Liverpool are through to the last 16 of the Champions League after beating Napoli 1-0 at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah’s excellent first-half goal was enough to secure passage the knockout stages alongside Paris St Germain. Both sides spurned a number of opportunities in the exciting encounter and Liverpool relied on some late heroics from Alisson Becker to maintain their lead. The Brazilian made a world-class save late on, and Liverpool held on for the victory.

Jurgen Klopp will be pleased to head into the weekend fixture against Manchester United knowing their place in the knockout stages is secure. The German will also have the opportunity to strengthen his squad when the transfer window opens in less than a month. Klopp has previously been adamant that Liverpool will not spend, but things could change if the right deal presents itself.

One man who Klopp should be aiming to lure to Anfield is Borussia Dortmund superstar – Jadon Sancho. Valued at £40.5m by Transfermarkt, Sancho joined Manchester City at the age of 14 and was tipped to be a future star. He was set to be fast-tracked to the first-team under instruction from the club’s owners but eventually moved to Dortmund in search of first-team opportunities. Sancho has impressed in glimpses before stealing the headlines this season. The 18-year-old has been in fine form in the Bundesliga, netting five goals and registering six assists in the league so far

Sancho’s incredible performances did not go unnoticed with Gareth Southgate selecting the youngster for the senior England national team. The winger’s potential is unmatched and under Klopp’s guidance, the youngster could genuinely become one of the best attackers in the world. With blistering pace and mazy dribbling ability, Sancho has all the attributes to be a huge success on Merseyside. Liverpool’s owners are extremely fond of signing young players and there isn’t a hotter prospect on the planet at the moment.

Breaking the bank to land the winger could prove to be a masterstroke.

Liverpool fans, thoughts?

[ad_pod ]

According to The Telegraph, Ipswich Town want to sign Middlesbrough forward Rudy Gestede on loan during the January transfer window.

And it would be fair to say that the Boro fans would be delighted if that happened.

Gestede, who joined Boro from Aston Villa in 2017, is expected to be made available next month following his struggles at the Riverside Stadium.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Playmaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

The powerful forward has only managed six goals in 47 appearances for Boro, and has not registered in seven appearances for Tony Pulis’ side this term.

Goals have been a real issue for Boro this season, but Gestede has been unable to come up with the goods since returning from an injury which forced him to miss the first couple of months of the 2018-19 campaign.

And news that the Frenchman could be heading away from the Riverside in January has gone down very well indeed with the Boro supporters.

A selection of the best Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Manchester City have exuded a feeling of untouchable perfection in the past eighteen months, showcasing a footballing utopia which is surely destined to dominate England for as long as Pep Guardiola remains at the club.

The imperious dominance and swagger which City have flaunted under Guardiola has been nothing short of breathtaking. Extortionate transfer fees have been justified in compelling team and individual performances, but the model is far from perfect. No, I’m not alluding to City’s recent slump in the Premier League, the problem runs much deeper than a handful of anomalous results.

According to a recent report from Spanish media outlet Marca, Real Madrid have reached an agreement with Manchester City over a €15 million deal for Brahim Diaz, with the 19-year-old set to sign a six-year contract with Los Blancos.

Aside from Phil Foden, Diaz was one of a tiny group of academy players who have offered any threat of breaking into the senior squad in recent years, but a lack of opportunities have forced his hand. Sure, Diaz’s longing to return to his home nation undoubtedly impacted his decision, but his personal motivation for leaving would have looked very different had Guardiola offered greater exposure.

But City should have seen the setback coming as the problem started to unfold in front of Guardiola’s eyes in 2017 when Jadon Sancho rejected a contract offer to join Borussia Dortmund. The wing-wizard has since blossomed into a star in the Bundesliga, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at £63 million, just eighteen months after City sold him for £10 million.

His meteoric rise in transfer value has arrived in consequence of his blistering start to the season in which he has scored seven goals and provided ten assists from 24 appearances. That record serves to underline that Sancho was almost ready to make the transition into Guardiola’s first-team, but years of neglect and disinterest towards the promotion of youth at Man City forced him to try his hand elsewhere.

Sancho’s story has set an ominous precedent which Diaz is looking to follow by returning to Madrid, and the sporadic bursts of quality which the wonderkid has displayed hint that City are staring down the barrel of another transfer setback.

Ten years on from Sheikh Mansour’s takeover Man City are a club transformed, boasting some of the most talented players in world football on their ranks. But the absence of promotion from within the club during that time has sent a defining message to the younger players: even the most gifted wonderkids will be starved of genuine opportunity.

That particular message forced Sancho out in 2017 and Diaz’s own frustration looks to have sealed his fate. How many more budding teenagers will Man City be forced to offload before attitudes change at the Etihad?

Man City fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Celtic ensured they would top the Scottish Premiership table on Christmas Day with a routine 3-0 victory against Dundee.

Odsonne Edouard’s injury had left Brendan Rodgers without a senior forward following the departure of Moussa Dembele and the absence of Leigh Griffiths. However, it was youngster Mikey Johnston who was the hero yet again. After scoring his first senior goal in mid-week, the 19-year-old bagged a brace to ensure that Celtic were top of the standings heading into the Boxing Day fixtures.

While the 19-year-old’s form will be hugely encouraging for Rodgers, the Northern Irishman simply must target a new forward in the January transfer window. It remains to be seen whether Johnston can maintain his current levels throughout the season and another injury could be catastrophic. Bolstering his offensive options must be a priority.

One man who Rodgers could target is Brentford forward – Neil Maupay. Valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old began his professional career but was sent on various loans around France. The forward was eventually sold to Brentford in the summer of 2017 where he hit the ground running and has earned a reputation as one of the best forwards in the Championship.

The Frenchman ended his debut season in England with a fantastic return of 12 goals as well as registering four assists for his team-mates. Eager to show he was not a one-season wonder, Maupay has reached even greater heights in the current campaign, scoring 14 league goals already as well as creating six. The youngster is finally starting to realise his potential and Celtic must be quick to lure him to Scotland before Premier League sides come calling.

Maupay would give Rodgers another quality option in attack to help secure another league title and progression in the Europa League.

Celtic fans, thoughts?

Leeds failed to start the new year on a positive note as they fell to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest, who edged closer to a coveted top six spot.

The Peacocks were reduced to ten men after Kalvin Phillips was shown a straight red for a high challenge and, despite fighting back from one down to enter the final third of the match with a 2-1 advantage, they could do nothing to stop a subsequent goal flurry from Forest as the hosts netted three in just seven minutes.

Instead of criticising their sides capitulation, however, the Elland Road faithful directed their frustrations at Adam Forshaw – the 27-year-old gifted Forest the chance from which they took their early lead as he under-hit a pass back to Bailey Peacock-Farrell, thus allowing the determined Jack Colback to round the ‘keeper and slot home.

A £4.5m signing from Middlesbrough in January last year, Forshaw has been a mainstay in the Whites lineup this season as they push for promotion but, after his howler on New Years Day, some fans hope he’s played his last game for the club – you can find the best of the reaction on Twitter below…

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Playmaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video above…

Reports linking Paris Saint-Germain with a move for Idrissa Gueye have intensified since the January window reopened, but it would appear that Everton have a contingency plan in place to implement in the event of his departure, with Tottenham Hotspur target Wilmar Barrios reportedly in their sights.

According to a recent report from AS Argentina, Everton are willing to trigger Barrios’ $23 million (£18 million) release clause this month and offer the Colombian a chance to realise his dream of playing in European football.

That the Toffees are interested in Barrios perhaps suggests that Marco Silva is growing concerned interest from PSG may turn Gueye’s head, but he’s certainly looking in the right place for a worthy replacement.

Everton’s interest in Barrios could enable them to land a genuine bargain in the modern climate, much to the frustration of Tottenham Hotspur supporters.

With Mousa Dembele looking destined to leave Tottenham Hotspur and Victor Wanyama struggling to prove his fitness, Spurs have been repeatedly linked with Barrios since last summer, and if they miss out on the 25-year-old to a Premier League rival it could well come back to haunt Daniel Levy.

For a negotiator of Levy’s experience and reputation, Barrios’ £18 million release clause seems like an opportunity that is simply too good to miss, but with the Toffees now expressing an interest they may yet miss out on the combative midfielder.

Pragmatic Tottenham fans can appreciate that they are in the middle of a tough financial transition period – however frustrating it may be – but Levy’s failure to capitalise on Barrios’ availability may leave him short of financially viable midfield options later down the line.

A successful Everton swoop would ensure that Silva is well prepared to deal with Gueye’s departure in the event that PSG meet his valuation and convince him to swap Merseyside for Paris, while simultaneously delivering a psychological blow to their Premier League rivals.

Perhaps Barrios is too dependent on his ball-winning capabilities for a manager in Pochettino who clearly places huge value on technical quality, and perhaps that may yet force him to pursue a move for Norway’s Sander Berge instead.

Either way, Barrios’ obvious talent and scope for improvement could yet be realised at Everton and give Spurs supporters another reason to feel intense frustration over Levy’s opinion-dividing transfer policy.

Tottenham Hotspur and Everton fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

As the dust settles on spygate, one of the most captivating stories of the season so far, Leeds United have quickly put the drama behind them by completing a permanent deal for Kiko Casilla. 

It’s already been quite the rollercoaster journey for Leeds fans under El Loco, but even by his standards the past week has been tempestuous. The media frenzy has been verging on unprecedented and the hype has somewhat served as a distraction from the arrival of Kiko Casilla.

That Bielsa has managed to create a story so huge that it has detracted from the transfer of a player from Real Madrid, arguably the most prestigious club on the planet, serves as a telling indicator of the gargantuan size of the media storm the Argentine has created.

But it’s back to business now and Leeds have confirmed the signing of Casilla today, and Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has sought to give the Whites faithful an idea of what to expect while speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post.

For the most part, Balague only had positive words to say about Casilla and the suggestion is that Leeds have completed a really smart piece of business, but he did utter a word of warning regarding the physicality of English football which may hint at a potential weakness in the 32-year-old’s game.

“He was strong enough on aerial balls but I feel that with every goalkeeper who comes to England, that’s the thing they’ve got to get used to.

“Where it’s a foul anywhere else in the world, referees don’t give a foul (in England) and goalkeepers are less protected, even in the six-yard box. “He’ll have to get used to that but like everybody who goes into a new job, he’ll need that time for adaptation and due to the circumstances at Leeds, I think you’ll see him in the line-up pretty soon.”

The suggestion does not argue Casilla is fundamentally flawed in regard to his ability to deal with aerial balls, but rather the absence of the protection he enjoyed in Spain may leave him exposed during the transition period.

David De Gea’s career has served as a prime example to illuminate how adapting to the physicality of English football is a process which even the very best goalkeepers have to complete, so Leeds fans may yet have their hearts in their mouths when Casilla is given the chance to cement his place in the starting XI ahead of Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Strong enough in Spain does not necessarily equate to strong enough in England, but Bielsa is wise enough to ensure Casilla will be acutely aware of the new challenges he is set to face at Elland Road.

Leeds fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

[ad_pod ]

Tottenham fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed that Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot would prefer a move to Liverpool over their club, according to Paris United.

As mentioned in the article, Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino has allegedly spoken to the French international in a bid to convince him to swap Paris for north London.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin may be out for the season but it’s given him a chance to show off his new accesory. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

However it is understood that the 23-year-old would prefer to team up with Jurgen Klopp and league leaders Liverpool, if he were to move to England.

Tottenham have lost Mousa Dembele this month as he was sold to Guangzhou R&F (as per the BBC), so the north London-based side need a new face in midfield to replace the imposing Belgian international.

Let’s see how Spurs supporters reacted on Twitter amid claims the Frenchman is far more keen on a move to Anfield…

[ad_pod ]

Victor Wanyama is back in full training for Tottenham Hotspur and should be in line to start against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup this weekend.

The Kenya international has struggled for fitness this season and has played just four times in the Premier League; he was last seen in a Spurs shirt in November, playing 90 minutes in the 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.

On the chalkboard

Wanyama has been something of a conundrum for Mauricio Pochettino, such has been his fitness issues.

Signed for a mere £11m, per BBC, Wanyama enjoyed a phenomenal debut season, playing 36 times in the Premier League and even scoring four goals, per Transfermarkt.

Spurs finally appeared to have a midfield destroyer they could rely on, after misfiring with the likes of Etienne Capoue, Benjamin Stambouli and Paulinho.

Playmaker FC Exclusive: “Wolves absolutely spanked you” – Jermaine Jenas gives damning verdict of Arsenal’s season. Check out the video below…

However, Wanyama played exactly half of those games in the league the following season, struggling with cartilage damage and being restricted to 18 appearances in the top-flight.

His latest injury setback is over now, though, and Pochettino should unleash him against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Indeed, Wanyama has played well whenever relied upon by his manager this season; against Palace previously, according to WhoScored, Wanyama recorded two interceptions, made one tackle, had a pass success rate of 80 per cent and also won one aerial battle, while completing one cross in a complete midfield display. 

A league of his own

Spurs do not have another player with the skillset of Wanyama.

Eric Dier is perhaps the closest they come in their squad to a midfield destroyer, but he does not have the mobility nor the technical prowess of Wanyama.

The former Southampton man is equally adept at rampaging forward as he is at sitting in front of the defence, recycling possession, and he is a nightmare for opposition midfielders.

He continually tracks runs, makes interceptions, and starts counter-attacks, while he also scored a goal of the season contender last season, thundering home a 35-yard bullet against Liverpool.

If Spurs want to be sure of their progress against Palace in a tricky London derby, they should deploy Wanyama alongside Harry Winks in midfield.

That would allow Winks to roam slightly further forward and keep Spurs ticking in the final third, without having to continuously double back to cover for his team-mates.

Plus, against the likes of Cheikhou Kouyate and Luka Milivojevic, Spurs need someone with the presence to dominate the middle of the park; Wanyama offers those attributes in spades.

[ad_pod ]Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to state their desire to see Selhurst Park favourite Scott Dann remain at the club, amid reported interest from 19th placed Fulham, according to Bleacher Report’s football insider Dean Jones on Twitter.The Eagles defender has only recently recovered from a serious knee injury sustained in the 0-0 draw against Manchester City at Selhurst Park last season, and has made just two starts in the current campaign in the FA Cup games against Grimsby and Tottenham – he performed excellently in both games, playing 90 minutes and keeping two clean sheets, as per Transfermarkt.However, given his undoubted quality, the 31-year-old perhaps deserves to be starting week in, week out, and he probably would be but for the formidable partnership of Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins.Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video below…As a result, relegation threatened Fulham are interested in bringing him to Craven Cottage to solve their defensive woes according to Dean Jones, although fans of the Eagles aren’t too up for the idea of seeing such a pivotal figure depart the club, if their reactions on Twitter are anything to go by…