For the first time this season, Jürgen Klopp may have every senior player available for selection on Saturday.
At a time of the season usually renowned for injuries and fatigue, Liverpool welcome Newcastle to Anfield this weekend with a clean bill of health. Several reds missed last week’s clash with West Ham due to illness, but the return of Jordan Henderson and Nathaniel Clyne to full training this week means Klopp has a full squad to choose from.
While the front three pretty much picks itself for the Reds, there is still plenty of debate about the midfield and defence. Joe Gomez has spent a lot of time at right back this season, but has lost his place in recent weeks to Trent Alexander-Arnold due to injury.
Newcastle’s visit to Anfield seems like the right time to reinstall Gomez into the back line. Alexander-Arnold, valued at £7.20 million on Transfermarkt, has been in fine form recently, but 20 year-old Gomez offers a bit more defensive stability.
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Alexander-Arnold’s attacking intent has been valuable this season, especially when teams sit deep like Rafa Benitez’s men probably will, but they will also look to use either Christian Atsu or new signing Kenedy as an outlet on the left. Gomez could prevent this threat.
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Gomez could also benefit from getting 90 minutes on his return from injury, with Klopp likely to select the more defensive option when the Reds visit Old Trafford next weekend.
So, Liverpool fans, should Joe Gomez replace Alexander-Arnold on Saturday? Let us know by voting below…
Former Everton youngster Oliver Shannon has revealed that he still has ambitions of turning out for the Toffees despite his early release from the Merseyside club.
Shannon was on Everton’s books between the ages of five and 18, but left the club after failing to win a professional contract.
The midfielder, who is now 22 years old, has spent the last three years playing for College team Clemson Tigers in South Carolina.
Shannon was selected by Atalanta United in January’s Major League Soccer SuperDraft, however, where he will play under former Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino.
Despite his big break arriving in the United States, the midfielder has revealed that his ‘dream’ is to return to Everton at some point in the future.
Shannon told the Liverpool Echo:
“My highlight in America so far is definitely graduation. My dream job in the future would be a sporting director or general manager – over here or back home – or something where you can combine scouting with the commercial role.
“But for now, I’m single and can definitely see myself coming back. I would like to return and play and as high as I could. The dream is obviously still to play for Everton. Whether I do that or not remains to be seen.”
Everton, who have recently been linked with a shock move for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, are back in action at home to Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend.
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The Toffees are currently on a run of three defeats in their last four Premier League matches.
New Southampton manager Mark Hughes will look to lead the club to the semi-finals of the FA Cup in his first match in charge when the Premier League strugglers face League One high-flyers Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium on Sunday.
A 3-0 defeat in what looked to be a must-win top flight clash against Newcastle United last weekend saw Mauricio Pellegrino relieved of his duties, and it was a long time coming considering Saints have now won just one of their last 17 league games.
That crushing loss left them just one point above the relegation zone with eight matches remaining, and they look to be in real danger of dropping into the Championship given the fact that five of those fixtures are away, while they also have to host Chelsea and Manchester City at St Mary’s.
Hughes, who took his first training session on Thursday, will know the tough task that lies ahead of him, but first he will look to receive a confidence booster in the most famous domestic cup competition in the world, with an opportunity for the south coast outfit to reach the last four for the first time since they got to the final in 2003.
It certainly won’t be an easy task against the Latics however, who remain on course for automatic promotion to the Championship and have already seen off Premier League opposition in Bournemouth, West Ham United and Manchester City in the FA Cup on their own patch this season.
Pellegrino made two changes from the side that drew with Stoke City at St Mary’s for the long trip to St James’ Park last weekend, and following such a disappointing display where some players appeared to give up, Hughes will be thinking about making changes to the XI on Sunday.
Here is how Southampton must line up against Wigan, ahead of Alex McCarthy in goal…
Pellegrino’s first-choice back four in recent weeks has been Cedric Soares, Jack Stephens, Wesley Hoedt and Ryan Bertrand, and unless any of them pick up knocks in the build up to the match then Hughes should stick with them.
While the full-backs’ spots look to be particularly safe, the return of Maya from injury could throw a spanner into the works at the DW Stadium, but the new Southampton boss should look to go with the quartet that have played together consistently in 2018.
Pellegrino decided to drop Oriol Romeu for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at St James’ Park with the Spaniard one yellow card away from a two-match ban, and just because he has generally looked a little off the pace in recent weeks.
It was probably the right decision by the Argentine boss, but both the Dane and central midfield partner Mario Lemina had a nightmare in the first-half against Newcastle, and must improve significantly at the DW Stadium.
