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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…

It has been a disappointing start to the season for Everton.

The Toffees currently sit 15th in the table after 12 games, having won just four matches so far. There was one particularly bad run, where they lost four games in a row in the Premier League and, although they have lost just once since then, they have still underwhelmed.

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That has partly been down to their problems in front of goal. Only five sides in the top tier have scored less than the Goodison Park outfit this term, which is just one of the reason why the pressure is on Marco Silva. It remains to be seen whether he can turn it around.

There are plenty of names to have been linked with a moved to the north-west should the Portuguese be relieved of his duties, with the latest being Bruno Genesio as per L’Equipe (via Sport Witness). Currently with Beijing Sinobo Guoan, he is best known for his four-year stint with Lyon, with them qualifying for the Champions League in three out of the four seasons he managed there. It was their prolific ability to score that was most noticeable from his reign.

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In the four Ligue 1 campaigns he spent at the Groupama Stadium, Lyon scored 67 goals, 77, 87 and 70. To put this into context, they have only managed to match or surpass the lowest of those four totals three times since the turn of the century outside of the 53-year-old’s time in the dugout.

Alexandre Lacazette, who now plays for Arsenal, benefited from his management – under Genesio, he had his most prolific season to date – whilst the quartet of Nabil Fekir, Bertrand Traore, Mariano Diaz and Memphis Depay bagged 84 goals and provided 38 assists between them in the 2017/18 season. Last term, six different players scored at least 10 goals for Les Gones.

Not only that, but he has a tendency to use younger players. For example, last season, the average age of the players who appeared for Lyon was 24.3. Only three teams managed lower in Ligue 1.

Just imagine what he could do with the likes of Richarlison, Alex Iwobi, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Moise Kean, all of whom are 23 or under. By focusing on their attacking strengths, Genesio could really get the best out of a forward line that has the potential to be prolific. If it was decided that Silva could not take the team any further, Genesio would be a fantastic choice to replace him.

In other news, Silva will be impressed by one man’s form on international duty.

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… 

Sheffield Wednesday return to Championship action this weekend when they face a trip to the Hawthorns to face league leaders West Bromwich Albion on Saturday afternoon.

Garry Monk’s men have mostly enjoyed a two-week break from the league as they look to recharge their batteries ahead of a hectic festive period, although how much their off the field predicament will affect them on the pitch remains to be seen.

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They’ll be buoyed by the fact that the Baggies will be without two players that have started every single game for them this campaign as Romaine Sawyers and skipper Jake Livermore endure a one-match suspension.

While the 40-year-old will be able to call upon some of the players that have been on international duty, such as Atdhe Nuhiu and Liam Palmer, although the latter’s latest showing left plenty to be desired.

The Wednesday right-back played his third straight 90 minutes in a Scotland shirt as they defeated Cyprus 2-1 in a pretty meaningless Euro 2020 qualifying match.

Per SofaScore, Palmer lost possession 17 times, which was the second-most in the team, failed to provide any key passes or accurate crosses, and recorded a poor passing accuracy of 65%.

Overall, it was a pretty shocking afternoon for the 28-year-old, however, Monk must stick with him going into this weekend’s fixture.

Even if there are calls for Moses Odubajo to make a return.

Palmer offers more defensive stability – recording more interceptions and clearances, as well as fewer fouls, via WhoScored – than the Steve Bruce signing.

Albion pose a huge attacking threat with their attacking midfield options. Grady Diangana, Matty Phillips, and Matheus Pereira have combined for 82% of their 29 league goals this season, and the Owls stalwart is the best option to counteract their danger.

The right-back situation can be revisited after Saturday’s game, although there’s a tough run of fixtures ahead.

Leeds United fans on Twitter have been critical of Victor Orta after the club were linked with a move for Middlesbrough centre-back Daniel Ayala.

The Whites fanbase have complained that the Spaniard is simply being lazy in going for another player from his former employers.

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The trend of Leeds signing former Middlesbrough players has been rather noticeable since Orta joined the ranks at Elland Road as the Whites have brought in the likes of Adam Forshaw and Patrick Bamford in recent years.

A number of supporters were on board with the suggested signing of Ayala, but it seems that they’re sick of the lack of imagination being shown by the club in going for another Boro man.

Whether or not this deal actually gets done remains to be seen, but Leeds certainly have the links to make it happen.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on social media…

Manchester United fell fractionally short of ending Liverpool’s unbeaten start to the 2019/20 Premier League season on Saturday after an 85th minute strike from Adam Lallana gave the Reds a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford, but the performance of one United player has got some fans singing his praises after a battling display against the club’s North-West rivals.

Andreas Pereira, 23, was making his sixth successive Premier League start under Ole Gunnar Solskjær, and an impressive performance saw the 5 foot 10 midfielder named Man of the Match by The United Stand.

The midfielder’s performance saw him receive a rating from WhoScored of 6.68 – his highest-rated performance for over five weeks since the club’s victory over Leicester City (7.02) – but some of the club’s fanbase appear to be holding his latest display in much greater regard.

Solskjær will be looking to build on the promising performance and result given United’s precarious start to the current campaign that has seen them win just two Premier League games so far, and these United fans will certainly be hoping that Pereira is able to deliver a similar level of performance in the club’s upcoming domestic and European fixtures.

Here are some of the best reactions to Pereira’s impressive display against Liverpool on Sunday.

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… 

Eight red cards tell the sorry story of Gaetano Berardi’s Leeds career.

The Swiss defender arrived from Sampdoria in 2014 with a degree of promise. However, five years on he’s seemingly on the verge of an exit as his contract expires next summer.

Berardi has never set the world alight and his mistakes in the white of Leeds have proved not only damning but also incredibly strange.

A horrendous high challenge against Accrington sums the man up, as does his red card in the playoffs last term, one of the club’s biggest games in recent years.

Finally presented with a chance this season, he had it torn away from him after 13 minutes against Millwall.

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The less said about the decision over a week on the better but it’s safe to say it shouldn’t have stood as he received his marching orders yet again.

Regardless of it being overturned, can Marcelo Bielsa still trust the 31-year-old? It would be hard to say he deserves another chance.

The defender has already had one too many in west Yorkshire, but if he is to be afforded another crack of the whip, perhaps reverting him to his former position would make more sense.

What’s most alarming about Berardi’s record as a centre half is the nine yellow cards he’s collected in just the 21 games WhoScored have recorded with him in that position.

In that time he’s also collected two sending offs. It’s a woeful record but demonstrates his inability to focus and cope in a central role.

Chaos seemingly ensues when he’s on the pitch and the playoffs are a fine indication of that. Why he was moved from the left in the first place seems a little baffling but that’s the situation Berardi now finds himself in.

It would be wrong to suggest he looked completely at home in that position – he did still collect three red cards there – but his overall disciplinary record is far better.

The experienced head also demonstrates a greater sense of purpose and he can actually defend to a competent level.

When playing at left-back, Berardi makes 2.6 tackles per game in comparison to the 2.2 he completes in the middle of the pitch.

Considering he makes more tackles on the left, it’s surprising given his play that he makes fewer fouls, just one per match. Compare that to a central position and he makes 1.3.

That says a lot about the type of player he’s become. He’s rash and ill-disciplined and if he’s to have any chance of reviving his Leeds career, he needs to be moved back to whence he came.

With Barry Douglas and Gjanni Alioski already occupying that role, it’s a task that’s easier said than done.

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…Â

West Brom’s unbeaten run to life in the Championship under Slaven Bilic finally came to a halt as Leeds United were victorious at Elland Road on Tuesday evening.

Left-back Ezgjan Alioski bagged the only goal in the 1-0 win as he rifled an effort home via a Kyle Bartley deflection less than ten minutes before half-time.

The home side were made to work for their three points as the Baggies mounted an onslaught of serious pressure throughout the second half, recording 67.3% possession.

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But their dominance came to no avail as Marcelo Bielsa’s side leapfrogged them to take sole possession of the league’s lead.

For the most part, Bilic named an expected starting XI though there was the surprise inclusion of Hal Robson-Kanu, a player Football FanCast tipped to start this very match earlier in this week.

It’s fair to say that experiment didn’t work out as the veteran forward managed just one shot at goal before he was replaced after an hour.

West Brom could also count themselves lucky that they didn’t lose the match by a wider margin – even despite being on top for large spells as Leeds still had their chances.

Sam Johnstone, the man between the sticks, was their saviour at times on Tuesday night.

Per SofaScore, the 26-year-old made eight saves, five of which were inside the penalty area – including this outstanding double stop…

He also managed one punch and one high claim as he asserted his authority in the Baggies’ box.

The former Manchester United shot-stopper has received flack for his performances on Twitter over the course of the season while some have even called for Jonathan Bond to replace him. However, this latest showing is sure to silence his critics.

Bilic brought in a third keeper early last month in Ali Al-Habsi, but Johnstone has managed to keep hold of his number one spot, and with matches like this one, that’s no surprise to see.

It could well have been a different, and far greater scoreline had the shot-stopper not been on the top of his game.

حسم فريق بايرن ميونخ الألماني تأهله لدور ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، على حساب لاتسيو، بعد الفوز إيابًا (2-1).

واستقبل بايرن ميونخ نظيره لاتسيو الإيطالي على ملعب “آليانز آرينا” لخوض إياب دور الـ 16 لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

افتتح البولندي روبيرت ليفاندوفسكي التسجيل لأصحاب الأرض بهدف من ركلة جزاء أحرزها في الدقيقة 33.

وأضاف تشوبو موتينج، الهدف الثاني لبايرن ميونخ في الدقيقة 73 من عمر اللقاء.

تعرف على الفرق المتأهلة إلى دور الـ8 من دوري أبطال أوروبا

وهدف لاتسيو الوحيد سجله بارولو في الدقيقة 82، لتحسم المباراة بفوز بايرن ميونخ (2-1).

وكانت مباراة الذهاب في ملعب “الأولمبيكو” انتهت بفوز بايرن ميونخ على لاتسيو (4-1).

بذلك يتأهل بايرن ميونخ لربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا بمجموع مواجهتي الذهاب والإياب (6-2). أهداف مباراة بايرن ميونخ ولاتسيو

جاري تحميلها.. 

[ad_pod ]It’s rare for a transfer that happened over 30 years ago to be a point of discussion, but someone dug up Gary Lineker’s Q&A with FourFourTwo from 2015 and thus people have been speaking about the fact that he never moved to Manchester United, despite their interest.The Match of the Day presenter spoke very candidly in the Q&A about the fact United wanted to sign him in 1989.Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

This raised further questions about the Red Devils wanting to sign the former England international further back in 1985. Fortunately, Lineker was more than happy to answer.

Lineker set the record straight on United’s interest in him in 1985. He said that he wasn’t interested in moving to Old Trafford due to the fact Everton were a dominant force in English football back in the 80s.

His words are likely to sting a number of United supporters as he called them ‘very average’ in his tweet. However, it will likely please a number of Everton supporters to know that they were the preferred destination ahead of one of the world’s biggest clubs.

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[ad_pod ]Eddie Nketiah fired Leeds United to the top of the Championship with the only goal of the match against Brentford on Wednesday night.The 20-year-old scored on his debut for the club in the EFL Cup against Salford City last week and he is now off the mark in the Championship goal scoring charts as well.Indeed, the assist came from fellow substitute Helder Costa and the 5 ft 9 ace was on hand to convert, ultimately securing all three points for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.It will be very interesting to see how Bielsa uses the on-loan Arsenal forward in the coming weeks as Patrick Bamford has also made a strong start to the campaign.Signing another goal threat was always on the agenda following the departure of Kemar Roofe, though, and it would be fair to say that the Leeds fans have taken to Nketiah in the early stages of his Elland Road career.Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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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…

Former Cardiff City striker Michael Chopra believes Leicester City’s Hamza Choudhury can make history by becoming the first-ever British-Asian to play for the England senior side.

What’s he said?

The young midfielder made his Foxes Premier League debut under Claude Puel in November 2017 and has only featured in short spells ever since – not playing more than nine times in any one season.

That looks as if it is changing as Brendan Rodgers clearly sees a spot for him amongst the first-team – the 21-year-old has started all three league matches as well as their Carabao Cup game against Newcastle in midweek, per Transfermarkt.

Choudhury has a mixed background of Bangladeshi and Caribbean heritage but has appeared seven times for England’s Under-21 squad in the past year, including at this summer’s European Under-21 Championships.

Chopra, who was a British-Asian Premier League player himself believes the 5 foot 10 midfielder has every chance of playing for the senior side, he said:

“If you look at the boy at Leicester, Choudhury, I think he is the only one at this moment in time who has got a chance.

“He’s playing in the Premier League as a young boy.

“Whether they are good enough to play for the England national team is another thing because there is so much competition and there are so many good young English players.

“Hopefully an Asian player will come through and play for England at some stage but we still could be talking about it taking some time.”

A realistic possibility

Choudhury has grown into Rodgers’ first-team plans by not only impressing during training and on the pitch for the Foxes, but also when he’s featured for the Young Lions.

It’s his aggression in the tackle that the Northern Irishman loves so much and when you look at who has that in the current national side only Jordan Henderson really comes to mind.

Long-term, he is unlikely to be the answer – the Liverpool midfielder has averaged 1.4 tackles per game in every Premier League season he’s played.

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It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 21-year-old make the transition into the senior setup at some point in the future.

Not only would it earmark a cultural moment in history but it would be his just deserts for the performances he’s shown in the west Midlands and beyond.

After all, he’s already shown he can perform against the best, earning a match rating of 7.1, per WhoScored, against Chelsea last season.

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