All posts by h716a5.icu

A number of fans online have been left furious with Thomas Partey after he wasted a late chance for Arsenal by shooting from a ridiculous distance in the club’s recent draw.

What’s the latest on Thomas Partey and Arsenal?

Mikel Arteta and his side were unable to pick up three points yet again in the Premier League as they were held to a 3-3 draw at the Emirates last night.

Things could have hardly got off to a worse start for the Gunners as Southampton capitalised on an Aaron Ramsdale mistake to score after just 30 seconds. The Saints then doubled their lead after 14 minutes through former Arsenal player Theo Walcott.

Gabriel Martinelli pulled one back but the game looked to be over when Duje Caleta-Car headed in from a corner to restore Southampton’s two-goal advantage in the 66th minute.

However, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka then scored two goals in two minutes in the dying embers of the game to give Arsenal a sudden shot at all three points.

With a head full of steam and all the momentum, the Gunners pushed for a fourth goal, and deep into stoppage time Partey picked the ball up with options left and right.

However – as shown in the footage below – the £200k-per-week midfielder took it upon himself to try and steal all the glory with the most ambitious attempt at goal that predictably flew well over the crossbar.

His wayward effort went out for a goal kick and wasted some precious seconds as Southampton managed to hold on for a draw.

Consequently, the Gunners now play Manchester City next Wednesday with only a five-point lead at the top of the table when many would have predicted that being seven points ahead of Friday night’s match.

Pep Guardiola and co have played two fewer games, so a win for them would put a huge dent in Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions.

Of course, Partey isn’t the only person to blame for the most recent draw, but his poor decision late on understandably infuriated a number of supporters.

Here are some of the reactions…

Some even slammed him for trying to do his best Vincent Kompany impression.

Even rival fans were shocked…

Referee Simon Hooper and his VAR team may have made a big mistake as they missed a possible foul on Gabriel Jesus late on in the latest Arsenal game.

What's the latest on VAR and Arsenal?

The Gunners suffered another setback in their hunt for Premier League glory as they were held to a third conservative draw last night.

Indeed, after picking up just a point from Liverpool in a 2-2 draw and then doing the same against West Ham United, Arsenal repeated the trick against Southampton.

This time, however, instead of going two goals up, they went two behind and eventually had to claw back a 3-3 draw thanks to two late goals from Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka.

Indeed, the club captain netted in the 88th minute and the Saints conceded again just two minutes later. Then, with just seconds left on the clock, the ball fell to Jesus inside the penalty box.

As the footage shared on Twitter shows, the Brazilian takes a touch and is about to shoot before an opposition player clumsily bundles him over.

Was it a penalty on Jesus for Arsenal?

The replay shows that the ball isn't won clearly and Jesus is knocked to the ground without getting his shot away. It's the sort of decision where had Hooper pointed to the spot, VAR likely wouldn't have overturned it.

However, the Gunners didn't have any luck here as the referee decided against awarding a penalty and those in charge of the technology didn't feel as though it was a big enough mistake to get involved.

And so, Southampton cleared their lines and hung on to a point. This could prove costly for Arsenal now, as they've failed to extend their league at the top of the table quite as much as they would have hoped.

Indeed, they next travel to the Etihad to play Manchester City just five points ahead of Pep Guardiola and co, despite having played two more games.

With that being the case, the situation is simple. Mikel Arteta and his team almost certainly need an away win on Wednesday night if they are to do the improbable and actually lift the Premier League at the end of May.

No doubt they'll be hoping for a little bit more luck with the officials in Manchester – though they'll also need a vastly improved performance from the whole team.

Manchester United have made an approach to the representatives of Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, Fabrizio Romano reports.

What’s the latest news on Man United and Mac Allister?

The Red Devils are on the hunt for a new midfielder and forward this summer, looking to build on a successful first season under Erik ten Hag.

Mac Allister has emerged as a real target in recent weeks, with journalist Steve Bates recently claiming that Ten Hag has held transfer talks with director of football John Murtough, technical director Darren Fletcher and chief executive Richard Arnold.

The Argentinian is thought to be on the manager’s radar, and it looks as if the Red Devils have made a first move for the World Cup winner.

Romano took to Twitter in the last 48 hours to share what he’s heard on Mac Allister. He said that the Red Devils, along with Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool have all approached Mac Allister’s camp, with the player expected to depart the south coast over the coming months.

“Alexis Mac Allister, expected to leave early this summer — understand there are three clubs in the race: Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United.

“These clubs have approached player’s camp to discuss the project. BHAFC will decide price tag soon.”

What would Mac Allister bring to Old Trafford?

We think Mac Allister could offer plenty to Ten Hag, with the 24-year-old turning out in defensive, central and attacking midfield roles during the current campaign.

He has contributed to an impressive 12 goals in 29 games, showing that he has ability in the final third as well as contributing defensively. As per WhoScored, Mac Allister ranks highly for tackles and shots per 90 in the Seagulls' squad and has recently been hailed as 'world class' by members of the media.

Having won the World Cup in the winter and had his best season in front of goal for Brighton this term, he appears to be at the peak of his powers so could come in and immediately make an impact alongside the likes of star midfielders Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes.

Ten Hag will be able to get a closer look at his summer target later this month in an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, and who knows, he could be turning out under the Dutchman next season, should United pip two of their rivals to his signature over the coming months.

Despite Michael Beale’s strong start to life at Glasgow Rangers, losing just twice so far, he faces a massive task ahead during the summer transfer window in order to simultaneously improve his squad while moving some deadwood and underperformers in the opposite direction of Ibrox.

There are quite a few players who were signed by either Steven Gerrard or Giovanni van Bronckhorst that quite simply, haven’t made the required impact, and Scott Wright is one of them.

The winger joined the Ibrox side midway through the title-winning campaign of 2020/21, chipping in with a goal and two assists in 13 appearances.

Since the end of that season, he has made 59 appearances for the Gers, scoring just seven goals, with none coming this term and Beale could be tempted to move him on in the summer.

Back in February, Football Insider claimed that the club could be set to listen to offers for the Scot this summer as the inevitable overhaul begins.

Beale could splash out on a replacement, or he could just take a quick look into the academy to see that there is an exciting talent who should be given a chance to gain some minutes in the first team before the end of the season – Ross McCausland.

Who is Ross McCausland?

The 19-year-old has already made his debut for the first team, earning 30 minutes of game time in the final match of last season as Van Bronckhorst gave some key players a rest ahead of the Europa League final just a few days later.

He didn’t disappoint, grabbing an assist and showing fine glimpses of his talent during that cameo. The Northern Irishman has certainly upped his game this term for the B team, especially in the Lowland League, scoring eight times and registering four assists.

These are excellent returns for someone who predominantly operates on the right wing, and he isn’t fazed by taking on tougher opposition either, netting twice in the UEFA Youth League against Ajax last year.

He is “dominant” in one-on-one duels according to academy chief Craig Mulholland and that could benefit Beale who looks for his wingers to go and attack the opposition defence. On the other hand, Wright likes to cut inside fairly often.

Journalist Josh Bunting also lauded the player, suggesting he “looks like a superb talent” with Beale set to be pleased regarding just how much quality is ready to emerge from the academy.

Wright could very well leave in the summer and instead of spending money on a replacement, McCausland should be given some time to further develop, and he may just be a surprise.

On-loan Manchester United midfielder Marcel Sabitzer is reportedly "highly likely" to leave Bayern Munich and wants to join the Red Devils permanently.

How has Sabitzer done for Man Utd?

The 29-year-old moved to Old Trafford on a temporary basis back in January, having found it difficult to become a regular for Bayern, making only seven starts in the Bundesliga. He has done well in his short time at United to date, however, proving to be an effective performer, not to mention scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup quarter-final win over Fulham.

With Casemiro suspended for a chunk of Premier League games, Sabitzer has filled in impressively, putting his experience to good use and averaging 1.8 tackles and 1.6 clearances per game in the competition. It remains up in the air whether he will seal a permanent move to United at the end of the season, however, as Erik ten Hag weighs up his options.

The Austrian certainly seems keen on the idea of staying put, according to recent report, and it is hard to see him having much of a future at Bayern, even though new manager Thomas Tuchel could potentially rate him more highly than Julian Nagelsmann.

Now, a new report has emerged – one that further clears up Sabitzer's current situation.

Is a permanent move on the cards?

According to Sport 1 journalist Kerry Hau [via Sport Witness], there are "growing signs" that the midfielder will depart Bayern for good once the summer window arrives. He "does not want" to return to the Bundesliga giants and instead "hopes" to join United on a permanent basis and is "very comfortable" there. It is also claimed that "all signs points to farewell" and that an exit is "highly likely".

The Red Devils don't have an option to sign him in his contract at Old Trafford, but he will hope that his performances have done enough to impress Ten Hag.

This is a tricky one for United, with Sabitzer a top-class player with a wealth of experience, having racked up 69 caps for Austria and scoring 14 goals for good measure. He does turn 30 later this year, however, so offering him a potentially long-term deal would be a risk, especially as both Casemiro and Christian Eriksen are 31 years of age.

Ten Hag could be wiser to look at a younger alternative to the Bayern man, although the idea of him signing permanently is still no bad thing – Diogo Dalot has hailed him as a "machine" – especially if it was a shorter-term deal that only takes him into his early 30s.

Chelsea's signing of Tiemoue Bakayoko from AS Monaco in 2017 looked to be an extremely promising one considering his performances with the Ligue 1 side but he has well and truly rinsed the west London club in his six-year stay at Stamford Bridge.

How much did Tiemoue Bakayoko cost Chelsea?

Chelsea completed the signing of the French midfielder from Monaco in the summer of 2017 for an eye-watering fee of £40m, which made him the second-most expensive signing in the Blues' history at the time, with only Fernando Torres having cost more.

He would sign a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge but saw his contract inexplicably extended until 2024 back in 2021, ahead of his two-year loan move to AC Milan.

Bakayoko's first season at Chelsea was the last time he made a senior appearance for the Blues, but he didn't perform too badly under Antonio Conte in the 2017/18 season, averaging a 6.87 rating from WhoScored across his 29 appearances in the Premier League.

What's been said about Tiemoue Bakayoko?

He clearly failed to win over the staff, fans or pundits, with Chelsea legend Frank Lampard not holding back in his criticism of the midfielder when speaking on Match of the Day back in 2018.

He said (via Daily Mail): "His body language is slow, he sticks half a leg out at the ball. Fans will stick with you if you show reactions and urgency but he's not moving quickly enough and he has to switch on.

"You can have a dip when you come from another league but we are in January now and I really think he needs to start picking up. I think he might be struggling, it may be a confidence issue."

He was promptly sent out on loan ahead of the 2018/19 season in the hope that he could rediscover his confidence but it seems clear now that he won't make it at Stamford Bridge, having failed to appear for the Blues in any of the last five seasons.

Spells with AC Milan, Napoli and AS Monaco would follow for the former France international but Chelsea were never willing to take a gamble on the £40m man again, with Gennaro Gattuso also critical of the midfielder in 2018 in his first spell at the San Siro.

He said: "Bakayoko has to learn how to get the ball. We must work correctly. It will not be easy.

"One week is not enough to remove the defects of a player. I would have preferred to be managing older, more experienced club players."

He returned to the Rossoneri on a two-year loan deal in the summer of 2021, with the Serie A giants reportedly obligated to buy Bakayoko if he were to play 45 minutes in at least 15 games this season.

It is perhaps no surprise that he has mustered just 32 minutes of action ins Stefano Pioli's side so far this campaign, with a return to Stamford Bridge certainly on the cards again this summer.

Bakayoko's contract is set to expire in 2024 and he has already been a Chelsea player for 297 weeks, so Graham Potter must find a way of getting rid of the £40m flop this summer, even if it means letting him leave for nothing.

Newcastle United have held talks with the representatives of Marcus Thuram about a summer switch to St James’ Park, according to a report.

The Lowdown: Newcastle eyeing attacker

Newcastle are believed to want an attacker in the summer transfer window, recently being linked to Watford’s Joao Pedro, having missed out after making a £30m bid for the forward last year, instead signing Alexander Isak.

Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior has also emerged as an option for the Magpies, having recently impressed for the England U20’s, scoring a brace in the 2-0 victory against Germany on Wednesday night.

However, given the club’s ambition to establish themselves amongst the elite clubs of world football, there is likely to be a desire to bring in players that have already proven themselves at the top level, with Thuram now being considered as a potential option…

The Latest: Thuram talks held

According to a report from 90min, Newcastle have held talks with the Frenchman about a summer move, as they prepare to rival Serie A side Inter Milan for his signature.

Teams from across the continent are interested in signing the forward, with Inter confident they are leading the race, however the Magpies also remain in the mix, and they have now taken the first steps towards negotiating a deal.

The Borussia Monchengladbach ace will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season, as his contract with the Bundesliga club is set to expire, and he fits the bill perfectly for Eddie Howe, who wants to bring in a forward who can also play out wide.

The versatile attacker is seen as a potential replacement for Allan Saint-Maximin, with the Frenchman increasingly likely to be sold by the Magpies in the summer.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Hailed as ‘incredible’ by members of the media, the 24-year-old has been in inspired form in the Bundesliga this season, bagging three assists and scoring 12 goals in the German top flight, with the latter figure ranking him joint-second highest in the league.

A similar sort of return in the Premier League would be a major improvement on Saint-Maximin’s output this season, with the Frenchman scoring just once in 18 league appearances, failing to record a goal or assist in his last 11 top flight games.

If Newcastle are serious in their ambition to become Champions League regulars, they need to be competing for players of Thuram’s calibre, and the opportunity to sign a player of his quality for free does not come around too often.

As Manchester United booked their place in the last eight of the Europa League on Thursday evening with a narrow, 1-0 victory over La Liga side Real Betis, January arrival Wout Weghorst endured something of a night to forget in Seville, with the towering Dutchman again showcasing why he is nothing more than a mere short-term fix.

Although, to his credit, the 30-year-old certainly puts in a shift whenever he does take to the field, that commendable work ethic will only take a player so far at an elite club like United, with the striker demonstrating a real lack of quality in the final third.

On what was his 17th consecutive start for the Red Devils since his surprise move during the winter window, the Netherlands international yet again fired a blank in front of goal, ensuring that he now has just two goals to his name for the club to date.

A week on from producing an emotional, relief-filled celebration in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford after getting himself on the scoresheet, the on-loan Burnley man was unable to add to his tally this time around, notably guiding Facundo Pellistri's effort onto the post from point-blank range just prior to the interval.

That agonising moment epitomised what was a truly limp showing from the 6 foot 6 colossus, as he laid bare his overall "mediocrity" with regard to providing an end product, as per journalist Dominic Booth.

How did Weghorst perform against Betis?

Weghorst's woes were further illustrated by the fact that he made just 21 touches in total despite remaining on the field for the game's entirety, with that figure more than half of what teammate David De Gea achieved in the sticks (43).

That rather anonymous performance saw the one-time Wolfsburg hotshot complete just nine of his 14 passes and lose possession on seven occasions, having also fired an effort straight at opposition stopper Rui Silva late on.

While the 19-cap menace did win four of his eight duels as he attempted to make a nuisance of himself through the middle, he was rather 'unreliable' when trying to hold the ball up, as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, with a man of his size and stature needing to do more to impose himself on the opposing backline.

Those woes ensured that Weghorst was only able to record a match rating of 6.8, as per Sofascore, having proven just why Erik ten Hag and co will be chasing a striker of 'higher quality' come the end of the season, in the words of the Independent's Chris Wilson.

