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The wait is over! Here's Wrexham's full set of league fixtures for the 2023-24 campaign.

Wrexham will get their eagerly-anticipated 2023-24 League Two season underway with a fixture against Milton Keynes Dons at SToK Racecourse on August 5.

Backed by Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, the Red Dragons secured their promotion back to the Football League by winning the National League title, accumulating an incredible 111 points, four ahead of Notts County.

After being confirmed as champions of the fifth tier in the English football pyramid, Wrexham's stars headed to Las Vegas for a promotion party funded by Reynolds and McElhenney. Their focus will now turn to pre-season as they prepare for their first campaign back in the Football League for some 15 years.

With the full set of EFL fixtures having now been released, GOAL brings you the full month-to-month breakdown of all of Wrexham's League Two matches for the 2023-24 season!

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  August

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  05/08/2023	15:00	Wrexham v MK Dons
  12/08/2023	15:00	A.F.C. Wimbledon v Wrexham
  15/08/2023	19:45	Wrexham v Walsall
  19/08/2023	15:00	Wrexham v Swindon
  26/08/2023	15:00	Barrow v Wrexham

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• September

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  02/09/2023	15:00	Tranmere v Wrexham
  09/09/2023	15:00	Wrexham v Doncaster
  16/09/2023	15:00	Wrexham v Grimsby
  23/09/2023	15:00	Stockport v Wrexham
  30/09/2023	15:00	Wrexham v Crewe

• October

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  03/10/2023	19:45	Mansfield v Wrexham
  07/10/2023	15:00	Crawley Town v Wrexham
  14/10/2023	15:00	Wrexham v Salford City
  21/10/2023	15:00	Bradford City v Wrexham
  24/10/2023	19:45	Wrexham v Sutton United
  28/10/2023	15:00	Notts County v Wrexham

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• November

  Date	Kick-off time (UK)	Fixture
  11/11/2023	15:00	Wrexham v Gillingham
  18/11/2023	15:00	Accrington Stanley v Wrexham
  25/11/2023	15:00	Wrexham v Morecambe
  28/11/2023	19:45	Harrogate Town v Wrexham

Noel Whelan has suggested Glasgow Rangers could offer players in exchange for Aberdeen midfielder Lewis Ferguson.

The Lowdown: Gers eye Ferguson

Dons midfielder Ferguson recently handed in a transfer request (BBC), and the Gers are believed to be interested in a move for the 21-year-old.

Some sources suggests the midfielder would be very eager to make the switch to Ibrox.

The Latest: Whelan makes exchange claim

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan has suggested the Gers may offer players in order to capture the U21 Scotland international’s services. He said:

“I’m sure there might be players Aberdeen need that Rangers can offer, possibly.

“If that’s what it’s going to take to get a player through the door to improve them for the next four or five years…

“You’ve got the links, you’ve then got the enticement of Steven Gerrard. Also working with Gary McAllister, the likes of Jermain Defoe there, some great players in that midfield area.

“It’s a very tempting proposition, Rangers and playing at Ibrox, it really is.”

The Verdict: Better deal

Qualification for the Champions League group stages would provide a huge financial boost for the Gers, but that would not be secured until August, and the Ibrox outfit will need to bring in new signings before then. They will need to be clever in the transfer market, and a swap deal in this case could be an interesting one.

For example, the likes of Glenn Middleton and Greg Stewart appear to have no part to play in Steven Gerrard’s plans moving forward, yet they are both players with plenty of ability. A lower cash sum plus a couple of talented performers for Ferguson, who has 27 senior career assists to his name (Transfermarkt), may be enough to convince Aberdeen to part ways.

In other news, Rangers fans were livid at this Times article.

The Morocco defender was sent off early on, and despite a Kylian Mbappe goal, the Ligue 1 leaders couldn't get going with 10 men

An early Achraf Hakimi red card and a miserable first-half defensive showing from Paris Saint-Germain led to yet another home loss for the Ligue 1 champions as they succumbed to mid-table Lorient, 3-1.

The Morroco international was booked twice inside the opening 20 minutes — and he could have little reason to complain about either.

Meanwhile, the rest of the PSG defence didn't inspire confidence, as Enzo Le Fee and Darlone Yongwa grabbed goals for the visitors, splitting a controversial Kylian Mbappe strike.

There was, predictably, a PSG surge in the second half as Christophe Galtier's side pushed numbers up the pitch, but a series of saves from Yvon Mvogo and a stout defensive showing was enough to keep the defending champions out before Bamba Dieng snatched a late third for the visitors.

GOAL rates PSG's players from Parc des Princes…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Gianluigi Donnarumma (5/10):

  Could have shifted across more effectively on the second goal, but was otherwise let down by his backline.

  Achraf Hakimi (2/10):

  Sent off after 20 minutes for two reckless tackles. Can have little to complain about.

  Sergio Ramos (6/10):

  The better of the two centre-backs. Won his headers, passed well.

  Marquinhos (3/10):

  Didn't mark effectively on Lorient's first goal, too easily bypassed on the second. Saved by VAR after a bad mistake in the build up to a potential third.

  Juan Bernat (4/10):

  Had a miserable day defensively. Both of Lorient's first half goals came down his side.

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  Midfield

  Carlos Soler (5/10):

  Lots of energy, very little quality on the ball.

  Danilo Pereira (3/10):

  Switched to a more natural defensive-midfield position. Lorient attacked mostly down the wings, but Pereira didn't control the centre of the park. Subbed off with an injury.

  Marco Verratti (5/10):

  Creative, won some tackles, but still easily exploited on the break. Should have been sent off after committing five fouls.

  Vitinha (5/10):

  Not an attacking midfielder, despite the fact that he keeps being used as one.

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  Attack

  Lionel Messi (4/10):

  Tried to make things happen, but was swarmed every time he touched the ball. Started walking around by the end of things. Head might already be in a certain Spanish city.

  Kylian Mbappe (6/10):

  Scored a sneaky goal, but was otherwise lacking in the final third. He will have better games.

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  Subs & Manager

  Fabian Ruiz (5/10):

  Half-time substitute. Helped with some hard work defensively, but not much impact going the other way.

  Nuno Mendes (5/10):

  A much-needed introduction for a poor Bernat. Didn't do much better, though. Removed after picking up an injury.

  Hugo Ekitike (5/10):

  Brought on as a presumptive No.9, but ended up playing right-midfield.

  Warren Zaire-Emery (N/A):

  Only given 15 minutes. Must be wondering what he has to do to grab a start.

  Christophe Galtier (4/10):

  Can't seem to decide on a system. After playing a back three for the last three months, he switched to four. His side were miserable, conceding two in the first half and having a man sent off for two silly yellows. Galtier can't be at fault for all of this, but he's not doing much to suggest he should be in the job next year.

Reliable reporter Stephen McGowan believes that Celtic could sign Hibernian left-back Josh Doig in a seven-figure deal this summer.

The Lowdown: Celtic’s previous interest

The Hoops were linked with a move for the 18-year-old back in January but a deal never materialised, with right-back Jonjoe Kenny being Celtic’s only winter window addition.

The Parkhead giants weren’t the only club linked with Doig at the turn of the year, though, with Premier League quartet Arsenal, Chelsea, Leeds and Manchester City all credited with an interest.

Doig, who has played as a left-back and as a left midfielder at Easter Road this season, was described as ‘phenomenal’ by Queens Park boss Ray McKinnon last year.

The Latest: £1.2m fee shared

Speaking in his Daily Mail column (print edition, 08/05, page 115), via 67 Hail Hail, McGowan shared the news and described a deal for the Hoops as a ‘no brainer’. He wrote:

“Little sums up the state of paralysis at Parkhead more than the failure to register an interest in a left-back half the English Premier League are trying to snap up. Favourite to win Scotland’s Young Player of the Year, the 18-year-old should really be a no-brainer.

“The hopeless Diego Laxalt will follow Scott Brown and Shane Duffy out the door next week. And that leaves Greg Taylor as the only left-back in the building.

“Doig clearly lacks solid, prolonged first-team experience. He’s not the finished article. But he’s tall, technically strong, and Hibs are not asking for silly money. The player some regard as the next Kieran Tierney or Andrew Robertson is up for grabs for £1.2m.”

The Verdict: Doig to replace Laxalt?

We’re with McGowan in believing that a deal for Doig should be a no-brainer this summer.

Celtic will lose loanee Diego Laxalt back to AC Milan over the coming weeks, which may leave the club looking at possible additions to replace the Uruguayan.

Doig could rival Greg Taylor for a starting spot next season, with a view to then establishing himself as first choice at left-back in years to come.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard was impressed with the 18-year-old recently, labelling him as a player with ‘huge potential’.

Judging from what others have had to say about the teenager, the widespread Premier League interest and the reported £1.2m fee, we feel as if new Celtic CEO Dominic McKay should be all over this potential transfer.

In other news: ‘Hearing from various sources’ – journalist drops huge weekend Eddie Howe agreement claim, find out more here. 

Whenever Wolves have taken a step forward this season, it’s traditionally then meant they take another giant leap backwards.

Nuno Santo’s men had, up until this season, defined the very essence of consistency since he took over.

They were promoted from the Championship and have established themselves among the best of the rest in the Premier League.

This term, however, has been a complete write-off. Injuries have pillaged them severely and they lie in the bottom half of the table having shown no consistency at all.

The win over Brighton a couple of weeks ago felt like a turning point. Nuno had looked towards the future and when picking his most inexperienced XI of the campaign, his side won 2-1.

Though, since that victory, they’ve lost consecutive games to Tottenham and Everton. These are the types of matches that Nuno’s men usually thrive in but to coin an old phrase, they already look as though they’re on the beach.

That’s especially the case for Joao Moutinho, a man who will be dreaming of lifting the European Championships this summer.

He will have to perform better for Portugal than he’s done for Wolves during 2020/21 because at the moment, the midfielder looks past his best.

Towards the beginning of the year, Wolves reporter Tim Spiers commented that this could his final campaign as a regular starter at Molineux.

It was an intriguing argument but judging by his performance against Everton, he has a very valid point.

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Moutinho is a player who has always oozed class but at Goodison Park on Wednesday, he endured an average display in the middle of the park as they slipped to a 1-0 defeat.

This display was anything but classy as the Portuguese surrendered possession of the ball on 21 occasions. This is an alarming number of times for a player who is usually so calm and composed.

For instance, he has only lost the ball on average 9.7 times per match. His performance was extraordinarily out of character.

The £100k-per-week earner’s passing was also slightly down on what we’ve come to expect from him. Often the creative heartbeat of this Wolves team, he completed just 82%, lower than his 88% average throughout the term.

Moutinho did provide three key passes but he showed his age when he was dribbled past on two occasions during an Everton attack.

On this evidence, Nuno can certainly find better options to fill his midfield.

After all, they do have Moutinho 2.0 lying in wait if they choose to exercise the option to buy in Vitinha’s loan contract.

Having been given a platform to earn more starts towards the end of the season, the youngster has finally demonstrated how impressive he can be at the elite level.

AND in other news, Wolves set for huge boost after Molineux news emerges, Nuno will be thrilled…

Ferran Torres grabbed the only goal of the game as the Blaugrana's No.9 again struggled as his poor 2023 form shows no sign of improving

It was momentarily getting a little bit nervous in Barcelona. Heading into Sunday's fixture with Atletico Madrid, the Blaugrana were winless in three and hadn't scored in nearly 500 minutes. Their La Liga lead was eight points, an advantage that could prove to be thin if Real Madrid found form.

But any notions of a potential bottling were quashed by a professional performance at Camp Nou. Robert Lewandowski was once again wasteful, but Ferran Torres bagged a crucial goal, while the Blaugrana relied on an excellent defensive showing to see off third-placed Atleti with a 1-0 win.

Torres opened the scoring for the Blaugrana just before half time. He received the ball on the edge of the box with plenty of time to pick his spot, and dutifully passed Raphinha's cross into the bottom corner.

