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It is safe to say there weren’t too many Newcastle fans feeling disappointed when the news of Alan Pardew’s departure from the club was announced at the start of 2015. In fact plenty of the passionate Geordie fan base were probably delighted at the decision of their manager to end his tenure in the North East as he swapped St James’ Park for Selhurst.

But almost three months on from his departure, and having seen their side overtaken in the Premier League by his new employers, Newcastle fans – however reluctant to admit it – may well be missing Alan Pardew as he continues to impress in his new job.

Pardew’s decision to leave Newcastle was one that was considered beneficial to all parties despite the fact on a personal level he was leaving one of the Premier League’s biggest clubs to join a smaller club with lower expectations. There had been numerous demonstrations from Newcastle fans calling for his sacking during his four years at the club, and it seemed he was never going to win around the fans despite doing a decent job when you consider the lack of transfer funds and the club’s willingness to sell their star players.

He left Newcastle sitting in 10th place in the league, 10 points clear of Crystal Palace who at the time found themselves in the bottom three and in desperate need of a change in fortune to ensure they retained their top flight status. And following his arrival, he has overseen just that with the two clubs enduring a contrasting run of form that has seen the Eagles leapfrog the Magpies.

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An impressive away victory at Stoke last weekend leaves Palace a point ahead of Newcastle with eight games remaining. With eight wins from 13 games and having collected 22 league points, Palace have quashed any fears of relegation after some exciting performances and the displays of players such as Wilfried Zaha and Yannick Bolasie have provided plenty of optimism for the future.

Newcastle on the other hand have been poor on the whole under caretaker boss John Carver, recording just two wins in 12 games. Although comfortably in mid-table, their inability to kick on and secure a top half finish has been disappointing, and there certainly hasn’t been much to cheer about in recent months. There’s nothing to say that Pardew would have faired any better in the period since his departure, but he couldn’t really have done any worse.

There were plenty of highs and lows during his spell on Tyneside, having been involved in both the battle for European places and relegation. Despite plenty of abuse and disapproval at his ability to succeed in the job, he always seemed to turn it around, failing to get the credit he deserved in what was ultimately an extremely difficult job.

The turnaround he has masterminded at Palace has highlighted what a good manager Pardew is, and the appreciation and backing he receives from the fans will be a welcome change from his time at Newcastle. However things look far less encouraging in the North East, with plenty of question marks surrounding the managerial situation and the direction of the club going forward.

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It’s doubtful that many fans will feel that allowing Pardew to leave the club was the wrong decision, and for personal reasons it was certainly a justified one. But it could certainly be argued that Newcastle are missing the fact he is no longer manager and what’s more, he was unfairly treated and didn’t get the praise he warranted during his time in charge. It’s only since moving on that we are seeing just what a good job he did.

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Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers attracted plenty of plaudits for the way he managed to integrate plenty of young players into the first-team squad during the first half of the campaign, with many becoming key figures, but over the last couple of months he has reverted back to experienced and older heads in games of importance – is this merely a period of rest for some or a sign of things to come?

During the club’s U-21 fixture against Manchester United’s U-21 side last night, Suso, Raheem Sterling, Jonjo Shelvey and Andre Wisdom all lined up in the starting eleven and as a foursome, they have 62 top flight appearances between them this season, with 46 of those coming from the start, but slowly and surely, since the the acquisitions during the January transfer window and resurgence of both Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing, they have become more marginalised as the fixture list has become less hectic.

There was a sense that as much as Rodgers liked to talk, and at great length, about his firm commitment to integrating youth-team member into the first-team squad that this was a situation foisted upon him more than anything by the club hierarchy’s demand to bring the weight wage bill in check. This saw seasoned pro’s such as Craig Bellamy, Charlie Adam, Maxi Rodriguez, Dirk Kuyt, Andy Carroll and Joe Cole all leave within six months, leaving Rodgers little option but to pad out his squad with younger players from within.

In particular, Shelvey has spoken to the press at his frustration at seeing his route to the starting eleven blocked in recent months, arguing that he had been made a scapegoat for the 3-1 Boxing Day defeat to Stoke away from home, while Sterling ever since he signed a new deal has become more of a squad player to be rotated in games that mean less as opposed to being protected to ensure he was fit and firing on all cylinders for the biggest games as he was earlier on in the season. Meanwhile, Suso has struggled to even make the bench of late and Andre Wisdom could fall down the pecking order even further once Martin Kelly return to full fitness.

Since that Stoke defeat, for example, in the eight league games that have followed, the foursome listed above have started just eight games between them in the top flight, when they had started 38 times in the previous 19 games between them. There’s a clear reduction in playing time being handed out and it comes at just a time when Rodgers is looking to see a consistent run in Europe and in the league.

Of course, that is not to say that the youngsters that have made an impact this term are not talented, nor that they will not go on to play more next season, but with the club set to strengthen even more in the summer, with Liverpool quietly starting to spend significant amounts of money in the transfer market yet again, they face an uphill challenge to secure first-team football to the extent they have done at times this year.

The signing of Daniel Sturridge seems to have increased the team’s options up top and out wide and limited the impact of Sterling, Suso and Shelvey in the second half of the season, with the England international assured of his central attacking role, Suarez has been pushed out wide and Downing has quickly become a firm favourite when it comes to team selection.

Over the course of a long season, various players will go through peaks and troughs of form and the main beneficiary of Joe Allen’s collapse in form around the festive period was Henderson, which then had a knock-on effect on how much playing time the versatile Shelvey received, whereas if we flash back to before Christmas and he looked to be forcing his way into Roy Hodgson’s England squad, and it now looks as if he could benefit from a loan spell away next term instead.

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Liverpool’s squad at the start of the season wasn’t quite of the bare bones variety, but that was only because the young players that were brought in took to their jobs so well, but inconsistencies are inherent in those still learning their trade and they haven’t done enough in the last few months to warrant continued selection over the returning, wiser heads of the squad. They were merely warmer spots until someone better came along and it looks for all intent and purposes that while Rodgers will be glad that they delivered when he needed them to, he won’t rely on them in the future in the same way many had envisioned.

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Arsenal have one foot in the UEFA Europa League semi-finals after a dominant home win in the first leg of their tie against CSKA Moscow on Thursday night.

Rushing to a 4-1 lead over the Russians by half-time, Arsene Wenger’s side were on top form, showing that they are definitely in the running to lift the trophy in May.

Fans were delighted with the result and display from their side, but weren’t entirely happy with every player on the pitch.

Lots of criticism was aimed at midfielder Jack Wilshere, whose form has dropped off sharply recently amidst speculation he could be leaving the club this summer.

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The English international was ineffective despite his side comfortably leading the match, leaving fans wondering whether he is worth a new deal at all. Some even called it his worst performance in an Arsenal shirt.

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Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the 26-year-old…

Manchester United’s attacking play may well be the subject of a lot of criticism this week but it is important to consider just how much Manchester United have strengthened defensively this season. A few months ago, United looked very leaky at the back as the defence struggled with injuries and took time to adapt to van Gaal’s five-at-the-back formation. However, things have improved in a defensive sense since the season has developed and this is down to a number of factors.

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All good defences need a good goalkeeper to keep them on their toes as well as providing an assured figure in the penalty area. Without a solid goalkeeper, the whole defence will not operate successfully as a unit. This is why David de Gea has been so vital to Manchester United this season. When the Spaniard first arrived at Old Trafford, he looked a flimsy figure, struggling to command his area and gather crosses coming into the box. However, since he has adapted to the English game, he has become more of an imposing presence; he always possessed the excellent athleticism that made him produce excellent reaction-based saves but now he has improved by combining this natural ability with a sense of solidarity. He is not afraid to come and gather crosses, he has adapted well to the physical side of the Premier League. The Spaniard has kept seven clean sheets so far this season, the fourth highest total in the league. This is certainly an encouraging amount considering the often makeshift set-up of the United defence this campaign.

As well as the goalkeeper, defenders at the club have adapted well to van Gaal’s new system. Playing five at the back seemed to cause a lot of confusion at first, especially due to the fact that the three central defenders were changing on a regular basis due to injuries. The likes of Marcos Rojo, Phil Jones and Paddy McNair have been the best performers at the back for Manchester United this season. According to Squawka data, United actually have the second-highest defence performance score this season with 2,019, second only to Southampton with a defensive score of 2,468. Squawka recognises Phil Jones as United’s best defender this season. The Englishman has made the most interceptions and the most clearances in the team.

Another encouraging stat for United fans is the performance of Paddy McNair; in the 10 Premier League games McNair has featured in so far, United have won eight whilst McNair has a 56% tackle success rate as well as winning 53% of his contested duels. Another encouraging sign for United is the defence form of Antonio Valencia; he has won 58 tackles, 15 more than any other United player, with a success rate of 57%, the highest in the entire squad. The Ecuadorian has shown that he can adapt to Van Gaal’s wing-back role and is another defensive success story for the club.

Although van Gaal may not be entirely pleased with how his team are performing so far this term, they are certainly showing signs of improvement, especially in a defensive capacity. The Dutchman will be encouraged by the fact that the United defence has become more of a solid unit in recent weeks. It is this solidarity that has contributed to the Red Devils losing only once in their last fourteen Premier League matches. It may look like United still have a long way to go if they want to be challenging for trophies next year, but this is an encouraging development nonetheless.

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Sunderland are set to make a move for Swansea striker Danny Graham, according to reports from Sky Sports.

The 27-year-old has struggled for game time with the Swans under new manager Michael Laudrup, leading to speculation that he may opt to leave the club during the January transfer window.

Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill, who is reportedly looking to bolster his attacking options, has outlined the former Watford man as one of his top targets and could press ahead with a move in the coming weeks.

Graham has recently returned to the South Wales club’s first-team, capping some impressive displays with a late equaliser against Arsenal in the FA Cup, forcing a replay.

The likes of Newcastle, Reading and Norwich have all been linked with a move for the front-man, but it is believed that the Black Cats are in pole position should he leave the Liberty Stadium.

According to reports they have already made an official enquiry, and are likely to follow this up with a concrete bid.

Sunderland have been far from prolific in front of goal this term netting on only 29 occasions in their 21 Premier League games, making a centre-forward a must this month.

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O’Neill is keen to give Steven Fletcher some much needed support, and sees Graham as the perfect man to work alongside the Scot.

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As reported by The Sun, former Rangers star Alex Rae believes the decision makers at Ibrox would not be doing their job properly if they don’t at least consider Kilmarnock manager Steve Clarke for the Rangers manager job.

What’s the story?

Losing to Killie at Ibrox on Saturday, fans are rapidly losing patience with interim boss Graeme Murty, with many believing he shouldn’t be given the job permanently at the end of the season.

If that’s to be the case, it would again spark a manager search at the Gers and a former player believes Steve Clarke could be the man for the job.

As quoted by The Sun, Alex Rae spoke about the situation at Rangers and said:

They need to have a Plan B in place and be ready to push the button. Steve Clarke has done a remarkable job with Killie — taking on and beating the Old Firm with a fraction of their resources. I’d be surprised if he wasn’t on their radar. In fact, if he isn’t, they’re not doing their jobs properly. The important thing is that there needs to be a clear plan moving forward. This is a big time for the men running the club. Season-ticket renewals will be coming up soon and people will be asked to make an investment without knowing what it is they’re getting for their money.

Is Steve Clarke the right fit for the Ibrox side should they decide to let go of Murty?

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Has he done enough to be considered?

Clarke may not have had a full season in charge of Kilmarnock but has taken them from almost certainties to be relegated to a side challenging for a top six spot in the Scottish Premiership, in just five months.

Although making an iexcellent signing in Youssouf Mulumbu, the Killie boss has mostly inspired the existing talent at Rugby Park, perhaps a sign that he could do an excellent job on limited resources at Ibrox.

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He’s brought organisation and belief to the Ayrshire outfit, two things that Rangers lack right now.

With scalps against Celtic, Rangers and almost every other club in the division, he must be a contender for manager of the year in Scotland and, as such, the Gers would be crazy not to consider him this summer if he’s willing to make the switch.

Despite a promising opening month to their first season back in the Premier League since 2004, Leicester City have since struggled to cope with the step up in class. Creditable draws against Arsenal and Everton, and of course the famous 5-3 victory over Man Utd, gave Leicester an impressive start. But after just 16 matches it looks like Championship football is looming for the club next season.

The Foxes are currently going through a horror run of form in which they’re without a win in 11 matches, losing nine of those – including their last four on the bounce. Manager Nigel Pearson has come under a large amount of pressure with questions being asked about whether or not he is the right man to try and lead them to safety.

Performances haven’t been up to standard in recent weeks, although they put in a decent display against Man City this past Saturday. The level of performance against Man Utd in September showed what Leicester can do, but with the current run they are on, all confidence has gone and the team lack a leader that is going to get the best out of them on the pitch.

With the amount of money available to the club, perhaps Pearson could have spent more than the £11m he did during the summer transfer window. This would have certainly given them a much better chance of survival because their current squad is lacking in Premier League experience.

The big signing was Esteban Cambiasso, who was a coup for the club. The 34-year-old was signed on a free from Inter Milan, where he had gained legendary status. It was thought that the Argentine would play a huge role in the club’s survival but it hasn’t quite gone to plan with Cambiasso not having the impact many thought he would.

£8m was spent on Brighton striker Leonardo Ulloa who has provided a decent return so far with six Premier League goals. Jamie Vardy is another who has looked good in spells, especially against Man Utd where he ran their defence ragged. He has put in fairly consistent displays, and works extremely hard for the side, but only has the one goal to his name so far this season.

The injury to Kasper Schmeichel is another setback in Leicester’s hopes of survival. Second choice goalkeeper Ben Hamer looked good against Man City but his lack of experience of the Premier League is something the club should consider when weighing up the potential of bringing in a temporary replacement in January.

There is certainly talent in the Leicester squad, but it is predominantly a young squad, with the majority having very little experience at this level. This is part of the reason why they are finding it difficult to adjust to life in the Premier League, but with January fast approaching, it gives the manager a chance to add a couple of players to bolster that inexperience.

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Even so, with the gap from safety now five points, it is hard to see Leicester managing to pull off a great escape on this occasion.

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Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers will not overspend on greedy players in January.

The Reds will almost certainly be spending money in the new year to improve their squad after missing out on key transfer targets in the summer and they let first team players leave on loan.

Rodgers has promoted youngsters such as Raheem Sterling, Suso and Andre Wisdom to the Reds first team this season and things are slowly coming together at Anfield after another three points yesterday against Fulham.

Despite picking up points in recent weeks, the Anfield club are desperately lacking strikers and heavily rely on Luis Suarez for their goalscoring opportunities.

Rodgers is keen to add to his squad but is not willing to give in to ridiculous agent demands when it comes to player contracts.

If a player wants more money than they are offered then Rodgers simply feels they do not have enough passion to play for the prestigious English club.

“You have to get hungry players in who want to work and want to fight to be successful – that is the biggest thing for me,” Rodgers told Sky Sports.

“They will get a good contract coming here but if they want to argue over money, and other things that go around it, I don’t want them here. In my experience those players will eventually let you down anyway.

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“So, for us, it is about getting players in who are hungry to succeed and to pull on the shirt.

“That’s the simple message for any player coming here – you can’t take the money and run. You have to earn the right to play for this club and to help us succeed.”

Tottenham Hotspur will be moving into their new state-of-the-art stadium for the 2018-19 season in the summer.

It is an exciting development for the club as they try to match their elite Premier League rivals.

On the pitch, Spurs have shown stark progression over the years having finished third and then second in the last two seasons.

Despite the fact that manager Mauricio Pochettino has transformed the team into genuine contenders, they have not won a trophy since their 2007-08 League Cup triumph.

Many will be hoping that the new ground will give the club a huge boost moving forward.

However, there are plenty of supporters who have been left disappointed by the price hike in season tickets for the 2018-19 campaign.

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On Monday, the North London outfit confirmed on their official website that the prices will range from £795 to £2,200.

Spurs tweeted a quote from chairman Daniel Levy about the club’s soon-to-be home, and the majority of fans responded with anger about the season ticket prices.

Everton’s John Stones was not exactly a classic high-profile signing when he arrived at Goodison Park on January Deadline Day 2013, with the transfer pretty much going unnoticed by most.

Now the 20-year-old is one of the most impressive young players in the Premier League and he has the potential to become a future Everton and even England captain. John Stones made his debut for Barnsley aged 17 and made a total of 28 appearances for The Tykes, before The Toffees secured his signature for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be around £3m.

Seemingly out of nowhere, and mainly due to injuries to the Everton defence, Stones was given his Premier League debut in a 1-0 victory over Chelsea, coming off the bench for the final few moments. Due to an injury to Phil Jagielka, Stones made his first Everton start against Stoke City and he kept his place thanks to a number of impressive performances. In his first full season with Everton, Stones made a total of 21 Premier League appearances and was rewarded with an England call-up for the friendlies against Peru, Ecuador and Norway where he won his first three caps.

A few seasons ago, Stones was trying to break into the Barnsley side. Now he’s a first team regular for Everton in the Premier League. So far this season he has missed only two Premier League fixtures in a struggling Everton side. He has had a few outstanding performances, too, notably against Liverpool and West Brom.

Stones was rewarded with another international call-up last week as he looked to cement his place in the England line-up. But he picked up a bad ankle injury in the defeat to Manchester United and was forced to withdraw.

One thing is for sure is when he’s fit again, he will return to the squad without having to battle for his place in the starting XI again. He is growing as a player very rapidly by getting regular game time in the Premier League and playing alongside the experience of Tim Howard, Sylvain Distin and Phil Jagielka.

He’s working under a creative young manager in Roberto Martinez and the 41-year-old Spaniard has tipped Stones to be a future captain.

“He is a leader. He is born with that quality. He has real high standards in everything he does and for a young man he has always got the right approach on a daily basis,” said Martinez.

“In my eyes he is a potential captain and leader, someone very close to Phil Jagielka and Gareth Barry.

Positive comments from the Everton boss and it’s fantastic to see Stones being rated so highly and getting game-time at the top level. It’s relatively easy for managers to give game-time to attacking youngsters because mistakes aren’t always so costly with them. But to give a young defender regular Premier League football? Martinez is helping Stones grow rapidly and he can definitely become Everton’s future captain.

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I’d go one step further and claim that the 20-year-old can be the captain of England in the future. There’s a collection of young Englishmen who are experiencing regular football in the Premier League and those players are the next generation of the national side. It’s great  to see the likes Tyler Blackett and Raheem Sterling, along with Stones, getting regular football, and the next generation will need a captain. John Stones fits the bill – he’ll only improve and he’s learning from some highly experienced players.

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