Liverpool continued their march towards a first Premier League title with a narrowly fought win over Fulham at Craven Cottage this weekend.

The Reds had a late penalty from James Milner to thank for handing them all three points, and the pressure is now back on rivals Man City to keep putting points on the board in what is sure to be an exciting finish to the Premier League season.

Manager Jurgen Klopp will be hopeful of landing that title and bringing success to Anfield, but we here in the Tavern also feel that the club need to be planning for the summer and making some big name signings to keep enhancing their squad.

And one man we feel would be a shrewd addition for the Reds is current Norwich City starlet, Max Aarons, who has been in fine form for the Canaries this season as they sit atop the Championship table.

While Norwich might well see themselves promoted come the end of the season, Aarons would be hard pressed to turn down a move to a club the size of Liverpool.

Despite playing at right back in the main, a position Liverpool do have options in, Aarons is a future star, and his ability to bomb down the wing, gold delivery, and adept defensive ability make him someone who is going to be a target for many top clubs.

Liverpool should therefore ensure they are at the head of that queue of clubs.

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West Ham United attacker Manuel Lanzini has been named in the Argentina squad for their upcoming friendlies against Venezuela and Morocco.

The news is absolutely terrific for Lanzini, but it would be fair to say that the West Ham supporters are not very impressed with the situation.

The 26-year-old has only just returned from the serious knee injury that he picked up whilst training with Argentina ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

Lanzini has been involved in West Ham’s last three Premier League matches, but is far from fully fit following a long period on the sidelines.

Argentina’s concern is not West Ham, but the London club’s supporters have reacted very negatively to Lanzini’s selection.

Following a long period out of action, the Hammers fans are more than a little bit concerned due to the importance of the South American.

A selection of the latest Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Chelsea have been hit with a hefty fine after Fifa found that the Stamford Bridge outfit had been breaching rules in relation to the signing of foreign youth players, namely Bertrand Traore of Lyon.

The more concerning matter for the Blues, though, is the fact that the £460,000 fine is accompanied by a two-window transfer ban, which will prevent the London club from signing any players in the next summer and winter windows.

Fortunately for them, they have a plethora of players out on loan, most of whom will return at the end of the season, thus lessening the impact felt by the embargo – Kurt Zouma is included in this number and so the likelihood of Everton keeping him at Goodison Park beyond this term look far slimmer.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Marco Silva expressed his delight with the 24-year-old’s performances on Merseyside and discussed the possibility of signing the athletic centre-half permanently, telling The Liverpool Echo:

“Let’s see what we can do or not in the future.”But it’s also about his opinion, about his future. But we are really happy with him.”The Portuguese will surely have been dismayed reading the news this morning, as are the Toffees faithful who reacted on Twitter…

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Birmingham City could be in line for a much-needed £2.25m summer windfall if former goalkeeper Jack Butland joins Crystal Palace in the summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Sun on Sunday reported that the current Stoke City stopper, who made 46 appearances in all competitions for Brum, is a future target for the Eagles, and he is rated at £15m by the Potters.

The Birmingham Mail report that the Blues have a sell-on clause believed to be worth 15%, meaning that if the England international did go for that fee they would be entitled to £2.25m.

That would certainly be well-received given their current financial issues, and the fact they are currently under a transfer embargo and awaiting their fate, which The Telegraph report could be as bad as a deduction of 12 points for the play-off hopefuls, after breaking the English Football League’s new spending rules.

Will the move happen?

It may well do.

Who has been the Championship’s best player this season? The Pl>ymaker FC squad discuss in the video below…

Butland’s contract at the Britannia Stadium is due to run out in 2021, and it would be a surprise if he stayed should they fail to win instant promotion back to the Premier League this term.

Despite their win against Nottingham Forest on Saturday they aren’t on course to do that, given they currently lie in 16th position and 10 points adrift of the play-offs with just 11 fixtures remaining.

The 25-year-old has proved previously that he can perform at the highest level in the top flight, and the opportunity to get back there and improve his chances with the Three Lions would surely mean a deal is likely – and it would make Birmingham very happy.

