All posts by h716a5.icu

Manchester United remain in with a shot of cementing a Champions League spot this season with two Premier League games remaining.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping for two big wins and other results to go his way in order to cement a top four spot, and from where they were earlier in the campaign you have to say it would represent a fine achievement from Solskjaer and his coaching team.

There are however plenty of issues for the Red Devils to iron out over the summer, with player departures and potential signings at Old Trafford something which has been the talk of plenty of fans and pundits alike in relation to United.

One of the major problems United have to sort out is the future of Alexis Sanchez, with it being reported this week that the club could be willing to pay half of his £26m wages in order to see him move away from the club.

And here at the Tavern, we feel moving Sanchez on, even at such a cost, would be a wise move for the club as they look to rebuild and get their house in order over the next 12 months or so.

Sanchez has simply not done it since moving to Old Trafford from Arsenal, and it almost makes you question if Arsenal more than knew what they were doing when they allowed the Chilean to make his move away from the Emirates.

United need to freshen up the squad and clear some room on the wage bill, as well as ridding the club of so called ‘bad eggs’. Sanchez falls into all these categories if everything you read in the media is to be believed, and it would be a wise move which would allow Solskjaer to go out and bring in a suitable replacement.

United fans, do you agree? Is it time for Sanchez to move on? Let us know!

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The final day of the Premier League season is upon us, and what a campaign it has been for both Manchester City and Liverpool.

Nobody thought anyone would get near Pep Guardiola’s title-winning centurions, but Jurgen Klopp’s resilient Liverpool side have run them extremely close – they may even snatch their crown from them if Brighton perform a miracle and the Reds can beat Wolves.

Just a point separates City and Liverpool, and having lost just one game all season with 94 points under their belts, the fact that Klopp’s men may not win the title just goes to show the quality on offer in arguably the best title race in years.

Ahead of the final day, we’ve taken time to chat with Football FanCast’s assistant editor and Manchester City fan, Jack Saville, and staff writer Charles Jones, a Liverpool supporter, to discuss the big talking points as a truly memorable campaign reaches its conclusion…

Q: They’ve barely put a foot wrong all season, but Liverpool look like missing out on a maiden Premier League title. Where do you think they lost it and what could they have done better?

Jack: “I’m in danger of sitting on the fence here but I think it undermines what Liverpool have done to suggest that they have in any way lost it. Jurgen Klopp has performed miracles with his squad this season and they will only be thwarted by virtue of Manchester City’s unfathomable supremacy. They have, of course, had some huge strokes of luck along the way, but you need that to have any chance of coming close to Pep Guardiola’s side.”

Charles: “Liverpool definitely lost the title back in January and February. We’ve lost just one game all season, but the draws against West Ham, Leicester, Man Utd and Everton were really costly.”

Consecutive 1-1 draws against Leicester and West Ham look like they’ll cost Liverpool in the grand scheme of things, which will really disappoint Klopp as his men simply didn’t look up for it in those two games. Squandered chances against Everton and a stuttering game against United also haven’t helped, and you simply can’t afford any minor errors when it’s Guardiola you’re up against.

Q: Pep Guardiola’s men seem virtually unstoppable, but Liverpool have ran them admirably close this season. What do City need to do in the summer to record three titles in a row next season and become the first team to do so in over a decade? (If they win on Sunday that is!)

Jack: “Regardless of whether City manage to achieve a monumental feat and defend the Premier League title for the first time, they’ll need to ensure they add a defensive midfielder of immense quality in the summer as well as a new left-back. Benjamin Mendy needs a serious challenger. As much as I admire Oleksandr Zinchenko I don’t see him as a solid long-term option and I doubt Guardiola does either.  It’s a romantic story but not one which will run for much longer. Ilkay Gundogan has been incredible in the holding role in recent weeks and his run of games in the side has facilitated an impressive transformation, but it’s no secret that more depth is needed to ease the burden on Fernandinho. If Nicolas Otamendi packs his bags then I imagine a new centre-back will arrive.”

Charles: “City seem unstoppable. They have incredible depth in every position but if they are to strengthen anywhere they need a new left back and a new midfielder. Fernandinho isn’t getting any younger and Benjamin Mendy looks to be too injury prone. If Kevin De Bruyne can go all of next season injury free then it’ll be tough for anyone to overcome them.”

How do you improve one of the Premier League’s greatest ever sides? Well, there are a few areas that need some polishing. Like Charles alluded to, Mendy’s fitness problems and constant off-field antics seem to be causing Guardiola some angst, whilst the pivotal Fernandinho has just celebrated his 34th birthday.

Q: Where do you think Brighton can hurt City this Sunday? And likewise, where do you think Wolves could cause Liverpool problems?

Jack: “Chris Hughton is an excellent defensive tactician and Brighton are capable of frustrating the very best in the division on their day. Expect a deep line and plenty of bodies behind the ball. City are well accustomed to breaking teams down who play in this manner but the enormity of the occasion will add an extra layer of intensity to the challenge. Wolves’ strength lies on the counter-attack, as the top-six clubs have discovered this season. Technically they are strong and they have players with the vision to carve Liverpool open in the blinking of an eye, and equally the players to finish clinically inside the penalty area. Watch out for goal-machine Raul Jimenez: he’s the man who could break Liverpool hearts. “

Charles: “Brighton have had a tendency to get results against big teams, beating Man Utd and drawing twice with Arsenal. Glenn Murray is exceptional when it comes to putting away chances so that’s where City will have to be careful. Wolves have an incredible record against the top six and their strengths are well documented; depending on whether or not Andy Robertson will be fit after his injury against Barcelona, Matt Doherty could have a great day at Anfield.”

The Seagulls will be starved of the ball inside their own stadium on Sunday, no doubt. Their best bet at causing an upset will be to focus on set pieces whilst staying solid at the back, where the likes of Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy can be a real force when they’re up for it.

Wolves have beaten every European Cup finalist this season in Liverpool, Spurs, Arsenal and Chelsea, which goes to show just how good they can be against the top sides.

Q: 90th minute. The scores are level. Who do you choose to score an Aguero-esque title winner for your respective side? 

Jack: “Wow, what a question! I was there when Aguero scored against QPR and I don’t think my ticker has ever quite recovered. Given everything that has happened in recent years I simply cannot look beyond Raheem Sterling. Imagine that, the former Liverpool player – routinely booed by the Anfield faithful and slandered in the media for almost the entirety of his short career – scoring a last minute winner to steal the title away from his former club. It’s truly the stuff of fairytales but I think football has had enough miraculous drama for one week already…”

Charles: “Sadio Mane. He may not score as many goals as Mohamed Salah but he doesn’t shy away from the big occasion; his goals in the Champions League over the past two years have shown that.”

We would be extremely lucky to see another moment of that ilk ever again, as Martin Tyler famously exclaimed. I’m sure that most Liverpool fans would like to see Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain net a goal of such importance, having endured the toughest time of his career injury wise, or the inspirational Jordan Henderson.

City? Well, City don’t deserve another one of those moments. One per lifetime is enough, don’t be greedy!

Q: How big of a challenge will it be for Liverpool to pick themselves up and go again next season from a mental aspect, considering they’ve lost just one league game?

Jack: “The way this Liverpool team are playing I’d have to say it will make them stronger. They are relentlessly determined and I don’t see them easing up until they clinch the title. Perhaps the double blow of losing in the Champions League final and ending the season with nothing would damage them mentally, particularly given they lost against Real Madrid last season as well, but I think they’ll push Man City all the way once again whatever happens. I backed them to fade away in the early stages of the season and they proved me wrong, so I could be way off the mark once again here…”

Charles: “Losing just one league game all year and not winning the title will hurt Jurgen Klopp’s side, but they recovered from losing the Champions League final last year by reaching the final again this season. There shouldn’t be a problem in terms of motivation for Liverpool, just watch the second leg against Barcelona to see what mental grit they have.”

To add to Charles’ point, Klopp has lost all three finals that he has led his Liverpool side to, and always seems to improve them and get them going again next season; finishing 2nd this year will be tough to take, but you can expect the Reds to be back chomping at the bit next term.

Finally, what are your score predictions for the two games?

Jack: “Brighton 0-3 Manchester City & Liverpool 3-1 Wolves.”

Charles: “Brighton 1-4 Manchester City & Liverpool 2-0 Wolves.”

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are worried that Kemar Roofe is going to leave the club this summer after his message on social media.

The striker wrote a tweet which seemed like a goodbye to Leeds.

