Mason Left Furious After Incident with £145k p/w Spurs Ace

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ryan Mason was left furious on the weekend after Clement Lenglet got himself injured through a tactical foul on Wilfried Zaha.

Is Clement Lenglet injured?

It has been a challenging few months for the north London side with their hopes of a spot inside the top four seemingly faded away on the back of their recent results.

And they faced an in-form Crystal Palace side on the weekend who have been able to turn their season around since the return of Roy Hodgson in the dugout.

But the Lilywhites were able to secure a much-needed three points on the weekend thanks to a record-breaking goal from Harry Kane as he leapfrogged second-place Wayne Rooney in the all-time Premier League scoring charts.

The victory has kept Mason's men well within the race for a spot in Europe ahead of next season, however, Spurs were dealt a blow during the game.

Indeed, their French defender, Lenglet, has seemingly injured his arm/shoulder when bringing down Zaha in what can certainly be classed as a 'professional foul'.

There was no attempt made by the Barcelona loanee for the ball, but instead, he took the Ivorian down who was set to dribble past the defender.

Lenglet was immediately withdrawn through injury and Alasdair Gold has spoken on his YouTube channel of Mason's fury after seeing another player pick up an injury:

(1:07:00) "Mason went absolutely ballistic at the physios bringing Lenglet off because in his head, he's thinking: 'Well, we cannot be a centre-back down at this point. We can't do that'."

"But yeah, he was furious and then Lenglet – it was interesting as Lenglet – was furious as well. I'm not entirely sure why. I don't know whether he thought Mason was shouting at him for coming off, or whether he was just really annoyed he had to come off because he didn't think he was that injured. I don't know.

"But certainly he wasn't moving his arm and they went straight down the tunnel. Which essentially to show with the physios that took him down there as if it was serious enough they needed that."

How will this affect Spurs?

A large part of Tottenham's struggles this season could potentially be put down to injuries with a lot of their big-name players having picked up injury issues over the campaign.

Spurs saw both Yves Bissouma and Emerson Royal return to the fold on the weekend from their own respective injuries but the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur remain sidelined for months to come.

And the injury for the £145k-per-week Lenglet comes on the back of not only a defensive tweak from Mason, but also the club's first league clean sheet since February.

Tottenham Hotspur interim manager Ryan Mason talks to Pedro Porro

Mason had dropped Eric Dier on the weekend and played a back three – in possession – of Royal, Cristian Romero and Lenglet with Ben Davies out on the left.

With Lenglet potentially set to miss some time through his suspected shoulder injury, this could see Davies return to a centre-back role with Ivan Perisic coming in at left wing-back.

Alternatively, it could see Dier return to the fold but it would leave some question marks as to who would play in the left-sided centre-back role if Davies was to remain out wide.

Reports remain to circulate as to whether Spurs will look to sign Lenglet in the summer, but with just three games left, time on the injury table is likely the last thing he will want going into the summer.

Leeds United’s remaining fixtures and points prediction after Leicester draw

Leeds United now have just five matches remaining in order to retain their Premier League status for a fourth successive season, but how will they get on between now and the final weekend?

Javi Gracia’s side have struggled in recent weeks, with things taking a downward turn ever since the interval against Crystal Palace earlier this month. The Whites conceded four times in the second half against the Eagles to lose 5-1 and fell to another heavy Elland Road defeat to Liverpool.

Since then, Leeds went to Fulham last weekend and lost 2-1 but did manage to stop the rot by picking up a point against Leicester City on Tuesday evening. It could have been so much better for the Whites, though, with only a late equaliser from Jamie Vardy earning the Foxes a share of the spoils.

Despite this, Leeds are still clear of the relegation zone and will be above the drop zone heading into this weekend’s trip to Bournemouth.

Here are Leeds’ five remaining fixtures – we've predicted how we think they will get on below…

Leeds fixtures 30 April: Bournemouth (a) 6 May: Man City (a) 13 May: Newcastle (h) 20 May: West Ham (a) 28 May: Tottenham (h) Bournemouth v Leeds

Leeds were involved in a seven-goal thriller with The Cherries back in November, with the Whites coming from 3-1 down in the second half to win 4-3.

Gary O'Neil’s side have picked up important wins over Fulham, Leicester and Tottenham recently, though, and a win over Leeds could possibly guarantee them another season of Premier League football after winning promotion last year.

Both sides have struggled defensively this season and have conceded 63 goals prior to Bournemouth’s midweek clash with Southampton, so there may well be goals for both sides in this must-win encounter for the visitors.

Many would argue this is do or die in Leeds’ season with a tough final four games, and after a more promising showing against Leicester, it could be the time Leeds pick up three crucial points.

Prediction: Bournemouth 1-2 Leeds

Man City v Leeds

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola

A trip to the Etihad is next on the agenda for the Whites, with this fixture now moved to a 3pm kick-off on Saturday 6th May due to Man City progressing to the Champions League semi-finals.

Pep Guardiola may well decide to tinker with his squad with one eye on the trip to the Bernabeu, however, Leeds shipped seven here last season.

Leeds did win at the Etihad back in 2021 after a brace from Stuart Dallas, although that was under Marcelo Bielsa in a ninth-placed finish, and with boyhood Whites fan Erling Haaland in fine form, another resounding win for the hosts could be on the cards.

Prediction: Man City 4-0 Leeds

Leeds v Newcastle

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.

Leeds' penultimate home game of the season is against high-flying Newcastle United, who are pushing to achieve Champions League qualification under Eddie Howe.

The Whites managed to keep a rare clean sheet in the reverse meeting back on New Year's Eve, with Leeds only keeping two further clean sheets in 21 games since then.

The Magpies are starting to hit top form after an eye-catching 6-1 win over Tottenham on the weekend, and on the road, they are the third-best side in the league. It could be a nervy occasion with both sides having so much to play for, but it could be a bridge too far for Leeds.

Prediction: Leeds 1-2 Newcastle

West Ham v Leeds

David Moyes has got things back on track for the Hammers in recent weeks, defeating Fulham and Bournemouth and drawing with league leaders Arsenal. Should they continue to pick up points, their Premier League status will more than likely be secured ahead of hosting Leeds on the penultimate weekend.

West Ham could also still be in the Europa Conference League as well, should things go to plan in the semi-final against AZ Alkmaar. The return leg in the Netherlands is actually just three days before Leeds visit the London Stadium, so there could be scope for Leeds to grind out another point in their battle to avoid the drop against a potentially tiring Hammers side, especially after winning 3-2 in this fixture last season.

Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Leeds

Leeds v Tottenham

There could be plenty to play for on the final day for both Leeds and Spurs, with European qualification possibly on the line for Tottenham, now under the leadership of Ryan Mason.

Mason was actually the Tottenham manager the last time Leeds beat Spurs back in 2021, so it could be a nervy affair in West Yorkshire. The final weekend always tends to throw up surprises, and Leeds could have eyes on scores elsewhere, providing they aren't safe before. The Whites narrowly lost the reverse fixture 4-3, and who knows, a point on the final day to finish on a predicted 35 points could just be enough to survive.

Prediction: Leeds 1-1 Tottenham

Predicted run-in points: 5/15 Predicted total points: 35

Gracia Must Ditch ‘Wild’ £20k-p/w Leeds Star

Leeds United fell to one of their most crushing defeats of the season yesterday, letting slip their slender 1-0 lead to eventually lose 5-1 to relegation rivals Crystal Palace.

It was truly a game of two halves, which saw a relentless Whites side relinquish their 1-0 advantage right before the break. Then, coming out for the final 45 minutes, the Yorkshire outfit went into a full meltdown which left both fans and the media in pure confusion.

Journalist Phil Hay wrote a series of impassioned Tweets detailing their collapse, as he first branded the result “The most bewildering half of football most of us have seen in ages”, before suggesting he hadn’t “seen a team vanish like this."

Javi Gracia seemed equally frustrated come full time, but remained as calm as ever to deliver his responses to the media whilst likely hiding his true thoughts.

The Spaniard had never suffered such humiliation since moving to Elland Road back in February, enjoying a largely successful period that had seen them rise out of the relegation zone.

However, this result has seen them firmly entrenched in the battle for survival once again.

One such question that saw the 52-year-old stutter was regarding Luke Ayling’s form, as he claimed: “He tries to do his best. In this moment, I don't want to give my personal opinion about one player.”

The former Watford boss cut a quietly frustrated figure, who likely had plenty more to say on the defender who had let his side down again.

How did Luke Ayling play vs Crystal Palace?

The reply from fellow journalist Tomi Oladipo succinctly sums up the 31-year-old’s performance, as he wrote: “He tries. He just isn’t good enough.”

The 5.3 Sofascore rating posted for the defender supports this, as he was handed the worst rating of anyone on the pitch.

This was underpinned by the fact he was dribbled past a demoralising six times, winning just six duels of the 18 competed in.

luke-ayling-leeds-united-awful-performance-crystal-palace

Having started their last 15 league games in a row now, there was a belief that Ayling had played his way back into form as many overlooked his shortcomings for the leadership qualities on offer.

However, against a resurgent Eagles outfit boasting the skilful exuberance of the likes of Michael Olise and Ebere Eze, the former Yeovil Town man was hopelessly out of his depth.

Of all the goals that damned Leeds to their embarrassing fate, the second right after the restart arguably was the most important.

The fact that it was all of Ayling’s doing only further exacerbates the misery of his display, which the media lapped up.

Journalist Beren Cross first highlighted his “wild diagonal” that surrendered possession, before fellow writer Phil Hay also claimed: “Ayling lets Ayew step in front of him and Ayew heads in unmarked. Poor defending all round and in the build-up. Ayling with head in hands.”

The occasional goal and good performance might mask the deficiencies of the £20k-per-week disappointment, but Gracia cannot go on with this liability in his side.

Indeed, those 'head in hands' moments have been all too frequent of late, with a lazy challenge the right-back's undoing in the defeat to Arsenal a week prior, having given away a penalty on Gabriel Jesus.

With a player like Rasmus Kristensen just waiting in the wings too, perhaps next time out the new boss could seek to ditch this defensive dud for some solidity.

Wolves: Lopetegui must ditch Corbeanu

Wolves winger Theo Corbeanu was once considered one of the brightest young prospects at Molineux but the Canadian's disappointing form out on loan suggests that he doesn't have a future at Molineux.

Should Wolves get rid of Corbeanu?

Wolves would sign Corbeanu from Toronto in 2018 and he has been a regular in the academy sides ever since, contributing seven goals and two assists in 32 appearances for the U18 side.

He replicated those numbers in just 26 appearances for the U21s and would earn a call-up to Nuno Espirito Santo's first team in 2020, making his only senior appearance for the Old Gold as a substitute in the Premier League that season.

U23 boss James Collins was full of praise for Corbeanu and his potential that year, saying:

“He’s athletic, tall, can head it, can defend, can dribble past people and score, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s both footed, he’s got a bit of everything.”

“Theo can be anything he wants to be. He’s an outstanding prospect. But, and there’s always a but with these players, he’s got to learn to play within the system and play with the others, adapt his game for different scenarios and situations."

Wolves clearly felt that it was time for him to be tested in a more senior environment, as he joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan in the first half of last season.

However, he would struggle for regular game time in Darren Moore's side, managing just two goals and three assists in 18 appearances, with the Old Gold opting to send him to League One rivals MK Dons for the second half of the campaign.

While the Canada international would play a regular part in their run to the playoffs in the third tier, making 17 appearances, he did little to impact their hopes of promotion, registering only one goal and a solitary assist for the Stadium MK outfit.

Despite his poor form in League One, the youngster was handed a new four-year deal at Molineux in the summer, which could come back to bite the Old Gold if he fails to progress.

Following the extension of his deal, Corbeanu would link up with Blackpool in the Championship this season having failed to win over Bruno Lage with his performances in pre-season, but once again failed to make much of an impression, delivering three goals and one assist in 18 appearances for the Seasiders.

Soccer Football – Carabao Cup – Round of 16 – Wolverhampton Wanderers v Gillingham – Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain – December 20, 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui reacts REUTERS/Jason Cairnduff EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your accou

The 20-year-old would return to Molineux to have an injury assessed but was then sent to Germany, joining Arminia Bielefeld on loan for the rest of the season, but it seems as if the Bundesliga 2 side will have to go down as another disappointing spell for the winger.

Since January, he has managed just 76 minutes of action in Germany's second tier, with no goals or assists for Uwe Koschinat's side, which is hardly going to aid his development, and he looks set to return to Wolves again in the summer with no real hope of making it in Julen Lopetegui's side.

As such, it would not be a surprise if he was swiftly moved on by Lopetegui and co.

Arsenal: £50m star almost cost Arteta dearly vs Sporting CP

Arsenal’s last-16 Europa League clash with Sporting CP is finely poised after the two sides played out an entertaining four-goal thriller in Lisbon on Thursday evening.

Both teams went into the break with a goal apiece after headed efforts from William Saliba and Goncalo Inacio, though soon after the restart, the home side gave the Gunners a scare, with Paulinho tapping in from close range.

It took an own goal from Hidemasa Morita to level things up after Granit Xhaka’s shot spun in off the Japanese midfielder but Mikel Arteta’s men struggled to assert any dominance in the match thereafter.

Six of the Spaniard’s typical starters featured from the off in Portugal, whilst there was a debut for January addition Jakub Kiwior, who was subbed off by the 71st minute in what will be a night to quickly forget.

However, he wasn’t the only disappointing player on the night as the more experienced Ben White almost cost Arteta and co dearly…

Who was Arsenal’s worst player vs Sporting CP?

As described by journalist Chris Wheatley, it ‘wasn’t his best game’ and that was largely due to his positioning, as noted by fellow reporter Charles Watts, who also wrote that he was ‘caught out position a few times’ throughout the 90 minutes.

This was also reflected by Sofascore’s poor 6.2 rating for his display, which was just as bad as the young Polish gem (6.1). White, despite managing 78 touches and a 94% passing accuracy, had barely any say in the match and if anything, he proved troublesome for Arteta, who was seen shouting at him during the latter stages of the game.

Indeed, the £50m man was dribbled past on two occasions and his only defensive contribution at right-back was a solitary block, so to not provide a clearance, interception or tackle is certainly cause for concern.

Also via Sofascore, the England international won just one of his five duels (20%) and failed to provide an accurate cross or dribble, making his attacking efforts just as meagre.

It wasn’t too long ago that White was being asked questions about, having put in a woeful performance against Everton, with the aforementioned Watts claiming that he is “having a bit of a sort of dip in confidence.”

Whilst many will target Kiwior for his poor debut, the outing from White should be of far greater concern as he very nearly cost Arteta and his side a chance of playing the second leg on a level playing field back at the Emirates Stadium next week.

AND in other news, Arteta could sign his very own Foden in Arsenal swoop for “exceptional” £22m wizard…

Chelsea considering sack Graham Potter

Chelsea are now believed to be considering sacking manager Graham Potter if results don’t improve quickly, according to an important new update.

The Lowdown: Potter under huge pressure

The Englishman has had a tough time of things since replacing Thomas Tuchel back in September, with the Blues currently languishing in 10th place in the Premier League.

Recent reports have suggested that Potter has Todd Boehly’s backing at the moment, with the club looking at the long-term picture, perhaps viewing Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta an example of patience in a project paying off.

That being said, a key update has now emerged that suggests the 47-year-old’s job is far from safe.

The Latest: Sacking not ruled out

According to Football Insider, there is a ‘growing consensus’ on the Chelsea board that Potter should be sacked if current results don’t improve greatly as many have ‘changed their stance’.

While they are ‘hopeful’ that he can turn things around, there may come a point where the Blues’ woes are simply too bad to ignore.

The Verdict: Massive game this weekend

It certainly feels as though Potter is walking a tightrope at the moment  – he is only averaging 1.36 points per game as manager – and this weekend’s trip to fierce rivals Tottenham feels absolutely huge for him.

Defeat in north London could be too much for Chelsea’s board to ignore, especially given the opponent, and the manager himself could have few qualms if he was sacked.

The hope is that Potter can pick up at least a draw this weekend, however, and slowly change things for the better, as top-quality new signings continue to adjust to life at Stamford Bridge.

Injuries certainly haven’t helped Potter, which can be used as an excuse, but he will always be judged on results and they must change drastically from this point onwards.

Tottenham: Spurs could make late Zaniolo move

Tottenham Hotspur could make a late deadline day move for Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs linked with Zaniolo…

Even after the signing of Netherlands international Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal, there has been talk of Spurs potentially making a return move for Zaniolo.

The Italy midfielder has been linked with a move to north London and the Premier League throughout the January transfer window as Antonio Conte seeks to strengthen Tottenham’s top-four charge.

Zaniolo has apparently been asking to leave the Stadio Olimpico, according to his manager Jose Mourinho, and it appears that Spurs among other clubs who could offer him a way out.

The Latest: Tottenham could try one last move…

According to Italian newspaper La Repubblica (via Sport Italia), the Lilywhites could ‘try one last’ attempt to sign the 23-year-old but face stern competition before the transfer deadline.

Both RB Leipzig and Leeds are also thought to hold an interest in Zaniolo leading up to 11pm and Roma only want a ‘definitive formula’ – presumably meaning a permanent deal.

The report adds that the player himself is eager to find a solution by tonight.

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The Verdict: Right man?

It’s been a long time coming for Spurs to try and fill the void left by former playmaker Christian Eriksen, with some members of the media believing that Zaniolo could be the player to do just that.

The Serie A gem, who was once tipped to emulate the likes of Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, has also been called a ‘Conte sort of player’ by members of the Sky panel in recent weeks.

As per WhoScored, he certainly carries a threat when at his best, having averaged a higher rate of completed take-ons per 90 than any other Roma player in the Italian top flight last season.

Zaniolo has also been described by members of the press as having ‘amazing ability’,  and former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson claimed that the ex-Inter man could be another ‘steal’ from Italy for the club in the mould of Dejan Kulusevski or Rodrigo Bentancur.

As the clock ticks down towards 11pm, with Zaniolo apparently eager to leave the Italian capital, Roma could be forced to whittle down their asking price in negotiations, which is thought to be around £26.5m.

We believe it is a transfer which could be quite viable from a Spurs perspective, but the clock is ticking, and Conte’s side must now move quickly.

Spurs: Conte must drop Son vs Fulham

Tottenham Hotspur head into this evening’s Premier League meeting with Fulham in an uninspired run of form, with Antonio Conte’s side having lost five of their last eight top-flight fixtures, including their two most recent outings against Arsenal and Manchester City respectively.

As such, should the 53-year-old manager wish to give his outfit any hope of finishing in the top four come the end of the season, it would appear absolutely essential for Spurs to pick up a much-needed three points at Craven Cottage this evening.

However, with Marco Silva’s newly-promoted side having highly impressed since their return to the Premier League – currently sitting just two points behind Tottenham in 7th – the Italian must ensure that he gets his team selection spot on in west London tonight.

And, one player who looks a prime candidate to be dropped following his latest showing against Manchester City is Son Heung-min – the 30-year-old winger who has, so far this season, fallen well short of the standards he set last time out.

Indeed, after finishing the 2021/22 campaign as the Premier League’s joint top goalscorer, the £47m-rated flanker has so far hit the back of the net just four times this term, with only one of these goals coming over his last 11 outings in the league.

The £190k-per-week forward was largely toothless once again in the 4-2 defeat to City last Thursday, with the South Korea international enjoying just 29 touches of the ball – the fewest of Conte’s starting XI – taking just one shot at Ederson’s goal – which failed to hit the target – making no key passes and being unsuccessful with his one attempted dribble.

Furthermore, the 30-year-old also managed to win just one of his seven duels, lost possession of the ball on five separate occasions and was beaten by an opponent once – with these metrics seeing the player who talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy once labelled “toothless” average an extremely disappointing Sofascore match rating of just 6.5 for his efforts on the night.

As such, considering the fact that Spurs currently have a £60m left-winger sitting on the bench in Richarlison, it would appear extremely wise for Conte to finally axe Son from his starting XI against Fulham this evening, as the 108-cap international has been well and truly “woeful” – in the words of talkSPORT’s Lianne Sanderson – in recent weeks.

Rangers want Ryan Kent to stay

Rangers are still hoping that Ryan Kent will stay and sign a new deal at the club, Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

What’s the word?

The Englishman is out of contract at the end of the season, and there is currently no indication that he is about to sign a new deal.

The 26-year-old has been a star player since his arrival in 2019, scoring 32 and assisting 54 times in 202 appearances for the Gers.

Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke shared that the club have not given up hope of Kent staying beyond the end of this season:

“They will make a decision on his future, then when his contract expires, but Rangers are still hoping that they can persuade him to sign a new deal,” he claimed.

A big loss

With Alfredo Morelos also set to leave when his contract expires in the summer, Michael Beale will have a huge task on his hands as he aims to replace a lot of attacking output in his side.

If he does not stay, then Kent will be a difficult figure to replace, given that he is one of the more experienced members of the side, and has often delivered on the biggest occasions for the club.

Kent was instrumental as Rangers reached the Europa League final, and put in a masterclass against Borussia Dortmund in the knockout stages that Jorg Albertz described as “unbelievable” – and players who can make an instant impact on his level are not easily found.

At 26, he is entering his prime years, and if Beale can convince him to commit his future to the club, then Kent has the potential to write himself into Rangers history if he can help lead the club to more glory.

Everton must unleash Ben Godfrey

Everton return to action today as they host the Premier League’s bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers at Goodison Park.

With both teams enduring a tough season so far, it was the Midlands outfit who acted upon their lowly league position by relieving Bruno Lage of his duties and replacing him with Julen Lopetegui, with this match marking the latter’s first top-flight fixture at the helm of the Old Gold.

Both teams will be desperate for a win, with the Toffees having entered the World Cup break off the back of two harrowing losses to Bournemouth.

Having first been dumped out of the Carabao Cup, they lost by the same margin again in the league four days later as they were thrashed 4-1 and 3-0 respectively. As such, Frank Lampard’s men sit just one point above the relegation zone.

What makes this precarious fixture even tougher for Everton is that they will be without Conor Coady, as the loanee from Wolves will be ineligible to face his parent club.

Although the 29-year-old has already established himself as one of the Toffees’ best and most influential players – with DaveOCKOP dubbing him a “good leader” – it may come as a surprise that the £55k-per-week colossus is not already a permanent addition. That leaves Lampard with a defensive dilemma as he ponders who to play beside James Tarkowski this afternoon.

With Michael Keane and Mason Holgate having shown their frailties against the Cherries last month, as seen in their lowly Sofascore ratings, they are likely to have fallen even further down the pecking order. Yerry Mina is an option, but his unreliable fitness will surely worry Lampard.

Luckily for the 44-year-old, he could throw the returning Ben Godfrey straight back into competitive action today.

Having suffered a horror leg break in the first game of the season, he made his comeback at the start of November for the under-21s.

Having since had an extra month-and-a-half of rehabilitation, the 24-year-old should now be fit to recapture his form from his debut season at Everton.

Featuring 31 times in the 2020/21 campaign, he recorded a 7.03 rating from Sofascore whilst establishing himself as a physical marvel. As such, journalist James Whaling saw fit to label him a “monster”.

Enjoying a tough tackle and often using his blistering speed to cut out attacks ahead of time, he made 1.1 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and 3.5 clearances per game that season, all whilst having to deputise at left-back (via Sofascore).

Whilst the absence of Coady will likely be felt heavily given his aforementioned leadership traits, Godfrey can ease that burden whilst adding further pace and youthfulness to their back line.

Therefore, Lampard must unleash him from the off today for his first Premier League appearance since the opening day defeat to Chelsea.

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