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After the roller-coaster ride of their 4-3 triumph over Leeds United last weekend, Liverpool enjoyed a more comfortable win against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

The Reds took home all three points thanks to a double from Sadio Mane, with Andreas Christensen’s red card at the end of the first-half ensuring Jurgen Klopp’s side didn’t have to sweat too much.

Can you spot your Xabi Alonso from your Bruno Cheyrou? This Liverpool quiz will have you questioning your knowledge…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

One man who didn’t enjoy the greatest of games for the Merseyside club however, was Georginio Wijnaldum. The Netherlands international has got greater competition for his place following Thiago’s arrival, and on the basis of his display against Chelsea, he’s certainly the one whose place is most under threat.

As per Sofascore, three of his four shots were off target, was dribbled past three times, and lost possession on eight separate occasions. And after watching his performance, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their frustrations.

A couple of Liverpool fans seemed to have had enough with Wijnaldum, and suggested that he should leave – reports of course have claimed that Barcelona are very much interested in luring him away from Anfield.

If Liverpool fans were waiting to see how Thiago would start life on Merseyside, then the Spain international didn’t disappoint with his second-half appearance.

Despite playing just 45 minutes, he made more passes than anyone for Chelsea, and Klopp will be keen to get him into the starting line-up as soon as possible.

Wijnaldum’s ineffectiveness against the Blues may just give him the reason to get the former Bayern Munich man integrated immediately.

The Premier League have had more pressure piled onto them to give answers on the failed takeover of Newcastle United as thousands of letters have been sent to local MP’s urging them to write to the top flight and its chief executive Richard Masters.

Indeed, this adds to the pressure that he has been put under this week, including a petition signed by over 70,000 members of the Toon Army demanding for the CEO of England’s highest division to come out and give an explanation as to why the EPL was taking so long to make their final decision.

A link has been created by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust (NUST) and shared on social media to show how supporters of the Tyneside club can write to their own local MP asking for transparency from the Premier League, which has now generated thousands of letters.

Some MP’s have already replied to these fans, and others like Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck for South Shields have also acknowledged requests from several members of the Toon Army.

Indeed, the pressure is building and building on the top flight and its chief executive Masters to come out and give an explanation for the lengthily process, which essentially caused the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian (KSA) group to cut the wire on their own £300 million deal with Mike Ashley.

With the new 2020/21 season fast approaching, coupled up with the added fact that the summer transfer window has officially opened, perhaps this was an unsurprising move.

Nevertheless, England’s highest division are now under more pressure than ever before to give answers, as the Magpies continue to demand for them to be given.

Geordies, does the EPL need to give answers on the takeover? Comment below!

He may not have spent too long at Leeds United, but it’s fair to say Ian Rush fondly remembers his time with the club.The Liverpool icon played 39 times for the Whites, scoring three times, and after seeing them clinch their return to the Premier League, took to Twitter to pass on his congratulations.

It speaks volumes of the kind of affinity players build up with Leeds, that even someone who played less than 40 games for them is still absolutely buzzing to see them do well.

Can you name every one of the Leeds’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Two of Rush’s former sides in Liverpool and Leeds have both enjoyed historic seasons this year, and the prospect of seeing those two giants of English football face off once more in the Premier League is a mouth-watering prospect.

Despite still having a couple of games to play in the Championship, you can forgive anyone of a Leeds persuasion from looking past that and already eyeing up their first game back in the promised land.

Who’s excited?

Manchester United have already made the first move prior to the 2020/21 Premier League season by signing Odion Ighalo. 

After arriving on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January, Ighalo’s stint at Old Trafford was set to expire last month but the Nigerian has impressed the club he supported as a boy, scoring four goals in eight appearances so far. His performances in the Red Devils jersey have earned him a new contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2021.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the middle of planning for a long-term rebuild before the nationwide lockdown was introduced in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (ESPN).

According to Le10 Sport (as relayed by Sport Witness), Ighalo could be reunited with his former international teammate Wilfred Ndidi in the summer.

The 23-year-old has played a major role for Leicester City this season, scoring two goals and supplying one assist in the Premier League, winning four tackles per game, averaging 2.7 interceptions and completing two clearances per game on average (via WhoScored).

He has notably earned a higher WhoScored rating than veteran United midfielder Nemanja Matic for his performances in the English top flight.

His heroics all over the pitch have attracted attention from a number of suitors, including Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, and United have now thrown their name into the mix. He has also been compared to former Foxes star N’Golo Kante, who is now at Chelsea.

However, the midfielder is currently valued at £32.4m via Transfermarkt and it remains to be seen if the board will be willing to splash the cash. Indeed, Ed Woodward has previously warned United’s summer spending may be limited due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

Naturally, some United fans remain sceptical as Ndidi could cost a lot of money in the transfer window. One supporter tweeted that the “excellent” player is “miles better than Matic” but is wary of Leicester’s valuation. Another added that he could be the “perfect signing” as a longer-term replacement for Matic.

Have a read through the rest of the mixed reactions so far…

United fans, should the board sign Wilfred Ndidi in the summer? Let us know down below!

Loads of Tottenham fans have been drooling over an iconic goal from Gareth Bale, as Tuesday marked seven years since his final strike in the Premier League at White Hart Lane. 

Bale has scored plenty of incredible screamers throughout his career so far, including an acrobatic finish in the Champions League final, and it is fair to say this stunning goal is certainly no exception to the rule.

Fan accounts @LastWordOnSpurs and @thespursweb shared footage of the Welshman’s long-range effort against Sunderland in 2013, a match-winning strike that put the game beyond the Black Cats and propelled Spurs to 72 points, which was a record for the club. Taking a pass in the final minute of the game, he cut inside from 25 yards out, and curled the ball into the top corner.

The £28.8m-valued winger scored 56 goals and created 58 assists in 203 appearances for the Lilywhites, before leaving for La Liga giants Real Madrid, but it seems a large section of the THFC faithful still have plenty of fond memories about the “Welsh wizard.” One supporter tweeted the video is “stunning,” while another added his “technique is unbelievable.”

Scroll through some of the glowing reactions down below…

Tottenham fans, do you want the board to bring Gareth Bale back to the club in the future? Let us know in the comments section!

Many Everton fans have responded to further claims linking Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish with a summer move to the club.

Arguably one of the best performers in the Premier League season this term, Grealish has attracted interest from a number of sides ahead of the summer transfer window.

Manchester United have been extremely keen, whilst Everton have been recently linked with a move for Villa’s club captain.

Villa, who sit 19th in the Premier League table as things stand, will have a hard task keeping the academy graduate at the club past the summer, and it has now emerged that Everton officials are ‘confident’ they can seal an agreement although the Villans want around £70m.

Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti is expected to bring in a new number of faces to the club in what will be his first summer transfer window since taking over from Marco Silva in December.

Grealish has featured 26 times in the league this season for Villa, scoring seven goals and gaining six assists in the process.

Reacting to a tweet by fan account @TheGwladysSt, fans gave their opinion on Grealish’s potential arrival:

Toffees fans, would Grealish be a good signing? Let us know below…

This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.

There have been few players to make an impact at Ibrox for Rangers in recent years quite like Alfredo Morelos.

As per Transfermarkt, the Gers signed the Colombian for £1.08m in 2017. He was purchased off the back of a stunning spell with HJK Helsinki, where he managed to score 46 times in 62 matches. However, the Finnish league is not known for its competitiveness – it remained to be seen whether he could cut it in Scotland.

Three years down the line, it is fair to say he has been a roaring success. His first term north of the border saw him score 18 goals in 43 matches – a decent return in his first year in a new country. He then followed that up with a huge 30 strikes in 48 matches during the 2018/19 campaign, before continuing to hit the back of the net on a regular basis this term as well – he already has 29 in 46 matches in all competitions.

There are some issues with him – his temperament is a problem, with him already picking up four red cards during his time at the club – but overall, he has been a brilliant signing. His performances have seen him earn six caps for his nation, scoring once, whilst he is now valued at £10.8m as per Transfermarkt.

There is plenty of interest in his services, with several clubs in England, as well as the likes of Borussia Dortmund and Atletico Madrid said to be in pursuit. He may well leave at some point, but he has been worth every single penny since he joined – he is the jewel in former sporting director Mark Allen’s crown.

Let us know what you think below!

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…

Leeds United’s defence has been incredible this season.

Even the biggest critic of Marcelo Bielsa’s side has to admit that their backline is mightily impressive as they’ve conceded just nine goals in 16 matches in the league this term.

Ben White has been a vital component in United’s incredible defensive record as the centre-back has started every game for the Whites this season while both fans and journalists have named him as the club’s Player of the Season so far.

One of United’s former players has dished out huge praise for the defender this week, and he’s made a massive claim.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

What’s been said then?

Noel Whelan spoke very highly of Ben White.

“This kid is going places,” Whelan told Football Insider.

“He is going to be an England international and is heading for a top club, a Champions League club. There’s no doubt he’s good enough.

“Right now, he’s on a par with John Stones, if not better than him. Ben White is much younger, has room for improvement and has a massive career ahead of him.

“I’m not surprised he’s being linked with Liverpool and Man United. This kid could play in any team. He’s heading for a £50million move in the next year or two.”

