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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Off the Bench series, which places in-game managerial decisions and squad selections under FFC’s microscope.

Barcelona thumped Sevilla 4-0 on Sunday but things could’ve been a lot different had Ernesto Valverde not included a surprise player in the starting lineup.

Snapshot

On paper, the Blaugrana truly dismantled Sevilla on the night.

After all, that’s what many would probably assume seeing the 4-0 scoreline. But results can often be rather and Sevilla stood their ground throughout the game, registering 16 shots on goal as opposed to Barcelona’s 15.

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But they weren’t clinical enough and despite some good efforts, Barca managed to turn the game on its head in a couple of swift moves.

One of the players that was on the scoresheet was Arturo Vidal, and just like in the game against Inter last week, the Chilean was crucial to the club’s triumph.

A hidden gem

It’s safe to say that Vidal hasn’t seen as much game time this season as he probably would’ve wished for.

After all, out of the eight games Barcelona played in the ongoing 2019/20 La Liga campaign, the 32-year-old only participated in five of them, missing out on the opening day clash entirely, while he was left on the bench in the other two.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

That start against Sevilla was actually his first one of the season and it seems that Valverde hit the bullseye with his surprise inclusion.

Not only did Vidal score a goal on the night but he also registered one key pass, 91.1% passing accuracy and 59 touches.

But that’s not all either as he was a true box to box midfielder, helping out at both ends of the pitch.

Defensively, he recorded a total of seven tackles on the night, more than any other player in the game, both sides included, and added one interception and one clearance to that tally as well.

By all accounts, he was one of the most influential players for the Blaugrana and warranted an 8.27 rating, according to Whoscored.

And who knows, maybe he will soon be included in the starting XI.

Loads of Tottenham Hotspur fans on Twitter have reacted after reported target Paulo Dybala produced a ‘wow’ moment against Inter Milan on Sunday.

Spurs looked to be close to bringing the Juventus attacker to north London on the final day of the summer transfer window, before a deal eventually collapsed due to image rights issues, as reported by Goal.

The 25-year-old, rated at £76.5m by Transfermarkt, found first-team starts hard to come by under Maurizio Sarri right at the beginning of the season, while he has only been a substitute for both of their Champions League fixtures to date.

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However, he made his fourth successive Serie A start at the San Siro at the weekend, and made an almost instant impact with a brilliant drilled effort from the corner of the penalty area in the early stages of the clash in Milan.

It was a strike that didn’t go unnoticed by Tottenham supporters on the popular social media platform, and it is no surprise they are watching how the forward is getting on given how badly their own team is faring right now.

One individual summed it up when he said “Paulo Dybala reminding Daniel Levy what Tottenham Hotspur are missing out on”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Following a 1-1 draw with Derby, Jack Harrison was torn into by Leeds supporters.

A defeat against Charlton then led to further criticism for the promising winger who can seemingly do no right at Elland Road.

The 22-year-old is someone who’s been praised by Pep Guardiola in the past, a footballer that’s spent time alongside the watchful eyes of Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo at New York City.

Three colossal figures in the world of football, it doesn’t appear as though they’ve had too much of an effect on Harrison.

Under Marcelo Bielsa, he’s been handed extra trust – something that’s seen him fail to miss a single league game this term.

He’s started in every single one despite the fact he’s rarely produced the goods.

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Prior to Leeds’ win over West Brom on Tuesday evening, the Manchester City loanee hadn’t been involved in a goal since the opening weekend.

Before the clash with Charlton, he’d mustered just one accurate cross from a possible 31 – failing to find a single man with five deliveries into the box against Derby.

At FFC we’ve banged the drum quite heavily over Harrison’s lack of chance creation but he’s now slowly starting to find his feet and is gradually improving in terms of his end product.

Harrison wasn’t spectacular against the Baggies this week but he was impressive, showing great persistence in what he did as he made a statement about his ability to perform when it matters.

This was evident for the goal as the winger took multiple touches inside the penalty area as he held the ball up well.

He waited for Gjanni Alioski to advance forward before feeding him for his first assist of the campaign.

That will undoubtedly serve as a huge weight off his shoulders.

Why are Leeds fans the best in the country? Find out in the video below…

As well as his assist, he managed three key passes – one of which was an accurate cross. It’s that area that Harrison has struggled in significantly in 2019/20 but a degree of improvement has been seen in his last two outings.

Versus Charlton he managed two accurate deliveries of the ball which were his first since early August when Leeds beat Nottingham Forest.

This certainly bodes well for Harrison who was at risk of potentially losing his place to Helder Costa before Pablo Hernandez was sidelined.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Southampton travel to Fratton Park to take on Portsmouth on Tuesday in what promises to be a highly-charged derby meeting.

With the Saints a Premier League team and their opponents currently play in League One, it could be assumed that there would be a gulf in quality.

However, anything can happen in football, especially under the lights in what will be the first meeting between these bitter south coast rivals since 2012.

And there are two players in particular who could be the architects of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side’s downfall.

