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Having secured a 1-0 victory in their previous SPFL match against Livingston, Rangers are back in action this afternoon with an away clash against Ross County next up for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side in their latest attempt at moving a step closer to securing the league title.

On the chalkboard

In terms of which players Van Bronckhorst could select to be in his starting XI to take on County this afternoon, one figure that didn’t start against Livingston but ended playing a big part in the win that we feel should be in the team from the beginning on this occasion is Scott Arfield. 

After replacing James Sands in the 59th minute in midweek, Arfield managed to get his name on the scoresheet and score the vital goal that earned Rangers the three points on the day. 

With that in mind, it would be a good option to give Arfield, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £16k-per-week according to Salary Sport, the chance to potentially add another goal to his tally for the season from the start rather than the substitutes bench again. 

Also, with Van Bronckhorst recently sharing his wishes at seeing the Canadian stay at the club for the foreseeable future after his current contract at Ibrox expires at the end of the season, starting him this afternoon would be a good way of proving just how important he is for the team.

Labelled as a “reliable” player for Rangers by Kenny Miller, Arfield has racked up 165 appearances for the Scottish champions across all competitions with 32 goals and 18 assists under his belt, showing not only how experienced he is but also how capable he is in front of goal.

Taking into account how the 33-year-old has already scored against County this season back in August during Rangers’ 4-2 win, he now has the chance to haunt them again this time around and terrify them with his goalscoring ability.

Moving forward, while the midfielder proved in the game against Livingston how much of a useful impact player he can be for Rangers off the substitutes bench, it could be worth starting him this time to see if he can help his side have a more comfortable game this time around.

In other news: “Monitoring”: Journalist delivers key Rangers transfer update which Van Bronckhorst will love…

Wolves are having a fantastic start to their season, with a win over West Ham putting them sixth in the Premier League ahead of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United.

One loan signing has consistently impressed in Bruno Lage’s side since joining in the summer, though.

What’s the talk?

Hwang joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan deal from RB Leipzig, and after an impressive start, the club are now keen to secure the South Korean star’s signature long term.

The loan deal has the option to sign the forward in a permanent contract with Wolves, for an absolute steal of £13 million from the Bundesliga side.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Express & Star journalist, Luke Hatfield, confirmed the intentions of the club when it comes to Hwang Hee-chan.

“I think they can still pull the deal off.

“The fact that he’s there now is obviously massively beneficial to Wolves’ chances.

“Given that he’s getting game time and enjoys the style of play, his team-mates, the training ground and management, it puts them in prime position to sign him on a permanent basis.”

Fans buzzing

Fans would surely be delighted if the South Korean arrives permanently in the Midlands because Hwang has been nothing short of an instant success story for the Premier League side. He’s grabbed four goals already this season, which has definitely played a part in the success Wolves are enjoying in the league so far.

The attacker’s goals scored so far have mostly been those that have won the game, with Hwang’s brace sealing Wolves’ first victory of the season against Watford.

Lage has previously sung the praises of the 25-year-old attacker, demonstrating how big his influence has been at Molineux.

“I think he has adapted to the Premier League. He is fit and fits our way to play because we need a player like him.

“Top players can enjoy our game and I think he is a top player like the other guys.”

The permanent signing of Hwang could be a blessing in disguise for Wolves, as speculation continues to build around Adama Traore’s contract and links with a move away from the club. Although the Spaniard departing would be a blow to Wolves, it could be softened by the signing of Hwang, someone who has got fans off their seats plenty of times this term.

Wolves will be hoping to continue their winning ways and pick up points at every opportunity in their Premier League campaign that could see the side secure European football if they can be consistent.

In other news: Daniel Podence puts on an attacking masterclass against West Ham

Coming off the back of Anfield victories against Arsenal in the Premier League and FC Porto in the Champions League, Liverpool have another home clash on their hands this afternoon against Southampton. 

Speaking ahead of the match against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side, Jurgen Klopp revealed that the Reds will still be without Curtis Jones, Joe Gomez, Naby Keita, Harvey Elliott and Roberto Firmino through injury. 

With this in mind, here’s how we feel Liverpool will line up against the Saints this afternoon, with six changes from the side which started against Porto on Wednesday night. 

