Chelsea star N’Golo Kante has been one of the standout Premier League players of the season, but there is one aspect of his game that he needs to work on, judging by talkSPORT’s statistics.

There are eight players who have made more interceptions in the top flight than the Frenchman, and one of them is West Ham United defender Winston Reid.

The Hammers had a miserable start to the season, winning just one of their first seven league games, but they have since made improvements, which has moved them to 11th in the table.

Reid has been a regular in Slaven Bilic’s team, starting 24 league games and featuring six times in cup competitions.

talkSPORT’s stats prove why he is so often trusted by the manager as he has made the fourth-most interceptions in the Premier League this season.

Reid has cut out opponents’ passes 65 times, which is six more than Kante has managed, while Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera and Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny have made 67 and 73 interceptions respectively.

Surprisingly, Hull City’s Curtis Davies has snatched the ball on 83 occasions in the top flight this season, which is more than anyone else.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Chelsea are one of English football’s top clubs, there’s no getting away from it. Although cynics will point at the money Roman Abramovich piled into the club in the mid-2000s and use the ‘you ain’t got no history’ chant, the Blues have had some great moments since their formation way back in 1905 and have seen some truly excellent players pull on their jersey.

And one of their greats, Didier Drogba, celebrates his 39th birthday this weekend. The Ivorian arrived at the club in 2004 and helped the Londoners to four league titles and the Champions League across his two spells at Stamford Bridge, cementing his status as a Chelsea legend.

Although there have been other greats to lead the line for the team – Diego Costa is currently doing a good job of putting his name forward – Drogba may well be the greatest of the lot.

Do you agree? Vote below to have your say…

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

As reported in an exclusive from The Sun, Newcastle United are aiming to pull off a summer coup in the transfer market by landing one of the Premier League’s hottest properties, Gylfi Sigurdsson.

What’s the story?

Sigurdsson is often one of the most impressive players on any given Premier League weekend and in their quest to ensure survival in the top-flight next season, Newcastle United want him to spearhead that challenge.

That’s according to The Sun, who say Rafa Benitez wants owner Mike Ashley to shell out the £15m it could take to pressure Swansea City into selling their talismanic force.

A source of the paper said:

Rafa knows he can’t just go out there and buy the biggest names in their first season back – but Gylfi would be a good-value addition to his squad.

Good-value is perhaps an understatement given how fantastic the Icelandic midfielder has been for the Welsh club so far this term.

Can he lead Newcastle to better days?

Despite his side being in a relegation dogfight, just three points above the Premier League drop-zone, Sigurdsson has done everything he can to try and make sure there’s no danger of them dropping into the Championship. With 9 goals and 11 assists in 31 appearances, it’s clear’s his impact from attacking midfield is massive to the club.

He could be that kind of influence for Newcastle too, who are crying out for a committed performer in the final third that can unlock defences on a regular basis.

The 27 year old has all the attributes to become a real fans’ favourite in the North East and if there’s any possibility a deal could be done for him then the Magpies would be silly not to pursue it.

[ad_pod id=’playwire’ align=’center’]

Derby County will know that they realistically need to beat Fulham at the Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday night if they are to keep their chances of securing a Championship play-off spot alive.

The Rams stayed in contention to secure an unlikely top six finish as they beat Queens Park Rangers 1-0 at home on Friday night, with Matej Vydra scoring the goal that separated the two teams.

Fulham moved into the play-offs as they picked up a 1-0 victory away at Rotherham United, while the team that began the weekend in sixth – Sheffield Wednesday – were held to a 1-1 draw by Barnsley at Oakwell.

It means that Gary Rowett’s men are eight points adrift of the top six with just seven matches left to play, but they could close the gap on the Cottagers to just five points with a win against Slavisa Jokanovic’s in-form side in midweek, although they would also need to hope that the Owls slip up against already-relegated Rotherham too.

Here are three reasons Derby will secure that win to keep their play-off dream alive…

Unbeaten under Gary Rowett

Ok, so it’s only been two games but Rowett will be relatively pleased with the start he has made since taking over the Rams.

While the first half in the local derby may not have been too impressive, Rowett’s men bounced back with an impressive second half display and they brought that into their clash against QPR on Friday night.

They should have scored against Ian Holloway’s side long before they finally did in the 70th minute, and they will be in buoyant mood as they face Fulham in front of a bumper crowd.

Record against promotion-chasing sides

While Derby’s form has fallen away in recent weeks – one win in nine saw Steve McClaren sacked last month – the Rams have enjoyed some impressive results at home against the teams fighting towards the top end of the Championship table.

County beat Leeds United 1-0, Sheffield Wednesday 2-0, Norwich City 1-0 and Reading 3-2 earlier in the campaign, and if they raise their game to similar levels when Fulham visit on Tuesday night, they should get the three points once again.

They have a striker in form

With Darren Bent suffering from injury in recent weeks and David Nugent struggling to make much of a goalscoring impact following a January transfer window move from Leicester City, the Rams needed someone to step up and find the net – enter Matej Vydra.

The Czech striker was a big-money arrival when Nigel Pearson brought him to the club last summer, but when Pearson was sacked the 24-year-old fell out of favour under Steve McClaren.

However, he has hit back in recent weeks and has scored three goals in his last four matches, and that form could be crucial to his side’s hopes of claiming an unlikely play-off spot.

Do you agree, Derby fans? Let us know below.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have begged Danny Rose to return to fitness in time of Sunday’s North London derby against Arsenal.

The England international has not played since the end of January when he suffered a knee injury during Spurs’ goalless draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

Ben Davies has taken the left-back spot on a temporary basis, and even though Rose is expected to slot back into the first-team fold when he is fit, the Welshman has coped.

Without Rose, Spurs have become the closest challengers to Premier League leaders Chelsea as they currently sit four points adrift with six games left to play.

However, after losing 4-2 to the Blues in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, confidence may have waned slightly, and now fans are desperate for Rose to be back when they host arch rivals Arsenal in the Premier League.

Tottenham provided an update on Rose’s recovery via Twitter, and in typical Spurs fashion, they have not given a date for his return.

There’s barely been a week gone by this season when Celtic players have not been linked with moves away from the club to more illustrious leagues than the Scottish Premiership.

The lure of more competitive leagues with huge scope for high earnings is undoubtedly strong, any Celtic fan would admit that. However, Celtic Park has become a great place to ply your trade and develop as a player. We’ve seen plenty of occasions recently of young players arriving in Glasgow, emerging into bigger stars and moving on for big money and big wages.

The balance for the club is judging when to let these starlets go and when to keep them around for the benefit of everyone.

Brendan Rodgers has some big decisions to make. With big, cash rich clubs circling, who should he sell and who should he keep on to progress in Europe next season?

Here are three stars he simply must keep a hold of next season…

Jozo Simunovic

Still just 22 years of age, Jozo Simunovic has emerged as the first choice centre-back this season, despite being on the verge of a move to Torino last summer. The big Croatian even had a medical in Italy before the move fell through.

He worked hard to force himself into Brendan Rodgers’ plans and hasn’t looked back since.

Hard hitting tackles, aggressive headers, confident dribbles up the pitch, the young defender has it all and only appears to be getting better by the week.

The Hoops were found wanting defensively in Europe this season and it’s an area they need stability and strength in next season. After an extended run in the team over the last few months, Simunovic is much more ready for those challenges ahead than he was earlier in the season.

Despite reported interest from Newcastle, this is one player that should be at the heart of Rodgers’ starting XI next season.

Stuart Armstrong

Last season at Celtic, Stuart Armstrong’s career at the club looked to be petering out before it really got going. Ronny Deila failed to get the best out of the Scotland international, often utilising him on the left hand side of a trio of attacking midfielders.

Now Brendan Rodgers is in charge, he’s been moved to a more central area and has looked vastly more effective as a result both in forward positions and a more defensive role.

With 14 goals to his name across the campaign, he’s been in lethal form and it’s form that’s been enough to attract reported interested from the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion who will be a Premier League side next season.

At 25 years of age, he’s seen by supporters as the future of the Celtic midfield. With passion, skill, strength and pace, he has dominated most domestic opposition this season.

Now all that remains is for him to up his game in Europe. We’ve seen glimpses of him being able to do that in the past, most notably against Inter Milan not long after he signed.

His potential is such that, far from cashing in on him, Rodgers should be building the entire side around him.

Moussa Dembele

Of course the crown jewel at Celtic right now is Moussa Dembele and despite an exceptional season, you get the impression he is just scratching the surface of his potential as an elite striker.

Already making waves in the UEFA Champions League for the Hoops this season, he will be absolutely key to those ambitions again next season at Celtic.

That means that Brendan Rodgers must resist all temptation of massive transfer money in the summer. Just this week there were French reports that Juventus are casting a serious glance towards his direction.

Most Celtic fans would concede that one day the young Frenchman will leave the club but there’s no rush and Brendan Rodgers likely knows that better than anyone. He must stay if they are to qualify for Europe’s biggest club competition and compete in the group stages.

The Rangers squad requires a significant reshuffle this summer, there’s no doubt about it. Pedro Caixinha has a big task on his hand if he is to build a core squad worthy of putting up a sustained fight vs Celtic in next season’s Scottish Premiership.

Players don’t need to just come in, but some deserve to be axed given their woeful displays for the majority of the season. Some ruthless fans would quite happily see none of them return to Ibrox next season.

The reality of football is though, the entire squad is not going to be replaced. Some players will be here for the new campaign whether they deserve to be or not.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. There are some players at the club who have tried their best for the Gers throughout the season. Players who have given everything and while sometimes they’ve come up short, have at least shown the spirit and determination it takes to be a Rangers player.

