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Everton slipped up in the race for Europe with a home draw against Crystal Palace on Monday evening.

James Rodriguez had set the Blues on course for a precious three points, but Michy Batshuayi struck in the 86th minute to deny them.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side remain eighth in the table, but West Ham’s victory at Wolves means they have slipped five points off the top four, albeit with a game in hand.

Same old story for Everton

The result represented a continuation of Everton’s poor home form after defeats against the likes of Fulham, Newcastle and Burnley earlier in the season.

After the game, 27 year-old Lucas Digne took to Twitter in a bid to reassure supporters that the team would continue battling.

“We have the opportunity to do better but it’s football, keep going,” he wrote.

Digne had actually played reasonably well – he created three chances – but that didn’t stop fans venting their anger in the replies.

Everton fans air their frustration in response to Digne tweet

“Lucas it’s hard supporting this team sometimes. I was 15 last time I saw Everton win anything and I’m now 40. It is the same year on year and you become numb to it. It’s down to you as a team, if you collectively put the effort in then you win.”

Credit: @PaulSaul2001

“If only the players knew or cared how much we want and need this. Yes keep going, but please can you start winning.”

Credit: @jazzyjjo89

“It’s not football mate, it’s a case of not performing at the standard we expect, the home form is terrible and the lack of quality up top today was disappointing to say the least, we expect far better than recent performances.”

Credit: @18_JUNIOR_78

“You’ve had plenty of opportunities to do better…after the Fulham game, after the Newcastle game etc etc…heard it all before. Until the squad improves you lot will continue to disappoint.”

Credit: @5teVanDamme

“Not good enough lad, keep saying the same stuff week in week out”

Credit: @mxrganhulme7

“It’s April. We’ve won one match at Goodison this year. That’s not good enough. As a team, collective responsibility should be taken.”

Credit: @jimefc81

“Sounds like excuses every week, it’s really not good enough.”

Credit: @pbo1379

“Sorry mate but we’ve completely bottled this season”

Credit: @SlendermanXXI

In other news, a football finance expert has made a prediction about Everton’s spending.

Aston Villa have been handed a major blow before their Premier League clash against Manchester City on Wednesday night, with news that Morgan Sanson is set to miss out once again.

The Frenchman was taken off in Villa’s game against Fulham, and he subsequently missed the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool last week.

And now, speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Pep Guardiola’s side, Dean Smith confirmed: “Morgan Sanson’s got a knee injury as well. He’s still feeling it so we’re not too sure how long he’ll be out.”

The £16.2m-rated midfielder only joined the club back in the January transfer window from Marseille, and has only slowly been eased to life in the Premier League, playing just 291 minutes of top-flight football.

Speaking after his signing, Smith waxed lyrical about the kind of qualities the Frenchman could bring, saying: “He has got a big game mentality, he has played at the top of the French league for the last five years, played in the Champions League.

“He is a great technician and has great tactical awareness. He can play in a number of positions, can set up goals and can score goals. He has a bit of everything in his game so we’re really pleased with the acquisition.”Dubbed as a “warrior” by himself, Sanson showed his qualities as a really effective box-to-box presence in his time at Marseille.Before his move to the Midlands, he averaged an impressive 1.8 tackles and 1.1 key passes per game in Ligue 1, both of which ranked him favourably compared to the rest of Villa’s squad. In fact, only two other players have averaged more tackles per match than him, while again, only two other have averaged more key passes too.[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-aston-villa-transfer-rumours-and-news-copy-copy” title=”Latest Aston Villa transfer rumours and news”]News that he will once again be missing for a crucial Premier League game in Villa’s quest to finish in a European spot for this season, will come as a big blow to Smith. And, the fact the manager has admitted that there is uncertainly over “how long he’ll be out” for, makes it an even bigger pill to swallow.Meanwhile, Dean Smith must drop this Villa liability tonight vs Man City…

Gary Mabbutt has exclusively told Football FanCast that Dane Scarlett is good enough to compete in Tottenham’s first-team next season.

Scarlett, who doesn’t turn 17 until later this month, burst on the scene following a number of outstanding performances for Spurs’ youth sides, which have caught the attention of Jose Mourinho.

The teenager striker’s 22 goals in 18 matches led to him being called into the senior squad by Mourinho, where he made his Tottenham debut in the Europa League against Ludogorets back in November.

Following more excellent form for the U18s, including five goals in a single FA Youth Cup match against Newport, Scarlett was handed further senior appearances, one of which was his Premier League debut against West Brom last month.

Scarlett was an unused substitute at Aston Villa on Sunday, and with Carlos Vinicius’ loan spell expiring this summer, Mabbutt says that the youngster has the potential to make the step up into the first-team.

The former Tottenham captain told Football FanCast:

“We have a lot of excellent youngsters out on loan – Oliver Skipp is doing well.

