Academy director Craig Mulholland will leave Rangers at the end of the season as a “wide-ranging transformation of all areas of the football club” continues.

The 45-year-old joined the Gers in 2003 – initially as football in the community manager – and held various roles before becoming head of academy in 2015.

Mulholland becomes the latest Ibrox figurehead to head for the exit, with chairman Douglas Park stepping down recently and sporting director Ross Wilson departing for Nottingham Forest, while it was announced last week that managing director Stewart Robinson would leave his role in the summer.

“I have loved my 20 years working at the club that I had grown up with, and, in particular, the last eight leading our academy, B team and women’s teams,” Mulholland told Rangers’ website.

“However, in all leadership positions, sometimes knowing when the right time to move on is as important as deciding which opportunities to take.

“My successor will inherit some fantastic people, working passionately to deliver on a clear strategic vision, underpinned by strong processes and modern, innovative methodology.

“They will also inherit some outstanding young talents which will lead to an exciting future for the club and the academy over the next few years.”

Recently-appointed chief executive James Bisgrove added: “On behalf of the board, I would like sincerely to thank Craig as he moves on, having transformed our academy into one which is on a par and even exceeds many clubs in Europe’s biggest leagues.

“Craig will leave the club with a fantastic legacy, which includes the professionalisation of our women’s programme, being the leader on B teams being introduced into senior Scottish football, creating our Boclair Academy performance school and having brought in over £15million in academy player sales in the last five years.

“Together with Michael Beale, John Bennett and the board, I will now lead a thorough process to identify his replacement, as we continue a wide-ranging transformation of all areas of the football club.”

Steve Smith is excited to gain his first taste of County Championship cricket after “the stars aligned” to give him the chance to play for Sussex ahead of the Ashes.

The Australia batter will play three games for the club in May starting with the trip to Worcestershire on Thursday, before games at Leicestershire and at home to Glamorgan.

The first Ashes Test will begin at Edgbaston on June 16, and some critics have questioned whether it could damage England’s chances giving Smith the opportunity to have game time in the country in the weeks leading up.

Sussex coach Paul Farbrace dismissed the suggestion that it could put Australia at an advantage and said having a player of the 33-year-old’s calibre in the County Championship can only be good for English cricket.

Smith’s arrival has been a coup for Sussex after they finished seventh in Division Two last season, and despite having served a 12-month ban from cricket for his role in Australia’s ball-tampering scandal in 2018, he remains an elite player.

Last year he announced he had elected not to take part in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).

“I’m excited by the next couple of weeks,” said Smith. “I originally didn’t put my name in the IPL auction. Particularly coming off the Test series there, I’ve done that a couple of times and it’s very long, having the IPL on the back of it.

“I’ve got a lot of cricket coming up and a window opened up to come and play some county cricket. It’s something I’ve never done and have always wanted to do, so the stars aligned in a way.

“We are over here for the English summer and it’s a good opportunity to play some county cricket, which is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. I’m excited.

“I don’t know if it’s career-defining, not sure about that. It’s certainly going to be a good couple of months. I’m excited by everything that is coming up.

“I’m just looking forward to getting a few games in here for Sussex where hopefully I can have an impact on some younger players and the team has started really well this year. Hopefully get some good results and help Sussex win some games of cricket.”

Farbrace was emphatic that Smith’s presence was a sign of the growing appeal of the County Championship.

England captain Ben Stokes in January questioned his involvement so close to the start of the Ashes, saying: “I think it’s one of those where you would probably prefer them (Australian players) not to get any game time out here before the Ashes.”

But the Sussex coach insisted the club have not compromised England’s chances of winning a first series since 2015 after failing to regain the urn at the last three attempts.

“Sport is all about opinions,” said Farbrace. “That’s what we love about the game. I’ve got very strong views on Chelsea. The fact that people are talking about Championship cricket is only good for the game.

“I’ve got good friends who think that we’re helping Australia to win the Ashes. We’re not at all. I think this is really good for English cricket.

“It was a very easy decision and conversation with Rob Andrew the CEO. We both realise it’s about trying to create this winning mentality and a culture within our set-up that we expect to win.”

Of his side’s chances of winning this summer, Smith added: “England just play tremendous cricket at home all the time. We generally play pretty well at home as well. Anyone who plays at home knows the conditions a lot better.

“It’s going to be a terrific summer. Both teams are playing good cricket, different brands of cricket.”

Chelsea and England forward Fran Kirby says she is “absolutely gutted” to be missing the World Cup after learning she will require surgery for a knee injury that will leave her out of action for a “significant period”.

Kirby, 29, was unavailable for Sarina Wiegman’s most recent England squad in April and will also miss Chelsea’s challenge for a fourth consecutive Women’s Super League title and this month’s FA Cup final against Manchester United.

In a tweet posted following an official statement from her club, Kirby revealed efforts to rehabilitate the injury, sustained in Chelsea’s Continental League Cup semi-final in February, had failed to restore her fitness.

She wrote: “Unfortunately after a few months of rehab the decision has made that I will require surgery on my knee. I have been trying my best to not have to undergo this but unfortunately my progress has been limited due to the issue in my knee.

“I’m absolutely gutted to announce my season is over and I will not be able to make the World Cup in the summer.

“I’m going to be doing everything possible to be ready for the start of next season and want to wish my team-mates at Chelsea the best of luck for the rest of the season and my Lioness team-mates the best of luck for the summer.”

Kirby’s statement followed one posted to the official Chelsea website, which read:  “Following an injury sustained during our Continental League Cup semi-final against West Ham, Fran has been reviewed at Cobham by the Chelsea medical team.

“Following that review and further discussion with a specialist, Fran is set to undergo surgery and is expected to be sidelined for a significant period.

“Fran will begin a rehabilitation programme with support from the club’s medical team. Everyone at Chelsea sends their best wishes to Fran in her recovery.”

Kirby netted twice for England during last summer’s Euro 2022 triumph and has scored seven times for Chelsea in 13 appearances across all competitions this season.

The news comes as another blow for England head coach Wiegman, just weeks after captain Leah Williamson was ruled out of the World Cup after rupturing her ACL, while a timely recovery for Euro 2022 player of the tournament and Golden Boot winner Beth Mead from the same injury looks unlikely.

Wiegman is set to announce her squad for the upcoming tournament in late May.

Carlos Alcaraz cruised to victory over Alexander Zverev in a rematch of last year’s Madrid Open final.

Zverev is still trying to rediscover his best form after suffering a serious ankle injury at the French Open last summer and this time he was no match for the young Spaniard, who claimed a 6-1 6-2 victory to reach the quarter-finals at the Caja Magica.

Alcaraz, bidding for back-to-back titles after winning in Barcelona last week, dominated from the start and Zverev could find no answers, with his forehand particularly wayward.

Alcaraz, who turns 20 on Friday, said in an on-court interview: “For me it’s amazing to play the level that I played today.

“It’s been a question mark for me – this result isn’t normal. I played great, I feel really good right now and this match gives me a lot of confidence.”

There were two shocks in all-Russian contests, with Daniil Medvedev losing to Aslan Karatsev and Karen Khachanov beating Andrey Rublev.

Second seed Medvedev complained about the lack of space behind the baseline on the Arantxa Sanchez Stadium during a 7-6 (1) 6-4 loss to qualifier Karatsev, who plummeted down the rankings last year after his remarkable 2021 breakthrough, where he reached the Australian Open semi-finals.

This was a brilliant display of power hitting from Karatsev, who will return to the top 100 next week.

Fifth seed Rublev has been enjoying an excellent season, winning his first Masters 1000 tournament in Monte-Carlo last month, but he was edged out 7-6 (8) 6-4 by doubles partner Khachanov.

“I hope he will play with me tomorrow,” said Khachanov, who now faces Alcaraz in singles. “This match is over, we need to have some time maybe to absorb it, for him.

“It was the same in Monte-Carlo, he beat me. Life goes on, he’s doing well this year, I’m doing well.”

Richard Taylor has signed a new deal at St Mirren, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2025.

The 22-year-old defender initially joined the Buddies on a six-month deal in January, with the Paisley club holding the option to extend further which has now been taken up.

