Loads of Celtic fans have been reacting to some gutting news, as Ryan Christie has been ruled out for the season.
Despite a couple of dull draws that have infuriated fans, Neil Lennon has done a fantastic job since taking over.
And the interim boss had his greatest triumph so far of his second stint in charge of the Parkhead outfit last week, cruising past a woeful Aberdeen side in the Scottish Cup semi-final.
Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…
The Bhoys completely outplayed the Dons, but that didn’t stop Dominic Ball from issuing a devastating blow to Christie, who has really come into his own this season.
Ball smashed head first into the 24 year-old’s face well after the ball had gone, and Lennon has now confirmed that he suffered “multiple fractures of the eye socket, jaw and cheekbone,” as reported on the club’s official site.
Christie has scored 11 times and added nine assists in all competitions this term, and this injury of course means he will miss the cup final, a gutting blow for any player let alone a rising star.
You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…
أعلن المدرب الإسباني، بيب جوارديولا، المدير الفني لنادي مانشستر سيتي، غياب النجم البلجيكي، كيفين دي بروين، صانع ألعاب السكاي بلو، عن مباراة آرسنال في البريميرليج.
مانشستر سيتي يستقبل آرسنال غدًا السبت، على ملعب “الاتحاد”، ضمن لقاءات الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
بيب خلال المؤتمر الصحفي، أكد أنّ دي بروين لن يتواجد في مباراة الغد إلى جانب جابيرل جيسوس، ولكن أجويرو، قد يتواجد بشكل طبيعي بعد تعافيه من الإصابة.
وقال جوارديولا في المؤتمر الصحفي الخاص بالمباراة: “الجميع عاد لائقًا، لقد عادوا بشكل أفضل من المرة السابقة، لأن في المرة السابقة، أصيب برناردو سيلفا وكانسيلو وآخرين”.
وأضاف: “لسوء الحظ كيفين دي بروين، لن يتواجد في مباراة الغد، لكن بقية اللاعبين عادوا بشكل جيد”.
وواصل: “مدة غياب دي بروين؟ سيغيب عن المباريات القادمة، ولكنه لا أعتقد أنه سيغيب لفترة طويلة”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. أجويرو يُلمح لإمكانية المشاركة في مباراة مانشستر سيتي وآرسنال
وعن سيرجيو أجويرو: “يتدرب بشكل جيد للغاية، ونحن سعداء به، كل فريق يكون بحاجة إلى مُهاجمين، إنه يتدرب مُنذ أربعة أيام، لقد كان جيدًا في التدريبات، وأنا سعيد برؤيته على أرض الملعب بعد غيابه لفترة طويلة”.
وأنهى تصريحاته قائلًا: “جابيرل جيسوس غير جاهز، لا يزال لديه إصابة عضلية، ونحن لا يمكننا المخاطرة به، هناك إصابة في جزء من ساقة، ونحن لن نخاطر به إذا تعرض لأي إصابة أخرى، سيغيب لفترة أطول”.
Stealing Aston Villa star Jack Grealish from under the noses of long-term admirers Tottenham Hotspur would represent a major step in the right direction for West Ham’s future ambitions.
According to the Mirror, Tottenham Hotspur are favourites to secure Grealish’s signature this summer, having already come close to completing a £25 million deal last year.
The Championship star has since signed a five-year contract with Villa, but we are not entirely convinced, and his fresh commitment could prove to be a moot obstacle in the Premier League’s pursuit for one of its missing English stars, and with West Ham and Bournemouth now entering the fray, we imagine this already buzzing transfer saga will reach boiling point soon enough.
Indeed, Aston Villa’s most prized possession has been on the books for a top-flight switch for some time now, and the Hammers could snatch his services from the hands of Mauricio Pochettino if they are willing to release Manuel Pellegrini on another spending spree.
