Monday Fulham Stuff - 24/04/23...

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Results

Sunday
Bournemouth	0-4	West Ham
Newcastle	6-1	Spurs

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Steve Sidwell now says Liverpool target Joao Palhinha has been the 'signing of the season'

Steve Sidwell has now said that Liverpool target Joao Palhinha has been the signing of the season after joining Fulham last summer.

Sidwell was speaking about the Portuguese midfielder ahead of Fulham's 2-1 win over Leeds United yesterday.

Liverpool are set to undergo a revolution in midfield this season.

The likes of Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will be allowed to leave on free transfers at the end of the season.

Jude Bellingham was Jurgen Klopp's number one target, but that deal now looks very unlikely.

It means Liverpool will have to look elsewhere and Steve Sidwell has been singing the praise of Joao Palhinha who is seen as an alternative.

The Portuguese international was signed by newly promoted Fulham for £20m last year.

He's already proved to be a bargain, completely transforming Marco Silva's team with his combative performances.

It's no surprise that Liverpool have been linked, as Palhinha has shown he could play for a top Premier League side.

Fulham may have a real job on their hands keeping hold of the 27-year-old once the season ends.

Sidwell seriously impressed with Liverpool target Palhinha
Asked about the holding midfielder before Fulham's win yesterday, Sidwell said: "Do you know what? He has been absolutely sensational this season.

"I enjoy watching him, people look at tackling, and they think tackling is just for the sake of tackling.

"But, it is an art, it's a skill. You start developing that, and it comes into your mindset, it becomes a telepathic skill.

"I think he can [play at a higher level]. He's probably the signing of the season in terms of all the signings there's been throughout this year.

"He's 27, he's got to be looking and thinking, if I want to start achieving things now, the last few years of my career are his prime as well.

"He's got a great size, a good engine, and he just loves doing that role. Even though he's scored two or three goals this season, which he can do as confidence is high, he loves his job."

As Sidwell says, Palhinha best skill is his tackling, and at Liverpool he would be an alternative to Fabinho.

He has made more tackles than any other Premier League player, and has also chipped in with a few goals too.

Whether he's a good enough ball player to feature in the best midfields in the league is another matter.

It may not be enough to just be a brilliant tackler to play for the likes of Liverpool.

However, there's a reason why Arsenal are also keen on the Portuguese international.



https://tbrfootball.com/steve-sidwell-now-says-liverpool-target-joao-palhinha-has-been-the-signing-of-the-season/

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Rio Ferdinand says he loves watching Arsenal target Joao Palhinha play

Rio Ferdinand has been singing the praises of Arsenal target Joao Palhinha ahead of another impressive performance for Fulham.

Ferdinand was covering Fulham's game against Leeds United yesterday on BT Sport, and speaking about the Portuguese.

Few players have made as big an impact as Joao Palhinha since his arrival at Craven Cottage this season.

Steve Sidwell described him as the 'signing of the season', and few Fulham fans would disagree.

Palhinha has won more tackles than any other player in the league, and chipped in with a few goals too.

It means that less than 12 months after arriving in the Premier League, bigger sides are already turning their attention to the 27-year-old.

Arsenal are in the market for a central midfielder this summer, and Palhinha has been identified as a potential target by Mikel Arteta.

Valued at £40m after Fulham signed him for half that price in last summer, Marco Silva will be desperate to keep him.

However, they may struggle to convince the combative midfielder to turn down a move to a side in the Champions League.

Ferdinand has admitted he loves watching Palhinha play, and Arsenal may be tempted to go in for him this summer.

Ferdinand impressed with Arsenal target Palhinha
Speaking about the Fulham star's tackling, Ferdinand said: "The thing is it's not necessarily a skill that kids nowadays even talking about because it's not Instagrammable.

"It's a skill that's definitely needed in the game and needs to be looked at and honed.

"It doesn't happen overnight, you've got to practice.

"From a centre-half's point-of-view, he's the perfect foil. You need someone like that in front of you.

"When you've got someone who's defensive minded in that position ahead of you, it's another layer of delay.

"You can stop things at source before it even gets to me. Centre-halves must dream of having a player like him."

Arsenal currently deploy Thomas Partey as their deepest midfielder, but Ferdinand's comments suggest Palhinha could also play that role.

He would be an upgrade on Jorginho and Mohamed Elneny who currently deputise for the Ghanaian international.

Fulham will be hoping they can earn a much bigger fee than £40m if he does leave in the summer.

It's likely to be one of the big talking points on the bank of the River Thames during the off-season.

Marco Silva will be hoping the Gunners can secure the likes of Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo so Palhinha can continue at Fulham.



https://tbrfootball.com/rio-ferdinand-says-he-loves-watching-arsenal-target-joao-palhinha-play/

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Kebano revels in Fulham return
Neeskens Kebano says pulling on the Fulham shirt again in yesterday's win over Leeds United felt 'so, so great'.

The Congolese winger has spent five months on the sidelines after injuring his achilles in a training session in November but has returned ahead of schedule to give Marco Silva's side a serious boost in the closing weeks of the season.

Kebano, who received a rapturous reception from the Craven Cottage faithful, told FFCTV:

    "It was so, so great. Being on the pitch after all this long time way feels so, so good. I knew what I was aiming for. I wanted to get back playing before the end of the season. I didn't want to push it back to the end of the year. I did everything that I could to come back in the perfect start and as early as possible, but credit to the medical staff and all the people involved in rehab because they have been brilliant.

    I couldn't hope for more. I said it was a great way to mark my comeback with three points. The fans made me feel so special today, you know? Love to them. Hopefully, there will be many more moments like that. Honestly, I want to finish strong with the team and finish in the best place as possible."



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/04/kebano-revels-in-fulham-return/

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Wilson: Massive Three Points

Harry Wilson heralded the victory over Leeds United as "a massive three points" for Fulham.

The Whites upped the ante in the second half to overpower our opponents, with Wilson lashing in a beautiful opener to set us on our way to a 2-1 win, with Andreas Pereira also on target.

"It fell lovely for me," Wilson said of his second goal in as many games. "It was a good team move. It came back off the 'keeper and it just sat up nicely for me, so it was all about getting a good connection on it, and thankfully I did that.

"In the first half I think we played some nice stuff up until the last third, but that final pass wasn't always there.

"I think there was one on the counter attack where I should have played AP in and couldn't quite get there. So there were a few of those moments, but in the second half we continued to create, and thankfully we managed to get two goals."

Victory moved Fulham up to ninth and on 45 points, while leaving Leeds just a point above the relegation zone, and Wilson admitted it's pleasing not to have to be looking over our shoulder heading into the business end of the season.

"We've always had belief that we had quality in the team to not just stay in the league, but to finish high up the table," he said. "Thankfully we've been able to do that.

"That relegation battle is very intense this year, with a number of teams down there. Luckily we're not one of them, so we've just got to focus on ourselves and finish as high up the table as we can."



https://www.fulhamfc.com/news/2023/april/23/wilson-massive-three-points/

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Positives and negatives: Fulham 2-1 Leeds United

Oh, winning feels so, so good and as ever, Cam's returned to the keyboard to tap up another piece dedicated to three sumptuous points.

Our sudden capitulation at Old Trafford in the FA Cup floored Fulham. Our season had seemingly slumped; we were doubtful of where the points would come from but the reaction we've seen from the lads, especially on Saturday lunchtime, has been dazzlingly defiant.

We have rediscovered our mojo. Leeds United offered next to nothing; their goal was freakishly fortunate and with two wins on the spin, Marco Silva's Fulham are in a very good place and it is soothing to the soul. It's the fastest we've reached 45 points in the Premier League, we've seven more games to go, buoyed by a sense of belief.

We've got a game-in-hand on Brentford, we're six points ahead of Chelsea and our all-time Premier League points record of 53 is very much within our sights. This has been an immense campaign; we are such good value and no matter what happens in the weeks to come, we can be proud of our team because they've excelled from the get-go. Leeds fell apart, again, as the Whites pulled together.

Positives
Wilson's whacking opener
This is precisely what we've been waiting for from Harry Wilson. Reigniting his season at Goodison Park last weekend, the Wales international had brushed off any lingering symptoms of his debilitating injury and he replicated his outstanding Merseyside contributions as Leeds came to town. Two goals in two, Wilson slammed the Whites into the lead in the 58th minute with a bullet that ripped into the roof of the target and as soon as it left his laces, the netting braced itself for a battering.

As Illan Meslier's clawed, the goalkeeper flicked the ball behind Wilson and within a split second the winger had readjusted his posture to rifle home the opener; his technique was exquisite and it was engineered with precision. Bosh. The Cottage was on its feet, as he absorbed his moment the terraces were awash with relief because we all know that when Harry's bagging, the Whites are truly playing to his strengths and we are infinitely better when he's on song.

This could be the beginning of a productive flurry from Wilson. He's a player that feeds on confidence and his exploits in the last fortnight have been ridiculously enjoyable. We're not entirely sure what will become of Manor Solomon, but if the Israeli isn't staying put in SW6, Wilson's more than capable of attaining regular Premier League minutes and at this level, he still has so much to prove to both the club, to us fans and most importantly, himself.

Willian's web of distress
It's fascinating that Fulham have players, such as Willian, that are supposedly entering their footballing twilight years and yet, they're comprehensively outworking athletes that are 10 years their junior. It's never wise to discount Willian, at 34 he's found a new lease of life alongside the Thames and he was a menace along the touchlines. Being barged into the hoardings at the Hammy End didn't cloud the Brazilian's vision, throughout the game he was a stride ahead of his man and he also fashioned key opportunities.

