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Speaking to football.london ahead of the highly anticipated north London derby tomorrow, reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has revealed a ‘concern’ surrounding Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as they gear up to take on arch rivals Arsenal. 

Hojbjerg, who has arguably been Spurs’ best summer signing so far this season, starting every Premier League game under Mourinho, could be a cause for concern ahead of Arsenal due to this flurry of appearances.

Hojbjerg concern for Mourinho

Gold, speaking to fellow football.london correspondent Chris Wheatley, has explained a slight worry surrounding Hojbjerg as he played the full 90 minutes against LASK on Thursday night.

The Dane has featured very regularly this season in all competitions amid a serious injury crisis hitting the English top flight, with the summer lockdown and lack of a proper pre-season now appearing to take its toll on player fitness.

Despite this, Mourinho played Hojbjerg for the whole game against LASK despite Arsenal being firmly on the horizon – with Gold now explaining this could become the boss’ one concern.

Transfer Tavern take

Indeed, given the amount of match action this season, Hojbjerg could potentially be in danger of becoming overworked as Gold hints that he could be a slight ‘concern’ after he played 90 minutes in the Europa League.

Even though the summer signing did feature, the odds are heavily in favour of him starting against Arsenal as Spurs look to clinch derby day glory and cement their place at the top of the table. 

Currently the Lilywhites are locked in a battle with Chelsea and Liverpool for the summit and Saturday’s results could dictate who will take a slender advantage heading into a busy December period.

In other news: Tottenham look set to lose this ace in January, find out more here. 

An expert on matters in the Middle East has made a big revelation regarding a possible takeover of Newcastle United by Sheikh Khaled bin Saqr Zayed al-Nayhan.

As per The Independent, his name was first mentioned in football circles when he was involved in takeover attempts at both St. James’ Park and Liverpool, and now, it looks like he is set to complete a purchase of Derby County.

When asked about the realistic expectations that Rams fans should have once Sheik Khaled completes the takeover of the EFL Championship club, Middle East expert Dr Kristian Ulrichsen of Rice University claimed:

“Let’s be brutally honest, maybe he’s found his level. He’s not been able to play in the big league, the Premier League. He might have gone down. There might be other reasons, he could have found a business partner in the Midlands.

“But having gone for Liverpool and Newcastle, and obviously not being the name that had been thought, he could have found his level.”

Newcastle takeover by Sheik Khaled unrealistic

Indeed, as Dr Ulrichsen suggests, perhaps a takeover in the North East by Sheik Khaled was unrealistic.

He failed with takeovers of both the Tyneside club and Liverpool, who are both very much established teams in the top flight.

On the other hand, Derby are lingering right at the bottom of the Championship table, and it looks as if the takeover of the Rams by Sheik Khaled will indeed go ahead.

Perhaps this kind of club is around his level as suggested, as he will now look to build them up and help them return to England’s highest division alongside the likes of the Magpies and the current EPL champions.

Is a Newcastle takeover still possible?

Indeed, if not from Sheik Khaled, a takeover at the Toon is still very much a possibility. The Saudi Sports Minister fairly recently claimed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s (KSA) Public Investment Fund (PIF) would still look into the opportunity of taking over at NUFC.

Nonetheless, any hope of a takeover by Sheik Khaled seems dead in the water now as he has now set his sights set on Derby instead.

In other news, find out why takeover hopes may potentially be boosted here!

Former Manchester City and England defender Danny Mills has suggested that the Magpies could suffer without the presence of goalkeeper Martin Dubravka after details emerged over his injury setback.

It had been reported that Dubravka is facing an extended injury lay-off with his return to action from a heel injury pushed back until at least December, due to the issue not healing correctly after surgery, per The Times.

In Dubravka’s absence, it has been Karl Darlow who has stepped up into the number one position. The former Nottingham Forest keeper has finally been given the chance to impress after spending the last two seasons out of the side, which he is so far taking after pulling off a number of impressive saves.

Darlow has made the most amount of saves in the Premier League so far this term with 28. Against Manchester United, the keeper was forced into action on eight occasions including the save he made to deny Bruno Fernandes’ penalty. That brought his average saves per game so far this term to 5.6 (via Sofascore), which also shows just how many quality chances the Magpies are allowing.

Speaking to Football Insider, Mills suggested that not having Dubravka available will be a major blow for the Magpies over the next few months, clearly believing Darlow’s superb form cannot last.

He said: “He is a big loss for Newcastle. He was magnificent last season. Absolutely superb.

“Over the course of the last 10 years we have seen the rise of the goalkeeper. It is such an important role.

“He has made some vital saves and has been crucial to that team. Dubravka’s a fantastic shot-stopper. He has been probably their best player.

“A good goalkeeper gives the defence confidence and belief and allows them to play with freedom and confidence. That flows all of the way through a team. It is so important to have a good goalkeeper.”

Dubravka absence a major blow if Darlow form dips

Last season it was Dubravka who made the most amount of saves in the Premier League with 140, averaging an impressive 3.7 saves per game (via Sofascore).

Although Darlow has started well this season, there is a concern that he might not be able to sustain such outstanding performances over a whole campaign. The keeper does not have much top-flight experience and therefore he may suffer lapses in form. That would leave the Magpies in big trouble if they continue to allow as many shots on goal as they are doing.

Newcastle fans, you can read more about Dubravka’s injury here and don’t forget to comment your thoughts down below!

Burnley have been given a boost by Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s decision not to team up with Iceland during this week’s international window.

Erik Hamren’s side are due to face England on Saturday in a repeat of the infamous Euro 2016 clash as the UEFA Nations League gets underway, but the Clarets winger won’t be adding to his 75 caps in that fixture.

After an injury-ravaged 2019/20 season, the 29-year-old is instead concentrating on returning to peak fitness ahead of the new campaign, telling Burnley’s official website: “I decided it would be better for me to stay here and have a full pre-season. These games don’t come at a great time, especially for myself after I’ve had some problems.

“I thought it was the best for me to get a full pre-season in here, get the base fitness, get some games in and try to be as fit as possible for the season.”

Gudmundsson scored in Burnley’s opening game of last season, the 3-0 win over Southampton, but that was his only goal as a lengthy thigh injury restricted him to only 12 appearances and six starts – although he featured more prominently towards the end of the campaign over the summer. [via TransferMarkt]

He was on target in the 3-0 friendly win over Tranmere on Saturday as he continues to get himself in the best possible shape for the start of the new campaign, with his cause helped by the Clarets not starting their Premier League season until 19 September and a trip to Leicester – a week after most clubs get underway.

Even with the Iceland winger suffering an injury-hit 2019/20 season, he still demonstrated his value to the side whenever he was available – Dwight McNeil was the only player to better Gudmundsson’s match average of 1.3 crosses, while the 29-year-old’s average of 1.1 key passes per game was the third-highest in Sean Dyche’s squad (as per WhoScored).

His return to action in July also gave the Clarets an overdue natural fit on the right-hand side of midfield, with Dyche having to deploy central midfielder Josh Brownhill and even left-back Erik Pieters in that role in the first few games after the Premier League restart.

Gudmundsson showed whenever he was available last season that he can make a massive contribution to Burnley, something he has done since his 2016 arrival from Charlton by scoring seven goals and supplying 19 assists in 111 appearances.

His decision to prioritise club over country in the days leading into a hectic, condensed club campaign is one which should benefit the Clarets in the long run as he continues to work on his fitness, while also demonstrating a strong commitment to the Turf Moor cause.

Burnley fans, how big a boost is it that Gudmundsson isn’t going off to play with Iceland over the coming days? Share your views in the comments section below!

Newcastle United ace DeAndre Yedlin looks set to leave the Tyneside club on a free transfer before the summer window shuts, according to Roger Gonzalez.

As per a tweet from the CBS Sports journalist, multiple clubs from the MLS have continued to enquire about his availability, but whether Steve Bruce’s team decide to sell him is another question for now.

Indeed, Yedlin has racked up a fair number of games at St. James’ Park, playing a total of 116 times in the last five consecutive terms, managing to score three goals and make a further 10 assists (via Transfermarkt).

The £5.85 million-valued ace has also earned a quite impressive 62 caps at international level for the United States since his full senior debut back on the 1st February 2014 under Jurgen Klinsmann, and he has also represented the USA three times at youth level for the Under-20’s (per the website).

Yedlin certainly has pedigree, but with the likes of Javier Manquillo and Emil Krafth also available at the right-back position in the North East, perhaps his time with the Magpies would be limited in the 2020/21 season, and so maybe it is time to move him on.

However, the Toon will surely not want to lose the 27-year old on a free transfer as he should still hold some considerable value in the market, and so perhaps they could negotiate with some of the sides reportedly interested from the MLS to try and get a good fee for him.

Nonetheless, Yedlin is a player that NUFC should perhaps try and move on as soon as possible.

Geordies, would you let Yedlin go for free? Comment below!

Tottenham have already made a big signing in this transfer window, as they managed to acquire Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton this week.

It is a sign of intent that Jose Mourinho will get backing from the board to build the squad that he wants in his first full season. We have also seen a departure from the club as promising striker Troy Parrott has gone on loan to Millwall. This means that Harry Kane is the only real centre-forward at the club.

Clearly this has been noticed by Spurs legend Jermain Defoe, who scored 143 goals in 361 appearances for the North London side, per Transfermarkt, as he has been asking a former teammate of his when he will join the club.

Defoe posted on

/CDyRFYopnPx/”>Instagram an image of when he scored two goals for England against Holland eleven years ago. However it is the comment section that will have Spurs fans intrigued as Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson commented on the post, raving over the goal, to which Defoe asked the question, ‘u going spurs or what bro’.

The club have been linked to the England international in the past, and he definitely would add some-much needed firepower as cover or to support Kane as the £18 million-valued ace has managed 41 goals in 142 Premier League games, which is very decent for a striker performing in a side of AFC Bournemouth’s level.

Spurs fans, would you like Wilson? Comment below!

As reported by The Athletic, Harvey Elliott refused to meet Sergio Ramos as part of Real Madrid’s attempt to sign him after he had injured Mohamed Salah during the 2018 Champions League final.

Elliott was playing for Fulham at the time, and Los Merengues were interested in securing his services, and as a teaser, they had arranged for the teenager to meet Real legend Ramos. The Spaniard, of course, had been part of the team that had beaten the Reds in Kiev two years ago, and he was involved in an incident with Salah that soon saw the latter leave the pitch.

When Elliott was asked if he wanted to meet the centre-back, he replied: “No, it’s OK, thanks. I don’t like him after what he did to Mo Salah.”

Elliott has made signs of progress already this campaign, having made six appearances in the cup competitions up until this point. Still only 17, there is plenty of hope that he can become a star at Anfield in the future, and as a Liverpool fan from his childhood, there should be the desire and determination to become a popular figure amongst supporters.

From Real Madrid’s perspective, they should have done a bit more homework on the prodigy – it may have changed the course of his career so far.

Let us know what you think below!

Many Manchester United fans have been reflecting on a memorable goal from Javier Hernandez, after the club’s official Twitter account shared footage of ‘Chicharito’ opening the scoring against Petr Cech in the Premier League. 

Hernandez has scored plenty of impressive goals throughout his long career so far, and although he is best known as a deadly poacher inside the box, it is his sensational finish at the end of a well-worked team move that has fans drooling on Twitter this week.

United posted footage of his strike at home to the Blues, a goal that helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s men stave off a spirited Chelsea side managed by Carlo Ancelotti. He remarkably broke the deadlock against the London club in just 36 seconds, latching onto a sublime pass from Park-Ji Sung, and slotting the ball into the back of the net past the helpless goalkeeper (Goal).

After a header from Nemanja Vidic put the game beyond Chelsea, Fergie’s Red Devils moved within one point of the coveted Premier League trophy. They went on to win the 19th English title in the club’s history at the end of the season.

Unsurprisingly, a whole number of the Old Trafford faithful are still raving about the goal machine’s “brilliant” effort, with one fan cheekily dubbing the Mexican “Chelsea’s worst nightmare.”

Take a look at some of the best reactions down below…

United fans, do you believe Chicharito is the best poacher in Premier League history? Let us know in the comments!

Hull City attacker Jarrod Bowen continued his prolific season in the Championship with another two goals in his side’s 2-2 draw with Middlesbrough on Sunday, and his performance didn’t go unnoticed by Crystal Palace supporters on Twitter.

Having scored 14 league goals in 2017/18 and 22 last term, the 22-year-old is now onto 11 in 17 during the current campaign before December following his double at the Riverside Stadium.

A close-range equaliser followed on from a thunderbolt from the winger, whose record in recent years suggests it is only a matter of time until he makes the jump up to the Premier League – with or without Hull.

Meanwhile, despite an impressive display against Liverpool at the weekend, Palace are struggling in the final third having only found the net 11 times in their 13 top flight fixtures to date in 2019/20.

Watch Crystal Palace Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

With little competition for Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend on the flanks, it is not out of the question that a new wide player could be on Roy Hodgson’s wish-list sooner rather than later.

Some Eagles fans certainly seem keen on the idea of getting Bowen given their recent comments, with one saying they “would love him at Palace”, as you can see below.

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Here’s just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

In other news, Crystal Palace fans have been hailing one midfielder after “immense” display against Liverpool…

The pressure is building on Manuel Pellegrini, with West Ham United currently on a run of seven games without a win in all competitions.

There have been various points where fans have questioned his decision making, though it seems as though the severity of the threat facing him is growing.

This comes as The Mirror have revealed that West Ham are monitoring Rafael Benitez’s situation:

West Ham fans are far from impressed with these links, as they feel that if Pellegrini is to leave the clu they should be looking well away from the Chinese Super League.

The general consensus seems to be that fans would want somebody much younger who is on an upward trajectory.

Benitez’s cause is not helped by the fact that his Dalian Yifang side have just 1 win from their last 7 CSL games.

A selection of Twitter reaction to the report, including posts from unimpressed West Ham fans, can be seen below: