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‘Absolute monster’, ‘Quality player’ – Some Villa fans drool over 23-yr-old’s display against Wolves
Aston Villa were held to a goalless draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League last night. The home side have struggled to create too many chances in the absence of Jack Grealish and Dean Smith will be desperate for his star midfielder to return to action as soon as possible. Grealish is currently sidelined with an injury and Villa have suffered in his absence in recent weeks. Despite the poor attacking performance, the defenders managed to step up and impress the fans last night. 23-year-old Ezri Konsa was outstanding for Aston Villa at the back and he helped his side keep a clean sheet. Konsa has been one of the best players at the club this season and it will be interesting to see if he can continue to perform at this level and cement his place in the England squad for t...
Haaland may have to alter Chelsea stance after Dortmund defeat
Erling Braut Haaland. At 5.39 pm on Saturday, his transfer value was at an all-time high. Two goals for Borussia Dortmund at Bayern Munich showcased his quality in front of goal. Step forward Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker demonstrated just who is the number one striker in world football with a hat-trick as Bayern secured a 4-2 victory. Despite the defeat, having averaged a goal-per-game during his time with Dortmund, it is no surprise that Haaland has been linked with all of Europe’s top clubs. However, the reports earlier this week that 20-year-old will only consider a move to six clubs in Europe smacks of someone who is getting ahead of themselves a little. Despite Haaland’s scoring exploits, Dortmund have won just half of their games in the Bundesliga this season. Scoring for f...
Top Four Twists: Can Chelsea Finish Above Man United?
It doesn’t seem too long ago that Manchester United were being mentioned as potential winners of the Premier League title this season. A combination of Manchester City’s imperious form and a drop off in United’s performances over the past few weeks has quickly dispelled that notion. The Red Devils are still in pole position to finish as runners-up to City, but they are now under pressure from the teams behind them. Just four points separate United from fourth-placed Chelsea with 11 games remaining, with Leicester City sandwiched between that pair. Everton and West Ham United are also pushing for a place in the top four and have a game in hand on each of the teams above them. One of United’s biggest concerns at the moment is Chelsea’s resurgence, with Thomas Tuchel sparking a revival in the...
Kovacic and Pulisic start, Predicted Chelsea line-up (3-4-2-1) vs Everton
Chelsea host Everton in Monday’s Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge. The Blues recently ended a two-match winless league streak with a comfortable 1-0 triumph over holders Liverpool on the road. With the victory, they have gone unbeaten for eight league games since Thomas Tuchel took charge as the manager in January. Their next challenge will come up against the Toffees, who have beaten them in three of the previous four top-flight encounters. The Blues are currently fourth in the standings with 47 points, just one ahead of the Toffees, who have a game in hand. Formation: 3-4-2-1 Predicted Line-up: Edouard Mendy had a comfortable game in goal against the Reds with just one shot on target. The Senegalese will be aiming for his 13th clean sheet of the campaign. The back three has remain...
Granit Xhaka sends message to Arsenal fans after howler vs Burnley
Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka posted an apology on his Instagram account after he cost the Gunners a victory over Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday. The Gunners made a fantastic start against the Clarets in the early Premier League kick-off and scored after just six minutes through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. They were handed a couple of chances to double their lead through Aubameyang and Bukayo Saka, but were unable to make the most of those opportunities. The Clarets eventually levelled the scores in the 39th minute and it was a pure gift by Xhaka, who was the centre of the attention against Sean Dyche’s side again. The Swiss was sent off during the reverse meeting at the Emirates Stadium in December before the Gunners suffered a 1-0 defeat via an Aubameyang own goal. This time around, X...
Gundogan and Stones start, Predicted Manchester City line-up (4-3-3) vs Manchester United
Manchester City host arch-rivals Manchester United in the Premier League this evening. The Cityzens are on a stunning 21-match winning run and have won their last 15 games in the top-flight. They have an unassailable 12-point lead at the top of the standings and have the chance to extend the advantage. Their recent league record in the Manchester derby has been poor with one draw and two defeats in three meetings. Pep Guardiola will want his side to end the winless streak to go 15 points ahead of Leicester City at the top of the table. Formation: 4-3-3 Predicted Line-up: Ederson has been unable to keep clean sheets in back-to-back games. He is still leading the Golden Glove race (15 shutouts) and will be aiming for a strong performance in the derby. Guardiola should go with his strongest b...
Journalist praises Rangers manager, but hyperbole needs reigning in
Hyperbole – saying or writing things that make something sound much more impressive than it really is. Selected elements of the British media have long been guilty of this, particularly when it comes to their ‘favourite sons’. Former Chelsea manager Frank Lampard falls into this category, as does current Rangers boss Steven Gerrard. That point was perfectly highlighted by Telegraph journalist Henry Winter on Saturday, with this little nugget on Twitter. Those who doubted Steven Gerrard’s managerial potential ignored a few things. His will to win and work ethic, his motivational qualities and ability to find the right coaches and players plus his desire to prove himself as a manager. As always, Gerrard gives everything #RangersFC — Henry Winter (@henrywinter) March 6, 2021 Winter loves to b...
Tottenham Hotspur will move for £22.5m star, if Chelsea fail to agree extension
Tottenham Hotspur will attempt to sign Antonio Rudiger this summer if Chelsea fail to agree a contract extension with the defender, Football Insider reports. The German was on the radar of Spurs boss Jose Mourinho last summer, and he was fancied to make a loan move to the north London outfit. However, a deal failed to materialise as the Blues demanded a £4 million loan fee on top of his £150,000-a-week wages being paid for the entire season. Rudiger hardly played in the league under manager Frank Lampard, making just four top-flight appearances before the 42-year-old was dismissed in January. Since then, his fortunes have changed with compatriot Thomas Tuchel being appointed, and he has become an undisputed starter in the back three. Rudiger’s current deal expires in June 2022, but th...
Man United approach to sign Liverpool target with 10 goal contributions this season
Manchester United have registered their interest in signing Leeds United winger Raphinha during this summer’s transfer window, a report from UOL Esporte claims. The Brazilian made the switch to the Whites from Rennes last summer and has since impressed in the Premier League with five goals and five assists from just 21 outings. His progress has caught the eye of several elite clubs, and Liverpool have been regularly linked with his services since the turn of the year. It is now revealed that the Red Devils have consulted Leeds regarding the availability of the 24-year-old, who was signed for an initial £17 million last summer. It is added that the Whites plan to hold an internal meeting later this month, and that could include the player’s agent, who is likely to propose a transfer in...
Alba and Moriba strike as Barcelona claim another three points in title race
Barcelona moved within two points of La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid following a 2-0 away victory over Osasuna on Saturday. The goalkeepers stole the spotlight in the early stages. Marc-Andre ter Stegen produced a fine stop to deny former West Ham United forward Jonathan Calleri from opening the scoring, before Sergio Herrera was shown a red card for handling the ball outside the box with Lionel Messi through on goal. However, the linesman’s flag went up, and replays confirmed that Messi was offside in the build-up. The visitors took the lead on the half-hour mark, with left-back Jordi Alba breaking the deadlock. Messi played a brilliant pass over the top for the Spaniard, who slammed into the roof of the net from a tight angle. Shortly afterwards, La Blaugrana were thankful to Ter Stegen ...
Premier League Results: Can the champions fend off Tottenham and Arsenal?
The 27th round of fixtures in the Premier League features some intriguing match-ups at both ends of the EPL table. We’ll update this story with reports, results, highlights and the latest Premier League standings throughout the weekend. The action is already underway, with Burnley drawing 1-1 with Arsenal at Turf Moor. James Ward-Prowse and Che Adams got the goals as Southampton ran out 2-0 winners at Sheffield United. Aston Villa vs Wolverhampton Wanderers is next on the agenda, with Brighton & Hove Albion vs Leicester City following. There are four games on Sunday, with the Manchester derby between City and United at the Etihad Stadium the pick of the bunch. Liverpool are in action at home to Fulham, and they will be eager to return to winning ways. The Reds are currently seventh in ...
‘Very unlucky’: Bernd Leno reacts to Granit Xhaka’s blunder vs Burnley
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno has reacted to Granit Xhaka’s blunder during the club’s 1-1 Premier League draw at Burnley on Saturday. The Gunners took the lead after just six minutes through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and should have doubled the advantage with the chances handed to them. However, they ended up going into the break with the scores level after a horrendous mistake from Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder asked for the ball from Leno in the six-yard box and attempted to clear across the face of goal. Instead, the ball struck Chris Wood’s hip and bounced into an empty net with Leno rooted at the far post. That happened to be the final goal of the game despite chances for both sides for the remainder of the contest. Speaking after the draw, Leno said that the club have been successful i...
