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Everton claimed a hugely important win this week as they emerged 3-0 victors over relegation candidates Cardiff – the three points meant the Toffees have surely put their woeful run of form behind them and hopefully now they can kick on and push for the seventh place finish they will be craving.

Gylfi Sigurdsson (2) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were on target for Marco Silva’s side, who stepped up to ease growing pressure on Marco Silva with a diligent and defensively sound performance.

Whenever the Goodison Park outfit keep a clean sheet, it is rare that Idrissa Gueye hasn’t had a hand in the denial of their opponents – the Tuesday night clash with the Bluebirds was no exception and the Senegalese showed once again why he garnered interest from one of Europe’s giants in January.

Adding to his combative effort in the 1-0 loss to Watford 17 days prior, the 29-year-old was once again crucial to his side winning the ever-crucial midfield battle, while also adding some creative flair to his performance in his assist for Calvert-Lewin.

While Evertonians were surely raving about his nutmeg on Sol Bamba in the late stages, the number 17’s love of a strong tackle and excellent positioning – the things he has become a fixture in the side for – will be crucial at the weekend, rather than the samba skills he exhibited on Tuesday night.

The former Aston Villa man has completed 11 tackles, 4 clearances and 2 interceptions in the last two games while, in comparison, Morgan Schneiderlin – Gueye’s defensive midfield partner on Tuesday – recorded just 1, 1 and 3 respectively.

If Everton are to get revenge for the 1-0 loss at Anfield in December 2018 then they must find a way to dominate the midfield, and Gueye’s influence will be imperative to that endeavour.

His importance to the clash, though, goes beyond the defensive security he provides his team – he is one of few players on both Merseyside teams who is willing to stick a foot in and do the dirty things no-one else is willing to.

Xherdan Shaqiri was the only player booked before the 77th minute in the reverse fixture earlier this season, with the remaining four coming in the latter stages as the two sides finally clicked into gear and decided to scrap for a winner.

The last meeting lacked verve and intensity and, unfortunately, tame derbies are becoming more and more frequent in the modern day game as the influx of players who have little to no emotional attachment to the occasion increases.

Gueye, though, has been at Goodison Park since 2016 – he knows exactly what the clash will mean to supporters and, while there are surely other players in the Everton camp who are equally aware, he remains the only Everton midfielder who will get the fans on their feet by flying into a full-blooded, stadium-enchanting challenge.

Watch how to cross the road like a boss with freestyler Ben Nuttall in the video below…

This kind of game is a nightmare for the referee to deal but it is what football fans want when they walk through the turnstiles on derby day, and 62-cap international Gueye will do both sets of fans a favour by producing another performance of the calibre of his recent two.

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Fabinho was in exceptional form for Liverpool against Watford on Wednesday evening.

The midfielder was the lynchpin of Jurgen Klopp’s midfield as they returned to winning ways in style, thumping the Hornets 5-0 at Anfield.

The display was one of attacking verve and flair; Virgil van Dijk scored twice, as did Sadio Mane, while Divock Origi was also on the scoresheet.

But it would not have been anywhere near as easy had Fabinho not turned in such an assiduous performance at the base of the midfield.

The Brazilian is a versatile player, capable of filling in at right-back or in the centre of the pitch but he has proven that he is more attuned to the latter.

His four tackles, per WhoScored, was the most of any Liverpool player on the pitch, while his four interceptions also topped the table of any player to start the game.

That he had two shots also emphasises his ability to drive at the opposition defence, while his 88% passing accuracy proves that he was economical in possession.

Every title-chasing team needs a solid base on which to build and Liverpool have conceded just 15 goals all season as they attempt to wrestle the Premier League title away from Manchester City.

Fabinho has been a key part of that whenever he has played. Indeed, the 25-year-old has featured in Liverpool’s last 13 games; they have conceded just nine goals in those matches.

