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Loads of Liverpool fans have been commenting on the latest update on Kai Havertz, after his manager at Bayer Leverkusen suggested he will eventually leave for “the next step”.

Speaking to Sport Bild, via The Mirror, Leverkusen boss Peter Bosz said: “Of course I would like to keep him, just as I would have liked to keep Julian Brandt, for example.

“Kai is only 20 and still has room for improvement. I can help him there.

“But it is like this, at the end the player himself must feel when he is ready for the next step. Nobody can decide that for him.”

The Mirror report mentions interest from Liverpool, Manchester United and Bayern Munich, and plenty of Reds fans have been weighing in on the possibility of signing the Germany international, who grabbed his first senior goal for his country last week.

Havertz scored 17 times in the Bundesliga last season, and has started this campaign in fine form too, scoring twice while averaging 1.6 shots, 2 key passes and 1.9 dribbles per game.

Liverpool of course have their fair share of goalscorers, with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah sharing the Premier League golden boot last term, but the one thing they don’t really have is a goalscoring midfielder.

That is perhaps why fans are so desperate to sign Havertz, as you can see in the Twitter reactions down below…

Many Watford fans have sounded their frustrations after being on the back end of an 8-0 demolition job from Manchester City.

After the game – Quique Sanchez Flores’ second at the club – the Spaniard apologised to the fans but told them that the job at hand is a ‘collective responsibility’ – something which a few fans didn’t take so lightly to.

It was a huge reality check for Watford who would’ve been feeling a lot more optimistic after coming from 2-0 behind to draw 2-2 at Vicarage Road last week.

Bernardo Silva produced a hat-trick, while David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Riyad Mahrez, Nicolas Otamendi and Kevin De Bruyne all chipped in with one as Watford got quite frankly embarrassed.

Remarkably, it took just 18 minutes for City to find themselves 5-0 up. The picture was similar to the FA Cup final last term where City ran rampant to win the cup 6-0. It was total domination, as the 28 shots to five suggest.

Flores told the club website: “We need to say sorry to the fans.

“This is a collective responsibility, we are a pack and one of the strengths is a pack being strong together.”

Unfortunately for Flores, it seems that most of this pack just want their £30 back after having their Saturday ruined.

Here are some of the responses below…

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Queens Park Rangers were handed their first defeat in four Championship games on Saturday afternoon as they gifted West Brom all three points.

They started the afternoon just one point behind the west Midlands club and managed to keep them quiet throughout the first half, restricting them to only two shots – none of which were on target, per SofaScore.

But in the second half, two errors handed the Baggies a 2-0 victory.

The first came within eight minutes as young full-back Nathan Ferguson was allowed so much time and space on the ball before he fired in from 25 yards.

And then less than ten minutes from time, Yoann Barbet received his marching orders as he was adjudged to have brought down substitute Hal Robson-Kanu whilst being the last man.

Matheus Pereira stepped up and slotted the free-kick underneath the wall to stun goalkeeper Joe Lumley.

QPR struggled to cope with the dangerous width that Slaven Bilic’s men had at their disposal, nowhere more so than on the right flank where Todd Kane was particularly underwhelming.

The former Chelsea graduate had to face the goalscorer Ferguson as well as West Ham loanee Grady Diangana all afternoon, and he struggled to cope.

Kane lost possession a massive 25 times which would have only invited the pressure straight back onto the home side with the aforementioned duo a key threat throughout the game, recording four shots between them.

The 26-year-old also conceded one foul, won just half of his six ground duels, and registered a poor 66% passing success rate, per SofaScore.

Ferguson was allowed time and space in the exact area in which Kane should have been defending – if he had put some pressure on the youngster then maybe he wouldn’t have been able to pull the trigger from range.

The game could have gone a different way if that were the case, making Kane a significant factor in the Rs’ downfall.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Rafa Benitez has described the moments inside the dressing room in Istanbul during the 2005 Champions League final and explained what he said to his players to make them turn the match around.

What did he say?

Everyone knows the story of Liverpool in Istanbul and the astonishing turnaround that was overseen by Benitez, but not too many are familiar with the finer details behind what was perhaps the most stunning comeback in the history of the European Cup.

