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Steven Gerrard is commonly recognised as the best player not to win the Premier League, and that’s hard to argue against when he has been consistently at the top of his game for over a decade. Gerrard’s most successful moments for Liverpool have come in the Champions League and, after a brief absence from the competition, the Reds have returned, only to be drawn against Real Madrid and the dreaded PFC Ludogorets Razgrad. As per usual, a side who has been withdrawn from European competitions are struggling to balance domestic football alongside travelling around the continent.

Liverpool FC in general are not having a very good time of it. Their strikers can’t score, their midfielders can’t create, and their defenders still can’t defend. Even their ever-present Captain Gerrard is struggling to find any form, but with his contract into it’s final months it would be wrong not to renew soon.

Steven Gerrard must still be considered a key player at Anfield. There is no doubting his ability, and although he’s yet to take to his deeper role, the familiar cliché of ‘form is temporary, class is permanent’ springs to mind. He may well be 34 years old and in some players (usually the ones who rely on pace) the end is nigh, others who learn and adapt to dictate play from deep using their vast experience can still be an effective asset at 35-40 (e.g. Pirlo & Giggs).

You’d expect that a player as loyal to one club such as Gerrard would be offered a contract at first opportunity, but Steven was forced to come out and explain that he isn’t going to just retire if Liverpool don’t put a new contract offer to him – a messy situation for one of the club’s most dedicated players.

Brendan Rodgers was quick to react to Stevie G’s comments as he expressed how brilliant he has been for the Northern Irish manager during his time with the club. Rodgers also told how contract negotiations are in fact underway and that he certainly sees Steven as a part of his plans for the coming seasons. However, it’s still bizarre that he’s been allowed to drift well into the final year of his contract with no real rush to secure the player who was once the player who the rest of the squad was built around.

Of course there’s a possibility that Gerrard may well be demanding more money than the club are willing to offer, especially for a 34-year-old during what Rodgers has described as a ‘transitional season’. Yet no manager before him would have dreamt of putting a price cap on the ex-England captain’s wages but is that ideology simply deemed as living in the past?

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OK, Gerrard isn’t the player he once was, but his presence both on and off the pitch – as captain – has been integral to any success that Liverpool have had during his time at the club. To let somebody as loyal and effective to just walk out of the door and find another club would be distasteful of Rodgers, and something which would devastate all Liverpool fans.

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Liverpool profited from James Collins own goal 11 minutes from time to come from behind and beat West Ham at Upton Park.

Sam Allardyce will point to the loss of Mohamed Diame to injury in the second as the catalyst for their downfall  after his half time introduction had inspired them to a memorable 3-1 victory over Chelsea seven days prior.

The Reds, without the suspended Luis Suarez, have found the winning groove of late and displayed their fighting spirit to turn a one goal deficit around in the dying embers of the game to record their first win after a Europa League game in nine attempts.

It was certainly a surprise when the visitors took the lead with just 11 minutes on the clock given the absence of Suarez and 20-year-old Jonjo Shelvey leading the line.

But there was nothing they could do to stop former charge Glen Johnson opened the scoring in spectacular fashion, taking Steven Gerrard’s pass and cutting in from the right before smashing an unstoppable left footed strike into the top corner.

The hosts responded and from Matt Jarvis’ cross Diame saw his shot deflected wide by teammate Carlton Cole before Daniel Agger had to stretch to stop the Hammers striker later on.

But they finally forced an equaliser in the 36th minute when Joe Allen was penalised by referee Lee Probert for handling Guy Demel’s strike and Mark Noble stepped up to beat Pepe Reina from the spot.

Things got worse for Liverpool three minutes before the break as Gerrard headed Jarvis’ cross into his own net. Shelvey, who suffered a frustrating afternoon, saw a deflected effort tipped over before Diame’s departure in the 72nd minute allowed the away side to take a foothold.

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It proved a crucial blow to West Ham as four minutes later as Joe Cole, another former Upton Park favourite, adding a measured finish to Raheem Sterling’s pass to level the game.

And there was one last sting in the tale for the hosts as Collins attempted to pip Shelvey to Jordan Henderson’s cross but contrived to lift the ball over Jussi Jaaskelainen to hand the Reds victory.

