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If you didn’t know it already, which we’re absolutely positive you do, Ezgjan Alioski is a very strange character.Signed from Swiss Super League side FC Lugano way back in 2016, and likely delivered to Elland Road in a big wooden box with ‘warning: dangerous cargo’ plastered over the front, the North Macedonian has established himself as one of the great enigmas of Championship football.Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Indeed, much in the same way that your neighbour’s cat goes from warmly stroking past your leg to hanging off your face in a matter of a single misguided stroke, Alioski can switch.

We saw as much last season when he went completely berserk at Pontus Jansson after the Swede planted a kiss on his cheek last season.

Back to his usual tricks, the 27-year-old bulldog gave us another reason last night to believe that he’s a bit of a livewire…

It says it all that not one Leeds player reacted. A loveable rogue.

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

Barcelona had a mixed start to the ongoing 2019/20 season and while there were multiple reasons as to why, Luis Suarez seems to be right at the heart of the problem.

The 32-year-old Uruguayan is already heading towards the twilight of his career and Barcelona’s reported interest in RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner, per Calciomercato, could finally give them a solution for that issue.

On the chalkboard

Suarez has definitely been one of the key pieces in the Blaugrana jigsaw ever since he made his big transfer from Liverpool all those years ago.

After all, the Uruguayan has already filled his cabinet with silverware during his stay at the Catalan capital, proving his worth time and time again. But there’s an end to every tale.

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Calciomercato report that Barcelona have already taken notice of Suarez’s sub-par performances and are, therefore, keeping an eye on a number of targets who could bolster the team in the future.

One of them is the €70m (£62.3m) rated Werner from the Bundesliga, and the 23-year-old could be a breath of fresh air in Catalonia.

A necessary improvement

Unfortunately for Barcelona, at this point, there’s no escaping the obvious – Suarez has seen some better days and both his performances and many fans’ complaints can attest to that.

So far, the Uruguayan has played a total of five games in La Liga, scoring three goals in the process and tallying an average of 2.4 shots per game in the domestic competition.

Werner, on the other hand, has been more active and more prolific than his counterpart, scoring five goals in six games and having 3.7 shots per game as well.

Get the latest videos and streams for Barcelona from our dedicated fc barcelona live streams page.

Of course, at Barcelona, scoring goals is important but their forwards have to be good on the ball and participate in the build-up of the attacks as well.

Suarez is usually pretty good at that but this season he averages just 0.4 key passes per game while Werner can boast with 2.3. The difference is staggering and pretty obvious.

Their overall passing accuracy is similar as Barcelona’s forward has 74.3% as opposed to Werner’s 74.7% but even there, the young German edges the Uruguayan out.

And not to mention that Leipzig’s forward is just 23, meaning he still has room to grow immensely.

Whoscored gave Suarez an overall rating of 6.97 while Werner sits at 7.54, edging his “rival” out in that department as well.

If the reports coming from the Italian sources are true, Barcelona have successfully identified a player that could bring much more to the table than Suarez does at the moment.

The Daily Star report that West Ham have demanded Manchester United stump up £80m in order to secure the services of Declan Rice, and fans think the fee is too low.

Rice has started where he left off this season and has featured in every league game for the Hammers so far, helping them to an unbeaten run of six matches.

He is fast becoming one of Manuel Pellegrini’s most important players, and the fact he has featured in 41 Premier League games since the start of last season is testament to that.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

One fan has also pointed to the price tag of Harry Maguire as an indication of what Man United are prepared to pay, and therefore believes that West Ham should hold out for as much as possible.

The England international is still only 20 years of age and has a contract which runs until 2024, with the option of a year’s extension, and so the club are not in a position where they need to consider a sale.

Here is some of the reaction from West Ham supporters after The Sun quoted The Daily Star report.

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…

Celtic left-back Boli Bolingoli-Mbombo has given a rather entertaining interview to Celtic TV, including some huge praise for his captain Scott Brown.

What’s the word?

It’s no secret that it’s been a tough few weeks for Brown.

The Hoops skipper has given away two penalties already this season, much to the disgust of fans, and it is reaching that time of a player’s career when he needs to be rotated, no longer the first name on the team-sheet in every single fixture, or at least that’s what the fans think.

He delivered a vintage Broony performance against Rangers though, and it seems nobody was more appreciative of that than Bolingoli.

“He’s a big leader, he’s a legend for me,” said the left-back, signed for around £3m this summer.

“The way how he plays every game, you can only look up to him. For sure in the last game, in the derby, one moment he went in a duel and I was looking at him like ‘damn that’s a real captain’!

“Also outside the pitch he’s a cool guy, a nice guy. He helped me a lot also, he is cool, he laughs, he gives really a positive motivation.”

Brilliant leadership

If you needed another reminder that Brown is the perfect captain, which you probably didn’t, this is it.

Neil Lennon admitted earlier this campaign that Bolingoli was “lacking a bit of confidence”, and then along comes the skipper.

The fact that Bolingoli, a non-native English speaker who is, based on Lennon’s admission, finding it somewhat of a shock adjusting to the football culture in Scotland, speaks so fondly of his midfield stalwart tells you everything you need to know.

Watch Celtic Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

It is quite regular for various branches to form within a squad based on nationality or language, even a tight-knit one – just look at Liverpool’s Brazilians – and it would be easy to assume Brown and Bolingoli aren’t exactly going to be best mates, even if they are good teammates.

However, it is clear from the smile on the left-backs face as he discusses his “cool” captain that while Brown may be declining slightly on the pitch, his leadership skills have never been better, and whether it be a bit of banter or some classic motivation, he is the perfect man to have leading a squad that just underwent a mass overhaul (11 in, 11 out).

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Following an injury that saw him out of action for Manchester United’s 1-0 victory over Leicester City at the weekend, Paul Pogba looks like he could be back in action if his latest Instagram story is anything to go by.

Despite a tendency to go missing when the club needs him the most, the Frenchman remains one of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s only world-class options in his current squad.

And as we well know from the flurry of form he enjoyed following Jose Mourinho’s exit last December, which saw him claim an incredible seven goals and five assists in ten appearances, United’s success tends to coincide with his own.

The Red Devils won eight and drew two during Pogba’s most profitable ten-game stint last season.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

As it stands, United will have to field defensive anchor (in more ways than one) Nemanja Matic in Pogba’s stead until he makes a full recovery, which somewhat dampens creative capacity. That is until Pogba is fully loaded, anyway…

The fact that he has his boots back on is surely good news for fans, as it looks like he may be nearing a full return.

According to a recent report from The Daily Mail (via The Sun), Celtic are interested in a January move for defender Jeremy Toljan. The 24-year-old currently plays his football at German giants Borussia Dortmund and has done so since leaving Hoffenheim back in 2017, although struggles for regular game time this time round has called his future at the Bundesliga outfit into question.

And a recent report from The Daily Mail (via The Sun) suggests that Brendan Rodgers’ Celtic are eyeing up a late January move for the right back in a bid to bolster that particular area of the field, with the £2.7 million-rated defender (as per Transfermarkt) the man to finally give Mikael Lustig something to think about down the right-hand-side.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, Sweden international Lustig has been an excellent servant to the Bhoys following his move from Rosenborg back in 2012, with the defender having since then appeared 263 times for the Scottish giants, helping the club win seven successive Scottish Premiership titles in the process.

However, at the age of 32, it does appear as though things are beginning to catch up with the right back given he hasn’t always convinced down the Celtic right-hand-side this season – but with Cristian Gamboa struggling for game time under Rodgers as well, the Northern Irishman clearly doesn’t fancy the Costa Rica international as Lustig’s regular deputy.

As such, it seems pretty clear that not only is a right back needed in the long-term for life after Lustig, but the 32-year-old may need fresh competition this term to improve his form for the Bhoys – the arrival of Dortmund’s Toljan would surely do just that.

The 24-year-old made the move to the Bundesliga outfit from fellow German side Hoffenheim in 2017 after impressing at the latter, and while he appeared 16 times in the league for Dortmund last time round under a combination of Peter Bosz and Peter Stoger, he has struggled to convince new boss Lucien Favre of his capabilities.

In fact, the Germany Under-21 international has failed to appear even once in the Bundesliga for the current table-toppers to underline just how far down the pecking order he is under Favre – a move away clearly appears to be in Toljan’s best interests if he is serious about playing regularly.

And with a couple of assists for Dortmund last time round, as well as a goal in their 2-2 draw with Freiburg back in January 2018, the 24-year-old clearly has pedigree in the more attacking areas of the pitch in seeking to get forward and create opportunities – and with Kieran Tierney able to do the same down the Celtic left, the duo could be a constant thorn in opposition’s sides.

Importantly though, the arrival of Toljan might just be what Lustig needs to rediscover his best form for the Bhoys, as the lack of competition in that right back ranks may well be playing a part in his struggles this term – quite simply, he isn’t really being pushed.

But the arrival of the younger and arguably more dynamic Toljan would give him that competition, and thus very much something to think about in the second half of the campaign.

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

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Loan Watch series, which takes a closer look at those players who are aiming to galvanise their careers away from the spotlight of their parent club.

Kamil Grabara is getting a taste of his first experience of English football and so far it has been a harsh lesson for the young goalkeeper.

