Leeds United fans have taken to Twitter to rejoice after they regained second place following the midweek fixtures in the Championship, brutally trolling promotion rivals Sheffield United in the process.
Ahead of the latest matchday in the second tier, the Blades were sitting in second, the final promotion spot, behind Norwich City with Leeds down in third.
The Whites did their bit by beating Preston North End on Tuesday with supporters awaiting the result of their Yorkshire rivals’ trip to Birmingham City a night later, and Chris Wilder’s men slipped up with a 1-1 draw to hand them back second.
Peacocks wasted no time in tacking to social media to hilariously blast their Yorkshire neighbours, with whom they’ve been embroiled in a season-long battle to return to the Premier League.
One posted a GIF of a famous Chuckle Brothers scene to annotate the two sides constantly handing second back to each other, while others followed, making out United to be bottlers and claiming that the wheels are falling off for the Sheffield club.
Check out the funniest Leeds reactions to the result at St. Andrew’s, below…
Tottenham Hotspur fans have reacted to a set of spooky omens that appear to point towards the club winning the Champions League.
Spurs, of course, face Manchester City later this week in a game that will decide whether or not the club reach their first Champions League semi-final in a generation.
Son Heung-Min’s first-leg strike has given the club a 1-0 lead to protect at the Etihad Stadium, meaning a clean sheet would see them through.
And Twitter user @Treverlloyd92 has pointed out some landmarks that seem to show that the club is destined to progress even deeper into the competition.
Indeed, on Sunday evening, world-class golfer Tiger Woods completed one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history to win The Masters, his first major victory since 2008. Spurs last won a trophy in that year, beating Chelsea in the League Cup final.
And he has also pointed out that Watford have reached the FA Cup final for the first time since 1984, the last time that Spurs won a European trophy.
It could merely be coincidence but it has not stopped Spurs fans getting excited on Twitter.
Steven Gerrard has invested big at Rangers already and he does not look like stopping anytime soon, with two new signings reportedly in the offing.
As per Football Insider, Rangers are closing in on the signatures of Motherwell attacker Jack Hastie and Birmingham City playmaker Greg Stewart.
Hastie has been the subject of interest from a number of English clubs, but it looks like the Glasgow behemoths are going to pip them all this summer with terms apparently on a long-term contract already agreed between the club and player (as per Footballer Insider).
A Rangers source has also revealed that Rangers are in advanced negotiations to ready to welcome Stewart to Ibrox on a pre-contract and beat Derby County and Aberdeen to his signature.
Both Hastie and Stewart will be available on free when their contracts run out at the end of the campaign and this has alerted Gerrard, Rangers and their director of football Mark Allen to the potential of replicating the immense success they had with Scott Arfield and Allan McGregor this time last year, whose deals also expired at Burnley and Hull City, respectively.
The power and influence the league leaders have previously enjoyed allowing them to bring in the likes of Timothy Weah and Oliver Burke has given them a major advantage, but with Rangers seemingly on the mend and on their way up, there is no reason why they cannot flex their influence in the market and return Ibrox to its former glory. Starting with Hastie and Stewart.
It is time now for Steven Gerrard to lay down the gauntlet and prepare his players for a test of their resolve. No excuses for anyone.
Rangers fans, how much pressure is Steven Gerrard under to get things right next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…
Arsenal fans have savaged manager Unai Emery after the club’s 3-2 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
The Gunners missed a golden opportunity to leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur in the race to finish in the top four this season.
Spurs lost to Manchester City on Saturday with Phil Foden’s goal giving Pep Guardiola’s side a 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium, and Arsenal could have moved into third with a victory over the Eagles.
However, Emery made a total of seven changes to his starting XI for the encounter with their London rivals and saw his side soundly beaten.
Goals from Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha and James McArthur proved decisive for Roy Hodgson’s side and the Gunners may now need to win all of their remaining games to qualify for the Champions League next season.
And fans believe that Emery made a grave mistake in his team selection after a particularly galling result.
Last weekend West Ham were made to rue a costly error from the officials. With the club staring at an impressive win over Leicester, they had a goal criminally ruled out for offside, before the Foxes then equalised minutes later to seal a 2-2 draw.
It was a game which just about summed up the Hammers’ season. They’ve been on the wrong end of some horrible refereeing decisions and that was again the case on this occasion.
But a cameo from one man provided evidence of why it’s simply baffling that he’s been so out of favour under Manuel Pellegrini.
The player in question is Lucas Perez. He doesn’t create many headlines but he’s the type of player who, with game time, has the attributes to flourish in a midtable Premier League side.
Last weekend may have been all about his namesake, Ayoze Perez, but the West Ham man was also deserving of praise.
He played just 12 minutes from the bench, a position he’s become all too familiar with during his time in English football, but he was fantastic. He made clever runs in behind and was unfortunate not to score twice.
The Spaniard did find himself on the scoresheet once, tapping home from close range after being in the right place at the right time, but he was the unfortunate man at the centre of West Ham’s disallowed goal controversy.
It was an incredibly bright cameo, one which questions why he’s started just four times in the league this term. West Ham have plenty of talented strikers but with none finding consistency, perhaps he should have been the beneficiary.
Football FanCast sources revealed only last month that West Ham are planning a clear out of their strikers but Perez is someone who needs to stick around.
After all, the goals he’s scored for Deportivo La Coruna in Spain is evidence of his ability to perform in mid-table teams and that could be vital for a side like West Ham.
Before moving to Arsenal in 2016, he scored 17 goals for the La Liga outfit. He then notched eight goals and claimed six assists on loan at the same team last season.
He’s shown he’s a creative player and a hat-trick for Arsenal in the Champions League against Basel tells you all you need to know of his quality.
But perhaps it’s telling that players with European pedigree continue to underperform at West Ham. Maybe there’s a deeper rooted issue within the club.
Either way, Perez deserves more than the way he’s been treated in England and after his latest performance, Pellegrini needs to place more trust in him.
As the Irons gear up to take on Spurs, there’s a certain narrative in the air that a former Arsenal man could damage their top four hopes.
From a Gunners point of view, that may be too much to ask but they can certainly hope.
When the 5 ft 9 striker arrived in England in August 2016, Arsene Wenger told the Arsenal website; “He’s not only a goalscorer, he’s a guy who combines well with partners, who can give a final ball and makes good runs.”
And from his outing against Leicester that is evident, particularly with his willing runs.
Perez has a resilient nature about him and his career path shows how hard he’s had to work to be where he is. He’s made his way through Ukrainian football with Karpaty Lviv and Dynamo Kiev before also playing for Greek Super League side POAK.
It’s an interesting career path that’s led him to England but possibly now more than ever, he deserves a run in the Premier League. West Ham have nothing to play for between now and the end of the season and they could do far worse than turning to Perez to solve their attacking issues.
A move away looks as though it beckons and at the age of 30 it’s no surprise. However, his three goals from just four starts this term suggests there’s still something to work with.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been Crystal Palace’s standout star this season and had his arms full of trophies after the Eagles’ player awards ceremony last week, although the 21-year-old wasn’t the only young player to scoop a gong.
Malachi Boateng took home the Under-18s player of the season award and it seems that the midfielder could follow in Wan-Bissaka’s footsteps in the coming years, with some phenomenal stats to boast about.
At just 16 years of age, Boateng is playing way above his age level and so the fact that he stands out amongst the Under-18s speaks volumes about his quality, although his extraordinary numbers in the middle of the park and in defence speak even louder.
A central player capable of operating as a centre-back or in midfield, the youngster has played 16 games for Paddy McCarthy’s development side this season, completing 14 blocks, 39 clearances and an astounding 70 interceptions, averaging over four per game.
Clearly the starlet can read the game extremely well and has even trained with the first team this season – yet another indication of how highly he is thought of at Copers Cope.
There’s some exciting changes happening at Crystal Palace next summer. Find out what in the video below…
With Cheikhou Kouyate and Max Meyer joining in the summer, Roy Hodgson currently has a plethora of midfield options, although there is a very specific kind of player that the former England boss prefers in that area.
The aforementioned Meyer hasn’t featured nearly as often as many surely thought he would, with the legs of James McArthur and Jeffrey Schlupp chosen instead; it would seem that Boateng is exactly the kind of player Hodgson would love – someone who puts themselves about and can break up play before releasing a teammate.
Palace’s greatest strength lies in their ability to win the ball back and hit their opponents on the counter and so having players in the side who are adept at regaining possession is crucial. Boateng seems to fit the bill perfectly. Will he be Palace’s next academy star?
Everything looks rosy at Liverpool right now. Jurgen Klopp has turned them into genuine title challengers against one of the best teams we’ve ever witnessed in Premier League history: Pep Guardiola’s record-breaking Manchester City.
The Reds are also in the final of the Champions League for the second season in a row, where the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have been in world-class form yet again to fire them through to the latter stages of Europe’s elite competition.
So, after this memorable campaign comes to a close, who should Klopp sell, loan out or keep? Football FanCast assesses the Liverpool squad…
[snack_break title=”Goalkeepers – Alisson Becker, Simon Mignolet, Caoimhin Kelleher”]
Soccer Football – Champions League Semi Final First Leg – FC Barcelona v Liverpool – Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain – May 1, 2019 Liverpool’s Alisson gestures REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Alisson Becker – Keep, obviously.
Simon Mignolet – James Milner recently spoke of his admiration for Mignolet’s professionalism despite being benched in favour of Alisson. The Belgium wanted to leave back in the summer, but the Reds refused his wishes; maybe he should be granted his wish as a result of his commendable attitude.
Caoimhin Kelleher – Loan. The young Irishman is very highly rated at Anfield, but is in need of some first-team football elsewhere to truly test himself.
[snack_break title=”Full-backs – Alberto Moreno, Andy Robertson, Adam Lewis, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Nathaniel Clyne”]
Alberto Moreno – Out of contract in the summer, and not a big favourite at Anfield anyway.
Andy Robertson – One of the world’s best. Keep.
Adam Lewis – Klopp is clearly excited at the exciting youngster’s potential having included him in his squad for the warm weather camp in Marbella earlier this year. A loan would be a smart move for an obviously talented left-back.
Trent Alexander-Arnold – Also one of the world’s best, and a scouser. Looks set to stay for the long term.
Nathaniel Clyne – Loaned out to Bournemouth in January and could command a decent fee. Sell him and get cover for Alexander-Arnold in.
[snack_break title=”Centre backs – Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip, Dejan Lovren”]
Virgil van Dijk – Arguably the world’s best defender. Do I even need to say it? Keep him and build that statue.
Joe Gomez – A fantastic young defender with incredible potential. Keep.
Joel Matip – Has shown in Gomez’s absence that he can be an excellent defender and a reliable presence; his ability to bring the ball out from the back has been impressive. He should be kept around.
Dejan Lovren – Nearing his 30th birthday and has struggled with injury problems this season. Probably best to move him on and get a decent fee for him whilst they still can.
[snack_break title=”Central midfielders – James Milner, Gini Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita”]
James Milner – Milner is almost 34-years-old, and his current deal expires in just 12 months. His leadership and versatility have been key, but it might be time to move him on now Oxlade-Chamberlain is back fit and Keita has settled.
Gini Wijnaldum – Liverpool’s unsung hero. Wijnaldum is a fan favourite at Anfield and has come up with some big moments for the club. He is also a tidy footballer who never lets anyone down. Definitely keep him around.
Jordan Henderson – Captain fantastic. Maybe in the first half of the season you could have argued that the England international should be moved on but, after a chat with Klopp, he has become a key figure in Liverpool’s run to the Champions League final. Has to be kept.
Fabinho – The £39m summer signing has given Liverpool’s midfield some bite and a new dimension. The No.3 sets the tempo in Klopp’s gegenpressing system and is arguably one of the most important players in the side. A must keep.
Adam Lallana – Lallana has made just 16 appearances this season as he once again struggles to maintain his fitness. With the amount of midfielders Klopp has at his disposal, maybe it’s time for the former Southampton man to be moved on. Does he even get in the side when fully fit? Probably not.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – The Englishman’s return to action after roughly a year out was one of the moments of the season. He is a popular figure at Anfield and offers something different in midfield for Klopp. Keep.
Naby Keita – The Guinean was just starting to find his feet at Anfield before suffering a groin injury against Barcelona – Keita had three goals in six games before the incident inside the Camp Nou. After a good pre-season, he should be more like the player we saw at RB Leipzig.
Soccer Football – Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Liverpool v FC Barcelona – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 7, 2019 Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri celebrates after the match REUTERS/Phil Noble
Xherdan Shaqiri – Had a strange period out of the team after January, where he played just 40 minutes in almost three months. Showed his obvious quality against Barcelona, but there are some doubts over his work ethic. An improvement could easily be found, so Shaqiri should be moved on for a decent profit on the £13m Liverpool spent on him.
Sadio Mane – Keep. Obviously
Mohamed Salah – You’re joking right? Keep.
[snack_break title=”Strikers – Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi, Daniel Sturridge”]
Soccer Football – Champions League Semi Final Second Leg – Liverpool v FC Barcelona – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – May 7, 2019 Liverpool’s Divock Origi celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Xherdan Shaqiri and Trent Alexander-Arnold REUTERS/Phil Noble
Roberto Firmino – Klopp’s No.1 choice for the centre-forward role and the man that makes Liverpool’s attack tick like clockwork – he must be kept.
