Wolverhampton Wanderers strengthened their grip on first place in the English Championship on Saturday with a convincing 3-1 home win against Burton Albion.
Cruising in the game thanks to goals from Helder Costa and Benik Afobe, Burton Albion threatened a comeback just before the break. However, Afobe’s strike early in the second half put the game beyond doubt and moved the Wanderers six points clear of Cardiff City.
Afobe’s loan signing from Bournemouth this January has proven to be an inspired bit of business, with the 25-year-old now having netted four goals in his last four matches.
Fans are loving his contribution in his second spell at the Molineux, with some believing the club should do their best to sign him on a permanent deal this summer.
Will he be the man to deliver the goals that ensure they win the Championship and secure Premier League football?
Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts…
Over the last few years, I think it’s safe to say that Sunderland have had the better of their Tyne-Wear clashes. Former Magpies ball-boy Adam Johnson struck a 90th minute winner on Sunday, as the Black Cats beat Newcastle United 1-0 at St James’ Park.
The Sunderland fans must be getting used to winning at Newcastle in recent times. After two consecutive 3-0 scorelines, Gus Poyet’s side travelled the short distance to St James’ Park looking for a hat-trick of back-to-back wins. They were made to wait an awful long time – the whole game in fact – as their side broke forward quickly, and a smart move was emphatically finished off by local lad Adam Johnson.
The ex-Middlesbrough and Manchester City winger, scored his third goal in three successive Sunderland wins at St James’ Park. The 27-year-old scored the second in the Black Cats’ 3-0 win in April 2013, and the second goal yet again in the repeated scoreline earlier this year.
Speaking to Sky Sports after Sunderland’s win, Johnson said: “Three years in a row – they must hate me here, but I’m delighted. Three wins here and three clean sheets, we can’t ask for much more. I was a bit disappointed as I should have scored earlier on so if I had missed that one I would have been gutted tonight. I took my time and set myself and thankfully it went in.”
Gus Poyet has instigated the last two Sunderland victories at St James’ Park , but it was Paolo Di Canio who set the trend – with the Black Cats’ 3-0 win in 2013. You have to go all the way back to October 2010 for the last time Newcastle got the better of Sunderland at home. It was a resounding scoreline too, as a Kevin Nolan hat-trick inspired Chris Hughton’s Magpies to a 5-1 win. Since then, Newcastle have only beaten their rivals once – a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light in August 2011 – courtesy of a Ryan Taylor goal.
So what’s the secret behind Sunderland’s recent superiority in the Tyne-Wear derby? It’s hard to put your finger on it, but in the last two seasons, it could be argued that the Black Cats have wanted it more. Both 3-0 wins came at desperate times in the season for Sunderland, and they were both well earned. But as for Sunday, the commitment was there from a Newcastle perspective, they had chances of their own to win it, and on another day Alan Pardew’s side could have won 1-0, as opposed to losing 1-0.
As for Poyet’s Sunderland – who are the Premier League’s draw specialists with an unrivalled 10 draws – the last-minute winner was just what the doctor ordered. The three points lifts them up to 14th in the Premier League table, and it was their first top flight victory since a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace in early-November.
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The Sunderland fans have the bragging rights yet again over their North East neighbours – and they can bask in that glory – at least until April when the two sides next meet at the Stadium of Light. As for Pardew and the Magpies, they have to put a stop to this horrible run against their bitter rivals, if only for their fans.
With the incoming January transfer window, many a Premier League club will be looking to bolster their ranks and improve their squad before they enter into the business end of the season.
A typical problem of New Year transfers however, is that managers have to settle for what they can get as opposed to what they want, leading to clubs eventually signing well over-priced, completely useless footballers in a bid to resolve their problems, who eventually make things a lot worse.
So here are 15 Premier League footballers who other clubs should avoid at all costs in January or else fall into the trap that the month-long transfer window always presents.
Some are dangerously under-performing, many are over-priced, others are simply rubbish and a few are just far too old.
Click on Stewart Downing to check out the top 15 footballers Premier League clubs should give a wide berth to this January
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According to reports from The Daily Star, Everton are considering Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique as potential replacements for under-fire manager Sam Allardyce, but both of those are rather ambitious managerial targets for a club outside of the Champions League.
Indeed, should the Toffees decide to part with the former England boss, they may soon find themselves shortening their horizons somewhat in search for a replacement. But that’s not to say Everton can’t find an inspiring gaffer to take over at Goodison Park, and there are some very promising options within their grasp.
Former Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel probably falls into that category, while names like Marco Silva and Sean Dyche have been discussed as potential Everton managers for some time now. Then there’s a look back into the club’s past; David Moyes enjoyed a fantastic decade on Merseyside, while Slaven Bilic knows the club from his playing days.
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So, Everton fans, which of these realistic potential replacements would you like to see take Allardyce’s place in the dugout? Let us know by voting below…
Gerard Pique has insisted that he has no interest in a January move back to Manchester United as he intends to finish his career with Barcelona.
The Red Devils have been linked with a £20m raid for their former youth star in January amid reports that he’s no longer seen as a key player at the Camp Nou.
Although he’s been a big part of Barca’s recent successes, a dip in form has seen the 27-year-old slip in and out of Luis Enrique’s XI this term.
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United and Chelsea are watching the Spaniard – who has a World Cup winner’s medal – but the commanding centre-back is adamant that he has no desire to leave his boyhood club for a return to Old Trafford:
“I was really happy and left a lot of friends [in Manchester], even if I didn’t play as much as I’d wanted, but I’ve always said I want to stay here all my career and retire at Barcelona,” he is quoted by Goal.
“At Manchester United I had Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic ahead of me, players who were never injured, never red carded … f**king hard [to dislodge] but this is the first time at Barcelona I’m not playing as much as I want to.
“A lot of people say: ‘Pique is not fit or not playing well’ but Pique is really playing well. After the World Cup I admitted I maybe hadn’t been at my level but, in pre-season, I worked really hard and I’m really happy about my performances during the season.
“At the moment I’m not thinking about leaving. I’m really happy if it’s true that United want me but I’m a Barcelona fan, I have been since I was a kid. I want to stay here.”
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Marouane Fellaini has outlined qualification for the Champions League as Everton’s main goal for the season.
The Toffees have made a fine start to the Premier League season, notching 26 points putting them fourth.
Fellaini has been key in the Merseysiders’ performances so far, weighing in with vital goals and assists.
He believes that finishing in their current position is the squad’s main aim and believes that with some hard work it could be possible:
“Everybody wants to play Champions League next season.” He told the club’s official website.
“So we work hard for this and hopefully we can finish in the top four.”
The Belgian has been used by manager David Moyes in a more attacking role this term, with positive results.
The 25-year-old was named as the player of the month for November and is happy with his current form:
“At the moment I am playing well. I am happy – but the most important things are the team and the club.
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“I try to give my maximum in every game. The manager likes it when I play in attack. I’ve been scoring the goals and I work hard on the pitch.”
Fellaini has been linked with a potential move away from Goodson Park, with Arsenal rumoured to be interested.
Some Manchester United fans are not keen to see the club make a move for Adnan Januzaj this summer, despite his sumptuous winning goal against England on Thursday night.
Januzaj’s winner in the 1-0 victory ensured that Belgium topped their World Cup group at the Three Lions’ expense, leading to speculation that Man United may be interested in re-signing him.
Outlets such as the Manchester Evening News reported in the wake of his goal that United had a buy-back clause with regards to the winger, after selling him to Spanish club Real Sociedad last summer.
At club level last term he did fairly well, scoring four goals and assisting six times in all competitions, winning his place in Belgium’s talented squad.
It’s also true that United need a natural right winger ahead of next term if they are to compete for major honours on multiple fronts.
Supporters though don’t appear especially keen to activate that on the back of one World Cup goal.
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These fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on a potential return after he scored his winner…
The West Ham United fans are an extremely frustrated bunch at the moment.
There have been some brilliant highs since David Moyes replaced Slaven Bilic as head coach, but there have also been plenty of lows.
The Hammers have lost their last two Premier League matches 4-1 – including away to fellow relegation candidates Swansea City on Saturday afternoon.
A number of players are currently struggling to find their best form, and the West Ham fans have revealed their displeasure with Aaron Cresswell’s performance levels.
The 28-year-old has made 30 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers this season, but has struggled to put together any sort of consistency when it comes to his form.
That said, Cresswell, who is believed to pick up £50,000 a week at the London Stadium, has managed six assists from left-back, and there are certainly more guilty parties when it comes to shirking responsibility.
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A selection of the Twitter reaction can be found below:
The Championship is increasingly becoming a breeding ground for Premier League future stars.
The top clubs loan their young stars down to the second division to get some first-team football in an extremely competitive league where, week in, week out any side can get a result.
Here are three players we believe are calling out for a chance with a Premier League side.
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CLICK ON TROY DEENEY TO REVEAL THE THREE
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Jordan Rhodes
Jordan is now 24-years-old and his goalscoring record is phenomenal. In his first season with Huddersfield in League One, the then 19-year-old scored 21 goals in all competitions. He scored 22 in the following season as Huddersfield lost in the playoff semi-final for the second consecutive season. Huddersfield reached the playoffs again and this time were promoted via a penalty shootout. Rhodes scored an incredible 40 goals in just 46 appearances in all competitions, including 5 versus Wycombe and 4 versus Sheffield Wednesday. His first season in the Championship and the Scottish international showed no chance of slowing down as he bagged another 33 goals including 3 for Scotland. That was enough to trigger a club record bid for Rhodes from Blackburn Rovers and in his first season with them he netted 25 goals.
It would be costly for any club to sign Rhodes but it doesn’t look particularly likely that Jordan will get his chance with Blackburn Rovers anytime soon as they are looking more like a comfortable mid table side with each passing season.
Troy Deeney
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The 26-year-old has been a consistent goalscorer in the Championship and he scored 24 goals last season and 19 in the season before. The Englishman is a real threat in front of goal and he has been rumoured to be joining numerous of Premier League clubs in the past few transfer windows – he was linked with all three promoted sides recently. He led Watford into the playoffs in 2012/13 season, and they have started very well this season. He may get his chance in the Premier League with Watford but the Championship is notoriously difficult so don’t be surprised if he moves when a true offer is made.
