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According to Sky Sports’ report on Southampton’s January transfer window, Maya Yoshida, Shane Long and Cedric could leave the club this month with their contracts set to expire in the summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Cedric has already made clear his intentions to leave the club at the end of the season, while Maya Yoshida has lost his place in the team to Jack Stephens and Jan Bednarek following the 9-0 defeat to Leicester – the Japan international has played just five minutes in the Premier League since then.

However, in Long’s case, the former Reading, West Brom and Hull forward has enjoyed a mini-resurgence under Ralph Hasenhuttl recently, starting four games in a row against Norwich, Newcastle, West Ham and Aston Villa as the Saints recorded two wins.

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas revealed, as aforementioned, that Long could leave in January, which would be foolish on Southampton’s part if it happened.

Deserves a new contract

Despite initially being pushed down the pecking order following the £15m arrival of Che Adams, Long has battled back impressively to become a part of Hasenhuttl’s starting XI once again – four of his five Premier League starts this season have come in the month of December.

The 32-year-old’s desire and energy knows no bounds and he also grabbed a vital assist against Norwich for Ryan Bertrand’s goal, which turned out to be the winner in a crucial relegation six-pointer.

Additionally, Hasenhuttl recently expressed his satisfaction with the Republic of Ireland international’s performances despite a lack of goals, saying: “We’re always happy when he’s playing and if he cannot another guy must step up to his workload which is massive.

“He’s a fantastic professional and always positive; really nasty to play against because he’s always hunting for every ball and this is something that helps our game, absolutely.”

Long also drew praise from some Southampton supporters on Twitter for his showing against Norwich, while these fans also lauded the tireless forward for his performance against Aston Villa recently.

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It would be a travesty for a hard-working player such as Long to leave the club this month amidst a relegation battle, and his recent outings for the Saints prove that he deserves a new contract to keep him at St Mary’s.

In other news, Southampton should avoid competing with this Premier League duo for a Ligue 1 player who would be a waste of time pursuing…

Rangers may have won their first Old Firm Derby at Celtic Park since 2010 on Sunday afternoon but things were far from straightforward.

As expected, moments of controversy followed the game with great regularity as Alfredo Morelos was sent off for diving before making a rather distasteful gesture towards the opposition’s supporters.

Ryan Kent was another who reacted rather controversially after scoring his goal in the first half.

Referee Kevin Clancy was at the centre of matters on the pitch but it doesn’t appear as though he earned too many fans from the Rangers camp.

Gers manager Steven Gerrard called for a strong performance from Clancy in the build-up to the game but despite the victory, his performance was anything but convincing. Rangers fans took to Twitter to berate him, with a host calling him a disgrace.

Such was the officiating on Sunday afternoon that some fans went as far as labelling Clancy as a corrupt individual. One even stated that he deserved a visit from the police.

The referee at Celtic Park brandished two reds card throughout the encounter, one to Morelos for diving in injury time while in the aftermath, he also sent Rangers first-team coach Michael Beale to the stands.

Considering the team in blue eventually went onto win, the reaction is perhaps a little surprising. After beating your rivals, supporters should be focusing on the positives and the fact they’d bridged the gap to Celtic at the top of the table. That was far from the case with certain fans, however.

Other individuals decided to focus on certain incidents within the match, specifically the handball incident for the hosts’ equaliser.

Callum McGregor lashed a shot towards goal which subsequently came off the hand of Odsonne Edouard and found the back of the net.

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Clancy decided to let the goal stand even though rules state it should have been disallowed. According to IFAB, even if the ball hits a hand accidentally and finds the goal, it is an offence.

In this instance, Rangers supporters are quite right to make their feelings known. Had the goal not stood, it may well have been a more straightforward afternoon for Gerrard’s men.

Meanwhile, one Rangers star has been described as the best player on earth…

Southampton are in need of defensive reinforcements this month – they are amongst the leakiest sides in the Premier League.

After 21 games of the campaign, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have conceded 38 goals, which is the second-most in England’s top-flight behind 20th-place Norwich.

Southampton are, at least, trying to amend this problem it seems, as Sky Sports report that the south coast side are interested in signing Real Valladolid defender Mohammed Salisu, who is believed to have been scouted by the Saints already this season.

The 20-year-old reportedly has a €12m (£10.2m) release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, which is said to make Salisu an ‘attractive prospect’.

If that relatively low figure wasn’t attractive enough, the Real Valladolid No.27’s latest outing against Leganes may well have left Hasenhuttl salivating over what Salisu could bring to his side.

The centre-back recorded a 7.2 match rating for his performance against Leganes, in which he grabbed an assist for Enes Ünal’s crucial equaliser that ultimately won Valladolid a point in La Liga.