In goal, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Alisson Becker in the team on this occasion given that he’s played in the majority of their league games so far this season. 

Despite Neco Williams putting in a good shift against Porto in midweek, it seems likely that Trent Alexander-Arnold will come back and start given how impressive he has been this season. 

For the centre-back positions, we think Klopp will go with Joel Matip, who also impressed in midweek, but bring Virgil van Dijk back in ahead of Ibrahima Konate, who is currently earning a wage of £70k-per-week according to Spotrac.

At left-back, we expect Andy Robertson to be restored ahead of Kostas Tsimikas to see if he can win his place back in the team after replacing the Greece international in the second half against Porto. 

In midfield, we can see Klopp putting Fabinho and Jordan Henderson back in the starting XI next to midweek goalscorer Thiago Alcantara, leaving Tyler Morton and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to drop down to the substitutes’ bench.

For the front three, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah start on the wings given how they are currently Liverpool’s top two scorers in the league. 

Through the middle, with Takumi Minamino failing to have a big attacking impact in midweek after recording no shots at goal, we think Klopp will start Diogo Jota instead. 

With Southampton conceding just three goals more than Liverpool with 12 league games played, the Reds will need to be in clinical form if they want to secure the three points on offer today and put the pressure on league leaders Chelsea ahead of their match tomorrow. 

In other news: Matip 2.0: Edwards must seal Liverpool move for £22.5m-rated tank who “has everything”

An update has emerged on the African Cup of Nations, that will potentially affect Rangers and what players Gio van Bronckhorst will have at his disposal at Ibrox.

What’s the talk?

Journalist David Lynch has claimed that the competition is set to be postponed, with it currently set to take place in January and February, as the European Club Association has written to CAF with concerns about the wellbeing of players taking part.

He Tweeted: “I understand that CAF are expected to announce an indefinite postponement of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations imminently. Discussions taking place over possible compensation for hosts Cameroon.”

CAF have confirmed that the tournament will not be ‘cancelled’, with Lynch’s claim that it will be postponed potentially being the alternative to cancellation.

Buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this news as it hands van Bronckhorst a potentially huge boost heading into some key fixtures over the winter period.

Earlier this month, the club were reportedly waiting on a response from the Nigerian FA regarding whether or not they would allow them to keep Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun and Leon Bassey for the clash with Celtic at the start of January.

This news now appears to suggest that all three of them, injury/fitness pending, will be available for selection against the Hoops. It would also stop them from potentially missing matches on the other side of the winter break at the end of the month, which is why this update will come as great news to those of a Rangers persuasion.

All three of the players who could now be available for the Gers have been in fine form this season. They rank fourth (Aribo), eighth (Bassey) and ninth (Balogun) in the squad for average SofaScore ratings when it comes to outfield players, with all of them averaging a score of 7.05 or higher.

This shows that they have all been able to perform to a high standard on a consistent basis in the Premiership this term. They have been able to turn up week-in-week-out and impress on the pitch, which is why fans will be buzzing to read that they could be set to remain at Ibrox instead of jetting away to play for their country.

Aribo, in particular, being available should leave fans delighted.

The midfielder has produced six goals and two assists in 16 matches this season, averaging an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.18. He has shown that he has the quality to make a big impact in the final third and having his quality on the ball could be a fantastic benefit of AFCON being postponed.

AND in other news, Wilson masterclass: £8.3k-p/w Rangers “firework” who “plays at 100mph” is GVB’s dream…

Southampton take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium in the FA Cup on Saturday and Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl should consider axing Ryan Bertrand for the game.

The 31-year-old has disappointed with his performances this season, averaging a poor 6.42 WhoScored average match rating for his performances in the Premier League.

Other than in the 2-0 win against Sheffield United, his recent performances have been nothing short of terrible, with the former Chelsea man failing to earn a rating of over 6.6/10 in eight of his last nine Premier League appearances.

The experienced defender is yet to sign a new deal with the club amid reported interest from Arsenal, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season, which makes you question his commitment to Hasenhuttl’s side at the moment.

Bertrand has appeared in 27 of Southampton’s 29 top-flight fixtures so far this season, so he is firmly first choice left-back under Hasenhuttl despite his less than impressive form.

This is arguably due to a lack of natural back-up options to the Englishman, with Sam McQueen still sidelined through injury, whilst Jake Vokins was inexplicably sent on loan to Sunderland in the winter transfer window without a back-up being brought in.

However, Mohammed Salisu featured at left-back for Southampton’s 5-2 defeat against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium earlier this month and, whilst he was run ragged by Riyad Mahrez, he can be a solid option in that position should Hasenhuttl decide to finally drop Bertrand against Bournemouth at the weekend.

Bertrand reportedly earns £70,000 per week at Southampton which seemed excessive for someone who has been one of Hasenhuttl’s poorest performers this season so far, which may make things difficult for both parties when it comes to negotiating a renewal.

Therefore, considering the 31-year-old might not even be with Southampton next season, Hasenhuttl should start preparing for life without him in his team, which means that Salisu or another Saints youngster should start at left-back for the game on Saturday.

In other news… Southampton potentially signing 11-goal beast could be bad news for 22 y/o gem who Hasenhuttl loves

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, ex-Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie believes his former club should consider signing Fulham attacker Bobby Decordova-Reid in the summer transfer window.

Fulham are currently in danger of being relegated back down to the Championship, meaning there could be some high-profile departures at Craven Cottage before the start of next season.

Decordova-Reid, 28, has been one of the Whites’ star performers this term, delivering five top-flight goals for the club including against relegation rivals West Brom and Liverpool, so some interest in the summer could be possible. And Hendrie is hoping his old side will be at the front of the queue if Scott Parker’s men do end up going down.

On who Dean Smith should be targeting in the transfer market, the former Villa player told FFC:

“If Fulham do go down, I just feel that there’s possibly a couple of players I would certainly look at in that team that would certainly stand out for me. [Harrison] Reed in the midfield, [Ademola] Lookman and Bobby Decordova-Reid, he’s one again that I’d certainly have, and he would play week in, week out.”

While Villa are certainly having a good season, firmly in contention for European qualification, they could do with some attacking reinforcements going into the next campaign.

The Villans have looked blunt in attack at times this term, especially when Jack Grealish has been unavailable. In recent games against Newcastle United, Wolves and Sheffield United, which the Villa captain missed, Smith’s men failed to pick up a win, scoring just one goal.

In our Loan Watch feature, The Transfer Tavern takes a look at how Leeds United winger Helder Costa has fared during a season-long spell at Valencia.

The Lowdown: Option to buy

The Whites made Costa’s loan move permanent following promotion to the Premier League in 2019/20, penning a four-year deal at Elland Road.

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Costa went on to make 22 Premier League appearances under Marcelo Bielsa, scoring three times and registering three assists.

However, he was sent out on loan to Valencia last summer, which included an option to make a deal permanent at the end of the current campaign.

The Latest: Costa in 2021/22

Costa hasn’t fared well over in La Liga, as per SofaScore. The 28-year-old has started just 13 league games, averaging just 52 minutes per game, often hauled off as he consistently fails to leave his mark on proceedings.

He has failed to score a goal, provided just one assist, lost 63% of his duels and has lost possession 9.3 times per game.

His latest display against Villarreal resulted in a 3/10 match rating from one Spanish outlet, and it looks increasingly unlikely that Valencia will exercise their option to buy over the coming months.

The Verdict: Headache for Radrizzani and Orta

Costa returning to Yorkshire over the summer could provide Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta with a fresh transfer headache.

They managed to negotiate a £16.7m option to buy fee, which would have seen the Whites actually make a small profit.

His Transfermarkt valuation has now dropped to £7.2m though, the joint-lowest it has been since 2016, so Leeds may find it hard to bring in a respectable fee for his services. If Leeds can’t strike terms elsewhere, Jesse Marsch may well have to keep the underperforming winger ahead of his first full season in charge.

In other news: Sky Sports now share big news on Leeds star’s Elland Road future; ‘dealing’ already happening. 

Recent Leeds recruit Rodrigo has made some interesting comments on his preferred position to play in. Speaking to BBC Sport, the £57,000 per week summer signing admitted that he is most comfortable operating just behind the striker.

Despite being pegged as a centre-forward, the Spaniard would rather play in support of Patrick Bamford in order to maximise threat in front of goal.

