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Scottish champions Celtic marched on the rampant defence of their league crown by securing a 3-1 win over at Paradise on Wednesday evening, with the Old Firm giants coming from behind to maintain their nine-point advantage at the summit.

For all the pressure being applied by their Glasgow rivals – who remain unbeaten in the Scottish Premiership under new boss Michael Beale – the Hoops have shown no signs that they are set to buckle any time soon, with Ange Postecoglou’s men continuing to dispatch teams at will.

This latest triumph – which was the 57-year-old’s 100th game in charge of the club – notably saw Kyogo Furuhashi produce a starring role with a goal and an assist in the defeat of Hearts, with the Japan international now boasting 30 goal involvements in just 37 games this season in all competitions.

That stellar record has come despite the former Vissel Kobe man having often been starved of service in games, having been restricted to a measly tally of just 14 touches in yesterday’s victory.

By contrast, teammate Cameron Carter-Vickers once again illustrated his reliable impact at the heart of the defence after making 127 touches in total against Robbie Neilson’s side, with that outing further proof of why he is arguably the “best defender in the country” – according to journalist Ryan McGinley.

How did Carter-Vickers perform against Hearts?

Having been lauded as the “best player in Scotland last season” by ex-Bhoys striker Chris Sutton (BT Sport, 05/10/2022, 19:41) ), Carter-Vickers has again been the beating heart of Postecoglou’s side, notably even taking on the captain’s armband earlier in the campaign amid Callum McGregor’s injury absence.

A “rock at the back”- according to teammate David Turnbull – the former Tottenham Hotspur ace has been a mainstay for the Parkhead outfit over the last 18 months or so, missing just three Scottish Premiership games so far this season.

It is perhaps telling that the club’s only league defeat of the season – away to St Mirren back in September – came with the Southend-born brute not involved, with the likes of Moritz Jenz and Stephen Welsh having been “bullied” in his absence, as per journalist Josh Bunting.

That showcases just how integral the 6 foot 1 titan is for the league leaders, having even earned praise from ex-Rangers man Andy Halliday for his derby displays of late, with the current Hearts star stating earlier this month:

“Genuinely in the last five or six derbies, Cameron Carter-Vickers has been an eight out of ten. Every one of them. So much stuff goes unnoticed, I think.”

While the aforementioned Kyogo has rightly received the plaudits for his brilliant hot streak in front of goal, as Halliday alluded to it is Carter-Vickers who is perhaps the at-times unsung star of the show, having been invaluable in helping to shore up Celtic’s backline.

Yesterday’s win was another indication of such quality as the United States international won all five of his total duels and achieved a staggering pass accuracy rate of 93%, having further showcased his composure on the ball by completing his solitary dribble.

That standout showing – which earned the imposing ace a 7.5 match rating, as per Sofascore – also lead to notable praise from Celtic Way’s Tony Haggerty, who said of the centre-back’s displays: ‘He really is coolness and calmness personified and he is so reassuring to those around him in defence.’

As that triumph proved, no opposition forward is likely to relish coming up against Carter-Vickers, with the influential colossus showcasing just why he is a key cog in Postecoglou’s relentless machine.

Glasgow Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos is expected to ‘part ways’ with the Scottish Premiership giants this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Beale’s criticism

The Light Blues forward’s deal at Ibrox is set to expire at the end of the season and he’s facing an uncertain future having not yet put pen to paper on an extension.

Michael Beale criticised the 26-year-old in a recent interview and admitted that he’s held a one-on-one meeting with him to discuss what he requires, which led the player to turn to social media to post the message “Do not give up. Sometimes the last key is the one that opens the door.”

Back in December, sporting director Ross Wilson revealed that the club had rejected an offer for the South American with chairman Douglas Park resigned to losing him after contract talks halted.

The Latest: Bridge’s verdict

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Bridge was asked for an update on Morelos’s future at Rangers given the recent conflict, to which he replied:

“I think with him, he’s been there a long, long time, and Rangers have, over those years, resisted big bids for him.

“But obviously, when your manager is critical of the player, the player is now doing cryptic messages on his social media, perhaps it is time for a break, ideally an amicable one.

“I certainly can’t see him signing a new contract, which would mean the end of his Rangers career. But obviously, Morelos posting cryptic comments so soon after Beale’s public criticism just strikes me as if they’re both going to part ways.”

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Morelos has been dubbed a ‘Colombian Machine’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and despite the ongoing problems behind the scenes, we feel Rangers should still keep hold of him beyond the summer.

The Teddy Bears star has posted a remarkable 179 goal contributions (122 goals and 57 assists) in 261 appearances since moving north of the border, showing how prolific he can be in the final third.

The Cerete native predominantly operates in his natural centre-forward role but can also act out wide on both the left and right wings, being a two-footed player, which is a useful attribute to have should the boss ever need to switch things up.

Morelos will need to change his attitude both on and off the pitch should he want to be given a chance moving forward but he is more than capable of turning it around at Rangers.

Crystal Palace have reportedly held talks with former Borussia Monchengladbach manager Adi Hutter, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Vieira’s departure

The Eagles officially confirmed Patrick Vieira’s dismissal on Friday, leaving U21s coach Paddy McCarthy to take this afternoon’s Premier League clash with leaders Arsenal.

Palace actually first considered sacking Vieira last February, according to Matt Woosnam, while many inside Selhurst Park were unconvinced by his coaching staff.

The Daily Mail add that those at boardroom level had concerns over his communication ad poor discipline. The club are currently on an unwanted streak of 12 games without a win dating back to New Year’s Eve, with Steve Parish admitting he will not rush when it comes to bringing in Vieira’s successor.

However, reports elsewhere seem to suggest he has already contacted two potential managers, one of which being Hutter.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports shared an update regarding Palace’s search for a new manager in the last 48 hours on Twitter, saying that the Eagles have been in talks with former manager Roy Hodgson, who is the ‘clear frontrunner’. However, they added that the club have also spoken with Hutter.

‘We understand Roy Hodgson is in talks to go back as Crystal Palace manager. We understand they have spoken to a number of candidates that include Adi Hutter who was recently head coach at Borussia Monchengladbach, but Hodgson, at 75 years of age, is the clear frontrunner to take over from Patrick Vieira.’

The Verdict: One to watch?

Hutter, like Hodgson, is currently out of work, so a move could be one to keep an eye on and one that could be finalised very quickly due to his availability.

The 53-year-old likes to play a 3-4-2-1 system and as well as Monchengladbach, has managed Eintracht Frankfurt, BSC Young Boys and Red Bull Salzburg.

Hutter has taken charge of 365 games with those four clubs, winning the double with Salzburg during the 2014/15 season and the league title with BSC Young Boys in 2017/18.

He even has experience of managing sides in the Europa League and in the qualifying stages of the Champions League, so could prove to be a shrewd option in either the short or long term.

However, with Palace now battling to avoid the drop, they may see Hodgson’s previous Premier League experience as key over the coming months to steer the club to safety, before looking at their long-term options in the summer.

Journalist Chris Waugh believes Newcastle United could very likely be without Anthony Gordon for several weeks.

The Lowdown: More injury woes for Eddie Howe

Newcastle’s one big splurge in January was on Gordon, who was desperately trying to force a winter exit, and the Magpies came calling despite the winger having scored just three goals in the Premier League this term.

However, he’s been afforded just one start under Eddie Howe and now looks set to at least miss this week’s clash against Nottingham Forest due to an injury that was picked up after the defeat to Manchester City.

Reports have suggested that Gordon may not be seen again until after the international break – which will see the winger and his teammates jet off to Dubai – which would be an almighty blow for the Magpies, who are still yet to see why his former teammate James Tarkowski labelled him as ‘different class’.

The Latest: Gordon set for time on the sidelines

While speaking on Pod on the Tyne, Waugh has stated Gordon is likely to miss this week’s Premier League clash and may not even be seen for several weeks to come.

He said: “Obviously, Anthony Gordon – who picked up an ankle injury after the Man City game – isn’t going to be fit for Friday and might not be back immediately after the international break, either.

“So that’s a bit of a blow because we still haven’t seen him have a run of games for Newcastle, but thankfully, because others have sort of stepped up in that absence, Howe does still have some positive selection dilemmas.”

The Verdict: Newcastle have sufficient cover for Gordon’s absence

The fact that Allan Saint-Maximin appears to be back to full fitness having started four out of the last five games in the league for the Magpies and Miguel Almiron could be back to his best after netting on the weekend, Gordon’s absence may not be too hard to deal with.

However, from PIF’s point of view, they’ll be far from impressed by what they’ve seen from their £40m investment thus far, with just one start to Gordon’s name as well as zero goal contributions, so they’ll be keen for a big end to the season from the winger.

