Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United backed up last week’s win over Swansea City with another 2-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon and are now only two points behind Championship leaders Norwich City with a game in-hand.

But, if the Whites were to reclaim their spot at the summit of the league, then they will need to be a bit more organised and structured at the back.

Bielsa’s men were fortunate not to be 1-0 down early on in the match on Saturday after Bolton striker Josh Magennis headed a Callum Connolly cross against the crossbar of Kiko Casilla’s goal.

Magennis was left in acres of space after defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips was handed with the task of defending against the tall centre-forward.

Philips was obviously under instructions of the manager to help out centre-backs Pontus Jansson and Liam Cooper who have both struggled in defence in recent matches.

The fact that Leeds have only managed to keep one clean sheet in their previous 12 matches in all competitions clearly shows why Bielsa have ordered Philips to help out at the back in order to throw more bodies in front of the opposition attackers.

But, the manager will need the likes of Jansson and Cooper to step up and take some responsibility for their poor showings at the back, in order to improve on their mistakes.

The visiting Bolton did, however, find the back of the net in the 22nd minute due to Leeds failing to clear their lines from a corner, which resulted in a big scramble in the box before the ball landed at Mark Beevers’ feet, who calmly converted the opportunity.

The desperate attempts of Leeds trying to clear the ball away ultimately proved why a lot of work needs to be done in defence if they were to start keeping clean-sheets.

A trip to QPR on Tuesday evening will certainly be another big test for Jansson and Cooper and they will need to be a bit more aggressive and relentless in their defending if they are to stop conceding unnecessary goals.

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West Brom overcame Nathan Jones’ determined Stoke City side in a hard-fought contest at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday. A single Dwight Gayle goal, as the Newcastle United loanee nodded in from close range, was enough to give the Baggies a 1-0 win.

Darren Moore will be delighted with the result, but he will be disappointed with his side’s lack of thrust and dynamism. This is an issue he must address, especially if he is serious about taking West Brom back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

On the chalkboard

Gareth Barry has been a fine servant at the Hawthorns. However, at 37-years-old he should not still be as important to the way the Baggies play as he currently is. The 53-cap former England international has made 19 league appearances for the Midlands club so far this season, as per Transfermarkt’s statistics.

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Whilst the veteran midfielder’s experience, ability to read the game, and quality on the ball can be useful, he can no longer bring energy or intensity to the middle of the park. This issue is compounded when Barry is partnered in midfield by Jake Livermore, as he was against Stoke.

29-year-old Livermore also lacks the ability to break forward effectively with the ball, and as such, the Baggies are lumbered with an uninspiring midfield pairing. Both are tidy on the ball, and calm, experienced presences, but they lack pace and firepower.

Looking ahead

In order to address this, Moore must invest more faith into the likes of Sam Field and Rekeem Harper, who could both bring a much-needed injection of energy and youthful exuberance to West Brom’s midfield setup.

Finding long-term replacements for the likes of Barry and Livermore in the upcoming summer transfer window is also vital, especially if the club are able to secure a return to the top flight. Moore’s mind must now be on the future.

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Arsenal bolstered their chances of qualifying for the Champions League this season with a 2-0 win over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium, with Mesut Ozil’s return to the starting eleven providing a timely boost.

On the chalkboard

Prior to the weekend victory over United, Ozil had not started against one of the established top-six sides since Arsenal drew 1-1 with Liverpool at the beginning of November 2018.

Emery’s selection policy has sparked huge debate about the former Real Madrid man’s long-term role at the club, and his lack of involvement has hinted at a potential fallout between player and manager.

It would have been fair to assume that Ozil was set to start on the substitutes bench after starting in midweek against Rennes, but Emery surprised plenty of fans and pundits by including him alongside Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey in midfield.

The elusive playmaker’s inclusion provided the Gunners with a creative outlet in the final-third and his ability to collect the ball in pockets of space caused United all kinds of problems.

