Everton fans have once again been criticising Sam Allardyce after the Everton boss disputed the length of Sigurdsson’s injury in classic Big Sam fashion.
Everton have suffered their fair share of injuries this season, with key figures like Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman missing large parts of the season through injury.
Their latest hit to the squad might be the most significant one yet, as Gylfi Sigurdsson is set to be sidelined for up to eight weeks with a knee injury. The Icelandic international hurt his knee in the contest with Brighton, but continued playing despite the injury.
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The 28 year-old was then sent to see a specialist, with reports suggesting he could be out for six to eight weeks. In his press conference today, Sam Allardyce suggested otherwise.
Big Sam has certainly not endeared himself to Everton fans since taking over from Ronald Koeman, and fans have been disappointed by his uninspiring tactics and failure to grasp the values of the club.
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As the manager jokes whoever put the Sigurdsson statement out will be in trouble, Everton fans have used it as a chance to say his own job should be in trouble.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
As reported by The Sun, the race to sign Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah this summer has started after the forward’s incredible form at Anfield this season.
What’s the story?
With 36 goals in all competitions for the Reds this term, it’s inevitable that he’ll be attracting interest from European giants this summer and it seems the headlines surrounding his potential departure have already begun.
The Sun report that Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are all interested in signing the attacker, prepared to pay a world record fee of £200m to tempt Liverpool into selling.
More than the amount that took Neymar to Paris last summer, would £200m be an offer that the Reds couldn’t afford to turn down?
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Should they sell?
The last thing Liverpool want is another transfer saga like Philippe Coutinho’s, recognising that the pull from European football’s elite clubs is strong both in terms of status and cash.
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However, Salah feels like he’s barely arrived at the club and getting at least another season out of the Egyptian should be their big priority. If he can repeat anything close to this term’s goalscoring then his value will not have decreased by next summer.
There’s an argument to be made that clubs should always sell a player at his peak value, but Liverpool have trophy ambitions and letting go of Salah would be a major blow in that regard, even if the reported £200m would allow a major transfer signing spree.
One of the major question marks against Jose Mourinho’s name when he was appointed Manchester United manager was his reluctance to trust young players.
The debate essentially boils down to whether Marcus Rashford is a success at Old Trafford as many of the other hot prospects at the club have been sent out on loan to continue their development away from the club.
That might well be with a career away from the 20-time title winners in mind but with a squad overhaul on the cards this summer, Mourinho should be looking wherever he can for bodies who can help.
With that in mind, Football FanCast have taken a look at four of the players on United’s books who have spent the season or half a season away from the club, before asking whether they have what it takes to change Mourinho’s opinion and force their way into the first team next season.
Ranging from La Liga to the Championship, here’s a look at how Man United’s loan brigade have fared so far this season…
Fosu-Mensah is definitely one of the more highly-rated talents in Mourinho’s ranks. Capable of playing as a defensive midfielder, centre-half and right-back, his versatility as well as his physicality will surely appeal to Mourinho.
With Matteo Darmian reportedly moving ever closer to the Old Trafford exit door, there is a spot going as the understudy to Antonio Valencia next season and Fosu-Mensah will hope that he has done enough in his time at Selhurst Park to impress Mourinho.
Surely a large part of the reason the Dutch defender was loaned to Palace was the presence of his countryman Frank de Boer in South London, but his reign was incredibly short-lived.
Therefore, the exposure to passing football he was supposed to get has not quite materialised, instead working under the more pragmatic Hodgson. That may please Mourinho further.
Mourinho was reportedly unhappy with Pereira’s decision to join the Spanish side on a temporary basis, so highly does he rate the Belgian-born playmaker.
However, it is already tough for him to accommodate all of United’s current attacking options, so it seemed as if the inexperienced but talented Pereira would benefit from a season elsewhere.
He clearly has ability but again, has been unable to show it in Spain and, if Mourinho is making his decision purely based on his performances with Valencia then it is unlikely he will be a big part of the plans at Old Trafford next time around.
Yet, with prices escalating across the transfer market, the opportunity to procure extra creativity at no cost might appeal to Mourinho.
Wilson looked set to burst into the United first team when he netted twice on his first team debut under Ryan Giggs at the end of the painful 2013/14 season, but it hasn’t materialised since then.
Louis van Gaal was a fan of Wilson’s pace – even starting him in a 3-0 win over Liverpool – but couldn’t find a regular place for him in his plans and that has stalled his development.
A January move to Bramall Lane hasn’t really taken off – Chris Wilder likes to rotate his large amount of forwards and that hasn’t helped – with just one goal from six games.
It would appear that his future lies away from Old Trafford. He is nowhere near physical enough for a Mourinho striker and he hasn’t been clinical enough at Sheffield United to impress.
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Johnstone has been arguably the most impressive of the loanees, as he has played every week at Aston Villa, where he has established himself as number one.
But, such is the form of David de Gea, the best he can hope for – unless Real Madrid come knocking again – is to become second choice at Old Trafford.
Even then, Sergio Romero looks like he has that locked down so Johnstone is surely likely to seek employment elsewhere this summer.
That might well be at Villa, as he has impressed former United man Steve Bruce, but West Ham are also rumoured to be interested in the summer.
Manchester City find themselves facing the good kind of problem ahead of Saturday’s Manchester derby. On the one hand, their Premier League title is a mere formality with seven games left to get themselves over the line; on the other, nothing would be sweeter than clinching it against the club whose shadow they’ve lived in for the vast majority of their modern history.
And thus, Pep Guardiola has a key decision to make over Sergio Aguero, who wasn’t part of the travelling squad that made the trip to Anfield on Wednesday night after suffering an injury. It’s not thought to be serious but it remains to be seen if he’ll be available for the weekend.
Even if he is though, Guardiola is still faced with a dilemma. While Gabriel Jesus’ peripheral display against Liverpool highlighted the significant chasm between City’s two strike options, the Etihad Stadium outfit don’t need to win this game.
So is it actually worth the risk of starting Aguero, especially bearing in mind how injury-prone the Argentine striker, who Transfermarkt value at £67.5million, has been throughout his Premier League career, and especially with the return leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool just around the corner?
Assuming he’s fit enough to be available for selection, would you risk starting Aguero against United this weekend? Let us know by voting below…
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They were brothers in attack last season, but Marko Arnautovic and Xherdan Shaqiri find themselves hoping to achieve the same aim with rival Premier League clubs this time around.
Indeed, Arnautovic’s West Ham are now six points clear of the drop zone but defeat to Shaqiri’s Stoke City on Monday night will reduce that buffer to just four, dragging them back into the relegation scrap and giving the Potters hope of escaping it at the final hour.
Both players have very much ascended to talismanic status within their respective teams this season. Arnautovic’s departure from the Bet365 Stadium last summer inadvertently created a chasm of quality that the Switzerland international has done his best to fill with his strongest Premier League season to date in scoring terms. His former team-mate, meanwhile, has increasingly embraced the role of becoming West Ham’s most enigmatic talent under the guidance of David Moyes.
Of course, those roles have translated slightly differently; Shaqiri has become Stoke’s resident No.10 after spending previous campaigns out wide, whereas Arnautovic has moved from the opposite flank in the Potters’ starting XI last season to the potent tip of West Ham’s attack this term.
That’s why Shaqiri has created more than twice as many chances per match this season as the 69-cap Austrian, whereas Arnautovic has completed more dribbles per match than the former Bayern Munich midfielder – who Transfermarkt value at £16.2million.
Both though, have emerged as the standard bearers, taking the game to the opposition almost singlehandedly at times by either scoring or assisting 13 goals apiece in the top flight. Shaqiri has played a hand in 43% of Stoke’s league goals this season – Arnautovic has been involved in 33% of West Ham’s.
Perhaps the resulting question, upon the backdrop of Monday night’s relegation clash at the London Stadium, is therefore obvious; which player would you prefer to have as your team’s talisman for the crunch relegation clash?
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West Ham fans are split on the latest transfer reports, after the Mail on Sunday linked the Hammers with moves for Jack Butland and Joe Allen.
It’s been a long season for West Ham fans, but most supporters would agree they do have some very talented players in their squad.
Declan Rice has shown his potential despite his mistake against Arsenal on Sunday, and Arthur Masuaku has proved he can be a valuable weapon for the Hammers if given the correct freedom.
Manuel Lanzini and Marko Arnautovic bring plenty of creativity, pace and goals to the attack, but above all else David Moyes’ side is missing a spine.
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Mark Noble has shown glimpses of his former self but been largely underwhelming, and the goalkeeper situation seems to get worse every week.
Given all of this, it is perhaps no surprise to see the Hammers linked to Stoke City’s Allen and Butland.
The pair may be all set to get relegated, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t good enough for the top tier as individuals, and Butland in particular would surely be an upgrade for the Hammers.
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Fans are split on the rumours though, with some asking for both, some wanting neither, and some picking and choosing between the two.
Some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
The Arsenal fans in the Transfer Tavern have been relatively pleased by the recent form that their team has shown signs of, but at this stage in the season – it’s all about results.
With their dream of regaining the Premier League still merely a fantasy at the moment, the attention of our resident Gunners is already beginning to turn to next season.
With Arsene Wenger leaving the club after 22 years this summer, our punters feel that his successor has to arrive with a bang and bring in an array of quality so that the Gunners can improve their luck next season.
A player in the form of Atletico Madrid defensive midfielder Thomas Partey would do very nicely indeed. The 24-year-old is valued at £13.5 million on Transfermarkt, but that doesn’t tell the full story of how important he’s been for the Spanish side over the course of this season.
Having played in over 45 games so far this season, the defensive rock has been exceptional and a big part in providing a shield for the already tight-knit Madrid defence.
Arsenal’s need for a defensive midfielder stretches back over a number of years with the Gunners never really finding an adequate replacement for Patrick Viera all those years ago. Thomas Partey isn’t quite at the level of the French legend yet, but he certainly has the potential to be one day.
A brilliant tackler with decent agility and mobility, he’d be right at home in what is becoming quite an exciting midfield at the Emirates alongside the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere, if the latter renews his contract.
Landlords verdict:
Arsenal are in desperate need of summer recruitments following a mostly disappointing season.
Both quality and quantity is needed at the Emirates, and Thomas Partey is a player very capable of helping Arsenal move up the table.
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Significantly, Arsenal have been needing a defensive midfielder for a while, with a number of signings over the last few years not quite going to plan. Bringing Partey in wouldn’t necessarily solve Arsenal’s problems, but he’d be a great choice to plug the gaps in their midfield.
Departing PSG manager Unai Emery, 46, is the leading candidate to replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, according to the Express.
However, the highly-rated coach has endured a chastening experience in France this season and his confidence could have been affected to the extent that he cannot take on a job under such scrutiny right now.
What’s the story, then?
The report states that Luis Enrique and Max Allegri were both ahead of the Spaniard in the pecking order among the hierarchy at the Emirates but have expressed concern over the management structure, which has allowed Emery into the mix.
It goes on to say that one potential stumbling block could be the fact that Emery will demand £8.5m per year to manage in North London and Arsenal may be unwilling to part with that kind of cash.
The report also recalls some support from Wenger for Emery during some of his tougher times at PSG, in which the Frenchman reaffirms his belief in the Spaniard’s competence.
The job is too big for Emery
He showed at Sevilla that he is a good coach and adept at getting slick, adaptable performances from a lesser group of players but Emery has struggled to manage the expectations and egos in Paris.
The task of following Wenger and sating fans who are expecting a brave new era to emerge in the immediate aftermath of the Frenchman’s departure is sure to be as taxing and his confidence may well have been knocked.
Further, Emery lacks experience of English football and the level of scrutiny on these shores are not ideal for someone who is coming off the back of a high-profile failure.
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West Ham United play host to Manchester United at the London Stadium on Thursday night in the penultimate match of their Premier League season, after they preserved their top flight status for at least another 12 months by beating Leicester City 2-0 at the weekend.
The Irons came into their trip to the east Midlands three points above the relegation zone following successive 4-1 defeats against Arsenal and Manchester City, but a straightforward win against an out-of-form Foxes side – coupled with other results – meant that they will be a Premier League team again next term.
That result would have come as a massive relief to the board and manager David Moyes following a tough few weeks, with the Scottish boss coming under heavy criticism from Hammers supporters on Twitter, with them wanting him to go this summer.
The 54-year-old will know that he needs to end the campaign on a high if he is to try and get the London Stadium faithful back on side – as well as convincing co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan that they should extend his contract beyond the climax of the season – although he may also want to give some fringe players an opportunity to impress.
Moyes made two changes to the XI that was beaten by Pep Guardiola’s men for the trip to the King Power Stadium as Arthur Masuaku and Joao Mario came in for Patrice Evra and Edimilson Fernandes respectively, and he may well be considering further alterations against the Red Devils.
Here is how West Ham must line up against Man United, ahead of Adrian in goal…
With a match to come against Everton at the London Stadium on Sunday, David Moyes should be thinking about reshuffling his team against the Red Devils despite the 2-0 win against Leicester last weekend.
The three-man defence of Declan Rice, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell looked much better at the King Power Stadium having conceded eight goals in two Premier League matches previously, and they picked up a much-needed clean sheet.
Hammers fans’ favourite James Collins was pictured in training on Wednesday having returned from injury last week, and Moyes should start the 34-year-old – in what could be his penultimate game for the club – in place of teenager Rice.
Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble were much improved against Leicester following a disappointing season for the duo, and the latter even got on the score-sheet with a brilliant volley.
However, with a match against Everton to come less than three days after this Moyes should look to bring some fresh legs into the middle of the mark against Jose Mourinho’s men, and Pedro Obiang – who was on the bench at the King Power Stadium after three months out through injury – should partner Edimilson Fernandes.
Those two should be flanked by Pablo Zabaleta and Arthur Masuaku as wing-backs, with Patrice Evra not doing enough in his starts to suggest that he should make the XI right now.
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Marko Arnautovic may be a slight doubt for the visit of the Red Devils after picking up a knock against Leicester, and even if the Austrian is almost fit he doesn’t need to be risked now the club has little to play for.
The Austria international can be saved for a start against Everton on Sunday, and Moyes should look to bring in Andy Carroll – who could cause the Man United plenty of problems with his strength and aerial ability – into the line-up as a striker, with Joao Mario and Manuel Lanzini behind him after an impressive showing from the duo at the King Power Stadium.
According to Turkish outfit Fotospor, Besiktas are interested in signing Arsenal forward Danny Welbeck in this summer’s transfer window.
The 27-year-old, who has been called into the England squad for the 2018 World Cup, scored 10 times in 43 appearances for Arsenal during the 2017-18 campaign.
It is understood that Turkish giants Besiktas have identified Welbeck as a possible replacement for Anderson Talisca, and are considering approaching Arsenal over a move.
Welbeck joined the Gunners from Manchester United in the summer of 2014, and he has played over 100 times for the London club in all competitions.
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The attacker will see his current deal with the Gunners expire at the end of next season, however, and his future at the Emirates Stadium has been called into question.
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The Arsenal supporters have been discussing Welbeck’s future, and it would be fair to say that the fanbase is split over whether the 37-time England international should be sold in this summer’s transfer window.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: