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Flocking to Twitter, many Manchester United supporters have erupted over a pre-Liverpool blow involving star midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is already under pressure after watching his side drop a plethora of Premier League points over this last month.

The Norwegian has overseen losses to both Aston Villa and Leicester City whilst also dropping points in a home draw to Everton, coming as United aim to win their first Premier League title in nearly 10 years (manutd.com).

Ahead of a highly anticipated clash against Liverpool at Old Trafford today, many Red Devils fans have fumed as some team news emerges before they take on Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Indeed, as confirmed by Solskjaer, star man Fernandes is now a doubt for one of the biggest clashes of their season.

The Portuguese playmaker has four goals and two assists in just eight Premier League starts this season, marking himself out as a really key player.

Taking this into account, it’s little wonder United supporters are worried he might not feature today.

Find all of their verdicts on the news down below.

Man United fans erupt over Fernandes blow…

“advantage liverpool”

Credit: @Ansh710839

“We are finished”

Credit: @martemmanuel_14

“Great.”

Credit: @Xire01

“OH GOD….we all know it will be Lingard at the 10 on Sunday!”

Credit: @OilDoug

“no bruno omg”

Credit: @rashy10_

“NOT BRUNO”

Credit: @MAX_DBN

“As if it couldn’t get any worse”

Credit: @Unit01773131

In other news: ‘Worse than Fred’, ‘Just sell’…Man United fans hammer ‘very weak’ player who ‘needs shipping out’, find out more here.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has cast doubt over the availability of two more defensive options for the Premier League meeting with Watford. 

The lowdown: Walker worry

The Sky Blues are currently in the midst of a gruelling fixture schedule and are likely to remain without Kyle Walker with an ankle injury after Ruben Dias also spent time on the sidelines recently.

As just a solitary point separates Guardiola’s side and the chasing Liverpool, every remaining league game has been billed as a must-win encounter by the Spanish boss.

Walker appear to roll his ankle in the win at Atletico Madrid and has since been spotted in a protective boot, raising plenty of doubts over his availability for the run-in.

However, it seems he’s not the only defensive issue for Pep to worry about…

The latest: Defensive duo doubtful

Speaking during the pre-match press conference, as relayed by the Manchester Evening News, Guardiola is unsure about the availability of John Stones and Nathan Ake.

When asked over fresh team news, he said: “A niggle [Stones]. Little problems, like Nathan today we make an assessment, tomorrow we decide.”

Regular England international Stones is believed to have felt tightness during the 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion in midweek whilst Ake had to be replaced at half time due to a twisted ankle.

The verdict: No risks required

In truth, the potential defensive absentees shouldn’t cause too many headaches for City in a game the hosts should dominate at the Etihad.

Albeit Roy Hodgson’s side will arrive with their Premier League status hanging in the balance, Watford have only mustered 30 goals in 32 matches this season and therefore Aymeric Laporte alongside a fit again Dias should be more than enough to cope with any threat posed by the visitors.

Allowing key players such as Stones, recently hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Guardiola, time to recover ahead of crunch clashes still to come is vitally important as the Citizens still harbour ambitions of completing a historic double this season.

In other news, a journalist has shared a major City transfer breakthrough. Read more here.

Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield has dropped a big claim on his future at Ibrox beyond the end of this season…

What’s the latest?

The Gers gem has admitted that his representatives will be speaking to the club over a new contract in Glasgow, with his current deal due to expire next summer.

He told Sky Sports:

“When you’re on the pitch you’re not thinking about contracts, you’re not thinking about money, you’re not thinking about security, you’re thinking about winning the game for the football club.

“It’s easy for me to think about that and harder for me to think about other things; if you ask my wife she’ll probably say a different thing.

“(It becomes clearer) when they talk to me. I’ve got representatives that will be speaking to the club.

“I haven’t done so at this minute in time but as I say, I’m all about football and they can talk about contracts at different times.”

Delighted

Rangers fans will surely be delighted by this news as Arfield has shown some promising signs since Gio van Bronckhorst’s arrival at the club.

This update may not have come at the best time after his frustrating performance against Hearts on Sunday, but the nature of his displays in recent weeks have been encouraging. His movement off the ball has been crucial to the Gers and how the Dutchman wants to play and he has played a key role in recent wins.

The £16k-per-week midfielder has played in all six of the 43-year-old’s games in charge at Rangers in the Premiership and Europa League, with the club picking up five wins and one draw in that time as he scored once.

