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There has been no sluggish start to the season for Liverpool this campaign. Instead, they have hit the ground running.

After three games, they are the only side in the Premier League with a 100% record, with the latest win coming against Arsenal on Saturday.

The Reds beat the Gunners 3-1, Mohamed Salah’s second goal of the game being the stand-out moment. He took the ball from just inside the Emirates outfit’s half before calmly slotting past Bernd Leno in the Arsenal net.

Check out fan reaction to Liverpool 3-1 Arsenal in the video below…

Martin Tyler, however, did not seem too impressed, at least in the eyes of many Liverpool fans. He has in the past been accused of not liking the Merseyside club, and even had to come out last year and confirm he is not a Manchester United fan.

The Anfield faithful have been quick to slam Tyler for his commentary of the game, and they have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts. You can see some of the best comments below.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Barcelona’s latest bout away at Osasuna left a lot to be desired for the Catalan giants.

After initially going 1-0 down, Blaugrana somehow clawed their way back on top with strikes by Ansu Fati and Arthur Melo but then dropped the lead late in the game after conceding a penalty.

The match ended with both teams sharing the spoils and Ernesto Valverde’s troops only getting their fourth point in three games of the new 2019/20 La Liga season. It’s safe to say that it hasn’t really been the perfect start for the defending champions.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

One player, in particular, had an awful day in Osasuna’s fortress.

Nelson Semedo started the game at right-back, just as he did in the previous two games, but he was quickly substituted off at half-time and Sergi Roberto was once again dropped to his spot to compensate. The team instantly played better, creating more chances than in the first half while also controlling the game far better, which was evident in two goals they scored after half-time.

The 25-year-old Portuguese defender really didn’t cover himself in glory in those first 45 minutes he was on the pitch. He registered the worst rating out of all Barcelona players while only tallying one single tackle with no interceptions, no clearances and no blocked shots to his name.

But that wasn’t his only flaw on the day. He was also dispossessed twice and had the team-high five bad touches to his name. For a defender who’s, if the team selection so far is any indication, set to be the squad’s go-to right-back, Semedo will have to drastically improve if he is to retain that role.

His defensive output was bad and going forward he also offered next to nothing. He registered no shots, no key passes and no dribbles, all while having the team-low passing accuracy of just 77.4%. By all accounts, his performance against Osasuna was one he will soon wish to forget along with Valverde, who was probably not too happy with the 25-year-old.

His half-time substitution might be the clearest sign that his place in the starting XI has been jeopardised by his latest performance and, unless he improves drastically and rather quickly, we could see Roberto return to the right-back position and Semedo relegated to the bench.

If this trend continues, he just might become a major concern for Valverde.

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Real Madrid, along with the rest of the footballing world, have now concluded all their summer business in the 2019 transfer market. And despite spending quite a lot, it does seem like Los Blancos are straying away from their usual policy.

The whole world knows Real Madrid as the Galacticos. That nickname stems from the era that started in the early 2000s when many of world’s best players were actually donning the white kit of Real Madrid. And despite that being a ridiculously poor era for Los Blancos, it still remains memorable solely for the esteemed names that they had in their squad.

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And some years later, Zinedine Zidane found himself at the heart of that squad once again, only this time he’s dictating from the sidelines rather than chasing the ball himself. But it has been a while since they actually signed a true Galactico, a player who warrants that name with both his skill and value.

Eden Hazard can surely be put into that category as he was among their most valuable acquisitions in years but other than him, there’s practically no one that matches the Galactico description. Could this signal that a change of policy has ushered in a new era at Real Madrid?

This year, Madrid have been back to spending the big bucks in the transfer window; they’ve spent a total of £276.75m on new signings, which is definitely more than just a hefty sum of money. But it’s also a big change considering what has happened in recent years.

Sure, last season’s outlay of £146.48m was more than just a modest splash, but there is a distinct lack of extravagance – relative to Madrid’s standing within an obscenely rich footballing world – as we look further into the past.

Even in the years in which large sums have been forked out, the profile of player has often been young, bursting with potential and carrying a high resale value: take Brahim Diaz, Vinicius Junior, Theo Hernandez, Dani Ceballos and Mateo Kovacic. Very few have been Galacticos per se but more talented players with the potential to blossom into a Galactico figure.

The policy is definitely taking a different shop in comparison to the one that saw Real Madrid buying finished products from the shelves and stacking the team with high-quality stardom.

There’s no real definition for a “Galactico” player but usually, only the best and most expensive acquisitions can warrant that name. By those standards, only Hazard and Gareth Bale could be considered in that category going back ten years and all the way to Cristiano Ronaldo’s purchase in 2009/10.

Even when we take into account the transfers of the likes of Luka Jović or Thibaut Courtois, who are still big signings in their own right, they still don’t ignite the shockwaves that Ronaldo, Bale or Hazard sent with their arrivals. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, it’s basically the same blueprint Barcelona used back in the day to conquer the world.

In 2009, when Pep Guardiola led them to all six trophies in a single campaign, he did it with mostly kids from La Masia doing the hard work and pulling more than just their own weight. That year, their biggest signing was actually Dani Alves of all people. So there is proof out there that this policy works and after all, those youngsters are the future.

And seeing how everyone’s been bashing Real Madrid for making the same old mistakes over and over again, this should be evidence that they are willing to change and risk it all by doing so.

By all accounts, it seems that for all their pedigree and reputation, Los Blancos just might have been working on a completely different policy all along and mostly under the radar of the general public.

It still remains to be seen, however, if it will bear any fruit in the future at all.

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Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it five goals in five Premier League appearances this season with a brace against Watford on Sunday afternoon.

The Gabon international has been a revelation since joining the Gunners from Borussia Dortmund in January 2018.

And it will not come as a surprise to learn that a number of Arsenal fans took to social media on Sunday to lavish praise on the attacker.

Aubameyang’s first full season at the Emirates Stadium saw him score 31 goals in 51 appearances in all competitions.

And it does appear that the 30-year-old will be able to rival that total this season as he continues to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Arsenal gave up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with the Hornets at Vicarage Road but Aubameyang’s display in the capital was once again impressive.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the London club’s fans can be seen below:

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With Everton’s first-team struggling to get going, and the U23s team still unbeaten, some fans are calling for academy prospect Anthony Gordon to be given a chance in the senior squad.

The 19-year-old has great talent and has already received many plaudits for a dazzling goal against Mansfield in the EFL Trophy, and his potential hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Borussia Dortmund reportedly interested.

His most recent display, against Blackburn U23s on Monday, has prompted some praise amongst the fanbase, and suggestions that he should be considered for a first-team role.

The midfielder split open the Rovers defence to assist Ellis Simms for the Toffees winner, which was his second assist of the season – adding to the five goals he has scored in just five games.

Everton fans’ excitement is therefore justified, and it is true that the senior squad need a spark to kickfire their season, having mustered only five shots on target against Bournemouth.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Here are some of the reactions from fans to Gordon’s latest display, with many believing that he deserves to be given a chance by Marco Silva.

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Loads of Tottenham Hotspur fans on Twitter have criticised the third and final substitution manager Mauricio Pochettino made during his team’s 2-2 draw with Olympiacos in their opening Champions League group stages fixture on Wednesday.

With the game tied with 15 minutes to play, the Argentine boss decided to take goalscorer Lucas Moura off and replace him with Erik Lamela, who has been in decent form this season and scored against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

It failed to make a difference though as the encounter ended with the shares being spoiled, and Spurs supporters on the popular social media platform were not happy with the call from their manager.

While one individual labelled him as “clueless”, another accused the 47-year-old of “losing the plot”.

The main issue the following Tottenham fans appear to have with the call was that Christian Eriksen wasn’t taken off following a dire performance from the Dane in which he lost possession on 22 occasions, as per SofaScore.

They’ve got a point in that respect, and it is a mystery how the 27-year-old managed to stay on and play the entire 90 minutes.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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During the summer, Leeds had a decision to make in their goalkeeping department.

Do they stick with the relatively inexperienced Bailey Peacock-Farrell or place their faith in Kiko Casilla?

