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Former Southampton striker Guido Carrillo has suggested that he made a mistake in moving to the Saints and highlighted the sacking of Mauricio Pellegrino as the reason for his struggles at St Mary’s.

Carrillo arrived at Southampton in January 2018 from Monaco for a club-record £19 million. However, the forward struggled to establish himself as an important member of the Saints’ squad during his time with the club. He eventually secured a permanent move away from the south coast in the summer, joining La Liga side Elche

Carrillo believes Pellegrino’s sacking ended Southampton prospects

Carrillo was a key figure in Pellegrino’s side during the first few months after he signed for the club. However, the forward still struggled to show any real form, averaging just one shot, 0.6 key passes and losing the ball 8.3 times per game in his seven Premier League appearances in 2017/18 (Sofascore).

Pellegrino was eventually dismissed by the Saints in March 2018 after a dismal run of just one win in 17 league matches. His replacement Mark Hughes did not fancy the 29-year-old and he was sent out on loan to Leganes in the summer of 2018. The forward was again loaned out to the La Liga outfit by Ralph Hasenhuttl last term before his permanent departure this summer.

Speaking to Informacion, via Hampshire Live, Carrillo revealed that Southampton’s decision to sack Pellegrino so soon into his time at the club meant it was too difficult for him to establish himself in the Saints’ squad. He added that he regards the transfer as a mistake but a lesson from which he has learned.

He said: “Today more than ever, I feel that I have made the most correct decision after a misstep in English football.

“I arrived at a difficult time from Southampton, the coaching staff that led me was dismissed in the first days, and then I already managed to establish myself. They are lessons that one has in their career and from which they also learn.”

Carrillo mistake has helped to alter Saints’ transfer approach

Carrillo cannot be described as anything other than an expensive flop for Southampton, but his signing has managed to alter the Saints’ approach in the market. A couple of poor transfer windows and managerial appointments had set the club back and saw them narrowly avoid relegation during both the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons.

However, since Hasenhuttl’s arrival, the Saints have managed to invest in signings which are proving to be far more beneficial. The likes of Danny Ings, Che Adams and Jannik Vestergaard among others have managed to help Southampton re-establish themselves as a team capable of mounting a top-half challenge, so Carrillo’s abortive signing was at least useful in helping to alter the club’s transfer focus.

In other news, find out which key Saints figure has been touted for a potential move by clicking here.

Even though he is under contract with Leicester City until 2024, the 23-year-old left-back Ben Chilwell will allegedly tell the Foxes he wants to quit so he can secure a transfer to Chelsea, according to the Daily Mirror.

The young defender seems to be a very hot prospect on the market and if the same outlet is to be believed, the attacking full-back sees his long-term future at Stamford Bridge and under Frank Lampard’s tutelage. The Blues’ coach would, of course, make him his a starter in the team, which is certainly an appealing prospect for Chilwell himself.

But if Mirror’s story is true, this decision was not done on a whim and the 23-year-old’s desire to leave Leicester is not a reflection on them finishing behind Chelsea in the final Premier League standings, nor does it have anything to do with Champions League football not being secured by the Foxes. In fact, it’s a decision that simply aligns with the player’s long-term plans and development.

At Chelsea, he seems to believe, he can improve even more and this would ultimately help him nail down the England left-back spot for the upcoming Euros that were postponed after the recent outbreak.

However, the Foxes’ owners, Mirror state, are in no rush to sell him, although the squad is moving to a new £100m training ground this year and that could potentially play a part in any negotiations that are bound to take place.

Verdict

Needless to say, losing such a young and promising asset will come as a big blow to Brendan Rodgers and after they had lost Harry Maguire in a huge deal that saw the defender move to Manchester United, the same could very well happen to Chilwell as well. Only he would move to London instead.

But one thing is for sure, if Lampard wants to get his man, he will have to give his all. This, of course, means the fee that would be enough to take Chilwell away from the King Power Stadium and to Stamford Bridge is going to be anything but small.

