Leeds United fans have been suggesting names for their Player of the Season, which has led to The Athletic’s Phil Hay making a bold claim about one member of Marcelo Bielsa’s squad…

What’s he said?

The Whites are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship standings, holding a seven-point advantage to those in the playoffs with just nine games remaining in the season.

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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Barring a null-and-void season, the west Yorkshire outfit are the only ones standing in the way of a promotion at this stage.

Their season so far has been rather phenomenal as they appear set to end a 16-year wait for top-flight football, so understandably there have been plenty of candidates for the award.

One supporter offered Kalvin Phillips’ name in a recent Q&A, and Hay replied with the following…

Two top talents

It’s certainly a bold claim to suggest that City loan star Jack Harrison has been somewhat better than Phillips, but he could be onto something – at least in terms of their progression.

The defensive midfielder has been on a meteoric rise ever since Bielsa converted him into that role to the point where England boss Gareth Southgate has scouted him for his Three Lions squad.

But Harrison has improved his figures drastically on last season. So far, he has managed one more goal and a massive four more assists whilst also averaging over double the number of key passes per game from just one in 2017/18 to 2.1 this term, via WhoScored.

In addition, the 22-year-old has increased his attempts at goal (1.7 shots) as well as doubling the number of dribbles per game (1.8).

Either way, both Harrison and Phillips have played instrumental roles for Bielsa and it would be mighty hard to split these two top talents – and that’s excluding the likes of Ben White, Stuart Dallas and Mateusz Klich, too.

AND in other news, Leeds fans react to Marcelo Bielsa throwback footage…

It’s fair to say Serge Aurier hasn’t exactly proven himself to be one of the more reliable defenders Tottenham have had in the Premier League era.

The Ivory Coast international has conceded his fair share of penalties, and made some reckless challenges too, and it’s difficult to see how he really fits into a Jose Mourinho team.

Now, according to Italian publication Tuttosport (via Milan News), Spurs could be given the chance to cut their losses on the man they signed from French giants PSG back when Mauricio Pochettino was in charge of the club.

The report claims that Serie A side Milan are ready to revive their interest in the full-back, and that they are looking to strike a deal during the upcoming summer transfer window.

After hearing about Aurier’s potential exit, Spurs fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts.

One fan in particular labelled Aurier a “liability” and insisted that they desperately needed a more “reliable” defender in his place.

If Spurs can recoup some of the reported £23m that they spent on bringing Aurier to north London, then it’s something that they should surely be agreeing to.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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Mourinho can then potentially reinvest that money into a new right-back, with reports in recent weeks even claiming that Norwich’s Max Aarons is in their sights.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans react to their interest in this 15-goal striker.

What do you get when an F1 star takes on a heavyweight boxer at FIFA? Fireworks!Watch as Dillian Whyte – previously describing himself as ‘garbage’ at FIFA – and F1’s Lando Norris go head-to-head in theÂNHS Charities Together Cup in a tasty online affair.It was a fiery affair with plenty of tasty tackles going in throughout- the referee was a very busy man in this game!Who do think comes out on top?

You can donate here: bit.ly/NHSCupDonateSnack

Snack Media is proud to be partners of the NHS Charities Together Cup: a celebrity Esports FIFA tournament aiming to raise money for NHS workers on the frontline. The tournament sees some of sport’s biggest stars playing, including England cricket captain Joe Root, Premier League winner Joleon Lescott and boxer Tony Bellew.

For more information, go to:Âbit.ly/CelebEsportSnack

Match Facts

September 27, 2012
Start time 19.30 local (1400GMT/1500BST)Moving on: Stuart Broad has tried to brush aside England’s demise against India•AFP

The Big Picture

You never really know what you will get from either of these two teams. West Indies can take apart any bowling line-up but can also let it slip in the field. England can live with the best teams on their day but also lose in embarrassing style. It makes for a fascinating contest.West Indies have yet to play a full game in this tournament after losing on D/L against Australia and then rain arrived before they could bat against Ireland. It means, like England in 2010, they have progressed without winning a game yet remain a challenger for the title. This time England have managed a victory, but it is their crushing defeat against India which is the game most are talking about.Darren Sammy could barely contain his smile as he spoke about the potential of Sunil Narine bowling against England in the Super Eights. His confidence is not misplaced. And that is before West Indies’ batting power is considered. England’s bowling attack is their strength; it will be sorely tested by Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Kieron Pollard and the rest.The most recent Twenty20 meeting between these two teams ended with England completing their highest T20 chase at Trent Bridge but that was at the tail-end of a tough tour for West Indies. Perhaps a more relevant match to consider is the second of the back-to-back encounters at The Oval last year when a young England side – featuring a number of players in the current squad – were dismantled for 88 on a pitch offering some turn.Still, for all the familiar questions posed by the defeat against India it does not have to be terminal to England’s hopes. The side have responded to adversity in the past and fortunes can change very quickly. A charge for the title looks unlikely, but that was also so in 2010.

Form guide

(Most recent first, completed matches)
England LWWLW
West Indies LWWLW

Watch out for…

It is often said that a players’ standing grows in his absence and that was certainly the case for Samit Patel when he was left out against India. His left-arm spin would have been very useful and he is one of the more competent batsmen in the squad against spin – although on recent evidence that judgement is starting at a low base. He at least has the wrist work to place the ball into the gaps and the confidence to use his feet. But he is only one player.When Sunil Narine was unleashed on England earlier this year it did not go very well for him. In a Test, two ODIs and a Twenty20 he managed a solitary wicket. The expectation won’t have helped and he was also battling the damp conditions of an English summer. The challenge for England in Pallekele will be very different. Not that it is likely to spin square, but it does not have to to dumfound England’s batsmen. He just needs to be careful about his front foot. There are no excuses for overstepping.

Team news

Patel is likely to return in place of Tim Bresnan to give the side a more balanced look. A complete rethink of tactics is unlikely, although Danny Briggs would be an interesting option if he could be slotted in. Michael Lumb and Ravi Bopara are the other batting choices, but the current top six will probably be given another chance.England (probable) 1 Craig Kieswetter (wk), 2 Alex Hales, 3 Luke Wright, 4 Eoin Morgan, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Jos Buttler, 7 Samit Patel, 8 Stuart Broad (capt), 9 Graeme Swann, 10 Steven Finn, 11 Jade DernbachDwayne Bravo missed the Ireland game with a groin strain and will slot back in, probably for Andre Russell, if fit again which is looking likely after he came through a net session. There will be a temptation to play the legspinner Samuel Badree although that would mean leaving out either Ravi Rampaul or Fidel Edwards who both bowled well against Ireland.West Indies (probable) 1 Chris Gayle, 2 Johnson Charles, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Darren Sammy, 8 Denesh Ramdin (wk), 9 Sunil Narine, 10 Ravi Rampaul, 11 Fidel Edwards

Pitch and conditions

There was some pace and bounce in the match between Pakistan and Bangladesh – enough for Bangladesh to get carried away with the short ball – which encouraged stroke-making and that bodes well for the Super Eights. What does not bode so well is the continuing threat of rain and as far as that goes it is just a case of fingers crossed.

Stats and trivia

• In a neat coincidence, West Indies qualified for the Super Eights by scoring 191 in a rain-affected defeat then having a no result against Ireland, which is exactly what happened to England in 2010.
• England and West Indies have played eight times in T20Is with West Indies 5-3 up on the head-to-head.

Quotes

“Winning World Cups is about winning the important games. There is no point playing like a dream all the way through to the semi-final and losing that one, so it is about developing momentum.”
“I think everyone who comes on to bowl has a big part to play, but Sunil is our trump card. He has done well for us, and we hope he’ll have a big impact on the English batting line-up.”

Match facts

October 26, 2012
Start time 1730 local (1530 GMT)Mitchell Starc: a possible Test star for years to come•Getty Images

Big Picture

As expected of a young tournament with potentially different qualifiers every year, we have a semi-final between two sides that have never met each other. However, these two sides – not literally, but the regions they are derived from – are traditional powerhouses in their respective countries.It is generally said that a healthy New South Wales equals a healthy Australia. The same can be said of Pretoria and surrounds, the region the Titans represent, and South Africa. This is one of the appeals of the Champions League. We can quibble about the formats, but here are two teams, traditionally best or thereabouts in their own domestic tournaments, facing each other for a right to play the final of a lucrative tournament.Sydney Sixers don’t have Shane Watson or David Warner (both New South Welshmen now) available, but Titans have lost out on more stars for various reasons. Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers all come from the region, yet they are either injured or representing other franchises, South African or Indian. Sixers, on the other hand, have retained services of a homegrown pace attack that has even Test fans excited. If only Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were going up against Steyn, Morkel and Marchant de Lange, we could even have looked at this as a bit-sized precursor to the blockbuster Test series next month.

Watch out for…

Starc and Cummins have been known outside Australia for some time now, but this was an important tournament for Josh Hazlewood. The rest of the world now knows of another potential baggy green holder. He might not have taken many wickets, but he has bowled his quota in all the four matches he has played, and has gone at just 4.5 per over. Starc, who is leading the charts with 11 wickets, will no doubt acknowledge Hazlewood’s contribution to his wickets.Forget homegrown players, Titans have the services of one who has taken a rather circuitous route. Alfonso Thomas was born in Cape Town, moved to the North-West team in Potchefstroom, then joined Titans, before leaving for Dolphins and then came back to Titans. Despite his one Twenty20 international representing South Africa, he is mostly known to those outside South Africa as a Somerset professional. He will be key if Titans are to exploit what remotely resembles a weakness: Sixers’ batting.

Weather and conditions

The forecast point to a “mostly sunny” day and a “mostly clear” evening in Centurion. If it does rain enough to wash the game out, we still have a reserve day on Saturday. That reduces the teams’ challenge to dealing with the slightly tacky bounce at SuperSport Park. That this is Titans’ home ground should give them a slight advantage.

Quotes

“There won’t be any change in game plan. Everybody knows their role and we will continue to play our roles whether Shane’s here or not. So, I don’t think that is going to be an issue.”

When JP Duminy had his first chance to play for South Africa it was through injury. Ashwell Prince’s fracture on the eve of the Perth Test in 2008 gave Duminy his chance. To say he took it with both hands would explain both what kept Prince out of the side and how Duminy stayed in it.Four years later, Duminy was picked again because of an injury – twice. Jacques Kallis’ stiff neck in Wellington gave Duminy an opportunity in the batting order. He responded with a century. He would have probably lost his place despite that hundred immediately afterwards but when Mark Boucher’s career ended with a freak eye injury, Duminy earned a more permanent spot in the Test XI and is a certain starter in Australia.To the folk down under, it will be as though nothing has changed. Duminy is now, as he was then, in sublime touch. They may not know that for a while he was a batsman interrupted by poor form, clear weaknesses and a closing out of his spot in the team.In 14 innings after the 2008-09 series in Australia, Duminy managed just 272 runs at an average of 19.43. The statistics were damning enough to result in him being dropped. What they don’t tell is that Duminy had consistent problems against the short ball and off spin and was regularly dismissed by either.His limited-overs game did not suffer similar setbacks and he continued to feature in that format, but in the longer version he was sent back to the first-class game to develop. A double hundred against Dolphins in December 2010 was a signal that Duminy had come full circle and he became a fringe player in the Test squad again. He had to join a queue, behind Prince and Jacques Rudolph and has only now become a regular again.”It was tough at times. I was coming off such a high [in Australia] and it’s difficult to maintain those sorts of performances,” Duminy said, reflecting on his match-turning century at the MCG. “You will go through ups and down and I was fortunate enough to have good people around me to work through those problems. The circumstances of being brought back into the team were also tough with Boucher getting injured but it was about taking the opportunity as well.”His chances have come in an unusual fashion as the composition of South Africa’s Test line-up has changed. Since Boucher retired, team management have opted to go with seven front-line batsmen to allow AB de Villiers to keep, although that does not seem to be a long-term option. Duminy slots in at No.7, behind Rudolph.It lengthens South Africa’s batting to the envy of other countries. Duminy has to play a bridging role between the batsmen and the tail, different to his usual middle-order batsmen. “One thing I have learned batting at No.7 and with the tail is that bowlers tend to forget about you,” he said. “With bowlers not worrying about you, you tend to get more lose deliveries. They are happy to get you off strike.”That much was evident at Lord’s in August when Duminy and Vernon Philander combined to take South Africa out of trouble. The England attack seemed to think they had got through the big guns but there was more to come. Duminy scored a half-century and Philander helped him ensure the bowlers had something to defend.It is that sort of strength that South Africa are trying to develop and Duminy said he understands that he will be required to operate as both mender and match at No.7. “You get let off by some bowlers but you can find yourself in difficult situations with the team 100 for 5, so there are two ways to look at it. I think I have grown in that role in the last three Tests and I want to start cementing a long career in Test cricket.”There would be few places as illustrious to do that as Australia, especially since it was the scene of Duminy’s breakthrough. He knows the hype will be around that but does not want it to dominate his mindset. “This is a starting point for me again. What’s happened in the past is in the past.”Already it has been a successful second coming, he has had four innings, scored 271 runs at45.17. It must be remembered that includes one not out, something that may become a more prominent feature in Duminy’s statistics given his position in the batting order. Whether he will stay there or get bumped up a place when South Africa either decide to play a specialist gloveman or are forced to because of de Villiers’ recurring injury, is a question for later on.Duminy likes to talk about the future because he sees his as bright, starting with the current tour of Australia. He is looking forward to the new challenge, especially since the complexion of the hosts’ bowling attack has changed since the first time he faced them. With young seamers stealing the spotlight and no Mitchell Johnson, South Africa may fancy their chances even more.”This time, there is a little less experience,” Duminy said. “With saying that, they have a quality attack. We’re going to have to play well against them. If we can get through the initial parts of the Test match and be positive in the first innings we can do well.”

Nottingham Forest will be hoping to strengthen their play-off bid during the January transfer window.

Having endured a rollercoaster last month or so, Forest will hope to restore some calmness around the City Ground in hope of getting their promotion bid back on track.

It will be a tough ask but Nottingham Forest are a historic club and still currently have players good enough to get the club back up into the Premier League.

Yet their main problem as of late has been scoring goals, an issue generally easy to solve. With the right man brought in, the goals could start flowing again, like their promotion dream.

It would be considered a gamble but given his impeccable form for the Manchester United U18’s, Mason Greenwood should be a genuine target for Nottingham Forest.

Greenwood, just 17-years-old, has been scoring for fun in a Manchester United shirt this season, hence why he has also been seen on the first-team bench on occasion this season.

United fans are, rightly, very excited about Greenwood’s potential and so they should be. With a staggering 22 goals in just 19 games, Mason Greenwood has been in superb form that could even be an asset to a Championship side like Nottingham Forest.

The City Ground side do have a number of goalscorers in their team but none are really doing the business at the moment, hence why Forest could do with another.

Youngster Mason Greenwood must be hungry for a first-team opportunity, which Nottingham Forest could expose him to and both parties could prosper from this deal, especially if he continues to thrive in front of goal.

Do you agree… Let us know!

West Ham United are experiencing Deja Vu this month two years after they sold Dimitri Payet to Marseille in a £25 million deal, but it appears that a solution to the Marko Arnautovic saga has been struck which will see him remain at the London Stadium. 

According to a recent report from The London Evening Standard, West Ham have given the green light for the Austria international to leave the club in the summer window, however, crucially, the club remain fearful that he will depart before the end of February.

The window for Premier League clubs is due to close at the end of January but the Chinese window will remain open for business until the end of February, which could ensure an unhealthy and extended power struggle involving Arnautovic and the club’s hierarchy in a saga akin to that involving Payet which dominated the 2017 January window.

Despite the fact the Hammers are willing to be pragmatic with Arnautovic and allow him to leave in the summer, the rise of player power and the lure of a £300k per week contract in China may well leave them powerless to preventing his departure.

A summer move is one which makes sense for all parties involved: it allows the recruitment team time to scout the market and identify a worth replacement, grants Arnautovic his desired move and ensures that West Ham’s results do not suffer as a consequence of a mid-season exit.

Payet’s decision to leave the club in 2017 left a gaping creative void in the attacking midfield unit which the club struggled without in the remainder of the campaign and, while it must be considered that West Ham have greater strength in depth than they did two years ago, the loss of Arnautovic would undoubtedly represent a similar hammer blow to their ambitions for the season.

West Ham’s stance on Arnautovic’s future is wise under the circumstances, but it seems that their willingness to allow him to leave in the summer may not be enough to avoid a similar outcome to the saga which saw Payet leave for Marseille in 2017.

West Ham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

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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?

Everton manager Marco Silva must be fighting to save his job after a dismal spell of form turned the Toffees’ season sour.

The Blues appointed the Portuguese to replace Sam Allardyce and there was plenty of optimism around Goodison Park. However, just three wins in their previous ten matches mean Everton look likely to fall short of the European places. Issues at the back, as well as a lack of creativity and goal threat in the final third, is extremely concerning.

One man, in particular, has struggled in recent weeks – Gylfi Sigurdsson. The £45m addition seemed perfect for Silva’s attacking system but the 29-year-old has managed just three assists in 27 Premier League appearances under the former Watford boss. The Iceland international could well be replaced when the transfer window reopens in the summer.

One man director of football Marcel Brands should look to recruit is Celta Vigo wonderkid – Brais Mendez. Valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, the academy graduate is enjoying his breakthrough season at the club, developing into a crucial first-team player. His excellent form in Spain has not gone unnoticed with the 22-year-old scoring on his debut for the senior Spain national team back in November.

Mendez is a versatile attacker who is capable of playing as the number ten as well as on either wing. Blessed with excellent technical ability, the Spaniard possesses a deadly left foot – netting four goals and registering seven assists in the league so far this season. Averaging 1.9 key passes per game this season, Mendez can be the man to get Everton firing once again (WhoScored).

The youngster is still developing and improving, it won’t be long before one of Europe’s biggest clubs come calling for his services; Everton must ensure they are first in line.

Everton fans, thoughts?