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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who made 150 appearances for Newcastle United, believes even Steve Bruce would have thought he was about to be sacked after the Brighton defeat.

Newcastle suffered a 3-0 defeat against their relegation rivals last week and many players thought Bruce was about to be sacked that night or in the coming day, however, the next day Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley gave Bruce their full backing.

The Magpies registered just three shots as well as completing just 393 passes, compared to Brighton’s 751, and they were just one place and point better off than Newcastle.

Speaking on what Bruce must have been thinking after the game and what was more concerning than the result itself, Howey told FFC:

“Football is all about results. So even he would have thought he could be in trouble here unless he’s had prior conversations with the owner.

“I think every fan thought Bruce would be in trouble and as I’ve said, it wasn’t just necessarily the defeat that was the issue.

“I think it was the all-around performance and the lack anything really to try and turn it around.”

Newcastle find themselves still sitting outside of the bottom three which has been down to Fulham’s ability to capitalise since reducing the gap to three or less.

The Magpies have nine games left, with their final two games against Sheffield United and Fulham, two teams they failed to beat earlier this season.

A nine-man Glasgow Rangers side crashed out of the Europa League at the round of 16 stage on Thursday evening.

Steven Gerrard’s men were defeated at Ibrox for the first time in just over a year by Czech Republic champions Slavia Prague, also ending a 13-game unbeaten run in the competition.

The visitors took the lead early in the first half, but things went from bad to worse after the break. Just six minutes after being introduced from the bench, Kemar Roofe received a straight red card for catching the goalkeeper with a high boot.

Slavia Prague doubled their advantage shortly later as Leon Balogun followed the 28-year-old in for an early shower.

However, the Gers duo weren’t the only two players to badly let Gerrard down on the night. You could probably make a case for pretty much everyone, although the fact that Scott Arfield was hooked after just 55 minutes was rather damning.

As a key member of that engine room, in the absence of the injured Ryan Jack particularly, the 32-year-old veteran should’ve stepped up to the mark in what was a historic occasion for the newly-crowned Scottish champions.

Instead, he was lightweight and anonymous alongside Steven Davis and Glen Kamara.

Arfield managed the fewest number of touches (29) of any Rangers player to start from the off, even fewer than goalkeeper Allan McGregor (40), and that’s just not what you need from someone who is supposed to pull the strings in the middle of the park.

From those limited touches, the Canada international struggled in possession, losing the ball nine times whilst he could only make 71% of his 24 passing attempts. This was comfortably the worst effort from any Gers player, and that’s just not what you need from a midfielder.

Considering Arfield is averaging an accuracy of 84.4% of his passes this season, via WhoScored, he was clearly having an off night.

The former Burnley ace won just one of seven duels (14%) too, only emphasising how much he struggled to combat the industrious strength of the visiting Czech Republicans.

GlasgowLive graded Arfield a 4/10, the joint-worst from the starting XI alongside Balogun and claimed: ‘It’s just not worked out for him since coming back from injury and he really struggled in his 50 odd minutes on the pitch.’

Indeed, the ageing midfielder hasn’t managed above a 6.22 WhoScored rating since mid-December and last night was just another sign of why the Gers should be looking to move on from him sooner rather than later.

He badly let Gerrard and the club down.

AND in other news, Exclusive: West Ham will be monitoring Rangers striker, claims Pundit…

David Moyes is hopeful that West Ham United defender Angelo Ogbonna will step up his recovery from injury with a view to returning after the March international break.

The Italian has missed his side’s last four Premier League games after sustaining a high ankle sprain during the first half of last month’s FA Cup fifth round defeat to Manchester United.

Ogbonna had played all bar 27 minutes of the Irons’ top-flight campaign before missing the 3-0 win over Sheffield United, having been a staple of the backline at the London Stadium with 23 starts.

West Ham visit Manchester United on Sunday with Ogbonna now one of several potential absentees, with Moyes alert to “a couple of slight doubts” after a slew of minor injuries.

Ogbonna was required to wear a protective boot on his left ankle to protect the 13-cap international from any further damage, but is making good progress towards an April return.

“Angelo is doing great,” Moyes said on Friday. “He’s back in the gym regularly. He’s out of his boot and we’re expecting him to start some running on the AlterG, which is the machine that takes a bit of your body weight off.

“He’s coming along and I’m hoping that, maybe by the end of the international break, we might have him back on the grass in some capacity. There are signs that we’re getting him back.”

Moyes has also welcomed Arthur Masuaku back to training this week, having been without the DR Congo international since Manchester United visited West Ham on December 5 after undergoing career-saving knee surgery.

