Michael Beale is looking for Rangers striker Kemar Roofe to kick on after his first start in 16 months brought the opener in the 2-0 cinch Premiership win over Ross County.
Despite the recruitment of nine players this summer, the Light Blues manager spoke on Friday about the 30-year-old striker and attacker Tom Lawrence being key to his plans this season.
The former Leeds player, who has been troubled by injury problems during his time at Ibrox, repaid that confidence in him after 22 minutes in Dingwall with a close-range finish.
Skipper James Tavernier scored a terrific second four minutes later and there was a further boost when Lawrence, out for a year with a knee injury, came on in the second half.
Beale said: “We see Kemar every single day so we know what he has been through. We know he is a leader, he has had some issues and not been able to help us.
“He has been out for a long, long time and he was able to play and score, that is a good trait to have.
“Let’s hope he can stay fit and it was nice to see Tom Lawrence back as well.
“Those two guys have seen a lot and they will help the dressing room at a time when we have a lot of new guys coming in.”
The victory sets Rangers up for the second leg of their Champions League play-off game against PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday night with the tie sitting at 2-2 from the first leg at Ibrox.
Gers boss Beale is optimistic about the trip to the Netherlands to play a side Rangers beat at the same stage of the tournament last year, after a 2-2 draw at Ibrox was followed by a 1-0 away win.
He said: “It is a really tough challenge because I think they are a high quality team with a quality coach, but we will go there and give it a right go. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
“They know we can score against them. They know our football club and everything about it.
“We are not a secret…sometimes I wish we were. We obviously played them last year and we put a good face to our club in the way we approached the game, the way we were resilient.
“We did the same in midweek. I thought it was clear they were a good team but I thought we fought, harassed, pressured them, we gave them big problems in terms of our speed and pressing. It is important we do the same in midweek.
“I think there will be big spaces on the pitch because they will certainly come for us. It is important that when we get our opportunities we take them.”
Malky Mackay was let rueing a huge Jordan White chance against Rangers, when the striker headed wide at the start of the second half.
The County boss said: “We have a great chance with Jordan with a header. On another day that takes it down to a goal.
“It puts a little bit of pressure on Rangers in terms of any slip or mistake then becomes a draw.
“You have to take your chance against the Old Firm.
“A couple of weeks ago at Parkhead we should have taken our good chances. Rangers took their half chances, the two goals they scored were half chances. They had other chances as well but they were clinical.”
'Super simple' – Lille president rules out January exit for Jonathan David
Lille president Olivier Letang has categorically ruled out a January exit for forward Jonathan David amid links with a number of European clubs.
David is out of contract at the end of the season and has been touted as a target for the likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus and Barcelona.
Speaking this week, the Canada international named Barcelona as his "dream" club but suggested he would prefer not to leave Lille mid-season.
And in an interview with After Foot RMC, Letang confirmed no bids have yet been tabled ahead of the January window.
"We are not going to sell him in January, and we have not received any offer for him," he said.
"Jonathan's situation is super simple. We are very happy to have him with us.
"Last season he had one more year left on his contract. We were trying to qualify for the Champions League.
"You have a guy who scores 20 to 25 goals a season. We had no obligation to sell him."
David is into his fifth season with Lille and has scored 97 goals in 202 games for the Ligue 1 side in all competitions while assisting a further 18.
Seven of those goals have arrived in 11 appearances this term, including in Champions League games against Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Juventus.
The 24-year-old's best league season with Lille saw him score 24 goals in 2022-23, while he has netted 19, 15 and 13 in the other full campaigns.
Lille chief Letang reiterated that David has been offered a new deal to stay on at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, but selling him has never been an option.
"He is a player who scores between 20 and 25 goals and helps us qualify for the Champions League," he said.
"Plus, Jonathan loves Lille, which is his club. Our position was very clear from the beginning – we think of the athlete.
"Obviously, he already has an offer that is in his hands, the ball is in his court."
Guardiola suggests Man City's recent form played part in signing new contract
Pep Guardiola suggested Manchester City's run of four successive defeats was part of the reason for his contract extension.
The 53-year-old recently signed a two-year deal, which will run out in 2027, ending months of speculation about his future after his contract had been due to run out at the end of the campaign.
Following a 2-1 defeat to Brighton before the international break, Guardiola's side have lost each of their last four matches in all competitions for the first time in his managerial career.
"I felt I could not leave now. Maybe the four defeats was why," he told the club's website.
"I think we deserve, after four defeats in a row, to bounce back and try to turn the situation. I think we deserve to be here. I am not arrogant to say, but it's the truth."
Guardiola has led Manchester City to 18 major trophies during his nine-year stint at the club and posted a 72% win ratio.
He added that he was determined to help the club get back to a state where they are "more stable and more consistent".
"We have to recover that because right now we don't have it and that's the target we have to do," he said.
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak added: "Like every City fan, I am delighted that Pep's journey with Manchester City will continue, allowing his dedication, passion and innovative thinking to continue to shape the landscape of the game.
"His hunger for improvement and success remains insatiable and the direct beneficiaries of that will continue to be our players and coaching staff, the culture of our club, and the English game at large."
Leicester's Fatawu ruled out for rest of season with ACL injury
Leicester City manager Steve Cooper confirmed Abdul Fatawu will miss the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL) while playing for Ghana against Angola during the international break.
Fatawu has featured in all 11 of Leicester's Premier League matches so far this season and has registered two assists.
No Leicester player has attempted (61) or completed (29) more dribbles than him, while his 30 crosses is also a team-high in the top-flight this season.
"It's not good, it's a serious injury," said Cooper ahead of their match against Chelsea on Saturday.
"It's a real blow, first and foremost for him, being a young player and having an injury as serious as what an ACL is.
"Albeit, it can be quite common in sport, and in particular football, but it's still a serious injury.
"For it to happen at a young age is a blow for him and a blow for us as well.
"He's obviously a big talent and a young player, as exciting as he can be at his age, with lots to learn.
"It's only a pause, and we will make sure, as difficult as it is at the moment for him, that he comes back being a stronger player and person, which, with the mentality and character that he has, I think will be the case."
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