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Phil Parkinson has been met with an injury crisis ahead of facing MK Dons at the Stadium of Light on Saturday as several Sunderland players nurse issues.

The Black Cats will also be without Northern Irish duo Conor McLaughlin and Tom Flanagan, with the pair away on international duty as Sunderland aim to maintain their Play-Off position and reduce the four-point margin to League One leaders Peterborough.

MK Dons are facing their own injury blows, too, as boss Russell Martin has confirmed two further names have joined George Williams, Joe Mason and Kieran Agard on the sidelines while Regan Poole and Daniel Harvie are away on international duty.

Sunderland won their last League One meeting with a 2-1 victory at home to Ipswich Town thanks to goals from Charlie Wyke and Grant Leadbitter, while the Dons were held to a goalless draw with Northampton Town to sit just a point above the relegation zone.

Parkinson will be eager to see his men emerge triumphant this weekend but with injuries across the field, here’s a predicted XI the Black Cats could favour to avoid only a second loss of the league campaign…

Goalkeeper Lee Burge has now opened all 10 of Sunderland’s League One fixtures this term and will be expected to maintain his 100% record at home to MK Dons, having registered the second-most clean sheets (six) in the third-tier thanks to 16 saves, two punches, five high claims and two successful runs out, per SofaScore.

The first of Parkinson’s selection dilemmas comes in defence, though, with McLaughlin and Flanagan both unavailable.

Parkinson has been full of praise for Flanagan this year, having lauded the 7-cap international for taking his game to another level.

“Tommy in the last month or so has taken his game to another level,” Parkinson said, via quotes by the Chronicle in February. “That is by identifying what he needs to do to have a good game, and training properly.

“His standard of training has gone up and he is reaping the benefits of that on a match day. He is desperate to do well, he is a good professional and I am pleased with his performances.”

Jordan Willis is expected to make his return to the starting line-up before receiving an injection to help control his ongoing knee problem, while Bailey Wright is the sole defensive starter of the Ipswich win set to be on hand.

Dion Sanderson could start alongside Willis and Wright in place of McLaughlin and Flanagan, with Olivier Younger also at risk of being unavailable after being withdrawn from the Fleetwood game.

Midfielders Denver Hume and Luke O’Nien both sustained minor knocks last week that prevented their involvement in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy tie, and will see their respective knee and medial ligament issues continue to be monitored ahead of facing MK Dons.

Parkinson has been impressed with Hume’s efforts since returning from lockdown earlier in the year, noting via quotes by the Chronicle: “Denver is an improving player and I think there is still more to come from him, but he knows that himself.

“To be a top player, you have to be able to do everything. There were elements of Denver’s game that he needed to improve on, but I feel that after the lockdown he came back like a man and he has shown that with his performances.”

Should neither be passed fit to start, Parkinson will be left in a mix with Callum McFadzean a major doubt with a hamstring injury, while Lynden Gooch and youth winger Cieran Dunne are also questionable to feature.

With a lack of viable options, Parkinson could be forced into handing Aiden O’Brien only his fifth start of the League One campaign and returning Chris Maguire to a wide-right role after playing centrally at home to Ipswich.

Josh Scowen could make his return in the centre of midfield to partner Leadbitter, having sat out the Black Cats’ EFL Trophy and FA Cup ties over the past week after sustaining a concussion in the Ipswich win.

Gooch’s questionable status may also open the door for Max Power to make his first league start since October’s 2-2 draw with Rochdale, having been benched against Gillingham and Ipswich before replacing Scowen following his concussion.

Parkinson will be glad to have leading goalscorer Wyke available for Saturday’s meeting with MK Dons, having struck each of his four goals in Sunderland’s last six League One fixtures.

But the Black Cats boss will have a decision to make over who to partner Wyke with, having called on Maguire to start against Ipswich and O’Brien against Gillingham but requiring both to play wide roles against the Dons.

Parkinson has two options to call on in Will Grigg and Danny Graham, though Grigg has failed to score in any of his five appearances across all competitions this term while Graham has netted once in 11 outings and started two of his eight League One appearances.

AND in other news, Phil Parkinson must unleash a “tremendous” Sunderland gem who’s played just 136 mins all season.

Everton’s 2019/20 has been decent with all things considered but just having a manager of Carlo Ancelotti’s pedigree on the bench means the Toffees will be striving for more. One part of that equation also involves quality reinforcements in the ongoing summer transfer window and beyond it.

