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Blue cards and 10-minute sin bins could be making an introduction to the Premier League in the near future after they were successfully trialled at grassroots level. The measure is aimed at preventing referees from abuse as it will be used as a punishment for dissent but FA chief executive Mark Bullingham also claimed they're looking at extending the protocol to other areas, such as tactical fouls.

Most recently, the plans have led to public outcry, with FIFA even recently intervening to insist that its rolling-out at all levels is not as imminent as had been reported. However, it is set to be discussed at the next AGM with lawmakers IFAB next month.

Football FanCast has taken a look at ten of the most cynical tactical fouls that may have warranted a blue card. Without further ado, here is our list…

10 Antony hacks down Bissouma 19th August 2023, Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Manchester United

Antony was shown a yellow card by referee Michael Oliver earlier this season for his cynical foul on Yves Bissouma that stopped the midfielder from breaking. On second viewing, there were slight question marks that the Brazillian may have touched the ball but had he not, the proposed sin bin ruling could have been applied in this instance. Coincidently, Bruno Fernandes was also booked for dissent, so could Manchester United have been reduced to nine men, here? We'll let you decide…You can watch the incident here.

#

Player

Left

Date

Fee

1

Paul Pogba

Juventus

August 2016

£93.2m

2

Antony

Ajax

September 2022

£86m

3

Harry Maguire

Leicester City

August 2019

£80m

4

Jadon Sancho

Borussia Dortmund

July 2021

£73m

5

Romelu Lukaku

Everton

July 2017

£75m

9 Lockyer trips Eze 25th November 2023, Luton Town 2-1 Crystal Palace

Luton Town's Tom Lockyer may well have been on the receiving end of a blue card earlier this season for his trip on the speedy Eberechi Eze, who was bearing down on goal. The Wales international was subsequently booked but could have faced a 10-minute absence from the action, leaving the hosts with 10 men. The foul was committed just before half-time, so the Hatters would've had to begin the second interval with a significant disadvantage. Could Palace have capitalised?

It's certainly going to be fascinating to see how detrimental these sin bins may be, should the rule materialise of course. Rob Edwards' side ultimately came away 2-1 victors and now reside four points clear of the drop zone whilst Palace languish in 13th, having won one of their last six games. You can watch the incident here.

8 Emerson brings down Semenyo 12th August 2023, Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham United

Antoine Semenyo pounced on Jarrod Bowen's lose pass and was beginning to surge forward before being hauled down by West Ham United left-back Emerson. The former Chelsea defender cynically tripped Semenyo inside his own half and was rightly shown a yellow card, though, a 10-minute absence from the field would've likely been his punishment had it happened under the new potential rulings. Emerson, who committed the foul with three minutes of normal time remaining, would've endured a nervy 10 minutes in the dugout, with his side likely backed up against the wall and clawing onto the 1-1 scoreline. You can watch the incident here.

7 Xhaka swipes at Barrow 15th October 2016, Arsenal 3-2 Swansea City

Arsenal's Granit Xhaka was sent off for his petulant trip on Modou Barrow, who was racing away from the Switzerland international. But would the new ruling have seen a sin-bin awarded rather than a red card? Either way, referee Jon Moss, in this case, gave the midfielder his marching orders. There is certainly an argument for it to have only been a yellow, so perhaps a blue would've been the ideal punishment.

Appearances

297

Goals

23

Assists

29

Yellow cards

76

Red cards

5

6 Jones lunges at McMahon 14th May 1988, Liverpool 0-1 Wimbledon

Wimbledon produced one of the greatest FA Cup shocks ever when they defeated the recently crowned top-flight champions Liverpool at Wembley Stadium.

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We'll be focusing on Vinnie Jones' lunging challenge on Steve McMahon, though, as it would've certainly resulted in a sin bin at the very least. In fact, a tackle like that nowadays could've seen Jones shown a straight red card due to the forceful and reckless nature of it, but thankfully for the Dons, the physical defender was only booked.

5 Belletti lashes out at Ronaldo 11th January 2009, Manchester United 3-0 Chelsea

Juliano Belletti completely lashed out at Manchester United's fleet-footed winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who skipped past the Brazillian fullback, riding a kick on the way, before being forcefully hauled down by a high challenge. Having done Belletti for trickery, Ronaldo was making a surge for the penalty area for what could've resulted in a third goal for the hosts. Coincidentally, the resulting free-kick ended up in the back of the net anyhow, with Dimitar Berbatov volleying home Ronaldo's well-struck cross.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

33

18

7

Champions League

12

4

3

EFL Cup

4

2

0

Club World Cup

2

1

1

FA Cup

2

1

1

4 Chiellini hauls down Saka 11th July 2021, Italy 1-1 England

England met Italy in the European Championship final at Wembley Stadium, with the tournament hosts hoping to end their 55-year trophy drought. Having led for much of the game following Luke Shaw's well-struck opener inside the first two minutes, Leonardo Bonucci tapped home the leveller in the second half.

A moment of madness ensued not long after when veteran defender Giorgio Chiellini dragged down Bukayo Saka by the neck of his shirt but the referee only produced a booking. The foul warranted a much harsher punishment, which is where the proposed blue card would've really provided justice in this scenario. Chiellini certainly got away with one, as the jet-heeled Saka was set to blitz down the line to provide a real threat with the score level.

Ultimately, the final ended in heartbreak for the Three Lions as they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Gli Azzurri on penalties.

3 Ramos stops Atleti's break 28th May 2016, Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid

Real Madrid lined up against their city rivals Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final, two years on from the 2014 finale which saw Los Blancos defeat Diego Simeone's men in extra-time. And the same outcome unfolded once again this time, as Madrid won 5-3 on penalties to become champions of Europe for the 11th time in their history.

Perhaps one of the most important moments of the fiery encounter was when Sergio Ramos put a halt to a dangerous stoppage time Atleti counterattack, bringing down the speedy Yannick Carrasco. Ramos was shown a yellow card by referee Mark Clattenburg and the tie ultimately went to extra-time. The Spaniard likely would've thought twice if the sin bin ruling was in place…

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Team

Titles

1

Real Madrid

14

2

AC Milan

7

3

Liverpool

6

4

Bayern Munich

6

5

Barcelona

5

2 Ter Stegen throws second ball on pitch 27th November 2016, Real Sociedad 1-1 Real Madrid

Barcelona shot-stopper Marc-André ter Stegen was shown a yellow card for throwing a second ball onto the field of play, thus halting Real Sociedad's impending corner kick. A 10-minute sin bin could've been issued in this instance and a backup goalkeeper would've surely had to enter the fray, replacing an outfield player. Had that scenario loomed, it's unlikely that the German would've committed the offence and the visitors may have capitalised on a legitimate error.

1 Ramos drags down Salah 28th May 2018, Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool

Real Madrid triumphed over Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool in the Champions League final, with former Tottenham Hotspur winger Gareth Bale stealing most of the headlines. The Welshman netted a brace and his first effort was quite possibly the greatest goal of all time, producing a spectacular bicycle kick that soared past the helpless Loris Karius in the net.

The Reds were dealt a major blow when their talisman Mohamed Salah came off in the 30th minute with a shoulder injury after Ramos hauled him down by his arm before landing on it awkwardly. There will be debate whether it was a tactical foul, but some cynics believe it was a deliberate attempt to injure Liverpool's biggest threat.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

36

32

11

Champions League

13

10

5

Champions League qualifying

2

1

0

FA Cup

1

1

0

Norwich City are now well and truly in the race to secure a spot in the Championship play-offs come May, sitting as high as sixth on goal difference. Having played a game extra than the likes of Hull City, Sunderland and Coventry, the Canaries' fate is not in their own hands however, meaning they could be set for heartbreak, especially after the latest Jonathan Rowe injury update.

Norwich City injury news

Norwich's 2-2 draw against Queens Park Rangers followed by a 4-2 victory over Watford at Carrow Roads sums up their season of inconsistency at times. Yet, here David Wagner's side are, in the race for the play-offs.

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With just a few months remaining in the current campaign, those in Norfolk received the perfect boost when Jonathan Rowe returned from injury in the middle of a busy December period. Rowe's numbers represent a player at the top of his game, with 13 goals and four assists to his name, and highlight just how crucial he is for Wagner's side.

Having only just returned in December, however, the winger is set for another spell on the sidelines. According to Wagner, Rowe is set to be out until May after suffering a hamstring injury against QPR. The former Huddersfield Town boss said via The Pink Un: "Unfortunately, it is a serious hamstring injury. I can't give a serious timeframe, but we speak more about a couple of months rather than weeks.

"We have to wait and see for the first four weeks how he progresses in his rehab to give a clearer picture of his timeframe. We strongly hope that we will get him back at the end of the season and that he will play for us. Hopefully, the season will not be finished at the beginning of May."

Norwich vs Cardiff City

17/02/2024

Blackburn Rovers vs Norwich

24/02/2024

Norwich vs Sunderland

02/03/2024

Middlesbrough vs Norwich

06/03/2024

Norwich vs Rotherham

09/03/2024

Stoke City vs Norwich

16/03/2024

Norwich vs Plymouth Argyle

29/03/2024

Leicester City vs Norwich

01/04/2024

Norwich vs Ipswich Town

06/04/2024

Sheffield United vs Norwich

09/04/2024

Preston North End vs Norwich

13/04/2024

Norwich vs Bristol City

20/04/2024

Norwich vs Swansea City

27/04/2024

With that said, Norwich now face an uphill battle to replace Rowe's output, as they look to secure their play-off place come the end of the season.

Norwich may fall short without Rowe

At just 20-years-old, Rowe is one of Wagner's most important players at Norwich. Since his return from an initial spell on the sidelines earlier in the campaign, the Canaries have looked a side far more capable of finishing inside the top six. Now, however, potentially without Rowe for the next 13 games, those at Carrow Road could fall into their form before the turn of the new year, which saw them sit mid-table.

Wagner must find a solution for the youngster's absence sooner rather than later if Norwich are to maintain a currently successful battle to secure a play-off spot this season.

Tottenham have been told that they could make a "huge statement" by signing a "next level" player for Ange Postecoglou.

Forwards linked with summer moves to Spurs

Ahead of the next transfer window, Spurs' recruitment team have wasted no time identifying potential forward targets.

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Indeed, Barcelona star Raphinha is one name to be mentioned as a player who Spurs are exploring (Paul O'Keefe), with other reports claiming Tottenham are willing to bid as much as £60 million for the Brazilian.

The Lilywhites are also believed to be in the market for a new number nine, despite the fine form of Richarlison in recent months. Spurs are yet to fully replace club-record goalscorer Harry Kane, who joined Bayern Munich last summer, and they apparently hold a keen interest in Brentford striker Ivan Toney among others.

Sticking with stars from England's top flight, Wolves winger Pedro Neto is said to be on Tottenham's list as well. The 23-year-old, who's bagged an incredible nine assists already this season, is on the verge of double figures in that department and has contributed to 11 Wolves goals overall.

Spurs apparently have him on their radar ahead of this summer, despite reports he could cost around £60 million.

Crystal Palace 3-2 Wolves

8.27

Wolves 3-4 Man United

8.14

Wolves 1-3 Liverpool

7.75

Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves

7.74

Chelsea 2-4 Wolves

7.65

"Pedro Neto is somebody on their radar," said journalist Dean Jones, to GiveMeSport.

"Raphinha has been mentioned as well. Nico Williams, at Athletic Bilbao, is another player that they're continuing to monitor. It will be interesting. Pedro Neto will be a very difficult one to get because of the competition that there will be to actually sign him.

"But Tottenham have signed a couple of players recently, that they've done well to get through the door, and they will believe that anything is possible."

Robinson thrilled as Spurs allegedly eye Neto

Speaking to Tottenham News, Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson has raved over the possibility of Spurs singing Neto, calling it a would-be "huge statement".

“He’s better than [Timo] Werner. He’s better than [Brennan] Johnson. He’s better than [Giovani] Lo Celso," said Robinson.

"You could argue that he’d probably play ahead of Kulusevski. He wouldn’t play ahead of Sonny [Heung-min] or Richarlison as a striker but he is that next-level player and if Spurs are to go on and are to back Ange then to bring in a player like Neto would be a huge statement."

Another pundit in talkSPORT's Gabriel Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider last year, also praised Neto's "blistering pace".

“They [Arsenal] need proper backup for Saka and Martinelli. Trossard, Vieira and Smith Rowe – these are all good players, but there’s no one with that blistering pace," said Agbonlahor.

"Neto has shown that. He’s had a tough two years with injury, but he’s got that. He would suit Arsenal perfectly if they could get him in.”

A member of Ange Postecoglou's squad has been dealt a serious injury blow as reliable journalist Alasdair Gold shares news out of Tottenham.

Spurs chasing top four finish but injuries threaten form

The Lilywhites are chasing Champions League football and a top-four finish this season, but will need to pick up their form quickly amid fierce competition from the likes of Aston Villa and Man United.

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ByEmilio Galantini Feb 21, 2024

Spurs won't be in action again until early March, giving Postecoglou plenty of time to regather his troops and prepare them for a crunch final third of the 2023/2024 campaign.

The north Londoners have reigned victorious in four out of their last eight in all competitions, which is solid but not exactly spectacular, so the head coach will be looking to rediscover their early-season prowess, when Tottenham won 10 on the bounce at one stage.

“In the last couple of home games we haven't (started strongly), in the beginning of the year we did, we're not doing anything different,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham's current form.

Crystal Palace (home)

March 2nd

Aston Villa (away)

March 10th

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Luton Town (home)

March 30th

“Sometimes it's the mindset going into games, sometimes it's the opposition, or just the context of the game. Certainly for us to dominate games like we want to, we need to start aggressively and try to put the opposition on the back foot, and we haven't really done that the last two or three games.

"When we were doing that, it gave us a foothold in games that we're not getting at the moment. If you get a foothold and put them under pressure that limits the opportunities that they have the other way."

Postecoglou will also have to be wary of key absentees, as highlighted by their real slump in form when both Micky van de Ven and James Maddison picked up long-term injuries against Chelsea in November last year.

Van de Ven's hamstring problem, coupled with Maddison's ankle ligament damage, handed Postecoglou a real conundrum at the time, and you can never rule out similar incidents occurring later in the season.

Defender Ryan Sessegnon knows this better than anyone, with the Englishman dealt a "heartbreaking" injury when playing his way back to full fitness for Spurs' Under-21s this week.

Sessegnon dealt another hamstring injury at Tottenham

As reported by Alasdair Gold, it is believed Sessegnon has suffered another hamstring injury, this time on his opposing side, in what is a killer blow for the player who former Leeds striker Noel Whelan called "outstanding".

“33 minutes was when he went down. You looked at him and he stayed down with his hands on his head, he was absolutely gutted," said Gold.

"The physios worked on him for five minutes, and he couldn’t even put much weight on it. It was just rubbish. From what I understand it is a hamstring problem, but this time it’s on the other side."

Sessegnon hasn't been able to prove his worth under Postecoglou due to his reoccurring injury problems, and you can't help but feel very sorry for the Englishman.

A victory is always a positive result, but it’s often paved over the cracks for Manchester United this season, with a handful of performances not warranting three points.

