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Liverpool fans love the transformation the club’s midfield has undergone in recent weeks.

The Reds thumped Huddersfield Town 5-0 on Friday night to return to the top of the Premier League table prior to Manchester City’s clash with Burnley on Sunday.

A Naby Keita goal and braces from both Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane sealed victory for Jurgen Klopp’s side, who now have a points tally of 91.

It remains to be seen, of course, if the club will end the season as champions, with Pep Guardiola’s side still in the driving seat; if they win all of their remaining three games, they will retain their crown.

But Reds fans are not looking too far ahead and are instead choosing to focus on the rehabilitation of their midfield.

Indeed, many pinpointed the midfield three as the weak-link in a largely excellent squad, with Jordan Henderson, Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum all seen as too conservative on the ball.

But Klopp has been able to retool the central trio by deploying Henderson in an advanced role, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, an attack-minded player, made his return from injury against the Terriers.

And supporters were quick to highlight the alteration in the centre of the pitch. Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

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Manchester United meet with old foes Barcelona for the first time since the 2011 UEFA Champions League final on Wednesday night, at the quarter-final stage of this year’s competition.

What was the key to defeat on that night?

United won’t want to remember that May evening at Wembley but the reason they were defeated eight years ago holds the key to how they can avoid lightning striking twice this time around.

On that night a much younger Lionel Messi absolutely ripped apart Sir Alex Ferguson’s men, like he had done in the same final two years earlier.

The Argentine may have only come away from the huge match with one goal to show for his efforts in a 3-1 win, but everyone knew he had pulled the strings of the whole Barca team throughout.

Nearly a decade later and not much has changed in the Catalan capital as the man considered by many to be the greatest footballer of all time is still doing it week-in-week-out at the Camp Nou.

So, similar to how he had been in 2011, Messi is the one the Red Devils have to stop and if they can they will severely cripple their opponent’s capabilities. Though there’s one obstacle, how that’s much easier said than done.

Learning and stopping Ernesto Valverde’s men

Man United may not have been able to stop Messi’s Barca freight train eight years ago, but they can now if they learn lessons from Ferguson’s failure and taking another step towards lifting the famous trophy for the fourth time.

In the 2011 final, the Manchester side failed to recognise the importance of going back to the basics of man-marking to drown “The Magician” out from the defence, lining up with a back four.

The United of today have it in their power to switch to a formation of three centre-backs within a back-five without disturbing any defensive harmony.

Who is your club’s worst ever January signing? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked theirs in the video below and they didn’t disappoint…

If United single out Messi, of course Barca do have other key players, they can keep a lid on him with a trio of centre-backs and worry about the others after.

He creates as well as scoring goals with most of Valverde’s men’s play often flowing through the Argentina legend, so if Solskjaer fields Chris Smalling, Victor Lindelof and Phil Jones in defence together he can severely weaken Barcelona’s supply line.

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According to the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur could end up having around £160m to spend on new players in the summer transfer window, but it won’t be enough to make them Premier League title contenders next season.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Daily Mail report that after two successive windows without any incomings, Spurs are ready to act at the end of the season and are targeting Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo among others.

The story says that Mauricio Pochettino will start off with a budget of £60m, but that the north London outfit could raise another £100m through player sales.

That would give the Argentine around £160m to spend if that does prove to be the case, with central midfield and wide areas two positions in particular he will surely look to strengthen.

Enough to be title contenders?

In a word, no.

There is a reason why Liverpool and Manchester City are 21 and 19 points ahead of Spurs respectively in the top-flight standings this term, and it is because they have been consistently brilliant.

Tottenham just don’t have the same quality and experience throughout their starting XI and squad in general as those two aforementioned teams, and £160m isn’t going to change that.

Considering that potential £100m raised through player sales could conceivably include losing both Toby Alderweireld and Christian Eriksen – two key players – Pochettino would have a massive job to do in terms of recruitment to build a team ready to compete with the Reds and the Cityzens.

11 losses in 35 Premier League matches simply isn’t good enough for a team that wants to win the so-called best division in the world, and big improvements are needed in defence and attack when you look at the columns for goals scored and goals conceded compared to their likely rivals in 2019/20.

Relive all the drama of Man City v Spurs through the eyes Spurs’ fans in the video below…

£160m won’t do the job unfortunately, and it may well have to be another season of building and shaping a younger team to have a real go the following campaign instead.

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Last week’s Fixture in Focus wasn’t exactly a thriller but it didn’t disappoint either: Tottenham pushed Liverpool all the way in an Anfield affair that was played at exciting pace but lacked moments of pure final-third quality.

Nonetheless, there was plenty for the Fixture in Focus crew to get stuck into, ranging from Liverpool’s lust for lady luck to Tottenham’s sudden lack of confidence and continuity at the back.

