Harry Souttar returned to club action with Stoke City on Saturday amid transfer speculation, playing a full game in a 2-2 home draw with Cardiff City in the English Championship.
The Press Association report said: “The Bluebirds were stifled and frustrated by an inspired Harry Souttar, who continued his impressive from from World Cup playing for Australia.”
Souttar was outstanding for the Socceroos during the World Cup, leading to transfer talk in the January window, with Potters boss Alex Neil addressed prior to the Cardiff game.
“We have no aspirations to sell Harry, obviously, because he makes us better,” Neil told reporters.
“But if we want to move the club forward and try to get the club out of the league, sometimes there are players that come along and that growth is really quick… We just need to wait and see but we’ve got no aspirations to do anything like that.”
Riley McGree returned to action for Middlesbrough, starting and playing 72 minutes in their 2-1 win over Luton Town.
Teesside Live rated McGree 7/10 and wrote: “Really bright and positive performance as he showed he had plenty of confidence after returning from the World Cup. Always wanted the ball and linked well with Giles at times on the left.”
Kenny Dougall earned a 6.5/10 rating with his full game as Blackpool snapped a four-game losing run with a 0-0 draw with Birmingham City.
Lancashire Live wrote: “Anchored central midfield. Solid job for the most part, aside from odd misplaced pass which led to dangerous situations.”
In League One, Cam Burgess put in a full shift and earned a 7/10 rating as Ipswich Town won 2-1 over Peterborough United.
East Anglian Daily Times wrote: “The partnership of Burgess and Woolfenden has surely locked itself in at the heart of the Town defence, with the former Accrington man solid throughout again today. His best contribution on this occasion was an excellent near-post block on Kelland Watts in the first-half. He’s made huge strides under Kieran McKenna.”
Jack Iredale got a 6.5/10 rating as Bolton lost 3-2 at Shrewsbury, having put in a full shift.
The Bolton News wrote: “Quality ball to release Afolayan for the run which led to the penalty. The Australian defender looked in decent nick on his return to the team.”
In the Italian Serie B, Fran Karacic‘s Brescia are due to take on Alessandro Circati‘s Parma on Monday.
In the Indian Super League on Sunday, former Socceroos forward Apostolos Giannou came off the bench to score the decisive goal in Kerala Blasters’ 3-2 win over Bengaluru.
Others
Unused subs
Callum Elder, Nicholas Bilokapic, Dean Bouzanis
