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Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira must finally unleash Eberechi Eze, who has lacked game-time this season.

The 23-year-old has failed to win back a starting place in Vieira’s side after sustaining an Achilles tendon injury at the end of last season, which has disrupted his momentum.

Before the injury, Eze had shown plenty of promise, having notched ten goal contributions (four goals and six assists) in his debut campaign in England’s top flight. However, it’s fair to say that 2021/22 has not gone to plan for the 37k-p/w star, who has made just seven appearances in the current Premier League campaign.

On the chalkboard

On Sunday, Crystal Palace make the trip to Wembley to face Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals.

If the last four meetings between the teams are any barometer, Vieira’s side will be hard pressed to emerge triumphant, conceding 12 goals across their last four games against the Blues and scoring just one.

They will surely look to change that, and having registered three wins, a draw and a loss in their last five matches, they will look to add to that momentum and strike Chelsea whilst they are down, with the Blues having been eliminated from the Champions League in midweek in agonising fashion.

Eze, who has been described as “magic” by team-mate Christian Benteke, can help Vieira’s side to overcome their London rivals, and he may prove to be their secret weapon in a potential system change for the Eagles.

With the 23-year-old finding the net on 14 occasions throughout the 2019/20 season for QPR, fans may be disappointed with his lack of end product this season, even accounting for his long-term injury layoff.

However, it is worth noting that he has not been deployed in his favoured position under Vieira, and with a slight system change from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 during Palace’s last game against Leicester, Eze may well get his chance in an attacking midfield role – the position in which he was most potent during his time at QPR.

The Eagles boss may well have been testing the system out last weekend in order to iron out potential flaws ahead of the FA Cup semi-final.

Eze will surely be out to register his first attacking return of the season, and what better occasion to do just that than a cup semi-final at Wembley against a London rival?

In other news – Was worth £12.5m, now worth £50m: Palace had a nightmare on “incredible” £17k-p/w gem

Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw has suffered yet another injury setback, with Marcelo Bielsa confirming as much after the defeat to West Ham on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Leeds lose again

The Whites’ hugely disappointing start to the season continued on Saturday afternoon following a 2-1 loss to the Hammers at Elland Road.

Raphinha may have given Leeds the lead before half-time, but the visitors turned the game around, leaving Bielsa’s men without a Premier League win in 2021/22 after six matchdays.

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The Latest: Forshaw suffers fresh injury setback

Forshaw played no part in proceedings, and as tweeted by journalist Graham Smyth, Bielsa confirmed after the weekend defeat that the midfielder faces another spell on the sidelines:

“Marcelo Bielsa says Adam Forshaw has a ‘tear in the posterior part of his thigh.’ Would usually mean a month out, says Bielsa, but adds that Forshaw’s two year absence makes it difficult.”

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The Verdict: Another cruel blow

This is another major setback for Forshaw, who has had such terrible luck in the injury department, barely playing at all for the last two years because of a serious hip injury.

There must now be genuine question marks over the 29-year-old’s future, with his body clearly struggling to cope with the challenges of being a professional footballer.

It is hard to see him ever properly breaking into Leeds’ team again and another long layoff would only weaken his case even further.

In other news, some Leeds fans were critical of one player against West Ham. Find out who it is here.

Dean Windass has told Football FanCast that son Josh Windass is delighted to have ended speculation over his future by signing a new deal with Sheffield Wednesday.

Windass has penned a fresh contract, which will keep him with the Owls until the summer of 2023.

The 23-year-old had been heavily linked with a move away from Hillsborough after suffering relegation to League One on the final day of last season.

Championship trio Queens Park Rangers, Millwall and Birmingham City were keen to strike a deal that would have seen the attacking midfielder make an immediate return to the second tier of English football.

But the former Rangers attacking midfielder, who joined Wednesday on a permanent basis following a loan move from Wigan Athletic last year, will be looking to guide the Owls to promotion instead after agreeing terms on a new deal.

Windass, who has missed the start of the new campaign through injury, is keen to repay the faith shown in him by Wednesday when he returns from the sidelines.

His father Dean exclusively told Football FanCast: “He is delighted to sign a new contract.

