As per Claret & Hugh, sharing what that they heard from a ‘top club insider’, some potentially exciting transfer news has come out of West Ham involving Czech Republic star Patrik Schick.
The Lowdown: West Ham falter in bid to sign a striker…
Over the January tranfser window, the Hammers failed in multiple attempts to bring a striker to east London, with substantial bids lodged for the likes of Darwin Nunez and Duvan Zapata.
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Offers for the strikers simply weren’t enough to prise them away from their current clubs given the late nature of those attempts, and David Moyes will have to wait until the summer to try again.
However, in a bit of good news for Irons supporters, it appears that West Ham could be ready to back a ‘huge striker bid’.
The Latest: Top West Ham insider makes Schick claim…
According to Claret & Hugh, as per a ‘top club insider’, West Ham and new board member Daniel Kretinsky could be ready to back a big bid to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Schick.
It is believed that Kretinsky is a big fan of the attacker, who has scored a remarkable 20 goals in as many Bundesliga matches this season.
The Verdict: Exciting claim…
Given that Leverkusen will apparently demand around £50m for Schick, news that Kretinsky could be ready to back Moyes with a big-money bid comes as very promising.
The 26-year-old’s goal return is certainly an incentive to move, with Leverkusen’s managing director of sport Rudi Völler also making some pretty wild comparisons. The former Germany boss likened Schick to superstar strikers Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski, all while labelling the towering 6 foot 3 striker a ‘world class’ player (Bundesliga).
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If West Ham do get backed by Kretinsky, the summer transfer window could certainly be an interesting one for the Irons faithful.
In other news: Talks scheduled: Insider drops fresh update as Moyes eyes ‘massive statement’ at West Ham…find out more here.
Leeds United have only had one game with their new manager Jesse Marsch in charge, which saw the Yorkshire club lose 1-0 against Leicester City at the weekend.
Even though the Whites still have a challenge on their hands to stay in the Premier League before the end of the season, it seems as though some signs have emerged regarding what the club could look to do once the upcoming summer transfer window opens.
What’s the latest?
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke had this to say about the possibility of the Elland Road outfit making a move to sign Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino, who they have been linked with in the past, during the upcoming summer transfer window.
He said: “Yeah, I still think it’s a position that Leeds need to strengthen.
“They’ve been so badly hit by Patrick Bamford’s absences this season through injury; they haven’t got much up there. Jesse Marsch knows all about him from his time at RB Salzburg.”
It was thought the player could cost as much as £20m as recently as January.
Dream deal for Leeds
Since joining the Merseyside club back in the 2020 January transfer window from Salzburg, the Japanese international has not found regular game time particularly easy to come by. However, he has managed to make himself a useful attacking presence when he has played, scoring 13 goals and providing three assists in 53 appearances.
Having been praised for his “complete” performances in the past by Jurgen Klopp, the 27-year-old had made 22 appearances under Marsch during their time together in Austria where the attacker racked up nine goals and 11 assists.
Taking this into account, it would be safe to assume that the 48-year-old would be delighted if he were able to reunite with Minamino at Leeds, sealing a dream first deal during his stint at Elland Road.
Minamino would undoubtedly add an extra attacking dynamic to his team, which is something that they have needed throughout this season with just 29 goals scored in 27 played league games compared to the 43 they had netted at this stage in their previous campaign.
With a significant amount of experience playing in Europe and winning trophies with Liverpool and Salzburg, securing the winger’s signature in the summer could be a dream deal for Victor Orta to complete too, handing the new manager at Thorp Arch a good start in building the team to how he would want it to be.
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Furthermore, he’s been in good form too with his brace against Norwich last week drawing comparisons to one of Liverpool’s finest, as Ian Doyle claimed he was the “new Luis Suarez.” That might be a stretch too far but it shows how appreciated he is at Anfield.
With that in mind, if the Whites were to drop back down to the Championship, this would surely make it a lot harder for them to convince the Reds attacker to swap Merseyside for Yorkshire.
In other news: Huge boost: Phil Hay drops teasing 9-word Leeds update that will have fans elated – opinion
Tottenham Hotspur’s inconsistencies continued under Antonio Conte as his side were beaten by a Cristiano Ronaldo masterclass at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
Spurs twice responded to the Portuguese’s efforts but the 37-year-old headed home a corner from Alex Telles just nine minutes from time to hand Manchester United all three points on their own turf.
The north Londoners have slipped to seventh in the standings, as a result.
Conte will surely be seething on his way back to Hotspur Way after his side leaked more goals, in fact, it’s now 15 goals conceded across their last nine league outings.
Sergio Reguilon was a fine example of their defensive troubles up against the talismanic veteran as he failed to make the most of his return to the starting lineup. Indeed, in the absence of Ryan Sessegnon, the Spaniard made his first start in six games.
However, it was he who played Jadon Sancho onside before he made things worse with his appeals to the linesman, instead of tracking back with Ronaldo, who fired home his second past Hugo Lloris.
The 25-year-old, who is valued at £25m by CIES Football Observatory, somewhat made amends with his involvement in Harry Maguire’s own goal but overall, he was shocking defensively and that leaves far too many concerned amid their backline woes.
Reguilon was dribbled past on two occasions during the 90 minutes, on top of only one tackle and one interception, via SofaScore.
And just as football.london reporter Alasdair Gold explained in his post-match ratings column, the former Real Madrid dynamo was ‘indecisive in attack.’
You could also say he was ineffective too.
He failed to deliver a single accurate cross to Harry Kane and co from seven attempts, whilst from 73 touches (third-most), he was unable to contribute more than one key chance, also losing possession on 21 occasions – the most of any player on the night, also via SofaScore.
It meant that Reguilon gifted the ball back to the Red Devils once every 3.4 touches or once every 4.2 minutes.
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Heung-min Son was one of many names criticised by the aforementioned Spurs reporter after the game but Reguilon failed to have any major influence on the game, one fluke incident that saw Maguire turn the ball into his own net doesn’t fully atone for his ineffectiveness in the final third, nor his weak attempts defensively.
He let Conte down up in Manchester this weekend.
AND in other news, “Might work out…”: Spurs insider drops big transfer claim that’ll excite supporters…
The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder has revealed that Newcastle United have already agreed a deal in principle to sign Matt Targett permanently this summer.
The Lowdown: Targett at NUFC
On January’s transfer deadline day, Newcastle announced the signing of Aston Villa left-back Targett, joining the Magpies on loan until the end of the season as Lucas Digne took his place in the Midlands.
The 26-year-old was Eddie Howe’s fourth transfer of the winter window, following Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood and Bruno Guimarães as they joined up with the squad at St. James’ Park, before Dan Burn followed on the final day.
Since arriving at the club, Targett has played the full 90 minutes in all four games that he’s been available for, and is yet to lose a Premier League game in a Magpies shirt.
The Latest: Deal agreed
Taking to Twitter, Ryder revealed the exciting transfer news.
“Newcastle United already have deal agreed in principle for first summer signing.”
In his article, the Chronicle journalist went on to confirm that Newcastle have agreed an option to turn the defender’s deal into a permanent move, with a fee of around £15 million already set with Steven Gerrard’s Villa side.
The decision is now effectively down to Newcastle and the player himself, who, according to the reliable Ryder, is already looking at accommodation options for beyond his loan spell.
The Verdict: ‘Massive’ signing
Prior to January, Newcastle struggled defensively, leaving them with the current fourth-worst defensive record in the league. Consequently, the club set out to bolster their options at the back, and Howe’s side have since conceded just three goals whilst Targett has been on the pitch.
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Upon signing, pundit Noel Whelan insisted that Targett will make a “massive difference” in a struggling Magpies defence, and so far, he has been proven correct, with Targett ranking as the club’s fifth-best player already (Whoscored).
Therefore, if Newcastle are now able to get the personal terms sorted, this will be a great start to the window, meaning the club have immediately ticked off one problem position and can focus on bringing in new additions elsewhere.
In other news: Newcastle: Ryan Fraser a doubt for Southampton clash
West Ham have enjoyed an exciting campaign which has seen attacking midfielders Jarrod Bowen, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma kick on and develop into key players for the team, with the trio scoring a combined 19 goals to help the club fight for European football once again next season.
However, one of their star midfielders could be headed for the exit door this summer, much to manager David Moyes and the West Ham faithful’s frustration.
What’s the news?
The Hammers could be about to lose one of their fan-favourites Manuel Lanzini, as according to La Pagina Millonaria, he has already met with representatives from former team River Plate – including their vice club president, ahead of a potential summer move.
At 29-years-old, the creative midfielder still has a number of years left at the top of his game, and despite that and also his recent career revival at the east London club, according to the report he also wants the move back to his native Argentina.
Disaster if he doesn’t stay?
Despite having started just 12 games in the Premier League this season, he has become a critical cog in Moyes’ machine – starting in all of the team’s last six games in all competitions as we head towards the business end of the season.
In the league, he has scored four goals and set up a further two, averaging a 6.92 – ranking above the likes of Benrahma (6.90), Andriy Yarmolenko (6.73) and £27m signing Nikola Vlasic (6.52).
Since signing from United Arab Emirates outfit Al-Jazira back in 2016 for £10.8m, he has gone on to provide some incredible moments in his West Ham career which has seen him rack up 191 appearances in total – including one which saw him score a last-minute screamer to complete a stunning 3-3 comeback away to rivals Tottenham.
Labelled as a “special player” by teammate Declan Rice, Lanzini is statistically one of the best passers in Europe right now, ranking among wingers and attacking midfielders across the top five leagues and continental competitions over the last year in the top 1% for passes completed per 90 (56.71), pass completion percentage per 90 (90.6%) and top 5% for passes into the final third per 90 (4.16).
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Moyes needs to keep the £69k-per-week earner, for at least another season, in order to build on the positives that can be taken out of this campaign and continue their steady progress towards eventually reaching the top four – and avoiding disaster by letting him go.
In other news: “Good chances..” – Romano drops big West Ham transfer claim, supporters surely buzzing
Aston Villa have been one of the more proactive clubs in England when it comes to being busy in the transfer market and seeing new players make the move to the Midlands side.
The previous January transfer window was a prime example of this as Steven Gerrard’s side brought in four new faces to help strengthen their squad.
Looking ahead to the upcoming summer window, it seems as though the presence of one of Villa’s recent recruits could put the club in a good position to secure a big name once the next window opens.
What’s the news?
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT about the future of Atletico Madrid striker Luis Suarez, who has been linked with a move to Villa Park in recent weeks and months, journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones had this to say on the matter.
He said: “He will have seen what it’s done for [Philippe] Coutinho, playing under Gerrard.
“He would love the chance to come back into the Premier League again and be that impact player that makes a big difference in a squad.”
Villa must sign Suarez
Since arriving at Villa Park, the Brazilian attacker has scored four goals and provided three assists in ten league games, showing that it didn’t take him long to get back into the swing of things in England after leaving Liverpool in 2018 for his mega-money move to Barcelona.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why Jones has suggested that not only would Suarez be tempted to follow in the footsteps of his former Liverpool and Barcelona teammate and make a return to England with Villa but also to have another one of his former teammates as his manager in Gerrard.
Labelled as a “phenomenal” player in the past by Jordan Henderson, the Uruguayan has racked up a total of 435 goals throughout his senior club career, including 82 in 133 appearances with the Merseyside club, highlighting why he was dubbed a “killer” in front of goal by Luis Enrique and what he’d offer this Villa side if he did join them in the summer.
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If Suarez, who is currently picking up a weekly wage of £263k-per-week according to Salary Sport, is keen on making a return to the Premier League, then Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris should jump at the chance to get the striker in a Villa shirt and potentially firing in lots of goals for Gerrard’s side to give the manager his dream transfer.
In other news: Lange plotting crucial summer deal that will leave Villa supporters jumping for joy
An update has emerged on Rangers and Gio van Bronckhorst’s plans for the future of the number one position at Ibrox…
What’s the talk?
According to the Daily Mail, the Gers are one of the teams plotting a swoop for a player in the second division of English football.
It’s thought that Rangers want to sign England stopper Sam Johnstone when the window opens in a few months’ time.
The report claims that they are looking at potential replacements for 40-year-old shot-stopper Allan McGregor and have identified the West Brom man as a player who could come in.
