Bielsa to name unchanged Leeds XI for West Brom clash, fans react

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Leeds fans aren’t happy with the latest from Marcelo Bielsa, as the boss expects to name an unchanged team for Friday’s showdown against West Brom.

Leeds suffered a big setback in their hunt for promotion on Tuesday night, losing their game in hand on the teams above them.

A win at QPR would have put the Whites back at the summit of the division, but the 1-0 defeat leaves Bielsa’s side toiling in third, two points behind leaders Norwich.

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Bielsa held his pre-West Brom press conference on Thursday, and the boss said he will deploy the same XI that started the match against QPR, per The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Adam Pope.

This is a little surprising even despite the lack of quality options in reserve, as players like Tyler Roberts and Luke Ayling really struggled.

Patrick Bamford will be breathing a sigh of relief as well, as the 25 year-old was caught on his toes for a couple of half-chances.

Bielsa can do little wrong to Leeds fans, but they’re not happy with this decision, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Nathan Redmond reveals that Ralph Hasenhuttl has told him to stop standing still

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In-form Southampton attacker Nathan Redmond has opened up to The Daily Echo on his one-to-one meeting with manager Ralph Hasenhuttl during the squad’s training camp in Tenerife earlier this month, saying that the Austrian told him to stop ‘standing still’.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 51-year-old boss had a discussion with and provided feedback on every player in the squad that was present for the trip to the Canary Island, which included Redmond.

The 24-year-old has been in scintillating form since Hasenhuttl was appointed as Mark Hughes’ successor back in December, scoring six goals and providing a further two assists in all competitions.

However, despite being arguably the south coast outfit’s best player in the last couple of months, the former Norwich City man revealed to The Daily Echo that he wasn’t exempt from having things to work on and improve.

Redmond said: “In terms of the negatives, he told me to not stand still as much. He noticed at the start when he first came in that I stood still and that I was waiting for things to happen.

“He said I was still standing still a little bit, but not as much as before.

“There are a lot of things like decision making and stuff, but at the end of the day if I want to keep developing and performing in this team, then I have to take it on board.”

Is Hasenhuttl right?

He probably is, yes.

While Redmond has clearly stepped it up in terms of being a big threat in the final third for Southampton in recent times, there are still obviously more ways in which he can affect matches for his side.

Hasenhuttl clearly wants the one-cap England international to be more aware and on his toes, providing that movement to help his teammates out when they are looking for forward passes.

It is the sort of contructive criticism that can make the 24-year-old an even better player than the one he is showing he is right now, and that can only benefit Saints in their battle against relegation.

Bizarre January arrival: Newcastle fans troll Antonio Barreca

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Antonio Barreca has not been seen in a Newcastle United shirt since making his debut for the club in the final stages of their Premier League clash with Tottenham Hotspur on February 2.

Barreca joined the Magpies on loan from Monaco during the January transfer window.

He played four minutes of his team’s 1-0 loss to Tottenham at the start of last month, but has not even made the bench for Newcastle’s last six Premier League matches.

Earlier this month, the English club’s fans had a negative reaction to a tweet mentioning the defender and it would be fair to say that things have not improved.

It was actually the Italian’s birthday on Monday.

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As expected, Newcastle’s official Twitter account was on hand to wish Barreca a happy 24th birthday, but the response from the club’s supporters was not too positive indeed.

A selection of the reaction can be seen below:

رسميًا.. يوفنتوس يعلن رحيل روجاني

أصدر نادي يوفنتوس الإيطالي بيانًا رسميًا قبل قليل، أعلن خلاله رحيل مدافعه دانييلي روجاني.

وكشف يوفنتوس في بيان رسمي عن رحيل دانييي روجاني إلى رين الفرنسي على سبيل الإعارة لمدة عام.

اقرأ أيضًا.. شكوك حول مصير مباراة يوفنتوس بعد تأجيل سفر لاعبي نابولي

لعب روجاني 101 مباراة بقميص البيانكونيري، في جميع المسابقات، لمدة 8033 دقيقة على أرض الملعب في هذه السنوات الخمس، مع تسجيل سبعة أهداف.

وتوج روجاني مع يوفنتوس بخمسة ألقاب للدوري الإيطالي وثلاثة ألقاب لكأس إيطاليا، ولقبين كأس السوبر الإيطالي.

Paul Glatzel could be next Liverpool star to roll off production line

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Paul Glatzel continues to knock on the door of the Liverpool first-team after a stunning display for the club’s Under-23s at the weekend.

The 18-year-old scored against Bournemouth in the Premier League Cup to continue his brilliant form for both the Under-23s and the Under-18s this season.

A confident striker, he has scored seven goals in the Premier League Cup alone this season, in just four games, spanning both age groups, including a hat-trick against Southampton in a 3-0 win.

