All posts by z3u9t.icu

Liverpool are hot on the heels of reigning Premier League champions Manchester City at the top of the table with just a handful of games left before the season comes to an end.

With 31 matches played, the Reds have won 22, drawn seven and lost two along the way, scoring 79 goals and conceding just 22 in the process.

One man who hasn’t been a particularly prominent figure on the pitch for Jurgen Klopp’s side, especially over the past few weeks. is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

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Having appeared in 17 league games, the Englishman has only started nine, the latest of which came back in February in the 3-1 win over Norwich City.

Since then, the 28-year-old has not played a minute of action for his side in the league, failing to even make the substitutes’ bench for the 2-0 win over Brighton in March and last weekend’s clash against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Looking ahead to the upcoming summer transfer window, it seems as though the Reds have their eyes on potentially bringing another midfield option to Anfield, which could well see Oxlade-Chamberlain wave goodbye to Anfield.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from O Jogo (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are eyeing up a potential summer transfer swoop for Porto midfielder Vitinha, who apparently has a release clause of £33m.

After spending last season on loan in the Premier League with Wolves, the 22-year-old – who has been described as a “fabulous” player by his manager Sergio Conceicao – has been a regular figure for Porto in the current campaign.

With 25 league appearances under his belt, the midfielder has scored two goals, provided two assists and earned an overall performance rating of 7.41/10, making him the third-highest rated player currently at the club according to WhoScored. This shows just how capable the £4.5k-per-week Portuguese gem is of playing in a top team at a high level.

With an average of two shots, 1.5 key passes and 1.8 dribbles per game in the league this season, this highlights how much of an attacking threat he can be from the middle of the pitch.

This would certainly suit Liverpool given how they currently have the best attacking record in the Premier League in terms of goals scored.

Taking all this into account, if the Reds were to strike another deal with Porto – as they did in January for Luis Diaz – to bring Vitinha back to England on a permanent basis, it could add a bit of extra attacking strength to their squad and also give Oxlade-Chamberlain the signal to bring his time at Anfield to an end.

In other news – Fewer touches than Alisson: Liverpool waster who lost 92% of his duels was “awful” against Benfica

Newcastle United have been handed a welcome injury boost ahead of their Premier League clash against Leeds United on Friday night.

What’s the story?

The Magpies have endured a hugely disappointing start to the new campaign, remaining winless in their opening few games and languishing inside the bottom three.

Steve Bruce has had to contend with injuries to some key players already, not least Callum Wilson, but he offered a huge boost on another former Bournemouth player.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against Leeds, the manager said: “It’s too quick for Callum, too quick for Jonjo and too quick for Paul Dummett. Ryan Fraser has trained all week.”

Fraser could lift the mood

Since joining from the Cherries on a free transfer back in the summer of 2020, it’s fair to say Fraser hasn’t exactly set the world alight at St James’ Park.

The £9m-rated Scotland international has struggled for both form and fitness on Tyneside, making just 26 appearances to date and scoring only one goal for his current club.

What Fraser desperately needs now more than ever is to stay fit and get a run of games under his belt, starting tonight against Leeds. The Whites could actually be the perfect opposition for him to come into his own, with Marcelo Bielsa’s side usually involved in end-to-end games which rely on fast, direct players on either team to make the difference – the very reason why Fraser was brought to Tyneside.

In his real standout campaign with Bournemouth back in the 2018/19 season, Fraser racked up seven goals and a whopping 14 assists, proving that he can perform at this level when he’s fit and firing.

Tonight’s game at St James’ Park could be a great chance for him to show Newcastle fans what they thought they were getting when the Magpies signed him last year, and with Wilson already out injured, the return of one of the club’s other marquee additions from summer 2020 is a major boost.

His former Bournemouth teammate Eunan O’Kane said: “Ryan has got the world at his feet. He has taken him time to settle, but he has learnt a lot in the six months he has been here. For me he is a dream. I just give him the ball and stand behind him and let him do what he does. He is an outlet and can run with the ball and gives us a different option.”

Newcastle fans should be delighted at hearing a bit of positive news on the injury front, and Fraser could well lift the mood and be a game-changer tonight for the hitherto winless Magpies.

Meanwhile, Newcastle must drop this star against Leeds tonight…

Sunderland look set to complete a deal to bring Nathan Broadhead to the Stadium of Light.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that the Black Cats have made a breakthrough in talks with Everton regarding a season-long loan deal for the centre-forward, who is scheduled to undergo a medical at Sunderland in the coming days.

The report goes on to state that Rafael Benitez has given the green light regarding the temporary departure of the 23-year-old, after assessing the former Wales U21 international during the Toffees’ pre-season tour of the United States of America.

Johnson will be buzzing

Having lost the services of both Charlie Wyke and Chris Maguire this summer, it was evident that bringing in a fresh face up front was something of a priority for Lee Johnson before the transfer deadline at the end of the month.

And, with it appearing as if the Mackems have completed this task with a couple of weeks of the summer window to spare, the 40-year-old will undoubtedly be buzzing with his transfer team, particularly when considering how much potential Broadhead looks to possess.

Indeed, over his 18 Premier League 2 appearances last season, the £450k-rated centre-forward – who can also operate from the wing – scored an impressive 11 goals and registered three assists, playing a key role in his side finishing in fifth-place in the division.

These performances clearly impressed the former Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti, who awarded Broadhead his Premier League debut in the club’s 0-0 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion in April this year.

Furthermore, the man David Unsworth dubbed “one of the best players” he’s worked with also has experience of playing in League One, having scored two goals and provided two assists over 19 appearances while on loan at Burton Albion back in 2019/20.

As such, it would very much appear that the capture of Broadhead is something of a coup for Sunderland, with the young forward clearly boasting the potential to finally help fire Lee Johnson’s side out of the third tier of English football.

In other news: Get it done: KLD must sanction SAFC summer swoop for “brilliant” £360k-rated dynamo

This season is going to be all about progression for Everton and Rafa Benitez.

The Toffees ended a dismal 2020/21 campaign in tenth place and then saw Carlo Ancelotti walk through the Goodison Park exit door.

Therefore, you sense that Everton now need to find a bit of stability after a pretty quiet transfer window.

The Merseyside outfit spent just £1.7m in the market and have barely strengthened their starting XI.

However, Demarai Gray looks an instant hit after scoring two goals already since moving from Germany.

Another area Everton struggled in was selling players. They accepted a loan move for Moise Kean but fringe players like Cenk Tosun, Tom Davies and Jonjoe Kenny are all still at Goodison Park.

Tosun spent a period of last season on loan at Besiktas but ruptured his patella in what was another dismal campaign for the Turkish forward.

It would be a surprise if he gets much football this season either, especially with Dominic Calvert-Lewin such a big threat and in the goals immediately during 2021/22.

On the topic of Everton’s star striker, it’s a player who’s been compared to the England international that should be unleashed instead of Tosun.

That happens to be 20-year-old Ellis Simms, a man who helped Blackpool to promotion from League One last season.

In what was his first consistent taste of senior football, the striker found the net on ten occasions in 24 outings.

It was excellent form as he consequently earned praise from former Toffees goalkeeper Nigel Martyn. He commented: “Ellis Simms, centre forward. Natural goalscorer, still learning his craft, but he doesn’t snatch at chances. As happy scoring in the 90th minute, when you could snatch at it, for one so young – he’s a pretty cool finisher.

Martyn added: “He has all the attributes, he’s 6 foot 1, he’s got the attributes of a Calvert-Lewin, for instance.”

Simms has scored goals right throughout his youth career, rattling the back of the net on a regular basis.

He bagged 41 in 44 for the club’s U18 side before notching 17 in 36 for the U23s. The youngster began to replicate that with Blackpool but obviously, the Premier League is a colossal step up.

Though, with Tosun’s career fading in Merseyside, Simms is surely more deserving of some match action.

AND in other news, Everton can combat Coleman blow by signing “uncoachable” 28 y/o who won’t cost a penny…

Taking to Twitter, reliable reporter Roshane Thomas of The Athletic has now leaked another major West Ham United development out of Rush Green involving Vladimir Coufal.

The Lowdown: Eventful times at West Ham…

After West Ham confirmed the appointment of Rob Newman in the new head of recruitment role, a change which could have a big impact on transfers, it appears that more news has emerged out of east London, this time regarding fresh terms for Coufal.

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West Ham and GSB have been in talks over a new deal for their 2020 summer signing over these last few months, but an agreement had stalled over reported disputes regarding salary (Sky Sports).

The 29-year-old, who shone last season under David Moyes, is only one of the Czech Republic fan favourites subject to fresh terms at the London Stadium. His compatriot Tomas Soucek has also been touted with a blockbuster new deal, while the club also want to tie down star midfielder Declan Rice (Claret & Hugh).

In a major development, Thomas has now shared exactly how West Ham are getting on in tying down Coufal to a new contract.

The Latest: Coufal signs new deal…

As per The Athletic reporter, sharing the ‘great news’ on his Twitter profile, Coufal has now put pen to paper on a new three-year deal with West Ham, including the option for a further year.

In a ‘huge boost’ for Moyes, the 29-year-old has committed his long term future in east London after quickly becoming a fan favourite.

It is believed that Coufal even turns up to Rush Green on his days off and has helped change the culture at West Ham.

