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Barry Ferguson will always be inextricably linked with Rangers.

As a player, he made 422 appearances for the Gers across two spells, winning five Premiership titles as well as five Scottish Cups and five League Cups, leading the team out in Manchester for the 2008 UEFA Cup Final against Zenit Saint Petersburg.

Then, last season, following the sacking of Philippe Clement, Ferguson was appointed interim Rangers manager, winning only six of 15 matches in charge, but knocking Fenerbahçe out of the Europa League and enjoying a victory over Celtic at Parkhead.

He wanted the managerial role full-time but did not get it; he almost certainly would not have done a worse job than Russell Martin, had he been given the opportunity.

As a player, Ferguson boasted all the intangibles supporters love to see, determination, commitment, passion and a will to win, something Danny Röhl’s current squad certainly lacks, but is Rangers’ “best player” starting to show signs of replicating Ferguson?

James Tavernier's role at Rangers

Since joining the club, when they were still in the SPFL Championship, from Wigan Athletic in 2015, James Tavernier has now made 537 appearances for Rangers, scoring a staggering 136 goals and registering 145 assists.

He has won all three domestic honours, while also captaining the team in the Europa League Final in Seville in 2022, as Ferguson had done 14 years earlier, his most recent goal for the club coming at Hampden in defeat to Celtic in the League Cup semi-finals earlier this month.

Last season, for the very first time, Tavernier’s place in the Rangers side came under scrutiny, with some questioning, now 34 years old, if he is the force he once was.

During his brief interim period, Ferguson trialled the Englishman in various positions, right-back, right-wing-back and right-sided centre-back in a three, which was essentially foreshadowing what was to come once Röhl arrived.

The captain has started five of the six matches under the German, the sole exception coming at Easter Road, when he was introduced at half time.

Since Röhl has switched to a back three, Tavernier has most commonly been deployed as a wing-back, although not exclusively, starting as part of the back three against both Kilmarnock and Roma, which is more reflective of Rangers’ lack of high-quality centre-backs, as this role doesn’t get the best out of him.

Nevertheless, as Röhl continues to figure out how to best use his skipper, another of his stars has come to the fore in a way that is reminiscent of Ferguson.

Rangers' "best player" who is Barry Ferguson-esque

It may only be the middle of November, but Nicolas Raskin has already enjoyed, and endured, a roller coaster campaign.

At international level, he has started each of Belgium’s last three World Cup qualifiers, scoring against Kazakhstan in Brussels, establishing himself as a key figure in Rudi Garcia’s team ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

Meantime, back in Glasgow, Raskin remains a key figure for Rangers, starting all six matches since Röhl was appointed, heading home his second goal of the campaign at Dens on Sunday.

The statistics below emphasise the midfielder’s importance to this team.

As the table documents, Raskin ranks highly for a wide variety of statistics this season.

He is the club’s leading player in terms of assists, while also second for key passes and tackles per 90, underlining that he is an all-round midfield player.

Following Sunday’s victory at Dundee, speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage, Kris Boyd believes that Raskin is starting to rediscover his “outstanding” form from last season since the appointment of Röhl, while Chris Sutton asserts that he remains Rangers’ “best player”.

So, while the Belgian is stylistically similar to Ferguson, both all-action midfielders, that is not where the similarities end.

In an interview last year, Ferguson revealed that he was informed he should leave Rangers in 2007 following a falling out with manager Paul Le Guen, told “you won’t play for Rangers again”, only for the Frenchman to be sacked soon after, brought straight back into the team under interim boss Ian Durrant.

Well, Raskin endured a near-identical situation, seemingly frozen out by Russell Martin, left on the bench for Champions League qualifiers against Viktoria Plzeň and Club Brugge, before being excluded from the matchday squad altogether for home games against Celtic and Hearts.

The Martin vs Raskin battle was when supporters really turned against the manager they never wanted in the first place, very much the beginning of the end for him.

Now back in the side, the Belgian has once again taken on a talismanic leadership role, so Rangers supporters will be hoping he can carry on this excellent form for many more months and years, even if he still requires 306 more appearances to match Ferguson’s legacy.

