All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Some Manchester United fans have been left to slam some early team news ahead of their home game against Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday evening.

As per French news outlet L’Equipe, the former AS Monaco man ‘should not’ be able to play against Graham Potter’s team after an injury that he suffered to his knee while on international duty with France against Kazakhstan.

The publication also claims that it is ‘not guaranteed’ that he will play any part in their first leg in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final against Granada either.

While Martial has not been very prolific so far in the 2020/21 term, scoring a mere seven goals in 36 games in total over all competitions (‘man of the match’ display in their 2-0 away win over Manchester City in the Premier League in March.

Manchester United fans on Martial update

These Red Devils slammed the update on Martial after it was shared on Twitter, with one member of the Old Trafford faithful even going as far as to claim that it was ‘stupid’:

“Advantage Brighton and Granada”

Credit: @MysticalMartial

“We’re finished”

Credit: @ZoldyckArixn

“Wow this is stupid”

Credit: @SiyawaJr

“Advantage Brighton”

Credit: @UtdAbbas

“At this rate, we are behind in the race for top 4.”

Credit: @techguy1016

“I hate this game”

Credit: @Rafiudabosss

In other news, find out what Fabrizio Romano update has left MUFC fans fuming here!

Several Aston Villa fans have been reacting to the club’s official social media post regarding winger Bertrand Traore.

The 25-year-old, who arrived from Lyon back in September in a deal worth £17m, earned an 18th league start in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle on Friday evening.

Traore’s early injury

However, unfortunately, Traore had to be replaced after just 21 minutes for Anwar El Ghazi.

Traore was shoulder barged by Newcastle defender Paul Dummett, with the Burkina Faso international ending up over the advertising board and crashing into the first set of barriers.

Two members of Villa’s medical staff checked on the wide man, who was holding his left side as a result. He managed to walk back to the away dugout but couldn’t carry on, with many fans left worried following the incident.

Villa fans react

Villa tweeted a picture of Traore on Saturday morning with the caption ‘Speedy recovery, Bert.’

This is what these Villa supporters had to say to the official post, with one describing the incident as ‘painful’.

“Dont tweet this and not tell us what he’s done?”

Credit: @Dr_coxy

“Looked very much like a broken rib last night, such a tricky injury to deal with. Get well soon Bertie”

Credit: @JackJenningss_

“Let’s hope we get to see him play again before 2025”

Credit: @Connor__AVFC

“Looked like broken ribs, hopefully not. One of our few bits of genuine quality”

Credit: @B6Utfv

“Hopefully he is back before his contract runs out”

Credit: @12cw04

“That looked really painful. I hope you are back soon.”

Credit: @FreyaSavidge

In other news: Villa learn price for 23 y/o target, find out more here.

After another impressive performance at the weekend, which saw him score a superb hattrick in Leicester City’s 5-0 thrashing of Sheffield United, Manchester City might well be beginning to regret their decision to sell Kelechi Iheanacho to the Foxes in 2017.

Despite an impressive record for the Citizens, which saw the Nigerian striker contribute 21 goals and eight assists in 64 first-team appearances, most of which came from the bench, he was sold to Leicester for £25 million back in 2017.

Although he struggled in his first few seasons with the Foxes, the 23-year-old looks to be finding his feet under Brendan Rodgers this season and now has six goals in just 16 Premier League appearances this season.

With Rodgers’ side struggling in the absence of key players James Maddison and Harvey Barnes, the young striker has really stepped up to the plate in recent matches, with five goals in his last three top-flight appearances.

His performance against Sheffield United at the weekend was excellent, as he opened the scoring with a tap-in before adding his second with a powerful right-footed finish from a Jamie Vardy cross.

He then completed his first-ever Premier League hat-trick with a powerful drive from range and it seems as if the Nigerian is starting to realise his potential with the Foxes, and could even be an excellent long-term replacement for Vardy at the King Power Stadium.

