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Wolves suffered an agonising defeat in the West Midlands derby this afternoon as rivals Aston Villa managed to scoop all three points for themselves with a last gasp penalty.

The stats will certainly interest the neutrals – with a whole number of yellow cards dished out and both teams eventually being limited to ten men. But despite the Villans losing Douglas Luiz first, they managed to cling on and draw a penalty, which killed the game off in the fourth minute of injury time.

Joao Moutinho was the man given his marching orders for Wolves after a second yellow card offence, but one player who disappointed just as much as the midfielder was Fabio Silva.

Fabio Silva’s stats vs Aston Villa

With Raul Jimenez injured, the £80,000 per week summer signing has been propelled into the limelight and made just his second Premier League start for his new club today. Whilst the West Midlands derby was not a match Nuno Espirito Santo would have liked to deploy Silva up front, his hand was forced.

Unfortunately for the 18-year-old, he was kept silent by the Aston Villa defence, who limited him to just 12 accurate passes the entire game. The teen also failed to complete any dribbles and he mustered up just the one shot on target (via Sofascore).

Filling in for a clinical goalscorer like Jimenez is not an easy task, especially for a young up and coming player. Unfortunately, Silva was easy meat for the Villans this afternoon and he posed absolutely no threat to them in front of goal.

It will be a tough result to take after conceding a late penalty, but focus now shifts to Chelsea, where Nuno will hope to catch the attack-minded Blues on the counter-attack.

In other news, Wolves boss Nuno needs to start playing Rayan Ait-Nouri more often…

Despite Celtic’s best efforts, Glasgow Rangers maintained their 16-point lead at the summit of the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win at St. Mirren on Wednesday night.

Rangers have now won four in a row across all competitions as they seem to have shaken off any lingering effects from the chastening 3-2 defeat to the Saints in the Scottish League Cup earlier this month.

However, Jim Goodwin’s side threatened to derail their momentum, as they came close to toppling the league leaders on several occasions, only to be denied by the combined efforts of Connor Goldson and Allan McGregor.

Goldson was colossal at the back, but Filip Helander’s latest display left a lot to be desired, which will no doubt give Steven Gerrard genuine cause for concern ahead of the Old Firm clash with Celtic at the weekend.

The Swedish centre-back was unveiled as a marquee signing when he first arrived at Ibrox after signing from Bologna on a four-year deal for a reported £3.5m fee in 2019.

But Helander has looked shaky at the back at best when in possession and flaky when defending, and his latest showing against the Saints was a typical example of the performances Rangers fans have come to expect from the Sweden international, who spent three seasons with the Serie A outfit.

The Gers may have cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over the Saints but the centre-back was abysmal, as he lost possession 21 times throughout the entire game. It’s hard to point the finger directly at any player in particular after such a strong team performance overall, but Helander was a bit of a liability.

He was also caught out of position at the back on a regular basis, particularly in the first half, as Jonathan Obika came close to scoring twice in quick succession, committing one foul in the process, as per SofaScore.

Helander, who reportedly earns £9,300-a-week, sprayed long balls left and right but largely failed to find the target, as he produced just three accurate long balls from a whopping 19 attempts.

It sounds crazy to say after such a comfortable scoreline, but the Swede badly betrayed Gerrard last night.

Even though Helander took 96 touches of the ball, he struggled to make all of that possession count, as he failed to record a single cross or single key pass, despite playing the full 90′ minutes.

After being left on the bench against Hibernian, this was his chance to make a real statement with Leon Balogun waiting in the wings, but it’s fair to say that he did anything but after he let his manager down massively with his display last night. He can only be grateful Goldson put in a worldie of a performance beside him at the back.

In fact, it’s worth pointing out only Steven Davis received a worse rating than the struggling defender. We must admit it would be a bit of a surprise to see him start in a few days time after such a dismal showing.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers defender Connor Goldson stole the show against St. Mirren…

Glasgow Rangers ace Bongani Zungu has arrived at the Ibrox outfit with the burden of expectations on his shoulders. Steven Gerrard recently described him as a “dominant” midfielder. And the Rangers boss told the club’s website “Bongani fits the profile of player that adds further strength and depth to our midfield.”

He added “we wanted a dominant midfielder with the right profile who can enhance the team and compliment other players we have.”

Gerrard is hardly short of midfield options at the moment, as Scott Arfield, Steven Davis, Ryan Jack and Glen Kamara have all impressed in recent weeks. But he must unleash Zungu when his side travel to Parkhead to face Celtic on Saturday.

