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Plenty of Liverpool fans reacted in awe to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s skill during an England training session.

The 22-year-old was getting ready with the Three Lions’ squad for last night’s UEFA Nations League clash against Belgium, who are currently ranked as the number one side in the world, as per FIFA.

England’s official YouTube channel posted footage of the senior side’s preparations for the game, which captured Alexander-Arnold turning the defence inside out before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home superbly.

In recent years, the local lad has been touted as one of the best right-backs in the world, with Brazilian legend Cafu suggesting that he could be in line to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

Even with Alexander-Arnold producing some unexpected magic moments in the past, these Liverpool fans were taken by surprise at his “outrageous” training ground exploits:

Liverpool fans gush over Alexander-Arnold footage

Liverpool fans, what do you make of Trent Alexander Arnold’s footwork? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Former Sunderland manager Roy Keane is reportedly set to take over international side Azerbaijan with talks ongoing between the two parties.

The 48-year-old followed up his playing career by going into management with the Black Cats back in 2006. Spending two years with the Wearsiders, the former Republic of Ireland midfielder took the club back into the Premier League in 2007, winning 42 of his 100 games in charge.

Leaving Sunderland in December 2008, Keane would go on to have a spell with Ipswich Town whilst also appearing on television as a pundit.

Having had international experience alongside Martin O’Neill for his native Republic of Ireland, Keane is now on the verge of a deal with Azerbaijan.

In a statement, the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) said that the former Sunderland boss was just one of many targets they are pursuing.

“Along with several other candidates, Roy Keane is on the list of the specialists negotiated by AFFA for the appointment for the position of the head coach of the Azerbaijan national team.

“As we reported earlier, taking into account the current situation and the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic around the world, it has not yet been possible to submit any candidate to the Executive Committee for discussion and finalise the terms of the contract.”

As shown by his recent criticism of Harry Maguire and David de Gea, Keane is a hugely opinionated TV pundit who has only had one head coach position since leaving Sunderland in 2008, so it would be very intriguing to see how he fares out if he is given the Azerbaijan job.

Quite why Azerbaijan is the next test for him is anyone’s guess but he could make the most out of a rather strange career move, just as he did at the Stadium of Light in getting the Black Cats into the Premier League and keeping them there.

Sunderland fans, do you think Keane would make a good international manager? Let us know in the comments section below…

Coventry City have been linked with a summer move for former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, a report that Coventry Live have explored in depth.

With the Sky Blues having won the League One title this year and earned promotion to the Championship, manager Mark Robins has begun to bolster his side and make improvements in certain areas.

Gustavo Hamer was the first to arrive from PEC Zwolle to bolster Coventry’s midfield, before Julien Dacosta, Callum O’Hare, Marcel Hilssner and Ryan Giles all joined the club.

With the transfer window now in full swing, further arrivals could develop before the 2020/21 season begins.

One player linked with a move to Coventry is Balotelli, who is a free agent having left Brescia following their relegation from Serie A.

According to Championship Transfer News on Twitter, the Italian striker has been offered a one-year contract with the Midlands club.

Coventry Live have now looked at the transfer story and called it the “maddest” rumour, whilst also looking into another rumour regarding Balotelli and Romanian club CFR Cluj, who are interested in the one-time Premier League winner.

Would Mario Balotelli sign for Coventry? Would the Sky Blues have him?

This is quite possibly one of the strangest transfer rumours you will hear this summer and one that seems highly improbable, given that Coventry Live had downplayed it in reporting the link.

What do you think of the rumour linking Balotelli to Coventry? Let us know in the comments section below…

Jean-Philippe Gbamin has suffered a fresh injury blow after damaging his Achilles during a training session.

The club has confirmed the 24-year-old will need surgery and will undergo ‘an extensive period of rehabilitation’, according to an official statement released by Everton.

Gbamin only recently announced he was ready to get started with Everton and was feeling ‘fully recovered’ after his previous injury saw him sidelined for all but two games this season (via Transfermarkt).

Fans have responded to the news and many feel the best option would be to offload the Frenchman due to his injury history. One Blue has tweeted that ‘Brands needs grilling’ over bringing Gbamin to the club. The midfielder has missed a total of 150 days at Everton due to his hamstring injury, and was also sidelined for a total of 112 days whilst with former club Mainz (via Transfermarkt).

Another Evertonian has commented that Gbamin’s ‘career is over’ – which although seems like a stretch due to him being 24-years-old, it could still spell bad news for when he returns from this most recent setback. Gbamin will reportedly be sidelined for six months with his Achilles, which will take him to more than 16 months out of action.

Read more responses from disappointed Everton fans here:

How do you feeling about the recent injury news, Blues fans? Join the conversation in the comments below…

Tottenham have failed to fill the void left by Kyle Walker ever since he left for Manchester City. 

While Kieran Trippier had his moments, the former Spurs star struggled for form in his last season with the club after his heroics at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Although Serge Aurier is currently available, his conduct has come under scrutiny as he has been investigated by the Lilywhites for breaking the government guidelines during the nationwide lockdown.

