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The Athletic’s West Ham United correspondent Roshane Thomas has questioned David Moyes’ decision to replace Felipe Anderson with Sebastien Haller against Liverpool, per U Irons Podcast (February 24, 11:53).

What’s he said?

The Hammers lost 3-2 at Anfield after a genuinely plucky display against the Premier League leaders.

Moyes brought Anderson off in the 65th minute, with the score at 2-1 at the time.

His replacement, Sebastien Haller had just 17 touches during his time on the pitch, having one shot on goal in total.

And Thomas has questioned that decision from the former Manchester United boss.

He said: “When Moyes took off Anderson do you reckon that also played a part in Liverpool coming back? Because he brought off Felipe Anderson and brought on Haller.”

He added: “I reckon [we’d have had] more possession, because after the match Haller was trending on Twitter for the wrong reasons. Fans have had enough of this guy and (said) we should sell him.

“In Moyes’ press conference I asked him ‘do you have any regrets taking off Anderson?’ He said no. A firm no.”

Did he really play for us?! No West Ham fan has managed to name all of these obscure Irons signings….

A decent idea

One can see why Moyes decided to make the change.

Introducing Haller should have given the club more of an out ball and allowed the striker, who is 6 foot 3 inches tall, to be the man holding the ball up and keeping possession.

It didn’t work, however, and Liverpool managed to overwhelm the Hammers.

Perhaps that would have happened even if Anderson had stayed on the pitch but it is an easy stick with which to beat Moyes.

He is right to have no regrets; it is not his fault that the Frenchman could not properly impact the game.

Meanwhile, one West Ham man let down David Moyes against Liverpool!

After 205 days, the moment Illan Meslier has waited for finally arrived – a start for Leeds United in the Championship.

The French stopper arrived on loan from Lorient on transfer deadline day back in August but has had to wait for an absolute age before finally being granted a spot in the side.

Meslier has saved numerous penalties for Carlos Corberan’s U23 team this season but despite individual errors from Kiko Casilla, he’s been forced to sit on the bench.

The 19-year-old started Leeds’ FA Cup tie with Arsenal in January, earning praise from the home crowd, but this was his very first appearance in the league.

Unfortunately, the outing came about in rather unfortunate circumstances after Kiko Casilla was banned for eight games after being found guilty of racially abusing Jonathan Leko in a match versus Charlton last September.

However, this was Meslier’s big opportunity. He took to Instagram after the game to repost clips of him finally playing in England’s second tier.

It was a moment that was worth the wait as the giant 6 foot 6 stopper got his first minutes as Leeds’ undoubted number one.

He’ll now have a run of seven games where he gets to prove himself before the end of the season in a bid to potentially earn a permanent move to Elland Road.

The image below shows him warming up before the game, a picture that’s been a rarity considering he’s usually helping Casilla get loose before kick-off.

Whether Meslier does enough to earn a regular spot once Casilla returns remains to be seen, but with a transfer clause embedded within the terms of his loan, things may get a little complicated.

A report in the French media suggests that if he plays ten games for Leeds, they will be forced to buy him in the summer.

Meanwhile, Leeds fans think they FINALLY have the missing piece of the jigsaw…

Crystal Palace have confirmed that Roy Hodgson has signed a new contract to extend his deal at Selhurst Park until the end of the 2020/21 season.

The former England boss has steadied the ship well in South London and arguably overachieved given the resources he has been given in recent seasons, though not all Palace fans will share that view.

It is an interesting development give Hodgson spoke just a month ago about needing more assurances over the money he would get to spend if he did stay on, indicating that he was unhappy with how he was backed in January and possibly last summer too.

As a result, it may be possible that Steve Parish and the board have made certain promises regarding transfers, and that could allow Hodgson to install a more postive and expansive style.

Some supporters have grown frustrated with his negative tactics since taking over in 2017, and have expressed their displeasure at the fact the 72-year-old will be staying for another year.

The reactions shown above aren’t fully representative of fan sentiment, however, with many appreciating the good work Hodgson has done so far, and think more good things will come during his tenure.

Giving Hodgson greater muscle in the transfer market could make that possible, as he has already got the best out of cheap signings like Jordan Ayew and Gary Cahill, with the former scoring seven goals this term and Cahill contributing to a defence that has conceded only 23 goals in the 19 league games he has featured in.

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Here are some of the positive messages in response to the news, with Hodgson receiving multiple plaudits.

Calling all Eagles fans: Can you get 90% on this quickfire Palace quiz?

Meanwhile, there has been other good news that could help the team pick up their form over the forthcoming matches…

There may be complaints about Steve Bruce’s football so far this campaign but in terms of results there is little to moan about.

The Magpies have averaged the lowest possession in the top flight with just 40.3%, whilst only three sides have managed less than their 10.3 shots per match, but they are currently in a comfortable 13th position in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone, whilst they have reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 2006.

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Sean Longstaff, though, has not had the best year. Less than 12 months ago, Manchester United were said to be interested in him, and were even preparing a bid for a player who the Toon wanted over £50m for. This term, though, he has been in and out of the starting line-up, being included on just 18 occasions.

There is one stat that shows just detrimental he has been to the club’s progress – Newcastle’s win percentage with and without him.

With Longstaff in starting XI: 4W 7D 7L, 22% win ratio

Longstaff’s appearance in Bruce’s starting XI has done little to boost the Toon. Of the 18 games in which he has been included on the teamsheet, Newcastle have won just four, drawing seven and losing seven as well. Those victories did include wins against Tottenham and Manchester United, at least, but he was also present for heavy losses against Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester City as well.

His personal stats have reflected those struggles too – he has won just 48% of his duels this term, whilst he has a disappointing pass accuracy of just 79%.

Without Longstaff in starting XI: 7W 5D 5L, 41% win ratio

Without the 21-year-old, though, Newcastle have done significantly better, winning seven of their 17 matches, and losing on just five occasions. In terms of goals per game without him, there has been little difference, with them managing 1.12 a game compared to 1.06, but it is their ability to pick up points that has been boosted in his absence.

The 1-0 win against Chelsea and the 2-2 draw against Manchester City show where there have been positive moments, whilst they conceded more than two goals in a match on just three occasions – two of which came against Leicester and Liverpool, who are in the top three in the table.

Verdict

Last season, it was a different story – they won 33% of their games with him and 27% without – but this season shows that Manchester United were foolish to even consider a move for him in the previous summer window. According to Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, the 20-time English champions’ interest in Longstaff is yesterday’s news.

Newcastle themselves made a mistake by not negotiating a lower price – his stock was still high last year, and he would have likely commanded a big fee.

As it is, his reputation has plummeted.

It has been a disappointing year for Aston Villa so far.

The Midlands outfit had big plans this campaign after being promoted to the Premier League from the Championship, spending over £100m on new recruits. However, that has done little to allow them to settle amongst the elite – they currently sit 19th in the table, two points away from safety.

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The injury to John McGinn certainly hasn’t helped. The Scotland international has been out with a knee injury since December 21st, which means he has missed 10 games in the league overall.

The 25-year-old has enjoyed a meteoric rise since making the move to Villa Park from Hibernian. He cost £2.1m in 2018, which was actually above his £1.58m Transfermarkt value at the time. Less than two years later, though, he is now said to be worth £18m.

Here, we take a look at three reasons behind that ascent.

2018/19 Championship season

McGinn had a decent record in his final season north of the border, scoring six and providing eight assists, and he carried on that form in the second tier of the English pyramid. In 44 games in all competitions for the Villans, he scored seven and provided 10 assists as they went up via the play-offs.

He was a ball of energy in the middle of the park, making 1.7 key passes per game as well as 2.1 tackles, and it is hard to imagine Villa being promoted without his efforts.

Manchester United interest

His performances clearly caught the eye of those at the very top of English football – Manchester United were said to be interested in McGinn last year. According to The Sun, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and co were eyeing the midfielder last summer, which led to Villa putting a £50m price-tag on his head.

It wasn’t just the Norwegian who was said to be a fan of the former St. Mirren man – compatriot Sir Alex Ferguson reportedly urged the Red Devils to take him to Old Trafford. Such a recommendation is only going to push your profile up.

Scotland’s European Championships qualification campaign

There wasn’t too much for the Tartan Army to shout home about during the qualification process for Euro 2020 – their 3-0 defeat against Kazakhstan in the very first game left them in a difficult position, meaning they would need to rely on their Nations League success to have any chance of qualifying for the final tournament – but McGinn can be more than happy with his contribution.

No teammate scored as many as his seven goals for Steve Clarke’s side, which included a hat-trick against San Marino, a brace against Kazakhstan in the second match and a strike against Russia.

Such form will not have gone unnoticed across Europe, and they will need him at his best when the play-offs finally take place.

According to The Transfer Window Podcast, Manchester United have been offered Aaron Ramsey as part of a deal that would see Paul Pogba return to Juventus.

The Frenchman has barely featured for United this season, making just eight appearances amid a spate of mysterious ankle injuries, and appears to be on his way out of Old Trafford with The Daily Star claiming United are prepared to sell to Real Madrid at £100m.

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The Transfer Window Podcast has taken a slightly different approach, suggesting Pogba could return to former club Juventus with the Old Lady offering former Arsenal star Ramsey as a makeweight in a player plus cash deal.

Unsurprisingly, the claim has got Red Devils fans on Twitter talking after it was re-posted by @UtdReport, with the majority seemingly against the idea of Ramsey arriving in exchange for the United midfielder.

Here’s a look at what they’ve been saying on social media…

It’s fair to say that Helder Costa hasn’t had a dream debut season at Elland Road.

The winger has contributed to just five goals despite appearing in all of the Whites’ league games this term, and that isn’t really a return you’d expect from a man you’ve agreed to pay £15m for this summer.

The annoying thing is that we all know he’s capable of better, he once hit double figures in terms of goals for Wolves in the Championship, and he also provided 14 assists across two seasons.

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Unfortunately, Costa’s Premier League record indicates things may be about to get that much worse for him.

Despite Wolves reaching the lofty heights of seventh last season, Costa had what can only be described as a lacklustre campaign.

Three goal contributions across 25 appearances is poor for any attacking player, and if he can’t improve on those numbers when Leeds are in the Premier League it will be a cause for concern.

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At £15m, he should be one of United’s star performers, but he’s often struggling to really make anything happen, and that will only get worse once he has to play against some of the world’s top defensive talent in the top-flight.

Costa’s first season hasn’t been ideal, and unless he improves a lot during the close-season, his second campaign at the club could be even worse.

You can’t account it down to luck either, his shots per game and key passes stats during his time in the Premier League took a significant dip, and with Leeds unlikely to be as dominant as they are in the Championship he’ll need to make sure to be as clinical as possible when it comes to converting those shots and key passes into goals and assists.

Costa’s failure to perform in the Premier League should have alarm bells ringing at Elland Road.

In other news, Leeds fans’ complaints from last year have been justified.

Leeds United centre-back Gaetano Berardi may have just been pushed closer to the exit door at Elland Road – that’s if recent reports are to be believed.

According to the Daily Star, the west Yorkshire outfit are eager to land 6 foot 3 Middlesbrough centre-back Daniel Ayala this summer, irrespective of the division they’ll be competing in.

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It’s claimed that the 29-year-0ld is out of contract at the end of the season and will be leaving the Riverside Stadium, even if they escape relegation into League One, which has put Victor Orta and co on full alert ahead of a potential switch.

This latest report practically closes the door on the zero-to-hero Swiss defender and his long-serving career at the club.

Berardi has been limited to just 17 appearances in the Championship this campaign but has impressively clocked 11 clean sheets, and his recent form has led to fans begging for him to be handed a new contract.

His current deal is set to expire in just a few months, and any fresh information on an extension have been far and few between.

With the club seemingly set to capture Ayala regardless of the circumstances, you’d imagine it being the final nail in the coffin for the 31-year-old at Leeds.

It would be a sorry way to go after six years in west Yorkshire, where he has racked up 150 appearances – he’s also one of the few remaining survivors from the Massimo Cellino era at the club.

Bielsa is certainly going to need a centre-back or two in the summer, so it may not be wise to completely disregard the talents of Berardi just yet.

Ben White is almost certain to head back to parent club Brighton and Hove Albion, which means skipper Liam Cooper is set to be the only senior option in the role at the moment.

AND in other news, Leeds can banish Ben White woes with a swoop for the next Javi Martinez…  

Crystal Palace are no strangers to snatching bargain buys from the clutches of their rivals.

The south Londoners did just that in 2011 when moving to sign Glenn Murray from Brighton, a man who would go on to net 30 Championship goals in the 2012/13 campaign to fire the Eagles into the Premier League.

However, cast your mind back two years before the English marksman arrived at Selhurst Park, and Crystal Palace once again nabbed a future club legend from a rival of theirs.

With fellow south London outfit Charlton needing to offload players from the wage bill after failing to confound the 888sport odds and suffering relegation to League One, Palace – who had just been docked one point and fined £20,000 for ineligibly fielding Rui Fonte on the final day of the 2008/09 season – snatched the midfielder on a free transfer.

In terms of being eased into life at his new club, Ambrose was instead thrown into treacherous waters.

Just months after his arrival, the club was plunged into administration and also docked ten points, transforming their ambitions for the campaign from playoff hopefuls into serious relegation candidates.

Assets were stripped. Neil Warnock – who had signed Ambrose – left for QPR, the highly-rated Victor Moses was sold to Wigan, and the future of the club was in jeopardy. Crystal Palace needed a saviour, but any potential buyer would surely prefer to throw their millions at a Championship club rather than one relegated to League One – survival was imperative.

So, when the final day of the season came around, and Paul Hart’s Palace side needed to avoid defeat against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough to avoid the drop, nails were being bitten.

However, coming into this game with 19 goals already under his belt from midfield in his debut campaign, Ambrose wasn’t in the mood to see the Eagles go out with a whimper.

It was his coolly converted effort from Sean Scannell’s second-half cross which put Palace 2-1 up, where they eventually earned the point they needed thanks to the midfielder’s 20th strike of the season – that 2-2 draw may have saved the club from extinction.

Steve Parish and the rest of the ‘CPFC2010’ consortium eventually swooped in to save the club financially, but it was Ambrose whose incredible goalscoring efforts decided things on the pitch, and all for free.

This inspired free transfer would go on to net 37 goals and record 23 assists in 124 appearances for Palace.

Ambrose is without question a cult hero in SE25, and his work helped provide a platform for the Eagles to mount a promotion charge in 2013, which would lead to them still playing top-flight football seven years later – the club’s longest run in the Premier League.

His goals after arriving on a free transfer helped Palace shape their own future – it truly was a piece of wizardry from Warnock.

Paul Robinson believes Mauricio Pochettino is ready to embark on his next managerial adventure and would ‘jump at the chance’ to take the right offer if it presented itself. 

A recent report revealed that the Argentine is ready to listen to offers and Newcastle are a ‘firm possibility’, according to Ossie Ardiles in an interview with Infobae (via Metro).

Pochettino was dismissed by Tottenham Hotspur last November after five and a half years of service (via BBC Sport). Robinson told Football Insider: “If the right job came up he would definitely jump at the chance.

“I do not think he foresaw his sacking at Spurs. He will have recharged his batteries and he will be more than ready to step back into management.”

The Magpies are waiting anxiously for their reported £300 million takeover to unfold, which could see a brand new era at St James’ Park.

It would be unfair to make a decision on Steve Bruce’s future right now, given the fact no football has been played since March. However, Newcastle have struggled under the Englishman’s reign this season, currently sitting 13th in the league table having lost 12 games. As new owners arrive with new ideas, they could decide to dispose of Bruce as head coach and bring in someone to help drive the team forward and look to challenge the top sides.

Pochettino certainly has experience in battling against some of the world’s best, particularly after making club history by leading Spurs to their first ever Champions League final last season.

“Should the right job be offered to him, I can see him taking it,” commented Robinson. There’s no saying for sure at the moment whether Newcastle is ‘the right job’ for the 48-year-old, but he would be a very smart appointment by the new owners given his Premier League experience from his days at Spurs and Southampton, as well as in the Champions League.

Newcastle fans, would you like Mauricio Pochettino considered for the manager’s role at the club? Have your say in the comments below!