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Southampton fans on Twitter have called on the players to put some effort in when the Saints travel to Manchester on Tuesday evening, for the Carabao Cup tie at the Etihad Stadium.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side go into the game against the back-to-back champions after suffering a humiliating 9-0 defeat to Leicester on Friday evening, in front of their own supporters to make matters worse.

It equalled a 24-year long record for the biggest ever Premier League win, previously set by Manchester United against Ipswich in 1995.

Coming up against Pep Guardiola’s side, who have scored 201 Premier League goals across the 2017/18 and 2018/19 campaigns combined, is hardly ideal for the south coast side, but they have plenty to prove to themselves and the supporters.

We can’t speak for every Southampton fan, but some of the Saints supporters on Twitter want to see one thing in Manchester on Tuesday – a bit of effort.

Let’s take a look at some of the tweets…

Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone are seemingly two polar opposites as managers.

The Spaniard’s brand of open and attacking football has earnt him every accolade possible at club level, and his style of play lends itself well to scoring loads of goals.

Watch Manchester City Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

On the other hand, Diego Simeone has garnered a reputation of being one of the best managers in the world via slightly different tactics. The Argentine is famed for his ability to shut up shop and keep clean sheets, beating his opponents through sheer intensity and force of will.

However, the pair may not be as different as you might expect, as one man who has played under both gaffers states they have one important similarity.

Rodri says that Guardiola and Simeone are similar due to the fact that they are both desperate to win, even though their tactics are quite different, constantly pressuring the players to be the best they can be.

In fact, Simeone has previously been critical of the current City boss’ style of play.

It shows how talented a player Rodri is that he’s been a key player under two managers whose philosophies are completely different, and he’s even managed to find common ground between the two.

Since being sacked from his position as manager in December of last year, Jose Mourinho has remained a divisive figure for those associated with Manchester United.

Some fans have admired his brutal honesty and even called for him to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently, the man who succeeded him upon his departure in December 2018.

But his bullish ways when talking about Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw while serving as Old Trafford boss have unlikely been forgotten – his treatment of the latter reportedly left the United players stunned, believing Mourinho was bullying the left-back.

The football was also fairly dire at times, too.

His exit left a bad taste around Old Trafford, and the many contrasting emotions surrounding the former Real Madrid, Inter and Chelsea boss presumably leave many wondering what the general consensus on the Portuguese boss actually is.

While it is by no means a concrete barometer of that, the image below shows that a portion of the Red Devils supporters, at least, still hold their club’s former manager in fond regard.

Mourinho was a pundit for Sky Sports at Sunday’s game between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford, and a few United fans sat below the box were photographed waving and applauding the 56-year-old.

He duly returned their fond greeting by waving back, and while this doesn’t entertain any kind of narrative that the entirety of Old Trafford adores the man who was sacked last year, it does show that at least a handful of them still enjoy the sight of the divisive character.

From Mourinho’s perspective, if he still feels anything towards the Red Devils, he will have been presumably annoyed to see them throw away a 1-0 lead with just five minutes left on the clock against Liverpool, although at least he got a nice reception from the fans below him.

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Tottenham Hotspur looked to have had a reasonably successful summer transfer deadline day having signed Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham and agreed a season-long loan deal with an option to buy for Giovani Lo Celso, but the decision to bring in the latter is looking increasingly naïve.

The Argentina international said in his first interview on Spurs’ official website when he joined that Mauricio Pochettino had targeted him and wanted to bring him to north London, presumably to strengthen his midfield options.

However, given their issues on the road so far this season – they have conceded twice in all of their Premier League and Champions League fixtures on their travels – they appear to be having problems when it comes to shielding the backline.

Of the 121 matches in his career where Transfermarkt have recorded his position, Lo Celso has only played as a defensive midfielder on 19 occasions, with the large majority coming either in central midfield or even further forward in a more attacking role.

That suggests he too isn’t the answer to the issues Tottenham are having right now, where the likes of Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko and fellow new boy Tanguy Ndombele aren’t providing that required protection.

Pochettino obviously felt as though they could bridge the gap, but he has been proved completely wrong.

He also seemingly decided he couldn’t rely on a player who could fill the role in Eric Dier seeing as he is yet to play a single minute of football in either the Premier League or the Champions League in 2019/20, but surely he knew that was the case while the transfer window was open?

Victor Wanyama even came on ahead of the England international against Leicester City at the weekend. This was despite the fact Spurs came close to offloading the Kenya international to Club Brugge, and he put in an awful display and was partly at fault for both of the goals the north London side conceded at the King Power Stadium during his short cameo on the pitch.

