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Following a remarkable stat involving two Everton players as the decade draws to a close, fans were paying their respects to a Toffees duo who have been at the club throughout the last 10 years.

Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman have been long-time Goodison Park servants, with the duo signing back in 2007 and 2009 respectively, and both going on to become regulars for the Toffees.

With the club paying tribute to their service across the 2010s, fans responded by thanking the full-backs, as some called for both players to be offered testimonials for their commitment to the team.

Judging by the replies, it certainly seems both are still very much firm favourites on the blue half of Merseyside. It had emerged that both players took part in Everton’s first and final games of the decade, with fans using the opportunity to praise the duo for their efforts in blue.

Below are some of the messages Everton fans sent to Baines and Coleman:

Everton fans, where would you be without the likes of Baines and Coleman? Let us know in the comments below!

Rumours emerging at the beginning of the January transfer window strongly suggest that Celtic are in the market for a new striker this month, but it seems one target can already be crossed off the list of potential arrivals.

What’s the word?

According to a recent report from The Sunday Post, Neil Lennon is eyeing up two strikers in a bid to bolster his attacking options.

The report identifies Andraz Sporar and Billy Sharp as the players who Celtic want to bring to the club this month, but they have received a blow in their bid to sign the latter.

Daily Mirror journalist David Anderson, who predominantly covers the Yorkshire-based clubs, has poured cold water over the recent links, suggesting Sharp has snubbed the advances of the Scottish champions.

Focus on Sporar

Given Sharp is 33 years old and would almost certainly be playing second fiddle to Odsonne Edouard at Paradise, it’s no surprise that he has taken this stance.

But perhaps this is a blessing in disguise for Celtic under the circumstances.

The snub should allow them to focus their efforts on bringing Sporar, a player who could actually challenge Edouard in the long-term.

That Sharp has scored 114 goals in 322 Championship appearances is certainly impressive but now he’s entered the twilight of his career it seems rather nonsensical for Celtic to sign him – even if the deal was only a temporary one.

Lennon should be looking to bring players into the club who can make an impact both this season and beyond, and the 25-year-old hitman Sporar certainly fits that profile more than Sharp.

According to the Daily Mail, Sheffield Wednesday are the latest Championship side in the hunt for Dwight Gayle as Newcastle United look to offload him this month.

What’s the word?

It’s claimed that the Magpies will offer the 29-year-old out for loan this month, but any deal would include an obligation to buy for £10m, which effectively means any club can have him now but will have to pay up in the summer.

West Brom have been long-time admirers of their former temporary goal machine but were ruled out of signing him in the summer due to the finances involved while Nottingham Forest and Fulham also have reported interest.

Gayle picked up a hamstring injury in Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Wolves at the weekend, but it is not as bad as first feared, so the Premier League frontman will be able to return to training within the next two to three weeks.

Fletcher replacement?

The Owls have a pressing need to add a striker during this transfer window after suffering a monumental blow to Steven Fletcher, the 32-year-old picked up a severe knee injury against Brighton in the FA Cup and isn’t expected back for another eight or so weeks.

No player in the Wednesday squad is even close to being on the same level as him in terms of goals after notching 12 for the season so far – the next best is a quartet of players on three, per WhoScored.

Gayle proved last term that he was a prolific goalscorer in the division having netted 24 times for the Baggies, but despite this, he would undoubtedly be a waste in the system that manager Garry Monk currently operates.

The striker is 5 foot 9 with a style of play described as ‘energetic’ and ‘pacey’ – a far cry from the 6 foot 1 target man that wins, on average, 6.4 aerial duels per game.

Gayle has not won more than 1.9 aerial duels per game in the entire duration of his career since he signed for Crystal Palace in the 2013/14 season.

It’s the dawn of a new decade in the Premier League, but how much do you know about the last 10 years?

The 29-year-old wouldn’t be a like-for-like replacement, and thus, he would find it hard to cope with the physical demands that Monk’s system hinges so heavily on.

