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It would take something special from Leicester City’s James Maddison in the final weeks of the campaign to match or even better a long-standing Premier League record which is currently shared by David Beckham of Manchester United and Laurent Robert of Newcastle United.

What’s the word, then?

Sky Sports’ Martin Tyler delivered a whole host of statistics for readers to unpick on Tuesday following another weekend of Premier League football.

After James Maddison scored yet another direct free-kick, his third of the season, Tyler revealed that the pulsating playmaker is closing in on a potential league record.

As it stands, the current record for most direct free-kicks scored in a single season belongs to David Beckham and Laurent Robert, who have both managed to score five set-piece goals during one campaign.

The former Manchester United superstar achieved that feat in the 2000/01 season, while the left-sided Newcastle technician matched it a season later.

The next David Beckham?

There are certainly parallels to be drawn between the respective dead-ball techniques of Maddison and Beckham.

Naturally, as a title-winning Red Devil, the former England international presumably had more opportunities to strike the ball from a set-piece situation than Maddison has had this season, and that could be what prevents Leicester’s creative hub from matching the record.

On the international stage, though, Maddison could eventually establish himself in Gareth Southgate’s starting XI and go on to intimidate opponents with his Beckham-esque free-kick style.

And, if he manages to equal the league record number of free-kicks scored in a single season by May, there is no doubt the England boss will be pondering over his inclusion at the UEFA Nations League Finals in June.

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Ryan Fraser has offered little assurance to Bournemouth fans who may be fearful that he will seek an exit in the summer amid transfer reports linking the Scotsman with a switch to Arsenal.

The 25-year-old was understandably flattered by the rumours, as he spoke to Sky Sports, and didn’t appear to rule out a move away from the Vitality Stadium, saying:

“I’m not going to lie, [being linked with Arsenal is] very nice . It means you are are doing something right.

“[Arsenal] are a huge club, a massive club. When you see your name thrown around you always think to yourself that you are a Bournemouth player and you try to do well.

“I will just keep doing what I am doing, try to enjoy myself and try to win the game for my team.

“What will be, will be.”

Check out the below above to see football played as you’ve never seen it before… in a maze!

The diminutive speedster has been in sensational form for the south coast outfit this campaign as he has chalked up six goals and 10 assists in 32 league appearances – an output which has put him on the radar of one of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Eddie Howe will be hoping to hang on to his biggest stars – Fraser, Nathan Ake and Callum Wilson included – this summer, but the lure of European football and a massive increase in wages could prove too good to resist.

Fraser’s final five words – “what will be, will be” – will surely leave a bad feeling in the pit of the Cherries fans’ stomachs, who must start preparing themselves for a difficult summer window.

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Since emerging on the Premier League scene in February 2018 for Crystal Palace, amid a series of defensive injuries, few defenders have impressed to the extent that Aaron Wan-Bissaka has. Despite only making 35 senior appearances in club football, the 21-year-old has seized his opportunity at Palace emphatically, and now, he’s regarded as one of England’s most promising talents.

Without question, the role of a full-back has been notably modernised in recent years. Formerly, the sole priority was to be defensively sound, yet there’s an expectation for full-backs to be equally proficient in attack and defence; Wan-Bissaka perfectly encapsulates the essence of a modern-day full-back.

For a player with limited senior experience and has yet to attain a full season of Premier League football, the 21-year-old exhibits maturity far beyond his years, and he plays the game with tangible composure. His defensive qualities are immensely refined, and he’s one of the most capable defenders in the league.

The Englishman is excellent at tackling, intercepting and blocking the ball, and his intelligence on the pitch is notable. Similarly, the Palace youth graduate demonstrates tremendous dribbling ability, and his speed is a valued facet of his arsenal.

In less than a year, Wan-Bissaka has developed from being an unknown player within Premier League circles to a vital component in Roy Hodgson’s side, and possibly, the Eagles’ most prized asset. One senses that the call-up to international football, a matter of when not if Gareth Southgate opts to include the right-back in his squad.

Statistically, Wan-Bissaka is one of the most dominant defenders in England’s top-flight. He ranks joint second for the highest number of tackles in the Premier League with 96. Unsurprisingly, Crystal Palace have conceded the second fewest goals in the bottom half of the Premier League which is a testament to the capability of their defensive unit, of which the 21-year-old is a vital figure.

Perhaps, the most impressive aspect of watching Wan-Bissaka play is his capacity to dictate one-on-one battles with attacking players, and generally, he’s unfazed by every challenge he faces on the pitch.

To have a player as talented as the Palace right-back would be greatly welcomed by most Premier League outfits, particularly given the defender’s age and the scope for further improvement. In the previous 12 months, the Englishman has enjoyed a dramatic and fruitful rise to stardom, and his footballing pedigree would be further elevated by playing for a club of greater quality.

There’s a tendency within the media to overestimate and inflate the actual ability and potential of Premier League youth products, particularly young English players, but since making his senior debut, Wan-Bissaka has shown that he’s utterly at ease in one of the world’s most competitive and combative divisions.

A player of his talent and enormous potential can reach the upper echelons of elite football, and a move to a top-six Premier League club could prove to be of immeasurable benefit to his development. One team that could prove to be an ideal fit for the youngster is Tottenham Hotspur.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

While recognising that Palace has given Wan-Bissaka the platform to demonstrate his quality, and have facilitated his meteoric rise to stardom, playing for a team laden with internationally renowned talents can only improve one’s skill set.

In the form of Mauricio Pochettino, Tottenham have an astute tactician and a manager that has continually demonstrated his willingness to entrust young players, while markedly accelerating their development and helping to broaden their attributes.

Despite being an astute purchase, Kieran Trippier is player that Tottenham can improve upon, and Wan-Bissaka could be the consummate fit for the attractive and expansive style of football that Spurs seek to employ.

[ad_pod ]BBC Pundit Lee Dixon has joked that Newcastle boy wonder Sean Longstaff will be off to Germany soon if he keeps up his excellent form, in response to Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker’s discussion on Twitter.

What did he say?

Former Arsenal star Dixon appeared to be making a mockery of the current trend in football, in which English clubs have seen their young homegrown talent travel to Germany in search of game time; Jadon Sancho, Reiss Nelson and Rabbi Matondo have all made the move to the Bundesliga, whilst Callum Hudson-Odoi handed in a transfer request last month in order to force a move from Chelsea to Bayern Munich.

Dixon said: “He’ll be off to Germany before we know it!”, as Shearer and Lineker waxed lyrical about the Magpies’ 21-year-old academy graduate, which, whilst it should be taken as a joke, is a damning indictment on the chances English clubs give their youngsters.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Is there anything wrong with that?

Whilst clubs from Germany seem far happier in giving chances to our younger players that English clubs do, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that if you were to look at it from the perspective of the national team.

Only David Beckham, Owen Hargreaves and Ashley Cole are among English players to have chanced their arm abroad in recent years, which has admittedly seen the national team flounder on the big stage as a number of our players seem tactically limited.

Previous World Cup winning teams such as France, Germany and Spain have boasted squads containing players who feature for the best teams in most of Europe’s top leagues, which is absolutely no coincidence.

Seeing our young talent flock abroad and achieve great things is only bad for the clubs that were so narrow-minded in allowing them to leave, but should be fantastic news for those hoping for international success.

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Arsenal’s recent 3-1 defeat at the hands of reigning Premier League champions Manchester City highlighted many of the Gunners’ flaws.

Whilst defensive injuries have played a part, the Arsenal back line was all too easily pulled apart by City’s attackers. What’s more, despite chasing the game, the north London club couldn’t offer any attacking threat in the entire second half at the Etihad Stadium.

The result served to highlight how vast the gulf is between Pep Guardiola’s side and sixth-placed Arsenal at this time. It also shone an unflinching light upon the scale of the task facing Unai Emery, who is responsible for making Arsenal Champions League mainstays and title contenders once again.

Since Emery’s appointment, Arsenal have known a number of ups and downs. A 22-game unbeaten run in all competitions was a highlight, and the 4-2 win over bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur will live long in the memory. 

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However, persistent defensive issues; at times dull and pedestrian football; questionable team selections and tactical setups; and a recent dearth of the creativity have all led to Emery coming under fire.

At times it is hard to see what kind of team he is trying to construct at Arsenal. What’s more, it is clear that the club are not able to back him as comprehensively in the market as fans would hope, as the manager’s admission that Arsenal could only afford to conduct loan deals during the January transfer window proved.

Emery will certainly struggle to build an elite level side with such financial restraints hampering him. However, being canny and bold in the market could see the Gunners take steps forward. The £8million summer capture of 19-year-old midfielder Matteo Guendouzi from French second tier side Lorient is proof of this.

The youngster has been a revelation since his arrival at the Emirates Stadium, despite his lack of top level experience prior to joining Arsenal. He was also the brightest spark in Arsenal’s recent defeat to Manchester City.

As per WhoScored’s stats, the Frenchman recorded the highest pass accuracy rating, 91.2%, of any Arsenal player. None of his teammates could produce more key passes, touches, successful dribbles or accurate long balls than the teenager either.

Guendouzi was dynamic, fearless, and tenacious in the face of intimidating opposition, and as many of his teammates wilted around him, he rose to the occasion. 

The imminent departure of Arsenal’s head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat, may hamper the club’s ability to identify and acquire such young, cheap and promising talents in the future. If Guendouzi’s approach to the game against Manchester City if indicative of Emery’s vision for what his whole team should become though, then that ideal is worth striving for, and the manager’s plans must be persisted with. 

Liverpool have shown images of Takumi Minamino working hard in training on their official Twitter page.

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The January signing from RB Salzburg has not been given much game time by Jurgen Klopp since moving to Anfield, but it is shown that he is still very much part of the club’s plans.

Fans have also shown that they are fully behind the Japan international, hoping to see him on the pitch as much as possible.

There are many fans who are waiting to see the 25-year-old burst onto the scene for their club, with one asking when Klopp will “release this weapon”.

One said “what a player” about him, which has led to references about the fact they want him to get more minutes, with Minamino having had 221 in all competitions, across four matches.

Call yourself a Liverpool expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

This may have been a slow start, but Reds fans are far from the stage where they are starting to give up on him.

Some have even suggested that “Takumi must start”, showing how highly they rate the 25-year-old.

He is still yet to start a Premier League game – coming off the bench against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton – something they feel should change.

The winger’s only starts at the club have come during a 1-0 win against Everton and 2-2 draw with Shrewsbury Town, which both came in the FA Cup.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to Paul Pogba’s complimentary statement.

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Celtic fans have taken to Twitter to react after Scott Sinclair bagged a hat-trick against St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup to send the Bhoys into the quarter-finals.

The former Manchester City forward displayed ice-cool composure in front of goal to bag a treble, with James Forrest and an unlikely scorer in Scott Brown – whose wonder goal was his first in two years – rounding off a dominant victory.

Sinclair’s hat-trick helped Brendan Rodgers’ men to what was their 24th consecutive domestic cup win as they aim to complete another treble, and signals a remarkable turnaround in form after being slated by Celtic fans earlier in the season.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The former Swansea star has now hit 16 goals across all competitions so far this season, displaying an unerring composure to his finishing which is to be vital if Celtic are to beat Rangers to the Scottish Premiership title.

Fans of the Scottish giants on Twitter were in awe at Brown’s screamer, but also took time to commend Sinclair on his match-winning performance and potency in front of goal…

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Not many would have predicted that West Ham United would need to dip into the transfer window again in January given that they recruited nine new faces in the summer.

However, Manuel Pellegrini has been linked to a handful of players ahead of the transfer window re-opening.

The Hammers are dealing with a few injuries in midfield, but it is up front where the club are reportedly looking to also strengthen.

According to a recent report in The Sun, the East London outfit are one of a few clubs considering a move for Liverpool striker Dominic Solanke.

The publication states that the Reds are open to offloading him on loan for the rest of the season in order to rack up some competitive minutes.

West Ham’s main attacking option is Marko Arnautovic, but his back-ups, including Javier Hernandez, have struggled to deliver when called upon.

We asked you if Solanke would slot well into the Hammers’ team, and there is clearly a divide, with only a small majority believing that a transfer is a good idea.

Jurgen Klopp is loved by the majority of the Liverpool fanbase as his style of football and the team that he is shaping has received a seal of approval.

The German coach took over at Anfield in October 2015 and since then he has been transforming a team that finally seem capable of challenging for the Premier League title.

The negative blot on his Liverpool career, though, is the failure to so far win a trophy despite guiding the team to three cup finals.

The most recent disappointment was in May when the Reds were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid in the Champions League final in May.

When Klopp was welcomed on Merseyside, he was replacing Brendan Rodgers midway through a season.

The Northern Irishman, who is now in charge of Celtic, never won a trophy during his three-and-a-half-year spell at Liverpool, but he took them close to clinching the title as they finished two points behind Manchester City.

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Towards the end of his stint at Anfield, plenty of fans turned on Rodgers, but there are some who still hold the coach in high regard.

Twitter account @AnfieldHQ sparked a reaction on Twitter when they asked where the club would be now if Rodgers was still in charge.

It is safe to say that not many would be happy if that was the case.

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Despite having a Premier League winners’ medal, Michy Batshuayi has not had the most successful time at Chelsea so far.

The Belgian arrived at Stamford Bridge from Marseille last year for a £30m+ figure, but he has struggled to make an impact.

Manager Antonio Conte played the striker 20 times in the Premier League, but only included the 24-year-old in the starting lineup once, which was after the team had secured the title.

Following the summer acquisition of Alvaro Morata from Real Madrid, it became clear that Batshuayi would not be promoted to a regular spot.

This season, the striker has featured six times in all competitions, scoring five goals – in the Carabao Cup and Champions League.

The fans have been frustrated with Batshuayi’s displays in the top flight, and they are not the only ones, with former Premier League player Jamie Redknapp criticising the forward.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has claimed that 20-year-old Tammy Abraham, who is currently on loan at Swansea City from Chelsea, could easily replace Batshuayi.

The football pundit wrote for the Daily Mail:

“If you put Tammy Abraham into Chelsea’s team now in place of Michy Batshuayi, I don’t think he would do any worse but Swansea is the best place for him right now.”