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Manchester City will be looking to avoid an upset when they travel to Whaddon Road to face Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup on Saturday, but the game should represent an opportunity for Pep Guardiola to play some of the academy talents at the club.

City beat Birmingham City in the third round playing a strong side, although youngsters such as Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Felix Nmecha did feature.

If City win on Saturday afternoon, then they face another away trip to either Swansea and Nottingham Forest in the fifth round.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects the Spanish manager to line his side up against Cheltenham, with nine changes from the side that beat Aston Villa in midweek…

Zack Steffen comes back in for Ederson in goal, having impressed for Guardiola’s side in the absence of the Brazilian earlier this season.

There are two changes in defence, as Benjamin Mendy comes in for the injured Kyle Walker, with Joao Cancelo reverting to right-back.

18-year-old centre-back gem Taylor Harwood-Bellis partners John Stones in defence from the start, although if City are comfortable you would imagine the former Everton man will be replaced at the earliest opportunity, as we saw in the Birmingham game with Ruben Dias.

Fernandinho provides the experience in an otherwise youthful midfield, as Nmecha and Tommy Doyle earn rare starts for the Citizens, with Rodri and Ilkay Gundogan sitting this one out, whilst Kevin De Bruyne is now set for a spell on the sidelines.

There are three changes in attack, as Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden drop to the bench, with Riyad Mahrez and Ferran Torres starting on the wing, supporting 17-year-old Liam Delap up front.

And, in other news… Txiki can sign Pep his next Walker in “fearless” £18m-rated speed demon

The transfer window slammed shut last Monday without a mere flutter from Leeds United’s cheque book.

They decided not to bring any new faces to Elland Road last month but their recruitment efforts ahead of the summer are now being stepped up.

What’s the word?

The Athletic reported earlier this week that Leeds had Brest defender Romain Perraud high up on their list of players to target in the summer.

However, they could revive their January interest in another player when the window opens in a few months time.

According to Eurosport, it’s likely that Leeds will make a bid for Wolves winger Adama Traore. They claim the Spaniard has been on their radar all season and hint that added investment from the 49ers could make a deal happen.

90min reported Leeds’ initial interest in January, citing that £40m might be needed in order to prise him away from Molineux.

Shades of Raphinha

When the Brazilian signed for the Whites last summer for £17m, there was a degree of uncertainty.

He’d enjoyed just one season in Europe’s top five leagues but rarely do Leeds make an investment without years of scouting. Victor Orta had been tracking the winger since his days in Portugal and it’s safe to say his meticulous analysis has paid off.

Offensively, Raphinha has been one of their best players this season. He has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water, scoring four goals and registering a further four assists in the process.

Critically, though, is that he fits Bielsa perfectly. He runs himself into the ground, presses the opposition and tracks back. His work rate is second to very few in the Leeds squad – he averages more than a tackle per game and wins 3.6 duels per match, impressive numbers for a winger.

One of the most eye-catching parts to his game is his quick feet and dribbling. So far this term, he’s managed 1.6 dribbles per game. That tally is higher than anyone in the Leeds squad.

But why is this relevant to Traore? Well, in terms of the impact they can provide in the final third they are very similar.

The Wolves forward has been dubbed “unplayable” in the past and it’s clear to see why. He has amassed a mighty 3.8 dribbles per game this term, beating players for fun with sheer pace and trickery. Already you can see the parallels between him and Raphinha.

Look at their running stats and you’ll realise what type of players the duo are. In 2020/21, no forward has made more accelerations and decelerations per 90 minutes that the dynamic Leeds winger (over 140). For context, Traore is also high up on the list, amassing just over 105 in the same metric.

Traore hasn’t scored in the Premier League for over a year so his explosive nature has become somewhat limited recently. That being said, the £43k-per-week speedster is still one of the most dangerous players in the division to deal with.

AND in other news, Leeds have unlocked their new Forshaw in £10k-p/w ace who is “perfect” for Bielsa…

Both Joe Aribo and Alfredo Morelos scored in the second half as Glasgow Rangers moved 18 points clear of Celtic with a commanding 4-1 win over Dundee.

In one of the most bizarre moments we’ve ever witnessed at Ibrox, United’s keeper Benjamin Siegrist watched in horror as his clearance bounced off Morelos and into the back of the net from about ten yards out.

Morelos – who like Aribo – picked up a goal and assist, largely picked up where he left off against Royal Antwerp in the Europa League as he terrorised the Dundee defence with another stunning showing.

But it was the performance of Aribo which stood out the most for Steven Gerrard’s side after he cut inside from the left flank and blasted a shot into the opposite corner to make it 3-0.

The former Charlton beast was charged with assisting Ryan Kent on the left wing with the pair terrorising the Tangerines for most of the game and both getting their names on the scoresheet.

However, it’s fair to say that he may have overshadowed both Kent and Morelos a little with his latest performance.

Kent has been one of Rangers’ main creators this term, but Aribo saw his shot in the first half take a deflection off Ianis Hagi past the hapless Siegrist, which set the tone for the rest of the afternoon.

He won nine of the 17 duels he completed on the ground, the most out of any player on the pitch, winning 55% of his duels overall.

This had all the potential to be a tough test for the 24-year-old, but he delivered by all accounts, with the BBC naming the Gers midfielder as their Man of the Match.

Only Borna Barisic and Leon Balogun took more touches than Aribo’s 83, which suggests that he was at the centre of nearly everything going forwards, producing 41 out of 51 passes (80%).

This was also a tally which far surpassed that of Morelos, who could only manage 41 touches. As for pass accuracy, only Barisic, Balogun and Glen Kamara ranked higher.

This was as close to a complete performance as it gets from the Rangers midfielder, who deserves immense credit for his impressive work rate. It’s no wonder Gerrard considers him to be “one of the best players in the league” – that’s for sure.

The Tangerines had won two of their past three previous fixtures in the Scottish Premiership, so this had all the potential to be an acid test for Aribo, but he passed the test with flying colours in the absence of the injured James Tavernier and Kemar Roofe.

AND in other news, Rangers must prioritise Leon Balogun’s new contract…

Recent reports have suggested that Alex McCarthy is close to signing a new deal with Southampton, after his impressive performances for the Saints this season.

According to Dan Sheldon in The Athletic, the South Coast club have opened talks with the 31-year-old over a new deal, with his current contract set to expire in 2022.

The former Crystal Palace man, who earns £50k per week with the Saints, has been in impressive form at times for Southampton this season, having helped his side to seven clean sheets in the top-flight.

Since joining Southampton in 2016, the shot-stopper has gone on to make 106 appearances for the club, conceding 156 goals and keeping 29 clean sheets.

His form in recent seasons has seen him establish himself as first-choice under Ralph Hasenhuttl, despite the Saints possessing two other very able goalkeepers in Fraser Forster and Angus Gunn.

Despite Forster having kept a clean sheet in every game he’s played in for Southampton this season, the Austrian manager has re-affirmed that McCarthy is his number one, so he is clearly a big fan of the former England international. As a result, it can only be good news that the club are looking to extend his stay on the South Coast.

McCarthy emphasised his class in the recent 3-0 defeat against Leeds United, making impressive saves in the second half when it looked as if Southampton could be overwhelmed by Marcelo Bielsa’s side, which led Hampshire Live journalist Tom Leach to label him “immense” on Twitter.

Although he could have perhaps done better with the second and third goals, he is clearly a quality shot-stopper and would have arguably have a much better clean sheet record this season if it wasn’t for injuries to key defenders Jannik Vestergaard and Kyle Walker-Peters.

Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to offer McCarthy a new contract, and it will be a big boost for Hasenhuttl if he commits his future to the club.

And, in other news… Dire: Bad habits die hard for £15m Southampton man who lost 71% of his duels vs Leeds

Having been one of the rising talents of Leeds United’s academy, it no doubt would have hurt Marcelo Bielsa and the club’s fans to see Jack Clarke being prised away by a Premier League side.

Reports back in the summer of 2019 claimed that Tottenham paid a £10m fee to Leeds to sign Clarke, with further payments scheduled based on whether certain conditions get met.

Now, Transfermarkt have his value at just less than half of that amount at £4.86m.

That’s a real indication of just how much of a step backwards his career has taken since Spurs signed him, with the now 20-year-old having made just three senior appearances for the north London side.

Since the switch to Spurs, Clarke has spent time out on loan at Championship sides like Stoke and QPR, but while things haven’t worked out, there’s no questioning he remains a talented prospect.

QPR’s director of football Les Ferdinand said: “You can see that Jack is quality as we played against him last year when he was at Leeds. He’s a young boy but he has undoubtable talent and I think once he goes back they’ll probably look at him through pre-season, see how he does and then make a judgement on whether it’s another loan or (Jose Mourinho) may see a benefit to the Tottenham team now and the way he wants to play.”

But with Spurs loaded full of players in the wide areas – the likes of Heung-min Son, Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn and Gareth Bale for example – it’s difficult to see how and where Clarke fits into Mourinho’s plans come next season.

It now seems like Victor Orta and co cashed out at the perfect time, getting a decent fee for a player who had played just a handful of games for Leeds’ first team.

Meanwhile, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa must unleash this ace…

Carlo Ancelotti has dropped a triple injury blow for Everton ahead of their away trip to West Brom in the Premier League on Thursday evening.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match, the Italian boss confirmed that Yerry Mina, Fabian Delph and Jean-Philippe Gbamin are still all out injured and therefore will not take any part in the fixture.

Ancelotti also revealed that Tom Davies, James Rodriguez, Seamus Coleman and Robin Olsen all need to be assessed, which may leave the Goodison Park faithful a bit short in terms of squad depth if they are all unable to play.

Everton may be a little short against West Brom

The loss of Mina especially will be a big blow to the Merseyside club given his six-foot-four frame, which would be useful up against Sam Allardyce’s team – the Baggies will surely look to capitalise on set pieces.

The former FC Barcelona man has put in some very impressive displays for the Blues in the centre of the defence, as he has won no fewer than 4.7 of his duels per appearance in the Premier League so far in the 2020/21 season, in addition to averaging 4.5 clearances, 1.1 interceptions and one tackle a game (Sofascore).

In the case of both Delph and Gbamin, it is a case of whether Toffees fans will be able to see them on the pitch again given their horrendous injury records, and with both Davies and Rodriguez potentially out as well, EFC may find themselves a little short in terms of options in the heart of the midfield come the trip to the Hawthorns.

In other news, find out which Liverpool pundit’s analysis Everton fans have been agreeing with lately here!

David Sullivan must finalise David Moyes’ new contract, with the boss’ control at West Ham United undeniable amid claims that Felipe Anderson is due to be sold this summer.

What’s the word?

According to The Sun, the Hammers are ready to take a huge hit on the former club-record £36m signing in order to get Anderson’s vastly lucrative wage off the books.

It will come as the second sizable loss taken in 2021 after shifting Sebastien Haller in the winter market for £20m, a whopping £25m less than he cost when signed from Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019.

Anderson is expected to head through the London Stadium exit door for the final time this summer, as Moyes has made it clear that the Brazilian does not feature in his future plans.

Moyes does not believe the winger has the work ethic that he demands of his players and wants to rid West Ham of his services, as the ex-Manchester United boss continues to stamp his mark on the squad partly assembled by Manuel Pellegrini.

Anderson has hardly featured for FC Porto this season while on loan at the Liga NOS giants and knows there is no chance of a permanent move to the Estadio do Dragao.

But a potential hurdle in West Ham’s plans to shift the 27-year-old is that Anderson earns an alleged £100,000-per-week, and he still has a year remaining on the terms sanctioned by Pellegrini and the Irons’ former Director of Football Mario Husillos.

Interest may also be hard to come by too, with other clubs having seen Anderson start just five of his mere nine Porto appearances across all competitions to date, playing for a total of 383 minutes since joining Sergio Conceicao’s side.

A sign of Moyes’ control

Sullivan and the West Ham hierarchy being willing to take another sizable hit on the fees paid for players during Pellegrini and Husillos’ time at the club comes a sign of Moyes’ control at the London Stadium, where his power is seemingly undeniable.

West Ham could have forced Moyes to stick with Haller in January and Anderson next season so that the club could try and rebuild their respective market values, but instead, they seem willing to back the Scottish coach in his drive to start anew with his own signings.

It’s a costly way to g,  having already lost £25m on Haller and previous reports claiming Anderson is now worth only £17m, although it is part of the greater good that has the Irons challenging for Champions League qualification just a year after avoiding relegation.

Yet the Hammers’ backing of Moyes must not stop at selling the flops acquired by his predecessor, as the manager’s London Stadium future remains up in the air with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season.

Claims by TEAMtalk over the weekend suggested West Ham are set to push through a deal to tie Moyes down long-term as his demands are not an issue, yet rival interest is building with Celtic said to be in contact via intermediaries to discuss a move to the Premiership.

Moyes also has interest from other Premier League clubs and sides from the continent, but cannot be allowed to leave east London given the turnaround he has managed, plus the belief that senior club figures evidently have in him.

While Anderson could be set to go either way this summer, Sullivan must seal Moyes’ new deal to keep the anchor of West Ham’s recent success at the London Stadium.

AND in other news, David Moyes has confirmed his intent for West Ham to sign a £42k-p/w brute this summer…

West Ham’s approach to Sunday night’s game against Manchester United will have strengthened Declan Rice’s desire to move on from the club, according to The Mirror journalist Andy Dunn.

