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There will be no changes to the Leeds United team for Tuesday’s Championship trip to Preston North End.

Indeed, speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa revealed that it would be a case of same again from the 1-0 win over Birmingham City at the weekend.

As a result, Pablo Hernandez will again miss out through injury, while Patrick Bamford will lead the line despite being replaced by Eddie Nketiah at the interval on Saturday.

Helder Costa and Jack Harrison will continue in the wide positions, with Tyler Roberts and Barry Douglas expected to be named on the bench once again.

As expected, a number of Leeds fans have been on social media offering their views on the update.

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And many are not overly impressed that the same XI will be sent onto the field once again.

A selection of the Twitter reaction is available to view below:

[ad_pod ]Some Wolves fans have taken to Twitter to heap praise on Matt Doherty, after the Irishman found the back of the net in what was a wonderful individual performance from the wing-back against Watford.Doherty’s opener put Wolves on the way to their first Premier League win of the season, after he tapped in from close range following a fine team move.It was the 27-year-old’s one and only shot on target, while he also recorded one key pass.The defensive side of his game did not suffer as a result of his attacking play, as Doherty managed to complete two tackles and also made four interceptions.

The Wolves No.2 has been left on the sidelines at times as Nuno Espirito Santo tested Adama Traore out in a right wing-back role, a position in which the Spaniard has done well in as we have already detailed.

However, one fan below said that Traore doesn’t have Doherty’s knack of getting into goalscoring positions, with another supporter echoing that sentiment in saying that the 6 foot man’s football brain is better.

Let’s take a look at some more of the Twitter reaction…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Talk about the perfect time to turn the tide.

Having gone through a bit of a tough stretch in the past couple of weeks in terms of results, the Blues are heading into the international break very much on a high note.

Having come under a lot of criticism from the St Andrew’s faithful, perhaps there was that little voice in the back of Pep Clotet’s mind that was thinking ‘told you so’, after their dramatic victory on Friday night.

Clotet was given a bit of a difficult task when he took over from Garry Monk in the summer, not only being thrust into the position in the aftermath. but also with the dagger of last year’s Financial Fair Play punishment hanging over him. Given the circumstances, he’s been doing a relatively steady job.

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He even managed to get them as high as eighth in the table and managed to grab a scalp in high flying Charlton away from home a few weeks ago before they went through their slump.

However, everything that was going disastrously for them on the pitch, were all things that could easily have been prevented.

For instance, the winner that Wigan Athletic scored last week was the definition of a howler from goalkeeper Lee Camp. Going back even further to the game against Derby County, the second goal that day came about because of a slip by Marc Roberts.

So it’s not as if they were being blown apart in the same way that they were earlier in the season against Nottingham Forest and Swansea City.

Thogden ranks all 24 Championship home kits in the video below…

After a pretty much mistake-free game against Middlesbrough and with the international break coming up to sure up any holes in the team, this could be the perfect opportunity for Clotet to finally put his foot down on the team and get them back on track the way they were before their recent troubles.

After all, it’s been the mistakes of his players, rather than his own that has led to some recent troubles.

Birmingham fans aren’t expecting much this season, so Clotet shouldn’t really have been under much pressure to begin with, but perhaps this result will be enough to get them off his back for the next couple of weeks as fortunes begin to change.

Everything looked to be in place for James Rodriguez’s big rebirth at Real Madrid this summer.After a loan spell at Bayern Munich, the little Colombian wizard returned to Santiago Bernabeu and was poised to finally make his mark, both with the fans and the coach.But unfortunately, more bad luck followed as he sustained an injury that is still keeping him sidelined and unable to perform.Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And recently, when speaking to El Chiringuito, he said that he was quite optimistic and that he believes this is indeed the season when everything finally falls into place.

The fans, upon seeing his words, felt extremely supportive and they quickly jumped to Twitter to voice their enthusiasm for the 28-year-old’s upcoming campaign with Los Blancos.

Many of them just seem to really like the Colombian and they want him to succeed in the Spanish capital.

You can see some of their reactions down in the collection of tweets below:

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Barcelona’s big Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund ended in a 0-0 draw on Tuesday evening.

Ernesto Valverde acknowledged that his players had problems containing their hosts at Signal Iduna Park while facing the famous Yellow Wall.

But when everything is said and done, there was one player, in particular, that didn’t really live up to expectations and who failed to impress the fans.

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Luis Suarez started the encounter and endured a difficult night, registering just one shot on target and a pass success rate of 70%, the lowest of any Barca player to start the game.

The fans were pretty quick to notice his below-par display and they jumped to social media and Twitter to criticise him.

Many of them demanded that the club bench the Uruguayan and even called his display “embarrassing” while decrying him as “utterly useless” as a striker.

