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Lots of Sunderland fans have been left blasting the performance of Lynden Gooch in their 6-0 defeat away at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon.

It was a dismal day for the Stadium of Light faithful in their race to get promoted from League One, and while the defenders were truly awful in trying to keep the ball out of the net, the attackers were equally as poor going forward.

None more so than Gooch, who failed to record a single shot on goal or key pass, and was inaccurate in three of his attempted crosses and long balls (SofaScore).

The winger also gave the ball away on no fewer than on 21 separate occasions in total, the most out of any player on the pitch, in what was a disappointing game for him and the whole team.

Sunderland fans blast Gooch

These SAFC supporters were left blasting his display on Twitter, with one Black Cat even going as far as to claim that he is an ‘imposter’:

“100% convinced Gooch is a imposter”

Credit: @freddiesafc27

“Lynden Gooch plays every week, surely the “management team” can see he’s simply not good enough, it doesn’t matter who we face or any other excuses he’s simply not a good footballer.”

Credit: @jfoster3_

“Gooch has to be dropped now”

Credit: @woodylad83

“They were all atrocious. Gooch just stood out. LJ’s tactics aren’t working either.”

Credit: @Lauren_McLeish

“Leave Lynden Gooch in Bolton”

Credit: @mackemroy66

“Never want to see Gooch in a Sunderland kit again”

Credit: @omiddsafc

In other news, find out what transfer update has Black Cats buzzing here!

Leeds United return to Premier League action later this evening and Marcelo Bielsa will be hoping for a change in fortunes on the pitch, having picked up just two wins from their opening 12 matches.

The Yorkshiremen head to the south coast for the late kick-off against Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium off the back of a 2-1 defeat in north London last time out.

Bielsa’s men dominated spells of the first half against Tottenham Hotspur, even going into the break with a one-goal lead, but were undone in the second half.

The Argentine was clearly unimpressed by the performance from Mateusz Klich, who earned a recall to the engine room, as he was the first player hooked and that was just 14 minutes after half-time, right after Spurs’ equaliser.

‘Another difficult afternoon for Klich to shine. Looked despondent as he came off, but his pressing was non-existent in the second half. Summed up why he had not been in the team in recent weeks,’ wrote LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross in his post-match ratings column.

Indeed, the Poland international has been way off his usual standard for the bulk of the 2021/22 campaign.

His last three starts in the Premier League have drawn shocking WhoScored ratings of 6.34 against Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, and his second-lowest of the season, a 6.17 against Spurs.

As per SofaScore, Klich lost every single one of his duels last Sunday, failed to record a successful dribble and was dribbled past twice by the opposition’s midfield. Passenger-like.

Only four players to have started eight or more games have managed a worse average rating for the entire season, and unsurprisingly they are mainly attack-minded players.

Valued at £8.5m and earning around £34k-per-week at Elland Road, Klich has surely lost his place in the starting XI heading into this weekend’s encounter. At the time of writing, Brighton are sat inside the top ten, so they will be a tough test and the struggling Whites can no longer afford to carry underperforming players like the Polish midfielder.

Bielsa must be ruthless and axe his long-serving favourite from his starting XI tonight.

AND in other news, Beren Cross drops Leeds United managerial update…

Rangers qualified for the knockout stages of the Europa League with a convincing 2-0 win at Ibrox in Gio van Bronckhorst’s first game in charge on Thursday night.

They beat Czech side Sparta Prague in Glasgow, with Alfredo Morelos scoring both goals to seal the three points and progression to the next stage.

The 25-year-old opened the scoring with a calm, first-time finish inside the box after good work from James Tavernier and Ianis Hagi. He was then presented with a golden opportunity to double his tally as a loose pass from a defender allowed him to nod into an empty net.

Forget Morelos

Whilst the Colombian centre-forward may grab the headlines with his match-winning brace, another player stole the show for Rangers with a terrific performance on the pitch, namely Glen Kamara.

The Finland international was sublime and controlled the game for the Gers alongside Steven Davis. He was able to put himself about effectively and win the ball back for Van Bronckhorst’s side on multiple occasions, stopping Sparta’s attacks and creating chances for Rangers.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, once told The Athletic that the midfielder is a ‘special talent’, saying: “He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect. He’s a special talent. He’s lightning-quick but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

McCann’s comments on him being ‘made of iron’ are particularly pertinent given the nature of his display against Sparta. As per SofaScore, he won a whopping 91.6% of his duels and conquered 11 of his 12 battles on the ground and in the air during the game. He also made one clearance, two interceptions and five tackles as he dominated the midfield for the Gers.

He was solid on the ball. As per SofaScore, he completed 87% of his attempted passes and had 72 touches of the ball, as he also completed two of his three attempted dribbles. In the entire 90 minutes, he only gave possession away eight times in total, showing how composed and assured he was with the ball at his feet.

This highlights how he was able to piece together a brilliant all-round performance and why he was the real star of the show at Ibrox. Van Bronckhorst will surely be hoping that this a standard that Kamara can continue to match throughout the rest of the campaign, as he was brilliant against Sparta.

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

Aston Villa’s recent upturn in form continued as they cruised to a 2-0 victory over Norwich City in the Premier League on Tuesday evening.

Steven Gerrard’s side came into the game off the back of a narrow defeat at the hands of Liverpool, but got back to winning ways thanks to goals from Jacob Ramsey and Ollie Watkins.

And while the former took his goal well, it was Emi Buendia’s performance that really caught the eye for Villa.

The Argentine star of course was back on his old stomping ground at Carrow Road following his summer move from the Canaries, and it certainly felt like he was keen on reminding his former club just what they are now missing out on.

The little play-maker relished being a key part of the Villa attack, playing some superb one-touch passes and being a constant menace for the Norwich City defence.

As per Sofascore, only Douglas Luiz boasted a better passing accuracy than him among those players who started, while he provided the second-most key passes and crosses on the night too.

He was always looking to drive forward with the ball and that was unsurprisingly reflected by the fact he attempted seven dribbles – more than four of the man in second, Watkins.

During the game, The Athletic’s Gregg Evans simply tweeted: “Buendia is in the mood tonight. Rolls it through Cantwell’s legs, draws a huge cheer from the away end and helps win a corner. #AVFC looking good…”

And, writing in his post-match player ratings for The Birmingham Mail, Ashley Preece gave him an eight, saying: “Started well and really entertained, popping first-time passes into his teammates and flicking little ones around the corner. Buendia strutted his stuff out there and even nut-megged his pal Cantwell which he enjoyed.

“The only gripe is that Buendia doesn’t carry much of a goal threat with his best work coming outside of the 18-yard box. Enjoyed himself out there. The Argentinian had a couple of efforts blocked in the second half as Norwich made sure he didn’t score. A majestic performance nonetheless.”

While Ramsey will no doubt steal the headlines for his excellent finish and his continued improvement this season, Buendia put in the kind of statement-making performance that surely had Gerrard purring about what’s to come.

Meanwhile, Villa have been offered this European star…

Many Everton fans have been left tormentd as Paul Joyce relayed an injury update on Abdoulaye Doucoure.

As per a tweet from The Times journalist, Carlo Ancelotti has said that the former Watford man could be out injured for between eight and ten weeks with a small fracture in his foot.

It means for the Goodison Park faithful that unfortunately he is most likely going to miss the rest of the 2020/21 campaign in what is a big blow to the Merseyside club.

The central midfielder has been nothing short of immense ever since his move to the Toffees from the Hornets in last summer’s transfer window, winning no fewer than 4.3 of his duels per game in the Premier League so far this season as well as averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per match (Sofascore).

Everton fan reaction to Doucoure update

These Blues fumed upon reading the update on Twitter, with one Everton supporter even going as far as to claim that it was ‘typical’ of the Toffees’ luck with injuries throughout the season:

“Nooooo”

Credit: @The_Bin_Man77

“Pain. Immense pain.”

Credit: @rossEFC95

“This season man”

Credit: @NathSJones1

“Oh man, not our top 4 chances!”

Credit: @TheGriff91

“We can’t have nice things, can we?”

Credit: @TimmyMieldezis

“Just when we get Allan back. All so typical of our historical bad luck with injuries. Not going to get to see the Davies, Doucoure, Allan midfield three I spoke of with @PlanetFPLPod after all. Not this season anyway.”Credit: @spirit_bluesIn other news, find out what early team news before Burnley has been lauded by some Everton fans here!

Reports from Spain earlier this week claimed that Carlo Ancelotti is eager to exploit Everton’s relationship with FC Barcelona to help him sign Miralem Pjanic in the summer, but the Toffees boss must avoid striking a deal for the Bosnian midfielder.

It is claimed that Ancelotti wants to maximise the relationship that Everton have built with the Camp Nou natives in recent years, one which has seen Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and Andre Gomes ditch the La Liga giants for life on Merseyside.

Pjanic could be the next in line to join that group after struggling to establish himself in Catalunya since leaving Juventus last year, with Ronald Koeman often leaving the 30-year-old on the bench such has been the disdain for his performances.

Koeman is thought to have had high hopes for Pjanic having arrived after his €65m (£59m) arrival and the €72m (£66m) sale of Arthur to Juventus in June, but the 98-cap international has only started 13 of his 28 appearances in all competitions.

Pjanic is still seen to have his admirers around Europe and is not expected to struggle to find a new home in the off-season, with Everton one side who could potentially sign him.

It is suggested that the Blues may enquire into signing Pjanic on loan for the 2021/22 campaign with an option to buy the midfielder, who now has a TransferMarkt valuation of just £36m, in the following summer window.

Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur may also be in the mix for the £271,000-per-week talent as Jose Mourinho likes Pjanic a lot, though Barcelona are noted to favour a deal with Everton due to the two club’s shared relationship.

But Ancelotti should not explore the requirements Barcelona are bound to request to send Pjanic out on loan for next season, as the four-time Serie A winner would not be expected to improve the Goodison Park ranks sufficiently enough to make a move worthwhile.

Koeman has frequently opted to overlook Pjanic this season as the former Toffees boss has grown serious concerns over the Bosnian’s abilities, noting last month via quotes by FC Barcelona Noticias: “Miralem has to improve the rhythm of the ball [and] know his position.”

Pjanic’s struggles to adapt to Koeman’s demands, and the resulting lack of game time, have seen the 30-year-old grow frustrated at the Camp Nou, and question why he has only started three of his seven La Liga appearances from 11 available games since the turn of the year.

“I have played at all the clubs I’ve been at and with all the coaches I’ve had. A situation like this has never happened to me. Of course, it’s not easy, I accept it with great difficulty,” he told Telefoot last month.

“I don’t have the exact reasons why I’ve not had the playing time I expected. I keep working and you have to respect the decisions that are taken, even if you don’t agree. I want to leave my mark at this club.”

That mark has so far been one of a player who Marca note ‘seems to be getting further, not closer, from where Barcelona need him to be,’ as Pjanic struggles to find any consistency with his performances or minutes on the field.

His maiden year at the Camp Nou started on the wrong foot, too, with Sport reporting in October that he was ‘two steps behind his teammates in training’ and was ‘still far from optimal physical shape’ despite more than a months’ worth of sessions, as he struggled to match the intensity shown by his new teammates.

With the Premier League often touted to have higher physical demands on players than La Liga, we would expect to see Pjanic struggle if Everton were to make a move to sign the midfielder this summer and as such, they must not explore what is bound to be an expensive deal.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti is eager for Everton to sign a £32.5m-rated titan who top clubs would sign “without thinking twice”…

BBC Scotland pundit Marvin Bartley has been full of praise for the performance of Celtic forward Jota over the weekend. 

The lowdown: Celtic one step closer

The Hoops took another significant stride toward the Premiership title with a 2-0 victory over Ross County at Victoria Park on Sunday.

Ange Postecoglou’s side are now six points clear at the top of the table with four matches remaining after an opening goal from Kyogo Furuhashi and a late strike from Jota sealed the points in Dingwall.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/key-latest-celtic-updates-3/” title=”Key latest Celtic updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

After the match, there were plenty of plaudits for the Portuguese ace in particular…

The latest: Bartley praises Jota

Speaking to BBC Sportscene (April 24, 19:31), Bartley was full of praise for the display of the 23-year-old on loan from Benfica.

The Livingston defender gushed: “His all-around game is absolutely brilliant. If you’re a Celtic fan you want him signed up as soon as possible. He’s a striker’s dream, isn’t he? If you go in the right areas, he’ll find you. His head is up all the time.

“He can play left, he can play right, he’s pro-active, he’s constantly on the move. He’s got that belief he can go past anyone.”

The verdict: Top-drawer display from Jota

This was a performance right out of the top drawer from Jota as the Portugal under-21 starlet took his tally for the season to 11 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

Overall, the youngster earned a standout 8.90 rating for his display, which contained four key passes and two further big chances created, along with the goal and assist (Sofascore).

Performances such as this will only further increase the clamour for the club to pay the reported £6m required to make the loan sensation a Celtic player on a permanent basis over the summer.

In other news, an expert has made a key claim regarding the ownership of Celtic. Read more here.

According to The Express, Arsenal are monitoring Brentford striker Ivan Toney.

What’s the story?

Mikel Arteta’s side currently have a number of strikers on their books, but with Alexandre Lacazette’s contract coming to an end in the summer of 2022, the Gunners may be on the look-out for a new centre-forward.

And, according to The Express, one man who is attracting interest from the Premier League side’s recruitment team is Toney.

The report claims that Arsenal are set to “keep a watchful eye” over the Brentford star, and that while there is nothing imminent in their interest, their scouts are going to continue monitoring his development with the Championship outfit.

Edu can get Lacazette’s successor

Despite Lacazette’s great form over these past few weeks – he’s managed four goals in his past four Premier League games – the fact he will turn 30 in May puts the Gunners in a difficult position.

The Mesut Ozil situation has no doubt left some major scars about handing an ageing player a big-money contract, and it remains to be seen whether his recent good form is worthy of shelling out a lot of money for someone like Lacazette.

Instead, if Arsenal make the tough but arguably logical call in selling the Frenchman to try and receive at least some sort of fee for him, then it could allow them to pursue a move for Toney, who has been a revelation over the past couple of seasons.

His 26 goals for League One side Peterborough last season earned him a high-profile move to Brentford, where he’s just hit the ground running, bagging 16 times in just 22 Championship games.

He’s already proven he can take one step up and handle the pressure well, whilst at just 24, has got plenty of time to develop into a fine Premier League striker too.

Speaking earlier last year, Peterborough’s director of football, Barry Fry, said: “He’s turned into a tremendous all-round footballer. It’s important to remember Ivan is not just an exceptional goal-scoring forward, he’s also an outstanding defender.”

Toney himself has the confidence that he could be a top-flight striker, saying back in November: “I’ve always liked Zlatan. I just love his confidence. Some people see it as arrogance but you must be like that to succeed. I’m similar to Zlatan in both my confidence and the way I play. When he wants to do something, he just does it. I have some of that in my game and personality. And I believe I’ll be a Premier League striker.”

Given Toney is backing up his words on the pitch, then there’s no doubting that he has got that element of Ibrahimovic in him. Someone who might talk the talk, but can walk the walk too. If Arsenal are looking for a striker to come in if Lacazette leaves, then the Brentford ace could be the player to turn to.

Meanwhile, Arsenal must sell this young English talent…

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Premier League striker Marcus Bent has described talk of Raheem Sterling leaving Manchester City as “stupid”.

The England forward has been one of City’s standout performers in recent seasons, but has lost his way recently and has found himself out of Pep Guardiola’s best team.

Sterling marked his return to the side by netting the opener against Chelsea on Saturday, but has been starved of minutes in City’s Champions League run.

Having been an unused substitute in the victory over PSG in France, the 26-year-old played only the final eight minutes of the return leg in Manchester on Tuesday.

£300,000-a-week man Sterling has still managed 14 goals and 11 assists in 46 appearances for the Champions League finalists, but reports believe that City are willing to cash-in on the former Liverpool man in order to provide the funds to afford either Jack Grealish or Erling Haaland.

However, Bent doesn’t see any truth in that story and told The Transfer Tavern that he’d surprised to see Sterling leave:

“It’s stupid, it’s foolish. They’re talking about Atletico Madrid for £100m. You never know, that £100m might be playing on his head.

“He’s still young and hasn’t played as much as he would have liked. He’s a fantastic player, he’s matured, he’s good in and around the club. I don’t think he complains about not playing as much.

“But I can’t see that happening. If it does, it’s going to surprise me.”

Norwich City are reportedly interested in signing Bordeaux winger Mehdi Zerkane this summer, as Daniel Farke looks to strengthen his squad.

The Lowdown: Additions needed for PL return

The Canaries have sealed a return back to the Premier League, with Farke’s side clinching title glory in the Championship and playing superb football along the way.

Despite this, there is no denying that reinforcements are needed, in order for Norwich to avoid relegation this time around.

The Latest: Norwich interested in Zerkane

According to La Gazette du Fennec [via Eastern Daily Press], Norwich are eyeing up a move for Zerkane, who has made 26 appearances for Bordeaux in Ligue 1 this season.

The 21-year-old recently made his debut for Algeria and it is believed that the French would consider an offer for the £1.8million-rated attacker.

The Verdict: An exciting option

Admittedly, Zerkane has only registered one goal and assist apiece in the league this season, but he is a young player with clear potential, enjoying an 84.9 percent pass completion rate.

His statistics are actually eerily similar to rising Canaries starlet Adam Idah – Zerkane manages 0.6 shots, 0.5 key passes and 0.6 dribbles per game, while Idah musters 0.8 shots, 0.4 key passes and 0.6 dribbles.

This all suggests he would fit into Norwich’s fast-paced, ball-playing style and his long-term potential means he is someone Farke could build into a top player.

That being said, more established players are required if the Canaries are to remain in the Premier League, with youngsters not enough to take them up another level.

In other news, Norwich have reportedly entered the race to sign a centre-back this summer. Find out who it is here.