Preview: Leeds XI vs Leicester – team news, predicted lineup and latest injuries

Leeds United have had to wait all weekend to play but tonight they are back in action as they host Leicester City for the first time in 16 years as they go to head-to-head in the Premier League.

The Championship winners have made an encouraging start to life in the big time having lost just once in their last five outings – a win here at Elland Road could see them rise into the top five.

Marcelo Bielsa isn’t usually one to make many changes to his side, but there are plenty of selection headaches going into this tie.

Here’s the lineup we’re predicting this evening…

Bielsa was able to welcome back his skipper Liam Cooper to the fold this week, so he’s in line to come straight back into the starting XI.

Luke Ayling was selected to play alongside Robin Koch during their 3-0 drubbing of Aston Villa last week with Diego Llorente and Gaetano Berardi out through injury, but Cooper’s return sees him move back to the right flank.

It also allows Stuart Dallas to take stock on the left, meaning Gjanni Alioski is axed.

The Whites boss has a tough conundrum in what would usually be Kalvin Phillips’ role.

He hauled Pascal Struijk off after just 20 minutes at Villa Park as the youngster was a liability waiting to happen – his replacement Jamie Shackleton will surely get the nod this evening after they went onto win the match.

The 21-year-old is likely to partner Mateusz Klich in the middle with Pablo Hernandez coming in for €40m-rated (£36m) summer signing Rodrigo.

Jack Harrison and Helder Costa are seemingly untouchable on the wings despite the arrival of Raphinha late in the window.

Whilst Patrick Bamford will almost certainly lead the line once again.

AND in other news, Leeds should be kicking themselves for missing out on massive Klich upgrade…

Aston Villa can strike gold with Brentford’s Rico Henry

Having secured Premier League football for another season, all attentions at Aston Villa will firmly be on how the club can strengthen their squad for the start of the new campaign next month.

Dean Smith’s side spent heavily last summer in a bid to beat the drop, and The Athletic claim that “as much as £80m could be invested”, with “two or three signings expected to go straight into Dean Smith’s strongest starting XI and a couple of others targeted to freshen up the squad”.

One man who has been linked with a move to Villa Park, is Brentford defender Rico Henry. Reports have suggested that Villa are searching for players with pace, and are keen on bringing in some wing-backs this summer, with the Bees ace fitting that description to a tee.

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The 23-year-old played 51 games last season as Brentford fell short at the last hurdle in the Championship play-off final against Fulham, playing the majority of his games at left-back, and at left-midfield too.

Henry has actually previously worked with Villa boss Dean Smith, when the pair were at Walsall together.

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And speaking after the youngster was voted Football League Young Player of the Month back in October 2015, Smith said: “If I were to liken him to anyone it would be a young Ashley Cole. And it’s up to him how far he can now go in the game. I’ve recommended him a couple of times to the England Under-19s because, if there’s a better left-sided player in the country at 18 years of age, I’d like to see them.

“He’s a pleasure to coach and to have around the place, not just as a footballer but as a person. He’s got a great personality, which will hold him in good stead. He’s got a good engine and pace, he can get up and down the pitch and he’s got two goals already this season which is very good for a left-back.”

With Smith himself knowing all about Henry’s qualities, Villa can strike gold by bringing the Brentford speedster to the club this summer. It would give them a left-back who could potentially be a part of the back-line for at least the next five years or so.

Everton: Fans buzz as Anthony Gordon signs new deal

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing as the Merseyside club confirmed on their official website that Anthony Gordon has signed a new five-year deal that will keep him at Goodison Park until June 2025.

Indeed, Carlo Ancelotti showed his faith in the youngster by giving him his full debut against bitter rivals Liverpool in the 2019/20 term, as he managed to play in 11 games in total in the Premier League in what was somewhat of a breakthrough season for the winger.

A full England U19 international as well, Gordon has a lot of promise being just 19 years of age and the Toffees will be hoping to get the best out of him for the years that are to come.

One EFC supporter on Twitter claimed that he ‘can’t wait to see you alongside Allan and James’, referring indeed to the possibility of Gordon playing alongside two of the Blues’ big transfer targets.

Indeed, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Allan is a done deal pending successful medicals and Rodriguez is also close to joining.

Check out the rest of the reaction from these Toffees below:

Evertonians, do you want to see Gordon play more next term? Comment below!

Quiz: Can you answer these 10 questions about Brendan Rodgers’ stint as Liverpool boss?

With Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester City side currently sat third in the Premier League table, his reputation among English football fans has rarely been higher.

However, looking back to his 2013-14 season with Liverpool and Rodgers was held in similarly high regard.

Arriving at Anfield following an impressive spell at Swansea City, where he made his name for an attractive brand of passing and attacking football, Rodgers spell had its up and downs.

While the Northern Irishman certainly oversaw the signings of players that never quite worked out, he also helped develop the likes of Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho, as well as bringing Roberto Firmino to the club.

Rodgers also took Liverpool to within a few results of the Premier League title, having built an exciting side around Luis Suarez.

Here, we look back on Rodgers’ stint as the manager of Liverpool and see how much of his tumultuous reign fans and observers can remember.

Windsor Park

Key Information about Windsor Park

Windsor Park is the home football stadium of Northern Ireland’s national football team, as well as Linfield FC who are a semi-professional football club based in Belfast. The national ground also hosts the yearly Irish Cup final in front of a maximum 18,614 all-seater capacity.

Windsor Park was built in 1903, and officially opened two years later, with three major renovations taking place in the 1930s, 1996 and more recently in 2015. Windsor Park was named after the district in south Belfast in which it is located.

A history of Windsor Park

Windsor Park first opened back in 1905, as it hosted a match between Linfield and Glentoran. The first major works on the ground began during the 1930s. Renowned Scottish architect Archibald Leitch, designed the first redevelopment of the stadium by erecting the Grandstand (South Stand) with terracing in front. In addition to this, a large open terrace behind the west goal was built (Spion Kop), and to the north and Railway End there were another two covered terraces.

In the early 1906s, the seated Railway Stand was built at the Railway End, followed by a social club and viewing lounge, somewhat ten later. During the 1980s, a two-tier terrace was built in place of the unreserved terrace of the North Stand, and featured 7000-seats. In 1996, the Kop terrace was demolished and replaced with a 5000-seater Kop Stand.

In September 2009, the Irish Football Association announced that its preferred option was to remain at redeveloped Windsor Park, rather than to move to a brand new multi-purpose stadium due to the increasingly poor conditions of the ground. Two years later, the Northern Ireland Executive allocated £138m for major redevelopments of stadiums around Northern Ireland, with £28m of this allocated solely to the redevelopment of Windsor Park, which in turn would see it become a 20,000 capacity all-seater stadium.

In 2012, plans of Windsor Park’s redevelopment were released, and the stadium was to become an 18,000 all-seater ground rather than the previously proposed 20,000. Planning permission for the redevelopment was granted in early 2013, and after a year of legal issues, work finally commenced in May 2014.

Windsor Park was reopened in time for Northern Ireland’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against San Marino in October 2016, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino unveiled a plaque to mark the reopening of the new stadium on the night. Concerts can also be held at Windsor Park in front of an increased capacity of 22,000.

Tickets to Watch Northern Ireland at Windsor Park

General admission tickets for Northern Ireland’s UEFA Nations League matches at Windsor Park were priced between £40-50, with under-16s costing £16. The IFA also offers a range of hospitality packages from around £100-180. During the Euro 2020 qualifiers, the IFA offered an official Northern Ireland membership scheme for £20.

Related Links

https://www.irishfa.com/ – Official Website of the Northern Irish FA

https://www.irishfa.com/national-football-stadium-at-windsor-park – Information about Windsor Park

Liverpool fans react to Sadio Mane’s link with PSG

There can’t be many more sought-after players than Sadio Mane right now.

The Senegal international is in the form of his life. Last season, he scored 26 goals in all competitions as Liverpool won the Champions League, and he has 13 goals and seven assists so far this campaign as the Reds lead the way at the top of the Premier League. All of this, as well as an appearance in the African Cup of Nations final, earned him fourth place in the Ballon d’Or rankings.

He is one of Jurgen Klopp’s star players, and the Anfield outfit cannot afford to lose him. According to France Football (via Get French Football News) though, that hasn’t stopped PSG from eyeing him up. It is said that the Ligue 1 club see him as the perfect replacement for Neymar should the Brazil international leave Paris.

As you can imagine, there has been plenty of reaction from the club’s supporters. And quite frankly, it seems that they think it would be a step down for the 27-year-old.

Right now, it is hard to argue with that thought process. The Reds are the European champions and have not lost in their last 33 Premier League games. In all honesty, it is hard think of a destination that would be a step up.

Some fans have suggested what they think it will take to force Liverpool’s hand.

There a few outlandish suggestions there, but it would surely take something monumental to convince Liverpool to let him leave the club. It may even take some sort of swap deal for Kylian Mbappe, with whom the Merseyside team have been linked.

A number of fans disagree with the report naming Mane as a “successor” to Neymar.

Whilst Mane may be on top form, he still has some way to go to match the career stats of the former Barcelona player. According to Transfermarkt, he has 232 goals in 387 games, and that is not including the 61 goals in 102 matches he has for the Selecao either. Add to that 141 assists, and it easy to understand why PSG broke the transfer record to sign him.

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Even though Thomas Tuchel’s men may be interested, it doesn’t mean they will get their hands on Mane. Not if the supporters have anything to do with it, at least.

In other news, Liverpool fans react to one rival manager’s latest comments.

Everton fans discuss Michael Keane on 3-year anniversary

Everton fans have been embroiled in another debate this week after Wednesday marked the three-year anniversary of the club signing centre-back Michael Keane.

The Toffees landed the defender in a then club-record-equalling £30m from Premier League rivals Burnley.

But it seems as if the Englishman divides opinion at Goodison Park.

Some supporters have acknowledged his impact at the Merseyside outfit…

The 27-year-old has become a regular for the Toffees ever since his move, featuring in a total of 98 matches, whilst this season he’s been first-choice centre-back having racked up 25 appearances in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

Despite being trusted by current boss Carlo Ancelotti, there are many fans who simply do not rate Keane.

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One member of the Toffees faithful believes he has been one of the worst signings he’s ever seen at the club whilst others described him as “bang average”.

There was even a shout to sell him – Transfermarkt currently value him at £18m, which is a whopping £12m decrease on what Everton originally paid.

Further supporters referenced Keane’s partnership with former loan star Kurt Zouma as a big positive, and that he’s a bit more consistent than Yerry Mina, but admittedly, he could do with a regular partner to gel with in Ancelotti’s backline.

With Keane under contract at Goodison Park for at least another two seasons, it gives him plenty of time to live up to that big-money pricetag and prove that he is indeed a “scapegoat” for some fans.

AND in other news, Everton fans discuss Allan transfer report…

Liverpool’s predicted XI against Napoli

Tonight, Liverpool will face Napoli in their fifth game of the Champions League this campaign.

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As it stands, the Reds are top of the group, five points ahead of third. A victory against the Italian side would secure their place in the next round, whilst a draw would leave them needing just a point versus RB Salzburg in the final match.

Given what is on the line, Jurgen Klopp should put out a strong side against the Serie A team. Here, we try to predict his starting XI.

There is little question as to who will start in goal. After returning from injury, he has played all but one game, and that absence came in the League Cup against Arsenal.

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In defence, there could be one change. Andrew Robertson, although still struggling with a slight issue by his own admission, should play against Carlo Ancelotti’s team, whilst Trent Alexander-Arnold will not be dislodged at right-back. Virgil van Dijk, as ever, is expected to line up at the heart of defence, so the only question is, who will be alongside him? With plenty of games coming their way, Klopp may decide to give Joe Gomez a run out, allowing Dejan Lovren to rest as the matches come thick and fast.

Fabinho has been in fantastic form this season – he was even called the best defensive midfielder in the world by Gary Neville in September (Sky Sports via The Mirror) – so there is no reason to remove him from the side. Jordan Henderson, as captain, should expect to see his name on the team-sheet tonight, as well. Also, there could be a rare start for Naby Keita. Georginio Wijnaldum was far from his best against Crystal Palace, picking up a SofaScore rating of just 6.7 and, with plenty of fixtures to come, it may give the former Borussia Dortmund boss the perfect chance to try the former RB Leipzig man in the middle of the park.

Mohamed Salah was on the bench at Selhurst Park on Saturday, but Klopp has since said that he has looked good in training, so we should expect him to be included from the start. On the left, Sadio Mane’s stunning form this campaign – he has 12 goals and five assists in 18 matches – gives his boss no choice but to name him. Up front, Roberto Firmino should get the nod after ending his six-game goal drought in the Premier League against the Eagles at the weekend.

In other news, Steven Gerrard could play a role in Liverpool signing two promising youngsters.

Leeds fans react to the Championship Team of the Week and Marcelo Bielsa’s inclusion

Leeds strolled to a 4-0 victory over Middlesbrough last time out and their top performers have been recognised by the EFL’s Championship Team of the Week.

Despite Brentford winning 7-0 against Luton, Marcelo Bielsa has been named as the manager of the week, a fact that has pleased numerous supporters and led to some praise for the Argentine.

The other Leeds man to be included is Mateusz Klich, whose double signalled his return to goalscoring form, with his second in the match worthy of inclusion alone.

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Fans have tended to overlook the Poland international in their discussion, however, and it is Bielsa who is in the limelight – perhaps rightly so.

As with almost every Team of the Week, though, some fans are unhappy.

There are a few supporters moaning about the omission of players like Ben White, Helder Costa and Jack Harrison, failing to remember that their players aren’t the only individuals who did well this week.

Other teams recorded impressive results, too, and from a defensive point of view, there is no reason why White deserves to be picked ahead of Aden Flint, who helped his team record a very impressive clean sheet away at Nottingham Forest – something White couldn’t do earlier in the season.

Jake Clarke-Salter and Ashley Williams were also included, and deservedly so given they recorded a WhoScored rating of 8.3 and 7.7 respectively.

Elsewhere, fans have been reacting to the possibility of a £15m signing arriving at Elland Road in January.

Man City fans react to Ederson injury news

Manchester City fans are not in the most confident mood for the vital clash against Liverpool after the recent news regarding Ederson.

The goalkeeper came off injured against Atalanta and has now been ruled out of the Anfield showdown by Pep Guardiola. The Brazilian will be a big miss, having been a crucial part of Guardiola’s system over for the past few seasons.

In that midweek Champions League clash, it was Claudio Bravo who replaced the former Benfica keeper, but even he is not in the best of form.

The Chile international was sent off within 35 minutes of entering the pitch, which forced Kyle Walker in goal for the closing stages.

As a result of Ederson’s injury, some City fans are not best pleased heading into Sunday.

Many fans have already conceded defeat to the Reds now, whilst some supporters would rather see Scott Carson step in than Bravo.

The injury to their number one has only added to an already packed physio room, as Ederson now joins five star names on Guardiola’s injury list.

Here’s how the fans have reacted to the absence of their number one goalkeeper this Sunday…

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