According to Transfermarkt, Rodrigo has made just four appearances in his preferred role out of his total 18 as a Leeds player. In other matches, the 29-year-old has been deployed as either a striker or attacking midfielder.

Voicing his preference and where he feels most clinical may have thrown a spanner in the works for Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentinian rarely strays from his 4-1-4-1 staple formation, which leaves little room for Rodrigo to operate in his favoured role.

However, his comments may make Bielsa sit up and listen and start to experiment more with his lineups. Leeds have struggled in attack recently, winning just four of their last ten fixtures across all competitions. Their unstoppable flair from last season seems to have dimmed since their promotion and they must dig deep to rediscover it.

The Premier League is a cruel mistress and it can chew up and spit out the lesser prepared teams with ease. After 16 years away from the top flight, the Whites can’t afford to fall at the first hurdle.

Bielsa must dare to do something different and catch his opponents off guard. Although they bagged an impressive 5-0 win over West Brom last month, Leeds have been very inconsistent with finding the back of the net. They also rely heavily on Bamford, who is the club’s leading scorer by a landslide right now, with 10 goals to the next in line’s three, via BBC Sport.

Switching up his formation and trusting in players like Rodrigo’s ability could transfer Leeds and spark up their clinical nature once again.

In other news, Marcus Tavernier would be ideal Jack Harrison replacement…

Jesse Lingard looks increasingly unlikely to join West Ham on a permanent deal this summer, acting as a blow to the Hammers.

The Lowdown: New Hammers hero

The England international moved to the London Stadium on loan in the January transfer window, looking to get his career back on track after struggling for game-time at Manchester United. The 28-year-old has since excelled for West Ham, scoring nine goals and registering three assists in just 14 Premier League appearances.

There has been hope that the Hammers could sign Lingard on a permanent deal, but a negative update has been provided in that respect.

The Latest: Lingard unlikely to sign this summer

According to The Athletic, West Ham’s chances of snapping up the midfielder are fading, with Manchester United keen on making Lingard a ‘makeweight’ in a deal for someone they want to sign, such as Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, rather than loaning him out again.

There is a chance that Declan Rice could also be one of those individuals, but the Hammers will surely be desperate to keep hold of the Englishman.

The Athletic added that David Moyes appeared to concede defeat in terms of Lingard being at the club again next season, telling reporters prior to Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Brighton: “I am not actually sure how realistic it is. Obviously, I think Jesse has enjoyed himself, I hope he has, we have enjoyed having him.

“He is Manchester United’s player, so they can decide what to do with him. If they want to let him go, let’s hope he would consider us as one of his options.”

The Verdict: Big blow for West Ham

Given Lingard’s exceptional performances for West Ham, which have seen him labelled an “intelligent footballer” by Rio Ferdinand, there is no denying that this update will come as a blow for anyone of a Hammers persuasion.

Swapping him for Rice is a deal which wouldn’t make sense, with the latter being six years younger and possessing greater long-term potential.

In an ideal world, the £75,000-a-week Lingard would come in permanently, but with every passing week that is beginning to look less likely, meaning that David Moyes will need to look elsewhere for reinforcements and hope that they can make a similar impact for the Irons as the 28-year-old has done.

In other news, some West Ham fans have blasted one player’s performance after the draw with Brighton. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur hero Graham Roberts is worried that Son Heung-Min may look to leave the club, telling Football FanCast that Harry Kane’s potential exit could have a devastating knock-on effect.

Sky Sports News has reported that Kane has asked to leave the club in the summer transfer window after growing tired of their inability to win trophies.

Spurs are facing a real fight to qualify for Europe this season and Kane is said to already be at the centre of a transfer fight; Chelsea, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all said to have made enquiries towards his availability, per the report.

Son has enjoyed an exceptional season, scoring 22 goals in all competitions and laying on 17 assists, but he has yet to sign a new contract at the club despite reported protracted negotiations.

The £140,000-a-week South Korea international’s current deal expires in 2023 and Roberts is concerned that he may hesitate to put pen to paper if Kane does leave.

He told FFC: “The problem you’ve got is Heung-Min Son, we need to keep him.

“They’re talking about him signing a new contract.

“If you’re Son and they get rid of Harry Kane, what’s the ambition there?”