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Leeds United forward Patrick Bamford has posted an update on his recovery from a knee problem, and the Championship side’s fans have been reacting on social media.

Bamford has been on the sidelines since picking up a knee injury during an Under-23 fixture against Bristol City in early September.

However, the 25-year-old is seemingly on the right tracks when it comes to a recovery, having posted an image of himself using a leg machine in the gym.

Bamford joined Leeds from Middlesbrough during the summer, and showed plenty of positive signs in the early stages of the 2018-19 campaign.

The 6ft 1in centre-forward will be hoping that it is not too long before he can return to action, with Leeds currently top of the Championship and chasing a return to the Premier League.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”327140″ player=”12034″ title=”Rafa’s Pub Facts Leicester Trump Man City Chelsea & Liverpool”]

The Leeds fans have been on social media offering their views on Bamford’s progress, and a selection of their Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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West Brom boss Darren Moore should make a loan move for Liverpool starlet Curtis Jones to solve his midfield problem in January.

What’s the situation?

The Baggies have been impressive so far this season and sit fifth in the Championship table after their 4-1 thrashing of Leeds last weekend.

However, Moore’s side have too often relied on their front three of Jay Rodriguez, Harvey Barnes and Dwight Gayle, with the West Midlands side struggling without the latter in recent weeks.

One of the main problems for Moore has been his central midfield pairing, or specifically who to start alongside Jake Livermore in the middle of the park. Chris Brunt, Gareth Barry and James Morrison have all been tried in the position but all are well into their 30s and struggle to keep up with the pace of the frantic Championship, whilst 20-year-old academy graduate Sam Field is yet to be properly trusted in league games.

First-team football

Jones could be the perfect man for Moore to bring in then to inject some fresh legs into his side after what is sure to be a busy and competitive Christmas period, and he could prove to be the perfect Livermore partner.

The 17-year-old was hugely impressive on Liverpool’s pre-season tour of the United States in the summer, which led many to speculate whether the Scouser would be given a chance in the first team this year.

The wealth of talent at Anfield though means the creative central midfielder has been limited to appearances for the U23 side and in the UEFA Youth League, where he has scored twice in four matches, but a move to the Championship would allow him to experience competitive senior football at a high-level for the first time.

So, West Brom fans, would you like to see Moore make a move for Jones in the winter transfer window or should he start playing your own youth players? Have your say by voting in the poll below.

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According to our recent poll, the majority of Swansea City fans would support a move for Manchester United youngster Tahith Chong in January if Daniel James is lured away by Leeds.

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa is keen on adding James to his squad in January. The initial report stated that the 21-year-old would be out of contract at the Liberty Stadium come the end of this season, but this has been rebuffed by WalesOnline, who revealed that the Welshman is actually under contract until the summer of 2020.

With four assists in 11 appearances for the Swans so far this season though it is clear to see why Leeds are interested.

Check out the harsh words the Playmaker FC squad had to say about Wayne Rooney’s England career in the video below

If boss Graham Potter does lose James though, Swansea fans are clearly keen on signing Chong as his temporary replacement until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old winger is yet to make his debut for the Red Devils, despite winning the young player of the year award at United last season and impressing on the pre-season tour of the USA. However, he has netted five goals and provided two assists in 12 games for the U23 side so far this season and could excel at the Liberty Stadium if given the chance.

Check out the full results of our recent poll below.

Although he kept them up last year, as soon as Mark Hughes was kept on as manager this year it was quite clear that Southampton would be fighting relegation this season. 

The former Stoke City manager, somehow managed to get the job at the south coast club despite having a huge hand in Stoke’s demise and if not for the poor form of Swansea and West Brom, Saints may have been playing in the Championship this season.

At the weekend, Southampton lost yet again, this time to fellow strugglers Fulham who have made already bit the bullet and replaced their manager.

Southampton haven’t won since their victory over Crystal Palace at the beginning of September and if Saints want to have any chance of staying in the league, they need to replace Hughes as soon as possible.

According to The Times, Saints are lining up a move for former Basel – with whom he won the title – and Fiorentina manager, Paolo Sousa.

The Breakdown

The Portuguese manager, has experience of managing in England as he had spells at Leicester City and also QPR.

While those spells weren’t exactly successful, Sousa had a much more fruitful period with Basel where he won the league and he could well be the man to be the long-term manager for Southampton.

He most recently left Chinese side, Tianjin Quanjian in October and although it might be a slight gamble, time is ticking for Southampton and they must make a move quickly to save their season.

Thoughts Southampton fans? 

Arsenal could be forced into the transfer market for a new attacker in the January window.

Manager Unai Emery was rocked with the news that Danny Welbeck will miss the foreseeable future after suffering a badly broken ankle. The English forward had started to hit a rich vein of form under the Spaniard, netting five goals in all competitions. He faces a long spell on the sidelines, with his contract expiring in the summer, he could have played his final game for the club.

Arsenal’s head of football Raul Sanllehi hinted the club could be forced to target a replacement when the window reopens in less than two months. Youngster Eddie Nketiah remains untested at the highest level, and an injury to one of Arsenal’s key forwards could prove costly.

