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Nottingham Forest are close to sealing a deal for Huddersfield Town defender Michael Hefele, according to The Daily Mail’s liveblog (09/08 07:42)

What’s the story?

The 27-year-old signed for Huddersfied in 2016 from Dynamo Dresden and he has gone on to make 42 appearances for the Terriers, but just two of them came last season in the Premier League via the substitutes’ bench.

According to the report, Forest are in advanced discussions with Huddersfield over a potential £350,000 deal for what would be Aitor Karanka’s 12th signing of the summer.

Defensive reinforcements

Hefele showed in the 2016-17 season what a talent he was at Championship level and was a key part of the Huddersfield spine that won promotion to the Premier League.

Even though Karanka has brought in a horde of new faces to the City Ground, including central defender Tobias Figueredo, another centre-back would really help shore up the back.

The 6ft 4in colossus can physically dominate attackers at this level and he will be a great addition for the team as Forest look to gain promotion to the top flight.

Loads of Rangers fans have been reacting to a brilliant fitness update from Steven Gerrard, and let’s just say they’re feeling confident about the clash with Maribor.

Rangers travel to Slovenia tonight to take on Maribor, and the club’s fitness update has fans already booking their spot in the next round.

The Gers have got off to a fantastic start to life under Gerrard, thanks in no small part to the improvements to the spine of the team.

Nikola Katic and Connor Goldson have formed a brilliant partnership in defence, and the additions of Lassana Coulibaly and Scott Arfield in the midfield engine room have made a huge difference.

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Fans were concerned that all three of Coulibaly, Arfield and Ryan Jack could miss the trip to Slovenia, but Gerrard’s comments combined with the club’s comments on Twitter seem to imply they are all available for selection.

Jack returned to full training this week, Coulibaly’s withdrawal from the St Mirren game was just for a rest, and Arfield is also nearing full fitness after his knee problem, according to the boss.

The club Twitter account has also eased worries about the midfield injury crisis, telling fans that they have all travelled for the match.

Fans are now heaping praise on the trio, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions to the fitness update down below…

Newcastle have confirmed the signings of two teenage talents, and one in particular has got fans eagerly awaiting his debut.

Newcastle’s official club website confirmed two new captures on Monday, as 17-year-old Yannick Toure and 18-year-old Rosaire Longelo both signed to play for the Under-23 squad.

Toure is drawing extra attention, as the youngster’s goal record in Switzerland since he broke out has been truly remarkable.

The 17 year-old can play anywhere across the attack, and grabbed six goals in seven games for BSC Young Boys last year.

Looking further back, he scored 23 goals in 23 appearances in the Swiss U-18 league, so he certainly knows where the back of the net is.

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He also scored twice on his debut for the Switzerland U-17 side, and his comments about moving to Tyneside are already getting fans excited.

“I came to the stadium and watched the Chelsea match (on the final day of last season), which was very good,” he said.

“Newcastle won 3-0 and it was a great match. And I saw the fans, who were crazy. They live for football and are so passionate, and I like that very much.”

Nothing quite gets fans excited like a young talent who loves the fans and the city, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Man United are showing signs of discord. After manager José Mourinho criticised his club’s summer spending, The Red Devils slumped to a defeat to Brighton on Sunday in their second game of the season. 

With reports from ESPN saying that Alexis Sánchez and Luke Shaw are injured, there a definitely signs of weakness in Manchester, and Tottenham must smell blood.

Tottenham have in the past been prone to turn up to these kind of matches and fail to perform. In fact, the unflattering moniker ‘Dr Tottenham’ has been given to the club in the past due to their ability to help struggling teams work their way back to form.

But it is time for a change if the north London side are ever going to amount to anything under Mauricio Pochettino. If Tottenham want to make a statement to the rest of the Premier League, they must turn up at Old Trafford and perform as the unit many people know they are, against a team that is in disarray.

Star striker Harry Kane recently said in an interview that Tottenham can no longer rely on the excuses that they have been using in previous seasons. They can no longer see themselves as a young team that will learn from their mistakes. They have to seize their opportunity.

Monday night is the perfect platform for Kane to prove his doubters wrong. It is a chance for The Lilywhites to come of age. It’s only what any other side that see themselves as title contenders would do.

