Liverpool took their winning streak to 14 matches on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Newcastle United at Anfield.
By beating Steve Bruce’s men, they were able to extend their early lead in the title race by five points, with some familiar figures getting on the scoresheet.
It wasn’t all plain sailing for the Reds, though, as Jetro Willems exploited some lax positioning by Trent Alexander-Arnold to fire the Magpies in front with a well-taken goal, one which may have unsettled a few around Anfield.
With Newcastle having outmanoeuvred Tottenham Hotspur a few weeks earlier with a 1-0 win, there could have been some doubts amongst Reds fans, particularly with Divock Origi and Sadio Mane struggling to impact the game.
However, it was the Senegal international who came up with his own moment of magic to equalise and he later turned home a Roberto Firmino through ball to hand Jurgen Klopp’s side the lead.
From then on it was a straight-forward display from the home side, with their 847 passes underlining their dominance.
Firmino’s trickery proved too hot to handle for the five Newcastle defenders, a brilliant flick allowing Mo Salah to go through on goal and slot in the third.
After some debate about the co-operation of Liverpool’s front-three post-Burnley, they each silenced their critics with valuable contributions, and it is clear that any dispute between them hasn’t affected their efficiency in front of goal.
Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
It is now five wins from five in the Premier League, and although Klopp would have preferred not to have had the stress of conceding an early goal, his team flexed their muscles to turn the game around.
The contract news is seemingly flooding out of Elland Road at the moment.
Firstly Kalvin Phillips put pen to paper on new terms after being linked to as many as three clubs over the summer before Stuart Dallas and Liam Cooper also signed new deals at Leeds.
But it appears as though more promising news could be on the way. Leeds Live have reported this week that Mateusz Klich will sign a new contract imminently with Luke Ayling to follow suit.
Both individuals were key components of Leeds’ playoff run last term. Klich was involved in 19 goals while Ayling played 40 times.
There was a mixed reaction to the update as one hailed it as great. A further joked with the Polish midfielder about his penalty miss last weekend, hoping there was a clause in it to say he wouldn’t be off target again.
Another individual took a more critical look at the situation, suggesting the club shouldn’t go overboard on the lengths of their contracts given their age.
Ayling has yet to play for the senior team this term due to injury but Klich has featured in all eight Championship matches to date.
In today’s Leeds United roundup, we take a look at what news has been doing the rounds for the Whites. Ben White has won the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month, Victor Orta speaks about recruitment, and Darren Bent goes in on Mateusz Klich after his penalty miss against Derby County.
White wins PFA award
Report: Ben White has claimed the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month award for August in a vote run by Snack Media. The Leeds defender beat Swansea City’s Borja Baston to the award by winning 44% of the votes, as Baston claimed just 16%. Patrick Bamford was also nominated for the prize but received only 9% of votes.
White said at the presentation: “It’s really nice to get an award like this and I’m thankful to the people who voted for me.”
Verdict: The centre-back has become an integral part of Marcelo Bielsa squad in the early stages of the season, playing in every minute of Championship football so far and averaging an incredible performance rating of 7.41.
White, on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, has been a rock at the back for Leeds, conceding just four goals in eight games and playing a huge role in placing his side at the top of the Championship table. In the Leeds defence that boasts the best record so far, conceding just four goals in eight games, the 21-year-old has averaged 2.3 tackles per game and 3.8 interceptions per match [WhoScored].
The Englishman has proved to be a very worthwhile signing, and if Leeds are to continue to edge closer to Premier League stardom, Bielsa must keep this man on the pitch throughout the season.
Orta on recruitment
Report: Leeds Director of Football, Orta, spoke at the World Football Summit (as quoted by La Vanguardia) about the clubs recruitment and scouting. He told the listeners: “I have grown up in Seville with a teacher like Monchi, who changed the club.
“The big difference in modern football is information, everyone has it, and the important thing is to transform it into useful knowledge for the club.”
Orta then said, “there should not be a ceiling in the scouting department” and if they are scouting a 16-year-old “it’s perhaps too late.
“One of the keys is that bigger clubs decide quickly, smaller ones don’t. Sometimes it’s better to go to small clubs to get players and train them,” he added.
Verdict: Orta has been the Director of Football for Leeds ever since Andrea Radrizzani’s takeover in 2017 when the Italian appointed him into the role. Since then, Orta has received a good reception from Leeds fans for transfers such as Patrick Bamford, whom he nabbed from Middlesbrough after the Englishman impressed him during his time as Boro’s head of European recruitment.
Most recently, Orta has managed to bring in the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Helder Costa and Ben White, all of which have had positive seasons so far for the Whites.
Indeed we have seen in recent times the impact in a Director of Football, with Txiki Begiristain of Manchester City proving to be of great worth to the champions of England, whilst on the opposite end of the stick, clubs such as Manchester United have struggled in the recruitment stages by refusing to appoint someone within that role.
As for Leeds, Orta is already doing a magnificent job in recruiting talent for the club and if they are to finally return to the Premier League next season, the Spaniard must take some credit in helping them to do so.
Bent blasts Klich
Soccer Football – Championship – Leeds United v Derby County – Elland Road, Leeds, Britain – September 21, 2019 Leeds United’s Mateusz Klich reacts after failing to score from a penalty Action Images/Ed Sykes 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 representat
Report: Former England striker Darren Bent has criticised Klich for his penalty miss in the 1-1 draw against Derby County. Bent old Football Insider:
“I like it but the only thing I’d say about it is don’t miss the target. I wouldn’t even have minded if the goalkeeper dove the right way and saved or caught it.
“I’d go: ‘Okay, it’s a poor penalty,’ but there’s no excuse not to hit the target, especially when you’re calm with your run as well. To roll them in, if you’re going to do that technique, you need to hit the target.
“I don’t care if the keeper saves it, just hit the target.”
Verdict: Earlier in the season, Klich also stepped up to the spot against Barnsley, although that time he converted the penalty and gave the Whites a 2-0 lead over their Yorkshire rivals.
The Polish international also had an impressive record from 12 yards during his time at FC Twente when he slotted home all six efforts from the spot. The only other miss so far in his career came when he was at PEC Zwolle, so having scored in seven out of eight throughout his career, it is fair to say Klich has a good record from penalties.
However, Bent does have a right to criticise the 29-year-old here. After the Sky Sports commentator labeled Klich ‘a competitor for the coolest penalty taker in the Championship’, the no.43 effortlessly walks up to the spot like he was making a five-yard pass and blazes it wide. Truthfully, it was a shocker and Bent rightfully so sheds some light on what is a very questionable technique.
Leicester are currently enjoying a tremendous start to the season under Brendan Rodgers.
The Northern Irishman has the Foxes playing some of the most entertaining football in the division and they head into this weekend’s clash against Liverpool sitting in third place, just two points behind Manchester City.
This week Football FanCast caught up with one of their former defenders, Steve Walsh, to talk about their star men and what the future might hold.
Walsh was speaking on behalf of GentingBet as he revealed whether he thinks those that have attracted interest in the past might depart, as well as providing his thoughts on a number of other talking points.
James Maddison has been one of the stand out performers for Leicester and last season he created 100 chances for his teammates. It was a tally that eclipsed some of the best in the league and understandably he’s been linked with a move away.
One of the clubs reportedly interested in him are Manchester United but Walsh thinks that if they came calling, he wouldn’t go. He exclusively revealed to FFC: “I think he’d stay. He’s a grounded lad who understands the loyalties in the game. I think he’s one of those that will definitely stay at Leicester for a few seasons.”
He also expressed the following: “James Maddison could fit into any of the top six teams. I believe that he is thankful to Leicester that they’ve given him a chance from Norwich and he’s really set the season alight. There’s always rumours that a team is interested in James Maddison but I believe that he’s happy here and he’s showing that in games.”
Watch Leicester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Another player to be linked with a move away during the summer was Ben Chilwell.
The young left-back caught the eye of Manchester City but Walsh echoed similar thoughts about whether he’d stay or not: “Ben is going from an academy into a first-teamer at Leicester and then into England so his progression and his pathway is determined by Leicester at the moment.
“I think he’d be silly to move. Money talks, though, we’ve seen it with Harry Maguire. I think Ben Chilwell is happy here with his football amid rumours obviously of teams coming in.”
The ex-defender did suggest he’d command a large fee, though: “They know what the players are valued at. I think that Leicester know what figures would come in and that from a financial point of view there does have to be a lot of money for Ben because he’s a young up and coming player and he’s with England.”
Leicester have a number of players who are in form at the moment, not least Ricardo Pereira who now has two goals in his last two outings. He’s carried on where he left off last term when he won the club’s Player of the Year award.
Speaking about him, Walsh explained: “He’s been outstanding, he really has. He’s a top top player and when you’ve got ability that he’s got, interest will show. I think all the players at Leicester are fairly happy. They’re happy with the style of football and the manager and they’re settled.”
Moving onto a player who’s just joined, Dennis Praet is someone who looked neat and tidy against Newcastle last Sunday as he completed over 89% of his passes. He stepped into the number ten role ahead of Maddison who was injured.
If the young midfielder is fit to face Liverpool, then a dilemma could be on Rodgers’ hands over who might play where. The Man United target has already played out on the wing this term so could play there.
Keep up to date with the latest videos and streams for Leicester City from our dedicated Leicester City live streams page.
Giving his verdict on the situation, Walsh expressed: “It’s a bit of a headache for the manager at the moment with what he does. He’s [Praet] done himself a lot of good in that performance.
“There’s tough competition and we’ve got a game at Liverpool coming up so it’s all geared for that game. He’s definitely in the picture and he’ll definitely be in the manager’s thoughts without a doubt.”
Soccer Football – Premier League – Leicester City v Newcastle United – King Power Stadium, Leicester, Britain – September 29, 2019 Leicester City’s Dennis Praet in action with Newcastle United’s Emil Krafth REUTERS/Andrew Yates 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 cont
Someone else that’s caught the eye since Rodgers walked through the door is Hamza Choudhury.
The midfielder was impressive in two games against Chelsea last season but has only been a bit-part of his plans in 2019/20 after playing at the European U21 Championships.
That being said, Walsh told FFC that he’s destined for big things.
When asked if he could challenge for a spot in the England set-up, he exclaimed: “Yes, he can. Hamza has come through the academy and it’s great to see homegrown players. He’s a player with great tenacity, he reads the game well and he’s an up and coming star for Leicester.
“He’s threatening to start every game at the moment so again it’s a good option for Brendan Rodgers.”
Are Leicester just a stepping stone for their talented manager? Lee “Chappy” Chapman discusses in the video below…
The 22-year-old is one of a number of players who could play a key role in the project Leicester are building at this moment in time. Whether that includes European football or not remains to be seen but there is a real chance bearing in mind the fortunes of some of the regular top six.
Walsh was quick to pick up on just how big a chance Rodgers’ men have: “There’s an opportunity this year – with Man United, you’ve got Arsenal at the back who are a little bit suspect and Chelsea’s embargo.
“There’s a great opportunity for other teams and Leicester that could challenge for the top four, let alone the top six. Leicester would be happy with a top-six place if they could but there’s a long way to go.”
He did admit, however, that it would be a chance missed if they didn’t end up in a Europa League spot at the very least: “I believe that if they miss out, it will be an opportunity missed amid that group of teams, but you’ve got Wolves there too and West Ham. These are all teams that will be pushing week in, week out and Leicester are among those.”
Just where Leicester finish this season will be intriguing to see but they certainly have a tremendous chance of breaking into the top six. For that to happen they’ll have to keep their best players, something Walsh seems confident they’ll do.
GentingBet are running a special new customer offer ahead of Liverpool vs Leicester this Saturday. To find out more visit here. 18+ begambleaware.org.
Some Tottenham Hotspur fans on Twitter have been discussing the potential of Ajax boss Erik ten Hag being their next manager.
It’s fair to say the pressure has increased a little on Mauricio Pochettino following the humiliating 7-2 home defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday, and it appears to have led to supporters starting to think about who they would want to replace the Argentine if he goes.
Jose Mourinho is one name that was mentioned in the aftermath of the heavy loss to the Bundesliga giants, and it appears that others are talking about ten Hag.
Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
The 49-year-old of course led the Dutch side to the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, and they were on the cusp of meeting Liverpool in the final until Lucas Moura’s last-gasp goal.
They have started their current campaign in Europe’s elite club competition with two wins out of two as well – the latest an impressive 3-0 win in Spain against Valencia on Wednesday.
Ten Hag certainly seems to be doing something right then having nurtured the talents of Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek among others, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed in north London.
While one individual described him as “the closest to Poch in terms of philosophy”, another said he is a “young manager who would easily succeed at Tottenham”.
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 to Football Insider, Noel Whelan has delivered his verdict on the injury to Liam Cooper, suggesting the defender is an irreplaceable figure in the Leeds side.
What’s he said?
Cooper limped off during the first half of Leeds’ win over West Brom last week, being replaced by Gaetano Berardi who ended up getting sent off against Millwall.