Hughes shouldn’t risk playing Romeu given he will be needed in the Premier League, while the 54-year-old should finally look to move away from the 4-2-3-1 system that has proved so unsuccessful this term.
Instead he should go with more of a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Nathan Redmond and youngster Josh Sims, who the fans have been impressed with in recent weeks, on the wings to bring pace and a counter-attacking threat against the League One high-flyers.
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Too often this season under Pellegrino the lone striker in the 4-2-3-1 system was left far too isolated, and it is something that Hughes must look to change in their final nine matches this season.
Despite failing to score in his first eight appearances for the club, the Welsh manager should keep the faith with club-record buy Guido Carrillo up top at the DW Stadium because of the physical presence he has, but he should look to play Manolo Gabbiadini, who the fans are desperate to see start matches, alongside him to try and bring that added attacking threat.
That change would see Dusan Tadic drop to the substitutes’ bench, and the Serbia international could have few arguments seeing as he hasn’t been performing at his best over the course of the last 18 months, and was taken off at half-time against Newcastle last weekend.
England’s two friendlies were supposed to give Gareth Southgate a clearer picture of who should and shouldn’t be part of his World Cup plans.
But if anything, the 1-0 win over the Netherlands and the 1-1 draw with Italy only highlighted the impressive array of options the Three Lions boast in a somewhat unorthodox 3-5-2 formation.
Southgate’s setup put offensive-minded players in favourable positions, allowing them to roam and break forward from practically any area of the pitch.
Key to that though, is the balance provided by the holding player at the base of midfield – something Jordan Henderson and Eric Dier both did to good effect against Oranje and Azzurri respectively.
Indeed, the 37-cap Liverpool captain provided a real platform in midfield as England beat the Netherlands on Friday night, especially in terms of possession. In addition to winning the ball back with three assists, he completed 95% of his passes, including 16 long balls, and registered the most passes of any England player – an impressive 91.
But the Tottenham utility man, who Transfermarkt value at £36million, was given his audition against Italy and produced an equally solid display.
Although he was less influential in terms of winning the ball, registering just one tackle and one interception, he added aerial protection in front of the defence and was metronomic on the ball as well – completing 92% of his passes and recording the most touches of any England player.
With both holding options showing the solidity and vital balance they can offer this incredibly mobile and fluid in England team, Southgate is left with a key decision to make for the World Cup – especially if he sticks with a 3-5-2 system that allows for only one defensive midfielder.
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So, England fans, who do you think is the better option? Let us know by voting below…
Paul Heckingbottom says he is still deciding who to keep or sell this summer, and fans have been recommending plenty of names to put in the sell category.
When Paul Heckingbottom replaced Thomas Christiansen in February, fans expected a bit of a bounce from the new manager at the very least.
That didn’t happen though, and Leeds have gone from playoff hopefuls to mid-table obscurity in the space of a few months.
Since Heckingbottom took over, his side have won just twice, but while plenty are calling for the 40 year-old to leave this summer, many fans are hopeful he can make a positive impact with a full transfer window under his belt.
The ex-Barnsley man insisted at his pre-Sunderland press conference on Thursday that they are purely focused on the impending games, but also admitted he is considering his options for next season.
Several players have taken a lot of stick from supporters in the second half of the season, and deservedly so.
Fans have been reacting to Heckingbottom’s comments on Twitter, and it seems they are expecting a massive squad overhaul this summer.
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Writing in his column for The Evening Times, former Rangers hero Lee McCulloch believes Graeme Murty should select Kenny Miller for this weekend’s massive Scottish Cup semi-final against Celtic.
What’s the story?
Sunday’s fixture represents Rangers’ last chance to win silverware this season and an opportunity to show progress has been made against Celtic this season.
Having failed to beat the Hoops since Brendan Rodgers arrived at the club, it’s an enormous task for Graeme Murty and his men but Lee McCulloch reckons that selecting Miller will go a long way towards securing a result.
Writing for The Evening Times, the former Gers captain said:
On an occasion like this, you need to use your experience and there is nobody more experienced than Kenny Miller. I know it is only one game and one goal, but he came in and his confidence will be high. He would be in my side.
The way Celtic play, you are all but guaranteed that they will score. So Rangers need to score at least twice if they are going to win.
Having Miller and Morelos in there gives you a real threat. You need to turn up with a belief that you are going to win the game and you need to set out to win it.
Can Kenny Miller be the difference in what will be a high tempo, high pressure match?
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Derby hero
Miller has one of the greatest scoring records against Celtic of any Rangers player, scoring 10 goals in 18 matches including one in a Scottish Cup semi-final which the Light Blues went on to win on penalties.
Although he’s been a less important figure at the club this term, he has scored five goals and created five assists, demonstrating he still has what it takes to produce for the club.
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It’d be a big ask for him to start Sunday’s match but perhaps a role from the bench would be more suitable if the game is tight in the second half.
There aren’t many other players you’d fancy more to bag a goal on the big stage against the Hoops than the former Scotland international.
According to a number of reports, West Ham United are considering a move for Stoke City attacker Xherdan Shaqiri in this summer’s transfer window.
The 26-year-old has scored seven times and registered six assists in 32 Premier League appearances for the Potters this season, and will surely move on if Paul Lambert’s side are relegated to the Championship for the 2018-19 campaign.
Shaqiri’s talent has never been in doubt, but there are suggestions that the Swiss lacks the work-rate and indeed desire to be a player at the top level.
West Ham boss David Moyes was able to have a closer look at Shaqiri on Monday night when Stoke visited the London Stadium in the Premier League.
It was the attacker’s strike that Joe Hart spilled to allow Peter Crouch to send Stoke ahead, and there is no question that the former Bayern Munich winger, who is valued at £16.2m by transfermarkt.co.uk, was the away side’s player of the night.
Boasting three dribbles and two shots, Shaqiri was regularly involved in the final third of the field, whilst a passing accuracy of 90% shows just how well he used the ball.
Statistics of 54 touches and three key passes also demonstrate his effectiveness on the night, and there is no question that he has the ability to slot into one of West Ham’s attacking positions.
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There are occasions where Shaqiri frustrates, but he has been Stoke’s standout player this season, and the possibility of the former Bayern Munich attacker linking with Marko Arnautovic in the final third of the field is an exciting thought for the West Ham fans.
There is every reason to believe that Shaqiri would continue to improve alongside the likes of Manuel Lanzini, and the pair could cause havoc together next season.
Leeds fans are absolutely furious despite Saturday’s huge win, after news broke that Victor Orta will stay at the club this summer.
It’s been an up and down season for Leeds fans. “Up and down” in this instance literally meaning up then down, down and further down.
After a good run of form before Christmas, fans have watched on in despair as their side’s playoff push has completely evaporated.
With pressure mounting on manager Paul Heckingbottom, his side did him proud on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Barnsley.
Heckingbottom moved to Elland Road from Barnsley in February, so he would have certainly enjoyed the win that came courtesy of goals from Tom Pearce and Ezgjan Alioski.
It’s fair to say fans might not have enjoyed today so much though if they saw the news about Victor Orta.
Orta has taken plenty of stick for his awful recruitment since coming to Elland Road, and Phil Hay of the Yorkshire Evening Post reported before the match that reports linking Orta with a move to Deportivo are wide of the mark.
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Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Arsene Wenger took charge of his final home game as Arsenal manager against Burnley on Sunday.
The Frenchmen walked out to a rapturous reception and guard of honour before his players paid tribute by convincingly thrashing Burnley 5-0.
Goals from Alecandre Lacazette, Sead Kolasinac, Alex Iwobi and a brace from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ensured Wenger’s 22-year reign as Gunners boss ended in style on home soil.
Wenger brought in free-flowing attacking football to Arsenal and this game summed up his footballing philosophy.
Club legends watched on, while many fans will be left wondering where this type of performance has been all season.
Addressing the crowd at the end of the game Wenger wished Sir Alex Ferguson a swift recovery before saying: “Thank you for having me for such a long time. Above all, I am like you an Arsenal fan.
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“I would like to finish with one simple phrase – I will miss you. Thank you for being such an important part of my life and I hope to see you soon.”
Football fans reflected on Wenger’s time as manager via Twitter afterwards…
Manchester United ensured they will finish second in the English Premier League this season with a 0-0 draw away to West Ham United on Thursday evening.
Although challenging for the title is clearly what they want, the point earned at least ensures they will finish ahead of Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea and Arsenal, who all share similar ambitions to the Red Devils.
The performance wasn’t the most exciting from Jose Mourinho’s side against the Hammers, setting up with three centre-backs and two defensive wing-backs, leading to criticism from supporters who are rapidly losing patience with his negative tactics.
Fans want to see a more dynamic and expansive United side that brings an attacking style to their opponents, designed to go out and win games.
Some are so fed up that they’re calling for the Portuguese to go this summer.
Mourinho and his team will be hoping they can cheer supporters up by lifting the FA Cup when they meet Chelsea in the final next week.
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Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts after Thursday night’s performance…