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Because the Premier League tends to be that bit more physical and feisty than many of its continental counterparts, it often appears that English clubs are left at something of a disadvantage in the Champions League. Not only are those from particularly La Liga and Serie A of a far more theatrical nature, drawing fouls with overly exuberant tumbles to the turf, but few referees allow Premier League teams the same aggression and power when making challenges that they’re accustomed to domestically.

Ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final with Real Madrid then, Liverpool fans are likely fearing the worst. Not only is Milorad Mazic indeed a foreign referee, one that hasn’t actually officiated any games involving English clubs this season, but he’s also got a bit of history with the Reds. He officiated the second leg of Liverpool’s Europa League clash with Manchester United in 2016 and controversially awarded Anthony Martial a penalty for a challenge from Nathaniel Clyne, which the Frenchman calmly converted.

But statistically speaking, the Croatian is actually one of the more balanced referees to work in Europe’s top competition this season. Out of the 37 to have done so, he ranks pretty much in the middle of the table for fouls per game, fouls per tackle and yellow cards per game. Compare that to the Premier League’s very own Michael Oliver for example, who ranks in the top three for fouls per game, fouls per tackle and yellow cards per game in the Champions League this term.

That suggests it won’t be a final in which an English club is continually punished for essentially being an English team, although Liverpool have averaged more fouls per match than Real Madrid in Europe this season. Nonetheless, Los Blancos still give away over ten per game and only Porto have scored more goals from set pieces in the Champions League than Liverpool, so winning a few in the right areas could prove to be decisive. That’s actually something the Reds need to improve on overall though – their average of 8.6 fouls won per match is the second-lowest return in the competition this season.

The other potential boost for Liverpool is the fact Mazic is yet to award a penalty or a red card this term; in other words – he’s due one. And looking around both teams, if there’s one player liable to a sending off, it’s definitely Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos. The Spaniard has already incurred seven red cards throughout his career, including one in the Champions league, and just like Saturday’s referee is due one – still awaiting his first this season. Could it come at a key moment for Liverpool?

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According to Sky Sports, Leeds United are in advanced talks to appoint former Argentina and Chile manager Marcelo Bielsa as Paul Heckingbottom’s successor.

The 40-year-old was sacked by the Yorkshire outfit last week after winning just four of his 16 Championship matches at the helm, and it is looking more and more likely that he will be replaced by the experienced 62-year-old, who has become renowned for his use of an elaborate 3-3-3-1 formation during his managerial career.

The Argentine boss is currently unemployed having been sacked by Ligue 1 outfit Lille in November following a poor start to the 2017/18 campaign having only taken charge last summer, and his arrival would certainly excite the fans, who believe the club is on the verge of announcing their first signing following a big development.

He has managed the likes of them, Athletic Bilbao and Marseille on the domestic front – as well as his time on the international stage – and while he may potentially be dropping into the second tier in England, he will know individuals from his time at those clubs that would be a great fit at Elland Road as the Whites look to finally mount a serious promotion push and return to the Premier League next season.

Here are three players with Bielsa connections that would be perfect for Leeds…

The French defensive midfielder – who can also play as a centre-back – came through the Marseille academy and was handed his first-team debut for the club by Bielsa on the opening day of the 2014/15 campaign having impressed his manager during pre-season.

Sparagna made four appearances that year and was involved in and around the first team, but that changed when Bielsa left in 2015 and the 23-year-old now finds himself at Portuguese outfit Boavista.

With strengthening potentially needed at both centre-back and in central midfield this summer, Bielsa should look to bring the Frenchman to Elland Road, and he would be an upgrade on Kalvin Phillips in the middle of the park.

One of Leeds’ – and Bielsa’s – priorities this summer will be to bring a new centre-forward to Elland Road, given they are still yet to effectively replace Chris Wood following his departure to Burnley last year.

The likes of Pierre-Michel Lasogga, Pawel Cibicki and Caleb Ekuban came in but failed to fill the void, and the 62-year-old Argentine may well have his eyes on Tottenham Hotspur centre-forward Llorente if he does get the Whites job.

Bielsa worked with the 6ft 5in striker during the 2011/12 season at Athletic Bilbao when he netted 29 goals in 53 appearances in all competitions – although he was frozen out by the club the following campaign following a contract issue – and seeing as he is out of favour at Spurs he may well be ready to launch an ambitious move to link up with him once again.

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Bielsa was responsible for bringing Aduriz back to Athletic Bilbao from Valencia in 2012, and it proved to be a move that worked out for both parties as he scored 18 goals in 44 appearances in all competition in his first season.

While the Argentine boss left the La Liga club, the centre-forward has remained there since and even though he is now 37 years of age, the goals certainly haven’t dried up – he ended the 2017/18 campaign with 20 goals in 48 outings in total.

Given his age and the fact that he only has one year remaining on his contract, Bielsa may feel that the Spaniard could be tempted by one last challenge in his career, and he would love to bring the veteran attacker to Elland Road given he has all of the attributes to be a success in the Championship.

Do you agree, Leeds fans? Let us know below.

According to reports in The Sun, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is hoping to complete one more signing before the Russia World Cup gets underway on Thursday with a £50m move for Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Toby Alderweireld, and their Premier League rivals Southampton should be watching developments closely.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Sun report that Mourinho is desperate to land the Belgium international and is already in talks with Spurs to get a deal over the line, with United willing to pay £50m for the 29-year-old as long as it is structured in a way that suits them.

The Sun says that Mourinho sees his defence as a problem position despite currently having Eric Bailly, Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo to choose from there, and signing the north London club’s contract rebel would go some way to strengthening the backline.

Alderweireld would likely be the Portuguese boss’ first-choice centre-back given the fact that he has previously established himself as one of the best in his position in the Premier League, but his arrival at Old Trafford would surely bring into doubt the futures of the likes of England duo Smalling and Jones.

Why should Southampton be monitoring the situation?

Well, having conceded 57 goals in their 38 top flight fixtures last term and only narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship, Saints manager Mark Hughes, who has been urged to keep a £80,000-a-week star at St Mary’s by the fans, may well want to bring in an experienced centre-back this summer to work with the likes of Wesley Hoedt, Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek.

The south coast outfit are still yet to replace Jose Fonte or Virgil van Dijk – who were both big characters and leaders in the backline – and perhaps Red Devils defender and 6ft 4in tall Three Lions colossus Smalling could be the answer.

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The 28-year-old made 46 appearances in all competitions under Mourinho during the 2017/18 campaign, but the arrival of Alderweireld could be enough to push him through the exit door – especially if he wants to be playing regularly – and to a club like Southampton.

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Tottenham have been linked with several central midfielders already this summer, but which young star should they sign?

It feels like only a matter of time before Mousa Dembele leaves Tottenham, and the Belgian beast will no doubt leave a gaping hole in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield.

The 30 year-old looks all set to move to China this summer, and Spurs have already been linked with tons of possible replacements.

Two names that have cropped up more than any others are Jack Grealish and Tanguy Ndombele.

According to Paris United, the French outlet that broke the Serge Aurier transfer before anyone else last summer, Spurs are interested in Lyon’s Ndombele.

The 21 year-old midfielder is still technically an Amiens player, but Lyon are expected to make his loan deal permanent for €8m (£7m) this summer, and could look to cash in almost immediately after his breakout season.

Grealish has been reported as a top target for Pochettino for quite some time now, with Sky Sports even claiming a bid was made this week.

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Both youngsters are fantastic with the ball at their feet, and both of them love driving forward from midfield.

They are also both a little raw when it comes to end product, which is something Pochettino will happily fix.

Where Ndombele stands out though is his defensive capabilities, averaging 1.9 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game with Lyon last season (Grealish averaged 1.3 and 0.5 respectively).

It seems unlikely that Daniel Levy and Spurs will opt to sign both players, unless Victor Wanyama follows Dembele out the exit door, so which one would fans rather sign?

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Ndombele, valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, is a much more rounded player, and has more experience at the highest level, but Villa’s Grealish has already proved he has the physicality to compete in England, and is the type of personality that fans will love for the exact same reasons they love Dele Alli.

So, Tottenham fans, if you only bring in one midfielder this summer, which would you rather sign? Let us know by voting in the poll below…

Arsenal’s recruitment has had a distinctly German flavour since the arrival of Sven Mislintat, with a particular influence from Borussia Dortmund as they seek to assemble a squad to take them out of the post-Arsene Wenger era.