“Arthur’s trained two or three days this week with the U23s and trained with me for a couple of days now, so Arthur’s getting much closer to match fitness and all-round fitness generally,” the Hammers boss added.

Moyes having Ogbonna back after the March international break will come as a huge boost for West Ham in the London Stadium natives’ push for a top four finish, with Champions League football a distinct possibility for a club who narrowly staved off the threat of relegation just last season.

The Hammers enter the weekend only two points behind Chelsea in the last of the Premier League’s qualifying places, albeit with a game in hand over the Stamford Bridge outfit, who visit Leeds United in the early Saturday afternoon kick-off.

Having a game in hand could prove crucial with West Ham facing a difficult end-of-season run, with matches against fellow European football hopefuls Arsenal, Leicester City, Chelsea and Everton to come after visiting Manchester United on Sunday.

Moyes will no doubt be keen to have Ogbonna back available for those games, with the centre-half able to have a big say in proceedings, having lauded the £4.5m-rated enforcer as a “magnificent” and “really important” leader last month.

Ogbonna had also begun to build a promising relationship with Watford loanee Craig Dawson, which former England international Steve Howey believes had allowed the pair to get the most out of one another.

“It’s always good when you’ve got that good understanding and a bond in a relationship with your partner back there,” he told Football FanCast. “You can understand what he’s really strong at, what he’s kind of a little bit susceptible to, you can kind of read each other’s minds a little bit.”

AND in other news, West Ham are keen to sign a “special talent” who his manager feels “privileged” to have in his squad…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Newcastle United midfielder Steve Howey has been discussing some of Manchester City’s transfer targets ahead of the summer, including Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian striker first caught the eye with his performances with RB Salzburg, particularly in the Champions League where he scored eight goals in just six appearances in the 2019/20 season.

He would earn a move to Borussia Dortmund in January 2020 where his sensational form has continued; with the 20-year-old having contributed an extraordinary 39 goals and nine assists in just 41 appearances for the Bundesliga side.

Manchester City have been linked with a move for the prolific forward recently, as they look to bring in a replacement for Sergio Aguero; who could depart in the summer when his contract with the Citizens expires.

Here’s what Howey had to say about Haaland when speaking exclusively to FFC:

“It wouldn’t surprise me. You hear rumours that Man City are going to go all out to get Erling Haaland. Given the connection with his dad, I played with Alfie, there’s a very good chance that something could be brokered there.”

Howey certainly seems to think the fact that Haaland’s father Alf-Inge played for Manchester City could be a factor as the 20-year-old decides on who to join next.

Considering his goal record in the past few seasons, there is no doubt that the £99-milion rated striker would be a superb addition to Man City’s side, but it remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola’s side can fend off the competition for his signature.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Fernandinho: Txiki must swoop for £36m-rated beast this summer 

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Southampton midfielder Carlton Palmer discussed Danny Ings’ dip in form and the uncertainty surrounding his future at St. Mary’s, suggesting there could be a correlation between the two.

Ings started the season strongly, netting four times in the Saints’ first five fixtures of the Premier League campaign. The England striker, however, has gone off the boil in recent weeks, scoring just once in his last eight league appearances.

His contract expires next summer and, according to The Telegraph, he is holding off putting pen to paper on a new deal, as he aims to secure a move to a Champions League club.

On Ings’ form and contract situation, Palmer told FFC:

“I think it’s obviously playing a part. There’s no question about that. I always believe that once a player is under that kind of scrutiny, he’s got maybe the chance of a big move, you don’t know whether his agent’s getting into his ear or whatever. You don’t know what’s going on.

“It’s been well documented that he’s been offered new contracts by Southampton and he’s not signed them. And so it’s clear to me that he sees his future away from Southampton.”

For the time being, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl must put all of that to one side and get Ings firing again, as Southampton continue to sink down the table.

The Saints have taken just one point from their previous nine fixtures, losing eight out of those nine to leave the club in 14th and seven points above the relegation zone.

Last term, Ings was able to score 25 goals in all competitions, and it is that level of goalscoring efficiency Hasenhuttl will be desperate to see again.

According to L’Equipe, Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in signing Marseille left-back Jordan Amavi.

What’s the story?

With Sead Kolasinac’s long-term future at Mikel Arteta’s side up in the air given that he joined Schalke on loan in the January transfer window, the Gunners are without a natural left-back as cover for Kieran Tierney.

The Premier League side have chopped and changed between Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Cedric as the Scotland international’s back-up, so it’s no surprise that French publication L’Equipe claim that Arsenal have joined the likes of Napoli and Crystal Palace in the race to sign Amavi.

The Frenchman is out of contract at Marseille come the end of the season and would thus be able to join on a free transfer, with the report adding that the Ligue 1 side’s negotiations with Amavi over a new contract have stalled.

Arsene Wenger wanted him

Being French and a rising talent in Ligue 1, it’s no surprise that former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was reported to be interested in Amavi back in the summer of 2015 (Mercato365 via The Hard Tackle).

The Gunners eventually lost out to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa for his signing, where the left-back played for just a couple of seasons before moving on to current side Marseille.

Since then, Amavi has been a consistent performer week-in and week-out for the Ligue 1 giants, averaging a Whoscored match rating of over 7 in three out of the four seasons – in fact, this campaign has seen him average an impressive 7.17 match rating, which ranks him first in the entire Marseille squad.

Speaking back in 2017, the Frenchman himself said about his permanent move to Marseille: “I will bring my aggression and some speed. I like to battle, and my attacking play. I will do my best in the offence, but first of all in the defence. I want to win as many duels as possible and get the ball as much as possible.”

Given that he will be available on a free transfer, Amavi would represent a bargain signing for the Gunners as they look for a back-up to established first-choice Tierney.

Amidst the financial situation facing most clubs around the world, the Kroenke family will be very pleased if Arsenal can address a key issue in their squad without actually having to splash the cash.

Meanwhile, Arsenal can sign their next Ashley Cole in this Premier League starlet…

With the January transfer window open, Wolves desperately need to bring in some new arrivals.

They are stuck in an almighty rut and with relegation now being mentioned in the same breath as the club’s name, things don’t bode well.

On the chalkboard

One of the strongest parts of Wolves’ side at the moment is their midfield. They have a plethora of options and with Morgan Gibbs-White returning, it has only added to their ranks.

The emergence of Owen Otasowie has ensured their depth in the middle of the park has grown larger, while Vitinha’s arrival means they are hardly short-changed.

The usual midfield trio has been Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Leander Dendoncker. It’s a vibrant triumvirate but they could be on the verge of improving it, and thus, landing the latter’s potential successor in the Midlands.

Sign Kral

Earlier this month, it was reported by The Mirror (via One Football) that Wolves were interested in signing young Czech Republic midfielder Alex Gral.

The 22-year-old plays for Spartak Moscow in Russia and has also attracted the eyes of Leeds United and Newcastle. Any potential deal could cost in the region of £30m so the youngster won’t come cheap.

That being said, he’s a phenomenal player for his age and given the fee they paid for 18-year-old Fabio Silva (£35.6m), this doesn’t amount to much.

Like Dendoncker, Kral is a powerhouse in the middle of the park, someone capable of hassling the opposition and bullying them relentlessly.

They are remarkably similar when it comes to tackles per game with the Wolves target amassing 1.4 challenges each outing in the Russian top-flight. That’s compared to 1.5 tackles per match made by Nuno Santo’s Belgian enforcer.

When it comes to passing, they both have success rates north of 84%, with just 2% between the duo in Dendoncker’s favour.

However, it’s in terms of reading of the game where Kral really outmuscles the Wolves midfielder. The Czech Republic international, who stands at 6 foot 1, wins a mightily impressive 1.7 interceptions a game compared to Dendoncker’s 0.4.

With that in mind, certainly in terms of ground duels, Wolves could find themselves somewhat of an upgrade on the Belgium international.

AND in other news, Wolves can finally replace Jota by swooping for “ruthless” gem with “explosive pace”…

At the moment it feels like Sunderland’s players are dropping like flies.

Luke O’Nien is out until the New Year with a dislocated shoulder while Denver Hume is also missing through injury.

On top of that, Lynden Gooch is only just returning and as many as four players have tested positive for the dreaded pandemic.

Consequently, the Mackems have had their next three games stretching to Boxing Day postponed. They can count their lucky stars, particularly with Josh Scowen now also injured.

Lee Johnson revealed this week that the midfielder could miss around seven weeks of action with a shin injury. He told reporters: “The X-ray found a chip or a slight fracture to the shin, which is bad news. The best case scenario is that he will be out for three weeks, the worst case scenario is seven weeks.”

The good news, however, is that Sunderland have capable replacements.

Elliot Embleton started in his place during the 1-1 draw with Wimbledon but there was someone on the bench who could prosper amid the negative update on Scowen.

That happens to be Daniel Neill, a young midfield player who has played three times in the Papa John’s trophy this term.

In total, he has four senior appearances to his name for Sunderland but we’re yet to really see him emerge as a viable option. That could now change with players slim on the ground.

But why does he deserve an opportunity? Well, he’s incredibly highly-rated by some of his teammates.

That includes the injured O’Nien who only found positive words for Neill a few months ago. The 19-year-old impressed considerably in pre-season which leads us to believe he’s really on the radar of the club’s coaches.

O’Nien began: “Dan has been exceptional right throughout pre-season.”

The midfielder continued: “Every day in training, he’s like a dancer with those magic feet. He’s creating and scoring goals in training all the time.”

The fact he’s so creative should bode well. After all, Sunderland’s midfield is full of more defensive individuals like Grant Leadbitter, Max Power and George Dobson.

Neill hasn’t had the most productive of campaigns as far as his numbers go – providing one assist in six outings but he has emerged as a key player in an ever-improving U23 side.

It surely won’t be long before he gets regular opportunities at senior level. He certainly deserves a look in.

In other news, Bye-bye Grigg: SAFC can save thousands by unleashing starlet with “blistering pace”…

Writing on Twitter, reliable journalist Charlie Eccleshare has tipped a potential move for star Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma in January – going on to claim he is a ‘possible January target’ for Daniel Levy and Jose Mourinho at Tottenham Hotspur. 

Bissouma, who has even been likened to former Spurs fan favourite Moussa Dembele, with Mauricio Pochettino once eyeing a move for him to succeed the Belgian back in 2017, could move away in January as many clubs eye a deal.

Bissouma move possible

Eccleshare has tipped the 24-year-old as a realistic target for Tottenham next month as this claim emerges, coming as arch north London rivals Arsenal are reportedly interested, alongside the likes of Liverpool.

Indeed, the box-to-box midfielder is a player currently enjoying the form of his career – with Eccleshare saying he is ‘getting better and better’ as the games go by this season.

Taking to social media, the Athletic correspondent has outlined him as a potential January target – coming amid claims that Spurs are also heavily interested in Marcel Sabitzer and Milan Skriniar.

Transfer Tavern take

Described as a player who could become ‘massive’, Bissouma is already turning the heads of big clubs ahead of January – but it remains to be seen whether Spurs do in fact go for him.

He is believed to be valued at around £40 million, almost three times as much as what the Seagulls paid to land him in the summer of 2018 (£15m).

Now his worth has skyrocketed to in and around Milan Skriniar’s reported price tag, this may be a move that will have to wait until after this season’s conclusion.

However, given last summer’s audacious transfer window, you can no longer rule anything out when it comes to Tottenham

In other news: Tottenham exit hint dropped amid new contract claims, find out more here.

Pep Guardiola may have finally found his Vincent Kompany replacement at Manchester City, should the Citizens complete a deal for Bayern Munich defender David Alaba next summer.

City and Liverpool have both been linked with a move for the Austrian international recently, although it seems as if they will have to wait until next summer if they want to see him join (per Sky Sports).

The 28-year-old’s contract with the Bundesliga giants is set to expire in the summer and considering he is currently valued at £58.5 million by Transfermarkt he would obviously be a very attractive proposition on a free transfer.

Alaba has featured as a left-back and a central-midfielder predominantly in his career but in recent times he has been deployed as a centre-back to great effect.

Last season in the Bundesliga, the defender averaged a very solid 6.99 rating across his 28 appearances in the German top-flight, helping Die Roten to their eighth-successive title win.

He was also an important member of Hans-Dieter Flick’s side in the Champions League, making eight appearances as Bayern went on to win the trophy.

It was incidentally Pep Guardiola who first played Alaba as a centre-back at Bayern, so the Spanish manager is clearly fully aware of what he could offer the Citizens.

He was full of praise for the versatile Austrian during his time as Bayern boss, saying:

“He’s an unbelievable talent, he can play anywhere. He’s quick, is good in the build-up and is always 100 per cent focused. Without [a] doubt, he can be one of the best centre-backs in the world. He’s a huge gift for Bayern,” (per Bundesliga.com).

City’s defence has arguably been not what it used to be in recent seasons, with the Etihad Stadium outfit shipping 35 goals in the Premier League last season, and it could certainly be argued that Vincent Kompany’s departure had a big part to play in that.

The Belgian defender was a real leader at City, making 360 appearances in all competitions, contributing 20 goals and 11 assists (per Transfermarkt). The 2018/19 season, where Kompany was still at City, saw the Citizens concede just 23 goals in the top-flight, so there was clearly a big difference when the centre-back was no longer there.

Perhaps if City can add Alaba to their ranks, they may finally be able to replace Kompany, as he would offer the experience of someone who has won a wide array of trophies during his career.

The addition of a left-sided centre-back could be bad news for Nathan Ake, however, with the Dutch defender having joined from Bournemouth in the most recent transfer window in a £40.77 million deal, and it may be tough for him to get into City’s first-team ahead of the likes of Alaba, Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias.