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Leeds United will be hoping that they can do a number over close opponents Crystal Palace this afternoon. They will be looking to avenge their recent 4-1 loss to Leicester last time out, with individuals set to improve on disappointing personal performances.

Marcelo Bielsa made an odd call at half-time against the Foxes after he decided to bring on Ian Poveda for Jamie Shackleton. The right-winger’s presence meant that both he and Helder Costa were manning the right flank on paper, albeit Poveda drifted into the midfield a bit more. But to opt for a winger to do the job of a natural midfielder suggests something is off.

Shackleton to face the boot as Bielsa scrambles

Fan favourite Shackleton struggled for game time last season but has already made three Premier League appearances this term. However, he has also featured in both the Premier League 2 and reserve league EFL trophy. On the surface, this could hint that Bielsa is hoping for the 21-year-old to gain a bit more experience before he is fully deployed as a senior Premier League player.

However, Shackleton boasts 52 first team appearances for Leeds so far, which is certainly a stat to be proud of. He was recently lauded by Michael Brown for being a “breath of fresh air” in this Leeds side. The Premier League could be proving to be too difficult for the £1,500-per-week ace at the moment though.

Many have struggled to adapt to the gritty, high-intensity nature of England’s top flight. As such, it’s more than likely that Bielsa will opt to demote Shackleton to the bench or even the U23 league for this season.

Pascal Struijk is looking to be the man the manager will call upon for the rest of the campaign. His versatility to play across almost any defensive position as well as in midfield will be a huge boost for the Whites and will allow Bielsa to change up his formation as and when needed.

This could come into play as early as today, ensuring Crystal Palace don’t find a way into the back of the Leeds net.

In other news, Leicester loss to inspire Bielsa changes: Predicted Leeds XI vs Crystal Palace…

Leeds United have been told exactly how much it’ll cost to secure one of their reported summer transfer targets this week…

What’s the word?

According to Portuguese outlet Record, Sporting Braga will only let their midfielder Joao Palhinha depart the club should they receive an offer ‘impossible to reject.’

O Jogo ran a story nearly two weeks ago claiming that the Yorkshire giants had made an enquiry over the prospect of signing the 25-year-old and also suggested that it would take €15m (£13.75m) to clinch him.

However, the powerhouse is also reported to have a €60m (£55m) release clause in his contract, so you’d imagine a substantial bid they cannot refuse would be closer to his number.

Tough-tackling enforcer

Palhinha would be an interesting option under Marcelo Bielsa, particularly as he already has the likes of Kalvin Phillips, Pablo Hernandez and Mateusz Klich as starters in a three-man engine room.

Although the club shouldn’t pass up the opportunity on someone who could provide valuable backup to the specialist anchorman role.

FootballWhispers have described the Portuguese midfielder as “tough-tackling” and a “gem” after he won more duels in the centre of the park than anyone else in the Primeira Liga.

At 6 foot 3 inches tall, the colossus is rather dominant in the air, winning 4.21 aerial duels per 90 last term.

In addition to that, Palhina averaged 3.2 long balls, three tackles, and 2.4 fouls per game, via WhoScored, so not only is he difficult to get past but he’s clearly capable of that long diagonal ball up the field to the wingers.

Phillips only managed to record 2.6 tackles on average in the Championship.

It remains to be seen exactly how much Palhina would command this window, but with just three weeks remaining in the window, Victor Orta may well have to chance his arm to sign his man.

He could well cost more than the club-record £27m spent on Rodrigo.

AND in other news, Leeds set for another transfer blunder as £20m man heads elsewhere…

Manchester United are in danger of missing out on Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho this summer. 

Man United missed Dortmund’s deadline to sort out a deal by August 10 and the 11-cap England international has rejoined his Bundesliga teammates for their pre-season training camp in Switzerland.

The Red Devils haven’t give up hope of signing Sancho just yet, but Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has dealt Ole Gunnar Solskjaer a bitter blow.

He recently told reporters “we plan on having Jadon Sancho in our team this season, the decision is final. I think that answers all our questions.”

Now, The Manchester Evening News claims United could turn their attention to Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz instead.

