Former Everton defender Alan Stubbs has told the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United to forget about summer moves for Ross Barkley.
The 20-year-old midfielder has emerged as one of the Premier League’s very best young players this term, playing a key role in the Toffees’ impressive season which almost yielded Champions League qualification.
Naturally his performances have alerted some of the division’s big hitters, with cross-city rivals Liverpool said to be plotting an audacious £38m move and United having been linked with him for some time.
Everton have sold a number of big name players in recent years to balance the books, with Marouane Fellaini having left just under 12 months ago to follow the likes of Wayne Rooney and Mikel Arteta away from Goodison Park.
But Stubbs believes that Barkley will not be going anywhere this summer:
“When someone of his talent comes along they stick out like a sore thumb, Ross was like that as a young boy.” He told talkSPORT.
“He had a hunger I’ve only seen before in Wayne Rooney. He wanted to be the first on to the pitch, practising all the time. He just loves football.
“The club are in a different position than we were five years ago, where we had to maybe sell one of the big stars.
“The club is in a much healthier place at the moment. Keeping Leighton Baines last summer was a huge statement.
“We’ve now got players in abundance who can kick us on to the next level. It’s important now as a club that we start to keep these players, rather than sell one or two every now and then. Barkley is the future.”
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Although he won’t be moving during the summer according to Stubbs, the ex-Toffee believes that Barkley will go to the World Cup:
“He’s got to go Brazil, he’s the future for England. Whether he starts or is just in the squad, he’s got to go.”
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is slowly losing his patience with both the City board and players as tensions continue to rise at the Etihad Stadium, according to the Daily Mirror.
City escaped with a 1-0 win at home to lowly Swansea yesterday but the pressure is still firmly on the Italian boss as the club look set to go out of the Champions League at the group stage as they did last year, and are also still trailing runaway leader Chelsea in the Premier League.
“Mancini has no interest in being a friend of the players. He doesn’t care whether they hate him.
“He just wants them to do as they are told when they are on the pitch and the training ground. Mancini is like a lot of Italian managers who believe the coach must be dictatorial in their approach.
“He will not back away from an issue if he feels it is undermining his position. Some players will not like his style, but he has the trophies to show that it works. It has also worked for Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
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“Mancini is in a strong position and he expects the full support of the people who pay him to do his job.”
Newcastle fans are begging their club to smash their transfer record on Kenedy, after it was revealed Chelsea want to sell the Brazilian.
A report from the Chronicle has claimed Chelsea want to sell Kenedy this summer for around £20m, but Newcastle will face competition from the likes of Arsenal, Red Bull Leipzig, Bayern Munich and even Paris Saint-Germain.
Rafael Benitez is a big admirer of the young Brazilian, and would love to bring him back to Tyneside after his successful loan spell last season.
The feisty wing wizard was linked with another loan move earlier in the summer, but the Chronicle report claims Chelsea would actually prefer to sell him permanently.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]
Of course, this is both good and bad news for Magpies’ fans, as it means they could grab the Brazilian youngster on a long-term deal, but only if the infamous Mike Ashley gets his chequebook out.
Newcastle currently have the longest-standing transfer record in the league, dating back to their £16m deal for Michael Owen in 2005.
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With Benitez desperately searching for a marquee striker signing, it seems unlikely that Ashley will break the Magpies’ transfer record twice in one summer, so they could be priced out of a move for Kenedy.
Fans are praying that doesn’t happen though, begging the club to pull the trigger on a mega money move. You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
Joe Bennett’s tackle on Leroy Sane caused outrage to most who’ve seen it.During a game in which Cardiff City – currently third in the Championship – decided that their best way of getting a result was to kick their opponents, the Premier League leaders, around the pitch, it was perhaps inevitable that there would be a tackle which would go over the top.Bennett’s did that and then some. Since then, to his credit, he’s had the courage to come out and apologise for his mistake, tweeting that his tackle was mistimed. In doing so, he tacitly acknowledged what we could all see: that it was a bad one – why apologise for it at all if not?
So far, fair enough in some ways. Football is a game where bad things can happen – with so many athletes of prime physicality exerting themselves in a sporting endeavour where contact is unavoidable, injuries are part and parcel of the game. Sometimes tackles are mistimed and we all know that passions can run high just watching the game, let alone playing it. So for a player to come out and apologise when he’s stepped over that line is admirable.
And yet, something troubles me about it.
For one thing, the fact that one of the best and most exciting young players in the Premier League will now be ruled out for a period of time is clearly sad. Especially in a World Cup year. Again, that’s part of the game, but there’s nothing wrong with feeling a certain sadness – indeed, even anger – at that.
It’s also been something that Manchester City have had to suffer more than usual this season. Being so far ahead of the rest at the top of the table seems to have made the rest of the league feel as though they can’t compete. Perhaps they can’t, but when the frustration of some boils over into the sorts of tackles that Dele Alli and Jason Puncheon made on Kevin de Bruyne in December it’s clearly a problem. Indeed, one that goes beyond mere football: a player’s livelihood can be on the line. The stakes are that high with horror tackles.
And so the most troubling part of Cardiff City’s roughhousing of Pep Guardiola’s side is surely Bennett’s admission that his bad tackle was the result of an attempt to stop a counter-attack.
Actually trying to foul an opponent surely aggravates the footballing crime, as it were.
If a drunk driver hits someone, we assume it’s because they’re drunk: an accident, possibly, but certainly one which is aggravated by the initial intoxication. If a speeding car hits someone, we assume the recklessness comes because of the speed. If a car hits someone without any of these extra factors, we can sometimes see it as an unfortunate accident – there’ll still be a punishment, but it’s not aggravated by any initial crime.
This is similar, if not the same. Stopping a counter attack by attempting to foul an opponent is already a ‘crime’ – so to speak – in the world of football. But just like speeding, it becomes less about the smaller crime in its own right, and more about the fact that it makes the bigger crime worse. One that makes it difficult to accept that it’s an accident. Speed and you’ll get a fine. Speed and hit someone and you’ll get a much harsher punishment.
This isn’t a call to to throw the book at Bennett. Nor is it to add to the outrage around what was a bad tackle with potentially terrible consequences for a young player who has lit up the Premier League in the last year or so. Instead, this is about defining where the limits are and why we watch football.
It feels like an indisputable fact that Pep Guardiola is correct: we watch the game for the players and they must be protected first and foremost.
But whilst stopping a counter-attack shouldn’t be thought of as something outside of the game (you do it and get a yellow card; in a sense you buy the avoidance of a dangerous counter at the price of a yellow card) the consequence of seriously hurting a player should be. The foul for which you get a slap on the wrist should mean a lengthy ban once you injure your opponent – even if all you meant was a light trip.
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Why? Because we don’t want injuries like this, or like the ones Kevin de Bruyne could have suffered last month. If your only recourse is to bring your opponent down, fine, but the risk of injury should bring with it a risk of a ban. That’s something a player should have to weigh up before making a tackle he knows is going to be a foul.
And that will help. Not overnight, but it should make players more responsible by forcing them to think about what it is they’re doing before they do it. And that can only be a good thing.
This is a sorry tale of a physical game gone too far, but it’s also something the game should look at stamping out if at all possible: professional fouls are part of the game, but when they come at the cost of a serious injury, surely that should mean paying a higher price.
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini says that he expects his team to win the Premier League title on Sunday.
The Sky Blues moved two points ahead of Liverpool with just a game to go after a 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa at the Etihad Stadium to put themselves firmly in the driving seat.
City know that a win at home to West Ham will guarantee them a second title in three years, and that a draw will be enough unless Liverpool overturn a 13 goal difference between the sides with a massive win against Newcastle.
Pellegrini has remained cagey up until now about his side’s prospects, but after the game he revealed that he’s now confident of lifting the trophy this weekend:
“Of course I expect to win the title because now we are top of the table,” he is quoted by ESPN.
“Now we can talk about the title because if we win the next game we are going to win the title. We could not do the same before this game because we had to beat Aston Villa.”
Pellegrini also talked up the way in which his team have put themselves in pole position after they broke the 100-goal mark thanks to a late Yaya Toure effort.
“I think it will be very important, not only [to win] the title but in the way we are going to win the title if finally we win it. I think we have a style of play, I think we are an attractive team, I think we score many goals and we are always thinking to score more goals. That to me has the same importance as winning the title.
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“I am very happy to win the title this way. There are different ways to win titles. I choose this one with attractive football so that the fans enjoy the season. For me, the aesthetic part is very important.”
Bizarre scenes at Dynamo Moscow’s training ground yesterday saw the first team squad fired at by disgruntled supporters who used paintball guns to vent their anger, as reported by the Daily Mirror.
The supporters in question broke into the training ground and fired paint bullets at the players after training in disgust at their poor early season form that has seen them drop to 13th in the Russian league. The camouflaged nutters were not part of the official supporters group and the club claim that they will severely punish the culprits when found.
“After training exercises, a group of individuals tried to shoot the players with paintball guns,” the club said in a statement on their official website.
“We are convinced this was a planned and organised action. This is a challenge to the club and we will answer in the toughest possible manner.
“We intend to use all the resources available to us to find and hold the shooters accountable in any way the current law allows, including criminal prosecution.”
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Former West Ham United midfielder Alex Song has posted a picture of himself wearing an Irons kit on an Instagram story, and Hammers fans have been quick to react.
The former Cameroon international impressed during a two-season loan spell with the east London outfit between 2014 and 2016, who is still a free agent having been allowed to look for a new club by Rubin Kazan in January.
The 30-year-old may well be looking to impress potential suitors ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, but it seems unlikely new Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini would have any interest in him as he looks to bring in some youth and inject some pace into his team – the potential arrival of an electric 22-year-old attacker would have a huge impact on Javier Hernandez’s future.
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Nevertheless, West Ham supporters took to social media to give their thoughts on the Song image, and while one pleaded with the board to “make it happen” in regards of a return, another said “bring him back, still better than Kouyate”.
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Amid an otherwise uninspiring batch of Fourth Round fixtures, Chelsea vs Newcastle stands out as a match that could see something of an upset.
Of course, the Magpies are far more focused on maintaining their Premier League status than silverware this season but Chelsea enter Sunday’s game on the back of a run of poor form, including elimination from the League Cup at the hands of Arsenal, so a little bit of FA Cup magic could go a very long way for the visitors.
But will Newcastle defy the odds to claim an impressive win at Stamford Bridge, or will they succumb to the quality of the reigning Premier League champions? This week’s Newcastle expert, Nothing But Newcastle editor Jonnie Gorrie, shares his thoughts and predictions ahead of the FA Cup clash…
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This weekend represents a real balancing act for Rafa Benitez. While he’ll want the Magpies to give a good account of themselves at Stamford Bridge, and the fans are understandably eager for a lengthy cup run, Premier League survival is the priority this season and Newcastle have a winnable game against Burnley at St. James’ Park on Wednesday night.
What strength of starting XI would you like to see from Benitez this Sunday?
Jonnie: “There isn’t a huge amount of depth in the squad, to be honest. It’s been hard for Rafa to rotate too much, due to the obvious limitations in the squad. That being said, Jamaal Lascelles must be rested. While our captain is hugely influential, as the defensive record without him shows, risking him for a cup tie before a massive game with Burnley just a few days after seems somewhat unnecessary, depressing as it is.”
The FA Cup usually brings chances for young players to impress in the first team, but that wasn’t exactly the case in the last round when Newcastle hosted Luton at St. James’ Park. The only academy product to feature in the 3-1 was goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, while fellow youngster Rolando Aarons could only watch on from the bench.
Are there any youngsters you’d like to see feature against the Blues on Sunday?
Jonnie: “I’d like to see Aarons given a chance. His finest moment in a black and white shirt came during a cup tie against bigger opposition back in 2014, though he’s struggled for form and fitness since. The likes of Matt Ritchie, Christian Atsu and Jacob Murphy will all be crucial against Burnley, so affording Aarons a chance would be a promising sight. If he can impress, he could be a major asset going forward.
“Woodman is another youngster who could feasibly start, though playing a burgeoning goalkeeper against one of the best attacks in Europe may not be the best idea, despite all the calls for his inclusion of late. We don’t want a Harry Lewis moment.”
Newcastle’s recent history at Stamford Bridge doesn’t make particularly encouraging reading. In fact, Newcastle have lost all of their last five visits to west London and have won there just twice across all competitions since the inception of the Premier League. Likewise, earlier this season, Newcastle suffered a 3-1 defeat to the reigning champions in a game that saw them manage just two shots on target and take just 34% possession.
What lessons need to be learned from the 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge in December?