As for the player himself, he missed the team’s last five games with a foot injury but was still a big part of their overall 2019/20 campaign.

Losing him would be a tough pill to swallow for Rodgers.

Celtic chief Nick Hammond could be playing with fire if latest reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Italian newspaper Il Secolo XIX, the Scottish champions are keen on bolstering their defence with a swoop for Sampdoria right-back Bartosz Berenszynski.

It’s claimed that the Hoops along with Southampton and recently relegated AFC Bournemouth are monitoring the 28-year-old ahead of a possible move before the summer transfer window slams shut in October.

Whilst it remains to be seen how much he’d command, Transfermarkt currently value the Poland international at £5.4m.

Frimpong impact

The 22-cap full-back has been a regular in the Serie A this campaign where he has also featured in central defence, though his performances haven’t really been a standout.

Per WhoScored, Berenszynski has averaged 2.5 clearances, 1.9 tackles and 1.3 interceptions and only managed 0.5 crosses per appearance too.

This would suggest that he’d be a pretty solid addition but nothing spectacular, which poses the question – should he really be brought in to play above Jeremie Frimpong?

The teenage sensation has started all of the Bhoys’ three Premiership matches this campaign, which included a goal in the opener against Hamilton.

Neil Lennon is such a big fan of the Dutch youngster that he labelled him as “one of the best kids I’ve ever seen” before adding that he’s got “pace, power, end product” as per the BBC.

That is quite some statement considering the Hoops boss has overseen the development of Kieran Tierney and many others in over five seasons in charge of the club.

Therefore, Hammond would be sleepwalking into a disaster at Parkhead with a move for the Sampdoria ace. Other players can fill in at right-back if the young sensation ever needs a rest or is injured.

AND in other news, Celtic are landing a bargain in “special talent”…

Chelsea are amongst those interested in snapping up German star Kai Havertz this summer, but could face serious competition from Bayern Munich. 

According to Kicker (via Express), Liverpool are looking to sign Thiago Alcantara from the Bundesliga champions, which could change their stance on acquiring Havertz. Bayern are in the running alongside the Blues and Manchester United but financial uncertainty could see them pull out of the race for the Bayer Leverkusen playmaker.

After Liverpool lost out on signing Timo Werner earlier this month, they could be looking elsewhere to help bolster their squad. Their links to Thiago could give the German side a huge boost in their race to sign Havertz from their Bundesliga rivals.

The midfielder would reportedly command a fee of something between £54million and £72million, which will contribute massively to Leverkusen’s mammoth asking price.

Havertz has been valued at £90m, which is mega money in the current financial climate. However, Liverpool could be handing Bayern a huge boost by taking Thiago off their hands.

It seems Chelsea are confident in their bank balance as talks surrounding a move for Havertz accelerate. They have already shelled out for Werner and Hakim Ziyech, meaning Frank Lampard is not afraid of utilising the club’s funds in order to give them the best chance at success next season.

However, Bayern could be an attractive destination for Havertz as it will see him stay in his home country. If Liverpool complete the signing of Thiago, the Blues need to be fast and smart with their approach to getting their man. If they dawdle, they could miss out on bringing in an exceptional young talent.

Do you think Kai Havertz will end up at Chelsea? Have your say in the comments below…

Liverpool are ready to take on their next obstacle in their mission towards a 100-point Premier League season.

With the title already wrapped up, Jurgen Klopp’s side have now shifted attention to other accolades to round off the campaign. The Reds need seven points out of their remaining three fixtures in order to finish the term as centurions. Mohamed Salah is also still firmly in the Golden Boot race, but will need to kick himself back into gear.

The Egyptian will be looking to make it three Golden Boot awards in a row as he tries to outscore Jamie Vardy and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Since the restart of the Premier League last month, Salah has been involved in six of his side’s goals, finding the back of the net three times (via Sofascore). His brace against Brighton looked to set him back on track but a disappointing draw against Burnley saw him fall off the pace-setters again.

The winger has 19 Premier League goals so far this term and must use the next three matches to close the gap on top scorer Vardy, who has 23 to his name (via BBC Sport).

Arsenal is one of the teams against whom Salah seems to like scoring the most. The Gunners have been victim to six goals in five meetings with the £108m-valued star, with Southampton, Tottenham, Watford and Bournemouth the only teams in his career against whom he has scored more often (via Transfermarkt).

Salah also enjoyed the reverse fixture this season, when Liverpool welcomed Arsenal to Anfield back in August. The winger scored his side’s second and third goals of the game to round off a 3-1 win. Undoubtedly he will want to repeat his feats of the last two years and gain some ground on Vardy’s tally against an Arsenal side battling for the Europa League.

Do you think Salah will score against Arsenal tonight? Have your say in the comments below! 

Marco Silva takes his Everton side across Stanley Park tonight for a game that could well mark the end of his time on Merseyside.

Liverpool have been in rampant form this season and Everton’s failure to win a Merseyside derby at Anfield since the turn of the millennium suggests the visitors will have to overcome a major psychological block to record three points tonight.

It’s a huge game in the context of the title race and Silva’s future, but how exactly will the Portuguese man set his side up in a bid to make history?

After the weekend defeat against Leicester City, we anticipate two key changes to the starting XI and a return to a more familiar formation.

Liverpool’s relentless, pulsating midfield trio necessitate the need for manpower in the centre, so it’s likely that Silva will need to ditch his five-at-the-back experiment in order to combat the likes of Jordan Henderson and Georginio Wijnaldum.

With Theo Walcott reportedly fit and ready for selection, we’re anticipating he will return to the side in place of Alex Iwobi, forcing Sigurdsson back into his more natural advanced position in the midfield.

Meanwhile, Michael Keane drops out of the defensive unit to make way for Morgan Schniederlin, who was fit enough for the substitutes bench on Sunday.

The next game is always the biggest one, but for Silva they really don’t get much more defining than this.

West Bromwich Albion returned to the top of the Championship table after coming from behind to defeat Birmingham City in the west Midlands derby.

The Baggies have now been handed a two-point lead from Leeds United who endured a late collapse at home to Cardiff City.

Slaven Bilic’s move to introduce Charlie Austin paid dividends as the substitute’s two goals in eight minutes stunned the Blues at St Andrew’s.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Grady Diangana pegged back Lukas Jutkiewicz early in the first half before being forced off through injury, then just after the break, Harlee Dean scored what appeared to be a questionable second for the home side.

But Austin tied things up with an outrageous half-volley from outside the penalty area before heading in the winner nine minutes from time.

Despite picking up all three points, several of the travelling support weren’t best pleased by the performance of left-back Conor Townsend with many taking to social media to slam him.

‘Shocking,’ ‘liability’ and ‘clueless’ were just three words used to describe his showing while one supporter went as far as saying that he never wants to see the 26-year-old play for the club ever again.

Another suggested that the defender was ‘full of mistakes’ while ‘league one player’ was a further indictment on his performance.

Some couldn’t believe that Townsend was starting above Darnell Furlong…

The left-back has only made eight appearances in the Championship this season with Kieran Gibbs the first choice in the role, but with the former Arsenal man absent through injury, Townsend was gifted a rare opportunity.

Many seem to believe that the better option is to put Nathan Ferguson in the role, thus allowing Furlong at right-back.

That will be something Bilic can ponder over the course of the following week before they host Brentford at the Hawthorns on Saturday afternoon.

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In other news, Luke Dowling’s controversial decision last season is starting to be fully vindicated…

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

Liverpool will play Crystal Palace this weekend as they look to consolidate their place at the top of the Premier League table. Fabinho’s midfield battle with Luka Milivojevic could set the tone for the match.

On the chalkboard

The Reds have started the season in fantastic fashion. They currently lead the way in England’s top tier, and are eight points clear of Leicester City and Chelsea. Manchester City, the current back-to-back champions, are a further point behind in fourth.

