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A number of Liverpool fans have criticised Dejan Lovren for going to Anfield to join in the communal celebrations on the night that the Reds became Premier League champions in what one supporter branded an act of “pure stupidity”.

In an interview with Russian journalist Vladimir Kolos, which was shared on his Twitter profile @kolos_vladimir and latterly on @LFCTransferRoom, the former Reds defender admitted that he left the hotel where his team-mates were watching Chelsea’s win over Manchester City to drive to Anfield, where many supporters had assembled to celebrate Liverpool’s first league triumph in 30 years.

Despite being urged by Jurgen Klopp to remain at home if the title was secured, given the message of social distancing amid the global pandemic and with top-flight games being played at empty stadia, hundreds of Kopites gathered outside the club’s stadium that night, with Lovren revealing that he went along to savour the moment.

He said: “They told us, ‘Guys, don’t even go to the stadium because you will have problems. We cannot keep you safe’. The party [at the hotel] was already over and I said to myself, ‘It’s 12 o’clock, it’s too early to sleep. I will take the car and go to Anfield just to experience this’. I drove myself there.

“My God, tens of thousands of people celebrating…I just wanted to feel this emotion because we didn’t have a good celebration in the stadium, so I needed to do it. I was really happy that I did it. It was a good experience.”

The Croatian, who is now at Zenit St Petersburg, was frequently criticised for defensive errors in his time at Anfield and, even after leaving Merseyside, he has continued to draw the ire of some Liverpool fans over his “reckless” act on the historic night of 25 June.

Here is a flavour of the reaction on Twitter:

Liverpool fans, what did you make of Lovren driving to Anfield to take in the communal celebrations? Share your views in the comments section below!

Newcastle United keeper Martin Dubravka “is to be a symbol of the new and rich Newcastle”, referring to the prospective takeover in the northeast, according to the player’s agent Pavel Zika.

Speaking to Slovakian outlet SME, Zika said that he was not surprised that Dubravka became one of the most respected goalkeepers in England. Indeed, the 31-year old has kept a relatively impressive 24 clean sheets in 80 games in all competitions between the sticks in his career at the Tyneside club so far, according to Transfermarkt.

Zika also spoke about the apparent truth that the Magpies were influenced by his ‘excellent’ performances playing for the Slovak national team against England and Scotland. Allegedly, then-Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez was looking for a keeper for the long-term, and Zika started speaking to him about Dubravka through his Spanish connections (as per SME).

Other subjects that were touched upon were the price for which Dubravka would be sold in today’s transfer market, whether he would move to a so-called ‘larger’ team and the competition that he has both at club and international level.

The potential new owners of Saudi Arabia crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, businesswoman Amanda Staveley and the billionaire Reuben brothers will all have a decision to make as to whether they put faith in Dubravka or go out and buy a shiny new goalkeeper but, based off of his stats for the Toon, it may well be the former.

Moreover, Zika certainly seems to believe that his agent may become a symbol of the takeover, implying that he will stay in the team regardless of whether or not the £300m bid to take over from Mike Ashley is eventually approved by the Premier League.

Geordies, should Dubravka be kept as first choice goalkeeper even if the takeover goes through and extra funds become available? Comment below with your views!

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…

كشف مدرب فريق مانشستر يونايتد أولي جونار سولشاير، السبب وراء تواجد الحارس ديفيد دي خيا في التشكيل الأساسي لمباراة الليلة ضد فياريال.

ويلتقي الفريقان بعد قليل في نهائي بطولة الدوري الأوروبي.

وتواجد دي خيا في مركز حراسة المرمى، في التشكيل الأساسي لفريق مانشستر يونايتد بدلًا من دين هندرسون (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

واعتاد مانشستر يونايتد على الاستعانة بـ هندرسون في المباريات الماضية.

وعن ذلك، قال سولشاير: “لدي حارسان جيدان للغاية لكن دي خيا لعب دور ربع النهائي ونصف النهائي، إنها مكافأة لعمله الشاق”.

وأضاف في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “لقد استعدينا بنفس طريقتنا في كل مباراة أخرى، أصيب فريد للأسف في الأسبوع الماضي، لقد تدرب الليلة الماضية ولكن كان على ما يرام ليكون على مقاعد البدلاء”.

وواصل: “شعر بخيبة أمل لعدم البدء، لهذا من الصعب أن تكون مدربًا”.

