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Leeds’ disappointing start to the season continued as they lost 1-0 to Southampton away from home in the Premier League on Saturday.

Armando Broja scored the only goal of the game as he finished from close range after a superb counter-attacking run from Nathan Redmond.

The Whites are now 17th in the table and three points off the relegation zone, four points off bottom of the league Norwich.

Whilst it was a difficult afternoon for Leeds overall, there were some positives to take from the game and one of them was the performance of young defender Jamie Shackleton – who impressed at right-back.

Once again filling in for the injured Luke Ayling, Shackleton lined up on the right of the defence in a wing-back role and put in a superb display despite the team’s struggles overall. He provided a useful outlet in transition going forward and was active defensively to limit Southampton’s attacks throughout the game.

On the ball, the defender was reliable. Per SofaScore, he completed 77% of his passes and three of his four attempted dribbles. The latter, in particular, shows how he was able to take the ball and progress Leeds up the pitch in possession as he beat players and gained yards into the Saints half, although his teammates were then unable to use that to create good enough chances to score.

Defensively, he was exceptional. He won a whopping 12 duels on the pitch, prevailing in 11 of his 15 ground battles and one of four in the air. He also completed an eye-catching six tackles, five interceptions and one clearance, whilst only being dribbled past once all game.

Whilst there was room for improvement in his aerial duels, he showed that he has the defensive awareness and strength to win the majority of his 50/50’s overall and impose himself on opposition players. His tackle and interception numbers highlight how many times he was able to win the ball back for Bielsa’s side, which provided more opportunities for them to create attacks.

Therefore, the 22-year-old warrior was a shining light for Bielsa against the Saints. Hopefully, he will be able to maintain this level of performance, as a minimum, throughout the rest of the season and put himself in a position where he is undroppable, even when Ayling returns to fitness.

AND in other news,  Fewer touches than Meslier: Leeds flop with 85.7% duels lost let Bielsa down badly…

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing over some comments made by Rafa Benitez ahead of their game away at Aston Villa in the Premier League.

When asked about his unbeaten start to the season in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match on Saturday evening, the former Liverpool and Newcastle United manager said: “I will not say perfect, because we drew against Leeds.”

Benitez clearly still has a winning mentality which he has demonstrated on a number of occasions over the course of his managerial career, winning many accolades in his time.

Given that Leeds United finished just above them in the top-flight table last term, it also shows that he wants his team to improve bit by bit, which has been appreciated immensely by the Goodison Park faithful as they look to take all three points away from Villa Park.

Everton fans on Benitez comments

These supporters of the Merseyside club buzzed as the comments made by Benitez were shared by the Toffees on their official Twitter page:

“We are moving forward well done Everton with star players @aftgomes @22Demarai @andros_townsend”

Credit: @Jesudian15

“I love his mentality”

Credit: @liam_b27

“Great attitude, make the players want to earn their place. James best follow suit.”

Credit: @bowes_joe

“So pleased for Rafa. Long may it last!!”

Credit: @collo77

“I still think about this game. 3 points was there for the taking but we move though”

Credit: @mannie_efc

“Say what you want about him but he’s got a winning mentality something these players have lacked and got away with doing in the past”

Credit: @steefcGT4

In other news, find out why there is tension between Marcel Brands and Blues chiefs here!

Queens Park Rangers manager Mark Warburton has dropped an injury update following the Rs’ Championship defeat on Friday evening.

What’s the latest?

In comments cited by West London Sport, the 59-year-old revealed that central midfielder Stefan Johansen and centre-back Jordy de Wijs were both withdrawn in the 2-1 defeat to West Brom due to knocks, with Johansen in particular appearing to have injured his hamstring.

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Warburton said: “Stef we’ll have to assess in the morning and the same with Jordy. We’re placing such a demand on players and they will break. You’re asking athletes to deal with demands their bodies can’t take.

“We played two away games in a few days and lost Lee Wallace. Sam McCallum – as fit as you like, played 41 games for Coventry last season – out with a hamstring injury.

“You look at all the injuries in the league. It’s walking wounded all the time. There has to be at least a debate about what we’re going to do here.”

Fans will be gutted

Considering how important both Johansen and De Wijs are to Warburton’s side, the respective injuries to the duo are sure to have left QPR fans gutted.

Indeed, over his nine Championship appearances so far this season, Johansen has scored one goal and provided his teammates with two assists, as well as making 1.9 key passes and 1.6 tackles and winning 3.4 duels per game.

These returns have seen the 30-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88, ranking him as the Rs’ ninth-best performer in the second tier this term.