Following his performance against the Blades, Jamie Redknapp described his partnership with Vardy as “phenomenal” and on his current form, it would be a surprise if he doesn’t at least reach double digits in the Premier League this season.

Pep Guardiola was certainly a big fan of Iheanacho and was full of praise for the young striker ahead of his departure, saying:

“It was an honour to work with him because it was not easy for him because I did not give him a [lot of] opportunities. His behaviour, I’ve never saw a guy like him (before).”

He also confirmed that City do have a buy-back clause for the youngster, so if he does continue to impress, perhaps we will see Txiki Begiristain bring him back to the Etihad in the near future, as based on his recent performances, you could definitely suggest that the sporting director may well regret his decision to let him go.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Mendy: Txiki should swoop for £60m wonderkid this summer

Trent Alexander-Arnold was the name on the lips of many Liverpool fans once again – but for all the wrong reasons.

The form of the 22-year-old has been incredibly up and down during the 2020/21 campaign, with him having averaged a match rating of just 6.77 from 19 Premier League appearances (Whoscored) prior to the Brighton game.

Alexander-Arnold found himself to be at fault for Brighton’s opener, having lost Dan Burn running in at the far post and he knocked the ball down Steven Alzate to fire home for the Seagulls.

This is not the first time that the England international has come under intense scrutiny this season. His performance against Southampton attracted a similar response at the beginning of January.

In what seems like a regular occurrence, supporters once again made their feelings clear towards Alexander-Arnold crystal clear, as you can see below.

Alexander-Arnold in the Kop’s bad books

“Trent has zero idea what’s going on behind him yet again. #LFC”

Credit: @AustrainRed

“Trent is so defensively naive”

Credit: @sammorris0_

“Trent seen him and then just left him”

Credit: @Kjones1892

“Shocking defending from Trent. Had a quick look and then decided it wasn’t worth his time to track the man at back post”

Credit: @ObiR07

“Trent a disgrace, so lazy”

Credit: @canuhackettlfc

“Trent is a crab”

Credit: @kj_1310

In other news, Star defender reportedly gutted as dream Anfield move collapsed on Deadline Day.

Sheffield Wednesday will be looking to get back on track this evening, having slipped back down to second-bottom in the Championship following back-to-back defeats.

A change in the line-up is surely inbound as Owls caretaker Neil Thompson aims to spark a reaction as they head to the capital to face promotion-chasing Brentford.

After switching to a 4-4-2 against relegation rivals Birmingham at the weekend, the interim boss would be wise to revert back to the 3-5-2 that had been working in prior outings.

And in doing so, he’ll be able to unleash one of Wednesday’s most promising talents…

On the Chalkboard

Indeed, going back to a three-man defence could see Osaze Urhoghide come back into the fray after being unfairly axed for the game at Hillsborough Stadium on Saturday.

There also won’t be a better time to unleash the 20-year-old gem as the Bees will be without the division’s most lethal threat, 24-goal top scorer Ivan Toney.

It means the young academy sensation could slot straight back in alongside the experienced duo of Chey Dunkley and Tom Lees without much worry for how he may react as the opposition’s biggest influence will not be playing.

Not that a game of this enamour should faze Urhoghide. After all, he made his competitive senior debut in an FA Cup third-round clash against Premier League outfit Brighton last season.

In four league starts this term, the versatile 6 foot 2 beast has kept two clean sheets, whilst his average WhoScored rating of 6.81 sees him rank third overall for all of the Owls’ defensive options.

Only the aforementioned duo are averaging more aerial duels won per game than Urhoghide (3.8), which shows that he’s still a tough man to beat aerially despite his relative inexperience.

There’s no better defender in this current squad in terms of work-rate as he’s managed two tackles per game, which is only bettered by the industrious Sam Hutchinson right now.

