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Leeds United duo Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford both put in impressive displays in their side’s 2-1 win against Swansea City at Elland Road on Wednesday night, and teammate Mateusz Klich may well be the one to suffer if they maintain their form.

On the chalkboard

Well, manager Marcelo Bielsa has often preferred Roofe in the lone striker role this season – especially with Bamford absent for the majority of the campaign because of injury – but they have both started the Yorkshire outfit’s previous two Championship clashes.

The former Middlesbrough man was given the centre-forward role for the second successive fixture as they hosted the Swans, with Roofe starting in an advanced central midfield role behind him.

It is a similar one to the one that Klich has had for much of the season, with his most frequent partner Adam Forshaw arguably more defensively-minded.

The chosen duo certainly made an impact on Wednesday, having nine shots at goal between them according to WhoScored.

Is Klich in danger of losing his place?

He might well be, especially since he hasn’t been in the best form in recent months.

With Kalvin Phillips having the defensive midfield role wrapped up it will leave the likes of him, Roofe and Forshaw – when he returns from injury – fighting for the two spots ahead of him.

While it may have been deemed fine to deploy the Poland international and Leeds’ top goalscorer there for the visit of Graham Potter’s men, Bielsa may choose for a slightly more conservative line-up in the future – especially away from home given he has attacking players like Pablo Hernandez, Jack Harrison and Jack Clarke on the wings.

Should Roofe remain in midfield then the experienced manager may well favour Forshaw alongside him when he needs to be more defensive – something that could easily happen in what could be a nervous run-in for the Yorkshire club.

Manchester City’s 0-1 win away at Bournemouth was dominant but perhaps didn’t tell the whole story of just how much they need the international break to keep their quadruple dreams alive.

More injuries to Kevin De Bruyne and John Stones added to the growing injury list of Benjamin Mendy, Aymeric Laporte, Fernandinho, Fabian Delph and Gabriel Jesus. Aside from that, the performances in the Carabao Cup Final against Chelsea and then against West Ham last week were well below par.

It seems only a matter of time before something gives.

City have played 25 games in 93 days averaging a game just over every three days, and no matter how strong people claim their squad to be, no team can cope with that for a season and play to their highest ability. Guardiola surely knows City are on the ropes yet are still capable of winning every single trophy on offer to an English side, but fatigue and injuries will play a massive part.

Before the international break in two weeks, City have a home game against Watford in the Premier League, a crucial Champions League round of 16 second-leg at home to Schalke then a trip to Swansea in the FA Cup. If they can win all of those games, it could mean more than just progression in the cups and keeping the pressure on Liverpool.

The break gives Laporte and Fernandinho time to recover ahead of the final run-in as well as a week for the whole squad to take a collective breath after a tumultuous period of football. Going into that break having won every game in the last two weeks proves City can indeed cope with an injury crisis, and it can give them the mentality that says ‘if we got through that, we can get through this’.

Liverpool have a lighter fixture schedule and so injuries have been kinder to them, so it’s an uphill battle for Guardiola’s men to win as many trophies as possible, but how many do you think they’ll win?

سجل أحمد سيد زيزو، جناح الزمالك، هدف الأبيض الأول في شباك الجونة، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما الآن، على ستاد القاهرة، ضمن منافسات الدوري المصري.

يلتقي الزمالك نظيره الجونة، في الجولة 30 من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز، على استاد القاهرة.

اقرأ ايضًا.. فيديو | بواليا يسجل هدف الجونة الأول أمام الزمالك

أحرز أحمد سيد زيزو، هدف التعادل للزمالك في الدقيقة 39 من زمن المباراة، من ضربة حرة مباشرة على حدود منطقة الجزاء من الناحية اليمنى، حيث وجه تسديدة ماكرة على يسار حارس مرمى الجونة، الذي لم يحرك ساكنًا بعدما كان متوقع إرسال عرضية داخل منطقة الـ18.

وكان والتر بواليا، قد سجل هدف الجونة الأول في الدقيقة 14 من زمن الشوط الأول. هدف الزمالك الأول أمام الجونة

ويحتل الزمالك المركز الثاني في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 58 نقطة، بعدما خاض 29 مباراة حقق خلالها الفوز في 17 لقاء وتعادل في 7 مواجهات وهُزم في 5 مباريات، فيما سجل لاعبوه 40 هدفًا واستقبلت شباكه 22 هدفًا، إلا أن الأبيض اعتبر مهزومًا اعتباريًا بنتيجة 2/0، في مباراته أمام الأهلي في قمة الدور الأول من المسابقة المحلية، ليتقرر خصم 3 نقاط إضافيه من رصيده مع نهاية الموسم الجاري.

فيما يحتل الجونة المركز الثالث عشر بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 31 نقطة، بعدما خاض 29 مباراة حقق خلالها الفوز في 8 مواجهات وتعادل في 7 لقاءات وهُزم في 14 مباراة، فيما سجل لاعبوه 24 هدفًا واستقبلت شباكه 37 هدفًا.

The Premier League has reached the closing stages. With less than 10 games less to play it really is squeaky bum time for Liverpool. Obviously, not many Kopites reading this would have rejected the chance to be in this position if offered it at the start of the season, though the manner in which they surrendered a lead on Manchester City means the pressure really is on. 

Not to be too cliché, but Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool squad have eight cup finals left to play. Win them all and their destiny isn’t even in their own hands but that’s all they can do. One of the best ever league campaigns in the club’s illustrious history surely deserves a prize, right? This is Liverpool we’re talking about.

With that in mind, here, we are going to take a look at a couple that may stop them from winning the ultimate prize. Or give them the boost to do exactly that.

Chelsea (Home, 14th April) 

Chelsea has always been a fixture in red on Liverpool’s calendar, and with the points up for grabs being the difference for a top 4 finish for Chelsea, or a Premier League title for Liverpool, it will truly be a game to turn heads.

We’ve been here before. Someone slipped but that doesn’t really tell the whole story, does it? Brendan Rodgers playing into Jose Mourinho’s tactical trap back in 2014 didn’t help of course, so winning this fixture would be a huge psychological boost.

Even in more recent matters, Liverpool will want to right the wrong that happened to them in the cup, when Eden Hazard silenced Anfield with a wonderful solo goal.

The Blues haven’t lost a game at Anfield since 2012. They’ve got to at some point.

Newcastle (Away, 4th May) 

Newcastle vs Liverpool has always been an exciting fixture for both sets of fans, being the fixture with the most goals scored in it over the course of Premier League history.

Liverpool have struggled to get solid results in recent seasons at St. James’ Park, having last found a victory in 2013,  and with the new found form of the Magpies, the Reds will have to be wary of a slip up similar to Manchester City’s earlier in the season, which will only boost the Toon Army’s spirit.

With the fixture being the penultimate game in the season and against a certain Rafa Benitez, the Reds could find themselves under immense pressure.

As we have seen earlier this season already, they could crumble to an uninspiring performance.

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Aston Villa legend Nigel Spink has backed the club to turn their poor form around, per Express and Star.

Spink spent 19 years at Villa Park between 1977 and 1996, winning the European Cup and the European Super Cup during his time in Birmingham.

What’s the word?

Villa have been in dire form under Dean Smith.

The Villans have won two games in their last 13 outings and are currently 10th in the Championship, nine points off sixth-placed Bristol City, who sit in the final play-off spot.

However, Spink remains confident that the club can get back on the up under Smith’s management.

Speaking to Express and Star, he said: “I think Dean is the right man long-term and I think the majority of the fans think that.

“Football is not the game it once was and patience runs out quickly. But they have to stick at it, this is not something which is going to be put right overnight.”

However, Spink also believes that there needs to be a major overhaul to the club’s playing squad, particularly if Villa fail to win promotion to the Premier League this season.

He added: “Enough is enough. This summer, if the club is still in the Championship as looks likely, is an opportunity to rejuvenate the whole place.

“Dean has the right philosophy and got the team playing the kind of football fans want to see, before Jack Grealish and Axel Tuanzebe got injured. Perhaps there also needs to be an acceptance they are now a Championship club.

“They’ve got an opportunity, at the end of this season, to sort out the playing squad, bring in fresh faces and start taking the club forward.”

Villa need a fitness boost

Villa need a spark of inspiration if they are to rescue their play-off dreams.

Manager Smith has lost key first-team star Grealish to injury but, nevertheless, he has been unable to motivate the club’s fit stars.

Their performances in recent weeks have been dire but, per Express and Star, the club are hopeful that Grealish will soon be back to full fitness.

He could make the bench against Stoke City and that may be key for the manager, who needs to turn their form around swiftly.

As it stands, football is a tough business and Spink may not get his wish if form continues to slide, with a sacking far more likely than a commitment to keep him around.

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Manchester United fans have taken to Twitter to react after Real Madrid star Raphael Varane revealed that he is considering a change in his career having grown unconvinced about life at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Whilst some fans have simply been stating their desire to see the Red Devils, who have a long-standing interest according to L’Equipe, via AS, swoop to sign the World Cup winning Frenchman, others are far more sceptical over the timing of Varane’s statement – his contract with Los Blancos is set to run out in 2022.

Watch the video below to find out what Jesse Lingard is like off the pitch in the latest Match Of The Bae with Emma Conybeare…

Some fans feel that Varane is bargaining for an improved contract from the reigning Champions League holders, and as a result, are not getting too invested in the idea of the 25-year-old turning up at Old Trafford as a United player.

Of course, the centre-back would be a marquee signing of the highest order, having cemented himself as one of the world’s best over the course of his eight-year stay in the Spanish capital, but United fans on Twitter aren’t getting too excited…

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Confidence and momentum are absolutely integral to the success of centre-forwards at any level of the game.

What’s the word?

Charlie Wyke’s dismal run of form in recent weeks is a typical example of how the life of a striker can be unforgiving and confidence-sapping.

The 26-year-old forward has scored just one goal for Sunderland this season, and his struggle to find the net continued on Saturday against Bristol Rovers.

Wyke was brought on as a second-half substitute and he had chances to add to his tally for the season, but he let three big chances go begging.

Jack Ross, though, did not seem overly concerned by his failure to find the net and he praised the goal-shy striker for his intelligent positioning, as per Sunderland Echo.

“I was really pleased with him when he came on.

“I know people will say that’s easy [to say] because we won the game.

“But I was. His all-round performance when he came on, he got himself into three really good positions, his movement was good.

“He’ll score and I’m desperate for him to score.”

Confidence-boosting goal could stimulate turnaround

As Ross has alluded to, the fact the Black Cats recorded a 2-0 victory made it easier for him to take such a patient stance with Wyke, but the striker’s ability to manufacture opportunities during a rough patch is a sign of promise for the future.

Ultimately, the run Wyke is on is bound to frustrate Sunderland supporters, but a single goal could be all that he needs to stimulate a major turnaround.

While the former Carlisle hitman continues to find himself in the right positions, both Ross and the supporters should keep believing that he will eventually rediscover his clinical instinct.

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Jed Steer currently has the gloves for Aston Villa.

Indeed, the 26-year-old has started Villa’s last three Championship matches, keeping back-to-back clean sheets in the wins over Derby County and Birmingham City.

Lovre Kalinic was signed in January from Gent, but his form was not the best in the early stages of the year and Steer is currently the individual between the sticks.

The 26-year-old actually spent the first half of this season on loan at Charlton Athletic in League One, but it is funny how quickly things can change.

The goalkeeper was one of a number of Villa players to take to social media in the aftermath of Sunday’s huge 1-0 win over Birmingham City in the Championship.

Thogden has ranked his top 5 sets of Championship away fans for Pl>ymaker FC. Did your club make the list? Find out in the video below…

And the Villa fans were out in force to lavish praise on the former England Under-19 international, who made four saves in the derby, according to WhoScored.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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According to Le10 Sport, Everton have approached Paris Saint-Germain over a move for Belgium international Thomas Meunier.

Meunier will see his current deal with PSG expire in summer 2020, so his future with the French champions is certainly in doubt at the moment.

Right-back has proved to be one of the big problem positions at Everton so far this season, with neither Seamus Coleman or Jonjoe Kenny particularly convincing in the No.2 slot.

According to Le10Sport, Everton have actually already made contact with PSG to discuss a summer swoop for the 6ft 3in ace.

The Merseyside club’s supporters have been on social media reacting to the news and it would be fair to say that they are struggling to agree on the defender.

Indeed, whilst some believe that Meunier would be a good signing, others feel that Mason Holgate – currently on loan at West Bromwich Albion – would be the better option in the long run.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

اعترف مدرب فريق مانشستر سيتي بيب جوارديولا برغبة اللاعب إريك جارسيا في الانتقال إلى صفوف برشلونة، في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الحالي.

وسينتهي العقد الحالي للاعب الإسباني مع السكاي بلو، في عام 2021.

وحاولت إدارة مانشستر سيتي إقناع جارسيا بفكرة تجديد عقده، إلا إنه رفض ذلك في ظل اهتمام برشلونة باستعادة خدماته حيث سبق له اللعب في أكاديمية الشباب.

وعندما سُئل عما إذا كان يتوقع رحيل جارسيا عن مانشستر سيتي قبل نهاية موسم الانتقالات يوم الإثنين المقبل، أجاب جوارديولا: “لا أعرف”.

وأضاف في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “تليجراف” الإنجليزية: “لا أستطيع الإجابة على هذا السؤال لذا لا أعرف، اليوم هو لاعبنا، يوم الإثنين ستنتهي فترة الانتقالات لذا لا أعرف”.

وواصل الإسباني: “لا أعرف بالضبط ما الذي سيحدث، أعلم أنه يريد العيش هناك، أعرف أن برشلونة يريده لكني أعتقد أنه لا توجد صفقة بين الأندية”.

واختتم: “هذا ما أعرفه الآن، لذا لا أعرف ما الذي سينتهي إليه الأمر”.