Barcelona went about their second half by steadily avoiding the goal. Gavi missed twice, Raphinha couldn't find the net from three yards out, and Lewandowski, meanwhile, continued his miserable run in front of goal, firing wide while clean through and lacking the instincts in front of goal that have so regularly defined his game.

Things were tight enough defensively that Barcelona weren't made to pay. Ronald Araujo turned in another classy performance, while Marc-Andre ter Stegen was reliable enough to ensure the Blaugrana steadied a suddenly wavering season.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Camp Nou…

• WINNER: Ferran Torres

  Xavi's faith in the Spain striker is puzzling. Torres has never really hit his stride in a Barcelona shirt, and it was odd to see him included in the line up here.

  However, what seemed to be a risk turned out a masterstroke from the manager.

  Torres' opener was a classic piece of striker's play, with the former Manchester City man perfectly delaying his run before receiving Raphinha's pass and finding the bottom corner with ease.

  His goal will take the headlines, but he was solid throughout here. Barca needed some intensity against a typically chippy Atleti side, and Torres provided it. Pedri's return to full fitness will surely see the winger removed from the line up, but he took his chance when offered.

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  LOSER: Robert Lewandowski

  As one attacking player thrived, another stuttered.

  Lewandowski hasn't been at his best for some time now, and it was another forgettable showing here. The 34-year-old looks like a player trying to do too much. He rushed shots, mistimed his passes, and was caught offside once or twice.

  There was one particularly egregious moment when the Poland captain ran through on goal with Jan Oblak caught in no man's land. He could have either squared to an open Raphinha or whipped the ball into the far corner. And he did either, slicing his effort a few yards wide — much to the chagrin of his team-mate.

  Lewandowski will surely come good again; the best goalscorers always find their rhythm. But it's just not working for him right now. Barcelona are fortunate that his cold spell has come with the title more or less wrapped up.

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  WINNER: Xavi

  After three games without a win, Xavi needed to turn things around today. And he did just that.

  Some of his selection choices were bold. Selecting Torres over Ansu Fati and putting Marcos Alonso at centre-back raised a few eyebrows before kick off, but he got his personnel exactly right, and his side never really looked troubled.

  Xavi will likely be disappointed that his side didn't win by more here. They missed a handful of good chances to extend their 1-0 lead, and on another day could have won 4-0. But his team was reliable enough at the other end to ensure that they weren't made to rue the litany of unsuccessful attempts.

  Eighteen months after accepting the job, the club legend will likely be lifting the league trophy in a few weeks. That's not a bad turnaround for a team that was going nowhere when he took over.

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  LOSER: Diego Simeone

  Here was a chance for some El Cholo magic.

  Heading into this clash, Atleti had won each of their last six games while playing some surprisingly expansive football in recent weeks. It all looked like a recipe to snag an unlikely Camp Nou win.

  But Simeone's side were thoroughly beaten here — despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise.

  Antoine Griezmann rattled the bar early, and forced some neat saves out of Ter Stegen, but they were otherwise toothless in attack.

  At the other end, they were uncharacteristically disorganised, and conceded a preventable goal to an out-of-form player.

  By the end of it all, Simeone's side were back to the fouling and diving team that had seen some call for the manager to step down in 2022.

  He is yet to win at Camp Nou, with this his 16th visit as Atletico boss. Perhaps the legendary coach's voodoo is running out.

Leeds are continuing to keep a close eye on Lens starlet Loic Bade ahead of a potential move for the centre-back in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

Reports from Foot Mercato earlier this year suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are one of the teams interested in signing the 21-year-old.

Now, Actufoot claim that along with Leeds, the likes of Sevilla and Lyon have also earmarked the young Frenchman as a transfer target, and that with Lens aware of the growing interest in the defender, they are ready to cash in.

Leeds’ new Pontus Jansson

Before Bielsa grew tired of Pontus Jansson, the big centre-back was a imposing figure at the back, dealing with everything in the air and ensuring the Whites had a monstrous presence in their own box.

In fact, on Jansson’s way to earning his place in the PFA Team of the Year in 2018/19 season, the Whites let in just 13 goals from corners and free-kicks over the season. The Swede was superb in the air, winning 4.9 aerial duels per game during his final season in the Championship for the club.

And in Bade, Bielsa could find his next Jansson.

The Frenchman has a big future ahead of him and has already earned reviews for his performances with Lens, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig calling him “dominant” and insisting that he has “huge potential”.

Just like Jansson, Bade is a formidable presence in the air, with his 3.7 duels won per game in Ligue 1 this season actually ranking him fifth in the entire division.

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That’s also not to mention the fact he makes an impressive 1.9 tackles and 2.4 interceptions per game, which puts him third and first among his Lens teammates this campaign.

The 6 foot 3 Bade could be exactly the kind of “dominant” centre-back Leeds could do with, and signing him could give Bielsa his new Jansson at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, a Leeds source has revealed some exciting plans at Thorp Arch…

GOAL takes a look at the major records Ronaldo holds for both club and country.

Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the greatest players ever to grace the game of football. In a career spanning more than two decades, the Portuguese superstar has broken numerous records to claim his place amongst the game's legends.

With over 800 career goals and counting, Ronaldo is undoubtedly one of the most lethal marksmen in the history of football. He is the all-time record international goalscorer with 118 strikes, and also boasts of being the all-time leading scorer in the Uefa Champions League (140).

The 38-year-old has numerous other club and country records to his name including the most Champions League appearances (140).

GOAL lists them all below.

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  Most international appearances (197)

  Ronaldo became the most-capped men's player in history after being included in the starting XI for Portugal's Euro 2024 qualifier with Liechtenstein.

  With this he officially registered his 197th international cap, overtaking Kuwait forward Bader Al-Mutawa.

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  First player to score 800 career goals

  Ronaldo became the first player to score 800 top-level career goals (club and country combined) during a Premier League encounter against Arsenal back in November 2022.

  He later went on to score the 801st goal as well in the same match from the penalty spot, which turned out to be the match-winner.

  Club/Country	Matches	Goals	Assists
  Sporting CP	31	5	6
  Manchester United	346	145	64
  Real Madrid	438	450	131
  Juventus	134	101	22
  Al-Nassr	10	9	2
  Portugal	196	118	43
  Total	906	828	268

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  Most Champions League appearances (183)

  Ronaldo can boast of having the most number of Champions League appearances, having made his debut back in 2003 with Manchester United in a 2-1 defeat by Stuttgart, aged 18 and 238 days.

  He has made more than half of his all-time appearances (101) for Real Madrid, 59 for United as well as 23 for Juventus.

  Club	Appearances
  Real Madrid	101
  Manchester United	59
  Juventus	23

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  Most Champions League goals (140)

  The Portugal international is also the all-time leading goalscorer in the Champions League with 140 strikes to his name.

  Ronaldo scored a whopping 105 goals in just 101 appearances during his stint with Real Madrid which averages more than a goal per game.

  For Manchester United and Juventus, he struck 21 and 14 times in the UCL respectively.

  Club	Goals
  Manchester United	21
  Real Madrid	105
  Juventus	14

The Gunners host the Serie A giants at Emirates Stadium on Saturday night in their final game before the return of domestic action.

Arsenal play their final warm-up game ahead of the return of the Premier League on Saturday night, when they host Juventus at Emirates Stadium (6pm kick-off).

The Gunners go into the game on the back of two wins from two during their recent stay in Dubai, with Mikel Arteta’s side seeing off Lyon and Milan.

The Arsenal boss will want to see his team building on that momentum against Juventus this weekend as preparations step up ahead of Boxing Day’s crucial clash against West Ham in the Premier League.

So how are Arsenal shaping up going into the match with Juventus? GOAL takes a look.

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  Arsenal team news

  Granit Xhaka and Matt Turner are expected to return on Saturday, having spent time training with the squad in Dubai. Aaron Ramsdale, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli are set to sit the game out, however, as they are integrated back into the squad over the next couple of days following their respective exits from the World Cup. Takehiro Tomiyasu did not go to Dubai following Japan’s World Cup elimination, but he was doing some fitness work at London Colney. There is a chance he could feature, although the likelihood is that he will join Ramsdale, Saka and Martinelli in watching from the sidelines. Oleksandr Zinchenko remains a doubt as he continues to battle back from a muscle injury, while William Saliba is still absent as he is with France ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina.

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• Talking point

  Unless a behind-closed-doors friendly is staged at London Colney next week, Saturday’s game will be Arsenal’s last before the Premier League returns. So this will be the final chance Arteta has to get some valuable minutes into his players ahead of the game against West Ham on Boxing Day. With the likes of Ramsdale, Saka and Martinelli set to sit the game out, Arsenal’s manager will not be able to play the exact starting XI he will be hoping to send out against the Hammers, but he will look to get as close to it as possible. Arsenal looked sharp in their two games in Dubai and Arteta was delighted with how the training camp went. But he will now want to see his side build on that against Juventus, who should offer a tougher challenge than both Lyon and Milan.

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  What has Arteta said?

  Speaking about how players returning from the World Cup are being integrated back into his squad, Arteta said: “It’s been very good, especially their reaction psychologically. Players were willing to come and stay in Dubai. Granit is already around the place and is desperate to start playing so it’s been really good. It happens in the summer as well when there are Euros or World Cups. You know you get players all the time coming at different stages and we have to adapt. We knew it, we tried to plan it and hopefully we can have the rest of them very soon.”

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• Attendance watch

  Arsenal have sold between 30,000 and 40,000 tickets for Saturday night's game. There are still tickets available, but the rail strike which is taking place over the weekend means that the match will be far from a sell-out.

The iconic No.10 opened the scoring in his final World Cup but ended up on the wrong side of a remarkable result in Lusail.

Argentina's unbeaten run is over. The World Cup has its first upset. And it's a whopper, too, with a sensational performance from Saudi Arabia leaving Lionel Messi & Co. in a state of shock.

In his fifth and final tournament, the 34-year-old is facing more World Cup misery after his nation's humiliating 2-1 defeat in their opening game at Qatar 2022.

It had all been going so well for Messi. He opened the scoring with an early penalty, thus becoming only the fifth player to score in four World Cups.

However, Argentina failed to add that crucial second goal, with the captain and his fellow forwards repeatedly caught out by Saudi Arabia's high line.

The underdogs then turned the game, and Group C, on its head by scoring with their first two shots on goal in a fantastic five-minute spell at the start of the second half, with Saleh Al-Shehri equalising before Salem Al-Dawsari produced a wonderful solo strike.

Messi tried to rally his side but not even the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner could deny an inspired Saudi Arabia arguably the biggest upset the World Cup has ever witnessed.

Below, GOAL runs through the winners and losers on a jaw-dropping afternoon in Lusail…

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  The Winners

  Salem Al-Dawsari:

  We have an early contender for goal of the tournament! Al-Shehri's equaliser clearly stunned Argentina – as well as the rest of the world – and Salem Al-Dawsari took full advantage, picking up possession on the left-hand side of the box and jinking past Rodrigo De Paul with impressive ease before bending the ball into the far corner of Emiliano Martinez's net. The goalkeeper did get a touch on the ball but there was no spoiling the aesthetic beauty of a goal that was as sublime as it was shocking. The celebration wasn't bad either…

  Mexico and Poland:

  The expectation was that Mexico and Poland would be playing for second spot when they faced off in Doha, but top spot is now very much up for grabs. The Saudis have shown that Argentina are far from invulnerable. Lionel Scaloni's side are brittle at the back and, from a mental perspective, they will now be on edge going into their two remaining fixtures. That can only be good news for Mexico and Poland. You can be damn sure that Robert Lewandowski, for one, will be looking forward to facing this Argentina defence!

  Saudi Arabia:
  Of course, Saudi Arabia will be targeting a place in the last 16 themselves – and rightly so. Anything is possible after beating Argentina. Indeed, it's difficult to overstate the scale of their achievement. Going by the world rankings, Saudi Arabia (51) are the second-weakest team at Qatar 2022, and yet they've just beaten a side many tipped to take home the trophy. It was a truly seismic result. There were players, supporters and even journalists from both nations in tears at full-time. No matter what happens next, though, Herve Renard's players' place in World Cup folklore is already secure. They have achieved instant immortality at home. And also, from a neutral perspective, given everyone a timely reminder of the beauty of the World Cup, where dreams sometimes do come true.

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  The Losers

  VAR consistency:

  VAR confusion is nothing new, of course. It's been a source of controversy since day one. However, its application at this World Cup is going to be very, very interesting given what we've seen over the past three days, particularly in relation to pushing and pulling in the penalty area. Indeed, on Monday afternoon, Harry Maguire was essentially wrestled to the ground by Rouzbeh Cheshmi during the early stages of England's win over Iran, and yet VAR didn't intervene. However, less than 24 hours later, a penalty was awarded to Argentina after Saud Abdulhamid had grappled with Leandro Paredes in the area. It was technically a foul but, in the context of what we see in the box in every single game, it was soft, and certainly nowhere near as bad as Cheshmi's takedown on Maguire. One would hope that a mistake had simply been made in the England game. Consistency is, however, key now. It is imperative that every single incident of holding, shoving or shirt-pulling is also punished with a penalty. Otherwise, there is only going to be further uproar.

  Cristian Romero:

  By no means the only Argentine to underperform, but it came as no surprise to see the Tottenham centre-back replaced just before the hour mark having been made to look painfully slow by Al-Shehri for Saudi Arabia's equaliser. Before the game, it was thought that Nicolas Otamendi might be the weak link in the centre of the defence but it was Romero who was exposed. It would not be a surprise to see the 24-year-old dropped for the must-win meeting with Mexico on Saturday and replaced in the starting line-up by Lisandro Martinez.

  Argentina's sense of timing:

  This was a hell of a time for Argentina's 36-game unbeaten run to come to an end. But they only have themselves to blame. Of course, they had three goals disallowed in the first half and some of the offside calls were ridiculously close. For example, Lautaro's brilliant dinked finish was disallowed because his shoulder was ahead of the last man. However, there's no denying that Argentina struggled to get to grips with the Saudis' high line. They were caught offside seven times in the first half alone. Once it became clear that their opponents weren't going to ditch their high-risk/high-reward approach, the likes of Lautaro really should have started checking their runs a tad. As it was, they continued to fall into the Saudis' expertly-executed offside trap. The net result is that one of the tournament favourites are now facing an embarrassingly early exit, given this was supposed to be their easiest game in Group C. The threat of elimination will hang over them going into their two remaining fixtures, against Mexico and Poland. They are, as Lautaro admitted, "two finals". Lose either and Messi's last dance could turn into a damp squib.

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  Argentina Ratings: Defence

  Emiliano Martinez (5/10):

  Didn't actually have much to do. Saudi Arabia had just three shots on goal, yet two of them went in, which is never a good look for a goalkeeper…

  Nahuel Molina (5/10):

  One of Argentina's better defenders but it was a low bar. The winner came down his side and he didn't offer enough going forward either, which is strange, as that's usually his forte.

  Cristian Romero (3/10):

  As mentioned above, a dire display brought to a premature end by Scaloni.

  Nicolas Otamendi (6/10):

  Definitely the dominant member of Argentina's centre-back pairing. Won plenty of headers and tackles and won't be best pleased with the efforts of those around him.

  Nicolas Tagliafico (5/10):

  Went agonisingly close to scoring an equaliser but was well below his best and was taken off with 19 minutes left.

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  Midfield

  Rodrigo De Paul (4/10):

  Despite his underwhelming form at Atletico Madrid, big things were expected of De Paul, who has looked a different player for his country. However, his passing was desperately poor, while he was beaten far too easily for Saudi Arabia's winner.

  Leandro Paredes (3/10):

  It was Paredes who was dragged down for the penalty but he just didn't impress himself upon proceedings in the way he should have and he was unsurprisingly taken off after 59 minutes.