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Liverpool made the decision to allow Nathaniel Clyne to leave Anfield on loan last month, but that dubious call has already come back to bite them.

With Joe Gomez and Trent Alexander-Arnold both sidelined through injury, Jurgen Klopp has been forced to play Jordan Henderson and James Milner at right-back in recent weeks.

Milner has been found wanting on a couple of occasions since deputising at full-back, with his lack of pace proving problematic against electric wingers Wilfried Zaha and Felipe Anderson, and his unfamiliarity with the role has forced fans to question why Clyne was allowed to depart in January.

The former Southampton man showed promise against Manchester United on a rare start in December, but his impact wasn’t enough to convince the Liverpool boss to keep him for the remainder of the season.

On paper, Clyne is the club’s third choice right-back so his departure was understandable under the circumstances.

But the mini injury crisis which has emerged in light of his loan move to the south coast has put Liverpool in a difficult situation, forcing supporters to point accusative fingers at Klopp over the questionable decision.

Here’s what a handful of Liverpool fans on Reddit have had to say about Clyne’s departure:

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Everton fans have called on their club’s director of football Marcel Brands to attempt to re-sign Romelu Lukaku from Manchester United in this summer’s transfer window.

Lukaku managed 87 goals in 166 appearances for Everton between 2013 and 2017 before moving to United ahead of the 2017-18 season.

The Belgium international struck 27 goals in all competitions for United last term, but has netted just nine this season.

Marcus Rashford has been preferred in the centre-forward position since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced Jose Mourinho as head coach in December.

As a result, Lukaku has mainly been restricted to a bit-part role.

The 25-year-old did start his team’s 2-0 win over Chelsea in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Monday, though, and put in a decent-enough performance.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Rashford’s excellent form could well end Lukaku’s United career, however, and a number of Everton fans have called on their club to re-sign the powerful forward.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Leeds United secured their second successive Championship victory on Saturday to retain the initiative in the title race.

The Whites had to battle hard at Elland Road, but were ultimately deserving of their 2-1 victory over strugglers Bolton Wanderers. However, Marcelo Bielsa will feel that his side should have been able to secure a more comfortable margin of victory.

This is a recurring theme, as Leeds have struggled to take their chances in recent weeks.

Who do you want to see promoted this year? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked their 3 favoured teams in the video below…

On the chalkboard

If Leeds are to hang on and achieve automatic promotion to the Premier League this season then they must rediscover their clinical edge soon. However, the recent injury sustained by 14-goal top scorer Kemar Roofe will have come as a major blow in this regard.

Bielsa must now find a way to make his side more prolific without having the 26-year-old forward to lead the line. The likes of Patrick Bamford and Tyler Roberts must now step up. The Argentine coach must first find a way to configure his attacking talents in a cohesive and effective manner.

Adapting to Bamford

25-year-old summer signing Bamford will now be the first choice to lead the line for the Whites. The 6’1” striker’s season has been ravaged by injuries so far, but now fully fit he has the capacity to get amongst the goals. 

Bamford is a clinical and reliable finisher, but a very different kind of forward to Roofe. Leeds must now adapt to having the former Middlesbrough hitman up front.

Bamford is less mobile than Roofe, but his movement in the penalty area, strength, and hold up play make him an ideal target man. If he can cultivate a relationship with the likes of Roberts and Pablo Hernandez, who can break forward from deep in order to link up with the No. 9, then Leeds could suddenly find themselves banging them in with regularity again.

حرص طاهر محمد طاهر لاعب المقاولون علي تهنئة النادي الأهلي بعد تتويجه بلقب الدوري المصري الممتاز للمرة 42 في تاريخه.

الأهلي نجح في التتويج بلقب الدوري المصري،  بعدما هزم الزمالك أمس أمام أسوان بهدف نظيف في المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين في إطار مباريات الجولة الـ 28 من الدوري المصري.

طالع أيضًا.. رغم إعلان الأهلي رحيله.. شريف إكرامي: مبروك الدوري رقم 8 في مشواري

ونشر طاهر على حسابه الرسمي بموقع التغريدات القصيرة “تويتر”: “مبروك للنادي الأهلي ورجالته الدوري ٤٢ وإن شاء الله الـ٤٣ مع بعض”.

ويمتلك الأهلي بطل الدوري في رصيده 72 نقطة، وما زال يتبقى 6 جولات على نهاية المسابقة، فيما يأتي الوصيف الزمالك برصيد 55 نقطة.

ويستعد الأهلي لمواجهة نظيره مصر المقاصة اليوم السبت في الجولة الـ 28 من الدوري المصري الممتاز. طالع التشكيل المتوقع من هنا.

جدير بالذكر أن الأهلي تعاقد مع طاهر محمد طاهر لمدة 5 سنوات بداية من الموسم الجديد.

مبروك للنادي الاهلي و رجالته الدوري ٤٢ و ان شاء الله ال٤٣ مع بعض 🦅💪🏼❤️🔥 #افريقيا_يا_اهلى

— Taher Mohamed (@Taherr7) September 19, 2020

Celtic have been relatively busy in the transfer market this month by bringing four new players to the club, but a recent report suggests they were priced out of a deal for a more experienced figurehead.

Brendan Rodgers has clearly placed plenty of emphasis on bringing young players into the club this month, with all four of his new signings aged between 18 and 21.

Timothy Weah and Oliver Burke, aged 18 and 21 respectively, are two talents who have been predicted to enjoy a big future in the game, but Celtic were targeting a talent who is eager to impress for a different reason entirely.

Indeed, according to a report from the Irish Independent, Crystal Palace are set to sign Everton’s James McCarthy on loan before Thursday’s deadline after Celtic dropped out of the race for his signature.

McCarthy supported Celtic as a boy and would naturally have been enticed by the prospect of playing at Celtic Park, but the report claims that the Bhoys were priced out of a deal due to his £50,000 per week wages.

For a fanbase who are hoping their club can make the next step by competing on the European stage, the fact Celtic were priced out of a deal for McCarthy will be both concerning and frustrating.

Naturally, the January window is a time in which finances are not clear cut and plenty of clubs struggle to sign new players with wage structures already maximised and little room for further investment, but the McCarthy situation serves as an acute reminder of how financially limited Celtic are in comparison with the clubs they are often pitted against in the Champions League.

McCarthy has spent a lengthy spell on the sideline following a gruesome leg break, but the form he has showcased down the years suggests he would have been an excellent addition to the squad and he will be desperate for a return to regular football as soon as possible.

The Ireland international’s approach is epitomised by his high-energy in the centre of the park, relentlessly harrying opponents and demanding the ball into his feet when his side are in possession.

His impact at Celtic Park would have given the club a valuable asset in their bid to cement their supremacy at the summit of Scottish football, and he’s a player Rodgers should return for in the summer if and when the club’s financial situation changes.

Celtic fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

[ad_pod ]Crystal Palace failed to hold onto their half-time lead on Wednesday night as Southampton came back via James Ward-Prowse – despite the Eagles’ numerous opportunities in front of goal, their finishing was once again lacklustre and they paid the price.Wilfried Zaha was a menace throughout and fired his side in front in the first half, but lost his head late on and was sent off for sarcastically applauding the referee after being booked – a gesture for which he will be reprimanded by the FA.Despite the big striker having scored against Spurs in the FA Cup last weekend, Roy Hodgson elected not to start Connor Wickham and instead gave the nod to Jordan Ayew – the Ghanaian worked hard but never looked too threatening, as has been the theme throughout the season.The Saints equalised with 13 minutes of regulation time remaining, at which point Hodgson may have felt it necessary to bring on a fresh pair of legs up front – instead, the former England boss stuck with Ayew until the final whistle and one can’t help but feel that, had Wickham or Christian Benteke been on the field, the Croydon outfit could have secured all three points.Negative substitutions and tactics have been a point of controversy for Palace this season and this surely isn’t the first time the Selhurst Park faithful felt that Hodgson’s game management was poor.The 71-year-old’s post-match comments did nothing but make it worse – here’s how the Palace fans reacted on Twitter…

According to a recent report from Italian media outlet Repubblica, Liverpool have submitted an informal offer for Napoli talisman Lorenzo Insigne.

What’s the word?

Jurgen Klopp made no secret of his reluctance to sign new players in the January window, but it appears the club are already laying the groundwork for the summer just days after the January window reached its conclusion.

The report from Repubblica claims that Liverpool have submitted an informal offer worth €70m (£61.2m) for Insigne, but Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis has refused to give the offer a moments consideration.

Insigne is valued at £67.5 million, as per Transfermarkt, but it seems an offer well in excess of that particular valuation will be needed to convince De Laurentiis to even consider offloading Napoli’s crown jewel.

Insigne’s arrival could make Firmino unstoppable

If Liverpool are ultimately able to strike a stunning deal with Napoli it could have a transformative effect on Roberto Firmino.

Within the current campaign, the Brazil international has not quite managed to discover the scintillating form which saw his reputation catapult into the footballing stratosphere on Merseyside last season.

That can be explained in part by Mo Salah’s move into a new look central role in attack, a move which has forced Firmino to operate slightly deeper.

However, even though Firmino is inclined to drop deep to collect the ball, his best performances arrive when he is deployed at the spearhead of the attack, and Insigne’s arrival could facilitate another change to Liverpool’s set-up.

With Sadio Mane firmly established on the left side of the attack, Klopp would be inclined to deploy Insigne at number ten, pushing Firmino into centre-forward and dragging Salah back out to the right-wing.

The sheer pace and flair which Insigne could provide would be perfect for Firmino, with the former’s desire to burst beyond him and into the space behind the opponents back line lending Firmino an apt opportunity to utilise his vision and outstanding link-up play.

A free-flowing front two comprising of Firmino at the tip of the attack with Insigne operating behind him would be one of the most frightening partnerships in the Premier League, but prising the electric Italian away from Naples will be far from straightforward.

أفادت تقارير صحفية إيطالية، أن خاليدو كوليبالي المدافع السنغالي لفريق نابولي، سيبقى مع البارتينوبي، ولن يرحل خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية.

كوليبالي ارتبط بشدة بالانتقال إلى مانشستر سيتي، وكانت المفاوضات رسمية بين النادي الإنجليزي ونظيره الإيطالي، ولكن لم يتوصلا لاتفاق.

طالع أيضًا.. جوندوجان: مانشستر سيتي يحتاج 100 نقطة لمنافسة ليفربول على الدوري الإنجليزي!

صحيفة “لا ريبوبليكا” الإيطالية، قالت إن السعر المطلوب لشراء كوليبالي، لا يزال مرتفعًا جدًا بالنسبة لـ مانشستر سيتي، وكذلك باريس سان جيرمان.

الصحيفة الإنجليزية، أكدت بأن السعر المطلوب، يبلغ 80 مليون يورو، ولن يتنازل نابولي برئاسة دي لورينتيس، عن مطالبه.

وبحسب ما ورد من التقارير الإيطالية، أن مانشستر سيتي كان قد وافق على الشروط الشخصية للمدافع، لكن النادي الإيطالي رفض تمامًا تخفيض السعر المطلوب.

وشددت على أن كوليبالي سيبقى تحت تصرف المدرب جينارو جاتوزو، ولن يرحل خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية.

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A long-winded transfer window fuelled by rumours linking Che Adams with a move away from Birmingham City, including this one from The Mirror, eventually ended in the best possible manner for the playoff-chasing side.

What’s the word?

Adams, unsurprisingly, has attracted his fair share of media attention in recent months. Players who score goals for fun in the Championship naturally draw interest from goal-shy top-flight clubs and Adams has proven no exception to the rule this season.

The 22-year-old has been in electric scoring form and his performances have been a key reason behind Garry Monk’s success, with Birmingham threatening to break into the top-six of late.

Adams has been the talk of the town in recent weeks and the club’s former player, Paul Devlin, has weighed in with his own assessment of the rising star, per Birmingham Mail.

“But in the long-term, he is 22, the kid is only going to get better.

“You would have to think he will get at least 20-25 goals this season if he carries on the form he is in.

“And then who knows? It might be impossible for the club to keep him at the end of the season if they get a ridiculous bid for him.

“Anyone that scores 20-plus goals in the Championship there is going to be a lot of interest in, especially with him being a home-grown young kid as well.”

While Devlin is understandably reluctant to plaster the writing on the wall for Birmingham fans, Adams’ form suggests he could leave for a bigger challenge in the summer window.

As Devlin has alluded to, Adams has everything a top-flight club could ask for in a potential centre-forward acquisition: he is home-grown, has plenty of scope for development and a clinical record in front of goal.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

Could Birmingham benefit from Adams’ sale?

If we are to assume that a continuation in Adams’ form will ultimately result in his sale, then the powers that be at Birmingham should already be working diligently to form a contingency plan.

Losing him would undoubtedly represent a short-term blow but, if the club prepare for his departure effectively, it could actually provide them with the financial resources to clinch promotion.

Lukas Jutkiewicz may not be on the same level as his teammate, but he possesses a decent level of firepower so Birmingham would not be completely devoid of quality in the centre-forward position following Adams’ departure.

If Monk could use the money from the sale to sign another decent goalscorer and a handful of strong players to bolster his strength in depth, he would be well placed to lead his side to promotion.

With Adams in sensational form the Blues boss may yet be able to help Birmingham sneak into the play-offs this season, but the sale of the club’s talisman could facilitate the squad revamp which is needed to challenge for automatic promotion in the 2019/20 campaign.

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Following their fantastic 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Wednesday night, Tottenham now look to have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals as the Bundesliga leaders would need four goals without reply to progress in the second leg.

Given the injury problems faced by boss Mauricio Pochettino, his work in getting his side this far in Europe’s greatest club competition should not go unnoticed, as it is a tremendous feat.

The last Spurs side to make it as far as the quarter-finals was managed by Harry Redknapp, spearheaded by the likes of Peter Crouch and Aaron Lennon amongst a whole host of other names whose fortunes in football have changed significantly from that illustrious tie against Real Madrid back in 2011.

So, eight years on from that 5-0 aggregate loss to Los Blancos, where are some of Spurs’ Champions League heroes from that season now?

Peter Crouch

Now at 38 years of age, a then 30-year-old Crouch scored four goals and recorded three assists in Spurs’ Champions League run back in 2011, including a famous winner against AC Milan.

Nowadays, however, the former Liverpool man finds himself at Burnley having signed for the Clarets from Stoke in a player-plus-cash deal for Sam Vokes – he will be sure to get a good reception when Spurs take on Sean Dyche’s men later in the season.

Aaron Lennon

Another one of Tottenham’s stars from that Champions League run also finds himself at Burnley.

Lennon’s mesmeric run and assist for Crouch’s late goal at the San Siro, which handed Spurs a 1-0 first leg lead over AC Milan, will live long in the memory of Tottenham fans, even if Turf Moor is turning into somewhat of a retirement home for Spurs legends.

Jermaine Jenas 

The man who was out-jumped by Emmanuel Adebayor for Real Madrid’s opener in the second leg has done little on the pitch since Spurs crashed out at the quarter-final stage in 2011.

Jenas only managed three more seasons before retiring as a result of injury problems, and has since appeared for ITV, BBC and BT Sport as a pundit.

Heurelho Gomes

The 37-year-old will always be remembered for dropping some absolute clangers in a Spurs shirt, most notably in the aforementioned quarter-final against Real Madrid in what was a huge high profile error.

Gomes, a former Brazilian international, is currently at Watford, where he is the Hornets’ number two stopper behind the in-form Ben Foster.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto

The charismatic left-back, who used to wear different boots on either foot, is currently without a club after leaving French club Metz at the end of last season, where he became embroiled in an ongoing spat with Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe.

Strangely, the former Cameroon international, who headbutted teammate Benjamin Moukandjo at the 2014 World Cup, has even said that he has been contacted by the porn industry as an option for work after his football career ends.

It’s safe to say that he is truly one of a kind.