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Few people would have predicted a night so full of action on Wednesday at Anfield between Liverpool and Arsenal.

The scored ended 5-5 in normal time, before Jurgen Klopp’s Reds prevailed in a penalty shoot-out to advance to the next round of the League Cup.

For the home side, Shkodran Mustafi’s own goal got them under way, before James Milner, former Gunner Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and a double from Divock Origi completed their scoring.

For the visitors, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Lucas Torreira, Joe Willock and Gabriel Martinelli – twice – were on the scoresheet.

Watch the moment Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal career may have come to an ugly end in the video below…

Unai Emery will have been hoping for a win to ease the pressure on his shoulders, but he will now need to look to the Premier League fixture against Wolves to get himself that much-needed victory.

Once again last night, he didn’t escape the wrath of the supporters. This time, they slammed his substitutions, particularly the decisions to bring Mesut Ozil and Torreira off.

They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

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…

Once again, Arsenal showed themselves up defensively against Crystal Palace.

They were 2-0 up after nine minutes against the Eagles, and they really should have pushed on from there to put the game to bed. However, their defensive frailty prevented them from doing so.

In the end, Roy Hodgson and co earned themselves a 2-2 draw thanks to goals from Luka Milivojevic and Jordan Ayew.

Arsenal fans have started to turn on Unai Emery, find out who they’d rather have in charge in the video below…

Ironically, it was the centre-back pairing of David Luiz and Sokratis who put the Gunners ahead.

However, they should be more occupied with keeping out the opposition, which is something they have struggled to do so far this campaign. In the nine games they have played together, they have conceded 14 goals. In terms of the Premier League table, only Chelsea have shipped more in the top 10.

Unai Emery clearly sees this as a problem position for him, and it is being reported that the north London outfit are interested in signing Liverpool centre-back Joe Gomez. It is a move that makes perfect sense, especially next summer, as it would complete a backline that would be able to stay together for years to come.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It has been a difficult time for 22-year-old Gomez since aggravating his ankle injury and needing to have surgery last December.

However, before that, he was looking to be the perfect partner for Virgil van Dijk at the heart of Liverpool’s defence. He started 12 of the first 14 Premier League matches, with the Reds conceding just five during that time. He even played 90 minutes for England in both of their UEFA Nations League fixtures against Spain and Croatia.

His time on the sidelines means he has appeared to have lost his place to Joel Matip, which explains why he is considering leaving the club. He would be a fantastic addition for most sides in the Premier League though, including Arsenal.

They already have one centre-back to come in next summer in William Saliba. The 18-year-old has spent a good portion of time out too, but since returning to the action for Saint-Etienne, Les Verts have kept two clean sheets in his three starts in Ligue 1.

Before that, they conceded in all of the seven league matches he missed due to a hamstring injury.

On the flanks, the Gunners have Kieran Tierney and Hector Bellerin, two young full-backs who have looked promising so far. A back four of those two, Saliba and Gomez would have a combined age of 86. They would, therefore, have a backline that could stay together for the foreseeable future, and could be the base of the side.

Arsene Wenger built his first successful team on a solid and settled four of Lee Dixon, Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Nigel Winterburn, and the addition of Gomez would allow Emery to rest easy as he goes in search of success.

Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, a huge rise on the £3.5m Liverpool paid to Charlton in 2015, he would not come cheap, but he would be worth every penny. Such a talented player does not come around too often. The Emirates Stadium team’s hierarchy should jump at the opportunity.

Manchester City’s Oleksandr Zinchenko will return to his club this week on a major high after helping Ukraine to seal their place in next year’s European Championship finals.

The 22-year-old was in the team that defeated Portugal 2-1 to ensure qualification for Euro 2020 and confirm their status as Group B winners, as per UEFA.com.

Zinchenko was played in a left-sided midfield role by national team boss Andriy Shevchenko last night and he posted some impressive figures from the match.

According to WhoScored.com, he had 61 touches of the ball and an 85% passing success rate, completing 39 of his 46 passes, while embarking on two successful dribbles, winning one aerial duel and two tackles, making two interceptions and recording five clearances.

All of Zinchenko’s nine Manchester City appearances this season (and 49 of his 52 games for the club) have come at left-back, but he has played in a central or wide midfield role on numerous occasions during his club career.

These Manchester City fans on Twitter believe that the 22-year-old should be redeployed as a midfielder in Pep Guardiola’s line-up ahead of the likes of Ilkay Gundogan:

Do you think Zinchenko’s best position is at left-back or in midfield? Join in the discussion by commenting below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

It is fair to say that many Newcastle fans haven’t been enamoured with Steve Bruce at times since his appointment, but Darren Bent believes he deserves to be praised for his management in recent weeks.

What did he say?

The former Sunderland striker, who spent two years playing under Bruce with the Black Cats, was full of praise for what the Magpies produced against Manchester United, and believes the credit should go to his former boss.

Some Toon fans have opposed the 58-year-old since the day he was appointed, criticising him as an unambitious option. Bruce himself had to declare he wouldn’t be Mike Ashley’s ‘yes man’, such were the doubts over him taking over.

Bruce has therefore faced a somewhat hostile atmosphere, in a position which was already a difficult one to take up given he was following on from the popular Rafa Benitez.

Watch Newcastle United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

However, Bent feels he has proven himself on occasion, telling Football Insider: “I was watching the game on Sky and not only what a result, but what a performance. If there was a game where Steve Bruce got his team selection and tactics absolutely spot on, it was then.

“Newcastle were hard to beat, first half they limited Manchester United to that one chance from Maguire header and then Almiron took half a year to shoot.”

The ex-England international also suggested that the Magpies’ boss set-up in the right way against Liverpool a few weeks earlier, and only lost out due to the Reds’ quality.

Positive signs

Bruce took on a challenging job and though he hasn’t got off to the best of starts, with only two wins in eight league games, Bent is right that he deserves some praise.

He may have added an expensive striker in Joelinton over the summer but the Magpies lost two of their most influential players last year in Salomon Rondon and Ayoze Perez, and their combined 25 goals is difficult to replace.

Despite that, Bruce has earned terrific wins against the Red Devils and away at Tottenham, and if he can make his side more dominant, particularly against weaker teams at home, then he could have a successful season.

Another positive is the recent faith he has shown in youngsters Sean and Matty Longstaff. Both impressed and were crucial to last week’s victory, and if they can maintain their level of performance they could prove key this year, and it will be thanks to Bruce.

Those fans who protest against him should instead get behind their manager and back him and the players in order to create a positive atmosphere which can allow the club to build.

If you’ve ever played on a 4G pitch, then you’ll know they’re a bit of a nightmare. Small black rubber pellets get stuck in every orifice and will proceed to appear everywhere you go for at least two months after the match.Your knees and ankles start to ache after a while trudging around on what is essentially spongy concrete, and carpetÂburns await anyone brave (or stupid) enough to attempt a slide tackle.As mammoth as the skill difference between us mere Sunday league players and professional footballers is, they still faced the very same problems.Rather than rubber bits appearing in a Corsa, they’ll bounce around a Bentley, rather than shoving frozen peas on their joints and taking paracetamol, they have an army of physios at their disposal, and so on and so forth.

Manchester United played their Group L clash on what can be only be described as the most Europa League-looking thing we’ve ever laid our eyes upon – a scruffy artificial pitch.

Admittedly, we weren’t anticipating fireworks from a United side who barely scraped past Rochdale on their beautifully kept heated turf at Old Trafford, but the drab 0-0 draw may be a little more palatable after De Telegraff journalist Marcel van der Kraan explained just how awful the AZ Alkmaar pitch truly is…

Mesut Ozil’s days of lackadaisically meandering around Arsenal’s creative quarters look to be coming to an end.The German was left out of Unai Emery’s matchday squad for the third successive week when they faced Bournemouth at the Emirates on Sunday.Despite raking in £350,000 per week in wages, Ozil has made just two appearances so far this season, starting against Watford and Nottingham Forest last month, and is quickly becoming a fringe player in Emery’s plans as the Spaniard looks to integrate the plethora of young talent at his disposal.Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

A competition typically reserved for peripheral players knocking at the door, Ozil’s exclusion from Arsenal’s Europa League bout against Standard Liege was a real statement of his position within Emery’s Emirates regime. Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock and arguably Bukayo Saka are all preferred ahead of him.

Understandably, Arsenal legend Ray Parlour believes Ozil has no future in north London…

Another win, another clean sheet and another Declan Rice masterclass.

West Ham United went clear at the top of Group H in the Europa League on Thursday night with another impressive victory, defeating Belgian outfit Genk 3-0 at the London Stadium.

The Irons enjoyed the bulk of the possession and their pressure was rewarded when Craig Dawson looped a header past the visiting goalkeeper right on half-time.

They came out after the break even more rampant and notched a further two goals. This time Issa Diop headed home off the crossbar from another pinpoint Aaron Cresswell delivery, before Jarrod Bowen fired home a fine solo effort just before the hour mark.

All three goalscorers would have been worthy of the ‘Man of the Match’ award but it was Rice who dropped another performance which was off the charts.

He was withdrawn after 67 minutes, with this weekend’s London derby clash against Tottenham Hotspur in mind, and he had recorded 89 touches of the ball, which was the second-most of any Hammers player.

That only goes to show just how big of an influence he is to their success, and had he played for longer, then he would’ve undoubtedly ranked first ahead of midfield partner Tomas Soucek.

‘Once again looked a class above everyone else on the pitch, so calm on the ball and always seemed to have time to pick a pass,’ is how football.london reporter Tom Clark described his performance after the game.

Industrious as ever, the England international registered three tackles and one clearance and won four ground duels, via SofaScore.

Elsewhere, he was faultless with the ball at his feet, only losing possession six times from all those touches, and he also enjoyed an impressive 97% passing accuracy from 75 attempts – the best rate on the pitch, so that goes to show that he really was a touch above everyone else on the night.

Just over a week ago, former West Ham teammate Jack Wilshere lauded the 22-year-old as “a freak physically” and a player who “can do anything” to talkSPORT.

We saw exactly that once again.

Rice, who earns a reported £60k-per-week in east London, absolutely stole the show for Moyes on Thursday.

AND in other news, Newman could seal West Ham’s best signing since Soucek in £19.8m-rated “goal machine”…

Some Liverpool fans have reacted negatively to Jamie Carragher’s claim that Brendan Rodgers would be an ideal eventual replacement for Jurgen Klopp.

The German has been an incredible manager for the Reds, bringing them back to the top of the English and European game, not to mention playing wonderful football along the way.

Sadly, Klopp won’t be at Liverpool forever, though, and his current deal expires in the summer of 2024.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375258″]

The 54-year-old replaced Rodgers in the Anfield hot-seat back in October 2015 after the latter’s reign at the club had fallen flat.

Speaking on Sky Sports [via Anfield Watch on Twitter], claimed his former manager would now be “top of the list” to replace Klopp if he hadn’t already been in charge before, having impressed at Leicester City.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-6/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Liverpool fans disagree with Carragher

These Liverpool fans do not like what Carragher has had to say, however, not wanting Rodgers to return to Anfield.

“This Carragher guy is an Everton secret agent. He’s been planted to ruin LFC since his academy days”

Credit: @mrthompson2021

“Absolutely not”

Credit: @Alexmarthin10

“Lol no he wouldn’t”

Credit: @FalakRF

“Some men just want to watch the world burn”

Credit: @teddykavanagh

“Deluded”

Credit: @lewisprime_96

“Nice to see Jamie Carragher is stuck in 2012”

Credit: @Pxtrlk

In other news, some Liverpool fans are talking up a move for an incredible talent. Find out who it is here.

Loads of Everton fans have been left gushing as some early team news has emerged ahead of their game at home to Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match at Goodison Park in the Premier League, Rafa Benitez has now revealed that Jordan Pickford is ‘okay’ and ‘has been training’, meaning that he could well return in between the posts against the Canaries.

It has come as a big relief for the Merseyside club to have their number-one goalkeeper back, especially after the disappointment that Asmir Begovic had in the Carabao Cup loss to Queens Park Rangers, in which he failed to save any of the seven penalties that he faced in the shootout (Sky Sports).

Everton fans on Pickford news

These Toffees supporters gushed as the early team news involving Pickford was shared by the club on their official Twitter page, with one Blue even going as far as to claim that it is ‘huge’:

“SEND THEM IN GET THE RAVE ON”

Credit: @Conor_LaneSmith

“Thank the lord we don’t have to see Begovic again”

Credit: @efcdoyley

“Pickford being back is huge”

Credit: @JDGEFC

“Relieved about Digne, and great to hear Pickford is back, gives us a bit more confidence going into this winnable game”

Credit: @daveblueallover

“No Begovic yessss”

Credit: @ShaunJackson015

“No Casper the ghost yes now”

Credit: @bobmarl03974950

In other news, find out what stadium news has Evertonians fuming here!

Southampton have an excellent record of bringing players through their academy and turning them into successful players at the top level.

Matt Le Tissier, Alan Shearer, Gareth Bale, Theo Walcott, Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana are just a few examples, with current first-team captain James Ward-Prowse the most recent academy success.

Whilst the Saints lost the likes of Walcott, Shaw and Lallana to ‘big six’ clubs in Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool, there have been other academy products who were sold to fellow mid-table outfits. One of those was Matt Targett, who came up through the ranks at St Mary’s before signing for Aston Villa in 2019.

The left-back made his senior debut for the club in the 2014/15 campaign and went on to make 63 appearances for the Saints in all competitions, scoring once and setting up six goals. He also spent time out on loan at Fulham during his time with Southampton, helping the west Londoners to get promoted out of the Championship.

Transfermarkt valued Targett at £6.30m at the time of his sale to Villa in 2019. The full-back then made 66 Premier League appearances between the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, which included playing in all 38 of the club’s top-flight matches last term.

Targett averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.86 in his debut campaign for Dean Smith’s side and that improved slightly to 6.90 throughout the next season. Last term, he averaged 3.6 tackles and interceptions per match in the Premier League and created one chance per game, showing that he can offer quality at both ends of the pitch from the full-back position.

At the time of writing, Transfermarkt value him at £15.3m just two years on from his departure from Southampton. This is a 143% increase from the time of his St Mary’s exit, highlighting how he has been able to kick on and improve under Smith at Villa Park.

This suggests that Ralph Hasenhuttl made a huge mistake by cashing in on the £34k-per-week gem when he did. The way he has been able to flourish and develop at Villa indicates that the Austrian made an error by refusing to give him more of a chance to make the left-back position his own at Southampton, as he is now valued higher than five of the club’s six full-back options.

Only Kyle Walker-Peters (£16.3m) – a right-back – is valued at a higher price than Targett among that sextet. Therefore, Hasenhuttl should not have cashed in on the 25-year-old and instead should have given him more opportunities to be the Saints’ go-to left-back in the Premier League.

AND in other news, Semmens must strike Southampton deal for “confident” 18-y/o gem, Ralph would love him…