England further elevated the sudden optimism surrounding this young and promising side on Sunday by obliterating Panama 6-1 in their second World Cup Group G clash. The win ensured England’s place in the first knockout round but much more than that, it also instilled real belief in a new breed of Three Lions player who appear brave and technically gifted enough to play attacking football at major international tournaments.

After the match, we asked England supporters to issue performance ratings for each of those involved in the 6-1 victory. Here’s a rundown of the three players who impressed Three Lions fans the most, picking up the highest average scores out of ten…

Kieran Trippier – 7.4: He was arguably more effective against Tunisia with those Beckham-esque deliveries from out wide but the Tottenham star played a key hand in getting England on the front foot on Sunday, setting up John Stones for the early opener with another precision ball from a corner. Few right-backs or right wing-backs have impressed as much as Trippier at the World Cup so far.

What do you think of the World Cup so far? Let us know and win any World Cup shirt of your choice.

Harry Kane – 7.8: The Tottenham talisman may have bagged a hat-trick but it appears his overall performance didn’t resonate that loudly with England supporters. In fairness, Kane notched up two penalties before claiming the match ball with the most fortuitous of flicks, deflecting a Ruben Loftus-Cheek shot to send the Panama goalkeeper the wrong way.

Jesse Lingard – 7.9: The roaming No.8 slots have been a key feature of Southgate’s England setup and Lingard particularly has thrived in the role, showing off not only his quality on the ball but also his relentless energy in pushing on from midfield to join the attack. The Manchester United ace was a crucial component of Sunday’s win as well – claiming the foul that allowed Kane’s first spot kick before curling an absolute beauty into the back of the net. He now appears to be one of the first names on Gareth Southgate’s team sheet.

View the results in full below…

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Liverpool lead FC Porto 5-0 going into the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie at Anfield on Tuesday night, and Reds fans are all making the same surprise claim about goalkeepers Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet.

The former has established himself as the Merseyside outfit’s first-choice stopper between the sticks in recent months, and he kept a clean sheet as his team beat Newcastle United 2-0 at home in the Premier League on Saturday.

With their progression to the quarter-finals of the Champions League looking to be all but guaranteed, manager Jurgen Klopp will be tempted to give some of his fringe players – of which Mignolet is now one – starts, but the Anfield faithful certainly aren’t keen on the Belgian replacing Karius on his 30th birthday, even with the great position the club finds themselves in ahead of the match.

Liverpool supporters were quick to have their say on the situation via social media, and while one said “I hope Karius continues in goal”, another said they would “be livid if Mignolet starts tonight”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Premier League managers are a notoriously hypocritical bunch. While defending their own players or ruing a controversial decision by the referee is understandable at any level of the game, the extremes to which many in the top flight’s gaffers take their partisan approach often borders on the absurd.

Depending simply on whether an opposition player or one of the manager’s own is the culprit, a red card for a dangerous challenge, a raised flag for a borderline offside or a booking for a perceived penalty box dive will either be incandescently deplored as a terrible call or praised as the correct one by the chameleonesque manager in a post-match interview, with his opinion on such matters able to change in a remarkably short space of time.

Sir Alex Ferguson was well-known for his two-faced attitude, and since his retirement Jose Mourinho has been more than happy to assume the mantle of the Premier League’s chief master of duplicity. The Portuguese makes no attempt to hide his hypocrisy, and even seems to relish it. For him, it is all part of the act – Mourinho the pantomime villain who still manages to triumph in the end, in spite of his numerous detractors. Though instances of his two-faced nature are as numerous as they are humerous – his hypocritical gripes can be trusted to be delivered with his trademark sardonic wit – a particular example from last season stands out.

After a debatable penalty was awarded to Sunderland in a league match at Stamford Bridge, which helped the Black Cats inflict a first-ever home league defeat for Mourinho as manager of Chelsea, the Portuguese stole the show in the post-match interview by sarcastically congratulating referee Mike Dean and, bizarrely, referee’s chief Mike Reily – who wasn’t even present at the game – for their work in supposedly derailing the Blues’ title charge. Mourinho had every right to feel aggrieved at the manner of the defeat and the awarding of a penalty was certainly a point of contention, however his own team have benefitted from such decisions in the past, after which the Portguese has felt no need to ‘congratulate’ the performance of the officials.

