All posts by z3u9t.icu

A number of Liverpool fans have been expressing their happiness at the news that Joel Matip has returned to the training pitch for the Reds.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have had a season to forget, with everything seemingly going wrong for them.

Having been tipped to defend their Premier League title, it now looks likely that Liverpool will even miss out on a top-four finish, which seemed unfathomable last summer.

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One of the biggest issues has been the Reds’ injury crisis at centre-back, with Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip all out for long periods of time.

It has meant Nathaniel Phillips has had to come in and do a job – Fabinho and Jordan Henderson have played in defence, too – while Ozan Kabak arrived from Schalke in January.

On Wednesday, Matip returned to training, however, running again with his teammates for the first time since suffering ankle ligament damage back in January.

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Liverpool fans hail Matip’s return

Matip does not appear to be back in full contact action yet, but these Liverpool fans took to Twitter to express their delight at his sighting.

“Finally some good news”

Credit: @NeonPhantom69

“Top 4?”

Credit: @Artendahl

“Big Joel is back! Good to hear. At least some positive news”

Credit: @attrakta

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @JamesFarquhars8

“Great news”

Credit: @Dreamspirit10

“2nd best CB at the club. Can’t wait to see him back”

Credit: @Sunraged

In other news, a striker with an outstanding goalscoring record has reportedly turned down a move to Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

Manchester United will be aiming to maintain their five-game unbeaten run in all competition when they travel to Carrow Road to take on Norwich City in their Premier League clash this evening.

Ralf Rangnick’s charges have steadied what appeared to be a fast-sinking ship in recent weeks, securing their place in the Champions League knockout stages before closing the gap to the Premier League’s top four to just three points.

The new interim manager may have only had a handful of training sessions and two matches to work with his team, but the outline of his desired style of play has been clear for all to see.

In his first game in charge against Crystal Palace, the Red Devils won back possession a grand total of 12 times in the final third of the pitch – a record number not only for this season but since Opta began recording such data.

That figure clearly highlights how Rangnick wants his team to press, and the coherent 4-2-2-2 formation also proved effective in stopping opposition counter-attacks, with United recording their first home clean sheet in the top flight since March.

Central to the Red Devils’ success in both aspects of their play has been the use of their full-backs.

In Rangnick’s preferred setup, both the left-back and right-back are required to play high and wide, providing the width and attacking intent down the flanks, allowing the wingers to become inside forwards and wreak havoc centrally.

Against Palace, Diogo Dalot did that to great effect. Throughout the 90 minutes, the Portugal defender put in three crosses, attempted two dribbles, completed one key pass and had a whopping 73 touches of the ball, as per SofaScore.

His performance finally showcased his true potential to the United faithful following a frustrating few months, but the signs of his quality were there for all to see.

Dalot excelled during a season-long loan as Italian giants AC Milan last term, making 34 appearances for Stefano Piolo’s side in all competitions, leading to the tactician claiming that the 22-year-old could become a “complete player” in the future.

The £9m-rated gem is now beginning to put in similar displays at his parent club, and with first-choice right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka potentially out injured, it could be Dalot’s time to shine.

After his promising showing against Palace and the blow of Wan-Bissaka’s fitness setback, Rangnick must unleash Dalot once again for the tricky test at Norwich, providing him with another opportunity to illustrate his credentials on the big stage.

In other news… Big blow: Man Utd suffer late selection setback ahead of this evening, Rangnick will be gutted

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United and their plans for Allan Saint-Maximin… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Daily Mail, the Magpies are prepared to cash in on the Frenchman at the end of the season to increase the transfer pot that Eddie Howe is able to utilise.

The report claims that PIF will be willing to sell him in the summer if a club matches their £50m valuation of the former Nice man.

Fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are one of the sides eyeing up a potential swoop for the mercurial winger, who is said to be one of ten players the Toon want to let go ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Disasterclass

PIF are now heading for a major Newcastle disaster-class over Saint-Maximin and must nip this idea in the bud before it comes to fruition.

Unless a ridiculous transfer offer – Jack Grealish’s £100m move to Manchester City for example – comes in, then they must keep hold of him. He is crucial to Howe’s attacking set-up and selling him this summer would be a huge error by the club.

The idea of selling him for £50m and replacing him with two or three new additions is all well and good in theory but Magpies fans know more than most that not every transfer works out, particularly when it comes to attackers.

Newcastle reportedly paid £40m for Joelinton and £20m for Miguel Almiron – both record deals at the time – and they have scored two goals in 49 appearances between them in the Premier League this season.

