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The Liverpool faithful have been raving about their captain Jordan Henderson this week after one Twitter account asked fans to describe the Englishman using only one word.

There was everything ranging from “champion” to “irreplaceable” to “underrated.”

Hilariously obscure Premier League players – Can you name them all?

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Henderson has been an integral part of Jurgen Klopp’s side since taking the reins from legend Steven Gerrard, and he finally got his rewards in lifting the Champions League trophy at the end of last season. The Premier League triumph is next up.

The 29-year-old has played 35 times in all competitions this season, taking his total tally for the Reds to a whopping 359 appearances.

In that time, he has scored 28 goals and provided 50 assists, although such a contribution is arguably not the focal point of his industrious game.

Per WhoScored, Henderson is averaging 2.2 tackles, four long balls and 62.4 passes per game in the Premier League this term.

The 55-cap midfielder is now valued at £25.2m by Transfermarkt, 13th in the current Liverpool squad, so maybe there’s a case to be made of him being underrated.

Here’s how the supporters have been describing him…

AND in other news, Five youngsters Klopp should call upon next season…

When Adama Traore joined Aston Villa from Barcelona in 2015 for a not-inconsiderable fee of £7m, his new manager Tim Sherwood described the flying winger as a ‘bit of Messi and Ronaldo’. Four years later his former team-mate Micah Richards looked back on the 19-year-old’s troubled time in the Midlands, labelling him ‘quick and thick’.

These are startling extremes, each as unfair as the other, but while it’s justifiable to highlight their inappropriateness it’s also worth pointing out something that slightly excuses them: namely there is very little ordinary or middle-of-the-road about Traore.

There is the Spaniard’s blistering pace for starters. In that same interview Richards – hardly a slouch – admits that he once challenged the teen to a foot-race and was granted a twenty yard advantage. He lost.

Coming through at La Masia the player was given the nickname ‘Usain Bolt’, while Olympic sprint champion Darren Campbell once advised Traore to slow down when in possession. It’s worth pausing here to re-read that. He was advised to slow down.

That was at Middlesbrough, Traore’s next destination after finding his opportunities limited at Villa to just 262 minutes all told, and in the North East he proved to be a revelation even prompting headlines such as this one in the Telegraph – ‘Emulating Messi: How dribble-king Adama Traore is following the example of his former team-mate’.

Yet recalling his days managing the wide-man at Boro, Tony Pulis recently revealed that he would deploy him on the wing closest to the dug-out in order to bark out instructions throughout the game.

There are those same extremes again. A comparison to Messi and the insinuation that Traore is not the fizziest can in the fridge.

With his raw pace and physique of a line-backer, it is little surprise that this heightened talent capable of terrorising defences and his own manager in equal measure has gained a reputation as an impact sub in recent years.

Last season for Wolves – who he joined for £18m the summer before last – he made a staggering 21 league appearances from the bench and from that a feeling grew that a player of such extremities could not be influential across ninety whole minutes: that he was instead a human hand grenade thrown into the action to capitalise from covering fire. Or at least that used to be the perception.

“We’re building a player”. That was what Nuno Espirito Santo said earlier this term on his star whose attributes make him a potential world-beater but by means of out-and-out wing-play that contrasts with Wolves’ propensity to use wing-backs.

And you have to say that the Portuguese coach has been as good as his word.

On 13 occasions this season Traore has been unleashed from the outset in the Premier League, no longer looking to the bench for direction and instead remaining well-drilled, calm and in control.

His form has seen him called up to the Spanish squad prior to an enforced withdrawal. His form has seen him score both goals as Wolves stunned Manchester City at the Etihad, each goal slotted home with assurance. His form has seen him become one of the most improved performers in the division with five direct goal contributions in 15 appearances and a series of impressive displays.

He is no longer a peripheral phenomenon and let’s hope that the days of being compared to the global greats are long gone too.

Adama Traore is exhilarating and entertaining and consistently so. That is more than enough to be getting on with.

Arsenal fans have taken to Twitter to reveal that they want the club to bring Santi Cazorla back to The Emirates, after the Villarreal midfielder revealed that he never got to say a proper goodbye in an interview with The Independent.

“I never got to say a proper goodbye. It was the biggest team I played for in my career and I miss everything about Arsenal. I don’t know what my legacy is there, you would have to ask the fans, but I want to say thank you to them all. I would like to play at the Emirates one last time before I retire.”

The 34-year-old made 180 appearances for the Gunners – scoring 29 goals and recording 45 assists – although his Arsenal career quickly turned into a nightmare after a dreadful injury which left him unable to play for 636 days – Arsene Wenger described it as the worst injury he had ever seen.

Thankfully for the 79-cap Spain international, he is now back fit and playing with Villarreal, where he has scored five goals and grabbed four assists in 13 La Liga matches this term.

However, his horror injury – in which he literally had to be pieced back together through the use of skin grafts – meant that he could not make a romantic exit from north London, something that is clearly still on his mind following his comments.

After hearing what their former No.19 said, some Arsenal fans on Twitter have revealed that they want Cazorla back at The Emirates.

Let’s take a look at some of the tweets…

Liverpool defender Andy Robertson has teased Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain with a backhanded compliment after the forward hit the Reds’ winning goal against KRC Genk on Tuesday night.Robertson was benched for the Champions League tie as Jurgen Klopp seemingly kept one eye on Sunday’s Premier League showdown with title-rival Manchester City, but started Oxlade-Chamberlain as his de facto striker.According to those matches where his position has been recorded by Transfermarkt, Oxlade-Chamberlain had never played as the designated striker or as a false nine before in his senior career, yet was able to live up to the task by striking the match-winner on the turn when he drilled the ball home in the 53rd-minute.It was the Portsmouth-born winger’s fourth goal of the season across all competitions, after he fired home from range the Reds’ third of the night against his former side Arsenal in the Carabao Cup last week.His brace against Genk when Liverpool travelled to Belgium towards the end of October also featured a wonder-strike from the 26-year-old, when he scored with the outside of his boot.Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal against Genk on Tuesday night was relatively subdued compared to his effort last month, while also being the 33-cap England international’s first from inside the box this season.Robertson clearly noticed that, as well, as the Scotland left-back took to Twitter after the win to tease Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Liverpool host Manchester City on Sunday looking to stretch their advantage over the reigning Premier League title holders, as Klopp’s men can open a nine-point margin should they triumph at the weekend.

Both Barcelona and Real Madrid enjoy a short break over the weekend after El Clasico was postponed to a later date.

But now, La Liga returns in mid-week as the Blaugrana will welcome Real Valladolid at the Camp Nou this Tuesday night.

Ernesto Valverde should have his troops well rested and ready to fire on all cylinders but since they are now playing catch-up, there should be no margin for error anymore.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The team is still facing a couple of injuries and suspensions that could force the coach into some decisions but overall, most of his big guns should be available come Tuesday night.

But taking everyone’s form and absences into consideration, here’s what we think Barcelona’s starting XI should look like against Real Valladolid, with Valverde making two changes from the team that beat Slavia Prague last time out.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen has been one of Barcelona’s standout performers throughout the ongoing season. Just recently, he was once again their hero in the game against Slavia Prague, tallying a total of eight saves on the night to preserve Blaugrana’s lead and secure the three points.

His position in the team is definitely not under threat.

The same can be said for the backline, although possibly for different reasons. Barcelona have been shaky in defence apart from Ter Stegen but Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet are currently two of their best options at the centre-back position, especially with Samuel Umtiti experiencing some fitness issues again.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

Sergi Roberto has received a knock in the last game and even if he makes it back, it’s unlikely Valverde will start him from the get-go, nor should he, and for that reason we’re putting Nelson Semedo there instead.

Jordi Alba has been sorely missed on the opposite side and his influence should give Barcelona that extra edge moving forward.

In the middle of the pitch, Arthur Melo and Frenkie de Jong are standard picks and by this point, they have already cemented their place in the lineup.

But the same can’t really be said for Sergio Busquets, who’s seemingly experiencing a dip in form or is just gradually getting past his prime. For that reason, and considering how he’s always been effective when called upon, Arturo Vidal should get the nod in front of the experienced Spaniard.

In that case, Vidal takes up a spot further up the pitch and De Jong drops deeper into the defensive-midfielder position.

Up front, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann should remain in the lineup, the Argentine in his natural position on the right and the Frenchman as the team’s centre-forward instead of Luis Suarez.

The Uruguayan has been sub-par for the majority of the season and his form continues to be a problem for the team.

Ansu Fati, on the other hand, hasn’t seen any action since the game against Villarreal on matchday six.

He’s aching for some minutes and just by dropping Suarez and slotting the 16-year-old prodigy in the lineup instead of him, Barcelona have a win-win scenario – Suarez is rested until he regains his form and Fati can get a valuable chance to shine.

Considering that Ousmane Dembele is still serving his suspension, the youngster is the perfect choice in this situation.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Charlie Nicholas believes Marco Silva will go with an attacking team against Tottenham Hotspur this Sunday.

What did he say?

Everton currently sit in 16th, two points from the relegation spots. If the Toffees lose again, it will be their seventh of the campaign, and it could force them back into the drop zone should other results go against them.

Nicholas told Sky Sports: “This is the game. There is no doubt that Marco Silva is under the most extreme pressure and the only reason he is hanging on is because of his home record.

“They did not play too badly at Liverpool, but the Tottenham issues are in defence and going forward. Does he have the right balance? Does Dele Alli deserve to be in the team? Why is Lucas Moura not playing? Christian Eriksen is a passenger at the moment, so he doesn’t belong in the team. There is too much confusion at Tottenham. The manager is not the problem but there is something within.”

“It will be an open game and Silva will pick an attacking team here. It is so hard to predict what will happen to either of these sides.”

Got to go for it

Everton looked like they had just found the winning formula when they beat West Ham United two weeks ago. However, a 3-2 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion a week later has heaped the praise back onto Silva.

For this reason alone, the former Watford boss simply has to go for it. Should Everton sit back and invite pressure, the likes of Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen could have a field day, despite recent form.

Last season the visiting Spurs side put six goals past Everton in a 6-2 rout, and a similar result this time round could seal Silva’s fate.

The Blues have conceded 16 goals so far in the league, so Silva must think carefully about how to attack and not create holes in his side at the same time.

His team does appear to pick itself in an attacking sense, with Bernard out injured. Theo Walcott has two assists lately and is growing in stature at the club, whilst Richarlison scored again in midweek.

Elsewhere, Dominic Calvert-Lewin bagged his fifth goal of the season last week, so he is surely in line for a start. Silva must go with the big guns, and leave players like Moise Kean benched for the time being.

It’s simple, the Portuguese manager cannot afford any more dropped points and Spurs are there for the taking on current form.

It remains to be seen if Nicholas’ prediction about Silva’s attacking team will

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele has had a mixed start to his career with the north London outfit with some decent performance and some average ones, but he played a major part in their 2-1 win against Southampton at the weekend.

The £63m man arrived at Spurs full of promise having made a name for himself with Lyon in Ligue 1, and a goal on his debut against Aston Villa understandably left fans excited at what was to come from the 22-year-old as he started to show signs of living up to his price tag.

However, having suffered an injury he then looked a little off the pace on his return to the starting XI, especially against Olympiacos in the Champions League and then the subsequent fixture against Leicester City, where he earned a 5/10 rating from Football London and was described as “ineffective”.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

The Frenchman did play a pivotal role in his side beating Saints with 10 men on Saturday though, scoring the first goal when he smashed the ball past Angus Gunn from inside the penalty area.

It was a dominant and influential display that you would expect given his price tag, and you could certainly say that he grabbed a difficult situation by the scruff of the neck and helped the hosts when it came to taking the ball forward and winning fouls – he totalled six of the latter against the south coast outfit.

That said, there is still one weakness to his game that needs to be rectified if he is to make it as a really top, top Premier League player – his lack of concentration.

The trait is listed as his only weak one on stats-based website WhoScored, and it’s no surprise why when you look at his game in certain aspects.

For example, he has averaged committing 1.2 fouls per appearance in the English top flight this term, while he has the exactly the same number for dispossessions in his five Premier League outings.

Perhaps the thing that sums up the weakness most of all is the bad control he encounters per outing – 2.2 times on average every game.

His concentration let him down in the 7-2 loss against Bayern Munich on Tuesday too, where he wasn’t quick enough to react in defensive situations.

Ndombele is beginning to look like the player Tottenham paid such a big amount for though, but he needs to improve .

يعيش نادي ولفرهامبتون حالة من القلق بشأن نجم الفريق راؤول خيمينيز، بعد الإصابة الخطيرة التي تعرض لها قبل عدة أشهر.

وعانى راؤول خيمينيز من كسر في الجمجمة خلال مواجهة آرسنال، في الدوري الإنجليزي في شهر نوفمبر الماضي بعد تدخل خطير للغاية مع ديفيد لويز.

وخضع المهاجم المكسيكي لعملية جراحية، وغاب عن المباريات منذ ذلك الوقت.

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ورغم أن المدرب نونو سانتو صرح في وقت سابق بأنه متفائل بإمكانية عودة راؤول إلى المباريات قبل نهاية الموسم الحالي، إلا أن النادي نفسه لا يشعر بالحالة نفسها.

وذكرت شبكة “فوتبول إنسايدر” الإنجليزية أن مصادر داخل ولفرهامبتون تفيد أن هناك حالة من القلق لدى مسؤولي النادي حول حالة راؤول خيمينيز.

وأوضحت أن مصدر القلق لدى ولفرهامبتون يعود إلى تفكيرهم حول كيفية اتخاذ راؤول خيمينيز للخطوات التالية في تعافيه.

راؤول عاد إلى التدريبات الخفيفة، ولكنه يرتدي غطاء رأس واقِ، ولم يشارك بشكل كامل في التدريبات، أو ضرب الكرة بالرأس.

وأشارت إلى أنه خلف الكواليس، هناك قلق بشأن ما إذا كان راؤول صاحب الـ29 عامًا سيكون قادرًا على العودة إلى مستوياته المعهودة عنه قبل إصابته الخطيرة أم لا.

ليس هذا فقط، بل يخشى ولفرهامبتون أن يحتاج راؤول خيمينيز إلى ما يقرب من 18 شهرًا للتعافي تمامًا من الناحية العقلية والجسدية قبل أن يعود إلى كافة لياقته للمشاركة في المباريات.

وإذا صحت تلك المخاوف، فإن هذا الأمر يعني افتقاد ولفرهامبتون لخدمات راؤول خيمينيز حتى نهاية الموسم المقبل.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Former Arsenal ace Ray Parlour has told talkSPORT that he rates Harry Kane as a better striker than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

What did he say?

Aubameyang has had a fantastic start to the campaign. In his first seven games in all competitions, he has seven goals, and has scored in all but one match that he has played.

Kane, too, has done well so far, scoring five in his first seven, and Parlour has said that he believes he is a step above the former Borussia Dortmund man.

Asked by Alan Brazil to pick between the England captain and the Gabon international, he said: “I’ll probably go Harry Kane.”

Expanding, later on, he added: “(Aubameyang) goes in and out of games, he’ll go missing for 10 minutes. But when he gets his chance, when he gets his moment in the box he takes it.”

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Is Kane better?

Is Kane really better than Aubameyang? Let’s have a look at the stats.

Without counting the spells at the start of their careers – there is little sense in comparing the Tottenham man’s goals for Leyton Orient and the Gabon international’s for Lille, for example – Kane has 169 goals in 260 games for Spurs, which have come at a rate of 0.65 per match. Aubameyang, meanwhile, has 230 in 382 games across his times at Saint-Etienne, Borussia Dortmund and now the Gunners. They have come at a rate of 0.6. One point to Kane.

What about in England’s top tier since the 30-year-old’s arrival, though? That statistic actually points in favour of Aubameyang, whose 48 in 72 come at a rate of 0.67 per match compared to his rival’s 0.64 (39 in 61).

Let’s move on to trophies. Of course, this has often been used as a way to prove the argument that the England captain is not world class, and it must be stated that his cabinet is bare other than three Premier League Golden Boots. Aubameyang’s record may not be much better, but it is better all the same. He himself has two Golden Boots, and four cups from his various clubs. He has also won the African Footballer of the Year award, in 2015, but bearing in mind Kane’s nationality, it is harsh to use that against him.

Internationally, Kane has shone at a World Cup, picking up the Golden Boot at last year’s edition in Russia. Again, though, as Gabon are unlikely to ever qualify for the tournament, it seems to be an unfair comparison.

The truth of the matter is there is very little, if anything at all, to separate the two.

Really, bearing in mind that Aubameyang has proven himself in three countries, compared to Kane’s one, you could even argue that the former comes out slightly on top.

عاد جوان لابورتا، إلى مقعد الرئيس في نادي برشلونة بعد غياب دام أكثر من 10 سنوات تقريبًا باكتساح منافسيه يوم أمس، الأحد، فيكتور فونت وتوني فريشيا.

وتحصل لابورتا بحسب النتائج النهائية للانتخابات في برشلونة على 54.28% من إجمالي الأصوات، ولكن قد تكون عودته مؤثرة في مستقبل محمد صلاح مع ليفربول بالميركاتو الصيفي المقبل.

من المعروف عن لابورتا خلال فترة رئاسته الأولى دعمه للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالصفقات المميزة مثل رونالدينيو، صامويل إيتو، تيري هنري وزلاتان إبراهيموفيتش والعديد من النجوم.

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وبحسب صحيفة “صنداي ورلد” البريطانية، فإن هناك تفكيرًا لدى لابورتا منذ فترة للتعاقد مع محمد صلاح من ليفربول في حالة عدم استمرار، ليونيل ميسي، في الفريق الكتالوني ورحيله مجانًا في الميركاتو الصيفي المقبل.

مستقبل محمد صلاح مع ليفربول يحيطه الغموض الشديد في الأشهر الأخيرة، بالإضافة، إلى تغريدة وكيله رامي عباس بعد استبداله في مباراة تشيلسي يوم الخميس الماضي والتي أُثارت الكثير من التكهنات حول استمرار المصري الدولي في قلعة “أنفيلد”.

وبالتالي، بعد نجاح لابورتا في انتخابات برشلونة قد يكون محمد صلاح إحدى صفقاته في الصيف إذا لم ينجح في الإبقاء على ميسي رقم الضائقة المادية التي يعاني منها العملاق الكتالوني.