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Chelsea’s season gets underway a week earlier than most Premier League sides this Sunday, facing reigning champions Manchester City in the campaign curtain raiser – the Community Shield.

And while it’s a valuable opportunity for Maurizio Sarri to really test how quickly the Chelsea squad is adapting to his methods after two seasons under Antonio Conte, it’s also a chance to see how some of the youngsters to feature for the Blues in pre-season can cope against the toughest opposition in English football right now.

The most prominent of those has undoubtedly been winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, who has earned rave reviews throughout the summer in the absence of Eden Hazard and Willian. So we asked Chelsea fans earlier this week whether Sarri should give the teenager another chance to impress on Sunday and the response was an emphatic yes.

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Indeed, 95% of the near 1000 voters who took part in our poll were in favour of Hudson-Odoi starting in Sunday’s Community Shield final, in a huge endorsement of the youngster’s potential. Are there any other young talents you’d like to see starting against City, Blues fans? Let us know by commenting below…

Leeds fans are absolutely desperate for some reinforcements in midfield, and they’re hoping to hijack Middlesbrough’s move for Mo Besic.

According to The Telegraph’s live transfer blog, Leeds are eyeing a £4.5m move for Besic.

The Bosnian midfielder has been heavily linked with a move to Boro, after spending the second half of last season on loan at the Riverside.

The tough tackling 25 year-old scored once in 15 Championship appearances for Tony Pulis’ side, and was a popular figure there thanks to work ethic and feisty tackling.

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Leeds are desperate for another central midfielder after the injury to Adam Forshaw, and Everton’s quest to trim their wage bill means Besic certainly is available.

The 25 year-old could be the midfield enforcer Bielsa needs, and would allow the likes of Mateusz Klich to roam forward and grab goals like he did last weekend.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below, where these fans are absolutely praying this one goes through…

According to a recent report from El Desmarque, Tottenham attacker Lucas Moura has been linked with a move away from the club this month. The 26-year-old only joined the Premier League outfit back in January after a five-year stint at French giants Paris Saint-Germain, although he was unable to command regular football under Mauricio Pochettino in the second half of last season.

And reports suggest that Real Betis are interested in the winger, and while cashing in on the Brazil international is likely to frustrate and disappoint several Spurs fans, it could prove to be great news for £18 million-rated Tottenham star Erik Lamela (as per Transfermarkt).

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Moura’s arrival back in the winter stimulated much optimism among Spurs supporters, what with the 26-year-old enjoying a fine stint at PSG in winning four Ligue 1 titles and a whole host of other domestic honours.

Yet his addition somewhat pushed Argentina international Lamela further down the pecking order, which itself was already well-stocked with the likes of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, and Son Heung-min, the latter three of which commanded the most regular first team football.

As such, while returning from a year out with a hip injury must be taken in account, Lamela mustered just seven Premier League starts for Pochettino’s side last term to underline his struggles in forcing his way into the starting eleven, and a fine pre-season from Brazil’s Moura is only likely to further push the 26-year-old away from the first team.

But were Spurs to cash in on Moura this month, it would open the door for Lamela to reignite a career that has somewhat stalled in recent times, not least as a result of a hip injury that kept him out for the best part of 2017.

Before sustaining that hip problem in October of 2016, Lamela was arguably enjoying his best spell since moving to Tottenham in 2013 having netted 11 goals and laying on ten assists in the 2015/16 campaign, before starting the following season promisingly as well.

Yet the likes of Alli, Eriksen, and Son have all produced the goods in Lamela’s absence to suggest that that trio are ahead of the Argentine in Pochettino’s pecking order, but with the latter away on international duty with South Korea at the Asian Games, there appears to be an opportunity for one of Moura or Lamela to stake a claim for regular football.

As such, were Tottenham to let the former go this month, it could spell great news for the latter in his bid to get his career going again after a testing few years.

Tottenham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

West Ham United opened their 2018-19 Premier League season with a 4-0 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.

It was not exactly the ideal start to Manuel Pellegrini’s reign as head coach, but the Hammers have the chance to bounce back when they welcome Bournemouth to the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

There is no downplaying the importance of the match, and there is also no question that the West Ham fans will be expecting a strong performance.

Michail Antonio was named in the starting XI against Liverpool, but the 28-year-old found it difficult to make his mark.

Indeed, Antonio did not offer anything defensively or down the other end of the field, and now the West Ham supporters have called for him to be dropped this weekend.

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New arrival Andriy Yarmolenko was named on the bench against Liverpool, but there have been a number of calls for the Ukraine international to replace Antonio in the starting XI when the Cherries visit the London Stadium.

A selection of the best Twitter reaction can be seen below:

Mexico have attempted to lure Marcelo Bielsa in to manage their national team but have failed with an approach for the Leeds United boss, according to Fox Sports.

What’s the word?

Leeds United have shone under the guidance of experienced boss Marcelo Bielsa this season, establishing themselves as the early pacesetters in the chase for promotion to the Premier League, and he has already attracted interest.

Record states that Mexico were keen to activate a reported £7.8m release clause in Bielsa’s contract at Elland Road to bring the former Argentina and Chile boss in to manage their national side, but Fox Sports claims that Bielsa rejected the move.

Having only arrived in Yorkshire this summer, Bielsa remains committed to the project he has got his hands on with the Peacocks but the reports, particularly the reveal of a release clause in his contract, will raise concern amongst the fans.

Have Leeds made a mistake?

By handing Marcelo Bielsa a £7.8m release clause in his contract, Leeds United have left the door open for any nation or club in the world to make an approach for their manager – and it is a very affordable price for someone of his experience.

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While the chances of Bielsa walking away this season are slim, the situation could change next summer if the Peacocks fail in their push for promotion – which would Leeds back at square one after an impressive improvement in the past few months.

Bielsa was a major coup for Leeds after they landed his services and it would not be surprising to see the 63-year-old continually linked with positions across the globe in the coming months. With the release-clause present, it could lead to many sleepless nights.

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Everton confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Muhamed Besic had returned to Middlesbrough on loan for the remainder of the 2018-19 campaign.

Besic spent the second half of last season on loan at Boro – making 15 Championship appearances – and has now returned to the Riverside Stadium.

Besic initially joined Everton from Ferencvaros in 2014, and made 31 appearances during his first season at Goodison Park.

The 5ft 10in midfielder only made two Premier League appearances for the Toffees last term, however, and has been deemed surplus to requirements by head coach Marco Silva.

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The Everton fans have been reacting to the news on social media, and it would be fair to say that a number are disappointed that Besic has departed.

It is worth remembering that Besic is only 25 though, and could yet go on to forge a career with Everton following another campaign out on loan.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Everton fans can be seen below:

Fulham had a tough start to life back in the top flight, but a strong 4-2 win against Burnley will have settled the nerves of the Craven Cottage outfit. Going into September, Slavisa Jokanovic will be hoping to build on the Burnley success. 

Fulham signed big Serbian forward Aleksandar Mitrovic from Newcastle United in the summer for a fee of £22m. ‘Mitro’ could be the key to a dream September for the Whites. The 23-year-old has already netted three goals in three Premier League appearances, and if he continues in his rich vein of form, it could be a profitable September for Jokanovic’s outfit. Capable with his feet and a real aerial threat, Mitrovic is a threat to any defence in the Premier League.

Another big signing for the South-West London club was Alfie Mawson from relegated Swansea City. Mawson has missed the first three Whites’ games through injury, but he played the first 75 minutes of Fulham’s Carabao cup fixture against Exeter City. If he is fit throughout September, his presence will be a major bonus for the club. The deal for Mawson could cost up to £20m, but the 24-year-old centre-back will be worth every penny if he can stay fit. Mawson will win everything in the air and is also a very good ball-player.

In terms of points, fixtures against Brighton and Watford are both very winnable. Manchester City and Everton represent much tougher challenges, and a point against either of these sides would be good going. If Fulham can take seven points from their September fixtures, it will be a truly dream month for the club. Considering they spent over £100m in the summer, this should be an achievable outfit for the Cottagers.

Granit Xhaka has been a divided figure since his move to Arsenal from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2016.

The midfielder has had inconsistent spells throughout his time at the North London outfit.

Under new manager Unai Emery, Xhaka has started all four Premier League matches, but some fans have questioned whether or not the Switzerland international should keep his place.

Xhaka, Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira are all vying for spots in the middle of the park, but there is always one who is forced out.

At the moment, Torreira is the one who has had to settle for a role on the bench, but his cameos have impressed plenty of fans.

On Saturday night, Xhaka made his first official appearance as captain of the Switzerland national team.

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It was a good day at the office for the midfielder as he was part of a 6-0 victory over Iceland in their Nations League match.

On Reddit and Twitter, some Arsenal fans discussed Xhaka’s form and their hopes for the 25-year-old.

Comment from discussion “My first official game as captain and a 6-0 win!🙌 Big congratulations to the whole team” (Xhaka’s IG).Comment from discussion “My first official game as captain and a 6-0 win!🙌 Big congratulations to the whole team” (Xhaka’s IG).Comment from discussion “My first official game as captain and a 6-0 win!🙌 Big congratulations to the whole team” (Xhaka’s IG).Comment from discussion “My first official game as captain and a 6-0 win!🙌 Big congratulations to the whole team” (Xhaka’s IG).Comment from discussion “My first official game as captain and a 6-0 win!🙌 Big congratulations to the whole team” (Xhaka’s IG).

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Gareth Southgate’s England side succumbed to a spirited defeat at the hands of Spain on Saturday night, losing 2-1 at Wembley despite scoring first as Luke Shaw guided a perfect through pass into the path of an onrushing Marcus Rashford for an eleventh-minute opener.

On the more negative end of the performance spectrum though, Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson suffered a difficult evening in midfield, tellingly booked after just 18 minutes and then hauled off with more than half an hour left to play.

31-cap Engine room accomplice Dele Alli didn’t enjoy the best of games either, struggling to support the forward line as England’s 3-1-4-2 setup seemed to give him just too much ground to cover.

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So, England fans, who do impressed you most despite the loss at Wembley and which Three Lions stars left you bitterly disappointed? Let us know by taking part in our poll below and giving each player involved a performance rating out of ten…

A referee is not responsible for a win or defeat, despite the fact that their decisions can prove costly.

Ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League group clash against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, the match official has been revealed as Cuneyt Cakir, reports The Mirror.

Some Reds fans have been left feeling optimistic due to the Turkish referee’s previous encounter with the club.

Cakir has only officiated one other match involving Liverpool, and it was the dramatic 4-3 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the 2015-16 Europa League quarter-finals.

The Merseyside outfit came from 3-1 down to secure their place in the final four, and they eventually reached the final, only to lose.

Interestingly, PSG head coach Thomas Tuchel was in charge of Dortmund during that Europa contest.

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It is easy to see why some Liverpool fans are happy at the news that Cakir will be overseeing their opening Champions League match at Anfield, particularly as PSG are their biggest competitors in the group.

Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.Comment from discussion The referee for our home game v PSG has been announced. It is Cuneyt Cakir from Turkey. His only previous time reffing Liverpool was our comeback v Borussia Dortmund in 2016.

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