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Finale de la FA Cup: Man Utd à double poursuite désespérée pour détruire le rêve triple de Man City

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Le manager de Man Utd Erik ten Hag et le patron de Man City Pep Guardiola
Le manager de United, Erik ten Hag, et le patron de City, Pep Guardiola, savent que le vainqueur de la finale de la FA Cup de samedi réalisera un doublé
Date: samedi 3 juin Lieu: Stade de Wembley Démarrer: 15h00 BST Couverture: Regardez en direct sur BBC One, BBC iPlayer, le site Web et l’application BBC Sport; écoutez les commentaires complets sur BBC Radio 5 Live; suivez le texte en direct sur le site Web de BBC Sport.

Celui qui soulèvera la FA Cup samedi aura encore plus à célébrer que d’habitude.

En plus des droits de vantardise locaux en jeu, les champions de Premier League Manchester City et les détenteurs de la Coupe de la Ligue Manchester United savent que le vainqueur d’une première finale de coupe majeure entre les deux célébrera un rare doublé.

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City rêve également d’un triplé, sachant qu’une victoire contre ses voisins leur laisserait juste besoin de battre l’Inter Milan lors de la finale de la Ligue des champions de samedi prochain pour égaler un exploit réalisé par un seul autre club du football anglais.

Et cette équipe pour remporter une Premier League, une FA Cup et une Coupe d’Europe en une saison ? Oui, Manchester United – et le désir de garder pour eux leur exploit historique de 1999 est évident.

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Tout cela fait une finale de coupe.

« Tout donner » pour arrêter la tentative de City pour la grandeur

Les hommes de Pep Guardiola ne sont plus qu’à deux matchs de devenir la 10e équipe européenne à balayer le tableau – et cela n’est certainement pas passé inaperçu dans la moitié rouge de Manchester.

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Même avant la victoire de United en demi-finale contre Brighton, l’ancien gardien de but Peter Schmeichel – un membre clé de cette équipe de 1999 – a plaisanté : “C’est pourquoi il est si important que nous battions maintenant Brighton, afin que nous puissions les arrêter.”

Un autre membre de cette équipe, Gary Neville, a déclaré à Sky Sports: “Man Utd veut avoir l’opportunité d’emporter le Treble.”

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La question de l’importance d’”arrêter le triplé” a été posée à plusieurs reprises au manager Erik ten Hag immédiatement après leur victoire en demi-finale.

“Nous allons tout donner et, quand je dis tout, c’est tout… les fans peuvent compter là-dessus”, a déclaré le Néerlandais. “Nous voulons donner cela contre City. Nous voulons aller donner ça aux fans.”

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Pour les fans de United, vous avez le sentiment qu’arrêter City est presque aussi important que leur propre doublé de coupe – ayant déjà remporté la Coupe Carabao – avec des chansons souvent chantées autour d’Old Trafford sur leur fierté d’être les seuls vainqueurs du Treble d’Angleterre,

United a déjà été dans cette position.

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En 1977, ils ont affronté une équipe de Liverpool qui avait remporté la ligue et avait une finale de Coupe d’Europe à suivre quatre jours après la finale de la FA Cup. United a gagné 2-1 à Wembley pour mettre fin aux espoirs triplés de Liverpool. Ils ont battu le Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-1 à Rome.

Les fans de Liverpool se souviendront rapidement de leurs deux triplés – la Coupe d’Europe, la Coupe de la Ligue et le titre de première division en 1984 et les triomphes de la FA Cup, de la Coupe de la Ligue et de la Coupe UEFA en 2001. En 2019, City est devenue la seule équipe masculine anglaise à remporter un championnat national. triplé de ligue, FA Cup et Coupe de la Ligue.

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Mais, avec seulement quatre triplés de différentes compositions dans l’histoire du football masculin anglais, City sait qu’il est sur le point de connaître la vraie grandeur.

