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Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to heap praise on Che Adams, after he came off the bench to grab the assist for Danny Ings’ late winner against Leicester on Saturday.

The Englishman – who cost the Saints £15m when they signed him from Birmingham back in the summer – entered the fray in the 78th minute, and took only three minutes to make a significant impact.

Adams poked the ball through to Ings, who took an excellent touch before toe-poking the ball through Kasper Schmeichel and into the back of the net for his 14th Premier League goal of the campaign – he is now the joint second-highest goalscorer in England’s top-flight this term.

Instead of aiming all of the praise at the former Liverpool man, however, some Southampton fans have given credit to Adams for his immediate impact against the Foxes amid talk of the 23-year-old possibly leaving St Mary’s this month, with Leeds interested according to The Athletic’s Phil Hay.

The Southampton No.10’s assist helped Ralph Hasenhuttl’s men move onto 28 points for the campaign, which is mightily impressive seeing as they had just eight to their name after the 9-0 defeat back at the end of October.

Let’s see what the Southampton fans on Twitter have been saying about Adams’ assist…

This supporter named James said that the former Birmingham man “deserves a lot of credit” for his assist and also called the moment a “quality bit of play” from the forward – it’s hard to argue with that.

These two fans both spoke of the transfer interest in Adams while also praising him.

One said “what a one-two and through ball to Ings” before stating that the striker “ain’t going nowhere” while another supporter named Robert said “what a pass” – mentioning that the assist was “reason 291 why he shouldn’t depart anytime soon”.

Elsewhere, this fan said that it was a “great bit of skill” and a great pass, before mentioning that it doesn’t matter if Adams can’t find the net too much as long as he can perform Shane Long’s tireless role next to Ings.

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

Lastly, “instinctive” and “quality” were the adjectives of the day here to describe Adams’ assist, with Philip highlighting the fact that there was “no margin for error at all” while Ian noted that he “didn’t even look up” to see where Ings was.

In other news, The Athletic’s Carl Anka has added an intriguing dimension to the Che Adams exit rumours through the use of just one word…

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho is back in training and could be in contention to feature against Manchester United this weekend, according to The Daily Mirror.

What’s the story?

The Brazil international came off injured early into the game against Napoli in the Champions League at the end of November, and he has not set foot onto a pitch since.

The big fat Liverpool quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Anfield?

However, it is now being reported that he is fit and ready to return to the action, and that his first appearance back in the side could come against the Red Devils on Sunday.

Big dilemma for Klopp

On the face of it, the 26-year-old’s return is a huge boost for the 52-year-old. Fabinho was described earlier this season as the best defensive midfielder in the world by Gary Neville (Sky Sports via Metro), and he has shown his true worth in front of the back four.

However, this now gives Klopp a huge dilemma, and that is down to the form of Jordan Henderson. The England international and Liverpool captain has filled in in the role in the former Monaco man’s absence, and from a defensive point of view, it has seen a huge improvement to the Reds’ record. In the 12 games Fabinho started in the Premier League in a deep-lying midfield role, the Anfield outfit kept just two clean sheets. In the five games Henderson has started in that position since then, Liverpool have not conceded in four of them.

There will no doubt be increased tension in the match against United – there usually is considering the historical meaning of this rivalry. Not only that, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side are the only team in the top flight to have taken any points away from Klopp’s men so far this campaign.

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With the way Liverpool are playing at the moment – they have won every single league game since Fabinho’s injury – it would be silly of Klopp to bring him back into the fold for such a big match. And if Liverpool keep another clean sheet and win again, then there should be no rush to get him back into the team at all.

In other news, Liverpool fans discuss Adam Lallana’s future.

According to a recent report coming from the Bristol Post, Aston Villa are one of the teams trying to secure a deal for Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah.

The same source claims that Villa are already desperate to get this deal over the line since they see the youngster as someone who could replace the injured Wesley Moraes up front.

Of course, the 20-year-old is very much a big talent who’s still emerging from his cocoon but he’s already caught the eye of some of the big names in the world of football.

But who exactly has praised Nketiah and what exactly have people had to say about the young Gunner?

Let’s find out…

Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds manager

Nketiah spent the first half of the season on loan at Leeds United and was playing under the watchful eye of Marcelo Bielsa.

Interestingly enough, it seems that the 20-year-old forward managed to impress his gaffer as the coach praised both his mentality and his ability, calling him a great professional and a real gentleman following the confirmation of his return to Arsenal.

Here’s what he said, as quoted by Wakefield Express:

“He’s a specialist great player with a lot of resources and our play is a collective way of playing and one player needs to adapt to this style.

“He didn’t take this decision but he is a great player, an excellent professional and he had very good behaviour, he is a gentleman in every sense.”

On another occasion, he even dubbed him a “complete player”, as quoted by Yorkshire Post:

“He’s a striker with goals. Some players are involved a lot before the finish, before the chance.

“Nketiah is more involved in the end of the action, not in the creation. Anyway, he has good characteristics to combine with team-mates. Give options to the team. Complete player.”

Arsene Wenger, former Arsenal coach

If an Arsenal legend such as Wenger heaps praise on you, you know you’re doing something right.

And that’s exactly what happened in 2017 after Nketiah’s heroics in the EFL Cup for the Gunners.

He came off the bench and scored a brace to lead his team past Norwich City after extra time at the Emirates Stadium, warranting heaps of praise by his gaffer.

Here’s what Wenger said, as quoted by FourFourTwo:

“I know he has character and is not afraid.

“He smells the combination movements, he can give and go and once a player has that in his game, they have always a chance. The guys who can understand that if they give the ball somewhere and they can get it back and know where to get it back, the quality of reception is a very important quality.

“I would say the quality of the reception, he has that.”

Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right….

Michael Owen, former player

Another icon who’s given his blessing to Nketiah is the legendary Michael Owen.

When talking to BT Sport, the now 40-year-old retired forward addressed Nketiah’s comparisons with Ian Rush and lauded him as a top player in the process.

Here’s what he said, as relayed by Tribuna:

“This lad looks like he is a real top player. I was speaking to Ian Wright about him the other day, only because a lot of people were saying to me ‘he plays like Ian Wright, on the shoulder’. He likes running in behind. He scores goals. Maybe he can improve his hold-up play.”

Verdict

If the verdicts above are anything to go by, Nketiah truly looks like a top prospect.

Villa are right to target him and could land themselves a real talent if this reported deal goes through.

Manchester City were boosted by the return of Aymeric Laporte from injury earlier this month but the breakthrough of another player should also please Pep Guardiola.

Eric Garcia has featured 11 times this season and has looked accomplished for most of that time, helping the Citizens concede just seven goals in those matches.

He put in a confident display alongside Nicolas Otamendi against Fulham in the FA Cup on Sunday, achieving 96% pass accuracy and one tackle and one interception, which perhaps would have been greater if the visitors managed more than 30% possession.

Being adept both on and off the ball is key for any Manchester City defender, and if he can prove to his manager that he can have a commanding presence and show greater reliability than either Otamendi or John Stones then he has a chance of playing more often.

Supporters have been impressed with the 19-year-old’s form this season, and the assuredness and composure he displayed against Fulham indicates that he has a bright future ahead of him.

Fans didn’t just praise his defensive attributes post-match, however, but his skill on the ball also, and if he can learn from Laporte it may not be long until he is a regular starter in the league.

Since Laporte has been unavailable the Citizens have lost five league games and conceded 27 goals in 24 league games, which highlights their vulnerability at the back and the possible need for a new defender, but Garcia could be the solution to that problem.

Some supporters have called for the Spaniard to start ahead of either Stones or Otamendi, arguing that he is the second-best centre-back at the club.

Who on earth is that?!?! Can you name all of these obscure January signings?

Meanwhile, we have assessed one Man City transfer target by comparing him to a key player current at the club.

Sunderland remain in store for an active end to the transfer window as Phil Parkinson revealed that big-money signing Will Grigg could still leave the club before the deadline passes.

What did he say?

The Black Cats have turned the corner in recent weeks by going eight games unbeaten but it is a little surprising that there have not been more departures at the club this month considering the team’s lack of form prior to Christmas.

Dylan McGeouch is the only player to depart despite the club dropping out of the top ten at one stage under Parkinson, which is simply unacceptable for a club of their size at this level.

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Parkinson has made little secret of his desire to move McGeady on and it appears he has the same mindset with Grigg, though he also admitted that he would be satisfied no matter how Grigg’s future plays out.

Speaking ahead of the match against Tranmere, as reported by the Chronicle, Parkinson said:

“Will and I have had a good chat this week and if nothing happens, he is happy to stay here and fight for his place and make a contribution.

“If something comes up and we feel we can get somebody else in, we’ll also look at that.

“We have had phone calls about Will because he has a proven track record.”

Deserves another chance?

From Parkinson’s comments it seems he is preparing for every possible outcome and keeping his options open for Grigg to return to the team, which may not be such a bad idea despite the fact the striker has one league goal to boast of this campaign.

The Black Cats’ boss did also mention how his new 3-4-3 system would be more accommodating for the Northern Ireland international, namely because it would reduce the risk of him becoming isolated.

The north-east outfit added Kyle Lafferty to their ranks this month but he is similar to Charlie Wyke given his stature, and that means Grigg would provide an alternative threat, even if he has been criticised heavily for his performances this term.

That could prove particularly useful in games like the one against Doncaster on Friday, where Sunderland really needed a poacher to take up clever positions in the box to get across the defender and find the target, something that Grigg can provide.

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He is clearly struggling from a lack of confidence and while it would be useful for the club to rid at least some of his salary from the wage bill, he could still have a role to play in the team’s promotion push.

Elsewhere, a former Sunderland player has been full of praise for a current member of the Black Cats’ squad.

Some Leeds fans weren’t too bothered when it was announced that Ryan Edmondson would be out for a couple of months due to the fact that he needs knee surgery.While it’s never nice to hear that a player is injured, United supporters didn’t seem to care all that much, stating that he wouldn’t have got a first-team chance anyway.To be fair, you can understand this point of view. Edmondson hasn’t even appeared on the bench yet this season, and Phil Hay has suggested the youngster may not have a future at Elland Road.However, Marcelo Bielsa’s comments on Thursday seem to suggest that he may have a future at the club.

What’s been said then?

The manager was asked about Edmondson in the wake of the news that he’s going to be out of action for a while.

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The Argentine stated that his injury was untimely as he was finally starting to show what was needed from him in training.

Could still have a future

It was something of a surprise when it was suggested that Edmondson doesn’t have a future at Elland Road. After all, the teenager had already appeared twice for the first-team despite being just 18 years old.

The striker netted 20 goals for the U23s last term, and you’d expect that to have caught the eye of the manager.

What could’ve been… Can you name the clubs these football legends almost joined?

However, The Athletic’s Leeds United correspondent suggested that the boss simply didn’t rate him – although recent comments suggest that could change.

Edmondson obviously did something right in his last training session before injury, and if he can pick up where he left off once he’s back he could force Bielsa into handing him an opportunity in the first-team.

This could be a lifeline for the youngster, and he has to make sure to be at his very best once he’s back.

In other news, Marcelo Bielsa needs questioning after failing in one quest.

Everton fans have found themselves agreeing with famous commentator John Motson after his glowing comments about the club and manager Carlo Ancelotti.

The three-time Champions League winner has turned the Toffees’ season around dramatically after they started in the relegation zone in December, but now sit just three points behind Sheffield United in 6th place in the Premier League standings. This comes after the Blues’ 3-2 victory against Watford on Saturday after coming from two goals down to win the game with Theo Walcott’s 90th-minute strike.

Motson told talkSPORT he was very impressed with where the club are going under the Italian boss after watching two of their games in recent weeks. He added, following Saturday’s game, that he came away from the game thinking that Ancelotti’s team are getting better as the weeks progress. Supporters agreed with what Motson said and made their feelings clear on social media.

Check out some of the best Twitter responses down below…

Everton fans! Do you agree with John Motson? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Marcelo Bielsa’s pre-match press conference was, as predicted, full of comments that only served to stir the pot with many Leeds United fans.

Of course, with everything that’s been going on with Kiko Casilla of late, the Whites’ first-choice goalkeeper was once again at the centre of the discussion as the Argentine coach was asked whether he’ll play against Bristol City or not.

And since Bielsa confirmed the Spaniard will retain his place in the side, many of the fans simply couldn’t believe it because they view him as someone who could cost them points and even their promotion to the top flight.

They were quick to doubt their gaffer’s stubbornness on the matter.

Some couldn’t believe what they’d heard from their boss.

Amid their frustration, two fans couldn’t help but take it as a really bad joke and laughed it off because there’s simply no justifying his faith in Casilla.

It seems that for all his genius Bielsa is slowly altering opinions among the fanbase…

One fan jokingly said that the translator should immediately be fired because there’s no way that Bielsa could actually have confirmed that Casilla and Bamford will both play in the next match.

Finally, there were some fans who felt sorry for Illan Meslier, who’s still waiting for his proper chance with the senior squad.

If he doesn’t get an opportunity now that Casilla has gone off the boil, when will his time come?

Meanwhile, a Sky Sports pundit has delivered a bold verdict on Leeds United’s talented teenager…

Tottenham Hotspur managed to secure all three points against Aston Villa on Sunday but they had to dig deep to secure a vital win in the race for Champions League qualification.

It was Heung-Min Son’s late strike that secured Jose Mourinho’s side all three points as the club extended their unbeaten run to seven across all competitions.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

While a handful of individuals were worthy of being singled out for individual praise, Ben Davies was one man who particularly impressed

The 26-year-old defender has been injured since November and did extremely well upon his return.

Many of the fans were quick to recognise his contribution despite being out for so long.

And the compliments were flying in from all sides as many supporters raved about his display, calling him a baller and spectacular in the process.

Davies won six aerial duels, registered six tackles and two interceptions, definitely making his mark on the pitch throughout the game.

One fan even said that Davies is a far better defender than Danny Rose, who’s out on loan at Newcastle at the moment, while one other emphasised how brave he is marshalling that backline of Spurs.

There was also one Wales fan who believes that Spurs’ defender is the most underrated player in the entirety of the Premier League, without any question.

Finally, one fan concluded by stating Davies was a game changing presence.

Elsewhere, many Spurs fans have no doubts about the player they want Daniel Levy to sign…

If you look down the Premier League you’ll see a host of names who came through the ranks at Sheffield United.

The world’s most expensive defender Harry Maguire is one, while serial winner Kyle Walker is another.

Two of the most prominent names, they’re now plying their trades at Manchester United and Manchester City.

However, there are further names. Che Adams at Southampton springs to mind, as do Aaron Ramsdale and David Brooks at Bournemouth. Another individual is Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The conveyer belt of talent to come through the Blades’ down the years is significant.

What’s telling now, though, is that until Sander Berge arrived in January, Sheffield United hadn’t fielded a player below the age of 21 in the Premier League all season.

Dean Henderson, aged 22, had been the youngest, but even then he is not a permanent fixture at Bramall Lane.

Symbolic of the higher echelons Chris Wilder’s men now find themselves in, it didn’t feel appropriate to blood young talent. On top of that, they were now lacking in quality young players like Maguire and Walker to even bring through.

A flow to the first-team has been lacking in recent years, but there are signs starting to appear that it could drastically improve.

Plans are in place for a brand new training ground for Sheffield United, and with that, a new site for the academy to learn their trade will be developed.

According to The Athletic, Wilder has desires to upgrade the academy’s category 2 status into the most illustrious and renowned – category 1.

For 20 years they’ve been sitting in the second tier of academy structures but the increased wealth that a place in the Premier League has brought means they can finally upgrade.

This will be crucial to the Yorkshire club’s long-term development and plans now appear to be at an advanced stage after Prince Abdullah visited last month.

What’s crucial to discovering new rising stars, however, is finding a new site.

Currently blocked in by housing, they need to make room for a floodlit grass pitch, as well as an artificial playing surface. Furthermore, an indoor pitch, no smaller than 60 yards is required while a minimum of three classrooms are needed for a club to hold category 1 academy status.

It’s clear that huge investment is needed but with planning believed to be in their later stages, it may only be a matter of time before the Blades can begin to develop talent like Maguire and Walker again.

Calling Premier League experts ONLY: Which year were these top flight clubs formed?

Speaking about their misfortune with the academy, Wilder noted this week: “There’s been some (departures) we couldn’t do a lot about, Dominic, Che and Brooksy for instance. Where the club was at that particular moment, it was difficult to stand in their way. But one of the things that gives us hope is that they would have had a more difficult decision now because we’re in a more powerful position.”

A league placing of sixth, as well as new facilities, could very much bring the best out of the academy again. Although, much of whether it can shine will be owed to Jack Lester – the head of youth operations. An exciting future awaits not only for him but also for the club as a whole if things go well.

If they’re still in the Premier League, they may not have to sell their brightest prospects either. This is only the beginning for Sheffield United.

In other news, one Sheff Utd transfer target STARRED in Europe on Thursday…