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On Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool team will go head-to-head with Napoli at the Stadio San Paolo in their second Group C match of their Champions League campaign.

The Reds already have three points in the bag after defeating group favourites Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 at Anfield.

The opponents in Naples are a completely different animal, but Liverpool have enough quality in their team to get a favourable result.

Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are one of the deadliest attacks in Europe when on top form, while the midfield is bursting with personnel.

Virgil van Dijk has calmed Liverpool’s defensive woes and they now have a world-class goalkeeper in Brazil’s number one Alisson.

The last time that the Reds took on Napoli away was in 2010 when Roy Hodgson was in charge.

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No disrespect to the players involved, but collectively their quality did not much the current squad at Klopp’s disposal.

In the October 2010 Europa League tie, which ended in a goalless draw, Liverpool lined up with Pepe Reina in between the sticks.

Paul Konchesky, Jamie Carragher, Martin Skrtel and Martin Kelly lined the back four, with Christian Poulsen, Jonjo Shelvey and Jay Spearing in midfield.

Milan Jovanovic and Ryan Babel occupied the wings with David N’Gog leading the line.

Liverpool fans have had plenty to say about the difference in quality.

Sheffield Wednesday climbed into the playoff places on Sunday with a 2-1 win away at Bristol City, and Owls fans on Twitter were buzzing with the performance of Lucas Joao.

The 25-year-old netted both of Wednesday’s goals in just two second-half minutes after the hour-mark, after the home side had had the better of the opening stages.

Joao didn’t start the game for Jos Luhukay’s side but was sent on in the 18th minute for striker Steven Fletcher after the 31-year-old, who has been in fine form recently, was taken off with an injury.

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The Portuguese striker has two caps for his country and although his finishing is often questioned, against Bristol City he took both of his goals brilliantly.

With 10 minutes to go, Matty Taylor halved Wednesday’s advantage from the penalty spot after Callum O’Dowda was fouled, but Luhukay’s side held out to record an impressive away victory. Check out some of the best tweets in reaction to Joao’s performance below.

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With such illustrious playmaking talent in front of him in Manchester City’s midfield, sometimes its easy to forget how important a player Fernandinho is for Pep Guardiola’s side.

But then comes a game like at Anfield on Sunday when technical flair isn’t quite so prevalent, or at the very least not quite so potent, and the Brazil international suddenly emerges as a composed, calculated and quite simply crucial figure amid a tense ninety minutes.

In possession, Fernandinho has always been a pivotal linkup between defence and midfield, but it was his qualities and cuteness off the ball that made such a difference against a Liverpool team that netted seven times during City’s two visits to Merseyside last season.

He kept the Reds’ usually rampant attack at bay with three tackles, three interceptions, four clearances and perhaps most impressively of all considering he wasn’t booked, four fouls.

It was that maturity which helped City through a game at a ground that has caused them so many problems down the years, and clinch an away point against the only team in the Premier League with a genuine psychological edge over them.

But due to turn 34 before the end of the season, Fernandinho’s gritty performance also highlights the biggest long-term issue Guardiola’s team currently faces – eventually replacing such a pivotal figure.

Fred was pinpointed as his successor in January but never arrived, now plying his trade with Manchester United instead, and Jorginho received the same label last summer, only for Chelsea to beat City to his services instead after appointing Maurizio Sarri.

Fernandinho’s performance on Sunday provided a crucial reminder of how detrimental those misses in the transfer market could prove to be for the Etihad Stadium outfit. In terms of experience, ability and suitability to Guardiola’s system, there really aren’t that many obvious alternatives out there right now.

According to a recent report from The Sun, Antonio Valencia could be set for a move away in the not-too-distant future. The 33-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League heavyweights Manchester United and has done so since leaving Wigan Athletic back in 2009, in which time the defender has appeared over 300 times for the Red Devils, helping them win several trophies in the process.

Yet reports suggest that a clause on his current contract, due to end in the summer, enables Valencia to sign a pre-contract agreement as early as March, which is news that should be of keen interest to Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, as the right back would be the perfect mentor for young Eagles star Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Wan-Bissaka has enjoyed quite the rise in the last few years after coming up through the youth ranks at Selhurst Park, with the 20-year-old appearing seven times in the Premier League for the London-based outfit last season, before becoming a first team regular under Hodgson this term.

The England Under-21 international has started seven of their eight league games this time round and missed the other one only as a result of the red card he picked up against Liverpool the match previous, with the right back showcasing his qualities both offensively, grabbing an assist in their opening weekend win at Fulham, and indeed defensively, helping the Eagles to three clean sheets.

In fact, other than talisman Wilfried Zaha, it’s arguable that Wan-Bissaka has been Palace’s most impressive performer in the early stages of the campaign, but at the tender age of 20, there is still a long way for the young defender to go in his career, and learning from someone who has been there and done it in the Premier League can only help – £7.2 million-rated Valencia (as per Transfermarkt) could be that man.

The 33-year-old may well be entering the twilight of his career, but he has been a stalwart at Old Trafford in the last nine years, appearing 335 times in all competitions for the Red Devils, helping them win two Premier League titles as well as a whole host of other trophies.

And in becoming a full back during his time at the club, having initially joined as a winger back in 2009, Valencia himself has learned how to adapt his game and get the best out of it as a right back, with the defender winning the club’s Player of the Season award back in 2012 such were his efforts in that position.

Thus, who better to mentor Wan-Bissaka through his Premier League adventure than Valencia, who in recent years has been arguably one of the best right backs in the division both offensively and indeed defensively, and someone who several United managers have trusted to do a job down the right-hand-side.

Ultimately, Palace’s Wan-Bissaka has an extremely bright future ahead of him in the game, and bringing someone like Valencia to Selhurst Park, who of course is still plenty good enough to compete for a first team spot, can only be good for the 20-year-old in his bid to become the best player he can possibly be.

Palace fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Arsenal face competition from Lyon and Real Madrid in the hunt for Porto midfielder Hector Herrera, according to O Jogo via CalcioMercato.

What’s the word?

Unai Emery’s Arsenal are flying high after nine consecutive victories across all competitions prior to the international break but there is still plenty of work to do, particularly as the club prepare for a major departure in 2019.

Aaron Ramsey looks set to leave the Emirates Stadium after a breakdown in contract negotiations and Arsenal are in the hunt for a replacement, with Emery seemingly setting his sights on Porto’s Mexico international Hector Herrera.

However, according to O Jogo via CalcioMercato, Arsenal will face competition in the market for the 28-year-old from Real Madrid and Lyon who are both interested in a player who will become a free agent at the end of the season.

A deal worth pursuing?

Arsenal may well be in the hunt for a new midfielder as they prepare to lose Ramsey, potentially as early as January, but Herrera is not a signing who would adequately replace the Wales international for a number of reasons.

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Firstly, the Mexico ace is a different sort of player to Ramsey and would be more likely to compete with the likes of Lucas Torreira, Granit Xhaka and Matteo Guendouzi for a deeper role in Arsenal’s midfield but perhaps the most important fact is that he is not a signing who would inspire the fans.

Ramsey has a cult-hero status at the Emirates Stadium after scoring two FA Cup final-winning goals for Arsenal in recent campaigns and a bigger name is needed to counter the blow that the Gunners will experience once the former Cardiff City man brings an end to his decade in North London.

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Real Madrid currently sit seventh in the La Liga standings after nine games and are four points below leaders Barcelona, who they meet for El Clasico on Sunday. Julen Lopetegui has underachieved since his controversial arrival in the summer and looks set to be sacked, with former Chelsea bosses Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho potential successors.

Thibaut Courtois, who moved to Santiago Bernabeu from Stamford Bridge in the summer after refusing to sign a new contract with the Blues, has been in terrible form for Los Blancos. The 6 foot 6 custodian has let in eight goals in seven games and kept only two clean sheets, prompting Chelsea fans to troll him extensively.

According to El Pais (via the Express), the lanky Belgian launched into a rant at the prospect of a reunion with Conte or Mourinho, in which he said: “I left London to not have to go through something like that again and now it turns out that Conte comes, and if not, Mourinho”.

Chelsea fans react to their former ‘keeper’s plight on Twitter…

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Sunderland owner Stewart Donald has told the Roker Rapport podcast that captain George Honeyman is on course to trigger a one-year extension clause in his contract, and Black Cats fans should be delighted.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 24-year-old midfielder has become a really key player for the Wearside outfit this term as they look to make an instant return to the Championship – so much so that he was handed the armband by manager Jack Ross.

He has repaid the faith shown in him by the Scot with two goals – including one in the 3-0 success against Southend United at the Stadium of Light on Saturday – and two assists in 14 League One appearances from the middle of the park to help the club to third in the standings.

Despite his success his current deal actually runs out at the end of the current campaign, but Donald has confirmed that he is on course to trigger a one-year extension to ensure that he will be with them whichever division they find themselves in next season.

Speaking to the Roker Rapport podcast, Donald said: “George Honeyman, if he plays an X amount of games gets an extra year, so I think George is here for next year anyway.”

Will Sunderland fans be happy?

They certainly will be.

While he struggled to make an impact for them as a youngster when the club was in the Premier League, he has become an influential figure on and off the pitch and a real fans’ favourite over the course of the past 12 months or so.

To take the armband off of the experienced Lee Cattermole is certainly no mean feat, but it shows the trust that Ross has in him and supporters won’t want to lose a player that clearly cares about the club anytime soon given their recent history.

If he and the team continue to play as well as they have in the first few months of this season for the remainder of the campaign, he will likely lead the Black Cats back to the Championship in 2019 anyway.

Declan Rice has been one of the most talked about individuals in the Premier League this season due to a lack of clarity regarding his future at both club and international level. 

The West Ham youth product’s refusal to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Hammers is giving the supporters plenty of cause for concern about where his future lies, but speculation regarding his international future has become the most intriguing sub-plot in his fledgling career.

And a recent report from the Daily Star suggests that a decision is looming on the horizon, with Rice set to pledge his international future to the England national team.

It’s a decision which Gareth Southgate and the rest of the established England setup will be delighted with after witnessing Rice’s hugely encouraging development in the past twelve months, and it’s fair to say they have high hopes for him if the report is anything to go by.

The report claims that Rice was invited to St George’s Park earlier this month where he ‘was presented with a wide range of statistical data showing him how he could fit into the England set-up.’

Considering how well Rice has been operating in a holding midfield role so far this season, it’s more than likely that Southgate is planning on utilising his quality in place of Eric Dier when the Tottenham man is absent through injury or suspension.

The report also details Southgate’s enthusiasm to have Rice on board and his vision for the Three Lions’ future as further motivating factors behind his decision.

There is nothing concrete or official to substantiate these claims at this moment in time, but the emergence of a feel good factor around the English national side and the extra touches from Southgate suggest that it’s only a matter of time before Rice confirms the suspicions of the British media.

If that does indeed prove to be the case, it will represent another fine piece of management from Southgate as he continues to transform the landscape of English international football.

West Ham fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Manchester City thumped Southampton 6-1 at the Etihad Stadium to move back to the summit of the Premier League table.

City were handed the lead after just six minutes when Wesley Hoedt turned the ball into his own net before Sergio Aguero, and David Silva made it three before the 20-minute mark. Danny Ings converted a penalty after being fouled by Ederson, but City’s dominance continued after the interval. A brace from Raheem Sterling along with an injury time goal from Leroy Sane ensured City leapfrogged Liverpool in the standings.

The Citizens look dominant once again under Guardiola, and the win against the Saints was the 12th time under the Spaniard’s leadership that City have scored five or more goals. The former Barcelona manager has also managed to bring the best out of Sterling who is starting to look like a world-class winger under his guidance. Despite their form, reports suggest Guardiola still wants to sign a long-term replacement for Fernandinho in midfield.

One man he could target is Celta Vigo dynamo – Stanislav Lobotka. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the 23-year-old has developed into a crucial player for the club since joining from Nordsjaelland last summer for just £4.5m. Lobotka made 38 appearances in La Liga last season as Celta proved to be the surprise package in Spain.

The Slovakian has made ten appearances so far this season, and his impressive performances have continued. He excels in a box-to-box role making him perfect for Guardiola’s system on Eastlands and would have no trouble fitting into his passing system; Lobotka has completed 89% of his passes so far this season. His tenaciousness and grit would add real steel to the City engine room and add another rotation option should Fernandinho be sidelined.

The Slovakia international remains a raw talent but could develop into a top midfielder under Guardiola’s guidance.

Manchester City fans, thoughts?

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Italian outlet Sport Mediaset recently reported that Manchester United are amongst the clubs that could sign unsettled Juventus defender Medhi Benatia in January.

The 31-year-old is apparently frustrated with his current lack of game time in Turin and may well opt to force an exit from the Allianz Stadium during the upcoming winter window.

Check out Playmaker FC’s Tom Skinner’s unfiltered take on Wayne Rooney’s England legacy in the video above…

Despite his lack of regular football for the Old Lady, the 55-cap Morocco international remains a top class player with bags of elite level experience, which includes winning titles in Italy with his current club and in Germany with Bayern Munich.

However, whilst Jose Mourinho certainly needs to improve the Red Devils’ defensive contingent, 6ft 2in colossus Benatia is not the ideal target to bring to Old Trafford.

United need a long-term solution to their defensive woes, whereas Benatia would merely represent a stop-gap, and on his own may not be enough to improve the Premier League club’s fortunes at the back.

Plenty of United fans agree that signing the 6’2” centre-back in January is not the way to go, with 58% of those who voted in our poll opposed to a pursuit of Benatia. See the full results below.