According to the Daily Echo, Southampton winger Josh Sims says he is determined to help the club stay in the Premier League over the course of the remaining 10 matches of the season following a long spell on the sidelines in 2017.
The 20-year-old made his big breakthrough in the first team last term and assisted Charlie Austin just one minute into his top flight debut for the club, while he also set up Shane Long for the goal against Liverpool at Anfield last February that ensured Saints reached the League Cup final.
However, the wide man then suffered a chipped cartilage knee injury that kept him out of action for nine months, before he made his first appearance of the current campaign as a late substitute in the 2-2 draw against Watford on January 13.
Sims was once again named on the bench for the trip to Burnley on Saturday, but he made a big impression by going close on one occasion and being on the pitch when Manolo Gabbiadini scored the visitors’ late equaliser.
The 20-year-old said, via the Daily Echo: “I need to get ready to start strongly next season, but we’ve got a few games left and hopefully I can make an impact towards the end of the season and keep us up. That’s the main thing.”
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Sims will be pushing for a starting spot when Southampton host Stoke City in a huge six-pointer at St Mary’s on Saturday.
West Ham United’s 3-0 defeat to Burnley will be overshadowed by the unsavoury scenes at the London Stadium.
The Saturday afternoon clash was interrupted a handful of times by separate pitch invaders.
One grabbed the corner flag and held it aloft after making his way onto the field, while another was thrown to the floor by West Ham captain Mark Noble.
The Telegraph reports that a large number of fans flooded the standing area in front of co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan to hurl abuse at the businessmen.
The publication claims that fans accused the pair of “destroying our club”, which mirrors the constant bashing that the West Ham figures receive on Twitter.
Supporters have been angry for some time, particularly after the club left Upton Park to move into the Olympic ground in Stratford in 2016, and it seems that the fury has boiled over.
For rival fans, though, the unsavoury scenes were met with amusement.
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Tottenham supporters, who have been feeling miserable since their club were knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday night, were among those on social media mocking the East London outfit.
Monaco forward Thomas Lemar has reportedly been a long-term target for Liverpool, and the Reds fans certainly seem keen on the idea of signing him.
The player himself has also now said that he would like Jurgen Klopp to come back in for him during the summer transfer window.
By that time, Lemar will be focused on trying to secure World Cup glory for France but Les Bleus suffered a setback in their preparations for this summer’s showpiece in Russia on Friday, losing 3-2 at home to Colombia.
Despite the result, the winger – valued at £58.5m by Transfermarkt – put in an impressive performance that should have impressed Klopp.
To go with his goal, Lemar also looked to set up chances for his team-mates. Three crosses and two key passes showed his creative side and on another night, he could have had an assist or two.
He was heavily involved, with 73 touches – which fits with Klopp’s all-action style at Anfield and he also hardly gave the ball away, with 95 per cent pass accuracy.
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There is little doubt that Lemar would be an impressive signing for Liverpool; Klopp’s biggest challenge would be integrating him into his front three. He just has to find the money to buy him.
If Lemar performs like this at the World Cup, then his price tag is only going to increase, so Klopp might want to pounce early and get ahead of the game.
Liverpool boosted their top four ambitions in the English Premier League on Saturday, winning 2-1 away to Crystal Palace thanks to a late Mohamed Salah goal.
The Reds required a second half comeback to secure the victory after going behind to an early penalty but found their way to the kind of ugly win that will help them qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
It’s a massive week for Jurgen Klopp’s side with a European quarter-final against Manchester City in just a few days time before facing Everton in a Merseyside derby next weekend.
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Central to Saturday’s win was James Milner, whose hardworking display in the middle of the park caught the eye of supporters. He also provided the cross and assist for Sadio Mane to score the equaliser shortly after half-time.
Fans were overjoyed with his performance, believing he was the only central midfielder to perform to the standard required across the 90 minutes.
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They took to Twitter to share their thoughts after the match…
Manchester United fans are worried over rumours that France international Anthony Martial wants out of Old Trafford.The 22-year-old has been on the fringes in recent games after the arrival of Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez in the January transfer window.The former Monaco man has had a relatively good season in Manchester, scoring 11 goals and linking up well with Romelu Lukaku and Paul Pogba.However, Martial has not scored since the 1-0 win at Burnley in January and has been on the bench in the last couple of games.According to French media outletÂRMC Sport, the Frenchman is unhappy with his lack of minutes under Jose Mourinho and has rejected a new five-year contract.RMC Sport also claim that his relationship with the Portuguese has soured since the turn of the year.It’s safe to say that Manchester United fans are not happy with the news…[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/hesham786/status/983698286262571008[/EMBED_TWITTER][EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/RealTalkMUFC/status/983702219001290752[/EMBED_TWITTER]
Without Rafael Benitez there would be little optimism at St James’s Park.
By some measures little has changed around the club since the Spaniard’s arrival, yet it feels as though so much has changed: it feels as though the Magpies are on the brink of a new era.
Perhaps it’s because takeover talk has been on the agenda for quite some time, but things are better than they were upon Benitez’s arrival just over two years ago.
The former Real Madrid manager couldn’t stave off relegation and stayed with the club in the second tier, winning the Championship and sealing a marching return to the Premier League. When he arrived, things had to get worse before they got better. That is clear progress, but away from the pitch, not too much has changed.
Benitez spent the summer at loggerheads with his board over player transfers, a battle played out in full view of the watching media. Investment has been limited at the club despite promotion, with Burnley, Swansea and Huddersfield among the many Premier League clubs who spent more money than Newcastle last summer.
By the time the window shut, the manager stopped moaning and got on with the job. The same thing happened in January. It was politics on all sides, and the situation was, to a certain degree understandable: Benitez wanted to use his platform to get more money from the owners, whilst Mike Ashley wanted to spend as little money as possible in order to get a better deal from any potential buyer.
It almost cost Newcastle their Premier League status. The squad, barring one or two players, didn’t look like a top flight squad. It is to Benitez’s eternal credit that his side have broken the 40 point barrier with five games of the season still to play. Not just because of the quality of the squad, but because of the uncertainty around the club off the field this season, too.
The inevitable question from the national media since Benitez’s arrival in the North East has been about his eventual departure. How could a manager of such name recognition swap Real Madrid for relegation candidates Newcastle? How could he stay with them in the Championship? And now, when other jobs may be available this summer at teams who might actually spend some money, how could he stay at a club with a bare-bones squad and an owner who can’t seem to do anything right?
But those questions are to misunderstand the situation.
Surely, at any point where those questions were asked, he could have walked away. So why would he consider doing so now?
The role of emotion in football has come to the fore in the last few weeks, lifting the sport beyond the clinical tyranny of stats and logic. Liverpool’s epic Champions League first leg victory over Manchester City saw the Anfield crowd play a crucial part in unsettling the Premier League champions and still one of the best teams in the world – or at least lifting their own team. There are countless examples of St James’s Park providing the same cauldron of noise: victories over Manchester United and Arsenal at home this season are just two of the most recent.
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That same emotion applies to a manager who is in charge of a club whose fans adore him, and who respect his managerial abilities – which has not been the case for Benitez at every club he’s managed.
It’s impossible to tell where Newcastle would be without Benitez, but in all likelihood it wouldn’t be good. They started this season in the Premier League with a Championship squad, but they’ll start next season in the same league with a better one. A much better one if there’s a takeover and an owner prepared to spend some money.
And even if there is to be no change at the top this summer, and even if Benitez still has limited resources there’ll still be incremental progress. But from the manager’s point of view, surely that’s still a lot better than gambling elsewhere: why on Earth would he leave now?
Philippe Coutinho dominated Liverpool’s transfer window last summer due to the will-he-won’t-he leave saga.
In the end, the Brazilian got his wish to join Barcelona in January, and now attention has switched to the future of Emre Can.
The Germany international’s current contract expires at the end of the season and he is yet to sign fresh terms.
Liverpool fans have gone back and forth with their views on Can’s situation, but the media have already begun suggesting that the Merseyside outfit are hunting for replacements.
According to the Daily Star, Napoli midfielder Jorginho is one of Jurgen Klopp’s top targets for the summer window.
The report, which was published in March, claimed that the Reds hope to seal a deal for around £25m, but they face competition from Manchester United and Manchester City.
With the transfer window just a matter of months away from opening, rumours are beginning to do the rounds.
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Some eagle-eyed Liverpool fans recently spotted on Instagram that Jorginho had liked a post from lfcvids8 claiming that the midfielder would be a good addition to Klopp’s team.
Well this is interesting (look who liked it). from r/LiverpoolFC
Liverpool fans have now had their say.
Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..Comment from discussion Well this is interesting (look who liked it)..
According to The Manchester Evening News, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has made Juventus left-back his number one target this summer.
What’s the story?
Jose Mourinho is keen to clear out the dead wood from his squad and strengthen at the back in this summer, as he aims to challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title next season.
Luke Shaw, Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind are among the defenders expected to leave Old Trafford during the close season. All three players have failed to establish themselves at left-back, with Ashley Young filling in for most the season.
While Young has acquitted himself extremely well, playing his way into the England squad, Mourinho will be looking to sign an established left-back this summer and the Portuguese manager has prioritised signing Brazilian star Sandro as a replacement for left-back Shaw.
Transfermarkt value the Brazillian at £45million.
Why Luke Shaw never worked out?
Luke Shaw joined Man United from Southampton for £27m in 2014, making him one of the world’s most expensive teenagers. He never fulfilled the potential that made Man United fork out such a large sum.
He has had a torrid time with injuries, the worst of which was a broken leg in a 2015 Europa League against PSV Eindhoven.
He spent almost a year on the sidelines and has struggled to reach his full potential since.
In fairness, Mourinho never gave him a consistent run in the team. However, when he did play he never looked solid. He looked slow, lethargic and out of shape.
Only the player and manager know what really went wrong but it is clear the Shaw did not do enough in training or in games to fulfil is potential. Whether it was an attitude problem or confidence issue it is a shame for both Shaw and Man United that it never worked out.
Alex Sandro would solve Man United’s left back conundrum
Man United will most likely cut their losses and sell Shaw this summer. In Alex Sandro, they will be signing a left back who has been an integral part of Juve’s solid defence. Despite being in an out of the team this team, in 2016/17, Sandro was part of a defence that did not concede a goal until the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Sandro created more chances (50 to 44), completed more dribbles (49 to 43), made more interceptions (57 to 40) and won more duels (207 to 122) than fellow Brazillian Marcelo last year, despite playing three fewer league games.
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He is the archetypal modern fullback – dangerous going forward and solid defensively. He can not only play as a full-back but also as a left wing-back.
If Man United sell Darmain, Blind and Shaw, they might be able to balance the books. In reality £45 million for a player is nothing in today’s market and Mourinho is right to make the Brazillian his number one target this summer.
Liverpool produced the perfect end to their potent Premier League campaign on Sunday, demolishing Brighton 4-0 at Anfield. It means the Reds didn’t lost a top flight home game throughout 2017/18 and finished their Premier League bid with an impressive 84 goals scored, a return only beaten by champions Manchester City.
Following Sunday’s big victory, we asked Liverpool fans to issue player ratings for each of those involved in the resounding 4-0 win. Here’s a rundown of the players who impressed Reds supporters the most, picking up the highest average scores…
Virgil van Dijk – 7.7/10: Brighton didn’t give the Reds too much to do defensively but you have to wonder if Liverpool would have made much harder work of that game during the first half of the season, when they didn’t have Virgil van Dijk at the heart of the backline. The Dutchman won a whopping nine aerial duels and completed 90% of his passes.
Roberto Firmino – 7.7/10: The unsung hero of Liverpool’s ferocious front three, Firmino’s contributions in terms of goals, chance creation, movement and pressing high have been crucial to Liverpool’s season. Sunday was a somewhat quiet outing by the Brazilian’s usual standards but he still took five efforts at goal.
Andrew Robertson – 7.9/10: The Scotland international has been one of the real success stories of the season on Merseyside, and he fittingly ended it with a goal and assist against the Seagulls. Robertson also completed 92% of his passes and won three headers the cap off a fine debut season with the Reds.
View the results in full below…
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According to Turkish journalist Firat Gunayer on Twitter, Manchester United have an agreement in place with Besiktas attacking midfielder Anderson Talisca to sign him this summer, and Red Devils fans are excited by the rumour.
United manager Jose Mourinho may well be looking for attacking reinforcements this summer after his forwards once again drew a blank in the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea in the FA Cup final on Saturday, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial coming up short.
Meanwhile, Talisca has scored 20 goals and provided a further eight assists in 47 appearances in all competitions for the Turkish giants – playing largely as a central attacking midfielder – and he seems destined for Old Trafford if this latest report is to be believed.
Man United supporters, who have urged their club on Twitter to re-sign a 24-year-old former winger who flopped for them, were quick to have their say on the link via social media, and while one said he is “100% better than Lingard, Mata and Rashford”, another described him as “better than Fekir”.