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Sunderland’s automatic promotion hopes died at Fleetwood Town’s Highbury Stadium on Tuesday, and Jack Ross made a fatal error that he keeps on repeating.

The Black Cats arrived to face Joey Barton’s Fleetwood knowing only a win would keep them in the race for automatic promotion.

And while Portsmouth helped out by losing to Peterborough, Ross’ side just couldn’t hold on to the lead earned by Lee Cattermole’s first-half goal.

The midfielder headed the visitors in front after half an hour, but Paddy Madden equalised in the second half before Ashley Eastham grabbed a stoppage time winner.

Sunderland’s performance in the second half was woeful compared to their display before the interval, and it was all down to a mistake that Ross just can’t seem to eradicate.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

On the chalkboard

During the Checkatrade Trophy final, with the score at 1-0, Ross introduced Lynden Gooch and Max Power for Lewis Morgan and Will Grigg.

In doing so, the Scot invited more and more pressure onto his side until eventually they caved, and Pompey went on to win the match on penalties.

At Fleetwood on Tuesday, he made an almost identical error, bringing on Kazaiah Sterling and George Honeyman for Grigg and Chris Maguire. Or in other words, he brought on two players with far inferior end product, inviting the hosts to have a go without fear of being punished on the break.

Once again, the boss put his team under the cosh with negative changes, and it was actually Honeyman who gave the ball away leading to the winning goal.

The Black Cats have drawn a frankly ridiculous 19 out of 45 league games this campaign, and just one of those was goalless. Ross has no problem getting his side in front, but the young boss has absolutely no idea what to do once that happens.

The ex-St Mirren gaffer is only 42 and has just four seasons of managerial experience under his belt, but if he doesn’t develop his game management skills, the “Ross out” calls will only get louder.

His poor tactical switches, like often moving to a 4-4-2 with one-goal leads, and uninspiring substitutions have cost the club a trophy and automatic promotion this season – will they cost him his job as well?

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Liverpool fans on Twitter think Adam Lallana’s time at the club is over, after it was revealed that the midfielder had not travelled with the squad to Barcelona amid injury concerns.

The former Southampton man was not named amongst the travelling players for the trip to the Camp Nou, as he has been sidelined with a muscle issue in recent weeks.

Chelsea fans were giving it large at Anfield on Sunday. Watch their afternoon get slowly ruined in the video below…

Lallana, now aged 30, has managed to make just 16 appearances this season as he struggles to maintain his fitness, whilst even when he is fit, the impact he makes on a Liverpool team battling for the Premier League title and for the Champions League is minimal.

As a result of this, a number of supporters have been busy discussing what to do with the England international this summer, especially now Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is back fit and Naby Keita is starting to find some form.

Let’s see what the fans on Twitter are saying…

West Ham have enjoyed a strong end to the season in what, on the whole, has been promising first campaign under Manuel Pellegrini. That’s what we’ve got to keep telling ourselves, right? Things are going to get better under the Chilean, they just have to. 

A top-half finish remains in sight with victory over Watford but West Ham’s main priority over the last few months, some would say, hasn’t been on the football. Instead, Pellegrini has likely been planning a busy summer transfer window, a period of time that could see West Ham really strengthen and become a genuine seventh place contender.

Already a number of names have been floated about and fans without a doubt are growing with excitement. Strap in guys, the proverbial silly season is going to kick off.

One name who is all-too-familiar to the West Ham faithful by now is Celta Vigo striker Maxi Gomez and he is still reportedly (as per Football.London earlier this week) one of their main targets for the summer. Gomez, who was signed for £3.6 million back in 2017 (as per Transfermarkt), has been strongly linked with a move to the London Stadium ever since the drama unfolded with Marko Arnautovic in January.

With it being thought that Arnautovic was leaving, Gomez was dubbed as the perfect replacement, though neither moves transpired.

Now in a dramatic turn of events, the Austrian looks to be staying at West Ham, whilst Maxi Gomez could still be joining as well, presenting easily one of the best front-lines outside of the top six. Imagine that, Irons. A strike force to truly be reckoned with.

The 22-year-old has helped Celta Vigo claw themselves away from the relegation zone with 13 goals and five assists this season And with West Ham facing the possibility of losing Andy Carroll amongst others, the Uruguayan forward would be a welcome addition.

Just a complete refresh of an area in the squad that’s been allowed to get far too stale would be nice.

How Manuel Pellegrini works out the best way to utilise Maxi Gomez and Marko Arnautovic is up to him but it sure makes for a mouth-watering proposition for the fans.

Do you agree Maxi Gomez could be that influential for West Ham? If not, why not? Let us know!

Crystal Palace supporters have not always enjoyed what they have seen at Selhurst Park since Roy Hodgson’s appointment as manager back in 2017.

A coach whose approach to the game is a very cautious one, the south London club can be dull to watch at times under the 71-year-old.

As well as that, they often struggle in general when Wilfried Zaha is not playing, with the 26-year-old being the man who has bailed the team and his manager out of trouble time and again.

With Zaha eager to leave Selhurst Park this summer (Sky Sports), though, that is something the Eagles may no longer be able to rely on, which would put the spotlight firmly on Hodgson.

Is the former England boss really a good coach and tactician? Can he oversee a Crystal Palace rebuild and guide the Premier League outfit to results without their current talisman?

There are a lot of questions that Hodgson, who already has his doubters, will have to answer.

From his perspective, though, it does not have to be a negative thing. Ultimately, it is the ex-Liverpool manager’s chance to show his credentials as a coach and move Crystal Palace away from this image of being a one-man team.

Can he do it? Only time will tell, should Crystal Palace actually sell Zaha, of course.

Crystal Palace fans, is Hodgson the man to take the club forward? Join the discussion by commenting below. 

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Liverpool fans have taken to Twitter to slam some of their fellow supporters, after footage emerged of some fans throwing members of the public – who were just minding their own business – into a nearby fountain.

The footage shows locals being hoisted up by their ankles and dunked into the fountain head first, while cries of laughter follow and no other fans step in to stop the perpetrator.

Does your club have a legend who is criminally overrated? Fans answer this tough question in the video below…

Liverpool’s fanbase were of course in Catalonia awaiting their side’s massive Champions League semi-final tie against the Spanish giants, but some of them simply can’t seem to avoid causing problems.

Six others have reportedly been arrested after hotel workers were taken injured.

Club CEO Peter Moore has called on the supporters to act with ‘grace and humility’  after the incident, whilst the club itself has also condemned the behaviour.

Let’s see what the rightly outraged Liverpool supporters on Twitter have been saying about the situation…

قال ميكيل أرتيتا المدير الفني لفريق آرسنال الإنجليزي إنه تأذى من تصريحات مسعود أوزيل التي أشار فيها إلى أن استبعاده من الفريق لا يتعلق بمصلحة النادي.

تم استبعاد صانع الألعاب الألماني من قبل أرتيتا ولا يشارك مع الجانرز، أوزيل ليس جزءً من تشكيلة أرسنال المكونة من 25 لاعبًا للدوري الممتاز أو الدوري الأوروبي، ويبدو من غير المرجح أن يرتدي قميص أرسنال مرة أخرى قبل انتهاء عقده في يونيو.

ورغم كفاحه لإحداث تأثير مع أرسنال في المواسم الأخيرة، ما زال الرأي منقسمًا حول ما إذا كان يجب على أرتيتا إعادة أوزيل إلى الملعب، لكن المدرب يصر على أنه يفعل فقط ما يشعر أنه صائب.

وقال أرتيتا لقناة “beIN Sports”: “أنا متضرر لأنني لا أحب أن لا يملك أي لاعب في فريقي إمكانية المشاركة أو المنافسة، بالنسبة لي إنه أمر محزن حقًا لأنني لا أعتقد أن أي شخص يستحق ذلك”.

وأضاف: “ولكن في نهاية المطاف، أجلس هنا لاتخاذ القرارات التي  في رأيي هي الأفضل للنادي، وهذا ما يجب أن أفعله”.

لم يظهر أوزيل مرة واحدة تحت قيادة أرتيتا هذا الموسم، ويبدو أن مدربه ليس لديه أي خطط لتغيير قراره.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ديفيد لويز يعتدي على سيبايوس في تدريبات آرسنال.. والأخير يرد

وأكد أرتيتا: “اللحظة التي تخسر فيها مباريات كرة القدم سيظهر اسمه، وعندما تفوز لن يحدث ذلك”.

عندما سئل عما إذا كانت هناك فرصة أخرى لأوزيل، أجاب أرتيتا: “حسنًا، يمكن للجميع وأعتقد أنه منذ وصولي إلى هنا، ترى من أين بدأ بعض اللاعبين وأين هم الآن، تغيرت حياتهم المهنية تمامًا وقد حصلوا على هذا الحق، أعطيناهم الفرص واستغلوها”.

وأتم: “مع مسعود في الوقت الحالي، مع قائمة الفريق من الواضح أنه لا يمكن المشاركة، أحاول أن أكون واضحًا قدر الإمكان معه ومع جميع وسائل الإعلام والمشجعين لأنهم يستحقون معرفة الأسباب، البعض سيتفهم والآخر لن يفهموا ذلك بسبب ما فعله للنادي”.

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Arsenal fans have taken to Twitter to react after it was revealed that Chelsea star N’Golo Kante is set to miss the Europa League final on Wednesday after suffering an injury setback.

The France international had sufficiently recovered from a hamstring injury to take part in training before the final, but he suffered a blow to his knee in a session on Saturday which forced him out of training.

Check out an Arsenal fan vow to “move to another planet” if Spurs win the UCL in the video below…

Chelsea’s medical staff assessed the issue on Sunday afternoon but it is understood that their first impressions are far from promising.

It would be a major blow for the Blues to lose such an important player, but in Arsenal’s case, this news will be music to the ears of the Gunners and their supporters.

A win in Baku would secure Champions League football for the north Londoners after they missed out on it originally having finished fifth; it is safe to say that this is a huge game for Unai Emery and the club’s future.

Let’s see how the Arsenal supporters on Twitter reacted to the news of Kante’s possible absence for the showpiece event…

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Real Madrid are concerned by the prospect of Tottenham Hotspur winning the Champions League as they attempt to sign Christian Eriksen this summer, per AS.

What’s the word?

The Denmark international has long been a target of the Spanish giants.

But AS report that the Spanish giants are worried that Spurs could beat Liverpool in the Champions League final, having qualified after an unforgettable victory over Ajax on Wednesday, and suddenly ramp up their asking price.

Madrid, AS claim, believe they will have to pay a maximum of €70million (£60.5m) to secure Eriksen’s signature, though Spurs have thus far demanded €100m (£86m).

But a victory over the Reds, Madrid believe, would complicate matters and, despite reaching a verbal agreement with the Denmark international over a transfer, the club are said to be worried about the prospect of Eriksen extending his current contract.

His deal expires in 2020 and if no extension is agreed, he will be available on a free transfer at the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.

Ambitions fulfilled

The best players want to win the biggest trophies.

There has long been a debate over whether Tottenham can reach the next level and keep their stars happy.

A win in the Champions League final, with Spurs crowned European champions, would do just that.

It remains to be seen if Eriksen, however, would view it as a swansong or a reason to stay.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will surely hope for the latter, particularly if Spurs want to go one step further and attempt to win the Premier League.

Tottenham fans know full-well their side needs a number of new faces this summer, if they finally want to get their hands on some silverware. Yes, we’ve been saying that for years, but the recent run in the Champions League only serves as a reminder as to how high up the footballing ladder Spurs are these days. 

Indeed, whilst their place in the top four looks to be fairly secure – despite their best efforts to make sure they mess it up – the hope is that now Spurs can kick-on and make the necessary improvements, which allows them to become title-challengers.

That, of course, is a serious ambition that must be treated with respect. Therefore, a big budget needs to be made available, so that Mauricio Pochettino is able to bring in the players he wants. Promisingly, the Sun reported at the start of the month that such a budget would be made available.

Football, nowadays, is all about the money and the right signings will take you far as a team.

Having played a blinder during his first campaign in the Premier League, Wolves forward Diogo Jota is a player of interest (as per the Express last week) for Tottenham this summer, which could be great for club and player.

Jota, (who is valued at £16.2 million on Transfermarkt) has enjoyed great success ever since moving to Wolves from Atletico Madrid in 2018. The hard-working forward has provided ten goals and seven assists in all competitions, as he often makes the difference for Wolves.

The 22-year-old can play on the wing, as a supporting striker or even as the main man up-front, dependant on where Pochettino wants him. To be fair, he looks beyond perfect for Spurs. That profile of a player fits the Tottenham mould and the fact he has Premier League experience makes it all the better.

Whatever the role or position, Diogo Jota would be an improvement to Tottenham’s overall squad, giving them a lot more quality in the final third with the possibility of him linking up with Heung-Min Son, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane.

Do you agree Diogo Jota would make a good signing? If not, why not? Join the discussion and let us know!

When it comes to reviewing this season’s signings, you can easily say that the youngest member of the pack has been the most impressive for Arsenal.

Matteo Guendouzi joined the Gunners as an unknown 19-year-old from the French second division, but within a few weeks, the midfielder was starring week-in-week-out for Unai Emery’s side and looking like a Premier League natural and a player who could man the Arsenal midfield for years to come.

The youngsters’ success has not only made Arsenal fans excited about the future, but has also made supporters more hyped than usual when youngsters are being linked this summer with a move to the Emirates, and Danny Loader is no different.

According to Goal, the Gunners are interested in the Reading striker who only has a year left on his current contract and has already attracted some big clubs around Europe, such as Juventus and Chelsea.

The 18-year-old attacker was promoted to the Reading first-team in November of last year and has remained a mainstay in the squad since then, starting eight games and featuring in 23, scoring once, and if Arsenal are to aim for younger players and build for the future, Loader could be a starting block.

Although the club already have Eddie Nketiah, Loader has the potential to go all the way in football after making a name for himself in the Championship at such a young age and being valued at £450,000 on Transfermarkt, the Gunners could be landing a coup in the teenager.

With so many teams interested in Loader, Arsenal needs to ensure they are the side winning the race to land the striker’s signature, and after the success of Guendouzi, there’s no reason to believe the Reading attacker can be the next youngster to light it up in north London.

Arsenal fans, can Loader be the future striker of the club? Let us know!