According to Express’ new report, the Premier League side are targeting Napoli’s Allan as Ancelotti wants to reunite with the 29-year-old midfielder at Goodison Park. The two worked together back when the coach was in Serie A and despite being a star in Naples, he has somewhat fallen down the pecking order under the watchful eye of Gennaro Gattuso.

The new manager has already outlined his plan for the upcoming campaign and following their huge success on the domestic scene, clinching the Italian Cup, Gattuso wants to completely rebuild the squad, essentially culling up to 30% of his personnel.

And Allan, the same source reaffirms, has been told he can leave should the right offer arrive. Ancelotti sees a great opportunity there and Express say he could make a move for the midfielder in January and has even called the 29-year-old to sell him on the idea of moving to the Premier League.

The player himself would be keen on working under Ancelotti again and it seems the Italians are ready to negotiate. The price, however, just might ba problem as Express quote Italian sources that state Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis wants around £36m while Everton don’t exactly want to breach the £20m mark.

But it is possible the Serie A titans would be willing to meet somewhere in the middle and negotiate a deal that suits both sides.

Verdict

Allan will turn 30 in upcoming January but he still has enough quality to offer. After all, Ancelotti knows what kind of a player he’s buying and maybe the Brazilian is exactly what the Toffees’ midfield is lacking at the moment.

If the price is right, Allan could be a good scoop indeed.

If Tottenham Hotspur are to land Jose Mourinho one of his summer targets, then Daniel Levy may need to fork out a little extra money to do so…

What’s the word?

According to Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), AS Roma have rejected bids of €50m (£45m) from several teams, one of which are Spurs and have claimed that another €10-20m (£9-18m) will be needed in order to secure his signature.

There’s also a suggestion that the Serie A club’s owners have taken the Italian playmaker off the market unless their valuation is met.

Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona are the other interested parties.

Shades of Lampard

Zaniolo is one of Europe’s hottest talents right now having picked up five caps already by the age of 21 whilst domestically this season alone, he’s provided eight goals and four assists.

The versatile all-rounded midfielder also averaged 2.3 dribbles, 1.7 shots and one key pass per appearance across the Europa League and the Serie A, via WhoScored.

He’s able to play in both the number eight and number ten role as well as out wide, so it’s no surprise to see him likened to some pretty outstanding legends of the Premier League – one who Mourinho has managed before.

Ex-Inter head coach Stefano Vecchi dubbed him a “modern mezzala” before describing him as a “[Steven] Gerrard, [Frank] Lampard-type” during an interview with Goal.

Such endorsements are intensified by Roma hero Francesco Totti, who said: “He has explosive strength and technique, and everything it takes to become a truly great player.”

€60m (£55m) is a lot of money in this current transfer market, but if Levy can pull out all the stops, then there’s no denying that the north Londoners would be getting a generational talent.

Just look at Lampard’s impact under Mourinho all those years ago, he could well land himself a similar player who could transform their underperforming midfield.

AND in other news, Spurs keen on £80m-rated “special” talent who tore apart Aurier…

Federico Fernandez was an unsung hero as Newcastle United drew 2-2 in the Premier League against David Moyes’ West Ham United at St. James’ Park, having to come from behind not once but twice through goals from Miguel Almiron and Jonjo Shelvey.

However, it was the display of Fernandez at the back that made sure that the Tyneside club earned a quite valuable point in the end, as it means that it is now mathematically impossible for them to be relegated from the top flight on 43 points, 16 clear of the drop zone with just five games left to play.

Steve Bruce’s team faced 17 shots on their goal in the game, as Fernandez was instrumental in making sure that the Hammers were limited to just two goals on the day.

The central defender won eight out of his total duels, whilst also making six clearances and blocking two shots, the highest out of his teammates, according to Sofascore.

Fernandez was also important in keeping the ball and moving it forward, as the Magpies managed to record 57 per cent possession, with Jamaal Lascelles’ centre-back partner taking 81 touches and having an 88 per cent passing accuracy, as per the website.

With performances like these, it would arguably be hard for Bruce to drop him for the remaining matches of the 2019/20 season, as the Toon still have Manchester City, Watford, Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool left to play.

Having been knocked out of the FA Cup to City, NUFC will be hoping to end the campaign on a high and possibly achieve a top-half finish.

Geordies, was Fernandez an unsung hero versus the Hammers? Comment below!

Plenty of Everton fans have been lauding the latest transfer update on Allan as Il Mattino (via Sport Witness) have reported that the entourage of the SSC Napoli ace are expected to meet with the Italian club to present the offer from Carlo Ancelotti’s team.

Indeed, this is the same outlet that reported just a few days ago that the Toffees had raised their offer for Allan.

They are now reporting that the agents of the 29-year old will meet with the Naples side to discuss an the offer from the Blues, who are apparently looking to sign him in the summer transfer window for a discount.

Indeed, the central midfield player could prove to be a stellar addition and would arguably fit straight into the side at Goodison Park.

Allan has scored more goals and averaged more key passes and tackles in the Serie A so far in the 2019/20 season than Fabian Delph, Tom Davies and Andre Gomes did in the Premier League, according to Whoscored.

These EFC supporters lauded the news on Twitter, with one fan even labelling the Brazilian as ‘class’:

Evertonians, would Allan be a good signing? Comment below!

Leeds fans have debated the quality of Patrick Bamford all season long and though his goal return still leaves a lot to be desired, more and more supporters are becoming enamoured with his style.He is clearly a favourite of Marcelo Bielsa as he is the man he depends on to consistently lead the line for Leeds. It is a role he plays to great effect, both with and without the ball.Bamford links play with his 76% pass accuracy, and his desire also enables him to act as a threat on the counter-attack, as evidenced by the Whites’ second goal against Hull in mid-week.

Added to that, he has also developed a “nasty” streak in his game, ruffling up defenders and making a nuisance of himself when without the ball, and that is no doubt contributing to Leeds’ success, which has pleased some supporters.

Many fans believe the new side to his game has made him a better player, and anything that prevents him from being bullied by defenders means he should be better at holding the ball up and bringing teammates into play.

As the sole striker that is a vital attribute to have as it allows the more creative players to take up threatening positions, and even if Bamford doesn’t get onto the end of crosses and passes, a teammate likely will.

If he can maintain his style whilst increasing his focus on getting into goalscoring positions then he should improve his current goal tally of seven, and that will be huge in Leeds’ promotion push.

In other Leeds news, fans have been discussing the one factor which could still prevent Marcelo Bielsa’s team gaining promotion.

Tottenham Hotspur plan to sell Danny Rose for a cut-price fee when he enters the final year of his contract, according to Football Insider. 

Tottenham valued Rose at £50m several years ago, when he was arguably at his peak and linked with Manchester United.

A source told Football Insider that Spurs are willing to listen to offers for the defender in the summer, but the club are aware that his market value has plummeted amid the economic uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus crisis. Therefore, they are prepared to sell him for £5m as he is not expected to play for Spurs again.

The Lilywhites reportedly rejected an approach from Watford last summer amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Schalke 04.

Understandably, this latest update could be good news for Ryan Sessegnon.

Last week, David Ornstein revealed that Rose has signed a loan extension to stay at Newcastle United until the end of the season.

The left-back, who is best friends with former Arsenal star Danny Welbeck, made just five appearances for Jose Mourinho before moving to St James’ Park on a short-term loan in January. The 29-year-old will soon enter the final year of his contract with Spurs and Steve Bruce is eager to tie him down to a permanent deal on Tyneside.

The veteran has impressed the Magpies so far, making 1.4 tackles per game and completing 1.2 clearances on average, with a passing accuracy rate of 77.7% (WhoScored).

Meanwhile, Sessegnon carries the burden of great expectations on his young shoulders. He has been deployed in various positions all over the pitch as Mourinho has tried out a range of different options.

Although his debut season has been rather quiet, the 20-year-old scored during the 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. He has played in three games in the European competition at the time of writing, providing one assist, taking one shot per game, averaging one key pass and completing one interception on average (WhoScored).

Sessegnon’s displays on the left flank in particular have been praised by Mourinho’s backroom staff.

The head coach is adamant that Rose will not be a part of his plans for the future (via The Northern Echo). Moreover, whether or not he returns to north London at the end of the season remains to be seen, as he will be below the likes of Ben Davies, Sessegnon and Japhet Tanganga in the pecking order.

Despite insisting he will sit tight and see out his Spurs deal, the 29-year-old appears to have changed his mind. The Geordies believe that keeping him in Tyneside on a permanent basis makes perfect sense for all parties involved.

Indeed, if Rose finally leaves the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for good, this will be a major boost for Sessegnon as it would reduce the competition for a spot in the starting line-up.

Tottenham fans, should Daniel Levy sell Danny Rose in the summer? Let us know in the comments below!

Few would have expected both Wolves and Sheffield United to be fighting it out for a Europa League place this season.

But that is the case so far, and the two teams faced each other in the Premier League this weekend at Molineux. The Blades have done fantastically well since being promoted from the Championship last season, and it was they who took the lead against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

However, Matt Doherty was on hand to level things up for his team, and that was the way it ended. As such, Wolves remain in sixth place in the league, dropping down a position after Tottenham’s win against Bournemouth yesterday.

Fans of the Midlands club, though, were far from happy with the display of one of their players, Diogo Jota. The Portugal international picked up a WhoScored rating of just 6.41, the lowest of any of his teammates.

The supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Mauricio Pochettino is seemingly ready to step back into football management.

Sacked by Tottenham Hotspur a fortnight ago, he has told Fox Sports Argentina, via The Guardian, that he does not plan on taking a lengthy sabbatical from the game.

He said: “There are a lot of clubs and attractive projects for me to take on.

“It is my intention to return to manage in Europe. But now I need to be calm for a few days and see what happens.”

He added: “My first decision was to come back to Argentina, return to my home and see family and friends. My best decision was to come to Argentina to switch off for 10 days.

“But I expect to return to Europe to make decisions on my future. At my age I don’t need a lot of time to recover. I am open to listen to projects put before me.”

Pochettino is 47 and is seemingly raring to go, despite immersing himself in the job at Spurs for five-and-a-half-years.

But is there a job available in the Premier League that would appeal to him? One has to imagine that the answer right now is no.

He has been continually linked with Manchester United and reports have suggested that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the current manager, could be sacked soon. United are currently ninth with 18 points, eight off fourth-placed Chelsea.

They have a number of talented individuals – the likes of Paul Pogba, Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire could potentially thrive under new management – but the prospect of Champions League qualification seems a long way off already. They certainly aren’t going to win the league and one imagines that it would be a rebuilding job, with Pochettino having to move players out, bring players in and then mould a cohesive unit.

Then you have the Ed Woodward problem; he is not a shrewd negotiator and some of his signings have been disastrous, particularly the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Angel Di Maria.

Arsenal have an opening but Pochettino would need to sully his legendary legacy at Spurs to take that job on. He may be willing to do so – this isn’t a Sol Campbell situation, where he walked out on his boyhood club, but it would still sting – but then he would have to assess the challenges there.

The Gunners have a number of good young players but their defence, which still relies on Shkodran Mustafi and David Luiz, is a mess and they remain saddled with Mesut Ozil, the albatross around their necks.

Again, they face a battle to finish in the top four as they are only one point ahead of United.

Liverpool, of course, are surely happy with Jurgen Klopp, who has yet to lose in the top-flight this term. Manchester City are likely to persist with Pep Guardiola at least until the end of the season given there remains the prospect of them winning the Champions League. Leicester City are perhaps the most exciting team in the top-flight not from Merseyside but Brendan Rodgers is doing a terrific job and Frank Lampard has yet to get his feet under the table at Chelsea.

What else is there? Well, in Europe, Bayern Munich have not yet found a full-time replacement to Niko Kovac and that is as close to a guarantee of trophies as one can find, given their record of winning the Bundesliga in each of the last six seasons. They may be fourth now, but they are still only four points off leaders Borussia Monchengladbach.

Real Madrid have long been touted as potential suitors and they have only lost once in La Liga this term and are level-pegging with Barcelona at the top of the tree.

Why, then, would Pochettino rush into a medium-level job in England when he could wait to take on a much bigger, much more successful role on the continent?

If United and Arsenal are his only options on these shores, he should bide his time and simply wait for a better offer.

Meanwhile, Spurs fans have reacted to a January transfer report.

Ernesto Valverde isn’t currently the most liked person at the Camp Nou, to say the least.

Barcelona have recently strung together a couple of bad results that were also accompanied by dreadful performances, and it seems that the Catalans are in a slight crisis.

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Their 3-1 defeat to Levante over the weekend was quickly followed by another disappointing display at home in a goalless draw against Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

Of course, Valverde was the one who received the biggest backlash from the fans and ESPN reported that the Blaugrana board still trusts their man, but that the continuation of bad results might alter that fact.

Upon hearing that, many Barcelona fans were actually calling for the team to lose their next match against Celta Vigo and begging their weekend opposition to take all three points away from them, for the greater good of the La Liga giants.

Needless to say, they would be happy to lose more ground in the Spanish top flight title race if it meant the departure of Valverde.

You can see some of their replies down in the collection of tweets below.

Check them out…