Everton manager Ronald Koeman has made it clear that Ross Barkley no longer has a future at Goodison Park.
During a press conference on Wednesday, the Dutchman told the media that the midfielder will be leaving this summer after rejecting a new contract.
Koeman revealed that he was informed that Barkley wanted a new challenge, but it is unclear which club he will sign for before the transfer window shuts at the end of August.
Tottenham Hotspur have been the main club being linked with the England international, who has been at Everton for his entire career so far.
The Guardian claims that Spurs want the Toffees to drop their £50m price tag due to Barkley having just one year left on his current contract.
The publication adds that Manchester United are also monitoring the situation, but Tottenham are said to be more keen on sealing a deal.
As expected, Spurs fans have been tweeting their thoughts on the latest development.
Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk has recently been linked to Chelsea, but according to the bookmakers, Liverpool remain favourites to sign him.
For the majority of the summer window it was thought that the Dutchman was going to end up at Anfield.
However, a spanner was thrown into the works when Jurgen Klopp’s side were forced to issue a public apology to Southampton after being accused of tapping up.
The Merseyside outfit also vowed to withdraw their interest, but they were never far away from the gossip columns whenever Van Dijk was mentioned.
The 26-year-old recently made it clear that he wants to move on by handing in a transfer request, and in his statement he criticised the club for refusing to listen to offers.
According to Yahoo Sport, Southampton could be persuaded into selling if a £70m offer is tabled, but they are more likely to strike a deal with Chelsea or Manchester City than Liverpool.
Despite this, William Hill have backed the Reds 1/2 to nab Van Dijk’s signature before the end of the transfer window, while Sky Bet are offering odds of 11/4 for Chelsea to win the chase.
Interestingly, the Saints are third favourites among the bookmakers to keep hold of the former Celtic star, suggesting that despite the club’s strong stance, he is likely to move elsewhere in the next few weeks.
Liverpool are crying out for some defensive reinforcements after their familiar frailties were exposed during last weekend’s opening-day 3-3 draw with Watford in the Premier League.
Manchester City had to settle for a point on Monday night as a resilient Everton side ground out a draw against ten men at the Etihad Stadium, following Kyle Walker’s controversial second yellow card late in the first half.That lead Pep Guardiola to constantly rejig his tactics throughout the second 45, calling upon some of the club’s incredibly expensive attacking talents – namely summer signing Bernardo Silva, adventurous full-back Danilo and eventual goalscorer Raheem Sterling.But it wasn’t those operating in the middle-to-final third for City that the Etihad faithful were most impressed with on Monday night. Indeed, we asked Citizens fans earlier this week to vote for their Man of the Match from the 1-1 draw and defender Nicolas Otamendi ran away with our poll, claiming 44% of the vote.That may come as some surprise considering City weren’t exactly water-tight defensively – in fact, the 6 foot defender was asked to switch sides with Vincent Kompany in the first half after struggling to deal with Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s unpredictable threat on the counter-attack, something Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher criticised the Argentine for on Monday Night Football.
But the 45-cap international still produced an action-packed display, winning seven aerial duels and even producing three shots at goal, while completing the most touches and the most passes of any player on the pitch.
Do you agree with Otamendi claiming the Man of the Match award? Let us know by commenting below…
Arsenal players venting their feelings on social media seems to be quite the trend at the moment.
Last week, Mesut Ozil hit back at his critics on Facebook and now Alexis Sanchez has admitted that he is growing “tired” of all the flak that he has been receiving.
The 28-year-old was speaking specifically about the criticism aimed in his direction on the international stage with Chile.
Sanchez posted the lengthy Instagram message after his nation suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bolivia, which hampers the team’s chances of qualifying for next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
“And tomorrow is coming. You get tired for being criticised with or without reason, you get tired of wanting to be defeated, you get tired of saying to yourself ‘once more I’ll get up’ after crying after a defeat, and you get tired of telling the world and people who are with you, that everything is going well.
“And the worst, is that no one ever realizes how that makes you feel … I have the 7 of Chile on my back and it is a huge responsibility, that’s why it pains me that journalists and bad people criticize without knowing…”
As it stands, Chile sit sixth in the South American qualification table with two games left to play, but only the top four make it through automatically.
Sanchez’s frustration comes after he failed to secure a move away from Arsenal before the close of the transfer window.
