Ayoze Perez may have picked up all the plaudits, but the tactical genius of Rafa Benitez played a major role in Newcastle’s comeback against Everton on Saturday.

When Rafa was forced into a change at half-time due to Jamaal Lascelles picking up an injury, he brought on Paul Dummett as his replacement.

But rather than slot him in at centre back — a position that Dummett has excelled at in the past — he changed the formation.

The trusted five at the back — Rafa’s preferred choice of late — was abandoned, and Dummett went out to left back with Matt Ritchie swapping onto the right flank, and Miguel Almiron patrolling the left.

It was the recognition that the Magpies needed an extra body in midfield to compete with Everton, having been overrun in the first half, that make Rafa’s tactical nous head and shoulders above anyone they could ever hope to replace him with, were he to leave in the summer.

In fact, some fans have questioned why Rafa sticks with Perez week after week, and have often called for him to be replaced in the starting lineup. I will bet they are pleased he did now!

But it is because Rafa thinks on a different plain to most of us. He knows that Perez has the ability to produce that sort of display. It is also why, regardless of how much criticism he gets from pundits, he will always set his side up with the best formation to get a result, even when it is largely derided as negative and boring.

The problem is, the people who are criticising him are former managers who are sitting in a studio because they do not have the managerial ability that he possesses.

That is why the second half against Everton is another clear sign — if there weren’t enough already — that Mike Ashley must give Rafa everything he wants and needs to sign on for a longer stint at the club.

Yes, Rafa has made tactical mistakes in games, who hasn’t? But the club hierarchy will rue the day they ever let him go, because, frankly, he is virtually irreplaceable. Someone capable of building something on Tyneside, future generations of Toon fans may not have to endure the kind of struggles we all have, if Ashley gives the man what he wants.

Newcastle fans, how far would you go to keep Rafa at the club? Will Ashley realise it too, and give him what he wants? Your thoughts would be appreciated. Comment below…

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Eric Dier made his first Premier League start of 2019 on Saturday afternoon as Spurs suffered a 2-1 defeat away at Southampton.

What’s the word?

There was a time when Dier was regarded as one of the best young players in English football.

Combining a rugged hard-man attitude with a percentage-based approach to passing football, the midfield enforcer was regarded as a player with the potential to establish himself as the first-choice option in England’s pivot role.

His exciting development even prompted Premier League icon and serial trophy winner Xabi Alonso to label him as his favourite young English player in 2017, as per The Times, citing his versatility and composure as two defining characteristics of his game.

That a player of Alonso’s immense standing in the game chose Dier as his favourite young player spoke volumes about the enormity of the former Sporting Lisbon man’s reputation at the time.

But nearly two years on it’s fair to say that Dier has struggled to match the hype which surrounded the formative stages of his career.

Huge point still to prove

The 25-year-old, who is valued at £36 million by Transfermarkt, can be brilliant on his day. Every side needs a player to crunch into challenges and keep things ticking over between the lines of defence and midfield, but Dier has struggled to develop in the manner which many predicted him to.

Cutting-edge through balls are stashed away in his locker but not released regularly enough, while his lack of mobility often leaves him vulnerable in one v one situations.

Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko have established a formidable midfield partnership this season and Dier will face an uphill battle to win his place back when both players are fully fit.

And with Declan Rice staking the strongest claim to slot into Gareth Southgate’s midfield anchor role, it’s clear that Dier has failed to justify why Alonso singled him out for such esteemed praise in 2017.

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Tottenham Hotspur fans have expressed their relief that Louis van Gaal rejected the club after managing the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup.

The Dutchman moved to Manchester United and spent two years at Old Trafford, finishing fourth in 2014-15 and fifth in 2015-16, though he won the FA Cup in his second season at the club.

Nevertheless, he was sacked despite the achievement, with Jose Mourinho appointed in his stead.

United struggled with the Dutchman’s playing style; he tended to favour a slow, ponderous build-up and did not appear to get up to speed with the pace and intensity of the English top-flight.

He was close to moving to Spurs, who were looking to replace axed Tim Sherwood following the World Cup in Brazil, but he instead opted for a switch to Old Trafford.

He has now admitted that he regrets that decision, with Spurs, under Mauricio Pochettino, finishing above United in two of the three seasons since his appointment.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “Tottenham were a better selection because Manchester United were an old team and I knew I would have to transform them.

“Was it the wrong choice? Maybe, but I follow my heart. I worked at the number one team in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and now also in England.”

And fans have now revealed their relief, in hindsight, at the 67-year-old’s choice. Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

كشف أحمد سامي مدرب فريق سموحة تفاصيل فسخ التعاقد مع اللاعب كريم يحيى المُعار من الأهلي لصالح النادي السكندري.

وقال أحمد سامي في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون تايم سبورتس2”: “كريم لاعب جيد ومُعار من الأهلي لسموحة، هو فقط ما زال صغيرًا ولا يمتلك خبرة”.

وأوضح: “كل اللاعبين يريدون أن يشاركوا ولكن هناك ضوابط وعلى اللاعبين ألا يتعدوها، هو لاعب محترم ولم يتجاوز”.

وواصل مدرب سموحة: “الموضوع كان بسيطًا ولا توجد مشكلة، ولكنه لم يعد ضمن صفوف سموحة”.

واختتم: “أنا أضع قوانين وطالما لاعب معين تعداها فلابد من حسم الأمر”.

It has been a testing couple of months for fans at Portsmouth as their hopes of automatic promotion this season were seemingly dashed following the club’s 2-1 defeat at Charlton Athletic on Saturday.

After initially leading the League One standings in December, Kenny Jackett’s side now found themselves eight points adrift of the top two places which are currently occupied by Luton Town and Barnsley following their disappointing loss at The Valley.

However, any despondency which may have been present following a run of just two wins in eleven games was not present during Pompey’s 3-2 win at Walsall on Tuesday. Brett Pitman’s penalty put them ahead before goals from Omar Bogle and Viv Solomon-Otabor saw Portsmouth cruise into a 3-0 lead.

After overcoming a nervy ending to the game set up by two late goals by Saddlers defender Jon Guthrie, Portsmouth held on to claim all three points and move within six of second-placed Barnsley.

With nine games to play, the prospect of achieving automatic promotion to the Championship is still an outside possibility for Jackett’s side, especially when you consider that they still have to face contenders Sunderland in the league. If they are to rescue their promotion push, they will also have to overcome tough fixtures against Coventry City and Peterborough United who are both enjoying successful campaigns in League One.

Even if the club do eventually miss out on a top two finish, they would undoubtedly benefit from a good end to the season as it would provide them with the momentum which is typically needed to succeed in the play-offs.

Although it is an almost impossible task, nine wins from nine would see Portsmouth finish on 95 points, a total which has guaranteed automatic promotion for each of the last ten seasons in England’s third tier of football. If they were to only achieve twenty points from a possible twenty-seven, it could still be enough for them to achieve their goal of a return to the Championship after seven years away.

With Jackett’s future at the club surely more than dependent on what happens at the end of the current campaign, Pompey’s results over the next two months could make or break their season.

What do you think Portsmouth fans? Is automatic promotion still a realistic prospect for your side? Or would you prefer a visit to Wembley Stadium if it guaranteed play-off success? Tell us your thoughts below.

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To buy or not to buy is the question on everyone’s lips at Goodison Park.

From Marcel Brands right through to the supporters, the question of whether Andre Gomes is worth the 40 million euro (£34.1m) fee Barcelona could receive, per Marca, for the popular midfielder is a conundrum which splits the mind in two.

And the international break has added a fresh dynamic to consider in the equation in the shape of Sheffield United loanee Kieran Dowell.

On the chalkboard

The 21-year-old midfielder festered in Everton’s reserves for the first half of the season before he was sent to Bramall Lane in January.

An attacking midfielder by trade, Dowell has made a steady impact in 10 appearances for Chris Wilder’s promotion-chasing side, but his call-up to the England Under-21 side provided a fresh challenge for the budding Premier League talent.

Aidy Boothroyd opted to start Dowell at the base of his midfield against Poland and Tuesday night’s defeat against Germany saw him lying deep once again alongside Tom Davies.

Defensively he was a tad suspect in unfamiliar territory, but that was to be expected given his lack of experience.

