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According to a recent report from The Daily Express, Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths has returned to full training following injury. The 28-year-old hasn’t featured for Brendan Rodgers’ side since their 6-0 win over St Johnstone over a month ago after suffering a knee injury in training, which has thus seen him miss out on selection for Alex McLeish’s Scotland squad this week. 

Yet reports suggest that the striker is back in training and will use the current two-week break for internationals to get back up to speed, and while the Bhoys haven’t struggled too greatly without Griffiths, there’s no doubt that this huge Lennoxtown boost is exactly the news Celtic fans wanted to hear.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, the Bhoys embarked upon a very testing start to the season to call into question whether Rodgers had taken the club as far as he could, what with the Scottish giants really struggling for goals in the Scottish Premiership and indeed the Europa League.

Yet recent weeks have seen his side get into their groove in sweeping aside St Johnstone 6-0, Dundee and Hearts 5-0, and Hibernian 4-2, only to be brought back down to earth with a disappointing goalless draw against Livingston at the weekend.

Yes, that result did move them to top spot in the table for the first time this season, but it’s clear that the injection of impetus and spark Griffiths provides was needed at Almondvale Stadium on Sunday – that’s why news he is back training is such a huge boost.

The 28-year-old may not have enjoyed an overly prolific start to the season with just one Scottish Premiership goal to show for his endeavours, but some of the goals he scored in other competitions earlier this term came at a time in which Rodgers’ men were seriously struggling.

It was Griffiths who bagged the winner in their unconvincing 1-0 win over Rosenborg in the Europa League back in September, a win that is looking more and more important as the group progresses, while he also bagged the winner in their narrow Scottish League Cup success over St Johnstone just six days after winning the game against Rosenborg – his influence was clear for all to see.

And with the Bhoys facing Rosenborg again in the Europa League later this month, just a few days before their Scottish League Cup final meeting with Aberdeen, having Griffiths back gives Rodgers another hugely accomplished option in that area of the field ahead of a tough run of games, let alone someone who has produced the goods under pressure already this season.

So while he hasn’t enjoyed the best goal-scoring season of his career to date, having the 28-year-old back from injury is sure to be a huge boost for Rodgers and his side over the coming weeks – it’s exactly the news Celtic fans wanted to hear.

Celtic fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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West Ham United defender Pablo Zabaleta has revealed to Sky Sports that he believes Samir Nasri will bring a creative spark that the Irons are missing.

What’s he said?

Speaking to Sky Sports, the Argentinean right-back spoke on how his former-Manchester City teammate would give the claret and blue side a welcome creative boost.

“We need players with his quality,” said the 33-year-old. “Especially because also we lost two key players who brought quality into this team – Manuel Lanzini in the summer before the World Cup and then [Jack] Wilshere, who is very close to coming back to the team.

“On the ball [Nasri] is fantastic. He is one of those players who can give to the team some possession and play between the lines to help the attacking players to create chances.

“Samir needs a bit of time. He has not been football training for more than a year but sometimes those players are technically very good so he probably needs to focus more on his fitness levels.

“We know Samir and his quality. When he is fit he is on a different level. He is a fantastic player.”

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What does he mean?

Despite fans showing resistance to Nasri joining their club, the French midfielder is training with the Hammers as he looks to convince the east London outfit he is worthy of a contract.

Zabaleta is certainly keen on his former teammate linking up with his current squad when his drug ban expires in the New Year. The Argentinean sees Nasri as a better option to have while countryman Lanzini remains sidelined.

Lanzini is currently expected to return from his ACL injury over Christmas but may not be able to play for some time after. Nasri would, therefore, offer Pellegrini another creative option in January.

Would he be an improvement?

The Frenchman would be going up against the likes of Robert Snodgrass, Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang as the Chilean’s midfield options. If Nasri has retained his technical abilities then Zabaleta is right, he would give Pellegrini a better creative option.

Having not focused on his fitness for the past 18 months, however, Nasri will need to show extensive progress over the next four weeks to convince the club he should be signed.

The backlash the Hammers could face from fans, though, ought to be enough to convince the club not to sign the midfielder. But Pellegrini’s insistence to David Sullivan appears to be overriding the outcry.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers were the story of the season when Nuno Espirito Santo’s men hit the Premier League, but where did it all go so wrong?

Wolves arrived as champions of the Championship having battered the second-tier opposition out of their way to top the table by nine points, narrowly missing the century on 99.

30 wins, nine draws, and seven defeats – a stellar record with a star-studded line-up including the fabulous Ruben Neves, only strengthened by the arrival of the 113-cap Portugal star Joao Moutinho and fellow international Rui Patricio during the summer. It was like a newcomer hit the top-flight as a mid-table side before a ball was kicked.

When the Nike ball did start to roll at Molineux again, it was the gold and black kitted men revelling in delight, as Everton and Manchester City both came knocking but left with points shared.

Espirito Santo then tasted glory against West Ham and Burnley, while setting a new Premier League record for starting their first nine games with an unchanged XI.

Jota, Raul Jimenez and Helder Costa at the front, Willy Boly, Conor Coady and Ryan Bennett at the back – the good times were flowing with 15 points on the board and ninth place theirs, sitting pretty above Manchester United.

The opening run of fixtures even spanned the first international break of the season, an early hurdle for a side brimming with confidence. Wolves, however, remained unchanged and went on to draw at Old Trafford and beat Crystal Palace.

The next pause in play, though, would not see the Wanderers fare so well, as Santo’s side returned in mid-October and have not won since.

Matches Wolves would have won are now going against them, and the Molineux outfit have secured just the single point since beating Palace – relying on early form to remain in a mid-table position.

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The XI the former goalkeeper had heavily relied on was no longer there to call on, and changes were made for a trip to Brighton – a side they should have beaten, but instead left crushed.

It was not about to get easier for Wolves, either, with back-to-back clashes against both north London sides on the horizon. But, after a poor start at home to Tottenham, the Wanderers rallied to pull within one goal and deserved a point.

They may not have put any more points on the board after the Spurs game, but the momentum in the squad was back in time for the trip to Arsenal.

Quick out the box, Wolves grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck to punish the Gunners’ hapless errors. This time, if it were not for Henrikh Mkhitaryan firing home from outside the box five minutes from time, Santo would have secured their best result of the season to date.

Unfortunately, the highs from the Emirates were smashed into the ground as the team boarded their respective planes to link with their countries once more. The recurring event that kills their momentum was back.

The final international break of 2018 came and went, but the signs of post-national team duty hangover were evident again for the visit of Huddersfield – a side who’d won just the single match in 12 and sat two points from bottom before playing Wolves.

You could not tell that from the game, though. The visitors had more shots, more efforts on target, more possession, more touches, near enough more of everything. Wolves were a shadow of their early-season-selves.

Santo’s men lacked a defensive edge even when they crowded their box to deal with the Terriers’ attack. And yes, they were better in the second half, but had goal-line technology not kept Jimenez off the scoresheet – with all but 1.8cm of the ball crossing the line – Wolves would have been dragged into a false sense of hope that they could go on and win.

After the Huddersfield defeat, a downhearted Santo opened up to BBC, bemoaning his side’s performance as one of their worst displays so far.

The Portuguese coach noted how his men lacked togetherness and played too far apart whether it was in attack or defence, bringing himself to joke that his job was easy as all he needs is to “find the why.”

Luckily, the November break is the last of 2018, and the next is not until March. In the meantime, the Wanderers will play 18 league games – just shy of half the season – and when the “why” is found and the togetherness returns, Wolves can hopefully be the side they were at the start of the season.

Newcastle United will be looking for a strong Xmas period ahead of the January transfer window as manager Rafa Benitez looks to attract talented stars to St James’ Park.

The Magpies are in desperate need of some new players, and despite Benitez still managing to get the best out of his squad, it has been clear for some time that investment is needed in the squad at Newcastle, particularly with players who can improve the first XI.

Benitez will be keeping a close eye on the market no doubt, and he’ll be fully aware of the sort of players he needs to be looking to bring in.

We here at the Tavern think he could improve the squad in more than one area, and one man man we think he should make a move for is out of favour Liverpool right back Nathaniel Clyne.

The England man has lost his place in the Liverpool XI to Trent Alexander-Arnold, and it looks like Clyne has a long way to go before he can find his way back into the thinking for manager Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

Clyne is a talented player though, and it is no fault of his own that he finds himself out of the squad at the moment.

A move to a club like Newcastle might do him the world of good, and it would certainly give Newcastle a boost as they look to avoid the dreaded drop back into the Championship.

Newcastle fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know!

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Having already left Mesut Ozil out on two occasions this season, it appears that Unai Emery is not fussed about upsetting the big boys at Arsenal.

The 47-year-old boss dropped the German for a game against West Ham earlier in the season due to ‘illness’, although he was spotted amongst his teammates prior to kick-off. Also, Ozil didn’t make it off the bench against Bournemouth due to the ‘physicality’ and ‘intensity’ that the Cherries bought to the match, as Emery later revealed.

Tactical or personal? 

Well, there have been rumours of a training ground bust-up between the pair, but let’s not get into that. The Spaniard’s reason for dropping the former Real Madrid playmaker are more than valid – more often than not, Ozil goes missing in the big games and does struggle to keep up with intense, high-pressure football.

Spurs will provide a far more physical and intense battle than Bournemouth did last time out, so if Emery saw fit to leave the 30-year-old out on that occasion, what has changed in two weeks’ time?

Their alleged personal differences aside, the German should not be involved against Spurs if Arsenal want to get anything out of the game.

Why should he be left out? 

Mauricio Pochettino will most likely deploy Eric Dier and Moussa Sissoko in midfield, who, with all due respect to their footballing abilities, are perhaps slightly more reliant on their physical attributes.

Whereas Ozil is the polar opposite of that, in a heated derby game such as this one, sometimes the physical aspect prospers over footballing guile. If he starts, it is more than likely that Arsenal’s number 10 will be muscled out of the game.

Behind Dier and Sissoko are Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld. Ahead of them are Harry Kane and Dele Alli; there are physical powerhouses all over the pitch for Spurs, a factor which suggests that all roads lead to Ozil being drowned out of the game.

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According to a recent report from The Daily Mirror, Arsenal have joined Aston Villa in the race for defender Gary Cahill. The 32-year-old currently plays his football at Premier League giants Chelsea and has done so since leaving Bolton Wanderers back in 2012, although a lack of regular game time under new manager Maurizio Sarri has plunged his future at the club into doubt.

Dean Smith’s Villa are one side reportedly keen on the centre back, and it appears that Unai Emery’s Arsenal have now joined the race for the Englishman as per recent reports, thus leaving Villa needing to seal a deal for Cahill ASAP – a deal that could win them promotion to the Premier League this season.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, while there has certainly been an upturn in form at Villa following the appointment as Smith as manager back in October, the Midlands heavyweights are continuing to leak goals at an alarming rate – a rate that surely isn’t sustainable if they are to challenge for promotion.

In fact, the Villans have conceded more goals than any other team sat above them in the division and indeed more than any other side currently in the top 14 of the Championship table – the recent 5-5 draw with Nottingham Forest highlighted that, while they are scoring goals for fun, they have to tighten up defensively if they are to sustain a promotion push.

And the arrival of the vastly experienced Cahill, who began his senior career at Villa many years ago, would seriously help Smith and his side in their quest to solidify at the back, and thus move up the Championship table.

The 32-year-old may have played very little football under Sarri at Chelsea this season, but one mustn’t forget that it was only a matter of years ago in which the Englishman excelled in Antonio Conte’s back three to help the Blues win the Premier League title – that season in particular, Cahill was outstanding.

And with several years of excellent service to the West Londoners, in which time he has won his fair share of major honours, it’s pretty clear that the 32-year-old is an excellent defender, and one that could prove to be a huge asset to manager Smith, both on and indeed off the pitch given the amount of experience he has accumulated over the years.

Yes, Arsenal’s interest could cause Villa problems in pursuit of Cahill, given the Gunners can continue to offer him football at the highest level, but a move to the Emirates Stadium appears to be nothing more than a short-term fix following the injury to Rob Holding – when he returns, it’s arguable that Cahill doesn’t get into Emery’s starting eleven.

Whereas it’s clear that Villa are in dire need of someone accomplished and experienced at centre back to come in and help stabilise the club’s defence – Cahill is certainly that man.

And with Arsenal reportedly keen on the 32-year-old, time is of the essence for Smith’s side, with the Villans needing to seal a deal for Cahill ASAP in a bid to aid their promotion hopes.

Villa and Arsenal fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Liverpool and Manchester United suffered contrasting results in the Champions League during midweek, and in some ways the two results were indicative of their seasons so far.

The Merseyside outfit scraped through to the knockout stages of the competition thanks to an impressive 1-0 win at home to Napoli whilst, even though they were already through to the next round, United suffered an embarrassing loss to Valencia.

Things will be interesting when United visit Anfield on Sunday then, and as form often goes out of the window when these two old foes meet, here at Football FanCast we’ve taken a closer look at the tactical factors that will decide the outcome.

The Key Battle – Marcus Rashford vs James Milner

Although much of the build up will be dominated by how Liverpool can hurt United, and rightly so given their league positions, Marcus Rashford could be the key weapon for the visitors on Sunday.

The 21-year-old has been in blistering form in recent weeks and is perhaps one of the main reasons that the wheels haven’t completely fallen off for Jose Mourinho. In fact, Rashford has netted twice and provided four assists in United’s last four games in all competitions, so he is certainly the man that Jurgen Klopp will be worrying about.

Rashford also netted both of Manchester United’s goals when the two sides last met in the league in March earlier this year. The youngster bagged twice in the first half at Old Trafford that day to give his side all three points, and he will be hoping to do the same this weekend.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”349092″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch The Accy Show featuring a tempting 41 Premier League treble”]

He will be boosted by the fact that Liverpool have had a deluge of defensive injuries in the past week, and it would seem that Trent Alexander-Arnold will miss the game, along with Joe Gomez who would be the natural second choice at right-back for the Reds.

Given that Nathaniel Clyne won’t be back to full fitness either, it appears James Milner will once again fill in at full-back. The 32-year-old is an exceptionally versatile player and he played the role in the recent 4-0 win over Bournemouth. Rashford though will provide a completely different test for the former Leeds and Manchester City man.

The Key Dynamic – Attack vs counter attack

In recent seasons, games between Liverpool and Manchester United have been extremely tight and often scrappy affairs, with the same fixture at Anfield last term resulting in a 0-0 draw.

With Jose Mourinho in charge, the Red Devils have tended to set up with plenty of men behind the ball and the sole intention of not losing the game to one of their most bitter rivals – we can’t see the Portuguese boss straying from tradition this weekend.

Liverpool then will have to play on the front-foot, but luckily for Klopp this is how most teams have approached the Reds this season and his side have produced some extremely impressive and professional performances.

United will be hoping to hit the home side on the counter attack, but if Liverpool can dominate possession then Mourinho’s side may not have a chance to get out of their own half.

The Deciding Factor – Can Liverpool break down United?

The deciding factor in the game then could be whether Liverpool’s midfield and strike force are able to open up a packed United defence.

So far this season we haven’t seen the blistering starts from Liverpool that were custom at the start of Jurgen Klopp’s reign, but they are now a far more balanced team. It also says a lot that when watching them, we now expect the Reds to find a way to break the deadlock no matter how long that may take.

For example, in the 3-1 win against Burnley at Turf Moor, Klopp’s side had to wait and wait, even falling behind before they eventually found the key to unlocking Sean Dyche’s well-drilled side.

Comparing Manchester United to Burnley won’t please many Red Devils fans, but that is the reality of the situation under Mourinho when playing a top six rival.

The Impact Subs – Xherdan Shaqiri vs Marouane Fellaini

Liverpool’s £13m signing of Xherdan Shaqiri now looks to be one of the best bargains of the summer window. The diminutive Swiss winger has serious quality and his eye for a pass means he could be the one to breach the United defence on Sunday, especially if he comes off the bench when legs are tiring.

Since his move from Stoke, the 27-year-old has recorded three goals and three assists for his new club, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he added to that against the Red Devils.

For United, their impact sub is someone at the opposite end of the spectrum to Shaqiri, but he can be just as effective in his own right.

When United are in trouble, Mourinho calls upon Marouane Fellaini. The 6 foot 4 former Everton man has plenty of experience in derby games against Liverpool, and up against Dejan Lovren you would back him to win the header every time.

Speculation regarding the future of Paris St Germain midfielder, Adrien Rabiot, has dominated the headlines over the last week.

The French midfielder has developed into a key player for the Parisians but has less than one year remaining on his deal with the club. PSG were desperate to secure his future, but reports suggest that Rabiot has no intention of penning a new contract. The 23-year-old was described as ‘desperate’ to leave his current employers and faces the prospect of being frozen out until the end of the season.

Naturally, Rabiot has been linked with a move to the Premier League. A reunion with Unai Emery at Arsenal has been mooted with Aaron Ramsey set to leave on a free while Tottenham also view the France international as a long-term replacement for Moussa Dembele. Liverpool have also reportedly registered an interest in bringing Rabiot to Anfield, but would it be a worth their time?

Valued at £45m by Transfermarkt, there is no doubt surrounding Rabiot’s talent, but he would be adding to an already packed Liverpool midfield. Primarily operating as a number six, the Frenchman would be in direct competition with summer signing Fabinho who has impressed the Kop after finally adjusting to life at Anfield. Ahead of him, Jurgen Klopp has the likes of Naby Keita, Gini Wijnaldum, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Adam Lallana and even Xherdan Shaqiri who can play in a central role. Indeed, Milner and Lallana could be on their way out in the near future, but Rabiot is a player that Klopp will have to keep a close eye on.

The midfielder was dropped by Thomas Tuchel earlier in the season for disciplinary issues, and Rabiot also caused a stir by refusing to be placed on France’s World Cup standby list as he ‘wouldn’t be able to follow the training programme’. Klopp has shown in the past with the likes of Mamadou Sakho that he won’t stand for any nonsense.

The youngster would demand a huge wage packet to move to Merseyside and Klopp would be wise to look elsewhere.

Liverpool fans, thoughts?

Rangers’ defeat of Celtic at Ibrox Stadium on Saturday blew the title race in Scotland wide open. These two old rivals, who share the city of Glasgow, are now level on points at the top of the table.

If this race is to go to the wire though, then Rangers have yet more work to do.

What’s the word?

The Bhoys have dominated the Scottish top flight in recent years, largely due to the financial collapse Rangers suffered in 2012 that saw them tumble down the league pyramid. The Gers will now be desperate to make up for lost time by landing a league title this season, though, they’ll need reinforcements in January in order to pull the task off.

Check out Neymar’s controversial new haircut for 2019 and Xherdan Shaqiri as you’ve never seen him before in the video below..,

Steven Gerrard will know that his squad are currently far too reliant upon Alfredo Morelos for goals, and he will be keen to add a reliable goalscorer for the rest of the campaign. 

Securing Bournemouth veteran Jermain Defoe on loan would be a smart way for Gerrard to add proven firepower to his ranks.

A point to prove

The 36-year-old poacher has amassed 273 career goals in his long club career, but now finds himself making late cameos fo Eddie Howe’s Cherries side. The 57-cap former England international has amassed just 21 minutes of Premier League action so far this season.

If Defoe still believes he has more to offer then he’ll have to seek pastures new in order to prove his enduring worth.

If he still is able to chip in with a few goals, then his arrival at Ibrox could help fire Rangers to a historic title.

Aston Villa will look to target a new defender to ease their crisis at the back in January.

Dean Smith will have the opportunity to tailor the squad to meet his needs in the upcoming transfer window with the Villans chasing a return to the Premier League. Reports suggest that the new Villa owners will back their manager significantly in the forthcoming window in order to boost their chances of leaving the Championship at the end of the season. Villa have already confirmed one transfer, securing the signature of Genk goalkeeper, Lovre Kalinic, for around £6m.

Smith will aim to sign a new defender given the number of injuries currently plaguing the Villa squad. Axel Tuanzebe is facing an extended spell on the sidelines which forced Villa to look to James Collins in the short-term. However, the former West Ham defender also pulled up with injury while trying to earn a permanent contract at Villa Park.

Therefore, Villa should plan an ambitious move to sign former Real Madrid defender – Pepe. Valued at £1.35m by Transfermarkt, the Portugal international is currently a free agent after leaving Besiktas in mid-December following the expiration of his contract. Despite being 35-years-old, Pepe would be a wonderful addition to the Villa back line and ease the defensive crisis that is currently on-going.

The former Porto defender would bring a wealth of knowledge to the Midlands having made over 220 appearances for Real Madrid. Pepe lifted three Spanish titles and three Champions League trophies during his time in Spain, and his experience would be of great value to the Aston Villa youngsters. Pepe may have lost his pace but still reads the game expertly and can still perform at the highest level for at least another season.

If Villa could convince him to move to the Championship – this move should be a no-brainer.

Aston Villa fans, thoughts?