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Rangers advanced to the third round of the UEFA Youth League after a 2-1 win away to Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday completed a 4-1 aggregate victory over the Slovakian club. [via The Scottish Sun]

Two goals from Nathan Young-Coombes fired Graeme Murty’s young charges to victory in Bratislava, with the 16-year-old scoring either side of half-time after the home side had taken the lead. [via The Scottish Sun]

The teenage forward had also scored in the first leg against Slovan Bratislava three weeks ago, as well as netting what proved to be a vital goal in the previous round against Young Boys when Rangers advanced only on away goals (as per rangers.co.uk).

It isn’t just in the UEFA Youth League that the youngster has been on the goal trail, either – he found the net in the Light Blues’ 2-0 win over Wrexham in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Challenge Cup recently, citing a pre-game talk with ex-Rangers striker Peter Lovenkrands as beneficial in helping him to get into goal-scoring positions. [via Evening Times]

These Rangers fans on Twitter were getting quite excited about Young-Coombes after his double against Slovan Bratislava on Wednesday:

Do you think Young-Coombes could be fast-tracked into the Rangers first team before the end of the season given his recent form? Have your say by commenting below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Leeds United have a lot of talented young players at their disposal, but as of late they’ve struggled to display that.

Indeed, the Whites’ U23 team made the headlines for all the wrong reasons after being thrashed 7-1 by Derby County’s youth side on Wednesday evening, but one man who managed to avoid the firing line was Mateusz Bogusz.

Bogusz wasn’t in the team on Wednesday, and while the other U23s at Leeds were being thrashed the young midfielder may have been reading some high praise he received from one of his teammates.

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What’s been said then?

One of the Whites’ most senior players was full of praise for the teenager when speaking at a recent Q&A event at Elland Road (via LeedsLive).

Mateusz Klich started by saying two words, “big future”, before then responding with the following:

“I told him already that he’s lucky that he got here at such a young age because he really has a lot of talent, he’s a very humble guy and he wants to learn.

“He’s a good player so I think he’s going to have a good future.”

Exciting

Combining talent with the right attitude is undoubtedly the recipe for success in professional football, and Klich’s quotes should excite every supporter.

We’ve known that Bogusz has a lot of talent for quite some time now, bagging against Western Sydney Wanderers in pre-season for the first team. Since then, his performances for the U23s have seen calls for him to get a chance in competitive action.

However, this is an insight into what the teenager is like as a person, and for Klich to call him ‘very humble’ is a great sign – particularly for someone that’s just 18 years of age.

Footballers can have all the talent in the world, but if they don’t apply themselves properly it can amount to nothing, but these quotes from the 29-year-old suggest that his fellow countryman won’t have those problems.

The challenge now is whether he can actually kick on. The Pole has only played once for the senior side in 2019/20, being denied opportunities. Improvement will be needed as the campaign gathers further momentum.

Manchester United fans on Twitter have been reacting to an incredible stat on Twitter.

The chief Manchester United writer at Manchester Evening News, Samuel Luckhurst, revealed that not a single United player has scored a league hat-trick since Robin Van Persie back in 2013 under Sir Alex Ferguson.

Considering the plethora of attacking talent United have had during that time it’s incredible to see this stat.

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The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have all failed to score three times in a single league game for the Red Devils.

Fans had varying reactions to the stat being revealed.

Some fans seemingly didn’t care too much as their primary focus was getting points on the board rather than wasting time worrying about pointless stats.

Others were far from happy with what they were reading as one supporter called it embarrassing.

Here’s what the Old Trafford faithful have been saying on social media…

Leeds United fans will have loved watching Eddie Nketiah bag a hat-trick for England U21s on Tuesday evening, but they may not have liked what he said after the match.

Indeed, the 20-year-old publicly aired his complaints about a lack of playing time at Elland Road this season, and you can certainly understand why he is unhappy.

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The striker’s grievances are entirely understandable, as he has played just 162 minutes of league football for the Whites this term – scoring twice in that time.

With the xG table showing that Leeds have some issues with their finishing, you’d think a player who has scored at such a rate would be given a chance, but he’s still yet to start a league match for the Yorkshire outfit.

Of course, having a player air his complaints in public isn’t a great look for any football club, so Andrea Radrizzani attempted to calm the situation by taking a page out of Donald Trump’s book and simply labelling it as fake news.

However, the Italian’s comments didn’t fly with a number of supporters, as one fan called him out by telling him (in some not so appropriate language) that Nketiah’s comments hadn’t been misinterpreted, but were printed exactly as he said them.

This led to the owner quickly backtracking with a rather bizarre reply, changing the subject completely.

This whole situation is rather strange.

Radrizzani was seemingly unwilling to admit that Nketiah had complained about the way he was being used by the Yorkshire club, but when he was called out by a fan it was like he’d suddenly suffered from amnesia and forgotten the original conversation.

Some Tottenham Hotspur fans on Twitter are eyeing up a move for Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone after things went from bad to worse at the weekend.

Spurs went into the Premier League clash against Brighton and Hove Albion on the back of a 7-2 defeat against Bayern Munich and without an away win in the top flight since January 20, but they failed to do what was needed as they fell to a 3-0 loss.

Understandably given the generally dismal start they’ve made to the campaign, some supporters are already beginning to discuss potential replacements for the Argentine, and it appears that one of his national compatriots is well thought of among the north London outfit’s faithful.

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Simeone has been with the team from the Spanish capital since 2011, delivering a La Liga title in 2014 as well as two Europa League trophies.

The 49-year-old has also become renowned for his side’s defensive record – they have only conceded four goals in eight league matches so far this term for example – and that nous could be needed after Tottenham let in 10 in their previous two fixtures.

Spurs supporters have been quick to have their say on the South American, with one believing he is “the only one who could take us further than Poch”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

It has been reported that Newcastle attempted to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta over the summer, and although they failed to land his signature it does show a lot about the Magpies’ transfer strategy.

What’s the word?

Newcastle had a busy transfer window this summer and had a big task on their hands to replace both Ayoze Perez and Salomon Rondon.

With that in mind, they targeted another tall striker who has more to his games than just goals in Mateta, according to Sport Bild via SportWitness. He is also thought to be a subject of interest to Tottenham and Southampton, while Monaco, Marseille and Everton reportedly showed an interest previously.

Watch Newcastle United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Despite a €28m (£24m) bid, though, Newcastle failed to lure him away from Mainz, and instead focused on Joelinton, who did become their record signing for a fee of £40m.

Positive signs

Although the club ultimately failed in their pursuit of the Frenchman, Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley deserve praise for the ambition they have shown over the last few months.

They brought Miguel Almiron in for a club-record fee at the beginning of the year but were not satisfied with stopping there, and knew they had to do whatever they could to replace the figure of Rondon.

In years gone by the club would have been criticised for a lack of spending or a lack of foresight in replacing key players, yet the Magpies have shown a willingness to compete with some big clubs at home and abroad.

The clear line of thinking is also a positive aspect to come out of this story.

It is important for clubs to identify what type of players they need and avoid throwing together players with no underlining identity or philosophy – a criticism that has been labelled at Manchester United – and it seems Newcastle are moving down that path.

Mateta and Joelinton are similar types of players to Rondon, but have the added benefit of being 22 and 23 respectively. Last season the Mainz striker averaged 3.2 aerial duels won per game, but with time he could improve and equal the 4.6 average achieved by Rondon last year.

Joelinton, by comparison, has already achieved 4.9 aerial duels won per Premier League game, and has performed the lone striker role with the task of holding the ball up and bringing others into play.

It is likely Newcastle had the same plan for Mateta, whilst his 14 Bundesliga goals last term show he is more clinical than either Rondon or Joelinton.

Blaze fail to close out run chase as Bears sneak a share of the spoils

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay30-May-2025The Blaze 160 for 4 (K Bryce 60*, Elwiss 52) tied with Bears 160 for 8 (Pavely 46, Gordon 2-26)The Blaze and Bears Women shared the points after opening their Vitality Blast season with a tie at Trent Bridge.Charis Pavely, who hit a career-best 46, shared a 75-run partnership with Katie George as Bears Women finished on 160 for 8 from 20 overs.Kathryn Bryce, who top-scored with 60 not out after being dropped on 5, and Georgia Elwiss looked to have set the home side, who were the final 20-over champions in the regional women’s professional game, on course to open with a victory.But, needing nine off the last over, bowled by England seamer Issy Wong, they were able to manage only eight, crucially losing Sarah Bryce, who had hit 27 from 18 balls, to a slower ball off the penultimate delivery.Bears opted to bat and clocked up a respectable 45 in the powerplay, losing two wickets as Abbey Freeborn was beaten by Maddy Green’s pinpoint throw as she chanced a leg-side single off Grace Ballinger, who had Davina Perrin caught at extra cover and should have had a second wicket when Sterre Kalis was dropped at square cover on nought.More casualties swiftly followed as the dangerous Wong was well taken at extra cover off Elwiss and Kalis was bowled by Kirstie Gordon in a stump-exposing attempted sweep.But from 61 for 4, the Pavely-George partnership gave the innings much-needed substance, England Under-19 allrounder Pavely surviving an early chance on 4 to lead the way as the fifth-wicket pair added 75 from 55 balls, hitting five fours and a sweetly-timed six over midwicket off Elwiss before she was bowled by Gordon, sweeping.Explosive Aussie batter Laura Harris clubbed Elwiss for another six but was caught at short fine leg without adding to it, Amu Surenkumar was bowled by Kathryn Bryce and George was run out off the last ball as Bears set The Blaze 161 to win.Marie Kelly, bowled by seamer Surenkumar, fell in the third over of the chase, but The Blaze were 43 from six overs without further loss and were well placed at 71 for 1 at the halfway stage, although only after Kathryn Bryce had ridden her luck on 5 and 13 as chances off Wong and Hannah Baker went down, the first a straightforward one at gully.They were proving increasingly costly as the experienced second-wicket pair began to accelerate, the frustration for Bears compounded as Elwiss had an escape on 45 before completing a ninth career half-century in this format from 36 balls. The partnership moved into three figures in the same over.Elwiss was bowled going down the track to Pavely’s left-arm spin. Joined in the middle by sister Sarah, Kathryn Bryce completed her fifty from 44 balls, but with 26 still needed from 18 balls, a tight finish was in the offing.It came down to nine off the last over and four off four balls after Sarah Bryce had picked off a fourth boundary in 17 balls but with two needed from two Bryce miscued to be caught at mid-off and Green was run out going for a second off the last ball, leaving the match tied.

Williamson finishes on losing side in maiden appearance as Robinson three-for seals victory

