Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has revealed that Xherdan Shaqiri is not too far away from returning to training following a calf problem.
Shaqiri has been on the sidelines since last month with the issue. However, Klopp is hopeful that the Switzerland international will soon be available for selection.
There is no question that it has been a frustrating season for the 28-year-old.
Indeed, he has only played 11 minutes of Premier League football during the 2019/20 campaign, in addition to just three minutes of Champions League action.
As expected, the injury update led to a number of Liverpool fans responding.
And the vast majority are absolutely desperate for the former Bayern Munich ace to be given the chance to make his mark upon his return to fitness.
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Liverpool’s squad is certainly not as deep as Manchester City’s, and it will be interesting to see whether Shaqiri can play a part this season.
A selection of the Twitter reaction to the fitness update can be seen below:
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, John Hartson has suggested Pep Guardiola has “big plans” for Phil Foden and expects Manchester City will need him over the course of the season.
The England U21 international has struggled for game-time in the first-team this season, making just four appearances across all competitions, leading to questions over whether he would be suited to a loan move away.
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Now, Hartson has insisted Guardiola will be aware of Foden’s desire to play, and suggested City could do with a player of his ability in the squad.
He said: “If Foden gets fed up or really feels he’s good enough to play then that’s a conversation he needs to have with his manager.
“But I do think that Guardiola has big plans for Foden. Going out on loan is something that’s worked for other players but Man City could need him.
“Guardiola might be thinking why should I send him out on loan when I could do with him in the squad at City.”
With injuries already sustained by a handful of key players – including Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Kevin De Bruyne – Guardiola will be acutely aware of the need for a big squad.
Hartson went on to add: “He clearly really rates him. It could really give a club a boost if they manage to sign him on loan because he’s different class for his age.
“I think in Foden’s case that he will play a lot more this season than he has in previous seasons.
“Guardiola will understand that the boy will be frustrated and he does want to play games just like everybody else. That’s how footballers should be – they shouldn’t be happy on the bench.”
At just 19-years-old, Foden still has the world at his feet, and has plenty of room for growth. Working under a coach like Guardiola brings him a set of resources he wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else.
The Spaniard has worked with some of the greatest players of the modern era, and has coached them to become even better than they are – just look at Raheem Sterling.
So whilst the English prospect may find more regular first-team opportunities elsewhere, there simply isn’t a replica of the kind of coaching Guardiola could give him on a day-to-day basis. His goal against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League showed he is ready to step up to the plate and, as Hartson suggests, City would do well to recognise that he has plenty to offer this season.
Former Celtic striker Craig Beattie believes that Dundee United target man Lawrence Shankland would be a good fit for the Hoops.
The 24-year-old, who scored his first Scotland goal in the weekend win over San Marino, has attracted scouts from both Celtic and Rangers in recent weeks, as reported by the Daily Record.
Speaking on Si Ferry’s Keeping the Ball on the Ground podcast [via Evening Times], Beattie said that Shankland would be better suited to the green and white side of Glasgow given their creativity in the final third.
He told Keeping the Ball on the Ground [via Evening Times]: “I think he’s good enough for Celtic and he suits Celtic’s style more than Rangers’.
“The way [Alfredo] Morelos plays he creates a lot of chances and makes a lot of his goals himself. Whereas Celtic are a bit more creative in the final third with their wide players and [Ryan] Christie.
“I think he’d be more suited to Celtic and he could quite easily go into Celtic and do a job there.”
When looking at the respective goal involvements of the Celtic and Rangers squads, Beattie is correct in saying that the Hoops provide greater creativity from their wingers and attacking midfield players.
Right-winger James Forrest has been their leading assists provider this season with nine, with centre-forward Odsonne Edouard and attacking midfielder Christie setting up five goals each. Left-winger Mikey Johnston is next on the list with four assists to his name, while fellow wide players Jonny Hayes, Lewis Morgan and Mohamed Elyounoussi each have two. [via TransferMarkt]
In contrast, two of Rangers’ three top assists providers are full-backs, with centre-forward Morelos also in the top three. The only wingers in Steven Gerrard’s squad with two or more assists are Sheyi Ojo (four) and Jordan Jones (two). [via TransferMarkt]
Celtic also seem to have a better spread of goals across their squad than Rangers have. The Hoops’ top three scorers this term – Christie (11), Edouard (nine) and Forrest (seven) each occupy different positions, while five more wingers or midfield players have scored at least twice. [via TransferMarkt]
The bulk of Rangers’ goals come from the centre-forward duo of Morelos (14) and Jermain Defoe (12), with only two midfielders or wingers scoring more than once this season. [via TransferMarkt]
Celtic appear to have a greater abundance and balance of creative attacking players going by those figures, which supports Beattie’s claims.
Shankland has been in tremendous form for Dundee United this season, scoring 13 goals in just eight Championship games, although some may question whether he could be a potent scorer at Premiership level – he failed to find the net in 17 top-flight games for Aberdeen in 2014/15, but he was only a teenager then and has since developed considerably as a player.
Celtic’s abundance of creativity from the wings and attacking midfield areas could supply him with plenty of ammunition if he ends up at Parkhead, as Beattie has suggested.
Celtic fans, do you agree with Beattie’s view that Shankland would suit the Hoops better than Rangers? Comment below with your views!
[ad_pod ]Some Manchester City fans have taken to Twitter following Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Norwich, and they have been pointing the finger at Kyle Walker.The England international – who was dropped from Gareth Southgate’s latest squad – was extremely sloppy against the Canaries as Daniel Farke’s men shocked the back-to-back champions at Carrow Road.
The 29-year-old committed two fouls, recorded zero key passes and was dispossessed once, while also embarking on just one dribble, which is poor for a full-back in a Pep Guardiola side.
Walker was nowhere to be seen for Todd Cantwell’s strike as Norwich tore City apart, with the midfielder tapping in from the left side of the box.
With £60m summer signing Joao Cancelo waiting in the wings, Walker must be wary of losing his place at right-back to the Portugal international following his poor performance.
Let’s see what the City fans on Twitter have been saying about the 5 foot 10 man…
Today’s West Ham United roundup takes a look at the latest news surrounding the Hammers. Fans will be happy about Manchester United’s injury crisis, the club are monitoring Jack Clarke’s situation, and Winston Reid is on the comeback trail.
Man Utd injury disaster ahead of Sunday
Soccer Football – Champions League Round of 16 First Leg – Manchester United v Paris St Germain – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – February 12, 2019 Manchester United’s Anthony Martial goes down after sustaining an injury as Luke Shaw talks to him Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff
Report: As per ESPN, Man United are set to be without Paul Pogba, Luke Shaw and Anthony Martial for their trip to the London Stadium on Sunday. All three have missed the last two games, with Shaw’s hamstring injury keeping him out, whilst the French stars have not yet returned to training.
Verdict: This can only be good news for West Ham. Pogba, despite his poor form, continues to be United’s main creative output bagging two assists in the four games thus far, just as Martial has netted twice and provided one assist in the three games he has played.
Ashley Young is expected to come in for the injured Shaw at left-back, which may play in the Hammers’ favour. Young has been a weak link in United’s side over the past year, and the 34-year-old has averaged just 0.3 tackles per game in his three Premier League outings this season.
Club ready to pounce on Clarke
Report: As reported by the Express, Tottenham Hotspur are poised to bring back Jack Clarke, who is on loan at Leeds United, with the Lilywhites set to immediately loan him back out. West Ham, amongst other Premier League sides, are keeping a close eye on the 18-year-old’s unhappy time with the Yorkshire club and are ready to pounce should he become available.
Verdict: Clarke burst onto the scene last season with Leeds winning the Young Player of the Year after bagging two goals and four assists in 22 Championship appearances. The teenager has returned to Elland Road on loan this season having signed for Spurs on a permanent basis, although, he has not yet been involved in a squad for a Championship fixture and has appeared just twice for the Whites in the League Cup.
Clarke may not boast the best goalscoring record as of now, but at 18, winning the Young Player of the Year for Leeds is both prestigious and proof of how important he can be. Indeed, the Hammers are certainly not lacking firepower on the wings this year, with Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko both starting the season in great form. However, Clarke could certainly come in as an alternative.
Reid set for U23’s test
Soccer Football – Premier League – West Ham United vs Leicester City – London Stadium, London, Britain – November 24, 2017 West Ham United manager David Moyes and Winston Reid REUTERS/Eddie Keogh EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representativ
Report: As reported by the Evening Standard, centre-back Winston Reid is set to play for the Under-23s as he steps up the recovery from a knee injury. The 31-year-old has been out of action since March 2018.