That was his third treble of the season, after hitting two for the Under-18s, against Accrington Stanley in the FA Youth Cup and West Brom in the U18 Premier League.

In addition to his Premier League Cup exploits, Glatzel has notched up 16 goals in the U-18 Premier League, UEFA Youth League, FA Youth Cup and Premier League 2 this season.

Such is his precocious talent, Glatzel is currently captain of the U18 team and is making repeated forays into the upper age group.

Born in Liverpool, he holds dual heritage as his parents are German, and he has been capped at youth level by both England and Germany. He has won two caps for England’s Under-16 side, with his debut coming in 2016, but he was called up by Germany’s Under-18s in November of 2018 and played 45 minutes in a 1-0 win over Cyprus.

And his talents have not gone unnoticed on Merseyside, either. Just last week, Glatzel signed his first professional contract with the club and has already shown the resilience that will stand him in good stead in the first-team, having battled back from a broken leg sustained a couple of seasons ago.

Academy director Alex Inglethorpe has hailed his potential and believes that, if his development continues apace, he could one day have to decide between Germany and England’s senior team.

Quoted by the Liverpool Echo, he said: “Paul fell off the radar probably when he was about 14 or 15. It happens with some lads, you go through your growth spurt and he couldn’t have had any more bad luck really.

“It was one thing after another culminating in him breaking his leg. The support staff and the fitness coaches have been great in just monitoring his load a little bit throughout the year so he’s got stronger and stronger as we’ve gone on.

“He’s been on both England and Germany camps at youth level so if he’s lucky enough he’ll have a big choice to make at some point.”

A brilliant goal-getter, resilient, and clearly ready to make the step up, Glatzel could be the next Liverpool academy star to break into the first-team.

Potential Consequences of Crystal Palace signing Oliver Burke

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According to the print edition of The Daily Mail (21st March) via The Daily Record, Crystal Palace are keen on Oliver Burke as Roy Hodgson and Dougie Freedman, who is a big fan of the Scotsman, look to reinforce their front line in the summer.

The Eagles will surely have their work cut out to sign the impressive winger, as there would be ‘serious competition’ for the player’s signature once he returns to West Brom from Celtic at the end of the season, where he is currently on loan.

The former RB Leipzig man has impressed in Glasgow but the Baggies are reportedly looking to offload him in the summer and willing to listen to offers.

With Palace’s squad ageing, news that a 21-year-old starlet is on the radar will surely be welcomed by supporters, but what are the potential consequences of Burke being brought to Selhurst Park? Read on to find out…

Zaha back down the middle

With Chelsea sweating over a looming transfer embargo, it is unlikely that Palace will be able to retain the services of Michy Batshuayi beyond the current season; their striker search will go back to square one.

Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend had been used as an unorthodox duo up front until the Belgian’s arrival and the pair now look far more comfortable on their respective wings – it may not last, though.

Alexander Sorloth isn’t quite cutting the mustard, so Zaha and Townsend may be forced to reunite down the middle – an outcome even more likely if Burke joins the Eagles

Although the 5-cap international has scored four goals in six Scottish Premiership starts for Celtic and featured as a supporting striker, he could theoretically replace Zaha’s influence out wide while the Ivorian is deployed as a centre-forward again. It might not be to the former Manchester United man’s liking though – he has been far better since returning to his preferred role on the left.

The return of 4-4-2

As previously mentioned, Hodgson elected for a strike duo rather than a lone front man earlier in the season due to the lack of a prolific centre-forward but Batshuayi’s arrival has seen 4-3-3 become the former England boss’ formation of choice.

Burke, though, gives Hodgson the option of playing 4-4-2 the way he did last season, as the Scotsman could be the perfect replacement for Ruben Loftus-Cheek – the Chelsea man was excellent on SE25 last campaign and crucial to the system.

Loftus-Cheek’s driving runs opened up all kinds of space for the forwards but when Hodgson has tried to play 4-4-2 this season without that relentless, powerful forward running from out wide, it hasn’t quite worked as well.

Burke has pace and strength in abundance and could be dangerous for Palace should he be deployed out wide.

Max Meyer leaves

Palace pulled off one of the coups of the summer when they secured Max Meyer on a free from Schalke, but the former German wonder-kid hasn’t quite had the impact that was expected of him.

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While this might not be the midfielder’s fault as Hodgson prefers work-rate to technical ability in the middle of the park, he hasn’t done enough to warrant his surely enormous wage; he and Palace could part ways in the summer, particularly if Burke signs.

Hodgson has deployed Meyer mostly as a left-midfielder, even though it’s blatantly obvious he excels in a central role, and the arrival of Burke would further limit his opportunities in the starting XI. It could be the final straw for the under-appreciated number 7, who certainly deserves better than this.

