All posts by n8rngtd.top

[ad_pod ]Sheffield United fans on Twitter have laughed off conspiracy theories invented by Leeds fans after their 3-0 win against Hull City.Leeds fans believe there was foul play at work as the Blades dispatched of Hull with ease as Sheffield born former goalkeeper George Long started between the sticks for the Tigers.Fans have accused the goalkeeper of throwing the game after the first three shots that Long faced found the back of the net including a 25-yard-screamer from David McGoldrick.Unsurprisingly Blades fans have laughed off this speculation and labelled it no more than a coping mechanism as Leeds now look unlikely to be promoted to the Premier League automatically this season.Fans of Marcelo Bielsa’s side seem to be losing the plot as the promise of promotion slips away from them with just a few games to go.On a day where Leeds lost and their closest rivals won Sheffield United fans have taken great pleasure in mocking the meltdown that the results have caused.Here’s the best of the reaction on Twitter…

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Liverpool have been outstanding this season.

Chasing a Premier League and Champions League double, the Reds have played some excellent football and are currently one of the form teams in world football.

The likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have played key roles this term, but the performances of their two full-backs have been simply excellent.

Indeed, Andrew Robertson has managed 11 assists from left-back this season, whilst Alexander-Arnold has nine from the opposite side.

The presence of Virgil van Dijk has certainly made Robertson and Alexander-Arnold more comfortable when it comes to pressing forward.

And there is no question that Barcelona will have to be aware of the duo when they lock horns in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…

It would be fair to say that the Liverpool fans absolutely adore their two full-backs and many have taken to social media to reveal their feelings – a selection of which can be seen below:

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Manchester City are set to face Manchester United at Old Trafford tonight in a derby of paramount importance.

Bragging rights are far from the priority for Pep Guardiola’s side with the Premier League title in sight, though they are an appealing bonus to add to the occasion.

City come into the fixture following a gritty 1-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur and, with fatigue potentially starting to become a factor, there’s no doubt changes could be in the offing tonight.

With that said, Football FanCast are here to provide a starting line-up prediction ahead of the game which sees the Spaniard make three changes from the weekend.

The most notable return is that of Leroy Sane, a player who has struggled for first-team opportunities in recent weeks.

The switch sees Sterling move to the right-wing as Bernardo Silva drops into central midfield to fill the void left by Kevin De Bruyne, who picked up an injury on Saturday.

Fernandinho comes into defensive midfield to replace Ilkay Gundogan, affording the German a well needed rest after starting the last four matches on the bounce.

David Silva also returns to replace Phil Foden in a logical switch.

On Unai Emery’s list of problems to solve over the summer, sorting out the defence will be near the top.

The Arsenal defence has yet again been a mess this season, throwing away games that have cost the Gunners important points in the league and giving neutrals endless hours of comedy gold on the behalf of the likes of Shkodran Mustafi and Stephan Lichtsteiner.

Arsenal’s defence is in need of some serious work this summer, and it’s looking like that this is exactly what will happen as reports are emerging that the Gunners are targeting a defender.

According to the Sun, Arsenal are looking at a number of centre-backs to sign this transfer window from Harry Maguire to Toby Alderweireld to Djene Dakonam, as well as Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma.

With Arsenal in desperate need of a new centre-back and the Blues man looking like a possible departure from west London after two-years out on loan from Stamford Bridge, what would the potential consequences be of the Gunners signing Zouma?

Emery secures Mustafi replacement

Zouma would no doubt be a starting defender should he make the city move to Arsenal, meaning that a current Gunners centre-back will likely have to leave to make room for the French international.

With Laurent Koscielny the club captain, Sokratis being Arsenal’s defender and Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding looking like the future of the Gunner’s backline, Mustafi is the odd one out and will likely have to leave north London.

The German defender is one of the Gunners’ most error-prone players, so the signing of Zouma would only cast further doubt over Mustafi’s lack of a future at Arsenal.

No move for Maguire

In an ideal world, Arsenal have the funds to sign more than just one centre-back this summer, but with a budget of £40 million to play with it is highly unlikely Emery will be able to bring in more than Zouma, meaning Maguire’s wait for a move to a top-six side continues.

The England international has been waiting for a move to a bigger club since making a name for himself at Leicester and for the national team, and although it is possible Maguire can find a move away from the Foxes this summer, it won’t be to Arsenal, who simply can’t afford him.

When Philippe Coutinho left Liverpool over a year ago, many fans thought it was the end of an era.

The Brazilian playmaker had been one the Reds’ best players for the good part of four seasons, and his club-record departure from Merseyside to Liverpool was feared to be likely to send Jurgen Klopp’s side down a peg in their quest to return to European’s elite.

Fast-forward to now and things couldn’t be more different.

Although Coutinho has experienced success in the Catalan capital with two La Liga titles already, Liverpool have gone from strength to strength without the Brazilian in the side, taking the Premier League title to the final game this season and completing one of the greatest Champions League comebacks ever against Barcelona to send the Reds to their second European final in two years.

Liverpool have been on an upward trajectory since Coutinho’s departure, but it doesn’t mean he hasn’t been missed. The Reds have still largely been unable to add that creative quality the playmaker, left, but they could soon replace that if reports in Spain are to be believed.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Klopp has reignited his interest in Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio, who has found it hard to keep a first-team spot for Los Blancos.

Signed for just £3.15 million (as per Transfermarkt), Asensio would be the perfect player to add that creative spark back into Liverpool. The Spanish midfielder is a joy to watch on the ball, able to create chances anywhere in the final third and occasionally pop-up with a goal or two.

Nabil Fekir was obviously a target over the course of last summer but the Real Madrid man is undoubtedly an upgrade here. Yes, his progress might have slowed down since he initially burst onto the scene in the Spanish capital, but the La Roja ace has so much of his career ahead of him and boasts a frankly astounding level of ability.

He’s got the technical quality you’d expect of a Spanish attacking midfielder these days but also the kind of engine that’d help him flourish under Klopp, who famously likes to adopt a heavy metal style. A dream signing perhaps, but FSG have proven they’re willing to splash the cash on some of Europe’s elite talents.

Liverpool might have grown leaps and bounds since Coutinho’s departure, but the creative quality Asensio can bring to the club will be nothing but a positive for Klopp’s side.

Liverpool fans, would Asensio be a smart signing for the club? Let us know!

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“The latest on a long-list of Saints scapegoats.”

That was the response from The Ugly Inside, when discussing Southampton fans targeting Jack Stephens in recent months.

The south coast outfit may have avoided the drop, but the Devon-born defender has undoubtedly been one of the club’s more error-prone players in recent months.

He hasn’t been a regular in the starting XI with Jannik Vestergaard, Maya Yoshida and Jan Bednarek for company, but more opportunities have come his way with the former duo absent.

The Ugly Inside compares the treatment of the centre-back to how Saints supporters have treated Fraser Forster previously: “After the amount of abuse and barrage he had, he has been nowhere to be seen for the last 12 months.”

However, he did admit that Stephens has “been culpable of countless individual errors” that nearly cost the club, with those being “the types of errors which are magnified in the Premier League.”

The Ugly Inside therefore sees this as the 25-year-old’s last season at St Mary’s because of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s high standards.

Stephens has made costly mistakes this season, like a handball in the last minute against Burnley back in February which denied the Saints a precious point, with Southampton fans also clearly feeling he cannot play at this level.

See the video below to find out why the criticism of Stephens is only partly justified.

[pm-post-brid name=’two-footed-talk-does-jack-stephens-get-too-much-stick-from-southampton-fans’ affiliate=’www.footballfancast.com’]

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Michy Batshuayi’s two-goal performance against Bournemouth on Saturday was certainly food for thought for Crystal Palace fans who are surely expecting a nerve-racking summer, although Roy Hodgson has indicated that the Belgium international is keen to stay at Selhurst Park.

Batshuayi is set to return to Chelsea for pre-season with his loan spell having expired but will the Belgian get what Hodgson hints he wants?

What did he say?

Well, speaking after the 5-3 final day victory, Hodgson said:

“I do know Michy Batshuayi has been happy with us here, I think that’s shown in his football. It’s been obvious that we appreciate him.

“We don’t know (if he’ll be needed at Chelsea next season). All I know is if Michy Batshuayi is going to be available and if our club could bring him here either on loan again or buying him I would be very happy with that and I know Michy himself would be happy.

“But again, we are talking about things that are totally out of our control. What Chelsea’s thinking on the subject is I couldn’t possibly begin to imagine or to speculate on.”

The ball’s in Chelsea’s court

The former England boss seems to be suggesting that conversations with Batshuayi about whether he would be open to returning to SE25 next season have already happened and, by the sounds of it, the smiley striker would love to remain in red and blue for the foreseeable future.

Although, as Hodgson says, the ball is entirely in Chelsea’s court; the Blues are facing a two-window transfer ban and could well need the 6 foot 1 striker’s services, with the privilege of bringing in any new faces potentially taken away.

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video below…

Palace have already missed out on an impressive Chelsea loanee in Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who decided to remain at Stamford Bridge and fight for his future last season after a stellar spell in south London – will another slip through their fingers this summer and thus put their striker search back to square one? It would seem that neither Hodgson or Batshuayi hope that’s the case.

Regardless, it is extremely positive if the Palace honchos have indeed had talks with the six-goal ace about his future already – this proactive approach will hopefully see them bring in the players they need in the coming months.

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Harry Kane is “certain” he will be fit to play in the Champions League final, per the London Evening Standard, but Tottenham Hotspur fans want the striker to be left on the bench!

Spurs will take on Liverpool in Madrid after a run that has seen them beat Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Ajax in the knockout stages.

Kane injured his ligaments during the first leg against Pep Guardiola’s men and subsequently missed the crazy second leg against the Premier League champions, which saw Fernando Llorente score the decisive goal and Raheem Sterling see an injury-time winner chalked off due to VAR.

The last-four encounter with the Dutch giants saw Spurs lose 1-0 in London and fall 2-0 behind in Amsterdam, prior to Lucas Moura’s scarcely believable hat-trick, capped in the final minute of stoppage time, which sent Mauricio Pochettino’s men to the showpiece.

Kane ran onto the pitch following the final whistle and is set to be fit to feature in Madrid but the combination of Lucas and Son Heung-Min, along with Llorente, has taken the club this far.

And fans on Twitter have taken the remarkable take that Kane, who scored 24 goals in 39 games prior to his injury, should be left on the bench against Jurgen Klopp’s men.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

With the Europa League just days away, Arsenal fans are preparing not just for the biggest game of their season, but also the most important transfer window in a while.

No matter the outcome in Baku, the Gunners are in desperate need of improvement this summer, with a leaky defence all but costing Unai Emery’s side Champions League football via a top-four spot in the Premier League and a lack of depth in certain positions resulting in the Spaniard having to adapt on the fly with what he has to work with.

Arsenal have been linked with a plethora of defenders from different teams with different playing styles already, and one name to jump out of late is Sampdoria centre-back Joachim Andersen.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport via the Metro, the Gunners have the Danish defender on their radar this summer after Andersen’s breakout season in Serie A with I Blucerchiati, starting 32 league games and attracting interest all over Europe, namely Tottenham.

The 22-year-old defender, who is valued at £18 million on Transfermarkt, would be a sensible signing for the Gunners. At such a young age and a full season of professional football already under his belt, Andersen is comfortable enough on the ball and in defence to make the leap from Italy to the Premier League.

Andersen is the latest defender to flourish at Sampdoria, the last one being Inter Milan star Milan Skriniar, and with a valuation that fits Arsenal’s budget restraints, the Danish international would be a smart acquisition for the Gunners that will make fans forget about the horror show that is Shkodran Mustafi.

Arsenal were inches away from a top-four finish this season, and in Andersen, the Gunners will be defensively more secure for next year and could all but secure Champions League football with the Dane in their team.

Arsenal fans, would Andersen be a good signing? Let us know!

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Loads of Manchester United fans have been reacting to an update on their right-back situation, as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will reportedly target a new signing in that position.

According to ESPN, Solskjaer is prioritising signing a right-back this summer, but fans are taking issue with one part of the report.

While also claiming centre back Eric Bailly will be given a chance to earn his place under Solskjaer, the transfer update claims both Diogo Dalot and Ashley Young will be kept on board to compete with the new signing on the right.

Who is your club’s worst ever January signing? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked theirs in the video below and they didn’t disappoint…

Fans were fuming when reports suggested Young could be named the next captain of the club, and they’re baffled by the fact that Solskjaer seems intent on keeping the versatile veteran.

The 33 year-old was horrific in the collapse at the Camp Nou in the Champions League, and the Old Trafford faithful are desperate to see the back of him.

Young played 40 times in all competitions this season, and one has to think if he is anywhere close to that number in the next campaign then things have gone seriously wrong again.

Just take a look at the Twitter reactions down below…