Southampton had a mixed afternoon as they secured their place in the next round of the FA Cup, but they also suffered an injury blow.Mauricio Pellegrino’s team have not won in the Premier League since November, but they managed to secure a victory at St Mary’s today.The coastal club sealed a 1-0 win over fellow top-flight outfit Watford thanks to a goal from Jack Stephens, who was celebrating his 24th birthday today.Just before the half-time break, though, the Saints suffered a setback as Ryan Bertrand was substituted with an injury.The extent of the problem is not yet known, but it has got some fans worried, especially considering that the club recently allowed Matt Targett to join Fulham on loan.If Bertrand is facing a significant spell on the sidelines, it leaves Pellegrino short of options in the full-back areas.After the former Chelsea star was withdrawn, Southampton fans began to worry about the ramifications.
As reported by The Sun, Arsenal are ready to sell defender Rob Holding this summer, as long as the buying club meet their £15m valuation of the player.
What’s the story?
Holding has struggled to win his place in Arsene Wenger’s starting eleven this season, making just seven appearances in the English Premier League, and it appears his time at the Emirates may be coming to an end.
The Sun report that the club are ready to let go of the Burnley target, but only if clubs like the Clarets pay up £15m.
The paper say the asking price comes after Sean Dyche already had an offer for the 6ft 2in defender rejected during the January transfer window.
What can he offer other teams?
Holding may be struggling at one of England’s elite clubs, but outside of the establish top six or so sides in the English Premier League can improve many defensive lines.
Of the 19 games he’s featured in this season for Arsenal in all competitions, he’s helped them to seven clean sheets, including a very solid 90 minutes against Chelsea in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
With strong ball-playing abilities he suits the pace and requirements of modern English football well and at just 22 years of age of is learning all the time about the raw defensive side of the game.
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The reported £15m asking price isn’t a lot in the transfer market these days and any willing club would be securing a very promising young defender who can forge a successful career for himself if given regular football.
According to the Evening Standard, both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are interested in the services of Malcom from Bordeaux.
What’s the story?
Bordeaux manager, Gus Poyet has revealed that the French club will sell the 20-year-old ‘sooner or later’, and the Evening Standard reports that Arsenal and Spurs are ready to pounce on his availability.
Both Arsenal and Tottenham signed attacking personnel during the January transfer window. However, it is believed that both clubs retain an interest in the Brazilian sensation.
Who is Malcolm?
Malcom is a 20-year-old striker who currently plays for Bordeaux in Ligue 1. He began his professional career with Brazilian side Corinthians, where he scored ten goals in 73 games before opting to move to France.
In 85 appearances for Bordeaux, the striker has amassed a respectable total of 19 goals, and he’s beginning to attract the attention of some of Europe’s most talented teams.
What are his qualities?
One of his primary strengths is his ability to contribute to goals, either by scoring them or creating them. In 25 first-team appearances for Bordeaux this season, the 20-year-old has scored eight goals while registering six assists.
Additionally, he is renowned for his versatility. The Brazilian forward can operate as a striker, an attacking midfielder or as a winger. This sense of adaptability is a crucial skill.
Furthermore, the Brazilian is accomplished in some areas, such as passing, dribbling, crossing and shooting from a distance.
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At the age of 20, it is rare to find a player who flaunts excellence in some vital areas.
Would he be a good signing?
Without a shadow of a doubt, Malcom would be an excellent addition to Spurs or Arsenal. It’s conceivable to suggest that Bordeaux will insist upon a hefty price tag, yet the Brazilian is one of the world’s brightest prospects.
Sam Allardyce provided a much-needed stabilising effect when he took over at Everton in November, steering the Toffees clear of relegation bother after a torrid start to the season under Ronald Koeman.
But results have taken a downturn in recent weeks, winning just two of their last eleven across all competitions, and the one-time England gaffer’s pragmatic mindset feels like a poor fit for a club that has ambitions to break into the Champions League spots.
So, is it time to give Allardyce his marching orders, should a change come in the summer or does the former West Ham and Bolton boss deserve more time to truly make his mark on an imbalanced squad? Football FanCast lay out three solutions to Allardyce’s future at Goodison Park…
Solution A – Sack Allardyce now
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Seven points clear of relegation but miles away from the top six and also out of the cups, Everton’s season is essentially over at this point, so why not make the change now? Assuming the club’s preferred replacement is available, it will allow them an extra handful of games to truly imprint their methods amongst the squad and evaluate which players do and don’t fit into their philosophy.
