Pitch Points: Sergiño Dest’s Injury, Christian Pulisic’s Title Chances And Old Firm Trouble

Who replaces Sergiño Dest connected nan US roster?

Sergiño Dest’s World Cup is astatine risk. The 25-year-old limped disconnected pinch a hamstring injury during PSV’s Eredivisie triumph complete AZ Alkmaar connected Saturday, instantly starting a countdown timepiece successful nan minds of US men’s nationalist squad supporters who now fearfulness Mauricio Pochettino’s first-choice correct backmost could miss this summer’s tournament. Dest said connected societal media he hopes to beryllium backmost by nan extremity of nan season, but cipher genuinely knows erstwhile he’ll return.

Whether aliases not Dest is really a correct backmost successful Pochettino’s strategy is unfastened to interpretation. While he started nan USA’s past 2 friendlies against Paraguay and Uruguay successful November, he did truthful arsenic a ‘flex-back,’ playing connected nan correct broadside of nan midfield successful nan 4-4-2 out-of-possession style and staying precocious and wide successful attacking phases. Dest was nan subordinate who allowed nan US to oscillate betwixt a backmost 3 connected nan shot and a backmost 4 without it.

Such a master domiciled requires a master group of skills, which Dest has. He tin dribble, has a bully passing scope and doesn’t panic successful tight spaces. Tim Weah mightiness connection greater vertical threat successful nan position, but there’s nary uncertainty nan US is stronger erstwhile Dest is involved. There are years of grounds to support this.

If Dest isn’t fresh capable to characteristic astatine nan World Cup, Pochettino has a difficult task to find a suitable replacement. Alex Freeman could execute nan role, but that would mean shifting nan 21-year-old Villarreal defender from nan right-sided centre backmost position Pochettino utilized him successful respective times past year.

Nonetheless, nan inclusion of someone for illustration Noahkai Banks aliases Joe Scally connected nan roster could spot Freeman pushed further guardant into nan domiciled he caught nan oculus successful for Orlando City. Pochettino could compensate for nan nonaccomplishment of Dest successful nan aggregate because trying to straight switch nan PSV correct backmost whitethorn beryllium impossible. He mightiness person nary different choice.

How tin Christian Pulisic and Milan triumph Serie A?

Christian Pulisic has not been successful awesome shape for Milan truthful acold successful 2026. Photograph: Mickael Chavet/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

The Scudetto title is still hardly alive. It wouldn’tbe had Inter won Sunday’s Derby della Madonnina to unfastened up a 13-point spread complete Milan astatine nan apical of Serie A. Instead, Christian Pulisic and Co managed a constrictive 1-0 triumph that gives nan Rossoneri dream that they mightiness still drawback their San Siro rivals, who beryllium conscionable 7 points ahead.

Pulisic didn’t lend overmuch to nan derby triumph. He played 84 minutes and conducted 1 aliases 2 vulnerable counter-attacks, but mostly struggled to get involved, having nan second-fewest touches of immoderate subordinate to commencement nan match. This has go nan norm for nan American winger successful 2026.

Indeed, Pulisic has still to people his first extremity of nan caller year, going 10 games without uncovering nan backmost of nan nett arsenic insignificant injuries person lingered. This is successful stark opposition to his shape of nan first half of nan play erstwhile he’d tallied up 10 goals by early December. An in-form Pulisic would supercharge Milan’s Scudetto situation much than thing else.

Meanwhile, Max Allegri’s squad are struggling for firepower. While Inter person netted 64 times successful 28 convention games this season, Milan person scored conscionable 44. Their protect grounds mightiness beryllium nan champion successful Serie A, but nan likes of Rafael Leão, Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Füllkrug must measurement up. Allegri-ball tin only return nan derby winners truthful far.

Inter, meanwhile, must beryllium observant Sunday’s conclusion doesn’t lead to thing much concerning pinch Cristian Chivu’s squad group to look Atalanta, Roma and high-flying Como wrong nan adjacent month. If location are immoderate further slip-ups, Milan must beryllium successful a position to capitalise. Far from being over, Serie A’s title title mightiness conscionable beryllium getting good.

What tin beryllium done to extremity crowd unit for illustration we saw astatine nan Old Firm?

Police and stewards statement nan transportation arsenic they effort to regain order. Photograph: Colin Poultney/ProSports/Shutterstock

Even by nan Old Firm Derby’s standards, Sunday’s scenes astatine Ibrox were ugly. Supporters of some Celtic and Rangers invaded nan transportation aft nan distant team’s Scottish Cup punishment shootout victory, attacking stewards, constabulary and moreover coaching unit arsenic a full-scale riot appeared to beryllium connected nan brink of breaking out.

Thankfully constabulary were capable to support rival fans isolated by forming a statement crossed nan pitch, yet forcing them backmost into nan stands, but nan unit raised caller questions astir nan information of large matches successful Scotland. What tin beryllium done to extremity scenes for illustration Sunday’s ever being witnessed again?

For starters, it’s unlikely, according to Police Scotland, that an distant allocation arsenic ample arsenic nan 1 Celtic were handed for Sunday’s lucifer will beryllium repeated. About 7,500 distant supporters filled Ibrox’s Broomloan Stand successful what was nan largest distant allocation for an Old Firm derby since 2018.

Just 1 week before, nan aforesaid fixture had taken spot astatine nan aforesaid venue, but pinch only 2,500 distant fans successful attendance. While nan somesthesia of nan lucifer was hot, it passed without awesome incident.

This isn’t to opportunity Celtic fans were solely to blasted for what happened connected Sunday. In fact, overmuch of nan unit connected nan transportation seemed to travel from nan different extremity of nan stadium. Nonetheless, nan astir fascinating Scottish shot play successful caller representation could person done without specified a disgraceful section souring it.