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Stoke City continue to slide under Gary Rowett as they suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers. 

The Potters have looked extremely disappointing so far this season and are still yet to really find their feet in the Championship. Although, it looks as if one of their first team members is looking to hit form on the international stage, as according to BBC Sport, Saido Berahino has highlighted his determination to help his country Burundi qualify for major tournaments in the coming years.

Indeed, the 25-year-old highlighted how keen he is to help his country after making the commitment to play for the African nation on a regular basis.

And, this is what the forward had to say:

“We have a long way to get there but I believe with this team, what I have seen so far, we have young and hungry players and we managed to show that against Gabon.

“As everybody knows, I reached a tough patch in my career and I thought that playing for my country will give me a different type of challenge and give me a different type of responsibility.” 

THE VERDICT:

Saido Berahino has been impressive for Stoke City so far this season and will play a huge part in their push for a place in the play-offs.

Indeed, it’s good to see that the forward is determined to thrive on the international stage in order to help his country qualify for major tournaments.

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Leeds United have been in blistering form under Marcelo Bielsa, establishing themselves amongst the favourites to seal a long-awaited return to the Premier League.

The Peacocks have been out of the top-flight since their relegation in 2004, even spending time in the third tier of English football, but Bielsa has reinstated the feel-good factor at Elland Road while assembling a very strong side.

Further improvements to his ranks will be necessary if Leeds return to the Premier League though and we asked fans whether they would like to see former favourite James Milner return to Elland Road after he left the club upon relegation in 2004, and him coming back would undoubtedly be their most spectacular signing since that point.

A whopping 89% majority would like to see the Liverpool veteran return to his boyhood club next year, when his contract at Anfield draws to a close, with just 11% stating they do not want the 32-year-old back at the club.

Such a deal would only be likely if the Peacocks were to return to the Premier League and persuading the two-time Premier League winner to leave Liverpool may be a difficult task.

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Celtic scraped past Aberdeen on Saturday with a 1-0 win courtesy of substitute Scott Sinclair, with the three points taking them above arch rivals Rangers.

Frenchman Odsonne Edouard was injured by a high Scott McKenna challenge in the first-half that went unpunished by the referee Bobby Madden and Sinclair, who hasn’t been the most popular player among Celtic fans recently, was his replacement.

However, after the game Brendan Rodgers confirmed that it was just a dead leg for the summer signing Edouard and that he had a chance of being fit for the Europa League clash against Red Bull Salzburg on Thursday.

On the weekend though, Aberdeen peppered the Celtic goal but the 29-year-old Sinclair eventually opened the scoring just after the hour-mark with a fantastically inventive backheel, whereas James Forrest struggled to get into the game.

So, Celtic fans, presuming Edouard is fit to start on the left as he did against Aberdeen, would you start Sinclair or Forrest on the right-hand side? Have your say by voting in the poll below.

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Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is looking to bolster his side’s ranks in January with additions in three key areas, FootballInsider reports.

What’s the word?

The Peacocks have enjoyed a fine start to the Championship campaign under Marcelo Bielsa and are ranked amongst the favourites for promotion, which would see Leeds return to the Premier League for the first time since their relegation in 2004.

Bielsa improved his squad in the summer with just two permanent deals, landing Barry Douglas from Wolves and Patrick Bamford from Middlesbrough, with the rest of his additions coming in the form of loans.

With the push for Premier League football well and truly on though, FootballInsider states Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani is ready to back Bielsa in the market as the club seeks the additions of a striker, winger and a centre-back.

Are they needed?

Leeds may be flying high but they have suffered a blip in recent weeks, winning just two of their last five matches without the injured Kemar Roofe. Bamford’s lengthy absence has put pressure on the younger players in the squad and, while Tyler Roberts has impressed, landing a new forward could provide a huge boost.

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The wide areas of the side could also do with bolstering as Ezgjan Alioski has been inconsistent during Pablo Hernandez’s absence, while Harrison is yet to get going in his loan from Manchester City. Again, this is an area where a new signing could provide the catalyst for promotion.

Lastly, the Peacocks could also do with additional depth in the heart of their defence and signing a player with Premier League experience could be key.