Therefore, the Gunners should make Lille hotshot Jonathan Bamba their number one target in the New Year.

Valued at just £13.5 million by Transfermarkt, the 22-year-old went under the radar in the summer, with Lille picking him up on a free transfer after a respectable season with Angers. Bamba ended the campaign with seven goals and eight assists, and has already hit the ground running with his new employers in netting seven goals and laying on one assist so far this term, which should make Arsenal scouts sit up and take notice.

Primarily a left winger, the youngster is also comfortable through the middle, making him the perfect replacement for Welbeck. Bamba possesses electrifying pace and would be a frightening prospect alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Gunners attack. Learning from the Gabon international would also do wonders for his development, and help take his game to the next level.

Should his impressive showings continue, it won’t be long before a top European side come calling – Arsenal must ensure they are first in line for his signature when the New Year comes around.

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

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Liverpool left themselves needing a win at home to Napoli in order to qualify from their Champions League group as they lost 2-1 away at Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening, and many fans blamed the result on Jurgen Klopp’s team selection.

The main gripe among fans on Twitter was the midfield three of Jordan Henderson, James Milner and Gini Wijnaldum, who all struggled to both create anything for the front-three and provide adequate protection for the back four.

The Reds were behind after just 13 minutes as Spanish full-back Juan Bernat beat Alisson with a low finish after Virgil van Dijk’s poor clearance.

Haven’t seen Paul Pogba’s latest strange photoshoot? You need to check out the video below…

PSG then doubled their lead around 25 minutes later as Brazilian star Neymar was allowed to run straight through the centre of the park and eventually finish a rebound from just outside the six-yard box.

Milner did pull one back for Klopp’s side from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time, but other than this the Liverpool midfield were outclassed by Marco Verratti.

We’ll never know if things could have been different had Klopp started any of the summer signings, Fabinho, Naby Keita or Xherdan Shaqiri, who were all sat on the bench but many Liverpool fans were not happy with the German’s call.

Check out some of the reaction below.

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A report in The Daily Express on Tuesday said that new Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl is lining up what would be an ambitious January move for £30m-rated RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano, and his arrival at St Mary’s would likely have big implications for the club and some of its current players.

On the chalkboard

Well, one of the reasons Saints find themselves in trouble is because they can’t keep it tight at the back and are prone to defensive errors, and with 30 goals conceded in 16 Premier League matches so far this term they sit 19th in the standings.

Former boss Mark Hughes dabbled formations that incorporated two and three centre-backs, but whoever has appeared in the starting XI has largely looked uncomfortable or likely to make a mistake, with Maya Yoshida, Wesley Hoedt and Jannik Vestergaard just a few of the culprits at the heart of the south coast outfit’s defence.

The latter produced a dreadful back-pass which led to the Cardiff City goal in his side’s 1-0 defeat against their fellow top flight strugglers last weekend, and despite being highly-rated on his arrival from the Bundesliga in the summer he has visibly found it difficult to make the transition.

What would Upamecano’s arrival mean?

Hasenhuttl would have been less than impressed with Vestergaard’s mistake that cost his new team a point on Saturday, and the addition of the highly-rated Upamecano would surely push the Dane further down the pecking order.

Bringing the 20-year-old to St Mary’s will be a tough task, but seeing as the Austrian manager has worked with him before it perhaps shouldn’t be ruled out, even if he would cost an astronomical fee that would break their transfer record.

With the likes of Yoshida, Hoedt, Vestergaard, Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek – who outshone his centre-back partner in south Wales – already competing for two spots, signing Upamecano would surely push the 26-year-old Denmark international towards a swift Southampton exit.

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Had Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho known that he would fail to bring a new centre-back to Old Trafford in the summer, there is every chance that Axel Tuanzebe would not have been allowed to move on loan at Aston Villa.

Indeed, defence has been a real issue for United this season, and whilst the likes of Phil Jones and Eric Bailly are struggling, Tuanzebe is starring at Villa Park.

The Chalkboard

Now, it almost goes without saying that the Premier League is an entirely different kettle of fish to the Championship. Jones would probably be the standout defender in the second tier of English football, but the Englishman’s form in recent games has been disappointing.

Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof have both been okay defensively, but Marcos Rojo is not the class of player that United need, and it is not a surprise that Mourinho is so desperate to bring a new centre-back to Old Trafford.

The 20-time English champions do need to sign a top-drawer central defender either in January or at the end of the season, but Tuanzebe should certainly be given the chance to secure a first-team spot during the 2019-2020 campaign.

Indeed, a whole season of uninterrupted Championship football would do Tuanzebe the world of good, and he should return to Old Trafford as a 21-year-old looking to nail-down a first-team position.

Tuanzebe’s United career thus far…

Eight first-team appearances. Five of those came in the Premier League, including four during the 2016-17 season.

Tuanzebe has actually been with United since the age of eight, and was a member of their Milk Cup winning youth teams in both 2013 and 2014, before landing the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award in 2015.

The 6ft 1in defender’s first-team debut came in January 2017 when he appeared as a substitute in a 4-0 win over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup.