Jose Mourinho has been left short of options at right-back and is now looking to make amends.

As per usual, Spurs have been linked to some of the biggest stars in the world as the transfer window approaches, but none have been as exciting as Norwich City’s Max Aarons this season.

Norwich have struggled to settle down in the Premier League and are surely set for a return to the Championship.

According to talkSPORT, Aarons will most likely not be joining them, which has handed Spurs a major boost.

Tottenham have been chasing the 20-year-old for a number of months now, amid interest from Arsenal, but it appears the Gunners have fallen short of Norwich’s asking price.

The Canaries are demanding £30m for the talented defender and Spurs are ready to resume their charm offensive when everything goes back to normal in the summer.

Mourinho is in the market for a new right-back as the club’s hierarchy have grown tired of Aurier’s antics.

While the 27-year-old has received a higher WhoScored rating than Aarons this season, the youngster has averaged more blocks per game and drawn more fouls.

As Aarons is still only young, he could turn out to be a shrewd investment in the future, as his valuation will surely increase if he continues to put in impressive performances.

Tottenham fans, should the board sign Max Aarons in the summer? Let us know down below!

Leeds United supporters have been discussing one of their former players on social media this week, and some would like to see him back at Elland Road.

One member of the Whites faithful posted a picture to Twitter asking if fans remembered Jordan Botaka, who joined the west Yorkshire outfit on summer deadline day in 2015 from Dutch side Excelsior when Uwe Rosler was in charge.

Now valued at £1.35m by Transfermarkt, the 26-year-old has forged a career out in Belgium for Sint-Truiden as their captain, even coming up against ex-Leeds frontman Kemar Roofe, who is now at Anderlecht.

Here’s what has been said about the DR Congo international…

Botaka would only go on to feature 14 times for Leeds, providing just the one assist as he failed to find the net, via Transfermarkt, and in his final season at the club, he was sent on loan to Charlton Athletic where he could only manage a total of four goal contributions from 29 appearances.

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Though, this hasn’t stopped some supporters from talking him up to be a “baller” and the fact that he wasn’t actually that bad.

Others picked up on his skills, particularly as his virtual presence on FIFA gives him the best ability to perform such tricks whilst one fan described him as a better version of Hadi Sacko because of exactly this – he departed Elland Road last summer after being  the first-ever permanent signing of the Andrea Radrizzani era.

A further member of the Leeds fanbase claimed he was actually a better version of the 26-year-old. Sacko played 60 times for the west Yorkshiremen and only managed to score three times while providing four assists, per Transfermarkt, so there’s certainly an argument to be made there.

While one fan believes Botaka would be a class option under Marcelo Bielsa’s guidance, and you’d probably have to agree as the Argentine has transformed the fortunes of Jack Harrison and Helder Costa this term. The duo have combined for 17 goal contributions.

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Leeds discussion going on in the Vital Leeds Forum! Click here to get involved!

AND in other news, Leeds must avoid free transfer swoop this summer…

It’s fair to say Sami Hyypia will go down in Liverpool history as one of the finest and most decorated defenders to ever play for the club.

The former Finland international arrived on the red half of Merseyside back in 1999 from Dutch outfit Willem II, and enjoyed a stellar spell at Anfield, lifting numerous trophies and forming a formidable partnership with fellow Reds icon Jamie Carragher at centre-back.

All in all, Hyypia won the Champions League, two FA Cups, two League Cups, one UEFA Cup and four UEFA Super Cups – quite the trophy cabinet for the man who played a whopping 464 times for the club.

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Now, The Athletic journalist Simon Hughes has suggested Hyypia should go down as “one of the best” and spoke about how he represented superb value for money.

And after hearing about Hughes’ comments, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on his verdict.

One fan meanwhile pointed to his class and professionalism when the captaincy was handed to Steven Gerrard, and how his response “showed the measure of the man”.

There certainly won’t be too many Liverpool fans arguing against Hughes’ verdict on Hyypia.

The Finnish man was a brick wall at the back for the Reds in his time at the club, and is rightfully seen as a Liverpool stalwart.

The Merseyside club have some truly iconic defenders littered throughout their history, and for his achievements, Hyypia certainly ranks among them too.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to James Pearce’s article about this midfielder.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Jamaal Lascelles has appeared in every league game so far, and an injury which rules him out until early 2020 could have more of an impact on the team than fans realise.

Under Steve Bruce the Magpies have mostly looked solid at the back, only conceding two or more goals on four occasions in the league, and fans have been quick to praise the centre-backs at the club.

Fabian Schar, Federico Fernandez and Florian Lejeune are all admired amongst the fanbase, perhaps more so than the captain Lascelles, whose injury hasn’t caused much concern amongst the supporters.

There should be worry, though, as Lascelles’ solid performances have clearly been overlooked. Possibly this is because he is less adventurous on the ball in comparison to Schar, or hasn’t made as many tackles per game compared to his defensive teammates.