Meanwhile, over De Wijs’ nine league appearances, the 26-year-old has helped his side to keep two clean sheets and registered two assists, as well as averaging 2.2 tackles, 2.2 interceptions and six clearances and winning 6.4 duels per fixture.

These metrics have seen the centre-back average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him as Warburton’s joint second-best player in the Championship.

As such, should either of the stricken duo be ruled out for any length of time, it will undoubtedly come as a huge blow to QPR, who are now on a run of four games without a victory in the league.

In other news: “Quality” £3.15m-rated QPR dynamo drops promising injury update, fans will be buzzing

Ligue 1 expert Adam White insists that midfielder Renato Sanches is unlikely to join Liverpool this summer because of the injury he has recently sustained.

The midfielder has undergone an operation to repair an injured knee, which is likely to rule him out for up to six weeks, per Goal.

They report that both Liverpool and Barcelona have been linked with potential swoops to sign the £27m-rated midfielder, who has enjoyed a return to prominence in recent seasons.

The Portugal international was vaunted as one of the hottest prospects in world football when he made his breakthrough at Benfica but he struggled after a move to Bayern Munich and also flopped in a loan move to Swansea City.

But since the move to Lille, he has developed into one of the finest midfielders in Europe, making 60 appearances for the club in total and also going to Euro 2020 with Portugal in the summer.

But White believes that the injury has all but ruled out any prospect of a transfer this summer.

The journalist, who covers Ligue 1 for The Guardian, said: “It’s an interesting one with Sanches. Obviously the injury isn’t particularly helpful and I think it probably ruins his chances of a move this summer.

“He was actually relatively up and down last season. I thought he was really good last week against Metz when they came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3.”

An update has emerged on Inter midfielder Marcelo Brozovic, regarding Liverpool’s interest in signing him next year.

What’s the talk?

According to InterLive, Liverpool are serious about signing Brozovic on a free transfer in 2022 and are ready to offer him £6m (€7m) per season in wages to arrive at Anfield.

The report claims that Inter are attempting to tie him down to a new contract and are willing to offer him £4.3m (€5m) per season in wages, with bonuses on top of that.

Fans would love him

Jurgen Klopp must ensure that he can reach an agreement to sign the 28-year-old on a free transfer next summer, or in January on a pre-contract deal. The Reds boss must convince Brozovic that Liverpool is the best club for him to take the next step in his career, rejecting Inter’s contract offer and allowing him to arrive at Anfield for nothing.

Liverpool fans would love him on Merseyside as he is a gifted, experienced midfielder, who could add some extra quality to Klopp’s midfield options. The £36m-rated Croatian international has been capped 63 times by his country and has made well over 200 competitive appearances for Inter, including exactly 200 in the Serie A.

Former Inter coach Luciano Spalletti admitted that the midfielder has ‘great quality’ and said that he is capable of playing as a striker. He said:

“Marcelo has great quality and the characteristics to play as a trequartista on the shoulders of a centre-forward.

“I am fortunate to have different players who can occupy that role and I’m rotating them. I don’t see a problem with that.

“It is certainly an option [to play a second striker]. We might be able to score some more goals but I always need to judge what the best balance for the team is.”

Last year, Inter midfielder Matias Vecino claimed that Brozovic was the best player in the Serie A side’s squad, ahead of the likes of Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku. He added:

“Marcelo is, for me, the best player we have in the squad. From the outside, you might get an image that is different from the reality. Marcelo is a special guy.”

Last season, Brozovic averaged an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.03 in 33 Serie A appearances and he has scored an impressive 7.20 in his first two starts of the current campaign.

In fact, he has averaged a score of 7.03 or higher in his last six seasons for Inter, whilst Thiago was the only Liverpool central midfielder who managed a WhoScored rating above 6.82 in the Premier League last term.

This suggests that Brozovic, if he is able to translate his form over to England, could provide serious competition in the central midfield position. He has proven his quality over the last six years with Inter and is not a player coming off the back of just one good season.

This could give him a higher chance of coming in and being successful as he has shown he can do it over the course of a number of seasons – another reason why fans would love him as he could make an instant impact.

Fulham midfielder Fabio Carvalho has emerged as a transfer target for Leeds United this summer, according to the Daily Mail.

The lowdown

Carvalho made six appearances for the Cottagers in the second half of the 2020/21 season, scoring against Southampton back in May.

The midfielder certainly didn’t look out of place in senior football, having made the move to Fulham from Balham in 2014, having previously been on the books with Benfica. He started their match against Middlesbrough at the weekend, registering two shots and completing four dribbles for Marco Silva’s team (WhoScored).

Former Fulham boss Scott Parker has previously sung the 18-year-old’s praises. Speaking after his goal against the Saints three months ago, the now-Bournemouth manager said of Carvalho: “Massive positive for us because he’s the one who’s going to be here, he’s a player that is really bright and can bring something to this team.”