The latter is someone who always seems to have a mistake in him. He was sent off against Sheffield Wednesday last season while an error in the playoffs cost Leeds dear.

He came racing out of his goal and missed his clearance as Liam Cooper poked the ball into the path of Jack Marriott to fire home.

Whatever the decision they went with, it would have its pros and cons.

Casilla was linked with a move to Sevilla but he eventually stayed as his competition for a place between the sticks moved onto Burnley.

The 32-year-old has vindicated the trust and was particularly impressive against Barnsley when he made six saves to keep his team in the game.

At present, he is on £40k a week, making him the joint-highest paid player at the club. Whether he deserves it or not is a different matter but once he moves on, Leeds already have a succession plan in place.

It’s one that might not have been possible had Peacock-Farrell departed.

That’s because of the quality of Illan Meslier.

The French ‘keeper arrived on deadline day as an understated signing. Few had heard of the teenager plying his trade for Lorient in Ligue 2.

But this is a club with a history of readying players for English football. Two that come to mind are Laurent Koscielny and Matteo Guendouzi.

The latter was rewarded with a call-up to the French national team in the recent international break and if Meslier achieves the same in the years to come, it would be quite something.

Initially signed on loan, Leeds have an option to buy him next summer, something they will surely do despite his lack of first-team action so far.

The 19-year-old is yet to feature for the senior side and didn’t even appear in the Carabao Cup but he has been in good form for the U23s.

He’s denied two penalties and made a succession of top saves in a 0-0 against Crystal Palace. Following that game, opposition coach Richard Shaw hailed him for those stops.

His colossal figure of 6 foot 6 makes him taller than Casilla by three inches.

It could prove to be a difference-maker too. Leeds’ preferred option has a reputation for his inability to claim crosses – failing to collect a ball into the area 0.29 times per game last term. This is somewhere Meslier could trump him in the future.

When the summer recruit achieves first-team action remains to be seen but this is undoubtedly a signing for the future.

The former Lorient man is a reserved character and arrived from France with a glowing appraisal from a former youth coach.

Meslier may be quiet but he certainly makes up for that with his sheer presence. He is a mountain between the posts and the fact he’s made two saves from penalties already proves that.

The Frenchman has even been linked with moves to Monaco and Chelsea in the past so it was somewhat of a coup that Leeds managed to acquire his services.

That suggests he has a bright future in English football but for now, Meslier is at an age where he simply needs to learn his trade.

Casilla, on the other hand, is at a stage in his own career where he’s unlikely to improve on his qualities. With that in mind, there could be an opening in goal by the time Meslier potentially becomes a permanent signing.

He’s already got the number one shirt at Elland Road after all.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

In quotes relaid by Get Football News France earlier this month, he detailed the following about his relationship with Casilla:

“I knew that Kiko (Casilla) was a great goalkeeper, he was at Real Madrid. So if you are going to have to be behind a goalkeeper in the pecking order, better that they are fantastically good.

“It was not possible to remain at Lorient – Kiko is a great goalkeeper and I am coming to learn by his side. Aside from that, if he does not play, I will be there to give my best.”

How they continue alongside each other will be fascinating to see. For the time being, Casilla is the main man, but the seed has already been planted for a possible succession plan in the future.

Theo Walcott sustained a head injury during Everton’s defeat to Manchester City at Goodison Park, leaving the pitch in the first half, and was immediately taken to hospital.
The Englishman was soon discharged, however, leaving the hospital not long after the final whistle on Merseyside. Since his discharge, the club’s medical staff have continued to monitor him, with head injuries not to be taken lightly at all.

Walcott is indeed on track in his recovery, as reported by Everton themselves, and the former Arsenal man could return to full training later this week.
Now at 30 years old, the England international has found himself in and out of the Toffees’ starting XI. Up until his injury, Walcott played only 74 minutes for his club in the Premier League this season and scored just five times in 37 Premier League games last term.
It’s fair to say that despite the general poor form throughout the squad – Everton are currently 15th in the Premier League – the forward has become something of a hate figure amongst the club’s supporters.
That’s even evident amongst the replies to Everton’s tweet regarding Walcott’s condition which mentioned he could return to training this week, although a fair chunk of fans were far more sympathetic about the situation.
You can check out their responses below…

For a good couple of seasons Manuel Lanzini was a player cherished by West Ham United fans but somewhat taken for granted elsewhere. An impressive goal would grab wider attention. So too a stand-out performance on Match of the Day. That aside beyond the London Stadium few truly appreciated the creative levels he aspired to and reached more times than not.

