Liverpool: Predicted XI to take on Arsenal as Reds push for 100-point finish

Liverpool have been set back in their mission to secure a 100-point season following their draw against Burnley.

The Clarets will be thrilled to come away with a point, but Jurgen Klopp’s side must now bank seven points out of their remaining three fixtures. They will resume their Premier League run against Arsenal at the Emirates, but a loss will cost them a potential centurion status.

Transfer Tavern has predicted how the title winners might set up against the Gunners, including three changes from their last time out…

Although Neco Williams put in a solid shift against Burnley, it’s likely Klopp may want to field his usual, senior back four when they face Arsenal. Trent Alexander-Arnold was benched in favour of the rising youngster, which could have put him in a mindset to return to pitch and show why he shouldn’t be dropped again. Reds fans will hope he can contribute to a clean sheet against a side eager to climb up the table.

Curtis Jones enjoyed his first Premier League start at the weekend, but along with midfield teammate, £36m-valued Gini Wijnaldum, neither set the match alight with their performances (via Sofascore). The return of Naby Keita, who has assisted twice since the restart, and the attacking flair of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could make for an exciting display.

Klopp’s front three will more than likely remain the same, with goals a must and Mohamed Salah also bidding for the Golden Boot. As it stands, he is on 19 goals for the season with Jamie Vardy extending his lead on 23 (via BBC Sport). The Egyptian will hoping for maximum service from the midfield so he can close the gap between him and Leicester’s talisman.

How do you think Liverpool will set up for their journey to London, Reds? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Newcastle fans react to interest in Norwich ace Todd Cantwell

After seeing their relegation confirmed, it’s been no surprise to see some of Norwich’s key players being linked with moves away. And now, it appears Newcastle have set their sights on Canaries midfielder Todd Cantwell.

According to The Daily Mail, both the Magpies and fellow Premier League side Leicester are interested in signing the Englishman this summer, with Manchester City also name-checked as long-term admirers.

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The report further claims that despite the uncertainty surrounding Newcastle and their planned takeover, they have made their interest in Cantwell known.

And after hearing about their links to the £18m-rated ace, Magpies fans took to Twitter to share their reactions.

Some Newcastle fans suggested that whilst Cantwell could be a really good signing for them, they felt Leicester are clear favourites to get him.

Another Magpies supporter went about it a bit more tactically, claiming that Cantwell’s arrival, and his ability to play out on the left, could see Miguel Almiron move into a more central position.

Despite playing for a side that has already been relegated from the top-flight, Cantwell has undeniably been one of the shining lights of Norwich’s season.

The 22-year-old has struck seven times and provided a further two assists this campaign, playing on both flanks and popping up with some big goals – he has scored against the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal.

With the Canaries’ relegation, this could be a chance for Newcastle to snare him on the cheap.

Leeds must sign former star Fabian Delph this summer

According to The Daily Star, Leeds are interested in signing Everton midfielder Fabian Delph.

What’s the word?

With Premier League football secured, Marcelo Bielsa has his eyes set on bringing new faces to his squad in the transfer window, but according to the latest report, it could be old face who heads to Elland Road this summer.

Delph, who came through the academy at Leeds before joining Aston Villa, could be set for a return to his hometown club, with The Daily Star claiming that “Bielsa is desperate to add some top flight experience to his side”.

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It’s further added that “Leeds are confident of striking a deal with the Toffees of around £5m for Delph”.

Imagine him and Kalvin Phillips

Whilst Pascal Struijik performed admirably in Kalvin Phillips’ absence towards the end of the league season for Leeds, bringing in a Premier League veteran in Delph to help anchor the midfield could be hugely beneficial.

The Englishman has won numerous trophies in his time with Manchester City, and it was no surprise to hear Pep Guardiola rave about him whilst the pair were both at the Etihad. The Citizens boss said: “He gives us character. He is a real leader in the locker room, Fabian Delph. That’s why I always give credit to the players for what they do.”

He added: “Some guys, they only want to play in one position, ‘in the other one I am not comfortable’, so he’s a guy who always tries to help. Last season we didn’t play always with his voice in our locker room, so I am so satisfied, so happy for him. Especially for him.”

With both Delph and Phillips, Bielsa could pair the two together in the middle of the park, and be confident of his team holding down the midfield in a Premier League contest. The former averaged 1.6 tackles and 1.3 dribbles per game in the the top-flight with Everton, and that combination of being able to break up play, and then drive forward, could add an interesting dimension to Leeds’ engine room.

Celtic ace Ryan Christie was the real hero against Dundee United

After coming on as a second-half substitute against Dundee United, Celtic new boy Albian Ajeti introduced himself to Scottish football by firing home the winner seven minutes from time.

The Switzerland international had just joined from Premier League side West Ham earlier this month in a deal worth around £4.5m, with Neil Lennon quick to sing his praises after the match. The Hoops boss said: “He’s had an early impact already and that’s great for us. He’s not match fit, he’s not had a lot of football in the last 12 months. But he did great to keep the ball alive for the goal and his link-up play was good as well. It’s brilliant for him.”

But whilst Ajeti may have been the match-winner on the day, it was Ryan Christie who arguably stole the show for Celtic, making sure Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Siegrist earned his pay-cheque.

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As per Sofascore, out of the 23 total shots that Celtic took, nine of them were taken by Christie, with three finding the target, three being blocked by some desperate defending and another three missing their mark.

The 25-year-old was unlucky not to get onto the score-sheet at least once, with Siegrist pulling off a stunning save to deny a strike destined for the top corner. And of course, it was Christie’s strike that eventually led to Ajeti’s goal.

But aside from that, the Scotland international was a real live-wire throughout the match, completing all eight of his attempted dribbles – to put that incredible statistic into context, if you combined the rest of Christie’s teammates, as well as the entire Dundee United side, you would only get seven successful dribbles.

The attacking midfielder wasn’t shy of doing his defensive work either, making three tackles and winning a mammoth 13 duels out of the 16 that he contested on the ground.

It was an all-action display from the Celtic ace, and whilst Ajeti may be taking home the plaudits, it was he who was the real hero for Lennon on Saturday.

Glasgow Rangers: Murphy keen on loan move to Gers

As per the Herald and Times Sport, Glasgow Rangers target Jacob Murphy is keen to make a loan move to Ibrox this summer.

The 25-year-old is on the radar of the 54-time Scottish champions, with a loan deal on the cards.

Now, it is said that he is keen to move to Scotland – but his current club, Newcastle, want him to stay at St. James’ Park to fight for a place in Steve Bruce’s squad.

£3.15m-valued Murphy – as per Transfermarkt – has failed to make the grade so far with the Magpies – as it stands, he has scored just one goal in 41 appearances for the club. The Toon’s business in the transfer window, as well, does not indicate that the former Norwich City man has a big future in the north east, with Ryan Fraser joining on a free transfer.

As such, a loan move could be the best thing for him, although it is not clear as to whether the same can be said for the Gers. Given his track record, it is hard to see how he would be a massive boost to the side considering how Ryan Kent, with four goals in his first seven matches, has performed so far this campaign.

Whilst Steven Gerrard may be looking for some more squad depth, it still feels as though Murphy isn’t the man for them.

Let us know what you think below!

Leeds must seize chance to sign Liverpool starlet Rhian Brewster

According to Sky Sports, reported Leeds target Rhian Brewster could be allowed to leave Liverpool on a permanent basis in this summer transfer window.

What’s the word?

The England U21 international spent the second-half of last season on loan at Championship side Swansea, and enjoyed an impressive spell at the Liberty, scoring ten goals in just 20 league games.

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Reports in recent weeks have claimed that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are very much interested in luring him to Elland Road for the upcoming campaign, and it looks like their chances of signing him have been significantly boosted.

Sky Sports claim that rather than just another loan deal, Liverpool are considering letting Brewster go permanently, although with the caveat of a buy-back clause being potentially added.

A diamond for Bielsa

At just 20-years-old, Brewster has the world at his feet, and has shown at youth level he has all the hallmarks of being a top-level striker, with various people stepping up to rave about his abilities.

Sky Sports’ EFL pundit Don Goodman remarked: “He’s got this explosive burst of pace and he seems to have really good football intelligence, so his movement is very clever and, when I watch clips of him finishing, there’s such a variety.”

And his current teammate at Liverpool, Georginio Wijnaldum, simply declared that his “finishing is unbelievable”.

With new signing Rodrigo not really a true out-and-out goal-scorer – he managed just seven goals in 34 games last season – Leeds could do with someone who can be relied upon to bag at least 15 to 20 goals in a campaign.

