West Ham fans unimpressed with Felipe Anderson display

West Ham United fans were not impressed with the performance of Felipe Anderson as the Hammers lost to Crystal Palace on Saturday.

A Patrick van Aanholt penalty and a late strike from Jordan Ayew gave Roy Hodgson’s men all three points in east London.

Striker Sebastien Haller had given the Irons the lead in east London but Manuel Pellegrini’s side were unable to see the game out.

Anderson had two shots on goal throughout the 90 minutes, per WhoScored, and also completed three dribbles and won five tackles.

However, supporters were still left unimpressed with the Brazilian’s contribution as West Ham dropped points.

Indeed, the Hammers drew 2-2 with AFC Bournemouth last weekend and squandered a chance to climb into the top four with a victory over Palace.

And a number of supporters took aim at Anderson after the full-time whistle.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

Southampton target Mbwana Samatta is definitely worth taking a gamble on

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Calciomercato, Southampton are eyeing up Genk striker Mbwana Samatta as an option for the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

Well, the 26-year-old quite obviously knows where the back of the net is.

Samatta has scored 92 goals across his career, and netted an eye-catching 32 of those in the 2018/19 campaign, as he helped Genk progress through the Europa League qualifying rounds – he scored six goals in just five qualifiers, including a hat-trick against Brondby.

Southampton currently have £20m Danny Ings, £15m summer signing Che Adams, Michael Obafemi and Shane Long as their striking options, as well as the versatile Nathan Redmond being an option up top.

There is, however, one concern over Samatta.

Untested in a top European league

While Samatta appears to be a prolific forward, and you can only beat what’s in front of you, there is the lingering concern that he is relatively untested in a top European division.

Samatta has only ever played for three clubs: Simba Sports Club, TP Mazembe and Genk.

Simba are located in Samatta’s native country of Tanzania, a place that isn’t exactly known for its competitive football ranks, whereas Mazembe are based in Congo, another nation not famed for having a testing footballing ladder.

Genk is a bit more of a challenge, and Samatta’s goals in Europe are of course an impressive feat, but he is unquestionably an untested player in a top league – this may prove a problem in arguably the toughest division of them all, the Premier League.

However, because of the sheer amount of goals he does score – 32 in all competitions last year is not to be sniffed at, especially with nine coming in European competition – Southampton should definitely take the gamble on Samatta despite his lack of experience in a top division.

West Ham fans show faith in Roberto to fill in for Lukasz Fabianski

West Ham fans are beginning to accept life without Lukasz Fabianksi, who faces up to three months on the sidelines, with some deciding to show support for Roberto.

The Spanish keeper has not enjoyed the best start to his Hammers career, conceding four against Oxford in the League Cup second round, leading some fans to call for Nathan Trott to be recalled from his loan to play ahead of him, despite the fact he is only 20 years of age.

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However, it looks very likely that, as the number two in the squad, Roberto will get the nod from Manuel Pellegrini to start for the foreseeable future, and therefore there is a section of supporters who are choosing to back him.

They hope the support shown will help to maintain the positive attitude at the club and improved performances from the 31-year-old.

When he last played regularly, in 2017/18, he made 34 La Liga appearances and conceded 51 goals, which suggests he could be dependable for the Hammers, and the reactions below show there is some faith in his ability.

Rangers fan favourite Andy Halliday simply has to be dropped

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

There remains some uncertainty at Rangers over who their first-choice left-back is.

It is the only real position that doesn’t appear to have a guaranteed starter, with Borna Barisic, Jon Flanagan and Andy Halliday all aiming to make the berth their own.

With Rangers playing Feyenoord on Thursday, manager Steven Gerrard must make a decision and Barasic should be selected.

On the chalkboard

Andy Halliday is not a left-back for a start – he is a central or left-sided midfielder that has been filling in on the left side of defence, with 74 of the 118 Rangers outings Transfermarkt have recorded a position for coming in defensive midfield. He was rated as the worst player on the pitch against East Fife while lining up at left-back – just 4.85/10 on the BBC Sport website.

There remains a romantic opinion of Halliday; Rangers fans want him to do well for the club given his fierce loyalty – he has stood in the same stands as a fan – but being a supporter in itself is no longer enough.

He has made a number of mistakes in recent weeks, including against Livingston as he allowed a chance that hit the crossbar, while he also misjudged a delivery against East Fife, with goalkeeper Wes Foderingham sparing his blushes.

Those mistakes could have been costly.

Barisic must play

Barisic started both games for Croatia in the recent international break, the most likely reason for Halliday getting a run out against Livingston.

With Flanagan out injured for the next few weeks, Barasic is the only real choice at left-back.

He has been creating chances and has one “official” goal to his name – being robbed against St Joseph’s of another sublime free-kick – and two assists.

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He has improved his physicality and is pressing high up the pitch, while he is making a marked improvement in his recovery runs when tracking back – all evident from watching him play.

If Rangers are to continue to improve, Halliday must only be played when Barisic needs a rest and against weaker opposition until Flanagan is able to deputise.

Gerrard should make the Croatian his first-choice; he is the most sensible option.

Rangers attempted to land Aaron Hickey

An update has emerged on defender Aaron Hickey, regarding Rangers’ interest in bringing him to Ibrox over the summer.

What’s the talk?

According to Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Rangers attempted to land the teenage full-back from Serie A side Bologna in the summer transfer window.

The report claims Premier League side Aston Villa and Gers’ fierce rivals Celtic were also keen on a deal, which ultimately failed to materialise as he remained in Italy.

Revisit a move

Rangers chief Ross Wilson must secure a January deal to sign Hickey from Bologna to bolster Steven Gerrard’s squad heading into the second half of the campaign. Whilst they failed with a previous move for the defender, the January window provides them with a second chance to persuade the Italian side to part ways with the teenager.

He has impressed in Serie A for Bologna this season and is proving himself to be a quality young defender. Hickey has averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.90 in seven starts, scoring two goals and winning an eye-catching 67% of his duels.

Scottish coach Austin MacPhee once compared Hickey to Jonny Evans and claimed that he could be ‘like’ one of the great Barcelona midfielders. He said:

“He’s so young he could play a lot of positions. He could end up being like Busquets.

“Right now he reminds me of Jonny Evans, who I’ve seen in training with Northern Ireland. It’s the way he defends, moves and always wants the ball as a defender.

“Jonny spent some of his career at left-back, centre-back and defensive midfield. It will be interesting to see where Aaron ends up but he’s a young player I would hang my hat on. He’s tall enough to play at centre-back too.”

This highlights the £16k-per-week gem’s positional flexibility on the pitch. In his short career to date, Hickey has played centre-back, left-back, right-back, right-midfield and left-midfield for Hearts and Bologna. Gerrard could call upon him in a multitude of roles, with MacPhee seemingly believing that he could also play as a holding midfielder.

At the age of 19, he also has potential to improve further and become a top player in the future, having already proven that he can perform to a high standard in Serie A.

This is why Wilson must bring him to Ibrox for Gerrard to work with in January. He could be a boost to the current squad whilst also being an investment that could earn the Gers a big payday down the road if he fulfils his promise.

AND in other news, Morelos 2.0: Gerrard could save Rangers millions by unleashing 19y/o “big talent”…

Celtic: Montgomery’s time to shine

Celtic have had a bad time of it over the last week with Ange Postecoglou’s positive vibes and infectious attitude waning.

The Hoops tasted defeat in their first European group stage match of the season and then lost to Livingston as Celtic capped off their worst start to a campaign in 23 years.

On the chalkboard

What has confounded the club’s misery over the two weeks are some pretty meaty injury blows.

Kyogo Furuhashi has been ruled out for around a month while Callum McGregor has missed the recent defeats with a minor knock.

The Bhoys have also suffered a blow in defence where Greg Taylor will now miss an extended period of time.

He sustained a shoulder problem and after undergoing successful surgery on the issue, will now miss around 12 matches.

This is a serious problem for Postecoglou because the left-back position is already one where he lacks options, so much so that Boli Bolingoli was forced to come in from the wilderness last Sunday.

The solution

What Taylor’s injury does provide is a huge opportunity for Adam Montgomery to become the club’s first-choice left-back.

He missed out on the starting XI against Livi last weekend with Bolingoli featuring ahead of him in defence.

Sadly, however, the Belgian defender was hardly a pillar of solidity and reliability. During that game, he conceded possession 18 times, made three fouls and was dribbled past twice.

