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Mario Gotze once had the world at his feet.

The Germany international started his career with Borussia Dortmund, making his debut in the Bundesliga as a 17-year-old in 2019.

During that first spell, he transformed into a creative star, racking up over 10 assists in two of the three full seasons he played there. He also won two league titles with the Die Schwarzgelben.

Watch the moment Granit Xhaka’s Arsenal career may have come to an ugly end in the video below…

He moved to Bayern Munich in 2013, winning another three Bundesliga trophies, whilst he also scored the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final for his country against Argentina. However, illness and injury stopped him from hitting the next level, and he went back to Dortmund in 2016 where he has remained ever since.

According to Sky Deutschland (via Ruhr24.com), Arsenal are interested in signing the 27-year-old, who is currently valued at £19.8m by Transfermarkt, on a free transfer next summer.

Despite his stellar trophy cabinet, it seems the Gunners’ fans are far from happy to be linked with him.

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

Liverpool’s youngsters did them proud against Arsenal and one player in particular left a lasting impression on fans, Rhian Brewster.

He didn’t just impress with his footballing ability, either, after scoring an important penalty in the shoot-out, but also through his display of emotion throughout the evening.

Some supporters have enjoyed seeing the passion of Brewster, with one suggesting it shows his love of the club. It also shows the desire he has, and how keen he was to progress to the next round, where he may get another chance to start.

It has been a big journey already for the 19-year-old since coming back from a serious injury, and his involvement in the first-team squad, alongside his fellow academy players, likely means a great deal.

If his post-match reaction is anything to go by, his celebration when he scores his first for the club is probably going to be one to watch out for, and some fans will be eagerly anticipating that event.

Here are some of the reactions to Brewster’s passionate display against Arsenal.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

West Brom will have to wait until Monday to see if they still hold sole possession of the Championship lead, but given that the five teams below them all play before the Baggies, they could go into the Stoke City game needing a result.

Slaven Bilic will undoubtedly be looking for improvements after his side failed to pick up a victory last week – they needed a comeback to salvage a point against basement boys Barnsley before Charlton Athletic snatched a draw of their own late at the death.

The Croatian can aid his team’s chances by making a simple switch, one that, in reality, has been a long time coming.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

On the Chalkboard

Charlie Austin’s woes in front of goal continued, which won’t have helped their cause in either stalemate one bit. It’s now just the one goal in ten league appearances, which for a £4m summer signing is abysmal.

Meanwhile, Hal Robson-Kanu has doubled the former Southampton striker’s tally in just three matches – 70 minutes to be precise.

It’s time to hand the Welshman a start over his fellow 30-year-old, not just because he’s showing better form, but he’s also a better fit for the way Bilic wants his team to play.

The majority of Austin’s goals have been from inside the area throughout his career, per Understat’s xG model, yet much of the football under the 51-year-old is with the ball on the ground.

Albion rank third in the league for possession percentage per game at 54.5%, so the summer signing is having to drop deeper to claim the ball as seen in his WhoScored heatmap below from the Charlton game. He’s all over the place.

He doesn’t even look like scoring either. Robson-Kanu is currently building up some excellent form, so it is time to allow an opportunity to start.

The 30-year-old also records less unsuccessful touches (1.3) than Austin (1.9), which will only benefit Bilic’s system as they will retain possession of the ball rather than lose it.

We mastered the trick in the video below in 8 attempts… could you do better?

And as the Express & Star explain in their post-match ratings from the QPR victory, Robson-Kanu’s movement is all that more impressive.

Austin is quickly becoming a flop at the Hawthorns, and this style of football just isn’t helping him at all.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Arsenal’s latest result against Vitoria in the Europa League has seen the club and manager Unai Emery receive considerable criticism from a number of the club’s fanbase.

However, the latest comments from summer signing Kieran Tierney are likely to serve as a source of optimism ahead of a crucial run of fixtures for the north London side.

What did he say?

Speaking to the official club website after Arsenal’s match with Vitoria, the Scot had the following to say:

“We know there is a lot going on that people are talking about. But we just need to forget about all that and concentrate on us, concentrate on bouncing back and concentrate on giving the fans something to cheer about.”

Are Arsenal capable of redeeming their 2019/20 campaign?

The arrival of Tierney in the summer transfer window from Celtic was promising as they went about rebuilding their defence in Emery’s second season in charge at the club, but a spate of inconsistent performances have prevented the club from gaining any form of momentum.

Incidents including Granit Xhaka’s exchange with fans in the 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace have seen considerable controversy arise around the club, with the Switzerland international having been stripped off the captaincy.

