All posts by z3u9t.icu

Southampton take on Leicester City at St Mary’s on Friday night, where three points will all but seal the Saints’ place in the top flight for next season.

A woeful run of form in 2021 has seen Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team sucked into a relegation fight, although they appear to have been saved by Fulham and West Brom’s inadequacies rather than many strong performances of their own.

Southampton will be looking to avoid a repeat of the FA Cup semi-final against Leicester City on Friday night, as Hasenhuttl’s side were brushed aside 1-0 at Wembley recently and failed to have a single shot on target that evening.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects the Austrian to line up against the Foxes on Friday, with four changes from the side which lost 2-1 against Tottenham Hotspur in their last fixture…

Fraser Forster returns in goal after another less than impressive performance from Alex McCarthy in the defeat against Spurs.

With Ryan Bertrand still sidelined through injury, Hasenhuttl keeps faith in the same back four, with Mohammed Salisu continuing to deputise at left-back.

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There are two changes in midfield, as Ibrahima Diallo comes in for Stuart Armstrong in the centre of midfield to give Southampton some added defensive protection alongside James Ward-Prowse.

Meanwhile, after a poor display against Spurs, Theo Walcott is dropped to the bench, with Liverpool loanee Takumi Minamino replacing him after Hasenhuttl suggested that the £10.8m-rated attacker – hailed as a “machine” by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp – would get more minutes between now and the end of the season.

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Finally, in attack, Nathan Redmond comes in for the injured Danny Ings and he will be hoping to replicate some of his recent performances against Bournemouth and Burnley at St Mary’s on Friday night.

In other news… Semmens headed for Saints disaster over £2.25m-rated target, he’s scraping the barrel

A number of Liverpool fans have bemoaned an injury update on Jordan Henderson and Sadio Mane, with the pair now doubtful to face Arsenal on Saturday.

The Reds have again been dogged by injury problems so far this season, as was the case in 2020/21. Last time around it was a plethora of defenders that Jurgen Klopp had to make do without and now it is the midfielders’ turn, with Naby Keita, James Milner, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott all currently missing.

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Not only that, but it now appears as though Henderson and Mane could now join the quartet on the sidelines.

According to the Liverpool Echo [via Anfield Edition on Twitter], the pair could both miss Saturday’s visit of Arsenal in the Premier League, having picked up injuries on international duty. They will continue to be assessed this week.

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Liverpool fans fume at injury latest

These Liverpool fans reacted to news of the club’s latest injury setback on Twitter, cursing the Reds’ luck in the fitness department.

“Pain”

Credit: @tjz_6

“Arsenal winning at Anfield will kill me off”

Credit: @Callum__Moran

“Every international duty”

Credit: @mihamiha2323

“Why is it just Liverpool players? I just don’t understand. Every international break… Can we just stop playing stupid international games.”

Credit: @docilecharizard

“Don’t care anymore fed up with it”

Credit: @Royston679

“We’re done”

Credit: @rakamavlana

In other news, some Liverpool fans have shot down an exit rumour involving one player. Read more here.

Leeds United are not in a comfortable position in the Premier League this season, currently 15th in the table following a slow start with just two wins from their first 11 games.

The Whites have been plagued with injuries which have caused inconsistencies in every aspect of their team. From defence to attack, the well-oiled machine of last season has gone rusty, with squad players having to be thrown into the line-up in key positions.

Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips, Luke Ayling and Raphinha are a few of the key players who have been sidelined so far this season, which has clearly effected the team’s performances of late, but luckily Raphinha and Phillips have returned to action in the last few weeks.

Bielsa could unleash a dynamic £37.8m-rated duo in Phillips and Forshaw, and that could have a positive impact on Leeds’ chances of taking points from Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

The England international returned from a minor injury recently and will be raring to go after playing in the 1-1 draw with Leicester before international break.

The 25-year-old spoke out lately about his midfield partnership with Forshaw, who has also recently returned from a horrific injury which has cost him two seasons of his career.

Phillips told BBC Leeds: “It’s very nice to have Adam back. We’re good friends, we get on really well and I think it shows on the football pitch that we understand each other, the way each other plays.”

Forshaw, who nearly gained an England call-up in 2016, has not had an easy ride with the hip injury he picked up after just seven games of the 2019/20 season.

Initially, the injury was thought to be minor, with the protectory of the midfielder being out for only 16 weeks, but Leeds and Forshaw were dealt a devastating blow when he was sent for surgery and ruled out for the rest of the season.

Forshaw struggled to build his fitness moving into the 2020/21 campaign, and in a brief return for the under-23s, he sustained an injury to his hamstring which again saw him sidelined for the entire season.

The 30-year-old made an emotional return to Premier League football against Leicester City a few weeks ago, the midfielder spoke to the Sunday People, saying: “Starting against Leicester was a big moment for me and my family, so I’m pleased.

“I’d just like to say a massive, massive thank you to Rob Price and his team, the strength and conditioning coaches, the manager for the way he’s managed me throughout the summer.”

Bielsa will be thrilled that Phillips and Forshaw have a genuine connection which can hopefully translate on the pitch against Spurs and help Leeds to an important three points as they attempt to escape a potential relegation battle.

In other news: this potential partnership could unlock success for Leeds

Celtic could sign Hannes Wolf on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach, according to German publication Bild. 

The lowdown

Gladbach paid £8.55m to sign the 22-year-old from RB Leipzig last summer off the back of a season-long loan. Having started 14 times in the Bundesliga under Marco Rose last season, though, he has only been selected for two league starts by new boss Adi Hutter so far in the current campaign (via WhoScored).

Wolf, who earns €20k (£17,100) per week, is primarily an attacking midfielder but can also operate on either flank and even has some experience playing as a centre-forward (via Transfermarkt).

The latest

Wolf could leave Borussia Park on loan just six months after joining, according to Bild.

Along with Celtic, Austrian Bundesliga outfit Rapid Vienna are apparently ‘dealing with the flexible offensive all-rounder’.

The verdict

As he’s played so little this season, it’s probably best to look at 2020/21 for an indication of Wolf’s qualities, when he was directly involved in five goals (scored two, set up three) in his 32 league outings.

Data from FBRef shows that his defensive contribution is immense – he ranks in the 97th percentile for pressures per 90 minutes and the 95th for tackles.

When you consider his industry, and the reality that the Bundesliga (the fourth-best league in Europe as per UEFA’s coefficient) is a step up from the Scottish Premiership (ninth) in quality, he seems to have the potential to be a fan favourite at Celtic Park.

In other news, there has been an update on the timeline for the Reo Hatate deal

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Tottenham defender Gary Mabbutt has admitted that Gareth Bale should now be starting every week, but praised Jose Mourinho’s management of the Welshman.

Bale has generally endured a difficult time back in North London since making his return from Real Madrid last summer.

However, the flying winger has enjoyed a revival in recent weeks, using Spurs’ Europa League tie against Wolfsberger to get up to speed for Premier League matches.

Bale scored in both legs against the Austrian outfit, and having made a significant impact off the bench against West Ham last Sunday was rewarded with just his third Premier League start of the season against Burnley last time out.

And Bale repaid Mourinho’s faith by producing a scintillating man of the match display against the Clarets, scoring twice and assisting once in Tottenham’s 4-0 victory.

Mabbutt told FFC:

“I think he’s been very well managed. There has been a lot of talk about should he be playing from the start week in week out, but I think the manager has to make decisions based upon what he’s seeing in training.

“And as long as that’s all clear cut, as long as there’s a lot of communications between the player and the manager, as to as to what they’re trying to achieve getting back to his full fitness, full match fitness. And for health fitness. He had an illness at one stage that kept him out.”

Bale has featured in each of Tottenham’s previous four games in all competitions, scoring four times, whilst providing three assists for his teammates.

Mabbutt continued:

“I think the last couple of games, certainly the European game last week, and the game against Burnley. I thought he was fantastic. He’s finishing, his composure, just his whole presence, his whole presence just on the field there, I think puts fear into the opponents, as they know what he can do.

“Should Gareth be in the first team every single week? Well, of course, on top of the performances that he’s got, but the manager’s got a massive squad to play with.”

For long periods of the season, it seemed strange as to why Bale wasn’t playing so regularly.

But Mourinho appears to have got this spot on. He’s allowed the Welshman to use the Europa League and domestic cups to get up to scratch before unleashing him for the most important part of the campaign.

Some Crystal Palace fans were left to slam the display of Christian Benteke in their 0-0 home draw with Manchester United on Wednesday night.

Roy Hodgson’s men put up a decent fight against the Red Devils at Selhurst Park, and while there were some very good performances in an Eagles shirt, Benteke’s flattered to deceive some members of the CPFC faithful.

The former Aston Villa and Liverpool striker lost out on no fewer than 16 of his duels in total in the game, by far the most lost out of any player to have set foot on the pitch, as he also failed to record a single shot on target (Sofascore).

He also lost possession of the ball 20 times in the match, the most out of any of his teammates (Sofascore), as the Belgian led the way in all the wrong categories.

