Prior to the world of football coming to a halt, Manchester United were one of the most in-form teams in the Premier League.Since the end of the January transfer window, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side had remained unbeaten across all competitions, and so it is rather easy to forget that even just a week before the deadline, things were not quite as rosy at Old Trafford.A desperately disappointing 2-0 defeat at home to Burnley surely left people reeling, and it was no surprise that fans of the Manchester side were quick to criticise their team, and one man in particular: Anthony Martial.

Watch Manchester United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

As per Sofascore, the Frenchman cut an isolated figure up top, registering just 39 touches and failing to spearhead the attack for the Red Devils. United supporters laid into the former AS Monaco man, with a selection of those reactions down below:

Not the most forgiving of reactions to say the least.

But the truth is, based on how things have panned out over the following few weeks and months, is that United fans got it oh-so badly wrong for slamming Martial’s performance against Burnley.

The arrival of Bruno Fernandes in particular just a few days after that calamitous defeat turned the tide not for just for the club as a whole, but for Martial himself.

Get over 80% on this quiz to prove you’re a true Manchester Derby expert…

The Frenchman struck three times in the Premier League over the past four top-flight games, including massive goals in wins against Chelsea and Manchester City. The performance against Sean Dyche’s side wasn’t necessarily down to him, but the players around him.

With Fernandes’ creativity (he already has four assists in a United shirt), Martial knows that when he makes runs and movements off the ball, he now has a player alongside him who has both the vision and technique to actually find him. Supporters of the Red Devils were simply too quick to get on the £54m-rated ace’s back on that occasion.

Meanwhile, Man Utd should focus on signing this ace instead of Jadon Sancho.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has tweeted his appreciation for the NHS, and it has got plenty of fans talking in north London.

The entire nation grouped together to show their support for the National Health Service workers who are working tirelessly to keep people safe during this devastating pandemic with homes across the country clapping for them late last night.

Calling all FFC readers! Raise money for charities and bring together communities this Saturday the 28th at 3pm by taking part in the #FLYTHEFLAG campaign. Click this banner to find out how you can get involved.

This was no different for the Spurs talisman, who joined in before posting a response to one supporter on social media.

Kane’s appreciation has sent many at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium into a gushing frenzy as you can see from the following reactions below…

The 26-year-old is currently on the treatment table following his injury against Southampton on New Year’s Day, so he certainly is one to appreciate the hard work that medical professionals do in not just football but in wider society, too.

Kane’s kind gesture has got many swooning over him with supporters calling him everything from the “captain” of the team to the “best striker in the world” while one fan believes he is the perfect role model that anyone should aspire to be, and it’s hard to disagree.

The Englishman has been sorely missed this calendar year, in his absence, Spurs have crashed out of all cup competitions and have sunk to seven points adrift of the top four.

He had notched 17 goals from 25 appearances prior to his injury, so Jose Mourinho will have certainly rued his absence in recent weeks.

A football legend: Can you get over 80% on this Gazza quiz? Find out now…

If there’s any tiny bit of positivity to come from this horrible situation, it is the fact that Kane will be nearer a return to action by the time the Premier League sweeps back around, which will surely bolster Spurs’ chances of making a European tournament next season.

AND in other news, Spurs fans react over possible Ndombele EXIT…  

Ross Wilson’s dealings shouldn’t particularly encourage Rangers. The Director of Football had a shoddy record at Southampton, often overpaying for players who didn’t cut the mustard.

Yet, since arriving to aid Steven Gerrard’s hand at Ibrox, he hasn’t had too much work to do. One of a few recruits since arriving in Glasgow was Ianis Hagi.

The Romanian, son of legend Gheorge, has been a hit in Scotland, contributing to five goals in his short time on loan with the Light Blues.

He hasn’t been remarkably eye-catching but he’s certainly played a vital hand in what has been a desperately poor 2020 for the Gers. Most notably, the youngster bagged twice against Braga to turn the tide in the Europa League. Why he hasn’t often started since is quite incredible.

Though, the fact it’s now been reported that Gerrard doesn’t want him in his team next term could be telling. Via the Daily Record, Corriere dello Sport suggest that he won’t be returning to Ibrox in the summer of 2020.

At present, Rangers have an option to buy the tricky midfielder for a measly fee of £4m. For everything Wilson has got wrong in the past, this is surely a no brainer for a player with mass potential.

The 21-year-old featured against Liverpool and Napoli when he was playing for Genk in the Champions League this term and now another Italian outfit, Lazio, are hot on his tail. With competition high, it’s bizarre that Rangers aren’t looking to land him on a permanent deal, especially when one considers the inconsistencies of Ryan Kent too.

The £7m arrival has been berated by fans for his performances, scoring just three times in 2020. Hagi is equally talented and may well have a higher ceiling too.

Refusing to sign him when they have such an easy option makes little sense from Gerrard, a man who has been keen to hand youngsters a chance at Ibrox – take the likes of Sheyi Ojo and George Edmundson for example.

A football legend: Can you get over 80% on this Gazza quiz? Find out now…

Add the fact that he seemingly wants to stay and it makes it all the more alarming. It was reported last week that Hagi was willing to remain in Glasgow and gleefully revealed his love for Ibrox after the win versus Braga.

This is a player ready to give blood, sweat and tears to Rangers – it would be a huge mistake to point-blank refuse to pay £4m for him. After all, that’s the price that could see James Tavernier leave too.

In other news, Rangers may already have their Billy Gilmour replacement…

Crystal Palace have reportedly received a boost in their pursuit of Rangers star striker Alfredo Morelos.

What’s the word?

Morelos has been linked with a move to the Eagles for a number of months now.

They were linked with a £20m January swoop in October 2019, but an official bid was never publicly revealed.

Best of the Decade: Top scorers & creators – Can you name them?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

The Colombia international remains at Ibrox but, according to a recent report from Goal, the Scottish giants are already preparing for life without the prolific attacker.

The report claims that the club are acutely aware of that fact it will be difficult to retain the striker in the next transfer window, and the club are forming a contingency plan to deal with that eventuality.

Swansea’s Rhian Brewster and former Sunderland striker Josh Maja form a shortlist of five strikers who are being considered as potential replacements for Morelos.

Coveted asset

While the news is undoubtedly a major boost for Palace in their pursuit, the extent of interest in Morelos’ services will provide some cause for concern.

Having scored 77 goals in 129 games for Rangers, the 23-year-old has established himself as a coveted talent, commanding interest from Atletico Madrid, Valencia, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Leicester City and Inter Milan, per the same report.

And, given Morelos is attracting interest from Inter and Atletico, two clubs who are regulars in the Champions League, there is no doubt Roy Hodgson and the rest of the Palace hierarchy would pull off a major coup if they can bring the hot-headed attacker to south London.

Rangers’ talisman has been sent off on a total of seven occasions in his career and has a tendency to let his emotions get the better of him, which presumably could influence how many of the interested clubs translate their admiration into a concrete offer.

His goal scoring record, however, suggests it could be a risk worth taking for Palace amid their recent struggles at centre-forward.

According to Le 10 Sport, Tottenham Hotspur are planning to offer a contract extension to right-back Serge Aurier with his current deal due to expire in 2022.

And the news has torn supporters in north London going by their reaction on social media.

The 27-year-old is a divisive figure at Spurs, regularly taking flak from sections of the Hotspur faithful, but he’s still a regular presence in Jose Mourinho’s backline.

Aurier has played 33 times this season, scoring two goals as well as providing seven assists, via Transfermarkt.

The Portuguese chief is that confident in him that he allowed backup to the role, Kyle Walker-Peters, depart on loan during the January transfer window despite being relatively light on options.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Aurier originally joined Spurs in 2017 in a £23m move from Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain and has racked up a total of 74 appearances.

Yet many fans at the club aren’t completely convinced by him.

Here’s how they have been reacting to the contract report…

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold believes Spurs will regret selling 22 y/o this summer…

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsMan-of-the-Match Prenelan Subrayen triggered a collapse that brought nine wickets for 39 runs•ICC/Getty

South Africa knocked England out of the Under-19 World Cup by overcoming some significant challenges to seal a comprehensive victory: they were playing their first game in Townsville whereas England had prior knowledge of the conditions, and they were sent in to bat when it was hardest. Their batting unit, however, survived the new-ball examination to compile a competitive score through determined accumulation rather than flashy strokeplay.Defending 244, South Africa’s bowling unit did not let their disciplines slip, even though England had a century partnership for the second wicket and were thebetter-placed side after 25 overs. From 102 for 1, offspinner Prenelan Subrayen triggered a collapse that brought nine wickets for 39 runs. Two England batsmen accounted for 108 runs, extras for seven more, and they were dismissed for 141 in the 41st over.Townsville finally ran out of sunshine and there was an even cover of high cloud as Quinton de Kock and Chad Bowes took guard against Reece Topley and Jamie Overton. De Kock took most of the early strike before chasing at a wide ball from Jamie Overton and edging behind. Bowes was more fluent, moving forward to punch the fast bowlers and flicking through and over square leg whenever the ball was on his pads.Bowes and Gihahn Cloete steered South Africa past the new-ball danger and built a platform for the rest of the innings. They added 65 before both were dismissed in successive overs, in the 18th and 19th.At 82 for 3, Murray Coetzee and Theunis de Bruyn, two batsmen from Pretoria, were faced with a tricky situation but they fought through it. Coetzee, however, was lucky to survive an edge against Craig Overton in the 20th over, when Ben Foakes dived to his left but couldn’t hold on. That drop came while a convoy of numerous trucks were passing the Tony Ireland Stadium, with their horns blaring.Their partnership for the fourth wicket was worth 96 when de Bruyn was bowled for 54. South Africa were well placed for 270 when Coetzee and Shaylin Pillay were milking singles and finding the boundary but lost direction in the end. Pillay attempted a scoop that landed in the keeper’s hands and South Africa were eventually dismissed for 244 off the final ball.Their defence began on a promising note when Lizaad Williams bowled Daniel Bell-Drummond, who’s had a poor tournament, off the inside edge and celebrated in a manner similar to Shahid Afridi. He would celebrate like that once again, while England were imploding later in the innings.Ben Foakes and Alex Davies, however, gave England a superb chance. Their 100-run partnership was slow, but with nine wickets in hand, an asking rate of just over six for around 25 overs should not have been a problem. Foakes, however, was dismissed for 54 by Subrayen just when he had begun to accelerate. Jamie Overton was promoted ahead of his more accomplished twin to bring down the required rate but scored only four runs. He too fell to Subrayen. England were suddenly 112 for 3.Calvin Savage, who didn’t take a wicket until the end, created pressure through economical overs, and when he did pick up the eighth England wicket, his emotion was reminiscent of Dale Steyn’s.Only Davies, who was also out for 54, and Foakes made it to double figures for England. South Africa’s pressure in the field was relentless and their encouraging shouts to each other in the field grew louder with each step towards the next round of the Under-19 World Cup.

