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According to Calciomercato, Rome rivals Lazio and Roma are both keen on signing Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes, who is currently on loan with Everton.

It is thought that a deal taking the 25-year-old to Italy won’t be done until the summer, but interest from those Serie A giants could make it very hard for the Toffees to make Gomes’ switch to Goodison Park a permanent one, as the The Guardian have reported is Marco Silva’s desire.

In case Silva doesn’t get his wish though, the Portuguese coach ought to already be putting a plan in place for life without Gomes.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Place faith in Tom Davies

Davies is yet to really cement himself as a regular starter on Merseyside, but to have amassed almost 70 career appearances for the club by the age of 20 is impressive. Clearly, the England under-21 international is a player with huge potential.

He is still somewhat raw, and needs to improve his end product, but if Silva is bold and invests his faith in Davies as the heir to Gomes’ place in the side, then he could be handsomely rewarded for it when the Everton academy product flourishes.

Drop Sigurdsson deeper

Sigurdsson is certainly at his best in the No. 10 position, but as he approaches 30, his experience could perhaps be put to better use in a deeper role. 

Gomes is currently tasked with operating as Everton’s deep-lying playmaker, initiating and orchestrating attacking moves from the heart of the pitch. Sigurdsson has the technical ability, composure and creativity to pull this off. However, defensive deficiencies could hold him back.

Steel over silk

With Morgan Schneiderlin far from the required quality to be a trusted regular in Everton’s starting XI, Idrissa Gueye is the only reliable defensive midfielder at Silva’s disposal. However, this often leaves the 29-year-old with far too much to do, as he has to offset the limitations in Gomes’ game.

On occasion, this overburdening of Gueye has led to Everton being overrun in midfield. With that in mind, finding a like-for-like replacement for Gomes may not be the wisest move. Instead, Silva ought to leave the attacking responsibility to his forwards, and focus on adding to some extra steel and resilience to his midfield contingent.

Arsenal breathed new life into their season this weekend with an excellent 2-0 home win over Chelsea at the Emirates.

The Gunners have looked well at times this term under new manager Unai Emery, and given the result this weekend, they could well be on track to land a place back in the top four and secure Champions League football come the end of the campaign.

Emery will be hoping the result means his side can go on a big run of results now, but we here in the Tavern feel given the job he is doing, he should be backed in the market by his board in the January window.

Although loan only options have been mentioned, we feel the club should stump up the cash to sign Napoli midfielder Piotr Zielinski, who has once again been having a fine season for the Naples club.

Valued at some £40m on Transfermarkt, the Poland international would add some bite and energy to the Arsenal midfield, ultimately allowing their more attacking flair players to kick on and win the game for Emery’s men.

Zielinski has long been one of the most consistent performers in the Italian league for some time now, and he has always looked the sort of player who’d be well suited to the English game.

Should Arsenal really want to go all in with Emery and give him the sort of squad what can challenge even further in the near future, then signing someone like Zielinski could be the perfect way to showcase that.

Gunners fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!

As per the club’s official website, Premier League outfit Newcastle United sealed a move for defender Antonio Barreca on the final day of the January transfer window. The 23-year-old had been playing his football at French outfit Monaco and had done so since 2018, although struggles for regular first team football at the Stade Louis II this season called his future at the club into doubt as the winter window progressed.

And it was Rafa Benitez’s Magpies who officially got a deal done for the left back on loan until the end of the season, and with the North East giants having the option to buy the Italian outright come the summer, his addition could finally rid Newcastle of awful Javier Manquillo, valued at £4.5 million by Transfermarkt.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the Magpies were crying out for reinforcements during the January window given they again look set for a battle against Premier League relegation, what with Benitez’s side sat 14th in the table and only five points clear of the bottom three.

And the full back department was one area in particular in which improvements were necessary, what with the injury to Paul Dummett at the start of the year leaving Manquillo and DeAndre Yedlin as Benitez’s only senior options down the flanks.

In fact, the Spaniard has often played a back three and utilised Matt Ritchie as a left wing-back in recent weeks to underline just how unconvinced he is by Manquillo’s ability, with his future at St James’ Park now even more uncertain following the arrival of 23-year-old Barreca.

The former Italian youth international may well have struggled for regular game time at lowly Monaco this season, appearing only seven times in Ligue 1, but that shouldn’t detract from the obvious qualities he is going to bring to this Newcastle side from left back.

While the likes of Dummett and Manquillo are reasonably solid defensively, neither have that dynamism to really push forward and aid in attack, yet that is exactly what Barreca seeks to do down the left-hand-side – the fact he has played as a wing back and indeed a winger is testament to his attacking pedigree.

And that does appear to have been missing greatly from Newcastle’s play in recent years given the options in that department simply don’t possess that attacking instinct – Barreca will go some way to providing them with that though.

And that spells bad news for Manquillo and his chances of earning first team football in the second half of the season – he is already behind Dummett in the pecking order, let alone now Barreca has made the move to St James’ Park.

And with the 24-year-old having struggled for game time in Dummett’s absence, alongside the arrival of another accomplished left back in Barreca, it doesn’t look like he has much of a future, certainly in the short-term but maybe in the long-term as well, at St James’ Park.

Newcastle fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter in delighted fashion after it was revealed that Mohamed Salah would not be included in Egypt’s squad for the international fixtures in March, as reported by Kingfut.com.

The Premier League’s top scorer will not be called up to the squad for the game against Niger in the AFCON qualifiers on March 21, nor the friendly against Nigeria four days later.

Significantly, the Pharaohs have already qualified for the tournament, so can afford not to call the 26-year-old into the squad for the competitive game.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

The decision means Salah will be afforded a break between the Reds’ trip to Fulham on March 17, and a huge match against title rivals Tottenham at Anfield on March 31, which Jurgen Klopp will surely be overjoyed at.

Naturally, with the way things are going right now, fans of the Premier League’s second-placed team are ecstatic with the news on Twitter…

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Newcastle United have confirmed that Miguel Almiron will start Monday’s clash with Wolves from the bench.

The January signing from Atlanta United had been expected to make his debut at Molineux.

Instead, Rafael Benitez opted to pick Almiron on the bench.

The 24-year-old became Newcastle’s record signing when he linked up with the Magpies, who paid £20m to secure his signature. That beat the previous record, held by Michael Owen, who was signed for £16m from Real Madrid in 2005.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Fans have been excited to see Almiron make his Magpies bow, such has been his form in MLS.

Almiron scored 22 goals and provided 21 assists in 70 outings for the club, and has also won 13 caps for Paraguay.

It remains to be seen if he will be able to adjust to the rigours of English football but Newcastle fans are hoping that he will be coming off the bench to make his debut against Wolves, with the club looking to pull away from danger at the bottom of the Premier League.

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…

Last year’s Champions League run was magnificent from Liverpool.

They found themselves in a difficult group, being drawn alongside both Napoli and PSG. Their attempts to qualify for the next round took them to the sixth and final matchday, and they made it through thanks to a 1-0 victory against the Serie A side.

They then faced Bayern Munich – who they beat 3-1 on aggregate after a fantastic display in the Allianz Arena in the second leg – before easily dispatching Porto 6-1 over two matches in the quarter-finals. Next up, they faced La Liga giants Barcelona in their toughest test of the tournament.

In the first match at the Camp Nou, they were put to the sword by the Catalan club. Led by the ever-magnificent Lionel Messi – he bagged himself a brace, including a quite stunning free-kick – the Blaugrana won 3-0, and it looked as though they had booked their place in the final after just 90 minutes.

That looked even more certain when it was confirmed that Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino would miss the return match through injury. However, you discount the Reds at your peril. In an exhilarating game, Liverpool not only levelled things up, but passed their opponents by winning 4-0, sending Anfield into raptures. From the jaws of defeat, they had somehow snatched victory.

After the match, Klopp and the Liverpool players sang the club’s famous anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone, in unison with, and in front of the Kop. It was a beautiful experience for all involved, and it has now even won the Great Coaching Moment of the Year award.

The Merseyside club then went on to win the trophy, beating Tottenham 2-0 in Madrid. Whilst that showpiece will live long in the memory, the match itself was something of an anti-climax. Klopp’s team scored early on, and then controlled the match until Divock Origi put the game beyond doubt in the final minutes. Arguably, that semi-final was better than the final.

That seems an incredibly thing to say considering the clash in Spain ended in a trophy, but just look at the way Liverpool came back against Barca, and the improvised actions of the 52-year-old boss after the match. It was no doubt one of the best comebacks in the competition’s history, and you could see after the match had ended just how much it meant to the players. Fabinho, the defensive midfielder, was even in tears as he faced the supporters.

Much harder than you’d think… Can you name Liverpool’s top scorers for each of these 25 seasons?

Sure, winning the trophy was great, but even that couldn’t top that night against Messi and Co. It may even live longer in the memory than the actual final match itself.

In other news, one on-loan Liverpool man is struggling to impress.

It was far from pretty but they got the job done in the end. Away from home at Wolves, with conditions more monsoon-like than anything, Tottenham snatched a last-gasp victory to close in on the race for the top four. And whilst the performance itself left a lot to to be desired, the result proved that Jose Mourinho still has that classic magic touch in his managerial hands.

The Portuguese boss has never been a stickler for playing attractive football, more interested in hunting down trophies and being firmly invested in the results-based business. It is has been the key to his trophy-laden career at the top level, grinding out wins at whatever cost. And on Sunday afternoon, Spurs embodied that fighting spirit by battling through adversity to the very end.

As per Sofascore, they had just nine total shots on goal – exactly half of what Nuno Espirito Santo’s side managed over the course of the 90 minutes. But whilst they were comprehensively outworked in the attacking phases of the game, Mourinho’s defensive nous and touch shone through in his Spurs team.

Watch Spurs vs Brighton Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

They won more total duels, made more tackles, more interceptions, and more clearances. In all those important categories that are used to determine how well or influential a back-line is, the north Londoners dominated.

Spurs die-hards are getting 70% on this Ultimate Tottenham Quiz. Can you beat them?

It was an inherently typical away day in the Premier League. Battling under the cosh for much of the game, and hoping that you just take your limited opportunities. Sometimes it’s a piece of magic, and sometimes it comes from a set-piece, and that’s exactly what happened when Jan Vertonghen headed home in injury-time to send the away fans at Molineux into delirium.

After seeing Spurs fold so limply in their 7-2 defeat to Bayern Munich earlier in the season under Mauricio Pochettino, their hard-fought and gruelling win over Wolves was a perfect snapshot of what Mourinho can bring to this team. It was a performance so fitting of their recently appointed Portuguese boss, and one they will be hoping that can be replicated over a long and arduous campaign.

Meanwhile, Tottenham fans have lauded this man after his commanding display against Wolves.

Nowadays it’s really difficult to find any sort of flaw in Liverpool’s performances as the Reds sit undefeated at the top of the Premier League.

But there are still some things Jurgen Klopp needs to address when the transfer window reopens in January and with that in mind, Football FanCast has outlined two such priorities for the Anfield boss…

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Fabinho 2.0

Liverpool’s starting XI is pretty much set in stone these days but when looking a little deeper at the squad, it does seem like they are lacking depth in certain areas across the pitch. One such area is the defensive midfielder position, with the Reds in need of a like-for-like backup to Fabinho.

No clues: Can you name the season these iconic Liverpool images belong to?

There is no one in the team other than the Brazilian who is a natural pivot and with him injured at the moment, Klopp has ended up using the likes of Georginio Wijnaldum and Jordan Henderson there instead.

They’re certainly capable but are by no means top-class holding midfield options either – and that could really tell in the business end of the season if Fabinho ends up missing some big games.

Going into the market and finding someone suitable to perform that role would be a shrewd piece of business for the German coach – especially if it can be done on the cheap.

Watch Leicester vs Liverpool Free Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

Cover for the full-backs

Continuing in a similar manner, both Trent Alexander-Arnold and especially Andrew Robertson don’t seem to have any real substitutes of equal or similar quality.

There’s no denying their own capabilities but that in itself highlights how important the full-back positions are for Liverpool – they provided an incredible 29 assists across all competitions last season.

Ever since Moreno’s departure, only James Milner has been able to give Robertson respite, and he’s still very much a midfielder by trade.

Practically the same thing can be said for the opposite side of the pitch where Alexander-Arnold is currently playing. Joe Gomez is the only real alternative yet he should be gaining as much experience as possible at centre-half.

Having two brilliant full-backs is a blessing in modern football but Klopp has to find them some back-up just in case they suffer long-term injuries.

The season is extremely long and Liverpool will need all the help they can get if this one is to end with their first ever Premier League title.

The FA Cup clash against Rochdale has come at just the right time for Newcastle after multiple injuries to key players hindered them in defeat against Leicester.

Jetro Willems, Jonjo Shelvey, Fabian Schar and Javier Manquillo all had to depart the pitch against the Foxes on Wednesday due to picking up injuries, with DeAndre Yedlin completing the 90 minutes despite suffering a broken hand.

Those four join the likes of Jamaal Lascelles, Allan Saint-Maximin and Ciaran Clark on the treatment table, meaning there is something of an injury crisis at St. James’ Park.

As a result, Steve Bruce should make full use of his opportunity to play against third-tier opposition, though that doesn’t mean he should take Rochdale too lightly.

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The biggest change he could make is to draft U23 captain Owen Bailey into the side to partner Federico Fernandez. He’s yet to play for the senior side but with Florian Lejeune the only other fit natural centre-back in the squad, perhaps resting him after starting four games in 12 days is a good idea.

He also made two key errors last time out which allowed the visitors to take a 2-0 lead, and Newcastle can’t afford such lapses in concentration.

Who the heck is that?! Can you name all 25 of these obscure Liverpool signings…

A switch to 4-4-2 would also allow Bruce to experiment a little and perhaps get the best out of Dwight Gayle, who should be supported by Yoshinori Muto. Here’s the team we’re suggesting as eight changes are made.

As well as those missing out through injury, this match also presents a chance to rest Martin Dubravka, Isaac Hayden and Joelinton, who have all featured heavily in the busy festive period.

A chance to see the Longstaff brothers paired in midfield will likely excite supporters and with Miguel Almiron and Christian Atsu on the flanks, the Magpies should have enough pace and quality to see off The Dale.

Paul Dummett has spent time out recently but he could also be drafted in due to Willems’ injury, while Emile Krafth and Karl Darlow also deserve a chance to prove themselves to Bruce.

On the transfer front, the Magpies are in need of a new striker this month due to the continued disappointment of one man.

For Premier League teams the FA Cup returns this weekend.

With Leicester sitting second in the Premier League, this is a great opportunity for the Foxes to upset the apple cart and potentially end their season in May with some silverware.

It was incredibly surprising last season that Claude Puel decided not to take the FA Cup seriously as they were dumped out in January by Newport County.

That defeat saw a huge amount of rotation as fringe players got their opportunities. Most notably individuals like Shinji Okazaki and Rachid Ghezzal came into the team.

Considering they were 12 points off the top four at this stage of the campaign last term, it was bizarre that they didn’t field a stronger line-up.

However, with Leicester having something to compete for in the league this term, Brendan Rodgers should look to take the same approach as Puel, at least in the third round anyway.

The Foxes could make as many as nine changes for their clash against Wigan on Saturday evening. A busy festive schedule dictates that players should be rested while back to back victories with fringe players at the forefront is evidence that Rodgers can rely on his entire squad to deliver.

Danny Ward is one of the changes and is set to play in just his third match this season as their resident cup goalkeeper.

James Justin earned glowing reviews from supporters after his performance against West Ham and is likely to come in for Ricardo Pereira who only returned from a minor injury against Newcastle.

Wes Morgan could be set for a rare start with Christian Fuchs making a successive appearance too.

The midfield will have a different look to it, one that sees Hamza Choudhury play next to Nampalys Mendy. The former comes into the game off the back of his very first senior strike.

Can you remember how much each of these transfer icons cost? Only experts will get 100% on our quiz…

Dennis Praet missed some of the festive period with illness but Rodgers has confirmed that he’ll be available to face the Latics so he plays behind the striker.

That midfield means that influential figures Wilfred Ndidi, James Maddison and Youri Tielemans all have to settle for roles from the bench.

Jamie Vardy was absent with a calf problem last time out so it’s unlikely he’ll be risked in the FA Cup this time around.

Meanwhile, Brendan Rodgers has another potential success story right in the palms of his hands…