Speaking about his form just a few weeks ago, Thompson told reporters:

“You get [a] whole-hearted attitude from Osaze. He wants to play football,” before adding: “Centre-half is his best position without any shadow of a doubt.”

This endorsement very much echoes the thoughts of club captain Barry Bannan, who dubbed Urhoghide a “great lad” and also claimed: “I think we’ve got a player there,” via The Sheffield Star.

With no Toney and a need to get back to winning ways, the Owls must shift back to a 3-5-2 system, and in doing so, it’ll allow the young Owls gem to slot right back in naturally.

He must start against the Bees tonight.

AND in other news, Thompson must brutally axe “explosive” Owls star tonight…

Wolves spent a considerable amount last summer but this January looks as though it could be a rather tame affair in comparison.

The Midlands side added two players for a fee of over £28m a few months ago, and thus their financial coffers could be a little weaker.

What’s the word?

The club’s primary focus this month will be finding a new striker to act as cover for Raul Jimenez.

However, the need for bodies in other areas simply cannot be neglected. This season might be a tight one in terms of points but Wolves currently sit 13th in the table.

As a result, their aims of securing more European football look farfetched.

With that in mind, what would the addition of an elite attacking midfielder do? Well, it would surely be game-changing.

Gianluca di Marzio (via Sempre Milan) reported this week that Wolves were weighing up a move for former Tottenham man Christian Eriksen.

The Dane joined Inter Milan for a fee of £16.9m a year ago but could already be the move. Unfortunately, a switch to Molineux feels unlikely.

Tim Spiers followed up those claims by saying it was a “non starter” for the club considering his wages. Eriksen earns a mighty £229k-a-week at the San Siro.

Big upgrade

Jeff Shi’s transfer policy at Wolves since he took control has been to bring in players they can develop, rather than seasoned professionals. You only need to look at players like Pedro Neto, Diogo Jota and Adama Traore to realise that.

Thus, swooping for someone like Eriksen would divert from his usual strategy. He’s 28 years of age which normally would signal someone in their prime years.

Wolves usually sign younger players but with the attacking midfielder, they must swat their methods to one side and bring him back to the Premier League.

It’s difficult to judge Eriksen this term because he’s only started four times but if we consider his career averages, he’d be a considerable upgrade on Daniel Podence in terms of creativity.

The Portuguese has registered 1.7 shots per game and 0.9 key passes a match this season, numbers which fall below Eriksen’s figures down the years.

The Denmark international is a menace in the final third, producing 2.3 key passes and shots each outing. Having contributed to 117 Premier League goals, he knows the league inside out.

It’s hardly a surprise that Mauricio Pochettino thinks highly of him. Speaking in 2019, the former Spurs boss said: “He has an amazing quality and can shoot from outside the area and has an unbelievable shot with his left and with his right foot. Christian is a special person and we are all special and different and we need to understand that.”

Despite Eriksen’s wage, he’d be a stellar addition. Wolves must still pursue this one in January.

AND in other news, Wolves must swoop for “effervescent” £20m beast, he’s Nuno’s dream…

David Sullivan can help West Ham United secure European football for next season with a January deal to sign Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour on loan.

What’s the word?

According to The Mirror, David Moyes is awaiting word on whether Gilmour has an immediate future at Stamford Bridge following the appointment of Thomas Tuchel.

Frank Lampard had admitted prior to his sacking that the 19-year-old could leave south west London on a temporary deal this month, having left the door open for the Blues product to secure more regular first-team football after only being given a peripheral role this season.

Gilmour earned what was only his sixth outing of the campaign in Chelsea’s 3-1 win over Luton Town in the FA Cup last weekend, while playing just 34 minutes of Premier League football to date.

Tuchel opted to omit Gilmour from his first matchday squad in charge of the Stamford Bridge natives against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night, potentially offering Moyes hope of being able to seal a late deal for the £7m-rated prospect.

Should West Ham sign Gilmour?

Moyes looking to add depth to his central midfield options would not be the worst idea for the West Ham boss to explore ahead of Monday’s deadline, as the Irons currently only have Mark Noble on hand to provide cover for Declan Rice and man of the moment Tomas Soucek.

Gilmour would perhaps not be expected to displace either of Rice or Soucek in the starting line-up, but he would surely be a great partner for either player and would bring something to the table if needed with the youngster heavily praised for his performances under Lampard.

Lampard threw Gilmour straight in at the deep end when handed only his third Blues start at home to Liverpool in the FA Cup last March, yet he barely looked out of place against Jurgen Klopp’s would-be Premier League champions.

His efforts saw Gilmour named the Man of the Match, having looked to bring play forward rather than shriek into the shadows of his more experienced teammates to earn a wealth of praise from BBC Sport pundits Alan Shearer, Gary Lineker and Ian Wright.

“A lot of the time I’ve seen Chelsea this season, yes they have good possession in Jorginho and the way he passes it, but he hasn’t done what this young boy has done in terms of getting the ball and passing it forward,” Shearer said, via quotes by the Daily Record.

“That’s been his first thought. Not only that but he’s protected that back-four magnificently. Everything he’s done has been spot on: the tackling, the timing of the tackles, setting Chelsea forward, the confidence.”

Praise continued to flow after Gilmour retained a place in the starting XI to pull the strings as Chelsea beat Everton 4-0 with Roy Keane noting, via quotes by football.london: “We said it’ll be a test for him because sometimes you get the plaudits in the first game but now he’s got to do it week in, week out.

“He makes the game look easy, he looks forward, he’s got his head swivelling, looking over the shoulder, he was very positive with his passing. I bet he’s wondering what the fuss is around him, he makes it look very easy.”

That sort of talent does not disappear overnight so, while he may not have played much this season, there should be no reason why Gilmour could not add something to Moyes’ unit at West Ham.

The Irons would kick themselves if they passed up on signing Gilmour and something befell Rice or Soucek and the chance to qualify for Europe goes away, with the London Stadium natives currently fighting for a potential top-four finish on merit as the third-best team on form since Christmas.

AND in other news, West Ham are working on a deal to sign a £13.5m-rated striker on loan…

The ten men of West Brom were embarrassed and hung out to dry on Saturday afternoon as they failed to build on last weekend’s first victory of the season.

Slaven Bilic’s side were thumped 5-1 by former Baggies boss Roy Hodgson and his Crystal Palace side at the Hawthorns.

An own goal from Darnell Furlong handed the visitors the lead before on-loan midfield maestro Conor Gallagher scored once again less than 25 minutes later.

But the game was marred by controversy when Matheus Pereira received his marching orders before the break after VAR took a look at an off-the-ball incident involving Patrick van Aanholt.

The Eagles then condemned Albion further with a pair of braces from Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke.

Fingers can be pointed at plenty of players but perhaps the Croatian should first take a look at his own team selection. One of his decisions pre-game was certainly questionable.

Having started and delivered against Sheffield United last week, Callum Robinson was surprisingly snubbed for another start in the line-up with Bilic instead opting for Grady Diangana in the attack.

That move clearly didn’t pay off as the former West Ham man was hauled off at half-time for, you guessed it, Robinson.

The £9m-rated (€10m) attacker is Albion’s joint-top goalscorer with two goals from 11 appearances, so he should feel quite rightly aggrieved by not starting the match.

Whilst it remains to be seen if that would’ve had an impact on the result, his presence in attack would’ve certainly aided their chances.

After all, Bilic himself has lauded the 25-year-old as an “instrumental” and “dangerous” player as well as being the exact sort of addition they needed, which makes it all the more baffling as to why he wasn’t started at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

Robinson should be furious with such a disastrous decision.