Jonnie: “Understandably, Rafa Benitez set his team up very defensively in the league game, though he can perhaps afford to be a touch more expansive on Sunday. As much as we’d love a cup run, the nature of this game during this moment in time doesn’t mean it’s vitally important, so we should at least try and give the home side a game. It’s hard to underestimate the gulf in quality between the two sides, but with no Premier League points riding on it, why not try and ruffle a few feathers?”
As already alluded to, this is a pretty good time to face Chelsea by their usual standards. The FA Cup will likely be their priority competition after losing to Arsenal on Wednesday night, but they still have the top four to think about so key players will likely be rested for their midweek clash with Bournemouth. Likewise, Chelsea have begun the new year in bad form; winning once and drawing five of their last seven games; and it has lead to rumours of disputes behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge.
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How should Newcastle set up take advantage of the negative atmosphere at Chelsea right now?
Jonnie: “I’d like to see a 4-3-3 including a midfield three of Mo Diame, Jonjo Shelvey and Mikel Merino. There aren’t all too many options to rotate across the side, though that’s certainly a trio fans can get behind. Diame has invoked the ire of fans for months, though his recent performances as an industrious central midfielder who can push forward on the counter have certainly been an improvement and, with the likes of Shelvey and Merino releasing the ball from deep, it could give Chelsea’ defence something to think about.”
And finally Jonnie, let’s hear your score prediction…
The Black Cats stunned Manchester United at the Stadium of Light in the first leg, but it’s still only a one-goal advantage they take into the second leg at Old Trafford.
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet however, will be pleased to see his side improve results in recent weeks and will be confident he can mastermind a famous trip to Wembley for the Mackems.
David Moyes is becoming more and more under pressure by the game and a lot will be riding on his success in this competition this season. Failure to reach the Final could perhaps prove a disaster for the new United boss, while a victory and potential Wembley date with arch rivals City could help him get the United fans back on side.
Here’s where this game could be won or lost…
Adnan Januzaj v Adam Johnson
Januzaj has been a breath of fresh air at United this season, regularly putting in match-winning performances, despite still only being 18-years-old.
His rapid rise to United’s first team has been incredible and a lot of their play now goes through him. The key to keeping United quiet is to keep Januzaj quiet, which is what Adam Johnson may have the task of doing.
Johnson’s hat-trick in Sunderland’s 3-1 Premier League victory over Fulham gave us all a hint of the old flying Englishman we were all so used to seeing. If he can recreate a similar performance in the second leg then he has the ability to take Sunderland to Wembley singlehandedly.
Michael Carrick v Lee Cattermole
Michael Carrick has been a regular and consistent fixture in David Moyes’ team this season and has arguably been playing his best football to date.
His ability to slow the game down and dictate the tempo will allow United to contain Sunderland’s style of play, but he will also provide another form of attack if needs be.
Cattermole, on the other hand, is the no-nonsese, box-to-box midfielder United haven’t had for a long time. Cattermole’s boisterous presence in midfield got the better of United at the Stadium of Light and Poyet will be asking him for more of the same.
Danny Welbeck v John O’Shea
Welbeck has six goals in his last six games for United and is fast becoming the perfect stand-in while Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney remain sidelined. His ability to create chances, as well as score them, will provide United with added bite in their attacking threat as they attempt to regain control in this tie.
John O’Shea is having one of his best seasons at Sunderland so far and has built up a good understanding with fellow centre-half Wes Brown.
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His aerial threat at set pieces will be a big worry for United, but he’s just as effective defending them as well. If the former United defender can keep Welbeck quiet and then add some danger to Sunderland’s attack at corners, his performance could have a lot to do with who makes the Final.
Newcastle ace Yohan Cabaye admits he has yet to find the form he produced last season which made him an instant hit with the Geordie faithful.
The French international has yet to score in 2012/2013 season since re-joining the team four weeks later than the rest of his team mates after participating in Euro 2012.
“My pre-season wasn’t very good.
“I need to keep working, keep playing and need to be fit, because if you are not fit in England, it’s really hard,” Cabaye told BBC Newcastle.
Cabaye joined Newcastle in 2011 from Lille and has scored 4 goals in 39 Appearances on Tyneside, with his Premier League form last season drawing recognition from higher reputation clubs.
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The 26-year-old midfielder is yet to get off the mark this season in the first five games of the season and will be part of a Newcastle side that will take on Bordeaux in the Europa Cup as he looks set to put an end to his baron run.