Whilst some may argue that it is far too early for him to make his first-team debut in the Old Firm derby, do not allow yourself to be fooled so easily. In fact, far from it, as Amiens official John Williams insisted “his skill level is very high. He is a hard worker and technically good. He can do everything.”

Similarly, former Rangers man Dean Furman has backed Zungu to succeed in Scotland. The South African believes his countryman can cope with the rigorous demands of life as a professional footballer at the Ibrox outfit. He told The Daily Record “I don’t know how Bongani is fitness-wise but it would be really amazing if he was ready and thrown into the Old Firm game.”

Per SofaScore, the 27-year-old made 21 appearances in Ligue 1 for Amiens last season, whilst he averaged 1.3 tackles, at least 1 clearance and 1 big chance created per game, which implies that he is a wrecking ball in all parts of the pitch.

And a look at his heatmaps last term reveals that he is both confident on the ball and comfortable under pressure, which is exactly the type of character who can adapt to a game that is notorious for its physical demands. He is used to dealing with public scrutiny after playing for Mamelodi Sundowns, who are one of the biggest teams in South Africa, so he should be able to handle a baptism of fire.

Gerrard can catch Celtic by surprise if Zungu is given the opportunity to prove himself as the attacking box-to-box midfielder could exploit gaps at the back.

He has already admitted he can’t wait to get started with the Gers. And the South Africa international will want to make a good impression if and when the chance arises.

AND in other news, Steven Gerrard should start Rangers ace Ianis Hagi in Old Firm derby…

Since joining from Nottingham Forest a few years ago, Henri Lansbury hasn’t exactly established himself as a starter for Aston Villa.

The former England U21 international has found himself in and out of the team, and last season played just 15 times across all competitions for Dean Smith’s side.

But having been thrown into the starting line-up for the Carabao Cup third round clash against Bristol City on Thursday night, Lansbury delivered a timely reminder of the quality that he has.

Spot the fact from the fib: Are these Premier League records true or false?

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Villa eased to a comfortable 3-0 win at Ashton Gate, and whilst Bertrand Traore may be the name on everybody’s lips following his first goal for the club, Lansbury’s midfield masterclass would surely have left Smith purring in the dug-out.

As per Sofascore, despite not scoring or even getting himself an assist, he recorded an 8.0 match rating – higher than the likes of Traore, Ollie Watkins and Anwar El Ghazi, who all found themselves on the score-sheet.

Lansbury helped run the game from the middle of the park, boasting an 88% pass accuracy and delivering a game-high six key passes on the night – to put that latter stat into context, the Villa players in joint-second (Keinan Davis and Jacob Ramsey) provided exactly half that.

The 29-year-old also created two official big chances, delivered six crosses into the box, and found his target with five out of the eight long balls that he attempted.

Having come in from the cold like he did – it was his first competitive outing of the season – it was a performance of the highest order. And with Villa making movies in the transfer market and competition for places hotting up, Lansbury’s display would have left Smith raving.

Some Aston Villa fans have reacted to the news that Tyrone Mings has penned a new contract keeping him at the club until the summer of 2024.

The central defender joined on loan from Bournemouth in January 2019, helping the Claret and Blue to win promotion to the Premier League in the 2018/2019 season.

The 27-year-old went on to join permanently and made 33 top-flight appearances last season and his performances for Dean Smith’s side earned him a call-up for England, making his competitive debut against Bulgaria in October 2019.

Mings follows captain Jack Grealish in committing his future to the club, after the much heralded midfielder signed a new five-year deal last week.

Villa boss Dean Smith has been actively busy this summer in the transfer window, signing Ollie WatkinsÂfrom Brentford on a five-year deal, whileÂMatty Cash has also joined from Nottingham Forest and goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has arrived from Arsenal.

After announcing the news on their official Twitter account, many Villa fans reacted to the update and naturally, they were buzzing.

Are you happy with Mings’ new contract? Let us know in the comments section below…

More than four years after leaving Elland Road, Lewis Cook could be set for an incredible return to Leeds United this summer.

The England international joined Bournemouth in the summer of 2016, with the Cherries’ chief executive Neill Blake declaring that they had signed “one of the country’s brightest prospects”.

But following Bournemouth’s relegation to the Championship, things are up in the air, with Football Insider now claiming that Leeds are eyeing up a move for their former midfield prodigy.

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The report claims that Cook is “firmly on their radar”, and that the 23-year-old’s close connection with the Whites could see him be convinced of a move back to Yorkshire.

Hailed as a “special talent” by Eddie Howe, Cook can return to Leeds and form an exciting partnership in the middle of the park with Kalvin Phillips.

The duo both came through the Elland Road’s side academy, and with the club making their return to the Premier League after well over a decade, it would be quite poetic to see the pair start in their first game back.

As clubs spend big money on signing players from all across Europe, the Leeds midfield could be dominated by two homegrown, local stars. When Cook was bursting onto the scene, then Whites boss Dave Hockaday waxed lyrical about the young prospect, saying “if you chopped Lewis’ head off and put an older head on his shoulders, you wouldn’t be surprised”.

It was Hockaday who handed the midfielder his debut and first start for Leeds before he left the club, and some of the credit for Cook’s emergence surely has to go to the former Whites boss for placing his trust in him.

And with the midfielder now having played a total of 75 times in the Premier League in his time at Bournemouth, he could provide Marcelo Bielsa’s side with some valuable top-flight experience.

Bringing a former academy starlet back home? It just seems like a no-brainer.

According to Get French Football News, Michy Batshuayi has been offered to Leeds United this summer.

What’s the word?

The Whites are looking forward to their long-awaited return to the Premier League, and Victor Orta will surely be busy behind the scenes to ensure Marcelo Bielsa’s side are in the best possible shape for next month.

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And as per GFFN, Leeds are being “bombarded” by several French agents offering their clients to the club, with Batshuayi being one of a number of players who have been put forward to Orta this summer.

Reunion with Marcelo Bielsa

One of the biggest reasons why Leeds should seriously consider bringing in Batshuayi to Elland Road, is that Bielsa has worked with the Belgium international previously.

The duo were together at French side Marseille, and it was there that the striker really looked transformed under the Argentine’s leadership. He scored ten times in 29 games across all competitions for Bielsa, and the 26-year-old himself has since spoken highly about how the manager knew how to get the best out of him.

He said: “He didn’t speak to me, he never spoke to me. I worked like crazy, but he didn’t talk to me. And yet he always took other people to talk to them. In fact, it is all or nothing. Either he picks you up and talks to you for 40 minutes, or he doesn’t talk to you at all.

“But looking back, I tell myself he knew who to do this with. Some needed this support. Me, he understood my personality, he knew that I could draw on my resources.”

Hailed as a “real goal-scorer” by his former manager at Borussia Dortmund, Peter Stoger, Batshuayi would bring with him some much-needed Premier League experience from his time at the likes of Chelsea and Crystal Palace. And with his previous connection to Bielsa, Orta must surely seize this perfect chance to sign him this summer.

It was another disappointing afternoon for Arsenal on Sunday as they lost 2-1 to their most bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur, effectively ending any hopes the Gunners may have had in terms of securing a top-seven finish.

Indeed, that loss moves the Gunners down to ninth, four points behind Sheffield United with just three games to play, and unless they win the FA Cup, Mikel Arteta’s side look to be set for a season without European football.

However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom for the north London outfit.

There were a few bright sparks in the game, Alexandre Lacazette scored a screamer to open the scoring, but one man who caught the eye above everyone else was Dani Ceballos.

The Real Madrid loanee barely put a foot wrong against Spurs, with a pass success rate of just under 93 per cent and more touches than any other player, the Spaniard was central to everything the Gunners were trying to do.

While fans had a lot to be miserable about after losing to Spurs, they were more than happy with what they saw from the 23-year-old.

While the midfielder may have been brilliant against Spurs, it’s been a long road for him to get to this point.

He was often criticised by the fanbase earlier in the season, but many noted a marked improvement from the playmaker over the past few weeks.

Unfortunately, it seems as though Ceballos’ upturn in form has come at the wrong time, his loan deal is up in a few weeks, meaning he’s set to return to Real Madrid at the end of the season.

His showing against Tottenham led to a number of fans calling for him to be signed permanently.

However, you can’t help but feel these calls are far too reactionary after one good performance, he was criticised earlier in the season for a reason, and if he reverts back to that type of form it won’t be long until opinions swing once again.

Name: Curtis Jones

Club: Liverpool

Date of Birth: 30 January 2001

Position: Midfielder/winger

Curtis Jones – His career so far

Curtis Jones is a 19-year-old midfielder who has been one of the Reds since an early age, climbing through the ranks from Liverpool’s U9 side up until their senior team in 2019/20. The talented youngster made his U23 debut back in January 2018 and shortly after that, in February, the Reds tied him down with his first professional contract.

Even though he didn’t feature for the seniors until a bit further down the line, Jones was a regular at Melwood in 2017/18, often participating in Jurgen Klopp’s training sessions and was even named in the matchday squad for the Merseyside derby with Everton at Goodison Park that season.

The first glimpses of his talent were seen during the team’s pre-season tours in the summer of 2018 when he played a big part in the friendlies, showcasing his potential and impressing the gaffer along the way.

But it was not until January 7, 2019, that his first-team debut arrived in the FA Cup third-round tie away at Wolverhampton Wanderers. It would, however, take him another year to score his first goal for the seniors, slotting a curler to beat none other than Everton 1-0 at Anfield in the same competition.

Jones is also a well-establish figure in Liverpool’s younger squads, recording appearances for their U18, U23 and UEFA U19 squads respectively. He is also quite prolific, scoring 15 goals and assisting six in 29 games for the U18s, 13 and seven in 33 for the U23s and 13 and three in 18 games for the UEFA U19s.

So far, we’ve seen him don the red colour of the first-team nine times during his stay with the Scousers, scoring twice and assisting one goal under his belt in the process as well. Eight out of those nine appearances came in 2019 and one in 2018/19.

Both goals have been scored in the FA Cup while the single assist was tallied in the EFL Cup, all in 2019/20.

Transfer latest

Currently, it seems that Jones is set to stay at Anfield for the time being and eventually become a regular first-team player and more importantly, an undisputed starter at the club despite possible transfer news surrounding him. The now 19-year-old signed a contract extension back in August 2019 which is valid until 2024, according to Transfermarkt.

This would indicate his importance to the upper hierarchy at the club and the local boy is already on route to having a much bigger role within the squad, as evidenced by his recent appearances with the senior team in 2019/20.

He was, however, courted by the likes of Glasgow Rangers, led by Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who wanted the young lad on loan but were promptly shown the door by the Reds, as indicated by some of the latest transfer rumours.

There were also transfer news on Leeds United and Swansea being among the interested parties back in December and before the January transfer window opened but Liverpool have since seemingly changed their stance, as was indicated by their snubbing of Rangers’ inquiry later on.

Besides, it was Klopp himself who mentioned Jones as a possible candidate for a step-up back when he was giving some big Liverpool news back in February. If those words and the player’s recent outbreak are any indications at all, the 19-year-old is poised to stay and develop at Anfield, regardless of the transfer rumours that linked him with a plethora of suitors.

Player profile

The thing that stands out the most about this young talent is his sheer versatility. According to Transfermarkt’s database of games, he’s been deployed all over midfield and even on the wings throughout his career and can be utilised in many different ways, depending on the team’s needs. (source: )

By looking at Wyscout’s heatmap for 2019/20, we can see his tendency to stick to the left side and occupy the left half-space to advance the ball into the final third and then the opposition’s box as well.

The most common weapon in his arsenal seem to be dribbles, as he attempted 7.73 per 90 minutes in 2019/20, completing an impressive 52%. He also averages 4.54 touches in the box which tells us he likes to go forward and present himself as an option in the danger zones.

When we accompany that with 3.92 shots per 90 minutes and 2.98 progressive runs, we get a highly technical and aggressive player who is both creative and deadly on the ball. The transfer rumours may have stopped for now but if Liverpool don’t make sure he’s tied down, there are bound to be vultures prowling around once again.

Since football has returned, there have been transfer rumours suggesting that Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will look to leave the club as his contract runs out next summer, although manager Mikel Arteta has reassured Gunners fans that this might not be the case.

Speaking about the Gabon forward and his future at the club via Evening Standard, Arteta said: “Players that can make the difference in any moment in the game every three days in competitions. That is a big task and he has done that at different clubs.

“He is willing to stay with us. He is really happy where he is. He can see what we are trying to do and hopefully he can evolve as well some parts of his game he might feel he can improve. We are pushing him every day.”

Aubameyang showed how crucial he is to the Arsenal squad with his 9.2 Man of the Match rating against Norwich yesterday, per SofaScore, as he helped himself to two goals and an assist in the 4-0 win over the Canaries.

He also scored his 50th Premier League goal for the club in 79 appearances, with some quick to point out on Twitter that he has reached this landmark in fewer appearances than some Gunners legends like Thierry Henry and Ian Wright.

This emphasises how reassuring Arteta’s update seeems for everyone associated with Arsenal. Aubameyang is a potent striker who, at 31, still has more years in him to help the Gunners battle for the Champions League places again and hopefully win some silverware.

He is also an ideal figure to have in the squad as an influence for young strikers breaking into the senior squad like Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Martinelli, who can look to the Gabon ace for inspiration on honing their raw talents to become strikers of similar prestige to Aubameyang.

Gunners fans, are you happy with Arteta’s reassurance about Aubameyang’s Arsenal future? Comment below with your views!