كشفت تقارير صحفية عن موعد عودة سباعي فريق مانشستر سيتي المُصاب، إلى الفريق مرة أخرى.

مانشستر سيتي يغيب عن صفوفه، سبعة لاعبين، وهم إيمرك لابورت، إريك جارسيا، برناردو سيلفا، جواو كانسيلو، أوليكساندر زينشينكو، سيرجيو أجويرو وإلكاي جوندوجان.

وبحسب شبكة “مانشستر إيفينينج نيوز” البريطانية، فإن جارسيا والذي يُعاني من إصابة في الرأس من المتوقع أنّ يعود في 27 سبتمبر الجاري، وهو نفس موعد عودة لابورت الذي لم يستعد لياقته البدنية الكاملة بعد تعافيه من كورونا ليشارك في التدريبات.

اقرأ أيضًا.. جوارديولا يكشف عن شروطه لتجديد عقده مع مانشستر سيتي

وأوضحت الشبكة أنّ يوم 17 أكتوبر سيشهد عودة برناردو سيلفا والذي يُعاني من إصابة عضلية، مثله مثل كانسيلو بالإضافة لـ زينشينكو الذي لديه إصابة عضلية كذلك.

وأشارت الشبكة إلى أنّ إلكاي جوندوجان والذي أصُيب بـ فيروس كورونا المٌستجد، سيتواجد مع الفريق مرة أخرى في الثالث من أكتوبر المُقبل.

واختتمت الشبكة تقريرها بنبأ صادم عن موعد عودة أجويرو، والذي لم يتعاف من العملية الجراحية التي خضع لها في الركبة، حيث لن يعود النجم الأرجنتيني للملاعب قبل نوفمبر المقبل.

Manchester City kept the pressure on Liverpool in the Premier League title race with a 6-0 thrashing of rivals Chelsea.

The Citizens simply blew the Blues out of the water with Sergio Aguero netting another hat-trick as well as goals from Raheem Sterling Ilkay Gundogan. The result continues City’s excellent form of late and moves them back on top of the table though Liverpool have a game in hand. Attention will now turn to the FA Cup tie against minnows Newport County.

Regardless of who finishes at the top of the pile in May, Pep Guardiola must prioritise signing a new midfielder to replace Fernandinho in the summer. The Brazilian is approaching the twilight of his career but remains a pivotal player for the Spaniard. It has been suggested that Guardiola could transform the Brazil international into a central defender after a midfield replacement has been found.

The ideal signing would be Wolves maestro – Ruben Neves. Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, the 21-year-old was tipped for a bright future after emerging from Porto’s youth academy. Neves captained the Portuguese side in the Champions League at the age of 18 and it was Wolves who won the race for his signature thanks to the power of super agent Jorge Mendes. Neves was a key player during their Championship win last season and has continued his excellent form in the higher division.

The Portugal international has chipped in with three goals and two assists in the Premier League from defensive midfield and is one of the first names on the team sheet at Molineux. Neves offers the defence a valuable layer of protection, averaging 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game this season (WhoScored). He is ideal for Guardiola’s system at the Etihad as Neves is known for his fantastic range of passing and overall quality on the ball.

The youngster is getting better with every game – he could prove to be a mainstay in the City engine room for the next decade.

Manchester City fans, thoughts?

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Everton have been going about their transfer business as if they are a top-six club in recent years. Extravagant spending sprees have become the norm, but what do they have to show for it?

The damning answer is, well, nothing at all. A collection of immensely talented individuals have been assembled and placed under the tutelage of Marco Silva, whose own mediocrity appears to be rubbing off on his squad of players.

But the Portuguese manager still needs time to build a squad of players who are well-suited to his philosophy. Farhad Moshiri may well need to provide him with significant financial backing once again this summer, but a handful of key decisions regarding the current squad need to be made before a budget can be set.

A quick dive into Everton’s finances shows that the club are splurging money down the drain on a myriad of bang-average players. Naturally, it’s important to acknowledge that this is not a game of Football Manager and selling a professional football player is not a black and white process, but Everton will have to initiate a healthy clear-out to maximise the Toffees’ wage bill in the summer.

That’s where we come in. We’re taking a look at the players Moshiri, Silva and Director of Football Marcel Brands could and certainly should actively seek to offload this summer to take a hefty chunk out of the wage bill, based on figures provided by Spotrac.

Those who are unlikely to stay beyond the summer

Idrissa Gueye, earning £3.64m per year, handed in a transfer request in January in a bid to force through a move to PSG, so it seems unlikely that he will remain at Goodison if the French giants renew their interest in the summer.

Veterans Leighton Baines and Ashley Williams are both out of contract in the summer and they’re earning £3.64m a year each. Logic would tell you they’ll be leaving Goodison Park, even if the former is an immensely popular servant.

Finding suitors for five dead weights could save Everton more than £15million next season. Yannick Bolasie, Kevin Mirallas, Sandro Ramirez, Oumar Niasse and Cuco Martina are all plying their trade away from the club on loan and seemingly surplus to requirements.

Bolasie currently takes home £3.9m per year, Mirallas £3.64m, Ramirez £3.38m, Niasse £2.86m and Martina £1.82m. Chop all four and Brands has plenty of cash to play with on his wage bill.

Those who aren’t warranting their wage on the pitch

Earning a massive £5.2m per year – equivalent to 100k per week – Theo Walcott is one of Everton’s top earners. To say that his salary is out of sync with his contribution to the club would be a criminal understatement. If Everton have any sense they’ll get rid.

Meanwhile, Morgan Schniederlin and Cenk Tosun are pocketing £5.2m and £3.12m respectively. More money down the drain.

Results of Everton’s summer sale

Sanctioning all of the aforementioned departures would be a financial game-changer. In total, £40.04million would be eliminated from the yearly wage bill, equivalent to £770k per week.

To place that into context, Everton could add another seven players to their wage bill on £90k per week – the wage Richarlison takes home – and still have £50k per week left to play with.

Over to you, Brands and Moshiri.

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Liverpool misfired as they drew 0-0 with Bayern Munich in the Champions League Round of 16 on Tuesday.

Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane all missed glaring chances at Anfield as the fabled Reds trio failed to lay a glove on Bayern.

Their poor collective performance means that the Reds will have to turn in a brilliant display in Germany if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

The performance of Mane, in particular, was atypically woeful. The Senegal international has been in electric form this season – scoring 13 goals in 32 games in all competitions. But he looked a shadow of that player against the Bundesliga giants, missing three glaring opportunities, including one horribly sliced effort that did not trouble Manuel Neuer despite him being unmarked in the penalty area.

Salah was quiet, his big opportunity coming in the 15th minute, as he prodded a weak volley into the arms of Bayern’s goalkeeper, while Firmino really did little of note.

It is okay when one of those players fails to perform because the expectation is that another will step up and grab the game by the scruff of the neck. When the entire trio flops, however, there is really nothing Liverpool can do about it.

Of course, Jurgen Klopp could have introduced Xherdan Shaqiri, the Swiss winger who has shown flashes of brilliance this season. He has scored six goals in the Premier League but there was no trust placed in him by his manager on Tuesday evening.

Divock Origi, who has scored one goal in five Premier League games, was introduced for Firmino instead on the 75th minute.

The lack of depth is astounding for a team fighting on two fronts.

Liverpool want to win both the Premier League and the Champions League and they have the chance to do both. They are level on points with Manchester City domestically and they are hardly out of this tie against Bayern.

But if an injury should befall that trio, they are surely in trouble.

Is Neymar set for a shock return to Barcelona? Messi and Suarez try and convince him in the hilarious new video from 442oons above…

Sporting Director Michael Edwards is regularly cited as a major reason behind the Reds’ success in the transfer market, with the signings of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson helping to craft the team into winners.

But he has failed to add genuine depth to the club’s attack. Of course, the club must be commended for bringing in Mane, Salah and Firmino and for helping them forge a genuinely frightening partnership.

But the reserves are not up to scratch. Take a look across Europe at the top sides and there is always an option from the bench. City cannot decide between Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus up front. Barcelona have both Philippe Coutinho, formerly of the Reds, and Ousmane Dembele battling for the role on the left flank. Alexis Sanchez cannot get into the Manchester United team. Tottenham Hotspur have not lost a single Premier League game during the last month, with both Harry Kane and Dele Alli injured.

Liverpool cannot boast that same breadth of quality.

Introducing one of Origi, Shaqiri or Daniel Sturridge into that front three for Liverpool diminishes its threat significantly, and it appears to be the one thing that Edwards has failed Klopp on.

Of course, it is remarkably difficult to convince a player to join a team and make do with being a substitute but there are surely better options out there than the ones currently on the Anfield bench.

As the season progresses, fatigue will take hold. Liverpool just have to pray that their fabled front three stay fit and do not undergo another collective dip in form that seemed to grip them against Bayern.

Otherwise, Klopp’s dreams of tasting glory both at home and abroad could start to fall apart, through no fault of his own.

Manchester United continued their fine run under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a 3-2 win over Southampton this weekend.

A Romelu Lukaku double proved to be the difference between the sides in a hard fought game at Old Trafford, but it was United who got the three points and continued their run at a Champions League spot.

Of course, the summer is set to be a big one for United in terms of who they make their new manager and who the club go out and sign, but we here in the Tavern feel a few new addtions are a must for the club.

Signing the right calibre of star is hard at a club like United, but there are players out there who could be worth a punt, and one man we think would be a good signing for the Red Devils is Leicester City man Wilfred Ndidi.

The 22-year-old powerhouse has bags of ability and even more potential, and with United needing a bit of bite in the middle of the park, he could well be the ideal signing at Old Trafford.

Strong in the tackle and someone who gets about the pitch well, Ndidi would allow the likes of Paul Pogba to keep playing his expansive brand of football, something which all United fans are wanting to see more of going forward.

It’s a big step up moving to a club the size of United, but Ndidi has the ability, and with a bit of coaching and nurturing, he could well go on to be a superb signing for the club.

United fans, what do you think? Would you take Ndidi? Let us know in the comments!

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Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship table with a comfortable 3-0 win over Reading at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday night, and Curtis Davies has heaped praise on Kalvin Phillips.

To a man, the Whites were excellent, and manager Marcelo Bielsa can be proud of yet another hard-working, aggressive and cohesive display from his team.

So many of the Leeds players have been transformed under the Argentine coach’s guidance, but perhaps none more than Kalvin Phillips, who was brilliant once again against the Royals. 

The 23-year-old defensive-midfielder is a graduate of the Yorkshire club’s academy, and was born locally, but he has only really cemented his place in the hearts of the Elland Road faithful this season.

In fact, he was heavily criticised at times under Paul Heckingbottom, often scapegoated by fans for the team’s poor performances, so getting the call for international duty would complete a truly remarkable turnaround under Bielsa.

Are fans being priced out of the Championship as well as the Premier League? The angry Bolton fan in the video below certainly believes so…

His tenacity, work rate, positivity and commitment to the cause have caught the eye throughout the campaign, and former Premier League defender Curtis Davies believes Phillips has what it takes to go to the very top.

What he said

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Debate Show (12/03, 22:55), as quoted by HITC, Davies, a Derby County veteran, gave his verdict on which Championship players are deserving of an England international call up: “Kalvin Phillips has been brilliant in that [number 6] role. We spoke about the Fernandinho role. For Leeds, the way they are like the flying arrows. Again, two centre-halves and Kalvin Philips. The ground he covers and the work he puts in is phenomenal.”

Ready to take his chance

England boss Gareth Southgate has already shown that he is willing to call up second tier players, with Stoke City’s Jack Butland and Derby County’s Mason Mount having been included in recent Three Lions squads.

Whilst a call up for Phillips would be a surprise, it wouldn’t be a terrible decision for Southgate to make. Of course, the Leeds man is untested at Premier League level, but the quality and character he has shown this season suggests that he could shine in the top flight, and Southgate doesn’t really have a player of this type in his squad.

If given the chance to represent his country, Phillips could certainly be relied upon to give everything he has for the team. Davies’ comparison of Phillips with Manchester City’s Fernandinho may be going over the top, but the Englishman’s potential should not be underestimated or ignored just because he doesn’t ply his trade in the top flight.

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Leeds have won just three of their last nine games in all competitions, but the return of versatile defender Gaetano Berardi could solve several problems at once.

What’s the word?

The Whites had a terrific run through the difficult winter period, but have gone off the boil since Christmas, due mainly to injuries and suspensions.

Liam Cooper’s return coincided with Kalvin Phillips collecting a three-game ban, and Luke Ayling has been in really poor form since returning from his knee injury, as the club just cannot get its best players on the pitch and in form at the same time.

However, Marcelo Bielsa is set for a huge boost this week as Berardi returned to action on Monday, starting in the Under-23’s clash against Bolton.

If you told a Leeds fan last season that their promotion hopes would rest on the shoulders of Berardi they probably would have laughed you out of the room, but his presence in the first team will help Bielsa in more ways than one.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

On the chalkboard

When the 30 year-old does return, it could be very bad news for Ayling. Jansson and Cooper will presumably remain the first choice centre back pairing, and Berardi’s versatility means he can slot in on the right side.

Ayling has been looked a step off the pace since returning from injury himself, and some of his play with the ball at his feet has been truly shocking, while he also gave Swansea a pointless penalty last weekend.

While the tough-tackling Berardi’s return may be bad news for Ayling, it is most definitely good news for for players like Phillips and Jamie Shackleton, who can now focus entirely on doing their job in the midfield.

A chance to refresh the midfield

Phillips was forced to fill in at centre back over the winter, but having him back at full pelt in midfield makes all the difference, and with a solid back four behind him the youngster will only get even better.

Shackleton has also been asked to fill in at right-back at times this season, but will now be yet another option for Bielsa to rotate into the midfield if needs must, an area where depth is crucial in such a high-tempo system.

Berardi’s return gives Bielsa an extra option right across the defence, as well as a huge boost to the freshness and quality of a midfield that has run out of gas since the turn of the year.

The feisty 30 year-old is more important to the club now than he has ever been, and fans should be chomping at the bit to get him back in the side.

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s long unbeaten run since he took charge of Manchester United came to an end as his team were beaten 2-0 by Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie at Old Trafford on Tuesday, and Liverpool fans were quick to react to midfielder Marco Verratti’s display.

The 26-year-old actually missed out on facing the Merseyside club at Anfield in the group stages of the competition earlier this season because of suspension, but he showed exactly what he brings to proceedings against the Red Devils.

The Italy international produced a tireless display full of tackles and using the ball well when he had it, and once again proved he is one of the best in his position in European football as the Ligue 1 leaders took a step closer to the quarter-finals.

Liverpool supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on Verratti’s performance, and while one said they would “love to have him at Liverpool”, another said “if there’s one player I would want us to break the bank for, it’s Marco Veratti.”

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Jurgen Klopp has gotten quite inventive with his excuses this season. FFC’s James Jones think he has no one but himself to blame for Liverpol’s poor form in the video below…

علّق النجم البرتغالي كريستيانو رونالدو، على تعادل فريقه يوفنتوس أمام روما (2-2) في منافسات الدوري الإيطالي.

وقاد رونالدو البيانكونيري للتعادل، حيث سجل هدفي السيدة العجوز في شباك ذئاب العاصمة.

وقال رونالدو في تصريحاته لـ”سكاي إيطاليا”: “حققنا نقطة مهمة فنحن لا زلنا في بداية البطولة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. رونالدو يحقق رقمًا قياسيًا بعد هدفيه في مباراة يوفنتوس وروما

وأضاف: “بيرلو؟ المدرب تغير والأفكار اختلفت، لكني أرى فريقا مفعما بالحيوية واكثر سعادة، نحن نعمل وأرى مستقبلًا جيدًا لهذا الفريق، يوفنتوس يعمل بشكل جيد ومتحمس وأرى مستقبلًا مشرقًا لنا”.

وأتم رونالدو: “لقد أصبح موقفًا معقدًا وعدنا إلى المباراة حتى بعد البطاقة الحمراء لرابيو، لذا بحلول نهاية الموسم، قد تكون هذه نقطة مهمة”. أهداف مباراة يوفنتوس وروما

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Crystal Palace fell to a 2-1 defeat at the hands of bitter rivals Brighton on Saturday, offering a performance far removed from their excellent display away at Burnley last week.

For other football fans, the bizarrely-named M23 derby – although the Palace and Brighton faithful detest to call it that – is a pointless one, however it is a huge game for the two clubs involved.

The loss at Selhurst Park, therefore, is gutting for Eagles fans who surely would have felt that their beloved club would understand the pain they are feeling this week – that doesn’t seem the case, though.

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…

On Monday, Palace announced that season tickets for the 19/20 campaign are now available to be renewed and it’s safe to say that the SE25 faithful were less than pleased with the timing, let alone the fact that the prices had been upped.

The Eagles’ defeat on Saturday was their eighth at home of the season – a record which would surely see them relegated if not for their solid away form – and Palace fans on Twitter were rightfully angered by the ill-timed announcement…