Pellegrini’s men have been relatively poor this campaign, and standout performances from inherently average players like Robert Snodgrass, who surely cannot be relied upon again next term, has really reiterated the need to introduce some quality talents to improve on impending midtable misery.
And West Ham’s pursuit of Grealish could be boosted by the fact that he will likely need to leave his boyhood club if he wants to enter Gareth Southgate’s future plans.
“Jack worked with us in the Under-21s briefly,” Southgate said when asked about Grealish’s absence (as per the Mirror).
“The difficulty is always that, although we can see the quality, he’s at a different level and it’s hard to directly correlate what that will look like at a level above. With Callum, he’s playing Europa League, he’s playing Premier League, that makes a difference.
“I’m not going to say we won’t pick from the Championship, as that could happen, but it’s far more difficult to assess his level.
“You see certain parts of the game, but not others. Not the physicality at times, nor the tactical discipline.
“That’s at another level in the Premier League, the speed, the pace. So, Jack’s a player we know all about, he’s a player we track.
“But that last bit of evidence, which could give you confidence to pick him, we haven’t seen.”
Grealish would provide a huge boost to a forward lineup that has largely gone missing this season, and added a bit of much-needed dynamism to proceedings where it has been typically lacking under current answerless players.
West Ham fans, would you be happy to see Grealish playing for you next season?
The January transfer window marked one of Manchester City’s quietest in recent memory.
The defending league champions made just one addition during the month, acquiring Japanese midfielder Ko Itakura who has been sent out on loan to Groningen for the rest of the season, but were otherwise radio silent, content to continue on the title chase with the squad as is.
That complacency though, was in fact a crucial mistake. And despite strong rumblings from the fanbase during the window, Pep Guardiola remained especially adamant that the club would not be pursuing one man in particular who would have provided a certain boost to his club’s shot at a second consecutive league title: Wolverhampton midfielder Ruben Neves.
“He’s an excellent player but there are many clubs in the world, many holding midfielders in the world, and most of them can play here,” the Spanish manager said. “A month ago, I started reading – ‘Rúben Neves, £100m’. That is not going to happen, we are not going to pay £100m for a holding midfielder.”
Indeed, acquiring the 21-year old Neves would have come at a steep price, but was Pep right to rule out such a potentially lucrative purchase?
The former Porto captain exploded onto the scene of English football in the Championship a year ago, earning Wolves promotion and himself widespread acclaim as one of the top young players in the world with his deft passing, top-level vision and cracking shots from distance.
Soccer Football – FA Cup Third Round – Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool – Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, Britain – January 7, 2019 Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Ruben Neves celebrate after the match REUTERS/Darren Staples
And though his consistency has dropped ever so slightly in his first Premier League campaign, Neves’ quality has remained on display and his contributions have Wolves sitting 7th in the Premier League.
Dominant in the defensive midfield, dangerous when he pushes up on the attack – the Portuguese international has been impressive once again.
Watch the video below to see the most insane overhead kick you will see this week…
Manchester City, meanwhile, will now embark on the final half of their season thin in the defensive midfield position and a lone injury away from major vulnerability.
Fernandinho has once again been remarkable for Guardiola in 2018-19. But when the 33-year-old Brazilian is not on the pitch, City become a weaker team and have fallen in two of the three league matches he’s missed this season.
On those days, Pep attempted to plug the hole with Fabian Delph, then Ilkay Gundogan and most ambitiously John Stones, with none able to match Fernandinho’s impact on the pitch.
With so much of their success tied to Fernandinho’s presence, Manchester City’s failure to bring in a reinforcement leaves them an injury away from stumbling and falling off Liverpool’s rampant pace.
And while an expansive middle ground did exist between making no signings at all and splurging on Neves’ massive transfer fee, there was no better option for Guardiola’s City in the near term and the future. The shunned move is one they’ll regret not making.
