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USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter remains confident that Matt Turner can “solve” his situation at Nottingham Forest after being benched by the Reds.

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• Keeper joined to play regularly
• Dropped on a couple of occasions
• Has made a few costly mistakes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international goalkeeper moved to the City Ground in 2023 looking to find the regular game time that had been denied him at Arsenal. He was initially handed starting duties on Trentside, but has dropped out of the Forest side on a couple of occasions since then and seen a change made in the managerial department.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Turner is out of favour at present, at least in Premier League competition, and may find it difficult to earn a reprieve after making a number of costly mistakes in the 2023-24 campaign. He can, however, continue to call upon the full support of his country heading towards a Copa America tournament on home soil.

• WHAT BERHALTER SAID ABOUT TURNER

  Berhalter still has Turner very much in his thoughts, with the U.S. boss telling of the troubles some of his keepers are enduring at club level: “That’s always a concern. Ideally we want our players, all of our players, playing week in and week out, 90 minutes and being a big part of their team and contributing each and every week. That’s not always the case. When I talk about ups and downs in our player pool, at one time in their career having these ups and downs, it’s no different for our goalkeepers. We’re confident that they have the right mentality to get themselves out of it. You saw Ethan [Horvath] move from Forest to Cardiff, and now he’s playing every week. And we’re confident that Matt, and whoever our other goalies are, are going to solve their situations and come out on the top end of it. That’s part of being at such a high level, that it’s really competitive.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TURNER?

  Turner’s last outing for Forest did see him make an important contribution in an FA Cup penalty shootout win over Bristol City, and he could be drafted back in as the Reds’ keeper for knockout action when they play host to Manchester United in a fifth-round clash on February 28.

Rangers are one of the teams keen on signing Wigan Athletic wonderkid Kyle Joseph, according to reports.

What’s the word?

Joseph, 19, is highly rated south of the border and has caught the attention of several unnamed clubs across Europe, including Premier League giants Arsenal.

According to The Mirror, Rangers are keeping a watchful eye on the youngster, who made his first-team debut in the English League One last year.

And Steven Gerrard is believed to have expressed an interest in signing him this summer, with Celtic also closely monitoring the situation.

His current deal is set to expire at the end of this season, meaning he could walk away for free when the transfer market re-opens in the summer. However, the Premiership rivals face a transfer battle with Arsenal also registering an interest according to the report.

Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson, therefore, has a big decision to make. Wait too long, and an excellent opportunity may pass him by.

Act too quickly, however, and he could accidentally trigger a bidding war that Rangers almost have no hope of winning against the financial might of Arsenal.

Ross Wilson must act now

While Rangers fans may have initially scoffed at the idea that such a talented and promising teenager could be linked with a move to Ibrox, the ball is very much in Wilson’s court.

If – and that’s a big if – Wilson can persuade Joseph that his best interests lie in Ibrox, it would be similar to the coup that saw Ianis Hagi join Rangers for £4m from Belgian club Genk on a permanent basis in the summer.

Rangers could land themselves a striker for years to come if they are able to bring him to Ibrox and he can hit the ground running. The stats show he should be able to do this, as the former Scotland U19 international has already fired home five goals and a further assist in 14 League One appearances this season thus far.

Whether or not he would adapt to the rigours of Scottish football remains to be seen, given his recent injury record, but it’s certainly a risk worth taking for one of Europe’s hottest prospects.

It will be interesting to see how this transfer saga unfolds, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Alfredo Morelos transfer value skyrockets as Rangers chalk up another Ross Wilson victory…

Liverpool ace Mohamed Salah was fortunate to avoid injury after being targeted by pitch invaders during Egypt’s World Cup qualifier with Sierra Leone.

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• Reds forward in World Cup qualifying action
• Pharaohs pick up welcome win
• Injuries avoided when fans take to the field

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Pharaohs were out on the road as they endeavour to make their way towards FIFA’s flagship event in 2026. They emerged victorious on the day, with Trezeguet bagging a brace in a 2-0 win that has them perched at the top of CAF Group A with six points from two games.

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  Salah played the full 90 minutes for his country, with Premier League employers back at Anfield keeping a close eye on how he is getting on. They will have been less than impressed at seeing supporters take to the pitch during shocking scenes in Sierra Leone.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Punches were thrown as fans tried to get near superstar performers – with some clearly having Salah in their sights – and security staff had their work cut out trying to remove unwelcome guests from the field of play.

Rafael Leao twisted inside and outside of a pair of Atalanta defenders before whipping a wicked shot into the far top corner to stun the San Siro.

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• Leao scores incredible opening goal
• Puts Milan 1-0 up against Atalanta
• In hunt for Champions League qualification

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Portuguese forward stunned the crowd and his team-mates alike as he ripped his effort into the Atalanta goal just three minutes into the game. Leao evaded pressure from two defenders, albeit with a tad of fortune in beating the second man, to find space just inside the box before unleashing his curling shot.

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  By finding the back of the net, Leao scored just his fourth goal in the league this season. It has been a relatively disappointing campaign for the young forward who netted 15 times in the competition last term but, with strikes like tonight's, he may be back to his best.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LEAO?

  Leao has now scored in back-to-back games for the first time this season and will be aiming to make it a third against Lazio next week. Milan are on course to finish in the Champions League qualification spots this season, but will need a miracle to catch first-placed Inter.

Kristie Mewis appears to have confirmed that Emma Hayes will be the USWNT’s new head coach despite no official announcement being made as yet.

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• Demanding coaching role needs to be filled
• Various candidates considered for it
• Proven winner being lured away from Chelsea

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States are in the market for a new manager after parting company with Vlatko Andonovski on the back of a disastrous 2023 Women’s World Cup campaign that saw a global crown surrendered in spectacular fashion by the four-time champions.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Various candidates have been considered to fill the most demanding of roles, with Hayes emerging as the leading contender due to her remarkable record at WSL side Chelsea. Over the course of 11 years and more than 300 games in west London, Hayes has delivered six Super League titles, five FA Cup wins and a couple of League Cup triumphs.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Gotham FC star Mewis is looking forward to seeing what Hayes will bring to the USWNT fold, with the experienced midfielder telling reporters of an imminent appointment that is yet to be confirmed by U.S. Soccer: “She’s an outstanding coach and she has led Chelsea to so many championships and so many wins, and she’s a world respected coach. I'm super excited to see what she can bring to the team. She's exactly what we need and I really just think that she's going to take the team to the next level and, yeah, I’m just excited to see what she brings.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Hayes – who has previously worked in the United States with the Long Island Lady Riders, Iona College, the Chicago Red Stars, Western New York Flash and Washington Freedom – has been at Chelsea since August 2012 and was awarded an OBE in the 2022 New Year Honours list for her services to football.

PSG claim Kylian Mbappe is still “helping us to build our future” following Real Madrid’s latest statement in a long-running transfer saga.

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• Superstar forward running down his contract
• Linked with a move to Santiago Bernabeu
• French champions still hoping he will stay put

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blancos continue to be heavily linked with the World Cup-winning forward as he runs his contract at Paris Saint-Germain down towards free agency in 2024. The Liga giants have, however, claimed that no negotiations are taking place. They have said: “Given the information recently issued and published by different media outlets, in which there is speculation about alleged negotiations between the player Kylian Mbappe and our club, Real Madrid CF would like to state that this information is completely false and that no such negotiations have taken place with a player who belongs to PSG.”

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  PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has maintained throughout that he has no intention of discussing Mbappe’s departure from Parc des Princes, and that remains the stance from the very top of the club. Al-Khelaifi has told when asked about the latest comments coming out of Madrid: “I haven’t seen their statement, we’re all focused on ourselves and our football, not on others.”

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Al-Khelaifi added on the role that Mbappe has to play in the present and future at PSG: “Kylian continues to achieve great things and maybe people take him for granted, but nobody has played two World Cup finals and even scored a hat-trick. I’ll say it again: Kylian is the best in the world, and it’s great to see him at the helm of PSG and France. He’s having a positive effect on our young people, helping us to build our future.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  While Real have distanced themselves from Mbappe for now, they are expected to make a play for the France international at some stage. PSG will not be backing down without a fight, though, and the Ligue 1 title holders are still hoping to get the talismanic 24-year-old – who is the club’s all-time leading goalscorer – to sign a new contract.

Despite it being Julie Ertz's big night, Lynn Williams quietly stole the limelight with a brilliant two-goal performance.

All eyes were on Julie Ertz, and rightfully so. The U.S. women's national team legend was here to say goodbye, one last run and one last game for a player that has had so many important ones over the years. With her 2023 World Cup teammates around her, Ertz made way early on to a much-deserved ovation.

But, while this was Ertz's day, it was also Lynn Williams', too. A player that was overlooked at the World Cup could not be overlooked on Thursday night, even with all the fanfare around Ertz' goodbye.