Therefore it is vital that the concentration that Tierney touches upon is present in Arsenal’s remainder of the 2019/20 campaign, but the Gunners will be faced with a testing fixture this Saturday when they face Brendan Rodgers’ men at the King Power Stadium.

Coming up against an in-form side at Leicester away from home will be a true test of Arsenal’s ability to cope with pressure, especially considering the surfacing of reports that Emery has just one month left to save his job at The Emirates.

The left-back will be hoping to play a significant part in any improvement at Arsenal after having started the last two league games, and fans of the north London side will be looking for a positive result against the Foxes in a bid to revitalise their 2019/20 campaign.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

West Bromwich Albion enter the final international break of this calendar year sitting atop the Championship table after 16 matches.

Slaven Bilic’s side have lost just one match all season and currently hold a two-point cushion over the chasing pack of Preston North End and Leeds United.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Upon their return to league action in two weeks, the Baggies’ squad depth is really going to be tested as they will face eighth-placed Sheffield Wednesday without their skipper Jake Livermore and his midfield partner Romaine Sawyers.

Both have started every single game under the Croatian, but having picked up their fifth bookings of the season against Hull City last time out, there’s now a pressing concern in a vital area.

On the Chalkboard

If there’s one area on the pitch that Albion lack numbers the most, it is in central midfield.

Gareth Barry has only just recently re-signed at the club, having battled back from a career-threatening injury, so this game may be too soon for him while Rekeem Harper appears to be out of Bilic’s immediate plans having featured for just six league minutes all season.

That leaves Chris Brunt and Filip Krovinovic as other options, but they have both played the majority of their careers in a different role.

One possible solution may be to break up a defence that has kept just four clean sheets this season by bringing centre-back Semi Ajayi into midfield.

It is a position he has played in before at his former club Rotherham United- in 22 matches, the Nigeria international has averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.06, also recording 2.7 tackles and 1.9 clearances per game.

For just one game, he would be an ideal option in the heart of midfield.

It also means that Ahmed Hegazi is given a perfect opportunity to return to defence, in a move that can only benefit West Brom’s entire season.

Given their lack of clean sheets and their ability to concede an average of over one goal per game, something has to change at the back, and the experienced Egyptian can offer some further stability.

He played 40 times last season as the Baggies made the playoffs, averaging a massive 6.3 clearances and 1.4 tackles per game.

Fans love Hegazi at the Hawthorns, so what better way to integrate him back into the starting line up following his return from injury.

He hasn’t been seen since the heartbreak of their playoff defeat to local rivals Aston Villa.

Liverpool fans have been expressing their love for the club after a video was released by a BBC 5 Live Sport in which an elderly Liverpool fan expresses his admiration for Jurgen Klopp.

The video contains the interview of 5 Live presenters Steve Crossman and Robbie Savage, who discuss Klopp’s impact with the Reds fan, David. The fan stated how he’s been attending Anfield for 65 years and he touches on how delighted he was to see the German lift the Champions League trophy.

It is an emotional montage for all Liverpool fans, as the video plays through photos of the Champions League final in June and finishes with a rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone.

As you would expect, the Liverpool faithful have been getting just as emotional as the fan in the video, with one supporter saying it “always brings in chills”.

Other supporters have said they were holding back the tears during the video, with one fan saying it made him “smile and cry at the same time”.

It is a truly touching montage and it beautifully encapsulates the meaning of Liverpool and the impact Klopp has had at the club.

Here’s how the Liverpool fans reacted to the tribute…

Sunderland boss Phil Parkinson has now overseen nine matches in charge and it is fair to say that things haven’t worked out in the way he would have wished so far.

With just 11 goals scored and two wins to his name, Sunderland have exited all three cup competitions and have dropped in the League One table.

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Mathematically there is still a very good likelihood of making the play-offs or possibly even the automatic promotion places, but the team seems to be on a steady decline, and fans blame Parkinson for that.

Watch Sunderland Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Some think he should never have been given the job while one even believes that keeping Jack Ross would have been a better option, which shows how unimpressive Parkinson has been so far.

It is worth considering that the new boss has had to make do with the players who were already at the club, and he will have to wait until January to bring in any of his own, and therefore it may be a little harsh to judge him so early on.

Regardless, several supporters have made their feelings known, and Parkinson has a lot to do if he is to sway their opinion, as the following reactions show.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Speaking after Celtic’s 4-0 win over Livingstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday, captain Scott Brown has called out Jeremie Frimpong’s “pathetic” shooting ability.

The veteran midfielder soon went onto laud the young full-back for his efforts at the weekend and during the course of the season.

What’s he said?

The Hoops had gone three games without beating Livi but they put that unwanted record to bed on Saturday courtesy of a romping victory.

