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Darren Moore may not have been in attendance on Saturday afternoon, but Sheffield Wednesday star Adam Reach badly let his manager down yet again, as their survival bid took another damaging twist.

It was always going to be a hard task for the Owls, though their performance warranted some sort of result down in the capital.

The South Yorkshire outfit were defeated 1-0 by automatic promotion-chasing Watford, courtesy of an own goal from Wednesday veteran Tom Lees just seven minutes into the encounter.

That proved to be the only difference in this top versus bottom clash at Vicarage Road.

Owls coach Jamie Smith filled in for the absent Moore, and he won’t have many positives to report back to the 46-year-old over Reach, who was also a negative in the win over Barnsley before the international break, as explained by Football FanCast here.

Once again deployed as a left wing-back, the 28-year-old star was graded among Wednesday’s worst performers with a mediocre 6.5 rating per SofaScore – by comparison, Lees, who scored that own goal, did better at 6.9, as did Josh Windass (6.8), who managed only one shot all game.

So that speaks volumes already.

In his 90 minutes on the pitch, he struggled immensely to combat the threat on offer from Ismaila Sarr, picking up a yellow card before half-time for his troubles. He failed to win a single duel from four attempts against the Hornets speedster, adding to his nightmare afternoon.

As a wing-back, Reach needed to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Well, he struggled in attack, just as much as he did defensively.

Per SofaScore, the former Boro man only found an Owls player with 50% of his crossing attempts, whilst he also didn’t contribute a key pass, shot or dribble along that flank.

Reach also failed to provide a tackle or interception, and was dribbled past once.

YorkshireLive correspondent Dom Howson rated the Owls dynamo as their worst-player and was less than impressed in his post-game reaction column.

He wrote: ‘Caught under the ball for Lees’ own goal. Struggled throughout to stifle the attacking threat of Sarr and carried little attacking threat. Another different afternoon.’

When Moore returns to the dugout, he may want to think twice about trusting the long-serving utility man again after back-to-back disappointments.

The Owls are now seven points adrift of safety, with only eight games left to play and are now without that game in hand. Had the lightweight Reach done better for the goal and for his performance on the whole, then maybe their task would’ve been made a little easier.

AND in other news, Chansiri heading for Sheff Wed mistake over £10k-p/w gem who’s “trained like a Trojan”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Bull, who made 561 appearances for Wolves, believes a lot of players aren’t strong enough for the Premier League as they get pushed off the ball too easily.

It is well documented that Wolves have signed a high number of Portuguese players such as Pedro Neto, Fabio Silva and Daniel Podence who are currently at the club with the former losing possession once tackled 57 times from 119 attempted dribbles, the second most at Wolves.

Silva has struggled for goals and form this season as he has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League and come to terms with the physicality in England.

Speaking on why a lot of young players from the continent struggle when they first arrive in the Premier League and who they should look to for inspiration, Bull told FFC:

“I think there are quite a few youngsters these days like Fabio Silva who need to know it’s not all about weight and muscle, you haven’t got to be the biggest person but you have got to have some muscle.

“You’ve got to be able to stand your ground and if anybody comes behind you and tries to rugby tackle you, then you’ve got to be able to stay on your two feet.

“Some of our players seem as though they just fall over and you look at Podence, Jota, Traore and Jimenez they don’t get knocked off the ball, they’re solid. All the players below them have got to take a leaf out of their book, but don’t go massive so you can’t run.”

Wolves have had to adjust the way they approach games without their output and talisman, Raul Jimenez, who has been out injured for the majority of the season with a fractured skull.

Fabio Silva has played 23 games for Wolves in the league despite being just 18-years-old and the £80,000-per-week youngster has only scored twice.

West Ham United are one of the teams keen on signing Joachim Andersen this summer, according to recent reports…

What’s the word?

The Daily Mirror claim the Irons are considering a move for the impressive Fulham loanee, with David Moyes keen to bolster his squad ahead of a potential stint in Europe next season.

Premier League rivals Arsenal and Spurs have also been credited with interest in the 24-year-old centre-back, so they may well be pulled into a transfer battle over his signature.

It is thought that his parent club, Lyon, would be willing to sell Andersen and that he’s wanting to remain in England, too.

As Fulham are looking likely to be relegated, the door has opened for one of the three fellow London sides to strike. The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath believes he could be available for just £25m.

Imagine him & Rice

If the Hammers do qualify for either of the Champions or Europa League this season, then Moyes will certainly need more than just a new striker in the summer transfer window.

The 58-year-old has often utilised Aaron Cresswell in a back three due to the lack of options available to him, whilst there have been doubts over Issa Diop in the past, meaning Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna have often got the nod.

