Three reasons why Liverpool can truly challenge this season

If Liverpool’s result against Arsenal was anything to go by on Saturday, it’s that Jurgen Klopp’s side really mean business going forward this season.

Much of the pre-season build up has centred on Jose Mourinho’s introduction at Manchester United, Antonio Conte taking the reigns at Chelsea and even Arsene Wenger’s lack of spending at the Emirates.

But on Saturday the Reds showed us what a force they can be this campaign, blowing the Gunners away at times to go – at one point – into a 4-1 lead. A couple of sloppy goals gave Arsenal hope but parts of Liverpool’s play looked inspired at the Emirates and it showed the hard work that has happened behind the scenes this summer.

And after the win, many teams have tipped Liverpool with an outside chance of the title and after a display like that, it’s clear to see why the Reds have gone up in the estimations of many.

Their forward line looked in complete sync and Klopp looked enthralled on the touchline, celebrating wildly with his team as they scored goal after goal.

So with all this in mind, here’s THREE reasons why the Reds can really challenge this season….

Existing attacking players

Much has been made of Jurgen Klopp’s signings this summer and rightly so, they were excellent against Arsenal.

Much so much credit should go to the likes of Roberto Firmino, Phillipe Coutinho and Adam Lallana who were absolutely excellent throughout. They offered pace, skill and creativity as young defenders Rob Holding and Calum Chambers got an absolute education from their more seasoned opponents.

You almost felt for the pair as Liverpool went forward time after time and plenty of praise should be headed towards Firmino, Coutinho and Lallana.

Sadio Mane

This reason is arguably the easiest in this gallery.

The summer recruit from Southampton was purchased for well in excess of £35million and plenty of Liverpool fans questioned whether it was money well spent before the season got underway.

But during the win, in which he scored a brilliant left-footed goal, Mane looked every bit the player that could Liverpool to success this season. He looked dynamic, pacy and aggressive and Arsenal couldn’t deal with him at all.

If he’s this good against Arsenal, you’ve got to worry for some of the lesser teams in this division.

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Klopp looks ready to bring success to Liverpool

We know Klopp is a passionate footballing man and we saw that more than ever on the sideline against Arsenal.

We lost count with how many times he lost his glasses, but it really shows just how much he feels for this current Liverpool side and how much he rates their chances of success.

He has every right to be optimistic too, not many teams make as good a start as that. They just need to iron out some slight defensive flaws and they could wreak havoc.

Three signings Bournemouth must make from their Premier League rivals

Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth side were one of the success stories of the 2015/16 campaign. Despite struggling a little towards the end of the season, their attacking brand of football won over neutrals as they survived the drop with relative ease. The club is a great tale of recovery itself and their team, which has no standout big names, is one of the most entertaining to watch in the Premier League.

Signings this summer have been shrewd. The addition of Jordon Ibe is the undoubted highlight, the former Liverpool winger adding yet more pace to a terrifyingly quick Cherries front line.

However, Bournemouth fans would be forgiven if they were wanting a couple of more additions before the window slams shut (feel free to add another cliche here).

As any great transfer guru will tell you, the best way to strengthen your own chances is to simultaneously weaken your opponents as well. Bournemouth could do this with these THREE signings…

Scott Dann

From being one of the most applauded centre-backss in the league to the defensive leader of a sinking ship, Scott Dann endured a rather up and down time with Crystal Palace last season. Alan Pardew’s team suffered a pretty abysmal second half of the campaign, which could see Dann push for a move.

Bournemouth’s defence has largely been a little shaky since they arrived in the Premier League, with Howe focusing on the other end of the pitch much of the time.

Steve Cook and Simon Francis have not been at fault as regularly as some may wish to tell you, but the addition of a player of Dann’s calibre would certainly reinforce the backline.

James McCarthy

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McCarthy saw his form dip horribly under Roberto Martinez and the arrival of Idrissa Gueye at Everton suggests the Irishman could be heading towards the exit door.

If he is available for a reasonable price, McCarthy would be an excellent addition to Howe’s midfield. The promising, but inexperienced, Lewis Cook, the classy Andrew Surman and hard-working Harry Arter started the Cherries’ opening game of the season and suffered against a strong-looking Manchester United side.

If McCarthy could return to his form of a couple of years ago, he would add necessary steel to the Bournemouth midfield and allow the front three yet more freedom to attack.

