[ad_pod ]

The Everton fans have once again been on social media calling for their club to sign Andre Gomes on a permanent deal in this summer’s transfer window.

Gomes joined Everton on loan from Barcelona ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.

The Portugal international did not make his debut for the Toffees until the middle of October due to an injury, but has been a regular since.

As it stands, the midfielder will head back to Barcelona this summer.

However, the Everton supporters are hopeful that director of football Marcel Brands might be able to secure a permanent deal for the 25-year-old.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

It does appear that the Toffees will spend big this summer in a bid to improve on what has been a largely frustrating campaign.

However, Gomes – contracted to Barcelona until the summer of 2021 – might well have other options after impressing at Goodison.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Everton fans can be seen below:

[ad_pod ]

Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to heap praise on Joel Matip after the centre-back excelled against Cardiff in what was a tough encounter in Wales.

The Cameroonian stood out in a Liverpool side who appeared to be struggling to break the Bluebirds down, mainly in the first-half, although his persistence and positivity helped Jurgen Klopp’s side get the three points.

Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

Matip took advantage of a deep-lying Cardiff backline by driving forward with the ball frequently, which forced their defenders to come out and shut him down, and freeing the forwards up as a result.

It would have been easy for Matip to simply lump the ball hopefully into the box, but even when it wasn’t going his way, he kept taking the game to Neil Warnock’s side and was pivotal in getting his side a vital win.

The former Schalke man was named as the Man of the Match by Sky Sports and the Liverpool fans on Twitter certainly felt the 6ft 4 colossus, valued at £18 million by Transfermarkt, was worthy of the award…

تلقى عمرو الجنايني رئيس اللجنة المكلفة بإدارة الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، برقية تهنئة من جياني انفانتينو رئيس الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” بمناسبة عيد ميلاده.

احتفل عمرو الجنايني رئيس الاتحاد المصري أمس بعيد ميلاده الـ 56.

وقال رئيس الاتحاد الدولي في رسالته للجنايني: “أتمنى لك عيد ميلاد سعيد، وأن يكون هذا اليوم  مليئًا بالسعادة، ونأمل أن نواصل العمل معًا من أجل مستقبل هذه اللعبة الجميلة التي توحدنا جميعًا”.

وأضاف: “أود أن أغتنم هذه الفرصة لأشكركم على جهودكم ومساهمتكم في تطوير رياضتنا وتعزيز قيمها في مصر”.

واختتم: “أتمنى لك صحة جيدة، ولعائلتك وأصدقائك وأحبائك، وأتطلع إلى رؤيتك مرة أخرى قريبًا، مع تمنياتي بالنجاح”.

جدير بالذكر أن اللجنة الخماسية برئاسة عمرو الجنايني تدير اتحاد الكرة المصري بشكل مؤقت لحين انتخاب مجلس جديد في الفترة المقبلة.

It was the news that Luton Town board members and fans have been waiting on for a while, planning will go ahead on a new stadium.

Luton Borough Council’s Development Control Committee unanimously passed proposals to build a new stadium alongside the Newland Park project, which will see homes and a leisure centre be built next to junction 10 of the M1.

Chief executive of the club, Gary Sweet, called the decision ‘a giant leap forward for Luton’, and he isn’t wrong.

The Hatters made Kenilworth Road their home for over 120 years, but this isn’t by choice. Plans to expand or build a new stadium for the club have been around as far back as the 1950s, with aims of building a ground who can host 15,000 to 20,000 fans, but one way or another, a move or an expansion has just not happened for Luton.

But with this recent development, the London club now have concrete legal motions that can see the team move into a new stadium in the not too distant future, and with Luton on the brink of promotion to the Championship, it is no better time than to announce plans for a new stadium.

Luton have asserted themselves this season as a club with the potential to be big players in the English game, with a passionate fan base, a fun style of football, and an academy churning out quality players, and now with plans to move into a new state-of-the-art stadium no in motion, the reputation of the club will be higher than it has ever been before.

If the Hatters can remain a solid Championship side before their move into their new ground whenever that will be, Luton will have all the foundations they need to test themselves as a big club in England once again.

[ad_pod ]

Crystal Palace’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka may have gone under the radar when it came to recognition from the PFA this month, but the impressive defender is clearly well-appreciated at Selhurst Park by his peers and the fans, who both voted him as player of the season on Tuesday.

If that wasn’t enough, the 21-year-old was also acknowledged for his community work in what was surely a fantastic evening for the starlet – it has to be said, he deserves all three gongs.

The Palace number 29 has been a fixture in the starting XI since breaking through to the first team in February 2018, but has really come into his own this campaign, establishing himself as one of the best right-backs in the league.

There’s some exciting changes happening at Crystal Palace next summer. Find out what in the video below…

If the athletic tough-tackler didn’t know it already, then he’s clearly got a very bright future ahead of him and perhaps a busy summer, too, with a number of top clubs surely interested in acquiring his services. Here’s what the SE25 faithful had to say on Twitter, as they extended their congratulations…

Leeds United’s failure to really trouble Birmingham City goalkeeper Lee Camp over the weekend again emphasised that they have been lacking a proper creative midfielder at times this season.

Players like Tyler Roberts and Mateusz Klich have done really well under the circumstances to help the team get to such a competitive position in the league and has shown a great mentality and work ethic under Marcelo Bielsa, but if the Whites were to play in the Premier League next season and are hoping on making a statement towards the bigger clubs, then they will need to strengthen their options in the centre of the pitch.

The fact that Leeds played some really good football at stages on Saturday but only managed one shot on target should be a sign to Bielsa and his staff that they need to do more if they were to take the club to a competitive level again.

One or two poor decisions by Roberts and Klich on Saturday could’ve been avoided if they decided to make a better pass or find a teammate in a better position. Indeed, without Samu Saiz, the Whites lack that cutting edge and Pablo Hernandez simply can’t do it all alone.

Yes, Bielsa’s trademark hard style of football is what is propelling the club’s Premier League challenge, but having someone to play between the lines is what could be the difference between the top tier and remaining in the Championship.

Roberts especially had a good opportunity to square the ball into the middle of the box during the first-half at St Andrew’s but he instead tried to find the back of the net from a very difficult angle with Jack Harrison in acres of space right in front of goal.

Saiz’s exit might have been unavoidable after he pushed for an exit but it could still be one to wreck the club’s campaign.

Leeds fans, do you think your lack of creativity will cost you this season? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

Things looked extremely bleak for Southampton earlier in the campaign as they found themselves caught up in another relegation battle.

And while safety is still not a guarantee, there has been a noticeable improvement on the pitch thanks to the arrival of Ralph Hasenhuttl, a man Saints defender Ryan Bertrand has heaped a lot of praise on.

The Breakdown

“The manager has come in and has given us an identity. He has given us a clear style of play and doesn’t leave any stone unturned,” Bertrand was quoted as saying by the Daily Echo.

“If you were to ask 100 people what Southampton’s style of play was, the answers would all be similar.”

Following on from Bertrand’s words, not only have Southampton got an identity, but it is one similar to what they had under former bosses Ronald Koeman and Mauricio Pochettino.

With Hasenhuttl at the helm, the Saints have their attacking instinct back, breaking devastatingly with efficiency and pace while pressing high when without the ball.

Compared to what was being seen under Mark Hughes, it is just so much better to watch, and most importantly, is getting results.

Ultimately, thanks to Hasenhuttl, Southampton supporters will feel like they have their club back.

And with a couple of quality additions in the summer, there is no reason why the Austrian cannot maintain the success his side are currently having on the pitch.

Southampton fans, do you feel Hasenhuttl has given the team an identity again? Join the discussion by commenting below.

أشاد مهاجم نادي ليفربول الأسبق، بيتر كراوتش، بأداء جناح وهداف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم في الموسم الحالي، محمد صلاح، بعد انتهاء مباراة ميتلاند في الجولة الثانية من دور المجموعات لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ونجح محمد صلاح في تسجيل الهدف الثاني والتأكيد على فوز ليفربول على حساب منافسه الدنماركي 2-0 على ملعب “أنفيلد”، ليتصدر الريدز المجموعة الرابعة بفارق نقطتين عن الوصيف أتالانتا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. صورة | شكوك حول إصابة محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وميتلاند

وعلق كراوتش على أداء المصري الدولي في تصريحات لصحيفة “ميرور” البريطانية، وقال: “سجل محمد صلاح مثير للسخرية، لقد بدأ الموسم بشكل جيد للغاية في كل مبارياته”.

وتابع: “أعتقد أنه حاسم في جميع المباريات، منذ اللحظة التي بدأنا فيها الموسم، رأيت مدى قوته، دقة تمريراته وحركاته، فقد ارتفع مستواه بشكل مذهل ولا يُصدق ربما يظن البعض أنه لا يجيد اللعب الجماعي لكن هذا أمر غير صحيح”.

وأضاف: “كنا نحضر أهم ما قدمه مع ليفربول هذا الموسم في BT Sport، كان يقوم بكل شيء التمريرات مراوغة لاعب واثنين وتشكيل الخطورة على مرمى المنافسين من خلال سرعته وتسديداته القوية”.

وواصل تصريحاته: “عندما جاء إلى ليفربول وسجل 44 هدفًا في أول موسم، كان يسدد من كل مكان، شعرت وأنه لا يفكر في مساعدة زملائه بالتمرير لهم، لكن الأمر الآن أصبح مختلفًا تمامًا”.

واستمر: “لا تفهموني بشكل خاطئ، ما زلت اعتقد أنه أناني بعض الشيء، لأنه من حقه أن يكون ذلك ولكن الطريقة التي يمرر بها في الموسم الحالي غيرت بعض أفكاري عن محمد صلاح، ولا مانع لدي في أن يكون لدى أي فريق مهاجم هداف أناني لا يرحم المنافسين مثله”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “لقد تحول محمد صلاح من كونه جناحًا إلى آلة أهداف لا ترحم أحدًا، ولديه القدرة على صنع الفرص أيضًا، يا له من لاعب متكامل”.

The Old Firm game was an ugly affair on Sunday, with tempers boiling over on a number of occasions, which resulted in a red card for Alfredo Morelos, and potential retrospective action for Ryan Kent.

With all of the aftermath of Morelos being sent off for the fifth time this season, it would have been beneficial for things to be allowed to die down, with focus switching to the Hearts game tonight.

But Steven Gerrard has other ideas, with him speaking out about the behaviour of Celtics players — Captain Scott Brown in particular — and management team.

The players clashed at the final whistle when Brown stood, arms aloft, directly in front of the Rangers fans.

According to Gerrard, this was a deliberate attempt to goad a response, and that he should face some sort of disciplinary action for his part in the events.

Neil Lennon, however, backed his captain, and claimed that the player had endured disgraceful treatment by Gerrard’s side throughout the game.

In his response, the former Liverpool skipper said Lennon was playing the “victim card” over Brown, and said he would reserve further comments on the subject until the results of any hearings have been produced.

Speaking to The Scotsman, Gerrard said: “Neil Lennon will say what Neil Lennon wants to say [and] his assistant will say whatever he wants to say.

“If they want to play the victim card, that’s up to them. No problem. For me, the Old Firm game is done. They won the game. There were a lot of talking points and flashpoints and I’ve spoken about them all.

“We will wait and see what happens and we’ll speak about it then. There is nothing really to say on it just yet.

“It’s not the time to focus on the individuals involved. Things happen in the Old Firm that people are going to talk about. That’s the reality, that’s life.”

With big games to come, it would be better for everyone at both Rangers and Celtic, to draw a line in the sand, agree to disagree, and move on.

There is still a second-placed finish to secure, and any distractions could yet jeopardise that position.

They have a huge game tonight against Hearts, and that is the only thing that should be in the minds of both Gerrard and the players.

The best way to get back at Celtic, would be to finish the season strongly, and make a run for the title next season — something that further improvement on the pitch and in the squad in the summer could see happen.

What are your thoughts in the aftermath of the Old Firm game, Rangers fans? Would you rather just move on from it now, and focus on the season run-in? Let us know your thoughts…

[ad_pod ]

West Ham United completed the signing of Lukasz Fabianski from Swansea City ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.

The Hammers are believed to have paid £7m for the goalkeeper, who left the Swans following their relegation to the Championship.

The now 34-year-old was one of a number of new players to arrive at the London Stadium during a busy summer transfer window.

But it would be fair to say that the majority of the club’s fans feel that Fabianski was the best of the lot.

The Poland international has actually only kept five clean sheets in 34 Premier League appearances this season, but has put in a string of impressive performances.

It was Fabianski’s birthday on Thursday and as expected, West Ham’s official Twitter page was on hand with a special message.

That led to a number of the club’s supporters lavishing praise on the stopper, who has once again proved his class at this level.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below: