Tottenham fans think Eriksen has given up on the club

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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…

Southampton have lost the plot if they really are demanding £10m for Charlie Austin

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According to reliable journalist Alan Nixon on his official Twitter account on Thursday, Southampton want £10m if they are going to sell Charlie Austin before the transfer window slams shut at 11pm.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl once confirmed in his Burnley pre-match press conference on Thursday that while the club don’t necessarily want to get rid of the player, they are willing to do so if a deal can be found that suits all parties.

In quotes, as reported by The Daily Echo, the Austrian said: “We don’t want to send him away.

“If there is an option that he can make a good step and we get someone else in then it can be that this works.”

Nixon believes that the south coast outfit are asking for £10m for the 29-year-old having turned down four loan approaches from Premier League clubs, as per Sky Sports, with the player having less than 18 months remaining on his contract.

Will he go?

It seems unlikely unless Southampton are willing to drop the reported asking price.

While Austin has proven in the past that he can get goals at this level, the injury issues that he has suffered from in recent years, as well as the fact that he isn’t the most mobile striker around, mean that they are being overly ambitious with their demands this late in the window.

Given they are still interested in signing Che Adams, as per Sky Sports, who is more suited to fitting into Hasenhuttl’s style than the experienced centre-forward, it is strange that they aren’t willing to sell the 29-year-old for a smaller fee so they can get the in-form Birmingham City man.

It all stinks of the Saints hierarchy losing the plot, and it could mean that they are left with a player who won’t be of much help to them for the remainder of he campaign.

Check out the video below for Emma Conybeare’s rundown of which clubs need what in the January transfer window…

Liam McCarron could soon break through at Leeds

Marcelo Bielsa hasn’t been shy when it comes to introducing young talent into the first-team at Leeds United.

Indeed, the Argentine has handed no fewer than 11 teenage players their debuts during his tenure as United manager, but one man we haven’t seen don a white shirt in a senior game yet is Liam McCarron.

The young winger was one of United’s first signings of the summer arriving on the 1st of July from Carlisle United.

It seems as though the U23s ace is making huge strides in his career after making his Scotland U19s debut last week against the Czech Republic.

The next logical step for the Scot is a full debut for Leeds, so what should United fans expect from him if he’s handed a chance?

Well the best place to start may be to hear what those close to him have said, his former academy coach Darren Edmondson once praised him very highly, stating:

“At 15 he was blessed with loads of pace, which is why we took a chance on him, but he was a young boy who would get very frustrated very quickly.

“As he’s matured and come into full-time football, that’s been the biggest change in him. If he makes a mistake now, his work rate is unbelievable.”

The teenager was proactive in his pursuit of improving his work rate, and it wasn’t just something that came naturally to him.

In July 2017, McCarron was asked to answer a few questions for a profile for Carlisle’s website, and he revealed that one area he needs to improve was tracking back and helping the team defend, and within a couple of years he was in the first-team being praised for how hard he works.

That’s exactly the type of attitude you want a young player to have – he’s spotted his biggest problem and fixed it very quickly, and if he can continue to improve the weak spots in his game, he could blossom into a very talented player.

Are you a Championship expert? How much did each of these big-money signings cost?

A rapid winger who likes to work hard sounds like an absolute dream for Marcelo Bielsa, and if he continues to make strides it may not be long before the Argentine gives him a chance.

In other news, Leeds should be worried by one Bielsa trend after recent reports.

Aston Villa fans hail Jonathan Kodjia after contribution against Liverpool

Jonathan Kodjia scored twice as Aston Villa booked their spot in the semi-finals of the EFL Cup with a 5-0 win over Liverpool on Tuesday night.

Liverpool’s involvement in the Club World Cup means that it was pretty much an Under-23 team that took to the field against Villa.

But Dean Smith’s side still had to get the job done.

Watch Aston Villa Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Kodjia certainly made the most of his opportunity in the final third, and a number of Villa fans lavished praise on the 24-time Ivory Coast international for his contribution to the cause.

Meanwhile, a number of the fans have called for Smith to select Kodjia ahead of Wesley for Saturday’s Premier League clash with Southampton.

Watch Villa vs Norwich Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

Wesley, who has faced criticism from the club’s fans this season, has only managed four goals in 17 Premier League appearances for Villa this term but he did net in the latter stages of the clash with Liverpool.

Kodjia had not scored in his four appearances ahead of the tie with the Reds, although the Villa fans believe that the 30-year-old should get the nod this weekend.

Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right….

Wesley’s late goal against the Champions League holders will have done his confidence no harm at all, but it will be interesting to see who gets the nod this weekend.

Meanwhile, one player in particular found it difficult to make his mark during Villa’s Premier League clash with Sheffield United at the weekend.

Marco Silva would be repeating Ronald Koeman’s mistakes by bringing Miguel Almiron to Everton

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According to The Sun, Everton, as well as Premier League rivals West Ham United and Newcastle United, are interested in signing Miguel Almiron from MLS outfit Atlanta United.

What’s the story?

Almiron has caught the eye of many would-be suitors with his performances in the USA. His record of 13 goals and 13 assists in the 2018 MLS campaign has certainly raised the 24-year-old attacking midfielder’s profile and he has produced some truly scintillating displays for Atlanta.

The 13-cap Paraguay international looks ready for his big switch to a major European side now, and he appears to have the potential to have an impact in the Premier League – although any move would still be a risk given he has never played in a major league.

Playmaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

However, Everton have no need for Almiron’s services, and in bringing him to the club, Toffees boss Marco Silva would be risking making the same mistake as previous Everton manager, Ronald Koeman. 

A repeat of past mistakes

The Dutchman’s tenure at Goodison Park was undermined by his errors in the transfer market. An influx of players all vying for the same positions, specifically the attacking-midfielder berth preferred by Almiron, left his squad unbalanced and with players unhappy and being deployed out of position. 

Ultimately, this was one of the factors that contributed towards Koeman’s position on Merseyside becoming untenable.

It took Wayne Rooney being sold and Nikola Vlasic being shipped off on loan for balance to be restored. Gylfi Sigurdsson was then handed the No. 10 role, and has since thrived for the Toffees. Silva retains options in this part of the pitch too, with Bernard and Dominic Calvert-Lewin also able to play the position.

With Vlasic set to return having impressed for CSKA Moscow, Everton don’t need any more attacking midfielders. Bringing Almiron to the club in spite of this risks giving rise to similar issues to those Koeman faced. 

Manchester United should sort their defence out and sign this £40m-rated star in January

Manchester United’s miserable start to the season continued last weekend as they were well and truly humbled by Spurs at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils look all at sea at the moment, and preparing for a crucial game at Lancashire rivals Burnley today, manager Jose Mourinho will be well aware that the pressure is one to start getting some results and climbing the Premier League table.

Even though the window has only just closed in England, eyes from some United fans will already be on the January market, and here at the Transfer Tavern, we think that a defender has to be on the agenda for the Old Trafford club.

One man we think they should be looking to sign is AC Milan ace Alessio Romagnoli, who is valued at a hefty £40m by Transfermarkt.

The former Sampdoria man has become a mainstay of the team in Milan, and with nigh on 100 appearances to his name for the Rossineri, he has become one of the most well respected defenders in Europe.

Unfortunately for United, the likes of Jones, Smalling, and Lindelof just don’t see up to scratch, but signing someone like Romagnoli would go a long way to plugging that leak at the back.

The Italian is a quality operator, and would be exactly the sort of defender who Mourinho would love to welcome to his squad.

United fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

Leeds fans react as Aitor Karanka posts tweet suggesting new managerial role

Fans from a number of clubs around England took notice on Wednesday evening when Aitor Karanka posted a tweet suggesting that he may be close to becoming the manager of a new team.

While the tweet is fairly ambiguous, fans of Sunderland and Everton were quick to ponder whether the former Middlesbrough boss may be close to filling the current vacancies at their respective clubs.

However, another set of fans were also intrigued by the tweet. Despite having a manager at the helm, Leeds United supporters were quick to express their opinions and urged the ex-Real Madrid to join their club and replace current boss Thomas Christiansen.

Despite an impressive start to his tenure at the club, Christiansen and his side are suffering through some dreadful form and have managed just one win in their last five games, including three defeats on the bounce.

Now, with Karanka seemingly on the move, a number of Leeds fans are hoping that the Spaniard will be the man to end their horrific form of late…

HYS: Can Schmeichel fill De Gea’s void?

According to reports from Sky Sports, Manchester City and Manchester United are both keen on signing Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel this summer.

The 24-cap Danish international was nothing short of immense as the Foxes unexpectedly lifted last season’s title and he’s one of the few Leicester players who’ve managed to maintain their level of form from 2015/16, making 83 saves in 25 Premier League outings this season.

City are reportedly eyeing their former starlet, who rose through the academy ranks at the Etihad Stadium before leaving for Leeds United and subsequently the east Midlands outfit, but Sky Sports claim he’s now the Red Devils’ first choice to replace David De Gea – should he leave for long-term admirers Real Madrid as expected.

So, United fans, does Schmeichel have what it takes to fill De Gea’s world-class void, or should Jose Mourinho be shopping elsewhere for successors to his current No.1? Let us know by voting below…

Three things we learned from Liverpool’s 4-1 thumping over Leicester City

What a fantastic Saturday it’s been in the Premier League. It kicked off with one of the most thrilling Manchester derbies for years and continued with some outlandish 3pms – most notably Spurs beating Stoke 4-0 and Watford coming back against West Ham to win 4-2.

And the curtain-caller was also a thoroughly entertaining match as Liverpool faced reigning Premier League champions Leicester City at their new-look Anfield, fully equipped with the recently built Main Stand.

The Reds were firmly in control for much of the fixture, barring one monumental error from Lucas Leiva, and came away with a resounding 4-1 win.

But more important than entertainment, as my teacher would say, is what we actually learned. We at Football FanCast like to learn something from every game, whether big or small, a Champions League or Championship clash.

With that in mind, here’s three lessons we took from the first league fixture at Anfield.

LALLANA’S RISE CONTINUES

It’s been a phenomenal week for Adam Lallana. Last Sunday, he bagged a last-minute winner for England; today, he netted arguably the best goal of the match – an absolute piledriver from just inside the box.

Overall, the jury’s still out on the attacking midfielder. But it’s impossible to dispute that he’s steadily improved under Jurgen Klopp and now appears to be an important player for both club and country.

LEICESTER HAVE LOST THEIR FEAR FACTOR

Make no mistake about it, we’re just four fixtures into the new season and the reigning Premier League champions have lost their fear factor.

Although nobody expected the Foxes to reach the same heights as last term, we at Football FanCast assumed opposition would be somewhat intimidated by Claudio Ranieri’s boys, who are still one of the hardest working sides in the league.

But Liverpool were nothing short of relentless in the opening stages, showing Leicester no respect at all. This game should be a real worry for Ranieri; Leicester have already been reduced to a pale imitation of last season.

STURRIDGE – A TEAM PLAYER

Much has been made of Daniel Sturridge’s attitude after pulling that expression on the touchline against Tottenham Hotspur two weekends ago. But there’s no doubt the England striker produced a more selfless performance this afternoon, making an incredibly intelligent off-the-ball run to help create Roberto Firmino’s first goal and supplying Saido Mane with a backheel for the Reds’ second.

Of course, the 27-year-old still lunged for goal wherever possible, getting four shots on target. But it wasn’t a case of Sturridge roaming around until the ball reached his feet; he worked in fantastic tandem with Mane and Firmino throughout the afternoon and was subbed off to an ovation.

Explained: Why Bayern Munich's Bundesliga match against Union Berlin has been postponed

Bayern Munich's clash with Union Berlin on Saturday has been postponed due to extreme levels of snow falling in Munich overnight.

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Bayern Munich vs Union Berlin postponedSnow fell overnight and expected throughout the day

Game to be rescheduled for later date

WHAT HAPPENED?

The two sides were set to meet at the Allianz Arena but the game will have to be rescheduled due to the weather conditions. Snow is expected to fall throughout the day and into the evening in Munich, making it impossible for the game to go ahead.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE EXPLANATION

Bayern stated that large portions of snow falling from the roof of the stadium would pose a risk to supporters and would not be safe to attend. The club also acknowledged that impact of the weather on public transport links made access to the stadium difficult, or impossible, for many swathes of supporters. The club also acknowledged that the Munich police had recommend that people do not leave their homes. Owing to these factors, the club stated that it cannot be guaranteed that the necessary security personnel will be able to reach the Allianz Arena.

WHAT BAYERN MUNICH SAID

In a statement, CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen, said: "We very much regret that we have to postpone the match, but the safety of our fans and the supporters of Union Berlin has absolute priority. In addition, access to the Allianz Arena is not guaranteed due to numerous road closures and various public transport cancellations. We will inform you about a possible new date as soon as possible."

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN AND UNION BERLIN?

Bayern have stated that they will provide the information on the fixture's rescheduling as soon as a new date has been agreed between both clubs and the German Football League (DFL).

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