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According to the Daily Mail via Man City Superbia, manager Pep Guardiola has awarded every travelling fan to September’s away game to Shakhtar Donetsk a hospitality package for the return game. 

The Sky Blues ran rampant in Ukraine that night, with goals from Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gundogan and Gabriel Jesus getting City off to a flying start in their Champions League group.

However, from the fans perspective, it was one arduous journey to make – with a credible travelling support of 114 flying all the way out to Ukraine on a Tuesday night to watch their team put on a dominant performance.

While some football fans may laugh at those numbers and perceive them as small, the logistics of the trip have to be taken into account – especially when you consider the politics – with the country currently at war with neighbours Russia.

Realising this, and making an enormous gesture, Guardiola personally sent free hospitality tickets to all the travelling fans for the return leg at the Etihad.

Here’s how the supporters reacted to a brilliant piece of news.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

If there was one word to describe Patrick Cutrone it would be enigmatic.

Once a hot prospect, he scored 18 goals in 2017/18. However, he’s since dropped off and found himself at Wolves where a lack of game-changing impact is evident.

It’s perhaps indicative of the way his career has panned out at the age of 21 that he’s playing at Molineux, rather than the San Siro, and his performances to date in England are also a hallmark of how his form has dipped.

In 2018/19, he netted nine times and he’s only scored once in the English top-flight since arriving. For a man now rated at £22.5m you’d expect more.

Restricted to a plethora of substitute appearances, he’s failed to really impress in his time on the field. The Italy international struggles to retain possession, registering a measly pass success rate of 69.2% while his goal threat, amassing just a solitary shot per game points to a man low on confidence.

However, this international break may have just renewed his vigour and brought back the swagger we saw so often from Cutrone in Serie A.

Playing for Italy U21s, he was in exceptional form as he netted twice in a 3-0 win over Iceland.

During this outing, the young forward was playing on the left-wing, rather than in a central striker position that he’s played in for Wolves. He thrived, performing three dribbles and showing a far greater threat on the opposition goal.

Being utilised in a two up front with Raul Jimenez this term simply hasn’t worked and all it has taken is one performance on the wing to prove that Nuno Santo has been going wrong with his positioning of the summer arrival.

Cutrone was utilised six times on the flanks for Milan and in the process he scored on three occasions and also picked up two assists. It shows how valuable he can be in wide positions and another example was given over the weekend.

The £16m signing has played all 15 games for Wolves in a more central role but in order for him to prosper in England, perhaps playing him on the left of Jimenez would be beneficial. After all, Diogo Jota is struggling himself and only has one strike in the Premier League.

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…

Southampton announced the appointment of Matt Crocker as their new director of football operations on Tuesday, and chief executive officer Martin Semmens has made an exciting comparison when explaining what his main objective at the club will be.

What did he say?

Crocker will take up his new role in early 2020 having returned to St Mary’s following seven years with the FA, and Semmens has explained what he will be tasked with doing for the Premier League strugglers.

He told southamptonfc.com: “The Southampton Way is at the very core of everything we do here at the club, with a strong focus on our player pathway into the First Team. For our club to be successful going into the next decade, within an increasingly competitive Premier League, we must seek to strengthen our pathway and further develop every detail of our football operation.

“As Head of Development Teams at The FA, Matt was responsible for elite player and coach pathways through all teams, and was one of the key architects of the England DNA project. This created a framework and culture that has led to the success we see today through all age groups with the national team.”

Crocker’s mission

It is clear to see from Semmens’ words that Southampton as a club aren’t happy about the lack of academy graduates making it into the first team now compared to in the past.

In previous years they have seen the likes of Gareth Bale, Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain rise through to the first team – all during Crocker’s previous spell with Saints – but it hasn’t happened as much recently in terms of developing top-quality players.

It appears as though Crocker will oversee coaching methods and other such things from a low age group right through until the first team to ensure this changes, and Semmens’ comparison with what he achieved for England is certainly an exciting one.

The Three Lions have gone from being something of a dull team to watch to one of the most entertaining in the world – 37 goals in eight Euro 2020 qualifying games is testament to that – with the likes of Jadon Sancho, Harry Kane and Raheem Sterling regularly starring for their country.

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If Crocker can translate that “England DNA project” to Southampton and replicate the great success Gareth Southgate has had as manager by helping to get people enjoying international football again and taking them to a World Cup semi-final, then better times could lie ahead for the south coast outfit.

They are much-needed, too.

In other news, Southampton fans have been reacting after Gao’s January transfer plans were revealed…

Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp could be the latest manager to fall into a dangerous trap in the transfer market.

What’s the word?

The Reds have orchestrated some meticulously well planned and financially shrewd business in recent years, with Michael Edwards’ influence emerging as a key component in the club’s rise to Premier League dominance.

That trend will need to continue in order to consolidate the club’s current standing in world football.

Looking at the club’s attacking options beyond Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, it’s fair to assume that the arrival of a versatile forward could be at the forefront of the club’s agenda when the window eventually reopens for business.

And according to a recent report from Spanish media outlet Sport, Ousmane Dembele is a target for the club.

The report claims that Klopp is an admirer of the 22-year-old speedster, and Liverpool are plotting a proposal worth a whopping €90m (£80m).

Who said it: Klopp or Thanos?

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Balotelli 2.0

This deal has all the makings of Mario Balotelli 2.0.

The Italian’s reputation preceded him when he arrived at Anfield in 2014.

Having become an infamous figure in the game due to his antics away from the pitch, varying from throwing darts at youth players to setting off fireworks indoors to generally doing anything capable of causing an off-field disturbance, Roberto Mancini decided enough was enough in January 2013 and sanctioned his departure from Man City.

There appeared to be an almost paternal desire from Mancini to help Balotelli realise the full extent of his limitless potential, but he couldn’t put the compatriot on the path to elite footballing success.

Brendan Rodgers may have harboured a similar motivation when he signed the centre-forward for Liverpool, but his gamble failed to pay off as he scored just four goals in 28 appearances during his time at Anfield.

While Balotelli was an incomparable enigma, there are ominous parallels to be drawn between his rise to prominence and that of Dembele at Barcelona.

The mercurial attacker is already a World Cup winner and earned his move to the Catalan giants after bagging 10 goals and providing 21 assists in a stunning 2016/17 season with Borussia Dortmund.

However, the caveats speaks for themselves.

In order to force through a move to the Nou Camp, Dembele allegedly trashed the house he was renting from Jurgen Klopp at the time. It is also widely known that he has been late to multiple training sessions and team meetings, while his obsession with video games is a cause for concern. To compound the issue, injuries have consistently cropped up throughout his career and this season he’s been limited to just five appearances by virtue of a major hamstring problem.

However, his record in the 2018/19 season – 14 goals and nine assists in 42 matches across all competitions – do offer credible cause for optimism.

Perhaps Klopp believes he can put Dembele on the right path and ensure he reaches a level that mirrors the extent of his talent. But, equally, perhaps Klopp should take the lesson of Balotelli’s stint at Liverpool as a prescient warning for the future.

Rodgers made a mistake by gambling on Balotelli in 2014 despite being acutely aware of the baggage that his arrival would entail.

And with Dembele’s problems equally well documented in the public eye, Klopp should swerve the mooted transfer swoop.

In other Liverpool news, plenty of fans have reacted to an intriguing report about Philippe Coutinho…

Some Sheffield Wednesday fans have been left talking by the latest transfer update involving some of their players.

An Owls-related page called Vital Wednesday recently relayed some information on Twitter. It was stated that Steven Fletcher and Morgan Fox have been handed a new deal but they haven’t signed it yet. The others like Fernando Forestieri, Sam Hutchinson, Sam Winnall, Kieran Lee, Joey Pelupessy and Jack Stobbs haven’t been handed new deals so far, per the update from Dom Howson in his Q&A with Examiner Live.

On reading this update, many Owls fans were left talking. They had a variety of opinions about it.

This season, Fletcher has scored 13 times in all competitions and all of those goals have come in the Championship. He has also racked up a couple of assists and they too have come in the league competition.

He has picked up a Whoscored rating of 7.25 in the league and it shows how valuable a player he is to the Owls. As for Fox, he has racked up a Whoscored rating of 6.81 in the league while racking up two goals and one assist from the left-back positions.

This shows that both of them have had decent seasons and have done enough to warrant a new deal. And the club is right to hand them new contracts.

As for the others, it’s clear many of the Sheffield Wednesday faithful would not be too bothered to see them leave.

Sheffield Wednesday fans, what would you do regarding the contract situation? Let us know below!

Jurgen Klopp has done what can only be described as an outstanding job at Liverpool since joining in 2015.

When he took over from Brendan Rodgers in October 2015, the Reds had won just four of their first 11 matches in all competitions that campaign. Now, they lead the way by a huge 25 points from Manchester City – the biggest such margin in the club’s history – and they lifted the Champions League last season as well.

Having already spent five years at the club, he has a contract lasting four more years, meaning that his current deal will come to an end in 2024. It remains to be seen whether he signs a new contract with the club, but if he doesn’t, someone else will need to take over.

Liverpool reporter James Pearce has been talking about who should replace him, and he believes that one of Steven Gerrard, Pep Lijnders or Mauricio Pochettino should be given the job once the 52-year-old departs.

The Reds fans have been reacting to the quotes, and they have absolutely slammed the journalist – one supporter even said he has a “lack of basic football knowledge.”

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

Do you agree with Pearce? Let us know in the comments!

Celtic were named Scottish Premiership champions earlier this week and supporters at Parkhead have been congratulating every player past and present that has contributed to a stunning ninth straight title.

However, one fan believes midfielder James Forrest deserves a lot more credit than what he has been receiving, which has sparked a similar reaction from several of the Bhoys faithful on social media.

The 28-year-old came through the youth system at Celtic and has been a frequent presence in the senior setup since 2010 having racked up five appearances shy of the big 400 in that time.

It means the Scotsman has been part of each of the nine triumphs and this season has arguably been his best. Forrest has provided 16 goals and 22 assists in 47 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Stuck in isolation? Our mega footy quiz will cure any boredom…

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Phrases such as ‘unsung hero’ and ‘underrated’ have been attributed to the winger, which perhaps comes as a surprise given the aforementioned numbers.

Here’s how fans have been reacting on Twitter…

AND in other news, Celtic fans are absolutely loving this Leigh Griffiths footage…

A number of Manchester City fans have welcomed the appointment of Gareth Taylor as the new Head Coach of the club’s women’s team in a three-year deal.

The club confirmed on its official website mancity.com that the 47-year-old has been given the task of succeeding Nick Cushing, who had been in the role for six years and won the Women’s Super League and two Women’s FA Cups. The news was later shared on the club’s official Twitter channel @ManCity.

As noted by mancity.com, Taylor moves into the role after three years in charge of the club’s under-18 side, having previously managed the under-16s at the Etihad Stadium. He had enjoyed a very successful spell with the older age group, winning two successive Premier League Under-18 Cups and guiding the team to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals and a 12-point lead in the Premier League Under-18 North division.

He is also a former Manchester City player, having played 55 times for the club between 1998 and 2001, featuring in their successive promotions from the third tier to the Premier League. [via mancity.com]

These City fans – and former player Paul Lake – took to Twitter to share their delight at Taylor being given the women’s team Head Coach position at the Etihad:

Man City fans, are you happy with Taylor being put in charge of the women’s team given his success at under-18 level? Comment below with your views!

