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Celtic are back in action once again in the Scottish Premiership this afternoon they travel to Fir Park to take on Motherwell in the lunchtime kick-off.

The Hoops moved to five points behind Rangers in the league table after their rivals picked up all three points in their clash with Hearts on Saturday.

That result makes this match against Motherwell all the more important as any dropped points today would extent Philippe Clement's side's two-point lead heading into the weekend.

Brendan Rodgers watched on as his team dropped two points against Kilmarnock last week, which was a result that allowed their rivals to overtake them on the Sunday.

A stoppage time equaliser from David Watson secured a point for the away side on the day and the Hoops boss could now look to make some changes to the starting XI from that match.

With this in mind, Rodgers must drop Adam Idah from the line-up to make way for creative midfielder Paulo Bernardo to return and for Kyogo Furuhashi to play as the lone striker.

Adam Idah's performance against Kilmarnock in numbers

The Ireland international, who joined on loan from English side Norwich City on deadline day at the start of the month, led the line against Kilmarnock.

Idah endured a rough afternoon as a lack of service meant that he was left isolated, which led to a lack of impact from him at the top end of the pitch.

Despite having 71% of the possession, Celtic failed to create a single chance for the Irish marksman, who did not register a single effort on goal in 67 minutes on the pitch.

Kyogo did, however, score the opening goal from the Hoops and had two shots in total after starting the match in the number ten position behind Idah.

The Norwich loanee lost six of his ten duels, as the opposition found it too easy to get the better of him at times, and did not create any chances for his teammates before being substituted during the second half.

It was a disappointing performance from the Canaries academy graduate after he had enjoyed an impressive first two Premiership matches with the club.

Idah came off the bench to provide an assist for Nicolas Kuhn's equaliser against Aberdeen earlier this month and then scored both of Celtic's goals, both from the penalty spot, in a 2-1 win away at Hibernian in his first start.

His first two games with the club show that the potential is there for him to provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants.

However, playing him and Kyogo alongside each other may not work in every match, as showcased by Idah's struggles against Kilmarnock.

Therefore, bringing Bernardo in as a number ten to provide more natural creativity for Kyogo, and then bringing the Irish forward off the bench, could be a good change for this game against Motherwell.

Paulo Bernardo's Celtic season in numbers

The Hoops signed the 22-year-old whiz on loan from Portuguese side Benfica last summer and he has shown glimpses of his quality in midfield so far this season.

Bernardo, who has been described as a "baller" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has started nine times in the Premiership for the Scottish giants and contributed with two goals, two assists, and three 'big chances' created in total.

One of the Portugal U21 international's best performances in a Celtic shirt to date came in a 3-0 win away at St Mirren at the start of the year.

Sofascore rating

8.5

Shots

Two

Goals

Zero

Key passes

Three

Big chances created

Two

Assists

Two

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 5 foot 11 magician was on top form in the Premiership clash as he assisted Matt O'Riley and Greg Taylor for goals.

His creativity was also on display in Liga Portugal during the second half of the 2022/23 campaign as he caught the eye on loan with Paços Ferreira.

Bernardo ranked within the top 8% of midfielders in the division for assists (0.24) per 90, whilst also ranking within the top 9% for non-penalty goals (0.24) per 90, as the young gem produced two goals and two assists in nine league starts.

These statistics over the past year or so show that the "tenacious" – as he was described by the aforementioned Mango – dynamo has the quality to split open opposition defences to create chances for attackers when he is at his best.

Why Kyogo could benefit from Bernardo's creativity

Playing Bernardo in a number ten role and getting him closer to Kyogo could benefit the Japan international by getting him into better shooting positions.

The former Vissel Kobe star has already taken 17 shots from outside of the box in 26 league appearances for Celtic this season, having attempted just six in 31 league outings last season.

He racked up a staggering 27 goals in those 31 Premiership games during the 2022/23 campaign but has only plundered nine goals in 26 matches this time around.

It should not be a surprise that his goalscoring numbers are down when you consider that the lack of creativity behind him is resulting in too many long shots being attempted.

Utilising Bernardo's creativity in a number ten position could provide the Japanese marksman with higher-quality opportunities to get his shot off from within the box, rather than from distance, and, therefore, increase his chances of finding the back of the net.

Of course, the Portuguese loanee has not consistently provided high-quality creativity, possibly due to him being deployed as part of a midfield three instead of as a number ten at times, but the potential – as shown by his performance against St Mirren and form in Portugal last term – is there for him to be an excellent option.