An ankle injury meant that Tuanzebe’s long spell at Villa last season was cut short, but he returned for the 2018-19 campaign and has been in very impressive form this term.

If things continue as they are then there is no reason why the Englishman cannot form part of Mourinho’s first-team plans for the 2018-19 season.

Replacing Roy Hodgson in charge of Crystal Palace would be a challenge for any manager, so expect the board to demand success if you choose to take up the task on Football Manager 2019.

The Selhurst Park natives have a squad on the cusp of breaking without the right reinforcements, or risk losing their key stars to bigger sides.

Prepare yourself for a challenge with Football FanCast’s in-depth team guide…

The board’s expectations

Concerning the Premier League, the Eagles executives request a mid-table finish, but want you to match it with a fifth Round appearance in the FA Cup and progressing to at least the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

The transfer war chest

Despite demanding relative success in each competition, Steve Parish, David Blitzer and Joshua Harris are not keen on parting with their cash.

As such, there is just £8.5million put on the table for any signings you wish to make, and a wage allocation of £30,000 – barely enough for a marquee addition before players are sold.

The lack of funds raises the question Palace fear: do you keep or sell Wilfried Zaha?

Watch the video below to check out the hilarious things footballers get up to at Christmas…

Three players to buy

Pepe

Former Real Madrid regular Pepe is one of the bargain buys on Football Manager 2019.

Admittedly, it would be a short-term purchase as the Portuguese ace is now 35, but he would be a rock at the back for Palace with 17 tackling, 17 positioning and 19 bravery.

Samir Nasri

The Eagles lack a great deal of creativity in midfield and former Arsenal and Manchester City ace Samir Nasri can provide that.

Being a free agent, the attacking mid, capable of playing across the line, would be a sensible addition for a year or two while you build the financial reserves.

What he would bring to the club attribute wise is exemplified in his 17 technique, 16 vision, 16 passing and 14 finishing.

Carlos Vela

Andros Townsend may possess some redeemable qualities on FM19, but Los Angeles FC megastar Carlos Vela would be a step up and beyond.

The 29-year-old Mexican is one of the higher rated right-wingers and still has some room to grow, all for as little as £6million.

Three players to sell

Wayne Hennessey

Welsh international shot-stopper Wayne Hennessey will not rival Vicente Guaita for a starting spot in your side, and his valuation of £8.75million would add a great deal to your available funds.

You would have to sign a new backup for the Spaniard, however, but there is a magnitude of goalkeepers on the market who can contribute as much for far less, especially loan-wise.

James McArthur

Despite a lack of quality, there are a number of options to call on should you desire an out-and-out defensive midfielder. Amongst those include Cheikhou Kouyate, Luka Milivojevic and Scotland’s James McArthur.

The 30-year-old Scot is valued at £12.75m and could be easily cashed in on thanks to his fellow midfielder’s qualities matching and exceeding his own.

Connor Wickham

There’s certainly a case of strikers who cannot score wasting Crystal Palace’s funds, and 25-year-old Connor Wickham fits that description better than anyone.

The former Sunderland disaster recorded just 15 goals in 91 games for the Black Cats, and he continued this vein of form in London, with nine in 34 games over three seasons.

Valued at £11m, selling Wickham would be a wise decision, especially as it would take £60k off the wage bill, too.

Three for the future

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Defensive wonder Aaron Wan-Bissaka is the young Eagle to develop.

The 20-year-old right-back is the only Under 21 currently at the club who can develop into a top draw talent, and solidifies his importance as their first-choice full-back.

Jairo Riedewald

Another reason why McArthur’s departure would not be felt is the emergence of Jairo Riedewald.

The 21-year-old defensive midfielder can develop into a first-team option, and cover a key role for years to come – freeing transfer plans for other areas of the pitch.

Max Meyer

Beyond Zaha, the offence at Crystal Palace must be built around the gifted Max Meyer.

The 22-year-old released by Schalke has the potential to be an incredible creative force in your side, and chose not to build around the German ace and you are paying £125k a week for a luxury item.

Manchester United have picked up somewhat since the arrival of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager, with two comfortable wins in a row meaning things are looking up at Old Trafford.

The previous atmosphere at the club under manager Jose Mourinho was toxic to say the least, and the Norwegian deserves a chunk of credit for seemingly ridding the club of that feeling and allowing the Red Devils’ players to go out and play with freedom.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, eyes will be fixed on the club as onlookers observe if any new signings will be made by the club with a temporary manager in charge.

We at the Tavern think that there is definitely room for improvement, and one man we feel the club should be going all out to buy is Lyon midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, who has been in superb form for the French side in recent times.

Ndombele possesses all the qualitys of somene who can boss the midfield area, and with Nemanja Matic not getting any younger, adding someone like the Lyon star to the Old Trafford ranks could well be the ideal move.

It would allow Paul Pogba to flourish of course, and that can only be a good thing for the club. Lyon will know scouts will be watching Ndombele, and they might well be keen to cash in on the £45m-rated star sooner rather than later.

United fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!