This was the case against Everton on Saturday at Old Trafford, as although Erik ten Hag’s team won 2-0, there were large alarm bells ringing from a defensive perspective.

The Red Devils faced 23 shots against Everton, which is one more than what Manchester City conceded in their last three Premier League games prior to the Liverpool draw, for context.

In fairness, there were a few standout performers who impressed, but one player who stood out for the wrong reasons was Casemiro.

Casemiro’s 23/24 season in numbers

After enjoying a successful first campaign in Manchester following a £70m move from Real Madrid, Casemiro hasn’t quite been living up to his price tag.

The 32-year-old has featured 15 times this season out of a possible 28 Premier League matches, with an injury in October making him miss 17 matches.

Since his return, Casemiro has been off the pace, struggling with the tempo on the ball while also finding it difficult to match the speed and physicality of opposition players.

The Brazilian’s performance against Luton Town last month served as evidence of that, as he lost seven duels, was dribbled past twice, and received a yellow card, which ultimately led to his substitution at half-time.

Unfortunately, he was exposed once again against the Toffees on Saturday afternoon.

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ByTom Lever Feb 22, 2024 Casemiro’s performance against Everton

The number 18 started his ninth game in a row against Sean Dyche’s team, partnering Kobbie Mainoo in the midfield of a 4-2-3-1 formation.

The defensive midfielder's performance can be summed up by his 5/10 rating by the Manchester Evening News, with journalist Samuel Luckhurst writing:

“So careless he had his hands on his hips during one stoppage, possibly in disgust at his own performance. Will need to raise his level next week.”

Touches

87

Passes completed

53

Pass accuracy

76%

Long balls completed

1/4

Possession lost

17

As you can see by his 76% pass accuracy and the fact that he lost the ball 17 times, Casemiro provides absolutely zero control to the midfield, which often allows the opponent to transition quickly.

The lack of dominance that United had at the weekend can be highlighted by Everton having more possession than the hosts in the second half, which is poor considering they average the second-lowest possession per game in the league this season, and unfortunately, a decent amount of that falls on the shoulders of the tenacious tackler.

Casemiro's inability to cover space and stop transitions also played a part in Everton having so many shots, but football creator Liam Canning recognised this issue in September, stating:

"McTominay, Eriksen and Casemiro can’t defend transitions. They do not offer anything. Players run past them like they’re not there. A joke."

As well as his declining performances, there’s also some concern regarding his wage and contract, which sees him earn £350k-per-week, the most at United, until the summer of 2026.

Therefore, this is just another reason why Man United simply have to sell Casemiro in the summer before he continues to bleed the club dry.

Chelsea haven't been shy of a transfer or two since the takeover by Todd Boehly, with the club spending over £1b on transfers since the American's acquisition of the club back in May 2022.

The club's huge spending started during the summer window in 2022, with the Blues – then managed by Thomas Tuchel – splashing out upwards of £278m in that one window alone as the club wanted to invest in first-team and future talents.

Players such as Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling came in and made an immediate impact on the squad, with the pair initially becoming key first-team members.

The heavy investment ultimately saw the club achieve a very disappointing 12th-place finish, however, – an abysmal result given the club's huge outlay.

One player in particular had an awful campaign, given his big-money move – with the player in question being sold after just one season at Stamford Bridge.

Kalidou Koulibaly's stats at Chelsea

Centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly joined the Blues for £33m back in July 2022, with the club landing one of their primary targets to strengthen their defence.

The Senegalese defender made his debut during the 1-0 win away at Everton on the opening day, with the former Napoli man making an instant impact for the Blues.

Koulibaly continued his good start to life at Stamford Bridge, scoring a sensational goal in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur, with the defender showing signs of being a shrewd addition.

However, his first two appearances were as good as it got for the Senegal international, with the defender struggling to replicate the form he found early on in the season.

Although he went on to make 23 Premier League appearances that season, a hamstring injury would end his campaign short – with the defender playing his last game in the 1-0 defeat away to eventual champions Manchester City.

Appearances

23

Minutes played

1,799'

Goals

2

Clean sheets

8

Pass accuracy

87%

Koulibaly – who was notably dubbed "nervy" by pundit Ian Wright – would subsequently depart Stamford Bridge in June 2023, with the 32-year-old swapping England for Saudi Arabia in a £25m move to join Al Hilal.

Kalidou Koulibaly's market value in 2024

Nearly a year on from his Chelsea departure, the defender has seen his market value plummet, with the former Napoli man now worth just €11m (£9.5m), as per Transfermarkt.

His lowly value sees him worth less than current Blues centre-back Trevoh Chalobah, with the academy graduate's value of €13m (£11m), £1.5m more than the now 32-year-old – a real statement considering Chalobah has made just six first-team appearances this season after falling down the pecking order.

Koulibaly is also now worth less than youngster Carney Chukwuemeka, with the 20-year-old's value jumping to €15m (£13m) after his goal against Leicester City in the FA Cup quarter-final last week.

There's no question that the Blues made the right decision parting ways with the Senegalese defender given his shaky performances towards the end of the previous campaign.

His drop in market value is evidence that the 32-year-old isn't the player he once was, despite helping Al Hilal sit at the top of the Saudi Pro League this season.

His departure has given the likes of Levi Colwill increased game time, with the youngster and many other players being allowed more frequent opportunities to impress at the club – hopefully improving the squad whilst providing a hefty fee in the future.

Tottenham have looked at signing a £26 million Harry Kane replacement this summer, and he's interestingly been called "similar" to Timo Werner.

Spurs linked with new centre-forward

Ange Postecoglou's side have coped very well in the absence of club-record goalscorer and legend Kane in his first full season away from north London.

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ByEmilio Galantini Mar 26, 2024

The likes of Son Heung-min and Richarlison are into double digits for goals scored in the league this season, with Postecoglou's fluid, interchangeable attacking system allowing goals and assists to come from all over the pitch.

However, there are suggestions that Tottenham could still look to bring in a new striker, and they've been linked with a few interesting options.

Son Heung-min

14

Richarlison

10

Dejan Kulusevski

6

Brennan Johnson

4

Cristian Romero

4

Union St. Gillosie striker Mohamed Amoura is a fairly astute option for Spurs at a rumoured price of around £17 million, while more household names like Brentford star Ivan Toney are said to be in Postecoglou's thinking as well.

The Australian is planning for the long-term, and while Spurs are said to be considering a new forward, Postecoglou is adamant that it will take at least three transfer windows to get the club where he wants them to be.

"We've got a lot of work to do still on the squad and I don't think we're anywhere near where we want to be," said Postecoglou on Tottenham transfers.

"It probably will take a little bit more than three windows to get there, for sure. Just in terms of the robustness, adaptability, and compatibility of the squad, I think there's still a fair bit of change we need to do.

"I certainly don't think we're one or two players away from getting to where I want us to be, nowhere near it. Some of that will be natural evolution. Some of it hopefully means we continue to get the improvement we've had this year from some of our players. If that happens over the next 12 months, then we'll be in a great position."

In terms of the project, Tottenham appear to be looking at bringing in players on the younger side and with a longer shelf life. A bright, exciting striker could be just what they need to tick a lot of boxes, leading to their rumoured interest in Lille star Jonathan David.

The Canada international still hasn't secured his big move, despite a few incredible seasons in Ligue 1, with David bagging 15 goals in 24 appearances this term,

Tottenham looking at signing Jonathan David

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, speaking on the Debrief podcast, Tottenham are looking at signing David from Lille among other options.

“Is Son going to stay on and lead the line? Or do they still need a leading striker? That will be interesting," said Jacobs. "Tottenham have looked at a variety of players from Joshua Zirkzee to someone like Jonathan David who still hasn’t gone anywhere."

