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Manchester United take on Granada on Thursday evening looking to book their tickets to the UEFA Europa League semi-finals.

The Red Devils are in an enviable position having won 2-0 in Spain last time out thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, whilst they also come into the second-leg off the back of a 3-1 victory against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

Could Ole Gunnar Solskjaer be tempted to make any changes to his side?

In a simple answer, yes. We are expecting the Norwegian to ring the changes with as many as seven alterations.

The first should occur in goal where Dean Henderson will once again make way for David de Gea.

The Spanish goalkeeper will also be shielded by a somewhat shuffled defence. Harry Maguire is suspended for the game and with Eric Bailly still not yet available having tested positive whilst on international duty, this could see Axel Tuanzebe afforded just his second opportunity in the Europa League this season.

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Meanwhile, Alex Telles has been preferred by Solskjaer in European ties and he’ll start with Luke Shaw also suspended. Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Victor Lindelof should be retained in the starting XI.

There should also be another couple of alterations in the centre of the park. With such a comfortable position heading into the second-leg, Fred could be rested in place Donny van de Beek. Nemanja Matic should also replace the suspended Scott McTominay.

Moving into attack, Bruno Fernandes is likely to start once again but Paul Pogba should be switched out on the left for winger Daniel James.

Meanwhile, Edinson Cavani, who turned in a great showing against Spurs, could also drop out of the starting line-up. The Uruguayan forward, who earns £210k per week at Old Trafford, might well be swapped for the in-form Mason Greenwood.

The 19-year-old has scored in three out of his last four matches in all competitions and will be partnered with fellow England forward Marcus Rashford to lead the Red Devils’ attack.

AND in more news, Manchester United have been handed a huge boost in their Camavinga pursuit…

Naby Keita’s Liverpool career hit what could be perceived as new low on Tuesday evening.

The Guinian midfielder, signed from RB Leipzig in 2018 to great excitement, was granted a start against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League but lasted just 42 minutes before being hauled off for Thiago Alcantara.

Linked to Leicester City over the past few days by Football Insider, it now might be time for Michael Edwards and Liverpool to take a hit on the midfielder and get him sold.

Having cost the club an eye-watering £54m, the third-highest fee in the Reds’ history, Keita has not justified that considerable outlay at all.

Due to a combination of poor form, competition at Anfield and injury problems, the 26-year-old has played just 76 matches for the club in all competitions, with just 47 of those being starts.

Even when he has been on the pitch, he has barely contributed. Keita only has seven goals and four assists to his name at Anfield.

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For context, the midfielder managed the same amount of goal contributions in his final season at the Red Bull Arena.

Considering that sheer lack of involvement, Liverpool really seem to have wasted a considerable fee on Keita. However, it takes on a completely different complexion considering the wages that the midfielder has earned at Anfield so far.

Paid approximately £6.2m per year, this means that he has already scooped £18.7m in wages since his arrival at Anfield, producing a total cost of £62.7m.

Even worse, Keita’s value only continues to plummet. Since his signing, he is now rated at just £34.2m.

With just two years left on his contract, Liverpool must sell in order to avoid any more depreciation on the player.

Considering the new low he hit in Madrid, it would potentially be wise to take advantage of Leicester’s interest in the 37-cap midfielder.

AND in more news, take a closer look and Andrew Robertson’s awful performances against Real Madrid…

Questions marks firmly remain over the future of Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace.

The current Eagles manager sees his contract expire at the end of the 2020/21 season and could soon draw his tenure at Selhurst Park to a close.

Naturally, a number of managers have been linked with the impending managerial vacancy at the club, with the likes of Eddie Howe and Valerien Ismael amongst the most prominent names believed to be interesting Steve Parish.

Former Crystal Palace forward Marcus Bent has thrown a new name into the ring in the form of Burnley’s Sean Dyche. Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, he said that the current Clarets boss is a “great” manager and would “level” Palace out in the Premier League.

Considering Dyche’s achievements with Burnley since 2012, his appointment would actually be clever by the club heading into the 2021/22 campaign. The former Watford coach has led the Lancashire outfit to two promotions to the Premier League and has gone on to oversee 221 matches so far in the top flight, winning 66.

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That experience would lend itself very well to Palace, especially with them losing Hodgson, who has himself managed in 359 matches in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, it is Dyche who has continued to better Hodgson for the most part when Palace and Burnley face off. The Clarets have come out on top in each of the last three meetings in the Premier League between the two sides, not conceding a goal in any of those.

Burnley have also managed to achieve two top-ten finishes in the league in the last four seasons, even venturing into the Europa League during the 2018/19 campaign, whilst Palace have not earned a higher finish under Hodgson than 11th.

With the former Fulham and Liverpool boss set to depart Selhurst Park come the end of the campaign, Dyche would certainly seem the perfect appointment, as Bent has justifiably suggested.

AND in more news, find out why Palace have taken a blow in their pursuit of another potential managerial candidate…

MatériaMais Notícias

Reforço do Fluminense para 2017, Jefferson Orejuela sofreu um forte choque no jogo entre seu time, oIndependiente del Valle e o Emelec, no Campeonato Equatoriano, dando um grande sustos em todos. Após bater cabeça com cabeça com o meia adversário Osvaldo Lastra, o futuro jogador do Tricolor caiu desacordado no gramado do estádioBanco del Pacífico, em Guayaquil.

Após ser conduzido de ambulância para uma clínica próxima ao estádio, Jefferson Orejuela fez exames e está em observação, mas os médicos do Independiente Del Valle já afirmaram que o volante de 23 anos está bem.

Em declarações à “Rádio Deportiva 993”, do Equador, o médico do Del Valle, Javier Echeverría, afirmou que o atleta “está fora de perigo” e deve receber alta nesta segunda-feira. Nas redes sociais, o clube postou mensagens de apoio.

Anunciado em junho como reforço do Fluminense para 2017, Orejuela é um dos destaques da equipe equatoriana, que foi vice-campeão da Libertadores deste ano. Além do volante, o clube das Laranjeiras também já confirmou a chegada de Junior Sornoza, companheiro de Jefferson Orejuela e também destaque do Independiente Del Valle.

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Lots of Everton fans have been left to laud a goal scored by Ellis Simms while out on loan for Blackpool against Swindon Town on Saturday afternoon.

As shared by Toffee TV on their Twitter page, the 20-year-old unleashed a fierce strike on the half volley to give the Tangerines the lead, in a game where they eventually won 2-0 away from home in League One.

That is one of four goals that Simms has scored in the division now, while he has also made two assists in the 12 games that he has played in total so far (Transfermarkt).

It is not a bad return at all, and if he keeps scoring goals like that, then the English striker will surely catch the eye of Carlo Ancelotti and may be in with a chance of first-team football for the 2021/22 season.

Everton fans on Simms goal

These members of the Goodison Park faithful lauded the goal on Twitter, with one Blues supporter calling it ‘classy’:

“Cracking finish”

Credit: @Phil_McNamara

“Classy”

Credit: @nickbricks88

“Take a bow son! @_ellissimms”

Credit: @LindseyC1878

“Get him in the team for Monday”

Credit: @TabbyEfc1991

“Caught that perfectly!!”

Credit: @alandean1878

“Cracking goal that!”

Credit: @efc_alex18

In other news, find out which injury update has left Toffees fuming here!

MatériaMais Notícias

Nas últimas partidas do Botafogo, mesmo participativo, Camilo não repetiu o nível das exibições da sua chegada, quando decidiu com gols e assistências. Mas essa queda de rendimento tem um motivo, segundo o próprio meia: um edema no ombro que ele sofreu no jogo contra o Bragantino, pela Copa do Brasil, na Arena Botafogo. Camilo revelou que, desde então, não vinha jogando 100%, se poupando de entrar em algumas divididas dentro de campo:

– Desde o jogo contra o Bragantino eu tive um problema no ombro e vinha jogando com um edema. O doutor havia falado que ia demorar um tempo, mas esse tempo agora está acabando, graças a Deus. Algumas partidas estive muito abaixo do que poderia jogar. Posso citar as partidas contra Ponte Preta, São Paulo… que tive um pouco de medo, e vinha tratando até hoje – revelou.

Contudo, o botafoguense agora pode se tranquilizar. Segundo o camisa 10, a questão no ombro já está recuperada e ele projeta uma maior evolução na quinta, contra o Cruzeiro, voltando ao nível de quando chegou ao clube:

– Já está bem menos essa dor e estou focando e com a gana de vencer no Botafogo. Espero crescer, como estava antes, brigando mais, disputando mais essas bolas de corpo a corpo… onde nesses últimos jogos eu tive essa questão do ombro e tive que poupar um pouco. Agora estou focado na sequência e espero ir bem contra o Cruzeiro – concluiu o camisa 10 do Botafogo.

Camilo subiu ao campo na atividade desta terça-feira. Ele foi um dos poucos titulares que apareceram no gramado na atividade técnica comandada por Jair Ventura nesta terça-feira, que contou somente com os reservas. O meia deu voltas no campo e demonstrou estar, cada vez mais, recuperado do problema que veio prejudicando seu futebol nos últimos jogos do Alvinegro no ano.

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West Ham United must box smart in discussions with Fabian Balbuena after the defender stated that he expects to sit down and discuss his future with David Moyes’ side in due course.

What’s the word?

Speaking with Versus Radio, via quotes by La Lazio Siamo Noi, the centre-half admitted he envisages that he will hold clear the air talks with the London Stadium hierarchy in the coming weeks regarding his future in claret and blue.

Balbuena is currently due to be a free agent at the end of the season with his £40k-per-week contract due to expire this summer.

There had been expectations that West Ham would table a new deal for the 29-year-old, who was linked with a last-ditch exit on Deadline Day if suitable offers were received.

Balbuena has previously been touted for a return to South America, with Brazilian giants Flamengo seen as a potential destination for the 16-cap Paraguay international should he leave the Irons as a free-agent.

Italian Serie A side SS Lazio have also been mentioned over the past three years to have an interest in the £7m-rated enforcer. However, Balbuena denies ever having a formal offer to join the Rome outfit.

“Surely, [one of] these days, we will sit down with the management to talk about it [my future],” the defender said on Wednesday. “West Ham have an option for renewal.

“I have never received anything from Lazio. I only read the rumours on social media.”

Should West Ham retain Balbuena?

Balbuena’s future will be a tricky case for West Ham to deal with, having seen the former Corinthians defender fall drastically down Moyes’ pecking order over the last few months.

After watching the first two games of the Premier League season from the bench, Balbuena started 12 of the following 13 but has not been seen on the pitch since a 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on December 27.

Moyes has even opted to omit the 29-year-old from three of his following nine matchday squads since the Seagulls encounter, despite managers now being able to name nine substitutes – up from seven – for top-flight matches.

The reports claiming the Hammers were open to offers on Deadline Day also go to show where the club place Balbuena in the pecking order, but it will be worthwhile to act clever in discussions over his future and activate their option to extend the centre-back’s contract.

Doing so will allow West Ham to protect a base value for the summer transfer market when they can look to move the Paraguayan on again, rather than accept a total loss on the £6.5m Manuel Pellegrini signing.

The Irons are already expected to accept sizable hits on the fees Pellegrini and former Director of Football Mario Husillos paid for Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson, so will surely like to have an exit strategy in place for Balbuena that returns at least a few million pounds.

Given his current value of £7.2m as per Transfermarkt, the east London outfit should be able to recoup some of the money back in any future sale, which is why he must be handed that extension before the summer.

AND in other news, West Ham weigh up free-agent deal for 28-y/o who flopped after a £16m Premier League move…

West Ham United must box smart in discussions with Fabian Balbuena after the defender stated that he expects to sit down and discuss his future with David Moyes’ side in due course.

What’s the word?

Speaking with Versus Radio, via quotes by La Lazio Siamo Noi, the centre-half admitted he envisages that he will hold clear the air talks with the London Stadium hierarchy in the coming weeks regarding his future in claret and blue.

Balbuena is currently due to be a free agent at the end of the season with his £40k-per-week contract due to expire this summer.

There had been expectations that West Ham would table a new deal for the 29-year-old, who was linked with a last-ditch exit on Deadline Day if suitable offers were received.

Balbuena has previously been touted for a return to South America, with Brazilian giants Flamengo seen as a potential destination for the 16-cap Paraguay international should he leave the Irons as a free-agent.

Italian Serie A side SS Lazio have also been mentioned over the past three years to have an interest in the £7m-rated enforcer. However, Balbuena denies ever having a formal offer to join the Rome outfit.

“Surely, [one of] these days, we will sit down with the management to talk about it [my future],” the defender said on Wednesday. “West Ham have an option for renewal.

“I have never received anything from Lazio. I only read the rumours on social media.”

Should West Ham retain Balbuena?

Balbuena’s future will be a tricky case for West Ham to deal with, having seen the former Corinthians defender fall drastically down Moyes’ pecking order over the last few months.

After watching the first two games of the Premier League season from the bench, Balbuena started 12 of the following 13 but has not been seen on the pitch since a 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion on December 27.

Moyes has even opted to omit the 29-year-old from three of his following nine matchday squads since the Seagulls encounter, despite managers now being able to name nine substitutes – up from seven – for top-flight matches.

The reports claiming the Hammers were open to offers on Deadline Day also go to show where the club place Balbuena in the pecking order, but it will be worthwhile to act clever in discussions over his future and activate their option to extend the centre-back’s contract.

Doing so will allow West Ham to protect a base value for the summer transfer market when they can look to move the Paraguayan on again, rather than accept a total loss on the £6.5m Manuel Pellegrini signing.

The Irons are already expected to accept sizable hits on the fees Pellegrini and former Director of Football Mario Husillos paid for Andriy Yarmolenko and Felipe Anderson, so will surely like to have an exit strategy in place for Balbuena that returns at least a few million pounds.

Given his current value of £7.2m as per Transfermarkt, the east London outfit should be able to recoup some of the money back in any future sale, which is why he must be handed that extension before the summer.

AND in other news, West Ham weigh up free-agent deal for 28-y/o who flopped after a £16m Premier League move…

Reports by BUT! Football Club earlier this week claimed that the agent of Alban Lafont had contacted Allan Saint-Maximin’s representatives with a view to securing a Premier League transfer, and Steve Bruce should utilise his star winger to lure the Fiorentina goalkeeper to Newcastle United.

Lafont is currently in Ligue 1 on loan with FC Nantes and has emerged as a rare star of an otherwise bleak French top-flight season for La Maison Jaune, with the 22-year-old frequently key to preventing Raymond Domenech’s side any further embarrassment.

If he can work a deal with Lafont’s parent Serie A outfit, Nantes owner Waldemar Kita would like to retain the former Toulouse talent beyond his temporary spell. And while the shot-stopper is not expected to head back to Italy for long at the end of the season, is projected to attract an array of interest.

Clubs in England, Germany, France and Italy are all thought to be scouting Lafont, including Olympique de Marseille who may pursue the £11.5m-rated youngster this summer as they look to secure Steve Mandanda’s successor.

Lafont’s desire is to join a European side where he can continue to evolve and had his eyes fixed on a transfer to the Premier League, however the impact of Brexit and Covid-19 is seen to have placed additional hurdles in the way of a move across the Channel.

Nonetheless, his agent appears to have begun sounding out the chances of establishing a route into the country by contacting Saint-Maximin’s representatives, after they concluded a £16.5m deal for the winger to join Newcastle from OGC Nice in 2019.

Bruce should now attempt to utilise Saint-Maximin and his representatives to push United as a worthwhile destination for Lafont, as the France U21 international could easily prove to be the Toon’s long-term option in goal rather than for Marseille.

Newcastle would appear to have reformed a strong relationship with Saint-Maximin’s representatives after working on a new double-your-money deal for the winger last year, after he had reportedly grown frustrated at still being on the £36,000-per-week terms penned upon his initial arrival.

That rapport could prove vastly beneficial in any efforts to sign Lafont, who The Guardian have previously described as a cat-like ‘keeper for his instinctive reflex saves.

He may have conceded 39 times in 24 Ligue 1 games this season, keeping only three clean sheets, due to Nantes’ dire form that sees them fighting for survival. Yet the 6 ft 4 Lafont still boasts a save percentage that can rival the efforts of Bayern Munich’s UEFA Men’s Team of the Year star Manuel Neuer or Liverpool’s Allison Becker.

According to FB Ref data, Lafont has saved 69.8% of all on-target shots faced in the French top-flight this term, having turned away 74 of the 106 efforts that La Maison Jaune have allowed. Neuer, meanwhile, has saved 69.9% of the 83 shots he’s faced in the Bundesliga, while Allison boasts a 70.4% success rate from the 54 shots the Reds have given up in the Brazilian’s 19 Premier League games to date.

Still only 22, Lafont also has years to grow and continue establishing himself in a bigger environment. So, if the contact is there, why shouldn’t Bruce urge Newcastle to utilise what options are at their disposal to try and bring the goalkeeper to St. James’ Park?

AND in other news, Newcastle have an ace up their sleeves in efforts to sign a striker valued at £30m earlier this season…

Celtic must fend off transfer interest for Ryan Christie amid reports Arsenal are interested in signing him in the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Recent reports have suggested that the 16-cap Scotland international is a wanted man, with Premier League new boys Leeds United eyeing him up.

Now, 90min claim that Arsenal have joined the race to lure him away from Celtic Park, and that with the attacking midfielder set to enter the final year of his contract next season, “that has put a number of major players in the transfer market on notice”.

The report adds that Christie is considering his options, and would think about a move away if Celtic were to accept an offer for him.

Celtic have to keep him

Whilst Christie might have gone off the boil over the past couple of months – he hasn’t scored in the Scottish Premiership since Aberdeen back in late October – there’s no questioning he’s a player who consistently gets a tonne of goals and assists each season.

He’s already got 15 goals contributions this term, whilst his previous two campaigns with Celtic have also seen him break double figures for both goals and assists each.

Dubbed a “manager’s dream” by Chris Sutton, he’s been one of the first names on the team-sheet this season for Lennon, missing just two games in all competitions, and both of them were for enforced reasons too.

His former teammate at Celtic, and fellow Scotland midfielder Stuart Armstrong, said: “Especially in these last couple of seasons, he’s taken it to another level with Celtic and has been fantastic.

“Even in the European games, he excels. He has so much energy. His technique is spot-on, especially his first touch at speed – that’s incredible. He just poses that attacking threat that every player likes to have.”

It would be a major howler from the Hoops to let him go right now, especially when you consider he’s just 25 and has got the peak years of his career still to come.