All posts by n8rngtd.top

Liverpool have started the Arne Slot era as they mean to go on. Two wins from two opening fixtures in the Premier League is pleasing, but tougher tests lie ahead.

In fact, one of the toughest of the season is right in Slot's path, with a trip to Old Trafford looming on Sunday.

Form goes out of the window in the historic derby against Manchester United, and Reds supporters will be eager to get a taste of new signing Federico Chiesa.

The versatile forward pretty much completes what was already a fearsome strikeforce, but a question mark still lingers over midfield, with a new no. 6 surely the most pressing concern for FSG.

Liverpool's late transfer plans

Richard Hughes and Liverpool's transfer team operate in the shadows, as has been the way for years now. Still, the failed pursuit of Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi highlights the acceptance that Liverpool need a new midfielder to sit at the base.

The Reds have scoured the market for an apt alternative but will not rush into the wrong deal. Now, with the transfer window at its final stage, Olympiakos' Santiago Hezze has allegedly been identified.

According to Greek journalist Stephen Kountourou, Liverpool have earmarked the 22-year-old and could make their move shortly, with the midfielder valued at about €20m (£17m) and also attracting recent attention from Newcastle United.

What Santiago Hezze would bring to Liverpool

A tough-tackling and athletically robust midfielder, Hezze would certainly add a dimension to the Liverpool engine room. He's unrefined but has impressed since arriving in Europe one year ago, instrumental in winning the Conference League with Olympiakos in May.

He scored in the first leg of his side's victory over Aston Villa in the semi-final and has been praised as a "great interceptor" and an "effective ball-winner" by scout Elijah Michiels.

He's as combative as they come and deceptively creative too, with a progressive air that would see him operate within Slot's midfield as a crucial member, guiding the ball forward and influencing transitional play.

As you can see, Hezze has started the current campaign in the same vein as Sociedad's Spanish maestro, who might be regarded as one of the finest deep-lying midfielders in the business right now but is not the only player capable of making an impression in Slot's first team.

Ryan Gravenberch has started the term strong in the no. 6 role at Anfield, but it would be a risk to expect the young Dutchman to play the role with regularity throughout the year, especially with Wataru Endo clearly unfavoured.

Hezze could be the perfect addition, with a fitting skillset and a healthy mix of Merseyside competition to ensure he slides in seamlessly.

Liverpool hit gold on Klopp signing worth nearly 5x more than Chiesa

He’s had his detractors but he sure is the real deal…

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 28, 2024

Jamie Carragher has slammed Trent Alexander Arnold's team for "covering themselves" amid the right-back being heavily linked with Real Madrid.

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• Real make approach to buy Alexander-Arnold in January
• Liverpool reject offer
• Carragher believes player's team are engineering exit

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Reports have suggested that Real Madrid made an offer to buy Alexander-Arnold in January as they attempt to secure the England right-back's signature. Real are said to be confident of signing the full-back on a free transfer in the summer, and Carragher believes that the bid from the Spanish giants has been engineered to "cover" his eventual exit.

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  Carragher also believes the bid for the right-back comes at an awkward time as the Reds attempt to win the Premier League under Arne Slot. They face Manchester United on January 5, and then take on Tottenham in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final.

• WHAT CARRAGHER SAID

  Carragher wrote on X: "The most important thing for @LFC in 2025 is winning the #PremierLeague. No one’s contract or future should come in the way of that!

  "I love Trent as a lad & a player, but his team would’ve told Real Madrid to bid & also would’ve known LFC would turn it down. It’s to try & cover themselves when he leaves for free.

  "Again it’s something the club/fans don’t need with a huge game coming up."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Liverpool face Manchester United on Sunday and could move seven points clear of the surprise package of the Premier League season: Nottingham Forest.

Burnley have suffered a "big injury" to a first-team player ahead of their Championship clash with Leeds United, manager Scott Parker has confirmed.

Burnley face huge Leeds clash

The Clarets return to league action with a high-profile meeting with Leeds on Saturday lunchtime, in what promises to be a testing game off the back of the international break.

Burnley were among the leading candidates to secure promotion to the Premier League at the start of the season, and the early signs suggest that they may well be right in the mix. Parker's side are sixth in the table after four matches, and while points have been dropped twice, it would be a surprise if they weren't at least in and around the playoff positions throughout the campaign.

As for Leeds, they are one point and two places ahead of the Clarets in fourth, even though Daniel Farke has found himself under pressure at times. Saturday's clash at Elland Road may tell us a lot more about both teams, with an away win at a daunting ground acting as a real signal of intent by Burnley.

Parker has been handed an injury blow in the lead-up to the weekend action, however, with one important player set for a lengthy period on the sidelines.

Parker confirms "big injury" to Burnley ace

Speaking ahead of the Leeds game, with quotes provided by The Burnley Express, Parker confirmed that Manuel Benson won't be available after picking up a "big injury", with "months" on the sidelines looking possible:

"Benny has got a bit of a big injury, so he won’t be around for a number of weeks, maybe months. That’s the big disappointment from the [Blackburn] game regarding Benny in that sense, having come on, but hopefully he can recover as quickly as possible but we won’t be seeing him for a little while. It’s his calf/his achilles. We’ve obviously scanned him and there’s obviously a problem there. He’s going to need time now to recover and get it right to re-boot him up and get him ready for when he’s fit."

Benson may not be one of the first names on Parker's team sheet, being limited to 10 minutes of Championship action so far this season, but losing him for such an extended period of time is far from ideal.

Squad depth is so vital in the Championship, given the relentless nature of the fixture schedule, so suddenly not having the 27-year-old to call upon for much of the remainder of the year isn't ideal.

Benson has done well in a Burnley shirt since arriving from Royal Antwerp in 2022, scoring 13 goals in 47 appearances, while Sam Parkin has hailed him as "electric" in the past, highlighting what a big miss he is going to be.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

By
Stephan Georgiou

Apr 22, 2025

Hopefully, the Clarets will cope without him, still sitting pretty near the top of the Championship table upon his return, before he has a big impact later in the season.

Manchester United have been urged to splash out £150 million to sign Jude Bellingham from Real Madrid by former Red Devils striker Dwight Yorke.

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• Man Utd told to make superstar signing
• Advised to go for Bellingham
• England star will never be 'main guy' in Madrid

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United have begun a new era after appointing Ruben Amorim as head coach and are hoping the Portuguese boss can restore the club to its former glories. The former Sporting manager has overseen a difficult start to life at Old Trafford but optimism has been fuelled in recent weeks by a 2-2 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool and a morale-boosting FA Cup third-round win over Arsenal.

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  Amorim is expected to dip into the transfer market as he reshapes his squad and has been advised to go all out for Bellingham. The England international has starred for Madrid since signing from Borussia Dortmund, winning La Liga and the Champions League, but Yorke has warned he will never be the "main guy" at Santiago Bernabeu with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe around.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Yorke told CoinCasino.com: "Man United would need £150 million to have a chance of signing Jude Bellingham. Look at Man United's history, every two to three years, the club would bring in a high-profile signing. I can't remember the last big signing Man United have made, maybe Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2016. Man United need to make rivals go 'oof, what a signing'.  They need to break the bank for a big-time player, like Real Madrid do. Bellingham would be the perfect player to sign, but I'm sure he'll want to stay a few more years at Real Madrid and turn things around for them this season. But, Bellingham will never be the main guy at the club now, Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe are higher than him in the pecking order. It reminds me of the trio of Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Luis Figo.  We all know Mbappe is the top guy at the club, then it's Vinicius. I think Bellingham is ranked the third-most important player at Real Madrid. He'll know that too, he'll be sat in the dressing room with them and he knows where he is in that hierarchy at the club."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD

  Amorim has already admitted January signings are unlikely at United as there are no funds available. Outgoings are possible, though, with Marcus Rashford having been linked with a host of clubs after being frozen out by Amorim, while Alejandro Garnacho has reportedly become a transfer target for Napoli.

It’s ironic, really, that the game that looked to have all but ended Erik ten Hag’s tenure as Manchester United manager may actually have been the one to save him.

Cast your mind back to that grim night in May, as a beleaguered United side simply wilted away to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park – the likes of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze running riot in that thumping 4-0 win for the hosts.

The writing was seemingly on the wall for the man in the visiting dugout, but to his credit, the Dutchman did not fold, instead regrouping in the final knockings of the season heading into the FA Cup final.

A change in tact – which saw Sofyan Amrabat move into a more defensive-minded midfield – brought about wins over both Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion, prior to the Red Devils seeing off Pep Guardiola’s men at Wembley, all while deploying this new, strikerless 4-2-4 formation.

It could be said that had it not been for that night in south London – and its subsequent impact on the setup for the cup final – then Ten Hag would no longer be at the helm.

The aim now is for the 54-year-old to illustrate that progress has been made as the two sides prepare to meet again this evening.

Man Utd team news

Fresh off back-to-back wins in all competitions – having notably hit League One side Barnsley for seven in midweek – the doom and gloom has somewhat shifted at Old Trafford, with a run now needing to be put together to mount a charge on the top four.

Not that anyone will be getting carried away – not with this team, at least – but there are certainly positive signs, not least the slow introduction of new man Manuel Ugarte, as well as the return of a handful of prior absentees.

The likes of Victor Lindelof and Tyrell Malacia are now back in first-team training, while both Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund are in contention to feature later today, with the latter man having been absent since limping off against Arsenal during pre-season.

With Luke Shaw still working away in the background, Ten Hag’s squad is slowly but surely beginning to come together, with there likely to be no excuses once the former Ajax boss does have everyone fit and available.

For once, the experienced tactician does actually have options to choose from in the attacking ranks, in particular, with it yet to be seen whether Joshua Zirkzee will be given another chance to impress from the start in that centre-forward berth.

Joshua Zirkzee's start at Man Utd

In truth, things couldn’t have started much better for the Netherlands international, with the 6 foot 4 marksman prodding home in inventive fashion to seal a much-needed opening-day win over Fulham.

A goal on debut is no doubt the ideal way to calm the nerves, although it’s fair to say that the £36.5m arrival hasn’t quite been able to build on that first outing, having failed to score since then.

The former Bologna man was unfortunate to deny Alejandro Garnacho from scoring against Brighton, although he did then spurn two gilt-edged chances in the chastening defeat to Liverpool, having been teed up beautifully on both occasions by Marcus Rashford.

Away at Southampton last weekend, the silky striker was neat and tidy on the ball and linked the play effectively – having completed 100% of his dribbles and registered two key passes – although again missed two ‘big chances’, notably failing to convert with a side-footed effort in the second half.

Perhaps it would be harsh to remove him from the starting lineup when the Dutchman is showing signs of life, although Ten Hag certainly has other options at his disposal, with there no doubt wisdom in returning Amad Diallo to the fray instead.

What Man Utd's front three should be vs Palace

Yes, it was ‘only’ Barnsley, but the manner in which United dispatched their lower-league opponents was rather impressive, with the aforementioned Rashford looking delightfully menacing on Tuesday night.

Among the club’s top earners on a reported £300k-per-week, the Englishman – who scored just eight goals in total last season and missed out on Euro 2024 as a result – has been rightly criticised for his worrying drop off of late, yet if recent weeks are anything to go by, the 26-year-old may just be finding his groove again.

Again, the quality of the opposition should be considered, but Rashford terrorised the visiting backline in midweek, leading the line in fine fashion and helping himself to his second and third goals of the campaign – after also netting against the Saints.

The days of deploying the academy graduate through the middle seemed to be over, but with Zirkzee not exactly firing – and the returning Hojlund still set for a squad role – it could be time to give Rashford a run in the side as the leading number nine.

That would then allow Garnacho to remain on the left flank after the Argentine provided four goal contributions against the Tykes, while on the opposite side, the rising star that is Amad can return in place of Antony.

