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Jurgen Klopp was not pleased with his side’s 1-1 draw at Manchester United on Sunday.Understandably, the German took issue with the legitimacy of Marcus Rashford’s opening goal, which was allowed to stand irrespective of a dubious challenge on Divock Origi in the build-up.Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Klopp is yet to beat United at Old Trafford in his five-year tenure as Liverpool boss, and another botched attempt saw his dreams of breaking Manchester City’s record of 18 consecutive Premier League wins shattered.

Needless to say, Martin Atkinson won’t be a popular figure around Anfield the next time he passes into Merseyside after he upheld his original decision on the Origi incident.

Speaking after the game, Klopp made his feelings on VAR abundantly clear…

The events on Sunday have opened up a whole new line of enquiry over the competency of so-called ‘video assistant referee.’

Ex-Premier League official Mark Halsey has since branded it an ‘absolute disgrace’ and the likes of Alan Shearer and Phil Neville insisting that system is being used incorrectly, with referees failing to check pitch-side monitors to assist with their decision-making so far this term.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Liverpool’s decision to offload Dominic Solanke in January for a whopping £19m is already looking like an absolute masterstroke from the club.

Sporting director Michael Edwards has overseen the arrivals of players like Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker, and has helped transform the club during Jurgen Klopp’s tenure.

His work in sending players the opposite direction is just as impressive though, and Solanke may just be his finest piece of business yet.

While the England international is still just 22 years of age and so has time to develop, his impact since joining Bournemouth has been almost non-existent.

After grabbing just one assist for the Cherries last term, he has played seven times in the league this season, and has no goals and no assists, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers make for even more worrying reading, as he boasts just 1.4 shots per game, 0.4 key passes per game and 0.6 dribbles per game, while also completing a truly horrific 69% of his passes.

It’s not as if his team aren’t creating an environment for strikers to succeed either. Callum Wilson has five goals and completes a vastly superior 1.4 key passes per game, while Josh King has managed two goals, two assists and a whopping three dribbles per game.

And if King is the dribbler and Wilson is the creator out of their forward options, then surely Solanke is the aerial threat, right? Wrong. King also wins more aerial duels than his English counterpart (3.7 to 2.9).

Quite simply, Solanke is not making an impact in any area of the game, is massively inferior to the other striking options in front of him and is showing no signs of moving up in the pecking order.

£26m for Mamadou Sakho was good business for the Reds, but the Frenchman is a Crystal Palace regular and arguably still a solid player. £20m for Danny Ings was more good business, but he certainly knows where the back of the net is, grabbing 12 goals for the Saints since joining, and even Jordon Ibe for £15m doesn’t look that ridiculous considering he has five goals and nine assists at the Vitality Stadium.

With just one assist and no goals in 19 games for his new club in all competitions though, Solanke’s departure takes the cake.

If the greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist, then the greatest trick Edwards ever pulled was convincing Bournemouth that Solanke is worth £19m.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Charlton make the trip across London this Saturday to take on Fulham at Craven Cottage, where they’ll be looking to bounce back from their 2-1 defeat to Swansea in midweek.

In stark contrast to the Addicks’ result, the Cottagers steamrolled Reading on their own turf with a 4-1 win, a match where Scott Parker’s side were 3-0 up at half-time.

Fulham – who were relegated from the Premier League last season – have a side littered with individual talent, and find themselves 5th in the table, just three points off 1st-place Swansea.

While there are a number of players in the Cottagers’ ranks who Charlton must keep an eye on, let’s take a look at two men who are arguably their biggest threats…

Tom Cairney 

The 28-year-old impressed hugely in Fulham’s last season in the Championship, scoring six goals and recording five assists as he helped them earn promotion via the play-offs with the winning goal at Wembley.

After a disappointing Premier League stint – he scored just once – the Fulham No.10, valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, is back to his best in the second tier and Charlton simply have to keep an eye out for him this Saturday.

Cairney has scored five goals and recorded three assists in just 10 league appearances so far this term, taking 1.3 shots and completing 2.4 key passes per game on average.

Aleksandar Mitrovic

Like Cairney, Mitrovic also thrived in Fulham’s promotion campaign with 12 goals in just 18 games, and he too has started the season in fine form.

The physically-dominant forward has scored seven goals in his 10 Championship starts so far this term, and looks likely to be a real handful for Bowyer’s men to contend with seeing as he takes an eye-catching 3.7 shots per game.

Charlton’s centre-backs will also have to bring their A-game in the air, as the 51-cap Serbian international wins 3.2 aerial duels per game on average.

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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, John Hartson has told Tottenham Hotspur that they must forget about the £25m-30m they could potentially receive by selling Christian Eriksen in January and keep him in north London for the remainder of the season.

The 27-year-old is into the final year of his contract and it doesn’t look too promising for those hoping to see him sign an extension, with his personal desire to embark on a new challenge suggesting that his future lies elsewhere.

The Denmark international remaining at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium during the summer transfer window means that, as things stand, their final chance to recoup some sort of transfer fee for the playmaker, who has scored 67 goals and provided a further 86 assists in 281 appearances in all competitions for Spurs, is in the New Year.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, Hartson’s viewpoint on the situation was clear: “Tottenham must keep Eriksen.

“Eriksen is a technician, has guile, scores goals and Tottenham should waive the £25-30m they could get in January to ensure they get Champions League football.”

Given the significant difference Eriksen has made in the final third for Spurs since his move from Ajax, it’s difficult to disagree with Hartson that £25-30m wouldn’t compensate for what the Dane could contribute during the second half of the 2019/20 campaign, in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Tottenham are a club in the habit of playing among Europe’s elite now, and following an unconvincing beginning to the season they could do with a proven English top flight performer in the 27-year-old for the next eight months, otherwise they could struggle to secure that coveted top-four finish, as Hartson suggests.

The 44-year-old also told FFC exclusively about Tottenham’s attempts to keep Eriksen at the club and where he believes he could end up next.

“I do believe they tried to work with Eriksen’s representatives,” the former Wales international added.

“They did try to get him on a contract but he’s just basically let his contract run out. So maybe that tells you something about where he wants to go next.

“I feel he’s good enough to go higher, to go over to Spain and play for the big-two.”

[ad_pod ]Declan Rice played the full 90 minutes of West Ham United’s goalless draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Monday night.According to WhoScored, the England international won six tackles, had two shots and won two aerial duels during a strong performance.What’s more, Rice also boasted pass success statistics of 96%, operating at the base of West Ham’s midfield.It was quite a frustrating match for the Hammers, who finished with 10 men after Arthur Masuaku was sent off due to picking up a second yellow card and eventually had to settle for a point.However, Rice further enhanced his reputation with a strong performance against the likes of John McGinn and Jack Grealish in the middle of the park.Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And a number of West Ham supporters have now taken to social media to lavish praise on Rice for his performance in the engine room.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has confirmed during his Crystal Palace pre-match press conference, via Sky Sports, that Charlie Austin could leave the club before the end of the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

Hasenhuttl told reporters on Monday, as quoted by Sky Sports:

“Sometimes you get to a point when you as a club can’t give a player what he expects us to give him so in this situation we are trying to find a win-win situation for both sides.

“I think he has played two times from the beginning since I have been here. He is a fantastic striker who can score for every team. He is 100 per cent professional, he shows the team that if we need him he is here.

“But like every player he wants to start from the beginning and if there is not the option here in Southampton then maybe he will be looking for another club where he has this option.

“Then we have to talk about these things. We don’t send any player away but if there is a different option for him it can be he is an option for another club.”

Austin joined Southampton from Queens Park Rangers in January 2016.

The centre-forward has managed 20 goals in 72 appearances in all competitions for the Saints, as per Transfermarkt, but has netted just two Premier League goals this season.

Hasenhuttl has admitted that he will be unable to give Austin the football that he wants in the second half of the season, which could lead to an exit.

