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Lots of Everton fans have been left to buzz as an update emerged on their Premier League fixtures.

As per the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, the Merseyside club start off with a very favourable set of games for the first two months, in which they avoid all of the so-called ‘Big Six’ and both Leicester City and West Ham United as well, who finished in the European places last season.

The Toffees got off to a great start in the 2020/21 campaign, winning their first four matches in the top flight, and will be thinking that they are very much capable of repeating the trick come the new term.

Nonetheless, whoever the new manager is, they will surely be happy with the starting run of fixtures.

Everton fans on fixture update

These Blues buzzed as the fixture update was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it was ‘excellent’:

“Wow. Exceptionally good start to the season!! New manager should be flying”

Credit: @the_staveros

“Quite happy with that start.”

Credit: @LadShirts

“Roll on top of the league for the first 6 games again”

Credit: @jake_williams11

“September champs again”

Credit: @plee33

“An excellent opportunity to get a really good start to the season.”

Credit: @AlHart07

“27 points from our first 10 games be sound that”

Credit: @dh_5__

In other news, find out what transfer update has left Toffees fuming here!

Steve Cooper has been dealt a blow in his bid to re-sign Freddie Woodman for Swansea City this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Chronicle Live, who claim that both Arsenal and Southampton are interested in a move for the Newcastle United goalkeeper in the upcoming transfer window after impressing over two loan spells at Swansea – who are also thought to be keen on re-signing the shot-stopper this summer.

The report also included a quote given by Woodman himself, who revealed that he will not return to St. James’ Park in order to play second or third fiddle to Martin Dubravka and Karl Darlow.

He said: “Currently I’m a Swansea player and that’s it. When I go back to Newcastle I’ll have the same mentality I had coming here. I’ll train and try to be No 1, and if that doesn’t happen I’ll work hard and keep trying to improve.”

Cooper will be gutted

Considering just how well the £8.1m-rated shot-stopper has performed over his two seasons at the Liberty Stadium, the news that the likes of Arsenal and Southampton are now considering a move for the 24-year-old – whom Ryan Dilks dubbed as “fantastic” – is likely to come as gutting news for Cooper.

In his first season with Swansea, Woodman kept 12 clean sheets over 43 Championship appearances, as well as making an average of 2.6 saves per game and stopping three out of the five penalties he faced – earning a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.89.

This term, the former England U21 international has kept a whopping 20 clean sheets over 45 Championship fixtures, in addition to making an average of 2.2 saves per game and stopping one of the three penalties he has faced, seeing the 24-year-old earn an average SofaScore match rating of 6.92 – ranking him as the Swans’ 12th-best performer in the second tier.

And, with Cooper’s side just one game away from promotion via the play-off final, should the 41-year-old indeed lose the services of Woodman to either Arsenal or Southampton this summer, he will have the difficult task of sourcing a suitable replacement for his first-choice ‘keeper ahead of what may well be a top flight campaign.

Either way, the news of clubs’ interest with considerably bigger appeal and resources than the Swans would not appear to bode well for their chances of re-signing the shot-stopper this summer – although, securing promotion to the Premier League certainly wouldn’t damage their hopes.

In other news: Huge Swansea City exit claim emerges that will surely leave fans furious – opinion

According to The Athletic, Wolves are interested in hiring Glasgow Rangers manager Steven Gerrard as their new boss.

The Lowdown: Gerrard impresses

Gerrard has done a fantastic job with the Gers this campaign. He led the Ibrox outfit to their first major trophy in 10 years, and even took them through an unbeaten campaign in the Premiership.

As such, the Gers’ performances have linked Gerrard with the exit door, with Tottenham being urged to hire the former Liverpool captain (Football Insider). Now, another Premier League outfit are said to be in pursuit.

The Latest: Wolves want Gerrard

Nuno Espirito Santo recently confirmed he would be leaving Wolves at the end of the season (BBC), meaning the Midlands outfit need to replace him.

This latest report suggests Gerrard is amongst the candidates for the role, although Bruno Lage is seemingly the front runner.

The Verdict: He can do better

Given how the Gers have done this campaign, there is bound to be plenty of interest in Gerrard’s services. At some point, it feels likely that he will return to England, and a club such as Wolves would be able to offer him an interesting project and funds to spend. They would also likely be able to offer him an increase on the £2.5m a year (or £48,000 a week) he earns in Glasgow (sportekz.com).

At the moment, though, it makes no sense for him to leave.

Winning the Premiership means the Gers have qualified for the third qualifying round of the Champions League. Competing in that tournament, as well as trying to win trophies domestically, is too big a carrot for Gerrard to ignore. For now, he should stay put unless another Champions League outfit comes calling.

In other news, Barry Ferguson makes a claim on this Gers 22-year-old.

Harry Kane will leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer…

What’s the word?

That’s the latest claim from talkSPORT’s transfer guru Alex Crook, who provided fresh information on the 27-year-old’s future in north London to the GameDay football podcast earlier in the week.

He said:

“Well, I was told by somebody high ranking at one of the Premier League clubs that Harry Kane absolutely will leave Tottenham this summer. It’s not even in debate.”

Kane’s future in North London is shrouded in mystery, especially after the club failed in yet another major cup final.

The England talisman recently reiterated his desire to win silverware, claiming that the Lilywhites are “not quite doing that” and this, according to some pundits, is a come-and-get-me plea ahead of the window.

“The way I would read into that is he wants to go,” suggested Paul Merson on Soccer Saturday (via HITC). “It is a ‘come and get me.'”

And according to the Independent, Kane will have plenty of suitors this summer as Paris Saint-Germain are set to battle runaway Premier League leaders and Champions League finalists Manchester City, as well as their local rivals, United.

Levy will be furious

First of all, Crook’s claim is rather worrying and it will leave Spurs chairman Daniel Levy quite rightly fuming because if it’s true, then the word is out there about the 27-year-old and it is circulating around their closest rivals.

It would be a gutting, gutting blow to see Kane swap N17 for Manchester as he would come back to haunt them, at least twice a season whereas if he were to join a foreign giant, then Spurs won’t have to witness the repercussions too often.

If Kane’s entourage are genuinely putting the feelers out there, as Merson has alluded to, then it will only weaken Levy’s position, His leading striker is currently valued at £108m by Transfermarkt yet some reports suggest the Red Devils could try and chance their arm with a £90m bid this summer (The Sun).

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That’s not to say there’s any direct correlation between this leak and any likely bid, but it is, at the very least, an interesting coincidence.

Levy remains keen to keep hold of Kane and could offer him a new contract in a desperate attempt to persuade him to stay, according to Fabrizio Romano on the ‘Here We Go’ podcast.

However, interest in the 6 foot 2 goal machine from the likes of United and City won’t do him any favours and that will ultimately anger the chairman further.

There is also the prospect of Tottenham’s next manager not having such an integral and crucial figure next season, which will make the job even less appealing as their chances of qualifying for the Champions League are already slim, whereas the two Manchester clubs and PSG will be in it once again next season.

Kane is enjoying one of his best-ever campaigns, providing 31 goals and 16 assists in all competitions, via Transfermarkt. He has directly contributed towards 56.6% of all their league goals this term.

That’s how vital he is to Spurs.

Once dubbed a “monster” by teammate Heung-min Son and “the top number nine in the world” by ex-Lilywhites striker Teddy Sheringham, Kane and his immediate future will clearly be a constant source of frustration for Levy throughout the coming months.

Will Kane stay at his boyhood club? Only time will tell but what is for sure is that Levy will not be happy at all that a significant figure at another Premier League club is telling the press that the England captain is going to be on the move.

This figure is either revealing details about some behind-the-scenes talks or simply putting out what is sure to be an unsettling story, either of which will certainly make Levy angry.

AND in other news, Kane and £18m-rated monster would be a frightening duo for next Spurs boss…

Manchester United secured second place in the Premier League with a 1-1 draw against Fulham last time out, but it was a far from satisfactory performance from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

The Red Devils took the lead in spectacular, if controversial, style when Edinson Cavani floated the ball over Alphonse Areola from 40 yards out.

Cavani latched onto David de Gea’s long pass downfield after VAR importantly adjudged that the ball had touched Bruno Fernandes on the way through before executing an exquisite lobbed finish that gave the 10,000 fans in attendance something to cheer.

However, despite dominating possession and carving out the better opportunities, United failed to finish Fulham off, and suspect defending allowed Joe Bryan to ghost in at the far post and nod home an equaliser from Bobby Decordova-Reid’s cross.

It was a poor performance all round from the 20-time English champions, but one man who was particularly disappointing, though, was Paul Pogba.

The 28-year-old midfielder has been one of United’s standout performers since the turn of the year, bagging five goals and providing seven assists in all competitions throughout 2021, although Tuesday nights display was certainly one to forget.

As per SofaScore, Pogba received a miserly 6.1/10 rating, which was by far the worst of any player to feature in this midweek encounter.

During the 90 minutes, the France international lost 11 of his 12 ground duels with Scott Parker’s men and won just three of his six aerial duels despite his 6 ft 2 frame.

To top off an extremely below-par display from the star, who takes home a reported £290,000-per-week wage packet, Pogba also failed to complete any of his four dribbles, lost possession 16 times and completed just 50% of his long passes. It was unquestionably the former Juventus man’s worst performance in quite some time, but he has been known to have the odd stinker like this from time to time.

United fans will be hoping it was just another one-off with the Europa League final around the corner, but Pogba clearly let Solskjaer down once again against Fulham.

And, in other news…Woordward masterclass: MUFC must seal £22.5m-rated gem with “excellent left foot” – opinion

Noel Whelan has lauded the performance of Diego Llorente as Leeds United beat Manchester City 2-1 away in the Premier League on Saturday.

Two goals from Stuart Dallas were enough to give Marcelo Bielsa’s team all three points at the Etihad Stadium as they earned them the hard way following a straight red card for their captain Liam Cooper and an equalising goal from Ferran Torres for Pep Guardiola’s men.

Nonetheless, Llorente needed to put in a very commanding performance at the back with his central defensive partner given his marching orders just before the half-time whistle, and the Spain international did just that, leaving former Elland Road striker Whelan in awe of him when speaking to Football Insider:

“He keeps getting better and better.

“For me, he’s my number-one choice at centre-half right now. He is showing all these skills, running out with the ball, defensively he’s getting a lot stronger, a lot tougher.

“He’s also a lot more aggressive and winning a lot of his duels.

“He’s the first on the team sheet for me. It’s all about whether it’s going to be Struijk or Liam Cooper next to him.”

Llorente deserves all praise for Leeds

Llorente deserves all the praise for his display as he was vital to Leeds securing victory over the Premier League leaders.

The 27-year-old topped the performance charts in terms of clearances made (six), shots blocked (five) and interceptions made (two, joint with Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha) at the Etihad, as per Sofascore, highlighting just how important he was to Bielsa’s side.

The centre-back is set to become even more crucial now in the next run of matches for Leeds given Cooper’s sending off and subsequent suspension.

In other news, find out which Leeds ace Paddy Kenny has tipped to play Champions League football!

With reports emerging that Aston Villa have decided against signing Ross Barkley on a permanent deal this summer, Dean Smith must surely consider giving Aaron Ramsey a chance to shine in the first-team.

Amid a disappointing campaign on loan at Villa Park, it’s now being suggested that Smith’s side will wave goodbye to Barkley at the end of the season, thus opening the door for a new number ten to come through.

And in the 18-year-old Ramsey, Villa have got a superb talent on their hands.

Smith described him and his brother Jacob as “two talented players who we believe have a lot of potential”, with Aaron actually even captaining England’s U17 side previously.

The Athletic revealed that he’s more of a “fiery character” than Jacob, with one source saying he “wears his heart on his sleeve”. With the likes of Grealish, and even more recently Louie Barry, Villa have got a couple of outstanding academy break-outs.

According to England’s U17s coach Kevin Betsy, one of Ramsey’s strong points is his leadership qualities.

He said: “Aaron deserved the armband because of his performances for his club and his character around the place. We try to develop leaders across our pathway… but you can’t just talk about it and say ‘be a leader’. We have to give them the opportunity to do it and feel it on the grass. Aaron was given that opportunity.”

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Bringing the younger Ramsey into the fold, just when his older brother is beginning to make his mark – Jacob’s played 15 times in the Premier League already this season – would help kick-start a new era at Villa Park.

The likes of Barry, the two Ramsey’s and even players like Kaine Kesler and Carney Chukwuemeka are all knocking on the door for a first-team opportunity.

But with Barkley set to go, it’s Aaron who could ensure Villa’s burgeoning academy takes their chance to impress.

Meanwhile, Dean Smith must finally unleash this “outstanding” talent…

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Sheffield Wednesday defender Osaze Urhoghide this summer.

The next transfer window could potentially be a busy one at Elland Road, as Marcelo Bielsa looks to further fine-tune his squad ahead of next season.

Leeds have enjoyed a more-than-adequate return to the Premier League, currently sitting 11th in the table, but the aim is to repeat that feat next year, or preferably better it.

The Whites could make additions all over the pitch, but one transfer rumour that has emerged claims they are eyeing up a versatile defender.

[freshpress-quiz id=“336849″]

Leeds keen on Urhoghide move

According to the Sheffield Star, Wednesday youngster Urhoghide is considered an option for Leeds, as they look to snatch away an exciting player from their local rivals.

The 20-year-old is out of contract at Hillsborough at the end of the season, so the Whites could snap him up on a free transfer.

Urhoghide is capable of playing at centre-back or in either of the full-back spots, making nine Championship starts for the struggling Owls this season.

Transfer Tavern take

It is always good to see Leeds linked with talented young English players and Urhoghide fits into that category, having made a name for himself with Wednesday.

His versatility could also come in handy, allowing him to fill in across several positions and hopefully mature as a player under Bielsa’s tutelage.

That versatility, youth and the fact he is available for free makes him a low risk high reward signing from Director of Football Victor Orta, if it goes through.

In other news, a key Leeds player is believed to be attracting interest from other clubs. Find out who it is here.

Some Manchester United fans have been left to fume at an update involving Edinson Cavani.

As per Argentinian news outlet Olé, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team would like to renew the striker’s current deal at Old Trafford.

This is despite the veteran striker being 34 years of age, with much younger talents like Mason Greenwood able to play in his position, who may find their pathway for a regular starting place blocked by Cavani.

The Uruguay international has been suffering with various injury problems in recent times and has not scored for the Red Devils in over two months now (Transfermarkt), so the decision to potentially reward him with a new contract does seem a little strange.

Of course, Cavani can still be world class on his day, but maybe it is time for MUFC to head in another direction in the transfer market.

Manchester United fans on Cavani update

These Man Utd supporters fumed upon reading the update on Twitter, with one fan even going as far as to claim that it was ‘nonsense’:

“Nonsense, the game against Brighton showed why we need to give Greenwood more chance to play central. Cavani is already feeling tired. Let him go, we need young blood in that position.”

Credit: @MKJohn254

“If he is considering, then it would be shameful for us to offer him an extension”

Credit: @JecintaNwo

“This club is dead man, Mata, Jones and now Cavani”

Credit: @vybzsdante

“Worrying that we’re STILL trying to convince players to stay. And 34 years as well”

Credit: @JoeQuigleyCoach

“Noooo”

Credit: @jack10ii

“We are actually finished as a club.”

Credit: @IrishBrian24

In other news, find out what David de Gea update has left fans fuming here!

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Premier League striker Marlon Harewood is refusing to consider Sam Allardyce’s complaints about West Brom’s recent schedule.

The West Brom boss has not been happy with the scheduling of some of the Baggies’ recent fixtures, going as far as to say those working for the Premier League are “helping” the club to get relegated.

Allardyce’s side were made to play Newcastle United last Sunday, 60 hours after taking on Everton, a tight turnaround. Harewood, though, has little sympathy for the ex-England manager, feeling the hectic Premier League schedule is something people should be used to by now.

Reacting to Allardyce’s comments in an Exclusive interview with FFC, Harewood said:

“It’s just crazy. I do find that [crazy], when managers and people moan, obviously you knew the schedule from the beginning of the season, so you have to plan. Everyone has to plan, especially with injuries and stuff, you can’t put it down to injuries. You have a squad, you have a 24-man squad and you play them how you see fit to play them.”

The former West Ham and Aston Villa forward later added: “So like when Sam Allardyce’s talking about stuff like that, because I respect him, because he’s a great manager, but at the same time, you just got to get on with it.”

Next up for West Brom is a trip to Selhurst Park to take on Allardyce’s former side Crystal Palace.

The Eagles’ form in front of goal has not been great of late, blanking in consecutive home games against Fulham and Manchester United before Christian Benteke’s header in their 4-1 defeat to Tottenham last time out.

It is one area the Baggies could try and exploit as they desperately try to pick up some points with time running out for them.