ألمح الدولي الهولندي جورجينيو فاينالدوم، لاعب وسط فريق ليفربول، إلى إمكانية بقاءه في حمُر الميرسيسايد.

ومن المفترض أن ينتهي عقد اللاعب الهولندي مع بطل الدوري الإنجليزي، في عام 2021.

ولم يتوصل فاينالدوم إلى أي اتفاق مع مسؤولي ليفربول حول تجديد عقده، مما أدى إلى انتشار التكهنات حول مستقبله.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ليفربول يتوصل لاتفاق مع بايرن ميونخ لضم تياجو ألكانتارا

فاينالدوم مرتبط بإمكانية الانتقال إلى صفوف برشلونة الإسباني في نافذة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية، ولكن تقارير صحفية ذكرت أن يورجن كلوب مدرب الريدز، أقنع الهولندي بالبقاء.

وكتب فاينالدوم عبر حسابه الرسمي بموقع التواصل الاجتماعي “تويتر”: “محمد صلاح جاء إلي وقال..”؛ مُستخدمًا رموز تعبيرية (إيموجي للإشارة بالبقاء).

Mo came up to me and said… 👇🏾😜 pic.twitter.com/bTOjsGMlsf — Gini Wijnaldum (@GWijnaldum) September 17, 2020

Manuel Pellegrini has changed up West Ham United’s system for (mostly) the betterment of the Hammers. 

However, one player he’s been unable to get the best out of is Arthur Masuaku, that’s for sure. Indeed, the left-back was quite the revelation for the Irons last season, igniting their attack with his commendable work down the left flank as David Moyes steadied the ship.

Yet, for one reason or another, the experienced manager has not seen that much potential in him. Masuaku’s made 17 Premier League appearances for the Hammers this season but hasn’t improved defensively. In fact, his disastrous display in their 3-0 battering away at Wolves looks the boiling point of Pellegrini’s patience.

Not only has he not started a match since, Masuaku is apparently being readied for being sold off. According to reports (according to the Daily Mirror via HITC), the Hammers are looking to offload him due to his defensive weakness.

However, this could be a mistake.

Masuaku might not be the best defensively, but his attacking contribution cannot be disregarded.

Also, apart from Aaron Cresswell (who has the knack of picking up injuries), the Hammers don’t have enough cover at left-back right now. Other issues must be addressed over the course of Pellegrini’s second summer in charge and they shouldn’t waste money buying defenders.

Indeed, while Felipe Anderson has made the left-wing role his own, Masuaku can be an effective squad player for The Hammers. Furthermore, rotating him with Cresswell and reigniting his competitive nuture can help him and mitigate the amount of times he’s left on his own defensively.

While Masuaku needs to improve his defensive knowledge, his attacking contribution cannot be undermined. In games where West Ham’s attack is nullified, he can be Pellegrini’s trump card due to his electric, tricky nature and crossing ability.

Letting him go for cheap can come back to haunt West Ham next season.

[ad_pod ]

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…

According to Football Insider, West Brom are hoping to sign Newcastle’s Jacob Murphy before the end of the transfer window. 

The Baggies have made the 23-year-old their number one target, as they seek to replace Harvey Barnes before the end of the month after the 21-year-old returned to parent club Leicester.

The winger has struggled for game time at St James’ Park so far this season, although he did start in The Magpies’ recent FA Cup loss to Watford. Other than that, he has managed just three starts in the Premier League, and he will surely want a move away from the club in order to play more often. He only signed for Newcastle in the summer, but it looks as though it has not worked out.

However, West Brom could seriously profit from the player’s unhappiness currently, and a signing like this could inject a lot of optimism at The Hawthorns. Being in the Premier League, Murphy would be player that provides a lot of quality to an already exciting West Brom team. What would make this move so enticing to Murphy is that manager Darren Moore likes to play an attacking brand of football which has seen the likes of Barnes, Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle thrive this season. In contrast, Newcastle manager Rafa Benítez adopts a slightly more conservative style that could irritate a winger like Murphy.

With The Baggies chasing promotion back to the Premier League, this is the kind of signing that will boost spirits this season and put them in good stead for next term.