A £43.7million signing from AS Monaco in the summer, he took a while to settle and did not even make his league debut until October, as he came on as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Huddersfield Town.

But since his introduction to the first-team, he has been exceptional and was again key to Klopp’s ‘heavy metal’ football against Watford.

The fact is simple; Liverpool play better when Fabinho is in the team.

Manchester United were recently undone by PSG but that shouldn’t disguise how good they have been since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over.

The French champions proved a step too far for Manchester United and, immediately, it raises questions of who the Red Devils need to sign to improve.

Having been so good in recent weeks, no one thought of what they need to improve but now those questions are being asked because the fans want to see silverware back at Old Trafford once again.

You could argue that every position could be improved apart from the wide players and David De Gea so, with that in mind, United first need to identify another top midfielder.

Paul Pogba has come on leaps and bounds but with another stern player behind him, their midfield could be complete.

Therefore, step forward Stuttgart’s Santiago Ascacibar.

Ascacibar, (who is valued at £19.8 million on Transfermarkt) is a midfielder with exceptional talent that would only further his potential with a move to Old Trafford.

Last season and his debut one for Bundesliga outfit Stuttgart, Santiago Ascacibar finished the campaign with the joint-most tackles at the club and came second in the number of interceptions he made.

Those records prove that the Argentina international’s role is to sit in-front of the back-line and stop anyone from getting past, a role he has since mastered.

Manchester United are one of, if not the biggest, clubs in the world so when a team like that comes calling, there is only one option.

Santiago Ascacibar could be the latest star in the red of Manchester United and would perform an invaluable role for the team which could see them become title contenders once again.

Do you agree… Let us know!

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The Sun recently reported that both Aston Villa and Leeds United are interested in launching January bids to sign Kadeem Harris, whose current contract with Cardiff City is set to expire at the end of the season.

The 25-year-old winger has been on the fringes of Neil Warnock’s squad since the Bluebirds’ promotion to the Premier League. However, in recent weeks he has featured more frequently and has impressed on each occasion, even scoring in the Welsh outfit’s 4-2 win over Fulham.

Watch Playmaker FC’s Thogden react to England’s dramatic second-half comeback against Croatia in the video below…

That being said, there are currently no signs of a new contract being offered to Harris, meaning that the upcoming winter transfer window will likely be the last chance for Cardiff to cash in on the in-form attacker. 

The English midfielder would be a smart acquisition for many second tier clubs, but the Villans in particular could do with bolstering their current wide options with someone like Albert Adomah really struggling for form.

As a potential bargain winter buy, given his contract situation, Harris represents a smart target for Dean Smith to bring to Villa Park to improve his options on the flanks.

Many Villa fans agree that Harris would be a good buy, with 78% of those who took part in our poll voting in favour of making a move for the Cardiff man. See the full results below.

Celtic supporters in the Transfer Tavern have been reasonably quiet in recent times after seeing their side endure a testing start to the new season, which has seen them exit the Champions League.

Brendan Rodgers’ men had twice qualified for the group stages of Europe’s elite competition under the Northern Irishman prior to this season, but they fell at the third qualifying round this term in going down 3-2 on aggregate to AEK Athens. As such, instead of playing tomorrow against Ajax in a play-off for that competition, they are in action on Thursday night against Suduva seeking to qualify for the group stages of the Europa League.

As such, there have been many despondent Bhoys fans up and down the country in recent times, several of whom have been bemoaning the evident centre back crisis currently at Parkhead, which has been compounded recently by reports that Dedryck Boyata is refusing to play for the club.

Thus, it’s clear that Rodgers needs to boost his centre back ranks in the final few weeks of the summer window, and he could do a lot worse than lure £2.7 million-rated Premier League star Wes Morgan (as per Transfermarkt) to Celtic Park.

Ultimately, an injury to Marvin Compper and suspensions for Jozo Simunovic and Kristoffer Ajer forced manager Rodgers to partner the young and inexperienced Jack Hendry with right back Mikael Lustig against AEK Athens last week, and while the latter duo have since returned to action, the ongoing situation surrounding Boyata’s future suggests that further reinforcements are needed at the back.

And while luring Morgan away from Leicester City isn’t necessarily a nod to the long term, given the centre back is 34 years of age, there is no doubting that he still retains the ability to make a big difference to the Bhoys backline.

The Englishman has been a stalwart in the Foxes defence ever since his move from Nottingham Forest back in 2012, with the defender going on to appear 272 times for the Midlands club, 135 of which have come in the Premier League.

And the centre back really proved his credentials during the 2015/16 season in captaining Leicester to the most unlikely of Premier League title triumphs, with Morgan appearing in all 38 league games and showing his defensive capabilities brilliantly in forming a sensational partnership with Robert Huth – the 34-year-old was simply outstanding that season.

And having continued to feature regularly for the Foxes since then, with varying degrees of success, it’s clear that Morgan still retains the ability to play at the top level, which can only be good news for a Celtic side in dire need of greater experience and indeed quality in the heart of their backline.

Ultimately, the 34-year-old could still do a fine job at the back despite the fact that he is reaching the twilight of his career, and following the arrival of Jonny Evans over the summer, alongside the fact that Harry Maguire stayed at the club, it remains to be seen whether he is a regular at Leicester this term – he dropped to the bench on Saturday in their victory over Wolves.

As such, Rodgers must be ready to pounce in a bid to finally solve Celtic’s evident centre back issues.

Celtic fans… what do you think? Let us know!

England rounded off their 2018 World Cup qualification campaign with a 1-0 win over Lithuania on Sunday night.

It was another lacklustre performance from the Three Lions, but it was another victory as Harry Kane, who netted from the penalty spot, made the difference for the second successive match.

It was Kane’s Tottenham Hotspur teammate Harry Winks that made perhaps the biggest impression, however, with the 21-year-old handed his international debut.

Winks was a late call-up to the squad after both Phil Jones and Fabian Delph dropped out, and Southgate handed him the chance to impress on Sunday night.

It is difficult to get too excited about England’s hopes ahead of the World Cup, but Winks at least provided some quality in the middle of the park.

The midfielder took to Twitter after the match to reveal his delight, and the Tottenham supporters were out in force to pay tribute to ‘one of their own’.

A selection of the best Twitter reaction can be found below:

Toby Alderweireld has told Tottenham Hotspur that he does not want to extend his contract at the club, reports Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

What’s the word?

The reporter has claimed on his personal website that Inter Milan are circling ahead of the summer transfer window.

Alderweireld has three years remaining on his current deal at White Hart Lane, but it is believed that talks over a fresh contract have broken down.

Di Marzio claims that a release clause of £23.4m can be triggered in 2019, and that Inter have made initial enquiries about the defender.

Tottenham have moved quickly over the past nine months to tie down some of their key players to long-term deals, but Alderweireld is one of them who has not yet signed on the dotted line.

Should Spurs be worried?

Not yet. Given that Alderweireld still has three years left on his contract, Tottenham are in a strong negotiating position if other clubs come calling.

If he is reluctant to pen fresh terms at the moment, then it could be a case of his camp trying to squeeze more money out of Tottenham.

From a footballing standpoint, it would be odd for Alderweireld to move on given that he has become a regular starter under Mauricio Pochettino and he is part of a young team that is thriving.

The club are the closest challengers to Premier League leaders Chelsea having cut the gap to just four points with six games left to play.

If the reports are to be believed, then there is no need for Spurs fans to worry about Alderweireld leaving this summer as the rumoured release clause cannot be triggered for another two years.

Of the promoted teams, surely Middlesbrough have the best chance at survival in the promised land. After relegation in 2009, Boro are set to give it all they’ve got in order to stay up.

The signings are impressive, the stadium is impressive, the manager is impressive – in stature at least – and so they’re well-equipped this season.

Last season

Promotion on the last day, and in the way Middlesbrough did it is a momentum-maker. It was essentially a play-off on the last game of the season against Brighton. How do you top that?

What does success look like?

Well you probably top that by staying in the Premier League. That will be the measure of success this season, but with so many new signings, so many big names who aren’t in their prime and with a manager who courted some controversy last season, there are still question marks over the Teessiders.

How has the summer gone?

By all accounts, Boro’s summer has been impressive. Signing some big names in the hope of raising the profile and status of the club thanks to the profile and status of the manager.

There’s something strange about a promoted club giving Alvaro Negredo – a 30-year-old striker – so much money in wages, but digging beyond the superficial, it makes more sense. It’s a loan signing, and his wages reportedly equate to about £5m per season – it’s a lot to spend on wages, but you’d pay £5m to buy a striker with the pedigree of the Beast of Vallecas, wouldn’t you?

Key man

It has to be the beast himself, Alvaro Negredo. If he can bang in the goals like he did in the first half of his year in Manchester, Negredo will terrify Premier League defences and score enough goals to keep Boro in the league.

Make or break season

After his publicised problems at Southampton, Gaston Ramirez will need to prove that he has the quality his profile suggests he does. At some point you have to stop living on paper and start getting into the game.

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Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has insisted that the Parisians have to prepare for life without Kylian Mbappe.

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Luis Enrique hooked Mbappe off against Rennes Admitted that he is looking for "maximum competitiveness" Mbappe to leave PSG this summer WHAT HAPPENED?

Luis Enrique removed Mbappe from the Parisians' clash with Rennes after an hour on Sunday, benching the French superstar while his side trailed 1-0. Goncalo Ramos replaced him, and scored a late equaliser to save his side from any blushes.

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Luis Enrique explained his decision to bench his star man after the game: "It’s very simple, sooner or later, when it happens we have to get used to playing without Kylian. When I want to play like this, I will, when I don’t, I won’t. It’s very easy, there are competitions and my intention is not to give ‘free’ minutes, I want maximum competitiveness. Every player has to deserve their playing time."

GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Mbappe's days in the French capital are numbered. He informed the club two weeks ago that he plans on leaving in June, and reportedly has an agreement to join Real Madrid ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

The accomplished player may not be guaranteed to play every minute for the Parisians in the coming weeks. However, he figures to be a regular starter and should be in the picture when his side takes on Monaco this Friday.

Benjamin Mendy is making a multi-million pound claim against former club Manchester City for unpaid wages, according to a lawyer acting on his behalf.

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• Mendy launches legal claim against Man City
• Defender claiming up to £10m in unpaid wages
• Frenchman was cleared of all charges against him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The French defender was suspended by City in September 2021 after being charged with rape. He faced a lengthy trial and in January of this year he was cleared of six counts of rape and one of sexual assault. On July 14, he was found not guilty of one count of rape and one of attempted rape. Shortly after being cleared, Mendy joined Lorient as a free agent. He has made three appearances for the Ligue 1 side.

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  Mendy is suing City for between £9 million and £10 million ($11-12m), according to journalist Jack Gaughan. Mendy was barred from entering Greater Manchester due to the conditions of his bail, which prevented him from training or playing for City. The club told Mendy they would not pay him after the trial concluded.

• WHAT MENDY'S LAWYER SAID

  A statement from Nick De Marco KC read: “Nick De Marco KC (instructed by Laffer Abogados Madrid) is acting for the former Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy in a multi-million pound claim for unauthorised deductions from wages.

  “Manchester City FC failed to pay Mr Mendy any wages at all from September 2021, following Mr Mendy being charged with various offences all of which he was subsequently acquitted of, until the end of his contract in June 2023."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MENDY AND MAN CITY?

  City, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment from GOAL, are set to be taken to an employment trial by Mendy in the coming weeks.