Brendan Rodgers was pleased with Celtic’s determination after coming from behind to draw 1-1 with Club Brugge in the Champions League.
The Scottish side conceded first through a bizarre Cameron Carter-Vickers own goal in the 26th minute, before Daizen Maeda restored parity in the 60th minute in what Rodgers described as a “game of two halves”.
Celtic now sit 20th in the league phase of the Champions League on eight points. It leaves them just short of the 10-point target that should be enough to guarantee qualification for the knockout phase play-off round.
Despite failing to hit that mark at Celtic Park against Club Brugge, Rodgers was encouraged by the resilience shown by his side.
"First half not so good, second half much better. You obviously want to win every game, but first half we were very passive in our pressing and you could see they are a good side,” he told TNT Sports.
"Second half, we adjusted a couple of things and we had a much better press, which allowed us to sustain attacks.
"It's a brilliant finish from Daizen. We were much more courageous in the second half.
"So, so pleased with the second half. We kept going, showed determination right to the end. It's a really good point against a good side and we'll take that into our next game.
"We're still in a really good place. We're still well on track [to get into the play-off stage]."
Celtic have three games left to play, with their next test coming away at Dinamo Zagreb before they welcome Young Boys to Celtic Park in the new year and round off the league phase with a trip to Aston Villa.
They are undefeated in their last three games in the Champions League. Their last joint-longest unbeaten streak was from 10 December 2008 to 2 October 2012, leaving Rodgers confident about their prospects.
“We're on eight points, nine to play for. We can still get to very much on course to get to where we want to get to. And, yes, still three games to go,” he added.
“Tonight was always going to be a really, really dangerous game because on the back of the Leipzig and Atalanta results, people will look at Club Brugge and think we should definitely win that. But this is a team that's more experienced than us at this level.”
The second match of the Global Super League (GSL) saw a thrilling encounter between Hampshire Hawks and Rangpur Riders in Providence, Guyana. Both sides finished their 20 overs on 132 runs apiece and had to be split by the tournament’s first Super Over. The Hawks eventually prospered with one ball to spare, a Liam Dawson smear for six seeing them snatch the points at the last.
Hawks captain Chris Wood took it upon himself to bowl the all-important six balls for the English side, Khushdil Shah opened the shoulders to deposit him down the ground for six but was also run out off the final delivery attempting a third run. The Riders posting 12-1 off their Super Over to leave the Hawks needing 13 to take the spoils.
In response, James Fuller pinged Zak Chappell’s first ball for six over the leg side before the bowler struck back with a slower short ball that Fuller could only club straight up in the air for the bowler to take a simple return catch. With the pressure ramped up and the crowd and both dugouts watching on nervously, Hampshire stalwart Dawson stepped up to seal the win.
Earlier, Wood won the toss and chose to bat first. Shan Masood was the star with the bat in hand for Hampshire as he scored 56 off 41 balls to see that a competitive total of 132 was posted. Masood’s knock was the first half century of the competition and he played shots all around the ground, bringing up his fifty with an audacious reverse hit. The innings would see him scoop the Player of the Match award at the end of the evening.
Masood eventually departed the scene in the final over of Hampshire’s innings, one of five wickers to fall to muscular seamer Chappell. Chappell had an impressive night, bustling in and extracting to some zip out of the Providence surface, picking up both Tom Prest and Joe Weatherley in the fourth over of the match and then cleaning up the Hampshire batting card in the 19th with the removal of Danny Briggs and Sonny Baker in the consecutive deliveries to snuff out the innings.
His impressive figures 5-23 marked a career best but it was a cruel end to the match for him as his batters couldn’t get the job done, failing to get over the line with only 13 runs needed and 18 deliveries in which to get them. The tied score meaning that Chappell was called up to bowl one last over, with fateful consequences.
Rodri has raised expectations for his injury return as he aims to be back on the pitch for Manchester City before the end of the season.
The Ballon d’Or winner suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury during City’s 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal, leading manager Pep Guardiola to state he would not play again this season.
City are undefeated with Rodri in the Premier League since the start of last season, but have only won half of the 14 matches he has not featured in during the same period, losing six (W7 D1).
The Spanish midfielder is understandably keen to get back quickly but still faces a substantial period of recovery before then.
"My target is to come back this season," Rodri told The Rest is Football podcast.
"I think in terms of my mentality, it’s going to be positive for me to not give up the season and throw it.
"I don’t know when ... my target is six, seven months, but the physios, they will dictate."
Alongside a run of six games without a win in all competitions, City have conceded two or more goals in six successive matches for the first time since May 1963 – during a season in which they were relegated from the top flight.
The reigning champions will look to dent an eight-point gap to league leaders Liverpool when they play them in the Premier League on Sunday.
Borussia Dortmund head coach Nuri Sahin was delighted with his side's 3-0 victory away to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The result was Dortmund's first away victory in seven matches in all competitions and left them fourth in the 36-team Champions League table, three points behind leaders Liverpool.
"To win away from home is something that feels great," Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin told a press conference.
"It is important for the table, for our morale. It was not an easy game but we let the ball roll and after the 1-0 we became even more dominant. Now we need to keep working."
Dortmund dominated the match against Dinamo, registering an xG of 1.75 compared to the hosts' 0.13, while they also had over 70% of the ball and 17 shots compared to five.
Sahin was pleased with the way his side managed to break down stubborn opposition, who sat deep during the game.
“We have played two really good matches now and we remained patient today against a very deep opponent. The players kept their positions, moved the ball well and deserved it," he said.
"Deep defence was not the big problem, rather it was related to the field. If we had been on good grass, we would have had more chances."
Dortmund have now won four of their last five matches in all competitions and will hope to take that form into their match against Bayern Munich on Saturday.
Sahin, though, did not want to shift focus too quickly from what was a pleasing night.
"I look forward to that game [against Bayern] but I want to enjoy the evening tonight with my boys and from Thursday the focus will be on Bayern," he said.
England spinner Shoaib Bashir took four wickets as the tourists kept New Zealand in check on the first day of the first Test at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
The tourists won the toss and elected to field on a green surface, but faced a difficult task with an inspired Kane Williamson (93) top-scoring for the hosts as they finished on 319-8.
It was New Zealand who had the better of the play in the opening two sessions of the day, coming out after tea on 227-4.
But Williamson's wicket, caught off Gus Atkinson, triggered a wobble for the Kiwis, which saw three wickets fall for just 25 runs.
Bashir's deliveries then saw Tom Blundell (17) caught in the off-side and Nathan Smith (three) at leg slip. He also ended a 46-run stand between Glenn Phillips (41*) and Matt Henry (18), with the latter caught, as he added to his earlier wicket of Rachin Ravindra (34).
Frustratingly for England, Phillips had initially been dropped by captain Ben Stokes on a duck and also successfully overturned a dismissal.
But this was a day to celebrate for Bashir, who accredited those above him for his level of performance.
"I wasn't expecting to bowl 20-odd overs and take four wickets on day one, but I knew I had a job to do. Stokesy and Baz [head coach Brendon McCullum] back me 100 per cent and that brings the best out in me," he told Sky Sports
"If I bowl a bad ball there's nothing really, Ben just looks at me and smiles. Even that just gives me so much belief, because I know I can still bowl my best ball. All I was thinking about was trying to take a wicket or create an opportunity.
"I'm not perfect, every day I feel I could play better. But I feel I've developed bowling at some of the best in the world."
Data debrief: Bashir scales new heights
Only Indian bowlers Jasprit Bumrah (49) and Ravichandran Ashwin (46) have more wickets than the 45 that Bashir has claimed this year.
Having been elevated above Jack Leach as England's first-choice spinner, he has bowled 2,745 Test deliveries in 2024 – over 500 more than the next-busiest bowler in Sri Lanka's Prabath Jayasuriya.
Following his performance on day one in Christchurch, he is just one wicket away from becoming the only spin bowler to ever claim a five-wicket haul at the Hagley Oval.
Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder hailed Trae Young's remarkable display against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Young tallied up a career-best 22 assists, the most of any player in a single NBA game this season, and finished with 20 points as the Hawks beat Cleveland 135-124 on Wednesday.
The Hawks, propelled by Young, came back from an early 19-point deficit to inflict just a second defeat of the season on the Cavs.
Young also nailed a 39-foot 3-pointer in the final two minutes, with Atlanta ending a three-game losing streak.
"He threw himself into the game," Snyder said of Young.
"The biggest thing is he just moved the ball, and he forced guys to run. He gave guys opportunities in the open court, and he trusted his teammates.
"I really liked the way we and he reacted to being down.
"Just keeping his poise, that's always been a point of emphasis with Trae."
Young leads the NBA with 225 assists this season, 52 more than any other player and an average of 12.5 per game.
It was not a perfect performance from Young, whose giveaway led to the Cavs pulling within four points at one stage in the fourth, though he made amends with his long-range 3-pointer.
"I couldn't let my team down twice in a row, so I had to make the play," Young said.
"I think when I got the ball back I still had 10 seconds left, so I had a little time to make a play and that's what happened."
Carlo Ancelotti insists Kylian Mbappe simply needs time and support to settle in at Real Madrid.
Mbappe turned in another subdued and under-par display as Madrid lost 2-0 to in-form Liverpool at Anfield on Wednesday.
The France star missed a penalty in the second half, and had just one other shot as Los Blancos were ultimately well beaten.
It has been a poor start to Mbappe's Madrid career by the 25-year-old's remarkable standards, but Ancelotti is willing to show him the love.
"It's a difficult moment for him, we've got to support him and give him our love, he'll soon be fine," Ancelotti said.
"It could be a lack of confidence maybe. Sometimes you have moments when things aren’t quite working out for you. But you get through these moments.
"People miss penalties, it happens a lot. You can't put too much grief on him for that.
"He works hard, he's got to keep working hard and fighting. You get through these moments. Things just aren't running for him at the moment.
"We've got be patient. He's an extraordinary player."
Mbappe has scored nine goals across all competitions for Madrid this season, underperforming his 12.7 expected goals (xG).
His performance summed up a disjointed display from Los Blancos, as they became the first reigning Champions League winners to lose three games in the group stage after winning the title.
"I think that to be totally honest with you, it was a fair result," Ancelotti added, having seen his side accumulate just 0.4 xG from open play at Anfield, where goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Cody Gakpo saw Liverpool make it five wins from five in Europe under Arne Slot.
"[Liverpool] have a really good dynamic at the moment, they are switched on, they play with a high intensity."
Even though Madrid are 24th in the 36-team league, and in danger of missing out on the knockout phase, Ancelotti was confident their form would pick up sufficiently.
"I think this game wasn't a decisive game," he said. "We'll be there, we’ll be competing in the knockout phase, like in previous years."
Mikel Arteta urged Arsenal to find consistency ahead of their Premier League trip to West Ham on Saturday.
The Gunners produced one of their best performances of the season in a 5-1 thrashing of Sporting CP on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Arteta knows the challenge will be to continue that form in England's top division, where they sit fourth – trailing leaders Liverpool by some nine points.
"That's what we need to do. We need to find consistency," the Arsenal manager said. "You want to be challenging for the big things? You have to be consistent.
"Win and win again. [Sporting] was a very different game but we reacted really well, let's move on now."
West Ham delivered their best result of this campaign, too, in their last outing after a 2-0 away victory over Newcastle United on Monday.
That victory lifted the Hammers up to 14th in the table and somewhat eased the mounting pressure on Julen Lopetegui, who will be suspended on Saturday due to an accumulation of bookings this season.
"The only thing in our control is to play football, attack and defend well, and combine play better," Lopetegui said of the Newcastle win.
"We continue with this mentality. I am happy for the players because they can see we can do well as a team. I am happy for them."
On his ban, he added: "I am not happy. But more importantly, the players will be on the pitch. A win is always important. It shows we can compete and trust in ourselves."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
West Ham – Tomas Soucek
No player has scored more Premier League goals for West Ham this season than Tomas Soucek (three), who formed a dominant midfield duo with Carlos Soler on Monday at Newcastle.
Indeed, 17 of his last 18 strikes for the Hammers have either put them one goal ahead (12) or drawn them level (5) in the match.
Arsenal – Bukayo Saka
Only Mohamed Salah (16) has been involved in more Premier League goals this season than Arsenal’s in-form Bukayo Saka (12 – four goals, eight assists).
In fact, Saka – who found the net against Sporting on Tuesday – has both scored and assisted in three different games this top-flight term, with only Salah again doing so more (four).
MATCH PREDICTION – ARSENAL WIN
Arsenal are the favourites heading into this London derby considering their recent head-to-head record against Saturday's hosts.
The Gunners have lost just one of their last 16 Premier League away games against West Ham (W10 D5), winning this exact fixture by a remarkable 6-0 scoreline last season.
West Ham have also lost more games in this competition overall (36) and at home (15) against Arsenal than they have versus any other opponent in the competition.
Their problems have not just come against Arsenal, too, given West Ham have lost their last two home London derbies in the top flight, going down 2-0 against Fulham and 3-0 against Chelsea.
That form in derby-day fixtures is in stark contrast to Arsenal, who have lost just two of their 26 Premier League matches against fellow London clubs since the start of the 2022-23 season (W18 D6).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
West Ham win – 18.5%
Draw – 20.3%
Arsenal win – 61.2%
Trae Young had a career-high 22 assists - the most in the NBA this season - and scored 20 points as the Atlanta Hawks handed Cleveland just its second loss this season, beating the Cavaliers 135-124 on Wednesday night.
The Cavs fell to 17-2 and lost for the first time in 11 home games.
De'Andre Hunter added 26 points and Jalen Johnson 22 for the Hawks, who made all the big plays down the stretch. Rookie Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick in this year's draft, scored 13 of his 17 points in the first three minutes of the second half for Atlanta.
Donovan Mitchell scored 30 and Evan Mobley added 22 points and 13 rebounds for Cleveland, which was trying to become the first team to start 18-1 or better.
Atlanta ended a three-game losing streak and recorded its second big road win this season after winning in Boston on Nov. 12 without Young.
With the Hawks up four, Young, who turned the ball over on Atlanta's previous possession, almost lost it again before recovering and draining a 39-foot 3-pointer to make it 129-122 with 1:23 left.
Young’s 22 assists were one shy of the franchise record set by Mookie Blaylock, who had 23 on March 6, 1993, against Utah.
Thunder overcome Williams’ injury in win
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Jalen Williams exited late in the first half with a right eye injury and the Oklahoma City Thunder held off the Stephen Curry-less Golden State Warriors 105-101.
Andrew Wiggins made it a one-point game on a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left. After Gilgeous-Alexander missed a free throw at the other end, Wiggins was blocked by Luguentz Dort on a potential game-tying layup.
Gilgeous-Alexander followed up his 37-point performance from Monday’s 130-109 victory at Sacramento by shooting 13 for 28 in the third straight win by Oklahoma City (14-4).
Jonthan Kuminga returned from a two-game absence from an illness to start and scored a team-high 19 points for the Warriors (12-6), who were missing Curry due to pain in both his knees.
Williams got hurt when Kuminga dunked over him with 39 seconds left in the first half. The Thunder star limped to the locker room and didn't return after being seen with an ice bag on his eye during intermission.
Draymond Green picked up a technical foul with 5:40 remaining in the second quarter for his sixth technical so far this season. Sixteen technicals bring an automatic one-game suspension.
Green keeps Rockets hot
Jalen Green poured in a season-high 41 points, Alperen Sengun added 22 points and 14 rebounds and the Houston Rockets defeated the struggling Philadelphia 76ers 122-115 in overtime.
Green rode the hot hand during the first quarter, scoring 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting. However, it was Sengun, the 6-foot-11 center from Turkey, who took over late against an undersized Philadelphia lineup that was collapsing on Green.
Amen Thompson had 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Tari Eason added 14 for Houston (14-6), which has won nine of its last 11 games.
Tyrese Maxey scored 39 points, including 28 in the second half, in the loss for Philadelphia, which played without Paul George and Joel Embiid and fell to 3-14. Maxey, who tied the game with three free throws with just over 11 seconds left, was held scoreless in overtime.
After Guerschon Yabusele opened the overtime with a corner 3 to give the Sixers a three-point lead, the Rockets went on a 9-0 run with Sengun hitting three layups after Green’s three free throws tied the game.
Sengun sealed the win for Houston with five free throws in the final minute of overtime.
Former champions Jamaica College (JC) edged Hydel High 1-0 to book their place in the ISSA Champions Cup final, where they will meet defending champions Glenmuir High.
Jabari Howell’s 45th-minute strike was enough to separate the two sides in a semi-final contest that lacked fireworks but delivered drama in crucial moments at the National Stadium on Wednesday.
