All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle travel to face Wolves at Molineux on Saturday as they go in search of their first Premier League win of the season.

The Magpies are yet to acquire three points in one go this term and now come up against a Wolves side with two wins from their last three in the league.

Steve Bruce’s side were held to a 1-1 draw by Watford in their last game, with Sean Longstaff scoring at Vicarage Road seven days ago.

How many changes will Bruce make to his team for today? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three changes to the side from Watford, with Fabian Schar, Jacob Murphy and Jeff Hendrick all coming in.

First of all, we believe that Bruce will revert to a 3-5-2, or 5-3-2 depending on how you view it, to match Wolves’ defensive set-up. Bruno Lage’s side lined up with three centre-backs and two central midfielders against Southampton and that could tempt Bruce into going with a similar setup to avoid being overrun in certain areas.

In order to make this tactical change, Newcastle will need to bring in a centre-back to play alongside Ciaran Clark, who we believe will start despite our article urging Bruce to drop him, and Federico Fernandez. This means Miguel Almiron could be axed from the team to facilitate another central defender, with the 27-year-old coming in for criticism for recent performances.

Changing to a 3-5-2 requires a wide player to be sacrificed and that means Joelinton or Almiron would need to be dropped to the bench for Schar to come in. We are predicting that the Paraguayan will face the axe as Joelinton, with his size and power, is more suited to playing in a front two alongside Allan Saint-Maximin.

Another change which could come as a result of the altered formation is at right wing-back. Murphy enjoyed a successful spell in that position last term, averaging a SofaScore rating of 6.73 in 26 appearances, providing two goals and three assists from defence. This means that bringing him in for Javier Manquillo could be a shrewd call if Bruce opts to go with wing-backs.

Finally, in the middle of the park, Hendrick could come in for Isaac Hayden. The latter had the lowest SofaScore rating (6.8) in the Magpies’ midfield against Watford and the switch to three/five at the back could mean that Bruce doesn’t require an out-and-out defensive enforcer in there. Therefore, Hendrick could come in and be given an opportunity to show what he can do alongside Joe Willock and Sean Longstaff.

AND in other news, Time’s up: Bruce must ruthlessly axe £35k-p/w Newcastle flop today, he’s been shocking…

Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes it would be a ‘big coup’ if Leeds bring Barcelona’s Sergino Dest to Elland Road this summer, GiveMeSport report.

The Lowdown: Dest links

Leeds were linked with a move for Dest at the end of March, with sources suggesting that the right-back is on Victor Orta’s radar alongside RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson.

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The 21-year-old has played as a full-back and winger on both flanks this season but is primarily a right-back.

The USA international still has over three years remaining on his Nou Camp deal, and O’Rourke has been having his say on a possible deal for the £16.2m-rated defender.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments

Talking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke said that ‘it would be a big, big coup’ if Leeds managed to land Dest over the coming months, believing that he may be a man in demand this summer.

“I can see Leeds monitoring his situation. It would be a big, big coup if they were able to bring him to Elland Road in the summer.

“I’m sure there will be a lot of clubs looking at Dest, who has performed well for the United States over the last couple of years, especially if Barcelona are willing to sell him.”

The Verdict: Interesting…

Raphinha has been heavily linked with a move to Barcelona, so Leeds could look to enquire over bringing Dest to Yorkshire plus receiving cash in a deal for the Leeds star – it may even give them a head start on other sides looking to sign Dest.

Some supporters may be cautious, though, with Junior Firpo not exactly starring in his first campaign after signing from the Catalan giants last summer.

Dest does look like a promising talent who is also extremely versatile, so a move to link up with fellow countryman Jesse Marsch could be one to watch over the coming months.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals big transfer blow for Leeds as key 21 y/o target now set to move elsewhere

New Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has got his reign at Ibrox off to a great start by winning all four games he’s taken charge of, with the latest being their recent 3-0 win over Dundee FC in the SPFL.

Now, with the January transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though the club could have identified who Van Bronckhorst’s first signing as Rangers boss could be.

What’s the news?

In a recent interview with Foot Mercato, Dundee United midfielder Jeando Fuchs revealed that Rangers are one of the clubs that have contacted him and his agent over a potential transfer.

Since joining United back in October last year from Spanish side Alaves, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £720k according to Transfermarkt, has made 45 appearances for the club across all competitions, chipping in with just one assist in the process.

This season has seen Fuchs start 13 of the 15 SPFL games he’s appeared in, showing how important he is for the side.

In those league games, Fuchs has shown what a defensive unit he has been for United by racking up an average of two interceptions per game and 2.3 tackles per game.

As well as his impressive defensive output from midfield this season, Fuchs’ overall league performances have earned him a season rating of 6.72/10, making him the fifth-highest rated United player to have made more than four appearances this season according to WhoScored.

