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Liverpool’s perfect start to the season hit a blip on Wednesday night when the team suffered their first defeat of the season.

After winning seven games on the bounce in all competitions, Jurgen Klopp’s men were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in the third round of the EFL Cup.

The result was disappointing for the Reds, but should not have worried the manager given that he did not field his strongest side.

Over the next seven days, Liverpool have plenty of tough battles to contend with as they take on Chelsea and Manchester City in the Premier League, as well as Napoli in a Champions League group match.

It is a hugely important week for the Reds, but their run-up to the New Year has been relatively kind.

On paper, their most difficult challenges will be facing Arsenal twice, and playing Everton and Manchester United in the league.

The club also have a Champions League group clash against Paris Saint-Germain, but they have plenty of winnable fixtures in their calendar.

Twitter account @AnfieldExpress posted the schedule, which prompted a reaction from fans.

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Tottenham put their name in the hat for Saturday’s Carabao Cup fourth-round draw after emerging victorious against Watford but it was not a comfortable tie for the Lilywhites.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side fell behind to Isaac Success’ goal but turned the tie on its head following late goals from Dele Alli and Erik Lamela, though Etienne Capoue’s dramatic late equaliser led to extra-time in the fixture at the home of League Two side MK Dons.

Spurs emerged as victors following Paulo Gazzaniga’s penalty heroics, where he saved two from the spot, but there was a lot about the performance from the ‘hosts’ that left a lot to be desired for the supporters.

Midfielder Victor Wanyama, who earns £70,000-a-week according to The Sun, was handed his first start of the season against the Hornets but the 27-year-old Kenya international failed to impress, earning plenty of criticism on social media from fans who were not pleased with his display.

We have gathered some of the best reactions below.

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Lots of Leeds fans have been giving their verdict on Saturday’s draw against Brentford, and they’re delighted with the return to form of Ezgjan Alioski.

Leeds are on the brink of something very special under Marcelo Bielsa, and when it all clicks their attack looks incredible.

The injury to Pablo Hernandez has just thrown things out of kilter a bit though, and Alioski’s form has been particularly poor in recent weeks.

The 26 year-old seems to spend more time offside than he does creating chances, and plenty of fans have called for him to lose his place to young Jack Clarke.

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The Macedonian international was fantastic in the 1-1 draw against Brentford though, providing the assist for Pontus Jansson’s goal as well as making a remarkable seven tackles.

To put that number into perspective, no other player on the pitch made more than four tackles.

His deliveries were also much better, and he looked brilliant when he moved back to left back for the last half an hour.

Fans are heaping praise on the little playmaker, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

According to a recent report from The Sun, Liverpool are one of several sides keeping tabs on Jadon Sancho. The 18-year-old currently plays his football at Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund having left Manchester City in the summer of 2017, and he has since proven his worth in the German top-flight.

In fact, his recent fine form has earned him a spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain, and it appears to have interested several Premier League teams as well with Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool one of many reportedly keen on the £18 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt).

And while there is little doubting that he could be an asset to Klopp’s side going forward, Sancho should forget about a move to Anfield, and indeed stay exactly where he is in a bid to continue his development.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the 18-year-old made the move away from City little over 12 months ago in a bid to earn the regular football he was unlikely to get under Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, and while it took him time to get going at Dortmund, get going he certainly has now.

The attacker mustered just one assist in his first six games for the club last season, yet he finished the campaign very strongly indeed with a goal and three assists in his last six appearances, form which he has transferred into this season with a staggering one goal and seven assists in seven Bundesliga matches.

What’s more, Sancho has only started one of those games to underline the incredible impact he has when he is on the field, and it’s an impact which England manager Southgate clearly wants in his side given the 18-year-old has been named in the most recent senior squad.

And Liverpool are one side reportedly seeking to lure him back to the Premier League, but with things going well at Dortmund at present, Sancho should seek to stay exactly where he is.

Clearly, the 18-year-old is enjoying his football in Germany and is certainly producing the goods on a regular basis, but he has yet to nail down a regular place in Lucien Favre’s first team – this weekend saw him make his first start of the season in the Bundesliga.

Thus, there is still a long way to go for the attacker at the German club and much developing to be had, and given the struggles Phil Foden currently has in getting in the City team under Guardiola, one wonders whether Sancho would be able to go to one of the Premier League’s top sides and command regular football.

Arguably, that is much more likely at Dortmund in a team which plays attacking football and scores goals for fun – Sancho appears to be in his element at the German outfit, and will continue improving as a player in the Bundesliga.

Add in the pressure that may be heaped on his shoulders were he to return to the Premier League, and while Klopp’s Liverpool may be a project that excites the 18-year-old, he should stay exactly where he is for the benefit of his long-term career.

