Pep Guardiola says they’ll need to be ‘perfect’ if they’re to pull it off. Fernandinho agrees. So do most football fans – those who don’t just don’t believe it’s possible at all.

If Manchester City are to overcome Liverpool on Tuesday evening, it will be a famous comeback worthy of being given pride of place in the history of the club. Pull it off, and it’ll be up there with 93:20 – it could be a defining moment not just in the club’s history, but for the very fabric of its identity. “We’ll fight til the end,” goes the chant – turning around a Champions League quarter-final from a deficit which has only been overcome twice in the competition’s history would lend another dimension to the song.

There are many and varied reasons to believe that this cannot be done. City’s sudden loss of form, the fact they’ve been conceding goals, and the fact that this is the first real mental test Guardiola’s Blues have suffered this season: all of that will give massive belief to Liverpool.

But when you lose the first leg of a Champions League knockout round 3-0, any reasons to believe you can’t go through are obvious. There are also plenty of reasons to believe that City can.

Here’s what the Blues have to do if they are to beat Liverpool and take their place in an unlikely Champions League semi-final.

Don’t panic

It sounds obvious, but the headless chicken look just won’t do it for City this week. There are times when throwing caution to the wind and playing as if there’s no tomorrow can be well-advised. This isn’t one of those times.

Fire in the belly is needed to come back from such a deficit, sure, but City will also need ice in the mind if they are to nick the three goals needed to take the tie to extra time and keep Liverpool out at the other end.

City have have already proven they can score five against Liverpool this season, though, and showed in the Premier League game at Anfield that scoring multiple goals in a short space of time is not beyond them either.

Play their normal game

To come back from such a deficit against a team who are on top form with such good players is a special situation for City, who will need to overcome the odds.

But of the 15 home games that City have played in the Premier League this season – that is, in their most normal games against fellow English sides – Guardiola’s side have won eight of them by a margin of three goals or greater. That includes a 5-0 victory over Liverpool in what was, admittedly, a game with a bit of an asterisk beside it.

City have been so dominant at times this season that we almost forget that the margins of victory have routinely passed the three-goal mark. This would be an historic comeback, make no mistake about that, but given how this season’s gone at the Etihad would it really be as big of a shock as it feels right now?

Adapt to circumstances

And yet, as good as City have been at times this season, that dominance in itself poses a problem which was visible at the end of the first leg at Anfield.

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Guardiola’s sides are adaptable. They are fluid and they are tactically astute. But what they’re bad at is diverging from their principles, even a little bit. Of course, such a clear idea of what they want to do is one of the many reasons they’ve been so good this season, but in the final few minutes, it became clear that Plan A wasn’t working and City simply carried on with their natural game regardless.

That’s not to say that they should have started lumping it into the box, but perhaps a more urgent approach was necessary. If the time comes on Tuesday night to play more direct, City should take it: remember, even Sergi Roberto’s winning goal for Barcelona against Paris Saint-Germain last season came from a hopeful Neymar ball over the top of the defence.

According to Ovacion, Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez is interested in signing Hull City forward Abel Hernandez at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

What’s the story?

It is expected to be a busy summer transfer window for Newcastle, with Benitez confident that he will be handed funds to improve his squad after steering the club away from trouble.

A new centre-forward is an absolute must for the Magpies when considering the problems that Dwight Gayle and Joselu have had in the final third of the field this season.

According to Ovacion, Newcastle boss Benitez is closely monitoring the situation surrounding Hernandez, who will see his Hull contract expire this summer.

The 27-year-old has missed the majority of the campaign through injury, but has managed eight goals in just 10 Championship appearances this season, and there will not be a shortage of interest in the centre-forward this summer.

What are Hernandez’s credentials?

Hernandez, who has scored 11 times in 27 appearances for the Uruguay national team, moved to English football in 2014 when he joined Hull from Palmero.

The striker cost the Tigers £10m, but only managed four goals in 27 appearances for the club during the 2015-16 Premier League campaign.

Hernandez, who has previously been linked with Leeds United, stayed with Hull following their relegation, however, and netted 22 times in 45 matches during the 2016-17 season.

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As mentioned, an Achilles injury has seen the Uruguayan miss a lot of football this season, but a record of eight goals and two assists in 10 league appearances is extremely impressive.

Newcastle will need to spend big on a forward that is capable of contributing upwards of 10 Premier League goals next season, but Hernandez is a fine talent when fit, and there is no question that he is good enough to score goals in the top flight.

On a free transfer, the deal is an absolute no-brainer for the Magpies.

There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a very disappointing 2017-18 campaign for Leeds United, with the club currently down in 14th position in the Championship table.Paul Heckingbottom’s side have only won one of their last six in the Championship, and suffered a 2-1 defeat at Norwich City on Saturday afternoon.Kalvin Phillips has been a constant for Leeds this season, and he has actually managed six goals and three assists in 42 appearances in all competitions.They are not exactly poor statistics, and Leeds’ official Twitter account retweeted a graphic earlier this week looking at the midfielder’s form throughout the season.https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/leeds-relegation.mp4There were a number of Leeds supporters who praised the 22-year-old, although there were also those who surprisingly criticised Phillips – and not for the first time – with one fan even claiming that he should be sold in this summer’s transfer window.A selection of the Twitter reaction in relation to the midfielder’s form can be seen below:

Everton fans have been debating the future of Leighton Baines, and an overwhelming majority want to replace the left back this summer.

It’s been a weird season for Everton and their fans, as the summer spending spree that was supposed to push them into the top six only pushed them further down the table.

Sam Allardyce was brought in to rescue the Toffees from a relegation scrap, and the former England manager did the job, although not exactly to the satisfaction of most fans.

Perhaps the biggest problem at times for Everton was the injuries in defence, where veterans Seamus Coleman, Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines all missed time through injury.

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Cuco Martina struggled to replace the iconic Everton full back duo, and Ashley Williams took plenty of stick for failing to fill Jagielka’s boots.

The Toffees have certainly been a better team since the return of their experienced heads at the back, but that hasn’t stopped a whopping 68 per cent voting to replace Baines this summer.

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Espanyol youngster Aaron Martin has been linked with a move to Goodison, and it seems fans are looking to freshen things up at the back despite the positive impact of their experienced trio.

You can check out the full poll results for yourself below…

Shkodran Mustafi had a season to forget at Arsenal, particularly in the closing stages of the campaign.

The Germany international was caught out a handful of times in the last few remaining matches under Arsene Wenger’s tenure as manager.

Unsurprisingly, his performances caused many fans to rant and rave on social media, with some calling for the club to sell the centre-back.

The 26-year-old – valued at £25.2m by Transfermarkt – will have an opportunity to prove that he deserves a place in the team following the arrival of Unai Emery as manager.

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The Spaniard adopted various formations during his spells in charge of Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain, but he has consistently used a back four.

While at Parc des Princes, he deployed similar tactics to that of Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp by instructing his defenders to press high.

Emery will assess his defensive options before making a decision on Mustafi, who won the World Cup with Germany in 2014.

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Judging on past form and the defender’s ability, will he end up being an important member of Emery’s team?

Let us know by voting below…

Leeds have been showing interest in multiple goalkeepers since the transfer window opened last week, but does Bailey Peacock-Farrell deserve to stay as number one?

When news broke last week that Leeds-born David Stockdale would be allowed to leave Garry Monk’s Birmingham this summer, Leeds fans were desperate for their club to make a summer swoop.

Stockdale is 32, so would compete for the number one shirt with the impressive Peacock-Farrell, while also offering experience and guidance for the young stopper.

This week’s links are a little more confusing though, with the Yorkshire Evening Post reporting Leeds’ interest in Manchester City youngster Angus Gunn, who spent this season on loan at Norwich.

Gunn is an impressive young keeper, but the decision to move for another young stopper does seem odd given Peacock-Farrell’s emergence this season.

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Gunn and Peacock-Farrell could of course compete for the number one shirt, which could yield better performances from both of them, or the club could end up with two young keepers short of confidence.

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Either way, Peacock-Farrell must be wondering what more he can do to prove he belongs as number one, after deservedly earning his first Northern Ireland call-up earlier this year.

So, Leeds fans, how do you feel about the goalkeeper links? Should Peacock-Farrell start next season? Let us know buy voting in the poll below…

Earlier this week, Football FanCast revealed that a staggering 79% of Arsenal fans want Unai Emery to reunite with Steven Nzonzi this summer. The powerful defensive midfielder was a key player for Emery’s Sevilla side as the engine room anchor behind an exciting and vibrant attack – lifting the Europa League title together in 2015/16.

But how would signing the France international – who Transfermarkt value at £27million – truly impact the Gunners? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of a summer swoop for the Sevilla star.

Emery makes his mark

Emery’s preference for playing in a 4-2-3-1 setup is no great secret and it’s probably exactly what Arsenal need right now, placing two deep-lying midfielders in front of a defence that was painfully exposed during the latter part of Arsene Wenger’s reign. Nzonzi is perfect for that sitting role and particularly within this Arsenal team; not only does he offer the sheer physicality they lack in midfield, but he’s a classy passer of the ball as well – completing 92% of his passes in La Liga last season.

Most importantly though, the 29-year-old represents a signing that brings Emery a step closer to really making his mark on this Arsenal team – something that’s only amplified by the fact Nzonzi already understands the system and the Gunners gaffer’s methods.

Opportunities dry up for Maitland-Niles

Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ rise was one of the few positive stories from Wenger’s final season in charge but Nzonzi’s arrival could make it a little more difficult for the exciting 20-year-old to get game-time.

In fairness, Maitland-Niles did show some versatility last season, also featuring as a left-back and a wing-back under Wenger, but central midfield appears to be his best role and signing the Frenchman would only increase the competition there with the likes of Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny and Jack Wilshere already at Emery’s disposal.

While many Arsenal fans will argue he’s a better option than some of the above names, the fact is Emery will want to get off to a strong start in north London and that will likely see him favour experience and new signings over youth.

Arsenal’s defensive record markedly improves

Arsenal conceded a staggering 51 goals last season, the most of any side in the top seven by a margin of twelve, and arresting that porousness will surely be one of Emery’s first ports of call during the summer – whether that’s working with the backline on the training pitch or overhauling its personnel via the transfer window.

But defending well doesn’t begin with the back four – the fact is, Arsenal’s defenders had an incredibly tough job under Wenger because of how open the rest of the team was, especially in midfield.

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Nzonzi brings the discipline and defensive awareness Arsenal glaringly need, and that extra slab of protection could drastically change opinions of certain defenders at the club, such as Hector Bellerin and Shkodran Mustafi, who have probably been made to look worse than they actually are over the last few seasons.

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Aston Villa come into the new season off the back of losing the Championship play-off final to Fulham.

It has been a turbulent time for Villa since they missed out on promotion to the promised land. Off-field difficulties have been compounded with issues in the squad, with it looking highly likely talisman Jack Grealish will be leaving the club this summer.

Nevertheless, Villa fans will be hopeful their club can bounce back and maybe even replicate last season’s achievements of a play-off place, if they do the right business in the transfer market this summer and get the 2018/19 campaign off to a strong start.

They will have a much better understanding of how likely the latter scenario is following the official announcement of the fixtures for the coming Championship season on Friday morning. Villa’s first six encounters have been confirmed as below…

August 6th – Hull City (A)

August 11th – Wigan (H)

August 18th – Ipswich (A)

August 21st – Brentford (H)

August 25th – Reading (H)

September 1st – Sheffield United (A)

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[brid autoplay=”true” video=”257600″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch Aston Villa’s opening fixtures for the 201819 Championship season”]

Verdict

While it remains to be seen what shape this Aston Villa squad will be in by the time the summer transfer window slams shut, it’s a relatively easy start for the Midlands club. Hull and Reading just about avoided relegation last season, Sheffield United, Ipswich and Brentford all finished midtable and Wigan – albeit something of an unknown quantity – gained promotion from League One. Quite tellingly then, none of Villa’s first six games involve teams that made it to the 2017/18 playoffs.

That should see Villa start the season well – provided they can maintain a strong squad during the course of the summer.

According to reliable West Ham United club insider @ExWHUemployee on Twitter, Leeds United are considering a move to bring Irons defender Sam Byram, rated at £3.6m by Transfermarkt, back to Elland Road two-and-a-half years after they sold him to the east London outfit.

What’s the word, then?

Well, @ExWHUemployee tweeted that Nottingham Forest are just one of a number of Championship clubs looking to sign the 24-year-old either on loan or on a permanent basis after The Sun reported the Reds were set to get him.

@ExWHUemployee says that the defender’s former team are also weighing up a move for a player they sold to the Irons in January 2016 for an undisclosed fee.

New Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa admitted he would be looking to bring new players to Elland Road in his first press conference on Monday, and it seems as though Byram is a serious target.

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Would he be a good signing for Leeds?

It’s difficult to say.

While Byram clearly has plenty of ability having earned a move to the Premier League from Leeds, injuries and lack of form have often meant that he has struggled to win a place in West Ham’s starting XI which has certainly stalled his career progress.

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The right-back has only made 36 appearances in total for the Irons – providing two assists – having played 143 matches for the Yorkshire club, who have been urged to sign a 25-year-old attacking World Cup ace by supporters on Twitter, previously.

In addition, the fact that the Whites already have a perfectly able player in that position in the form of Luke Ayling surely makes a deal less likely, unless Bielsa feels that the fans’ favourite could potentially play as a centre-back in his preferred 3-3-1-3 system.

Melbourne City winger Daniel Arzani was brought on the final 11 minutes of Australia’s opening 2018 World Cup fixture against France last weekend and showed a few glimpses of the quality that he has in his locker, and it was a similar situation in the 1-1 draw against Denmark on Thursday.

The 19-year-old, dubbed as ‘the next Harry Kewell’, could be on the move this summer if he continues to impress, having scored two goals and provided a further three assists in 16 A-League appearances in 2017/18.

Meanwhile, Birmingham City manager Garry Monk, whose £1.35m attacker target would significantly improve his side, will be desperate to add to his attacking options before the new Championship campaign gets underway at the beginning of August, with the Blues netting just 38 goals in their 46 league games last term.

The 39-year-old will certainly be aiming for a play-off spot next term if possible, but he will know that he needs to add some quality to his team in the final third if they are to do that, and the Iranian-born Arzani may have caught his eye.

Despite only being on the pitch for 23 minutes against the Danes and having 13 touches of the ball, he produced one shot, one dribble, one cross and one key pass, as per WhoScored.com, and he certainly showed no fear as he scared the European outfit’s defence with his direct style.

Signing Arzani would be a huge coup for Birmingham considering the quality and potential he clearly has, and he would be the best addition to their squad in years.

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