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According to The Birmingham Mail, Sheffield Wednesday manager Jos Lukukay has described West Brom as favourites to earn promotion back to the Premier League. 

The Dutchman claims The Baggies, alongside Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, are one of the two best teams in the division, and should expect to return to the top tier of English football.

This is just a case of gamesmanship and psychological warfare ahead of the two team’s clash tomorrow night in the Championship. The Baggies sit at the top of the table, five points ahead of The Owls, and travel to Hillsborough with the hope of maintaining their one point lead at the top of the table.

While Luhukay said these things to mount pressure on Darren Moore’s men, the team are experienced enough to not let it phase them. The Baggies are laden with international players, who have not only played in the Premier League, but won the league alongside multiple FA Cups. They have had players that have been members of teams of the like of Man City and Arsenal, so they will know how it feels to have the expectation of winning each week.

These words will only boost West Brom’s confidence for weeks to come, and cement their status as promotion favourites. Of course it will mount pressure on The Baggies, but they appear to be a team that could handle the pressure. There are too many experienced members of that squad to let it phase them, and they will keep the squad level-headed as the season continues.

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West Bromwich Albion headed into their midweek Championship clash against Sheffield Wednesday with plenty of confidence.

Over the weekend, Darren Moore’s side had moved to the top of the table with a 3-2 victory over Preston North End.

The second division is very unpredictable, though, and just a matter of days later the standings at the top look very different.

The Baggies are now fourth, with Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Sheffield United all one point ahead.

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The reason that West Brom failed to maintain their spot at the top was due to a 2-2 draw with the Owls at Hillsborough.

Moore’s side went 2-0 down in the first 41 minutes following goals from Adam Reach and Fernando Forestieri.

It looked as though the visitors were going to leave the stadium with nothing until they were given a slice of luck via Joey Pelupessy, who scored an own goal.

With just four minutes of normal time remaining, Harvey Barnes stepped up to score a much-needed equaliser.

Fans were quick to post their reactions on Twitter.

Richarlison has been one of Everton’s star men of the season so far, but on Tuesday night some of his biggest supporters criticised him.

The Brazilian, who is valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, arrived at Goodison Park in the summer with pressure on his shoulders as his move from Watford cost around £40m.

However, he soon proved the doubters wrong by scoring three goals in five Premier League matches.

He also found the back of the net twice for Brazil after making is international debut in September.

On Tuesday night, though, the hero turned villain as he failed to help Everton progress in the EFL Cup.

The Merseyside outfit welcomed Premier League opposition Southampton to Goodison Park.

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Danny Ings put the Saints ahead before half-time, but Theo Walcott sent the game to penalties after scoring with five minutes of normal time left on the clock.

Despite keeping the game alive, the former Arsenal star missed from the spot, and Richarlison also fluffed his chance.

The Brazilian did a slow run-up before sending the ball high over the crossbar.

It is safe to say that the fans were not impressed.

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The Goodison Park faithful have a player debut on the horizon, as summer signing Yerry Mina nears a return to full fitness.

Mina excelled at the World Cup with Colombia, putting his advert firmly in the shop window as Barcelona looked to cash-in on the developing player they rarely utilised in his only season in Spain.

The 24-year-old’s key performances in Russia paved the way for the Camp Nou outcast to forge the next chapter of his career in England, returning the Catalan club a tidy profit in the process.

Though, since his transfer, Everton are yet to have his services in their locker due to a foot injury he held when signing. But that may soon change, with Mina expected to be fit come October 21, according to Premier Injuries.

Must deliver on World Cup hype

Everton will be looking for the Guachené born player to make an immediate mark for himself, having paid out a sizeable figure for someone that has rarely played top club-level football.

The colossal height Mina possesses made him unsuitable for Barcelona’s high backline as he lacked the pace needed to defend close to the opposition half. Yet, standing at 6 foot 5 makes the Colombian a threat at set pieces, where he stood out most of all at the World Cup.