Taylor signed for Saints after leaving League of Ireland First Division side Waterford and made his debut in a 1-1 draw with Hearts on January 7.

He has gone on to make eight first-team appearances so far this season, and boss Stephen Robinson told the club’s website: “Richard has come in and been fantastic in the games he has played.

“He’s stepped up to the level in games against Celtic and Hearts, and in the longer term, I think he’s a very good addition to our squad.

“He’s someone we are constantly working on, he’s someone who wants to learn and he’s still only young.

“He’s left-footed which gives us more balance on that side of defence and he can play at left-back as well.

“He’s 6ft 2ins and he’s quick as well as being very composed on the ball and going forward he gives us a few more options playing out from the back.”

Christian Fuchs' overriding memory of Leicester City's title celebrations in 2016 are Jamie Vardy's tears... at having to move house.

Leicester won their first Premier League title on May 2, 2016, when Tottenham drew with Chelsea.

Seven years on, the Foxes are scrapping at the wrong end of the table, having drawn 2-2 with Everton on Monday in a relegation six-pointer.

Vardy scored against Everton, marking his second league goal in as many appearances after only striking once before in the top flight this term.

The 36-year-old might still play a key role in Leicester ensuring safety, and was one of their talismanic figures during that glorious 2015-16 campaign.

Indeed, the Leicester squad gathered to watch the Chelsea-Tottenham game at the striker's home, and it was there that the title celebrations started, as Fuchs recalls.

He told Stats Perform: "Jamie was crying because he knew he had to move out right away the next day! Because now everybody knew where he was living. The whole town, Everybody was there.

"The emotions, when you see the video right after the final whistle, what happened was insane.

"But it was between crying, screaming, laughing, players on the floor, people on the floor. It was just manic, it was crazy."

Fuchs stressed that it was not until Leicester were mathematically champions that the Foxes squad allowed themselves to bask in their achievement.

"A big secret to success is being humble, even if you are five points ahead," Fuchs said.

"We stayed humble. And we thought okay, we're not the favourites even though we're so close. Eventually we made it."

Claudio Ranieri's remarkable work with Leicester's squad holds a special place in Fuchs' heart.

"His calmness, first of all, his understanding for individual needs and situations of players," Fuchs said when asked what made Ranieri such a special coach.

"He treated you as a player, not just okay, you're number five, your number 12. Whatever it is, he really took care of us, understanding that if I give my players the freedom off the field, and I trust them, then they will perform better for me on the field.

"It was kept very simple, our football back then was so simple. Basically, protect the goal and kick it long. Find Vardy on the break.

"But this personal level that he really took interest in. Who are you? What's your family like? Who's your family? That went a long way with me."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp fully expects to be punished for his comments about Paul Tierney but insists he did not intentionally call the referee’s integrity into question and has not lied about the incident.

While blaming the emotion of a last-gasp 4-3 win over Tottenham, having been 3-0 up, can in no way excuse the Reds boss for charging down the touchline to celebrate wildly in front of fourth official John Brooks or his suggestions Tierney “had history” with the club, Klopp said in the cold light of day, he never meant to cast aspersions.

Tierney actually appears to have done Klopp a favour by not sending him off as the German claimed the referee had told him his actions on the touchline were worthy of a red card but he chose to issue a yellow.

It was that apparent suggestion which led Klopp to say what Tierney said to him was “not OK”, with the 55-year-old German insisting he has not lied about the interaction after the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) rejected Tierney’s actions were “improper” and insisted a review of the recording proves Tierney behaved in a “professional manner”.

“With all the things which have been made, I probably have to expect the punishment,” said Klopp.

“I think the refs think I questioned the integrity (of their colleague), which when I am calm and sitting here I don’t do, but in that moment I just describe my feelings.

“I am very sure he is not doing it intentionally but we have a history and I cannot deny that.

“Of course they didn’t happen intentionally but they are still there and it’s a feeling and nothing else.

“I know the refs were really angry about what I said and now go for it. I heard I was lying.

“I did a lot of things that day but I didn’t lie. I shouldn’t have said a couple of things but lying was not one of them.”

