Rangers’ quest to chase down Aberdeen took a massive blow on Saturday after they dropped more Scottish Premiership points, at home to Motherwell.
After the Dons thumped Dundee 7-0 on Friday, supporters were looking for a convincing victory against the Steelmen to keep pace. However, they now find their team a massive 10 points behind second place.
Louis Moult got his second goal at Ibrox this season, opening the scoring just 3 minutes into the match.
A dire first half performance from the Gers meant Pedro Caixinha made three bold substitutions at half-time, bringing off three defenders out of the four who started. He switched the formation to three at the back and his side managed to get themselves back into the match through a Joe Garner effort.
However, the Light Blues couldn’t find it themselves to grab the winner, leaving supporters questioning the team again after a fairly positive month had boosted morale at Ibrox.
They took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the afternoon…
Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of their first FA Cup title since 1991 will continue on Saturday when they take on Premier League title rivals Chelsea in the semi-finals of the competition.
Spurs are eight-time winners of the biggest cup competition in England, but the London side have not lifted the trophy for 26 years.
For all of the praise that has been sent towards Mauricio Pochettino and his team this season, there is a feeling that Spurs need to win a trophy in order to be recognised as currently one of the best teams in English football.
Spurs are threatening to snatch the Premier League title away from Chelsea in the final weeks of the campaign, and the club’s official Twitter account looked to rally supporters with a post on social media before Saturday’s last-four affair in the FA Cup.
Whilst Chelsea supporters appear nervous due to their team’s current stutter, Spurs fans are full of confidence entering the Wembley fixture.
Manchester United will look to keep their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League alive, and extend their incredible unbeaten run, when they host lowly Swansea City at Old Trafford on Sunday.
The Red Devils can make it 25 Premier League matches without tasting defeat if they avoid a loss against the Welsh outfit, but manager Jose Mourinho will know that they need to take all three points if they are to improve their chances of finishing in the top four and overhauling the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City.
United drew 0-0 with the latter in the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, and the Portuguese boss will be missing two more players this weekend after Marouane Fellaini was sent off for head-butting Sergio Aguero and Timothy Fosu-Mensah suffered a suspected dislocated shoulder.
With key men like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Juan Mata and Paul Pogba all likely to be missing it won’t be an easy task against Paul Clement’s men, who are two points from safety and in desperate need of points themselves as they look to stave off the threat of relegation.
Here is our Man United predicted XI that will beat Swansea…
David De Gea
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Even though he continues to be linked with a move back to Spain, the goalkeeper continues to impress between the sticks for United and has played a big part in their impressive unbeaten run.
The 0-0 draw against arch-rivals Manchester City at the Etihad on Wednesday night meant that he picked up his third successive Premier League clean sheet, and the Spaniard will be expecting another quiet afternoon when a struggling Swansea visit Old Trafford on Sunday.
Antonio Valencia
Even though he has competition from the likes of Ashley Young and Matteo Darmian for the right-back spot, there is no doubt that Valencia is Jose Mourinho’s first-choice in that position.
The 31-year-old has enjoyed another consistent season for the Red Devils and he did well to nullify the threat of the speedy Leroy Sane during his team’s 0-0 draw against Manchester City on Wednesday.
Strong defensively and good going forward, he could prove to be a thorn in Swansea’s side.
Eric Bailly
With Marcos Rojo definitely out and Chris Smalling and Phil Jones major doubts as they continue their returns from injury, Mourinho is running out of options at centre-back.
Summer signing Bailly is certain to start at the heart of the defence when Swansea visit Old Trafford and aside from one or two suspect moments, he has looked good in his first season in the Premier League.
He will know all about the Swans’ Fernando Llorente from his time in Spain, and it could be an interesting battle between the two on Sunday.
Daley Blind
As we mentioned previously, Mourinho’s lack of options at centre-back has meant that the versatile Blind has filled in at the heart of defence in recent matches, and he should do so again on Sunday.
While there may be a concern that he will fail to match up against the height of Fernando Llorente if the Spaniard starts for Swansea, his awareness and anticipation mean that the Dutchman will be confident of dealing with the tall striker.
Luke Shaw
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Despite the criticism against him from manager Jose Mourinho last month, Shaw has bounced back well and as well as winning the late penalty against Everton earlier this month, he also put in an impressive performance in the victory at Sunderland too.
After finding himself back on the substitutes’ bench for their three Premier League matches since then, the Portuguese manager may be tempted to put the England international back into his team for the visit of the struggling Swans.
Ander Herrera
The Spaniard has quickly become one of United’s most impressive and important players in recent weeks, and he looks to be undroppable at the moment after scoring and assisting in the 2-0 win against leaders Chelsea earlier this month.
With Paul Pogba still a doubt and Marouane Fellaini out following his dismissal against Manchester City, Mourinho could choose to revert to the 4-2-3-1 formation for the visit of Swansea and the onus will be on Herrera to make an impact defensively and offensively from the middle of the park.
Michael Carrick
With the injury problems and suspensions mounting up for the Red Devils, Herrera is likely to be partnered by Carrick in midfield on Sunday.
The 34-year-old was on the receiving end of high praise from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola prior to the dull Manchester derby on Wednesday night, and Mourinho will know that he can rely on the experienced star to protect his defence and keep things ticking over in the centre of the pitch against Paul Clement’s side.
Jesse Lingard
After starting the Premier League wins against Chelsea and Burnley, Lingard was dropped to the substitutes’ bench for the trip to Manchester City on Wednesday.
Jose Mourinho has favoured a 4-3-3 formation in recent weeks but with both Paul Pogba and Marouane Fellaini set to miss out against Swansea, he could choose to select Lingard on the right side of an attacking midfield three as he appears to be more committed to his defensive duties than perhaps Henrikh Mkhitaryan is.
Wayne Rooney
Despite scoring one and playing a crucial part in the other after starting as a striker in his side’s 2-0 win against Burnley at Turf Moor last weekend, Rooney was once again an unused substitute for the Manchester derby on Wednesday night.
With a change of formation on the cards with Mourinho short of options in midfield, it could give the 31-year-old a chance to feature in a slightly deeper role behind the striker against Swansea, and he will be looking to make a big impact once again.
Anthony Martial
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The Frenchman has looked out-of-sorts at times and has struggled to impress Jose Mourinho at points during the season, but that has certainly changed in recent weeks.
The 21-year-old has looked to be far more of an attacking threat and his decision-making also looks to be improving.
A fine finish after a sweeping counter attack and a clever assist for Wayne Rooney in last weekend’s 2-0 win against Burnley should mean that he is given the opportunity to shine against Swansea too.
Marcus Rashford
After scoring just one goal in 17 appearances in all competitions between January and April – in the FA Cup against Blackburn Rovers – the exciting 19-year-old looks to have rediscovered his confidence in front of goal.
The England international has now netted three goals in his last six Red Devils outings – including the opener against Chelsea – and Jose Mourinho could give him a start for the visit of a vulnerable Swansea on Sunday, as he did for the Manchester derby on Wednesday night.
Tottenham Hotspur announced on Friday that they will play all of their home matches at Wembley Stadium during the 2017/18 campaign.
The move was always on the cards because of the development of their new stadium on the existing White Hart Lane site, but there was some talk that they could still carry on playing at the Lane next term before moving to Wembley the following campaign if the work wouldn’t be completed in time for the 2018/19 season.
However, Daniel Levy has now confirmed the move for next term and Spurs will certainly be hoping that they enjoy a better record at the home of England than they have recently – they have lost seven and won just one of their last nine matches at the iconic stadium.
Tottenham supporters were quick to have their say on the news via social media, with many concerned at how the team will fare at Wembley considering the recent record they have there.
Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction from the fans…
According to the Express, Manchester United are ready to offer £25 million for Lazio centre-back Stefan De Vrij, in a bid to mount a Premier League next season.
