The groans could be heard all across the country and social media. Aaron Wan-Bissaka had been left out of the England squad, and the outrage was felt everywhere.

The superstar defender, who has been a breakout success for Palace has this season has statistically and stylistically, was heavily tipped to be in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad for upcoming EURO 2020 qualifiers against the Czech Republic and Montenegro. However, the 21-year-old fullback was omitted from the squad.

Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier and Trent Alexander-Arnold were selected as England’s right-backs for the March international break causing cries of outrage from Palace fans as well as supporters from other teams due to the absence of Wan-Bissaka.

This season Wan-Bissaka has been one of the most defensively efficient players in not just the Premier League but in all of Europe. Recent statistics show that the Croydon-born Palace man has had the most successful tackles (71) out of anyone in the top five leagues on the continent this campaign, five more than Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi who resides in the second spot on the list.

The England U-21 international has also been linked with a big money move to Manchester United this season, with the Red Devils eager to strengthen their defence and replace club veteran Antonio Valencia.

Wan-Bissaka has been a star in the Prem this season, but is he really ready for international football?

If there’s anything we’ve learnt about Southgate and his England squads is that he is loyal to certain players and that he favours those who have been through the England international setup.

Although Wan-Bissaka has been great this season and will likely flourish into one of the best right-backs in the league, it is understandable why Southgate didn’t select him for this international break.

The defender has only represented England on four occasions at youth level, and this was after he played for the DR Congo’s U-20’s when he was only 16-years-old, a nation he is legible to play for through family, and there are rumours that the African nation might swoop in and take Wan-Bissaka right from Southgate’s nose.

Whether or not Wan-Bissaka chooses England or DR Congo is a debate for another time, but the fact still stands that the Palace defender just isn’t ready for international football.

Look at Alexander-Arnold as a case study on how to get in the England squad. The Liverpool right-back might be a year younger than Wan-Bissaka, but the Merseyside-born defender has been part of the Three Lions international set-up since he was 15-years-old, representing every level of England from the U-16’s all the way to the U-21’s and now a part of the senior squad.

It’s this kind of experience Southgate wants from his players, meaning it will take a while for the Palace man to earn a spot in the England squad. But this waiting isn’t a bad thing.

Wan-Bissaka is still young at 21 and has played a lot of games this season, and this international break not only allow the defender to get some well-earned rest, but it’s also two games missed where the Palace star could pick up an injury, which would derail Roy Hodgson’s plans for his side this season massively.

There’s no question Wan-Bissaka is one of the brightest English defensive prospects to emerge in years, and although his omission from the latest England squad might be seen as harsh, Southgate has so far approached team selections in the right manner, and it will pay off in the future.

Crystal Palace fans, when do you think Wan-Bassaka will break into the England squad?

It is fair to say that if Portsmouth fans were asked at the start of the season whether they would be happy with a trip to Wembley and a spot in the play-offs, they definitely would have taken it.

Indeed, that transpires as their reality right now, with a Checkatrade Trophy final on the horizon and promotion back to the Championship remaining a possibility at the very least. Despite derailing at the beginning of the New Year, crashing down from first to fourth, Portsmouth have now restored their form and look to be a healthy candidate for promotion and cup victors, although next season could be very different.

Whether it’s Championship or League One football still, the right players added over the summer could prove to make all the difference with it sure to be a much harder campaign.

Although far from a household name right now, Blackburn forward Joe Nuttall could present himself as a brilliant option for Pompey as they aim to bolster their forward line.

Nuttall, (who is valued at £90k on Transfermarkt) is a 22-year-old that has failed to really establish himself within the Blackburn first-team this season, instead becoming a regular for the U23’s. Still. at this important stage in his career, Nuttall will surely want to be settled at a club where he plays week in, week out at a good level.

With that in mind, Portsmouth could provide him with that opportunity seeing as next season, they will lose Omar Bogle and James Vaughan as they head back to their parent clubs.