After that, the #FIFpod team switched their attentions to this week’s Fixture in Focus – Chelsea vs West Ham. The Hammers have a knack of only turning up when the cameras are showing, so Monday night’s encounter at Stamford Bridge should be an intriguing clash.

West Ham’s inconsistency this season, and their return of just four points against the teams in the seventh-place-mini-league, is a key part of this week’s agenda, as well as Declan Rice’s prospects of becoming a world-class talent and Chelsea fans turning on Maurizio Sarri.

If you love what we do and don’t want to miss another episode, don’t forget to subscribe on your preferred podcast platform by clicking here – but you can check out the latest episode below!

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Following a candid interview, in which he revealed that he needs to leave the club to be with his partner and their sick daughter, Isaac Hayden is expected to leave Newcastle in the summer after having his wish of a move away denied in January.

Given his amazing performances of late, where he has emerged as one of the first names on Rafa Benitez’s teamsheet, there will be a huge gaping hole where he once stood if he does end up departing St James’ Park.

Who can replace him?

It will be tough to replace a player of Hayden’s quality on the cheap and as we all know, Mike Ashley doesn’t often spend huge sums of cash nor does he enjoy loosening his purse strings.

Has injury cruely robbed Sean Longstaff of a potential England place? The Magpie Channel’s Matty belives he was nailed on in the video below…

Hayden is 24 years of age, English and could easily get better, but given his difficult personal circumstances, it would be unfair to keep hold of him against his will, especially as he has been a model professional throughout the whole situation.

As a result of that, Newcastle should look within their ranks right now to find the answer, and it could well be right before their eyes in Fabian Schar.

Why would he be a capable replacement?

Schar, a £3m bargain summer signing, has been arguably one of the Magpies’ best players this season.

His quality is there for all to see. The Swiss international can pass the ball, dribble with it, time his tackles well and is a dominant presence in the air – all of which are traits that are pivotal parts of Hayden’s game.

If you’re wondering how Rafa Benitez will cope with losing a centre-half to play him in midfield, natural left-back Paul Dummett has excelled in the centre of defence in recent weeks, whilst he also has Jamaal Lascelles and the currently injured Florian Lejeune to choose from.

By making this shrewd move, Benitez can save some cash this summer and allow his team to remain settled.

Is anyone going to land the final blow in this year’s race for the top two in the Championship?

Whereas Norwich City look almost certain to secure their return to the top flight of English football, Leeds United and Sheffield United have switched positions in the league standings on four occasions in the last 25 days. The latest momentum swing occurred on Wednesday night as the Blades were held to a 1-1 draw at Birmingham City, a result which saw Chris Wilder’s side fail to regain second place from the Whites.

Whether this will prove to be the decisive moment in this almighty battle between the two Yorkshire-based clubs will depend largely on if Leeds can maintain their composure over the coming weeks.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side currently hold a one-point advantage over United and are just five games away from securing the historic achievement of promotion to the Premier League. However, in order to realise their dream, they must first overcome clashes with Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa who have both experienced a resurgence in recent months under their respective managers.

With both fixtures occurring at Elland Road, Bielsa’s side will be confident of securing maximum points if they can produce a similar level of performance which has seen them light up the Championship at times this season. However, if they slip-up in either match, they could hand the advantage back to the Blades at the worst possible stage of the year.

Ideally, Leeds will want to embark on a run of five victories which will guarantee their passage into the top flight yet if they cannot achieve this, they must try to accumulate as many points as possible between now and May.

What do you think Whites fans? How many points do you think your club needs to overcome United? Does your club have what it takes to maintain their composure between now and the end of the season? Get in touch below.

عاد أليكس تيليس إلى قاعدة تدريب كارينجتون التابعة لنادي مانشستر يونايتد صباح الإثنين، لكنه غادر بعد 15 دقيقة فقط من وصوله.

وكان البرازيلي قد انتقل إلى الأولد ترافورد قادمًا من بورتو، في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي لهذا العام.

وشارك تيليس في مباراة واحدة فقط وذلك أمام باريس سان جيرمان، في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وغاب تيليس بعد ذلك عن كتيبة أولي جونار سولشاير بسبب إصابته بفيروس كورونا المستجد، كوفيد 19.

وحسب شبكة “Manchester Evening News” الإنجليزية، فإن تيليس تواجد صباح اليوم الاثنين في مقر تدريبات مانشستر يونايتد.

وأوضحت أن السبب في ذلك يعود إلى أن تيليس خضع لفحص كورونا آخر في مانشستر يونايتد.

وأشارت إلى أن صاحب الـ27 عامًا دخل مقر التدريبات في حوالي الساعة 9:40 صباحًا، وشوهد مرة أخرى وهو يغادر قبل الساعة العاشرة.

يُذكر أن تيليس غاب عن مواجهة تشيلسي ولايبزيج وآرسنال نتيجة الاختبار الإيجابي.

When Bradford City announced the signing of Sean Scannell in the summer, not many of their supporters would have predicted just how bad their season would turn out.

The 28-year-old was expected to lead his new side to a higher finish than the 11th place that the Bantams had achieved during the 2017/18 campaign after playing the majority of his career at a higher level than League One.

With the Yorkshire-based side announcing the deal on Twitter, these fans expressed their delight on the social media platform.

Unfortunately for Scannell, he has failed to live up to the expectations as a serious back injury suffered in November saw him miss 29 consecutive games before finally making his return last Saturday as a substitute against Doncaster Rovers.

In the midfielder’s absence, Bradford have experienced a truly miserable campaign which has seen them sack yet another manager, lose 16 games, concede 48 goals and move within five games of a return to the fourth tier after six years away.

The appointment of Gary Bowyer at the start of March has ultimately been an unsuccessful ploy by the club’s owners to try and avoid an almost inevitable relegation yet is clear that they now need to back their new boss when the transfer window opens in July.

Whether Scannell is willing to make the drop down to League Two may depend on the club’s financial position. As with any side who fail to achieve survival, Bradford will have to consider a complete overhaul of their squad and despite the midfielder being injured for the majority of the season, he could end up having to leave Valley Parade just twelve months after making his initial move to the club.

كشفت شبكة “Soccer Laduma” الجنوب إفريقية المبلغ الذي سيتحصل عليه المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، بيتسو موسيماني، كمكافأة في حالة التتويج ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا هذا الموسم.

ونجح موسيماني في التأهل للمباراة النهائية والتي ستقام يوم 27 نوفمبر الجاري في ملعب “برج العرب” في الإسكندرية، بعدما قاد الأهلي للفوز على الوداد البيضاوي في نصف النهائي بنتيجة 5-1 ذهابًا إيابًا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. موسيماني يوجه رسالة إلى مؤمن زكريا

وبحسب الشبكة الشهيرة، سيحصل المدرب الجنوب إفريقي على مبلغ 450 ألف دولار حال الفوز ببطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا وهو نفس المبلغ الذي حصل عليه المدرب السابق للأهلي، رينيه فايلر، نتيجة لفوزه ببطولة الدوري المصري.

وتحلم جماهير الأهلي بالتتويج بالبطولة الإفريقية الغائبة عن خزائنه منذ 7 سنوات مع موسيماني، وتحقيق النجمة التاسعة في دوري أبطال إفريقيا والثانية للمدرب بعد الحصول على اللقب في عام 2016 أمام الزمالك.

وينتظر الأهلي الطرف الثاني المتأهل للمباراة النهائية في مواجهة الإياب اليوم، الأربعاء، بين الزمالك والرجاء البيضاوي، وكانت نتيجة مباراة الذهاب هي فوز العملاق المصري بنتيجة 0-1.

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Ruben Neves has easily been one of the brightest talents in the Premier League this season and as a result, is attracting the interest of one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

According to El Gol Digital, Atletico Madrid are lining up the Wolves midfielder as a possible replacement for Thomas Partey who may leave the La Liga club in the summer.

The report claims that he could cost as much as €50m (£43.1m) so Nuno Santo’s team would end up getting quite a significant financial windfall should he leave.

In the past, Neves has also caught the eye of Manchester City and Liverpool but nothing concrete has come forward for the Portuguese star.

The 22-year-old has been phenomenal since arriving from Porto ahead of Wolves’ Championship winning campaign last term. With this in mind, can the club afford to lose him this summer? Football FanCast writers give their verdicts.

Ben Goodwin:

“I think Wolves can easily cope without Neves mainly because they will get a massive transfer fee for him. The 22 year-old is a crucial cog in Nuno’s system, but he is not irreplaceable, and so long as the money from his exit goes towards signing one or perhaps two elite passers of the ball to take over his role in the midfield they will be fine.”

Harry Elnaugh:

“I think it would be a huge step back for Wolves to sell Neves. Few players outside the top six can pass a ball with the consistency and range that the Portuguese can, and the Wolves hierarchy would have to be mad to cash in on that commodity.” 

Jack Saville:

“I think this summer is a brilliant time to cash out on Neves. One positive season in the top-flight will naturally command plenty of suitors, but if he fails to kick on next year questions will be asked of his true scope for development. He has been brilliant at times this season and tepid at others, so I don’t think it would be as cataclysmic a loss as one might have thought during the early stages of the season.

With the likes of Moutinho and Dendoncker in the squad and a massive fee likely to arrive in exchange for Neves’ services, Nuno should be entertaining the possibility of selling Wolves’ crown jewel this summer.”