So if Wanyama and Dier aren’t the answer, then Pochettino has been left without a specialist defensive midfielder he can rely on.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The decision to sign Lo Celso – who is more similar to Winks, Ndombele, Sissoko, Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and Dele Alli then he is to Wanyama and Dier – is confusing then.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but Tottenham and Pochettino should have made signing a top-class DM a priority moving towards deadline day, because they are paying the price for not having one away from home as things stand.

Mo Salah suffered an injury against Leicester and it is not yet clear if he will be fit to face Manchester United, leading some fans to point to Xherdan Shaqiri as his replacement.

The Switzerland international has been out of action himself in recent weeks after suffering a calf injury, and that has contributed to the fact he has played just 25 minutes this season.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

As a result, the winger will be eager to get game time and would likely jump at the opportunity to fill in for Salah, particularly against a side in Man United whom he enjoyed much success against last term.

His double at Anfield against the Red Devils hasn’t been forgotten by supporters and was the final nail in Jose Mourinho’s coffin as United manager.

This time around, another impressive display from Shaqiri and a Liverpool win could see the end of Ole Gunnar Solsjkaer’s tenure, with the Norweigan having got off to a dismal start to the season with only nine points from eight games.

Here is some of the reaction calling for the inclusion of Shaqiri.

With the absence of Virgil Van Dijk, Liverpool needed someone to inspire their unit against the dangerous Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

Enter Jordan Henderson, who gave his answers to critics with a commanding performance.

While Liverpool couldn’t get the job fully done against a gritty German side, Henderson’s output was nothing less than superb. The Liverpool captain not only kept an eye on to keep the tricky James Rodriguez quiet but also dictated the tempo of their game. He did so admirably, while also elevating the performance-level of Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum.

Allowing his midfielders to press high up, Henderson displayed urgency and energy from his deeper role. Not only did he sniff out dangers and eliminate threat, but also tried to create from his deep role. Henderson played a stunning long-ball to Mohamed Salah in the early minutes, but the Egyptian couldn’t divert it towards goal.

While he was gutted not to gain an assist for that brilliant pass, Henderson kept his head down and claimed his authority in the game. He distributed possession really well, maintaining an 81% passing accuracy. However, his defensive work was brilliant, as he made three tackles and recovered possession eight times. (stats via Fotmob)

An encouraging, vocal figure in midfield, Henderson proved how important he is to Liverpool. He reaffirmed his ability to get the best out of those around him, while also saving his side from doom multiple times and prove himself as the undisputed leader of Jurgen Klopp’s side.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Express, Manchester United sent scouts to watch Kosovo’s clash with England in order to run the rule over Vedat Muriqi.

What’s the word?

Having played for a plethora of clubs in his time in professional football, the 25-year-old really came to the fore after an impressive season in the Turkish Super Lig with Caykur Rizespor.

The striker netted 17 goals over the course of the campaign, and thus earned himself a high-profile move to Fenerbahce this summer.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Now, The Express claim United are the latest club to register their interest in the player, and sent scouts to the Kosovo game to assess him. Aside from the Red Devils, the report claims Premier League rivals Tottenham are also keen on signing him, with Mauricio Pochettino looking to relieve the goal-scoring burden on Harry Kane.

Powerhouse

Standing at 6 foot 4, Muriqi is a physical beast. His fledgling career at Fenerbahce has already seen him score twice in his opening three games for his new side.

He has averaged an incredible five shots per game for the Turkish giants and shown his penchant for getting himself involved in the build-up play with 1.3 key passes per game. But as is to be expected, Muriqi’s height and stature marks him out as someone who can really offer a different threat for United.

His average of four aerial duels won per game also speaks volumes of the battering ram style the Kosovo international possesses, but he is seemingly much more than that. According to his club teammate Max Kruse, Muriqi is incredibly similar to Bayern Munich marksman Robert Lewandwoski.

He said: “He is very ambitious, very willing, very hardworking. I compare him to Lewandowski. I think he will be at Bayern in two or three seasons.”

A lofty comparison indeed. But having sold Romelu Lukaku earlier this summer, United look desperately short of options up front. A swoop for a beast like Muriqi would make so much sense for a side short on firepower, and one with purely pace-based options at the moment.

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Leeds United are interested in signing Blackburn Rovers centre-back Darragh Lenihan, according to a fresh transfer rumour which emerged on Thursday.

The Lowdown: Lenihan shines for Blackburn

Tony Mowbray’s side are enjoying an excellent season currently, sitting second in the Championship and looking strong to seal promotion to the Premier League.

Lenihan has been an undisputed key man for Blackburn, starting 26 of 28 league games at the heart of the defence and being hailed as ‘special’ by his manager.

The captain’s performances appear to have alerted a host of clubs, however, with a potential move to the top flight now on the cards.

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The Latest: Leeds in the mix

According to a report from TEAMtalk (27/01/22), Leeds are one of numerous Premier League teams eyeing up a move for Lenihan, with Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Wolves and Everton also mentioned.

The 27-year-old’s current Blackburn deal expires at the end of the season, meaning the Whites could snap him up on a free transfer if he doesn’t extend his stay at Ewood Park.

Promotion could be a determining factor in convincing the Republic of Ireland international to stay put.

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The Verdict: Good squad acquisition

While the step up to the Premier League from the Championship is admittedly great, Lenihan’s performances this season suggest he could be a shrewd signing by Leeds.

The Irishman has won an impressive average of 5.1 aerial duels per match in the league this season, not to mention 4.9 clearances each game too.

To put that into context, Liam Cooper leads the way for the Whites in aerial duels with 3.6, highlighting the Blackburn skipper’s prowess in both boxes, while no Leeds player with more than one appearance boasts more clearances than Lenihan.

The fact that he would be available on a free takes out the financial risk element, too, so there is a little about the move that feels negative.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly considering another bid for one player. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips could be keen to join Aston Villa because of Steven Gerrard’s influence, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Phillips rumours continue

The 26-year-old has endured an injury-plagued season for the Whites, proving to be mostly helpless in their battle to stave off the threat of relegation.

At the same time, Phillips has been continually linked with a move away from his boyhood club this summer, as he potentially eyes up a fresh challenge with a side chasing European football rather than running from the drop.

Villa are one of those to have shown an interest in the midfielder, who has been lauded as ‘phenomenal’ by former England manager Fabio Capello, with Gerrard reportedly plotting to launch a £60m bid this summer.

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The Latest: Gerrard influence key?

Speaking to Give Me Sport about those rumours, Jones believes Gerrard’s legendary reputation in the game could be enough for Villa to snap up Phillips in the summer:

“I think if Kalvin Phillips were to leave Leeds, he would be looking for certain aspects to fit what he’s looking for. Aston Villa have got Steven Gerrard and that, obviously, is a massive positive for them in terms of persuading him.

“They’re going to be pushing for European football from this point on and that’s the aim, so that’ll suit him.”

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The Verdict: Perfect mentor?

While Gerrard is clearly a legend of the game and someone any midfielder would want to learn from, a move to Villa still wouldn’t feel like a big enough step up for Phillips.

Granted, they are currently faring better than Leeds, but if the England international is to leave the club, it should be for a team playing in the Champions League rather than one currently sitting ninth in the Premier League table.

Only Phillips knows what his decision will be – so much may hinge on whether or not Leeds are relegation – but moving solely because of a manager who may not be at Villa Park forever would feel a little like a sideways move.

In other news, Leeds are thought to be keen on signing a defender. Find out who it is here.

Tottenham Hotspur are close to finalising Hugo Lloris’ contract extension…

What’s the word?

That is according to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold of football.london, who delivered what he described as “a positive update” on the current situation.

‘football.london understands that with talks finally having begun, Lloris’ new contract is expected to be finalised very soon, with the keeper keen to stay and what are believed to be modest demands from him deemed more than reasonable by the club,” he wrote in an accompanying article this week.

The 35-year-old’s £100k-per-week contract was due to expire at the end of the season, so this claim will serve as a major boost to manager Antonio Conte, the squad and the fanbase.

Conte will be delighted

Indeed, the Italian head coach will be loving this news from behind the scenes at Hotspur Way.

Conte’s history with goalkeepers suggests that he likes one solid option between the sticks across all competitions and that’s exactly what he gets with Lloris, who has proven to be a reliable and vastly-experienced choice over the years.

“Hugo today showed that he is at the top and he is always focused and for us, he is very important and I am sure that in the short time they can find a solution in the club because he loves Tottenham and Tottenham loves him,” the 52-year-old told reporters after the win over Watford on New Years Day.

The World Cup winner is on the cusp of joining the 400-club at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – should things go their way, he will reach that feat in February, having played 394 times since arriving in a £12m deal from Lyon in September 2012.

In that time, Lloris has kept 134 clean sheets and whilst on the face of it, that’s not overwhelmingly exciting, he has not had a solid backline in front of him for several seasons now. If anything, his presence has stopped them from leaking even more goals in recent times.

“He is brave, performance, quality he showed he is one of the best in the world, no doubt,” once claimed former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

The fact that the club are close to agreeing on fresh terms is indeed positive and that should leave Conte a little less worried heading into the summer. He’ll be delighted to tie his no.1 down for the foreseeable.

AND in other news ,Spurs could sign next De Bruyne in “complete” £24.3m-rated gem, he bullied Pochettino’s PSG…