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Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash should be available for selection against Arsenal after sustaining a minor injury at the weekend, Ashley Preece says. 

The lowdown

Cash started against Wolves on Saturday and played 79 minutes before he was substituted, with Ashley Young coming on in his place.

Manager Dean Smith revealed after the game that he’d been forced off with a dead leg.

Cash is a mainstay of the Villa side, with his Wolves injury threatening to disrupt a 100% Premier League starting record.

Going by WhoScored metrics, the 24-year-old has been his side’s third best player so far this season.  Nobody in the squad has made more tackles per 90 minutes.

Cash, incidentally, ranks in Villa’s top-six earners with a reported weekly salary of £65,000.

The latest

Addressing supporters in a Birmingham Live fan Q&A, Preece wrote: “[I] expect Matty Cash to shake off a dead leg for Arsenal on Friday.”

Meanwhile, an update on the fitness of winger Leon Bailey is expected in Dean Smith’s press conference on Thursday.

The verdict

This will surely come as a relief to Villa supporters. Young would have been able to deputise, but it’s clear that Cash is one of Smith’s most trusted lieutenants.

And they need to muster a response on Friday night against a 12th-placed Arsenal side, having conceded three times in 15 minutes in a dramatic late collapse after Cash’s withdrawal on Saturday.

If Bailey is available for selection too, they’ll probably fancy their chances.

In other news, this Villa starlet is being monitored. 

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.

Having seen his Sunderland side get off to an impressive start to their 2021/22 League One campaign, winning their first two fixtures of the new season, Lee Johnson and his team were dealt a setback on Tuesday, with the Black Cats suffering defeat at the hands of Burton Albion.

However, the result was far from a disaster, with Sunderland’s performance still impressive despite the defeat – something which Johnson himself commented upon after the 1-0 loss, claiming that his side “had fantastic control” of the fixture, as well as stating his belief that if the match were to be played 100 times over, the Black Cats would win on 85 occasions.

Indeed, over the course of the 90 minutes at the Pirelli Stadium, the Wearsiders managed 20 shots on goal, seven of which were on target, as well as dominating possession of the ball and creating two big chances.

However, while it is easy to argue that Sunderland were the better of the two teams on the night, it cannot be ignored that the Mackems nevertheless failed to capitalise on their dominance, with a lack of quality in and around the box proving to be their downfall.

As such, it would appear wise for Johnson to freshen up his attacking lineup for the visit of AFC Wimbledon today, with one player in particular who has so far been overlooked in the league and could well be deserving of a shot in the starting XI – Josh Hawkes.

Indeed, following a highly impressive 2020/21 campaign with Sunderland’s under-23 side, scoring 13 goals and providing six assists over his 20 Premier League 2 appearances, the 22-year-old winger was given a chance in the Black Cats’ first team for the Carabao Cup clash with Port Vale last week – getting himself on the scoresheet in the 2-1 win.

However, despite having been an unused substitute in the club’s first two league fixtures of the season, Johnson then dropped Hawkes completely from his matchday squad for the Burton game, a rather strange move considering his impressive performance the previous week.

Also, considering the goalscoring and creative talent that Hawkes quite clearly possesses, the Sunderland boss simply must give the man he himself dubbed a “dangerous” player a shot against AFC Wimbledon, as the youngster could well solve the Black Cats’ troubles in front of goal.

In other news: SAFC in “advanced talks” over “fantastic” £180k-rated dynamo, Johnson will be buzzing

Crystal Palace have received a big injury boost ahead of their Premier League clash with Everton at Selhurst Park this evening.

What’s the word?

In Friday’s press conference, Patrick Vieira revealed that Eberechi Eze has been training well as he continues his recovery from an Achilles problem, with Joachim Andersen and Nathan Ferguson also progressing well.

“The team news is Joachim took some part of training the last couple of days with the team. And Nathan and Eze are doing well,” the manager confirmed.

That wasn’t where the good news ended for the Eagles, though. Vieira provided a positive update on James McArthur, who has been absent in recent weeks with a hamstring issue.

The Frenchman revealed: “James is feeling better as well. He has started doing some individual training on the field, and this morning he took part in the first 15-20 minutes of the training session – but he will not be involved in the Everton game.”

Palace fans will be buzzing

The nwws that Eze is making good progress in his quest to regain full match fitness will have the Palace fans buzzing with excitement given their recent struggles. After a promising run of form during the autumn, the south London outfit are currently enduring a four-game winless run, having lost their last three consecutive fixtures.

Despite having the attacking firepower of Wilfried Zaha, Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise, Vieira’s charges have been unable to carve open opposition defences over the last few weeks, failing to find the back of the net against both Leeds and Manchester United.

Therefore, this latest revelation will surely be warmly welcomed by everyone associated with Palace, not least the supporters. In 2020/21, Eze was the Eagles’ chief creator with six assists, and his absence from the starting XI has been sorely missed in the opening weeks of the current campaign.

The 23-year-old has only been able to make two substitute appearances so far this term, but if he’s fit enough to feature from the off against Everton today, he could be the difference-maker for Palace once again if he can replicate his form from last season.

