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ScorecardVirat Singh delivered East Zone the title with his unbeaten 58•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Virat Singh and Ishank Jaggi zoomed to half-centuries as East Zone chased down 150 in just 13.4 overs against West Zone to clinch an eight-wicket win and the 2016-17 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Inter Zonal title. East Zone ended their tournament with a spotless record, winning all four of their matches to finish with 16 points, four ahead of second-placed Central Zone.The duo’s efforts came after right-arm pacer Pritam Das snared 2 for 25 to restrict West Zone to 149 for 5 after they were asked to bat at the Wankhede Stadium.Jaggi walked out with East Zone having made a blistering start to the chase through an opening stand of 61 in just 5.2 overs. Shardul Thakur ended the burst when he had Karthik caught behind for a 14-ball 24. Virat and Jaggi then slammed 80 runs off just 44 balls to shut the doors on a West Zone fightback. Jaggi took over as the dominant partner, scoring 56 of them himself, off 30 balls and with the help of three fours and six sixes.Thakur returned to take out Jaggi in the 13th over, but East Zone were only nine short of the target. They required only six more balls to close out the game, with captain Manoj Tiwary hitting two quick boundaries, while Virat stayed not out on 58 off 34 balls, having struck five fours and three sixes.Thakur took two wickets, but was expensive, giving away 31 runs in three overs, as were all of West Zone’s six remaining bowlers, who ended wicketless.When West Zone batted, Sheldon Jackson tried to hold the innings together with a half-century, but West Zone lost frequent wickets and made slow progress. Deppak Hooda helped Jackson add 40 for the third wicket to lift them from 36 for 2, but their stand came at only a run a ball. When Jackson fell at the start of the 15th over, caught off the left-arm spin of Pragyan Ojha, West Zone only had 92 on the board. That they got to 149 was down to Rujul Bhatt, who struck an unbeaten 36 off 20 balls.East Zone’s bowlers shared the wickets around, with Pritam Das returning 2 for 25, while Suryakant Pradhan, Sayan Ghosh and Ojha took a wicket apiece.
ScorecardFile photo – Harpreet Singh’s 92 made the difference for Central Zone in a tense chase•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the second match of the day, Central Zone scraped through by two wickets in a high-scoring clash against South Zone.After being inserted, South Zone rode on solid contributions from their middle order to post 181 for 7 in their allotted 20 overs. Harpreet Singh led Central Zone’s reply with a career-best 92 off 51 balls that included 10 fours and four sixes.After Vishnu Vinod set the tone for South Zone’s innings with a 15-ball 31 at the top, the trio of Dinesh Karthik (35), captain Vijay Shankar (40) and Pavan Deshpande (33 not out) formed the bulwark of the innings. Their efforts ensured South Zone finished with a strong total in spite of late strikes.Ankit Rajpoot, Aniket Choudhary and Karn Sharma took two wickets each, although Rajpoot was the most economical, giving away just 28 in four overs.Central Zone lost Naman Ojha in the second ball of the chase, before Harpreet and Amandeep Khare steadied them with a 67-run second-wicket stand. Following Khare’s dismissal for 39, the onus fell on Harpreet as none of the other batsmen made an impression. Harpreet nearly saw the team through, and though he fell at the start of the final over, Amit Mishra and Rajpoot fought nerves to knock off the remaining four runs.South Zone used six bowlers, all of whom were among the wickets, but Rahil Shah and Swaroop Kumar impressed the most with returns of 2 for 20 and 1 for 20 respectively.

The suspensions are part of an ongoing investigation into alleged attempts by an organisation to corrupt the 2017 Pakistan Super League