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Saido Berahino

While other clubs continue to dither around Berahino, Bournemouth still have the opportunity to swoop for a player of great potential. Although their striking ranks are pretty well stocked at the moment, Berahino could slot in anywhere across their front three and would add yet more potency.

Natural finishing is a rare gift and Berahino possesses it – that alone makes him worth the investment. With just the one year left on his contract, too, it is a temptation for clubs to move for the Baggies star and Bournemouth should be one of the clubs considering this.

Callum Wilson and Benik Afobe may not be too chuffed at the arrival of another forward, but Berahino would give Howe yet more attacking options and significantly weaken West Brom.

Five players Man City won’t sign but really should…

How do you improve a squad that is already made up of global superstars? Simply add more.

This philosophy has been implemented at Manchester City ever since Sheikh Mansour poured his billions into the club seven years ago.

However, after two years without a major trophy (excluding the comparatively insufficient League Cup silverware), a major change was required…and it duly arrived in the form of Pep Guardiola.

The Spaniard faces a tough task in implementing his system to the Premier League while giving the Man City team a much needed facelift.

The concern for City fans should be Guardiola’s ability to choose players who can fit into the system and play in the unrelenting Premier League without issue.

Here are five players Manchester City won’t sign, but really should…

N’Golo Kante

Arguably the best player in the Premier League last season, N’Golo Kante was incomparably impressive and really displayed all the attributes of a world class modern day defensive midfielder.

One thing that is lacking in the middle of the park for Man City is a bit of bite. Kante will certainly provide that; the Frenchman made more tackles than any other player in the Premier League last season by some distance.

Aymeric Laporte

If any aspiring young defender wants to learn a thing or two about no-nonsense, classy defending, look no further than Aymeric Laporte.

The youngster is not the tallest or the quickest but more than makes up for this with his incredible tactical reading of the game – a perfect attribute for a Pep Guardiola team.

However, the Frenchman has only just put pen to paper on a new contract at Athletic Bilbao so will not be moving to Manchester this summer.

Toni Kroos

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The perfect answer to the absence of a deep-lying midfielder playmaker that works so well in Guardiola’s teams, Toni Kroos could well establish himself as the key man at Man City if he ever makes a move to the Etihad.

However, Zinedine Zidane will unlikely want to sell one of his most prized midfielders and unless City make an outrageous bid of £60 million, the German will be staying in Madrid for the foreseeable future.

Jerome Boateng

After another exceptional display at the heart of the German defence at Euro 2016, Jerome Boateng firmly established himself as the best centre-half in world football today.

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Formally at City, Guardiola would be severely disappointed that they didn’t keep hold of the 27-year-old for longer than one season.

However, the big defender will likely never return to the Etihad; his dire experience at City first time around means that a reunion with former boss Pep Guardiola is off the table.

Gonzalo Higuain

After netting 38 times for Napoli last season, Gonzalo Higuain is one of the most wanted men in the football world right now.

The 28-year-old has more than a goal every other game during his time in Italy and would no doubt provide similar tallies in the Premier League.

A striking combination with compatriot Sergo Aguero could truly set the Premier League on fire. However, the Argentinian does not fit the formation or style of play for a Pep Guardiola team, therefore making any transfer deal very unlikely.

Is this forgotten Manchester City man an option for Guardiola?

If you look at the strikers that Roberto Mancini has at his disposal at Inter Milan, you’d think they’d be at the top end of Serie A and mounting a serious push for the title.

Yet, as they languish in fourth place with only the bragging rights over their rivals to cheer about, some Inter fans have been left disappointed by what they’ve seen from one striker in particular.

The man in question? Stevan Jovetic – who is on-loan at the San Siro on an 18-month deal from Manchester City. Whilst many forget that he is still a City player, he looks like he might be in limbo come the end of the season with his future at Inter Milan growing more unclear by the day.

Comments in the Italian press this week plunged the Montenegrin’s future into doubt, with the 26-year-old himself stating that “I haven’t come to sit on the bench”.

Inter have the chance to sign the striker at the end of the season for a sum of around €14.5m, but will they want to pay such a fee for a striker that has only wielded six goals in 23 league appearances? It’s yet to be seen, but his future at either club is well and truly up in the air.

Many City fans have been calling for another striker to be brought all season, with the reliance on Segio Aguero seemingly getting greater week-by-week. With Wilfried Bony failing to provide anything at all since signing from Swansea City a couple of years ago and Kelechi Iheanacho still finding his feet in the first team, City need more firepower upfront, so could Jovetic be an unlikely option?

He failed to set the Etihad alight during his first spell, but faced fierce competition from Edin Dzeko, Alvaro Negredo and Sergio Aguero, who all battling for the right to be City’s top striker. So could it be different this time round? If you want to be brutally honest, he’s struggled to find the form he discovered at Partizan Belgrade back in 2007/08, which earned him his move to Fiorentina. He scored 19 in 33 appearances that season and since then he’s had one solid campaign in Italy and has failed to fulfil his potential.

You can’t argue for the Montenegrin unfortunately. At Fiorentina, Manchester City and Inter Milan he’s been surrounded by quality but he seems to be outshone far too easily for a player that should be offering flair, trickery and goals.

Whilst he’s struggled to dislodge Mauro Icardi from the Inter Milan team all season, his market value has continued to drop. These should be the best years of Jovetic’s career, yet he seems to be stuck in an irreversible rut.

What seems clear is that his future may lie away from both Manchester City and Inter Milan in the near future with a club that can offer him a fresh start.

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He had so much potential and perhaps he can rediscover that somewhere else, but as for a return to the Etihad? Don’t get your hopes up.

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Five Spurs starlets to save Pochettino millions this summer

Whether it was ever a title race or not between Spurs and Leicester, the latter have won and are deservedly champions of England.

Spurs, although never really breathing down the Foxes’ necks, hung in there for the latter half of the campaign and have, arguably, been the best side in English football over the past few months, and this positivity must be harnessed.

Indeed, a campaign of Champions League football awaits – which would have been seen as a fantastic achievement before a ball was kicked – which will allow Mauricio Pochettino to keep his star names and sprinkle his squad with a little bit of star dust over the summer.

And that’s what the club must do; just make a few choice additions to compliment what’s already happening. That said, depth will be needed with the rotation that ‘Poch’ seized in the Europa League not an option for next season, but there’s no need to spend big, because the Londoners have plenty of options ready to step up.

With that in mind, here are FIVE youngsters that may well save the Argentine a fortune in the coming months…

DeAndre Yedlin

On loan at Sunderland, Yedlin’s performances have been a key part of Sunderland’s relatively strong survival hopes. The America international originally signed for the Lilywhites from Seattle Sounders back in 2015, but spent six months acclimatising to English football with the Londoners before being pushed into the deep end at the Stadium of Light.

Initially it looked as though the 22-year-old may indeed drown in the rising tide of relegation in the North East, but he’s come to the fore as the campaign has progressed, very much learning on the job under Sam Allardyce.

Pochettino is known to be a manager that demands a lot of his full-backs, so with top level European football and domestic responsibilities, Yedlin looks likely to get plenty of football alongside Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier, while his ferocious pace could make him a late counter-attacking option further up the field.

Josh Onomah

The 19-year-old has dipped in and out of the senior side this term, playing semi-regularly in the Europa League, while making seven appearances, all as a sub, in the Premier League.

Standing at 5ft. 11, Onomah is no giant in the holding midfield area of the pitch, but the England U19 international is tenacious, energetic and able to cover the ground, which may make him more appealing going forward that the once highly-rated Nabil Bentaleb.

Unlikely to be a starter, the teenager possesses sufficient quality and fits Pochettino’s plans well enough to be a squad player, which, at his age, may be enough to keep him happy.

Clinton N’Jie

We often see it… players that come in at a young age have a difficult first season before exploding in their second full campaign.

N’Jie has slipped further and further from the starting XI in recent times, due in part to injury issues, but the Cameroonian has too much raw potential to be written off just yet, and looks in the mould of a player that can shine once he’s taken to the pace and physicality of the Prem – Erik Lamela is a prime example of this.

The 22-year-old is able to play in any attacking midfielder role, and could well be a useful tool in Europe next season when Spurs could be forced into a rigid counter-attacking system against bigger sides – whom they’re likely to face given the Champions League’s seeding system.

Cameron Carter-Vickers

Already dubbed the ‘new Ledley King’, Carter-Vickers is extremely highly thought of behind the scenes at White Hart Lane, with his athleticism and maturity having drawn comparisons with the aforementioned Lilywhites idol.

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The teenager’s inclusion in the European matchday squad against Monaco earlier in the campaign set tongues wagging among the north Londoners’ fanbase – as did his trip with the squad to face Fiorentina in the last 32 – but supporters are yet to get a glimpse of him in competitive action.

