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Sky Sports drop Spence to Spurs update

Taking to Twitter, sharing a piece by Sky Sports, their reporter Lyall Thomas has broken some news on a brand new Tottenham Hotspur target in full-back Djed Spence.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye new right-backs…

Strengthening at right-back is one of manager Antonio Conte’s major priorities for this January transfer window with the club in talks to sign Wolves star Adama Traore (Matt Law).

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They aim to convert the Spain international into a RWB for Conte’s system and he isn’t the only defender on that side they have been linked with this window.

Tottenham have also made an approach for Peterborough United full-back Benjamin Mensah as one for the future with news now emerging of yet another promising name on Fabio Paratici’s transfer radar.

The Latest: Spurs could move for Spence…

According to Thomas, Spurs are ‘interested in a deal’ to sign Middlesborough wing-back Spence – who is currently on loan at fellow Championship side Nottingham Forest for the remainder of the season.

Upon potentially signing the 21-year-old, Tottenham would have to immediately loan him back to Forest, but regardless, the Sky journalist says Spurs ‘could make a move’ before January 31.

The Verdict: Exciting player…

Spence has shone on a temporary spell at the City Ground this season, leaving little wonder he has now attracted Spurs’ interest.

The starlet has been a fixture in Steve Cooper’s side this season, with Boro boss Chris Wilder even taking note of his player from afar and calling him ‘outstanding’.

Making the third-most interceptions per 90 out of any Forest regular with more than five starts (1.6, WhoScored), Spence has also shone going forward.

Indeed, out of all of the English second tier side’s players with over two full starts, Spence has also averaged the most completed dribbles per 90 (WhoScored) – highlighting his obvious threat and how he could be an asset for Conte in future seasons.

In other news: Conte green-lights move for £220,000-per-week ‘jewel’ as he lays out transfer demand for Spurs chiefs, find out more here.

Wolves must revisit Boubacar Kamara swoop

Bruno Lage has made it clear that Wolves are open to making changes if needed in the upcoming transfer window, with players already being linked with moves away from Molineux and plenty of incoming transfers rumoured to be making a mid-season arrival to Lage’s side.

One player that has been heavily touted with a move to the club is Renato Sanches, who was set to join the side in the summer on a loan deal from Lille, but the talks hit a bump and Wolves were unable to secure the deal in time.

Since then, Sanches has now been linked with other Premier League clubs including Arsenal, which could really ramp up the competition for securing the Portuguese star’s signature.

Instead, Bruno Lage could revisit the potential signing of another player Wolves reportedly came close to signing in the summer, Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara.

He could be a potentially inspiration signing, especially when assessing the words of former teammate, Rolando, in an interview with RMC Sport:

“This kid is a phenomenon,” he began.

“He is full of qualities and, above all, he works, he listens. It is out of the ordinary.”

When comparing the pair from the French Ligue 1, Sanches and Kamara, despite playing in different roles, have very similar statistics this season, with Sanches offering an assist ahead of Kamara. However, with a more defensive role, the Marseille midfielder matches Sanches on goals and has better a better pass success percentage than his Lille counterpart.

When it comes to what Lage will be looking to improve, possession is a key issue for this current Wolves team, who have an average of 53.2% possession in the Premier League, and 9.1% less possession away from the Molineux this season.

Adding a player like Kamara, who has an impressive record on the ball, winning 15 aerial duels and 35 tackles as well as having an 89.8% pass completion record in 22 appearances for Marseille this season, who currently sit second in Ligue 1, could be a great asset for the Wolves team.

Lage will need to swoop quickly for the £25.2m-rated youngster, as he has now been linked with moves to European super clubs like Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Barcelona too, so it will be important to identify what he can do to ensure they can secure the signing and him Molineux in January before he becomes a free agent next summer.

In other news: Lage must axe Trincao after poor performances

Liverpool fans slam Trent vs Leicester

Many Liverpool fans were left slamming the display of Trent Alexander-Arnold in their 1-0 loss away at Leicester City in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

The right-back was partially at fault for the only goal of the game, as he let Ademola Lookman run off of him into the penalty box to tuck the ball away past Alisson at the near post.

It pretty much summed up his night, as he seemed to struggle like many other Reds throughout the match, losing out on all five of his duels, while he also failed to record a single shot on goal, dribble, blocked shot or tackle (SofaScore).

Alexander-Arnold was also unsuccessful with 11 of his crosses, and lost possession no fewer than on 32 separate occasions in total, by far the most out of any player on the pitch (SofaScore).

Liverpool fans slam Alexander-Arnold

These members of the Anfield faithful slammed his performance on Twitter, with one Red even going as far as claim that he was a ‘weak link’:

“Little or no mention of Trent for the Leicester goal. Mistakes happen and poor decisions are made in every game of football but laziness is inexcusable. He just refuses to track Lookman. Very poor.”

Credit: @ats31289

“Terrible performance tonight but let’s be honest Trent was awful for me one of his worst games in a #LFC shirt. He didn’t track his man or run back it’s as if he was injured he just didn’t seem bothered. Simply not good enough Klopp needs to have a strong word”

Credit: @razorsharpe09

“Absolutely awful display from Liverpool. Mane’s best is well behind him now, must look to upgrade. Firmino offered nothing coming on. Trent/Matip terrible in the lead up to the goal. City’s title to lose now.”

Credit: @corza_89

“Very poor night from Liverpool tonight. 6pts behind City is a big gap. Trent, Mane, Ox were all well off the pace. When the pen didn’t go in it felt like the night wasn’t going to be our night.”

Credit: @AndrewMort18

“We can talk about Mane and Henderson but they’ve been poor a lot. Salah and Trent absolutely stunk the place out. Leicester have no right to win with 10 players missing. Rubbish. Never seen subs make less of an impact.”

Credit: @GraemeKelly1

“Our inability to adapt to these games will cost us. Trent was targeted as our weak link and it’s proved fruitful as defensively he was poor this evening”

Credit: @DanofDublin

In other news, find out whose performance against the Foxes was also criticised here!

Frank Lampard linked to Everton

With Everton currently enduring a seven-game winless run, speculation surrounding the future of new manager Rafa Benitez has already begun to circulate.

What’s the story?

Previously reports suggested that Nuno Espirito Santo was the frontrunner to replace the under-pressure 61-year-old, but now there appears to be a new candidate at the front of the queue.

According to journalist Colin Walker, former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is the ‘favourite’ to succeed Benitez at Goodison Park following a string of below-par results.

In a concise six-word update, he tweeted: “Frank Lampard – Favourite for Everton job.”

Everton fans should be excited

Benitez only arrived on Merseyside in the summer after Carlo Ancelotti returned to La Liga giants Real Madrid, and things got off to a good start for the experienced tactician.

A run of just one defeat in Everton’s opening seven Premier League fixtures sparked hope of a push for European football after years of midtable obscurity, but multiple injuries to key players sparked a dreadful downturn in performances.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina and Abdoulaye Doucoure have all faced extensive spells on the sidelines due to fitness concerns, although Benitez will be disappointed with how his side have coped in their absence.

The Blues have picked up only two points from a possible 21 in recent weeks, scoring just four goals and conceding a whopping 13 times, dropping them down to 14th position in the top-flight table.

As a result, potential replacements are now being lined up for Benitez, a former Champions League-winning coach, and Lampard is believed to be the first-choice candidate.

Although the 43-year-old is relatively inexperienced, he has illustrated his potential to become a top-class manager during spells at Derby County and Chelsea, achieving a 50% win rate from his 141 games in the dugout.

The retired England midfielder also cultivated an enviable reputation for blooding young stars, overseeing the development of Mason Mount, Reece James and Tammy Abraham, while also playing an attractive style of football.

For those reasons, Everton supporters should be excited at the prospect of Lampard joining the club, potentially providing new life into a campaign that is quickly becoming a nightmare.

And, in other news…Rafa could solve major EFC issue with “sensational” 18y/o gem whose “future is bright”

Conor Gallagher set to stay with Palace

Connor Gallagher has been one of the stars of the Premier League this season thanks to his outstanding performances for Crystal Palace.

Due to his success with the Eagles on loan from Chelsea, the 21-year-old’s immediate future has come into question as to whether he will stay at Selhurst Park or make an early return to Stamford Bridge in January.

What’s the word?

Chelsea correspondent Sam Inkersole has made a claim about Gallagher that will leave Crystal Palace fans buzzing.

The journalist took to Twitter on Thursday to squash rumours of an early return to west London for the midfielder, tweeting: “Exclusive: Understand Conor Gallagher is, as it stands, not expecting a recall to #CFC in January despite Chelsea’s growing injury list in midfield. Targeting a first team spot at the club in 2022/23.”

This will come as a huge relief to both Patrick Vieira and Palace fans as Gallagher has been instrumental to keeping the Eagles well clear of a relegation battle in the Premier League so far, with four goals and three assists from midfield already in the current campaign.

It was thought that the 21-year-old would return to Stamford Bridge after a number of injury problems plaguing the Chelsea squad, but Thomas Tuchel appeared to rule out an early callback when speaking in a press conference in November.

The Blues manager said: “I think it is important for him to be happy where he is and not change things. It is important to be calm, I feel him happy there and that he is having this impact at Crystal Palace.”

The future is bright

Gallagher is clearly making waves at Crystal Palace and getting the attention he rightly deserves from the right people, including England manager Gareth Southgate, who gave the youngster his first senior England call-up in the last international break.

The youngster is getting lots of first team football with 15 appearances so far for Patrick Vieira’s side, which means he is getting the opportunity to showcase his talents weekly. If he were to make an early return to Stamford Bridge, he would likely spend a lot of time on the bench in Tuchel’s heavily rotated Chelsea side, which could hinder his development and affect his chances of further England call-ups.

Staying at Palace until next summer and continuing to shine playing a significant role in their starting XI could increase Gallagher’s chances of capturing the attention of Southgate again, which could possibly lead to being called up to the England squad for next year’s World Cup.

The future is bright for Gallagher, and working with Crystal Palace to secure a safe position in the Premier League in the second half of the season and developing his game should be the current focus. Given his contributions to the south Londoners already, it is a huge boost for Vieira and co that Chelsea seemingly have no plans to end his loan ahead of schedule.

In other news: Vieira could use his connections to bring this maestro to Selhurst Park

West Brom fans slam Robert Snodgrass

Many West Brom fans have been slamming the performance of Robert Snodgrass in their 1-1 draw at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday afternoon.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Albion at The Hawthorns, as Grady Diangana’s strike midway through the second half was only enough to gain a point from the game after Josh Coburn had given the visitors the lead before the interbal.

It was also a match where Snodgrass struggled to make any impact, as he failed to record a single shot on target, dribble or key pass, and was also unsuccessful with all 10 crosses that he attempted (SofaScore).

He lost out on seven of his duels and also lost possession of the ball on 14 separate occasions in total (SofaScore) as the 34-year-old generally struggled in the middle of the park.

West Brom fans slam Snodgrass

These Baggies supporters on Twitter slammed Snodgrass’ performance, with a couple of West Brom fans claiming that the Scot was ‘poor’ yesterday:

“Robinson and Grant awful. Snodgrass 3 poor games in a row. Townsend CAN’T PLAY IN A BACK 3!!! We can all see it except for VI! But Kipre may have nailed a starting spot and Molumby impressed again. Biggest things, we’re not creating chances and there’s no clear style of play now.”

Credit: @369ell

“At this point it may be cheaper to find a pleasant care home for Snodgrass”

Credit: @LastBlairite

“Can Snodgrass cross? Jesus wept, his set pieces bar one good one have been dire.”

Credit: @DoodWBA

“Moving Townsend to LCB to shoehorn Reach in is ridiculous. To not play TGH after Wednesday is very poor too. Defence continues to be a liability, Snodgrass poor, Robinson is not the man to play central to hold the ball up, Looks lost in that role. This is awful.”

Credit: @A_Kemo26

“I’m sick to death of Snodgrass hitting the first man. Also, Bartley and Kipre in cahoots at who can be worse.”

Credit: @_ColinGriffiths

“Exactly, I made that point after the Hull game. If two of our supposedly most technical players like Robinson and Snodgrass can’t pick a pass, how are we supposed to play good football?”

Credit: @BruntyMozza

In other news, find out whose display against Boro was also slammed by some WBA fans

MUFC fans react to Romano update on Rangnick

Reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Ralf Rangnick is not the favourite to take over at Manchester United, should the Red Devils part ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

As to be expected, a number of United supporters have been giving their thoughts to the news on social media.

Solskjaer’s position as manager appears to be under major threat following a 2-0 defeat to rivals Manchester City prior to the international break. Reports have suggested that United players and staff ‘believe’ the Norwegian will lose his job, with Rangnick – currently working as a director at Lokomotiv Moscow – emerging as the frontrunner to take over.

However, speaking on his YouTube channel, as relayed by The Daily Express, Romano claimed that Rangnick would want full power at Old Trafford. The 63-year-old is appreciated by the United board but is not thought to be a ‘main option’ to possibly take over from Solskjaer.

United fans react

@utdreport shared Romano’s update about Rangnick, which led to these fans giving their thoughts, with one labelling the news as ‘telling’ and another drawing comparisons with how Sir Alex Ferguson exerted total control during his time at Old Trafford.

“Crying myself to sleep, thanks a lot Fab”

Credit: @UtdSk_

“Sir Alex 2.0. The Glazers are scared.”

Credit: @rubenflorentin

“he would be perfect, give him the keys then he becomes a director. Glazers will never allow it though”

Credit: @CharI1e

“He’d fix us. Genuinely would.”

Credit: @findlay86605014

“Telling this. @ManUtd too afraid to put the football side of the club in the hands of someone with some real intelligence. Ignorance loves company I guess. What gets me is the pride, like the current regime has achieved so much over the last decade”

Credit: @TraffordTribune

“He’d be perfect, but we are a banter club now”

Credit: @hoxtalicious0

Jack out of Rangers vs Hearts

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left fuming as some early team news emerged on Ryan Jack ahead of their game at home to Hearts on Saturday.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match at Ibrox, Steven Gerrard has now revealed that Jack ‘will be back in a couple of weeks’, meaning that he is going to miss yet another fixture.

These are words all too familiar to Light Blues supporters with regards to the midfielder, of whom Gerrard claimed was a ‘couple of weeks’ way from being integrated back into the group last month.

Jack is an important player for the Teddy Bears, making 19 appearances in the Scottish Premiership on their way to the title last term, scoring two goals and supplying one assist (Transfermarkt).

Thus, it is understandable to see several Gers growing more impatient with regards to when exactly he will back.

Rangers Fans on Jack Team News

These RFC fans fumed as the Team News from Gerrard regarding Jack was shared on Twitter:

“Friday ruined”

Credit: @smithy_1872

“Jack has been a couple of weeks away for the last 3 months”

Credit: @Ross_Herkes1

“Feel like I’ve heard this sentence for 3 months”

Credit: @JacobMcArthur18

“Jack back “in a couple of weeks” – that seems to be the update every time.”

Credit: @Ggoggsie

“Said it many times…. Horrendous decision to waste a Europa squad space on him! Rossiteresque”

Credit: @bluedougie

“Swear Jack has been a few weeks away from returning for about 6 months. The new Jordan Rossiter.”

Credit: @Shanksy1872

In other news, find out what club update has Gers gushing here!

Wolves: Lage must omit Marcal v Everton

Things look to be on the up for Wolverhampton Wanderers under the leadership of Bruno Lage in recent weeks, with the team picking up 10 points from a possible 12 over their last four Premier League fixtures, and the 45-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping for yet another positive result when Everton visit Molineux on Monday night.

With the Toffees currently on a run of contrasting form, having picked up just four points from as many games, Lage will know that his side have a fantastic opportunity to close to the gap to those currently occupying the European places in the Premier League table, with Wolves just one point behind Manchester United in seventh going into the weekend.

However, after Fernando Marcal missed out on the 1-1 draw with Leeds United last weekend as a result of a calf injury, the performance of Rayan Ait Nouri while standing in for the 32-year-old will have presented the Wolves manager with something of a selection headache ahead of the Everton clash.

Indeed, over the course of his 83 minutes on the pitch at Elland Road, the £16.2m-rated youngster impressed on the left-hand side of Wolves’ back five, making three clearances, one interception and five tackles, as well as successfully completing two dribbles and two long balls and winning eight duels.

These returns saw the defender receive a match rating of seven from Birmingham Live’s Alex Dicken, with the journalist stating of Ait Nouri’s display: “The Frenchman justified his selection with a good performance. He offered a threat going forward and worked Meslier on one occasion, whilst competing with Leeds’ star man Raphinha.”

It remains unclear at present whether the £29k-per-week Marcal will be fit to face the Toffees on Monday, but even if the player who Romain Saiss dubbed a “strong” option has recovered from his knock, Lage must ensure that he sticks with Ait Nouri. The 20-year-old proved last time out that he is more than capable of doing a better job at left-back than the Brazilian, which is reflected in the youngster’s 6.78 WhoScored rating this season compared with Marcal’s 6.63.

In other news: Wolves handed major boost over “special” £41k-p/w beast, Bruno Lage will be buzzing

Many Villa fans flock to club message

Flocking to Twitter, many Aston Villa fans have erupted over a three-word message containing a picture of midfielder John McGinn.

The Villans ran out 1-0 winners against Manchester United yesterday afternoon in what was a memorable victory, and one which alerts the Premier League to their presence.

Dean Smith’s men battled away at Old Trafford against a plethora of superstars but came out on top when Kortney Hause buried a late header past David de Gea.

In reaction to the phenomenal win in Manchester, the club have dropped a three-word message involving McGinn as the Scotsman enjoyed a fine afternoon up against the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in midfield, coming up with one important block and one successful tackle for his team.

Indeed, Villa simply dropped the message ‘what a performance’ in accompaniment to an image of the 26-year-old.

Flocking to the club’s post, many Villa fans erupted with their reactions as they enjoy the heights of a brilliant win away to the Red Devils. Here is a selection of the responses from the Villa Park faithful:

Villa fans flock to McGinn message…

“His game has gone up another level this season.”

Credit: @Jelly31807434

“People keep saying McGinn is back to his best, but I think he has elevated his game to a whole new level, so is better than ever. Him and Dougie have really cemented their relationship in the middle of the park, and with the addition of JJ’s legs, they are bossing games now!”

Credit: @ShaunStait

“Been our best player this season so far, hasn’t had a performance under 8/10 yet”

Credit: @GW_94

“Are we joking”

Credit: @Villal_

“Tattoo this on my left thigh.”

Credit: @Ryan_Wills

“Massive”

Credit: @danielstchr

In other news: “It’s an opportunity” – Aston Villa’s youth players earn pundit’s backing

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