Liverpool fans look ahead to Sunday after Champions League defeat

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Liverpool fans seem to have put Wednesday night’s 1-0 loss at Napoli behind them and they are confident their team can bounce back on Sunday when they face Manchester City in the Premier League.

Jurgen Klopp’s men suffered a rare defeat in their Champions League match with the Italian side after a Lorenzo Insigne goal in the final minute of normal time capped off a rather poor performance by the Reds.

The club’s fans however feel the team can turn things around when they host Pep Guardiola’s men at Anfield. Both teams have yet to lose a match in the Premier League this season and, if last year’s fixture is anything to go by, Sunday’s clash should be another cracking one.

Reds fans are hoping for a similar performance to the one on that day when Liverpool brought City’s unbeaten run in the league to an end with a 4-3 victory.

Here are some of the Twitter reactions by Liverpool fans following Wednesday’s match:

Liverpool fans undecided on Aaron Ramsey rumours

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Liverpool fans appear to be undecided on the rumour they are showing an interest in Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

Negotiations between the 27-year-old and the Gunners on a contract extension were stopped at the end of September when the club withdrew their initial deal that had been on offer to Ramsey for a couple of months.

According to the Evening Standard, Liverpool will have to rival Manchester United for the services of Ramsey with the Red Devils also keen on luring him to Old Trafford.

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While some Reds supporters have indicated that they would like to see Ramsey play under Jurgen Klopp, others feel that the Welshman isn’t good enough for them.

Here are some of the mixed Twitter reactions by Liverpool fans:

Tottenham fans heap praise on Winks display vs Spain

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Loads of Tottenham fans have been reacting to England’s win in Spain, and they’re absolutely delighted with the form of Harry Winks.

Tottenham fans will never forget last season’s win over Real Madrid, mainly due to the performance of Winks.

The 22-year-old completely bossed the La Liga giants’ midfield, and looked to be emerging as the clear choice to start in midfield for both club and country.

An ankle injury derailed his season though, and fans delighted to see him get back to his best.

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The youngster struggled in the recent defeat to Liverpool and at times against Barcelona, but he showed exactly what he is made of in Seville on Monday night.

Gareth Southgate’s side won 3-2 courtesy of a goal from Marcus Rashford and a brace from Raheem Sterling, but Winks is taking his fair share of the plaudits.

The Tottenham youngster pulled all the strings in midfield, and his ability to look forward and break lines with his passing is far superior to the likes of Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions to his display down below…

Between The Lines: Gareth Southgate hints that his front-three are here to stay

In his post-match press conference after England’s 3-2 win over Spain on Monday night, Gareth Southgate praised his new-look front-three but also hinted that they were under huge pressure before the game.

What did he say?

“I think all three of them (Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford and Raheem Sterling) have understandably had questions asked and all three of them responded with real top performances. We were able to play off them, they retained the ball well for us and allowed us to build…

… As a team, to come here and play the way that they did is a great reference point for the future.”

What did he really mean?

The fact that Southgate referenced the recent questions over these three players, especially after the 0-0 draw in Croatia last Friday night, proves that the pressure on them to deliver in Seville was huge in terms of retaining their places in the side.

This would have been particularly pertinent for Rashford, who missed a couple of gilt-edged chances against Croatia, and Sterling who had failed to score for England since 2015 before his double.

As captain, Kane is less likely to be dropped in the future despite not scoring now in his last seven appearances for the Three Lions, but it sounded as though even he needed to prove himself to Southgate in this new formation.

The after-effect

With Southgate then talking about the future and how this performance and result against Spain will stick with his side, it seems as though the front-three of Kane, Rashford and Sterling is here to stay.

This will obviously have an impact on those looking to break into the side, such as 18-year-old Jadon Sancho who made his debut for the senior side against Croatia and looked one of the most creative players on the pitch.

After blowing Spain away so convincingly in the first half, Rashford and Sterling should clearly now retain their places, but Southgate will need to be wary that their inclusion doesn’t harm the development of the younger, exciting players that are coming through the system.

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West Ham keen on bringing Joao Mario back to the London Stadium

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According to Claret and Hugh, West Ham could make a January move for Inter Milan’s Joao Mario to reinforce a midfield stricken with injuries.

What’s the story?