The Verdict: Absolutely massive…

One of the first names on Moyes’ teamsheet having started 34 league games last season, news of the right-back extending his stay is nothing short of massive for the Irons.

He finished his debut season in England as West Ham’s joint-highest tackler per game and attracted praise from club legend Mark Noble, who called him a ‘machine’ of a player.

His dynamism and application on that right-hand side is an absolute joy to behold at times and it’s arguable that he was the Premier League’s best right-back of 2020/21.

Moyes will be delighted that Coufal looks set to remain in the east end of London for a while longer.

In other news: Reliable reporter: West Ham fans should also be ‘excited’ by another big update, find out more here.

Ollie Watkins playing on the left-hand side is something Aston Villa fans may see this season following Danny Ings’ arrival from Southampton, says Express & Star journalist Luke Hatfield.

Watkins was Villa’s first-choice striker last season and impressed as he led the line for Dean Smith’s side. The England international made 40 appearances in all competitions and scored 16 goals.

However, albeit a good one, Smith now has a dilemma on his hands after the acquisition of Ings. Like Watkins, Ings has proven himself to be an efficient No.9 in recent seasons, scoring 34 goals over the last two Premier League campaigns.

But with Villa mostly using a 4-2-3-1 last term, there will only be room for one centre-forward if that remains Smith’s go-to system. As a result, Hatfield would not be surprised if supporters saw Watkins deployed on the left flank from time to time.

“It’s an interesting one,” the Aston Villa journalist said to FFC. “I think that’s what a lot of fans are asking as well.

“I think you’ll see a number of systems used this season by Villa. The 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3, both very similar, of course, but they were in place and they did revolve around [Jack] Grealish. 

“I still think we’ll see that 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 with Watkins maybe on the left-hand side.”

It will be interesting to see what happens, but again, it is a good problem to have.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United’s interest in Atletico Madrid full-back Kieran Trippier…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie has claimed that PIF are hopeful of completing a deal for the defender and does not think he will be the last of any new additions.

He Tweeted: “Newcastle’s owners are hoping to make Atletico Madrid’s Kieran Trippier their first signing this week. Atletico boss Diego Simeone said today: ‘Nowadays when a player wants to leave, he cannot be retained.’ Trippier set to be the first of potentially 4+ signings this window.”

Excitement

This update will surely leave Newcastle fans feeling excited as they prepare for a month of action off the pitch as well as on it. PIF appear set to splash the cash in the market and Downie’s Tweet brings with it the promise of multiple arrivals to bolster Eddie Howe’s squad, starting with Trippier.

Supporters will be buzzing with this for multiple reasons. Firstly, the signing of the England international could be an excellent one for the club. The Magpies have struggled badly in defence this season and bringing in an experienced top-flight performer could improve their backline.

Norwich are the only side in the division who have conceded as many goals as Newcastle (42) and they have only kept one clean sheet in the league, which came in their 1-0 win over Burnley – their only three points of the campaign so far.

Trippier is coming in after helping Atletico to keep an outstanding 16 clean sheets in 28 La Liga matches last season in Spain. In that time, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.29 and registered six assists, showing that he was a crucial part of their success as he produced superb displays week-in-week-out.

Therefore, fans will be buzzing with his potential arrival at St. James’ Park as he could come in and produce those types of performances in black and white in the coming months.

Also, the supporters will be excited by Downie’s claim that he could be one of four or more new signings. They can look forward to plenty of activity in the coming weeks in regards to incomings and that could get fans eagerly awaiting further updates on who they may be seeing play for the club in the second half of the season.

AND in other news, Howe must seal NUFC swoop for “incredible” 105-goal ‘terminator’, he’s Demba Ba 2.0…

Leeds United pundit Noel Whelan believes having Patrick Bamford available against Burnley ‘could be massive’, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Bamford in line for return?

Bamford has endured an injury-hit campaign so far this season, making just six Premier League appearances.

He made a brief return from an ankle problem at the beginning of December but suffered a hamstring issue after celebrating his stoppage-time equaliser against Brentford.

However, Marcelo Bielsa refused to rule Bamford out of the scheduled Liverpool game on Boxing Day after the 4-1 defeat to Arsenal.

On that basis, it seems as if Bamford could be in line for a return to the squad for their next fixture now with even more recovery time under his belt, with Whelan giving his thoughts.

The Latest: Whelan’s comments

Whelan, who contributes for BBC Radio Leeds, was talking to Football Insider about the club’s injury issues.

He name-checked Bamford when talking about injuries, labelling a possible return against Burnley on January 2 as ‘massive’.

“It’s been unfortunate.

“It’s given an opportunity to those players who were on the fringes of coming back, like Bamford.

“They’ve had that bit of extra time to get themselves right and be part of the squad for these games. That could be massive. Especially for the Burnley game.

“It’s no secret that we’ve missed a lot of players over this Christmas period. It will be nice to get back to a nearly fully-fit squad for the remainder of the season.”

The Verdict: Needed…

Leeds’ options from the bench against Arsenal were all Under-23 players, with youngsters Cody Drameh and Joe Gelhardt even starting.

Bielsa is down to the bare bones, especially with the recent Covid-19 outbreak at the club, so having Bamford available against Burnley, even if it is from the bench, could be huge.

Hopefully the 28-year-old is just one of a number of players to make returns at Elland Road on Sunday, and who knows, the club could look back at the recent postponements against Liverpool and Aston Villa as a blessing in disguise.

In other news: Leeds ‘set’ to sign attacker in January who has the same agent as Forshaw – journalist. 

Liverpool were on cloud nine yesterday after demolishing their bitter rivals Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford and sending out a message to the rest of the Premier League that they mean serious business this season.

Even though the prolific Mohamed Salah scored three of Liverpool’s goals on the day, taking his impressive record to ten goals scored in nine Premier League games, we feel that fellow Reds winger Diogo Jota stood out in the win against the Red Devils.

After coming on as a substitute in Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League in midweek, Jota found himself back in the starting XI ahead of Sadio Mane.

This move from Reds manager Jurgen Klopp seemed to work wonders for the Reds as the Portuguese was very much a thorn in United’s side on Sunday.

After playing the full 90 minutes against the Red Devils, Jota managed to score Liverpool’s second goal with a neat finish from close range.

He assisted their fourth strike and would go on to complete 32 of the 38 passes he attempted. He also won seven out of the 14 duels he was involved in, made two key passes, one tackle and one clearance which ultimately earned himself a strong overall match rating of 8.5/10, making him Liverpool’s joint second-highest rated player on the day according to SofaScore, showing just how useful he was.

Liverpool signed Jota in September 2020 from fellow Premier League side Wolves for a reported fee of £41m.

In his first season in Klopp’s side, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £40.5m according to Transfermarkt, bagged 13 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions.

So far this season, the winger, who has previously been described as “intense” by Klopp shortly after he moved to Anfield, has managed to score four goals and provide one assist in eight Premier League appearances, once again proving himself as an important figure for the Reds.

Moving forward, with Liverpool set to take on Championship club Preston North End on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup followed by a Premier League clash against Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, we feel that Jota will be involved in both games in some way given how much of a goalscoring threat he is and he should help the Reds keep their unbeaten streak going.

In other news: FSG must land Liverpool swoop for £29.7m-rated beast who’s a “better version of Pogba” – opinion

Rangers travel away from Ibrox today as they return to Premiership action after losing in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Gio van Bronckhorst’s men lost 1-0 to Braga in the European clash and now come up against St Mirren in the Scottish top-flight as they look to bounce back from the defeat in Portugal.

The Gers have lost three of their last four matches in all competitions, including their Old Firm clash last week, and the Dutch head coach may need to make some changes to the team to get back to winning ways.

How many alterations will he make to the side? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that Borna Barisic, Joe Aribo and Aaron Ramsey will all return in place of Leon Balogun, Scott Arfield and Glen Kamara from Thursday night.

Starting off with the defence, Van Bronckhorst may look to move Calvin Bassey to centre-back and bring Barisic in at left-back. He made this change in the second half against Braga and it would freshen up the backline amid a busy schedule of matches, leaving Balogun fresh for the second leg next Thursday.

In the number 10 role, we are predicting that Kamara will be axed for Ramsey. The Finland international was deployed ahead of Ryan Jack and John Lundstram on Thursday night but was unable to display any attacking quality.

As per SofaScore, the £21k-per-week dud failed with his one attempted dribble and failed to create a single chance for his teammates. By contrast, Ramsey – who Ross Wilson dubbed “world-class” – has scored two goals in his last two Premiership appearances and can offer more of a threat going forward.

On the right, we are predicting that Arfield will lose his place and Aribo will come in instead. The Nigeria international has started 28 of the club’s 32 Premiership matches this season, which shows that Van Bronckhorst has been relying upon him on a regular basis.

This is why he may want to go with the ex-Charlton man from the start against St Mirren, as the manager clearly trusts the 25-year-old to put in a good performance.

Despite Fashion Sakala’s struggles against Braga, he could keep his place up front as Kemar Roofe also failed to adequately fill Alfredo Morelos’ boots against Celtic. Both players have been unable to catch the eye and therefore it seems largely irrelevant – at this point – to debate which one of them will start.

AND in other news, 100% duels lost: Rangers dud who lost the ball every 1.8 touches v Braga failed Van Bronckhorst’s big test…