All posts by h716a5.icu

The title charge continued for Celtic on Sunday afternoon as the champions romped to a 4-1 victory away to St Johnstone, with that emphatic triumph ensuring that the Parkhead giants have restored their nine-point advantage at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

Just a few days on from having produced a first-half blitz to see off Livingston, the Old Firm outfit again struck an early blow in Perth, with Kyogo Furuhashi seeing his cross turned in by an unfortunate Andy Considine, before that lead was soon extended as the Japan international lashed home for his 22nd goal of the season across all fronts.

While a long-range piledriver from Drey Wright did offer a sprinkling of hope to the hosts midway through the first half, that belief was soon extinguished as man of the moment, Aaron Mooy bagged his sixth goal of the campaign.

A late strike from David Turnbull – following a dismissal for the experienced Considine – inflicted further misery on Callum Davidson’s men, with the Hoops comfortably strolling to a third win of the season over the Saints.

That commanding performance proved yet another fine day for the aforementioned Mooy, with the Australian playmaker stealing the headlines as a result of his superbly taken goal, having produced a delightful finish to dink the ball over the onrushing Remi Matthews.

That moment of magic epitomised the confidence that the 32-year-old is playing with at the moment, having unsurprisingly been awarded the man of the match gong, while also leading the way with his 7.7 match rating, as per Sofascore.

Amid what was a ‘superb performance’ by Mooy – as described by Scottish Daily Express reporter, Lindsay Herron – the former Brighton and Hove Albion man was not the only figure to have stolen the show at McDiarmid Park, with fleet-footed maestro, Jota, having also shone on the flanks.

The Portuguese dynamo appears to be getting back to his best having now provided four goal involvements in his last five league games – following a run of seven top-flight games without a goal or an assist – with that latest contribution having come with the 23-year-old teeing up Mooy with an exquisite chipped pass over the defence.

The former Benfica ace also had a key role in the game’s second goal after showing great trickery down the flanks before firing the ball across the box for Kyogo, via the aid of a deflection, with the diminutive striker subsequently firing in on the turn.

Jota also went close to getting himself on the scoresheet only to see his long-range effort strike the crossbar, while the wide man also produced another clever pullback late on to find Liel Abada at the back post, only for the latter man to fire high and wide.

Such an impactful display saw the £17k-per-week man register two key passes from his 54 touches, with his match rating of 7.4, as per Sofascore, second to only that of star man, Mooy.

While the electric forward did lose possession on 16 occasions and commit five fouls on the day, he once again illustrated the stunning, game-changing impact that he can make in the final third for Ange Postecoglou’s side.

To have a fit and firing Jota once again will surely be a major boost for the second half of the season.

Dan Cook has shared his concerns as Crystal Palace look set to be without Wilfried Zaha ahead of their derby clash at Selhurst Park this weekend.

The Lowdown: Crucial game on the weekend

After a horrid run of form that’s seen Crystal Palace win just once in their last 10 games across all competitions, one of the last teams they will have wanted to face is their in-form bitter rivals, Brighton & Hove Albion.

Palace will welcome the Seagulls to SE25 without their star talisman Zaha, who has been ruled out for several weeks due to a muscular injury that he picked up a few games ago against Newcastle United.

Some may have hoped that given the added importance of the game against Brighton, Zaha could have pushed his body to the limit and made himself available for the game this weekend.

The Latest: Zaha to miss the Brighton clash

Speaking on the HLTCO podcast, Cook believes that the standout ‘headline’ ahead of this weekend’s match is the absence of Zaha, which, although expected, is still a damning blow.

He said: “The main headline, of course, is that Wilfried Zaha won’t be available to us. He has been struggling with a thigh issue. I think he is due back towards the end of February.

“And even though he is an incredibly quick healer and has been throughout his career so far, it will be too early to expect Wilfried Zaha back in that first-team picture for the game against Brighton.

“That in itself is obviously a major blow given how much he cares about the rivalry and his own personal perspective when we do take on Brighton & Hove Albion given the history with the play-offs and everything else.”

The Verdict: Palace must learn to live without Zaha

Palace and Brighton couldn’t be experiencing more contrasting periods, as Palace could well be dragged into a relegation battle very soon and drop down into the Championship for the first time since 2013, while Brighton are on the cusp of qualifying for Europe.

However, when it’s a derby game, the form book tends to go out of the window, and given how raucous the Palace faithful can be at Selhurst Park, it won’t be a pleasant atmosphere for the visitors.

While Patrick Vieira would have loved to have Zaha fit and firing for this weekend, it has been reported that he likely won’t sign a new contract before the end of the season and therefore become a free agent, so Palace must get used to winning and playing without the Ivorian winger on Saturday afternoon is a great opportunity to show a positive glimpse of what life without him in the side will be like.

Chelsea summer signing Kalidou Koulibaly has ‘failed to settle in London’ as journalist Simon Phillips makes a concerning behind-scenes claim.

The Lowdown: Koulibaly joins…

The Senegal international put pen to paper on a move to Stamford Bridge last year as owner Todd Boehly attempted to replace the likes of Antonio Rudiger.

Koulibaly signed a four-year-contract worth around £160,000-per-week, bringing plenty of pedigree to west London after years starring for Serie A giants Napoli.

The likes of Man City were previously heavily linked with Koulibaly before he joined Chelsea and Pep Guardiola’s side even once listed him as a top target.

The Latest: Journalist makes worrying Koulibaly claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist Phillips has made a worrying behind-scenes Chelsea claim involving the African defender.

It is believed Koulibaly has ‘failed to settle’ in London – a factor which has contributed to some questionable performances under Graham Potter.

Phillips explained:

“I’m told that he’s failed to settle in London, at the moment, and that’s been the biggest problem for him.

“It’s affected his form, his mentality and his confidence. You can see it all on the pitch when he does get picked.”

The Verdict: Concern?

The 31-year-old was a star player for Napoli and Chelsea supporters will be hoping he can get over this momentary adjustment period and display his true form.

After six months in the Premier League, this rumour of Koulibaly still not quite settling in could be quite concerning given the time frame.

However, top players in the past have also taken time to produce their best in Engand – perhaps most notably Portugal international Joao Cancelo, who only became a top-performing regular at City after his first full season in Sky Blue.

Koulibaly could be of a similar ilk as his previous stats and plaudits suggest there is definitely a player in there waiting to emerge. Indeed, former Liverpool and Napoli keeper Pepe Reina even once called Chelsea’s centre-back ‘extraordinary’ and one of the best he’s ever played with.

The colossal defender also stood out as one of Napoli’s best defensive assets during his last full season – averaging more Serie A blocks and clearances per 90 than any regular (WhoScored).

If Koulibaly becomes more settled over time, Potter may have an imperious central defensive star grow into his ranks.

Wolves striker Diego Costa is ‘unlikely’ to remain at the club beyond the summer transfer window as things stand, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Costa past his best

The Spaniard was brought in to ease an injury crisis at Molineux back in September, following a cruel long-term to new signing Sasa Kalajdzic.

Costa has looked like a shadow of the world-class player he once was this season, however, failing to either score or assist in ten Premier League outings.

The 34-year-old was only signed until the end of the season and it remains to be seen what will happen once that deal expires.

The Latest: Summer exit on the cards

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones reports that Costa is not expected to sign an extension of any kind:

“I mean, it was always viewed as a short-term solution this one while they figured out how to move forward; it’s not impossible to get another year if things were to really pick up, but it’s still unlikely that he stays.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“419108″]

The Verdict: Right decision by Wolves

Signing Costa earlier in the campaign was worth the gamble, given his pedigree, but as mentioned, he has looked a long way from the player who scored 59 goals in 120 appearances for Chelsea.

[freshpress-poll id=“399044″]

The £62,000-a-week striker has offered very little for Wolves, not only contributing nothing the attacking third but also averaging just 0.2 tackles and interceptions apiece per game in the league.

It makes complete sense for Wanderers to move Costa on before the start of next season, though they may have a bit of an overhaul on their hands if fellow experienced players Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez both leave as well.

Liverpool are considering a move to bring Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski to the Premier League this summer, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

The Lowdown: Zielinski’s PL dream

The Reds have four central players out of contract at the end of the season so have already been linked with the likes of Jude Bellingham and Matheus Nunes as replacements, but the 28-year-old Zielinski has also emerged as a candidate.

The Poland international has entered the final 18 months of his deal in Serie A so could be available for a cut-price having not committed to extending his stay in Italy.

The Napoli star reportedly dreams of playing in the top flight, which will be music to the ears of Jurgen Klopp, who appears to be watching him like a hawk.

The Latest: Galetti’s comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Galetti name-checked Zielinski as a player Liverpool are monitoring, alongside Sofyan Amrabat and Mikel Merino.

“As well as Amrabat, who was courted by Barcelona in this winter transfer season, [Liverpool are also looking at] Merino of Real Sociedad and Zielinski, whose contract will expire in June 2024 and will most likely leave Napoli at the end of the season.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-transfer-news-and-rumours/” title=”Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-2021-03-07T155652Z_1459311687_UP1EH3718ASBK_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-FUL-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Splash the cash

Zielinski has been dubbed a ‘baller’ by journalist Patrick Boyland and Liverpool should absolutely splash the cash to secure his services this summer.

The Nike-sponsored ace has eight assists and six goals to his name across all competitions so far this season and is currently averaging two key passes per league game.

Napoli’s maestro also offers excellent versatility having operated in seven different positions throughout his career, not to mention that he’s capable of playing with both feet.

Zielinski has all the qualities that Klopp looks for in his new recruits and it would be a massive coup should FSG be able to get a deal over the line ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United have sent scouts to follow Victor Osimhen recently ahead of a possible summer transfer.

What’s the latest on the Victor Osimhen and Man Utd links?

The Red Devils certainly seem to be having a good season as they keep themselves in a title race, aim for glory with a Carabao Cup final on the horizon, and beat Barcelona in the Europa League.

However, some fans may not be able to help but look at the striker position as a possible area that needs to be strengthened with loanee forward Wout Weghorst netting one goal in 11 since signing this January.

If goals are what they are after, then they may not be able to do much better than Napoli ace Osimhen who has 21 goals to his name in all competitions this season.

In exciting news, he seems to be the man United may be chasing this summer too. Indeed, while talking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained the latest information.

He said: “We can mention Victor Osimhen because Manchester United scouts were keeping an eye on the player in the Champions League game with Frankfurt and also in some Serie A games.

“So Manchester United are following the progress of this boy to understand if he’s worth the money that Napoli will ask in the future for Osimhen if they want to sell the player – we will see at the end of the season.”

What could the Osimhen transfer mean for Man Utd?

The Premier League club certainly may well feel as though Osimhen could be the perfect player to replace Cristiano Ronaldo who left in the winter.

After all, the Nigerian has scored 19 goals in 20 Serie A games this term, while also claiming four assists as Napoli look destined to win the league at a canter.

What’s more, if the scouts were watching Osimhen in his recent Champions League match against Frankfurt, they likely would have been impressed as he picked up a 7.7 Sofascore rating, scoring once, winning one penalty, winning both of his aerial duels and also making two clearances.

All in all, it’s not hard to see why they may have identified the forward as the ideal player to lead the line for Erik ten Hag.

Chelsea could finally rekindle some of their former verve as the west London outfit prepares to take on relegation-threatened Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League this afternoon, and both sides will be eyeing all three points.

The mid-table Blues have fallen by the wayside this season, with manager Graham Potter boasting just two victories from the past 15 outings across all competitions, and the previous home encounter resulted in a chastening defeat to bottom club Southampton.

The Whites, in retrospect, defeated Saints in their previous divisional outing before falling to high-flying Fulham in the FA Cup, and new boss Javi Gracia will be quietly confident that the Yorkshire outfit can pull off a major upset to calm the roiling waters of their turbulent campaign.

With further woes eradicating all chance of a late surge for Champions League qualification, the Blues must now rally together, though they will have to complete the feat without Thiago Silva, who has been ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury.

Cobham graduates Reece James and Mason Mount are both nursing respective problems and might not feature, but Potter can take solace in welcoming back assiduous midfielder Mateo Kovacic to the fray.

What could Chelsea look like against Leeds?

Considering this, here is the line-up that Football FanCast predicts Chelsea will field against United, with three changes expected from the starting eleven that fell to defeat against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

4-3-3 – (GK) Kepa; (RB) James, (CB) Fofana, (CB) Koulibaly, (LB) Chilwell; (CM) Loftus-Cheek, (CM) Fernandez; (RW) Madueke, (AM) Felix, (LW) Mudryk; (ST) Havertz. 

The injury to Silva could warrant the inclusion of £75m titan, Wesley Fofana, while the Stamford Bridge faithful will be hopeful that James can overcome his issue with stalwart Cesar Azpilicueta still out due to concussion protocols.

As for the midfield, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and British record £107m signing Enzo Fernandez will continue to nurture their central partnership, with the respective skillsets already looking promising.

The “dream” Hakim Ziyech – as dubbed by Frank Khalid – will return to the bench, having featured prominently over the past few weeks. Replacing the Moroccan, Noni Madueke’s pace and directness could pay dividends against a robust Leeds defence; winter arrival Mykhaylo Mudryk could be offered a starting berth having yet to score or assist from six outings for the Blues.

Up front, Kai Havertz will continue to offer his dynamic abilities, although he will be hoping to score after netting just six times from 32 appearances across all competitions this season.