Whilst Brewster hasn’t really shown he can do that at Premier League level just yet, his age makes him the kind of prospect that could prove to be a superb signing for Leeds down the line. And with Liverpool contemplating selling him outright, Victor Orta must surely seize this perfect chance to land a striker of the 20-year-old’s potential.

Leeds United have had interest in Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki

Leeds United are been quite active in the transfer market this summer as they prepare for the first Premier League campaign in over 16 years and it appears business isn’t complete just yet.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have won two from three and sit inside the top seven in the division, and now the Yorkshire giants have been linked with a move for one of last season’s relegated stars.

According to the Press Association’s Nick Mashiter, Leeds have been keen on signing Norwich City striker Teemu Pukki throughout the window, but the Finnish talisman is poised to remain at Carrow Road – at least until January.

The likes of Aston Villa, Wolves, West Brom and Sheffield United, who the Whites defeated earlier today have all also been courted with interest.

He would certainly be an interesting option to have alongside Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo, especially as he’s in the mould of a typical Bielsa striker.

Last season, Pukki bagged 11 goals and averaged 2.2 shots, 0.8 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

It’s the 30-year-old’s presence on the ground rather than the air (0.1 aerials won each match last season) that would have made him a decent prospect at Elland Road.

His Canaries teammate Marco Stiepermann has previously given him one huge endorsement by comparing him to Robert Lewandowski, he said: “He’s really a goal scorer and he’s doing fantastic. I played together with Robert Lewandowski, and I really have this feeling [Pukki] is much colder in the 18-yard box than Lewandowski. Of course, we don’t have to speak about [Lewandowski] because he is a world class player, but Teemu Pukki is special.”

Whilst his manager Daniel Farke has lauded his work rate, not only describing him the best striker in the Championship over 18 months ago, but also claiming that “His goals come at key moments but his workload for the team against the ball was outstanding.”

Bielsa got a taste of that himself in February 2019 when Pukki bagged during a 3-1 victory at Elland Road. The veteran absolutely bullied Pontus Jansson as the former Leeds man was dribbled past twice, lost possession nine times and won just seven of 15 duels, per SofaScore.

Transfermarkt value the Finland international at just £7.2m, so if United were to follow up with their interest, they could well land themselves quite the bargain. He’s tried and tested at this level after all.

AND in other news, Leeds workhorse epitomised Bielsa’s relentlessness during Blades win…

Carlo Ancelotti risks wasting £36m with Everton’s pursuit of Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma

Everton must walk away from the idea of re-signing Kurt Zouma as reports claim Carlo Ancelotti’s side are rivalling Leicester City at top of the queue chasing the Chelsea defender.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea are ready to allow Zouma to secure a permanent move away from Stamford Bridge ahead of Monday’s Deadline Day having seen the 25-year-old fall down the pecking order.

Zouma began the campaign strongly with starting roles in the Blues’ opening two Premier League fixtures but found himself an outcast of the matchday squad that travelled to West Bromwich Albion following a 2-0 defeat at home to Liverpool.

The Lyon-born centre-half is now behind 36-year-old Thiago Silva in Frank Lampard’s plans, while also contending with Andreas Christensen, Fikayo Tomori and Antonio Rudiger for minutes in his preferred role.

Chelsea are hopeful of earning around £36million through the sale of Zouma, who is believed to be of interest to a string of sides headed by Everton and Leicester approaching the end of the window.

Zouma enjoyed a successful loan spell at Goodison Park during the 2018/19 season, making 36 appearances across all competitions including starting roles in 29 Premier League games, leading to 28 top-flight outings upon his return to south west London last term.

Ancelotti must walk away

While Zouma enjoyed a consistent run in the Everton starting line-up under Marco Silva whilst on loan at Goodison Park before being courted by the Portuguese who sought a permanent deal, the Toffees no longer need to acquire the 6 ft 2 defender.

Everton are on the cusp of sealing an initial £25m deal for Norwich City star Ben Godfrey, who will add the needed support in the Toffees backline following the injuries to Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite that sparked Ancelotti to hit the transfer market searching for a new centre-half.

Godfrey’s anticipated arrival on Merseyside is also said to have paved the end to Everton’s interest in a deal for Tomori, who would have become one of seven first-team options had he been acquired alongside the Canaries talent.

