David Silva is available for selection for the Manchester derby on Sunday after a rapid recovery from a hamstring injury.
City’s midfield maestro underwent special training sessions organised by the club’s medical staff in the past few days, the Mirror reports.
It had been feared that the Spaniard would be out of action for far longer, after reports that his hamstring injury was related to back problems.
The news will be very welcome to Roberto Mancini, for whom Sunday’s contest against city rivals United is of the highest importance.
The Italian manager knows his future at the Etihad will be in jeopardy if City lose to the Red Devils, which would see them concede a six point gap at the top of the table.
Mancini finds himself under pressure after his side’s poor Champions League campaign, as they were eliminated at the group stages of Europe’s premier competition for the second successive season.
Silva did not travel to Germany for Tuesday’s match away at Borussia Dortmund. The 1-0 loss meant City collected a measly three points from six matches, the lowest ever points total by an English club in the group stages of the tournament.
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Despite their European struggles, Mancini’s men remain in the hunt for the Premier League title and would leapfrog United into top spot with a victory in Sunday’s lunchtime fixture.
That would swing the title momentum significantly back in City’s favour, who will now focus on retaining the domestic prize for a second season, while United continue to compete on several fronts.
Tottenham supporters in the Transfer Tavern are very much looking forward to the 2018/19 Premier League season, what with their side seeking to build upon their impressive third place finish last time round.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men deserve huge credit for sealing a third successive top four finish in the English top-flight, thus bringing a third straight Champions League campaign to North London. However, a title challenge still remains a way away given they ended up a staggering 23 points adrift of champions Manchester City last season, although some big additions this summer could see Pochettino’s men bridge that gap this time round.
As such, there are many excited and expectant Spurs supporters in the Tavern at present, several of whom are likely to be intrigued by recent reports suggesting that Ademola Lookman could seek to leave Everton this summer.
And with Tottenham one team reportedly ‘keeping tabs’ on the £10.8 million-rated (as per Transfermarkt) sensation’s situation, the Pochettino factor and chance to work under the Argentine could convince the 20-year-old of a move to North London.
Ultimately, things haven’t quite worked out for the England Under-20 World Cup winner since his move to Goodison Park, this all despite the attacker netting just a few minutes into his debut in their 4-0 rout of Manchester City back in January 2017.
Is this the best World Cup ever? Give us your thoughts here
In fact, Lookman was so low down the pecking order at the club that he instigated a loan move to RB Leipzig back in January, from which he seriously reaped the rewards in netting five goals and laying on four assists in 11 Bundesliga appearances for the German outfit.
Thus, it seems clear that the 20-year-old is ready for first team football at Everton, but if that is not forthcoming, a move to Tottenham could be in his best interests given the track record Pochettino has at developing young talent.
The likes of Dele Alli, Eric Dier, and Harry Kane have all been given plenty of first team opportunities under the Argentine at Tottenham, and all three have benefited to become integral members of the squad at the North London club – they are also three of England’s most important players.
Add in the likes of Harry Winks, and indeed Luke Shaw at Southampton, and it’s evident that Pochettino isn’t afraid of providing opportunities to young players and then backing them in the first team. And given the ability and potential Lookman has, he is sure to get the chance to prove his worth at Spurs.
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Ultimately, not many players have regressed under Pochettino’s stewardship at Tottenham, and with the North London outfit seemingly heading in the right direction under the Argentine, they are becoming an increasingly attractive proposition.
Thus, with Lookman reportedly seeking to leave Everton this summer, Pochettino’s influence could be enough to convince him of a move to Tottenham.
As reported by The Daily Mail, Rangers manager Graeme Murty has backed both Ryan Jack and Greg Docherty to stake a claim for a place in Scotland’s midfield after the international retirement of Celtic star Scott Brown.
What’s the story?
Hoops captain Brown announced earlier this week he won’t be taking part in Scotland action as the country prepares to embark on a new managerial era under Alex McLeish.
With 55 caps to his name, Brown has been on the international scene for over a decade, seen as one of the more influential members of the squad in that time.
Now though, Rangers manager Murty has challenged his midfield stars to stake a claim and bring back a Scotland and Rangers tradition.
When asked whether Greg Docherty and Ryan Jack could aspire to make future squads, he was adamant they could.
As quoted by The Daily Mail, the Gers boss said:
Absolutely. I said that when we first signed him [Docherty]. Historically, Rangers central midfield players have played for Scotland. That’s the level he needs to be looking at. I have not seen anything in the young man’s attitude or ability to think anything different. It is something he should be aiming for and, knowing Greg, he will be hungry to get as far as he possibly can.
