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Celtic’s chances of clinching a ninth successive Scottish Premiership title have been bolstered this weekend as they move 12 points clear of their nearest challengers.

Neil Lennon’s men came from behind to defeat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Celtic Park to edge closer to the crown.

The visitors netted a sixth-minute penalty to give the Bhoys an early scare but the lead only lasted 22 minutes as Kristoffer Ajer bundled home an equaliser before Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths wrapped things up.

Now fans have been praising the opening goalscorer for his impressive contribution throughout the match.

Here’s what has been said…

An array of superlatives were used to describe the Norwegian’s showing, including “class” and “amazing” while one supporter went as far as calling the 6 foot 6 giant an “absolute steam train” which is no surprise given his stature.

Another fan said it doesn’t matter that they did not secure Jason Denayer permanently as the 21-year-old has stepped up in his place this season.

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There were even claims from some sections of the Hoops faithful to see Ajer take up a central midfield role going forward.

It appears as if the system deployed by Neil Lennon on Sunday afternoon allowed the titan to drift into midfield from a back three at times, and the supporters above would like to see more of it.

There was even a massive call for Ajer to be Scott Brown’s replacement in the skipper’s role when the stalwart finally decides to hang up his boots.

That was Ajer’s second goal in as many games for Celtic, so he’s clearly having an influence at either end of the pitch, the “absolute colossus.”

Only real Celtic fans will get 100% on the Ultimate Hoops quiz. Test your knowledge below…

And in other news, Celtic fans react to this journalist’s claim…

According to Football Insider, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Ajax are all targeting Jaden Philogene-Bidace from Aston Villa.

What’s the story?

The 17-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, which has piqued the interest of the English, German and Dutch champions.

Villa want to sign him to a new deal, though, as he is highly regarded in the Midlands.

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Must keep

Philogene-Bidace is one for the future at Aston Villa. The 17-year-old has already trained with the senior squad, and has impressed with the U18s in the Premier League division of that age group – in 15 matches, he already has nine goals despite being a winger.

The teenager has already played both on the left flank and on the right, showing his versatility. Ahmed Abdulla, one of the coaches who has looked after him during his time in Birmingham, said of him: “He’s a right footer but he plays off the left. He can come inside or go on the outside. The model winger.”

Formerly on the books of both Arsenal and West Ham as a junior, he could be one for the future.

This is why it is imperative that Villa do all they can to keep him at the club and convince him to resist the temptation of a move to City or either of those two aforementioned European clubs. Losing such a talent would send out the wrong message to the fans – whether or not those clubs have prestige, surely Villa can offer him regular playing time in the future in Smith’s side?

After all, he is just 17 – there is still time for him to develop and prove himself.

The potential compensation fee would likely be minimal, meaning his departure from a financial point of view would make no sense. Time and effort could turn him into a Villa hero – just look at Jack Grealish who also came through the club’s youth system. A goalscoring winger, if Philogene-Bidace stays in the Midlands, he could well follow in the footsteps of Villa’s star man.

A tough act to match, of course, but it’s not impossible.

Elsewhere, this Villa man makes a rallying cry.

Dan Bardell and Tom Julian discussed Aston Villa’s unfortunate defeat to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final and touched upon Keinan Davis’ appearance. 

Even though the game ended in a tight 2-1 victory for Pep Guardiola’s men and the Villans were not that behind their opposition, the sheer quality of the Citizens prevailed in the end.

Davis was given a chance in the last ten minutes of the game and Bardell believes the young 22-year-old always makes a difference when thrown into the fire but the problem is those chances are far too scarce.

Here’s what he said for The Villa View Podcast (3/3/2020): “He makes a difference. He makes an impact when he’s on the pitch. He’s just not on the pitch enough. If you think about it, throughout his time, he’s had a third of the season playing and that’s that. That’s all he’s had. He must be behind his development.”

And it’s really difficult to argue with Bardell’s point here because Davis has played a total of 388 minutes across all competitions in 2019/20, with a large majority of it coming from the EFL Cup.

His only goal and assist have also come from that same competition and he’s done his part for the Villans’ run to the final but that is still not nearly enough for a young player in development.

We’ll have to wait and see what the future holds for him.

Aston Villa fans, do you agree with Bardell’s verdict? Do you think Davis should be given more chances? Let us know down in the comments below!

It has turned out to be a pretty good start for Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United, after he joined from Sporting Lisbon in January.

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This includes the derby day win against Manchester City, as well as the 5-0 victory over LASK, which has pretty much secured United’s Europa League progression.

It has got even better for their new talisman, as he was awarded the Premier League’s Player of the Month for February, which has led to plenty of Man United fans showing how thrilled they are for him.

Looking specifically at his Premier League form, the 25-year-old has already got two goals and three assists from his first five games in a United shirt.

In addition to that, he has averaged 2.2 key passes, 1.2 dribbles, 2 tackles, 1 interception and 1.8 clearances per game – indicating just how effective he has been across the pitch for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

Is life under the Glazers really that bad? Maybe this quiz will change your minds, Man United fans…

With all of this in mind, it should be no surprise that he has already become a popular figure among United fans.

The suggestion among some fans is that this will be the “first of many” for him, while one fan has even suggested that the midfielder will have won the Ballon d’Or before 2024.

This can perhaps be seen as an embodiment of the exciting signs at Old Trafford under Solskjaer, with young talents like Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams currently on an upward trajectory.

If Fernandes is able to continue his early influence in red then it will certainly be helpful as they look to get back on top.

Meanwhile, United fans have been touting one youngster for a place at Euro 2021.

Jurgen Klopp should walk away from Liverpool this summer if they manage to win the Premier League title.

The league is currently suspended, of course, but when play resumes, one has to expect that the Reds will finally pull themselves over the line and lift the famous trophy for the first time in its current guise.

They are, after all, 25 points clear.

And what does that leave for Klopp to do?

He came into the club in the middle of the 2014-15 season, following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers, who had gone so close to title glory with that fabulous team spearheaded by Luis Suarez and anchored by Steven Gerrard. He took them to an eighth-placed finish and also to the Europa League final, where Sevilla beat them.

The following season, a fourth-placed finish secured the return of Champions League football, while in 2017-18, they again finished fourth – notably losing just five games in the league season, fewer than any other team bar winners Manchester City. They also, of course, reached the Champions League final but Loris Karius and Gareth Bale put paid to that dream.

Last season, they were second, by one point, losing just one game throughout the league season, and they beat Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final. This season, the Premier League trophy will surely be back at Anfield.

There isn’t anything left for Klopp to do. The Reds have even won both the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup this season.

Call yourself a Liverpool expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

Of course, Liverpool fans could hope that he will stick around to try to win the FA Cup but they have never gone further than the fifth round under the German; losing, in chronological order, to West Ham United, Wolves, West Bromwich Albion, Wolves again, and Chelsea.

One has to think he doesn’t really care about the oldest cup competition in world football and the same can be said of the League Cup.

It has been an obsession of Liverpool’s to finally win the Premier League and Klopp is nearly there. It would take something outrageous to ensure they fail to do so.

And what better time will there be for him to walk away?

Liverpool have perhaps the best starting XI in the Premier League; they have a brilliant goalkeeper in Alisson Becker, world-class defenders in Trent Alexander-Arnold, Andrew Robertson, and Virgil van Dijk, an inspirational captain in Jordan Henderson and attackers in the vein of Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mane. They are at the peak of their powers.

The only way from here is down. While that may sound fatalistic, one has to build when on top and there is little point in Klopp sticking around to do that.

Winning the league and walking away would not just make him one of the most sought-after managers in football history, he would leave a club legend, the man to break the streak of a lifetime, handing over the baton to the next man, who can rebuild as he sees fit.

There will be no better time for Klopp to sail off into the sunset.

Leeds United youngster Bryce Hosannah very nearly left the club during the January transfer window according to his father in a recent interview with YEP writer Graham Smyth.

What’s the word?

The 20-year-old has been impressing for the U23 squad this season but is still yet to earn his first senior bow under Marcelo Bielsa.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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His dad, Roger, claimed they ‘tested’ the west Yorkshire outfit at the turn of the year, and it was quickly refuted by director of football Victor Orta and youth boss Carlos Corberan.

He said:

“We tested the club, a Scottish Premier League team made a firm offer and Victor declined so his focus has just been on fighting for a place and trying to do his best for the 23s.

“We’re getting to that point where he does need first-team football but it’s a balancing act.”

But with him out of contract this summer, the talented defender could still depart Elland Road if he’s not offered an extension anytime soon. Contract situation

It would be rather telling on Leeds’ part if they fail to secure the young full-back long-term as they have in recent times dished out a two-year extension with the possibility of that becoming three to ageing veteran Pablo Hernandez.

And while the Spanish wizard clearly still possesses a lot of talent at this level of football, he isn’t getting any younger and will be 37 and still under contract – should they gain promotion.

Which is why those at the club must consider the 20-year-old’s future, even more so in defence where Bielsa is going to be left in a huge predicament this summer as it is.

No more Ben White, Gaetano Berardi out of contract and Barry Douglas being made available for an exit. The Championship’s best defence is going to be ripped apart and having prospects like Hosannah around will only lessen its impact.

As his father says, they wanted to test the waters during January and when an offer came in for him, it was quickly declined, so they ought to now back their faith up by offering him a contract extension.

AND in other news, fans have been drooling over footage of ace who’s like James Milner…

Michael Edwards faces the hardest job in football this summer.

Liverpool’s sporting director will be tasked with bringing in the transfers at the club when the window reopens and he will not be envied.

This, after all, will come after a season in which the Reds have streaked 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League and firmly established themselves as one of the finest teams in the history of the division.

There are no clear weaknesses within the squad.

Can you name the result these iconic Liverpool images belong to? Give it a go now…

Sure, one could argue that Virgil van Dijk needs a world-class partner but bringing one in would halt the development of Joe Gomez, a promising, exciting English centre-back. One would have expected him to be included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2020 before its postponement.

There could well be a creative midfielder to come in but that would hinder the delicate balance in the centre of the pitch that is so well-patrolled by Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Georginio Wijnaldum.

It appears that Timo Werner of RB Leipzig is a target but he could well face a battle to get in the team, even considering his purported £51m asking price. Will he be able to dislodge Roberto Firmino, who has become so fundamental to the way Jurgen Klopp plays.

Beyond this, then, is the idea of bringing in substitutes and that is a tough sell.

It is something that Tottenham Hotspur have often brushed up against; what striker wants to be second-choice to Harry Kane? The only player they have found, thus far, is Fernando Llorente.

Liverpool face a similar conundrum but it can be applied to pretty much any position on the pitch.

Edwards will surely have money to spend – the Reds will win the Premier League if and when it resumes, barring a collapse surpassing that of the famous racehorse Devon Loch – but whether he can convince anyone to come to Anfield will be the true test.

It is a tougher sell than many people realise.

“Come and play for Liverpool, and sit on our bench, unless someone gets injured.”

It must be said that Edwards has been a key component in the building of this team; he is now likely to be a victim of his own success.

Meanwhile, take a look at one of Liverpool’s worst-ever signings!

Brendan Rodgers’ time at Liverpool may not have ended in the greatest of fashions, but there can be no questioning that he played a significant role in helping the Reds make their biggest push for a Premier League title in recent memory – until of course Jurgen Klopp arrived and took it up several levels.

The Northern Irishman was in charge at Anfield for more than three years, and according to figures collected by LFCHistory, brought in 33 players at a total combined cost of £296.5m. The likes of Roberto Firmino and James Milner have no doubt proven themselves to be the biggest successes on Merseyside, helping the Reds to the Champions League last season, and on the verge of Premier League title glory this time around.

But in all that, there was some major duds too. And perhaps none more so than the highly-rated Lazar Markovic.

The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?

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The winger arrived in a £20m deal from Portuguese giants Benfica in the summer of 2014, and he certainly arrived with a glowing reputation. The Serbian had just helped his former side to the league title (winning the domestic treble in doing so), and also helped them reach the Europa League final too.

It’s hardly surprising then that Rodgers waxed lyrical about his newest signing after the move was officially confirmed by the club. He said: “Getting him at such a young age is also very pleasing for us, because we will be able to work with him to develop his talent within our group and improve him even further.

“This is an exciting signing for us and one that improves our squad, in terms of attacking options, for the coming season. He was hugely impressive for Benfica last season and has proved he has the ability to produce the goods in European competition as well, which will be important for us.”

But in the end, Markovic spectacularly failed to deliver on those early expectations and hype.

As per Transfermarkt, he made just 34 total appearances for Liverpool’s first-team, scoring just three goals in total, with only two of them coming in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old just failed to settle into life on Merseyside, and couldn’t really make a breakthrough into the side on a consistent basis. Even after Klopp’s arrival as manager, the winger simply couldn’t make it into the team, and the current Reds boss even admitted back in 2017 that they had been looking to offload for him for two consecutive summers.

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The fact Markovic is now back at his first ever club, Partizan Belgrade, just speaks volumes of how his career has taken a dramatic dip since the day Rodgers brought him to Anfield.

From being described as a “rare talent” by European football journalist Andy Brassell after Liverpool’s signing back in 2014, Markovic will surely go down as one of, if not the biggest, transfer disasters of the Rodgers era.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans react to links with this Ligue 1 ace.

A group of celebrities, including former-sports stars, comedians and actors, have signed up to compete in the NHS Charities Together Cup, which aims to raise £100m in support of the current Covid-19 crisis.

The FIFA 20 competition will involve eight all celebrity teams, with three celebrities per team, going head-to-head in 12-minute long FIFA 20 matches. Fans will be given the chance to vote for who they want to see compete from every team in each round.

Everton legend Tim Cahill will be joined by the likes of Cricket stars Joe Root and Ben Stokes, fellow former footballers Joleon Lescott, Fabrice Muamba and Shaun Wright-Phillips, golf’s Justin Rose and boxer Dilian White.

The competition’s organisers, Celebrity e-Sport, hope to raise a huge £100m for NHS charities together during these desperate times for all the care workers on the frontline, who are putting their own lives at risk to help save ours.

For more information on the event and how you can donate, click here.

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Everton midfielder Kieran Dowell was handed a surprise new role for loan side Sheffield United when they hosted Middlesbrough at Bramall Lane on Wednesday night, and it may have indicated that he can be the club’s surprise Leighton Baines replacement.

On the chalkboard

Well, the 21-year-old moved to the Championship high-flyers on loan until the end of the season during the January transfer window having found first-team opportunities hard to come by under Marco Silva, and he had largely featured in his preferred attacking midfield role to date.

However, Chris Wilder decided to hand the England U21 international a slightly different job by lining him up at left wing-back against Boro, and he certainly didn’t disappoint with an impressive and tireless display as his temporary team kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.

Dowell will be determined to make a positive impression for the Yorkshire outfit to prove to the Toffees that he has a long-term future at Goodison Park, and his latest display may have done his chances of doing exactly that the world of good.

Baines replacement?

It is clear to see that Lucas Digne will be Everton’s first-choice left-back/wing-back for the foreseeable future, but the Merseyside club don’t have a lot of depth beyond the Frenchman.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

That has meant that when he has been absent that veteran Baines has filled in, but sooner or later they will have to find a replacement for the 34-year-old whose contract is due to expire at the end of the current campaign.

Dowell may well have just proven that Silva already has his successor in the squad, and that he has the ability and quality to be Digne’s understudy.