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Tom Cairney
Like Rhodes, Cairney was born in England but has so far represented Scotland at international level, and like Rhodes he is currently plying his trade at Blackburn Rovers. Cairney has already had a small opportunity in the Premier League with Hull City back in the 2009/10 season as The Tigers were relegated. He has mixed feelings at Hull and since joining Blackburn he has been growing in confidence and his performances last season were outstanding. Tom is an attacking midfielder and he netted 5 goals last season and contributed a further 6 assists. Cairney was voted Blackburn’s Player of the Year in his first and so far only season with the club so far, and he was competing with the likes of Jordan Rhodes. He is still only 23-years-old and if he can prove himself again with Blackburn this season, he would be a shrewd signing for any ‘lesser’ side in the Premier League next year. One to keep an eye on this year and he has already netted twice.
It’s for very good reason that Arsenal supporters demand excellence in the transfer market. The stance from the club to push ticket prices to the maximum, while housing a football team in one of the country’s most modern and impressive stadiums, drives the need for something inspired with regards to player recruitment.
Fans do not always want to hear about the latest wonderkid who may or may not turn out to be the new saviour or poster boy for the club. Arsenal have a fine tradition of attacking football under Arsene Wenger, thus forcing the demand for quality over bargain bin signings.
But every now and then, it always raises a sense of hope and a different level of excitement when a club pulls an ace out of their sleeve, a diamond in the rough and one who was a bargain signing in the most positive sense of the word.
Iago Aspas isn’t a name that would normally send the excitement levels rising among Arsenal’s supporters. The fans want something in the vein of Santi Cazorla, a player of exceptional quality with the reputation to back it up. For simply the lack of reputation, Iago Aspas certainly doesn’t strike the same chord.
That is unless you’re oblivious to La Liga beyond the stars of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Diego Simeone’s diamond of a striker at the Vicente Calderon. But Iago Aspas, currently of Celta Vigo and who last season played in the Segunda division, falls comfortably into that bracket of players who are exciting Spanish football and winning a host of admirers. There’s no glamour in looking to teams like Betis, Celta and Rayo, but this season is showing the incredible depth of quality right through La Liga.
Iago Aspas currently operates in the striker role for Celta, but is more than well equipped to handle the duties of a wide player. He’s a forward with incredible pace but also clinical enough to be his team’s focal point in attack.
When Celta went to the Camp Nou three weeks ago, it would have been easy to mark that one off as an easy victory for the Catalans. But Aspas put forward another excellent showcase of his talents, stretching the Barcelona back four and threatening Victor Valdes’ goal on a number of occasions.
Aspas has comfortably been Celta’s standout performer this season, just as he was last season when they won promotion. He’s also a player who is playing well above his current level, and a move to a bigger club even in Spain shouldn’t be out of the question.
It was Guillem Balague, however, who brought up the idea of Arsenal looking at the Celta forward, alongside Fernando Llorente and Adrian Lopez. Off the bat, it’s easy to see why Wenger may look to Aspas as an option for strengthening his attack at the Emirates. The Spaniard is incredibly quick, but plays with the technical excellence you’d normally associate with Wenger’s recruits. He has a fearless attitude about his play, something that should be looked at from that performance against Barcelona. There’s no hiding away for him from the bigger and much more powerful opponents; this is very much a player who knows how good he is and how much damage he can do.
At 5’9 it would be a little foolish to completely write-off his potential contributions to Arsenal and in the Premier League. Luis Suarez is doing an excellent job in leading Liverpool in attack, Sergio Aguero and Carlos Tevez are the regular starters at Manchester City over their bigger team-mates, and Arsenal’s leading players this season have been Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla and Mikel Arteta – all under 6 foot.
There should be no reservations about Arsenal targeting a player of Iago Aspas’ quality. The club will never willingly splash out on players who command fees of £20 million and up, but it is imperative the club identify the best players who do fall into their price range.
Aspas is still building towards his prime, being only 25, but everything he’s displayed so far this season ticks the boxes of a typical Arsene Wenger signing, even more so than Llorente and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. As mentioned, he’s quick and very mobile, but his versatility will also be a big help to the club with his ability to play on the flanks when Olivier Giroud takes up the target man role.
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But above all, the fee to land the Spaniard should be minimal. He’s already expressed a desire to stay with Celta, having recently signed a contract extension and having come through the Galician team’s youth set up. But should an approach from Arsenal be put forth, the player would almost certainly jump at the chance to elevate his status in European football.
What Wenger could have here is another project, another opportunity to turn a very good player into an exceptional one. He has a poacher’s instinct, and only needs the right environment and coaching to transfer his 23 goals of last season in the Segunda division into 20-plus in the top-flight (he already has five goals in 12 appearances for what you’d obviously call a poor Celta side ).
He is by no means the glamour signing that Arsenal need to give them a lift and a new lease of inspiration, but he’s very much a player of quality who will improve the level of depth in the squad at the Emirates.