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Loads of Leeds fans have been giving their verdict on the setback against Norwich, and they’re fuming with the performance of Luke Ayling.
Leeds lost their spot as the kings of the castle on Saturday evening, falling into second place in the table as Norwich thumped three goals past them at Elland Road.
Mario Vrancic opened the scoring with a delightful free kick that Kiko Casilla had absolutely zero chance of stopping, and Teemu Pukki got one of the easiest goals of his life after Adam Forshaw had given the ball away in midfield.
Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…
Vrancic added a third in the second half when his deflected effort snuck through the legs of Casilla, and Patrick Bamford’s late header was little more than a consolation.
Ayling has been a popular figure at Elland Road over the last couple of years, but the versatile defender is having a poor season.
Perhaps it is a result of the two knee injuries he has suffered over the last 18 months, but the 27 year-old has the turning circle of a cruise ship and the passing ability of Caleb Ekuban on roller skates.
That may be a little harsh, but the right-back was constantly caught in possession against Norwich and it’s not the first time this season he has been completely off the pace.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, look away now Luke…
Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that Odsonne Edouard could become one of the best strikers in the world.
The Frenchman hasn’t been at his best this term, but is still enjoying a prolific campaign in front of goal having managed 20 goals in all competitions, and is leading the race to win the Scottish Premiership Golden Boot.
Edouard has been previously linked with a number of top European sides, including Leicester and Arsenal, having hinted at a summer exit from Parkhead.
Leicester are also pushing for a deal to bring Edouard to the King Power as a long-term replacement for Jamie Vardy, but whilst McAvennie has tipped the 23-year-old for big things, he’s warned him to perform more consistently.
He told Football FanCast:
“The Premier League is a lot quicker and harder than people think. Edouard could go to the very top, but he can’t do it on his terms, he has to do it every week because he’s a wonderful talent.
“I really enjoy watching him when he’s on form and you can see him when he’s enjoying it. His touch is magnificent, he’s got a touch second to none.”
In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Premier League midfielder Lee Hendrie has tipped Watford winger Ismaila Sarr to join Liverpool or another top-six side in the near future.
According to TEAMtalk, both Liverpool and rivals Manchester United were interested in signing Sarr last year in a potential £40m deal. However, in the end, nothing materialised and the 23-year-old ended up staying at Vicarage Road.
He is now spearheading Watford’s promotion push as the Hornets look to make a quick return to the Premier League following their relegation last season, managing to both score and create goals for his side this term.
When asked whether his old side Aston Villa, who were also linked with Sarr last year, should target the player again, Hendrie told FFC:
“I just think when you’re being linked with Liverpool, I personally think that he will end up going to if anything, maybe a top-five club, just because he’s had that sort of talk of him going to Liverpool – maybe they still have that interest.
“I think if he goes anywhere, I mean it’d be great to have a link with him, but personally I think he’d end up going to a top-five club if he was going to go anywhere.”
Signing Premier League talent has certainly worked for Liverpool of late. The Reds signed Diogo Jota from Wolves in the last summer transfer window and the Portuguese attacker has not disappointed, recently dismantling Arsenal in an impressive 3-0 win.
A number of Liverpool fans have been reacting to a stunning run by Mohamed Salah during international duty with Egypt.
The 28-year-old has matured into one of the biggest names in world football in the last few years following his incredible performances for the Reds.
Salah has scored a remarkable 119 goals in 192 appearances for Liverpool, chipping in with 45 assists for good measure.
This season, the Egyptian has carried his side’s attack in many ways, with Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino out of form and Diogo Jota injured for several months.
It isn’t just at club level where Salah is the main man, either, with the world-class forward Egypt’s undisputed star player. He has scored 43 times in 69 caps for his country, inspiring them to the 2018 World Cup, and is mobbed everywhere he goes in his homeland.
On Monday, Salah produced a stunning Lionel Messi-esque run in during Egpyt’s 4-0 win over Comoros, with the Reds superstar also scoring twice.
Here are the best reactions from Reds supporters on Twitter as they showed their love for Salah.
“Imagine he got a goal out of it. Oh my days, he’s too good”
Credit: @tashaaa2000
“Salah cAnt dRibbLe”
Credit: @SmittyJimbo
“Ramos shaking”
Credit: @NazH92
“Reminiscent to the Watford game”
Credit: @CurtisEra20
“Real Madrid, he is coming for you…”
Credit: @ournumberfour
“Messi who?”Credit: @abougalala_adam
In other news, some Liverpool fans are worried about the future of one Reds player after a big transfer report on Monday. Read more here.
Sheffield Wednesday’s decision to send Aden Flint back in January is now looking worse by the week.
The 31-year-old arrived at Hillsborough in the summer as one of Garry Monk’s eight signings, arriving alongside the likes of Jack Marriott and Izzy Brown on a season-long loan.
That was cut short at the start of January, presumably by Owls chairman Dejphon Chansiri as Monk’s successor – Tony Pulis – was sacked a week prior to the decision.
The towering 6 foot 5 centre-back picked up a hamstring problem in only his fourth appearance for the south Yorkshire giants, and returned to parent club Cardiff City for treatment following surgery.
Flint has gone onto feature regularly for the Welsh outfit since the Bluebirds changed their own manager, replacing Neil Harris with Mick McCarthy.