The case of Harry Kewell is another miserable example of how wrong things can go once a player is hit by injury, and the impact it can have on the long-term sustainability of a players career.

The former Leeds United man joined Gerard Houllier’s side in 2003 in what some would probably describe as a dream move – the opportunity to represent one of the most successful clubs in the country, a big-stage moment, and the what is typically the pinnacle of a player’s career.

But it was anything but for Harry Kewell. It was a nightmare. The kind you cannot wake from, the one you amble around, watching time, memory and opportunity slip slowly out of your clutches.

Kewell has provided a poignant account of the miseries of his period at Liverpool, dubbing it “absolute nightmare” (as per EPSN via Liverpool Echo).

“I’ve had 14 operations and the majority were at Liverpool,” he said.

“You’d have an operation and you think ‘that’s it, that’s finished now’. I’m going to be brand new again.

“It doesn’t happen. An injury is like a jigsaw puzzle. You fix one area and something else goes.

“The bottom of the world is when you’re sitting on the end of the bed crying, and you’re going ‘am I ever going to play again?’ You’re sitting there going ‘what’s wrong with me’?

“Every time I’m kicking, I’m ripping a muscle. Every time I’m turning, I’m breaking down.

“I get back. I work hard for four weeks and I break down again. The pressure of people that keep going ‘what’s wrong’ with me.”

There are trials players must face in their career – ones that test the furthest reaches of one’s mental and physical resilience.

The Australian managed just 23 minutes before crashing out through injury allowing Vladimir Smicer the honours of competing in one of the most iconic moments in football history.

Over the space of two seasons Kewell failed that test. His extensive injuries ensured that he only managed 19 games in all competitions for Liverpool before being put out of his misery and moved on in 2008 to join Turkish side Galatasaray.

“He lost three and a half years of his career at Liverpool because the guys over there in England had, quite literally, no idea what they were talking about. You have to wonder what they’re doing over there. Perhaps they’re trying to protect their reputations, but they’re certainly not trying to protect their players,” his agent said in 2010 ( The Guardian).

“I think it’s a disgrace, as I think it was a disgrace the way Harry was treated. What goes around comes around, and people are now wondering, ‘How has he recovered like that?’ when everyone in England thought he was a broken toy.”

He did do remarkably well, to be fair. Scoring 34 goals in 91 games for his new club and continuing his career for another six years after leaving Anfield, playing for the likes of Melbourne, Al Gharafa, and Melbourne City, was far more than we could have ever anticipated from a “broken toy”.

Manchester United remain in good form meaning their chance of securing Champions League football once again is increasing.

Their saviour – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – has definitely enhanced his reputation even more with the Old Trafford faithful after now delivering on the managerial front as well.

Of course, his work is far from done this season, those loving fans would be extra adoring should he deliver Champions League football and potentially the FA Cup.

It’s a lot to ask but in the build-up to next season, whether Ole is still there or not, Manchester United are now in a far better position compared to a few months prior.

Still, improvements this summer will be required, silverware or not, with a dominant midfielder being a slot United will want to fill.

A player who could fit that exact specification is Atletico Madrid’s Thomas Partey, who could be an influential signing for Manchester United.

Partey, (who is valued at £36 million on Transfermarkt) is more of a rotational player for the Spanish giants but with a move to Manchester United, could become even better next to the likes of Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera.

The 25-year-old would definitely be described as a powerhouse and he operates in a brilliant way across every area on the pitch.

Having played 31 times this season, Partey has contributed two goals and a further five assists, showing he is more keen to give his team-mates the glory.

With great vision for passes whether it’s short or long, Atletico Madrid arguably underuse him, with their midfield already being very good.

He’s started just 13 times in La Liga this season, so if game-time is a concern for the Ghana international, a move to Manchester United would suit him perfectly.

Do you agree… Let us know!

أجرى الدولي البرازيلي فينيسيوس جونيور، جناح فريق ريال مدريد، حوارًا مع قناة النادي الملكي الرسمية، وتحدث عن أهدافه مع اللوس بلانكوس في موسم 2020/2021.