Each goal scored kept his name on the lips of supporters cheering his country on to the Round of 16, where only a penalty shoot-out against England brought a halt to their tournament.

It was even Mina that scored against his now team-mate, Jordan Pickford, in order for the tie to go beyond 90 minutes, as he found the back of the net in the depths of added time with his third goal in successive matches – becoming the first defender since 1966 to score three headed goals in a World Cup.

Chelsea loanee to suffer

With a desire to see a return on the club’s investment, Kurt Zouma may find his position in the Toffees line-up at risk, given the French defender is only on loan from Chelsea.

Zouma joined the Merseyside squad on the back of relegation with Stoke, looking to re-establish himself. But it is unlikely Marco Silva would favour the 23-year-old over the club’s own Michael Keane, 25, and Mina once fit.

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Phil Jagielka and Leighton Baines have been part of the Everton fabric for more then a decade.

Both players signed for the Toffees in 2007 and have stayed loyal to the Toffees ever since.

With Baines due to turn 34 in December and Jagielka recently celebrating his 36th birthday, the pair are in the latter stages of their careers at the top level.

The duo’s current contracts will expire at the end of the season and it is unclear whether they will offered extensions.

Jagielka is fighting for a spot in the back line following the acquisitions of Yerry Mina and on-loan centre-back Kurt Zouma.

In addition, Michael Keane and Mason Holgate are vying for positions in defence.

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As for Baines, he has lost his left-back role to Lucas Digne, who joined from Barcelona in the summer.

In most cases, players who drop down the pecking order tend to seek moves away but for some Everton fans they believe that Baines and Jagielka deserve new contracts.

Others, though, think that it is time to move on.

Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.Comment from discussion Should Jagielka and/or Baines get a contract extension?.

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According to an interview Jack Ross conducted via The Chronicle, the Sunderland manager has revealed that he has told midfielder Dylan McGeouch that he needs to show more belief in his own ability as he begins to get to grips with life in English football.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Black Cats signed the Scotland international on a free during the summer window after he was released by Scottish Premiership outfit Hibernian, and he put in some standout performances for the Wearside outfit during pre-season.

However, the 25-year-old picked up an injury prior to the campaign and has struggled to be a regular in the starting XI since, coming in and out of the side.

He has taken his chance in the absence of the suspended Max Power in their previous two fixtures though – battling well in the wins against Shrewsbury Town and Doncaster Rovers.

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What did Ross say?

Speaking via The Chronicle, the 42-year-old said: “The style of football is different, the challenges we face in each game and the intensity is different as well, and then it is obviously a change in his life as well.

“We are encouraging him to have that belief and affect the game because he has that ability, he’s intelligent and he understands the game.”

What happens next?

While McGeouch has impressed in recent weeks he is still yet to contribute a goal or an assist so far in League One this season, and unless he improves upon that record he is going to find himself taken out of the starting XI again when Power returns with Lee Cattermole seemingly preferred ahead of him right now.

Given Sunderland are already gunning for an instant return to the Championship and competition for places is pretty strong in the middle of the park, McGeouch needs to show that confidence and perhaps a little more arrogance if he wants to play a key role in their bid.

According to Spanish website AS, Leeds are linked with Alavés winger Ibai Gómez.

The move would see the winger reunite with manager Marcelo Bielsa, who managed him while the pair were at Athletico Bilbao. They both experienced a lot of success there, as they both are now.

Gómez’s Alavés currently sit in second place in La Liga, only one point behind Lionel Messi’s Barcelona. Likewise, Bielsa’s Leeds sit in second place in the Championship, and are many’s favourite to earn promotion this season back to the Premier League.

While it looks as though this would be a major boost to Leeds’ chance’s of earning promotion this season, there a number of reason’s why Leeds fans should rein in their excitement for now.

While the winger has been in scintillating form for the La Liga high-flyers so far this season, there is no guarantee that he would be an overnight success. It often takes a while for foreign players to become established to the rigours and physicality of English football, particularly the Championship. While Gómez may feature for Leeds if he were to join in January, he is unlikely to make the impact that many people seek simply due to the amount of time it will take to acclimatise to the league.