He is out of contract at the end of the season and a number of Premier League sides are set to battle the Glasgow giants for his signature. The Daily Mail state that Tottenham, Newcastle, West Ham and Southampton are all eyeing the Baggies star up.
Bargain
Van Bronckhorst is plotting a swoop for the 29-year-old and Ross Wilson must ensure that he can get this deal over the line as it would be a bargain signing for the Gers.
He is available for £0 in the summer because of his contractual situation at The Hawthorns, with his £18k-per-week wages being the only issue for Rangers. Nine of the current squad are reportedly on as much per week or more than the ex-Manchester Unite man, which suggests that the club can afford his wages.
The shot-stopper would be a bargain addition as he has proven his quality south of the border. Steve Bruce, who managed him at Aston Villa, previously showered Johnstone with praise. He said:
“We all knew he was a top class goalkeeper and he’s looking the part now.
“He’s a diamond – first in, last out. He’s a typical goalkeeper who wants to learn. A big pat on the back to my coach, Walshy, too. He’s worked hard with him and has always said to me ‘take him, he’s the best young goalkeeper in the country’.”
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Micah Richards once dubbed the monster as being “exceptional” on Match of the Day and his form in the Premier League for the Baggies backed that up. In the 2020/21 campaign, he averaged an impressive SofaScore rating of 7.01 across 37 matches, making zero errors directly leading to goals and saving 69% of the shots against him.
McGregor, meanwhile, has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.80 in the Premiership. He has saved 68% of the shots on target against him and made three errors directly leading to goals, which suggests that he is more prone to making mistakes than the Englishman.
Therefore, bringing Johnstone in would improve the Rangers XI as he is more reliable between the sticks and he has proven his quality at the top level. He is also 11 years younger than McGregor and this means that he could be the Gers number one for many, many, years to come.
AND in other news, GvB can save Rangers millions with “brave” 48-goal teen who’s “clinical and calm”…
West Ham are now exploring the possibility of signing a former PSG striker amid growing disharmony at his current club.
The east Londoners remain in hot pursuit of a new centre-forward ahead of the January window, with manager Nuno Espírito Santo reportedly identifying one as his absolute priority amid Niclas Fullkrug’s potentially imminent exit.
Fullkrug is preparing to leave the London Stadium after a disastrous spell that has yielded just three goals in 29 total appearances.
Niclas Fullkrug’s goalscoring record
PL appearances
Goals
2024-25
18
3
2025-26
8
0
The 32-year-old’s struggles with injuries and form have convinced West Ham not to stand in his way when offers arrive, and Norwich City striker Josh Sargent has emerged as a leading target, with Nuno’s side apparently opening initial talks over a deal for the USA international.
Transfer expert Graeme Bailey described Sargent as a “tremendous player” who has improved significantly since his previous Premier League stint with Norwich. The Canaries are apparently holding out for over £20 million, though, and Sargent has actually been on quite a barren run lately.
The 25-year-old has scored just once in the Championship since September following his fantastic early-season haul of five goals in his opening four second-tier games.
West Ham hold informal talks for striker who's spoken to Frank about joining Spurs
The Hammers have reached out.
ByEmilio Galantini
Meanwhile, former Premier League scout Mick Brown claimed West Ham were “definitely” targeting Ivan Toney, but the Al-Ahli striker’s £22 million annual wages present a significant obstacle, not to mention his sky-high tax bill if he were to return to England after just under two years.
Additional targets included AC Milan’s Santiago Gimenez, with West Ham reportedly prepared to match the £26 million asking price for the Mexico international who has been compared to Julian Alvarez.
However, Gimenez is now set to undergo surgery due to a niggling injury, meaning a move to London is surely off the cards next month.
Lazio’s Taty Castellanos has also greenlighted a January exit, with the Argentine prepared to join West Ham or any other suitor “straight away” as he seeks regular football at a high level before the World Cup.
We’re going to see more and more reports linking Nuno’s side with a wide range of target men, and it is now believed they have their eyes on former PSG and Juventus striker Moise Kean.
West Ham exploring deal to sign Moise Kean amid Fiorentina bust-ups
The now-Fiorentina striker has enjoyed a renaissance since signing for La Viola in 2024, scoring 28 goals in 62 total games for the club and standing out among their key men.
Fiorentina'sMoiseKean
However, his team are currently embroiled in a relegation battle, with Fiorentina rooted bottom of the Serie A table and eight points adrift from safety.
There is also growing discontent behind-the-scenes which has even led to heated arguments in the dressing room.
That is according to Quotidiano Sportivo, who also report that West Ham are now exploring a deal for Kean ahead of the January transfer window.
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The 25-year-old has emerged as a potential target for Nuno’s side, with Kean rediscovering his goalscoring form in Florence after struggling in spells at Juventus and Everton earlier in his career.
However, Fiorentina have adopted a firm stance regarding potential January departures, with manager Paolo Vanoli and sporting director Goretti making clear their intention to retain key players despite the club’s current struggles.
Vanoli even reportedly told his squad: “No one is leaving here; if we go down, we all go down together.”
The report confirms that Kean is considered untouchable by Fiorentina, viewed as fundamental to their survival battle alongside full-back Fortini.
West Ham therefore face an uphill battle to try and tempt Kean with a return to the Premier League, which wasn’t exactly a happy hunting ground for him last time.
Nuno's a big fan: West Ham hold very strong interest in "fantastic" forward
The Hammers’ plans for the January transfer window are now starting to take shape.
It wasn’t a night to remember for Arsenal, but the club got over the line and secured their place in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Tuesday.
Sure, it took a penalty shootout for them to do so, but throughout the match, the Premier League and Champions League leaders were far and away the better team and should have won by a significant margin if they had their shooting boots on.
Therefore, it would be fair to say that there were more than a few starters who are usually on the bench, who should now be in contention to start on the weekend.
However, there was one glaring omission from the team, someone who surely now has to leave Arsenal to avoid becoming the next Emile Smith Rowe.
Which Arsenal stars have played themselves into contention?
Starting at the back, and if Piero Hincapie is out for the weekend, Myles Lewis-Skelly surely has to keep his place in the side.
Chalkboard
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Yes, there were a couple of moments when he lost the ball, but overall, the Hale Ender was calm, assured, and relaxed on the ball, and, more importantly, he once again demonstrated the passing and carrying abilities that make him such a special player.
Moving into the middle of the park, Mikel Arteta gave a rare start to Christian Norgaard, and the Danish international more than repaid his manager.
The former Brentford captain played the full 101 minutes, and while he’s not as flashy as a Martin Zubimendi or as explosive as a Declan Rice, he brought a real sense of calm to the midfield.
For example, he took 87 touches, won three of four ground duels, made three clearances, won three of five aerial duels, recovered the ball eight times and wasn’t dribbled past.
Finally, after underwhelming from the start in recent weeks, Gabriel Martinelli rolled back the years against Crystal Palace and looked like the winger who took the league by storm in 22/23.
The former Ituano gem had Jaydee Canvot chasing shadows in the first half, and were it not for the knock he picked up towards the end of the first 45, he may well have been as dangerous after the break as well.
In just 59 minutes of action, the Brazilian completed three dribbles, created two big chances, played five key passes and won four of seven ground duels.
However, while Arteta gave several players the chance to prove their worth against Palace, he left out someone who could be at risk of becoming the club’s next Smith Rowe.
The Arsenal star in danger of becoming the new Smith Rowe
When Smith Rowe was first making his way in Arsenal’s first team, there was a lot of hope and expectation that, alongside Bukayo Saka, he’d be one of the club’s main men in the future.
After all, in his best campaign for the club, the 21/22 season, he racked up a sensational tally of 11 goals and two assists from 37 appearances.
However, injuries kept him from making a significant impact on the team over the next two seasons, and then, when he was finally fit, the team had moved on and were challenging for the title without him.
Eventually, when it became clear he wouldn’t play a significant role in the squad, he was sold to Fulham.
Now, while it isn’t going to go the same way, and we are really quite far from it happening in any capacity, it’s not hard to see Ethan Nwaeri going down a similar path.
After all, the “phenomenal” Hale Ender, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, was a hugely important part of the squad last season, scoring nine goals and providing two assists in 37 appearances, but can’t get onto the pitch this season.
