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Another game, more points dropped and another defensive mistake. That’s very much been the tale of Tottenham Hotspur’s tumultuous season.

On Easter Sunday, Jose Mourinho’s side squandered the chance to move back into the Premier League’s top four after Newcastle United fired home a late equaliser at St James’ Park.

This time, as it often has been, it was Davinson Sanchez who made the critical blunder as he clattered into central defensive teammate Joe Rodon, allowing Joe Willock to ghost in unmarked to score just five minutes before full-time.

It’s now time for Mourinho to give him the ‘Eric Dier’ treatment…

On the Chalkboard

Spurs have now lost 15 points from winning positions over the course of the 2020/21 season. Had they seen out those matches, the north Londoners would be sat behind league leaders Man City in second place and four points ahead of Manchester United in third.

The majority of this boils down to errors in the backline and, according to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold at football.london, Mourinho is after a defensive leader as a top priority in the summer transfer window.

He also claims that ‘there has been a clear lack of cohesion at times in the backline and leadership’ and, despite being the most vocal of all Spurs’ options, Dier has found himself now out of favour.

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Indeed, the 27-year-old England international is no longer first choice and has actually been snubbed from the starting XI in their last six league outings. It seems as if the West Ham defeat was the final straw for Mourinho.

However, it’s clear now that Dier was not the problem, or at least isn’t an anomaly.

Against the Magpies, Sanchez was the only player to grade worse than a mediocre 6.5 rating, as per SofaScore figures.

Just last month, ex-Sheffield United midfielder Curtis Woodhouse took to Twitter to launch a scathing attack on the Colombian, claiming that he’s “just not a very good defender” and that he “probably costs you 20 goals a season.”

Similarly, pundit and former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara suggested that Sanchez was part of one of the worst defensive partnerships in the division following their north London derby defeat, soon after slamming him as “disgraceful” and the “worst player” despite scoring in the Everton FA Cup loss.

The latest criticism came after this weekend’s fiasco, as former Republic of Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham dubbed him a “real liability” when he’s at his worst when speaking on the OTB podcast.

It’s unfair that Dier continues to be ostracised when these game-altering mistakes keep cropping up from the Colombian. It’s also farcical that Toby Alderweireld has been overlooked despite the uncertainty over both the Englishman and Sanchez.

The £31.5m-rated South American must now get the same treatment as Dier. He has no business starting for the club heading into the summer, especially if Spurs land a new defensive arrival.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Spurs legend reacts to new Dane Scarlett deal

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that Declan Rice’s knee injury is a “massive blow” to West Ham’s chances of finishing in the European places.

The Hammers midfielder has been ever-present in the Premier League this term, and hasn’t missed a single minute of league action in the previous two seasons.

But Rice, whose recently taken the West Ham armband from club captain Mark Noble, will miss their trip to Wolves tonight and is expected to be sidelined for around four to six weeks following a knee problem sustained in England’s World Cup qualifier against Poland last Wednesday.

Victory for the David Moyes’ team a Molineux will be enough to see them leapfrog Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea and climb back into the fourth-place for the first time since early-March.

But the Hammers will have to do it without their leader and one of their most consistent performers – with Noble in line to make just his second Premier League start since January.

And McAvennie told Football FanCast that whilst Noble has been a great servant to West Ham over the years, Rice is simply irreplaceable:

“The shock news coming out of West Ham is that Rice is going be out for up to six weeks, which will be a massive blow for West Ham, especially in their hunt for European places.

“It’s a terrible shame for the boy, who’s been raising his game week in week out. I’d be annoyed, no disrespect to Noble who’s been a wonderful player and servant to West Ham, but he looks like the automatic choice.

“But when Nobes plays, then tend to defend a awful lot more. They don’t have that energy that Soucek and Rice bring in the midfield, no disrespect to Nobes.”

Manchester United could be set to commit a huge transfer clanger with a decision they have made on the future of defender Teden Mengi.

The 18-year-old joined Derby County on loan in January for a first taste of senior football and has suitably impressed, with reports from The Athletic indicating that a decision has been made for the youngster to rejoin the Rams next season as well.

Considering the rumours that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to bolster his defensive options next season, allowing Mengi to leave Old Trafford once more next term could be a glaring mistake from the manager.

After joining Wayne Rooney’s struggling side, the youngster has racked up eight appearances in the Championship, six of those being starts.

Mengi has certainly caught the eye in that time, with Rooney labelling his performances as “excellent”, and that form could have seen him forge a space in the Red Devils squad, especially in the vacant centre-back spot.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/the-latest-man-united-transfer-rumours-and-news-old-trafford-macheda-solskjaer-lingard-ousmane-dembele-anthony-martial-injury-rabiot-van-de-beek” title=” The latest Man United transfer rumours and news from Old Trafford…”]

It could potentially be argued that it is slightly too early for Mengi to be in contention considering his age and inexperience.

However, the Red Devils have seen in the past that a vast number of their academy graduates are ready for first team football even with little opportunities out on-loan – Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams all being excellent examples in the current squad at Old Trafford.

Should Solskjaer bring in a new centre-back whilst Mengi is plying his trade on loan at Derby County for a second season, this could potentially see his chances of first team football evaporate with the Red Devils.

Linked with potential big-money arrivals such as Gianluca Mancini, Edmond Tapsoba and Raphael Varane, it therefore seems unfathomable that Solskjaer would fork out a huge amount when Mengi is surely ready to be afforded an opportunity.

Allowing the youngster a place in the first team would also allow transfer funds to be spent elsewhere, potentially in attack with the likes of Erling Haaland apparently on the club’s shopping list.

Sending Mengi out on loan once again could be a huge error on behalf of the Old Trafford club.

AND in more news, find out which Man Utd colossus the club must sell in the summer…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who played for both Newcastle United and West Ham, believes the Hammers must win at the weekend if they are serious about qualifying for the Champions League.

David Moyes has been hit with a whole host of injuries in recent weeks with Michail Antonio, Declan Rice, Aaron Cresswell and Mark Noble all picking up knocks with the latter two going off during their 3-2 win against Leicester City last week.

The Hammers have won four of their previous five games in the Premier League, with their only defeat coming in a 1-0 defeat to Man United last month thanks to a Craig Dawson own goal.

Speaking on why West Ham must take all three points against Newcastle if they want to finish in the top four and how it’s a winnable game for both sides, Lee told FFC:

“It’s a winnable game for both teams so I don’t expect it to finish a draw, I think one of them will win.

“If West Ham want to qualify for the Champions League, with all due respect to Newcastle, they have to win this game and they are playing very well and scoring lots of goals at the minute.”

The Hammers will look to keep their position in the top four heading into next weekend’s match against Chelsea, who are currently just one point behind them in fifth.

Newcastle have given themselves some breathing space after taking four points from their previous games two games whereas Fulham have lost their previous four games and are now six points behind the Magpies.

In a recent interview, reported West Ham United summer target Sasa Kalajdzic opened up on the transfer speculation currently surrounding him.

With German outlet Kicker reporting (via Sport Witness) back in March that the Hammers, alongside RB Leipzig and AS Roma, are keeping a close eye on the Stuttgart centre-forward ahead of the summer window, in what would be a potential transfer in the region of €25m (£21.5m), the 23-year-old recently opened up the rumours regarding his future.

Speaking to Sport Bild (via Sport Witness), Kalajdzic said: “I don’t fight against it. It’s great to have my achievements recognised. It’s a compliment to be linked with other clubs.”

Transfer Tavern Take

With David Moyes having limited options at centre-forward in his West Ham squad at present – the injured Michail Antonio is the Scot’s only choice as a senior out-and-out striker – it is unsurprising that the Hammers are interested in adding depth to that position this summer.

Considering the fact that Kalajdzic has scored a highly impressive 14 goals, while also providing five assists, over his 28 Bundesliga appearances for Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side this season, the Austrian would appear to be a fine candidate to provide Moyes with more firepower at the London Stadium.

Furthermore, with the 23-year-old seeming flattered by the interest shown in him by the Hammers, perhaps a switch to the Premier League will not be a difficult move for West Ham to coax from Kalajdzic this summer.

In other news: ‘What a man’, ‘Absolute hero’ – Many West Ham fans gush at ‘fantastic’ ace’s emotional comments – find out more here!

Alan Nixon has dropped a big three-word transfer update on the pursuit of Newcastle United to sign Joe Willock on a permanent deal from Arsenal.

Steve Bruce has recently admitted that he would ‘love’ the chance to sign him permanently as the Magpies are expected to go in for him in the summer window if the Gunners make him available for transfer.

When asked by a Newcastle fan on Twitter if he thinks that they will sign Willock permanently, Nixon claimed that it would be ‘down to price’.

Newcastle wait on Willock price

The Tyneside club will have to wait on what Arsenal will demand to sell Willock, and his price may continue to rise if he continues to score important goals for the Magpies.

The midfielder scored the equalising goal deep into stoppage time against Liverpool on Saturday, putting the Toon in a great position to avoid being relegated from the Premier League.

Willock has also scored important goals against Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley since his arrival at Newcastle in the January transfer window, making it four goals in ten top-flight games in total so far in the current campaign (Transfermarkt).

Bruce will no doubt be hoping that 21-year-old Englishman is affordable come the summer, given his impact on the Magpies’ season since his loan arrival.

In other news, find out what insight Luke Edwards has dropped on arbitration and the potential takeover.

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Nigel Martyn has compared Illan Meslier to Iker Casillas, in terms of the career he could end up enjoying.

The Whites have enjoyed an excellent season back in the Premier League, with numerous individuals performing impressively.

The likes of Stuart Dallas, Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha all stand out, in that respect, but Meslier is another who has been an influential figure.

The 21-year-old Frenchman has been a model of consistently between the sticks, playing with a maturity beyond his years and thriving with the ball at his feet too, enjoying a 78 percent pass completion rate in the league this season.

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Martyn heaps praise on Meslier

Speaking to Leeds United News about Meslier, ex-England international Martyn tipped him to have similar success to former Real Madrid and Spain legend Casillas:

“Look at Iker Casillas at Real Madrid, he got into the team at an early age and look at the career he had. It is probably good for France going forward because he’s starting so young.

“Imagine how good he will be when gets to his late twenties, he might be on 300 or 400 games by then. With experience comes a better player.

“I think he has had a great season personally – but I don’t think I could look back on a season of mine where I haven’t made a mistake.”

Transfer Tavern take

It is certainly massive praise from Martyn, but it is understandable to see the comparisons, considering Meslier is already flourishing at such a young age.

In fairness, Casillas was already playing in a Champions League final at a similar age, suggesting he was on another level still, but the Leeds hero has incredible potential and has been described as ‘fearsome’ by Tony Cascarino recently, praise which is evidenced by the fact he has missed just one league fixture this term and made the second-most saves in the league.

For now, he just needs to continue to shine for the Whites, adding to his 43 total appearances, but he looks like a future France No.1 in-waiting.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with a move for a hugely exciting winger – find out who it is here.

It looks as if Aston Villa have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham this summer.

According to sources from ESPN, the Blues are willing to offload the 23-year-old in the upcoming transfer window. Villa, Newcastle and West Ham are all credited with an interest, with the report suggesting that a return to Villa Park could appeal to the striker.

A £40m fee had been touted, but there is confidence from the interested clubs that a deal can be struck below that figure. Abraham will have two years left on his Stamford Bridge deal in the summer and it seems as if Thomas Tuchel is happy to let him go on a permanent basis.

Transfer Tavern take

Villa are thought to be after a striker this summer to challenge Ollie Watkins, so bringing in Abraham could be a shrewd piece of business. He knows the club well following his 26-goal season on loan in the Midlands and, should he sign, it could give Dean Smith the option to play two out-and-out centre-forwards.

