Rangers fans slam Morelos vs Brondby

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left slamming the display of Alfredo Morelos despite their 2-0 win in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday night.

It was overall a very good performance from the team to get three points on the board at Ibrox, with Leon Balogun and Kemar Roofe the scorers in the first half.

Morelos was unlucky to hit the post for one of his chances, but was again pretty wasteful overall, not being able to score from four of his shots on goal, as his 100th goal for the Light Blues still escapes him.

The Colombia international was also guilty of losing possession of the ball on no fewer than on 13 separate occasions in total in the game, the fourth-most out of his teammates (Sofascore).

Rangers fans on Morelos display

These supporters slammed his performance on Twitter, with one Ger even going as far as to claim that the striker was ‘horrendous’:

“Morelos? Really! Not for me….poor performance again”

Credit: @willstorrie

“Massive result, & bar a couple of defensive howlers, thoroughly deserved, more like it at times. Big Aribo unplayable at times, sensational, but Alfredo Morelos folks, absolutely horrendous. The only thing for him now is the bench I’m afraid. Imperative that Balogun is fit.”

Credit: @cozy1872

“Alfredo Morelos poor show tonight”

Credit: @michellemacrae2

“Morelos poor again, we can’t really justify starting him on Sunday.”

Credit: @Rangers_View

“Morelos having a nightmare”

Credit: @Rf1195401550

“Morelos, Roofe and Hagi have been less than satisfactory!”

Credit: @penfoldcommando

In other news, find out whose first-half display had Gers stunned here!

Tottenham gifted big Nunez boost

As per The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a potentially big boost in their pursuit of Benfica star Darwin Nunez.

The Lowdown: Spurs in the mix?

The Lilywhites and transfer chief Fabio Paratici are allegedly in the mix to sign Nunez, who seems set to be one of the big name transfers of 2022.

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Benfica’s prolific star, who has scored a quite incredible 24 goals in 24 league appearances so far this season, is now attracting interest from top clubs all over Europe.

Just last week, The Daily Express revealed Tottenham had officials in attendance to run the rule over Nunez during his side’s Champions League quarter-final first leg loss to Liverpool in Portugal.

Meanwhile, A Bola (via Sport Witness) have reported in the last few days that Spurs are in the hunt alongside numerous sides, with The Sun now sharing a potential advantage for manager Antonio Conte.

The Latest: Nunez making decisions…

As per their information, Nunez’ representatives believe he is ‘ready’ to move this summer as they seek a major transfer and weigh moves behind-the-scenes.

This is where Spurs come in, as it is claimed that Hotspur Way is a ‘preferable location’ for the 22-year-old alongside Liverpool and Arsenal.

The Verdict: Boost for Conte?

The Lilywhites, who are without a natural senior alternative to star centre-forward Harry Kane, arguably need to sign one in the summer for Conte if they’re serious about getting back among the Premier League’s elite for 2022/2023.

Already well in contention for a top four place after a stunning turnaround, the summer task is to back Tottenham’s head coach with major signings who can improve his chances of continuing to transform the club while competing on multiple fronts.

Nunez, valued at around £60m, would be a major statement of intent on behalf of Paratici, Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy.

Anfield Index podcaster Hari Sethi, for example, is one football critic who has raved over the Uruguayan’s ability – branding him an ‘absolute beast’ with ‘rapid quick’ speed (Twitter).

South America’s next star in the making would be a more-than adequate addition to back up Kane or even provide real competition for the striking role under Conte.

In other news: Spurs officials sent to club as Paratici now eyes ‘imperious’ ex-Man City man for Conte! Find out more here.

Conte repeats Southgate trick at Spurs

As per London World, Tottenham managerAntonio Conte has been trying to emulate one thing that Gareth Southgate did at Euro 2020 with England at Hotspur Way.

The Lowdown: Conte makes his mark…

From banning ketchup and mayonnaise at N17 to introducing extra training sessions (London World), the Italian serial winner had always been tipped to establish his order right from the off.

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Serie A experts claimed at the very start of his reign that Conte would be set for ruthless decisions, a distinct change in Tottenham’s philosophy and the introduction of high-intensity football (football.london).

However, in a more holistic approach, London World has now explained what he is emulating at Tottenham in a similar mould to Southgate’s England side at Euro 2020.

The Latest: Conte attempts Southgate trick…

As per London World, Conte has been ‘trying to create an open-door environment at Hotspur Way’ in a ‘similar’ approach employed by Southgate in the summer.

The 52-year-old, as a result, is candid with who deserves to play and who doesn’t – with there even being talk of Steven Bergwijn potentially being used as a makeshift centre-forward.

Conte has also issued one demand to his squad – that every player fights for their minutes in the starting XI.