Crystal Palace fan reaction to Benteke display

These Palace supporters slammed his performance on Twitter, with one fan even going as far as to say that playing the 30-year-old striker is a ‘waste of time’:

“Benteke proving tonight what a fluke that volley was. #cpfc”

Credit: @GaryTutton4

“Benteke has 50p feet #cpfc #CRYMUN”

Credit: @PJeevesie

“Has Benteke got the wrong boots on tonight? We’ve wasted so many good chances #CPFC”

Credit: @ScarKord

“Get Benteke off and bring on Mateta that’s 2 decent chances he’s messed up #cpfc”

Credit: @Cpfcem

“It’s very true. Benteke hasn’t got legs mate, he doesn’t offer anything in behind. Mateta offers more imo.”

Credit: @J_CPFC

“Too late and Benteke still on the pitch so a waste of time”

Credit: @cmbaker_

In other news, find out what injury update has delighted Palace fans here!

Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United finally return to Premier League action this evening, with the Whites making the trip to south London to face Crystal Palace in Monday’s 20:00 kick-off – 16 days after their 3-0 win over Watford.

As a result of this time off, the 48-year-old manager has had plenty of time to work with his first-team squad at Thorp Arch, something that could well give Leeds the edge over tonight’s opponents – who were bested 1-0 by Newcastle United last Wednesday.

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The gap between fixtures will have also afforded a number of the Whites’ injured and fatigued players a much-needed rest from the hectic Premier League schedule, although, it is reported that the meeting with Palace will still come too soon for Patrick Bamford.

And, with Daniel James having once again struggled when playing through the middle at Vicarage Road, it would appear highly advisable for Marsch to finally unleash 19-year-old Joe Gelhardt from the off against the Eagles.

“Banging on the door”

Indeed, since the American’s appointment in the Elland Road dugout, Gelhardt is yet to be included in the 48-year-old’s starting XI, featuring just four times in the Premier League under the management of Marsch, in which time he has bagged one goal – the stoppage-time winner against Norwich City a little over a month ago.

However, looking at the campaign as a whole, the £4.5m-rated striker’s impact is clear for all to see, with the England U21 international having scored two goals and registered three assists over just 486 top-flight minutes – averaging a direct goal involvement every 97.2 minutes of football played.

For comparison, while James’ record of four goals and five assists over 30 Premier League outings does better the 19-year-old’s returns, when taking into account the Wales international directly contributes to a goal an average of once every 253.4 minutes played, it is obvious who is the more deadly.

Furthermore, over the last seven top-flight fixtures in which the £16.2m-rated winger has been deployed up front, James has failed to hit the back of the net, something which would very much suggest that he is simply not suited to a central attacking role.

As such, despite his tender age, Marsch must finally place his trust in the player who Beren Cross dubbed Leeds’ “next big thing” against Palace, as it is clear to see from his impressive record in the final third that Gelhardt is very much “banging on the door” – in the words of Phil Hay – for a start under the American.

AND in other news: Joe Donnohue drops early team news ahead of Palace, it’s a double boost for Leeds

David Moyes must unleash Manuel Lanzini over West Ham United’s hectic festive schedule to afford the Argentine midfielder one final chance to save his London Stadium career.

What’s the word?

According to Claret and Hugh, the Hammers are yet to receive any offers for Lanzini ahead of the January transfer window despite putting the 27-year-old up for sale.

Lanzini is among an array of unwanted players the Irons are looking to move on in the winter market as they look to raise funds for a pursuit of AFC Bournemouth striker Joshua King.

West Ham had hoped to offload Lanzini in the summer but also received no offers for the £70,000-per-week playmaker, who has found himself shunned to the fringes thus far this term.

Moyes has afforded the five-cap international just 332 minutes of game time across all competitions and is yet to hand Lanzini a start outside of the Carabao Cup, with his longest Premier League appearance of the campaign lasting only 18 minutes.

The Irons boss had backed Lanzini to re-establish himself at the London Stadium earlier in the year, noting how the serious knee injury that ruled the £12.6m-rated maestro out of the 2018 World Cup could be seen as nothing but a blip in his career.

“When I had him the first time, he was terrific. No doubt, the injury has had an impact on where he is in different ways, but I don’t see it as a reason for him not to get back to those levels. His training has been improving and he’s got competition and he realises that. He’s not the number-one pick,” Moyes said in October.

Last chance saloon

While Moyes was echoing belief in Lanzini only two months ago, the midfielder remains no closer to re-establishing himself in the first-team with the 27-year-old’s game-saving wonder goal against Tottenham Hotspur the only highlight he can recall.

Moyes stated West Ham were “really crying out for Manuel Lanzini” back in January, but that is far from the case now with the Scottish coach overlooking the Argentine for any involvement in seven Premier League fixtures including last Friday’s win at Leeds United.

Instead, Said Benrahma was drafted in to play in behind striker Sebastien Haller after a late injury for Arthur Masuaku forced Moyes to deviate away from the five-man defence West Ham had begun to favour.

Lanzini would have seen his hopes of featuring smashed with Benrahma excelling at Elland Road, but Moyes must look fondly on the Argentine in the coming weeks with West Ham set to play five games in the next 18 days, including London Derbies with Crystal Palace and Chelsea plus a trip to Everton.

It will prove to be Lanzini’s final window to impress Moyes and verify why he still deserves a future in claret and blue, while even mediocre displays will put him firmly in the shop window ahead of the winter market.

AND in other news, West Ham have been dealt a massive blow in pursuit of the January answer to David Moyes’ “worst nightmare”.

A number of Manchester City fans are livid with their rumoured third kit for the 2021/22 season.

The Citizens are enjoying a fantastic campaign – they are within touching of distance of claiming the Premier League title, while they have one foot in the Champions League final after beating Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their semi-final. They have already secured the Carabao Cup as well, meaning they could end the season with three trophies.

Their attire for the season have been made by Puma, their kit provider since 2019. Next season is already not too far away, and plans are already being made for the shirts they will wear in 2021/22 as a rumoured City third kit for the upcoming campaign has been leaked. Remarkably, it does not seem to contain the club’s crest.

A photo of the reported new kit was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the club’s supporters, some of whom have dubbed it “terrible”. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these Man City fans had to say about the kit leak

“Hate this so much, wish we can go back to Nike”

Credit: @jason23ortega

“Is this club trying to punish we the fans or what”

Credit: @chetambe_

“That looks terrible”

Credit: @FUTJPO

“This can’t happen…. there’s no badge man!”

Credit: @danthedrummer12

It’s like @PUMA are trying to outdo themselves in terms of dreadfulness. Got to say, they’re knocking it out the park every single time.

Credit: @phil_ribchester

“This makes me feel ill”

Credit: @Ethan4707

In other news, some Man City fans are unhappy about this Raheem Sterling news.

Following a highly impressive goalscoring campaign for Sunderland, there is reportedly a great deal of interest in Charlie Wyke this summer, although the Black Cats could already have a ready-made replacement for the 28-year-old.

So far this season, Wyke has undoubtedly been the star at the Stadium of Light, with the £270,000-rated forward bagging 25 goals and providing three assists over his 42 appearances in League One, as well as averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.35 – ranking him as Lee Johnson’s best player in the third tier.

However, while the former Bradford City striker’s goals have fired Sunderland to the play-offs this season, form as good as Wyke’s is a double-edged sword for a club of Sunderland’s current standing, as his performances have attracted a number of Championship teams who have the intention of stealing the centre-forward from the Black Cats’ grasp this summer.

Although, while losing a player as important as Wyke will undoubtedly be a huge blow for Johnson, there may not be any need to panic, as the club could already own a striker who is capable of filling the boots of the 28-year-old next season.

“We’re talking £10 million”

Prior to making a £304,000 switch to Sunderland in the January transfer window, Ross Stewart had spent two and a half years at Ross County, with the forward scoring 11 goals and providing three assists over his 32 appearances in the club’s 2018/19 campaign, bagging 11 goals and registering three assists over 26 appearances throughout County’s 2019/20 campaign and netting six goals and providing two assists over his 24 fixtures before moving to Sunderland this season.

So, there is very much a goalscorer in Stewart, who, at just 24-years-old, still has a bit of development to complete in his career as a professional footballer, in addition to having to adjust to the pace of the English game.

But, despite having to play second fiddle to Wyke this term, the 6ft 4 striker has already shown what he is capable of in a Sunderland shirt as, over his 11 league appearances for the club – only two of which have come as starts – he has already found the back of the net twice, in addition to averaging an impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.95.

Indeed, Johnson appears very firmly of the belief that Stewart has a fantastic future ahead of him at the Stadium of Light, with the 39-year-old praising the striker’s mobility, technical ability and his “extremely good” physicality in recent comments, as well as claiming that you’d be looking at a player worth “£10 million” if he was the finished product, which he still has enough time to become.

As such, despite the fact it very much seems as if Wyke could be moving on to pastures new this summer, Stewart is ready and waiting in the wings to seize his moment as the Black Cats’ main man.

In other news: Phillips drops worrying transfer claim on SAFC £6.4k-p/w beast, Johnson will be gutted – opinion