The Ivorian “wizard” – as described by journalist James Copley – has been a shining light so far this season, having notably netted in the defeat to Brighton, while also being hailed as ‘United’s best player’ away at St Mary’s last week, as per MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst.

The only league game that the 22-year-old hasn’t started this season was in fact the loss to Arne Slot’s side, although he certainly made an impression off the bench on the day, having provided two key passes in his 21-minute cameo, while also creating one ‘big chance’ and registering an impressive 91% pass accuracy.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Having largely played a bit-part role last season due to injury, the one-time Atalanta man – who has still only made 27 appearances for the club in three-and-a-half-years – no doubt warrants an extended run of games, with the right-wing berth now arguably his to lose moving forward.

With Garnacho and Rashford also both deserving of a start, the easy solution would be to trial this new-look front three and leave Zirkzee sitting alongside Hojlund on the bench, ready to make an impact when needed.

In reality, the likelihood is that the choice will come down to one of Garnacho or Amad on the right, yet it would certainly be a risk worth taking to have Rashford deployed through the middle, flanked by those two young prodigies.

In any case, Ten Hag’s men should be hopeful of avenging the shambles that was their previous trip to Selhurst – that’s if Jonny Evans and Casemiro aren’t starting at centre-back, at least…

Ten Hag must brutally drop Eriksen for Man Utd's sensational "genius"

The incredible star has to be in the lineup today.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 21, 2024

The controversial forward sees his time at the Red Bulls come to an end, with a move back to his boyhood club Genk

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• Vanzeir on his way back to Belgium

• Move reported to be near $3 million

• Forward used a racial slur in MLS match in 2023

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Dante Vanzeir is returning to Belgium after a mixed and controversial stint in Major League Soccer with the New York Red Bulls.

  The 26-year-old is heading to his boyhood club, KRC Genk, the Red Bulls announced Friday. The move is for a reported $3 million, ending a two-season tenure in which the forward scored six goals in 51 appearances.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Vanzeir came in as a heralded signing for the club, with a reported price tag of $5 million from Union SG. Unfortunately, inconsistent form and controversy marred his time in New York.

  He is probably most remembered for the use of a racial slur towards Jeremy Ebobisse, then a star for the San Jose Earthquakes, in 2023. The forward was given a six-game suspension and an undisclosed fine. In a later interview, Vanzeir admitted he used the slur, but claimed it was towards the referee, not Ebobisse.

  Vanzeir had a decent showing in the 2024 MLS Cup playoffs, with two goals and one assist. In the MLS Cup final against the Galaxy, he notoriously missed a late chance that would have leveled the game for the Red Bulls.

  Now, with an open DP slot, the Red Bulls have a chance to build off an unexpectedly strong season last year and attract a potential top signing in one of MLS's biggest markets.

• WHAT THE RED BULLS SAID

  "We want to wish Dante all the best in the next step of his career," head of sport Jochen Schneider said in a statement. "Dante played a big role in our club earning our first-ever Eastern Conference Championship last season and we appreciate all of his hard work over the last two seasons."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR THE RED BULLS?

  The Red Bulls kick off their season on Feb. 22 against FC Cincinnati.

Sometimes, in football, it can take players a while to settle at a new club, often having to learn a new system, build relationships with their teammates, and settle into life in a new area. Everton are certainly no strangers to that; just look at Jordan Pickford.

There are many examples of players joining a new club and struggling in their first season, failing to have the expected impact on the team, and often being criticised for this.

However, many players have then gone on to prove their worth in the second season, a great example of this was Jack Grealish, who moved to Manchester City, struggled to impress in his debut season at the club – scoring just three league goals – before thriving in his second campaign and helping the club to a historic treble.

Everton may have their own success story emerging this season, with a player who was performing poorly and is now playing at an undroppable level for Sean Dyche’s men.

Dwight McNeil's poor form before Everton

Back in 2022, Dwight McNeil joined Everton from Burnley, for a fee of around £20m. Many were worried Everton had been ripped off by paying this fee after his poor 2021/22 campaign for Burnley.

McNeil made 40 appearances for the Clarets that season, not scoring a single goal, and only providing one assist in 3,277 minutes played.

McNeil had also taken 52 attempts without finding the net during that season, confirmed as the worst streak by any player in the top five leagues by WhoScored.

But since joining the Toffees, McNeil has improved his output and is quickly becoming one of Dyche’s go-to men, with a system change to bring him more central even being implemented, in order to get him closer to goal.

Dwight McNeil red-hot start

In his first eight appearances of the new campaign, McNeil has scored four goals and provided two assists, playing 713 minutes already for the Merseyside club. This is already more goals than he managed in the entirety of last season when he found the net on three occasions.

In his last four games for the Toffees, Dyche has opted to play McNeil as an attacking midfielder, behind the striker, looking to get him closer to the box, get more shots off, and in dangerous areas to help his team.

This has proven to be game-changing for a player who was usually always seen as a wide option.

The improvement you can already see here is breathtaking, with McNeil now scoring at a 0.22 goals/shot ratio, managing a higher shot volume (2.20 per 90), and making more key passes (3.39 per 90).

This comes from his new central role, allowing him to be involved in all of Everton’s attacking play, link up with the striker, and get into more dangerous areas to test the keeper with a shot, or slot an incisive pass in behind for runners.

McNeil’s red-hot start to the season, playing in a new role, will be pivotal to Dyche keeping his job after such a tough start to the campaign, losing four of his first six games this season.

Whilst many haven’t been up to par, McNeil certainly has been a shining light, making him absolutely undroppable for Everton right now.

Alongside McNeil: Everton star who won 9 duels could've just saved Dyche

Sean Dyche led his side to their first league win of the season

By
Ross Kilvington

Sep 28, 2024

We've picked out the top performers from the eight rounds of action in the this season's expanded tournament

Well, it's finally over. After eight matchdays and a ridiculous 144 games, the Champions League's controversial new league phase wrapped up on Wednesday, with Liverpool finishing top of the table and Manchester City scraping into the play-off places.

Whether the 'Swiss Model' was really a success for anyone other than Europe's richest clubs is very much open to debate, but what we can all agree on is that there were some impressive individual displays over the past five months.

But who were the top performers? Who deserves inclusion in GOAL's Team of the League Phase? Find out below and, as always, feel free to express your outrage – and post your own line-ups – in the comments section…

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  GK: Yann Sommer (Inter)

  The obvious choice for our No.1 shirt. The Switzerland international is undeniably fortunate to play behind one of the best backlines in Europe, but Sommer was also integral to Inter keeping a seriously impressive seven clean sheets in eight games.

  Indeed, his 95 percent save success rateis utterly ridiculous and on a whole other level to any other goalkeeper in the competition.

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  RB: Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain)

  Just a fantastic footballer. Hakimi is one of the most complete defenders in the game today, as underlined by the fact that nobody in this season's Champions League has won possession more times (56) than the Morocco right-back, while only four players (all attackers) created more chances than Hakimi (21).

  He's also emerged as quite the leader at Parc des Princes and Luis Enrique's men simply wouldn't have made it through to the play-offs without him.

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  CB: Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)

  One of the most coveted free agents on the market right now and it's easy to understand why. Tah is a wonderfully composed and combative centre-back who was immense in the league phase for Leverkusen, helping Xabi Alonso's side keep five clean sheets in eight outings.

  The 28-year-old was excellent in the air and fantastic on the ball, but it was his ability to snuff out danger that really stood out.

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  CB: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

  Van Dijk earned himself a well-earned rest on matchday eight after helping Liverpool keep five clean sheets in their previous seven games. Truth be told, though, the Dutchman almost certainly could have played against PSV in Eindhoven on Wednesday, given he probably wouldn't have expended much energy anyway.

  At 33 years of age, Van Dijk is still making marking the world's best attackers look ridiculously easy and has also formed a very formidable central-defensive partnership with Ibrahima Konate.

Arsenal have been charged by the FA for their players’ conduct towards referee Michael Oliver following Myles Lewis-Skelly’s controversial red card.

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• Lewis-Skelly sent off by Oliver against Wolves
• Declan Rice and others protested vehemently
• FA have now charged Arsenal over the incident

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  During the match at Molineux, 18-year-old Lewis-Skelly was shown a straight red card by Oliver for a challenge on Wolves defender Matt Doherty. The Arsenal youngster's tackle made contact with Doherty’s calf and ankle, leading Oliver to determine that the incident constituted "serious foul play."

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  Following Lewis-Skelly's dismissal, several Arsenal players surrounded referee Michael Oliver in protest. Midfielder Declan Rice led the charge, while defender Jurrien Timber was cautioned for his aggressive complaints.

• WHAT THE FA SAID

  The FA has now charged the club for failing to control its players.

  "Arsenal FC has been charged after its players surrounded a match official during their Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on Saturday, 25 January," an FA spokesperson said. "The club allegedly failed to ensure that its players did not behave in an improper manner around the 43rd minute. Arsenal FC has until Monday, 3 February, to provide a response."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Arsenal wasted no time appealing against the red card and after a review by an independent panel, the red card was rescinded, sparking further debate about officiating consistency in the league. Despite the controversy surrounding the red card, Arsenal managed to claim all three points with a narrow 1-0 victory. The match was ultimately decided by Riccardo Calafiori, who found the net in the second half after coming on as a substitute.

Despite earning four points in their last two matches, Danny Rohl and Sheffield Wednesday have little reason to be in high spirits after suffering a double injury blow ahead of their trip to Coventry City.

Sheffield Wednesday injury news

The Owls were already without Dominic Iorfa and Nathaniel Chalobah against Bristol City, but have now seen their injury issues double in frustrating fashion. As a hectic winter period of fixtures approaches too, Rohl will be well aware that now is the perfect time for his side to be picking up some vital points. As things stand, his side look set for another relegation scrap, with eight points from eight games leaving them just a point clear of the Championship’s dropzone.

Meanwhile, a trip to Coventry up next represents the chance to make it three games without defeat and secure a victory that would see them jump above their opponents in the league table. Rohl’s task has already become that much harder, however, following two injury blows against Bristol.

One of those moments of frustration came when Olaf Kobacki limped off having initially come off the bench to make an impact in search of a winning goal only to add to the Owls’ earlier woes when Liam Palmer was forced off at the break. As confirmed by Rohl, both Palmer and Kobacki are now doubts for Sheffield Wednesday’s trip to Coventry.

Rohl hints that "key player" at Sheffield Wednesday might leave in January

This would be a huge blow for the Owls.

By
Henry Jackson

Oct 1, 2024

The manager told reporters, as relayed by The Star: “They both have a little bit of problems with the muscle and you never know what it means.

“Sometimes it can be it is just a little stretched and there is a chance for Saturday. But you see on my bench I have more options this season, to have an impact and to see if we need anybody. It is now one game and then I look to the schedule after the international break, it will be tough as well.”

"Excellent" Palmer is still crucial for Sheffield Wednesday

At 33 years old, Palmer remains an important figure in the Sheffield Wednesday dressing room. The right-back, who can also play central midfield and centre-back, has seen it all during a career full of ups and downs for the Owls and as they look to avoid relegation once again, his experience should prove to be vital.

It’s experience that Rohl may have to cope without against Coventry, however, in what could result in a system change and a place for Yan Valery at right-back.

Of course, no matter what the manager changes, everyone will be well aware of Palmer’s potential absence. The praise that the likes of Joe Crann have sent his way in the past highlights his impact, with The Star’s Sheffield Wednesday reporter dubbing the £12,000-a-week star “excellent” back in March.

Whilst looking to make it three games without defeat in the Championship, Sheffield Wednesday will also be hoping to avoid any added injuries against Coventry.