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Even before the starting XI had been announced for Crystal Palace’s game against Newcastle on Saturday, it wasn’t a massive secret that Victor Camarasa wasn’t a favourite under Roy Hodgson, to say the least.

The Spaniard, signed on a season-long loan deal from Real Betis back in the summer, arrived having just won Cardiff’s Players’ Player of the Season award following a campaign in which he scored five goals and grabbed four assists with the Bluebirds.

However, after 18 Premier League games this term, the 25-year-old has played just five minutes of league football for the Eagles.

A whole 1,620 minutes of possible action, and Camarasa has been granted just a shred of them – it truly is a baffling situation.

Having said that, nothing epitomises this strange case more than Hodgson’s choice of substitutes for the trip to St James’ Park on Saturday.

Amid an mini injury crisis, which has robbed the 72-year-old of Scott Dann, Gary Cahill, Andros Townsend, Joel Ward and Jeffrey Schlupp – Mamadou Sakho has also been serving a three-match ban – you would at the very least expect Camarasa to feature on the bench to make up the numbers, right?

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Well, even with the squad pushed to its very limits, Hodgson still wants nothing to do with the midfielder.

How so? Well, Camarasa’s expulsion from the first team was reinforced ever more by the fact that the former England manager decided to place three U23 players on the bench ahead of the on-loan Spaniard.

19-year-old James Daly, 18-year-old Brandon Pierrick and 21-year-old Sam Woods all featured amongst the substitutes alongside Max Meyer, Connor Wickham, Wayne Hennessey and Jairo Riedewald, with Camarasa nowhere to be seen.

If the fact that he’s only managed five minutes after 18 Premier League games this season didn’t already speak volumes, then Hodgson’s total exclusion of Camarasa can truly be epitomised by his choice of substitutes against Newcastle.

In other news, Crystal Palace should forget this £17m target and set their sights elsewhere…

With the opening of the January transfer window, rumours are bound to start flooding in, especially surrounding the biggest clubs in Europe.

And Liverpool are definitely a prime target with a plethora of superstars currently playing on Merseyside.

One such report coming from Le 10 Sport stated that Real Madrid are interested in signing Sadio Mane from the Reds and even say Zinedine Zidane has made initial contact with the 27-year-old’s representatives.

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Of course, Mane’s importance to Liverpool is currently second to none as he had already scored 14 goals and assisted a further 11 in the ongoing campaign, prior to the clash with Sheffield United.

Perhaps for that reason, some of the fans really think this can only be a distant dream for Zidane and co.

But interestingly enough, many of the fans are confident that this deal won’t go through simply because they believe Real Madrid are nowhere near Liverpool in terms of overall quality at the moment.

Much harder than you’d think… Can you name Liverpool’s top scorers for each of these 25 seasons?

They stated that this would represent a downgrade for the player since Los Blancos are currently “average”. A scathing verdict of former European champions, but Real Madrid have struggled this season – winning just 10 of their 18 games in La Liga.

Of course, one particular player that came to mind was Philippe Coutinho as the Brazilian decided to leave Liverpool to join Barcelona two years ago and he soon lived to regret it.

He is now playing for Bayern Munich on loan after playing a full ninety minutes just 20 times during 18 months with Barca.

One fan thinks Mane would follow the same route as his former teammate, should he also make the move to La Liga.

In other news, Liverpool’s Joel Matip should definitely be concerned about one player’s sudden rise…

Everton striker Moise Kean has revealed to Everton.com three things new manager Carlo Ancelotti has asked him to do since he was appointed as Marco Silva’s successor last month.

What did he say?

It has been a tough time for the young Italian following his move from Juventus in the summer, and he is yet to get on the score-sheet for the Toffees despite his substitute appearance in the defeat against Manchester City on New Year’s Day being his 19th of the campaign.

Speaking to the club’s official website about Ancelotti, the 19-year-old revealed: “He is a very, very good coach. I can learn so much with him.

“We have played well [under Ancelotti], played good football and enjoyed being with the ball.

“[He is asking me] just to enjoy what I am doing and work hard and be professional.”

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Good tactics from Carlo

There would have been more than a few worries over Kean’s future at Goodison Park when he was brought on and then taken off just 18 minutes later by caretaker manager Duncan Ferguson at Old Trafford last month, but the teenager has bounced back well.

In fact, he even started the 2-1 win against Newcastle United at the weekend, and was then unlucky not to score with a brilliant acrobatic effort at the Etihad on Wednesday.

It appears as though Ancelotti has put his arm around his attacker’s shoulder and has also attempted to boost the confidence and ego of Kean by also saying that he wanted to sign him when he was Napoli boss – this can only be a good thing in the hope he will be an eventual success for Everton.

How much do you remember about football in 2019? Our quiz will test your knowledge…

The Italy U21 international desperately needs to get that first goal if he wants to become a regular in his compatriot’s starting XI however, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison in fine form right now – they have 10 and nine goals respectively in all competitions this term.

If Kean forgets about the pressure, enjoys his football and works hard like his manager wants him to, then there is no reason why he won’t break his duck and completely turn his fortunes around sooner rather than later.

In other Everton news, Toffees fans have produced an exciting reaction to Nicolo Schira’s transfer update surrounding them…

After suffering a devastating knee injury mid-way through last season, Rob Holding would have been hoping for a campaign unbridled by any more setbacks. Unfortunately for him, the centre-back has been out of action with niggling problems, and made his much-anticipated return from his latest setback against Leeds United on Monday night.

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And perhaps understandably so, the 24-year-old was extremely rusty. As per Sofascore, the defender had a measly 72% pass accuracy, made one error that directly led to a shot, and lost possession 13 times. The Leeds attack had a field day with playing balls in behind him and running him ragged with their movement after the ball, and in particularly dominant first-half performance, had 15 total shots on goal.

Quickfire Quiz: How much do you know about Arsenal’s history in the January transfer window?

After seeing his overall performance, Arsenal fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the Englishman, with a few quick to point out the mitigating circumstances over his comeback from injury.

A few fans were particularly critical of his distribution on the ball as previously noted, with one supporter in particular labelling him as “unbelievably careless”.

Some fans drew comparisons between Holding’s performance and what Shkodran Mustafi has produced, with suggestions that it was even worse than whatever the German has produced for the club.

In his first game back from injury, Holding certainly didn’t do himself any favours under the watchful gaze of Arteta. The former Bolton centre-back struggled to get up to speed with the game, and he looked shaky with his defending, and wasteful in possession. But crucially for him, he’s gotten 90 minutes of competitive football under his belt, and that ultimately will be the biggest positive to take for both the defender and the Gunners themselves.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans react to their transfer interest in this proven Premier League ace.

Aston Villa are hoping to sign Steven Nzonzi from Roma for the rest of the season, as has been reported by The Mirror, with the Frenchman currently out on loan at Galatasaray.

The 31-year-old has been suspended by the Turkish giants after a training ground row, and is open to making a return to the Premier League.

Villa’s interest in him follows an acceptance that they need more Premier League experience within their squad, having already signed Danny Drinkwater and Pepe Reina on loan this window.

With this in mind, FFC writers have discussed whether a move for Nzonzi would be wise for Villa.

Domagoj Kostanjsak

“For me, Nzonzi still has a lot to offer to any club he plays for. His towering stature and a plethora of experience, including the World Cup victory in 2018, would definitely be a good boost for Aston Villa as they seek reinforcements in order to compete with the rest of the Premier League’s top brass.

“Nzonzi may be approaching the twilight of his career but it could be exactly what Villa need as well.

“Even though Marvelous Nakamba has been a steady presence in Villa’s squad, Nzonzi could be that reliable backup Dean Smith calls upon when the going gets tough. 1.6 tackles, 1.6 clearances and 0.6 interceptions in the Champions League also suggest he’s still a big-game player and that could be a huge advantage that he has over the rest of the Villa team.”

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Kealan Hughes

“Aston Villa recently signed Danny Drinkwater and that means they should move on to bringing in a striker, as that has to be the priority since Jonathan Kodjia is the only fit forward in the senior squad.

“Added to that, players like Marvelous Nakamba and Douglas Luiz joined to add to a squad which already contained Henri Lansbury and Conor Hourihane. Thus, Nzonzi doesn’t offer much they can’t already provide.

“He may have Premier League and Champions League experience but 0.9 tackles and 0.6 key passes per game in the Turkish league suggests he may not be able to meet the standard required in the top-flight, and he isn’t exactly an inspiring signing to lead the Villans in their relegation fight.

“The only positive is that he provides defensive cover in midfield that would allow Dean Smith to keep Jack Grealish at left-wing, as the 24-year-old has scored every one of his six Premier League goals this season from that position.”

Charles Jones “I’ve never understood why people suddenly began to rate Steven N’Zonzi after he left England in the first place.“Aston Villa are trying to avoid the drop, so why do they want to bring in an over-the-hill midfielder who has already been relegated with Blackburn back in 2012.“His track record in England speaks for itself. He’s already tasted going down, and he also failed to really catch the eye at Stoke. He never averaged over two tackles per game whilst at the Potters despite playing in an incredibly defensive side for most of his time there. He did well in Spain with Sevilla, and there was only one campaign in Europe where he dipped below an average match rating of 7, via WhoScored.“But you can’t take those performances as a real indication of what he’d do in the Premier League. This division is a different animal as many Villa players have already learned this season.” How much do you remember about football in 2019? Our quiz will test your knowledge…Danny Lewis“Signing a striker has to be the priority for Aston Villa, as they played with no recognised frontmen against Manchester City.“However, if there are funds available, they should also go in for Nzonzi, as Nakamba and Luiz have shown themselves to be untrustworthy in recent times.“This stance follows on from the Brazilian losing the ball against Leicester City, starting the move which led to Kelechi Iheanacho’s goal, and the Zimbabwean putting an opportunity on a plate for Danny Ings during the loss against Southampton.“Nzonzi has recorded 0.9 per game in tackles, interceptions and blocks this season, which is steady while not eye-catching, but his presence in the middle of the park could prove to be of benefit.”Meanwhile, Jack Grealish’s comment after the Man City loss hinted at a fragile mindset in the changing room.

Sheffield Wednesday’s striker situation is still up in the air this week, and further fuel has been added to the fire by The Athletic’s Nancy Frostick after she made a bold claim about the future of Jordan Rhodes.

What’s she said?

The Owls are in the hunt for attacking additions this month following the devastating blow suffered to top goalscorer Steven Fletcher.

Several names have been linked to the gig since the turn of the year, but what will happen to those already at the club? Garry Monk has four other options he can call upon in his absence, so surely if one comes in, one must leave.

Speaking in a Q&A on Friday afternoon, Frostick suggested that Rhodes was most at risk, she said:

“I think Nuhiu and Forestieri are likely to stay because Monk likes Nuhiu (has used him in every game since he joined), and FF is still recovering from injury. It’s always going to be tricky to shift him on anyway, even more so when injured.

“You’d imagine if Wednesday are doing business sensibly they won’t let Winnall or Rhodes move on until they get someone else in. Winnall is in the last six months of his deal, Rhodes has another year (found this out the other day) so it would be most beneficial to loan Rhodes in the hope he finds form or puts himself in the shop window for the summer.”

The situation

Frostick also believes the Owls wouldn’t ship anyone out unless a player was signed beforehand. Well, the Daily Mail reports Connor Wickham is set to join the club on loan from Crystal Palace, so this set of events could be about to begin.

It is also claimed by The Star that Wigan Athletic had a bid rejected for Rhodes earlier in the week as they weren’t offering an adequate loan fee or enough of his wages, so there is certainly interest in the 29-year-old forward this month.

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Rhodes has struggled to impress when Monk has handed him an opportunity, and he didn’t even feature last week as Sam Winnall was given the rarest of starts.

The club-record man netted a hattrick against Nottingham Forest but has been mostly anonymous since, failing to score again in four further appearances, per Transfermarkt.

Calling all Premier League experts: Who do these unique statistics belong to? Find out below….

His time at Hillsborough could indeed be hurtling towards an exit should the right offer come in.

While in other news, Dom Howson believes Wickham is just one of several targets…

Despite being huge favourites to beat Shrewsbury in the fourth round of the FA Cup, Liverpool could only come away with a 2-2 draw.

That will mean they will need to play a replay at Anfield on February 4th – which will come during the two-week winter break that has been agreed upon by Premier League clubs and the FA. As such, Jurgen Klopp has taken the decision to field no first-team members, whilst also giving control of the match to U23s coach Neil Critchley instead of managing the team himself.

Call yourself a Liverpool expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

This has caused huge debate amongst the Reds supporters, and it seems that many of them actually do not back their manager. Some are clearly unhappy with his decision.

It is a huge decision from the 52-year-old, and it does seem to be a tad over-the-top. The Reds will still have an 11-day break after the clash, and they wouldn’t even need to play in another match had they been able to finish the job against the League One side at 2-0 up.

Some fans, meanwhile, believe it is disrespectful to them as supporters.

For the fans, the FA Cup still has a special place in the their hearts, and many will have been hoping to secure tickets for the match.

Others, meanwhile, are unhappy with the former Borussia Dortmund manager seemingly throwing away the chance of a trophy.

Whilst a first Premier League title in 30 years may be a priority for Liverpool and Klopp, a trophy is still a trophy, and should be treated as such.

It remains to be seen whether the boss will change his mind.

Meanwhile, our writers give their verdicts on Klopp’s decision not to re-sign this midfielder.

Leeds’ transfer window hasn’t been all that exciting so far in terms of actual arrivals as not a single player has come through the door, but rumours and discussion around the club’s business has been incredibly interesting.

One of the main narratives that has run through this month so far is that Leeds want to avoid another Daniel James situation.

Fans have fretted about it and journalists have often stated that the Whites need to avoid history repeating itself.

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To be fair, nobody who has any affiliation with Leeds would want a repeat of that nightmare, but the club mustn’t allow the scars of that saga to affect their way of conducting their business this month.

Let’s get one thing clear, the move for James falling through wasn’t Leeds’ fault, it was all on Swansea and namely Huw Jenkins as he refused to answer the phone to finalise the deal before resigning the very next day.

99 times out of 100 James would have been a Leeds player, but it just wasn’t to be on that day.

Yes, getting your business done early is beneficial, but we’re passed that point now as Leeds have less than a week to get everything sealed. They now only have one more game before the end of the month, so they may as well take their time.

Victor Orta mustn’t fall into the trap of rushing deals through for a price they’re not happy with or moving for a player who doesn’t fit the system just because they’re available.

Unfortunately, it seems as if he could be set to make that mistake. Football Insider’s recent report states that he’s been frantically ‘hammering the phone’ in the pursuit of a striker.

If one of those calls has been about Britt Assombalonga, who is a fresh target, there’s reason to be worried as the Congolese forward just isn’t suited to United’s system – with his WhoScored page listing defensive contribution and holding onto the ball as weaknesses in his game.

In other news, Leeds fans don’t want to sign this 29-year-old.

Football London’s Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has issued a teasing Spurs transfer update on Twitter after the club confirmed the signing of Steven Bergwijn from PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday morning.

The Netherlands international was the third new arrival at the north London outfit this month having followed in the footsteps of Gedson Fernandes and Giovani Lo Celso, with the latter’s loan move being made permanent shortly after Christian Eriksen’s exit to Inter Milan was announced on Tuesday.

Now Gold has suggested that “the club aren’t finished either” and that should mean that more business is on the way before Friday’s transfer deadline.

Indeed, they are widely-known to be tracking a new striker with Harry Kane set to be ruled out until April, with AC Milan’s Krzysztof Piatek their main target, as per Football London.

That said a new centre-forward might not be the only new arrival before the window slams shut, with Gold suggesting during a Q&A on Tuesday (17:17pm) that Spurs are also looking for a defensive midfielder and a playmaker if the right opportunity arises.

Money talks: How much did Levy pay for each of these Spurs stars?

It could be a busy few days ahead for Jose Mourinho and chairman Daniel Levy, then.

In other Tottenham news, one Spurs striker target keen to join the club faces an anxious waiting game…

Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to drool over Jack Stephens, despite suffering defeat to Tottenham in the FA Cup.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side endured a 3-2 loss to Jose Mourinho’s men on Wednesday, despite leading in the 72nd minute thanks to goals from Shane Long and Danny Ings.

It was, in fact, an own goal from Stephens in the 12th minute which had put Southampton behind, as Tanguy Ndombele’s shot ricocheted off the 26-year-old and flew past Angus Gunn in between the sticks.

Despite that unfortunate moment, he clearly still did enough to leave the Southampton fans on Twitter starry-eyed over his display.

Stephens has made 17 Premier League appearances this season, scoring one goal and recording three assists, while winning one WhoScored Man of the Match award.

Late goals from Lucas Moura and Heung-min Son meant that Hasenhuttl’s men crashed out of the FA Cup, although seeing as they are currently just six points off Tottenham in fifth, perhaps it could be a blessing in disguise as they can focus on the Premier League.

Let’s see what the Southampton fans on Twitter have been saying about the centre-back…

To kick off the discussion, Lee Myers seemed shocked by Stephens’ recent displays, asking “where has this form come from?” – Lee also added that the former Plymouth Argyle man has been “fantastic”.

Elsewhere, ‘Ralph’s Revolution’ added that Stephens positioning with his body and on the pitch, as well as his decision making, have been “outstanding” – this fan outlined that the two reasons for this are his “superb attitude” and also the fact that he has been “brilliantly coached”.

Tom Holland then mentioned that “his reading of the game at the moment is unreal” while also feeling as if “the game has just totally slowed down for” the Southampton No.5.

Meanwhile, Ian Thompson stated that Stephens has “really grown and matured this season”.

Andrew Leakey then added that he has “always admired his never say die attitude” while also stating that the defender is “passionate” as well.

Lastly, Jordan simply branded Stephens as the “Cornish Maldini” – a huge claim.

For away day veterans only: Can you name all of these defunct stadiums?

In other news, this Southampton man has said that he’ll “have to think” about his future…