In acquiring Neves from Wolverhampton, Manchester City would have solved the crucial problem laid out above. His level of quality and experience – he made 18 Champions League appearances at Porto, per Transfermarkt – would have allowed him to step in immediately as a rotational midfielder in Guardiola’s squad, one who would provide respite for Fernandinho, and give City an insurance policy should they lose their first-choice defensive midfielder to injury.
As much as Neves was the perfect fit to bolster the squad now, he may have also been the answer for the future. Though Fernandinho has remained in form and holds a contract with the club that runs through next season, he’s fast approaching his third decade of senior football. A proven yet developing 21-year- old talent fits the mould for his successor perfectly.
With Neves, Manchester City would have given themselves a bridge to their future while adding security for this season. Guardiola may have a point in expressing reluctance over Wolverhampton’s reportedly hefty asking price, actually £10million greater than claimed by the City gaffer, but he was sorely mistaken to have spurned a move for Neves this time around.
Manchester United fans have been slamming Ashley Young’s efforts to stop Leicester City, after the former England international was run ragged by the Foxes’ Ben Chilwell.
Young started Sunday’s affair as the right-back for the Red Devils, and received little help from Jesse Lingard in covering that side of the field, where Chilwell could regularly push forward and overlap.
Pl>ymaker FC’s Theo Ogden was at the Emirates on Friday to see Alexis Sanchez come back to haunt Arsenal. Check out Gunners’ fans reactions in the video below…
When Alexis Sanchez rotated with the attacking midfielder, the former Arsenal man offered no support to his defensive colleague either, meaning the five-cap England international had free-reign to create chances for Jamie Vardy and co. in the centre.
Altogether, Chilwell notched six of his side’s 23 crosses on Sunday, per WhoScored, which was far more than his United counterparts.
Many Red Devils fans took to Twitter to share their frustrations with Young’s defensive abilities after the game, while a load more expressed a desire for Chilwell to join the Old Trafford ranks in the summer…
Wolves fans have been reacting in their masses to what their midfielder Ruben Neves has done this week after it was revealed that he had kindly donated around €33,000 (£29,200) to a hospital in his hometown, Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal.
And fans have been lapping up the “classy” gesture on Twitter.
Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?
The 22-year-old contacted the hospital on his own accord asking how he could help and added: “It is a duty to help the region where I am born and where I have family and friends. This is a moment of public health emergency that no one can remain indifferent to.”
Neves just like his teammates at Molineux have been forced to train from the confines of their home over the past couple of weeks, and that isn’t likely to change anytime in the near future with football on hold.
Aside from keeping his fitness levels topped up, it’s clear to see that the Portuguese star – who is rated at £45m by Transfermarkt – is doing something worthwhile with his free time and of course, the healthy wage packet he’ll be on in the west Midlands.
Here’s what supporters have been saying…
AND in other news, Wolves skipper reveals the one thing that frustrates Nuno Santo…
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace are closing in on a loan deal for Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi, although the Blues won’t give the green light for a deal until they’ve signed a forward themselves.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Crystal Palace are reportedly keen to be reunited with the Belgian, and Roy Hodgson is happy to wait for the former Marseille man after struggling to land his first-choice Odsonne Edouard, who could now be looked at in the summer instead.
Batshuayi spent the second half of last season on loan at Selhurst Park, scoring five Premier League goals in nine starts while also notching in the FA Cup quarter-final against Watford.
However, the Eagles look to have a rival for the 26-year-old’s signature in Aston Villa, who were looking for a new striker even before Wesley suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Palace shouldn’t worry because of their good relationship with Chelsea
This isn’t the first time that the south Londoners have had competition for Batshuayi.
Before a loan deal was completed last January, Palace faced competition from Tottenham, West Ham and Everton for the Belgian’s signature.
The Toffees wanted a permanent deal, while Spurs and West Ham chased a loan, but Chelsea charged the north Londoners a huge £8m for a loan deal while offering Batshuayi to the Hammers for £4m – interestingly, the Blues then allowed the striker to join Palace for closer to £1m.
Significantly, Hodgson claimed that was because of the Eagles’ good relationship with Chelsea following Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s successful loan spell at Selhurst Park, which suggests that – despite Villa’s enquiry – the south Londoners still remain in pole position.
“I can’t say I’m surprised about it, I’m very pleased about it. A lot of it has to do with the relationship with Chelsea and Crystal Palace, Chelsea people and our chairman, Steve Parish”
How much do you remember about football in 2019? Our quiz will test your knowledge…
Also, Chelsea remain interested in a deal for Wilfried Zaha with The Times reporting that Frank Lampard may try and reach an agreement with Palace by offering them one of his strikers, which only adds to the feeling that Hodgson’s side remain in a good position in the race for Batshuayi.
In other news, these Crystal Palace fans have reacted to transfer interest in a player who has only recently arrived at Selhurst Park…
Tottenham will almost certainly invest in their midfield next summer, and a whopping 89 per cent of fans think they should move for Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Tottenham could be facing a complete overhaul in the middle of the park next summer, as both Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama are expected to leave the club.
Dembele will be out of contract at the end of the season, meaning the club may even be tempted to sell the Belgian in January for a small profit.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”326259″ player=”12034″ title=”Liverpool Or Chelsea For The Title Forget it!”]
Wanyama meanwhile has struggled with injuries throughout his time in North London, and could leave in search of regular playing time.
Loftus-Cheek could be the perfect signing, as the towering youngster can play several different positions in the middle of the park.
The 22 year-old is simply not getting the chance to shine at Stamford Bridge, and Mauricio Pochettino is the best in the business at transforming young English talent.
A huge majority of fans want to sign the England international, and you can view the full poll results down below…
Most of the talk that dominated Celtic’s transfer window was about outgoings including that of Moussa Dembele, who joined Lyon on deadline day.
However, Celtic still managed to do some decent business in regards to incomings with Youssouf Mulumbu and the promising central defender Filip Benkovic both arriving at Celtic Park just prior to the club’s 1-0 victory over Rangers in the Old Firm.
And, as well as Mulumbu and Benkovic, manager Brendan Rodgers will also have midfielder Ryan Christie to call upon during this campaign.
The Breakdown
Christie, who is valued at £765k by Transfermarkt, has returned to Celtic following loan spells with Aberdeen and Inverness CT and is now looking to tie down a regular spot in Rodgers’ starting XI.
“The loan to Aberdeen did me a world of good,” Christie told Celtic’s official club website. “I’ve come back stronger and more developed as a football player. I feel ready now to push as a regular for Celtic. It doesn’t really matter where on the park I play. The main aim is I play for Celtic week in, week out.”
With the options Rodgers currently has, as things stand, Christie faces a difficult task of gaining regular minutes week in, week out, at Celtic.
That being said, with Patrick Roberts no longer at the club following his three-year loan spell from Manchester City, Christie could be presented with more opportunities to play out wide on the right-hand side, which he must take if they come his way.
At 23 years of age and having already had three loan spells away from the club, it is now truly make or break for Christie at Celtic.
Aston Villa were dealt a double blow at the weekend in their Championship game against Sheffield Wednesday.
Steve Bruce’s side suffered defeat and also lost defender John Terry to an injury that could keep him on the sidelines for a lengthy spell.
The Chelsea legend, who moved to Villa Park after calling an end to his Stamford Bridge career in the summer, broke a bone in his right foot inside the first 21 minutes of the team’s 2-1 defeat at home.
Terry is not expected to grace the pitch until 2018, and as frustrating as that may be, it appears that the 36-year-old is not moping around.
With the international break now upon us, the former England captain jetted to Dubai with his wife Toni, and later shared a holiday snap on Instagram.
/BbMMB6JDPXO/?hl=en&taken-by=johnterry.26
Villa dropped from fifth to sixth in the Championship as a result of the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.
As it stands, the club are seven points adrift of the top two automatic promotion spots.