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Swansea City boss Graham Potter has revealed that leading scorer Oliver McBurnie ‘might be fit enough to start’ Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Brentford.

It has been a frustrating few weeks for McBurnie due to illness, but he is in line to make Potter’s starting XI against Brentford this weekend.

What has been said?

Swansea’s official website quotes Potter as saying:

“Oli has trained this morning, so we will see how he responds to that. He has had a couple of bouts of flu essentially and taken time to get over that.

“He has had antibiotics as it had gone onto his chest and when you are a footballer and you are recovering to sprint and get the air in there, it is not to easy.

“So he has felt really low and he has been in bed for a few days over the last two or three weeks.

“He has just not been fully right, he is still not quite 100 per cent but he is getting better and better and we hope he can play a bigger part against Brentford.

“He might be fit enough to start. I would not rule it out at this stage, but I would not rule it in completely either.”

McBurnie has been in and around the camp over the last few weeks, but has only played cameo roles in Swansea’s last two Championship matches.

Indeed, he appeared as a late substitute in the 1-0 win over Millwall on February 9, before coming off the bench to score in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Leeds United.

Potter has been careful not to put too much pressure on the 22-year-old in terms of the huge clash with Brentford, but the Swansea boss is hopeful that he will be able to select his leading scorer from the start, which would be a huge boost.

How important is McBurnie to Swansea?

Absolutely vital. Not just for his goals, but what he brings to the team.

Swansea always seem to play better football and look more dangerous when McBurnie is in the team, while his record this season is very strong.

Indeed, the forward has managed 14 goals in 31 Championship appearances, while he hit a brace against Gillingham in the last round of the FA Cup.

It was a difficult January window for Swansea due to a number of reasons, but having a fully-fit McBurnie would be a huge boost at this stage of the campaign.

And Swansea have a huge chance to make the sixth round of the FA Cup.

Leeds may want to put the draw against Cardiff firmly in the past but some supporters are taking the time to commend Kalvin Phillips for his actions prior to kick-off on Saturday.

In the bitter cold, the Leeds academy graduate decided to hand his jumper to a mascot, helping her to keep warm ahead of the match starting, for which he has rightly been praised.

It’s not the first time he has taken such an action, either, and that says a lot about his character and willingness to look out for others, which is becoming rarer in modern-day football.

Here is some of the praise he has rightly been receiving from fans.

Phillips is a brilliant competitor on the pitch too and vital to Marcelo Bielsa’s style of play, and though he couldn’t prevent the three-goal collapse he has been a stalwart for much of the season.

As a result, there has been significant interest in him from Premier League clubs, with even Manchester United interested, though since he is such an all-round asset on and off the pitch the Whites will be determined to keep him at the club.

Some believe he shows real leadership attributes in the way he conducts himself and argue that he has the potential to be a future captain of the club. Many fans would likely love to see that day come because he is Leeds through and through.

Can you get full marks on the Ultimate Leeds Quiz? Test your knowledge below…

Speaking of captains, Leeds fans missed Liam Cooper on Saturday for his defensive and leadership qualities, with some suggesting it contributed to the collapse against Cardiff.

Crystal Palace fans have taken to Twitter to react after The Telegraph revealed that the Eagles are one of four clubs interested in signing Derby County right-back Jayden Bogle in the January transfer window.The 19-year-old – who is also wanted by West Ham, Burnley and Brighton – is rated at £7m as per The Telegraph and has two-and-a-half years left on his current deal at Pride Park, while the Rams could reportedly be tempted by an offer which would allow boss Phillip Cocu to strengthen his squad elsewhere.

Roy Hodgson’s side – who coincidentally face Derby in the FA Cup third round on January 5th – are in desperate need of a right-back having failed to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka following his £50m move to Manchester United, while Joel Ward has recently been struggling with injuries which has forced Martin Kelly to cover for him.

Bogle has become a regular feature in the Derby first-team despite his young age, making 43 Championship appearances under Frank Lampard last season – in which he recorded an impressive 11 goal involvements – while also making 17 league outings this term, grabbing three assists.