Despite his Manchester City leanings, Micah Richards sympathised with Ben Mee after the Burnley defender had a penalty given against him in the Clarets’ 5-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium last night.

With Sean Dyche’s men trailing 2-0 coming up to half-time, the 30-year-old challenged Sergio Aguero in the penalty area and initially seemed to have won the ball, with referee Andre Marriner unmoved and no appeals from any Manchester City players for a spot kick.

However, with Aguero prone on the turf and ultimately being forced off, the incident was reviewed by VAR and Marriner eventually overturned his initial decision, giving Riyad Mahrez the chance to convert from the spot and extend the home side’s lead (as per Sky Sports).

Richards, a Manchester City defender for nearly 10 years, was on Sky Sports punditry duty for the game and he felt that the penalty award was harsh on Mee. He said on air [via Lancashire Live]: “To be totally honest, to me, it looks like he has got the ball and to have that overturned is just crazy. If you are a defender and you are doing that, you would be giving penalties every single week for that.”

As an experienced defender, Richards is well placed to judge whether or not Mee had committed a foul, so for him to say that he thought the penalty was wrongly given is striking. Also, as noted by Graeme Souness on Sky Sports [via Lancashire Live], none of Aguero’s team-mates were baying for a penalty when the tackle was made.

Even when slowed down and viewed on replay, it seems a tight call and perhaps Mee was hard done by as he seemed to get something on the ball, even if his follow-up certainly caught the Manchester City striker.

With Guardiola’s team already two goals to the good and going on to win by five, the penalty award wasn’t exactly a game-changing moment, although the psychological blow of conceding a third goal just before the interval must have flattened a Burnley team who, had they gone in at 2-0 down, may still have felt they had a fighting chance if they could start the second half quickly.

On a very difficult night for Burnley, they could have done without a 50-50 penalty decision going against them.

Burnley fans, do you agree with Richards’ assessment of the penalty incident? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below!

Manchester United bounced back from a well-earned draw away to Tottenham with a 3-0 thrashing of Sheffield United at Old Trafford.

Paul Pogba returned to the starting lineup after a lengthy absence and proved pivotal as Man United ran riot over the Blades.

His teammate Marcus Rashford succumbed to a back injury in January but started both games, having a hand in two of Anthony Martial’s goals.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insisted the Red Devils duo are a couple of the “world-class players” at his disposal.

Solskjaer recently made the headlines after claiming David de Gea is still the best goalkeeper in the world, despite making several high-profile mistakes.

Writing in the matchday programme, as relayed by the Manchester Evening News, the club legend noted “With so many players back fit now, everybody can see the quality we have in our ranks.

“The players who came on at Spurs made a difference, which shows you the level of competition we’ve got in the squad now.

“Even before lockdown we were on a strong run of form. Now we’re able to call upon world-class players like Paul and Marcus returning from injury.

“Paul could tell you more than most about our evolution, because the team he’s re-joining now is a different team to the one that started the season. Our development is there for all to see.”

It is hard to argue with Solskjaer here, as Pogba and Rashford are two of United’s biggest attacking threats.

Indeed, Rashford is the club’s top scorer this season, scoring 19 goals and creating 7 assists in all competitions so far.

The French World Cup winner, who has been linked with a move away from the Theatre of Dreams, has made a full recovery, and although he has only managed 628 minutes of Premier League action up until now, has averaging 2.2 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

Earlier this month, January signing Bruno Fernandes admitted it would be “amazing” to play with Pogba when football returns.

Fernandes’ arrival coincided with the Frenchman’s rehabilitation, but the pair have shown glimpses of a formidable partnership in the making, as Pogba won the penalty that the Portuguese converted to equalise at Spurs.

To all intents and purposes, Solskjaer is in possession of a wealth of attacking talent, and his players will need to prove their worth if they are to reach the top four by the end of the season.

United fans, do you think Pogba and Rashford are world-class players? Let us know down below!