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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed that Rhian Brewster would be part of the Liverpool squad to take on Barcelona this evening at Anfield in the Champions League semi-final.

The teenager has been out of action for around 14 months after having surgery on both his knee and ankle, in what has been a tough spell for a precocious youngster who had just won the World Cup with England’s Under-17 side before injury struck – he also picked up the Golden Ball in the tournament.

Luis Suarez certainly had no qualms about celebrating against his former employers in the video below…

Speaking ahead of the tie, and when quizzed on Brewster, Jurgen Klopp responded sharply, saying: “He’s ready.”

The 19-year-old has never made an appearance for the senior side at Anfield, despite starring in the youth ranks for a few years now.

It would be a huge call from Klopp to hand Brewster his debut against the Spanish champions in such a huge game, but judging by their reactions on Twitter, loads of Liverpool fans want the former Borussia Dortmund manager to play him…

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Many West Ham United fans on Twitter have been reacting to huge news for their club, the nomination of Academy product Declan Rice for a top PFA award.

The 20-year-old getting nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year award was announced by the Hammers’ official account on the social media platform on Saturday, just hours before the 2-2 Premier League draw with Leicester City at the London Stadium.

And supporters were delighted by the announcement, which comes as just the latest feather in the cap of Rice who has recently made his England debut.

A great deal of those Claret & Blue Army members will also feel he has a good chance of winning the accolade, having made the shortlist alongside the likes of Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford – “can’t think of a better young player in the PL.”

Other fans solely focused on the player with their gleeful replies as comments of the “we’re proud of you” type flew around the Twittersphere, while one even went as far as claiming that this news is the only good thing to have come out of Manuel Pellegrini’s first season in charge.

Check out the best of the positive West Ham reactive Tweets, below…

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Everton fans on Twitter have been busy lauding Dominic Calvert-Lewin for his tireless performance against Arsenal, as the Toffees managed to grab an impressive 1-0 win, with some even comparing him to Goodison Park icons Graeme Sharp and Duncan Ferguson.

The academy graduate did not stop running all game, and gave Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis a torrid time at the back throughout the entire match.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Calvert-Lewin – who Transfermarkt value at £13.5million – got the assist for Phil Jagielka’s early goal, and didn’t give the Gunners backline a moment to settle as Everton looked to stretch their defence by using the 22-year-old’s pace and athleticism to full effect.

The England Under-21 star is gradually getting better and better with every passing week, and is proving to be an excellent option for Marco Silva up top due to all the hard work he puts in – his tally of six league goals could be improved upon, however.

It seems unlikely that the Merseysiders would’ve recorded their third straight win without Calvert-Lewin playing as well as he did, so let’s see what the Toffees fanbase on Twitter have been saying about the youngster…

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According to Liverpool’s official website, Joe Gomez has returned to first-team training after spending more than three months on the sideline.

Naturally, the news has been greeted with delight amongst the Reds faithful and it’s a priceless boost for Jurgen Klopp at a crucial stage in the season, but it could be bad news for Joe Matip despite his excellent form of late.

On the chalkboard

Gomez’s lengthy injury setback paved the way for Matip to cement his place in the starting XI and that’s exactly what he’s done with aplomb.

A player once slandered as the footballing embodiment of Bambi on ice, the Cameroon international has been a revelation alongside Virgil Van Dijk, silencing his critics with a series of consistent displays.

That Liverpool have conceded just five goals from the last eight Premier League fixtures with Matip in the starting lineup speaks volumes about the scale of his improvement this season, and right now it seems unthinkable to suggest he should be dropped.

The returning 21-year-old, however, will shift the dynamic and give Klopp a selection headache in the coming weeks.

Matip to miss out

Gomez’s presence could see Matip cruelly miss out in season-defining encounters both domestically and in Europe, such was the excellence of the former’s performances prior to his lengthy lay-off.

Klopp is also blessed with the option of deploying Gomez at full-back when he requires added protection out wide and that could be a game-changer during the run in, but it’s fair to say that Liverpool are at their most formidable when Van Dijk and Gomez are partnered between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson.

Matip has unquestionably been a revelation this season and his improvement deserves glowing recognition, but the return of one of England’s most exciting prospects could force him back onto the substitutes bench.

انتقد أسطورة نادي ليفربول ومنتخب إيرلندا الأسبق، جون ألدريدج، قرارات تقنية الفيديو في مباراة “ديربي ميرسيسايد” أمام إيفرتون يوم أمس، السبت، في الجولة الخامسة من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بقيادة الحكم الدولي، مايكل أوليفر.

وألغت تقنية الـ VAR هدفا ثالثا لصالح ليفربول في اللحظات الأخيرة من المباراة، كان قد أحرزه القائد جوردان هندرسون بداعي التسلل على ممرر الهدف، ساديو ماني.

كما أصيب فيرجيل فان دايك مدافع الريدز في الشوط الأول بعد تدخل قوي من جوردان بيكفورد حارس إيفرتون على ركبته، ولكن بسبب تسلل الهولندي لم يتخذ قرار ضد الإنجليزي.

وانتهت المباراة بالتعادل الإيجابي بين الجارين ليفربول وإيفرتون بنتيجة 2-2، ليحافظ إيفرتون على صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي ويفقد ليفربول نقطتين جديدتين في البطولة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول يتخذ قرارًا جديدًا بشأن إصابة فان دايك

وعبر ألدريدج عن رأيه فيما حدث في المباراة من خلاله عموده عبر صحيفة “آيرش إندبندنت” الإيرلندية: “ديربي ميرسيسايد الرائع دمرته بعض قرارات تقنية الفيديو المجنونة في جوديسون بارك”.

وتابع: “لا أتهم الحكم مايكل أوليفر فيما حدث، ولكن إذا كان بإمكاننا التحدث عن شخص مسئول عن تلك القرارات فهو حكم الفيديو، ديفيد كوت، لأنه لم يطلب من الحكم التوجه نحو الشاشة لمراجعة حالة فيرجل فان دايك وجوردان بيكفورد في الشوط الأول”.

وأضاف: “خطوط تقنية الفيديو هي الأخرى مضحكة لاحتساب التسلل من عدمه، ولا أحد يعمل بها لقد أخبرتنا أن فان دايك كان متسللًا بمقدار نصف ملليمتر، لكن هذا لا يعني أنه يسمح لبيكفورد بهذا التدخل العنيف على ركبة فيرجل”.

وواصل تصريحاته: “هذا التدخل القوي على فان دايك قد يعرض ليفربول بالكامل لخطر الابتعاد عن المنافسة على لقب الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز”.

[ad_pod ]Sunderland have had an exciting and entertaining season despite last year’s relegation to the third tier, and fans have been having a bit of fun by sharing their “unpopular opinions†about their club on Twitter.Sunderland will welcome Walsall to the Stadium of Light on Saturday in a match that could well launch their end-of-season push to finish above Barnsley. Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….The Tykes, who held the Black Cats to a goalless draw at Oakwell during the week, travel to Doncaster on Friday night, where anything less than three points will open the door for Sunderland to surpass them, providing they win their games in hand.Jack Ross’ side have of course struggled to turn draws into wins at times over the last few months though, and plenty of fans are unimpressed by their style of play, with one saying they have only played “well†on a couple of occasions this season.

Loads of fans have been sharing what may be usually be their unspoken views on the club, and from the hilarious to the outrageous you can find some of the best reactions down below…

After falling out of favour under Mark Hughes, James Ward-Prowse has come back into the reckoning at Southampton following the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl, coming up with some big performances for his new boss.

As a result, the 24-year-old could now be set for an England call-up, something which would undoubtedly be deserved.

The Breakdown

The Daily Mirror reports that Ward-Prowse, watched by England No. 2 Steve Holland in Southampton’s shock win against Tottenham, is now being considered by Gareth Southgate for games versus the Czech Republic and Montenegro.

And looking at England’s current midfield options, the Southampton man would not be a bad choice.

In the Three Lions’ last few fixtures, the likes of Harry Winks, Eric Dier and Ross Barkley have all performed well with that UEFA Nations League game against Spain coming to mind.

However, with Dier having not played a lot of football of late, Winks struggling for fitness and Barkley not in the best of form, there should be an opportunity for Ward-Prowse who could bring a lot to the next England squad.

The Southampton academy graduate’s ability on the ball is exactly the sort of thing Southgate could make good use of in his more technical Three Lions side.

Southampton fans, does Ward-Prowse deserve to be included in Southgate’s next England squad? Join the discussion by commenting below. 

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Tottenham Hotspur agreed a deadline day deal to send Georges-Kevin N’Koudou on loan to Monaco, leaving the club rather thin in the left midfield position.

Son Heung-Min is clearly the club’s undisputed first-choice in the position but, behind him, there may be cause for alarm, such is the dearth of options behind him.

On the chalkboard

It has to be said that N’Koudou was hardly Tottenham’s best player.

But the Frenchman, signed from Marseille in 2016, showed in a brief cameo against Fulham in the Premier League that he can be a match-altering presence. Introduced off the bench, N’Koudou provided the cross for Harry Winks’ injury-time winner.

A full game against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup followed and was far less productive, as Spurs were shockingly beaten 2-0 at Selhurst Park.

That may well have coloured Mauricio Pochettino’s thinking when signing off on the deal but there is a risk that Son, who has only just returned from the Asian Cup, could well be burned out if he is tasked with playing every game between now and the end of the season.

Eriksen the answer?

Of course, when everyone is fit, the forward line boasts Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Son and Christian Eriksen.

It works because of its fluidity, the interchanging of positions regularly bamboozling opposition defenders.

Without Kane and Alli, though, there has been a creativity vacuum, with Eriksen asked to play in a deeper, less effective role.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

And it may well be that he is needed on the left flank in the coming months, particularly when Son is given a rest.

That would allow Eriksen to change games from the flank and, while he does not possess the searing pace or trickery of Son, he could routinely cut inside and split defences from the side of the pitch, just as he usually does in the middle.

Pochettino also has the option of moving Danny Rose or Ben Davies into a wing-back position, but the idea of Eriksen on the flank does nothing to compromise Spurs’ defensive shape.

Whatever happens, it is clear that Son will need a rest, sooner rather than later.

Mikel Merino threatened to blossom into a top talent at Newcastle United but his career quickly tumbled following a promising opening to life in the North East.

Whispers of “this is Merino’s world and we’re just living in it” were relatively commonplace when the Spaniard was first seen operating at St James’ Park.

A loan deal was quickly made permanent but from that moment forward he seemed to fall out of Rafa Benitez’s plans and into the wilderness.

Real Sociedad capitalised on his dwindling importance and sanctioned a £10m move in the summer of 2018.

Almost two years later, the Spaniard is now worth £27m according to the popular football website Transfermarkt. 

Transfermarkt recently updated their valuations of many players worldwide and Merino was a major market mover, rising from £18m to £27m.

That he was valued at just £7.2m in December 2018 speaks volumes about how rapidly he has developed in La Liga, and perhaps it’s a rise that will leave a lingering feeling of regret at St James’ Park.

It’s been an interesting journey for the 23-year-old midfielder, and there are a handful of notable landmarks to explain his rise in value.

Here, Football FanCast takes a look at three of those…

18/19 season – 3 goals and 5 assists from 24 La Liga starts

A groin injury disrupted Merino during the early stages of his maiden campaign with Sociedad, but he didn’t look back once he returned at the end of November.

He established himself as a regular in the starting XI following the turn of the year and finished the season with three goals and five assists from 24 starts in midfield. 

Given the left-footed maestro typically operates from deep, the season return was certainly eye-catching, while eight yellow cards and one red showcased a touch of nastiness which has become synonymous with some of the great midfielders in history.

Watch Newcastle United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

European U21 Championship winner 2019

Though he was not an integral player, Merino still played 256 minutes as Spain triumphed in the European U21 Championships in 2019.

He was vital to their qualification to the tournament, though, scoring once and assisting twice in five games. 

The former Magpie’s biggest contribution came in a 2-1 win over Belgium in the group stage as he played all 90 minutes alongside Arsenal’s Dani Ceballos in midfield.

Scores in shock quarter-final win vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid and Barcelona have experienced their fair share of problems this season and Sociedad capitalised on the former’s demise in February. 

In a dramatic 4-3 thriller at the Santiago Bernabeu, Merino scored what proved to be the decisive winning goal as the visitors progressed to the semi-final of the Copa Del Rey.

The Basque country outfit have since progressed to the final of the competition with a 3-1 aggregate win over CD Mirandes. 

Merino could have his first club trophy come the end of the season.

According to TEAMtalk, Sheffield Wednesday left-back Morgan Fox has a host of Championship rivals keen on signing him in the January transfer window including promotion rivals West Bromwich Albion, Nottingham Forest and Preston North End.

Watch Sheffield Wednesday Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

What’s the word?

The 26-year-old is out of contract in the summer and won’t be able to hold talks with the Owls until owner Dejphon Chansiri arrives back in south Yorkshire at the end of the month.

It is believed that several teams are looking to take advantage of this despite the left-back becoming an integral part of manager Garry Monk’s side.

Fox moved to Hillsborough in 2017 from Charlton Athletic and has gone on to feature 88 times in the blue and white stripes.

Derby County and Blackburn complete a quintet of Championship sides interested in his services in January.

Monk must act quick

The Welshman, who has recently been called up by national team boss Ryan Giggs, has started 11 straight matches on the left-hand side of defence, playing the full 90 minutes in each, per Transfermarkt.

That’s quite the turnaround under Monk having made just four appearances prior to his arrival in September.

No clues: Can you name all of these Premier League icons? Test your knowledge below…

This could prove to be a defining factor over whether or not the defender remains at Hillsborough, maybe the faith shown in him by the 40-year-old boss will be enough to convince him to stay.

If so, Monk must act quickly in order to resolve his expiring contract, especially as he’s the only member of the senior squad that can play the role full-time – Liam Palmer is a right-back.

Fans have genuinely changed their opinion on the 26-year-old going from slamming him in the past to now lauding him at every opportunity, even more so after clinching the October Player of the Month award.

Meanwhile, this Owls colossus is drawing comparisons to Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk…