Loads of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to the incredible turnaround in form of Jeffrey Schlupp, and they’re full of praise for the 26 year-old ace.
After scoring just once in his first 16 appearances of the season, Schlupp has grabbed four goals in his last 12 games, and his most recent strike was a thing of beauty.
With Palace fans absolutely desperate for some silverware, the Eagles’ FA Cup run has become a huge source of excitement, and Schlupp ensured that it keeps going with a wonderful performance at Doncaster.
The Eagles won 2-0 courtesy of goals from the versatile Ghanaian and Max Meyer, and the opener from Schlupp was a thing of beauty.
The 26 year-old picked up the ball on the left side of midfield, raced into the home side’s box and slammed his finish inside the far post.
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Schlupp has not always been a hugely popular figure at Selhurst Park as many fans have struggled to see why Roy Hodgson keeps faith with him, but the ex-Leiceter ace is more than proving his worth now, and the Twitter reactions down below are loving it…
Steven Gerrard has completely revolutionised Rangers and with the Liverpool legend at the helm, the future is incredibly bright for The Gers going forward.
After a slightly stuttering start, Rangers have put together a solid run of form and have won five of their last six games in the league. Due to that run of form, Rangers have soared to second place in the table, two points off Celtic.
Gerrard also guided the club through a tough Europa League qualifying campaign and despite losing against Spartak Moscow recently, they remain only one point from top in their group but face a tough match against Villarreal tomorrow night.
Despite their heavy recruitment drive over the summer, Rangers need to address a few weak areas, namely at left-back. With that in mind, speaking on The Debate, Ray Parlour has suggested that Rangers should make a move for former Chelsea man, Ashley Cole.
The Breakdown
Cole was released by LA Galaxy this week after almost three years with the MLS side.
Arguably one of the best left-backs to have played in the last two decades, Ashley Cole became a star when he joined Chelsea after being a part of The Invincibles at Arsenal but at 37, his best years are well behind him.
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The situation at left-back is pretty dire for Gerrard as he’s basically ostracised Lee Wallace and has instead been using Borna Barisic, Andy Halliday and Jon Flanagan at the position. Rangers need a new defender but they need to avoid signing Cole at all costs.
Newcastle United supporters have been pretty despondent in the Transfer Tavern in recent times after seeing their side suffer a third Premier League defeat of the season at the weekend.
Rafa Benitez’s men went into their clash with champions Manchester City having taken just one point from their first three league games, drawing 0-0 at Cardiff City alongside losing at home to Tottenham and Chelsea. And the Magpies were unable to record their first win of the campaign on Saturday as well despite putting up a spirited fight against Pep Guardiola’s Citizens, with goals from Raheem Sterling and Kyle Walker either side of a DeAndre Yedlin equaliser sealing all three points for City.
Thus, there have been many disappointed Magpies fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have taken to Twitter recently to express their frustration at the career of winger Rolando Aarons, who has been left out of Benitez’s 25-man Premier League squad.
And those Newcastle supporters are absolutely spot on to be frustrated by the fact that the 22-year-old has simply failed to fulfil his potential during his time in the North East, as signs were that he could have gone on to be a star for the Magpies.
Ultimately, the former England Under-20 international made the move to St James’ Park as a youth player back in 2012 and made his senior debut for the Magpies two years later in a 2-0 defeat to City on the opening day of the 2014/15 season.
But in scoring once and laying on another in their 3-3 draw at home with Crystal Palace a few weeks later, Aarons was beginning to prove his worth to the North East giants, only for injuries to restrict the winger to just two further Premier League appearances that term.
And injury setbacks are very much the story of his time at Newcastle, as Aarons has mustered just 27 first team appearances for the Magpies, although in that time he has managed four goals and three assists for the club – he’s clearly got ability, but hasn’t been able to turn into the asset Newcastle need in their quest to return to their former glories.
