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Marcelo Biela’s Leeds United go in search of their second Premier League win of the season as they face Norwich at Carrow Road today.

The Whites are up against a Norwich side who sit bottom of the table and lost 7-0 to Chelsea in their last league match. Meanwhile, Leeds lost 2-0 to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup in their last game, exiting in the last 16 of the competition.

How many changes will Bielsa make to his side for today? Here is our predicted XI for the match…

We are predicting that he will make five alterations to the team from midweek, with Junior Firpo, Liam Cooper, Mateusz Klich, Raphinha and Joe Gelhardt all coming in.

Starting at centre-back, Cooper could return in place of Pascal Struijk. The Leeds captain has started every league match this season and his place on the bench against the Gunners yielded a much-needed rest for the Scotland international.

Bielsa has ruled Luke Ayling, Robin Koch and Patrick Bamford out of contention, whilst admitting that Firpo, Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips are set to be available for selection. He told The Athletic: “There is no precise return date for the injuries of Ayling, Bamford and Koch.

“(Junior) Firpo and Raphinha are likely to be available. (Jamie) Shackleton is likely to be available. (Kalvin Phillips) is fine to return.”

We published an article explaining why Firpo should start at left-back, with Stuart Dallas having struggled against Arsenal. The 30-year-old lost 70% of his duels in the match and had a 0% success rate from his attempted dribbles and crosses throughout the game.

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Out wide, Raphinha could replace summer signing Dan James. We have outlined why the 23-year-old flop should be axed from the team, and Bielsa could now start the Brazilian ahead of him against Norwich, with Jack Harrison switching over to the left. Raphinha has three goals in eight Premier League matches this season and could add to his tally today against a struggling Canaries side.

Finally, we are predicting that Klich and Gelhardt will play ahead of Tyler Roberts and Adam Forshaw in midfield. The latter duo failed to impress in midweek and were replaced by the former pair before the 60th minute, perhaps indicating that Bielsa is looking at them to start against Norwich. It could be a huge chance for young Gelhardt to prove his worth if he is handed a place in the starting XI.

AND in other news, Sold for £10m, now a Championship outcast: Leeds had a blinder with “special” 24 y/o…

Graeme Jones’ first match in charge of Newcastle United ended in disappointment as their winless start to the Premier League season continued against Crystal Palace with a 1-1 draw.

Christian Benteke fired the hosts in front on 56 minutes before Callum Wilson rescued a draw shortly afterwards with a sensational overhead kick into the top corner. The Magpies remain 19th in the Premier League table and are three points off safety, whilst they are only two points ahead of bottom side Norwich.

One player in particular who let Jones down with his display against the Eagles was Allan Saint-Maximin.

The French winger, who is usually the bright spark for the Magpies, was disappointing throughout the game before being taken off for Joelinton in the second half. Saint-Maximin is used to being the star of the show with his tricky, brilliant performances and has so often been a game-changer for the club, but he was unable to showcase his best qualities in the first match after Steve Bruce’s dismissal.

In the eight games prior to today, he had produced two goals and three assists. This shows that he has the ability to provide quality in the final third, which is why he let Jones down this afternoon with his dreadful showing against Palace.

As per SofaScore, Saint-Maximin lost five of his nine duels, including five of his seven ground duels. He also failed to make a single tackle as he was dribbled past once, with zero clearances or blocks, whilst making just one interception for his team. This shows that he was a lightweight in his defensive duties, allowing Palace to get past him too easily.

On the ball, he was not his usual self either. As per SofaScore, he had a dribble success rate of 0% and only completed five of his 12 attempted passes (42%). The 24-year-old also failed to complete a single cross or long ball and lost possession a whopping 19 times from 31 touches.

Along with his lack of defensive nous, Saint-Maximin was unable to effectively use his dribbling skills to create chances for himself and others. Normally so lively in the final third, he was far from his best today and ended up letting Jones down at Selhurst Park.

AND in other news, Ba 2.0: PIF could land goalscoring sensation with NUFC swoop for “incredible” beast…

West Ham United star Declan Rice has been linked with a move to Manchester United next summer, via ESPN.

The Lowdown: Rice shines for Hammers

Rice, valued at £63 million, has gotten better and better since breaking onto the scene in the 2017/18 season. Originally a centre-back and a defensive midfielder, the 22-year-old has drastically improved on his game and is now one of David Moyes’ most well-rounded players.

After a strong Euro 2020 with England, Rice returns to the London Stadium this season with European football to dig his teeth in and continues to attract the interest of the top six.

Being close friends with Chelsea’s Mason Mount has previously seen him linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, but with no official offer over the summer, Rice remains a Hammer.

The Latest: United keen next summer

As per ESPN sources, Manchester United ‘remain keen’ on securing the signature of Rice, after opting not to sign a midfielder in the previous transfer window.

The report also states that sources have said a striker and a midfielder are on the list for next summer and Rice is among a number of options that will be looked at come the end of the season.

Rice is under contract until 2024  and it is likely that the Hammers would have to lower their valuation of the midfielder if he is to move on in the future.

The Verdict: New contract or move on

There have been previous reports linking Rice to sign a new contract at the London Stadium, but with no new deal on the horizon just yet, it may be a case of cashing in for a massive fee if he does not agree to extend his stay.

Rice was called an ‘excellent player’ by Alan Shearer for his impressive performances last season and United’s pulling power would be hard to turn down if they came in with a bid in the region of the Hammers’ enormous £100m asking price.

Yes, his departure would hurt the fans, but playing in the Champions League and playing with the best is something Rice wants so if the right offer is made, it could be the best move for all parties to make it happen.

In other news, Stuart Pearce has been full of praise for current Hammers ace. Find out more here.

Newcastle United are looking into a potential January deal for Lille centre-back Sven Botman, according to The Athletic. 

The lowdown

21-year-old Botman was ‘heavily linked’ with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in January 2020 and has admirers at a host of top clubs.

He’s described the Premier League as a ‘beautiful competition’ with an appealing style of football, so it would perhaps be no surprise to see his next move take him to England.

The Dutchman has also compared himself to Sergio Ramos and said he adopts a ‘killing attitude’ on the pitch.

The latest

‘Newcastle United exploring [the] possibility of signing’ Botman during the mid-season window, The Athletic’s David Ornstein says.

He’s ‘among [the] leading NUFC targets’, but it will take an ‘exceptional’ offer in the region of £40million to recruit him in the winter.

Lille don’t want to lose him midway through their European campaign, and they’re also expecting further offers in the summer.

He only earns £18,000 per week at present, but Botman would allegedly be near ‘the summit’ of Newcastle’s earning list if he moved to St James’ Park.

While the pursuit is ‘driven by the head of recruitment Steve Nickson’, manager Eddie Howe apparently approves of the 6 foot 4 colossus.

The verdict

Botman could be described as a ball-playing centre-half. Among positional peers in the top five leagues, he ranks in the 78th percentile for passes attempted, and the 80th for progressive passes (via FBRef).

In addition to helping Howe’s side build attacks though, he could shore them up defensively too. Last season, he was virtually ever-present in a Lille side that beat Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title while conceding just 23 goals.

Given the calibre of player, and of competition for his signature, this would be a real statement signing for the Magpies.

In other news, this PL defender has also been tipped to join NUFC.

West Ham United are battling Napoli for the signing of Villarreal left-back Pervis Estupinan, according to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The Ecuador international only joined Villarreal in September 2020, leaving Watford in a £14.76m deal after they were relegated from the Premier League last summer.

The Hornets had previously loaned him out to three different Spanish clubs and never handed him a competitive debut (via Sky Sports).

Estupinan made 33 appearances for Unai Emery’s side in all competitions, including four in the Europa League as he helped Villarreal to lift the trophy after beating Manchester United on penalties in the final.

It may be difficult to prise him away from The Yellow Submarine, though, given that they committed him to a seven-year contract on his arrival.

The latest

The report from Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) stated that West Ham are now in the frame for the 23-year-old, along with Luciano Spaletti’s Napoli.

While the Serie A outfit have been pursuing the move for longer, the Irons could have the advantage in this transfer race because they ‘don’t seem to have any economic problems’.

The verdict

This would be a slightly superfluous move for the Hammers. They already have two good left-back options in the form of Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku, whose respective WhoScored average match ratings for 2020/21 were 6.81 and 6.89, both of which far outshone Estupinan’s 6.53.

On top of that, Villarreal would be within their rights to demand a hefty sum of money less than 12 months on from signing the Ecuadorian.

There are bigger priorities to be addressed – namely a centre-back, a backup forward and an alternative to Jesse Lingard if he isn’t going to be returning permanently – so the Irons shouldn’t be too dismayed if they don’t manage to sign the Villarreal full-back.

In other news, West Ham are plotting a new bid for this transfer target.

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith is reportedly considering a tactical reshuffle in order to accommodate new additions Leon Bailey, Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendia, according to the Daily Mail.

After signing each of those three for £28m or more, Smith appears to have wasted no time in figuring out how to incorporate them into his setup following the departure of Jack Grealish.

According to the Daily Mail, former Southampton marksman Ings could partner fellow striker Ollie Watkins in attack within a 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 system for the Midlands side.

Interestingly, the possibility of a midfield diamond with Buendia at the tip has also been assessed going into the forthcoming season.

In light of this news, loads of Aston Villa fans took to social media to fume over the reported tactical reshuffle from Smith, whose preferred 4-2-3-1 formation helped his team to a comfortable mid-table finish last term.

Aston Villa fans react:

Replying to popular Aston Villa fan outlet villareport on Twitter, here is what some supporters had to say about the planned tactical reshuffle:

“Then why sign Bailey? And we wouldn’t need Traore or even Sanson. Can’t see this much.”

Credit: @Da_Cubbies”I give it three games until we’re back to a 4-2-3-1″Credit: @VillaTalk2″No chance they are shifting from a back 4. Worked so well last season.”Credit: @Rich90754593″What’s the point in signing Bailey then?”Credit: @OAlexander2019″We’ll get horribly over-run in midfield”Credit: @Ross_Leach”Just can’t see it working, it’s not how we play”Credit: @9teen8tytwoIn other news, these Aston Villa fans react to an update on this transfer target

The agent of reported Liverpool target Otavio has been discussing the future of his client. 

Israel Oliveira told Portuguese newspaper A Bola that the 26-year-old could leave Porto this summer ‘if it’s good for Porto and for Otavio’.

Otavio has a €60m (£51.43m) release clause but the Liga NOS runners-up are in need of an influx of cash and will accept a ‘fair’ offer far lower than that amount.

The lowdown on Otavio

The Brazilian has scored 19 goals and provided 49 assists in 188 appearances for Porto. He has also showcased significant versatility over the course of his career, operating as a central and attacking midfielder, right and left midfielder and even as a secondary striker.

The 26-year-old’s average WhoScored rating of 7.4/10 was the second-highest in the Portuguese top-flight last season, only behind Sporting’s Pote.

Liverpool have already got their summer business underway with the £36m signing of centre-back Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig.

Fan feed The Anfield Talk relayed Oliveira’s comments, and here’s how supporters reacted. Despite Otavio’s decent scoring and performance figures, many Kopites felt rather underwhelmed by the interest in him – a couple of fans drew comparisons with Manchester United’s advancing pursuit of the prodigious Eduardo Camavinga, who plays in the same position as Otavio.

Liverpool fans unimpressed by Otavio links

“While United are getting Camavinga smh”

Credit: @theKlavanEra

“I speak for all Liverpool fans when I say we shouldn’t sign him.”

Credit: @_TDRx

“Like we don’t have enough bozos”

Credit: @Jay_LFCv2

“I don’t think Otavio is the player we need. Much better quality options available”

Credit: @lfcxcathal

“I don’t know about this”

Credit: @karthik_the_red

“So Man Utd sign with Camavinga and we with Otavio?? If I speak on this club man…”

Credit: @Its_VASKO

In other news, these Liverpool fans reacted to an update on the future of one Anfield ace  

Speaking to Football Insider, a Tottenham Hotspur source has shared an unwanted update involving young winger Roshaun Mathurin after his ‘devastating’ injury blow.

The Lowdown: Mathurin tears ACL…

The Spurs teenager is one of many academy products turning heads at Hotspur Way, with the 17-year-old netting seven goals and registering two assists across 21 Under-18 Premier League starts last season (Transfermarkt).

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Mathurin’s performances even earned the player his first call-up to first team Tottenham training last season, with former manager Jose Mourinho seemingly taking full notice of his exploits.

However, the teenager suffered a major blow to his fitness, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at the end of last month in a serious injury blow.

The Latest: Spurs source shares damning update…

Speaking to Football Insider, a Spurs source has now shared an update on Mathurin’s expected recovery time following surgery.

As explained, the Tottenham talent could now be out for at least nine months and possibly 12 after his ACL blow.

Mathurin is apparently regarded as highly-rated behind the scenes at Spurs and a player capable of breaking into the first team, but he will now begin an ‘extensive’ period of rehabilitation before he can play again.

The Verdict: Big shame…

ACL injuries are classed among the most serious in the modern game and Spurs will hope that one of their most highly-rated academy gems can recover as quickly and as smoothly as possible.

Mathurin’s world class display and hat-trick in a 6-1 victory over Chelsea under-18s last year highlights just how much potential there is in his locker. Hopefully he can put this significant setback behind him and make the leap into the first team in the future.

In other news: ‘Meetings with Tottenham’…Source close to ‘unstoppable’ player drops transfer reveal, find out more here.

It has been suggested recently that Andrea Pirlo is on Everton’s shortlist to replace Carlo Ancelotti at Goodison Park this summer, and if the 42-year-old were to get the job, he could be the man to unlock Andre Gomes in this Toffees side.

According to Calciomercato, Pirlo is one of the names being considered to step up as Ancelotti’s replacement after the 61-year-old returned to Real Madrid this week, with the former looking likely to make a swift return to management after being sacked by Juventus recently.

During his playing days, Pirlo was renowned as an incredible passer of the ball who was extremely composed in possession and could dictate games with apparent ease.

He favoured a possession style of play during his time with Juventus, as only Sassuolo averaged more possession per game than the Old Lady in Serie A last season, which suggests that he would deploy a similar tactic with the Toffees.

This could lead to Gomes having a resurgence of form, with the former Barcelona midfielder having struggled for consistent form during his time at Goodison Park, with his 6.46 average rating from WhoScored last season ranking him as the 18th-best performer in the Toffees’ squad.

However, his passing success rate of 85.3% was the fourth-best of any Everton player with at least 10 appearances in the Premier League last season, which emphasises that he is one of their more talented players on the ball.

Gomes seems to lack the energy to push forward from midfield and contribute in attack, so if he were redeployed by the 42-year-old in ‘the Pirlo role’ as a deep-lying playmaker, he could then become a lot more effective in this Everton side.

Whilst the horrific ankle injury the Portuguese midfielder suffered in 2019 has largely scuppered his form, he has shown glimpses of his ability, with former Toffees goalkeeper Nigel Martyn full of praise for his performance against Leeds last season, saying: “He’s a very composed footballer, looks very good on the ball, intelligent and knows which space to run into. His passing’s very good, his tackling’s very good – he’s a great all-round footballer.”

Ancelotti was also complimentary of the midfielder’s performance that night, saying: “In my opinion, the best player on the pitch was André Gomes…technically, physically, tactically. This is the real André Gomes, the one we need.”

Therefore, with Pirlo’s guidance, the £18m-rated Gomes could start producing these performances on a much more regular basis for Everton, which could see him re-establish himself as a key player at Goodison Park next season if the 42-year-old gets the manager’s job.

In other news… Bye-bye Davies: Brands should seal Everton swoop for “exceptional” Premier League beast

Liverpool striker Divock Origi has been linked with a summer loan move to Fenerbahce having fallen out of favour at Anfield this season.

The Lowdown: Bit-part player for Reds

The Belgian has enjoyed a memorable Reds career, scoring in the 2019 Champions League final and bagging massive goals against the likes of Barcelona and Everton down the years.

However, despite Jurgen Klopp describing him as “unbelievably important for us” back in December 2019, the 25-year-old has been a peripheral figure for Liverpool of late, making just two Premier League starts in the 2020/21 season.

It has become clear that, despite those comments, the £14.4m-rated attacker isn’t a key part of Klopp’s plans moving forward, and he has now been linked with a summer exit from Anfield.

The Latest: Fenerbahce keen on Origi

According to Fotomac [via Sport Witness], Fenerbahce are eyeing up a loan move for Origi this summer, with a view to signing him permanently in the future.

The Turkish giants are keen on bolstering their attacking options amid a projected summer clearout and see the Belgium international as an ideal man to come in as a solution.

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The Verdict: Time to leave

Origi will always be loved by many Liverpool supporters for his past achievements, but the Reds have moved on without him this season and he should be sold if the price is right. Ideally he would leave on a permanent deal in the summer, but a loan exit would also make sense as it would allow others to fill his role as a squad player.

Someone like Harvey Elliott would probably now be a better option than Origi, for example, with the teenaher having scored seven goals and registered 11 assists in the Championship for Blackburn Rovers last season.

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been left delighted with an update regarding one star player. Find out who it is here.