"Huge potential" Rangers star can become the new Sima & Cerny under Rohl

Rangers youngster who has “huge potential” is becoming Danny Röhl’s new loan star, seeking to replicate Amad, Václav Černý, Abdallah Sima and others.

By
Ben Gray

Nov 13, 2025

Eberechi Eze spoke to Adebayo Akinfenwa on the latest episode of the 'Beast Mode on Podcast', opening up on the only difference between representing Crystal Palace and wearing the colours of Arsenal, the club that took him in as a child and eventually returned for him in a £60 million deal this summer. The 27-year-old midfielder, released by Arsenal at 13 and later rejected by Millwall at the end of his youth scholarship, has come full circle by rejoining the club he supported as a boy.

• Realising his boyhood dream

  Eze opened up on his new life at the Emirates in the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On podcast. The Gunners triggered a package worth £60m, including £8m in add-ons in the summer, beating Tottenham to a player long admired across north London. Spurs believed they had secured Eze's services, having agreed terms with Palace and with the player’s representatives, until a dramatic late twist saw Arsenal walk away with the prized asset. Their move was only made possible after Eze himself phoned Mikel Arteta to check whether the door to the Emirates was truly closed. It wasn’t, and within hours, Arteta called an internal meeting, the board approved the deal, and Spurs were left stunned. Eze signed a four-year contract, with the option of an additional season, and now inherits Arsenal’s iconic No. 10 shirt, which was previously worn by legends such as Dennis Bergkamp and Mesut Ozil, and academy favourites Jack Wilshere and Emile Smith Rowe.

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  Eze's take on the difference between Arsenal & Palace

  Speaking exclusively to GOAL's Beast Mode On podcast, Eze said: "It’s up a level in terms of attention. There's a lot more surrounding Arsenal than there is surrounding Palace. You have to consider so much more. There's a lot more eyes on you. You get noticed a bit more."

  While the off-pitch scrutiny has increased, he insisted that the football itself remains on a similar level.

  "It's different off the football pitch, on the pitch it’s the same," he said. "Playing the same game, you're playing to win, you're having the same types of conversations. Different processes and systems, but still the same principle. But yeah, off the pitch is a big shift and I feel like that's a natural progression in football as you move club, move upwards. Things start to shift a bit, so this was expected. But it’s something I'm enjoying, I'm trying to handle with grace. So it's a blessing."

• The long road back to the top

  Eze’s path back to Arsenal is a fairytale. He first joined the Gunners at eight years old, only to be released five years later. After spells with Fulham, Reading and eventually Millwall, where he failed to earn a professional contract, his future seemed on the brink of collapse. A chance trial at Queens Park Rangers changed everything. Technical director Chris Ramsey was instantly convinced, offering the playmaker a contract that would become a lifeline. A productive loan at Wycombe Wanderers helped Eze develop his craft before he flourished at Loftus Road.

  He went on to make 104 league appearances for QPR, prompting Crystal Palace to pay around £17 million in 2020. Eze made himself indispensable at Selhurst Park across five influential seasons, culminating in scoring the winner in last year’s FA Cup final. That success sparked a wave of interest, with Tottenham first, then, decisively, Arsenal.

  Reflecting on the first major leap in his career, Eze admitted that going from QPR to Crystal Palace was an overwhelming experience.

  "Shock. The intensity that you're playing at and the quality of players," he said. "They're thinking faster, they're more technically able. So things that maybe took two or three seconds in the Championship are now taking one-and-a-half seconds. You’ve got to be quicker in how you’re processing information. So for me going up, my mind was being stretched – as it is now – moving into a new environment. You're learning and you're being forced… you’re being put into an uncomfortable state. You’ve got to figure out, which was good. I felt like I needed that at that time.

  “But of course, as time goes on, you start to acclimatise, feel more comfortable, and then you start being able to be your full self in that environment, which is for me, that's what I love about football.”

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Daniel Farke will is set to be sacked by 49ers Enterprises if Leeds lose their next two Premier League matches against Chelsea and Liverpool.

