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For many clubs, the January window is one of the most frantic times of the season, as teams scramble to make new signings during the mid-season window.

The Premier League is usually a hot-bed for talent changing hands and incomings and outgoings, and although this window saw the Championship be far the more active of England’s top two leagues, there were still some big movements in the top flight.

However, the current league leaders, Liverpool, opted not to make a move during the window, and we here in the Tavern are questioning whether that was the right move by the club and manager Jurgen Klopp.

Liverpool’s lack of January additions is something which will raise eyebrows amongst other managers and onlooking pundits no doubt, and with the club in such a strong position in terms of capturing it’s first league title, it is a surprise they’ve not moved to add one or two faces to get them over the line.

Attacking wise in wide areas, Liverpool are fine, but down the middle, should Roberto Firmino pick up a knock, there has to be an element of worry there.

At centre half too, where Virgil Van Dijk is such an integral figure, could also cause a problem if the Dutchman was to go down. While in central midfield, Liverpool haven’t really got that difference maker in there despite the summer signing of Naby Keita and the return of Adam Lallana.

Of course, the do sit top of the pile, so barring any injuries will no doubt reap the rewards of a quiet January. But it is a risk, and a risk which could have big consequences if things go terribly.

Reds fans, what do you think? Would you have liked to see the club add new players? Let us know in the comments!

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James Forrest is in contention to face Valencia next week, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

The winger opened the scoring in the 78th minute away to St. Johnstone to set up three precious points but felt a reaction in his hamstring that forced him out of action.

Most hamstring injuries involve at least a month long lay-off but the signs are that Forrest is on course for an early return.

The Scottish Sun claim Forrest hasn’t ruled out being available for next week’s all-important Europa League clash with Valencia, should his treatment go to plan.

Mikey Johnston could step straight into Forrest’s place on the right flank for the coming encounter with Hibernian or Timothy Weah could come in to form a twin strike-force with Oliver Burke.

Celtic could be without a whole host of first team players for Wednesday’s match, with Tom Rogic, Filip Benkovic, Tony Ralston and Leigh Griffiths – to name a few – currently stuck on the sidelines.

Forrest has put in some memorable performances in European ties but Brendan Rodgers can’t afford to take any risk on the winger with a hectic domestic schedule ahead.

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West Bromwich Albion were comfortable winners against bitter rivals Aston Villa on Saturday. First half goals from Hal Robson-Kanu and Jay Rodriguez secured a 2-0 victory for the Baggies at Villa Park.

Without joint-top goalscorer Dwight Gayle – who was unavailable due to a suspension – Darren Moore’s side had to change their approach somewhat, but they were still the superior side.

On the chalkboard

Without Gayle, the visitors’ front line lacked pace. Rodriguez and Robson-Kanu – brought into the starting XI in place of Gayle – lack the speed and mobility to offer the same threat to the opposition defence usually provided by the 28-year-old suspended striker.

Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…

Without this weapon in their attacking arsenal, the Baggies had to adapt their approach play. Rodriguez and Robson-Kanu both offer plenty of physicality and aerial threat. West Brom therefore made sure that they played to their strengths.

It was unsurprising then that the opening goal of the game came from a Robson-Kanu header, as the Villa defenders failed to deal with the Welshman’s presence in the box and West Brom worked to forge exactly the kind of opportunity he is capable of capitalising on. 

Smart work by Moore

Moore deserves plenty of credit for successfully restructuring his team and remoulding his tactics so as to get the best out of his forwards. 

With a tough trip to Loftus Road to face QPR next on the agenda for West Brom, Moore will be preparing his side to once again win without the help of Gayle. But Saturday’s game provided the blueprint: if the Rs fail to deal with the more robust, direct approach of Rodriguez and Robson-Kanu as much as Villa did, then the Baggies will stand a great chance. 

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Tottenham fans have taken to Twitter to react after their former player Nabil Bentaleb hit a double against Manchester City in the Champions League.

The Spurs academy graduate left the club to sign for Bundesliga side Schalke back in 2017 after spending a season on loan with the German team, and has gone from strength to strength at the Veltins Arena.

On Wednesday night, the Algerian international got fans talking after scoring a brace from the penalty spot against Pep Guardiola’s reigning Premier League champions, which looked like it would give them an unlikely win but for Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling’s late heroics.

The 24-year-old has now scored eight goals this season in what has been an eye-catching campaign for him personally – impressively, he has also scored all 14 of his penalties for the club.

It must’ve been a proud moment for Spurs fans to see their academy graduate make an impact in the Champions League, so let’s see how they reacted on Twitter to Bentaleb’s performance…

Manchester United are yet to agree a contract with David De Gea, but if his demands are too high, they should let him go for the good of the club.

It sounds crazy, yes, because he’s arguably the best goalkeeper in world football (ignoring the World Cup) but if The Evening Standard’s report is right and United could be priced out, it’s important they send a message that nobody is bigger than the club. If they collapse to his agent’s demands too easily, they could have a wage war on their hands.

The Spaniard’s move to Real Madrid never quite crossed the line in 2015 due to a fax machine fault, if you can believe that, and since then rumours have circled around his future. It’s not hard to believe that he might want to leave to play for his supposed boyhood club or even another top European side fighting for the league and top honours, which United aren’t doing at the moment.

If he wants to stay though, he’ll take the wage he’s given.

Of course, players and their agents will always barter for more money, but at the end of the process, it’s a simple decision between accepting United’s final offer because he wants to play for them, or leaving because his head’s been turned. Money is a factor, but you’d like to think players will find a way to make the deal work if they want to stay.

United already have a crazy wage bill that the club don’t seem to care about too much, which is the opposite to their rivals Manchester City who have pulled out of deals for targets over the last few years because their wage demands would ruin the club’s structure. Alexis Sanchez was lured to United by a wage City would never pay a player who had a just arrived at the club, so United could well give De Dea whatever he wants, but that doesn’t mean they should.

If he’s given what he wants, expect to see Paul Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola at Ed Woodward’s door demanding more money, and that can upset the squad harmony. The club need to be seen to be in control of their players, and the players themselves should want to play for the club enough to accept what United are offering.

Sir Alex Ferguson would never allow a player to hold the club to ransom, and he wasn’t such a bad manager, was he?

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Dean Smith has been forced to face his first campaign as Aston Villa boss with just two strikers to pick from, and he has finally revealed the problem with Keinan Davis.

Villa have now picked up just one win in their last 11 games in all competitions, and the lack of quality up front has no doubt played its part.

Tammy Abraham has of course bagged 20 goals already this season, but Jonathan Kodjia has mustered just six strikes and Smith doesn’t really have any options after those two.

The third option would be the 21 year-old Davis, who impressed for England’s Under-20 side last year, scoring twice in three appearances.

The youngster has scored three goals and added four assists in 38 appearances for Villa, and Smith has now revealed what’s been keeping him out of the matchday squads.

What did Smith say?

“He has not trained this week because of a problem in his pelvis. It has been niggling away at him,” Smith told the Birmingham Mail.

“He has played through it at times and then found he is in too much pain. He has not been on the bench because of that.”

A long-term concern?

The youngster is by no means a Villa regular, but he was in the matchday squad for nine straight league games between December and February.

Davis has since not been included in the last four squads, with the Villans picking up just two points from those four games.

The youngster has a very high ceiling and would give Smith another option to call upon, so a persistent injury problem at such a tender age is a big concern.

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It’s been far from easy going at St. Mary’s this season. While Ralph Hasenhuttl has certainly inspired an uplift in overall performance since taking the reigns from Mark Hughes, Southampton are still only two points clear of the relegation zone.

Collectively, Saints have struggled, but there have been some individual success stories throughout 2018/19. Below, Football FanCast’s expert writers debate who has been Southampton’s most improved player this season…

James Beavis – Nathan Redmond

“The attacker scored one goal – which didn’t come until May – and provided three assists in 31 Premier League appearances last season as his confidence was clearly at an all-time low. However, this term he has gone from someone on the periphery in matches to arguably the club’s most important player – especially in the final third.

“Even though the goals and assists didn’t flow earlier in the campaign, the 24-year-old was frightening defenders and his hard work during the summer has paid off. He has begun to find the net on a regular basis under Hasenhuttl, and his versatility and his tirelesss performances mean he is a vital cog of the team – if Southampton lose him to injury now they would go down.”

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

Jack Saville – Jan Bednarek

“It’s impossible to separate this question from the arrival of Hasenhuttl. A collection of individuals have markedly improved under his watch, but one player stands out for me: Jan Bednarek. It’s an absolute mystery how Mark Hughes failed to recognise his talent when it was staring him in the face and, at just 22 years old, Southampton have a huge prospect on their hands.”

Billy Meyers – James Ward-Prowse

“It’s certainly a difficult one, as a number of players have improved under Hasenhuttl compared to a period of stagnation under Hughes, but one player has been markedly improved above all; James Ward-Prowse.

“The English midfielder has been an impressive Premier League performer for the Saints over the years, but without any real substance in the shape of goals or assists – now, however, he sits on five league goals this term, which is already a personal best for him.”

Christy Malyan – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

“For a long time, it wasn’t quite clear why Southampton had invested so much faith in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, but amid this season of almost unrelenting disappointment he’s stood out as a player eager to take games by the scruff of the neck.

“Sometimes, perhaps a little too much; a goal combined with a red card against Manchester City was poignantly telling. But the stats don’t lie – Hojbjerg’s made more appearances, scored more goals and laid on more assists this season than in any of his previous Premier League campaigns.”

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There would have been plenty of excitement when Wolverhampton Wanderers signed the highly-rated Leander Dendoncker on a season-long loan deal from Anderlecht during the summer transfer window, and rightly so.

The 23-year-old had proven himself as a key player for Anderlecht and appeared multiple times in the Champions League for them, shone alongside Youri Tielemans in midfield and shown his versatility by playing as a centre-back too, as well as being named in Belgium’s 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup.

However, it was quickly apparent that Nuno Santo and his coaching team weren’t ready to throw him straight into the thick of Premier League action with the newly-promoted club, with The Express & Star reporting at the end of August that he would need and be given time to adapt to the quicker-paced English game.

That was quite confusing at the time given the wealth of experience he had for his age – he had made 171 appearances for Anderlecht – and while he appeared in the EFL Cup for the west Midlands outfit he didn’t make his top-flight debut until the beginning of December against Chelsea.

Having played just a further 68 minutes between then and mid-January, he has since made nine successive starts and only missed 34 minutes of action since Santo switched to a 3-5-2 system.

Ironically it was against the side he made his Premier League debut again where he really came of age – making eight tackles, five interceptions and four clearances – as Wolves came within minutes of a famous win at Stamford Bridge.

Wolves Fan TV are in no doubt that their side should have come away from Stamford Bridge with all 3 points on Sunday. Check out their views in the video below…

The 6 ft 2 midfielder shone as he helped out the likes of Matt Doherty and Romain Saiss from a defensive point of view on day where he saw little of the ball, helping to thwart fellow countryman Eden Hazard – until his late equaliser that is.

The Belgium international looks to be ready-made for the English top flight and that may well be because he was afforded time to get ready for it both physically and mentally – that once confusing Santo decision suddenly looks like a sensible one that has seriously paid off.

The treble-treble remains a very realistic possibility and despite the managerial fiasco, Celtic have remained focus and on course to achieve great things this season. Who needed Brendan Rodgers after all, right? Indeed, Bhoys fans everywhere will be hoping to stick it to one of the club’s greatest ever traitors. 

Obviously, Neil Lennon is back, albeit until the end of the season but now he has a far greater group of players compared to his last spell with the club. Silverware is, of course, expected to be delivered and with a stern defence, compact midfield and a potent attack, Celtic look certain to do just that.

Next season, though, is likely to be a different challenge entirely with a new boss and new players sure to be arriving over the summer. Clearly, the budget is unknown so with that in mind, a brilliant free addition Celtic could look to complete is the capture of Swansea’s Mike Van Der Hoorn.

Van Der Hoorn, (who is valued at £2.2 million on Transfermarkt) is a player that Celtic have held an interest in before – according to former scout John Park in the Daily Record – and certainly could do again with the centre-back out of contract this summer.

The Dutch defender would be a top replacement for the likes of Filip Benkovic and potentially Dedryck Boyata, with Benkovic unlikely to extend his loan and Boyata being linked with a move away.

The 26-year-old is a giant and has been extremely reliable for Swansea, especially this season, where he has already managed 36 appearances in all competitions. There will certainly be competition for Van Der Hoorn but Celtic, with the ability to qualify for the Champions League, will arguably have the upper hand over anyone else that wants to acquire the Dutchman.

Celtic fans, do you agree that Van Der Hoorn would make a good signing? If not, why not? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Loads of Sunderland fans have been reacting to an update from the Northern Ireland squad, as Will Grigg is struggling with an ankle injury.

Grigg is expected to miss both of Northern Ireland’s Euro 2020 qualifiers during this international break – the green and white army take on Estonia on Thursday evening before a clash with Belarus on Sunday.

According to various reports, the 27 year-old is suffering from an ankle problem and will return to Wearside for treatment.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

“Will’s ankle is an ongoing problem that he’s had for some time,” said manager Michael O’Neill.

Unsurprisingly, Sunderland fans are now speculating over the extent of the injury, with plenty hoping it’s just a precaution ahead of the Checkatrade Trophy final, while others fret over the possibility of a more serious issue.

The ex-Wigan ace has bagged three goals and two assists already in his short time as a Black Cat, and if his ankle problem causes him to miss time in April it would be devastating for the club’s promotion hopes.

Jack Ross’ side play eight League One games in April, and loads of fans have been reacting to the news that could present a hammer blow to the charge for automatic promotion…