Michael Beale described Rangers as the “most wasteful team” he has ever seen after Sunday’s 1-0 home win over Aberdeen.

On the day that Celtic retained the cinch Premiership title with a 2-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle, midfielder Todd Cantwell gave the Ibrox fans something to cheer about in the 65th minute with his fine volley from a James Tavernier corner.

Rangers had an experimental look to their side, partly due to injuries, but the Gers boss returned to a familiar theme as he bemoaned missed chances throughout the game.

“We had some good moments with the ball all day,” said the former QPR boss, who revealed defender Ben Davies came off with a hamstring problem which could make him a doubt for next week’s game against Celtic.

“Sometimes I feel that we are the most wasteful team in the final third that I have ever seen. We created unbelievable chances and didn’t take them.

“We suddenly face two 80-yard dashes to our own goal. On another day we could find ourselves behind.

“In the first 15 minutes of the second half we missed more unbelievable chances, and when the balls hit the bar I thought it wasn’t going to be our day.

“I know it was their player who got the last touch (when Aberdeen captain Jonny Hayes inadvertently smashed a Rabbi Matondo cut-back against his own crossbar) but we have two or three players there.

“It is not unlucky when we are missing these chances. After a while it has to be poor play or poor final pass, movement, decision-making.

“It has happened in every single day since I came back to the club – we have missed incredible chances.”

Asked if the current squad could provide answers or if new attackers were required, Beale appeared unhappy with the contribution of substitute Alfredo Morelos, who is leaving at the end of the season.

The Colombia striker came off the bench with Scott Arfield, Glen Kamara and Scott Wright just after Cantwell’s goal.

Beale said: “I think you saw a difference when Alfredo came on in terms of energy but not a positive difference as well.

“I think we will need a focal point for the team, for sure.

“Antonio Colak is not fit at the moment and Alfredo is obviously going to be moving on.

“Fashion (Sakala) and Rabbi (Matondo) gave us a different type of front line and it was also nice to see Ianis Hagi get some minutes.

“Throughout the game we had some passages of really good play but we have to be more decisive if we want to feel at ease at the end of the game.”

It was a first defeat in eight for Aberdeen, who remain in third place, five points ahead of Hearts.

Manager Barry Robson revealed that Ross McCrorie, twin brother of Rangers goalkeeper Robby, missed the game with a hernia injury, saying: “He had surgery, we hope to have him back pretty quick.”

Robson was also unhappy with his side’s finishing, especially the two chances Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes  missed in the first half – a shot saved by McCrorie before he chipped the ball over the bar when again he only had the Gers keeper to beat.

He said: “First half we should have scored a couple of goals. We had two brilliant chances to get a couple of goals up on Rangers.

“You need to take them wherever you are, not just coming here. But it’s probably more important to take them here.

“You have those two unbelievable chances in the first half – they don’t come much better than one-on-one chances.”

Robson also complained about a first-half incident when Gers defender Connor Goldson tangled with Duk at the edge of the box, with referee John Beaton awarding only a corner.

He said: “And then obviously the first half, is it a penalty or a free-kick outside as well? I don’t know.

“It was one or the other. Where was VAR? Anyone see it? Where was it? I don’t know. Was it in the building today? I am being serious.”

Martin Odegaard helped to keep alive Arsenal’s fading Premier League title hopes as they came through the sternest of tests to dent Newcastle’s bid for Champions League football.

The Norway international’s 14th-minute strike, his fifth goal in as many games, coupled with Fabian Schar’s unfortunate own goal, secured a priceless 2-0 victory at St James’ Park and dragged the Gunners back to within a point of Manchester City, although the leaders still have a game in hand.

That a full-blooded encounter yielded just two goals was testament to the excellence of England goalkeepers Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale, who each made a string of fine saves, although both needed the help of the woodwork, in the latter’s case on two occasions.

For the Magpies, who saw an early penalty decision in their favour overturned, a fifth defeat of the campaign left them looking over their shoulders with Liverpool and Brighton pushing hard in the race for a top-four finish.

