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West Bromwich Albion failed to secure any points at the Hawthorns last time out as they were beaten by Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough.

The Baggies now find themselves seven points off the automatic promotion places, with Norwich City and Leeds United both sitting on 57 points at this moment in time.

Indeed, the Midlands club managed to secure the likes of Mason Holgate, Stefan Johansen, Jacob Murphy and Jefferson Montero during the January transfer window.

However, Murphy failed to impress in the Premier League and he wasn’t able to secure too many minutes before moving to the Hawthorns, so it remains to be seen as to whether he’ll have much of an impact from here on in.

Instead, the Baggies should have tried to sign Nottingham Forest’s Joe Lolley after being credited with an interest back in December of last year.

Lolley has been one of the standout performers in the Championship this season as he continues to play a monumental part at the City Ground, with eight goals and eight assists to his name at this moment in time. He has the ability to operate on either flank, as well as down the middle, so the Baggies could have secured themselves a potential replacement for Harvey Barnes, despite signing Johansen.

Indeed, the Englishman should arguably be playing in the Premier League after witnessing his quality performances in the current campaign. He would have slotted right into Darren Moore’s style, and his pace, dribbling and creativity would’ve worked wonders in behind the likes of Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle.

It’s safe to say that the 26-year-old would’ve sent the Baggies towards the Premier League had he made the move to the Hawthorns, as he’s very similar to Harvey Barnes with the ability to score goals and provide.

West Brom fans – thoughts on whether you should have signed Lolley? 

Marcelo Bielsa at Everton – could you imagine that? Well, it appears as though the folks at the Mirror certainly could, as the English publication has touted him as a potential replacement for Marco Silva, should the Portuguese lose his job at Goodison Park. 

It’s not too far fetched when you think about it. Bielsa’s garnered a reputation for being a manager that is able to make an immediate impact wherever he goes, whilst he also plays the stylish brand of football that Everton are seeking.

He’d do things a little differently to Silva, that’s for sure, and there would certainly be some changes as far as the Toffees’ team is concerned. A few players could well lose their places in the team under the managership of the Argentine.

But who would make the cut?

Bielsa’s use of formations is interesting, as he tends to rely on either a 4-1-4-1 or a 4-3-3 – though each system is interchangeable. What both systems require, however, are a defensively-minded midfielder, a potent forward, and a lot of energy up and down the pitch. That’s worth bearing in mind, as it will be important when discussing who would play under him.

Of course, Jordan Pickford would be an obvious starter, and that would continue regardless of whether Silva left. The Englishman isn’t the most consistent goalkeeper, but he is one of the best in England – and that counts for something. He’s saved Everton a few times this season already.

Lucas Digne and Seamus Coleman, you’d expect, would also feature regularly for the Toffees. Both have enjoyed good runs at Goodison Park, and there is no doubting the sheer talent of either individual. Their pace and energy would suit Bielsa well. In defence, the pairing of Kurt Zouma and Yerry Mina could be favoured over Michael Keane – simply due to their physicality and mobility. Keane has had a good season this year, but his inconsistent form over the last few years does mean that the jury is still out on him. In Mina and Zouma, Bielsa would have everything he likes; power, pace, technique, agility.

In midfield, Idrissa Gueye would be the defensive master that was previously mentioned. He’s a fantastic tackler, and when Everton move forward, he’d be expected to sit back and defend. Alongside him, Andre Gomes would be more of a mobile player, always running and pressing the opposition, and he’d be one of the most important players in this system. Gylfi Sigurdsson would sit just ahead of them, and he’d prioritise being a creator. He’d thrive in a system that’s built around him, and Bielsa would certainly look to do that.

Going forward, it’s hard to look past Richarlison as Everton’s striker. The Toffees need to find a new forward, but until they do, the Brazilian ticks most of the boxes. He’s quick, he’s technically-gifted, and he’s fantastic at linking up play. He’s the best they’ve got. Bernard, meanwhile, who is a fantastic runner with bags of technique, seems to be a good fit on the left, and given time, he could prove to be a shrewd acquisition. Over the years, Marcelo Bielsa has shown an affinity for young players, as he has with Jack Clarke at Leeds, so perhaps Lookman could be a benefactor of that. He’s looked good whenever he has played, but a lack of opportunities has persisted.

With only a few minor changes, Bielsa could help take Everton to the next level.

Thoughts?

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According to London Evening Standard, Manchester United are prepared to pay £34million to land the services of Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has inevitably made himself an impressive candidate for the Old Trafford job on a permanent basis, but it’s claimed United won’t simply retain the Norwegian based on cost – they’re prepared to shell out what would be a massive sum in managerial terms.

Indeed, we rarely hear of managers attracting that kind of amount in compensation, their equivalent of transfer fees, so Football FanCast’s writers answer a simple question – is United’s big-money managerial target really worth that much?

Billy Meyers

“Unquestionably. In this day and age, where players are going for over £100million and not even making a significant impact on the pitch (see Philippe Coutinho at Barcelona), paying such a tiny fee in comparison for a man who has no element of risk about him seems like a no-brainer. Pochettino would transform Manchester United, and the reported £34m fee will seem like peanuts in a few years – if Tottenham were to accept such an offer, they will live to regret it.”

Harry Sherlock

“Absolutely. Pochettino has turned Spurs into title contenders, he’s taken them into the Champions League and he’s proved that Spurs can best the likes of Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund. The performance in the Camp Nou against Barcelona – a brave 1-1 draw, inspired by some bold tactics – was very United-like. Spending £34million on a new manager is better than splashing out a similar amount on a player who may or may not adapt to Old Trafford. Pochettino surely would. And that’s not to mention the fact that he might want to take the likes of Dele Alli and Toby Alderweireld with him…”

James Beavis

“He is without a shadow of a doubt. Pochettino would galvanise Manchester United as a whole, from the hierarchy down to the players and the fans. He would get the team picking up results while improving the players that he has, rather than the club needing to delve into the transfer market so often buying players like Alexis Sanchez. In short, the Argentine is the manager that can bring the Premier League title back to Old Trafford, and while £34million would be a huge outlay, there is no reason why he couldn’t be at United for the next 10 years.”

Will Jones

“Of course he is. He’s made Spurs a regular Champions League side – even title contenders. In his almost five campaigns in north London, he has utterly transformed the club. United were willing to spend almost £50million on Fred. By those standards, Pochettino should be worth as much to them as Neymar is to PSG. The Argentine coach is just what’s needed at Old Trafford, and United should not let a relatively measly price tag prevent them from taking this necessary forward step.”

Liverpool were able to reclaim top spot in the Premier League following their 0-0 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford over the weekend, though pressure looks like it is starting to take its toll.

The Independent reports in detail Jurgen Klopp and Jordan Henderson’s touchline row following the England midfielder’s initial refusal to shake his manager’s hand after being substituted off.

Klopp, however, remains adamant that whatever pressure Liverpool are currently feeling is a positive kind. “Of course there is pressure. Actually, from my point of view, it is a very positive pressure, but I don’t have to play – I only sit here and say dumb things, so that’s easy,” the Liverpool boss told Sky Sports after the game.

Whatever the case, following their touchline incident, here are two potential replacements for Henderson as Liverpool captain should Klopp ever decide a change is needed.

Virgil van Dijk

There have already been calls from some sections of Liverpool’s support for Virgil van Dijk to be made club captain, and it is not hard to see why.

Van Dijk, who is currently the captain of the Netherlands national team, is a real leader at the back.

The 27-year-old can often be seen marshalling the rest of Liverpool’s defence while instructing goalkeeper Alisson when and where to play it short and when to get rid of the ball.

Ultimately, van Dijk is both the model central defender and leader. The former Southampton man looks destined to one day lead Liverpool as a permanent skipper.

James Milner

Already the vice-captain in the squad, Milner would probably be the natural choice as successor if it ever came to Henderson being stripped of the captaincy.

The 33-year-old has earned his stripes as vice-captain and certainly deserves to be in the conversation for the honour above given all of the experience he has amassed down the years as well as his displays on the pitch.

Milner works extremely hard whenever given the opportunity to play, making no complaints about being used as a makeshift right-back, left-back or wherever Klopp has deployed him.

If van Dijk is the model player when it comes to central defenders, then Milner is the model professional when it comes to all footballers.

By no means should Henderson be removed as Liverpool captain after a small incident such as the one at Old Trafford. But if he is — now or in the future — Liverpool have more than one player ready to come and step in.

Mr. Controversy, Marko Arnautovic’s found himself in a precarious position at West Ham United, incurring the wrath of sections of support after being linked to a move away in January.

His manager, for one, wasn’t impressed with his actions and has seemingly banished him from the starting XI after everything cleared up in February.

Arnautovic was replaced with Javier Hernandez and West Ham’s promising form means they aren’t missing him. However, if his substitute appearance against Fulham proved anything, he still possesses the ability to create moments of brilliance not many are capable of.

He put in a glowing performance in the London Derby, proving his creativity with a clever assist for Michail Antonio in the dying stages to seal an important win. Before that, the former Stoke City ace came close to scoring his first in over a month, having his powerful header saved by Sergio Rico.

The Austrian striker is undoubtedly the most prolific one they have currently, having scored seven goals assisted three so far for the Hammers. Apart from that, the fact that he possesses a shooting accuracy of 52% and created six big chances in 19 appearances (stats via Premier League) proves how versatile an attacker he is.

Arnautovic not only has a fantastic eye for goal but can open up the Hammers attack and provide width with his ability to play anywhere in the final third.

He’s served his “punishment” without hesitation and it’s high time West Ham forgive his actions, as they need his clinical ability to finish the season strongly.

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Everton fans greeted the final whistle at Goodison Park against Liverpool on Sunday with a guttural roar.

The two sides played out a 0-0 draw and the result means the Toffees remain tenth in the Premier League but the significance was in denying the Reds, who now sit second, one point behind champions Manchester City.

On the chalkboard

This is a remarkably tight title race and Liverpool could well be top next weekend, such is the unpredictability of the Premier League.

But the ashen-faced club legends, Ian Rush and Kenny Dalglish, watching on from the stands, told the story – telling a thousand words. This felt remarkably significant.

City have not been top, having played the same amount of games as Liverpool, since early December, yet they now have the lead with nine games of the season remaining.

Liverpool, playing in a cauldron of noise, simply did not take their chances.

Per WhoScored, Liverpool made 475 passes to Everton’s 342, they had three more shots on goal, and they won more aerial duels. But this was a display that was typified by nervousness.

Mohamed Salah had two shots on goal and tested Jordan Pickford both times but 99% of Liverpool fans would have backed him to score both. As it were, they were relatively tame efforts. Yet again, the Egyptian let his side down on the biggest of occasions.

All in all, as the game appeared primed for a dramatic conclusion, Liverpool faded, ceding the advantage to the Toffees – indeed, it was the Reds who lost the ball the most, who made the most tackles and who completed the most clearances.

Bottled?

Liverpool have still only lost once this season, to City.

But they have drawn seven games to City’s two and it is starting to look all the more costly.

City play some tough games in the run-in – Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United stand out as the biggest banana skins – but they are now ahead, and they know how they cope with the pressure.

When faced with the prospect of a challenger breathing down their neck, City tend to hit the accelerator and roar away.

Whatever happens between now and May, Liverpool are relying on a slip from Pep Guardiola’s men.

History tells us that it’s unlikely and that the Reds may come to rue this derby.

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Leeds United returned to the top of the Championship table with a comfortable 3-0 win over strugglers Reading at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday.

Midfielder Mateusz Klich opened the scoring for the Whites, before a Pablo Hernandez brace sealed the points. 

One man who failed to get on the scoreboard, though, was the visitors’ No. 9 Patrick Bamford. Whilst he produced a delightful dummy to help set up Klich’s opener, the 6’1” striker missed a host of chances himself to add to his tally of six goals from 14 league outings so far this season.

Marcelo Bielsa will be desperately hoping that these spurned chances don’t knock the forward’s confidence too much, as with Kemar Roofe still sidelined with injury Bamford represents the Whites’ only available out-and-out first team centre-forward.

Who has been the Championship’s best player this season? The Pl>ymaker FC squad discuss in the video below…

Not only do Leeds need Bamford to be fit, but they need him to be in form too. Bielsa’s side face a huge clash with fellow promotion-chasers Sheffield United at Elland Road this weekend. The 25-year-old must take his chances against the Blades.

Many will be hoping that his toils against Reading only serve to fuel his determination to prove his quality on Saturday.

After the win over the Royals, plenty of Leeds fans took to Twitter to discuss what they saw from Bamford…

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There is light at the end of the tunnel. It seems that Tottenham’s proposed move into the new stadium is not some form of new media hoax after all. After progressing to the quarter-final of the Champions League with a convincing 4-0 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund, Mauricio Pochettino was straightforward about the logistics behind his side’s next European home fixture: “I expect to play in the new stadium.”

While the news will naturally be greeted with a sense of cathartic relief after months of relentlessly tedious, jarring and ultimately futile speculation, equally there exists a feeling of anti-climatic ruefulness. This is not the clearly-defined grand opening which fans would have been well within their rights to anticipate for a modern, state-of-the-art footballing cathedral; this has been a chaotic fiasco to get over the finish line which has played out in the midst of the public gaze.

To compound the problem for Spurs, the move has coincided with a complete absence of spending in the transfer market. Through all of this Pochettino has managed to keep the club near the summit of the Premier League table, and it’s about time Levy rewarded his commendable professionalism with a summer signing to transform his team into genuine silverware contenders.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals what Lasagne-Gate was really like for Tottenham’s food-poisoned stars – Check out the video below…

Tottenham are on the cusp of something special, a feeling which has bubbled beneath the surface in north London since they fell just short of the title in 2016, but they are missing vital ingredients to make the final step into Europe’s elite.

The new stadium is unquestionably a factor which will add an extra layer to their credentials next season. New signings, however, will dictate the pattern of the season. With that said, Levy must prioritise a deal to re-sign Gareth Bale when the summer transfer window opens for business.

Not only would Bale’s arrival inject a layer of quality into the squad which has only been matched by Harry Kane in recent years, it would go some way to making up for the entire debacle surrounding the stadium move and represent a symbol of Levy’s intentions in a new era at Spurs.

According to a report published in The Independent in January, Real Madrid have already made contact with the north London club over a deal for Christian Eriksen, and now The Mirror believe that Bale could be used as a makeweight to finance a deal for the Denmark international.

The excitement which a move for the Wales international, valued at £63 million by Transfermarkt, would galvanise the fan base at a watershed moment in the club’s history. He is already a club icon, a serial trophy winner, a national hero and, perhaps most importantly, a born-winner, as his earth-shattering Champions League bicycle kick served to demonstrate.

For a side who have been starved of signings for such an unprecedented length of time, re-signing the Real Madrid outcast would be a coup for the ages at a time when the club need it most.

The prospect of watching Bale in action at the new stadium is a dream which would surely counteract the nightmare of the ordeal which has preceded their long-awaited move.

[ad_pod ]Liverpool fans have been discussing the prospect of Lorenzo Insigne arriving at Anfield on Twitter, with the majority in a pessimistic mood regarding a move for the diminutive forward.The Italian international has spent his entire senior career with Napoli having come through the youth ranks with the Naples-based club, but his future is somewhat unclear after his agent, Mino Raiola, reportedly offered him to both Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain.Are the media letting Jurgen Klopp off lightly for his lack of silverware? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…After catching wind of this news, Liverpool fans have been in hot debate over whether or not the 27-year-old would be a good fit at Anfield.Insigne has hit 13 goals and recorded six assists across all competitions this season, impressing in yet another campaign for the Serie A side.

One thing that the Reds are in need of is some quality depth to support the attacking trident of Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah, and Insigne would certainly provide that for Jurgen Klopp.

Having said that, supporters of the Premier League title hopefuls on Twitter are bullish regarding the prospect of seeing Insigne in a red shirt…

Tottenham Hotspur haven’t exactly enjoyed the best of times under Mauricio Pochettino in the Premier League recently, but a change of scenery might do the trick as Spurs are set to play their first game at their new stadium on the 3rd of April against Crystal Palace.

Of course, one thing that has frustrated fans over the past year has been Daniel Levy’s lack of spending as Spurs have failed to spend a single penny in either of the last two transfer windows. So, hopefully the recent collapse in the Premier League will prove to the Englishman that reinforcements are required in the summer.

However, he may not have to spend to lure a potential target to North London in the summer transfer window, as FC Porto’s Hector Herrera is set to become a free agent once his contract expires in the summer and there’s no deal in place to extend that as it stands. The Mexico international has been linked (as per Corriere dello Sport) (via talkSPORT) with Spurs, so it’s now up to Levy to make something of the interest.

Spurs haven’t had the chance to replace Mousa Dembele after his January departure. Herrera would be the perfect replacement for the Belgian as he offers everything that Dembele does defensively but also has the added threat of being able to influence the game in the final third, with seven goals and two assists to his name this season. He can pick defence-splitting passes and has all the experience to keep things tight in the middle of the park.

Spanish newspaper AS claim that Herrera has agreed to join Atletico Madrid but it’s only speculation at this point as nothing has been confirmed, so Spurs are still in with a chance if they act quickly.

Tottenham Hotspur fans, do you want to see Levy go all out to sign Hector Herrera? Join the discussion by commenting down below!