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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…

Aaron Cresswell’s goal against Chelsea was pretty massive for West Ham United, as it put an end to an eight-game run without a win in all competitions.

The left-back cut across Reece James, before curling the ball past Kepa Arrizabalaga, sparking pandemonium in the West Ham end, before being rushed by the delighted Declan Rice and Robert Snodgrass.

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He may not have been at the forefront of the celebrations, but this was also an important moment for Pablo Fornals.

Since joining in the summer, the Spaniard had been pretty underwhelming in claret and blue, with very little coming off for him and it had seemed as though the lack of success was taking its toll on the midfielder.

The 23-year-old had not made a single goal contribution in the Premier League before the game at Stamford Bridge, but Cresswell’s strike changed that, in what was Fornals’ 13th league game this term.

It was nothing spectacular from the Spaniard, as he received the ball from Felipe Anderson near the edge of the box, taking a touch and laying it off to the overlapping full-back – that isn’t the point though, it came off and that is what matters.

There have been so many times where his passes have come to absolutely nothing, or he has looked too scared to play forward so simply passed the ball backwards.

That wasn’t the case here though and as the ball hit the back of the net, Fornals threw his arms up in the air in jubilation.

The hope is that this will have lifted a burden off the Spaniard’s shoulders, allowing him to go out and express himself more, further adding to that assist.

In other news, West Ham fans were especially delighted for one man after the Chelsea win.

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…

Who can stop Liverpool at the moment?

The Reds continue to set the standard at the top of the Premier League, with a 3-0 win at Bournemouth being their latest victory. They still lead the table by eight points, and champions Manchester City, who were expected to be their strongest rivals for the title, are now 14 points adrift after losing to Manchester United.

It was a good day for Liverpool’s midfield, with Naby Keita coming in from the cold to score his first goal of the season. And it wasn’t just in the Premier League that Jurgen Klopp’s men in the middle of the park impressed.

Serbia international Marko Grujic put in a man of the match performance against Eintracht Frankfurt for on-loan side Hertha Berlin. His SofaScore rating of 8.6 was by far the leading number, and he also got himself on the scoresheet for the third time this season.

It was an all-action display from the 23-year-old. Going forward, he was a menace, with him having two shots at goal whilst also completing both of the dribbles he attempted. Not only that, he also managed one key pass, as well.

It was in the opposite direction, though, where he showed his true worth. During the 90 minutes, he made six clearances, one interception and two tackles, whilst he also blocked one shot. Not only that, he won nine of the 13 duels he contested, with him being particularly dominant in the air – he prevailed in five of the six duels that took place off the ground.

The club’s supporters have been calling for the £18m-valued former Red Star Belgrade midfielder – as per Transfermarkt – to be given a chance at Anfield, and with each passing week those calls should be getting louder and louder. The Bundesliga outfit are struggling so far this campaign – they currently lie in 15th place in the table – but Grujic is one of the players who has impressed the most to date. With a 6.96 average WhoScored rating, he is Die Alte Dame’s second-best performing player in the league this term.

Real Reds will get full marks: Take the ultimate Liverpool quiz below…

At some point, the midfielder’s noise from afar will have to make Klopp stand up and listen. Just think what he could achieve in a better side.

In other news, Liverpool fans react to the latest Club World Cup announcement.

A number of West Ham United fans have been on social media discussing potential new arrivals during the January transfer window.

According to The Athletic, a holding midfielder, a winger, a striker and another goalkeeper are on the club’s wishlist ahead of the opening of the winter market.

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Many of the West Ham supporters have been on Twitter offering their views, and Stoke City goalkeeper Jack Butland appears to be a very popular choice between the sticks.

Watch Crystal Palace vs West Ham Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

Meanwhile, some are keen for their club to make an ambitious attempt to sign Luka Jovic on loan from Real Madrid. Fichajes linked the player with a move to the London Stadium earlier this week.

The 21-year-old has only managed one goal in 13 appearances for Los Blancos this term following a summer switch from Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt.

There were also a few shouts for Queens Park Rangers attacker Eberechi Eze, who has been in impressive form in the second tier of English football this season.

Did he really play for us?! No West Ham fan has managed to name all of these obscure Irons signings….

Indeed, the 21-year-old has managed nine goals and four assists in 22 Championship appearances for the R’s since the start of the 2019/20 campaign.

Meanwhile, there is no question that one player in a West Ham shirt put in a much-improved performance against Southampton at St Mary’s last weekend.

So after initially looking like he was returning back to China, Odion Ighalo’s stay at Manchester United has been extended until the end of January.

The Nigerian arrived at Old Trafford on deadline day at the start of this year, and enjoyed a pretty impressive few games for the club, netting four times in just eight appearances across all competitions.

But with the current situation putting contracts of players up in the air, there was a concern that Ighalo may have to leave United without completing the end of the season.

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

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

However, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have managed to convince Shanghai Shenhua to let him stay, and now, The Daily Mail have revealed some crucial pieces of information about the deal.

It’s suggested that the club have agreed a £6m deal with the Chinese Super League side for the loan extension, and that they will have to pay £130k of his reported £300k-a-week salary.

And after hearing about the report, United fans flooded to Twitter to share their thoughts on the situation.

Some United fans however seemed to be far from pleased with the deal, with one supporter bringing up Sadio Mane’s wages at Liverpool – the Senegal international currently earns £100k-a-week, some £30k less than what Solskjaer’s side will be paying Ighalo.

With Marcus Rashford also returning back from injury, the news on Ighalo means United look set to be heading into the Premier League’s restart with a lot more attacking firepower at their disposal than they may have thought of even a couple of weeks ago.

Solskjaer’s side are battling to get into the top four, and having Ighalo as a viable option from off the bench or even in the starting eleven, means United should be more confident of finding the back of the net more regularly.

Despite the wealth of options Tottenham currently have in the middle of the park when everyone is fully fit and firing, there perhaps isn’t a natural holding midfielder – particularly with Eric Dier now seemingly converted into a centre-back on a permanent basis.

Against both Manchester United and West Ham, Jose Mourinho showed his faith in Moussa Sissoko to be the more defensive-minded player in the engine room, with Harry Winks, and then a combination of Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso lining up alongside him.

But whilst the Frenchman has got the kind of powerhouse game that can help Spurs offensively, he doesn’t offer the same protection to his back four as a more natural anchor man.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

As per Whoscored, he has averaged just 0.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League this season, and makes just 1.2 tackles per match too – in fact, not since his early days at French side Toulouse has Sissoko averaged more than one interception per match over a league campaign.

And that is exactly why a swoop for AS Roma destroyer Amadou Diawara makes such perfect sense for Mourinho’s side. The Guinea international has been on the radar of Spurs ever since the days of Mauricio Pochettino, and now, according to Italian publication Il Messaggero, the Lilywhites are keen on reigniting their interest in him this summer.

The 22-year-old is the typical modern-day holding midfielder, breaking up play and then passing the ball on with the minimum of fuss. This season, he has averaged a very impressive 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Serie A – the latter stat actually good enough to place him fourth in the rankings of all midfielders in the competition.

One of his former coaches, Fabrizio Tazzioli, remarked that the moment he saw him in training, he knew he was a “phenomenon”. And at still only 22, and having played for the likes of Napoli and Roma, Diawara has already got some incredible experience at such a young age.

Spurs are lacking a genuine defensive midfielder in their ranks, and if Daniel Levy can pull off this move, then he could well provide Mourinho with the missing piece in the squad.

Arsenal supporters enjoyed a great end to last week as they beat Southampton and they advanced to the semi-finals in the FA Cup after beating Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Manager Mikel Arteta made many changes to the Arsenal squad, but left Bukayo Saka in the starting eleven, which would have shocked some fans who probably would have thought he would be rested for the upcoming Premier League fixture against Norwich.

Since football has returned he has started in all BT Sport, via Football.London, and said: “I’m a huge fan of his. He can play as a defender, he can play midfield, striker, not the main striker but on the wing.”

He also went on to label the youngster as “multi-talented.”

This is high praise from a legendary former Premier League striker and it’s hard to disagree with the Dutchman. In his breakthrough season, the WhoScored, which highlights he has been good defensively as well.

To be so crucial in Arteta’s squad in multiple positions at such a young age, provide a very impressive goal contribution tally and receive high praise from former players like Van Persie emphasises the potential Saka has and hopefully he can continue to get even better and perhaps help Arsenal win the FA Cup this campaign.

Gunners fans, what are your thoughts on this? Comment below!

Liverpool have just won their first league title in 30 years, and it doesn’t look as though they’re going to rest on their laurels after their success.

Indeed, the Reds have been linked with a number of players that will improve their squad with the Thiago Alcantara rumours running rampant, while links to Kalidou Koulibaly still bubble under the surface.

However, despite all these targets from mainland Europe being reported, the Reds are now apparently looking domestically at one player.

What’s the story then?

The Daily Mirror are reporting that Liverpool are interested in signing Leicester’s Harvey Barnes.

The paper’s story says that Barnes fits Liverpool’s transfer strategy of signing young players with high sell-on potential, and you can understand exactly why the Reds are in the market for him.

The 22-year-old has been pivotal in Leicester’s success this term, contributing to 14 league goals, despite only starting 24 games throughout the campaign.

Perfect Shaqiri replacement

Liverpool’s front three is almost impenetrable, and any attacking player that is brought in may have to offer something a little different if they want to see a lot of first-team action, and Barnes is that man.

Not only can he play on either wing, but he can also slot into a midfield role, and that sort of versatility is exactly what Liverpool need, especially if Xherdan Shaqiri leaves as he’s expected to.

Shaqiri has played in five different positions since joining Liverpool, and despite Barnes’ career still being in its infancy, he has played in six different roles for Leicester.

The Swiss international is far from a key player at Anfield, but he does offer something valuable, and it seems as though his versatility won’t be missed all that much if Barnes joins this summer.

Barcelona are a club in turmoil and their financial struggles are probably their biggest issue at the very moment. They have an ageing squad that’s full of players on high salaries and long contracts while the team is also not exactly turning too many heads with their performances on the pitch. For that reason, the arrival of a young talent like Francisco Trincao has been a great scoop for the Catalans and one that’s certainly a bet for both the future and the present.

However, according to a report from Sky Sports, Leicester City are trying to convince Barcelona to part ways with Trincao and are betting on the bad financial situation in the Catalan capital in order to do that. Brendan Rodgers is keen to improve the squad even more and the 20-year-old would do exactly that if he was to arrive at the King Power Stadium.

There were some other reports suggesting the Foxes have offered to take the youngster on loan for two years with an obligation to buy for £45m, which would be quite a sum to turn down. But this is an extremely difficult deal to get over the line, especially since Trincao is yet to play his first game for Barcelona and will only join the squad later on this month.

Still, seeing how the Catalans only had to pay around £28m to get him from Braga, this would represent good profit for them and a way out of their financial struggles. Of course, it wouldn’t exactly solve them all on the spot but it would be a positive start, something Leicester are certainly banking on.

But, as already stated, this won’t be easy to pull off. Barcelona are looking to sell a lot of high-earners from the club but Trincao is certainly not one of them. Rodgers will have to climb a mountain to make this happen.

Trincao deal will be difficult for Leicester

Signing Trincao would definitely be an incredible piece of business for the Foxes but there is no way the Catalans will just part with one of the most exciting young talents on the planet. Perhaps a shorter loan deal without that obligation to buy would be a better way to go for Leicester.

That way, they would at least get Trincao for a short while and then, potentially, they could look to make the transfer permanent later on.

It still feels like Jose Mourinho is trying to mould the Tottenham Hotspur squad to his liking but in order to do that and buy the necessary personnel, Spurs will first have to sell some of their players. According to an exclusive report from The Sun, Manchester City are lining up a shock transfer bid for Harry Winks with the Special One actually considering to let it happen.

The 24-year-old has signed a fresh five-year contract with the club just last summer but that was also when Mauricio Pochettino was still at the helm and his future looked to be at Spurs. Now, however, he seems largely unsettled under Mourinho.

This is also reinforced by the arrival of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg which could limit his first-team chances even more so than usual. The same source claims Pep Guardiola is a fan of the player and is lining up a £40m bid to lure him to the former Premier League champions.

Of course, Spurs never like to sell their players to one of their main rivals but Mourinho needs the funds so he can reinvest it into the squad immediately. Winks is a valued asset but if Manchester City can match what they’re asking for, it is not inconceivable that he indeed leaves the club in the immediate future.

It is worth noting that he has been a regular presence in the lineup so this would come as a bit of a shock but the same paper claims he is unsettled and the Portuguese manager is considering this deal.

Verdict

It remains to be seen what exactly will Hojbjerg bring to the team but losing Winks does seem like a big blow to Spurs. Of course, if Mourinho thinks he is replaceable then that’s a different story.

Predicting his plans can be an unforgiving task but it does seem like he has a plan for the ongoing summer transfer window in place.

The fans will have to trust the process.

Former Swansea City winger Mason Jones-Thomas featured for Portsmouth against AFC Totton on Tuesday evening ahead of a potential move to the club.

With the new 2020/2021 season fast approaching, Pompey boss Kenny Jackett is under a wealth of pressure to improve his squad after failing to gain promotion from League One to the Championship for a second successive season.

Just one summer recruit has so far arrived with Sean Raggett agreeing a move following his exit from Championship side Norwich City.

With pre-season fixtures coming thick and fast, Portsmouth faced AFC Totton on Tuesday and the inclusion of a former Swansea City player has now seen a transfer link develop.

Portsmouth were held by the non-league side and Jones-Thomas featured in a right-wing role for the Blues, playing a total of 55 minutes.

The 19-year-old won Pompey’s second penalty at the Snows Stadium, which was converted by Alfie Stanley.

Jones-Thomas is now available on a free transfer after leaving Swansea’s under-23 setup and the report of his inclusion in Portsmouth’s side has been followed by a claim that he would link up with Pompey’s second string if he arrived at Fratton Park.

As mentioned in the report, if the 19-year-old does arrive at Portsmouth then he will initially go into the youth team at Fratton Park.

Indeed, the club are already well stocked in the right-midfield/right-wing position with Ryan Williams, Gareth Evans and Marcus Harness all available to Jackett.

Given he is available on a free though, he may be worth offering a contract to so that the club can take a closer look at him over the course of the campaign.

Do you think Jones-Thomas would be a good addition to the club? Let us know in the comments section below…