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Aston Villa face the unenviable task of hosting Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

Steven Gerrard has enjoyed a superb start to life in the Midlands with back-to-back top-flight wins under his belt against Brighton and Crystal Palace.

Surprise Pep

The ex-Rangers boss could spring a surprise on Pep Guardiola and City and pick up a result with a key selection change for this clash – starting Emiliano Buendia ahead of Leon Bailey.

Villa beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in their last outing, but the Jamaican winger struggled to make a positive impact playing out on the right. Per SofaScore, he lost seven of his nine duels and failed with all of his attempted dribbles whilst only completing 18 passes.

Therefore, it could be time for him to be axed from the team and for Buendia to be given another chance to show what he can do. The creative midfielder has a history of performing well against Manchester City – producing a sublime display in a 3-2 win for Norwich in 2019.

He recorded two assists and a WhoScored rating of 8.9 in the stunning win for the Canaries. Buendia ended the match with five completed dribbles and four tackles to go along with his assists, showing his quality defensively, in transition and in the final third.

Former Norwich boss Daniel Farke once hailed the Argentine international as a ‘joy to work with’ prior to his move to Villa Park. The German said:

“He has been unbelievably important for us during the past season and as long as we have him it is a joy to work with him, to have him in the team and for our supporters.

“You have to love his creativity and skills. Hopefully, he can also shine in the future for us.”

The £75k-per-week gem has struggled to find his best form for Villa but has still managed to average 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game alongside 1.4 key passes. This, along with his previous display against the Citizens, suggests that he could provide added protection for Matty Cash at right-back by dealing with overloads and tracking back to win the ball off the Premier League champions.

Therefore, Gerrard could shock Pep and pick up a positive result against City with the decision to unleash Buendia back in the starting line-up. If he is able to show the kind of form he did for Norwich against the Spaniard’s outfit then it could a joyous night for the Villans.

AND in other news, Huge blow: Villa dealt fresh injury “setback” ahead of City, Gerrard will be gutted…

Pundit Frank McAvennie does not believe ex-Celtic manager Gordon Strachan will be re-joining the Hoops in any capacity this summer [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Celtic plot additions behind the scenes ahead of 2021/22

As the Scottish giants rebuild for 2021/22, many onlookers will be fascinated regarding how Ange Postecoglou re-shuffles his pack, before attempting to win the Scottish Premiership title back from arch-rivals Rangers at the first attempt.

However, rumours of additions have not been purely limited to just the playing staff but also the backroom team.

Fergal Harkin and Shaun Maloney have both been linked with roles in recent times behind the scenes at Parkhead, though both scenarios failed to materialize [Daily Record].

The Latest: McAvennie rules out Strachan returning to Parkhead in any capacity

Strong notions suggesting Strachan was set for a senior seat within the Hoops shake-up have risen to prominence within the mainstream media in the last few days.

Despite this, popular ex-pro turned pundit McAvennie is not buying into the hype. Speaking in a recent interview with Football Insider about the former Scotland manager prospectively rocking up to Parkhead, the 61-year-old claimed:

“No, I heard that’s dead.

“That’s not happening. There are going to be so many half-truths and maybes until Ange gets going.

“Gordon is doing well at Dundee so it’s a strange one but I was told yesterday by my sources that it’s not happening.

“There’s so much going on at the club right now. It’s hard to see anything significant happening before Ange actually gets to work.” [Football Insider].

The Verdict: Strachan would only be a short-term fix to a long-term project at Celtic

Rightfully, McAvennie refers to the procession of relentless speculation that can sometimes follow large-scale changes at a football club.

Celtic are no different to this phenomenon, while fans and pundits alike will be desperate to hear more clarity on the current situation in Glasgow’s East End.

In relation to former Aberdeen man Strachan, he possesses a wealth of experience within Scottish football. During his spell at Celtic Park, he won three Scottish Premiership titles, two Scottish League Cups and a Scottish Cup [Transfermarkt].