However, much of that is because the 26-year-old plays the central role in the centre-back trio, with much of his influence coming through his ability to lead and organise the team.

It will be interesting to see how the Magpies cope without that, and whether others will be able to step up in his place.

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He has shown that style frequently this season. As per WhoScored, he has made 4.9 clearances and 0.9 blocks per game, a combined total that is better than any other Newcastle defender, and amongst the highest of any defender outside the ‘top six’ clubs.

Lascelles’ efforts this term therefore warrant praise, and his injury issue shouldn’t be palmed off as inconsequential despite however good the alternatives may be.

A reason for fan confidence could be because of the organisation Bruce has brought to the backline, with the likes of Ciaran Clark and Paul Dummett slotting in with ease in recent games suggesting the sum is greater than its parts.

Nevertheless, it hasn’t had to cope without the figure of Lascelles yet, and didn’t for much of Rafa Benitez’s reign either, so his absence should provide a stern test of how far Newcastle have come under their new boss.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Jose Mourinho has the perfect opportunity to turn Spurs’ form around this weekend and kick off his spell at the club with a bang.

Tottenham Hotspur face West Ham United in a London derby that is likely to be packed with incident.

Indeed, this is a game that Spurs really need to win. They haven’t picked up three points in the league since September and haven’t won away from home since January. West Ham, though, are in a similar boat. They, like Spurs, have won just three times in the top-flight but they have lost five times and also recorded four draws.

The fact is that they have been simply woeful for as long as Spurs have.

Since beating Manchester United 2-0 in September, they have lost 4-0 to Oxford United in the Carabao Cup, drawn 2-2 with Bournemouth and 1-1 with Sheffield United and been beaten by Crystal Palace, Everton, Newcastle United and Burnley. In those seven games, they have conceded 17 goals and scored just six.

On the same weekend that the Irons beat United, Spurs lost 2-1 to Leicester City.

Since then, they too have been knocked out of the Carabao Cup – by Colchester United – and have beaten Southampton and Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League twice. They were also thumped 7-2 by Bayern Munich in Europe and also lost to Brighton & Hove Albion and Liverpool. Draws with Watford, Everton and Sheffield United have seen them pick up three more points. In their 10 games since the loss to Leicester, Spurs have scored 17 goals and conceded 16.

The stats, then, show that the Hammers are coming into the fixture in worse shape than Mourinho’s men and that is pretty astonishing given the form of the north Londoners, so if the Portuguese can’t get his reign off to a winning start here, one has to wonder when they will be able to.

But by the same token, this really is a fantastic opportunity for Mourinho, and not simply because he’s playing a club enduring form worse than Tottenham’s.

First and foremost, there is no doubt that his appointment has divided opinion amongst supporters. Before it was made official, a number voiced their concerns on social media.

It is likely they have since become more accepting of the situation but regardless – and in light of how his spells with Chelsea and United ended – the Portuguese has some winning over to do.

While West Ham may not be the calibre of club Spurs see as direct counter-parts, this is unquestionably a bitter rivalry between two sets of supporters who do not like each other one bit. A win, under any circumstances, will always win some favour amongst fans.

At the same time, Mourinho can provide evidence that he is in fact the right candidate for the job by instantly correcting one of Pochettino’s failings – Spurs’ abysmal away form. Their last Premier League victory on the road came against a now-relegated Fulham in January, but West Ham, for reasons expressed above, are the ideal opposition to flip that trend on its head.

Combined with the huge potential to win over disgruntled fans, this match is a golden opportunity for Spurs’ new gaffer.

West Brom will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the Championship table this afternoon as they host Charlton Athletic at the Hawthorns.

In midweek, the Baggies had to come from behind to salvage a point against the division’s basement boys, Barnsley, as the visitors went into half-time with a two-goal cushion thanks to a six-minute brace from striker Cauley Woodrow.

Slaven Bilic’s men fought back in the second half with Matheus Pereira proving to be the main influence – his inswinging corner was turned in by a Tykes player before he headed home the equaliser nine minutes from time.

The Croatian has plenty to think about going into this tie, surely he will make a couple of changes?

The 51-year-old’s half-time substitutions practically inspired Albion into making such a comeback – he made the bold call of replacing Nathan Ferguson with the rarely-seen Connor Townsend, and it paid dividends.

The 26-year-old had only played 19 minutes of Championship football before the off, but when called upon he was more than ready, providing the all-important assist for the equaliser.

He surely keeps his spot while on the right-hand side, Darnell Furlong has done little to warrant being dropped.

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Kyle Edwards started the game in Matt Phillips’ absence, but it is hoped their joint-top goalscorer is fit enough to play today.

In attack, Charlie Austin failed to score in yet another game, it’s just the one goal in nine appearances this season, which has led to fans blasting his contribution.

Bilic may well turn to Hal Robson-Kanu, who looked the livelier of the two after his introduction on Tuesday evening.

Ahmed Hegazi will have to continue to wait for his opportunity with the rest of the side remaining much the same.