To now go-ahead and splash £36m on Zouma and make the five-time international the Toffees’ most-expensive defensive addition in club history would be a mind-boggling move, unless Ancelotti is planning to move on one of Michael Keane, Yerry Mina or Holgate in the coming days.

AND in other news, a long-time Everton star has emerged as a transfer option for a Premier League competitor.

Glasgow Rangers: Fans react to brilliant Old Firm performance by Connor Goldson

It was an Old Firm derby to remember for all associated with Glasgow Rangers, who won 2-0 to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership, and defender Connor Goldson has been lauded by numerous fans of the club following his performance.

The centre-back and vice-captain helped his team to keep a clean sheet against Celtic and also made a huge impact at the other end of the pitch by scoring both goals, per Sofa Score.

Aside from his match-winning brace, the 27-year-old former Brighton defender also won three aerial duels and one ground duel, per SofaScore, which saw him pick up a 9.2 match rating from the website.

The ‘Gers are now four points clear of Celtic, who have a game in hand, and these members of the Ibrox faithful were naturally ecstatic, hailing Goldson as “outstanding” and “on a different level”.

Here is what Glasgow Rangers fans had to say following Goldson’s performance:

‘Gers fans, what are your thoughts on Goldson’s performance? Comment below with your views!

Sunderland’s Lynden Gooch futile in Portsmouth loss

Sunderland winger Lynden Gooch offered a futile offensive display against Portsmouth on Saturday, as the United States international struggled to make a worthwhile impact on route to a 3-1 loss.

Black Cats boss Phil Parkinson opted to retain Gooch as his right-sided option at home to Kenny Jackett’s south coast side following two superb displays in the past week, with assists to his name against Swindon Town and Crewe Alexandra.

But the academy graduate appeared vastly off the pace this weekend and spurned a couple of good openings on the ball, as Sunderland suffered their first defeat of the League One campaign to fall behind Portsmouth on goal difference.

Sunderland had proven one of the fiercest defences to breach in the opening weeks of the season, with the Stadium of Light natives allowing just one goal to be scored against them over their first six fixtures on route to four wins and two draws.

Portsmouth, however, offered a convincing display to register a greater number of efforts on Lee Burge’s net than their hosts this weekend, with Sunderland fashioning just a sole shot on target to the Fratton Park outfit’s seven, per SofaScore.

Gooch was not the man responsible for Sunderland’s sole effort on target having directed one of his two efforts off target and seeing the other blocked, while offering little creativity with zero key balls and misdirecting two of his four attempted crosses.

Parkinson was more than right to start the winger at home to Portsmouth given his recent form, which has seen Gooch move to 130 career first-team games with the club.

Gooch had credited his recent success in the Sunderland side to manager Parkinson, who kept faith in the four-time USA international and allowed the Black Cats academy graduate to deliver consistent form.

“The manager has been brilliant with me since he came through the door,” Gooch said, via quotes by the Chronicle. “I picked up the injury after just two games of him being at the club, but even then, he was always telling me how he saw me playing when I was back fit.”

Parkinson has similarly lauded Gooch, noting after the forward struck the winning effort against Oxford United from the bench in September how the 24-year-old had set the example for the season.

“I don’t think there’ll be many better goals than that,” Parkinson said, via quotes by the Sunderland Echo. “It was very hard for me not to put him in the team, I just wanted to get the balance of the side right.

“He was disappointed, but he took it the right way and there’s going to be other players who get left out the team in this long season we’ve got ahead of us. You’ve got to accept the decision and let your football do the talking. Lynden did that, and it wasn’t just the goal.”

Parkinson will have been far from impressed with Gooch’s performance against Portsmouth, as the 24-year-old misplaced 15 of his 36 attempted passes as well as offering zero end product, while failing to find a teammate with four of five long balls, per SofaScore.

Gooch additionally failed to complete half of his six attempted dribbles, lost possession 23 times, won just three of seven ground duels, made no tackles or blocked any shots, while being dribbled past once but making one interception and one clearance.

Parkinson may now have to reconsider Gooch’s place in the starting line-up and return the winger to the bench for when Sunderland visit Rochdale on Tuesday night.

AND in other news, a Sunderland icon has likened one of Phil Parkinson’s signings to a UEFA Men’s Player of the Year.

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