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In all, the 18-year-old has played just 446 minutes of first-team football this season, across 11 appearances, of which just three have been starts.
Nwaneri in 24/25
Appearances
37
Minutes
1378′
Goals
9
Assists
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.29
Minutes per Goal Involvement
125.27′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Therefore, with it clear that he won’t get much gametime as the season progresses, it would surely be best for all parties for the teenage sensation to leave in January.
Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, he shouldn’t leave on a permanent, but a short-term loan to a team where he will get regular and essential minutes.
Doing this would massively help the youngster’s development and, hopefully, lead to more appearances at the Emirates next season and more chances to fulfil his incredible potential.
Ultimately, if Arteta isn’t going to pick Nwaneri this season, Arsenal should send him away on loan, even if it’s just to stop him becoming the next Smith Rowe.
Worse than Eze: Arteta must drop 5/10 Arsenal flop who lost 75% duels
It really was a night to forget in the League Cup for Eberechi Eze and one of his Arsenal teammates.
The great thing about football is that it’s entirely continuous. Do you remember that period of time – about five minutes ago – when your life seemed torn apart and ultimately without meaning or distraction by the ending of the football season? Poor Chelsea – they got to celebrate for all of an evening before dragging their hungover corpses back to the grind.
Well, OK, they probably got a nice few weeks on a beach too.
But what’s wonderful for fans and horrible for the players is sometimes wonderful for the players too. This time, especially Liverpool players.
After defeat at the Britannia Stadium in May, a defeat that ranks up there with the Brazilians in Belo Horizonte in 2014 or the Italian Army in Caporetto in 1917 it’s no wonder Liverpool beat a retreat like Napoleon out of Moscow.
But what you want after a humiliating, emasculating defeat is – to borrow a phrase – to go again. And Liverpool have that unique chance – the chance to fully exorcise the demons of last season before getting stuck into the new season, with a raft of new players and a spring in their step.
[ffc-gal cat=”liverpool” no=”5″]
That’s the hope anyway. There’s just a word of caution.
Although Liverpool have strengthened, Stoke have strengthened too. There’s enough optimism around the Staffordshire club for ex-players to start talking about a top-four finish. Clearly there’s nothing like the heady optimism of opening weekend to put you on a high – or, you know, smoking something.
But Liverpool will still need to be careful, because this isn’t just the Stoke side that beat Liverpool 6-1 on the final day of last season, this is a Stoke side who have added some very good players in the meantime. Stoke 2.0.
But that’s not even the main reason for Liverpool to be careful on this trip. You’d still expect Liverpool to have enough firepower to beat Stoke. Even after the last time, and even with the added new faces to Mark Hughes’s side, you’d still make Liverpool favourites. But even at this early stage it’s already a big game for Liverpool.
Much has been made of the fact that Brendan Rodgers and his side will be running the gauntlet for their opening away fixtures. Thankfully the home games are very winnable – Bournemouth, West Ham, Norwich – so if Liverpool do lose a few of the tougher away games they should still claw back some points there.
But what’s important is momentum and form. For the last two seasons we’ve seen Liverpool live and die by form, when they’re good they’re very very good, but when they’re bad….
A few away defeats could dampen morale and make the home games even tougher, and Rodgers will need to make sure his team start as they mean to go on. So when you look at the tough away fixtures and you see that the most winnable away game for a while is Stoke, then you know the Stoke game is a bigger game than it might usually be.
That is, usually a draw at the Britannia is a good result, even a defeat you can chalk up to a tough away fixture. But given that the next six away fixtures are even tougher, a defeat could precipitate a bad run of form.
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Now I’m not suggesting that Rodgers should be under pressure to win against Stoke, but this game is a very big game, psychologically speaking.
So we’ll see this weekend if Liverpool have exorcised the demons of May and the end of last season, if they do they can build momentum for the rest of the season – and, importantly, some good form going into some ridiculously early crunch games. If they lose, the same questions will be asked and Brendan Rodgers will be left wondering if the summer recruitment that brought in seven new signings actually helped his side to progress.
It’ll be too early to say for certain, but as far as opening day fixtures go, this is about as important as they get for Liverpool.