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Manchester United will visit Turf Moor to face Burnley this weekend as they look to stop the rot in the Premier League.

If Erik ten Hag’s side are to get back to winning ways on Saturday night, Marcus Rashford could be the difference maker.

We at Football FanCast have looked into the history of this fixture to gauge what we can expect from Rashford when his side travel slightly further north.

What is Marcus Rashford’s goal record against Burnley?

Marcus Rashford has come up against Burnley 11 times in all competitions and whilst his team has never lost, his personal record doesn’t stand out massively.

Rashford has scored one Premier League goal against them from 10 meetings and then he also scored in his only EFL Cup clash with Clarets. The most recent meeting was that EFL Cup fixture, though, so he comes into this outing having scored in the previous one against these opponents.

What is Marcus Rashford’s assist record against Burnley?

Marcus Rashford’s assist record against Burnley doesn’t differ at all from his goal record, contributing two assists, both of which came in the league.

Both of his assists against the newly promoted side came in the 2020/21 season, one in either game as Manchester United won by an aggregate scoreline of 4-1.

How many goal contributions does Marcus Rashford have against Burnley?

Totalling up the goals and assists from Rashford against Burnley and he has amassed four goal contributions across 11 games.

The last two league meetings, which came in the 2021/22 season, saw him left on the bench at Old Trafford and then he played the majority of the Turf Moor clash.

What is Marcus Rashford’s head-to-head record against Burnley?

As previously mentioned, Manchester United have dominated this fixture since Marcus Rashford burst onto the scene, his side having not lost once.

Seven of the 11 games have gone the way of United with the other four ending in draws. His first-ever league meeting with them was a draw and the most recent one saw the game end honours even as well.

What is Marcus Rashford’s record at Burnley?

Six of the 10 Premier League meetings featuring Rashford took place on Burnley’s home soil across six seasons. It doesn’t total out at 12 clashes due to the aforementioned game that he watched on from the sidelines and then he was absent from another Old Trafford outing, a Burnley win in fact, due to a back injury.

The first five of these games at Turf Moor went the way of Manchester United and they didn’t concede a single goal along the way. They won those games by an aggregate of 8-0 and then the February 2022 matchup finished 1-1, Paul Pogba opening the scoring before Jay Rodriguez struck back for the home side.

Who has Marcus Rashford scored the most goals against?

It won’t be surprising to read that with just two goals against them, Burnley aren’t Marcus Rashford’s favourite opponents.

In all competitions, Leicester City have conceded to Rashford the most with eight strikes in 16 meetings. Across these games, Man United have won 10, drawn four and lost two.

Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool come next with Rashford having scored six times against each of them.

Who does Marcus Rashford have the most goal contributions against?

Rashford has eight goals and one assist against Leicester City so they are towards the top end when it comes to goal contributions, but they’re not at the top.

The England international has nine goal contributions against West Ham United and Chelsea whilst he has hit double digits, with 10 contributions, when facing Newcastle United and Arsenal.

How many goals does Marcus Rashford have in September?

Marcus Rashford has certainly enjoyed playing in September and particularly in the Premier League. In all but one September of his professional career he has found the back of the net in the league and on two occasions, he bagged twice.

Overall, Rashford has scored 14 times in September, breaking down as one Champions League goal against FC Basel in 2017, four EFL Cup strikes and then nine Premier League goals.

And this September is no different with the England international having found the back of the net against Arsenal earlier on in the month. However, it was not enough to help United to victory with the Red Devils seeing the points go to the Gunners late on in the game.

In the only league game since the defeat in north London, Rashford failed to get his name on the scoresheet against Brighton & Hove Albion.

What is Marcus Rashford’s overall Manchester United goal record?

For Manchester United, Rashford has made 364 appearances, totaling over 24,000 minutes. In that time has scored 124 goals.

77 of these strikes have come in the Premier League and he is ahead of names such as Daniel Sturridge, Gabriel Jesus and Luis Suarez in the scoring charts for the division.