Umar Farooq in Dubai10-Feb-2017

Islamabad United batsmen Sharjeel Khan and Khalid Latif have been provisionally suspended under the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code as part of an ongoing investigation into an organisation’s alleged attempts to corrupt the 2017 Pakistan Super League. Both batsmen have been sent home and no replacements have been named yet. The PCB’s investigation is being backed by the ICC’s Anti-Corruption Unit.”It would not be appropriate to comment on the specifics of the case, however this investigation is a clear demonstration of our determination to drive corruption out of our sport,” Najam Sethi, chairman of the PSL, said in a statement. “We will not tolerate any form of corrupt activity and as this investigation proceeds we will not hesitate to take further decisive action as appropriate.”The investigation of the PCB Anti-Corruption Unit backed by the ICC ACU has been effective in dealing with this case to date and we will continue to work in the closest collaboration as the investigation proceeds. We are all absolutely committed to relentlessly pursuing anyone who would seek to damage the integrity of our sport.”Later, while speaking to reporters in Dubai on the second day of the league, Sethi added: “We were wary about anything like this and that’s why we were extra vigilant, and we had also beefed up our security and anti-corruption unit. We were using other resources to keep an eye on everything, and then we got evidence that some wrongdoing is underway and then we took action. We are guarding against corruption and we will be ready to take action any time, any day against anyone who is going to damage PSL.”PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan reminded players of their duties under the Anti-Corruption Code. “I must remind all players of their responsibilities in the fight against corruption,” Shaharyar said. “They must understand that if they even think they may have been the subject of a suspicious approach, it is their obligation under the PCB Anti-Corruption Code to report it to an appropriate anti-corruption official as a matter of urgency. Under no circumstances will the PCB condone actions of a few individuals to bring disrepute to the game of cricket or taint the image of Pakistan.”The Islamabad franchise also issued a statement saying they would begin looking for replacements. “We are understandably disappointed at this development but emphasise on our commitment to a zero-tolerance policy towards any violations of the rules or stated guidelines,” the franchise said. “We will be looking to find replacements for the squad as soon as possible.”Sharjeel played the opening match of the 2017 edition for the defending champions Islamabad on Thursday, scoring 1 against Peshawar Zalmi, while Latif was not part of the XI.Both batsmen did well for Islamabad in the 2016 PSL, scoring more than 200 runs. While Sharjeel finished as the third-highest run-scorer overall, with 299 runs in 11 matches, Latif struck 206 runs. The pair then made their returns to the Pakistan side during the 2016 Asia Cup and the World T20 respectively.Sharjeel has featured regularly in limited-overs matches since his comeback and recently made his Test debut against Australia in Sydney, where he scored 4 and 40. Overall, Sharjeel has played 25 ODIs and 15 T20Is since his international debut in December 2013.Latif made a comeback in the World T20 after four years out of the side. Since his debut in 2008, Latif has played five ODIs and 13 T20Is and his most recent appearance for Pakistan came in the T20 series against West Indies in September last year.

A strong batting effort, led by fifties from Harvik Desai and Himanshu Rana, helped India Under-19s level the five-match series with a rout of England Under-19s in the second ODI at the Brabourne Stadium

The Report by Nikhil Kalro at the Brabourne01-Feb-2017
ScorecardHimanshu Rana followed up his century in the first ODI with a 66-ball 58•PTI

A strong batting effort, led by fifties from Harvik Desai and Himanshu Rana, helped India Under-19s level the five-match series with a rout of England Under-19s in the second ODI at the Brabourne Stadium. After India posted 287, their bowlers combined to bowl England out for 158.Rana, coming off a century in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium, showed exemplary defensive technique to weather an accurate opening spell from Matthew Fisher. After Fisher had Prithvi Shaw bowled, Shubman Gill and Rana played some delightful strokes in an 82-run second-wicket stand, particularly square of the wicket on both sides, as England’s bowlers persisted with the shortish length that had earned them success in the opening game.Given the slow nature of the pitch and England’s failure to adjust their lengths, Rana faced no trouble in pulling off the front foot. It seemed, however, that most of India’s batsmen too struggled to adapt to the difference in pace from the series opener. On 24, Gill slapped a cut to point and Rana, shortly after hitting his fourth consecutive fifty-plus score, popped a catch to short midwicket, both batsmen through their shots too early. Priyam Garg, one of six inclusions in India’s XI from the previous game, was strangled down the leg side off Fisher. At that point, India had slipped from 102 for 1 to 108 for 4.Wicketkeeper Desai began India’s rebuild by just picking off what was on offer: England’s spinners weren’t consistent in lines and lengths, and their fielding was shoddy. Along with handy contributions from the middle order, he carried India past 200. Desai struck 10 fours in his 75 before he found cover with a drive he was too early into, giving Fisher his fourth wicket.Cameos from Kamlesh Nagarkoti (36 off 32 balls) and Shiva Singh, who struck two reverse-slaps over short third man and a flicked six over fine leg in his 12-ball 23, helped India post 287. England dropped two catches and conceded nearly 90 runs in the final 10 overs.In their reply, England were rocked early by India’s opening bowlers. Seamer Shivam Mavi, in particular, beat the outside edge repeatedly with nippy outswingers. Opener Max Holden was caught down the leg side. George Bartlett was caught behind, and Harry Brook, who looked solid during his 26, chopped on, another victim of a slow surface.Euan Woods and Ollie Pope led England’s recovery with a staunch fourth-wicket partnership that kept India’s spinners at bay. Both batsmen looked fluent before being dismissed in clumsy fashion: Pope was run-out at the striker’s end, calling for a run to square leg that was never on and Woods chipping a catch to mid-off. Not long after, Tom Banton misread the length from left-arm spinner Anukul Roy, and was bowled attempting to cut a slider. England’s fate, by then, was all but sealed at 101 for 6 in the 24th over.Delray Rawlins, England’s match-winner in the previous game, was fluent from the outset. He was the only batsmen from both teams to persist with cross-batted strokes off the spinners, employing the sweep and reverse-sweep to fruition. He forced India’s spinners, who troubled the rest of the batting line-up, to over-compensate. He profited while waiting on the back foot too, rocking back and muscling sixes straight down the ground. No other batsman in this series has come close to matching his power. He was lbw for 46, off the bowling of Ishan Porel, but the ball may have pitched outside leg.Roy picked up three wickets, while Mavi and Porel chipped in with two each to round off a much-improved performance from India.

