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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.

Crystal Palace travel to Burnley this Saturday in what will be the first game since their tough run of fixtures came to an end.

The Eagles have faced Manchester City, Arsenal, Leicester, Chelsea and Liverpool over the last few weeks, coming away from that run with just a single point to their name.

However, they do not face a side from the so-called ‘big six’ until January 11 when they welcome Arsenal to Selhurst Park.

However, the team news ahead of the game against Sean Dyche’s men could see a rarely-seen figure summoned.

What’s the situation?

Roy Hodgson is currently without his only right-back Joel Ward following a clash of knees in the Liverpool game, so Martin Kelly – who has operated predominantly at centre-back this term – will have to fill in.

In addition to this, Mamadou Sakho has only just returned to the field, albeit the U23 pitch, with Hodgson confirming that the former PSG man needs to rebuild his match fitness first before coming back into contention.

To make the situation worse, The Evening Standard report that Gary Cahill is a doubt for the game.

What does this mean?

Well, with both Sakho and Ward unlikely to feature, Kelly having to move to right-back and Cahill potentially missing, Hodgson has just one centre-back in James Tomkins to choose from – along with another rarely-seen man.

Scott Dann.

The former Blackburn centre-back hasn’t started a Premier League game since the 1-0 defeat to Sheffield United on the August 18, losing his place almost immediately after Cahill had gotten up to speed.

Sadly, the 32-year-old also only started seven league games last season having lost his place to Sakho and Tomkins, following a severe knee injury against Manchester City back in 2017 that ruled him out for over a year.

He has been forced to watch from the sidelines again as Cahill performs impressively alongside each of Kelly, Sakho and Tomkins at different times, but it now looks like Dann could potentially be summoned in Hodgson’s time of need.

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Linked with a switch to Liverpool for what feels like eternity, it appears Timo Werner may not be joining up at Anfield this summer after all.

Reports in recent months have suggested that the Germany international could be lured away from RB Leipzig, but it now appears that the current uncertainty surrounding football has had an impact on this potential transfer.

According to The Daily Mail, Jurgen Klopp’s side have put all contract talks and recruitment plans on hold due to this ongoing situation, and that because of this, “Liverpool are not actively working on any deals to bolster and refresh their squad – and will only resume once there is clarity.”.

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For fans of the Merseyside club eager to see to their team strengthen their side, this will no doubt been as a disappointment. But it could be a major blessing in disguise for those already at Anfield.

Whilst not making new signings can be seen as standing still, or even taking a step backwards, in Liverpool’s case, the sheer dominance that they have enjoyed this season in the Premier League means it is hard pressed to see where they could genuinely improve.

If anything, a big-money, high-profile move for a forward like Werner would only serve to hinder the kind of momentum and chemistry that they have built up under Klopp. The Reds are the league’s second-top goal-scorers with 66, only behind Manchester City who have scored just a couple more.

They possess the likes of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah to form a much-vaunted front trio, and bringing the £72m-rated Werner on board just raises unnecessary issues about who to leave out and whether a change in system is needed.

It’s the kind of headache Klopp could do without, and so this almost enforced restriction on their transfer plans may actually turn out for the best for Liverpool.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to this update on ace.

Just how do you go about strengthening a Liverpool squad that won the Champions League last season and was cantering to the Premier League title this year?

That of course is the million dollar question, but there’s a real argument to be made that actually, the Reds just need to get more strength in depth, rather than actually splashing the cash on someone to go straight into the first-team.

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And reports in recent days had suggested Chelsea winger Willian could be a potential cut-price target for Jurgen Klopp’s side this summer. But now, The Liverpool Echo’s Ian Doyle has refuted that suggestion, insisting he is “not one of the players being considered” at this time.

After hearing Doyle’s update on their rumoured swoop for Willian, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

One Liverpool fan meanwhile outlined how Willian’s age and prospective wages meant he wouldn’t have been ideal for the club.

On a free transfer, it may be slightly short-sighted to simply turn your noses up at Willian.

After all, the Brazilian has still shown signs of being a Premier League-quality player for Chelsea, scoring seven times and providing six assists in just 37 games across all competitions.

As a squad option, it would be an incredibly shrewd piece of business, but at the same time, it’s not something Liverpool should be having sleepless nights over if they don’t sign him.

Christian Eriksen left Tottenham Hotspur for pastures new during the January transfer window after seven years at the club, but fresh reports have emerged over his future at Inter Milan.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Danish playmaker is doubting his time in Italy as he believes his new side aren’t showing him enough respect amid rumours that the Serie A giants are looking to sign Brescia’s Sandro Tonali this summer.

And Spurs fans have been taking in the news on social media with many opting to slam their former star.

Eriksen has played just eight times since making the switch, scoring and assisting one goal apiece, via Transfermarkt, who also now value him at £61.2m.

The 28-year-old had been one of Spurs’ best-ever players of the last decade and was part of Mauricio Pochettino’s Champions League final squad.

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He racked up 305 appearances, scoring 69 goals as well as laying on 89 assists yet there appears to be no love lost between the attacking maestro and the Spurs faithful.

Here’s how they have been reacting to the news…

AND in other news,  Noel Whelan reacts as Spurs consider raid for US brothers…

It has been a very busy few weeks for Glasgow Rangers.

During that time, there has been some positive and negative developments. The latter came in the form of the Light Blues’ push for an independent investigation into the SPFL after they accused the governing body of corruption. They even produced a 200-page dossier in an attempt to prove as such but ultimately only 12 of the 41 other clubs in Scotland’s top four divisions sided with the 54-time Scottish champions.

Elsewhere, however, there was more pleasing news. The club have recently agreed a £25m deal with Castore, who will now be their new kit manufacturer, whilst they also opened their new MyGers membership scheme. Today they confirmed that they have now received 10,000 subscriptions since it was launched.

This has attracted plenty of attention from some of the club’s supporters – one fan called the news “brutal” – but it seems that many are more interested to know if they will be signing Ianis Hagi or not – a deal for the 21-year-old is rumoured to be very close. They have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below:

‘Gers fans, what was your reaction to the MyGers announcement? Let us know what you think by commenting below!

Former Glasgow Rangers goalkeeper Jim Stewart has urged Robbie McCrorie to remain on loan for another season instead of returning to Ibrox to look for a place in Steven Gerrard’s starting line-up.

The 22-year-old had two loan spells during the 2019/20 campaign, first joining Queen of the South before moving to Livingston in the Premiership. All in all, he kept seven clean sheets and conceded 32 goals in 42 matches, earning vital first-team experience along the way.

Stewart, though, believes it is too early for him to become an important member of Gerrard’s squad. He said:

“If I was still at Rangers I would be advising Robbie to have another season as first choice in the Premiership if he could.

“That would give him the regular game experience he needs.

“He is an excellent prospect and has done well for Scotland Under-21s as well. But he needs to be playing regularly.

“Playing for Rangers is a massive task and with Allan being there and as the model of consistency then in my eyes it would be far more beneficial for Robbie to go and play another season.”

At the moment, Allan McGregor is Gerrard’s number one, and there has been little indication that the 38-year-old will be retiring from the action any time soon. After all, the Gers conceded just 19 goals in the top flight last term, the joint-least along with Celtic, whilst McGregor is a club legend with 350 appearances to his name for the Ibrox outfit.

As Stewart says, it is important for McCrorie to continue to receive first-team exposure – that is the only thing that will begin to prepare him for a role between the sticks for the Gers.

Let us know what you think below!

Livingston manager Gary Holt has opened the door for a potential exit for Glasgow Rangers target Lyndon Dykes, saying that he will not stand in his way.

The Gers are said to be targetting the 24-year-old, for whom the Light Blues want £2m. Dykes had an impressive term last time out, scoring nine goals and providing eight assists in 25 matches in the Scottish Premiership, and obviously Livingston would rather keep him at the club than move him on.

Holt, though, has admitted that they may need to let him leave. When asked if Dykes would still be at the club next season, the boss said:

“As confident as I am today, aye. Who knows what tomorrow is going to bring?

“Who knows what the transfer window situation will be? It’s going to be different this year. But, if it’s not right for this club, it won’t happen. That’s first and foremost. Lyndon is aware of that, I’m aware of that, everyone is aware of it. It’s not about preventing people from moving. We want people to improve.

“If he goes, like Liam Kelly, [Craig] Halkett, Declan [Gallagher], anyone else who has moved on from this club, they get a pat on the back and shake of the hand, thanks for all they’ve done. But it has to be right for the club.

“We made money off Liam [Kelly] but we wouldn’t stand in Lyndon’s way if the right offer came in. I’m not going to dig my heels in and stop him because we want to keep him. If the right offer comes in and it’s beneficial to everybody then it’ll be as simple as that. I’d be loathe to halt a boys’ career by digging my heels in for a couple more pounds.

“If the deal is right and acceptable to the club, first and foremost, then everyone at this club is able to move on when the time is right. I think that’s the way it should be, you should want that. It can’t be, ‘I want everything on my side of the table’. I’ve got to be fair and honest with the players and they know that.

This is brilliant news for the Gers’ pursuit of the forward. This at least tells Ross Wilson and Steven Gerrard that if they really want to take Dykes to Ibrox, the right price will convince Livingston to part ways with their star asset.

With Ivan Toney still on their radar, they may look elsewhere, but at the very least Dykes could be the club’s contingency plan.

Let us know what you think below!

Tottenham have been linked to some of the best players in the world as Jose Mourinho prepares for his first summer window in charge of Spurs.

Mourinho has made it clear that Southampton star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is his top transfer target, but now another name has entered the mix.

According to The Daily Mail, as relayed by Ricky Sacks, the Lilywhites are interested in signing Newcastle United ace Allan Saint-Maximin this summer.