Verdict: Reid would be a welcomed addition back in the West Ham squad after he proved his importance time and again for the Hammers prior to his injury. Since 2012-13, when Reid became a regular at the back, he has averaged a performance rating of a 7 or above, and also won the Hammer of the Year in 12-13.
Despite Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna building a decent partnership this season, the New Zealander will certainly come back into the setup and provide admirable backup if one of them were to be sidelined.
Tottenham fans are eagerly anticipating the return of talismanic forward Harry Kane from injury.
The England international limped off during the defeat to Manchester United in January with fears he could spend a long time on the sidelines. Scans revealed that Kane had suffered ligament damage which would rule him out until March at the earliest. With few quality options to replace him, Mauricio Pochettino was forced to turn to Fernando Llorente.
Signed in the summer of 2017 from Swansea, the former Athletic Bilbao man had never been given the chance to impress for the Lilywhites – limited to mostly cameos from the substitutes bench thanks to Kane’s goal scoring exploits. The striker was widely linked with an exit from the club in both the summer and January transfer windows but ultimately stayed put. Pochettino’s faith in the forward was rewarded with some excellent performances and crucial goals from the Spaniard.
After scoring a hat-trick in the FA Cup against Tranmere, Llorente netted against Chelsea before scoring and assisting during the 2-1 win against Watford to keep Spurs in the title race. The 34-year-old also picked up assists during the victories over Leicester and Newcastle before scoring off the bench against Borussia Dortmund. With his contract set to expire in the summer, his recent purple patch should convince the Tottenham hierarchy to offer him one more short-term deal.
Indeed, the former Spain international is approaching the end of his career but has proved to be suitable back up should Kane pick up another injury. Finding a forward that will settle for a backup role will prove to be difficult in the transfer window and Llorente has already stated his happiness at the club. Spurs would be better off offering the ex-Juventus man a new deal and using their funds to strengthen other areas of their squad.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
It’s the big one.
The stars aligned after Southampton’s Carabao Cup win over Fulham and handed them a dream cup draw against arch-rivals Portsmouth, a match which almost every Saints supporter will presumably be salivating in anticipation for.
It has been over seven years since the pair last faced off against each other, as they played out a 2-2 draw in the Championship, but the upcoming Carabao Cup match-up hands Ralph Hasenhuttl a golden opportunity to end a 35-year long hoodoo due to one key difference between the sides.
What’s the difference?
It may go without saying, but the fact that the Saints are in the Premier League and Pompey are languishing in League One serves up an utterly fantastic chance for Hasenhuttl to get his name in the supporters’ good books, and also help Southampton break a 35-year long wait for a victory at their rivals’ ground – Fratton Park.
Southampton have the likes of Nathan Redmond, Che Adams, Sofiane Boufal, Oriol Romeu, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and plenty more quality within their ranks.
Whilst Portsmouth will surely be up for the game, whilst also keen to record a real scalp in terms of league difference as well as in regards to the rivalry, the Saints are much stronger on paper.
Who knows how long it could be before Southampton get to travel the short distance to Fratton Park again?
If they don’t win this upcoming tie, then it could even be another 35 years before the two even face each other again, let alone at Fratton Park, given the enormous gulf between the two teams right now – Pompey currently sit 18th in League One, whilst Southampton are 13th in the Premier League.
Chances to end the 35-year long wait won’t come around too often, and this upcoming opportunity is a golden one for Southampton and Hasenhuttl.
Aston Villa target Joe Gomez is ‘staying at Liverpool’, Pete O’Rourke has told Give Me Sport.
The lowdown
The Athletic’s Gregg Evans wrote earlier this month that Gomez is a player Villa ‘like’.
The Englishman has found game time hard to come by at Anfield this season, with just 11 appearances (four starts) under his belt.
Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Ibrahima Konate all appear to be ahead of him in the pecking order.
Gomez is valued at £22.5million by Transfermarkt and his £75,000-per-week contract still has two and a half years to run.
The latest
O’Rourke has learned that Liverpool have absolutely no plans to offload Gomez at this stage.
“From what I’ve been told, Joe Gomez is staying at Liverpool, he won’t be going anywhere,” he told GMS when asked about the possibility of a deal by Johan Lange.
The verdict
Gomez would have been an excellent signing for Villa. In the words of Jurgen Klopp, he’s a ‘sensational’ player with ‘outstanding speed’.
He’s still only 24, so while he’s struggled for minutes this season, the Reds may well view him as part of their long-term plans. And, unless Liverpool’s stance changes, Villa need to move onto other targets.
After Axel Tuanzebe’s loan was cut short, they’ve been left with Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa and Kortney Hause as their only senior centre-backs.
And Konsa’s recent injury shows how perilous that situation is. All of a sudden, Steven Gerrard may find himself with no experienced back-up.
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Rangers returned to winning ways on Sunday as Gio van Bronckhorst’s men ran out 5-0 winners in the Premiership at Ibrox.
Alfredo Morelos scored the opening goal in the match against Hearts on his return to club action, slotting into an empty net after a brilliant combination from Calvin Bassey and Ryan Kent on the left ended with a teasing delivery into the six-yard box from the latter.
The Colombian then made it two in the 64th minute as the ball broke kindly for him on the edge of the box for him to brilliantly curl the ball into the far left corner.
Substitute Glen Kamara then latched onto a flick-on from the striker to make it three, before Scott Arfield and Fashion Sakala rounded out the scoring.
Forget Morelos
Whilst Morelos managed to plunder two goals and one assist in the rout, the player who truly set Ibrox alight was Kent.
Defensively, he put a hard shift in for the team. As per SofaScore, he won an impressive eight of his 12 duels throughout the match. He also completed three tackles before being taken off in the 85th minute, showing that he was willing to put himself about against the ball to win possession back for his team.
It was offensively, though, where he really got the crowd going. As per SofaScore, he created a whopping four chances and an outstanding three big chances from out wide on the left – picking up two assists for his efforts in the final third. He also completed three of his five attempted dribbles and 84% of his passes in the match.
To put this into context, he was on five big chances created in 15 matches heading into this clash with Hearts – registering three in just 85 minutes on Sunday. This shows that he was a consistent threat to the opposition with his direct running and passing, as he was able to beat players with the ball whilst also having the presence of mind to find a teammate with a pass.
The £18k-per-week gem could have also got on the scoresheet as he sent two efforts just wide of the post in the first half after excellent build-up play.
His finishing is an area in which he needs to improve, with just two goals to his name this term, but his chance creation cannot be faulted as he turned in a magical display at Ibrox that got fans off their seat in excitement whenever he touched the ball anywhere near the opponent’s goal.
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Now that the 2022 January transfer window has opened, this will spark a flurry of potential transfer deals across a range of clubs as they aim to strengthen their squads.
At Aston Villa, it has previously been reported that manager Steven Gerrard will be given the backing from the owners to make whatever changes to the club that he thinks will benefit them in terms of bringing new players in.
With this in mind, it could prove to be a very busy month for the Midlands club, on and off the pitch.
After making just nine Premier League appearances for Villa since joining on loan from Manchester United back in August, and with just eight minutes of league action since Gerrard’s took over from Dean Smith as Villa’s manager in November, it seems as though Axel Tuanzebe could be on his way out of the club.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently shared a post on his official Twitter account claiming that a deal has been worked out between United and Napoli that will see Tuanzebe spend the rest of the season on loan with the Italian club.
Taking this into account, it could be worth Villa bringing a new defender in to take Tuanzebe’s place in the squad so they aren’t depleted in that area.
Having been linked with a transfer move for Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez in recent weeks, this update about Tuanzebe could now pave the way for Villa and Gerrard to finally secure a deal for the defender, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £85k-per-week according to Salary Sport, and bring him to Villa Park.
With a total of 82 appearances in the Premier League, Gomez would certainly bring a decent amount of experience with him to Villa as well as an elite winning mentality having won the Premier League and Champions League during his time at Anfield.
Labelled as a “sensational” player in the past by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, Gomez has found regular game time in the Premier League hard to come by this season with just three fairly short substitute appearances under his belt so far, which could result in a move to Villa being quite tempting for him if he’d get regular playing time under Gerrard’s guidance.
Moving forward, if Tuanzebe is set to leave Villa in the coming days, the club should be turning their attention to securing a deal for Gomez as soon as they can so the team doesn’t suffer should any of their other defenders end up with injuries or a positive virus test.
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