“La prééminence de Man Utd est menacée”

Simon Stone de BBC Sport: Il est presque certain que si Manchester United remporte la finale de la FA Cup, l’une des premières chansons qu’ils chanteront après le coup de sifflet final sera liée au Treble et au fait qu’ils l’ont gagné et que Manchester City ne l’a pas fait.

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Près d’un demi-siècle plus tard, les fans de United, qui sont assez âgés, regardent toujours avec fierté le 21 mai 1977 lorsqu’ils ont vaincu Liverpool à Wembley pour s’assurer que la FA Cup était la dernière pièce d’argenterie à leur échapper cette saison.

Alors que le succès et la domination de City se poursuivent et que leur armoire à trophées s’agrandit, la prééminence de United est menacée.

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Ils restent le seul club anglais à avoir remporté le triplé et ils veulent que cela continue.

À quel point un double est-il difficile ?

Avec toutes les discussions sur les triplés, il serait facile d’oublier le “double” qui est également à gagner pour les deux équipes à Wembley samedi.

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L’histoire, cependant, suggère que c’est un exploit à ne pas renifler.

En 2019, City est devenu la première équipe à remporter la FA Cup et la Premier League au cours de la même saison depuis que Chelsea l’a fait en 2009-10 et ils ne sont que le huitième club à le faire.

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Leur triomphe en Coupe Carabao contre Chelsea en février 2019 signifiait qu’ils ne sont devenus que le quatrième club à organiser simultanément la Coupe de la Ligue et la FA Cup – Liverpool ajoutant son nom à ce tableau d’honneur particulier la saison dernière.

Les autres équipes à y parvenir sont Chelsea (2006-07), Arsenal (1992-93) et Liverpool (2000-01). Manchester United pourrait rejoindre cette liste samedi.

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Et il n’y a eu que 10 cas où une équipe a remporté l’élite anglaise et la Coupe de la Ligue dans l’histoire.

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Brighton set a new Premier League record – but can rotating goalkeepers really work?

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Karen Bardsley column

Arsenal were meant to be the team who ripped up the rule book and rotated their goalkeepers this season, but it has ended up being Brighton who have kept on swapping who plays between the sticks.

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Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi has broken a Premier League record by changing his keeper 17 times already in 2023-24, with Jason Steele playing 15 league games and Bart Verbruggen the other 13, and neither starting more than three times in a row in all competitions.

This is certainly a new idea – no top-flight team has done it before in the Premier League era, and when they have even come close it has been for different reasons. The most changes previously were down to injuries, form, or both.

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It’s fascinating to see it happening, but I wanted to explore whether it has worked… and why Brighton are even doing it in the first place.

Manchester United goalkeepers Andy Goram and Raimond van der Gouw trade places during a game in the 2000-01 season
The previous record for most goalkeeper changes in a Premier League season was 14 by Manchester United in 2000-01, but Fabian Barthez played in 25 of their first 28 league games and the other rotations took place when he and regular understudy Raimond van der Gouw were injured in March, and teenager Paul Rachubka and veteran Scotland international Andy Goram were used as cover.
Team Season Games GK changes Starts per keeper
1. Brighton 23-24 28 17 15: Jason Steele, 13: Bart Verbruggen
2. Man Utd 00-01 38 14 30: Fabian Barthez, 5: Raimond van der Gouw, 2: Andy Goram, 1: Paul Rachubka
=3. Man Utd 01-02 38 12 32: Fabian Barthez, 6: Roy Carroll
=3. Middlesbrough 05-06 38 12 27: Mark Schwarzer, 9: Brad Jones, 2: Ross Turnbull
=3. Man Utd 06-07 38 12 32: Edwin van der Sar, 6: Tomasz Kuszczak
=3. Portsmouth 09-10 38 12 25: David James, 8: Asmir Begovic, 5: Jamie Ashdown

What’s the difference between Steele and Verbruggen?

At 33, Steele clearly has a lot more experience than Verbruggen, who is 21 and looks like he has a lot of raw talent that needs to nurtured, but performance-wise it’s interesting to see how there is such little difference between both goalkeepers.

