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Southampton made it two home wins in a week as they beat Fulham 3-1 at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon, with goals from Che Adams, Nathan Tella and Theo Walcott doing the business for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

Although it was a promising display from the Saints, there were still some disappointing performers against Scott Parker’s team, with Nathan Redmond, in particular, below-par.

The former Norwich City man has produced some of his best performances of the season in recent months after a terrible first half of the campaign,  but still has just two goals and three assists in 27 top-flight appearances this season.

As per SofaScore, the 27-year-old would earn a shocking 6.6/10 rating for his performance, with only Stuart Armstrong (6.0) and Takumi Minamino (6.4) rated lower.

During the 90 minutes, Redmond, who reportedly earns £60k per week at Southampton, would complete just 28/40 of his passes, resulting in a less than impressive 70% pass accuracy, which is below the 76.4% he has averaged in the top-flight so far this season.

Despite it being arguably his most dangerous trait, the winger failed to complete a single dribble during his time on the pitch, with Fulham right-back Kenny Tete’s five tackles and 7.1 rating suggesting that he had the better of him throughout the game.

Perhaps most frustratingly for Southampton was Redmond’s inability to keep hold of the ball. He lost possession on 26 occasions at St Mary’s which was the most of any Saints player, something that would have perhaps been punished more by a better side.

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The Englishman also won just three of his 11 duels during the game, whilst he wasted a glorious chance to score after being played through by Adams. It was a surprise to see him last the full 90 minutes, considering substitutes Nathan Tella and Theo Walcott both made much more of an impression on the game.

In his player ratings following the game, Hampshire Live journalist Tom Leach was less than impressed with Redmond, awarding him a 6/10 and writing:

“It was a well-involved but frustrating start for Redmond against Fulham. He fought hard but was wasteful at times. That improved during the second half but he still could have done more.”

Therefore, it is clear that Redmond was one of the worst performers against Fulham and needs to improve if he wants to keep his place for the final two fixtures of the campaign.

And, in other news… Southampton Player Ratings vs Fulham

An update has emerged on Rangers transfer target John Souttar with the Gers suffering a blow in their bid to bring him to Ibrox next year.

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, the Hearts centre-back wants a move to England in the January transfer window, with the likes of Blackburn, Stoke and QPR, among others, keen on his services.

The report claims the Gers and Celtic are both keen on the defender and are set to be let down by his decision to go south of the border.

Big blow

This news comes as a big blow to Rangers as it suggests that they will be unable to land the defender in the next transfer window.

He is out of contract at the end of the season and that means the English sides will be able to pin him down to a pre-contract agreement in the winter, whereas the Gers would need to wait until his deal officially expires next summer.

It will also leave fans gutted as they will have been excited at the prospect of him arriving at Ibrox. He has been in sensational form in the Scottish Premiership and could have been a major addition to the side, but now appears set for the Championship in England.

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein once heaped praise on the defender, saying: “I’ve known him since he was 12 years old and he’s just got better and better. When he came here from Dundee Utd, we just needed to give him time. He’s grown into the player that I hoped he would be and for me he’s the best centre back in Scotland.

“Just for the fact that he can do wonderful things. His passing of the ball Saturday was fantastic, but he is also now capable physically of competing with any centre forward. His pace is very, very good and he’s strong, focused and aggressive.”

Souttar has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.39 in the Premiership for Hearts. Connor Goldson and Leon Balogun, meanwhile, have averaged scores of 7.05 each, which suggests that the Jam Tarts beast could be an upgrade on what the club currently have.

The 25-year-old has made 2.7 tackles and interceptions, along with 3.8 clearances, per game. He has also won an impressive 69% of his duels on the pitch throughout the campaign to date, with all of these statistics highlighting the defensive quality he could have brought with him to Glasgow. This is why fans will be gutted to read this update and why it is a big blow to the club ahead of the upcoming window.

AND in other news, 129 appearances: Rangers secured dream deal with £0 gem who “embodies professionalism”…

A number of Liverpool supporters are hugely excited after the Reds were linked with a January move for in-form Porto attacker Luis Diaz.

Jurgen Klopp’s men are in superb form at the moment, responding brilliantly to the defeat at West Ham by picking up consecutive wins against Arsenal, Porto and Southampton.

Liverpool seem to have clicked into gear at just the right time, with a fascinating Premier League title race with Chelsea and Manchester City starting to take shape.

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The Reds will almost certainly have to make do without star attackers Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane for a chunk of January, though, due to their participation in the Africa Cup of Nations.

It means that a new forward could be brought in during the next transfer window, and according to Record [via LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], Klopp has given his ‘approval’ over the signing of Diaz.

The 24-year-old has scored 10 times in 12 Primeira Liga appearances this season and has come up against Liverpool in the Champions League. He gave a decent account of himself at Anfield last week, with two key passes and three successful dribbles in his team’s 2-0 defeat.

The Colombian has struck 10 goals in 12 league games for Porto in the current campaign, also netting twice in Europe (Transfermarkt), and he is the team’s highest-ranking performer according to WhoScored.

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Liverpool fans love Diaz claim

These Reds fans on Twitter reacted positively to the links with Diaz, with one Kopite proclaiming him as a “baller”.

“Please!”

Credit: @obg_21

“Yesss”

Credit: @amirullahR

“I beg for him to sign”

Credit: @LFC_Colman

“If this is true this would be great. He’s a class player and would be good to have during AFCON when Mo and Mane are gone, he’ll definitely put in a shift and will keep us on winning ways surely”

Credit: @vvd_era

“Don’t do that… don’t give me hope”

Credit: @ben_lfc__

“Please please. Baller”

Credit: @my_sum

In other news, some Liverpool fans are delighted after another transfer rumour emerged. Read more here.

With 18 games played in the Premier League so far this season, Newcastle United have the worst defensive record in the top flight with a total of 41 goals conceded.

Taking this into account and the imminent opening of the January transfer window, this could provide newly appointed transfer consultant Nick Hammond with the opportunity to sign some players that would help strengthen Eddie Howe’s squad, particularly at the back.

Looking ahead to January, it seems as though Newcastle have identified someone they would like to bring in to help fix their defensive issues.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Telegraph, Newcastle are leading the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur defender Joe Rodon.

The report also claims that Spurs are likely to allow Rodon to leave on a short-term deal in January to get some regular game time. However, fellow Premier League clubs Brighton & Hove Albion, Watford and Leeds United are keeping an eye on the centre-back as well.

Rodon to the rescue

Since joining Spurs from Swansea City back in October 2020 in a deal worth an initial fee of £11m plus add-ons, the 24-year-old, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £24k-per-week according to Salary Sport, has only made 20 appearances for the north London club across all competitions.

Having been praised in the past for his “colossal” display for Wales in their 3-1 defeat against Belgium back in March by BBC Wales Football Correspondent Rob Phillips, a move to Newcastle on loan in January could suit all parties if Rodon gets to play regularly.

If he achieves that, then he could potentially save the Toon from relegation if he can fix up what can only be described as a shambolic defence.

The Magpies have shipped more goals than any other team in the top-flight (41) and have one of the worst defensive records in the highest four divisions of English football. Only Morecambe and Peterborough United (44) have let in more strikes throughout 2021/22 than Newcastle.

With pundit and former Premier League star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink saying that “nothing fazes him” when talking about Rodon, this is the sort of mindset that Newcastle will need to have in their side if they are going to escape the relegation zone and secure their place in the Premier League next season.

His defensive attributes and strong-willed mentality could be exactly what Hammond needs to add to the Newcastle squad in order to rescue their campaign.

Taking all of this into account, the Toon should do all they can to secure Rodon’s signature in January, even if it is only on a temporary basis just so they can add some defensive strength to their side, which is what they desperately need if they are going to avoid the drop.