Manchester City are top of the Premier League heading into the international break after a goalless draw at Anfield against Liverpool.

The Citizens had a glorious chance to extend their lead at the top of the table, but Riyad Mahrez blasted his penalty well over the crossbar. The Algerian was the only major signing that Pep Guardiola made during the summer transfer window and has made a decent start to life with the Citizens. But with Chelsea and Liverpool keeping pace at the moment, Guardiola may be tempted into the market in January.

One man the Spaniard should be monitoring is Ajax wonderkid – Matthijs de Ligt. Valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, the Dutchman has reportedly attracted interest from City’s rivals – Manchester United. The Red Devils wanted to sign a central defender in the summer but failed to sign a number of targets leaving Jose Mourinho extremely disappointed.

Reports suggest de Ligt has emerged as a target, but a move has been plunged into doubt due to Mino Raiola. The super-agent represents the youngster and Paul Pogba – he is unwilling to allow his prized asset to fall into the hands of Mourinho given Pogba’s treatment at Old Trafford. Therefore, Guardiola should make his move and bring de Ligt to the Etihad Stadium.

The 19-year-old has made seven appearances in the Eredivisie and would slot seamlessly into the ex-Barcelona manager’s system. De Ligt has completed 91.5% of his passes this season meaning he would have no issues in his possession-based philosophy. The Dutchman loves spraying balls from the back, averaging 2.9 long balls per game (WhoScored).

City have the funds to pull this huge deal off and could deal their rivals a significant blow in the New Year.

Manchester City fans, thoughts?

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Arsenal officially confirmed in July that Calum Chambers had signed a new long-term contract extension with the club. Unai Emery, at the time, commented that the 23-year-old would be “part of my plans this season”.

Before the start of the new season, however, the defender was shipped out on loan to newly-promoted Fulham. The switch hinted that the Spanish coach had lost faith in the Englishman, and at this stage in his career, time must be running out for Chambers to prove that he is up to being a regular fixture in the Gunners’ back line.

The move to Craven Cottage, though, has not gone well so far. Chambers has made six league appearances to date, tasting victory on just the single occasion and conceding 14 goals across those fixtures. Fulham, in fact, have the worst defensive record in the top flight so far, a state of affairs that will be doing little to enhance the 23-year-oldreputation back at the Emirates Stadium.

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Clearly untrusted by Emery and with Rob Holding currently impressing for the Gunners, Chambers likely doesn’t have much of a future back in north London.

What do you think, Gunners fans – does Chambers still have a future at the club?

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Cesc Fabregas will see his Chelsea contract expire at the end of this season, and Everton should make an ambitious move for the Spaniard.

What’s the word, then?

Fabregas has been an excellent servant to Chelsea, making 186 appearances for the Blues since a 2014 move from Barcelona.

Fabregas has won two Premier League titles, one FA Cup and one League Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge, but it does appear that the midfielder will move on either in January or at the end of the campaign.

Indeed, the former Barcelona youngster will see his Chelsea contract expire this summer, and it is unlikely that he will pen an extension.

Fabregas has not played a single minute of Premier League football this term, and is way down the pecking order when it comes to Maurizio Sarri’s midfield options.

The likes of Galatasaray, AC Milan and Inter Milan have all been linked with Fabregas, but Everton should see if the Spaniard fancies staying in the Premier League.

Could Everton pull off the deal?

Fabregas would demand hefty wages, but Everton are not exactly short of cash now, and the Toffees would be able to offer a lucrative package.

Fabregas has spent the majority of his professional career in the Premier League, and might well fancy a change as he winds down.

That said, the midfielder might also feel that he still has plenty to offer at this level, and could relish the challenge of helping Everton become a top-four team.

A World Cup winner with Spain in 2010, Fabregas is only 31 years of age, and has never relied on his physical abilities in the middle of the park.

Chelsea seemingly no longer want the Spaniard, but there are plenty who do, and Everton should certainly be in the hunt for his signature.

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Nottingham Forest will travel to the University of Bolton Stadium on Wednesday hoping that they can put right their 2-1 weekend loss to Norwich.