Let’s take a look at two players the Saints must keep an eye on in the Carabao Cup tie…

Marcus Harness

The 23-year-old forward has been in decent form so far this season, with two goals and an assist to his name in League One – Harness has also netted in the Carabao Cup.

Pompey’s No.19 takes 1.4 shots per game and makes 1.2 key passes per 90 in the third tier, while he also records an impressive two dribbles per game.

You can tell Harness causes opposition defenders some problems seeing as he gets fouled 1.6 times on average per game as well.

A tricky customer, the Saints will have to be wary of his threat.

Ronan Curtis

The Republic of Ireland international, like Harness, also has two League One goals to his name so far this term, and the similarities with his teammate continue as Curtis is also fouled 1.6 times on average per game.

What is most eye-catching about the 23-year-old’s season so far, however, is the sheer amount of shots he takes.

Curtis records a whopping 4.1 shots per game in League One, suggesting that he isn’t afraid to pull the trigger and test the goalkeeper.

As only two of his strikes have gone in, he arguably hasn’t made the most of his opportunities, but you can’t win the raffle without buying a ticket – and any pressure on the Southampton goal will give a huge boost to Pompey.

A daring attacking player, Curtis could prove a thorn in the Saints’ side on Tuesday.

Rangers want at least £10million for Crystal Palace target Joe Aribo, according to Football Insider.

The lowdown

The publication reported last week that Palace were monitoring Aribo’s situation at Ibrox with a view to a possible move.

Aribo, formerly of Palace’s London rivals Charlton Athletic, has two years left to run on his contract in Glasgow.

Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa, who was a team-mate of Aribo at The Valley, has marvelled at his ‘unreal’ abilities and likened him to Yaya Toure (via Daily Record).

The 25-year-old has started all of Rangers’ league matches so far this season and has been their fourth-best performer, WhoScored metrics show.

He’s averaged 2.2 successful aerial duels, two key passes and 1.7 dribbles per 90 minutes.

The latest

A Rangers source has made clear that ‘the club have no intention of letting Aribo go easily’.

A £10million sale would be the fourth-biggest in the club’s history behind Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Alan Hutton and Jean-Alain Boumsoung (via Transfermarkt).

The verdict

It’s hard to argue that isn’t a fair price-tag for a player who’s established himself as a mainstay under Steven Gerrard.

You wonder if Aribo is being lined-up as a potential replacement if Palace are unable to secure the permanent signing of Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher.

They’re not exactly the same mould of player, but both provide real attacking impetus from the middle of the park.

In other news, fans react to this transfer rumour. 

West Brom took to Twitter on Thursday to wish former striker Mbaye Diagne a happy birthday.

And a number of Baggies fans were quick to flock to the official post, with some even throwing in the suggestion of bringing him back to The Hawthorns in the New Year.

West Brom signed the Senegal international back in January on loan for the rest of the season with an option to buy.

Unfortunately, Diagne couldn’t prevent the Baggies from returning straight back to the Championship, scoring three times in 16 appearances, so the permanent clause wasn’t activated.

He’s now back with Galatasaray, where he has found the back of the net on three occasions in 14 games, whereas West Brom, now managed by Valerien Ismael, sit third in the second tier.

Baggies fans react

West Brom’s post regarding Diagne caught the attention of these Baggies supporters, with a selection of responses available to view below, where one fan called him a ‘monster’ – the 6 foot 4 target man did win over three aerial duels per game as a Baggie after all…

“Get him in Jan lads could do with a proper target man”

Credit: @harryrestallwba

“Would be unreal if he could stay onside”

Credit: @KipreSun

“What a monster! we need someone like him up top”

Credit: @KeithSu51736990

“Sign him”

Credit: @wbajenson_

“Love this guy one of my all time favourites what a legend even though he wasn’t here for long, come home!!”

Credit: @WBAHazzaFT

“Bring him back”

Credit: @wbabrad

Rangers came from behind to beat Hibernian 2-1 on Sunday to move back to the top of the Scottish Premiership, overtaking Hearts after they had leapfrogged them on Saturday.

Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe scored for Steven Gerrard’s side, but another player who stood out was attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi.

The son of the legendary Gheorghe Hagi started out wide on the right and received a SofaScore rating of 7.2 for his performance. He had 82 touches of the ball and ended the match with an eye-catching five key passes, although his teammates failed to finish off the chances he created as he did not register an assist.

Hagi impressing in a Rangers shirt has been far from a rarity since he joined the club on a permanent deal from KRC Genk last summer. He spent the second half of the 2019/20 campaign on loan at Ibrox before completing a £3.15m switch to Scotland in 2020, after three goals and two assists in 13 matches for the Gers.

The Romanian international kicked on after signing on a permanent basis, registering eight goals and 13 assists in all competitions in the 2020/21 season. He averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.02 in the Premiership, scoring seven and assisting 11 in just 23 starts. In the Europa League, he averaged a solid score of 6.87, registering one goal and one assist in five starts.

Supports enjoy watching him play due to his silky nature on the ball with end product to match his build-up. His goal contributions prove that he has the quality to produce in the final third, which makes him an exciting player for fans.

