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Rangers have been handed a major boost ahead of their Europa League tie against Slavia Prague on Thursday night, with Steven Gerrard confirming that Kemar Roofe is raring to go.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the Gers boss delivered a crucial injury update ahead of the clash tonight, revealing: “Roofe will train this morning and will be available. Jack could be ready but I have decided to hold back and he will be available for the second-leg, I don’t want to push him too quick. Tavernier will be a little bit slower to return.”

The news on Roofe will come as a major boost to Gerrard and Rangers, with the forward being a prolific scorer whenever he’s been fit and available to play for the side.

In just 18 Scottish Premiership games this season, he’s bagged ten goals, including a truly impressive hot streak from the beginning of November to the end of December – he scored eight in eight and also managed to provide two assists too.

And it’s not just his goals that Gerrard will welcome back tonight, with the Gers boss hailing the kind of work rate he puts in towards the end of last year.

He said: “He’s doesn’t stop, he’s like a Duracell bunny. He’s hitting numbers that you don’t really expect from a forward player. He’s running more than the midfielders and he’s running the most in the team at the moment.

“I think he’s really setting the example in terms of what we need to put into a game to get the results we’re getting. Everyone is putting in impressive numbers but Roofe has raised the bar with the last couple of performances he’s put in.”

European ties need everyone to be buying into the pre-match plan, and with the Gers having run away with the league title in Scotland, they will need to refocus and be wired in straight away against Slavia, who proved how dangerous they can be when they knocked Leicester City in the last round.

Having someone like Roofe who can inject that extra bit of energy and keep the tempo going up top, could prove to be a game-changer, and he can ensure the intensity levels of the Gers remains at a high level and doesn’t see a drop off after their inevitable title celebrations.

It’s exactly why Gerrard will be buzzing to have the £35k-a-week earning flier back tonight.

Meanwhile, Rangers should let this player leave this summer…

Glasgow Rangers have confirmed a loan move for one of their promising Ibrox young prospects.

What’s the word?

Glenn Middleton has joined St Johnstone on loan until the end of the season. The Rangers winger has settled for a loan stay at McDiarmid Park as he bids for more game time having struggled for minutes under Steven Gerrard this season.

A spirited Ryan Kent inspired Gerrard’s side to a 5-0 victory over Ross County, as goals from Kent, Filip Helander and Joe Aribo had them 3-0 up at half-time, with Ryan Jack and Connor Goldson adding the extras.

Should Kent succumb to injury, however, Gerrard may find himself short of options out wide, so it’s a big call from Ross Wilson to sanction such a move for Middleton.

Shrewd move

Back in December, The Daily Record’s Michael Gannon revealed the 21-year-old was set for the Ibrox exit amid interest from overseas.

Middleton has spent spells abroad with Norwich and Bradford City, but is yet to really make much of an impression in his home country.

Gerrard had hinted he could have a long-term future at Rangers after all after he impressed against Falkirk in the Betfred Cup, saying: “Glenn has been on loan and had injuries but he has been back within the group for four or five weeks now.

“He has been working hard and playing for an opportunity.

“We think he can do left-back, left-wingback or left-wing and it was a strong cameo from him.â€

However, he has found his chances hard to come by since Gerrard offered those words of encouragement, with his brief cameo against Falkirk his solitary appearance this season.

Saints boss Davidson is currently in desperate need of bolstering his firepower upfront, particularly on the wings, as left-wingers Craig Conway and Liam Craig aren’t getting any younger. Conway has four goals and two assists in the Premiership so far, that being the fourth-best behind the likes of Chris Kane, David Wotherspoon and Stevie May, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite his obvious struggles, Scotland U21 international MiddletonÂhas still scored five goals and supplied five assists in 29 games for the Gers.

Not only will this benefit his development, but Wilson’s shrewd move will also spare Gerrard a selection headache. Middleton has shown flashes of his potential but Kent has been nothing short of sensational this season and Wilson is paid to make these kinds of decisions.

There’s no denying the fact that he needs game time, something he isn’t going to get at Ibrox, at least for the time being, and another spell away from the club could do wonders for his career.

AND in other news, Rangers are close to securing Scott Wright from Aberdeen…

Liverpool loanee Sepp van den Berg was described as “excellent” by Preston North End manager Alex Neil following his side’s 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday.

Van den Berg hailed

The 19-year-old made his second appearance for the Lilywhites after securing a six-month loan move on Deadline Day from Anfield, with Ben Davies going the other way on a permanent deal.

Van den Berg featured as a right-back, away from his conventional position as a centre-half, during the goalless encounter and earned himself a match-rating of 7.24.

Neil described the 6 foot 2 Dutchman as “excellent” to Preston’s official Twitter account and went into detail on what he thought about his performance.

“I think he did very well,” he told Preston’s official website. “It’s not uncommon for young centre backs to play right-back initially and get a feel for playing in matches and getting their distances right and different things.

“I thought tonight he put a really mature performance in, so I’m really pleased for him.

“I think we’ve seen tonight, [he’s] very confident, very quick, good on the ball, and he can play centre back or right back, I’ve got no doubts about that.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

This performance could potentially be an eye-opener for Jurgen Klopp. If Neil continues to play Van den Berg out wide, he may prove himself to be a sufficient backup for Trent Alexander-Arnold next season.

Per Whoscored, the youngster managed three long balls, two tackles and completed two key passes during the 90 minutes, and got plenty of minutes under his inexperienced belt.

We are sure Liverpool talent-spotters will be monitoring the situation over at Deepdale very closely and could the Dutchman could potentially save the Reds millions in the summer if his performance levels are consistent.

In other news, Liverpool looking at Serie A midfielder to lead summer squad rebuild.

Marcus Rashford bagged a brace as Manchester United came from behind to beat Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Thursday night.

The Red Devils didn’t get off to the best of starts after United goalkeeper Dean Henderson gifted the Blades an opener when he was caught in possession by Oliver Burke, which allowed David McGoldrick to coolly slot home from close range.

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side weren’t to be denied the spoils, as they staged yet another comeback, with Rashford scoring a stunning equaliser, and Anthony Martial ended his goal drought to put the visitors ahead before the break with his first league goal of the campaign.

And Rashford appeared to have put the game to bed after he beat the diving Aaron Ramsdale after a swift counter attack.

But there were a few nervous faces in the United dugout when McGoldrick headed in from a corner in the latter stages of the game and Lys Mousset forced a fine save from Henderson.

Red hot Rashford continued his impressive run of form, Martial seemed back to his very best, but Paul Pogba played the Blades off the park and it allowed United to build on Rashford’s equaliser to secure the three points.

Pogba was imperious in the midfield, completing 82% of his passes and touching the ball an astonishing 91 times, second only to Alex Telles, and won most of his individual battles to help Solskjaer’s side to victory.

The 27-year-old glided around the middle of the pitch, picking the right moments to keep it short and simple or split the defence with a well-timed pass.

As per SofaScore, he won five out of nine ground duels, and won three out of the six aerial duels he contested, whilst he made three clearances as well.

He was only dribbled past once and committed just one foul, which shows that he maintained a high level of concentration throughout the game.

After a shaky start to the season, Solskjaer seems to have finally found his winning formula at long last.

Once lauded as a “monster” by his former boss Jose Mourinho, the Frenchman has been the centre of attention following Mino Raiola’s most recent outburst as he has been heavily linked with the Old Trafford exit.

But Pogba simply must start more often if United are to establish themselves as genuine contenders for the title if this latest showing is anything to go by.

AND in other news, Man Utd could complete transfer coup in AC Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu…

Speaking to Football Insider, talkSPORT regular Darren Bent has touted a January signing for West Ham after the confirmed ‘big hit’ of Sebastien Haller’s exit – going on to say he’s ‘heard’ they got someone in the pipeline. 

Haller left for Ajax at the start of the month to the tune of £22.5 million, around half of what GSB paid to land the Ivorian back in the summer of 2019, with David Moyes now in desperate need a potential replacement as his forward options look diminished, with Michail Antonio only just recovered from a hamstring issue.

Bent touts January signing for West Ham

Antonio and promising young starlet Mipo Odubeko, as well as makeshift options like Andriy Yarmolenko, are currently the only forwards at Moyes’ disposal – but Bent believes GSB has someone ‘lined up’.

“It surprised me a little bit that they’ve let him go in this climate. But I’ve heard rumours that they’ve got someone that they’re gonna bring in,” he told Football Insider.

“I maybe would have done this deal in the summer. I would have waited. But David Moyes must have someone lined up.

“For me, it seems like a good deal even if it is a big hit for West Ham. But they must have something up their sleeve which is why they’re allowing him to leave.”

Transfer Tavern take

It remains to be seen who the Irons do bring in this month, but numerous reports in the media point to Reims striker Boulaye Dia – with talks apparently underway for his signature.

GSB must save Moyes from a catastrophe though, which is exactly what it would be if Antonio were now to pick up another injury with their options up front diminished.

In other news: West Ham fans flocked to ExWHUemployee’s update, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to continue their eight-game unbeaten Premier League run in what could be a tasty battle against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The two London sides will lock horns as they look to keep their current positions – as it stands, Spurs lead the table with the Blues just two points behind.

Jose Mourinho suffered a blow when Toby Alderweireld was confirmed to be out with a muscle injury but his latest press conference revealed that the recovery time will be weeks as opposed to months. However, with the Belgian powerhouse out of the picture, the responsibility of keeping the backline in working order falls to Eric Dier.

The England international has been paired up with Alderweireld for a large chunk of the season so far and the combination was looking to be a successful one. But Mourinho now has to decide whether to deploy Davinson Sanchez or recent coup Joe Rodon in defence against Chelsea’s dangerous attack.

Frank Lampard has a wonderfully frustrating dilemma on his hands as Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud continue to impress as they vie for a place in the starting lineup. Dier will be viewed as the more senior centre-back who will be heavily relied on to ensure Chelsea’s strikers are silenced. Not only is this a big ask in itself, but failure to do so could jeopardise his place in the Spurs defence.

The versatile 26-year-old can also play in the No.6 role, which he has often done for England. His hard work on the pitch rarely goes unnoticed, with Jermaine Jenas recently lauding him as “sensational” for his performance against Manchester City.

With Rodon looking to push his way into the first team and Alderweireld also in contention, Dier could find himself elbowed out of the backline and situated in midfield instead. Whilst this wouldn’t necessarily be too much of a problem, it’s clear that the £85,000 per week star prefers to operate in defence and it’s where he is most comfortable.

If he can contribute to a clean sheet or even a hard fought win, Dier will go up in Mourinho’s books and it will bode extremely well for the remainder of his season.

In other news, one recent Mourinho comment could spell trouble for Serge Aurier…

Fulham face another tough away game in the Premier League this weekend, as they face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

Scott Parker’s side picked up an impressive three points in their last top-flight fixture, winning 2-1 away at Leicester City, to pick up their first three away points of the season.

However, they now face a Manchester City side that thrashed Burnley 5-0 at home in their last Premier League game, so the Cottagers will have to be at their best if they want to take anything from the game.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Parker to line his side up against the Citizens, with two changes from the side that beat Leicester City…

Parker should keep faith in his goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who has put in some impressive displays of late, whilst the defensive set-up also stays the same for the game at the Etihad.

The first of two changes comes in midfield, with captain Tom Cairney replacing Harrison Reed. The Scottish midfielder, who earns £40k per week at Fulham, will be relied on to be a creative force in this Cottagers side when they get the chance to push forward against the Citizens, whilst Ruben Loftus-Cheek will be important as the box-to-box midfielder in Parker’s starting 11.

Frank Zambo Anguissa also keeps his place after an impressive display against Leicester City, and the Cameroonian will surely be important again if Fulham are to avoid defeat against Guardiola’s side.

Meanwhile, there should be one change in attack, as Aleksandr Mitrovic replaces Bobby Dedorcova-Reid, as Fulham may be reliant on a striker to hold the ball up, and the Serbian can be effective as a target man, whereas the former Bristol City striker may be better off as someone who can make an impact from the bench for this particular fixture.

Unsurprisingly, both Ademola Lookman and Ivan Cavaleiro keep their place in the starting line up after scoring the goals last time out, and both will surely prove to be vital for Fulham in their attacking play on Saturday.

It will be interesting to see if Parker’s side can build on their victory last time out, but they couldn’t have asked for a much harder game to follow up their last three points with.

And, in other news… Tony Khan must see off PL competition to sign “absolutely outstanding” winger 

New Southampton signing Ibrahima Diallo is ready to make his mark on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side after his inspired comments ahead of his Saints debut. The 21-year-old will be fighting for a spot in the squad over usual choice Oriol Romeu, but he believes he’s up for taking on the challenge.

Speaking to French outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Diallo expressed his determination ahead of an exciting new chapter in his career.

“I didn’t make a choice foolishly out of emotion. I’ve thought about it for a long time and whatever happens, I know I won’t regret it,” the midfielder said. “If I didn’t feel ready, I wouldn’t have made that choice. Of course I feel ready, I am determined to face this challenge.”

Friendly competition for the Hasenhuttl nod

After losing key player Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, the Saints were looking to recruit someone who would do a solid job of replacing him. After being linked to both Diallo and Liverpool’s Marko Grujic, Southampton struck a deal for the former Brest man, who joins on a four-year deal.

Diallo may edge Romeu out of the team as he brings with him some impressive statistics. According to WhoScored last season, the Frenchman tallied a higher passing percentage (86%) to the Spaniard’s 80.7%. Romeu was also outperformed by the new Saints signing in terms of tackles made and how many times the players were dribbled past each game.

Diallo made two tackles per match and was dribbled past 0.9 times on average, compared to Romeu’s 1.8 tackles and 1.6 times dribbled past per 90 minutes.

It will be a tough decision for Hasenhuttl to make as Southampton look to climb the table this season. Diallo’s youth and hunger to play could bring a refreshing change of dynamic to the midfield, but 29-year-old Romeu hasn’t missed a single game this season and has netted a goal already as well (via Transfermarkt).

Perhaps the Austrian can find room for both, but it may take a lot of trial and error as Hasenhuttl experiments with his new personnel.

In other news, Elyounoussi performance for Norway could give Southampton boss Hasenhuttl something to think about…

Celtic loanee Diego Laxalt has been a key figure since he arrived in Scotland from AC Milan this summer. Due to the plethora of issues forcing a large amount of Neil Lennon’s men to the sidelines, the Uruguay international has stepped up.

Former Hoops icon and Scotland international Frank McAvennie has praised the impact of Laxalt and his “never-say-die attitude”. Speaking to Football Insider, he has admitted his fondness for the 27-year-old and believes he will prove to be a “great signing” for his former side.

Celtic should move for Laxalt

Indeed, Laxalt has been putting in consistent solid performances in defence for the Premiership club. It was recently revealed that to make his loan move permanent, it will cost Celtic £4.5million, which is an attractive quote for a player of such high-calibre.

His performance against Lille in the Europa League was a seriously impressive one. According to Sofascore, the full-back put in an astonishing 13 tackles and won 18 of 24 attempted duels, showing just how hard he works in defence. Laxalt contributed heavily to the 2-2 result, despite an overall disappointing performance from the team to let a 2-0 lead go.

Greg Taylor is Celtic’s only other recognised senior left-back and Laxalt’s presence puts pressure on him. The Scot hasn’t started for the Hoops since St Johnstone in the league last month, limited to mere cameo appearances since then.

Lennon looks to favour the loanee, who would more than likely become a regular starter in Scotland should he sign permanently. Odsonne Edouard could be looking at a potential exit and he will bring in a pretty penny. It will more than cover the small cost AC Milan want for Laxalt and it will set Celtic up to be more defensively sound moving forwards, Nick Hammond needs to look at securing his long term signature as soon as possible.

In other news, Worrying Edouard comments could spell trouble but Griffiths can save the day for Celtic…

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to miss out on one of their mooted summer transfer targets if fresh reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Football.London, Spurs have been keeping tabs on young Almeria striker Darwin Nunez but they may have missed their opportunity.

It’s claimed that the 21-year-old has had rival Premier League clubs hot on his tail as well as Jan Vertonghen’s new Benfica, who are seemingly set to sign him for £25m.

The Athletic reported Brighton’s interest last month and they also suggest that “his pace, physical strength and finishing prowess has prompted comparisons with his compatriot Edinson Cavani.”

Llorente 2.0

Going by that review alone, then it appears as if Spurs are about to make a huge mistake as Nunez could well have been the next Fernando Llorente in north London.

The club have since rued his departure last summer as he was the ideal second choice to Harry Kane and now with Jose Mourinho at the helm, the veteran Spaniard could have even partnered him on the odd occasion.

Nunez bagged 16 goals for Almeria on their way to the La Liga 2 promotion game but couldn’t help his side earn a place in the Spanish top-flight.

Football scout Mario Husillos Jnr also likened him to Luis Suarez for his “work rate, aggressiveness, and scoring ability” and believes he’d fit right in amongst the physicality and direct nature of the Premier League.

In Kane’s absence earlier this year, Spurs crashed out of the FA Cup and Champions League – and very nearly sacrificed a place in Europe – all because they didn’t have a senior striker to plug the gap.

Levy not opting to sign Nunez for £25m will surely come back to bite one day as he’s everything they are currently crying out for.

AND in other news, Spurs eye Watford veteran as perfect Kane backup…