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Glasgow Rangers missed out on securing the Scottish Premiership title this season but they did have one of their players honoured at the PFA awards this month.

Attacking midfielder Malik Tillman was named the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year for his exceptional performances in the division since arriving on loan from Bayern Munich last summer.

The American international has played 29 matches in the league to date and contributed with ten goals and four assists from a number ten position – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.09.

At the age of 20, the dynamo has proven himself to be a reliable, consistent, performer in the Scottish top-flight and there is no doubt that the ace has been an excellent addition to the squad.

However, there is no guarantee that the Gers star will remain at Ibrox for the 2023/24 campaign. The club do have an option to sign him permanently this summer but Tillman has revealed that he will be taking his time before making a decision on his future.

This means that there is a possibility that Michael Beale will go into next season without the USMNT dynamo, which could open up the door for another player to burst onto the scene – Alex Lowry.

Who is Alex Lowry?

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder, who came off the bench in the recent 3-0 drubbing of Celtic, is a talented prospect who could be the heir to Tillman's throne at Ibrox next season.

He has only made five senior appearances for the club this term but his form for the academy side over the last two years indicates that the magician has the potential to be a first-team star in the future.

A knee injury at the start of the campaign caused him to miss 12 competitive matches.

However, the "master" of the ball – as he was dubbed by Scottish coach Andy Goldie – has still been able to rack up ten goals and one assist in 11 appearances for the B team – including six goals in eight Lowland League outings – and this shows that he has the scope to be a goalscoring midfielder like Tillman.

This comes after the teenager scored four goals and provided three assists in 15 matches for the first-team and academy combined in 2021/22. He can score and assist goals from an attacking midfield position and occupy similar spaces to the current first-team star, which suggests that the gem could be deployed in the same role next season.

Lowry, who was once hailed as "dangerous" by ex-Gers boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst, has two goals and two assists in 12 games for Rangers and has shown great promise as an attacking talent for the club.

His exceptional form at youth level this season indicates that the Scotsman could be ready to make the jump up to playing regular first-team football next term and Tillman's exit could present him with the opportunity to do just that.

Therefore, Beale could unearth his dream heir to the Bayern Munich loanee by unleashing Lowry week-in-week-out for the Light Blues next season instead of signing a replacement for the 20-year-old if he opts against a permanent deal at Ibrox.

Everton's remarkable 5-1 thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion has left the Toffees in charge of their Premier League destiny as they continue to fight against the drop.

Sean Dyche faces a crucial last three games of the top-flight campaign as he aims to secure the Toffees' survival, and their heroics on the south coast will surely leave his side brimming with confidence ahead of a defining few weeks.

However, their next fixture sees them take on reigning champions and leaders Manchester City, before clashes against Wolves and Bournemouth determine their Premier League fate.

Football FanCast has previewed those three fixtures and how they are expected to pan out…

Everton fixtures 14 May: Man City (h) 20 May: Wolves (a) 28 May: Bournemouth (h) Everton v Man City

Who knows what's in store after the events of the last few days? Everton went to high-flying Brighton and picked up the result of their season, while Manchester City will come into this tie off the back of a pulsating Champions League battle with Real Madrid in sweltering conditions.

Everton, of course, also took a point from their trip to Eastlands earlier this season, and while there have been many changes since then, there are other reasons to suggest they could pull off yet another miraculous result.

The Toffees defeated City's title rivals, Arsenal, in Dyche's first game in charge at Goodison Park, while Pep Guardiola could well have an eye on next week's second-leg affair with Los Blancos. With Everton's players also benefiting from added rest and preparation for the game, we wouldn't be surprised for the masterplan to be well-drilled into the side at Finch Farm before Sunday's clash.

That said, City are purring in the league, and while they might not have it all their own way, they should show the mark of champions they have displayed all too often over the last few seasons.

Prediction: Everton 1-2 Man City

Wolves v Everton

Wolves' victory over Aston Villa last weekend means the Old Gold are now safe, which means attention may already be turning to the summer for Julen Lopetegui's side.

This can play into the hands of the Toffees, who will have plenty of heart to take from their previous away fixture – and hopefully, the subsequent meeting with Man City.

But while the clash against the Citizens may be seen as a free hit, the trip to Molineux will be anything but. If Everton are looking for omens, though, their last win over their opponents was on the penultimate day of the 2020/21 season – which put Carlo Ancelotti's side in a lofty position of 8th.

Dyche also has a remarkable record against Wolves, losing just one of his previous 11 meetings as a manager. Continuing that record could be what keeps the Toffees up, and their recent performances against Leicester and Brighton could even make them favourites for this one.