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay29-May-2025Sussex 202 for 4 (Coles 77*) beat Middlesex 186 for 7(Geddes 51, Higgins 44, Robinson 3-27) by 16 runsJames Coles smashed a career-best unbeaten 77 from 44 balls to set up a winning start to the Vitality Blast for Sussex Sharks as they held off Middlesex at Lord’s.The 21-year-old’s destructive knock, which included five sixes and five fours, underpinned his unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 88 from 47 with Tom Clark and ensured that last year’s Blast semi-finalists totalled 202 for four.That proved to be enough as the home side fell just short at 186 for seven in reply, despite a maiden T20 half-century by Ben Geddes (51 from 37) and Ryan Higgins’ fearless late display of hitting to rack up 44 from 16.Middlesex made an early breakthrough after winning the toss and opting to bowl, with Noah Cornwell’s opening delivery dragged on by Harrison Ward before John Simpson (22 from 12) and Daniel Hughes really got the scoreboard moving.Hughes began to open up after Simpson’s departure, flaying Henry Brookes for successive leg-side sixes but the Australian’s knock of 38 from 20 came to an abrupt end as Tom Helm’s fingertips deflected Coles’ drive onto the stumps at the non-striker’s end.Luke Hollman’s astute spell of one for 38 prevented Sussex from gaining greater traction – although the legspinner’s figures were dented by a trio of sixes from Coles, who advanced to his third T20 half-century by drilling Cornwell over his head for four.With Clark (26 from 21) taking on a supporting role, Coles scooped Higgins for another maximum as the pair accelerated during the death overs, taking 29 from the final nine balls of the innings to clamber above 200.Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, making his Middlesex debut, provided brief fireworks at the start of their reply, hitting two sixes in 14 from 12 before he fell to Ward’s smart diving catch on the point boundary.But, although Geddes pummelled both Tymal Mills and Brad Currie over the fence, Sussex’s seamers achieved a degree of accuracy that had eluded the home bowlers and the required run-rate soon soared.Stephen Eskinazi (34 from 30) shared a partnership of 58 from 45 with Geddes before he fell to another boundary catch off Currie (two for 38), while Leus du Plooy and Jack Davies both departed cheaply as Sussex turned the screw.However, a flurry of boundaries from Hollman (20 from nine) lifted the tempo and Higgins took up the baton, hammering Mills for two enormous sixes and two fours in the penultimate over to keep Middlesex’s faint hopes alive.But Ollie Robinson (three for 27) kept his cool to send down a near-flawless final over, having Geddes caught in the deep and then yorking Higgins to seal Sussex’s victory

Leeds have a number of exciting young players coming through the Thorp Arch system at the moment from Alfie McCalmont and Mateusz Bogusz to Ryan Edmondson too.

But none of them were grabbing the headlines on Monday afternoon as instead Robbie Gotts took the plaudits from Leeds fans for his display for the U23s.

The academy were once unbeaten and had even recorded a 6-0 win over Watford but they’ve now lost two games on the spin since then.

Monday’s performance saw them defeated by Crewe but Gotts was on the scoresheet with a neat finish from close range.

It appears as though supporters were buzzing with his efforts during and after the game as one hailed him as their best player.

A fellow individual was very analytical over the teenager explaining that he reads the game well. Another fan was rather baffled that he hadn’t been given a chance in the first-team.

The 19-year-old appeared in midfield on Monday but can also play on the right side of the defence. Gotts has appeared multiple times on the bench for the senior side but is yet to actually play.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Competition for places at Selhurst Park, in some areas, is pretty rife right now.

You’ve got the likes of Max Meyer and Victor Camarasa missing out in midfield, Martin Kelly sitting out recently despite a decent start to the season, as well as both Christian Benteke and Andros Townsend being left out of the XI in recent weeks.

While Roy Hodgson has changed his XI on a few occasions already this term, dropping Benteke and Townsend as well as Meyer, there are three players who simply have to be the first names on the teamsheet right now…

Cheikhou Kouyate 

The Senegal international has starred for the south Londoners this term since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, starting the last four games having sat out the first two.

What Kouyate brings to the side is an energy that is unmatched by any other midfielder at the club, as while James McArthur may have a similar work rate, the former West Ham man’s leggy strides and aerial presence makes him a vital cog in the middle of the park.

Gary Cahill 

A low-key free transfer back in the summer, Cahill has shone during James Tomkins’ absence through injury, so much so that we think the 30-year-old may not get back into the team.

The England international – who has recorded a huge 6.3 clearances per game in the Premier League this term – is an experienced, calming presence at the back.

Given his experience and current form, he simply cannot be dropped and has to be one of the first on the teamsheet.

Jordan Ayew

As The Athletic detail well in this article, Palace have had trouble converting chances into goals this season.

Benteke is a golden example of that, missing a simple one on one against Wolves last time out – the Selhurst Park faithful just want someone who can finish.

In Jordan Ayew, the Eagles seem to now have that man to an extent. The Ghanaian has already doubled his tally from last season with two goals coming against Manchester United and Aston Villa, whereas his work rate has been impressive.

He must start week in, week out.