That might inspire a higher level of performance out of the players for the rest of the season too, knowing they need to impress the new manager even if it won’t make much difference to the club’s final standing at the end of May.
And while it may create some instability in the short-term, it will allow Everton to head into the summer window knowing who will be in charge at the start of next season, which will inevitably have some impact on the club’s transfer policy.
Solution B – Sack Allardyce at the end of the season
Some Toffees fans would argue the last thing the club needs right now is more turmoil, especially when it’s self-imposed, and sacking Allardyce would certainly cause a fair amount of turbulence amongst the ranks at Goodison Park, with a new coaching team needed and an underperforming squad asked to undertake new ideas from a fourth manager this season (David Unsworth included).
Although Everton only need a few more points to get to the right side of the 40-point barrier, a disappointing final standing after hiring a new manager would create unnecessary negativity heading into next term; it makes far more sense to let Allardyce absorb the criticisms of this season and allow the next manager to start with a clean slate in the summer.
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Likewise, more managers will be available in the summer when clubs are more open to agreeing compensation packages because they have time to bring in a replacement. If Everton were to sack Allardyce right now, former Watford boss Marco Silva and Shakhtar’s Paulo Fonseca are essentially their only realistic options.
Solution C – Keep Allardyce on for next season
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For all the concerns over recent results and style of play, there’s only so much Allardyce can do with the poorly-assembled squad at his disposal. It lacks quality and vital balance in key departments; the fact Cuco Martina is being relied upon on his less favoured defensive flanks speaks volumes about where this Everton team is at right now, while the Wayne Rooney and Gylfi Sigurdsson conundrum still lacks an obvious solution.
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Allardyce is one of English football’s shrewdest recruiters and after a full summer transfer window we could see Everton start to look like a real Allardyce team, balancing out style with efficiency, and results would naturally improve.
The lingering concern, however, is how little faith the fans appear to have in Allardyce; if Everton don’t start next season strongly, the pressure will be on right away and the club could soon find themselves in a similar mess to this season, where the campaign is effectively a write-off after an early sacking.
So, Everton fans, how would you address Allardyce’s future at the club? Let us know by voting below…
According to reports in The Mirror, Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, rated at €12m (£10.7m) by Transfermarkt, is being considered for a shock England call-up in the build-up to the World Cup in Russia this summer.
Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate is set to name his squad for the upcoming friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy next Thursday, and The Mirror says that the 47-year-old is mulling over giving Calvert-Lewin an opportunity, even though he hasn’t been a regular for his club side in recent weeks – he has only started one of the club’s last eight Premier League matches in 2018.
That said, the 20-year-old has proved to be an important first-team player and one of the few bright sparks in a disappointing campaign for the Merseyside outfit, scoring eight goals and providing a further six assists in 39 appearances in all competitions, and he is eyeing a consistent run in the XI after playing the full 90 minutes against Burnley last time out.
While Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane, Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford and Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy seem to be certs to get the nod, there appears to be a chance for other attackers to stake their claim for a surprise spot on the plane to Russia.
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Getting the call would certainly be a huge boost for Calvert-Lewin in his bid to end the season on a high and continue to be a key first-team player for Everton, and that would only be good for the club if he is to get more experience on the international scene against top nations like the Netherlands and Italy.
No matter what allegiance, when a footballer suffers a career-threatening injury, there is nothing but sympathy.
In January, Everton midfielder James McCarthy broke his leg in two places during a challenge with West Bromwich Albion striker Salomon Rondon.
The timeline of recovery is a lengthy one in these cases, and all the 27-year-old will be hoping is that he regains form when he eventually returns to competitive action.
McCarthy is no stranger to injuries having struggled with hamstring problems before, and this season he has only made six appearances in all competitions.
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Everton have had a difficult season with plenty of inconsistency, and at the moment the fans are losing faith with manager Sam Allardyce.
There was some positivity at the weekend, though, as the Merseyside outfit ended a run of two straight defeats by overcoming Brighton at Goodison Park.
Another boost for the club was provided by McCarthy when he took to social media to provide an update on his injury.
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In a post on Instagram, the Republic of Ireland international claimed that he is taking steps towards returning to fitness.
Newcastle United didn’t have any English Premier League action to contend with at the weekend but have had the opportunity to go on a four-day training camp to Spain.
On the final day they faced Belgian side Royal Antwerp in friendly action, drawing 1-1 in a match that was split into three 45 minute periods.
For Rafa Benitez it’s all about preparing his side for the final stretch of the league season, with the Magpies still not completely safe from relegation back down into the Championship.
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However, the friendly was also a chance to have a look at some youngsters in a first team setting and one teenager that caught supporters’ eyes was Victor Fernandez.
The 19-year-old winger played in the last 45 minute segment of the match and impressed with some skills and ball control, leaving fans excited about his future potential at St James’ Park.
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Toni Kroos has been linked with a move away from Real Madrid in recent months and Manchester United are one of the interested parties.
Jose Mourinho reportedly faces a battle with old adversary Pep Guardiola in the race to sign the 28-year-old midfielder, who is valued at £72m by Transfermarkt.
If the German did make the move to Old Trafford, it would be likely that he would slot into a 4-3-3 formation alongside Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba, adding the balance between midfield and attack that has been lacking under Mourinho.
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Yet, after another dominant performance as Madrid swept aside last season’s finalists Juventus 3-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final clash last night, it was clear that he could well put Pogba in the shade if he made the move to Old Trafford.
Under the most intense of pressure, he had 107 touches – the most of any Madrid player – and ran the game from the deep playmaker role. Pogba is yet to do similar in a United shirt, and there is no doubt that is what he has been brought in to do.
That included 98 passes, with 96 per cent pass accuracy as he yet again proved his ability to dominate proceedings in the most refined company.
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Two key passes and four tackles shows that he is making an impact at both ends as well; he is not just a playmaker who doesn’t impact play.
Even at 28, he is the real deal and he should show Pogba that he is on the next level to him if he arrived at Old Trafford.
At the start of the season, not many would have predicted that Liverpool would be the only English club left standing in the Champions League.
As it turns out, Jurgen Klopp’s side are the only Premier League outfit that have made it into the semi-finals of the elite competition.
The Merseyside outfit executed a 5-1 aggregate victory over Manchester City, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino getting on the scoresheet, while man of the moment Mohamed Salah netted twice.
The quarter-finals threw up some surprises as Barcelona relinquished a 4-1 lead and were knocked out by Roma.
Unsurprisingly, Liverpool fans took the opportunity to make fun of Philippe Coutinho, who left the Reds to join Barca in January.
On Wednesday night, Real Madrid were given a scare as Juventus drew level on aggregate 3-3 at the Bernabeu, but a late penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo ensured that Los Blancos progressed.
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The Reds could face either Madrid, Roma or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, and former England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce believes that Liverpool have the edge.
During Sky Sports’ The Debate, Pearce said:
“I think out of the quarter-finals they looked like the most impressive team heading into the semi-finals. I personally would put them in near enough as favourites from what I’ve seen over the last couple of nights in regards to the opposition they are up against.”
Leeds have announced voting is now open for their player of the year, and let’s just say fans aren’t all that happy about it.
After a torrid run of form, Leeds’ season has gone from pushing for a playoff place to just waiting for the season to end.
Paul Heckingbottom’s side have won just twice since the ex-Barnsley man took over, and fans aren’t happy with the player of the year nominations.
Pablo Hernandez seems the obvious winner. The Spaniard is averaging the most chances created per 90 minutes in the league, and has nine goals and eight assists in all competitions.
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Samuel Saiz and Ezgjan Alioski are also up for the award, both of which can be wonderful one weekend and non-existent the next.
Kemar Roofe is the final player nominated. He enjoyed some great form before his injury, and leads the team with ten Championship goals.
Fans are also annoyed at the inclusion of Toby Nye in the nominations, as they feel the young hero should have his own award.
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Toby is a five year-old Leeds fanatic who is battling stage four neuroblastoma, and fans feel the club is using the courageous young lad as PR.
Whether it’s bashing the club or bashing the players, fans are not impressed by the player of the year nominations, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…