Chelsea have emerged as top contenders to sign the 7-cap German international but United could still hijack the Blues’ bid for him in the summer.

Frank Lampard’s side are reportedly leading the race to sign the £90m-rated attacking midfielder, although it looks like the Red Devils are ready to challenge their Premier League rivals.

However, Solskjaer has insisted that Sancho is his top target, having chased the right winger for some time already.

While Havertz would be a cheaper alternative to the 20-year-old, he will not come cheaply either.

As far as Chelsea are concerned, Leverkusen’s top scorer remains their primary focus before the start of the 2020/21 Premier League season.

Ed Woodward is known for many things but acting quickly is not one of them. The executive vice-chairman missed out on signing Cesc Fabregas and ended up paying over the odds for United flop Marouane Fellaini instead.

Dortmund are notorious for driving a hard bargain and are unwilling to sell Sancho for anything less than £108m in the summer. They famously sold Ousmane Dembele to Barcelona for £135m after rejecting a bid from Barca at the beginning of August 2017.

Both clubs are locked in negotiations but appear to be at loggerheads, while fans will have to wait and see how this poker game will play out, as the game is almost certainly afoot. The bottom line is if United want to sign Sancho then Woodward will have to break the bank.

United fans, will Woodward sign Sancho this summer? Let us know down below!

A reported date has been set for the English Football League’s potential salary cap as per comments made by Portsmouth chief executive officer Mark Catlin.

Pompey missed out on promotion from League One to the Championship via the play-offs this term, being beaten by Oxford United in the semi-finals.

That disappointment is now expected to see boss Kenny Jackett make wholesale changes during the summer transfer window and look to bolster his squad.

However, the potential of a salary cap of £2.5m per season could restrict many moves and Catlin has now revealed a date that EFL clubs are set to vote on the matter.

Catlin told Portsmouth News: “I don’t think there is a certainty that the salary cap will go through.

“There seems to be an ever-growing number of clubs which may vote against it, but I think a lot of those may look at it and, given the financial situation, see it as the best of a bad job.

“It doesn’t tick everyone’s boxes, but, on the whole, it means clubs’ costs are going to be brought down.

“Unfortunately for us, they are going to be brought down to a level which is far too low for Pompey and too high for other clubs.
“I have been speaking to quite a few of the Championship clubs ahead knowing the relegation spaces, so they are up to speed with the situation and must now come to their own decisions.

“Obviously the three relegated Championship clubs all have their own internal issues at the moment financially, so we’ll have to see how they do this.

“I am pretty certain the vote will take place on August 6, so we will find out soon.”
Portsmouth are yet to sign anyone for the 2020/21 season, despite allowing the likes of Christian Burgess and Brandon Haunstrup leave.

Pompey’s whole summer transfer window could be decided by the potential salary cap and that could determine exactly how they will approach the new season.

With little transfer activity happening at the moment at the League One club, players like Burgess and Haunstrup will need to be replaced quickly and efficiently, but as mentioned, the calibre and quality of those potential replacements could be determined by the EFL vote.

It is fair to say that the outcome of the vote could have huge ramifications on Pompey’s 20/21 campaign.

Do you think the salary cap will be introduced? Let us know in the comments section below…

A lot of West Ham fans are drooling over pictures posted on Twitter showing concept kits that the club could use for next season.

The designs made by Byrne Graphics keeps the home kit very similar to the current one, whilst the away kit is light blue with a pattern in a slightly darker blue with white on the collar. Meanwhile the third strip is dark black with bubbles all over the shirt.

The images have gone down amazingly with many of the Hammers’ fan base and has given them something to enjoy whilst football is currently postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It will be a historic kit for the club as the next campaign will be the 125th season since they were founded back in 1895, via footballhistory.org, and fans will be hoping they can create some amazing memories in whatever strip they do wear.

However, the Hammers are still unsure whether they will be in England’s top flight or the Championship next season. They currently sit 16th in the division just two points ahead of 19th-placed Aston Villa, who have a game in hand, via BBC Sport.

While waiting to see if the season will resume, here is what some West Ham fans had to say following the tweet showing the concept kits:

Hammers fans, what are your thoughts on the concept kits featured? Comment below with your views!