I’ve watched a lot of clips of both of them in the past few weeks and a few similar themes emerged.

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Brighton goalkeepers Bart Verbruggen (l) and Jason Steele (r) with Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi (centre)
Brighton have played 40 games in all competitions this season, with Steele (right) starting 21 of them. So far, Verbruggen (left) is yet to play more than two games in a row, but that will change if Roberto de Zerbi (centre) picks him against Liverpool on Sunday.

Verbruggen seems more economical with his general movement in the box, while Steele’s positioning in goal when facing shots is sometimes more questionable – for example when he takes his position off the defender, and also with his decision making, which might be why his save percentage is the worst in the Premier League this season.

The younger keeper is more self-assured in those situations, although every once in a while he does maybe get drawn too much towards his near post, which is a trait of Steele’s too.

Bart Verbruggen & Jason Steele in the Premier League this season

Neither of them is having a particularly great season in terms of shot-stopping, though, even if Verbruggen’s save percentage is significantly higher.

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Verbruggen is underperforming by 3% in terms of the saves he is making compared to the ones he is expected to make, while Steele is -7% in the same metric, meaning they are both lowly ranked there.

Verbruggen Steele
14.9 Expected goals on target conceded 23.6
16 Actual goals conceded* 26
-1.08 (16th) Goals prevented -2.38 (18th)
-0.08 (16th) Expected goals prevented per 90 -0.16 (18th)
*Excludes own goals

There is not much between them when it comes to using the ball either, as you can see from their respective pass-maps, but this is an area where they both excel.

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Jason Steele pass map

Steele is probably viewed as the more accomplished passer – even his manager has alluded to that being the case – and he plays a marginally higher percentage of longer balls forward.

But Brighton don’t change the way they play when Verbruggen is in the team, and his feet are clearly one of his strengths too.

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Bart Verbruggen pass map

In fact, Verbruggen has completed more passes per game (33.5) and with a higher success rate (90.8%), than any other Premier League keeper this season and, like Steele, he is in the top five for passes completed under pressure per game too.

Graphic showing goalkeepers with the most passes completed and the highest passing accuracy in the Premier League this season. Verbruggen is top of both categories
Steele ranks sixth for passes completed per 90 minutes (29.8) and fourth for pass accuracy (82%)

He definitely contributes to his team’s attacking output as well, even if – so far – their end product with him has not been as successful as when Steele plays.

While Steele’s distribution has led to the Seagulls scoring five Premier League goals this season, Brighton have actually created more chances per game building play from the back with Verbruggen in the team.

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Ederson (2.4) at Manchester City and Alisson (2.0) for Liverpool are the only top-flight keepers involved in more shot-ending open play sequences per game than Verbruggen this season, among those with a minimum of 270 minutes played.

Premier League Steele Verbruggen
Minutes (season total) 1350 1170
Open play sequences involvements 31.7 34.5
Shot-ending open play sequences 1.1 1.8
xG from shot-ending sequences 0.19 0.12
Involvements ending in goal scored (season total) 5 0

The rest of the Brighton team is being rotated too

It’s not just in goal where De Zerbi has made a lot of changes – he has changed the rest of his team more than anyone else too, with 108 changes in the Premier League alone so far.

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With 10 league games to go, that is already 29 more changes than he made in the whole of last season and 28 more than anyone else in the top division this term – Nottingham Forest have made 80, while Liverpool are next highest with 78.

Brighton have had European football to contend with this season, of course, and some injuries too – but compare their situation to Aston Villa, who have made only 40 changes, despite also having midweek European matches.

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The shirts of Brighton goalkeepers Bart Verbruggen, Jason Steele and Tom McGill in the dressing room at the Amex Stadium before their Europa League tie against Marseille in December
Another change to come? Brighton’s third-choice keeper, Canada-born former England Under-17 international Tom McGill, has been on the bench for all their Europa League ties this season when two goalkeeper substitutes were named, but the 24-year-old Seagulls academy graduate is yet to make the squad for a Premier League game in 2023-24 or make a single appearance for them in any competition

Stability in personnel is particularly important at the back – we saw this with Manchester City last season when I looked into Ederson’s form – and it made me wonder if having a regular presence behind them could have helped Brighton.

