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A lot of Liverpool fans have flocked to Twitter to slate Reds right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold over his performance in the Merseyside club’s latest Premier League clash with Southampton. 

The 22-year-old played a notable role in Danny Ings’ opening goal of the game, which came in just the second minute. Per The Liverpool Echo, the £99m-rated man produced some ‘pathetic defending’ from the set-piece which allowed the former Reds striker to get onto the end of the ball from James Ward-Prowse and score. 

Later on in the contest, the right-back was on the receiving end of a telling off from Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, with Alexander-Arnold said to have been ‘having a bit of a nightmare’ versus The Saints. 

So, what have these Liverpool fans had to say about Alexander-Arnold?

Many Liverpool fans took to Twitter to criticise the England international for the role he played in the game’s opening goal, while others shared that they believe his role in the goal was just the latest error in what has been an overall poor season from the Reds academy product.

“Some finish that you know. However, it’s never a free-kick and TAA defensive wise is absolutely shocking there.”

Credit: @Pallen19_6

“Weak from TAA. His first poor run.”

Credit: @MiddleEarthLFC

“Alexander-Arnold is such a terrible defender. Complete liability this year with the shape of this back line.”

Credit: @ItsOkBud

“Alexander-Arnold needlessly gave the ball away just before Thiago committed that foul. There’s no hiding his poor form of late #SOULIV”

Credit: @Hickory92

“Awful that from Alexander-Arnold, why is he trying to control that with his chest instead of just clearing it?”

Credit: @adam_canavan

“He’s been pretty poor all season long”

Credit: @JonesJones4Life

“Been horrendous lately”

Credit: @LFCzach_8

“Trent Alexander-Arnold has been sleepwalking through the entire season and it’s infuriating”

Credit: @lead_farmerxx

In other news, many Liverpool fans have been fuming over The Liverpool Echo’s January transfer claim.

West Brom picked up a pivotal first three points of the season on Saturday night as they won the battle of the Premier League’s bottom two at the Hawthorns.

The Baggies narrowly edged the end-to-end encounter with Sheffield United thanks to a first-half strike from Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher, who fired home from range through a crowded penalty area in the 13th minute.

In reality, the visitors could’ve been two goals to the good before the midfielder bagged his first goal for Albion with both John Fleck and George Baldock going close.

Slaven Bilic should maybe count his lucky stars as the Blades attempted five more shots throughout the 90 minutes and enjoyed the majority of the possession.

The Croatian deployed a three-at-the-back system with veteran Branislav Ivanovic holding forte through the middle but it was an off-night for the three-time Premier League winner.

A better team would have certainly punished his troublesome presence.

The 36-year-old won just one of his seven duels (14%) and failed to record a single tackle, interception or block. He was also dribbled past three times, had only 19 touches all game and was dealt the Baggies’ lowest rating of 6.1, as per SofaScore.

BirminghamLive’s Joseph Chapman emphasised his disappointing display in his post-match ratings, he said: “Had a nightmare at the beginning when McBurnie matched him in the air and then was too quick for him, drawing a card from ref Dean. As expected, Burke had him in knots in a foot race.”

Had the rock-bottom Blades had any real attacking threat, then on another day, Albion may have lost this one by a few due to the performance of their defence and in particular, Ivanovic.

It very nearly cost them that maiden victory.

As one of the most experienced players in this Baggies squad, sitting among the high-earners on £38k-per-week, you’d expect better but perhaps at 36, the pace and speed of the English top-flight is getting away from him.

West Brom still hold the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League, so a new centre-back should be on the agenda this January.

AND in other news, Forget Gallagher: £30k-per-week sensation was the star of the show in maiden win…

Mega money deals are seldom heard of when it comes to Leeds United. Their current record signing is the £26million they paid for Rodrigo, who joined the club during the summer from Valencia. Still to this day, their sale of Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United for £30million is their most expensive departure, after the transfer broke the British record.

But these deals are few and far between, often the Whites are subject to lot of free transfers – both coming in and going out. One player particularly of note is Andy Lonergan, who has been subject to a lot of loan moves over his career. And despite being passed from pillar to post, Leeds would benefit from someone of his seniority this season.

Andy Lonergan’s fascinating career

The goalkeeper first joined the Yorkshire outfit in 2011 for a reported fee of £293,000. He spent just 12 months at Elland Road before being sold for a cut price of £288,000 to Fulham (via Transfermarkt). But Lonergan returned to Leeds in 2017 on a free transfer, signing under then manager Thomas Christiansen.

The 37-year-old made a total of 47 appearances for the Whites during his two separate stints. He has also enjoyed brief spells with the likes of Rochdale, Middlesbrough and Wolves. Although he has never really established himself at the clubs he has joined, his experience of the game would be a valuable asset to Leeds this season, who are currently struggling with 20-year-old Illan Meslier in between the sticks.

