Leeds United laid down a gauntlet for their subsequent title challenge by recording a 4-1 victory over Derby County on their first away day of the season, but it’s unlikely that a similar result is in the offing when the teams go head-to-head once again on Friday evening.
A fully fit Leeds side is something to behold, not only because it is as rarely seen as an endangered species, but also due to its rampant, relentless and potent style of attacking football.
As Marcelo Bielsa prepares to face the crucial run in, which has often proven to be his downfall in the past, only one thing stands in his way as Leeds bid for promotion: injuries.
Derby’s visit to Elland Road on Friday could see Bielsa deprived of his creative hub in midfield, Pablo Hernandez, while the absence of Barry Douglas is in no doubt whatsoever (as per Yorkshire Evening Post).
Naturally the potential absence of Hernandez will be giving supporters genuine cause for concern, but an update from Frank Lampard today hinted that Derby are facing a comparably unwelcome scenario, with Harry Wilson confirmed as an injury doubt by the manager (as per YEP).
With Leeds coming into the evening fixture on the back of three straight defeats, Wilson’s absence could be absolutely priceless for the club.
Wilson possesses the star quality to create something out of nothing, with his long-range shooting, expertise from dead ball situations and twinkle-toed dribbling ability offering the Rams the type of quality which makes all the difference at this level.
Add in the fact that Douglas is set to miss the game and it’s clear Wilson could deliver another dagger into the heart of Leeds fans, if he is fit, of course.
In a division as competitive as the Championship fixtures of this magnitude are often decided on the finest of margins, and Wilson’s potential absence could be the determining factor which helps Leeds return to winning ways on Friday.
With Marko Arnautovic’s future still uncertain at the London Stadium amid concrete interest from the Chinese Super League, West Ham should be keeping a close eye on potential replacements should the want-away Austrian get his wish.
There has been talk of a move for Bournemouth’s top scorer Callum Wilson, who looks likely to cost upwards of £50m if he is to leave the Vitality Stadium – with the England international’s unfortunate history with injuries, this would perhaps be a move to avoid.
In that respect, perhaps a shrewder move for another target in Roma striker Edin Dzeko would be a better shout, and he has proven that he is loyal and won’t walk out on a team having spent four years with Wolfsburg, five with Manchester City and now into his fourth season with the Italian giants.
The Bosnian international is a reliable marksman who knows Hammers’ boss Manuel Pellegrini well, having won a Premier League title under the Chilean whilst the pair were at Manchester City.
Would you like to see the 32-year-old who has scored seven goals in all competitions this season arrive at the London Stadium? Have your say down below…
Since the departure of Lucas Leiva to Lazio back in 2017, Liverpool have noticeably lacked an effective defensive midfielder to protect the back four and mop up any impending danger, but Jurgen Klopp looks to have amended that issue.
What’s changed?
The Reds splashed out an initial £39million, as reported by BBC Sport, on Monaco’s versatile midfielder Fabinho, who arrived at Anfield last summer as just one of a number of marquee arrivals along with Alisson Becker and Naby Keita.
However, as we saw from Klopp with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Andrew Robertson at the start of last season, the Brazil international was slowly bedded in, and was left out of the squad entirely on a number of occasions as he was allowed to acclimatise at his own pace.
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It wasn’t until 20th October that the 25-year-old made his first Premier League appearance for Liverpool, coming on as a substitute in the 1-0 win over Huddersfield, before making his first start for the club a week later in a 4-1 win over Cardiff at Anfield.
Since then, the one-time Real Madrid man has been a constant feature in Klopp’s team selections, and has also been a huge factor behind their stunning form which has them sat four points above Manchester City at the top of the league.
How is he doing?
Fabinho is doing what Leiva used to do and multiplying it by 10, as he has emerged as one of the Merseyside club’s most important players in such a short space of time.
Since his league debut, the 6 foot 2 summer signing has recorded consistently high Whoscored ratings for his efforts, with the 3-1 victory over Manchester United at Anfield standing out as his best performance and perhaps one of the best performances from any player in England’s top-flight this season – Fabinho absolutely ran the show, recording an assist and controlling the midfield.
His role in front of the Liverpool backline is hugely significant in allowing the flair players up top, such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, to perform to their maximum – it must be noted that he is far from being a big, defensive lump like many of his enforcer peers.
Fabinho displays fantastic composure and technique on the ball to contribute to the attack, along with an unerring ability to steal possession from the opposition and intercept their attempts to break down the defence.
Additionally, with Liverpool suffering a number of injuries in defence, Fabinho has also been able to slot in at centre-back alongside Virgil van Dijk with ease, whilst he can also play at right-back if needed.
The Verdict
In the current market, and with his best years ahead of him, signing Fabinho for just £39m should be considered a snip by the recruitment team at Anfield. He is proving a revelation for this Reds side, having the same sort of effect on the team as title-winning midfielders Fernandinho and N’Golo Kante have previously had for Manchester City and Chelsea respectively.
Sky Sports in Italy reported on Wednesday night that Inter Milan are in advanced discussions to sign Southampton defender Cedric Soares – and Saints fans have been quick to react to the rumour on Twitter.
Despite being one of the south coast outfit’s more senior players and a Euro 2016 winner, the Portugal international has often found himself behind the likes of Yan Valery, Matt Targett and Kayne Ramsay in the pecking order following Ralph Hasenhuttl’s arrival at St Mary’s last month.
That certainly suggests the Austrian doesn’t fancy the 27-year-old and is keen to move him on if the deal is right – as he has done with Manolo Gabbiadini and Wesley Hoedt already during this transfer window – and if Sky Sports in Italy are to be believed then a deal could soon happen.
Cedric has made 119 appearances in all competitions for Saints, scoring two goals and providing a further 10 assists, as per Transfermarkt, and while he was a reliable performer in his debut campaign at St Mary’s in 2015/16, he has struggled over the course of the past couple of seasons with his attacking impact in particular not being up to scratch.
Southampton supporters have been quick to have their say on the story via social media, and while one said “I think Cedric leaving has been on the cards for a while”, another said “Cedric hasn’t looked like he’s wanted to be here for ages”.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…
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West Brom fans have taken to Twitter to discuss a move for Fulham misfit Aboubakar Kamara, who has been linked with a transfer to the Hawthorns following a number of ill-disciplined incidents involving him at Craven Cottage, as reported by The Daily Mail.
The 23-year-old has scored three Premier League goals this season, but was involved in an on-field scuffle with Aleksandar Mitrovic over the taking of a penalty in the 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town – the Serbian is the designated taker, but Kamara took the ball from him and missed his kick.
Amazingly, the Frenchman has also recently been arrested, according to a separate report in The Daily Mail, and could have no future under Claudio Ranieri as his discipline spirals out of control.
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As a result of that, the Baggies are interested in bringing the forward to the Midlands to provide added depth to their attack, having lost all of Harvey Barnes, Oliver Burke and Bakary Sako this month.
Given his recent moments of madness, West Brom supporters aren’t too sure over a move for Kamara if their reactions on Twitter are anything to go by…
Felipe Anderson has been very, very impressive for West Ham United this season.
Signed from Lazio last summer, the Brazilian has scored eight Premier League goals for the Hammers in 25 appearances during the 2018-19 campaign.
The 25-year-old turned provider on Monday night, however, as he set up Michail Antonio for West Ham’s equaliser against Liverpool.
Anderson showed his class throughout the match and his performance made a big impression on the Liverpool fans.
Indeed, a number of the Merseyside club’s supporters have called on their team to move for Anderson in this summer’s transfer window.
With respect to West Ham, the capital outfit might find it difficult to keep Anderson if he continues to put in performances of a high level.
Liverpool could well move for a new attacker this summer to compliment Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane and a number of the club’s fans want Anderson to be the big-money arrival.
A selection of the discussion on Twitter can be seen below:
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Manchester United victories over Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City have eased the pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s shoulders, but there had been plenty of pressure rising on the Norwegian prior to the pair of morale-boosting wins.
The fact those two victories were enough to temporarily quell speculation over his future offers an indication into the tumultuous world of modern football management.
Even before these brilliant results for the club, former right-back Paul Parker was fully behind the 46-year-old because of what he has done away from the pitch.
Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast on behalf of Bonus Code Bets, he explained: “You have to look at the other side of the job, he’s playing younger players, he’s trying to change it, he’s improved the club, not just the team, he’s improved the club from what it was.
“Previously the club was in a bad space. Everyone around the club wasn’t feeling good within themselves and with what was going on. He’s improved that, he’s put a smile on a lot of the departments within that club by the way he’s gone in there and managed that situation.”
The defender, who also represented England, took issue we the potential way Solskjaer was going to be treated: “Him as a player, as a legend, as a great player for the club, a very important player in the history of Manchester United, he deserves to be treated with respect.
“If it means him staying there or if they’re going to let him go, they should let him go with respect as well towards him. Because at the end the day, Manchester United need to come away from this with their integrity.”
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Parker alludes to Solskjaer’s emphasis on youth integration, but he is not fully convinced they are ready to make an impact akin to that which Chelsea’s youngsters are making at Stamford Bridge: “These [United] boys, they are boys, when people talk about them and Chelsea, Chelsea’s young players are young men that have been out on loan to clubs in Europe.
“They’ve stayed in digs on their own, they’ve looked after themselves, they’ve played in tough games, they’ve mostly been lonely in a foreign country, so they have had hard knocks, so they’re coming out of their battles and you know they’re battling, and now they’re ready to have a go.
“The Manchester United ones, they haven’t had that, they’ve been playing Premier League 2 games, so it’s a bit soft-centred.”
He also drew a comparison with them and one arguably United’s most iconic groups of youngsters, The Class of 92.
“The class of ’92 were a different mentality. They were boys who had done an apprenticeship, they were cleaning boots, they were doing the hard yards at that age. They knew it, they were rough and ready to go in there. And they had this belief because the manager gave them that belief that they were going to be taking certain players’ spots.
There is one youngster he has been especially impressed by though, namely Brandon Williams: “He’s done well and he’s come as a young lad and I just think when young players come in, you still have to monitor him.
“You have to keep an eye on him, but I think you have to still encourage them and let them know that you are looking at them as being a number one.
“I think he needs to recognise that he’s there and in the manager’s mind he’s going to play. He doesn’t need to be left out for two or three. He doesn’t deserve that at this moment of time.”
Parker has also been impressed by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has taken his former position, but has admitted the 22-year-old still has improving to do: “He’s going to have to work on his game in the attacking third, because defensively, he has to be one of the best defenders in the Premier League, with his tackling, his willingness to get back.
“Very rarely misses a tackle, his timing is absolutely excellent, his recovering, his willingness to defend is second-to-none. He will prove himself a good fullback at Manchester United.”
Parker hasn’t been impressed by everyone at United though, as he feels they could be better off without Paul Pogba: “If there’s a possibility to move him on I think we need to move him on pretty soon, maybe the effects around the club and the effects on the pitch.
“Has he been effective when he’s been there? Yes, he has on occasions, you see the talent, but you’re not seeing the talent enough. Now Manchester United need players who are going to give 100%.”
Soccer Football – Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg – FC Barcelona v Manchester United – Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain – April 16, 2019 Manchester United’s Paul Pogba during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Susana Vera
Despite the upturn in form, there is still no guarantee that United will have a successful season and get into the top four.
With that in mind, while it would be great to fight on all fronts, Parker has suggested that the league should be prioritised over the FA Cup: “I think at the moment, it’s a double-edged sword for United.
“If they go out in the FA Cup, then everyone’s going to be biting two on the bounce against Wolves, but the league position is important and they need to finish as high as possible, just for ego.
“If it’s sacrificing the FA Cup and guaranteeing a high finish, then it has to be done.”
Speaking to Parker, it was apparent that he felt there is a long way for United to go until they are able to return to their former glory, but he clearly has every faith that Solskjaer is the right man to steer the ship in the desired direction.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
In the past summer transfer window, it appeared that Liverpool had changed their transfer strategy to sign young up-and-coming players rather than already established footballers.
During the summer of 2018, the Reds spent £163.98m on the likes of Alisson and Fabinho amongst others, according to Transfermarkt, but in the most recent window, they parted with just £1.71m. Adrian was signed as a back-up goalkeeper, and he is 34, but Harvey Elliott and Sepp van den Berg were the other two arrivals, and they are both teenagers with the former’s fee still yet to be decided by a tribunal.
With the next window just around the corner, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will stick with the same policy. If Brazilian website NETFLU is anything to go by, though, we could expect to see another youngster make the move to Anfield.
According to the outlet, the Merseyside outfit are said to be monitoring striker Evanilson. Given Fluminense’s current financial situation, a bid of £4m could be enough to convince the South American club to part with the 20-year-old. In today’s day and age, that is a minimal fee.
Unlike a lot of promising Brazilians, he is somewhat of a late bloomer. There has been very little talk of him being a future star, yet he has taken his chance at every opportunity. He spent six games on loan STK Samorin and, although he wasn’t in Slovakia for too long, he still made an impression, scoring three goals. Not only that, he also bagged himself 15 strikes in the U20 Brasileiro, which was enough to see him finish as top scorer.
This season, he has two goals in three matches for the first team, despite him only having started one match. He clearly knows where the back of the net is, and that can often be worth its weight in gold. At £4m, he would not break the bank, and the lack of big interest in the 6 foot 3 man – a frame that would likely deal with the demands of the Premier League quite well – could allow Liverpool to steal a march.
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Given Liverpool’s success with one Brazilian striker so far, Roberto Firmino, they should take a punt on Evanilson as well. What have they got to lose?
Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to Mohamed Salah’s latest stat.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Having come through the Manchester United academy, Brandon Williams more than most will relish the opportunity to play for the club. And in what has been a real break-through season for him, the 19-year-old has taken his chances with both hands.
He has already made ten appearances for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s senior side, and on Thursday night against AZ Alkmaar, looked completely at ease with his relatively new surroundings. As the Red Devils blew away their Dutch counterparts with a scintillating second-half performance that gave them a 4-0 win by the end of the night, Williams exuded confidence and composure in his work.
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As per Sofascore, his 7.5 match rating was only bettered by Mason Greenwood, Juan Mata and Sergio Romero. And when looking at his underlying numbers from the game, it is easy to see why. Despite operating as a full-back, he showed his full attacking repertoire with a series of marauding runs down the left-flank, and some well-timed overlaps. He completed both of his attempted dribbles, and connected with five of his six long balls.
And such was his influence on his side, Williams also recorded the highest number of touches for United with 96, and boasted an incredible 96% accuracy on his 76 passes. His work on the ball was precise, progressive and sharp, and it is little wonder why Solskjaer appears to be giving him more game-time this season.
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With a busy Christmas schedule coming up, Williams will no doubt fancy his chances of racking up yet more senior appearances. And after showing off both his attacking and defensive sides of the game against AZ Alkmaar, he will be more than deserving of it.
Meanwhile, Manchester United fans react to transfer links with this Bundesliga sensation.
It seems that Takumi Minamino is all but confirmed as a Liverpool player.
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The Japan international impressed against the Reds for RB Salzburg – he managed three key passes and two dribbles during their Champions League match last week – and within hours of that display, there was talk he was a target for the Anfield outfit. Since then, the Austrian side’s sporting director has confirmed that they are in talks with the English side over a potential transfer, with a fee of £7.25m said to have been agreed – that would match his release clause.
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The 24-year-old is having a fantastic season, with him amassing nine goals and 11 assists in 21 matches so far. However, a move to the Premier League would represent a huge step up in quality, and it would be interesting to see where he would fit into Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI.
Would he be a good signing for Liverpool? We asked four Football FanCast writers for their verdicts.
Vijievan Jeevathayalan
“After facing RB Salzburg in the Champions League group stages this season, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp had a first-hand look at the incredible impact Takumi Minamino could have on the side. The Japan international scored one and made one in the clash at Anfield, and his versatility is the biggest USP of the 24-year-old.
“This campaign has already seen him play on the left and right wings, as a number ten, and even at centre-forward. He’s a jack of all trades, and would give the Merseyside club a valuable squad option.
“Whether he can displace the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino is up for debate. But at a reported £7.25m, he is very much a shrewd piece of business.”
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Domagoj Kostanjsak
“I feel like the transfer of Takumi Minamino is an absolute steal in today’s market. For a reported fee of £7.25m, Jurgen Klopp is getting a beast who can both score and create goals. At the age of 24, he still has many years in front of him and has arguably not even reached his peak just yet. With the German’s pedigree when it comes to recognising and developing talent, I’d say this is a no-brainer for the Reds.”
Matt Dawson
“At just £7.25m, Liverpool will commit daylight robbery if this deal goes through. In the current transfer climate, this is a remarkable deal, especially for a player who possesses such clear potential. The 24-year-old has been a breath of fresh air in the Champions League and will give Liverpool a more dynamic rotation option on the flanks than they possess in players like Adam Lallana and Xherdan Shaqiri.
“His tally of five goal contributions in Europe is mightily impressive, as are the nine goals and 11 assists he’s amassed in all competitions. Liverpool would be making a smart addition for little money while greatly improving the depth of their squad at the same time – it’ll be a brilliant piece of business if it does go through.
“At the same time, however, it could spell the end for a number of players on Merseyside, not least the aforementioned Lallana, but also Harry Wilson who is now at Bournemouth on loan. That should be the least of their concerns when tying up this deal, though.”
James Beavis
“This time last year not many people would have even heard of Takumi Minamino, but it is certainly a different story 12 months later. The Japan international has been in outstanding form this season with nine goals and 11 assists in 22 appearances in all competitions, and showed exactly what he is made of by netting one and setting up another in Red Bull Salzburg’s 4-3 defeat against Liverpool earlier in the campaign.
“The 24-year-old proved then he is ready-made for Jurgen Klopp with a good first-touch, technique and anticipation on show at Anfield, and the fact he could be brought in for just £7.25m means it is a ludicrous deal.
“The fact he scored a fine volley and showed great awareness to pick out Erling Haaland for a goal showed what he is all about, and he will surely prove to be a great addition to the squad in the final third for the Reds in the second half of the campaign.”
In other news, this one Liverpool man’s work-rate is underappreciated.