Joe Nuttall isn’t yet the finished article but with time, Portsmouth could learn to love him.

Portsmouth fans, would you back a move for Nuttall? The Sun (via HITC) linked you with a move for the player last week! Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Derby County manager Frank Lampard has admitted via The Derby Telegraph that both he and his players dwelt on the crushing 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday post-match, but now he is encouraging them to be positive when they host Wigan Athletic at the Pride Park Stadium on Tuesday night.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Rams’ defeat at Villa Park came after Lampard made six changes to his starting XI, but it ended with a fourth defeat on the bounce in all competitions.

They have also failed to find the net in the previous three but despite that, they could go level on points with sixth-placed Bristol City with a win against the Latics to keep them well in the promotion hunt.

Improvement is needed at both ends of the pitch however, and Lampard admitted in an interview, as published by The Derby Telegraph, that he and his players did analyse in their heads thedifficult performance that saw them trail 4-0 at half-time against Dean Smith’s men.

The Chelsea legend said: “We dwelt on it (Villa) after the game, I did and the players did.

“I don’t think it was one to absolutely analyse in the short turnaround before the Wigan game. I think it is one to know we were below par generally and it is more about confidence and motivation now.”

Can they bounce back?

Playing a struggling side at home on paper looks a great opportunity to get back to winning ways, but Paul Cook’s visitors won’t make life easy for County.

They have drawn their previous four league fixtures to show they are difficult to beat despite their lowly league standing, and the hosts will need to show a lot more than they have done in recent weeks to get the three points.

The loss to Villa may well act as a wake-up call for Lampard and his players however, and it would be no surprise if they did react well on Tuesday and do what they need to do.

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Bournemouth visit Huddersfield this weekend in a clash that represents a brilliant opportunity to get back on track having had a miserable month of results. Unfortunately, the Cherries will have to get the win without one of their senior players, who will be out for a while.

What’s the news?

Well, speaking ahead of Saturday’s game, Eddie Howe said:

“Unfortunately, Steve Cook will be out. He had a long-standing groin problem and had an injection that has become infected. He’ll be out for between five and six weeks.”

Ouch. It certainly doesn’t sound pleasant for the 27-year-old and, while some fans were surely more concerned with the positive news that Callum Wilson has returned to training, it will surely prove to be a massive blow for Bournemouth in the coming weeks.

Rotten Cherries

A woeful run of form has seen the south coast outfit concede 11 goals in their four matches in February and they showed no semblance of defensive organisation – Cook’s absence will hurt them more as he is a leader in the backline.

Watch the best fails from the world of indoor football in the video below…

If there was ever a bad time for Bournemouth to start falling off, having had a fantastic start to the season, it’s now. Their remaining run of fixtures looks relatively easy but we all know that even the teams at the bottom of the pile can hurt you.

The Terriers are surely sunk now but that doesn’t mean they won’t pose a challenge to the Cherries, particularly in the absence of an important defender.

The Vitality Stadium would have surely been hoping for a resurrection of form starting this weekend, although Cook’s ruling out makes the task of fixing their awful defensive record of late much harder.

أشاد المدرب الهولندي رونالد كومان، المدير الفني لنادي برشلونة، بالصاعد أنسو فاتي، جناح الفريق، بعد تألقه رفقة البلوجرانا مؤخرًا.

فاتي ظهر بشكل جيد مع برشلونة في أولى المباريات بالموسم الجديد 2020/2021، وساهم في انتصار برشلونة على فياريال وسيلتا فيجو.

وقال كومان في حواره مع الموقع الرسمي لـ برشلونة: “أنسو فاتي؟ نحن نتحدث عن لاعب يبلغ من العمر 17 عامًا، لقد لعب بشكل جيد في ثلاث مباريات متتالية وبأعلى مستوى، وهذا يعني أنه جيد جدًا”.

وأضاف: “إنه موهبة، لا يزال يجب أنّ يتعلم الكثير، لكنه أيضًا يريد أنّ يفعل هو أشياء، نحن هُنا من اجل مُساعدته، وأعتقد أنه لا يوجد لاعب في العالم في سنه ويلعب مع الفريق الأول”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ديباي يفتح الباب مجددًا أمام برشلونة ويكشف سبب فشل الصفقة

وعن مدى رضاه عن الفريق الحالي: “نحن نعمل بشكل جيد، وأنا سعيد بالتشكيلة التي لدينا، لقد حاولنا تحسّينها في بعض الجوانب، ونجحنا في حالات، وفي أخرى لم ننجح”.

وأتم: “ولكن الأمر يتعلق أيضًا بالوضع المالي لـ برشلونة، علينا قبول الوضع، والعمل مع ذلك”.

برشلونة حاول في سوق الانتقالات، التعاقد مع ممفيس ديباي من أولمبيك ليون، لتعويض رحيل سواريز، وجورجينو فينالدوم من ليفربول، ليعوض رحيل راكيتيتش وفيدال، وإريك جارسيا من سيتي لتحسّين الدفاع ولكن لم ينجح في ضم أي منهما.

Rangers fans may be feeling slightly anxious ahead of tomorrow’s Old Firm clash with Celtic, as there’s nothing supporters want more than to secure the bragging rights. 

The Light Blues find themselves struggling to keep Celtic in sight in the Scottish Premiership and they’re already out of the domestic cups, so Steven Gerrard may already be looking towards next season.

Interestingly, it looks as if the Glasgow club are close to securing a summer swoop, as according to Football Insider, Motherwell youngster Jake Hastie has agreed terms with Rangers.

Indeed, the winger has made a name for himself in the Scottish Premiership this season having produced an impressive six goals and one assist in 11 appearances in all competitions. And, the impressive part is that he’s only 21-years-old with his best years still ahead of him, so the Light Blues may secure themselves a future star.

Of course, this will definitely provide Rangers supporters with a much-needed boost amid claims (as per Liverpool Echo) that Liverpool want £12 million for Ryan Kent.

So, perhaps Hastie could be the man to replace Kent at Ibrox next season if Rangers decide against paying the fee or another club snaps him up. He’s very similar to the Liverpool man in many ways as he looks to make use of his pace and trickery out wide, and he’s scored one more goal than Kent in just 11 games in all competitions.

Also, the £12 million that could be spent on bringing Kent to Glasgow could be invested in strengthening a number of different areas in Gerrard’s squad, rather than just being splashed on one player.

Rangers fans, do you think that Hastie has what it takes to potentially replace Ryan Kent? Join the discussion by commenting down below! 

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Leeds kept pace with their promotion rivals again on Saturday, grabbing a crucial three points at Bristol City, but it’s a post-game injury update that really has fans excited.

After Norwich heaped the pressure on Leeds on Friday night, the Whites responded on Saturday with a hard-fought and professional performance at Ashton Gate.

Patrick Bamford scored the game’s only goal, bundling in from close range after a knockdown by Luke Ayling.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

However, both the goalscorer and the ever-improving Kalvin Phillips appeared to pick up injuries, and Phil Hay has delivered an update on the duo.

“Bamford to have tests tomorrow. Leeds don’t think there’s any serious issue with his injured knee,” Hay tweeted on Saturday night.

He continued, reporting that Marcelo Bielsa said: “We’ll see by Tuesday how they are. I think they will be available.”

This is fantastic news, as with no Kemar Roofe to call on and no like-for-like replacement for Phillips, the pair are crucially important to the club’s promotion hopes.

Any serious damage to either player would have put a dark cloud over an otherwise perfect day, and fans are ecstatic over the update from Hay, as you can see from the reactions down below…

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Tottenham Hotspur are lining up a move for FC Copenhagen midfielder Robert Skov, according to Sky Sports News.

