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Everton progressed the next round of the FA Cup at the weekend with a narrow 2-1 victory over Lincoln City at Goodison Park.

Goals from Ademola Lookman and Bernard secured victory for the Blues against the League Two minnows – their first win at home since the end of November. The win was far from convincing leaving Marco Silva will plenty of questions to answer following a run of just one win from eight Premier League games. Luckily for the former Watford boss, the January transfer window is officially open.

The Toffees are in desperate need of some new faces to get their season back on track. After a summer of lavish spending, it remains to be seen how much money Silva will have to bolster his ranks. The Portuguese could be forced to wait until summer to add to his current crop of players.

One man who should be on his shortlist is Tottenham dynamo – Victor Wanyama. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Kenya international has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons and is expected to leave the club in the near future. His agent seemingly ruled out a January exit but hinted that a summer switch in search of more first-team football was extremely likely.

Everton look a different side without Idrissa Gueye in the team and Wanyama would go a long way to replacing the muscle he adds in the engine room. The 27-year-old was one of the finest defensive midfielders in the division during his time with the Saints but failed to nail down a first-team role under Pochettino. Moving to Merseyside could be just what the former Celtic man needs to rediscover his best form.

With James McCarthy’s Everton career seemingly coming to an end, Wanyama would be an excellent replacement.

Everton fans, thoughts?

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According to The Daily Mail, West Ham are keen on a swoop for Newcastle’s Jonjo Shelvey, whose value would be approximately £20m, as they look to reinforce an injury-stricken midfield.

The former England-U21 international has made 11 appearances for the Magpies this season and has recorded just one assist so far, although it is surely unlikely that Newcastle would consider selling him if they cannot find a replacement first.

Rafa Benitez looks like receiving minimal backing from owner Mike Ashley once again this window as the 54-year-old fails to get a deal across the line for the sale of the Tyneside club.

Therefore, if Benitez is to get the players he wants this month, he may have to sanction a Shelvey switch first on the premise that he can use the money to dip into the transfer market – it would be a shame for the St James Park outfit to sell their best midfielder by far, but needs must.

Newcastle fans didn’t seem too attached to the former Liverpool man, as they reacted to the West Ham interest on Twitter…

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”370171″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch The Fantasy Football Show January Signings”]

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Marcelo Bielsa may be resigned to a lack of activity in the January transfer window but that hasn’t stopped Leeds from bringing through yet another talented youngster from the academy, as Jack Jenkins signed his first professional deal with the club on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old put pen to paper on a contract which will see he remains at Elland Road until the summer of 2021 after becoming a regular for the Under-18s this season, where he has helped the youth side to pole position in the Professional Development League North.

Jenkins follows the likes of Jamie Shackleton, Leif Davis and Jack Clarke in making the step up to the first team in recent months and the midfielder will be hoping he can emulate the success the latter of which, in particular, has found under Bielsa – chances will surely come considering the lack of depth in the Argentine’s squad.

Clarke has made 13 appearances for the Whites in all competitions, chalking up two goals and as many assists, and has surely garnered the interest of a number of top flight clubs – at just 18, the winger looks to be an exciting prospect and the Elland Road faithful are tipping Jenkins to follow in his footsteps.

You can find the best of the reaction on Twitter below…

Is The Championship the most exciting league in the world? Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max discusses the recent run of crazy results with Sky Sports’ Michelle Owen in the video above…

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Crystal Palace face Spurs on Sunday in the fourth round of the FA Cup and, while a string of injuries to a number of their opponents’ key players may mean the Eagles fancy their chances, their full-backs will have to be on top form if they want to progress.

On the chalkboard

Mauricio Pochettino’s men will, crucially, be without Harry Kane this weekend after the England captain suffered an ankle injury during the clash with Manchester United and his absence – combined with the unavailability of both Dele Alli and Heung-min Son – means that Fernando Llorente will likely deputise up front.

The big Spaniard has scored five goals in his last six starts for the White Hart Lane outfit and, despite his lack of mobility, he will be a tricky customer for Palace due to his aerial prowess.

Roy Hodgson must make sure his side don’t take the lumbering striker for granted after his poor showing against Fulham last weekend but if Patrick van Aanholt and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are on their game, Llorente will get no joy.

Stopping the cross

Llorente might be pretty easy to keep track of for Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins but, as he showed against Chelsea, he can get his head on the ball if the defender makes even the slightest misjudgment; trusting the aforementioned pair to win their duels every single time is a risk Hodgson cannot afford to take and so stopping the ball from getting into the box in the first place has to be a priority.

Wan-Bissaka should have no difficulties doing so – he has shown this season that he is one of the best right-backs in the league – but van Aanholt’s desperation to get forward to assist Wilfried Zaha on the left-flank may cost his side should they lose possession in an advanced area.

For all his attacking threat, the Dutch international can be exposed on the back foot and Hodgson should be programming him this week to be cautious with his forward runs.

So often this season, the dynamic duo of Zaha and Andros Townsend have been the key players for Palace in their games, but the spotlight will be on the wide defenders come Sunday.

Which player with “no potential” has just been named Crystal Palace’s worst ever January signing? Find out in the video above…

According to a recent report from The Sun, Andreas Christensen’s future looks far from certain heading into the last knockings of the January transfer window. The 22-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League heavyweights Chelsea having come up through the youth ranks at Stamford Bridge, although struggles for regular game time under new Blues manager Maurizio Sarri has called his future at the West London club into question.

And a recent report from The Sun suggests that Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are interested in landing the Denmark international this month, with Chelsea reportedly seeking a £6 million loan fee for the defender to thus sanction his departure this month.

And for just £6 million, which is next to nothing in modern-day footballing terms, Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl should make a move for Christensen – a move which could go some way to helping shore up his Saints backline.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, while there is little doubting that the arrival of the Austrian on the South Coast last month has improved Southampton’s fortunes, having won four Premier League games under the former Red Bull Leipzig chief, just one clean sheet in that time suggests they do need to tighten up defensively.

In fact, the Saints have shipped 40 goals in their 23 league matches this term which is more than 13 other teams in the English top-flight – significantly, it is more than all but two sides currently above them in the table to suggest that, if they harbour ambitions of climbing the division, they have to be better at the back.

And a late January move for Chelsea’s Christensen, who excelled for the Blues last season under Antonio Conte, could be exactly what Southampton need to shore up their backline.

The 22-year-old may well have struggled to convince new Blues boss Sarri of his capabilities this term, having only appeared 13 times in all competitions for the West Londoners, but one mustn’t forget the role he played in the Chelsea side last time round under the guidance of title-winning boss Conte.

Prior to last season, the Danish sensation had only featured three times for the Blues, but Conte put great faith in his ability last term by selecting him on 27 occasions in the Premier League and 40 overall in all competitions, helping the club finish fifth in the top-flight, and indeed reach the last-16 of the Champions League.

Yes, there were a few unconvincing moments and thus errors from Christensen last time round, but on the whole he did a fine job coming into a backline that the season before had dominated English football – he certainly didn’t look out of place.

And that should surely be of interest to Southampton manager Hasenhuttl, not only because the 22-year-old would add another accomplished option to his defensive ranks, but also because Christensen excelled in a back three last term, a system the Austrian has used at St Mary’s in recent times.

And for just £6 million for the rest of the season, it could prove to be an absolute bargain, and one that could go some way to shoring up the Southampton rearguard, in turn keeping them in the Premier League.

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

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Marcelo Bielsa continued to captivate the British media in the build up to Leeds United’s season-defining clash against Norwich City by revealing his starting XI two days before kick-off – a decision which ultimately backfired.

Daniel Farke’s travelling Canaries put a dent in Leeds’ promotion ambitions by coasting to a stunning 3-1 victory at Elland Road. In the absence of Kalvin Phillips, Norwich exploited a gaping gap between the line of midfield and attack, with the likes of Onel Hernandez and Marco Stiepermann running riot in a pulsating encounter.

Plenty of supporters had expressed their concern over Phillips’ omission in the build up to kick-off, and the manner in which Leeds were exposed vindicated those pre-match fears.

The Canaries enjoyed plenty of space inside the final third and threatened almost every time they broke forward with purpose.

With the bitter disappointment of defeat still fresh in mind, Leeds fans have taken to Twitter to urge Bielsa to recall Phillips ahead of another vital weekend trip to Middlesbrough.

Boro, under the watchful eye of long-ball extraordinaire Tony Pulis, are a physical outfit capable of causing Leeds serious problems at the Riverside Stadium.

Restoring Phillips into the side to solidify the midfield seems like an obvious decision for Bielsa to make under the circumstances, and if the fans were picking the team it seems he would be one of the first names on the team-sheet.

Indeed, the supporters on Twitter have turned out in their numbers to urge Bielsa to recall the 23-year-old in a midfield anchor role against the Teessiders.

Here’s a round up of what the Whites faithful are saying about Phillips…

[ad_pod ]Leicester fans have taken to Twitter to react after full-back Ricardo Pereira made a huge error against Tottenham on Sunday, which handed the initiative to the north Londoners almost immediately after Jamie Vardy missed a penalty to equalise.The Portuguese international attempted to play the ball out from the back under little pressure, before it was intercepted in a dangerous area for the Foxes right on the edge of their own box.Fernando Llorente then teed up Christian Eriksen for the Dane to smash the ball beyond his international teammate Kasper Schmeichel and double Spurs’ lead, and pretty much end the game as a contest.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 King Power Stadium faithful have now witnessed their summer signing make two huge errors in back-to-back games, after the full-back conceded possession to Paul Pogba last week for the midfielder to set up Marcus Rashford to score.Understandably, the Leicester fans on Twitter are annoyed at the 25-year-old, as they felt they could’ve got something against Mauricio Pochettino’s men…

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According to The Sun, Manchester United have made the decision to keep interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the club beyond his six month spell, although the club may not announce it until the end of the season. Spurs will be rubbing their hands as doubts over Mauricio Pochettino’s future are surely diminished.

What’s the word?

Well, The Sun reports that the Norwegian’s sensational start at Old Trafford has won over the United board who are set to offer the former striker the job on a permanent basis.

The ‘baby-faced assassin’ has won 10 out of 11 games since he took to the helm in mid-December and, besides the free-flowing football and emphatic wins, he has managed to do what Jose Mourinho never could when he was in charge and that is getting the best out of the likes of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial.

The latter, who scored a fine solo goal against Fulham at the weekend, has also backed his boss to stay beyond his current deal, thus burying reports that Spurs manager Pochettino could be on the way to Manchester in the summer.

Poch going nowhere

The Argentine has been heavily linked with the role since Mourinho’s departure at the end of last year having done an incredible job at White Hart Lane since he quit Southampton for Spurs in 2014.

Despite having yet to secure cup or league glory in his four-and-a-half year tenure, the former defender is credited with the development of Harry Kane and Dele Alli to name just two, and the impact he has had on the club in general is very impressive.

Spurs fans were surely worried sick seeing the reports that he was top of United’s managerial candidate shortlist but will be hugely relieved hearing that Solskjaer is going to retain his role.

Harry Kane gets his hands on the Super Bowl and Dele Alli gets his hands on a superb owl in the latest episode After 90 below…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Spurs face Wolves this weekend in a game that has taken on huge significance, and one man will have to be stopped.

On the chalkboard

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have risen up the league in recent weeks and months and are currently sixth in the Premier League, one point and one place ahead of Jose Mourinho’s Spurs.

The game at Molineux on Sunday, then, is a big one; Wolves could propel themselves into top-four contention with a victory, while Spurs need to stay in touch with fourth-placed Chelsea, whom they are currently six points behind.

One man who will be key for Santo’s side is Joao Moutinho.

The 33-year-old has played in every single league game for Wolves thus far this season and is their creative hub.

No clues whatsoever: Which seasons do these iconic Spurs images belong to?

Thus far this season, he has scored one goal and provided four assists in the league but, more than that, he is a clever and dynamic presence in the heart of midfield.

Per WhoScored, he averages three tackles per game, 1.7 interceptions and 1.5 fouls, suggesting he is not afraid to break up the play with a tactical concession.

Offensively, he averages 1.9 key passes per game along with 1.8 crosses, 3.8 long balls and a pass completion rate of 85.2%.

If Spurs can stop him getting on the ball, and also find a way to get around him, they will stand a much better chance of picking up an important three points on Sunday.

Ageless

Moutinho’s performances belie his 33 years.

He has, thus far this season, played in every Premier League game, every Europa League game and every Europa League qualification game.

That adds up to 27 games played or over 2,200 minutes of football.

That he remains so key and so metronomic is a testament to his ability to take the game slowly and trust his reading of the game.

Spurs, famously, attempted to sign him in 2012 while Andre Villas-Boas was manager to replace Luka Modric.

The Telegraph reported at the time that Spurs had agreed a £24m fee for the player – which would have been a club-record – but that they missed out “by minutes”.

This weekend, they will have to stop the player they were so keen to sign or risk losing further ground in the race to qualify for the Champions League.

Meanwhile, one Spurs ace’s deficiencies were on full show against Burnley.

Leeds were cruising to victory against Cardiff prior to Marcelo Bielsa’s decision to take off Gaetano Berardi and bring on Pascal Struijk, a change which Noel Whelan believes proved costly.

What did he say?

The Whites looked comfortable for large portions of the match last weekend, even maintaining their dominance for some time despite conceding on the hour, though a late flurry in the final ten minutes proved their undoing as the encounter ended 3-3.

Struijk was at fault for the equaliser, too. It was a brilliant flicked pass from Lee Tomlin to find Robert Glatzel but the young defender was caught out of position, with the striker exploiting the space behind him to fire beyond Kiko Casilla.

An experienced defender like Berardi may have been able to keep the Bluebirds out, or as Whelan suggests, the Argentine could have really shored things up by deploying three central defenders on the pitch.

Either way, the former Leeds man believes Bielsa was at fault for the points dropped. Speaking to Football Insider, he said:

“I have no idea why Struijk played instead of Casey. The young man had looked so impressive against Huddersfield.

“To bring Struijk on against Cardiff for Berardi was baffling. It was a mistake by Marcelo Bielsa.

“In my opinion, the substitution was wrong. He should have kept Berardi on and gone to three at the back to try and weather the storm.”

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Learning from mistakes

Bielsa has been largely correct in his decision making and use of players this season.

Helder Costa is an example of that. He started off the campaign slowly and didn’t start regularly, but he is now coming into his own and proving that he can be an influential player for his side – scoring two and assisting one in his last five games.

The Leeds boss may feel his youngsters can fulfil a similar responsibility, and although the only way to find that out is by giving them game time, he still has to be careful in regard to the situations when they play.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Leeds Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

Bringing on a 20-year-old who had only made his debut for the club a few days prior was always a risky choice, and the fact it backfired massively means Bielsa should treat it as a warning, and be careful not to repeat the error.

With that in mind, Whelan’s suggestion that bringing on a defender to play alongside Berardi and Ben White is probably the best call he could have made.

White and Struijk are only 22 and 20 respectively. Neither provided the leadership necessary to organise the defence and the manner of Cardiff’s goals showed that they were too easy to roll over.

Meanwhile, Leeds fans have been discussing whether Lyle Taylor would be a good January addition after the striker rejected a contract offer from Charlton.