Blackburn Rovers fans will look back on the era of Roque Santa Cruz fondly as the days before the dawn of their collapse.

The exotic talent that was Roque Santa Cruz is something Blackburn fans scantly enjoy nowadays stuck in midtable Championship purgatory, which is why this douse of nostalgic relief will come as a welcome surprise.

Before making his reported £3.5 million switch in 2007 (as per The Guardian) Santa Cruz had accumulated quite an extensive trophy collection at Bayern – consisting of six domestic cups, five Bundesliga titles and a Champions League winners medal.

So it may have come as a bit of a surprise when former manager Mark Hughes recruited him to work alongside the likes of Benny McCarthy, Jason Roberts and a young Matt Derbyshire (appreciate McCarthy was a player in his day).

Hughes said at the time (The Guardian): “Santa Cruz is a young player, an international with a good reputation who is playing at a top European club.

“The good thing from our point of view is that his fitness levels are fine as he has been playing in the Copa America.”

And Hughes was not wrong. Santa Cruz bagged 19 goals in 37 Premier League games earning the Lancashire a 7th placed finish in the Premier League – something they have not managed since.

Indeed, it is no coincidence that their form deteriorated following his big-money move to Manchester City in 2009 – who were just beginning to flex their muscles in the transfer market at the time.

Despite his move, however, the Paraguayan was unable to replicate his earlier form and after just 24 appearances for the club was quickly shipped off to Real Betis on loan, which was shortly followed by a loan and permanent move to Malaga CF.

26 goals in 109 appearances later Santa Cruz found himself on a plane to Mexican outfit CD Cruz Azul, but, in a bizarre turn of events, was returned just half-a-year later on loan.

Now 37 and back playing in his native Paraguay, the forward is a distance relic of the good and bad times for all those clubs he represented.

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According to The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur fear that manager Mauricio Pochettino will quit the north London club this summer in favour of the Real Madrid job.

What’s the story?

According to the aforementioned report, the concerns have arisen since the recent defeat to Chelsea effectively ended Spurs’ title hopes for this season. The Argentine coach is said to be desperate to win titles and may feel he stands a greater chance of landing silverware at the Bernabeu.

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He recently warned that it could take Tottenham up to a decade to win the Premier League. He is unlikely to be willing to wait that long. It could be that he is ready to move on at the end of the current campaign, leaving Daniel Levy with the big job of finding a top class new head coach.

Ready to step up

Pochettino’s stock is certainly high right now. Since taking over at White Hart Lane in 2014, the 46-year-old has transformed them from also-rans into Champions League mainstays. However, he has failed to win a trophy during his tenure.

The Real Madrid job could certainly be up for grabs this summer. The La Liga giants have endured a torrid domestic campaign so far, and are currently nine points behind leaders Barcelona. It would certainly be a huge job for the former Southampton boss to take, and a big step up in his career, but he probably thinks he is now ready for it.

His departure would mark a huge loss for Spurs who owe their current high standing and stellar reputation, in large part, to the work done by Pochettino.

Can anybody stop the Manchester City juggernaut?

That’s the question coming out of every mouth following their destructive work in recent weeks. Pep Guardiola’s champions have struck prime form at the best time possible, boosting City’s chances in all four competitions they’re involved in.

Not only are the Citizens favourite to win their first crown in the EFL Cup in the weekend, but it also doesn’t seem like anybody can stop them in the FA Cup either. With only Manchester United or Chelsea remaining (depending on their game), among the big sides, Guardiola’s side knows they can overcome either side with their superiority.

When it comes to the Premier League, City’s winning mentality gives them the edge over Liverpool, who might get caught up by nerves. While the league title race goes down to the wire, City needs to take the Cup competitions seriously to pull off something special. They face Schalke in the UEFA Champions League knockout stages, a tricky yet relatively comfortable tie.

The injured players are slowly coming back to add more punch to their squad and everyone else is hitting stride in the business end of the season. Because of their luxurious options, Guardiola has the option to play different teams in different competitions.

The world-class starting XI can triumph over any side, while their “reserve players” are talented enough to plough through mediocre oppositions. If bad luck or more injuries don’t curse Pep Guardiola’s side, they seem on course towards creating history by winning some kind of treble come May.

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According to The Daily Echo, Southampton midfielder Stuart Armstrong is in line to be available for the Premier League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday having missed the loss against Cardiff City earlier this month.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 26-year-old has been a regular in the side since Ralph Hasenhuttl was appointed as Saints boss at the beginning of December, but he missed out on the squad for the first time against the Bluebirds because of a minor calf strain, as per The Daily Echo.

However, The Daily Echo report that the Scotland international took part in the warm weather training camp in Tenerife and having seemingly come through that unscathed, he could be in line to make his return to the starting XI against the Gunners.

The south coast outfit are certainly in need of a positive result given that the reverse against Neil Warnock’s men at St Mary’s before their trip to the Canary Island saw them slip back into the relegation zone.

Will he start?

It may well depend on what formation and tactics Hasenhuttl decides to go with.

The form and emergence of James Ward-Prowse in recent weeks has certainly meant that competition for places in the middle of the pitch is stronger than ever, and if the Austrian goes for a more conservative approach in north London then it could mean Armstrong has to settle for spot on the substitutes’ bench.

That said, if the 51-year-old fancies taking the game to the hosts and tries to take advantage of a defence that has looked leaky at times this term, then the former Celtic man is someone who can make an impact in the final third from the beginning.

في لقطة مثيرة، انفعل فرجاني ساسي لاعب الزمالك على الحكم أمين عمر الذي يدير مباراة فريقه أمام المصري البورسعيدي اليوم في بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويواجه الزمالك نظيره المصري على أرضية ملعب برج العرب في إطار منافسات الجولة 31 من الدوري.

ويسعى الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم للحد من التجاوز في حق الحكام والتطاول عليهم في المباريات التي يديرونها بالبطولات المحلية.

وأشهر أمين عمر البطاقة الحمراء لفرجاني ساسي بعد اعتراضه بطريقة غير لائقة وانتشال السماعة التي يرتديها الحكم أثناء إدارته للمباراة. ماذا تقول اللائحة في واقعة طرد فرجاني ساسي؟

وبالنظر للائحة التي وضعها الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم فإن اللاعب التونسي من المحتمل أن يصدر تجاهه عقوبة شديدة نظرًا لما بدر منه في حق الحكم.

وتنص لائحة الدوري المصري على إيقاف أي لاعب يستخدم يده لدفع الحكم أو أحد مساعديه أو أحد مسئولي تظيم المباراة 8 مباريات مع تغريمة 10 ألاف جنيه.

وفي حالة الاعتداء على الحكم بالضرب أو أحد مساعديه أو أحد مسئولي تنظيم المباراة، فالعقوبة تكون بالإيقاف 8 أشهر مع غرامة تبلغ قيمتها 50 الف جنيه. شاهد لحظة طرد فرجاني ساسي

[ad_pod ]Declan Rice made his England debut as a 63rd-minute substitute in Friday night’s Euro 2020 qualifier with Czech Republic.It did appear that the midfielder would come off the bench in the early stages when Eric Dier picked up an injury, but Ross Barkley was instead sent onto the field.Rice’s chance did arrive just past the hour, however, as he replaced Dele Alli in what proved to be a 5-0 victory for Gareth Southgate’s side at Wembley.Much has been made of Rice’s decision to switch from the Republic of Ireland to England, but the West Ham fans have always been in his corner.The 20-year-old has been in impressive form for the Hammers this term, contributing two goals in 28 Premier League appearances for the capital club.Check out Playmaker FC’s Tom Skinner’s unfiltered take on Wayne Rooney’s England legacy in the video below…As expected, a host of West Ham fans took to social media to lavish praise on Rice as the 6 ft 1 ace made his senior England debut.A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Everton’s struggles are no secret and have been well documented in recent months. After a bright start to the campaign under Marco Silva, the Toffees have just five wins from their last 15 Premier League games.

There are also some issues emerging in terms of first-team personnel, with first-choice right-back Seamus Coleman performing well out-of-sorts this season, whilst Bernard and Theo Walcott have failed to inspire out on the wings.

Examining the main problem areas

Clearly, the only issues in the team are found in the wide areas. Coleman has been dropped on numerous occasions this season for the less-experienced Jonjoe Kenny, as a result of his below-par performances that have had fans suggesting that he is beginning to decline.

In the wide attacking areas, Theo Walcott has been distinctly average this season, and it could be argued that he has already exited his prime years as a footballer – the 29-year-old has just three goals and two assists in 28 league appearances this season.

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On the opposite flank, Bernard has impressed in spells and is always a tricky customer to deal with, but his end product is fairly poor and he could easily be considered expendable in this Everton team – the Brazilian has a mere three assists to show for his efforts in the league.

What can Silva do about it?

Well, the Toffees are fairly strong through the core, and have a number of players who perform well through the middle of the field, so a 3-5-2 formation could suit the players quite well.