Alas, pre-season could hand the USA U-23 international a chance to impress Pochettino, who, beyond Toby Alderweireld, Jan Vertonghen and Kevin Wimmer, is not exactly blessed with centre-back options.

Harry Winks

Like his fellow midfielder, Onomah, Winks has had a few fleeting outings for Spurs in the Europa League this term, and although he’s amassed just 17 minutes of game time, he’s shown enough both in the senior ranks and in the youth teams to somewhat justify the hype.

Although talented, the lack of a defensive edge to his midfield game may see Winks overlooked by Pochettino, but in games where a little more guile is needed, the 20-year-old could be a useful option from the bench.

Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur – Confirmed starting XIs

Despite Aston Villa’s woeful season, mathematically, the Villains could still stay up. Today, Remi Garde’s men look to surprise Maurcio Pochettino’s Tottenham and go some way towards an improbable fightback.Tottenham, meanwhile, will be looking to recover from Thursday night’s defeat when they were brought crashing to earth away at Borussia Dortmund. Their title hopes are still alive, and that’s the competition they’ll surely be prioritising.Spurs have lost none of their last eight in all competitions at Villa Park, winning six and drawing two and have lost just one of their last 13 Premier League away games, their last defeat coming at West Ham United in their last away trop.Pochettino’s weakened team selection in Germany was pretty evident, but they have no such weaknesses today as their priority is clearly placed on lifting the Premier League title.Meanwhile Villa’s abysmal performances over the course of the season has caused major unrest in the camp and the fans have virtually given up on their team having any chance of securing there top flight status this season. Preparation for the Championship next year and attempting to come straight back up again will surely be the focus.The Villa Park outfit will have to overcome Spurs without Libor Kozak, Carlos Sanchez, Adama Traore, Jordan Amavi and Jack Grealish who are all out with long term injuries while Spurs are missing Clinton N’Jie, Jan Vertonghen and Danny Rose.Here are the teams:

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Sheffield Wednesday making all the right noises for return to the Premier League

English football can be an unforgiving place. The past decade or two has seen a number of clubs fall on hard times, financially, structurally and even professionally. Former giants of the English game have been reduced to shadows of their old selves, their proud histories looked back on with fondness as they tumble down the league(s), battling relegation and financial ruin, chasing the dream of their past glories as they head in the ‘wrong’ direction.

You only have to look into the Championship for evidence as to the ease of which clubs’ fortunes can rise and fall in dramatic fashion. From past Premier League winners to Champions League semi-finalists, the list of sides whose fortunes have fallen on harder times is notable. Even into the third and fourth tiers we can find modern-day FA Cup winners and finalists along with sides that have competed at the highest level in recent seasons.

One of the biggest clubs to have dropped away from mainstream public consciousness in recent years is Sheffield Wednesday. One of the founding members of not only the Premier League, but the original FA in the late 19th-century, the club have a proud tradition, large fan base and an excellent stadium. Hillsborough has unfortunately become synonymous with the tragic events of the 1989 FA Cup semi-final but it nevertheless remains an impressive ground with a near 40,000 capacity, of which at least half is regularly filled by their loyal fans.

The modern era has generally headed in one direction for the Sheffield giants, however. The last 25 years have seen the Owls go from League Cup champions and multiple cup finalists to wading around in the Championship, even falling in to the third tier at one point. Since falling out of the Premier League in 2000, the club have gone through 10 different managers in an attempt to improve their fortunes, although none succeeded in raising the club to anything more than mid-table fodder – a sad sight for one of England’s most historic clubs.

As is often the case in this day and age, the club battled financial problems alongside it’s on-pitch mediocrity and narrowly avoided a winding-up order at the start of the decade. But brighter days are ahead for ‘Wednesday’, the club’s coming through its downturn and is now in a good place to attempt a push for a return to top-flight football for the first time in over 15 years.

Like many clubs across the country, the ‘Steel City’ side were bought by foreign investors in early 2015. They’ve found a new lease of life under owner Dejphon Chasniri, however, and currently occupy the last promotion spot in the ultra competitive Championship. Aiming to get the side back in the top-flight in time for it’s 150th anniversary in 2017, the Thai businessman has invested heavily since his arrival, both structurally and with personnel.

But he clearly knows his stuff both on and off the pitch. Not many would have heard of their manager before this season, the relatively unknown Carlos Carvahal bought in following unremarkable spells in Portugal and Turkey. With the help of some excellent investment in quality players, however, the Portuguese coach has made the Sheffield side one of the most impressive in the Championship, and outside candidates for promotion.

Their form on their own patch has been particularly eye-catching, with the club only losing once in front of their own fans so far this season. They are right up there amongst the leagues top-scorers, a feat aided by prolific strikers Fernando Forestieri and Gary Hooper, who are both in double figures for the season. Carrying on the fine work undertaken by previous caretaker and full time boss Stuart Gray, Carvalhal has taken the team on another level, mixing talented imports with some fine UK players to produce a side that’s both good to watch and able to get results with great team spirit.

If they are to really cement their place in the play-offs for this season they may need to improve their away form, but they’re headed in the right direction for sure and would actually be a year ahead of schedule if they did somehow get to the Premier League this time around. It seems more logical to suggest they can make a concerted effort for automatic promotion next season, the squad, manager and club still in development together under the new owner.

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After so many years of battling relegation, staving off financial ruin and merely just treading water in the anonymity of lower mid-table Championship football, Owls fans may have finally found something to get excited about once again. With good investment behind them, an intriguing and exciting manager at the helm and the loyal and passionate Hillsborough crowd alongside them, this tight-knit group of players have the talent and potential to re-establish the Owls as a Premier League force once again.

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Five things we learned as Arsenal return to winning ways against Bournemouth

Arsenal returned to winning ways after a dip in form with a relatively straightforward 2-0 win over plucky Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium today.

The Gunners, who had not scored in three games, closed the gap on table topping Leicester City to just five points with 13 games left to play.

With the Foxes up next in what could ultimately prove to be a title decider, it was all but imperative that manager Arsene Wenger made up ground on the top order.

Bournemouth provided a tough test in the opening stages, remaining as competitive as they have been all season.

However, the deadlock was finally broken within 20 minutes as Mesut Ozil expertly controlled a volley past the baying Artur Boruc in goal.

After waiting almost five hours for a goal, the North London giants had clearly gained a taste for it once more.

Just 90 seconds after, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain justified his inclusion ahead of Joel Campbell and Theo Walcott with his first ever Arsenal away goal.

Poor defending perhaps, but the England man did well to race through on goal and get his shot away.

With a two goal cushion, the visitors were largely in control for most of the game with their expert ball retention.

It wasn’t plain sailing by any means, with the hosts improving late on and forcing Petr Cech into a smart double save.

What did we learn? Well here are five things, at least.

GABRIEL A BETTER OPTION THAN PER

Per Mertesacker has a fine pedigree, though the towering German fails to wholly convince he is of the required standard to lead Arsenal to a first Premier League title in over a decade.

Since his sending off against Chelsea, it has afforded Gabriel a chance in the starting lineup. While the Brazilian isn’t the most comfortable on the ball, he is clearly a high quality defender.

Perhaps that’s exactly what the Gunners need. The 25-year old is a dying breed. A modern day defender who puts, well, defending first!

He’s far more mobile than his World Cup winning teammate, dealing with pace in a much more assured manner.

PETR CECH IS HUGELY IMPORTANT

Okay, this might be stating the obvious somewhat. However, the vastly experienced custodian proved impossible to beat as the hosts turned the screw late on.

There is simply no overstating just how important the former Chelsea stopper is to this team. In years gone by, the Gunners may have conceded late on and set up a nervy finish on the South Coast.

If Arsenal are truly going to challenge, the Czech’s mental strength will be of the utmost importance.

FLAMINI CAN COPE

With the greatest respect to Bournemouth, there will clearly be harder tests. However, Mathieu Flamini proved today he can cope in the holding role against a side with high tempo.

Question marks were raised over his inclusion in the side ahead of Francis Coquelin, but his countryman turned in a Man of the Match performance. His work ethic helped snuff out Cherries attacks, stopping the hosts from getting into full flow more often than not.

Granted, he might have sent off for two footed challenge on Dan Gosling, though grew into the game as things progressed.

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BOURNEMOUTH NOT YET SAFE

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The Cherries were by no means awful today, though the fear of relegation must still loom on the South Coast.

Arsenal have the ability to tear most teams in Europe apart, though their application sometimes lacks. While we must take that into account, Eddie Howe’s side made it far too easy for them today.

Especially for the second goal, where Oxlade-Chamberlain was afforded acres of space.

NEXT WEEK’S GAME TAKES ON EVEN MORE IMPORTANCE

Leicester City disposed of Man City with relative ease yesterday, adding extra importance to their imminent clash with the Gunners.

The North London giants will host the Foxes, aiming to close the gap to just two points at the top of the table. Should Wenger mastermind a win there, the dip in form will be well and truly forgotten.

Five bargain buys to consider for Crystal Palace on FM16

With all the excitement of Yannick Bolasie and Wilfried Zaha, its easy to forget some of the weaknesses in the Palace squad.

Alan Pardew has masterminded quite a special change at Selhurst Park and it is in your hands to push the Eagles on to the next level of Premier League success.

FM16 gives you the opportunity to produce some scintillating football with Pardew’s talented squad, as Bolasie, Zaha and Puncheon provide you with enough attacking talent to push for a European finish. The only issue you may find, is the lack of a regular goal scorer, with Connor Wickham unfortunately unreliable.

Yohan Cabaye’s addition in central midfield has given another depth to Palace’s play and the Frenchman is an ideal deep-lying playmaker to use as a springboard for your rapid transitions.

In your bid to keep the Selhurst Park ultras on side, here are FIVE suggestions to help stretch your budget…

Demarai Gray

The wingers are the strongest area of the Palace squad, but the quality of this Birmingham youngster will improve competition for places and make it a lot harder for Zaha to rest on his laurels.

Gray is available for only £5million at the start of your save, thanks to a release clause, and his potential will see him become a player comfortable of playing in continental football. Pace in abundance and the ability to beat his man at will make Gray very similar to Zaha and Bolasie, but you can never have too much depth..

Carlos Badal

Badal will be available for almost nothing at the start of your save and this Spanish centre-back is guaranteed to be a starter for you within a few seasons.

He might be a youth player, but Badal is a class act by the time you reach 2020 and will be a stalwart in your side.

You might want to place your budget in the hands of a player with a more immediate prospect, but you will be sure to reap the rewards of this investment.

Simone Zaza

Considering that Zaza is surplus to requirements at Juventus, he will be available for a decent price in the first or second season of your save.

The Italian striker will help compete for minutes with Connor Wickham and the international experience could be that extra factor in helping you push for Europa League football.

Marc-Oliver Kempf

This is another young centre-back, but Kempf will be ready for first-team football a bit sooner than Carlos Badal.

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The German can also be an option in defensive midfield, where you may need to strengthen, but you will face competition from some clubs with considerably bigger budgets.

Jordan Rossiter

Liverpool’s academy has produced some gems recently and Rossiter is just another off the production line.

With high potential in the game, Rossiter can operate as a defensive midfielder and would be a good selection to play as defensive cover for Yohan Cabaye.

Rossiter will be more available than some players of similar current ability, but his potential makes his addition a must.

Liverpool star not good enough for Barcelona move right now, says Kop hero

On his current form Philippe Coutinho is not good enough for a move to Barcelona, according to Liverpool hero John Barnes.

The Reds’ Brazilian midfielder has emerged as a target for the Spanish giants of late after stepping into the void left by the likes of Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard to become the key man at Anfield.

That said, his form over the course of the past month or so has been below par, with his best performance in recent memory coming during the 3-2 win at home to Aston Villa.

WANT MORE? >> Liverpool transfer news | Latest transfer news

Coutinho has started in each of Jurgen Klopp’s three games in charge of Liverpool so far, but against Rubin Kazan he gave the ball away on more occasions (six) than any other player in a red shirt, while his performance against Southampton on Sunday was fairly ineffective.

And TitanBet brand ambassador Barnes believes that Coutinho won’t remain a Barcelona target for long unless his performances pick up:

“If Barcelona are interested in him they won’t stay interested if he keeps playing this way, so if he wants to go to Barcelona he has to start playing well.” He said.

“I don’t think the speculation has got to him because Barcelona won’t be getting him in January anyway.

“If there’s speculation about any player that should inspire him and if Barcelona are interested in you that should inspire you to do well.”

Barnes went on to claim that it’s a case of ‘class is permanent’ with Coutinho, 23, and that the pressure put on young players is too great in the modern game:

“He’s young and inexperienced.” He said. “We put too much pressure on our young players, just look at Harry Kane. Okay he scored a hat-trick at the weekend, but until then he was being questioned.

“Young players will have ups and downs, so we have to give him time to develop and we know he’s a great prospect. Sooner or later he’ll start performing because he’s a good player.”

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John Barnes is Brand Ambassador for Titanbet.co.uk.  Visit Titanbet.co.uk (Link below) and get £20 Free bet when you stake £10. 18+ Terms apply. Gambleaware.co.uk

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