فينيسيوس تحدث عن هدفه الرائع في شباك ليفانتي، واللعب بجانب كريم بنزيما والتدرب تحت قيادة المدرب الفرنسي زين الدين زيدان، وخوض مباراة الكلاسيكو ضد برشلونة بدون حضور جماهيري.

وقال فينيسيوس: “أنا بخير وسعيد جدًا باللحظة المتميزة التي أعيشها والتي يعيشها ريال مدريد، علينا الاستمرار على هذا المنوال والعمل وتحسين بعض الأشياء في المباريات”.

وأضاف: “هذا الموسم يختلف عن غيره من المواسم ويتطلب الأمر القليل من الجهد من أجل البدء، ولكننا سنعود بعد فترة الانقطاع الدولي بحيوية أكبر وبأداء أفضل، نحن نريد وضع ريال مدريد على القمة”.

وواصل: “لقد وصلت لـ ريال مدريد عندما كان عمري 18 عامًا، كل شيء كان جديدًا بالنسبة لي، وما زلت أتعلم وأتطور، الجماهير تُساعدني، والجميع هُنا يتحدثون معي عما يمُكنني تحسّينه”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فينيسيوس: رقم قميصي الجديد يمنحني الحظ.. وافتقدت الثقة مع ريال مدريد الموسم الماضي

وأتبع: “أنا في الهجوم لا أخشى فقدان الكرة، سأستمر دائمًا على هذا المنوال حتى أحظى بثقة الجميع وأساعد الفريق، لأن هذه الجرأة تساعدني كثيرًا عندما نكون متأخرين في النتيجة أو متعادلين”.

وعن هدفه الرائع في مرمى ليفانتي الأحد الماضي: “لقد هيمنت جيدًا على الكرة، حظيت بوقت للتفكير وتوجيه الكرة، وصوبتها بإتقان لتسجيل 1-0 ثم حققنا الفوز بالمباراة، وهذا أهم شيء”.

وتابع: “وراء كل شيء هُناك الكثير من العمل، ليس فقط في النادي ولكن في المنزل أيضًا، أحاول تقديم أفضل نسخة لديّ، وأنا آمل أنّ أستمر في التحسّن في جميع الجوانب”.

وعن اللعب مع كريم بنزيما: “بنزيما مثلي الأعلى، وأيقونة ومن الشرف بالنسبة لي أنّ ألعب معه، عندما نكون معًا نتحدث عما يمكنه أنّ يُساعدني وعن مواضع التحسّن، منذ وصولي ساعدني على التحلي بالهدوء واللعب بشكل أفضل”.

وأكمل: “يُمكنه مساعدتي كثيرًا، اللعب مع كل اللاعبين في هذا النادي هو حلم، أنا أستغل كل لحظة معهم وأستمع كثيرًا، يُساعدونني دائمًا ويعرفون أنني أتعلم منهم ومعهم”.

وتطرق للحديث عن زيدان قائلًا: “إنه لشرف كبير أنّ أعمل معه، يتحدث إلينا كثيرًا، واضح جدًا ويمنح دقائق لجميع اللاعبين، ونحن هادئين لأن الجميع يعلم أنه سيلعب”.

بنزيما: فخور بأهدافي مع ريال مدريد.. وسأعمل على مواصلة التسجيل pic.twitter.com/9ztKnDffWm — Btolat.com (@Btolat) October 6, 2020

وعن خوض الكلاسيكو بدون جماهير: “كل شيء غريب للغاية، لكن علينا أن نكون أكثر تركيزًا إذا أمكن، إنها مباراة يمكنها تحديد بطل الدوري، كما حصل في الموسم الماضي، حتى لو لم يكونوا في الملعب، فإن المشجعين يمنحوننا طاقتهم وهم حاضرون في أفكارنا وقلوبنا”.

وأتم تصريحاته بالحديث عن حلمه قائلًا: “حلمي الأكبر هو الفوز بالثلاثية مع ريال مدريد”.

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Leicester City have chosen to appoint Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers as Claude Puel’s successor, as confirmed by the club’s official website.

The Bhoys boss has returned to English football for the first time since 2015, when he left Liverpool.

News of Rodgers’ appointment comes about after reports that Rafael Benitez was also under consideration.

The Newcastle United manager is attempting to steer the Magpies away from the relegation zone and they are currently 15th in the Premier League, four points clear of 18th-placed Southampton.

Ironically, the club are also just four points behind the Foxes, who dispensed with Puel after a 4-1 loss to Crystal Palace at the weekend.

But fans of the Magpies insist that they were never worried that Benitez would depart St James’ Park in the middle of the season, with Rodgers foregoing the chance to win his third successive SPL title in Glasgow to take the reins at the King Power Stadium.

When The Chronicle revealed earlier in the day that Rodgers was set to take the job, Newcastle fans responded by claiming there was never any need to panic…

[ad_pod ]Tottenham Hotspur are set to travel to Anfield this weekend with the race for the top four hanging in the balance.The same fixture last season was one of the blockbuster encounters of the season. A captivating clash eventually finished 2-2 after Harry Kane scored a last gasp equaliser from the penalty spot.It was a game which further underlined Mousa Dembele’s credentials as one of the Premier League’s most domineering and untouchable central midfielders at the time, and his performance generated plenty of hype on social media.Here’s what some Spurs fans had to say about Dembele’s exceptional performance away at Liverpool last season:

The reaction detailed above was merely the tip of the iceberg. But more than twelve months on Spurs will travel to Merseyside without the twinkle-toed powerhouse, leaving Mauricio Pochettino with no choice other than to rely on the likes of Moussa Sissoko, Eric Dier and Harry Winks in midfield.

Dembele was immense at Anfield in February 2018, dictating play with exemplary composure and an immaculate first-touch to provide Tottenham with the cog they needed to control possession inside Liverpool’s half.

The Belgium international, however, has since departed for Guangzhou R&F. His absence has already been felt despite the best efforts of Sissoko and Winks to establish a formidable midfield partnership, and both players will need to be in excellent form to ensure Spurs return to winning ways in stunning circumstances this weekend.

Winks, in particular, is facing a gargantuan challenge at Anfield. Liverpool’s midfield unit is stacked with dynamic, well-rounded and experienced players, and the outcome of the result will rest on who wins the midfield battle.

For however much Sissoko has improved this season there is no question that his dynamism in possession and ball-winning expertise have formed the backbone of his success; meanwhile, Tottenham’s ability to dictate the tempo rests upon Winks’ young shoulders.

This is by no means exclusively a short-term challenge for the 23-year-old England international. It is fixtures of this nature which will determine Tottenham’s progression and, with Winks now representing the most senior ball-playing central midfielder, the weekend clash offers an opportunity to prove he is ready for a long-term berth.

Dembele’s departure has opened the door for Winks to prove he is ready to come of age under season-defining circumstances on Sunday.

Can he shine like his predecessor did against the title-chasing Reds?

أصدر نادي إنتر ميلان الإيطالي، بيانًا رسميًا قبل قليل، أعلن من خلاله وجود ثلاثة حالات جديدة إيجابية مُصابة بـ فيروس كورونا المُستجد “كوفيد – 19”.

وتعرض الثنائي سكرينيار وباستوني للإصابة بفيروس كورونا أيضًا، خلال اليومين الماضيين (طالع التفاصيل).

صحيفة “لا جازيتا ديلو سبورت” الإيطالية، كانت أكدت أمس أنّ الثنائي لاعب الوسط البلجيكي راجا ناينجولان وصانع الألعاب روبيرتو جاليارديني، قد أثبتت إصابتهما بـ كورونا.

وهو ما أكده إنتر ميلان في بيانه قبل قليل، حيث قال: “نتائج اختبارات جاليارديني وناينجولان لـ كوفيد -19 جاءت إيجابية”.

وأوضح النادي أنّ هناك إصابة ثالثة، وهو حارس المرمى الروماني يونوت رادو، وأشار في بيانه إلى أنّ من المُقرر إجراء غدًا السبت المزيد من الفحوصات للتأكد من سلامة اللاعبين والموظفين.