How is he doing?

The Polish keeper joined Huddersfield Town on a season-long loan in the summer and although he hasn’t missed a minute in the league so far, he would have been hoping for a better experience.

The Terriers have continued the form which saw them slump to relegation from the Premier League last season and so far have failed to register a win in the Championship, and were also knocked out of the Carabao Cup by League One Lincoln.

Grabara has remained first choice in the opening weeks, maintaining his place under the caretaker management of Mark Hudson following the sacking of Jan Siewert.

Now, Danny Cowley has taken the reigns at the John Smith’s Stadium, so there will be a new man for Grabara to impress, and in order to do so he will have to improve his own form, and that of the defence in front of him.

Difficult circumstances

In his six league games the 20-year-old has failed to keep a clean sheet, conceding 11 goals as Town have slumped to five defeats from six.

His debut didn’t go according to plan and he and his team have failed to recover since. A rash decision saw him come out to clear the ball, only to find the feet of Derby’s Tom Lawrence who subsequently lifted the ball over him and into the back of the net.

It has been a tough baptism of fire, therefore, for the Reds keeper, but experiencing a dressing room low on confidence could help to build his character and his mentality, particularly once he learns what is needed to overturn bad form.

Watch Liverpool Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

There have been positives, however, with the Polish U21 international making an average of three saves per game, whilst he has proven capable with the ball at his feet with a short pass success rate of 96%.

He has shown a calmness at times which is impressive for a keeper so young, making an average of eight successful distributions. If Cowley can install some confidence in him and the rest of the defence there should be an improvement, and if he can get some clean sheets under his belt he will begin to make an impression on the staff at Liverpool.

Huddersfield were promoted from the Championship in 2017 with the Reds’ Danny Ward featuring 46 times between the posts. His form earnt him a multi-million pound move to Leicester, and Grabara will likely be using his success as a goal to work towards.

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Graeme Bailey says that Newcastle United are now in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Hugo Ekitike in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Wood on his way…

Sky Sports reported on Tuesday night that the St. James’ Park faithful activated the £20m release clause of Chris Wood, and he is now set to undergo a medical ahead of a move from Burnley.

However, their striker search may not stop there, as The Athletic journalist Chris Waugh has suggested that could go for another one before the window closes.

Nonetheless, with the injury suffered by Callum Wilson, the North East club need all the help that they can get up top if they are to drag themselves out of the relegation zone come the end of the season.

The Latest: Ekitike to follow?

As per 90min journalist Bailey, the Tyneside outfit are now in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Ekitike, in what he claims would be a ‘huge signing’ if they can pull a deal off:

“Can reveal that Newcastle United are in advanced talks to sign Reims’ Hugo Ekitike for £30m.

“Outstanding talent – huge signing for Newcastle if they get it done, many in France believe he could be the next Mbappe.”

The Verdict: Worth the risk

With the Wood deal looking all but done, the Magpies have already found a striker with experience in the Premier League.

Thus, they can afford to take more of a punt on a player like Ekitike, and although £30m may be considered excessive considering his current market value, at just 19 years of age, he could easily be worth that in the future.

Any comparison to Kylian Mbappe, who has simply set the world alight since his teenage years at AS Monaco, is obviously welcomed, and highlights just how much potential Ekitike has.

With eight goals and three assists in 18 games in Ligue 1 so far this season (Transfermarkt), he has shown already that he can perform at a high level, and so would certainly be an exciting new addition for the Toon Army.

In other news, find out who NUFC are now set to bid for here!

A lesser-known fact surrounding the EPL is that there have only ever been a few teams that circulate at the top.

Of course, this is something that doesn’t tend to get a lot of media attention, and if this truth was more well-known, it could lead to a potential decrease in anticipation for certain games (something which would be a nightmare for event organisers).

Despite this, it is true; there are a select few teams in the EPL that tend to dominate all competition.

In this article, we will be taking a look at the top three teams that have won the most games in the EPL, as well as also touching upon a few of the points why this phenomenon tends to take place.

 1. Manchester United

As many of you may have already expected, Manchester United takes the number one spot on this list.

However, even though most people tend to know about United’s notorious reputation, few actually understand the true depths that their talents go to.

As a whole, Manchester United has won an impressive 697 wins.

Even without giving any explanation at all, this is already somewhat mind-blowing.

Although, when you factor in the fact that the trailing Manchester has 100 fewer wins under their belt, this only becomes all the more awe-inspiring.

There are a ton of reasons why people love Manchester United, and United fans are known for being some of the most devout followers out there.

Their impressive win rate is just one of the factors that embolden their fans to such an extent, and out of any of the teams in the EPL, they have the right to call themselves the best club overall.

Moreover, most people who know a thing or two about football know this is the case.

Just try EPL betting at 10bet or your preferred booking hub of choice and you will see for yourself that despite the fact no one likes to admit it, everyone knows Manchester United is king.

2. Arsenal

Taking the number two spot, albeit with a huge margin between the first, is Arsenal.

More so than most other teams, Arsenal is known for being phenomenal at away games, and this is just one of the reasons why they have such a high win percentage.

If Manchester United was to be crowned the best EPL team overall, Arsenal would also have to be titled as the best performer at away games, and it is certainly their redeeming factor.

That’s not to say they are in any way bad when playing from home. On the contrary, they are an amazing side, and they have some of the best football players in the world amongst their ranks.

However, if they are considered a good side while at home, they should be known as being an exceptional team whenever away, and there are few teams out there that are able to perform as well under pressure as Arsenal.

 3. Chelsea

Coming in at number three, we have Chelsea.

It is important to note that number two and number three are pretty much identical in overall wins, with both Chelsea and Arsenal being interchangeable.

Chelsea is an all-around solid team, and they excel in almost every area.

Chelsea truly has it all; world-class players, an insane work ethic, intelligent strategies – they really are an incredibly well-rounded side.

Once again, if you happen to bet on EPL then you will already be accustomed to their high favorability in almost all situations, and it is not very often that Chelsea comes up against a team that is able to deal with them easily.

Chelsea and Arsenal truly are head-to-head in terms of overall wins, with them both sitting at 597. Only time will tell which one of them will pull ahead in the long term.

Either way, they are both incredible teams, and both deserve their impressive reputations.

 If you are an avid fan of football, then you may have already guessed one or two of the entries on our list.

Few people know just how dominant certain teams are within the premier league, and in reality, the teams we listed in this article are leaps and bounds above most of the others.

The EPL is one of the most competitive events there is in sports, and for just a select few teams to push so far ahead of everyone else, it only goes to show the skill and talent they each possess.

Image from: Old Trafford Manchester United – Free photo on Pixabay

Wolves have had an impressive start to the season, with new attackers Francisco Trincao and Hee Chan Hwang, joining the squad in the summer, they have managed to maintain a comfortable position in the top half of the table where they currently sit eighth after eighteen games played.

Hwang has been one of the notable performers in the team making an instant impact on the side since his arrival 4 months ago, with four goals in 14 Premier League appearances, making him the highest scoring player in the side so far this season.

Unfortunately for Wolves, the South Korean forward sustained a hamstring injury in the early stages of the clash against Brighton earlier this month, and it has now been confirmed that he will be out until at least February.

The club officially confirmed the news on the Wolverhampton Wanderers website stating;

“Hee Chan Hwang sustained a hamstring injury in the win over Brighton and is expected to return to play in February.”

Bruno Lage has had to get through the first half of the season with key players missing for large chunks of the campaign, with injury hits over the last few months to not only Hwang, but Willy Boly, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Pedro Neto and many more, with some still out of action.

The Wolves boss will be looking to the upcoming transfer window, which opens in the next few days, to add quality, fitness and availability to his squad as they challenge for a spot in Europe next season, but he may be able to save money by making a bold decision.

Morgan Gibbs White is currently on loan with Sheffield United, and is thoroughly enjoying the first team football he is experiencing with the side after making 16 appearances, scoring five goals and bagging four assists in the Championship already.

The Blades team mate, David McGoldrick, heaped praise on the youngster claiming he has “the world at his feet” after he opened the scoring against Cardiff in a 3-2 win;

“Yeah he’s got the world at his feet. You know, great kid, great player. He’s got all the ability in the world”, McGoldrick said after the win at Cardiff.

Gibbs White also weighed in on his season so far;

“Going to Sheffield United was the right move because I didn’t want to be sat on the bench at a Premier League team. I’m enjoying every minute of it.”

Lage’s big decision

Despite the fact he is clearly thriving with the Championship side, Lage is plagued with virus outbreaks and particularly, an injury to an important goal-scorer in his team.

Which begs the dilemma as to whether the Wolves manager leaves the 21-year-old to continue to build confidence and experience, or recalls him from loan, bringing him back to the West Midlands club to make up for lost goal scoring opportunities in the absence of Hwang.

If Wolves were to bring back Gibbs-White it would free up funds for Lage to spend in other key areas that could use depth like their defensive and wing back positions, so it could be quite a positive move for the club.

But could also really disrupt the progression the forward is having away on loan if the manager can’t offer him enough first team football when Hwang returns.

In the end, Wolves’ need right now is far more pressing, so Lage must seriously consider making that bold call.

In other news: Ruben Neves squashes rumours of a move away