James Tavernier believes Philippe Clement is facing selection headaches after returning Rangers to the top of the cinch Premiership on Sunday.
Amid a busy fixture schedule, the Belgian boss again reshuffled his pack for the tense trip to St Johnstone, this time with five changes.
The 32-year-old Gers skipper scored two late penalties to add to Mohamed Diomande’s first-half opener in the 3-0 win.
Victory moved the Light Blues above Celtic at the top of the table, after being seven points behind their Old Firm rivals when Clement took over from Michael Beale in October.
Substitutes Dujon Sterling and Tom Lawrence won the spot-kicks to allow Tavernier to score his 18th and 19th goals of the season, 120 in total since arriving in Govan in 2015.
With the league, the Scottish Cup and Europa League still available – and the Viaplay Cup already in the Ibrox trophy room – Tavernier spoke about the strength in depth of the Rangers squad.
The full-back said: “It gives us huge confidence because what people don’t see is on the training ground we are all pushing each other and everyone is asking to be in the starting 11 and anybody who is asked to come on the pitch is putting in really good performances.
“So it is a headache for the gaffer to select the XI but anyone he selects is doing a really good job for the team and that is the main thing.
“As the gaffer said, we are creating a story together and we need everyone to chip in until the end of the season.
“It is a great place for the fans and the club.
“We feed off our performances and how well we are playing as a team, not letting teams get a shot on target against us.
“That’s what we aim for – the clean sheets and the variety of chances we are creating now is really pleasing, we are always asking questions.
“The scoreline could have been more and I am delighted it was 3-0, clean sheet and on to the next one. We always had belief in our team, the players that we have.
“The gaffer came in and upped the bar with the way we are playing, the demand that he wants for us all.
“We need to continue, not become complacent and keep demanding because there is still a long way to go in the competitions we are in and we just want to make the fans happy and us happy with our performances.”
Clement talked positively about the leaders he has in the dressing room and Tavernier agrees.
“We have great leaders in the squad,” he added. “We all feed off each other and the manager believes in the leadership and we continue to amplify his message towards the lads.
“It starts every day at training, really pushing our standards but there is no place for being complacent. We need to keep pushing ourselves to be better.”
Tavernier admitted that his goals tally was unthinkable when he arrived from Wigan almost nine years ago.
“Especially as I had only eight or nine goals before I joined Rangers,” he said.
“It’s obviously a great achievement. I just want to keep helping the team and pushing myself and see where it ends when I eventually hang up my boots one day.
“I was delighted with the three points we got on Sunday as well as the clean sheet. They didn’t have a shot on goal, which is the most important thing.”
'Winning is the best way to defend Man City', says Guardiola
Pep Guardiola believes the best way to defend Manchester City amid their current hearing is by winning games.
An independent hearing into City's 115 charges for alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial rules began last month.
The alleged breaches relate to a period between 2009 and 2018, and City were charged and referred to an independent commission in February 2023 after a four-year investigation.
City strongly denies the charges.
If found guilty, the club could face huge fines, points deductions and possibly even relegation from the top-flight.
Despite the severity of the potential punishment, Guardiola insists his trust in the club remains unbroken.
"I'm part of this club, deep inside of my bones and the best way to defend the club is winning games and doing my job as best as possible," Guardiola said on Friday.
"We cannot misunderstand why I am here, I am the manager, the person at the club who talks more through all the media, to send messages to fans.
"And, of course, I am going to defend my club. I trust [them], since the owner, since the chairman for the relation, the CEO, and all the people working here for many many years.
"I know them quite well, much more than any of you. The best way to defend is by doing our job the best, everyone working here have their own responsibility.
"The rest, of course, there are situations in the eight or nine years, it always is there. Some of them expected, some of them more tough to deal with, but it is what it is.
"No complaints and you do what you have to do. I'm part of this club, not just the manager. I love this club, and it will always be that way."
Guardiola has been at City for nine years, winning six Premier League titles, including the last four in a row, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, the Champions League, a UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.
He is currently in the last year of his contract and has hinted in recent months that his time at City may soon come to an end.
The fans are set to unveil a banner saying "We want you to stay" during their game against Fulham at the Etihad on Saturday, and the head coach was touched by the gesture.
"They have to bring me the bill. I have to pay for the banner. I don't want to spend money for that reason," he added.
"What can I say? Thank you so much, I fell in love since the first day I arrived here, let's see.
"When it's going to happen, it's going to happen."
Napoli 3-1 Como: Lukaku stars to keep hosts at Serie A summit
Romelu Lukaku continued his fine start to life at Napoli as the Belgian notched a goal and two assists in his side's 3-1 win over Como on Friday.
The hosts found themselves ahead with just 26 seconds on the clock when Scott McTominay was picked out by Lukaku, with the Scotland international firing home his first goal for Gli Azzurri off the post.
But Como would draw themselves level two minutes before the break when Gabriel Strefezza's strike from distance rifled into the bottom corner.
However, Antonio Conte's side needed just eight minutes after the interval to restore their advantage when Sergi Roberto brought down Mathias Olivera, with Lukaku stepping up to net his fourth Serie A goal of the season.
Napoli continued to push for a third goal to secure the victory, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia going closest but saw his effort saved by Emil Audero.
But the points were sealed in the 86th minute when Lukaku turned provider once again, holding off his marker before slipping through substitute David Neres who slotted home with a fine finish to extend Napoli's lead at the top of the standings to four points.
Data Debrief: Lukaku continues Conte love story
Lukaku has been a player reborn under Conte's stewardship. The Belgian is the player who has been involved in the most goals in his first five appearances for Napoli in Serie A since the Italian top-flight returned to 20 teams (since 2004/05) - three goals and four assists.
He has also managed to better his assist tally for the whole of last season, managing just three in 32 appearances for Roma last term.
McTominay's goal after 26 seconds is the third-fastest scored by Napoli since the start of a Serie A match in the three points for a win era, after Hirving Lozano's goal against Hellas Verona in 2021 (nine seconds) and Ezequiel Lavezzi's goal against Genoa in 2008 (25 seconds).
Magee returns, Holgate included as Reggae Boyz squad named for Nicaragua, Honduras Nations League fixtures
Colorado Springs Switchbacks midfielder Tyreek Magee could be set for his first appearance for the Reggae Boyz since November 2023 as he selected in the squad for the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League fixtures against Nicaragua away and Honduras at home on October 10 and 14, respectively.
The 25-year-old former Jamaica College star has scored three goals in 13 appearances so far this season for the Switchbacks in the USL Championship and is in the Reggae Boyz squad for the first time since the first leg of the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Canada which the Reggae Boyz lost 2-1.
He has made 10 appearances for the Reggae Boyz since his debut in 2019.
“I’ve always looked for a number 10, creative player out of the box, somebody who can change games and I asked Merron (Gordon) and he recommended Tyreek (Magee),” Reggae Boyz head coach Steve McLaren said at the squad announcement press conference held at the JFF headquarters in Kingston on Friday.
“I had a little loom at him and I liked him. This boy has ability, skill, can change a game and I said yeah, we’ll give him a chance. That’s what I aim to do,” he added.
Also returning to the Reggae Boyz squad for the upcoming games are New York City FC right back Tayvon Gray, Seattle Sounders defender Jon Bell and Indy Eleven forward Romario Williams.
Former England Under-21 defender Mason Holgate is a newcomer to the squad, though his participation in the games is yet to be determined.
“We’ve been chasing him since before I came in. I think, through the intervention of the President especially, trying to push through players with heritage wanting passports, I think we’re finally very, very close to getting a passport for him. He just needs clearance from FIFA,” McLaren said.
“He might not qualify for the first gams but we think by the second game he will definitely be available so I decided to bring him in and integrate him quickly,” he added.
Aston Villa’s Leon Bailey misses out on a place in the squad after picking up an adductor injury against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Spartak Moscow striker Shamar Nicholson has also been left out after telling coach McLaren he wasn’t happy with his fitness.
“After the last camp, we had some discussions. He never felt happy about his form and his condition,” McLaren said regarding Nicholson.
“He expressed that he felt he was way behind in terms of not having a pre-season and he wants to build his fitness up,” he added.
Others from the last camp that were left out included Michael Hector, Jamal Lowe, Adrian Reid Jr and Jonathan Russell.
The full squad is as follows:
Goalkeepers: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Shaquan Davis (Mount Pleasant FA), Jahmali Waite (El Paso Locomotive)
Defenders: Dexter Lembikisa (Yverdon-Sport), Di’Shon Bernard (Sheffield Wednesday), Greg Leigh (Oxford United), Damion Lowe (Al-Okhdood), Jon Bell (Seattle Sounders), Richard King (Cavalier SC), Tayvon Gray (NYCFC), Ethan Pinnock (Brentford), Mason Holgate (West Brom)
Midfielders: Kasey Palmer (Hull City), Karoy Anderson (Charlton Athletic), Bobby Reid (Leicester City), Joel Latibeaudiere (Coventry City), Tyreek Magee (Colorado Springs Switchbacks)
Forwards: Renaldo Cephas (Ankaragucu), Norman Campbell (Randers FC), Michail Antonio (West Ham), Demarai Gray (Al-Ettifaq), Kaheim Dixon (Charlton Athletic), Romario Williams (Indy Eleven)
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