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Tottenham haven’t had the best of times as of late, but they finally had something to cheer on Sunday as they secured a precious win over their bitter rivals Arsenal, beating them 2-1 courtesy of goals from Heung-min Son and Toby Alderweireld.

While a win over the Gunners is always cause for celebration for Spurs supporters, it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the white half of north London.

Indeed, the fanbase still had some grievances to air, namely about the performance of Serge Aurier.

Spurs’ 2017 signing had a day to forget, his pass accuracy was barely above 80 per cent, and of the five crosses he attempted, not a single one of them found their desired target.

On top of that, he had more unsuccessful touches than any other Tottenham player, so you can understand exactly where these complaints are coming from.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time Tottenham have been able to call right-back their problem position.

Last season it seemed as though Spurs supporters’ favourite activity was to bash Kieran Trippier, but some fans thought Aurier was that bad on Sunday that they actually started to miss the Atletico Madrid man.

Liverpool fans have been left in a frenzy after fresh reports emerged surrounding long-term target, Timo Werner, this week.

According to The Athletic, via Anfield Edition, the Reds could agree to a similar deal to that of Naby Keita with RB Leipzig, meaning the German striker remains in the Bundesliga for another season.

While this hugely remains to be seen, the current financial climate and situation facing football clubs post-pandemic raises plenty of question marks, but that hasn’t stopped the Anfield faithful from going nuts on Twitter.

It’s believed that Werner and Liverpool are destined to meet at some stage given the substantial amount of reports circulating over the past year or so and for the time being, it is hard to envisage him getting a place in Jurgen Klopp’s starting XI as Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane still the main trio.

The 24-year-old has been in impressive form this campaign, providing 27 goals and 12 assists in 37 appearances in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

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Sky Sports claim that the Leipzig talisman has a £52m release clause which is set to expire on June 15th, so a decision would have to be made very soon – and clearly plenty at Anfield are desperate to land him.

Here’s what has been said…

AND in other news, Liverpool fans react to Caglar Soyuncu transfer claim…

West Brom fans have been left furious by Saido Berahino some three years after the controversial academy star departed the Midlands outfit.

This week the 26-year-old was in conversation with the Counter Attack podcast where he claimed that he supports the Baggies and would “100%” welcome a return to the Hawthorns if the opportunity ever presented itself.

Berahino infamously fell out with the Albion hierarchy over a failed transfer to Tottenham Hotspur in 2015 and relationships were never repaired as he joined Stoke City in the summer of 2017 for £15m.

He now finds himself plying his trade in the Belgian top-flight for Zulte Waregam.

But there’s clearly no love lost between the West Brom graduate and the Baggies faithful.

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Many have quickly slammed Berahino for his behaviour and hoped that he would never make the return to his boyhood club – even if he has grown up considerably since his acrimonious departure.

Here’s how the supporters have been reacting to his comments…

AND in other news, West Brom unlikely to revisit January target this summer

Name: Antef Tsoungui

Club: Brighton & Hove Albion

Date of Birth: 30 December 2002

Position: Centre-back/Full-back/Defensive midfielder

Antef Tsoungui – his career so far

Antef Tsoungui is one of the most talented youngsters Brighton & Hove Albion have in their academy at the very moment. The 17-year-old defender is still very much developing and gaining experience before he can make a big step up but despite his young age, he’s already managed to turn some heads with his talent and potential.

But he is not a Brighton born and bred, however, as the now 17-year-old lad was born over in Brussels and then moved to England at the age of four, soon stepping into the world of football and playing for the Chelsea youth until 2018 when he was scouted and scooped up by his current club.

He spent six years playing for the Blues and managed to rise through the ranks, eventually playing for the U14s before swapping shirts and donning another shade of blue and white after he was released from Chelsea’s academy.

Now, he can boast with appearances both for Brighton’s U18 and U23 squads, featuring mostly for the former one as he recorded 19 games to date, obviously with no goals or assists since he is primarily a defensive player.

But his skill and rapid development also gave him a chance to feature for the older team seven times, netting one assist to his name in the process as well.

As of yet, however, he hasn’t been given a chance to compete or make his debut with the senior team under Graham Potter but the upper hierarchy has seemingly been impressed with his development and that could boast well for the 17-year-old who is still very much on the path to stardom. If he can keep progressing in the same manner, that is.

We’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for the young defender.