As well as that set-up, Salisu also successfully won three tackles, while making two clearances and an interception.

He also completed one successful dribble, and finished the game with a pass completion rate of 87.8% – he made 49 passes in total.

Furthermore, Salisu’s one and only attempted cross was an accurate one, while six of his attempted eight long balls found a teammate – it truly was an impressive performance from the Southampton target who also had 63 touches of the ball on a day where he was influential at both ends of the pitch.

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

It remains to be seen whether or not Southampton submit an offer for the Ghanaian centre-back, although one presumes that Hasenhuttl and his coaching staff would not have been put off one bit by the thought of signing Salisu had they watched his performance against Leganes.

In other news, this Southampton prospect showed he could be Nathan Redmond’s long-term successor instead of Ryan Bertrand’s…

Speaking on talkSPORT, European football expert Andy Brassell has insisted Bruno Fernandes could make a “fairly instant impact” at Manchester United.

What did he say?

The Sporting CP man has been linked with a move to United for the majority of this January transfer window, with reports claiming the two clubs are locked in talks.

And Brassell has claimed the Portugal international could provide them with exactly what they are missing at the moment, even making a comparison to former Red Devils ace Bryan Robson.

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He said: “I will allow myself a little Bryan Robson comparison with the way he charges late into the penalty area, but with greater frequency. But with him, the thing is he’s not an all-Portugal product. When he was a teenager he went to Serie A, and it has made him very good tactically and very good on the ball.

“It is clear to anyone who watches Man United on a semi-regular basis that where they need to improve is midfield; they need that presence, that technique, that will to get in the box. And he’s got all of those. Clearly he is going to need other players to play with, but he is someone who I feel pretty confident could make a fairly instant impact at Manchester United.”

Hitting the ground running

The absolute key take from Brassell’s verdict on the Portuguese ace, is that he could make a “fairly instant impact” at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are in the midst of a fight for the top-four this season, lying five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea after 22 games in the Premier League. Whilst signings would no doubt be welcome, it has perhaps even more important for the Manchester side that if they do arrive in January, they hit the ground running.

The big fat United quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Man Utd?

No adaptation period, or months of trying to settle in. But an instant impression and boost that could potentially take them over the edge in their quest for Champions League football next season. Another season of playing Europa League football would damage not only their finances, but their chances of luring top talent in the summer. It’s exactly why if they do complete a move for Fernandes, United desperately need him to be firing on all cylinders until the end of the campaign.

Meanwhile, this Manchester United ace’s wholly ineffective display against Norwich delivered a major warning to Ed Woodward.

Leeds United haven’t added any new players to their squad this month.Indeed, despite Angus Kinnear stating that the club plan to move quickly in January, the Whites are yet to bring in any new bodies.However, that could all change very soon as Phil Hay has revealed that one new signing is imminent.

What’s been said then?

The journalist revealed last week that Elia Caprile has already been training with Leeds, and it seemed that a deal was about to be concluded formally.

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Hay has now disclosed more details on Caprile’s status as he’s claimed that a contract has been agreed and the club are now just waiting on the final bits of paperwork to be done.

A third of the way there

Leeds are a third of a way towards accomplishing what they had planned at the beginning of the month.

We knew a few weeks ago that the Whites wanted a winger, a striker and a goalkeeper through the door in this window, and they can now seemingly tick a stopper off their list.

Unfortunately, it’s probably the least significant signing United will make this month as Caprile is coming in as a third-choice behind Kiko Casilla and Illan Meslier. Barring a nightmare scenario where those two are unavailable, it’s unlikely that he’ll see much first-team action.

Either way, it’s always good to get your first deal of the month done, but fans have to hope that this isn’t the last signing Leeds make before the 31st.

In other news, Phil Hay has made an interesting transfer prediction for Leeds.

Speaking on talkSPORT, Tony Cascarino has insisted Manchester United should look to appoint Marcelo Bielsa instead of Mauricio Pochettino.

What did he say?

The Red Devils have endured a difficult season, with the Manchester side remaining six points off the top four, and suffering disappointing defeats to the likes of Burnley and Arsenal this year.

Speculation in recent months has suggested that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been fighting for his job at Old Trafford, and Cascarino has earmarked Leeds boss Bielsa as the man to come in.

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He said: “Pochettino is flavour of the month. I’d have Bielsa over Pochettino every day of the week. Look at what he’s changed at Leeds. Pochettino was a very good manager at Spurs. He’s done an incredible job.

“But I’m talking about style of play. Remember, Pochettino is a disciple of Bielsa and the way he plays. If you were looking for a manager who has played with Manchester United’s traditional aggressive, attack-minded style, Bielsa would be my first choice.”