Prediction: Wolves 0-1 Everton

Everton v Bournemouth

Everton could even be safe heading into the final day, while the same will almost certainly be said for their opponents. That may not exactly make for a party atmosphere, but with the pressure off, players may have licence to have some fun.

Only Leeds United have a worse defensive record than the Cherries, and without the need for results at this stage of the season, Gary O'Neil's men could be there for the taking – which will be music to Everton's ears if they are still in trouble themselves.

The team stepped up when it mattered last season, and even if there are any lingering final-day nerves, with the support of the Toffees faithful, everything surely points to a home success here.

Prediction: Everton 2-0 Bournemouth

Predicted run-in points: 6/9 Predicted total points: 38

West Ham have seven games left to further secure their Premier League safety, but how will they get on between now and the end of the season?

The Hammers's 2022/23 campaign has been disappointing overall, having failed to kick on from last year's efforts and instead finding themselves threatened by relegation. There have been clear signs of improved form in recent weeks, however, with the spirited 2-2 draw at home to leaders Arsenal followed up by Sunday's hugely important 4-0 victory away to Bournemouth.

With seven matches remaining, though, it is important that West Ham remain ruthless in pursuit of survival, improving on their current 13th-place position in the process.

Here's how we think David Moyes' side will far in those aforementioned fixtures.

West Ham fixtures 26 April: Liverpool (h) 29 April: Crystal Palace (a) 3 May: Man City (a) 7 May: Man Utd (h) 14 May: Brentford (a) 21 May: Leeds (h) 28 May: Leicester (h) West Ham vs Liverpool

The triumph at Bournemouth will surely feel like a huge shot in the arm for West Ham, and they may need it for a tough assignment on Wednesday night. Liverpool head to the London Stadium for an entertaining-looking fixture, having won their last two Premier League games, not to mention also coming from 2-0 down against Arsenal, like the Hammers.

There is a feeling that the Reds have a turned a corner, in terms of their ruthlessness and confidence, so this could be a bigger test for Moyes' men than it would have been a month or so ago. For that reason, Liverpool may just edge it, even though the hosts will be buoyed by one of the standout results of the season last weekend.

Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Liverpool

Crystal Palace vs West Ham

April ends with the short trip to south London on Saturday, as West Ham take on a Crystal Palace side who have been absolutely revitalised under Roy Hodgson. The veteran manager has excelled since replacing Patrick Vieira in charge at Selhurst Park, picking up ten points from a possible 12.

This will, therefore, be a big test for the Hammers, who will likely be content with a point before moving on to their May schedule and what is hopefully a strong end to the season.

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham

Man City vs West Ham

Quite simply, May couldn't get off to a harder start for West Ham, who make the daunting trip to Manchester City, who are right at the peak of their powers again.

Having dipped below their top level earlier in the campaign, Pep Guardiola's side are now closing in on Arsenal in almost inevitable fashion, with Erling Haaland looking more unplayable than ever.

Anything other than a convincing defeat would feel like a bonus here, even though anything is possible, and it really is difficult to see City not taking home all three points.

Prediction: Man City 3-0 West Ham

West Ham vs Man Utd

When Manchester United come to the London Stadium, it always feels like a big fixture for the Hammers, and they can often be eye-catching encounters. Moyes will be out to dent his former club's Champions League aspirations here, and given their recent dip in form, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the east Londoners earn at least a point.

United aren't in the same place they were in a few months ago when Marcus Rashford was in sensational form, and they do feel as though they are crawling over the line a little at this point.

We'll go for a share of the spoils on this one.

Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Man Utd

Brentford vs West Ham

The Hammers' penultimate away fixture of the campaign is a trip to Brentford, in what is their last all-London clash of the 2022/23 season.

The Bees have exceeded expectations throughout the campaign, playing some lovely football along the way, as highlighted by their 2-0 win at the London Stadium back in December. We think West Ham are going to avenge that loss, however, potentially partly due to the Bees being 'on the beach'.

Prediction: Brentford 1-2 West Ham

West Ham vs Leeds

Next up is the visit of Leeds United, as the West Ham faithful hopefully see their side bow out in style for the last of their home fixtures. The Whites are similarly having a season to forget and they are still far from safe from the drop, and they will be underdogs to prevail here.

We predicted a draw between the pair last week, but the weekend's results really showed who the more in-form team is, so a home victory should be expected.

