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Former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer has told The Transfer Tavern it is unfair to criticise Axel Tuanzebe too much for his display in Aston Villa’s 3-0 loss to Chelsea.

The 23-year-old struggled to cope with Romelu Lukaku, who left him for dead before grabbing the first of his two goals that day.

It was a performance that drew criticism from multiple Villa supporters, with some taking to social media to make their feelings clear.

However, Palmer has called for some perspective, claiming that the young defender was up against one of the best No.9s in world football right now.

“You’re talking about one of the in-form strikers in the world and probably one of the top five strikers in the world, maybe in the top two or three,” the ex-Leeds United player said.

“To play against Romelu Lukaku now, you’ve got to be top drawer to deal with him. He can roll you, he’s got the pace, he’s got the strength and he can bully you. It’s unfair to label too much heavy criticism on the kid.”

Lukaku already has four goals in all competitions for Chelsea since returning to the club. Tuanzebe will not be the only Premier League defender this season who struggles to deal with him, so the Manchester United loanee probably should be given some slack after that tough day out at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool’s rise from mid-table obscurity in the early and mid 2010s to becoming an English and European heavyweight once again has been down to several factors, but arguably none have been more important than the outstanding recruitment.

The Reds finished eighth in the topflight in 2015/16, which meant they had finished sixth or lower in six of the previous seven seasons, capping one of the worst eras in the club’s recent history.

Jurgen Klopp’s arrival in October 2015 was a pivotal part of Liverpool’s transformation in the subsequent years, but the appointment of Michael Edwards as director of football just 11 months later was also fundamental in their development.

Under Edwards, the Anfield outfit have brought in the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson Becker and Fabinho, but there’s arguably one player who has catapulted them back to their former glory more than any other.

In July 2017, Liverpool splashed out £34m to bring flying winger Mohamed Salah to Merseyside from Italian outfit AS Roma.

The Eygpt international has gone on to establish himself as one of the world’s most prolific goalscorers in world football ever since. In 209 appearances for Klopp’s charges, Salah has bagged an incredible 130 goals, providing a further 49 assists for his teammates.

His heroics have helped fire the 19-time English champions to their maiden Premier League title, a Champions League crown, the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA Super Cup during his time at Anfield.

Salah’s impressive exploits over the last four years have earned praise from several impressed onlookers, including his current boss.

“He is an outstanding signing, but for sure the way he developed, the way he treats himself, the game preparation, the training preparation, training attitude and all these kind of things, that’s exceptional,” gushed Klopp last season. “That’s a real role model, and he deserves all that, absolutely.”

The African star’s recent success has seen his market value skyrocket to £90m, highlighting just how much of an exceptional job Edwards did in securing Salah’s signature.

With only two years left on his current contract, it remains to be seen if the 29-year-old commits his future to the club, but either way, Edwards certainly struck gold by bringing him back to English football following his rather tepid stint at Chelsea.

In other news… Signed for free, sold for £19m: Edwards sealed big Liverpool masterclass in 24y/o flop

A number of Liverpool supporters are hugely frustrated after Jurgen Klopp provided a rather unfulfilling update on Mohamed Salah’s contract situation.

The Reds may have struggled last season, but Salah was one of the constant positives, carrying the attack and scoring 22 goals in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old has continued in a similar vein in 2021/22, netting four times in five appearances, as well as chipping in with two assists.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

While numerous key men have agreed new Liverpool deals this summer, Salah is yet to do the same, with his current contract expiring in 2023.

Speaking in his pre-Crystal Palace press conference on Friday, Klopp confirmed [via James Pearce on Twitter] that there is “nothing new” to report on the situation.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-liverpool-transfer-news-3/” title=”Latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

Liverpool fans

It is an update that hasn’t gone down well with these Liverpool fans on Twitter, with many desperate for the Reds superstar to sign on the dotted line.

“I hate this club sometimes man”

Credit: @salmaagreste

“Bored of this”

Credit: @kloppball

“Oh he’s gone”

Credit: @MQUTins

“I feel sick”

Credit: @Ftbl_H_

“This needs sorting ASAP”

Credit: @aaronjacko

“Well that’s not good”

Credit: @JCairns57

In other news, some Liverpool fans are excited at some potential team news that has emerged. Read more here.

Loads of Glasgow Rangers fans have been left buzzing as some news emerged on the Ibrox outfit’s B team.

As per the official website of the Ibrox faithful, the B team won 3-0 at home to Swedish side Hammarby in the UEFA Youth League on Tuesday night.

A goal from Robbie Ure and two strikes from Ross McCausland made sure that they take a healthy lead to Sweden in three weeks, in an overall very impressive performance that was witnessed by Sporting Director Ross Wilson, assistant manager Gary McAllister and former player Joachim Bjorklund, who is now the ambassador for Hammarby.

It is good to see so many youngsters doing well at the Light Blues, and more displays like these will certainly catch the eye of Steven Gerrard.

Rangers fans on B team news

These Bears buzzed as the news was shared on Twitter, with one Gers fan even going as far as to claim that it was ‘excellent’:

“Brilliant result lads and achieved with style.”

Credit: @Cromwellian77

“Well done guys an awesome performance”

Credit: @pamchugh1

“Well done men, excellent”

Credit: @sammymac55

“Fantastic performance”

Credit: @BrianRhind16

“Stunning, well done to the youngsters”

Credit: @DoTheBouncy

“Wow. What a effort from the young Bears. Champions of Sweden put to bed”

Credit: @waynefawcett

In other news, find out what update has Gers erupting here!

A journalist has revealed what top sources close to Mike Ashley have now said about the future of Steve Bruce at Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Poor start

After the 2-1 loss at Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday, the Magpies sit 19th in the table, having picked up no wins and a mere three points from their first seven games (Premier League).

Of course, Bruce has been in a similar position before and managed to avoid relegation in the end, but it is not a guarantee that he can do so again.

The Latest: Bruce’s future

Writing in his latest piece for The Sun, Alan Nixon has revealed what top sources close to both Bruce and Ashley have said about the manager’s future at St James’ Park.

Ashley will not pull the trigger on Bruce despite the recent poor run of results, as his priority remains finding a buyer and trying to push through the proposed takeover from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium.

The chief executive of Sports Direct also knows that it would take £3m out of his bank account to sack Bruce, plus more to get rid of his backroom staff, while hiring a replacement also takes that bill higher than what he is willing to pay.

The Verdict: Worth the risk

If results carry on like this, then Newcastle will find themselves in a relegation battle once more under Bruce, who is far from a popular figure among the fan base. Therefore, it is time for Ashley to bite the bullet and bring a new coach in order to offer some fresh ideas and hopefully give a new manager bounce.

The chances of the takeover going through are far from certain, so the owner must act now before it is too late in terms of their top-flight future.

In other news, find out what controversial beIN reveal has been dropped on the takeover

An update has emerged on Italian coach Antonio Conte, regarding his thoughts on a move to Newcastle.

What’s the talk?

According to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, the out-of-contract manager is interested in pursuing a potential move to Newcastle following PIF’s takeover of the club.

The report claims that the Italian is open to returning to the Premier League and is now willing to listen to conditions from Newcastle, should an offer be forthcoming.

Cloud nine

Newcastle fans will surely be on cloud nine after reading this update from Ryder. It provides a glimpse into the new world the Magpies are entering following the takeover and shows the level of quality that they could now attract with financial backing.

Would serial winner Antonio Conte want to take the Newcastle job with Mike Ashley in charge coming off a transfer window where the club made one senior signing? It is impossible to say with certainty, but the timing of this report from Ryder suggests that the motivation for his interest is PIF’s involvement on Tyneside.

Not only will supporters be delighted with what Conte’s interest means in terms of how the club is now being viewed, but they will also be buzzing that there is potential for him to become the next manager at St. James’ Park.

Steve Bruce is reportedly set to be sacked this month, with the club eyeing Ralf Rangnick to come in as a sporting director. Any decision on Bruce’s replacement may have to wait until Rangnick, or whoever else they decide to bring in, is appointed in the role.

Conte’s potential interest in the role could appeal to the sporting director as his track record as a manager is exceptional. He has won four Serie A titles, one Premier League, one FA Cup and two Italian Super Cup titles throughout his career at Juventus, Inter and Chelsea.

The 52-year-old is also a proven Premier League head coach thanks to his time at Stamford Bridge. Conte managed 76 games in the English top-flight and averaged 2.14 points per game as he picked up 51 wins in those matches, winning one title in the process.

This is why Newcastle fans should be on cloud nine with this news. The Italian has shown that he has the quality to lead a team to the title in this country. That is not to say that his arrival at St. James’ Park would immediately make them title contenders, but it does mean that he could instil a winning mentality and help them to climb the table.

AND in other news, NUFC must land £210k-p/w gem who is at the “highest level”, fans would love it…

Newcastle United are now reportedly in the picture to sign Erling Haaland in what is quite a remarkable transfer twist.

The Lowdown: Was ruled out

According to Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk just a few days ago, the 21-year-old is not considering a move to St James’ Park, effectively ruling them out of the race to sign the Borussia Dortmund superstar.

Various reports have also stated that him moving to Tyneside is unrealistic, despite the takeover from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium.

The Latest: Haaland transfer twist

According to a fresh report from AS (via Sport Witness), though, ‘it is not out of question’ that Haaland could move to Newcastle, with the Magpies ‘in the picture’ for his signature.

However, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are also named as potential destinations for the Norway international.

The Verdict: Exciting

Even though it is very possible that Newcastle will miss out on the signing of Haaland due to the level of competition and the fact that they are still in a relegation battle in the Premier League, it is exciting for the Toon Army merely to be named in the conversation.

The striker has been nothing short of sensational while playing for Dortmund, averaging more than a goal per match over the past three seasons across all competitions (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, what a remarkable signing he would be for the Magpies if the new owners could somehow pull it off.

In other news, find out which elite manager NUFC ‘dream’ of hiring

With Dean Smith’s Aston Villa side heading into Saturday’s Premier League clash in a decent run of form, having picked up six points over their last four fixtures against challenging opposition, the 50-year-old would have been confident of another positive result in the West Midlands derby against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

However, after taking a 2-0 lead in the second half of the fixture, Villa subsequently collapsed in the final ten minutes, as three late goals saw Wolves leave Villa Park with a highly unlikely three points.

Although, despite the result, a number of Smith’s side actually turned in rather impressive displays in the match, none more so than John McGinn – whose performance did not deserve to come for the losing side in the clash.

Four key passes

Indeed, over his 90 minutes on the pitch, the central midfielder was incredibly influential for his team, ending the game with both a goal and an assist to his name.

Furthermore, the Scotland international also made four key passes, created one big chance for his teammates, attempted seven crosses, six long balls and completed three dribbles.

The £27m-rated man also won eight of his 13 duels, made one interception, four tackles and took two shots at the Wolves goal, as well as winning one free-kick for his side.

These returns saw the 26-year-old who Gregg Evans dubbed a “brilliant” player earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 8.9, with no player from either side receiving a better score than McGinn on the day.

As such, despite the result, Smith will undoubtedly be hugely encouraged by the Scot’s performance against Wolves, who, unfortunately, was let down by his teammates on Saturday.

However, should the £25k-per-week midfielder be able to maintain this level of performance going forwards, more often than not, he will help to secure Villa a great many victories this season.

In other news: “Outstanding” Aston Villa gem who won just one duel failed Smith in derby collapse

West Ham United return to Premier League action this afternoon and they could break into the top-six with a result against local rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

David Moyes’ men continued their fine form this season with another victory in the Europa League, defeating Genk 3-0 to maintain a 100% record in midweek, whilst they defeated Everton last weekend.

The Scotsman is left with some interesting decisions to make in terms of team selection, so what sort of XI could we see in east London today?

Here’s what we are predicting…

There could be as many as six changes from Thursday night.

Moyes has two absentees in the injured Vladimir Coufal, who is not expected to be available today, and loan midfielder Alex Kral, who is still isolating after a positive test.

It means he has a big call to make at right-back and it could see him stick with impressive 21-year-old Ben Johnson, instead of Ryan Fredericks.

He’ll be joined in defence by Aaron Cresswell, who also keeps his place from the Genk victory, along with Kurt Zouma and Angelo Ogbonna. They replace Craig Dawson and Issa Diop.

They’ll sit in front of no.1 Lukasz Fabianski, with PSG loanee Alphonse Areola seemingly the designated cup ‘keeper, for now.

In midfield, it’s likely that we see the same pairing of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek, whilst the 58-year-old has seemingly settled on a balanced front four in recent matches.

Thursday’s goalscorer Jarrod Bowen remains but instead of playing up front, he’ll be back on the wing on the opposite flank to Said Benrahma, with Pablo Fornals sitting in the middle.

That’s because talismanic forward Michail Antonio, who has recently been dubbed a “complete monster” and an “absolute revelation” by journalist Paul Brown, is set to return having not been involved in midweek whatsoever.

The 31-year-old’s game time does need to be managed and that could pay dividends here today as he looks to add to his six goals and four assists, certainly well worth his reported £70k-per-week wages.

AND in other news, Moyes could unearth West Ham’s next Joe Cole in 19 y/o gem “similar to Jack Grealish”…

An update has emerged regarding Newcastle’s interest in Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey.

What’s the talk?

According to Tuttosport, via Sport Witness, PIF are ready to splash out £11.8m (€14m) on wages per season for the Welsh international.

The report claims that they are willing to match his Juventus wages as they prepare an offer ahead of the January transfer window.

Fans will be buzzing

Newcastle fans will surely be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons. Firstly, it shows that the Saudi Arabian consortium are willing to spend big money in January to improve the squad in the short-term.

Instead of keeping the cash in the bank until the summer, PIF are prepared to invest in the team in the winter market to bolster the starting XI. Fans will surely be delighted to hear this as it could lead to an exciting transfer window in two months’ time.

The Magpies are struggling in the Premier League and January may not be the right time to invest in younger players with potential as they try to stave off a potential relegation battle. It could be a smart ploy to bring in a couple of experienced, proven players to help them avoid the drop before recruiting young talent in the summer ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

Fans would also be buzzing as Ramsey has a track record of performing to a high level in the Premier League and could give them the boost they need to get over the line in the second half of the campaign.

Arsenal legend Martin Keown previously called him an ‘outstanding technician’ during the Welshman’s time with the Gunners, saying: “Playing in a deeper role, as he did under Arsene Wenger – I think that’s the best role for him. If you want Ozil and him in the same team. He’s so important to everything they do. It’s the energy – the box-to-box energy. He’s become an outstanding technician.”

Ramsey has played 262 matches in the Premier League to date, scoring 40 goals and setting up 51 for Arsenal from central midfield. This shows that he has the requisite experience to come in and steady the ship in the middle of the park for the Magpies, whilst also offering a threat in the final third, and that is why the Toon Army must be delighted by this update.

AND in other news, “On shortlist”: Craig Hope drops fresh NUFC managerial update that’ll frustrate fans…