Greek international Sokratis Papastathopoulos is widely expected to be the next man to form Unai Emery’s Gunners revolution, joining from Dortmund on July 1 in a deal worth a reported £16m to bolster the backline.

Arsenal have needed a commanding central defender for many a year but Wenger’s attempts to rectify the issue were largely unsuccessful so Emery will hope to have better luck in the opening stages of his reign.

However, with every transfer, there are major consequences for the buying club, in terms of their existing squad and elsewhere and Football FanCast have taken a closer look at some of them if the deal does get over the line…

The end of Laurent Koscielny’s Arsenal career

Koscielny has been the glue holding Arsenal’s backline together for many a year but the arrival of Sokratis may well change that.

The French international suffered a serious injury against Atletico Madrid in the closing weeks of the season and he will be 33 by the time he recovers.

Not many players of that age get back to their best and by the time he returns, Emery will hope that his Greek recruit will be fully settled into Premier League life and flourishing. Koscielny may be forced to leave North London.

Mustafi gets a solid partner and stays

In the enforced absence of Koscielny, Emery may have little option but to partner Sokratis with German international Shkodran Mustafi in the early weeks of the season.

As poor as the former Valencia man has been at times, there is a suspicion that he just needs a solid partner alongside him and his confidence should return.

Also, Emery prefers a 4-2-3-1 and greater defensive protection in front of him from two holding midfielders could also bolster the Gunners defence and provide the foundation for almost instant improvement.

Mavropanos has a breakthrough season

Konstantinos Mavropanos showed glimpses of what he could do towards the end of last season, most notably in an impressive debut performance against Manchester United.

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Perhaps the arrival of his countryman Sokratis could see him jump ahead of Rob Holding and Calum Chambers in the central defensive pecking order to establish himself as a solid backup.

If Mustafi doesn’t make the necessary improvements and Koscielny struggles slightly with his injury, Emery may even end up with an all-Greek central defensive duo by the end of his first Emirates season.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”255898″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Arsenal’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Premier League season”]

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa tackled his first press conference for the Whites, and fans seem impressed with the new boss.

The Argentine manager spoke for 80 minutes to journalists at Thorp Arch, Leeds’ training ground, answering a series of questions in his native Spanish through a translator.

Some of the highlights of Bielsa’s press conference included him stating that he watched every single one of Leeds’ 51 matches last season, as many as 15 players could be on their way out of the club this summer and he wants to play attacking football.

When asked whether he preferred Brian Clough’s or Don Revie’s playing style for Leeds, Bielsa replied: “In terms of winning the right way, I prefer to lose rather than cheat or play tricks.”

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Leeds fans have been reacting to his first press conference on social media, and it appears that fans are almost universally happy with what their new boss had to say.

It has been a mixed start to the new season for Everton, who have recorded both positives and negatives over the last couple of weeks.

The Merseyside club keeping John Stones out of Chelsea’s clutches must be regarded as a major plus point, with the Goodison Park faithful surely delighted that the England international will be around to lead the club forward.

A 3-0 win over Southampton at St Mary’s has been the undoubted highlight on the pitch, with Roberto Martinez’s men showcasing some scintillating attacking football in the victory.

Everton sit on five points after four games, but the feeling around the club is that if the team’s attacking players can fire on a consistent basis it will be a season that heralds success.

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The inclusion of Arouna Kone has been a plus point for Everton so far, with the Ivorian veteran linking up well with main striker Romelu Lukaku from a starting berth on the flank.

Ross Barkley has shown us more glimpses of his superb technique and vision from the number ten role, with very chance that the home-grown hero is set to get back to his best in 2015-16.

On the other flank Martinez has deployed summer addition Tom Cleverley, who has added energy and competitiveness to the Toffees’ side.

However, with the former Manchester United midfielder picking up an injury in the weekend’s 0-0 draw with Tottenham and playing out of position to some degree, there is a case for Martinez to shuffle his pack.

A natural central midfielder, Cleverley would surely be better positioned in the heart of Everton’s team alongside James McCarthy, who continues to grow in stature at Goodison.

This energetic and hard-working duo would surely complement each other, with the ageing Gareth Barry and his waning influence over affairs an experienced back-up.

This rejigging would open up a slot on the right of midfield, with no shortage of options at the Spanish trainer’s disposal to fill the gap.

Steven Naismith has been Martinez’s first choice attacking option from the bench in recent times, while Kevin Mirallas has proven over time that he has all the qualities to be a top talent in the Premier League. Aaron Lennon has also rejoined on a permanent basis from Spurs.

However, to inject a bit of unpredictability and individualism into the team’s play in the final third, there is an argument that Gerard Deulofeu should be given the nod.

The former Barcelona youth product has returned to Goodison after a season sabbatical at Sevilla, where he struggled for regular football.

The La Masia graduate’s star may have fallen to some degree after an underwhelming 12 months back in his homeland, but, as shown in his first tenure in English football, Deulofeu is a unique talent.

The Spain international’s ability to beat opposition defenders at will and create for others is a standout in the Everton squad and the gifted winger has the ability to be a match-winner for the Toffees.

There is no doubt that he may well be off the boil currently due to not playing as much football as he would like over the last year, but getting Deulofeu back to his best would be a massively positive move for Everton as they look to exceed expectations this year.

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Liverpool idol John Barnes believes that the “Klopp factor” will be enough to ease his old side to a 2-1 win at Spurs in Jurgen Klopp’s first game in charge of the club.

The German was unveiled as Brendan Rodgers’ successor over a week ago, but the international break has forced the German tactician, and the Reds’ supporters, to wait to see the team in action.

Klopp was famous for his high-intensity, forward-thinking approach at Dortmund, which was enough to help the yellow-clad outfit to back-to-back Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, despite the financial clout of Bayern Munich.

WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news

Typically sides perform well with a new manager in charge, and TitanBet brand ambassador Barnes believes that the ‘new manager bounce’ will be enough to get his former team a win from a very difficult match against Spurs at White Hart Lane:

“Tottenham are playing well, they’re playing with confidence and are at home, so it’s going to be very difficult.

“I think because of the ‘Klopp factor’ Liverpool will be up for it, so I can see a 2-1 win.”

Barnes went on to say that he’s excited by Klopp’s arrival, but that fans need to be patient with the 48-year-old:

“I’m a realist, so what excites me most [about Klopp] is knowing his quality, knowing the enthusiasm he brings and knowing that we’ll play an exciting brand of football. But I’m realistic enough to know that it’s not going to happen overnight.

“Ultimately it’s about how good your players are, and Liverpool’s are not as good as Manchester City, Chelsea or Arsenal’s”

John Barnes is Brand Ambassador for Titanbet.co.uk.  Visit Titanbet.co.uk (Link below) and get £20 Free bet when you stake £10. 18+ Terms apply. Gambleaware.co.uk

Follow @titanbet for a chance to win signed shirts and great prizes this season!

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Kenny Jackett recently revealed that Wolverhampton Wanderers will not alter their transfer policy, despite their inconsistent form so far. The 53-year old spoke of the need to secure ‘young and hungry’ players ‘in terms of going forward’.

It’s not been an easy season thus far. While not a complete disaster, the club have slipped out of the top half of the league and are well beneath the playoff pack as things stand. Jackett himself has been linked with the QPR job, albeit he insists he remains fully committed to the cause in the Midlands.

Star striker Benik Afobe is going through a rough patch at the moment, having only notched four in his last fourteen appearances, and is five games without a goal at the time of writing – his worst run yet.

So, it’s not exactly going swimmingly. Still, the fact the side twice fought from behind to earn a point away at Ipswich is encouraging. There’s something to work with in this team, and perhaps some astute January additions can help.

ANOTHER TOON ACE ON LOAN?

After signing Mike Williamson on loan from Premier League strugglers Newcastle, Jackett has been linked with borrowing another player from the North East giants. Striker Adam Armstrong, currently on loan at Coventry,

The 18-year old has been in red hot form for the Sky Blues, earning high praise off of current teammate Joe Cole – who compared the Young Lion to Sergio Aguero. In light of Afobe’s struggles, a move for the striker could well be on the cards.

He has netted an impressive twelve times in just 15 appearances for the League One leaders, and his loan spell ends at the end of 2015.

Unlikely to break the first-team at Newcastle, Jackett should target the England Under-19 star to improve his frontline.

SAVILLE TO SET SAIL?

Reports suggest that Wolves could allow George Saville to make his loan move at Millwall permanent when the transfer window reopens. The 22-year old moved to the London club on loan in October, and looks to be enjoying his time back in the capital.

Apparent interest from Brentford and Celtic will hopefully bring a bidding war, though it is understood that the club are happy to sell the former Chelsea youngster for £500,000 in January.

A £1m signing, the midfielder was not part of the first-team squad whilst at Molineux, and his sale could help boost the coffers for Jackett heading into the New Year market.

YOUTUBE SENSATION EN ROUTE?

They say never judge a player off of his YouTube exploits, but Wrexham youngster Dominic Vose is proving to be an online sensation after his sensational goal against Gateshead.

The 21-year old former West Ham and Fulham youngster has been linked with a host of Championship teams, with Wolves thought to be one of the clubs interested. Nine goals in 20 games from an attacking midfield positions has made him one of the most sought after non-league players in recent times.

With all the hype surrounding Jamie Vardy currently, it is not out of the realms of possibility that the club could look further down the league structure in order to improve their squad. Clearly a talented individual, Vose certainly fills the ‘young and hungry’ criteria the club apply to any potential acquisition.

STAR STRIKER TO LEAVE?

Benik Afobe was the subject of numerous bids from Norwich City over the summer, and both the Canaries and fellow Premier League strugglers Aston Villa have been linked with making a move for the striker.

The new man at the helm for the Villa Park, Remi Garde, has taken over the Premier League’s lowest scorers and is desperate need of firepower. They have only mustered 12 strikes all season, with Rudy Gestede failing to find the back of the net since the end of September.

A £10m bid has been mooted, and while Jackett and the club stood firm in the summer in order to keep their prized asset, they could reevaluate should another bid arrive.

A stinging defeat at the hands of newly promoted Bournemouth last weekend leaves Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal with some tough questions to ask and answer.

The result – which continued the club’s recent trend of playing abject attacking football and being susceptible to soft goals – means that the Red Devils have not won in their last five games in all competitions. One of the saving graces for the Dutch coach his season has been that, up until recently, the Old Trafford outfit had been solid at the back.

Their misery rearguard effort at the start of the campaign propelled the club into the title mix and although they are currently five points adrift of leaders Leicester, United cannot be entirely ruled out just yet despite recent setbacks.

However, one thing clearly missing is a striker that can score goals. Leicester duo Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez have scored three more goals this season than the entire United squad.

The Red Devils have scored only one more goal than Bournemouth this term, and at 21 strikes in 16 games have netted considerably less than the teams around them in the table. The only saving grace has been the individualism of Anthony Martial, but with the Frenchman having gone off the boil slightly and Wayne Rooney injured and low on confidence, it’s been a dire situation.

As such, despite the likes of Radamel Falcao and Robin van Persie being granted Old Trafford exits in the summer, the major mistake that Van Gaal committed was allowed Javier Hernandez to leave.

The Mexico international was almost always on the fringes of the United team during his time in England, especially in his last two seasons, with his sale to Bayer Leverkusen appearing like the right move at the time.

However, since his switch to Germany, ‘Chicharito’ has been graced with time on the pitch and reminded the European football fraternity of his rare ability to score consistently. His first-ever club career hat-trick at the weekend against Borussia Monchengladbach took his Bundesliga tally to ten for the season, while the former United man has netted an impressive 17 goals in 20 games in all competitions for Roger Schmidt’s men.

The Red Devils are clearly lacking strength in depth in the striker position and had Hernandez still been at the club it looks likely that Van Gaal would have been glad to be able to call on him.

United need another striker and one with the Mexican’s unique abilities would have been absolutely ideal.

Hernandez may not be as impressive or all-round a centre forward as United’s current options, but he has the ability to be on the game’s peripheries and then suddenly strike with the winner for his team. His movement off the ball and clinical finishing ability have been the difference in plenty of games he has featured in and given that United are currently lacking attacking substance, Hernandez’s ability to score out of nothing could at least have the club winning ugly.

If and when the Old Trafford club go to the transfer market in January in search of a striker, it will likely be a player with similar attributes to the Mexican that is brought in to fill the void.

Had they not sold him in the first place, there is every chance that United still would be in the Champions League and be a lot closer to the Premier League’s summit currently.

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