However, my feeling from watching a lot of clips of their defending is that they seem to have bigger problems than just who is in goal.

A lot of the goals they have conceded this season have come from poor defending and marking, regardless of who their goalkeeper is – but because that has been constantly changing, you are left thinking what is the point?

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If there is a pattern, I am still trying to find it – which makes me think the real reason it is happening is for Verbruggen’s long-term benefit.

Which pathway is preferable for a young keeper?

Bart Verbruggen made his Netherlands debut in their 2-1 defeat to France in a Euro 2024 qualifier in October 2023
Verbruggen made his senior Netherlands debut in their 2-1 defeat by France in a Euro 2024 qualifier in October 2023, becoming the youngest Dutch keeper to start a game since Jan van Beveren in 1967

Adapting a new goalkeeper to the Premier League is frequently challenging – whether it’s a young player coming into the team, someone stepping up from a lower division in England, or a player moving here from a foreign league.

Two of those factors apply to Verbruggen, who joined from Belgian side Anderlecht in the summer and only turned 21 in August – he is the second youngest keeper in the Premier League behind Burnley’s James Trafford, and they are the only two currently under the age of 24.

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Like Trafford, who was playing in League One for Bolton on loan from Manchester City last season, Verbruggen has rapidly changed levels too – he actually made another big step in the middle of last season, when he moved up from Anderlecht’s B team, so his progress has been very quick.

Neither he nor Trafford can be considered elite keepers yet – although Verbruggen made his senior debut for the Netherlands in October and now has four caps – but clearly the potential is there.

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So, which pathway is the preferable one? Trafford is playing every week, but in a struggling team where there is no hiding place if he makes mistakes. Verbruggen is possibly being protected by coming in and out of the team, but is that slowing his progress?

Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele catches the ball
Steele’s save percentage of 57.6% is the worst in the Premier League this season and down from 61.7% in 2022-23. His goals prevented (-1.33) and expected goals prevented per 90 minutes (-0.09) scores were also better last season.

While changing keepers hasn’t hindered Brighton, or at least not obviously, it hasn’t noticeably helped them either. For a player, in terms of individual development or even just form, it’s different. I always found playing a run of games helped me find my rhythm and made me feel more settled and confident during games.

Being in and out of the team has not made a massive difference to Steele’s form – his shot-saving stats are slightly down on last season, when he became first choice in the second half of the campaign and played 15 of their final 16 league games after Robert Sanchez fell out of favour, but would it make a positive difference to Verbruggen if he was given a longer run in the team?

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It feels like it is time to find out, especially if the plan is actually for him to be number one more regularly next season.

What happens then will probably tell us whether this rotation has worked – and if it is an experiment that is worth repeating.

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Karen Bardsley was speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.

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Xabi Alonso: Liverpool eye other candidates with Bayer Leverkusen set to keep Spanish boss

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Liverpool expect Xabi Alonso to stay at Bayer Leverkusen this summer and are to consider other candidates to replace manager Jurgen Klopp.

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Leverkusen are on the brink of a first Bundesliga title and are unbeaten in all competitions this season.

Bayern Munich’s honorary president Uli Hoeness said a move for Alonso this summer is “probably impossible”.

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Alonso was also seen as a candidate to take over at the Bavarian giants, whose manager Thomas Tuchel will depart at the end of the campaign.

“[Alonso] is more inclined to stay at Bayer Leverkusen in view of their current successes, because he would not want to leave them behind,” Hoeness said.

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Alonso, a stylish midfielder, played 210 times for Liverpool from 2004 to 2009.

He left to join Real Madrid – another club he has recently been linked with – and later moved to Bayern where he spent three years before retiring from playing.

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Alonso moved into coaching with Real Madrid’s under-14s in 2018 and then had three years in charge of Real Sociedad’s B team.