The 29-year-old has actually only started two Premier League matches since Hasenhuttl replaced Mark Hughes as head coach at the start of December.

Should Southampton fight to keep him?

Austin’s Premier League record is 34 goals in 97 appearances, suggesting that the striker certainly knows how to find the back of the net at the top level.

Southampton recorded a 2-1 win over Everton in the Premier League last time out, but the Saints are far from safe in the top flight.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Austin – valued at £9m by Transfermarkt – will only have 12 months left on his Southampton contract this summer and a move at the end of the 2018-19 campaign makes sense for all involved.

For now, the Saints, who face Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday night, must fight to keep hold of a player who is certainly capable of coming off the bench and scoring some vital goals before the end of the season.

That said, Austin is understandably desperate to secure regular football at this stage of his career and a move away this month is looking increasingly likely.

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A number of Manchester United fans have taken to social media to lavish praise on Harry Maguire following the centre-back’s latest England performance.

Maguire played the full 90 minutes as England made it three wins from three Euro 2020 qualification fixtures with a 4-0 success over Bulgaria in London.

In all honesty, it was not the most demanding of matches for the Three Lions, who dominated the possession for large chunks of the contest.

And it was a comfortable game for the back four due to the fact that Bulgaria struggled to make their mark in the final third of the field.

Maguire put in another composed performance, however, and a number of United supporters were delighted with what they saw from the summer arrival.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Indeed, some even claimed that the former Sheffield United youngster will soon be the captain of the Red Devils if he continues to apply himself.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Taking to Twitter, Foot Mercato journalist Sebastien Denis has broken some West Ham United transfer news involving RC Strasbourg striker Ludovic Ajorque.

The Lowdown: West Ham in striker hunt…

In perhaps the worst-kept secret of the January transfer window, Irons manager David Moyes and new transfer chief Rob Newman have their eyes firmly placed on bringing in a new striker alongside other additions.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-updates/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

There have been plenty of names linked with a move to east London, including Flamengo’s Gabriel Barbosa and Blackburn’s Ben Brereton-Diaz, with Moyes and Newman seemingly looking under every rock.

The latter has been tasked with assisting West Ham in the transfer market after leaving his role of chief scout at Manchester City, coming with a big reputation from his time at Eastlands (The Athletic).

As of yet, the head of recruitment has been unsuccessful in clinching any West Ham deals, but he has now set his sights on a new target.

The Latest: Newman eyeing Ajorque…

According to French journalist Denis, West Ham and by extension Newman have set their sights on Strasbourg’s in-form talisman Ajorque amid their drawn-out search for centre-forward options.

The journalist explained on Twitter: “Looking for a 9 for many months, West Ham is interested in Ludovic Ajorque, the Strasbourg serial scorer, current 2nd top scorer in L1 with 10 goals.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

Reliable West Ham insider ExWHUemployee recently claimed that the Irons were looking for talent in Ligue 1, with the French top flight potentially becoming a solution for Newman (West Ham Way).

It is therefore no surprise to see another name from France linked with a move to West Ham, but going by his numbers, Ajorque could be a shrewd option.

Alongside his impressive strike rate this season, the 27-year-old has notched an impressive total of 79 senior career goals and is an imposing threat going forward.

Compared to West Ham’s current squad, the towering 6 foot 5 striker has averaged a colossal 3.7 aerial duels won per 90 over 17 league starts – far more than any Irons player this season (WhoScored).

An aerial threat and proven in front of goal, it’s little wonder the Hammers and Newman now hold an interest in Ajorque.

In other news: West Ham source: Newman also moves to sign ‘devastating’ forward after price plummets by £32m, find out more here.

Everton have made a “concrete” enquiry to sign Juventus star Dejan Kulusevski in this January transfer window.

What’s the story?

The Toffees might be without a permanent manager currently following Rafa Benitez’s sacking, but it appears they are still trying to make moves in terms of their recruitment.

And, according to Romeo Agresti, the Merseyside club have got their sights set on Sweden international Kulusevski.

Speaking on Goal Italia’s Twitch channel, the journalist said: “Everton made a more concrete survey for Kulusevski. But Juventus did not receive any offers.”

Huge upgrade on Iwobi

Amid all the chaos and confusion surrounding who Everton will be looking to appoint as their new manager, bringing in Kulusevski would be an unqualified success that Toffees fans would absolutely get behind.

Described as “explosive” by former Villa and Sweden striker Marcus Allback, he also added: “He likes to challenge his direct opponent. He likes to dribble with the ball, play the short passes and he is very good on the through balls. He’s quick and would cause a lot of trouble for most of the teams he plays.

In fact, while Toffees fans might be sick of the sight of Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, they could find themselves getting their own version of the Egyptian in Kulusevski.

Italian coach Pierpaolo Bisoli once claimed: “He has incredible physical strength. He reminds me of a young Salah for the way he shakes off opponents in the first ten metres.”

Crucially, Kulusevski is a significant upgrade on what Everton have already got in Alex Iwobi, who quite frankly, has been a very disappointing signing since his own big-money arrival from fellow Premier League side Arsenal.

The Nigeria international has managed just six goals and five assists in 80 Premier League games for the Toffees, while his start to the current campaign has been similarly underwhelming to say the least – just the three goal contributions in total.

That lack of end product is not something Kulusevski struggles with however, with the Swede a real threat with his directness and quality.

Last season saw him score seven goals and provide another seven assists in all competitions for Juventus – a real indication of how he is very much at home at such a high level for someone who remains only 21 (four years younger than Iwobi).

As per Whoscored, Kulusevski also averages far more shots, dribbles and key passes per game over his career, and unlike Iwobi has broken into double-figures for goals in a season before – the Swede has also managed more assists than the Everton man in a single campaign too.

The £27m-rated star would be the kind of signing that would get Goodison Park rocking.

Meanwhile, Moshiri should look to hire this man…

Everton have been absolutely plagued with injuries in the first half of the season, with Rafael Benitez having to put together makeshift teams with key players missing for large chunks of the Premier League campaign so far.

As a result, it has left the Toffees 15th in the table after 17 games, but the impending return of one very influential player could change everything for the Merseyside club.

What’s the word?

Having last played at the end of August due to a toe injury, Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been teasing his return for a few weeks and injury expert Ben Dinnery has now claimed that, following his analysis, the 24-year-old is back available. He told Football Insider: “There is a big difference between being available and being fit. He is certainly available for selection.”

However, Dinnery also added a word of caution for the Everton manager regarding the usage of the striker, saying: “He has been out for the past four months now. To throw him into that highly pressurised environment is a very, very risky situation.”

The England international had sent a video message to a fan just before Christmas and made the claim of a potential of a return to the team on Boxing Day. However, with further Premier League fixture postponement, Everton are yet to play since 16 December, but it could be a blessing in disguise in terms of allowing Calvert-Lewin further time to recover fully from his injury.

Fans will be buzzing

Some Everton fans have made no secret about their excitement for Calvert-Lewin’s return, with plenty taking to social media when news travelled on his imminent return.

The club’s official Twitter account posted pictures of training this afternoon and there were numerous replies expressing glee over the sight of the 24-year-old, who it seems is closing in on a comeback to action.

There is no doubt that Benitez will be thrilled and relieved with the return of the prolific striker, as his side really need to start picking up points. Their last 13 league games have yielded just two wins, with last season’s 21-goal top scorer being sorely missed in that time, not least as he had carried over his fine form into the early weeks of the current campaign prior to his injury.

What better way to kick off the New Year than the potential return of Calvert-Lewin, especially if it accompanies a win against Brighton at Goodison Park on Sunday. With the Seagulls being the last team he faced (and scored against), a goalscoring return to the fold this weekend would seem quite fitting.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano confirms Toffees’ interest in this La Liga maestro