On paper, there’s little debate that Alexis Sanchez is a far more potent attacking threat than Danny Welbeck. That’s not to discredit the England international, but since swapping Barcelona for the Premier League in 2014, Sanchez has been an irresistible force – until this season.
Indeed, the 119-cap Chilean has struggled to maintain the same standards this term amid his ongoing contract situation, finding just four goals and three assists in the top flight, and his form ahead of the January transfer window has been particularly concerning, leading to doubts over his commitment to the cause.
Arsenal’s 4-0 defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in August showed how detrimental it can be to not have every player pulling in the same direction against the Reds. Whereas that makes Sanchez a concern for the reverse fixture this Friday, Welbeck’s energy, commitment and work-rate can never be questioned.
So after netting against West Ham in mid-week, would you start Welbeck – who Transfermarkt value at £13.5million – against Liverpool, or is a half-committed Sanchez still a better option than the former Man United attacker? Let us know by voting below…
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Paul Lambert is one of those football managers that has a busy CV having coached at numerous clubs.
The Scotsman’s longest spells were in charge of Norwich City and then Aston Villa.
After taking the position at the Midlands outfit in 2012, Lambert had a shaky term, during which he oversaw a damaging 8-0 defeat to Chelsea.
In the end, the club managed to stay in the Premier League and the former Borussia Dortmund player managed to guide the team to the semi-finals of the League Cup.
The 2013-14 campaign was fairly mediocre, and the following season was not completed by Lambert as he was sacked in February 2015.
Since then, the 48-year-old has had stints as manager of Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
After being out of work for almost eight months, Lambert has been picked up by Stoke City, who have hired him on a two-and-a-half-year contract following the recent dismissal of Mark Hughes.
The news prompted a number of Villa fans to tweet their views on the appointment.
According to reports in The Sun, Crystal Palace have had a £9m bid rejected for FC Midtjylland striker Alexander Sorloth as they look to sign a new centre-forward before the January transfer window slams shut on Wednesday.
The Sun says that the Eagles will now consider an improved package to land the 6ft 4in attacker before the close of play on Wednesday, with manager Roy Hodgson determined to provide Christian Benteke with some competition up top.
Sky Sports add that the south London club’s budget for a new striker this month is between £10-12m, which suggests that they are confident that they will be able to bring the Norway international to Selhurst Park for a fee in that price range.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United lost out to Premier League rivals West Bromwich Albion in the race to sign Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge on loan on Monday, and Rafa Benitez is still yet to add the centre-forward to his squad that he wanted to this month.
The Magpies have only scored 22 goals in their 24 top flight matches this season with the Tyneside outfit are in desperate need of reinforcements in attack, and bringing Sorloth to St James’ Park could prove to be a shrewd move.
Here are three reasons Newcastle must hijack Crystal Palace’s move for the 22-year-old…
Goals
Newcastle are in desperate need of goals if they are to retain their Premier League status this season, and Sorloth’s record suggests that he could be the player to shoot them to survival.
The 22-year-old has scored 15 goals and provided a further nine assists in 25 appearances in all competitions for Midtjylland this term, while he scored 14 in 29 during a loan spell for Bodo/Glint previously.
His record at Groningen in the previous two seasons was a little less impressive, but the form he has shown during the current campaign will mean that he is full of confidence if he does arrive in the Premier League before Wednesday’s deadline.
His qualities
According to WhoScored.com, Sorloth has plenty of strengths in his game, including his ability to make key passes and through balls, while his defensive contribution, dribbling and strength in the air are also commended.
While the 22-year-old can play as a target man because of his height and strength, he has also played out wide on a handful occasions for Midtjylland because he is also quick, agile and able to run with the ball.
That versatility should appeal to Rafa Benitez, who is desperate to add a new spark to his side’s faltering frontline.
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Price tag
While Newcastle clearly have the money to bring in a new centre-forward this month given their links and rumoured bids for Feyenoord’s Nicolai Jorgensen, they can’t afford to pay a huge, huge sum for a new striker.
Signing Sorloth – who could cost between £10m-12m – would certainly be an attractive option for owner Mike Ashley, and it may be a more realistic deal for the Tyneside outfit given they won’t have much time to sort out everything involved with the deal before the deadline on Wednesday night.
All eyes were on Paul Heckingbottom on Sunday as he took charge of his first Championship game as Leeds United manager.
The Yorkshireman’s appointment last week was a rather controversial one as he signed up at Elland Road as Thomas Christiansen’s replacement just four days after extending his deal at Barnsley.
On Saturday, the new head coach tried to end the team’s six-game winless run in a derby against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, but it was not to be.
Pierre-Michel Lasogga managed to cancel out Billy Sharp’s second-minute goal after the half-time break, but the Blades’ star ended up grabbing the winner from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute.
The result has placed the Whites 11th in the Championship table, and they have some ground to cover as they currently reside eight points adrift of a playoff position.
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Despite the disappointing outcome on Saturday, one particular player Adam Forshaw has praised Heckingbottom and feels confident having the new coach on board heading forward.
In an interview with the club’s official website, the midfielder said:
“The gaffer seems like a really nice guy, he really wants to coach you and improve you as a player and if you don’t want to take that on board, you shouldn’t really be playing the game. There is a chance for us all to learn and get better and hopefully we can begin to push up the table again.”
England legend Paul Gascoigne has slammed Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce for comparing him to young midfielder Jack Grealish.
The Villa youngster has been in the headlines of late as his recent injury troubles heavily affected the team’s performances on the pitch.
Grealish has not always been at his bets level, with off-field antics sometimes coming into play, but in his last few outings, the attack-minded player has been impressive.
The 22-year-old scored once and created two assists in his last four appearances, but he has not played since Villa’s 2-0 victory over Birmingham City on February 11 due to injury.
The Birmingham Mail recently carried a quote from Bruce, who compared Grealish’s qualities to those possessed by Gascoigne in his playing days.
The coach was quick to ensure that the youngster is not following in the ex-midfielder’s footsteps off the pitch.
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Gascoigne has been plagued by alcoholism for the better part of his adult life.
“[Grealish] has a bit of a Gazza about him – not off the pitch!”
The former Tottenham Hotspur star seemed to take issue with Bruce’s comments, and on Twitter he accused the Villa boss of putting pressure on his player’s shoulders.
According to reports in the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama, rated at £27m according to Transfermarkt, is reportedly being monitored by Premier League rivals Chelsea.
What’s the word, then?
Well, the Daily Mail says the Blues, along with top flight rivals Manchester United and Liverpool, have all noted that the Kenya international has only been sparingly used by Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino following his return from a knee injury.
While the 26-year-old has started the FA Cup ties against AFC Wimbledon and Newport County, he has predominantly been named on the substitutes’ bench for their other eight fixtures he has been available for.
That has caught the attention of Blues boss Antonio Conte according to the Daily Mail, who has praised the midfielder in the past.
How has Wanyama done this season?
The midfielder only played Tottenham’s opening two Premier League games of the campaign before suffering an injury that kept him on the sidelines until 2018, but he has struggled to get back into the starting XI since then with Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier currently ahead of him in the pecking order.
The 26-year-old made an instant impression as a substitute in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield earlier this month when he scored a brilliant long-range goal, but he has played just six minutes in the two matches against Arsenal and Juventus since then.
Would Tottenham be willing to sell him?
It seems unlikely.
The midfielder’s contract doesn’t run out until 2021 and while he hasn’t been a regular in the team in recent weeks aside from in the FA Cup, it may just be that Mauricio Pochettino is making sure he doesn’t rush the Kenyan back too soon following his injury, and he seems to be acting similarly with teammate Toby Alderweireld.
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Wanyama is likely to see more minutes in the remaining months of the campaign, and it would be no surprise if he was a permanent fixture in the XI again sooner rather than later.
Even if Spurs were willing to move him on, it seems unlikely that they would want to sell the 26-year-old to a direct Premier League rival, and while those clubs can continue to watch developments they appear unlikely to get the former Southampton and Celtic man.
RB Leipzig striker and German international Timo Werner has refused to rule out a move to the Premier League in future and has said that he follows both Manchester United and Liverpool.
Speaking ahead of the crunch clash with between the two bitter rivals on Saturday afternoon, Werner admitted that he feels he is more a Manchester United man than a Liverpool one.
There is a strong chance that the 22-year-old striker could end up being Germany’s first-choice striker as they look to defend their title as world champions in Russia when World Cup 2018 starts in 100 days time.
That would only serve to increase the profile of a man who already looks a good fit for the Premier League and is valued at £54m by transfermarkt.co.uk.
He revealed to FourFourTwo that he is one of very few people who follow the fortunes of both of the rival clubs but offered the Red Devils some early bragging rights in the process. He told FourFourTwo:
“Playing in the Premier League is a dream for me. I would like to play for two or three clubs, and Manchester United are one of those clubs.
“Manchester United and Liverpool were the teams I watched quite a lot in England. They were the two that I’m a little bit a fan of, because they have so much history. When Alex Ferguson was the coach, United won everything and were outstanding.
“In Liverpool it’s also their stadium and the atmosphere but when I have to decide, I’m more Manchester United than Liverpool. I’m now at a point where at some stage in the future I’d like to play in a team that wins titles.”
Werner is a modern striker, full of running and goals and adept in a high tempo approach which makes him someone who is always going to catch the eye in the Premier League.
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The improved form of Romelu Lukaku has sated United’s need for a new frontman but I wouldn’t mind betting that Jose Mourinho wouldn’t mind an upgrade or an alternative.
Klopp, of course, has a deep knowledge of German football that could tip the balance but isn’t currently operating with a recognised centre-forward – and Werner would be an expensive Plan B.
After four straight defeats in all competitions, including a pair of 3-0 humblings at the hands of Manchester City, Arsenal needed to produce some kind of response against AC Milan on Thursday evening.
Not only is the Europa League the Gunners’ last remaining chance of silverware and Champions League qualification this season, but a positive performance was vital to diluting the toxic atmosphere around the north London club at the moment.
That appeared no easy task on paper, with the San Siro side undefeated in 13 and not conceding for six games, especially when compared to Arsenal’s recent results and their perpetually erroneous performances on the road this season.
But the Gunners spared no time in making a statement in Milan – after a few hairy moments in their own end during the opening exchanges, Henrikh Mkhitaryan netted the first in a 2-0 win with a rifled finish on the counter-attack that took a telling deflection as it flew past Gianluigi Donnarumma.
And the January signing, who Transfermarkt value at £13.5million, typified the vast improvements Arsenal showed compared to one of the most disappointing weeks of Arsene Wenger’s lengthy tenure.
The Armenian international brought real ruthlessness on the break, clipping the crossbar shortly after scoring while completing five dribbles, but Gunners fans may be more impressed with his return of three tackles, the most of any Arsenal player.
That combination epitomised the greater maturity Arsenal showed at the San Siro. Their first half performance was peppered with lightening counter-attacks, including Aaron Ramsey’s second goal as he latched onto a Mesut Ozil through ball and took it round the goalkeeper, while they completely shut down the game in the second 45, keeping eleven men behind the ball and protecting the clean sheet.
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We haven’t seen that kind of pragmatic game-management from the Gunners for some time, and it bodes well for the rest of a Europa League campaign that feels like a defining one for the club’s immediate future.
Former Hull City and Watford manager Marco Silva has made quite the impression in England.
For a boss who has not even completed one full season in charge of a Premier League side, his reputation is quite something but that is testament to the speed of his impact at both the KCOM Stadium and Vicarage Road.
Silva has been linked with two of England’s bigger clubs, who have both endured downward turns this season, in Everton and Southampton.
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Both clubs eventually shunned the Portuguese chief when making mid-season appointments, plumping for the relative security of British managers Sam Allardyce and Mark Hughes.
Yet, former England boss Allardyce has already lost the patience of the Goodison Park faithful and a change could be made in the summer.
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Meanwhile, Hughes only has a contract until the end of the season. The Saints are a club who have traditionally built year on year and the summer appointment of Silva feels much more in keeping with the club’s philosophy than sticking with Hughes.
Of course it is purely hypothetical but we’re asking you; if you were Silva, where would you go? Which of the clubs do you think he would do a better job at? Let us know by voting in our poll below…
Everton will look to maintain their push to end the Premier League season in seventh position when they host future champions Manchester City at Goodison Park on Saturday.
The Toffees finally reached the magic 40-point mark and ended a run of six successive away defeats in all competitions when they beat Stoke City 2-1 in the snow at the Britannia Stadium last time out, with a brace from January addition Cenk Tosun proving to be the difference against the 10-man Potters.
The result kept the Merseyside outfit in ninth position in the table and just three points adrift of Burnley in seventh, and they will want to end what has been a disappointing campaign in which they were hoping to challenge the top six on a positive note.
While their form on the road has been more than patchy, they have impressed on their own patch in recent weeks by taking 10 points from the last 12 available in the top flight, and they will hope to add to that tally this weekend.
Sam Allardyce will know that his side face a tough task to get anything against Pep Guardiola’s men considering the visitors have won 26 of their 30 league games this term and are 16 points clear at the top, but they will certainly take some solace that they are one of the clubs the Citizens dropped points against following their 1-1 draw at the Etihad Stadium in August.
Allardyce stuck with a 4-2-3-1 system against Stoke last time out but made two changes to his XI, and he could be thinking about making more alterations to both the formation and the team on Saturday.
Here is how Everton must line up against Man City, ahead of Jordan Pickford in goal…
In the absence of the suspended Ashley Williams – who sits out his final match against City – Everton have stuck with a back five of Pickford, Seamus Coleman, Phil Jagielka, Michael Keane and Leighton Baines, and they have looked reasonably solid as a result.
Allardyce should stick with that quartet against Pep Guardiola’s free-scoring side because of the Premier League experience they have, but Jagielka and Keane especially will certainly need plenty of protection from those in front of them – although they will have been boosted by the news that Sergio Aguero is doubtful because of a knee problem.
Allardyce has stuck with a 4-2-3-1 system in recent matches but he should go with a flat five across the middle to try and give his side a bit more control of the ball in the centre of the park – where City can be so dangerous because of David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.
While Theo Walcott and Yannick Bolasie should remain on the flanks to try and cause the visitors plenty of trouble on the counter-attack, the 63-year-old boss should look to pack the midfield and bring Morgan Schneiderlin – who the fans want gone in the summer – in alongside another former Man United player in Wayne Rooney, and Idrissa Gueye.
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After scoring two goals against Stoke City and with four goals in Everton’s previous three Premier League matches, Cenk Tosun has to start up top on his own against Man City.
It will be a tougher afternoon for the Turkey international than he perhaps had against Stoke, Brighton and Hove Albion and Burnley previously, but he has shown what a good finisher he can be if he gets a chance, and he will be looking to Bolasie and Walcott to supply him on Saturday.