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Rangers demolished Hibs 6-1 on Sunday, and the fans were particularly pleased with the performance of Ryan Jack in the heart of midfield.

A hat-trick from Jermain Defoe was followed up by a double from his replacement Alfredo Morelos, with a late Sheyi Ojo strike completing the rout.

The rampant win gives Steven Gerrard’s men the perfect start to the Premiership season, after they scored a last-gasp winner away at Kilmarnock in their opening game.

However, even though yesterday’s headlines were dominated by the performance of the two strikers, Morelos and Defoe, it was Jack that got the fans the most excited.

Despite an almost ridiculous five goals between the two front men, the supporters were tipping their number eight for the man of the match award.

It’s a testament to how well the 27 year-old played, quietly keeping things ticking over in midfield, allowing the attacking quality in the squad to shine.

Here’s what the Gers faithful had to say about him on Twitter…

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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…

Speaking on talkSPORT, Arsenal legend Martin Keown has delivered his verdict on the Gunners’ transfer business this summer.

What did he say?

After a disappointing end to the campaign last season, Arsenal’s work in the transfer market has certainly raised the sense of optimism surrounding the club.

The north London side broke their transfer record to sign Lille winger Nicolas Pepe, whilst deadline day deals for Kieran Tierney and David Luiz added to their defensive options.

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Having also seen the Gunners sell Alex Iwobi for big-money, Keown delivered his assessment of Arsenal’s overall business this summer.

He said: “The price Everton paid is staggering, but it’s good business from Arsenal. They needed to generate some cash, so they’ve got that money in to recoup and they spent money on deadline day defensively.

“Pepe is rapid and if you look at our two front players, they are as good as anything in the Premier League. Aubameyang is really quite a special player. He is the closest thing I’ve seen to Thierry Henry since he left and that’s high praise for him. But I’m still concerned about the midfield and the security they give the back-four. Will David Luiz get the protection he’s going to need?” A fine summer’s work

When Unai Emery’s side slipped to a humbling 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Europa League final, very few could have imagined the kind of turnaround in mood the Gunners would experience by the start of the new season. The north London club have addressed many of the key issues that plagued them during Emery’s first campaign in charge, and made a mockery of the reported £45m budget most thought they had.

Pepe’s pace and directness offers Arsenal the chance to play a tantalising front three involving the Ivorian, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Further back, Tierney and Luiz should help to solidify a defence that conceded 51 goals in the Premier League last season. So from the position they started in a couple of months ago, there is no doubting the Gunners have had a fine summer.

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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 fans are angry.

The club have signed just two senior players in the summer transfer window and one has already been loaned back to his former club.

Tanguy Ndombele, of course, is an exceptional midfield player and there are high hopes that he will prove to be a shrewd acquisition. Spurs, of course, broke their transfer record to bring the Frenchman in from Lyon.

And yet there is a feeling, particularly on Twitter, that the squad hasn’t been strengthened properly.

There is a hashtag – isn’t there always – calling for the board to #backPoch.

Supporters believe that the Argentine deserves to have the signings he wants. A deal for Giovani Lo Celso is dragging, per Football FanCast sources, while Ryan Sessegnon is also yet to become a Spurs player despite reports that he is keen to play under Pochettino.

Now, one has to say that the squad, as it is, has been weakened instead of strengthened this summer. Kieran Trippier has been sold and has not been replaced. Danny Rose could leave too, so could Christian Eriksen.

But there is a week of the window left.

Spurs have specialised in late business through the years, bringing in a number of players, including the likes of Rafael van der Vaart, Moussa Sissoko and Lucas Moura, on the last day of the transfer window.

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

There is nothing to say that they won’t go and do it again; they could sign both Lo Celso and Sessegnon; they could keep Rose and Eriksen.

That would be backing the manager in the extreme, particularly when added to the deal that has been done for Ndombele.

The anger, at this stage, is premature.

There could be a meltdown next week. If come Friday, August 9th, Spurs have bought two players, fans will be justified in hurling insults and abuse at the board; the squad does need further strengthening.

But it could well happen.

It is probably more likely than one might think; this is where Spurs usually come alive in the transfer window.

Patience is a virtue; Spurs fans need to remember that.

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Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is looking forward to working with Joe Aribo and has highlighted the player’s key attributes that he thinks will make the midfielder a success at Ibrox, as reported by The Daily Record.

What’s the story?

Aribo has still not been officially unveiled as a Gers summer signing but is reported to have agreed to sign with the Ibrox outfit after leaving Charlton at the end of his contract.

With Gerrard now speaking so openly about what the player will bring to Rangers, it’s clear he is on his way to becoming a member of the squad in Glasgow.

The Gers boss appears massively excited about working with the 22-year-old, feeling that the player will bring a unique style of play to the middle of the park at Ibrox.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

As quoted by The Daily Record, he said:

“He’s mobile and dynamic. He can burst past a player, create and score goals.

“There’s still many areas of his game where he can develop but he’ll give us something we’ve not got in the midfield department.

“That’s the key. We have a good midfield, experience and young ones. But we don’t have this type of midfielder with the characteristics of Joe. I’m really looking forward to working with him.

“He’s a guy who can unlock defences. He’s left footed, which is something we don’t have in midfield. So he’ll give us more balance.

“Joe’s tall, athletic and quick. He’s a box-to-box player and is not afraid to open the door when he gets around the box.

“Last season he got into double figures for goals at Charlton so he’ll help in that department too.”

Turning draws into wins

Rangers finished nine points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership and outside of two derby defeats at Celtic Park, what was most damaging about their title bid was the amount of draws throughout the season.

The club racked up nine across the campaign, often failing to kill off matches in style despite playing against lesser opposition.

If what Gerrard says about Aribo is true, he could be exactly the kind of player they’ve been missing in the final third that can turn those draws against packed defences into victories.

It appears that Aribo is expected to have the vision that will allow him to play the killer ball for poachers like Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe to feed off of.

As the Gers boss notes, he scored ten goals of his own for Charlton last season, also contributing five assists. That kind of contribution plugged into the Rangers team could prove to be vital in a long title race.

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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…

Danny Mills believes that Lucas Digne could join Tottenham Hotspur from Everton this summer, per Football Insider.

What’s he said?

Spurs have already signed Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon and Jack Clarke from Leeds United in this transfer window.

And Mills believes that Spurs will kick on with more acquisitions as they look to strengthen a squad that saw no investment whatsoever last summer and in January.

A report in June from the Daily Mirror claimed that the club were interested in signing Digne from Everton, and that the Toffees wanted Danny Rose in part-exchange, and Mills can see the former Barcelona star ending up in north London.

He said: “The merry-go-round has been given a big push by the Ndombele and Clarke deals, and I’m expecting Tottenham to be busy for the rest of the window.

“There is talk of Lucas Digne going to Tottenham to replace Danny Rose if he leaves. There could be something in that, and it’s one to keep an eye on as a late window deal.”

However, he does not expect the transfer to be cheap after Digne enjoyed an impressive season at Goodison Park; he made a total of 37 appearances in 2018/19, scoring four goals and laying on five assists.

He added: “He has been brilliant.

“He’s now worth £40million, more than double what they paid. He is technically very good, excellent going forward and knows how to defend. He’s going to get even better as he gets more used to the Premier League.”

Watch Tottenham Hotspur Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

An upgrade

There aren’t many better options at left-back than Rose but Digne is one of them.

In the Premier League, per WhoScored, the Englishman averaged 1.9 tackles per game, 0.9 interceptions, 0.8 clearances and 0.2 blocks. He made 1.3 dribbles and provided three assists while averaging 0.8 crosses per 90 minutes.

Digne, by comparison, averaged 2 tackles per game, 1.7 interceptions, 2.7 clearances and 0.3 blocks. He made 0.4 dribbles and provided four assists while averaging 2.4 crosses per game.

Digne is a more accomplished attacker and clearly delivers the ball with more regularity; where Rose hangs on to it (hence the higher completed dribbles), Digne will more often than not look to offload.

And one has to feel that he’d be absolutely perfect for a team instituting a high press and a swift counter-attacking gameplan, such are his statistics.

He could well be Pochettino’s perfect full-back if a move comes off.

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Mohamed Salah has hinted he would like Liverpool to sign Roma legend Daniele De Rossi, who played his last game for the Giallorossi last weekend.

What’s the story?

As reported by The Express, Salah has heaped praise on his former teammate and tipped him for a move to the Premier League: “He is one of the best of which I have played with. Good luck for the future.

“A future for him in the Premier League? It would be beautiful, but I don’t know if it’s possible.”

The Liverpool forward also said he would like to reunite with the midfield maestro: “It would be pleasing for me to play with him again, he is an optimal player.”

The Egyptian international clearly thinks the 35 year-old’s class and experience would be a welcome addition at Anfield, so should the Reds make a move?

The right mentality

It goes without saying that De Rossi would not disrupt the current pecking order in Liverpool’s midfield, with Fabinho the clear first choice in the defensive role while Jordan Henderson’s recent form makes him practically un-droppable in the more advanced spot.

However, the Italian international could be a handy addition purely for the strength of his character, which is something that Jurgen Klopp places great emphasis on.

The Reds have made a point of only signing players with the right mentality and work ethic since Klopp arrived, and De Rossi would fit right in.

He played 23 times in all competitions this season too, so could certainly play his part in cup competitions.

It would be quite a shock if the Reds do indeed decide to move for the soon-to-be free agent, but a short-term deal to add depth, experience and composure in the middle of the park all without spending a penny is a win in anyone’s book.

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Aston Villa fans are excited by the prospect of Luton Town defender James Justin arriving at Villa Park in this summer’s transfer window.

The Daily Mail credited Villa with an interest earlier this week.

And Football Insider have since claimed that Villa have made a £7.5m offer for the defender in a bid to seal his signature.

Justin came through the youth system at Luton and has made 114 appearances for the club in all competitions.

The 21-year-old was named in the League One Team of the Year for the 2018-19 campaign due to his impressive performances.

Indeed, Justin contributed eight assists and three goals from defence as Luton finished top of the third tier with 94 points.

The Villa fans have been on social media reacting to the speculation.

And it would be fair to say that a number are keen for their club to sign the former England Under-20 international.

A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:

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Daniel James has all but agreed his big transfer from Swansea to Manchester United, Sky Sports understands, as personal terms have already been dealt with.

The young winger is set to follow the footsteps of many more before him and is bound to become another player on the Swans’ departure list for a reported fee of £15m.

The story behind the talk

Sky Sports believe the deal is yet to be fully concluded but it is definitely close. James was Leeds bound in January but that transfer broke down on deadline day.

The 21-year-old forward seems to be keen to leave Swansea behind as his contract comes towards its end with one year left to go. Seeing how that’s the case, the Red Devils will get a discount as the sellers risk losing a big asset for free if they don’t act now.

The same source also claims that a number of other suitors are following the situation closely so the outcome is still pretty much in the air.

Demons of the past

While the general opinion is very much Manchester United oriented and in praise of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s bold and ambitious move, it’s still an easy trap for Swansea and James to fall into.

Sure, the big money move to a Premier League giant is a clear dream for any Championship players but it also isn’t necessarily the right one by default. James doesn’t have to look far back to find clear proof of this being the case as the peculiar case of their ex-star Wilfried Bony.

The Ivorian national was quite a big thing for the Swans but a change of scenery as big as a move to Manchester City pretty much put his development and a bright future on hold. Fast forward a season later and he’s out of the team and cutting through loan deals like a hot knife through butter.

A big transfer can break a career just as easily as it can make one and choosing the right time, as well as the right destination, is key here. Swansea might very well be a selling club and one showing a clear lack of ambition at the moment, but they should also be an option James shouldn’t discard so quickly for the sake of his own development.

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Alan Shearer has urged Tottenham Hotspur to spend money this summer as they look to close the gap to both Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, per BBC Sport.

What’s he said?

Spurs lost to West Ham on Saturday but remain third after a series of results that boosted Mauricio Pochettino’s side.

Following Spurs’ 1-0 loss, Arsenal were beaten 3-0 by Leicester City and Manchester United and Chelsea played out a 1-1 draw.

With Spurs four points clear of Unai Emery’s men, a victory over AFC Bournemouth in their next outing will seal qualification for the Champions League next season, while they are also set to face Ajax for the right to play in the final of Europe’s elite club competition.

But Shearer believes they will want to close the gap on City and the Reds at the top of the table; Spurs are currently 22 points behind Pep Guardiola’s champions.

He said, per BBC: “They are now 22 points behind City, and if they want to push on and get closer to the title next year, then they simply have to sign some players this summer.

“Spurs have got the numbers to cover every position but, as we have seen from their results in their past few league games, they do not necessarily have the quality too.

“They are suffering at the end of a long, hard season and I still feel they have done incredibly well to be where they are when you consider everything that has been going on, with that lack of new faces and their wait to get into their new ground.”

Investment a necessity but so is keeping players

Yes, Spurs need to sign players this summer. This much has been obvious since the January transfer window, when they were crying out for a striker and another central midfielder.

But it’s become a tired trope to continually beat the club with that stick.

What is perhaps far more important is retaining both Christian Eriksen and Toby Alderweireld.

Eriksen continues to be linked with a move away, particularly with his contract expiring at the end of next season, while Alderweireld has a £25million release clause in his contract.

The Belgium international, of course, has his future in his own hands but Spurs should be pulling out all the stops to get him to stay.

That includes the offer of a new contract and parity with the club’s highest earners.

Shearer should look a bit closer as he bids to sound informed.

Sam Allardyce is good for one thing and one thing only. It is not pretty, nor is it much wanted by fans, but sometimes it is a necessary and painful procedure some must suffer if they want to survive in the Premier League. A bit like losing a leg to save one’s life.

Regardless of an extensive history that would suggest the Englishman could strike at any point, Everton fans probably thought themselves exempt from the Allardyce treatment. They had been one of the strongest teams in the competition, if not a little inconsistent at times, realistically what did they have to worry about. Ah, so very much.

Much in the same way that weeds thrive in certain conditions, Sam Allardyce comes to life in a struggling squad with very few ambitions other than fighting survival. Everton just so happened to be one of those teams in 2017.

A disastrous run of games under Ronald Koeman had left the Toffees into the lower half of the table and lost the former Southampton man his job, despite claiming European football the season before. There was only one thing for it: slap the panic button. Like Gotham City when they needed Batman the most, Sam Allardyce’s face was beamed onto the Liverpool skyline and the 63-year-old duly answered signing a short-term contract in November to run until June 2018 (as per The Guardian). Presumably when the Everton boardroom expected the mission to be complete – and not a day longer.

Allardyce may have hoisted Everton out of the relegation zone, but the mind-numbingly boring style that paved the way was too much for fans to handle. Take yourself off to a park on a Sunday morning and you will pretty much see the fundamentals of the former England manager’s style play out.

Allardyce was sacked just six months after taking the job.

Unsurprisingly ‘Big Sam’ has not yet been offered another job in management, and as the game moves on from his archaic style, we doubt he ever will. Instead, he bides his time and scrutinising others in the game as a pundit. People like Everton boss Marco Silva, who responded to his criticism in January (as per Daily Mail): “OK, maybe if it is David Moyes I would listen, because he did something really important at this club. But in this case it is not important at all.”

Time to take a break Allardyce.

Everton fans, what are some of your standout memories of Sam Allardyce? Let us know below…