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After grabbing all three points in a controversial Premier League encounter with Southampton, Aston Villa will be looking to make it two wins on the bounce when they host West Ham United this Wednesday.

Dean Smith’s side are still hoping to nab a European place come the end of this campaign, but the Hammers have aspirations of their own after a surprise season. David Moyes’ side were beaten by Liverpool last time out, but they had racked up an incredible six wins in all competitions prior to that result.

Smith is not expected to make major changes for the clash with the Irons, but we expect a couple of tweaks, and below is a look at how Villa might line up.

In goal, Emiliano Martinez will be hoping for yet another clean sheet after sealing his tenth of the season with a superb performance against Southampton, as the Argentina international continues to cement himself as one of the top flight’s finest shot-stoppers.

Matt Targett has been superb recently and should not lose his place, so we don’t forsee any changes in the back four. The Villa boss confirmed an injury issue for Kourtney Hause in the build-up to this match, so keeping Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa fit over these coming weeks will now be essential.

In midfield, Morgan Sanson is pushing for his full debut after joining from Ligue 1 giants Marseille, and although he hasn’t exactly set the world alight so far, Smith seemed to hint that the Frenchman is in his plans to get his first start against Moyes’ men tonight.

The 26-year-old’s availability gives Smith somewhat of a selection headache, but if he does start, Douglas Luiz looks to be the likely partner given the defensive balance he can bring, meaning popular Scotland star John McGinn would be the one to miss out.

Further forward, £40,000-a-week winger Anwar El Ghazi is surely due a chance to break back into the side after losing his place to Bertrand Traore – the Burkina Faso forward hasn’t exactly made the spot his own despite some flashes of good form.

All in all, after the win against Southampton Smith is unlikely to completely overhaul his XI, but we think these couple of tweaks could make all the difference to give Moyes a headache of his own.

Predicted XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Targett; Luiz, Sanson; El Ghazi, Barkley, Grealish; Watkins.

Tottenham Hotspur clearly haven’t learned their lesson.

Once again, they sat back in the second half and invited pressure to the point of the opposition scoring.

It wasn’t too long ago that Spurs sat top of the table with both Heung-min Son and Harry Kane scoring goals for fun, now they have slipped to sixth place having also dropped points to Crystal Palace and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the very same manner.

Indeed, Fulham had more shots (eight) than the home side (five) in the second half and also dominated possession, notching a total of 55% – a total contrast to the opening period as Jose Mourinho’s side were in complete control with 58% possession, via SofaScore.

After Harry Kane opened the scoring by ending a fine move which saw Sergio Reguilon whip a delightful ball in for him to nod home, Spurs were pegged back in the 74th minute when Eric Dier was caught napping from a cross himself. The diminutive 5 foot 9 Ivan Cavaleiro beat him to a header.

Though, the Englishman’s game overall, aside from that one momentary lapse in concentration, was actually pretty decent – he managed three clearances, two tackles and enjoyed more touches than any other Spurs player (94), per SofaScore.

This shows that he had a major influence in starting Spurs’ counter-attacks as not even the playmaking Tanguy Ndombele could get near such numbers (69) having only played nine fewer minutes.

He also proved to be a strong presence at the back, thwarting Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who endured the match’s second-lowest rating of 6.2 after completing just one of five dribbles as well as losing the ball 15 times, per SofaScore.

Other culprits let Mourinho down far worse at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last night, perhaps surprisingly, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was one huge disappointment.

The great Dane, often a powerhouse in the middle of the pitch, averaging 2.8 tackles, 2.2 fouls and 1.2 interceptions per game on the season via WhoScored, was instead wasteful and lightweight against the Cottagers.

Only one other Spurs player graded worse than his 6.3 rating as he won only 35% of his 14 duels, he won 12 out of 17 in the 3-0 victory against Leeds United last time out as a comparison, and committed four fouls, which is nearly double his usual mean as above. He was even dribbled past four times, which was more than anyone else on the pitch, per SofaScore.

The £27m-rated summer arrival was completely dominated by his opposite numbers Harrison Reed, who made six tackles, and Andre Zambo Anguissa, who successfully pulled off six dribbles, thus the pair ran rings around Hojbjerg all night.

To top things off, the 25-year-old picked up his fourth booking of the season having committed four fouls, meaning he’ll be on thin ice in the coming games now.

“He’s a captain without needing to wear the armband,” Mourinho said in October (via The Athletic) – well if that’s the case, then the ‘Special One’ has every right to feel aggrieved and let down by Hojbjerg’s outing on Wednesday night.

Someone with that acclaim, on over £100k-per-week too, should be doing so, so much better.

AND in other news, Spurs can find next Jan Vertonghen in “phenomenal talent” lauded by Messi…

Big things were expected of Dominic Solanke when he joined Liverpool from Chelsea’s academy side in 2017, with the striker regarded as one of the hottest young talents in English football at the time.

However, fast forward three years and the 23-year-old looks to have perhaps found his level in the Championship with Bournemouth, having started the 2020/21 season in impressive form, with two goals and three assists in 11 appearances in the second division, resulting in a strong average rating of 7.11 (per WhoScored).

Liverpool seemed to sell the youngster at precisely the right time, as despite a disappointing spell with the Reds, Michael Edwards was able to convince the Cherries that he was worth £19 million in January 2019 (per BBC).

During his time with the Anfield outfit, Solanke would make 27 first-team appearances, culminating in just one goal and one assist (per Transfermarkt).

Since joining the Cherries, the 23-year-old striker has made 58 appearances, with an uninspiring return of just six goals and five assists, although his decent form so far this season shows he may be on the right track towards realising the potential he obviously had during his time with Chelsea and Liverpool.

Brendan Rodgers was full of praise for the youngster back in 2017 when Celtic were linked with the frontman, saying:

“I took Dominic into Chelsea when he was eight years of age. I am delighted for him and the career he has had up until now as a young player, he is a fantastic talent.” (per Sky Sports)

Solanke’s time with Liverpool was obviously less than successful and Edwards should get a lot of praise for being able to make such a profit on him when he sold him to Bournemouth.

However, we’re sure that the majority of Liverpool fans will be hoping to see the striker really kick on with Bournemouth this season and hopefully he will be able to showcase his talent more effectively in the Premier League in the future.

Alfredo Morelos scored his first goal in the Scottish Premiership since September to ensure Glasgow Rangers retained their 16-point lead at the top of the table with a 2-0 win away at St. Mirren going into Saturday’s Old Firm game.

Steven Gerrard’s side got off to a sluggish start before Kemar Roofe received a stroke of luck as his deflected effort sailed past helpless Mirren goalkeeper Jak Alnwick.

And Morelos capitalised on a mistake from Joe Shaughnessy to score his third league goal of the season in the first half to cap off what was a comfortable win in the end.

However, it wasn’t all rosy for Rangers, as Jim Goodwin’s side came close to scoring on several occasions, with Jonathan Obika having the better of the chances.

But the Gers’ defence prevailed, due in part to a defensive shift from Connor Goldson, who looked every inch the seasoned veteran as he kept Obika in his back pocket for most of the game.

While Morelos may have ended his goal drought stretching back to the 3-3 draw with Benfica in the Europa League, it was the performance of Goldson at the back that shouldn’t go unnoticed.

The 28-year-old has been in imperious form since the start of the season, as he scored a double against Celtic in the first Old Firm derby of the season, and had an absolutely monstrous game defensively against the Saints. The same can’t be said for Filip Helander but more on him later.

As per SofaScore, he was given a high grade of 7.6 out of ten for his efforts – he won six out of his seven duels overall (85%), made two tackles, blocked two shots, made a staggering seven clearances – more than any other player on the pitch including Morelos – and wasn’t dribbled past at all.

Comfortable at the back and confident in possession, Goldson looked great with the ball at his feet, provided 19 out of 24 passes (79%), only lost possession five times and produced three accurate long balls from nine attempts.

GlasgowLive awarded him with a similar rating of 8/10 and claimed he ‘kept Jon Obika under wraps on a comfortable afternoon’ while Rangers News seemed to agree, insisting ‘St. Mirren looked to pressure the Rangers star and stop him spraying passes forward but Goldson never let it affect his game as he enjoyed a successful night.’

With a clash with Celtic on the horizon, the timing couldn’t be better for Gerrard, who will be well aware his side will have to be at their very best if they are to beat the Bhoys for the second time this season.

Morelos got himself on the scoresheet with the weekend’s Old Firm fixture no doubt playing on his mind but the centre-back deserves immense credit for his defensive shift to ensure the Gers kept a fourth consecutive clean sheet in a row.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard must drop Glasgow Rangers winger Ryan Kent after rapid decline in form…

West Ham United have been urged to not continue their chase of Blackburn Rovers striker Adam Armstrong.

Former Premier Leauge striker Kevin Phillips has recently talked about West Ham’s links with a move to sign Armstrong and he believes that the Hammers shouldn’t sign the Blackburn forward.

Armstrong may not fit West Ham

Phillips was recently talking to Football Insider and he talked about the club’s links with a move for the forward. He believes that Armstrong is not the sort of forward that David Moyes’ would be looking for. He feels that Moyes is looking for a forward who is taller than Armstrong, as they are looking to replace Sebastian Haller.

He said: “I do not think Adam Armstrong fits the mould at West Ham. Would Moyes even consider it? If I am being totally honest, I do not think he would.

“I think Moyes would be going down the route of a 6 foot plus striker. Of course, Haller was that type of player and it did not work, but Armstrong? I do not think he would suit the way Moyesy wants to play.”

Armstrong, currently 23, has made 27 appearances in all competitions this season. He has scored 17 times, getting seven assists. In the Championship, he has scored 16 goals while picking up three assists. This is a reflection of how he is a prolific contributor to goals.

Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Warburton has praised Armstrong quite a bit. He said:

“He’s a top quality player. I’m sure Tony was desperate for him to get on the teamsheet, as much as we were desperate for him to not be on the teamsheet.

“But that’s what he can do to teams. I thought we done well to stop him in the opening half but you can’t afford to give someone of that calibre any decent opportunities. That’s the quality of the Championship.”

West Ham can make do with Armstrong

Armstrong boasts of a very good record for Rovers. In 144 games for the Lancashire-based side, he has scored 52 goals while also picking up 17 assists on the way. This is a reflection of the qualities of the player and he is only valued at £9 million.

This shows that if West Ham did make a move for him, he might not be a costly investment and he is still only 23 right now. He has a very good goalscoring record but Phillips thinks that he is not the type of player that Moyes would want, but time will tell if he’s correct.

In other news, West Ham are eyeing a move for a Danish international – read more here.

Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish has opened up on what it’s like being the skipper of his boyhood club and his thoughts on signing a new five-year deal at Villa Park.

The 25-year-old was instrumental at the weekend as Dean Smith’s side thumped Premier League champions Liverpool 7-2, scoring twice and providing three assists during the 90 minutes in a sensational result at Villa Park.

Sunday’s game capped off what has been a wonderful few months for Grealish, having recently signed a new contract with Villa and being selected to play for England once again after making his Three Lions debut last month.

The club have also made moves in the transfer market, bringing in Chelsea’s Ross Barkley on loan until the end of the season to add strength in depth to the midfield.

Despite this, Grealish told Standard Sport that he doesn’t think about pressure at Villa negatively. “I think it’s a good thing to have and there is only one reason why you would have a lot of pressure on yourself,” he said.

“I always put a lot of pressure on myself to perform. Me being the captain, the local lad at Villa, there is a fair bit on me. This is all I’ve wanted to do my whole life.”

Grealish went on to talk about what he felt was best for him at this stage of his career, saying: “Staying at Villa was the best thing for me. I’ve had a lot of pressure. It is something that I thrive off and I enjoy.”

These comments could really please Villa fans. Grealish is not just another player in the first team that will come and go in a few years – he evidently adores this football club.

Being called up to play for the national team is the least that the Villa skipper deserves. The fact that he chose to stay in the Midlands, having been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United, is enough to delight the Villa Park faithful. This is the icing on the cake.

Villa head into the international break in an extraordinarily healthy position – unbeaten in the Premier League with a 100% record, beating last season’s champions and with their captain signing a new deal.

It’s a good time to be a Villa fan. With a long journey ahead of them this season, it will be interesting to see whether they can keep this up until May.

Villa fans, what are your thoughts on what Jack Grealish said? Join the conversation by commenting below…

West Ham United can greater frustrate Premier League rivals Burnley by reviving the east London outfit’s failed efforts to sign RC Strasbourg Alsace defender Mohamed Simakan.

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, Burnley are pushing manager Sean Dyche to make a £15million bid for Simakan after the Clarets’ team of scouts identified the 20-year-old as their favourite defensive target for the January window.

Dyche had been at loggerheads with the Burnley hierarchy and owner Mike Garlick over transfer targets this summer, which allowed West Ham and David Moyes to swoop in and sign Craig Dawson on loan from Watford.

Clarets chiefs continue to disagree with Dyche over the club’s targets approaching the January window, but could convince the manager to pursue Simakan after the Hammers and AC Milan failed in efforts to sign the defender this summer.

France Football, via Sport Witness, have claimed Strasbourg turned down a €17m (£15.3m) offer from West Ham that featured €3m (£2.7m) in add-ons to meet their €20m (£18m) valuation, but the Meinau Stadium side were greedy and convinced themselves that €30m (£27.1m) would be attainable.

Their decision to reject all offers having also snubbed a €15m (£13.5m) bid from Milan frustrated Simakan, as the 6 ft 1 talent was keen to test his hand in a new division and particularly felt that the Premier League would have been an ideal destination.

Moyes can greater frustrate Burnley

Having already frustrated Burnley boss Dyche by signing Dawson, West Ham can greater agitate the Turf Moor outfit by returning to Strasbourg in January in the hopes of signing Simakan as the Ligue 1 side’s form could spark a fire sale in order to gain as much value as possible.

Strasbourg have begun the 2020/21 campaign in almost the worst way imaginable with six defeats from seven games, leaving Thierry Laurey’s side just a point above the automatic relegation spots thanks to a solitary win over basement boys Dijon.

Laurey’s side and Dijon also share Ligue 1’s worst goal difference at minus-10, after Strasbourg conceded a division-high 16 goals in their opening fixtures to the six scored – marking the second-worst offence in the French top-flight behind Dijon’s four goals.

Simakan has done all he can to help inspire a turn of form at the Meinau Stadium with Ligue 1’s 12th-most ground duels won (28), 14th-most tackles (14) and 18th-most interceptions (13) and aerial duels won (14) by a defender thus far, per SofaScore. He has also recorded the most passes (327) and the highest number of accurate long balls (43) by a Strasbourg player.

His efforts with Strasbourg before the current campaign also inspired comparisons with Real Madrid icon Sergio Ramos, his teammate Raphael Varane and Manchester City’s Aymeric Laporte by Field Insider.

They lauded Simakan highly due to the Marseille-born defender’s athletic qualities being of a similar style to that of Varane and Laporte, while his decision-making and abilities as a leader can help inspire and motivate teammates in any situation.

AND in other news, West Ham won’t be missing a £22.5m-rated man after his summer transfer after a forlorn debut with his new side.

Newcastle United managed to steal a point from Tottenham Hotspur in the final moments, when a handball call that has caused uproar gave Callum Wilson the chance to equalise, which he took.

However, there is one man on the team who should not have his performance overlooked by that moment: Karl Darlow.

The 29-year-old put in a superb display, making a total of 11 saves throughout the match, including a double stop that denied Harry Kane what would usually have been a certain goal.

One fan referred to him as “God-like”, and there were plenty of other superlatives used, while another fan referenced Magpies goalkeepers of the past.

Despite the 1-1 draw being a positive result, it was felt by one fan that the only positives from the game were the performances of Darlow and Joelinton.

Some Newcastle fans are already looking forward to what else Darlow can achieve, due to just how impressive his showing was.

The Englishman was in the team because of Martin Dubravka’s injury, but one fan has gone as far as to claim that he could usurp the 31-year-old with performances like that.

One has even claimed that he could eventually get ahead of the likes of Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope and Dean Henderson to become England’s number 1.

The impossible is slowly but surely turning into likely or even expected – Lionel Messi is set to leave Barcelona after almost 20 years of service and playing under the same banner his whole career. And Manchester City are waiting to take him to the Premier League.

The Argentine has now missed the initial pre-training tests at the camp and is likely to also miss Ronald Koeman’s first training session today as well. All of this certainly points towards an almost definite separation.

But Man City should also be really optimistic because according to Terry Gibson, Barcelona themselves would love nothing more than to actually sell the Argentine in the ongoing summer transfer window.

Here’s what he said for Sky Sports’ Transfer Talk podcast: “It’s a sign now that there is going to be a war between Barcelona and Messi. If you’re asking me what is going to happen eventually, I think Manchester City are the favourites now. But part of me thinks (Josep) Bartomeu and Ronald Koeman want to see Messi out of the door now.

“They want to eradicate his wage bill, Luis Suarez’s wage bill, the team needs rebuilding. If Barcelona can get the transfer fee from Manchester City, get Messi off the wage bill and try to pin the blame on Messi, that’s the outcome which suits Bartomeu, Ronald Koeman, and the outcome that will suit Manchester City.”

The Catalans have been struggling with their wage bill and do have enormous financial issues. Selling Messi, however weird that may sound, could potentially throw them a lifeline.

Of course, Pep Guardiola is just waiting for that to happen and then he’ll pull the trigger.

Verdict

There have been various different discussions of whether Messi would fit in at Man City. He’s 33 now and doesn’t exactly run too much and the Citizens are all about intensity, speed and aggression.

But are we really discussing whether adding the world’s best player to a team would indeed make that team better? It does seem like a no-brainer.

Aston Villa finally had something to cheer about on Sunday as they clung onto their hopes of retaining their Premier League status by picking up a valuable three points against Crystal Palace.

Their 2-0 win came courtesy of a Trezeguet brace, but it was another Egyptian who got the fanbase talking.

Indeed, Ahmed Elmohamady had a big impact coming into the team from right-back. The full-back had a hand in the first goal, nodding on a Conor Hourihane free-kick before his fellow countryman applied the finish at the far post.

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His attacking influence didn’t end their either, he was also a key creative force for the Villains, playing three key passes, the joint-highest of any player alongside Jack Grealish and Wilfried Zaha.

Understandably, the fans were full of praise for the full-back, and they took to social media to give him the credit he deserved.

Despite looking like one of Villa’s best players against Palace, the former Hull City man hasn’t been one of the first names on Dean Smith’s team sheet, playing just 58 minutes since the restart before completing a full 90 against the Eagles.

After his strong showing on Sunday, fans called for him to start more often.

With Villa still four points from safety, you can excuse some members of the fanbase being a little more pessimistic, and even though these supporters were thrilled with how Elmohamady played, they were left questioning why the manager wasn’t starting him more regularly.

It remains to be seen if the 32-year-old will be given more chances between now and the end of the season, but the Birmingham-based outfit need to be at their very best if they’re going to stay up, and if Elmohamady continues to play like this, their chances will improve exponentially.