[ad_pod ]

Loads of Crystal Palace fans have been giving their verdict on Saturday’s momentous win at the Etihad, and they can’t quite believe how good Aaron Wan-Bissaka is.

Eagles’ fans have known for some time that Wan-Bissaka is going to be special, but even the 21 year-old himself might not have predicted such a sensational start to the season.

After some fantastic performances against the league biggest clubs, he put in the best display of his career on Saturday, completely dominating the electric Leroy Sane.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below...

Sane, who was in terrifying form leading up to the match with five goals and four assists in his last nine games, was limited to audacious shots from distance and some truly awful crossing, completing just five out of 17 attempted balls into the box.

Wan-Bissaka on the other hand completed one key pass, won one aerial duel, and made a frankly remarkable seven tackles, the most of any player on the pitch.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where fans suspect they have a future superstar on their hands…

Recent reports from Manchester Evening News have suggested Manchester United could revive their long-standing interest in Douglas Costa when the transfer window reopens in January.

The 31-cap Brazilian winger was previously a target for Jose Mourinho, but MEN claim Costa was once in Sir Alex Ferguson’s crosshairs as well and interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will lean on the Old Trafford legend for advice during his temporary spell in charge.

Hardly the most convincing link we’ve seen in the buildup to the January transfer window, but what would be the ramifications of a mid-season deal for the Old Lady attacker? Football FanCast consider the potential consequences…

Right wing issue finally solved

The right wing position has been a problem at United for several years now, dating back to Antonio Valencia’s shift from midfield to defence. Throughout Mourinho’s time in charge, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Alexis Sanchez have all been tested there but proved far less effective than when cutting in from the opposite flank.

That’s left Juan Mata and Jesse Lingard as the other options, but the former has never been able to nail down a long-term place in United’s starting XI, and Lingard too is at his best in a more central position – like the No.10 slot he took up for England at the World Cup during the summer.

Signing Costa, a left-footer who has made a career as a right winger, would immediately solve that issue and end the era of square pegs being shoved into round holes to complete United’s attack. That should, in turn, bring a lot more balance to the team going forward.

All Barcelona want for Christmas is Roberto Firmino… in the latest hilarious video by 442oons. Check it out below…

Less game-time for Lingard

While Costa’s arrival would end a long-standing headache on the right, it would also inevitably impact Lingard’s game-time. Although he’s been one of United’s form players over the last few weeks, there’s still an inconsistency to the 26-year-old and the right wing berth often highlights his key weaknesses, chiefly a lack of pace that stops him from beating defenders one-on-one.

Costa would free up Lingard to take a more central position in the midfield, but it seems unlikely that Solskjaer will play him as a No.10 with Paul Pogba just behind. During United’s outings thus far under the Norwegian icon, he’s ensured the Frenchman is given a much freer role in the engine room to unleash his creative and goalscoring qualities.

Next permanent manager suffers same problems as Mourinho

Although signing Costa would solve an immediate problem for Solskjaer, the Juventus man also represents precisely the kind of trap United should be trying to steer away from. The South American is already 28 years of age and while he may be desired by Solskjaer in the short-term, eventually he’ll be inherited by whoever is made United’s permanent manager in the summer.

The squad is already a complete mishmash of Sir Alex Ferguson’s old boys, David Moyes flops, Louis van Gaal signings and Jose Mourinho’s incredibly costly additions, none of which fit one specific ethos, philosophy or strategy. Costa would be just another player thrown into that mix, who doesn’t relate to any particular identity.

Mourinho no doubt played a huge hand in the club’s shortcomings over the last 18 months but United’s scattergun approach in the transfer market was a key factor as well. The last thing the club’s next manager needs is to be hindered by it in the same way Mourinho often was, and find himself in a situation where he doesn’t want a player who was signed just six months previously.

While not many incomings are expected at Manchester United this month with the club without a permanent manager following the temporary appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, there could be some outgoings.

And one player who may be heading for the Old Trafford exit door is midfielder Ander Herrera.

The Breakdown

According to the Manchester Evening News, Herrera is currently committed to Manchester United, though that has not stopped his former club Athletic Bilbao from registering an interest in re-signing him.

“We are interested in Javi Martinez, Ibai, Ander Herrera, [Fernando] Llorente… we’re interested in all of them,” Bilbao’s sporting director San Mames told Cadena Ser. “We still haven’t made progress. We’ll get together on Tuesday to see what can be done. I have just returned and this week we will look at our options.”

With Herrera’s contract set to expire in the summer, selling the Spaniard now for a small fee would make a lot of sense.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”367026″ player=”13308″ title=”Manchester United (1)”]

With the likes of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Fred to call upon, £25.2m-rated (Transfermarkt) Herrera is player Solskjaer could easily cope without.

On top of having enough numbers in midfield, Herrera is an individual who brings little to the middle of the park for the Red Devils.

Herrera rarely scores goals, barely provides assists and has a very limited range of passing. The 29-year-old works hard and is a tenacious midfielder but, other than that, he has lived off one game where he was able to man-mark Eden Hazard out of the match.

Considering all of that, now is certainly a good time for Manchester United to part ways with the Spain international.

[ad_pod ]

It would be fair to say that Naby Keita arrived at Liverpool with a big reputation.

Indeed, the midfielder had impressed during his two seasons at RB Leipzig, managing 17 goals from midfield.

Keita cost Liverpool the best part of £53m and for that kind of money, a certain level of performance is expected.

The 23-year-old has struggled to make his mark since arriving in England, however, and was extremely disappointing in Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup on Monday night.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp recently insisted that Keita would show his true worth once he has settled at the club.

However, it seems that the Liverpool fans are not convinced.

The Reds have lost their last two games to Manchester City and Wolves, which has left a number of the club’s supporters in a bad mood anyway.

Keita has been on the end of some fairly strong words on social media and it seems that a number of Liverpool fans think that signing the midfielder was a mistake.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Celtic’s January recruitment drive is in full flow as Brendan Rodgers looks to strengthen his grip on the Scottish Premiership title.

Defeat in the Old Firm derby gave rivals Rangers hope in the title race – the Gers are now level on points with their rivals heading into the window fixtures. After losing Moussa Dembele on deadline day in August, Celtic have a large budget at their disposal and have wasted no time in bolstering their ranks. Rodgers has already added Timothy Weah, Oliver Burke and Vakoun Issouf Bayo to his squad and fans must be desperate for further arrivals.

The Hoops have reinforced their forward line but there are still concerns regarding their defence. Dedryck Boyata has been less than impressive yet again this season and a replacement for the Belgium international could be a wise move. Improving their defence could be just what the Hoops need to strengthen their lead at the top of the standings.

The ideal target would be Belenenses star – Vincent Sasso. Valued at just £900k by Transfermarkt, the defender moved back to Portugal after leaving Sheffield Wednesday in the summer of 2017. Sasso wasn’t a first-team regular under Carlos Carvalhal but many fans were disappointed to see the defender leave on a free transfer.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”367484″ player=”13308″ title=”Celtic”]

The former France U21 international has been ever-present for his side in Liga NOS, making 16 appearances so far, scoring one goal. Sasso reads the game expertly, allowing him to make an impressive 2.8 interceptions per game this season. The Frenchman is also terrific on the ball, completing 88% of his passes this season meaning he is perfect for Rodgers’ system at Parkhead (WhoScored).

With his contract set to expire in the summer, this move should be a no brainer for the former Liverpool boss.

Celtic fans, thoughts?

The future of Christian Eriksen is one of the most potent topics bubbling beneath the surface at Tottenham Hotspur right now, with his refusal to sign a new contract and reported interest from Real Madrid leaving some supporters resigned to losing him in the summer. 

The lure of the Spanish capital cannot be denied: Real Madrid is arguably the most prestigious club in world football and the city itself is an incredibly desirable place to live. How can Spurs compete with that? Well, a state-of-the art stadium and promises of an integral role within the side, something which would not necessarily be guaranteed at Los Blancos, are two main pulling factors, but after five and a half years with the club it’s easy to sympathise with Eriksen’s likely desire to challenge himself within a new environment.

There is a feeling that the moment will be right for him to move on in the summer, and with his contract due to expire in 2020 Daniel Levy will remain in a position to command a significant fee for his services.

But Levy’s reputation may be giving the powers that be at Madrid reason to consider throwing in a makeweight into a potential deal to reduce the financial burden of meeting Eriksen’s asking price.

Well, according to The Independent, that’s exactly what they’re planning on doing. The report claims that sources close to the Bernabeu hierarchy want James Rodriguez to move to Tottenham in a bid to force through a deal for Eriksen.

Rodriguez’s career has never quite lived up to the enormous expectation which emerged when he burst onto the scene at the World Cup in 2014, with a stunning volley from the edge of the area providing a cinematic moment of brilliance to announce the birth of the next South American superstar.

The sensational transfer to Real Madrid which followed the tournament was tailor-made for a galactico in the making, and his instant impact suggested he was the real deal: a return of 13 goals and 13 assists from 29 La Liga appearances tells you all you need to know about the enormity of his impact on his debut season.

But injury problems and a struggle to adapt to different managerial philosophies since Carlo Ancelotti left Madrid have seen his influence diminish, and the fact Bayern Munich would not be averse to letting him leave this month (as per Independent) is telling about his struggle to fulfil his potential at the top level.

For all of Eriksen’s technical quality, one of his most defining features which makes him such an adored figure at Tottenham is his relentless work-rate. The Denmark international is integral to Pochettino’s high-press philosophy, but Rodriguez does not possess the same level of intensity in closing down the opposition that the Argentine demands from his players.

Rodriguez is the type of superstar who could be a 10/10 one week and go missing the next week when Spurs need a gargantuan performance from their star man, so Pochettino and Levy should think twice before sanctioning the mooted swap deal.

In terms of raw talent Rodriguez is an exceptional player, but there is reason to doubt whether he would be a good fit at Tottenham.

Isco, on the other hand, would be a far more natural replacement for Eriksen (valued at £72 million by Transfermarkt) if they can get him, and Levy should strive to bring the majestic Spaniard to north London over the unpredictable Rodriguez.

Tottenham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

[ad_pod ]

According to the Yorkshire Post, Sheffield United are set to reject an offer worth £4million from West Ham United for midfielder John Fleck.

What’s the story?

The Blades are set to turn down the Premier League club’s offer, as Fleck is considered key to Chris Wilder’s plans, as per the aforementioned report. 

The midfielder has been in fine form at Bramall Lane so far this season, and has played a central role in the Blades’ climb to the upper reaches of the Championship table. His exit at this stage in the campaign would constitute a major blow to Sheffield United’s promotion hopes.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

However, the 27-year-old could have his head turned by the prospect of a shortcut to the top flight, and the Hammers ought to return with another offer for the Scot.

A major setback

£4million would have been a bargain price to pick Fleck up for, and West Ham will likely be disappointed with the Blades’ apparent decision to turn the offer down. For one of the finest and most reliable midfielders in the second tier, that would have been a fantastic deal for the Irons to strike.

The Championship club’s rejection of West Ham’s advances is certainly a setback for the east London club, as they need to bolster their midfield contingent in this January transfer window. The long-term injuries suffered by Jack Wilshere and Carlos Sanchez makes it imperative that some quality midfield cover soon arrives at the London Stadium.

Fleck would have been the ideal candidate to provide that extra depth in the middle of the park, but a deal to bring him to the club now is not going to be straightforward. Nonetheless, West Ham shouldn’t give up just yet and table an improved offer for the Scotsman before this week’s deadline.

[ad_pod ]

According to the BBC, West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that he is desperate to help Manchester City win the league by beating Liverpool on Monday.

The Hammers manager has seen his side lose their last three games in all competitions but he is keen to get back to winning form against the title-chasers.

What’s the word?

West Ham take on Liverpool on Monday, aware that the Reds are in desperate need of a victory.

Jurgen Klopp’s side lead the Premier League by two points from City after Pep Guardiola’s side beat Arsenal 3-1 on Sunday.

The east London outfit’s record against the Merseyside club is not good – they have lost their last four games against them by at least a three-goal margin.

Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below…

But Pellegrini is keen for his side to return to form against the Reds, and do his former club Manchester City a favour in the process.

Per BBC, he said: “If we win, I will be very happy for our club first.

“We need a good performance against the leaders.

“After that, if we can give a hand to Manchester City, it’s not our problem, but of course I am a fan of Manchester City also.”

Pellegrini won the league at City in 2014.

Rivalries revealed

City fans will be desperate for Pellegrini’s side to do them a favour.

The Hammers have been in terrible form, however, losing their last three games in all competitions – including a dismal FA Cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

However, Pellegrini will want his side to be bang up for this one, as he bids to have his say on the destination of the Premier League title.

City have done all they can by beating Unai Emery’s men and they must now hope for other Premier League clubs to do them a favour, starting with their former manager and the Irons.

[ad_pod ]

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini has a big decision to make regarding strikers ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace this weekend.

Marko Arnautovic is nearly back to full fitness after sustaining a foot injury against Wolves, with Javier Hernandez playing up front in his absence against Liverpool.

The Mexico international has scored four goals this season and enjoyed a sterling display against the Reds, as the Irons held the title-chasers to a creditable 1-1 draw.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Arnautovic, though, has been in fine form this season too, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in the Premier League.

However, a flirtation with a move to the Chinese Super League in the January transfer window has seen the Austrian’s reputation diminish among the eyes of some Irons fans.

And they have now debated whether or not he should be restored to the starting XI when the Hammers face Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday, with many backing the idea of keeping the Mexican in the team.

[ad_pod ]

Norwich City missed the chance to forge ahead at the top of the Championship table last time out when they fell to a heavy 3-1 defeat at the hands of Preston North End. Despite a late Teemu Pukki strike, goals from Ben Davies, Paul Gallagher and Sean Maguire sealed the points for the home side.

Daniel Farke must inspire the Canaries to bounce back with a positive result against strugglers Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

On the chalkboard

Alex Neil’s Preston side were able to take advantage of Norwich’s disjointed approach last time out. Farke’s outfit failed to apply the requisite focus and diligence to the task at hand and suffered a defeat as a result. Whilst they streamed forward in attack and were thwarted on numerous occasions by Preston goalkeeper Declan Rudd, the Canaries failed to defend effectively at the other end. 

Bolton edged closer to the Championship drop zone with defeat at home to Preston on Saturday. Check out Thogden’s matchday vlog below…

Their performance lacked balance, as at times they charged forward without affording appropriate care for not leaving themselves exposed. The Lilywhites were utterly clinical, defended as a cohesive unit, and were therefore able to punish the title-chasers.

Back to basics

In order to get back on track, Norwich need to simplify things. For the approaching clash with Bolton, Norwich must focus on getting the simplest elements of their game right. If they do that, their technical superiority over Bolton ought to pay off.

Farke must recognise this need to get back to basics and make the necessary changes to the mentality of his squad. Failure to do so could result in the Canaries’ title bid derailing.