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The 2019/20 season has been a difficult one for Tottenham Hotspur after the highs of reaching the Champions League Final last year.

A poor start to the campaign resulted in former boss Mauricio Pochettino losing his job in November, only for the Argentine to be replaced with Jose Mourinho.

While the team have seen results improve it has not been all plain sailing under the Portuguese and with nine league fixtures to play they are seven points adrift of Chelsea in fourth place.

As it was confirmed last Thursday the Premier League will return on June 17, with Spurs preparing to face Manchester United in London on their return.

One reason to be cheerful for the North London club is the impending return of Harry Kane, who last played for the club on New Year’s Day in a 1-0 defeat to Southampton.

Kane has certainly been prolific in recent years, but on how many occasions was he actually top goalscorer as we run through the past 15 seasons at the club.

Having only managed to bring in Steven Bergwijn as a new permanent signing in the January transfer window, Jose Mourinho will no doubt be keen to strengthen his Tottenham squad this summer.

And according to the latest reports, one man who the north London side could well be targeting, is Bournemouth’s David Brooks.

The Sun claim that the Cherries are bracing for a shake-up in the summer window, and that both Manchester United and Spurs “could rekindle their interest” if the 22-year-old can regain his fitness again – he has missed 251 days of action thanks to an ankle injury suffered back in July of last year.

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After hearing about the links to Brooks, Spurs fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on their potential summer transfer target.

A couple of fans however did raise concerns about Brooks’ track record with injuries, with one supporter in particular claiming that a move “would be a risk”.

Another Spurs fan meanwhile was far less enthusiastic about the prospect of Brooks signing, instead suggesting QPR’s Eberechi Eze as a better option.

Having missed the entirety of this campaign, Spurs would no doubt be taking somewhat of a gamble in making a move for Brooks in the summer.

But based on his performances last season, he does seem like he would be a shrewd swoop. He netted seven times and provided a further five assists in just 33 games across all competitions for Eddie Howe’s side, and that included some big-time moments too – not least the goal and assist in the 4-0 thrashing of Chelsea.

Most Spurs fans are right to be excited by Brooks’ potential arrival.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans react to Victor Wanyama’s admission.

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…

Can you believe it’s been just over six months since the first story about QSI investing in Leeds United was published?

Over half a year of rumours have swirled, the deal has been on and off more times than a light switch, but the whispers still haven’t died down.

Surprisingly, we’ve not heard much on that front for a couple of weeks, but Phil Hay has given us some insight into the current ownership and how willing they’d be to allow the Qataris to invest in the Yorkshire club.

What’s been said then?

The Athletic’s Leeds United correspondent was hosting a Q&A on the website, and one fan asked if there was any update on QSI and if it was likely.

“I’m not aware of any more progress but there’s a chance that it will. I think it depends on various factors. If, for example, Leeds don’t make it out of the Championship this season, does Radrizzani have another year of ownership in him? I’m not sure that he does. The door is certainly open for investment.” Hay replied.

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Exciting

While Hay saying that he’s not aware of any more progress may seem rather disheartening, the conclusion of his response should excite a number of Leeds supporters.

The fact that the door is open for investment combined with the interest that QSI have in the club may point towards one inevitable eventuality.

Of course, there are a lot of factors at play such as QSI’s valuation at the club, which currently stands way below what they’re actually worth, but if the door is open there’s no reason why the Qatari firm can’t get involved with the Whites.

Perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects is whether Radrizzani will stay. The current owner has stated in the past that he’s not looking to sell but another failed promotion attempt may well see him pack his bags.

In other news, Leeds fans have been praising one man who they believe has turned a corner

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…

A recent report from Interlive.it suggests that Manchester City are among the giant clubs seeking the signature of Lautaro Martinez.

Reports from Calciomercato last month (via Sport Witness) stated how Pep Guardiola has looked towards Martinez as a replacement for the 32-year-old Sergio Aguero.

Now, Interlive.it have reported that that City are willing to send Gabriel Jesus the other way in a part-exchange deal for the Inter Milan forward. It is believed that the Brazilian is seeking a new adventure away from the Premier League.

Martinez has been in great form for the Italian giants so far, helping Inter get just one point behind champions and league leaders Juventus. The Argentine has eight goals in all competitions – only Romelu Lukaku has more with nine.

If he’s anything like Tevez, he’s a must

Last year, former City man Carlos Tevez heaped the praise on the young striker saying Inter will ‘love him’.

The ex-Sky Blues hitman told Corriere della Sera (via Football Italia): “What a player he is.

“He’s hungry, ruthless and technically gifted. He reminds me of myself a few years ago. Of the young Argentines, he is by far the best and can get even better.

“Inter pulled off a coup by signing him. They’ll love him.”

Tevez was one of the first superstars for City during the early days after Sheikh Mansour’s takeover. The forward’s shock transfer from across the red side of Manchester proved to be a great signing, as he bagged 23 goals in his first season.

In total, the bulldog-like Tevez would score 73 times for City and if Martinez is anything like his compatriot, Guardiola could have an almighty player on his hands.

His strong and agile approach was on display when he scored against Barcelona at the Nou Camp in a Champions League group stage clash in October, and he has shown that Tevez-esque style during his time at Inter Milan.

Tevez’s glowing verdict combined with Martinez’s record in Italy suggests he would be a great signing for City if they can pull it off.

Liverpool will face Crystal Palace on Saturday as they look to consolidate their place at the top of the Premier League.

So far, they are eight points clear of Leicester City and Chelsea, whilst Manchester City are a further point back in fourth-place. After the international break, Jurgen Klopp and Co will want to pick up where they left off against the Citizens in the last match before the two-week pause.

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With some injuries to contend with, it will be interesting to see what team the former Borussia Dortmund manager puts out. Here, we try to predict his starting XI.

In goal, Alisson should get the nod. The Brazil international was in action for his country on Tuesday, but as a goalkeeper, that should not have too much of an effect on his ability to perform.

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Andrew Robertson pulled out of the Scotland squad with an ankle injury, and previously admitted that he had not trained for two-and-a-half weeks due to the issue. Although Klopp has remained coy on whether he would appear against the Eagles, earlier reports have all but confirmed he will miss the match at Selhurst Park. With a lack of alternatives, James Milner should fill in at left-back.

Virgil van Dijk is 100% fit, the 52-year-old boss confirmed, so he will keep his place in the side, whilst Dejan Lovren should appear next to him with Joel Matip still out injured. At right-back, expect to see Trent Alexander-Arnold once again.

Jordan Henderson was able to have a two-week break, with a suspension and illness preventing him from taking the field for England. As captain, it would be surprising to see him not included in the first XI. Behind him in defensive midfield, Fabinho is proving himself to be somewhat indispensable, so he should start again, whilst Georginio Wijnaldum should feature next to Henderson fresh from his hat-trick for the Netherlands.

Klopp said that there is still a problem with Mohamed Salah’s ankle. He didn’t confirm whether he would play or not this weekend, but it seems unlikely. The comments from the former Mainz boss on Xherdan Shaqiri would indicate it is too soon for the Switzerland international to feature, so we could see Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain play on the right. He has plenty of experience in that position. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino both got themselves through the break without injuries, so expect them to start.

In other news, Liverpool fans are in uproar at the club’s hierarchy because of one system…

Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has criticised Manchester City and the football authorities as the Premier League champions look set to escape a ban from the Champions League despite breaking Financial Fair Play rules.

In May, UEFA launched an investigation into allegedly being misled with regards to the calculation of City’s finances, with the club appearing to break even by inflating the cost of a sponsorship deal.

According to The Athletic, UEFA are merely preparing to fine the Premier League club, despite fining City £49m for a previous breach of regulations back in 2014.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Jordan attacked the unwillingness of UEFA to throw the book at City, arguing that football is not operating in the way it should.

He said: “I admire Manchester City on the pitch, I admire a lot of their commitment to the community with the regeneration surrounding the stadiums and their investment in their academy, and I know they’ve been very influential all around the area.

“I’ve also likened them to a bit of a Frankenstein club, because I don’t like the way they just seem to buy everything and have this Middle Eastern money behind it.

“The idea that football won’t regulate itself, won’t control the very rules that it seeks to impose – I think they will be forced to now, because it is becoming a very divisive subject.

“Why should the world’s biggest, most influential sport seem to think that it can operate in a way that other sports don’t think that you should operate?”

There may be an element of jealousy from Jordan given City’s riches, but his disappointment over their rather lenient impending fine is more than justified.

Jordan continued to touch on other sports’ handling of similar matters, and brings to mind the recent case of Premiership Rugby side Saracens, who were docked 35 points and fined for breaching salary cap rules – a punishment some thought was not enough.

So for City to simply be let off without a European ban – despite AC Milan suffering such a punishment this year – will surely only add insult to injury for the likes of Jordan.

City fans, has your team got off lightly? What would be the potential damage of a Champions League ban? Let us know your thoughts below!

Everton fans have taken to Twitter to express their desire to acquire the services of Jose Mourinho as the club’s new manager.

Marco Silva has been under constant pressure throughout most of the season. Fans’ anger towards the Portuguese has continued to grow, with the ‘Silva out’ brigade rising in numbers week by week.

Most recently, the supporters expressed their annoyance after he failed to integrate youth star Anthony Gordon into the first-team in the League Cup.

Now, with Sky Sports reporting that Mourinho is keen on a return to English football, many Everton fans stated they want him at Goodison Park.

There can be no doubt denying that the former Chelsea manager has an incredible ability to win in England. Three league titles and four League Cup’s have established Mourinho as one of the greats of the English game

The Toffees are still sat just two points above the drop zone from 10 games, and perhaps the sacking of Silva is just around the corner.

Should this be the case, it seems there is one name on supporters’ lips right now…

Loads of Liverpool fans have been reacting on social media after Kenny Cunningham told Off The Ball that Fabinho is the weak link in Jurgen Klopp’s plans, and will likely struggle against Manchester City on Sunday.

Fabinho has been a key part of the German’s squad since moving to Merseyside in 2018, with the Brazilian included in 45 of his Premier League matchday squads following the midfielder’s summer switch from AS Monaco.

Cunningham, though, is not entirely convinced by the holding midfielder’s ability to control the defensive position, as the former Republic of Ireland international doubts Fabinho has all of the qualities needed to excel in the role.

“I’m not totally convinced about him in that holding midfield position,” Cunningham claimed. “We’re not arguing here if he’s a very good player or not, he is a very good player, but, as a purely defensive midfield player, going into this game against Manchester City you need a very specific skill set to deal with what David Silva and Kevin de Bruyne are going to bring.

“You’ve got be able to sense danger, slide across the pitch, make tackles, track runners and I don’t think that’s the strongest part of his game.

“For me, the first name on the teamsheet would be Jordan Henderson in that holding role. He has the best defensive mindset in that Liverpool midfield and it’s going to be needed.”

Liverpool fans have been fiercely rejecting Cunningham’s verdict, with one of the more frequent remarks shared being that the Reds are unbeaten in the Premier League whenever the 6 ft 2 midfielder has started.

Fabinho has featured in the opening line-up for 37 of his 38 English top-flight outings, winning 31 and drawing six while losing away to Manchester City last season having come off the bench.

The £100,000-per-week anchor has also averaged the most successful tackles per ninety minutes of any Liverpool central midfielder to have played more than once in the Premier League this season with 2.5 from 3.7 attempts, per WhoScored data.

He also ranks second to Henderson for interceptions with 1.4, and second to James Milner for successful aerial duels with 1.4 from 3.2 battles, as well as for accurate long passes with 5.2.

Here are some of the messages shared from supporters reacting to Cunningham’s comments…

There were not an awful lot of positives from Tottenham Hotspur’s 2-1 loss at Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

However, despite the disappointment of the result and indeed the performance, many of the Spurs fans were pleased with what they saw from Moussa Sissoko.

According to WhoScored, Sissoko completed four dribbles and boasted a pass success rate of 72% during his 90 minutes on the field.

Indeed, the midfielder completed 23 of his 32 passes, whilst he was often the player looking to drive his team forward from the middle of the park.

Sissoko outperformed both Harry Winks and Dele Alli when it came to passes completed, whilst the France international completed more dribbles than the two players combined.

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It is not too difficult to see why the Tottenham fans were pleased with Sissoko’s performance on the afternoon.

And many of the London club’s supporters have been on Twitter lavishing praise on the former Toulouse youngster:

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…

The prospect of coming up against Sadio Mane and Mo Salah as full-backs is always going to be a daunting prospect, and that is exactly what could lie ahead for Serge Aurier and Danny Rose when Tottenham Hotspur travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday.

Salah returned to the starting XI against Genk in midweek having missed the trip to Manchester United previously, and he marked the occasion with one goal and one assist.

On the opposite flank, Mane netted once meaning he now has nine goals and two assists in 13 appearances for the Reds this term, with his African teammate also having 11 goal involvements over the same number of games.

As well as their threat in those terms in the final third, the fact that Salah and his Senegal teammate have successfully completed 1.6 and 1.3 dribbles per game respectively in the top flight in 2019/20 only enhances the threat that they pose.

Pochettino has something of a conundrum then, with Spurs hardly looking convincing away from home this season when it comes to keeping the ball out of the net.

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Indeed, they have conceded twice on their travels against Arsenal, Manchester City, Olympiacos and Leicester City, while in their previous trip they went down 3-0 at Brighton and Hove Albion.

The duo also started in the 7-2 humiliation against Bayern Munich and struggled to deal with the threat of Serge Gnabry – who netted four times – and Kingsley Coman, and perhaps they need that extra support on Merseyside this weekend, especially with two attacking full-backs in Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold, too.

Aurier started against Red Star Belgrade in midweek, and unless Pochettino is willing to blood Foyth there then he is likely to remain, while Danny Rose was rested against the Serbian outfit, suggesting he will be back in contention for a start.

If the pair do get the nod, there is a potential solution that could make their life a lot easier – a 3-5-2 formation.

Letting Rose and Aurier play as wing-backs already puts an extra body in defence, while a midfield trio inbetween them means they can also be covered if they do venture forward in search of goals.

Whether Pochettino would be willing to take Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld out of the starting XI against Jurgen Klopp’s men remains to be seen, but a back three of Ben Davies, Davinson Sanchez and Juan Foyth could potentially work.

Davies started as a centre-back three times for Spurs last term and they all ended in wins and clean sheets, and he would of course provide that full-back know-how against Salah on that flank, while Foyth is in a similar situation himself having played as a right-back and centre-back in his career to date.

With the likes on Winks and Sissoko able to cover in wide areas too, it could just be the genius solution to ensure that Rose and Aurier aren’t overworked and become possible liabilities on what is likely to be a tough afternoon.