وعن هاري ماجواير المتواجد على دكة البدلاء، قال النرويجي: “إنه ليس جاهزًا، لم يتدرب، لكنه يتواجد على مقاعد البدلاء وإذا كانت هناك حالة طارئة فسوف يرغب في المشاركة، فهو قائد في غرفة الملابس، ولاعب يحترمه الجميع ونحتاجه في كل مكان”.

Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to express their anger and frustration at a recent Twitter post from the club’s official account.

The tweet takes supporters to a ‘Monday Briefing’ article, in which the club attempts to sell tickets to the Christmas event and home fixtures against Watford and Norwich – fans will also see an image with scarves reading ‘We March On’ as the first thing that appears on the page.

While this is merely just a standard club update that many football teams do, the timing is all wrong from Southampton.

After watching their side recently lose 9-0 at St Mary’s, and slip to within just a point of 20th-place Norwich, the south coast side should probably avoid trying to ram more purchasable goods and empty motivational shouts such as ‘We March On’ down the fans’ throats.

One supporter said that perhaps the fans could instead go and watch the Board of Directors be shown a PowerPoint presentation on “management responsibility and collective working”.

Another fan said that they’re not sure if this is what supporters want to be seeing right now.

Let’s take a look at some more of the Twitter reaction…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Cristiano Ronaldo is a man who loves a good challenge and so far, he is yet to find one that can beat him.

His stay at Juventus, however, was not a complete success, at least for now.

Sure the Portuguese superstar has helped the Bianconeri get the Scudetto last season but that’s not anything particularly new at the club. The bigger goal is, of course, the Champions League, a title they haven’t won since 1996.

But if the recent reports coming from Eduardo Inda, who was a guest for Chiringuito de Jugones (via OKDiario), are true, Ronaldo might be contemplating a return to Manchester United next summer if Juventus fail to conquer Europe in 2019/20.

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Of course, he has a great history with the Red Devils, seeing how he donned their colours from 2003 until 2009 when he joined the Galacticos in the Spanish capital.

Ronaldo was extremely successful at Old Trafford as he managed to bag 118 goals and assist a further 69 in a total of 292 games for the English side, winning three Premier League crowns and one Champions League trophy along the way.

But even though losing such a big figure could potentially affect any side, Juventus could actually benefit from it in a way.

Ronaldo is already 34 years of age and not getting any younger and keeping him for too long could potentially become a costly exercise.

After all, despite his obvious pedigree and skill, the Portuguese superstar has fallen off just a tiny bit.

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This season, he only has six goals and two assists in 14 games across all competitions and has been subbed off in his last two fixtures.

Of course, he is still a huge brand for the Bianconeri but having Ronaldo in your team definitely costs money, and having an underperforming Ronaldo might cost even more.

This is not to say that he is completely finished already and it’s entirely possible he suddenly picks up his form and ends up bagging dozens of goals by the end of the campaign.

For him, it would obviously be routine at this point in time, but can Juventus really take that chance? Especially with the emergence of Paulo Dybala and some other young targets on their radar.

When everything is said and done, shipping Ronaldo off next summer might as well be like dodging a bullet that was bound to hit them sooner or later.

As for Manchester United, they are in a different position altogether.

The Red Devils will hardly be focusing on Champions League glory and having someone like Ronaldo would definitely boost them immensely, both on and off the pitch with the fond memories supporters will have of him, as well as his continued commercial attraction.

Just recently, ESPN reported that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is on a lookout for a more experienced forward for his attacking line who can guarantee him goals.

Well, there’s hardly anyone better on the planet in that regard than Ronaldo himself.

For that reason, United just might be hoping Juventus fail in the Champions League so they can get their hands on the Portuguese superstar once again.

Hector Bellerin has publicly backed his manager amid recent bad results but some fans think that his comments won’t have much of an effect.

The Spaniard stated that the squad is together under Emery and believes the team has “evolved” since he came to the club, adding that he has the trust of every one of his players due to his success at previous clubs.

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Such a statement has surprised some fans, who have pointed out his poor away record at Sevilla – in which he went an entire league season without an away win – as evidence to suggest he is not the right man to take Arsenal forward.

Considering how results are panning out this season, there are a few supporters who feel that he is running out of time to turn things around, and therefore he could face the sack even if he does have the backing of his players.

As a result, some haven’t responded too kindly to the right-back’s comments, as they fail to see the improvements that have supposedly been made.