Yes, at the tender age of 22, there is still plenty of time for Aarons to go on and have a successful career, but such was the promise when he burst onto the scene four years ago, Magpies fans would have been hoping that his potential would have been fulfilled in the North East.
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That simply hasn’t happened though, which is why those Newcastle fans on Twitter are absolutely spot on to be frustrated with the 22-year-old.
Leeds fans have been reacting to the news that Samuel Saiz could miss the Easter fixtures with a hamstring injury.
There hasn’t much positive news out of Elland Road since the turn of the year, and now another injury update could leave Leeds without one of their most creative outlets in the clashes against Bolton and Fulham.
Leeds have managed a remarkably bad eight points in three months since the Boxing Day win against Burton Albion, and the appointment of Paul Heckingbottom has done little to lift spirits.
Saiz is one of several players who’s form has dropped off quite considerably in that time, and now his hamstring injury could keep him out of the Easter clashes with Bolton and Fulham.
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The 27 year-old was an instant hit after his summer move from Huesca, where he scored 12 league goals in 42 appearances last season, but has gone into hiding since his six-match ban for spitting.
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He injured his hamstring in the 2-2 draw at Reading, and damaged it further in the loss against Sheffield Wednesday. Scans revealed a slight tear in the tendon, though he is likely to return to training this week.
Some fans are suggesting he’s being preserved for a summer move, and some of the best Twitter reactions can be found below…
Tottenham Hotspur will have to take on Real Madrid, Liverpool and Arsenal for the signature of Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic, according to Transfermarketweb.
What’s the word?
The USA international has caught the eye of many since breaking into Dortmund’s first team last year.
Despite being just 19 years of age, the attacking player has become a regular figure, making 64 appearances in total, scoring 10 times and creating 14 assists.
Transfermarketweb reports that Pulisic, who has 16 international caps to his name, is a target for Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid.
The teenager’s current contract at the Westfalenstadion does not expire until 2020.
Do Tottenham have a chance?
Given Mauricio Pochettino’s proven track record of developing young players, the North London club would be a suitable destination for Pulisic.
If the midfielder does decide to move on from Dortmund, then he will need to think of progression rather than choosing the biggest club.
Moving to Madrid would be a huge risk as he is unlikely to be handed regular playing time and if he does not hit the ground running, he could end up fading away.
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Tottenham would be able to offer more first-team football, as well as guidance to help develop Pulisic’s game.
However, if Arsenal and Liverpool are also sniffing around, then Pochettino will need to do what he can to convince the USA midfielder to choose Spurs.
Leeds United kept themselves in the hunt for automatic promotion as they beat second-placed Brighton and Hove Albion 2-0 at Elland Road on Saturday evening.
A brace from Championship top goalscorer Chris Wood proved to be the difference between the two sides, which leaves Garry Monk’s men eight points behind the Seagulls with eight matches of the season remaining.
With the south coast outfit now losing three of their last five matches, it has kept the Yorkshire team’s hopes of finishing in the top two alive.
One of their star players against Chris Hughton’s team was a surprise inclusion in the starting XI, and he might just have proved that he has a big part to play in the Whites’ future.
Kyle Bartley and Pontus Jansson have created a formidable partnership at the heart of Leeds’ defence this season, but the latter was dropped in place of Liam Cooper on Saturday, and it was a move that paid off for Monk.
The 25-year-old, who was rewarded with a late call-up to the Scotland national team on Monday, came out of the clash at Elland Road with some impressive stats despite making just 17 appearances in all competitions prior to this fixture, and three in 2017.
The centre-back won 100% of his tackles and four aerial duels, while he only committed one foul.
Cooper showed his commitment to the Leeds cause by making 13 clearances and two interceptions, while he also proved his ability on the ball with a passing accuracy of 85%.
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United fans may not have been impressed when they saw that the Scot had been included over Jansson an hour before kick-off on Saturday, but they may have just been convinced that he can now play a big part in their future, whichever division they find themselves in.
