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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Manchester City’s opening Champions League commitment this season was away to Shakhtar Donetsk and it saw their record goal-scorer Sergio Aguero consigned to the bench while Gabriel Jesus started and subsequently scored.

Eyebrows were raised at the team selection. There was no think-of-the-children, shock and horror: just the arching of eyebrows because after all common consensus had it that the European trophy would be City’s main priority this term and also common consensus has Aguero pegged as the club’s best striker. So what gave?

One month later away to Crystal Palace, in a must-win league game, Aguero was once again relegated to sub and once again his like-for-like replacement Jesus found the back of the net. Now football’s knitting circle began to cluck and gossip.

With Pep Guardiola an affirmed admirer of the Brazilian’s pressing and work-rate, perhaps his deployment in key away games signified that Aguero’s long-held monopoly of the first choice striking role was waning. Perhaps – whisper it quietly for more dramatic effect – this was the clearest indication yet that one of the Premier League’s most infamously lethal hit-men was on the decline?

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In November City headed to Anfield, a ground that had hardly been a happy hunting ground for them in recent times and the same can be said of Aguero, who had drawn a blank there in seven previous attempts. A failure to score – despite being furnished with chances – had the commentators mulling on his curse with ominous tones.

It also led to some corners of social media writing off a forward who has fired his side to four titles. A legend no less.

Staying with Liverpool the prolific Argentine may repeatedly come unstuck in L4 but in his seven league appearances against the Reds at home he has scored each and every time. He is then cursed at Anfield but a one-man curse at the Etihad.

As for suggestions that his powers are fading it should be remembered that in the past three seasons he stands alone as the only British-based forward to score 30+ goals in each campaign across all competitions. The year before – 2015/16 – he still managed to muster 29 goals despite missing 52 days due to injury.

To put his recent prolificacy into context since Pep Guardiola has been in charge of the Blues his go-to difference-maker has scored 108 goals. The entire Manchester United squad in that period, across every competition, have put away 327. He has individually scored just shy of a third of United’s total tally.

And it’s a haul that is showing no signs of slowing down either.

This season only two strikers have scored more in the Premier League and he has averaged a goal every 82 minutes. His movement off the ball has been mosquito-sharp while his body-language is consistently that of a player highly motivated to wreak havoc. In short, he is approaching a peak that should have the rest fearful.

It is entirely understandable that rival fans look for any conceivable clue that Sergio Aguero is flagging through age.

Unfortunately for them that seems to be a long way off just yet.

After signing for £62.8 million last summer, showing huge promise for Atletico Madrid as an extraordinary passing midfielder and potential heir to Fernandinho, some Manchester City supporters were unimpressed with his performance in their 1-1 draw at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. 

Ilkay Gundogan finally opened the scoring for City with his bundled effort before Israeli international Manor Solomon equalised following a stunning move – with Rodrigo then making way for Phil Foden after seemingly having minimal impact going forward.

Despite what you could consider to be a sub-par performance, the Spaniard has still made a fine start to life at Eastlands since his mega move – fulfilling that label of ‘the ultimate passing midfielder’ which suits Pep Guardiola’s philosophy to a tee.

So far, the 23-year-old has amassed an incredible 92% pass success rate in the league and has an even better percentage of 94.5% in Europe, as per WhoScored.com – highlighting his wizardry when it comes to distribution.

However, some sceptics argue that he isn’t energetic or robust enough to fully take the mantel from Fernandinho as City’s midfield anchor – with some shining the light on his Shakhtar performance as proof.

Here’s what supporters had to say on Twitter.

Liverpool surely have a big decision to make on Marko Grujic this summer – either sell him or give him a chance in the first-team squad.

The Serbia international signed for £5.1m from Red Star Belgrade in 2016, but he has made just 14 appearances for the Reds since then. He has spent most of his time out on loan, with a spell at Cardiff preceding two years at Hertha Berlin – he is now halfway through his second campaign with the Bundesliga outfit.

He has done rather well with the German club – former manager Pal Dardai said he was the best midfielder he had seen in 20 years at the club. The eight goals in 45 matches he has managed from the middle of the park is not too shabby either.

On Monday, it was his 24th birthday, which led to the club’s official Twitter account sending him their best wishes. The tweet actually got the club’s fans talking, and it seems many want to see him return to Anfield next year. One even suggested that manager Jurgen Klopp had ‘failed him’ so far.

They have taken to the social media platform to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments below.

Do you want to see Grujic back at Anfield next season? Let us know below!

It’s safe to say Louis van Gaal may not be the most popular of figures in Manchester right now.

Former Manchester United striker Robin van Persie opened up on his departure from the club, and revealed that it was down to Van Gaal’s ruthlessness that saw him make his exit.

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Speaking on The High Performance Podcast back in April, he said (as quoted by The Manchester Evening News): “I had this chat with Louis van Gaal and he told me: ‘Ok Robin, our ways will part. I’m the coach, you’re the player – you have to go, your time is up.

“Ruthless. Towards the end of it, I saw something coming but not this ruthless. And the way he said it as well. And then, like a lot of things go through your mind when you get a message like that.”

After the footage re-emerged via Twitter user @ManUnitedZone_, fans of the Manchester side took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on Van Gaal.

One United fan simply called Van Gaal “bitter” and criticised his treatment of Van Persie as being “very harsh and too direct”.

After firing in the goals to lead United to a final Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson, Van Persie surely deserved better treatment from the club and Van Gaal in particular.

He may not have spent too many seasons there, but he certainly contributed massively, and Van Gaal’s abrasive approach feels a little jarring.

It’s no wonder many United fans seem to be up in arms over him.

Many Leeds United fans have looked back on a memorable goal from former striker Mark Viduka against Arsenal in 2003.

Footage of the Australian striker’s winner against the Gunners which ended their title hopes in the 2002/2003 season was shared via the club’s official Twitter account, and it has got The Whites fans talking.

Viduka bent home a superb winner with two minutes remaining on the clock, scoring a goal that would also end the threat of relegation for the Yorkshire club.

The striker’s Australian teammate Harry Kewell would put Leeds ahead, before Ian Harte would put the visitors in front for the second time in the game after both Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp had got the home side back in the game.

Despite appearing offside, Viduka scored late on and in doing so would hand Manchester United the title, sitting eight points clear of Arsenal with two games remaining.

Reacting to footage of the goal via @LUFC, fans revelled in the Australian striker’s goal…

Let us know your best memory of Viduka in the comments section below…

Former Leeds and Middlesbrough striker Noel Whelan has cast doubt on Steve Bruce’s future as Newcastle manager in comments made to Football Insider.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Bruce admitted that he is “in the dark” over the prospective takeover at St James’ Park but insisted that he would “love to be part of it” if the proposed deal is successful.

However, Whelan believes that the would-be owners will already have big plans in place for the Tyneside club and that a decision will have already been made over the 59-year-old. He said of Bruce:

“He knows his job isn’t concrete, that’s what I think he knows. There are big plans for Newcastle, there’s a lot of exciting names being bandied about players who might come into the club.

“Who wouldn’t want to be the manager taking over a Gareth Bale or Edison Cavani, all these players being tipped to come in. Who wouldn’t think they wouldn’t do very well? I think I’d do very well as well and I’ve got no managerial experience! It’s like going into Harrods with a blank chequebook, it’s fantastic, you’d love it, you’d have great fun.

“I think he knows his job is under pressure, Pochettino’s one that seems to be the favourite and the thing is its kind of out of his hands. The thing is he’s got to finish the season as well as he can possibly can for his own sake because it’s his club that he supports.

“If it’s not going to be him, he’s going to walk away with his head held high. It’s out of his hands, the new owners will make that decision if not already made that decision. I think they will have already realised and made a decision on Steve Bruce’s future.”

It is perhaps fair to say that Bruce has guided the Magpies in a relatively decent season so far, as they sit rather comfortably in 13th place in the Premier League table on 35 points at the moment, eight points above the relegation zone with nine games left for them to play, as per BBC. They are also still in the FA Cup with a home match against Manchester City still left to play, assuming that competition does eventually resume.

In 35 games in all competitions this campaign, Bruce’s side have won 12, drawn 10 and lost 13, scoring 39 goals and conceding 52, according to Transfermarkt.

However, despite his respectable return, Bruce may be asked to make way by the new owners and Whelan believes that his fate may have already been sealed. Granted, the Englishman is technically not their appointment, and so the Saud-led consortium may be looking for a fresh new face to take charge of the Toon in time for the next term – if their bid to take over from current owner Mike Ashley eventually goes through.

Geordies, how do you think Bruce has fared this season? Comment below with your views!

QPR manager Mark Warburton has lauded young R’s talent Eberechi Eze as “a top-six Premier League player” and praised the marked improvement in his consistency from this season compared to last.

The 57-year-old was speaking to Sky Sports on Monday when he was asked about the young midfielder, saying: “There’s been a lot of media focus, quite rightly, for his performances – he’s dealt with that really well. Last year he had a really hot streak and then tailed off quite significantly. That played on his mind; he knew about that. Again, he’s responded this year and he’s maintained a level of consistency home and away.

“I honestly believe that he’s a top-six Premier League player, all day long. I’ve watched how he is before games – he just can’t wait to go and play. He’s relaxed, he’s looking forward to it. You watch players who are a bag of nerves before games but not Ebs. He looks forward to it, responds well to a mistake, he responds well to criticism for a young guy. He gets it.”

There has indeed been a substantial increase in Eze’s productivity in the final third over the last couple of years. He managed just four goals and four assists in 3,191 league minutes in 2018/19, with one of each every 797.75 minutes. This term, he has 12 goals and eight assists to his name in 3,273 minutes in the Championship, scoring once every 272.75 minutes and supplying an assist every 409.12 minutes.

Warburton also rightfully pointed out that the 21-year-old hasn’t hit a prolonged lull this season like he did last term, when he scored three times in his first eight league matches but only managed one more in the subsequent 34 games. This time around, his longest streak without a goal has lasted just six matches.

It isn’t just in terms of goals and assists that Eze has improved substantially, either. In 2018/19, he had match averages of 0.7 tackles, 1.6 shots, 0.9 key passes, 1.6 successful dribbles and 22.6 passes per game, with a 81.3% passing success rate. His match averages for this season are 1.2 tackles, 2.4 shots, 1.9 key passes, three successful dribbles and 36.3 passes per game, with an improved passing success rate of 86.4%. [via WhoScored]

His impressive displays during 2019/20 have indeed caught Premier League attention, although not quite at top six level just yet – Football Insider reported that relegation-threatened West Ham are targeting the attacking midfielder.

Warburton is right to praise the multi-faceted improvements to Eze’s game over the last few months and it is that greater consistency which has attracted glances of admiration from West Ham.

With QPR 13th in the Championship and facing an uphill battle just to get into the play-offs, a sizeable offer from a top-flight club might give the youngster a huge decision to make, so the R’s ought to enjoy what Eze brings for now.

QPR fans, has Eze been the team’s best player this season? Comment below with your views!

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has delivered an update on the injury status of defender Matt Targett after it was reported he was ruled out for three weeks, prompting fans to react.

The left-back arrived at Villa Park a year ago and has been a regular in Smith’s starting XI for the most part this season.

With Villa sat 19th in the Premier League standings and fighting for their top-flight status, Targett’s absence will hand Smith with a selection headache, potentially looking to call on natural left-back Neil Taylor, whilst centre-backs Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause are also capable of shifting to the left.

The 24-year-old was expected to miss upcoming matches against Liverpool, Manchester United and Crystal Palace, games in which Villa need points to claw themselves out of the relegation zone.

However, Smith has now revealed to the club’s official website the extent of his injury and it looks like he won’t be out for as long as initially reported.

“He’s struggling, but it won’t be the reported three weeks out. It’s not as bad as first feared and he could be back for Crystal Palace.”

Reacting to Smith’s comments via Twitter account @villareport, fans gave a response with many quite critical of Targett, perhaps due to his poor recent form. Indeed in his last two appearances he has managed meagre 6.2 and 6.4 match ratings (via SofaScore).

How much do you think Villa will miss Matt Targett? Let us know in the comments section below…

According to Voetbal 24, Rangers remain interested in Anderlecht attacker Kemar Roofe.

What’s the word?

With Alfredo Morelos’ long-term future at Ibrox still fairly uncertain, Steven Gerrard will surely be in the market for a new striker. And according to Voetbal 24, the man they seem keen on bringing to Scotland, is Roofe.

The report claims that Anderlecht may be willing to cash in this summer in order to bring in some money of their own and reinvest, and that Rangers have not given up the fight in signing him.

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It also claims the Gers would have to pay at least €6m (£5.4m) in order to convince their Belgian counterparts to part ways with him.

Much-needed striker

Speaking after a 4-0 pre-season triumph over Motherwell, Gerrard admitted that Jermain Defoe’s injury could mean they further step up their interest in a new centre-forward.

He said: “First and foremost we just need to stay calm and find out the extent of the injury. I went on record last week to say I’d like to add in that area in terms of having extra fire power so who knows? It might push us even further in that direction to try and get something done.”

With seven goals in 16 games in the 2019/2020 season for Anderlecht, Roofe has proven that he can be a reliable goal-getter. And with his experience of playing for the likes of Leeds United in English football has given him the kind of pedigree that could see him acclimatise to Rangers with ease.

His former manager at Leeds, Thomas Christiansen spoke glowingly about what Roofe can bring to the table late last year. He said: “Kemar is able to push forward, defend with it and still turn up in the sixteen. His height seems a disadvantage, but that is it is not. Kemar is strong and jumps high. He will score with his head. He is a goal-getter. He will score at least twenty. Kemar is cold-blooded for the goal. And he can also finish with his left and right.”

If Gerrard needed any more convincing that Roofe could be his man, then Christiansen’s words should surely act as a seal of approval. The 27-year-old should be Rangers sporting director, Ross Wilson’s first port of call when looking for a new centre-forward.

Lots of Everton fans have been left fuming as their beloved statue of Dixie Dean outside Goodison Park was lit up with a red flare, as the Merseyside club have since released an official statement on the matter as per their official website.

As per the statement, the Toffees are assisting the Merseyside Police with enquiries into the incident and have urged anyone that knows anything about what happened to contact them as soon as possible.

On a more positive note, the Blues also confirmed that, following inspection and cleaning of the memorial and the site as a whole, no permanent damage has been done to the statue or the floral tributes laid on the foot of it.

The statue itself represents EFC’s greatest ever goalscorer, as Dean scored a quite incredible 60 goals in just 39 games for them in the 1927/28 season, and during the 1928 calendar year he netted a staggering 85 goals, according to the National Football Museum.

These supporters on Twitter were left fuming upon hearing the news of what happened, as Dean is a club legend and the statue and the memorials were a commemoration of both him and what he represented for Everton:

Evertonians, is Dean the greatest to have played for the club? Comment below!