Having laboured out of the blocks against Southampton seven days earlier, they knew they could not afford a repeat and with strikers Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak starting together for the first time, they went for the Gunners from the off.

Jacob Murphy was unfortunate to see a second-minute shot come back off the foot of a post after he had cut inside from Joe Willock’s cross with Ramsdale beaten, and it took a solid block by Ben White to repel Isak’s attempt seconds later.

Arsenal were rocking and looked to be in trouble when referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot after defender Jakub Kiwior appeared to block Bruno Guimaraes’ shot with his hand, only for the official to change his mind after being advised to review the incident.

The locals among a crowd of 52,267 were still voicing their discontent when Odegaard was given time and space on the edge of the box to fire a left-foot drive past the helpless Pope to give the visitors the lead against the run of play.

However, the Gunners grew into the game and Pope had to save from Gabriel Martinelli and Odegaard in quick succession and then denied Bukayo Saka one-on-one after he had been played in by Granit Xhaka.

Ramsdale had to save from Willock after he had run on to Wilson’s clever ball around the corner as the game continued at frenetic pace with the Magpies redoubling their efforts.

Martinelli fired across the face of goal and Pope denied Odegaard with his feet deep into stoppage time at the end of an increasingly fractious opening 45 minutes.

Ramsdale had to come to the visitors’ rescue once again within four minutes of the restart when, after Isak’s header had hit a post, he clawed away Schar’s attempt, but it was Pope who was grateful for the woodwork as Martinelli saw his 51st-minute shot thump against the bar.

There was no let-up in the breathless pace of the game as play switched rapidly from end to end, although Guimaraes failed to extend Ramsdale after being set up by Joelinton with 27 minutes remaining.

The Gunners nudged themselves further ahead 19 minutes from time when Martinelli’s driven cross ricocheted past Pope off Schar and into the net.

A deflated Newcastle fought all the way to the whistle for a way back into the game with Ramsdale tipping away substitute Allan Saint-Maximin’s raking stoppage-time strike, but Arsenal held impressively firm to see out time.

Celtic captain Callum McGregor believes his team can continue to improve after retaining the cinch Premiership title in style.

The Hoops wrapped up their 11th title in 12 years with four games remaining thanks to a 2-0 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle.

The champions have only lost once in the league, against St Mirren in September, and can set a top-flight points record of 107 if they win their remaining matches.

Midfielder McGregor told Sky Sports: “I think there’s the makings of a really special team.

“You see when the going gets tough you have to fight the game out a little bit, like we had to do first half. So we have got that side of it, which you need to have if you want to be champions.

“And you see at the end there with the quality we could probably score another two or three goals.”

When asked if they could get even better, the 29-year-old said: “We are certainly on the right track but we have to keep on working.

“You can see it, you can see it – a lot of young players. You get over the line and you get more experience. You want to do it again the following season and you want to do it in a better style.

“I believe we have done that this season and there is always more to come.”

McGregor has won four out of five domestic trophies so far as skipper and can lead the team to the treble when they face Championship side Inverness in the Scottish Cup final on June 3.

“It’s a dream come true for me, it’s such a privilege, every day that I come into my work and represent this club, represent these guys,” he said. “It’s an absolute pleasure.

“At the start of the season this is always what the club wants, it demands success. Over a period of 38 games you have to be the best team and the best team will win the league.

“I’m so happy for the players, the staff, the supporters, everybody connected with the club. A really special day again.”

Karim Adeyemi and Jude Bellingham starred as Borussia Dortmund maintained the pressure on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich with a commanding 6-0 victory over Wolfsburg.

Adeyemi struck twice and provided an assist for Sebastien Haller, though a missed penalty denied him a hat-trick at Signal Iduna Park.

Bellingham joined Adeyemi in grabbing his brace while Donyell Malen completed the scoring, moving Dortmund to within a point of Bayern following their 10th straight home league win.

Meanwhile, seventh-placed Wolfsburg suffered only their second defeat in 10 games as they missed the opportunity to climb into the top six.

Dortmund broke through in the 14th minute when the unmarked Adeyemi headed in Julian Ryerson's deflected cross.

After Patrick Wimmer and Jakub Kaminski were denied in quick succession, the hosts doubled their lead as Adeyemi turned provider with an inviting cross for Haller to tuck away inside the six-yard box.

Dortmund made it 3-0 eight minutes before the break, Julian Brandt springing the offside trap before squaring for Malen to slot into the empty net.

Bellingham got in on the act nine minutes after the restart. The England midfielder embarked on a strong run individual run before his powerful 25-yard strike was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Koen Casteels, only for the looping ball to spin back over the line.

Adeyemi grabbed his second soon after, sliding into the empty net after Haller intercepted Sebastiaan Bornauw's loose back pass and put the ball on a plate for his team-mate.

But the winger was unable to complete his hat-trick from the penalty spot on 65 minutes, blazing over after Kilian Fischer felled Bellingham. 

Nevertheless, Dortmund did get their sixth goal four minutes from time, Brandt neatly flicking a long ball into the path of Bellingham, who made no mistake from close range.

Miami Grand Prix bosses are in talks with Formula One about staging the race at night.

The event which runs round the Hard Rock Stadium – home of NFL’s Miami Dolphins – joined the calendar last season on a 10-year deal.

Sunday’s race is the first of three to be staged in the United States this year, with a debut event on the Las Vegas strip in November, while Austin’s grand prix at the Circuit of the Americas has been a permanent fixture on the F1 schedule since 2012.

The round in Vegas will take place under lights, and Miami Dolphins chief executive Tom Garfinkel revealed on Sunday that his race could transform to a night event.

“We have had some discussions about a night race and potentially doing that and what it would look like,” said Garfinkel.

“There are a lot of factors that go into that with F1 and television so we have to weigh all those things up, but we are certainly open-minded.”

The race in Florida is set to be sprinkled with stardust. Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, actor Vin Diesel, singer Shakira, former Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero, influencer-boxer Jake Paul, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, and tennis greats Serena Williams and Roger Federer are just some of the names on Sunday’s glitzy guestlist.

“The celebrity attendance is pretty remarkable,” added Garfinkel. “It shows the relevance of Formula One and how popular the sport is right now.

“The sort of wealth, CEO and celebrity factor, is like nothing I have ever seen at another sporting event.”

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou hailed his title-winning squad for showing the hunger to be even better in their second season together and setting “ridiculous” standards.

The Hoops retained the cinch Premiership title thanks to a 2-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle.

Second-half goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Oh Hyeon-gyu kept Celtic on track to set a new top-flight Scottish points record of 107 points if they win their remaining four games.

Postecoglou, whose side have only lost to St Mirren, Real Madrid and RB Leipzig this season, said: “After the success of last year, you wonder, it’s still a young group, is the hunger going to be there, are they going to be as motivated?

“From the first day of pre-season they came back, they wanted to be a better team, they wanted to be a stronger team.

“I just think they have maintained a ridiculous standard this year of performance, results, it’s just been incredible.

“I have rarely had to intervene at any stage to get them back on track. I have had the easiest job in the world in terms of allowing these guys to drive how good they want to be, players and staff. I am just super proud.”

Celtic regained the title against the odds last season after a major squad rebuild and Postecoglou immediately set his players the challenge of improving as they celebrated their success in May last year.

“I don’t know if it feels more special but it makes me immensely proud that the group embraced that, because it would have been very easy after winning it last year and me throwing some words out there that we are going to be stronger and better and bigger and all those kind of things,” he said.

“But I purposely did that to throw out a challenge to the lads that we have got to be a better team.

“I thought we needed to be a better team this year if we were going to defend our title because, particularly knowing we were going to be in the Champions League, you shouldn’t under-estimate the physical and mental toll that playing Champions League takes out of you.

