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Leeds United produced an emphatic display to overcome struggling Reading by a 3-0 scoreline at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday night and return to the top of the Championship table.

All three goals came in the first half, as midfielder Mateusz Klich opened the scoring before veteran Spaniard Pablo Hernandez notched a well-taken brace. After the break, the Whites were comfortable and managed the game with ease, whilst No. 9 Patrick Bamford missed a handful of chances to add some gloss to the scoreline.

It was an accomplished performance from the Elland Road outfit, and with the run in fast approaching, and the race for automatic promotion so tight, fans can take heart from such a calm and composed display. 

The win certainly gave an insight into what kind of shape Bielsa’s side are in as the finish line for the campaign begins to come into sight. Here’s three things we learned…

Bielsa was right to retain faith in Ayling

Right-back Luke Ayling’s performances in recent weeks have left plenty to be desired. However, Bielsa stuck with the 27-year-old in his starting XI throughout this time and was rewarded with a fine performance on Tuesday.

The full-back was devastating in the final third and notched two assists for his creative efforts. He also was generally very solid defensively and distributed the ball well. However, despite the many upsides to his display, the Arsenal academy product was perhaps fortunate to avoid a red card following one particularly poor challenge.

All in all though, it was certainly a step in the right direction for Ayling.

Hitting form at the right time

Ayling is not alone in having improved recently. Leeds themselves have won four games on the bounce, scoring ten and conceding only twice in that run. Prior to this winning streak the Yorkshire club had won only two of their last six league matches. 

Bielsa’s side now look to have emerged from this sticky patch, with their title ambitions still very much intact, and are now hitting form and gathering momentum at the perfect time. 

The Whites face fellow promotion hopefuls Sheffield United at Elland Road on Saturday in what could potentially be a season-defining encounter for both sides. Leeds will be going into it full of confidence and belief, fuelled by their recent dominance. 

Still lacking efficiency 

Despite the club’s results having improved dramatically, a certain flaw remains. The Whites are still not clinical enough in front of goal. They’re certainly far too reliant upon moments of sheer brilliance from Hernandez to make up for the number of easy chances they miss.

Bamford demonstrated against Reading that he’s still missing a ruthless edge. They were able to get away with this because they could produce such a high volume of chances against the relegation-battlers.

This will not be the case against the Blades though. Chris Wilder’s side are a formidably solid defensive unit, so Leeds must be efficient and capitalise upon any chances they get. 

An idealistic mind can often be a thing of danger.

Crystal Palace are realising this the hard way, with manager Roy Hodgson’s philosophy not exactly matching their own. The experienced manager took them a long way in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, only to fall disappointingly to Watford, rendering the rest of the campaign pointless.

In a game pitting the new style against the old, Javi Gracia proved why the new and emerging tactics will always be more effective. Watford outwitted Palace in their own game, giving them enough respect to hold their line and nudge through a win. Hodgson, however, was lacklustre with his approach.

The Hornets wouldn’t allow a repeat of the 2016 FA Cup haunt them. Despite Michy Batshuayi’s world-class strike serving as a beacon of hope, the Hornets crushed their hopes immediately afterwards. A lack of concentration or organization caused the Eagles downfall. Unlike Gracia, Hodgson wasn’t pragmatic enough with his approach and went into the game thinking his side as the “bigger” one, something which came back to haunt him.

However, much to everyone’s surprise, he discarded the FA Cup “as a bonus”, reiterating the Eagles’ focus on securing a better Premier League finish. He’s done a lot of good work at Palace, but Hodgson doesn’t have that winning mentality anymore.

Under his reign, the Eagles will keep on strutting ahead and never really achieve anything commendable anytime soon. The Eagles had the opportunity to fly high in the FA Cup once again yet failed. As good a job Hodgson has done, he’s beginning to look behind the times.

Yet Hodgson’s careless approach tarnished their hopes, robbing the fans of a date with Wembley.

Palace fans, do you feel Hodgson should be replaced next season? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Loads of Rangers fans have been giving their verdict on Friday’s shock news, as Alfredo Morelos has signed a new contract for the second time this season.

Morelos penned a new contract at Ibrox back in September, which was designed to keep him at the club until 2022, per BBC.

The striker has been heavily linked with a move away from the club since then though, especially recently with both Leicester City and Borussia Dortmund reportedly interested in the Colombian.

He has now penned another deal with the Gers, reaffirming his love for the club that has given him his big break in Europe.

“I have come to realise just how special Rangers FC is and what it means to so many people around the world.

“Also, I feel a strong connection with the fans and they have made me feel special,” the 22 year-old told the club’s official website after signing his new and improved deal.

Despite the touching comments, fans are still preparing for his exit in the summer, as with 28 goals and 11 assists in all competitions it feels like only a matter of time before the Premier League comes calling.

Even if Morelos does intend to leave, signing this deal puts the club in a very strong negotiating position, so he deserves credit for handling his future in such a way.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where fans fully expect their talisman to depart despite this huge development…

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Crystal Palace have had a pretty unremarkable season so far and while there have been some spectacular high points – see the 3-2 win over Manchester City and Andros Townsend’s thunderbolt volley – the Selhurst Park faithful can feel disappointed that they have been unable to break their season-after-season relegation battle, considering the quality they have in all areas of the pitch.

Roy Hodgson is sometimes guilty of choosing the wrong approach or making peculiar tactical decisions but he and his players deserve credit for the extraordinary turnaround during the 17/18 season, in which a number of players stepped up to the plate and proved their value.

This season, though, there have been few remarkable performers and arguably more who have declined. Who, then, are Palace’s most improved and far removed players?

Most improved: Jeffrey Schlupp

While Aaron Wan-Bissaka has certainly been the Eagles’ most impressive and consistent player this season, the 21-year-old has been that good since his debut in February last year, while Jeffrey Schlupp has come on leaps and bounds since last campaign.

The Ghanaian is taking the label of ‘utility man’ to a whole other level – deployed at left-back, left-midfield and, more importantly, central-midfield, the former Leicester man has been the surprise package of Palace’s season.

Tucked into a three, the 26-year-old has brought rare pace and a quality finishing touch to the Palace midfield, scoring five goals – a tally that brings him level with Wilfried Zaha.

Far removed: Patrick van Aanholt

Previously keeping Schlupp out of the lineup, van Aanholt was hugely impressive last season and struck up a dangerous partnership with Zaha on the left-flank, although this campaign he has looked less confident on the ball and his defensive shortcomings are being exposed far more often.

In the 17/18 season, the nine-cap Dutchman was a scoring threat for the Eagles, striking five times in 28 league appearances – however, he has netted just once in 26 appearances in 18/19.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

When he isn’t contributing going forward, the reasoning behind starting the 28-year-old is far less convincing considering his often poor positioning on the back foot can be a liability. He can undoubtedly bounce back from this disappointing six months, although he needs to get his act together sooner rather than later.

Liverpool will feel confident that they can get the job done in the second leg of their Champions League tie at the Allianz Arena, as the Reds were by far the dominant team during the first leg. 

Although, the Reds will be hoping to get more out of their front three from here on in until the end of the season as they struggled to unlock Bayern Munich’s defence, and dropped off the pace against West Ham and Leicester City.

Indeed, bringing in another quality attacker may just do the trick in the summer transfer window, and it appears as if one of the world’s best may be on the market, as according to Marca (via the Daily Mail), Real Madrid are considering selling Gareth Bale in the summer transfer window.

The Welshman has failed to fill the huge void left by Cristiano Ronaldo in the current campaign, which has forced the Spanish club into looking at possibly selling him in the summer.

FSG really could surprise everyone by launching a move for the attacker as he’s established himself as one of the world’s best in recent years. And, the 29-year-old upset the whole Liverpool fan-base last season during the Champions League final as he scored a brace to help Real Madrid secure a 3-1 win in Kiev.

Of course, the Reds already have the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino leading the line at this moment in time, but Bale has the ability to take them to the next level and has already shown that he can deliver world-class performances in the Premier League from his time at Spurs.

Bale has produced 12 goals and five assists in the current campaign, which is definitely low by his standards, so he could prove to be a real danger in Jurgen Klopp’s possession as he has a knack for getting the best out of players.

What do you think Liverpool fans?

يستقبل فريق ريال مدريد نظيره بلد الوليد، اليوم الأربعاء 30 سبتمبر، بمنافسات الدوري الإسباني لموسم 2020/2021.

ويلتقي الفريقان بملعب “ألفريدو دي ستيفانو”، مُعقل النادي الملكي، ضمن لقاءات الجولة الرابعة من الليجا.

ريال مدريد خاض مباراتين في الليجا، أمام ريال سوسييداد، وريال بيتيس، تعثر في الأولى وانتصر في الثانية بشق الأنفس، فيما تم تأجيل مباراة الجولة الأولى له.

ويحتل ريال مدريد المركز السابع في سلم ترتيب الدوري الإسباني برصيد 4 نقاط، فيما يتواجد بلد الوليد في المركز السابع عشر ولديه نقطتان. موعد مباراة ريال مدريد وبلد الوليد

تنطلق المباراة في تمام التاسعة والنصف مساء اليوم الأربعاء بتوقيت القاهرة، العاشرة والنصف بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة ريال مدريد وبلد الوليد

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS HD1.

ويُمكنكم مُطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة على مركز المباريات من هنا.

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Liverpool are interested in signing Manuel Lanzini, Football FanCast reported on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp’s side were eyeing the Argentina international last year, prior to his cruciate knee ligament injury that ultimately ruled him out of his country’s World Cup campaign.

FFC understands that Liverpool have continued to monitor the 26-year-old and could make a bid in the summer, with his form last season convincing Klopp that he could make the jump to Anfield.

Lanzini scored five goals and laid on nine assists in all competitions in 2017-18 but his injury put paid to any chance of a big-money transfer. His comeback, however, took place on Friday as the Hammers beat Fulham 3-1.

Sources at West Ham have confirmed that Liverpool’s previous interest in Lanzini was genuine, while there is a fear at the club that the Premier League leaders’ recent lack of form and creativity could see them reignite that interest in the summer.

And it is surely a damning indictment of the Reds’ transfer strategy – and Sporting Director Michael Edwards – that they are considering returning for the attacking midfielder.

He is, of course, a highly talented player; technical, skilful, able to unlock any defence he is presented with.

But both Xherdan Shaqiri and Naby Keita should be playing in that role at Anfield. Shaqiri cost the Reds a relatively minimal £13million, but his team-mate cost a staggering £48m.

At the time, both signings seemed astute and were widely praised by Liverpool fans; Shaqiri was seen as an incredibly shrewd bargain – a masterstroke of an alternative to Nabil Fekir, while Keita, per Oddschecker, received more bets than any other Premier League star to win the Player of the Year award at the end of the season.

He has not settled at Anfield, though, and he was picked out for criticism by Reds legend Jamie Carragher after the recent 1-1 draw with the Lanzini-less Irons.

Carragher, per Goal, told Sky Sports that he “kept losing the ball,” while Chris Sutton told BBC Radio Five Live that “you expect more from Keita and that is the difference with Liverpool,” per the Daily Express.

Shaqiri, meanwhile, has played at No.10 just five times this season in the Premier League and for large parts of the campaign, Jurgen Klopp has even preferred to move Roberto Firmino back into midfield than deploy the Swiss international in his best position.

In two of Liverpool’s last three games – against Bayern and Watford – Shaqiri was left to watch from the bench.

Of course, Liverpool are trying to win the Premier League title and have lost just once this season.

They may well be champions but it will be as a result of their starting XI, and the trio of Mohamed Salah, Firmino and Sadio Mane; their bench will have very little to do with it.

Hence the interest in Lanzini, which dates back over a year.

That Klopp sees him as a potential upgrade on the two players who cost the club over £60m should say everything you need to know about their contributions. They have ultimately flopped and left Liverpool in need of a replacement.

That man may well be Lanzini.

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There is light at the end of the tunnel. It seems that Tottenham’s proposed move into the new stadium is not some form of new media hoax after all. After progressing to the quarter-final of the Champions League with a convincing 4-0 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund, Mauricio Pochettino was straightforward about the logistics behind his side’s next European home fixture: “I expect to play in the new stadium.”

While the news will naturally be greeted with a sense of cathartic relief after months of relentlessly tedious, jarring and ultimately futile speculation, equally there exists a feeling of anti-climatic ruefulness. This is not the clearly-defined grand opening which fans would have been well within their rights to anticipate for a modern, state-of-the-art footballing cathedral; this has been a chaotic fiasco to get over the finish line which has played out in the midst of the public gaze.

To compound the problem for Spurs, the move has coincided with a complete absence of spending in the transfer market. Through all of this Pochettino has managed to keep the club near the summit of the Premier League table, and it’s about time Levy rewarded his commendable professionalism with a summer signing to transform his team into genuine silverware contenders.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals what Lasagne-Gate was really like for Tottenham’s food-poisoned stars – Check out the video below…

Tottenham are on the cusp of something special, a feeling which has bubbled beneath the surface in north London since they fell just short of the title in 2016, but they are missing vital ingredients to make the final step into Europe’s elite.

The new stadium is unquestionably a factor which will add an extra layer to their credentials next season. New signings, however, will dictate the pattern of the season. With that said, Levy must prioritise a deal to re-sign Gareth Bale when the summer transfer window opens for business.

Not only would Bale’s arrival inject a layer of quality into the squad which has only been matched by Harry Kane in recent years, it would go some way to making up for the entire debacle surrounding the stadium move and represent a symbol of Levy’s intentions in a new era at Spurs.

According to a report published in The Independent in January, Real Madrid have already made contact with the north London club over a deal for Christian Eriksen, and now The Mirror believe that Bale could be used as a makeweight to finance a deal for the Denmark international.

The excitement which a move for the Wales international, valued at £63 million by Transfermarkt, would galvanise the fan base at a watershed moment in the club’s history. He is already a club icon, a serial trophy winner, a national hero and, perhaps most importantly, a born-winner, as his earth-shattering Champions League bicycle kick served to demonstrate.

For a side who have been starved of signings for such an unprecedented length of time, re-signing the Real Madrid outcast would be a coup for the ages at a time when the club need it most.

The prospect of watching Bale in action at the new stadium is a dream which would surely counteract the nightmare of the ordeal which has preceded their long-awaited move.

West Brom fans are in need of some good news, with their club, seemingly, no closer to appointing a new manager following the dismissal of Darren Moore two weeks ago.

A return to fitness for, Tosin Adarabioyo and Kieran Gibbs — two of the Baggies’ key players — this season could provide them with something positive to talk about for a change.

The pair have played a big role in Albion’s season to date, and the extra week off for the international break has helped minimise the impact of the pair’s injuries.

Fans had hoped to be heralding a new manager during the break, but hearing that defensive duo should be available for their next game, a derby against rivals Birmingham, is a timely boost for them.

Albion’s head of science and medicine, Andy Leaver, told the club’s official website: “Kieran (hip) and Tosin (hamstring) are now back in training. They’ve worked hard over the break.”

Former Arsenal full-back Gibbs, who opted to stay at the Hawthorns following relegation, has played in 31 of the Baggies’ Championship games this season, before missing the last four, and weighing in with three goals and four assists this season, is the perfect fillip for caretaker manager James Shan.

Manchester City loanee, Adarabioyo, has been similarly impressive during his spell at the club, but with Albion managing clean sheets in both games that the 21-year-old has missed, it remains to be seen if Shan will alter things in the heart of his defence.

We think the duo’s return is a massive plus for West Brom’s run-in, but it is Gibbs’ return that is sure to please fans most.

He has been one of Albion’s most consistent players this year, and although his defensive performances have been solid, it is the added attacking threat that will help the Baggies on their likely road to Wembley, through the play-offs.

If the pair find their way back to the starting lineup, and help cement another win or two, the Albion board will almost certainly hand the manager’s job to the current caretaker boss.

Albion fans, is the return of your defensive pair good news for you during this drawn-out period of uncertainty? Let us know your opinion…

Patrick Bamford has steadily been adding his value to the Leeds United team in recent weeks and his brilliant shift against West Brom on Friday night poses well for how the club’s season concludes.

The Whites moved back into second position in the Championship table for the time-being, thanks to two goals by Bamford which saw Leeds beat the Baggies 4-0 at Elland Road, while Sheffield United still have to face their rivals Sheffield Wednesday on Monday evening.

But, if manager Marcelo Bielsa continues to stick with Bamford up-front then Leeds could be in an excellent position come the end of the season to earn automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The Yorkshire club haven’t had the best of starts to the new year and many started to predict their decline in the league as the season draws to a close. However, the performances of Bamford, though, seems to be silencing those critics and could be the key factor to the club’s ultimate success.

The injury to Kemar Roofe a couple of weeks ago added to the club’s pressure and meant Bamford was the only natural goal-scorer.

But, the 25-year-old has relished the opportunity of leading the line of attack and has been brilliant in front of goal since making his long-awaited comeback from injury.

The way he casually fitted back into the system speaks volumes of the calibre player he is and the massive amount of determination he has within. Hence the sizable transfer fee it took to bring the youngster to Elland Road in the first place, after barely pulling up any trees elsewhere – representing something of a risk.

Four goals in six matches since his return from that knee injury have been a massive benefit to the club under the current circumstances and it is hard to see Bielsa leaving him out of any of his remaining starting lineups.

Together with the likes of Pablo Hernandez, who scored an absolutely brilliant goal on Friday evening, Bamford will need to use the pressures and responsibility to his advantage to perform above expectation and inspire the rest of his teammates to see the season out by getting promoted to the Premier League for next season.