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Republic of Ireland youngster Ryan Burke has been offered a two-year contract by Birmingham City.

The news was confirmed on Wednesday, with Burke being one of the youngsters to be offered a professional deal by the Championship outfit.

Burke, 18, arrived at Birmingham from St. Pats in July 2017 and the club’s official website has called the defender ‘a mainstay of the Development Squad’.

Goalkeeper Zach Jeacock and midfielder Caolan Boyd-Munce are also amongst those to be offered professional deals by the Blues.

Burke took to social media on Wednesday to reveal his delight and that led to a number of the Birmingham supporters hailing the teenager.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

The first team might be going through a tough period, but the Blues are looking ahead and Burke will be hopeful of featuring for Garry Monk’s side over the next 12 months or so.

A selection of the Twitter reaction to the contract news can be seen below:

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Arsenal fans on Twitter have been raving about the performance of young utility man Ainsley Maitland-Niles in their club’s 2-0 Premier League victory over Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Unai Emery’s Gunners went ahead early on after David De Gea failed to keep out a relatively tame long-range effort from Granit Xhaka, before Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang sealed the deal in the second half from the penalty spot after Fred’s foul on Alexandre Lacazette.

And Maitland-Niles’ display played a huge part in Arsenal’s ninth successive home league win.

The 21-year-old was starting in a right wing-back role in the match and caught the eye with his pace, determination and excellent attacking and defensive contribution. Some of Maitland-Niles’ impressive individual stats included four successful tackles and over 75% pass success.

Supporters were delighted with the 5 foot 10 youngster’s showing, with some even rating his afternoon eleven-out-of-ten in response to a tweet from Arsenal’s official Twitter account.

Check out a list of some of the best reactive Tweets, below…

Neil Lennon learnt his first stark lesson after being back as Celtic manager.

A rare 0-0 draw at Celtic Park proved that the players are yet to properly move on from Brendan Rodgers’ departure and how certain ones were only signed to particularly suit his system.

Not everyone is being able to cope with Lennon’s change of tactics that well, especially some of the attackers. While he’s not made too many changes to a relatively dominant unit, he’s made slight changes which didn’t really work in the weekend. He and Celtic fans were left frustrated in what was meant to be his big return to Parkhead, only to be spoilt with disappointing work upfront.

Oliver Burke was left an isolated figure in attack, being unable to get behind Aberdeen’s defenders and position himself in promising positions. Even Timothy Weah in his late cameo couldn’t produce any inspired moments. With both leaving next season, Celtic will be desperate to sign up some quality strikers next summer.

Rather than loaning in promising youngsters, they should instead buy experienced candidates who can actually help them take things up a notch. Celtic will remain a dominant force in the Scottish Premiership regardless of whoever they sign, but if they aspire to do well in Europe, they need someone clinical to inspire the unit.

A striker who can score 15+ goals is what they need next summer. Unless they get an experienced goal-getter who can trouble top teams, frustrating results will continue on for Celtic next season.

Celtic fans, do you think better strikers are needed for a bigger push next season? Join the discussion by commenting below…

2001 proved to be a pivotal year in the history of Leeds United.

The Whites’ progression to the Champions League semi-final saw them move within two games of their first major European final in 26 years, creating an ultimatum for manager David O’Leary. With his side fighting for a top three position in the Premier League, he had to make a decision on what to prioritise towards the end of the season.

Whereas Leeds had already won three top-flight titles in England, they had never triumphed on a continental level in arguably the biggest knock-out competition for clubs in the world. Therefore, O’Leary understandably made the Champions League the Whites’ preference with La Liga side Valencia standing between them and a showdown with Bayern Munich.

A moment in time – Leeds United vs Valencia, 2001

The first leg between the two sides ended as a stalemate at Elland Road, leaving it all to play for at the Mestalla. Leeds’ preparation for the tie was hampered by a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in the Premier League, a result which would have significant consequences at the end of the season.

Despite this domestic setback, the Whites would have been quietly confident of producing a famous performance in Valencia considering the fact they boasted a side that included the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Alan Smith and Mark Viduka. However, it turned out to be a disastrous 90 minutes which led to heartbreak for the club’s supporters.

Second best in all areas to their Spanish opponents on the night, Leeds fell behind after just 15 minutes in controversial circumstances as Juan Sanchez appeared to deliberately bundle the ball past Nigel Martyn using his arm. The forward then doubled his side’s lead with a superb strike from 25 yards before Gaizka Mendieta added a third to secure Valencia’s progress to what was their second consecutive Champions League final.

O’Leary’s side’s disappointing end to the season was compounded by a failure to qualify for the competition as Liverpool pipped them to a third-placed finish on the final day of the season. In hindsight, it could be argued that by losing to Valencia, Leeds missed out on becoming a powerhouse in English football.

Financial ruin instead followed for the Whites which culminated in the club being relegated from the Premier League in 2004 and to League One three years later. Although Marcelo Bielsa could be on the verge of bringing them back to the top flight this season, it would require a miracle for Leeds to get back to the position they found themselves in 2001 – on the verge of European glory.

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Loads of Newcastle fans have been reacting to the latest transfer rumour, and they’re completely split on the possibility of signing Huddersfield ace Aaron Mooy.

Mooy should leave Huddersfield if they get relegated, and Newcastle would be a good landing place, claims Australian football pundit Simon Hill.

The Terriers are a whopping 13 points off Premier League safety with just nine games left to play, and they are showing no signs of escaping the drop.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals why Tyne-Wear is a more intense derby than anything London can offer – check out the video below….

Mooy is perhaps the one player in their squad that has shown glimpses of genuine Premier League quality, and his compatriot Hill wants to see him stay in the top flight.

Speaking on a Fox Sports podcast, he said: “Maybe somewhere like a Newcastle. Let’s be honest, he’s not going to go to Man United or Man City or Liverpool, Spurs, Chelsea etc. but I think that next tier down of club is a possibility.”

As reported by Chronicle Live, the Yorkshire outfit would expect around £20m for the 39-cap Australia international, which is perhaps what is causing many Newcastle fans to turn their noses up at the suggested deal.

Either way, you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

A desperate state at Aston Villa means Dean Smith and his men need to achieve the nigh on impossible if they want to see any activity in the next window.

No one is safe from the harsh and unforgiving grasps of financial instability, and Aston Villa, one of our nation’s most iconic clubs, has demonstrated that.

According to the Birmingham Mail, the former Premier League side needed to make up a huge £40 million deficit at the beginning of the season in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations.

The issue was then exacerbated further by the £45 million wage bill they would be carrying into the following season, which is apparently more than current Premier League sides Brighton and Huddersfield, and the mammoth £87.9 million gamble they took on spending big in the 2016/17 transfer window, with which they still owed £30 million to other clubs.

Indeed, the reality of their current weakness in the market is made painfully obvious by the fact that loanee Tyrone Mings, a fringe player at Bournemouth, can only be signed if Villa secure Premier League promotion, according to Birmingham Live.

And it is perhaps easy to see why: apparently, it cost the Midlands side over £160 million when they were beaten by Fulham in the playoffs last year.

The inability to manoeuvre in the market this summer will undoubtedly make the job of convincing star players, like Jack Grealish and Josh McGinn, not to leave the club when the Premier League come knocking. As they have done many times before already.

Aston Villa fans, do you see any hope of making the jump into the Premier League this season – and if so would Mings be at the top of your priority list? Let us know in the comments below…

أُصيب لاعب جديد، من صفوف منتخب البرتغال، بـ فيروس كورونا المُستجد “كوفيد -19”.

وكان جوزيه فونتي مدافع ليل والبرتغال، قد أثبتت إصابته بـ كورونا، قبل أقل من 24 ساعة من مباراة البرتغال وإسبانيا الودية، التي أقُيمت مساء الأربعاء، وانتهت بالتعادل السلبي.

وبحسب صحيفة “ماركا”، فإن أنتوني لوبيز حارس مرمى ليون والمنتخب البرتغالي أثبت إصابته بـ كورونا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. كواليس حديث رونالدو الغاضب مع مسؤولي يوفنتوس بعد كسر بروتوكول كورونا

لوبيز لم يشارك في مباراة إسبانيا الودية، ولكن كان يجلس على مقاعد بدلاء ملعب “خوسيه ألفالادي” بجانب زملاءه في البرتغال.

وأوضحت الصحيفة، أنّ المنتخب البرتغالي سيجري اليوم اختبارات جديدة على الموظفين واللاعبين والطاقم الفني، قبل السفر إلى باريس، من أجل خوض مباراة ضد فرنسا، مساء الأحد في دوري الأمم الأوروبية.

Liverpool fans will be praying that Manchester City drop points tonight as the Reds will lose top spot if Pep Guardiola’s side secure all three against Cardiff City. 

Jurgen Klopp won’t be too bothered about City’s result as he’ll know that it’s down to his side to constantly pile the pressure on by grinding out positive results of their own.

However, the German is set to make a huge decision at the end of the season, as according to Football Insider, Klopp is set to decide whether to reintegrate Marko Grujic into the senior squad or to give the green light to sell him.

And, one player who could be on his way out of Anfield at the end of the season is James Milner as his contract is set to run out at the end of the season and he hasn’t exactly been at his best recently. So, Klopp should think about bringing Grujic into the side as a ready-made replacement for the Englishman in the summer.

The Serbian has spent this season out on loan at German side Hertha Berlin and it’s safe to say he’s made a name for himself, producing three goals and one assist. His passing game has come on leaps and bounds, as well as the defensive side of things as he continues to develop into a well-rounded central midfielder.