Now Scott has gone, there is a space in the middle of the pitch where Ryan [Jack] is more naturally inclined to play. That would fit him quite well but we have to make sure we get him back fit. Then he has to thrust himself in front of the manager’s eye-line to get his attention. A new manager has come in and there are spots up for grabs. It’s a blank canvas.
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What are their chances?
With U21 caps for Scotland, Docherty is undoubtedly showing potential to be a future international for his country and given his recent form for Rangers, you might even say he could be a stand-out for years to come.
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He’s been excellent all season for Hamilton but at Ibrox, surrounded by better players, is flourishing in a creative midfield role.
Ryan Jack, who better represents the style that Brown exhibited for the national team, might find it tougher to work his way into the Scotland midfield. While fairly proficient for Rangers this season, he lacks the unique flair and creativity of a player like Docherty and the Ibrox side have arguably improved in his absence.
Sixty nine minutes in and things were looking bleak for Newcastle United and Alan Pardew. Two nil down against Hull City at home, the Magpies manager knew that unless his side could display some quality that had been lacking throughout the beginning of the Premier League season, they would end the weekend in the same position as where they started it – moored to the bottom of the table.
More urgently, however, the final 20 minutes of the game presented Pardew with possibly his final chance to prove his worth as a Newcastle manager; ridiculed, lambasted and embattled since the start of the year which has seen the Magpies win only five league games, the Londoner has for a long time been a strong favourite for the sack, and another anaemic defeat may just have been enough to placate the placard-wielding ‘Sack Pardew’ brigade, whose presence at St James’ Park – though less visible than expected – was nonetheless prominent.
Yet a crucial, if somewhat desperate substitution saw Newcastle’s knight in black and white armour return from the wilderness and save the Magpies, as well as Pardew’s job for another week at least. Papiss Cissé’s introduction in the 69th minute – his first appearance for the club since April due to injury – rejuvenated a Newcastle side on the brink, and after pulling a goal back within four minutes of entering the fray, Cissé doubled his tally and completed a brilliant Newcastle fightback with three minutes remaining.
With his superb cameo appearance, Cissé rescued his manager from almost certain defeat and doom, and it may very well be the case that Pardew will have to call upon the Senegalese to help him out again in the future. Though the 2-2 draw must have felt like a victory to many Newcastle fans, there is still a strongly hostile, mutinous air around St James’ Park. Pardew remains in the last chance saloon, with most members of the Toon Army furious that Mike Ashley, the resident landlord, hasn’t thrown him out already.
Cissé’s return to full fitness could not have come at a better time for Pardew. Despite being unusually busy in the transfer window, the Magpies failed to address a glaring lack of quality in attack, and Siem de Jong’s recent injury served only to further weaken Newcastle’s already toothless strikeforce.
The Senegalese will feel like a new signing for Pardew. Although his record over the past two seasons has been poor, scoring just ten league goals in 60 appearances, Cissé is known to have the quality to succeed in the Premier League. His first 14 games for the club since his arrival in January 2012 saw a highly impressive return of 13 goals, with two stunning strikes against Chelsea – the second of which was awarded the BBC Goal of the Season – being the highlight of a memorable half-season on Tyneside. This suggests that Cissé is very much a confidence player who thrives on quick success, yet struggles if he cannot find the net early on in the season.
Cissé’s brace in his first appearance of the new campaign is therefore promising, and the striker may have the opportunity to add to his tally when Newcastle face Crystal Palace in the League Cup on Wednesday. The London club may field a weaker side given that Premier League survival is the priority, so Cissé – if selected to play by Pardew, of course – will be hoping that a goalscoring cameo against Hull City can turn into the beginnings of a streak against Palace.
The paucity of effective attacking options available to Pardew means that Papiss Cissé has suddenly become one of Newcastle’s most important senior players in their bid to climb up the Premier League table. If the Senegalese can stay fit – and most importantly score goals with regularity, which he has proved that he can do at this level – then Alan Pardew may yet steer the Magpies to stability, which seemed unthinkable just a week ago.
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Queens Park Rangers legend Rodney Marsh claims that if Harry Redknapp takes charge of the West London club then they will definitely stay up this season.
Redknapp is set to replace Mark Hughes who was sacked yesterday and Marsh didn’t hold back when blaming Hughes and the owners for Rangers’ current poor form.
“Harry Redknapp is, in my opinion, one of the most fantastic football people that there are around. If it is him, I have got no doubt that he will turn it around and QPR will stay up,” Marsh told talkSPORT.
“Over the last 18 months the players they have signed have been really, really terrible players. That has to go down to the manager and the owner; it’s as simple as that.
“I’ve seen every single game QPR have played this season either on satellite in America or in London and they have absolutely no consistency or continuity about the football team.
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“Before the season started we had this fantastic heralding of a new goalkeeper that we were going to sign – Robert Green. He lasted one game. They have not played the same team twice the whole season and that tells you something.”
The 26-year-old England international made his debut way back in 2008, spending his entire career at the Gunners save for loan spells at Bolton Wanderers and Bournemouth.
He made 197 appearances for the first team, but revealed that he was not likely to get as much first team action as he desired under new boss Unai Emery, despite being satisfied with the terms of a new contract.
With clubs up and down the country likely to be interested in his services, the fans of one team are hoping he will put football before money and sign for them.
Rangers supporters believe he would be the perfect fit in Steven Gerrard’s team and that the club should look to make an ambitious move for him this summer.
Financials are obviously likely to be the sticking point here, but is there a possibility that Wilshere would be willing to take a pay cut to link up with an English football legend and find regular first team football again?
It was a field day for journalists and fans alike on Thursday afternoon, when Mauricio Pellegrino gave his press conference ahead of Southampton’s F.A. Cup tie against West Brom.The 46-year-old made a number of comments that were as perplexing as they were concerning, especially for Saints fans.With the club currently occupying 18th place in the Premier League, the Saints boss was questioned about relegation concerns, to which he replied;
“Every single person that I know, from different countries, it’s about watching the relegation games”
Later, when asked about the importance of the F.A. Cup. Pellegrino responded with;
“We want to go forwards in the competition. The F.A. Cup is very important and it can help us to introduce some players who have not played much in recent games.”
Finally, when asked about the clubs approach heading into the final months of the season, the Argentinian remarked;
“Every single game will be crucial; we have to focus day by day, match by match and be calm in our approach.”
It’s safe to say that Pellegrino’s comments did not go down well with Saints fans, who took to Twitter to vent their frustrations…
Following two relatively stable Premier League finishes, Sam Allardyce has been charged with the challenge of propelling West Ham into the top half of the table next season.
That would certainly impress the disillusioned Upton Park punters, who have fallen out of love with Big Sam’s trademark brand of attritional football.
But why not take it one step further? Why not aim for European contention in the form of the Europa League – a competition that would truly affirm that the Hammers are back in the big-time.
Just to prove it can be done, we at Football Fancast have conjured up a list of SIX signings that could see the East London club qualify for Europe.
[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON YEVHEN KONOLPYANKA TO REVEAL ALL
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MAROUANE FELLAINI
Following a catastrophic first season with Manchester United, summed up perfectly in the below vine…
…it’s unlikely £27million flop Marouane Fellaini will survive the change in regime at Old Trafford this summer.
But it wasn’t long ago the Belgian lankster was regarded as one of the Premier League’s best midfielders for his mixture of physical dominance and netting prowess.
Just in case you need reminding, here’s the highlights from his 11-goal-five-assist 2012/13 campaign at former club Everton…
//www.youtube.com/embed/-3Q_lYpsBOk
And he netted this vital header for Belgium against Algeria last week:
Furthermore, measuring in at 6 foot 4 and renowned for his confrontation, physically assertive style, the Belgium international would be an ideal fit for the Hammers’ direct brand of football.
And the Express believe he could be available for around £15million this summer…
WILFRIED BONY
If West Ham are to propel themselves into the European standings next season, signing a dependable goal scorer this summer is a must for Sam Allardyce.
Fitting the Hammers’ unique brand of attritional football perfectly is Swansea City striker Wilfried Bony.
Since joining the Welsh side from Vitesse last summer, where he had previously claimed 37 goals in his ultimate season, the 25 year-old has found 16 goals and four assists in 34 league outings. Here are some of the highlights from his inaugural Premier League campaign;
//www.youtube.com/embed/L_zt5akDKGs?autoplay=1
The Ivory Coast international also netted this ferocious header against Japan last Sunday…
…but struggled to have the same impact against Colombia…
The powerful 6 foot striker is rated at around £20million by the British tabloids, and an Upton Park switch has been mooted before.
But due to Bony’s sensational form last season, summer suitors are hardly in short supply…
MIRKO VUCINIC
//www.youtube.com/embed/Sa-NA7hHgzI
Another ‘marquee’ forward option the East Londoners should be strongly considering is Juventus striker Mirko Vucinic.
Having made just four starts in Serie A, the 30 year-old is widely expected to leave the Old Lady this summer, and it’s believed he could be available for just £6.5million.
The Montenegro international isn’t the most dependable goal scorer, with returns of 21 goals in 72 Serie A outings for Juve and 46 in 147 at former club Roma.
But Vucinic better famed for his aesthetic style and long-range finishing, as demonstrated in the video below…
But there will be a wealth of competition for his signature this summer…
PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG
Rather surprisingly, despite netting 16 times in his debut season at Westfalen, including this stunning free-kick against Mainz…
…Borussia Dortmund are reportedly prepared to sell Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang this summer.
Often dubbed “The African Neymar”, the 25 year-old boasts a mixture of pace, trickery and netting prowess, as shown in the video below…
//www.youtube.com/embed/pHCGF7MYIQw
Rumours of a £6million release clause only make Aubameyang a more relishing prospect from West Ham’s point of view.
But any interest from Upton Park could be eclipsed by the likes of Chelsea and Roma, whom along with Newcastle have both been linked to the former St. Etienne forward.
Yevhen Konolpyanka
Hot off the press this morning, the Hammers have been linked with an audacious bid for Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United target Yevhen Konolpyanka.
The three-time Ukrainian Player of the Year has been in sensational form for Dnipro this season, especially in the Europa League…
…and also netted this wonder strike against England at Wembley back in 2012:
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The 24 year-old winger comes with a £12million release clause and would certainly rectify the blunted efforts of West Ham’s current widemen.
And although many of his summer suitors can offer European football, bringing Konoplyanka to East London would show huge ambition on Sam Allardyce’s part.
MATHEIU VALBUENA
Measuring in at just 5 foot 6…
France international Mathieu Valbuena isn’t what you’d describe as a natural fit to West Ham’s attritional style of football.
But the Marseille midfielder is a great technical talent, as shown in the video below…
//www.youtube.com/embed/yU18ZQi5KaA
And having publicly stated the desire for a new challenge, is widely expected to leave Stade Velodrome this summer…
He’s valued at around £10million by the tabloids, but a number of European clubs will be interested in the 29 year-old’s services.
Winning is becoming something of a gratifying habit for Spurs in recent weeks as they slowly but surely ascended into the Premier League’s top four. Andre Villas-Boas’ new age approach to management has certainly started to bear fruit on the fertile grounds at White Hart Lane as his ruthfully efficient side successfully navigated two tricky games in the space of three days. Now is the biggest test of Villas-Boas’ short reign in North London. Having guided Spurs into a Champions League place the task now is to sustain that position during the punishing winter period. Such a defining point of the season will decide whether the 35-year-old has the managerial mettle to succeed where he failed so miserably down the road at Stamford Bridge last term.
This week on FFC could AVB’s full scale Europa League assault damage Spurs’ Champions League hopes and which Toon striker is the Portuguese coach targeting?
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Why it’s time for AVB to end this Tottenham soap opera
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Time to cut Tottenham’s short term measure a bit of slack
Has Redknapp lost his ambition?
The FIVE signings that could improve Tottenham
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From Hotspur Cricket Club To An Empire – Harry Hotspur
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Quote of the Week
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“We want to avoid surgery if we can. If there happens to be surgery I think we are looking for one month, one month and a half. Hopefully that will not happen because we have some good indications the player will be back in one week or two weeks. It’s a pain that goes away or happened to go away when he was at Fulham for two or three days and the pain went away but it is still there. He can’t move himself properly so he will have a deeper scan on the injury so we can assess it properly.” AVB is staying upbeat despite losing Moussa Dembele to a hip injury for six weeks
Liverpool fans are interested in making a move for Russia star Denis Cheryshev after his stand-out performance on the opening day of the World Cup.
The 27-year-old scored a wonderful double against Saudi Arabia in a 5-0 rout, firing his nation towards the perfect start as hosts of the summer tournament.
Cheryshev has previously been linked with a move to Anfield, with The Independent reporting in 2016 he could have made a winter transfer window move to the Reds. The former Real Madrid man eventually signed permanently for Villarreal where he made 31 appearances last season.
Saudi Arabia may not have been the strongest of opposition but he showed the kind of finishing ability that wouldn’t look out of place in the Premier League and Liverpool supporters are now interested as a result.
He could provide depth to Liverpool’s attacking areas and while obviously unlikely to displace their current starting stars, could be the kind of affordable back-up that Jurgen Klopp is looking for this summer.
Fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts after his stunning Thursday display…
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255571″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Five outrageous World Cup stats you won’t believe are true”]