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Fans of Sunderland have been reacting to a post on Twitter, in which the club relayed footage of a spectacular Chris Maguire strike in a recent U23 fixture.

So far this season, Maguire has been in decent form over his 29 League One appearances for Lee Johnson’s side, with the 32-year-old scoring four goals and providing five assists, as well as averaging a WhoScored match rating of 6.71 – ranking him as the Black Cats’ 16th-best performer in the third tier.

However, having not started a league fixture for Sunderland since the beginning of December, it would appear as if Johnson felt the £315k-rated winger could do with a run out for the club’s U23 side against Burnley U23s on Tuesday, and Maguire did not disappoint, scoring a thunderous drive from the edge of the box in the Premier League 2 fixture.

And, after Sunderland relayed footage of the winger’s goal on Twitter, fans of the club flocked to have their say on the matter, with many questioning why the 32-year-old was involved in the youth fixture, while others simply heaped praise on Maguire for his strike.

So, what exactly did these Sunderland fans have to say in reaction to the footage of Chris Maguire’s goal?

“Should be starting in the first team.”

@GateshillRobbie

“Too good to be playing for the U23s. Really hope he gets more first-team opportunities.”

@AlexWil38702190

“Needs game time. There aren’t many Sunderland players who can do what Maguire can do – game-changer.”

@paulbasnett10

“Oh my God.”

@ChrissSAFC

“Pick that one out.”

@Tog41

“Stonker.”

@grahaml35342400

“Things you love to see.”

@DanielLPCQI

“Wow.”

@mattythompson95

In other news: loads of Sunderland fans were buzzing after these ‘exciting’ comments emerged – find out more here!

Jurgen Klinsmann has refused to rule out replacing Jose Mourinho as Tottenham manager.

Klinsmann discusses Spurs job

Klinsmann spent two seasons at Tottenham during the 1990s and, although he was only there for a short time, he become something of a club legend as he netted 29 goals in 56 Premier League matches (premierleague.com) – he was named the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year award during the 1994-95 campaign.

He was asked on ESPN FC whether he could take the vacant manager’s position at Tottenham, and he said:

“I tell you, anything is possible in life. I never thought I would coach Germany at a World Cup. I never thought I would coach the USA for six years or Bayern Munich. 

“So we’ll see in a couple of months who will be the Spurs manager!”

Wrong option

Klinsmann may have been a wonderful player, but that has not translated into management. The two-year spell with Germany remains the highlight of his career as he took them to the 2006 World Cup semi-final – he failed to last a season at either Bayern or Hertha Berlin, however.

For all of Mourinho’s faults, there is no doubting he was a manager of pedigree. While previous successes don’t determine how well someone well do in any job, it certainly helps to have experience of winning. Given Tottenham’s standing, they can surely do better than Klinsmann, who is neither a fresh-faced revolutionary like Mauricio Pochettino or an proven winner like Mourinho.

In other news, this man is set to leave Tottenham this summer.

If anyone from Leeds had one eye on Manchester United’s Europa League clash against Granada on Thursday night, then they would have been left suitably impressed by the performance of Yangel Herrera.

Reports in recent days have suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are interested in signing the Venezuela international, and he put in a star showing despite his side’s 2-0 defeat on the night. As per Sofascore, he won a mammoth nine duels at Old Trafford, which was the second-most of any Granada player on the pitch, despite playing in a more advanced number 10 role.

The 23-year-old also racked up five shots on goal, by far the most of any player on either side, and also completed two of his four dribbles, showcasing a real South American flair with his touch and skill.

La Liga Lowdown’s Heath Chesters raved about the Venezuelan, and in particular his ability to win the ball back for his side and then do something productive with it, saying that he is “full of energy, his movement on and off the ball is excellent”.

Chesters continued: “He’s taken to the jump in levels like a duck to water, and particularly impressive is his reading of the game. Most impressive is his pressing, how he steals the ball and immediately sets his sights on shooting or playing a killer pass.”

La Liga pundit Terry Gibson also lauded Herrera’s knack of timing his runs into the penalty box, which is no surprise given that he has already bagged eight goals in all competitions this season.

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Gibson said: “He’s been outstanding it was a real coup to get him to stay (at Granada). He’s a really athletic, dynamic player who has a habit of getting into the box at the right times. He’s a threat in the air too. He’s a fantastic acquisition (for Granada). He’s shown his talent, he’s really good.”

Given the kind of rave reviews he has earned, and the performance he put in at Old Trafford in a major European tie, Herrera looks like he’s got all the tools in his locker to be a real star for Bielsa at Elland Road.

If Victor Orta had his eye on the match, then he would surely have been left in no doubt that Herrera is a must-sign for Leeds this summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds could finally wave goodbye to this liability…

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has been lavishly praised for his work with the East Midlands club – and justifiably so.

The former Liverpool and Celtic manager has dragged the Foxes from the doldrums of mid-table mediocrity to consistent challengers for the UEFA Champions League positions and an FA Cup semi-final in just a couple of seasons.

The Northern Irishman has now received the ultimate compliment, with World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari saying that Rodgers in on track to be “one of the greatest managers in the world”.

Judging from his managerial CV so far and his immense experience within the game despite his tender years, it is hard to argue with that assessment.

But for a few tricky appointments in his formative years, Rodgers has established himself as an elite coach at every level.

He created a fantastic team at Swansea City, earning the Welsh outfit promotion to the Premier League for the first time with an attractive style of play which earned him the Liverpool job.

At Anfield, the 48-year-old developed the careers of Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling among many others, whilst also going so close to guiding the Reds to their first Premier League crown, only to miss out to Manchester City.

After his tenure on Merseyside ended, his long wait for silverware came to an end with Celtic. He masterminded two Scottish Premiership title wins, one of those being a stunning unbeaten campaign, whilst also scooping five cup wins.

Having celebrated his 100th match in charge of Leicester City, Rodgers’ influence at the King Power Stadium cannot be understated.

Whilst he may have to go some way to prove that he is one of the elite coaches in the world, a task which will certainly be helped with the addition of more silverware, Scolari’s assessment that the 48-year-old is firmly on the correct route to achieving that status is not far wrong, and it’s praise which is certainly justified.

AND in more news, read why Jamie Vardy’s England decision was absolutely correct…

According to the Daily Mail, four Premier League clubs are interested in signing Glasgow Rangers midfielder Glen Kamara.

Premier League clubs eye Kamara

The report claimed that four English top-flight sides – Brighton, Southampton, Burnley and Leeds United – are all eager to capture Kamara’s services. Championship outfit Watford are also interested if they are able to earn promotion.

At the moment, the £4.05m-valued Finland international is said to be relaxed over his position, while no official approach has yet been made.

Unsurprising

Given Kamara’s displays so far this season, it is unsurprising that he has popped up on the radar of a number of teams south of the border. He has made 44 appearances in all competitions (Transfermarkt) for the Gers this term, and has helped control the middle of the park on many an occasion, earning a 6.90 average match rating from WhoScored.

Steven Gerrard has previously revealed his desire to tie the 25-year-old down to a new contract (via FourFourTwo), but so far he has been unable to do so. Unfortunately, the time may be coming when Kamara feels he has achieved all he can at Ibrox. The Gers do have the carrot of Champions League football to offer him next season, but whether that is enough to convince him to resist the temptations of a move to England – where he has had scant senior experience – remains to be seen.

In other news, many Rangers fans are delighted by this Old Firm news.

Alan Shearer picked out the ‘excellent’ Jacob Murphy for praise as Newcastle drew 2-2 with Spurs on Sunday to boost their survival hopes.

Joe Willock’s 85th-minute equaliser against the Champions League-chasing visitors nudged the Magpies three points clear of the drop zone.

Steve Bruce selected Murphy for his first start since the 2-1 defeat against Leeds in late January and he duly shone. As per Sofascore, the 26-year-old won 10 ground duels during the game, completed four dribbles, made five tackles and created two chances. It truly was an all-action display from the right wing-back.

“It wasn’t just the goalscorers who stood out,” Shearer wrote in his BBC Sport column. “Jacob Murphy was excellent down the right side and gave [Tottenham left-back] Sergio Reguilon a torrid time throughout.”

The Times’ chief football writer Henry Winter joined the chorus of praise for Murphy, describing him as ‘outstanding’ and suggesting that his ‘resilience echoed all over’ the Newcastle team.

Transfer Tavern verdict

On the back of this performance, Murphy simply must start in the critical game against Burnley next weekend. You could even argue he deserves to be in the team for the remainder of the season and that he has been harshly overlooked by Steve Bruce up to this point, especially with those selected in recent weeks largely struggling.

Newcastle amassed an xG of 4.3 on Sunday – their highest in a league game since 2016/17 – and that was in no small part down to the wide threat provided by Murphy on the right and Matt Ritchie on the left.

In other news, Newcastle are apparently interested in this trio.

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After he scored his first goal in red and blue in 799 days against Tottenham, as per ITV, Connor Wickham is surely more likely to start ahead of Christian Benteke for Crystal Palace against Southampton on Wednesday,  but the big Belgian’s skill-set is precisely what the Eagles need if they are to succeed at St Mary’s.

On the chalkboard

Until a few weeks ago, Roy Hodgson had just Ayew and the recently-loaned out Alexander Sorloth as natural strikers to choose from – some may argue the former is not suited to playing there, though – and, more often than not, the 71-year-old would opt for a fluid partnership of Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha up front.

Townsend showed during his side’s 2-0 FA Cup victory on Sunday that he is becoming adept at arriving in the box to take a shot at goal – indeed, the journeyman winger is the Eagles’ top scorer, with seven to his name in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt – but Zaha doesn’t seem to thrive in such a role.

The timely returns, though, of Benteke and Wickham mean that Hodgson finally has some depth up front; the former England boss’ new-found luxury means he can approach a game in many different ways but there is one clear, perfect choice to tackle Ralph Hassenhuttl’s men.

Big Ben

While he may have struggled to find a lethal touch this campaign and the one previous, there is no debating 28-year-old Benteke’s physical and aerial ability. The former Aston Villa striker is one of the most dominant hitmen in the league – as long as the ball is off the ground, that is.

Southampton might have been reinvigorated by Hughes’ departure and Hassenhuttl’s subsequent arrival, but question marks still remain over the defence in terms of their positioning and ability to deal with crosses – 6-foot-3 Benteke can capitalise on this if supplied well by Palace’s threatening wide-men and, while he may not break his scoring duck, will prove a handful for the Saints’ back-three.

It’s also evident that Zaha loves having the number 17 in the team – the speedster currently does most of his side’s hold up play but would be relieved of such duties if Benteke starts – and would perhaps find himself running at full-backs a lot more often.

The Ivorian is one of the most dangerous players in the league when he gets into full flow but such a sight has been a commodity this season as he is shifted out of position – will Wednesday be the return of the partnership that was so effective in the 2016/17 season?

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video above…

Manchester City continued their march towards a potential quadruple in March, winning five of their six games this month, which saw them progress in the FA Cup and Champions League, whilst also pushing themselves closer to the Premier League title.

Although Pep Guardiola’s side have undoubtedly been in sensational form in recent months, not all of his players have been at their best and Bernardo Silva, in particular, had a disappointing month.

The Portuguese forward appeared in all five of City’s wins, in which they managed 16 goals, and yet the former AS Monaco man failed to register a single goal or assist.

The 26-year-old has been utilised in a number of different positions by Guardiola this season, featuring as a false nine, on the wing and in midfield, yet he struggled to really have much influence on any of the games he appeared in during March.

His first appearance came in the 4-1 win against Wolves, where he earned a solid, if unspectacular, 6.7 rating – which is lower than his 7.09 average in the top-flight so far this season.

He followed that up with two fairly strong performances against Southampton and Fulham, although when you consider the number of chances City had in both of those games, it is disappointing that he wasn’t able to get himself on the scoresheet or provide an assist.

This may have knocked his confidence, as he then slipped back down to a 6.7 rating for his performance against Borussia Monchengladbach, before producing his worst display of the month against Everton last time out, earning a less than impressive 6.37 rating for his performance.

After recent seasons where he has been a solid contributor of goals and assists, his measly return of two goals and three assists in just 22 Premier League appearances this season is slightly concerning, and also baffling when you consider how dominant City have been in recent months.

Therefore, you could definitely argue that Silva, who is currently valued at £63 million by Transfermarkt, dropped his standards in March after an impressive February, as he once again failed to contribute a single goal or assist in all competitions.

And, in other news… Some City fans were ‘underwhelmed’ by 23 y/o beast, but Txiki has delivered again

Scottish Police Federation chairman David Hamilton has suggested Glasgow Rangers are to blame for the scenes that unfolded in George Square and at Ibrox after their status as Premiership champions was confirmed.

Hamilton blames Rangers

The Gers were finally crowned champions after Celtic could only draw 0-0 with Dundee United. That therefore led to thousands of supporters taking to the streets to celebrate – breaking coronavirus regulations in the process.

Hamilton has since commented on the scenes and has laid the blame at the club’s feet. He said (via The Daily Record):

“Rangers was pretty disgraceful at the weekend when we had the celebrations in George Square.

“Not just in terms of their silence in advance but also in allowing their players to go to the corner of the stadium to cheer along, also in the dressing room, cheering people along and taking footage.

“Those behaviours contributed to the problems. We should not forget that. What we really need to see is the clubs making it clear. The First Minister is right, it’s not one statement or one day’s worth of social media, it is about being persistent and consistent.

“People are putting the match at risk and things like the Euros at risk with their behaviours. They need to be treated by the clubs with bans and so on.”

Too harsh

Of course, the Gers were not blameless in regards to the scenes which Hamilton is talking about. Steven Gerrard and his players celebrated with the fans outside Ibrox from windows in the stadium, for example. However, a message was played over the tannoy system urging fans to go home (The Glasgow Times).

While Rangers supporters are linked to club and always will be, the establishment itself cannot be blamed for the actions of people whom they cannot control. It seems the Gers, here, are an easy target for Hamilton to go after. Perhaps the Police themselves should look at how they handled the situation and allowed things to descend into chaos.

In other news, Rangers fans slam this Union Bears statement.

USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter remains confident that Matt Turner can “solve” his situation at Nottingham Forest after being benched by the Reds.

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• Keeper joined to play regularly
• Dropped on a couple of occasions
• Has made a few costly mistakes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The United States international goalkeeper moved to the City Ground in 2023 looking to find the regular game time that had been denied him at Arsenal. He was initially handed starting duties on Trentside, but has dropped out of the Forest side on a couple of occasions since then and seen a change made in the managerial department.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Turner is out of favour at present, at least in Premier League competition, and may find it difficult to earn a reprieve after making a number of costly mistakes in the 2023-24 campaign. He can, however, continue to call upon the full support of his country heading towards a Copa America tournament on home soil.

• WHAT BERHALTER SAID ABOUT TURNER

  Berhalter still has Turner very much in his thoughts, with the U.S. boss telling of the troubles some of his keepers are enduring at club level: “That’s always a concern. Ideally we want our players, all of our players, playing week in and week out, 90 minutes and being a big part of their team and contributing each and every week. That’s not always the case. When I talk about ups and downs in our player pool, at one time in their career having these ups and downs, it’s no different for our goalkeepers. We’re confident that they have the right mentality to get themselves out of it. You saw Ethan [Horvath] move from Forest to Cardiff, and now he’s playing every week. And we’re confident that Matt, and whoever our other goalies are, are going to solve their situations and come out on the top end of it. That’s part of being at such a high level, that it’s really competitive.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TURNER?

  Turner’s last outing for Forest did see him make an important contribution in an FA Cup penalty shootout win over Bristol City, and he could be drafted back in as the Reds’ keeper for knockout action when they play host to Manchester United in a fifth-round clash on February 28.