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Liverpool have received a huge double injury boost ahead of the Champions League clash with Porto after both Naby Keita and Neco Williams were declared fit enough to fly out with the rest of the first-team squad.

What’s the word?

The pair weren’t part of Jurgen Klopp’s matchday squad over the weekend for the entertaining 3-3 draw with newly-promoted Brentford due to fitness concerns, but the German manager has confirmed they’re both available for this evening’s clash in Portugal.

“A big squad will travel. Twenty-three are with us, and apart from the longer-term injuries, they are all in. No, Thiago, Harvey (Elliott) and the rest available. No new concerns at the moment,” Klopp revealed in Monday’s press conference.

Jurgen Klopp will be buzzing

News that both Keita and Williams are available for selection will surely have Klopp buzzing ahead of a tricky encounter in Group B.

With Thiago and Elliott unavailable, Keita’s absence would have left the former Borussia Dortmund boss light on numbers in the midfield, while concerns over Trent Alexander-Arnold’s absence means Williams could be required to feature from the off at the Estadio do Dragao.

Porto will be tough opponents for the Reds, illustrated by their draw against Atletico Madrid last time out and Klopp was keen to stress that point when facing the press.

“We don’t count on points we don’t have already, it’s a tough group, so we should not waste time to get points,” the enigmatic 54-year-old said. “Atletico v Porto was a tough one, and if someone deserved to win it, it was Porto, so that says a lot. The team we face tomorrow.”

Liverpool have won on their previous two outings in Porto’s backyard and their chances of making it three successive victories have significantly increased following the return of Keita and Williams, both of whom could start tonight’s big clash.

And, in other news…Bought for £4.4m, now worth £27m: Liverpool sealed masterclass over “sensational” gem 

Many Liverpool fans have been discussing Jurgen Klopp’s claim that he would like to work with Andriy Voronin again if he could.

The Ukrainian worked with Klopp at Mainz, before making 40 appearances between 2007 and 2010 for Liverpool.

In his 40 appearances, the striker struggled to adapt to English football as he scored six goals and grabbed five assists, despite scoring 37 in 119 for Bayer Leverkusen and 30 in 70 for Mainz before moving to Anfield.

Speaking to ‘This Is Anfield’ on YouTube [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], the Reds boss was asked who is the one player he’d like to work with again and he opted for Voronin.

He said: “If Andriy had known just one day in his life how good he could have been, it would have been absolutely amazing.

“Andriy was an incredible player, an incredible talent.”

Liverpool fans react to bizarre Klopp claim

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to react to their boss’ comments about the former striker and didn’t hide their surprise at the claim, given the extensive talent the German has worked with at Dortmund and on Merseyside…

“Is it April 1st?”

Credit: @david_kieran

“One of the worst players I seen in a Liverpool shirt”

Credit: @Joosl47939729

“I’m checking today’s date”

Credit: @smurphy1971

“There’s hope for me yet….”

Credit: @jjmcgill58

“Nah this is crazy”

Credit: @_euanito

“Can’t be true”

Credit: @tiarnanmchugh14

In other news, many Liverpool fans love this picture that has done the rounds on Instagram. Find out more here.

As per TUTTOmercatoWEB, a Tottenham Hotspur development has surfaced as they keep their sights firmly on Fiorentina star Dusan Vlahovic.

The Lowdown: Tottenham miss out…

As reported in the summer window, Tottenham and managing director Fabio Paratici were targeting a new striker to support star frontman Harry Kane.

Indeed, the likes of Lautaro Martinez and Vlahovic were on the Italian transfer chief’s list of targets and reports even claimed that Tottenham made a bid.

Now, as Spurs retain their interest, TMW have come out with some news.

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The Latest: Spurs make contact…

As per the Italian source, contacts between La Viola and Spurs are ongoing with the Lilywhites ‘working’ behind the scenes.

It is claimed that the 21-year-old is ‘in the sights of Tottenham’ and he is a ‘strong Spurs idea’ as Paratici and co turn up the heat.

This is despite Paratici’s denial recently as he aims to bolster Nuno Espirito Santo’s ranks.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Lauded as a ‘really exciting’ player by Serie A critic Conor Clancy (The Transfer Tavern), Vlahovic is arguably one of the best attacking prospects in world football and comes as a very astute potential alternative to Kane.

The Serbia international bagged 21 goals in the Italian top flight alone last season and it’s safe to say Spurs could use more of this proficiency.

If Tottenham can swing a move, they would be orchestrating a brilliant bit of business.

In other news: Spurs already have offer pencilled in to sign ‘world class’ player who Hoddle called outstanding, find out more here.

Sunderland bounced back from their 4-0 defeat to Portsmouth prior to the international break with a 2-1 win away at Gillingham on Saturday.

The Black Cats are one point off the top of the table, with two games in-hand on Plymouth and one on Wycombe – who sit 1st and 2nd respectively.

Aiden O’Brien and Tom Flanagan scored the goals for Lee Johnson’s side after they went 1-0 down in the first half, with Elliot Embleton also seeing red for a challenge in the 67th minute.

Flanagan scored the winning goal from centre-back and put in a solid display defensively, but another Sunderland player stole the show on the day – Dan Neil.

The teenage gem was sublime for the Black Cats as he impressed and helped Sunderland control the match and, ultimately, win the game. He was solid defensively and offensively as he caught the eye ahead of captain Luke O’Nien and the goalscorer Flanagan.

Neil’s SofaScore rating (7.4) was higher than O’Nien’s (6.6) and the highest in the team in terms of outfield players who failed to score. This highlights how well he was able to perform in midfield as his statistics made him stand out despite ending the game without a goal.

He did, however, provide an assist as he set up O’Brien’s equaliser in the first half. Alex Pritchard spread the ball out wide for Neil in an excellent position on the right and he whipped in a delicious, teasing, cross for the winger to prod the ball home in the six-yard box. The teenager put the ball into the corridor of uncertainty between the goalkeeper and the defender, allowing O’Brien to sneak in between them and get his foot to it first.

This was one of four key passes he produced during the game as he showed off his creativity. Per SofaScore, he also completed 100% of his attempted dribbles, two of his four attempted long passes and 84% of his passes overall, with 68 touches in the 90 minutes. This highlights the quality he was able to provide when in possession throughout the game.

Defensively, he put a shift in. Per SofaScore, he made one interception, two tackles and one block, whilst also winning three of his seven ground duels. There is room for improvement with his individual battles, but his numbers show that he was still able to make a positive contribution defensively on the whole, to go along with his impressive display on the ball.

Therefore, Neil stole the show for Johnson’s side ahead of the likes of Flanagan and O’Brien as he played a key role in Sunderland’s comeback to help them continue their assault towards promotion to the Championship.

After cruising to a 5-1 victory in midweek against Club Brugge in the Champions League, Manchester City are back in Premier League action this evening with a trip to face Brighton & Hove Albion, who are currently just two points behind Pep Guardiola’s side in the league table.

Ahead of the match at the Amex Stadium, it appears that only Ferran Torres will miss the game for City due to a foot injury.

Taking this into account, here’s how we feel City could line up later this evening to take on Graham Potter’s high-flying Seagulls.

In goal, we think Guardiola will stick with Ederson after he returned to the side in midweek, despite Zack Steffen managing to keep a clean sheet in his absence in their 2-0 win over Burnley after the 28-year-old was involved with Brazil shortly before their previous Premier League outing.

In defence, we think City should stick with the same back four which started against Brugge, with Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker – who were both on the scoresheet in midweek – occupying the full-back roles, and Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte in the middle.

In midfield, with Guardiola praising the pairing of Bernardo Silva and Rodri after the Burnley game, we feel that he will stick with these two against Brighton, with Kevin De Bruyne alongside the duo after the Belgian picked up an assist against Brugge.

For City’s attacking front three, we think Gabriel Jesus, currently valued at £54m by Transfermarkt, will return to the starting XI after being an unused substitute in midweek, potentially to get him fully ready for this game ahead of Riyad Mahrez, despite the Algerian scoring two goals on Tuesday.

Finally, we think Jack Grealish and Phil Foden – who both also impressed against Brugge – will keep their places in the team to see if they can help City secure another win and move closer to the top of the Premier League table.

Given how close the two teams are in the table, we feel that this is a must-win game for the Citizens to avoid any potential doubts over their capability to defend their title this season.

In other news: Guardiola must unleash “fantastic” £67.5m-rated ace this evening, he could terrify Brighton

Tottenham Hotspur advanced into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening as they defeated Premier League rivals Burnley at Turf Moor.

A 68th-minute header from super-sub Lucas Moura was enough to separate the two sides in what was a pretty drab affair, though it would’ve been a welcome victory for everyone concerned with the club, having lost their last two games.

Spurs were largely dominant as they recorded 62% possession and three more shots on target but that didn’t stop the Clarets from being a major threat, particularly in being aggressive and dominant aerially.

But the Portuguese’s backline held firm to keep a much-needed clean sheet. And one player’s performance was standout as Davinson Sanchez dealt with Burnley’s physical nature impressively.

As per SofaScore, the £18m-rated Colombian registered a whopping 13 clearances in the match. For context, the home side managed only eight between them, so it goes to show just how influential Sanchez was in keeping the opposition at bay.

Elsewhere, he also chipped in with two tackles, further showing why Burnley’s attack struggled to find a way past the north Londoners, who will be aiming to go one better in this competition after last season’s final heartbreak.

Indeed, Sanchez won six aerial battles and only lost possession six times from a whopping 85 touches, thus proving his influence in Nuno’s defence.

The 25-year-old colossus, who cost Spurs a then club-record £42m in August 2017, was equally adept with the ball at his feet, as he managed to find 91% of his 67 passing attempts, via SofaScore.

Dan Kilpatrick of the Evening Standard was left impressed by the defender, too.

‘In the right place to make a crucial intervention as Burnley rallied late, while he used his pace to mop up balls behind. A decent showing,’ he wrote in his post-match ratings column, where he graded the 6 foot 2 an 8/10.

After conceding two in the win over Newcastle, and goals against Vitesse and West Ham in recent weeks, Nuno is left with a massive selection dilemma as Sanchez may have just thrown his name into the hat to start against an out-of-sorts Manchester United this weekend.

The Portuguese head coach now has plenty to ponder before Saturday evening.

AND in other news, “Been watching him”: Sky Sports journo drops Spurs transfer claim, fans surely buzzing…

The Championship is becoming a common hunting ground for Premier League clubs in search of a bargain deal, and Crystal Palace could have their next target already lined up.

With the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Dan James and Said Benrahma all making successful step-ups from the second tier in recent years, the Eagles followed suit and took a punt on Michael Olise.

Patrick Vieira’s charges splashed out £8m to secure the youngster’s services back in June after he bagged seven goals and provided a further 12 assists in 44 league appearances for former side Reading.

At the time, the fee appeared to be a relatively modest one for a player who had just been named the EFL Young Player of the Year after an outstanding breakout campaign, and it’s proved to be exactly that in the opening weeks of 2021/22.

In just 139 minutes of top-flight action, Olise has scored one goal and set up two more, playing a pivotal part in draws against Leicester City and Arsenal, as well as the victory over Manchester City last time out.

And now, the Eagles could be about to repeat the same trick after being linked with a move for Nottingham Forest’s highly-rated forward Brennan Johnson.

A report in Football League World claims that the capital club are one of several Premier League sides tracking the 20-year-old’s current situation as he approaches the final 18 months of his current contract.

Famed for his incredible dribbling skills, finishing ability and versatility, Johnson is an ideal fit for Vieira’s new-look Palace side on paper, and his performances on the pitch are equally as eye-catching.

After making a fast start to life under Forest boss Steve Cooper in recent weeks, the Wales international earned several plaudits from impressed onlookers, including retired striker Glenn Murray.

“For me, Brennan, he just looks special. He just looks a cut above, and he’s destined for the top,” Murray told Sky Sports (as relayed by Nottingham Forest News).

“Yes, he’s not getting everything right at the moment, but he looks at the top-level easily. I expect a really big future from him.”

Whether Johnson is ready to make the step up to the Premier League at this stage in his career after playing League One football as recently as last term, only time will tell, but the £2,500-per-week gem could certainly be a risk worth taking for Palace.

And, in other news…Parish could discover CPFC’s new Ian Wright by signing 22 y/o with “blistering pace”

Crystal Palace are interested in signing exciting West Brom teenager Reyes Cleary, but Bayern Munich are among the other clubs who are also keen on him.

The Lowdown: Cleary excelling at West Brom

The 17-year-old is making a name for himself at The Hawthorns, scoring an incredible 15 goals in just 13 games for the Baggies’ under-18 and under-23 sides this season.

While Cleary is yet to make his senior debut, his current form at youth level suggests that it may not be too far away. The young attacker is yet to sign his first professional contract, and although West Brom are desperately hoping he will commit his future to them, other clubs are circling.

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The Latest: Palace linked with move

According to The Daily Mail, Palace are one of those, with the Eagles seeing him as an exciting option to bring in at Selhurst Park.

European giants Bayern Munich are also thought to be in the mix, a real measure of Cleary’s potential, while Newcastle United and Southampton are mentioned in the report as well.

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The Verdict: One for the future

Palace have a great history of developing young English talent in their ranks, from Nathaniel Clyne to Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Tyrick Mitchell, and Cleary could be the next emerging homegrown player to make his mark at Selhurst Park.

Building towards the future is always important, and given the Albion youngster’s aforementioned record, he could go onto have a huge impact in south London if he makes the move there.

It could be tough to pip Bayern to Cleary’s signature, but it is refreshing to see the Eagles in the race to sign a player who has been called a “powerful forward player” and an “excellent finisher” by West Brom under-18 boss Peter Gilbert.

In other news, Crystal Palace are reportedly keen on signing an attacking player. Read more here.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe, regarding his first day at the club in training.

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has claimed that the 43-year-old is attempting to instil a hard-working mentality amongst the Magpies players. The ex-Cherries boss wants his team to train as hard as they play and to never stop working in training.

He wrote:

“Further to videos of Eddie Howe’s first NUFC session, I’m told overriding message was “we train as we play”. A lot of “match sharp”, “no jogging” & “if you think you’re maxed out, you’re not”. Howe later watched club’s Under-11s train.”

Buzzing

This exciting claim from Hope will leave Newcastle fans buzzing as it provides an incredibly promising insight into his first day on Tyneside. The update indicates that he is trying to get a quick response out of his players to see who is and who isn’t willing to put the hard yards in during training.

The responses said it all with one fan indicating that he loves the new manager already while another said it gave them “Kevin Keegan vibes.”

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Supporters are evidently delighted by this and it’s not surprising to see why. It suggests that he wants his team to work tirelessly for the cause and that could translate on the pitch in the upcoming Premier League matches, particularly if it influences team selection.

If the fans can see that the players are giving their all and leaving everything on the field in games then it could be easier to take adverse results when they come about, rather than if the fans feel as though some are not playing at 100%.

There is no hiding away from the difficult position Howe has inherited. Newcastle are 19th in the Premier League and are the only side in the division yet to win a game, with five points on the table after 11 matches. It will take sheer hard work and graft for them to grind out results and pull themselves to safety, which is why this claim from Hope will be music to the fans’ ears.

However, it is only worthwhile if it works in practice and Howe has under two weeks to ensure that he can set his team out in the best possible way to beat Brentford on the other side of the international break.

The gap between the Magpies and the rest of the division could only increase if they continue to go through games without picking up their first win, which is why it is great to see the ex-Bournemouth coach quickly instilling these particular set of values on the players so early into his reign.

AND in other news, PIF could fire a warning at NUFC by signing £18m beast who has a “compass in the foot”…

Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour should trade Norwich City for Leeds United in January, according to former England international and Sky Sports pundit Kevin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Gilmour a big talent

The 20-year-old is arguably one of the most exciting young midfielders in Britain, shining for Scotland at Euro 2020 and being called ‘fantastic’ by Jose Mourinho.

However, with minutes hard to come by at Chelsea, Gilmour is currently on loan at Norwich, where he has struggled to get going this season. The Canaries are rock-bottom of the Premier League and the Scot has only managed four starts for them in the top flight.

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The Latest: Leeds urged to snap him up

Speaking to Football Insider, Phillips said that Gilmour should instead move to Leeds in January in order to get the best out of his ability.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel is reportedly considering recalling the 20-year-old from his Canaries loan spell, with Elland Road having been mooted as a possible destination for the youngster during the summer transfer window prior to joining Norwich.

Phillips outlined:

“Gilmour hasn’t got much game time under his belt, and I can’t see why with where Norwich are in the league. There’s no point in him going back to Chelsea because he will hardly play.

“He should go back out on loan to somewhere like Leeds. Bielsa plays good football, they aren’t rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, and he will probably get more game time.

“Leeds play more of the type of football Gilmour is suited to, so it would be a great move for him. We’ve seen Bielsa get the best out of some youngsters and there’s no reason why he couldn’t do that with Gilmour.

“His next move has to be to go somewhere where he will play because we don’t want a young player completely disappearing.”

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The Verdict: Brilliant potential signing

While Gilmour hasn’t exactly set the world alight at Norwich, the Canaries’ struggles as a team are perhaps the main reason for that.

The youngster remains a superb prospect and his ball-playing style could excel at Leeds, with the midfielder averaging a 90.9% pass completion rate at Euro 2020. By way of comparison, no member of Marcelo Bielsa’s current squad has averaged more than 88.5% for that metric over the course of the season so far.

Bringing him in would provide Bielsa with more midfield depth until the end of the campaign. If that happens and Gilmour strongly impress, the Whites could even attempt to sign him permanently from Chelsea, although the Blues may not entertain that possibility given the youngster’s obvious talent.

In other news, a pundit has made a worrying Leeds injury claim. Find out who it is regarding here.