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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Manchester City are seeking the signature of RB Salzburg star Erling Braut Haaland according to new reports from The Guardian.

What’s the word?

Haaland has become one of the most wanted men in Europe this season, after bagging an incredible 22 goals in 15 appearances. Six of those came in the Champions League, which means he currently leads elite forwards such as Robert Lewandowski in the goal scoring charts.

The Guardian states that Salzburg are hoping to sell the striker for €60m (£52m), however, City will face competition from 20 different clubs, including the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United.

Aguero’s successor

Filling the boots of Sergio Aguero will be incredibly tough considering he is way ahead of any goalscorer in the history of the football club. His 243 goals for City put him 66 ahead of Eric Brooks, who held the all-time record for 79 years.

However, one man they should certainly be eyeing up to continue his goal scoring dominance is Haaland. His 22 goals in 15 outings so far is the stuff of dreams for any striker and is unprecedented on the continent right now.

Plus, the Norwegian is only 19 years old, which means he could provide goalscoring mayhem in the Premier League for years to come. Often, players will not hit their peak until their late 20s, and considering Haaland is still deeply embedded in the formative stage of his career, he may break all sorts of records in the future.

City are going to face almighty competition for the striker as he is one of the most coveted wonderkids in world football.

However, the club have been no strangers to splashing the cash down the years, and could easily pay the €60m asking price.

Plus, should Pep Guardiola keep on winning titles at the Etihad, City will have a huge advantage in their bid to persuade him to join over the plethora of other superclubs expressing an interest.

It seems the club may well be eyeing up an ideal replacement for the greatest striker in their history.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

England’s Euro 2020 qualifying victory over Bulgaria was overshadowed by vile acts of racism, which saw the game halted on more than one occasion with the referee even threatening to abandon it altogether.

Gareth Southgate’s men thrashed the home side 6-0 to go three points clear in Group A but had to deal with the most toxic of atmospheres at the Vasil Levski Stadium.

Marcus Rashford, Ross Barkley, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane all got their names on the scoresheet as they made a serious statement on the pitch.

Watch Aston Villa Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

But in defence, Tyrone Mings, who was making his England debut, was a standout figure.

The 26-year-old not only kept a clean sheet but he also put in a performance well beyond his years, which was capped off by a thoroughly professional attitude considering he faced the brunt of the racial slurs throughout the 90 minutes.

Per SofaScore, Mings won 100% of his aerial duels, completed 100% of his take-ons, and proved to be an effective outlet when playing from the back with 95% passing accuracy.

Aston Villa’s main man should still savour this momentous occasion despite it being marred by the vulgar scenes, as his performance will surely have put him in Southgate’s long-term plans.

Over the weekend, England’s usual centre-back Michael Keane was blasted by fans and then criticised by pundits like Alan Shearer for his part in the Czech Republic defeat, which ultimately saw him dropped for this fixture.

Aston Villa’s summer signings’ performances so far this season are rated in the video below…

As the figures show above, Mings has the pace, power, and technical ability to become the Three Lions’ mainstay left-sided centre-back, a role he plays in regularly for Villa alongside Bjorn Engels.

His actions in dealing with the abuse from the crowd and his subsequent post-game interview also allowed him to display phenomenal leadership qualities, which is maybe something England have lacked defensively since the likes of John Terry and Gary Cahill have retired from international duty.

Described as a ‘bargain’ by John Percy of The Telegraph, Mings will surely take the reins from Keane in November when the home nation will play the final two matches of their Euro 2020 qualification campaign.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

West Ham’s Felipe Anderson is enduring a difficult run of form but there could be a quick solution to get him firing once again.

On the chalkboard

The Brazilian has suffered from inconsistency since arriving in east London last year, occasionally acting as the stand-out performer for his side as he helped himself to ten goals and nine assists in 2018/19.

This time around, however, he has zero goals and only three league assists to show for his efforts, and his display against Everton drew the ire of several West Ham supporters.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

His pass accuracy of 67% and a failure to produce a single key pass or cross demonstrates his drop in standard, but if Manuel Pellegrini can get him more involved in the Hammers’ play, particularly higher up the pitch, then his fortunes should change.

There could be a simple change which allows that to happen, too, and it lies in a change in formation.

System which suits the players

It would be a bold call for the Chilean to change to a 5-2-3, given his history of operating primarily with a 4-2-3-1 style since arriving at the London Stadium, but it is a change which could suit both Anderson and the rest of the team.

To get the best out of the 26-year-old West Ham need to implement a more attacking philosophy, and reduce the defensive responsibilities that currently burden the winger.

Pellegrini may wish to avoid doing that due to his side’s defensive vulnerabilities, having conceded ten goals in the last four games, but adding a third centre-back to the starting line-up would negate that concern.

It would also allow Ryan Fredericks and Arthur Masuaku to operate as wing-backs, which suits their attacking intent – with the pair achieving one and 2.3 successful dribbles per game throughout their respective careers – as well as allowing for the inclusion of important players such as Declan Rice, Mark Noble and Andriy Yarmolenko.

Most importantly, Anderson could be given a free role, allowing him to play closer to Sebastien Haller and thus link play more effectively, with his 16 passes against Everton underlining his lack of involvement.

In such a role he would be able to escape the attention of defenders and find the empty space vacated by the absence of Manuel Lanzini, and in doing so should be able to provide better support for Haller, and also score more himself.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Crystal Palace welcome Norwich to Selhurst Park this Saturday, where the Eagles will be hoping to preserve their unbeaten start to the season at home.

Roy Hodgson’s men have recorded one win and two draws from their three fixtures in SE25 this term, but the Canaries – with in-form Teemu Pukki up top – proved their top-flight credentials by beating Manchester City recently.

Palace suffered disappointment after conceding a last-gasp equaliser against Wolves last time out, but one aspect of Saturday’s game will be crucial to bouncing back with a good result.

What is the one aspect?

Keeping Pukki quiet. Pretty simple, right?

The Finland international – who has 75 caps for his country – has scored six goals in just six Premier League appearances so far this term, two behind top-scorer Sergio Aguero.

The former Celtic man isn’t blessed with an abundance of pace, but his movement is superb and the timing of his runs is simply fantastic.

Who will be responsible for stopping him?

Both Gary Cahill and Mamadou Sakho will have to be switched on against the 29-year-old, but the latter will be the one needing to keep a closer eye on the red-hot striker.

As you saw in his well-timed run before setting up Todd Cantwell’s goal against City, Pukki loves to make effective movements into the right channel, meaning left-sided centre-back Sakho will be important.

The France international was recently run ragged by Tottenham breaking past him at will, where his lack of pace was exposed to some extent.

Aforesaid, Pukki is by no means rapid, but he does know how to spring a defence and get in behind, which could trouble Sakho given his lack of recovery pace – the £26m defender needs to be aware of where the Finnish forward is at all times.

The former PSG captain is, however, a fine defender, so his battle with the in-form Pukki should prove an enticing – and pivotal – one.

Liverpool fans have hailed James Milner after his match-winning performance against Leicester City on Saturday.

The midfielder laid on the assist for Sadio Mane’s first goal and scored the winner from the penalty spot in the dying minutes after the Senegal international was fouled in the area.

The win was Liverpool’s eighth in their opening eight games of the season and they subsequently top the league, with an eight-point gap to Manchester City, who play Wolves on Sunday.

And fans have taken to Twitter to hail the 33-year-old, who had made just one Premier League start prior to the clash with Leicester.

Indeed, he is older than any other player who was included in Klopp’s matchday squad on Saturday and he turned in an all-action display, making two tackles, having three shots on goal and notching a pass completion rate of 87%.

Take a look at the best of the reaction below!

Manchester United handed rivals City a big favour as they held Liverpool to a goalless draw at Old Trafford yesterday afternoon.

The Red Devils overcame the odds somewhat in a bizarre game which saw injury after injury for United, including one for Jesse Lingard, who was only introduced himself in the first period.

However, the 0-0 scoreline was just reward for a dogged and determined display which left it all to play for at the top of the table and gave cross-city rivals City improved hopes of making it a second successive Premier League title.

Of course, the focus should be on United though, and in particular manager Solksjaer, who has been superb since stepping into the fold following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

His ability today to get the best out of a team which was seemingly being torn apart by injuries was to be admired, and it showed that he is not simply all about attacking and expansive football just to go about pleasing the fans at Old Trafford.

The assured way his players went about their business was testament to just how well Solskjaer has done at the club, and we think that the job is his in the summer barring an absolute disaster of events.

The Norwegian has earned his keep so to speak within the confines of the United supporters, and he will no doubt be impressing at board level too.

If he can keep getting the results, secure Champions League football, and deny Liverpool the title in any way he can, then he’ll be the man to take United forward 100%.

In today’s West Ham United roundup, we take a look at the news that has been making the headlines for the Hammers. Pundit Jamie Redknapp raves about Andriy Yarmolenko after his performance against Manchester United, David Gold takes to Twitter to react to Sunday’s win, and there are fresh injury concerns regarding Manuel Lanzini.

Redknapp on Yarmolenko

Report: Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp stated in his Daily Mail column: “Scoring against Manchester United must have felt extra special for West Ham’s Andriy Yarmolenko.

“The Ukrainian forward tore his Achilles last year, and it prevented us all from getting to see his quality. I’ve heard great things about him from Andriy Shevchenko, and hope he can stay fit and show us what he can do now.”

Verdict: Just a few months into his West Ham career, Yarmolenko sustained an injury which saw him miss 32 games. Prior to his injury, he started his West Ham career in similar form to how he has begun this season. Last campaign, Yarmolenko scored two goals by matchday 5, and now after six games, the 29-year-old has another two.

Perhaps this goes to show what could have been last season if he hadn’t been injured. But certainly this term, Yarmolenko can become one of the West Ham’s most threatening players after his smartly taken goal against Man United showed his finishing prowess, as part of what is emerging as a very exciting attack. The Irons have netted four goals in their last two home games.

Gold is delighted with the victory

Report: West Ham chairman David Gold took to Twitter to express his delight after the team breezed past Manchester United over the weekend. It is now an unbeaten run of three games for Gold’s club over United at the London Stadium.

Verdict: Gold himself has a right to be buzzing, not just because of the results, but to see the London Stadium bouncing and so positive – something which has not always happened since their move three years ago.

Gold has been heavily criticised since the move from Upton Park which at one point descended into a borderline riot, but from his tweets after the game, the co-owner seems pleased with the atmosphere, saying “Home support at it’s best”.

West Ham are now up to fifth after the win and on the same points as third-placed Leicester City, as Gold’s club continue to try and break the barrier into the top-six.

Lanzini injury

Report: As reported by Football insider, Manuel Lanzini is set for an extended period on the sidelines after aggravating a foot injury on international duty in the goalless draw against Aston Villa. The 26-year-old is now set for three weeks out.

Verdict: Lanzini missed the 2-0 victory over United, having started the five previous Premier League games before that. In this time, the Argentine averaged a performance rating of 7.35, and with his average of 3.4 dribbles per game, he will prove to be a heavy miss for the Hammers’ attack.

Pablo Fornals stepped in for the injured Lanzini against United, and the Spaniard looked ‘very nervous on the ball’ as he registered a 6/10, as told by football.london. Fornals’ performances have been a large contrast to Lanzini’s, with the 23-year-old averaging a rating of 6.29 in the six games he has played.

West Ham United centre-back Angelo Ogbonna is already attracting interest ahead of the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Citta Celeste, who claimed that the Hammers defender has emerged as a target for Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio, who are hoping to land the 33-year-old on a free transfer upon the expiry of his current contract at the London Stadium in the summer.

Previous reports had claimed that, despite the former Italy international’s season-ending cruciate ligament injury, the Irons are planning on offering him a new one-year deal, although a move back to his homeland could well tempt the former Crotone, Torino and Juventus defender.

Disaster

While it is true that Ogbonna may not have too many years ahead of him in which he is capable of playing a starring role at the very highest level of the professional game, it is undeniable that the centre-back still has much to offer West Ham in the short-term. That leads us to believe that his departure this summer would be a disaster for David Moyes and his team.

Indeed, in recent years, the £1.8m-rated defender has proven himself to be one of the Hammers’ most important players in the top flight, earning seasonal SofaScore match ratings of 6.82 in 2019/20, 6.81 in 2020/21 and averaging a rating of 6.71 over his 11 Premier League appearances in the current campaign prior to his injury.

This form led to the £70k-per-week defender receiving some huge praise, with Declan Rice stating of the Italian in December 2020: “He’s so good. Honestly, he’s gone to another level this season. He looks like a real top, top centre-half and he’s stepped up when it’s really mattered.”

West Ham podcaster Sam Delaney also praised the influence of the 33-year-old on the Irons’ backline in March of last year, stating: “The fact is he’s a real leader and he’s marshalled that defence whether we played in a four or a three. You can see him being vocal and he was so integral to it.”

As such, it is clear to see just how much of an impact Ogbonna has made in the heart of the West Ham defence, not only with his consistently solid performances but also with his leadership abilities. Moyes simply cannot afford to jettison such qualities in the summer, especially on a free transfer.

In other news – Forget Diop: West Ham liability with 40 touches must have just played his last game for Moyes

Gabriel Martinelli endured an absolute nightmare for Arsenal as they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League and his sending off only told half of the story.

The Gunners held out for their first win of 2022 after the Brazilian was sent off in the 69th minute in an unusual and quickfire fashion. He was shown two bookings within seconds – one for blocking a throw-in and one for a late foul on Chiquinho.

Mikel Arteta would’ve been glad that his side took an early lead after centre-back Gabriel poked home new captain Alexandre Lacazette’s flick-on in the 25th minute.

Arsenal’s first win in six outings moves them into fifth place, just one point outside of the top four, with two games in hand.

Martinelli’s red card was the 12th of the Spaniard’s reign at the Emirates Stadium and fourth of the year so far, and for once, it wasn’t Granit Xhaka, though he was still booked, of course.

The 20-year-old shoved Daniel Podence as he was trying to take a throw-in and referee Michael Oliver let play continue and the Arsenal gem ran down the Wolves substitute and fouled him.

Oliver immediately showed him two yellow cards and he was sent off.

But truth be told, Martinelli was struggling throughout the entire match, so even if he remained on the pitch, he would’ve struggled to contribute – if Arteta wasn’t planning to hook him at some point.

The £34m-rated dynamo was awfully lightweight and weak, so there’s some irony in the fact that he was booked for actually putting in a challenge as he won only two of his 13 duels (15%).

He also lost possession a whopping 16 times from only 34 touches, meaning he gave away the ball once every 2.1 times he had it, as per SofaScore, who also graded him as the worst player on the pitch (5.3 rating).

His lacklustre presence in the final third was evident by the fact that even the goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, had more touches of the ball (40).

The Brazil international also failed to have a single shot, couldn’t register a successful dribble from two attempts and was dribbled past on four occasions.

All in all, it was an absolute nightmare outing from the young winger and he’ll now have to earn Arteta’s trust back once he serves his one-game suspension.

AND in other news, Forget Patino: Arteta could discover Arsenal’s next Saka in “phenomenal” Hale End gem…

Many Liverpool fans have been criticising the performance of Diogo Jota despite their 3-0 win at home to Brentford in the Premier League this afternoon.

It was a comfortable game in the end for Jurgen Klopp’s team at Anfield, with goals from Fabinho, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Takumi Minamino more than enough to give them the three points.

However, while there were some great performances in a Reds shirt, Jota may not have been pleased with his own display, as he squandered a couple of very good opportunities to score.

The former Wolves ace failed to find the back of the net with any of his six shots, while he also lost out on nine of his duels and failed to record a single successful dribble, key pass, accurate cross or long ball (SofaScore).

The 25-year-old also gave the ball away 13 times, the joint-fifth most out of his teammates, in what was a below-par performance by his standards. He is now without a goal in four matches, having scored in each of his last three before Christmas, as per Transfermarkt.

Liverpool fans slam Jota

These Liverpool fans slammed Jota’s display on Twitter, with one Kopite going as far as to claim that the forward was ‘non-existent’ this afternoon:

“#LFC so 1 dimensional yet again. Jota and Firmino non-existent”

Credit: @Jabbs2Jamie

“Jota is so not focused”

Credit: @I_am_aMarvel

“Jota been totally bad”

Credit: @Galjundi

“Jota DISASTERCLASS”

Credit: @burhan7i

“Get Jota off”

Credit: @Vinny_lopez89

“Jota.. you cannot be finishing like that.. just cannot.”

Credit: @Ituralde

In other news, Liverpool are now willing to pay big money to sign this midfield beast