It may not come across in his match statistics, but his runs in behind are crucial. He has a knack for knowing when to make the right run into a channel to either drag a defender out of the way or run onto a pass himself.

The former is how he can make a big impact without touching the ball as he can take players out of the game to afford more space for the likes of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos to do their damage in.

This is why fans will surely be delighted by Arfield’s comments about his representatives speaking to the club over the possibility of a new deal. He would be a useful option for van Bronckhorst to call upon with his intelligent movement and work rate off the ball, whilst he has also chipped in with two goals this season.

AND in other news, GVB could save Rangers millions with “lovely” £3.1k-p/w colossus who has “everything”…

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Boubacar Kamara to the London Stadium.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian publication Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that both West Ham and Newcastle United are leading the race to sign the Olympique Marseille defensive midfielder on a free transfer at the end of the current campaign, while AS Roma are also credited with an interest in the 22-year-old.

However, the report goes on to state that the France U21 international is extremely well-liked by a number of other Premier League sides due to his positional versatility and ability on the ball, meaning that, despite currently being in pole position, the Hammers and the Magpies will still have a battle on their hands to land Kamara’s signature this summer.

Imagine him and Rice

Considering the sheer amount of potential Kamara quite clearly possesses, it is easy to understand why David Moyes is believed to be interested in a move for the midfielder, as the prospect of the 22-year-old lining up alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park at the London Stadium will have Premier League central midfielders up and down the country terrified.

Indeed, the £22.5m-rated man has become a mainstay in the Marseille side since 144 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, despite having only turned 22 last November.

However, it is not only the number of the £46k-per-week midfielder’s appearances that is impressive, but also his level of performance in them, with the player who Rolando dubbed a “phenomenon” having averaged a SofaScore match rating of 7.00 or above in each of the last three seasons.

As such, should West Ham be able to secure a deal for the French youth international next summer, especially on a free transfer, it would undoubtedly be a major coup for the Champions League hopefuls, as a midfield duo of Rice and Kamara is certainly a very scary prospect.

In other news: Huge West Ham January development emerges which will delight David Moyes

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a late blow over one of their mooted January transfer window targets this week…

What’s the word?

There were reports suggesting that Spurs had agreed on a deal with AC Milan for midfielder Franck Kessie, who is out of contract in the summer, after sporting director Fabio Paratici tried to sign him immediately instead of waiting until the end of the season.

However, it appears as if he won’t be joining this month – if at all – as according to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, the 25-year-old star has verbally agreed to join LaLiga giants Barcelona in June.

“Verbal agreement between #Kessie and #Barcelona for June when the contract with the midfielder’s #Milan will expire. No signature for the moment but the #Blaugrana aim to get to the definition of the details with the player’s entourage,” he tweeted.

Gutting blow for Conte

This will come as devastating news to Antonio Conte, who has previously been said to have requested Kessie’s signature heading into this month – and it’s easy to see why.

The £25m-rated Ivory Coast powerhouse would be an instant upgrade to the bulk of the Italian’s options, especially as the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Dele Alli and Giovani Lo Celso are free to leave before Monday’s deadline.

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Kessie is capable of not only providing a physical presence in the engine room but also goals with his set-piece talents and ability to drive the ball forward into the final third.

Indeed, only Zlatan Ibrahimovic (15 goals) found the net more times than the AC Milan midfielder (13) last season, whilst he also averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 1.2 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

That sort of style has earned comparison to former Premier League star Yaya Toure after Antonio Cassano also dubbed him “devastating” to Bobo TV (via MilanLive).

Elsewhere, Kessie has been described as an “extraordinary player” by his ex-Milan boss Vincenzo Montella.

Therefore, Conte will be truly gutted to have missed out on a player that he’s asked for, one that has been regularly linked with the north Londoners in recent months.

It comes late in the window, so Paratici and co will have their work cut out to find an alternative with just a handful of days remaining.

AND in other news, “In talks”: Sky Sports journo drops huge Spurs transfer update, Conte will be buzzing…

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Newcastle are reportedly eyeing a summer move for Hoffenheim striker Joelinton, and it looks like something that the club has been working on for quite some time.

What’s the story?

According to Florian Plettenberg, chief reporter for Sport1, Newcastle are set to land Joelinton this summer for a whopping €60m (around £52m).

He even goes so far as to claim the Magpies have been in negotiations with Hoffenheim for “weeks” and that those talks are close to a conclusion.