The wily veteran was surprised by the decision to let the former Bristol City and Boro defender leave. He said, via The Star: “I’ve always really rated him as a centre-back and I was surprised to hear he had gone out of our club on loan. He’s been fantastic for me.”
He has started their last 14 matches in the Championship, coinciding with a phenomenal run of matches that has seen them lose just once – to promotion favourites Watford.
The £2.25m-rated colossus has even scored in that time, meaning he now has more goals than both of the Owls’ remaining loanees, Marriott (zero) and Brown (zero) combined.
To make matters worse, new Wednesday boss Darren Moore has had an injury crisis, with 11 players on the treatment table, but it is a particular concern at centre-back.
Dominic Iorfa was ruled out for the season. Joost van Aken limped off with a groin problem before suffering a fresh setback for the U23s. Sam Hutchinson wasn’t risked against Barnsley. Liam Shaw picked up a knock and also missed the South Yorkshire derby. And Chey Dunkley has been absent with a long-standing hamstring issue.
That’s five viable central defensive options out. If Moore had the services of Flint, then perhaps it would have been a completely different story.
Instead, he’s helping propel Cardiff up the table all whilst the Owls continue to battle out a relegation dogfight.
Flint has been so key to McCarthy’s fortunes too – his 7.16 WhoScored rating is only bettered by two other players, and would sit comfortably atop Wednesday’s standings, with Callum Paterson scoring a 6.90 as their top goalscorer.
Chansiri made a massive mistake with Flint, and now Sheffield Wednesday are dealing with the consequences.
AND in other news, Sheffield Wednesday could land their next Fernando Forestieri in “undoubted talent”…
Sheffield Wednesday are likely to go into tonight’s crunch match without one of their star performers…
According to YorkshireLive, Owls centre-back Chey Dunkley is facing ‘another spell on the sidelines’ after picking up a hamstring injury in training last week.
Indeed, the towering 29-year-old was a notable absentee on Sunday as Darren Moore’s side suffered a seventh successive defeat at the hands of league leaders Norwich City.
Whilst it remains to be seen how severe the issue is, hamstring problems can take several weeks to heal fully, so it would be a surprise to see him involved this evening as Wednesday host arch-rivals Huddersfield Town at Hillsborough Stadium.
The Owls currently sit second from bottom, some seven points adrift of safety and of Birmingham City, who sacked their manager last week.
Tonight’s opposition aren’t too far away from being drawn into the dogfight either as the Terriers occupy 18th place, so tonight’s result is a crucial one for both teams but especially for Moore.
His new side need to start picking up points otherwise they might as well be planning for life in League One, at this rate.
And without Dunkley, the 46-year-old’s task gets even harder because the former Oxford and Wigan powerhouse has been one of the only shining lights in this miserable season.
In terms of average WhoScored rating for the current campaign, Dunkley ranks fifth (6.68), where he has proven to be the best centre-back at the club for reading the game having averaged two interceptions per game.
That sort of presence will be vital in thwarting the opposition, though that is something Moore is going to be without tonight.
He’s not just a colossal presence to have at the back either as he can chip in with goals too – at Wigan, he found the net 13 times. Only three Owls players have scored more than three goals this season, and they’re all forwards.
Speaking about his aerial ability and threat, former Latics teammate Sam Morsy lauded Dunkley “unbelievable” and claimed he was “lethal” in one to one situations, so his interception returns are now hardly a surprise.
Evidently, Moore could do with a player like Dunkley right now. He must find a way to stop the rot, and without the £10k-per-week beast, it’s a massive blow to his chances of doing so.
With only 11 games to play, the Yorkshire giants need him back sooner rather than later.
AND in other news, Moore could save Sheffield Wednesday thousands next season with “terrific” 20 y/o gem…
Tottenham Hotspur legend Gary Mabbutt has told Football FanCast that Spurs could still finish as high as second in the Premier League table.
Spurs had fallen as low as ninth under manager Jose Mourinho but have enjoyed a three-game winning run that has seen them beat Burnley, Fulham, and Crystal Palace.
That has left Mourinho’s men in seventh, five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea but with a game in hand.
Such is the congested nature of the Premier League table, Spurs are nine points behind Manchester United in second but, again, they have a game in hand.
Both West Ham United and Everton, in fifth and sixth respectively, have played the same amount of games as Tottenham, but Mabbutt is quietly optimistic that the north London club can still force their way into the top four.
Spurs have an interesting run-in and they still have to play both United and Everton, while they also meet Leicester City on the final day.
Those three games could well define how Spurs finish the season.
Speaking to FFC, Mabbutt was asked if this was the tightest top-four race he’d seen and whether he could see Spurs potentially being able to finish third.
He replied: “Absolutely, if not higher. We have a game in hand on Manchester United, if we win that game in hand, I think we’re only six points behind them.
“People were talking about Spurs, three or four weeks ago, crikey, a dip in form and look at them lying in eighth place in the table. They were top of the table in December.”
The weekend’s set of Premier League fixtures only served to spotlight how crazy results have been this season, as United beat Manchester City and Liverpool lost at home to relegation-threatened Fulham.
Mabbutt added: “I can’t talk about results anymore, because it’s totally bizarre. The results that we are seeing, I think probably over the weekend, the only result that went as you’d expect was the Spurs result.
“All the other results, Man City will have expected to beat United, Liverpool at home to Fulham. Liverpool, six straight defeats after 68 games unbeaten. It’s a totally bizarre season that we’ll probably never see again.”