The Verdict: Interesting approach…

If Conte can replicate an England side which won the hearts of a nation with their impressive run to the Euro 2020 final earlier this year at Tottenham, we believe this could come as an exciting claim.

Much has been made of the former Chelsea boss’ no-nonsense man-management tactics and ruthless demands behind the scenes, but an open approach could be what some Spurs players need to get them firing.

The likes of Dele Alli haven’t lived up to their skillset but Conte’s tactic of creating an ‘open door’ environment could motivate them to push and reignite their careers.

It remains unknown what impact this will have on the squad but it will certainly be interesting to see.

In other news: Tottenham in contact over signing ‘phenomenal’ star as club chiefs spotted in London, find out more here.

Digne looking more likely to leave Everton

The feud between Rafael Benitez and Lucas Digne has been a hot topic of conversation in the football world over the last few weeks, and it seems that the transfer window will confirm whether the Everton manager feels that there is room to repair the fractured relationship with the left-back, or whether he will let him go to another club in the coming days and weeks.

What’s the word?

Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has weighed in with his thoughts about rumours of a training ground rift and the future of Digne at Goodison Park, claiming in an interview with GIVEMESPORT that the Frenchman will probably depart for pastures new in the near future.

The 56-year-old declared: “Something has gone on with him and the manager, without a shadow, because he’s been an outstanding performer for Everton. publicly, Benitez has said nothing, apart from the fact that he’s not available. I think he will leave the club because there’s an issue between him and the manager.”

The 28-year-old has been linked with a number of clubs ahead of January, with a possible loan deal to Chelsea looking like one of the most likely scenarios after Ben Chilwell sustained a season-ending injury.

Whilst the Toffees manager has not commented on the rumoured clash between himself and the player, Digne has not featured in the team since the Merseyside derby almost a month ago.

Fans will be fuming

Some Everton fans have been vocal on social media reacting to the speculated fallout between the pair, and the subsequent reports linking the defender away from the club, all during a period of poor performances and form for the Toffees.

One Toffees fan tweeted in reaction to the alleged fallout: “Would much rather boot Rafa out than Digne. Rafa just boots anyone that challenges his awful management, or has an ounce of flair and skill. Digne has shown more commitment to the club over his time with us than Rafa ever will.”

It might not prove a popular decision with some Everton supporters, such as the one quoted above, but a loan deal could be the ideal situation for both Digne and Benitez to cool off their differences, allowing the £110k-p/w gem to come back and have a fresh start in pre-season with the Toffees in the summer.

That certainly seems preferable to the club simply getting rid of him now because of an apparent feud which could be smoothed over and then living to regret the haste with which they showed him the door.

If Palmer’s prediction of a permanent exit for Digne comes to light, that could leave many of the Goodison Park faithful fuming, particularly when he is one of the best tacklers in Benitez’s squad, winning 2.5 per game (second only to Allan with 2.9).

In other news: Signing this transfer target could solve one big issue for Benitez

Glen Johnson makes Jesse Lingard claim

According to former West Ham defender Glen Johnson (as shared by football.london), if Jesse Lingard wanted to join the Hammers in the January transfer window, it would already have happened.

The Lowdown: Lingard’s transfer saga with the Hammers

Ever since Lingard’s loan move at West Ham came to an end last summer, the Manchester United midfielder has regularly been linked with a permanent transfer to David Moyes’ side.

From a Hammers perspective, it is easy to see why. During his six-month stint with the club, the 29-year-old played 16 times for the Irons and stunned the footballing world by producing nine goals and five assists in an unbelievable run.

However, life has not been as simple for the midfielder since returning to Old Trafford. Lingard has played just 88 minutes of Premier League football this season, having failed to make the Red Devils’ starting XI once.

With his contract expiring in the summer, the former England international is currently set to leave Man United on a free transfer at the end of the season, with West Ham reportedly interested in securing the player’s signature.

The Latest: Johnson makes Lingard claim

According to former Hammers full-back Glen Johnson (as relayed by football.london), though, Lingard would already be a West Ham player this month if he were truly interested in leaving Man United for good.

The 37-year-old said: “I think if Jesse Lingard really wanted the move himself then it would have happened already. If he genuinely wanted it, then it would have been done.

“He’s not playing at Manchester United. Everyone loved him at West Ham. So if the player wanted to do it, it doesn’t sound like a very difficult deal to do. You can only imagine that he’s trying to stay at Manchester United for whatever reason. I would guess that it’s Jesse that didn’t want to do it and go to anybody else.

“If you were Manchester United you would sell him. And if you were West Ham you would sign him. I think he would be in the West Ham starting XI. I don’t think it would be guaranteed. If he gets there and plays like he did previously he’d nail down a place but I do think they’ve got some good players in that position. I don’t think he would be a guaranteed starter but if he hits the form that he was in before then yes he will be.”

