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The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered his verdict on Aston Villa boss Dean Smith’s future.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days and weeks have suggested that the Villa manager is coming under increased pressure following a difficult start to the Premier League that has seen the Midlands club lie in the bottom half of the table.

And now, Preece has suggested that the next two games in the Premier League – against West Ham and Southampton respectively – could hold the key.

He said: “Villa have lost five from nine so pressure’s beginning to mount on the boss, of course it is. Smith’s once-indestructible grip on the job loosened as soon as Wolves won it in stoppage time 10 days ago.

“I dread to think what could happen if Villa lose their next two before the international break, which will take them to seven defeats from 11. That simply cannot happen. The next two games are huge in terms of Villa’s season – even at this early stage.

“I do believe Smith’s the right man for the job. He must prove his credentials once again here, though. It’s down to the boss to get a huge reaction from his players now. They badly let him down at Arsenal after he backed them to the hilt in his pre-match presser.”

Make or break for Dean Smith

After picking up an impressive win away at Manchester United a few weeks ago, things have rapidly taken a turn for the worse for Smith and Villa.

They followed up that 1-0 victory at Old Trafford with three successive defeats in the Premier League, and the manner of each of those losses would be the real shock.

Spurs were in a bad spell of form themselves under Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves defeat came as a result of a truly remarkable late collapse after leading 2-0, and the Arsenal loss was galling for its first-half shambles.

It’s no surprise then that the pressure has well and truly ramped up on Smith, and if things don’t improve markedly in terms of both their performances and results, then he could well find himself being one of the Premier League’s early managerial casualties.

Villa fans will be concerned about their side heading into this weekend.

Meanwhile, Villa must sell this star amid rival interest…

Aston Villa should confirm a new partnership with Castore during the next fans’ consultation meeting, according to Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Castore rumours

Villa’s kits are currently designed by Kappa, however, their deal with the Italian sportswear brand is set to expire next year.

Rumours have recently emerged regarding Villa joining Newcastle and Wolves with a partnership with Castore.

Another of their high-profile clients are Rangers, the club Steven Gerrard recently left to take over at Villa Park, and Gerrard may well be seen in Castore attire once again next season.

The Latest: Preece’s claim

Preece ran a Q&A on Birmingham Live on Tuesday, where he was quizzed on a range of Villa-related topics.

One of those were on the Castore rumours, with Preece believing it should be confirmed in the next fans’ consultation meeting, with Castore offering huge sums.

“Hi Jamie! Yeah, seen that Castore development from over the weekend. It should be confirmed in the next fans’ consultation meeting but we’ll see. Adidas seemed the most-likely one, like you say, but Castore offering huge sums. All about the £££.”

The Verdict: Preece spot on…

Preece’s final line of his reply regarding money is what it may boil down to, so should Castore be the most lucrative offer on the table, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Villa form a partnership beginning next season.

Newcastle reportedly pocket £5m each season with the British manufacturer, and if Villa can strike a similar agreement, that money could be put towards paying big-money summer signing Leon Bailey for a whole year with change left over.

In other news: ‘Wow’ – Many AVFC fans stunned at ‘bonkers’ claim from Preece. 

Noel Whelan has revealed his excitement over Leeds United’s proposed expansion plans at Elland Road amid Phil Hay’s recent £250m claim.

What’s the story?

During a Q&A for The Athletic, Hay revealed that the club are completely committed to redeveloping Elland Road and increasing the capacity there, even suggesting that those inside the club feel it could bump up the annual revenue over £250m.

And now, in response to that news, Whelan has revealed his excitement about Marcelo Bielsa’s side’s future.

He said: “This would be huge. The demand for tickets at Leeds means everything is sold out. Even for League Cup games, you’ve got 36,000 there and that just shows the strength of the fanbase and the excitement around the club at the moment.

“It’s a massive step forward, for revenue through tickets and sheer strength in numbers with the support. If they increased the capacity to 55,000, they would sell it out week-in, week-out – there’s no doubt about it.

“The other part of it is the possibility of holding World Cups and European Championships in this country – you want the stadium to be part of hosting these games. It’s another step forward and another progression for the club.”

Leeds United’s ambition

With a current capacity of just over 37,000, Leeds have the 11th biggest stadium in the Premier League, behind the likes of Everton and Aston Villa – if their plans to make it a 55,000 seater come to fruition, then that would see them leapfrog a number of big clubs, including that of Liverpool and their home of Anfield.

While a larger stadium isn’t necessarily a guarantee of greater times or success – you only have to look at the likes of Arsenal and Spurs to see that in recent years – it is another major statement of ambition.

As Whelan says, a bigger home could lead to more opportunities both on the pitch and off it, especially in terms of a financial venture. Spurs for example have their agreement with the NFL and hosting games on their turf, pulling in some extra eyes and money from that deal.

If Leeds are to make that next step, then repurposing Elland Road to match their Premier League status and ambition is key, and it’s something that is sure to excite their loyal fans.

Meanwhile, Phil Hay has dropped a Leeds United transfer update…

Former Juventus, Chelsea and Inter manager Antonio Conte has been linked with replacing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the Manchester United hot seat.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, United chiefs have started to hold Solskjaer’s future in doubt after a string of disappointing displays and poor results, with Conte the preferred option to take over the reins.

The report claims that the plan to bring the Italian tactician to Old Trafford is gathering pace amid growing discontent in the red half of Manchester and goes on to state that a deal could soon be done while the Red Devils remain in and around the top of the Premier League.

Some fans will be buzzing

Although Solskjaer has done a magnificent job during his time in charge of United, some of the club’s supporters will be buzzing at the prospect of Conte replacing the 48-year-old.

While the ex-Molde boss has overseen a successful squad rebuild, recorded consecutive top-four finishes for the first time since Sir Alex Ferguson retired and brought through the likes of Mason Greenwood and Dean Henderson from United’s academy, he’s still failed to win any major silverware.

The 20-time English champions came close to ending their four-year wait for a major trophy last season before being defeated by Villarreal on penalties in the Europa League final, but a slow start to the current campaign has quickly changed the mood at the Theatre of Dreams.

A 4-2 defeat at the hands of Leicester City last time out condemned United to their fourth defeat of 2021/22 in all competitions, and with a tough run of fixtures ahead, things could get even worse for Solskjaer’s charges.

As a result, Conte has now entered the frame to replace the Scandinavian, and he could prove to be a controversial replacement if the club’s chiefs press ahead with his proposed appointment.

During his managerial career, the 52-year-old has won an abundance of major honours, including three Serie A titles with Juve, a Premier League and FA Cup crown with Chelsea and another Scudetto with Inter last season. With that in mind, some supporters would surely be elated at him joining the Red Devils.

However, he has never stayed in one job longer than three years, in part due to his fiery and confrontational character, something that may not be appealing to some United fans.

It remains to be seen whether Solskjaer can keep hold of his job over the coming weeks and months, but with tricky fixtures against Atalanta, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur up next, it could be a crucial period for the retired striker’s future prospects.

And, in other news…Report reveals concerning update over “quality” Man Utd maestro, Ole will be worried 

A journalist has now dropped a big blow to Newcastle United and their hopes of hiring Antonio Conte as their next manager.

The Lowdown: Conte linked

Conte has reportedly been linked with a move to St. James’ Park after the takeover by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium was completed.

With new owners now in the North East, Steve Bruce’s job is under threat, and him and Lee Charnley are expected to be casualties of the new regime.

The Latest: Conte stance

Duncan Wright from The Sun has now given an update on Conte and his link to Tyneside, revealing that he has “no interest” in managing the Magpies at this stage: “Not what NUFC fans may want to hear, but understand Conte has no interest in managerial job at this stage.”

He expands on this in his latest piece for The Sun, claiming that he wants his next job to be one at a team who are already in a position to genuinely challenge for titles.

Conte does not want to join a side with a long-term building programme, and an insider shared that he has “higher expectations” about his managerial career.

The Verdict: Shame

It would certainly be a shame if the Toon were to miss out on the chance to hire Conte as their next manager.

The Italian has a glittering CV, having ended the dominance of Juventus in the Serie A by winning the league title with Inter Milan last season, not to mention also having the added experience of managing in the Premier League before with Chelsea, again where he managed to win the league back in the 2016/17 term (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, the fact that they are even being linked with managers of his calibre just shows the kind of ambition that the new owners seemingly have.

In other news, find out which ‘proven winner’ NUFC are plotting a move for here!

Some Liverpool supporters have been left fuming that Curtis Jones is out of the Premier League clash with Watford after worsening an existing injury on international duty.

The 20-year-old has enjoyed an impressive start to the season for the Reds, helping fill the void left by Gini Wijnaldum.

Jones scored in the 3-3 draw away to Brentford last month and has also registered three assists, including two in the Champions League victory over Porto.

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With Fabinho, Thiago and Harvey Elliott all unavailable for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Watford, yet another injury blow in midfield could be catastrophic.

Unfortunately, that is the case, with Jurgen Klopp confirming in his Friday press conference [via Paul Joyce on Twitter] that Jones returned from England Under-21 duty with a groin issue and is also out.

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Liverpool fans furious at Jones news

Needless to say, the news has been met with huge negativity by these Liverpool fans on Twitter.

“Oh God”

Credit: @Kopite_JC17

“They knew he had a knock and still played him”

Credit: @Luke_Vials

“End my suffering”

Credit: @obwild480

“This is an absolute disgrace. It was clear before the Andorra game he had an injury and they didn’t even do a scan and just played him? Gross negligence from an organisation full of absolute idiots. That’s all it’s ever been.”

Credit: @SportsEnthusi17

“So the midfield tomorrow is likely going be Hendo, Milner and Keita? We are in trouble tomorrow”

Credit: @shahabLFC

“When will it end?”

Credit: @JxcobLFC

In other news, some Liverpool fans have erupted at some ‘massive news’. Read more here.

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith must start Emiliano Martinez for today’s Premier League game against Everton at Villa Park.

What’s the story?

Along with Emi Buendia, the goalkeeper was involved in the mess which accompanied Argentina’s clash against Brazil a couple of weeks ago, when health officials ran onto the pitch in protest.

The duo have since spent the last ten days in Croatia in order to train, and Smith has now confirmed that while they will return to Villa Park on Saturday morning, a late call will be made on whether they will be involved against the Toffees in the 5:30pm kick-off.

The manager said: “We are expecting them to join us tomorrow (Saturday) morning and I’ll assess it then and decide if they’ll be involved or not.

“We have got their numbers of what they have been doing each day. That gets sent straight to the performance department and passed onto the coaches. They are in a good place physically which is what we need to know. I’ll assess that in the morning and wait until tomorrow.”

He’s a game-changer

The Argentine netminder has been outstanding for Villa since joining from Arsenal back in the summer of 2020, keeping the third most clean sheets in the Premier League last season with 15.

Described as a “phenomenon” and someone who “guarantees ten points per season” by Argentine World Cup winner Daniel Bertoni, Martinez has been nothing short of outstanding for the Midlands club, so much so that he’s become a permanent part of his country’s squad at international level.

While Jed Steer hardly made a mistake in the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea last week, there is a reason why Martinez has been established as Villa’s number one goalkeeper.

While Smith will understandably have concerns over starting someone like Buendia given that he’s an outfield player and will be short of match fitness, as a goalkeeper Martinez should have no real worries at all.

The £31.5m-rated star simply has to start today against Everton, and could well be a game-changer for Villa as they hope to get back to winning ways.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has delivered an exciting claim about this Aston Villa starlet…

واصل الزمالك التغريد منفردًا في صدارة ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز معززًا مركزه بالفوز على غزل المحلة في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم.

وانتصر الزمالك على غزل المحلة الذي خاض المباراة على ملعبه بهدفين دون رد ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة والعشرين من الدوري.

وفي الجولة ذاتها، حقق الإسماعيلي فوزًا هامًا على فيوتشر بهدفين مقابل هدف.

وفي ختام مباريات اليوم، نال الأهلي خسارته على يد نظيره بيراميدز بهدفين نظيفين. ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز

1- الزمالك – المركز الأول – 57 نقطة.

2- بيراميدز – المركز الثاني – 53 نقطة.

3- الأهلي – المركز الثالث – 48 نقطة.

4- فيوتشر – المركز الرابع – 39 نقطة.

5- سموحة – المركز الخامس – 39 نقطة.

6- طلائع الجيش – المركز السادس – 37 نقطة.

7- البنك الأهلي – المركز السابع – 34 نقطة.

8- فاركو- المركز الثامن – 31 نقطة.

9- سيراميكا كليوباترا – المركز التاسع – 29 نقطة.

10- الاتحاد السكندري – المركز العاشر – 28 نقطة.

11- إنبي- المركز الحادي عشر – 27 نقطة.

12- المصري – المركز الثاني عشر – 27 نقطة.

13- الإسماعيلي – المركز الثالث عشر – 26 نقطة.

14- غزل المحلة – المركز الرابع عشر – 26 نقطة.

15- الجونة – المركز الخامس عشر – 23 نقطة.

16-  المقاولون العرب – المركز السادس عشر – 20 نقطة.

17- إيسترن كومباني – المركز السابع عشر – 19 نقطة.

18- مصر المقاصة – المركز الثامن عشر – 14 نقطة.

يمكنكم متابعة جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز محدث باستمرار من هنا

Newcastle United are now reportedly weighing up a cut-price move to sign Jack Hendry before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Centre-back wanted

The St. James’ Park faithful are clearly after a new central defender, with the likes of Phil Jones and Mouctar Diakhaby being linked so far this month.

However, with so little time left in the window remaining, any deal will have to be done fast in order to bring them to the North East.

The Latest: Hendry eyed

As per The Daily Mail, the Tyneside club are one of a number of sides to have made enquiries over the possibility of signing Hendry, along with Burnley, Southampton, West Brom and Sheffield United, while Torino are also interested in his signature.

Oostende value their player at around the £8m mark but a deal could be done for around £4m, which has put a lot of teams on alert.

The Verdict: Sign

Given that could be available for half of his value, the Magpies should not be breaking a sweat in trying to get this Hendry deal done.

Described as a ‘natural leader’ by Oostende manager Alexander Blessin back in November, he is currently the captain of his side – despite only joining last year – and so would bring leadership qualities both on the pitch as well as on it.

He has also started the 2021/22 season off well, winning no fewer than five of his duels per game in the Belgium Pro League, while also averaging 4.6 clearances, 1.2 interceptions and 1.2 tackles per match (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, the Scotland international would certainly be a smart purchase by the Toon.

In other news, find out whose display against Southampton was criticised here!

Some Liverpool supporters absolutely love Jurgen Klopp’s comments regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold playing in midfield in the future, as the manager spoke in theÂbuild-up to Sunday’s clash with Leeds.

The 22-year-old has blossomed into one of the most exciting young players in Europe, having jumped from academy prospect to superstar at Anfield in recent years.

Alexander-Arnold has made the right-back spot his own under Klopp – although he is not first-choice for England – registering 45 assists for the Reds and showcasing outrageous technical ability at times.

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The youngster occasionally played in midfield during his academy days and Gareth Southgate decided to play him in that role in England’s win over Andorra during the international break.

Speaking on Friday [via Paul Joyce on Twitter], Klopp made it clear where he will playing Alexander-Arnold, saying it makes no sense to move him from right-back.

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Liverpool fans love Klopp’s comments on Alexander-Arnold

These Liverpool fans loved what they heard from the Reds boss, taking to Twitter in response to Joyce’s post.

“Shots fired”

Credit: @WEBBZJAY

“Facts lol”

Credit: @_mehussain

“That’s a brilliant quote!”

Credit: @only_lars

“Sometimes I just love this man”

Credit: @bondz1e

“BOOM…”

Credit: @dctwittwoo

“I love this”

Credit: @THIAGOLFC6

“Amen!”

Credit: @aldic2

In other news, some Liverpool fans are unhappy about one player potentially starting against Leeds. Read more here.