“The football club have made it clear they didn’t want to sell him so it’s over the line now.”

Aston Villa loanee would ‘welcome’ a permanent move from Manchester United, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Tuanzebe’s third loan spell

Tuanzebe was one of five Villa signings over the summer, sealing a third loan move to Villa Park.

He’s started two of four Premier League games this season but won’t be able to feature in Villa’s trip to Old Trafford later this month.

The 6ft defender still has two years remaining on his Manchester United contract, but it seems as if he is open to a permanent transfer to the Midlands.

The Latest: Transfer update

The Sun shared a story on Monday afternoon regarding Tuanzebe’s future.

They were informed by an insider that the 23-year-old is ‘very happy’ at Villa Park and would ‘welcome’ a full-time move to the club, should that arise.

Tuanzebe believes Dean Smith can get the best out of him and would relish the opportunity to make his stay at the club permanent.

The Verdict: Sign

Reports back in May suggested that an offer of £7m could have been enough for Tuanzebe on a permanent basis, and if that is still the case, it could be a wise move by Villa.

Tuanzebe, who was handed his Manchester United debut by Jose Mourinho, is capable of playing as a centre-back and a right-back and is still in the early stages of his career even though he has racked up over 75 senior appearances.

Villa are fairly short of centre-back and right-back options, so keeping hold of a player who wants to be at the club seems a smart call.

In other news: ‘Bad attitude’ – Aston Villa ace’s comments have got loads of fans talking. 

After beating Watford 5-0 on Saturday at Vicarage Road in their latest Premier League outing, Liverpool are back in Champions League action on Tuesday evening with an away clash against Atletico Madrid.

A hat-trick from Roberto Firmino and additional goals from Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah perfectly set up Jurgen Klopp’s side for their latest Champions League match in midweek after winning their opening two group games.

On the chalkboard

One player that wasn’t involved in the game against Watford, that we think should be in the starting XI to face Atletico is midfielder Fabinho, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £180k-per-week according to Spotrac.

The 27-year-old wasn’t in the squad to face Watford as he was involved with Brazil on international duty just a short period before the match against the Hornets, alongside Alisson Becker.

Given that Fabinho has now had time after returning from Brazil duty to get ready for the Atletico match, we feel he should be back in the team as he would presumably be fresher than the midfielders that played against Watford such as James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Naby Keita.

Taking into account some of Fabinho’s numbers and it’s evident why he deserves to play.

He has managed to rack up an average of 2.5 interceptions per game and 4.5 tackles per game from the two previous Champions League outings he’s played in for Liverpool this season. On top of that, he’s won 73% of all duels he’s been involved in so he could definitely prove himself to be a tough and possibly even terrifying opponent for Atletico’s attacking players. That’s given how Diego Simeone’s side have only managed to score 11 goals in eight La Liga games so far this season.

One in, one out

In terms of who Fabinho could replace in the team, we feel that Klopp should take Keita out of the team given he played 90 minutes against Watford and has struggled with his fitness and numerous injuries in the past. It might be a risk to play him again in midweek, even though he played well against Watford, earning himself an overall match rating of 7.2/10 according to SofaScore.

Looking ahead to the match, whether Klopp decides to start Fabinho, who has been described as “outstanding” by the Reds manager in the past, they will definitely be looking to keep their winning streak in the Champions League going ahead of their big Premier League clash against Manchester United at the weekend.

In other news: Klopp could land perfect Mane heir at Liverpool in “pure class” £22.5m-rated star – opinion

Sheffield United are expected to sign Liverpool centre-back Ben Davies on loan for the season, as per an update from Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas on Twitter.

The Lowdown: Davies not needed at Liverpool

The 25-year-old made the surprise move to the Reds back in February as Jurgen Klopp looked to sort his centre-back injury crisis.

Davies still hasn’t played a single minute of competitive action for the Premier League side, though, and with Ibrahima Konate arriving from RB Leipzig, he is now even further down the pecking order.

The Blades have been linked with a summer move for the defender, with Liverpool happy to let him leave.

The Latest: Loan move set to be completed

According to Thomas via Twitter on Saturday, Davies’ season-long loan move to Bramall Lane is ‘expected to be completed’ imminently.

The deal could be done ‘early next week’, allowing the former Preston man a fresh challenge after his abortive Anfield move and Slavisa Jokanovic to land his primary defensive target.

The Verdict: Makes sense for all parties

This move makes perfect sense for everyone concerned, considering that Davies has no future at Liverpool and Sheffield United could do with additional quality at centre-back.

The 25-year-old has plenty of Championship experience, making 129 appearances in the division, and he also won Preston’s Player of the Year award in 2018/19.

The hope is that he can come in and make Jokanovic’s side stronger, aiding their promotion push in the process.

In other news, one Sheffield United player is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Find out who it is here.

With the 2022 January transfer window now open, Wolves have already made some business deals by recalling Ryan Giles from his loan deal in the Championship with Cardiff City, as well as securing the signature of midfielder Hayao Kawabe from Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zurich.

Despite this early transfer activity, it seems as though the Old Gold have their eye on bringing a familiar face back to Molineux this month as Bruno Lage looks to strengthen his squad.

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Wolves have submitted a bid for Tottenham Hotspur defender Matt Doherty, who left the Midlands club to join Spurs back in the 2020 summer transfer window.

During his time in north London, the Irishman has only managed to make 40 appearances across all competitions with 21 of them coming in the Premier League, which just goes to show that he hasn’t been a regular figure for them.

Labelled as an “impeccable” player in terms of his defensive work by former Spurs manager Jose Mourinho, it was a different story for Doherty at Wolves regarding his playing time with a total of 302 appearances under his belt across all competitions, chipping in with 28 goals and 41 assists along the way.

Given his previous experience of playing at Wolves and the lack of game time he’s had at Spurs, it could be a good move for all parties, but because of that prior association, it would also surprise and rather blow supporters away if the £74k-per-week earner comes back to Molineux this month.

After all, the club’s supporters were mightily unhappy when reports of his move to Tottenham emerged a few years ago and it’s clear to see why; he was an incredibly consistent performer for the club, a fan favourite who was touted to be in with a chance of being named in the 2019/20 PFA Team of the Year.

To see him return, therefore, would surely leave Wolves’ adoring fans shocked at their early business in January.

That said, regular game time may not necessarily be a guarantee for the 29-year-old anymore.

Current right-wing back Nelson Semedo seems to have nailed down that position for Lage this season by making 17 Premier League appearances and earning himself an overall performance rating of 6.77/10, making him their fifth-highest rated outfield player according to WhoScored.

Either way, if Tottenham do accept Wolves’ reported bid for Doherty this month and he does return to Molineux, he would still provide Lage with a solid squad option that should be able to fit into his side rather easily.

In other news: Luke Hatfield drops teasing transfer update that will leave Wolves fans thrilled – opinion

Celtic have announced that right-back Anthony Ralston has put pen to paper on a new deal at Parkhead.

What’s the latest?

In a statement posted on the Celtic website, the club confirmed that the defender has signed a new contract that will keep him in Glasgow until at least the summer of 2025.

The 22-year-old had already signed an extension with the Bhoys this summer, however, but the club claim that the new deal is a reflection of the former Scotland U21 international’s impressive start to the current campaign.

In the statement, the Bhoys said: “Celtic are delighted to announce that Anthony Ralston has signed a new contract which will see him remain at the club until the summer of 2025. In the summer, he signed an extension with Celtic, but the new contract is a reflection of his contribution to the team this season.”

Fans will be buzzing

Considering the rather remarkable form Ralston has been in so far this season, the news that the club have tied the defender down to a new long-term deal is sure to have left the Parkhead faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 10 Scottish Premiership appearances this term, the £270k-rated man has already scored three goals, provided two assists and created six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.5 shots and making 1.8 key passes per game.

The player who Mark Wilson dubbed an “outstanding” right-back has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep five clean sheets, in addition to making 0.4 interceptions, 2.3 tackles, two clearances and winning 7.9 duels per match.

These returns have seen the 22-year-old earn an average SofaScore match rating of 7.83, ranking him as the Hoops’ best performer in the league of players who are still part of Ange Postecoglou’s first-team squad.

Indeed, the £7.5k-per-week defender’s overall level of performance has even seen him start ahead of summer signing Josip Juranovic on the right-hand side of the Celtic backline, with the Croatia international often being deployed at left-back.

As such, the news that Ralston looks set to remain at Parkhead for a good while longer yet is undoubtedly positive for the club, as the academy graduate is quickly proving to be one of Postecoglou’s most important players.

In other news: Ange must ruthlessly axe 26 y/o “phenomenon” on Thursday, he could cost Celtic dearly

If Leeds United fans were keeping an eye on the academy during the mid 2000s, then seeing James Tavernier’s name on the books may not be too much of a shock to the system reading it now.

The full-back was a part of the club’s youth system from the age of nine after being picked up from local side Farsley Celtic.

The Bradford-born ace would then spend six seasons at Leeds, predominantly playing in a central midfield role, before eventually making the switch to Tyneside to join Newcastle for nothing.

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While Tavernier has since gone to be a star north of the border at Rangers, he admitted that growing up, his biggest Leeds icon was a certain Lucas Radebe.

He revealed: “My idol would be Lucas Radebe. The captain of Leeds, ‘The chief’ as he is known at Leeds. He was a great leader back in the glory days of Leeds and I just remembered him being such a figure at the club.”

But while Radebe may be his inspiration, Tavernier has carved out a real reputation as being one of the most productive full-backs in Europe, boasting an impressive goal record that even puts to shame someone like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

As per Transfermarkt, the Englishman has bagged himself a career total of 86 goals at senior level, with 77 of them coming with the Gers.

What perhaps makes that record all the more impressive in Tavernier’s case, is that he has also stepped up with a whopping 105 assists for the Ibrox side, while it has only come in 335 games – essentially, even as just a full-back, Tavernier averages more than one goal contribution every other game.

It’s been no surprise then that the defender has earned some high praise, including from former Gers boss and current Aston Villa Steven Gerrard who spoke glowingly about his consistency levels.

He said: “When we turned up we knew we had the best right back in the league, and that’s stayed the same. His consistency has been outrageous really. He’s gotten stronger and stronger as the games go on.

“He’s led his team to three European runs in succession, so he deserves a lot of credit. The good thing is he’s available all the time, he puts himself out there, and the numbers for a full-back, no matter what league or what level you’re playing at, are outstanding.”

All in all, the man with a whopping 204 career goal contributions to his name despite predominantly playing at right-back has surely got Leeds wondering what could have been.

AND in other news – Sold for under £1m, now a PL winner: Leeds suffered embarrassment with “special” star

Liverpool officials are meeting with their counterparts at Fulham this morning to try to agree a deal for Fabio Carvalho, as per Fabrizio Romano. 

The lowdown

Sky Sports’ Vinny O’Connor reported on Sunday that Liverpool had made a £5m bid for the 19-year-old.

Carvalho is into the final six months of his contract at Craven Cottage, but Fulham are keen to keep hold him until the end of the season as they push for promotion. They’re currently leading the Championship, five points clear of Blackburn Rovers with a game in hand.

That could mean that Carvalho remains in London on loan until the end of the season, with Liverpool eager to do a deal now so that the fee isn’t determined by tribunal.

The latest

Romano tweeted on Sunday night that there would be a ‘new meeting in the morning’.

He added that ‘LFC are working’ on an agreement because manager Jurgen ‘Klopp wants him for the future’.

The verdict

Off the back of the signing of Luis Diaz, Carvalho would be another exciting addition for the Reds, albeit one who may take longer to make an impact at the top level.

The England under-19 international has been directly involved in 11 Championship goals (scored seven, set up four) this season despite only starting 15 games, while Fulham manager Marco Silva has hailed him as a player with ‘fantastic’ ability.

If Liverpool make an early breakthrough on Deadline Day, the 19-year-old could follow Harvey Elliott in swapping Craven Cottage for Anfield in his teenage years.

In other news, Neil Jones has dropped several Liverpool transfer claims