Dunn was critical of the Hammers for their lack of ‘ambition’ at Old Trafford after they failed to register a single shot in the first half and were unable to test Dean Henderson after the interval.

Moyes had opted for a conservative shape comprising three central defenders, two wing-backs and three defensive midfielders.

“Containment does not scream ambition. And containment does not keep £100million-plus players,” Dunn wrote.

Who might be looking at Declan Rice?

Rice is a player in demand. According to The Guardian, Chelsea were interested in bringing him back to the club after his eight years in their academy. Frank Lampard was said to be the driving force behind that proposed move, so his sacking in January may nip it in the bud.

However, The Guardian’s report also cited ‘suggestions’ that Rice could be a summer target for Liverpool.

Still, after West Ham’s hugely impressive ascent from relegation candidates last season to top four chasers now, plenty of supporters were unhappy with Dunn’s comments, which one Irons fan dubbed “embarrassing”.

Journalist under fire for Declan Rice column

“how is this allowed to be published?”

Credit: @WHU_MG

“So negative that Moyes has his team fifth in the table, three points off a CL spot? Come on Andy, you can do better than that.”

Credit: @kumbdotcom

“literally 5th in the league”

Credit: @scairrr

“It was one game”

Credit: @danwhu_

“We’re sitting 5th, who even is this guy”

Credit: @WHUFC_COYI_

“Embarrassing from a so called journalist.”

Credit: @nobby_hammer

“Here we go, press on the move to unsettle. Last night wasn’t great bit we still showed how far we have progressed.”

Credit: @gdcad

In other news, find out who’s top of the list for GSB as scouts sent on a mission.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans loved seeing a photo of Alfredo Morelos’ daughter and wife prior to the Old Firm derby on Sunday.

The Gers faced their Glasgow fierce rivals for the third time this season and came away with a 1-1 draw as they remain unbeaten in the Premiership (BBC). Mohamed Elyounoussi opened the scored, but Morelos levelled things up with what was his first goal against Celtic (Transfermarkt). With one game left against the Parkhead outfit this term, he will be hoping to add to that tally.

With fans unable to enter the stadium, Morelos’ young family were forced to watch the game at home. It seemed they were still enjoying themselves, though, as Yesenia held up daughter Leonela to their television screen when £10.8m-valued Colombia international Alfredo appeared as the Gers warmed up.

The photo was shared on Twitter by @RangersClips, and it is fair to say that the image melted the hearts of many Gers supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the picture of the Morelos family below

“If ever their was a picture that melted my heart!!”

Credit: @runcornbear

“Too emotional”

Credit: @kyler1872

“Brilliant Alfie absolutely gorgeous just love this photo”

Credit: @Jack1872Royal

“That’s superb”

Credit @1petti

“Brilliant photo.”

Credit: @robbielogan72

“Ok this is adorable”

Credit: @rachlizziexx

In other news, many Rangers fans slammed this man’s performance against Celtic.

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to the club’s reported interest in Wolves’ Dion Sanderson on social media.

According to Football Insider, the Eagles, along with Huddersfield Town, have joined Sheffield United in the race to sign the 21-year-old.

Sanderson is currently out on loan in the North East with Sunderland, becoming a regular under new manager Lee Johnson at the Stadium of Light in recent months.

His contract at Molineux expires in just over 12 months time, with the report claiming Sanderson could cost just £2m in the summer window.

The Englishman, who has tuned out on 22 occasions for the Eagles, is thought to be open to a move away, should his current employers decide to cash in the upcoming window.

Palace fans react

@cpfc_xtra shared Football Insider’s report on Twitter on Wednesday morning. This is what these Palace supporters had to say in reply to the transfer update, with one describing the defender as a ‘baller’.

“he would surely choose us right?”

Credit: @sam_paIace

“He’s a baller, probably got one of the big 6 after him”

Credit: @ReeceJMT

“would be too big of a step, we would be perfect”

Credit: @sam_paIace

“well you’d like to think he’d choose us considering the other two and Sunderland will likely all be in the championship next season and if Wolves have any sense then the next step will be to loan him to a premier league team. #CPFC”

Credit: @cpfcjude

“All the big clubs after him, what does that tell you. Just need West Brom and Newcastle to join the party now.”

Credit: @bellabiteme

“Versatile, physical, young, confident, cheap, fairly available and home-grown… ticks plenty of boxes for Palace. Can’t see any huge risk here”

Credit: @acjonesy1

In other news: Many Palace fans plead with current star as transfer comments emerge, find out more here.