Lonergan joined Liverpool as an emergency back-up option to Alisson last summer and despite not making a single appearance, now boasts a Premier League title, Club World Cup and Super Cup.

He may not have played a part on the pitch, but he will have sat in on Jurgen Klopp’s team talks, participated in intense training sessions and shared the passion felt by the entire team as they closed in on their first ever Premier League title. This is experience than no money can buy and Lonergan could still play a part in this Leeds side. The veteran could pass on untold wisdom to the likes of Meslier and ensure the Whites cling onto their first season back in England’s top flight.

In other news, Bielsa must unleash Joe Gelhardt to bolster Leeds’ attack this season…

If this one video of Benrahma’s holiday has put Leeds off signing him they really need to rethink their transfer policy, as they’ve missed out on an extremely talented player who could have added a lot to their squad.

Brandon Barker has been included in Glasgow Rangers’ UEFA A List for their clash against Galatasaray on Thursday in the Europa League play-off, with Andy Firth dropping out.

The 23-year-old was one of a number of players to pick up an injury against Dundee United along with Ryan Jack, Leon Balogun and Alfredo Morelos, and he has confirmed that he is back in full training.

He explained:

“Brandon Barker is the same, he trained yesterday for the first as well with no reaction.”

Now, Barker has been named on the UEFA A List for the clash, at the expense of 24-year-old third-choice keeper Firth.

This is positive news for Gerrard as he looks to keep his side in the competition. Whilst the Gers have enjoyed wins against both Lincoln Red Imps and Willem II, Galatasaray will present a whole different challenge – they were in the Champions League just last season, after all.

Barker has been somewhat of a scapegoat for supporters during his time at Ibrox – he made the move from Manchester City last season – but he appears to have worked his way back into the boss’ plans. After making just six league appearances last term, he has already started three matches this campaign. His injury came at an unfortunate time, and his lack of football recently may mean he is not included in the starting XI, but he could still prove to be an important player from the bench.

Let us know what you think below!

Diogo Jota had an unbelievable game for his country last night after enjoying a 3-0 win over Sweden. The newest Jurgen Klopp signing was unstoppable in Portugal’s attack, contributing two goals and an assist to see them victorious in the UEFA Nations League.

After earning an impressive 9.5 rating for being involved in 100% of his side’s goals, the attacker could become a complete game-changer for Liverpool.

Diogo Jota stats for Portugal

Jota was unstoppable in the Portuguese attack, operating on the left side of target man Joao Felix who struggled to get involved in any of the action. The 23-year-old teamed up with Premier League rival Bernardo Silva, who ran the show from the wings.

According to SofaScore, Jota created another goalscoring opportunity on top of his goals and assist, whilst also completing four out of an attempted five dribbles. FotMob report that this was the highest dribbling success in the game, highlighting how much Sweden struggled to contain the fiery winger.

Although it’s not exactly a surprise that Jota has pulled off an international masterclass. After he left Wolves for new club Liverpool, Nuno Espirito Santo lauded the player’s contribution to the Midlands side and described him as an “amazing” player (via The Mirror).

A new era of attack for Liverpool

With Jota now off the mark for his new side, there’s no limit to just how much he could flourish on Merseyside. His one-goal return from two Premier League matches is a very promising statistic and one that could start to be utilised more by Klopp and his staff.

“I said last week he is at the same level technically as our front three and the one thing I found really difficult to coach is the intuition in the box, being in the right position to score like the pure instinct of a striker,” assistant manager Pep Lijnders recently told the club’s website.

Indeed, Jota needed just ten minutes in action with the Reds before finding the back of the net against Arsenal. The attacker came off the bench and immediately posed a threat, getting into dangerous positions inside the opposition box. Surely enough, his sharp position paid off and it could be something the club decide to play around with moving forwards.

Roberto Firmino has become less of a goalscorer and more of a playmaker recently, which could make for an interesting switch up in the Liverpool focal point. If Jota is confident operating as a No.9, the Brazilian could play just behind him and unearth a new era of blistering attack for the Reds.

In other news, Marcelo Pitaluga impresses Liverpool staff in training and could give huge boost moving forwards…

Chelsea are gearing up to face reigning Premier League champions Liverpool as they vie to snatch the title from their grasp this season.

The Blues have already got their campaign off to an ideal start after banking maximum points against Brighton on Monday night. A 3-1 win showcased the talents of goal scorers Jorginho, Reece James and Kurt Zouma. 

Their next assignment should make for a very exciting fixture. However, a lot of Chelsea fans don’t want to see Mason Mount involved in the starting lineup.

The club’s official Instagram accoun shared an image of Mount and new signing Ben Chilwell during a session at Cobham. Whilst some fans are thrilled to see the left-back in action, others are taking aim at the 21-year-old midfielder and are calling for him to be dropped.