Not even an exceptional 2016/17 changed that, a campaign that saw the Argentine step up after Dimitri Payet’s departure to comfortably win his club’s Player’s Player of the Year award.

Thankfully, that widespread under-estimation is beginning to change now and quite dramatically so. This season has seen a full recuperation from the cruciate ligament rupture that robbed the attacking midfielder of much of last year and he has returned impish and reinvigorated, a key figure in a well-balanced set-up that has a similarly reborn Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson benefiting from his clever link-up play, while Mark Noble forages around them.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It is via the artful 26-year-old, however, where most of the Hammers’ productivity originates with only eight Premier League players – including Kevin De Bruyne, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Gylfi Sigurdsson –  providing more key passes so far. A 88.4% pass completion rate meanwhile is mightily impressive from a player entrusted to take risks and open opponents up.

The club’s decision to extend his contract this summer to 2023 was shrewd and not only in hindsight due to his terrific form. Lanzini clearly has a deep-set affiliation with the fan-base and a love for the area saying back in August: “I love London, I love the club, I am happy here.” With the loyalty shown by the Irons and a close working relationship with Pellegrini – “I talk to him every day” – these factors merge to create a perfect storm that has led to the former River Plate schemer feeling both settled and highly motivated.

This comes through in most of his displays but it must be said that his playmaking instincts were lacking against Crystal Palace, and it’s no surprise that his disappointing showing coincided with a defeat.

Yet so often his positive displays are over-shadowed by team-mates and this despite Lanzini loving nothing more than taking a player on – in his last flying season of 2016/17 he competed 52 dribbles overall. Sebastien Haller may get the plaudits for scoring. Yarmolenko may get the Man of the Match award for another eye-catching example of wing-craft.

It is only when you put the pieces together and the games accrue that you realise none of this would have happened without the Argentine international’s endless five-yard passes and astute movement and the hunting down of possession in the final third.

That is the reason why for far too long now it has mainly been West Ham fans telling the rest of us that Manuel Lanzini is a very special talent.

But that is changing now. Dramatically so.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha has spoken to BBC Africa about his failed attempt to leave the club back in the summer.

The Ivory Coast international was the subject of interest from Arsenal and Everton, and was said to be ‘devastated’ after no such move materialised – Zaha had even handed in a transfer request.

Since then, the former Manchester United man has appeared in all eight of the Eagles’ Premier League games – Zaha hasn’t found the back of the net, but has registered one assist.

What did he say?

Speaking to BBC Africa after picking up an award for ‘Philanthropic Endeavour’, Zaha said: “I had to put my head down and play my football.

“I would have been hindering my own progress by moaning and not wanting to perform properly.

“I have too much respect for my manager, the fans and my team-mates to treat them that way. It was a thing where ‘OK, this hasn’t happened but I’ve got to get on with it’.

“I had to nail down and just get on with it because the team deserved that.”

Oozes maturity and understanding

Any Palace fan who was annoyed with the forward’s antics in the summer simply cannot maintain that ill-feeling after reading Zaha’s comments.

It is evident that he respects Crystal Palace and those at the club, a place where he has risen from an academy graduate into arguably one of the greatest players to have ever pulled on the shirt.

Zaha is spot on. If he had downed tools and moaned, his chances of getting a move away would’ve become even slimmer, so it is in his best interests to knuckle down and get on with things.

The 26-year-old wants to better himself and perform in the Champions League – that much is evident in this interview with the player.

That isn’t a problem.

Causing a stir amongst the squad because he didn’t get his wish would be a problem, and while Zaha may have been entitled to throw a tantrum given the fact that it appears he was misled by Steve Parish and the board, the attacker has handled things with great maturity and understanding.