Watch Crystal Palace vs West Ham Live and Free with Amazon Prime on Boxing Day

This would seem like a shrewd move for the south Londoners given Bogle’s age and relatively low value at just £7m, as well as his consistency over the last season-and-a-half.

This Palace fan stated that Bogle would be “an unreal signing” before giving a shout out to CPFC NEWS HQ for continuing to deliver transfer stories on Christmas Day – a fine effort indeed from the dedicated Twitter account.

Additionally, this supporter said that a swoop for the teenager is “the type of move we should be making”, which is hard to argue with given our aforementioned points about Bogle’s age, value and performance levels.

However, these two fans expressed pessimism over the transfer report.

Mark echoed the aforesaid claim that Bogle is “the sort of player we should be looking at”, before casting doubt on Palace’s ability to actually land the teenager by stating that he will end up at another club.

Additionally, the second supporter showered Bogle in praise by saying that the right-back is “exciting” and “ready for the Premier League” before also going on to doubt the Eagles’ capabilities of signing him by believing that Palace’s scouting team “won’t be interested” – this could be down to the fact that Hodgson’s side rarely sign youngsters full of potential, with summer arrivals 34-year-old Gary Cahill and 29-year-old James McCarthy evidence of that.

Lastly, this pair of Palace fans didn’t express any pessimism over the news, but instead gave the transfer link their blessing.

Wayne said that this move “would actually make sense” while the other fan said that Bogle gets a “massive yes” from them.

In other news, Luka Milivojevic has issued a vocal plea to Steve Parish ahead of the upcoming transfer window…

Christian Atsu was a rare bright spark for Newcastle United as they went on to draw against Rochdale in the FA Cup.

On the chalkboard

Steve Bruce’s side will surely be disappointed to walk away from Spotland Stadium needing a replay to potentially get through to the next round.

That point is only strengthened by the fact the manager put out what was arguably his strongest possible lineup, considering the injuries being suffered within the squad.

There will be various players that Bruce and the fans will be disappointed with following their performances in the match.

However, Christian Atsu cannot be one of those, as he was a rare sign of the superior quality Premier League players should have in ties such as this.

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Dangerous play

It says a lot about just how dangerous the 27-year-old was, especially towards the beginning of the game, that Rochdale right-back Tyler Magloire was taken off after just 30 minutes despite there being no sign of injury.

Atsu – valued at £5.4m by Transfermarkt – caused the defender plenty of problems before that, most notably for Newcastle’s only goal of the game, as his skill got him through a tight gap before he got the ball to Miguel Almiron who did the rest.

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The statistics also offer insight into just how dangerous he was throughout, as the Ghana international made a total of 10 dribbles, impressively completing every one of them, per Whoscored.

In addition to that, he had a pass success rate of 89% and managed to produce four key passes throughout the day’s proceedings, showing that there was quality in his delivery of the ball as well as his running with it at his feet.

Being a winger operating at left-wing-back, there was some defensive fragility, as he got away with a mishap towards the end of the game when Oliver Rathbone missed the target after he had been dispossessed.

However, Atsu definitely offered a reminder of how useful he can be in the attacking phase.

In other news, Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign 31-year-old striker.

Everton’s director of football Marcel Brands was confronted by angry supporters on Monday following their side’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the FA Cup.

A small group of supporters arrived at Finch Farm on Monday morning to tell the squad how they felt after they felt humiliated after losing to a youthful side fielded by manager Jurgen Klopp.

The Toffees were knocked out of the domestic competition for the second time in three seasons by their hated neighbours at Anfield.

The incident comes after Fabian Delph got into a heated online argument with fans on social media after he was criticised by direct message.

The Times revealed that the fans wanted to speak to specific players and Sky Sports said that the matter is now being investigated by the club.

Supporters were delighted with the actions of some of the Gwladys Street faithful and made their feelings clear on social media.

Here you will find some of the best comments from Everton fans:

Were Everton fans right to confront players at Finch Farm? Join the discussion and comment below…

Having joined Wolves’ academy back in 2010, Dominic Iorfa has always seemed to be on the fringes of making a really big impression for himself. The 24-year-old has endured a rather stop-start career, playing 93 games for Wolves, 25 games for Ipswich, and now 36 times for Sheffield Wednesday.

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But this season has really seen him kick on in an Owls shirt. He has nailed down a position at centre-back for Garry Monk’s side, playing there on 21 occasions out of his total of 24 appearances according to Transfermarkt. And he was once again deployed at the heart of defence against Brighton in the FA Cup third round on Saturday afternoon, helping his side to a 1-o victory.

After seeing his performance, Wednesday supporters took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the 24-year-old.

A couple of fans simply highlighted how resolute and solid he is at centre-back, with one supporter even comparing him to a brick wall.

Another couple of supporters talked up Iorfa’s bright future in the game, suggesting that they could see him playing at a higher level than the Championship, and that he could move for big money either now or in the summer.

Having established himself as a leading centre-back at Wednesday, Iorfa continues to impress at the heart of defence for the Owls. As per Whoscored, his average match rating of 6.93 places him seventh amongst his teammates, and helping to keep things at the back will no doubt be a major reason as to whether the Owls can earn promotion to the top-flight this season.

Meanwhile, Sheffield Wednesday’s chances of success this season could hinge upon doing this in January.

Following Manchester United’s narrow 1-0 victory over Wolves in the FA Cup on Wednesday night, Gary Neville has hailed Brandon Williams for his performance.

What did he say?

The Red Devils edged past Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in their third round replay clash at Old Trafford, with Juan Mata’s strike proving to be the decisive goal. And despite coming up against Adama Traore, Williams looked superbly at ease at full-back for United.

As per Sofascore, the academy product won an impressive six of his seven total duels, made three clearances and completed all five of his attempted long balls.

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And tweeting his praise of the youngster, Neville remarked: “I like Brandon Williams. What I like about him specifically is he has that look in his eye of someone that would eat his opponents nose to win the match. Keep going kid! Oh he can play football too which is always a bonus”.

Instant impression

The 19-year-old has made 15 senior appearances across all competitions this season, and has really turned up the pressure on the likes of Luke Shaw and Ashley Young. If he continues to impress like he did against Wolves, then there is no reason why he cannot establish himself as the starting left-back at United by the end of the season.

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Neville’s verdict on the teenager points to someone who has an edge to his game, and that was no doubt reflected in his little head-to-head with Wolves’ Pedro Neto late in the first-half on Wednesday evening. That confidence and refusal to get bullied around will surely stand him in good stead for the future.

Meanwhile, Manchester United fans slam this ace after his shocking display against Wolves.

The signing of Ryan Kent in the summer transfer window divided opinion at Ibrox. 

The mercurial playmaker blew hot and cold in his opening season, providing moments of euphoria and frustrating disappointment in often unpredictable patterns. 

A season return of six goals and six assists from 23 SPFL appearances alluded to a level of final third influence worth pursuing for the club, but how high would the Gers be willing to go?

Determined to build upon the foundations he established in his maiden campaign, Steven Gerrard slipped £7.5m into his former club’s pocket to secure Kent’s signature on a permanent basis. 

Even the starkest of cynics and conspiracy theorists would have been harsh to suggest Gerrard was bribing his way into the Liverpool manager’s job, but not everyone was convinced he was worthy of that price tag despite his success last season. 

But a recent strike in Rangers’ Old Firm derby triumph saw him repay that fee ten times over in a game which could yet represent a significant watershed moment in the club’s history. 

In light of his recent Hollywood moment, the former Rangers winger Mark Walters had this to say about the 23-year-old, per Glasgow Times.

“Kent’s goal against Celtic was a great striker and he will take a lot of confidence from it. Going forward, he could be a game-changer.”

The hope now is that he will kick on and become a big game player for the club, one who can provide the attacking impetus to ensure the Gers top the SPFL table come May. 

But it was another aspect of Walters’ comments that alluded to a broader significance of Kent’s presence at the club and Mark Wilson’s transfer strategy.

“When you sign guys of Kent’s quality, it means that other players in the squad know they need to keep their standard up. If you don’t perform, you lose your place. As a footballer, that’s the biggest motivation you can get.”

That Kent is individually driving the standard up in the dressing room can be seen in Rangers’ performance so far this season. While he certainly wasn’t a unanimously popular signing, there was no disputing he arrived from a background of pedigree and his quality has raised the bar at Ibrox.

The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell recently suggested that Wilson will target players between 20 and 24 with resale value, and Kent’s recent derby day success shows that could prove to be a successful approach. 

He is far from the finished article, but with plenty of scope for improvement his talent could easily outgrow his £7.5m price tag in the future. 

A transfer strategy championing players of Kent’s profile and calibre appears to be the path to progress for Gerrard.

Roshane Thomas has given his honest assessment of West Ham United after their 4-1 loss against Leicester City, during a Q&A on The Athletic.

What did he say?

The Hammers’ performance was poor all-round, as they took 13 fewer shots than Leicester, as well as making 12 fewer key passes and seven fewer tackles.

It simply wasn’t good enough from the men in claret and blue, as they find themselves getting dragged ever-closer to the relegation zone, now just staying out of it by three goals.

With that in mind, Thomas gave an honest assessment of West Ham’s troubles following the loss: “We are sleepwalking into the Championship! I honestly feel like we keep repeating ourselves with the concerns we have. Why was Lanzini in the starting eleven yet again? Why does it seem like Moyes has a lack of faith in Fornals? Honestly, it’s worrying times guys. Tough games are coming up and relegation feels like a real possibility.”

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Hard to argue

It has to be said, that considering the team’s current position in the table and the performance they just provided, there is no denying that the Hammers are threatened by relegation.

Thomas made reference to Lanzini, who was once again ineffective, as he made one dribble while failing to record any shots or key passes, despite playing the full 90 minutes.

There were various other problems within the team, including Arthur Masuaku’s shocking positioning, Robert Snodgrass seeming to pick up a knock and Pablo Zabaleta not making any tackles all game.

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When looking into this performance, it is difficult to come up with any type of verdict other than a damning one.

To make things even worse, the Hammers’ next five league fixtures include two matches against Liverpool and on away trip to Manchester City.

With Brighton & Hove Albion coming up next, the Hammers will be under plenty of pressure to get a result.

Meanwhile, West Ham fans reacted to a transfer target’s performance.

Tottenham Hotspur may not have signed a striker on Deadline Day, but it hasn’t stopped manager Jose Mourinho from talking up his chairman Daniel Levy to the press.

What’s he said?

The Portuguese chief was left waxing lyrical about Levy’s involvement in Spurs’ key transfer dealings of Christian Eriksen, who left for Inter Milan in a £16.9m deal, and Steven Bergwijn, who joined the north Londoners in a £27m move from PSV.

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Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, Mourinho said the following:

“Christian would always give us some of his talent until the end of the season. He is a good professional, respect to the club, respect to the dressing room, if he stayed here I think he would always give us something,” he said.

“However Mr Levy managed to get an important transfer fee that was used to buy a 21-year-old player like Steven Bergwijn. So Mr Levy did fantastic for the club.”

“Fantastic deal for a player that is free in a few months and again that money was reinvested in the purchase of Steven Bergwijn which again he’s young, yes he’s young, but it’s a player with now five and a half years of contract with us and a player with fantastic conditions to be very good for us so I think the Christian situation was very well managed by Mr Levy.”

Jose Mourinho, Spurs manager.

Questionable verdict

Spurs’ transfer window was certainly a tale of two halves. Incomings in the form of Gedson Fernandes (loan) and Bergwijn were encouraging moves in positions that needed strengthening and in making Giovani Lo Celso’s deal permanent from Real Betis, they have Eriksen’s replacement primed and ready to go.

However, failure to strengthen in the striking department could be bordering on an error of seismic proportions – a little tongue in cheek, perhaps, but they really did need to find a viable alternative to lead the line in Harry Kane’s prolonged absence.

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His 11 goals in the Premier League have been key to them sitting in and around the top-six mix, but his likely backups – Lucas Moura and Heung-min Son – have only combined for one fewer goal between them, per WhoScored.

Next up would be a relatively unexposed teenager in Troy Parrott.

It’s not a good look for a side that, you’d imagine, have a desire to be in the Champions League next season. Their chances of doing exactly that must be wearing thin the longer Kane is sat on the sidelines.