The truth is that Mourinho merely happens to be the most vocal and charismatic example of managerial hypocrisy, and most coaches in the top flight are equally as culpable of flitting between two different viewpoints when it suits their team best.

However, the arrival of a certain Dutchman in the Premier League has brought about a refreshing degree of honesty and transparency in the otherwise crafty domain of managerial interviews. Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal’s refusal to pin the blame on others for his team’s shortcomings has been like a breath of fresh air this season. After his side’s 5-3 loss to Leicester City, a defeat which must have been particularly grating given that the Red Devils were leading 3-1 at one point, van Gaal took the gargantuan step of criticising his team instead of the referee, saying the following momentous words when asked about a highly controversial penalty which sparked the Leicester comeback: “For the first penalty it is always the referee [who you talk about] but you don’t have to do that as a player. You know you are in the penalty area and you allow the referee to whistle if you make a challenge. I don’t know if it is a penalty but we have to look at ourselves because we made such big errors as a team.”

Such stoicism and good sportsmanship after a genuine miscarriage of footballing justice must have stupefied those interviewing the Dutchman, and van Gaal once again defied convention over the weekend by agreeing with the referee’s decision to send off Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney in the game against West Ham United. Unlike the penalty at the King Power Stadium, Rooney’s dismissal was the correct call, however siding with the match official rather than the club captain was still bold of van Gaal, his unwillingness to don the blinkers of hypocrisy admirable.

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Louis van Gaal’s honesty is a way of treating his players as responsible adults, and serves as a productive means for improvement and identifying weaknesses in the team’s play. More than anything, however, his approach makes for a refreshing change to the tiresome, two-faced attitudes of many other Premier League managers. Long may it continue.

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What a run it has been aye?

After Millwall’s 2-1 win over Derby at The Den, the Lions are now unbeaten in nine games and sit just four points off the play offs.

The Lions started brightly with Liam Trotter shooting from long range, but this was easily saved by Adam Legzdins. Then after 15 minutes the hosts should’ve had the lead when Andy Keogh’s low cross just managed to miss Chris Wood.

The goal finally came on 30 minutes however when a Shane Lowry cross was missed by Keogh and then tucked away by Liam Feeney. The goal was initially ruled out for offside on Keogh by the linesmen, but after consulting with the ref the goal was given.

Images after the game showed that Keogh was onside, so it was rightly that the goal stood.

Half time came and it was 1-0 l to ‘Wall.

Derby started the second half brighter and nearly got an equalizer just a few minutes in when Connor Sammon had time and space but put his shot over the bar when he should have done better.

The Rams were on top and the equalizer came on the 53rd minute as Will Hughes was given too much time and space and hit a great finish, the Rams first shot on target was in from the recently called up England Under-21 midfielder.

The Lions pushed on for a winner and found it with just over 15 minutes to go when good work in the area from sub Scott Malone found the feet of Andy Keogh, and he curled a shot into the far right corner.

And so it finished 2-1 to Millwall, a big win for Jackett and the team.

You’d think a win to keep ‘Wall unbeaten in nine would make the headlines, but no, it was all about six Millwall fans arrested for displaying a banner saying “Sordell your a C***”.

Yes this may have displayed abusive language but this was a major over-reaction to then arrest six people in my opinion.

The banner comes as backlash after a 13 year old boy was banned from The Den for using “verbal abuse” towards Marvin Sordell as he warmed up during the Lions 2-1 win over Bolton earlier this season, which was plastered all over the national press, but a few only got it right.

Describing it as racial abuse, when it was verbal, verbal abuse happens at every game in England on a Saturday, it is ridiculous.

Pete Garston, fan on the board came out with a statement on a Millwall messegeboard saying: “The boy in question denies racially abusing M Sordell, there is no evidence to support the racially abused M Sordell either’

So the boy has denied using any racist words, and there is no evidence to support Sordell’s claim, so basically Sordell has LIED.

And what about the claims that his other teammates were racially abused?

Oh wait, nothing came of these claims, he lied yet again. Even more staggering that after he made the claim about his teammates, NONE came out and said the same.

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The media are quick to stick the knife in saying the 13 year old abused him, but why not report that Sordell gave back as good as he got when it came to a verbal exchange, and yet the boy had to write an apology? Staggering.

Reg Burr once said “Millwall are a convenient coat-peg for football to hang its social ills on”. A statement that fits perfectly at the moment….no mater what the club does, it will always be the club with the bad reputation.

Millwall FC, hated by many, loved by the chosen few.

COYL

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The Tavern has been active of late as Leeds fans continue to read about the possible transfers involving the club. Since Bielsa has joined, Leeds have been linked with a host of players and there’s another one they should consider.Â

When you’re behind, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah, it’s going to be quite difficult to get a game for Liverpool. The front three were outstanding last season and due their consistent performances, the likes of Dominic Solanke and Danny Ings have been spending most of the time on the bench. As a result, Sky Sports confirmed this month that the latter will be allowed to leave this summer.

The Liverpool striker has endured a tough time at Liverpool due to two seriousÂknee injuries. His return against West Brom in April was only his second start for Jurgen Klopp and ended a 930-day wait for a Liverpool goal.

According to ESPN, Leeds had been interested in signing the former Burnley man last year and a move for Ings this summer might be a wise move.

Leeds need to strengthen their attacking options and have been heavily linked with a move for Derby striker, Matej Vydra. While the Championship’s top goal scorer would be a superb signing, the Lily Whites should still consider a move for Ings who may be available for a cut-price fee.

A loan move for the forward may not be the best option for the Yorkshire club considering Ings’ likely high wages but signing a player who scored 32 goals in 75 league games for Burnley, would signal Leeds’ intent for the upcoming season.

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So Leeds fans, should the club try to sign Danny Ings?

Aston Villa will attempt to return to winning ways in the Championship when they welcome Preston North End to Villa Park on Tuesday night.

Steve Bruce’s side will enter the match off the back of a 2-0 defeat at Fulham on Saturday afternoon, which brought to an end a fine run of form.

Villa are still third in the Championship table, but they will face a tough test against a Preston side that are also pushing for a spot in the playoffs this season.

On-loan Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe made his first start for Villa against Fulham, and the 20-year-old impressed despite ending up on the losing side.

Villa’s official Twitter account asked on Monday whether Tuanzebe should be in the XI for the clash with Preston, and the club’s supporters were certainly in favour of that occurring.

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Tuanzebe was sent on loan to Villa with the view to gaining regular first-team action, and Man United boss Jose Mourinho will also be desperate for the defender to start on Tuesday night.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

According to Mirror Football, Leeds United are considering a contract offer for ex-Newcastle striker Nile Ranger.

The 23 year-old was once a hot prospect at St. James’s but a string of brushes with the law – most notably several charges of common assault and criminal damage – Ranger’s career has plummeted in recent years. He also got his own name tattooed onto his forehead, but that’s more a fashion crime than an actual legal issue.

With currently no criminal charges lingering over him, Massimo Cellino is reportedly prepared to offer the forward a route back into football.

But Ranger is undoubtedly a loose cannon and the Whites would be wise to consider viable alternatives first. Thus, we at Football Fancast have come up with FIVE…

[ffc-gallery]CLICK ON NILE RANGER TO REVEAL

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BRITT ASSOMBALONGA

If Massimo Cellino is prepared to get his chequebook out, Leeds could do a lot worse than a bid for League One sensation Britt Assombalonga.

The former Watford youngster netted 15 times on loan to Southend in League Two in the 2012/13 campaign, and last term, following a club-record move to Peterborough, bagged 23 goals in 43 League One outings, also firing the Posh to Football League Trophy glory.

Here’s a short clip of the Zaire-born assassin in action:

//www.youtube.com/embed/OQSeSQznviw?rel=0

As you can see, he offers power, pace and goal threat in abundance, and at just 21 years of age, the potential for further improvement is enormous.

But the Posh are well aware they’re sitting on hot transfer property following rumoured interest from the Premier League, and Director of Football Barry Fry claims the club wouldn’t even sell for £5million!

KIERAN AGARD

Another lower-tiers striking option for the Whites to consider is Rotherham United’s Kieran Agard. The 24 year-old opened a move to Elland Road earlier this month by rejecting a long-term contract at the New York Stadium, with his current deal set to expire in a year’s time:

The former Everton youngster destroyed League One last season, netting 26 times in all competitions as the Miners achieved promotion through the play-offs. Here’s a look at all his goals from the campaign:

//www.youtube.com/embed/2EY8tktd6HE

Massimo Cellino allegedly scouted Agard in person last season, but the Whites could face competition from Bristol City for his signature:

GEORGIOS SAMARAS

Opinions are fairly divided on Greek enigma Georgios Samaras, but a 6 foot 4 forward who sporadically produces moments of sublime individual quality, there’s no doubt he’d suit Championship football well.

You can’t question the 29 year-old’s ability to turn a match on its head either. The ex-Celtic winger-forward netted 74 times in 248 appearances during seven campaigns at Parkhead – his most important goals coming on European nights, including this historic header against Barcelona:

//www.youtube.com/embed/_a8amSuQEJ8?rel=0

The former Manchester City man was in good form for Greece at the World Cup too, as viewable below:

His highlight being this converted penalty to see his country through to the round of 16:

Most appealingly, although wage demands could prove an issue, Samaras is currently without a club after leaving the Scottish champions last season.

A swift return to Parkhead has been mooted however:

NICK POWELL

Entrenched hatreds aside, Manchester United’s Nick Powell would be a decent stop-gap solution to Leeds’ striking woes on a season-long loan.

The highly-rated Crewe product impressed in the Championship last year during a term-long stay with Wigan, as viewable below:

He also netted three times in six Europa League outings. Here’s a collection of the 20 year-old’s career highlights thus far:

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//www.youtube.com/embed/ZfclynD35gY?rel=0

Powell, who can operate as a striker, in attacking or central midfield, is tipped for a bright future at Old Trafford but will be expected to go out on loan again next season to gain experience after missing on a place in Louis van Gaal’s pre-season tour squad.

Elland Road would be an interesting destination that can offer him first team football. But Wigan are keen on his services permanently and Premier League side Leicester City have also been linked:

GLENN MURRAY

According to online speculation, Leeds have already entered talks regarding Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray:

The 30 year-old netted just once in 14 appearances last season after being sidelined for nine months with a serious knee injury.

But the campaign previous, the former Rochdale and Brighton front-man netted 31 times in the Championships to see the Eagles gain promotion through the play-offs.

Here’s all his goals from the 2012/13 season:

//www.youtube.com/embed/MSeEddgEn7g?rel=0

No doubt, Murray is a lethal finisher at Championship level, but with three years left on his contract and Tony Pulis in no great hurry to sell, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be allowed to leave Selhurst Park this summer.

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew believes that his side are more than capable of coming away with a win against a ‘vulnerable’ Liverpool side at Anfield today.

The Magpies chief claimed that despite the Reds going in as favourites for the tie, the huge change in the side implemented by new boss Brendon Rodgers had damaged the Anfield outfit

He told Goal.com: “There’s a little bit more pressure at Liverpool because of the stature and the trophies that they’ve won.

“You have to look at Newcastle and say we haven’t won a trophy in so long. You’d have to put them, historically, much higher than us.

“It’s a period for Brendan and the team when they’re evolving and when they’re evolving they’re vulnerable.

“Perhaps they are at the moment but they still have some fantastic players. The England captain [Steven Gerrard] and [Luis] Suarez are two of the best players in the Premiership so we have to make sure we are very much on top of our game.”

Pardew took the Magpies to the brink of Champions League qualification last season despite some initial concerns about his appointment and has called for Rodgers to be given a similar chance to make his mark on the club.

“You have to remember that Brendan Rodgers is someone who was brought in to play a style of football and a vision they believe in,” Pardew asserted.

“They have to give him time and the right tools. In the last window, if I’m honest, I don’t think he was given the tools that he needed so I think it was always going to be difficult for him.

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“Hopefully he will get to the next window in a good competitive place, as that’s what Liverpool want to be, one of the top teams.

“I think for British football it’s good that Liverpool have a strong side, like Newcastle. We’re both striving to be a top-six team.”