Things are starting to get even more heated amid Rangers’ attempt to push for an investigation into the SPFL.

The Gers accused the SPFL of corruption, and a vote was taken amongst Scottish sides to decide whether to press forward. However, only 13 clubs sided with the proposal set out by Steven Gerrard’s side, whilst another 27 took the opposite stance.

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However, two clubs decided to abstain, with one of them, Clyde, posting an official statement outlining their decision. They revealed that the matter is not a “priority”, even despite admitting that “as a board, we were unanimous in our view that the resolution and the supporting report had merit in it”.

After hearing about Clyde’s explanation for their choice to abstain, Rangers fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

One Rangers fan voiced their anger at seeing Clyde choose not to vote at all.

Voting against the proposal is one thing, but deciding to abstain from it is certainly another.

Rangers fans are rightly frustrated by Clyde’s decision to back away from what is undeniably a tricky situation, but without clear transparency and accountability, it’s difficult to shake off the feeling that something just doesn’t sit right.

Manchester United are considering a cheaper alternative to Jadon Sancho, according to reports from Italy. 

The Red Devils have been linked to Sancho for a number of months and the winger has reportedly told Borussia Dortmund that he wants to return to England. However, despite reports suggesting that United are the front-runners to sign him, nothing has materialised as of yet.

The board have now apparently turned their attention to AS Roma star Cengiz Under in the event that they cannot sign Sancho in the upcoming window. Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, as relayed by Daily Express, claimed that Roma are looking to make a profit this summer.

Under, who has been capped 20 times by Turkey, has scored three goals in 15 appearances in Serie A this season, taking 1.7 shots per game, averaging 1.6 key passes and completing 1.9 dribbles per game on average (via WhoScored).

Corriere dello Sport claimed that United have spoken to former Tottenham director Franco Baldini, who was involved in Chris Smalling’s loan deal and has offered the attacking midfielder to several Premier League clubs.

The Giallorossi are now willing to sell the 22-year-old for around £26.8m, amid interest from Arsenal and Everton. Turkey’s former manager Mircea Lucescu once compared Under to Liverpool superstar and Roma alumnus Mohamed Salah.

Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out he has received a lower WhoScored rating than Sancho for his performances so far.

Failing to sign Sancho would be a bitter blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Indeed, the manager has made it clear that the England international is his top transfer priority, while he missed out on signing high-profile target Erling Braut Haaland last year.

Dortmund currently value their ace at a staggering £115m, which has made Ed Woodward reconsider his options. Although the Englishman remains at the top of the board’s agenda, they are now drafting a list of possible replacements if the Bundesliga club refuse to budge.

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward should sign Cengiz Under over Jadon Sancho? Let us know in the comments below!

Manchester United surrendered a late lead as they largely disappointed against Sheffield United on Sunday, but one man who did cover himself in some glory was David De Gea.

The Spain international often gets his side out of trouble and he did so once again for the Red Devils early on in the Bramall Lane clash.

A superb double save, the first from a John Lundstram and the second a point-blank stop from David McGoldrick’s header, kept his team in the game and it was a moment which left many fans astounded.

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In response they were quick to praise the keeper, who has previously been criticised and has conceded 15 goals in 13 league games this term.

However, there is a reason he has the nickname ‘Dave Saves’ and many were quick to show their appreciation for the 29-year-old, with one supporter suggesting that he deserves to be paid whatever amount he wants.

An abysmal first-half saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team 1-0 down at the break, with every player other than De Gea failing to produce their best quality – and but for the keeper the scoreline could have been a lot worse.

Here are some of the comments praising the Spaniard.

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

Liverpool will face Brighton at the weekend as they look to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of the Premier League. One battle in particular could decide the final outcome.

On the chalkboard

It has been a wonderful start to the campaign for the Reds. In their first 13 games, they have picked up maximum points from 12 of them, with the other one being a draw. They have not always been at their best, but they have been relentless in their pursuit of glory. After a disappointing 1-1 draw with Napoli in midweek – they had 71% possession but couldn’t score more than once – they will be hoping to bounce back against the Seagulls.

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Brighton, meanwhile, have had a mixed term up until now. They have won four, drawn three and lost six, with them picking up varying results. They have beaten the likes of Tottenham and Everton, for example, but have also lost to the Southampton and Aston Villa. It will be interesting to see which team turns up on Saturday.

As such, this has the potential to be a fascinating game, and one duel in the middle of the park could have a telling impact.

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It wasn’t just the result that will have disappointed Jurgen Klopp on Wednesday in the Champions League. Fabinho, who has been one of the Anfield outfit’s best players so far this campaign – he was called the best defensive midfielder in the world in September by Gary Neville (Sky Sports via Metro) – was forced off after just 19 minutes after picking up an ankle injury, and is out until 2020.

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So far this campaign, the Brazil international has started 11 of 13 league games in that position. In the two matches he was not included in the starting XI, Georginio Wijnaldum and Adam Lallana played in that deep-lying midfield position instead. With Wijnaldum not having missed a game so far this campaign, and the Reds easily dispatching Arsenal with him in the team, there is every chance he could be starting there again against Graham Potter and Co.

It is important that he keeps up with the 28-year-old’s ability on the ball. Fabinho has averaged 60.4 passes so far this campaign, the most in the midfield and the sixth-most in the team. With 1.1 key passes per match too, he is also the most creative in the centre of the park. Wijnaldum, meanwhile, has averaged 42.4 and 0.2 respectively. Both of those would need to go up drastically.

Opposite him for Brighton, Davy Propper will be looking to take advantage of Liverpool’s misfortune. As part of a ball-playing team – only six sides have a higher average possession than their 53.4% – he is the key element in the midfield. With the fourth-most passes in the team, and the most in the middle, the Seagulls will be looking to get him into play as much as possible.

His 1.1 key passes are the third-most amongst his teammates, whilst only Steven Alzate has more than his two dribbles per match. Wijnaldum, who has averaged 1.2 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and had been dribbled past 0.5 times, will need to be at the top of his game to stop the Netherlands international from driving forward and finding danger men such as Leandro Trossard, Pascal Gross and Neal Maupay.

Should £45m-valued Wijnaldum – as per Transfermarkt – be able to do that, his job will then be to look forward creatively and pick out the likes of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. But with 2.6 tackles per match and 1.2 interceptions, Propper has the ability to thwart the 29-year-old. This really will be a contest that could shape the whole 90 minutes.

In other news, Paul Robinson says one Liverpool man is “struggling” at Anfield.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

As quoted by the club’s official website, Nicky Butt has delivered his verdict on Manchester United starlet James Garner.

What did he say?

The 18-year-old has made just the three appearances for the senior side this season, with only eight minutes of Premier League football to his name. He has however been in fine form at Premier League 2 level with the U23s, scoring five goals in five games.

Despite seeing him predominantly feature on the fringes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-team squad, Butt hailed the teenager’s mentality, and insisted that being patient now will reward him handsomely in the future.

He said: “Jimmy Garner is a good player. He’s very mature for his age, so he can handle all the hype and all that comes with playing in the first team. He’s scored some good goals in the Under-23s and the EFL Trophy, so he’s developing that bit.

“He’s just got to be patient because he’s a very good player who will hopefully have a long career at Manchester United. There’s no rush with him. He’s still growing, still got to build himself up in the gym and naturally grow.”

Patience

It’s the one thing all young players desperately need. Being thrown in at the deep end can be a dangerous approach for those who are trying to break through into the first-team, and it’s very much a toss-up between who sinks and who swims.

In Garner, United have a central midfielder who has shown he has an eye for goal this season in his time with the academy sides. And with the future of Paul Pogba still seemingly uncertain, the Red Devils starlet will surely be getting ample first-team opportunities in the near future. Butt’s profile of the teenager makes for good reading for the club, with mentality often being the difference in making it to the very top of the game.

That maturity of being able to handle all the pressure and the limelight that comes with playing for one of the biggest sides in the world will hold Garner in great stead. And that is exactly why Butt’s verdict on him should be encouraging for those of a United persuasion.