Despite sitting at the top of the league table at the moment, Rangers have conceded four more goals than Celtic have and only one fewer than Hearts in third place, which could make a potential transfer swoop for Fuchs a smart move for the club and just what Van Bronckhorst needs to secure the title at Ibrox this season.

Looking ahead to the January transfer window, Rangers’ sporting director Ross Wilson should definitely consider making a move for Fuchs, who has “unbelievable energy” according to Micky Mellon, to see if he can help push the team to the title and end Van Bronckhorst’s first season at Rangers on a high.

Also, with two of Rangers’ current midfield options – Scott Arfield and Steven Davies – being well into their thirties, Fuchs could be a suitable long-term replacement for the duo given his fairly young age. With all of the aforementioned positives in mind, this would surely be a dream deal for the club’s new manager.

In other news: GVB handed big boost as Rangers update emerges on “highly respected” £5.4m-rated beast – opinion

Out of all the names that have played under the guidance of Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United, one player that has been a regular figure for the Argentine with a total of 131 appearances for Leeds under Bielsa is midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Having been linked with a move away from the Yorkshire club in recent months with fellow Premier League clubs Liverpool and Manchester United reportedly interested in him, it would be a disaster if Leeds were to say goodbye to their midfield star, especially to another top-flight side.

However, it seems as though Leeds have been handed a massive boost regarding Phillips and his future with the England international recently revealing that he would be willing to sign a new contract at Elland Road, even though his current deal isn’t set to expire until the summer of 2024.

He commented: “I just want to focus on getting back fit,’ he says. ‘But I speak to the owner regularly. I want a new contract. I’m very happy here.”

Phillips’ importance to Leeds was shown throughout last season with the Whites losing seven of the nine Premier League games he missed.

It’s been a similar story this season with Leeds failing to win any of the games Phillips hasn’t been involved in, highlighting just how crucial he is for the team.

In the 29 league games he played in Premier League last season, the 26-year-old, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £38k-per-week according to Salary Sport, managed to rack up an average of 2.6 tackles per game, 1.7 clearances per game and 1.6 interceptions per game, showing how important he is for the team, particularly from a defensive point of view.

With this in mind and his desire to sign a new deal with Leeds, Victor Orta now has the opportunity to start 2022 with a bang and delight plenty of Leeds fans by giving Phillips, who has been labelled as a “destroyer” on the pitch by former England manager Steve McClaren, what he wants.

Looking beyond that, another big hope for Phillips would be that he can get back to full fitness as soon as possible after picking up a hamstring injury earlier this month so he can help his side avoid relegation by the end of the season and not have to spend another campaign in the Championship.

In other news: Bielsa can finally axe Leeds’ “absolute disaster” by signing “spectacular” 5 ft 9 gem…

With Aston Villa having signed the likes of Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne during the current January transfer window, it seems as though they could have a challenge on their hands when it comes to the next summer transfer window and trying to keep hold of one of the key players in Steven Gerrard’s squad.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Telegraph, Villa midfielder John McGinn has been identified as a summer transfer target for fellow Premier League side Manchester United.

The report also claims the United’s technical director Darren Fletcher is apparently a big fan of McGinn and would welcome his potential arrival at Old Trafford.

Fans would be fuming

Villa signed McGinn from Scottish club Hibernian back in the 2018 summer transfer window when they were still in the Championship.

Since then, the midfielder has gone on to make 129 appearances for the Midlands club across all competitions, scoring 16 goals and providing 21 assists along the way, highlighting how much of an important figure he has been for the team.

The £27m-rated dynamo has been an ever-present figure for Villa this season as well, with Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa being the only outfield players to have racked up more minutes in the Premier League than McGinn.

The Scotland international has also been the subject of heavy praise by Gerrard as well with the former Rangers boss describing McGinn’s passing ability in their 2-1 win over Leicester City in early December as “outstanding.”

With WhoScored currently listing the 27-year-old as the highest-rated Villa player to have started more than one Premier League game this season with an overall rating of 7.14/10, this backs up why he’d be a big miss for Villa if he were to leave in the summer.

Taking all of this into account, it would be nothing short of a disaster if the Midlands outfit were to sell the Scot this summer to United given how important he is to the side, especially just months after losing fellow talisman Jack Grealish. To lose both in such a short space of time, would understandably leave supporters rather angry.

Moving forward, with his current contract not set to expire until the summer of 2025, it could be worth Villa’s owners Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris encouraging McGinn to stick with Villa and help them reach the club’s aspirations of securing European football in the future.

In other news: Deal agreed: Fabrizio Romano delivers Villa transfer update, Lange is working wonders – opinion

According to a recent report from The Sun, Andreas Christensen’s future looks far from certain heading into the last knockings of the January transfer window. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League heavyweights Chelsea having come up through the youth ranks at Stamford Bridge, although struggles for regular game time under new Blues manager Maurizio Sarri has called his future at the West London club into question.