ScorecardFile photo – Asela Gunaratne put in an all-round performance for Sri Lanka A•AFP

Asela Gunaratne followed up an impressive 38 with two top-order wickets to help Sri Lanka A close in on victory against West Indies A, who ended day three nine wickets down in their second innings and only 55 in front.Gunaratne first helped Sri Lanka stretch their overnight lead of 72 to 110, adding 49 for the ninth wicket with Lahiru Kumara. Then he took the wickets of Rajendra Chandrika, who failed to go past 5 for the fourth innings in a row, and Shamarh Brooks to hasten West Indies’ second-innings slide. Four West Indies batsmen got past 20, but none of them managed a half-century, with Vishaul Singh top-scoring once again with 46.Gunaratne and offspinner Charith Asalanka took two wickets each, and Asith Fernando removed Singh for 46 as the visitors were reduced to 132 for 8. Sri Lanka were then frustrated by Gudakesh Moti-Kanhai and Keon Joseph, the ninth-wicket pair batting for 19 overs before Lakshan Sandakan trapped Moti-Kanhai in front, off the last ball of the day, to pick up his third wicket.In the morning session, offspinner Rahkeem Cornwall picked up the last two Sri Lanka wickets to end with career-best figures of 8 for 108.

ScorecardFormer England international helped Southern Vipers to a winning total•Getty Images

Linsey Smith recorded the Kia Super League’s best bowling figures so far as Southern Vipers beat Yorkshire Diamonds by 54 runs to qualify for Finals Day. Berkshire left-armer Smith ended with 4 for 10 to back up a match-winning 99-run stand between Suzie Bates and Arran Brindle in front of 1000 fans at the Ageas Bowl.The Vipers set 119 to win, before bowling the Diamonds out with four overs to spare, making them the first club to be eliminated after three defeats from three.Charlotte Edwards, who was not able to bat in the opening game after suffering a concussion that subsequently forced her to miss the win against the Thunder, but she finally got out to the middle after winning the toss and batting. Her innings was short lived, though, as she edged former England team-mate Katherine Brunt’s awayswinger behind.The Vipers were two down in the next over when pacy Shabnim Ismail struck with her first delivery, Izzy Collis lbw. The Diamonds had the hosts on the ropes at 9 for 3 when Sara McGlashan pushed Brunt to first slip, and then 19 for 4 as Lydia Greenway, who had been dropped at slip with the score on 10, reverse swept Katie Levick to short third man.But international veterans Brindle – who retired from England duty in 2014 – and New Zealand captain Bates turned the innings around with a much-needed partnership, on a tricky to bat on slow track.The ICC’s No. 2-ranked T20 batsman, Bates slowly batted herself in and was rewarded by being able to play her shots at the end. She finished up with an unbeaten, run-a-ball 45, having smashed the final delivery for a six over midwicket, while Brindle made an equally handy 45 to take the Vipers to a competitive total of 118 for 4.Lauren Winfield got the chase off to a good start by rocking on to the back foot and hammering a pair of boundaries off Morna Nielsen. But the England opener drilled Bates straight to Brindle at midwicket without scoring another run, and Edwards ran out Hollie Armitage to leave the Diamonds struggling on 19 for 2.Wickets continued to fall as Smith deceived Alice Davidson-Richards to have her stumped. Beth Mooney, who kept the score ticking with 17, was dropped at midwicket by McGlashan, who required a visit by the physio, but Alex Blackwell was brilliantly caught and bowled by Smith.Mooney was bowled backing away to Nielsen before Jenny Gunn was bowled by Smith. Medium-pacer Smith, on her second appearance, picked up her fourth wicket when she had Brunt caught at backward point. Stephanie Butler was caught behind and Levick spooned to Brindle as Yorkshire were bowled out for 64 to hand the Vipers another home bonus point win.

Celtic will be hoping to continue their bid for a domestic treble with victory over rivals Rangers this afternoon, with the Old Firm foes set to go head to head in a mouthwatering, Scottish Cup semi-final showdown at Hampden Park.

Ahead of that pivotal encounter, Ange Postecoglou has provided a real lift to Hoops supporters after confirming that the likes of Liel Abada, Jota and Reo Hatate will be in contention to feature, with the star trio having been absent through injury in recent games.

The return of those key figures could well be bad news for those who have been part of the starting lineup in recent games, with versatile winger Sead Haksabanovic one such asset who could seemingly give way, with Jota likely to take his place on the flanks.

The summer signing has started the last two Scottish Premiership games although has not totally taken the chance to impress, having failed to provide a single goal involvement in either of those appearances.

While the forward's work ethic was 'notable' – according to Glasgow World's Lewis Anderson – in the recent draw with Motherwell after winning nine total duels, he did lose possession 19 times in that 65-minute showing, having also been dribbled past on two occasions.

The Montenegro international has hardly disgraced himself, although he perhaps cannot match the stellar quality of a player such as Jota, with the Portuguese having laid on 21 goals and assists in just 29 league games this season.

Haksabanovic may not be alone in dropping out of the side, however, with the return of Hatate also potentially set to ensure that compatriot Tomoki Iwata is also ousted from his starting berth.

Will Iwata start against Celtic?

The Yokohama F Marinos loanee – who is set to sign for the Bhoys on a permanent deal worth just £828k – has made an encouraging start to life at Parkhead, with pundit Frank McAvennie suggesting that the Japanese ace is now "ready to flourish".

Previously hailed as an "unbelievable athlete" by former boss Kevin Muscat, Iwata was also the recipient of significant praise from the aforementioned Anderson for his display last time out, having produced an 'outstanding performance' in the centre of the park.

Despite having now started three of the last four games in Hatate's absence, it is perhaps telling that the one game that the 26-year-old was on the bench for was against today's opponents, with that perhaps a sign that Postecoglou will not rush him into action in such a pressurised clash.

The 5 foot 10 ace has shown signs of promise of late alongside Callum McGregor at the base of the midfield – having been hailed as a "tank" by teammate Matt O'Riley – although for a man who has made just 11 appearances for the club to date, it may be wise for him to sit out the meeting with Michael Beale's men.

With O'Riley himself also bang in form – having recorded three goal involvements in his last three games – it would be no surprise to see the Denmark U21 international lining up alongside Hatate and McGregor, ahead of the unlucky Iwata.

Julian Nagelsmann is on Chelsea’s radar after Graham Potter was sacked as Blues manager, according to a key update from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Potter gets the boot

The west Londoners endured another dreadful day at the office on Saturday evening, losing 2-0 at home to Aston Villa in the Premier League. The defeat leaves Chelsea languishing in mid-table, with the Champions League now essentially all they have to play for this season.

Pressure continued to build on Potter, who looked to have steadied the ship after some improved form, progressing to the quarter-finals in Europe. The loss to Villa was a big step in the wrong direction, and the Blues owner Todd Boehly is now eyeing potential replacements.

One individual who has been linked with taking charge at Stamford Bridge is Nagelsmann, who was recently surprisingly disposed of at Bayern, despite still being in the Bundesliga title race and the Champions League last-eight.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding Chelsea’s potential interest in the 35-year-old.

Will Nagelsmann replace Potter?

Taking to Twitter previously, Romano claimed that Potter is under big pressure and Nagelsmann is “one to watch” as a possible successor for him at Stamford Bridge.

Then, after confirmation broke of the former Brighton manager’s departure, the journalist reiterated that point, Tweeting the following.

