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West Ham came through their latest test with flying colours.

Their draw with Liverpool on Monday evening was a perfect example of a club overcoming normal expectations against a bigger team.

They turned in a display of the highest calibre, their defence was disciplined, their midfield strong and their finishing precise.

But Manuel Pellegrini will know that the display was the exception to the recent rule, as they had gone on a three-game losing streak in all competitions immediately prior, including a shock FA Cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon.

Their fixture list, however, looks menacing in the coming weeks.

First, they play Crystal Palace in a London derby before another capital battle against Fulham. They then take on Manchester City.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

The question, then, is whether the Irons can maintain the level of performance that saw them go so close to beating Liverpool.

They actually defeated both Palace and Fulham in the reverse fixtures earlier this season – 3-2 and 2-0 respectively – but a 4-0 defeat to City shows that the third game may be something of a free hit.

Momentum, of course, is key.

The Hammers are currently 12th, six points behind seventh-placed Wolves, but the club do hold ambitions of qualifying for Europe.

Two wins in a row would go a long way to exorcising the ghosts of their terrible performances throughout January and would also show that they have the talent within the squad to hunt down Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.

First, they have to prove that they have the ability to beat those around him, and not just turn up when the Sky cameras are switched on.

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West Brom dragged themselves into title contention with a 3-2 win over QPR on Tuesday night, with Jake Livermore picking a perfect time to net his first goal of the season – a 94th minute winner.

The Baggies breached the 60-point mark, meaning they are just three points behind league leaders Norwich, although they will have to be near faultless for the remainder of the season if they want to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Having been relegated to the second tier of English football last season under Darren Moore, the boss would surely love nothing more than to bounce straight back up at the first time of asking.

Who do you want to see promoted this year? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have picked their 3 favoured teams in the video below…

By the looks of it, the players are keen to do so, too, in particular Ahmed Hegazi, who led celebrations after Livermore fired home the decisive goal deep into injury time.

The Egyptian international has been a fixture in the Baggies side since his move to The Hawthorns in December 2017 – the 6-foot-4 defender had initially been signed on loan from Al Ahly in the summer but, having impressed, had an option in his contract activated that saw him seal the switch permanently.

Here’s how West Brom fans reacted to the ace’s performance and celebrations at Loftus Road…

أعرب البوسني ميراليم بيانيتش، عن رضاه بمشاركته الأولى مع برشلونة في ملعب “كامب نو”، وحصوله على بعض الدقائق للظهور بقميص الفريق الكتالوني.

وانضم بيانيتش للبارسا قادمًا من يوفنتوس، وتعافى مؤخرًا من فيروس كورونا، وتحدث في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، عقب فوز برشلونة على إلتشي بهدف دون رد في كأس خوان جامبر.

وقال بيانيتش عن تعليمات المدرب رونالد كومان له: “لقد منحني الثقة وأخبرني أن أكون على طبيعتي، الفريق يعمل كثيرًا ويعمل بجد ويعمل من أجل المباراة الأولى في الليجا”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كومان يوضح مصير ريكي بويج مع برشلونة ويؤكد بقاء كوتينيو

وأضاف لاعب الوسط بشأن استعدادات فريقه: “نحن على استعداد، والفريق يؤدي بشكل جيد للغاية”.

وأتم بشأن مشاركته الأولى: “كان الأمر مميزًا للغاية، على الرغم من أنني كنت أرغب في اللعب بوجود الجمهور، كل شيء يسير بسرعة كبيرة، منذ أسبوع بدأت التدريب بمفردي والآن أشارك مع الفريق”.

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Newcastle visit the Molineux Stadium to face Wolves on Monday and the Toon Army will be chomping at the bit to see record signing Miguel Almiron in action for the first time. BBC Sport pundit Mark Lawrenson thinks it could be a baptism of fire for Paraguayan though.

What did he say?

Discussing his predictions for this weekend’s round of Premier League action with actor Jamie Dornan and photo-journalist Paul Conroy, the former defender had this to say on Monday night’s match:

“Newcastle’s new signing Miguel Almiron should make his debut and I am looking forward to seeing how he gets on.