In October 2022, Leverkusen gave him his first role in first-team football and, having taken over with the club second-bottom, he led them to a sixth-placed finish in the Bundesliga.

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This season, Alonso’s first full term in charge, Leverkusen are 10 points clear of champions Bayern with eight games remaining.

Xabi Alonso on touchline duty
Leverkusen have won 33 and drawn five of their matches this season

They are also in the semi-finals of the German Cup and the quarter-finals of the Europa League.

“Let’s say if he had two or three more years of success, it would probably be easier to bring him out of there,” Hoeness said.

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Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim and Brighton’s Roberto de Zerbi have also been linkedexternal-link with the Liverpool job.

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Friday’s gossip: Dani Olmo, Joselu, Todibo, Marmoush, Lukaku, Raphinha, Bremer

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Dani Olmo

Manchester United have entered the race to sign Spain international Dani Olmo, who has a £52m release clause to leave RB Leipzig this summer. The 25-year-old winger is also interesting Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham. (Daily Mail)external-link

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Manchester United representatives have been to Spain to identify potential transfer targets and 34-year-old Spain striker Joselu, who is on loan at Real Madrid from Espanyol, is one of the names on their list. (Relevo – in Spanish)external-link

United will have to pay at least 60m euros (£51.3m) for Brazil international Gleison Bremer, 27, who plays for Juventus, and the Red Devils’ striker Mason Greenwood, 22, could be included in the deal. (Gazetta dello Sport – in Italian) external-link

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Manchester City and Newcastle United will rival Manchester United for the signing of Everton and England Under-21 centre-back Jarrad Brathwaite, 21. (Football Transfers)external-link

Italian club Genoa are expecting to receive bids in the summer for 26-year-old Iceland forward Albert Gudmundsson, who has been linked with Tottenham and West Ham. (Fabrizio Romano)external-link

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Newcastle United ran the rule over several Brazil players during their friendly against England last week, with Barcelona winger Raphinha, 27, and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, 27, thought to be on their radar. (Newcastle Chronicle)external-link

Manchester United and Tottenham target Jean-Clair Todibo, the 24-year-old France international centre-back, could be available for £40m from Nice this summer. (Talksport)external-link

Crystal Palace want to sign 19-year-old Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera in the summer but face competition for the Spain Under-21 international from Atletico Madrid. (Evening Standard)external-link

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Chelsea will replace Todd Boehly as chairman in 2027. (Mail)external-link

There is a strong temptation for Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 30, currently on loan at Roma from Chelsea, to move to Saudi Arabia. (Calcio Mercato – in Italian)external-link

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Barcelona 3-1 Brann (agg 5-2): Barca set up Champions League semi-final against Chelsea

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Aitana Bonmati celebrates after scoring against Brann
Two-time winners Barcelona have reached the Women’s Champions League semi-finals in six consecutive seasons

Holders Barcelona beat Brann to set up a Women’s Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.

Barcelona won the first leg 2-1 and extended their aggregate lead when Aitana Bonmati hooked an effort past Aurora Mikalsen in the 23rd minute.

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They netted again through Fridolina Rolfo, who bundled home when Mikalsen failed to clear a goalmouth scramble.

Tomine Svendheim pulled one back for Brann, but Patri Guijarro scored an 88th-minute tap-in to seal Barca’s win.

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With England internationals Lucy Bronze and Keira Walsh in their line-up, Barcelona dominated the second leg at Estadi Johan Cruyff and prevented the visitors from Norway scoring again as they managed 26 shots to Brann’s seven.

Beating Brann sets up a repeat of last year’s semi-final, when Barcelona beat Chelsea 2-1 on aggregate before going on to win the competition.

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They will host the first leg in Barcelona on 20-21 April, with the second leg being played at Stamford Bridge on 27-28 April.

The Catalan giants also thrashed Chelsea 4-0 in the 2020-21 final when they won the competition for the first time.

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Scott Brown: Former Celtic captain on hair, Ayr & choosing ‘to be horrible’

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Venue: Somerset Park, Ayr Date: Friday, 29 March Kick-off: 19:45 GMT
Coverage: Watch on the BBC Scotland channel and follow live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app

“It was my identity – what I needed to be the best I could be.”

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Normally a player has hair and then loses it when he becomes a manager. Scott Brown did it the other way round.

For the best part of two decades, this shaven-skulled enforcer dominated the Scottish football landscape on a journey during which he would become one of the game’s most decorated players.

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These days, he can be spotted in the Somerset Park dugout with a thick thatch.

Turns out being bald was all part of the plan for the former Celtic and Scotland captain.

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“I made a decision when I retired I would grow my hair for the kids and I do look like a more approachable person,” the Ayr United head coach tells BBC Scotland.

At 38, the boots have been hung up for a while and Brown’s focus is all about navigating the notoriously choppy waters of the “tightest division in the world”.

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‘I did it to intimidate players’

Being bald was just part of Brown. It fed into the psychology of a player who would adopt an uncompromising attitude whenever he crossed that white line. A mindset suit of armour to improve the chance of victory.

“[I did it] just to intimidate people,” he says. “I made that decision just to be horrible. Not really speaking to anybody on the park. If players tried, I would refuse to speak to them.

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“Not being big time but just to make sure my head was focused and I was ready and organised, because if I had a laugh and a joke about stuff on the park, I probably would not have played as well as I could have.

“You can be whoever you want for 90 minutes on that pitch. You can be a winner, want to dictate games, be passionate, be louder than you normally are in the changing room. It worked really well for me.”

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It sure did. A deluge of silverware followed, including 10 Scottish Premiership titles, six Scottish Cups, seven League Cups, not to mention 55 Scotland caps.

“After the 90 minutes, I could go back to being Scott – sit down, chill and relax,” Brown adds.

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‘It’s about getting the balance right’

But age brings many gifts. Maybe a softening of attitudes in some aspects of life. And family has an impact too.

“During Covid, the kids asked if I had hair,” he explains. “I wasn’t 100% sure if I actually did.”

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It will be there for all to see on Friday night as BBC Scotland broadcasts Ayr’s home game with high-flying Airdrieonians.

Rhys McCabe’s SPFL Trust Trophy winners occupy fourth – the last of the promotion play-off places – while the hosts are eighth, just three points above the relegation play-off spot.

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However, a win for Ayr would take them to just one point off Friday’s visitors, such is the congested nature of the Championship.

“Two good weeks and you could be challenging for the top four – two bad weeks you could be challenging for the relegation zone,” Brown admits.

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When an Anton Dowds-inspired Ayr triumphed against Airdrie five games ago, it lifted them to fifth. Now, they’re back looking over the shoulder.

However, Brown believes he has the players capable of the primary objective this season, which is staying in the division, and aims to harness the local passion for the club.

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“[Former head coach] Lee [Bullen] brought in a good squad and I have got the benefit of the lads now,” he says.

“We have a couple of experienced pros, but we are a very young team. It’s about getting the balance right.

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“There are young players coming through who have never been anywhere else, so we are lucky enough they understand the club and what it means to them.

“When Fraser Bryden, a lifelong Ayr fan, scored against Inverness Caledonian Thistle the other week, his mates were all in the crowd singing, cheering and chanting his name. When he does score those goals, it’s emotional for everyone.”

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That emotional rollercoaster is full steam ahead as the campaign nears its end.

Brown knows what it takes at this stage of the season and, while the shaven head is no more, that driven, uncompromising attitude is going nowhere.

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Premier League fantasy football tips: Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland, Son Heung-min

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Alistair Bruce-Ball

The fixture calendar for the rest of the Premier League season is pretty much set so now it’s up to you to decide on your strategy depending on what chips you have left in the game.

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We know there are seven teams with a double gameweek 34 – Arsenal, Liverpool, Wolves, Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Everton and Sheffield United.

Tottenham don’t have a fixture in gameweek 34, which makes things slightly trickier if you don’t have a Free Hit chip, because they will then have two double gameweeks before the end of the season.

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Chelsea will also double twice in the last four gameweeks of the season, while Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle and Brighton will all have a double gameweek, which is almost certainly going to be in gameweek 37.

Managers who still have their second wildcard available will rightly be debating whether to play it now, either in gameweek 30 or 31, or in gameweek 35 to really attack the last four weeks of the season with a potential Bench Boost in mind for gameweek 37.

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If you’ve still got that Free Hit chip then the earlier wildcard could be tempting because you can bring in as many Tottenham and Chelsea players as you like without having to worry about gameweek, 34 when Tottenham blank and Chelsea are away to Arsenal.

I like that strategy because the fixtures look good for both Tottenham and Chelsea in the next few weeks – but if you’ve already used your Free Hit then you might want to hold on to the wildcard until gameweek 35 and focus your transfers on Liverpool and Arsenal in the short-term as we start to build up towards gameweek 34.

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Captaincy

Those managers who can get Mohamed Salah into their squads this week will certainly want to consider him for Liverpool’s game against Brighton at Anfield on Sunday as his ownership is relatively low.

Many will be taking a points hit to get him because they can’t afford him in a straight swap or they may decide to wait until next week, which will give those of you who get him on the wildcard a nice little edge.

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If you don’t own Salah then I would suggest a Tottenham attacker for their game at home to Luton, preferably Son Heung-Min, or the man I’m looking to as a slightly differential captaincy pick this week in Cole Palmer, who has a home game against Burnley.

Fixtures to target

This is one of those gameweeks when two of the best teams in the Premier League go head-to-head and we own four or five of their players, in this case Manchester City and Arsenal, who face each other at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

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I would be very happy to field my attackers in this game, the likes of Bukayo Saka and Erling Haaland, but I would try to bench my defenders if I could.

Arsenal’s defence has been superb this season and we know all about their prowess at set-pieces so fielding one of Gabriel, William Saliba or Ben White isn’t really too much of a problem, but I wouldn’t want to have two of them in my starting line-up if I could avoid it.

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If you’re looking for a defender to bring into your squad this week then Statman Dave and Chris Sutton each had a suggestion in this week’s Fantasy 606 podcast – Dave has gone for Chelsea’s Malo Gusto, while Chris likes the look of Conor Bradley for Liverpool – and both come in at only £4.2 million.

Bradley has the advantage of the double gameweek 34 but if Trent Alexander-Arnold returns to fitness in the next few weeks then he is less likely to start every game. Gusto looks undroppable for Chelsea at the moment and we still don’t know when Reece James may return to action to provide competition for him.

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Differentials

Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz was one of the rare successes in gameweek 29, his two goals in Fulham’s 3-0 win against Tottenham taking his tally to seven goals in his past seven games and his next three matches are against Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle.

He only costs £4.6 million, which also makes him a great makeweight if you’re having to use two transfers to get to Salah this week.

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Gamble of the week

We run a listeners’ team on the Fantasy 606 podcast whereby a different listener comes on each week to manage the side. This week’s listener, Alex from Vancouver, has taken the gamble to remove Haaland from the squad to enable the signing of Salah.

Haaland obviously has the tougher fixture this week, he doesn’t have a double like Salah in gameweek 34 and it enables the listeners to have Salah, Son and Saka in their midfield.

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It comes down to your budget – if, like me, you can’t afford to have all four of Haaland, Salah, Son and Saka then which one makes way? It’s Son for me, who will be replaced by Salah next week, but I might then have to turn to a cheaper Tottenham attacker to try to fill Son’s boots.

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My Mate’s A Footballer: Patrick Bamford tests podcast co-host Joe Wilkinson’s free-kicks

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Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford meets up with his My Mate’s A Footballer podcast co-host, comedian Joe Wilkinson, for a free-kick challenge.

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Can Wilkinson finally prove himself to be the elite free-kick “specialist” that he claims he is?

Listen to episodes of ‘My Mate’s A Footballer’ here

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