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Many Liverpool fans have been hailing “genius” manager Jurgen Klopp on the five-year anniversary of his appointment to the job.

The German tactician has taken the club from Europa League participants to Premier League and European champions during that time, completely transforming the squad into a world-class outfit in the process.

Klopp has managed to average a points-per-game average of 2.04 from 270 matches in charge, the best of his career (as per TransferMarkt), and captured the club’s first league title in 30 years, just as he promised during his first press conference.

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes that he possesses the same aura as ex-Reds boss Bill Shankly, arguably the greatest manager that ever sat in the Anfield dugout.

Understandably, waves of supporters came far and wide as they flocked to the club’s official Twitter account, who commemorated the significant day.

Liverpool fans hail Klopp

Liverpool fans, what are your thoughts on Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield reign? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Loads of Everton fans have been slamming former Manchester United and England legend now pundit Rio Ferdinand after he spoke exclusively to the Merseyside club’s official website about the English central defenders Mason Holgate and Michael Keane.

As per his interview, Ferdinand has backed the duo to flourish at Goodsion Park under manager Carlo Ancelotti, as he provided an insightful analysis of the defensive pair’s attributes. However, it seems as if several members of the Toffees faithful did not agree with his comments.

Holgate has featured in 22 games in the Premier League so far in the 2019/20 season, but the team have only kept three clean sheets whilst the 23-year old has been in the side, whilst he also loses possession 7.7 times per game, according to Sofascore.

On the other hand, Keane has played in the same number of matches as his centre-back partner in the top flight so far in this campaign, but the 27-year old actually loses the ball on average more times than Holgate and the team have only kept one more clean sheet with him in the side (via the website).

These Blues supporters slammed the analysis on Twitter, perhaps influenced by these kinds of stats:

The way @rioferdy5 talked up Keane prior to his arrival is now an embarrassment to him and his assessment of players. Demonstrates he cannot be an agent and objective/impartial pundit.

— jonny mc (@jonnymc1977) June 8, 2020

Evertonians, do you agree with Ferdinand? Comment below!

Everton’s season has come to an end in disappointing fashion as they were thumped by relegated AFC Bournemouth at Goodison Park.

You could tell that it was a battle between a team already on their holidays against one with everything to play for.

A rare start for Moise Kean paid off as he equalised in the first half following Josh King’s early penalty, but the Cherries fought back thanks to strikes from Dominic Solanke and Junior Stanislas – though it wasn’t enough to keep them in the top-flight due to Villa’s draw at West Ham.

Plenty of the Toffees faithful were left fuming by the performance of Theo Walcott, who was withdrawn before the hour mark by Carlo Ancelotti.

He was blasted for being a passenger as well as a disgrace with one supporter claiming the veteran winger wasn’t fit to wear the shirt.

Lots of other fans pin-pointed some of the former Arsenal man’s faults, ranging from his crosses to his inability to keep hold of the ball.

Per SofaScore, Walcott managed a dire 69% passing accuracy, provided no accurate crosses, lost possession 13 times and missed one big chance.

So maybe these supporters are onto something.

It’s led to many others suggesting that he should be offloaded this summer – some were even praying that it was the last time they see the 31-year-old in a Blues shirt.

Walcott joined Everton in January 2018 for £20m and it appears plenty in Merseyside are hoping that 2020 is the final time he features.

AND in other news, Everton facing another Brands disasterclass if they sign Serie A star…

Liverpool fans are eagerly waiting to see whether or not they will be crowned Premier League champions for the first time in their history in the near future, but some have also been reacting over Jurgen Klopp’s latest antics.The Athletic’s James Pearce labelled the German boss “brilliant” after footage emerged of him surprising three Reds fans with a video call.

And many have replied to the reliable reporter on Twitter with further glowing endorsements of the manager that guided them to a sixth Champions League trophy.

Liverpool have been in phenomenal form this campaign, racking up a massive 82 points from 29 matches played, losing just once in the process.

They are a huge 25 points clear of second-placed Manchester City, who won the title ahead of the Merseyside outfit last season.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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You’d probably struggle to find anyone within the vicinity of Anfield that didn’t absolutely love Klopp and this can be seen in the reactions below.

Here’s what has been said…

AND in other news,ÂLiverpool fans loving update on Lyon star Houssem Aouar…

Manchester United have already made the first move prior to the 2020/21 Premier League season by signing Odion Ighalo. 

After arriving on loan from Shanghai Shenhua in January, Ighalo’s stint at Old Trafford was set to expire last month but the Nigerian has impressed the club he supported as a boy, scoring four goals in eight appearances so far. His performances in the Red Devils jersey have earned him a new contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2021.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in the middle of planning for a long-term rebuild before the nationwide lockdown was introduced in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic (ESPN).

According to Le10 Sport (as relayed by Sport Witness), Ighalo could be reunited with his former international teammate Wilfred Ndidi in the summer.

The 23-year-old has played a major role for Leicester City this season, scoring two goals and supplying one assist in the Premier League, winning four tackles per game, averaging 2.7 interceptions and completing two clearances per game on average (via WhoScored).

He has notably earned a higher WhoScored rating than veteran United midfielder Nemanja Matic for his performances in the English top flight.

His heroics all over the pitch have attracted attention from a number of suitors, including Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, and United have now thrown their name into the mix. He has also been compared to former Foxes star N’Golo Kante, who is now at Chelsea.

However, the midfielder is currently valued at £32.4m via Transfermarkt and it remains to be seen if the board will be willing to splash the cash. Indeed, Ed Woodward has previously warned United’s summer spending may be limited due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis.

Naturally, some United fans remain sceptical as Ndidi could cost a lot of money in the transfer window. One supporter tweeted that the “excellent” player is “miles better than Matic” but is wary of Leicester’s valuation. Another added that he could be the “perfect signing” as a longer-term replacement for Matic.

Have a read through the rest of the mixed reactions so far…

United fans, should the board sign Wilfred Ndidi in the summer? Let us know down below!

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…

“He can knuckle down now and fight for his place,” were the words muttered by Steve Bruce when discussing Dwight Gayle over a month ago.

However, fast forward to a period where we’re now close to December and that chance hasn’t been granted.

Gayle has been frozen out and neglected at St James’ Park in 2019/20. Given his prior record in the Premier League it’s perhaps unsurprising that’s been the case.

In 102 top-flight matches he’s only bagged 21 goals. Compare that to his tally in the Championship and he’s scored 38 more in two fewer outings.

So far this term, Gayle has been limited to just 22 minutes. It’s a huge worry for a player who Bruce says he’s delighted to have at the club.

Take a trip down memory lane to a time when Newcastle were giants on the European stage in the video below…

However, that statement is puzzling and the stance that’s been utilised towards the £13.5m-rated forward is even more bewildering.

You can forgive early-season neglect because Joelinton was signed for a colossal £40m in the summer. To put it simply, when a fee that high is thrown at a player it’s difficult to place him on the bench.

But since entering English football, the powerful striker has scored just once. Gayle may have a shoddy record at this level but after netting 24 times for West Brom last term, he deserves more of a chance than he’s been afforded.

If you consider the bigger picture, he is unlikely to play any worse than the man ahead of him in the pecking order.

Joelinton isn’t the sole issue for Gayle, though. In fact, Andy Carroll has become second choice for Bruce and when the Magpies needed a goal on Monday against Aston Villa, he was turned to first.

It was a damning statement from the Newcastle boss as Gayle eventually came on but registered just four touches in 18 minutes.

That points to a man devoid of any confidence, which is hardly surprising given his lack of football this season.

It’s easy to suggest someone could improve a team’s fortunes but in this instance, Gayle certainly wouldn’t harm their chances. Linked with a move away from the Toon, Newcastle could benefit from handing him a proper chance before letting him leave again.

After all, Carroll is yet to score this season either.

In other news, check out what Chris Sutton had to say after Newcastle’s most recent defeat…

Some Newcastle United fans do not fancy Alfredo Morelos despite the striker scoring 29 goals this season for Rangers, according to Transfermarkt.

Six of those strikes have also come in the Europa League groups stages against established European sides FC Porto, Feyenoord and BSC Young Boys, and the Colombian international has also provided 10 assists in 46 appearances in all competitions, as per the website.

The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder says that the asking price from Rangers has dropped to £13 million as Steve Bruce remains keen on signing him.

Morelos has struck 77 times in his career in Scotland, whilst also making 29 assists in 137 appearances (via Transfermarkt). Despite the fact he has been plying his trade in a division which is weaker than the Premier League, the 23-year old still boasts a goal or an assist in over three-quarters of his matches which is an outstanding record.

Yet members of the Toon Army still do not fancy him, as many referenced his ill-discipline. Indeed, Morelos has missed 14 games through suspension in only three seasons with the club.

These Magpies expressed their thoughts on potentially signing the striker on Twitter:

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Newcastle discussion going on in the Vital Newcastle Forum! Click here to get involved!

It wasn’t a successful comeback, but it was certainly enough to get fans excited.

Jefferson Montero made only his third appearance for the Blues since his move from Swansea City in the summer on Saturday, having been out for some time with a thigh injury.

Whilst he didn’t manage to get on the scoresheet or register an assist (although he did come close with one cross) it gave Blues fan a little glimpse of what they’re missing.

We’ve spoken on FFC before about how crucial someone like Montero can be for Birmingham, so hopefully, he can get back to full strength sooner rather than later.

With two defeats in the last two games, they could really use that little creative spark that he brings.

So when the 30-year-old Colombian posted a video of his limited contributions from the weekend, it was enough to get fans on tenterhooks about what they might be seeing at St Andrew’s later in the season.

Here’s the best of the reaction.

Is this a taste of things yet to come?

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United face Luton Town this weekend, and the Whites are once again looking at a rather lengthy injury list.

The likes of Liam Cooper, Ezgjan Alioski and Adam Forshaw are all expected to be unavailable against the Hatters, and that means that Bielsa’s choices will be limited in one position.

Likely formation

With Luton more often than not opting to use a two-striker formation, it’s likely that Bielsa will opt to use a three-at-the-back tactic.

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With Liam Cooper out injured, the most likely scenario would see Luke Ayling step in as the third centre-back alongside Gaetano Berardi and Ben White, something that’s already occurred this season.

That move would probably mean that Stuart Dallas will play right wing-back on Saturday, which leaves Bielsa with a big call to make on the left side.

Bielsa’s big call

We spoke last week on FFC about how Marcelo Bielsa has a tough task on his hand juggling his left-backs, and this weekend will give us a good indication of what the pecking order is in that position.

With Dallas looking likely to play on the other side, the only candidates to play at left wing-back are Barry Douglas and Leif Davis.

Davis hasn’t started a game for Leeds yet this season, but he’s been given chances off the bench in recent weeks, while Douglas is seemingly out of favour at Elland Road at the moment.

If Bielsa chooses Davis over Douglas it will say a lot about the £3m signing’s current position in the Argentine’s plans as well as potentially being damning for his future at the club.

After all, the fact that the Scottish defender has been neglected in recent weeks already says a lot. Opting for this formation and ignoring Douglas would be a big statement.

Once again, the Scottish Premiership has a similar feel to it.

Rangers had been top of the league going into the weekend, but they were pushed down to second following Celtic’s 6-0 victory against Ross County. However, they did have a game in hand against Hearts on Sunday, and three points would have taken them back to the top of the table.

Watch Rangers Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

In the end, though, they could only manage a 1-1 draw. They even went 1-0 down thanks to a Ryotaro Meshino goal, but Alfredo Morelos equalised before half-time with what proved to be the last strike of the game.

There were a number of disappointing displays, but on-loan Liverpool man Sheyi Ojo particularly felt the wrath of the club’s supporters. The £1.8m-rated man has played 18 games so far this campaign, registering five goals and four assists. He will be hoping to rediscover that form in the coming weeks.

The Ibrox faithful took to Twitter to share their thoughts. You can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.