According to the Daily Mail, the forward was keen to sign for the two-time Premier League champions, but the £60m deadline-day switch fell through after Arsenal failed to sign Monaco’s Thomas Lemar as a replacement.
Sanchez will be free to hold talks with suitors in January regarding a potential move as he will be a free agent at the end of the season.
Although the move to Wembley stadium might suffocate their momentum this season, in the context of their recent history, Tottenham Hotspur are still very much a club on the rise. Mauricio Pochettino has been the defining catalyst behind the Lilywhites’ transition from Champions League qualification hopefuls to Premier League title chasers; he’s championed the belief in youth that has seen Dele Alli and Harry Kane become key players for club and country, and his philosophy of energetic high-pressing has diminished age-old accusations of a soft underbelly. Sir Alex Ferguson’s fabled three-word team-talk – ‘Lads, it’s Tottenham’ – wouldn’t apply these days.
But as the architect of Tottenham’s rise, the ultimate question after an underwhelming start to the season is quite simple – what level can Pochettino take north London club to? Will they become English football’s greatest force, or another also-ran institution like their local rivals? Of course, there are more factors at play than the talent of one individual – the level of investment in the squad, the quality of players coming in and out, the improvements or declines of the teams around them – but Pochettino remains the most significant as the man in the driving seat.
While it’s hard to fault the work the Argentine has done so far – when he arrived at White Hart Lane, they’d finished 17 points off the top of the table and 10 away from a Champions League spot in sixth place – his limitations are becoming more obvious, and the draw with Swansea City on Saturday represented a prime example. Although Pochettino has proved himself adept at creating a defining philosophy and developing promising young talent into top-class stars, the failure to successfully manage single games does let him down.
That’s evident enough from Tottenham’s limited progress in the cup competitions, where tactics, selections and substitutions particularly come under the microscope. His win rate in Europe for Spurs is just 45% – hardly high enough to successfully maraud through the many double-legged knockout stages.
Perhaps the continent is still a relatively new experience for Pochettino, his players and Tottenham throughout Daniel Levy’s tutelage, one that may require a few more seasons to truly appreciate the demands of. But even domestically, barring a League Cup final during his first season, Pochettino has lead Spurs past the fifth round of either competition just once – the FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea last term.
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That was a telling moment as Pochettino stacked up against a slightly more senior, slightly more experienced and slightly more successful counterpart in Antonio Conte. Tottenham produced a good performance at Wembley that required Chelsea to find the pinnacle of their cutting edge in a clinical 4-2, but the difference was how well Conte managed his resources. Eden Hazard and Diego Costa, usually the first names on the team-sheet, came on as substitutes and changed the game. Pochettino, in contrast, had already ran out of surprises to spring on the champions in waiting and the Blues consequentially pulled away.
At the time, Tottenham’s squad depth was questioned more than Pochettino’s decisions and justifiably so. Having only a defender in Kyle Walker and a youngster in Georges-Kevin N’Koudou to bring on during arguably the biggest match of Spurs’ season at that point, also on the backdrop of a title race with Chelsea, told its own story.
But that same excuse won’t work this season. Spurs’ squad may still be a little light compared to the two Manchester clubs, but the summer arrivals of Davinson Sanchez, Serge Aurier and Fernando Llorente have given Pochettino more depth and options, especially alongside Harry Winks and Marcus Edwards who represent some of the most exciting young Englishmen around at the moment. It’s still slimmer pickings than some of his counter-parts, but enough to change games with if utilised in the right way and at the right times.
The scoreless draw with Swansea on Saturday raised the most significant doubts yet over Pochettino’s ability to do so. Wembley may still be a factor – Tottenham have picked up just two points there in the Premier League this season with all three opponents looking to spoil the match rather than take the game to the Lilywhites – but from the early exchanges, it was obvious Paul Clement had set up his side to nullify Tottenham; a 3-5-2 lining up against a 3-4-3 to suffocate the midfield, much like Chelsea back in August.
Yet, Pochettino didn’t make any changes until after the hour-mark, when he moved Son Heung-Min further forward, strangely switched Kieran Trippier to left wing-back and brought on Moussa Sissoko. Striker Fernando Llorente didn’t enter the fray for another 15 minutes and after that, Pochettino elected not to use his third substitute. Spurs therefore finished the match with three centre-backs and a holding midfielder against a side who had just four efforts at goal and just one after half-time.
Accordingly, Pochettino’s tactical nous must come into question, as must his loyalty to certain individuals. Should Trippier have started over Aurier? Were Dier and Sanchez really needed? Why was Son utilised as a wing-back? And most crucially, why did it take so long for Pochettino to acknowledge the need to change the dynamics of the game? A young Jose Mourinho famously made a triple substitution at half-time during his first season at Chelsea and even during his catastrophic final few months, he took the audacious step of subbing off Nemanja Matic after bringing him on from the bench – because it was what the game needed.
If Pochettino is to make Tottenham a true top-end Premier League force that can compete with Chelsea, City and United, that kind of ruthlessness is essential. And the Lilywhites boss need only look to the other side of north London to consider a future where belief in philosophies and individuals isn’t matched by shrewd and clinical tactical calls.
Arsenal are a house built on Arsene Wenger’s ideals, but the stubbornness with which he’s stuck to them and the softness with which he’s made selection decisions has pushed the club into the dormant state it’s currently stuck in. Wenger too, has always struggled when it comes to tactical double-leggers in Europe, while 20 years at the helm have never seen him lift the League Cup.
Pochettino is a young manager who is still learning the finer ins and outs of his trade, but currently, Tottenham are on the edge of following a similar path to their London neighbours. If the Argentine wants Tottenham to win trophies and titles rather than becoming simply the next serial also-rans, he needs a dash more of Mourinho and a few dashes less of Wenger.
It’s certainly better to stage a comeback, even if it isn’t wholly successful, than be on the receiving end of one and West Ham’s late flurry against Tottenham on Saturday created a parting emotion of positivity, despite not claiming a single point from the London derby.
And one area where West Ham did successfully assert themselves throughout the ninety minutes was in midfield – even though it was the department that generated the most concerns at the end of the summer transfer window amid news of a failed deal for Sporting Lisbon’s engine-room juggernaut William Carvalho.
Indeed, West Ham finished up with 49% of the ball despite the quality in Tottenham’s ranks and much of that owed to the doggedness Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate provided in the middle of the park, the latter producing four tackles, three interceptions and one block.
The 38-cap Senegal international also epitomised the spirit West Ham showed to get back into the match after going three goals down when he latched onto an Arthur Masuaku cross to head home upon 87 minutes – leading to an incredibly dramatic stoppage time.
But was Kouyate his side’s best performer against Spurs on Saturday? Let us know by voting below…
Anthony Martial is happy at Manchester United amid reported interest from other clubs, according to the Manchester Evening News.
What’s the word?
The Frenchman’s future at Old Trafford was a talking point last season when he failed to hold down a regular spot under manager Jose Mourinho.
This season, the attacker is regularly rotated on the left with Marcus Rashford, but the Manchester Evening News claims that the 21-year-old feels much more settled at the club.
It is believed that a number of Martial’s issues last season were off-field related, but his personal life is said to be in a better place.
The Mirror recently reported that Arsenal were considering a move for the attacker, outlining him as a possible replacement for Alexis Sanchez.
However, the latest reports suggest that the United forward has no plans to leave Old Trafford.
Is this the best outcome?
From Mourinho’s point of view, having a fully-focused Martial is ideal given that he has displayed impressive skill and desire in key areas on the pitch.
Having both him and Rashford as options is perfect for the United boss as it gives the pair an extra competitive edge due to both wanted the position on a regular basis.
So far this season, Martial has scored five goals and created four assists in nine appearances in all competitions.
From the player’s point of view, he will feel encouraged that Mourinho is treating him like a real contender.
Knowing that the manager is not afraid to drop players will keep Martial determined and focused.
Newcastle United wished outcast midfielder Jack Colback a happy birthday on the club’s official Twitter account on Tuesday, but Magpies fans were left confused by the message.
Despite being something of a key player in recent seasons, the 28-year-old has been completely frozen out of the first-team picture by manager Rafa Benitez this season after refusing to join Championship clubs Wolverhampton Wanderers or Hull City towards the end of the summer transfer window for geographical reasons.
While he was surprisingly named in the Tyneside outfit’s 25-man squad for the Premier League this term, the former Sunderland man has only appeared for the Under-23 side and is yet to get the call to link up with the senior team.
Newcastle supporters were quick to have their say on the social media post, and while some said they “forgot he’s even in our team”, others described him as a “truly garbage footballer”.
