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Tyrone Mings has been dealt a lucky break by the Premier League postponing Aston Villa’s upcoming clash with Newcastle United amid an outbreak of coronavirus cases at the St. James’ Park outfit.

Steve Bruce’s Toon were due to visit Birmingham on Friday night but lodged a request with the league for the match to be delayed after a “significant increase” of covid-19 cases, which saw Public Health England advise the closure of the club’s training ground at Darsley Park.

Five Newcastle players and two members of staff are believed to have tested positive, resulting in the Premier League reaching the verdict that Friday’s fixture had to be postponed with group training not permitted until Friday at the earliest.

Newcastle being unable to visit Aston Villa on Friday night will be welcome news for Mings, as the extended break following Monday’s defeat at West Ham United will afford the centre-back a chance to reset after underperforming in recent weeks.

Mings has been letting Villans boss Dean Smith down badly with his displays of late, that are far from befitting of a player England boss Gareth Southgate lauded as an “outstanding” leader after handing the 27-year-old his senior international debut last year.

“Since I have been watching him for the past 12-months or so, he’s displayed outstanding leadership qualities. I thought I would see that [against Bulgaria] and I did. He’s an impressive young man,” Southgate said, via quotes by iNews.

Mings has started all nine of Aston Villa’s Premier League fixtures thus far this season and is yet to miss a minute of action, but was miles off the pace in last month’s 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton and Hove Albion and was at fault for overplaying in Monday’s loss at West Ham.

Danny Welbeck picked Mings’ pocket for Brighton’s opener at Villa Park upon the defender’s return from England duty, having been handed his sixth and seventh Three Lions caps in UEFA Nations League fixtures with Belgium and Iceland.

Mings’ error that led to Welbeck opening the scoring for Brighton was not the £80,000-per-week defender’s only mishap, either, with Smith let down by his star man who won just two ground duels, one aerial contest, lost possession 12 times, made one successful tackle and failed to register an interception, per SofaScore.

Smith would have hoped to see Mings bounce back at West Ham, but rather witnessed the 27-year-old fail to register a single successful tackle or interception, lose possession 15 times, attempt – though win – one ground duel and misplace nine of ten long passes.

Mings must now use the extended break between fixtures to hit the reset button to ensure he can hit the ground running when Aston Villa visit West Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 12, as Smith can ill-afford to see another woeful display.

Celtic’s pursuit of ten Scottish Premiership titles in a row is going disastrously.

They got to nine with a canter, fighting off the competition in unrelenting fashion as they made a mockery of their rivals Rangers.

However, in 2020/21, it is the Gers who are doing the mocking.

At the time of writing, Celtic sit a colossal 11 points behind their old nemesis and are in danger of losing their grip on the league crown for the first time in a decade.

It’s refreshing to witness a changing of the guard but how on earth do the Hoops get themselves out of this mess?

Well, the man with the keys to success or failure is Peter Lawwell, Celtic’s CEO.

It’s thought that after the Bhoys’ 2-2 draw with Hibernian that Neil Lennon’s job is still safe at Parkhead but if results continue as they are, it surely won’t be long before Lawwell pulls the trigger and moves for a new manager.

One figure who could replace Lennon is a certain Eddie Howe. Previously touted as a coach to go on and take charge of England, he is now without a job after quitting Bournemouth following their relegation from the Premier League.

A perfectly reasonable option for the Hoops, he could help banish Celtic’s current nightmares on the training ground.

Earlier this week, a shocking revelation came to light from pundit Simon Fry: “I know they still do Brendan Rodgers training, which worries me. If you’re the manager you can’t be doing someone else’s thing you need to do what you want to do.”

Now, we know that Lennon is more of a man-manager than he is a coach, but this is why Howe would be absolutely perfect for Celtic. He is a hard-working trainer and puts in considerable hours on the training ground.

He is the definition of a tracksuit manager, leading his own sessions and staying behind after hours.

Former Bournemouth man Brett Pitman previously said: “It wouldn’t just be ‘do you want to do a session’ and a coach would be there. He [Howe] would be the one taking it, with all his staff – that is special. People might think that is a norm in football but it really isn’t. It is what makes him different.”

Already we can see the stark differences between Howe and Lennon – it really is night and day.

Simon Francis, another of Howe’s ex-players once noted: “He is meticulous. He does not leave any stone unturned. And he instils that work ethic into the players. Because you know that he is buying into it. Not turning up late, not strolling out onto the training pitch late, he is always the first. You can never question anything he does.”

