Everton fans react as Cenk Tosun speaks out about being dropped

According to an interview with Turkish Football, Everton striker Cenk Tosun has spoken out about being dropped to the substitutes’ bench and when he expects to return to the starting XI, and Toffees fans have been quick to have their say on his comments.

The 26-year-old joined the Merseyside outfit in a £27m deal at the start of January but despite lining up against Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion, he has found himself on the bench in their last three Premier League matches, and he was an unused substitute in the 3-1 win against Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The centre-forward isn’t too concerned though and via Turkish Football, he said: “I did not play in the last game but it does not bother me.

“I am just focused on my game and training hard.

“I am going to be a lot fitter in a fortnight’s time and then return to the starting 11.”

Everton supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on his comments, and while one said “he’s going to do us proud with this approach”, another said “great attitude to have”.

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Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Celtic fans are desperate to see Scott Bain after Dorus De Vries howler

Celtic were unceremoniously dumped out of Europe on Thursday night, collapsing 3-0 away to FC Zenit and failing to protect their 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg at Celtic Park.

It was a typically frustrating performance away from home in Europe from the Hoops, who failed to deal with the threat of the Russians from kick-off through to the 90th minute.

Roberto Mancini’s side didn’t even have to work too hard for their victory, with Branislav Ivanonovic unmarked in the box to stick home a header from a corner and Daler Kuzyaev scoring from distance with a shot that should have been easily saved by goalkeeper Dorus De Vries.

The tie was put beyond doubt when Aleksandr Kokorin capitalised on slack defending from Mikael Lustig to tap home from a cross to the back post.

Given the manner of defeat, Celtic fans were left fuming with the performance of Brendan Rodgers’ side and had particular criticism for De Vries, who failed to make the routine stop for Zenit’s second of the night.

Fans are now calling on new signing Scott Bain to get a chance against Aberdeen on Sunday, with a huge three points up for grabs at Pittodrie.

Can the loan signing prove he is the man to trust between the sticks while Craig Gordon is out?

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Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

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Arsenal fans urge club to sign Willian after latest Chelsea display

Chelsea forward Willian produced a man-of-the-match display and was unlucky not to score a hat-trick in his team’s 1-1 draw against Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, and Arsenal fans have urged their club to sign the Brazilia, rated at €32m (£28.3m) according to Transfermarkt.

The 29-year-old winger had already hit the woodwork twice with two fine efforts when he finally found the net in the 62nd minute to give Antonio Conte’s men the lead against the La Liga leaders, although Lionel Messi equalised with his first ever goal against the Premier League holders.

Despite him impressive display against Barca, Willian hasn’t always been a popular figure among the Stamford Bridge faithful or a regular in the starting XI under Conte, but that may change now.

Arsenal supporters were quick to have their say on the Brazil international’s most recent display, and while one said “wish Arsenal had Willian instead of Iwobi”, another said “hate that he doesn’t play for Arsenal”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Arsenal fans beg Arsene Wenger not to start Granit Xhaka against Brighton

Arsenal will look to bounce back from successive defeats against Manchester City when they face Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Sunday, and Gunners fans have begged manager Arsene Wenger not to start Granit Xhaka, rated at £31.5m by Transfermarkt.

The Switzerland international has started every one of the north London outfit’s 28 Premier League matches so far this season, but he has really struggled for form in recent weeks, and was particularly poor in both clashes against City as Wenger’s men were outclassed.

The 25-year-old has been playing alongside Aaron Ramsey in the middle of the park, but with Jack Wilshere and Mohamed Elneny among those also available to play in that position, his spot could be under threat for the first time during the current campaign ahead of the trip to the south coast.

Arsenal supporters have been quick to have their say on Xhaka via social media, and while one said “if Xhaka starts there’s a high chance we’ll lose”, another said “I would honestly drop Xhaka until further notice”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Aston Villa fans hated Conor Hourihane’s performance vs Bolton

Aston Villa’s hopes of automatic promotion from the English Championship took a critical blow on Saturday after a 1-0 defeat away to Bolton Wanderers.

Desperately needing a win to keep the pressure on Cardiff City and Wolverhampton Wanderers, Steve Bruce’s side failed to produce for the second successive match and are now seven points behind second place having played a game more.

Supporters were left frustrated by the result and performance with many pointing to their midfield as the reason they fell to defeat.

The performance of Conor Hourihane left a lot to be desired and it’s left some wanting to see him benched for upcoming matches, believing he’s been poor over the last few weeks.

The Republic of Ireland international has scored nine goals this season but does he offer enough defensive skills in matches that turn into a midfield battle?

Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts after the defeat…

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Ronald Koeman tells Ajax star Justin Kluivert to ignore Manchester United interest

According to reports in The Mirror, Netherlands manager Ronald Koeman has urged Ajax winger Justin Kluivert to ignore interest from England and stay with the Eredivisie giants amid links with Manchester United.

The former Southampton and Everton boss, who worked with Jose Mourinho during the duo’s time at Barcelona, named the uncapped 18-year-old in his first squad since he was named as the new coach of the national team, for the friendly matches against England in Amsterdam on Friday night and then Portugal on Monday as they look to start building for their Euro 2020 qualification campaign.

The Mirror says that the teenager is attracting interest from the Red Devils – with fans already commenting on whether he would be a good addition or not – after scoring 10 goals and providing a further nine assists in 50 appearances for the Dutch club to date, with manager Jose Mourinho reserving time to speak to the youngster on the pitch following his side’s Europa League final win against Ajax last season.

However, Kluivert, the son of former Barcelona striker Patrick, is in discussions to extend his current deal which is due to expire in 2019, and Koeman has advised him against a move to Old Trafford to stay in his home country.

The 55-year-old said, via The Mirror: “He’s in talks with Ajax about his contract.

“I think the best is for him stay in Holland because he’s only 18.”

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Kluivert primarily plays on the left wing for Ajax, and he would certainly have plenty of competition in that positon if he did move to Old Trafford considering the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford can all also play there.

Which England players impressed you the most vs the Netherlands? Let us know below…

Man United must stop throwing money at every problem

Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has vowed to back manager Jose Mourinho to the tune of £200m in the summer, as per the Sun. 

However, surely United know by now that just throwing money at their ills in the transfer market is not a foolproof solution.

What’s the story?

Mourinho signed a new Old Trafford deal in January, extended his projected stay at the club until 2020 and Woodward wants to show that he believes the former Real Madrid manager is the right man for the job.

The report claims that Woodward’s faith will manifest itself as a £200m war chest in the summer transfer window and that he will work closely with his manager to secure yet more expensive transfer targets.

It is also claimed that some of that cost will be offset by player sales with Matteo Darmian, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones all at risk.

The fact that the aforementioned are all defenders may give some indication where Mourinho plans to spend the windfall.

Money won’t solve all Mourinho’s problems

Of course, on the whole, having better players means that a team will play better but the turnover in the playing staff at Old Trafford has been dramatic in recent years and it has only really led to disjointed football from a squad built by three different managers.

Mourinho needs his own men in and some of the players that are leftover from the days of Sir Alex Ferguson are patently not good enough.

But the former Inter boss is paid big money to coach an improvement out of his players, not to ostracise them and then buy new ones all the time.

Of the signings Mourinho has made at United; Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Henrikh Mkhitaryan have left the club already, Eric Bailly has had injury problems, Victor Lindelof has failed to settle and Paul Pogba’s problems have been well-publicised.

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Nemanja Matic has been the holding player United have lacked for years but still shows signs of fatigue, while Romelu Lukaku has scored goals but has often failed to convince in the big games.

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So, why do Woodward and Mourinho think money is the answer? Look at their two biggest rivals – Manchester City and Liverpool and improvement has been coached out of players such as Raheem Sterling and Roberto Firmino.

United need to catch up and do that. Mourinho can’t just buy his way out of trouble every time.

Southampton fans believe Charlie Austin could keep them up

Southampton came close to pulling off an unlikely result away to Arsenal on Sunday, before eventually losing 3-2 in the English Premier League clash.

The weekend’s results leave them three points behind 17th placed Crystal Palace with a game in hand, with victories needed in their final six games if they’re to avoid the drop to the English Championship.

There were some positives to take from the 90 minutes against the Gunners, chiefly the goalscoring return of striker Charlie Austin, who came off the bench to score for the first time since returning from long-term injury.

Fans have been desperate for his return and now he’s back, they believe he could be the man that saves them from relegation this season.

With seven goals in just six starts this season, will he be the reliable goalscorer that can help them pick up vital points?

Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on his impact…

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Tierney has unfinished business before entertaining move away from Celtic

As reported by The Daily Record, Manchester United transfer target Kieran Tierney has played down a move away from Celtic in the short-term and is purely focused on winning more honours with the Glasgow giants.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils were reported at the weekend to be ‘confident’ of securing a deal for Tierney during this summer’s transfer window, but it appears any prospect of that seems remote after the latest comments from the Scotland international.

The Daily Record also report that scouts were in attendance during the Hoops’ big win over Rangers on Sunday, but when asked about his future, the defender put the focus on Celtic.

As quoted by The Record, Tierney said:

I’m not thinking about anyone other than Celtic. I’m enjoying my career here. I’ve just signed a six-year deal so if that doesn’t say long term I don’t know what does.

We still have to win the league – rest up and hopefully beat Hibs. A double treble has never been done for a reason – it’s very hard. We’ve put ourselves in a great position and it’s up to us to be 100 per cent and do the business now.

Fans of the Hoops will love to hear Tierney reference his long term contract at the club, but where does that leave United’s interest, can they convince the left-back his career lies in Manchester?

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Will he leave Celtic one day?

It’s easy to forget that Tierney is still just 20 years of age given his rapid rise at Celtic Park over the last few years. Already making 125 appearances for the club, he’s become an integral part to Brendan Rodgers’ outfit.

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There’s plenty of time left for him yet at Celtic though and as a boyhood fan of the club, the prospect of winning a legendary 10 titles in a row must be appealing, by which point he would still only be in his mid-20s, with plenty of time for a move to an elite club.

Tipped as a future captain of the Bhoys, clubs like Man United might have to remain patient for his signature as he first looks to secure his legacy as a playing legend north of the border.

Scott Arfield can bring a new energy to Rangers midfield

As reported by The Daily Mail, a former manager of Scott Arfield has backed the player to be a success at Ibrox if he signs for Rangers this summer.

What’s the story?

Arfield has been linked heavily with a move north of the border to Ibrox this week after years of English Premier League and Championship football.

Former Huddersfield boss Lee Clark was the manager who brought him to English football, signing him from Falkirk in 2010, and he’s backing the player to be a huge hit at Rangers.

As quoted by The Daily Mail, the former Killie man said:

He’s just an outstanding lad and a tremendous footballer. For me, it would be an outstanding signing for Rangers.

He’s very much a modern-day midfield player in terms of being box to box. His energy levels are ridiculous because he’s got tremendous fitness.

He did the business for Huddersfield and they got promoted to the Championship. He went on to Burnley and played a huge part in getting them promoted to the Premier League. He became a regular in their remarkable success story.

Is Arfield the midfield option that Rangers need this summer?

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A good signing?

Arfield is exactly the kind of signing Rangers need to make if they’re to enhance their squad to the levels required to compete with Celtic consistently over the course of a season.

The midfielder has excellent experience and has been playing Premier League football for two seasons now, likely giving him an edge in his game beyond most players in the Scottish Premiership.

Also possessing great versatility, regardless of who the new incoming manager is at Ibrox, they’d likely find plenty of use for the Canadian international.

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He has a consistency to his game that makes him a perfect option too and, as noted by Lee Clark, his energy and fitness would really freshen up a dull Rangers midfield.

It’s a deal that they must get over the line.

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