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Carlo Ancelotti has been handed a huge boost ahead of Everton’s trip to Newcastle United on Sunday, with the Liverpool Echo reporting that several first-team players are nearing contention to make their returns from injuries.

Mason Holgate has been sidelined over the Blues’ opening nine games of the season as a result of a toe injury sustained during the warm-up for their final pre-season match, but the 23-year-old is back training at Finch Farm and could soon make his eagerly-awaited return.

Jarrad Branthwaite has likewise taken to the grass pitches again as he strives to overcome an ankle problem, while midfielder Jean-Phillipe Gbamin could soon join the Everton squad, too.

But with Seamus Coleman still an ongoing doubt due to the hamstring issue that prevented his inclusion in the Southampton loss, news that Jonjoe Kenny may be fit enough to contend for a place in the 18-man squad this weekend will come as a welcome relief for Ancelotti.

Kenny has been ruled out of Everton’s last three Premier League matches due to twisting his ankle in a 4-1 Carabao Cup victory over West Ham United last month, but is hopeful that he has now overcome the issue and can make his first top-flight start since March 2019.

The 23-year-old spent last season on loan in Germany with Bundesliga outfit FC Schalke 04 and proved a regular at the Veltins Arena with 34 appearances across all competitions, leading to vivid praise from then-manager David Wagner.

“It is a very competitive division, with a high standard, a high quality. You have very good facilities and stadiums as well which are more or less always sold out, so you have a great platform [to perform],” he told The i.

“I think it’s one of the best moves a young British player can make in Europe if he is not able to break through in his own team in the Premiership. To go to the Bundesliga, you have to be – and luckily Jonjoe is – very brave, because when you leave your home country and you leave your comfort zone you have to have a very strong character.”

Ancelotti has only trusted Kenny in the Carabao Cup since the right-back’s return to Goodison Park, but noted his belief in the defender last month via quotes by The Boot Room: “Jonjoe is different, he knows the club, he’s a player I have a lot of confidence in.”

The Italian tactician now has the perfect chance to demonstrate his belief in Kenny by fielding the full-back against Newcastle on Sunday, after summer signing Ben Godfrey struggled to contain Nathan Redmond during last weekend’s 2-0 loss to Southampton.

Everton icon Tim Cahill felt Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl set his south coast side up to exploit the £20million Godfrey, too, telling Match of the Day (25/10, 23:09): “He’s a centre-back, amazing defender, but Hasenhuttl, the way he approached this game will think he’s not going to overlap like Seamus Coleman.

“Bertrand’s position was very high, they always found themselves getting out on the right-hand side of Everton. How many times now? Too much space, too much time. Tactically, they soaked up the pressure and they always found themselves hitting Everton on transition.

“Godfrey will learn from this.”

Steve Bruce would be wise to look into exploiting Godfrey if Ancelotti maintains the defender’s place at right-back against Newcastle, with Toon star Allan Saint-Maximin currently averaging 3.6 successful dribbles (72%), 8.6 ground duels won (68%), 1.2 key balls and 0.8 shots from the left-flank per Premier League game this season, per SofaScore.

Kenny, meanwhile, has been dribbled past just 0.3 times per game in the EFL Cup this term, and won 2.2 ground duels, delivered 0.5 accurate crosses (24%), made 2.4 clearances, 1.6 tackles and played 0.5 key balls a game in the Bundesliga last season.

AND in other news, Everton must secure a January loan move for a talented ace in the “mould of Makelele”.

Newest Chelsea signing Timo Werner has been snapped during his first group training session with the rest of the first team.

The German is Frank Lampard’s second signing of the summer and has finally joined fellow new recruit Hakim Ziyech at Cobham. Werner makes his move to the west London outfit after spending his entire career in the Bundesliga. Undoubtedly, the Premier League should be an exciting challenge for both Werner to take on and fans to watch.

The

/CDMSsLSJVnn/?utm_source=ig_embed”>official Chelsea Instagram account has posted two photos of the 24-year-old in action on the training pitch. Many fans can hardly contain their excitement and have flooded the comments with positive messages for their new striker.

Werner agreed terms with Chelsea after months of speculation linking him to a move to rivals Liverpool. In a shock twist, he put pen to paper for the Blues in a £47.5m transfer to the capital (via Goal.com).

After an impressive end to the season by Olivier Giroud, and Tammy Abraham also netting 15 Premier League goals, the fight for a spot in the starting lineup will be fierce. Werner looks set to be the centre of attention after his blistering 2019/20 campaign with RB Leipzig in which he scored 28 goals in the Bundesliga to see him finish only behind top scorer Robert Lewandowski for the season (via BBC Sport).

Some fans have also expressed their excitement to see Werner link up with in-form winger Christian Pulisic. The former Bundesliga men could create a stunning partnership up front for Chelsea in attack next season.

It’s unlikely that the 24-year-old will be the Blues’ last signing of the summer, as they continue to circle for further high-profile names to bolster their squad.

How many goals do you think Timo Werner will score for Chelsea next season? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

It looksÂextremelyÂlikely that Gini Wijnaldum will not be a Liverpool player for much longer amid serious interest from Barcelona.

The Catalonians have made him one of their top priorities this transfer window under the instruction of Ronald Koeman. Wijnaldum is a player the Dutchman knows well and is a fond admirer of after working with him during his time with the Netherlands national team.

According to Diario Sport (relayed via @LFCTransferRoom), the midfielder is said to be one step away from making a similar switch to Philippe Coutinho. However, Barcelona are trying their luck at minimising Liverpool’s asking price.

The report claims that the La Liga giants are trying not to pay any more than a maximum of £13million for Wijnaldum, despite his current estimated value being £36million (via Transfermarkt). This has not gone down well with the Anfield faithful.

One supporter thinks selling the 29-year-old for such a low amount is ‘absolutely farcical’ whilst another has echoed this sentiment, branding it ‘ridiculous’.

Another Kopite has valued Wijnaldum against Thiago’s reported £26.6million asking price before coming to the conclusion that it’s ‘a joke’.

Read more replies from the Twitter selection here:

Do you think £13million is a fair amount for Wijnaldum? Have your say in the comments below…

Noel Whelan insists Tottenham Hotspur should sell Tanguy Ndombele this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former Leeds striker believes Ndombele has “done nothing” ever since he arrived in north London.

Daniel Levy has made it clear the Spurs star will not be sold in the summer, and his stance remains unchanged, even though the board feel he is attempting to force his way out of the club.

Ndombele, who is the club’s record signing, has struggled to settle down this season.

Jose Mourinho claimed he is happy with the the Frenchman’s work ethic, as the pair made the headlines for breaking government guidelines to train together during lockdown, but he hasn’t featured in the two games following the Premier League restart.

Mourinho was again forced to deny reports of a rift after he failed to make an appearance against West Ham.

Whelan believes Ndombele doesn’t have the right attitude to succeed at Spurs and suggested the board should cut their losses instead. The pundit told assistant editor Russell Edge “Look, I don’t like these sort of players, they need to be sold. He’s done nothing since he came to Tottenham, quite frankly.

“He had that debut where he scored a goal but after that, clearly, he doesn’t have the work rate that Jose Mourinho or the Premier League demands to become a special player.

“It’s different in France when you’re playing there, it’s a different style and different pace – not as good players there so you can stand out. Does he stand out in the Tottenham side in every game that he plays? Not really.

“There’s certain things that you demand and the first thing you look for is character and can you fit into a squad? You’ve just gone and seen Liverpool win the championship with a tight-knit group, they’re all friends, they all work hard, in the midfield area there’s not one that doesn’t put themselves about.

“Now he’s shown he can’t do that and with those sort of players in the side, you’re not going to challenge for the Premier League title.”

It is difficult to disagree with Whelan on this one, as Ndombele wants to leave Tottenham amid interest from Barcelona.

The Frenchman has struggled for consistency so far, as he has played 19 games in the Premier League this season, scoring 2 goals, providing 2 assists, averaging fewer than one shot and one key pass per game via WhoScored.

Clubs are facing financial pressure from the pandemic and both clubs are operating on a tight budget. Barca are reportedly only interested in a swap deal involving Nelson Semedo or Philippe Coutinho as a result.

Mourinho is eager to sign Coutinho in the summer, as he moaned about the lack of creative options in the game against Manchester United.

Spurs have been working towards sorting out a loan move for the Brazilian playmaker. The Portuguese could solve both problems by replacing Ndombele with Coutinho. While he has failed to find the form he enjoyed with Liverpool, he is still a world-class player.

Although Levy would be looking to recoup some of the costs he spent on the midfielder, Mourinho may decide to ditch the troublemaker if he continues to cause disruption.

The pair share a strained relationship, which has grown increasingly tenuous in recent weeks, and a trade may be best for everyone involved.

Tottenham fans, do you think Mourinho should give Tanguy Ndombele another chance? Let us know down below!

Liverpool’s hopes of a centurion finish to their Premier League season are over following their defeat to Arsenal.

The Gunners made a vital comeback for their own campaign after capitalising on two errors to come from behind. Sadio Mane opened up the scoring to put Liverpool ahead, but defensive blunders from both Virgil van Dijk and Alisson gifted the home side the victory they needed.

The Reds have won just two of their matches since they were crowned champions, now they will not be able to finish the season with 100 points and their perfect home record was ended following their draw to Burnley (via Sofascore).

A lot of fans aren’t happy with Liverpool’s dip in form since the title was wrapped up. Some have taken to Twitter to slam van Dijk’s performance after his rare defensive error. The Dutchman, valued at £72million, was at fault for Alexandre Lacazette’s equaliser following a poor back-pass to Alisson.

One fan has tweeted saying van Dijk ‘should be ashamed’ of his mistake whilst another has said they are ‘really disappointed’ in his performance.

Read more replies from unhappy Reds here:

How would you rate van Dijk’s performance against Arsenal, Reds? Have your say in the comments below…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Gary Neville has told talkSPORT that he hopes Liverpool gain a 12-point lead at the top of the Premier League and then blow it.

What did he say?

As it stands, the Reds are currently eight points clear of Leicester City in second, whilst Manchester City, the current champions, are a further three behind in third.

Former Manchester United player Neville has said that he hopes that that gap goes out even further, as he said he would love it if they were then unable to clinch the title. He said: “If they blow it now, it’s going to be one of the best years I’ve had on Sky!

“Honestly, it would be the most incredible experience to watch this unfold and for them have a 12-point lead and then it dissipate before my eyes.

“I actually hope they have a 12-point lead in March and then really late just fall to pieces!”

Crushing

Surprise, surprise: a Manchester United legend wants bitter rivals Liverpool to suffer. It is not exactly a shock to see him say this but so far, there has been very little indication that he will be celebrating come the end of the current campaign.

Having said that, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the Reds could blow a big lead. Last season, they were seven points clear with 18 matches to play, and yet they failed to win the league as they were pipped to the post by the Citizens.

12 points would be a big lead to throw away. And, were they to fail to clinch the trophy from such a position, there is a very strong chance they wouldn’t be close to a title for a very long time. How could they recover from such a crushing blow? It would surely be nigh on impossible for them galvanise themselves once again for another long campaign, especially with that niggling thought that they could crumble once again.

Just look at Newcastle United. In 1995/96, they were 12 points clear at the top of the table with just 15 games to play. However, they then went on a terrible run of form, with the Reds Devils eventually catching up and then surpassing them. In the midst of that, we were treated to Kevin Keegan’s meltdown that has since gone down as one of the greatest moments in Premier League history. Whilst they finished second in the following campaign, they haven’t really been close ever since.

No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?

So far, there is no indication that such a collapse would occur with Liverpool. Few thought it would happen to the Toon either though. If they were to blow such a lead, Neville’s gloating should be the least of their worries.

In other news, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain shares who the leaders are in the Liverpool dressing room.

With 266 Championship games to his name, it’s fair to say Darren Pratley has been around the block when it comes to English football’s second division. The 34-year-old has spent the majority of his career at Bolton and Swansea respectively, but it appears to be carving out a nice little niche for him in the twilight stages of his career at Charlton.

The veteran has featured in 18 league games this season, and has shown his value to Lee Bowyer by performing in a number of different positions. As well as his more natural central midfield role, Pratley has played further forward, in holding midfield, and even at centre-back in the 3-0 victory over Derby earlier in October.

And against Hull on Friday night, Pratley scored his first goal of the campaign in Charlton’s 2-2 draw with Hull. The midfielder opened the scoring when he arrived unmarked to head home from a Conor Gallagher corner. Despite seeing the Addicks failing to seal all three points, fans flooded to Twitter to hail the former Swansea man.

A couple of Charlton fans even insisted Pratley was their man of the match for his performance, with Sofascore’s match rating appearing to back that statement up – his 7.8 was the highest of any player on the pitch, no doubt thanks to his goal and incredible ten total duels won.

At 34, Pratley may not be in the peak years of his career, but he is proving himself to be a reliable performer for Bowyer’s men. He may not be judged on the amount of goals he scores, but if he can add that facet to his game so late on in his career, it could give the Addicks an extra dimension.

Meanwhile, Lee Bowyer has admitted the absence of this influential ace is a “massive loss”.

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…

West Ham United U23s missed out on a place in the EFL Trophy knockout rounds as they lost 3-1 against Exeter City last Wednesday.

While their second loss in a row in the competition does not make for great reading, it says a lot that it took an 87th-minute goal to make the game safe for the Football League opposition.

This is especially the case when it is considered that West Ham were missing the likes of Anthony Scully, Conor Coventry, Joseph Anang due to the fact that they were away on international duty.

Of the aforementioned trio, it is Scully who can be seen as highlighting the influence Halajko has already had on the Hammers’ youngsters.

The former Norwich City and Leicester City man made an absolute masterstroke when he moved the young Irishman from the wing to a central striker position, as in the 8 games following the position change, the 20-year-old has managed to score 12 goals in the EFL Trophy and Premier League 2.

That he also took the team on a 16-game unbeaten run shows how much he has been able to influence the side after coming in.

When he joined, Academy Manager Ricky Martin sung his praises, as reported by the club’s official website: “I am really pleased that Dmitri has agreed to join us and it is a real coup to have appointed someone of his experience and ability.

“I have seen at first hand his quality and talent as a coach, both in sessions on the training pitch and working with players individually on their development programmes.

“He has fantastic experience at Academy level and a proven record of progressing elite players through to first-team level. His style and approach will fit in perfectly to the West Ham way that we encourage and nurture here at Chadwell Heath.”

The early signs are very encouraging and it seems Halajko will ultimately justify this endorsement and help the academy progress in the coming years.

A selection of West Ham United fans have offered up a surprise name to potentially replace Manuel Pellegrini as head coach of the club, with Leeds United’s Marcelo Bielsa emerging as a name in the conversation.

The Hammers are on a really rotten run of form at the moment, failing to win any of their last seven in the Premier League.

Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur made it three straight league defeats, and it is not as if it gets any easier as they prepare to head to Chelsea this weekend.

West Ham have reportedly held talks with Pellegrini about the alarming drop of form.

And some of the London club’s supporters think that they might have the solution to their problem.

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Indeed, when Leeds United boss Bielsa, 64, was named as a potential incoming at the London Stadium, some of the fans suggested that it would be a very good idea.

Leeds would surely fight tooth and nail to keep hold of the Argentine, although the lure of the Premier League would be very strong indeed.

With the Whites in the ascendancy and chasing promotion from the Championship, though, it seems unlikely the Hammers would be able to persuade him to move to east London in mid-season.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Meanwhile, amid the team’s struggles, Pellegrini seems to be fast losing faith in one player in particular.

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

According to The Sun, Manchester United are to block Marcos Rojo from leaving in the upcoming January transfer window.

What’s the word?

The Argentina international was the subject of intense transfer speculation over the course of the summer, with reports suggesting Everton were interested in taking him to Goodison Park for the second year in a row.

However, a deal failed to materialise before the end of the deadline, and the 29-year-old remained put at Old Trafford. Since the close of the window, Rojo has forced himself into the first-team reckoning in recent weeks under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer this season, and has now already played seven times across all competitions.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

According to The Sun, Everton informed the defender’s camp that they may come back in with an offer in the winter. However, the report claims that the former Sporting CP man’s advisers have been told that Solskjaer will not “risk weakening the heart of his rearguard at such a crucial period – even if a club does come forward and matches their valuation.”

Impressive turnaround

It was only a few weeks ago in the Europa League clash against AZ Alkmaar, that it seemed like United had made the wrong decision in not letting him go in the summer. Sections of the Red Devils support even slammed his performance in that particular game, and it appeared there wasn’t much chance of a return to favour.

However, since then, the Argentine has profited greatly from Solskjaer experimenting with the back-three, and being a natural left-footer, is the logical choice when lining up in such a system. And to his credit, the 29-year-old hasn’t disappointed when called upon in that position.

How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…

According to Whoscored, he has averaged 1.5 tackles and three clearances per game in the Premier League this season, and played the full 90 minutes in two of United’s best performances and results in recent weeks – the 1-1 draw against Liverpool, and the 2-1 victory over Chelsea.

If Solskjaer is seemingly intent on blocking the £16m man from leaving, then it would cap off a remarkably quick turnaround for a player who looked set to leave the club, and then got slammed by some of his own supporters.