Liverpool and Tottenham face each other this weekend in the Premier League’s headline clash, and both are members of a very elite club of teams to have featured in all of the Premier League seasons to date. Indeed, Sunday’s 4pm kickoff will be the 51st time the Reds have faced Spurs in the league since the reincarnation of the English top flight, but how have they fared in this fixture throughout the last quarter-century? Football FanCast takes a look…
Head-to-Head
Liverpool have taken more points against only two other teams in Premier League history, while only two teams have beaten Tottenham on more than the Reds’ 23 occasions – so perhaps the vast differences in terms of wins and goals scored throughout the last 25 years should be no surprise. In fact, Tottenham haven’t beaten Liverpool in their last ten attempts across all competitions (nine in the top flight), losing seven and drawing three with an aggregate scoreline of 24-7. The fixture has evened out somewhat more recently though, with three draws in the last four Premier League meetings which have had both Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino at the helm, and Tottenham will take encouragement from the fact they’ve fared much better at home, boasting a higher win rate than Sunday’s visitors on their own patch – but it remains to be seen if Wembley can have the same effect as White Hart Lane.
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The Top Scorer
Equally unsurprisingly considering the aforementioned head-to-head record, the top scorer chart has been dominated by Liverpool players down the years, with the exception of Robbie Keane who once faced Spurs while on the books at Anfield but could only notch up an assist. Top scorer Robbie Fowler, meanwhile, scored all six of his Premier League goals against Tottenham while playing for Liverpool in the space of eleven games. Reds icon John Barnes produced a similar strike rate – four goals in eight games, consisting of a brace in a 6-2 win during the first Premier League season and another at the start of the 1995/96 campaign.
The shared (cult) hero – Peter Crouch
Some more illustrious names fall into the category of playing for both clubs in the Premier League; Jamie Redknapp, Robbie Keane, Danny Murphy, Nicky Barmby and Brad Friedel to mention a few. But few players struck such a perfect equilibrium of appearances for both teams and few went on to earn cult hero status in quite the same way as Peter Crouch. While neither group of fans completely warmed to the towering striker, who was often seen as a rather unfashionable front-man, his strike-rate for the Reds wasn’t half bad – 42 goals in 132 appearances across all competitions, despite often featuring as a substitute – although three seasons at White Hart Lane produced just 24 goals. Perhaps most tellingly of why he was never the beacon of popularity, however, his two tenures produced just one trophy – an FA Cup in 2006.
The Classic Contest – Tottenham 3-3 Liverpool
With the end of the season on the horizon, Tottenham and Liverpool both entered this March fixture at White Hart Lane desperate for a win – the 16th-placed former looking to push themselves clear of the relegation zone and the latter needing all three points to have any hope of closing the gap on Manchester United in the title race. Inevitably then, both teams drew. But the fans were left more than satisfied as the players put on a six-goal thriller in which Tottenham took the lead three times and the Reds equalised three times, no leveller coming less than 15 minutes after the prior goal.
Jurgen Klinsmann, during his much-fabled loan spell back in north London after leaving in 1995, opened the scoring after just 13 minutes with a trademark header, but the Reds hit back shortly after as Michael Owen jinked down the left flank before squaring the ball to Steve McManaman for a relatively routine finish. The iconic David Ginola then put Tottenham ahead once again with a delicate curler that sneaked into the bottom corner under a flailing Brad Friedel, only for Paul Ince to acrobatically net a bicycle kick to make it 2-2. That lead to a thrilling final ten minutes in which Ramon Vega rose highest at a corner to put the Lilywhites in front. However, McManaman soon capitalised on the Swiss defender’s rather shambolic efforts at the other end to poke home a rebound off the post and ensure the spoils were shared.
Derek Temple scored Everton’s winning goal in the 1966 FA Cup final as the Toffees came from behind on two separate occasions to beat Sheffield Wednesday 3-2.
Everton have only won the FA Cup twice since then, and Temple’s winning goal means that he will forever be placed in history at Goodison Park.
The former forward represented Everton as a youngster before making his first-team debut in 1957, ultimately spending 10 years with the Merseyside club before joining Preston North End.
Temple only represented England on one occasion, although that cap came under Alf Ramsey, and occurred when England beat West Germany 1-0 in 1965.
On Monday, Everton’s official Twitter account posted a birthday message to Temple, and as expected, the club’s supporters were out in force to pay tribute to the now 79-year-old.
Indeed, one Everton fan even claimed that Temple was the sole reason why he decided to support the Toffees throughout his life, which is some going.
A selection of the best Twitter reaction can be found below: