Man City’s Benjamin Mendy targets Raheem Sterling on Twitter after Tuesday’s heroics

Raheem Sterling might’ve claimed three goals on Tuesday night, but Benjamin Mendy wasn’t entirely satisfied.Manchester City’s social media enthusiast has spent the majority of his career in England on Twitter or recovering from various injuries, which have seen him miss a combined 87 goals since he joined from Ligue 1 side AS Monaco for £52m in 2017.Watch Manchester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

However, with two appearances in City’s previous two games, the first coming against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, the Frenchman will boost Pep Guardiola’s title hopes as he tries desperately to patch his injury-stricken defence.

And what an addition he will be – especially if he holds Sterling to the standards that he appeared to last night. Imagine his future performances…

Sterling bagged a hat-trick and an assist in Tuesday night’s match against Atalanta, earning the man of the match award in the process. It doesn’t get much better than that – unless you score four, of course.

QPR fans slam Yoann Barbet after conceding another penalty

Queens Park Rangers might have moved to within a point of the playoffs following their 4-2 victory over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon, but not everything was positive.Mark Warburton’s side produced an excellent attacking display with Nahki Wells, Eberechi Eze, Bright Osayi-Samuel and Jordan Hugill all getting their name on the scoresheet.The visitors were handed a chance to get back into the game just before the hour mark when centre-back Yoann Barbet brought down Bradley Dack inside the area, only for the midfielder to dust himself off and duly score to make the match interesting at 2-1.Watch Queens Park Rangers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Just last weekend, the Frenchman did the very same as he picked up a red card against West Brom for scything down Hal Robson-Kanu with the Baggies scoring a winner from the resulting free-kick.

It appears that patience is wearing thin for much of the Rs’ fanbase, and several of them have taken to Twitter to vent their anger.

One supporter claimed the defender needs to be sold while he was also brandished as a ‘walking disaster’ and ‘liability’ by others.

Another fan joked that the 26-year-old must be trying to get into the Guinness Book of Records for giving away the most penalties.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

Man Utd fans react to Robin van Persie’s wonder goal

Oh Robin van Persie. That was the chant that used to fill Old Trafford (and the Emirates) back when the Dutchman was firing on all cylinders in the Premier League, and it’s arguably the exact same expression Manchester United probably let out with a sigh. Just how could they do with a striker like him now?

The 36-year-old will forever be remembered at United for his starring role in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last Premier League title before his retirement, a campaign in which he smashed in 30 goals and provided a further 15 assists. He was truly at the peak of his powers, but, in a clip from Rafael van der Vaart’s testimonial, it appears he hasn’t lost any of his abilities.

The now-retired forward curled home a sumptuous finish from outside the box with his right foot, and the goal understandably saw United fans go into delirium.

Many supporters of the Manchester side flooded to Twitter to share their thoughts about the Dutchman, and insisted “class is always permanent”.

Some Red Devils fans even voiced their disappointment about how the club let him go after just three seasons at the club, and revealed he should never have been sold.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

Exclusive: John Hartson claims Celtic’s sale of Kieran Tierney sends a big message

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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Arsenal striker John Hartson has said that the £25m fee paid by the Gunners for Kieran Tierney sends out a message to other Premier League clubs wishing to sign top players from the SPFL.

Tierney, 22, left Celtic to join the north London outfit on transfer deadline day in what proved to be a record deal. No player in Scotland’s top tier has ever been sold for a higher price.

And Hartson is of the opinion that Premier League clubs will now think twice before attempting to purchase the top talent from north of the border on the cheap.

He said, “When you see Southampton have previously signed van Dijk for £12m, Forster for £10m and Wanyama for £8m, it highlights the view that the SPFL is seen as a lesser league in the eyes of the Premier League.

“I mean, it would cost you £150m now to sign Virgil van Dijk.

“So Celtic getting £25m for Kieran Tierney is finally sending out a message and a warning that the Premier League clubs or anyone can’t buy the SPFL’s best players on the cheap.”

The price the Scottish champions were able to recover for the left-back is indeed a victory, despite losing one of their star players. At the end of the day, the lack of competition in the SPFL does mean that the outstanding performers will look to use it as a stepping stone onto a higher platform.

However, that does not mean that Celtic and the other leading sides in the country need to be bullied into parting ways with their players. It is much to the credit of Neil Lennon and co that they held firm when Arsenal first offered £15m and then £25m in an instalment-based deal that wasn’t to their liking.

Whatever you think about Scottish football, there are clearly a number of players playing their football beyond Hadrian’s Wall that have more than enough quality to make it in the Premier League or other top divisions across Europe.

Van Dijk, Forster and Wanyama are the obvious examples, but there are others, such as John McGinn, who joined Aston Villa from Hibernian in 2018, who have been successful since making the move to England.

Tierney’s switch, therefore, indicates that the landscape may be changing. No longer will the Premier League be able to pickpocket Scottish clubs, as they have so often done in the past.

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Barcelona fans take to Twitter to celebrate Ousmane Dembele’s return

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Ousmane Dembele has made just one appearance for Barcelona thus far this season and has been injured for the last four encounters.

He featured in the curtain-raiser against Athletic Bilbao but that game left him with a hamstring injury. He has been out ever since.

But according to the latest reports coming from Catalunya Radio, the Frenchman is already back in training with the first-team and could soon make his return to action at Camp Nou.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And a number of the club’s fans are now excited to see the attacker make his return, with some hoping he will take the place of Luis Suarez in the starting XI.

Indeed, Barca face Granada on Saturday before further league clashes against Villarreal and Getafe. They return to Champions League action on October 2nd, hosting Italian giants Inter Milan at Camp Nou. The Catalan giants drew 0-0 with Borussia Dortmund in their opener.

You can see some of their replies and comments down in the collection of tweets below:

The Chalkboard: What is Rangers’ best XI?

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The January transfer window has come and gone and Rangers added five new faces over the course of the month, so what is now Steven Gerrard’s best XI?

Rangers cruised past Kilmarnock in the Scottish Cup on Wednesday evening, winning 5-0 courtesy of a whopping four-goal haul from front man Alfredo Morelos.

The Colombian international has of course been the subject of much controversy since picking up his fourth red card of the season, but it’s easy to see why Rangers fans believe he is the best player in the league.

So with the no. 20’s spot pretty much nailed on, who takes the other ten places in Gerrard’s side? What is Rangers’ best starting XI?

Haven’t seen Paul Pogba’s latest strange photoshoot? You need to check out the video below…

The defence

Just like with Morelos, there are a few stars in defence who are nailed on to start whenever fit.

Allan McGregor, Connor Goldson and James Tavernier will all start when available, leaving just two spots to pick. Borna Barisic’s delivery makes him the most likely choice at left-back, but the other centre back is a little harder to choose.

None of Nikola Katic, Gareth McAuley or Joe Worrall have really impressed this season, but we here at Football FanCast believe Katic should get the nod, as the young Croatian has the highest ceiling, and could forge a long-term pairing with Goldson if given the chance.

Men in the middle

In midfield, Ross McCrorie deserves to start. The 20 year-old has had an inconsistent season, but at his best he is one of the country’s finest defensive enforcers, at least according to Scott Arfield, and his presence would afford the ever-reliable Ryan Jack more freedom to explore further up the pitch.

If McCrorie and Jack are playing in the middle, then January signing Glen Kamara must take the number ten spot, as his low centre of gravity, vision and incisiveness will inevitably create chances and space for the forwards.

Ferocious front three

Finally, the forward lines pretty much picks itself, with Morelos flanked by Ryan Kent and Daniel Candeias, a front three packed with speed, creativity, skill and a little bit of a nasty streak.

4-2-3-1: McGregor, Tavernier, Goldson, Katic, Barisic, McCrorie, Jack, Candieas, Kamara, Kent, Morelos. Rangers fans, is this your best XI?

Nottingham Forest’s Rafa Mir hints at injury in latest Instagram post

Several fans were confused by this post, and they took to the comments section to ask about this injury.

Others asked reputable journalists on Twitter if he was injured.

Watch Nottingham Forest Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Unfortunately for the City Ground faithful, this post indicates that Mir won’t be fit for this weekend’s clash with table-topping Swansea City.

This leaves the Reds with a serious lack of depth up top, as Lewis Grabban is now the only fit first-team striker available for Sabri Lamouchi’s side.

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Pape Sarr can replace Ndombele at Spurs

Tanguy Ndombele’s future at Tottenham Hotspur is by no means certain.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who cost a club-record £55m two-and-a-half years ago, has not featured for the club since being withdrawn early during their FA Cup third-round victory over Morecambe.

He slowly trudged off to a chorus of boos and jeers with his side down by a goal at the time. Since then, it has emerged that the club are trying to move him on and that he has reportedly been training alone at Hotspur Way.

“Tottenham are looking for a solution to sell or loan out Tanguy Ndombele in January,” revealed Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

It’s hard to put up a case for Spurs keeping hold of their big-money signing as he’s been nothing short of a flop – as per Transfermarkt, he has delivered only ten goals and nine assists across 91 appearances.

If they are to move him on, however, manager Antonio Conte will be in need of a new central midfielder but perhaps he already has the answer at the club, somewhat.

Sarr solution?

During the summer, sporting director Fabio Paratici sealed the signature of promising Ligue 1 gem Pape Matar Sarr, who has remained on loan at Metz, for around €17m (£15m).

The 19-year-old midfielder has played in pretty much every role in the engine room for the French outfit this season, where he has made 19 appearances across all competitions.

Now valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, the Senegal international has struggled for consistency, averaging a rating of just 6.43, though there have been signs of encouragement and he is a player with undoubted potential.

“I am told this guy is really more than an interesting talent. He has real potential, [he’s a] fantastic talent,” claimed Romano to his YouTube channel in September.

“One of my sources told me he could become one style of [Paul] Pogba player. He has style, he has potential, he has skills, so we will see what happens with this guy.”

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A Pogba-like midfielder? That should be right up Conte’s street considering he managed the France superstar across 78 matches at Juventus before he rejoined Manchester United.

Sarr is certainly looking to contribute at both ends of the pitch, having averaged 2.2 dribbles, 1.7 successful tackles, one shot and 0.9 key passes per 90 minutes in the French top-flight, via WhoScored.

“Pape Matar Sarr is elegance in the midfield, it’s talent, it’s making others play.” once claimed Metz coach Frederic Antonetti.

So come the summer, Conte may not need to look far to find Ndombele’s replacement, thanks to Paratici’s decision in the summer. He seems primed for a shot in Spurs’ first team, especially under the stewardship of the Italian, who has already worked wonders with players like Oliver Skipp and Sergio Reguilon.

As such, he could also save the clubs millions as Sarr seems like the perfect replacement for the struggling flop.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops exciting Hugo Lloris claim at Spurs…

Is this Spurs’ strongest XI after January?

Tottenham Hotspur made some ruthless decisions during the January transfer window as the club looks to transform Antonio Conte’s playing squad.

The north London outfit sit just two points outside of the top four with two games in hand on Manchester United and having lost just one league game under the Italian, there’s every chance of the team battling for a place in the Champions League ahead of next term.

Spurs announced the arrivals of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski in a double swoop from sporting director Fabio Paratici’s former club, Juventus, on deadline day.

Whilst no fewer than four players saw an exit, with Tanguy Ndombele, Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso departing on loan and Dele Alli ending a seven-year stint in N17 after he signed for Everton permanently.

So what is left of Conte’s squad and exactly what is his strongest lineup heading into the second half of the season? Here’s how Spurs could look with their new additions, starting with an FA Cup clash against Brighton and Hove Albion this weekend.

Both Bentancur and Kulusevski are likely to be part of Conte’s starting XI going forward. It would be foolish to not involve them after bolstering the squad as demanded.

They could slot right in, meaning academy graduate Oliver Skipp is likely to make way with the Uruguay international becoming Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s new partner. The Dane has played more minutes than the Spurs youngster, so Conte surely favours him more.

Meanwhile, the Swedish attacker is a ‘plug and play’ option in the final third, meaning he could be deployed anywhere, though it seems likely that he’s going to feature alongside Heung-min Son and Harry Kane, so that leaves the £18m-rated Lucas Moura – who was once dubbed a “nightmare” to train against by Eric Dier – the unlucky man to make way.

Speaking of which, the English centre-back should play with Ben Davies and Cristian Romero, once he returns from injury. That back three should sit in front of club captain Hugo Lloris, who signed a two-year contract extension during January.

Matt Doherty could even get the nod over Emerson Royal on the right flank. Conte sought a new addition in this role due to his lack of faith in the pair but evidently, it was to no avail. If the Italian wants a more attacking option, then the Irishman has a slight edge over the summer signing.

Meanwhile, Sergio Reguilon should remain on the other side with Ryan Sessegnon as a key backup.

Players like Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Steven Bergwijn will all play their part, especially the latter, who could be seen as an alternative to Kane up top.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops huge behind-the-scenes Conte claim at Spurs, fans will be ecstatic…

Liverpool: Fans love David Ornstein’s Aurelien Tchouameni claim

A number of Liverpool supporters are excited after journalist David Ornstein claimed the Reds are keen on signing Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have enjoyed a good season so far, even though their Premier League title chances now appear to be hanging by a thread.

There has been a feeling that Liverpool’s squad is looking tired, however, with only one signing made last summer, and both injuries and COVID wreaking havoc of late.

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Midfield is arguably the Reds’ weakest area of the pitch at the moment, with Jordan Henderson and James Milner both heavily criticised in the draw at Chelsea last weekend, highlighting the need for summer reinforcements to come in in the middle of the park.

According to The Athletic‘s Ornstein [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], Liverpool are keen on bringing in Tchouameni this summer, with the 21-year-old arguably one of France’s most promising young players – his ‘defensive action’ map is quite remarkable, winning duels all over the pitch.

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Liverpool fans love Tchouameni rumour

These Reds fans reacted to the update on Twitter, showing their happiness at the claim.

“My top midfield target”

Credit: @TheKopEnd0619

“Please”

Credit: @nasir_l

“Tchouameni links finally”

Credit: @lfchpw

“Fantastic”

Credit: @NegusSabali

“This is definitely a good idea”

Credit: @Olufolarin9

“On my knees”

Credit: @kazwyv

In other news, some Liverpool fans have erupted over a transfer rumour. Read more here.

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