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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…

Gary Neville has praised Tottenham for what they have achieved in recent years and suggested they have been unfairly criticised of late.

What did he say?

Tottenham have come under fire recently due to their bad run of form, with some suggesting that the players’ unhappiness with Mauricio Pochettino’s training regime has created unrest and contributed to their downfall.

However, considering the comparative transfer budgets and wage structures between Spurs and the rest of the top six, it is fair to say that they have overachieved in the last few years, albeit without winning a trophy.

As a result, Neville is choosing to look at the bigger picture, and doesn’t believe a few poor results should create media hysteria over the way Spurs approach their wage structure.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Super Sunday, he said:

“This team has eight times in the last ten seasons finished above Liverpool, it’s got to a Champions League final, it’s been run really well for quite a long time. They’ve played so well for four or five years this team.

“I don’t think they can go and pay the wages or wouldn’t pay the wages and that’s a decision that they’ve made as a football club and I don’t think we can sit here and criticise it.

“They either keep the players and let them run their contracts down or they cash in, they get criticised both ways.”

Breath of fresh air

Although they were busy in their recruitment over the summer by usual standards, various players continue to be linked to the club as possible solutions to help them pick up their form, including the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Nathan Ferguson and Max Aarons.

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The chairman, Daniel Levy, brought in several multi-million-pound signings over the summer in Ryan Sessegnon, Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso [who is yet to join permanently] despite the huge cost of the new stadium.

The summer spending spree was something of an anomaly in the context of Spurs’ recent windows, but the club have remained competitive during a tedious financial balancing act period.

They have had a lot of joy from their academy, too, and Levy and Pochettino collectively took the club to the verge of European glory.

Neville suggests that the club shouldn’t be criticised for their wage structure and the manner in which they deal with players, and considering some of the astronomical salaries that are being paid, it is easy to understand why the Sky pundit sympathises with the refreshing approach.

Rafa Benitez has made a veiled dig at Mike Ashley in his personal blog about his time managing in China, and his comments have piqued the interest of several Newcastle fans.

After the success of young brothers Sean and Matty Longstaff against Manchester United, the Spaniard spoke of the advantages that can be produced by having an effective academy system.

“I was also happy to see a few Geordies playing together at the same time; Carroll, Sean and Matty; surely it shouldn’t be difficult to see the benefits of investing in the Academy?”

– Rafa Benitez

The Spaniard was responsible for giving Sean Longstaff his Magpies debut but not many other academy players were given a chance in his three-year spell at the club, which has raised questions amongst some supporters.

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Some have called out his record, suggesting it is a bit hypocritical of Benitez to criticise Ashley when he too often picked an experienced pro ahead of a youngster.

However, others are in agreement after seeing the success that young players can have, whilst one has praised the former Liverpool boss for calling out Ashley’s youth policy.

Here is some of the reaction on Twitter to Benitez’s comments.

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…

Leeds United’s Ben White was linked with a move to Liverpool last weekend but Darren Bent believes a gradual rise to the top level is the best thing for the defender’s development.

What did he say?

The Brighton & Hove Albion loanee has adjusted to life at Leeds with ease and has already made a big impression on the support since joining in the summer.

Reports emerged linking the 21-year-old with a £20m switch to Anfield, but the former England international thinks it would be too much of a step up at the current time.

Instead, Bent argues he would be better suited to playing regularly at Leeds or his parent club, suggesting he has a lot of time ahead of him so there is no need to rush things.

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Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “What he needs to do, don’t worry about Liverpool, go back to Brighton and nail down a spot there first. Rather than jumping six, seven levels – you’re talking about trying to move (Virgil) van Dijk and Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

“It’s always brilliant being linked with the top four but concentrate on your football first. You never know, Leeds might get promoted, you’re comfortable there, you’re solid there, you could move there (permanently) and then move on from there (in the future).”

