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Celtic look ahead to their fixture against Aberdeen this afternoon in their bid to finish their season on a positive. They have slumped their way through this campaign due to their on and off form and Rangers’ unstoppable Premiership streak. They will ultimately lose out to their desired tenth consecutive league title, as their Glasgow neighbours lead them by a mammoth 18 points.

Celtic’s last fixture in the league was against Ross County, which ended in a disappointing 1-0 loss. The defeat stopped their run of five wins, in which they managed to score an impressive 13 goals and conceded just two. However, the squad’s frailties have snuck up on them again and it’s now back to trying to redeem their form once again.

Football FanCast has predicted how interim manager John Kennedy will line up in his first match in charge of the Hoops…

Although Neil Lennon is no longer at the club, it’s unlikely Kennedy will stray far from the Irishman’s usual set up. With just three fixtures left, the Celtic camp will want to hurriedly draw a line in the sand on this season and look ahead to the next.

With Greg Taylor injured, it paves the way for a return to the squad for Diego Laxalt. The AC Milan loanee hasn’t started a match since January, in Celtic’s 0-0 draw against Livingston. But with the new favourite Taylor out of action, this is a good chance for Laxalt to prove himself and push to make his £22,000 per week contract permanent at Parkhead.

In the midfield, the likes of David Turnbull should remain untouched. He has contributed seven goals and five assists in the Premiership, showing off his ability to pull the strings in the engine room. He’ll likely be joined by captain-to-be Callum McGregor and Ryan Christie, with Ismaila Soro replacing Scott Brown in a deeper role.

Odsonne Edouard will be hoping to find the back of the net against Aberdeen after being kept quiet vs Ross County. Kennedy could opt to give Mohamed Elyounoussi another chance to shine after he slipped down the pecking order under Lennon. The two have operated in a striker partnership together before now and it ended with the Southampton man bagging himself a goal against Livingston. This could be a route that is revisited in order to end this turbulent season on somewhat of a high.

In other news, Rafa Benitez has dropped a potential hint amid new Celtic manager link…

Yerry Mina was a disappointment for Carlo Ancelotti despite Everton’s amazing 5-4 FA Cup victory at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.

The Colombian was recalled to the starting line-up for the Goodison Park affair having been rested at Manchester United last Saturday, but was unable to demonstrate why he was right to be brought back into the side.

Everton were far from a resolute unit in defence against Spurs and needed goalkeeper Robin Olsen to produce two sublime saves to deny the visitors a 3-0 lead in the first-half, having seen those in front of the AS Roma loanee frequently leave him wanting more.

Mina was particularly suspect in the second period when he gifted Erik Lamela a chance to test Olsen once again, with the Argentine maestro able to play a quick one-two with Heung-Min Son to get in behind and lift the ball into the back of the Blues’ net.

The former FC Barcelona defender positioned himself to go with Lamela’s run only to be caught flat-footed when Son played an instant pass through, leaving the towering 6 ft 5 titan desperately trying to stick a foot out to no avail.

Gylfi Sigurdsson had found himself at fault for two of Tottenham’s goals on Wednesday night when he failed to contain Davinson Sanchez at corners, yet atoned for his errors by producing a vastly influential display to have a hand in four of the five goals Everton struck.

Alex Iwobi also left supporters underwhelmed by his performance, as a quick search of his name on Twitter shows, with the Nigerian unable to create many chances and eventually taken off for Bernard moments after Richarlison put the Toffees 4-3 up.

Yet Mina was worse than Iwobi, having failed to make amends for his role in Lamela’s strike and often prove to be a target for Tottenham to exploit.

Mina and Iwobi shared SofaScore’s lowest match rating among those who started for Everton at 6.2 out of 10. Yet the £18m-rated Colombian saw his night end with even less merit with WhoScored, who marked him at a game-low 5.4 thanks partly to his role in Lamela’s goal.

That’s because he also failed to offer any successful tackles having not attempted to win possession in a challenge once, and made no interceptions while Lucas Digne broke up Spurs’ play on three occasions, Michael Keane once, Ben Godfrey twice, Abdoulaye Doucoure once and Tom Davies twice.

Ancelotti can usually rely on Mina to at least attempt one tackle a game with the £120,000-per-week centre-half winning 1.1 of 1.3 per outing in the Premier League this season, along with offering 1.1 interceptions.

Mina additionally lost four of his five total duels in the midweek affair, with the 26-year-old unable to live up to his usual standards of 4.9 won a game with a 63% success rate in the top-flight over 18 outings thus far this term.

The defender now faces an anxious few days before Everton host Fulham on Sunday, when his place in the side could once again come under threat.