You can see some of their rough replies and comments in the collection of tweets down below.

Check them out…

Newcastle fans finally have something to shout about after the Magpies broke their transfer record to land Miguel Almiron.

The Paraguay international was the star of the season in the MLS, guiding Atlanta United to the MLS Cup thanks to some impressive performances. He was identified by Newcastle as the perfect January signing and the deal was finally closed after weeks of speculation. Almiron penned a long-term contract at St. James Park, joining for a fee of around £20m.

His addition will greatly increase Newcastle’s chances of survival in the Premier League and improve the likelihood of Rafael Benitez staying at the club. The Spaniard has finally been backed in the transfer market which needs to continue in the summer. More investment is needed to get Newcastle challenging at the right end of the table again.

One man Benitez could target in the summer is Basaksehir maestro – Irfan Kahveci. Valued at just £4.5m by Transfermarkt, the midfielder has been a key player for his side since joining in January 2017. Kahveci has been one of the most impressive performers in the Super Lig during his 22 appearances in all competitions this season.

The 23-year-old is a versatile midfielder who can occupy a number of roles in the engine room making him a useful option for Benitez to have at his disposal. Kahveci can play in a defensive midfield position but has the creative ability to be used in a more advanced role up the field. Scoring four goals and registering four assists this season, Kahveci could help unlock Almiron’s potential on Tyneside.

Potentially available at a great price, this move could prove to be a masterstroke.

Newcastle fans, thoughts?

Everton product Fraser Hornby is hoping to replicate Christian Benteke’s route to the top in Belgium, after revealing what inspired his decision to join KV Kortrijk on loan for the season, as quoted by The Times.

Hornby was yet to add to his only senior Everton appearance before joining the Belgian Jupiler Pro League side on a one-season deal (TransferMarkt), with his senior Toffees debut coming against Apollon Limassol in the Europa League in 2017.

Hornby has addressed his decision to seek first-team football while on international duty with Scotland’s Under 21s, for whom he hopes to represent on Tuesday night when they face Croatia, having been forced to watch on through injury as Scot Gemmill’s side beat San Marino last Thursday.

The last time the 19-year-old wore his country’s colours in a competitive scenario saw Hornby net five goals in as many days, as he struck a hat-trick against Andorra and a brace away to the Netherlands.

Hornby has now taken it upon himself to test himself in a new country, as the Northampton-born striker was inspired by Jadon Sancho’s success after leaving Manchester City’s youth ranks for Borussia Dortmund.

“You see a lot of young British players going abroad now,” Hornby said. “There’s an opportunity to make it in one of these big leagues abroad that you maybe wouldn’t get in the Premier League in England. I moved away from home at 14 to go to Everton. Some people would be put off by moving away to a different country. For me that wasn’t a problem; I was always open to it.

“You look at Jadon Sancho, he’s probably done the best of the lads who have gone abroad. But I think it’s about getting that opportunity. He didn’t feel he’d get that at Manchester City and he felt he was ready to make that step.”

Hornby went on to add that Benteke’s rise from Belgium to the Premier League helped to convince the youngster that his decision to join Kortrijk on loan was the right one.

“I did my research on them,” he said. “I looked at certain players who’d been there before, like Christian Benteke. When I went there nothing was a shock. The intensity of training was very high which is what I’m used to at Everton. It’s refreshing for me to go into that environment.”

Crystal Palace striker Benteke began his career in Standard Liege and KRC Genk’s academies, but it was a loan spell with Kortrijk which spring boarded his professional career, netting 16 goals in 37 games across all competitions (TransferMarkt).

He would go on to represent Standard Liege in Champions League qualifying games and Genk in the Europa League before joining Aston Villa in 2012, where he hit 27 goals in 47 games in his debut campaign in England.

Hornby would surely not be expected to replicate the same instant success in the Premier League with Everton come his return from Kortrijk next summer, but if the teenager can use his time in Belgium to also spring board his career, he and Everton will certainly benefit from it.

Another loan spell away from Merseyside for 2020/21 could also be on the cards, too, given his age, but Hornby’s move now could be the one that takes him higher up the football pyramid, ready to make a mark at Goodison Park in the coming years.

Everton fans, does Hornby’s reasoning offer you any confidence that he can make it to the top? Let us know in the comments below…

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard has revealed the latest on the respective recoveries of injured duo Leon Bailey and Marvelous Nakamba ahead of the Villans’ home clash with Manchester United.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to the media ahead of Villa’s second meeting with United this week, Gerrard said: “Leon Bailey and Marvelous Nakamba are still out. They’re progressing well in their rehabs.”

The Villa boss also added that young winger Jaden Philogene-Bidace will miss out whilst midfielder John McGinn is serving a one-match suspension for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.

Villa fans will be buzzing

Although they’re not available, Villa fans will be pleased to know that Bailey and Nakamba are both progressing well and will be excited at the prospect that they could return earlier than planned.

Bailey has been absent for over a month since picking up a thigh injury in the 2-1 defeat to Manchester City in early December. The 24-year-old’s start to life in the Premier League has certainly been frustrating, having made the squad for just nine league games whilst only starting four of them.

There was plenty of excitement from Villa fans after their capture of the Jamaican from Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen for around £25m. However, his career in the West Midlands is still yet to fully get up and running.

As for Nakamba, the midfielder had been one of Steven Gerrard’s top performers in the 41-year-old’s first weeks at Villa Park but now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a knee injury sustained in the 1-0 defeat at Liverpool last month.

Alongside John McGinn and Douglas Luiz, the 27-year-old was part of a solid midfield trio that proved to be a major contributor to the West Midlands club’s impressive early form under the Englishman as Gerrard oversaw three wins from his first four games in the Villa dugout.

What Villa fans won’t be pleased about though is that, according to Premier Injuries, the Zimbabwean still may not be available until early April.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops major Villa transfer update that’ll have fans buzzing

A major update has emerged in Newcastle United’s attempts to sign Bayer Leverkusen beast Mitchel Bakker…

What’s the talk?

According to The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, the Magpies have agreed a deal in principle with the Bundesliga club as they close in on their third signing of the window.

The report claims that they are now poised to discuss personal terms with the full-back, as Eddie Howe looks to add to the two signings he has already made this month in Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier.

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope claimed over the weekend that he is valued at £16m by Leverkusen, although the exact figure Newcastle have now agreed for Bakker remains to be seen.

Delight

Newcastle fans will be delighted with this news for several reasons.

Firstly, it suggests that the club’s third signing of the window is not a million miles away as PIF have been able to agree a fee with the German outfit, which shows that they are working hard behind the scenes to get things completed.

Supporters will also be happy with the club’s efforts to bolster Howe’s squad, with this news making it clear that bids are going in and negotiations are happening as the window progresses.

They want to add to the team to improve their chances of avoiding relegation and the signing of Bakker could be a strong step in their journey to doing so.

The left-back position has been a big problem for the ex-Bournemouth head coach this season and the Dutchman could come in and nail down the role.

Paul Dummett started at left-back in the 1-0 win over Leeds and was dribbled past twice, whilst losing 50% of his ground duels, before being taken off with an injury – with Jamal Lewis also having been out since the 16th of December.

Bakker has played 13 times in the Bundesliga for Leverkusen this season and featured in 26 Ligue 1 matches for PSG last term, showing that – at the very least – he is reliable in terms of his availability. He has also made 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the German top-flight, whilst registering one goal and three assists.

This suggests that he could add an extra attacking dimension to Newcastle’s side along with being a strong defender who can step in and win the ball back for his side.

Therefore, fans will be delighted to read that the club have agreed a deal for him.

AND in other news, Howe plotting late NUFC swoop for “outstanding” £61k-p/w beast, fans will be amazed…

Many Everton fans have been left raging over yet another transfer update that has emerged on Lucas Digne.

Toffees fans were furious earlier this week when it emerged Chelsea are eyeing a move due to Ben Chilwell’s injury.

Now, as per L’Equipe (via Get French Football News), the Londoners are prioritising a loan deal for the left-back in the January transfer window, and report also states that the Goodison Park faithful currently value him at £25m.

Considering that he is currently standing at £27m according to Transfermarkt, and he has been valued even higher during his time at the Merseyside club, £25m does seem too low of a price to sell Digne, especially if it is to a rival in the Premier League.

Nonetheless, it would be very difficult to find a suitable replacement for the France international midway through the season with that kind of budget, and as he is the only senior left-back in the squad, one should question whether the Toffees should sell him anyway.

Everton fans on Digne transfer news

These Blues supporters were left raging over the transfer claim as it was shared on Twitter:

“25m? Do they want just his right foot??”

Credit: @KingDemarai

“He is worth more than £25m but we have managed the situation so badly we have teams trying to loan him. Terrible work from Benitez and the board”

Credit: @WiseAlaundo

“What a joke of a football club we’ve become”

Credit: @_owen1878

“£25m?!?!?!?!”

Credit: @_luke1878_

“If this goes ahead on any level I will be FUMING!”

Credit: @anna1efc

“How can #everton sell a quality left-back for £25m yet Man U pay £80m for an average CB? If it’s to sell then make it £50m or there abouts.”

Credit: @Lewinyoeverton

In other news, find out what ‘ridiculous’ club update has Evertonians erupting here!