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It seems that Real Madrid can’t escape injuries this season.

Just the other night, when Los Blancos faced Granada over the weekend and won 4-2, Toni Kroos had to be subbed off as the newest in line with an injury concern.

And normally, that wouldn’t be such a surprise. After all, players get injured all the time and this is nothing particularly new.

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But for Zinedine Zidane’s men, it’s becoming a worrying habit this campaign.

Since the beginning of pre-season, the Frenchman has lost 13 players to various different fitness setbacks and it’s safe to say that it has already caused him a headache or two.

Their fans are also seemingly less and less bothered. Of course, they are not happy with another injury but it seems that many of them have already gone numb when it comes to new medical reports on the club’s official Twitter account.

One fan even thinks that Real are cursed and that’s the reason they’re suffering so many setbacks this season and there are also many who are simply annoyed at suffering another issue.

Check out some of their comments down below:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Over the course of the summer transfer window, Manchester United’s pursuit of Sean Longstaff hit the headlines. The Newcastle prospect had just enjoyed a breakthrough campaign, making nine appearances in the Premier League, and had earned huge comparisons with Michael Carrick.

But after reportedly being quoted £50m for his signature, the Red Devils walked away from a potential swoop, and failed to sign another central midfielder in the end. The man to benefit the most from that decision? Scott McTominay. The Scotland international has been an ever-present in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side this season, featuring in all seven Premier League games this season.

How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…

On Sunday, the duo are likely to line up in the middle of midfield for their respective sides. And for McTominay in particular, it is a chance to really under-line why the Red Devils made the right choice not to replace him this summer.

Both Longstaff and McTominay make up one half of the midfield two for their respective sides, and there is an all-action element to their games.

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While their key passes and tackles per game are quite similar, it is in the other main categories outlined in the graphic however, that the United midfielder really has the edge.

The 22-year-old makes more than double the amount of interceptions as his Magpies counterpart, whilst he also registers 18 more passes per game too. The passing numbers are perhaps always likely to be skewed in the Red Devils’ favour however, due to their superior possession (they average 54.5% compared to Newcastle’s measly 37.6%).

If McTominay can use his 6 foot 4 frame to dominate the centre of midfield, then Longstaff will struggle considerably in getting a foothold in the game for the Magpies. The former displayed his attacking credentials with a fine strike against Arsenal on Monday night, and will surely be heading into the contest with a bounce in his step.

At St James’ Park this weekend, the Scot has the perfect opportunity to really hammer home that it was a blessing in disguise that United opted against a move for Longstaff. And if his start to the season is anything to go by, then he will do exactly that.

A fresh claim has emerged about Harry Kane’s future under Antonio Conte at Tottenham Hotspur this week…

What’s the word?

In the summer, the 28-year-old was linked with a move to Premier League champions Manchester City, though it failed to materialise despite Pep Guardiola’s very public interest in the Spurs talisman.

ESPN have since failed to rule out the Citizens returning in the future but according to transfer insider Dean Jones of Eurosport, there is no chance of the England international leaving in January.

“I’m told he’s staying now at this point,” he revealed to ‘The Done Deal Show’.

“He’s obviously found it difficult to get over the fact he didn’t get his transfer in the summer.

“If the Nuno [Espirito Santo] situation would have continued, then we might have had a problem. There was never actually any issue between Kane and Nuno, it’s not like there was any friction between them; Kane just got on with his job and tried to fit into what Nuno was trying to do.

“Ultimately, he wasn’t getting the ball enough, though, and Tottenham’s style of play didn’t suit him, so they’ve had to change that.

“I’m told that he’s much more optimistic about Conte turning this team around. He feels it’s as good a chance as any of Tottenham getting a reboot and trying to win stuff under Conte, because he’s got such a reputation of doing so.

“So right now, I think that Harry Kane, there’s no chance of him leaving in January, as far as I can tell.”

Conte boost

Kane has been out of sorts for the Lilywhites all campaign, scoring just once in eight league appearances, but there will be some hope of a return to form following back-to-back hat-tricks for England in midweek.

There’s no denying that the long-serving Hotspur Way graduate is imperative to the club, having contributed towards 54.4% of all their top-flight goals last season and regularly hit 24 or more goals in every season since 2014/15.

He will continue to be a crucial member of the squad and it is no secret that Conte hugely admires Kane, too. He reportedly didn’t want to take the job in the summer without the 6 foot 2 frontman remaining at the club.

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Whilst in charge of arch-rivals Chelsea back in 2017, the 52-year-old made quite the revelation. “For me, Kane, now is one of the best strikers in the world,” he said (via Sky Sports).

“If I had to buy one striker I would go to Kane. He is a complete striker. He is strong physically, with the ball, without the ball, he fights and he’s strong in the air and acrobatic on the right and the left.

“He’s a complete player. He’s one of the top strikers in the world.”

Under Nuno, the Premier League marksman looked like a dejected and frustrated figure, so it’s certainly encouraging to see that he’s a lot more optimistic about the club under the Italian instead.

That should hand Conte a massive boost as his star striker is going to look a lot more committed to Spurs and that could help him return to the prolific goalscoring form we’ve seen over the years.

The stern Italian must be delighted by such claims that there is “no chance” of a Kane exit in the near future heading into the final few months of the year.

AND in other news, Conte suffers major Spurs injury blow ahead of Leeds clash…

Aston Villa are thought to be admirers of Brentford manager Thomas Frank, according to The Athletic’s Gregg Evans.

The Lowdown: Frank’s time at Brentford…

The Dane was actually Dean Smith’s assistant at the west London club and took over as their manager when the latter joined Villa back in 2018. Since then, he has taken charge of 161 games, winning 79 of those and taking the Bees into the Premier League.

Brentford have impressed in their first Premier League campaign, beating Arsenal and West Ham and drawing with Liverpool, whose manager Jurgen Klopp labelled Frank ‘incredible’ and ‘entertaining’.

Villa are now on the hunt for a new manager after sacking Smith, and it seems as if they may look to take another Brentford manager three years on after securing the 50-year-old.

The Latest: Villa are admirers of Frank

Evans shared a story on The Athletic regarding Smith’s sacking and the contenders to replace him.

Well-known targets such as Steven Gerrard, Ralph Hasenhuttl and Kasper Hjulmand were mentioned, but the journalist added that Villa are admirers of Frank.

Evans also claimed that NSWE are prepared to pay compensation to get the manager they want, which would not preclude any candidates who are currently in a job.

The Verdict: Lange to be key?

Sporting director Johan Lange will reportedly play a key role in bringing in a new head coach, so a move for fellow countryman Frank could be a realistic one. The pair know each other well after sharing an office when coaching at Lyngby, and the Brentford boss has impressed in his first season as a manager in the English top flight.

Lightning may well end up striking twice when it comes to Brentford bosses leaving for Villa, so the links to the 48-year-old may be worth keeping a close eye on during the international break.

In other news: Five-honour boss also in NSWE’s Villa’s thoughts; he’s ‘one of the best’. 

Manchester United are still at risk of losing midfielder Paul Pogba on a free transfer next summer.

That’s after his agent, Mino Raiola, revealed there are no fresh updates regarding an extension.

His comments were shared by the reliable Fabrizio Romano, which, as to be expected, had a number of Red Devils fans talking on social media.

Pogba, who returned to Old Trafford in 2016, has just eight months remaining on his current contract.

He’ll be able to discuss a potential pre-contract agreement with clubs outside of England in the New Year, should his situation remain the same.

And by the looks of it, the Frenchman, who received the third red card of his career on the weekend, may well have that chance. Raiola, talking to The Times, relayed by Romano, said:

“You would have to ask Man United about Paul’s contract extension. At this moment everything is calm. There is no update.”

United fans react

Romano shared Raiola’s comments on Twitter on Tuesday evening. This is what these United supporters had to say in reply, with one labelling it as ‘absolutely mad’.

“Just let him go, all this is so boring it’s absolutely mad.”

Credit: @ZacharyHolt

“tears either he’s staying or Mino lost his juice”

Credit: @m0rant

“Omg he’s staying”

Credit: @2020AAGAMER

“PLEASE LEAVE”

Credit: @TedJoyce_

“Amazes me that over the last two years, anybody still thought this contract wasn’t just being run down”

Credit: @MartyMUFC2

“Terminate his current contract immediately”

Credit: @NightscribeLog

In other news: ‘Wow’ – Lots of MUFC fans erupt at what Romano has said on Solskjaer and Conte.

Christopher Jullien’s upcoming return will lift the mood all around Celtic, former Scotland manager Alex McLeish says. 

The lowdown

Jullien has been absent since last December, when he ruptured a cruciate ligament against Dundee United.

But he’s expected to return to first-team training after the October international break. Once he’s built up his fitness, he’ll be able to return to action (via Daily Record).

It will be a welcome boost for manager Ange Postecoglou, who’s facing something an injury crisis at present.

Giorgos Giakoumakis, Greg Taylor, Callum McGregor and Kyogo Furuhashi are among the list of absentees.

Jullien has been hailed as an ‘excellent’ player by Neil Lennon, who was still in charge when he sustained his injury.

The latest

McLeish says Postecoglou will be ‘delighted’ to welcome the Frenchman back, and also thinks he’ll raise standards at Lennoxtown.

“The manager will be, I think, delighted to get him back because they have to be at his kind of level,” McLeish told Football Insider.

“The level he showed before the injury was a high one. Maybe when Jullien comes back and amongst them and joins in training, I always think better players and more experienced players inspire the others.

“They may be looking at him in training, seeing him in games saying: ‘I should be doing that. I have to get to that standard.'”

The verdict

McLeish is spot on. Jullien is one of those defenders whose presence is arguably just as valuable as his tangible attributes. He’ll elevate the whole backline.

And depending on how quickly he can get back up to speed – patience might well be required after such a long lay-off – he may have a part to play in extending European’s adventure.

In other news, read this damning insight on an out-of-favour Celtic midfielder. 

Manchester United has been home for some of the greatest players in Irish football history and they do not come much better than Roy Keane. The former Manchester United captain may have had an up and down relationship with the Republic of Ireland national team, but he represented his country 68 times and always gave his all for the cause on the pitch.

However, the best moments of Keane’s career came in the red shirt of Manchester United. Playing in central midfield, Keane often took control of matches for his club, using both his skill as a footballer and his mentality as a winner. Keane won the Premier League title seven times with Manchester United, the FA Cup four times and the Champions League. He was named in the PFA Team of the Century for 1907 to 2007 and that sums up his contribution to Manchester United and the topflight of English football.

Keane was inducted to the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2021 and if Manchester United fans could have one player back in their team in 2021, it would probably be Roy Keane.

Prior to the Champions League success of 1998/99, during which Keane was hugely influential, you must go back to 1967/68 to find the previous European Cup success. Part of the team that defeated Benfica 4-1 at Wembley Stadium to win the European Cup in 1968 was Tony Dunne. The Irishman had ruptured his Achilles tendon in the quarter final against Gornik Zabrze but that did not stop Dunne from making an appearance in the final and helping Manchester United lift the trophy for the first time. Dunne won 33 caps for Republic of Ireland and was named captain four times. Dunne may not be the most famous name from Manchester United’s past glories, but the Irishman was a vital part of the successful team in the mid-to-late 1960’s.

Another Irishman who played an important role in the success of Manchester United in the 60’s was Shay Brennan. He played at full-back and made over 550 appearances for the club, winning two league titles and the European Cup. Brennan was part of the first Manchester United team to play after the Munich air disaster and will always be remembered for scoring two goals in the match against Sheffield Wednesday on what was an emotional night.

Remaining with defenders and we come to Dennis Irwin. The left-back was never the star man of the Manchester United team but could always be relied upon to produce a solid performance for the club. Irwin made 368 appearances for Manchester United and was good from set-pieces, scoring free-kicks and penalties. Irwin always kept his cool under pressure and if you are the same, you might want to check out Platin Casino online in Ireland, with the opportunity to play casino games against other people, with real dealers.

In addition to the above, some of the best Irish players to ever play for Manchester United include Paul McGrath, a fantastic central defender, John O’Shea, who could operate in both defence and midfield, Frank Stapleton, who scored 60 goals for the club, and Kevin Moran, who excelled at both Gaelic and association football.

Liverpool have added to their record number of League Cup triumphs following their 1-0 victory over Chelsea.

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• Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0
• Liverpool win tournament for record 10th time
• Klopp adds trophy in final season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jurgen Klopp earned yet another piece of silverware in his time at Liverpool and got his hands on the League Cup trophy for the second time. A late Virgil van Dijk winner in extra-time means Liverpool have extended their record of most League Cup wins to 10, per Opta – two more than next-best Manchester City (8).

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Klopp's fairytale departure from Liverpool made the perfect start as they won the first of four trophies they are hunting down. With the German departing at the end of the season, his players and fans will be dreaming of a clean sweep to reward one of their greatest ever managers.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  By winning his second League Cup, Klopp is now only behind Liverpool legend Bob Paisley's record of three in charge of the Reds. He remains two short of Pep Guardiola, Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough and, given he is leaving Liverpool, will remain two short.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The task of replacing Klopp is ongoing, with links to Xabi Alonso rampant, but, at least for the moment, the Reds will be focused on winning the Premier League, Europa League and FA Cup to send the German off. They face Southampton in the next round of the FA Cup next weekend.

After a memorable first season back in the Premier League, expectations on Leeds United at the start of this season were pretty high. A mid table finish was the least expected, but the top half, and possibly even Europe, were mentioned by fans.

So far, they’ve not got off to the best start, with defeats coming early, they are still yet to win and on top of that, they have shipped a lot of goals. Liverpool have been to Elland Road and scored three, Everton have scored twice there and Manchester United put five past them at Old Trafford on the opening day of the season.

Those who went to new betting sites and placed wagers on Leeds to have a successful season will no doubt be a little worried with how they have started. Will this change, or will Leeds United be fount out this season?

Defensive Style

There is no doubt that Leeds take risks, and this leads to an entertaining style of play which fans love to watch. However, this is something that other teams can capitalise on, if they can get a grip of the game and we have seen that twice already this season. Anytime you look at a match report in the latest Leeds news, you will usually read a description of an entertaining game, very few games they play are defensively minded and tight.

Yes, these big defeats came against Manchester United and Liverpool, but last season, Leeds had a great record against the bigger teams, so this still has to be a worry. In both instances, the Leeds defence struggled, they conceded a fairly early goal and then chased the game and left gaps at the back, which gave their opponents more chances to add to their lead. You don’t do that to teams with the quality that United and Liverpool have, and they duly punished Leeds.

The Liverpool game in particular, which took place in front of a packed out Elland Road crowd, was a sign that Leeds are not going to have the same kind of success this season as they had last season. During that 3-0 Liverpool win, the away side constantly got the better of the Leeds back line and had chances to put the ball in the back of the net more than they did.

Can Leeds Change to Solve This?

This may be the question that will determine just what Leeds do this season. Get this right, and mid-table could be on the cards, perhaps even more. However, get this wrong and they may find themselves in a relegation battle.

If there has been one criticism of Leeds in the past, it has been their stubbornness and unwillingness to change, they have a set style and stick to it. This may have to change this season, especially if results don’t pick up. Another few poor results and Leeds could well be the most interesting team to watch in the Premier League.

Speaking to Football Insider, Sky Sports pundit Kevin Phillips has been left surprised by  David Moyes’ plan for West Ham involving Lukasz Fabianski and summer signing Alphonse Areola.

The Lowdown: Moyes plotting Fabianski axe…

Already it appears that the manager has a plot underway to axe one of his ‘untouchable’ West Ham mainstays in the Polish goalkeeper.

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Indeed, according to Football Insider, the Scotsman is planning to replace his current number one with Areola in the starting XI over the coming weeks.

It is said that Moyes wants to phase the Frenchman in gradually as he looks to make Areola his new goalkeeping first choice.

The Latest: Phillips left surprised…

Speaking to Football Insider in reaction to this development, Phillips has been left surprised by Moyes’ plan but insists that Fabianski is a professional and will help Areola regardless, despite him possibly feeling a little bit ‘aggrieved’.

“He’s [Areola] going to be the number one eventually,” the former Sunderland striker explained.

“That’s why he was brought in. He can learn from Fabianski. It won’t be ideal and I’m sure he will feel aggrieved.

“But he’s a pro and he will help Areola settle into the club. Fabianski has that experience so it does surprise me slightly.

“I’ll never go against David Moyes considering what he’s done but that’s a major change.

“If he does make Areola number one he will have a player behind him pushing and that’s always a good thing.”

The Verdict: Good move by Moyes?

Currently on loan from Paris-Saint Germain, Areola enjoyed a consistent spell in the Premier League with Fulham last season despite their relegation, keeping nine clean sheets in 36 starts.

Scott Parker even lauded the player as ‘exceptional’ and we believe he could be the ideal long-term replacement for Fabianski as the 36-year-old Poland international reaches his twilight phase.

In other news: ‘Had a shocker’, ‘Offered nothing’…West Ham fans blast ‘poor’ ace who lost the ball 16 times against Southampton, find out more here.