Master, not the student

Cascarino certainly has a point when it comes to suggesting Bielsa should be the man United look to get if they decide to replace Solskjaer. The Argentine has worked wonders in his time at Leeds, with the Whites knocking on the door of automatic promotion this season – they currently lie just one point off top spot.

The big fat United quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Man Utd?

People like Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have waxed lyrical about Bielsa, with the Spaniard even calling him the “best coach in the world”. High praise indeed. If you have the opportunity to go for the master instead of the student, surely that’s something you’ve got to take? Bielsa would come in with a clear philosophy as Cascarino says, and United would get an identity and philosophy to really kick-start their rebuild.

Meanwhile, Man Utd should complete a loan swoop for this man who is better than Marcus Rashford in key area.

Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to react after Tom Barclay of The Sun revealed that Southampton have beaten Crystal Palace to the signing of Kyle Walker-Peters and will sign the right-back on loan until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old has barely featured this season, making just three starts in the Premier League, one in the Carabao Cup and one in the Champions League as Serge Aurier remains ahead of him in the pecking order – since Jose Mourinho stepped in as Mauricio Pochettino’s replacement, Walker-Peters hasn’t played a single Premier League minute.

The England U21 defender was in Crystal Palace’s sights, with The Athletic’s Dominic Fifield revealing that Roy Hodgson said he was “optimistic and hopeful” that Dougie Freedman could bring the Tottenham No.16 to Selhurst Park – now, however, it looks like he’ll end up on the south coast before Friday’s transfer deadline.

Ralph Hasenhuttl is in need of a new right-back now more than ever, as Cedric – who told The Telegraph that he wants to leave at the end of the season – is sidelined with a knee injury while Yan Valery has also been absent since November with an ongoing illness.

Let’s see how the Southampton fans on Twitter reacted to the news…

To kick off the reaction, two supporters didn’t sound very happy with the news.

Saints1885.com said that they’re “not sure about this signing” whereas a fan with the username ‘Meltdown FC Fan’ simply said “nooooooooooo” after hearing The Sun’s update.

However, a fan replying to Saints1885.com said that the club is “crying out for depth though” – given our previous analysis of the right-back situation above, you can’t argue with this statement.

Elsewhere, this fan – @markjtilbury – appeared to be mindful of jumping the gun on this one, recalling the time where Southampton missed out on “that Dutch winger” who we believe to be Quincy Promes.

Promes is now at Ajax and has scored 14 goals this season following a £14m summer move, but the Saints were close to signing him in 2018 before a proposed club-record deal fell through.

Meanwhile, Liam expressed relief that “for once” he didn’t have to read that the club had been beaten by a transfer rival.

Lastly, Lisa seemingly referred to Hasenhuttl’s previous comments regarding transfers in which he appeared to say that new additions were a ‘can’ but not a ‘must’ – she said “so much for not signing anyone!” in apparent excitement at the news.

Who is that?! Nobody has been able to name the teams all of these obscure managers were once in charge of…

In other news, this update from David Ornstein could be considered bad news for Yan Valery…

Despite being the heavy favourites, Liverpool could only come away with a draw against Shrewsbury in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.

The Reds were 2-0 up with 30 minutes left, but a brace from Jason Cummings has left them facing a replay at Anfield on February 4th – a game they could probably do without.

Jurgen Klopp was clearly unhappy after the match, and he stated that neither he nor the senior players will be available for the return clash. That is because it coincides with the two-week winter break agreed upon last year – even though the F.A warned the Reds that this situation could occur.

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

As such, Neil Critchley will take charge, and club’s U23s will line up. It is a big call from Klopp, but clearly the Premier League is his priority. Has he made the right decision? We asked our writers for their verdicts.

Viji Jeevathayalan

“This is arrogance of the highest order. Jurgen Klopp’s similar decision earlier on in the season was forgivable due to the sheer nature of the scheduling involved. But the proposed FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury falls in the mid-season winter break, so the German has no excuse for revealing he and his first-team players will not be available for that match. The Liverpool boss has blatantly disrespected the competition, and is making a mockery of the idea of competition. Managers who have taken courses of action like this before have been rebuked – think back to Mick McCarthy when he was Wolves manager. Klopp should come under the same scrutiny, however brilliant he has been for English football and the Reds. This is a major question mark on Klopp’s integrity.”

James Beavis

“I think Jurgen Klopp has every right to be angry, although he has perhaps gone about things in the wrong way here. The German manager has long been an advocate for having a winter break in English football, and he surely would have been delighted by its introduction this season – albeit it only gives Premier League teams one week off in 2019/20. To then have the possibility of having an FA Cup replay scheduled during that supposed break is all wrong, and could have disrupted any warm-weather training plans the club and their boss may have had for example. It is completely understandable that Klopp is annoyed and frustrated and the FA should take a long hard look at themselves, because these third-round games could easily have been finished on the day if the 90 minutes ended in a draw.”

Lewis Blain

“This isn’t a good look for Klopp or Liverpool at all. The FA Cup is a prestigious competition that deserves respect – not at least because Shrewsbury Town have earned the right to battle a replay at Anfield, where they would have expected to come up against several first-team stars. It would be a dream for most of their players as some, if not all, will never get an opportunity like this again. Imagine being the man to beat Virgil van Dijk for the winner or to keep a clean sheet against Salah, Mane and Firmino. Liverpool are 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League, they can afford this replay, no matter what the German may say otherwise. Yes, a maiden PL title should be a priority, Yes, they could go back-to-back in the Champions League, but why not stamp your mark down in history further by completing a historic treble? That would sure be one way to anger those of red – and even blue – in Manchester. Klopp must reconsider his approach or this will go down as a smudge on his reputation.”

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Jonathan Radcliffe

“To an extent, you can understand Klopp’s frustration. After having planned for a two-week break, his and the club’s plans have now had to change. However, the 52-year-old seems to be forgetting that this is a situation he would have avoided had his team not blown a 2-0 lead against Salop. If he had wanted to progress right away so much, perhaps he should have fielded a stronger XI! And anyway, this would not necessarily have been the worst news in the world for some of those fringe players. The likes of Adrian, Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi rely on the cup competitions for starts. Now, they have just seen another game taken away from them. This is an error of judgement by Klopp. He is better than that.”

In other news, Liverpool fans have slammed Jurgen Klopp’s FA Cup decision.

Newcastle were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at home against bottom Premier League side Norwich on Saturday.

There was no lack of shots – they managed 34 between them – but a clear lack of quality and ability to strike in front of goal was on show. In the end, only nine of those efforts were on target.

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However, Steve Bruce will have been wanting to take positives from the match, and he can pleased with his team’s backline. They managed to keep out the opposition for the second time in three league matches, and one man was able to provide both at the back and going forward: Matt Ritchie.

The Scotland international has spent a large part of this season out injured, but he impressed against the Canaries. It is often his offensive play that catches the eye, and that was no different here. His four key passes were only matched by Nabil Bentaleb for the Magpies, whilst he managed the most crosses amongst his teammates as well (3).

Defensively, he completed seven clearances – only one player had more – as well as one blocked shot and three interceptions. All in all, his SofaScore rating of 7.7 was bettered by just one player for Newcastle.

The Toon were busy during the January transfer window, bringing in three new players – albeit all on loan.

Whilst Bentaleb and Valentino Lazaro look as though they will feature regularly for the rest of the season – the former enjoyed a promising debut at the weekend, whilst the latter will be eyeing DeAndre Yedlin’s spot after the USA international could only manage a rating of 6.7 – but Rose will have a job on his hands replacing £10.8m-valued Ritchie – as per Transfermarkt.

The England international said that Jetro Willems’ injury convinced him to call his agent and try and sort out the move, but the former Bournemouth man could still present him with a difficult roadblock to navigate around during his loan spell.

Based on this display, Newcastle have strong competition for a place at left-wing-back and the arrival of Rose could squeeze another level out of Ritchie, who set the standard against Daniel Farke’s men on Saturday.

Elsewhere, one Newcastle man reveals who was behind his latest switch.

Despite costing Leeds a number of points with his mistakes in recent weeks, it’s been confirmed that Kiko Casilla will be starting against Bristol City on Saturday.

The decision to persevere with the Spaniard is certainly a questionable one after his mistakes against Wigan, Nottingham Forest and Brentford, but nonetheless that’s Bielsa’s prerogative to make that call.

However, this surely has to be the final opportunity he gets.

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The Spaniard has been handed chance after chance at Leeds in recent weeks, and it’s left the club in a very dangerous position.

Indeed, although Leeds still sit second in the Championship, they’re teetering on the edge of the playoff spots, sitting just three points ahead of seventh place.

Another gaffe from Casilla, who is valued at £2.7m by Transfermarkt, could be catastrophic in terms of the club’s season as a whole, and if he does mess up again that has to be the end of the line for him.

Illan Meslier is ready and waiting to start, and if his debut was anything to go by then he will be a fantastic replacement between the sticks.

The Frenchman drew praise from both sets of supporters after his debut in the FA Cup against Arsenal, yet we’ve not seen him on the pitch since despite Casilla’s incompetence as of late.

It’s often said that goalkeepers need to have cat-like reflexes to be successful, but the former Real Madrid man seems to have inherited another feline trait, in that he has nine lives.

However, his chances may soon run out if he continues to perform as he has been in recent weeks, and he must surely be in the last chance saloon at Leeds.

In other news, Marcelo Bielsa is developing an unhealthy obsession at Leeds.