Burnley have struggled to come to terms with Premier League football in the current campaign, which comes as some surprise after securing a European spot last season.
The Clarets will be desperate to enjoy a positive run of form after a disappointing start under Sean Dyche this season, with relegation being a possibility if they don’t start to improve. And, to make matters worse, it appears as if one of the club’s first team member is attracting interest, as according to Sun Sport, Huddersfield Town want to sign Burnley’s Tom Heaton in January.
Huddersfield Town want England goalkeeper Tom Heaton to help their fight to avoid relegation.
The 32-year-old is desperate to quit Turf Moor after being frozen out this season following the arrival of Joe Hart.
So, with the Terriers looking to bring the Englishman to the club in January, it looks as if his successful Burnley career is coming to an end.
THE VERDICT: The Clarets have relied heavily upon Heaton during his time at Turf Moor and will be forever grateful for his efforts over the years, but it looks as if his time in Lancashire is coming to an inevitable end.Sean Dyche will be more focused on getting the best out of his team and ensuring consistency before the January transfer window, with the opportunity to climb up the table.Burnley already have the likes of Joe Hart and Nick Pope at the club, so it won’t be too much of a disappointment.
According to a recent report from Le Parisien, French giants Paris Saint-Germain are keen on a loan move for Liverpool midfielder Fabinho in the January transfer window. However, Jurgen Klopp must not allow the summer-signing to leave so soon, especially considering his recent impact on the side.
Left to wait
Le Parisien reported that Fabinho was bored at Anfield, but the fact that he was made to wait for his debut by Klopp was for his own benefit, and his up and down performances in recent weeks have proven that this was the right decision.
Against Arsenal the game passed the 25-year-old by slightly as he struggled to get himself involved, but before that he had more than filled the gap left by the injured Jordan Henderson, and he was clearly missed in the defeat to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League. Fabinho has proven that his incisive forward passing makes Liverpool a far better side than when the England midfielder is playing in the holding role, especially considering that teams are sitting far deeper against the Reds this season, making it harder for Klopp’s side to break through.
A backwards step
The German boss must retain the services of the £43.7m summer signing for the long-term, as bringing Henderson back into the starting XI would be a step backwards for Liverpool.
The club captain has been a fantastic servant to the Merseyside club and he still has far more to give, but Fabinho is a Brazilian international and takes the side closer to that next level which is needed to challenge Manchester City for the title. Henderson’s game is far more sideways and he doesn’t have the vision to create from deep as Fabinho seems to.
Strength in depth is also a crucial attribute for any squad to have and Liverpool’s summer dealings have provided Klopp with this for the first time during his time at Anfield. He must not lose Fabinho in the upcoming winter transfer window.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”327140″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Leicester Trump Man City Chelsea & Liverpool”]
Lucas Perez was given a fresh opportunity to find his feet in the Premier League thanks to West Ham United.
After failing to cut it at Arsenal across a two-year period, the 30-year-old moved to the London Stadium.
Perez was one of nine new signings made by manager Manuel Pellegrini during the summer, and as we edge closer to the midway point of the season, it is time to assess the transfer.
One of the main reasons that the Spaniard chose the Hammers was the opportunity to rack up some first-team minutes.
Unfortunately for Perez, he has been restricted to just 85 minutes of Premier League action.
In fact, the striker has only made four substitute appearances, and even though his lack of minutes gives him a disadvantage, he has not done enough to earn a starting spot.
In the Premier League, Perez has only mustered one shot at goal and has failed to find the back of the net.
The former Arsenal star has been involved in some key moments for the Hammers, but he has also had the ball snatched from him A handful of times.
Clearly, Pellegrini has not been impressed with Perez in training as Javier Hernandez was called upon during Marko Arnautovic’s injury absence.
At the moment, at least, Perez does not appear to be bringing anything to the table, which may leave West Ham’s recruitment team feeling a sense of regret.
[ad_pod ]Anthony Taylor will referee Monday night’s Premier League clash between Burnley and Newcastle United at Turf Moor.The Manchester-born official was the man in the middle when Newcastle suffered a 3-2 defeat at Manchester United earlier this season.And it would be fair to say that the Newcastle fans are unhappy with the appointment.Taylor, 40, has already officiated in the Champions League and UEFA Nations League this season, and has brandished 61 yellow cards in his 17 games during the 2018-19 campaign.Newcastle will be looking for their third straight Premier League win on Monday having overcome Watford and Bournemouth in their last two fixtures.And Rafael Benitez’s side will fancy their chances of beating a Burnley team that sit in 15th, with seven defeats in their 12 league matches this term.Playmaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…Taylor, however, is not a popular appointment with the Newcastle fans. Indeed, a selection of their Twitter reaction can be seen below:
According to The Star, Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Luhukay has spoken about his future at the club ahead of the visit by Bolton tomorrow.
The Owls lost to Derby at the weekend, despite looking largely impressive throughout the game, which now means that the Yorkshire club are without a win in their past six matches, including five losses.
Speaking in his team’s press conference, the Dutchman said:
“When results aren’t positive the managers are always in the spotlight.
“I only focus on the game tomorrow.
“Everything after that is not important.”
This is a clear suggestion that the manager is aware of his situation at the club, and he may well know that he does not have long to win over the board. The Owls now only sit three points above the relegation zone in the Championship, and a loss to Bolton tomorrow could well see The Wanderers (currently in 22nd place) leapfrog Luhukay’s men. Things would then start to look very ominous.
After the hugely encouraging draw in the Steel City Derby before the international break, Luhukay will not want his team to slip back into their rut. The draw at Bramall Lane surely bought the manager more time, as he looked almost certain to be fired had The Owls lost. But the question remains as to how long Luhukay has to turn his team’s fortunes around, and a loss to Bolton may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
This is a winnable game, and Luhukay knows that, but given Wednesday’s recent form, that does not mean it is guaranteed.
Tottenham make the short trip to Arsenal on Sunday in an eagerly anticipated North London Derby. This fixture rarely disappoints for its mixture of flowing football and crunching tackles, and the coming instalment looks set to be no different.
This week’s experts, Football FanCast’s resident Arsenal fan Will Jones and The TT’s Tottenham-mad Ally Darlow, share their thoughts and predictions ahead of the 2:05pm kickoff…
Historically, Arsenal have always been the more dominant club in this fixture – at least throughout the Premier League era – but Tottenham are arguably favourites for Sunday’s encounter despite the Gunners boasting home advantage.
That’s partly due to the fact Arsenal are by no means the finished article under Emery, who has often required the help of astute substitutions to get his side over line this season, but the theoretical gap has been further amplified by Tottenham’s last two games. In stark contrast to a few weeks ago when many feared for Spurs’ performances despite getting points on the board, their previous outings have produced convincing wins over Chelsea and Inter Milan.
What’s changed for Tottenham in such a short space of time?
Ally: “I don’t think a lot has changed in all honesty. Things have just started clicking for Tottenham. Pochettino has got an obvious plan in place and it revolves around players like Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, who have both had injury issues this season. Now that they’re both back we’ve had a chance to see Spurs at our best and it’s clear to see how much better we are when have Pochettino’s key men in the side.”
The victory over Chelsea owed much to Tottenham’s game-plan, chiefly how they pressed high, kept the ball in the Blues’ third and completely removed Jorginho – Maurizio Sarri’s deep-lying playmaker and on-pitch general – from the game. Sunday’s match won’t be a carbon copy, but as Arsenal like to build from the back as well, surely there will be an attempt to repeat elements of the game-plan that worked so well at Wembley.
Do you expect to see the same game-plan this weekend?
Ally: “The wins over Chelsea and Inter Milan were perfect examples of how Tottenham execute their two-game plans. In the Chelsea game, it was so obvious that Pochettino had ordered his side to get into Chelsea and give them no time, but that way of playing simply isn’t sustainable over a whole season due to fatigue and the injury risk. The possession and patience game is the alternative and it worked against Inter on Wednesday to perfection, but I can see Pochettino looking to blitz Arsenal on Sunday.”
And are you confident Arsenal can overcome Tottenham’s high press?
Will: “I wouldn’t say I’m confident, no. However, Emery’s side do have the tools required to counter Spurs’ high, aggressive press if they set about their task in a cohesive manner. Spurs were allowed to station themselves so high up the pitch against Chelsea as the Blues offered little threat of running in behind – the likes of Alvaro Morata, Olivier Giroud, Willian and Mateo Kovacic hardly have the pace to worry a high defensive line. .
“Arsenal do have pace though. If they’re able to quickly transition the ball through Tottenham’s pressing contingent to the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi and Hector Bellerin, then the Gunners will get opportunities to punish the visitors on the break.”
The win over Inter Milan was a big moment for Tottenham, and with a relatively lengthy injury list we may see a few jaded legs this Sunday. That being said, Spurs have been luxury to an extra day’s rest than Arsenal, who also had to travel to Ukraine for their 3-0 win over Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League. Spurs, meanwhile, never left London in midweek.
Do you think the extra day’s rest could be a factor on Sunday?
Will: “Of the likely starters on Sunday, only Rob Holding travelled and played in Kiev. Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Aaron Ramsey and Petr Cech will likely have to make do with a place on the bench this weekend. Therefore, fatigue shouldn’t be a huge issue. Emery’s preparations for the game though – which are notoriously extensive, detailed and thorough – may well have been derailed somewhat by the midweek sojourn.
“That being said, to embrace the cliché, on derby day preparation tends to go out of the window anyway. I’d hope, then, that neither side will be hampered by their recent European obligations (actually, I hope Spurs very much are).”
Playmaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas makes bold prediction for North London Derby – Check out the video below…
While there are still some obvious issues for Emery to address, particularly his side’s defensive record and failure to lead a game at half-time so far this season in the Premier League, Tottenham have been incredibly consistent in terms of results. Even when they weren’t playing well, Pochettino’s side were still getting points on the board by grinding out wins.
Are there any obvious weaknesses in this Tottenham team?
Will: “Whilst Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks and Eric Dier have been impressive in recent weeks, I still think Pochettino’s team can be got at in midfield. If Granit Xhaka is able to dominate possession, and Lucas Torreira commits himself to not giving his opponents a moment of peace, then Arsenal can cut off the supply to Spurs’ potent attacking force significantly.
“Also, any combination of full-backs that Pochettino opts to line up with should give Arsenal a target to aim for. None of Kieran Trippier, Danny Rose, Ben Davies or Serge Aurier are the most defensively solid full-backs in the division. Emery must encourage the likes of Iwobi, Bellerin, Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang to run at Spurs and pressurise them in wide areas at every opportunity.”
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And what are the key Arsenal flaws Spurs need to exploit?
Ally: “I don’t think there are any obvious areas we can look to exploit and credit to Emery for that, but bearing in mind the fitness issues that Arsenal have had at left-back with both Sead Kolasinac and Nacho Monreal, Pochettino should look to have Eriksen shifting over to double up on that side which would work wonders if done correctly.”
So where will this game be lost and won?
Will: “Aubameyang has 10 goals so far this season. Harry Kane has 11. In what will likely be an open, aggressive game, it could all come down to which side manages to keep the opposition striker quieter.
“Given the England captain’s mercilessly prolific record against Spurs’ bitter rivals, Arsenal really can’t afford for their No. 14 to be as profligate in front of goal as he was against Bournemouth last time out.”
And finally chaps, let’s hear your score predictions…
Ally: “A scrappy 2-1 Spurs win to make it the perfect week for Pochettino.”
Will: “A draw would probably be a good result for both teams. However, despite home advantage counting for an awful lot in Arsenal’s case, if any side are the more likely to take all the points on Sunday it’s Spurs. I can’t bring myself to predict that here though, so 2-2 it is.”
Southampton have finally made the call, Mark Hughes has been sacked.
The manager who saved Saints last season has been a disaster in the new campaign, and leaves with the St Mary’s natives residing in the relegation zone on nine points.
Worst of all for the south coast side, though, is that they had won just the single Premier League game out of the 14 before Hughes was sacked – the only team to do so.
The final nail in the coffin turned out to be a 2-2 draw at home to Manchester United, in which Southampton started strongly and snatched a two-goal lead after 20 minutes.
Playmaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals he would have snubbed Tottenham for Arsenal if they’d come knocking in 2005…
As the first half progressed, however, the Saints’ level of intensity dropped, and the visitors were able to ease back into the game by scoring twice in six minutes.
Naturally, after a poor start to the season, many Southampton fans were delighted with the decision the club made, but not all of them were.
These Southampton fans have shown clear doubt in their club, given they were the ones who handed Hughes a long-term deal in the summer and thought of the 55-year-old as the “perfect fit”.
Neil Warnock will aim to strengthen his squad during the January transfer window to boost his side’s hope of Premier League survival.
The Bluebirds earned automatic promotion after finishing second in the Championship table last season. The 70-year-old has been forced to work with limited resources thus far, but Cardiff remain two points above the relegation zone after 15 games. The January transfer window gives Warnock the opportunity to bolster his ranks and improve his side’s chances of survival.
Cardiff splashed out to sign Bristol City forward, Bobby Reid, during the summer but the forward has so far failed to replicate his goalscoring exploits in the Premier League. Calum Paterson currently leads the goalscoring charts with just three strikes – signing a regular goalscorer will be a priority for the club in the New Year.
One man who should be on Warnock’s shortlist is Liverpool outcast – Dominic Solanke. Valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, the Englishman joined from rivals Chelsea last summer on a free transfer and made plenty of appearances from the substitutes bench. Solanke ended the season with one Premier League goal but has slipped down the pecking order following the return of Divock Origi and the resurgence of Daniel Sturridge in the attack.
The youngster is yet to feature for the Reds and is in desperate need of a loan move to continue his development. The target man would slot seamlessly into the Cardiff starting eleven and give Warnock the quality striker he has been craving. Solanke’s qualities were evident during the recent international break when he netted a brace for England’s U21. Bringing him to the Cardiff City Stadium wouldn’t break the bank giving Warnock valuable funds to strengthen other areas of the squad as well.
This is a move that would benefit both parties in January.
Loads of Celtic fans have been reacting to the Europa League draw, as the Bhoys will face off against Valencia in the round of 32.
Celtic fans are all saying the same thing after Monday’s Europa League draw – spend some money!
Brendan Rodgers’ side have shown glimpses of excellence so far this season, but have yet to really solidify themselves as the best team in the country, currently sitting one point behind Rangers with a game in hand.
Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below...
The European campaign has been far from perfect, and fans are now even more desperate for new signings after drawing Valencia in the next round.
The Spanish giants, who have fallen well short of their previous glory in recent seasons, finished third in a difficult Champions League group behind Juventus and Manchester United, and are now undoubtedly one of the tougher teams in the Europa League.
Marcelino’s side are actually performing better than their league position (14th) suggests, and Rodgers could come up short against the Spanish outfit if he doesn’t improve the squad in January.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where fans are practically begging for new signings just to stand a chance against Valencia…
Manchester City’s season is threatening to come to a halt of late, with two poor results on the bounce handing Liverpool pole position in the race to be Premier League champions.
Pep Guardiola now has to earn his money more than ever if he is to get his side back into being the main contender for the title, and it will certainly be interesting to see if the Spaniard can get his team back on track in the coming weeks.
Another issue Guardiola will no doubt be keen to resolve is the age of his squad, with some of his star players like Vincent Kompany, David Silva, and Fernandinho all coming into their mid-30s, meaning long-term replacements will be needed.
For Silva in particular, finding a replacement could be hard work, with the classy little Spanish star one of the all time Premier League greats.
However, we at the Tavern think signing Villareal star Pablo Fornals could go a long way to sorting that issue out, with the 22-year-old Spaniard improving week by week.
Under Guardiola, Fornals could improve even further, and if he signed now, the chance to actually work with Silva day in and day out could be invaluable experience.
Valued at some £30m by Transfermarkt, Fornals has the world at his feet if he continues to improve and grow, and City could be the ideal club to ensure he reaches his massive potential.
City fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know!