Confirmed: Klopp makes Andy Robertson decision as Fulham v Liverpool lineups emerge

By: Muhammad Saeed on January 24, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Fulham starting XI: Leno; Castagne, Adarabioyo, Diop, Robinson; Palhinha, Cairney; De Cordova-Reid, Pereira, Willian; Raul.

Fulham substitutes: Rodak, Tete, Ream, Reed, Lukic, Francois, Wilson, Muniz, Vinicius.

Liverpool starting XI: Kelleher; Bradley, Quansah, Van Dijk, Gomez; Mac Allister, Elliott, Gravenberch; Gakpo, Diaz, Nunez.

Liverpool substitutes: Alisson, Konate, Jones, Jota, Robertson, Clark, McConnell, Beck, Nyoni.

Fulham and Liverpool will do battle again tonight with a place in the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea up for grabs.

Liverpool won the first leg at Anfield, coming from a goal down to claim a 2-1 win thanks to two goals in three minutes.

Fulham are looking to throw a spanner in the works tonight though and go with Bernd Leno between the sticks as usual.

Timothy Castagne and former Everton man Antonee Robinson are the full backs this evening with Tosin Adarabioyo and Issa Diop as the centre backs.

Joao Palhinha is joined in midfield by Tom Cairney with Andreas Pereira further forward.

Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Willian are on the flanks, supporting Raul Jimenez in the final third.

Ex-Liverpool man Harry Wilson is on the bench, joining Marek Rodak, Kenny Tete, Tim Ream, Harrison Reed, Saka Lukic, Tyrese Francois, Rodrigo Muniz and Carlos Vinicius.

Liverpool go with Caoimhin Kelleher in goal as he deputises for Alisson, as he often does in cup games.

Jarell Quansah comes in for Ibrahima Konate at centre back, partnering Virgil van Dijk with Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez as the full backs.

Alexis Mac Allister will sit in midfield again with Harvey Elliott and Ryan Gravenberch going further forward.

Cody Gakpo comes into the side tonight, joining Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz in Liverpool’s front three.

Diogo Jota drops to the bench after destroying Bournemouth on Sunday, joining Alisson, Konate, Curtis Jones, Bobby Clark, James McConnell, Owen Beck and Trey Nyoni.

There is also a spot on the bench for Andy Robertson, who is part of the matchday squad for the first time since the 2-2 draw with Brighton and Hove Albion in October.

Robertson has been out with a shoulder problem but is now back on the bench tonight as he ramps up his return to action.

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'No reason': Manager confident his £10m star won't join Aston Villa after January bid

By: Muhammad Saeed on January 24, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick insists he has ‘no reason to believe’ that Morgan Rogers will leave this month despite an offers from Premier League challengers Aston Villa. 

HITC Football has been informed that Aston Villa launched a bid to bring the talented former West Brom forward back to the Midlands last week, Morgan Rogers catching Unai Emery’s eye during the recent FA Cup clash at the Riverside. 

Rogers, we understand, is keen on the move too. That is despite the fact he only joined Middlesbrough from Premier League champions Manchester City six months ago. 

But, with the January window now entering it’s final stages, Villa are running out of time as they look to bring in the Dudley-born 21-year-old alongside their new Serbian right-back Kosta Nedeljkovic. 

And, speaking after Rogers’ superb consolation during Tuesday’s 6-1 hammering by Chelsea in the EFL Cup semi-final second-leg, Boro boss Michael Carrick sounded like a man expecting to still have the twinkle-toed attacker at his disposal by the time February rolls around. 

Aston Villa knocked back in Morgan Rogers pursuit

“He’s our player at the minute,” the Manchester United icon tells the Northern Echo. “So, I have no reason to believe anything otherwise.”  

According to reports, Middlesbrough are looking for around £10 million for Rogers. The former England under-21 international, who has seven goals for the North East outfit, would become the latest former West Brom whizzkid to end up wearing claret-and-blue if Aston Villa do get their man, following in the footsteps of Tim Iroegbunam, Louis Barry and more. 

Versatile, technically gifted and brimming with potential, the right-footed Rogers has featured as an attacking midfielder, a winger and a centre-forward under Carrick. Like Nedeljkovic, he would not arrive at Villa Park as the finished article, but as a rough diamond for Emery to polish. 

Middlesbrough hope to keep Carrick favourite

“(Rogers) creates, he’s dangerous. He is a huge talent,” Carrick said in December (Teessive Live). “He’s fantastic to work with, he wants to learn and get better all the time and is desperate to give what he can for the team, which is brilliant. He’s got a terrific attitude for the game and is showing his quality. 

“There is definitely something there. Sometimes it can take a little time, especially for younger lads, learning a new game, a new environment and dealing with the expectations and performing with that on your shoulders. He’s really taken to it and starting to make a real difference.”

HITC Football understands that Aston Villa are likely to send Leander Dendoncker to Serie A champions Napoli before the month is out, but Iceland goalkeeper Hakon Rafn Valdimarsson looks set to slip through Emery’s fingers. Brentford are closing in on the Celtic-linked shot-stopper. 