“Through that time our league form was outstanding and that’s because the whole group were prepared to drive through that time that our main goal of being champions again was never going to be derailed.

“I am immensely proud the lads took on that mantra of being better than we were last year, not resting on our laurels, not being comfortable, and again the standard they have set has been unbelievable.”

The 57-year-old admitted he was emotional during the post-match celebrations.

“I am because you put a lot into it,” he said. “I realise I am doing what I live and I am pretty good at it but it doesn’t happen in isolation.

“The people around you, whether it’s my family, my wife and kids, my friends, and the support I have had inside and outside the football club, you want to pay that back as well.

“It’s not just about having success, it’s a little bit of giving back to all those people who are prepared to support me on a daily basis to do what I do.

“Everything you do is hard-earned. All the sacrifices people make and the commitment and support they give me, it makes you emotional to think about.”

Jonathan Milan won stage two of the Giro d’Italia in a reduced sprint after a late crash ruled out Mark Cavendish and cost Tao Geoghegan Hart valuable time in the general classification.

This flat stage would have been one of the ones circled by Cavendish as he seeks his first win for Astana-Qazaqstan, but the Manxman hit the deck in the aftermath of a collision just under four kilometres from the line that left several riders counting the cost.

Chief among them was 2020 Giro winner Geoghegan Hart, with the Londoner held up to concede 19 seconds and fall from fourth to eighth overall, now 59 seconds behind leader Remco Evenepoel.

Amid the chaos, the 22-year-old Milan came around Kaden Groves to win comfortably from David Dekker on the seafront in San Salvo, taking his first Grand Tour stage win and doing it in his home race at the first attempt.

Evenepoel stayed safe in the pink jersey and retains his 22-second lead over Filippo Ganna at the end of the 202km stage from Teramo. Joao Almeida remains third at 29 seconds down, but Geoghegan Hart is now four seconds behind Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Geraint Thomas, who managed to avoid the trouble.

So much focus had been on a tight roundabout just before the final straight, but before that even came into view several riders went down on a narrow section of road.

Pascal Ackermann appeared to be pushed to his right and into the path of the Trek-Segafredo lead-out train with inevitable results.

Cavendish was behind the initial incident but was then struck from behind as riders struggled to slow, although his team was quick to say he was unhurt.

In his podium interview, Evenepoel was pointed in his remarks on the stage-defining incident.

“We were in front so we were out of trouble, but of course it was a pretty nasty crash,” the Soudal-QuickStep rider said. “I think I actually saw it happen and we know who we can blame for the crash but that’s racing. It wasn’t a nice move but luckily we stayed out of trouble and arrived safely.”

While the recriminations began, Bahrain-Victorious rider Milan celebrated a breakthrough moment.

“I am without words,” the Italian said. “I cannot believe it. My first Giro, the second stage. Yesterday I did a nice time trial, I was quite happy with my result and I was pushing good but I could never imagine that today a victory was coming.”

Although Cavendish was out of the running, there was one Brit in the top 10 as Jake Stewart sprinted to ninth for Groupama-FDJ.

The race continues with a 213km stage from Vasto to Melfi on Monday.

Todd Cantwell’s terrific second-half volley was enough to give Rangers a 1-0 cinch Premiership win over Aberdeen at Ibrox.

On the day Celtic retained the league title with a 2-0 win over Hearts at Tynecastle, the former Norwich midfielder gave the home fans something to cheer about in the 65th minute with a fine finish from a James Tavernier corner.

Barry Robson’s rejuvenated Dons beat Rangers 2-0 at Pittodrie two weeks ago in the last game before the split and they had their chances again but it turned out to be a first defeat in eight for the third-placed visitors.

Michael Beale’s side had lost three out of their last four, including a Scottish Cup semi-final loss to Celtic at Hampden Park last Sunday, so will welcome a return to winning ways, albeit via a patchy performance.

The fall-out from the Celtic defeat put pressure on the Gers boss, who has not beaten the Hoops in four attempts since taking over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst in November.

With Malik Tillman, Ryan Kent and Borna Barisic out injured, some of the changes the former QPR boss had promised were enforced.

Ridvan Yilmaz came in at left-back and there was a new front three of Ianis Hagi, Fashion Sakala and Rabbi Matondo.

Veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor dropped out the squad altogether to be replaced by Robby McCrorie, playing for the first time since a 1-0 win over Celtic in August 2021.

Dons right-back Hayden Coulson took over from Ross McCrorie, twin brother of the Rangers keeper, with the firepower coming in the shape of attackers Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes and Bojan Miovski, who have scored 18 goals apiece for Aberdeen so far this season.

Rangers made a bright start, with Cantwell twice going close from decent drives.

McCrorie showed his worth in the 27th minute when, after Sakala lost possession, Miovski broke clear of the Gers defence and squared to Duk inside the box but the home keeper blocked the angled drive for a corner which came to nothing.

In the 34th minute, Connor Goldson grappled with Duk at the edge of Rangers penalty area but only a corner was given, perhaps fortunately for the Light Blues defender.

Rangers stepped up the pressure and Aberdeen keeper Kelle Roos saved a Hagi header under pressure from Sakala before making a great block from the Zambia international’s close-range drive, then saving a Tavernier shot just before the break.

Amid all that, Duk escaped the Gers defence only to chip the ball over the bar from the edge of the box with only McCrorie to beat.

Rangers, with John Souttar replacing injured centre-back Ben Davies just before the interval, went close at the start of the second half when Aberdeen captain Jonny Hayes inadvertently smashed a Matondo cut-back against his own crossbar.

Sakala had the ball in the net in the 51st minute but was ruled offside before McCrorie tipped a Mattie Pollock header over the bar following a Dons corner.

However, Rangers eventually forged ahead when Cantwell dropped off to the back of the penalty area to volley Tavernier’s deep corner low into the corner of the net, with Hayes on the line but appearing to think the ball was going wide.

Beale immediately brought on Alfredo Morelos, Scott Arfield, Glen Kamara and Scott Wright for Hagi, Sakala, Matondo and Raskin and the final stages were suitably disjointed.

Aberdeen went all out for the leveller and in the 83rd minute McCrorie again blocked a shot from substitute Shayden Morris with his foot as Rangers saw the game out.

Poland’s Adrian Meronk breathed a sigh of relief after winning the DS Automobiles Open to boost his chances of securing a Ryder Cup debut.

Meronk held his nerve on the closing stretch to withstand the challenge of French pair Romain Langasque and Julien Guerrier at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club, which will host the Ryder Cup later this year.

Two birdies in the last three holes gave Meronk a final round of 69 and winning total of 13 under par, with Langasque a shot behind and 54-hole leader Guerrier another two strokes back.

“It’s such a relief to be honest,” Meronk told Sky Sports after claiming his third DP World Tour title.

“It was a tough day today. I didn’t play as good as previous days off the tee and tee to green so had to scramble a little bit, but super happy to come out on top and very proud of myself.”

Meronk’s victory lifted him to fifth in the European Points List and within 100 points of an automatic qualifying place for Luke Donald’s team as he bids to become the first Polish player to feature in the Ryder Cup.

“I think it’s a solid statement, a solid brick into the wall but it’s not over yet, I know that,” Meronk said.

“It’s still a lot of time but I’m super excited. It’s one of my big goals this year and it would mean a lot to me. I will keep pushing, keep doing what I can to get on that team but I think (today) should help a little bit.”

Guerrier took a one-shot lead into the final round but bogeyed the first two holes as Meronk and Langasque emerged as the most likely winners on a testing day.

Meronk gained a crucial advantage with his fifth birdie of the day on the short 16th before holing from 15 feet for par on the next as Langasque fell two behind with a bogey on 16.

Langasque bounced back superbly by chipping in for birdie on the 17th but, in the group ahead, Meronk two-putted from 75 feet for a closing birdie to effectively seal the win.

Former world eventing champion Ros Canter is within touching distance of a first Badminton Horse Trials title after she conquered punishing cross-country conditions to take pole position.

Lincolnshire-based Canter flourished with Lordships Graffalo – Badminton runners-up behind Laura Collett last year – on a day when many combinations floundered.

Double Olympic medallist Tom McEwen described the stamina-sapping going as “horrific”, and none of the starters threatened to jump clear inside the optimum time.

Canter collected 11.6 time penalties for an overnight score of 33.7, putting her nine penalties clear of Irish challenger Austin O’Connor and Colorado Blue, with McEwen’s Olympic team gold medal-winning colleague Oliver Townend third aboard Ballaghmor Class on 45.9.

Canter, who won the world crown in North Carolina five years ago, can afford to have two fences down in Monday’s showjumping finale and still land the £105,000 top prize.

Thirty combinations completed the cross-country test, with almost half the field either being eliminated or deciding to retire.

“It felt hard work in terms of galloping,” 37-year-old Canter said.

“He had to dig deep, but he is so honest and is a fantastic jumper. He is economical with his jumping, and you can’t get much better.

“A horse like him should be celebrated – I have not sat on anything like him before. Tomorrow is another day, but whatever happens, he is a star.”

O’Connor rocketed 32 places up the leaderboard after dressage, adding just 10.8 penalties to his score in pursuit of a crown that has not been won by an Irish rider since Major Eddie Boylan in 1965.

Cork-born O’Connor, who is based in Oxfordshire, said: “The horse was amazing. He is the real deal.

“It was the hardest he has had to try in a five-star event, but he is full of class. I’ve got a great team at home and they have kept him very fit.

“He is one of the best horses in the world, and I am a lot older than I look! I have ridden a lot of cross-country courses in the wet before.”

McEwen, meanwhile, lies fifth on Toledo De Kerser, just behind world number one Tim Price, with Gemma Stevens in sixth and Canter holding seventh spot aboard her second ride Pencos Crown Jewel.

Lewis Hamilton has been warned by former rival Felipe Massa that it will be a gamble to leave Mercedes.

Hamilton’s contract with the Silver Arrows is up for renewal at the end of the year.

It is expected that the 38-year-old will extend his stay with the team which has carried him to six of his record-equalling seven world championships.

However, Mercedes’ indifferent start to the new campaign has led some to question as to whether Hamilton could shop around, with Ferrari a possible destination.

Speaking ahead of Sunday’s race at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, team principal Toto Wolff described Hamilton’s unruly Mercedes as “a nasty piece of work”.

But Massa, who was at the Italian team for eight seasons and lost out to Hamilton by a single championship point in 2008, said: “Anything is possible, but I have doubts that it will happen.

“The relationship Lewis has with Mercedes is strong and to change that for Ferrari he would need to be sure what he is going to get.

“Ferrari have not proved they have the car to win the championship. Going there would be a bit of a gamble. If he cannot go to Red Bull, which is impossible with Max [Verstappen] there, I would stay at Mercedes.”

Hamilton will be 39 in January but the Briton appears determined to win a record eighth title.

In Miami, he even raised the prospect of racing into his fifties.

Massa, 42, who retired from the sport in 2017, said: “When I go to run I suffer more than when I was 30 or 25.

“The age will come to Lewis but he still has some years in front of him and you see what Fernando [Alonso, 41] is doing at Aston Martin. Lewis just doesn’t have the car, but maybe that will change.”

Mohamed Salah’s 100th goal at Anfield – among other achievements – grabbed the headlines but Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk believes goalkeeper Alisson Becker is more than worthy of similar recognition.

Salah’s solitary strike secured a sixth successive Premier League victory to maintain the Reds’ unlikely push for the Champions League but the 1-0 win was only possible because Alisson brought up a century of clean sheets in the game.

In a disappointing season Alisson has been the club’s most consistent player, even taking into account Salah reaching 30 goals for the campaign for the fourth time in six years.

Van Dijk, who has not been immune from the struggles which have affected the whole side, recognises that.

“He’s an example for a lot of players, especially goalkeepers. I’m very glad that he’s my goalkeeper and we have been very successful,” said the Netherlands captain.

“Obviously on the pitch his qualities are there for everyone to see – his contribution, the saves, the leadership, that’s all very important – but away from the pitch is just as important, the qualities he has.

“He is a big, big leader in the group and someone a lot of players look up to.

“Obviously this (100 clean sheets) is for him a big moment and hopefully there are many more to come.”

Liverpool, who are in talks with former Wolfsburg sporting director Jorg Schmadtke to replace the departing Julian Ward, recorded back-to-back Premier League clean sheets for the first time in two months – when they had three in a row – and only the fifth occasion in the whole campaign.

Much of that poor record has been down to how the team defends and not Alisson’s performances, which have been generally better than the rest of the squad overall.

Van Dijk accepts those failings but believes they have finally started to iron out their issues.

“He is the one who has the highest risk factor in the team as well, if he makes a mistake then it’s a goal,” he added.

“It’s the whole doing it together type of feeling that we feel we have. That’s the basis.

“He would probably say that without the boys in front of him and the midfielders and strikers doing their work, this (100 clean sheets) would not be possible. Everyone is part of it, but he should definitely be proud of it.

“The last couple of games, the commitment we have shown and the reaction when we lost the ball is very important.

“It’s important to get the ball back, win challenges, and while there’s still room for improvement, winning six games in a row is something that has been unheard of this season.

“But let’s just keep going and enjoy the moment and take it into next season.”

Van Dijk could not, however, fail to recognise the enduring excellence of Salah, who has drawn level with Steven Gerrard as the club’s joint-fifth all-time goalscorer on 186.

It is the Egypt international’s relentlessness which sets him apart from most of his contemporaries, having been available for a remarkable 97 per cent of all Premier League and Champions League matches since he joined the club in 2017.

“He is doing it consistently, even when we are struggling he has still found a way to be important for the team,” said the Dutchman.

“Being consistent every three or four days, obviously you can have games where you don’t score but you can reach that level, and also staying fit that’s the most difficult thing to do.

“People don’t really speak about those kind of things too much, but maybe we should. On top of that, his numbers speak for themselves. In the world we live in nowadays, maybe the respect comes after he has stopped playing.

“But I don’t think he cares about that anyway. He just wants to keep doing what he’s doing and be important for the club. That’s the main thing.”

Brentford’s bid for European football appears to be fading after just two wins in the last nine matches.

“You need to perform almost perfectly against these top-six sides,” said head coach Thomas Frank.

“We are definitely getting closer, we’ve shown that in the performances and the wins we’ve had so far this season, but you need to be almost perfect to get a point or to win and, unfortunately, we were not quite perfect, but we were close.”

Andy Murray claimed his first title since October 2019 with victory at the ATP Challenger event in Aix-en-Provence.

The Scot, playing with a metal hip, has not been in the winners’ circle since triumphing in Antwerp three and a half years ago and, although this is a second-tier tournament, he will take great pride in this confidence-boosting success ahead of the French Open.

Having breezed past lowly ranked French players on his run to the final, the standard was lifted and he came good, beating world number 17 Tommy Paul 2-6 6-1 6-2 to lift the title.

In doing so he ensures his return to the top 50 of the rankings and a first Challenger Tour level win for 18 years.

It looked like it might slip away after a poor start that saw him lose the first four games of the match to hand Paul, an Australian Open semi-finalist earlier this year, the advantage.

The 25-year-old American coasted to the first set, but that was as good as it got as Murray came to the fore.

He turned the tables by winning the first five games of the second set, including two breaks of serve, and soon levelled up.

Murray, eight days before his 36th birthday, broke in the opening game of the decider and did not look back as a second break consolidated his lead, allowing him to seal a memorable title.

The Scot only took a late wild card into the tournament following an early exit from the ATP Tour event in Madrid and will now decide whether to go Rome or rest and prepare for the French Open, which begins on May 22.