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Nottingham Forest haven’t got off to the best of starts this season, and it’s no coincidence that their poor run of results have coincided with a poor run of form from Lewis Grabban.

The striker is yet to find the back of the net this season, and after Lyle Taylor netted against Derby County on Friday night, Chris Hughton has a big decision to make in terms of who starts up front for the Reds.

Of course, we could continue to see them both play up top, but the Reds’ plethora of attacking midfield talent such as Joe Lolley, Luke Freeman, Sammy Ameobi and Anthony Knockaert suggests that they may be better off utilising a one-striker system.

Logic suggests that it’s time to drop the 32-year-old, he’s not scored in six games and Taylor seems to be growing in confidence, but Hughton needs to consider how dropping Grabban will affect the dressing room.

We saw glimpses of Grabban’s poor attitude when things aren’t going his way in the first series of Netflix’s Sunderland ‘Til I Die documentary, with two of his former teammates going on the record to discuss how he brought down the atmosphere at the club, with Glenn Loovens going as far as to label him a ‘jerk’.

Grabban left Sunderland due to the fact that he was getting subbed off in games, and if he’s dropped at Forest he could kick up a similar type of fuss, and if last season’s star man starts kicking off, that can have a negative effect on the whole team.

“If you haven’t really spoken to the new manager when he comes in, if you get taken off, I was starting to get whipped off at 65, 70 minutes.” Grabban said at the time.

“I was thinking, ‘I’m not sure that’s for me’.

“Maybe it’s a bit selfish but I just thought, nah.”

If Hughton is to drop Grabban he needs to make sure he communicates his reasoning to the striker in a mature way so that he doesn’t upset the applecart at the City Ground just a few weeks after his appointment.

Nottingham Forest haven’t got off to the best of starts this season, and it’s no coincidence that their poor run of results have coincided with a poor run of form from Lewis Grabban.

The striker is yet to find the back of the net this season, and after Lyle Taylor netted against Derby County on Friday night, Chris Hughton has a big decision to make in terms of who starts up front for the Reds.

Of course, we could continue to see them both play up top, but the Reds’ plethora of attacking midfield talent such as Joe Lolley, Luke Freeman, Sammy Ameobi and Anthony Knockaert suggests that they may be better off utilising a one-striker system.

Logic suggests that it’s time to drop the 32-year-old, he’s not scored in six games and Taylor seems to be growing in confidence, but Hughton needs to consider how dropping Grabban will affect the dressing room.

We saw glimpses of Grabban’s poor attitude when things aren’t going his way in the first series of Netflix’s Sunderland ‘Til I Die documentary, with two of his former teammates going on the record to discuss how he brought down the atmosphere at the club, with Glenn Loovens going as far as to label him a ‘jerk’.

Grabban left Sunderland due to the fact that he was getting subbed off in games, and if he’s dropped at Forest he could kick up a similar type of fuss, and if last season’s star man starts kicking off, that can have a negative effect on the whole team.

“If you haven’t really spoken to the new manager when he comes in, if you get taken off, I was starting to get whipped off at 65, 70 minutes.” Grabban said at the time.

“I was thinking, ‘I’m not sure that’s for me’.

“Maybe it’s a bit selfish but I just thought, nah.”

If Hughton is to drop Grabban he needs to make sure he communicates his reasoning to the striker in a mature way so that he doesn’t upset the applecart at the City Ground just a few weeks after his appointment.

According to Football Insider, Bournemouth have turned their attentions to a late move for Aston Villa defender Frederic Guilbert.

What’s the word?

The Frenchman has dropped down the pecking order at Villa Park following Matty Cash’s arrival from Nottingham Forest, with the right-back having only played in the Carabao Cup this season – in fact, he has yet to make a single Premier League match-day squad.

Now, Football Insider claim Bournemouth are targeting a new full-back before the deadline closes on Friday evening, and that the Cherries have been alerted to Guilbert’s availability.

The report adds that the Championship side are weighing up a loan move for the 25-year-old instead of a permanent move at this stage.

Another Suso blunder

Signed from French side Caen in January 2019 for a reported fee of £4.4m, Guilbert has gone on to make 31 appearances across all competitions for Villa.

Last season saw him feature prominently in Villa’s return to the Premier League, making 25 appearances, but missed a number of games following the restart, eventually only returning for the last couple of games.

The 25-year-old proved to be a versatile option for Smith, playing at right-back, right-midfield and even left-back too. Whilst he posted some pretty impressive numbers – he averaged a very fine three tackles and two interceptions per game in the Premier League – he did pick up seven yellow cards and registered 1.4 fouls per match too.

The fact Villa are open to letting him go just a year after he joined says a lot about how former sporting director, Suso, has got it wrong. But with Bournemouth’s interest in the full-back, Johan Lange has the perfect chance to at least get rid of Guilbert temporarily at least.

And in other news, Villa must land this EFL star before the deadline.

Everton appear to be closing in on their first move of the summer transfer window and whilst it’ll raise a few eyebrows, it certainly shouldn’t be frowned upon.

What’s the word?

According to Novosti, Carlo Ancelotti is in talks to bring his former Chelsea powerhouse, Branislav Ivanovic, back to the Premier League for another spell under the Italian.

The 36-year-old has been playing for Zenit St Petersburg since 2017 after nine years in west London where he won three PL titles, a Champions League as well as being named in the PFA Team of the Year on two occasions.

Discussions with Ivanovic are said to be in the ‘final stage’ with the veteran Serb free to join who he pleases this summer following the expiry of his contract.

Ancelotti sees the 6 foot 1 enforcer as a potential pillar of his defence and given the Toffees have young duo Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite, it could be a smart move indeed.

Shades of Distin

Everton have been linked to PSG legend Thiago Silva, who is of similar age, but as the illustrious Brazillian would come at a hefty premium – he’s been on around £340k-per-week in France – it would be a financial disaster.

Instead, raiding Ivanovic on a free transfer would be cunning from Ancelotti, so much so that it would feel similar to when the Merseysiders welcomed Sylvain Distin to Goodison Park.

Despite his advancing years, Moyes brought in the uncapped Frenchman to ‘keep us steady’ yet he stayed for five years and was colossal in the heart of the defence.

Comments from Jose Mourinho sum up what the Toffees would be getting, the former Chelsea boss labelled Ivanovic a “competitive animal with a big heart” whilst City superstar Raheem Sterling dubbed him the scariest opponent he’s faced back in 2013 before dubbing him a “tank”.

At 36, he’ll have to be managed in terms of fitness, but don’t underestimate his likely impact given the trophy-laden career he’s enjoyed and the potential long-term impact he could have on those around him.

For a season or two, this makes complete sense.

AND in other news, Everton can land huge Iwobi upgrade in “phenomenal” PL target…

Glasgow Rangers will be unhappy that they were unable to continue their winning Premiership form against Livingston on Sunday.

The Gers went into the match having won their first three matches of the league campaign against Aberdeen, St. Mirren and St. Johnstone without even conceding a goal. However, although they once again managed to keep a clean sheet at the Tony Macaroni Arena, they couldn’t score at the other end and had to make do with a 0-0 draw.

It seems the Gers supporters’ mood was far from lifted on Monday, the day after the match. The Ibrox outfit’s official Twitter account decided to share a video of Maurice Edu scoring against Dunfermline, but the fans were far from impressed – they appear to be unhappy that their midfielders no longer shoot from outside the box.

They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments below.

Let us know what you think!

أثنى بول ميرسون أسطورة فريق آرسنال على نجم ليفربول محمد صلاح، في ظل تألقه في الموسم الحالي تحت قيادة المدرب يورجن كلوب.

وكان محمد صلاح قد سجل هدفًا في مباراة اليوم ضد كريستال بالاس، في إطار منافسات الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز. ملخص لمسات محمد صلاح أمام كريستال بالاس

ووصل محمد صلاح إلى هدفه رقم 100 في الدوري الإنجليزي يوم الأحد الماضي بتسجيله ضد ليدز يونايتد.

كذلك تألق النجم المصري محمد صلاح في دوري أبطال أوروبا يوم الأربعاء الماضي وسجل هدفًا ضد ميلان، وأصبح أكثر لاعبي ليفربول تسجيلًا للأهداف في الأنفيلد في البطولة الأوروبية، بـ14 هدفًا، بالتساوي مع ستيفن جيرارد.

وقال بول ميرسون في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “ليفربول إيكو” الإنجليزية: “بنسبة 100%، إنه لاعب عظيم في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، لائق ومناسب، أعتقد أنه لا يحصل على التقدير الذي يستحقه”.

وأضاف متحدثًا عن أبرز عيوب النجم المصري: “في بعض الأحيان يُهدر بعض الشيء، لا تفهموني بشكل خاطئ، أعتقد أنه من المحتمل أن يحرز ضعف الأهداف التي يسجلها”.

وواصل: “هو لاعب من فئة مختلفة، لم أستطع التحدث بدرجة كافية عن الرجل، إنه يركض بدون الكرة، مفعم بالحيوية، ولديه ثقة مضاعفة، وهو ما أحبه”.

وأردف: “أحب اللاعبين عندما لا تسير الأمور بشكل جيد بالنسبة لهم، ويواصلون رغبتهم في الحصول على الكرة”.

واستكمل: “عيب ليفربول الوحيد الذي أراه يتمثل فيما حدث الأسبوع الماضي، كان بإمكانهم الفوز على ليدز بسبعة أهداف، هم يهدرون الكثير من الأهداف، لكن صلاح هو الأفضل بنسبة 100%”.

Leeds United finally received some sort of update from the EFL and supporters at Elland Road have been reacting to the news via Phil Hay, who relayed the key information to Twitter.

The English Football League have delayed a return to training until May 25th at the earliest, which is over a week later than their original date of May 16th following a board meeting with Championship clubs.

Last week, the British government postponed all sporting events until June 1st at the earliest whilst EFL chair has set a deadline of July 31st for the remaining nine matches to be complete by.

It means the breathing space for this season to be resumed is diminishing quickly and many in west Yorkshire now have their doubts.

A true test for any Leeds fan: Can you match these iconic images with the right results?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are sat top of the Championship, holding a seven-point advantage to the playoffs, so it’s fair to argue that they have a very good chance of ending a 16-year wait for top-flight football at Elland Road.

Here’s how fans have been reacting to the news…

AND in other news, Leeds fans swoon over Ben White after this gesture…

Everton are reportedly interested in making a summer move for Torino star Andrea Belotti.

According to a recent report from Calciomercato (via Sport Witness) the Toffees are ready to make a €60m (£53m) offer for the 26-year-old.

A number of clubs including Inter Milan, Napoli and Roma are all courting him “brazenly”, but Everton remain at the front of the queue for his signature.

The prolific Serie A striker is one of the top strikers in European football and the quality of Italian sides taking an interest certainly attests to that, but should Carlo Ancelotti go all out to bring him to Goodison Park?

With the report in mind, Football FanCast writers have delivered their verdicts on Everton’s interest and whether he should be on the club’s radar…

Lewis Blain “Everton landing Andrea Belotti would be a surefire way to transform Ancelotti’s European dreams into a reality. The 26-year-old has netted 15 goals from 31 appearances this campaign, making him just two away from matching last season’s tally of 17. This shows that he’s a prolific and consistent threat in front of goal.“All but three of his strikes in the last six seasons in Italy have been from inside the penalty area with a vast majority coming from within the six-yard box, via Understat – meaning he’s a golden poacher and should be welcome at any club wanting to project onto a new level.“Given Ancelotti’s persistence with 4-4-2, Belotti could well prove to be the absolute perfect foil for Calvert-Lewin, who has been in fine mettle this term himself, also scoring 15 goals for the Toffees.“Pairing the Englishman with the 27-cap Italian will surely have fans salivating at the mouth at Goodison Park next season. Brands should do everything in his power to fund this deal.”The Greatest Bargains in Premier League history – How much did they cost?World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5% James Beavis “Everton signing Andrea Belotti would be the best start to the Ancelotti revolution.“While the Toffees do have the likes of Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Moise Kean to pick from up top, you can’t help but feel that another goalscorer in their ranks could make all the difference, as well as letting the Brazilian revert to more of a wide role where he has been effective previously.“Belotti would certainly bring the goals – he has 85 in 179 for one of the less-fancied clubs in Italy in Torino as well as nine in 27 caps for his country – while at 26 years of age he is approaching the prime years of his career.“The prospect of him lining up alongside the much-improved Calvert-Lewin on a weekly basis would be a mouthwatering prospect, and perhaps he could teach Kean a thing or two as well as he looks to kick-start his own career with the Toffees. “Marcel Brands would be hailed as a God if he can get this deal over the line for Ancelotti and Everton Football Club.” Jack Saville

“A move for Belotti would be the worst thing for Calvert-Lewin at this stage in his career. The budding England international has been a revelation under Ancelotti and is finally beginning to vindicate the trust that has been shown in him during some lengthy and tepid spells of form.

“While Everton’s interest in the Italian attacker makes perfect sense given his record in Turin, it would be a real kick in the teeth for Calvert-Lewin if the club were to sanction a mega-money move for a new centre-forward.

“It has taken years of patience to get Calvert-Lewin to the level he is currently reaching, so Ancelotti should focus on building his attack around the 23-year-old rather than signing a new player capable of usurping him.”

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

Having made his Manchester United debut in a defeat to Arsenal a couple of years ago, Scott McTominay has made some serious strides in a staggeringly short amount of time. The 22-year-old has become a prominent player under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, and is arguably one of the first names on the team-sheet.

He has already made 16 appearances across all competitions this season, and has played the full 90 minutes in every single Premier League game barring just two. In a team that has struggled overall – United currently find themselves in seventh and a whopping nine points behind the final Champions League qualifying spot – McTominay has been one of the rare bright sparks. And when looking at the underlying numbers, it is easy to see why.

While McTominay may be seen by the outside world as someone who simply sits in front of the back four, breaks up the opposition play and then feeds the ball into the forwards, that has not been the case at all. The Scotland international is beginning to develop into a bona-fide box-to-box midfielder, and his natural engine and lungs is helping him become a hugely influential presence for United at both ends of the pitch.

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As per utdreport on Twitter, the 22-year-old has run 130.88km in total in the Premier League this season – the most distance covered by any player in the current United squad. And in finding himself all over the pitch, it is little surprise to see McTominay also feature highly in all the other main categories. As per Whoscored, his average of 2.3 tackles per game ranks him third amongst his teammates, whilst even in stats that are polar opposites like interceptions and shots, the academy product fares impressively well.

The matches in which the midfielder dominates is also a testament to his big-game mentality. In the victory over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, McTominay’s match rating was the second-highest of any player on the pitch, whilst in the hard-fought draw against Arsenal, his 7.4 score was the highest of any United star. The 6 foot 4 powerhouse rises to the big occasion, and he is quickly becoming Solskjaer’s most trusted lieutenant.

Allan Saint-Maximin has wasted little time in becoming a fan favourite on Tyneside through his antics on and off the pitch.He has matched his great skill and excitement at taking on defenders with digs at Sunderland fans, and now an appearance on BBC Radio Newcastle which has got fans buzzing once again.A particular highlight for some fans was the winger saying an expletive, for which he later apologised, and that comment drew an excitable reaction from some supporters.[ad_pod ]One fan suggested that he is quickly becoming one of their favourite ever Newcastle players, and if he continues to act like a maverick in all aspects of his life he could perhaps one day be a cult figure.He has achieved such a great rapport with fans despite not even scoring and only making one assist, so when he does get firing the level of support for him could be gigantic.Either way, he seems to be settled and enjoying life in the north-east and fans are certainly glad he has arrived, as their several reactions highlight.