What is Marcus Rashford’s overall Manchester United assist record?

Rashford is best known as a goalscorer, but his assist numbers are certainly impressive, showing that he is a valuable contributor on both ends of it.

For Manchester United, he has 69 total assists with 45 of these coming in the Premier League and then 12 coming on the continent, in either the Champions League or the Europa League.

Ben Stokes has pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray over an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September

George Dobell in Bristol and Alan Gardner13-Feb-2018Ben Stokes is set to join up with his team-mates in New Zealand and could resume his England career in the coming weeks after he pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray over an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September. His case was referred to Bristol Crown Court, with a first hearing set for March 12.Although Stokes will not currently be considered for the T20 triangular series involving New Zealand and Australia, he is set to depart the UK on Wednesday. The ECB released a statement saying that he would link up with the team in Hamilton, where England play New Zealand on Sunday.”Having entered his plea at Bristol Magistrates’ Court today, Ben Stokes will now travel to New Zealand to join the England squad,” an ECB spokesperson said. “He departs tomorrow, Wednesday 14 February, and will arrive on Friday 16 February, ready to train with England team-mates in Hamilton.”Any decision to include him in upcoming matches will be made by head coach Trevor Bayliss and the England management team. He is not currently being considered for the ongoing international T20 tri-series.”ECB fully respects his right to defend himself in court and any obligations he has within the legal process will always take precedence over England commitments. It has been confirmed that he will not be required to return to the UK for the first hearing at Bristol Crown Court on Monday 12 March.”Stokes arrived at the Magistrates’ Court in the city shortly before 10am, to be met by a scrum of cameras and reporters. Stokes spoke in court only to confirm his name, address and enter his plea on the basis of self-defence or the defence of another. Two other men charged with the same offence, Ryan Hale and Ryan Ali, also entered not-guilty pleas on the same basis. All were offered unconditional bail.Having played no part in the Ashes, Stokes has now been cleared to represent England but a comeback in New Zealand during the tri-series was deferred by his need to appear at the Magistrates’ Court. He was named in England’s squads for the one-day series with New Zealand, which starts on February 25, as well as the subsequent Tests, on March 22-26 and March 30-April 3.He is also expected to play in the IPL, which begins in early April, after being bought for GBP1.37m by Rajasthan Royals in last month’s auction.Stokes was charged with affray last month, having not been considered for selection during England’s tour of Australia while police investigated the Bristol incident. He was arrested in the early hours of September 25 on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm; his England team-mate Alex Hales was also present and is likely to be called as a witness as the trial.After the announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Stokes tweeted his intention to defend himself: “I am keen to have an opportunity to clear my name but, on advice, the appropriate time to do this is when the case comes to trial. The CPS’ decision to charge me, as well as Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, at least means that my account of what happened that night can come out in court and be made public.”Affray is an each-way offence – meaning it can be tried either at Magistrates’ Court or Crown Court – with a maximum possible prison sentence of three years.

Matchweek Five sees the first-ever meeting between Fulham and Luton Town in the Premier League when the Hatters travel to Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon to take on the Cottagers. Football FanCast has everything you need to know about the fixture before the two sides go head-to-head in the Premier League this weekend.

Well, technically, all of Luton’s first 19 games this season will be the first time that fixture has been played in the Premier League due to this season being the club’s first foray into England’s top division in its current guise. And even though it’s still early in the season, the five games played by Fulham and the four by Luton can give us a small insight into their form and how they might fare in this upcoming clash.

Fulham started the season strong with a 1-0 away win against Everton, but have seriously struggled since with a 3-0 defeat to fellow West Londoners Brentford and a 5-1 thumping away to treble-winning Manchester City. Granted, they came away from the Emirates with a point, but it’s hard to say that their performance merited one, given that they had less than a third of the possession, and the Gunners ended the game with 11 shots on target.

That said, they were able to halt Ange Postecoglou’s new-look Tottenham Hotspur at home in the EFL Cup thanks to a penalty shoot-out win, which looks to be no small feat at the moment.

Luton, on the other hand, have had an interesting start to their first campaign back in the top flight, as despite looking quite good at points against Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United, they came away from both games empty-handed. They also suffered a pretty heavy 3-0 defeat away to Chelsea, with their only win so far coming against Gillingham in the EFL Cup.

Ultimately, neither side has started the new season how they would’ve liked and with Fulham in 13th place and Luton all the way down in 19th, both will be desperate to get some more points on the board as soon as possible.

Fulham vs Luton: What's their head-to-head record?

Despite never facing off against one another in the Premier League, Fulham and Luton Town are no strangers to one another, having played each other 47 times across all competitions since their initial meeting in January 1908, over 100 years ago.

While 47 games is a relatively significant number, it also seems much smaller than you might expect, given that their first encounter was over a century ago. Well, the reason the number isn’t much higher is the 20 year gap between their first meeting in 1908 and their second in 1928. They also went another 20 years without meeting between 1999 and 2019.

This is because, in those periods, Luton were often in the leagues below Fulham, falling all the way down to the Conference from 2009 to 2014.

You’d probably expect then that because the Cottagers have spent more time in the top flight than their Bedfordshire opponents, the history of this fixture would be heavily weighted in their favour, not necessarily.

While the West Londoners have won more games – 22 to be exact – Luton aren’t far behind, with 16 to their name. In all, this is quite the competitive fixture, and there’s no reason this weekend’s encounter will be any different.

Fulham Wins

22

Draws

8

Luton Town Wins

16

Fulham vs Luton: What's their Second Division record?

The two sides have only ever met in the old First Division twice in their entire history, in the 1959/60 season, with both sides winning their home ties. So it seems more apt to compare their records against one another from their far more frequent encounters in England’s second tier. These games took place both pre and post-Championship.

The numbers here, perhaps unsurprisingly, mirror the overall record between these sides, with Fulham just about edging things. In total, the West Londoners have won 18 of their 37 second-tier encounters with Luton, giving them a win rate of 48.6%.

The Hatters, on the other hand, are just behind with 14 wins, giving them a win rate of 37.8%, while there have been just five draws.

Fulham Wins

18

Draws

5

Luton Town Wins

14

Fulham vs Luton: What's their record at Fulham?

Well, while the fixture on a whole has tended to be reasonably balanced, with the Cottagers just about edging things, this certainly isn’t the case when they play host. In the 24 games played at Craven Cottage, Fulham have won a seriously impressive 16 times, which means they hold a 66.6% win rate at home.

For their part, Luton have won just three games at the Cottage, one less than the number of games they’ve drawn. We’re sure Rob Edwards will be hoping to buck the trens come Saturday.

Fulham Wins

16

Draws

4

Luton Town Wins

3

Fulham vs Luton: What's their record at Luton?

The Hatters have been able to establish some dominance of their own at Kenilworth Road over the years, even if it doesn’t quite stack up to Fulham’s. In total, the Bedfordshire side have played host to the West Londoners 23 times and come away winners on 13 occasions – a win rate of 56.5%.

Fulham have put up a better fight when away from home compared to the hosts, winning six times and earning at least a point four times.

Fulham Wins

6

Draws

4

Luton Town Wins

13

Fulham vs Luton: Which team has the most goals?

Well, given their slight edge in this game over the years, it probably shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to hear that it’s Fulham who have scored more goals against Luton and not the other way around. That said, with only 19 goals separating the sides, It’s once again a reasonably close affair.

The Whites have scored 85 goals against their Bedfordshire opponents in their 47 games, meaning they score an impressive average of 1.8 goals per game. Whereas, Luton’s 66 goals give them a still respectable average of 1.4.

Fulham Goals

85

Luton Town Goals

66

Despite the 222-run win, the defending champions are no longer in contention for the knockouts

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2018Alick Athanaze pulls one away•IDI/GettyDefending champions West Indies prevailed over Kenya in a one-sided contest in Lincoln, registering a 222-run win – their first in three games this tournament – courtesy Alick Athanaze’s unbeaten 116, and a combined nine wickets between Bhaskar Yadram and Jeavor Royal. Despite the two points, West Indies are no longer in contention for a knockout berth as hosts New Zealand and South Africa lead them on the points table.West Indies got off to a solid start after opting to bat, thanks to a quickfire fifty from Kimani Melius (60 off 45). His opening partner Keagan Simmons’ dismissal in the 15th over, however, led to the side losing their top three for four runs within the space of eight deliveries. Kenya, on their part, failed to capitalise on the quick wickets, allowing Athanaze and Kirstan Kallicharan to hoist West Indies to 150 via a 68-run partnership. While Athanaze motored on, having struck an unbeaten 76 in the previous game, the lower-order duo of Royal and Nyeem Young chipped in with 24 and 57 respectively to help their side finish on 318 for 7. Aveet Desai, the pick of the Kenya bowlers, finished with figures of 3 for 54.Subsequently, it took West Indies all of 24.4 overs to skittle the Kenya line-up with left-arm spinner Royal taking 4 for 25 in his 7.4 overs and Yadram ending with 5 for 18 from his seven overs. Only three of the Kenya batsmen mustered double-digit scores, with opener Aman Gandhi top-scoring with 37.

Arsenal are weighing up their defensive options ahead of transfer deadline day, as Mikel Arteta prepares to add to his backline following the injury to Jurrien Timber.

The Dutchman was injured just 50 minutes into the Premier League season, leaving the Gunners short at the back once more, however, another potential replacement for the 22-year-old has emerged.

With just over three days left to do business in the transfer window, it’s expected to be a busy period of both incomings and outgoings at the Emirates.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

Taking into consideration the injury to Timber and the expected sale of Rob Holding, Arsenal could be two centre-backs short by the time the window is closed.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

According to FootballTransfers, a new target has been revealed in the form of Barcelona ace Eric Garcia.

The report claims that the Gunners are ‘working to sign’ the centre-back, who is said to fit the requirements wanted from Arteta to fill the gap left by Timber.

Considering Barcelona’s financial woes, it’s added that the Catalan giants would ‘prefer to sell’ the 22-year-old rather than loan him out, with FootballTransfers valuing him at €26.6m (£23m).

Earlier in the window, reports from Spain (via Football365) reported that Nou Camp president Joan Laporta was looking for around €20m (£17m).

How good is Eric Garcia?

Having learned the art of the game through the guidance of Pep Guardiola and the infamous La Masia set-up, Garcia’s footballing brain is one expected of a player moulded by such influences.

In 2017, the Spaniard departed the comforts of La Masia to endeavour a challenge in England, joining Manchester City’s academy at U18 level.

Four years and 19 Premier League appearances later, the defender ventured back to the Camp Nou, where he has since recorded 52 La Liga appearances for his boyhood club.

Now, the 22-year-old could be on course to add to his Premier League tally, with Arsenal’s interest presenting a potentially exciting move for the Gunners, who could hugely benefit from the youngster's arrival.

Having been hailed as a “monster” with an “elegant” streak to his game by scout Jacek Kulig, the Spaniard could replicate a fellow defensive signing that has proved to be a monumental hit at the Emirates.

William Saliba arrived in north London back in 2019 and journeyed through three loan spells before making a senior appearance for Arsenal in order to gain vital experience.

At 22, the Frenchman has asserted himself as one of Arteta’s most important players and one of the Premier League’s most impressive central defenders.

In capturing the talent of Garcia, the Spaniard could encapsulate the qualities and youthful spark of Saliba in a move that could be fundamental to the north Londoners’ title hopes.

While the two centre-backs are strong in their defensive duties, both players excel in areas relating to their distribution from the heart of defence.

As per FBref, last season Saliba averaged an assured pass completion rate of 91.0% per 90, as well as recording an average 3.69 progressive passes per 90.

Such numbers were similarly recorded by Garcia, who averaged a 90.9% pass completion rate and a mammoth 6.67 progressive passes per 90, showcasing the similarities in their playing styles.

Therefore, the Barcelona gem could be the perfect fit for Arteta’s set-up, as highlighted by his strengths lying in mirrored areas to the Spaniard’s favoured defender, making him the ideal candidate to install at the Emirates alongside another player of his mould, in the form of fan-favourite Saliba.

Leeds United have seven days left to finish their business for the summer transfer window before the deadline slams shut and are reportedly eyeing up another winger to add to their squad…

What's the latest Leeds transfer news?

Sky Sports recently reported that the Whites are interested in signing Genk forward Joseph Paintsil as they eye up a number of options in that area of the pitch.

The report claimed that the Belgian outfit will consider offers within the region of €10m (£8.5m), although it remains to be seen how much the Yorkshire-based side are willing to offer for his services.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Daniel Farke has made four signings for Leeds so far this summer; including Sam Byram, Karl Darlow, Ethan Ampadu, and Joe Rodon. He is now looking to possibly make the 25-year-old magician his fifth over the coming days, but would it be a good piece of business?

How good is Joseph Paintsil?

The Ghana international's form for Genk last season suggests that he has the ability to be a fantastic signing for the German head coach as the talented ace could be a huge upgrade on current Whites winger Daniel James.

Paintsil enjoyed a terrific 2022/23 campaign as the exciting maestro proved himself to be capable of scoring and assisting goals on a regular basis from a wide position, which is something that the ex-Manchester United flop is yet to do.

He averaged an excellent Sofascore rating of 7.13, which was higher than any Leeds player managed last term, over 36 Pro League appearances and contributed with an eye-catching 17 goals and 11 assists.

The nine-cap hotshot also created 12 'big chances' for his teammates and made 1.4 key passes per match, which suggests that he was slightly unfortunate to end up with only 11 assists.

James, on the other hand, averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.72 and produced two goals and one assist in 20 Premier League matches for Fulham on loan.

The Wales international failed to deliver consistent quality in the top-flight as he scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists in 106 league matches for Manchester United, Leeds, and the Cottagers combined prior to the current campaign.

His last season at Championship level also ended with four goals and nine assists in 33 outings for Swansea, which does not suggest that the drop back down to the second tier will allow him to reach Paintsil's impressive level of production in the final third, as he has never hit double figures for goals or assists in a single season throughout his senior career.

Paintsil, who was described as an "ice-cold baller" by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, could provide far more quality at the top end of the pitch week-in-week-out, which is why he would be a big upgrade on the Welsh flop if the 25-year-old wizard can translate his form over to English football.

The superb attacker has assisted two goals in two league starts this term and his ability to consistently provide goals and assists could elevate Farke's team to the next level, particularly when you consider that no current Leeds player managed more than five goals or four league assists last season.

Steven Smith became the equal-second fastest Test batsman to 6000 runs, and now has the chance to make his fourth century of this Ashes series

Daniel Brettig at Sydney05-Jan-2018Australia’s captain Steven Smith has left his team-mates in awe after becoming the equal-second fastest batsman to 6000 runs in Tests behind Sir Donald Bradman and alongside Sir Garfield Sobers, and now has the chance to make his fourth century of this Ashes series – another achievement that would place him in Bradman territory.”It’s pretty crazy, I think at one stage they put up all those numbers on the board for biggest Ashes series by an Australian player and I think he might’ve been six or seven on the list but he’s batted two or three times less than some of those guys at the top,” Pat Cummins said. “Those big innings he’s played as well, they’ve all been really important. In Brisbane and Perth they were match-winning and in Melbourne it was match-saving, so it’s just incredible and I think he’s been the real difference between the two sides.””As bowlers we’re stoked he’s on our team so we don’t have to bowl at him. It’s crazy, he prepares the way most other guys do, sit down, get the gear on and watching the game, but he just goes out there and from ball one he looks like he’s been batting for three hours already. No obvious weakness, no obvious time it takes him to build into his innings, he just looks from ball one like he knows his game so well, so confident and in great touch. It’s great, you lose a couple of wickets but he walks to the crease.”Cummins said that when bowling to Smith in the nets he created unique problems for bowlers with his pre-delivery movements opening up different parts of the field. “He’s very different to pretty much every other batsman,” Cummins said of Smith. “He moves so much so it’s harder to find your target. A normal, fourth-stump ball to anyone else he can hit to the leg side as though it’s a leg-stump ball, then the next one you might bowl the same ball and he doesn’t move as far and hits a full-blooded cover drive.”So I think he’s just a really hard batter to get a rhythm to, and I think the best batsmen in the world are always the most proactive, they find a way to get off strike, find a way to not let you settle in as a bowler, and I think that’s what he’s done. He’s a seriously smart batsman, he knows what he’s doing and how to have one over the bowler.”England’s debutant legspinner Mason Crane said the visitors had to keep reminding themselves that Smith was a batsman with flaws and the capability for mistakes like everyone else. “He’s played really well and scored a lot of runs but he’s only human as well,” Crane said. “It’s awesome to be bowling to some of the best players in the world, that’s why I play the game.”He’s got out I think four times this series so he’s not [immune]. He’s playing very well, obviously seeing it well, but like I said he’s only human, so we’ll keep plugging away. He’s a key player for them, I feel like if we can get him out and take two or three then we can hopefully get a first-innings lead.”

Australia captain Steven Smith admitted that he may have to use more of his top hand and be slightly less wristy after copping a freakish blow to his hand at training ahead of the fourth Ashes Test

Daniel Brettig at the MCG25-Dec-20170:58

May have to play less wristy shots – Smith

Australia captain Steven Smith admitted that he will have to find a slightly different way to bat after suffering a freakish blow to the hand at training. However, that is just about all Smith wants to change as the hosts chase the first of two wins that can give them a 5-0 Ashes whitewash to reprise those of 2007 and 2014.Given the runs he foresaw on the surface, Smith was more than comfortable with the prospect of England pitching short at him to target his right hand, which was already sore from slips catching before it was struck by a ricochet from a Cameron Bancroft shot in the nets on Sunday. But that soreness is enough for Smith to concede that he may need to be a more orthodox, top-handed player in this match.”I hope [they target my hand] on this wicket. It doesn’t have quite the same pace and bounce as the WACA did, so if you’re bowling that length out there, it’s not a bad thing,” Smith said. “I’ll still be [fielding] in the same spot. Maybe I’ll just have to use a bit more of my top hand throughout this game, a bit less wristy.”It’s more the back of my hand. I copped a few in the nets in Perth and a few more in the game, and it just seems to be whenever you’re getting hit in a spot it just continually gets hit. Yesterday was a little bit bizarre. The ball came over the nets, I didn’t see it, someone called heads, I sort of tried to put my head down and of course it hit me in the same spot. It was a little bit sore playing a few shots after that. It was a little bit sore today playing a few different shots, but I’ll be able to deal with it and l get on with it.”The decision not to risk Mitchell Starc’s bruised heel on Boxing Day was given further context on match eve as Smith stated how flat and unforgiving the MCG’s drop-in pitch appeared to be. While the surface has, in past years, been left with some moisture in it to aid bowlers in the early stages, Smith said this time it had been ready to play on for several days already – reverse swing looms as one way to break any batting deadlock that ensues.”The wicket’s been pretty good, pretty flat the last few years. It looks much the same this year,” Smith said in Melbourne. “It was probably ready to go three days ago. It’s a wicket that really hasn’t broken up much over the last few years, it’s stayed pretty good for five days. Hopefully, I can cash in again this week. It doesn’t look like there’ll be great deal of sideways movement, maybe a bit of reverse swing as the game goes on. But it looks a pretty flat wicket.”We’ve been able to get results here in the last couple of years. Hopefully we can do that again. We’re going to have work hard, first-innings runs are going to be crucial again. Hopefully, we can get the ball reversing, and hopefully, there’s a little bit of spin for Nath [Lyon]. He didn’t get a great deal last game at the WACA, the ball just went straight on for pretty much everyone. So if there’s a little bit of spin, it’ll certainly bring him into the game as well.”The inclusion of Jackson Bird for Starc will offer Smith the chance to operate with a somewhat different bowling balance. The Tasmanian can deliver longer spells that in turn should allow Pat Cummins, in particular, to stay at his optimum pace in shorter bursts. Bird has previously enjoyed success taking the new ball on Boxing Day, on debut against Sri Lanka in 2012, but Smith stopped short of saying who would share the new ball with Josh Hazlewood.”He deserves a go, he’s worked very hard,” Smith said of Bird. “He hasn’t played since this game last year. He’s been on a few tours, guys have come in and jumped him. He’s been great around the group.”He works incredibly hard, and when he’s gone back to Shield cricket, he has dominated. He bowled exceptionally well in the first couple of Shield games this season. He bowls well out here, so he deserves a crack and hopefully goes really well.”Having secured the Ashes in the minimum three matches, Smith said he had not yet pushed the concept of 5-0 with his players, preferring to maintain the level of focus on the next game that had served Australia well in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. For all their success this summer, it should not be forgotten that this is still a young team with a spotty record – as of this match they remain the No. 5-ranked team in the world.”We’re obviously pretty confident, it’s been a good summer so far,” Smith said. “We’ve won back the urn, which was the objective at the start of the series. We’ve now got an opportunity to keep winning, that’s been my message to the boys: don’t worry about 5-0 at this stage, you’ve got to win this one first and keep winning games of cricket. Winning can become a habit. For us, it’s about staying in those good habits.”

Despite Glasgow Rangers conceding a late equaliser to draw 2-2 with PSV Eindhoven in their Champions League playoff qualifying round match in midweek, Michael Beale will surely take confidence from the performance.

A positive result in Eindhoven will secure a spot in the lucrative group stages of Europe’s elite competition for the second year in succession, yet Beale will be focusing on the tie against Ross County this afternoon.

A trip to Dingwall is never easy, but the Ibrox side know that three points is a must, even this early in the season in order to stay in touch with Celtic.

What is the Rangers team news vs Ross County?

With the Gers already playing six competitive matches before the end of August, Beale may make a few changes to his starting XI against County.

The 42-year-old did have some positive news regarding injuries however as he spoke to the press.

He said:

"Ridvan returned to training but won't make the squad for the weekend.

"Tom Lawrence and Roofe will both travel with the squad.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

"Lawrence and Roofe back in the squad is a big boost and both hopefully feature tomorrow."

This certainly gives the club plenty of options, especially from an attacking viewpoint and although the supporters may only see fleeting glimpses of both Lawrence and Roofe today, it’s a step in the right direction.

One player who must be given a start however is winger Rabbi Matondo, as he is showcasing the abilities which led Giovanni van Bronckhorst to shell out £2.5m for his services last summer.

How has Rabbi Matondo performed recently?

The Welsh winger didn’t quite light up Ibrox like many though he would last season, starting just 11 matches across all competitions for the Gers while registering just five assists in the process, and it looked as though Beale would ship him out during his summer rebuild.

The 22-year-old has worked hard over the summer however and following a 20-minute cameo where he grabbed an assist against Livingston, he was given a rare start against Greenock Morton in the League Cup.

He was arguably the finest player on the pitch, terrorising the defence with his pace and trickery while delivering quite a few dangerous balls into the box.

His performance led Rangers Review journalist Euan Robertson to laud him as a “bright spark” and more was to come against PSV.

Emerging from the bench with just over 20 minutes to go, Matondo finally began to demonstrate his vast talents as he got on the end of a stunning pass by Cyriel Dessers to put the Light Blues 2-1 ahead in the tie.

The former Schalke gem also succeeded with four of his five dribble attempts and won four of his six ground duels, showing that he was more than up for the challenge against the Dutch side and eager to impress.

Meanwhile, journalist Joshua Barrie even claimed that “Matondo continues his redemption arc” following his display, so Beale should have absolutely no worries about deploying him in the starting XI against County this afternoon.

Everton manager Sean Dyche has been tirelessly searching for a new strikeforce at Goodison Park this summer and could look to swoop on an outfit relegated from the Premier League…

Who do Everton want to sign?

As per multiple reports, Southampton winger Kamaldeen Sulemana is attracting the attention of the Toffees after impressing in spells for the Saints after completing a £22m transfer from French side Rennes in January.

BBC Sport confirmed last week that he has indeed been earmarked by the Merseyside outfit, eyeing up a loan deal after missing out on the Ghanaian six months ago.

And now, Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor has offered his insight into the situation for GIVEMESPORT, stating that completing a swoop for the 21-year-old would be a "very good" move.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

Taylor said: "I think they would be two very good signings [Sulemana and Wilfried Gnonto]. Ultimately, I think that's the kind of market they should be shopping in because they don't have the kind of cash that can really sign game-changing players.

"So I think they would be smart moves. I would like to see Everton do something like that in the market. I think their signings are a little bit predictable. Danjuma was a step in the right direction. I think they would be smart acquisitions."

How good is Kamaldeen Sulemana?

Sulemana did not transform the Southampton attack but he did add a new dimension and impressed with his "incredible speed" – as has been lauded by Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag – and directness down the flanks.

Having played 18 times in the Premier League, starting ten matches, Sulemana scored two goals and registered one assist, but it was not until the term's culminating match week that he truly exhibited the class that the south coast club hoped would catalyse their weary campaign.

In an enthralling 4-4 draw against Liverpool to end the season, with Southampton's fate already sealed, Sulemana utilised the freedom to dance sinuous lines around the Reds.

He netted twice and earned a stunning match rating of 8.7, also succeeding with two of his three dribbles, winning six of his nine duels and really just producing the all-encompassing display that the Saints hierarchy knew he was capable of.

He would bring a new threat to the Toffees attack, and a very different approach to that of Jack Harrison, who is a brand new arrival at Goodison Park side having also been relegated from the English top-flight this year, with Leeds United.

Where Sulemana utilises his blistering pace and dribbling ability (indeed, the £8k-per-week ace ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref) Harrison flourishes through his ball-playing skill and technicality.

Once described as "explosive" by former manager Jesse Marsch, Harrison scored six goals and supplied ten assists across all competitions last season and could use his creativity to provide Sulemana with a constant flow to latch onto – the likes of Alex Iwobi could also aid in this regard.

Truthfully, Everton's issue has long been scoring and last weekend's 1-0 home defeat against Fulham highlighted this issue, the Blues taking 19 shots to the Cottager's nine but failing to bypass Bernd Leno's net, and Sulemana would not bring the incisiveness to rain goals in abundance, that is a fact.

But the 5 foot 9 ace would be another layer to the attack, another string to the bow, and with Harrison alongside him Everton would creep closer to where they need to be.

Said to be a "brilliant player" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Sulemana and Harrison could wreak havoc in a manner that has not been seen on the blue half of Merseyside for some time, and the divergence from the offensive inefficacy that has plagued the club for several years now could well be set to take its leave ahead of an exciting new chapter for Everton.