Absolutely massive

The former Whites attacker hasn’t been coy about how highly he rates the Brighton loanee.

Saying that he will is headed for a Champions League club is huge praise, but the most interesting part of this is the fact that he’s said he’s on a par with John Stones.

Stones is a key component in arguably the best team in Premier League history, so for Whelan to say that Leeds have a player just as good as him shows how impressive White has been.

Certainly in their ball-playing abilities, they are very similar. The Manchester City defender has completed 93.2% of his passes while White maintains a rate of 85.5%. Of course, there is a difference in the quality of the league they’re playing in but some parallels can certainly be drawn.

There are also similarities in terms of their development. Stones first made his name in the Championship playing for Barnsley before heading to Everton and then onto Champions League football with City.

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…

Phil Hay has confirmed that loanee Eddie Nketiah was due a run of starts at Leeds before injuries took hold and delayed his progress with the Championship outfit.

What’s been said then?

Hay was asked about Nketiah’s place in the squad during his Q&A session with The Athletic.

“We’re going back to where we started – if the team are playing well and results are good, the temptation to drop Bamford isn’t going to be strong for Bielsa. From what we hear, Nketiah would have been given four games on the bounce if he hadn’t been injured. He was set for a run of starts. But once he’s back he’ll have to polish his match fitness and in the meantime, Bamford has the chance to nail his place down a little more firmly.”

Bad timing

Leeds’ striker position has been a point of discussion throughout this season, and it seems as if those debates aren’t going away.
The Whites have a bit of a dilemma up front, Patrick Bamford has been out of form as he’s netted just five goals this term, while Eddie Nketiah has been scoring at an impressive rate netting three league goals in just 265 minutes.
Despite this, Nketiah hasn’t started single game for Leeds, and just when it looked like he was going to get a spot in the first XI he picked up an injury.

Bad timing

Leeds’ striker position has been a point of discussion throughout this season, and it seems as if those debates aren’t going away.

The Whites have a bit of a dilemma up front, Patrick Bamford has been out of form as he’s netted just five goals this term, while Eddie Nketiah has been scoring at an impressive rate netting three league goals in just 265 minutes.

Despite this, Nketiah hasn’t started a single game for Leeds, and just when it looked like he was going to get a spot in the first XI he picked up an injury.

Indeed, Bamford had a knock on his ankle before Leeds’ game with QPR, but an abdominal strain picked up by the Arsenal loanee meant that the 25-year-old’s run of starts continued.

Leeds fans have been calling for Nketiah to start for ages, and just as he was about to get a run of games he was sidelined.

The Argentine has always been rather reluctant to rush his players back into the first-team as he usually plays them on the bench or in the U23s until they’re 100% ready to get back to business.

This may take a while for Nketiah and with Leeds having an easy run of fixtures coming up this couldn’t have come at a worse time for the striker.

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

Leeds United are desperate for a goalscoring striker.

There are no two ways about it, the Whites dominate the xG league table, yet they currently sit third in the Championship 12 points behind where they supposedly should be.

This is undoubtedly down to their lack of finishing ability in front of goal, and one way to remedy that would be to buy a new striker.

One man who Leeds were linked with over the summer was Dwight Gayle.

However, the latest update from Leeds Live may mean they have to forget about Gayle ever lining up at Elland Road.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

What’s the story

Leeds Live hosted a Q&A session about the club on Tuesday, and understandably, the question was asked about Gayle as some fans remained hopeful that a deal could be done.

However, Beren Cross’ response quickly shot down any possibility of the Yorkshire club signing the Newcastle man.

The journalist wrote a rather long response to a question about external investment and Pablo Hernandez’s injury, but the part we’re concerned with is right at the bottom where he says.

“As for Gayle, no chance. Financial Fair Play would be obliterated.”

Radrizzani must be blamed

There’s only one man you can point the finger at for Leeds’ current predicament with FFP, and that’s Andrea Radrizzani.

Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…

The Italian has previously admitted that he’s made mistakes in terms of wages and transfers before, and now those are coming back to haunt him.

If the chairman had been a little savvier in the past, perhaps Leeds could have made this deal for the 29-year-old happen.

However, due to the mistakes he has made in the past the Whites are out of the running for a striker who would certainly have improved their promotion chances. After all, he scored 24 goals last term in the Championship.

Leeds moved on as many as 31 players either on a temporary or permanent basis in the summer, something that provides evidence of how many surplus players they had on their books.

It says a lot, though, that they still don’t have the means to bring in players on a permanent basis.

Radrizzani has helped changed Leeds’ fortunes in terms of league position but they still appear to be reeling on the financial front.