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Five wins in 40 games: Club have completely collapsed since selling £20m player to Arsenal

By: Muhammad Saeed on January 24, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Jakub Kiwior has yet to nail down a key role at Arsenal but his former club Spezia have simply collapsed ever since his transfer a year ago.

Arsenal have been quiet in this January transfer window and it’s hard to see Edu striking any incoming deals over the next week.

That is a far cry from last January, when Arsenal struck two signings to bolster Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Leandro Trossard arrived from Brighton and Hove Albion after Arsenal missed out on Mykhailo Mudryk and Jakub Kiwior joined from Spezia.

Both Trossard and Kiwior have strengthened Arsenal’s depth but in the case of Kiwior, the deal appears to have caused big problems for his former club…

Spezia collapse after selling Jakub Kiwior to Spezia

Arsenal paid £20million to sign Kiwior from Spezia, just 18 months after he left Zilina for a move to Italy.

Spezia had settled down in Serie A having won promotion in 2020, finishing 15th in their first season in the top flight.

Kiwior came in and helped Spezia consolidate in 16th and left the club sitting in 15th in January of last year.

Spezia had won four of their 19 league games at that point but have been in a complete mess ever since selling Kiwior to Arsenal.

Spezia won just two of their final 19 games without Kiwior to end up in a relegation playoff — a game they lost to Hellas Verona.

Look at Spezia now and you will see them sitting bottom of Serie B, winning just three of their 21 league games so far this term.

Now in real danger of slipping into Italy’s third tier, Spezia have won just five times in 40 league games since losing Kiwior.

Add in that one-off relegation tie-breaker and it’s five in 41, marking a quite remarkable collapse.

Arsenal fans won’t be surprised to hear that Spezia have been in a managerial merry-go-round throughout this demise.

Luca Gotti lost his job less than a month after Kiwior’s exit, Leonardo Semplici came in and was sacked after relegation and Spezia have already had two managers this season.

In a rather alarming turn of events, fans left a pig’s head outside the club’s offices alongside a banner reading ‘time’s up!’ with real concerns emerging about the direction of the club.

Spezia have struggled terribly since selling Kiwior and seemingly haven’t spent the cash windfall well at all, leaving them in a dire situation whilst the Polish defender chases a Premier League title with Arsenal.

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Opinion: Top talent spotter set to leave Bayern Munich but Tottenham door surely closed now

By: Muhammad Saeed on January 23, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Tottenham Hotspur may now have a chance to land Marco Neppe – but a move to North London has become much more complicated in recent months.

Tottenham had to reshuffle their recruitment department when Fabio Paratici was hit with a worldwide ban by FIFA.

Spurs searched for a new off-field leader and they went for Johan Lange, tempting him away from Premier League rivals Aston Villa.

Lange has already pounced to land former Aston Villa scout Rob Mackenzie, bringing him back to Tottenham having previously been a Spurs scout.

It’s unclear if more changes will come, but one man Tottenham were interested in over the summer is now becoming available…

Marco Neppe to leave Bayern Munich after Tottenham Hotspur interest

Reports over the summer indicated that Tottenham had made contact to try and land Bayern Munich’s Marco Neppe.

Neppe serves as Bayern’s technical director, meaning he ended up playing a key role in the signing of Harry Kane from Tottenham.

Neppe is also credited with being a part in Bayern’s moves for Alphonso Davies, Jamal Musiala and Mathys Tel over the years.

The 37-year-old is now poised to leave Bayern though with Fabrizio Romano reporting that his exit will be with ‘immediate effect’.

Former RB Leipzig and Borussia Monchengladbach man Max Eberl is heading to Bayern and Neppe is now leaving the club.

Neppe is bound to attract plenty of interest and Tottenham have certainly shown their admiration in the past, viewing him as a potential Paratici replacement.

Now available and out of work, Neppe could still be on the Tottenham radar – but a move now seems pretty complicated.

Neppe’s role as technical director at Bayern is exactly the same role Tottenham gave to Lange.

Maybe there is a way in which Neppe and Lange can work together, but would Neppe really move to Spurs and – most probably – take on a lesser role than the one he had at Bayern?

That seems unlikely and Spurs seem wedded to Lange for the long term, especially having already given him permission to land Mackenzie from Villa.

The setup now centres around Lange and bringing in another executive like may Neppe may only muddy the waters.

We can’t see a Spurs move happening now, and Tottenham may even see Neppe land a move elsewhere with other Premier League clubs surely interested in him after his work at Bayern.

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’That’s news to me’: Ally McCoist shocked by Newcastle United transfer news

By: Muhammad Saeed on January 23, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

It’s all going off at Newcastle United. It seems as though nearly every player has been linked with a transfer out of the club. 

Ever since news broke that Newcastle United might need to sell a key player to compile with Financial Fair Play rules, it has started a train of many first-team players, from Kieran Trippier and now Callum Wilson, being linked to moves elsewhere. 

Sources told HITC Football that the Magpies have rebuffed an approach from Atletico Madrid to sign striker Callum Wilson.

The 31-year-old is returning from injury and he will be hoping to be fit for Newcastle’s away clash at Aston Villa on January 30.

When Ally McCoist was told about the interest in Callum Wilson, he expressed his surprise by stating ‘that’s news to me’, as he told talkSPORT (22/01/24 at 7:45 am).

You would think that Eddie Howe, amid his team’s struggles this season and injury issues, wouldn’t even consider anything coming their way regarding Callum Wilson, but there is no smoke without fire.

Callum Wilson’s Newcastle future

“You mentioned interest in Callum Wilson,” said McCoist. “I am not letting you away with that. But that’s news to me.”

Callum Wilson’s importance to Newcastle

It has been another stop-start season for Wilson at Newcastle this season, with only 14 Premier League games played and seven of them only being starts.

Despite that, he has still managed to score a healthy seven goals, after netting 18 during the previous campaign.

There’s no doubting Wilson’s importance to the team. He was a key reason why the team secured Champions League football last term.

But the powers that be have a big call to make because, come the summer, he will have 12 months remaining on his contract, at the age of 31 and injury-prone.

So, you would suspect that this is the time to either hand him a new deal or bring in a transfer fee for him.

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‘A shock to the system’: Michael Owen reacts to overnight news about Liverpool's Mohamed Salah

By: Muhammad Saeed on January 22, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Michael Owen says it is ‘a bit of a shock to the system’ that Mohamed Salah is injured for Liverpool.

The Egypt international returned from the Africa Cup of Nations recently after suffering a muscle injury against Ghana on Thursday.

Rather than stay in the Ivory Coast, Mohamed Salah flew back to Liverpool to receive further treatment and now it’s the news all at Anfield were dreading.

According to the player’s agent, the 31-year-old could now face up to a month on the sidelines, which would be a body blow to his team’s Premier League title chances.

Jurgen Klopp’s side thrashed in-form Bournemouth 4-0 on Sunday to move five points clear at the top – Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota starred for their team.

Of the matches Mohamed Salah can miss, the biggest, on paper, is the trip to Arsenal, including possibly the League Cup final.

Aside from that, Michael Owen thinks Liverpool have games that they should be able to win without their star forward, as he told Premier League Productions (22/01/24 at 10:45 pm).

Mohamed Salah’s injury

“Mo Salah simply doesn’t get injured, does he?!” said Owen. “So, it’s a bit of a shock to the system, at the moment.

“It’s not the worst of runs for Liverpool (games Salah could miss). This Arsenal game could be a real tough one. You think they could comfortably win the other games. Chelsea at home isn’t easy. But you think they could win the other games without a Mo Salah.

“Of course, the League Cup final could be a huge game as well. You would like to think, by all reports, that he would be back for that. But hamstring injuries are notoriously, you don’t want to re-injure yourself. Kevin de Bruyne did earlier on in the season. I did it many times.

“Of course, when you are going for the title and you are so important like Mo Salah is, then you don’t want to be missing any games.”

Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez

No-one is going to be surprised by what Jota is producing, in terms of his finishing ability and calmness in front of the goal.

But Nunez’s most-recent performance was massive for the player and his confidence.

This was the club’s big-money signing stepping up when the team needed him most and proving that he could do it without Salah.

Yes, it’s a blow to the Reds that Salah will be absent, but this could just prove to be a blessing in disguise for a player like Nunez because this could now make him.

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Liverpool's Darwin Nunez has just managed what no other Premier League player has done this season

By: Muhammad Saeed on January 22, 2024 / comment : 0 HITC, news

Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez bagged a brace against Bournemouth on Sunday and has now landed 10 goals and 10 assists this season.

The Reds headed to the Vitality Stadium on Sunday, seeking another three points to continue their push for the Premier League title.

Jurgen Klopp’s men weren’t quite at it in the first half and went into the break at 0-0, seeking a spark to break the Cherries down.

That moment came when Diogo Jota found Darwin Nunez to slot home the opener, with Jota then bagging a brace himself.

Nunez added gloss to the win by adding number four, firing in Joe Gomez’s cross to wrap up a convincing 4-0 victory for the Reds.

Darwin Nunez hits 10 goals and 10 assists mark for Liverpool

This was a huge win for Liverpool given that they went into this game without star duo Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah.

Add in that Andrew Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Joel Matip, Wataru Endo and Dominik Szoboszlai were all unavailable too and Liverpool will be delighted to have come through with a huge win.

This was a big day for Liverpool and also for Nunez, who achieved a personal milestone on the South Coast.

As noted by TNT Sport, Nunez’s brace makes him the first Premier League players to hit 10 goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season.

The Uruguayan has bagged seven goals and six assists in the Premier League this season, alongside three goals and four assists across Europa League and League Cup games.

Nunez has his doubters; the 24-year-old is so dangerous, possessing a scary blend of pace, power and superb movement in behind defences.

The problem is that Nunez’s end product can be a little wayward and some have wondered if he can ever find consistency in the final third.

10 goals and 10 assists at this stage of the season is hugely impressive though, so much so that no other Premier League player can boast that record.

Klopp must be delighted with Nunez’s attacking output this season and if he can keep this kind of form going, Liverpool stand a great chance of winning the Premier League title.

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