AND in other news, Forget Pereira: £29k-per-week West Brom lightweight massively let Bilic down…

A lot of Sheffield Wednesday fans have flocked to Twitter following the sacking of Tony Pulis to share that they want to see former Owls player Nigel Pearson appointed as the Yorkshire club’s next manager. 

Pulis has been sacked just over a month after assuming the Hillsborough hot seat. Per the Owls’ official website, the 62-year-old guided Wednesday to just one Championship win during his short time at the club. 

In a statement, The Owls’ owner and chairman Dejphon Chansiri justified his decision to sack Pulis by explaining that he felt his record at the Yorkshire club was ‘not acceptable.’ 

So, what have these Sheffield Wednesday fans been saying about Pearson?

When asked about potentially returning to Hillsborough as manager one day in 2019, Pearson declared that he wouldn’t want to put his and his family’s quality of life in the city of Sheffield “at risk for a job” but he didn’t categorically rule it out and some Owls fans have been making it very clear that they want Chansiri to approach the renowned ‘escape artist’ to try and save Wednesday, who currently sit in the Championship’s relegation zone.

“Paul cook or Ryan lowe. Start building a team whether we if we go down or not proven we’ll have a proven league one manager and a manger that would actually care and would ultimately be backed by the fans. That or give Pearson a blank cheque #swfc”

Credit: @liamward_6

“Pearson surely? #swfc”

Credit: @Beardhiker

“@segz__ Pearson for me”

Credit: @DScatts

“Pulis sacked No surprise dismal record P10 W 1 D 4 L5 Didn’t score over a goal a game – Bring in Nigel Pearson The game goes on let’s hope for a brighter New Year #swfc #wawaw #football”

Credit: @skylineowl

“Its a joke! Get Pearson in to shake it up”

Credit: @davidjamesct

“Tony pulis was the wrong appointment to start with. Nigel Pearson is the man to take us forward. Uto.”

Credit: @Ozzie7L

“It would be a superb appointment but he’d been destined for the same outcome unfortunately. Chansiri will prevent any long term success.”

Credit: @fittall1987

In other news, some Sheffield Wednesday fans reacted negatively to Pulis’ praise for Joey Pelupessy earlier this month.

West Brom will return from the international break still winless in their opening eight Premier League matches and their task will not be any easier as they’ll face another one of the typical ‘top six’.

Having been narrowly defeated 1-0 by Jose Mourinho’s rampant Spurs side, they’ll head to one of the Special One’s former teams in just over a week’s time, Manchester United.

Whilst games against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Liverpool and Arsenal are all on the horizon before the first week of January is over.

Reports suggest that Slaven Bilic’s job remains in doubt with decision-makers at the Hawthorns mulling over the possibility of sacking him before the Premier League gets back underway.

Much of the blame can be attributed between the Croatian and the board’s lack of spending, but you have also got to look at the players themselves.

When doing so, you’ll quickly find one surprise name that is hugely underperforming and is perhaps holding the Baggies back somewhat.

Albion skipper Jake Livermore can probably count his lucky stars that he’s the captain of the side otherwise he’d be festering away on the substitutes bench. He has just not cut the mustard in the top-flight thus far.

You think Bilic knows it too having withdrawn the veteran midfielder early in each of West Brom’s last three outings.

Per WhoScored, the 30-year-old has averaged 2.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions but has also conceded 2.5 fouls – the most in his career – as well as seeing his passing success rate decrease from 84.1% in 2018/19 to just 75.7% this season.

Only engine room partner Romaine Sawyers has a worse average rating of any Baggies player that has started three or more matches this season.

Sat on £46k-per-week, according to Spotrac, Livermore is among the highest earners at the Midlands club and whilst that is understandable given the fact that he wears the armband, he is just not justifying it with his performances out on the pitch.

It’s on Bilic to be ruthless here and axe his midfield general, it may well buy him some time should it spark the necessary reaction.

AND in other news, Baggies will forever regret Jenkins’ silly mistake over “swashbuckling” £16.5m titan…