Odsonne Edouard opened the scoring in the first half before a brace from James Forrest and a strike from Brown himself sealed all three points.

It was a result that saw Celtic go three points above their title rivals Rangers as Neil Lennon’s men have now gone eight matches without dropping a point.

A number of players caught the eye for Celtic but one that Brown was particularly pleased with was Frimpong. Although he had some choice words to say about his shooting, he went onto laud the 18-year-old. He said after the game:

“He’s a great wee lad but his shooting is pathetic but everything else about his game has been incredible. The energy he brings, his pace going down the line is brilliant, his composure is great for one so young.”

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Fantastic impact

Frimpong has gone down brilliantly at Celtic Park, earning rave reviews not only from his skipper but also from supporters after the match finished.

The Dutchman had two opportunities of his own throughout the 90 minutes, both of which were saved, something that probably led to Brown’s sarcastic comments.

But his attacking play was bustling and full of energy. One of those shots was the cause of a goal as the right-back drove a strike which was saved before Forrest fired home the rebound.

The former Manchester City man has started three Scottish Premiership games in 2019/20 since making the switch from England and in that time he’s picked up one assist for his troubles.

Arriving in Scotland almost unheard of, he’s made terrific strides and he recently credited Lennon for why he’s made such a bright start to life at his new club.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: “Me and Neil, sometimes we work on my crosses because when I first came I would get there but my end product wouldn’t be that great.”

This has really shone through in terms of his attacking play, and although he’ll be judged more for his defensive contributions, finding the back of the net could be something he looks to improve after Brown’s remarks.

It was a frustrating night for Liverpool against Napoli on Wednesday.

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The Reds dominated possession, taking control of the ball for 71% of the 90 minutes, but they were only able to score one time through a powerful Dejan Lovren header.

For the vast majority of the game, they were unable to break through the sturdy defence of Carlo Ancelotti’s team, and the solitary point now leaves them needing to get at least the same against RB Salzburg.

Check out footballers’ biggest fashion disasters in the video below…

The Anfield outfit were dealt another cruel blow in the 19th minute, as well, when Brazil international Fabinho was forced off the pitch with an ankle injury.

He had tried to play on, but it became apparent that he would be unable to last the course. Called the best defensive midfielder in the world in September by Gary Neville (Sky Sports via Metro), his absence could be a huge blow.

The club’s supporters were worried by his removal from the pitch.

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

In other news, one Liverpool star said he could have joined Napoli before moving to Anfield.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

The Merseyside derby is set to take place on Wednesday evening in a game that could be Marco Silva’s last in the Everton dugout.

With his departure seemingly looming on the horizon, speculation regarding his replacement is beginning to run rife in the media.

What’s the word?

The pressure on Silva’s shoulders is seemingly at breaking point and there is a feeling of inevitability surrounding his future, with The Telegraph suggesting he is on the brink of being sacked.

Unless the Toffees manage to clinch a victory at Anfield, something they haven’t managed since 1999, it seems difficult to fathom a scenario in which the Portuguese manager is still in charge against Chelsea on Saturday.

As that feeling begins to become deeply entrenched in the mainstream media, the subject of who should actually make the call on Silva’s successor has emerged.

Bill Kenwright, Farhad Moshiri and Marcel Brands are three of the most prominent figures in the public eye but it is the latter who Phil McNulty believes should be making the final call.

McNulty, the chief football writer at the BBC, had this to say in his column:

‘Is it (the person tasked with appointing a replacement) director of football Marcel Brands, now on the club’s board and placed in charge of all football strategy?

‘This description alone suggests the Dutchman lured from PSV Eindhoven must call the shots and Moshiri should simply have the sign off.

‘Brands is the man with the global contacts book, the networking reputation. If Everton, as everyone suspects, want a new manager then his job description suggests he should be providing the name.’

Time to prove his credentials

There is plenty of intrigue surrounding Brands’ role at the club and how far he can revolutionise the club.

The ambition Everton have shown in the transfer market since he became the club’s director of football has been one of the most defining aspects of his time at Goodison Park, but Silva’s looming exit will provide him with the biggest challenge so far.

With Leicester City flying high in 2nd place, Wolves six points off a Champions League place and Arsenal and Man United languishing in 8th and 9th place respectively, the Premier League has been blown wide open this season.

It’s at this very juncture that Everton need to lay the foundation for a bright future, one which could see the club elevate into the top six and fulfil Moshiri’s vision for the club of competing regularly in the Champions League, and, as McNulty suggests, that basis for success must be constructed by the former PSV Eindhoven sporting director; his job description requires that much.

If Silva is dismissed from his post this week, Brands must take responsibility for deciding his successor.