Farke frustrated by Man City tactics at the Etihad

The Whites were left heartbroken by a late Phil Foden winner at Manchester City on Saturday, as a crucial point slipped through Farke’s fingers.

The German bemoaned City’s dark arts after the match, believing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma went down with a “fake injury” that allowed Pep Guardiola to give his players a team talk.

“It is within the rules,” Farke said. “It is smart. If I like it, if it is in the sense of fair play, if it should be like this, I keep it to myself and I leave it to the authorities to find solutions for it. It is within the rules.

“I asked the fourth official at this point if you want to do something and he said: ‘No, our hands are tied, we can’t do anything’.

“If we don’t educate our players in football, what to do in terms of fair play, sportsmanship, if you just try to bend the rules to your advantage and you can do a fake injury in order to do an additional team talk, it is nothing I personally like but if it is within the rules I can’t complain about it.”

49ers keen on hiring Farke upgrade at Leeds who's a "bit like Bielsa"

Leeds fans can expect high-octane football with this manager

By
Joe Nuttall

Nov 30, 2025

Leeds want new manager in before January transfer window

The Leeds manager is feeling the pressure with his side now sat in the bottom three heading into two huge fixtures, as they take on Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday before welcoming Liverpool to Yorkshire on Saturday evening.

And according to a report from The Guardian, ‘multiple sources at Leeds have privately conceded that Farke’s fate is in the balance’.

He is likely to be relieved of his duties if they lose both games, despite some within the club feeling the performances have deserved better results.

More intriguingly, the report states the 49ers want to a new boss in before the January transfer window if they do indeed make a change, as they would like to make signings in January to mould the team to the new manager’s needs.

And while just who that is remains to be seen, a report shared by Give Me Sport claims Gary O’Neil is now the frontrunner to take over.

The former Wolves manager has been out of work for nearly a year after he was sacked in December 2024, but was looked on favourably during his time at Molineux.

“It’s unbelievable and you think the summer they had as well,” Shay Given said on BBC Match of the Day last year.

“I’ve just wrote some names down Nunes, Neves, Collins, Coady, Jimenez, he had to sell all them to balance the books up.

“So the job he’s done under such restraints and Financial Fair Play is just phenomenal.”

Mikel Merino was the hero yet again for Arsenal, picking up a goal and an assist as the Premier League leaders saw off a stubborn Brentford side 2-0 at the Emirates to restore their five-point advantage over second-placed Manchester City. The Spain international, still playing as Mikel Arteta's makeshift striker, scored a fine header early on to open the scoring and then set up substitute Bukayo Saka in the closing stages to wrap up a crucial win for the Gunners.

Arteta took the opportunity to make some changes following Sunday's draw at Chelsea, with Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard and Ben White coming in for Saka, Eberechi Eze and Jurrien Timber. And it was Madueke and White who combined superbly to set up Merino for the opening goal, with the Spaniard smartly heading home the former's cross at the near post.

Gabriel Martinelli had a chance to double Arsenal's lead before half-time but fired over, while at the other end David Raya produced a wonderful point blank save to tip Kevin Schade's header onto the crossbar. 

Arsenal had to endure some nervy moments in the second half as Brentford looked for a leveller, but they made sure of the win late on when Saka – who had replaced Madueke – finished off Merino's pass to restore Arsenal's five-point advantage at the top of the table.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Emirates Stadium…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  David Raya (8/10):

  Outstanding save to tip Schade's point-blank header onto the bar and his handling was good throughout.

  Ben White (8/10):

  Back in the starting XI and reminded everyone just how good he is in the first half. Excellent down the right, linked up really well with Madueke. Lovely assist for Merino's early goal.

  Cristhian Mosquera (6/10):

  Arsenal's latest injury victim. Forced off before half-time after an awkward landing.

  Piero Hincapie (7/10):

  Solid enough. Coped pretty well with the pace and direct style of the Brentford attack.

  Riccardo Calafiori (7/10):

  A typically strong showing, popping up all over the pitch. Did well defensively and almost scored late on.

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  Midfield

  Martin Zubimendi (7/10):

  Calm and steady as always. Just kept things ticking over nicely.

  Declan Rice (7/10):

  Made some driving runs into the box and was so close to providing a great assist for Madueke before Henry's last ditch block. Limped off late on with what Arsenal will hope was cramp.

  Martin Odegaard (6/10):

  Positive signs on his first start since his return. Heavily involved, linked up well down the right and looked fit. Important minutes as he looks to get back to his top level.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Noni Madueke (7/10):

  Really lively when on the ball in the first half and caused Henry so many problems. Lovely flick to release White in the build up to the early goal. Set-piece delivery needs work though. Faded after half-time.

  Mikel Merino (8/10):

  Brilliant centre-forward play to open the scoring. The run and header were superb. Good display, covered so much ground and added an assist for Saka late on.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Fired one shot over in the first half. Willing runner, but was on the fringes of things before being replaced by Eze.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jurrien Timber (7/10):

  Replaced the injured Mosquera at centre-back in the first half. Solid.

  Bukayo Saka (7/10):

  Made sure of the points in stoppage time from Merino's pass. 

  Eberechi Eze (6/10):

  Saw quite a bit of the ball, but Brentford dealt with him well.

  Viktor Gyokeres (N/A):

  On for the closing stages.

  Mikel Arteta (7/10):

  Made some changes to give some players a rest. Unlucky that Mosquera picked up an injury which forced Timber on early.

Houston Astros starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and his family received death threats during his start in Houston's 13-9 loss to the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. McCullers Jr., making just his second start since the 2022 World Series after experiencing injury troubles, surrendered seven earned runs and failed to make it out of the top of the first inning.

"I understand people are very passionate and people love the Astros and love sports, but threatening to find my kids and murder them is a little bit tough to deal with," McCullers told reporters after the game. "So just as a father, I think there have been many, many threats over the years aimed at me, mostly, and I think actually one or two people from other issues around baseball actually had to go to jail for things like that.

"But I think bringing kids into the equation, threatening to find them or next time they see us in public they're going to stab my kids to death, things like that, it's tough to hear as a dad."

McCullers Jr. and his wife Kara, active and charitable members of the Houston community, have two young daughters. An irate Joe Espada, the Astros manager, began his postgame news conference by addressing the death threats McCullers Jr. received.

"I wanna start [by] saying something. I just left my office and it's very unfortunate that there are people that are threatening his life and the life of his kids because of his performance," Espada said. "It's very unfortunate that we have to deal with this. After all he's done for this city, for this team—the fact that we have to talk about this in my office.

"I got kids too—and it really drives me nuts that we have to deal with this. Very sad. Very, very sad."

The Astros notified both the Houston Police Department and MLB's security team of the death threats, according to Chandler Rome of .

Manchester United have been on the hunt for a new central midfielder over the last couple of months, with Ruben Amorim wanting added reinforcements at the heart of the side.

The 40-year-old has made such a position the priority for the upcoming window, in an attempt to strengthen their standing in the Premier League before the end of the season.

Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes have largely been the go-to partnership over recent months, but given that the Brazilian is now 33, a long-term solution is undoubtedly needed.

Kobbie Mainoo would undoubtedly be the supporters’ first choice to fill the void, but it appears as though the youngster could be heading closer to the exit door.

As a result, numerous options have appeared on their radar in recent weeks, with the hierarchy evidently making moves ahead of the window opening in a couple of weeks.

United’s hunt for a new central midfielder this January

Adam Wharton has been one name on the tip of many United fans’ tongues over the last few weeks, with rumours circulating over a possible move for the Englishman.

It was reported earlier this week that the Red Devils are preparing a bid in the region of £87m to land the Crystal Palace star – a deal that would be a huge investment from INEOS.

However, it’s thought that the Eagles are hugely reluctant to offload their star man, which could make a deal somewhat tricky to complete this winter.

As a result, other options are being considered, which has led to rumours over a deal for Atlético Madrid star Conor Gallagher resurfacing once again.

Journalist Ben Jacobs stated this week that Amorim’s men could be tempted to revisit a move for the 25-year-old, who only joined the LaLiga side last summer.

