All posts by n8rngtd.top

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

The Telegraph is reporting that Liverpool want to extend Fabinho’s contract at Anfield.

What’s the story?

The 26-year-old joined the Reds from AS Monaco last term for a fee of £43.7m. Since then, he has gone on to make 58 appearances for the club.

[ad_pod ]

Such has been the level of his displays, it is now being said that Jurgen Klopp and Co want to extend his contract with the Merseyside outfit.

Finally a Mascherano replacement

Clearly, the nine-time Brazil international has made a big impact. He already has a contract until 2023, after all, so it is not as though there is any urgent need to get him committed to a new long-term deal in order to convince him to stay with the team.

Watch Liverpool Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Liverpool have not had the best of luck in the past decade when it comes to defensive midfielders. Javier Mascherano was arguably the Reds’ last great defensive midfielder – for example, he averaged an astonishing 5.2 tackles per game in his final full season before moving to Barcelona, whilst Pepe Reina admitted that the club had a “big problem” in replacing him – and, ever since he left, a host of players have come in to try to replace him.

However, they have failed to match the required standard. Jordan Henderson has perhaps been the most successful, but he has spent most of his time on the pitch for Liverpool further forward in central midfield according to those Joe Allen and Emre Can were unable to cement their place as the first-choice defensive midfielder, whilst Christian Poulsen is a signing many would rather forget.

Fabinho, though, may just be two-time Champions League winner Mascherano’s successor. He has been called the best in the world in his position by Gary Neville (Sky Sports via This is Anfield), whilst he has also earned the nickname “Dyson” in homage of the famous vacuum cleaner thanks to his ability to clean up in front of the back four. It seems as though he has already made the position his own, having made 17 appearances in the role this campaign. Giving him a new deal is exactly what he deserves.

Meanwhile, this Liverpool youngster could facilitate Trent Alexander-Arnold’s transition into midfield.

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…

Speaking to BBC Sport after Liverpool’s victory over Brighton, Jurgen Klopp has hailed substitute goalkeeper Adrian as his man of the match.

What did he say?

After Virgil van Dijk’s first-half brace, Liverpool looked like they were coasting home to victory. But Alisson’s moment of madness saw him being shown a straight red card for handling outside the area, with Adrian having to come on to take over goalkeeping duties.

He was promptly beaten by Lewis Dunk’s free-kick, but aside from a couple of nervy moments, made some crucial saves and denied the Seagulls a dramatic equaliser. And following the conclusion of the match, Klopp was quick to praise the substitute shot-stopper for having to adjust to difficult circumstances.

He said: “Virgil (van Dijk) was probably man of the match with the two goals but Adrian is for me – to come in to a game like this and make two saves. Even the goal-kicks are difficult with cold feet! We were not prepared for that situation so I am completely happy.”

Team spirit

Make no mistake about it, the way Klopp handled the Alisson red card in his post-match comments is further evidence of why the Reds look like such a harmonious group in pursuit of their goals. It could have been so very easy for the German to have taken the opportunity to chastise his number one, and leave him out to dry for nearly costing his team dearly.

Instead, he brushed past it, and chose to focus on his number two, Adrian. The former West Ham man filled in when Alisson was injured earlier on in the season, and may have considered himself unlucky to have been dropped back to the bench when the Brazilian returned to fitness. And so in declaring him the man of the match for his late cameo, Klopp made sure to keep one of his fringe stars happy.

Winning trophies is always about a squad, and never just about the starting eleven. And in paying tribute to his number two, the Liverpool boss has made it abundantly clear that nobody’s contributions, however small, will be forgotten. If the Reds march on to the title, then little moments of genius like this will be looked back upon with great fondness.

Don’t miss out on MASSIVE savings with Fan Deal Drops – shop now for the latest deals (USING LINK HERE) on TVs, laptops, football shirts & much more.

Many Wolverhampton Wanderers fans have reacted to a throwback clip showing highlights of their 6-4 win at Molineux back when they were in League One in 2014.

The footage showed all of the six strikes scored by the Wanderers as they triumphed on home turf, cementing their place at the top of the table.

Former player Nouha Dicko bagged an impressive hat-trick that day, with further goals coming from Dave Edwards, Sam Ricketts and Kevin McDonald. The match was level at 4-4 as Rotherham’s Kieran Agard matched Dicko’s tally of three strikes, with Joe Skarz netting the other. But in swooped Ricketts and McDonald, as the Midlands club clinched victory in added time.

The result put Wolves six points clear at the summit with three matches to go, making them on course to finish as champions, to which they did by racking up an impressive 103 points.

These WWFC supporters seemed to remember the game well, with one fan labelling the whole day as ‘unreal’:

Wolves fans, what were your feelings as the game went on? Comment below!

Rangers Twitter page Heart & Hand have been sharing some absolutely fantastic old kits from the past each day.

With the current pandemic, there is plenty of time to fill, and that has led to them sharing photos of some classic shirts from the Ibrox outfit. On Tuesday, they posted a picture of another effort, this time from the the 2000/01 season. It is the club’s third kit from that campaign, which was mainly white with one red and one blue stripe either side of the sponsor at the time, ntl:.

It wasn’t to prove to be a lucky omen for the Glasgow side – they were beaten to the Scottish Premiership title by Celtic. However, that doesn’t seem to have damaged the supporters’ memories of the shirt – they appear to be huge fans of it.

They have taken to the social media platform to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments below.

Let us know what you think below!

BBC Scotland journalist Tom English isn’t a popular man at Celtic Park and his latest tweet has plenty of Parkhead supporters reacting.

Labour’s George Foulkes tweeted his desire for the UK government to call on UEFA to investigate the SPFL’s decision to cut short the season despite being recommended to finish it.

Only real Celtic fans will get 100% on the Ultimate Hoops quiz. Test your knowledge below…

And English replied with the following message…

Earlier in the week, Celtic were crowned champions for a ninth successive Scottish Premiership season with the final table being decided by a points-per-game system.

It meant that Hearts were unfortunately relegated but nothing can dispute Neil Lennon’s side winning the league as they were 13 points clear of second place with only eight games to play.

Plenty of supporters in Glasgow joked about English speaking for the first time since the announcement whilst others blasted him as well as Foulkes for being a “clown” amongst other things.

Here’s how they have reacted to his tweet…

AND in other news, Celtic fans slam Brendan Rodgers after title message

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to make Ryan Fraser an ‘enticing’ offer to move to north London, according to Football Insider. 

Tottenham are locked in a battle with bitter rivals Arsenal to sign Fraser this summer, as his contract with Bournemouth is set to expire at the end of June.

A source told Football Insider that the Lilywhites are prepared to offer the Cherries star a lucrative deal after Jose Mourinho identified him on his shortlist of transfer targets.

Earlier this month, the Daily Star reported that Spurs are the frontrunners to sign the Scottish winger, and this move could benefit Son Heung-min in the long run.

While it is fair to say that the Scotsman has struggled for consistency in this campaign, as he has returned just one goal and four assists so far, it is worth remembering that he scored seven goals and created 14 assists in the Premier League last season, beaten only by former Chelsea talisman Eden Hazard for the latter metric. Also, he seems a tremendously reliable player given that he last picked up an injury all the way back in 2015.

In comparison, Son is Tottenham’s second-highest goalscorer this season, just one goal behind Harry Kane, while he has provided more assists than the club captain up until now. Furthermore, the South Korean international has bagged nine goals and produced seven assists in the English top flight, registering three shots per game, averaging more than one key pass and completing at least two dribbles per match on average (via WhoScored).

Spurs are reportedly keen to secure an agreement for Fraser as soon as possible. The 26-year-old will become a free agent when his contract runs out, which would make him a shrewd investment if he ends up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Moreover, Mourinho has been hampered by a string of injuries to a number of his options on the flanks. Indeed, Son and Steven Bergwijn are finally returning from spells on the sidelines, which will no doubt give the side a massive boost as Spurs had suffered from several poor results in their absence.

Bearing this in mind, Fraser can provide able cover for the wide forwards, and signing the speedster makes perfect sense. It is fair to say the South Korean has been an integral part of the squad over the years, and the Scottish winger could ease help to ease the burden on him next season.

Whether or not he lives up to expectations remains to be seen but, if the transfer goes through, the Lilywhites will have gained a valuable asset at no extra cost.

Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sign Ryan Fraser in the summer? Let us know by commenting below! 

Love him or loathe him, it is fair to say Andre Villas-Boas never had it easy when he arrived at Tottenham Hotspur. 

Indeed, he was dealt a short hand right from the start, as Luka Modric left Spurs in his first summer at the club.

Nevertheless the Portuguese, who was a prodigy of Jose Mourinho, didn’t allow this setback to deter him, and the Lilywhites embarked on one of the biggest spending sprees in recent memory during his time in charge.

He should be credited with unearthing the likes of Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen.

Furthermore, Villas-Boas arguably got Gareth Bale playing some of the best football we’ve ever seen, before the Welshman also left White Hart Lane for the Santiago Bernabeu.

Things quickly went downhill from then onward, but he should take pride from the fact that Tottenham accrued more points than Harry Redknapp managed in his two highest-placed finishes in the Premier League.

Fancy a challenge? Have a go at the Transfer Tavern’s latest quiz on Villas-Boas’ brief reign. Can you remember who was his most expensive signing? How come he can claim English descent? Test your knowledge down below!

Manchester United have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Jude Bellingham this summer. 

Bellingham has received plenty of attention from a number of European clubs after an impressive debut season in the Championship.

Reports emerged last week that the teenager has decided to join Borussia Dortmund instead of Man United. However, according to The Sun, as relayed by The Evening Standard, Dortmund are struggling to afford Birmingham City’s £31m valuation.

This could be the perfect opportunity for the Red Devils to gain an advantage. Understandably, this latest development spells bad news for Nemanja Matic.

After breaking into the first team, Bellingham has made quite a name for himself at St Andrew’s, as he has played in 32 games in the Championship for the Blues, scoring four goals and providing two assists as well as averaging 1.2 shots per game and making 2.3 tackles on average (WhoScored).

Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has previously described him as a “young Steven Gerrard,” amid interest from United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Dortmund – to name but a few.

Meanwhile, Nemanja Matic, who was a favourite of old boss Jose Mourinho, has had quite a dramatic fall from grace.

While the Serbian has struggled with injury, he has made 12 appearances in the Premier League under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, producing one assist, registering 2 tackles per game, and attempting fewer than 1 shot on average (WhoScored).

At 31-years-old, Matic isn’t getting any younger, and although his performances improved prior to the nationwide lockdown, he is arguably entering the twilight of his career.

It is fair to say United have pulled out all the stops to try to persuade Bellingham to move to Old Trafford. Indeed, the club rolled out the red carpet by giving the 16-year-old a private tour of Carrington, led by none other than Sir Alex Ferguson himself.

Moreover, the Serbia international is the team’s only recognised defensive midfielder, which means the two players would be competing for game time if the transfer goes through.

If the youngster decides to join the Red Devils, it is the former Chelsea player who will probably miss out the most, as Solskjaer has given the youth plenty of chances so far.

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward should sign Jude Bellingham in the summer? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur are holding talks with Southampton over a deal that would see Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg move to north London and Kyle Walker-Peters head in the opposite direction. 

Both clubs are confident that an agreement can be reached, as Jose Mourinho has identified Hojbjerg as the holding midfielder that he needs to rebuild Spurs’ midfield.

According to The Guardian, as relayed by @Daily_Hotspur, the ex-Bayern Munich ace fits the type of profile that Tottenham are seeking.

Hojbjerg has played 31 games in the Premier League this season, supplying one assist, taking 1.3 shots, winning 2.5 tackles and completing 1.5 clearances per game on average (via WhoScored).

Meanwhile, Walker-Peters has spent the past few months on loan at Southampton, where he has enjoyed himself so much at St Mary’s that he is keen to stay on a permanent basis.

However, the two players’ valuations are proving to be a sticking point. Southampton had valued Hojbjerg at £35m before nationwide lockdown but circumstances have now changed.

Ralph Hasenhuttl stripped the Dane of the captaincy after he refused to sign a new deal and he has even been left out of the squad altogether in recent weeks.

Southampton are not prepared to spend heavily on Walker-Peters as he is still largely unproven in the Premier League. As Hojbjerg only has one year left on his contract, the Saints will seek about £25m for their former captain.

Spurs should be able to meet Southampton’s asking price in principle, as Daniel Levy splashed the cash to sign Tanguy Ndombele last year.

Nevertheless, further questions will be raised about Ndombele’s future at the club if Hojbjerg ends up in north London in the summer.

Tottenham fans, do you think should Daniel Levy sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!

Newcastle United ace Allan Saint-Maximin has lost out to Martin Dubravka as the Tyneside club’s player of the year for the 2019/20 season.

As per the official website of the Magpies, the 31-year old takes over from last campaign’s winner Salomon Rondon and becomes the sixth different keeper to win the award.

Indeed, having played in every minute of this Premier League term, keeping a relatively impressive 11 clean sheets in the process, perhaps the choice of Dubravka is justified.

However, one player who may count themselves unlucky to have missed out on the accolade is Saint-Maximin.

Indeed, the 23-year old has arguably been a revelation in his debut season at St. James’ Park, bein ever so influential especially in the top flight.

Saint-Maximin scored three goals and made a further four assists in England’s highest division in this campaign, while also creating eight big chances and averaging 4.7 successful dribbles and 1.3 key passes per game, according to Sofascore.

In addition to these stats, the choice of Dubravka could also be put into question based off of the fact that he made the most errors leading to goals out of any other player in the league (via premierleague.com).

Nevertheless, the Slovakian international has won the award ahead of Saint-Maximin and will surely be hoping to win it for the next term if possible.

Whether he keeps his place in the team though is another matter, especially with the summer transfer window opening and a proposed takeover looming large over the North East.

Geordies, does Dubravka deserve to be named player of the year? Comment below!