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With both situated in the lower echelons of the Premier League table, Southampton and Newcastle’s Premier League clash this Saturday already feels like an encounter of grave significance. If Cardiff and Huddersfield fill the bottom two places as expected, it could well be one of these two clubs that joins then in the drop zone come the end of May.

Accordingly, the 3pm at St. Mary’s qualifies as the first relegation six-pointer of the season, and these sides enter the fixture amid eerily similar form. While Saints are four points and five places better off in the Premier League table, both teams have scored six and conceded 14 so far this term.

Confidence is low, form is even worse and the pressure’s certainly building, so who’ll come out on top in this one? We don’t have the powers to predict the result, but here’s everything you need to know ahead of Southampton vs Newcastle…

What History Tells Us

At first glance, there isn’t really much to choose between the teams from their previous 34 meetings in the Premier League. In fact, they’re separated by just three wins, one goal and one clean sheet all in Southampton’s favour, albeit the south coast outfit incurring two red cards to the Magpies’ none.

But there is one statistic here that really stands out – Newcastle’s abysmal record at St. Mary’s. From 17 ventures there to date, perhaps because it’s such a long trip across the country, Saturday’s visitors have left with all three points just once. Southampton, meanwhile, have failed to win just four of the remaining 16 encounters.

Managerial Head-to-Head

While Southampton may boast the better head-to-head record historically, the situation is completely flipped between the two dugouts. From their 13 skirmishes to date, across all clubs and competitions, Mark Hughes has managed to beat Rafa Benitez a mere once, compared to six victories in the Spaniard’s favour. That’s despite the differences in terms of goals and clean sheets being far less considerable, although the gap widens once again when looking at silverware – seven for Benitez, whereas the Welshman continues to wait for his first in club football.

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And while a large chunk of the record harks back to Benitez’s time at Liverpool when he was privy to a high-quality team, that was actually when Hughes recorded his only victory over the former Anfield boss, sealing a win for Blackburn back in 2006. In the seven meeting since, spanning combined spells with Manchester City, Newcastle and Stoke, Benitez has had Hughes’ number.

Referee Influence – Chris Kavanagh

Chris Kavanagh is one of the Premier League’s younger referees at the age of 33, which perhaps explains why there are some discrepancies in his returns so far this season. While he’s ranked decisively lower-mid table from the 17 referees to work in the top flight this term for fouls per match and fouls per tackle, he moves up into the top half for penalties and yellow cards – the decisions that can really decide games. Perhaps that will balance out as the season goes on, but his ranking for spot kicks is particularly high so both teams will need to be wary of how they behave in the box this weekend.

Kavanagh’s other curiosity is the high percentage of games he’s overseen this season that have ended in away wins, three from six. Only three referees to officiate more than one Premier League game in 2018/19 currently have a higher ratio.

Team News

Southampton enter this game with pretty much a clean bill of health – even slight doubt Mario Lemina is expected to start after jarring his knee – and after being surprisingly positive about the scoreless draw at Bournemouth last weekend, we’re expecting Hughes to stick with almost exactly the same lineup.

The only exception comes in attack as the Welsh gaffer continues to try and find a solution to his side’s profligacy. As Hughes himself mentioned in the buildup, Southampton are actually fifth for efforts at goal this season – they just haven’t been able to put them away with the exception of Danny Ings, the club’s top scorer in the Premier League on three goals.

So the crucial question is who partners the summer arrival from Liverpool. After failing to make any kind of impact against the Cherries last time out, we’re tipping Charlie Austin to be dropped for Shane Long. The Irishman isn’t amongst the goals either, but his ability to stretch defences should create the space Ings likes to occupy between the backline and the midfield.

It’s a similar story for Newcastle regarding starting XI changes, with just one anticipated at the tip of the attack. Joselu is by no means a popular figure on Tyneside but he’s the Magpies’ top scorer this season and should give much more of a presence than summer signing Yoshinori Muto, which will be of real importance away from home. In an ideal world, Salomon Rondon would be the man providing it, but he may only be fit enough to feature from the bench.

Elsewhere, Federico Fernandez looks set to continue partnering Jamaal Lascelles at the back, with Florian Lejeune a long-term absentee and Ciaran Clark only just coming back from a recent layoff.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”312947″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Fixture in Focus Southampton v Newcastle”]

Chelsea’s squad is strong, but it certainly has been better in the past. Maurizio Sarri has a bit of a rebuilding job on his hands over the next year or two, with a few major signings still needed.

However, one man that is certainly not required is Aaron Ramsey. According to the Daily Star, the Welshman – who looks set to leave Arsenal at the end of the season – is a target of the Blues.

Fortunately, the publication reports that the club are having second thoughts about a move, and that’s absolutely right. Landing the 27-year-old would be a big mistake on the part of the Chelsea brass.

Naturally, the most obvious reason comes in the form of what Chelsea already have. Between Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Ross Barley, the Blues have two of the Premier League’s most in-form midfielders, whilst Mateo Kovacic has also enjoyed a good start to the season so far. So, given that Ramsey would likely feature in that more advanced attacking role, there just isn’t space for him in the squad.

However, the reasons also go beyond that. His fitness record should certainly raise concern, with the Welshman only having made more than 27 league starts once during his time at Arsenal. Last year he made just 21, and many of those missed displays came through injury.

There’s also his history. He’s an Arsenal man, and he’d have a huge job to do to win over the Chelsea fans.

Furthermore, financially it’s also a deal that may not make sense. Sure, he’d be available on a free, but Alexis Sanchez moved to Man Utd on similar terms last year, and that’s worked out poorly. Sometimes, just because a player doesn’t require a big fee, that still doesn’t make them financially viable.

So, for Chelsea, a move just doesn’t make sense.

Thoughts?

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Nottingham Forest manager Aitor Karanka says he already knows the central midfield pairing he will deploy when his side face Stoke City at the City Ground on Saturday, as quoted by The Nottingham Post.

The Reds currently lie sixth in the Championship standings going into the weekend’s fixtures, and they have also taken seven points from the previous nine available having beaten then league leaders Sheffield United 1-0 at home last Saturday.

With Jack Colback absent, Claudio Yacob got his first start and minutes on the pitch for the east Midlands outfit having signed on as a free agent back in September, and he impressed alongside Adlene Guedioura to give his Spanish boss a real selection dilemma against the Potters.

What did he say?

Speaking via The Nottingham Post, Karanka said:

“I know, already, who is going to play.

“After the game, if I play with Claudio and we win, nothing will be said. If we lose, people will say that I should have played Jack. If I pick Jack, and we lose, people will say I should not have played him – but I know this. It is an easy decision for me to make.

“He was working really hard and has been since he arrived here.

“When he got his chance he played really well.

“It was a difficult game, because Jack is an important player for us. But we did not miss Jack and we did not miss Foxy. That was the main thing. The players who played in their positions – Claudio and Michael (Dawson) were perfect.”

What do his comments really mean?

Well, despite Colback being a key player for Forest already this season, the quotes from the 45-year-old certainly hint that Yacob took his chance in the Newcastle loanee’s absence, and having shone against the league leaders he should keep his spot in the starting XI.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”328443″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch The Accy Show Arsenal Chelsea wins and EFL fourfold”]

Karanka alludes to the Premier League experience the former West Bromwich Albion man has, and that of course could be vital against a side like Stoke who have lots of decent players in their ranks – no matter what their league position may be.

With Yacob and Guedioura seemingly likely to keep their spots with Colback as back-up, 33-year-old Ben Watson looks to be in real trouble having already been an unused substitute in five of the club’s previous seven Championship fixtures.

With game time severely limited, he could find himself surplus to requirements in the New Year if the fine form of Yacob, Colback and Guedioura continues.

Crystal Palace slumped to yet another defeat at the weekend as Roy Hodgson’s side lost out to a Chelsea team that just had too much quality in the end. 

The south London side have now lost seven games in the league and but not for the terrible form of Newcastle, Southampton and Burnley, they would be further down the table.

Wilfried Zaha once again failed to score at the weekend and it’s becoming incredibly clear that if he isn’t at his best, Palace just simply don’t have a chance of winning. In what could be an interesting development, The Sun is reporting that Everton are interested in Aaron Wan-Bissaka and could include Ademola Lookman in a deal that would see the former Charlton man join Crystal Palace.

The Breakdown

Wan-Bissaka has been a star for Palace this season and has arguably been the club’s best player behind Zaha. Therefore, it may seem absurd that the club would let him leave but if they can lure Lookman south, they would have a player who could turn out to be a star for the club and one that could keep them in the league.

Lookman has found it hard to get into the Everton side even though he looked superb while playing for German side, RB Leipzig last season. The former Charlton man scored five goals in 11 games while also grabbing four assists.

He might not be the striker that the club needs but he could certainly lighten the load of Zaha and furthermore, Palace would be able to offer him guaranteed minutes.

What do you think Palace fans? 

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Joe Cole announced on Tuesday that he will be hanging up his playing boots and look to move into coaching, ending a 20-year senior career.

The Paddington-born ace emerged on the scene as a teenager, looked upon as England’s next great player who possessed a wealth of natural talent.

By the age of 21, the 5 foot 7 midfielder carried the West Ham armband as the Hammers fought for survival.

A move to Chelsea the year after saw Cole join a project that went on to win the Premier League three times, the FA Cup twice and finish as runners-up in the 2007-08 Champions League.

The potential was there for a glorious summer in Germany in 2006 as well, Cole starring for England as the Three Lions progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Unfortunately, his career never quite got the rewards it deserved, as the Premier League was not ready for a creative midfielder in a world of 4-4-2s.

Now Cole will try look to try his hand as a coach, potentially producing the next ‘Joe Cole’ in a world that will appreciate the talent far more.

These West Ham fans certainly carry fond memories of the Irons’ academy star…

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Brazil match-winner Richarlison has thanked his move to Goodison Park and working under Marco Silva at Everton as the reason behind his national team breakthrough.

What’s he said? 

Richarlison scored the winning goal as the Selecao saw off Cameroon 1-0 in Milton Keynes on Tuesday night, coming off the bench for Neymar when the Paris Saint-Germain forward developed an adductor muscle injury.

Speaking to the club’s official website, the 21-year-old spoke of how the Merseyside outfit is to thank for his progress on the international scene.

“Training at Everton is intense,” said Richarlison. “There is a lot of quality in the squad and a lot of detail in the sessions.

“It has helped me a lot – both to improve as a player and then in the games and matches with the national team.

“My confidence is growing, not just with the Brazilian team but with Everton also.

“I needed that run of games with my club and more experience. I am so happy to be playing regularly and influencing matches.”

Check out Playmaker FC’s Joe Street’s unfiltered take on Wayne Rooney’s England legacy in the video below…

What does this mean?

The interview with Everton’s official website revealed how Richarlison sees his move from Watford as a big step up that will shape the future of his career.

He also sees how playing alongside a higher calibre of teammates, but also the intense workload and detail Silva places on the training pitches is helping his progress.

Immediately after a solid start to the season for his new side, the Brazilian winger earned his first international call-up and hammered home a brace to brush aside El Salvador 5-0.

Clearly, the ex-Hornet is also taking pleasure from deciding games – something that he has done four times at the Merseyside club so far – and is excelling in his new role as a striker.

What next?

The Toffees paid their manager’s former side £40.5million for the Brazilian’s services in the summer, and he has so far recorded 17 appearances in all competitions for club and country, scoring seven times.

Continuing to build confidence as his side’s leading figure will aid Richarlison in maintaining his early run of form, but he can also take guidance from the world’s most expensive signing.

Neymar told Everton’s official site how he wants to help his younger countryman be the best he can as a friend and mentor, dubbing Richarlison “a really great player and a really nice guy”.

The 26-year-old added: “If he continues to be as smart as he has shown he is, keeps up his hard work and continues to work well, then he can be a great player in the future.”

Everton will be looking to build on their positive 0-0 draw with Chelsea when they take on Cardiff City at Goodison Park tomorrow.

The Toffees impressed in their last Premier League outing just before the international break after they were able to prevent Maurizio Sarri’s side from scoring at Stamford Bridge for the first time this season.

And Cardiff manager Neil Warnock is well aware of the difficult task that lies ahead for his side, highlighting the threat of one Everton player in particular heading into Saturday’s clash.

The Breakdown

“You look at stats and they’re [Everton] the hardest working side in the Premier League at the moment,” Warnock told WalesOnline. “Look at Richarlison up front he’s probably worth double that £45 million!,” the Cardiff boss added.

Against Chelsea, Richarlison was not at his best as he failed to really get into the game due to Chelsea’s dominance of the ball, while the Brazilian is also still adapting to playing as a No.9.