Williams scored two of the three goals in the USWNT's 3-0 win over South Africa, offering the attacking spark that the U.S. needed so badly at the World Cup. Both goals, as unlikely as it may seem, came via set pieces, with Williams the surprising goalscorer on both.

Trinity Rodman's goal, though, was a display of the threat that the U.S. so desperately lacked Down Under. It was a lovely attacking move, one capped by a pass from Alex Morgan to Rodman for a simple finish.

In the first game of the post-Vlatko Andonovski era, the U.S. put out a lineup not unlike the one we saw at the World Cup. What that team lacked in the attacking end a few months back seems behind them, though, as this USWNT played the way that many expected them to this summer.

GOAL rates USWNT players from TQL Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defense

  Alyssa Naeher (6/10):

  Had just about nothing to do for the bulk of this game. Could this have been a good one to get a look at one of the other goalkeepers?

  Crystal Dunn (7/10):

  A solid game at fullback/wingback. When the lineup came out, there was hope she'd be in midfield. No luck, though, as she exited after 45.

  Naomi Girma (8/10):

  How many better defenders are there in the world today? Had to get back and stop a few South Africa attacks, but she did so effortlessly every time.

  Alana Cook (7/10):

  Totally solid, which only makes it more puzzling as to why we didn't see her more at the World Cup.

  Emily Fox (6/10):

  Helped keep South Africa quiet on that right-hand side. Nothing crazy, but a good performance overall.

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  Midfield

  Emily Sonnett (7/10):

  Was a secret weapon in that last World Cup game and she looked good again in a midfield role here. Ran plenty and helped the U.S. in possession.

  Lindsey Horan (8/10):

  Involved in all three goals and was fantastic on set pieces. About as good of a performance as you can expect from a midfielder.

  Julie Ertz (6/10):

  Was given her start, but it didn't last long before she was taken out to a standing ovation. Came oh so close to getting a goal from a corner kick, but it just wasn't quite to be.

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  Attack

  Trinity Rodman (7/10):

  Fantastic run and and great finish on a sequence that would have been very, very welcome at the World Cup. Should be a good one for her confidence after some ups and downs Down Under.

  Alex Morgan (7/10):

  No goal, which isn't ideal given her World Cup drought but, an overall good performance from the USWNT striker. Fantastic pass on Rodman's goal, a good display of what she can do in her role.

  Lynn Williams (9/10):

  Could the U.S. have used Williams in the XI at the World Cup? On this evidence, it sure looks like it! Williams was absolutely fantastic and, for a team that saw their attack sputter Down Under, that will be even more frustrating given her lack of minutes.

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  Subs & Manager

  Mary Alice Vignola (7/10):

  A very good first impression for the hometown defender, who did enough to show she can play at this level.

  Ashley Sanchez (6/10):

  Stop me if you heard this before: Could we have seen more of her at the World Cup?

  Ashley Hatch (6/10):

  Got her chance after missing the World Cup, and looked okay, but it'll be tough to hold off some of the young forward options behind her.

  Casey Krueger (N/A):

  Came on a bit too late to make an impact, replacing Fox at right back.

  Alyssa Thompson (N/A):

  Got a 15 minute cameo in place of Rodman as she looks to find more USWNT experience.

  Twila Kilgore (7/10):

  Did exactly what you want from an interim manager: made minor changes that produced big results. The next manager can reinvent the wheel, but it's Kilgore's job to make sure that it keeps moving.

Wrexham are only just recovering from the “psychological effect” that Paul Mullin’s pre-season injury had on the squad, says Jordan Davies.

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• Star striker sidelined in pre-season
• Punctured lung suffered
• Dragons now boast strength in depth

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Dragons saw their prolific frontman – who hit 47 goals last season when firing the club to promotion back into the Football League – suffer a punctured lung during a supposedly friendly outing against Manchester United on a summer tour of America.

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  Wrexham have a number of other strikers on their books, but covering Mullin’s absence was always going to be tricky. Phil Parkinson’s side struggled for consistency without their talismanic No.10, but have battled their way to precious points over recent weeks and now boast the strength in depth that allows them to remain competitive regardless of who is stuck on the sidelines.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Home-grown star Davies has told of Wrexham responding to losing Mullin and pulling together as a collective: “Essentially, we have two XIs. The gaffer has done really well to recruit the players to fill those two XIs. If someone is not playing well or gets injured, we have people capable of stepping in for every position. That can only serve us well going forward. Training every day is incredible. Even if the starters aren’t playing, the level is sky-high. Standards are top-notch. That comes from the togetherness we have here. There are 24 people here, all champing at the bit to play. Things do seem to be coming together now. Pre-season wasn’t ideal, with the schedule in America and Paul Mullin’s injury. That had a psychological effect on the team because we lost our top scorer. But now we feel to be getting people back fit, getting people back in form and the best is yet to come.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Mullin has only registered two goals for Wrexham since returning to fitness – with both of those efforts coming in the same game against Crewe – but the Dragons have moved up to fifth in the League Two table and are on course to challenge for back-to-back promotions under the guidance of Hollywood co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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After he scored his first goal in red and blue in 799 days against Tottenham, as per ITV, Connor Wickham is surely more likely to start ahead of Christian Benteke for Crystal Palace against Southampton on Wednesday,  but the big Belgian’s skill-set is precisely what the Eagles need if they are to succeed at St Mary’s.

On the chalkboard

Until a few weeks ago, Roy Hodgson had just Ayew and the recently-loaned out Alexander Sorloth as natural strikers to choose from – some may argue the former is not suited to playing there, though – and, more often than not, the 71-year-old would opt for a fluid partnership of Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha up front.

Townsend showed during his side’s 2-0 FA Cup victory on Sunday that he is becoming adept at arriving in the box to take a shot at goal – indeed, the journeyman winger is the Eagles’ top scorer, with seven to his name in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt – but Zaha doesn’t seem to thrive in such a role.

The timely returns, though, of Benteke and Wickham mean that Hodgson finally has some depth up front; the former England boss’ new-found luxury means he can approach a game in many different ways but there is one clear, perfect choice to tackle Ralph Hassenhuttl’s men.

Big Ben

While he may have struggled to find a lethal touch this campaign and the one previous, there is no debating 28-year-old Benteke’s physical and aerial ability. The former Aston Villa striker is one of the most dominant hitmen in the league – as long as the ball is off the ground, that is.

Southampton might have been reinvigorated by Hughes’ departure and Hassenhuttl’s subsequent arrival, but question marks still remain over the defence in terms of their positioning and ability to deal with crosses – 6-foot-3 Benteke can capitalise on this if supplied well by Palace’s threatening wide-men and, while he may not break his scoring duck, will prove a handful for the Saints’ back-three.

It’s also evident that Zaha loves having the number 17 in the team – the speedster currently does most of his side’s hold up play but would be relieved of such duties if Benteke starts – and would perhaps find himself running at full-backs a lot more often.

The Ivorian is one of the most dangerous players in the league when he gets into full flow but such a sight has been a commodity this season as he is shifted out of position – will Wednesday be the return of the partnership that was so effective in the 2016/17 season?

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video above…

According to a report by 90min, Tottenham Hotspur still have Fulham manager Scott Parker very much under consideration for the managerial role despite Brendan Rodgers being their top target.

The Lowdown: Parker on managerial shortlist

Parker has been sporadically linked with the Lilywhites job since Jose Mourinho was dismissed last month, with Football Insider recently reporting that the 40-year-old is emerging as a real contender.

Having been praised for his attacking style at Fulham, the former Spurs midfielder also falls into the category of  a ‘young’ and ‘dynamic’ manager allegedly wanted by technical performance director Steve Hitchen (Daily Mail).

The Latest: Very much a contender…

Backing reports of Parker being on the manager’s list, 90min claimed that he is still very much under consideration despite Rodgers being a prime candidate for the role.

The Fulham boss, alongside Gian Piero Gasperini, Maurizio Sarri and Graham Potter, remain shortlisted as the search for a new manager continues.

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The report added that Tottenham and Levy have been approached by intermediaries of up to 20 top managers regarding the vacancy in north London.

Whether or not Parker is one of those gaffers remains to be seen, but Spurs are still allegedly interested in him.

The Verdict: Outside contender, nothing more…

Parker has garnered no shortage of praise for his style of management and even has an admirer in Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who praised his courageous brand of football (mancity.com).

Former Fulham player Jim Hicks, who taught Parker through his coaching licence, emphatically claimed that he is one of the most ‘exceptional’ coaches to ever work under his tutelage (The Athletic).

The £75,000-per-week manager blew Gareth Bale away as a player too, with the Welshman hailing him as ‘unbelievable’ during their time together at Tottenham, but that may not transcend into him being an equally unbelievable manager.

Parker is relatively inexperienced, having notched just one full season in the Premier League so far, and Tottenham could need a coach with a more extensive background in managing at the top level.

In other news: many Tottenham fans slammed this ace during the defeat to Leeds, find out more here.