Called "world class" by Iain Hume, other reports have claimed he could leave Lille for as little as £26 million. Meanwhile, Football Transfers believe he is "similar" to Spurs star Timo Werner.

Chelsea are already looking towards the summer transfer window, as they look to bring another disappointing season to a close.

Chelsea still struggling on and off the pitch

Mauricio Pochettino's side conceded two goals for the fifth consecutive Premier League game on Sunday, as a late Oli McBurnie goal saw them held to a 2-2 draw at Bramall Lane by 20th placed Sheffield United.

Perhaps even more worrying than the result was the performance itself, with Sheffield United racking up more shots on target and more expected goals than the once-regular trophy winners. Speaking after the game, even Pochettino admitted that his side didn't deserve to win.

"When you concede in the last few minutes, always we feel very disappointed and frustrated because we should win the game in this moment," the Blues boss explained after the game.

"But for different circumstances, we concede and in the end, it’s a draw. I want to say also now with the draw in our hands, it’s a fair result.

'"f you analyse the game, even though we had the control and possession, we didn’t create enough or show the capacity to be solid, strong, and not concede goals. That is the most painful situation."

Despite the disappointment, the Blues are now unbeaten in their last five Premier League games and sitting ninth in the Premier League, with an outside chance of ending the campaign in a Europa League or UEFA Conference League spot for next season.

Premier League race for Europe

Position

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

6th

Manchester United

31

15

4

12

-1

49

7th

West Ham United

32

13

9

10

-4

48

8th

Newcastle United

31

14

5

12

13

47

9th

Chelsea

30

12

8

10

3

44

But come the summer their job doesn't get any easier. They are expected to need to raise around £100m profit from player sales before they can invest further in the playing squad, which is likely to see the likes of Conor Gallagher and Ian Maatsen depart permanently.

With that in mind, they will need to be creative this summer in order to land their targets, and reports suggest that they are ready to do just that.

Chelsea readying huge swap deal for goalscoring star

Now, it has been reported that Chelsea are trying to put together a player plus cash deal for Napoli star Victor Osimhen this summer. The Nigerian is high on the wishlist of several top clubs, with Paris Saint Germain and Arsenal both thought to be following him and Osimhen likely to leave this summer.

Chelsea ready to offer Reece James in swap deal for Real Madrid star

The Blues are already planning for the summer.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 8, 2024

One major stumbling block is the price though; he is believed to have a release clause in his current deal in Naples, with that fee sitting at 130m euros (£110m), something that will likely prove an obstacle to plenty of interested parties.

As a result, Team Talk claim that Chelsea have offered a compromise. In fact, they had already offered a deal involving Romelu Lukaku to Napoli, but that was turned down. Now, they are ready to add on-loan striker Armando Broja into the mix, though it is added that Napoli are keen to try and sell Osimhen rather than entertain any swap deals.

With Broja struggling to even get minutes at Fulham, the deal seems very unlikely to be successful, but it offers a clear insight into Chelsea's plan of attack for the upcoming summer transfer window.

Leeds United are set to be without another "unbelievably important" player for the next few weeks in a new injury blow at Elland Road.

Leeds’ Championship form

Daniel Farke’s side have been outstanding in the Championship in 2024 and are still yet to lose a second-tier game. The Whites have six league fixtures remaining and may even need to get close to or beyond the 100-point mark to earn one of the two automatic promotion spots ahead of Ipswich Town and Leicester City.

Leeds United 3-0 Birmingham City

1st January

Cardiff City 0-3 Leeds United

13th January

Leeds United 2-1 Preston North End

21st January

Leeds United 1-0 Norwich City

24th January

Bristol City 0-1 Leeds United

2nd February

Leeds United 3-0 Rotherham United

10th February

Swansea City 0-4 Leeds United

13th February

Plymouth Argyle 0-2 Leeds United

17th February

Leeds United 3-1 Leicester City

23rd February

Huddersfield Town 1-1 Leeds United

2nd March

Leeds United 1-0 Stoke City

5th March

Sheffield Wednesday 0-2 Leeds United

8th March

Leeds United 2-0 Millwall

17th March

Watford 2-2 Leeds United

29th March

Leeds United 3-1 Hull City

1st April

It promises to be a dramatic run-in, with Leeds hoping to be a Premier League side once again when the 46-game season ends on May 4th.

Leeds team news vs Coventry

Farke’s side will travel to Coventry City on Saturday afternoon and are already without Pascal Struijk, Wilfried Gnonto and Connor Roberts. Ilia Gruev also looks set to be touch and go after missing the two games over Easter, and it appears as if Farke has another injury concern.

Adam Pope relayed the news of a new issue to Jamie Shackleton, who came on late on Monday against Hull City. He looks set to be out for two weeks with an adductor problem.

The 24-year-old, who is actually out of contract at the end of the season, has made 14 appearances in all competitions this season, turning out as a right-back, left-back, right midfielder and central midfielder.

He’s highlighted his versatility, albeit not being a regular since October, but not having him on the bench may come as a blow to Farke, who called Shackleton “unbelievably important” earlier this season.

“I really love Jamie. He's, sometimes, really underrated because he can play all positions. Wherever he plays, he's always reliable, always solid, always a good team-mate, gives us everything.

“Sometimes, even a bit of his problem [is] he has to play so many different roles instead of coming into rhythm on one role, but he proved again tonight he is an unbelievably important piece of our squad and I'm really, really happy to have him, definitely.”

Manchester City are looking to sign a current Premier League star, with contact already made over a possible transfer.

Man City transfer rumours

Despite being knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid earlier this month, it promises to be a busy end to the season, with Pep Guardiola’s side looking to retain the Premier League title and the FA Cup.

Off the pitch, Etihad officials could also be busy when it comes to buying and selling ahead of the 2024/25 season, with Jack Grealish the latest player to be linked with a move away. Bernardo Silva continues to be linked with a move to Barcelona, but there have been a number of incoming rumours.

For example, Crystal Palace star Michael Olise appears to be a target, as well as Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, who City are reportedly willing to break the bank for.

Report: Man City eyeing summer move for international “wonderkid”

He once had a spell at Manchester United.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 20, 2024

Former academy gem Jeremie Frimpong has been linked with a return to Manchester as the long-term replacement for Kyle Walker, and a new update suggests contact has been made for a possible Rodri partner.

Man City make Bruno Guimaraes approach

According to 90min, Man City are looking to sign Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes and have approached the player's camp over a move. The report states that Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are contenders to sign the Brazilian midfielder, with the Gunners also looking at Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.

City’s interest in Guimaraes comes as the club are ‘looking for a player to compliment Rodri and like the fact Guimaraes can play as a number six or a number eight’. However, the report adds that even though Newcastle need to bring in some funds to comply with FFP, they would love to keep Guimaraes, so his £100m release clause may need to be triggered.

Guimaraes has been a regular at St James’ Park since joining in 2022 and has gone from strength to strength, with his Transfermarkt valuation doubling to a career-high €85m since moving to England. He has now made more than 100 appearances for Newcastle, 44 of which have come during the current campaign, and Guimaraes quickly received praise from Magpies legend Alan Shearer as well, who said in 2022.

“He was superb. Man of the match for me was Bruno. The way he handles that ball under pressure and is able to ping that ball into the forward players, he’s so comfortable on the ball, particularly if you give him this amount of space.”

Goals

7

4

Assists

7

6

Expected assists

3

5.2

Progressive passes received

48

61

Tackles

57

72

Blocks

27

46

Interceptions

20

29

Capable of playing as a holding or central midfielder, you could argue that a Rodri and Guimaraes partnership in midfield could be dominant for City, and if the club get their way, we may see that at the Etihad come August.