Therefore, the club spent £10m more than they want for Saint-Maximin on two players who are three goals behind him combined. The French winger has produced five strikes and three assists in the top-flight, whilst averaging an impressive SofaScore rating of 6.94.

Toon icon David Ginola recently dubbed him the club’s “jewel” and Danny Mills showered him with praise earlier this year, saying:

“He picks the ball up, runs with the ball, makes things happen and is exciting. All those types of things.

“One week you will think ‘Wow, sensational’ but then he might be quiet for two or three games.”

This highlights why the fans enjoy watching him play as he gets them out of their seats in excitement with his play on the ball. He averages 4.3 dribbles per game as he consistently beats opposition players down the wing, which shows that he is direct and likes to be a difference-maker in the final third.

In conclusion, it would be a disaster-class because there is no guarantee that PIF will be able to find players for £50m to replace what he gives to the team. The club would also be selling a fan favourite, given how exciting he is to watch, and that may not go down well at St. James’ Park, which is another reason why they must avoid making this mistake.

AND in other news, Less touches than Dubravka: “Struggling” NUFC flop with 6 passes was useless yesterday…

Bayern Munich have not yet expressed an interest in signing Leeds United winger Raphinha in the January transfer window, according to journalist Graham Smyth.

The Lowdown: Bayern linked with Raphinha move

The Whites received a potential blow earlier in the week, with the Brazilian strongly linked with a January switch to Bayern after the European giants saw him as a strong option to sign.

Raphinha has surely been Leeds’ best player so far this season, scoring eight goals in 16 Premier League appearances, so the thought of losing him midway through the campaign is a worrying one.

Fortunately, a more positive update has now emerged regarding the 25-year-old’s future.

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The Latest: Smyth provides encouraging update

According to the Yorkshire Evening Post’s Smyth, the rumour of an imminent move to Germany is wide of the mark, with Bayern ‘yet to make any interest known’ to Leeds regarding a potential transfer for the Brazilian.

It is stated that the Whites may need to sell players in January to generate funds for new signings, but it is also mentioned that selling Raphinha would ‘make next to no sense’.

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The Verdict: Can’t afford to lose him

With key figures such as Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford both plagued by injury this season, Raphinha’s importance to Marcelo Bielsa’s side is going to be greater than ever throughout the rest of the campaign.

Leeds are threatening to become embroiled in a relegation fight in the Premier League, so allowing arguably their best player to leave would be asking for trouble.

It could be that Raphinha demands to move on at the end of the season, but for now, it makes complete sense for the Whites to ignore any other club’s advances and try to persuade the 25-year-old to commit to the Leeds cause for another few months at least, especially when they badly need him.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly still interested in signing one player. Find out who it is here.

Two Leeds United stars in Pascal Struijk and Raphinha have been attracting interest, but former Whites striker Noel Whelan believes that they won’t be going anywhere in the summer.

Whelan discusses Leeds duo

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said: “Take it from me, Leeds United won’t sell any players. They won’t sell Struijk, they won’t sell Raphinha.

“We’re not a team that’s desperate, we’re not a club that’s desperate. We’re in a really good healthy position with a good chairman and we’re building a side here.”It’s not a side that we’re going to take apart after one year. This is a side that’s going to be together for four to five years, I’m very sure of that. That’s the plan in progress and the long term future for Leeds United. We don’t delve into the market to bring someone in for one season.”The club need to keep hold of their star playersWhelan is right when he says the club don’t need to sell. They are already battling for a top half finish in their first season back in the Premier League (SofaScore). They also have a big history and the signings of players like Rodrigo emphasise that they have the pull to bring European stars to the club.They also have an astute manager in Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentinian was nominated for ‘The Best’ FIFA men’s coach, emphasising the quality of manager Leeds have, and it was quite an achievement to get him at the club in the first place.Hopefully the Whites keep their vital assets like Struijk and Raphinha – if they get their transfers in the summer right, then they could be in a great position to push on even more in the top flight next season.In other news, one pundit has discussed one Leeds player following his latest setback. Have a read here!

Former Scottish Premiership striker Noel Whelan believes that Eddie Howe fits the profile to become the next permanent manager of Celtic.

Howe to Parkhead?

Neil Lennon recently resigned after his second stint in the hot seat – leaving the Hoops well adrift of rivals Rangers in the standings.

But the former Bournemouth boss has been heavily linked as a target for the Bhoys and was described as “incredible” by Bournemouth legend Brett Pitman after leaving the Vitality Stadium last summer.

Howe famously guided the Cherries all the way from English League Two to the Premier League in the space of six seasons, in what was a remarkable rise to stardom for the South Coast side.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan insisted that Howe would be the man to bring the best of the Hoops’ talented players.

When asked if Howe is the right man for the job, he said: “Yeah, absolutely. Thank god. Thank god someone has actually seen sense.

“I think a change of direction, a change of style. Fresh ideas is what I’ve been saying at Celtic. I think the players will become better players with Eddie Howe there.

“I’m surprised that no one’s taken a little chip at him yet outside of Scotland. I’m very happy if that’s the direction they’re looking.

“I think that’s the right direction with Celtic. I think he’s a fantastic manager, great ideas. He’s fresh, he’s very intelligent and he’s got that know-how with younger players as well.

“He’s not that old himself. He knows how to man-manage players, he knows how to get the best out of players. I think that would be a great move for Celtic if they can get it signed, sealed and delivered.”

Transfer Tavern Verdict

Not only has Howe got an impressive CV, but he has also proved himself to be an inspirational figure, despite suffering relegation from England’s top flight last season.

However, whether Celtic need more than just a psychological lift, remains to be seen. But with reports suggesting that mass changes are due to take place at the end of the season, the stage could be set for Howe to work his magic.

That said, we doubt that a decision will be made on the manager until the new chief executive Dominic McKay comes in.

In other news, Kieran Maguire believes key Celtic board member should be axed on one condition.

West Ham United’s European quest gets back underway this evening as they welcome Eintracht Frankfurt to the London Stadium for a tricky – but historic – Europa League semi-final clash.

The first of two legs takes place in east London, likely to be in front of a near sell-out crowd with a place in the final in Seville the reward.

Irons boss David Moyes is left with plenty of selection decisions to make – last time out, he rested several key stars against Chelsea in what was a bold call indeed, whilst the Hammers breezed past Lyon by a 4-1 aggregate to make it to this stage of the tournament.

Among the surprise names on the bench at the weekend was Jarrod Bowen and he’s surely a shoo-in to start against Die Adler tonight.

The 25-year-old dynamo, who is currently valued at £31.5m, has been one of West Ham’s standout stars in this exciting campaign, where he has provided a whopping 15 goals and 11 assists across all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

These include a pair of strikes against the Ligue 1 outfit in the last round and his importance is signified by the fact that Moyes’ side lost three of five games without him in the squad due to injury.

Bowen is also the Hammers’ highest-rated player in the Premier League, as per WhoScored figures, and has proven to be more than just a creative and goalscoring threat in the final third.

An average of one tackle per game suggests he can trackback and do his defensive duties, something that he may well need to do against the Bundesliga outfit in the absence of a few out-and-out senior centre-backs – Moyes is going to have to do some shifting around indeed.

Meanwhile, no other Irons star has managed more successful dribbles per game in the league (1.4) than Bowen, suggesting that he’s capable of taking on his man, beating him and then delivering with a goal or assist.

This sort of threat is going to be needed against a side that knocked FC Barcelona out in the last round.

The 5 foot 9 machine, previously lauded as “unplayable” by his former Hull City boss Grant McCann and as an “absolute manager’s dream” by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, evidently has all the skills to hurt and terrify Frankfurt, who have leaked more goals than they have scored, at the London Stadium.

As such, Moyes must let Bowen off the leash this evening.

AND in other news, Sources: West Ham eye swoop for “brilliant” 21 y/o, he’s “similar to Eden Hazard”…

Manchester United could land their next Gary Neville in Norwich City starlet Max Aarons.

What’s the word?

United endured a difficult start to the season, dropping their first game against Crystal Palace, but they have transformed their fortunes as they find themselves second in the table behind defending champions Liverpool with a game in-hand over their arch-rivals.

According to The Daily Mail, the Red Devils remain interested in Aarons, who was heavily linked with the Carrow Road exit in the summer.

The 20-year-old has dazzled in the Championship as Norwich have claimed top spot ahead of promotion rivals Brentford and Swansea City.

It’s recently been claimed by The Sun that he would ‘jump’ at the chance of a move to Old Trafford which is exactly why Ed Woodward must sanction a swoop for the fleet-footed speedster.

Gary Neville 2.0?

Ever since Gary Neville hung up his boots for the final time, it’s fair to say that United have struggled to find someone who can come close to the former England international. In Aarons, the Red Devils could find a young player who could do precisely just that.