The Scot was ruled out for a period of six weeks following the encounter, putting an end to a run of matches where he’d missed just one all term.
He has effectively been an irremovable object in the side and as a result, it’s not a surprise to see his injury receive a damning verdict.
Whelan told Football Insider this week:
“Cooper is a massive loss, losing him is a huge blow to Leeds. He is not only the club captain and outstanding defender but he gives Leeds balance because he is the only left-footed centre-back at the club.
“He is irreplaceable. You are losing his height, aerial prowess and leadership, as well as the continuity of his partnership with Ben White.”
Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Where does the solution lie?
It remains to be seen how Leeds go onto cope without their skipper. Initial signs didn’t bode well at The Den last time out as they succumbed to defeat.
Cooper had been part of a defence that had conceded just five times in the league prior to last weekend but they looked shaky without him.
The 28-year-old has been imperative in recent times and was even named in the PFA Team of the Year for 2018/19.
He recently earned a new deal too, placing weight on Whelan’s irreplaceable comments. Certainly, had they lost him and Pontus Jansson this summer Leeds would have been in trouble.
The issue for Marcelo Bielsa now, however, is finding someone to replace him. Berardi’s small cameo proved that he is still an unreliable figure, even if the red card was incredibly harsh, but there are other options.
The Argentine admitted last week that Olly Casey, Pascal Struijk, Kalvin Phillips and Leif Davis could all play there so it shall be intriguing to see who gets the nod after the international break.
Moving to a three-man defence could well be on the cards as well. It’s something Bielsa tried last term and has utilised on a couple of occasions in 2019/20 too.
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…
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Harry Redknapp believes that Tottenham will have underachieved if they fail to finish in the top three this season.
What did he say?
The former Spurs boss showed support for Mauricio Pochettino – stating that he won’t be sacked – whilst also praising the players available to him, making comparisons to the squads of Liverpool and Manchester City.
He thinks Spurs’ lack of form, which leaves them with three wins from 11 this term, can be solved by the Argentine, so still expects them to finish in the top three.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, he said: “They should be finishing in the top three with that squad, that’s where they should be, there’s no doubt about that in my opinion.
“At the start of the year I really thought Spurs would push Man City and Liverpool a lot, lot closer. Tottenham have got a great team, with Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Son – I thought this could be their year.
“But it’s been a disappointing start for them for sure and they need to turn it around quickly, but I still think they’ll finish third.”
To change Spurs’ fortunes, however, may not be an easy task, and Redknapp believes the solution lies not in tactical alterations, but in Pochettino getting into the heads of the players, building their confidence and a team spirit.
Changing the team’s fortunes
Having reached the Champions League qualification places in each of the previous four seasons, with many of those finishes inside the top three, it is fair to suggest that a failure to maintain that success would be an underachievement.
Considering the fact that top-four rivals Chelsea are in transition under a new manager, and Manchester United have got off to another poor start, it would be somewhat of a shock if Spurs dropped out, particularly if Pochettino fails to turn things around.
Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
With a few players in the squad seemingly unhappy and out of form, it is a question of the manager getting the best out of them and making them believe in themselves, and a failure to do so could mean Spurs don’t achieve their goals.
Redknapp was great at man-management throughout his career and if he can identify the problem, then Pochettino should too.
If he can get players like Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen back at their best and tighten a defence which has conceded 13 goals in five games then Spurs should begin to get back at their best, with the visit of Watford on Saturday the ideal opportunity to return to winning ways.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
The Daily Express is reporting that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has stepped up his interest in RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner, but he is unlikely to sign for the club in January.
What’s the story?
In the summer, Romelu Lukaku was sold to Internazionale, leaving Manchester United with just Marcus Rashford as the only senior forward up front.
As such, another striker would not go amiss at Old Trafford. Solskjaer is said to be looking at Germany international Werner, but the winter transfer window may be too soon to bring him in as Leipzig are understandably reluctant to lose their star man midseason.
Upgrade on Rashford
Rashford is a talented footballer, and the Red Devils could certainly do a lot worse than the 21-year-old. But he just isn’t prolific enough in front of goal despite netting against Liverpool on Sunday. He has been a first team regular in the last three seasons, yet he has scored just 49 goals in 181 appearances. He has played a lot of games on the wing but, according to Transfermarkt, he has just 38 goals in the 108 appearances in which they’ve recorded his starting position as centre-forward.
Check out 5 ways to fix Manchester United in the video below…
It is a much different story with 23-year-old Werner, though. He joined Leipzig in 2016 and has since bagged 69 goals in 125 appearances for Die Rotenbullen. That is more than one every two games, and his Bundesliga tallies catch the eye. He has scored 21, 13 and 16 in the last three campaigns, and he already has six in the first eight matches of the this term, too. Rashford, meanwhile, has never scored more than 10 in the Premier League.
Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below
Not only that, but he also has 24 assists in those past three campaigns too compared to the England international’s 13. There’s no question about it: the former VfB Stuttgart man would be an upgrade on Rashford.
He is just 23 years of age as well, meaning that he has a long way ahead of him. Leipzig may not be doing too badly in the Bundesliga, but it will soon be time for him to move to a more competitive league and show exactly what he is made of.
He would cost a fair amount, of course. He is currently valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt, and he recently signed a contract that takes him through to 2023 with his employers. But his signature would be worth it as United’s forward line continues to cry out for greater potency.
Arsenal face Vitoria in the Europa League this week.
Unai Emery’s men, of course, lost 1-0 to Sheffield United on Monday and will need to bounce back when they return to European competition.
They have, thus far, recorded two comfortable victories on the continent, thumping Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 and beating Standard Liege 4-0.
Both games have featured a number of youngsters, with Emile Smith-Rowe, Joe Willock and Bukayo Saka all playing against Frankfurt, while Gabriel Martinelli scored twice against Liege in a game in which Kieran Tierney made his debut.
Football FanCast has taken a look at the XI Emery should select…
Bernd Leno will surely be given a rest, as Emiliano Martinez has played in both European games thus far, keeping two clean sheets.
Both Hector Bellerin and Kieran Tierney were left out of the XI to face Sheffield United so they should be included here, if only to build match fitness.
Rob Holding, too, must be restored to the XI after he was also absent at Bramall Lane, while one would expect Shkodran Mustafi to take his place too, having played against Liege.
In midfield, Lucas Torreira and Dani Ceballos played well together against the Belgian side and deserve another chance.
It makes sense to bring Mesut Ozil into the fold, too; he has played just once in the Premier League this season and starting him – even if he is going to be substituted in the second-half – would be a show of faith from Emery.
Bukayo Saka should play on the left, despite struggling against the Blades, while Nicolas Pepe should be given the chance to build his confidence following a horror miss on Monday.
Up front, Emery should keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang well-rested and play Martinelli once again.
Aston Villa will be aiming to record three consecutive victories in the Premier League on Saturday, but Dean Smith’s side will be faced with a serious test in overcoming Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City at the Etihad.
Back-to-back wins over Norwich and Brighton have lifted Villa to 12th in the league table, but Smith could be wise to switch his starting XI for the visit to the reigning Premier League champions.
For City, they will be looking to build on the impressive dismantling of Atlanta in the Champions League from mid-week, but Guardiola could also rotate his starting XI and utilise the full extent of his squad’s depth for the visit of Villa.
Given City’s home form, having lost just once so far this season, a compromising of Villa’s typical attacking principles may be necessary on Saturday.
The extent to which Smith opts to construct the attacking and defensive dynamics in his starting XI will be central to whether the West Midlands side opt to play for all three points or defend and attempt to continue their unbeaten run in the league.
Here is our predicted starting XI for Villa’s trip to the Etihad this Saturday.
Smith is unlikely to alter his backline, with Tom Heaton marshalling a defensive unit of Frédéric Guilbert, Bjorn Engels, Tyrone Mings and Matt Targett. The latter put in an extremely impressive display that culminated in scoring the match-winning goal against Brighton last weekend.
It is in midfield where Smith will be faced with a considerable dilemma.
Conor Hourihane has shone since returning to the starting XI, notching a goal and an assist whilst being extremely unlucky to have seen his strike in the victory over Brighton ruled out following consultation with VAR.
The Irishman’s return to Smith’s first-choice XI has coincided with an unbeaten run of three games, yet defensive solidity in midfield will have to take precedence and in that respect, Douglas Luiz is the far more natural option.
A visit to City is likely to mark Villa’s sternest test yet, and therefore Smith is likely to drop Hourihane in order to play two holding midfielders in the form of Marvelous Nakamba alongside Luiz.
Upfront, Wesley Moraes can be expected to retain his starting berth, whilst the attacking trident of Jack Grealish, John McGinn and Anwar El Ghazi look set to try and hurt Guardiola’s side on the counter-attack.