In other news… Vieira must seal Palace swoop for “crazy” £10.8m-rated beast likened to LeBron James

David Moyes risks uproar amongst the West Ham United faithful if he makes a move for Phil Jones this month…

What’s the word?

The Irons have been left frustrated by their search for a new centre-back over the past few days after Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma rejected the chance to join the club.

It’s believed that the addition of a new central defender is currently Moyes’ top priority, with Angelo Ogbonna dealing with a pre-season injury problem.

According to the ever-reliable ExWHUemployee, the Hammers’ hunt is nearly getting to the point of them considering free transfers, in which forgotten Manchester United outcast Phil Jones could be a target, even if slightly unlikely.

It’s not the first time that the 29-year-old colossus has been mooted with a switch to the London Stadium. Last month, Eurosport reported of Moyes’ interest in working with the centre-back once again.

Massively uninspiring

If West Ham’s options go from the likes of Zouma and James Tarkowski to Jones, then the Scot risks causing fury amongst the Irons faithful and that is the last thing he needs, with supporters group Hammers United already planning to protest before their game against the Red Devils next month.

Whilst Moyes may well think that he could repeat the theatrics of Jesse Lingard’s comeback, it seems unlikely that he can do the same with the 27-time England international.

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Jones has not played a competitive match for United – or anyone – in more than 18 months after falling out of favour under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before he picked up a serious long-term knee injury.

The Manchester Evening News claim that the 5 foot 11 defender is effectively ‘unsellable’, and that goes to show just how low the East Londoners would be sinking with a move for him.

It would be one mighty risk to take a punt on someone who has not played at the elite level for so long, especially considering that he is thought to be earning around £110k-per-week at Old Trafford.

Furthermore, when he was in action, he was far from impressive.

Jones was once described as a player who “looks like he’s on roller-skates” and “sometimes he looks like the stunt-man of the team” by Martin Keown to talkSPORT.

Now valued at just £4.5m by Transfermarkt, Moyes would certainly be playing with fire with a move for his former starting centre-back. The Irons faithful will surely be furious if he signs.

AND in other news, West Ham insiders drop major takeover claim, fans will be fuming…

Jack Grealish has not been starting games for England at Euro 2020 due to concerns from manager Gareth Southgate about his work rate off the ball, as reported by The Athletic.

As England struggle to pose a potent threat at the tournament, there has been an outcry from fans and journalists alike for Grealish to start after a sparking 2020/21 season which saw him register seven goals and 12 assists from 27 appearances in all competitions [Transfermarkt].

However, there are some within the England dressing room who believe the Aston Villa captain is not being selected from the beginning due to his lack of pressure on the ball out of possession [The Athletic].

As you can imagine, loads of Aston Villa supporters took to Twitter to scold these latest developments surrounding the 25-year-old.

Villa fans react to Grealish work rate claim

Replying to popular Aston Villa fan outlet @villareport, here is how some fans summarised their opinions upon hearing the report, with one believing that the accusation about his work rate is “ridiculous”:

“Didn’t Grealish pressure more per 90 than all the attacking players?”

Credit: @NickAvfc04″Leaving aside the point that it’s utter rubbish, Isn’t that such a typically British football thing to say? “That Pele bloke was rubbish coz he couldn’t tackle. If only Messi could head the ball. Let’s see Maradona do it on a cold Tuesday night in Crewe”. !!”Credit: @mattburton72″Grealish always tracks back for Villa especially when we face the big six. Even when we don’t, I remember against Bournemouth last season when he sprinted all the way back to the corner flag to dribble the ball out. Ridiculous from Southgate”Credit: @MaxGarfield2003″crucial block in our own box but he doesn’t work hard enough off the ball”Credit: @1874dan”Stop this insanity Gareth”Credit: @pgr_analytics”please say he’s joking”Credit: @catrinedwards18In other news, Aston Villa are keen on an international midfielder.

West Ham shared footage of new summer signings Kurt Zouma and Nikola Vlasic on Thursday evening.

And, as to be expected, a number of Hammers supporters were quick to share their positive thoughts to their new recruits on social media.

The Hammers made two big-money additions late in the window, with Zouma penning a four-year deal from Chelsea costing £31.5m and Vlasic a five-year deal from CSKA Moscow at a price of £27m.

Both the centre-back and the attacking midfielder have been training ahead of this weekend’s clash with Southampton at St Mary’s and were all smiles at the club’s Rush Green complex.

West Ham posted a 43-second clip of the video of the pair on their official Twitter page, including a snippet of the duo in action alongside teammates on the training pitch.

Hammers fans react

These Hammers fans all interacted with the post, with a selection of positive responses available to view below.

“We’re winning the league”

Credit: @n_kalathakis

“ZOUMA is a perfect addition to the character of this team. Well done DM!”

Credit: @Nathanbi77

“So good let’s crack on then”

Credit: @ZaynafamilyMary

“Loving the team spirit on show”

Credit: @WestHamXtra

“Happy”

Credit: @lakey_21

“Start of something special let’s hope”

Credit: @Paul572669283

In other news: West Ham source: Moyes now eyeing ‘unbelievable’ attacker with behind-scenes talks ongoing.

Former Premier League star Carlton Palmer insists that Manchester City will try to sign Harry Kane from Tottenham Hotspur again, even if a deal for Borussia Dortmund’s Erling Haaland makes more financial sense.

City spent the summer pursuing a deal to sign Kane from Spurs but were unable to strike an agreement with chairman Daniel Levy.

It has been reported that a bid worth £75m plus £25m in add-ons was the only one tabled by City, and firmly rejected by Spurs, who were demanding closer to £150m.

Kane subsequently stayed put, while Haaland remains at Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.

The latter will be available next summer for a fee in the region of £65m, when his release clause becomes active, and Palmer believes that a deal to bring him to City would be a sensible one compared to signing Kane for a huge fee.

But he expects the club to try to bring the England captain in again, be it in January or the summer.

Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, he said: “He’s going to cost you upwards of £200 million, in the deal, and he’s coming on for 29.

“I think that’s a lot of money to pay for a 29-year-old but if he delivers you the Champions League then fine. But if you can get Haaland in for £65 million, and then you put his salary on top, then you’re looking at half that deal and he’s a lot younger so there’s your business. We’ll have to see.

“I think they’ll still go for Harry Kane and they’ll try to bring him in during the next transfer window, for sure.”

William Saliba would be open to joining Newcastle United on loan for the 2021/22 season, according to Chronicle Live journalist Lee Ryder.

The lowdown

Arsenal paid £27m to sign the Frenchman in 2019 but loaned him straight back to Ligue 1 outfit Saint-Etienne. The 20-year-old then spent the first half of the 2020/21 campaign with the Gunners’ youth teams before a temporary switch to Nice in January.

He played 20 Ligue 1 games for the club, averaging 1.9 successful aerial duels, 1.3 interceptions and four clearances per match (via WhoScored).

Saliba has been tipped to enjoy a successful career in England by one-time Saint-Etienne team-mate and former Newcastle ace Yohan Cabaye, who said that the young defender was ‘like a big man’ and that the ‘future looks bright’ for him.

The latest

Ryder reported for Chronicle Live that Newcastle have been monitoring Saliba, now valued at £16.2m by Transfermarkt, for 18 months.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would not stand in his way if a loan bid arrives from St James’ Park, while the player himself would be keen on a chance to leave the Emirates Stadium and prove his worth in the Premier League.

As a result, this may be a ‘quick and easy deal’ for the Magpies to do, as Ryder tweeted.

The verdict

Saliba’s performance levels in France have actually merited a chance at Arsenal, but Newcastle would be more than happy to reap the rewards of the Gunners’ hesitancy, and this could be a very clever piece of business.

The club’s resources are said to be limited this summer but, with a shrewd approach, they can still enhance their squad significantly.

In other news, Newcastle have also been linked with an Arsenal forward.

Tottenham Hotspur are now attempting a move for star Villarreal defender Pau Torres as claims emerge from Spain in the last week.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites fail with bid…

Torres, who has been a crucial player under former Arsenal boss Unai Emery at the La Liga side, is absolutely no stranger to Lilywhites supporters.

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Spurs transfer chief Fabio Paratici has held a serious interest in the 25-year-old before with Torres even confirming himself that the club made a summer approach before 2021/2022.

The Spain international claims Tottenham even offered him a better deal in terms of salary than Villarreal.

However, Torres goes on to say that his club’s presence in the Champions League was a deciding factor in rejecting Paratici’s advances.

Now, as per La Razon (via Sport Witness), as Antonio Conte’s side chase qualification for Europe’s most elite competition, they are back in the picture to sign him.

The Latest: Tottenham attempting Torres move…

It is claimed that Spurs are ‘seem to be trying’ to sign the central defender this summer.

As well as this, Villarreal have decided to green-light the player’s summer sale if any interested side can offer around €60 million (£50m).

The Verdict: Get it done?

An accomplished centre-half is reportedly among many of Conte’s transfer demands this summer with The Telegraph believing he could demand as many as six fresh faces.

Bearing this in mind, Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy will have to operate smartly in the market and offload surplus players like Tanguy Ndombele before making such huge investments.

As Spurs allegedly attempt to sign Torres, there is no denying they have a better chance of doing so than last year as things stand, especially as they chase a top-four finish.

His £50m price tag remains a huge obstacle, but if Paratici can work his way around the finances and Tottenham’s homegrown quota problem this summer, there is little denying he would be a major upgrade.

Spain manager Luis Enrique, calling Torres and Aymeric Laporte ‘sensational’ due to their defensive partnership at international level, is arguably proven right by the player’s impressive La Liga stats this season.

Over his 28 league starts, the colossal defender has averaged more successful aerial duels per 90 (1.9) than anyone under Emery whilst also making the second-most clearances behind Raul Albion (WhoScored).

A crucial mainstay, only goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli has played more top flight minutes over 2021/2022, backing just how integral he is to Villarreal.

If Conte can snap him up, there is no reason why he cannot become just as pivotal in north London.

In other news: Tottenham in pole position to sign ‘unreal’ 6 foot 3 powerhouse for Conte! Find out more here.