The full report also claims that the move depends on Newcastle staying in the top flight, though that is seemingly obvious anyway.

The 22 year-old has scored ten times this season, and if the move comes to fruition then Mike Ashley and the Magpies’ transfer team deserve immense credit.

Rondon upgrade?

West Brom named their price for Salomon Rondon recently, telling the Magpies they must shell out £16m to make his loan move permanent this summer, per The Northern Echo.

The powerful Venezuelan got on the scoresheet again on Saturday in the win over Huddersfield, taking his tally to seven league strikes this campaign, and he is adored by both Rafael Benitez and the Toon Army.

However, he will turn 30 towards the start of next season, and the 22 year-old Joelinton represents a much better investment.

Able to play anywhere across the front three but at his best through the middle, the Brazilian youngster is an excellent dribbler, and will get fans off their seats every time he has the ball.

He has excellent pace, good link-up play and you won’t find many strikers around Europe that press and harass the opposition defence quite so intently.

£52m would blow the record-breaking Miguel Almiron fee out of the water, but if the pair can form a long-term pairing packed with pace, creativity and goals, it would be worth every penny.

Manchester United rescued a potentially crucial point against Atalanta in their Champions League clash at the Gewiss Stadium thanks to another late Cristiano Ronaldo strike.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner popped up in the final few minutes to bag the winner against the same opponents just two weeks ago, and he once again saved the Red Devils’ blushes on Tuesday night.

It was a now typical disjointed, desperate performance from United throughout the 90 minutes, though, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s charges relied upon moments of individual brilliance rather than a cohesive system and strategy to stay top of Group F.

Josip Ilicic put the hosts ahead after just 12 minutes when his effort somehow squirmed under David de Gea’s body, but Ronaldo levelled things up with his first of the night following a flowing United move.

Atalanta then thought Duvan Zapata’s well-taken strike had secured a memorable victory for the Italians before the Old Trafford outfits new talisman volleyed in from outside the 18-yard box in added time.

In truth, only Ronaldo and Eric Bailly put in noteworthy displays on the night for the 20-time English champions, with several big-name stars putting in underwhelming showings on the European stage.

Paul Pogba was one of those who struggled in United’s engine room, but it was arguably their captain Harry Maguire who will be most disappointed with his performance.

As per SofaScore, the England international received a match rating of just 6.3 out of 10, the second-lowest of any of his teammates on the pitch in Bergamo and worse than Pogba.

Throughout the 90 minutes, Maguire looked shaky in possession, uncertain of his positioning and weak in his one-on-one battles, contributing heavily to his side’s hesitancy and indecision from top to bottom.

The 28-year-old lost six of his 10 duels, misplaced possession ten times, and committed two fouls, indicating how far off the pace he was.

Maguire’s below-par display saw former Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong take to Twitter to criticise the defender, saying: “Maguire again. Smh. Getting exposed every week now. Instead of stepping forward his tendency is always to step back.”

With Raphael Varane potentially injured again and City up next, Solskjaer will be hoping his captain can return to form in time for the weekend, or United risk another heavy defeat to a local rival.

And, in other news…Murtough must revive Man Utd move for “magnificent” £63m-rated gem, he’s like Carrick 

According to reports out of Spain, as shared by Sport Witness, there has been an update on Southampton’s pursuit of Union Berlin striker Taiwo Awoniyi.

The Lowdown: Semmens eyeing summer moves…

Ahead of what could be an interesting 2022 summer window, the Saints, and by extension their transfer chief Martin Semmens, have been tipped to bolster Ralph Hasenhuttl’s options.

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It is believed the south coast side are still in contention to sign England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone with links also emerging to some lesser known names like South Korea international Son Jun-ho.

The striker position is another area Southampton could strengthen as news comes to light involving Bundesliga forward Awoniyi.

The Latest: Report makes Awoniyi claim…

As per Spanish sources (via Sport Witness), Semmens and the club have ‘set their sights’ on the striker who could cost around £21 million.

The report also claims Southampton, alongside West Ham and Newcastle, will ‘bid for Awoniyi’ with a summer attempt to sign him on the cards.

The Verdict: Great option…

Members of the media, like journalist Stefan Bienkowski, have praised the Nigeria international for his ‘remarkable’ season in the Bundesliga with the in-form attacker coming as a good option for Hasenhuttl.

Union Berlin have previously heaped praise on their ‘hero’ who has played a major role for them this season, having scored 12 goals in 25 appearances in the German top flight this season.

He comes as a solid alternative to loanee Chelsea striker Armando Broja this summer as Semmens reportedly casts one eye on the 2022/2023 season now his club are clear of relegation for another year.

In other news: ‘It is true’ – Southampton backed by close source as they also eye ‘star’ international, find out more here.

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge believes that Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic would be a ‘dream’ signing for Tottenham and Daniel Levy, as per GiveMeSport.

The Lowdown: Spurs links

Spurs appear to be in a battle with north London rivals Arsenal when it comes to a possible move for the 21-year-old.

Reports earlier this week suggested that Fabio Paratici boasts a close relationship with Vlahovic’s representatives and that a summer move could be in the pipeline.

Arsenal are looking into a transfer this month, with Italian agent Beppe Accardi believing that Spurs could be the Serbian’s next destination.

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The Latest: Bridge’s comments

Bridge was talking to GiveMeSport regarding Vlahovic, labelling the 21-year-old as a ‘dream’ signing for Levy due to his sell-on value down the line.

The journalist gushed: “I don’t see one negative about this player. He’s 21, it’s a dream for Daniel Levy in terms of any sell-on value. He likes to buy players with sell-on value, of course he does, who doesn’t?”

The Verdict: Perfect

Vlahovic has bagged 19 goals in just 23 appearances this season and appears to be a future star. Tottenham are in need of an attacking addition to partner Harry Kane, and winning the race for the Serbian hitman could be a big piece of business in both the short- and long-term.

The Daily Mail have claimed that the 21-year-old could cost £58m and demand a £300,000-per-week wage. However, he may prove to be worth every penny, as you’d expect that the youngster will further improve his already impressive game.

Should he continue his fine form, then Spurs may not have to worry about the finances as they could end up making a major profit down the line, but they first need to make sure that they win the race for his services ahead of arch-rivals Arsenal.

In other news: ‘Understand’ – Alasdair Gold drops huge Spurs update as Conte and Paratici now take action

As Rangers headed into the international break they will have done so with glee as the Gers sat top of the league with everything appearing to be rather rosy at Ibrox.

There was a Scottish League Cup semi-final to prepare for and Steven Gerrard will have been confident about Rangers making the final.

However, he is no longer in Glasgow. The Gers have lost their title-winning head coach to south of the border and instead of a straightforward break, they had to work harder than ever to replace him.

The new boss is well known at Ibrox and brings with him a CV that eclipses that of Gerrard.

On Thursday afternoon, it was confirmed that Dutch coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst would become the 17th permanent manager of the club.

He has won the Eredivisie with Feyenoord in what stands out as his proudest achievement to date as a manager. However, his expertise guided the Netherlands-based side to two cup triumphs too.

The 46-year-old will also bring with him an experience of managing some of the finest players to grace European football. That list includes Liverpool hero Dirk Kuyt and Premier League winner Robin van Persie.

The former Arsenal star was a revelation under van Bronckhorst’s watchful eyes, bagging 25 times in 45 matches under the new Rangers manager’s tutelage.

Of course, it is hard to compare van Persie to anybody in the Gers squad but their head coach will undoubtedly require somebody who can fire in the goals on a regular basis.

Ryan Kent will, of course, be vital to retaining their Premiership crown but Alfredo Morelos will also need to start firing.

El Bufalo has been out of form this term with just four league strikes but it surely won’t be long before he becomes his ruthless self again.

The £33k-per-week earner may see a new manager as the perfect opportunity and if he starts scoring regularly again, he will become van Bronckhorst’s next van Persie in Scotland.

Morelos has been consistently linked with a move away from Glasgow but ahead of the January window, Ross Wilson and co must ensure he stays put.

He is a man capable of carrying them to the title and if we consider his goal record, it becomes clear why he’s being mentioned in the same breath as one of the Netherland’s great modern centre-forwards.

The dominant Colombian forward has beaten the goalkeeper on 101 occasions since arriving at Rangers and his iconic playstyle has earned some eye-catching appraisals.

“He was like a jungle cat who hadn’t been trained,” former coach Carlos Restrepo said of his youth days.

“He has a body type like an ox,” Restrepo added in an interview with The Athletic.

Van Persie was more technical than physical, something Morelos typifies, but their goalscoring records certainly match up.

Van Bronckhorst will surely relish the opportunity to coach him each day.

AND in other news, Rangers sealed dream deal over “physically powerful” £230k gem, GVB will love him…