He also stated the hierarchy could be tempted by a potential loan deal, but it’s unclear if Diego Simeone’s side would be willing to let him leave on a temporary basis.

Why United’s latest target would be the next Mount

Back in the summer of 2023, United secured the £60m signing of midfielder Mason Mount from Chelsea – a deal that massively raised eyebrows at the time.

Such a figure was seen as too expensive for the Englishman, something which was only magnified as a result of his constant battles with injuries in his first two years at Old Trafford.

He could only make 47 appearances in his first two seasons in Manchester, but it appears she’s put his struggles behind him in 2025/26, with the 26-year-old now in the form of his life.

Amorim has stuck by him in recent months, with Mount repaying the favour, as seen by his tally of three league goals this season – two of which have come in the last three games.

At present, he’s a key member of the United squad and could play a massive role when the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo go to AFCON in the coming weeks.

However, the hierarchy could complete a similar deal to Mount with a move for Gallagher, with the Atlético star also coming through the ranks at Chelsea before starring as a professional.

Like a deal for the midfielder a couple of years ago, many supporters have voiced their displeasure at a deal for the LaLiga star, but it could prove to be a shrewd addition.

His stats from the ongoing campaign showcase his talents, with many of which massively bolstering the options currently at the disposal of the manager at Old Trafford.

Gallagher, who’s been dubbed a “monster” by one analyst, has won 2.5 tackles and made 1.6 interceptions per 90, with such numbers showcasing his dominant ball-winning presence that Amorim craves.

He’s also made 0.9 carries into the opposition box as part of his 2.7 progressive carries per 90, highlighting his ability with the ball when winning it back for his side.

Gallagher, who earns £150k-per-week, has completed 88% of the passes he’s attempted to date, with 3.9 of which per 90 going into the final third, further reaffirming his incredible ball-playing talents.

Such a deal may be tricky to conduct for the Red Devils this window, but it would be a superb piece of business and one that could take the side to the next level.

If he can achieve the heights achieved by Mount, it would be an excellent deal and one that could finally end the hierarchy’s hunt for a new number eight in 2026.

Man Utd gem could be "the world's best", but he's becoming the new Mainoo

Manchester United have one star in their ranks who could suffer the same fate as Kobbie Mainoo.

By
Ethan Lamb

3 days ago

Arne Slot says he has "no clue" whether Mohamed Salah has played his last game for Liverpool after claiming the club had "thrown him under the bus". The 33-year-old was an unused substitute in the Reds' 3-3 draw with Leeds United at the weekend, prompting him to state that "someone doesn't want him" at the title holders. Now, Slot has addressed the matter for the first time.

• Salah in angry Liverpool tirade

  Less than an hour after Liverpool's thrilling draw with Leeds on Saturday, the Egypt international was taking swipes at the club and manager Slot. The former Chelsea man claimed he had earned his right in the starting XI after being on the bench more often than not of late, and that someone at the Merseyside outfit wanted him to "get all of the blame".

  He told journalists: "I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don't have any relationship. I don't know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn't want me in the club. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. This club, I will always support it. My kids will always support it. I love the club so much and I always will. It [the situation] is not acceptable to me, to be fair. I don't get it. It's like I'm being thrown more under the bus. I don't think I'm the problem. I have done so much for this club. I don't have to go every day fighting for my position because I earned it. I am not bigger than anyone but I earned my position. It's football. It is what it is."

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  Slot responds to Salah's outburst

  In response, Liverpool decided against Salah being part of their squad for their Champions League game against Inter Milan on Tuesday. And on Monday evening, manager Slot said he doesn't think his authority is under threat off the back of the Egyptian's remarks. 

  He told reporters: "I don't feel that my authority has been undermined. It's not the way I feel it. It's not about me, if my life is difficult, yes or no, that's not very important in a situation like this. It's if it is more difficult for the team and for the club. No one likes us to be in the situation we're in at the moment. First of all, it's difficult to see staff members who work so hard are affected by the situation we're in now. Mainly because of the results. I'm the manager, I have to pick a team so to a certain extent I'm important, but my focus is on the team and not on me."

  In the wake of this drama, speculation has mounted that Liverpool and Salah will part company soon. However, the former Feyenoord manager didn't go that far. 

  When asked if the ex-Roma ace has played his last game for Liverpool, he replied: "I have no clue. I cannot answer that question at this moment in time."

• What is Slot's relationship like with Salah now?

  Salah, who trained with the first team on Monday, said he no longer had a good relationship with Slot after being an unused substitute in two of Liverpool's last three league games. But it seems the Dutchman still has hope that relations can improve between the two. 

  "We let him know that he's not travelling with us so that was the only communication that there has been from us to him," he said. "Of course, before Saturday, the two of us have spoken a lot. Sometimes longer, sometimes shorter. That's not the way I feel [that relationship has broken down] but he has the right to feel how he feels things. I haven't felt that at all – until Saturday evening, for sure. When I didn't play him, usually players don't like the manager that much but he was very respectful to my staff, to his teammates and he trained really hard. So, to an extent, it was a surprise to me when I heard after the game that he gave the comments that he gave. Like I said, it's not the first time and won't be the last time that when a player doesn't play, that he says something similar to what he did. My reaction to that is also clear. He isn't here tonight."

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  Was Salah thrown under the bus by Liverpool?

  Salah will head to the Africa Cup of Nations next week, with the Premier League clash against Brighton this weekend set to be his last game before flying out to Morocco. When asked if he understood why the veteran said he had been thrown under the bus, Slot opted against wading into those murkier waters.

  "I would need to know what he means by it and why he says this, who he is referring to," he said. "I have not had that conversation, no, not with those words. Usually I'm calm and polite but that doesn't mean I'm weak. If a player has these comments about so many things then it is up to me, us, as a club, to react and you can see now that he's not here."

Micah Richards was left blown away by the performance of one Sunderland star in the Tyne-Wear derby victory against Newcastle United this afternoon.

Sunderland win first Premier League game vs Newcastle since 2016

The Black Cats managed to get one over on their biggest rivals in the first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016, courtesy of a bizarre own goal from Nick Woltemade in the second half.

Regis Le Bris’ side have made a dream start to life back in the top flight, but today’s victory is undoubtedly the sweetest yet, moving four points clear of the Magpies after managing to hold out for a well-earned 1-0 win.

A lot of credit has to go to the defence, with the visitors being limited to an xG of just 0.26, never really managing to create any big opportunities throughout the match.

However, Richards was also quick to praise Granit Xhaka after the match, with the former Manchester City man saying: “This man, we talked about him before the game, was brilliant again, absolute warrior in that midfield. What a player he’s been, what a signing. I’m gonna say he’s been the signing of the season so far, that’s how big I’m going.”

“He’s been absolutely immaculate in everything he does, even the way he speaks is just brilliant. Wow.”

Xhaka deserves all the plaudits after another impressive display

The Basel-born midfielder has been absolutely indispensable for Le Bris this season, starting all 15 Premier League games, during which time he’s chipped in with five goal involvements.

Sunderland could now make £12m approach to sign "unreal" defender in January

The Black Cats are assessing their options ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

By
Dominic Lund

6 days ago

However, the Swiss maestro is perhaps best known for his defensive qualities, which were on show again today, making a number of important contributions.

The Black Cats managing to sign the former Bayer Leverkusen man is starting to look like a real coup, with Jamie Carragher describing him as “fantastic” and the “most influential” player for a Premier League team this season.

The sky is the limit for this Sunderland side, who are firmly in contention to qualify for Europe, but Xhaka is likely to be paramount to their success, and Le Bris will be hoping for a similar display when his side travel to Brighton for their penultimate game in 2025 next weekend.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

There were extremely mixed fortunes for the Britons on the continent this weekend. While there was a hat-trick for a certain Three Lions captain, other England internationals came under fire for their disappearing acts, while there were two red cards for us to sink our teeth into.

Every Monday this season, GOAL brings you the latest on British stars abroad, what they're getting up to, who is reaching the greatest heights and who needs to come home. Let's dive in…

• Kane off the bench to hit Bayern treble

  There would have been a few eyebrows raised among Bayern Munich supporters when it was announced Harry Kane would begin Saturday's match at Stuttgart among the substitutes, with Nicolas Jackson drafted into the starting XI in his place. The visitors led by only a single goal – a delightful flick from Konrad Laimer – by the time the England captain was introduced on the hour mark, while their hosts had already threatened and had a strike of their own ruled out by VAR in the first half.

  From the moment Kane took to the pitch, Bayern raced away with the three points. His first contribution was an old-school goal on 66 minutes, finding space around 25 yards out and picking out the bottom corner with a low drive clocked at 128 km/h. Josip Stanisic added a third when his speculative effort trickled through the arms of goalkeeper Alexander Nubel, who is still contracted to Bayern, before Lorenz Assignon's red card for a handball on the line set up Kane's finale. The striker converted from the penalty spot and then guided in a low cross from Michael Olise to ensure the reigning Bundesliga champions ran out 5-0 winners on the banks of the River Neckar.

  "It's something I'm not used to, but I did it a couple of times this season," Kane told the press of coming on as a substitute. "The boss wanted to keep me fresh and save energy. I came on after 60 minutes with a couple of other guys and we were able to exploit the space and get the goals. We had a tough battle in the cup midweek and today we faced one of the best teams in the league away, but we looked stronger in the last half an hour and punished them."

  Of course, Vincent Kompany was asked to explain this decision in his press conference, to which he said: "I had this change in mind before the game started. We have four games in 11 days. If I start Harry every game and he plays 90 minutes, I'll get questions about why he always plays. Every time we played Stuttgart, we've always grown stronger as the game progressed. I felt the spaces would be bigger when Harry came on, it was a good moment for him to come. And he did what he does."

  Kane received a perfect player rating from Germany's premier sports outlet and made team of the week for a sixth time already this season, while Stuttgart counterpart Deniz Undav hailed him as the 'best striker in the world'. "Ice cold in front of goal and good with the ball, that makes him so good. Great player and striker," the former Brighton forward added.

  An extraordinary Saturday means Kane has now set a new record of 58 goals in a calendar year, with Bayern still to play three more times before their Christmas break. This is far from a striker in decline.

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  Rashford fires blank on rare Barca start

  While Kane has been finding the back of the net from all angles lately, his England team-mate, Marcus Rashford, has now gone eight games without a goal for club and country. Having managed to shake off some rust that had compromised his fitness in recent weeks, he was handed his first Barcelona start since before the November international break for Saturday's trip to Real Betis.

  It turned out to be a cracking affair that went down as one of the games of the weekend, with Barca eventually securing a 5-3 win. They went behind early on to a fine strike from Rashford's former Manchester United colleague Antony, though Betis would go into the half-time break 4-1 down following a hat-trick from Ferran Torres and a first La Liga goal from summer signing Roony Bardghji. A late effort from Diego Llorente and a stoppage-time penalty from Cucho Hernandez saw Betis reduce the final deficit to only two goals.

  For a match of such chaos, it was surprising that Rashford didn't contribute it. He missed all of his five shots and didn't even come up with an assist, losing his grip atop La Liga's standings to Lamine Yamal, whose tally of seven moved him ahead of the Englishman's six.

  Talk of making Rashford's move from United permanent has cooled considerably since mid-autumn, with focus now centred on how Barcelona plan to replace the ageing Robert Lewandowski ahead of the expiry of his contract. Catalan outlet have touted Ferran as a longer-term solution up top, which could theoretically free up the funds needed to keep Rashford, though this isn't referenced in their reporting.

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  Battered Bellingham goes missing

  The pressure is ramping up on Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, though he has hardly been helped by the performances of some of his star players. In Sunday's game at home to Celta Vigo, none of them turned up.

  Los Blancos' triumvirate of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham are making difficult work of fitting in the same team. It is typically the Frenchman that pulls the rabbit out of the hat to save their skin, but even he couldn't break down a stubborn Celta side.

