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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will have been delighted with the performances of his players in Portugal’s 3-0 win over Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Joao Cancelo all started as Portugal swept their opponents aside with ease in a World Cup qualifying match. Silva scored one of the goals, with RB Leipzig’s Andre Silva and Liverpool’s Diogo Jota also finding the back of the net.

Whilst Guardiola will be pleased that Silva was able to get on the scoresheet and that Dias registered a clean sheet, the player whose performance he will surely have been wowed by is Joao Cancelo.

The former Juventus defender produced a sensational display, with Bruno Fernandes and Jota the only players who recorded higher SofaScore ratings than the fullback. Cancelo was handed a score of 8.5/10, compared to Dias’ 7.3 and Silva’s 7.6, suggesting that he was the standout of the City players on the pitch.

Defensively, he was excellent. Per SofaScore, Cancelo won 73% of his duels on the pitch as he won nine of 12 on the ground and two of three in the air. He also made three tackles and two clearances, whilst also managing to avoid being dribbled past a single time in the game. This shows that he was strong defensively and did not allow himself to be exposed at fullback, helping to protect his centre-backs and the goalkeeper.

The 27-year-old was able to merge his impressive defending with attacking flair. Per SofaScore, Cancelo had a whopping 120 touches of the ball in 90 minutes, providing two key passes and completing 76 passes as he registered one assist.

He also completed an eye-catching six of his seven dribbles attempted. This included a sequence of play where he nutmegged two opposition players in succession with an exquisite piece of skill, whilst also finding a teammate with seven of his 10 long pass attempts.

Overall, Cancelo was exceptional at both ends of the pitch. He was almost faultless defensively and was able to showboat with his ability on the ball going forward – setting up one of the three goals.

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Guardiola will have been wowed by Cancelo’s display as it was a complete performance from the defender that bodes well for him heading back into Premier League action this weekend.

AND in other news, Txiki should seal Man City swoop for “incredible” £45m-rated gem to solve big problem…

Leeds United winger Raphinha won’t be a Liverpool player next season, Goal’s Neil Jones says. 

Any previous ‘suggestions’ that the Brazilian will make the move to Anfield are said to be wide of the mark.

Raphinha only joined Leeds last year in a £17million switch from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes.

How did Raphinha perform last season?

He enjoyed an impressive debut campaign, directly contributing to 15 goals (six goals, nine assists) in 26 starts.

His average of 2.1 chances created per 90 minutes was the seventh-best in the division.

Raphinha has said he isn’t ‘even thinking about leaving’ but admitted it was ‘difficult to define’ how he felt when he heard ‘speculation about giant teams like Liverpool and Manchester United’.

The Reds may be in the market for a new attacker this summer to boost their depth and to limit the damage of losing Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane to AFCON duty at the turn of the year.

Fan feed LFC Transfer Room relayed Jones’ claim, and here’s what supporters made of it.

Liverpool fans react as Raphinha hopes spurned

“Pain”

Credit: @Nehanc6

“Seems to be too expensive atm”

Credit: @ZKarimNBK

“I try not to get dragged into rumours but I truly believed we were gonna sign him and I’ll be heartbroken if we don’t”

Credit: @mb97__

“Still don’t understand why people thought leeds would sell tbh”

Credit: @y2_26

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“Coz they want to keep Origi…”

Credit: @biGDhee08

“Ok. #Mbappe2021 then”

Credit: @Forlarin_10

In other news, fans were left raging by another transfer story. 

Steve Bruce has dropped an update on Allan Saint-Maximin after an injury scare while playing for Newcastle away to Liverpool this weekend.

The Frenchman was a victim of three fouls from Reds players in their 1-1 draw at Anfield in the Premier League at Saturday lunchtime, being more or less kicked all over the pitch.

Speaking in his post-match press conference when asked about whether he thinks the 24-year-old will be fit to play against Arsenal at St James’ Park next weekend, Bruce claimed (via The Chronicle): “Saint-Maximin’s going to take knocks because of the way he plays.”

The manager added: “I think he’s OK.”

Saint-Maximin so important to Newcastle

You only have to look at the impact that Saint-Maximin has had since returning to the team to see just how important he is to Newcastle. In their last four matches in the Premier League in where he has featured, the Tyneside club have won two and drawn two, with the 24-year-old scoring one goal and setting up another two in those fixtures (Transfermarkt).

The Magpies will need to have him fully fit and at his best if they are to take anything away from the Gunners, who are a wounded animal after back-to-back disappointing results at home to both Fulham and Everton respectively.

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Bruce’s encouraging update on Saint-Maximin’s fitness will surely come as a welcome relief to much of the Toon Army, given the Frenchman’s sizeable influence.

In other news, read more on this big Joe Willock transfer update!

When Bukayo Saka got in behind the Wolves defence after just a matter of minutes on Tuesday evening, it looked for all the world as though the Old Gold were going to slip to another defeat.

However, the teenager’s effort struck the post, an opportunity that rather set the tone for a night of bad fortune for Arsenal.

Twice they had a player sent off as Mikel Arteta was left to bemoan the discipline of his players and the officiating on show.

Yet, despite everything that was going on, Wolves kept their cool and managed to put an end to one of Nuno Santo’s toughest runs in the Molineux dugout. This was just a fourth win in their last 14 matches in all competitions and it came against a side who had conceded only once since Boxing Day.

The form table dictated Arsenal should have claimed all three points, but it was Wolves who ran away with the victory courtesy of goals from Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho.

Though, as vibrant as Wolves were offensively, their backline appeared to be in diabolical shape once again. They have kept just one clean sheet in the league since October and it was no surprise judging by the woeful defending from Nelson Semedo.

The Portuguese was given an early sighter in the opening few minutes of the match when Cedric danced forward from left-back and beat the right-back with a lovely piece of trickery on the edge of the area.

That set the tone for a difficult night for Semedo, someone who was at fault for Arsenal’s goal. In much the same manner as Cedric, Nicolas Pepe darted forward down the left and beat the full-back all too easily.

His attempt at winning the ball from the Ivorian was nothing short of embarrassing and Wolves deserved to concede.

During the course of the game, the Portugal international lost 66% of his duels and also surrendered possession on 14 occasions. For context, only Adama Traore and Pedro Neto lost it more, with Semedo really struggling to match up to Pepe’s strength and intensity in pressing him whenever he had the ball.

It was a dismal showing from the former Barcelona man, but we shouldn’t be surprised. After all, Semedo has continued to let Nuno down since his move from Spain last summer.

Offensively, he is a ball of energy, but when presented with one-on-one situations defensively, he is abject. That was evident against Everton a few weeks ago when Semedo was left vulnerable down the right once again.

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He didn’t get tight enough to Lucas Digne who was able to lay the ball on a plate for the Toffees’ first goal but he didn’t learn from it. The rampaging French left-back was able to supply as many as six crosses from Semedo’s side of the pitch.

Nuno clearly has a problem at the moment, and it’s one that could cost him nearly £37m. That sort of price tag would usually make someone undroppable. That shouldn’t be the case with Semedo however, who is still letting his manager and teammates down.

AND in other news, Wolves must revisit swoop for £25.2m-rated Mendes client, he’s shades of Seedorf…

Sheffield United supporters will want the club to sign some players whilst the transfer window is open, but the latest transfer news to happen surrounding the Blades is a temporary departure.

Sheffield United have posted on their website that highly rated youngster Rhys Norrington-Davies will be heading to Championship side Luton Town on a season-long loan.

It is a big step up for the player, as he has played on loan at both Barrow in the National League and Rochdale in League One in recent times.

The loan move will benefit all parties as it means Norrington-Davies can get some much-needed experience in a tough division and it also highlights how promising he is that he has managed to pick up a loan move to the Championship after being in the National League not too long ago.

He is also an U21 international for Wales which highlights he has a good future ahead of him, so if he can have a good season at Luton there is no doubt that he could be in with a shout of playing for the Blades sooner rather than later.

It also bodes well for the Blades that they have a player for the future who is a left-back, as they missed out on the signing of Antonee Robinson to Fulham, and the reliable Enda Stevens is 30, so he won’t be around forever and Norrington-Davies could be the ideal future replacement for him.

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Sheffield United fans, what are your thoughts on this news? Comment below!

When it rains, it pours.

At least that is the case for Aston Villa at the moment. Their 4-0 loss on Monday against Leicester City leaves them in trouble in the Premier League’s relegation zone – although they do have a game in hand, they are still two points adrift of 17th place, and even that match they need to play to catch up is against high-flying Sheffield United.

Not only that, they are having issues off the pitch as well – at least the one at Villa Park. Danny Drinkwater, who was brought in on loan from Chelsea during the January transfer window, was involved in a training ground altercation with teammate Jota this week – he is even said to have headbutted the former Birmingham City man.

