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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Whilst England’s senior side qualified for Euro 2020 against Montenegro last Thursday, the Three Lions’ U21 team were in action against Albania the following day.

The youngsters have impressed in their group so far, with the 3-0 victory over the Balkan nation being their fourth win out of four in their group. If they keep on in this form, their place at the final tournament in 2021 is all but guaranteed.

The game against the Eagles saw the first start at this level for Liverpool teenager Rhian Brewster. He has a bright future ahead of him, but he will need to make big improvements to break into the Reds’ first-team based on this performance.

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The 19-year-old had a bit of a shocker. For the most part, he played a supporting role on the pitch. He had just 20 touches of the ball, making an astonishingly low nine passes considering England had 65% of the ball throughout the clash, and took part in just two duels – although he did win one.

However, he did have some big moments. Unfortunately, he fluffed his lines at each opportunity. He had four shots, with two on target and two missing it – one of which even hit the woodwork – which is not a great record for the team’s main striker.

Not only that, but he missed a penalty, and also had two big opportunities, both of which he couldn’t convert.

In the end, he was taken off after 72 minutes, with Aidy Boothroyd putting him out of his misery. His disappointing display may not have affected the final result, but it will have done him no favours in the eyes of Jurgen Klopp.

So far, he has made just two appearances in professional football, and he will be turning 20 next April. When you consider that Liverpool target Jadon Sancho, who is just six days older than Brewster, has made 82, you can see just how far behind the younger forward is.

The Reds man has also been the subject of interest from the Bundesliga in the past, where Sancho plays, and a short-term spell away from Merseyside would not go amiss, whether it be in Germany or domestically.

With Roberto Firmino leading the line at the moment at Anfield, Brewster’s chances are likely to be few and far between. At this point in his career, he needs to play. This England performance can only be described as rusty, and regular minutes is what he needs to avoid a repeat.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking to GQ, former Manchester United striker Louis Saha has delivered a word of caution on Mason Greenwood.

What did he say?

The 18-year-old has enjoyed an impressive rise to the top in the past year or so, featuring in the Red Devils’ dramatic triumph over PSG in the Champions League last season. After scoring against the likes of Inter and Leeds on the club’s pre-season tour earlier in the summer, Greenwood has under-lined his first-team credentials with goals against Partizan Belgrade, FC Astana and Rochdale.

Despite his fine showings, Saha moved to temper expectations on the starlet, and bemoaned the fact he currently only has Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford as his two ‘mentors’.

He said: “Maybe he has arrived six months or one year early and that’s not fair for him. He can’t be the only threat for Martial and Rashford at a big club like United. I had to compete with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Cristiano (Ronaldo) and Wayne Rooney. Greenwood is learning from two youngsters rather than two experienced players.”

Guidance

When you’re 18 like Greenwood and trying to break through into the team on a consistent basis, you invariably want to look for role models to follow amongst your teammates. Unfortunately for him, as Saha alludes to, Martial and Rashford are barely any older than him, at just 23 and 22 respectively.

The duo are still learning the tricks of the trade themselves, and are hardly the wizened professionals that could offer someone like Greenwood some much-needed career and life advice. And with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s struggling for goals in general this season – they have scored just 16 goals in 12 Premier League games – the teenager is playing in an environment that is arguably not the most conducive to his development. Signing a more experienced forward could be the key to unlocking the 18-year-old’s full potential.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

Everton are reportedly set to go back into the market for a young centre-back after missing out on Kurt Zouma in the recent summer window.

What’s the word?

Reports from Football Insider have claimed that Everton are set to resume their search for a centre-back after they couldn’t re-sign the Frenchman on a permanent basis.

However, Marco Silva will be targeting a young player rather than a senior one.

Given the impressive form of Mason Holgate, it is believed that Silva is no longer eyeing an experienced head at the back, but rather seeks a younger player in this position.

Never hurts to buy young

The Toffees have struggled at the back this season and their slight defensive woes have forced them into an early relegation scrap. The likes of Michael Keane have not been at the races, which should force Silva to buy, as it leaves him with just two other centre-backs.

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With Keane out the side, Yerry Mina and Holgate remain the only two men at the back.

Now, Marcel Brands and the coaching staff should seriously consider buying young to have another defender with them for years to come.

Holgate is only 23, and if Silva is going to want to build for the future at Goodison Park, he is going to need more young, promising centre-backs in his backline.

The Blues must rocket up the Premier League soon, as their six-point cushion on the drop zone could be gone very quickly during the hectic winter period.

Buying a young centre-back in January could help them in their endeavour to push into the top six.

With a capacity of 32,050, Molineux is by no means an underwhelming place to watch football.

It is the one and only stadium in which Wolves have played their home games since they were formed in 1887. The record attendance for a match there is 61,315 – almost double what it can hold now – which came in February 1939.

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Interestingly, though, they also hold the record for the highest attendance at Old Trafford – and it came in a match in which Manchester United didn’t even feature. Again in 1939, on March 25th, they made history in their clash versus Grimsby in the FA Cup semi-final.

Nowadays, the Red Devils’ historic arena can hold as many as 74,879 – but the Old Gold and the Mariners surpassed even that in their match over 80 years ago. They managed to fit in 76,962 people into the stadium, and the fans then took in Wolves’ huge 5-0 victory, which meant they reached the final for the sixth time in their history.

That final of the competition was played, as it is now, at Wembley Stadium. They came up against Portsmouth, but they were unable to contain the south-coast side, finishing on the receiving end of a 4-1 defeat.

That match was another historic occasion – it proved to be that last FA Cup final before Great Britain entered into war with Germany.

It would be seven years before domestic English football’s biggest match would take place in a time of peace.

As per Goal.com, Alfredo Morelos could be available for just €15m (£13.2m) in the upcoming transfer window and it is reported that as many as nine clubs are keen on securing his services.

Morelos has been linked with a number of clubs, and this latest report says that Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Newcastle, Leicester City, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Internazionale are all interested in signing the Colombian.

Steven Gerrard is said to be holding out for €40m (£35.1m), but a fee of €15m (£13.2m) could be enough to match his market value.

Since moving to Scotland, the six-time Colombia international has been absolutely prolific. In 137 matches for the Glasgow-based outfit, he has scored 77 goals, with this campaign being particularly lucrative – he already has 29 strikes to his name.

There has been plenty of questions surrounding his temperament – he has already picked up seven red cards – but his goalscoring ability is there for all to see and it is surely only a matter of time before he moves on the pastures new in order to test himself at a higher level.

Whilst it is unlikely Rangers will be able to keep hold of him forever, he is no doubt a valuable asset. He knows where the back of the net, has proven himself in European competition with 16 strikes in 23 matches, and is just 23 years old. £35.2m may be pushing it a little, but they could surely earn more than the £13.2m they are thought to be willing to accept.

It is imperative that Ross Wilson, the club’s Sporting Director, backs his manager in regards to their star forward. They cannot be allowed to be bullied, especially with him having a contract until 2023 – they have all the leverage, and must hold out for the best fee.

As is often the case with the best players in Scotland, he will leave the club at some point. But his departure should only be on Rangers’ terms.

Should Rangers sell Morelos? Let us know in the comments!

There is growing uncertainty on whether or not the Championship season will resume, which in turn, creates confusion over Leeds United’s promotion chances.Many at Elland Road are desperate to see the club end their 16-year absence from the English top-flight and earlier this week, YEP’s Graham Smyth claimed that the season is ‘unlikely to be played to completion.’

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If so, how will the EFL decide the outcome? The Athletic’s Phil Hay believes that a points-per-game conclusion is “one option” that is a “strong possibility.”

He tweeted the following…

France’s top tier, Ligue 1, called short their season this week, implementing a PPG system to decide the final standings, but it hasn’t come without uproar as Lyon, who were fifth, ended up finishing seventh, missing out on European football. They could take legal action over the decision.

However, Leeds are likely to be promoted along with West Brom on most of the PPG methods, whether that be based on the 37 games played or at the halfway stage.

AND in other news,ÂBrown tips ace to stay at Leeds amid PL interest…

West Ham United are interested in a move for Germany international and Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira, according to Calciomercato.

What does the report say?

Khedira has been limited to 12 Serie A appearances this season, with injuries and stern competition for places seeing him fall out of favour in recent years.

Having just turned 33 the German is likely past the peak of his powers, but West Ham are said to be interested.

According to Calciomercato, Khedira is keen to follow his partner Melanie Leupolz to London, after she signed a three-year deal with Chelsea.

The report states that West Ham are keeping an eye on the German’s situation, who could see his contract with Juventus cut short over the summer.

One to avoid

At his best, Khedira was one of the best midfielders in Europe and in 2014 he became a world cup winner with Germany.

However, he last started more than 10 league matches in the 2017/18 season and with West Ham already said to be planning their transfer activity, this is a deal to avoid.

West Ham have invested plenty in the likes of Sebastien Haller, Pablo Fornals and Felipe Anderson, while short term moves for older players like Samir Nasri, Alvaro Arbeloa, Patrice Evra and Roberto Jimenez have not worked out.

The Hammers now need to refocus on signing promising youngsters, rather than offering large contracts to older stars past their best.

Manchester City midfielder David Silva has reaffirmed his intentions to end his 10-year stay at the club this summer, telling Spanish media outlet AS [via Manchester Evening News] that he is sticking with his intentions to call time on life at the Etihad Stadium.

The 34-year-old initially announced last summer that he intended to depart the club at end of this season and, while he could sign a short-term deal to see out the remainder of the current campaign beyond 30 June, he has insisted that “the cycle closes here” regarding his time with the Premier League champions.

Silva will no doubt be an incredibly hard act to follow at the Etihad. His decade of service to the club has yielded 13 trophies and the contribution of 74 goals and 137 assists in 424 appearances, while Manchester City plan to honour the Spaniard in the form of a mosaic at their training ground.

It is a sign of how highly regarded he is by the club’s fans that many of them objected to the planned mosaic by insisting that he should be given a greater commemoration once he departs. After all, this is a player who has the seventh-highest tally of assists in Premier League history and has been hailed by its all-time leading scorer Alan Shearer as “just an incredible player” (via Manchester Evening News).

Ex-Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher also spoke of Silva in glowing terms on Sky Sports [via Sports Joe] when he stated that he was worthy of being included in the same breath as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Alan Shearer in conversations about “these greats that we’ve had in Premier League history”.

It’s hard to see anyone instantly replicating what Silva has done for Manchester City but the good news for Pep Guardiola is that he might not necessarily need to outlay a sizeable transfer fee in attempting to replace the Spanish midfielder.

Silva has had one of his more modest seasons with the club in 2019/20, contributing three goals and eight assists in 28 appearances over a total game-time of 1,865 minutes. That works out at one goal per 621.67 minutes and an assist every 233.12 minutes.

Midfield team-mate Phil Foden has chipped in with three goals and seven assists in 26 appearances but played just 1,085 minutes, giving him an average of one goal per 361.67 minutes and an assist every 155 minutes. Remove the sentiment about Silva’s glorious past and you’ll see that, in the here and now, the youngster has perhaps made the greater contribution this season.

Foden doesn’t turn 20 until next week but he has already racked up 62 first team appearances under Guardiola and scored 10 goals. Unlike a player brought in from elsewhere, he already knows the club and the manager very well and would not need time to settle.

What he does need, and merit, is adequate time to prove that he is capable of being Silva’s long-term successor at the Etihad. His form this season suggests that he has a realistic chance of ultimately succeeding in that mission.

Man City fans, could Foden go on to be every bit as influential at the club as Silva has been? Have your say by commenting below!

Tottenham are set to launch a bid for Southampton star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, according to The Daily Star.  

The Saints skipper is out of contract next year and the club are willing to let him leave if the right offer arrives.

Earlier this year, Sky Sports reported that Jose Mourinho has identified Hojbjerg at the top of his shortlist of summer targets.

However, Daniel Levy faces stiff competition from Everton for his signature.

Spurs were initially interested in signing the midfielder in January, but the Saints decided against selling him after some deliberation. Chief executive Martin Semmens has admitted that Southampton are ready to offload him in the summer.

He recently said “if there’s a club out there that can win the Champions League and they think Pierre can improve their team, if they can pay for him then, in the end, we have to let him go.”

Having moved to St Mary’s from Bayern Munich for £13.7m in 2016, Hojbjerg has played in 28 games for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side this season, creating one assist, making 2.4 tackles per game, averaging 1.5 interceptions and completing 1.7 clearances on average (WhoScored).

As it stands, a move for Hojbjerg may benefit all parties involved. Indeed, the Danish international has made it clear that he wants to win the Premier League and play in the Champions League, which matches Mourinho’s personal ambitions.

Moreover, The Daily Star recently revealed the Saints are in dire straits as Chinese owner Gao Jisheng is desperate to sell his majority stake in the club. The 24-year-old is currently valued at £10.8m via Transfermarkt, and Southampton could cover the costs by offloading valuable players when the transfer market opens.

Furthermore, it is unlikely the Hampshire club will be able to offer him European football in the near future, whereas Spurs made it to the Champions League final last season, which will no doubt appeal to the Dane.

The Lilywhites may even offer Kyle Walker-Peters as part of an exchange, which could sweeten the deal for the Saints, as Ralph Hasenhuttl admires the youngster.

Tottenham fans, do you believe the board should sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the summer? Let us know what you think down below!

Loads of Everton fans have been destroying Marco Silva as ONDA DEPORTIVA (via The Toffee Blues) reported that he is a contender to manage at Valencia CF.

The Spanish club currently sit in 10th place in the La Liga table on 46 points having lost their last three games in the division, and only have five matches left to boost their hopes up of qualifying for European competition for the upcoming 2020/21 season, as per Sky Sports.

Silva would surely be looking to make an instant impact if he is hired, but several members of the Toffees faithful on Twitter did not seem to have faith in him given his relatively disastrous spell at Goodison Park.

The Portuguese boss was sacked by the Merseyside club midway through this campaign off the back of a rather humiliating 5-2 defeat at the hands of their bitter rivals Liverpool that left them sitting in the relegation zone (via BBC).

Silva actually lost more games in charge of the Blues then he won, having managed in 60 matches in all competitions, according to Transfermarkt.

These EFC supporters destroyed their former coach:

Evertonians, would Silva be a bad move for Valencia? Comment below!