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The winter transfer window will re-open in just a few weeks’ time which means that Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson will have started writing his Christmas wish list to prioritise his wants and needs.

Whether he will tread the traditional route of astute, cost-effective signings, or go out in a blaze of glory with a rather sizeable cheque to spend on new recruits for the first time since his days at Anfield, the former Liverpool manager will be keen to avoid making a similar mistake to the one that he made with infamous Palace flop Alexander Sorloth, which is why it’s quite surprising he is reportedly considering a swoop for Marcos Alonso.

That’s right folks, Palace are interested in signing the Chelsea left-back as a potential Patrick van Aanholt alternative.

According to The Daily Mail, Alonso is one of several options being considered to replace Van Aanholt if the popular Dutchman does depart Selhurst Park, with the Eagles also keeping tabs on Marseille’s Jordan Amavi.

However, the Palace gaffer should steer clear of signing the total liability, as he already has the perfect replacement in Tyrick Mitchell.

The Spaniard hasn’t featured for Frank Lampard’s side since the start of the season, as he has fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge, whilst he is averaging just 0.3 tackles and 0.3 blocks per game in the Premier League so far, via WhoScored.

By comparison, Mitchell is managing 4 tackles per game in the top flight so far this season, as per WhoScored.

Rio Ferdinand recently criticised Alonso for his “silly” mistake, whilst former Blues midfielder Joe Cole was equally scathing in his assessment after he saw red during the 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League last season.

The Eagles shouldn’t even touch Alonso with a barge pole, let alone when you consider the fact that his market value is currently estimated at £16.2m via Transfermarkt, which implies that he won’t come cheap as his contract is set to expire in 2023. At 29 years of age, it wouldn’t make much sense, especially with Mitchell waiting in the wings.

Hodgson has been full of praise for the young prospect, saying he could become the next Aaron Wan-Bissaka. He told Sky Sports:

“Tyrick got his chance last season when Patrick dislocated his shoulder and he has taken that chance well and really continued it since the start of the new season.

“I hope he will continue to improve and I hope people won’t start to put exceptional pressure on him because he’s still a very young man and he’s still in the absolute nursery in terms of his career.

“Aaron [Wan-Bissaka] looked very much like Tyrick when he came in and took the game by storm, and he made the position his own very quickly.

“I wouldn’t disagree that in terms of being thrown in with no-one knowing much about him, I think there’s a direct parallel between the two players.”

Mitchell, who first burst onto the scene towards the closing stages of last season, is one of several players with deals set to expire in 2021. But the 21-year-old has established himself as the club’s first-choice left-back in recent weeks.  If that hasn’t earned the academy graduate a new deal, we don’t know what will.

AND in other news, Crystal Palace got rid of Aaron Wan-Bissaka at the perfect time…

Key information about Celtic Park

Celtic Park was opened in 1892 and has been the home of Celtic FC ever since then. The ground is located in the Parkhead area of Glasgow and is also one of the biggest football stadiums in Europe.

Its current maximum capacity stands at 60,832 and it has a pitch that measures 125m by 80m. The surface is covered with natural grass and has undersoil heating installed while there is no running track surrounding it.

The record attendance at Celtic Park was set on 1 January 1938 when 83,500 people watched the derby between Celtic and Glasgow Rangers.

A history of Celtic Park

Needless to say, Celtic Park has an incredibly rich history behind it. The original ground was built in 1888, shortly after the club was formed. Interestingly, the whole stadium was erected in about six months thanks to some voluntary work that helped speed the process up. But in 1892, they decided to move away into a different stadium following a dispute over rent.

Interestingly, their new safe haven would be located just around 200 yards away from the first one and would also be called Celtic Park. That one was officially opened on 13 August 1892 with the first game following seven days later, on 20 August, as Celtic hosted and beat Renton in a thrilling 4-3 contest.

Unsurprisingly, the stadium was a huge hit and the attendance was soaring. Celtic bought the site for £100,000 in 1897 and became its sole owners. And it was only upwards ever since. Well, for the most part. The original capacity with the initial terracing was around 40,000 and interestingly, at first, it had a running track along with a concrete cycling track installed. In 1894, Celtic also became the first team in Britain to install a press box.

Four years later, Celtic Park would also get a new grandstand which became the first-ever double-decker stand at a football ground, lifting the capacity to over 50,000. In 1904, however, a big fire destroyed the wooden Janefield Street Stand, which got replaced by a new covered terrace, called the Hayshed. But that was also not the end of their misfortune as some years down the line, in 1927, the new double-decker stand also burned down, and was ultimately replaced by a new Main Stand designed by Archibald Leitch in 1929.

Redevelopment slowed down in the following decades with some minor improvements here and there. In the late 1960s, however, the Rangers End received cover after the same was done for the Celtic End and the Hayshed, and shortly after that, the Main Stand was also improved, including a brand new roof. But the capacity had to be reduced to 60,000 for safety reasons following the disaster that happened at Ibrox.

The next installment of improvements would also have to wait until the 1994’s Fergus McCann take-over. This was the beginning of huge redevelopment projects and since both sides of the Jungle – the name the Hayshed terrace was given – had to be demolished, Celtic were forced to play their games at Hampden Park instead.

Celtic Park reopened in 1995 with a brand new North Stand and the final works on both ends of the ground were completed in August 1998. The improvements in the 1990s also saw all three stands that were not designed by Leitch being rebuilt to boost capacity over 60,000 once more, only this time, they would be all-seaters.

Tickets to watch Celtic FC at Celtic Park

All tickets to watch Celtic FC play at Celtic Park can be found on the club’s official website. The prices will vary depending on the event, age group of the buyer and the stand you choose to be seated in but an average adult ticket will cost you about £27 to £31.

Celtic FC also offer season tickets for their fans but naturally, there is a waiting list while an adult season ticket can be found from £510.

Related links

http://www.celticfc.net/mainindex – Official website of Celtic FC

With the start of the Premier League just this weekend, there are plenty of talking points to take from the opening weekend of fixtures.

But nothing is more exciting to talk about when it comes to the Premier League than Fantasy Premier League football. It always comes up in conversation each game week – “how did your team do this weekend?”, or “mate I’ve absolutely wasted my triple captain this weekend, Kane had a stinker!”.

Despite this, it’s always good to evaluate your options and find some of the bargains buys that could save you cash and get you the points you still need. The midfield is an area that requires some of your most money spent – with many people filling it out with some of the best players in the league, and then scrimping and scrapping to fill the rest of the midfield spots.

That’s why today, we’re going to take a look at four of the best midfield options to choose from this season – ranging from all prices and from a mix of clubs in the league…

Leandro Trossard – £6.0m

The Belgian midfielder had a moderate season last time out, securing five goals with three assists – and accumulating 104 points in FPL.

During that time though, we were able to see glimpses of just how talented the 25-year-old is, and this season with the club’s new signings and Potter’s style of play slowly taking form, I can see Trossard enjoying a fruitful season.

At just £6.0m and with only 0.4% selection, Trossard is  a hidden gem that has gone under the radar.

Pablo Hernandez – £6.0m

After Leeds’s promotion to the Premier League, midfielder Pablo Hernández played an integral part in getting them there.

Many Premier League fans will remember him from his time at Swansea, but since joining Leeds in 2016 the 35-year-old has matured like a fine wine.

Last season saw the Spaniard register nine goals with nine assists and will only cost you £6.0m if you were to slot him into your team, much like the other 2.1% of people have.

Mohamed Salah – £12.0m

Despite being the joint highest expensive midfielder in FPL, Mo Salah has been a shoo-in for me ever since he joined Liverpool.

Last season was the Egyptian’s worst since joining the Reds in 2017, yet he still managed to score 19 goals and provide 10 assists, totaling to 233 points.

His cost of £12.0m has been enough to put a lot of users off him this season for some strange reason, only being selected by 30.8% – but I assure you that the 28-year-old is a must in anyone’s squad.

And that was backed up on the opening weekend, with the forward netting a hat-trick and 20 FPL points against Leeds United.

Bukayo Saka – £5.5m

The youngster impressed a lot of people last season, including Mikel Arteta, for his versatility and creativity no matter where he was on the pitch.

Scoring once and providing five assists in 26 appearances, most of which came from left-back, Saka managed 71 FPL points in that time – but it is this season that will see the 19-year-old make the biggest jump.

Arteta is expected to keep Saka in his starting XI, given the defensive additions made this summer as well as Kieran Tierney now being fully fit – meaning a more advanced position for Saka to up his goal and assist tally could be up for grabs.

At just £5.5m, Saka is a bargain choice and is only selected by 8.9% of other users.

As Everton head into the final game of the Premier League season on Sunday afternoon, Carlo Ancelotti will surely already have one eye on how he can look to strengthen his squad ahead of the new campaign in September.

And according to Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), the Toffees have recently registered their interest in Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti.

The report claims that prior to the Frenchman’s latest injury setback, both Everton and fellow Premier League side West Ham contacted Barcelona about Umtiti’s situation, with the defender himself being made aware of the interest.

How big of an Everton fan are you? Can you spot Mikel Arteta from Graham Stuart? This quiz will test your knowledge, try it if you’re brave enough…

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Whilst before it was suggested the 6 foot star would not be sold, Mundo Deportivo now suggest that Umtiti’s exit from the Camp Nou is inevitable.

And after hearing about the latest update on the France World Cup winner’s future, Everton fans flooded to Twitter to share their reactions.

Some Everton fans took issue with Umtiti’s injury record, with him missing 63 games in just four seasons with Barcelona.

A couple of Toffees fans urged the club not to go after another Barcelona “flop”, a reference to how the club signed Yerry Mina from the Catalan giants for a reported £27.1m.

Unsurprisingly, some Everton fans are concerned by the prospect of signing Umtiti, given his injury record.

But whilst his fitness is certainly is in question, his ability cannot be. Eric Abidal called him a “world-class” player, whilst his fellow French compatriot Andre-Pierre Gignac said he has the “quality to start for Barcelona”.

If Everton snatch him up this summer, then it could be a major coup.

Glasgow Rangers will be unhappy that they were unable to continue their winning Premiership form against Livingston on Sunday.

The Gers went into the match having won their first three matches of the league campaign against Aberdeen, St. Mirren and St. Johnstone without even conceding a goal. However, although they once again managed to keep a clean sheet at the Tony Macaroni Arena, they couldn’t score at the other end and had to make do with a 0-0 draw.

It seems the Gers supporters’ mood was far from lifted on Monday, the day after the match. The Ibrox outfit’s official Twitter account decided to share a video of Maurice Edu scoring against Dunfermline, but the fans were far from impressed – they appear to be unhappy that their midfielders no longer shoot from outside the box.

They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments below.

Let us know what you think!

Aston Villa are set to compete with Watford to sign Besiktas centre-back Domagoj Vida during the January transfer window, as reported by Turkish-Football.

The Turkish giants have turned down advances for the 2018 World Cup finalist in the previous two windows, but they are not in a position to do so this time around.

That is because they are looking to reduce their wage bill and the 30-year-old is their highest-paid player.

Villa do already have Tyrone Mings, Ezri Konsa, Bjorn Engels, James Chester and Kortney Hause on their books so it could be seen as an excessive move.

Vida has been linked with moves to Arsenal in the past so this would be a stepdown if he did eventually move to the Premier League.

But with a possible switch to the Midlands on the cards, FFC writers have given their opinions on whether this would be a wise move for the club.

Kealan Hughes

“The injury to Tyrone Mings shows Aston Villa are actually quite vulnerable at the back this season and could do with a more resolute defence if they are to move away from the relegation places.

“Bjorn Engels has averaged just 0.8 tackles per game and the fact he was dropped recently suggests Dean Smith hasn’t been happy with his performances, and although Ezri Konsa has done well at times, he still has a lot to learn.

“That’s why Domagoj Vida could be the ideal fit for Villa. He is incredibly experienced having played in multiple countries and even in the World Cup final. The leadership he could add to the back four could be a huge lift.

“Even this season he has been a key performer in the Europa League with 2.4 interceptions and 3.4 clearances per game, highlighting the no-nonsense attitude he’d bring to Villa Park, an attribute they would certainly benefit from.”

Red Herring or Real Hero: Only hardcore Villa fans will get all of them right….

Billy Meyers

“What would the point in this deal be? Aston Villa are comfortably well-stocked in the centre-back department and have absolutely no need for another central defender within their ranks.

“Dean Smith should be targeting other areas of the transfer market to improve his team. Vida is also 30 years of age, and would not be a good long-term signing for the Villans – he is reportedly one of the highest earners at Besiktas too so that just makes this transfer rumour seem all the more foolish.

“Mings, Engels and Konsa have shipped 28 Premier League goals this season, the fifth-most in the Premier League, although there is nothing to suggest that Vida would be the man to transform the Midlands-based side drastically – even if he did, how long could he be able to do it for at his age?”

Matt Dawson

“If you look at the list of Villa’s centre-backs, only James Chester is above the age of 30 and with the Welshman possessing a permanent injury problem that will plague him for the rest of his career, signing someone with pedigree and experience could be vitally important.

“Vida showed his qualities at the 2018 World Cup, helping Croatia reach the final before they crumbled in the final against France. That was a long time ago, however, and after not securing a move last time out, perhaps it says something about his ability to perform on a consistent basis. Dean Smith has multiple options at his disposal in his backline and perhaps they’d get more out of developing someone like Ezri Konsa.

“That being said, more nouse and know-how of the game may be pivotal in helping the Villans stay up. Vida has a certain aggressiveness to his game that could be particularly beneficial.”

Danny Lewis

“Villa would be going a bit overboard if they were to sign Vida, without selling their current centre-backs, due to the fact that they already have five.

“Having played in a World Cup final and been involved in Europa League football this campaign, he could certainly end up being a useful option.

“However, Smith does need to consider squad harmony and the amount of playing time he will be able to give his defenders when making this decision.”

In other news, Villa fans don’t feel like Tyrone Mings will be missed during his injury.

Darren Bent insists that Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is being too harsh on Erik Lamela as he has impressed in recent weeks.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Bent believes that Lamela has been one of the Lilywhites’ best players since the Premier League restarted last month. He started the opening post-lockdown game against Manchester United, before being dropped to the bench for the last two matches.

Spurs began the match against the Red Devils well after Steven Bergwijn opened the scoring but Bruno Fernandes levelled with a penalty in the closing stages of the game (BBC).

Bent told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “Listen, every time he comes in he always seems to give a very, very good account of himself.

“I thought he played very, very well against Manchester United in the first game, he was one of their best players and then for the next game he found himself on the bench, which I thought was a little bit harsh. He’s done really well but it’s difficult for Spurs and their fans at the moment.”

It is difficult to disagree with Bent on this one, as it looked like Lamela had a point to prove during the 1-1 draw with the Red Devils.

He stepped up in Dele Alli’s absence by taking 37 touches of the ball, registering 17 out of 27 passes with a passing accuracy rate of 74%, completing three out of four dribble attempts and making two interceptions (via SofaScore).

However, he was promptly relegated to the bench, despite helping to set the tempo that unsettled United in the first half.

While Lamela played fewer minutes than Alli against Sheffield United, he actually earned a higher SofaScore rating than his teammate for his performance as Spurs struggled to break down the Blades’ defence.

Mourinho’s side are currently 10th in the Premier League, 12 points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, although they have a game in hand over their London rivals.

For whatever reason, Mourinho doesn’t seem to trust Lamela, but he may have to put his faith in the Argentine sooner rather than later. Now that Alli has returned from suspension, Lamela will have to settle for a backup role and he will have to grasp every opportunity that he gets to prove himself.

Tottenham fans, do you think Mourinho should give Lamela more of a chance? Let us know in the comments below!

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West Ham United fans have hailed Angelo Ogbonna after his strong performance against Chelsea on Saturday.

The Hammers produced a shock result at Stamford Bridge, running out 1-0 winners against Frank Lampard’s side thanks to Aaron Cresswell’s sweet second-half strike.

The win is the first that Manuel Pellegrini’s side have recorded since September – when they beat Manchester United – and brought to an end a run of three successive defeats.

Ogbonna was in fine form in the back four, making a total of 10 clearances, one tackle and two clearances, per WhoScored.

The Italian also won one aerial duel as the Hammers shut out the hosts in west London, with Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud managing just two shots on goal throughout the 90 minutes.

And Hammers fans have waxed lyrical about the centre-back after a seismic victory that moved the club into 13th in the Premier League table.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

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Football Insider reported last week that Bordeaux manager Paulo Sousa was a contender for the Everton job, and he once again got a mention in a story by the same source on Tuesday when they said the Toffees were close to appointing Vitor Pereira as their new boss.

Of course, the Shanghai SIPG chief has since pulled out of the running to become Marco Silva’s successor, and it remains to be seen whether Sousa is still a frontrunner for the vacant role at Goodison Park or not.

After a disappointing start with the Ligue 1 outfit in which he won just one of his first nine matches in charge in all competitions, the 49-year-old has enjoyed a more impressive record since.

They have only been beaten in five of their previous 19 fixtures, and currently lie in fifth position in the French top-flight standings.

Everton fans have been reacting to the link to yet another Portuguese manager on Twitter, and it’s fair to some are not impressed.

Did he play for Everton? Simple question but a lot tougher than you think…

One questioned majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri’s obsession with Portuguese bosses, while another said “this is getting beyond a joke”.

Another picked up on the fact he sacked by Leicester City back in 2010, having only lasted for less than three months at the King Power Stadium – fair enough.

However, not everyone was believing the link to Sousa, perhaps suggesting that the media may just be throwing out names that could potentially take over.

It’s hard to argue with that.

Others chose to largely ignore the Sousa link and focus on what they want to see the club do instead, with appointing Duncan Ferguson on a permanent basis a viable option for both of the supporters below.

Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid and Marcelo Gallardo of River Plate were two other names mentioned.

In other Everton news, Paul Joyce says 56-year-old manager is “on the brink” of taking charge at Goodison Park…

Leeds United fans on Twitter seem to think that Luke Ayling will be missing this weekend’s clash against Blackburn Rovers after an image of him looking under the weather emerged on his partner’s Snapchat.

We feel bad for Ayling as it isn’t the most flattering of pictures, and now thousands of people will have seen it, but that wasn’t the main concern of the supporters.

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Indeed, the main talking point around the fanbase was whether or not the right-back will be ready to play on Sunday.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to diagnose the 28-year-old based off just one picture, but hearing that a key man is poorly just a couple of days before a match isn’t the most encouraging of signs.

Some fans weren’t too fussed about the former Bristol City man’s ailments as they’d be happy to see Stuart Dallas back in the defence, but others were devastated after seeing this picture.

It remains to be seen whether or not Ayling will be able to play this weekend, but things aren’t looking too good for him at the moment.

Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…