James Tavernier would be a truly gutting Rangers exit

Rangers’ time with James Tavernier is finite and there is no doubt in our mind that fans will soon be mourning the loss of their star player and captain, with Premier League clubs reportedly very interested in acquiring his services.

It is an all too common phenomenon for the Scottish Premiership’s best players to leave the competition for “bigger” teams south of the border.

But the frequency in which this bitterly disappointing norm occurs makes it no easier for fans to digest when it inevitably happens.

This will especially be the case for James Tavernier.

Like a hot potato, the defender was sparsely handled by his parent clubs, Newcastle and Wigan, who opted to dish him out on seven consecutive loan spells around the lowest tiers of English football before Rangers offered a helping hand.

The club steadied his career and made him the player he is today: a major asset, a captain and a leader.

Now the Express are reporting that this journey is due to come to a premature end.

Tavernier, whose contract is set to expire in 2022, is apparently the subject of major interest from clubs in England.

And, honestly, this comes as no surprise given the shortage of real quality full-backs in the Premier League.

Rangers look all but resigned to their fate, lining up Millwall defender Romeo as a possible replacement.

However, he is no James Tavernier.

The Gers captain has been in scintillating form this season, building on three already impressive campaigns. But it is bittersweet. As great as it is watching him perform, it will always be in the back of fans minds that the better he plays, the more likely he is to transfer away.

Rangers fans, would you feel betrayed if James Tavernier left now? Join the discussion by commenting below.

Sergio Ramos saga should show Ed Woodward how to deal with David De Gea

All is right with Manchester United again.

They’re playing winning football under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with the majority of the squad motivated again under his watch. That being said, internal matters are seemingly in a complicated situation. Indeed, after tying Anthony Martial to a long-term contract, Ed Woodward is now looking into extending David De Gea’s stay at Old Trafford while the club’s hunt for a long-term manager rumbles on.

After the Red Devils triggered a one-year extension clause in the Spaniard’s contract until 2020, they’re now desperate to sign him to a long-term one. According to reports (via The Evening Standard), they’re prepared to hand him a mammoth £350,000-a-week contract, but the Spaniard is believed to want more.

Alexis Sanchez is currently United’s highest paid at around £400,000-a-week and the La Roja international is said to want a similar contract.

A no-brainer, right?

Well, not only would granting him that impact their balance sheet, it could also cause an uproar within the squad. While De Gea’s been their saviour many a time during the difficult, post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, United need to be wary of not dancing to his tunes. If they do, it could open up a whole can of worms.

Sergio Romero’s uprise in the cup competitions proves not only De Gea, but any talented goalkeeper can thrive at United’s world-class goalkeeping structure. While letting him leave would be a huge risk, paying him excessively will also pile external pressures on the Red Devils.

The Spaniard might’ve kept his 100th clean-sheet recently, but is taking advantage of his situation at United right now. United need to be cautious not to be conned into dancing to a player’s tune, regardless of how big he might be.

Ed Woodward has been taken for a ride by Sergio Ramos – who used United’s 2015 interest to manoeuvre a new deal at Real Madrid – during his stint in charge of footballing matters at Old Trafford, he must learn from his mistake or risk wasting even more money.

Manchester City fans celebrate after Bernardo Silva signs a new long-term contract

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Manchester City fans have taken to Twitter to celebrate after it was confirmed on the club’s official Twitter account that Bernardo Silva had signed a new long-term contract.

The Portuguese international’s new deal will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until at least 2025, and is reward for his exceptional performances this season which have led to huge praise from boss Pep Guardiola.

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Silva, formerly of Monaco, has recorded nine goals and set up seven more in the current campaign, emerging as one of the Citizens’ most important players in a team full of world-class talent.

The 24-year-old has already won a Premier League title and two Carabao Cups with the current league leaders, and will most likely add some more silverware to his collection come the end of the season.

Let’s see what the City fans on Twitter are saying about the confirmation of Silva’s new deal, a player who has quickly become a fan favourite at the club…

Would love this: Newcastle fans offer their views on Nandez transfer speculation

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According to Calciomercato, Newcastle United are one of several sides considering a move for Boca Juniors midfielder Nahitan Nandez in this summer’s transfer window.

And the English club’s fans have been on social media reacting to the speculation.

Nandez, 23, represented Uruguay at the 2018 World Cup.

The midfielder is also a key player for Boca, scoring six times and registering four assists in 48 appearances in all competitions for the Argentine outfit.

According to Calciomercato, Newcastle have joined the race for the South American, but the Magpies will face competition from Leeds United.

It is currently unclear what type of budget head coach Rafa Benitez will have to spend in this summer’s transfer window, but the speculation is currently rife as the end of the 2018-19 campaign draws ever closer.

A number of the club’s supporters have been on Twitter offering their views on the report – a selection of which can be seen below:

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