Aston Villa continued their fine run of form this weekend as another 3-0 win saw them move into sixth in the Championship table.
Dean Smith’s men are really beginning to motor at the most important point in the season, and there is every chance now they could well become the team to watch as we enter the most crucial part of the season.
Villa are looking like they are going to be that team that appear from the shadows and snatch a play-off spot, and we here in the Tavern think that they are going to be the ones who ultimately end up winning out come the end of the campaign.
The club’s attacking options for one are right up there with the best in the Championship, and in Tammy Abraham they have arguably the finest striker in the division when he is on song.
Add to that that Dean Smith appears to have finally stemmed the flow of leaked goals with the additions of Kortney Hause and Tyrone Mings, and Villa begin to look quite the threat.
The return of Jack Grealish too is a massive boost for the club, with the young midfielder proving in recent weeks just why he is classed as one of the finest talents outside of hre Premier League at the moment.
For all their disappointments this year and another change in manager, the season could well end on a hugely positive note for the Villans.
Marco Silva chose to drop Gylfi Sigurdsson, Seamus Coleman and Richarlison from the starting XI against Manchester City.
The three under-performing regulars were left out of the XI against the champions as the Toffees lost 2-0, with Silva showing he has the backbone to make big decisions.
On the chalkboard
Silva opted to play Jonjoe Kenny at right-back in place of Coleman, Tom Davies in attacking midfield instead of Sigurdsson and Bernard on the left flank in place of Richarlison.
Cynics may feel the decisions were taken with the title race in mind – Liverpool, of course, are attempting to win the league along with City.
But the fact remains that none of the trio have been at their best in recent weeks.
Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…
Sigurdsson has not scored or provided an assist in his last three outings, while Richarlison has scored just once in his last six games.
Coleman, too, has appeared prone to lapses of judgement in defence, as Everton continue to struggle to keep clean sheets – they have conceded 38 goals this season, the second-highest of all clubs in the top 10, and only worsened by Bournemouth.
Everton may have lost to City – that was slightly inevitable, given the irrepressible form of Pep Guardiola’s men – but Silva’s tactical decisions deserve respect from the Toffees faithful.
Under-pressure
Silva is attempting to make things right.
The Everton boss is under pressure, as they have won just three matches since the end of November, but The Times report that Silva has been told by owner Farhad Moshiri that his job at Goodison Park is safe.
He has not shied away from making the big decisions and his bold starting XI earlier this week may be something of a warning to his under-performing players.
They are ninth in the table, only five points behind seventh-placed Wolves, a berth that holds a Europa League qualification spot.
A turnaround in form could easily see the Toffees overhaul Nuno Espirito Santo’s men between now and the end of the season and Silva has taken the first step in sparking a revival.
It remains to be seen, of course, if his players will now respond.
Southampton full-back Cedric Soares has been labelled as an Inter Milan flop by Italian media outlet Calciomercato despite only making four appearances for them following his loan move during the January transfer window, which doesn’t bode well for the summer for his parent club.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Saints offloaded the Portugal international to the Serie A giants last month with the 27-year-old among the high-profile such as like Manolo Gabbiadini and Wesley Hoedt to go through the exit door.
However, Tuttomercatoweb only reported on February 5 that the Euro 2016 winner was simply a stop-gap addition until the summer, and Calciomercato’s latest thoughts only go to back that idea up even further.
Cedric was largely left on the sidelines by Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl following his arrival at St Mary’s, with youngster Yan Valery often preferred at right-back or right wing-back instead of his experienced teammate.
Bad news for the summer
The south coast outfit’s first priority in the next few weeks will be to stay in the Premier League – something that looks in doubt right now given they are in the relegation zone and face Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in their next four top flight matches.
In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…
Whether they survive or not there will surely be a huge squad overhaul in the summer after two successive relegation battles, and it looked as though Cedric might be one of the players they could get rid of easily for a reasonable transfer fee.
However, the fact that he has supposedly been written off at Inter already suggests that a summer exit to them is off the cards, and that could make what is already shaping up to be a tough summer for Southampton even tougher.
Everton are bracing themselves for Andre Gomes’ grand return to the pitch following the ankle injury which he sustained at the beginning of November in a gruesome incident involving Heung-Min Son.Since that day, the Portuguese midfielder has been out of commission for a total of 121 days, missing 19 games for the Toffees in the process.
