Jon Dahl Tomasson praised the impact of Sammie Szmodics after his brace helped Blackburn to a pulsating 4-2 win over Birmingham.
Szmodics set Rovers on their way in the 47th minute, lobbing John Ruddy after beating the Birmingham offside trap, and his delicate finish five minutes later doubled the advantage.
When James Hill made it three, it felt like job done but Siriki Dembele hit a stunning brace of his own, curling into the top corner and firing into the roof of the net before Harry Leonard secured the points in injury time.
Szmodics has netted six in his last four and 13 for the season and after the game Tomasson praised his overall impact.
He said: “He’s flying. Not only this week, and this month, I think actually Sammie has been playing extremely well in the last year and now he’s adding a lot of goals, which we need.
“We’re extremely pleased for Sammie.
“We want to play a game, a modern way, a fluent game where you play quick, one or two touches, within one or two seconds – it’s a way of talking without using words and Sammie is one of those players that can do that.
“He can play and go, play the ball and move immediately, he has a great feeling regarding space as well and he always creates chances or when the ball finds him, he’s in a good position.
“And of course he works really hard against the ball which every team needs.
“I’m pleased he’s getting chances and scoring and even when he misses a chance, he keeps his head up.”
The result means it is one win in seven for Wayne Rooney, who felt there were positives in the Blues performance but described the goals conceded as “schoolboy”.
He said: “The goals were very poor from our point of view. I thought for large portions of the game, we were very good and caused Blackburn a lot of problems.
“The goals are schoolboy. I take responsibility for that but I think we as defenders, goalkeeper and midfielders, we need to be better because we can’t keep allowing teams to score goals like that against us.
“First five minutes of the second half, I said to the players at half-time, are so important.
“I felt first half we really quietened their crowd, and not to give them momentum and encouragement to get up and we do the opposite.
“It’s cost us the game but it’s hard to sit here and take the defeat after such a positive performance.
“We created some really good chances. We have to be more clinical because I think we’ve had 20-odd attempts at goal today and scored two. Really frustrated with the defeat.”
Nashville SC v San Jose Earthquakes: ‘A win would change everything’ - Godoy
Anibal Godoy insists that Nashville are already looking at their game against San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday as a must-win.
Nashville have won just once in the MLS this season and sit in 14th place in the Eastern Conference after a run of four without a win.
The Earthquakes, meanwhile, are bottom of the Western Conference having lost eight of their matches and recording just one win.
Godoy is aware of how their poor start to the season could affect their playoff hopes later down the line but is confident that Nashville can turn things around.
He said: “For us, it's an important week. It's a day we have to win, or we'll start to feel the pressure from other teams as they start to separate in the table.
“This league is long but if we want to get to the playoff you have to win games early on, especially at home.”
Liverpool agree compensation deal for Slot
Liverpool and Feyenoord have reached an agreement in principle over a compensation deal for Arne Slot to become the Reds’ manager next season, according to widespread Dutch media reports.
The Dutchman is reportedly poised to take over from Jurgen Klopp, who announced in January that he would be leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
Former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title, and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim were also reported contenders to take over from Klopp.
Slot had already confirmed his interest in managing in the Premier League, both earlier this week and previously when he was linked to Tottenham in 2023.
QPR 4-0 Leeds United: Shock loss for Farke's men seals Leicester's promotion
QPR thrashed Leeds United 4-0 in the Championship on Friday, ensuring Leicester City booked their promotion straight back to the Premier League.
Ilias Chair was the star for the Hoops as he scored the opener and assisted two more goals to ensure QPR will stay in the Championship for another season.
Lucas Andersen, Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field also got their names on the scoresheet in an emphatic win for Marti Cifuentes' side.
Leeds' heaviest defeat of the season was a huge blow in the race for an automatic promotion spot, with Ipswich Town just one point behind them in third place with two games in hand going into their away clash against Hull City on Saturday.
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