The Portuguese is desperate to add more firepower in the transfer window as he looks to close the gap on Premier League champions Liverpool before the start of next season.

Tottenham have scored fewer goals than Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City this season.

Spurs have now joined Paris Saint-Germain in the list of suitors who have shown an interest in signing Saint-Maximin in the summer.

The 23-year-old, who is currently valued at £18m via Transfermarkt, has played an instrumental part in lifting Newcastle to twelfth in the Premier League table.

Steve Bruce has insisted the Magpies have no intention of selling him but that has not stopped the growing amount of interest in the winger.

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer described the Frenchman as “brilliant” for his performance against Bournemouth last week.

Saint-Maximin has scored 3 goals and created 4 assists in 22 Premier League games this season, taking 1.8 shots per game, averaging 1.3 key passes, and making 4.6 dribbles on average (via WhoScored)

However, it seems this may be wishful thinking for Mourinho, as it is highly likely PSG will be able to out-muscle Spurs if a transfer battle ensues.

Although the Lilywhites are reportedly the richest club in north London, the Ligue 1 giants are one of the wealthiest clubs in the world.

Furthermore, Levy has insisted Spurs will not be spending “rivers of money” in the summer, and it is unlikely Saint-Maximin would come cheap.

Indeed, Mourinho will have to rely on sorting out swap deals, hunting for bargains and free agents if he wants to make improvements to his squad.

Levy is willing to offer players like Danny Rose and Juan Foyth as part of an exchange for the speedster, but it is hard to imagine that will be enough to persuade the Magpies to let him leave.

Tottenham fans, should Levy splash the cash to sign Allan Saint-Maximin this summer? Let us know down below!

As sad as it is, Marcelo Bielsa won’t be the Leeds United manager forever.

One journalist recently said on Twitter that the Argentine may only have a couple of seasons left in him at Elland Road, and with the Argentine turning 65 earlier this month, you have to say that the clock is ticking on his career.

Bielsa has already made himself a legend at Leeds, getting them back to the Premier League after 16 years out in the cold, and the city has shown it’s gratitude by naming a street after him, but in the not so distant future he will need replacing, and there are two men the higher-ups at Leeds must now keep an eye on for that eventuality.

The first name to mention that Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani need to keep tabs on is Lee Bowyer.

The Charlton Athletic boss was a gaffer the higher-ups were reportedly very keen on earlier this season, but with the Addicks getting relegated on the final day, he has a long way to go towards proving that he’s ready to take on a job the size of Leeds United, even if he was overperforming at The Valley, considering the ownership crisis happening at the London club.

Bowyer has since been linked with a move elsewhere, and if he gets another job, Leeds’ top brass must make sure they’re looking at him again as his history at Elland Road will make him a popular choice amongst fans, and if he has the managerial pedigree to go alongside that, it could be an inspired choice.

Another avenue they could explore is Carlos Corberan taking charge once Bielsa is done.

The former Leeds U23s boss is the new Huddersfield Town manager, and due to the close work he has done with Bielsa, he could easily take the reins at Elland Road in a few years and continue the project that his mentor started.

It’s previously been stated that experience could be something that puts the Whites off appointing Corberan, but now that he’s got his first job in management, that issue may fade away.

Phil Hay recently pointed out the similarities between Corberan and the 65-year-old, and if United want to build upon what Bielsa started, the Spaniard could be the answer.

“If you are wanting to tap into what Bielsa is doing at Leeds, Corberan, other than Bielsa himself is the only avenue to go down.” He said (The Phil Hay Show 24/6/20 26:30).

It’s unknown which direction Leeds will want to go in once the Bielsa era is over, or even where they’ll be when that time comes, but next season will be a huge test for two of his potential successors, and United need to keep an eye on those situations.

Former Sunderland striker Josh Maja looks set to open talks with Scottish Premiership side Rangers over a potential summer move.

After spending time with the likes of Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester City during his youth career, Nigerian centre-forward Maja made an instant impression at the Stadium of Light after making his debut in September 2016.

After a successful full first season at the club, the youngster left in January 2019 for a move to French top-tier side Bordeaux.

Six goals and two assists during the 2019/2020 season has seen the 21-year-old maintain his reputation and Rangers are now said to be interested in the striker.

Steven Gerrard’s side reportedly keen to bring in Maja as they look to find a replacement for Colombian striker Alfredo Morelos, who has agreed personal terms with Lille.

A potential move to the Scottish Premiership side has also been mooted due to the striker’s representatives Elite Project Group who work as agents for current Rangers duo Joe Aribo and Sheyi Ojo.

Maja’s potential return to British football will serve as a reminder to Sunderland fans of his exit, something which was highly documented via Netflix series Sunderland Til I Die.

Whilst Maja was always destined to go on and move elsewhere, one can’t help but wonder how much Phil Parkinson could do with him now as the Black Cats remain in League One.

Do you see Maja coming back to Sunderland later in his career? Let us know via the comments section below…