Spurs are one of a number of Premier League clubs currently watching the 22-year-old, along with the likes of Wolves, West Ham and Watford.

What’s the word?

Skov, a Denmark Under-21 international, has enjoyed a remarkably prolific campaign in his native country thus far this season.

Playing as a right winger, he has scored 24 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions and has also laid on six assists.

That tally includes the winner in Copenhagen’s only Europa League victory this season, a 2-1 success over Bordeaux.

Sky Sports News report that Spurs are keen to recruit a versatile attacking player who can support Harry Kane from the flank, and have subsequently identified Skov as a potential target.

The 22-year-old, who is yet to make his senior debut for Denmark, has only been with his current club for a season, having cost them just under £1million last summer, per the aforementioned report.

A gamble

Spurs definitely need a right winger this summer but recruiting Skov would be a gamble.

Copenhagen are almost guaranteed to turn a tidy profit on the player, with Premier League clubs circling.

It would mark a significant show of faith, however, if Spurs were to secure a player from the Danish top-flight.

Vincent Janssen is perhaps the example. Having scored 32 goals and laid on seven assists in just 49 appearances for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, the north London outfit identified him as the perfect man to offer support to Kane.

Instead, he has scored just six times for the club and is almost certain to leave in the summer.

Spurs had better tread carefully around Skov, then.

Most would say Manchester City have one of the strongest squads in Europe and it’s hard to disagree, but that means some players don’t get as much game time as they would at other clubs. Indeed, Ilkay Gundogan is one star who’s been in and out of favour at the Etihad, so he’s right to be coy (quotes sourced by the Manchester Evening News) on a new deal at the moment.

City have already won the Community Shield and the League Cup this season, now they’re on the hunt for the FA Cup, Champions League a club-first back-to-back title, but some of their greatest successes over the last two seasons have seen tying down their best players to long-term contracts.

Kevin De Buryne, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, and Ederson just to name a few have put pen to paper on new deals, creating a certain future for many of their top stars.

Still, the 28-year-old has played 23 times in the Premier League this season, but he’s only recently begun to show Pep Guardiola his best form. He’s been behind arguably City’s all-time greatest player David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and now Bernardo Silva in the pecking order, so it’s been tough to get minutes in the biggest games.

Injuries to De Bruyne and Fernandinho, and the fact Silva can’t play two games a week anymore, has given him more of a chance.

That shouldn’t mean Gundogan goes ahead and signs a new deal right away because the only real reason he was given the amount of chances he has been is due to others getting injured, so he should bide his time and see just how much Guardiola values him as an important member of the team.

He can play in the six role and across the midfield, so on paper that’s very valuable, but it appears he wants to see that proven.

He doesn’t seem to want to settle for being a squad player and fair play to him, because he’s tremendously gifted and would play more minutes in most, if not all, other teams in Europe.

His contract is up at the end of next season, so he should wait until the end of this campaign and see just how important City make him feel before signing an extension that would probably be the last big contract of his career.

Manchester City fans, just how valuable has Gundogan been over the years? How desperate are you to keep him? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

[ad_pod ]Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to some international action, as Salomon Rondon dominated Argentina on Friday night.After years of watching the likes of Joselu, Aleksandar Mitrovic and Emmanuel Riviere, Newcastle fans are really revelling in the presence of Rondon.The big number nine has completely transformed the Magpies, providing exactly the focal point that Rafael Benitez demands from his front man. Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….He has continued his excellent form into the international break too, scoring the opener as Venezuela downed Argentina on Friday.La Vinotinto were expected to roll over for Lionel Messi’s side, but Rondon opened the scoring just six minutes into the match with a delightful chip.

Jhon Murillo and Josef Martinez both chipped in with a goal to help Rondon’s side win 3-1, but it was Tyneside’s new hero that really stole the show.

As well as his goal, he was just as destructive and dominant as he is at St. James’ Park, and the Twitter reactions down below are running out of superlatives for the summer arrival…