Everton are well stocked in the centre-back department, with Michael Keane, Kurt Zouma and Yerry Mina all competing for the two centre-half positions, so playing all of them together would keep them happy and allow Lucas Digne – who enjoys getting forward – less defensive responsibility out in a left wing-back role.

Idrissa Gueye and Andre Gomes can be part of a two-man defensive midfield, with Gylfi Sigurdsson sat ahead of them in an attacking midfield role – Dominic Calvert-Lewin can be deployed on the right of midfield where his pace would stretch defences and allow the Icelandic international more space.

Up top, Richarlison should be partnered with Ademola Lookman, who hasn’t seen near enough game time this season – he has been afforded just six starts in all competitions.

If Everton utilise the personnel in their squad correctly for the last nine games, they could have an enjoyable end to the season.

Manchester United currently find themselves sitting in fourth position after picking up all three points against Southampton in their last Premier League outing. 

The Red Devils have been hugely impressive since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge at Old Trafford, with a top four spot looking likely if they continue to ensure consistency from here on in.

It appears as if the Manchester club have their eye on two attacking midfielders, as United are reportedly (as per Tuttosport, via Daily Mail) considering a swoop for Isco and they’re also believed (as per A Bola, via Calciomercato) to be taking an interest in Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes.

So, let’s compare the two players…

ISCO

Isco has established himself as one of the best attacking midfielders in world football in recent years but this season hasn’t been too enjoyable as he’s struggled to enjoy regular minutes, with four goals and one assist to his name.

However, he has the ability to single-handedly change a game and can unlock almost any defence, so his passing and creativity could work wonders for Manchester United. And, he knows how to find the back of the net.

TT GRADE: A-

BRUNO FERNANDES

Bruno Fernandes has been simply sensational in the current campaign as he continues to make all the headlines over in Portugal, with a whopping 23 goals and 13 assists to his name at this moment in time.

He’s enjoying a rich vein of form and he’s only 24 years of age, so he still has his best years ahead of him.

Of course, his ability to produce an outrageous amount of goals and assists makes him a very dangerous asset, and he could definitely take United’s attack to the next level.

TT GRADE: A

TT VERDICT:

When comparing these two, it’s safe to say that Bruno Fernandes is enjoying the rub of the green at this moment in time as he continues to impress in Portugal, while Isco just hasn’t been able to find his feet.

Paul Pogba has been fantastic for Man United this season with an impressive 14 goals to his name, but that’s nothing compared to Fernandes as he’s been more prolific than most attackers in Europe, let alone Pogba. Of course, Isco is extremely talented and he could definitely do a solid job at Old Trafford, but Fernandes’ stats are too good to ignore.

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According to The Express and Star, West Brom’s Zhang Yuning, previously on loan at ADO Den Haag, has returned to The Hawthorns before a proposed move to an unnamed Chinese Super League.

The Chinese striker, signed in 2017, is expected to depart for the East next week with zero minutes in Baggies blue and white under his belt.

The 22-year-old will not be returning to England to train in B71, instead leaving straight for China to finalise his move. Fortunately for the Baggies, the player has cost them nothing in fees as owner Guochuan Lai financed the transfer himself and paid his wages.

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Lai had surely been hoping that the hitman would significantly boost the Midlands club’s fanbase in Asia and perhaps develop into a useful player, but that hasn’t been the case as he has been unable to secure a work permit in England.

Here’s how the West Brom faithful reacted to the news on Twitter…

واصلت لاعبة كرة التنس التونسية أنس جابر تألقها في بطولة رولان جاروس واستطاعت الوصول إلى دور الـ16 لأول مرة في تاريخها.

وتعد أنس جابر أول عربية في التاريخ تصل لهذا الدور بعد الفوز على البيلاروسية أرينا سابالينكا المصنفة 12 عالمياً بمجموعتين لواحدة 7-6 (9-7) و2-6 و6-3.

وحسمت النجمة التونسية المصنفة 35 عالميا المواجهة أمام سابالينكا خلال ساعتين وأربع دقائق، لتتأهل للدور التالي لمواجهة الفائز من مباراة الإسبانية موغوروزا والأميركية كولينس.

يذكر أن لاعبتنا المصرية ميار شريف شاركت في البطولة كأول لاعبة مصرية ولكنها خرجت على يد التشيكية كارولينا بليسكوفا بعدما قدمت أداءا مميزا جعل الصحف العالمية تشيد بها. طالع التفاصيل