The 59-year-old has had a long and successful career in both England and Spain, but his crowning achievement is surely the Champions League win in 2005.

Liverpool defied the odds to make the final and at 3-0 down at the interval not many outside that dressing room believed the trophy could return to Anfield.

Even Benitez himself must have had doubts but he kept a cool head, and in a Q&A for The Atheltic he has explained his mindset and what he tried to achieve through his team-talk and half-time changes:

“I try to explain to anyone who listens to me that my English accent and my knowledge of English at that time was even worse than now! So imagine thinking about what to say when you were 2-0, thinking about what I was going to say, and then we conceded the third goal.

“The message was clear: Give them some hope, some confidence, tell them that if we score one goal we will be back in the game, and change the tactics to three at the back and two holding midfielders, to control Kaka between the lines with Hamann and Alonso.

“After [half-time] we were lucky enough to score goals in a short period and that was a plus for everyone because we grew in confidence, little by little.”

Benitez was right in his assessment of the situation. Steven Gerrard’s towering header gave both the Liverpool crowd and the players the lift they needed to subsequently deal Milan a devastating blow, and the Reds didn’t look back after that.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The man to handle a difficult situation

Over the course of his career Benitez has experienced the ups and downs of management – as most have – but he has always remained a composed and level-headed figure on the touchline, and that was exactly what Liverpool needed in that situation.

Kaka and Hernan Crespo were the main architects of Liverpool’s downfall in the first half, but by crowding the middle of the pitch Benitez enabled his team to dominate the midfield and reduce the space available to Milan’s key men.

Hamman’s introduction allowed Liverpool to retain possession but more importantly gave Gerrard free reign to make runs into the box, which he did to great effect for Liverpool’s first and third goals.

The back three also provided extra cover for a defence which had twice failed to deal with Kaka’s through balls, with Djimi Traore’s physical attributes making a difference late on when Sami Hyppia and Jamie Carragher began to tire.

Benitez was brave and showed flexibility in a testing situation, and gave his team a fighting chance at a time they desperately needed it.

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As is often the case when it comes to international squads, many fans tend to feel that one or two players from their respective clubs should have been called up.

In Gareth Southgate’s latest selection for England, Newcastle had no representatives in the mix. On Tuesday night, the Three Lions managed to edge a topsy-turvy encounter with Kosovo at St Mary’s, but the game had a number of defensive lapses from the home side.

Michael Keane’s howler in the opening minute of the clash gifted Kosovo a shock opener, whilst holding midfielder Declan Rice struggled to break things up in the middle of the park. Manchester United man Harry Maguire gave away a penalty in the second half.

After seeing England’s shocking defensive display, Newcastle fans flooded to Twitter to question how the likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Isaac Hayden weren’t given a proper look-in by Southgate.

Many supporters of the Tyneside club felt aggrieved Keane was deemed to be a better centre-back than Lascelles, with one fan in particular claiming the latter would not have made the same mistake the Everton defender committed.

Some fans suggested Southgate had simply ignored the northeast, and wondered whether their players would have got in had they been playing for a London-based club.

Check out some of the reaction of Newcastle fans below:

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Virgil van Dijk is in contention to play against Leicester City on Wednesday after an injury scare, according to a fitness update from Jurgen Klopp posted on Liverpool’s official website.

Van Dijk picked up an illness during the Reds’ trip to Dubai last week.

However, Klopp revealed on Tuesday that he has taken part in training this week, raising the possibility that he could be involved on Wednesday.

FFC’s James Jones has identified the one thing that could cost Liverpool the title. Find out what it is in the video below…

Van Dijk has not missed a Premier League game for Liverpool since last January, per Transfermarkt, when the Reds faced Huddersfield Town, and will likely partner either Joel Matip or Dejan Lovren at Anfield.

Indeed, the Netherlands international has been a colossus at the centre of the defence this season, even captaining the club on five occasions, donning the armband in the Merseyside derby against Everton and in wins over Cardiff City, Fulham, Manchester United and Arsenal. He also wore the armband in the Champions League victory over Red Star.

And fans have expressed their delight at the news that Van Dijk is set to continue in the heart of defence.

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Football fans tend to have long memories.

They will sometimes hold a grudge against a player who celebrated in front of them for the remainder of that man’s career.

They will remember a referee who had a terrible performance which did not benefit their side.

However, in some Crystal Palace fans’ cases, they may instead have short memories after reacting so badly to the club’s lack of signings this summer.

Just nine years ago, the Eagles were on the brink of falling into obscurity with liquidation looming, before Steve Parish and the rest of a consortium named ‘CPFC 2010’ saved them.

Speaking on the HLTCO podcast, Parish said: “In the summer when we were looking for those positions we felt the prices were very inflated, there was a lot of risk in some of the options that were out there.

“It is very easy to waste money, spending money per se doesn’t do anything but make everybody happy for a few weeks because you’ve got an expensive signing.”

Whilst you can easily point the finger at him and say that the squad should be in far better condition than it is – Roy Hodgson was forced to play a centre-back and a centre-midfielder in the full-back positions recently – you can’t blame Parish for being careful and wanting to wait for the right opportunity.

So many clubs splash the cash on seemingly exciting players who simply don’t cut the mustard.

Let’s look at Southampton, for example. The Saints spent a combined sum of £68.1m on the likes of Wesley Hoedt, Mario Lemina, Mohamed Elyounoussi and Guido Carrillo, all of whom would presumably have excited the fanbase when signing.

However, Elyounoussi has since been loaned to Celtic whilst Carrillo has joined Leganes on loan, with Hoedt and Lemina also going on September 2 – it seems like a far-fetched thought that the Saints will even get a fraction of their £68.1m back.

Right now, with clubs like Bury going under and Bolton only just surviving by the skin of their teeth, Parish is completely within his rights to be careful and wait for the right moment – even if it does infuriate some supporters.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s central defensive search could take them back to Pau Torres this month…

What’s the word?

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano on the ‘Last Word on Spurs’ podcast, the north London outfit are still interested in the Villarreal star and he is one to “keep an eye on” before the January 31st deadline.

Spurs were first linked with a move for the 24-year-old in the summer, with The Times claiming that they were ready to submit an offer for him. He is thought to have a €65m (£55m) release clause in his contract.

It remains to be seen how much Torres would command in the winter transfer window, though Transfermarkt value him at a slightly lower £45m.

Imagine him and Romero

Given Antonio Conte’s arrival and subsequent change in system, it is no wonder the Lilywhites are targeting the addition of a new centre-back and ultimately, they should look no further than the Spaniard.

As a left-footer, he is exactly what the Italian is looking for as he lacks that option in the current squad. Every single one of his other central defenders are right-footed, meaning he has often deployed left-back Ben Davies in the back three.

The long-serving Welshman has done a fine job but if Conte is to elevate Spurs to their former level – regularly challenging the top four – then an upgrade must still be made.

Spurs signed Cristian Romero in the summer and he looks every bit like a typical Conte defender, so pairing him alongside Torres could hand the north Londoners with a very impressive backline, with either of Eric Dier or Davinson Sanchez to make up the trio.

The 24-year-old colossus, who stands at 6 foot 3, played an integral role in the Yellow Submarines’ Europa League triumph last season.

As per WhoScored, he rated as Unai Emery’s fourth-best player (6.76) in La Liga last season. Across 33 starts, he proved to be an excellent ball-playing option by averaging an 87.8% passing accuracy and 0.8 dribbles per game.

The 16-time Spain international’s former youth coach, ex-Villarreal midfielder Javi Calleja described him as having “an extraordinary talent” to The Athletic.

Torres and Romero could be Spurs’ defence of the future and the two complement each other perfectly, as such, sporting director Fabio Paratici must do all in his power to secure the defender this month.

AND in other news, Spurs plotting move for “phenomenal” £16.2m-rated speed demon, he’s perfect for Conte…

According to 90min, Paris Saint-Germain midfielders Georginio Wijnaldum and Julian Draxler are open to being part of a loan swap deal which would involve Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele or Dele Alli heading in the opposite direction.

The Lowdown: Ndombele and Alli exiled at Spurs

According to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs and PSG are still in talks over a loan move for club-record signing Ndombele, and the Lilywhites are considering various options as a direct replacement for the midfielder.

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Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte has exiled the 25-year-old at N17, leaving the Frenchman out of the matchday squads for their previous two Premier League games, and he has even forced him into training alone at Hotspur Way.

Dele Alli has also faced a similar situation under the 52-year-old, having been excluded from Spurs’ matchday squad for the London derby against Chelsea and making the starting XI just four times in all competitions during the Italian’s reign at the club.

The Latest: Wijnaldum and Draxler open to Spurs loans

90min editor Sean Walsh reported of Wijnaldum and Draxler’s interest in a possible loan switch to Tottenham, sharing a link to his article via Twitter.

In the tweet, he summarised: “Georginio Wijnaldum and Julian Draxler are open to joining #THFC on loan, potentially as part of deal to send Tanguy Ndombele or Dele Alli to PSG.”

This news arises as the Ligue 1 club have been deciding on which players they could include as part of a swap deal to lure Ndombele or Dele away from Spurs.

Wijnaldum would be open to a return to the Premier League and his representatives have informed Tottenham of his willingness to move back to England. Draxler is said to also be an option for Spurs, as the German has been on the fringe of the PSG squad for several years, so it seems likely that the club would be willing to let him leave on loan.

The Verdict: Good deal for all parties

With the details of the deal yet to be determined, it is hard to determine the plausibility of a complex swap deal. However, looking at the players involved on paper, Spurs are seemingly getting a good deal, especially when you consider that the two potentially outgoing midfielders have both been effectively exiled by Conte.

Having made 217 Premier League appearances and won some of football’s biggest competitions, Wijnaldum is a proven player who could make an instant impact in Spurs’ midfield.

Draxler could also prove to be a shrewd signing who could provide Conte with depth in the attacking positions. He has excelled in the Bundesliga in previous years, and squad rotation may be crucial if Tottenham are to achieve Champions League qualification, so they could do a lot worse than bringing in the Germany international too.

In other news – “Still in talks”: Fabrizio Romano provides the latest on exit-linked Spurs colossus

So far this season, under the guidance of Dean Smith and then Steven Gerrard, Aston Villa have won seven, drawn one and lost 10 of their 18 Premier League games, scoring 24 goals and conceding 28 in the process.

Their previous league outing saw them concede three times in their loss against Chelsea at Villa Park thanks to two Jorginho penalties and one headed goal from Romelu Lukaku.

One player who was involved in the defeat to Thomas Tuchel’s side that Gerrard should now consider dropping from the team is Tyrone Mings.

The ccntre-back failed to have any sort of defensive impact in the Boxing Day encounter, not registering even one tackle or interception or blocking any shots, as well as losing three of his four duels. This display earned him a disappointing overall match rating of 6.1/10, making the £28.8m-rated man the lowest-rated outfield Villa player on the day according to SofaScore.

Birmingham Mail also picked up on the England international’s shaky performance by saying that he “should take the blame for what proved to be Lukaku’s winner after he opted to block his run as opposed to going to meet and challenge it,” suggesting that Mings could be seen as a liability for Villa at the back.

Even though he will miss Villa’s next Premier League match against Brentford on Sunday after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season against Chelsea, Gerrard should definitely consider keeping the 28-year-old out of the team beyond the next game, especially if whoever comes in to replace him at the weekend can impress.

Having been labelled a “cocky” player in terms of his style of play by pundit and former Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie, Mings has been under the spotlight for his poor performances and errors on the pitch in the past.

Looking ahead to the Brentford game, with an overall season rating of 6.8/10 from WhoScored, Kortney Hause could be the one to come in for the 28-year-old at the weekend.

If this is the case and Hause can put in a solid performance and potentially keep a clean sheet, he could be the one to keep Mings out of the team for the foreseeable future.

In other news: Gregg Evans drops injury update at Aston Villa which will leave fans delighted