In possession, however, Everton’s academy product was technically accomplished and showcased glimpses of his potential to operate in a deeper-lying role at club level.

Take a gamble

Dowell is not ready to immediately step into the side to replace Gomes, but the fact the Toffees faithful are not unanimously convinced by the Portugal international’s credentials suggests it’s a gamble not worth taking.

Rather than spending the best part of £34 million on the Barcelona playmaker, Silva should mould Dowell into a number 8 or number 6 to fill the creative void in midfield.

It’s a huge gamble which is unlikely to garner impressive short-term results as Dowell hasn’t made a single Premier League appearance since 2016.

But glimpses from his performances with both the Blades and the Three Lions suggest there is an untapped talent in waiting if Silva utilises him properly, one who could save the club tens of millions in the transfer market.

The next big thing to emerge at Goodison could be right under Brands’ nose.

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Jurgen Klopp has made a habit of rotating his midfield this season in order to contend with both the Premier League and the Champions League, along with a brief period spent in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.

Whilst the German often rotates the likes of Adam Lallana, Gini Wijnaldum, James Milner, Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and Xherdan Shaqiri – his preferred system allows for just three midfielders in a 4-3-3 formation – a number of players throughout the team are given weekly starts no matter what the competition.

Apart from Alisson, who is likely to play every game, names such Andrew Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino are the first names on the teamsheet, playing every game if they are able to.

Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…

Whilst the midfield is the only area that seems to be regularly changed, there is one player amongst the aforementioned six midfielders who has to fall into the group of regular starters – Fabinho.

As seen by his statistics from the 2-1 win over Tottenham before his withdrawal in the 77th-minute, Henderson was largely ineffective and failed to provide any sort of impact both defensively and offensively.

Upon Fabinho’s introduction to the field of play, the Reds instantly looked more assured, likely to press on and get a winner, something that they eventually did end up doing thanks to the Brazilian’s dominant cameo.

The former Real Madrid star is yet to let Klopp down and always delivers classy performances when called upon, whilst it can also be argued that he is the most creative figure from a number of mostly workmanlike midfield options.

Henderson’s sideways passing and reluctance to punch the ball into the final third is starting to become a bit of an issue as goalscoring chances become few and far between for Liverpool – at the business end to the season, Klopp has to be playing his best players week in, week out, and Fabinho has no right being on the bench during such a crucial period.

رفض الدولي البرازيلي دوجلاس كوستا، جناح بايرن ميونخ، التعليق على تصريحات بايرن ميونخ السابق أولي هونيس، بعدما وصفه بالمرتزقة الذي يلعب من أجل المال، بعد رحيله عن بايرن قبل 3 سنوات.

وكان كوستا قد لعب في بايرن ميونخ لمدة موسمين بعد انتقاله من شاختار دونتسك في عام 2015، قبل الرحيل إلى يوفنتوس على سبيل الإعارة ثم بالبيع النهائي في 2017.

وجاء كوستا إلى بايرن مرة أخرى خلال سوق الانتقالات قادمًا من يوفنتوس على سبيل الإعارة، لتدعيم هجوم النادي البافاري.

اقرأ أيضًا.. صفقة بايرن ميونخ الجديدة يسخر من ثمانية برشلونة ويكشف عن مثله الأعلى

وقال كوستا خلال مؤتمر تقديمه لوسائل الإعلام: “لم أتحدث بعد مع هونيس، ولكنني أريد أن أبذل قصارى جهدي وأنّ أشارك بشكل كامل مع الفريق”.

وأضاف: “أنا أريد أنّ أساعد بايرن ميونخ، وآمل أن استعيد لياقتي البدنية التي أحتاجها في أسرع وقتٍ مُمكن”.

وواصل: “أنا لا أعيش في الماضي، بالنسبة لي هذا الموضوع قد انتهي، وأنا سأحاول إظهار أفضل ما لديّ، وسيتضح حينها الدور الذي أقوم به”.

وتابع: “كل شيء هُنا في بايرن لم يتغير، إنه تحدٍ بالنسبة لي أنّ أكون هُنا، التدريبات مُكثفة للغاية وأنا أعرف الكثير وهذا سوف يساعدني كثيرًا، لقد افتقدت العديد من زملائي هُنا، ودائمًا ما كنت أتواصل معهم”.

وأتم تصريحاته قائلًا: “لطالما شعرت براحة كبيرة في ميونخ، لقد عشت حياة حيدة للغاية هُنا، أفهم بعض الأشياء باللغة الألمانية ولكنني أجد صعوبة في التحدث بها، ولكن أنا أستمتع بتواجدي هُنا، أنا مُتحمس لارتداء قميص بايرن مرة أخرى، وأريد أنّ ألعب وإظهار ما يُمكنني فعله”.

It had to happen at some point, didn’t it? Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first domestic defeat as Manchester United manager has proved again that tactically he’s not up to the standard of his Premier League rivals.

Of course, it’s only early on in his managerial career and he’s only held the United job since Christmas, but if he’s being mentioned as the man to get the job permanently, he should be held to the same standards as other bosses. He had to change his system from the get-go on Sunday, and that shows he got his preparation wrong.

The players will have been preparing to face Arsenal in a certain way and will have been confident in their system, but Emery outsmarted him and his coaching staff leaving the Norwegian to scrap his plan A. Sometimes that’s acceptable, if you win, but he didn’t and so the manager must take reasonability for the loss.

Yes, Marcus Rashford missed good opportunities and there was a controversial penalty thrown in there too, but sometimes it seems like Solskjaer’s only tactic is to win the ball and attack quickly. Without the ball, when they’re defending a fast attack themselves, it still seems the defence isn’t protected enough, despite both Nemanja Matic and Ander Herrera both being capable of that role.

That’s all been well and good so far against teams who would let them attack and dominate, but Paris Saint-Germain at home and this Arsenal game were clear indicators of structural inadequacies behind the attacking midfielder. It’s true United need significant investment at the back, Jose Mourinho knew that in summer, so that is probably a major factor too.

However, there’s now a top four race on and United are looking in trouble again. Arsenal are ahead and Chelsea are one point behind with a game in hand. It’s important they continue to entertain their fans, but they must also grind out results against big teams when it’s required, and they didn’t do that against Arsenal.

The Red Devils must react well next weekend against in-form Wolves in the FA Cup to regain momentum ahead of what will be a fascinating race for third and four spot.

United fans, where do you think your team needs to strengthen in the summer? Join the discussion by commenting below.

After a promising run in the FA Cup, Crystal Palace’s dream of silverware this season is over.

The Eagles were dumped out of England’s oldest football competition on the weekend by Watford as Andre Grey’s 79th-minute winner sealed Roy Hodgson’s fate in the FA Cup in a 2-1 loss.

It was a disappointing loss for the south London side, who fancied themselves as dark horses of the competition after knocking out Tottenham in the fourth round and making it to final of the FA Cup three years prior.

Ultimately, it was a fair result, but what would the consequences be if Palace were to win against Watford and make it to the semi-finals of the FA Cup?

Palace face tough tie against Wolves

In our reality, Watford were drawn with Wolves in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, so for argument’s sake, we will say Palace are drawn against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as well.

Wolves have been the giant killers in the Cup this season, knocking out both Liverpool and Manchester United comfortably, making them outside favourites for FA Cup glory this season, and in the league as well the West Midlands-based club have been great against teams in the top-six.

Palace would go into this game at Wembley as the underdogs given their earlier result against Wolves this season, a 1-0 loss at Selhurst, and one of Nuno’s most impressive wins of the season was against Tottenham at their temporary home, a 3-1 win over the Christmas period.

However, with Palace having experience at this stage in the competition, Hodgson’s side will be confident of causing an upset and making their second FA Cup final in three years.

Hodgson keeps job, for now

Speaking of Hodgson, making it to a FA Cup semi-final would have kept the oldest manager in Premier League history in the job for at least another season.

Palace have had an underwhelming season despite the level of quality the Eagles have in the squad, and with the scars of Frank de Boer’s horrific managerial appointment more than healed over, the Palace board might be reluctant to replace Hodgson for an ambitious coach.

Hodgson could have strengthened his argument to be given another season to salvage more than a below midtable finish for Palace on the merit he made it to a FA Cup semi-final.

Crystal Palace fans, would a FA Cup semi-final appearance be a high-point this season?