They will travel to Selhurst Park to face Palace this weekend. The Eagles started the season well, losing just two of their first eight league games, but they have since dropped down to 12th in the table. Still, the visit of Jurgen Klopp and co should galvanise them, and one midfield battle could play a big part in the final result.

Midfield metronome vs midfield enforcer

So far this season, Roy Hodgson has regularly used five midfielders in the middle of the park, whether that be in a flat 4-5-1 formation or as part of a 4-1-4-1 set-up. Milivojevic has played all but one match, and he has been one of the best players for his team. His 6.85 WhoScored rating places him at number four amongst his teammates.

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Liverpool’s Fabinho has also been in impressive form for the Reds this season. He scored a thunderbolt against City in his last match before the international break, and he has made the defensive midfield position his own, playing 17 matches there already. Although he has impressed defensively – he has 2.4 tackles per match in the league, which is more than any of his teammates – he has also had a role to play going forward.

His 59.5 passes per match is the most amongst his teammates in central midfield, while his 4.4 long balls per match has only been beaten by Adrian and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Once again, in terms of key passes, he leads the way amongst the midfielders, with 1.2 per match. In that position, he has become the team’s metronome.

It will be the Palace 28-year-old’s job to make sure the Brazil international does not exert too much influence on the game, whilst also trying to provide at the other end. He has impressed defensively so far, averaging 2.4 tackles per game, whilst he also has 2.2 interceptions. As part of that midfield five, he has helped contribute to a sturdy Palace defensive set-up that has conceded less than 12 other teams in the top division, including Arsenal, Chelsea, and Tottenham.

If he is able to prevail over Fabinho in their duels, he will then look to move the ball on quickly to the likes of Wilfried Zaha. With a team-leading 1.4 key passes per match, the Serbia international has the ability to cause Liverpool problems.

Fabinho has been imposing this term, and there is no reason why he can’t continue that on Saturday. But he must be wary of £18m-valued Milivojevic and if he allows himself to be overpowered, that could work to Palace’s advantage.

According to The Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho wants to bring a new forward to the club during the January transfer window.

Harry Kane remains the club’s undisputed first choice in the final third of the field, but it has been reported that Mourinho wants to sign a player capable of adding competition for the England captain.

The newspaper also claims that the new Spurs boss will target a new defender at the start of 2020, which could make for a busy window.

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A number of Tottenham fans have been on social media reacting to the claim, and many mentioned Paulo Dybala although not everyone for the same reason.

Meanwhile, a number of others were keen to focus on the defensive part of the report, with Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake picked out as a possible arrival during the winter window.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

The centre-back has recently been linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although it remains to be seen whether the Cherries would be prepared to sell one of their most important players in the middle of a season.

That said, not everyone is overly enthused by the idea of Ake arriving, with one fan claiming that the Netherlands international would simply not be an upgrade on the current options in that area of the field.

Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld will both see their contracts expire at the end of this season, though, and it would present a real problem for Spurs if they were forced to replace both Belgium internationals ahead of the 2020-21 campaign.

Meanwhile, a number of the club’s fans have been reacting to claims that Mauricio Pochettino could be in line for the Arsenal job.

Ever since that 5-0 loss against Leicester City, Newcastle have looked a far better side.

In the next four games, they have lost just once – 1-0 against Chelsea – with two wins against Manchester United and West Ham and a draw with Wolves being the other results during that run. Now, they are up to 15th in the Premier League table and are four points clear of the relegation zone.

Take a trip down memory lane to a time when Newcastle were giants on the European stage in the video below…

That victory against the Hammers was their latest fixture, with the end result being 3-2 to the Toon. Federico Fernandez, Ciaran Clark and Jonjo Shelvey scored the goals, meaning that £31.5m-valued striker Joelinton (as per Transfermarkt) still has just one goal in the Premier League since signing for the club.

However, he had a good game at the London Stadium, providing an assist and picking up a WhoScored rating of 7.88. And the St. James’ Park faithful were quick to praise their record signing for his display.

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