However, overall, Richarlison has been brilliant this season following his big-money move from Watford over the summer and is well on his way to becoming a £90m player, as alluded to by Warnock, which may sound like a huge and crazy claim in this moment of time.

It is, of course, still early days. But Richarlison has all the attributes needed to become a world-class forward. The Brazil international is quick, can dribble and most importantly, starting to become a goalscorer.

And at 21 years of age, he has all the time in the world to develop things like his dribbling and finishing to the point where he can truly be put in that bracket of elite forwards.

Manchester City’s march towards yet another Premier League title continued this weekend as they dispatched Bournemouth with relative ease at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola’s men look far and away the best side in the top flight once again, and it’s little surprise to see them dominating as they are given the calibre of player on display and the influence of their enigmatic Spanish manager.

However, City are not without mistakes as they look to be a dominant force in Europe, and one big mistake we here at the Tavern can’t look past was the decision to allow winger Jadon Sancho to sign for Borussia Dortmund.

The young England star has been superb since making the move to the Bundesliga, and we think that City need to bite the bullet and splash the cash to bring Sancho back to the Etihad before it’s too late and he ends up in the clutches of another rival.

There’s no shame in admitting a mistake, no matter how costly, and Sancho is well on his way to the top, meaning City can’t afford to lose out on such talent in the long run.

Quick, brilliant on the ball and a lethal finisher, Sancho would be a superb long term signing for City as the likes of David Silva and Sergio Aguero continue to age.

City fans, what do you think? Would you take Sancho back? Let us know in the comments!

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According to a report in The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur are ready to do battle with London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal in the race to sign Real Madrid attacker Isco.

What’s the word, then?

Well, The Sun report that the Premier League trio have been linked with moves for the impressive 26-year-old in the past, and their chances of bringing him to England might have been boosted.

The Spain international is struggling for game time under Real manager Santiago Solari – who reportedly doesn’t see eye-to-eye with him – and he has failed to start any of the seven matches the 42-year-old has been in charge of.

The Sun report that a January move is looking like a strong possibility and while Arsenal and Chelsea’s interest would be obvious, Tottenham are ready to make a surprise move, too.

Could they get him?

Of course, any potential Spurs move could depend on how much the player will cost given they have shown that they aren’t willing to throw huge sums of money around for new signings, but they will also be confident that they can compete with their London neighbours when it comes to transfer fees, even if not wages.

That could be a huge sticking point with the 26-year-old sure to demand a significant salary – he is reported to be on £120,000-a-week right now – which should be in reach given recent raises for Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

Speaking of Alli, his position in the starting XI would surely be under threat if the Spaniard did arrive in North London given his ability to play in the No.10 role as well as out wide, and while that must be a consideration for Mauricio Pochettino there is no doubt that the opportunity to add Isco to his squad would take Tottenham to the next level that he and Daniel Levy are dreaming of.

Paul Pogba and Man Utd seem to be after Harry Redknapp’s ‘King of the Jungle’ crown! Check out the video below…

A spot in the knockout round of the Europa League awaits Celtic if they can beat the leaders of Group B Red Bull Salzburg at Celtic Park tonight.

But with Salzburg flying in the Austrian Bundesliga and having taken maximum points in Europe’s second-tier competition, defeating them will be no easy feat.

On top of that, Marco Rose’s men have already claimed victory over Celtic this season, putting into perspective how difficult a challenge the SPL side face. Brendan Rodgers, however, is heading into the game with only victory in mind despite what his team is set to come up against and the fact that they actually only need just a point to secure qualification.

The Breakdown

“It is unworkable [to play for draw], as a coach, a manager… especially when your game is based around an offensive game and aggressive game,” Rodgers was quoted saying by Press Association Sport (via BT Sport).

“Our intent is always to go and win. Of course there are certain stages in the game, especially towards the end when you are in an advantageous position when you can manage the game. But I think it is always dangerous to go into a game thinking you only need a point.”

Assessing the attacking threat of Salzburg who have been scoring goals for fun in both the Austrian Bundesliga and Europa League, sitting back and playing for a draw does pose a risk given that Celtic’s opponents look capable of finding the back of the net regardless of how others set up against them.

Therefore, Rodgers is absolutely making the right call by deciding to take the game to the Austrian champions and not playing for a point.

And at Celtic Park with the likes of Odsonne Edouard, James Forrest and Ryan Christie, there is no reason why the Bhoys cannot pull it off.