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For what feels like the first time in an eternity, Wolves kept a clean sheet in midweek.

As the Old Gold drew 0-0 with Chelsea, it was their first shut out since late October in the league, a run stretching to 13 top-flight outings.

The trio of defenders at the heart of Wolves’ defence were close to impeccable with Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Willy Boly losing only one duel between them.

That being said, this is still a tricky time for the Old Gold. They’ve won just three times in their last 12 matches and desperately need to improve if they want to realise their European ambitions.

After all, they’re starting to be talked about in the same breath as a relegation. Clearly, that was not what Jeff Shi had on his mind at the start of the campaign.

Though, holding Chelsea should bring them confidence when they travel to play Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon. Here’s the XI we’re predicting Nuno to go with.

We reckon that Nuno could make as many as three changes to the starting XI on Saturday. The Portuguese keeps his three-man defence but Romain Saiss comes into the side at the expense of Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The Frenchman was substituted with an injury against Chelsea and thus, Kilman shuffles along slightly to left-back.

Another change is in midfield where we think that Nuno should go with Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho in order to give Wolves a bit more creative potency. Palace conceded three times against West Ham last time out so Nuno can certainly afford to play a bit more expansively at Selhurst Park. That means Leander Dendoncker is absent on this occasion.

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The final change falls in attack where the £43k-per-week Adama Traore misses out. Tim Spiers labelled him the only negative from the match with Chelsea and as a result, is replaced by new arrival Willian Jose.

The Brazilian signed from Real Sociedad on loan last weekend but only made a brief cameo on Wednesday evening. This time we believe he deserves an opportunity to start.

AND in other news, Shi must reignite Wolves swoop for 23 y/o “Rolls-Royce of a player” who bullied Traore…

When Raul Jimenez suffered a horrendous fractured skull against Arsenal back in November, there were big fears for Wolves given his impressive contributions up top – he’s scored 47 goals in just 110 games for the club.

And since Jimenez went down, the Old Gold have won just four of their last 14 matches. It’s been a torrid period for Nuno Santo who has watched his side capitulate in recent months.

They have kept a solitary clean sheet in the Premier League since October, but their win over Arsenal on this occasion will have done them wonders.

The confidence was back in full swing and it was hardly a surprise that with a robust striker in Willian Jose to aim for in attack, they improved. Though, despite goals from Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho, it was Pedro Neto who put the Gunners to the sword.

Neto is having a tremendous season and despite Wolves’ struggles, he has taken on the mantle as their chief creator with ease. With Jimenez out, the Portugal international is very quickly becoming their diamond in the rough.

His performances have continued with the same vigour in recent months and his tally of four goals and four assists are bettered by no one in the Wolves squad this season.

The 20-year-old has been quite the force this term and he demonstrated that against Arsenal. Neto gave Hector Bellerin a torrid time and when the Gunners went down to ten and then nine men, he exploited the open spaces ruthlessly.

Neto provided two key passes during the game and such was the space he received on the left that he attempted eight crosses. That was the highest number of balls into the area of anyone on the pitch.

On top of that, the youngster terrorised Bellerin by completing a massive five dribbles. That tally was significantly up on his season average of 2.2 dribbles per game.

He has been a threatening ball of energy for the entire season and ranks among one of the most intense runners in the Premier League – sitting high up on the list of players with the most sprints per 90 minutes.

If anything typified Neto, it would be a piece of descriptive tweeting from Tim Spiers on Tuesday evening. As the winger drove past two Arsenal players in the second half, he said: “Neto twists into the box like a champion slalom skier.”

It was the perfect way to express Neto’s qualities. He is a radiant attacking weapon capable of upsetting even the sternest of defences.

Arsenal had conceded just once in the Premier League since Boxing Day but they found life difficult against the Portuguese this week.

It’s a testament to how much he’s improved and to his overall qualities. He has fast become Nuno’s star man at Molineux.