Gordon is indeed still very young and has a lot of time to prove his worth to Newcastle, but the longer he’s sidelined, the harder it becomes for him to nail down a starting spot in Howe’s side, especially now that even regular substitute Jacob Murphy is being gifted starts in his absence, but for Howe, it will be positive to look at the depth he now possesses out wide.

Leeds United are thought to be plotting a move for former midfielder Kalvin Phillips, less than a year on after selling him to Manchester City, The Daily Star report.

The Lowdown: Struggles at City

Phillips made the move to the Etihad last summer but has endured an extremely frustrating first season under Pep Guardiola. The 27-year-old, who shares the same agency as Patrick Bamford, is yet to start a Premier League game and has featured in just 344 minutes of action.

He has missed parts of the season through injury, however, he did start for England on Thursday in a 2-1 win over Italy. Phillips’ current contract runs until 2028, but it looks as if an exit could already be on the cards as he searches for regular first-team football.

The Latest: Transfer update

The Daily Star shared an update regarding Phillips and Leeds in the last 48 hours. They claimed that the Whites are interested in their former midfielder and will be in the race for his services this summer.

They added that Leeds even had a January approach rejected for the midfielder, with Phillips possibly feeling he has no choice but to move elsewhere at the end of the season, should he remain a bit-part player under Guardiola.

The Verdict: A gamble?

You’d expect that any return to Elland Road for Phillips could involve big money, especially after City paid £45m for his services and handed him a long-term deal on £150,000-per-week – a salary higher than any current Leeds player.

Therefore, a return to Leeds may be viewed as a risk with the player’s lack of game time and injury issues, however, the club are not looking to make Weston McKennie’s loan move permanent in the summer as it stands, so they could be willing to gamble when it comes to Phillips.

If McKennie returns to Juventus, Javi Gracia could be left with just Tyler Adams and Marc Roca as central midfield options, possibly opening up a space for Phillips to return.

Leeds know all about the player’s qualities after he made 234 appearances for the club, with former Whites goalkeeper Paul Robinson saying this about Phillips last year prior to his move to Manchester:

“He was England’s best player last year. His quality is unprecedented. I think he is better than Declan Rice. He offers more going forward than Rice. His energy, his engine and his creativity are there for all to see.”

It looks as if it could be one to keep an eye on, however, Leeds will need to remain in the Premier League over the coming months to stand any chance of securing a transfer.

Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon has recovered quickly from his recent injury, and could be fit to play against Manchester United at the weekend, according to a report.

What injury does Anthony Gordon have?

Gordon has been unable to hold down a consistent place in the Newcastle starting XI since arriving for £45m in January, missing the last two Premier League games due to an ankle injury, which was sustained when going in for a tackle against Manchester City.

Speaking about the issue, Eddie Howe said: "He had a scan and we were hoping we could get away with it and he would be alright, but unfortunately not. He’ll probably miss two games, and I’m not sure whether he’ll be back after the international break. We hope so, but that’s not 100 per cent certain."

Despite Howe's fear that the winger would be unavailable for Sunday's encounter against Man United, he appears to have recovered ahead of schedule, according to a recent report from The Telegraph.

It is detailed that the 22-year-old has recovered quickly from the ankle issue, meaning he will be fit to play some part in the game this weekend, in news that will come as a real boost for Howe. The manager is currently without Miguel Almiron, who is not expected to be available until the end of April, so Gordon is set to compete with Jacob Murphy for a start on the right of the front three, with Allan Saint-Maximin poised to play on the left.

Will Gordon start against Manchester United?

The former Everton man has only started once since arriving at St. James Park, struggling to make his mark on the game in the Magpies' recent 2-0 defeat against Manchester City, however it is too early to be overly critical of the Englishman.

Members of the media have claimed the winger looks "streets ahead" of Saint-Maximin in his cameo appearances off the bench, indicating he could stake a claim for a place on the left of the attack, rather than competing for Murphy's starting spot.

Former Everton manager Frank Lampard has claimed Gordon ranks highly among the "fantastic young players" he has worked with in his career, but he is only going to fulfill his potential if he receives regular game time.

As such, if the £60k-per-week starlet is fit enough to start against Man United at the weekend, then Howe should give him the opportunity to prove himself, in what is a very important game in the race for the top four.

Aston Villa’s excellent Premier League form continued with a victory over Leicester City last night as Unai Emery’s men made it five wins in their previous six matches.

The Spaniard has certainly been an inspired choice since Steven Gerrard's sacking and has managed to salvage Villa’s season which under the Liverpudlian, was heading for disaster.

The Foxes are battling relegation, and it was a chance for the Midlands side to keep up their hot streak, and they didn’t disappoint. Ollie Watkins slotted home a wonderful through ball by Emiliano Buendia in the first half, before Harvey Barnes equalised before the break.

Kieran Dewsbury-Hall’s sending-off changed the game and late substitute Bertrand Traore netted the winner with just minutes left, delightfully curling and chipping the ball beyond the Foxes 'keeper.

The winger enjoyed a solid cameo by netting a rare goal, and may now have just forced his way into Emery’s plans ahead of a crucial few weeks coming up.

The true hero for Villa was Buendia, however, who arguably put in his best performance for weeks.

How did Emiliano Buendia play against Leicester City?

Operating on the left of a four-man midfield, Emery was looking for the player to have more of an impact than he did against Chelsea last weekend, where he took just 28 touches in 76 minutes and managed zero shots.

His decision paid off handsomely last night, with the Argentine putting in an excellent performance, and with a Sofascore rating of 7.8/10, he was statistically Villa’s best player during the clash.

The £75k-per-week playmaker's assist for Watkins’ opener was remarkably his first league assist of the season but his passing ability was clearly on show versus the Foxes.

Indeed, journalist Ashley Preece claimed that one of his passes to Alex Moreno was a “really clever” one with it diverting through the legs of right-back Timothy Castagne.

The former Norwich man also took 55 touches, completed 30 passes and was accurate with 100% of his attempted long balls, proving that he was a driving force in circulating the ball.

The player managed to make four key passes in total during the match too which were clearly vital in securing all three points, and in winning 50% of his duels, making two tackles and interceptions and one clearance, demonstrating his defensive ability and not shirking his duties.

It was another crucial win for the Midlands side, and as a result, they have vaulted into ninth place, an almost unthinkable standing during the opening months of the campaign.

Buendia was Emery’s true hero last night, and he will hope this can give him a boost heading into the next few weeks.

Things are looking up for West Ham United after a morale-boosting 1-0 win over Fulham last weekend but David Moyes' side are still under real threat of relegation when you consider how tight the race for survival is in the Premier League.

A number of the Hammers' most consistent performers from previous campaigns have struggled to find their best form in an underwhelming season which can perhaps only be salvaged by winning the Europa Conference League.

Fortunately for the Scottish manager, it seems as if Vladimir Coufal is returning to his best form at a vital time, and the Czech Republic international could prove to be a huge player for West Ham in the remaining fixtures, both in the Premier League and in Europe.

Is Coufal getting back to his best at West Ham?

Coufal's first season at West Ham was an incredibly consistent one, as he contributed an impressive seven assists in 34 Premier League appearances, averaging a strong 6.95 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The right-back, who earns around £35k-per-week, had joined in a deal worth just £5.4m from Slavia Prague and quickly won over fans with his work rate and passion on the pitch, while club legend Mark Noble would label him a "machine" when appearing as a guest on the Peter Crouch Podcast.

However, his form would falter last season, as he averaged a far-less-impressive 6.56 rating from WhoScored, with four assists to his name in 28 Premier League outings.

With Ben Johnson now a fully-fledged first-team player and Thilo Kehrer arriving from Paris Saint-Germain, Moyes has often alternated his right-backs this season and has seemingly been unable to decide on his first choice, with Coufal failing to notch a single goal or assist in the top-flight so far this campaign.

However, after returning from injury during the international break, the 30-year-old helped the Hammers to a clean sheet in the 1-0 win at Craven Cottage and was given the nod against Gent in midweek, which suggests that he has re-established himself as the main man at right-back.

The Athletic's Roshane Thomas was full of praise for the Czech defender on Twitter during the game, writing:

"Vladimir Coufal is slowly getting back to his best. At one point this season it was debatable who was West Ham's best right-back. But now without question, it's definitely Coufal."

With Johnson and Kehrer ranked as the 13th and 14th-best performers in Moyes' squad so far this season according to WhoScored, it seems neither of them can be relied upon to be a reliable option in West Ham's battle to stay up, so Coufal's upturn in form might just have come at the perfect time for the Hammers.