Liverpool fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Manchester United paid Spartak Moscow £7m in January 2006 to sign their Serbian centre-back Nemanja Vidic, and it could now be considered one of the bargains of the 21st century after the career he went on to have at Old Trafford.

Vidic was a brick wall and alongside Rio Ferdinand he formed one of the greatest ever centre-back partnerships, with both of them becoming United legends in the process.

Perhaps then, looking at the history of the club, current United boss Jose Mourinho was right to stand his ground so firmly in the summer as he attempted to bring a new centre back into the club.

The Red Devils were linked with Harry Maguire, Toby Alderweireld, Jerome Boateng, Yerry Mina and Diego Godin during the summer transfer window as the Portuguese boss desperately searched for an upgrade on his current options, but the only defensive addition ended up being full-back Diogo Dalot.

Since the summer, the current crop of central defenders have set about proving just why Mourinho was right to target almost anyone to add to his squad. For example, in the embarrassing 3-2 loss away at Brighton, Eric Bailly and Victor Lindelof were laughably bad and would have had Vidic and Ferdinand seething at their legacy.

Vidic ended up spending eight and a half years at Old Trafford, playing 300 games for the club in all competitions before leaving on a free transfer in 2014 and finishing his career at Inter Milan.

The now 38-year-old was probably one of the most feared defenders in English football, and his tough tackling and robust style helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s side to five Premier League titles, three League Cups and one Champions League title among others.

In a team full of stars, Ferdinand and Vidic maybe didn’t hit the headlines as much as United’s centre-backs are right now, but they were crucial as the base of Ferguson’s side and there is no doubt that if Mourinho could have them both in their prime, he would be shipping Bailly, Lindelof, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Marcos Rojo on the first bus out of Manchester.

The United boss has come in for plenty of criticism in recent weeks, but Ed Woodward’s stance on the centre-back situation during the summer must now be reviewed as it is clear that Mourinho needed reinforcements.

If a manager is no longer able to add the players he feels are necessary then maybe they shouldn’t take all of the flack when things don’t go as well as expected on the pitch.

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Last Sunday brought yet another disappointing result for Crystal Palace after late goals from substitutes Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Cenk Tosun saw Everton claim victory over Roy Hodgson’s men.

Crystal Palace’s 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park was their sixth of the Premier League campaign, and midfielder James McArthur has since come out to speak about what the current mood in the dressing room is like.

The Breakdown

“Goals change games but we win or lose as a team,” McArthur told Football.London after the Eagles’ recent defeat.

“We are just disappointed that we have conceded the goals. We feel in that changing room that we should be doing better.

“We have obviously got tough games coming up. We know it is going to be tough but sometimes we bounce back when no one expects us to.”

Assessing Crystal Palace’s squad, the south London club really should be doing better.

The team are not exactly blessed with goals with Wilfried Zaha often looking like the only player who can be trusted when coming up against the opposition goalkeeper for Hodgson’s side.

But dropping so many points at home to the likes of Southampton, Newcastle United and Wolves should not be happening — especially when games against Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester United are to come.

As alluded to by McArthur, though, Crystal Palace usually do go up another gear against the Premier League elite and are often able to take points away from them.

However, if they are not able to do such this time round, they could be in serious trouble considering how results versus the teams around them have gone so far this season.

Since their Premier League defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates last month, Everton have since gone on to win their following three fixtures with their 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace coming as the latest.

The Toffees now sit eighth in the table, as a result, and Theo Walcott believes his side can eventually climb even higher than that.

The Breakdown

Speaking to the Liverpool Echo about why he chose to join Everton after deciding to leave Arsenal, Walcott said: “I wasn’t really playing as much as I wanted to towards the end of my Arsenal career and I felt that I wanted a new challenge. I think it’s important to always challenge and push yourself.

“I could have gone for the easy option like moving to Southampton or something like that but there was something about Everton I felt was right with the young talent.

“A lot of the players are in the England Under-21s squad and you can see the development side and how it points to the future. There was something in the squad I wanted to be part of and the club was pushing on as well.

“I’ve said in the past I feel we can push in that top four. I’m not saying it’s going to be this season but we’ve got a good chance in the next few years. We’re playing exciting stuff and it’s really good to be involved.”

Given some of the signings Everton have made of late and the overall ambition majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri has shown since arriving at the club back in 2016, there is reason for supporters to be optimistic.

However, as alluded to by Walcott, Champions League qualification this season is likely to be out of reach. It is too much of an ask for Everton to overtake three high-calibre outfits and jump into the top four in just one campaign under Marco Silva.

Ultimately, patience is needed from the Everton faithful with the club’s goal of bringing Champions League football to Goodison Park not being something that can happen over the night.

Manchester City are no strangers to game-changing, extortionate and sometimes controversial transfer deals, but recent reports emerging from Spain suggest they are lining up a deal which would leave Europe’s giants reeling with envy.

Txiki Begiristain has one mission and one mission only at this moment in time: find a long-term replacement for Fernandinho. That’s easier said than done – as City have been forced to understand.

Target identified, negotiations effectively closed and relentless rumours all but quashed. But no, City’s dream successor, Jorginho, performed a transfer u-turn in light of Maurizio Sarri’s appointment at Chelsea.

Back to square one for the champions, but the summer disappointment could ultimately prove to be a blessing in disguise for everyone involved with the Citizens.

Indeed, City now have the opportunity to start their search from scratch and identify talents with a longer shelf life and, according to a recent report from Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo, they have identified Ajax’s Frenkie de Jong as the man to end their hunt for a new midfield lynchpin.

The report claims that Ajax have received a ‘mysterious’ 70 million euro offer for De Jong and Manchester City are believed to be the club behind the whopping bid.

That City are reportedly behind the transfer bid should give the supporters huge encouragement about their pursuit of a new midfielder, as the Holland international is one of, if not the most promising prodigy in Europe right now.

A product of the internationally-renowned and immensely prestigious Ajax academy, the 21-year-old is a deep-lying midfielder with all of the attributes Guardiola demands from his central midfielders: a tireless engine, forward-thinking dynamism, strong positioning sense, exuberant in his pursuit of possession and an extensive range of passing.

On paper, he is tailor-made for Guardiola’s well-oiled machine and City’s interest is certainly well placed.

With Barcelona expected to rival the Premier League champions for his signature it will undoubtedly be a huge task for Begirisitan to get a deal over the line but, if he manages to secure the jewel in Ajax’s crown, it will be a colossal coup for the club.

Man City fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

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According to Italian outlet Sport Mediaset, Manchester United are amongst the clubs that could sign unsettled Juventus defender Medhi Benatia in the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

According to the aforementioned report, Benatia is currently frustrated with his lack of game time in Turin and is set to force an exit from the Allianz Stadium during the winter window. 

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The 31-year-old has only made a handful of appearances for Massimiliano Allegri’s side so far this season. However, the 55-cap Morocco international is still a top class defender capable of performing at a high level.

His experience – which includes winning league titles with both Bayern Munich in Germany and the Old Lady – could make him an asset to many clubs. Manchester United, however, would be wise to look elsewhere for the defensive upgrade they so desperately need.

United need more than a stop-gap 

As good as Benatia is, he would only represent a stop-gap solution for Jose Mourinho’s side as he is a player in decline. The 6’2” Juventus man is not the player to bring in to build a new defence around, and that is what the Red Devils need.

Instead, Mourinho ought to focus on bringing a younger centre-back to Old Trafford to usher in a new generation of United defenders. The Red Devils’ current back line is in need of a major overhaul, not a dash of extra depth and experience.

What do you think, United fans – would Mourinho be wise to pursue Benatia in the January transfer window?

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In this day and age, not many footballers stay loyal to one club in their hunt for success.

It seems that Everton right-back Seamus Coleman is one of the exceptions as he has been at Goodison Park since 2009 when he signed from Sligo Rovers.

The 30-year-old has not picked up any silverware with the Toffees, but he has rejected any opportunity to move on.

While speaking to reporters after joining up with the Republic of Ireland squad, Coleman expressed a desire to stay at Everton until he retires.

“You can look back and people can say you need to push on, you need to win things, you need to go to the top. But Everton brought me from Sligo, they’ve been good to me. Loyalty is not really a thing anymore as such, but for me I feel good there, I feel they have done a lot for me.

“I know football – maybe five or 10 bad appearances and fans, the media, they’ll be wanting other players in. That’s the way it goes. But for me Everton is where I want to me. I have never looked for a way out of Everton. To win one cup there would mean more to me than winning it somewhere else.”

This season, the Irishman, who suffered a horrific leg break in 2017, has made eight Premier League appearances under manager Marco Silva, scoring one goal.

At times during the campaign, Coleman has been criticised by fans on Twitter for his performances on the field.

However, after he opened up about his commitment to Everton, plenty have flocked to Reddit to hail the right-back’s dedication to the cause.

Comment from discussion Coleman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to Everton.Comment from discussion Coleman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to Everton.Comment from discussion Coleman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to Everton.Comment from discussion Coleman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to Everton.Comment from discussion Coleman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to Everton.Comment from discussion Coleman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to Everton.Comment from discussion Coleman reaffirms his unwavering commitment to Everton.