Transfer latest

At the moment, there are no transfer news or transfer rumours connecting the young defender with a move away from the club and while that may be a relief for Brighton, there are also no indications he may be given a new contract.

There hasn’t been any Brighton news on that front since Tsoungui was signed back in the summer of 2018 and it will be interesting to see how his immediate future shapes up. Currently, he’s still registered in the youth ranks for their U18 squad but has the potential to eventually move up in the world.

Of course, once that happens and once the youngster actually gets the opportunity to further impress Potter, either through training or playing for the seniors, we can then start expecting more transfer rumours to pile up.

Until that moment, he’s definitely one to keep a close eye on.

Player profile

As is the case with most U18 players with limited exposure to any kind of first-team action, be it with their parent club or while on loan, there’s not much data available on their young careers so far.

But Tsoungui is already well known for his versatility as the 17-year-old can slot into various different positions on the pitch. Of course, he is most comfortable playing at centre-back but can also be deployed wider, as a defensive full-back, and also has the ability to slot further up the pitch and be the team’s defensive midfielder.

He’s also known for his stylish way of playing, often driving forward with the ball glued to his feet and then sending it to his teammates in the more advanced zones on the pitch, making him perfect for a pivot role in the future.

Not to mention that he made 2.57 dribbles per 90 minutes in 2019/20 with a 50% success rate and sent out 6.63 passes into the final third with 64.5% accuracy.

The future definitely looks bright but it will be up to him to continue developing so he can slot right into the first-team in the near future.

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…

Jadon Sancho is one of the hottest prospects currently available in the market.

Of course, after Lucie Favre decided to bench the youngster in Borussia Dortmund’s big clash against Barcelona at the Camp Nou – claiming he only needs players who are focused and ready – it’s getting pretty clear that the young talent’s head is already far away from the Yellow Wall.

This actually goes hand in hand with The Telegraph’s recent reports. They stated the player is on the radar for many European giants, with Manchester United leading the line ahead of the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid and Barcelona for a teenager who might cost £100m.

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Still, that was not nearly the end of it and now new updates have surfaced claiming Sancho’s head has somewhat been turned and a move to Spain could now be on the cards – Zinedine Zidane’s troops are awaiting his acquisition.

Needless to say, the arrival of such a talent would definitely put Real Madrid’s young crop of players on alert, especially the 19-year-old Vinicius Junior, who has been left out of the squad for the last two games for reasons that are described as an “unknown injury”.

But with only 448 minutes under his belt even when he was fit, the Brazilian is starting to look like an outcast already.

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Sancho’s possible transfer could completely push him out of the squad and possibly give Rodrygo Goes a run for his money too.

After all, the Englishman has already bagged six goals and nine assists in 18 games played across all competitions. Let’s not forget we’re talking here about a guy Favre described as not focused.

“We need players on the pitch who are focused and ready.”

Either way, Los Blancos will have to fight Manchester United for the coveted signature since the Red Devils are in dire need of reinforcements that could take them to the next level.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s forward line is already young and talented – with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood leading the line – but Sancho, although really young, seems like a proven difference-maker in the final third.

United are currently sitting in ninth place in the Premier League table and obviously, changes are needed.

Even if it means coughing up £100m to land a teenager, it’s worth a shot.

In other news, Sancho is not the only man on Real Madrid’s radar as they might be looking to raid Arsenal’s ranks as well…

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…

West Bromwich Albion boss Slaven Bilic has been handed a major boost ahead of this weekend’s Championship return, but he’s unlikely to call upon it.

What’s he said?

The Baggies host Sheffield Wednesday at the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon looking to extend their run at the top of the table, although they do so without the presence of everlasting duo Romaine Sawyers and skipper Jake Livermore.

It means there are two clear places up for grabs, and returning midfielder Gareth Barry has thrown his name into the hat despite only making his comeback from a career-threatening injury in midweek.

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The 38-year-old has signed a contract until the end of the current campaign after he started 15 of his 24 league games last term.

And he now feels ready to be called on.

Speaking after the reserve game on Tuesday, Barry said:

“I feel good.

“We had a training game on Saturday and another game on Tuesday. I’ve come through both of those unscathed. The knee is feeling good and I’m looking forward to getting back whenever I am needed.

“There’s nothing like being out there in front of the fans and the adrenaline rushing through.

“I’ll never put myself out of a game. If the manager asked me what I was thinking in terms of Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, I’ve always put myself up for selection so it’s then down to the manager and the coaching staff to make a decision on the squad.”

Unlikely starter

This comes as a significant boost at precisely the right time for Bilic and West Brom.

They’ll be without Livermore and Sawyers, who have started every single game this season. The latter has even played every minute available.

And with Albion sitting at the Championship summit, their contributions are clearly vast.

However, it may not be wise to rely on a 38-year-old whose last competitive game was back at the start of March, when the Baggies rolled over 4-0 at Leeds United.

Barry may believe he’s ready, but he’s still a long, long, long way off being match fit – 62 minutes against Port Vale’s reserve team just isn’t enough to warrant selection just yet.

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan has admitted that he is “quite happy” not to have been called up by Scotland this month (via Sheffield Star).

Steve Clarke’s side face UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers against Cyprus and Kazakhstan this week.

Bannan has won 27 caps for his country, but hasn’t represented them for a while now. Indeed, his most recent appearance was way back in October 2017 when he played 90 minutes in a World Cup qualifier against Slovenia (Transfermarkt).

He isn’t completely out of the frame, and was placed on standby by Clarke prior to their game against Russia in October although in the end he wasn’t required (Sheffield Star).

However, having not received a call-up again for their internationals in November Bannan has admitted that he is actually relieved as he “needs a rest,” (Sheffield Star).

“I shouldn’t be saying this, but I am probably quite happy not to be in, as I have a lot of niggles at the moment,” Bannan continued.

“I have never ruled it out and if I get picked I get picked. If I don’t, I am happy playing for my club every week. As long as I am fit and playing for my club every week, that’s all that bothers me.”

Bannan not being involved with the Scottish national team is good news for Sheffield Wednesday, particularly in the short term as it means that he has time to get himself fully fit for their upcoming Christmas fixture list without the distraction of international football.

The midfielder is a key player at Hillsborough, indeed he has featured in 14 league games this season (Transfermarkt), so hearing that his full focus on club football will be music to Garry Monk’s ears.

However, Bannan also said that he still hopes to get back into the Scotland squad at some point in the future and when his niggling injuries are behind him (Sheffield Star). So it may be that his international career still has one last chapter in it.

Sheffield Wednesday fans, do you think Barry Bannan should still be in the Scotland squad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

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…

What a year it has been for Liverpool.

They may not have picked up the Premier League title they craved, but they finished just one point behind Manchester City and picked up the most points a second-placed team ever has in the division’s history. Quite frankly, there is nothing more they could have done.

Watch the moment Adam Lallana broke United hearts at Old Trafford in the video below…

In Europe, they managed to go one better, and were crowned champions of Europe for the sixth-time in their history as they beat Tottenham 2-0 in the Champions League final in Madrid.

This season, they have hit the ground running. They lead English football’s top tier by six points from the Citizens, winning 10 of their first 11 matches and drawing the other. Right now, at least in the league, they look unstoppable, and it has consolidated their place as one of the best teams in world football.

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Well, according to the Euro Club Index, they are the best on the continent, jumping above Barcelona to take top spot for the first time ever. This stat shows just how far the Reds have come under Jurgen Klopp since the former Borussia Dortmund man took over in 2015.

Back then, the Anfield outfit were the 27th club on the list. Ever since the 52-year-old stepped into the dug-out, though, the Merseyside club has been steadily on the rise, and they have now taken a fully-deserved first place.

This incredible ranking shows the impact Klopp has had on the team, and how important it is that they keep hold of him for as long as possible.

With the German at the helm, Liverpool have returned to the pinnacle of the sport, where many of their supporters feel they truly belong.

Considering their trophy cabinet, it is hard to argue with them, and it is this kind of recognition that shows their current stock in European football.

One of Louis van Gaal’s signings whilst he was in charge at Old Trafford, Memphis Depay didn’t quite enjoy the Manchester United career that either he or his manager would have been hoping for.

When the Dutchman arrived in a £31m deal from PSV, Van Gaal was particularly effusive in his praise of the talented winger. Reports had suggested the likes of PSG and Liverpool were also interested in securing his signature, but in the end, they both missed out to the Red Devils.

“He is a young versatile player who has the ability to play in a number of different positions. It will take time for Memphis to get used to the rhythm of the Premier League. But I have no doubt that he has the potential to become a great footballer for this club and he is at the right club to continue the good work he has done so far.” Van Gaal, June 2015

53 appearances later however, and Depay was out the Old Trafford exit door. The 25-year-old could only muster seven goals and six assists in his time for the club, and he was promptly let go to French giants Lyon. The Netherlands international has reinvented his career since joining them in January 2017, finding the back of the net 50 times.