Monk has certainly given himself a selection headache too having broken up the successful relationship between Bartley and Jansson, but it is one that he will be glad to have.
With West Ham moving into an untouched stadium which has already sold over 50,000 season tickets, the opportunity to play under Slaven Bilic next season seems like a very attractive one. And for one Arsenal forward, it’s a move that he should seriously consider before his career falls away before his very eyes.
Theo Walcott is in footballing purgatory. He’s not a first-team player at Arsenal anymore and his chances of even starting a game at the EUROs look incredibly slim after what has been another poor season at the Emirates. It’s frustrating because when he made the move from Southampton all those years ago, he had so much potential and many touted him as the next Wayne Rooney. But, it hasn’t happened and he’s struggled with injury and dips in form season after season.
So why should he make the move to West Ham? Here’s FIVE reasons….
Minutes/Starting time
One thing West Ham could offer Walcott is minutes. He’d be a starter in that West Ham team and at 27-years-old, he should really be hitting the peak in his career now. He’s left it a little late after a few disappointing seasons at Arsenal, but this could be his chance to play 50 games in a season.
A chance to get in the England squad
Let’s face it, no bench-warmer is going to break into, or remain in an international squad (unless you’re from San Marino). If Walcott wants to mount a serious push for the England team, a move to West Ham would make sense. He’s not a big player at Arsenal anymore and he needs to move on in order to build back his international aspirations.
West Ham are on the up
A brand-spanking new stadium and the chance to play in front of over 60,000 people every week must be pretty tempting. Aside from Arsenal and Manchester United, you don’t get that chance in many places in Europe, let alone the Premier League, of such grandeur. It’s an exciting project and would be a good time to make a move to one of the Premier League’s most aspiring sides.
Dimitri Payet
The chance to play with Dimitri Payet should be a big consideration in itself. The Frenchman was one of, if not the, best players in the Premier League last season and the opportunity to play with him is massive. He’s been touted with a move to some of the biggest sides in the world and if Walcott is looking to play with some real quality players then he won’t do much better than Dimi Payet.
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Arsenal chasing a striker
If the Gunners do in fact bring a new striker to the Emirates, that in itself would spell the end of Walcott’s already beleaguering Arsenal career. Any other attacking option’s potential arrival would mean even more time on the bench for Walcott. Whilst it would improve Arsenal’s squad no-end it would be bad news for Theo, and it could be this that pushes him to eventually leave.
Former Burnley striker Charlie Austin has been in excellent form so far this season for Queens Park Rangers, scoring eight goals to take him up to third in the Premier League’s scoring chart.
The importance of having a goalscorer when you are struggling at the wrong end of the table is hugely significant. However, QPR cannot afford to rely solely on the 25-year-old’s ability to find the back of the net. Harry Redknapp will have to adjust his side when QPR play Everton away from home due to the fact that Austin was sent off against Burnley. The manager has an alarming shortage of attackers if he loses Austin to injury, as Bobby Zamora and Eduardo Vargas are the only recognisable forwards remaining.
Austin has been pivotal in gaining points for QPR this season, his eight goals mean that he has contributed half of the overall amount of Premier League goals scored by the entire QPR team. Although Austin is finding the back of the net, the biggest problems for Harry Redknapp lie in defence. They have conceded the most amount of goals in the Premier League so far this campaign. An ageing defence that consists of players such as Rio Ferdinand (36) and Richard Dunne (35) is not enough to keep QPR defensively sound this season. Also, Steven Caulker has not lived up to expectations since arriving at Loftus Road from Cardiff City and Harry Redknapp will be desperate to see more from a defender he paid £7m for in the summer.
The real problem for QPR is on the road this season. An ‘elderly’ starting XI can work effectively on the more compact pitch at Loftus Road, however, they are soon found out when they are stretched by the opposition. In seven away games so far, QPR have only managed to find the net twice. They are still waiting for their first point away from home, meaning that they have the worst away record in the Premier League. These are alarming statistics considering the amount of goals Charlie Austin has been scoring to help the side. In fact, Austin remains the only player to actually score for QPR on the road this season. If anything happens to the young English striker, the R’s will find it very difficult to reach the fabled 40-point mark at the end of the campaign. Talk of veteran striker Robbie Keane joining the club in January will hardly get QPR fans’ pulses racing but at least it shows that Redknapp is aware of his lack of squad depth, especially in the attacking areas. A key transfer could be Jermain Defoe, who looked odds on to join QPR in the winter window. However, if he decides to join Leicester City, it could become a major blow to Redknapp’s side with the Foxes another team who are also fighting for their lives.
Another alarming problem for QPR is the player’s lack of motivation. Make no mistake about it; Redknapp is a fantastic man manager, who is famous for getting the best out of his players. Therefore, it seems strange that not all of the squad was entirely fit for the first few fixtures of the season. The issue the manager has had with Adel Taarabt seems to sum up the motivational problems behind Redknapp’s crop of players. Although the squad will have shining lights such as Charlie Austin, his goals may not save an ageing QPR side that look destined for a relegation battle this season.
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The Daily Record recently reported that five Glasgow Rangers players will be allowed to move on from Ibrox before the end of the January transfer window.
Kieran Dowell, Clinton Nsiala, Nedim Bajrami, Danilo, and Rabbi Matondo are all free to leave in the coming weeks on permanent deals, whilst Lyall Cameron could be sent out on loan for the rest of the season.
It is not a surprise to learn that Danny Rohl wants to move on from Dowell, for example, because he has not played a single minute of competitive football since August, having been given a chance by Russell Martin at the start of the campaign.
Rangers in talks to sell flop
On top of Dowell and the other four players mentioned in that Daily Record article earlier this month, another Light Blues flop is on his way out of the club.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Joshua Barrie, Glasgow Rangers are “in talks” with Argentinian outfit Huracan over a deal that would see Oscar Cortes make the move to South America.
The winger, signed by Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen, is currently on loan with Sporting Gijon in Spain, but this move would see that loan cut short so that he can move to Argentina.
Barrie claims that the two clubs are currently in talks over a deal that would be a loan with an option or obligation to buy, which means that they are looking to sell the Colombian forward.
However, it remains to be seen how much money Hurucan are willing to pay at the end of the loan to make the deal permanent in the summer transfer window.
Why Cortes has been a bigger flop than Dowell
With Cortes seemingly now on his way to leaving the club on a permanent basis, it is hard to say anything other than that he has been an even bigger flop than Dowell.
The English midfielder has not been a success at Ibrox. Since signing on a free transfer from Norwich in 2023, he has contributed with two goals and three assists in 38 appearances, per Transfermarkt.
He has not offered anywhere near enough quality in the final third, hence why he has found himself on the fringes ahead of a January exit, but it must also be recognised that the ex-Canaries star joined on a free.
Cortes, however, was signed for a whopping fee of £4.5m from Lens in the summer of 2025, after an obligation to buy was put in his loan deal in 2024.
The obligation to buy meant that the Gers had to pay £4.5m for a player who had only scored one goal and provided one assist in 16 Scottish Premiership games in 18 months for the club, per Sofascore.
Rangers defender Richard Foster said that Cortes “looked miles off it” when given an opportunity shortly before the loan deal had to be made permanent, and interim boss Barry Ferguson suggested that he needed to up his levels in training to get more game time.
After signing permanently, despite his struggles across his 18-month loan stint, the winger was sent out on loan to Sporting Gijon for the 2025/26 campaign, but he has failed to deliver a goal or an assist in eight appearances in all competitions, per Sofascore.
Rangers career
Dowell
Cortes
Fee
£0
£4.5m
Appearances
38
19
Goals
2
1
Big chances created
4
1
Assists
3
1
Game stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Cortes and Dowell both look set to permanently end their Rangers careers with fairly dismal statistics, given that they are both attacking players.
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It is the Colombian, however, who looks like the bigger flop and worst signing out of the pair, because he has not offered as much on the pitch, whilst costing a significant fee, rather than joining on a free transfer.
Rangers have only signed eight players for more than £4.5m in their history, including the likes of Ryan Kent, Youssef Chermiti, and Tore Andre Flo, which illustrates how costly the Cortes deal was.
With that in mind, albeit without knowing how much money they could recoup for his services as part of the option to make this potential loan permanent, the 22-year-old dud may have to go down as one of their biggest ever flops.
Rohl can bin Aasgaard by signing £5m gem who'd be a "huge coup" for Rangers
Danny Rohl could drop Thelo Aasgaard from the team with a Rangers swoop for this reported target.
ByDan Emery
The money they paid to sign him, the lack of output on the pitch, and the failed loan before a permanent exit from Ibrox all point to him going down as a huge flop.
Glasgow Rangers made their way through to the play-off round of Champions League qualifiers with a 4-2 win over Viktoria Plzen on aggregate.
The Light Blues traveled away from Ibrox to play the second leg in Czechia on Tuesday night and lost 2-1, but it did not matter in the end thanks to their 3-0 win in Glasgow last week.
Russell Martin will not be happy with the nature of his team’s performance in this match, despite it not mattering overall in the tie, because there were several players who did not play to the best of their ability.
Djeidi Gassama made a lightning fast start to life at Ibrox with four goals in his first five matches, but it is fair to say that this was a step down from what supporters have already gotten used to from the winger.
Djeidi Gassama's performance against Viktoria Plzen
The overall team performance did not help the French forward, it must be said, but the former Sheffield Wednesday man failed to make a positive impact on the match.
In 87 minutes on the pitch, Gassama did not register a single shot on target or create any chances for his teammates, which shows that he offered very little, if anything, in the final third.
However, the 21-year-old talent did win four of his nine duels and completed two of his three attempted dribbles, as per Sofascore. He competed and tried to put himself around for the team, albeit it was coupled with ineffective play in the important part of the pitch.
Performance in Numbers
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Whilst Gassama was not at his bes in the final third in a fairly disappointing display, Mohamed Diomande was even worse than him in the middle of the park.
Why Russell Martin must drop Mohamed Diomande
Looking past the League Cup clash with Alloa at the weekend, Martin must ruthlessly drop the Ivorian midfielder from the side to face Club Brugge next Tuesday in the play-off round.
Diomande, who was handed a 4/10 player rating – lower than Gassama’s 5/10 – by IbroxNews, struggled with the physicality and intensity of the match in the middle of the park.
Mohamed Diomande
Viktoria Plzen’s players found it far too easy to get the better of him, which helped the home side to assert their dominance on the game, by winning five of their six duels against him, per Sofascore.
Vs Viktoria Plzen
Mohamed Diomande
Minutes
68
Pass accuracy
90%
Ground duels won
1/5
Aerial duels won
0/1
Tackles + interceptions
1
Dribbled past
2x
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Diomande lost 83% of his duels across his 68 minutes on the park, and was dribbled past more times than he made defensive interventions.
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These statistics show that he was a lightweight out of possession in midfield, whilst Lyall Cameron won three of his five duels and Nicolas Raskin won four of his seven battles, and that is why he was even worse than Gassama, who at least put himself about for the team and showed his strength on and off the ball.
Diomande was the weak link in the middle of the park next to his midfield partners, which is why Martin must consider ruthlessly ditching him from the XI when Club Brugge come to Ibrox, as Joe Rothwell is waiting in the wings to take his place next to Cameron and Raskin.
Better signing than Mendy: Rangers line up move to bring £8m star to Ibrox
Rangers are reportedly interested in a deal for a star who would be an even better signing than Nobel Mendy.
ByDan Emery
It is now down to Martin to be ruthless with his decision-making by dropping the left-footed flop from the starting line-up for such a huge match against the Belgian outfit.