Portuguese Mario signed for West Ham in January on a short loan spell last season, chipping in with a couple of goals and also impressing fans with his work rate and versatility.

There was an option to buy the 25-year-old for £26m in the summer (Sky Sports) but the London club declined to do so, opting to spend their budget elsewhere as they brought in Ukrainian Andriy Yarmolenko, Lazio winger Felipe Anderson and centre-back Issa Diop to name but a few.

With summer signing Yarmolenko the most recent Hammer to be struck down by injury, reports believe that Manuel Pellegrini could dip into the market in January to bring the 40-capped international back across the channel.

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Could Mario make his return?

The former Sporting Lisbon man has become estranged at Inter following his comments in an interview with Gazetta dello Sport (via Football Italia) and has so far not made a single appearance in a competitive match for the San Siro outfit; the Portuguese has either been an unused substitute or left out of the match-day squad completely.

The number 15 is capable of filling in all across the midfield and his performances for the Hammers last season showed that he is good enough for the top flight. Currently Robert Snodgrass looks likely to slot in for Yarmolenko in a 4-1-4-1 but the 380 league minutes he has played in claret and blue this season have yet to yield a goal or an assist, even if he has impressed with his work rate and commitment to the cause.

West Ham’s injury crisis might leave them in desperate times but there’s no need to panic; if they can secure another loan deal or a permanent transfer for Mario (he is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt) in January then they will have a player whom they know what can be expected from.

Maximiliano Gomez would help Man United hit a new level

Jose Mourinho would be wise to target a new striker in the January transfer window.

Anthony Martial netted his third goal in three games as United defeated Everton 2-1 at the weekend, but Mourinho surely still wants to bolster his forward options. With one goal in nine games between Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford, the Portuguese will want to land a regular goalscorer in January to boost his firepower. With United still five points behind Arsenal, their output needs to increase if they are to finish in the top four.

Luckily for Mourinho, United are willing to back the former Chelsea boss significantly in the January transfer window. Reports suggest the Red Devils could make around £100m available to improve his ranks in the New Year. A new forward is believed to be high on his short list as well as a new defender.

One man Mourinho should be watching is Celta Vigo hotshot – Maximiliano Gomez. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Uruguay forward has taken La Liga by storm since joining the club last summer. Gomez hit 19 league goals in his debut season, and the 22-year-old has already found the back of the net four times this campaign before an injury hampered his progress.

The 22-year-old is a powerful, physical forward who would have no trouble adapting to the rigours of the Premier League. With a proven goal record in a tough division, Gomez could be the answer to Mourinho’s prayers. His lethal finishing and intelligent movement would have United’s creative players licking their lips.

The forward is young and improving with every game – moving to the Premier League to play in a side of United’s quality would only further his development. If his goals continue, it won’t be long before Europe’s elite come calling. United must snap him up before someone else does.

Manchester United fans, thoughts?

The Chalkboard: What Fulham must do to stand a chance against Liverpool

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All of the optimism that accompanied Fulham as they were promoted to the Premier League ahead of this season has gradually ebbed away. Now, they have a manager on the verge of the sack and the worst defensive record in the top flight.

Such a poor back line has led to the Cottagers becoming the division’s whipping boys who even Cardiff can put four goals past. With Liverpool next on the agenda things look set to get worse before they get better. 

If the west Londoners are to stand any chance of securing a result at Anfield, they must be tactically perfect.

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On the Chalkboard 

Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic must dial back his attacking instincts to an extent and focus on constructing a far more balanced rearguard, which includes playing players in their natural positions.

The time has also come for Jokanovic to place faith in the players who secured promotion for Fulham in the first place. Including the likes of Tim Ream, Ryan Sessegnon and Cyrus Christie in the starting XI ought to provide a measure of defensive cohesion that the overabundance of newcomers at the club cannot yet muster.

Equally, the central midfielders and wide attackers must be diligent in performing their defensive duties.

Soccer Football – Carabao Cup Fourth Round – Manchester City v Fulham – Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain – November 1, 2018 Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough

Taking chances

Defensive solidity is the foundation of any successful side. That is a lesson that Liverpool themselves have had to learn in recent years. If Fulham can find that base to build from at the back then they can still survive and thrive in the Premier League.