The 7-cap England U21 international is highly-rated by Canaries chiefs, having scored one goal and supplied three assists across all competitions, via Transfermarkt, while he is averaging one clearance, one interception, 1.3 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

For the record, that’s three assists more than Aaron Wan-Bissaka has managed in 13 appearances in the Premier League this season, despite the fact he currently earns around £90,000-per-week at Old Trafford.

The £18m-rated ace has already received rave reviews for his performances in recent weeks with Norwich boss Daniel Farke effusive in his praise for the young prospect. He said, as quoted by The Pink Un: “In my eyes he is not the young Max Aarons, he is just a special player and he has an unbelievable future.

“I know he has been labelled as one of the best young players in this league. Well I told him we can reject this label now because he is no longer one of the best young players, he is one of the best players.

“When you are close to 100 appearances you are already an experienced lad. He is so young and he has to improve, and he will, but what he has done in the past two years is amazing. I cannot praise him enough.

“The good thing with him is he can handle this praise. He is also a player who never gets annoyed when I have to criticise or ask him to do something else. For me it is not just what he has done on the pitch. It is his development as a person. He is so balanced and level-headed.

“So humble. I remember he played in the derby and produced a fantastic performance and from this moment he has more or less grown on a daily basis.”

Just imagine him and Mason Greenwood bombing up and down the right wing – United could discover a new pairing akin to the telepathic partnership between Neville and David Beckham themselves.

AND in other news, Manchester United skipper Harry Maguire stole the show vs Wolves…

According to the Daily Mail, the new permanent Tottenham manager will have the final say on whether the club extends Gareth Bale’s loan.

New boss to decide Bale future

As it stands, the Welshman is set to return to Real Madrid at the end of the season following the culmination of his one-year loan spell.

However, Spurs have an option for a second term and, although it is not yet certain who will take over the reins from former manager Jose Mourinho, the new boss will decide whether or not Bale stays in north London for another year. The Daily Mail claimed that chairman Daniel Levy will present the next manager with the option of re-signing the 31-year-old for next season.

Keep him

While Bale has not been at his best this term, he has been far from a disappointment overall. He has managed 14 goals in all competitions, with only Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son scoring more for Tottenham (Transfermarkt), and he even picked up a hat-trick in the 4-0 win over Sheffield United last weekend.

Spurs would need to pay Bale’s £240,000-a-week (£12.5m per year) wages for another season, but he is a top-class player with plenty of experience who still has a lot to offer, and to sign another player of his quality would cost an awful lot more. Whoever ends up as Mourinho’s long-term successor, they should do all they can to hold on to the Wales international.

In other news, Steve Hitchen has suggested this man become the new Tottenham manager.

Many Rangers fans have been left to buzz as Ross Wilson has shared an update on the proposal of a Gers ‘B’ team in the Lowland League.

As per a video shared by the official Twitter page of the Glasgow club, the Sporting Director has confirmed that George Fraser, who is the chairman of the SLFL, has reached out with an invitation to them to potentially consider joining the Lowland League, initially for one season.

It would mean that the Ibrox faithful could give more senior game time to their youth prospects, not just to help develop them as they would be playing men’s football, but also for the other teams around them, as they get to play against some of the rising stars of Scottish football and it would also draw more eyes to the lower tiers of the game.

Managing Director Stewart Robertson and Head of Academy Craig Mulholland are also on board with the idea in the Gers’ video, which could help develop Scottish football as a whole, as they await approval from the SFA.

Rangers fans on Lowland League update

These Rangers supporters buzzed upon listening to the update, with one fan saying that they were ‘delighted’ while another even went as far as to claim that it would be ‘brilliant’:

“I know myself I would try make a lot of these games. I know thousands of Rangers fans would actually could picture few thousand turning out would be brilliant”

Credit: @bnziebryan

“Delighted to see/hear our club calling out the SFA/SPFL for their lack of leadership.”

Credit: @ScottSmcg10

“Excellent video. I can’t believe @ScottishFA have dragged their heels over this. I am looking forward to hearing more about this as the discussions progress.”

Credit: @onlyoneamoruso

“Its a great move for a developing side. Will improve the grassroots standards in the league”

Credit: @BillyKsOpinion

“Spot on”

Credit: @King_Kamara18

“Rangers leading the way & firing the bullets. Class”

Credit: @Ryan59226753

In other news, find out what SPFL update has left Gers fuming here!