  Nerves jangled around the Bernabeu when the teams went into the break on level terms, perhaps fear creeping in that the hosts would fail to keep pace with La Liga leaders Barcelona. When Williot Swedberg fired the Galicians ahead on the other side of the restart, that shaken home crowd grew restless, and its energy translated to the pitch.

  There was fury when Borja Iglesias' elbow to Bellingham's face, which left the midfielder bleeding profusely, yielded no punishment. Minutes later, Fran Garcia was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence after charging into the back of Swedberg. Madrid huffed and puffed in their search for a leveller despite their one-man disadvantage, only for Alvaro Carreras to be sent off for dissent as the game entered five minutes added time. Endrick, an unused sub, was also shown a red card for his protestations on the sidelines.

  Swedberg's second of the evening to round off the 2-0 win for Celta saw the Bernabeu turn mutinous, with Madrid now four points behind Barcelona and just one ahead of third-placed Villarreal, who have a game in hand on Alonso's men. Bellingham was roundly criticised by the Spanish press for his loose touch and inability to keep the ball, losing a match-high eight duels. "He's having trouble turning quickly when receiving the ball in midfield," was notable criticism, though he was also praised for upping his work ethic when Madrid went down to 10.

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  McTominay battles through pain

  Another Brit in the wars this weekend was Scott McTominay. The Scotland midfielder complained of muscle discomfort during Napoli's crunch clash against Juventus at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, yet soldiered on and completed the full 90 minutes regardless.

  His impact on the game was subdued compared to his usual headline-grabbing exploits, though he still managed to rattle the woodwork and see a free-kick whistle narrowly wide. Instead, it was fellow Manchester United alumni in Rasmus Hojlund who stole the show, with the Dane scoring both of the champions' goals in a 2-1 victory to send them back up to first in the Serie A standings.

  Antonio Conte reserved special praise for the ragged McTominay in his post-match presser, claiming the midfielder has stepped up in a 'state of emergency' at Napoli with seven key players, including Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, out injured.

  "McTominay, like everyone else, is certainly doing something important and extraordinary in terms of understanding the situation, taking responsibility, and growing," Conte said. "It shows in everyone… We played against Atalanta, Qarabag, Roma, Cagliari, and Juventus- strong teams – while we were in a state of emergency. I'm amazed by the enthusiasm and energy the team is putting in. Now we need to rest because Benfica awaits us, and we'll try to prepare better. We need to recharge our batteries."

  McTominay turned 29 on Monday and will be able to celebrate his birthday knowing he remains the best player in Serie A at present. In the longer term, he also has a World Cup showdown with Brazil to look forward to following Friday's group-stage draw. Some life, that.

The 2025 MLB season has certainly not gone the way Justin Verlander hoped when he signed a one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants in January.

Through 14 starts, Verlander has posted a 4.84 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 70 2/3 innings pitched. He also has yet to record a win.

Verlander has qualified for a win—going at least five innings on the bump—in 10 of his 14 starts this season. The Giants have gone 3-11 in his 14 outings and haven't won a Verlander start since May 18—a 3–2 win over the Athletics when he allowed two runs on three hits and five walks in four innings.

The 42-year-old Verlander is just the eighth pitcher this century to fail to record a win in his first 14 starts of the season (minimum 70 innings pitched).

MLB pitchers with no wins in first 14 starts of season (min. 70 IP; since 2000)

To Verlander's credit, he has logged five quality starts (at least six innings and three or fewer runs allowed), but San Francisco haven't given him much run support, especially in those games.

There have only been four pitchers in MLB history to start at least 14 games and not record a win over a full season—Paolo Espino (2022), Spencer Howard (2021), Ryne Stanek (2019) and Vida Blue (1983). Espino started the year in the bullpen for the Washington Nationals, and Howard and Stanek were used as openers for their respective teams. Blue floated in and out of the bullpen for the 1983 Kansas City Royals.

The good news for Verlander? All seven other pitchers on the above chart were able to notch their first win of the season in their 15th or 16th start. Perhaps a bit of good fortune awaits the veteran before the All-Star break.