AND in other news, Everton face heightened competition for a 17-y/o talent seen as the heir to a £101k-p/w colossus…

Dermot Desmond could spark real change at Celtic by firing head of football operations Nick Hammond, and not just sacking Neil Lennon.

What’s the story?

The Hoops have endured a terrible season in the Scottish Premiership thus far, with their hopes of an incredible ten-in-a-row title triumph lying in tatters.

That has seen reports in recent days suggest that Desmond is planning a major overhaul of the club, with intense pressure on manager Lennon, and backroom figures like Hammond and chief executive Peter Lawwell.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Scotland manager, Alex McLeish, said: “I have seen a lot of text messages saying things like that and I wondered if it was fake news, whether Dermot had said anything of the kind.

“Everybody’s under pressure, with the Celtic results and the expectations of Celtic, they’re all under pressure, no doubt. If you don’t get the results, then you don’t win games, and you end up, you don’t have a job.”

Desmond must fire Hammond

With reports saying that Hammond’s job is under “major threat” at Celtic Park, it’s no surprise to see why. As the club’s recruitment chief, much of the Hoops’ transfer business all ends up at his door, and he needs to bear huge responsibility for the way some of Celtic’s signings have panned out.

Big-money recruits like Albian Ajeti haven’t worked out – he hasn’t completed the full 90 minutes once in the Scottish Premiership this season – whilst even loan signings like Shane Duffy, continue to disappoint week-in and week-out.

Then there’s his lack of forward planning and mismanagement of players like Odsonne Edouard and Olivier Ntcham. The French duo have both been linked with exits for some time now, and yet rather than cash in on them earlier and bring in a decent chunk of money, they’re now slashing some of their most talented players’ prices.

Sacking Lennon may just end up being a temporary fix, with another manager coming and the same old tired backroom set-up still in place. Getting rid of Hammond and hitting the reset button fully could hold the key to sparking real change at Celtic sooner rather than later.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action this lunchtime as they look to bounce back from midweek heartache with a trip to rock-bottom Sheffield United.

And Jose Mourinho heads to Bramall Lane with an encouraging and timely injury boost…

What’s the latest?

Speaking ahead of the encounter in his pre-match press conference, the 57-year-old revealed that he has Steven Bergwijn available for selection, having missed their last two outings in all competitions.

When asked if the Dutch winger was good to go against the Blades, he told reporters, via football.london:

“Yeah, he was ill. He was ill the week before, the week of Marine, and then he trained with the team only one day, which was the day before we played Fulham.”

Selection nightmare

Whilst this serves as hugely positive news, it does, however, hand Mourinho a fresh selection headache for that right-wing spot in his starting XI.

Against Marine, he turned to Lucas Moura, who had a pretty good game by all accounts, which was topped off by a sublime free-kick goal, but in the Fulham draw this week, Mourinho elected for a surprise pick in Moussa Sissoko on the flank.

That decision didn’t work out, as we’ve explained here, so it’ll give the Spurs boss a huge question – Moura? Erik Lamela? Gareth Bale? or Bergwijn?

Indeed, he could turn back to the Brazilian as he did not feature at all against the Cottagers, though Lamela’s return in midweek also poses an interesting option as he looked bright in a short 15-minute cameo.

Whilst Bale can’t be too far away from finally making an impact in the top-flight having started just one Premier League match since his sensational return to north London.

Meanwhile, Bergwijn is by no means guaranteed an instant return despite seemingly being the first-choice in the role.

Yes, he has started seven of his 11 appearances in the competition, but Mourinho revealed earlier in the month that he had “physical problems,” so he may not be risked from the off.

The 23-year-old has failed to score this term but has provided four assists, and as we outlined in this article, the wide man does so much more than what his statistics show.

After the win over arch-rivals Arsenal, Mourinho dubbed Bergwijn “incredible” despite failing to contribute to either of their two goals, which tells you all you need to know about the manager’s faith in him and whether or not he’s doing what’s asked of him.

It speaks volumes that Sissoko was played in the role just a few days ago even though both Lamela and Moura were available for selection, which is why Bergwijn’s return is a big boost for Mourinho and Spurs alike.

As you can see, the ‘Special One’ has plenty to mull over ahead of kick-off this afternoon.

We think the £25m Dutch winger will end up getting the nod, but don’t be surprised to see either Moura or the Argentinian start given Bergwijn’s fitness concerns.

AND in other news, £30m “disgrace” must be axed from starting XI vs Sheffield United…

After finally ending a wretched run of form in the Premier League on Saturday, Arsenal head into their clash against Brighton tonight hoping to pick up some further momentum.

Mikel Arteta’s side put in an impressive display to beat London rivals Chelsea 3-1, and the Spaniard will no doubt be reluctant to make too many changes to his starting line-up.

