cup’s opening game of one of the national team friendly matches in March or June.

On March 28 and May 30, Steve Clarke’s team will host Japan and Curacao.

Fans might be able to purchase alcohol in the stadium concourse, but the plans do not allow back-up drinkers.

This season, league matches have featured trials.

Yehvann Diouf, the reserve goalkeeper for Senegal, joked about how important it was to protect his teammate’s towel in Sunday’s haphazard Afcon final.

In extraordinary circumstances, Diouf, 26, played a crucial role in Senegal’s second continental triumph in five years. He was an unreliable substitute in the Rabat final.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy was frequently asked to dry his gloves in the dreary conditions.

Morocco’s repeated attempts to remove the 33-year-old’s towel, a tactic they were also spotted employing in the semi-final victory over Nigeria, made the task much more difficult.

However, Diouf was present throughout the entire 120 minutes to shield his team-mate’s towel from the ball boys and flag bearers.

Three ball boys once wrestled the Senegal keeper to the ground before dragging him around on the floor. He also flies aground from the ball boys in video.

A later scene later in the game showed Morocco’s Acharf Hakimi tossing a Senegal towel over an advertising board.

Diouf shared a photo of his winners’ medal and now-iconic towel in a post-final Instagram post about how valiantly he went to support Senegal’s victory.

In the fourth extra-time winner of the game for Senegal, Pape Gueye scored a stunning individual effort in the final at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

The goal was scored, however, after Senegal was instructed by head coach Pape Thiaw to temporarily abstain.

When Morocco were awarded a penalty in the 98th minute, the referee Jean Jacques Ndala ruled out his side’s goal before the match, leaving Thiaw reeling in the second half, the match was stopped.

Sadio Mane, a former Liverpool player, was able to persuade his team to return to the field despite their protests.

Brahim Diaz, the top scorer in the tournament with five goals, fluffed his lines from the penalty spot with a bizarre and untimely Panenka attempt after a 17-minute delay.

With the World Cup approaching, contracts expiring, and clubs searching for new bosses, a summer of managerial change may be in order.

Oliver Glasner will have to step down as Crystal Palace’s manager until the end of the season, while Michael Carrick will remain in charge of Manchester United until June.

It could be a time of genuine intrigue as a World Cup approaches and there are likely to be many coaching adjustments at international level following that.

On BBC Radio 5 Live, former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha said, “I wonder if we can get that person or that person.” “It’s going to be interesting because fans of some clubs who need managers will be wondering, “I wonder if we can get that person or that person,” said Onuoha.

“The World Cup serves to give that a little more nuance,” he continued. Some managers are available when the situation strikes them as ideal. Some managers have contracts in place.

Some managers are attempting to perform well during the summer World Cup for their countries. It’s really exciting, and it gives off the impression that so many clubs will undergo a reset.

Glasner confirmed to BBC Sport that he had informed chairman Steve Parish in October that he would not agree to a new contract despite being given a new deal last summer.

At the end of the season, Fulham manager Marco Silva‘s contract expires. Since 2021, he has taken over as manager, moving them from the Championship to the top flight, and they recorded their highest Premier League points last season.

Andoni Iraola will also leave if his contract expires at Bournemouth.

Some managers are set to end their positions at the end of the World Cup even though there are some who do so without any sackings.

Thomas Tuchel only signed an 18-month contract when he became England manager in January, which means he will leave in July.

The Three Lions manager, however, has stated that he is willing to extend his contract.

Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is currently in charge of co-hosting the United States, but his tenure will come to an end when the tournament is over.

Prior to joining Chelsea, Pochettino managed the club before moving on to international football. He won the Ligue 1 with Paris St-Germain in 2021 and led Spurs to a Champions League title in 2019.

Numerous well-known personalities are awaiting a management’s return.

Gareth Southgate, who was previously under pressure after being defeated by Spain in the Euro 2024 final, is one of the candidates.

However, Southgate stated that returning to management was “not something that’s high on my agenda” when asked about potential replacement Ruben Amorim at Manchester United in November.

After a brief spell in charge of Real Madrid of less than eight months, Xabi Alonso is looking for a new job.

Real won 24 of Alonso’s 34 games, drawing six and losing six of those.

Zinedine Zidane has been unemployed since leaving Real Madrid in 2021 despite having won three Champions League titles and two La Liga titles.

When Deschamps leaves, he may take over as manager of his country, according to reports in France.

Former Chelsea manager Ange Postecoglou and former Dortmund boss Edin Terzic are also unemployed, just like former DORTMUND boss Edin Terzic and former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.

Former England captain Heather Knight says she is committed to continuing her playing career despite taking up a position as general manager of London Spirit in The Hundred.

Knight will not feature on the field in the 2026 edition of the tournament and will instead support Spirit’s sporting director Mo Bobat and women’s head coach Jon Lewis.

The 35-year-old remains contracted to England and Somerset, and has recently finished a stint in the Women’s Big Bash League with Sydney Thunder.

“It’s not me retiring or finishing playing, it’s just me turning my head slightly towards what might come next,” said Knight.

“This was an opportunity to continue playing, in terms of my commitment to England and Somerset. It was a tricky decision, but one I felt was a really good opportunity for me that I didn’t want to turn down.”

England host the T20 World Cup in June and July, and while home tournaments are often a stage for veteran players to bow out, Knight says the competition will not feature her last trip to the crease.

“I’m certainly committed to playing at the moment. One thing the last couple of years has taught me is it’s not actually super beneficial to look too far ahead sometimes,” she added.

“Something I’ve tried to do is live in the moment and really enjoy what I’m doing. There’s bound to be questions around retirement and things like that.

Knight has been associated with Spirit since The Hundred’s first season in 2021, leading them to the competition’s title in 2024.

She missed the 2025 edition of the tournament after sustaining a hamstring injury, but remained with the Lord’s-based side as a coach and mentor.

She was subsequently contacted by former England performance director Bobat, in a call she says came “a bit out of the blue”, who offered her a general manager role.

The role will see her offer knowledge of the women’s game, with Bobat having previously worked mostly in men’s cricket, while providing another experienced voice when the tournament is in play.

“I’ll sit across a lot of decisions around the women’s recruitment and be part of a group of us that will form the strategy around our auction planning,” said Knight, who was speaking at Lord’s as Spirit announced the eight players they have signed prior to the auction.

“In terms of day-to-day during the competition I won’t be involved in selection. That’s the head coach and the captain’s job to work that out.

“I’ll be the objective person in the dressing room to make sure I’m supporting and challenging the head coach and helping them in any way they see fit really.

“It’s a slightly different role, I guess one that I’m getting used to, but one I think suits what I’ve done in the game. I’ve had a huge amount of experience in selection for squads as England captain and Spirit captain.”

The role sees Knight reunited with Lewis, who led the England side between 2022 and 2025 and was appointed to his Spirit role in December.

The pair lost their roles as coach and captain following England’s disastrous Ashes tour last winter in which the tourists failed to win a single game.

“I’m delighted we’ve got Jon Lewis on board,” said Knight.

“We’ve stayed in touch. I had a really good working relationship with Jon – we worked brilliantly together over those three years. That relationship is going to be really important.

“We’re viewing it as a partnership in terms of how we run things. And having that pre-existing, really strong relationship is only going to be a really good thing for London Spirit.