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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…

Leeds’ transfer business this summer initially didn’t look like too much to rave about.

They sold Pontus Jansson to Brentford whilst Kemar Roofe also walked out of the door as he joined Anderlecht.

In total 31 players departed Elland Road either on a temporary or permanent basis and six arrived on loan.

Given Leeds can only include five of them in a single matchday squad it was a rather bizarre choice.

What may also have been strange was turning down a colossal bid of £27m for Kalvin Phillips.

The midfielder epitomises the club. He was born in Leeds and came through the academy to turn in over 40 appearances last term.

Selling him would have raised question marks about the Whites’ ambition but instead, he’s now put pen to paper on a new contract, revealing how he wants to stay with the Whites for a long period.

The 23-year-old has started the season in exceptional form and has won the most tackles per game of anyone in the division.

Remarkably, however, had he left over the summer he wouldn’t have even been the Championship’s record sale.

That falls at the feet of Moussa Sissoko who departed for £30m to Spurs.

In turning down an offer for Phillips, though, it displayed the might of Leeds and proved they’re capable of achieving things so few Championship sides manage.

This summer we saw a host of talents leave the league. Adam Webster moved on for £20m whilst the same price was enough for Oliver McBurnie to walk through the exit door at Swansea.

But there was a bigger deal too.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Ryan Sessegnon sealed a £25m switch to Fulham as clubs all over the division struggled to hold onto prized assets.

Che Adams left Birmingham, Neal Maupay fled Brentford whilst Daniel James commanded a fee of £15m.

Some top clubs were seeing some of their key players leave but Leeds held onto the beat and soul of their side despite interest from Aston Villa, Wolves and Bournemouth.

Some of the money thrown at other clubs in the Championship demonstrated that it’s tough to turn down big fees but that only provides evidence of why plenty of teams struggle to live with Leeds.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Everton are looking to get back to winning ways against Sheffield United and Richarlison could be key to victory.

On the chalkboard

The Brazilian was the difference for the Toffees in the last match at Goodison Park, scoring twice against Wolves, and he could fancy his chances against a side which has conceded five in their last three league games.

Marco Silva will likely demand a response from all of his players, but Richarlison has been impressive form recently and will be keen to add to his three-goal tally after twice coming close against Bournemouth, with one effort striking the bar.

The man tasked with dealing with the 22-year-old – Enda Stevens – therefore faces a difficult challenge, and he is very much still adjusting to his first experience of top-flight football, as shown through his stats on WhoScored.

However, the Blades man has looked solid at times, and his presence going forward could pose problems for Everton, so Richarlison will have to maintain his impressive average of 3.6 tackles won per game this season.

That is not the only area in which he has excelled. According to WhoScored, he has averaged 2.8 shots per game this term, proving that he is a constant threat in and around the final third and a player the Blades will have to keep a close eye on.

Although he has an assist, his passing has generally been poor, and he also hasn’t been able to use his pace to his advantage as yet, at least not on the ball – with an average of only 1.2 successful dribbles per game.

Stevens could therefore have some joy, particularly as he will be backed up by Jack O’Connell, whose presence in the middle may also prevent the Brazilian from getting onto the end of crosses, a method from which he scored goals against Lincoln and Wolves.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The wing-back’s average tackles per game also shows he has been a key in winning the ball back for his side, so if he gets tight to Richarlison he should be able to win the ball off him.

More concerning is his positioning. His tendency to go forward often results in him having to rush back to defend, and as a result he fails to take up positions where he can intercept the ball.

If Richarlison can exploit that weakness by making runs into the channel he should be able to cause a threat down the right-flank, and with a bit of quality he should be able to play a role in earning Everton the victory.

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Liverpool will switch their attention to the EFL Cup this week as they prepare to travel to MK Dons for a clash in the third round of the competition.

The Reds made it six straight wins at the start of the 2019/20 Premier League season by recording a 2-1 victory at Chelsea on Sunday afternoon.

Jurgen Klopp’s side boast a five-point advantage over Manchester City in the Premier League table, but it is worth remembering that they lost their Champions League group opener against Napoli last week.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The club’s presence in the UEFA Super Cup last month means that it has been a busy start to the season in terms of volume of matches, and it is likely that Klopp will make changes on Wednesday night.

Just how many alterations occur for the MK Dons clash remains to be seen, but the Liverpool fans are keen for a number of youngsters to be given chances to impress.

A selection of the Twitter discussion on which prospects should play against the League One outfit can be seen below:

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In today’s Manchester United roundup, we take a look at the hottest stories out there right now involving the Red Devils. Victor Lindelof signs a new deal, United legend Paul Scholes states Paul Pogba won’t be a ‘big loss’, and academy graduates Mason Greenwood and Jesse Lingard are set for contract talks.

Lindelof commits to United

Report: As confirmed by United’s official website, centre-back Lindelof has signed a new deal with the club, which will see him stay at Old Trafford until at least June 2024, with an option of another year.

The Swede said: “Since the day I arrived at United it has felt like home. I have grown significantly both as a player and as a person in the last two years and for that I am grateful to everyone at the club for their help and support. I know that everyone at the club shares this vision and will give everything to get Manchester United back to where it belongs.”

Verdict: This an important deal for United. The club have certainly lacked defensive stability recently, setting a new record for most Premier League goals conceded last season with 54. However, Lindelof emerged as one of United’s more reliable throughout 2018/19 – evidenced in the fact he featured in all but eight league games.

And it appears Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is attempting to build a partnership between the ex-Benfica man and summer signing Harry Maguire, with both men playing every league minute together so far. They compliment each other well – Maguire attacks the ball while Lindelof sweeps – so securing the Swede’s future is a smart move

Pogba won’t be a ‘big loss’, says Scholes

Report: Paul Scholes let loose on Pogba when speaking to talkSPORT, saying: “I think it’s quite clear he wants to leave the club. He wanted to move to Real Madrid [in the summer] and for whatever reason, it didn’t happen.

“If they ask him to stay for a year then we’ll see what happens. But I don’t think it will be a big loss to United [if he does go]. At the end of the day his form hasn’t been great anyway over the last three or four years he’s been there.

“I’m sure there’s more players there who can step in and do just as good a job.”

Verdict: Last season, Pogba was the club’s top scorer and creator in the Premier League and this time out the Frenchman has two assists in four games. So it’s fair to challenge Scholes here – if Solskjaer failed to replace the ex-Juventus man, United would be letting so much of their offensive output disappear from the squad.

Truthfully, comments from such legendary players like this do not help what is already a messy saga, after Pogba was strongly linked with Real Madrid during the summer. Scholes will only be pushing him closer to the exit door.

Greenwood, Lingard set for new contracts

Report: According to the Evening Standard, academy graduates Greenwood and Lingard are set for  new contracts at the club, while United are trying to secure a deal with Pogba as well. The Frenchman no doubt aggravated United fans in the summer after he said “he was thinking about a challenge somewhere else”. However, the report explains that with continuous interest from Real Madrid, the club want to avoid another long summer of uncertainty and tie him down quickly.

Verdict: Solskjaer has made it abundantly clear who he does and does not want at the club after the Norweigan let nine senior players depart in the summer. At the same time, Solskjaer has managed to get David De Gea and Lindelof to sign new deals recently, and by trying to get Greenwood, Lingard, and Pogba to do the same, it shows that the United manager is heavily invested in certain members of this current squad.

Greenwood has been in sensational form for the academy sides, scoring 34 times in 34 games for the U18’s, and scored in the Europa League in midweek. Lingard may not have assisted or scored so far this season, but the 26-year-old still offers great movement up top and his experience could be key for United in competitions like the Europa League.

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…

When Bailey Peacock-Farrell walked out of Elland Road in the summer a new goalkeeper was presumably at the height of Leeds’ agenda.

After all, Kiko Casilla had been mooted with a potential switch away from west Yorkshire too.

He was the one to stay as Lorient teenager Illan Meslier arrived through the front door at Thorp Arch on loan with an option to buy.

A colossal figure, standing at 6 foot 6, he has already left Leeds fans in awe following his performances for the U23s but he’s yet to be given a first-team opportunity.

Given the fact he’s saved two penalties and even earned praise from opposition coaches, it’s puzzling he’s only been on the periphery.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

When the Frenchman does get time in the first-team remains to be seen but Marcelo Bielsa is caught up in an incredibly awkward predicament with the goalkeeper.

Leeds signed six players on loan in the summer but only five of them can actually feature in a single matchday squad.

It’s a rule that’s seen Jack Clarke left out of the squad for the vast majority of the season, yet last weekend he was brought back into the 18.

At his expense, Meslier dropped out having not done anything wrong as Kamil Miazek replaced him as the substitute ‘keeper.

Last month, the 19-year-old told Ouest-France, via Get Football News France: “If I play in the Championship, and the club activates the option to buy, I would stay without a problem. If I play less, we will think about it. But the best thing would be to continue at Leeds.”

Why are Leeds fans the best in the country? Find out in the video below…

The tall stopper recognises that perhaps his career would be best suited with the Whites but he does also hint there is the possibility of returning to Lorient – particularly if he doesn’t play in the Championship.

FFC have detailed how he can be the long-term successor to Casilla so Bielsa must find a way to give him minutes. After all, this is a player with enormous potential – someone that’s been linked with Chelsea and Monaco in the past

Meslier has already proven he’s up to the task of senior football having played 28 times in Ligue 2 last season, so it’s not as though he’s a completely unknown quantity.

Bielsa would be wise to bear in mind what the Frenchman has said when trying to manoeuvre Leeds’ loan problem. If not, they could end up losing him next season rather than acquiring him permanently, something that would set them back in their pursuit of eventually replacing Casilla.

Considering the teenager is already ingrained at the club and is now used to Bielsa’s methods, he’s a ready-made successor. Losing him and bringing someone else in would only put them back at square one.

It’s only early in the season but Meslier has provided quite the predicament for the Argentine head coach. Does he stick or twist? Does he look to keep Meslier happy enough to sign him permanently, or risk upsetting him with more matchday exclusions?

Only time will tell, although an investigation into an issue of discrimination against Casilla might just give his competition some minutes.

Birmingham host Middlesbrough tonight and it could be another battle of attrition for the Blues, with five of their ten Championship fixtures so far being decided by a one-goal margin.

Pep Clotet had a fairly good start to life at St Andrew’s with 13 points from six games but has now lost three games on the bounce, and unless they improve going forward their slide down the table could continue.

The Spaniard has often varied his formation choice but his preference for a defensive style has arguably held the Blues back, with only nine goals scored in ten games, so a switch back to 4-4-2 could be the way forward.

Here is how Birmingham could line up at St Andrew’s tonight.

Boro have looked shaky at the back on occasion with 14 goals conceded and playing with pace and intent could lift the home crowd, making it a difficult atmosphere for Jonathan Woodgate’s men to play in.

The only concern Clotet may have is Middlesbrough’s preference to play possession football, and therefore his side could lose out in the midfield battle. Gary Gardner particularly has struggled in regard to making interceptions, with an average of 0.3 per game.

However, what the Blues lose in the middle they make up for with two up front, and Lukas Jutkiewicz and Alvaro Gimenez need to start together in order to build-up an understanding which is yet to come to fruition, with only one goal for the Spaniard.

That is one less than the total 16-year-old Jude Bellingham has scored so far, and his hunger on the right-flank is the kind of attitude Clotet’s side will need to end their losing streak.

Villalba took his place against Wigan but failed to make a successful dribble in the match, and his three examples of bad control led attacks to break down, so the front two didn’t get the service they require.

Bellingham, by contrast, could have some joy using his pace against George Friend, and if Blues can keep things tight at the back they have a chance of getting back to winning ways.

Marc Roberts’ return to the side should also help in that aspect as Birmingham have only conceded nine goals in the eight league games the 6 foot 4 colossus has played, and that could be pivotal in keeping a lid on Britt Assombalonga and Ashley Fletcher in order to secure a win.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Athletic’s Dominic Fifield, Crystal Palace saw an attempt to sign Real Sociedad striker Willian Jose knocked back in the summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Fifield reports that Willian Jose was amongst a number of other targets who the Eagles did not manage to capture.

In the end, while there would be further exploration of the availability of (and, ultimately, knockbacks over) the likes of Ruben Aguilar and Reece James, Fedor Chalov and Willian Jose, realisation dawned that there was little to lose and plenty to gain by keeping the manager happy.

Fifield names Monaco’s Ruben Aguilar – a player who Palace probably dodged a bullet with – Chelsea’s Reece James and CSKA Moscow forward Fedor Chalov as the other players who the south Londoners failed to sign.

The 27-year-old – who has 15 caps for Brazil’s Under-20 side – scored 11 goals and recorded five assists in 31 La Liga appearances last season, so you can see why Palace were interested.

However, the form of a current Palace man is helping to soften the blow of losing out on the Brazilian’s signature.

Jordan Ayew is stepping up to the plate 

You could argue that Willian Jose has continued his fine form from 2018/19 into the current campaign, having scored three goals in eight La Liga appearances already this term.

However, Jordan Ayew – a man who cost Palace just £2.5m back in the summer – has matched that goal tally in one less league appearance, scoring three in his seven Premier League outings so far this season.

The 55-cap Ghana international has won nine of Palace’s 14 points thanks to his goals alone, strikes that currently have the south Londoners sat in the top six as we enter the international break.

Ayew scored in a 2-1 over Manchester United, while also netting the only goal of the game against Aston Villa.

His most recent strike – an 87th minute winner against West Ham – has seen his fine form continue, and one might assume that no-one residing in SE25 will care much for the inability to sign Willian Jose when their very own No.9 is on such a hot streak.

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…

Leeds’ squad might be thin but that hasn’t stopped some fierce battles playing out in terms of roles within the team.

Eddie Nketiah and Patrick Bamford have a rivalry of sorts that’s seen them score the same number of goals, but the former is yet to start a league game.

There’s been a dilemma with Helder Costa on the wing while Stuart Dallas and Luke Ayling now look as though they’ll duel it out for a place at right-back.

That sort of competition is tough to take for a senior professional, let alone a youngster trying to make it in the game as well.

Mateusz Bogusz is one of the rising stars in the Leeds team who have so far found it hard to come by regular minutes.

He earned his debut earlier in the season but has been restricted to Carabao Cup appearances, still failing to make his league bow after appearing on the bench last term.

The young Pole played senior football in his homeland but that’s been a rare occurrence since arriving in west Yorkshire.

His development hasn’t overly stalled yet but it could in the future unless he gains greater exposure.

Bogusz has been a regular fixture of the U23 side but even now injuries have plagued the Leeds midfield with Pablo Hernandez, Adam Forshaw and Jamie Shackleton missing, there is no way through.

The fact Bielsa prefers to play Dallas out of position in midfield should be alarming.

The young midfielder has plenty of time on his side at the age of 18 but it’s perhaps rather damning that neither he or any of the younger pros got a look in ahead of the Northern Irishman in the middle.

It’s not as though Bogusz hasn’t shown he can do it on the first team stage either. He scored against Western Sydney Wanderers in pre-season but hasn’t been granted too much of an opportunity since.

Why are Leeds fans the best in the country? Find out in the video below…

If there is no way through now, there is unlikely to be a route to gaining greater minutes later in the term.

It suggests that for him to continue to develop and not falter, he needs a loan move elsewhere.

Whether that is a possibility remains unclear but given Leeds have just hired Simone Farine to manage their loan players, he could be one of the first to truly profit from this increased focus on who leaves the club temporarily.

In January, Bogusz will have been in England for a year – there would be no better time to finally gain first-team minutes.

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…

Last season, Ryan Manning spent the campaign on loan at Rotherham.

The 23-year-old was used primarily as a midfielder by Paul Warne, making 14 appearances as a centre midfielder, seven as an attacking midfielder and one as a defensive midfielder, per Transfermarkt.

He managed to grab four goals and an assist in 27 Championship appearances for The Millers, but upon his return to the Kiyan Prince Foundation, there was a different plan in store for him.

Mark Warburton – who was appointed as the R’s boss back in May – decided to take the Irishman under his wing and alter his position slightly, moving him to left-back.

Manning has taken to the role like a duck to water, performing excellently in both a wing-back position and as part of a flat back four.

The full-back has registered the most assists for QPR in the Championship this season with three to his name – one off the summit of the league’s assist rankings – and has also created the most chances amid a barrage of other impressive statistics, as you can see below.

It’s safe to say that it was a masterstroke by Warburton to play Manning at left-back.

However, the Londoners could be made to pay for the former Brentford manager’s genius decision.

Premier League duo Newcastle and Southampton are interested in signing Manning for a cut-price fee, with his contract set to expire in the summer of 2020 – QPR do reportedlyÂhave the option to extend his deal.

It is presumably tough for any player in the Championship to ignore interest from the Premier League, and if Manning does leave as a result of his fine showings at left-back, then QPR may well have to pay the price for Warburton’s masterstroke with the Irishman by waving goodbye to one of their best players.

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Another international break has been and gone. Purists far and wide will tell you that the two week break provided just as much entertainment as club football could have done, but they’re not fooling us.

The Premier League threw up a host of intriguing sub plots at the weekend as Liverpool travelled to Manchester United in pursuit of Manchester City’s 18-match winning run, while Mauricio Pochettino’s Spurs future seemingly hung in the balance as woeful Watford rocked up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Away from the elite tier of English football, the race for promotion in the Championship continued and La Liga’s inconsistent behemoths aimed to shift back into top gear.

There were plenty of talking points to emerge from the action, and our team of correspondents at Football FanCast have rounded up some of the key ones below…

[snack_break title="Phillips' act of god"]

As the Championship returned, so did Leeds to winning ways. A rather dismal afternoon against Millwall two weeks ago was put behind them thanks to “an act of God” as Marcelo Bielsa put it after the game.

Leeds marked their centenary on Saturday with various legends being seen at Elland Road. However, it was perhaps a future legend that turned in a moment that simply couldn’t have been scripted. Leeds’ very own Kalvin Phillips was the hero as he slid the ball under Lee Camp for what was a timely three points for the Whites against Birmingham.

The man dubbed the Yorkshire Pirlo was in supreme form as he also won a colossal six tackles throughout the match and showed signs of exactly why he attracted interest from the Premier League over the summer.

This was just their second win in five matches.

Matt Dawson – Leeds correspondent 

[snack_break title=”Solskjaer almost outwits Klopp”]

In what was considered a ‘must-not-lose’ clash, Manchester United did exactly that. For 85 minutes of their contest against Liverpool, Solskjaer’s side were heading for all three points.

And that was in no small part thanks to the Norwegian’s tactical surprise. The Red Devils shied away from their tried-and-trusted set-up this season, and opted for a 5-3-2 formation aimed at nullifying the Reds’ best attacking threats from out wide.

The masterstroke saw wingers Sadio Mane and Divock Origi combine to muster up just one shot on goal in the entire game.The United boss has been questioned in recent weeks for his tactical judgements. But against Liverpool, he showed a bit of ingenuity that completed rattled his more illustrious counterpart in Jurgen Klopp.

Vijievan Jeevathayalan – Manchester correspondent

[snack_break title=”Rodri the next Javier Mascherano”]

Pep Guardiola has been ceremoniously revered throughout world football for a multitude of footballing achievements and defining traits, not least of which is his ability to prise versatility out of individuals.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, for example, has been transformed from an attacking midfielder to a left-back and is now thriving in his new-look role, and the weekend victory over Crystal Palace hinted that another transition could be lurking in the back of Guardiola’s mind.

Rodri slotted into central defence and looked assured in the role alongside Fernandinho, banishing any Nicolas Otamendi-related nightmares in the process.

Javier Mascherano completed the transition from central midfield to central defence under Guardiola at Barcelona and, while it’s unlikely the £63m summer signing will undergo a similar process this season, he certainly provides a trustworthy option at the heart of defence while Aymeric Laporte remains sidelined.

Jack Saville – Assistant Editor

[snack_break title=”Barcelona back in business”]

Even though they experienced quite a rocky start to the ongoing 2019/20 season, Barcelona are finally back at the very peak of the mountain in La Liga. And while this is largely due to Real Madrid’s recent blip at Mallorca, it’s also thanks to their illustrious front three of Lionel Messi, Antoine Griezmann and Luis Suarez finally finding their groove together.

All three of their forwards were on the scoresheet as Barcelona blazed past Eibar at Ipurua and if that game is any indication, that could mark a start of something huge for the Catalans moving forward. If Ernesto Valverde has finally found a formula to get the best out of his three superstars, it can only mean one thing – Barcelona are back in business.

Domagoj Kostanjsak – La Liga correspondent 

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Do Forest have enough strength in depth to compete across such a long season? The fact they had to put Grabban on the bench to start with symbolises their ‘load management’ of him, and that they don’t have sufficient backup for him to really compensate – Rafa Mir certainly could have done better given his number of opportunities.

The same point can be made across the rest of the XI, with Samba Sow also missing from the starting lineup at the weekend. Whilst they have a large squad, do they have the quality to go with it?

Matt Baldwin – Midlands correspondent 

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In Southampton’s case, not much changed at the weekend – a couple of consistent themes from the Saints’ season so far reared their head once again. As we’ve already seen twice this season against Liverpool and Tottenham, Danny Ings capitalised on an error from the opposition to score his fourth Premier League goal of the campaign and his fifth in the last four games in all competitions.

However, we also saw Southampton’s fragility at the back again. Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side actually conceded three goals to Wolves, although the first two were chalked off after VAR had a look at them.

The south coast side have kept just two clean sheets so far this season in nine league games – even those came against sides who finished the game with 10-men in Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton.

Southampton simply must shore things up at the back – they cannot rely on Ings to wait for the opposition to slip up in every game.

Billy Meyers – London and south coast correspondent

[snack_break title=”Sensational Grealish puts Spurs on alert”]

Aston Villa banished any doubts that their rampant victory over Norwich City before the international break was merely pot-luck as they were coming up against one of the more injury-stricken sides in the division after they defeated Brighton and Hove Albion at Villa Park.

Jack Grealish ran the show, scoring an equalising goal right on half-time before providing a match-winning assist in injury time, leading to calls that he is ready for the Champions League.

Well, he still has a long way to go to prove those claims considering he’s unable to break into the England squad, despite them clearly lacking some creative options in the final third, but this performance certainly puts him on the right track.

No other player on Saturday created more chances than he did with six – not even Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ricardo Pereira, Joao Cancelo or Lucas Digne, who all have their own international accolades to shout about.

Villa fans will need to be cautious going into January, could another Spurs-like episode be on our hands?

Lewis Blain – Midlands correspondent

[snack_break title=”Pochettino’s misplaced loyalty”]

Tottenham Hotspur’s woes continued at the weekend as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by bottom-of-the-table Watford, but Mauricio Pochettino once again made a troubling call during the game.

Toby Alderweireld lost his man for the opening goal by the Hornets, while Jan Vertonghen was extremely fortunate not to concede a penalty for his coming together with Gerard Deulofeu in the penalty area.

Yet, it was the third centre-back on the day in Davinson Sanchez who was hauled off at half-time, which was confusing in more ways than one even if the formation change was needed.

Pochettino should have been sacrificing either Alderweireld or Vertonghen instead given their recent performances and the fact they are both out of contract next summer, rather than a man who could be a big part of this Tottenham defence for a number of years.

The Argentine’s loyalty to underperforming senior players must come into question.

James Beavis – Editor  

[snack_break title=”Henderson and Atkinson spark fury”]

There are only two names on Liverpool fans’ lips after this weekend, and neither of them are very popular.

Martin Atkinson has left fans fuming over his decisions in the clash with Manchester United, as not a single foul went the Reds’ way between the 22nd and 72nd minute, quite remarkable considering the intensity and fieriness of any clash between these two sides. Liverpool won the foul race 14 to six.

The other man in Reds fans’ bad books is Jordan Henderson, who was utterly abysmal in his 71 minutes on the pitch. The skipper has been substituted in the second half of each of his last three starts, two of which have gone from a draw to a win after his removal and now most recently from a loss to a draw.

Ben Goodwin – Editor

[snack_break title=”Silva’s Everton lifeline”]

Silva finally finds the formula

Everton are back to winning ways in the Premier League for the first time since they beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at the start of September, and it seems Marco Silva has finally found his formula. The 2-0 victory over West Ham United was Everton’s most comfortable of the season to date.

The biggest takeaway for the Toffees is that Silva has found his midfield duo after all. Gomes and Tom Davies were the best two on the pitch against the Hammers and they can finally give the Goodison Park faithful some confidence in the centre of the pitch.

Grant McQuillan – Everton correspondent

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