Crystal Palace fans crucify van Aanholt showing vs Brighton

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Loads of Crystal Palace fans have been running the rule over their defeat against Brighton, and they are not at all happy with former fan favourite Patrick van Aanholt.

As has so often been the case at Selhurst Park this season, Palace dominated Saturday’s match against the Seagulls but barely mustered a single clear-cut chance.

Roy Hodgson’s decision to start three workhorses in midfield backfired again, as superb goals from Glenn Murray and Anthony Knockaert gave the visitors all three points.

The gaffer is taking plenty of stick for his team selections at the moment, but one of the biggest problems has come in an area where he doesn’t really have other options to choose from – left-back.

Van Aanholt is a very popular figure in south London thanks to his passion for the club, ability to add goals and assists from defence, blistering speed and of course his entertaining social media presence.

However, the 28 year-old is enduring a horrific run of form, and scored just a 6.32 on Whoscored’s player rating system on Saturday.

He was way too relaxed in allowing Knockaert to cut inside onto his stronger foot and score the winner, and the Twitter reactions down below are well and truly fed up with the Dutchman…

Three Expert Views: Paulo Dybala

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According to Tuttomercatoweb, Liverpool are ‘serious’ about potentially signing Juventus forward Paulo Dybala, who will be no stranger to regular Champions League watchers.

Indeed, Dybala is widely revered as one of Europe’s most talented attackers even if his form has dipped a little this season, but what do the experts think of the Argentine ace? Who does he remind them of and what will he bring to the Premier League? Read on to find out with our three expert views…

Ian Darke, ESPN and BT Sport commentator

As quoted by The Express, the veteran commentator had this to say about the 25-year-old back in December 2017:

“Dybala, he’s obviously a stylish player, there’s something of the Roberto Baggio about him I think. He’s a lovely player.”

Indeed, the Juventus man does ooze confidence on the ball, which sometimes seems to never lose contact with his foot when he moves with it – qualities of Old Lady legend Baggio.

The Italian netted 78 goals in 141 appearances for the Serie A champions before going on to play for both Milan clubs. Baggio played behind the striker too, and is widely regarded as one of the generational greats – will Dybala amount to similar status and, if he does, will it be in Liverpool red?

Paul Pogba, former Juventus teammate

The Manchester United man, formerly of Juventus, spoke very highly of his former teammate in 2017:

“I call Dybala ‘Square R2’. That’s the combination you press on PlayStation to do a turn and shot. He always scores like that. Has he surprised me? No, because I always said he was a phenomenon. To do what he has done, playing for Juve, is something phenomenal.”

The Frenchman’s gaming analogy will not be lost on the Allianz Stadium faithful who get to see Dybala glide across the pitch on a weekly basis – indeed, the Juve number 10 often makes it look so easy and is a tricky customer for any side.

Swiss outfit BSC Young Boys found that out the hard way when they made the trip to Turin earlier in the season – Dybala was at his scintillating best and netted all three of his side’s goals, while also scoring the consolation in the Old Lady’s second leg loss.

Gabriele Marcotti, ESPN’s Italian football expert

Another man full of praise for Dybala is Marcotti, who knows everything there is to know about Italian football – his verdict from back in the summer, though, doesn’t bode well for the Reds…

“I’m not sure Dybala would be a great fit for Liverpool. He’s a phenomenal footballer, but I’m not sure he really is the type of guy with the engine to naturally fit into that front three, which frankly I think are pretty good the way they are now.”

A recurrence in the experts’ assessments is the word ‘phenomenal’ – one that doesn’t and shouldn’t get thrown around often in the world of football. Undoubtedly, Anfield would be receiving a top, top talent, although Marcotti doesn’t seem to think he has the work-rate to succeed in Liverpool’s front three.

Watch “Jurgen Klopp’s” hilarious masterplan for winning the title in the video below…

Perhaps the number 10 could instead lift the creative burden off the shoulders of Roberto Firmino – the Brazilian has been doing pretty much all the ‘playmaking’ since the departure of countryman Philippe Coutinho.

What do you think, Liverpool fans? Would you like to see Dybala in red? Let us know in the comments below…

Tottenham fans react to major Kane update

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Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has returned to first-team training ahead of this weekend’s clash with Burnley, per the London Evening Standard.

The England captain sustained ankle ligament damage in January’s loss to Manchester United.

The BBC subsequently claimed that he could be out until March, but the aforementioned London Evening Standard report claims that he could even feature this weekend.

The London Evening Standard claim that Kane has been reminded previously that he must not push himself too hard and manager Mauricio Pochettino may subsequently start him on the bench, particularly with back-to-back derbies against Chelsea and Arsenal looming.

Indeed, Spurs have not lost a Premier League game since the forward was ruled out, beating Fulham, Watford, Newcastle United and Leicester City. They were eliminated from both the Carabao Cup and the FA Cup but beat Borussia Dortmund 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie last week.

Nevertheless, Spurs are delighted that Kane is readying himself for a comeback. Take a look at the best reaction on Twitter below!

Plenty of Leeds United fans want Bielsa to recall Kalvin Phillips against Boro

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Marcelo Bielsa continued to captivate the British media in the build up to Leeds United’s season-defining clash against Norwich City by revealing his starting XI two days before kick-off – a decision which ultimately backfired.

Daniel Farke’s travelling Canaries put a dent in Leeds’ promotion ambitions by coasting to a stunning 3-1 victory at Elland Road. In the absence of Kalvin Phillips, Norwich exploited a gaping gap between the line of midfield and attack, with the likes of Onel Hernandez and Marco Stiepermann running riot in a pulsating encounter.

Plenty of supporters had expressed their concern over Phillips’ omission in the build up to kick-off, and the manner in which Leeds were exposed vindicated those pre-match fears.

The Canaries enjoyed plenty of space inside the final third and threatened almost every time they broke forward with purpose.

With the bitter disappointment of defeat still fresh in mind, Leeds fans have taken to Twitter to urge Bielsa to recall Phillips ahead of another vital weekend trip to Middlesbrough.

Boro, under the watchful eye of long-ball extraordinaire Tony Pulis, are a physical outfit capable of causing Leeds serious problems at the Riverside Stadium.

Restoring Phillips into the side to solidify the midfield seems like an obvious decision for Bielsa to make under the circumstances, and if the fans were picking the team it seems he would be one of the first names on the team-sheet.

Indeed, the supporters on Twitter have turned out in their numbers to urge Bielsa to recall the 23-year-old in a midfield anchor role against the Teessiders.

Here’s a round up of what the Whites faithful are saying about Phillips…

Spurs fans slam Lucas Moura after Spurs loss

Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of making the top four in the Premier League this season have taken a huge dent following defeat on Saturday afternoon.

Spurs were well-beaten by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge despite the scoreline only being a goal advantage at 2-1.

Jose Mourinho’s men managed just five shots all game, in the absence of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, whilst the home side racked up a total of 17 themselves.

Olivier Giroud opened the scoring in the 15th minute before Marcos Alonso doubled the advantage three minutes into the second half, and then late on, Erik Lamela’s attempt found a way in off Antonio Rudiger but it was too little, too late.

Fans have taken to social media to slam their feeble attempt in front of goal with makeshift centre-forward Lucas Moura receiving the brunt of the criticism.

Here’s what has been said…

Plenty members of the travelling Spurs support were left reeling and their reaction tells – one supporter described him as a “complete embarrassment” whilst “frustrating” and “dead weight” were further comments added.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

It has led to a couple of fans calling for the Brazilian to be moved on at the end of the season…

Others picked out clear faults in the 27-year-old’s game such as his “shocking” first touch, the fact that he can’t pass and doesn’t have a touch and doesn’t do anything other than twist and turn.

One supporter couldn’t believe that Moura started over Dele Alli, who was benched by Mourinho after a string of disappointing displays, culminating in his angry response to being substituted in midweek.

There was even a comparison to Arsenal’s Nicolas Pepe…

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

And in other news, the two images that sum up Daniel Levy’s January FAILURE…

Lafferty and Grezda don’t deserve a future at Ibrox

Rangers will be desperate to chase down bitter rivals Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premiership title, with the opportunity to secure silverware in Steven Gerrard’s first season in charge. 

The Bluenoses have certainly improved since Gerrard took charge back in the summer months, but they just haven’t been able to handle the pressure at crucial times, which has allowed Brendan Rodgers’ side mount a lead.

Indeed, it’s safe to say that Gerrard wasn’t exactly blessed with a large amount of quality to pick from prior to securing a number of fresh faces in January, so things haven’t always been easy at Ibrox.

One player who just doesn’t deserve a future at the club at this moment in time is summer signing Kyle Lafferty.

The Northern Ireland international just hasn’t been able to ensure a consistent flow of goals after enjoying a bright start to life at Ibrox. Indeed, he has just five goals and one assist to his name in 23 appearances in all competitions for the Bluenoses, with his last Scottish Premiership goal coming back in September of last year. Gerrard managed to secure the services of Jermain Defoe on an 18-month loan deal last month, so Lafferty is very much a last resort.

Another player who desperately needs to improve at Ibrox is Eros Grezda.

Sadly, the Albanian international has been plagued with injuries this season, which has made it difficult for him to enjoy long spells in the side. But, it’s safe to say that he never really lived up to expectations during his 14 appearances in the side as he only managed to produce two goals and one assist, which came in the same game. The likes of Ryan Kent, Daniel Candeias and Alfredo Morelos have all operated out wide recently, so it would be almost impossible for Grezda to work his way into the side, even if he was fit.

Rangers fans – thoughts on the two players involved? 

Liverpool fans believe that Klopp needs Fekir more than ever following recent horror show

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Liverpool’s objectives in the Premier League title race remain intact, but their Champions League hopes took a hit on Tuesday night.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were expected to come away with all three points from their trip to Serbia.