Call yourself an Everton expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?
But it was recently revealed by injury expert Ben Dinnery that Gomes has actually recovered from his setback faster than any other player Premier League with a fracture-dislocation injury ever has, per data recorded by Premierinjuries.com.
He shared this achievement via his Twitter account.
If the speed of his comeback wasn’t already incredibly impressive then it certainly is now.
He has recovered ahead of the trip to the Emirates Stadium and Carlo Ancelotti has recently confirmed the player is indeed available, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s going to play any part in the game.
After all, Everton have to take things slow after such a serious setback.
Elsewhere, many Everton fans were absolutely buzzing with Gomes’ recent Twitter update…
On Boxing Day, Leeds were presented a chance, but within a few hours, they’d thrown it away.
There’s a joke to be made in there about a certain Wham song that is usually popular at this time of year, but we’re not sure that United supporters will be in too jovial of a mood at the moment.
Why would they be though? Leeds have failed to win for the third game in a row, and despite results going their way in the three o’clock kick-offs, the gap to third place remains at eight points.
It could have been worse had it not been for a later Stuart Dallas equaliser, but the Whites can’t allow the same thing that happened last season to reoccur this year.
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This time in 2018, Leeds were sitting pretty at the top of the Championship, but all the signs were there to suggest that their performances were dipping.
Indeed, United relied on late winners against Blackburn and Aston Villa during this period last term to maintain their comfortable lead at the top of the table, and a six-point gap to West Brom in third after 24 games made promotion seem almost certain.
Unfortunately, it seems as if nobody at the club spotted the inevitable slump, and United failed to strengthen in January and ended up finishing in third.
Many Leeds fans blamed Andrea Radrizzani’s lack of movement in the winter window for the club’s eventual capitulation, and it’s a mistake Leeds can’t afford to make again this season.
Their performance on Thursday was poor, they were bailed out by a last-minute goal and their comfortable lead remains only due to poor results from other sides challenging for the automatic promotion spots.
Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani must heed the warning signs and get their chequebooks out in January. This squad needs reinforcements to guarantee it’ll get over the finish line.
In other news, Leeds shouldn’t be too disheartened if they miss out on one of their January targets.
Since signing for Norwich on a free transfer back in the summer after leaving Danish side Brondby, Teemu Pukki has simply been a revelation in Norfolk to the surprise of almost everyone.
The Finnish international, who has 15 goals in 70 games for his country, has been on fire for the Canaries in his debut season at Carrow Road, scoring 13 goals in 18 games across all competitions for Daniel Farke’s side.
Most of the 28-year-old’s key traits involve his movement and predatory finishing, and he rarely relies on his pace and athleticism which means that he should still have many good seasons in him.
In that respect, Farke’s side may just have made one of the best signings in Europe in terms of efficiency and potential sell-on value.
With that in mind, we’re keen to know how much you think the former Schalke and Celtic striker is worth in the modern transfer market. Have your say down below, and keep an eye out for the published results…
Mohamed Salah was Liverpool’s hero last season as he scored 44 goals in all competitions, helping the club reach the Champions League final, as well as secure a top-four place.
Since dislocating his shoulder in the showpiece clash against Real Madrid in Kiev back in May however, the Egyptian international has struggled to find form.
Even though he has scored twice in six outings in all competitions, Salah has lacked sharpness and that clinical touch in the final third.
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Against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night in the club’s Champions League opener at Anfield, Salah struggled to find his feet and was eventually substituted in the 85th minute.
It was a dramatic end to the match as Roberto Firmino struck the winner one minute into added time to give the Reds a 3-2 victory.
TV cameras scanned over to manager Jurgen Klopp during the celebrations, and in the background, Salah could be seen throwing his water bottle to the ground while sat on the bench.
It sparked a discussion on social media over whether the attacker was reacting in frustration or celebration.
A Liverpool fan on Reddit has tried to calm the furore by posting a screenshot of Salah lifting his arm in celebration before his bottle hit the ground.
To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw” from r/LiverpoolFC
Plenty of Liverpool fans have now had their say.
Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.Comment from discussion To everyone stupid enough to think Salah was angry about the goal, here’s a still of him celebrating right before the “bottle throw”.
