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• ‘Vocal’ Greg Taylor enjoys hearing more from his new Celtic team-mates

  Greg Taylor relishes his role in being one of the main men in the Celtic dressing room but feels his new team-mates are starting to make a noise.

  Taylor joined Celtic four years ago and has seen plenty of change with nine new signings arriving this summer alone, many of them a similar age to what he was when he arrived.

  The 25-year-old said: “Probably because I am one of the longer servants at the club, I feel like I am one of the more vocal ones in the team.

  “But everyone plays their part, whether they are vocal or leading by example. When we are on the pitch, everyone is out there giving their all for the club.

  “I enjoy it, I am not shy in chatting. But neither are guys like Ali Johnston as I am sure you well know.

  “We have a good group. It is a young group but a lot of guys are not shy in giving their opinions. We just all want the same thing, that’s for us to improve and continue to grow.

  “Naturally I am loud but the more games you play, the more comfortable you feel and you grow in stature and people probably begin to respect your opinion a bit more. That happens.

  “You have got guys like Cam (Carter-Vickers) who is more naturally quiet but the way he shows is in his performances.

  “And we have boys who have come in and settled really well this year so I’m sure as time goes on they will begin to show their voice in the changing room as well.”

  There has been much change in central defence this season with Carter-Vickers, Stephen Welsh, Maik Nawrocki and Nat Phillips all missing recent games through injury.

  Liam Scales has emerged as a key player in recent weeks after stepping in from the cold following a season-long loan at Aberdeen and Taylor has been impressed with his impact.

  “He has done really well and I think he did really well when he was on loan at Aberdeen,” Taylor said ahead of Saturday’s cinch Premiership clash at Livingston.

  “We obviously didn’t get to play against him but any time I got to see any of the games I thought he equipped himself really well.

  “He has taken that into this season. He has come with a new manager and tried to impress and when he has been given his opportunity, he has taken it.”

  Celtic are looking to bounce back from a 2-0 Champions League defeat by Feyenoord after having Gustaf Lagerbielke and Odin Thiago Holm sent off and Taylor knows they will need to adapt in West Lothian.

  “It is a big change of course but the one thing that this club demands is winning and that’s the exciting part, every game you have got to give the same focus, the same performance,” the former Kilmarnock defender said. “The fans expect that and demand that.

  “It’s physically demanding in both ways. The Champions League is the elite so you are pushing your body to the very limit but then of course you play Saturday and maybe a change of style, Livingston will be quite physical. That’s another challenge, so it’s just something you have got to deal with.

  “It’s been difficult games every time we have played there. Davie Martindale sets up his team really well, he knows what their strengths are and plays to it.

  “We have got to be aware of that but also just focus on our own strengths and try to play our football.”

• Paul Heckingbottom says Sheffield United ‘suffering’ after death of Maddy Cusack

  Sheffield United men’s manager Paul Heckingbottom says the club is “suffering” following the death of women’s player Maddy Cusack.

  The 27-year-old, named vice-captain last month, had just started her sixth season with the Blades in the Women’s Championship and was the longest-serving player in their current squad when her death was announced on Thursday.

  The Blades intend to pay tribute to Cusack, who also worked in the club’s marketing department, during Sunday’s Premier League clash with Newcastle.

  Heckingbottom said: “First and foremost everyone’s thoughts are with Maddy’s friends and family, a lot of Maddy’s friends work at this football club.

  “Maddy, especially in my time here, has been a big part of everything, a senior figure among the women’s team and the media team as well.

  “Everyone would see her about all the time. It’s tough and we need to make sure everyone is OK at the club and we all support each other because it is sad, sad news.

  “(Chief executive) Steve Betts called me yesterday and it knocked me back a bit, I’ll admit. As much as we are preparing for a huge, huge game and wanting to get on with everything, it has affected a lot of people.

  “Maddy has been to so many people in the club, there are a lot of people suffering and feeling it, without a doubt.

  “We look after everyone here, but first and foremost we are thinking of Maddy’s family. And we send them our best.”

  Cusack’s picture will appear on the front of the club programme, players will wear black armbands, while discussions are ongoing over other possible tributes.

  “There are plans and discussions going off for a tribute, we want to be very respectful to Maddy’s family as well and make sure they are heavily involved and understand what we want to do,” Heckingbottom added.

  “As much as we want to show our respect and thoughts and how we are feeling we want to make sure her family lead on it.”

  The Football Association is also in contact with the Blades over an appropriate tribute.

  Baroness Sue Campbell, the FA’s director of women’s football, said the organisation was offering its support to the club.

  “On behalf of the FA, the Lionesses, the Women’s Super League and the Women’s Championship, our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Maddy’s family, friends, team-mates and everyone at Sheffield United,” Baroness Campbell said.

  “Maddy also represented England at age-group level and we will pay tribute to her at an appropriate point.”

  Billy Sharp, the former captain of United’s men’s team, also paid tribute to her on social media.

  “Such a lovely girl. Enjoyed some amazing times with Maddy and the Blades. Such a sad loss. RIP Maddy,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

  Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out also said it was “deeply saddened” by the news of Cusack’s death.

• From Paul Pogba to Angel Di Maria – Manchester United’s recent flops

  Jadon Sancho is seemingly been frozen out at Manchester United after he took to social media to claim he has been made a “scapegoat” for poor results.

  It leaves his future in doubt and if he was to leave, it would see him become the latest big-money flop to grace the Old Trafford turf in recent years.

  Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some others.

  Paul Pogba

  Pogba has to go down as one of the biggest flops in the club’s history. He came through the youth system only to leave on a free transfer to join Juventus before United then paid close to £90million to bring him back in 2016. There were flashes of brilliance but they were outweighed by lethargic, inconsistent performances and he again left on a free in the summer of 2022.

  Donny van de Beek

  The Dutch midfielder was one of the hottest properties in Europe as he was part of the Ajax side that lit up the Champions League on the way to the 2018/19 semi-finals. He was bought for £35million in 2020 but has never got going at Old Trafford. Even a reunion with his former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag has failed to resurrect a highly promising career and he remains in the wilderness.

  Angel Di Maria

  When the Argentina international signed from Real Madrid in 2014 for just shy of £60million he was one of the most expensive players in the game, but that did not translate into his performances at Old Trafford as he struggled to make an impact, which was not helped by his wife’s outspoken views on her new surroundings. One year and just 32 appearances later he was sold to Paris St Germain.

  Henrikh Mkhitaryan

  A £30million signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2016, big things were expected of Mkhitaryan given his outstanding performances in the Bundesliga. However, he failed to deliver and just 18 months later he was a makeweight in a deal that saw United sign Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal – another move which was hardly a success story.

  Harry Maguire

  The England defender has copped a lot of flak and has for large parts been a solid and dependable performer for United. But because of his £80million fee in 2019, which made him the most expensive defender in the world at the time, he has been scrutinised more than most. He currently finds himself out of Ten Hag’s plans, after losing the captaincy, which means he has not delivered value for money.

  Antony

  Regardless of the Brazil winger’s current off-field problems, he has simply not delivered on his eye-watering £82million fee. He is very much a Ten Hag signing, following the manager from Ajax last summer, but his first season at Old Trafford was disappointing and his start to this campaign has not been much better.