This sparked worry amongst the fanbase as many supporters believe that this message shows the striker’s intention to leave this summer.

The Englishman has been incredible for Leeds this season, netting 15 goals and finishing as the club’s top scorer. Due to his fantastic showings this year there isn’t a shortage of interest in his services with Burnley heavily linked.

The Whites’ failure to earn promotion to the Premier League may have been the final straw for the forward, and he may be looking to fulfil his top-flight ambitions elsewhere.

If the Yorkshire club do lose their top goalscorer then it would be a massive blow, and it could encourage other key men to leave Elland Road this summer.

Here’s what Leeds fans have been saying on Twitter…

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has been in contact with Juventus for the past three weeks as he bids to become the Italian club’s new head coach, according to Tuttomercatoweb.

What’s the word?

The Italian giants are on the lookout for a new boss after it was confirmed that Massimiliano Allegri would leave the club at the conclusion of the Serie A season.

Juve, of course, have already won the title – they sit 11 points clear of second-placed Napoli with a single game of the campaign remaining – but they were eliminated from the Champions League by Ajax at the quarter-final stage.

The Italian outlet claims that the Old Lady have been in talks with Pochettino over the past few weeks, with the Argentine having claimed that he could leave north London after the Champions League final, particularly if Spurs win. They play Liverpool in Madrid on June 1.

The report also states that Juventus are ready to offer him a contract worth €12million (£10.5m) per year. That equates to roughly £202,000-per-week.

Pochettino has a clause in his contract that allows him to enter negotiations with other clubs, but it currently stands at €40m (£35m) and Tuttomercatoweb state that he will ask chairman Daniel Levy to allow him to leave for free.

A ruinous prospect

It is understandable that Juventus would want Pochettino.

He has transformed a beleaguered Tottenham team into Champions League finalists and Premier League contenders and could complete one of the greatest European triumphs of all time in just a couple of weeks.

But the finances of this deal simply don’t add up for Spurs.

The prospect of missing out on the money that would surely be needed to replace him is unthinkable and one cannot imagine Levy countenancing such a move.

Indeed, it would be ruinous for the project that Spurs are building; Pochettino is absolutely central to the club’s ethos and to their recruitment policy.

It would be hard to begrudge him walking off into the sunset if they won the Champions League but to see him potentially head to Juve, for what amounts to be a free transfer, would be genuinely sickening for many Spurs fans.

A potential defensive problem might be looming large for Celtic.

Indeed, despite another successful season, players must start being offloaded like fleas. So, a new look to the Hoops should almost be guaranteed next season, but they need to careful in not biting off more than they could chew.

Still, Celtic are taking a big risk with keeping some players’ contract extension up in the air. Specifically, their right-back situation is uncertain for next season. Obviously, Jeremy Toljan is set to return to Borussia Dortmund while Cristian Gamboa is not good enough to earn a contract. Heck, even vice-captain Mikael Lustig’s ending his Scottish journey on a high.

Thankfully, they have options beyond if a mass clearout really is happening next summer. According to reports the Sun, former youth academy star Stephen O’Donnell’s willing to come back to his former club. Indeed, the 27-year-old’s been a key prospect for Kilmarnock, putting in strong defensive performances and helping them keep 13 clean-sheets last season.

O’Donnell’s especially keen on playing under Neil Lennon, who was Celtic’ youth academy coach at his time. The Scotland international’s made strides in recent seasons, being an unbreakable pillar for club and nation both. He doesn’t offer that much going forward but is extremely concentrated and tough-tackling when it comes to stopping the opposition from threatening.

With the right side of their defence being Celtic’s Achilles heel, O’Donnell can act as the antidote. A natural fit and a player capable of grinding through the season, he’d bring some much-needed steel to the right wing and help the Hoops’ fellow defenders breathe a sigh of relief.

Celtic fans, do you think bringing back O’Donnell’s a wise decision? Join the discussion by commenting below..,

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According to The Daily Mail, Southampton are keen on LASK Linz’s Thomas Goiginger, who has been in sensational form over in Austria this season. The 26-year-old has been on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s radar since January and the Saints boss could now swoop to bring his countrymen across the channel in what would surely be a dream move to the Premier League.

The winger, who is capable of playing on either flank, chalked up 14 goals and 17 assists in 40 appearances across all competitions in 2018/19 – an output that could make him a frugal buy for many clubs at just £5m.

With Moi Elyounoussi failing to impress at St Mary’s Stadium, it’s clear that the Saints need some more options out wide – player of the year Nathan Redmond can’t do it all by himself, try as he might.

Hasenhuttl is surely looking to guide his squad into the top half next season and adding some impetus up front in his high-tempo system would go a long way in realising those ambitions, but is speedy Goiginger the right man for the job? Football FanCast’s writers give their verdicts below…

Jack Saville

“At £5 million he’s well worth a punt. With an exceptional record in Austria this season, he’s the type of player who could follow in Sadio Mane’s footsteps in making the move to the Premier League. His lack of experience in one of Europe’s elite leagues is a natural concern for Saints supporters, but Ralph Hasenhuttl has proved himself as an excellent man-manager and his expertise could help Goiginger become one of the bargains of the summer window.”

A Southampton fan shares his most gutting moment of the last 10 years supporting the Saints in the video below…

Harry Sherlock

“This is definitely a punt but why not? At £5m it’s a low-risk move and, as long as further reinforcements are brought in during the summer, it feels like it’s worth it. Ralph Hasenhuttl and his scouts will have done their due diligence and it could well pay off; one only needs to cast their minds back to other unheralded arrivals in the top-flight, such as Michu at Swansea City, to see there is value in looking beyond the obvious.”

Billy Meyers

“There is so little risk in this signing that it would be foolish not to do it. The stats that Goiginger has recorded are eye-catching to say the least, and it isn’t like he’s performing in a farmer’s league by any means; some serious talent has come out of Austria in the past, such as Liverpool pair Naby Keita and Sadio Mane. This could well turn out to be a masterstroke of a find by Southampton if they get it over the line.”

This summer is already shaping up as a massive one for a lot of clubs. Clearly, Newcastle United are one of those clubs where changes are expected to be made, starting at the very top with the ownership. The latest update as Sheikh Khaled attempts to buy the Geordies off of Mike Ashley has come through the BBC, as the Sheikh claims to have proof of funds.

In truth, it seems absolutely ludicrous that someone who has the obvious wealth that a member of the UAE’s royal family does has taken this long to provide proof of funds to buy a football club. The Geordies are desperate for their football club, and their city, to be rid of Mike Ashley, yet the grass is not always greener on the other side and Sheikh Khaled may end up being no better, or even worse, than Ashley.

MIKE ASHLEY

The Geordies are desperate to get rid of Mike Ashley and would do literally anything to see the Sports Direct owner and as previous takeover attempts from both Amanda Stavely and Peter Kenyon have fallen through, the supporters have been left absolutely gutted. This time, though, things seem different and they’re dead set on having an owner who won’t wait over a decade to break their transfer record.

All that is left for Ashley to do if he is to sell the club is to make sure that Rafa Benitez signs up to a new deal at the club. His current contract runs out on June 30th and if that day is his last at St. James’ Park then the fans will be livid. It will be a dark day for Ashley if that happens, but even he is not that stupid and will be keen to at least leave the fans on a positive note by ensuring Benitez stays, even if his tenure to this point has been nothing short of horrendous.

TT GRADE: C

SHEIKH KHALED

Before we start, yes, we know, the picture above is not the Sheikh who will be moving to buy Newcastle United. However, the impact that Sheikh Mansour, the man actually pictured above, has had on Manchester City is not what can be expected of Sheikh Khaled if he does take over at St James Park.

It can be very easy to forget that Mike Ashley did break the Geordies’ transfer record in January, even if it was overdue, and he’s also the man who made sure that Rafa Benitez came into the club to take them up from the Championship before securing back-to-back mid-table finishes. Transfers are not guaranteed straight away under the new owner and it could take a while for the Tyneside club to get settled, and the fans may be wishing for something under false premise on this one.

TT GRADE: D

TT VERDICT:

The Geordies will not be repenting anytime soon on their wishes for Mike Ashley to sell the club, although if this sale does go through and things don’t improve dramatically and very quickly then the supporters won’t wait around before getting stuck in on social media. Sometimes, changes aren’t always a good thing, and the Magpies might need to be careful what they wish for in the coming weeks.

Newcastle fans, who do you think of is better to own your club? Let us know, comment below!

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Former Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst thinks big name players like Steven Davis and Jermain Defoe will be crucial to Steven Gerrard’s starting eleven next season, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

What’s he said?

The Rangers squad is currently enjoying a close-season break ahead of returning to training later this month in preparation for July’s European qualifiers, but fans and pundits are already looking ahead to the domestic challenges next term and wondering whether Gerrard’s team can truly compete with Celtic.

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

Former Ibrox favourite van Bronckhorst believes they can and reckons relying on veterans like Davis and Defoe will go a long way to finding consistency in results.

As quoted by The Scottish Sun, he said:

Every side needs a blend, Rangers will have plenty of experience in Defoe and Davis.

They have had excellent careers and are excellent professionals. But they will want to show they have plenty more left to offer — and that’s why they will be crucial to any success Rangers are to have in the new season.

Defoe still has the ability to score many goals and link play in the final third. Davis is very calm and stamps his authority in the middle of the park.

Steven Gerrard will be counting on them to push all the way for the title. For a couple of years they were struggling to get close to the level of Celtic, but that is now not the case. They now have to take the positives of the two victories against Celtic last season, and bring that mentality and skill over the course of a full campaign.

Will they be Rangers’ main men?

The initial signs on Davis and Defoe after their January arrival were not good. Looking laboured and unfit, they struggled to make an impact in their early appearances.

Towards the end of the season though both showed their class in a run of games that was arguably the team’s best throughout the entire campaign.

Defoe slotted in seamlessly for the suspended Alfredo Morelos while Davis started to look like his old, trophy-winning self in the heart of Gerrard’s midfield.

Both have a real shot of playing over 30 games next season if they can maintain that form, and having that kind of top level experience running through the team could indeed be crucial for Gerrard.

Can the Rangers boss find the right blend of youth to complement them?

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Leeds United fans on Twitter are desperate for Carlos Corberan to stay at Elland Road after he was linked with a move to Spanish third division outfit Cultural Leonesa.

Supporters believe that if he stays at the club he could one day become the manager of the first team.

The club are controlled by Qatar’s Aspire Academy, the development centre that the Yorkshire club established a partnership with in 2018.

The Spanish club finished fifth in their division last season, but they are now on the hunt for a new manager after Jose Manuel Aira left.

Corberan has been in charge of Leeds’ hugely successful U23 outfit. Under the Spaniard’s management they won the Professional Development League and that success has seen the 36-year-old linked with his first senior management role.

Leeds fans understandably don’t want him to leave considering the job he has done with the young players this season.

Many fans on Twitter have even dubbed him as Marcelo Bielsa’s successor due to the promise he has shown at U23 level.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying about the report…

Liverpool are at the forefront of the pursuit for Bruno Fernandes after reportedly making a £40million bid, according to Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha.

The Reds are not alone in their pursuit of the midfield maestro with interest also said within the report to be coming from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, both of whom will be hoping to improve on a relatively disappointing season in the Premier League which left them trophy-less and well behind the front-runners.

However, while clearly United possess the financial clout (they and neighbours City are the richest teams in England, according to new figures from the latest Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance via the MEN) to go head-to-head with anyone, it seems the Champions League-winners have made the first move.

Indeed, any deal would make sense, as well.

For all their quality in the forward positions, Liverpool are short of attacking threat in a midfield unit which currently consists of Fabinho, Naby Keita, James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum – the last of whom many might consider to be the most offensively minded individual (the Guardian raised that point back in January), and he’s only grabbed five goals and one assist this season.

Compare that to Fernandes, who helped himself to a mammoth 32 goals and 18 assists last term, and the benefits are clear for all to see. Last summer’s interest in Nabil Fekir does suggest Klopp believes his team could do with a hand in attacking midfield and former captain Graeme Souness bemoaned the lack of a player who can break teams down during March’s tense draw with Everton at Goodison Park, so there is a strong argument for a new addition.

Yes, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s return is good news on that front but Fernandes’ stats this season are another level entirely. Part of Liverpool’s success last season was largely down to the improvements in their squad outside of the starting XI, so more investment such as this one can help fuel another challenge for the Premier League title.

Liverpool fans, would you like to sign Fernandes? How devastating would a forward line-up of Mane, Salah, Firmino and Fernandes be? Could this be a Salah-like introduction? Let us know in the comments below…