These are the three players we think could have a big season under Caixinha after the summer…

Clint Hill

Despite being 38 years of age, Clint Hill has undoubtedly been Rangers’ star performer in defence this season. The wealth of knowledge and experience he has brought to Ibrox has been vital at times, often the last line of defence when the rest of the team have let themselves down.

He’s shown little sign of slowing down either and deserves the chance to show what he can do heading into next season. His current one year deal runs out this summer and Pedro Caixinha should rely on the stability he brings to the Gers backline. He will need a new first team defender beside him and he of course has no long-term future at the club. However, another season to help transition to a new centre-back pairing could be just the ticket.

Barrie McKay

Barrie McKay is a very skilful player but his ability to turn it on consistently for the Gers is something that is most definitely in question. On his day he can punish every team in the Scottish Premiership, including Celtic but has gone through bouts where he looks disinterested and uninvolved in matches.

He was at his best in the opening stages of the season and if Pedro Caixinha can tap into that in the new campaign then he could well play a huge role in their ambitions.

With pace, trickery and an eye for goal, Rangers need his kind of ability in the final third next season despite a drop off in his form and it’d be a shame for his potential for the club to be wasted if they decide to move him on the summer. There’s every chance that would be a decision they come to regret.

Myles Beerman

Yes, Myles Beerman has been given the run around by Patrick Roberts twice in the last few weeks but there aren’t many players in Scotland this season who haven’t. Roberts is an exceptional talent who is heading back to compete for places at Manchester City in the summer and there’s no shame in not being able to handle him.

In other matches Beerman has looked assured and able to take on the task at hand. He’s been especially impressive when you consider he was thrown in at the deep end with little warning after an injury to Lee Wallace.

He has heart and passion to play at Ibrox and improvements in other areas can made. He needs to gain better decision making and the confidence to roam forward more. If Pedro Caixinha can continue to work with and improve him, the Gers may have a fine young left-back on their hands.

Chelsea secured the 2016/17 Premier League title on Friday night as they beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at the Hawthorns.

The Blues knew going into the match that only three points would be enough to guarantee that they would lift the trophy, but the game looked to be heading for a goalless draw before substitute Michy Batshuayi popped up with a late winning goal.

It sparked mass celebrations among the fans and the players in the dressing room after the final whistle, with the Belgian’s teammate Diego Costa one of the individuals particularly enjoying the moment as he posted a video via social media.

The Spaniard has been heavily linked with a move to the Chinese Super League this summer, but after another successful campaign in front of goal – he has netted 20 top flight goals – Chelsea supporters are hopeful that he will be staying at Stamford Bridge.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

As reported by The Mirror, Manchester United Wayne Rooney is the subject of shock interest from Stoke City this summer as they plot an ambitious move to keep the Old Trafford legend in the English Premier League.

What’s the story?

After a decade starring for Manchester United, during which time he became their all-time leading goalscorer, Wayne Rooney could be set for a summer exit from Old Trafford, with the star expected to have a number of tempting offers on the table.

The Mirror reckon that one such offer could come from Stoke City, who are said to be plotting an ambitious £45m package to lure the England star to the Britannia.

The paper says that he will also have offers from China and the USA but that Stoke could easily afford to bankroll an alternative for the attacker.

There are complications, including any potential transfer fee, but with Rooney unlikely to be a major United player in years to come, will first team football elsewhere mean he favours an emotional exit?

United or abroad

Having just lifted the UEFA Europa League with the club, Rooney is hardly wanting for success at United but may feel that he’s still good enough to be playing regularly at the highest level. However, The Mirror also report that Rooney would not want to play for an English club apart from United or Everton and there’s been no approach from his boyhood heroes.

That may mean his future lies abroad but surely he still has too much quality to be playing in China or Major League Soccer, two nations that hardly represent the prestige of Manchester United nor Europe’s biggest leagues?

Regardless, big money is likely coming his way given his £300,000 contract still has a year left to run and if he was to leave United, it was probably have to be matched at least.

Everton announced on Thursday afternoon that they had completed a club-record five-year deal to sign Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

Toffees manager Ronald Koeman had been keen to bring in a new stopper to provide competition for Joel Robles and Maarten Stekelenburg and he has got his man.

Pickford, who is currently in Poland taking part in the European Under-21 Championships with England, only made his Premier League debut in January 2016 but established himself as the Black Cats’ first choice stopper last season by making 29 top flight appearances.

Even though he couldn’t prevent them being relegated to the Championship, the 23-year-old impressed between the sticks and he will link up with his new club after the international tournament.

Everton supporters were quick to have their say on their first summer signing via social media, and they were understandably delighted about signing a player with so much potential, as well as getting their transfer business done early.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…