In Andersen, West Ham could build a formidable spine and one that could be feared for years to come. At just 24, he could be sat in just behind Declan Rice for the foreseeable future.

Despite all of the Cottagers’ struggles this season, the Denmark international has shone, not just earning a respectable 6.8 average ratings on WhoScored but also a lot of praise.

The Mirror chief football writer John Cross lauded him “magnificent” against last season’s champions, Liverpool, whilst the Telegraph’s Sam Dean claimed he was their best on the ball – his figures would back that up, too.

A pass success rate of 81.2% from an average of 61.3 passes per game is impressive, and that’s on top of 5.1 clearances, 1.3 interceptions and a squad-high 3.2 aerials won.

The 6 foot 2 titan is clearly equally adept in the air as he is on the ground, and that’s not something we often get in central defenders.

Andersen is currently out-performing all of Moyes’ current central options and has only been better by Diop in terms of passing, as per WhoScored.

Just imagine him and Rice in this European-chasing Irons side. For just £25m, it’s a move GSB should absolutely sanction.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Marlon Harewood drops Lingard transfer claim…

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been handed another significant attacking injury blow with Anthony Martial sustaining a problem during the international break.

Taking on Kazakhstan in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier with France, the Red Devils winger was withdrawn in the second half of the game with a suspected knee injury.

Martial appeared to develop the problem after the half-time break in Les Bleus’ 2-0 success and despite receiving treatment and initially continuing, he had to be substituted just before the hour mark when he was replaced by Paris Saint Germain star Kylian Mbappe.

Solskjaer will certainly be hoping that the problem is not too serious, with the Red Devils’ attack being a problem position in regards to injuries in recent weeks.

Forward Marcus Rashford is already out and despite being initially called up for the latest England squad, he has returned to Old Trafford for treatment.

Meanwhile, Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani has missed six out of the last eight Manchester United matches in all competitions with an injury, only making a brief cameo in the Red Devils’ 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Leicester City before the international break.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-man-united-transfer-rumours-and-news” title=” Latest Man United transfer rumours and news!”]

Martial himself is also only just back having missed wins against West Ham United and AC Milan with a hip injury.

Should all three be doubts once club football returns, it would leave Solskjaer with extremely limited options in forward positions.

Mason Greenwood would be the only natural striker available to lead the line but having only scored once in the Premier League so far this season, he is not showing the type of form that should see him become a more consistent starter.

The Red Devils would also be missing a huge goal threat. Cavani, Rashford and Martial have contributed 32 goals between them in all competitions, accounting for approximately 37% of United’s entire total.

With the aim of securing a top four position and progressing in the UEFA Europa League, the triumvirate’s absence could be hugely harmful.

The last thing that Solskjaer needed then was another injury in a key attacking position but his fears seem to have come to fruition with Martial’s problem.

AND in more news, take a look at which Man Utd defender has taken his club form onto the international stage…

Providing the latest injury update on midfielder Giovani Lo Celso ahead of their clash with Crystal Palace tonight, Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has confirmed that the Argentine ‘maybe’ has an opportunity to feature but is more likely to miss the encounter. 

Indeed, quotes from Tottenham Hotspur’s official site have relayed the Spurs boss’ thoughts on Lo Celso, coming after a hamstring injury kept him out of the team for months.

Jose Mourinho confirms Lo Celso update

He has recently returned to training in what was good news for the Lilywhites, with the Tottenham boss now providing a fresh update on the 24-year-old ahead of Crystal Palace.

Despite refusing to rule out a return for the attacker, saying that there is ‘maybe’ an opportunity for him to feature, Mourinho believes that the round of 16 first leg against Dinamo Zagreb next week is a more plausible date.

As a result, he is likely to miss the clash in north London this afternoon, with the likelihood being that Tottenham rest a few players given their Europa League involvement in midweek.

Transfer Tavern take

Alasdair Gold, reliable Tottenham correspondent for Football.London, predicts that there will be plenty of changes to the line-up tonight as the fixtures come thick and fast.

Time will tell who features for Spurs against the Eagles, but Lo Celso is unlikely to be one of the starters just yet – with Mourinho describing him as a ‘fantastic player’ last year and hinting he wouldn’t even swap him for Bruno Fernandes (Sky Sports).

Alas, we may have to wait another few days before the Argentine is unleashed once more.

In other news: Tottenham are plotting a pre-summer swoop for this attacker, find out more here.

Southampton travel to the Etihad on Wednesday evening to face top-of-the-table Manchester City, and if Ralph Hasenhuttl wants to get anything from the game, he must start Che Adams.

The former Birmingham City man ended his poor run of form in front of goal with a superb volley against his old side Sheffield United at the weekend after coming on as a substitute.

The injury to Danny Ings at Bramall Lane also gives Hasenhuttl a decision to make with who to select up front, with Nathan Tella perhaps deserving to keep his place after an excellent performance in the 2-0 win against Chris Wilder’s side.

Adams, who reportedly earns £30k per week at Southampton, is one man he should select up front, as that screamer on Saturday will hopefully have given him the confidence to start finding the net on a more regular basis, especially with Ings now set for a spell on the sidelines.

Before last weekend, the two sides couldn’t have been in more opposite form, as City had won 21 games in a row in all competitions, whilst Hasenhuttl’s side had picked up just one point from a possible 27 in the top-flight.

However, City’s 2-0 defeat in the Manchester derby, combined with Southampton distancing themselves from the relegation battle with a 2-0 win against Sheffield United, will surely give the South Coast club some hope ahead of their trip to the Etihad.

They have shown they can do it against Pep Guardiola’s side before, as they were superb in the 1-0 win against City at St Mary’s last season following Project Restart, a game in which Adams scored his first Premier League goal for the club with a superb lob over Ederson.

Alan Shearer labelled the 24-year-old striker “magnificent” for his performance in that game, so Hasenhuttl should definitely hand him a start at the Etihad on Wednesday, in the hope that he can replicate that performance and help the Saints pull off a huge upset against the league leaders.

And, in other news… Deadwood: Hasenhuttl should axe £10.8m-rated flop if he wants to rebuild this summer

In a recent interview with Give Me Sport, Fabrizio Romano dropped an update on Jesse Lingard’s future at West Ham United.

Since arriving at West Ham on a five-month loan deal in January, Lingard has been in sensational form over his seven Premier League appearances for David Moyes’ side, bagging five goals and providing two assists, as well as averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.34 – ranking him as the Hammers’ best performer in the top flight.

Rather unsurprisingly, the £13.5 million-rated 28-year-old’s impressive displays have resulted in Moyes being keen to make the attacking midfielder’s loan deal a more permanent move in the summer transfer window.

However, speaking recently to Give Me Sport, Romano claimed that a deal for Lingard is not likely to be an easy one to get over the line for the Hammers this summer.

He said: “At the moment, Manchester United are saying the player is coming back. [They] are in a win-win situation. It won’t be easy for West Ham to negotiate with Manchester United because now the price is totally different.”

He explained: “[West Ham] are really happy with him, but they know that Manchester United are waiting for the player back, and that’s why it won’t be an easy negotiation.”

Transfer Tavern Take

Considering the fact that the typically reliable West Ham source, ExWHUemployee, has stated that the Hammers are confident of signing Lingard permanently this summer, in addition to claiming that the 28-year-old himself has expressed a desire to remain in east London, Romano’s comments suggesting otherwise certainly come as something of a surprise.

Given the England international’s fantastic form, it would certainly be a blow for the Irons if Romano turns out to be correct – fans will be hoping ExWHUemployee has the last laugh.

You can view the full interview with Fabrizio Romano on Give Me Sport here!

Liverpool may have missed their best opportunity to axe Divock Origi during the recent winter transfer window after James Pearce revealed that the Reds were open to offers for the Belgian, but none of the ones submitted were deemed acceptable.

The Athletic correspondent suggested in a recent article that the former Wolfsburg loanee needs a miracle to saves his Liverpool career, having struggled throughout the season so far.

The striker has contributed zero goals or assists in eight Premier League appearances this season, whilst his three appearances in the Champions League have been similarly disappointing.

The fact that Liverpool were seemingly unwilling to lower their asking price for the 25-year-old is slightly concerning, as his value is surely only going to decrease if he continues to warm the bench and make little impact on the few occasions he is selected in the first-team.

Last month’s 1-0 defeat against Burnley summed up the Belgian international’s lack of confidence in front of goal, as he smashed a shot against the crossbar when through on goal, in a miss that would prove costly, as the Reds’ impressive home record was brought to an end by Sean Dyche’s side.

Origi, who reportedly earns £60k per week at Anfield, has already seen his Transfermarkt value drop to £14.4 million this season and with his contract set to expire in 2024, Liverpool risk keeping him on their books for too long, if they aren’t willing to budge on their asking price for the 25-year-old.

Since joining from Lille in 2014, the forward has gone on to make 155 appearances for the Merseyside club, contributing just 35 goals and 13 assists in that time.

Whilst that has included memorable performances against Barcelona and Everton, which have lead to him becoming something of a cult figure at Anfield, his displays this season have been far from good enough, so it would not be a surprise to see him soon become surplus to requirements under Jurgen Klopp.

With Diogo Jota close to a return from injury, it is difficult to see Origi getting many more chances in this Liverpool side this season, especially with the Reds out of both domestic cup competitions.

Therefore, it could definitely be described as a mistake by sporting director Michael Edwards to have not axed him during the recent transfer window, as if his form continues, then the Reds will surely regret not cashing in on him. They could have brought in somewhat of a decent fee for him, but instead, face the prospect of seeing his value go lower and lower before having to offload him for pittance.

Edwards has enjoyed some superb times in the transfer market with Liverpool over the years – the Reds’ trophies are a testament to that. But on this occasion with Origi, this surely has to go down as an error on his part.

And, in other news… Edwards masterclass confirmed as James Pearce reveals Kabak transfer details

Wolves are in for a particularly busy transfer window if reports are anything to go by.

It’s unsurprising really when you consider their inconsistencies over the last month or so.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, Wolves have a shortlist of around 30 strikers that they’re trying to whittle down ahead of January.

They were offered Hulk but that move has fallen through. Divock Origi is also on their list but the player we want to focus on is someone currently plying their trade in the Championship.

The same report states that one potential option for Nuno Santo and co in January is Bournemouth forward Josh King.

Wolves are apparently looking at individuals whose contract expires next summer, knowing they can secure a bargain. King supposedly ‘ticks those boxes’ and thus, a cut-price move could be on the cards in 2021.

Raul Jimenez is currently out injured so the Old Gold are looking for some short-term replacements.

Get him in

This may not be the most eye-catching of transfers to target but the fact of the matter is that Wolves and Nuno need an experienced striker, someone who can provide some added help to Fabio Silva.

The club-record signing has had a torrid time of it since signing, either being left out of the starting XI or just failing to hit the back of the net.

The Portuguese did score his first Premier League goal against Burnley on Monday but they need someone who is proven at this level.

In King, they’d have exactly what they need. He has played 161 times in the top-flight, registering an impressive 48 goals in the process. He is yet to score this term in the Championship, but possessing 51 caps for his country Norway, we know there is pedigree there.

When you listen to what Eddie Howe has had to say about him, it should get Molineux supporters very excited.

“Josh is outstanding physically, technically and mentally – he has the complete package, a little bit of everything,” the 43-year-old said.

Indeed, there can be very few drawbacks from this signing. Wolves would be getting a proven Premier League talent for a bargain price.

AND in other news, Shi would make a disastrous ERROR by bringing £18m titan to Wolves…

For the first time since being promoted from the Championship to the Premier League, Wolves are in a spot of bother.

We haven’t been able to question them too much in the last few seasons but with just two wins in their last nine, things clearly aren’t going very well.

Nuno Santo has been chopping and changing between a three-man and four-man backline, but clearly, a lack of familiarity has wreaked havoc with the squad.

However, against West Brom on Saturday, they will have a perfect opportunity to bounce back. Sam Allardyce’s side are sitting 19th in the table and lost to League One Blackpool in the FA Cup last weekend.

On paper, it should be an easy win for Wolves, so how should Nuno line up?

We’re tipping the manager to make as many as four changes from the side that lost to Everton last Tuesday.

The first one comes in defence where we think Nelson Semedo should miss out. The Portuguese was run ragged by Lucas Digne when the Toffees came to Molineux. He managed six crosses from the left and supplied the assist for Alex Iwobi’s opener.

As a result, Ki-Jana Hoever should come in. The 18-year-old was competent against Manchester United last month, not “putting a foot wrong” according to Birmingham Live reporter Alex Dicken. During that game, he also won the second-most duels of any Wolves player with six.

There is one more amendment in defence where Willy Boly comes into the side ahead of Romain Saiss. Nuno confirmed in his post-match press conference on Friday that the Frenchman was ready to return.

The other two changes come in attack where we suggest that Patrick Cutrone should play from the off. The Italian has yet to start for Wolves since being recalled from his loan spell with Fiorentina and with Fabio Silva on a run with no goals in his last five games, deserves a chance. If he gets it, this will be his first time in the Wolves line-up since October 2019.

The final replacement is out wide where Morgan Gibbs-White drops out. Adama Traore missed the game against Everton with a minor injury so should be fit enough to reclaim his place in the side.

Given his virtuoso goal against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, The Spaniard simply has to start if he’s recovered.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Gibbs-White: Wolves must swoop for £8k-p/w gem with a “few strings to his bow”…