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Flocking to Twitter, lots of Manchester City fans are buzzing over reports that Ajax manager Erik ten Hag is one of the names in the frame to succeed Pep Guardiola when the latter’s contract expires.

City fans will be struggling to picture life without Guardiola following the most successful period in the club’s history. During his five-and-a-half year stay at the Etihad Stadium, the Catalan native has lifted 10 trophies, having won every domestic competition on offer in England.

Therefore, it is undeniable that Guardiola has created a legacy in City’s history, and he will duly go down as one of the greatest managers of the Premier League era, having won the division three times and currently on course for a fourth title.

However, the possibility of him leaving the club could soon become a reality, as the 51-year-old’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2023. With Guardiola’s contract now into its final 18 months, City have been drawing up a list of potential successors to replace him.

Man City fans want Ten Hag

Independent fan page City Xtra shared the news from Simon Mullock of The Mirror, which claimed that one of the names being spoken about as a potential successor to Guardiola is Ajax boss Erik ten Hag.

The Dutchman was in charge of Bayern Munich’s reserve teams when the current City boss was in first team charge at the Allianz Arena, while in Amsterdam he has won five trophies and led his team to the brink of the Champions League final in 2019.

As a result, many City supporters shared their excitement at the news from Mullock, with many fans hailing Ten Hag as the perfect replacement for Guardiola.

Here’s what some of them had to say:

“Only him. Not Potter, Not Arteta. Nobody else”

Credit: @MoSakoooo

“Let’s go. Another person to reject United and come to us. Manchester is blue”

Credit: @MCFC_BEN04

“Only one I would probably be happy with tbh”

Credit: @Cameron_MCFC_

“Bald for bald replacement. Don’t mind if I do (pls extend though Pep)”

Credit: @7Mcfcmax

“exactly what I want”

Credit: @Stonesologist_

“He would be a great fit after Pep’s departure”

Credit: @viveketernal

In other news: ‘We can reveal…’ – Sky Sports share live TV transfer development out of Man City

Aston Villa could strike gold with Liverpool star Joe Gomez amid Luke Hatfield’s recent transfer claim.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports, Steven Gerrard has got his sights set on the England international, and The Express and Star’s Hatfield has suggested that it’s a move that would certainly get the approval of the Villa Park support.

He told GIVEMESPORT: “Joe Gomez would throw the cat amongst the pigeons because he would back himself and Villa fans would be really excited by that signing.”

Would be a statement signing for Villa

The 24-year-old’s extensive experience of playing in the Premier League for a side like Liverpool, and competing in the Champions League year-in and year-out makes him the kind of marquee signing who would make a big statement at Villa Park.

While his big injury has kept him out of the Liverpool team, and epitomising the definition of ‘out of sight, out of mind’, Gomez remains a valued member of the squad and someone who Jurgen Klopp highly rates.

He said: “Since he is playing as a centre-half again – his natural position – together with (Virgil van Dijk) there is exceptional. He is a sensational footballer, which is good.

“He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good. The package is really nice.”

The £27m-rated star would fancy his chances of staking a claim for a first-team spot at Villa Park and would add to the impressive English centre-back contingent the club already have in the likes of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings.

As Klopp says, Gomez’s speed marks him out as a more unique centre-back, and that could fit in perfectly if Gerrard wants to have Villa pressing from the front and playing with a high line.

If Villa could lure Gomez away from Anfield, it would be a major signing.

Meanwhile, Gerrard has confirmed a major Villa blow…

Sunderland moved to the top of the League One table with an emphatic 5-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Thursday night.

The Black Cats are on 49 points after 24 matches and lead the pack, although Rotherham and Wigan would both move above them if they win their games in hand on Lee Johnson’s side.

Ross Stewart scored a hat-trick against the Owls to take him to 15 goals in 24 games, as he continue to enjoy a superb season in front of goal.

Forget Stewart

Whilst the Scottish forward may be banging in the goals for Sunderland, another player who is having an outstanding season is versatile beast Luke O’Nien.

The 27-year-old has played as both a defensive midfielder and a left-back this term, having played central midfield, right-back and centre-back in the 2020/21 campaign. This shows that he is a player on whom Johnson can rely to fill a multitude of roles on the pitch, making him a valuable asset for the club as he can plug a number of gaps and is capable of coming in and producing a good performance.

In League One this season, the ex-Wycombe man has averaged an exceptional SofaScore rating of 7.11. He has kept up a high standard in his displays week in, week out despite needing to change position at times to fill in for other players, which highlights his consistency, quality and versatility.

O’Nien was previously hailed by ex-Sunderland manager Jack Ross, who said: “He ticked a lot of boxes and then even when we did one-v-one stuff in training, he is awkward to get past, he is physical, competitive, and he doesn’t like people going by him.

“He has been a revelation in that respect, and credit to him for how he has faced that challenge.”

His performances this season have lived up to these comments, as he has completed 30 tackles in 16 matches in League One whilst also making 22 interceptions. He has won 134 duels overall this season, averaging 8.3 won per match, while winning an impressive 65% of the battles he has competed, as per SofaScore.

He has also been able to contribute in possession. As per SofaScore, he has created 0.9 chances per game and scored twice, whilst having 64 touches of the ball per match. Although he is not a prolific scorer or creator, he is able to chip in alongside the outstanding defensive work that he puts in every week, therefore making a vital contribution to helping Sunderland lead the way in League One going into 2022.

AND in other news, Big Fat Sunderland quiz of 2021 – how many questions can you get right?

Celtic have been dealt a huge injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premiership clash.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Football Scotland, Ange Postecoglou revealed that Anthony Ralston looks set to spend a significant amount of time on the sidelines after picking up an ankle injury in the 1-0 win over Hearts on Thursday.

Speaking about the condition of the right-back, the 56-year-old said: “We will get a round-up from the medical people. Tony felt something in his ankle which is disappointing because he’s been outstanding for us.”

In further comments cited by 67hailhail, Postecoglou continued: “Tony’s probably the one that’s most concerning certainly because for him to come off I’d assume it’s something significant.”

Postecoglou will be gutted

Considering just how crucial a player Ralston has been for Celtic so far this season, the news that he could be ruled out for a substantial amount of time, including Sunday’s fixture against Dundee United, is sure to have left Postecoglou gutted.

Indeed, over his 13 Premiership appearances, the £270k-rated defender has been in exceptional form, helping his side to keep five clean sheets, scoring three goals, registering five assists and creating a whopping nine big chances, as well as averaging 1.8 key passes and 2.1 tackles and winning 7.1 duels per game.

These returns have seen the 23-year-old average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.72, not only ranking him as Celtic’s second-best performer in the league from those who remain in the Hoops’ first-team squad, but also as the third-best player in the entire Premiership.

As such, the absence of the Scotland international will undoubtedly come as a huge blow to Postecoglou and his side, who will be looking to continue their impressive run of recent league form with yet another victory against Dundee United on Sunday.

In other news – 117 touches: Celtic “colossus” who made 95 passes proved Ange right vs Hearts

As per reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, it appears West Ham United are eyeing a Championship raid as he shares news on Derby County defender Lee Buchanan.

The Lowdown: West Ham take to January?

Manager David Moyes has confirmed that he wishes to be active in the January transfer market amid a defensive injury crisis at the London Stadium with both Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma sidelined.

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The Scotsman, casting one eye on the winter window, also says that he’s already been receiving offers from agents concerning players with the club and new head of recruitment Rob Newman potentially set to get searching.

England’s second tier could be one fruitful source of incomings, with 90min claiming that West Ham have sent scouts to watch Middlesbrough defender Dael Fry, QPR mainstay Rob Dickie and Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly.

As per ExWHUemployee, it appears the Irons could also turn to Derby specifically amid their financial problems.

The Latest: West Ham eye Buchanan…

According to his information, as shared on the West Ham Way website, there is a ‘firm interest’ from Moyes and co in defender Buchanan alongside Jason Knight and Max Bird.

The Rams’ financial situation means Derby are ‘likely to offload players’, leading to West Ham eyeing a move for Buchanan as well as Knight and Bird.

The Verdict: Move for Buchanan…

The 20-year-old defender arguably sticks out among this crop of Derby players when it comes to potential and how he could thrive at West Ham, so we would strongly advise the club to make a move.

Wayne Rooney has already waxed lyrical over the Englishman, calling him ‘one of the best young left-backs in the country’ who can ‘go to another level’ (Ryan Conway).

Also calling the player ‘incredible’, Rooney believes Buchanan is destined for a senior international call up within a couple of years – lofty praise from a Premier League legend.

As current left-back Aaron Cresswell slowly approaches the twilight phase of his career at 31, we believe the Rams ace could be a tailor-made replacement.

In other news: Moyes dealt worrying news as ‘another big injury blow’ comes out of West Ham, find out more here.

Everton will be aiming to end a run of three consecutive defeats when they host Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on Sunday.

The Toffees’ fast start to the season has come to an abrupt halt in recent weeks, with injuries to several key players threatening to derail their campaign.

With Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Yerry Mina all experiencing lengthy spells on the sidelines in recent weeks, Rafael Benitez has struggled to find the solutions to their enforced absences.

While youngster Anthony Gordon and the returning Fabian Delph have offered glimpses of hope, there are many more fringe players who have failed to step up to the mark.

One of those who has been unable to assert himself at Everton during the opening 10 Premier League games of 2021/22 is Alex Iwobi.

The £19.8m-rated flop scored his first league goal of the season against Wolves last time out, but that strike wasn’t enough to mask another hugely underwhelming display.

Goodison News reporter Nick Ware was also unconvinced by Iwobi’s performance at Molineux and was critical of the 25-year-old when dishing out his player ratings.

“Took his goal well, which raises his rating slightly. But can Benitez justify starting him ahead of Anthony Gordon? The fact that the Nigeria international was still substituted 10 minutes after his goal sums up how effective he really was during the game,” Ware wrote after awarding him a six out of 10.

Iwobi’s underlying numbers also illustrate his below-par showing against the Midlands outfit. As per SofaScore, he completed just 19 passes throughout his 78 minutes on the pitch, had only 32 touches of the ball and lost 50% of his duels.

The Wolves game wasn’t an isolated poor performance, either. As per WhoScored, he is a lowly 15th in the hierarchy of average ratings for the season so far in Benitez’s squad, with just five other players to have started a league match for Everton in 2021/22 ranking lower.

It’s been a frustrating few years for the former Arsenal academy graduate since arriving at Everton in August 2019, with the Liverpool Echo’s Sports Editor David Prentice highlighting his “embarrassing” contributions during a defeat to Southampton last season.

With no sign of Iwobi’s form dramatically changing any time soon, Benitez must axe him over the weekend, duly giving his team the best chance of getting a positive result against Antonio Conte’s Spurs.

In other news… Benitez may unearth an Everton gem in “skilful” 18 y/o prodigy, he’s an “intelligent” player 

Crystal Palace are keen on signing Real Madrid striker Borja Mayoral in January, offering him an ‘escape route’ from his loan spell at Roma.

The Lowdown: Palace linked with Mayoral move

The 24-year-old is currently on a temporary spell at the Stadio Olimpico, where he has been based since 2020, having been deemed surplus to requirements by Real Madrid.

After scoring 10 times in 18 Serie A starts last season, he has found himself completely out of favour under Jose Mourinho, making just three late substitute appearances this term.

Mayoral is sure to be looking at alternatives to Roma and it appears as though Palace could provide one, with one report emerging on Saturday regarding a potential move.

The Latest: Fresh report emerges

According to Mundo Deportivo journalist Pablo Planas [via Sport Witness], an ‘escape route has been opened’ at Roma and Mayoral is ‘ready to take it’.

Palace and Fiorentina are claimed to be the two clubs in the running to snap up the Spaniard, who has scored seven times in 33 matches for Real Madrid and is ‘close’ to parting ways with the Serie A club where is currently on loan.

The Verdict: Interest seems genuine

The fact that two quickfire reports have emerged suggests that Palace genuinely see Mayoral as a possible January acquisition, which should be exciting for Eagles fans.

While the striker may not have been a revelation for Real Madrid or Roma, he has still scored goals at two prestigious European clubs, which shows his pedigree.

Patrick Vieira may be well-stocked in attack, with Odsonne Edouard, Jordan Ayew and Christian Benteke all options at centre-forward, but Mayoral could just be a step up from all of them.

In other news, some Crystal Palace fans have reacted to an injury update. Read more here.

Everton are reportedly closing in on the signing of Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey as new manager Rafael Benitez begins to make his mark on the first-team squad.

What’s the story?

The Toffees are one of a number of Premier League sides who have been linked with a move for the 30-year-old in recent weeks, with Crystal Palace and Newcastle United also credited with an interest.

However, it appears as though Everton have moved ahead of their domestic rivals in the race for Ramsey’s signature, with Italian outlet Calciomercato claiming he is “increasingly likely” to sign for the Goodison Park outfit.

The report also states that doors will “reopen” for the Wales international in January after he turned down several opportunities to leave Turin over the summer as the Blues prepare to “welcome” the creative talent to the club.

Everton fans will be buzzing

News that Ramsey could soon be joining Benitez’s revolution on Merseyside will surely have large sections of the club’s supporters buzzing with excitement.

His current contract doesn’t expire until the summer of 2023, but rumours suggest the Italian giants are eager to get his £187,000-per-week wages off their books over the winter window after falling down the pecking order under Massimiliano Allegri.

In a recent interview, Ramsey expressed his displeasure at how Juve staff have managed him regarding his persistent injury issues, claiming the national team setup knows how to get the best out of him.

“Philosophy and training methods are different in Juve compared to those carried out with the Wales national team,” said Ramsey.

“In the national team, there are people who have been used to managing me for years and who know how to bring out the best in me, helping me to play many consecutive matches, as I was able to demonstrate at Euro 2020.

“I feel good when I am managed correctly and when I have the opportunity to play regularly,” Ramsey concluded, leaving Juventus’ hierarchy reportedly open to his exit.

During his career, the former Arsenal ace has secured three FA Cups, one Serie A title and one Italian Cup, illustrating the quality that he would bring to Everton, and he could be an ideal replacement for the departed James Rodriguez.

With his potential successor already in the pipeline after just a matter of weeks, supporters will surely be thrilled. He is a proven Premier League talent who has thrived on the continental and international stages.

And, in other news…Signed for £1.7m, now worth £13.5m: Brands struck gold for Everton with £57k-p/w beast 

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny believes that it would be reckless if the Whites decided not to do any business in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Leeds tipped to sign nobody

Marcelo Bielsa’s side have made a disappointing start to their Premier League campaign, winning only one of their first nine matches prior to today’s trip to Norwich.

After the highs of finishing ninth in their first season back in the top flight, the early months of 2021/22 have proven to be a sobering experience.

According to recent comments by The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Leeds are unlikely to make any new signings in January, unless their season is “on edge”.

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The Latest: Kenny bemoans apparent inactivity

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny rued that claim, saying that it would be naive of Leeds not to strengthen considering that they could find themselves in a potential relegation fight. He said:

“I don’t think they can afford not to sign anyone. Everyone else will be looking to strengthen. You can’t afford not to, it’s just too tough in the Premier League these days.

“If Leeds are in the same position they are now, I’ll guarantee they’ll need to strengthen. The fans won’t be happy if they don’t either.

“If you look at where they are now, they’re struggling for form and it looks like it could do with a freshen up.”

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The Verdict: Gauge it later in the year

While there is understandable reason to want new faces to come in given their current struggles, Leeds should look at the situation nearer Christmas in terms of their league position.

Key players such as Luke Ayling, Robin Koch and Patrick Bamford are out injured – the likes of Junior Firpo and Kalvin Phillips have also been unavailable recently – and the team’s fortunes could change when they all return.

Should Leeds’ struggles continue, though, it would be remiss of the club not to at least consider some January reinforcements. Kenny’s concerns are understandable, even if the Whites don’t need to push the panic button just yet.

In other news, this pundit has tipped one Leeds player to move to Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford has been well short of his best so far this season, according to former Premier League goalscorer Gabriel Agbonlahor.

The Lowdown: Bamford makes slow start

Bamford was arguably the Whites’ star man in 2020/21, topping the scoring charts with 17 Premier League goals and even being hailed as ‘exceptional’ by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

The hope was that the 28-year-old would take his form into this season, but it hasn’t quite panned out that way, with only one goal coming his way to date.

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The Latest: Pundit lays into striker

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor was critical of Bamford’s influence in recent weeks, also picking out other Leeds players who have struggled to replicate their previous brilliance:

“The problem with Leeds is that certain players aren’t turning up.

“For me, Patrick Bamford has not been good enough this season. He had a couple of chances against Newcastle and didn’t look sharp like he did last season. It looks like his confidence to score is not there.

“Raphinha is the main man, he’s outstanding. Liam Cooper at the back was skinned by Saint-Maximin. Players like him and Klich are not performing.

“As a team, they’re not scaring teams like they used to. Teams have got used to them, teams will know if you run and work as hard as Leeds you can beat them.

“That’s what Newcastle did. Newcastle were the better team against Leeds. They matched them physically and they knew without Raphinha popping up with something, they’ve not got much.

“I think Leeds will be fine but they’re not going to be anywhere near where they were last season.”

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The Verdict: Too early to panic

It is still only September, so there is no need to go over the top with regards to Bamford, even though he clearly hasn’t been as impressive so far this season.

He has still done well at times, assisting twice in the league, and the hope is that his form will improve once the team as a whole goes up a gear.

Bamford was always going to be under scrutiny, as he looked to prove he wasn’t a ‘one-season wonder’ in the top flight, and it will be interesting to see how he fares in the coming weeks and months.

In other news, Leeds have been dealt a blow in their quest to sign one player. Find out who it is here.