At the time of writing (04/10/21), Hagi is valued at £5.85m by Transfermarkt. This is an 85.7% increase from the £3.15m Rangers paid for him one year ago, showing how Ross Wilson has been able to pull off a masterclass in recruitment.

Wilson has brought in a talented young player with potential who suits the way Rangers play and his value has skyrocketed in just 12 months. If this trend continues then he could keep improving and either earn the Gers a healthy profit or be a fantastic player for the club in the long-term.

AND in other news, 18x possession lost: Wilson sent Rangers transfer warning by dud with 44% pass success…

Flocking to Twitter, many Aston Villa fans have erupted over a three-word message containing a picture of midfielder John McGinn.

The Villans ran out 1-0 winners against Manchester United yesterday afternoon in what was a memorable victory, and one which alerts the Premier League to their presence.

Dean Smith’s men battled away at Old Trafford against a plethora of superstars but came out on top when Kortney Hause buried a late header past David de Gea.

In reaction to the phenomenal win in Manchester, the club have dropped a three-word message involving McGinn as the Scotsman enjoyed a fine afternoon up against the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba in midfield, coming up with one important block and one successful tackle for his team.

Indeed, Villa simply dropped the message ‘what a performance’ in accompaniment to an image of the 26-year-old.

Flocking to the club’s post, many Villa fans erupted with their reactions as they enjoy the heights of a brilliant win away to the Red Devils. Here is a selection of the responses from the Villa Park faithful:

Villa fans flock to McGinn message…

“His game has gone up another level this season.”

Credit: @Jelly31807434

“People keep saying McGinn is back to his best, but I think he has elevated his game to a whole new level, so is better than ever. Him and Dougie have really cemented their relationship in the middle of the park, and with the addition of JJ’s legs, they are bossing games now!”

Credit: @ShaunStait

“Been our best player this season so far, hasn’t had a performance under 8/10 yet”

Credit: @GW_94

“Are we joking”

Credit: @Villal_

“Tattoo this on my left thigh.”

Credit: @Ryan_Wills

“Massive”

Credit: @danielstchr

In other news: “It’s an opportunity” – Aston Villa’s youth players earn pundit’s backing

David Beckham, Gary Neville and the rest of Manchester United's Class of '92 who co-own Salford City are looking for new investors for the club.

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• Beckham, Neville and Co, own Salford
• Group looking for investors
• Club currently 19th in League Two

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The League Two side are co-owned by key members of the famous Red Devils squad, including Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville, alongside brother Gary and Beckham. Butt, who took over as the club's chief executive from Gary Neville in October 2022, has announced Salford's pursuit of "strategic partners" to take advantage of "major opportunities" and boost the club's growth.

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  WHAT BUTT SAID

  Salford's CEO said in a statement: “We are backing Salford City with as much commitment and confidence as ever. We have achieved very special things here but there are major opportunities in front of us and we want to make sure we have the right mix of investment and strategic partners to take advantage of those opportunities. We had an original 10-year plan and with strong foundations now in place, it was always the intention to explore options for the next phase. That includes potentially bringing in new partners to help us grow the club and best serve the fans and community.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Beckham, Neville and Co have helped increase the capacity at Salford's Peninsula Stadium from 3,000 to 5,000, as well as securing four promotions since their takeover of 2014. The Class of '92 co-owned side now share a league with Wrexham, whose co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are currently aiming for back-to-back promotions. The Hollywood duo have been lauded for their growth of the Wrexham community as well as the club through strategic partnerships, and it is fair to assume they may serve as inspiration for Salford and their owners.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SALFORD?

  Salford did celebrate a memorable win over the Red Dragons earlier this month, recording a 3-1 victory at the Peninsula Stadium. However, their league form has been underwhelming elsewhere, as they sit 19th in the League Two table and nine points clear of safety after 34 games. Salford's next match comes on Tuesday at home to Colchester.

New Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe plans to reduce the club's wage bill by introducing a bonus-led payment structure, per a new report.

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• Ratcliffe's takeover has been ratified
• United owner plans to bring ballooning costs down
• Club continuing to underperform on the pitch

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per the Daily Mirror, Ratcliffe has set new CEO Omar Berrada the challenge of bringing United's wage bill under control. Their most recent annual accounts show that the club are paying £330m ($418m) to their playing squad, but Ratcliffe is keen to impose a limit of £300,000-per-week for any new signings. They broke through that barrier for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Pogba in recent years.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Manchester City pay significantly more to their squad – their wage bill is in excess of £400m ($507m) – but their treble success last season also triggered immense bonuses for several key stars. United plan to implement a similar strategy, although it may take years for the changes to take full effect, as the club are obliged to keep paying their current stars.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  United are attempting to restructure their backroom team and have been heavily linked with a move to appoint Dan Ashworth, who has been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle. They are also interested in hiring former Liverpool director of football Julian Ward, as well as Southampton director of football Jason Wilcox.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United are next in action against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup this week, before a huge Premier League clash with bitter rivals City next weekend. Having lost 2-1 at home to Fulham on Saturday, they will be desperate to bounce back.