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Sunderland will host Shrewsbury at the Stadium of Light in a Good Friday clash that could put Sunderland in a very comfortable position to secure a play-off spot keeping their promotion dreams alive.

The Black Cats are currently sixth in the League One table matching Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe Wanderers for points, so a win today is important to keep their hopes of promotion to the Championship in their hands.

Although their opponents have nothing to play for as they are comfortably 16th, 11 points clear of relegation, they will not be an easy team to beat as they currently have the third best defensive record in the entire league conceding just 40 goals in 42 games, so Sunderland will need to deploy their best attack to break down Shrewsbury.

In terms of team and injury news, Alex Neil has confirmed that Leon Dajaku is still not available for selection after falling ill, however Alex Pritchard could be in contention to start as the Sunderland manager gave an update on his fitness in his pre-match press conference.

Neil told the press;

“Alex is making good progress.”

Long term injuries remain unchanged with an update on Aidan McGeady’s chances of playing again for the side this season, the Black Cats boss said on Thursday;

“I’m hopeful that in the next week, he might start joining in training again, but it’ll be really reliant on how he goes over these next few steps in terms of what he looks like over the next couple of days.”

With that being said, this is how Football Fancast expects Sunderland to line-up this afternoon…

We expect to see just one change to the team that won against Oxford United to keep the victorious momentum in the team against Shrewsbury, with the same 3-5-2 formation.

We predict that Elliot Embleton will start in the team after his hugely important impact on Sunderland’s last two games, with the player being the linchpin in securing a playoff spot late in the season following a late assist against Gillingham that secured the three points and an 89th minute winning goal against Oxford last weekend.

The 23 year old, who was hailed “excellent” by the Mackems manager, has definitely proved he deserves a spot in the starting line up and Neil’s selection of the midfielder could prove a huge boost if he can make a third consecutive goal contribution in today’s game.

To make way for Embleton’s start, we expect to see Everton loanee Nathan Broadhead dropped from the central attacking role, but he could easily make a late appearance in the team if Sunderland find themselves chasing a goal in the latter stages of the clash.

The £2.9k-p/w gem, who was hailed “fantastic” by Lee Johnson, has scored nine goals in 20 appearances this season proving to be a consistent attacking threat in the Sunderland forward line, despite suffering a hamstring injury that has limited his ability to make a larger impact this season.

Neil will be hoping to continue his impressive record in League One going eight games unbeaten in his 10 games in charge at the club so far, and promotion to this season would be a massive achievement for the Scottish manager in his short term so far.

In other news: Neil must avoid disaster on £1.4k-p/w “young Paul Gascoigne”, he’s SAFC’s biggest hope

Transfer insider Dean Jones has now dropped a ‘big’ claim on Newcastle United’s summer plans, and also gave some injury news on Kieran Trippier.

The Lowdown: Trippier boost

Eddie Howe has confirmed that he is hopeful that Trippier will play again this season, after it was originally feared that he could be out for at least six weeks.

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Thankfully they have not needed him, as they look to have secured their safety in style, and the right-back will no doubt be looking forward to working with whoever they now bring in this summer.

They have been linked with exciting moves for the likes of Darwin Nunez and Philippe Coutinho, and are really starting to build a top squad.

The Latest: Jones update

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has revealed that the St. James’ Park faithful are ‘optimistic’ that Trippier will be back ‘very soon’, and added that they will try and convince other ‘big names’ to join the former Tottenham Hotspur and Atletico Madrid star in the summer:

“I know with Trippier, they’re really optimistic that he’s back very soon. And they’re really keen that he does get a few games in before the end of the season, not just for himself in terms of fitness, but because for the last couple of games of the season, they want to have their strongest team out there.

“They want to end the season with the best team they possibly can, with the best results they possibly can, to go into the summer full of optimism, and then try and convince some big names to come and join them. So, they’re really optimistic that Trippier is going to be part of that.”

The Verdict: Exciting

With Trippier coming back to full fitness, safety in the top flight and a big summer ahead, these are no doubt exciting times for the Toon Army.

Adding to the win away at Norwich City this afternoon, Eddie Howe and his team will want to finish off the term strongly, and so gather momentum for a rebuild this summer.

They have the money to get some potentially huge deals done, but the real challenge will be to try and get those big names to buy into the long-term project.

In other news, find out what ‘frustrating’ NUFC injury blow has now emerged here!

Rangers were busy throughout the January transfer window as they brought in a host of new players to bolster the squad at Ibrox.

Gio van Bronckhorst was given a fresh batch of players as Mateusz Zukowski, Amad Diallo, Aaron Ramsey and James Sands all came through the door, whilst a deal was also agreed for John Souttar to join the club in the summer.

Ross Wilson worked hard to improve the Glasgow giants’ squad but, with the benefit of hindsight, he did not enjoy a perfect month.

The signing of Diallo on loan from Manchester United has been a disaster so far, as he has struggled to make a positive impact in a Rangers shirt. In six Premiership outings for the club, the Ivorian has averaged a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.32 and lost a whopping 74% of his duels in the top flight as he has been far from good enough out on the wing.

He has not provided the additional firepower out wide that Rangers needed, with right-wingers Ianis Hagi and Scott Wright managing five goals and one assist combined in the league. Meanwhile, Ryan Kent has 20 goal contributions playing on the left as he has carried the attacking burden.

What could Wilson have done differently?

Regret for Ross Wilson

During the January transfer window, it was reported that the Gers were eyeing up a number of attacking options, and Rijeka winger Robert Muric was one of the names mentioned.

The Croatian attacker was one of their targets but the club seemingly opted against a deal for him in order to sign Diallo, given that they play in the same position.

Wilson fumbled a deal for the 26-year-old as he would have been the Kent 2.0 that Van Bronckhorst needed on the right wing.

Muric has scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 22 league starts for Rijeka this season whilst averaging a fantastic SofaScore rating of 7.32. He has been chipping in with goal contributions on a regular basis whilst maintaining a high standard in his general play.

In his most recent outing for the Croatian club, he produced a goal and an assist as he recorded a SofaScore rating of 8.4 against Osijek. He ended the game with an eye-catching four key passes, completed two out of three dribbles and won two out of three ground duels, highlighting his impressive all-round display.

Muric’s sublime form for Rijeka suggests that he would have been an excellent signing for the Gers, as he has been able to score and set up goals consistently this season, which Amad has been unable to do. Therefore, Wilson must now regret his decision to opt for the Ivorian youngster instead of the in-form Croatian in January.

One that got away…

AND in other news, Fewer touches than McGregor: Rangers dud who lost possession 15 times let GvB down badly v Leipzig…

Gio van Bronckhorst was dealt a blow to his hopes of securing a major trophy for Rangers as his side lost 1-0 in their Europa League clash on Thursday.

The Gers now head into the second leg with a deficit to overturn and they remain six points behind their Glasgow arch-rivals in the Premiership table.

However, they are in the final of the Scottish Cup and are still in with a chance of winning three trophies in total before the end of the season.

Irrespective of how this campaign ends, Ross Wilson will surely be hard at work to improve Van Bronckhorst’s squad in the summer in an attempt to make sure that they are not trailing Celtic by so much in the title race next term.

In the January transfer window, the Gers were linked with a swoop for Ludogorets attacker Kiril Despodov, alongside Galatasaray and Olympiacos, and he is a player in whom the Ibrox sporting director must reignite his interest.

The 25-year-old has been in sublime form this season, with 10 goals and 18 assists in all competitions for his club, and he could be a fantastic signing for Rangers. Racking up 28 direct goal contributions is an incredible achievement by the flier, and it shows that he could solve a key issue for the Light Blues.

In the Premiership this season, no Gers winger has more than eight goals or seven assists. This suggests that Van Bronckhorst needs more firepower and creativity in the wide areas next season, and Despodov’s statistics suggest that he would be able to provide exactly that.