The Verdict: Lingard must not be keen on West Ham return

As suggested by Johnson, it seems that Lingard is not keen on a return to West Ham. Moyes’ previous attempts to lure him back to east London proved unsuccessful, with the English midfielder preferring to stay and fight for his place in the team at Old Trafford.

This is a shame for the 29-year-old’s career, as without regular game-time he will surely not be able to secure a place in the England team ahead of the World Cup later this year. Lingard has made 32 appearances for his country and still has plenty of years left to add to this tally.

With Tottenham also interested in the player, it could become even harder for Moyes to secure Lingard’s signature this month.

In other news – ‘Keeping an eye on’: Journalist drops West Ham transfer news about youngster likened to Gareth Bale

Spurs fans would love to have Andros Townsend back at the club

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Crystal Palace knocked London neighbours Spurs out of the FA Cup on Sunday and, in doing so, progressed to the fifth round; the game could have been very different had the visitors not been hit with a string of injuries to a number of key players, but Spurs fans were more concerned with one of Palace’s players rather than their own.

Andros Townsend netted his seventh goal of the season in all competitions via the penalty spot and could have had a second but failed to fire either side of Paulo Gazzaniga, instead hitting the cutback straight at the Argentine.

The Eagles winger has played for an incredible twelve English clubs, including Newcastle and Championship leaders Leeds, but seems to have found a home at Selhurst Park after spending much 0f his Spurs career out on loan and is currently enjoying what is surely his best season in the Prem.

Naturally an energetic wide-man, the 27-year-old has been converted into an unorthodox striker this season by Roy Hodgson and is becoming quite good at arriving in the box – meanwhile, Spurs’ Fernando Llorente struggled to get any breathing room and took just 38 touches in ninety minutes as he failed to threaten Palace’s stand-in backline.

After netting from the spot, Townsend’s celebrations were muted, the reasoning for which was explained by the man himself on Twitter, leading to many Spurs fans applauding the number 10 for his class; others took it a step further by stating that they wish he was still in white.

Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin may be out for the season but it’s given him a chance to show off his new accessory. Check out the video above to see for yourself…

You can check out the best of the reaction below…

Liverpool eyeing move for Gleison Bremer

Liverpool have undoubtedly one of the strongest defences in the Premier League, having conceded just 20 goals in 30 games.

One man who has contributed a lot to the Reds’ impressive defensive displays is Joel Matip, who has appeared in 24 league games so far this season.

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To highlight just how significant the 30-year-old has been for Liverpool in this campaign, only Trent Alexander-Arnold (98) and Fabinho (95) have racked up a higher combination of tackles and interceptions than Matip (81).

Despite the Cameroon international’s effectiveness at the back, it seems as though the Merseyside club could be eyeing up a potential replacement for him.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Goal by journalist Neil Jones, Liverpool are interested in signing Torino defender Gleison Bremer.

Since joining the Italian club back in 2018, the Brazilian has gone on to make 105 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with 13 goals and five assists along the way.

In terms of his defensive capabilities, the 25-year-old has the third-highest number of tackles and interceptions combined (144) throughout Serie A, showing how much of a unit he is at the back in a similar way to Matip.

Labelled a “powerful” figure by Forza Italian Football editor in chief Conor Clancy, Bremer eclipses the Liverpool defender in terms of the number of blocks, tackles and interceptions made this season in their respective domestic leagues.

Taking all this into account, and the fact that Matip is five years older than the £18k-per-week Torino brute, a transfer swoop for the Brazilian defender could be a great investment from the Merseyside club given his obvious talent and relatively young age.

However, the report from Goal claims that Juventus and Inter Milan are also interested in signing the centre-back, which means that the Reds may have a challenge on their hands to get Bremer to Anfield.

That said, to get the opportunity to play in the Premier League under the management of Jurgen Klopp next to a player such as Virgil van Dijk at one of the biggest clubs in England could all be very tempting for the 25-year-old defender.

In other news: Liverpool now plot bid for “unbelievable” £45m-rated dynamo, just imagine him & Salah

Kevin Campbell backs Spurs to sign De Vrij

Kevin Campbell believes that Tottenham manager Antonio Conte will sign Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij in January, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Spurs’ centre-back options

The Italian, who tends to go with a back three system, has five senior centre-backs at his disposal at this moment in time.

Eric Dier and Cristian Romero have been used in his first two games in charge, along with left-back Ben Davies as a third centre-back. That has left no place for Davinson Sanchez, Japhet Tanganga or Joe Rodon, and it seems that he is after a marquee defensive addition in the New Year.

The Latest: De Vrij links; Campbell’s comments

Reports at the beginning of the month suggested that Conte wants Tottenham to sign De Vrij, with an A-list centre-back a top priority.