For all the goodwill that flooded his way after getting a first goal at the Theatre of Dreams last week, last night's showing proved that the misfiring dud now appears to be becoming someone whom United are winning in spite of, not because of.

That is a rather damning indictment indeed.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is reluctant to sell Harry Kane over the summer and is keen to make the England captain the face of their project.

Who wants to sign Harry Kane?

The future of the 29-year-old does seem to be one of the major questions going into the summer transfer window with the striker only having one more year on his deal in north London.

There have been strong reports suggesting the likes of Manchester United are looking to make a strong push with Erik ten Hag keen on the player.

And it is also believed Kane will have options from further afield with the Bundesliga giants, Bayern Munich, still showing an interest in him.

However, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has insisted the Lilywhites are determined to keep Kane and make him the main man with a new manager expected to be in place for the summer:

"What I heard is that, at the moment, on Tottenham's side, no matter what happens with the coach situation, they want to extend the contract of Harry Kane.

"So they will offer him a new contract, they will insist to keep the player, they will insist to make Harry Kane the face of the project also, for the future of Tottenham, and so they have no intention at this moment to let him go."

What is left at Spurs for Kane?

There will certainly be some question marks surrounding the notion of Kane remaining at Spurs when he has been with the club for his entire career and is still yet to lift any silverware.

However, the market for the striker may not be as big as some may expect given the huge transfer fee which could be slapped on him if he is to push for an exit.

The soon-to-be 30-year-old England captain is unlikely to leave for Chelsea, Arsenal is naturally off the cards, Liverpool have already invested heavily in their attack and Manchester City have Erling Haaland.

With this in mind, it only really leaves United as a feasible option.

Kane has previously spoken about not being keen on the idea of playing abroad so that could well eliminate the possibility of leaving for Germany – unless he has since changed his mind.

A move to Old Trafford could provide the striker with an increased chance of winning a trophy, but it is by no means a certainty.

And the Red Devils are also still well within the race to secure their spot in the top four with only two points separating them and Tottenham.

Kane is clearly settled at Spurs in terms of churning out consistent goal returns in the Premier League and at the age of 29, he may not be entirely convinced on the idea of moving to a different part of the country.

Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell thinks Liverpool are definitely making the ‘right move’ by offering Naby Keita a new contract.

The Lowdown: Contract talks opened

The 27-year-old first made the switch to the Premier League when he joined the Reds from RB Leipzig five years ago, but as a result of only having 12 months remaining on his current contract at Anfield, his future is now uncertain.

However, there has since been a positive update in the sense that LFC have opened talks with the midfielder over a new deal, with transfer insider Fabrizio Romano further confirming that the club have made it one of their priorities to tie the maestro down this summer.

The Latest: Campbell backs Liverpool decision

Asked by Football Insider whether he thinks Liverpool have made the right decision in offering new terms to Keita, Campbell said: “I like Keita.

“I think he is a very good player. Whenever he is in the team, he has performed.

“You can tell a good player when there is not drop-off. That is how you know that you’ve got a squad of top player. There was times that Keita was on the bench and Klopp brought him on to up the level.

“He has a silky way of dribbling and playing decisive passes. I think the right move is to tie him down to a new deal, 100 per cent. Klopp has to keep that squad intact.

“They were one point off of the title last season. It is going to be another close one this season.”

The Verdict: Magician in midfield

Keita has slightly fallen down Jurgen Klopp’s pecking order in recent times, with the German having the likes of Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago all available for selection, but he’s someone who is definitely more than worth keeping in and around the squad.

Even though the Guinean only made 14 top-flight starts last season, he still managed to make a hugely positive impact when given the chance, averaging an 86% pass success rate and two tackles per 90 minutes, via WhoScored, highlighting his ability to tighten up and control a midfield.

With Takumi Minamino on the verge of sealing a Reds exit and Henderson not getting any younger, Keita should get plenty of chances to impact the starting XI going forward, where he will undoubtedly continue to enjoy plenty more success with Liverpool in years to come.