An obligation of £10m is just a huge risk without the certainty of gaining promotion, the south Yorkshiremen are in no position to offer that just yet.

In other news, Wednesday’s pursuit of another PL man ‘smacks of panic’ according to our latest verdict…

Tony Cascarino has suggested that the performance of youngster Japhet Tanganga was one of Tottenham Hotspur’s few positives following their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool on Saturday evening.

Roberto Firmino’s solitary strike gave the Reds all three points and left Spurs nine points behind fourth-placed Chelsea in the Champions League spots.

Incidentally, the game saw a Premier League debut for 20-year-old Tanganga in defence, with the youngster making a goal-line clearance in the opening minutes of the contest. Speaking on TalkSPORT, Cascarino argued that Tanganga’s display was something that Jose Mourinho’s side could take from the game despite the disappointing result.

He said: “He runs with pace and you can tell that he sees things quickly. He made a couple of last-ditch challenges, he was hungry to get in front of the ball. Yes, it’s his debut and adrenaline takes you a long way, but I thought he was one of the bright lights.”

Cascarino’s praise of Tanganga’s performance appears to agree with the stats, with WhoScored making the defender Spurs’ best performer from Saturday night, thanks to a match rating of 7.38 out of 10.

Tottenham’s backs were against the wall for much of the contest, with just one-third of the possession as their opponents dominated, which is perhaps telling from Tanganga’s eight clearances throughout the match – a tally that only defensive counterpart Toby Alderweireld could better with 10 to his name.

To come in and produce on that level on his top-flight debut is surely no mean feat and certainly deserving of the praise he received, particularly as it came against the runaway leaders who set a new European record with their 20th win in 21 attempts.

It may not have been difficult for Cascarino to earmark Tanganga as a rare source of optimism as Spurs failed to score and missed a number of gilt-edged chances in doing so on a discouraging evening, though the defender’s maiden display in the Premier League could indeed give Spurs hope of a brighter future.

Spurs fans, should Tanganga start more regularly? Let us know what you think below!

Tottenham have been on the search for new centre-midfielders for much of the January transfer window, due in part to the fact that they never properly replaced Mousa Dembele.

The Belgian departed the club last January after seven-and-a-half years and making 249 appearances, but his dominant box-to-box style that offered so much was missed by Mauricio Pochettino, and now Jose Mourinho.

The latter has signed Gedson Fernandes this month in a bid to improve that area of the squad, but after the club posted a clip of a Dembele goal on Twitter it is clear that some fans feel the club hasn’t yet signed anyone who can compare to the 32-year-old.

Signed by Andre Villas-Boas in 2012, Dembele scored 10 goals and made 12 assists for the North London outfit so while he may not have been prolific in helping out the attack, he was dependable in turning over possession and putting his team on the foot front.

His immense strength and close control was integral to that, and he had a return of 1.3 tackles and 0.7 interceptions per game in his final season to show for his efforts – his lowest during his Spurs spell – so it is little surprise that Tottenham had to wait until last weekend to record their first away league clean sheet without him.

From supporters’ responses to the Twitter clip it is clear that he was a real fan favourite at Spurs, with some very keen to see him return in one way or another.

The big fat Tottenham quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Spurs?

Typically, however, not everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet, with one supporter voicing criticism of the midfielder by suggesting he didn’t always deliver to the high level that he was capable of reaching.

Meanwhile, fans have been discussing what seems to be their biggest frustration with the transfer window so far.

According to London News Online, Jurgen Klopp’s FA Cup decision could prevent Charlton Athletic signing Pedro Chirivella on loan.

What’s the story?

The Addicks are said to be interested in the 22-year-old, but a spanner has been thrown in the works due to Liverpool’s fourth-round FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury.

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

The Reds could only draw 2-2 at New Meadow at the weekend, meaning they will now need to play at Anfield on February 4th. Klopp has already confirmed that neither himself nor his senior squad members will be available for the match, which means that the Spaniard may need to feature in that clash. With that coming after transfer deadline day, it would then be too late to take him to The Valley.

Let him go

Irregardless of Klopp’s decision, Chirivella would have likely played anyway – he has started in both FA Cup matches so far this term, even when the 52-year-old had a full squad available to him. Now, with only the youth players to be made available, he would be pretty much guaranteed to start – in a similar situation in December of last year, he was the captain against Aston Villa in the League Cup quarter-final.

However, he should still be allowed to leave the club this transfer window. At the end of the day, Klopp has appeared to throw in the towel – his priorities seem pretty clear, and the FA Cup is not one of them. What would be the point in keeping a player for one game when, if they lose, he may not feature in another match for the rest of the campaign? So far this term, he has featured in just five games, all of which have come in the cup competitions – he has not even been included in a Premier League matchday squad as of yet.

At Charlton, he would surely get his hands on plenty of minutes. The Championship side have already lost Conor Gallagher, Jonathan Leko and Berem Kayal during this transfer window, and they are clearly looking for replacements. With less than six months left on his contract as well, it may be the perfect time to put himself in the shop window. With him not really needed by Klopp right now, the former Borussia Dortmund boss should let him depart.

In other news, Liverpool fans are disgusted by one key Jurgen Klopp decision.

Newcastle are currently locked in talks over a potential takeover from the Middle East, although current owner Mike Ashley is yet to sanction any deal.

After information over a possible sale of the club left Ashley puzzled, Chronicle journalist Mark Douglas has shared what he knows about the situation.

What’s he said?

It remains to be seen whether Ashley will finally sell the Magpies but it’s pretty apparent that fans are frustrated with events.

They protested against Arsenal earlier in the season while recent updates have left them angered by what’s going on.

At the centre of current talks are the Arab’s state’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), in what could be a colossal £340m deal.

But with little idea as to what will happen next, Douglas spoke on the Everything is Black & White Podcast (29/01/2020) to give his thoughts and reveal what he knows. He said:

“My understanding as of close of play yesterday [Tuesday] was that there wasn’t paperwork in with the Premier League so that suggests to me that there’s not a deal done yet and it also suggests we’d be a few weeks away from any deal being ratified which is very much the end game.

“But that doesn’t mean there couldn’t be a statement that comes on the club website anytime soon saying an agreement or a deal has been reached in principle, which I think will be the next big thing to watch for if a deal is going to happen. Ashley, I think, from my information is prepared to probably get around the table now and give any further demands or bargaining room that’s needed which will be towards the end of the process.”

Untimely

It’s typical that this news has arisen with Newcastle in such a good place on the pitch and in terms of recruitment.

Recent results against Chelsea and Everton sees the north-east side sit in 14th place while an impressive transfer window could end in yet more frustration if this takeover collapses.

Nabil Bentaleb and Valentino Lazaro have already walked through the door while Danny Rose could join on loan as well. Furthermore, Olivier Giroud has also been linked with a switch to the Toon Army.

However, potential takeovers have fallen through in the past so there is no reason why those associated with the club should be getting ahead of themselves.

Is life under Ashley really that bad? Maybe this quiz will change your minds, Newcastle fans…

Although it appears as though Ashley is now prepared to sit around the table and negotiate with PIF, a bid from Amanda Staveley’s PCP Capital Partners two years ago never materialised.

This is a testing time for the current owner but when is it ever an easy ride at St James’ Park?

Elsewhere, Newcastle may look to follow through on a deal to sign a PL-proven striker before the deadline…

The Athletic’s Carl Anka has listed the things Southampton must do in order to keep Pierre-Emile Højbjerg.

The Denmark international will be out of contract at St Mary’s in the summer of 2021, and Ralph Hasenhuttl has already stated that discussions over new deals for himself or any of his players will not be taking place until the Saints reach 36 points – they are currently on 31.

Incidentally, Højbjerg is the subject of interest from Tottenham, Everton and Arsenal, with the north Londoners believed to be targeting him for the summer window – the former Bayern Munich man’s future certainly seems unclear as things stand.

What did he say?

When asked by us in a Q&A session on Friday afternoon if European qualification would impact contract talks with the Dane in any way, shape or form, Anka replied: “I don’t think it has to be that high.

“My pitch to PEH to sign a two year contract extension would be: We’re not going to battle relegation any more, Hasenhuttl is staying until [INSERT YEAR] and we’re building a squad to reflect his needs. Spurs are a shambles under Jose, and if they’re not, you should wait another year to see if they fix it, and do you really trust Everton to not Everton it up? Stay here champ”

Much more attractive than they were

If Højbjerg would’ve had to make a decision back in October after that 9-0 defeat, then presumably, the answer probably wouldn’t have been music to Southampton’s ears given the state the club were in.

However, five wins and a draw from their last eight Premier League outings have left the Saints just six points off fifth-placed Tottenham, with the 24-year-old proudly wearing the captain’s armband at what is now looking like an effective, dangerous top-flight outfit.

It is credit to Hasenhuttl and Højbjerg’s teammates that they have managed to pull themselves from the mud so impressively, and crucially, be able to present the midfielder with a more attractive home when all parties do eventually come to sit at the negotiating table.

Premier League experts will get full marks: The ultimate quiz on top flight transfer flops…

While Southampton are now significantly more attractive than they were, it remains to be seen what happens.

In other news, two crucial moments from this man helped Southampton’s U23 side to an unlikely win…

Liverpool’s U23s got the job done against Shrewsbury on Tuesday in the FA Cup fourth-round replay.Jurgen Klopp decided that neither he nor his players would be at the game as they were going to respect the two-week winter break decided on last April. As such, it was left to Neil Critchley and the club’s youngsters to get them through to the next round of the competition. In the end, they did just that, clinching a 1-0 victory against the League One side.

Can you name the result these iconic Liverpool images belong to? Give it a go now…

It seems that the displays of two players in particular have caught the eye. According to journalist Dominic King, 16-year-old Harvey Elliott and 19-year-old Curtis Jones are “under consideration” for England U21 call-ups later next month, after U21 assistant head coach Lee Carsley and U20 head coach Paul Simpson were amongst a delegation to be at Anfield to take in the clash.

The Liverpool fans have been reacting to the news, and they are adamant they should be included.

The two have been in good form in the cup competitions so far this term. Jones has already scored twice in the FA Cup, for example, and was captain against Salop, whilst Elliott has featured in all of this term’s cup matches as well as the Premier League too.

Some fans, meanwhile, have referenced the FA’s reported reaction to Klopp’s comments.

According to Goal.com, the English governing body was “surprised and frustrated” by the 52-year-old’s choice. In the end, though, it looks as though the former Borussia Dortmund boss was right.

Meanwhile, one Liverpool youngster stood out on Tuesday.

With the Premier League winter break still going strong, players have taken the liberty of travelling all across the globe and visiting all kinds of places for their short holidays.

For Everton’s Tom Davies and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, that meant flying over the pond and visiting the United States of America and the Big Apple.

Did he really play for us?! No Everton fan has managed to name all of these obscure Toffees players….

Both players shared some snaps from New York and updated the fans and the general public of their whereabouts, but it was rather difficult not to notice the questionable attire they were wearing in the images.

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It has to be said, however, that this is not really a big surprise considering we’re talking about Davies and Calvert-Lewin, both of whom are quite well known for their unusual fashion choices.

They are quick to post a snap or two on Instagram to show their new attires and they never shy away from trying on something that might not be to everyone’s taste.

But while many would likely not get near the attires pictured above, they seem to wear them with pride.

Good on them, eh?

Meanwhile, one of Everton’s youngsters recently dropped an intriguing reply down in Manchester United prodigy’s comment section on Instagram…