The 29-year-old, who was labelled a ‘monster’ by former Lazio defender Mauricio, was a regular under Conte during his time with Inter and is under contract with the Italian giants until 2023.

Campbell, who regularly features as a pundit for Sky Sports, was asked by Football Insider if De Vrij would be a smart signing. Although he questioned if Spurs needed a new defender, he backed Tottenham to get a deal over the line, if that is what Conte wants, saying:

“Do they need another centre-half? They have got numbers back there.

“Conte will have his own mind of what he wants to do and how he wants to play. They key is signing players who are going to make this team better. They don’t need bodies.

“If De Vrij is the one Conte’s wants, Spurs will go and get him. Conte is very ruthless like that. I’m sure we’ll see him in a Spurs shirt soon.”

The Verdict: Smart move?

De Vrij is a player Conte knows quite well from their mutual time at Inter, so he’ll be well aware of the specific attributes that the Dutch defender would bring to Tottenham along with his wealth of international experience.

With Davies being used out of position as a third centre-back, that could speak volumes in regards to Conte’s thoughts on Sanchez, Tanganga and Rodon.

If he doesn’t feel that the trio are good enough, then a marquee centre-back signing in the New Year could prove to be a shrewd decision, and it seems as if that man could well be De Vrij.

In other news: ‘The real winner’ of Conte’s appointment will still be sold in Spurs clearout, pundit predicts

Celtic: No wriggle-room for Carter-Vickers

Celtic won’t be able to sign Tottenham defender Cameron Carter-Vickers in a cut-price January deal, Sky Sports report.

The Lowdown: Hoops keen

The Hoops haven’t wasted any time in finalising their winter window business, with moves for Reo Hatate, Yosuke Ideguchi and Daizen Maeda already wrapped up.

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Ange Postecoglou and Michael Nicholson have now turned their attention to making Carter-Vickers and Jota’s loan moves permanent, with Celtic having the option to do so.

Carter-Vickers has missed just one Scottish Premiership fixture since moving to Parkhead, but it seems as if the Hoops won’t be able to sign the USA international for as little as £3m, as Spurs insider John Wenham previously stated.

The Latest: Sky Sports source

Sky Sports shared a story regarding moves for Carter-Vickers and Jota on Tuesday evening.

They were informed by a source when it came to Carter-Vickers that an initial fee of £6m is included in the agreement and there is no wriggle-room on the overall price for the 24-year-old following Nicholson and co’s talks with Spurs.

The Verdict: Should Celtic pay it?

Carter-Vickers has been an ever-present figure under Postecoglou, who labelled the defender as ‘calm’ earlier in the campaign.

He’s also been the Hoops’ best performing centre-back in the league this season, as per WhoScored, so Celtic have a decision to make over the coming weeks.

Postecoglou is keen for the deal to be ‘wrapped up quickly’, and even though Tottenham were willing to sell the player for £2.5m in the summer, the Bhoys may have to bite the bullet and pay over the odds for the defender’s full-time services this month.

In other news: Celtic close to another ‘clinical’ signing after Kenny; Ange is a big fan. 

Journalist doubts Palace move for Martial

Crystal Palace are unlikely to make a move for out-of-favour Manchester United forward Anthony Martial, according to journalist Tom Barclay.

The Lowdown: Martial struggling for minutes

The Frenchman has struggled to force his way into Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s plans at Old Trafford this season, making just two Premier League starts prior to the Norwegian’s departure from the club this morning.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani and Jadon Sancho all appear to be ahead of Martial in the pecking order, so he could leave the Manchester club soon.

Palace have been linked with a move for the 25-year-old, who has scored 94 goals in his career during spells with Monaco and United.

The Latest: Barclay plays down Palace move for Martial

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Barclay played down the idea of Martial heading to Crystal Palace, admitting that the Eagles likely couldn’t afford his wages.

The journalist said: “Would he even want to go to Crystal Palace? He’s obviously out of favour at United, and they probably are looking to let him go, but I would be pretty shocked.

“He would either have to take a massive pay cut or Palace would have to go down a massively different route.”

The Verdict: Highly unlikely

Martial is a talented footballer who has had good times at United – his record of 79 goals in 266 appearances is not to be dismissed – but as Barclay says, it is hard to see a move to Palace ever materialising.

The France international earns an eye-watering £250,000 per week at Old Trafford, which is almost double that of Palace’s highest-earning player Wilfried Zaha (£130,000). Also, Martial’s current United deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2024, so Patrick Vieira couldn’t even snap up his compatriot on the cheap.

Besides, it’s not as if the Eagles have been stuck for goals this season either – Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha, Conor Gallagher and Odsonne Edouard have already netted 15 times between them in the Premier League alone – so Martial isn’t a player that Palace desperately need.

In other news, some Palace fans criticised one player’s performance against Burnley. Find out who it is here.

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