There’s one word that springs to mind when describing Curtis’s display against St Mirren: clinical. He had three shots, two on target, both goals, and good ones.

He showed the quality that had him featuring regularly for Rangers in the early days of Russell Martin’s tenure, scoring three times in the Englishman’s first six games, including in Champions League qualifying.

He’s since scored four in Kilmarnock’s last six games under McCann and Billy Dodds.

Curtis was pushed forward by his fellow players when the squad took a well-deserved post-match ovation from a sizeable travelling support.

A player-of-the-match performance with his double, which took the game away from St Mirren, he was a constant nuisance.

And his numbers show a player who’s happy to muck in – 45 touches, 24 passes with an accuracy of nearly 67%, two key passes, one tackle, and two fouls won.

The most important column of all, of course, is the goals tally. And his brace has gone a long way to securing top-flight survival for his adopted side.

Afterwards, he paid tribute post-match to McCann and Dodds, to his team-mates, and to the fans who’ve taken him to their hearts with their own special song.

He says Rangers are getting a much better player back when his loan ends next weekend and that he’ll be sad to leave Rugby Park.

“I’d definitely say it’s been a beneficial loan, both on and off the pitch,” he said.

Manchester City‘s challenge may depend on Doku continuing to produce moments of brilliance to drag his side towards the finish line.

He has scored in three successive appearances in all competitions for the first time in his Manchester City career.

On Saturday, the winger gave Michael Kayode a taxing time, twisting the Brentford full-back inside and out throughout the game, and he could have scored in the opening two minutes but was thwarted by Caoimhin Kelleher.

His performance was widely praised, with MOTD pundit Ashley Williams saying it is “the best we have seen of Jeremy Doku”.

The former Wales international defender added: “From a defender’s point of view, I am not sure I would know how to stop him. He is physically strong, can go right or left, his acceleration is something else but also his deceleration can leave you flat-footed.

“He was up against Kayode, who I really rate, and he just couldn’t handle him. He has been the best player in the Premier League these last few weeks.”

Former City striker Daniel Sturridge said on Sky Sports: “He has been exceptional. The goal he scored in this game was a thing of beauty. It is a brilliant finish.

“That is the go-to finish for him now. The repetitions in training are paying off. His game is progressing, he is becoming more decisive in those moments.

“Confidence is key for attackers, it is the most important thing. If you doubt yourself at any time you won’t make the difference. Now he is thinking ‘I can do this, I can score’.”

Doku’s brilliant showing made him just the third player in the Premier League this season to create six or more chances and complete six or more dribbles after Bukayo Saka and Elliot Anderson.

“He is a top player,” said Brentford boss Keith Andrews. “If it’s not Doku, then someone else will step up and that is the luxury Pep has – phenomenally talented players, game changers who can decide games and that is ultimately what happened with the first goal.”

Doku dedicated his latest goal to his dad, who turned 60 on Saturday, saying: “It’s his birthday.

“I am becoming a dad soon and he sacrificed his life for me every time, bringing me to the club not knowing I would be what I am now.

“For me that’s a big thing so him turning 60, I am grateful and that is why I wanted to give this goal to him. Having him around is a blessing.”

Udinese have called on Italian football authorities to act after their English striker Keinan Davis said he was subjected to racist abuse in Saturday’s 2-0 Serie A win at Cagliari.

The incident was alleged to have happened in the closing stages of the match when the 28-year-old was involved in a physical confrontation with several players from the opposition.

Davis, who joined Udinese from Aston Villa in 2023, later went on social media to accuse Cagliari defender Alberto Dossena of making racist remarks and “hope Serie A takes action”.

Udinese offered their “full support” to the forward and described the verbal abuse as “disgraceful” and “despicable”.

“Udinese Calcio hopes that the sports justice bodies, in whom we have the utmost confidence, will deal with the matter swiftly,” added the club in a statement.

Cagliari said they condemned all forms of discrimination, but were “surprised and deeply disappointed” by the allegations and denied any racist language had been used.

Davis, who also had loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Watford, has scored 10 goals in 26 Serie A appearances this season.