The latest

It appears as though Carvalho’s impressive showings haven’t gone unnoticed, with Leeds United registering their interest in signing the midfielder.

However, they aren’t the only club believed to be keen on signing the 18-year-old, with the Daily Mail claiming that Norwich City, West Ham United and FC Porto are also interested in signing Carvalho.

The report added that Fulham face a ‘battle’ on their hands to keep him at Craven Cottage in the future, with his contract situation reaching an impasse after he turned down the club’s offer of a new deal, having entered the final year of his current contract.

The verdict

Carvalho has shown real promise for the Cottagers in the early stages of his senior career. As evidenced by his dribbling figures from Sunday, he’s showing no fear when playing in their first team, which is refreshing to see from a young talent.

Leeds could potentially be the ideal move for him as well, as Marcelo Bielsa has already shown that there is a clear pathway through to their first team for young prospects, with the likes of Pascal Struijk and Illan Meslier (both 21) featuring regularly under the Argentine in the Premier League last term.

Carvalho could be the next player to follow in their footsteps, but Leeds will face a battle on their hands to land his signature on a permanent basis, with a number of other clubs reportedly keen on signing him. Given the competition for the youngster, it would seem quite a coup if the Whites can come up trumps in this frenetic transfer race.

In other news, David Norris has made a plea to Marcelo Bielsa regarding these two Leeds players

Despite the statement of his agent, FcInterNews (via Sport Witness) believe Tottenham Hotspur target Lautaro Martinez could be tempted by a move to north London due to a salary disparity at Inter Milan.

The Lowdown: Spurs in Martinez talks…

The Times first broke news of Tottenham reaching an agreement on price with the Serie A giants over Martinez, a fee which could reach ‘more than £60 million’.

Alasdair Gold backed this news on his Twitter account, and while this excited many supporters, the situation was sharply turned on it’s head due to Romelu Lukaku leaving for Chelsea.

Fabrizio Romano claimed that while Tottenham had opened talks with Inter, the Belgian returning to Stamford Bridge shifted the Nerazzurri’s stance and they now want to keep him (Twitter).

As well as this, the player’s agent recently came out to say his client ‘will not leave’ as Martinez opens the door for contract renewal talks.

The Latest: Martinez could be tempted by Tottenham…

In another Martinez twist, despite his agent’s statement, FcInterNews (via Sport Witness) now believe that the Argentine international could still be tempted by Tottenham due to a salary disparity.

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Indeed, both Spurs and Atletico Madrid remain as considerable options according to this report.

This is despite Inter executives Giuseppe Marotta and Piero Ausilio being willing to double the 23-year-old’s current salary, with FcInterNews claiming it ‘won’t be enough’.

It is said that the San Siro side must put further effort into agreeing a new deal with Martinez as they aim to fend off Spurs and Atletico once and for all.

The Verdict: Spurs handed hope?

Landing the 28-cap star would certainly be huge coup for Spurs and they may have just been handed a degree of hope by this update.

Scoring 19 goals and bagging 11 assists in all competitions last season, it’s little wonder Inter are desperate to keep hold of their man as both Tottenham and Atletico hover.

Lukaku hailed his teammate as a ‘beast’ last year for his exploits in Italy (Instagram Live via The Daily Mail) and we believe he could be the perfect striking partner for Harry Kane, provided the latter man doesn’t leave for Man City.

In other news: Agreement reached: Tottenham confirm another N17 exit in social media announcement, find out more here.

Southampton’s hopes of signing Ryan Gauld this summer are over after the Scottish youngster completed his move to Vancouver Whitecaps last week, which is undoubtedly a blow to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

What’s the word?

Southampton were one of several English sides linked with a move for the 25-year-old earlier in the summer, with an exit always on the cards after his old side, SC Farense, suffered relegation from the Portuguese top-flight.

The former Dundee United youngster, who was once likened to Lionel Messi, rebuilt his career in Portugal with Farense after a failed move to Sporting Lisbon and will look to improve even further during his time in the MLS.

Last season saw the attacking midfielder contribute an impressive nine goals and seven assists in 33 top-flight appearances, averaging a superb 7.19 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Should Southampton have signed Gauld?

Transfermarkt claim that Gauld cost Vancouver Whitecaps as little as £315k, which suggests that he could have been a bargain option for the Saints this summer.

Although Hasenhuttl usually sets his side up in a 4-4-2 formation, which leaves little room for an attacking midfielder such as Gauld, the former Scotland U’21 international could have offered the Austrian manager a different, more creative option in the middle of the park next season.

Upon his signing, Whitecaps CEO Alex Schuster was full of praise for Gauld, saying:

“He is a difference-maker, brings experience, as well as an exceptional work rate, all qualities we identified as being key characteristics that we need in this position.”

Given that Southampton regularly lost momentum in the second half of games last season, as opposition managers seemed to figure out their tactics and style of play, having someone such as Gauld, who can provide superb individual moments of quality, could have improved Hasenhuttl’s squad ahead of the new season.

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Therefore, the Austrian manager should be disappointed that Southampton didn’t push harder to complete a bargain deal for Gauld, as it surely would’ve been well worth the low risk to bring him to St Mary’s.

And, in other news… Tom Leach shares James Ward-Prowse update that will delight Saints fans

When Ange Postecoglou sat down as Celtic’s new manager for the first time last month, he had a promise that will have delighted the supporters.

The Hoops have been scared to blood their young talent over the last few years and that was no more apparent than when Neil Lennon and John Kennedy refused to hand Karamoko Dembele his first senior start.

Postecoglou, however, looks set to change the tide.

During one of his first interviews, the Australian said: “I’m a big believer that, if you can produce homegrown talent and players who have come through the club, there’s extra meaning to represent that football club for the player. For the supporters, they see one of their own out there and I think that’s very important.”

Celtic may not have had much choice in pre-season given their limited options but the head coach has already blooded plenty of young talents.

Dembele netted in the club’s win over Charlton Athletic last weekend, a strike that followed Owen Moffat’s impressive goal-scoring outing just a few days earlier against Sheffield Wednesday.

The Bhoys started nervously in that clash and conceded early on. However, once the young players gained their footing, they looked a different class.

Moffat has been banging on the first-team door for a while now after some vibrant performances for the reserves.

An energetic attacking midfielder, he found the back of the net with a wonderful half volley last week.

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“It’s still no really sunk in that I’ve scored for Celtic. But it was an unbelievable feeling at the time. My phone’s no stopped going since,” he said post-match.

Moffat’s introduction to first-team life has come at an ideal time with their club’s options wearing thin in offensive areas.

The 19-year-old started the game up front before moving to the right of midfield. However, it’s in a number 10 role where the teenager usually thrives.

With that in mind, he could be the long-term successor to Ryan Christie. The Scot endured a torrid campaign in 2020/21, scoring 13 fewer goals than he managed the term before.

His contract expires in January and with Crystal Palace and Sampdoria chasing his signature, the emergence of Moffat could give Celtic license to grant his exit from Paradise.

The youngster is capable of playing in similar areas and already looks wise beyond his years.

Conor McGregor has certainly been left impressed. The Scottish midfielder remarked recently: “Obviously a mention for young Moffatt, his attitude has been first class.

“I remember watching him at the end of last season, training on the astro himself.”

McGregor added: “Every day they would do finishing and I remember thinking ‘he’s got a finish on him’. I wasn’t surprised yesterday when it dropped and he half-volleyed it into the net.”

It’s important not to throw too much hype towards Moffat but it’s vital that Postecoglou continues to hand more minutes to the young players coming through.

It may just save them a small fortune in the transfer market.

AND in other news, Celtic begin talks to sign “extremely dangerous” £6.3m-rated beast, Ange needs him…

Some Liverpool supporters have been showing their love for Reds cult hero Joel Matip, following a brilliant video which emerged of him in training.

The Cameroonian is a hugely popular member of Jurgen Klopp’s squad, possessing a likeable character that rubs off on both the fans and his teammates.

Most importantly, however, Matip is an excellent centre-back when he is available, although constant injury problems have held him back.

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The 29-year-old missed a huge chunk of last season because of fitness issues, but he is now available again and looking sharp in pre-season.

On Monday night, a brilliant video of Matip was posted on Liverpool’s official Twitter account, showing the defender producing strong physicality and also technical brilliance, marauding around the pitch in the process.

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Liverpool fans hail Matip training video

These Reds supporters took to Twitter to heap praise on the ‘unreal’ skills of the centre-back, as their admiration for him shows no sign of going away.

“Didn’t know we had the number 10 we craved among us already”

Credit: @tannaknowsball

“Unreal player love Big Joel”

Credit: @TheSalahRole11

“I think I can honestly say Matip is our best dribbler in the squad lool”

Credit: @TypeOfTime

“We already have a Gini replacement”

Credit: @LFC_Pranav

“Messi, come outside, Joel wants to talk to you”

Credit: @rithkiwrajendra

“Who needs Mbappe?????????”

Credit: @ctwo4n

In other news, some Liverpool fans have reacted negatively to a transfer claim that has emerged. Read more here.