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Liverpool were lucky to emerge from their encounter with Crystal Palace last time out in the Premier League with a 4-3 win.

On Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp’s table-topping Reds will face Leicester City at Anfield. The Foxes ought to learn from what the Eagles did well and seek to make that part of their own game plan.

On the chalkboard

The Eagles pressed Liverpool intensely, and were able to harry their opponents into making mistakes. Producing those energy levels takes a physical toll, but in the likes of Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Marc Alrbighton, Demarai Gray and Kelechi Iheanacho, Leicester have plenty of attackers to call upon capable of pressing in this manner.

Claude Puel’s side must be positive and confident and willing to take the game to Liverpool. If they do so then they could overcome the home side.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

This off-the-ball game plan could be very effective for the visitors, but what they do once in possession is equally important.

On the ball

Liverpool themselves are a side that press relentlessly. Crystal Palace had the confidence and composure to try to play quick, neat, intricate passes around this press. When it worked it worked to great effect. Andros Townsend’s goal, and the fine build-up play that preceded it, is a good example of this.

Again, Leicester can take inspiration from this. In the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Harvey Barnes, Ricardo Pereira and Maddison, they have players with enough technical ability to play passing football through Liverpool’s press, rather than resort to more hopeful long ball football which will ultimately only see the pressure mount up on them as they repeatedly return possession to Liverpool.

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The Mirror reported on Sunday that Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for a new signing before the January transfer window slams shut on Thursday night, but it is more likely to be a younger player such as Leeds United’s Jack Clarke rather than a big name or a more experienced pro.

The Mirror report that Spurs remain keen on signing the 18-year-old winger who has enjoyed an impressive breakthrough season for the Yorkshire outfit, who remain on course to secure promotion back to the Premier League following their 2-1 win away against Rotherham United on Saturday.

Despite only making three starts in the Championship thus far for Marcelo Bielsa’s men, the attacker is being chased by a whole host of top flight clubs, as per The Mirror, and the north London outfit are hoping to get a deal done as they see him as a player for the future.

Unsurprisingly, the report adds that Marcelo Bielsa’s men have no intention of losing their teen sensation by the deadline, meaning Tottenham would not only likely have to offer a huge fee for Clarke, but also agree to loan him back to Elland Road for the remainder of the campaign.

The 18-year-old may have only played 579 minutes of league football for Leeds during the current campaign, but he has already shown that he has the quality and potential to have a huge future in the English game.

Spurs don’t have a great deal of pace and depth in wide areas right now aside from the likes of Lucas Moura and Son Heung-Min, and even though they still have Georges-Kevin Nkoudou on their books and making appearances right now, he certainly didn’t look up to the task during the 2-0 defeat against Crystal Palace in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Clarke is averaging one shot, 0.9 key passes and 1.4 dribbles per game, as per WhoScored, right now for the automatic promotion hopefuls, and he is a winger that is making a difference when he is on the pitch or when he comes off of the substitutes’ bench.

Pochettino has obviously helped talents who impressed in the lower leagues previously in Dele Alli and Harry Kane become top-class Premier League players and even ones well-renowned across world football, and if the Argentine intends to stay with Spurs for the foreseeable future then he can certainly do the same working with Clarke.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin may be out for the season but it’s given him a chance to show off his new accessory. Check out the video below to see for yourself…

West Ham completed just the one signing in January and that may lead to another big spending spree this summer as Manuel Pellegrini aims to take his side to the next level.

The Hammers haven’t been at their best recently and that led to them dropping down to 12th position, a position that doesn’t justify how good they’ve been at times this campaign.

However, West Ham have to maintain those performances at every time in the season and so their aspirations of finishing in 7th place are looking harder with every game that goes by.

To solve that issue, simply put, West Ham need some better players in the summer transfer window, with a number of players not good enough to take the Hammers forward.

Another midfielder will be key to their success and a man who could really help is Borussia Dortmund’s Mahmoud Dahoud.

The Dortmund star, (who is valued at £16.2 million on Transfermarkt) is a player who would bring a great deal to the London Stadium, having proven himself to be a great player in the Bundesliga over the last few seasons.

At just 23-years-old, Dahoud has established himself in the Bundesliga but has struggled to get himself on the team-sheet consistently, having only started five league games this season.

Yet last season and his first with Borussia Dortmund, he was a regular and played in 34 games, where he does his best to provide six assists.

Dahoud has great vision and a solid passing range. Not only that, he has a good amount of pace which means he could be utilised in a more box-to-box role, helping things happen in-front of goal and giving a hand defensively as well.

West Ham would do well to acquire such a player, who could complement the likes of Mark Noble and Declan Rice even more.

Do you agree… Let us know!

Tottenham face the prospect of losing Toby Alderweireld in the summer, despite extending his deal thanks to a release clause, as reported some time ago by the Guardian.

The Belgian’s future at the club has been uncertain for a number of months now after his signature was pursued by Manchester United over the summer. Jose Mourinho identified the defender as the ideal recruit but their efforts to sign him ultimately failed. With one year remaining on his deal, Spurs activated an extension which activated the £25m release clause which comes into effect during the summer.

His departure could force Mauricio Pochettino into the transfer market for a new defender with Jan Vertonghen also approaching the end of his career. With Juan Foyth still untested at the highest level, adding defensive reinforcements could be vital to mounting another Premier League title challenge.

One man Pochettino could look to sign is Borussia Monchengladbach star – Matthias Ginter. Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, the German has established himself as one of the top Bundesliga centre-backs after leaving Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2017. Ginter has been ever-present for his side this season, making 17 appearances in all competitions.

The 24-year-old, who is also comfortable at defensive midfield, is an excellent defender who loves to get stuck in and reads the game superbly. Dominant in the air, Ginter would have no issues adapting to the physicality of the Premier League. The Germany international is also extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet meaning he would slot seamlessly into Tottenham’s system in their new stadium.

Still developing and improving, working with Pochettino could help him take his game to the next level. Luring him from Germany in the summer could prove to be a masterstroke from the Lilywhites.

Tottenham fans, thoughts?

Leicester should be targeting a new centre forward when the transfer window reopens in the summer.

The Foxes have failed to meet expectations during the current campaign, currently languishing in 12th place. Question marks remain over Claude Puel’s long-term future at the club which is doing nothing to help the players on the field. After excluding Jamie Vardy from the starting eleven against Tottenham last week, even more criticism was directed at the former Southampton manager.

Without the 32-year-old in the attack, Leicester looked toothless and highlighted his importance to the team. Vardy is approaching the end of his career and the Foxes must look to target offensive reinforcements in the summer to lessen the goalscoring burden on his shoulders. With Kelechi Iheanacho scoring just once in the Premier League this year, an upgrade is needed.

One man Puel should be targeting is Genoa wonderkid – Christian Kouame. Valued at £12.6m by Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old is a new arrival at the club after arriving from Cittadella in the summer. The youngster found the back of the net 11 times as well as registering 11 assists in Serie B which prompted Genoa to pay £4.5m for his services.

Kouame’s impressive form has continued in the higher division, netting four goals and registering six assists in all competitions this season. A quick, powerful forward who is comfortable right across the forward line, his arrival at the King Power Stadium would be well received. The Ivorian should have no issues adapting to the physicality of the Premier League as he has won five aerial duels per game on average this season – more than any other Leicester player (WhoScored).

Still developing and improving – Kouame could prove to be a future star in England.

Leicester fans, thoughts?

It was a big summer for West Ham heading into this season after they forked out on the likes of Felipe Anderson and Andriy Yarmolenko.

And the east London club could be about to follow that theme again once the transfer window reopens after the end of the current campaign.

The Breakdown

Claretandhugh reports Manuel Pellegrini is keen on reinforcements, though players will need to be sold to fund a potential spending spree with Arthur Masuaku, Pedro Obiang, Carlos Sanchez, Javier Hernandez and Lucas Perez all said to be names the West Ham manager could be open to letting go.

Most of the above, by no means, are terrible footballers. But if getting rid of them is what it takes for Pellegrini to be able to shape this West Ham squad further in his image, then it has to be done.

After a dreadful start to the season, the Chilean has gone on to show that he could be onto something special with his West Ham side managing to pick up some big results against the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal while playing a more entertaining brand of football along the way.

Considering that, with players he feels are more suited to what he wants to see on the pitch, West Ham could be on course to reaching that next level.

Ultimately, a summer clear-out might just be what the club needs to help give Pellegrini the best London Stadium team yet.

Liverpool have come a long way since solely relying on Mo Salah last year and their development in every department has been telling of Jurgen Klopp’s admirable work.

Not only has he improved his side’s defensive state exponentially, but he’s also helped his attackers take things up a notch as a collective unit.

Sadio Mane (who now has a Transfermarkt rating of £67.5m), for one, has capitalized from this change in tact impressively. After scoring a fantastic brace against Watford, which included an outrageous back-heel finish to send the Kop into raptures, he put an end to their goal drought. While Mohamed Salah is struggling to keep up the heat, Mane’s continued to be Liverpool’s torch-bearer in the attack and looks every inch a title-winning attacker.

The Senegalese winger’s style is different from Salah, but he’s also brought similar lethality into his game-play. Despite his ability, Mane’s talents have sometimes been undermined because of Salah’s incredible goal-scoring run, acting as more of a foil for the Egyptian.

However, now that his team-mate is somewhat struggling at the moment, people are finally recognizing his importance.

Largely known for being the tricky winger at Southampton, Mane’s grown into a much more clinical, decisive player. He’s already scored 14 league goals this season, four more than last campaign. Indeed, he’s scored only three goals less than Salah, despite having played almost 200 minutes less than him and has emerged as Liverpool’s go-to man over the course of his side’s excellent campaign.

He’s blossomed from being an inconsistent winger into a nightmare to defend against. Mane’s not only a pacy, skilful player capable of dazzling fans with his footwork, but the unpredictability he’s inherited to produce brilliant goal-scoring moments is making everyone realize his talent being on par with the mighty Egyptian’s.

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Loads of Sunderland fans have been reflecting on their Checkatrade Trophy success, as the Black Cats secured a spot to take on Portsmouth at Wembley later this month.

Sunderland cruised past Bristol Rovers 2-0 on Tuesday night, courtesy of goals from Will Grigg and Lewis Morgan.

The Black Cats endured a run of bore draws in the league through January and February, but have now won four games on the bounce in all competitions.

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….

They have kept clean sheets in their last three games, and that is due mainly to the fact that the midfield is completely bossing matches at the moment, with Grant Leadbitter, Lee Cattermole and Max Power all in top form.

Tuesday was no different, as Power and Leadbitter ran the show from the middle of the park, with Power’s drive and invention proving the difference in the tie.

The 25 year-old found Grigg for the opener with a delightful pass through the defensive lines, and fans are full of praise for his performance.

Power has prompted plenty of controversy this season, picking up a remarkable three red cards very early on in his Sunderland career, though that didn’t stop Jack Ross making his loan move into a permanent transfer in January.

The ex-Wigan ace has bounced back in a big way from his tough start, and the Twitter reactions down below loved his performance on Tuesday…

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Sheffield United maintained their automatic promotion charge with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Brentford at Bramall Lane on Tuesday.

A first half Oliver Norwood penalty was followed by a late David McGoldrick strike to seal the points for the Blades.

However, Chris Wilder’s side were made to scrap and fight hard for their crucial win, not least because they went down to ten men in just the 35th minute when striker Gary Madine was shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge.

The 28-year-old Cardiff City loanee can have no complaints over his sending off and he certainly let his teammates down. Wilder will be especially disappointed, as the 6’4” forward now faces a three-match ban at a crucial time in the season.

Who would make a combined Sheffield XI? Ingood Nick makes his picks in the video below…

Madine had been in decent form in recent weeks, and has largely impressed since his January arrival, racking up two goals and two assists in ten league outings for the Blades, as per Transfermarkt’s stats.

However, his latest actions won’t have endeared him any further to the Bramall Lane faithful.

After the win over the Bees, plenty of United fans took to Twitter to give their verdict on Madine’s contribution…

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Earlier this month, Football FanCast’s writers attempted to answer a tricky question, naming the most overrated player currently at Tottenham Hotspur.

Well, now comes the time to flip that debate on its head by identifying the most underrated player operating under Mauricio Pochettino’s guidance. With Harry Kane always stealing the headlines, there should be a fair few in north London at the minute.

FFC’s writers give their verdicts below…

James Beavis – Ben Davies

“The Welshman may have come under criticism from Tottenham supporters for performances that haven’t been up to scratch either offensively or defensively this season, but I think he is an important player for Spurs. There would have been a clamour for Danny Rose to be in the starting XI given his history with the club and the fact that he can make a difference in the final third, but he can’t always be relied on from a defensive point of view. What is for sure is that Davies is key, and more reliable than Spurs fans think.”

Billy Meyers – Dele Alli

“Not enough people can see what the England international offers to Spurs, as even when he isn’t playing too well, just his presence on the field helps gel the attack together and make Pochettino’s men tick. His record speaks for itself, and the fact that he doesn’t receive the plaudits more frequently is just testament to the expectations he has set for himself from a young age.”

Jack Saville – Juan Foyth

“Foyth’s high-profile mistakes have clouded perceptions regarding the extent of his potential. Critics have been quick to slate the inexperienced defender without focusing on the positive aspects of his performances, of which there are many. With some fine-tuning to his game and further experience there is no doubt Pochettino can work wonders with him.”

Christy Malyan – Harry Winks

“This lad is pure class. It feels like he’s finally got the recognition recently, but Winks’ involvement still seems to go under the radar more often than not. The standard template of English defensive midfielder – Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson and Declan Rice – highlights how a unique talent Winks really is, prepared to take the ball in pretty much any scenario, even when under pressure, and move it on with purpose. There are plenty of young, exciting English players around at the minute, but Winks is amongst the best of them.”