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With a 3-0 lead by the 31st minute on Saturday, Portsmouth were in good shape to cruise to a comfortable victory over Southend United. However, the home side rallied to pull off a spectacular comeback and earn a point with a 3-3 scoreline. 

Pompey are now without a win in their last six matches in all competitions – a run which has seen their chances of automatic promotion out of League One suffer a real blow. Kenny Jackett’s side are now third in the table, five points behind second-placed Barnsley and eleven short of Luton Town in top spot.

Given this setback, there has been rising frustration amongst a section of the supporters at Fratton Park. The bad results have brought to light many issues that fans have with the industrial, pragmatic football that Jackett’s team play. 

In the wake of the weekend’s disappointing result, plenty of Pompey fans took to Twitter to debate Jackett’s future…

Many Aston Villa fans were left stunned by James Chester’s incredible gesture to help the NHS during the ongoing global pandemic. 

Writing in The Athletic, the defender revealed he has placed his empty Birmingham flat “on a scheme for NHS staff called NHS Homes.”

Chester went on to add “if doctors or nurses in the area need a place to stay, it’s there.”

The centre-back was the January.

After joining Villa from West Bromwich Albion for £8.37m in the summer of 2016, Chester made 45 appearances for the club in his first season in Birmingham, averaging 1.6 tackles per game, making 1.6 interceptions, and completing a staggering 7.4 clearances on average in the Championship (WhoScored).

The Manchester United academy graduate has earned himself 35 caps for the Welsh national team, notably featuring six times for the side that famously stormed its way to the Euro 2016 semi-finals.

Understandably, Chester’s contribution has delighted lots of Villa supporters, with one fan calling his effort “top quality,” and another simply saying the Welshman is a “class act.”

Take a look at some of the best reactions online…

Missing football!? There’s still plenty of Villa discussion going on in the Vital Villa Forum! Click here to get involved!

Aston Villa are currently on the hunt for strikers, as indicated by The Athletic linking them with Islam Slimani and Christian Benteke.

However, they have had little luck in their search so far, which will be especially frustrating considering Keinan Davis and Wesley are injured, while Jonathan Kodjia’s exit still hasn’t been ruled out.

This saw Dean Smith playing a starting XI against Manchester City that didn’t feature a recognised striker, with 18-year-old Indiana Vassilev the only one on the bench.

While they are scrambling around for a striker to bring in, Villa may afford themselves a couple of seconds to reminisce about the summer, when they could have signed Neal Maupay.

In October, Dean Smith spoke about missing out on that deal, as reported by The Birmingham Mail: “Neal was a lad I brought into Brentford, I think it was for £2million. He spent a couple of seasons with us.

“He’s a good lad who I get on really well with, a good player but, again, the market value of the players was growing and growing. I felt we had to walk [away] as a football club at the stage it got to. He ended up going to Brighton and good luck to him.”

How much do you remember about football in 2019? Our quiz will test your knowledge…

While Wesley struggled, enduring a 12-game goal drought before eventually getting injured, Maupay has thrived since moving to the Premier League.

So far, from 18 Premier League starts and four substitute appearances, he has scored seven goals in total, adding one assist.

That tally includes an impressive three-game run, in which he scored against Arsenal and Wolverhampton Wanderers, before finishing it off with another strike against rivals Crystal Palace.

Considering the difference in fortunes, anyone at Villa could be forgiven for feeling jealous of Brighton about their acquisition of the 23-year-old, while they continue to endure their issues up front.

Meanwhile, Alan Hutton spoke honestly about one of Villa’s youngsters.

Marcel Brands can solve Marco Silva’s biggest dilemma by signing Neal Maupay, the 22-year-old striker tearing up Championship defences.

What’s the word?

Brentford may be having a poor season in the build up to Christmas, with just 25 points put on the board after 23 games, but they have a star in their clutches in Maupay.

The striker is offsetting a leaky defence, with 14 goals in his first 21 Championship outings of the season, while creating a further six openings for his teammates to bury.

Brands would have to work hard to complete a deal for the £4.5million rated star, with the striker key to keeping the Griffin Park outfit out of the relegation zone.

Maupay’s strikes accounted for 41% of the Bees’ total tally of 34, but his prowess in an attacking side would ensure he fits in well to what Silva is attempting to build at Goodison Park.

The Playmaker FC squad decided to wind-up some unsuspecting Brazil fans at the Emirates on Saturday night. Watch the hilarious results in the video below…

Solving Silva’s big selection dilemma

The dilemma to constantly wreak havoc for Silva is whether to start Richarlison as a striker or a winger, as the club’s transfer failing to acquire a proven goalscorer continues to haunt the blue half of Liverpool.

The Brazilian has shown he can lead the line for the Toffees, but his time spent centrally is not a long-term resolution to a growing problem brought about by Cenk Tosun’s lack of goals.

Maupay may be plying his trade at a struggling Championship outfit, but that should not prevent Everton’s director of football fielding calls to the Greater London club.

Taking talent straight out of the Championship and into the English top tier is no longer the concern it once was for Premier League sides, as the second division continues to produce exciting players who can make the step up.

James Maddison is one of the most recent examples of the second tier’s potential to develop great talents, as the attacking midfielder stars for the Foxes having joined Leicester from Norwich for £22.5million in July.

In his debut top-flight campaign, the 22-year-old netted five times and assisted a further three in the English youth international’s opening 17 games.

Would Maupay make a good striker at Everton? Let us know in the poll below…

Celtic beat Aberdeen 1-0 last Saturday thanks to Scott Sinclair’s inventive backheel just after the hour-mark, but one other moment in the game stood out for slightly different reasons.

Celtic’s French striker Odsonne Edouard looked to be through on goal in the first half, but the youngster was then cleaned out by Aberdeen centre-back Scott McKenna, who was actually a summer target for the Bhoys and the subject of a rejected £3.5m bid in August.

As the two sides met on Saturday, with the ball in the air, McKenna’s tackle was almost at waist height and forced Edouard off with a dead leg, but somehow it went unpunished by referee Bobby Madden. It should however put Brendan Rodgers off from going back in for the 21-year-old centre-back in January.

So, Celtic fans, now you’ve seen this side of the Scotland international’s game up close, would you still be urging Rodgers to sign him or is he just too clumsy to be a success with the Hoops. Have your say by voting in the poll below. 

The Arsenal fans in the Transfer Tavern have been pleased by Unai Emery’s activity in the transfer market so far, but recent reports from the Daily Mirror suggest that he has an ideal opportunity to conclude his smartest deal since taking over at the club.

The Breakdown

According to the Daily Mirror, both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are in the race to sign Jack Grealish this summer from Aston Villa – a club who are deep in the midst of a troubling financial crisis. Although the Villains were hoping to raise around £40 million from the sale of Grealish, Tony Xia has been forced to slash his asking price in half to just £20 million in a drastic effort to balance the books.

There is no mention that Arsenal are currently interested in his services, but on the evidence of his development in the past 12 months they would be foolish not to challenge their Premier League rivals for his signature.

Following a difficult couple of seasons for Grealish in which he struggled to reach the level of performance that many expected of him, the 22-year-old returned from a freak kidney injury with a point to prove last season.

Cutting a more physically imposing figure on his return, Grealish played a starring role in Villa’s promotion challenge with his silky performances in midfield where he constantly posed a threat with his direct dribbling and willingness to take risks in the final-third.

After threatening to fade into obscurity it seems that Grealish has turned a significant corner in his development and is now well-placed to develop into the player many have predicted him to become.

With the potential to grow into a future England international and a top class performer in the top-flight, £20 million would eventually represent an absolute bargain price for Grealish if Emery is wise enough to pull off a transfer.

Although Grealish is a number ten by trade, he possesses the versatility to slot into a role on either the left or right-wing and his quality in this regard would hold him in good stead to thrive at Arsenal.

The Emery revolution is well underway and his activity in the transfer window thus far has given the Arsenal supporters genuine reason to feel optimistic ahead of the new season, but concluding a deal for Grealish would represent his most impressive summer deal to date.

Arsenal fans – thoughts? Let us know below!

Former Chelsea captain John Terry could become an Aston Villa player when his contract expires this weekend, according to The Mirror.

What’s the word?

Many have been waiting to see where Terry moves to after deciding to call an end to his 22-year stay at Chelsea.

The man himself admitted that he considered retiring, but at the end of last season claimed that he intended to continue playing.

MLS clubs, as well as those from the Chinese Super League, have been linked to the 36-year-old defender.

However, The Mirror reports that Villa are in the driving seat and could announce Terry’s arrival as early as this weekend when they unveil their 2017-18 kit.

It is believed that the Midlands outfit have offered Terry £5m and a one-year deal that includes massive bonuses if the club earn promotion back to the Premier League.

Is this the right move for Terry?

In most cases, players in the closing stages of their careers tend to move abroad and look for that final big pay check before hanging up their boots.

Moving down to the Championship provides a big challenge for Terry, particularly as he started just six Premier League games last season.

The fixtures come thick and fast in the second tier, so it is a big ask for Terry to handle the pressure and intensity.

In a way it is admirable that he wants to continue pushing himself in the twilight years of his career, but let’s make no mistake, he will still benefit handsomely from a financial standpoint.

If Terry still craves competition, then Villa is a good destination, particularly if they launch a series promotion bid.

Matches between Manchester United and Liverpool tend to have an aggressive edge to them due to the intense rivalry, and Sunday’s game proved just that as managers Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp clashed on the touchline.

The pair squared up to one another in the closing stages of the game following an incident involving Ander Herrera and Roberto Firmino.

The United midfielder visibly tugged the shirt of his opponent during a tussle for the ball, and Firmino retaliated by pushing him to the floor.

This sparked a war of words between Mourinho and Klopp, who needed to be separated by the fourth official.

After the game, Mourinho claimed that his opposite number accused him of trying to get Firmino sent off. He told reporters:

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“He thought I was trying to get his player sent off. I wasn’t. There was no problem at all.

“I think the game was correct. The players gave everything but in an emotional and professional way. There was aggression but it was good, so I think it was great publicity for the Premier League all around the world.”

Liverpool took the lead just before the half-hour mark when James Milner slotted from the penalty spot after Paul Pogba handled the ball in the box.

The Merseyside outfit tried to weather the storm in the second half, but eventually conceded when Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted his 19th goal of the season with seven minutes of normal time remaining on the clock.

The shared point means that Liverpool sit seven points adrift of Premier League leaders Chelsea, while United are a further five points behind.

Fans had their say on the touchline spat between the two managers, with varying views.

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Over recent years, Tottenham have not enjoyed playing Premier League rivals Liverpool, with the Merseysiders getting the upper hand in the battle between the sides.

It was a 5-0 home defeat to the Reds in 2013-14 that marked the end of Andre Villas-Boas’ tenure at White Hart Lane, while the Anfield outfit travelled south to win 3-0 in the corresponding fixture last term.

Over the course of the last five meetings between the teams, the Merseysiders have scored a whopping 18 goals, conceding just four in reply.

Ahead of this weekend’s clash between the teams, Liverpool have won five games in a row against Spurs – and the signs are that the hex that the Reds have over their London opposition could well continue.

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Although the Anfield outfit have not started the new campaign in as sparkling form as most of the Kop would have wished, the slow beginning has led to Brendan Rodgers’ departure from the club – a change that could see collective fortunes improve.

The Northern Irishman’s replacement is an exciting one, with Jurgen Klopp being lured out of unemployment to take up the reins at the historic English club.

Although Spurs have had a better start to 2015-16 than Liverpool, the clash is less than ideal for the hosts due to a new manager’s presence.

It is a well-known anecdote that playing a team that has just hired a new manager is a recipe for disaster and usually results in a victory for the new coach.

Players that may well have felt comfortable in the starting XI are snapped out of complacency while it is a fresh opportunity for everyone to impress a new boss and stake their claim for regular inclusion in the team.

In this instance and with Liverpool having quite a few injuries, those that are selected will be given a glorious opportunity to show Klopp their worth.

For Spurs, preparing for the fixture will have been all the more difficult this week due to the unknown factor.

Ahead of the clash Mauricio Pochettino will have little-to-no idea what team his German equivalent will field, whether he will look to employ similar tactics to the ones that worked so well for him at Dortmund or simply continue in the vein that Rodgers had been.

This lack of preparation will mean that the hosts could well have to adapt to changing circumstances, think on their feet and deploy their own tactical tweaks once they see what formation and system the visitors are deploying.

For Spurs, winning would be another excellent step in their ongoing goal of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the Champions League.

Not only would it end the horrid run of results against Liverpool from recent years, but it would continue recent momentum and show the rest of the Premier League that they can go toe-to-toe with other members of the top six.

For Liverpool, Klopp’s methods will take some time to sink in and as such it could well be a transitional season for the Anfield club.

However, starting from at White Hart Lane on Saturday, the Merseyside squad members have a glorious chance to stake a claim to be part of the German manager’s revolution going forward.

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Cole Palmer has been a rare bright spark for Chelsea this season, but he was only named on the bench for a home date with Brighton.

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• Palmer on the bench
• Mauricio Pochettino has explained decision
• Chelsea dealing with hectic schedule

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 21-year-old winger was snapped up by the Blues during the summer transfer window when a £40 million ($51m) deal was put in place with Premier League rivals Manchester City. Palmer has settled quickly in west London – registering four goals, including a nerveless stoppage-time penalty against his former club.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The European U21 Championship winner has already made his senior international debut in 2023-24, with his obvious potential being noted by Gareth Southgate. Chelsea are, however, wary of asking too much from him in a first campaign as a regular starter in top-flight football.

• WHAT POCHETTINO SAID ABOUT PALMER

  As a result, Palmer was only named among the substitutes for a meeting with Brighton. Explaining that decision, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino said: “He feels something during the week and we don't want to take a risk. We have too many games ahead, now we are going into a very busy period and we don't want to take a risk.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Chelsea have midweek action in the Premier League to think about, as they prepare to head for Manchester United on Wednesday, while they will stay out on the road next weekend when travelling to Goodison Park for a meeting with Everton.