And a recent report from The Sun suggests that Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are interested in landing the Denmark international this month, with Chelsea reportedly seeking a £6 million loan fee for the defender to thus sanction his departure this month.

And for just £6 million, which is next to nothing in modern-day footballing terms, Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl should make a move for Christensen – a move which could go some way to helping shore up his Saints backline.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, while there is little doubting that the arrival of the Austrian on the South Coast last month has improved Southampton’s fortunes, having won four Premier League games under the former Red Bull Leipzig chief, just one clean sheet in that time suggests they do need to tighten up defensively.

In fact, the Saints have shipped 40 goals in their 23 league matches this term which is more than 13 other teams in the English top-flight – significantly, it is more than all but two sides currently above them in the table to suggest that, if they harbour ambitions of climbing the division, they have to be better at the back.

And a late January move for Chelsea’s Christensen, who excelled for the Blues last season under Antonio Conte, could be exactly what Southampton need to shore up their backline.

The 22-year-old may well have struggled to convince new Blues boss Sarri of his capabilities this term, having only appeared 13 times in all competitions for the West Londoners, but one mustn’t forget the role he played in the Chelsea side last time round under the guidance of title-winning boss Conte.

Prior to last season, the Danish sensation had only featured three times for the Blues, but Conte put great faith in his ability last term by selecting him on 27 occasions in the Premier League and 40 overall in all competitions, helping the club finish fifth in the top-flight, and indeed reach the last-16 of the Champions League.

Yes, there were a few unconvincing moments and thus errors from Christensen last time round, but on the whole he did a fine job coming into a backline that the season before had dominated English football – he certainly didn’t look out of place.

And that should surely be of interest to Southampton manager Hasenhuttl, not only because the 22-year-old would add another accomplished option to his defensive ranks, but also because Christensen excelled in a back three last term, a system the Austrian has used at St Mary’s in recent times.

And for just £6 million for the rest of the season, it could prove to be an absolute bargain, and one that could go some way to shoring up the Southampton rearguard, in turn keeping them in the Premier League.

Southampton fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Everton have been linked with a move for Inter forward Ivan Perisic as manager Rafael Benitez looks to add further reinforcements to his threadbare frontline.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, the Toffees are among several clubs interested in securing the highly-rated 32-year-old’s services, with fellow Premier League outfit West Ham United also credited with an interest.

Perisic has entered the final year of his current contract at San Siro, and his impressive performances of late have reportedly attracted the attention of several potential suitors, although signing a new deal with Inter has not been ruled out.

Marcel Brands must sanction Everton swoop

Despite Perisic’s age, there is little doubt that the Croatia international would still be a valuable addition to Benitez’s ranks should he make the move to Merseyside over the winter transfer window.

Throughout his career, the hard-working winger has scored 131 goals and provided a further 100 assists in 512 appearances for various clubs, winning one Champions League crown, two Bundesligas, one Serie A title and three DFB-Pokals along the way.

He was lauded as a “top-quality player” by compatriot Dejan Lovren prior to playing a pivotal part in Croatia’s run to the World Cup final in 2018, before then joining Bayern Munich on loan a year later.

Perisic enjoyed a fabulous 2019/20 at the Allianz Arena, with the £9m-rated beast featuring 35 times in all competitions as Hansi Flick’s charges pulled off an incredible treble-winning campaign.

The attacker’s impressive performances for the Bundesliga giants caught the eye of Bayern chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who lauded Perisic’s efforts.

“Ivan has had a good season and is very reliable. He doesn’t necessarily do something spectacular, but statistically, he does show up with goals and assists. Flick is really counting on him,” Rummenigge gushed.

“We really appreciated that when we qualified for the Final Eight of the Champions League, he, Philippe Coutinho, and the others on loan agreed to remain even with a pay cut. We haven’t decided yet if he’s staying, but the coach and I really like him.”

Bayern eventually chose not to make Perisic’s stay in Bavaria permanent, but that didn’t stop him from continuing his good form on the pitch. He helped Inter claim their first Scudetto in 10 years last season and has already bagged two goals and laid on an assist in 11 outings for the Nerazzurri in the current campaign.

Therefore, Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands must sanction a swoop for the experienced forward, providing Benitez with the strength in depth he desperately needs in order to challenge for a top-six place.

In other news… Bye-bye Mina: Everton step up interest in “blessed” 22y/o starlet, fans would love him 

West Ham United have a number of attacking players in their squad that have all contributed to getting the side to where they are at this moment in time.

The trio of Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals have scored 21 goals between them in the Premier League and provided 16 assists along the way.

The Hammers also have Michail Antonio, who has found the back of the net eight times and delivered seven assists for his teammates in 31 league appearances.

While there is still some time left until the season ends, it seems as though the east London club may have already got their eye on adding another attacking figure to their squad.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist and transfer insider Pete O’Rourke had this to say about Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi and the potential interest that West Ham have in signing him.

“I’m sure West Ham scouts have been alerted to him. He’s a big, strong, pacey forward who could definitely come into that team and improve the West Ham options as well, and I think he’s got all the tools to be a success in the Premier League.

“So, I think West Ham, as well as several other Premier League clubs, will be keeping tabs on him this summer.”

Deadly duo inbound?

After originally joining his current club on loan from Liverpool back in September 2020, the 24-year-old signed on a permanent deal last summer.

In 59 appearances for the German side, the striker has managed to score an impressive 22 goals and provide eight assists along the way.

With 26 league appearances under his belt this campaign, the former Liverpool youngster has found the back of the net 12 times, showing why Mergim Vojvoda called him “an excellent player with great qualities.”

In those appearances, the centre-forward has created three big chances and racked up an average of 2.1 shots and 0.8 key passes per game.

This also backs up why Steffen Baumgart labelled the attacker as a “dangerous” player on the pitch.

In comparison to Antonio, the Jamaica international has racked up 2.3 shots and 1.4 key passes per game, showing just how dangerous he can be in terms of scoring and creating goals for his side.

With all of this in mind, if West Ham were to strike a deal to bring Awoniyi back to England in the summer, this could undoubtedly give Moyes the chance to form a deadly attacking duo at the London Stadium to potentially push the team even further.

In other news: Huge blow: West Ham dealt fresh injury setback ahead of Lyon, Moyes will be sweating

West Ham have been named as one of a number of Premier League sides interested in signing Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton Diaz in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to The Daily Mail, David Moyes’ side are interested in signing the Chile international this month, but will face competition from a number of other sides from the Premier League too.

Shades of Carlos Tevez

West Ham fans will of course have some very fond memories of Carlos Tevez’s time at Upton Park, with the Argentine combining his fighting spirit and technical quality to help rescue the Hammers from relegation well over a decade ago.

While comparing Brereton with Tevez may not be the most obvious to make, the Rovers man is certainly built from that same cloth of having an elite mentality.

Brereton’s Chilean compatriot, Carlos Villanueva, said: “There has always been talk of that spare 9 and he gives you different characteristics… He comes from a football much more physical than the South American. He also has Chilean and South American blood, which puts in and fights.”

Dubbed a “wonderful talent” by his manager Tony Mowbray, the 22-year-old enjoyed his most prolific campaign to date in the Championship with Blackburn last term, bagging seven goals and providing five assists in 40 league games.

This season has seen him net a whopping 20 goals in just 25 league games, firing Rovers well into the hunt for an automatic promotion spot in the Championship.

Mowbray added said: “Brereton’s like a beast now, and he can score goals. I see it every day in training. He’s a brilliant lad and all our lads absolutely love him. He’s filled out now and he will work so hard for this team. He’s very gifted and can score goals.”

The £9m-rated star seems to have all the fighting qualities that marked Tevez out as a cult hero, and could develop into the same at the London Stadium were he to make the move.

Meanwhile, David Moyes is now keen on bringing in this Premier League star this month…

Lots of Glasgow Rangers fans have been left bemoaning some news on Steven Gerrard.

As per Ashley Preece, Gerrard’s proposed move to go and manage Aston Villa is ‘all but done’, following the departure of Dean Smith.

The journalist has also claimed that he is ‘expecting an announcement within the next 24 to 48 hours if not sooner’, suggesting that Christian Purslow is set to get his man.

Of course, this means that the Ibrox faithful may have to search for a new manager to replace Gerrard soon, which is certainly not ideal midway through the season, in where the Liverpool and England legend has guided them to being four points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Gerrard has achieved so much with the Light Blues over his three-year reign, taking the SPFL title off of the hands of Celtic last term and being lauded by pundits as an ‘exciting’ manager (Paul Robinson to Football Insider).

Taking this into account, it is not a surprise at all to see so many Bears supporters bemoaning this latest update.

Rangers fans on Gerrard news

Indeed, these Gers supporters shared their disgruntled thoughts as the development was shared on Twitter, with one claiming that they were ‘gutted’ while another fan described the news as ‘upsetting’.

Find all of their verdicts on this big Gerrard update down below.

“Gutted man absolutely gutted”

Credit: @rossco72_

“It’s looking more and more likely now. Real sore one.”

Credit: @ScottBradleyX

“Well that’s a bit upsetting”

Credit: @martincathie_1

“I am in so much pain”

Credit: @PhiIip1872

“I’m not crying you are”

Credit: @nerziaCY

“Oh dear”

Credit: @ChrisCooper0

In other news, find out what Academy update has Gers buzzing here!