Ozil’s return of four key passes was the highest recorded by any player on the pitch in a fixture which saw him rediscover his mojo at a perfect time for the club.

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Arsenal reap rewards from Emery’s decision

The decision to start Ozil on Sunday proved to be a masterstroke from the Arsenal manager. His injection of guile added a dynamic to the attack which allowed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette to thrive in a front-two.

With the race for the top-four likely to be decided by the finest of margins, Emery’s tactically astute call to bring Ozil into the starting eleven to expose the frailties of United’s midfield partnership could be season-defining both in the context of the game and the battle for European qualification.

The former Germany international proved he can still have a huge impact on Arsenal’s season and Emery deserves credit for a selection decision which added a substantial weight of credibility to their top-four ambitions.

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Loads of Tottenham fans have been running the rule over Saturday’s draw against Arsenal, and they’re not too happy with the form of Christian Eriksen.

Hugo Lloris was the hero on Saturday as Spurs stayed one step ahead of their north London rivals in the race for top four.

The Gunners took the lead in the first half though and were good value for it, with Aaron Ramsey racing through in the first half to open the scoring.

Spurs answered back through a controversial Harry Kane penalty before Lloris saved the day late on, denying a tame Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spot kick in the dying moments of the match.

There were several poor performances in Mauricio Pochettino’s side despite the relatively positive result, but none were worse than Eriksen.

The 27 year-old, who will be out of contract in the summer of 2020, looked completely disinterested throughout the match if truth be told, and he has now failed to score or assist in three consecutive games.

Eriksen has always been a hugely popular figure at the club, but looking disinterested in what, for many, is the biggest game of the season might just be the clearest sign yet that he intends to leave the club.

Fans suspected something similar after a quiet showing in the defeat to Chelsea, and the Twitter reactions down below do not make pretty reading…

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Spurs travel north for their battle with Burnley at Turf Moor, buffed by the news that Harry Kane is back and ready for action having recovered from his recurring ankle injury.

Fortunately for the Lilywhites, they have hardly missed the England captain’s absence due to the electric form of Heung-min Son who, should Mauricio Pochettino do the maths ahead of a busy run of fixtures, should be dropped for the Clarets clash.

On the chalkboard

Spurs have proved in the last month that they aren’t the one man team many football fans label them as being – instead, the likes of the aforementioned Son and even Fernando Llorente have stepped up to the plate and delivered the vital goals that have kept the north London outfit in the title race.

Kane’s immediate recall for this weekend’s clash would surely be a no brainer for many Spurs fans and, while it may be a risk to thrust the only-just-recovered number 9 back in against one of the Premier League’s most physical sides, Pochettino must think about what his team needs and when, in a period where they have three games in seven days.

Why, then, should Son, who has scored in three consecutive games, be dropped against Burnley instead?

Kane loves scoring against Burnley

The 25-year-old has chalked up five goals and an assist in seven games against the Clarets and will be keen to add to that stellar record in their next meeting.

Meanwhile, Son is in desperate need of a rest having played 89 minutes or more in the last four Premier League games and the full 90 minutes against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. The clash with Burnley seems like the perfect time to give him a break.

Plus, Pochettino has plenty of other attacking midfielders to choose from so there is no need for Son to be restored in his left-wing role so soon, and Llorente might be a better partner for Kane up front this game anyway – Sean Dyche’s side are adept at dealing with balls into the box and sit very deep so the Spaniard’s height may be more useful than Son’s pace.

Chelsea next up

A battle with the Blues is just around the corner – Wednesday, to be precise – and a different approach will be required for that game. Starting Kane in two games so close to each other after the striker has just returned from injury should not be considered by Pochettino, who would be better served bringing Son back in for the Blues clash.

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Maurizio Sarri’s side struggled to break down teams who sit deep so perhaps Spurs’ joy will come – like it did the last time the two London clubs met – on the counter, where 26-year-old Son’s pace will be crucial.