Southampton defender Wesley Hoedt has hinted that he could be set for a recall to the starting line-up for the match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday in his latest Twitter post, and Saints fans were quick to respond.
The Netherlands international has struggled to hold down a regular spot in the side following his summer move from Lazio, and he was at fault for Bournemouth’s goal in the 1-1 draw against the Cherries earlier this month.
The 23-year-old was relegated to the substitutes’ bench for the match against Arsenal last Sunday, while he was left out of the 18 altogether against Leicester on Wednesday, with manager Mauricio Pellegrino saying the decision was down to “tactical reasons”.
However, Hoedt’s social media activity suggested that it could be something deeper than that, after he removed his bio of being a Southampton player on both his Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Southampton supporters were quick to react to the Dutchman’s latest post, and while one said “all we ask is that you give 100%”, another asked “put your dummy back in now?”
Southampton have been linked with a move for Lech Poznan defender Jan Bednarek as they look to bolster their defensive ranks, according to reports from the Southern Daily Echo.
What’s the word?
Despite their managerial situation being in limbo, with Claude Puel expected to be on his way out but no announcement having been made yet, the Saints are looking to press on with their summer business and are keen to sure up their back line.
With that in mind, the south coast side – who reached the EFL Cup final and finished 8th in the Premier League under Puel’s tutelage last season – have launched a bid for Lech Poznan’s highly rated defender Jan Bednarek.
The 21-year-old, who is currently with the Polish U21’s for the European Championships, has been the subject of a €6m offer from St. Mary’s, in what could be a record breaking deal.
Should the move materialise at such a fee, it would make Bednarek the most expensive player in Polish top-flight history.
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Any hint on Van Dijk?
Not necessarily. Whilst the powers that be on the south coast will be preparing for the departure of their in-demand skipper, there is a need for more mettle at the back regardless of the Dutchman’s future.
Having sold former captain Jose Fonte to West Ham in January, Puel was left short in the centre-half berth, especially after the long-term injury to Van Dijk.
Furthermore, with the fees swirling around the 25-year-old, you would expect the club to fork out a little more if they are to replace the former Celtic man.
Barring a hiccup against Blackburn Rovers last weekend, Newcastle’s season has gone as expected, with Rafa Benitez’s boys sitting two points clear at the top of the Championship.
Following their relegation from the Premier League, Newcastle look set to return to the promised land – but they also remain in contention to secure a first major domestic trophy since 1955.
Rafa’s priority is surely securing promotion back to the Premier League at the first attempt, but the Toon are preparing for an EFL Cup quarter-final clash away to Hull City with the intention of victory.
Following last weekend’s set-back – a 1-0 loss at St James’ Park – Benitez will be hoping to avenge the defeat by securing the Toon a place in the semi-final – something many feel Magpies fans deserve after so many years of disappointment.
So although the history of the League Cup has been dominated by top flight sides, FootballFanCast are backing the second-tier Magpies as shock candidates to go all the way, and here are THREE reasons why.
Number of high profile exits already
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Wednesday’s clash with Hull City will provide inspiration for the Newcastle players with the knowledge some Premier League heavyweights have already departed the competition in earlier rounds.
With the chances of domestic success coming so irregularly for the Magpies, victory over Hull would guarantee a semi-final place for the Toon and the possibility of a trophy.
That 61-year wait for silverware may finally come to an end with many teams of superior quality having already been knocked out..
Benitez knows how to win trophies
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At the moment, Newcastle currently have a manager with the know-how to achieve success against the odds.
The Spaniard has made a career out of coming out victorious against the odds with his sides – his achievements at Valencia (La Liga), Liverpool (Champions League), and Chelsea (Europa League) all occurred when he was expected to fail.
Indeed, at Newcastle, he can also prove many of his critics wrong once again by ending the club’s trophy drought.
Luck of the draw
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Newcastle face an underperforming Hull City side who are struggling for both confidence and results.
The Magpies, on the other hand, have lost just one game in 14 and are high on belief. A victory would ensure a semi-final place and a two-legged contest against a drawn team.
As most teams would fear travelling to St. James’s Park, the Toon could feasibly overcome the odds again and a final at Wembley would provide the ultimate setting for a giant-killing.