Prediction: West Ham 2-1 Leeds

Leicester vs West Ham

West Ham's final match of 2022/23 will hopefully be relatively meaningless for them, but for Leicester City, it could be massive. The Foxes are 17th in the Premier League and only out of the relegation zone on the goal difference, and who knows where they will be by the time this games rolls around.

A draw feels like the most likely outcome here, although if this is suddenly a must-win game for the Hammers, we would back them to scoop all three points.

Prediction: Leicester 2-2 West Ham

Predicted run-in points: 9 Predicted total points: 43

Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca could be out injured for a "couple of weeks".

What is the latest West Ham injury news for Gianluca Scamacca?

The 24-year-old returned from the recent international break with Italy with a knee issue that has now seen him absent for the past three Premier League games.

On April 4, manager David Moyes was quoted by football.london as saying the player could be out of action for a short while.

He explained: “The only news that we’ve got is that Gianluca Scamacca’s got two weeks rehabilitation on his knee at the moment, which is going to keep him out for a couple of weeks."

Worryingly, however, this was over a week ago and yet it doesn't sound as though Scamacca had made a great deal of progress.

Indeed, while writing an update on The West Ham Way Patreon page, Ex revealed that he is still not training and so won't be back for some time.

He said: "Gianluca Scamacca has not yet returned to training and it is looking likely that he will not be available for selection for a couple of weeks yet."

Has Scamacca flopped at West Ham?

It certainly hasn't been a great debut season in England for the Italian. For instance, he has just three Premier League goals in 16 outings.

And while fitness issues have hampered his progress, he hasn't played in any of the club's last ten league games despite being fit enough to make the bench for four of those games.

Notably, in that run of games as an unused substitute, West Ham were in need of a goal against Aston Villa but Moyes opted against bringing on Scamacca.

The game ended 1-1 and after the game, the manager defended his decision with some criticism aimed at the forward.

He told the press: “We know that his physical data has got to be much better than it is.

“Gianluca has got to get himself back. No manager wants to put out a bad team, you want to put out the players who you think are going to win for you, so you are always looking to put your best team out.

“I think his application is there, we just want the output to be bigger and more, that’s one of things we are looking for more (of)."

Seeing as the Italian earns £90k-p/w, the club will no doubt be hoping he can get fit and start proving his worth in a West Ham shirt soon.

There is a growing belief within Man City that they could strike a deal for Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, according to reports.

The Lowdown: City linked…

The Premier League champions have been heavily linked with a move for Bellingham who seems set to stand out as one of this summer transfer window’s most eye-catching sagas.

Both Liverpool and Real Madrid are also thought to be contending for the signature of Bellingham, as well as cross-town rivals Man United, but City are well in the race.

Pep Guardiola is allegedly looking at potential midfield signings who can add goals behind star striker Erling Haaland, with club captain Ilkay Gundogan also linked to leaving.

The Germany international is out of contract at the end of this season and City may well have to face the possibility of saying goodbye to their 21/22 final day hero.

The Latest: City hold Bellingham belief…

According to journalists Rob Dawson and Rodrigo Faez, writing for ESPN, the Blues are ‘growing confident’ they will sign Bellingham this summer.

Liverpool, United and Madrid are still in the hunt, but as things stand, this report claims City and the Bernabeu are seen as the ‘most likely destinations’ should he leave Dortmund.

It’s added that Bellingham is one of Guardiola’s ‘top targets’ ahead of the next transfer window.

The Verdict: What a player…

Signing the 19-year-old would be a major, major coup for City and the ideal Gundogan replacement should he leave.

The 6 foot 1 midfield dynamo, described as a ‘monster’ by members of the press, has already received glowing endorsements from Guardiola – who raved over the player late last year.

After City’s group stage Champions League match against Dortmund, he stated:

“He was 17 when he arrived but it was not just about his quality, [it was] how he was leading, his kicking, going to the referee.”

“This guy was something special in terms of his mentality. Now he is 19 and he is already one of the captains.”

Reporter Dr. Constantin Eckner, meanwhile, picked up on Bellingham’s real quality during the 2020/2021 season – claiming he is the ‘perfect’ box-to-box player.

Eckner explained:

“Jude Bellingham is basically the perfect box-to-box player–no glaring weakness, great awareness, outstanding workrate, and always trying to improve field position.”

The England international is highly unlikely to come cheap and it will be a battle to secure his services, but all of the noises indicate Bellingham is truly worth a real effort.

Leeds United are now in contact with Hakan Calhanoglu’s agent ahead of a possible move to Elland Road, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Transfer speculation

The Whites recently finalised their short-term manager search by bringing in Javi Gracia on a flexible contract, and it looks as if Andrea Radrizzani, the 49ers Enterprises and Victor Orta are already eyeing possible summer signings.