Nevertheless, many Bhoys fans may feel he lacks the modernizing capabilities needed to revitalise an enormous outfit like Celtic yielding enduring benefit for years to come.

At 64-years-old, he would only be a short-term fix to a long-term project.

In other news, a Celtic striker is in line for a Parkhead exit.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee has claimed that there are very few players that can do what Tomas Soucek does for West Ham.

Soucek was initially signed on loan in January 2020 and West Ham had an option to buy the midfielder, which they snapped up as soon as possible because of how much a difference the midfielder had made during their relegation battle.

During his time at West Ham, Soucek has averaged a 7.34 WhoScored rating, with his standout performances leading to teams such as Bayern Munich reportedly being interested in the Czech Republic international.

Speaking on what it is that makes Soucek different from other midfielders and how he does it so well, Lee said exclusively to FFC:

“He does what a lot of midfielders don’t do anymore and that’s getting in the box because he just wants to get goals and there aren’t many midfielders these days that want to do that.

“He’s got a great engine on him, he tackles and he’s a big lad. He’s a goal-scoring midfielder and they’re very difficult to come across these days.”

Soucek has proved a crucial cog in David Moyes’ side this season having featured in every league game, with the only time being spent off the pitch was when he got sent off against Fulham.

West Ham are currently looking into offering Soucek a new contract despite only signing last summer, as a way to fend off potential interest in the £67,308 per week midfielder.

Everton have been hit with a double injury blow ahead of the Merseyside Derby on Sunday afternoon.

What’s the word?

Frank Lampard has taken to his pre-match press conference (via Liverpool World) to deliver an update on two fresh injury issues at Finch Farm, with Donny van de Beek and Andre Gomes now both ruled out of the derby, alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Lampard told the press: “We’ve got a couple of small injuries. Donny van de Beek won’t be fit, he’s got a small injury, in his groin/ pelvic area. Andre Gomes the same. That keeps him out of the weekend.”

Lampard will be gutted

There is no doubt that the Toffees boss will be gutted to lose two players to injury at this stage of this season, especially considering the position they have found themselves in – battling against relegation from the Premier League.

With seven games to go, Everton are only above the relegation zone by one point following Burnley’s victory over Southampton on Thursday, and it will certainly cause a headache for Lampard to lose players at such a delicate time – with both midfielders’ injuries weakening his squad depth in midfield yet again.

Van de Beek had only just returned to fitness a little over a week ago after sustaining a thigh injury, but has not featured since the Wolves defeat in March – with the Man United loanee only making six appearances in total since he joined the club in January.

Meanwhile, Gomes has only played three times since Lampard joined the club, so, although he will be a miss in terms of depth on the bench, it shouldn’t make a huge impact on the starting side unless there are further injuries to the midfield.

Finally, Calvert-Lewin has only made 14 appearances this season and hasn’t scored a single goal since August last year.

Indeed, despite returning from a long term quad injury in January the star striker has failed to refind his goal-scoring form, and could now potentially be sidelined again until the end of the season.

With that being said, all three have made minimal impact on the side as of late so Lampard should have enough quality to continue to pick up points in the league, with the 43-year-old manager undoubtedly be hoping his side can get a much-needed result at Anfield.

AND in other news: Frank can finally axe “out of control” EFC flop by signing “outstanding” £18k-p/w star

Carlo Ancelotti can sign a top-draw upgrade on Yerry Mina in SSC Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, as Farhad Moshiri looks to back the Everton manager in the transfer market once again.

What’s the word?

According to talkSPORT, Ancelotti is eying a cut-price deal for Koulibaly as he looks to be reunited with the Senegalese star.

The Italian coached Koulibaly for 18-months during his time in charge of the Serie A side, a period in which he lauded the 29-year-old as “the best defender in the world”.

Ancelotti now hopes he can convince Koulibaly to follow him to Goodison Park, as the former Liverpool and Manchester United target is expected to be valued at far less than the £89m that Napoli had demanded last year.

The Napoli star’s precise valuation remains to be seen, but Blues owner Moshiri is expected to back Ancelotti in the coach’s efforts to land his man.

Everton feel they have the right manager at the helm in Ancelotti, so will present the funds the 61-year-old feels are needed to sustain the club’s challenge for a consistent top-six spot.

Recent reports had suggested that Ancelotti has marked Koulibaly as his top defensive target for the summer market, as he does not believe Everton’s current options have the ability to play together in the long-term.

Ancelotti’s doubt in the talents of his current centre-back group, apart from Ben Godfrey, were also noted last month, with the Daily Mail claiming that questions marks had arisen over the Italian’s best possible pairing.

Should Everton sign Koulibaly?

The question marks that arose over Everton’s current centre-half options added that Mina could be moved on at the end of the season, seemingly having failed to imprint a positive impression on Ancelotti.

Mina had been a pillar of the Toffees backline before sustaining a calf injury at home to Manchester City last month, with the Colombian only failing to open four Premier League fixtures from a possible 23.

He returned to the line-up for last weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Manchester City, but his long-term presence appears to be up in the air with Koulibaly being linked.

Ancelotti has previously questioned the performances of Mina, with the Blues boss noting in September how the 26-year-old was not aggressive enough in shutting down West Bromwich Albion whilst Grady Diangana opened the scoring.

“Yerry had an average game, I think he could be more aggressive and do more with the ball,” Ancelotti said, via quotes by the Liverpool Echo. “The only aspect we have to look at is him being more aggressive when he can press the opening.”

Reports of an uncertain future and interest in Koulibaly would suggest those concerns are still present, as the £45m-rated Napoli star – who former Chelsea star Craig Burley claims is “fantastic” – would offer Ancelotti a superb upgrade on Mina.

Ancelotti knows Koulibaly well from his time in Naples and clearly thought highly of him, having claimed the 43-cap international was worth as much as €150m (£130m) in 2019 and that there was “no question” that he would be staying.

Now, the question is whether Ancelotti can convince Koulibaly to leave southern Italy for Merseyside, and offer the Everton boss the defensive player he seems to feel is missing.

AND in other news, an “exceptional” Everton figure is being eyed by a Premier League rival…

West Ham had hoped ‘to finish’ a deal for Red Bull Salzburg forward Patson Daka before the striker opted to join Leicester instead, according to journalist Ekrem Konur. 

The marksman caught the eye with a number of impressive performances for the Austrian club during the 2020/21 campaign as they won the domestic league title and competed in the Champions League group stage.

The 22-year-old Zambia international netted 34 goals in 42 appearances in total for Salzburg last term, and his strong performances hadn’t gone unnoticed heading into the summer transfer window.

West Ham were rumoured to be keen on reaching an agreement to land Daka’s signature as they soughtto add depth to their attacking options ahead of the 2021/22 season, but the player revealed that he has chosen to pursue a move to Leicester instead, which will come as a hugely frustrating update to the east Londoners.

The Irons finished sixth in the Premier League last term, just one place behind the Foxes, and will be eager to pick up where they left off when they take on Newcastle in their opening match of the 2021/22 season on 15 August.

Check out some of the best of the reaction from West Ham supporters to Konur’s update on Daka below…

“Wanted to hang around and see if we could pick him up on the cheap. Leicester pile in and get him.”

Credit: @WestHamRambles

“Sure he’d choose Leicester over West Ham ahahahaha we didn’t fancy it.”

Credit: @Westhamfan987

“Don’t blame him, Leicester much better run club and facilities.”

Credit: @Callumfitzer__

“So it wasn’t the board’s fault for once.”

Credit: @AmbitiousAnang

“There’s a reason why no one has snapped him up sooner and it’s probably because he’s not good enough!”

Credit: @ELTEL241

“Leicester are a bigger, more successful club than us, simple as that.”

Credit: @H4YDEN0503

“Because we are inept?”

Credit: @westhamhour

“He’s alright but I think Tammy Abraham is better.”

Credit: @geno474

In other news, plenty of West Ham fans reacted to this update on another Irons transfer target.

An update has emerged on Rangers transfer target John Lundstram regarding interest surrounding his services heading into next season.

What’s the talk?

According to The Sheffield Star, interest in the 27-year-old is expected to ramp up upon the expiry of his Sheffield United contract next week. The report claims that Rangers are one of the clubs interested in signing the midfielder, who has rejected the chance to stay at Bramall Lane following the Blades’ relegation to the Championship in England.

Last year, former Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder lauded Lundstram as being “exemplary” and praised the example he sets for players around him.

He told The Sheffield Star: “The way he has been in the changing room when he hasn’t played has been exemplary. And then he comes back in and plays like he has.

“I think that’s a fantastic example of how you should be as a professional footballer.”

He won’t cost a penny

Steven Gerrard must ensure that Rangers win the race for Lundstram’s signature once the interest around the midfielder starts to ramp up. The report suggests that there will be competition for his services, which is why Gerrard must act quickly to swoop for him in order to bolster Rangers’ squad ahead of next season. With his contract expiring, the Gers could pick up a bargain as they will not have to pay a penny in transfer fees for Lundstram and will only need to worry about his wages.

He is a proven player at Premier League and Championship level in England. In the second tier, he played for Yeovil, Blackpool and Sheffield United before finally getting his break at the top level with the Blades after promotion in 2019. He caught the eye with some excellent performances in the Premier League in the 2019/20 campaign, averaging an impressive WhoScored rating of 6.70, scoring five times and setting up three goals in 34 appearances.

This suggests that the £25,000-per-week beast has the pedigree and quality to come in at Ibrox and make an instant impact. Lundstram is at the perfect age to instantly improve Rangers’ team, with the 27-year-old in what should be the peak years of his career.

He is not an up-and-coming player who needs guidance and he is not an experienced veteran in the final years of his playing days, which means Gerrard could slot him straight into the team and expect him to perform.

Therefore, the manager should do everything he can to make sure that Lundstram is a Rangers player next season. His contract expires at the end of this month and the Gers need to be the first club he contacts. They must make an offer worth his time to convince him to make the move to Scotland.

AND in other news, Rangers must avoid major error over “non-stop” £33k-p/w beast, Gerrard would be fuming…

The Athletic’s Crystal Palace journalist Matt Woosnam has recently provided some details about Jean-Philippe Mateta’s situation at the club.

Mateta had joined Palace on a loan deal in the January transfer window and his term at the club ends after 18 months, when the Eagles have the option to sign him. However, the striker has not featured regularly for Roy Hodgson’s men in recent weeks.

Woosnam provides Mateta update

The Athletic recently opened up a Q&A session for Palace fans ahead of their game against Everton. One fan asked Woosnam about Mateta and his lack of involvement in the Palace first-team under Hodgson.

The 23-year-old didn’t start against the Toffees on Monday either, but Woosnam revealed that the striker is a long-term signing for Palace even though Mateta was aware of a plan to use him this season. The journalist compared him to Michy Batshuayi, saying that his hold-up play isn’t great and he doesn’t fit into Hodgson’s plan and tactics at the moment.

Here’s what the journalist said in full: “He is on an 18-month loan, he was aware that the plan was to use him here and there in this season and then see how he does going forward. It’s a longer-term signing who can contribute now but is there for the future. Based on his performances to date and also what can be gleaned from the data and observations from previous clubs, he is someone who needs service and the ball to come to him, he doesn’t hold it up well. To some extent there are similarities with Batshuayi.

“But he doesn’t particularly suit Hodgson’s system or style at the moment.”

Despite limited game-time, Mateta has already scored once for Palace, finding the back of the net against Brighton back in February (Transfermarkt).

Mateta signing could work out in the long-term

Before arriving at Palace, the £13.5m-rated Mateta had impressed for Mainz this season. He played 15 Bundesliga games for them, scoring seven times and getting one assist for the club. He also got three goals in two DFB Pokal games for Die Nullfünfer (as per Transfermarkt).

It shows that he is certainly an able goalscorer and, while he might not fit Hodgson’s system, the manager’s contract at Palace runs out in the summer. Palace could well have a new man in charge from next season onwards, and perhaps that could help Mateta to flourish at Selhurst Park.

In other news, many Palace fans have been reacting to a news about Eddie Howe – read more here.

A number of Sunderland fans have been left fuming at an update regarding Aiden McGeady, with the winger potentially not facing Lincoln City this weekend.

The Black Cats suffered a hugely disappointing night at the office on Wednesday evening, as they travelled to Lincoln for the first leg of the League One playoff semi-final.

Lee Johnson’s side lost 2-0 at Sincil Bank, giving them a huge amount of work to do in Saturday’s rematch at the Stadium of Light.

Someone who has been a key player for Sunderland is McGeady, with the veteran wide man scoring 33 goals in 132 appearances for the club.

While the Irishman played the whole 90 minutes in midweek, The Chronicle‘s James Hunter reports that he will be entitled to a new deal if he starts one more game this season, with his current contract expiring in the summer.

With Sunderland potentially not wanting to retain McGeady’s services beyond that point, Johnson finds himself in a tricky situation.

Sunderland fans bemoan McGeady update

These fans have taken to Twitter to vent their anger at the update.

“What a shambles this is, surely the games against Accrington, Plymouth and Northampton should have been used to rest him if they wanted to keep him under the 30 games!?”

Credit: @GlassesCraig

“This isn’t helping my mood one day on”

Credit: @1973mackem

“What a joke”

Credit: @calvinfox96

“And again – if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry. What a club man hahaha”

Credit: @MRennieRP

“We just keep finding new ways to look amateur don’t we?”

Credit: @nicholaswilso11

“What a mess”

Credit: @SpeakSAFC

In other news, some Sunderland fans have fumed at the treatment of one player in the first leg defeat at Lincoln. Find out who it is here.

Coming after star West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice turned down two new contract offers in the summer, it appears the club have been dealt another potential blow surrounding the player.

The Lowdown: Rice new deal saga…

Reliable outlets like The Evening Standard and The Guardian reported over the summer that Rice snubbed two fresh deal offers at the London Stadium and wished to be informed of any incoming bids.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments-2/” title=”West Ham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Thankfully for manager David Moyes and co, Rice also didn’t try to force any move away and swiftly returned to action with West Ham upon finishing England duty and his personal break.

A silver lining at the end of what was some concerning news then, it appears West Ham may now be dealt another potential Rice blow as a new report emerges.

The Latest: West Ham dealt another potential Rice blow…

As per 90min, the Hammers and Moyes could indeed face a fresh challenge in tying down their star man.

Rice, who started 32 Premier League games for West Ham last season, expects the 2021/2022 campaign to be his last in east London.

While the 22-year-old would be open to signing fresh terms on the condition of a release clause, West Ham’s own rule of not including them in contracts for any of their players means a new deal is ‘unlikely’.

Rice is currently focused on this season with the Irons but has no shortage of suitors, with Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool all making their interest known according to this report.

The Verdict: Key player, big money…

Making the joint-most interceptions per 90 on average last season (1.8), the England international is well and truly a key player and West Ham’s unlikelihood of tying him down could come as a blow.

It will certainly be interesting to see if he does in fact move on at the end of this season, but if he keeps performing at such a high level, potential suitors will need to fork out big money.

A £100 million price tag on Rice has been mooted while manager Moyes believes he is worth even more than that, so while fans will of course want to keep their talisman, an offer at or over that price tag would surely be taken under consideration.

In other news: ‘Yayyy’, ‘Ooooo’, ‘Actually mental’…West Ham fans rave over ‘fantastic news’, find out more here.