Bent’s view may be born from his own career trajectory, joining Premier League Charlton after impressing in the second tier for Ipswich, but White has shown adaptability consistently in his short career, playing his way up through the divisions to establish himself in the Championship, so he could feasibly make another jump.

Ready to step up

White had big boots to fill upon joining Leeds as Pontus Jansson departed over the summer, but he has dealt brilliantly with the pressure and shown composure and an assuredness in his defending which makes him suitable for the Premier League.

His WhoScored average rating of 7.3 in the league is evidence of that, as is the fact he has been a consistent pick under Marcelo Bielsa.

Added to that, Noel Whelan described him as a player who is “destined for a top-four side”, praising his decision-making and suggesting he is “very capable on the ball”, so fits both the Reds and the Premier League as a player who “ticks every single box”.

He clearly has the talent and ability, and if Liverpool feel his development would be best aided by capturing him early then they should definitely try to sign him.

They did the same with Joe Gomez when he was only 18 and breaking through at Charlton, and he has proved a success – progressing into a regular first-team player for both his club and England.

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Tottenham Hotspur fell to a disappointing 2-1 defeat against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, but the match could have bigger consequences for two of their players – one of whom was involved against the Foxes, and one who wasn’t.

Kyle Walker-Peters started the 2019/20 season in the starting XI following the departure of Kieran Trippier to Atletico Madrid and with Serge Aurier seemingly out of favour, but he picked up an injury against Newcastle United that saw him miss the subsequent Premier League clashes against Arsenal and Crystal Palace.

However, with Aurier not travelling to Greece to face Olympiacos as Mauricio Pochettino rotated his team, the 22-year-old was back in the matchday squad in Athens.

He had to settle for a spot on the substitutes’ bench though as Pochettino selected Davinson Sanchez at right-back despite the same experiment not going well previously against Arsenal, as you can see from these fans’ reactions on Twitter.

That was a signal that the Argentine manager doesn’t fully trust the right-back seeing as he was surely fit enough to start having been named on the bench, and worse was to come for the trip to face Brendan Rodgers’ men at the weekend as he was omitted from the 18 altogether.

The situation is an indication of where Walker-Peters stands with the north London outfit, and that he isn’t viewed as good enough even when the only other options available aren’t natural full-backs.

Meanwhile, Victor Wanyama was linked with a move away from Tottenham during the summer, but both the English and European transfer windows closed without an exit materialising for the Kenya international, as a transfer to Club Brugge collapsed.

Prior to the Leicester encounter, the 28-year-old had been on the bench on three occasions this term, as well as missing out on the squad on three occasions as per Transfermarkt, but Pochettino decided to introduce him as a 67th minute from the bench against the Foxes with the visitors leading 1-0.

It’s fair to say that it was a disastrous cameo from the former Southampton and Celtic man, as he gave the ball away in the build-up to the hosts’ equaliser, before failing to close down James Maddison effectively for the winning goal.

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The African looks to be firmly behind the likes of Harry Winks, Tanguy Ndombele and Moussa Sissoko already in the central midfield pecking order, and this latest display may have just sealed his exit in the New Year if there are some takers for him.

We’re slowly but surely approaching the first big derby in the ongoing 2019/20 La Liga season.

Real Madrid are travelling across town to meet their neighbours and big city rivals, Atletico Madrid, at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium this weekend.

Zinedine Zidane and his troops are currently enjoying their view from the top of the table but will have to fight hard to remain there.

Their Saturday night opposition have also had mixed results in the campaign so far and are sitting in third.

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Despite a wonderful start and three wins in their first three games, Diego Simeone’s men fell off just a bit and recorded a defeat, a draw and a victory in the next clashes respectively. But a victory over their city rivals would once again propel them upwards.

Zidane made a number of changes for Real Madrid’s match against Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu but now, the big boys are very much expected to make their returns to the starting lineup.

With that being said, we could see a total of seven changes in Los Blancos’ starting XI. Here’s what we think it could potentially look like:

Despite instantly becoming the fan favourite, Alphonse Areola will most likely not retain his place between the sticks as Thibaut Courtois is expected to make his return.

His backline should also see some changes. With Ferland Mendy still out injured and Marcelo a doubt, Nacho should once again be slotted into that left-back position. Raphael Varane will partner up with Sergio Ramos in the heart of Real Madrid’s defence.

Moving up to the midfield, we should see the return of James Rodriguez who will mostly be deployed alongside Toni Kroos and Casemiro in that holding role.

Up front, the usual suspects in Eden Hazard, Karim Benzema and the returning Gareth Bale, who was completely left out of the squad for the mid-week clash, look set to feature.

Even though Real Madrid’s Brazilian duo, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes, were the stars of the show against Osasuna, it’s unlikely Zidane will decide to start them in such a big game.

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Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter to discuss the possibility of signing Kenedy on a permanent deal, after it was revealed that his parent club, Chelsea, will not be allowed to sign players for the next two transfer windows after FIFA imposed a ban.

Brazilian forward Kenedy is currently on a season-long loan with the Magpies, having spent the second half of last season on loan at St James’ Park as well, where he turned out to be a huge hit on Tyneside.

This season, however, the 23-year-old has scored just a single goal and recorded just one assist in 22 appearances in all competitions whilst disappointing massively – he also missed a last-minute penalty away to Cardiff which would’ve handed the Magpies all three points.

Boss Rafa Benitez was already quizzed back in December over whether he was thinking about terminating the loan, but the decision on Kenedy’s future might be out of his hands after the Blues’ transfer ban.

Let’s see what Newcastle fans on Twitter are saying about the Brazilian…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

The Champions League is finally back.

Barcelona’s group opener against Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park, however, left a lot to be desired.

The two sides played out a 0-0 draw, with the Catalan giants struggling to find a way through against their Bundesliga opponents.

Ernesto Valverde will surely have to go back to the drawing board and make a tweak or two for future fixtures if Barca want to come out of a tough group that also includes Inter Milan and Slavia Prague.

One man, in particular, fluffed his lines in a game where Barca needed him to turn up.

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Luis Suarez endured a difficult night, with Valverde’s men registering seven shots to Dortmund’s 13 and Barcelona’s number nine failing to make any sort of impact.

Suarez had 70.4% passing accuracy on the night, attempting only 27 passes and registering just 41 touches during the game.

Only four players had fewer touches and two of them were substitutes. Another was Jordi Alba, who was injured before half-time and the final player was the goalkeeper, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

His passing accuracy was the worst in the whole team and he also had second-most unsuccessful touches within the Blaugrana ranks – three to his name.

When we factor in that he also had only one shot on target and three overall throughout the game, it becomes much clearer that his performance was not at the required standard.

Valverde will now have to decide whether the 32-year-old remains the right man for the job or whether a change is needed. Only time will tell.

West Ham United could make a deadline-day beating swoop for West Brom star Sam Johnstone in this final week of the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to The Daily Mirror (print edition, 28/01 page 58, via The 72), the Hammers – along with Premier League rivals Spurs and Southampton – could make a late January move for the goalkeeper.

It’s added that, following Johnstone’s absence against Preston North End last time out despite having already served his suspension, there are rumours of a rift between him and Baggies boss Valerien Ismael.

Premier League proven

The big thing for Moyes will be that Johnstone already has plenty of Premier League experience under his belt given his stint in the top-flight last season with West Brom, while he’s also an England international to boot.

The 28-year-old’s former boss Steve Bruce labelled the shot-stopper a “diamond”, and given the kind of shift he had to put in last season at The Hawthorns, it’s no surprise why he has earned such praise.

No goalkeeper in the Premier League faced more shots on target (228) than Johnstone, while no goalkeeper made as many saves as him either (161) – it was no surprise then that he earned rave reviews for his performances, with Micah Richards hailing his former team-mate as “exceptional” last year.

Despite the Baggies being relegated from the Premier League, Gareth Southgate called up Johnstone for the England squad in September for the Three Lions’ World Cup qualifiers – an indication that the level at which he’s playing right now isn’t quite where his actual ability lies.

The £7.2m-rated star would be a shrewd signing for the Hammers and would have Moyes delighted if this prospective deal gets done.

Meanwhile, West Ham have made their “first offer” for this Ligue 1 striker…

Tottenham Hotspur and Antonio Conte have now been gifted a triple boost before their game at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The Lowdown: Tough task

Spurs fans know that even though they are at home, beating the Seagulls to progress through to the next round will not be easy.

While they overcame League One Morecambe at home in the third round, Graham Potter’s men edged out an away win against Championship side West Brom.

In the Premier League, only two places and six points separate the two sides, while Brighton have actually conceded fewer goals and lost fewer matches than the North London club (Premier League), suggesting that the game could be tight.

The Latest: Early team news

As per The Evening Standard, new signing Dejan Kulusevski has now been granted a work permit, and so is in line to make his debut, although the Sweden international is ‘unlikely’ to start.

In addition, Son Heung-Min has now returned to full training, while Cristian Romero is ‘expected’ to feature for the Lilywhites for the first time since early November after recovering from a hamstring injury.

The Verdict: Huge boost

It certainly is a boost for Conte to have two of his main players back, as well as Kulusevski as a new and exciting option.

He is thought of very highly by both the Italian manager and Fabio Paratici, who see him as a ‘gem’ with big potential, and on loan from Juventus, the 21-year-old will certainly have a point to prove.

Nonetheless, what better way to introduce himself to the THFC faithful than by scoring on his debut and sending them through to the next round.

In other news, find out which Tottenham player’s attitude ‘stinks’ here!

After only a few days since the club announced they had struck a deal for the loan signing of Philippe Coutinho from Barcelona, it seems as though Aston Villa have set their eyes on another incoming transfer target this month which would surely please a lot of fans.

What’s the latest?

After it was recently revealed that Villa were leading the race to sign Everton defender Lucas Digne, in a recent Twitter post from journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, he claimed that “new direct contacts will take place between Aston Villa and Everton to discuss fee on [a] permanent move” this week.

Romano also added that Digne’s “understood to be attracted by Villa” but that it’s not yet fully agreed between the two clubs.

Fans buzzing

Since joining Everton back in the 2018 summer transfer window from Barcelona in a deal worth a reported fee of £18m, the Frenchman has gone on to make 127 appearances for the Toffees across all competitions.

In the process, he’s scored six goals and provided 20 assists along the way, showing how much of an attacking asset he could be for Steven Gerrard’s side if he does make the move to Villa Park this month.

This season, despite not managing to score a goal or provide an assist in the league for Rafa Benitez’s side, his performances in the 13 appearances he’s made have earned him an overall rating of 6.8/10, making him Everton’s fifth-highest rated player to have played in more than four league games according to WhoScored, which would only leave four current Villa players with a higher rating, showing he has the quality to be a standout figure for the Villans.

As a consequence, fans would surely be buzzing knowing that a reliable top-flight performer would be joining their ranks.

Putting aside his quality on the pitch, with reports of an apparent behind-the-scenes falling out with Benitez last month which has presumably been why he has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park, perhaps his attitude may have to be something that Villa take into account when discussing a potential deal for him and make sure the same doesn’t happen with Gerrard.

With all of that said, if Villa can secure Digne’s signature in the coming days and get him to deliver for them on the pitch, this would be another excellent piece of transfer business from the Midlands club and show that they are serious about improving their squad and progressing under Gerrard.

Having already signed Coutinho, this is an incredibly exciting time to be a Villan.

In other news: Aston Villa interested in highly-rated midfielder