Journalist Josh Bunting hailed him as “really impressive” for Bulgaria against Croatia during the most recent international break, claiming that the 25-year-old was “making the pitch as wide as possible and driving at the full-backs”. He scored his country’s goal in that 2-1 defeat, with Rangers’ Borna Barisic playing for Croatia, before he was sent off for two bookable offences.

In seven World Cup 2022 qualifiers, Despodov scored two goals and provided two assists whilst creating three ‘big chances’ for his teammates. He has been able to stand out at international level, to go along with his domestic form, which suggests that he could adapt to playing in Scotland, having already scored against a team with Barisic in it.

Therefore, Wilson must now attempt to snap up the winger at the end of this season, as the player has the potential to be an excellent and much-needed addition to the Rangers squad after proving himself for Ludogorets and Bulgaria.

AND in other news, Fewer touches than McGregor: Rangers dud who lost possession 15 times let GvB down badly v Leipzig…

Wilfried Zaha’s first-half penalty was enough to secure a 1-0 victory for Crystal Palace against ten-man Watford, which ultimately saw the Hornets relegated from the Premier League this afternoon.

Patrick Vieira’s men dominated the match, finishing with 68% possession whilst also having 15 shots on goal, and seven on target, compared to Watford’s six (one on target).

The victory also saw Palace climb into the top half of the table, although Aston Villa are just one point behind with a game in hand.

Although it wasn’t the prettiest of victories, it was another three points on the board nonetheless for the Eagles. However, another below-par display from Conor Gallagher will certainly be alarming.

Gallagher was poor for Palace again

The Chelsea loanee’s future still hangs in the balance, with it unclear as to whether or not the 22-year-old will return to south London next season, whether that be on another loan or permanently.

However, the midfielder was perhaps Palace’s worst player against Watford with a 6.6/10 match rating from Sofascore, the lowest out of any of his fellow starters.

Moreover, the Englishman lost 63% of his duels whilst also completing just 15 passes. With just 33 touches during his 63-minute spell on the pitch, Gallagher also lost the ball on 14 occasions, amounting to an average of losing possession once every 2.4 touches.

The only positive contribution was a 100% long ball accuracy, although just one was attempted.

This isn’t the first time the midfielder has been off-colour lately, with the 22-year-old averaging a Sofascore match rating of just 6.52 in his last five outings for Vieira’s side, with two of those being 6.3 and 6.2 respectively.

On the whole, Gallagher’s loan from Chelsea has been a major success, with the Englishman scoring eight goals and registering five assists in 36 appearances across all competitions.

However, Palace fans may be concerned that a recent dip in form could suggest a lack of interest in proceedings at Selhurst Park, with the midfielder perhaps assuming that he will be part of Chelsea’s plans next term.

Regardless, it was another afternoon where Vieira was let down by the 22-year-old.

AND in other news: Vieira may finally axe “inevitable” 142-goal Palace dynamo as twist emerges

Liverpool are working hard on completing a summer move for Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Ramsay shines for Aberdeen

The 18-year-old has emerged as one of the most exciting players in Scotland, catching the eye with his influential performances in the Premiership.

Ramsay has made 22 league appearances in total this season, performing beyond his years and chipping in with four assists from his right-back role.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for the youngster in recent times, and a new update suggests that it is getting close to being completed.

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The Latest: Jones drops exciting Ramsay transfer claim

According to Jones, who was reporting for Goal, the Reds are ‘hoping to sign’ Ramsay in a £4m deal as quickly as possible this summer, with the 18-year-old seen as an ‘ideal understudy’ to Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Leeds United are also keen on signing the Scottish starlet, so Liverpool may need to work hard to get their man.

The Verdict: One of the future

For Julian Ward and his Liverpool recruitment team to have seemingly identified Ramsay as a target says a lot about his potential, with right-back an area which requires more depth at Anfield.

Neco Williams could leave at the end of the season and Joe Gomez isn’t a natural in the role, but the Aberdeen youngster looks tailor-made to thrive there under Jurgen Klopp, given his energy and attacking quality. Indeed, according to his former coach Brian Rice, the Scot has ‘no fear’ as a player.

The one stumbling block could be if Ramsay is unhappy to play second fiddle to another player, but at 18, he has so many years to improve and potentially push Alexander-Arnold for more a regular starting berth further down the line.

A loan move straight away could make sense, assuming that Gomez stays as a right-back option, allowing Ramsay regular minutes again for another 12 months.

In other news, James Pearce has dropped a Liverpool team news claim ahead of the clash against Aston Villa. Read more here.

Celtic ended their season as Premiership champions last weekend in Ange Postecoglou’s debut campaign in charge of the Hoops.

As result of their title win and their inclusion in next season’s Champions League group stage, the Bhoys will reap a tidy sum of £40m.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window, it seems as though a clue has emerged regarding what the Hoops could do with that prize money ahead of the 2022/23 season.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football Insider, former Celtic player Frank McAvennie was discussing the upcoming summer transfer window and the potential business that the Hoops should be looking to execute.

He said: “New players have to come in, that’s for sure. We have a pretty good squad at the moment, but we saw how stretched it got when we were playing in Europe.

“It will be even harder in the Champions League next season as well so new players will have to come in. I think four players, around that number, hopefully more. Four players who can challenge for a starting spot or of that quality to start every week.

“We are getting that money so hopefully Ange gets a bit to spend. I’m sure he will because he has worked wonders with this squad.”

Great news for Celtic fans

Last summer’s transfer window proved that Postecoglou is not slow to make significant changes to his squad if he feels it is needed.

Taking into account how successful the Hoops were in the league in terms of not only winning the title but ending the campaign with the best attack and defence in the top flight, the prospect of further transfer business at Parkhead this summer should be a very exciting one for Celtic fans.

With the likes of loanees Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers set to see their deals expire soon, an immediate priority for Celtic should be to sort their futures out before thinking about bringing in new players.

Also, with not only the league title to regain but the Champions League to tackle once more, the 56-year-old will want to ensure that his squad has the depth and quality to pick up as much silverware as they can.

With that in mind, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another busy summer transfer period at Lennoxtown in the coming weeks and months.

In other news – Worth £473k in 2020, now valued at £3.6m: Ange played a blinder on “crucial” Celtic star

According to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook, Tottenham Hotspur and their transfer chief Fabio Paratici are now eyeing a ‘surprise move’ ahead of the summer.

The Lowdown: Spurs set for reshuffle?

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte is apparently planning a real reshuffle behind-the-scenes at Hotspur Way as he looks to ‘offload’ many players and bring in ‘at least’ six major signings (The Times).

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Outfield additions aren’t the only positions up for grabs either as the Premier League top-four chasers set their sights on a reserve goalkeeper and understudy to long-serving number one Hugo Lloris.

West Bromwich Albion keeper Sam Johnstone has long been tipped to make the move, but according to Crook, another target in Southampton keeper Fraser Forster has now come to light.

The Latest: Tottenham eye ‘surprise’ signing…

According to the talkSPORT journalist, Tottenham are now ‘ready to pounce’ for a ‘surprise’ signing in Forster as a twist emerges in Conte’s hunt for a back-up keeper.

Indeed, as Spurs and by extension Paratici search for a capable number two, the colossal 6 foot 7 shot stopper has now found his way on to their list of targets.

The Verdict: Right move?

While Forster (34) looks set to leave on a Bosman, gifting Tottenham a zero cost option who can also balance their homegrown quota, the often-linked Johnstone comes with a similar perks and is far younger (29).

Indeed, while the Saints keeper was actually called up to the England squad over Johnstone back in March, West Brom’s ace would come with a longer shelf life and proven ability in the top flight.

We believe signing Johnstone makes more sense from a long-term perspective, but that being said, landing Forster on a free deal also wouldn’t be bad business given his brilliant form over 2021/2022 in parts.

Pundit Paddy Kenny has raved over the ‘fantastic’ and ‘incredible’ keeper this season, perhaps backing why Spurs have now added them to the list of possible signings.

In other news: Offer imminent: Tottenham ready ‘sensational’ player move as club plan 50% discount, find out more here.

A Rangers transfer development has emerged on two key Ibrox gems as decisions on their respective futures are imminent heading into the summer window.

What’s the talk?

According to BBC Scotland’s Tom English, Allan McGregor looks on course to retire from the Premiership club upon the expiry of his contract this summer.

He has also claimed that it ‘looks certain’ that Connor Goldson will also be on his way out of Glasgow at the end of the month. Although, it remains to be seen where he will be heading as no clubs have been reported to have agreed on a deal with him.

Gio van Bronckhorst will be deflated

The Gers head coach will surely be left feeling deflated by the prospect of both players leaving the club, with a decision incoming on whether or not they will be extending their terms. English believes that neither of them will and that will leave two big holes to fill in the squad.

McGregor has been the Dutch head coach’s number one throughout the campaign and enjoyed a terrific campaign in Europe. The veteran averaged a superb SofaScore rating of 6.99 in the Europa League as he started 14 matches in the competition.

He was given an opportunity to say goodbye to the fans over the weekend as van Bronckhorst subbed him on towards the end of extra-time in the 2-0 win over Hearts in the final of the Scottish Cup. This means that, whilst it will still be frustrating for the manager, McGregor will be able to leave the club on a high.

Goldson, meanwhile, has been a reliable, outstanding, centre-back for the club this season. He started a whopping 50 matches across the Europa League and Premiership and averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.00 or higher in both competitions.

Van Bronckhorst could rely upon the colossus to be available for the majority of the campaign and his appearance numbers illustrate how much he relied on the Englishman.

The defender delivered consistently brilliant displays for the Ibrox giants over the course of the campaign and this is why the Dutchman will be gutted by the prospect of him leaving as he will not be able to lean on his quality in almost every match.

It will leave Gers chief Ross Wilson with the difficult task of replacing McGregor in the upcoming transfer window along with Goldson if John Souttar is not viewed as his direct replacement.

AND in other news, Enquiry made: Rangers avoided disaster with “annoying” dud whose value dropped £8.4m…

La Liga side Real Mallorca are reportedly interested in making a move for Wolves striker Raul Jimenez in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Jimenez past his best?

The Mexican has been a great servant but it could be argued that he understandably hasn’t been the same player since suffering a life-threatening head injury last season.

Jimenez only managed to score six goals in 34 Premier League appearances in 2021/22, as he struggled to hit his previous heights in the final third.

While the 31-year-old’s current Wolves deal doesn’t expire until 2024, a fresh report suggests he could be on the move this summer.

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The Latest: Mallorca eye up move

According to The Daily Mail, Mallorca are keen on signing Jimenez during the summer transfer window, with former Mexico manager Javier Aguirre now in charge at the Spanish club.

Wolves are not thought to be actively looking to sell, but would be receptive to offers from the USA and Spain, as the striker potentially looks for a new challenge and Fosun seek to trim the club’s wages.

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The Verdict: Tough one to predict

It is tough to predict whether or not Jimenez will still be a Wanderers player next season, but ultimately, the decision will rest with the attacker, who has been hailed as ‘special’ by Nuno Espirito Santo in the past.

Of course, he likely won’t be the only Nuno favourite to go this summer if he does depart, as Ruben Neves’ flirting with Barcelona continues.

There is no denying that Wolves need to sign someone to at least compete with the Mexican moving forward, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney looking a good option, having scored 12 goals in the league for an inferior Brentford team.

It could even be that Bruno Lage feels that now is the time to receive a healthy fee for Jimenez, allowing him to enjoy a fresh challenge and giving Wanderers the funds to invest in a younger top-class replacement.

In other news, one player is expected to leave Wolves this summer. Find out who it is here.