Leeds United face a tough test tonight in the Premier League, but will be well aware if they can find a way to quell Mohamed Salah then their chances of beating Liverpool will multiply tenfold.

The Reds have suffered a poor season by their standards, but still remain firmly in the fight for European places; a position they would likely be nowhere near without the goals of their Egyptian marksman.

Despite what many would claim to have been a tough year for the 30-year-old, he has still recorded 13 goals and seven assists in the league. It is understandably hard to maintain such unprecedented numbers from years gone by, especially when the team around is underperforming.

With 44 points to their name after 29 games, this stage of last season saw them just a point behind the leaders Manchester City, on a mouth-watering 69 points. That same year saw the former Chelsea winger score 23 and assist 14.

Having once been lauded as a "huge threat" for his partnership with Sadio Mane by journalist David Maddock, he now remains the sole source of consistent attacking impetus for his side. Javi Gracia will have to enact a cunning plan to silence him, which will likely see Luke Ayling play no part. As such, Rasmus Kristensen should earn a recall.

Will Rasmus Kristensen play vs Liverpool?

Although the Denmark international has endured a trying first campaign at Elland Road, he still represents far greater physical assets than the ageing Luke Ayling.

Last time out, the 31-year-old was terrorised by the speed and trickery of Crystal Palace's Michael Olise and Ebere Eze, resulting in their 5-1 loss where he was handed an abysmal 5.3 Sofascore rating.

Against Salah, the same is sure to happen if Gracia persists with his captain.

Instead, the leadership qualities of a younger, more defensively sound option could be prioritised. After all, Kristensen does see himself as someone willing to take control, as he spoke about the struggles of acclimatising: "I was a leader in terms of physique & intensity in Austria. It's on a completely different level now. It has also been a challenge for me. I'm finding my place."

With a 6.86 average rating, this is certainly the case; it paints the picture of an unrelenting defender who might be caught culpable but is just as likely to pocket his opposite man. This figure is likely upheld by his 2.4 tackles and 1.9 clearances per game, further exacerbating his fine defensive presence, via Sofascore.

Having been lauded as the answer to fix their issues at right back, with Alan Hutton suggesting his signing solved a "huge problem", tonight could mark the perfect opportunity to prove the Scotsman right.

In front of an electric Elland Road atmosphere, tasked with quelling one of the league's top players, now marks ample opportunity for the £40k-per-week stalwart to silence any critics.

Arsene Wenger left a massive legacy at Arsenal upon his departure at the end of the 2017/18 campaign and looking back, it was similar to when Sir Alex Ferguson retired as Manchester United manager, with whoever came in next having an almost impossible task.

Unai Emery was the man tasked with the responsibility to continue the wonderful work done by Wenger over the previous 20 years, however, he made a few woeful signings and couldn’t quite adjust to the Premier League, despite enjoying success at Paris Saint-Germain.

The likes of Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno and Nicolas Pepe were brought in during his first year in charge as he splashed the cash in the transfer market, yet it was all to no avail as the club failed to win anything during his 18-month tenure.

He also lured defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos to the club from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2018, and although he had impressed in Germany, playing nearly 200 times for the Bundesliga club, he couldn’t replicate this in England.

How much did Sokratis Papastathopoulos cost Arsenal?

The Greek centre-back did enjoy a solid debut campaign at the Gunners after his £17.7m move from Germany, playing in 40 matches across all competitions as the north Londoners reached the Europa League final, although they lost to Chelsea.

His second season wasn’t quite as consistent, having a drop-off in performance to play only 29 matches, and he clearly wasn’t the same once Emery was sacked in December 2019. Indeed, journalist James Benge remarked of one "woeful" error which rather summed up his time in the capital.

Mikel Arteta took charge, and it was evident that the former Dortmund defender wasn’t part of his future plans, making only 11 appearances during the remainder of 2019/20 once the Spaniard took over.

He did come off the bench in the FA Cup final during their win against Chelsea in 2020 and claimed a medal, but his time at the club appeared to be coming to an end.

Sokratis failed to even make one senior appearance during the first half of the following term before leaving on a free transfer in January 2021 to join Olympiacos.

During his 133-week spell in London, he rinsed the club for a grand total of £30.7m, combining his transfer fee plus the £13m he earned in wages across his contract, which was £100k-per-week.

This represented a colossal waste of money for Stan Kroenke and co, especially as he failed to contribute during his final 18 months at the club.

Hopefully moves like this will become less common under Arteta over the coming years.