De Vrij has rejected fresh terms from Lazio and his current contract expires next summer. His current club are ready to sell their star defender to ensure that he doesn’t leave on a free transfer in 2018.
It is thought that both Inter and AC Milan are also keen on the 25-year-old, but De Vrij is rumoured to be keen on a move to the Premier League.
Lazio are reportedly happy to accept £25 million for the Dutch international and Jose Mourinho is ready to spend the money to ensure that he lands his primary defensive target this summer.
How good has De Vrij been this season?
When fit, Stefan De Vrij has been one of the most reliable defenders in Serie A over the last three seasons. The Dutchman is a brave, warrior-like defender who also possesses a fair amount of pace.
However, his injury record is sketchy to say the least and, despite being fit for much of this campaign, has only managed 30 appearances in all competitions for Lazio.
Is De Vrij a good fit for Manchester United?
It is fair to say that Jose Mourinho is looking to bolster his defensive options after a season of injury and inconsistency among his back-line.
While Eric Bailly has had an impressive debut season at Old Trafford, the likes of Daley Blind, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Luke Shaw have evidently failed to impress Mourinho enough to ensure their place in the first team next season.
Stefan De Vrij would undoubtedly be a first choice centre back should he arrive in Manchester, and would be received warmly by a crowd who love hard-tackling, passionate individual displays.
West Ham United midfielder Pedro Obiang is expected to be pursued by Serie A club Fiorentina this summer, reports La Nazione.
What’s the word?
The midfielder seems to have caught the eye of the Italian outfit after impressing for the Hammers this season.
Overall, it was not the best campaign for the club as they finished 11th in the Premier League, four places below last season’s achievement.
Obiang, though, put in solid displays in the middle of the park, eventually playing in 22 league matches and even contributed with one goal and an assist.
How important is Obiang?
He is not the type of player often raved about in the football columns, but his absence would be felt.
This week it was revealed that Obiang had the highest tackling success rate in Europe’s top five leagues.
After being forced into selling wantaway star Dimitri Payet in January after the midfielder refused to play for the club again, it is imperative for West Ham to make a statement by keeping their best places.
If Slaven Bilic wants to attract new members to the squad, he will weaken his chances if first-team players move on to other clubs.
With regards to Obiang, it is unclear whether he would be open to a transfer, but a return to Italy could be an attractive option for him.
The Spaniard spent seven years at Sampdoria after coming through the youth system in 2010.
Aston Villa fans are far from heartbroken by the news that Jordan Amavi is likely to leave the club this summer.
The man himself has confirmed that the Midlands outfit have made him available for transfer, two years after he joined the club from Nice for a reported £9m figure.
Last season, the 23-year-old featured 36 times, but it appears that manager Steve Bruce does not deem vital for the new Championship season.
Interestingly, in December last year, Villa owner Tony Xia revealed that the club had rejected a £25m bid for the left-back.
The Chinese businessman also insisted that Amavi will become an important player at the club.
Clearly, that has not become the case, with the player now revealing that he will move on to pastures new this summer.
French newspaper Nice-Matin has quoted the Frenchman as saying:
“We spoke with Aston Villa, I was upfront with them, the club were in return. If I have to leave, there will be no problem. I have ambitions. I want to play in Europe, for a club that play in all the competitions. I’ve been placed on the transfer list.”
From the fans’ point of view, the majority of them have no issue letting Amavi go as they feel that he failed to deliver.
After flirting with relegation for four straight seasons, the rug was finally pulled out from underneath Sunderland and they fell down into the Championship.
After 10 consecutive Premier League seasons, playing in the Championship is new to a lot of Sunderland fans just like it was for Aston Villa last season. Villa were relegated for the first time since 1987 after finishing bottom of the 2014-15 Premier League table.
But just like Villa, who finished 13th this season, Sunderland should be worried about becoming a Championship mainstay or worse — just ask Wigan and Blackburn fans.
Both Wigan and Blackburn competed in the Premier League in the 2010s and now both are preparing to play in League One, where they’ll compete against clubs like Blackpool and Portsmouth, both Premier League clubs within the past eight years, and clubs like Fleetwood Town and AFC Wimbledon whose stadiums can seat less than 3,000 supporters.
Flirting with relegation for so long has limited Sunderland’s ability to bring in quality players and so they have often settled for Premier League veterans and average foreign players. But they’re in the Championship now and their squad needs a lot of work.
With the sale of Jordan Pickford to Everton and the release of seven first team players, the club has 21 players listed on the first team squad at the time of writing, and that will decrease again when Jermain Defoe leaves before the summer window closes.
Of the remaining squad, five players have three years or less of professional experience and only four players have any experience playing in the Championship. Thirty-year old right-back Billy Jones has significant experience, playing seven Championship seasons with Crewe Alexandra and Preston North End, but he hasn’t played in the division since 2011.
Irish midfielder Darron Gibson had a 21-match loan spell with Wolves back in the 2007-08 season, and Fabio Borini spent a nine-game loan spell with Swansea in 2011. Right-back Adam Matthews has played 21 games for Bristol City across a pair of loans the past two seasons.
And that’s it. None of the other 16 players has ever played in the Championship.
The Premier League and Championship are different leagues with different styles and the lack of second division experience could come back to bite the Black Cats.
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The £30m from Pickford’s transfer can be reinvested in the squad, but the club is approaching the summer transfer window with all sorts of issues besides the squad as well.
According to the BBC, Chairman Ellis Short is currently considering two bids to takeover the club, which is a key reason as to why the club remains manager-less heading into the preseason.
The sooner the takeover can be finalised and a manager hired, the better for Sunderland because its getting to the point that fans need to be concerned. The club’s first pre-season game is 7 July against Bury, and the line-up could look more like last season’s U23 squad than a true first team.
It’s not likely that Sunderland would be relegated two seasons in a row, but it has happened before. The Black Cats have some serious work to do to get back to the Premier League and the longer that leadership issues drag on, the worse their chances get.
While the majority of footballers are enjoying the end of their holidays, Southampton’s Nathan Redmond has been down in the dumps following the England’s exit from the Under-21 European Championships.
The 23-year-old was part of Aidy Boothroyd’s squad in Poland, and they seemed to take inspiration from the Under-20s World Cup win as they managed to get to the semi-finals.
However, it was not an easy task against Germany, and it proved once again that England struggle to overcome these particular opponents on penalties.
In normal time, Demarai Gray and Tammy Abraham scored, but a 2-2 draw resulted in the tie going to extra time, but neither side could find the breakthrough.
The contest descended into penalties, and it was Redmond who had to score in sudden death, but his spot-kick was saved by Julian Pollersbeck.
His failure to convert sent Germany into the final, and after reflecting on the defeat, the Southampton man took to Twitter to apologise to the fans.
Plenty of fans reacted to the tweet by sending their support to Redmond.
As reported by The Daily Record, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has ruled out the prospect of sending new arrival Kundai Benyu out on loan this summer.
What’s the story?
Benyu was Rodgers’ second summer signing and impressed supporters on Saturday with his dynamic display in a friendly against French side Lyon at Celtic Park.
Despite his recent arrival, it seems that the Celtic boss was considering sending him out on loan to gain vital first team experience.
As quoted by The Daily Record, Rodgers said:
We will see how he develops. Initially the plan was to have him in, thinking he can get an idea of how we work and then go on loan. But I’ve sort of changed my mind, really, over the last period of time just watching him. I think it’s going to be good for him to probably come in and have six months in here to see how we train, how we work, get an education in our footballing idea then review in January and see where he is at.
Sending young players out on loan when they arrive at a club isn’t unheard of, although it’s not something Celtic have done much of in the past. It’ll be heartening for Hoops fans to hear that Benyu is making a big impression behind the scenes at Lennoxtown and impressing his new manager.
A player who was initially thought to be one for the future, supporters may be seeing him in the first team in competitive action sooner rather than later.