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Premier League 2020/21: Why Aston Villa will finish above Arsenal this season
Aston Villa picked up a 1-0 win over Arsenal in their last Premier League game – the first time in 37 years that the West Midlands club managed to complete a league double over the Gunners. Villa are currently ninth in the Premier League table with 35 points from 21 matches, and Arsenal find themselves outside of the top half with just 31 points from 23 games. Villa would be 10 points ahead of the Gunners if they win their next two games. A couple of wins could also take them into the top four. Fourth-placed Liverpool have 40 points from 23 matches. A club of Arsenal’s stature are expected to qualify for the Champions League at the very least and it will require a herculean effort from Mikel Arteta’s players to secure a top-four finish from this position now. At the start of the ...
‘Brilliant signing’: Jamie Carragher drools over £76k-per-week ‘outstanding’ Everton player
Jamie Carragher has showered heaps of praise on Everton defender Ben Godfrey. The Sky Sports pundit suggested on Monday Night Football that Godfrey has been a ‘brilliant signing’ for Everton. The 23-year-old joined the Toffees during the summer transfer window for a reported fee of £25 million from Norwich City. He has managed 13 starts in the Premier League thus far and has showcased his versatility in recent games by playing as a left-back in the absence of Lucas Digne. Carragher says that he was ‘outstanding’ against Leeds United, and feels that he will eventually play as a centre-back alongside Michael Keane. 🗣”I think he was a brilliant signing, because of the positions he can play, you know when someone looks the part and he will eventually be centre-back”@Ca...
Bielsa lines up an exciting target for Leeds…could be another transfer masterstroke
According to reports from Juve Live, Marcelo Bielsa has identified Douglas Costa as the ideal replacement for Raphinha in case he leaves the club in the summer. Raphinha’s situation Leeds signed Raphinha during the summer transfer window from Rennes for a fee of around £17 million. The jet-heeled winger has dazzled in the Premier League, with four goals and four assists to his name already. He was sensational against Crystal Palace in the last game and earned rave reviews from the UK press. Raphinha v Crystal Palace: 76 touches40/53 succ. passes20 sprints (🌟 most on pitch)18/27 final third passes18 pressures9 progressive ball carries9 pen box touches4 shots2 on-target4 duels won1 tackle won1 nutmeg 🔥1 big chance created Phenomenal. Poor Gary Cahill. pic.twitter.c...
FIFA Club World Cup final preview: Bayern Munich vs Tigres UANL
Bayern Munich will take on Tigres UANL in the FIFA Club World Cup final on Thursday. The Bavarian giants booked their spot in the final with a 2-0 win over CAF Champions League holders Al Ahly on Monday evening. They will be aiming to win the competition for the second time in their history when they come up against Tigres, who have played two games en route to the final. The CONCACAF Champions League winners beat Ulsan Hyundai 2-1 in the second round before clinching a 1-0 semi-final win over Palmeiras last weekend. The Mexican outfit are featuring in their first-ever Club World Cup final. They are also the first CONCACAF side to reach this stage of the competition. Team News: Bayern: Bayern manager Hansi Flick is likely to stick with the same combination from the win over Al Ahly. Marc R...
Liverpool form might not be the only reason behind Klopp’s erratic behaviour
Jurgen Klopp has been under the spotlight for his recent tiff with the media during post-match pressers. The Liverpool manager has been branded as a sore loser by rival fans. There have been claims on social media that the German’s ‘nice guy’ mask has slipped off, but it appears that Klopp is going through a turbulent period in his personal life. Apparently, his mother passed away on January 19 and he has not been allowed to travel home or attend her funeral because of the coronavirus restrictions in Germany. Managers in modern football are already under tremendous pressure. Liverpool’s recent dip in form coupled with the emotional stress Klopp has been under, because of his mother’s demise, paints a different picture. Klopp said (via Bild): “She meant everything to me. She ...
Arsenal midfielder claims Spurs star is the best player in the EPL
Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi is currently on a season-long loan with Bundesliga outfit Hertha Berlin, but it appears that he still keeps tabs on the Premier League. The Frenchman has named Tottenham Hotspur winger Heung-Min Son as the best player in the English top-flight right now, and that might not have done his relationship with the Gunners fan base any good. Guendouzi fell out with manager Mikel Arteta last term, and while he has impressed since joining Hertha, it remains to be seen whether a return to North London is on the cards. The 21-year-old is rarely economical with the truth, and he did not seem to care about Arsenal’s rivalry with Spurs in a recent interview. Guendouzi was asked who he thinks the best player in the Premier League at the moment is, and while he mentione...
Thomas Tuchel confirms two Chelsea stars who will start against Barnsley
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed two players, who are expected to make the starting line-up against Barnsley tomorrow. The Blues are unbeaten in the past five games in all competitions and four of those have been under Tuchel, who replaced Frank Lampard last month. Ahead of the game, Tuchel has confirmed that N’Golo Kante will make the starting XI after coming off the bench in the last two matches for the Blues. The Frenchman has not started a game for the club since January 3 because of a hamstring problem sustained in training. He has played only 31 minutes off the bench since his comeback. He has the chance to impress tomorrow and reclaim a regular starting role. “N’Golo will start tomorrow and I am so happy to have him back again. We put him on the pitch against Tottenham an...
The best and worst transfers between Premier League rivals
Title contenders often follow a golden rule in the transfer market: don’t sell to direct rivals. However, there are a fair few occasions where this rule hasn’t been followed. Sometimes the player wanted to leave; other times the club received an offer they couldn’t refuse. Some of these players went on to be superstars at their new clubs, bringing in almost instant success. Others were…well…a bit rubbish. In no particular order – here we go: Carlos Tevez (Manchester United to Manchester City, £25m) 1/2 OTD in 2009 Carlos Tevez signed for Manchester City. This ‘Welcome’ poster soon appeared close to Manchester’s city border on Deansgate- pic.twitter.com/rTPWEmDsNO — Dr Gary James (@GaryJamesWriter) July 13, 2017 After winning two titles and a Champions League at Manchester...
‘Top-quality’: Alisson drools over two Liverpool players who work hard ‘on a daily basis’
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has showered praise on teammates Diogo Jota and Thiago Alcantara. In an exclusive interview with Four Four Two magazine, Alisson has suggested that both Jota and Thiago are top-quality players who work extremely hard in training. Jota joined Liverpool in the summer transfer window from Wolverhampton Wanderers, while Thiago moved to Anfield from Bayern Munich. The Brazilian has admitted that he enjoys their company as they can speak in their ‘own language’. “Jota and Thiago are top-quality players – Jota adds some goals and energy upfront, while Thiago brings more creativity and class to the middle of the park,” said Alisson. “They are two really humble guys who work hard on a daily basis and aren’t worried about themselves – they always think about the team.” S...
Arsenal and Man United to travel to Italy in tough Europa League games next week
UEFA have confirmed that Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool will play the first leg of their respective European ties at neutral venues this month. The Gunners qualified for the last 32 of the Europa League after topping their group with the perfect tally of 18 points from six matches. They are scheduled to face Benfica in the round of 32 and the away leg will be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome instead of the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. Portugal is on the ‘red list’ of countries listed by the UK government and the requirement for a mandatory quarantine for Gunners players on return has led to the decision. Elsewhere, United won’t travel to Real Sociedad’s Anoeta stadium for the first leg of the Europa League round of 32 and the game has been relocated to Juventus...
Tottenham man sends three-word message ahead of FA Cup clash vs Everton
Tottenham Hotspur will face Everton in a mouth-watering FA Cup tie at Goodison Park on Wednesday night. Ahead of the match, Spurs winger Gareth Bale has posted a message for his fans on social networking site Instagram. Bale, who joined Spurs in the summer transfer window on loan from Real Madrid, has really struggled to make an impact for the north London club this season. The Welshman could get a chance to impress Jose Mourinho against the Toffees with the Spurs boss unlikely to start with both Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura for this game. The 31-year-old has managed only two starts in the Premier League this season. However, he has started six Europa League games and will be hoping to be in the starting line-up against Carlo Ancelotti’s side. With game-time hard to come by for him in the l...
Leeds star deserves international chance, but hopes will probably be scuppered – opinion
Patrick Bamford’s performances for Leeds United have sparked talk that he could force his way into the England squad for this summer’s European Championships. The 27-year-old is enjoying an excellent season, scoring 12 goals with six assists in 22 appearances for the Whites. SL View Bamford represented England at youth level, but he has never previously come close to being in the conversation for a senior call-up. However, he has improved massively under manager Marcelo Bielsa and probably deserves a chance to stake his claim for a place. Unfortunately for Bamford, there is plenty of competition with Harry Kane, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Marcus Rashford all ahead of him in the pecking order. Factor in the likes of Tammy Abraham, Jadon Sancho and Phil Foden, and the Leeds star has his work ...
