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Turkish outfit Trabzonspor are happy with the performances of Leeds United loanee Calub Ekuban despite the fact he has played just 24 minutes for the club, Turkish-Football says.

What’s the word?

Signed from Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds in the summer, Calub Ekuban looked set to instantly become a key-part of Trabzonspor’s side this season after scoring on his debut in the surprise victory over defending champions Galatasaray.

However, the 24-year-old has come off the bench to make just two further appearances since then and has accumulated a total of just 24 minutes of action this season – suggesting that he is struggling with the Eastern European side.

However, Turkish-Football report that Trabzonspor are still happy with the player’s performances and he just needs more time to settle into the club, while good form from Hugo Rodallega and Burak Yilmaz has also attributed to the lack of opportunities for the Ghanaian forward.

A loan Leeds regret?

With Leeds seeing their attacking options depleted by injuries to Kemar Roofe and Patrick Bamford, the latter of which is a long-term absence, questions will be asked as to whether Ekuban could have had a part to play in Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

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The 24-year-old has more experience than Tyler Roberts, the player who has stood in to lead the line amidst Leeds’ injury woes, but his record in front of goal at Elland Road saw Ekuban score once in just 20 league appearances.

Leeds should therefore not be too concerned about a loan spell that has led to few minutes so far this season as the departure was not to develop the player and, instead, was due to the fact that he was not needed by Bielsa.

However, Leeds will hope that Ekuban does make an impression as a permanent sale is likely to be on the agenda for the pacey striker to ensure he never plays for them again.

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Tottenham fans were left incredibly frustrated by their lack of summer business, so where should the club look to strengthen the squad in January?

Tottenham were the only team in the top four division of English football to not sign a single player this summer, and the lack of squad depth is already starting to show.

Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli have both missed key games with injuries, while club captain Hugo Lloris missed most of September with a thigh problem.

Fans are also worried about the lack of support for Harry Kane, as the talisman tends to pick up ankle injuries in the second half of the season, which seems even more likely given his extended efforts in the World Cup.

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Perhaps the biggest problem of all though is at the back, where the recent injury to Jan Vertonghen has left Mauricio Pochettino with just two senior centre backs.

While Davinson Sanchez and Toby Alderweireld are more than capable of filling in for Vertonghen, this just simply isn’t enough depth to compete with the rest of the big six.

While plenty of fans are eyeing up midfield moves, any more injuries in defence would be devastating, and Pochettino must sign a centre back in January if he wants to stay in the top four.

So, Tottenham fans, where would you most like to strengthen in January? What should be Levy’s priority? Let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

It’s fair to say that it’s been a very poor and difficult season for Newcastle. The Magpies are in the relegation zone at present, and Rafael Benitez clearly has a lot of work to do to turn things around.

With the concern of the sack over his head, as per the Mirror, it’s fair to say that Benitez is facing a tenure-defining few weeks.

A few more poor results could genuinely make him a prime candidate for the sack, and so he’ll be relying on his squad’s results improving as we continue into the October and November fixtures.

He can’t do it all alone. Whilst his performance as manager has been below par, it’s also important to note that many of his players are underperforming, too. He’ll be desperate to get them back in form.

With that said, these 2 players must improve to help save Benitez’s job at Newcastle – do you agree?

Jamaal Lascelles

Jamaal Lascelles has, over the years, been captain fantastic in the heart of this Newcastle team. As their leader, he’s led from the front, offering consistent quality and defensive solidity every single week.

However, this season, something’s changed.

He hasn’t been bad by any means, but he’s been far from great, and he’s been far from the incredible level of quality that he has shown for years.

If Newcastle are to start impressing again, Lascelles must take responsibility and improve. He’s the heart of this team, and his form needs to reflect that.

Kenedy

Kenedy moved to Newcastle on loan from Chelsea over the summer, and it’s a deal that made sense.

The Brazilian was stellar for the Magpies last season, and he offered Rafael Benitez a ton of quality both going forward and defensively. However, it just hasn’t happened for him so far this season.

Lacking awareness, technical quality and energy, as well as constantly making mistakes, Kenedy is a player that seriously needs to improve.

He has the talent to really help pull Newcastle out of the current mess they’re in on his own, but he just hasn’t shown that yet.

Aston Villa look like they are turning things round somewhat under new manager Dean Smith, although a mid-week loss against a Jordan Rhodes inspired Norwich put a dent in their early form under the new manager.

Villa will be hoping to put that result to bed this weekend, when at the time of writing, they were preparing for a tricky away tie at QPR in the Friday night game live on Sky.

One thing Smith will be looking to do is get the best out of what is a seriously talented bunch of players on the books at Villa Park, and one of the key players at the moment who will hope to continue impressing is young striker Tammy Abraham.

The Chelsea youngster is looking like he is getting into his groove, and one man we at the Tavern think they should look to partner him with is current Brentford striker Neal Maupay, who will be well known to the new Villa manager Smith.

Valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, the Frenchman has already rattled in 11 goals this term as he tries to drive the Bees towards promotion to the Premier League.

However, with such spending power at Villa Park, Maupay is a realistic signing for the Villans, and if Smith could convince his former strike ace to reunited with him at Villa Park, it could well be the ideal signing for the Midlands club come January.

Quick, strong, and an excellent finisher, Maupay would be superb at Villa Park alongside the impressive Abraham.

Villa fans, what do you think? Would Maupay be a good signing? Let us know in the comments!

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Southampton picked up a point this weekend, but given they were facing bottom of the table Newcastle United at St Mary’s Stadium, the Saints will be gutted not to have registered their second victory of the season. 

The result left the south coast club in 16th place with ten games played and just seven points on the board. With only six goals scored so far this season too, pressure is piling up on Hughes to improve both results and performances soon. The draw with Newcastle will have done little to improve his situation.

Even prior to this weekend’s clash with the Magpies, Saints fans’ faith in the Welshman at the helm was waning. 

Before kick-off we asked the club’s supporters whether or not they still considered Hughes the right man to steer them clear of relegation from the Premier League. 87% stated that they don’t think that he is up to the task. See the full results below.

Croatian centre-back Filip Benkovic joined Leicester in a £13m deal this summer, before almost immediately being shipped out on loan to Celtic.

However, after the 21-year-old scored in the Bhoys’ 5-0 win over league-leaders Hearts on Saturday, many Celtic fans were hoping he could be signed on a permanent deal.

Celtic closed the gap on Hearts to just one point with the win, which was effectively sealed before half-time as French striker Odsonne Edouard netted either side of a Benkovic header – his first goal for the club.

In the second-half James Forrest smashed in a fourth before Ryan Christie made it five from the penalty spot with just a minute of normal time remaining.

Considering the fee that Leicester paid for their Croatian centre-back, Celtic would surely have to break their transfer record, which currently stands at the £9m paid for Edouard in the summer.

Check out the best reactions to Benkovic’s performance, and the calls for him to sign permanently below.

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Tottenham Hotspur sit comfortably in the Premier League table as they are fourth in the standings, five points adrift of leaders Manchester City.

Even though they have suffered just one defeat in their last six outings in all competitions, there is a sense that the team are not at their best.

Mauricio Pochettino has plenty of creative players to choose from, but perhaps he should be looking to recruit one more in the form of Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Just a few months after Pochettino was appointed as Spurs manager, the midfielder returned to Swansea City from White Hart Lane.

Sigurdsson had spent two years at Tottenham, but he dropped down the pecking order after failing to make much of an impact on the left side of midfield.

The Iceland international spent three years in Wales before signing for Everton last year, and he has since become a crucial member of the Merseyside team.

Now that he plays through the middle, Sigurdsson is instrumental for the Toffees, and his performances this season should attract the attention of Tottenham.

In 11 Premier League outings, the midfielder has scored five goals and registered two assists, but his tally could be much higher given how often he has mustered attempts in the final third.

Sigurdsson has also been dominant in the middle of the pitch as he has created an impressive 30 key passes in the top flight.

He is predominantly attack-minded, but the 29-year-old can also win the ball back when he needs to.

Tottenham may not be crying out for another creative outlet, but Sigurdsson would slot in well to Pochettino’s system.

The only problem that Spurs may face is the fact that there is sterner competition for places at the North London club compared to Everton, where Sigurdsson is a regular starter.

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According to The Sun, Everton want to sign Manchester United defender Chris Smalling at the end of the current season.

What’s the story?

Smalling has made over 300 appearances for United since a 2010 move from Fulham, and has been a regular for Jose Mourinho’s side this season.

Smalling was actually left out of United’s first two Premier League matches of the 2018-19 campaign against Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion, but has played the full 90 minutes in every game since.

The Englishman will see his current contract with the Red Devils expire at the end of the season, however, and his future with the club is far from secure.

United do have a 12-month option on Smalling’s contract, but according to The Sun, Everton are hoping to convince the former Maidstone United youngster to move to Goodison Park ahead of the 2019-2020 campaign.

Would Smalling be a good signing?

Smalling gets a lot of stick, and there is no getting away from the fact that the 31-time England international is not too great in possession of the ball.

He is actually a very good defender, however, and played a key role in United posting the second-best defensive record in the Premier League last season.

United have been pretty rotten at the back this term, but that is more of a team issue rather than an individual one, and Smalling has still been quite consistent.

Alongside Yerry Mina and Michael Keane, Smalling could bring about a change in formation at Everton, and not too many centre-forwards would relish the aerial battle against those three.

Smalling has won two Premier League titles at United, and is a better player than he gets credit for. Everton are quite well-stocked in central defence at the moment, but should not pass up the chance to move for the 6ft 4in ace.

Newcastle secured back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time this season thanks to a Salomon Rondon brace.

The Magpies have endured a dismal campaign so far this season with fans fearing the worst after a summer with little investment from owner Mike Ashley. Rafael Benitez was forced to work with limited funds, and Newcastle’s dreadful start left them in the relegation zone. However, consecutive wins over Bournemouth and Watford have lifted a weight off his shoulders as we enter the busy, season-defining festive period.

Benitez and his recruitment staff will now turn their attention to the January transfer window to identify potential recruits who could give the Magpies a welcome boost in the New Year. Fans will be delighted to see Rondon finally get off the mark on Tyneside with more goals needed to steer them from danger. Signing a new number ten could be perfect to bring the best out of the Venezuelan forward.

One man who Benitez could look to sign is Borussia Monchengladbach maestro – Thorgan Hazard. Valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, the Belgium international has finally found his feet in the Bundesliga after a miserable spell with Chelsea in the Premier League. The 25-year-old was never able to emulate his brother’s success at Stamford Bridge but is now making waves in Germany – Newcastle should aim to bring him back to England.

Hazard has been in fine form so far this season, scoring ten goals and notching five assists during just 13 appearances in all competitions. Averaging an incredible 2.5 key passes per game and 1.7 successful dribbles this season, his creativity could be key to Newcastle finding their form in front of goal. The playmaker also possesses a fantastic work-rate which would make him an instant hit at St. James Park (WhoScored).

While he may never hit the heights of his brother in the Premier League, Hazard could certainly make his own name at Newcastle.

Newcastle fans, thoughts?

One of the main selection issues that Newcastle United have faced in recent seasons is related to the left-back position.

Rafael Benitez has not invested in a new player to make that role his own, which means that the most senior choice is Paul Dummett.

Whenever the left-back suffers an injury, though, there are not many viable options to choose from.

Benitez could have a problem when the international break comes to an end this week as Dummett could miss this weekend’s fixture against Burnley.

The Wales international withdrew from Ryan Giggs’s team with an injury, but the severity of the problem has not yet been confirmed.

If the left-back role needs to be filled, then Benitez could call upon Javier Manquillo, who is predominantly a right-back, outcast Achraf Lazaar, or loan star Kenedy.

The Playmaker FC squad decided to wind-up some unsuspecting Brazil fans at the Emirates on Saturday night. Watch the hilarious results in the video below…

If the Spaniard does not want any of the above, then he could always make a formation change and play three at the back, while using the likes of Kenedy and DeAndre Yedlin as wing-backs.

We asked you what option Benitez should go for, and the majority believe that switching to a new defensive shape will be more beneficial.