Rodgers, therefore, must drop Idah down to the bench to unleash Kyogo as a lone number nine with Bernardo in the hole behind the Japan international.

This would also provide the manager with a fantastic option to change the game as Idah could come on to lead the line and push for a goal if needed in the second half.

The hosts were crowned Leagues Cup champions after a 3-0 victory over the Herons before a record crowd at Lumen Field

Messi falls short of 47th titlePlayers from both sides clash after the final whistleThe Herons return to action on Sept. 13Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Inter Miami manager Javier Mascherano expressed his regret over a brawl that erupted following his team's 3-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup final.

Following the final whistle, Inter Miami's Luis Suarez rushed to headlock the Seattle Sounders' Obed Vargas, which sparked a brawl with players and coaches from both teams. As Suarez walked away from Vargas, he got into a verbal confrontation with a Seattle staff member and spat at his face. 

"None of us likes to see this kind of behavior," Mascherano said. "When there’s a reaction, it usually means there was some provocation."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT MASCHERANO SAID

The Inter Miami coach also reflected on his team's defeat, which prevented the club from lifting what would have been only the third trophy in their history.

“In matches like these, details are decisive. The first few minutes cost us the game. We tried to grow into it, but unfortunately, we conceded in the first half. In the second half, we dominated and created chances,” he said. “The 3-0 scoreline is too heavy. We took risks, and their second goal effectively ended the game.”

Getty Images SportDID YOU KNOW?

The Sounders' win now means they have won four U.S. Open Cups, two MLS Cups, one CONCACAF Champions Cup, one Leagues Cup and one Supporters’ Shield – compared with Inter Miami’s 2023 Leagues Cup and 2024 Supporters’ Shield. Seattle's Brian Schmetzer became the first manager to win every major North American trophy.

WHAT NEXT FOR INTER MIAMI?

With the international break coming up, the Heronswill be back in action on Sept. 13 when they visit Charlotte FC.

BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Alan Hutton has claimed that personal reasons could have been the deciding factor behind Manchester United star Paul Pogba snubbing a move to rivals Man City this summer.

The Lowdown: Pogba available for transfer

The Frenchman first joined the Red Devils in a world-record £89m move from Juventus six years ago, where he has since gone on to make 233 appearances for the club during that time.

The 29-year-old’s current contract with United is set to expire at the end of the season, making him a free agent to any potential suitors interested in securing his services, and as a result of this, has been linked with multiple clubs in recent weeks, one of those being Pep Guardiola’s side.

As reported by The Athletic journalist David Ornstein earlier this week, the Sky Blues are thought to have made a proposal for Pogba which the player did seriously consider, but he has since informed City that he will be moving elsewhere.

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The Latest: Manchester rivalry a deciding factor

Hutton has admitted that it didn’t come as any shock to him to see United’s Premier League competitors show interest in the maestro, but suggested that the famous rivalry between the two sides may have put the 91-cap international off a potential move to the Etihad. He told Football Insider’s Russell Edge:

“It doesn’t surprise me they’ve thrown their hat into the ring.

“There’s no doubting his talent. I think on a personal level, for him to make that move, thinking of his lifestyle moving forward, how difficult that would be for them, just in general life.

“That’s probably the sticking point because the wages and that wouldn’t be a problem.

“He has had a hard time at Manchester United. Then to go to their rivals across the city, I think, would be very difficult for him.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if you see him go to PSG or somebody like that. That kind of makes more sense, I think, for him and his family.”

The Verdict: Ten Hag’s squad rebuild

Pogba, although beloved by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has missed out on the last five games under Ralf Rangnick having sustained a calf injury in the 4-0 defeat to Liverpool back in April, and it’s fair to say that United have missed his creativity in the middle of the park during his spell on the sidelines.

Prior to being ruled out of action, the £49.5m-rated midfielder was averaging 1.6 shots and 1.2 key passes per 90 minutes in the top-flight, not to mention that he has provided nine assists throughout the current campaign, via WhoScored.

With the arrival of new manager Erik ten Hag imminent, the Dutchman will no doubt be busy filtering through his squad to decide who has a long-term future at the club and who will be let go, and it looks like Pogba will be just one of many names set to depart Old Trafford ahead of the start of next season.

In other news… United are said to have initiated contact with a club regarding one of their summer transfer targets.