Klopp seems likely to receive an extended touchline ban on the back of actions at the weekend.

He already served a one-game suspension in November after the Football Association successfully appealed against an independent regulatory commission decision to only fine him £30,000 in regards to his behaviour in confronting assistant referee Gary Beswick and subsequently being sent of by referee Anthony Taylor.

He accepts he has brought this situation on himself and said he regretted allowing his emotions to get the better of him.

“We won a football game 4-3 in a very spectacular manner and the only headlines are the ones I created and I really regret that,” he said.

“It is absolutely not necessary and not how it should be.

“The whole situation shouldn’t have happened at all. It was out of emotion, it was out of anger in that moment. That’s why I celebrated the way I celebrated.

“Paul Tierney came over to me and I didn’t expect at all a red card. I know I had a red card not too long ago but I didn’t expect for a second a red card because I didn’t feel it was right.

“I expected a yellow card in that moment and he (Tierney) said to me ‘For me it’s a red card but because of him’ – that’s what I understood because it was loud in the stadium – ‘but because of him it’s yellow’. Showed me a yellow and smiled to my face. That’s it.

“The final whistle we go inside and I try to calm down and it didn’t work out properly and I said what I said.

“I said ‘What he said to me was not OK’ and I thought it was not OK because it was not a red card in my view.

“I understand I opened the box. It was not intentional but I opened it.”

Liverpool face Fulham on Wednesday looking for a fourth-successive victory to maintain their unlikely pursuit of Champions League football.

There will inevitably be increased scrutiny on the manager, but he said: “If there is one good thing, I prefer much I am in that situation than any player.

“We will see but I can’t see it will have an influence on the team.”

Everton’s Jordan Pickford feels he won the mind games with Leicester’s James Maddison after his crucial penalty save.

The England goalkeeper stopped Maddison’s first-half spot-kick before Alex Iwobi’s leveller secured a 2-2 draw for the Toffees at the King Power Stadium on Monday evening.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s penalty had given the 19th-placed visitors the lead before the Foxes hit back with goals from Caglar Soyuncu and Jamie Vardy.

Pickford stopped the hosts going 3-1 ahead by denying Maddison from 12 yards, after Michael Keane’s handball, with the notes on his water bottle telling him the forward goes down the middle 60 per cent of the time.

“I do my homework. I called it this morning, which way I was going to go, but he’s a good player with his delivery and he can whip it or open it up,” he told placed Everton’s website.

“I think he expects me to dive so I think I’ve double-bluffed him and got one up on him. It was a big moment in the game and I’m happy I saved it because that’s what I’m there to do, try to help out my team-mates if they make mistakes.

“We’re both fighting. We’re both down there. There’s probably a bit of anxiety, a bit of pressure out on the pitch from both teams.

“I thought we played brilliant in the first 20 minutes – we did exactly what the gaffer wanted from us, then we dropped off the boil and they came into the game a bit.

“We created a lot of chances. Their keeper, (Daniel) Iversen, made some very good saves, so credit to him because when he was called upon he made those saves.

“I think it’s the most chances we’ve created since the manager (Sean Dyche) came in (in late January), if not all season, so that’s a plus but a negative as well.”

Leicester – one point better off than Everton – moved out of the drop zone on goal difference ahead of next Monday afternoon’s game at Fulham.

They will still be out of the bottom three when they kick off at Craven Cottage as rivals Nottingham Forest host Southampton on Monday evening.

“We’ve come away with a point, so we’ll take that,” defender Luke Thomas told the club’s website.

“We’ve got ourselves out of the relegation zone and it’s three games undefeated.

“I don’t think there’s been many times this season where we’ve done that. We’ve struggled, but that’s a positive to take and hopefully on Monday we can make that four.”

Kevin De Bruyne faces a fitness test ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with West Ham on Wednesday.

The influential Belgium playmaker missed the champions’ victory at Fulham on Sunday with an unspecified knock and is again a doubt as the Hammers visit the Etihad Stadium.

Defender Nathan Ake could be in contention after missing City’s last three games with a hamstring injury.

Manager Pep Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday: “Nathan trained with us and feels good.

“Kevin has started to move but hasn’t trained with the team (yet). Now we have training in a few hours and we will know exactly how he feels.”

Wednesday’s game could see the prolific Erling Haaland set a new record for the most goals by a player in a Premier League season.

The Norwegian netted his 34th of the league campaign at Fulham, drawing him level with joint record-holders Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.

His strike at Craven Cottage was his 50th of the season in all competitions and, with a potential 10 games remaining, it is not inconceivable that he could pass Dixie Dean’s 1927-28 record of 63.

It has been an astonishing first year in English football but Guardiola is confident there could be plenty more to come from the 22-year-old.

Guardiola said: “It is a surprise for all of us – maybe not for him – to do what he’s doing in this difficult league but the way he behaves and has done it is for the success of the team.

“Of course it’s good for him and the team if he breaks the records. It’s a good sign.

“The magnitude of a record is because for a long time it was not broken. All records will be broken one day.

“He himself or another one will break the record Erling is going to set, because I’m pretty sure he is going to score more goals in the Premier League until the end of the season.”

In-form City put themselves in firm control of the title race with their victory over Arsenal last week but, after being pushed hard by Fulham, Guardiola is not taking anything for granted against the Hammers.

He said: “West Ham maybe didn’t do the season they expected but that doesn’t mean the quality is not there.

“In the last two seasons with David Moyes they have been exceptional.

“The weapons are there, they are a good team. I don’t have doubts about them. In one game anything can happen. We have to be absolutely ready.”

Chris Paul hobbled off with an apparent groin problem in the Phoenix Suns' loss to the Denver Nuggets.

The Suns lost 97-87 on Monday, with the Nuggets moving into a 2-0 lead in the series.

There was further concern as Paul left the game in the third quarter, and the Suns can now only hope for the best in regard to his status.

"All we can do is hope he has a speedy recovery," said Devin Booker, who scored 35 points.

"We're going to be behind him. We're going to hold it down while he is out, or if he's out, and just take it from there."

Monty Williams added: "He just came up where he couldn't push off of it or anything.

"We're not quite sure what it is right now, but it seems to be something in the groin area. We'll find out more [on Tuesday].

Should Paul fail to recover, Booker said he is ready to shoulder extra responsibility.

"I mean, the playoffs is a lot, a lot comes with this, so you just have to embrace it," he said.

"Embrace the challenge, embrace the opportunity that we have right now, even down 0-2.

"Get back home, protect our home court and go from there. But a lot is on all of our plates, and that's everybody throughout the playoffs right now."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insisted “the whole thing should never have happened” as he explained his part in the row which has blown up between him and referee Paul Tierney.

The Football Association is investigating comments by the Reds boss which appeared to call into question the integrity of the official following Sunday’s dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham.

After his side’s late winner, Klopp ran down the touchline to celebrate in front of fourth official John Brooks and received a yellow card from Tierney.

“The whole situation shouldn’t have happened at all. It was out of emotion, out of anger in that moment. That’s why I celebrated the way I celebrated,” Klopp said.

“I didn’t say anything wrong. I couldn’t get close to the fourth official and I didn’t want to get close to him.

“Paul Tierney came over and I didn’t expect a red card I expected a yellow. He said to me: ‘For me it’s a red card,’ but he gave me a yellow.

“After the game I tried to calm down and didn’t properly. I said (in TV interviews): ‘What he said to me was not OK’. I opened the box which I didn’t want to open.

“The rest was things I said about how I felt in that moment and Paul Tierney doing our games. I’m not a resentful person but these things which happen in the past happens, not intentionally but they are there.

“Obviously the refs are really angry about what I said. I did a lot of things that day but I didn’t lie.”

Klopp said after the game that he did not know what the official “has against us”.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday’s home match against Fulham, Klopp added: “With all the things I maybe expect a punishment. Refs think I questioned their integrity, which if I am sitting here now calm, I don’t do. We have to wait to see what they come back with.”

Shortly after the Spurs game the Professional Game Match Officials Limited responded.

Its statement read: “PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jurgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur.

“Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system and having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper.”