Jose Mourinho is likely to rely on a strong defensive performance from Manchester United to prevent bitter rivals City winning the Premier League title earlier than any team has ever clinched it before.
Liverpool might have rattled the champions-elect with an energetic performance of pressing and clincial finishing but the former Real Madrid manager – who enjoyed many a battle with Pep Guardiola during the pair’s time in La Liga – is more likely to try to spoil the party by parking the bus.
A conservative approach is United’s big-game tactic on the road against the big teams but it is one that has only brought one win in nine trips to face their fellow members of the top six so far under Mourinho.
Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof got the nod last time out against Swansea but it will be a different kettle of fish up against a City side still smarting from their Anfield rattling.
That’s why we asked you whether Eric Bailly – valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt – should return to the United backline and the response was as overwhelming as it can be. 100 per cent of United fans want the Ivorian to be reintroduced in central defence for the 176th Manchester derby.
Everton have been named as one of a number clubs interested in signing Watford’s Richarlison, and fans aren’t all that pleased with the links to the tricky Brazilian.
According to Sky Sports, Everton will battle Manchester United and Chelsea to sign Richarlison this summer.
The young Brazilian got his Premier League career off to a red hot start with Watford, grabbing five goals and four assists in the early part of the season.
His form has trailed off massively since Marco Silva left the club though, and it is noticeable that he has not been happy since the departure of the charismatic Portuguese manager.
[ad_pod ]
Tottenham are always on the lookout for more attacking depth to add to their array of flair and talent, and the 20 year-old’s work ethic and defensive capabilities would certainly make him a good fit at Old Trafford.
However, he would get more playing time at Goodison than at a top four club, and could become a fan favourite if he found his form again.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
That said, fans don’t seem all that impressed by the links, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
With the summer transfer window fast-approaching, many football fans will be deliberating over who their club should swoop for.
Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been doing just that on social media, and for once the focus is away from current players who could be on their way out of the club.
The futures of Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele have been major talking points among the fans over the last few months.
Manager Mauricio Pochettino will want his strongest possible team heading into the new season, particularly as they will be competing at the club’s new state-of-the-art stadium.
This season, the North London outfit have been unable to sustain a Premier League title challenge due to Manchester City blowing everyone out of the water.
However, the club are closing in on a top-four position as they currently occupy the final Champions League spot with a seven-point advantage.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The team also have an opportunity to win silverware for the first time since the 2007-08 season as they remain in the FA Cup, with a semi-final clash against Manchester United on the horizon.
On Reddit, fans have been discussing who from outside of the top six clubs would they like Tottenham to sign this summer, and an array of players were thrown into the pot, some even from the Championship.
Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.Comment from discussion If you could sign anyone outside of the top 6 at Spurs, who would it be and why?.
West Ham’s official Twitter account wished manager David Moyes a happy birthday on Wednesday, and the fan responses have been quite simply hilarious.
While there are plenty of West Ham fans who appreciate the job David Moyes has done at the club, the majority of fans are calling for major changes this summer.
The Scotsman was brought in to secure the Hammers’ top-flight status, and to be fair he looks to have done just that.
Still, his negative, defensive football and his bizarre team selection and game management have turned a lot of fans against him, and they’re not letting up just because it’s his birthday.
[ad_pod ]
The Hammers have lost five of their last six away matches in the Premier League, conceding an incredible 16 goals in that span.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
The home form hasn’t been particularly inspiring either, as wins against Watford and Southampton have been dampened by disappointing results against Burnley and Stoke.
The club wished the former Manchester United man a happy 55th birthday via Twitter, and some of the best reactions can be found below…
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has told Bild that he has not heard of any reports linking Christian Pulisic to Liverpool.
What’s the word?
It is not the first time that the Reds have been linked to Pulisic and if the club manage to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final, it is unlikely to be the last.
However, Bild claims that Dortmund chief Zorc has insisted that he “knows nothing” about the speculation but added that he is in “constant contact” with manager Jurgen Klopp, who previously coached the German club.
The USA international has made 40 appearances in all competitions, including 25 starts in the Bundesliga this season.
In that time, Pulisic, who moved to Dortmund’s youth team in 2015, has scored five goals and created as many assists.
Should Liverpool swoop?
The 19-year-old has shown versatility this season as he has played in midfield, as well as on the right and left-hand side of attack.
Liverpool have talented attackers in abundance, with Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane firing on all fronts.
The club’s midfield has been ticking, particularly in the second half of the campaign, which indicates that Pulisic would struggle to land a first-team spot.
Reuniting with Klopp could be a good career move for the attack-minded player, but it is unlikely that he would want to sacrifice regular minutes.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
In addition, if a number of clubs come in for the youngster’s signature, the price is expected to rise and Liverpool will want to avoid a transfer battle.
Southampton host the Premier League champions Manchester City on the final day of the season at St Mary’s on Sunday knowing that they are all-but safe from relegation.
Saints recorded a crucial 1-0 win against 18th-place Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium to move three points clear of the drop zone, and Huddersfield Town’s draw at Chelsea on Wednesday means that it is now between the south coast outfit and the Welsh club to see who will go down this weekend.
It will take a 10-goal swing for that to happen though as Carlos Carvalhal’s men welcome already-relegated Stoke City to south Wales knowing they have a significantly inferior goal difference, and they will have to hope that as well as dishing out a thrashing themselves, that Pep Guardiola’s side are also on top form.
However, Manolo Gabbiadini’s winner in midweek means that Saints have now taken eight points from the last 12 available to move to within touching distance of survival, and they should be confident of picking up a positive result against the Citizens.
Mark Hughes made two changes from the XI that drew at Everton for the visit to Swansea as Jack Stephens came in for the suspended Maya Yoshida and Nathan Redmond replaced the injured Mario Lemina, and he may be considering making more alterations in what could be the final appearance for the club for some individuals.
Here is how Southampton must line up against Man City, ahead of Alex McCarthy in goal…
While Southampton had their fair share of dodgy defensive moments – especially in the first half –against Swansea on Tuesday night, the three-man defence with two wing-backs has largely worked to their advantage in recent weeks.
With Yoshida suspended Stephens came back into the XI at the Liberty Stadium, and while the latter should keep his spot in the team alongside Wesley Hoedt, who showed he should be regular starter next season following his latest display despite being regularly criticised previously, the Japan international should return in place of Jan Bednarek.
It may well turn out to be Yoshida’s final appearance for the club given he has been linked with a summer exit, while Bertrand may well be in the same boat at left wing-back, with right wing-back Cedric Soares another that could conceivably go.
With Lemina absent because of an injury he picked up at Goodison Park, Hughes decided to revert from a three-man midfield to just Oriol Romeu and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg against Swansea, and they once again looked better in the second half following a tough first 45 minutes – especially in possession.
Because of the quality that City clearly have, the 54-year-old boss should bring Lemina back into the XI on Sunday in order to give the hosts an extra body in the middle of the park, and to try and them have a little more control of possession than they perhaps would have done.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
With Lemina coming back in, that means that one of Nathan Redmond or Dusan Tadic drops out of the side, and we are going with the former on this occasion.
Tadic has been in great form in recent weeks – as shown by his brace in their previous match at St Mary’s against Bournemouth – while Redmond made a huge impact from the substitutes’ bench last weekend when he scored, but he struggled to make the same impact from the start against Swansea.
Saints may well have to play a counter-attacking game against Pep Guardiola’s men, and Shane Long will certainly be more suited to that than Charlie Austin will, and should start ahead of a man who will have been disappointed not to get on the score-sheet on Tuesday given the opportunities he had.
Leeds fans are desperate for their club to turn it all around this summer, but which targets should they actually sign?
2017/18 was a long and painful season for Leeds fans, the promise of a positive start quickly died away after Christmas, and rather than looking forward to a playoff push fans were left just waiting for the season to end.
Paul Heckingbottom’s arrival in February had far from the desired effect, though to be fair to the former Barnsley man the current squad simply isn’t good enough.
Whether or not Heckingbottom stays at Elland Road, the club must make some major moves this summer if they truly want to push for the playoffs.
Kyle Bartley is the player fans are most desperate for. It is no coincidence Leeds got their first clean sheet in months with Luke Ayling back in the side, and a back four of Ayling, Bartley, Pontus Jansson and young Tom Pearce would be a marked improvement on this season’s catastrophe.
[ad_pod ]
Links to goalkeepers David Stockdale and Angus Gunn are interesting, particularly given the emergence of young Bailey Peacock-Farrell.
Carpi striker Jerry Mbakogu, branded “the new Drogba” by his agent, has been heavily linked with a move to Elland Road, but fans would much rather invest in the pacey Abel Hernandez, who is out of contract this summer.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
In fact, signing a Championship proven goalscorer like Hernandez should be Leeds’ absolute top priority this summer.
So, Leeds fans, who do you want to sign this summer? Let us know by voting in the poll below…
West Ham United confirmed the appointment of Manuel Pellegrini as their new manager on Monday morning, with the Chilean signing a three-year contract at the London Stadium.
The West Ham fans are absolutely delighted with the news, and it will be very interesting to see how Pellegrini fares in the English capital.
Transfer funds will have been discussed in the meetings between the two parties, although it is currently unclear what type of budget Pellegrini will have available this summer.
The West Ham fans have been discussing potential summer arrivals, and there are some very interesting names that have been thrown into the mix.
[ad_pod ]
Indeed, one particular fan account asked the supporters to identify one realistic signing that they want to see arrive in this summer’s transfer window.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Sporting Lisbon and Portugal midfielder William Carvalho was quite popular, but there were also some surprise and indeed ambitious names in the list of responses.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Newcastle fans are once again bashing their transfer policy, after former player Kevin Mbabu was linked to Manchester United.
The arrival of Rafael Benitez at Newcastle has completely changed the club’s fortunes, but some recent transfer links have once again highlighted just how poor some of the club’s business has been in recent years.
Of course, the number one scapegoat on Tyneside when things go wrong is Mike Ashley and the Newcastle board, and it’s not surprising given some of the transfer decisions the Magpies have made.
[ad_pod ]
Benitez has done a fantastic job with limited resources this season, but fans are still ruing missed opportunities, as Kevin Mbabu seems to have flourished since leaving St. James’ Park.
The Swiss defender joined the Magpies back in 2013, but made just three league appearances before being shipped off on loan, and eventually sold permanently to Swiss side Young Boys.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
A recent report has linked the 23 year-old with a move to Old Trafford, and fans can’t believe they were so quick to dump the youngster, who is expected to feature for Switzerland at the World Cup.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Tottenham Hotspur are yet to bring in new players to the squad, but they have been linked to hoards of fresh faces.
The latest name in the rumour mill is Marseille midfielder Morgan Sanson.
According to France Football, the 23-year-old, who is valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt, has caught the attention of Tottenham manger Mauricio Pochettino.
However, a potential deal hinges on the future of the Argentine, who has entered the headlines once again following the departure of Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
[ad_pod ]
The report claims that Arsenal, Chelsea and La Liga side Sevilla have also been keeping tabs on Sanson, who is believed to be keen to play Champions League football following Marseille’s Europa League final defeat to Atletico Madrid.
FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
Sanson, who scored 10 goals for the French outfit last season, is another in a list of midfield players that Tottenham have been linked to.
Some fans have been left pleased with the speculation, while others are taking it with a pinch of salt.