The NFL pulled back the curtain on its brand-new Rivalry uniforms Thursday. Teams from the AFC East and NFC West will be the first to sport these limited-edition kits, each slated to debut during a home clash against a divisional foe.

The NFL, in partnership with Nike, pulled the curtain back on Thursday to reveal the first wave of 2025 Rivalries uniforms, a fresh initiative blending tradition with modern design. The program, introduced earlier this year, aims to spotlight the rich histories of select franchises while strengthening the bond between players, teams, and their fanbases.

This opening set features eight clubs from the AFC East and NFC West, each receiving a one-of-a-kind Rivalries look that will make its on-field debut during a marquee home matchup against a divisional foe. 

Every design is steeped in the identity and heritage of its city, weaving in local culture and iconic traditions to create uniforms that are more than just game-day attire—they're a bold statement of community pride.

Nike's approach goes beyond aesthetics, offering both athletes and supporters a way to connect on a deeper level, turning each Rivalries jersey into a shared emblem of loyalty, legacy, and competitive fire.

Buy 2025-26 NFL Rivalry kits at NikeShop now

GOAL breaks down the fresh looks hitting the gridiron, highlighting which NFL heavyweights will don their new uniforms and the exact moments fans can expect to see them during the 2025-26 campaign.

Cardinals, NikeArizona Cardinals | Sept. 25 vs Seattle Seahawks

Dubbed “Built to Last,” this rugged, sandstorm-themed kit leans into earthy shades and striking stripe patterns, giving it a weathered, battle-tested vibe. 

Fans will get their first glimpse of the sand-scorched design on September 25, when it makes its home debut against the Seahawks.

Miami Dolphins | Sept. 29 vs New York Jets

Miami is set to break out its fresh threads in Week 4 under the primetime lights of Monday Night Football on September 29, when they square off with the New York Jets. 

The design, dubbed “Dark Waters,” trades the team’s classic palette for a bold deep navy base, accented by sharp aqua and orange highlights with an inverted logo that gives the look a striking, modern edge.

Bills, NikeBuffalo Bills | Oct. 5 vs New England PatriotsBuy 2025-26 Bills Rivalry kits at NikeShop now

Buffalo rolled out its icy new “Cold Front” look with an all-white uniform set paired with a matching lid, accented by frosty blue and silver detailing. Quarterback Josh Allen headlined the reveal, posing with a snow-dusted football that drove the theme home perfectly. 

The jersey stands out with a cracked-ice texture across the shoulders, highlighted by a reflective chrome buffalo logo in a sleek low-poly style. Even the inside collar carries a weathered, battle-worn finish—symbolizing the grit and grind of playing through Buffalo’s brutal elements.

49ers, NikeSan Francisco 49ers | Jan. 4 vs Seattle Seahawks

The 49ers have given their old all-black look a fresh makeover. The original version, first rolled out in 2015, was widely panned by fans and quickly shelved after 2017.

This time around, the design carries a sharper edge. The traditional gold helmet has been swapped out for a sleek black one, while the jersey numbers now feature a saloon-style font with gold shadowing—a huge upgrade from the plain red block numbers of the past. Back then, the lack of gold made the set look more like something the Cardinals would wear, but the new touches bring the uniforms much closer to San Francisco's identity.

Australia now need to beat England on Sunday to qualify for the final of the triangular series

The Report by Daniel Brettig08-Feb-2020A stunning innings by the 16-year-old wunderkind Shafali Verma launched India Women on the way to a dramatic victory over the T20 World Cup favourites Australia. In doing so they announced their genuine candidacy for the global tournament and also ensured the hosts need to beat England at the Junction Oval on Sunday to qualify for the final of the triangular series that is proving to be a bruising warm-up for the event.Verma’s 49 off 28 balls, combined with a calming 55 off 48 from her opening partner Smriti Mandhana, were the difference as India ran down Australia’s 5 for 173 with two balls to spare. The hosts had appeared well-placed at the innings break after Ashleigh Gardner’s powerful 93 off 57 balls with support from Meg Lanning and Beth Mooney, but a halting last few overs proved costly as India went on the charge from the very first over of their chase.With Verma batting fearlessly and Mandhana providing key support, there was further support from Jemimah Rodrigues, before captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma helped India to their highest successful chase in the format. With two losses in three T20Is, this is the first time the Australians have struggled to this extent since 2017 when they lost four out of five.Gardner builds after first over dramasLate-comers to the Junction Oval missed a dramatic start to the afternoon as Alyssa Healy’s survival of a missed stumping cost India precisely one ball. Deepti’s offbreak lured Healy down the pitch out of what seemed idle curiosity as much as intent to score, and a lack of turn saw the ball pass the bat. But Taniya Bhatia was unable to collect the ball cleanly, allowing Healy to scramble back into her crease and reset – for a moment.The very next delivery was dragged down short, only to be tugged straight to midwicket by Healy as India celebrated their good fortune. Gardner walked out to join Beth Mooney, and there were a few more nervy moments as a few lofted shots landed just out of reach of the fielders. These near-misses soon gave way to cleaner blows as Gardner unfurled her power game in the fashion that has prompted Australia to use her at No. 3. Mooney was content to rotate the strike, and when she perished to a Harleen Deol full-toss, Meg Lanning offered similar support, albeit speckled with a few more boundaries.Haynes, Perry splutter at the finishIndia’s fielding display was far from the standard required, exemplified by the missed stumping to start with and several other clear missed chances besides. Gardner made merry as a result, piling up 11 boundaries and three sixes while adding 62 in 47 balls with Mooney and then a whip-cracking 79 in 42 balls with Lanning. That stand meant that the Australians looked ready to launch at 2 for 141 with 29 balls remaining, but the exits of Lanning for 37 and then Gardner, much to her chagrin, for 93, signalled a loss of acceleration.Ashleigh Gardner plays a cut•Getty ImagesEllyse Perry and Rachael Haynes added 22 together but took 19 balls to do it, even with one mighty six from Perry in the final over bowled by Rajeshwari Gayakwad. They also survived another Indian fielding muck-up, this time a comedy of errors when it appeared easier to run out one of Perry or Haynes than neither. In the end, Perry was lbw when she moved too far across the stumps on the penultimate ball of the innings.Verma’s shots heard round the worldOn what had dried out into a beautiful batting pitch, the tourists had a chance provided they got a swift start. “Swift” proved to be too mild an adjective for the hurricane that was Verma, who took a hyper-aggressive approach from the very first over of the chase and was rewarded with a series of boundaries. The opening overs read like a list of cricket teams and squads: 11, 12, 11, 14 and 14 meaning the powerplay was to be worth 70 and the target drastically reduced.Verma’s fearlessness and sharp eye were complemented perfectly by Mandhana, who found her own occasional boundary in between plenty of singles and alert running between the wickets. Some formidable Australia bowlers – Jess Jonassen, Megan Schutt and Perry – were momentarily humbled by Verma, and captain Lanning was left looking far and wide for bowling options. No fewer than seven bowlers were to be tried, but it was Perry who snared Verma for a breathless 49 from 28 balls to pull Australia back into the contest.Tourists hold nerve for victoryIn Verma’s slipstream, Rodrigues kept scoring at the required tempo with her own sparkling contribution, adding 37 with Mandhana with only a slight dip in the run rate after the opening stand of 85 in 50 balls. When Rodrigues did err, offering a thin edge behind to Healy off Schutt, Harmanpreet provided plenty of experience and poise to the pursuit as Mandhana reached a meritorious half-century.With 16 still required off 12 balls, a tight over from Nicola Carey could have turned the game towards Australia. But although she managed to win an lbw verdict against Mandhana, two fours including one swatted between mid-on and midwicket by Deepti off Carey’s final ball meant only four remained to be collected from the final over. Harmanpreet and Deepti kept their heads for a rousing win. The World Cup race is widening by the day.

Channel 7 CEO expressed frustration this week at the delay in confirming the season’s fixtures

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Aug-2020Cricket Australia is adamant it will not need to cut the value of its broadcast deal despite strong criticism from the boss of major rights holder Channel 7 over the delay in confirming the schedule for the home summer and suggestions that even a full slate of matches would not equate to delivering full value.Earlier this week, James Warburton, the CEO of Channel 7, used an investor call to take a swipe at CA for the fact they have still to lock in a reworked scheduled for the major events of the summer – significantly the India tour and the BBL.”It’s been frustrating with Cricket Australia, that’s for sure,” he said. “Ultimately…they need to look at what is possible to deliver, stop talking about international borders being closed, or borders being closed, and start to look at what really is the season we are going to deliver. We paid a massive price for the cricket – an Indian summer is as valuable as an Ashes summer.”ALSO READ: Afghanistan set to play December Test against Australia in PerthHowever, CA remains confident it will provide their full schedule which means delivering on their end of the billon-dollar broadcast deal that was made in 2018.”We’re absolutely committed to delivering our side of the bargain which is fantastic summer of cricket and I think work with all our partners to deliver the best possible summer, the best possible entertainment for all our fans and the public,” interim CEO Nick Hockley said on Wednesday. “So, that’s what we’re focused on and I think we’ve got a very clear agreement, that is fulfilling our part of the bargain and that’s entirely what we’re focused on.”Hockley, who took over from Kevin Roberts in June, said he had not spoken to Warburton since his comments earlier this week but said that Channel 7 are a “great partner””We are having lots of discussions about how Seven are going to bring to life cricket this summer,” he said. “We’ll continue to work through those. The discussion is very regular and there is lots of good dialogue. They’re a great partner. I’ve really enjoyed working with James and we’ve got so much to look forward to.”India and Australia are the top two sides on the World Test Championship table•Getty ImagesOne element which has got broadcasters nervous is the prospect of the BBL losing more big-name players because of the potential for larger international squads having to be named as it won’t be possible to fly players in and out due to quarantine restrictions. However, Hockley reiterated that the health and safety of everyone involve remained the overriding priority.”Biosecurity and health and safety of the players throughout the summer is absolutely the number one priority and creating hubs and concentrating content as the other sporting codes have done throughout the winter is something we’re likely to have to do, certainly in the early stages of the season,” he said. “We are hoping the situation improves, I think clearly it’s going to be a busy and full summer, both the international playing group and the domestic group and WBBL.”Australia’s home season is set to get underway at the end of September with the visit of the New Zealand Women’s team for three T20Is and three ODIs. Currently those matches are scheduled for Sydney and Queensland, but they are expected to be condensed into one hub venue.The WBBL will follow from mid-October with the expectation that the tournament may also be held in a single state. The men’s season could then start with white-ball cricket against India following post-IPL quarantine periods before a Test against Afghanistan in early December then four against India running until mid-January.The women are then due to play India in three ODIs in the middle of January – although they were being viewed as a lead-in to the now-postponed World Cup – with the New Zealand men’s side slated for a brief limited-overs tour at the end of January. The BBL final is currently due to be played on February 6.Of the state domestic competitions, the Marsh One-Day appears the most vulnerable to be cut this season and there remain questions over when the Women’s National Cricket League could be played.

Chamari Athapaththu explains how her side defended 12 runs off the last two overs to make the women’s Asia Cup final

Mohammad Isam13-Oct-2022Nida Dar goes down on her haunches after getting run-out off the last ball. The Sri Lanka players are running towards each other from all directions, arms aloft, screaming loud, smiling. The big screen at the Sylhet International Stadium flashes the result. Those in the stands are open-mouthed. Some have their hands on their head. Whether it happens in front of a few hundred people, or millions, there’s something unpretentious about last-ball finishes.Particularly when the contest was so tilted against the winners even just 15 minutes previously. The first ray of hope for Sri Lanka came when Sugandika Kumari removed Bismah Maroof in the 18th over. She was in two minds and missed the ball. Bowled for 42. Inoka Ranaweera was magnificent in the 19th over, picking up another wicket. Pakistan needed nine off the last six balls. And up stepped Achini Kulasuriya, slinging yorker after yorker until she made history.After the match, Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu was beaming, with her deputy Oshadi Ranasinghe in tow, at the press conference. A little while before, Aliya Riaz had expressed just how sad it was to be in the Pakistan dressing room at that point. They were almost there, in the Women’s Asia Cup final, only to be denied off the last ball.Athapaththu said that Kulasuriya followed her directions word for word. It was all about denying the batters Riaz and Dar the room they needed to hit the ball over the 25-yard circle, which became doubly important because, at that moment, Sri Lanka were also dealing with an over-rate penalty. They could have only three fielders (one less than the usual four in women’s cricket) outside the circle in the last over.”After 14 years, we are in the final of the Asia Cup,” Athapaththu said. “So it’s really good for us as a team, as a nation. We are really excited today. And I’m very happy about my team’s performance today. All players doing really well today.”We planned a few things yesterday. We know Nida is a hard-hitter of Pakistan. Achini Kulasuriya is a really good, experienced bowler in our bowling line-up. I always trust her, and I know she can do it.”

#ApeKello celebrating in style

Sri Lanka qualified for the finals of the Women’s #AsiaCup2022 after winning against Pakistan by 1 run. pic.twitter.com/WXHkGcQJdd

— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) October 13, 2022