AND in other news, Drop him: Wolves liability who lost 66% of his duels continues to let Nuno down…

Glasgow Rangers still want to sign Fashion Sakala this summer, but French Ligue 1 leaders Lille are also keeping tabs on the KV Oostende striker.

What’s the word?

The Daily Record report Ibrox manager Steven Gerrard remains interested in the in-form Zambia international, who has emerged as a potential target for the Scottish giants over the past couple of transfer windows.

Sakala has made 24 appearances in the Jupiler Pro League so far this season with 13 goals and 3 assists to show for his 23 starts so it’s no wonder the Belgian outfit are trying their best to persuade him to extend his contract, although this seems unlikely given the level of interest in the 23-year-old.

Gerrard had been keen to strengthen his attacking options in the previous transfer windows and it seems the signing of a versatile forward remains a priority for the Englishman, the club having been strongly linked with a summer move for the Zambian of late.

However, Rangers face stiff competition in the race to sign him having attracted interest from French table-toppers Lille, who are reportedly set to launch a pre-contract move for Sakala.

What’re you waiting for Ross Wilson?

Just prior to deadline day at the end of the January transfer window, his former teammate Toby Sibbick said he’d be the perfect fit for the 54-time Scottish champions.

But while flattered by reports linking him with a move to Rangers, Sakala has played down transfer speculation about his future and recently insisted talks between the club and his representatives are “going well” over a contract extension.

The £1m-rated five-cap Zambia international is one of the most sought-after players in the Belgian top-flight, whilst his current contract runs until the end of the season, increasing the possibility of a cut-price deal in the summer.

Right-footed, he predominantly plays as a striker, but he’s adaptable and has been known to feature on the right wing if necessary.

He’s also confident on the ball, always playing with his head up and looking to find a teammate, which is important for the possession-heavy Gers – he currently averages at least one key pass per game, which is more than the likes of regular starters Glen Kamara and Steven Davis. But he’s much more comfortable cutting inside with his right foot, causing chaos inside the box, as opposed to holding the ball up.

It’s hardly surprising Gerrard seems to be a fan given his confidence in standing up defenders in one-on-one situations, a diminutive figure who generally gets the better of the opposition – as evidenced by his one dribble per 90 in the Jupiler Pro League.

With that being the case, Ross Wilson shouldn’t wait any longer. Bringing in a player like Sakala to play second-fiddle to the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Kemar Roofe is surely a no-brainer at this point.

Lille’s emergence onto the scene as a serious player in this transfer chase for Sakala should surely prompt Wilson into making an immediate move from the Gers.

AND in other news, Latest Rangers off-field drama exposes glaring weakness amid investigation…

Glasgow Rangers will be without James Tavernier, Kemar Roofe and Ryan Jack once again for Thursday’s Europa League tie against Royal Antwerp.

Steven Gerrard confirmed prior to tonight’s kick-off that the trio have been ruled out due to injury as they will not be able to recover in time to face Antwerp in the last-32 second leg at Ibrox.

As far as team selections go, therefore, it’s unlikely the announcement of the side to face-off against the Belgian outfit will bring with it too many surprises – although we aren’t ruling out a couple of minor tweaks, of course, which is how it should be by this stage.

Here, Football FanCast have predicted Gerrard’s starting XI to take on Antwerp, which sees him make two changes from the 4-1 victory over Dundee United.

One of the easiest predictions to make is that Allan McGregor will start between the sticks for Gerrard’s side. The legendary goalkeeper has established himself as the undisputed first-choice under Gerrard and has started all bar one of their seven Europa League games this season thus far.

In the absence of Tavernier, Leon Balogun is expected to keep his place at right-back, with Borna Barisic on the opposite flank. Connor Goldson will most likely continue his role in the centre of the defence, with Filip Helander selected ahead of Jack Simpson.

If the Gers are to get a result, you feel that their midfield pairing is central to their hopes of qualifying for the next round. In that regard, Gerrard will probably opt for Steven Davis at the base of the midfield, while Glen Kamara comes in for the injured Jack.

Meanwhile, Joe Aribo has been one of Gerrard’s brightest sparks in recent weeks, but we reckon he will shift to the right wing, with Ianis Hagi being forced to make room for the 24-year-old. This means that Scott Arfield will replace Aribo alongside Davis and Kamara in the midfield.

Upfront, there’s no doubting that Alfredo Morelos will get the nod as he looks to add to his underwhelming tally of just two goals in the Europa League so far this term.

AND in other news, Rangers given double injury boost but Steven Gerrard will have to wait…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, former Newcastle United midfielder Rob Lee questioned why Mike Ashley bought the Magpies and what joy he gets out of owning the club.

The former Newcastle midfielder was puzzled as to why Ashley continues to constantly neglect the club and his business. Lack of money spent and space attendances to games all adds up against the Sports Direct tycoon who seems more disinterested than ever.

Lee does not understand what Ashley gets out of neglecting Newcastle, constantly annoying the fans and pushing them to the edge – although a recent statement suggests he is more keen than ever to get a sale pushed through.

The anger towards Ashley began with the sacking of Chris Hughton who had got the club promoted at the first time of asking. It then boiled over with the string of poor appointments at the club, including Joe Kinnear (twice), Dennis Wise, Alan Pardew, Steve McClaren and Steve Bruce.

Lee, who played over 300 games for Newcastle, can’t wrap his head around Ashley’s way of thinking and why he’s so against wanting to take Newcastle forward.

He told Football FanCast: “I don’t see why you would buy a football club and just get dog’s abuse because you’re not running it properly or you’re not putting the money in that you should.

“I don’t get what satisfaction you get out of that. I genuinely don’t get it, you can’t enjoy it. Surely, if you’ve got that amount of money the objective is to enjoy that money and enjoy what you do.

“If I bought a football club then I’d want to go to the football club. I’d want to watch the team and take pleasure in putting money into it and running it properly and getting that club to be as good as it possibly can.”

It’s clear to see that Newcastle fans don’t want Ashley owning their club and have made their feelings well known for a number of years now.

However, Ashley has been a stubborn seller in the past and if the Magpies stay in the Premier League this season he may see no need to immediately jump ship.

Former Tottenham captain Gary Mabbutt has expressed his doubts over reported interest from his old club in Southampton striker Danny Ings, in an exclusive interview with Football FanCast.

Ings had a strong season last term, scoring 22 goals in the Premier League. He also started this campaign off brightly, netting four times in his first five games, and has since been linked with a move to north London.

And with his contract set to expire next summer, speculation is only likely to increase unless he puts pen to paper on a new deal at St. Mary’s.

Mabbutt, however, is not entirely sure about the links. Speaking exclusively to FFC about the rumours, the ex-Spurs player said:

“Every single season we’ve been linked with so many players, and so have every other top club in the country. The percentage of players [that] actually are mentioned, especially now in this world of 24/7 coverage across TV and social media. There’s always stories to be had.”

While Ings, who is valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, has certainly shown that he is a very capable centre-forward at this level, a transfer to Tottenham would be questionable.

With Harry Kane being the north London club’s undisputed No.9, and understandably so, it is hard to imagine where Ings would fit in. The England captain has been in devastating form in the Premier League this season, scoring 16 goals and providing 13 assists, making him indispensable to Jose Mourinho’s side.

Unless the Portuguese coach opts for a two-striker system, Ings would most likely find himself playing a bit-part role at White Hart Lane.

Swansea will be looking to move into the automatic promotion spots when they take on Luton Town in Saturday’s early kick-off in the Championship.

Steve Cooper’s side were held to a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers in midweek, with Andre Ayew finding the net from the penalty spot once again, with the Swans having struggled to score from open play in recent fixtures.

Swansea are currently level on points with second-placed Watford in the table, although they have a game in hand on the Hornets.

With Norwich City running away with it at the top of the league, it is imperative that Cooper’s side pick up three points against a Luton side who are well in the bottom half of the Championship.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects Cooper to set his side up against Luton on Saturday, with three changes from the team which started against Blackburn…

Despite the lack of clean sheets in recent fixtures, Freddie Woodman keeps his place in goal, and he should perhaps be confident of a shut-out against a side who have just 28 goals in the Championship so far this season.

There are two changes in defence, as after returning to the bench in recent fixtures, Ryan Bennett comes back into the side in place of Ben Cabango, with Cooper perhaps taking the opportunity for rotation amid the glut of fixtures.

Meanwhile, Ryan Manning comes in for Jake Bidwell at left wing-back, having impressed there in the 2-1 win against Stoke City recently.

There is one change in midfield as Korey Smith replaces Jay Fulton, whose ineffective display against Blackburn was characterised by a team-low 14 passes, and he features alongside the more attack-minded Matt Grimes and Conor Hourihane.

Ayew keeps his place up front but the Swans will have to start sharing the goals around more if they want to go up automatically, so Jamal Lowe will be hoping to end his rotten streak with a goal against the Hatters.

A number of Liverpool fans were left unimpressed with Thiago’s performance in the Reds’ 1-0 win over Wolves on Monday night.

Jurgen Klopp’s men picked up a vital three points at Molineux, keeping their slim hopes of finishing in the Premier League top four alive.

Diogo Jota’s solitary goal was enough to separate the two sides, with Portuguese firing home on the stroke of half-time and haunting his former club.

It may not have been a vintage performance from Liverpool, but there were undoubted positives on show, not least a second clean sheet in as many games.

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Ozan Kabak and Nathaniel Phillips were both superb at the heart of the Reds’ defence, while Trent Alexander-Arnold was rock-solid at right-back.

Jota was also a lively presence in the final third, while Fabinho was again a dominant figure back in his preferred midfield role.

Thiago had a disappointing night, however, recklessly jumping into tackles as he committed three fouls, giving the ball away 16 times – he only had a 77% pass completion rate – and eventually being substituted in the second half.

Liverpool fans react to Thiago’s poor performance

These Reds supporters took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the Spaniard’s display, which one Kopite labelled his ‘worst game’ in a Liverpool shirt so far.

“Worst game Thiago has played for us but it happens”

Credit: @RoryGreenfield

“Poor tonight”

Credit: @hoost35

“Thought Thiago was awful again tonight. Not the player I thought he’d be”

Credit: @oohmyliver

“Take off Thiago before he gets sent off!!!!”

Credit: @ExworthSamuel

“Thiago is reckless…his passing awful….having serious doubts.”

Credit: @KagsyforPM

“Has any LFC player gotten yellow cards as often as Thiago? Feels like it’s every match”

Credit: @The_Crab_Man

In other news, many Liverpool fans have been reacting to a surprise potential summer transfer. Read about it here.

David Moyes should urge West Ham United to launch a summer swoop to sign Darius Olaru after the FCSB midfielder revealed that he would never turn down a potential transfer.

What’s the word?

Speaking with FRF TV, Olaru was questioned on West Ham’s rumoured interest in his services after links first emerged during the recent winter market.

Reports by Sport.RO suggested in January that the London stadium natives had set their sights on a move for the 23-year-old after he established himself as a pillar of Anton Petrea’s plans at the National Arena.

Olaru has made 25 of his 41 career Ros Albastrii appearances during the 2020/21 campaign, including starting 20 of his 24 Liga 1 outings in which the central midfielder boasts six goals and two assists.

His efforts in Liga 1 and for Romania’s under-21s were said to have made Olaru one of the most sought-after members of the FCSB squad during the mid-season market, which in turn raised owner Gigi Becali’s asking price from €7m (£6m) to €10m (£8.5m).

Where West Ham’s interest lies now remains to be seen, yet Olaru has made it clear that he would not reject a move to the Premier League if one were offered – but on one condition.

“I don’t know if the English championship would fit me so well, but I would never say no to a possible transfer there, but I like Spain more,” he said.

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Along with interest from the Irons in January, Rubin Kazan made efforts to sign Olaru for €1.7m (£1.5m) which were instantly rejected by Becali, who believed the Russian Premier League outfit’s offer was a “joke”.

Should West Ham sign Olaru?

With Olaru allegedly having a wealth of potential suitors thanks to his efforts under Petrea in Liga 1 this season and for Romania’s under-21 side, West Ham may have to act quickly if they are to snap up the midfielder for the price tag Becali set in January.

Olaru is seemingly improving week-by-week for FCSB to establish himself as a pillar of the side at the National Arena, and struck half of his goals for the Liga 1 campaign in his last five games before reporting for Romania’s under-21s.

A continued run of form like his may also see La Liga sides begin to turn their attentions to the midfielder’s services, which would ultimately be a condition West Ham may not be able to overcome given Olaru’s recent claim.

At 23, Olaru – who has produced sensational performances and spectacular goals under Petra – also has years of development ahead of him to get even better, as Becali vividly expects.

“Up to the age of 25-26, players like him gain experience, become better. I’m not afraid of risk, why risk? He is a midfielder who climbs, reaches the finish, scores. He will grow in the game and I will take even more money for him,” Becali told ProSport, via quotes by Fanatik.

Valeriu Rachita, the Director of Professional Football and Scout at Astra Giurgiu, also told Sport.RO: “Olaru is the best player that exists now at FCSB, he is almost complete both on the defensive phase and on the completion phase.”

Moyes urging West Ham to revive their interest in Olaru could see the Irons acquire a second Tomas Soucek – who similarly arrived in the Premier League from eastern Europe but has proven a huge hit for his box-to-box exploits.

“When we’re talking about box-to-box midfielders, there’s nobody better in the Premier League right now than Soucek,” Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports, via quotes by talkSPORT. “The goals stand out massively – that is huge for a midfield player and is a big reason why West Ham are where they are.”

AND in other news, West Ham are set to sign a £13.5m-rated titan for free this summer…

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has been lavishly praised for his work with the East Midlands club – and justifiably so.

The former Liverpool and Celtic manager has dragged the Foxes from the doldrums of mid-table mediocrity to consistent challengers for the UEFA Champions League positions and an FA Cup semi-final in just a couple of seasons.

The Northern Irishman has now received the ultimate compliment, with World Cup-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari saying that Rodgers in on track to be “one of the greatest managers in the world”.

Judging from his managerial CV so far and his immense experience within the game despite his tender years, it is hard to argue with that assessment.

But for a few tricky appointments in his formative years, Rodgers has established himself as an elite coach at every level.

He created a fantastic team at Swansea City, earning the Welsh outfit promotion to the Premier League for the first time with an attractive style of play which earned him the Liverpool job.

At Anfield, the 48-year-old developed the careers of Philippe Coutinho, Luis Suarez and Raheem Sterling among many others, whilst also going so close to guiding the Reds to their first Premier League crown, only to miss out to Manchester City.

After his tenure on Merseyside ended, his long wait for silverware came to an end with Celtic. He masterminded two Scottish Premiership title wins, one of those being a stunning unbeaten campaign, whilst also scooping five cup wins.

Having celebrated his 100th match in charge of Leicester City, Rodgers’ influence at the King Power Stadium cannot be understated.

Whilst he may have to go some way to prove that he is one of the elite coaches in the world, a task which will certainly be helped with the addition of more silverware, Scolari’s assessment that the 48-year-old is firmly on the correct route to achieving that status is not far wrong, and it’s praise which is certainly justified.

AND in more news, read why Jamie Vardy’s England decision was absolutely correct…