Divock Origi – The Champions League semi-final hero, Origi’s status at Anfield has very quickly turned from bit-part player into a heroic figure. However, he hasn’t been needed for large parts of the campaign and Liverpool should use his newfound form to whack a few extra quid on his price tag and sell him on.
Daniel Sturridge – Is out of contract in the summer, and should rightly be let go. Looks a shadow of his former self.
Graham Dorrans still deserves a chance next season despite injuries meaning Rangers have had to cope without his experience in the middle.
He’s made just one appearance all season in the Scottish Premiership, but that experience is something that Steven Gerrard should hold dear as the club look to win their first major trophy since the 2012 downfall.
The 32-year-old has a contract until the end of next season, so why not see how he returns for pre-season training and give him a chance to prove the injury hasn’t brought a premature end to his career? Actually, despite some of the naysayers, it’d be a waste to let him go now.
His experience might just have been the missing ingredient this season, and it could be what drives them to win the title next term. Any lack of transfer funds means Gerrard is bringing in young talent on loan, so they need Dorrans to guide them. Indeed, even the Rangers camp have been talking up the former Norwich man.
The pressure of playing for Rangers is huge and it’s down to the most experienced players to make sure it doesn’t get too much for the team. It looks like it has on a number of occasions this season, particularly the Scottish Cup quarter-final games against Aberdeen.
Scott Arfield’s experience this season has helped the midfield of two seasons ago to move forward. Add Dorrans to that formula and we could see Rangers move one place up in the table once again, but this time there’ll be a trophy waiting for them.
Rangers fans, how influential do you think Graham Dorrans will be next season? Join the discussion by commenting below.
Liverpool will be looking to regroup over the summer after what must have been a devastating final few weeks of the Premier League which saw Man City seal the title ahead of them.
Despite a record points haul for a team finishing in second, Liverpool have still had a superb campaign and if they can win the Champions League in a few weeks time, then it will have turned into a massively successful campaign on the whole for the Reds.
Manager Jurgen Klopp will have some big decisions to make over the summer you would think, with potential signings bound to be something on his mind, while certain members of his squad will no doubt be looking for clarification on their future.
One of those players is long serving midfielder Adam Lallana, who has this weekend been linked with a move back to Southampton.
Lallana is reportedly keen on making a return to his former club, and here in the Tavern we feel that the Reds would be well served allowing Lallana to make the move back to the Saints and get the chance to get his career firmly back on track.
The England international is now 31, and he will be keen to get some first-team action under his belt rather than sit and watch Liverpool compete for trophies and success without him.
A move to the Saints is not all bad though for Lallana. He would be moving to a club which is seemingly on the up under manager Ralph Hassenhuttl, and he’d be welcomed back with open arms to St Mary’s you would think by a support base who ever really wanted to see him leave.
Liverpool are going to continue getting better, and while Lallana remains a quality midfield player, his time with the club could well be coming to an end with the Saints waiting in the wings to snap him up.
Speaking to Football Insider, Noel Whelan has gone on record to say that Leeds United should be hesitant to use Gaetano Berardi again.
Berardi’s last appearance for the Whites was a shocker. The defender was sent off against Derby in the playoff semi-final second leg, and that game has seen the 30-year-old receive a lot of backlash.
The BBC Radio Leeds pundit doesn’t believe he should be given a second chance though, and he has urged his former club to rethink their stance on the Switzerland international.
What’s been said then?
Whelan didn’t hold back in his criticisms of the versatile defender.
“It was a stupid challenge from Berardi when he was on a yellow,” the ex-Leeds striker told Football Insider. “You can’t afford to have players like that.
“He looked like he was playing for rag-a****d Rovers. He has got previous when it comes to rash tackles and daft mistakes. Just when Leeds needed their experienced players to keep a nice steady head and regroup, that happens.”
Can’t be trusted
Whelan is right about Berardi, and despite him being a good player he costs Leeds with these silly errors far too often.
The former Sampdoria man can play anywhere across the back four at a competent level, and his numbers when he plays as a centre-back tell a huge story.
Before the Derby game, he had an impeccable record when stepping in as a centre-half this season, but this most recent incident of indiscipline could be the final straw as it once again highlights the main problem in his game.
This is becoming far too often of an occurrence for the Whites. The Swiss man has now been sent off more times than anyone else in the club’s history except for Alan Smith.
Perhaps there is still a place for him at the club, but he certainly shouldn’t play in such high stakes matches in the future. Leeds’ interest in Yoann Barbet may mean he drops down the pecking order next season, and he will most likely only be called upon in the most desperate of times.