As a consequence, Celtic would be a lot better off if they just unleashed Montgomery instead.

He might be young at the age of 19 and thus, lacking experience, but now feels like the ideal time to blood him.

After all, once Celtic gave a young star like Kieran Tierney the platform to prove his quality, he quickly became a £25m player.

Speaking about the teenager, Mark Guidi issued the perfect assessment of his situation on Go Radio: “I really like the look of Montgomery. Yes, he’ll be raw. Yes, he will make mistakes but he really looks the part.

“So, I would put the new back four together, including Montgomery, and go with it. Give it a chance, give it a chance to go.

“Montgomery is the closest thing to Kieran Tierney Celtic have had.

Although his impact was minimal against Betis – winning just 50% duels – he has very rarely put a foot wrong in what has been a breakthrough season for the youngster.

If he is unleashed then it could be the start of a vibrant left side for Celtic. Having recently signed Jota, he’s experienced a wonderful start to this career at Parkhead.

He’s not scored for the club yet but has been a livewire on the flanks, assisting Albian Ajeti’s goal in Seville and causing all sorts of danger down the flanks.

With Montgomery’s future as a defender, he must be given a chance now to see whether he’s capable of delivering consistently in a back four.

AND in other news, Celtic may discover their new Ralston in rarely-seen 21 y/o with “excellent pedigree”…

Lionel Messi is an Instagram king! Inter Miami superstar becomes only second person to reach 500m followers – but he's still way behind Cristiano Ronaldo

Lionel Messi has cemented his status as an Instagram king, passing the 500 million follower mark, but he is still a long way behind Cristiano Ronaldo.

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  • Argentine icon hits half-a-billion followers
  • Portuguese rival boast 622m
  • History being made on & off the field
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who continues to make history on the field, reached another notable landmark off the pitch when hitting half-a-billion followers on his social media channel of choice. He is just the second person on the planet to achieve that feat.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Eternal rival Ronaldo was the first, with the Portuguese icon topping the charts by some distance on 622m. Musician and actress Selena Gomez ranks third (429m), followed by Kylie Jenner (400m) and Hollywood film star Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson (397m).

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    According to , Messi is now followed by 20 per cent of the 2.5 billion monthly active user base on Instagram. He has more followers than all current NFL players combined and tops the cumulative total of the 154 teams in the five major sports leagues in America.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Messi’s fan base exploded on the back of his 2022 World Cup triumph with Argentina, while he now boasts a new legion of supporters following a move to the United States that has seen him link up with MLS side Inter Miami. His following is predominately male (72%), while Brazil is his top country for followers at 12% – followed by India (8.1%), Argentina (6.5%) and the U.S. (6.2%).

Man City fans love Bernardo Silva comments

A number of Manchester City supporters have sent their love to Bernardo Silva after he scored the winner against Leicester City at the weekend.

The 27-year-old has become a fan favourite at the Etihad Stadium after his £43m from AS Monaco in 2017, with the Portugal winger scoring 36 goals and setting up 44 in 205 appearances under Pep Guardiola.

It was reported over the summer by Fabrizio Romano that Silva wanted to ‘try something new’ after winning every possible trophy in England during his time at the Etihad. However, a move never happened and he remains a key clog of Pep Guardiola’s side, starting the previous three games, all of which City have won, with a cumulative scoreline of 11-0.

Silva’s second half winner at the King Power Stadium against Leicester City was the difference in a tight affair on Saturday, and after the game, he expressed his love for the club to BBC’s Match of the Day [via City Xtra].

The 27-year-old said: “I love the club, I love my teammates, I love football here. I’m enjoying it and I’m always going to give my best.”

Man City fans gush over Silva

These Man City supporters have taken to Twitter to send their appreciation to “true king” Silva after his comments about his love for the club, with one supporter hailing his “elite mentality”.

“Gonna be the best player for City this season!”

Credit: @deekayboi

“What a mentality, hope he stays”

Credit: @CitehBlues

“He has my heart”

Credit: @J_Citizen1

“He has a big part to play again this year. A brilliant player”

Credit: @DaveSt111

“WE know it Bernardo. Thank you for your commitment”

Credit: @JeanCity10

“We love you Berni”

Credit: @City789

“elite mentality”

Credit: @xCityFoden

“True king uno”

Credit: @DalenHeap

In other news, these Man City fans erupt as a new transfer claim emerges. Find out more here.

'I can shut up now!' – Gary Neville hails Sir Jim Ratcliffe & INEOS for bringing 'new energy' to Man Utd after 10 years of 'complete and utter tosh'

Gary Neville hailed Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group for bringing in positivity in the Manchester United squad.

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  • Neville hails Ratcliffe
  • Man Utd on a five-match winning streak
  • Man Utd beat Luton Town 2-1 on Sunday
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Manchester-born billionaire's minority takeover at Manchester United was approved by the Premier League earlier this week following an independent review. With Ratcliffe and his INEOS group set to be responsible for football operations at Old Trafford going forward, club legend Neville hailed the business for the team's "change in energy" in recent games.

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  • WHAT GARY NEVILLE SAID

    Speaking to reporters, Neville said, "The turn in Manchester United's fortunes has coincided at the point where Jim Ratcliffe came in. I think it might be a little bit of a coincidence. You remember that second 45 minutes against Aston Villa on Boxing Day which damaged Villa. The two Manchester United games will really damage Unai Emery because they played really well in both games.

    "They hammered United in the first half. United were breathtaking in that second half, that was Jim Ratcliffe's first game as it were as he'd been announced on Christmas Eve. It has been an about-turn. I think what Jim Ratcliffe has done, he's come in and said to all of them, I'm looking at every single one of you lot. You're all playing for your future."

    He added, "They have got the players back, Casemiro was out for a long time, and they had players out in key positions, so there was an element of that but I do believe the mood has changed. What the fans wanted, what everyone connected with United was just some interference with the complete and utter tosh we've seen for 10 years. What's happened is the boardroom has been disrupted, which means there's a completely new energy with decisions being made."

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Further discussing the current mood in the club, Neville stated, "How long have we been asking for a CEO that knows football, a sporting director, a sporting department? I can shut up about it now!

    "When you think for 10 years every Manchester United manager has operated without a CEO that's actually been in a football club before, without a sporting director, without a head of recruitment. It's madness, forget negligence, it's just madness. It would never happen at any other club. The more I think about it, what the Glazers have done is show blind loyalty to people who have been really good to them over a long period of time at the club. Ed Woodward was at the club for 10-12 years before he became CEO, he was working on the commercial side. They've been very loyal to him and believed everything he said. I'm sure Ed believed in what he was doing as well.

    He further added, "I said it probably 10 years ago, it was like they were playing Football Manager. They can go and have a look at some of the best players in the world. [Angel] Di Maria, [Radamel] Falcao, [Zlatan] Ibrahimovic and they played Football Manager with the club for 10 years without having serious people operating the club, which other clubs have. It's unbelievable."

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    DID YOU KNOW?

    Erik ten Hag's side are now unbeaten in their last seven matches across all competitions which includes five consecutive wins. On Sunday, they registered a narrow win over Luton Town thanks to a brace by Rasmus Hojlund. They are currently five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa.

WATCH: Liverpool star Dominik Szoboszlai drinks shot of Palinka with Hungary fans in celebration of Euro 2024 qualification after scoring stunning brace against Montenegro

Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai drank a shot of Palinka with Hungary fans to celebrate their Euro 2024 qualification – after a two-goal showing.

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  • Szoboszlai seen drinking a shot of Palinka with Hungary fans
  • Hungary beat Montenegro 3-1 having already qualified for Euro 2024
  • Liverpool star scored twice
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Liverpool midfielder and Hungary captain Dominik Szoboszlai was seen enjoying a shot of Palinka, one of the most popular spirits in his country, while celebrating the team's qualification for Euro 2024 next summer. Hungary had already booked their spot at the tournament in Germany after a 2-2 draw with Bulgaria on Thursday, but that didn't stop them putting on a superb display in their dead-rubber against Montenegro.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Hungary defeated Montenegro 3-1 in their final Euro 2024 qualification game, with the Reds midfielder bagging himself a brace in the second-half. Hungary finished at the top of Group G with five wins and three draws in their ten games to take their points tally to 18 points.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR SZOBOSZLAI?

    The 23-year-old will return to action for Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp's men look to stay in a tight title race with the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham. The summer signing has been a superb addition to Liverpool's engine room this season, and will hope for another start when they face champions City on November 25.

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