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It’s St Andrew’s Day. Not a very good St Andrew’s Day, granted, considering most of Scotland is in a Level 4 lockdown, but St Andrew’s Day nonetheless.

And we wouldn’t be 90min if we let a St Andrew’s Day go by without an over the top celebration of Scotland’s contributions to the Premier League.

Here, we’ve taken a look at every current top-flight club’s best Scottish player, because why the hell not?

Tierney has already made more Premier League appearances for Arsenal than any other Scottish player, so wins almost by default.

£10 to the first person to guess the other two without Googling it.

Villa have a proud tradition of bringing Scottish players to the club, but few have hung around for long – Ross McCormack, there between 2016 and 2019, is their longest serving since the 1980s.

A case could be made for Alan Hutton (instead we’ll get to him later) but it’s their current midfield maestro and his ground-level centre of gravity that makes the cut.

Jamie Murphy only made four Premier League appearances for Brighton. But he also seems to be the only Scottish player to make any Premier League appearances for Brighton.

So there we are.

? Happy birthday, @chris_iwelumo!

Our former striker turns 42 today ?

? ? pic.twitter.com/reyK8LvQ11

— Wolves (@Wolves) August 1, 2020

Big Chris Iwelumo was nowhere near as rubbish as his infamous famous miss for Scotland suggested.

The first of his international caps came while he was on an absolute tear for Wolves in 2008, and he went on to become a fairly steady Championship striker for Burnley.

Don’t come at me about Scott Arfield or Phil Bardsley when one of them declared for Canada and the other is Phil Bardsley.

Happy birthday, Steve Clarke! ? pic.twitter.com/8um2QUigHS

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) August 29, 2020

I’m not actually interested in the fact that other, better Scottish players might have played for Chelsea over the years. Steve Clarke qualifies, so you can sit down.

The current Scotland boss, tactical shithouse extraordinaire that he is, was named right-back in their Centenary XI in 2005, and made over 150 Premier League appearances for the Blues.

Yesterday was the first time since Roy Hodgson’s first game in charge that James McArthur has failed to make a tackle or an interception after starting a game in central midfield. #CPFC ?? pic.twitter.com/lGF2U5RrnZ

— CPFC Analytics (@CPFCAnalytics) November 24, 2020

A product of the Hamilton Accies academy that continues to fund their top-flight budget to this day despite them having no actual supporters, McArthur has continued to exist in the Premier League for about a decade now.

He rarely does much more than that, granted, and has been frozen out of the Scotland set-up due to their avalanche of midfield talent, but anyway, here he is.

Everton have kept all the Scotland to themselves. Davie Weir, James McFadden and Steven Naismith might all have a case for themselves, but actually they don’t, because Big Dunc existed.

It’s possible that there hasn’t been a better header of the ball in the history of the Premier League.

He’s also proud owner of the best Wikipedia page in the history of football. Seriously, look.

“In 2001, two burglars broke into Ferguson’s home in Rufford, Lancashire. Ferguson confronted them and was able to detain one of them, who subsequently spent three days in hospital.”

Last night just added fuel to the fire… we’ll be back stronger ?? @FulhamFC pic.twitter.com/PUIWwm4Dww

— Tom Cairney (@ThomasCairney) November 8, 2020

It’s always fun when a player, who speaks with an English accent owing to being born and raised in England, rejects England to play for Scotland.

Cairney, who has a genuine chance of representing his paternal nation at this summer’s Euros, will now be pleased with his choice.

He’s a modern day Fulham legend and edges out the slightly less legendary (from a Fulham perspective, anyway) John Collins. Not to be confused with Collins John.

Understated and underrated throughout his career, Matteo hit his peak as a key part of the Leeds team that made the semi-finals of the 2001 Champions League.

He opened the scoring agains† Milan at the San Siro, heading in the goal that eventually sent them through to the knockout stage, and was appointed captain following Rio Ferdinand’s departure for Manchester United.

Tier 3, you say? ?

Leicester have got a history of success in the third tier ? pic.twitter.com/lPxtU7MoXo

— BBC Leicester Sport (@BBCRLSport) November 27, 2020

The pinnacle of journeyman Premier League strikers, Dickov racked up substantial mileage and earned himself cult-hero status all over the country over the course of his 22-year career.

Leicester and Manchester City have both hit heights since that edge him out of legendary status but he was a regular source of goals for both clubs – in his first spell with each, at least.

He managed 10 caps for his country, all of which came between his arrival at Maine Park and his first departure from Leicester.

Wonder when the people playing the game will have a say! Very frustrating day but credit to Brighton, really tough opponent! pic.twitter.com/FxluTuThyC

— Andy Robertson (@andrewrobertso5) November 28, 2020

Kenny Dalglish annoyingly never featured for Liverpool in the Premier League era, resigning as their manager in 1991 – just as the new era came into force.

There’s only one choice, then, and it’s not Gary McAllister or Charlie Adam.

Outside of Everton, United probably have the best pool to choose from. In that they have two genuine contenders.

Darren Fletcher’s longevity, however, edges out Brian McClair’s explosive brilliance.

Did anyone else know that Phil Bardsley made 18 appearances for United, by the way? That’s a revelation.

It’s shameful that a club in the north east of England have so few Scottish players to choose from. Sort it out, Newcastle.

It’s basically Ritchie or Ryan Fraser, and given the latter has only been there 10 minutes, it’s a walkover for the Gosport-born winger/left-back/whatever he is.

“Known to fans and fellow players as ‘Budweiser’ following a drunken incident in Ayia Napa when he had appeared covering his genitals with a Budweiser beer label, he was allowed to leave West Ham in January 1996.”

Need we say more?

Hutchison was a great player at one point or another for both the Irons and the Blades, though was well known for his hot temper. He averaged a booking every four games in his first spell at Upton Park.

Part of Gordon Strachan’s south coast revolution in the early 2000s, Telfer was signed as a central midfielder but quickly found himself filling in at right-back.

He made more than 100 appearances for the club over four years, and was rarely outstanding, but did the job.

Stuart Armstrong might soon be chapping on the door, granted.

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Happy birthday, Alan Hutton! ? pic.twitter.com/tuLqCVbp4E

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 30, 2020

Laugh laugh laugh away but there was a point in the not too distant past where Alan Hutton was a genuinely good Premier League defender.

He was a central part of Harry Redknapp’s Spurs in 2010/11 though there were seasons that followed where he would be a regular for Scotland despite not playing a single game at club level.

And for the record, Spurs’ Twitter account almost fails to recognise Hutton. So we had to put in Villa’s appreciation of him instead.

Morrison was once one of Scottish football’s great hopes, but his generation didn’t quite hit the heights expected.

He was a terrific servant to West Brom, however, and was a regular source of creativity throughout seven years in the Midlands.

He made 341 appearances and now works as a coach with their under-23s.

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Fulham shocked the Premier League with a stellar win at the King Power Stadium, as a toothless Leicester missed the chance to go level at the top of the division.

The Foxes looked on the ropes from the off as the pace of Ademola Lookman caused them serious problems on the break. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa played through the winger with a sublime assist for the opener on half an hour, and and unlikely lead was made even unlikelier when Ivan Cavaleiro doubled it from the spot before the break.

The visitors looked comfortable in the second period and coped with everything Brendan Rodgers threw at them. Harvey Barnes and Cengiz Under emerged from the bench but couldn’t force anything for the most part as Scott Parker’s team showed a level of composure that would have delighted the manager.

Barnes did get on the score-sheet late on to set up a nervy finish, but Fulham were good value for their three vital points.

Here are the player ratings.

Leicester

Kasper Schmeichel (GK) – 6/10 – Had no real chance with either goal and was quiet otherwise.

Wesley Fofana (RCB) – 6/10 – Should have opened the scoring early on and was made to pay for that error by a clinical Fulham performance. The best of Leicester’s defenders though that isn’t saying too much.

Jonny Evans (CB) – 5/10 – Fairly steady at the heart of the back three though might have been positioned better for the opener. Nearly sold out his keeper with a self-destructive pass at 2-0 but was bailed out by Fofana.

Christian Fuchs (LCB) – 5/10 – Really clumsy to give away the VAR-assisted penalty for the second and that set the tone for a really iffy performance.

James Justin (RWB) – 6/10 – Seemed lively and tried to get Leicester forward but his final ball wasn’t there. Got at Antonee Robinson a few times and looked as likely as anyone to make something happen.

Youri Tielemans (CM) – 6/10 – Was at the heart of most good things Leicester did but struggled to break through the lines like he usually can. Mixed his game up but was given no quarter.

Napmalys Mendy (CM) – 5/10 – A bit slow and ponderous and was bypassed easily for a couple of counter-attacks. Rarely had the ambition to move play forward though that isn’t really his game.

Luke Thomas (LWB) – 5/10 – Fairly quiet and ineffectual before being withdrawn at the break.

Dennis Praet (RW) – 5/10 – Didn’t really look at home off the right of Jamie Vardy before he was taken off at half-time.

Jamie Vardy (CF) – 6/10 – Leicester so rarely got the ball to him and his few attempts to drop deep to get on it came to nothing. Showed his influence in flashes but was largely frustrated by his team-mates’ lack of cutting edge.

James Maddison (LW) – 6/10 – His form has gone off a cliff this season and you could see why as he struggled to impose himself.

Harvey Barnes – 6/10 – Scored and looked lively, but it was too little, too late

Cengiz Under – 6/10

Kelechi Iheanacho – 6/10

Fulham

Alphonse Areola (GK) – 7/10 – Met everything he was faced with well though he might have expected a busier afternoon at the King Power.

Ola Aina (RCB) – 6/10 – Looked strangely at home in the back three and popped up with a couple of big aerial clearances to relieve the pressure from his side.

Joachim Andersen (CB) – 7/10 -Probably his best game in a Fulham shirt as he held things together admirable in the middle of a thrown together defence.

Tosin Aradibioyo (LCB) – 6/10 – Was tasked with bringing the ball out from the back and looked a little unsure of himself but otherwise steady.

Bobby Decordova-Reid (RWB) – 6/10 – Seemed a strange decision to start him as a wing-back but he seemed comfortable in the new role.

Harrison Reed (CM) – 6/10 – Sat between the lines and broke up play well without pulling up any trees.

Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (CM) – 7/10 – The renaissance of Fulham’s one man engine continues apace. Sublime assist for the opener as he led the counter-attack by himself.

Antonee Robinson (LWB) – 7/10 – Supported Fulham’s few ventures forward with his dynamic movement and was solid defensively even after Leicester’s second-half reinforcements.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek (RW) – 5/10 – Was clearly out of position playing off the front three and struggled to really get into the game before his withdrawal.

Ivan Cavaleiro (CF) – 6/10 – Fell on his backside the last time he tried to take a penalty but absolutely no danger of that here as he comprehensively thumped the ball into the top corner. As makeshifts centre-forwards go he looks just about adequate.

Ademola Lookman (LW) – 8/10 – Great composed finish for the opener with no inexplicable attempt to chip the ball down the middle in sight. If Fulham stand any chance of staying up this season, he’s it.

Mario Lemina – 6/10

Aleksandar Mitrovic – 4/10

Joe Bryan – N/A

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Liverpool will travel to face Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup, while Manchester United welcome Watford to Old Trafford.

Arsenal will face Newcastle in the round’s only all-Premier League tie.

Chelsea host League Two Morecambe, while Spurs will face Marine of the Northern Premier League – the lowest ranked side left in the tournament.

A West London Derby between QPR and Fulham also caught the eye in one of the ties of the round when the draw was made on Monday evening.

Third round draw in full

Huddersfield vs Plymouth Argyle

Southampton vs Shrewsbury Town

Chorley vs Derby County

Marine vs Tottenham

Wolves vs Crystal Palace

Stockport County vs West Ham

Oldham Athletic vs AFC Bournemouth

Manchester United vs Watford

Stevenage vs Swansea

Everton vs Rotherham

Nottingham Forest vs Cardiff

Arsenal vs Newcastle

Barnsley vs Tranmere Rovers

Bristol Rovers vs Sheffield United

Canvey Island OR Boreham Wood vs Millwall

Blackburn vs Doncaster

Stoke City vs Leicester

Wycombe Wanderers vs Preston North End

Crawley Town vs Leeds

Burnley vs MK Dons

Bristol City vs Portsmouth

QPR vs Fulham

Aston Villa vs Liverpool

Brentford vs Middlesbrough

Manchester City vs Birmingham City

Luton vs Reading

Chelsea vs Morecambe

Exeter City vs Sheffield Wednesday

Norwich vs Coventry

Blackpool vs West Brom

Newport County vs Brighton

Cheltenham vs Mansfield Town

All ties will take place on the weekend of Saturday 9 January 2021, with the winning clubs pocketing £82,000 for reaching the last 32.

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Barcelona will look to continue their fine form in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday as they travel to face Ferencvaros.

Ronald Koeman has had a dream start so far in Europe with his side winning all four of their previous games. Victories over Juventus, Dynamo Kyiv and Wednesday’s opponents Ferencvaros have left Barcelona sitting pretty at the top of the group G, with a place in the last 16 already in the bag. The manager could choose to rest key players with the injuries piling up, and it will be interesting to see who gets a run out.

Ferencvaros are yet to win so far in the Champions League this season and did well to even take a point from Dynamo Kyiv last month. Their form is good in the league though, boasting an unbeaten start to the season domestically.

When Is Kick Off? Wednesday 2 December
What Time Is Kick Off? 8PM (GMT)
Where Is It Played? Puskas Arena
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport (UK)
Referee? Aleksei Kulbakov

Barcelona find themselves dangerously short of centre-backs at present. Gerard Pique is currently out with a long term knee injury, while fellow defenders Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Araujo are also on the treatment table. Things went from bad to worse for Koeman at the weekend as he was forced to watch Clement Lenglet hobble off the pitch with an ankle injury.

Captain Lionel Messi sat out last week’s thrashing of Dynamo Kyiv and could well be rested once again with Barcelona’s place in the next round already secured. Miralem Pjanic, Ousmane Dembele and Francisco Trincao will all be raring for a start. Sergio Busquets returned to action against Osasuna at the weekend and could play again.

Ferencvaros have been fortunate with injuries so far this season with defender Eldar Civic their only injury doubt. Marcel Heister has filled in in recent games and should keep his place on Wednesday. Endre Botka was forced to isolate earlier in the month and returns for what will no doubt be a busy game for him.

Predicted Lineups

Fernenvaros: Dibusz; Botka, Frimpong, Blazic, Heister; Skvarka, Kharatin; Zubkov, Nguen, Uzuni; Batrina.

Barcelona: Ter Stegen; Dest, Busquets, Mingueza, Firpo; Pjanic, Alena, Coutinho; Trincao, Braithwaite, Dembele.

Barcelona sit top of Group G on 12 points having won all of their first four games. They go into this game off the back of a 4-0 win over Osasuna at the weekend and will be brimming with confidence.

The first encounter between these two teams saw Barcelona run out 5-1 winners, despite playing with ten men for 25 minutes.

Ferencvaros have had a torrid Champions League campaign but are doing very well for themselves in the league. They are currently unbeaten this season and go into Wednesday’s game on a three match winning run. Will it be enough to lay a glove on Barcelona though?

Ferencvaros

Ferencvaros 2-0 MTK Budapest (28/11)
Honved 0-1 Ferencvaros (21/11)
Ferencvaros 3-0 Mezokovesd (08/11)
Fehervar 1-1 Ferencvaros (31/10)
Ferencvaros 2-0 Ujpest (24/10)

Barcelona

Barcelona 4-0 Osasuna (29/11)
Dynamo Kyiv 0-4 Barcelona (24/11)
Atletico Madrid 1-0 Barcelona (21/11)
Barcelona 5-2 Real Betis (07/11)
Barcelona 2-1 Dynamo Kyiv (04/11)

Even though Koeman may not choose to start Messi, Barcelona have more than enough fire power to see off Ferencvaros. It will be a good opportunity to give players minutes but Koeman will be keen not to pick up any more injuries.

Prediction: Ferencvaros 0-3 Barcelona

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Olivier Giroud may have felt an opportunity had forgone him at full-time in Chelsea’s turgid goalless draw with Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.

Having been introduced in the 79th minute of the defensive dogfight, the Frenchman – who has been vocal in his discontent at a lack of game time and has the rumour mill turning – had the chance to capitalise on one of the only rearguard errors of a tediously tactical top-of-the-table encounter.

In the 92nd minute, running back towards his own goal with Giroud in hot pursuit (or running as fast as his 34-year-old legs could carry him), impressive Spurs debutant Joe Rodon got caught under Kurt Zouma’s long ball in the left channel and failed to generate enough power in his header back to goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Hugo Lloris and Olivier Giroud are definitely talking about that chance at the end! ?? ? pic.twitter.com/GnPSwiXqIB

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) November 29, 2020

Giroud’s eyes lit up as he ran onto the loose ball on his preferred left foot – the chance to be the hero against the Blues’ London rivals once again one accurate swing of his trusty left peg away, a chance for Chelsea’s adonis to actually achieve God status (for Sunday night on Twitter, at least).

Alas, with Lloris well off his line and the goal gaping beyond, Giroud could only produce a flaccid, looping side-foot that flew straight into the grateful arms of his international teammate. Game over, 0-0, and with the narrative coming full-circle, Chelsea had discovered what it’s like to be ‘Mourinho’d’.

But while he had missed the most clear-cut opportunity of the game, Giroud’s work to prove his worth to manager Frank Lampard had been done for him in the 79 minutes he wasn’t on the pitch.

Hindsight is a readily available stick with which to beat a manager – shoulda, woulda, coulda etc – but in three second-half moments at Stamford Bridge something was abundantly clear; this was a game Giroud should have started (or at least been given longer) and could have won for Chelsea – just as he did in the corresponding fixture last season.

Lampard elected to start Tammy Abraham, but despite his 6’3 frame the England man failed to make the most of three excellent crosses into the penalty area. The 23-year-old’s heading ability is something of an enigma; while he came into the game with the highest aerial duel success percentage of any Premier League striker so far this season with 58.6% (per ExpectedChelsea), only three of his 22 goals for the senior team have come with his head.

?”Sometimes I wonder does he watch clips of himself after the game”

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink believes Tammy Abraham needed to take his chances better for Chelsea against Tottenham pic.twitter.com/EZBdvCoGoi

— Football Daily (@footballdaily) November 29, 2020

Although strikes in consecutive games against Rennes, Sheffield United and Newcastle either side of the international break justified a start, it was perhaps an oversight that Lampard did not consider the number of crosses Chelsea would have to get into the box to bypass Spurs’ mightily effective low block.

Whoever your opponent, high, low or middling, near post or back post, Giroud is the man for the job if your game plan is to whip the ball into the danger area – which it evidently was in the second period.

Abraham’s first headed opportunity arrived in the 48th minute, with Reece James curling in a typically accurate cross from the right to find the striker primed in the middle of the box and towering above Rodon. However, the Chelsea man mistimed his jump, getting underneath it and only managing to graze the ball wide with the back of his head.

Just three minutes later and almost identically, James whipped in another to the near post, but this time the number nine conspired to lose the flight of the ball and only get a glancing touch to send it bouncing away to the left, thanks in no small part to the presence of the Welsh defender.

Giroud has to be kissing his teeth watching Tammy Abraham miss headed chances that he would feast on

— Zito (@_Zeets) November 29, 2020

Abraham saved his most glaring miss and misjudgement for last, with the delivery this time arriving from Timo Werner on the left. Ghosting in behind Eric Dier to meet the clipped cross just six yards out the centre-forward flung himself at the ball with limbs akimbo, but produced something more akin to the finishing move of an interpretative dance than the finishing touch of a striker.

It would be reductive to suggest that Giroud would have scored all three, but not ridiculous to say he would have been more productive in at least one of those situations. While Abraham boasts a winner against Arsenal and goals in vain against Bayern Munich and Liverpool in his fledgling Chelsea career, Giroud has demonstrated time and time again for both the Gunners, Chelsea and of course France that he is the man for the big occasion.

There is something to be said, too, for the confidence that must surely have been coursing through the 34-year-old’s veins following his stunning last-minute winner in Brittany in midweek – a typically emphatic header. What could have been on Sunday.

While a point against the league leaders will no doubt be valuable in the long run, his presence could have made it three. Without even being involved, it was another demonstration of why Chelsea should once again think twice about letting him go in January.

For more from Krishan Davis, follow him on Twitter!

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