The Reds went 1-0 up after just five minutes against the Canaries on Saturday through another goal for summer signing Lewis Grabban (his sixth of the season in the Championship). However, two second-half goals from Timm Klose consigned Aitor Karanka’s men to defeat at the City Ground.

With a busy schedule after the international break, Karanka will surely be making changes for the away clash with Bolton, and one he must make is bringing in Adlene Guedioura for Ben Watson in central-midfield. When Guedioura is on form he can be almost unplayable in the Championship and he offers far more creativity than 33-year-old Watson.

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Guedioura, a 42-cap Algerian international, was one of the six signings that Karanka made on deadline day in January last season – during his first transfer window as Forest boss.

So, Forest fans, would you like to see Guedioura start ahead of Watson on Wednesday evening? Have your say by voting in the poll below.

According to a recent report from The London Evening Standard, Cesc Fabregas is facing an uncertain future at Chelsea. The midfielder made the move to Stamford Bridge back in 2014 after a short stint at Spanish giants Barcelona, but the 31-year-old has struggled for regular football under new manager Maurizio Sarri this season having failed to start any of their opening ten Premier League matches.

And reports suggest that the Spain international may have to accept a pay cut to remain at the West London club beyond the end of his current deal in the summer, which is news that should be of interest to West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini as he plots a route into the top ten for his side.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the Hammers aren’t overly well-stocked in the central midfield department following the departure of Cheikhou Kouyate during the summer to Crystal Palace, although the likes of Mark Noble, Declan Rice, and Pedro Obiang have done a decent job in that midfield area.

And with Jack Wilshere and Manuel Lanzini out injured at present, Pellegrini may be wondering how he can bolster that area of the field come the January transfer window – and there would be few better options than Chelsea’s Fabregas.

The 31-year-old has excelled in English football at both Arsenal and indeed Chelsea during his career in scoring 50 goals and laying on 113 assists in 345 Premier League appearances, winning two league titles during his time at Stamford Bridge in 2015 and 2017.

In fact, the Spanish assist king has laid on at least ten assists in all but two of his last eight full seasons in the English top-flight to underline just how brilliant a creator he is from that midfield role, with Fabregas widely regarded as one of the best in the business when it comes to setting up goals.

Be it the 19 he laid on to help Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea win the league back in 2015, or indeed the 12 to inspire Antonio Conte’s Blues to the title little over a year ago, the 31-year-old has produced the goods at the highest level for some time now, and would undoubtedly be a huge asset to a Hammers side seeking to move up the table under Pellegrini.

The East London club stumbled to a 13th place finish last term to suggest that the top ten was well within their grasp, and after some big money signings during the summer and their form having begun to pick up in recent times, Pellegrini will surely be eyeing a top half finish.

And the top ten would certainly be on the horizon for the Hammers were they to lure £22.5 million-rated Fabregas (as per Transfermarkt) across the capital, thus giving them the assist king they need to begin making their way up the Premier League table.

West Ham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

Tottenham Hotspur defender Juan Foyth scored his first goal for Tottenham yesterday, a week after conceding two penalties on his Premier League debut.

Crystal Palace made it tough for Tottenham yesterday as Mauricio Pochettino’s men struggled to break down Palace until the 20-year-old Argentine defender managed to react quickest after Harry Kane’s header had been partially blocked.

The win now sees Tottenham rise to fourth in the table, three points from the top. Despite Foyth winning the game, the pressure is still on Spurs to keep up with the top four and although they’ve managed to maintain some form recently, after a summer where they failed to bring in any new recruits, Spurs must dip into the transfer market if they are to have any hope of keeping up the pressure on the top four.

There’s no getting away from the fact that Spurs need someone to share the goalscoring load and although Lucas Moura scored four goals in 12 games and Erik Lamela has score the same in only eight games, Spurs still need reinforcements up front.

In Lamela’s case, although he’s had a fairly solid season, the Argentina international had a very poor game yesterday. He worked during the game but overall he had very little impact and went off in the second-half after being caught by Ayew’s boot.

Too often the talented winger can get lost in a game and over his whole Tottenham career, he’s been nowhere consistent enough, Spurs must look to the January window to add reinforcements.