Additionally, the intense style of football that Bielsa demands will take some getting used to for the player. The majority of players in the squad required an entire preseason to adjust to the Argentinian’s system. It may be asking a lot of a player to immediately settle into the rhythm and structure that is established at the club, and could even take a few months.

Gómez is likely to be a success, but not necessarily for Leeds if he joins this season. Nonetheless, if the team find themselves in the Premier League next term, that is when the Spaniard may come into his own.

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Loads of Rangers fans have been giving their verdict on Saturday’s win over St Mirren, and they’re bemused by Steven Gerrard’s centre back selection.

Gerrard and Rangers invested heavily in the defence this summer, almost completely overhauling their back line.

Connor Goldson has been an absolute revelation at centre back, but fans are bemused by Gerrard’s decision to stick with Joe Worrall alongside him.

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Worrall, Goldson and Nikola Katic all joined in the summer, and the Goldson-Katic combination was superb throughout the Europa League qualifying campaign.

Worrall has taken over from Katic recently though, and fans are blasting his performance against St Mirren.

Goals from Daniel Candeias and Alfredo Morelos earned all three points, but it certainly wasn’t a vintage performance, and Worrall looked like Bambi on ice at times.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, look away now Joe…

Celtic winger Daniel Arzani has been ruled out for the rest of the season following the knee ligament injury he picked up in his side’s 5-0 victory over Dundee.

“Unfortunately I will need an ACL op, ruling me out till next season,” the Australian told his followers on Twitter.

Manager Brendan Rodgers now has a decision to make with the January transfer window fast approaching. And should the Celtic boss decide he wants to use it to reinforce his attack after Arzani’s injury, then one of his former players could be the answer.

The Breakdown

Chelsea winger Victor Moses is likely to be available this January with Maurizio Sarri effectively confirming the 27-year-old is not in his plans.

“They [Moses and Danny Drinkwater] have to improve, but the characteristics are a little bit different,” Sarri told outlets such as BBC Sport last week. “Moses is more suitable for playing like a wing-back than like a winger or a full-back.”

With that in mind, Moses is definitely a player Rodgers should consider moving for if he wants to bring in a new winger in January.

At Liverpool, the ex-Nigeria international was often on the fringes during his loan spell at the club when Rodgers was in the Anfield dugout.

However, since then, he has improved significantly as a footballer under former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte.

And while the Crystal Palace youth product was mostly used as a wing-back, he still possesses the sort of attributes that could make him a successful winger in in the SPL.

Moses is quick, can use both feet and beat a full-back either on the inside or outside. He would be a tremendous addition to Celtic’s squad.

According to talkSPORT, Tottenham star Christian Eriksen has confirmed that his agent is negotiating a new contract that could double his wages. 

The midfielder is currently on £70k a week, but that could soon rise in what could be a landmark deal for the club, and one that signals huge things to come.

No Spurs fan can say that Eriksen has not been one of the best players for the club for a number of seasons now. The Dane has attracted a lot of interest from teams all over Europe, including Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid. If he pens a new contract, it is a clear sign that Tottenham are able to keep hold of their biggest stars, particularly after Dele Alli recently signed a new deal.

While this will be huge news for Tottenham, and Eriksen, it may also be a way of keeping some other stars in north London. For a long time, Toby Alderweireld’s future has been one of the most hotly debated topics in the Premier League. It seemed almost certain that the Belgian would be leaving Spurs in the summer, and it is remarkable that he stayed. However, he is yet to sign a new contract.

Eriksen’s new deal may encourage the centre-back to stay. Furthermore, if the club were prepared to meet the wage demands of the Dane, they may be sympathetic to Alderweireld too. While Daniel Levy has traditionally been reluctant to spend a lot on wages, in order to compete with the biggest clubs in England for players, they may need to start ebbing away their principles, and Eriksen may just be the start.