Here are some of the reactions to Bellerin’s comments…

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…

Charlie Nicholas thinks Liverpool should brush aside Aston Villa but he did point to one area of weakness where Liverpool could be exploited.

What did he say?

The pundit praised the Reds’ front-three as well as the effectiveness of their full-backs, and suggested that when they’re on top form they make life really difficult for the opposition.

However, he also stated that Liverpool’s area of weakness lies on the flanks, pointing to the space the full-backs leave in behind when venturing forward which Villa could take advantage of.

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Writing in his Sky Sports’ Premier League predictions, Nicholas said: “They [Aston Villa] want John McGinn and Jack Grealish on the ball, with the energy and drive to find the gaps that Liverpool will leave open.

“It could be Trezeguet who could hurt Liverpool, especially in these wide areas. Everybody has seen with Trent Alexander-Arnold that he is unbelievable going forward but can leave gaps at the back, so how do you expose it? It is the wide areas where Liverpool can win and lose games.”

Another positive for Liverpool is that Jack Grealish is battling fitness to start the match, so could be off form, and if Jurgen Klopp’s side dominate the midfield like they so often do – with 58% average possession this term – then the full-backs will be able to take up dangerous positions.

Weakness at the back

From his comments, it seems that Nicholas believes the match-up between Trezeguet and Alexader-Arnold could be key to deciding the outcome of the match.

The 25-year-old has managed an average of 1.3 successful dribbles per league game but the main worry for Liverpool is that he could exploit Alexander-Arnold by running in behind him.

His positioning has been questioned this season. He was at fault for Kosovo’s second goal against England back in September and he was also pinpointed as a defensive weakness by Chris Wilder, who told his Sheffield United side to concentrate their attacks down Liverpool’s right flank.

If Trezeguet is on form, Villa could have success by deploying a similar method of attack.

Alexander-Arnold, therefore, must keep an eye on the potential for runners in behind, and keep a balanced position throughout which ensures his side don’t get caught on the break, otherwise they could lose ground at the summit of the table.

Some Arsenal fans are calling for Unai Emery’s sacking after the Spaniard led the club to their third draw in their last four Premier League games.

The Gunners drew 1-1 away to Manchester United, following on from draws at home to Tottenham Hotspur and Watford.

Emery has endured a turbulent spell at the helm this campaign, with many doubting the Basque-born manager. Arsenal have conceded 11 goals in their seven Premier League games so far this season, keeping just one clean sheet in the process (via Premier League).

Jamie Carragher gave a frank assessment of the coach on Sky Sport’s coverage of the fixture last night, dubbing Emery a ‘basketball coach’ (Sky Sports via football.london).

Now it seems that some of the fans have had enough of their manager, especially after the performance against the Red Devils last night as they took to Twitter to react.

Here is a selection of tweets from the north London faithful:

Do you think Arsenal should dispense with Emery or keep faith in him? Join in the discussion by commenting below!

يرى روبرت ليفاندوفسكي نجم منتخب بولندا إنهم كانوا يستطيعون تحقيق الفوز في مباراتهم مساء أمس أمام منتخب المجر.

وتلاقى المنتخبان في إطار منافسات الجولة الأولى من تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة لبطولة كأس العالم في قطر 2022.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب اليونان بعد التعادل مع إسبانيا: مجرد بداية جيدة.. ولم نُسهل الأمور عليهم

وتعادل المنتخبان بثلاثة أهداف لمثلهم، حيث تمكن ليفاندوفسكي من تسجيل الهدف الثالث لـ بولندا في الدقيقة 87.

وقال ليفاندوفسكي في تصريحات نشرها الموقع الرسمي لليويفا: “كان من الممكن أن نفوز بالمباراة، كنا نحاول تحقيق نتيجة إيجابية ثلاث مرات”.

وتأخرت بولندا في النتيجة بهدفين دون رد، قبل أن تسجل هدفين، ثم تقدمت المجر بهدف ثالث، ليتعادل الضيوف في النهاية.

وأضاف: “لكن من ناحية أخرى كان لدينا ثلاث جلسات تدريبية فقط مع المدرب الجديد، الشيء السلبي هو أن المجر سجلت ثلاث مرات و لا أشعر أن لديهم الكثير من الفرص”.

واختتم نجم بايرن ميونخ: “لكني آمل أن نسير في الاتجاه الصحيح”.