His lofted cross for Wilson's strike was just out of Meslier's reach; it appeared innocuous but it had a cunning purpose and it was capitalised upon. He frequently jinked inside from the flanks to muddle Leeds' shape as they sat back and sharing dead ball situations with Andreas Pereira, his sculpted whip from 30 yards was denied by the fingertips of the Lilywhites' French stopper.

He hasn't really lost his turn of pace, either. Willian caused havoc in possession, he was inventive as he dabbed the ball into his teammates, he fully committed himself as he sized up potential dispossessors and while he's an extremely effective winger, tried and tested, he tucked himself into inverted positions to aid Fulham's sequences and he weaved a web of toil and distress, dilemmas the visitors couldn't shake. Leeds will be glad to see the back of him. He was terrific at Elland Road, he was chaotic at the Cottage and that is all in a day's work for the veteran troublemaker.

Rating Robinson's redemption
He's dropped a few critical clangers in recent meetings and while his season's been fairly fault-free, Antony Robinson's reputation had taken a bruising, but along the left on Saturday lunchtime, the roaming left-back initiated incisive attacks and he also constricted a lively Crysencio Summerville. In fact, both of our goals were devised by Robinson, his insistence to drive through the heart of the park – after selling Summerville for a Twix – prised Leeds wide open and for Andreas Pereira's six-yard smash, he bashed an inviting cross into a corridor within the penalty area which was favourable for Fulham's onrushing attackers.

Expansion's a main characteristic of Jedi's personal skill set. He was a willing ball carrier, in drag races along the left he burnt his marker to spark surging counters and if he'd been beaten by Summerville, he galloped back to impede the Dutchman's advancements. It was a model showing from the USMNT full-back, at both ends of the pitch he was relevant to Fulham's game plan and though it doesn't always work out, Robinson rarely stepped out of line and if he did, he corrected himself accordingly.

So, Antonee attributed himself to both goals, he had the measure of Leeds' wingers and upon a field laden with US exports, the Milton Keynes-born American starred and he certainly earned his stripes back, too. Errors will always drip into his performances but every so often, Robinson's simply unplayable for all the right reasons and he definitely redeemed himself in the early kick-off.

Top performer Tosin
Has anyone else totally forgotten about Issa Diop? Named in Silva's starting contingent for the second weekend running, Tosin Adarabioyo shored things up alongside Tim Ream with a calmness that settled matters and when he was thrust into the heavier side of his profession, he frequently came out on top. There aren't many attackers that can match Tosin in the air, Leeds opted for speculative long balls but they came straight back, because our dominant centre-back always climbed highest.

He screened across the back without hesitation, solid blocks were complimented by even bigger interceptions as the visitors tried to unlock our defensive line but like a security guard on call, Tosin was first on the scene and he stamped out drama before it became all too much. He's been accused of being too casual, consistency hasn't been his greatest asset this season but currently, the 25-year-old's brimming with self-assurance and it's influencing his performances hugely.

Leeds' strikers were nullified by our central pairing, Ream's top-flight resurgence has been profound although Tosin's recent upturn in form is just as welcome. He's a player with vast potential, his passing range is variant, his positional awareness is improving considerably and he's a very difficult obstacle for attackers to bypass, because he covered space gainfully and he promptly cut off inroads behind Kenny Tete, meaning Rodrigo's afternoon was muted and those beside the Spaniard, including Brenden Aaronson and Jack Harrison, were restricted.

King Keba returns
There's no greater sight than witnessing Neeskens Kebano terrorise full-backs to within and inch of sanity and after a lengthy setback, due to a ruptured Achilles, King Keba' returned to matchday matters in the 94th minute and the reception he received was as regal as they come.

There's nothing to report where Kebano's involvement's concerned; he wasn't on the pitch long enough to have a telling impact but when he did get himself on the ball, each touch was greeted by encouragement from the masses and that signifies just how loved, appreciated and adored he is by everyone affiliated with our club.

"Oh Neeskens Kebano" rang out as he warmed up under the stooping Riverside stand, his recovery programme was understandably drawn out but as he admitted after the final whistle, he was desperate to don our famous jersey before the season came to a close and as he regains his fitness, we'll be behind him every step of the way because if there's one thing we've all missed, it's Schaffer77's bamboozling footwork, as he snakehips himself into promising situations.

Negatives
Got nothing again
Like last weekend's edition, I've literally got nothing to groan about. Other than Peter Bankes's strange decisions at certain junctures, I can't bring myself to pinpoint anything because it would be such a reach if I did. We won, we did so via our newfound plan B, so if you've a gripe you'd like to elaborate upon, be my guest.

I'm supposed to be balanced with these articles, but I ain't gonna be that guy, so I'll leave it to somebody else if they've any reservations to make clear. Three points in the spring sunshine – what more could you possibly want?



https://www.fulhamish.co.uk/post/2023-04-23-positives-and-negatives-fulham-2-1-leeds-united/

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Fulham 2-1 Leeds United: Player ratings
Oscar runs the rule over a series of superb performances after the Whites vanquished Leeds United at Craven Cottage yesterday to record a successive successive league victory.

Bernd Leno: The German international had an excellent game, underlining his importance to Fulham's fortunes. There's no doubt Leno is one of the steals of the season – given that he only cost £3m initially from Arsenal. He made several vital saves and Patrick Bamford's goal, that deflected in off Joao Palhinha after a bit of penalty area pinball, wasn't something he could have done anything about. 8

Kenny Tete: The Dutch defender has firmly established himself as Fulham's first choice right back and this almost understated display showed exactly why. Tete was defensively very sound, sensible in possession, never caught out of position and very alert. It remains baffling that Ronald Koeman keeps overlooking him for his country – there isn't a more reliable right back in the Premier League at the moment. 8

Tosin Adarabioyo: The battle to partner Tim Ream at the heart of the Fulham defence has been fairly even between Issa Diop and Tosin for much of this season. While I remain convinced that Diop is far better in a one on one situation, aerially Tosin is much more dominant. The former Manchester City defender's positional and tactical awareness is akin to Ream's – which is a big compliment. Tosin offered a defensive masterclass to mark his hundredth Fulham appearance to back up his excellent performances against West Ham and Everton. 8

Tim Ream: Ream's redemption in a Fulham shirt is still one of the stories of the season. He is a perfect fit for Marco Silva's system and is playing the best football of his career. He didn't have too much to do against Leeds, but he dealt with everything that came his way and looked in control throughout the contest. 7

Antonee Robinson: The American full back marked his hundredth competitive Fulham appearance with an all-action display that saw him take the attack to Leeds regularly. His desire to drive forward created the first goal and Robinson was an ever willing outlet along the left flank. On this sort of form, he's irresistible. 8

Joao Palhinha: Some may view my rating of Palhinha as harsh, but that is simply because of the high standards the man with the octopus legs has set this season. In my opinion, he is the best defensive midfielder in the division, but he was forced off the ball a couple times in the first half and made a couple of wayward passes. Palhinha improved after the break and looked much more solid, particularly when confronting Leeds attackers as they approached the danger zone. 6

Harrison Reed: The special one Iniesta might not have been as eye-catching as at Goodison Park last week, where he got the first goal, and he wasn't as influential in a first half where Leeds were able to keep Fulham at bay effectively. He often found himself out on the right flank, but still covered so much ground for the team. 7

Harry Wilson: The Welsh winger now has two goals in two games and has offered a timely reminder of his quality to those who doubted whether he could do it in the top tier. Wilson took his goal beautifully in an instant dispatching a venomous volley from close range with outstanding technique after a mistake from Meslier and challenged the Leeds defence throughout a very positive afternoon. 8

Willian: There aren't enough superlatives to describe just how good Willian is, at 34 he is bossing the premier league, he was one of our biggest creative outlets today and was unlucky not to score himself, it's clear he cares about the club and how he performs deeply and even when he made mistakes he always tried to rectify them and is a perfect example of what Marco Silva has managed to do with this Fulham side. He has been a joy to watch and long may it continue! 8

Andreas Pereira: I feel for Pereira, he had played almost half a season in Brazil before joining Fulham so by the end of this season will have played the equivalent of a season and half without an extended period of rest. Its clear he is an excellent attacking midfielder and a dead ball specialist, while he did improve today, with a couple of nice dribbles and a lovely free kick that he was extremely unlucky not to score. I firmly believe he has a future at this club. 7

Bobby Decordova-Reid: Bobby did his job as a false nine, posing problems for a Leeds defence that was much changed after their hammering at the hands of Liverpool, and delivering another high energy display. I do feel like Dan James offers more as a false nine – and it will interesting to see whether he returns at Aston Villa on Tuesday. 7

Substitutes:

Cairney (6), Solomon (6) and Kebano (6) didn't see enough of the ball to be fairly judged, but I am happy to see Kebano finally being back on the pitch. Vinicius (6) did exceed my expectations, even if he didn't impose himself on the Leeds defence. We are seeing signs of Lukic (7) adjusting to the Premier League as evidenced by the way he won a number of 50-50s and moved the ball intelligently. I do think he will become a regular starter eventually.



https://hammyend.com/index.php/2023/04/fulham-2-1-leeds-united-player-ratings/

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Former Fulham man inspires league title with impressive hat-trick

Cardiff Corries have been crowned winners of the South Wales Alliance League Premier Division.

The Corries won 3-0 against Ely Rangers in their final fixture and title rivals Canton Liberal lost 3-2 to Porthcawl Town Athletic which meant that they couldn't be caught. Former Fulham youth defender Aron Davies scored a second-half hat-trick to inspire his side to victory. It is their second promotion in three seasons after being in the fifth tier in 2020.

In their 28 matches, they won 22 of them and drew four with just two defeats which came against Canton Liberal and Aber Valley. They scored 101 goals and conceded just 35 with Davies leading the way with 28 goals in 25 matches with 13 assists too. Curtis Scotto chipped in with 19 goals whilst Chris Worsley led with 21 assists and 12 goals.

Corries must now await the outcome of their Tier Three Licence application to see if they can take their place in the Ardal South West. The side from the Radyr area of Cardiff have installed a new stand at their Riverside Ground home but played their last few matches at Llanrumney University.

A decision is expected on the first week of May, but there will be an appeals process for any teams that fail in the first instance. The Corries' geographical position will place them in the South West division, but the make-up of the league will not be confirmed until late June.

Corries haven't yet played in the Ardal Leagues but were once proud members of the Welsh Football League, winning it in 1985. It is the first time since 2016 that they will play outside of the South Wales Alliance League.



https://clwbpeldroed.org/2023/04/23/cardiff-corries-aron-davies/

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Games for Mid-week 25/04
We get to visit the second city to take on Aston Villa at their place for an evening kick-off

Two wins on the bounce, and the double, treble with the FA Cup game, over Leeds saw Fulham back to winning ways.
Dan James was unavailable, as Leeds is his parent club, Bobby De Cordova-Reid replaced him to reasonable effect, Bobby is such a versatile player having this season played in defence, midfield and attack!
Willian really has rolled back the years and virtually ran the game from start until he was substituted 4 minutes into injury time. Talking of substitutions it was fantastic to see Neeskens Kebano get a cameo at the end of the game.

Villa are one of the "in form" teams, only Man City are on a better run of results closely followed by Newcastle and are currently sitting in 6th.
They look a completely different team from the one we beat 3-0 earlier in the season, Unai Emery has done an outstanding job since taking over from Stevie Gerrard.
This will be another chance to "do the double" over one of our rivals and a win would set us up nicely for Sundays clash with Man City.

Current Form:
Villa – WWWWD
Fulham – LLLWW

Our recent record against Villa is reasonably good with 10 wins, 7 losses and 4 draws.

With Dan James back available for this game and Mitro still serving his ban, my team would be...

COYW's

Games of Interest...
Tuesday 25th
Wolves v Palace
Villa v Fulham

Wednesday 26th
Forest v Brighton
Chelsea v Brentford
West Ham v Liverpool
Man City v Arsenal

Thursday 27th
Southampton v Bournemouth
Spurs v Man Utd
come on over to the forum and join in the conversation...
https://www.friendsoffulham.com/forum/index.php?board=36.0



http://www.friendsoffulham.com/wordpress/?p=2681

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Man City line up £30m transfer alternative to USMNT star Antonee Robinson as attention shifts to Brentford full-back Aaron Hickey

Manchester City have reportedly made Brentford left-back Aaron Hickey their £30 million ($37m) transfer alternative to USMNT star Antonee Robinson.

    Blues in the market for another left-back
    Fulham ace on their radar
    Scotland international also catching the eye

WHAT HAPPENED? The reigning Premier League champions have got creative with their defensive selections this season, with Pep Guardiola often asking the likes of John Stones and Rico Lewis to fill hybrid roles that allow them to step up into midfield.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: City are, however, aware of the need to get another proven left-back on board, with Nathan Ake slotting in there at times following the decision to allow Joao Cancelo to join Bayern Munich on loan. A number of options are being considered, with The Sun claiming that Hickey now figures prominently on that list.

AND WHAT'S MORE: The 20-year-old, who only joined Brentford from Bologna in the summer of 2022, will not come cheap, but he is seen as a better long-term option than 25-year-old United States international Robinson – who has been catching the eye at Fulham.

WHAT NEXT? Hickey's versatility also makes him of obvious appeal to City, and a manager like Guardiola, with the youngster able to operate on either side of a back four.



https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/man-city-30m-transfer-alternative-usmnt-antonee-robinson-brentford-aaron-hickey/blt16aa3a8416210a35

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Garth Crooks' Team of the Week: Jota, Rice, Guehi, Mahrez

At the end of every round of fixtures, BBC football pundit Garth Crooks is on hand to give you his Team of the Week.

With the Premier League and the FA Cup semi-finals both included this week, who has he picked this time? Take a look and then pick your own team below and share it on social media. As ever, Garth also has his say on the game's big talking points in the Crooks of the Matter.

Jordan Pickford (Everton): If Everton hope to survive this season and remain in the Premier League, they are going to need Jordan Pickford at his best. Regular readers will know I have a preference for Newcastle's Nick Pope in the England goal given a choice but there is no doubt Pickford's form has improved. The England number one seems to have ironed out those glitches in concentration that so often resulted in conceding a goal. Against Crystal Palace, there was little sign of the old Pickford who time after time came to Everton's rescue and, in the end, the keeper was responsible for the Toffees coming away with a valuable point.