That form has led to speculation in recent weeks claiming Depay could move away, and Lyon sporting director Juninho confirmed United have the first option if transfer interest starts hotting up. Having seen him struggle in his initial spell, should the Red Devils take the plunge once more and see if he is finally ready for the spotlight?

Here’s what the Football FanCast writers have had to say on the matter.

Matt Dawson

“The missing piece of United’s jigsaw might well be a direct centre forward but I can’t help but feel this would be a mistake from Woodward. The Red Devils have a bustling sense of energy in attack with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Dan James and Anthony Martial but Memphis Depay is very much in the same mould.

“He’s a tricky individual with pace and flair, very much like the rest of them and despite his phenomenal record in France, netting 11 goals already this term, I’m not convinced another spell in the Premier League would be beneficial for United or the player.

“Ligue 1 is a different ball game to England’s top-flight and as he’s already shown, he wasn’t cut out for the physicality of the football in his first spell at United, scoring just seven times. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer needs a striker but Depay is not the answer, especially at the quoted £50m. United need to look for better value elsewhere.”

Lewis Blain

“The old adage saying in football is that you should never go back. Regardless of how you once departed, as you may tarnish a previously good reputation or make you even more hated than you already are. But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would be making a major mistake in not swooping in on that first option on Louis van Gaal flop Memphis Depay.

“The 25-year-old has been reborn at Lyon since swapping Old Trafford for France’s ‘food’ capital, and he has been the one eating the rewards. Per Transfermarkt, Depay has hit 50 goals in 130 appearances, which is a decent return for a wide player. But what is most interesting is how he has improved as a striker – a number nine.

“In 38 matches leading the line, the Dutch international has bagged 15 goals and seven assists, meaning he has become an interesting prospect and one that can help fill the Manchester United’s void upfront. Both OGS and Ed Woodward made catastrophic errors in allowing Romelu Lukaku to leave the club without finding a replacement of note. 

“Depay can be that man to lessen the burden on Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial if the Red Devils are ever presented with such an opportunity to re-sign him.”

Charles Jones

“I think that re-signing Memphis Depay would be foolish for Manchester United, and it could very well end up with egg on their faces.
“There’s no doubting that the Dutchman has been successful since moving to Lyon, but has he not just rediscovered the form he showed at PSV before his move to Old Trafford? Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie just aren’t up to the same standard as the Premier League, and Depay has already proven that he isn’t cut out for England’s top division.
“The saying goes ‘fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me’ and if United go back in for their former flop they could end up looking incredibly stupid for outlaying money for a player that has already shown that he’s not up to scratch at this level. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side should steer well clear.”

Vijievan Jeevathayalan

“When Depay joined United back in 2015, he was just 21, with his only experience of top-flight football coming in the Eredivisie. At 25, the Dutchman is no doubt a more rounded individual, better capable of dealing with the pressures of playing for one of the biggest sides in the world. He has been the main man at Lyon since joining, scoring 50 goals and providing a further 42 assists in 130 games.
“In taking up their first option on him, the Red Devils could give the forward the chance to revisit unfinished business at Old Trafford. The age-old chip on the shoulder could inspire him to far greater heights, and truly allow for the United faithful to see the very best of him. The 51-cap Netherlands international could prove to be a shrewd acquisition indeed.”

West Bromwich Albion returned to the top of the Championship table with a 2-0 victory over Stoke City on Monday night.

Slaven Bilic’s men cruised to all three points thanks to a goal from Matty Phillips, who bagged his sixth of the season and a penalty from super-sub Hal Robson-Kanu.

The Baggies also regained their two-point cushion at the league’s summit going into this weekend’s tie with Hull City.

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It is also just the third time this season that they have kept a clean sheet, which has sparked quite a reaction from some of the Hawthorns faithful with centre-back Kyle Bartley drawing most of the glowing plaudits.

One supporter claimed the 28-year-old is more of a captain than Jake Livermore after his impressive leader-like showing from the heart of defence while another described him as ‘different class.’

A further member of the West Brom crowd was almost shocked by the fact that he had tweeted about how ‘awesome’ Bartley was with one more naming him the best player in the league.

Here’s the best of the reaction: