[ad_pod ]Aston Villa suffered a 1-0 defeat at Brentford in the Championship on Wednesday night, which was a result that did not go down well with the club’s supporters.Villa have now only won one of their last eight league matches, which is a run of form that has left them in 10th position in the table.It was a disappointing performance from Dean Smith’s side, but the Villa fans were pleased with the performance of Tyrone Mings.The on-loan Bournemouth centre-back won two aerial duels and two tackles during his 90 minutes on the field, according to WhoScored.Mings looks to be a very good signing for this level of football and the Villa supporters were really pleased with what they saw from him on Wednesday.

Indeed, in response to a tweet from the Premier League ace, the Championship club’s fans were out in force to reveal their fondness for him.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

أشاد مدرب ليستر سيتي بريندان رودجرز بالطريقة التي لعبوا بها خلال مواجهة مانشستر سيتي، اليوم الأحد في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب الاتحاد مباراة الفريقين، في الجولة الثالثة، حيث فاز ليستر سيتي بخمسة أهداف مقابل هدفين. أهداف مانشستر سيتي وليستر سيتي

وقال بريندان رودجرز، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “للتغلب على مانشستر سيتي، يجب أن تجري بقدر ما تستطيع، بكل قوتك، لذلك يجب أن تكون لديك هذه العقلية، كان الانضباط التكتيكي جيدًا وبسبب الهجمات المرتدة، يجب أن تحصل على تمريراتك بسرعة”.

وأضاف: “لقد حققنا نهاية رائعة، أظهرنا رباطة جأش جيدة، وحافظنا على هدوئنا وأظهرنا ما يكفي لإحداث مشكلة للخصم، لقد كان أداءً ونتائج رائعة، استغرق الأمر مني 13 عامًا للعب بهذه الطريقة”.

وأوضح: “مهتم جدًا بالهجوم والتحلي بالعدوانية، أحاول أن أكون إيجابيًا ولكني بحاجة إلى التفكير في طرق أخرى للحصول على نتائج في المباريات”.

وتابع: “عليك أن تجبر الخصم على اللعب في منتصف الملعب، وعليك أن تكون جيدًا في التمريرات والضغط على منافسك للوصول إلى منطقته، نجحنا في ذلك، ولكن بشكل عام كان على اللاعبين أن يلعبوا بجد”.

ورغم خسارة مانشستر سيتي، فإن رودجرز حرص على الإشادة بالمدرب بيب جوارديولا حيث قال: “بيب مدرب مميز، رائد حقيقي في اللعبة، ولكن اليوم حققنا أداءً مميزًا”.

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Liverpool failed to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table on Sunday. Ultimately, Jurgen Klopp’s title-chasers had to settle for a 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

After the match, Klopp was clearly regretful that his side had failed to claim what might have been a crucial three points.

What he said

After the match, the German coach told Sky Sports, as quoted by the BBC, that “on days when United are beatable you have to do it…We expect to play better football. It is a point at United and everybody feels it could have been more.”

Would you rather your club won the Premier League or Champions League? In the video below, Pl>ymaker FC’s Matty believes English clubs have already decided…

The Reds failed to create a great number of goalscoring opportunities against United, and generally lacked rhythm, invention and incision in their play. 

Whilst they’re still top of the league, a single point ahead of reigning champions Manchester City, they face tough tests against in-form Watford and bitter local rivals Everton this week.

A warning

Klopp’s comments suggests that he is aware of the significance of the points his side dropped against the Red Devils. He will know that this is a draw that Liverpool might live to regret. 

His squad should read these comments as a warning. The need for Liverpool to remain focused is now more intense than ever. The Reds cannot afford many, if any, more disappointments likes this if they’re to finally become Premier League champions this season.

The pressure of the title race is cranking up with every passing round of fixtures. The signs of nervousness are starting to show at Anfield in the shape of lacklustre, toothless performances. Klopp must act quickly to restore calm and confidence amongst his ranks, before it’s too late.

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Liverpool survived an injury crisis to keep a clean sheet against Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, but one worrying statistic shows exactly how bad the Reds’ centre back depth truly is.

On the chalkboard

Liverpool needed a superb performance from the versatile Fabinho on Tuesday, as injuries to Joe Gomez and Dejan Lovren coincided with a suspension for Virgil van Dijk.

Lovren is missing with a hamstring injury and Gomez is out with a leg fracture, meaning Joel Matip has carried far more responsibility recently than in previous seasons.

However, just like the aforementioned pair, the lanky Cameroonian has one major issue – fitness.

According to Reds statistician Simon Brundish, Matip has missed 17 of a possible 54 games since February 2018, while Lovren and Gomez have missed 18 and 25 respectively.

This means the Reds trio have missed a total 60 games over the course of 12 months, and this is simply not acceptable for a team yearning for trophies.

