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Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk put in memorable displays in Brighton’s agonising 1-0 defeat away to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night.

The Seagulls were playing their game-in-hand over Cardiff, who sit 18th in the table and only three points behind them.

Dunk has enjoyed a good season for Brighton, having earned his first England call-up and cap under Gareth Southgate, and he’s kicked on this season despite Brighton’s dip in form.

Dunk’s partner Duffy made a wonderful clearance on the goal-line to deny Dele Alli in the first half – a chance he looked destined to score.

In the end it needed Christian Eriksen to conjure a beautiful left-footed effort into the near corner of the net to break down a resilient and stubborn Brighton defence who are fighting for their Premier League survival.

Despite Brighton not winning a Premier League game since their 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at the beginning of March, fans saw optimism in this performance, and many singled out the centre-back pairing for their contribution.

Marco Silva has recently been forced to stick his faith back into some of the senior players in the Everton camp in the hopes of getting some momentum going before the season comes to an end and one player who has certainly used the opportunity to show his worth as a club stalwart again is Seamus Coleman.

The right-back has been rolling back the years in the past few weeks that saw the Toffees claim impressive wins over Chelsea and West Ham United with Saturday’s victory at the London Stadium a very dominant display by Marco Silva’s men.

Coleman had a busy afternoon against the Hammers, mainly on attacking duties, especially in the first-half as Everton applied heaps of pressure on the flanks, which caused West Ham a lot of problems. How good is it to see him doing well again, Toffees fans? It’s been far too long.

The 30-year-old’s linkup play with Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison was very impressive, which gave him the opportunity to square a pass to Bernard for Everton’s second goal of the match.

Indeed, during the Chelsea visit just before the international break, Coleman was more lively in defence and had to cope with the likes of Eden Hazard to keep the Blues out in what was a brilliant defensive showing by the whole Everton outfit.

The experience and wisdom of Coleman has clearly helped this Everton team get some rhythm together and remain calm in certain pressure moments of the match.

The ‘back-to-basics’ approach by Silva looks to have worked after what has been a very turbulent campaign so far for Everton.

Perhaps Seamus Coleman will need replacing in the not too distant future but, right now, the Republic of Ireland stalwart is certainly rolling back the years. In one of the most important positions in modern football, his recent renaissance only adds to his legend as one of the club’s best ever modern-day signings.

Everton fans, how impressed have you been with Seamus Coleman of late? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

West Bromwich Albion’s season seems to have come to a bizarre standstill.

After producing some scintillating attacking football all season and even looking primed for automatic qualification at one point, they’re now winless and goalless in their last two encounters.

Indeed, the embarrassing 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Leeds United proved that perhaps Darren Moore isn’t the right man for promotions dreams after-all.

Moore’s been given a luxurious amount of options for a Championship squad, with West Brom even financing moves in January by bringing in Jefferson Montero and Jacob Murphy to further boost their tantalizing attack. However, their inability to form a strong defensive shape has come back to haunt West Brom time and again this season.

The fact that they’ve conceded 47 goals, the second most among any top-half side, proves how Moore just get his defensive combination correctly. They managed to hold onto many defenders from last season, but Moore hasn’t done much in improving them.

He’s gotten the most out of his impressive attackers, yet his side’s tendency to switch off during games and error-prone nature has undone his good work. The Baggies could be through to the playoffs due to their stunning attack, led by the brilliant Jay Rodriguez, but their poor defensive and slow midfield might cost them progression beyond that.

Moore needs to understand his side’s weaknesses and work on them before it’s too late.

If The Baggies keep on leaking in goals, they might have to end up battling in the Championship for another season.

Amid what can only be described as an underwhelming season by their standards, things could be about to get much worse for Chelsea.

Zinedine Zidane’s return to Real Madrid has only stoked the fire when it comes to Eden Hazard’s potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu, and the Belgian could possibly be joined by one of his current team-mates in what would be a huge blow for the Blues.

The Breakdown

The Evening Standard reports that, as well as Hazard, Real Madrid are also keen on world-class midfielder N’Golo Kante.

Unlike Hazard, though, Kante still has years to run on his current deal after extending his contract earlier on in the campaign.

That, however, should not stop the 27-year-old from at least trying to push for a move to the Bernabeu with now arguably a good time to leave the west London club from his perspective.

As harsh as it may sound with Maurizio Sarri having been at Stamford Bridge for less than a year, under the Italian, the Blues do not look to be going anywhere.

Real Madrid, of course, are not in a good moment either, though that could easily change with Zidane now at the helm and after a summer of spending.

With that in mind, if Kante wants to further his career just like Hazard, then a move to Real Madrid is probably in his best interest.

Chelsea fans, are the club about to lose both Hazard and Kante this summer? Join the discussion by commenting below.

Celtic have widened the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership as they look to secure their tenth consecutive league crown.

Steven Gerrard’s Rangers and Aberdeen remain in the title race but Celtic have overcome their early-season woes to return to their brilliant best. The focus for Brendan Rodgers will be to keep their excellent form going into the latter stages of the campaign to ensure another Scottish Premiership trophy arrives at Celtic Park. Progressing past Valencia in the Europa League will also be a main target for the Hoops.

Looking ahead at the summer transfer window, there could be massive changes at Parkhead. Many players are currently on temporary deals at the club meaning Celtic fans should expect plenty of new arrivals. A long run in the Europa League could also provide Rodgers with some extra transfer funds for some new recruits.

One man he should be keeping tabs on is Huddersfield maestro – Aaron Mooy. Valued at £12.6m by Transfermarkt, the 28-year-old joined Manchester City in 2016 but was loaned to the Terriers before joining permanently in 2017. Mooy was crucial to their successful promotion bid and has been equally as impressive in the higher division. Huddersfield need a miracle to beat the drop and a number of their star players could be set for an exit.

The Australia international is one of the most complete midfielders in the league, effortlessly combining defence and attack. Mooy loves to get stuck in, averaging an impressive 2.3 tackles per game in the Premier League this season. The former Melbourne City man has the quality to dictate the tempo of the game with his wonderful passing range and expert vision – averaging 1.7 key passes per game this season (WhoScored).

Mooy would give Rodgers another brilliant option in the engine room with Scott Brown approaching the twilight of his career.

Celtic fans, thoughts?

Leeds United are on the cusp of pulling off something quite remarkable – a return to the top-flight for the first time in 16 years, so quite rightly their attention has turned to the summer.

Getting recruitment right will be absolutely key to their success, irrespective of the division they find themselves in.

According to the Daily Mail, the west Yorkshire outfit are one of several clubs taking a keen interest in West Ham midfielder Josh Cullen, who has been impressing out on loan for Charlton Athletic this season.

They’ll have to battle the likes of AFC Bournemouth, Norwich City and Championship title rivals West Brom for his signature while the Hammers could explore the option on his current contract.

So, would this be a wise move for Marcelo Bielsa to make? Our writers have given their verdicts on the matter, here’s what they have said…

Billy Meyers

“Josh Cullen has shone for Charlton in recent seasons, across both League One and the Championship. 

“He is already a full Republic of Ireland international and the Addicks supporters on Twitter have called for his permanent arrival in the past. If anyone has earned their passage into the Premier League, or the upper echelons of the second tier, then it is Cullen – Orta would be clever to make this move. Of course, Kalvin Phillips is the star midfielder at Elland Road, but Cullen would help provide added competition to the Englishman, and also much-needed depth – centre-back Ben White started Leeds’ last game against Huddersfield in midfield. 

“Also, with his energy, Cullen would make Phillips’ life easier in the middle of the park, while his passing ability would keep things ticking over nicely for Bielsa – the West Ham loanee has a pass accuracy of 83.2% this season.”

Matt Dawson

“A move for Cullen would be yet another Victor Orta disasterclass. The Director of Football has had his fair share in the last 12 months, namely Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Kevin Augustin who have both now struggled for football under Marcelo Bielsa. The fact of the matter is that Leeds’ midfield is already locked down.

“Kalvin Phillips is the star turn while Mateusz Klich has never missed a league match under the current management. As for Pablo Hernandez, he’s won their Player of the Season two years in a row. With Jamie Shackleton, Mateusz Bogusz, Robbie Gotts and Alfie McCalmont among their ranks too, it would be a baffling decision to sign the West Ham midfielder.”

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Danny Lewis

“Josh Cullen should have been given a chance at West Ham United by now, so if Leeds United were able to sign him, it would see them punish their mistake. Charlton Athletic currently sit in the relegation zone, but he has still shone, but this should be no surprise, as he was the man who put the cross in for their play-off final winner last season. Considering he would be available to join for free, as his contract is expiring in the summer, this would be an absolute no-brainer.”

Lewis Blain

“Leeds’ potential summer activity makes for an interesting conundrum because they will no doubt need players that can step up to the demands of the Premier League should they continue to keep this form up and earn that elusive return to the top-flight.

“A move for Josh Cullen on this basis would make very little sense as he’s hugely unproven at the elite level having only featured in three matches. As Villa are quickly finding out, the step-up isn’t as easy as it looks, so Bielsa could do with signing players who can cut the mustard at this level.

“On the contrary, they could sign him and see how he performs over the summer – there’s always a chance to loan him out back to the Championship if need be, so it wouldn’t be an absolute disaster if they followed through on these rumours.”

Calling all EFL experts: Can you get full marks on this stadiums quiz?

While in other news, Phil Hay plays down Leeds chance of permanent deal for star loanee…

Plenty of Leicester fans agreed with Brendan Rodgers’ decision to substitute Kelechi Iheanacho before half-time as the Foxes’ eight-match winning run in the Premier League came to an end.

The 23-year-old striker was involved in a controversial incident during the 1-1 draw against Norwich at the King Power Stadium, with his manager taking him off shortly afterwards.

Shortly after Teemu Pukki had given the visitors the lead, Iheanacho didn’t return the ball to the Canaries after a throw-in when they had kicked the ball out of play to allow for treatment for a stricken player. [via Daily Mail]

After being tripped by Christopher Zimmerman outside the penalty area, he “rolled around like he’d been shot”, in the words of the Daily Mail’s Joe Bernstein. The incident infuriated a few Norwich players and they angrily surrounded the Leicester striker, whose face was grabbed by Todd Cantwell in the aftermath.

Rodgers promptly took the decision to take Iheanacho off in the 39th minute and replace him with Demarai Gray (as per Sky Sports), a call that met with approval from these Leicester fans on Twitter, with some feeling that it was as much a tactical change as a reaction to the aforementioned incident:

Do you think Rodgers was right to take off Iheanacho when he did or did the manager act too hastily? Have your say by commenting below!

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Southampton manager Mark Hughes confirmed in his pre-match Fulham press conference on Thursday that striker Danny Ings is a “big doubt” for his team’s crucial Premier League clash against their fellow strugglers at Craven Cottage on Saturday.

What’s the word, then?

Well, speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to west London to face Claudio Ranieri’s men, the 55-year-old said:

“Danny is the big doubt at the moment.

“He’s only just got out on the grass so maybe tomorrow we might be able to integrate him into the group. As we stand at the moment, he has to be a doubt.”

The 26-year-old summer addition was forced off during the first-half of the 1-1 draw with Watford at St Mary’s last time out having picked up a knock during the warm-up, and it appears as though he still hasn’t recovered.

What will it mean for Hughes’ frontline?

The Welshman knows what an important game this is for both the south coast and himself – reports suggest he is likely to go if his team lose – and they he still has plenty of options to choose from even with Ings potentially missing out and Shane Long definitely absent.

Manolo Gabbiadini is one of those but having impressed and scored against the Hornets from a wide position, he may not be the best choice through the middle for the visitors.

Check out the video below to see how Brazil fans reacted to being asked how Cristiano Ronaldo would peform for them in a hilarious prank by Playmaker FC…

While Charlie Austin would be the most senior striker to step into the starting XI or the most likely to partner Ings should he have been avialable, if Hughes is looking for more of a like-for-like replacement for the Liverpool loanee then teenager Michael Obafemi could be the man to get the nod.

The 18-year-old has enjoyed a whirlwind few weeks having appeared as a substitute in Southampton’s previous two Premier League fixtures, before picking up his first Republic of Ireland cap during the international break.

Chelsea will be looking to continue their excellent form after the international break, with four wins from four under new manager Mauro Sarri so far.

With the Blues looking impressive, losing players in January or even to agreements inbetween will not be on the agenda for Sarri, but one player who continues to be linked with a move back to Spain is left back Marcos Alonso.

The Spanish star has become one of the best fullbacks in the Premier League, and his goalscoring and assist exploits are something fantasy football managers around the country cash in on.

However, if Alonso was to leave, then we at the Tavern believe that Valencia fullback Jose Gaya could be the perfect replacement.

The 23-year-old, a Spanish native himself, has turned into one of the stars of La Liga over the last few seasons, and is highly rated both by club and country.

Valued at £35m, Gaya would be a superb signing for the Blues if a deal could be struck, especially if Alonso does end up making a move back to his homeland.

Quick, brilliant going forward, and someone who could very well be a like for like replacement for Alonso, Gaya would be an excellent addition at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea fans, what do you think? Will Alonso leave? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Barcelona forward Luis Suarez has said that former Liverpool teammate Philippe Coutinho would thrive if he made the move to Camp Nou.

Coutinho, 25, was strongly linked with Barcelona during the summer, and handed in a transfer request at Anfield in a bid to force the move.

Liverpool were not prepared to do business with the Catalan giants, however, and rejected at least two bids in excess of £100m for the Brazil international.

Coutinho is expected to push once again when the January transfer window opens for business, and Suarez has spoken of his admiration for his former teammate.

Suarez told Mundo Deportivo:

“Obviously he must have because he’s a player who has ambition and any player would want to come to Barca.

“I know him as a person and as a player because I played with him, but everyone knows what Coutinho can contribute. He is a footballer, who today, plays at a very high level.”

Coutinho, who is valued at £58.5m by transfermarkt.co.uk, has scored four times and provided three assists in nine appearances for the Reds this season.

Barcelona eventually signed Ousmane Dembele from Borussia Dortmund after missing out on Coutinho, but it is thought that the La Liga leaders are still in the hunt for the former Inter Milan playmaker.