While it had been refreshing to see the Blues give Potter time to prove his worth, despite an awful run of results, there does come a point where he simply had to reach the end of the road at the club, which has now come.

In Nagelsmann, Chelsea could have an ideal man to bring in, with the German harshly sacked by Bayern and a hugely exciting young manager who has a massive future in the game. It seems likely that he won’t make a decision over his future until the summer, however, as he enjoys some downtime before being handed a new challenge in his career.

Indeed, with Aston Villa overtaking the Blues in the table after securing the yesterday, you have to say that it’s no great surprise to see him gone, as at this point in a season, Chelsea supporters are used to fighting in and around the top four.

Everton have found themselves yet again struggling to retain their Premier League status this season and Sean Dyche will not only be working hard to secure survival over the remainder of the campaign but also looking at the ways he can improve the squad this summer.

The Toffees are currently 15th in the league table, two points clear of the bottom three, with just 11 games remaining to turn things around and there will surely be a huge focus on strengthening the attacking threat this summer considering the side have the second-fewest amount of goals scored (20) so far.

It is no secret that Everton have struggled over the last 18 months in front of goal with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s ongoing injury issues, Richarlison’s move to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and more recently, Anthony Gordon’s shock exit during the January transfer window, all of which have contributed to the troubles the side have faced.

Indeed, the powerbrokers at Goodison Park did acquire the services of Neal Maupay and Dwight McNeil in the summer, however, the attacking duo have failed to make the powerful impact needed to avoid another brush with potential relegation again this season – scoring a combined four goals so far.

As a result, the signing of a clinical and experienced goal-scorer is desperately needed whether the Toffees remain in the top flight or drop into the Championship for the first time ever during the Premier League era and continue to be linked with numerous forwards despite their fate uncertain.

One player who has been touted with a move to the blue side of Merseyside this week is Middlesbrough striker Chuba Akpom with talkSPORT transfer expert Alex Crook naming Everton as one of the potential suitors.

Who could replace Neal Maupay at Everton?

The 27-year-old could replace Maupay at Goodison Park as the gem has been a sensation in the Championship over the campaign so far and is not only the highest-scoring player in the league (21) this season but also broken club records – becoming the first player to score more than 20 goals for Middlesbrough in 33 years.

Over 29 appearances so far, Akpom – who the Northern Echo’s Scott Wilson claimed “can’t stop scoring” – has scored 22 goals, registered one assist and created one big chance, as well as averaging 2.6 shots on goal, 1.4 shots on target and 5.2 duels won per game, proving that he is in incredible form in front of goal.

The striker has earned consistent huge praise from his current manager over the season so far with Michael Carrick revealing what he believes is the key to the remarkable form that Akpom has found himself in:

“He seems to be bigger, quicker, playing free, you can’t underestimate the power of the mind. It can go the other way when you’re not playing so well, when players seem almost slower and lethargic because the mental state is different. Chuba is in a terrific place at the minute, backed by the whole group.”

If Everton could secure the signing of Akpom this summer and he can continue his outstanding goalscoring next season, there is no doubt that he would be a massively valuable asset to Dyche in his pursuit to improve the attacking threat at Goodison and would be a huge upgrade on current striker Maupay.

Over 20 Premier League performances, the Frenchman has only found the back of the net once, registering no assists and creating zero big chances, as well as only averaging 0.7 shots on target per game, along with five ‘big chances’ missed.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for the Everton hierarchy to snap up the services of Akpom ahead of next season as they could finally find the key to consistency in front of goal.

Maupay has not been able to provide enough quality in front of goal throughout the seasons so far and the Boro marksman’s form in the Championship indicates that he has the potential to make the step up and offer more at the top end of the pitch.

Pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has told Tottenham Hotspur and Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou exactly who they need to replace Richarlison.

Who have Tottenham signed 2023?

Chairman Daniel Levy brought in goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, midfielder James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, striker Alejo Veliz and forward Brennan Johnson over the 2023 summer transfer window.

In their place, former superstar striker Harry Kane, Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Harry Winks, Alfie Devine, Troy Parrott, Dane Scarlett, Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele all moved elsewhere either on loan or permanently.

Levy and Postecoglou's off-field decisions have paid dividends so far with the likes of Maddison and van de Ven seriously proving their worth as part of an exciting, new-look Tottenham team.

Maddison's two goals and two assists highlight exactly why Spurs paid £45 million to prise him away from Leicester City and the Englishman has dazzled under Postecoglou.

Tottenham currently sit second in the top flight table with three wins from their opening four Premier League matches; scoring 11 goals in the process and matching Man City's imperiousness going forward.

What happened to Richarlison?

However, one player who has been under-fire throughout last term and now is Richarlison.

The Brazil international, who was spotted "in tears" after being hauled off for his country during internationals, has scored just four goals in all competitions since signing for Tottenham in the summer of 2022.

Richarlison isn't exactly justifying his £60 million price tag so far and there have been concerns over just how much he can contribute for Postecoglou going forward.

Agbonlahor, who regularly features for talkSPORT, has suggested that the former Watford star just isn't the answser and a top striker is Tottenham's "missing" piece of the jigsaw.

The former Aston Villa striker, explaining who Spurs should go for in this regard, believes Brentford striker Ivan Toney would be a brilliant choice.

“I think Toney is an upgrade on Jackson at Chelsea, who’s a bit raw still. But he goes into most teams, apart from Man City," said Agbonlahor to Football Insider on his links to Stamford Bridge at first.

“Chelsea will want to make it happen, and they’ll give him the 20-year deal to do that. But I think Spurs should look at him as well. They’ve got Maddison, Son, Kulusevski – but they’re missing a top striker.

“Richarlison isn’t the answer. Toney could give a team like Tottenham a huge push for the second half of the season.

“I think he will have his pick of clubs. Strikers like him are rare, and they’re sought-after.”

How good is Ivan Toney?

The Bees star scored 20 goals in 33 starts for Brentford in the top flight last season; showcasing his ability as a truly prolific marksman when available.

Toney has also been praised by their manager Thomas Frank for having the mindset of a "lion".

Ivan is very intelligent, because he’s reflecting, and he deserves a lot of praise himself for also coming into a well-run club and listening to all the small bits and adding extra layers to his development and performance," Brentford manager Frank said in 2021.

"If you want to be a top player you need to work hard, constantly reflect and want to learn and then of course you need to have that confidence that he’s got so naturally.

"He’s coming across so fantastically: he’s humble, calm, but with a mindset of a lion."

Glasgow Rangers star Kieran Dowell is ruled out of tonight’s Champions League qualifier vs PSV Eindhoven, and Michael Beale has also delivered a fitness update on the rest of the squad.

What's the latest on Kieran Dowell's injury?

At Ibrox last week, Rangers secured a 2-2 draw in the European first leg against Peter Bosz’ side and they will now be hoping to secure a victory when they take on the Dutch outfit once again tonight at the Philips Stadium, with kick-off being at 8pm UK time.

The Light Blues’ attacking midfielder was absent during Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Ross County, and when the boss was asked after the game what caused the 25-year-old’s absence, he claimed that he’d sustained a knock but failed to specify what the actual problem was.

Since putting pen to paper on a free transfer from Norwich City last month, England’s former youth international has already made six appearances for the Scottish Premiership club, but if the following update is to be believed, he won’t be involved in the action this evening, meaning that the rest of the team will have to try and get the win over the line without him.

How long is Kieran Dowell out for?

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, Beale confirmed that Dowell will be missing from Rangers’ matchday squad vs PSV and revealed that it’s his knee which is the area that he’s sustained the injury in. As quoted by the club’s official website, he said:

“The only [player] that is missing is Kieran Dowell, who has still got this slight problem with his knee. It's not a big problem, this game is just too soon for him. The team selection won’t be too far from last week, there won’t be too many surprises. Across our squad we do have a variety of options in the final third and we need to be better with the ball this week."

According to journalist Josh Bunting, Dowell was “unplayable” during his time at Wigan and he’s already shown plenty of promising signs following his arrival at Rangers, so the fact that he won’t be available for selection this evening will come as a huge blow to Beale.

The Ormskirk-born talent currently ranks in the 97th percentile for blocks and is averaging 1.5 interceptions per league match, so is extremely strong in the defensive aspect of his game, but having already hit the back of the net once, he’s clearly capable of making a positive impact at both ends of the pitch which is why he was brought to the club in the first place.

Dowell, who is naturally left-footed, is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions since the start of his career, including four roles in the midfield and even three in the final third, so he’s a great option for the manager to have at his disposal, though that won’t be the case tonight, therefore, the player will be hoping to stage his comeback as soon as possible.