Reports in recent days have suggested that the club have registered their interest in Inter Milan’s Turkish midfielder, and a further update has emerged.

The Latest: Agent update

Football Insider shared an update in the last 48 hours after the speculation emerged regarding Leeds and Calhanoglu.

They claimed that the Whites are now in dialogue with the 29-year-old’s representatives after registering their interest, with the Inter midfielder potentially up for sale in the summer.

The Verdict: Fingers crossed

The Turkey international, who has been hailed as an ‘exceptional’ player by AC Milan coach Stefano Pioli, has made himself known as a free-kick specialist throughout his career.

He has been starring during the current campaign, with his average of 2.1 key passes per game (as per WhoScored) more than any Leeds player. Calhanoglu has actually outperformed the entire Whites squad when it comes to WhoScored match rating (7.07) and appears to be at the peak of his powers at the age of 29.

Therefore, he could be a shrewd prospective addition to help the club’s attacking youngsters with his creativity, and it would be fair to argue that young trio Wilfried Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter could all benefit from possibly having the experienced Turk in Yorkshire, so hopefully a move can materialise.

Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka is likely to leave the club during the summer, according to former top flight striker Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Mini-resurgence for Wan-Bissaka

At one point earlier in the season, the 25-year-old had completely lost his place in the team to Diogo Dalot, but an injury to the latter has afforded him more playing time.

Wan-Bissaka has made 17 appearances for United since the 2022 World Cup, nine of which have been a full 90 minutes, and he produced an impressive second-half performance in Sunday’s EFL Cup final win over Newcastle United.

Despite this, the defender has been linked with a move away from Old Trafford in recent times, with his current contract expiring at the end of next season.

The Latest: Ten Hag not a fan?

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie backed Wan-Bissaka to depart United during the summer transfer window, claiming Erik ten Hag’s preference for Dalot may be a contributing factor:

“I think so. I think the fans are not happy with him. He has not set the heather alight, he comes in and has been lethargic.

“I think he can do better than what he has been doing. Whether that is something to do with the manager not believing in him I do not know.

“There is going to be movement. There are a few of them that are going to move on and it is time for a change. Ten Hag has got them all interested in Man United again.”

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The Verdict: Time to move on?

Wan-Bissaka deserves undoubted praise for his improved form and show of character this season, averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game in the Premier League.

That being said, United have to be ruthless with him and move him on this summer, with the three-time capped former England Under-21 international still not effective enough in an attacking sense moving forward.

Wan-Bissaka is a good player – he has been called ‘massively important’ by Marcus Rashford – but he is also limited in too many aspects of his game and Ten Hag needs to bring in a superior rival to Dalot, having only registered 11 assists in 144 appearances for the Red Devils.

Manchester United have had their fair share of transfer mishaps over the years since Sir Alex Ferguson abdicated from his Old Trafford throne in 2013, with numerous players arriving for big transfer fees while failing to hit the required heights expected of them at United.

Angel di Maria, Falcao, Memphis Depay… the list goes on. Not only have they spent vast sums over the previous decade, they have also made colossal losses in selling players who have underperformed way below their valuation to simply move them on and get them off the books.

However, one move which has actually turned out to be a positive one was that of winger Daniel James, who generated a profit for the Red Devils upon his departure to Leeds United in 2021.

It was a surprising move to begin with. The Wales forward joined the Red Devils in 2019 under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for a fee of around £15m, and it looked as if the Norwegian was building for the future as the former Swansea City star was just 21 years old at the time.

Alas, the subsequent two seasons saw the Welshman fail to live up to expectations, registering only 18 goal contributions in 74 appearances. Following Cristiano Ronaldo’s arrival in the summer of 2021, James was sold to Leeds for £25m – and it proved to be an excellent decision.

Last season, he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.64/10 for his performances in the Premier League, scoring just four times across 34 appearances and taking 26.3 touches per game while succeeding with only 39% of his dribble attempts, clearly underperforming for the club as they just about fended off relegation.

His 2021/22 season ended with a whimper against Chelsea, when the winger was sent off following a “terrible challenge” – as dubbed by broadcaster Arlo White – on Mateo Kovacic and was given a 4.2 rating from Sofascore.

He joined Fulham on loan ahead of 2022/23, but his displays haven’t really improved, as he currently has a 6.69 Sofascore rating. The 25-year-old has started only five matches so far in the current Premier League campaign, scoring just once, and he is not having much of an impact for Marco Silva’s team.

Selling James in 2021 now appears to be a stroke of genius, especially considering his fall from grace over the previous 18 months; and given that United made a £10m profit on the Welshman, Solskjaer evidently played a blinder with that particular transfer decision.

Tony Mowbray’s Sunderland return to action in the Championship this afternoon as they take on rivals Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats will be hoping to bounce back from their last match in the division as they were beaten 3-1 by Russell Martin’s Swansea on their own turf.

Sunderland were fighting against the odds after 18 minutes against the Swans as central defender Luke O’Nien was shown a straight red card for a horribly mistimed challenge which led to the away side marching on to all three points.

A win for the hosts against Middlesbrough today will send them level on points with ninth-placed West Bromwich Albion and one point behind Norwich in the final play-off place in the table.

Therefore, there is plenty for the Black Cats to play for and Mowbray must now unleash experienced central defender Danny Batth from the start to give his side an improved chance of winning the match.

O’Nien was given his marching orders against Swansea and will now be suspended for this match. The former Wycombe man has not been in the greatest of form throughout the season so far as he has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.77 across his 25 appearances in the Championship, which places him 16th in the squad.

Batth, meanwhile, has averaged a score of 6.86 in the division and has been the club’s seventh-best performer this season. He was a substitute against the Swans as it was his first game back since the 17th December and Mowbray must unleash him from the start today to replace the suspended O’Nien.

The 6 foot 3 man mountain, whose expected transfer value (xTV) is £526k, came off the bench against Swansea and recorded a Sofascore rating of 6.9 as he assisted Daniel Neil’s goal, won 100% of his ground duels, and made three clearances, two blocks, one tackle, and one interception – as per Sofascore.

Batth, who was once dubbed “outstanding” by journalist Josh Bunting, has been a dominant force on the pitch for Sunderland this season as he has won a whopping 70% of his aerial battles in the Championship, whilst making 4.1 clearances per game for the side.

Whereas, O’Nien has only won 54% of his duels in the air and made 3.1 clearances per match. This indicates, along with their average performance levels, that the 32-year-old veteran would come in as a big upgrade on the versatile defender by starting against Middlesbrough this afternoon, which is why Mowbray must bring him in.

Tottenham Hotspur fell to an extremely disappointing 2-0 defeat in the north London derby on Sunday evening, a result that leaves Antonio Conte’s side five points adrift of fourth place – having played a game more – while it also sees Arsenal move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

As is now something of an unwanted trademark for the Lilywhites, Spurs started the game slowly, with a calamitous Hugo Lloris own goal gifting the Gunners the lead on the 14-minute mark, before a long-range strike from Martin Odegaard nine minutes before the break doubled the visitors’ advantage.

After the interval, Tottenham briefly looked as if they could haul themselves back into the fixture, with Aaron Ramsdale producing three fine saves to keep out Harry Kane and Ryan Sessegnon, although, as the game wore on, Arsenal once again took control, seeing out the 2-0 win with relative ease.

However, while the result will most certainly be a bitter pill for Conte to swallow, the performance of Pape Matar Sarr on his first Premier League start will have undoubtedly been a bright spark for the 53-year-old – as the midfielder well and truly repaid the Italian manager’s “big show of faith” on Sunday.

Indeed, over his 76 minutes on the pitch, the 20-year-old impressed in possession of the ball, enjoying 61 touches – the fifth-most of any Spurs player to feature in the match – completing 41 of his 46 attempted passes – at a success rate of 89% – and finding his man with one key pass – with Matt Kim claiming that Sarr’s forward passes and progression were “amazing” on the day.

The £14.5m signing also caught the eye in more workmanlike metrics, making three tackles, three interceptions and one clearance, as well as being successful in six duels and breaking up Arsenal’s play by committing two fouls.

While the Senegal international’s Sofascore statistical rating of 6.5 saw him fall some way short of the 8.0 received by Kane – the highest received by any Tottenham player – Sarr was awarded a much more favourable six in Alasdair Gold’s own player ratings for football.london.

The journalist wrote: “Making his full Premier League debut in a north London derby and he showed he doesn’t look out of place. It was a tough assignment with Hojbjerg against Arsenal’s midfield three but he worked hard and earned a standing ovation from a number of the fans when he went off.”

While such a lacklustre defeat against their most bitter of rivals is a result that no Spurs supporter will be enjoying today, there should be some confidence taken from the impressive showing by Sarr, as the youngster was very much Tottenham’s brightest spark on an otherwise bleak day.