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Tottenham and Liverpool’s Champions League final was a great moment for English football, announcing its return to the top of the continental tree, but it was far from a great advert for it.

Indeed, Liverpool lifted their sixth top European title after a rather underwhelming ninety minutes that was decided by two moments at either end of the match – Mohamed Salah’s early penalty and Divock Origi’s late strike past Hugo Lloris.

In between, there really wasn’t much to write home about as both sides failed to create any clear-cut chances and were mostly reduced to speculative shots from long range.

So how exactly did two of the most entertaining sides in the Premier League end up pulling off such a drab match? Here are five factors, most outside of Mauricio Pochettino and Jurgen Klopp’s control, that made Saturday’s encounter inevitably underwhelming…

The Heat

Despite the match lacking quality and energy for long periods, both sets of players looked out on their feet as the game entered the final 20 minutes. There’s one obvious reason for that – the sheer heat in Madrid simply sapped the life out of them.

It was around 30 degrees when Saturday’s clash kicked off at 9pm local time and judging by the players’ performances, the heat didn’t let up. Inevitably then, it was incredibly difficult for either team to engage in the high-pressing, high-octane style they’ve become synonymous with in recent years.

Both strikers weren’t fully fit

Klopp and Pochettino both gambled by starting first-choice strikers who weren’t fully fit heading into the game. Harry Kane hadn’t featured since the Champions League quarter-final when he hobbled off against Manchester City, whereas Roberto Firmino had managed just eleven minutes of competitive action following a full outing versus Cardiff City at the end of April.

In fairness, both sides struggled to produce that defence-splitting pass to feed in the front-men, but there was a distinct lack of movement to create such opportunities as well. Firmino was withdrawn around the hour mark and his replacement, Origi, grabbed the goal to decide the tie, while Kane would manage just a single shot at goal. Pretty much passengers throughout, Firmino and Kane’s injury problems left their sides somewhat toothless.

Should Spurs sell Kieran Trippier? Check out the for and against in the video below…

Three-week gap

The last competitive outings for both teams came on the final day of the Premier League season, May 12th, and they endured a wait longer than some international breaks heading into this game. There have been some benefits to that such as injured players returning for selection but it also goes a long way to explaining why there were so many wayward passes and loose touches – Liverpool’s pass completion was a woeful 64% in the end.

Compare that to Chelsea, the only team to really play top-quality football during this season’s all-English European finals. They came under huge criticism for playing a friendly in Boston prior to their Europa League final, but the 3-0 win over New England Revolution gave all the players the chance to stretch their legs and play in a somewhat competitive environment. Surely it’s no coincidence they ended up playing the best football of the four teams by far.

Know each other too well

In this day and age, no team goes into a European final being unsure of what to expect from the opposition. With statistics, scouting, a whole team of analysts and modern day TV coverage, it’s impossible to keep any secrets.

But there’s nothing quite like having played a team before when sussing them out and Liverpool and Tottenham are just too familiar with each other. Knowing exactly what the opposition can do not only allows you to adequately prepare for them tactically but also creates an element of fear, aware that they’ve already proved they can cause damage.

Since arriving in England in October 2015, Klopp has faced Pochettino’s Tottenham ten times; rather tellingly, in just one of those games has a side scored more than two goals. Just look at the last all-English Champions League final as well – Chelsea vs Man United was an absolute snoozefest, eventually decided by penalties.

It’s a career-defining game

Perhaps it’s obvious but its undoubtedly true; for a lot of players, winning a Champions League final will be a once in a lifetime moment. Nerves are inevitable and they showed constantly throughout the ninety minutes. Liverpool seemed to struggle with the role of being favourites, especially after taking the early lead, and while Tottenham managed to take control of the ball they lacked the composure to really make it count in the final third.

Much of this Liverpool squad featured in last season’s final and in the end that experience seemed to make a difference, but neither team managed to shake off early nerves and that went a long way to defining the quality of their performances.

Let’s not sugarcoat this; Manchester United have had a rather shambolic 2018/19 campaign.

Jose Mourinho suffered from his usual third season syndrome and was eventually dismissed, which led to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer being appointed on an initial deal and he brought the optimism and good times back to Old Trafford.

That led to the club legend being offered a permanent position, however, the party appeared to be rather temporary as his Manchester United squad was quite simply found out for being of sub-Champions League standard and one that will strike fear into the club’s own fanbase if things are not addressed this summer.

And, that horrible task will fall firmly at the door of Ed Woodward. Indeed, it appears he is trying to do the right thing and bring in someone to help him with the footballing side of the club’s operations.

But, if the latest reports have any truth to them, he could be about to make another huge mistake at Old Trafford and one that may not provide a successful return on investment.

Sky Sports are claiming Darren Fletcher is thought to be a ‘leading candidate’ for the technical director’s job, having already held negotiations with the club.

It is understood that the Scotsman would not necessarily be involved in transfers, however, he would be the man to act as the glue between Solskjaer and the board.

There is no doubt that the 35-year-old knows what it takes and what it means to be at Manchester United, having come through the academy ranks and playing over 300 games.

However, being successful on the pitch and being successful in a suit are two completely different things and there will surely be doubts that Fletcher would be the right man to help them sort things out.

Manchester United are in a period that can only be described as a crisis and need to act as quickly as possible to try and get things sorted out and take the Red Devils back to the upper echelons of the footballing world.

Surely then, someone with experience would be much better suited for the technical director role at Old Trafford, whilst Fletcher may be better at helping develop the talent on the pitch.

Manchester United fans, do you think Woodward would be making another mistake by appointing Fletcher? Let us know below!

Having led Sheffield United to an incredible second place finish in the Championship during the 2018/19 campaign, Chris Wilder will be hoping to prolong the club’s stay in the Premier League over the coming years.

Yet in order to give the Blades the best chance of competing with some of the world’s best club sides next season, the 58-year-old will have to get his recruitment spot on this summer.

Although Wilder has been very successful in the transfer market since taking over at the club in 2016, a failure to sign the right players during the upcoming window could result in his side being relegated in 12 months time.

Therefore, to avoid this scenario, it is imperative that the former Oxford United boss resists the temptation to sign Britt Assombalonga this summer from Middlesbrough.

According to the Northern Echo, Wilder is reportedly interested in securing the services of the forward having been impressed with his performances in the Championship last season.

Despite being an extremely competent striker in the second tier, the fact that the £9m-rated ace (via Transfermarkt) only managed to fire in 14 goals in 42 appearances for the Smoggies should act as a warning to the Blades.

Although there is no doubting Assombalonga’s finishing ability, when you consider that he has no previous experience of playing in the Premier League, it could be argued that United should not even consider taking a risk on him.

With the club already having better-attacking options at the club in the form of David McGoldrick and Billy Sharp, they should use the funds available to them this summer to bring in individuals who have a track-record of performing in the top-flight rather than haggling over second-tier players.

What do you think United fans? Would you welcome a move for Assombalonga when the transfer window opens? If not, who would you like your club to sign this summer? Let us know below.

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Alfredo Morelos has scored 29 times in 45 appearances for Rangers this season, and 47 in 88 games in total for the Scottish giants since arriving in 2017.

At his best, the 22-year-old is a devastating striker.

At his worst, though, he can be a real problem.

Three red cards in the league this season – including during the last meeting with Celtic on March 31 – means that his position in the XI for this weekend’s clash with the Hoops is far from secure.

Indeed, it has been suggested that Jermain Defoe could get the nod against Celtic, who have already wrapped up the league title.

It will be fascinating to see what Steven Gerrard decides to do on Sunday afternoon, and a number of Rangers fans have been on social media offering their views.

Whilst some want Morelos to be handed a starting berth this weekend, others clearly feel that the Colombian cannot be trusted.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Manchester City are a side famed for their unparalleled riches and domination in the transfer market, but a revolutionary change could be on the horizon after years of extravagant and often gratuitous spending.

Phil Foden’s inclusion in the starting XI to face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday caught most people by surprise. Pep Guardiola has often been scrutinised for a perceived reluctance to fully trust in the prodigious teenager, provoking a tidal wave of bemused journalists to paint a bleak outlook for the future of youth at the club.

But his decision to entrust the 18-year-old in a fixture of paramount importance to City’s season was the most telling sign of what the future holds for Foden and the rest of an academy which has been criminally short of world class talent since Sheikh Mansour took charge in 2008.

This was a game against a side who were considered genuine title contenders just a few weeks ago and had just beaten City over two legs; the title was and is still on the line; the stakes couldn’t have been much higher – yet Guardiola included him from the start in place of David Silva, potentially the most talented player in the history of the club.

Plenty has been made of his match-winning display and rightly so. But the implications of his impact transcend beyond how it influenced the club in the immediate term.

Since City’s sugar-daddy owners rolled into the club and transformed the expectations not a single player has risen into the first team from the academy.

A club who once prided themselves on their ability to embed the next generation of talent into the senior squad – and successfully brought through the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland and Joey Barton – have effectively turned the academy into a money-making machine.

Players have been brought through, loaned out and then sold on for a healthy profit in order to fund multi-million pound deals for established stars. But murmurs of City’s potential breach of Financial Fair Play rules and the solitary addition of Riyad Mahrez last summer hint that perhaps winds of change are beginning to blow towards the Etihad Stadium.

Naturally the players residing within the youth ranks must be genuinely exceptional to make the step up in class but with a £200 million academy system already in place there is simply no excuse for the toxic and unsustainable trend of obscene investment to continue.

Guardiola has set the wheels in motion for a shift in strategy by slowly embedding Foden into the side, allowing him the time to adjust to the speed of play his team are expected to play at by training with the senior squad on a regular basis and affording him cameo appearances on a semi-regular basis, and now it seems the final stage of the process is beginning to take place.

Foden is unlikely to keep his place in the side for the trip to Old Trafford on Wednesday but his inclusion against a talented side on Saturday proves that he could be a big part of the squad next season.

There is now a glimpse of tangible proof that the £200 million investment has produced a player who could one day be worth a huge fraction of that cost, and Eric Garcia’s handful of quietly impressive displays this season point towards another imminent graduation.

After all these years of neglecting the academy system there are some trophy-worthy fruits beginning to grow, and Guardiola’s cautious but ultimately cunning approach to embedding them into the side could represent the advent of a new philosophical approach to long-term development at City.

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Jack Grealish continues to be linked with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Aston Villa star has returned from injury with a bang, scoring two goals in four games, including the winner in the Second City Derby against Birmingham City.

The Daily Mail claim that scouts are continuing to watch Grealish after Spurs failed to secure a transfer in the summer.

Sky Sports reported in August that a bid worth £25million had been tabled, though Villa were able to retain his services after a long-running transfer saga.

What are the experts saying, though? Take a look below!

Harry Redknapp – ex-Spurs boss

Redknapp had his say on Grealish via the Birmingham Mail, saying:

“I love Grealish. I think he’s a real talent, obviously. I love watching him play.

“I think he’s a kid who could play at the very top level.”

This is high praise indeed from a manager who has worked with the likes of Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart across his career.

Grealish is a silky playmaker with the ability to dribble past players and split defences in two with a killer ball.

His goal against Birmingham, a composed finish after a mazy run, was a prime example of the skill and ability possessed by the England Under-21 international.

Jamie Redknapp – Sky Sports pundit

Writing in his Daily Mail column after Grealish scored a sensational volley for Villa against Derby County, Redknapp said:

“There have been some brilliant volleys this season but the best two have both come at Villa Park. If you enjoyed John McGinn’s strike against Sheffield Wednesday in September, you will love Jack Grealish’s volley following a corner against Derby on Saturday.

“Had Grealish been fit for the whole season, I am in no doubt Villa would be in the play-offs. He is the best player outside the Premier League.”

Yet more phenomenal praise from a Redknapp.

The 23-year-old does make the game look remarkably easy and his goal against Derby was reminiscent of Paul Scholes’ strike against Villa for Manchester United.

That he can score that kind of goal, and inspire such a turnaround in Villa’s form since his return from injury, proves that Redknapp Jr may not be far off in his assertion that he is the best player in the Championship.

Dean Ashton – ex-player and pundit

Talking on Quest’s EFL highlights show, via the Birmingham Mail, Ashton passed judgement on Grealish’s performance in Villa’s 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest, saying:

“What he does is he dictates the tempo of the Aston Villa team and he draws players towards him which allows Conor Hourihane, who got a couple against Derby, and John McGinn, who was superb at Forest, real licence to get forward.

“McGinn was superb and that licence he’s been given is because Grealish is happy just to sit for a lot of the game and dictate the play.”

Grealish may be exactly what Spurs need.

The fact that he can keep the ball and keep his side ticking over, while also having a penchant for the spectacular, makes him a potential replacement for Christian Eriksen.

Indeed, the Dane continues to be linked with his own transfer and the Villa star would be a relatively cheap, but high-quality, replacement.

Verdict

Grealish has been lighting up the Championship and is exactly the type of player who would appeal to manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Capable with both feet, an excellent dribbler, a goalscorer and a creator, Grealish ticks every single box, particularly if Eriksen does depart.

Spurs should rekindle their interest in the summer and follow the advice laid out by the above pundits; the Villa star is more than ready to make the step up.

Andy Carroll, the perfect Sunday League forward, mammoth aerial presence, and former Liverpool flop, is quite literally on his last legs at West Ham United.

According to the Daily Mail, Manuel Pellegrini has cast serious doubt over the future of Andy Carroll admitting that the forward may have played his last game for the club following news of another injury.

The 30-year-old has only managed three Premier League starts this term and a total of 453 minutes, failing to find the back of the net in each.

Asked on the status of Carroll’s injury Pellegrini replied: ‘We don’t know. I cannot tell you. We need to wait for some medical examinations and then after that, we will know.’

He was quality; an absolute bully in the forward positions that no one had the answer to; a genuine option in the international setup; an English brute the likes of Germany, France and Spain could barely wrap their pure footballing heads around.

But for that very same reason, he needs to be left behind.

Andy Carroll harks back to a time teams are now trying to distance themselves from – lumping the ball up to the big man and seeing what he can do.

It is all about total football now; the slick, easy on the eye style of play inherited from continental powerhouses; the likes of Burnley trying to play like Barcelona in their prime.

Sam Allardyce is long gone now but his legacy lives on through the injury prone donkey that is Andy Carroll. When he inevitably leaves at the end of the year, the Hammers can take in a deep breath of fresh, progressive air, as the dark cloud of his era finally floats away.

West Ham fans, how positive is losing Andy Carroll for your future? Let us know in the comments below…

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to an update from Lee Ryder, who reports that Shola Ameobi is in the running for a new role at the club’s academy.

According to Lee Ryder of Chronicle Live, Ameobi is under consideration for one of three new roles on Tyneside.

According to the report, the Magpies are expected to employ “a loan coordinator, Under-23 boss and assistant Academy coach for a range of younger age groups”.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Under-18 manager Dave Watson will leave the club at the end of the season, while Peter Beardsley left his role as the development manager last month.

Ameobi scored 75 goals and racked up 28 assists in 390 Newcastle appearances, but the formerly popular front man has blotted his copybook with fans due to his views on infamous club owner Mike Ashley.

The 37 year-old defended Ashley’s leadership of the club last year, so it does seem quite the coincidence that he is now in line for a job.

Plenty of fans have made that connection too, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

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Phil Hay of the Yorkshire Evening Post has revealed that Samu Saiz could return to Leeds United at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.

What’s the word, then?

Saiz joined Getafe on loan from Leeds during the January transfer window.

The attacker had contributed four assists in 19 Championship appearances in the first half of the 2018-19 campaign, but was allowed to leave for the La Liga club in the winter window.

It had been thought that the deal included an obligation to sign Saiz on a permanent contract this summer.

However, according to Hay, that is not the case, with Getafe simply having the option to buy the Spaniard, rather than an ‘obligation’ to complete a permanent deal.

In the aftermath of the defeat to Queens Park Rangers at the end of last month, a number of Leeds fans said that their club made a mistake allowing Saiz to leave.

However, the 28-year-old was not missed on Friday as the Whites put four unanswered goals past West Bromwich Albion at Elland Road.

How will this one play out?

Saiz has not exactly set La Liga alight since his move.

The 5ft 9in ace has made six league appearances for Getafe, whilst he has also featured on two occasions in the Copa del Rey.

The Madrid-born ace has failed to come off the bench in each of his loan side’s last three league fixtures, though, and is currently struggling to earn a first-team spot.

It would certainly not be a surprise to see them decide against a permanent deal, meaning that Saiz would return to his parent club at the end of the season.

Should Marcelo Bielsa’s side earn promotion to the Premier League, though, they might feel that Saiz is also surplus to requirements at Elland Road.

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It is funny how quickly things can change.

When Fernando Llorente missed an incredible chance to register against Watford on Wednesday night, the Tottenham Hotspur fans may have thought it was going to be another one of those nights for the Spaniard.

The 33-year-old is currently being tasked with leading the line in the absence of Harry Kane, which is not exactly the easiest thing in the world.

Overall, Llorente had a difficult night against Watford, but there proved to be a fairytale ending for the former Athletic Bilbao man as he netted an 87th-minute winner in Spurs’ 2-1 victory.

As expected, there were wild celebrations when Llorente registered and it could well be a turning point for the Spaniard, who was linked with an exit this month by The Daily Mail in December.

The Tottenham fans did a flip when Llorente – earning £75,000 a week according to Spotrac – scored the winner, with a large number taking to social media to lavish praise on the centre-forward.

A selection of the reaction from the club’s supporters can be seen below:

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas which Arsenal players would get into the Tottenham team ahead of the North London Derby – Check out the video below…