Against the Reds, the Cottagers have the attacking quality to create chances. If they take their chances and match that with a greater focus upon maintaining their defensive focus, then at the very least signs of improvement and progress should be evident on Sunday.

Moving for Mitrovic would make little sense for Liverpool

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Former Liverpool striker John Aldridge has suggested in his column for the Liverpool Echo that the club should make a move for Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.

What’s the word?

Jurgen Klopp already has some decent attacking options at his disposal, in the form of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane.

Last season, the team blew everyone away with their scintillating free-flowing moves, but that energy has been lacking in the current campaign.

In his column for the Liverpool Echo, Aldridge suggested that Mitrovic would give the Reds a different option and style.

“He gives you something that little bit different and I like him as a squad player. The way Liverpool play they could do with someone who provides a bit of diversity and a Plan B.”

Does he have a point?

Mitrovic would certainly bring a different facet to Klopp’s team, but it is not one that they really need.

The manager has already experimented with formations this season as his tried and trusted 4-3-3 has shifted to 4-2-3-1 at times.

Salah was the focal point up front for Liverpool against Fulham last weekend, but his attributes are more than just that of a striker.

Mitrovic certainly has talent as he has netted five goals for the Cottagers this season, but he is more one-dimensional than Salah.

Would Liverpool be able to sign him anyway?

Fulham only landed the Serbian’s signature on a permanent deal from Newcastle United last year.

With that in mind, it would be a surprise if they agreed to let him go, unless Liverpool came in with a mammoth offer.

No disrespect to Mitrovic, but he is not worth a hefty fee, particularly as he would only be playing a bit-part role under Klopp.

Brown recovery could be better than any signing in January

According to Leeds Live, 21-year-old loanee Izzy Brown is nearing his debut for The Whites.  

The Chelsea player sustained an ACL injury in January whilst playing for Premier League outfit Brighton. He signed for Leeds on loan in August with the pre-existing injury, but is now drawing close to his much awaited return from injury.

This is a player that manager Marcello Bielsa clearly has a plan for, otherwise he would not have signed him with such an injury. He must be highly regarded at Elland Road, which is understandable, as he has been very impressive in his brief career so far.

No matter what club Brown has played for, he has made a good account of himself. His Championship spells at Rotherham and Huddersfield two seasons ago proved to be very fruitful, particularly helping The Terriers earn promotion to the Premier League.

Leeds already have a small squad, and have looked to be struggling at times when injuries have occurred. When taking into the intense style of football that Bielsa demands, squad depth and rotation is key. While January is the time to strengthen a squad, Brown provides a much better alternative for The Peacocks. While a new signing would need time to adjust to the Argentinian’s style of football, Brown will be well accustomed to it already, it would just be a case of working his way to match fitness.

The versatile Brown will ease the pressure considerably of Leeds’ squad when he returns, and could well be the trick up Bielsa’s sleeve he’s been waiting to unleash in his title push.

Signing N’Golo Kante could save Manchester United, but not under Jose Mourinho

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According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are plotting an ambitious move to sign Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante.

What’s the word?

Kante has been a revelation since his arrival in England in 2015. By the end of his first campaign with Leicester City, he had become a Premier League title winner with the Foxes. A second league triumph followed in the next campaign with the midfielder by then a Chelsea player. 

A World Cup winner with France in the summer of 2018, the 27-year-old has become one of the most decorated and celebrated defensive midfielders in world football in recent years.

Watch Playmaker FC’s Thogden react to England’s dramatic second-half comeback against Croatia in the video below…

If the Red Devils could prise him away from Stamford Bridge, then it would be a major coup, but the current set-up at Old Trafford would not get the best out of the Frenchman.

A major step down

Jose Mourinho has so far failed to get the best out of his recent major signings, such as Alexis Sanchez and Fred. It seems unlikely that a character such as Kante would thrive under the combative Portuguese either.

What’s more, the Portuguese manager’s enduring presence in the Old Trafford dugout, from where he has overseen United’s awful start to the season, could put Kante off a switch to the club. 

Under Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, Kante is currently playing a progressive, exciting brand of football that has elevated the Blues to third place in the table after an unbeaten start to the campaign. As things stand, a move to United under Mourinho would constitute a major step down.

United could find that the longer they persist with the 55-year-old, the less attractive they are to the kind of top talents their squad desperately needs.

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