“I have seen lots of footage of him and he looks like a player but it will be an interesting night for him because the Premier League is very different to the MLS, and Wolves are a team in form.

“Of all the teams chasing seventh place, Nuno Espirito Santo’s team are definitely the most consistent in terms of performances, and I can see them getting a fourth-straight win on Monday.

The likes of Jermain Defoe and Clint Dempsey have crossed the Atlantic to ply their respective trades in the United States but very few go the other way – the step up in terms of quality is realistically more of a leap and, as Lawrenson says, it will be interesting to see how the Paraguayan fares on his first outing in black and white.

All-in for Almiron

As far as introductions to the Premier League come, an away-day at the Molineux Stadium is a pretty good one. The pyrotechnics, flags and thunderous chanting make for a fantastic, but intimidating atmosphere and Wolves will be hoping their recent form carries into this game.

Newcastle and Rafa Benitez appear to have discovered a winning formula though – or at least a formula that makes them very hard to beat – in their 5-4-1. However, 24-year-old Almiron may force Benitez into altering this slightly – there is no room for an attacking midfielder and if you pay a club-record fee for player, you surely want them in their preferred position.

Regardless of where the speedster is deployed, he will find his work cut out for him against a physical Wolves side that are going from strength to strength.

Does Newcastle’s infamous title collapse of 1996 mirror what is happening at Liverpool right now? The Magpie Channel discuss in the video below…

Rangers are six points behind rivals Celtic in the race for the Scottish Premiership despite defeating Aberdeen last week.

The Gers closed the gap over Christmas but Brendan Rodgers’ side have been in top gear during 2019. Catching their rivals will be extremely tough but there is plenty of football still to be played which will give Steven Gerrard’s side plenty of hope. The former Liverpool captain will be hoping to take advantage of Celtic’s participation in the Europa League during the run in.

Regardless of whether they lift the title or not, no one can deny that Gerrard has made a decent start to life in management at Ibrox. The majority of his signings have proven to be inspired additions, none more so than Liverpool’s Ryan Kent.

Valued at just £1.58m by Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old was sent to Scotland by Jurgen Klopp to link up with the Anfield legend after spending half of last season with Freiburg in the Bundesliga. Despite struggling in Germany, the youngster has finally found his feet in the SPFL. Kent has impressed greatly, netting five goals and registering three assists in just 16 league appearances.

When the transfer window reopens in the summer, Gerrard should be doing all he can to make his stay at Ibrox permanent. It’s unlikely that Kent will replace Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane or Roberto Firmino in the Liverpool starting eleven with Xherdan Shaqiri providing cover on the bench. The Englishman needs regular football to aid his development meaning the Reds shouldn’t stand in his way of departing Merseyside.

Kent is still developing and improving – Rangers fans may have only seen a glimpse of what the winger is truly capable of.

Rangers fans, thoughts?

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West Ham United are a club moving in the right direction. David Gold and David Sullivan have showcased a willingness to back Manuel Pellegrini in the transfer market, but the club’s finances could be working more efficiently.

If the Hammers want to move up to the next level, they need to continue attracting players of Felipe Anderson’s and Issa Diop’s calibre. That’s an endeavour which, particularly given how the transfer market has developed in recent years, can be financially crippling.

There are no shortcuts to the top, but a handful of smart decisions could help Pellegrini in his bid to challenge the top-six next season.

Those decisions concern his current squad of players, which is littered with players who, for one reason or another, should leave the London Stadium this summer.

Based on figures provided by Spotrac, we’ve taken a look at a selection of players who Gold and Sullivan could offload to free up the wage bill in the summer transfer window.

Players who look destined to depart

Perhaps rather reluctantly, the Hammers faithful may be forced to wave goodbye to one of a dying breed: Pablo Zabaleta, a genuine warrior whose exemplary attitude has enabled him to perform beyond his means at the top level.

The Argentine is 34-years-old and out of contract in the summer. He is a fan-favourite and still a decent squad player, but the opportunity to slash £3.9m from the yearly wage bill could tempt Pellegrini to usher his fellow South American out of the exit door.

Paradoxically, Marko Arnautovic’s decision to sign a contract extension in January injected an extra layer of substance to the general feeling that he will leave in the summer. It seems clear that the saga has only just begun, and his potential departure would wipe £5.2m off the wage bill.

Andy Carroll’s exit, however, should be more straightforward. He is out of contract in June and his torrid record with injuries has sprayed the writing firmly on the wall. To compound the situation, his style of play is antithetical to Pellegrini’s philosophy. £4.68m saved.

One would assume that backup goalkeeper Adrian, earning £2.6m per year, will also be released when his contract expires in the summer, with a desire for first-team opportunities likely to force the Spaniard’s hand.

Players who aren’t earning their wage

If Gold and Sullivan can find a buyer for Javier Hernandez, they would be foolish not to send him packing. The Mexico international is the highest earner at the club on £140k per week, equivalent to £7.28m per year. West Ham would surely be able to sign a superior talent on a lower wage.

The decision to sign Lucas Perez was a low cost gamble which hasn’t paid off. It seems his style is incompatible with the Premier League, so the Hammers should trim his £4.16m salary if possible.

Pedro Obiang and Sam Byram earn £2.86m and £1.56m respectively, and both players have failed to build a compelling case to remain in east London beyond the summer.

Results of West Ham’s clear-out

Allowing all of the aforementioned players to leave the club would put Gold and Sullivan in a much healthier financial situation. A total of £32.24 million would be removed from the yearly wage budget, which equates to £620k per week – enough to pay Manuel Lanzini’s weekly wage of £70k nearly nine times over.

أعلن نادي لايبزيج عن التعاقد مع ألكسندر سورلوث، مهاجم كريستال بالاس الإنجليزي، بشكل رسمي، لتعويض رحيل تيمو فيرنر، الذي انتقل إلى تشيلسي هذا الصيف.

وقال النادي الألماني، إن سورلوث صاحب الـ25 عامًا وقع على عقد مدته 5 سنوات.

وسيحمل الدولي النرويجي والملقب بـ”شبيه هالاند”، مهاجم بوروسيا دورتموند، القميص رقم 19 مع الثيران الحمراء.

ولعب سورلوث لصالح طرابزون سبور التركي على سبيل الإعارة في الموسم الماضي، إذ سجل 33 هدفًا وصنع 11، في 49 مباراة لعبها بجميع المسابقات.

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Newcastle’s 2-0 win over Huddersfield, in which Ayoze Perez scored, has led former Barcelona and Liverpool ace Luis Garcia to express his beliefs that his compatriot is worthy of a call up to the Spain national squad.

What did he say?

Speaking to Sky Sports’ Goals on Sunday (via The Mag), Garcia said:

“It’s a difficult one at the top because we [Spain] have been struggling having different strikers.

“With Rodrigo, Costa and Morata being the ones [getting the chance].

“But he [Ayoze Perez] is doing a great job.

“And he definitely deserves a try because he has been amazing.

“To be honest, every time he [Ayoze Perez] gets on the pitch, he delivers something special.

“He is a very technical player and he knows how to move.”

Fascinating stuff from the former winger.

Have Newcastle fans got it all wrong?

Versatile attacker Perez has been scapegoated for his side’s shortcomings often in recent seasons, especially when he hits a particularly bad patch of form.

However, the arrival of Miguel Almiron saw the former Tenerife hitman link up with the Paraguayan and Salomon Rondon in what, at first glimpse, was a front three showing real promise for the Magpies.

Perez and big Venezuelan Rondon found the net for Benitez’s side and Almiron was painfully unlucky not to in what was an extremely impressive home debut, but Garcia seems to think that Perez stood out.

Have the new Newcastle home and away kits for next season accidentally been leaked? See for yourself in the video below…

The Newcastle number 17 has netted just three goals in the English top flight this season but that hasn’t prevented him from earning rave reviews from Garcia, who was capped 20 times by Spain.

As the 40-year-old says, La Roja already have a number of top quality strikers to choose from and have had some unbelievable hitmen lead the line over the years; could Perez join the illustrious list of names that includes Raul and David Villa?

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Fernando Llorente has been deputising quite ably for Harry Kane since the England striker sustained an ankle ligament injury.

The former Swansea City striker has been thrown in at the deep end under Mauricio Pochettino and has done well, and he deserves the chance to play against Leicester City this weekend and earn his way into next week’s clash with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

 On the chalkboard

The 6 foot 4 striker has had a divisive effect since coming into the team.

He scored an own goal against Fulham but also gave Spurs hope of progressing to the Carabao Cup final with an excellently taken header against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Pochettino’s men, of course, lost on penalties.

He also scored against Watford, a late winner, to give the club a 2-1 victory having already provided a clever assist to Heung-Min Son for the South Korea international to level the scores.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

Llorente was also on hand to again give Son the chance to score next time out, chesting down a long ball that the winger lashed home against Newcastle United.

The 33-year-old is not the most elegant striker, and sometimes appears akin to a bull in a china shop, but he has the ability to change games and has been at the centre of Spurs’ two most recent victories.

They face Leicester this weekend and rotation is likely, particularly with Dortmund to come on Wednesday.

Pochettino, though, should give Llorente the chance to earn his place against the German giants.

Kane fitness not guaranteed

The Sun report that Kane could be fit for the game against Dortmund.

It would mark a shocking turn of events, given that he was initially ruled out until March.

But the fitness of the England captain is far from guaranteed and is nothing to be trifled with by Pochettino, such is his history of ankle problems.

Playing Llorente against Leicester, then, is something of a low-risk, high-reward strategy.

Indeed, if he struggles to hit the back of the net, Son and Christian Eriksen can share the load, but if he gets on the goal trail, he will head into the game against Dortmund full of confidence.

Llorente is a completely different threat to Kane, and the Bundesliga giants may struggle to contain him – he should be given the right to prove that this weekend.

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Rangers were absolutely delighted to welcome a striker of Jermain Defoe’s calibre to the club during the January transfer window, but now Steven Gerrard is faced with a selection headache.

On the chalkboard

Alfredo Morelos is unquestionably the main man at Ibrox. When the transfer window opens, he is the jewel in Rangers’ crown drawing potential suitors from far and wide.

January was no exception but, rather than succumb to any offers arriving for the Colombian’s services, Rangers decided to bolster their attacking options instead. A wise choice.

Enter Defoe: one of the most prolific goal scorers in recent memory for avid watchers of Premier League football.

Gerrard has largely operated with a 4-3-3 system so far this season, with Morelos operating at the focal point sandwiched between two creative wide players.

That system has worked relatively well for the Gers but Defoe’s presence has threatened to shake things up.

Should Gerrard stick with his familiar system or try and incorporate Defoe alongside Morelos?

Well, James McFadden’s admission that “Gerrard is getting the best from his side, by using his wide players” suggests the Liverpool legend should play to his strengths in his bid to catch Celtic at the top of the SPFL.

With Ryan Kent continuing to wow the Gers faithful with his dynamic approach and the likes of Daniel Candeias and Glenn Middleton offering quality in wide positions, it’s fair to say there’s an obvious solution to this conundrum.

Impact substitutes can make or break title challenges

Nostalgic memories of instinctive finishes while playing off the shoulder of the last defender undoubtedly drew Gerrard towards Defoe in January, but he cannot allow those thoughts to cloud his vision.

Morelos is the future; Defoe is the past. Gerrard simply cannot waste time trying to find a system which incorporates both players with the SPFL title hanging in the balance.

Defoe, though, could have a huge say as an impact substitute. In games which Rangers struggle to find the net bringing on a player of his calibre could be a game-changer.

At 36 years of age he is hardly blessed with the blistering pace he once had, but against tired legs his poachers instinct could represent the difference between a frustrating draw and a priceless victory.