Now, it appears that the Villans are considering whether to send him back to the Blues. Given this recent incident and that he has had little impact in the four games he has started – failing to score or assist – it seems a no-brainer. The bigger question is, why did they even sign him in the first place?

Watch Aston Villa Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below</

This is not his first loan spell of the campaign – he was first at Burnley, until January. However, he managed just two appearances there, which came in the Clarets’ 4-1 loss against Manchester City and 3-1 League Cup defeat versus Sunderland. In fact, his time at Turf Moor was more memorable for another fight he was involved in, albeit not with a teammate this time, as he was left worse for wear after a disagreement at a nightclub. That came after he was banned from driving for being drunk at the wheel whilst still at Stamford Bridge – his off-the-field misdemeanours are beginning to rack up.

In some cases, that can be brushed to one side if he at least has something to offer in terms of football itself, but that isn’t exactly the case. Since the start of the 2017/18 campaign, the £5.4m-valued 30-year-old – as per Transfermarkt –  has played 1593 minutes of football in all competitions – that would be enough to complete 17 matches.

He is clearly out of touch, hence why he has struggled to show his worth for so long. Why, therefore, did Villa take a punt on him, paying £60,000 of his £120,000-a-week wages, when they find themselves in such a dire situation? Jesus Pitarch should have been looking to bring in someone they could rely on, but the England international has not been able to provide that in quite a while.

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By winning the Premier League with Leicester, Drinkwater has done what so few players ever get to do. However, it seems his best years are long behind him. Suso has plenty to answer for by taking the ill-thought risk to take him to the Midlands.

Meanwhile, Villa fans don’t want this man as managed if Dean Smith is sacked.

According to TEAMtalk, West Bromwich Albion are one of several clubs mulling over the idea of signing Peterborough United talisman Marcus Maddison next month.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

What’s the word?

It is believed that Championship rivals Middlesbrough saw a bid of just £350k laughed off by the League One outfit with Brentford, Derby County and Bristol City all keen too.

The same source suggests that a bid of around £2.5m could be enough to secure the services of the attacking midfielder.

Albion are reportedly in the market for January additions to bolster their chances of earning promotion to the Premier League with Jarrod Bowen also linked in recent days.

Cheap alternative

The Baggies could save themselves a whole load of cash by opting for Maddison over the Hull City enigma. In fact, Bowen is expected to cost £20m, which is ten times the amount mentioned above.

Considering the club couldn’t afford Dwight Gayle’s wages in the summer, how are they going to pull off an eight-figure transfer? That’s on top of supposedly making Matheus Pereira’s loan deal permanent for a total of £9m too.

Maddison is in red hot form this campaign, helping the Posh to third place in League One with nine goals and six assists.

The 26-year-old is very much in the same mould as Bowen as he has been deployed as both a number ten and as a right-winger this season

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Michael Owen, Garth Crooks or Mark Lawrenson?

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Last month, the BBC revealed that Maddison was part of a lethal frontline that was proving to be more prolific than Liverpool’s Mo Salah and co, while Football League World attribute him as being one of the best players available outside England’s top two divisions.

At just £2.5m, the addition of the dangerous playmaker could be a bargain. You only have to look at Semi Ajayi’s form under Slaven Bilic to see why this move would pay dividends – or more so, save plenty of cash.

And in other Baggies news, West Brom have suffered a setback in contract talks with Nathan Ferguson

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Isco had a pretty rough start to the new 2019/20 La Liga campaign and has only managed to tally three appearances to his name so far. But his talents are undeniable and Zinedine Zidane would be wise to find a spot for him in the team.

On the chalkboard

The 27-year-old Spaniard has been a part of the Real Madrid squad since 2013 when he joined the club from Malaga.

And despite some hiccups along the way, Isco became a key part of the squad and has accomplished great things with the Galacticos.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

In the 280 games he has played in a white shirt, he has managed to score 48 goals and assist a further 52 in the process. Those are pretty impressive figures but for all his talent and obvious qualities, he has struggled for continuity.

And unfortunately for him, he currently doesn’t have a clear role in Zidane’s team.

Wasted talent

Saying that it’s difficult to fight for your spot at Real Madrid would be an understatement.

Naturally, Zidane has a pretty stacked squad at his disposal and even big names like Isco are struggling to fit in.

Granted, his latest injury has kept him sidelined for six games and he is yet to get back on the pitch despite receiving medical clearance.