“We have a lot that have the ability to step up to the first-team, and Dane is exactly the same. He has got the potential and seems to be taking it all in his stride.

“If he’s comparing himself to Harry Kane, who did find it difficult to break through and went out on loan on a number of occasions, Dane will be a player that will be learning from that. If he continues to improve and continues to have the attitude that he has at the moment, he could be an amazing player for the future.

“Will he be there to challenge Kane next season? Of course, he will be one of those wanting to.”

Scarlett’s played just 17 minutes for Tottenham’s first-team, so it’s almost impossible to judge him. But even in that short amount of time playing with the seniors, he’s almost scored, assisted Vinicius against Wolfsberger, and despite his age, would appear one for the Spurs faithful to get excited over.

Some Southampton fans hammered the display of Mohamed Salisu during their 1-0 defeat to Everton on Monday.

Salisu, who signed for the Saints last summer from Real Valladolid, started against the Toffees at Goodison Park. Richarlison scored the only goal for Carlo Ancelotti’s men as Everton picked up the three points – Southampton have now won just one of their last 14 games in the Premier League (Sky Sports).

The £10.8m-valued Salisu (Transfermarkt) was making just his fourth appearance in the league for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side after struggling with injury for a large chunk of the campaign. It proved to be a very difficult evening for the 21-year-old as he failed to get to grips with the physicality of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, winning just three of his eight duels.

These Saints supporters were far from happy with his performance, which one branded as “pathetic”, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Salisu below

“Calvert Lewin is seriously embarrassing Salisu. Match his physicality, don’t just roll around like a wimp.”

Credit: @BenGlasspool

“Why is salisu rolling around on the floor with every touch, becoming embarrassing now?!”

Credit: @im_charleysfc

“Salisu been a shambles v Calvert Lewin all night. #SaintsFC”

Credit: @ScottHammy87

“Salisu struggled with Calvert Lewin, seemed a bit off the pace aswell. Just need to get tella on the ball and ings more involved”

Credit: @legend_walshy

“He has to keep Vest and Bednarek as a pair and find a full back. Mc Burnie will bully Salisu who was a bit pathetic against a big forward. Don’t show them you’re hurt. Burke whilst a loose cannon has pace and we need to nullify that. Take a point imo”

Credit: @AntiqueNick

“DCL was a little loose with his hands but I expect big burly centre backs to be tougher so disappointed in Salisu.”

Credit: @JohndeParis13

In other news, many Southampton fans react to these Ralph Hasenhuttl comments.

Liverpool are not in the race to sign Real Betis defender Aissa Mandi this summer, according to reports in Spain.

Mandi out

The 29-year-old was heavily linked with a move to Anfield last summer after the departure of Dejan Lovren, who moved to Zenit St Petersburg for £10.9m.

From 19 appearances in La Liga this season, Mandi has scored three times and averaged just 0.8 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game (WhoScored), with Betis sitting sixth in the table.

However, according to Estadio Deportivo, both Liverpool and the representatives of the Algeria international have denied any interest in a summer move.

Mandi, who is valued at £7.2m by Transfermarkt, is due to be released by Béticos Heliopolitano at the end of the season with his contract due to expire in the summer.

Liverpool currently have a horrendous injury crisis on their hands, with their three main centre-backs all currently out with season-ending injuries.

Transfer Tavern Verdict

It doesn’t come as a surprise to us that the Reds have halted their pursuit of Mandi.

Analysing where the Algerian centre-half is in his career, he would not be a long-term solution to a significant issue that the Merseysiders currently have on their hands and would likely just be a backup option.

However, with Liverpool expected to record a significant revenue loss due to the global pandemic, the question remains as to whether they are lowering their standards to accommodate the current economic climate.

In other news, Liverpool blockbuster deal in trouble as ‘unplayable’ star’s hefty demands emerge.

Reports in Spain over the weekend claimed that West Ham United are set to sign SSC Napoli defender Nikola Maksimovic in a free summer transfer, in a potential dreamland scenario for David Sullivan a year after his efforts fell on deaf ears.

The Diego Armando Maradona Stadium natives are said to have accepted that the Serbian will be leaving the club at the end of the season, after unsuccessful discussions over a new contract.

Maksimovic is due to be a free agent in June when his £38,000-per-week terms expire and he is reported to have already reached an agreement with West Ham.

David Moyes is said to be a big fan of the 29-year-old and put his services before the Irons hierarchy over other potential targets, as he looks to strengthen his defensive options at the London Stadium.

The agreement between Maksimovic and West Ham is thought to be binding and that barring any late hurdles arising, he will become the Premier League side’s first signing of the next transfer window.

The Hammers had sought to acquire Maksimovic ahead of the 2019/20 campaign but Sullivan and Moyes saw the club’s efforts fall short, with talkSPORT reporting in September that Napoli rejected a £14m bid while Calciomercato.it claimed an improved €25m (£21.5m) offer was also rejected.

Moyes had allegedly urged Maksimovic’s transfer in the summer as he sought an alternative option after Burnley’s relentless refusal to sell James Tarkowski, yet faced a similar hurdle in his pursuit of the 6 ft 4 brute who has been likened to his compatriot Nemanja Vidic.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/the-latest-west-ham-news-and-views” title=” The latest West Ham news and views!”]

A year of waiting may now see West Ham land their man without paying Napoli a penny, and be able to put those funds with the £15-20m reserved from Sebastien Haller’s January transfer to Ajax in efforts to improve Moyes’ offensive arsenal.

Moyes has long been expected to covet the arrival of another senior centre-back in the next off-season, despite Craig Dawson now being only one start away from triggering a permanent £2m transfer from Watford.

The Hornets loanee and Maksimovic joining West Ham on full-time deals would see Moyes’ centre-back group expand to six, with Angelo Ogbonna and Issa Diop two experienced heads plus the versatile Aaron Cresswell and January signing Frederik Alves in line to be unleashed with Fabian Balbuena due to leave.

Where Maksimovic would sit in that pecking order remains to be seen, but what is seemingly clear is that Moyes is a big admirer of the £13.5m-rated enforcer and what he can offer West Ham if the Napoli centre-back is on his way to the Premier League this summer.

Being a free signing less than a year after West Ham saw an alleged £21.5m bid turned down will also be a dreamland scenario for Sullivan, who will no doubt be loath to pay out big on a player who turns 30 in November and will thus have little resale value.

The Irons are already likely to be hit heavily in the pocket this summer should they look to offload Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko as has previously been speculated, while Haller’s winter exit saw the east London outfit accept a £25m loss on their record signing.

AND in other news, a West Ham winter target is set to be available for £17m this summer…

According to The Guardian, Crystal Palace have set their sights on signing Demarai Gray, who appears set to leave Leicester City this week.

What’s the word?

Gray has been frozen out of the first-team picture at Leicester by boss Brendan Rodgers and is being chased by clubs across Europe as they seek to secure his services for a cut-price fee.

The versatile forward, who is out of contract at the King Power Stadium this summer, has also been linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga giants are believed to have made an approach for Gray but it’s unlikely a move to Germany is on the cards following his swift rebuttal.

As per the report, Roy Hodgson’s side have now entered the race to sign the uncapped Englishman. They are willing to integrate him into his plans for the second half of the season by reaching an agreement with his representatives regarding a move to Selhurst Park.

Imagine Gray and Eberechi Eze

Born in Birmingham, Gray joined Leicester for £5m from the Blues back in 2016 and was part of the squad that famously won the Premier League under manager Claudio Ranieri.

After impressing for Ranieri, the 24-year-old has featured 40 times for Brendan Rodgers over two seasons but has made just one solitary appearance in the Premier League so far this season. In all competitions so far, he has tallied a total of 169 appearances across all competitions for the Foxes.

Palace are crying out for a new winger right now, especially after Jeffrey Schlupp succumbed to injury. When he is fit, and with Eberechi Eze already a regular starter and Andros Townsend providing competition for places, the Eagles are actually quite well-stocked out wide.

However, Schlupp hasn’t featured since the start of the year as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury. Although he will be sidelined for at least three months, the Ghanaian is still expected to be a part of Hodgson’s plans when he makes a comeback, having scored two goals in 15 top-flight appearances this season.

The future of Townsend, though, remains up for debate as his contract is set to expire in the summer. It appears that Hodgson is open to the prospect of making further additions to his options out wide with one eye on the future.

Given his age, there’s no doubt that Gray, who earns around £55,000-per-week at the King Power Stadium, ticks plenty of boxes for Palace as a fully-fledged professional who still possesses plenty of untapped potential. Rodgers previously praised him for his “excellent” display after he dazzled during a brief cameo back in 2019.

Last season, the attacking midfielder managed to score two goals and supply three assists from just three starts in the top flight, averaging 1.1 shots per game, via WhoScored. For context, that’s more than Townsend himself has managed this season (0.9), which suggests that he could provide more of a cutting edge for the Eagles.

Capable of playing on the left, on the right or in the midfield, his ability to play in three positions across the midfield would be an added bonus for Hodgson.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace can sign their next Scott Dann in Stoke City’s Nathan Collins…

Liverpool have been linked with a shock move for Manchester City defender Eric Garcia recently, and the Spanish defender could prove to be an excellent addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad.

The 19-year-old’s contract with City is set to expire at the end of the current season and he has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, where he started his career in the La Masia academy.

In his career, he has made 30 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side and established himself in the City first-team last season, making 13 appearances in the Premier League, averaging a 6.69 rating.

However, it seems that he was not willing to sign a new contract with the club, as he refused City’s offer and made it clear that he wanted to leave, with it also suggested that the Citizens would demand £30 million for his services.

This was in the summer, however, and you imagine that as we get closer to his contract expiring, his value will decrease dramatically, especially as Barcelona could begin negotiations with him in January with the view to signing him on a free transfer.

Therefore, despite Liverpool being direct rivals in the Premier League, City may well be tempted to sell to the Merseyside club in January at a cut-price deal, rather than potentially receiving nothing for him if he were to re-join Barcelona.

Whilst Rhys Williams and Nathaniel Phillips have impressed filling in at centre-back this season, the injury-prone nature of Joel Matip suggests that Klopp could continue to be short of defensive options throughout the season unless the Reds add to their squad in next month’s transfer window.

Therefore, completing a deal for the £18 million rated Garcia would make a lot of sense, as he has already shown his ability to play at the very top with Guardiola’s side.

Guardiola was full of praise for the young defender earlier this year, saying:

“He doesn’t make mistakes, he’s always focused and this game we knew we would play against dynamic, fast players.”

Liverpool would definitely be signing a player who is already capable of playing in the Premier League and is still just 19-years-old, so it would be a great piece of business from Michael Edwards if he could seal a bargain deal for the City ace in January.

And in other news… Klopp must perform transfer U-turn on teenage “sensation” who can replace Jota

Fresh off the back of their win over Watford in the FA Cup, Manchester United return to Premier League action when they travel to Turf Moor to take on Burnley on Tuesday night.

A first half-strike from Scott McTominay was enough to give Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side an unconvincing victory at home to the Hornets at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Substitute Marcus Rashford looked lively after the break after he replaced Daniel James on the right wing as he came close to scoring on several occasions, only to be denied by the outstretched arms of Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann.

Sir Alex Ferguson recently heaped praise on Rashford for the “fantastic” work he has done away from football after he campaigned for free school meals for children during the holidays.

Despite bursting onto the scene as a striker, the 23-year-old started alongside Anthony Martial on the right wing during the 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester City at Old Trafford.

Solskjaer previously admitted he has been impressed by Rashford’s recent displays after he started on the right wing for the first time in 18 month sand scored against Istanbul Basaksehir in the Champions League last year.

Martial also started on the bench for the FA Cup clash with Watford, which means it’s likely he will lead the line against Sean Dyche’s side.

But Rashford may, in fact, be better suited to starting upfront against Burnley as the games continue to come thick and fast for the league leaders, who currently near the top of the table, tied with defending champions Liverpool on points.

Although Martial did score against Aston Villa at Old Trafford, he has arguably struggled to replicate the form that saw him voted the Players’ Player of the Year last season.

That is also down to game-time, as the 25-year-old has battled his fair share of injury problems over the past couple of years alone, although he seems to have discovered a resurgence in form in recent weeks.

But the fact of the matter remains that Rashford has been in red-hot form, bagging seven goals and six assists in the Premier League this season, via Transfermarkt. Martial has also only recently recovered from a minor knock and it’s surely not worth the risk.

Against Newcastle – who, like the Clarets, can also be difficult to breakdown – the 39-cap England international assumed the role of lone striker and contributed to three goals, scoring once and setting up two others.

Whilst Bruno Fernandes will also be expected to start, having been rested by Solskjaer against the Hornets, redeploying Rashford as a centre-forward could cause Burnley several problems at the back.

AND in other news, Luke Shaw slammed by Carlton Palmer for decision-making during Man Utd’s defeat to Man City…

Newcastle United are seen as one of the most likely alternatives for investor Joseph DaGrosa if Southampton do not lower their takeover asking price.

That is according to The Athletic, with both Crystal Palace and West Ham United also understood to be in the frame for his first investment in the Premier League if his proposed takeover of Southampton does not end up going through.

The American has told the Saints’ majority owner Gao Jisheng to lower his price for the club or he will look elsewhere, with the St. James’ Park faithful now being touted as a possible club that he may look at investing in.

DaGrosa could be a takeover alternative to the KSA consortium

DaGrosa could well be seen as an alternative to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group who are still seemingly looking to complete their proposed £300m deal with Mike Ashley.

There have been, and still are, many complications though that have scuppered this bid thus far, as the KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) have not yet come back onto the table in order to try and revive the deal.

Whether DaGrosa would be willing to pay as much money or if he would be solely interested in investing in the Tyneside club is another question, but the Magpies are reportedly seen as a possible alternative investment for him if his prospective takeover of Southampton collapses.

In other news, find out what injury blow has been dealt by one Toon ace here!