Despite the numerous titles Lennon has brought to Celtic since Brendan Rodgers departed, it’s clear that everything is not quite right at Lennoxtown. This season proves that they’re still living off the Leicester boss’ past glories and methods – that really isn’t good enough for a manager as experienced as the one Celtic currently have.

Perhaps with fresh ideas and a different approach their fortunes will improve. Lawwell must pursue Howe.

Meanwhile, here’s how Celtic can FINALLY replace Scott Sinclair… 

Liverpool will be looking to build on their win over Ajax in the Champions League by restoring their form against Sheffield United. The Reds will play host to Chris Wilder’s side who are desperate to claw their way out of the relegation zone. Jurgen Klopp will be equally eager to get three points on the board, so a tense affair could be on the cards.

After Aston Villa’s loss to Leeds, Everton look clear at the top of the Premier League table, something that will be a dismal sight for Liverpool fans. Catching up to their rivals will be a big target for the Reds right now.

Football FanCast has predicted how Klopp might set up to vie for a win over the Blades…

Whilst the news of Virgil van Dijk’s injury will have many fearing the worst, Klopp has potentially dropped a huge boost regarding first choice goalkeeper Alisson. Speaking to the club’s website, the manager refused to rule out any players who were attending training, which could suggest the Brazilian is ready to make his long-awaited comeback.

After an impressive performance against Ajax, Fabinho has shown he is confident in defence. Sheffield will have hoped van Dijk’s absence would mean an easy result but this could be Liverpool’s match to get themselves back into winning ways, thanks to a makeshift yet strong defence.

After making a cameo appearance, it could be time to see Jordan Henderson return to the action for his side. The Reds have missed the captain’s influence and he could be crucial against a side like Wilder’s. Without the leadership of van Dijk, Liverpool will need Henderson giving directions and keeping everything running smoothly from the middle of the park.

The only other predicted change that could be on Klopp’s mind is to bring Takumi Minamino in. His new found central position could bring a whole new dynamic to Liverpool’s attack and he could be a danger when slotting in just behind Roberto Firmino. It could finally be time for the £9m-rated signing to show what he’s really made of.

In other news, Liverpool may have identified a cut-price replacement for Virgil van Dijk…

Crystal Palace welcome Leeds United to Selhurst Park in Saturday’s Premier League game showdown as both sides look to bounce back from respective defeats.

Roy Hodgson’s side will hope to get back to winning ways after their away trip to Wolves ended in an embarrassing 2-0 defeat.

The Eagles have won three out of their eight games in all competitions so far and enter this weekend thirteenth in the division, tied with Marcelo Bielsa’s side on 10 points apiece. However, Leeds are ahead of the Eagles on goal difference.

Hodgson will be buoyed by the fact that James McArthur has worked his way back from injury, although Palace will be without Luka Milivojevic, whilst the club captain begins a three-match ban after being sent off in the game against Wolves.

Here at Football FanCast, we’ve predicted how we think Hodgson will set his side up for the clash with the Whites, which sees him make three changes to the team that lost to Wolves.

Vicente Guiata is expected to start Saturday’s Premier League game against Leeds amid fierce competition for places, with Jack Butland spotted in training for the first time since he moved to Selhurst Park from Stoke City.

Christian Benteke made a brief cameo in the 2-0 defeat at Molineux but should stay on the bench, whilst Michy Batshuayi may miss out after failing to find the back of the net in his first five fixtures so far. This means that Jordan Ayew could make another appearance after recovering from coronavirus as he came off the bench against Wolves last week.

Jairo Riedewald is due a rest but is expected to start alongside McArthur, who will most likely replace Milivojevic, with Andros Townsend starting on the right wing.

At the back, Hodgson will have wanted to rotate his centre-backs but injury may force his hand, as there are concerns over Gary Cahill and James Tomkins, whilst left-back Tyrick Mitchell remains a doubt after he took a knock in training.

Summer signing Eberechi Eze should partner Wilfried Zaha on the left flank, which will see Jeffrey Schlupp drop to the bench after a poor performance at Molineux.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace may forever regret not signing now-Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk… 

We all love football kits. There’s something about seeing a certain jersey from a time forgot, and the instant nostalgia it brings along with it – resurfacing memories of the beautiful game that had been pushed to the recesses of your memory to one day be unearthed once more.

During the 1990s, the Italian league was regarded as the best in the world, showcasing the best teams with the best players, and a style of football unknown to the people of England. Channel 4’s broadcasting of Football Italia brought a newfound fandom for Italian clubs from the people of the United Kingdom, seeing the Catenaccio system full flow and in all of its beauty – along with some of the most iconic and eye-catching kits known to man.

When looking back at the Italian kits of this era, you can see the inspiration that they provide even now, and it can be hard to choose your favourites from that time, with so many incredible examples to choose from.

With that being said, here we are going to have a look at some of the best kits from the ’90s in the Serie A, in no particular order of course – given that would be an impossible task to perform. So, without further ado, here are some of the best Serie A kits of the 1990s…

Parma A.C. Home, 1995-97

This was a great one from Parma back in 1995, the club wore this kit until the end of the 1996/97 season. The first campaign with it the club managed their highest ever finish in the Serie A, coming second place and just one point behind Champions Juventus. It was also Carlo Ancelotti’s first season managing the club, and what a great kit it was to do it in.

The manufacturer’s Puma really went for it with this one, and the patterning on the sleeves along with a great sponsor is what sells this one for me – whenever someone says Parma you instantly think of the Parmalat sponsor, as well as the iconic white, yellow, and blue colour pallet. All in all, this was a lovely kit, it’s just a shame Stoichkov couldn’t score more goals in it.

Inter Milan Home, 1992-94

A stand out of the 90s era for kits, not just in Italy but worldwide. The Inter Milan home kit that debuted in 1992, is an absolute masterpiece – the standout feature being the iridescent INTER that you can see faintly across the iconic blue and black stripes.

The gold badge and logo are also a standout feature, as well as a fantastic sponsor in Fiorucci – the collar and button are another nice touches, along with the gold INTER also stitched alongside the button on the said collar. This season saw the club win the UEFA Cup against Casino Salzburg, beating the Austrian club 2-0 on aggregate.

SSC Napoli Home, 1989-90

This iconic Napoli kit was made famous for the man wearing it, Diego Maradona. The 1989-90 season saw the club win their second-ever league title – thanks to the attacking talent of Maradona and Gianfranco Zola, finishing the season on 51 points, two above second-place Milan.

This season saw the Argentinian forward score 16 goals in the league for Napoli, captaining the team to a historic title win. The best thing about this kit is the simplicity – the all-over blue with a fantastic ‘Mars” sponsor, but the collar is one of the standouts, it is simple yet effective, and another key aspect was the choice by the manufacturer Ennerre to swap their logo and the club badge around.

Usually, the club badge is placed on the left side of the kit and the manufacturer logo on the right – another aspect that made this kit unique and different despite the simplicity.

AS Roma Home, 1990-91

Another simple yet effective kit from the Italian manufacturer Ennerre – the AS Roma home kit of 1990-91 was an absolute stunner. Roma home strips have always been recognisable thanks to the deep and rich carmine red along with the subtle golden yellow that is iconic to the club, and this kit was no different.

The club won the Coppa Italia that season with a 4-1 victory over Sampdoria – with most notably Rudi Völler upfront for I Giallorossi, with this fantastic kit showcased along with it. The Barilla sponsor is a classic for Roma and something that many associates with the club – the short sleeve take on the kit is my personal favourite, and the golden yellow pop up collar is something that makes this kit a real classic.

Fiorentina A.C.F. Home, 1998-99

The infamous Batigoal in action for Fiorentina, sporting quite possibly one of the best kits the club has ever had the pleasure of wearing. Fiorentina has a great history with their iconic purple home kit – and the 1998-99 strip followed suit.

The fantastic Nintendo sponsor stands out the most, along with the glistening purple and the white panel detail on the top of the sleeves. The club finished third in the Serie A that season, with Batistuta finishing the campaign on 22 goals and was named the Argentine Player of the Year in the league, as well as finishing 3rd for the World Player of the Year award. An iconic shirt, worn by an iconic player.

Juventus Home, 1992-94

It wouldn’t be an article on the 90s Serie A kits without the inclusion of the Old Lady. This simple yet classic strip was used for the 1992-94 season and is sportingly shown off here by Del Boy in 1993 after joining from Calcio Padova.

The classic black and white stripe are synonymous with the club, but the use of just the two gold stars for the club badge is what made this one a classic, along with the simple green Kappa logo rather than the classic Kappa sleeves that you often see on the manufacturer’s kits over time.

The Danone sponsor is another aspect that sticks to mind as it fits along with the aesthetic of the kit. The club finished 4th in the Serie A during their first season in this kit but saved their season by winning the now Europa League, beating German club Borussia Dortmund 6-1 on aggregate. Roberto Baggio finished the season as the top goalscorer for the club, with 21 goals, despite being played as a trequartista.

U.C. Sampdoria Home, 1990-91

The classic kit was worn by the club during their first and only title-winning season guided by Serbian manager Vujadin Boškov – along with Gianluca Vialli becoming the club’s top goalscorer that season in the league with 19 goals.

The kit was not much different from the season before, with Asics taking over as manufacturer, and placing the iconic ERG sponsor big and bold above the club badge and the iconic white, red, and black stripes that ran around the kit – along with the Italy badge on the top left shoulder.

The kit features a wide v neck collar, a very Italian stylistic approach, along with the lovely shiny bright blue base colour of the kit – overall a timeless classic that Sampdoria has become remembered for. The kit was worn by the iconic Vialli, Mancini, Lombardo, Pagliuca, and Vierchowod during the season that went down in Samp history.

A.C. Milan Home, 1991-92

The 1991-92 season was Fabio Capello’s first in charge of Milan, and the club finished 1st in the Serie A after an incredible unbeaten season that saw start striker Marco van Basten avoid injury to finish the season as the club’s top goalscorer with 25 goals in the league and 29 in all competitions.

The form of the team was no surprise, with defenders such as Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, and Alessandro Costacurta and midfielder such as Carlo Ancelotti, Ruud Gullit, and Frank Rijkaard – all of which ran the Serie A that season in this iconic Milan kit.

The classic red and black stripe is simple enough, but along with the classic Adidas badge and great sponsor – as well as the gold star badge and Champions League trophy underneath for European competitions, the kit has became an instant classic, and one of the clubs best in history.

Rangers have entered the race to clinch one of the Premier League’s underrated stars as he enters the final year of his contract and with Glen Kamara’s own future up in the air, it could be the perfect move…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, Sheffield United midfielder John Lundstram is of interest to Steven Gerrard with the Scottish Premiership front-runners one of several teams monitoring the situation.

The Blades triggered an automatic one-year extension to his current deal but talks over an extension appear to be wavering.

It remains to be seen what sort of fee would tempt Chris Wilder into a sale and much of it could depend on the Yorkshiremen getting John Swift’s £4m move over the line.

Lundstram is currently rated at £7.2m by Transfermarkt.

Bye-bye Kamara?

As audacious as it is, if Rangers can pull this one off, then Ross Wilson should be lauded from the treetops as it would be a phenomenal swoop for a player who’s been regularly featuring in the top-flight this season.

Per WhoScored, the 26-year-old provided five goals and three assists from a predominantly defensive midfield position. His box-to-box abilities are further emphasised when delving into the numbers a bit more – the Liverpudlian averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.3 clearances, 1.3 shots and 2.5 long balls per game.

His Blades teammate Billy Sharp adds further weight to that, describing the 5 foot 11 powerhouse as a “real menace” whilst Wilder has called him an “outstanding” player as well as a “fantastic example of a professional”.

Lundstram’s playing style has been likened to Frank Lampard in the past, which means there’s a bit of Gerrard about him too.

Coincidentally, United like the look of Glen Kamara, who has attracted interest from numerous teams this summer, so could it be a case of one in, one out at Ibrox soon?

The Scottish giants can’t go wrong with Lundstram either way.

AND in other news, Rangers move for PL OUTCAST would be shades of Sheyi Ojo…

Liverpool have just won their first league title in 30 years, and it doesn’t look as though they’re going to rest on their laurels after their success.

Indeed, the Reds have been linked with a number of players that will improve their squad with the Thiago Alcantara rumours running rampant, while links to Kalidou Koulibaly still bubble under the surface.

However, despite all these targets from mainland Europe being reported, the Reds are now apparently looking domestically at one player.

What’s the story then?

The Daily Mirror are reporting that Liverpool are interested in signing Leicester’s Harvey Barnes.

The paper’s story says that Barnes fits Liverpool’s transfer strategy of signing young players with high sell-on potential, and you can understand exactly why the Reds are in the market for him.

The 22-year-old has been pivotal in Leicester’s success this term, contributing to 14 league goals, despite only starting 24 games throughout the campaign.

Perfect Shaqiri replacement

Liverpool’s front three is almost impenetrable, and any attacking player that is brought in may have to offer something a little different if they want to see a lot of first-team action, and Barnes is that man.

Not only can he play on either wing, but he can also slot into a midfield role, and that sort of versatility is exactly what Liverpool need, especially if Xherdan Shaqiri leaves as he’s expected to.

Shaqiri has played in five different positions since joining Liverpool, and despite Barnes’ career still being in its infancy, he has played in six different roles for Leicester.

The Swiss international is far from a key player at Anfield, but he does offer something valuable, and it seems as though his versatility won’t be missed all that much if Barnes joins this summer.

Much of the recent news surrounding Glasgow Rangers is about Alfredo Morelos, as the forward looks to be on his way out as he has reportedly agreed personal terms with Lille.

The ‘Gers don’t want to let the 24 year-old go for less than £20m and former Aberdeen striker Noel Whelan believes that this fee will not stop the Ligue 1 side from signing the player.

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan said: “I do not think English clubs want him and that is because of his attitude and his fragile temperament.

“Lille are interested and that is off the back of other teams poaching their players. I am sure they have the money to spend now.

“Rangers will be holding out for about £20million, in that region. That is what a player that scores the amount of goals he does deserves. Sometimes big clubs cannot turn down big offers.”

Whelan is discussing the fact that star Lille striker Victor Osimhen, who has played 38 times in all competitions this campaign and scored 18 goals along with providing six assists (per £55m.

It is hard to disagree with Whelan on the fact that they will easily have the money to spend and, with Morelos scoring 77 goals in 137 ‘Gers appearances, the French side could have found their ideal Osimhen replacement whilst only having to spend less than half of the reported £55m that they could get for the Nigerian striker.

It’s also fair to say that the ‘Gers may not be able to refuse such an offer. The Ibrox club bought the Colombian for only £1.08m and now could sell him and get just under £19m of a profit for him. With this money, they could sign some good replacements and improve the quality of the squad, particularly in attack.

‘Gers fans, what are your thoughts on Whelan’s comments? Let us know in the comments section below!

Everton are willing to discard Sandro Ramirez this summer after fresh news emerged from Spain earlier in the week.

The 24-year-old has been out on loan at Real Valladolid since the start of the season, his third spell away from Goodison Park in as many years.

Ramirez was originally signed by Ronald Koeman in the summer of 2017 and has only been able to make 16 appearances for the Toffees since.

Valladolid’s director, Miguel Angel Gomez, has been discussing the future of the Spaniard in a recent radio interview with Cadena Ser where he said: “Sandro belongs to Everton, and you have already seen published that they intend to transfer him for around 5-6 million [euros]”

It appears as if the current hierarchy in Merseyside are keen to offload the flop having failed to make his mark at the club.

The fee mentioned by the La Liga club is £4.5m, which is a fraction less of the £5.3m they paid for him from Malaga three years ago.

How big of an Everton fan are you? Can you spot Mikel Arteta from Graham Stuart? This quiz will test your knowledge, try it if you’re brave enough…

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

Carlo Ancelotti has decent forward options at his disposal as he’s able to choose from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Moise Kean on a weekly basis, meaning if Ramirez were to return to Everton, he’d soon become fourth choice – if not worse.

The Toffees have also been linked with a move for AS Roma frontman Patrik Schick, so it’s quite clear to see that there’s simply no future for Ramirez at Goodison Park.

AND in other news, Everton fans react as Greg O’Keeffe relays Moise Kean news…

As former teammates and Premier League winners, there are few Manchester City fans that would fail to recognise the contributions that both Shaun Wright-Phillips and Joleon Lescott have made to the Citizens’ recent history.

Whilst they have spent most of their career’s taking on full-backs, or in Lescott’s case keeping out the best-attacking talent that was on offer, they both now find themselves at the epicentre of a different challenge and one of virtual kind.

Lescott and Wright-Phillips have signed up for the NHS Charities Together Cup, where alongside ex-Bolton star, Fabrice Muamba, they will become a part of Team Poseidon in the FIFA 20 tournament.

What is the NHS Charities Together Cup?

A group of celebrities, including former-sports stars, comedians and actors, have signed up to compete in the NHS Charities Together Cup, which aims to raise £100m in support of the current Covid-19 crisis.

The FIFA 20 competition will involve eight all-celebrity teams, with three celebrities per team, going head-to-head in 12-minute long FIFA 20 matches. Fans will be given the chance to vote for who they want to see compete from every team in each round.

The competition’s organisers, Celebrity e-Sport, hope to raise a huge £100m for NHS charities together during these desperate times for all the care workers on the frontline, who are putting their own lives at risk to help save ours.

Team Zeus v Team Ares

Ben Stokes v John Terry

Stuart Broad v Paddy McGuinness

Jos Buttler v Jonny Brownlee

Team Apollo v Team Nemesis

Dillian Whyte v Lando Norris

Tony Bellew v SV2

Tim Cahill v Tekkers Kid

Team Hercules v Team Iris

Justin Rose v Kem Cetinay

Joe Root v Chris Hughes

Ulisses v Shaugna Phillips

Team Artemis v Team Poseidon

Leah Williamson v Shaun Wright-Phillips

Erin Cuthbert v Joleon Lescott

Viv Miedema v Fabrice Muamba

For more information on the event and how you can donate, click here.