But with his primary role this season being that of a left-winger, according to Transfermarkt’s database, it’s difficult to see him thrive.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

This is especially true considering Real’s purchase of Eden Hazard, who is bound to be their first-choice wide man on the left, leaving Isco on the bench.

But Isco is quite versatile, as well. For the games Transfermarkt have in their database, Isco has been played in five major positions – attacking midfield, central midfield, right and left wing and as a centre-forward.

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If Madrid need creativity from the midfield, he could definitely be a solution to that problem. With that in mind, giving him enough time to find his footing and unleash his potential in that advanced role in the middle of the park could do Real Madrid a lot of good.

At the moment, Isco’s skill set is being wasted precisely because he has no real role within the squad and thus, no consistent game time to show what he can do.

But the competition is tough and no one gets a guaranteed chance.

Looking strictly at the player in question, however, Zidane would be wise to find a way to fit Isco into his starting XI; he’s simply too talented to be left out.

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Lots of Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to unfairly dismiss Divock Origi’s new long-term contract and call on the club to make some new signings.

The Belgium international has become somewhat of a cult hero at Anfield after his heroics last term.

“It reminds me of a bus seat!” – Watch a damning verdict on Chelsea’s new kit in the video below…

The 24-year-old scored crucial late goals in the league against Everton and Newcastle to keep the Reds’ title surge on track, whilst he also netted historic goals against Barcelona and the winner in the Champions League final against Tottenham to win Liverpool a sixth major European Cup.

As a result of those exploits, it is extremely harsh on the Liverpool fans below to ignore the announcement of a new deal for the 6 foot 1 ace, and instead demand that the club enter the market for some new signings.

It has already been reported that the Merseysiders aren’t actively looking to add to their squad, and will only make movements in the window if the current situation of some players changes.

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So, why can’t the fans on Twitter below respect that and instead channel their energy into congratulating Origi, like the majority have done?

Let’s take a look at some of the disrespectful comments…

Manchester City take on Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester tonight in yet another crucially important game in the title race. It’s City’s to lose now, just two wins away from securing a second successive Premier League title.

Leicester will pose problems, however. A 3-0 destruction of Arsenal will give them confidence in the final push for a European place and Rodgers must surely love the idea of helping Liverpool win a title at long last.

In City’s way stands a player they have recently become linked with in Ben Chilwell. According to The Telegraph, the left-back is a prime target for Guardiola, but it will potentially take a world record fee to secure his signature.

But how does he compare to what City already possess? The left-back position has represented somewhat of a conundrum for Guardiola this season. They certainly haven’t had an established choice, with Fabian Delph, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Benjamin Mendy battling for a spot.

Mendy was a big money signing in 2017, costing £52m.

But who would represent the better singing, Chilwell or Mendy? Let’s analyse it further below.

Benjamin Mendy

The briefest of glances at the full-backs stats immediately show that he’s not provided the impact City would have wanted. He has only played 17 league games thus far, although winning an impressive 14 of them.

Still, it’s not really good enough, is it?

This must mainly be attributed to persistent injury problems, most noticeably rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament almost immediately upon his arrival. This kept him out for 198 days, nearly the entirety of the season. He did manage the five league games necessary to claim a Premier League winners medal, however.

Injuries have continued to pester Mendy throughout this season. Yet despite professing his availability for the run in, Zinchenko has emerged as the first choice left-back. The 24-year-old Frenchman, who offered so much promise on his arrival to the club, is now valued at £36m by TransferMarkt, representing a significant loss.

While there is indeed an abundance of potential present, his injuries have limited his impact. Thus far, the transfer cannot be deemed a success at £52m.

TT Grade: B-

Ben Chilwell

Chilwell has undoubtedly emerged as one of the most exciting prospects in English football. The 22-year-old looks odds on to claim a starting role for England at the Nations League finals, after a series of impressive performances once again this season.

The Englishman has played 34 league games this season, assisting four in the process. Moreover, the defender is yet to make a single error leading to a goal or even a shot. Chilwell is extremely comfortable on the ball and both defensively and offensively sound.

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The academy graduate is just one of the young exciting talents at Leicester, with Harvey Barnes and James Maddison also impressing.

TT Grade: A

So, there we have it, Chilwell takes the win here. Despite the fact he would take an equally astronomical fee to secure his services, City would undoubtedly benefit from his incoming.

Would they be willing to cut their losses on Mendy, however? It remains to be seen.

Leicester and City fans, what do you think? Would Chilwell start for City? Will Leicester let him go? Let us know below.