Celtic defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss Saturday’s derby against Rangers but Liel Abada and Reo Hatate are likely to be on the bench following lengthy periods out.
Carter-Vickers went off during the Boxing Day win over Dundee with a tight hamstring and manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed the centre-back would not be available for the next two games.
Rodgers said: “It’s not longer term but you probably won’t see him until after the winter break.
“It is (a blow) of course but I always think it’s an opportunity for someone else. We had it in the last game (against Rangers) when Gustaf (Lagerbielke) and Liam Scales came into the team and for Liam it was the making of him.
“It’s always a sadness when you lose a top player but he will be back after this break and can hopefully stay clear of injury for the second half of the season.”
Rodgers has backed Stephen Welsh to fill the void after making a positive contribution in recent weeks following a lengthy spell out with an ankle injury.
“Stephen played against Feyenoord and played very, very well,” Rodgers said. “I really liked seeing him.
“I brought him with me as a young player when I was here first time round. He was only a kid then and he has really matured. He maybe hasn’t played as much as he would have liked but only because of the form of Cam and Carl Starfelt when he was here.
“That was the challenge for him but he has always been there as a loyal support to play and I know that I can trust him when I put him in.
“So if he is the guy that gets the chance to play then I have every faith that he can perform.”
Abada last featured in Celtic’s 1-0 Ibrox win on September 3 before suffering a thigh injury while training with Israel, and Hatate has been out for two months with a hamstring problem.
Rodgers said: “They have trained, Liel a little bit longer. We don’t want to rush them but if they come through then they will be involved in the squad.
“They are excited to be back. I am just mindful of the stage they are at but they have shown up well in training, they want to be involved, and hopefully they have come through with no ill-effects.
“They are both very good performers. Liel is a goalscorer who plays wide. His record goals to games is very good. He just wants to get back on the field again, it’s been a challenging few months for him with injury and everything else. But he looks really good in training and if I need him then I will be happy to do that. And Reo is a big talent so it will be great to have him back.”
There will be no visiting fans at Celtic Park but Rodgers is excited about the atmosphere ahead of his first home derby against Rangers since September 2018, when Olivier Ntcham got the only goal for the hosts.
“These are amazing games, it’s such an iconic game to be involved in,” he said. “We got a great result at Ibrox and now we are in front of our own supporters so we are really excited by it.
“It’s a fantastic game to be involved in, the atmosphere will be electric and that’s what I really can’t wait for. But it’s up to us to provide the intensity and urgency.
“There’s a real pressure about the game but I have always enjoyed seeing the team perform in that pressure.”
Rangers are unbeaten in 16 games under Philippe Clement and are five points behind the cinch Premiership leaders with two games in hand.
“Philippe has done very well since coming in,” Rodgers said. “He has come in with experience and common sense in terms of setting up the team. All the players together know their job and you can see they have benefited from that. They have good players.
“I am looking forward to the game because it should be a football game. The last few weeks we have played against back fives and teams sitting low in the field. This should hopefully be a really good football game.”
State Man confirmed his status as the biggest threat to the mighty Constitution Hill by proving too strong for stablemate Impaire Et Passe in the Matheson Hurdle at Leopardstown.
State Man has yet to taste defeat when completing over obstacles in Ireland and last season won the Morgiana Hurdle, the Matheson Hurdle, the Irish Champion Hurdle and the Punchestown Champion Hurdle.
The Willie Mullins-trained six-year-old was no match for Constitution Hill in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, though, and while he had made a fine start to the new campaign when successfully defending his Morgiana crown last month, in Impaire Et Passe he faced a new and considerable rival from within his own yard.
The latter was four from four as a novice hurdler last season, a tally which included Grade One wins at Cheltenham and Punchestown, and although he was narrowly beaten on his comeback in the Hatton’s Grace at Fairyhouse, plenty expected him to give State Man a real run for his money at Leopardstown.
State Man was a 4-7 favourite to secure back-to-back Matheson wins, with Impaire Et Passe a 7-4 shot, and it was clear rounding the home turn that the defending champion was travelling the better of the pair having taken over from long-time leader Fils D’oudairies.
Impaire Et Passe did respond to Daryl Jacob’s urgings to close the gap, but State Man safely negotiated the final flight and did not look like being caught thereafter, with Paul Townend pushing his mount out to to the line to score comfortably by three and a quarter lengths.
Paddy Power reacted to the result by not only cutting State Man’s Champion Hurdle odds to 4-1 from 5-1, but also trimming Constitution Hill’s price to 1-3 from 2-5. Impaire Et Passe is out to 12-1 from 5-1 with the same firm.
Grangeclare West could finally deliver on his huge price tag and early promise judged on a runaway success in the Neville Hotels Novice Chase at Leopardstown.
The seven-year-old cost Cheveley Park Stud £430,000 after winning his only start in the point-to-point field, and he looked an exciting recruit for champion trainer Willie Mullins after landing a Punchestown bumper and a maiden hurdle at Navan on his first two appearances under rules.
The wheels fell off in the second half of the campaign, though, with Grangeclare West disappointing in successive Grade Ones at Naas and Leopardstown, and while he made the most of having his sights lowered at Punchestown in the spring, he began the current campaign with something to prove.
But having made all the running on his chasing debut at Naas last month, the Presenting gelding proved he does have what it takes to make his mark at the highest level, travelling and jumping with elan in the hands of Paul Townend before easing to the lead rounding the home turn.
As he did aboard Thursday’s scintillating Savills Chase winner Galopin Des Champs, Townend angled Grangeclare West to the stands’ side rail in the home straight and he safely negotiated the final fence to seal a six-length victory over 13-8 favourite Corbetts Cross without being extended.
After adopting his customary pacesetting role for much of the three-mile contest, dual Stayers’ Hurdle hero Flooring Porter faltered in the straight and passed the post well held in third.
Mullins said: “I didn’t expect that now – I thought he would run well, but that was a top race.
“Paul was worried about him pulling too hard and he’d want to be as fit as he is because he just pulled his arms out for the three miles. To do that, on that ground and win like that going away was a huge performance.
“His jumping was excellent. He just came out of Paul’s hands at the first fence and from then on Paul was just trying to settle him back. He got him back jumping normally.
“He’s just a natural chaser.”
Paddy Power make Grangeclare West their 4-1 favourite, cut from 14-1, for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and Mullins confirmed that race as a likely target.
He added: “He might go for the Brown Advisory and Fact To File (won at Leopardstown on Thursday) might go for the Turners. We’ll see, it is a nice problem to have.
“We might come back here to the Dublin Racing Festival first. I’m delighted to win a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas with him.”
The Closutton handler also confirmed another high-class staying novice chaser in his yard, Klassical Dream, will miss the rest of the campaign after suffering injury when being prepared for this race.
He said: “Unfortunately, he is out for the season after his last bit of work. We will just let the injury settle down over Christmas, but it is very unfortunate.”
Jack Grealish could be available for Manchester City’s clash with Sheffield United on Saturday after nobody was harmed during a burglary at his house.
Raiders targeted the England midfielder’s Cheshire home while he was playing for treble winners City at Everton on Wednesday night.
Members of his family and his fiancee, Sasha Atwood, were at the property at the time when they heard a disturbance and raised the alarm.
It has been reported the thieves made off with £1million worth of jewellery and watches and police are now investigating.
A spokeswoman for Cheshire Constabulary said: “At around 9.50pm on Wednesday 27 December police were called to reports of a burglary. The caller reported that a number of items had been stolen.”
City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his relief that nobody was hurt.
Speaking at a press conference, Guardiola said: “Fortunately nothing wrong happened where the family was inside.
“It is what it is today in the modern day, with many things happening. It was a bad moment for him and his family but, fortunately, what was not damaged were the people inside.”
City will again be without striker Erling Haaland and playmaker Kevin De Bruyne as they take on the struggling Blades, with defender John Stones the latest addition to the injury list.
Haaland has still not returned to full training after six games out with a foot injury and the game is too soon for De Bruyne as he nears a comeback.
Stones hobbled off at Goodison Park in midweek with an ankle injury and faces a short spell on the sidelines.
“Nothing has changed,” said Guardiola when asked about player availability. “We have the same injuries plus John Stones.”
The Blades are bottom of the table having found the going tough back in the top flight since their promotion last season, but they have produced some encouraging performances since Chris Wilder returned as manager.
Guardiola, whose side’s 3-1 win at Everton was their first in seven Premier League games, anticipates a difficult afternoon.
He said: “Always in the past, we’ve had problems against Sheffield.
“They made an incredible performance against Aston Villa. They were close to winning the game.
“It will be so so tough – a bit like Crystal Palace. In the last games at home we couldn’t get results, in terms of victories, so we will try to be focused on what we have to do.”
The game will be City’s last of 2023, a year in which they won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, European Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Asked to sum up the past 12 months, Guardiola said with some understatement: “Not bad at all. Not bad. Could be better – always – but don’t be greedy too much. It was really good.”
Coach Monty Williams was bullish about the Detroit Pistons' future despite the team matching the longest losing streak in NBA history on Thursday, when an improved performance was not enough to get them over the line against the Boston Celtics.
The Pistons opened a 21-point lead in the first half as they went in search of a first win since October 28, but Jayson Tatum had 31 points for Boston as they turned things around to lead in the fourth quarter.
Bojan Bogdanovic made a putback with 4.6 seconds left to force overtime, but it was not to be for Detroit as Derrick White scored 10 of his 23 points in the extra period, helping the Celtics to a 128-122 success.
Detroit have now lost their last 28 games, matching the Philadelphia 76ers' record losing run across the end of the 2014-15 season and the start of 2015-16.
They could take that unwanted record outright when they face the Toronto Raptors next time out, but an improved showing against the league's best side offered Williams encouragement.
"I'm unbelievably proud of the group, the way they bring it," Williams said after seeing his team slip to 2-29.
"They've heard all the stuff about our team and they just keep bringing it. I know it's going to pay off.
"As bad as they hurt right now, I hurt for them. But I told them; if we bring that kind of toughness and execution — minus the turnovers — we're not just going to win one game.
"We're going to put something together."
Guard Cade Cunningham finished with 31 points, 22 of which came in the first half, though he missed a potential game-winning three-pointer with seven seconds remaining in regulation.
Like his coach, Cunningham said Detroit were not interested in winning purely to stop the rot, but as a platform for a lasting improvement.
"I'm not interested in just winning one more game this year to stop this, you know what I mean? That would be soft in my opinion," Cunningham said.
"Our goals are a lot higher than that. We have what it takes to win a game, that's nothing.
"But to put games together, to find our system, find what's clicking and allow us to sustain winning…. That's all we're looking for.
"We're on the same level as all these teams we're playing against. There's no team that I've ever come across in the NBA where I felt like I was going into a slaughterhouse. I’ve never felt like that in my life, going into a basketball game.
"Every game, we should be able to fight teams and impose our will on them. We did that early on.
"We let go of the rope a little bit in the third quarter. But there's a lot of growth, something we can learn from and definitely take to the next game."
Jetara continued her rise through the ranks with a comprehensive success in the BeattheBank.ie Irish EBF Mares Hurdle at Leopardstown.
Jessica Harrington’s inmate is bred to be pretty smart, with her dam Jelan being a sister to several top-class performers – including Jetson, Jett, Jered and Champion Hurdle hero Jezki.
Listed bumper winner Jetara did not manage to get her head in front during her first season over obstacles but did chase home one-time Classic contender High Definition and smart mare Ashroe Diamond, and her lack of a victory meant she retained her novice status for the new campaign.
The five-year-old was well beaten in a Down Royal Grade Three on her reappearance, but bolted up in a maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse next time before adding another Listed win to her CV at Punchestown, and she was prominent in the market at 5-2 as she returned to Graded company at Foxrock.
Always travelling strongly in the hands of Jack Kennedy, Jetara was sent to the front jumping the final flight before the home turn and she was not for catching thereafter, galloping up the straight to score by seven and a half lengths from Pink In The Park, with 13-8 favourite Risk Belle back in third.
Harrington said: “She jumped and settled and he (Kennedy) said he couldn’t believe how much she picked up. He thought he had got there plenty soon enough and, when he asked her, she picked up well.
“We are delighted with her. She will be better on better ground – the whole family want better ground. She is the only one of them that is happy on that soft ground.
“She will probably come back here for the novice hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. We might as well, as she is still a novice. She jumps very slick and they (geldings) will have to give her 7lb.
“Then we will probably wait for Fairyhouse, which is early this year, for the mares’ Grade One. That will be kind of her programme.”
Cameron Norrie began the new season with a timely return to form as Great Britain clinched victory over hosts Australia at the United Cup.
The second edition of the mixed international team competition is a slimmed-down version, with ties comprising two singles matches and one doubles.
Britain only needed the singles contests to seal the win in Perth, with Norrie defeating Alex De Minaur for the second year in a row 6-4 2-6 7-6 (2) before Katie Boulter powered to a 6-2 6-4 win against Ajla Tomljanovic.
Norrie won all three of his matches at the United Cup a year ago, including in straight sets against De Minaur, but struggled during the second half of the 2023 season and ended it by losing nine of his last 11 matches.
The 28-year-old admitted he felt a little burned out after maintaining an intense schedule but the off-season has allowed him to reset and his win over De Minaur is his first against a top-20 player since March.
Norrie took advantage of a slow start by De Minaur, breaking serve in the opening game and keeping his opponent at arm’s length during the first set.
The Australian, ranked six places higher than Norrie at world number 12, raised his level markedly in the second set and looked the better player throughout most of the decider.
But Norrie dug in well, saving a break point in the sixth game, and played a brilliant tie-break, seizing the initiative and drawing a double fault from De Minaur on the first match point.
Speaking on court, Norrie said: “I really had to dig deep and play very brave in that third set. He came out at the end of the second set, he was firing and I couldn’t match his level and I had to really play to win in that tie-break.
“I found good depth on my forehand in the tie-break. It’s always tough playing Alex, he’s a good friend of mine. It was a good match and a great way to start the year.”
View this post on InstagramMuch of the attention ahead of the tie had been on De Minaur being up against his girlfriend Boulter, but the British number one ensured Australia would have no second chances with a strong display.
Tomljanovic is a former top-40 player but she missed most of last season following knee surgery and is currently ranked down at 290.
Boulter, sitting at 56 in the rankings, stormed into a 4-0 lead in the opening set and, although it was closer thereafter, she held her nerve to claim victory.
Britain need to beat reigning champions USA in their final group match on Sunday to ensure they reach the quarter-finals.
Mauricio Pochettino challenged his Chelsea players to match Luton’s fight and to expect “real football” at Kenilworth Road when the teams meet on Saturday.
The visitors have lost four in a row away from home in the Premier League and are without a win on the road since beating nine-man Tottenham early in November.
By contrast, Rob Edwards’ side go into the game off the back of their first consecutive victories of the season, having defeated Newcastle and Sheffield United to pull to within a point of safety.
A third straight win in the lunchtime kick-off would see them escape the bottom three at least until other sides play later in the day.
Plenty of big teams have struggled at Luton’s 11,500-capacity home ground this season, with Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City all falling behind, though the Hatters took only one point from those three fixtures.
Victory against Eddie Howe’s side saw them finally hold on for a famous win, adding to three points won against Crystal Palace in November, to put life into their top-flight survival bid.
Pochettino admitted the trip to Kenilworth Road appealed to the football romantic in him, but warned his team against expecting anything other than a fight to end their poor away run against Edwards’ buoyant side.
“I’m an old man, I am romantic,” he said. “I love football of the past and this kind of stadium makes you remember when I started to play.
“It’s a stadium that smells different. It’s not luxury in the way that we recognise luxury today. This type of stadium is one where you love to be there. It’s history, it’s completely different.
“Today we are living in a different era, but when you go there, you feel real football.
“We need to go to Luton thinking that it’s going to be really tough. The stadium, the fans, it’s a team that loves to fight and work really hard.
“If we want to get a good result, we need to be ready of course to play football, but we need to match the desire, the capacity to fight for every single ball. It’s going to be a good test for us.”
Chelsea will assess Mykhailo Mudryk and Romeo Lavia ahead of the game after both picked up injuries during Wednesday’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace.
Mudryk was withdrawn with 20 minutes to play having scored his side’s opening goal in the first half, whilst Lavia could be seen struggling towards the end having been sent on for his debut for the final half-hour.
“Lavia felt some issue and we need to check,” said Pochettino. “I’m a little bit worried.
“I changed his position at the end because he was struggling to run. I hope it’s not a big issue. It’s going to be a shame if we can’t use him in the next few days.”
Pochettino confirmed that time off for the players over the new year will depend on what kind of result they return with from Kenilworth Road.
“That is the plan, to win and then give (them) one or two days off depending on the circumstance.”
Ballyburn is clear favourite for the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham with most bookmakers after predictably outclassing his rivals on the fourth and final day of Leopardstown’s Christmas Festival.
Unbeaten in a point-to-point and two outings in bumpers, the Willie Mullins-trained five-year-old suffered an odds-on reverse at the hands of Firefox on his hurdling debut at Fairyhouse four weeks ago but was a 2-9 shot to bounce back to winning ways in the Pigsback.com Maiden Hurdle.
The result was never really in any doubt, with Ballyburn taking a lead from Saddle Her Up for much of the two-and-a-half-mile journey before taking over before the home turn.
With the final flight omitted, Paul Townend only had to keep the short-priced favourite up to his work in the straight and he passed the post a full 25 lengths clear of nearest pursuer Cleatus Poolaw.
“He did what we were hoping he might do in Fairyhouse,” Mullins said.
“We were happy – he jumped well and galloped to the line, so he is improving. He has improved hugely from Fairyhouse, where he was probably beaten in a sprint.
“We are hoping there is plenty more improvement to come as well, we think there is anyway.”
BoyleSports were suitably impressed by Ballyburn’s performance, making him their 5-1 market leader (from 7-1) for the Ballymore at the Festival in March.
Mullins added: “He settled well enough – that’s what I was worried about, he would get too keen. He was more in his comfort zone today over two and a half miles.
“I’m not thinking of anything (future plans) – I’m just delighted we got today out of the way. He did it impressively. You’d be thinking he is more of a two-and-a-half-mile horse.
“Paul told me he appears keen, but it is just the way he carries his head low. He said every time he gave him a little feel on the reins, he came back underneath him. I’m very happy that the horse is learning all the time.”
Erik ten Hag is confident incoming minority owners INEOS want to work with him despite admitting he has yet to speak to Manchester United’s new head of football operations.
The Old Trafford giants announced on Christmas Eve that a long-awaited deal has been reached for Sir Jim Ratcliffe to buy a 25 per cent stake in the Premier League club.
INEOS is taking responsibility for United’s footballing operations under the terms of a deal that is expected to take four to six weeks to receive regulatory approval.
Sir Dave Brailsford, INEOS’ director of sport, was at Old Trafford on Boxing Day for the stunning 3-2 turnaround against Aston Villa, and Ten Hag says he will be speaking to the new minority owners soon.
“The schedule is so condensed so I didn’t have the time so far to speak with them, but it will come and I look forward (to it),” the United boss, who has been the subject of scrutiny and criticism this season, said.
“They want to work with me, I want to work with them. We will have the conversations, the meetings, so we will see.”
Asked if he is expecting INEOS to be a regular presence at United’s Carrington training base, Ten Hag said ahead of Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest: “I’m focused on the game so far.
“So, I said, no, in this moment I don’t want to have distractions but in the coming days, weeks, there will be time for this and then I know more.
“But I think it’s a good thing, it’s very positive and, as I said, we are looking really forward to work together.
“INEOS wants to work with me, in this structure, and I want to work with them.”
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission filing related to the deal contains a provision guaranteeing that INEOS will be consulted on football matters at United in the interim.
This includes “appointing, dismissing or accepting the resignation of any director of football or first team manager of the company” as well as entering into or continuing any discussion concerning the purchase or sale of any player.
“We always want to win and it doesn’t matter who is in the lead (of the club),” Ten Hag said.
“We are appointed here to win, so in this area we need a winning culture no matter who is in the lead, no matter who is the owner. But, of course, the owners can inspire you.”
United head to Forest looking to build on Tuesday’s thrilling triumph against Villa at the end of a topsy-turvy 2023.
“I don’t think (players will be back), so it will be a similar squad as we had against Villa,” Ten Hag said.
“You see with them the reaction when the new manager (Nuno Espirito Santo) is coming in, you see the spirit. We have to be ready for that and it’s always about us but be aware of it.
“Be aware they have the right spirit and they built the confidence but that is what we did as well, so we have to continue in the performance.”
The trip to the City Ground could prove Andre Onana’s final United appearance for a while after the goalkeeper was named in Cameroon’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.
“The situation is that we’re talking,” Ten Hag added.
“We have good relationships with all the federations – it’s about Sofyan (Amrabat), it’s about Hannibal (Mejbri), it’s about Andre – so we are talking with them.”
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has signed a new contract tying him to the club until the summer of 2026.
The 64-year-old Italian, who had been linked with taking charge of Brazil next year, has won 10 trophies across two stints with Los Blancos including two Champions League titles and one domestic league crown.
His most recent spell with Real began in 2021 when he left Everton to take up the position at the Estadio Bernabeu.
Ancelotti holds the record for the most Champions League titles won as a coach – having also claimed it twice with AC Milan in 2003 and 2007.
He also became the first manager to win the league title in all of Europe’s ‘Big Five’ competitions when Real won La Liga in 2022.
Ancelotti’s Real sit top of La Liga after 18 games and are through to this season’s Champions League last 16.
Harry Derham’s promising hurdler Queens Gamble will look to take the next step in her career in the Byerley Stud Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Taunton on Saturday.
The chestnut was previously trained by Oliver Sherwood, who is now Derham’s assistant, and won twice in bumper contests before making a winning start over obstacles in May, ahead of her summer break.
Now trained from Derham’s base, the five-year-old started this season at Kempton in November and was the winner once again, taking a two-mile novice hurdle by two and quarter lengths.
Now Queens Gamble will step up to Listed level at Taunton, taking on five rivals under Jonathan Burke.
“It’s time to step up now, she has won twice and is in good form and we’re looking forward to running her,” Derham said.
“We were thinking of going to Newbury for the handicap and forecasts are hard to predict, but we think the Taunton forecast is slightly better than the Newbury one.
“It was quite soft there last week, so we thought we would go to Taunton instead and she looks to have a leading chance.
“She’s had no problems at all and going along well, she had a school in the week and Johnny was pleased with her and she goes there in good form.
“She won her two novice hurdles now so she’s entitled to take the step up in the grade, she’s second-best on ratings in this race but we think she goes there with a very good chance.”
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has tried to temper expectations after he insisted nothing magical would happen in the January transfer window for his injury-hit side.
Spurs’ mini-revival hit a major speed bump on Thursday night after they were blown away in a 4-2 defeat by Brighton.
Nine players were unavailable for Postecoglou and he will lose the suspended Yves Bissouma, Pape Sarr and captain Son Heung-min for January due to international commitments after Sunday’s clash with Bournemouth.
While a centre-back is top of the club’s wish list and the PA news agency understands talks are under way with Nice over defender Jean-Clair Todibo, Postecoglou played down any assumption that a flurry of activity would occur in N17.
“Nothing magical’s going to happen in the January window,” Postecoglou said.
“What we need to do is just keep building. We’ve had one window with this team to change it around, to do things differently.
“The fact that we’re in the (fifth) position we are is a credit to the players. For all the challenges we’ve had, we just kept ploughing forward and that’s what we’ll do.
“We’ll see what we can do in January, but ultimately it’s about building a side that will get us to where we want to.”
One outgoing expected to be finalised in the coming days is Hugo Lloris’ departure with the former captain close to agreeing a move to Los Angeles FC on a free transfer, PA understands.
Postecoglou added: “Obviously there’s stuff happening but I’ve been focused on the game. I’m sure we’ll hear something next couple of days.”
Further movement in Spurs’ current squad could depend on incomings and especially with options light in midfield.
Tottenham’s long list of absentees means Postecoglou has used 27 players in all competitions this season, but he refuted suggestions this injury-crisis has enabled him to learn more about his team in a shorter space of time.
“I don’t think you need to go through injuries to see that,” he said.
“It would be unfair to judge some players. The way we play takes a fairly hefty physical toll, more than the way other clubs play. For us to sustain and maintain that and be a team, it’s no secret we need a strong squad.
“We’re nowhere near that at the moment, understandably so. Obviously we’ve only had one window. It was never going to happen (in one window).
“We’re still at the beginnings. Within that context, we want to compete. We’ve got ourselves in a position where we can compete. That’s what we need to keep pushing forward for.”
Meanwhile, captain Son urged his team-mates to bounce back from their Brighton humbling when Bournemouth visit on New Year’s Even.
He told SpursPlay: “Sometimes you have to be honest and take the result.
“Going 4-0 down is just hard and not the way we want to play, it is not our style of playing football.
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“It is very disappointing, but we have to move on because another game is coming very quick.
“A bad performance from us and it shouldn’t happen this, but the last 15 minutes we have to take that good energy into the next game because it’s at our home and we have to get three points before the new year starts.”
Oliver Skipp (knock) will be checked on, but Dejan Kulusevski is suspended for Bournemouth’s visit.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp faces a hugely-significant January without talismanic top scorer Mohamed Salah but is confident he can find an acceptable solution among the attacking options at his disposal.
Salah will leave for the African Cup of Nations after Monday’s visit of Newcastle, the first of at least six matches which includes an FA Cup tie at Arsenal and a two-legged Carabao Cup semi-final with Fulham.
The 16-goal forward, second behind only Erling Haaland in the Premier League goalscoring stakes with 12 in the top flight this season, will link up with Egypt as they head to the Ivory Coast next week and will potentially be away for over a month.
Klopp has had to deal with it in the past and remains confident his side will do so again as they seek to maintain their place as Premier League leaders.
“It is not the first time, it is a really at least very average situation that you lose your goalscorer but we had it even worse in the past when Sadio (Mane) and Mo left,” he said.
“We came somehow through it and traditionally one of them went pretty far in the tournament, which made it worse.
“We knew the Africa Cup of Nations from time to time appears and Mo has to go and we have (Wataru) Endo as a participant of the Asia Cup (played at the same time) as well, so it is like it is. We have to deal with it and we will.
“Each long-term plan I could have had depends massively on who is available so why should I think in October who I can use when Mo is away when I have no clue who is available?
“We would have solutions today, I hope we have that after the Newcastle game as well.”
The timely return of Diogo Jota after a month out injured is a boost as the Portugal international scored a comeback goal against Burnley on Boxing Day.
Jota’s versatility means he can operate across the forward line, as can Cody Gakpo, while Harvey Elliott has played in Salah’s position even though he is more of a midfielder in Klopp’s system.
“The return of each of the boys is super-important but Diogo especially. Everybody was quite positive about our five options, but I don’t think we had it that often to be honest,” added Klopp.
“Especially with the amount of games we play it is so important these boys can rotate and now with Mo leaving and Endo leaving we need everyone to get back.”
On Jota’s return, Klopp said: “The game is blessed with some of these players who really understand the game on a different level and he is one of them.
“It gives him the chance to see the situations slightly earlier, to adapt to different things the opponent is doing a little bit quicker. On top of that, he is both-footed, a great finisher.
“For these last few games, even when the results were not always outstanding, we found a good rhythm, good fluidity, which is really important.
“It gives you a good feeling, you’d probably call it momentum, and for that you need to be connected and be together in the right moment.”
It is not all good news, however, with left-back Andy Robertson’s recovery from a dislocated shoulder likely to keep him out now for the whole of January.
The Scotland captain, sidelined since October, was expected to return next month but that now may be delayed.
“Robbo still needs more range in his shoulder. Obviously it was a big surgery. (He is) still not even close to team training or whatever,” said Klopp.
“For sure, I think, the full January he has to get closer and closer.”
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