Liverpool may not be quite as deadly going forward this season as they were in the last campaign, where the front-three were scoring for fun, but Jurgen Klopp has certainly worked on making his side watertight at the back.

However, the German boss cannot take all the credit for the transformation, as Virgil van Dijk proved in Liverpool’s draw with Arsenal that his form is central to any hope the Reds have of mounting a challenge against Manchester City for the title.

Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and particularly Roberto Firmino have been out of sorts at the start of this campaign compared to last year, and amazingly against the Gunners, van Dijk’s two shots on target from three in total was more than any other Liverpool player managed.

Liverpool paid a world record fee for a defender as the Dutchman joined from Southampton in a £75m deal on the first of January this year, but he has already banished any thoughts of the cost from any fan’s mind by turning a leaky back four that gifted chances to the opposition into one of the tightest defences in the division.

At the Emirates Stadium on Saturday evening, the 27-year-old made a huge seven clearances and blocked two shots as Arsenal put in an impressive display, but he also displayed his huge range of passing and still managed to achieve 94 per cent accuracy from 36 total attempts.

Van Dijk’s distribution allows the Liverpool midfield to push up and should also make Klopp’s side a more dangerous attacking force. His 6ft 4in frame also makes him a huge threat from set-pieces, as the Gunners found when he hit the post with a header in the first-half on Saturday.

With the front-three misfiring now and again though, it is the Dutch national captain who will be the most important player for the Merseyside club this season as they look to close the gap to Guardiola’s City side.

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Southampton manager Mark Hughes confirmed in his pre-match press conference for the huge clash against Watford at St Mary’s on Saturday that defender Wesley Hoedt is a doubt, and it could have big repercussions on the starting XI that line up against the Hornets.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Welsh boss reported on Thursday that the Dutchman could miss Saturday’s game because of a foot infection he is suffering from, which caused him miss training on the day of the press conference.

What sounds like a painful injury could keep him on the sidelines against Javi Gracia’s men, although it doesn’t appear to be a serious enough issue for him to still be absent when they visit Fulham in their next Premier League fixture after the international break.

What effect could his absence have?

While the 24-year-old has been a regular in the Saints backline ever since Hughes took charge back in March, he is still considered to be dodgy by many of the St Mary’s faithful – certainly not helped by his often wayward passing and the fact that he scored own goals against Liverpool and Manchester City respectively this term.

Summer signing Jannik Vestergaard, Maya Yoshida and Jan Bednarek will be in contention to replace the Dutchman alongside Jack Stephens at the heart of the defence should he miss out, and while the former should be the favourite he certainly hasn’t been preferred by his manager in recent weeks.

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Hughes has shown that he isn’t afraid to look at players that know the Premier League well having switched Vestergaard – who is frustrated at his lack of minutes – for Stephens already, and he could opt for the experience of Yoshida in what is reported to be a must-win game for him.

The absence of Hoedt could also be good news for Ryan Bertrand, who may feel that he can be at his attacking best without the vulnerable Netherlands international beside him, and his increased freedom to get forward could give the team the much-needed boost they need in the final third.

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Graham Potter is looking to sell Luciano Narsingh in January as the Dutch winger continues to be frozen out of his Swansea side, per reports on Wales Online.

What’s the word?

The former PSV Eindhoven winger is yet to feature at all this season or even make it on the bench under Potter after failing to impress the 43-year-old head coach.

Since joining the south Wales outfit during the January 2017 window, the Amsterdam-born forward featured 40 times in total and helped the side to Premier League survival in his debut campaign, but he has scored just six times.

Narsingh last featured for the Swans against Southampton in May and looked set to leave in the summer when he had an offer from AEK Athens but, along with Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge, expressed an interest in staying at the Liberty Stadium.

While Dyer and Routledge have since returned to action in part, the 28-year-old has continued to watch on as one of the club’s highest earners. It is understood he earns upwards of £50,000-a-week.

With the Dutchman’s contract also set to expire in the summer, Wales Online believe that Swansea will look to sell Narsingh, or at least loan him out, in January rather than see the 16-cap international leave for nothing.

Check out the harsh words the Playmaker FC squad had to say about Wayne Rooney’s England career in the video above…

No need to buy a replacement

Narsingh’s continued absence under Potter has shown the club has no need to buy a replacement, which would only counter the freed income anyway.

Since taking charge, the former defender has called on a plethora of options on the wings with Daniel James, Connor Roberts and Barrie McKay a few of the regulars.

You can find more on this and other stories via the Swansea City News page.

The frequent changes to the Swans’ line-up will keep the opposition on edge, questioning who will be used on any given matchday and keep Potter’s team fresh.

That said, the regular’s called upon will need to continue their fine run of form in upcoming matches against Championship leaders Norwich and promotion hopefuls West Bromwich Albion and Derby County.

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According to The Chronicle, Newcastle are keen on MLS star Miguel Almiron but following reports that the Chelsea midfielder is seeking another loan spell away from Stamford Bridge in January as he continues to find minutes hard to come by, Rafa Benitez should turn his attention to Ruben Loftus-Cheek instead.

What’s the story?

Well, reports suggest that Almiron is on Benitez’s radar as he looks to strengthen his squad in January in a bid to secure Premier League survival for another year, with an attacking midfielder high up on his wish-list.

Widely regarded as one of the best the States have to offer, the Paraguayan formed a lethal partnership with Josef Martinez as he chalked up 13 goals and 11 assists in 34 league games.

The 25-year-old’s versatility – he is capable of playing all across the midfield – is reportedly what has peaked the Magpies’ interest, but the Spaniard can secure that quality for his side without shelling out in excess of £20m.

Rotting Ruben

Loftus-Cheek is threatening to stagnate at Chelsea. The 22-year-old has to work his socks off for any kind of appreciation from Maurizio Sarri and it now looks like he’s had enough – for now, at least.

With a loan spell at Crystal Palace proving successful in the powerhouse’s development, reports suggest that he is looking to find an escape route in the new year to consolidate his place in Gareth Southgate’s England considerations.

The Eagles will surely be on the phone as they, also, look to clamber further away from the relegation spots, but Newcastle should do whatever they can to bring the number 12 north instead.

Proving that he has an eye for goal in scoring a first career hat-trick versus BATE Borisov in the Europa League this term, the right-footer would complete an attack to be reckoned with at St James’ Park – Salomon Rondon has experienced a timely return to form and the target-man would benefit greatly from a capable attacking midfielder to bounce off of.

Furthermore, the Blues academy graduate is of proven Prem quality – far from what can be said for Almiron, who at the moment stands as an expensive risk, and of course a loan move would appeal more to owner Mike Ashley.

Check out Playmaker FC’s Tom Skinner’s unfiltered take on Wayne Rooney’s England legacy in the video below…

According to a recent report from The Daily Mirror, Morgan Schneiderlin’s future remains very uncertain heading into the January transfer window. The Frenchman currently plays his football at Premier League outfit Everton and has done so since leaving Manchester United back in January 2017, but a lack of game time under manager Marco Silva this term has called his future at Goodison Park into question.

In fact, Silva is reportedly unconvinced by the 29-year-old’s capabilities in the middle of the park and as such could be willing to let him go, which should be of keen interest to Southampton manager Mark Hughes, who must seek to re-sign the £18 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt) in a bid to bring the good times back to St Mary’s.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, it has been a very testing 12 months or so for Southampton supporters, what with their side narrowly avoiding Premier League relegation last season, while things look set to follow a similar trend this time round as well given Hughes’ side are sat in the bottom three after 13 matches.

And with clear problems in various areas of the squad, be it the distinct lack of goals at one end or the inability to keep them out at the other, it looks set to be a long, hard slog of a season for the South Coast outfit.

And while the midfield department isn’t hugely lacking in quality or indeed depth, luring Schneiderlin back to the place where he played his best football between 2008 and 2015 can only be a good thing for the Saints in their quest to return to the good times.

Ultimately, it was on the South Coast in which the 29-year-old made his name in appearing over 250 times for the Saints during a seven-year spell, helping the club make their way up through League One and then the Championship to become an established top-flight side.

And Schneiderlin played as big a part as anyone in their rise and indeed their stabilisation as a Premier League club, with the 29-year-old proving his worth in the top-flight with 95 appearances for the Saints over just three seasons, 69 appearances of which came under the stewardship of Mauricio Pochettino, with the Frenchman proving to be something of a lynchpin under the now-Tottenham chief.

Yet things haven’t worked out for the France international since leaving Southampton given he endured an ill-fated time at Manchester United and only a marginally better time at Everton – thus, a return to where it all began for Schneiderlin may be in his best interests.

And it may be in the best interests of Hughes’ Saints as well given the 29-year-old would add extra strength and industry in the middle of the park, what with the Frenchman hugely adept on the ball in picking a pass and launching attacks, and indeed off it in breaking up play and screening the backline.

And if Southampton are going to stay up this season, they are going to have to re-discover what made them an established top-flight team a matter of years ago in their run to four successive top ten finishes – Schneiderlin was part of that.

And with the Frenchman’s future seemingly away from Goodison Park, Southampton must re-sign the Pochettino lynchpin come January in a bid to bring the good times back to St Mary’s.

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

Steven Gerrard has completely revolutionised Rangers and with the Liverpool legend at the helm, the future is incredibly bright for The Gers going forward. 

After a slightly stuttering start, Rangers have put together a solid run of form and have won five of their last six games in the league. Due to that run of form, Rangers have soared to second place in the table, two points off Celtic.

Gerrard also guided the club through a tough Europa League qualifying campaign and despite losing against Spartak Moscow recently, they remain only one point from top in their group but face a tough match against Villarreal tomorrow night.

Despite their heavy recruitment drive over the summer, Rangers need to address a few weak areas, namely at left-back. With that in mind, speaking on The Debate, Ray Parlour has suggested that Rangers should make a move for former Chelsea man, Ashley Cole.

The Breakdown

Cole was released by LA Galaxy this week after almost three years with the MLS side.

Arguably one of the best left-backs to have played in the last two decades, Ashley Cole became a star when he joined Chelsea after being a part of The Invincibles at Arsenal but at 37, his best years are well behind him.

The situation at left-back is pretty dire for Gerrard as he’s basically ostracised Lee Wallace and has instead been using Borna Barisic, Andy Halliday and Jon Flanagan at the position. Rangers need a new defender but they need to avoid signing Cole at all costs.

Thoughts Rangers fans? 

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Marcus Rashford, the 21-year-old megastar for Manchester United, or rather the supposed megastar.

The £58m-rated striker let plenty of chances go begging against Young Boys, and the hot-shot’s season continues to tarnish his reputation that looked so promising when he broke into the senior team.

Jose Mourinho even turned to the stand, looked at his bench, and shook his head in disbelief that Rashford failed to hit the target with an early chance to open the scoring – lifting the ball over the crossbar as the keeper rushed out.

Tuesday night had the chance to turn the tides at Old Trafford. Defeat to local rivals Manchester City, followed by a dismal display at home to Crystal Palace, teed the Champions League affair up perfectly to captivate the Red Devils faithful, but Rashford’s early chance was just an indicator of how badly things would go.

In the end, Marouane Fellaini had to step up in stoppage time to break the deadlock and capture all three points for Mourinho’s men – securing progression through to the Round of 16, when Rashford had the keys to the gate in his pocket all game long.

If you haven’t seen Patrice Evra’s bizarre new Instagram post then you need to check out the video below…

Speaking after the match, Mourinho was quoted by the Manchester Evening News saying: “Marcus makes the movements, makes the runs, works hard when the team has the ball and doesn’t have the ball.”

Jose was right, Rashford did put in a shift across the ninety minutes on and off the ball. But it was still far from enough against Young Boys, especially given he was handed the chance to play as the solo-striker despite scoring just two goals for his club this season.

The pacey 5ft 11in forward had been handed the centre-forward slot just three times this season before Tuesday night, mostly making his appearances from the bench and wings, and will, unfortunately, have to impress out wide again to justify starting as the lead man.

According to WhoScored data, Rashford recorded six shots across the game, but only once found the target let alone the back of the net.

Even when the 21-year-old tried to play his team-mates in, he failed to get that right. An attempted cut back to Fellaini was misjudged horrifically, but luckily Fred was there to scoop in and save his attacker’s blushes.

It was a chance to impress for Rashford, but he failed to do so. Only one United player who started the game touched the ball fewer times than the academy star, and that was David De Gea in goal. BSC Young Boys were there for the taking, but the England man was unable to take advantage.

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Billy Bremner made 773 appearances for Leeds United between 1960 and 1976, scoring 114 times in the process.

Voted Leeds’ greatest player of all time, there is absolutely no question that the word legend deserves to be used in relation to the former midfielder.

Bremner passed away at the age of 54 in December 1997, but his legacy lives on.

Indeed, he has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road, and is a member of both the English Football Hall of Fame and Scottish Football Hall of Fame.

Bremner’s career with Leeds came to an end in 1976, and he went on to represent Hull City and Doncaster Rovers before retiring from professional football in 1982.

Bremner, who also managed Leeds between 1985 and 1988, won the FA Cup, FA Charity Shield, the Football League Cup, one Second Division title and two First Division titles during his time as a player at Elland Road.

And the Leeds fans will never forget what the 5ft 5in ace did for the club.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the club’s supporters can be seen below:

Playmaker 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…

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Marcelo Bielsa should look to hijack Southampton’s expected approach for Fulham star Marcus Bettinelli, as Leeds need to strengthen their goalkeeping options.

What’s the word?

Leeds are in need of a new ‘keeper with Bailey Peacock-Farrell falling out of favour with his Argentinean head coach in recent weeks.

Bielsa’s desire to drop the 25-year-old unfortunately came at the same time as Chelsea-loanee Jamal Blackman suffered a broken leg while playing for the Under 23s, forcing his return to London.

Burnley’s 32-year-old shot-stopper Tom Heaton and Newcastle’s Karl Darlow have both been linked with moves to Elland Road in recent weeks, but the option to consider is Fulham’s out-of-favour Bettinelli.

The 26-year-old is said to be open to leaving Craven Cottage having fallen behind Sergio Rico for a starting spot, and his uncertain future is alerting numerous clubs – including Southampton who may plot a move if Alex McCarthy leaves St Mary’s.

Bettinelli was instrumental in the Cottagers earning promotion out of the Championship last season, playing 29 of his side’s league fixtures, and the £3.6million rated ace, according to Transfermarkt, also received an England call-up under Gareth Southgate in September.

Playmaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals he often received racist abuse after North London Derbies – Check out the video below…

The promise of first-team football

If Southampton were to lose McCarthy and lure Bettinelli to the south coast as his replacement, it is unlikely the Fulham shot-stopper would earn the number one jersey.

Alex Gunn, who signed in the summer for £13.5million, is the evident successor to his team-mate’s spot in the Saints starting XI, and left Manchester City in search of first-team football, which he is yet to see.

Leeds United, however, could promise Bettinelli the starting spot at Elland Road, and rest comfortably knowing their number one was safe between the sticks in a promotion-clinching side.

Moreover, Fulham’s former number one had the third highest percentage of clean sheets for goalkeepers with more than 10 appearances during his side’s play-off winning season – keeping the opposition out 12 times.

Would you welcome Bettinelli at Elland Road? Let us know in the poll below…

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With the Asian Cup fast approaching, Newcastle will be without Ki Sung-yeung for up to a month as the midfielder goes away with South Korea. Of course, whilst in the midst of a survival battle, that news is not ideal for the Magpies who will really miss one of their key midfielders, so perhaps they should look for a short-term solution in his absence.

It is unlikely that Rafa Benitez will be backed by Mike Ashley in January, so perhaps the Spanish boss should take a look at the free agent market for a midfielder to cover for the former Swansea man.

In what would be a hugely controversial move on Wearside as far as arch-rivals Sunderland are concerned, Newcastle should sign their former midfielder and current free agent Didier Ndong on a six-month contract to provide cover in the middle.

Would you like to see the former Black Cat in black and white? Have your say down below…