There are obviously negatives to doing no business at all over the summer. But one positive for Tottenham is that they are all accustomed to each other. There is no case of gelling as a team. Less can be said about Man United, who are in a process of weaning new signings and younger players into the first team.

There’s no time for excuses anymore at Tottenham. After three hopeful seasons fans must be tired of just falling short. If Pochettino’s men want to make a statement this season, it has to start on Monday.

According to The Daily Mail, Newcastle players Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie had to be separated by teammates after a fight last week before their match against Chelsea, in an act that sums up what is wrong with the club this season. 

The fight may have been a primary reason why Lascelles failed to feature for The Magpies in their loss at St James’ Park on Sunday, despite manager Rafa Benítez claiming his captain was injured.

Emotions must be at fever pitch at Darsley Park and the tension must be running very high, as there is an apparent discord with the northeast club. Fans and pundits are split over Mike Ashley’s handling of the club, and this has boiled over into the club.

Benítez has been highly critical of his chairman in the past, and his way he fielded his team against Chelsea has been seen by some as a protest over the handling of the club. The Spanish manager fielded a very defensive side, with people jumping to his defence saying that it was a lack of players and resources that prevent the club from competing.

Now to see that this lack of cohesion has dripped down to the players, particularly the captain, is a very worrying sign for the club. A captain, alongside the manager and the chairman, are often regarded as the spokespeople or representatives of the club. With so much dissatisfaction between them, it does not reflect well on the club, and performances will suffer- as they have so far.

Newcastle are yet to win in the Premier League this season, only managing to earn a point against newly promoted Cardiff. If the club continues like this, they will suffer. Something will have to change soon.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold came of age last season in a Liverpool shirt.

The 19-year-old stole the right-back spot from Joe Gomez during an injury absence and held on to it.

The teenager put in confident and mature displays against the likes of Manchester City, Roma and Real Madrid in the Champions League.

It was certainly a breakthrough campaign for Alexander-Arnold, who even earned a spot in England’s World Cup squad.

However, this season will be the youngster’s biggest test as he aims to maintain a place in the team.

So far, manager Jurgen Klopp has kept faith with Alexander-Arnold, but there were some moments in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Leicester City that could be a cause for concern.

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The right-back hit some wayward passes and lost his man a handful of times in defence.

Alexander-Arnold possesses plenty of quality, but in order to prevent burnout at his age, we asked you if Klopp should give Nathaniel Clyne some game time.

The majority of fans who responded believe that Alexander-Arnold needs a bit of a breather to continue thriving.

Despite the relatively recent arrivals of both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Danny Welbeck ought to remain a part of Unai Emery’s plans for this Arsenal side. 

What’s the word?

The England international may not be as prolific or clinical in front of goal as many fans may like, but the work he does for the team and the contribution he can make on the pitch should not be under appreciated. 

As Emery is still seeking to instil a new system of hard, high pressing in this Gunners outfit, the presence of Welbeck in his squad could of great benefit to the new boss. Welbeck’s ability to harry, close down and persistently and effectively press opposition defenders is unsurpassed in the rest of Arsenal’s attacking contingent. For this reason, in certain games, against certain opposition, Welbeck could prove a far more shrewd pick than either Aubameyang or Lacazette.

However, the 27-year-old is now in the final year of his current contract at the Emirates Stadium, and there are few signs of an extension being in the offing.

A part to play

With Europa League football on the agenda for the Gunners this season, there will be plenty of opportunities for Welbeck to start matches this season. However, his impact as a substitute in close-fought league fixtures is when he can have the biggest impact, as demonstrated already this season. 

Having been introduced against West Ham with his side holding a slender lead, Welbeck scored late on to put the result beyond any doubt and to earn Arsenal their first three points of the campaign.

Arsenal should reward Welbeck’s contributions with a new contract offer. Doing so would also secure them attacking strength in depth for the foreseeable future and also end the possibility of the striker being able to leave as a free agent at the end of the season.

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has criticised Kyle Lafferty for his performance in the Old Firm derby for Rangers, writing in The Daily Record.

What’s the word?

After a fine start to life under Steven Gerrard, Rangers were brought crashing back down to earth last weekend after defeat to Celtic in the first Old Firm derby of the season – putting a dent into the club’s hopes of toppling Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Rangers’ fine start to the new season had led to increased confidence around Ibrox and summer signing Kyle Lafferty, who returned to the club from Hearts in a deal worth £500k, claimed ahead of the clash with Celtic that Rangers were capable of knocking their arch-rivals off their perch.

However, those comments have since come back to haunt the Northern Ireland international and former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has criticised Lafferty in the wake of his comments and his performance against the Bhoys, in comments published by The Daily Record.

What was said?

“There’s nothing wrong with having belief, or even quiet confidence in the dressing room, but coming away with these comments in public only leave you wide open again. The fact that it’s him coming out with this stuff is even more laughable given his performance in the Old Firm game last week.

“Lafferty was completely anonymous at Celtic Park. Hopeless even. He was meant to be a big game player but he and Alfredo Morelos never got a sniff.”

Harsh words?

While Lafferty was singled out for criticism by Sutton following the defeat to Celtic, the fact that he mentions that neither the 30-year-old or Alfredo Morelos got a sniff in the game suggests that the root of the problem was creativity.

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As such, laying into comments from Lafferty is a bit of a strange move – particularly as it was hardly a routine victory for Celtic and there is still plenty of football to be played this season, though it is clear Gerrard’s side will have to respond.

After scoring a brace in his first match back in Rangers colours, Lafferty has certainly hit the ground running and the fact that he did not perform to his best against Celtic, in what was only his second league appearance for the club, is not a fair reflection of his ability.

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Tottenham have had a good start to the 2018/19 season, and despite the uncertainty surrounding their new stadium, Mauricio Pochettino has got his team to do the talking on the pitch. Barring a defeat to Watford, the Lilywhites have enjoyed a brilliant run so far in the league, and when you consider their failure to bring in any new players over the summer, that’s a testament to their quality.

They’re facing a big test this weekend, though, when Liverpool come to town. Like Spurs, the Reds have done well this year, and in Jurgen Klopp, they have a manager that has clearly set his eyes on the ultimate prize – the Premier League.

Naturally, then, this game will be Tottenham’s hardest yet this season, and so the team that Pochettino picks will be crucial. Given the lethal nature of Liverpool’s squad, namely Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane, it’s imperative that Tottenham’s defence, in particular, is up to the challenge.

But who will, or rather should, Pochettino go for?

On the left, Ben Davies and Danny Rose have switched in and out so far this season. They’ve both looked okay, and Danny Rose is coming off the back of a fantastic performance for his country England against Switzerland during the international break. However, so far this term, Davies has provided just a touch more consistency. Pochettino is clearly open-minded to utilising both players, but eventually, he’ll have to make a decision. Davies served him well last season, and importantly, he’s been far more efficient defensively as of late. For Tottenham, then, against Mo Salah and co, he may be a better choice.

On the right, the rise of Kieran Trippier should surely continue. The Englishman had a great campaign last season, a brilliant World Cup, and he’s continued to impress in the Premier League this season. Offering far more than just defensive ability, the defender’s ability on the ball, set-piece delivery and consistency make him one of Spurs’ most valuable players. For Pochettino, he’s indispensable.

In the middle, Pochettino has opted for a reliable duo for much of the season, and that’s something that he should continue against Liverpool. Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen are up there with Europe’s best central defenders, and the former appears to have regained Mauricio Pochettino’s trust. They’ve both looked very good this season, with Tottenham impressing defensively. In particular, Alderwereild has really regained his form, and that’s been key for the Lilywhites.

Other players, like Davinson Sanchez, could also be in the running – so who should Pochettino pick?

Tottenham fans – thoughts?

Let us know below!

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Scott Hogan is yet to feature for Aston Villa this season, with a groin problem forcing the forward to miss the early weeks of the 2018-19 campaign.

Hogan scored nine times in 42 appearances for Villa during the 2018-19 campaign, and is a popular figure with the club’s supporters.

He might find it difficult to gain regular football this season due to the options that head coach Steve Bruce now has available in the final third.

However, the 26-year-old’s return is a boost for Villa, and the club’s supporters have been on social media reacting to the news.

Hogan’s work-rate and desire could prove key as Villa look to secure a return to the Premier League this season.

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Bruce’s side will look to make it back-to-back Championship wins when they host Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, but Hogan is unlikely to be involved despite his return to the training field.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the club’s fans can be seen below:

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