After all is Arsenal, where Pochettino will hopefully be able to unleash a fully recovered, fully rested Kane and field his strongest side against their bitter rivals. Leaving Son out this weekend might be an unthinkable decision to make but, considering how hectic the fixture schedule is in the next seven days, it would be an extremely smart decision for the Spurs boss to make.

يرى مدرب فريق وست بروميتش ألبيون سلافين بيليتش، أنهم كانوا يستحقون الفوز في مباراة اليوم أمام تشيلسي في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، وليس التعادل فقط.

وتواجه الفريقان في معقل وست بروميتش، في الجولة الثالثة من البطولة حيث تعادلا بثلاثة أهداف لمثلها. أهداف تشيلسي ووست بروميتش

وتقدم أصحاب الأرض بثلاثة أهداف في الشوط الأول، قبل أن ينجح تشيلسي في تحقيق التعادل في الثاني من خلال تسجيله ثلاثة أهداف.

وقال بيليتش، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “أنا سعيد بأدائنا، تسجيل ثلاثة أهداف ضد تشيلسي هو أمر رائع، أنا فخور جدًا بالأولاد، علينا أن نبني على هذا للحصول على الثقة والروح”.

وأضاف: “يمكننا أن نرى أنه يمكننا اللعب ضد فريق أفضل منا على صعيد الناحية الفردية للاعبين، ولكن يمكننا الدفاع ضدهم ويمكننا لعب كرة قدم جيدة وصناعة الفرص”.

وواصل: “في الشوط الثاني كنا نعلم أنهم سيضغطون علينا، أردنا أن نحصرهم في التسديدات من خارج منطقة الجزاء ومنعهم من الدخول إلى منطقتنا، ولكن نحن كنا نستحق الحصول على النقاط الثلاثة”.

وتابع: “لا يتعلق الأمر دائمًا بما تريد القيام به، في بعض الأحيان يتعلق الأمر بالخصم، تشيلسي يمتلك لاعبين رائعين، أردنا الحصول على مزيد من الوقت على الكرة وأردنا تسجيل المزيد من الأهداف، في بعض الأحيان كانت لدينا لحظات جيدة وصنعنا فرصًا جيدة”.

واستكمل: “مع القليل من الحظ كان بإمكاننا الفوز 4-2 ، لكننا كنا نعلم أنه سيتعين علينا الدفاع بعمق في الشوط الثاني ورأيت أننا كنا ممتازين”.

[ad_pod ]When Paris Saint-Germain travel to Old Trafford this evening to take on Manchester United in the Champions League last 16, all eyes will be on two of the world’s most precocious youngsters; Kylian Mbappe, and Marcus Rashford.At 20 and 21 years of age respectively, it is interesting to see that both men are arguably their side’s key players right now, and are most certainly two players that are bang in form.

Why will they decide the outcome?

Usually, Mbappe would be a threat alongside both Neymar Jr and Edinson Cavani, but the latter duo will miss the game against the Red Devils through injury, leaving the young Frenchman to do it all alone.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Similarly, Rashford is the man that United fans are currently relying on to score the goals week in, week out, and after being rested against Fulham last time out, the England international should be raring to go.

Both men are guaranteed to have chances at Old Trafford, as Rashford should be able to get in behind a depleted PSG backline which is missing Thomas Meunier and had to play youngster Stanley N’Soki at left back last time out against Bordeaux.

In United’s case, their defence consisting of the likes of Ashley Young and Eric Bailly could easily be found wanting by Mbappe’s pace; it looks set to be a game decided by whichever youngster packs their shooting boots.

Who looks more likely to threaten the goal?

Both men are unbelievably quick, and whilst Mbappe has always been a goalscorer since breaking onto the scene, Rashford has been given a new lease of life under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in a central role.

The Red Devils academy graduate has scored six league goals since the Norwegian took over – he was also named as the Premier League Player of the Month for January.

However, PSG’s World Cup winning prodigy is a much better player and shows efficiency beyond his years in front of goal; United must make a plan to attempt to stop him, but the Parisians mustn’t be complacent around Rashford.

With the absence of Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool needed someone to inspire their unit against the dangerous Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

Enter Jordan Henderson, who gave his answers to critics with a commanding performance.

While Liverpool couldn’t get the job fully done against a gritty German side, Henderson’s output was nothing less than superb. The Liverpool captain not only kept an eye on to keep the tricky James Rodriguez quiet but also dictated the tempo of their game. He did so admirably, while also elevating the performance-level of Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum.

Allowing his midfielders to press high up, Henderson displayed urgency and energy from his deeper role. Not only did he sniff out dangers and eliminate threat, but also tried to create from his deep role. Henderson played a stunning long-ball to Mohamed Salah in the early minutes, but the Egyptian couldn’t divert it towards goal.

While he was gutted not to gain an assist for that brilliant pass, Henderson kept his head down and claimed his authority in the game. He distributed possession really well, maintaining an 81% passing accuracy. However, his defensive work was brilliant, as he made three tackles and recovered possession eight times. (stats via Fotmob)

An encouraging, vocal figure in midfield, Henderson proved how important he is to Liverpool. He reaffirmed his ability to get the best out of those around him, while also saving his side from doom multiple times and prove himself as the undisputed leader of Jurgen Klopp’s side.

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Leeds United forward Kemar Roofe has been sidelined with a knee injury, as reported by the BBC.

The 26-year-old is the Whites’ top scorer so far this season, having racked up 14 goals in 26 Championship outings, as per Transfermarkt’s stats. His absence will come as a major blow to manager Marcelo Bielsa, especially at such a crucial time in the season, with Leeds in the thick of the title race.

The Argentine coach will have to find a way to make his team work without Roofe, beginning with Saturday’s visit of struggling Bolton Wanderers to Elland Road.

On the chalkboard

Leeds’ squad is already small, as is Bielsa’s preference. However, that does make dealing with Roofe’s injury an even greater challenge. 

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Leeds’ style of play this season is very defined and highly particular. Bielsa has encouraged the Whites to play aggressive, intense, high-pressing football. Throughout this campaign, Roofe has played a key role within this system.

The attacker has the stamina, energy and work rate to relentlessly harry opponents and defend from the front. Whoever comes into the starting XI to replace the Englishman must replicate his contribution in this regard.

Maintaining the intensity

In recent weeks, following the return to fitness of 25-year-old No. 9 Patrick Bamford, Roofe has dropped deeper, into the No. 10 role behind the striker. 

Bamford will likely start against Bolton, meaning it is in this No. 10 berth where Roofe must be replaced. The two most obvious candidates for this vacancy are Tyler Roberts and Pablo Hernandez. 

The 33-year-old Hernandez would bring a great deal of guile and invention to this task. However, 20-year-old Roberts could provide more energy.

Bielsa should give the younger man the chance to shine on Saturday. At this stage in the season, it is vital that Leeds can maintain their intensity, and the inclusion of Roberts gives them their best chance of doing so.

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Loads of Sunderland fans have been reacting to a hugely significant club update, as captain George Honeyman will be allowed to play in the Checkatrade Trophy final at Wembley.

Duncan Watmore scored four minutes into stoppage time to rescue a point for Sunderland at Wycombe on Saturday, but it was what took place after the goal that has really got people talking.

A bench-clearing brawl resulted in red cards for Honeyman and the Chairboys’ Nathan Tyson, while Marcus Bean was dismissed a couple of minutes later for picking up a second yellow card.

Honeyman was handed a three-game ban for the incident, which was originally set to rule him out of the Checkatrade final vs Portsmouth, but he will now be allowed to play at Wembley.

The Black Cats appealed the ban, and while the appeal was unsuccessful, the ban will now only apply to league games, a club statement confirmed.

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Honeyman is a hugely popular figure at the Stadium of Light for obvious reasons, and fans are over the moon at this massive announcement from the club.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…