/CFM4ad4sgda/

Mount earned a 6.9 Sofascore rating for his performance against Brighton. Despite making two key passes, he lost possession 11 times and was unable to register any shots on target. Indeed, the England international hasn’t been involved in any goalscoring opportunities for Chelsea’s last four fixtures.

With Kai Havertz now on the scene, some fans could be looking to see the German replace Mount in midfield. With Mateo Kovacic returning from suspension, it’s likely that Frank Lampard could opt to bench the underperforming midfielder for the visit of the champions to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Do you think Mason Mount should start against Liverpool? Have your say in the comments below…

Manchester United and Werder Bremen remain some way apart in their valuation of right winger Tahith Chong.Â

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has identified Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho as United’s no.1 transfer target this summer, which has paved the way for Chong to continue his development on loan.

It had been reported that Werder Bremen were leading the race to sign the Man United midfielder, but Bild claims that is not the case.

The German publication, as per @utdreport, revealed the Red Devils are refusing to do business with the Bundesliga side until their Europa League campaign is concluded.

But Bremen have started preparations for next season and want to wrap up proceedings before the squad travel to a training camp in Zillertal.

Bremen director Frank Baumann has admitted he is concerned that talks are taking so long to sort out a deal.

He told reporters “it has not yet been decided and there is still no final agreement between the various parties. But we’re working on winning Tahith over so that he can play in the Werder jersey this season.â€

The 20-year-old signed a new deal with the Red Devils in March which will run untilÂ2022. However, he has struggled for game time under Solskjaer, having made a mere three appearances in the Premier League last term.

United have traditionally given youngsters plenty of opportunities, as Mason Greenwood and Brandon Williams are examples of academy graduates who have broken through the ranks into the first team in recent memory.

However, Chong needs to be playing games regularly, and could find chances even harder to come by if Sancho arrives at Old Trafford in the summer. It makes perfect sense for Solskjaer to send his burgeoning talent to the Bundesliga to gain some experience on loan. Now it is up to Ed Woodward to work out terms with the German club.

United fans, do you think Solskjaer should send Chong out on loan? Let us know down below!

The agent of Allan Saint-Maximin has given a rather worrying update on the future of the Newcastle United ace, as he has claimed that his client would like to play in the UEFA Champions League, according to Calcio Napoli 24.

As per the outlet, Kurtys Saint-Maximin, who is his brother as well as his agent, told the publication that he does not know where the future of the 23-year old lies but admitted that he would like to play in Europe’s elite competition.

Indeed, this could be worrying for members of the Toon faithful, as they are very unlikely to be able to offer him that for the next season at least given their current position in the Premier League table, and if the proposed takeover of the Tyneside club falls through, then Champions League football may well be a long way away.

In addition, other clubs who have qualified for the competition for the next campaign may well come in for Saint-Maximin given just how well he has performed so far in this term, and the possibility of playing in the Champions League may arguably be too much to turn down. Paris Saint Germain have already been reported as a potential destination, as have Arsenal (Le10Sport).

The Frenchman has arguably been very impressive so far in the top flight, scoring three goals and four assists in 22 games, while also creating eight big chances and averaging 4.6 successful dribbles and 1.3 key passes per match (via Sofascore).

The winger is surely going to attract some interest from big teams in the upcoming summer transfer window, and it will be up to the Magpies as to whether they can keep hold of him.

Geordies, will ASM stay beyond this season? Comment below!

Defender Christian Burgess has been named Portsmouth’s Player of the Season as his move to Belgium edges closer.

Kenny Jackett’s side will meet Oxford United on Friday evening in the first of their two-legged League One play-off semi-final. A potential promotion to the Championship is very much a possibility for Pompey, but they will not have central defender and first team regular Burgess available for the 2020/2021 season.

Available to help his side during the play-offs, the 28-year-old, who moved to Fratton Park in 2015, will depart the club at the end of the season to join Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.

Having made 32 appearances for the League One side this season, Burgess will be missed next term and it has now been confirmed that he has been named Portsmouth’s 2019/2020 Player of the Season.

Burgess received 69% of the votes from readers of both local newspapers The News and Sports Mail, whilst winger Ronan Curtis came second and Tom Naylor finished third (as per portsmouthfc.co.uk).

The Barking native has signed a deal with Les Unionistes until 2023 and will link up with fellow Englishman Anthony Bloom, who also owns Brighton and Hove Albion.

Burgess has had a superb final season with Portsmouth and it could get even better if he helps them seal promotion to the Championship.

If the 28-year-old can do that, he will at least get to sign off at Fratton Park in the best possible manner but it will be a shame that he would not then be a part of their team in the second tier.

How much will Portsmouth miss Burgess next season? Let us know in the comments section below…