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There’s thinking on your feet and there’s thinking with your heart.

Nottingham Forest managed to achieve both of them on Saturday after the Reading game was postponed.

Given that the call was made with less than three hours to go until kick-off, there were a few things that had to be reorganised on the day, one of them being all the food that had been made in preparation for the thousands of people that were supposed to descend on the City Ground.

Watch Nottingham Forest Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Instead of letting that food all go to waste, they decided to send the food to local charity Framework who are based in the north of the City.

The Reds and Framework already have a good relationship, with the two working together for the ‘Big Sleep Out’ later this month.

Forest fans were left in awe of the club’s act of generosity and took the opportunity to praise the club staff for their efforts and generosity.

Check out Matchday with Max’s latest Nottingham Forest vlog in the video below…

Here’s what they had to say on Twitter.

It just goes to show that there are still some good people in football

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Gjanni Alioski has seemingly made the left-back role his own at Leeds this season.

His performances have stepped up in terms of consistency and that was proven against West Brom as he not only scored a goal, but also put in a confident display defensively.

The North-Macedonian’s attacking threat was in play versus Millwall too as he netted when given more license down the left-hand side.

But he wasn’t even in the starting XI at the start of the season. Instead, Barry Douglas was the man preferred.

His displays have since earned huge criticism from supporters, though.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

On the chalkboard

In recent times Leeds have been linked with 19-year-old Sam McCallum.

The defender has had a breakthrough term at Coventry and according to Football Insider, the Whites are stepping up their interest over the international break with a view to snapping him up in January.

McCallum was initially linked to the club by the Coventry Telegraph a few weeks ago.

Possessing the ability to play in either full-back role, it’s on the left where he’s got the majority of his chances.

Per WhoScored, he’s played in that role three times and during the season, he’s made 1.4 interceptions and 3 clearances per game.

Why are Leeds fans the best in the country? Find out in the video below…

Marcelo Bielsa hasn’t been shy to blood the youth since he arrived and that’s evident with another defender in Leif Davis.

Performing to a consistent level in League One, McCallum is definitely ready for first-team football so it would be rather strange if he was brought in and didn’t play.

Thus, Douglas would have every right to be fearful over his place in the squad. His game time is limited as it is but his role on the bench might well be claimed by the teenager if he arrives.

The Scot has been largely underwhelming this term and has made just 0.5 interceptions per outing. That’s already fewer than Leeds’ transfer target.

Douglas has made just three substitute appearances since August and is averaging a measly match rating of 6.5.

Now at the age of 30, it might be that Leeds are planning a succession plan by bringing in someone younger to take his place.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Aston Villa return to Premier League action on Saturday as their Carabao Cup third-round tie with Brighton & Hove Albion gets a repeat just a month later, but this time at Villa Park and against a potentially stronger XI.

One player who scored in the 3-1 victory last month was Jota as Graham Potter named a youthful-looking lineup, but this time around, he is set to be the only major absentee from Dean Smith’s squad.

Watch Aston Villa Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Earlier in the week, the 28-year-old’s wife revealed that he has undergone surgery after playing on a double hernia in his groin for the best part of a year, and Jota himself then confirmed this in a similar social media post as he claimed he was looking forward to his recovery.

This news comes at potentially the worst possible time, although it does explain his absence in recent matches as he hasn’t even come off the bench in three straight games, per Transfermarkt.

Last time out, Smith’s men thrashed Norwich City 5-1 on their own patch as the 48-year-old’s move to play Jack Grealish further forward is really starting to pay off.

Aston Villa’s summer signings’ performances so far this season are rated in the video below…

As a result, Anwar El Ghazi has switched over to the right flank, where he’s proving to be one of Villa’s most dangerous assets, as displayed in this Football FanCast article this week.

Even Trezeguet has looked slightly better over the past month or so, picking up his first assist of the season in the 2-2 draw with Burnley.

Now Jota faces considerable time on the sideline, his stature amongst the squad will only decrease if Grealish and co keep up this rich vein of form.

Usually, a hernia operation will set you back a good month or so, and that’s more than enough time for the players mentioned above to cement their names as the first on Smith’s teamsheet.

It is ultimately an unfortunate set of circumstances for the Spaniard as this was a much-needed course of action – he can only hope that he is given an opportunity later down the line.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Injury News series, which considers the impact of the latest updates on players’ fitness

Marco Silva has confirmed that Andre Gomes will miss Everton’s clash with Sheffield United.

What’s the latest?

The midfielder was ruled out through a rib injury last week, meaning he missed the trip to Bournemouth last Sunday, and as of yet there is no date on a possible return.

His manager has stated that they are taking things “day-by-day” but with the player not taking part in full training he could be absent for a few more weeks.

It is a blow for the Toffees as they are suddenly a bit short in the middle of the pitch, with summer signing Jean-Philippe Gbamin also sidelined for the foreseeable future.

Morgan Schneiderlin stepped up against the Cherries and did reasonably well with 59 completed passes, but youngster Tom Davies may also feel that this could present an opportunity for him to shine.

Influential figure

Losing Gomes is the last thing Silva needs right now after winning only two games out of his opening five, and his absence could affect the team in the long-term.

He has kept the midfield ticking over this season with an average of 52 passes per game and due to other injuries in the squad, Everton have now started with a different midfield partnership on four occasions, which is bad for team cohesion.

With the 28-year-old missing, it prevents him from being able to build a partnership with new signing Fabian Delph, who has started every match since he returned from injury, and therefore it could be some time before Everton have a consistent midfield.

Watch Everton Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Added to that, Delph himself can be unreliable on the injury front, and if he was to become unavailable then there would be considerable pressure on Schneiderlin and Davies to perform.

The first test for one of those players will come tomorrow, and Sheffield United’s middle three won’t make life easy for them, particularly Luke Freeman who will attempt to hassle them effectively throughout, as his return of two interceptions per game suggests.

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The summer transfer window may only have closed last month, but that hasn’t stopped fans from fantasising about the players they want to sign in the next window or the one after that.

Manchester United perhaps more than most are front and centre of conversations and rumours regarding future deals, particularly with their current side struggling to pick up any real momentum this season.

One man who was formerly on the Red Devils’ radar as a promising youngster – he even says he visited with the club – is Martin Odegaard, and United fans appear desperate to go for him again.

The Norway international has struggled to get regular first-team opportunities with Real Madrid, and currently finds himself on loan at fellow La Liga side Real Sociedad.

The 20-year-old has been in sparkling form for the Spanish side, making 3.5 key passes per game in the league, and showed exactly what he is capable of with a stunning assist in their clash with Alaves in mid-week.

After seeing Odegaard’s brilliance, United fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the attacking midfielder.

Some supporters of the Manchester side urged the club to make a move for him in the future, and insisted he is already far better than the likes of Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira.

One fan in particular even claimed he would take Odegaard over rumoured target Jadon Sancho, and suggested he would be cheaper to sign too.

Check out some of the reaction of United fans below:

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Liverpool were held to a dour 0-0 draw by Manchester United on Sunday.

The Reds knew that victory at Old Trafford would take them three points clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table but they were unable to take advantage of Pep Guardiola’s side playing in the Carabao Cup final.

Instead, their front three of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino drew a blank, with the latter substituted in the first half after appearing to hurt his ankle.

The result means that Liverpool are now just a point clear of Guardiola’s men. Their destiny is still in their own hands as they attempt to win their first league title of this century, but the dropped points inevitably qualify as a setback – especially against a United side severely weakened by injuries.

Many Reds fans are worried about the prospect of the run-in after a performance that was short on attacking threat and which featured a worrying injury to a top player.

Take a look at some of the best reaction on Twitter below!

Barcelona’s big Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund ended in a 0-0 draw on Tuesday evening.

Ernesto Valverde acknowledged that his players had problems containing their hosts at Signal Iduna Park while facing the famous Yellow Wall.

But when everything is said and done, there was one player, in particular, that didn’t really live up to expectations and who failed to impress the fans.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Luis Suarez started the encounter and endured a difficult night, registering just one shot on target and a pass success rate of 70%, the lowest of any Barca player to start the game.

The fans were pretty quick to notice his below-par display and they jumped to social media and Twitter to criticise him.

Many of them demanded that the club bench the Uruguayan and even called his display “embarrassing” while decrying him as “utterly useless” as a striker.

You can see some of their rough replies and comments in the collection of tweets down below.

Check them out…

Taking to Twitter, Marco Conterio, chief editor of TUTTOmercatoWEB, has shared transfer news out of Tottenham involving AC Milan star Franck Kessie.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target…

The Ivory Coast star has been a name long linked with a move to north London as his Milan deal continues to wind down.

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Kessie is free to leave as a free agent at the end of 2021/2022 as things stand but the Rossoneri could still make a profit off his sale if they find a buyer for him before 11pm tonight.

Tottenham have been one of the big clubs tipped to make that happen throughout January but reporter Conterio has now shared a fresh update on Twitter.

The Latest: Tottenham table Ndombele swap deal proposal…

According to the Italian journalist, Tottenham tried to insert club record signing Tanguy Ndombele in a last minute swap deal proposal to sign Kessie.

However, Milan’s response to this offer was a swift no as Ndombele now nears a move to Lyon.

“Background on Tanguy Ndombele finished at Lyon on loan for 3 million with right of redemption,” he explained.

“Tottenham tried to insert him in a proposal to get Franck Kessie right away. No from Milan to Spurs.”

The Verdict: Blow…

The 25-year-old would’ve been a fine last minute move for Antonio Conte and transfer chief Fabio Paratici – especially going by his obvious quality and glowing endorsements.

Kessie’s manager, Stefano Piolo, has labelled the player ‘sumptuous’ – with his 19 goals since the beginning of 2019/2020 coming as further evidence of his threat going forward.

Valued at around £43.2 million by Transfermarkt, Spurs could have feasibly signed him for a much cheaper fee if Milan opted to do business this month, but it appears they’re resigned to losing him on a free later this year.

Perhaps this is one Paratici could revisit in six months time.

In other news: Tottenham enter last gasp bidding war to sign ‘crazy’ player, £16.6m offer made, find out more here.

Aston Villa have been linked with Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij, and it’s a move that Steven Gerrard simply has to make. 

This article is part of The Transfer Tavern’s The Gossip series, where we analyse players and managers based on praise and criticism from past and present.

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Football Insider reported on Saturday afternoon that Villa are monitoring the Dutchman as they look to sign an ‘A-list centre-back’ in the summer transfer window. De Vrij is into the final 18 months of his contract at the San Siro and Transfermarkt value him at £31.5m.

The same publication has previously reported that Gerrard had deemed Ezri Konsa too inconsistent and resolved to upgrade on him in the summer.

The manager

When he was in charge of the Dutchman at Inter Milan, Antonio Conte showered De Vrij with praise.

He talked up the defender’s reliability and importance and even compared him to Leonardo Bonucci, who was named in the FIFPro World XI in 2017 and, more impressively still, in the IFFHS Men’s Team of the Decade for the 2010s.

Placing De Vrij in that bracket is clearly a huge compliment.

The pundit

During last summer’s European Championship, Dutch pundit Kees Kwakman waxed lyrical about the defender.

He claimed that the Inter colossus ‘can do anything’ that’s asked of him as a defender and argued that he was more dependable than team-mate Matthijs de Ligt, the second most expensive defender in football history.

Kwakman said that the 30-year-old may not look ‘that strong’ or ‘that fast’ to the naked eye, but appearances can be deceptive.

The journalist

BBC Sport journalist Raj Chohan tweeted last summer that De Vrij had been ‘the best CB in Serie A overall’ in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

He then went a step further, declaring that the former Lazio man deserved to be recognised as ‘one of the best CBs in the world’.

Based on these compliments, if the Dutch centre-back were to join Aston Villa, he’d be arriving at Bodymoor Heath with some pretty glowing endorsements from respected figures in management and media.

In other news, these blockbuster Villa links have also emerged

Journalist Pete O’Rourke says that he ‘could see’ Celtic bringing in further attacking reinforcements before the window is out.

He was discussing The Hoops’ January transfer business with GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Celtic have made four signings so far this month, shelling out a total of £2.2m. In addition to midfielders Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi, they’ve recruited Daizen Maeda, who can play as a left winger and through the middle, and centre-forward Johnny Kenny.

It is worth noting, though, that the latter is only 18 years old and is making a step-up from the League of Ireland (ranked 40th in Europe) to the Scottish Premiership (ranked ninth), so he may not be expected to make an impact at first-team level straight away.

The latest

O’Rourke alluded to how Celtic’s plethora of injuries, particularly among their forward players, has perhaps led to summer signing Jota being overburdened, but he believes the club could address that by doing further business in the remaining two weeks of the transfer window.

He told GiveMeSport: “I could see that being the case, that Celtic are looking to strengthen (in attack). Obviously, we know that they’ve had lots of injury problems this season.

“James Forrest has been in and out of the side, Mikey Johnson struggled as well. So, a lot of it’s been down to Jota, who is just recovering from injury himself.”

The verdict

Who could the next attacking addition possibly be?

One name to have been linked with a move to Celtic is Shabab Al-Ahli’s Mehdi Ghayedi. Varzesh Seh have reported that Ange Postecoglou is very keen to land the Iranian forward, who has been labelled an ‘extraordinary killer’.

The 23-year-old, who is valued at just shy of £1.1m by Transfermarkt, can play across the frontline, offering tremendous versatility. Also, with 41 career goals to his name, he could be a smart signing for the club if they can bring him in.

Given the injury issues that O’Rourke has mentioned, Celtic could do worse than further reinforcing their attacking ranks while they are getting the chance this month.

In other news, Celtic have taken this bold contractual step