In other news: Move over Ashworth: NUFC must consider “irate” DoF whose “behaviour’s been a disgrace”…

According to a report by the Daily Mail, the process of identifying potential replacements for Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has ‘already begun’ – with RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann viewed by many at Spurs as the ‘perfect candidate’.

Nagelsmann, who has previously been linked with Tottenham through the media, has lead Leipzig to a Bundesliga title challenge this season, with Die Roten Bullen currently just four points behind Bayern Munich as they contend for the trophy.

Tottenham identify perfect Nagelsmann behind the scenes

The 33-year-old German coach could also be appointable for a bargain salary of £6m per year, which is less than half of what Mourinho is currently earning at Tottenham according to the Daily Mail (£13m per year).

As the process of identifying potential replacements for Mourinho has seemingly already commenced, Nagelsmann is apparently viewed by many behind the scenes at Spurs as the perfect managerial successor should their current coach be shown the door.

Transfer Tavern take

The club’s financial position is reportedly emerging as a crucial factor in potentially appointing a new manager, and Spurs would attempt to put Mourinho on gardening leave rather than pay his entire compensation package in one go should he be sacked.

Whether or not chairman Daniel Levy parts with the current boss remains to be seen, but it could weigh on how strongly Tottenham finish this campaign.

With Nagelsmann turning RB Leipzig into Bundesliga title contenders and Champions League semi-finalists, Spurs could do a lot worse in terms of Mourinho’s successor.

In other news: Tottenham starlet has suffered a ‘severe’ fresh injury blow, find out more here.

In a recent interview, former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips discussed West Ham United’s reported interest in a summer move for Tammy Abraham.

The forwar dhas endured something of an up-and-down campaign for Chelsea so far this term, with the 23-year-old scoring six goals and registering two assists over his first 14 Premier League appearances of the season, before going on a run of six league games without either a goal or assist, as well as finding game-time increasingly hard to come by under Thomas Tuchel of late.

Indeed, it has been reported that the German manager remains unconvinced by the £36m-rated striker, with West Ham thought to be closely monitoring the situation of the England international ahead of a potential summer move.

Speaking recently to Football Insider, Phillips stated his belief that the £82,000-per-week Chelsea forward would be a good fit for David Moyes’ side.

He said: “I could see him there, definitely. The way West Ham are playing at the moment, he’d get chances. As a striker, you want to be playing regularly because we live on confidence.

“To play a few games then get left out, for a striker, that’s not great. I can see him at West Ham. They’ve got creative players that would create opportunities for him and he likes to play on that last man. If he was to be sold by Chelsea there’ll be a few clubs chasing him because he’s still got a long career ahead of him.”

Transfer Tavern Take

With Moyes currently only having the option of Michail Antonio as an out-and-out centre-forward in his first team squad, a move for a striker is likely to be a priority for the Scot in the summer transfer window, something which surely won’t be lost on the club’s GSB ownership.

Considering that Abraham has impressed when being awarded a start this season, scoring seven goals in 15 games when he has been picked in the starting XI for Chelsea, perhaps the 23-year-old would indeed be a good addition to Moyes’ attacking arsenal this summer, as Phillips suggests.

However, whether or not the Blues will be open to selling the centre-forward to a Premier League rival, particularly one currently sitting just two points behind them in the league standings, remains to be seen.

In other news: This West Ham summer target dropped a big hint on his future – find out more here!

Journalist Jordan Cronin has slammed both Richarlison and Anthony Gordon for their antics as Everton lost 2-0 away to Liverpool on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Everton tactics

Frank Lampard clearly set up his team to frustrate the hosts at Anfield, as they committed eight fouls in total and picked up five yellow cards (SofaScore).

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One of those was for Gordon, who was booked for simulation in the first half, while Richarlison was also cautioned late on after a nasty tackle on Jordan Henderson, amid the Brazilian being accused of play acting and deliberately time wasting throughout the game.

The Latest: Cronin reacts

Taking to Twitter, Cronin slammed Richarlison and Gordon for their antics on the pitch, saying:

“There’s trying to frustrate Liverpool and then there’s Everton. Embarrassing at times, especially Richarlison and Gordon.”

The Verdict: Nothing to show

Ultimately, the tactics employed by Everton did not pay off, as Jurgen Klopp’s team won 2-0 in the end.

Richarlison and Gordon did show some bright sparks in the match, as they won a combined 13 duels between them and also recorded four successful dribbles and two key passes in total (SofaScore).

However, they were guilty of giving the ball away no fewer than 33 times combined, and ultimately they could not make the most of their strides toward Alisson’s net.

Nonetheless, the Toffees will want to put this result behind them now and focus on Chelsea at Goodison Park next weekend as they aim to climb out of the relegation zone.

In other news, find out which Premier League club are now eyeing this Toffees centre-back

This hasn’t exactly been an easy January for Leeds United to negotiate. Heading into their clash with Newcastle this week, they’d yet to score or win in 2021.

On top of that, they’ve also failed to strengthen in the January transfer window.

On the chalkboard

Fortunately, things are getting better for Leeds. They defeated the Magpies 2-1 on Tuesday and now it looks as though enigmatic left-back Gjanni Alioski is heading for the exit door.

A report from Fotosport (via Sport Witness) claim that with Alioski’s contract expiring in the summer, he has reached an agreement with Galatasaray in Turkey to move there in the next transfer window.

Players are free to discuss a pre-contract arrangement with foreign clubs from this month onwards if their deal expires in six months and thus, it appears the North Macedonian is set to bring his stay at Elland Road to an end.

This wouldn’t be a huge loss for Leeds, however, who are bound to be frustrated with some of his performances. He was torn apart by Manchester United and Daniel James last month while he put in another unconvincing performance against Newcastle this week.

Previously described as a “liability” by Noel Whelan, it’s unlikely he’ll be missed too much in Yorkshire.

The solution

Leeds have had a problem at left-back for a number of years now. Ever since Charlie Taylor departed for Burnley, they have been found wanting in that area of the pitch. Gaetano Berardi deputised there for a period but he has one of the worst disciplinary records in the club’s history, being red-carded on seven occasions.

Stuart Dallas has played there and so too has Alioski. Though, the fact of the matter is that neither are natural left-backs. The former is used to playing on the right while the latter is a winger by trade.

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It’s hard to suggest Barry Douglas’ time worked out either. He’s now at Blackburn on loan and failed to score for the Whites despite being a set-piece wizard for Wolves before arriving.

Thus, there is a pretty large problem to solve – one that can be fixed by signing a proper left-back.

In Josh Doig they could well find that. The Hibernian youngster has been linked with a move to Sunderland, Leeds, Manchester City and Celtic in recent days in a switch that could cost £1m.

Not only would this be a bargain for Victor Orta, but it would also help to replace Alioski perfectly. That’s because they possess similar qualities.

In Goal’s report about Doig this week, they wrote the following about the 18-year-old: “Scouts have noted Doig’s attacking output as a huge part of his game, with his crossing ability and tireless running two of his key attributes.”

That sounds an awful like Alioski, someone who loves to stride forward and provide goals and assists. Fortunately, however, Doig is also very capable defensively.

The teenager was only given his first taste of senior football this season but has since played on 17 occasions in the Scottish Premiership. He has become a regular under Jack Ross and is incredibly strong in the tackle.

Doig has won a colossal 2.1 tackles per game this season, a tally that not only usurps Alioski (1.8) but also a great deal of Leeds’ team. In fact, the Hibs defender would be placed fifth for that certain statistic out of United’s regular starters.

Leeds have lacked a defender with the ability to do the simple things right from a defensive point of view for a while and that’s exactly why they need to sign Doig. Add that to the fact he’d cost just £1m and this would be the perfect deal for Marcelo Bielsa.

AND in other news, 3 new signings, Bielsa favourite axed: How Leeds’ XI could look after deadline day…

Aston Villa don’t rate West Brom star Matheus Pereira as highly as other targets, according to The Athletic’s Villa correspondent Gregg Evans.

And, as to be expected, the latest update has had plenty of Villa fans talking on social media.

Villa have been linked with a move for Pereira recently, however, it seems as if sporting director Johan Lange has two other players higher up on his summer wishlist.

According to Evans, Villa have already laid extensive groundwork over deals for Burnley’s Dwight McNeil and Norwich City’s Emiliano Buendia.

Evans adds that Pereira could still come into the reckoning regarding a Midlands switch, however, at this moment in time, the Brazilian isn’t rated as highly as McNeil or Buendia.

Villa reportedly want two or three signings ahead of the 2021/22 season, but it seems as if Pereira may not be one of those going off the latest update.

Villa fans react

@villareport shared Evans’ claims on Pereira on social media on Friday morning. This is what these fans had to say in reply, with many not exactly thrilled and one describing the call as ‘stupid’.

“Can you imagine what Jack Grealish must think of this? Dwight McNeil ahead of Matheus Pereira? It’s an absolute joke. And with our business supposedly limited to 2/3 ‘smart’ signings it’s hardly surprising he’s linked to a City move this morning. No ambition whatsoever.”Credit: @_porsalin”Madness. Absolute madness. Seriously Smith doesn’t know a good winger”Credit: @Harry34740948″We are so stupid if that’s true”Credit: @jackavfc1″McNeil over Pereira??? Really???”Credit: @willjonesavfc1″Pereira should be our main priority after Buendia”Credit: @OllyAVFC_”I really don’t understand this but I’ve got faith in Lange”Credit: @compsavfc_

In other news: Many AVFC fans react to Tom Heaton update, find out more here. 

It would seem that Sunderland are beginning to build up ahead of steam at the perfect time.

Lee Johnson has been game-changing for the face of the football club and after defeating Rochdale on Saturday, it marked yet another three points for the Mackems.

They have now tasted defeat just once in their last 11 league games, a phenomenal run brought about through a number of factors.

The new manager has breathed huge belief into this side and is getting results from the players that Phil Parkinson would never have deemed imaginable.

Dion Sanderson has been talked about as a “Rolls-Royce” in recent days while Aiden McGeady’s tally of 11 assists in 17 matches is a sight to behold.

Though, there is one man glueing everything together right now; Charlie Wyke.

The striker is having a phenomenal season and on Saturday afternoon, he took his tally for the campaign to 25 goals in all competitions. Considering he only scored six times last term, the improvement is staggering.

Johnson’s football suits him perfectly and he is now tucking away chances with relative ease. Speaking in the build-up to Sunderland’s 2-0 win over Rochdale, the boss said: “A top striker can slow down his mind’s eye in the box, be like ice in the box, and Charlie certainly finished with that look.

“The bit that is impressing me is his off-the-ball work. He is helping out the midfield, he’s pressing from the front – in the last 20 minutes against Swindon, he was like a man possessed.”

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Indeed, the same sentiment could be offered after the Black Cats’ win yesterday afternoon. Wyke was again among the goals, and he was putting himself about with the authority of a man who knows he’s playing the best football of his career.

He is stealing the show for Sunderland right now and nothing typified that more than this weekend. Wyke is a physical player and used that to his advantage to bully the Rochdale defenders on Saturday.

The striker won a colossal seven aerial duels from nine attempted, while he also prevailed in five ground duels. For context, no player in a Sunderland shirt won more battles aerially than Wyke.

As Johnson alludes to, it’s not just his goal scoring antics that have been so impressive. The 28-year-old is a fierce competitor and won three tackles on Saturday. Amazingly, that was the second-best tally on the side, usurping every Mackems defender.

Wyke leads from the front and in scoring 20 league goals this term, he has been outstanding.

If Sunderland achieve promotion in a few months time, he will be one of the main reasons for their success; the forward is a marvel at the moment.

AND in other news, £6k-p/w gem is now proving everyone wrong at Sunderland, Parkinson should be seething…