Timothy Castagne (Leicester): These were three massive points for Leicester. I'm still struggling with the departure of Brendan Rodgers from the King Power Stadium but Leicester fans tell me he had to go. OK, but to replace Rodgers with Dean Smith after his disappointing time at Norwich - what sort of appointment is that? What Smith has brought to the Leicester City dressing room, as part of his management team, is John Terry. The former England captain certainly knows everything you need to know about the art of defending and they will need every inch of his experience during their remaining games. Leicester made it difficult for Wolves and, I must admit, looked more organised. Their winning goal came from Timothy Castagne. A right footed full-back with a left-footed finish in open play. Jamie Vardy couldn't have finished it better.

Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace): The ball for Jordan Ayew to run onto from Marc Guehi during the game's early exchanges was quite brilliant by the Crystal Palace centre-back. You don't often see such cultured passes played forward from central defenders - they are normally five-yard passes, a desperate boot up front or a square ball that simply leaves another player with the same problem. It was the sort of pass that made people sit up and take notice. So too was his challenge on Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Palace defender did just enough to force the Everton centre-forward to rush his shot as he was about to stick the ball into the back of the net. Meanwhile, Palace continue to move up the table with a manager who almost certainly will not be with them next season. Vincent Kompany would be a much better bet for them than Chelsea, for example. Read why I think the owners running Stamford Bridge need to get a grip in the Crooks of the Matter below.

Victor Lindelof (Manchester United): I originally selected Luke Shaw in my team after what I thought was a magnificent performance against Brighton at centre-back in what is becoming a more familiar role for the England international these days. However, it became impossible for me to ignore Victor Lindelof having not only performed brilliantly in the FA Cup semi-final, having spent the best part of the season out of the Manchester United starting line-up, but he then went on to score the winning penalty in the shootout. I have not heard one word of complaint from the defender about having been left out of the team, while his conduct whenever he played has been exemplary. I hope Erik ten Hag rewards him with a cup final start.

Declan Rice (West Ham): He scored an absolute cracker against Gent in the Europa Conference League in midweek and then hit another belter against Bournemouth days later. Declan Rice is once again proving to be an instrumental figure in a West Ham revival. I'm not entirely sure where this West Ham performance came from. They would have gleaned some confidence from their comeback against Arsenal but they went to the Vitality Stadium and absolutely obliterated the Cherries. The win puts the Hammers on 34 points and takes the pressure off David Moyes' team after securing a semi-final place in a European competition. Declan Rice has to be worth £80m of anyone's money.

Martin Odegaard (Arsenal): I said it only a few weeks ago that goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale's entire season will depend on the next seven games. He will either pick up a Premier League title medal or have to console himself with a Champions League spot. If he continues to make the sort of error that cost Arsenal so dearly in the opening minutes against a battling Southampton, then it's the latter for him. The Arsenal keeper had a good think before making a poor pass between two opposing players and paid the price for allowing his pride to get the better of him. It's just as well Arsenal have Martin Odegaard in their ranks. The Norway international possesses great leadership skills and a cool head to match. His calm and calculated one-two on the edge of the box with Ben White prior to his superb finish said loud and clear that Odegaard is one man Arsenal can certainly count on in the final stages of the season. I'm not entirely sure about the rest.

James Ward-Prowse (Southampton): This was an extraordinary game for so many different reasons. Who would have thought the injury to William Saliba would have caused Arsenal so much pain? The Frenchman's absence has had a devastating effect on the team's ambitions to win the league title. A two-goal lead surrendered at Liverpool and West Ham in consecutive matches suggested Arsenal were feeling the pressure. To go 3-1 down at home to Southampton suggests they are struggling to cope under the weight of it. Furthermore, reports that Saliba won't be back any time soon only serves to compound the situation. Wednesday night's game against Manchester City - the only team that can realistically stop them from winning the title - is now crucial. Nothing short of a victory will do. Arsenal's comeback was impressive but not as impressive as Southampton's performance on the night and especially James Ward-Prowse. His last-minute block on Reiss Nelson's attempt on goal was sensational. I reckon there are 10 points achievable for the Saints from six games which will put them on 34 points - and I don't think that will be enough.

Harry Wilson (Fulham): Harry Wilson makes my team selection for the second consecutive week. His goal at Everton was only matched by his overall performance. However against a struggling Leeds his superb finish demonstrated an appetite for goals that in the absence of Aleksandar Mitrovic was desperately needed at Craven Cottage. What the suspension of the Serbian centre-forward may have done is force Fulham to find an alternative way to score goals by playing through the midfield a little more and not throwing the ball forward at every opportunity to Mitrovic. Their recent style of play has certainly suited the likes of Harry Wilson whose determination to cover the ground and get into the box has been very evident.

Joelinton (Newcastle): This was a horror show by Tottenham. Five goals down away from home against the team you are competing with for a Champions League place? Chairman Daniel Levy should insist the players reimburse travelling fans who no doubt spent a considerable amount of money to watch their team capitulate. Hugo Lloris' contribution to Tottenham's first half beggared belief and it was a relief not to see him return for the second half. Newcastle on the other hand looked as though they had completely recovered from their mauling at Villa Park and gone some way to securing a top-four finish. My man of the match and arguably Newcastle's player of the season is Joelinton. When he arrived at Newcastle he looked anything but a top-four player. He is now ever present in a Newcastle side that's going places.

Diogo Jota (Liverpool): Liverpool find themselves chasing a top-four place with seven games to play and with no guarantees they will make it on this performance. They looked mightily impressive away at Leeds in midweek but for much of the game against Nottingham Forest they looked like they were struggling. Fortunately they had Diogo Jota on hand, who is no Sadio Mane by the way, but is looking sharp in front of goal again. No-one expected Nottingham Forest to go and win at Anfield, least of all Steve Cooper, who left his leading goalscorer Brennan Johnson on the bench which was rather a pity really. With Johnson in their starting line-up, alongside Taiwo Awoniyi, Forest might have come away with something. Forest may be in the bottom three and staring at relegation but their second-half performance suggests that if they do go down they won't go quietly.

Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City): What a superb FA Cup semi-final hat-trick this was. The penalty sent the keeper the wrong way, his run for his second goal split the Sheffield United defence in two and left the keeper on his backside, while his third goal with the inside of his left foot gave the keeper no chance. Riyad Mahrez is looking every inch the player he looked at Leicester City. He's playing with the same swagger and confidence he did when they won the Premier League title. Mahrez's contribution to Manchester City's fortunes has put them on course for the Treble. Pep Guardiola won Spain's version of the treble - and I wouldn't bet against him doing it again here.



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65369535

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Manchester United can sign their 10-year long transfer target for free as exit confirmed
Manchester United could finally push a move for one of their longer-term targets over the line between now and the start of next season.

Manchester United will have the opportunity to end a 10-year chase for Moussa Dembele this summer, with the Lyon forward reportedly set to become a free agent upon the expiry of his contract in the summer. The Red Devils have been continually linked with Dembele throughout the last decade but a move has never materialised in spite of their interest dating back to his time as a teenage prodigy at Fulham.

Dembele has struggled for consistent minutes at Lyon over the course of this season and has scored just three goals for the French heavyweights in all competitions since the beginning of the campaign. It seems as though his time at the club will soon be coming to an end, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Dembele's contract will not be renewed and that a number of sides are already lining up to secure his services as a free agent.

United are not named as one of the interested clubs but it would not be a surprise for the Red Devils to at least consider a move for Dembele, especially without needing to pay a transfer fee in order to snap him up. Erik ten Hag is widely reported to be keen on improving his forward line in advance of next season, with neither Wout Weghorst nor Anthony Martial having proven themselves as regular scorers for United over the last few months.

Dembele is also said to be a long-term target for United, who were first linked with a move back in 2013 when he was merely a teenager on Fulham's books. He caught the eye of United's scouting team by scoring against them in an under-21 game against them at the age of just 17 and was considered as an heir to Didier Drogba by those at Old Trafford, according to The Mirror.

He went on to establish himself as a first-team regular for the Cottagers over the coming seasons and was again linked with United two years later following a run of nine goals in 19 appearances in the Championship. No such move came about, though, and Dembele went on to join Celtic in the summer of 2016 after failing to agree a new contract with Fulham.

The forward's career began to take off in Scotland, where he scored 32 goals in his debut season at Celtic Park to spark a fresh wave of speculation over his long-term future. United were said to be among several clubs with an interest in snapping him up after just one year with the Parkhead outfit, while reports of their interest also surfaced prior to his £19.7million move to Lyon in 2018.



https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1761771/Manchester-United-transfer-target-premier-league-news

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How Villa could line up vs Fulham: Emery hoping for crucial boost

Aston Villa host Fulham on Tuesday night as we look to secure three crucial points in our push for European football next season.

Villa showed great character to pick up a point at Brentford this past weekend, with Douglas Luiz's late equaliser salvaging a point after we'd come under intense pressure for most of the match.

Emery was pleased with the resilience of his players to get something from the game, but he'll be looking for significant improvement in midweek as we try to get back to the level of performance we've shown consistently in recent weeks.

While Liverpool and Brighton have the advantage for now with their games in-hand, Tottenham look to be struggling, but it's imperative that we continue to just focus on ourselves and continue to win as many games as possible between now and the end of the season to see where that leaves us.

Martinez a doubt? Emery to stick with same Villa XI...
There will hopefully be good news on Emi Martinez's availability for this one after the Argentine international was forced off at half-time at Brentford due to a stomach bug.

While there was relief that it wasn't an injury, it remains to be seen if he can fully recover in time for Tuesday, but the expectation is that he should be available.

"Before the match, the last meal, he was feeling bad with his stomach," Emery told BBC Sport. "He started the match and played the first half. He wasn't feeling good [at half-time]. Hopefully he'll recover for the next match."

Elsewhere, it's hoped that there is better news on injured quartet Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Philippe Coutinho and Leon Bailey, with that key group of individuals having now missed a significant number of games between them.

The likelihood is that if any of them have recovered to feature, it will only be from the bench given their lack of playing time in recent weeks, but it would still certainly be a boost for Emery to have that depth and different options to impact the game if needed.

That said, it's a quick turnaround from the weekend, and so perhaps little has changed in terms of their availability over the course of 48 hours.

In turn, Ashley Young, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Alex Moreno could continue as the backline, with John McGinn, Leander Dendoncker, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey forming our midfield once again as Emiliano Buendia will continue to support Ollie Watkins in the final third, barring any fresh fitness concerns.

While we didn't maintain control of the game at Brentford as we have done so impressively in our excellent run of form, that Villa XI still has a solid balance to it and particularly at home against a side that will likely be a stubborn defensive unit to break down and look to counter, it could be the line-up that gives us the best possible chance of securing a crucial win.

Bertrand Traore, Lucas Digne and Calum Chambers will all be pushing for a starting berth as they are seemingly the top choices off the bench for Emery, but there's potentially going to be little in the way of changes and it's hoped that Martinez provides a critical boost for us by starting between the posts.

Predicted Aston Villa XI vs Fulham: Martinez, Young, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, McGinn, Dendoncker, Luiz, Ramsey, Buendia, Watkins.



https://talk-villa.com/predicted-aston-villa-xi-fulham-emery-martinez-unchanged/

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Martinez, Bailey, Cash - Aston Villa injury list and return dates ahead of Fulham clash

Aston Villa news from BirminghamLive brings the latest injury updates surrounding Emilian Martinez, Leon Bailey and the rest of the squad

Aston Villa are preparing to take on Fulham at Villa Park on Tuesday (7:45pm kick-off).

Villa's five game winning run came to and end on Saturday but the Villans remain nine games unbeaten after Douglas Luiz's late equaliser at Brentford. Their last defeat came in a 4-2 defeat against Premier League leaders Arsenal on February 18.

Emery's team have announced themselves as contenders for European football, currently sitting sixth, and will look to continue their fine run of form against the Cottagers. However, Villa do have several injuries to contend with ahead of Tuesday's meeting with Fulham.

Here's a closer look at the latest injury news around the Villa squad ahead of the visit of Marco Silva's side:

Emiliano Martinez
What happened: Villa's goalkeeper started the draw against Brentford but was subbed off at half-time due to illness.

What Emery said: "Before the match, the last meal, he was feeling bad with his stomach. He started the match and played the first half. He wasn't feeling good [at half-time]. Hopefully he'll recover for the next match".

Possible return date: Vs Fulham (April 25)

Boubacar Kamara
What happened: The France international was absent from Villa's matchday squad for the second game in a row at the weekend. Kamara was named in the starting XI against Chelsea earlier this month, after making a speedy recovery from an ankle injury, but was substituted at half-time at Stamford Bridge.

What Emery said: Speaking before the Brentford game, he said: "The players who were injured last week I think are still out for this match as well."

Possible return date: Vs Fulham (April 25)

Leon Bailey
What happened: Bailey was substituted in the win over Forest on Saturday after going down with an injury. The winger made an explosive run to get around his full-back and create a chance for Ollie Watkins but it proved to be his final action in the game.

What Emery said: "Yes, Leon, hamstring. Hopefully it's not a big injury."

Possible return date: Unknown

Philippe Coutinho
What happened: Coutinho scored his first goal of the season against Arsenal in February but has since missed all of Villa's seven-game unbeaten run due to a hamstring injury.

What Emery said: Speaking after the win over Forest, the Villa boss gave an update on both Coutinho and Matty Cash's recoveries. "Other players are still - Philippe Coutinho and Matty Cash - injured. Both. The same with Kamara, different injuries but are more or less 10 days, two weeks, thinking that they will come back."

Possible return date: Vs Fulham (April 25)

Matty Cash
What happened: The full-back has been absent from the Villa squad since the team's 3-0 win over Bournemouth last month. Cash picked up a calf problem while on international duty with Poland and Ashley Young has been deputising in his place.

What Emery said: Speaking after the win over Forest, the Villa boss gave an update on both Cash and Coutinho's recoveries. "Other players are still - Philippe Coutinho and Matty Cash - injured. Both. The same with Kamara, different injuries but are more or less 10 days, two weeks, thinking that they will come back."

Possible return date: Vs Fulham (April 25)

Jed Steer
What happened: The Villa cult hero ruptured his Achilles tendon while on loan at Luton Town in February 2022. The 30-year-old is yet to return to full fitness.

Possible return date: Unknown



https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-injury-news-fulham-26665175