However, Red Star Belgrade, who were beaten 4-0 at Anfield two weeks ago, put in a stellar performance to claim a 2-0 victory on home soil.

The result means that Liverpool have some work to do in order to qualify for the last 16.

At the moment they sit at the top of Group C, but have the daunting tasks of taking on Paris Saint-Germain and Napoli.

Liverpool were given a slice of luck when PSG and Napoli drew 1-1 in their respective clash, and it means that regardless of the result in Parc des Princes, the Reds can reach the knockout rounds if they defeat the Italian giants by two goals at Anfield.

The concerning aspects of the defeat to Red Star was the manner in which the team failed to trouble the hosts.

Throughout the season there has been a lack of creativity in the middle of the park, which has made Philippe Coutinho’s departure in January much more noticeable.

Throughout the summer months, Lyon playmaker Nabil Fekir – valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt – was heavily linked with a move to Merseyside, but the transfer fell through due to concerns over a previous knee injury.

Some Liverpool fans have failed to let the failed transfer go, and after watching Tuesday night’s display, the calls for Fekir have grown even louder.

A new contract for David de Gea shows that Manchester United mean business this summer

Despite a disappointing end to the transfer window, Manchester United fans will be boosted with the latest news emerging from Carrington.

Jose Mourinho was desperate to sign a new centre-back to bolster his defence, but United were unable to land any of their key targets. Toby Alderweireld, Harry Maguire, Jerome Boateng and Yerry Mina were all targeted, but moves failed to materialise. United also failed with a late attempt to sign Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin.

Despite their failed business, United are confident that the club will agree a new contract with goalkeeper – David De Gea. Valued at £63m by Transfermarkt, his current contract runs until 2019, but the Red Devils have the option to extend it by a further season. De Gea was a long-term target for Real Madrid before signing Thibaut Courtois. The Spaniard was on the verge of a move to the Bernabeu back in 2015 before the paperwork failed to be completed at the last minute meaning the former Atletico man stayed at Old Trafford.

De Gea enjoyed another sensational season in the Premier League last year. He was named the club’s Player of the Year for the fourth time after keeping 18 clean sheets to help United to second in the table. Retaining the Spain international means Mourinho can begin to build his squad to challenge Manchester City and finally bring the Premier League trophy back to Old Trafford.

Despite a poor World Cup, De Gea was in fine form against Leicester in the opening game of the season against Leicester, and the Red Devils will be hoping his impressive performances continue if they are to be successful this season.

Manchester United fans, thoughts?

Nottingham Forest fans slam Liam Bridcutt after Sheffield United win

Nottingham Forest bounced back from three successive defeats in the Championship – and four in all competitions – when they beat high-flying Sheffield United 2-1 at the City Ground on Saturday, but Reds fans were far from impressed with Liam Bridcutt’s performance.

Mark Warburton’s men certainly didn’t make the best of starts as they looked to get back to winning ways when John Lundstram gave the Blades the lead in the third minute, but goals from Jason Cummings and Kieran Dowell before half-time were enough to give the hosts all three points.

Summer signing Bridcutt started alongside Ben Osborn in the middle of the park, but he obviously failed to make an impression in front of the City Ground faithful.

Nottingham Forest supporters were quick to have their say on his showing via social media, and while some described him as a “gaping weakness”, others “don’t know how he keeps getting in the team”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Shaw could revive his career at Newcastle United

Newcastle United are among a number of clubs considering a move for Manchester United’s out-of-favour left-back Luke Shaw, according to the Daily Star.

What’s the story?

Shaw’s long-term career at Old Trafford has been called into question this season due to his failure to cement a regular starting spot under manager Jose Mourinho.

In fact, the 21-year-old has made just 14 appearances in all competitions, and only seven of them have been starts in the Premier League.

The Daily Star reports that Shaw is open to quitting United at the end of the season, which has sparked the attention of Crystal Palace, Stoke City and Newcastle.

It is believed that the two Premier League clubs are pondering a £15m offer – half the price of what United paid Southampton for Shaw in 2014 – while Newcastle are planning to enter the race if they achieve promotion to the top flight.

Is Shaw a good choice for Newcastle?

Despite his lack of game time this season, the left-back is still a young player and has potentially has years ahead of him at the top level.

His progress was halted when he suffered a double leg fracture in September 2015, but with a run of matches under his belt, he could become a crucial member of any team.

Most of Newcastle’s current crop of players have Premier League experience, so to add to that would be a bonus, plus they would have an opportunity to shape one of England’s talents.

The fact that Gareth Southgate included the youngster in his latest England squad, despite his lack of minutes, proves that he is still regarded valuable on the international stage.

From Shaw’s point of view, moving to St James’ Park from Old Trafford could be seen as a step down by some, but he needs games under his belt, and at his age he has the opportunity to rise back to the elite.

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