While Jamaica College aim to cop the Champions Cup title for a third time, they will face a formidable opponent in Glenmuir High in what promises to be an epic showdown on Saturday. As such, Jamaica College’s Head coach, Davion Ferguson, is focused on ensuring his players are at their best heading into that game.
“It was a difficult game; we knew Hydel have quality, and they really came and pushed us back, but our boys were resolute. We wanted to get another goal, and it never came, but we managed to keep a clean sheet, which is important. So we look forward to the final on Saturday; the key now is to get the boys recovered. It has been a tough week for them both mentally and physically, so the key now is to get them recovered, and then we look at Glenmuir,” Ferguson said in a post-game interview.
Both Hydel and Jamaica College came out probing for weaknesses, but clear-cut chances were few and far between. Hydel had an early opportunity in the 20th minute when Dontae Brooks weaved past a defender, only for his left-footed shot to lack the venom needed to beat Jamaica College’s goalkeeper Adriano Kitson.
Jamaica College’s first real threat came in the 35th minute when Nashordo Gibbs delivered a delightful cross to the unmarked Jamoy Dennis. However, Dennis failed to capitalize, heading the ball over the bar as Hydel goalkeeper Idrian Robinson advanced off his line.
Just when it seemed as though the teams would head to the break goalless, Howell stepped up to deliver what turned out to be the decisive blow. Howell, left with space and time, unleashed a firm right-footed drive that zipped past Robinson at the near post on the stroke of the break.
Hydel continued to show life in the attacking third on the resumption, but their push for the elusive equaliser was undone by missed chances and a resolute Jamaica College defence.
At the other end, Jamaica College went close to extending their lead in the 58th minute as Javaun Mills embarked on a solo run, only to watch his shot curl just wide of the post.
Hydel’s best chance came in the 68th minute when Brooks broke free on the counterattack but failed to round the onrushing Kitson, who timed his intervention perfectly to preserve Jamaica College’s slim lead.
D’Sean Henry had a golden opportunity to level the score in stoppage time. On the break, with only Kitson to beat, his shot went agonizingly wide, leaving Hydel ruing what could have been.
While Hydel gradually piled on the pressure late in the game, the Old Hope Road boys remained composed, with Giovanni Taylor nearly doubling their lead in the 76th minute. Taylor’s break was thwarted by Robinson, who came off his line to neutralize the threat.
Hydel’s Head coach Devon Anderson acknowledged that they paid the price for not being more clinical in the final third.
“It was a game of chances, and JC capitalised on an error from our goalkeeper at the near post. We got a few chances to put the ball in the back of the net and we failed... goals win games, and once you fail to score, you will come out on the losing end, and that is what happened,” Anderson said.
Reigning ISSA Champions Cup titleholders Glenmuir High made another resounding statement in their title defence as they dismantled Ocho Rios High 5-1 in a lopsided semi-final contest at the National Stadium. on Wednesday.
Glenmuir’s fluency and attacking prowess overwhelmed yet another opponent, as five different players found the back of the net to secure yet another berth in the final.
Orel Miller (40th), Dusting Cohen (42nd), Ronaldo Campbell (64th), Orane Watson (69th), and substitute Nyron Allen (71st) got the job done for the May Pen-based school after Kaneil Brown gave Ocho Rios a surprise 21st-minute lead.
Though still on course to retain their crown, Glenmuir’s Head coach Andrew Peart remains grounded.
“The final is just another game... it is just another step on the journey, and that is just it. Last year was last year; this is a different year, so new possibilities. So we are just going to hydrate, head home, and watch the next game,” Peart shared.
His counterpart Veron Peterkin felt his team was overwhelmed by the occasion.
“We made some very expensive mistakes; the discipline wasn’t there throughout the game, and so it is just one of those things. It’s the first time we have made those errors; it is their first time playing in the National Stadium for these boys, so credit to Glenmuir for capitalizing on our errors, and we know what we have to fix moving forward,” he noted.
Despite Glenmuir’s dominance in possession and two early warning shots from Watson in the sidnetting and Ja-Son Whyte’s shot from a distance that was kept out by Ocho Rios’ custodian Maleek Martin, it was Ocho Rios High who stunned the crowd with the opening goal in the 21st minute.
Kaneil Brown tried his luck from the top of the 18-yard box, and the effort proved rewarding as Glenmuir’s goalkeeper Justin Murray lost his footing and could only watch as the ball rolled past his near post.
The goal briefly gave Ocho Rios hope, but it would only serve as a wake-up call for Glenmuir, who shifted into high gear at the backend of the first half.
They pulled level in the 40th minute through Miller, who calmly finished off a well-worked buildup orchestrated by Whyte, with Cohen serving up the final past for the player sporting the number 17 jersey to register his 18th goal of the season.
Just two minutes later, Cohen turned from provider to scorer, expertly heading in a delightful chip from Miller, and the quick double salvo flipped the match on its head as Glenmuir went to the break 2-1 up.
The champions picked up where they left off on the resumption, maintaining relentless pressure on Ocho Rios. Although Orane Watson appeared to extend Glenmuir’s lead in the 50th minute, his goal was ruled offside, momentarily delaying the inevitable.
However, Ronaldo Campbell made no mistake in the 64th minute, nodding in a perfectly weighted cross from O’Neil Headley to make it 3-1.
Five minutes later, Watson finally got his goal—his 33rd of the season—turning his marker inside out before driving a powerful right-footer past Martin, who was left flat-footed.
The rout was completed in the 71st minute when substitute Nyron Allen broke away and audaciously chipped the ball over the onrushing Martin, capping off a scintillating performance from Glenmuir.
West Brom head coach Carlos Corberan insisted he was “completely focused” on his job at the Hawthorns amid links to the vacant Leicester City manager role.
The Foxes parted company with Steve Cooper on Sunday following their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, leaving them 16th in the Premier League table after 12 games of the season.
Several names have been linked with taking the reins at the King Power Stadium, including Graham Potter, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Gareth Southgate and Corberan.
But following West Brom’s stalemate with Sunderland on Tuesday, the Baggies’ eighth draw in their last nine Championship games, Corberan distanced himself from taking on the job.
"I can only say how focused I am at West Bromwich, how proud I feel to be the coach of this amazing club,” Corberan said.
"I understand that football always has speculation around, but I didn't even know that Leicester's coach was sacked, for example, until last night. There is so much speculation that can appear out of my control.
"I am completely focused in my work, my club, to get better form, to give fans better results and hopefully our fans don't feel any type of lack of respect because there are always things in the media we cannot control."
Brentford, meanwhile, were able to come away with a point at Goodison Park despite spending the entirety of the second half with a man less in their goalless draw with Everton.
Christian Norgaard was sent off in the 41st minute following a challenge on Jordan Pickford while attempting to score in the six-yard box, with VAR recommending on-field referee Chris Kavanagh to review the incident on the pitch-side screen, resulting in his dismissal.
The Bees have since won the appeal against a potential three-match ban for the Danish international, but head coach Thomas Frank was pleased that his side were able to battle against adversity to claim a first clean sheet of the campaign.
“It was tough, it wasn’t easy, the boys dug in,” he stated. “We started off really well, playing some good football. We had that tough second half, it was a slog, but we did well with it."
“[Christian] Norgaard was gutted at half-time, we know how much he does for us, so that second half was for him, for everything he does.
“To get that first clean sheet is great, that’s been frustrating me! 95 per cent of games we’ve been defending well; that five per cent we’ve conceded scrappy goals. But we deserved that.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Brentford – Yoane Wissa
Wissa has been involved in nine goals in his last five Premier League home games for Brentford (seven goals, two assists), scoring in each of those five games.
Team-mate Bryan Mbeumo, meanwhile, has either scored or assisted in his last six at the Gtech Community Stadium (seven goals, one assist).
Leicester – Jamie Vardy
Vardy has scored four goals from five shots on target in the Premier League this season, the joint-best shot on target conversion of any player with five or more attempts (80%).
Meanwhile, the best conversion rate of any player with 10+ shots on target is Brentford’s Wissa (70% - 7/10), so the game could be won or lost in the forward areas.
MATCH PREDICTION: BRENTFORD WIN
While Brentford are favoured by Opta’s data-led simulations, they have won none of their four Premier League meetings with Leicester (D2 L2), only facing Newcastle (six) more often in the competition without ever winning.
However, the Bees have won more home points (16) and scored more home goals (18) than any other side in the Premier League this season. They’ve won five of their six at the Gtech Community Stadium and are looking to win four in a row at home for the first time ever in the Premier League.
Brentford’s last three home games have seen them win 5-3 against Wolves, 4-3 against Ipswich and 3-2 against Bournemouth. The Bees last scored three or more goals in four consecutive home league games between April and May 1984, while the last team to win four straight top-flight home games while conceding 2+ goals each time were Leicester in October 1964.
Leicester are unbeaten in their last eight league games against Brentford (W5 D3), since a 3-2 home loss in the second tier in March 1953.
But they have won just one of their last 13 Premier League away games against London sides (D3 L9), shipping two or more goals on each of their last five top-flight visits to the capital (D1 L4).
Despite having just two wins from their 12 league games this season, no side has scored in more different Premier League games so far this term than Leicester (11). Their only failure to score was in their last away match against Manchester United (0-3).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Brentford – 59.5%
Draw – 21.2%
Leicester – 19.3%
Mohamed Salah's comments surrounding his future at Liverpool may have been an act "to get a bit more money", former Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale said on Wednesday.
Bale joined the TNT Sports team at Anfield ahead of Liverpool's clash with Madrid, just three days after Salah had caused a stir with speculation over his stay in Merseyside.
Salah scored twice against Southampton before saying he was "more out than in" due to a lack of action over his contract, which expires at the end of this season.
Reds great Jamie Carragher criticised those words from the Egypt star, with Bale following up by suggesting Salah will stay at Liverpool despite the ongoings.
"We never brought those things into conversation, it’s always about training or general life," Bale said before Liverpool's 2-0 win over Madrid at Anfield.
"I can't imagine that's going to affect anyone, it's going to be sorted out upstairs with his agent.
"I'm sure he's just making noise to just get a bit more money to be honest!"
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand defended Salah's actions, claiming no wrongdoing or harm could be done from his honesty.
"The big thing is he hasn't been out of order," Ferdinand added on punditry duties. "He hasn't been disrespectful; he's just stated some facts.
"As team-mates, that's all you care about. Is he still with us? Mo Salah is scoring goals week in, week out.
"He wants to win here and it sounds like he wants to stay – but for a bit more money."
The ongoings may have been playing on Salah's mind against Madrid, having missed a second-half penalty with Liverpool leading 1-0 after Alexis Mac Allister's opener.
It was just the second penalty Salah has not converted, scuffing the post from 12 yards in the competition from seven attempts.
Kylian Mbappe also failed with his own spot-kick at the other end prior to that, as Caoimhin Kelleher saved to keep the Reds ahead, before Cody Gakpo's late header made sure of all three points.
That victory ensured Liverpool are through the 36-team stage in the Champions League, at least guaranteed a play-off game, though that is unlikely considering they lead the table with 15 points.
Thiago Motta left Villa Park satisfied after earning a point in a goalless draw with Aston Villa on Wednesday.
An injury-hit Juventus, with only 14 outfield players available, held on for much of the contest, but were aided by the intervention of VAR late on.
Morgan Rogers thought he had handed Unai Emery's side another victory in the competition in second-half stoppage time.
However, his smart finish was disallowed when the video assistant referee deemed Diego Carlos to have fouled goalkeeper Michele di Gregorio in the air.
Juventus were perhaps fortunate to leave the West Midlands with a point, having mustered an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.44 compared to Villa's 1.23.
Despite the Serie A side keeping a clean sheet for the first time in the Champions League since December 2021, Motta conceded his side did not create enough chances.
"A point secured, the team continues to play compact and with balance," Motta told Amazon Prime Video.
"Aston Villa started very fast, and they looked for their striker, but we conceded little. It is clear that we have also created little, so as not to give Aston Villa what they were looking for.
The result left Juventus 19th in the new 36-team standings after drawing back-to-back games in the competition for the first time since November 2017.
They find themselves on eight points from their opening five games, with the possibility of competing in the play-offs to seal their qualification to the last 16.
"We have great games to play between the league, Coppa Italia and Champions League," Motta said.
"Another good performance, a point, and we will continue to look for qualification. We will go out on the pitch always with our ideas and trying to win."
The Bianconeri will be looking to move up the Serie A table this Sunday when they travel to the Stadio Ettore Giardiniero to face Lecce.
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