New signing needed

The Reds are looking likely to invest up front this summer, where the depth of Jurgen Klopp’s squad has been sorely exposed recently. Unless one of Divock Origi or Daniel Sturridge hits a red-hot vein of form before the end of the season, expect to see a new deputy for Roberto Firmino next season.

While support up front is no doubt a priority though, centre back has to be next on the list, where without van Dijk the Reds would be in an absolutely perilous position.

The Dutch international can make anyone look good playing alongside him, but not if they are never fit, which has often been the case for all three of his regular defensive partners.

Van Dijk will turn 28 this summer, and the club simply cannot waste his best years patching up the other half of his defence with injury-prone and unreliable players.

أعلن نادي ليفربول الإنجليزي، منذ قليل، إصابة النجم السنغالي ساديو ماني بفيروس كورونا المستجد، كوفيد 19.

وأصدر بطل الدوري الإنجليزي بيانًا، جاء فيه: “أثبت اختبار ساديو ماني إصابته بفيروس كورونا، وهو يخضع حاليًا للعزل الذاتي وفقًا للإرشادات اللازمة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مواعيد مباريات ليفربول في دور مجموعات دوري أبطال أوروبا

وأضاف: “أظهر المهاجم الذي بدأ وسجل في الفوز 3-1 على آرسنال يوم الإثنين الماضي، أعراضًا طفيفة للفيروس لكنه يشعر بصحة جيدة بشكل عام”.

واختتم: “مع ذلك، كما هو الحال مع تياجو ألكانتارا، فإننا نتبع جميع البروتوكولات المتعلقة بفيروس كورونا، وسيعزل ماني نفسه على مدار الفترة الزمنية المطلوبة”.

ولم يشارك ماني في مباراة الأمس أمام آرسنال، في كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية والتي انتهت لصالح الجانرز بركلات الترجيح.

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Mo Diame was a key player in Newcastle’s survival bid last season but a recent report hints he will depart in the summer window.

What’s the word?

Diame’s contract is due to expire in June 2019, but a surprising recent report from The Chronicle suggests that his future hinges on Rafa Benitez’s selection policy.

The report claims that Diame will trigger an automatic one-year extension clause in his contract if he starts three more times this season.

The 31-year-old, who has started 21 Premier League matches this season, is hoping to secure a two year deal rather than a short-term extension, and it seems that he will need to pursue that particular interest away from Tyneside if Benitez’s decision-making against Everton is anything to go by.

Rafa Benitez’s selection policy is key

Benitez hasn’t included the Senegalese midfielder in his starting XI since his side lost 2-0 at home to Manchester United at the start of 2019.

Sean Longstaff’s emergence and Isaac Hayden’s surprisingly consistent form in the heart of midfield have left him sidelined and, with Ki Sung-yueng and Jonjo Shelvey back in contention for first-team selection, Benitez has plenty of options to consider even with Longstaff’s recent injury setback.

That the Spaniard opted to start Ki alongside Hayden against Everton was telling: Diame is no longer a key player and he is relatively disposable as he moves towards his 32nd birthday.

With an acute awareness of the clause in Diame’s contract playing on his mind, it seems that Benitez’s decision to restore Ki was symptomatic of his desire to let the former Hull City man’s contract expire in the summer.

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Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has caused quite a stir with his latest comments, claiming Aston Villa are still the biggest club in the Midlands.

Aston Villa have fallen away from the promotion chasers in recent weeks, as the defensive vulnerabilities in Dean Smith’s side have come back to haunt them time and time again.

The Villans are one of only eight teams in the league to have conceded over 50 goals so far this season, and five of those eight make up the division’s bottom five.

Despite sitting eight points adrift of the play-off places though, former Palace man Jordan is tipping Villa to return to the Premier League within two years, and some of his comments will really rile the club’s rivals.

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What’s he said?

“I am a major advocate for Aston Villa being the biggest club in the Midlands,” he said on TalkSPORT on Wednesday.

“You have to put Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest above Leicester and Wolves. Both of these clubs have won the European Cup.

“If you are talking about the real dynamics of what defines a club then Aston Villa are the biggest club in the Midlands by a country mile.

“If you put Aston Villa back in the Premier League, which is likely to happen some time in the next two years in my view, then we will see whether it’s Wolves or Leicester or in fact a rejuvenated Aston Villa which will be the biggest club in the Midlands.”

Has he got a point?

It’s hard to argue for Villa right now in terms of recent achievements, as Leicester have pulled off arguably the greatest league campaign of all time while Wolves have blown the Championship away in their charge up the ranks.

Both of the Villa Park outfit’s rivals now sit comfortably in the top flight, while the likes Nottingham Forest and West Brom are much better placed for a play-off push this season than Smith’s side.

That said, it would certainly be interesting to see how the dynamic develops if Villa do go up in the near future, as Jordan’s comments on the size, history and support of the club are spot on.

The ex-Palace man’s comments will have Villa’s rivals fuming, but it’s now up to Smith and his squad to prove him right.

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According to a report in The Daily Mail, in-form Aston Villa star Jack Grealish is being scouted by Tottenham Hotspur as they look to make some big moves in the transfer market this summer, and it is a predictable story that ramps up the pressure on Villans boss Dean Smith.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Spurs have long been linked with the 23-year-old and the Championship outfit managed to rebuff interest in him last summer according to The Times, before tying him down to a new contract with a £45m release clause included.

While that is a fee that could make the north London outfit make twice about making an approach, the Midlands outfit will need to be prepared for interest in their talisman and captain – especially if they don’t win promotion back to the Premier League for the third successive season.

Grealish has made a huge impact following his return from a three-month injury lay-off earlier this month, and was of course the victim-turned-hero during the second city derby last weekend.

Pressure on Smith

While the skipper did commit his future to Villa, there would be no surprise if the talented individual begins to get itchy feet should the club remain in England’s second tier for yet another season.

If a club like Tottenham do come calling it will undoubtedly interest Grealish – especially when he sees how well other English players like Dele Alli and Harry Kane have fared under Mauricio Pochettino in recent years.

Given the 23-year-old is a Villa fan however, any uncertainty would surely be removed if they are competing in the top flight next term.

The pressure is then very much on Smith to deliver in the coming weeks and months, and with automatic promotion all but out of the window they will have to rely on the lottery of the play-offs if they secure a top-six finish.

Like every Aston Villa fan out there, Dean Smith would’ve been a happy man on Saturday afternoon after his team made light work of Middlesbrough in a 3-0 win at Villa Park, which saw the Birmingham club move up to sixth on the Championship table.

But, the Villa manager would particularly have been pleased with the excellent showing of winger Anwar El Ghazi against Boro.

The 23-year-old has been one of the standout performers in the team this season and has especially been brilliant in Villa’s last four matches, which they all won, making a massive surge up the league table. But, if the Villans were to continue this good form and finish the season in a playoff spot, then the fitness and availability of El Ghazi will be pivotal for Smith and the club.

The Dutch international has, fortunately, not had any injury problems so far this season and has enjoyed great game-time the whole campaign. Indeed, he’s particularly thrived under Smith since he took charge of Villa in October last year.

If Villa were to continue this good run and miraculously earn promotion to the Premier League for next season or at least put in a proper fight in the playoffs, then Villa would need El Ghazi to stay consistent and deliver performances like on Saturday.

His pace on the left flank has been a massive key to how Villa set up to attack, while his link-up play with striker Tammy Abraham has also been superb. He has definitely benefited from the return of captain Jack Grealish, who has also been very important to Villa’s recent success on the field.

Grealish’s good passing and movement have put El Ghazi in a better position on the wing to attack with pace and skill.

El Ghazi – rated at £4.5m by Transfermarkt – is also not very afraid to make runs in-behind defenders lately due to Grealish’s excellent long balls and distribution. A truly all-round player and one probably too good for the Championship.

Jack Grealish may take the plaudits but it’s his Dutch teammate delivering promotion punches.

Aston Villa fans, how impressed have you been by El Ghazi this season? Is he too good for the Championship? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Fabinho was in exceptional form for Liverpool against Watford on Wednesday evening.

The midfielder was the lynchpin of Jurgen Klopp’s midfield as they returned to winning ways in style, thumping the Hornets 5-0 at Anfield.

The display was one of attacking verve and flair; Virgil van Dijk scored twice, as did Sadio Mane, while Divock Origi was also on the scoresheet.

But it would not have been anywhere near as easy had Fabinho not turned in such an assiduous performance at the base of the midfield.

The Brazilian is a versatile player, capable of filling in at right-back or in the centre of the pitch but he has proven that he is more attuned to the latter.

His four tackles, per WhoScored, was the most of any Liverpool player on the pitch, while his four interceptions also topped the table of any player to start the game.

That he had two shots also emphasises his ability to drive at the opposition defence, while his 88% passing accuracy proves that he was economical in possession.

Every title-chasing team needs a solid base on which to build and Liverpool have conceded just 15 goals all season as they attempt to wrestle the Premier League title away from Manchester City.

Fabinho has been a key part of that whenever he has played. Indeed, the 25-year-old has featured in Liverpool’s last 13 games; they have conceded just nine goals in those matches.

A £43.7million signing from AS Monaco in the summer, he took a while to settle and did not even make his league debut until October, as he came on as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town.

But since his introduction to the first-team, he has been exceptional and was again key to Klopp’s ‘heavy metal’ football against Watford.

The fact is simple; Liverpool play better when Fabinho is in the team.