Abraham’s power and presence could ideally complement Watkins’ work-rate and speed, and it seems as if Villa may well look to bring him back to the club over the coming months.

Even if Smith sticks with one striker, having Abraham to rival Watkins may well be crucial. That’s because Wesley Moraes has only recently returned to action after more than a year out injured and reports have suggested that Smith wasn’t convinced on the Brazilian prior to his serious injury and the club would look to move him on this summer.

Should that be the case, bringing in another striker could be pivotal.

In other news: Villa plotting huge bid for Premier League winger, find out who it is here. 

Many Wolves fans have been slamming the performance of Conor Coady in the first half of their game against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon.

The former Liverpool man struggled at times organising his defence against Graham Potter’s men, with Danny Welbeck especially causing him lots of problems with his pace and power.

He failed to get his foot on the ball to clear an inbound header from Lewis Dunk from a corner, which ultimately led to the home side going behind at Molineux. He also failed to win any of his duels in a disappointing first 45 minutes.

Coady will be hoping to have a much better second half under the watchful eyes of Nuno Espirito Santo, as the Wolves manager aims for his team to have a strong finish to a tough season.

Wolves fans on Coady display

These Wolves fans slammed the captain’s performance in the first half on Twitter, with one fan calling the 28-year-old a ‘liability’:

“Coady in a back 4 is not the one, holds off too much”

Credit: @RyanEvans_11

“Get Coady gone man he’s so terrible”

Credit: @bestwolvesfan

“Coady having a shocker”

Credit: @sophiaeclayton

“If I speak about Coady I will be in big trouble”

Credit: @Vyoe_

“Conor Coady is shocking”

Credit: @capzwwfc

“Coady is a liability in a 4. Who’d have thought it? #wwfc”

Credit: @DavidHandley

In other news, find out what Tim Spiers update has left some Wolves fans buzzing!

West Ham United must win their remaining three Premier League matches to secure a place in Europe next season, and their crucial season-ending run starts with a trip to Brighton and Hove Albion tonight.

The Irons dropped down to sixth place in midweek as Liverpool came from behind to defeat a full-strength Manchester United side at Old Trafford. David Moyes’ side are now six points adrift of the top four and have fellow European chasers hot on their tails, with Spurs just two points behind them.

The 58-year-old will need to get his team selection spot-on following three defeats in their last four matches, including a devastating loss to Everton last time out. West Ham were not on their game at the London Stadium whatsoever last weekend, so it leaves Moyes with plenty to ponder in terms of team selection heading into tonight’s clash at the Amex Stadium.

The Hammers embarrassingly failed to register a single shot on target despite a total of 11 attempts against Everton, whilst they also dominated possession (68%) against the Toffees but struggled to turn their authority into anything of note.

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Amongst the worst performers was Said Benrahma, who earned a shocking 6.1 rating by SofaScore, and further misery was piled onto the Algerian winger by the Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser, who wrote in his post-match column: “Failed to back up a strong performance at Burnley, proving Moyes right over his criticism of inconsistency. Missed an absolute sitter at the far post in the first half.”

Indeed, the £18m-rated dynamo appeared weak in his battles, losing five of his ten duels and relinquishing possession a whopping 17 times, and he failed to create much in attack by not registering a single key pass and only completing two of four dribbles, as per SofaScore.

In such a crucial game, Moyes cannot risk carrying a passenger once again, so he must be ruthless and axe the 25-year-old from his starting XI at the Amex Stadium tonight.

It’s not as if he’ll be short on options as Jarrod Bowen has been snubbed from the off in the last two matches, whilst Andriy Yarmolenko is available and Ryan Fredericks can play further forward if need be – or Moyes could even turn to wing-backs instead.

Benrahma has been described as a “magnificent” forward and more recently lauded a “really good team player” by Moyes, but he is still in his debut season in the Premier League.

While he should come on strong in the next few years, he should not feature in the Irons’ starting line-up against Brighton given his poor display last weekend.

AND in other news, Sullivan could land West Ham “another Antonio” with bargain swoop for 16-goal finisher…