Grujic may not have produced a large amount of goals and assists but he’s certainly done enough to warrant a place in the first-team ranks at Liverpool with his overall performances. Of course, securing £20 million-plus for him in the summer transfer window would be great for the club, but he could easily become a star at Anfield.

Liverpool fans, do you think Grujic is good enough to replace James Milner? Join the discussion by commenting down below! 

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Brighton beat Crystal Palace for the second time this season on Saturday, and Roy Hodgson’s performance on the day was nothing short of abysmal.

Selhurst Park has seen just three league victories for the Eagles all year, and Saturday’s clash against Brighton didn’t exactly go to plan either.

The Seagulls took the lead in the first half when Glenn Murray capitalised on a mistake from James Tomkins, but Luka Milivojevic levelled from the spot for the hosts.

Anthony Knockaert decided the outcome of the match with a stunning strike though, cutting inside Patrick van Aanholt and curling a wonderful effort into the far top corner.

While the visitors deserve immense credit for taking the few chances that fell their way, the blame for the Eagles should be place entirely on Hodgson, whose team selection and game management were downright absurd.

Pl>ymaker FC Exclusive: Jermaine Jenas reveals he often received racist abuse after North London Derbies – Check out the video below…

The wrong midfield

It didn’t take a genius to work out that Brighton would set up defensively in south London, but Hodgson clearly didn’t figure it out.

His side had 63 per cent of the ball, eight more corners and spent most of the match in the opposition’s half, per Whoscored, yet the boss opted for a midfield three without an ounce of creativity.

With all due respect, Milivojevic, Jeffrey Schlupp and James McArthur wouldn’t break down a deep, organised defence if you gave them all year, but Hodgson waited until the 77th minute to introduce Max Meyer.

A 4-2-3-1 formation, with Milivojevic and Cheikhou Kouyate offering Meyer the freedom to roam around in the number ten role, could have caused absolute havoc between the Brighton lines of defence.

Ridiculous decisions

If the gaffer’s starting XI and system were completely wrong, his in-game decisions were even worse.

Aforementioned, he took way too long to make changes. On top of that, when the change eventually did come, it coincided with a switch to a 4-4-2, a switch that ultimately took Palace’s best player out of the game.

Sticking Zaha out wide in a 4-4-2 formation in the hope of launching crosses in towards two strikers is the sign of a manager going backwards, not forwards.

Change required

With the likes of Michy Batshuayi, Zaha, Milivojevic, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Mamadou Sakho, the Eagles have some of the best players in the league outside of the top six.

As long as Hodgson is at the helm though, they will continue to play uninspiring, rigid football.

The ex-England boss did a superb job rescuing the club from the mess left by Frank de Boer, but providing he does little more than steady the ship until the end of the season, he should be sacked this summer.

تحدث ميدو مصطفى لاعب البنك الأهلي عن مشوار صعود فريقه للدوري الممتاز، مُشيرا إلى أن طموحاتهم في المنافسة على المربع الذهبي والمشاركة في بطولة الكونفدرالية.

وتأهل البنك الأهلي عن المجموعة الأولى برصيد 44 نقطة، إلى الدوري المصري الممتاز في الموسم المقبل لأول مرة في تاريخه.

وقال ميدو في تصريحات خاصة لـ “بطولات”: “شعور لا يوصف نحمد الله على توفيقه لنا، نعمة من الله أنه يكلل تعبنا ومجهودنا بالصعود اخيرا للدوري الممتاز، كلنا اشتغلنا وتعبنا وقدرنا نحقق الإنجاز ده”.

وتابع: “حددنا هدفنا من أول يوم دخلت النادي كانت كل التعليمات أن النادي له هدف وحلم واستطعنا بفضل الله تحويل الحلم إلى حقيقة”.

وأضاف: “حلمي وهدفي أن نؤدي موسمًا جيدًا في الدوري الموسم القادم، وأن نقدم للجماهير نادي البنك الأهلي ومنظومته وأن هناك ناديًا كبيرًا قادمًا في الكرة المصرية لا يقل عن المقاصة وبيراميدز والأندية الكبيرة”.

وواصل: “المسؤولون لا يقصرون في أي شيء معنا ويوفرون كل سبل الراحة، وهدفنا أن نقدم النادي بشكل جيد والبقاء في الممتاز بشكل يليق بنا وبالادارة والمنظومة، والهدف يتجدد من موسم لآخر ونستطيع أن ننافس على المربع الذهبي ونشارك في بطولة الكونفدرالية”.

واستطرد: “أمنيتي الشخصية أن أقدم أفضل موسم لي وأتواجد ضمن صفوف منتخب مصر من خلال بوابة البنك الأهلي”.

وأتم: “مشوار الصعود لم يكن سهلا على الإطلاق، واجهنا مواقف صعبة جدا، كنا نسافر 10 ساعات في الطريق وأجواء صعبة والملاعب كانت أصعب، ولكن بكرم ربنا استطعنا أن نعبر بكل هذا وصعدنا للدوري المصري الممتاز”.