But with the games coming thick and fast, the Arsenal boss may feel like he has no choice, and with that in mind, below is a look at how the Gunners might line up against Graham Potter’s side on Tuesday evening.

In goal, Bernd Leno will be looking to add to his penalty heroics at the weekend by keeping a clean sheet, whilst the back four is also likely to remain the same.

Central midfield could be the first area in which Arteta decides to shake things up, with Dani Ceballos ready to come in for Mohamed Elneny and provide a little bit more creativity in the engine room.

Further forward, it was the youngsters who really impressed for the Gunners on Saturday, with Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe adding a bit of spark and energy, whilst Bukayo Saka added to his growing reputation with a goal.

The trio will be hoping to be given another start, but Arteta may play with a bit more caution, especially when it comes to Martinelli. The 19-year-old has only just returned to first-team action following a long spell out injured, and given the fact he played against Manchester City and Chelsea back to back, the Gunners boss may feel he needs a little breather.

That could see Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang make his return on the left-hand side, with Alexandre Lacazette set to lead the line once again after scoring from the penalty spot at the weekend.

Predicted XI: Leno; Bellerin, Holding, Mari, Tierney; Ceballos, Xhaka; Saka, Smith Rowe, Aubameyang; Lacazette.

Speaking in a press conference before this afternoon’s FA Cup trip to Marine, Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho confirmed the latest on Giovani Lo Celso and his absence – going on to say that he is ‘not going to play’ for the next few weeks due to his hamstring injury.

Lo Celso was shining in the number 10 role for Tottenham just before his lay-off, becoming a threat just behind star attackers Son Heung-min and Harry Kane.

Mourinho confirms Lo Celso latest

Alongside Tanguy Ndombele, the Argentine had been rotating as an attacking midfielder and put in some dazzling displays for the Lilywhites.

However, after picking up an injury to his hamstring, Lo Celso still faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines as Mourinho confirms the latest on his absence – with the Portuguese revealing he will remain unavailable for the next few weeks.

“Gio is injured. I don’t know for how long but he is not playing in the next few weeks, it is not a simple situation, he is not going to play in the next few weeks,” he said.

“Lamela maybe [will be involved]. I am waiting for tomorrow. So tomorrow, last day. Lamela possible.”

Transfer Tavern take

Described as ‘exciting’ by midfielder Harry Winks, Lo Celso had grown into a key attacking figure for the Lilywhites – but this news indicates that Spurs fans will not see him back in action for a while and will certainly miss this afternoon’s trip up north.

Gabriel Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider, reacted to this development and insists it is a ‘big blow’ for Tottenham.

When he will return for Spurs remains to be seen, but fans will be hoping it is soon rather than later.

In other news: Daniel Levy has entered talks to sign this ‘leader’ for Spurs, find out more here.

Liverpool fans will be considering themselves lucky that they haven’t been monumentally rocked by the absence of Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho so early on in the season. The Reds will be looking to retain their Premier League title and losing the Dutchman looked like it would have a detrimental effect on their reigning term.

But in a miraculous turn of both luck and good form, stand-in defenders Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams have done a superb job of keeping the ship afloat. Joe Gomez has arguably been one of Jurgen Klopp’s most important players during this time, stepping into the shoes of natural leader van Dijk.

Teenaged centre-back Williams has massively stepped up to the plate and is already shifting his attention to his future at Anfield.

Fighting talk from Rhys Williams

Following his performance against Atalanta in Liverpool’s midweek clash, the 19-year-old expressed his delight over making his debut Champions League appearance. He went on to thank Klopp for his recent flurry of opportunities and says he is determined to repay the manager’s faith.

“I want to become an irreplaceable piece of this side. It’s a great team with great players,” Williams said post-match (via Liverpool ECHO).

Such fighting talk despite only making his senior debut this season is something the manager simply cannot ignore. After Trent Alexander-Arnold’s astonishing success story, it’s inspired many other academy graduates to follow down a similar path.

Whilst this paints a vivid picture of what a workhorse Williams is, it could be bad news for Gomez moving forwards. Even with his hard graft these last couple of weeks, the nature of football is a cruel one and players get dropped to make room for new up and coming talents.

Should Williams prove to be an option that Klopp simply cannot ignore, there’s a big chance he could edge out the England international for his space alongside van Dijk in the future.

Alexander-Arnold himself has already been impressed by the 6 ft 5 powerhouse. Speaking to LFCTV GO, the full-back lauded his teammate’s ability to step up.

“We’ve got an amazing squad,” the Merseyside local said. “You’ve seen Rhys Williams stepping in and doing a world-class job, at a young age with such little experience. He’s got a bright future ahead.”

In other news, Liverpool given boost ahead of potential Ozan Kabak signing…

After starting off the new Premier League campaign on fire with three goals in his opening three games, it’s fair to say it’s been a disappointing few days for Alexandre Lacazette.

First, the Frenchman produced an anonymous display against Rapid Vienna in the Europa League after taking the armband, finishing the game with a measly 6.4 match rating as per Sofascore.

And then, on Sunday night against Leicester City in the Premier League, 29-year-old produced yet another shocking display to leave Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta with a major conundrum on his hands.

With just eight goals scored in six league games, the Gunners are hardly firing on all cylinders, and when you’ve got a Golden Boot calibre striker in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being played from the left, it inevitably raises the spotlight on the man through the middle.

And against the Foxes, Lacazette showed why Arteta must surely drop him from the next top-flight fixture against Manchester United at the weekend.

As per Sofascore, in the 17 total duels that he contested, he won just five, whilst he also committed five fouls, many of them for making rash decisions when trying to win the ball back for his team.

If Arteta wanted him to hold the ball up for the rest of his teammates, then he failed to do so. He made just 12 successful passes in total, whilst he had just 32 touches overall.

And when he did get a chance to fire away on goal, he invariably disappointed. Whilst he was perhaps rather unlucky to see his header ruled out by VAR in the opening few minutes of the contest, Lacazette did miss the one big chance Arsenal created, failing to get his head on a delightful Kieran Tierney cross.

It proved to be costly as Leicester hit the Gunners on the break and snatched all three points. With Eddie Nketiah breathing down his neck, and Aubameyang able to play through the middle, Arteta has got to make a big decision on his misfiring Frenchman.

Rangers head to Gibraltar to face Lincoln Red Imps in their quest to advance past the Europa League qualifying stages.

They’re a team that are famed for knocking out arch-rivals Celtic in Brendan Rodgers’ first-ever game in charge all those years ago and Steven Gerrard will want to ensure that he’s not on the end of the embarrassment this time around.

The Ibrox outfit romped to a 4-0 victory at the weekend but it came at the expense of a few injuries, so what sort of side will the Gers boss select here tonight?

Here’s what we are predicting…

Gerrard could make as many as four changes across the pitch as some fringe players are surely in line to garner some much-needed match action.

Between the sticks should be first-choice Jon McLaughlin whilst the back four in front of him only has one difference from Saturday’s win and clean sheet.

In comes 23-year-0ld centre-back George Edmondson for Filip Helander. He’ll partner Conor Goldson with James Tavernier and Borna Barisic likely to remain on either flank.

Both central midfielders are switched around, meaning there’s no place for the injured Ryan Jack or veteran Steven Davis. Instead, Gerrard could call upon Scott Arfield and £10m man Glen Kamara, who has been linked with an exit this summer.

Joe Aribo and Brandon Barker are also on the treatment table meaning 30-year-old forward Greg Stewart could be forced to play out with Ryan Kent occupying the other side.

Through the middle, Ianis Hagi keeps his place in the number ten role with Kemar Roofe getting the nod once again over Alfredo Morelos and Cedric Itten.

The Scottish giants will face Willem II in the third round if they manage to pick up the victory tonight.

AND in other news, Rangers can fire warning to Celtic title bid with £4m capture of “phenomenal” playmaker…

Sheffield United announced a trio of signings earlier this week as Max Lowe, Jaydn Bogle and Ethan Ampadu were brought to Bramall Lane.

The Blades have since completed another signing, although the club’s supporters won’t see him in Yorkshire for some time.

According to The Star, Chris Wilder has managed to acquire Mali under-20 midfielder Ismaila Coulibaly from Norwegian side Sarpsborg 08.

However, he is clearly a player for the future rather than the here-and-now as he has been immediately sent on loan to Belgian side Beerschot, a club with whom Sheffield United have very strong links as their owner Prince Abdullah has invested in the Antwerp-based outfit.

The 19 year-old has made 28 competitive appearances, with four goals and one assist to his name (as per Transfermarkt), and Sheffield United’s move for him highlights that they are keen to build for the future.

The Blades’ capture of the youngster should please supporters of the club, as it shows a firm intent to scout hidden gems, enable them to obtain senior experience elsewhere and then return to Bramall Lane when primed for the English game.

A loan move for the 19-year-old is logical as Sheffield United have many central midfielders in the club in John Fleck, John Lundstram, Ethan Ampadu, Sander Berge and Oliver Norwood, to name a few.

It is interesting, though, that they are buying a midfielder, especially with the speculation around Lundstram’s future as he is yet to sign a new contract and many sides are circling for his signature. His current contract expires at the end of next season, so if Coulibaly performs well in Belgium, he could be seen as a possible Lundstram replacement from the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

Blades fans, are you pleased with the move for Coulibaly? Could he be a long-term successor to Lundstram in midfield? Let us know your views in the comments below!