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The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered his verdict on Aston Villa boss Dean Smith’s future.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent days and weeks have suggested that the Villa manager is coming under increased pressure following a difficult start to the Premier League that has seen the Midlands club lie in the bottom half of the table.

And now, Preece has suggested that the next two games in the Premier League – against West Ham and Southampton respectively – could hold the key.

He said: “Villa have lost five from nine so pressure’s beginning to mount on the boss, of course it is. Smith’s once-indestructible grip on the job loosened as soon as Wolves won it in stoppage time 10 days ago.

“I dread to think what could happen if Villa lose their next two before the international break, which will take them to seven defeats from 11. That simply cannot happen. The next two games are huge in terms of Villa’s season – even at this early stage.

“I do believe Smith’s the right man for the job. He must prove his credentials once again here, though. It’s down to the boss to get a huge reaction from his players now. They badly let him down at Arsenal after he backed them to the hilt in his pre-match presser.”

Make or break for Dean Smith

After picking up an impressive win away at Manchester United a few weeks ago, things have rapidly taken a turn for the worse for Smith and Villa.

They followed up that 1-0 victory at Old Trafford with three successive defeats in the Premier League, and the manner of each of those losses would be the real shock.

Spurs were in a bad spell of form themselves under Nuno Espirito Santo, the Wolves defeat came as a result of a truly remarkable late collapse after leading 2-0, and the Arsenal loss was galling for its first-half shambles.

It’s no surprise then that the pressure has well and truly ramped up on Smith, and if things don’t improve markedly in terms of both their performances and results, then he could well find himself being one of the Premier League’s early managerial casualties.

Villa fans will be concerned about their side heading into this weekend.

Meanwhile, Villa must sell this star amid rival interest…

Rangers have a big game ahead of them at Ibrox in the SPFL when the latest international break comes to a close.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side have the chance to go level at the top of the league table if they manage to beat Celtic in the latest Old Firm Derby.

In recent days, the Gers have been hit with a potential injury worry as Alfredo Morelos has been reportedly left out of Colombia’s squad for their upcoming World Cup qualifying match against Bolivia due to “muscle overload.”

Should the striker be unable to play in the showdown against the Hoops next weekend, this could pave the way for Van Bronckhorst to put his trust in another attacking figure in his squad.

Opportunity knocks

Since arriving at the club back in the 2020 summer transfer window from RSC Anderlecht, Kemar Roofe has gone on to make 66 appearances for the Gers across all competitions and score 30 goals in the process, chipping in with three assists as well.

Despite appearing in 19 league games this season, the 29-year-old, who is currently valued at £3.6m according to Transfermarkt, has only started seven of them, showing that he has been playing second fiddle to Morelos, who has started 25 league games, for most of the campaign.

Even though he hasn’t been a regular starter for the Ibrox side this season, Roofe has still shown that he is a capable goalscorer, having found the back of the net 12 times across all competitions.

Labelled as a “leader” for his side on the pitch in the past by Michael Beale, the striker could be just what Van Bronckhorst needs in his team to take on the Parkhead club if Morelos isn’t fit enough to play.

Having not started a league game for the reigning SPFL champions since their last meeting with Celtic back in early-February where he failed to register even one shot at goal in the entire 90 minutes, the Jamaican will undoubtedly be hoping that he gets the chance to take on Ange Postecoglou’s side once again and deliver a more impactful display that he did last time.

Previously tipped to be a “real handful” for the team up front by former Gers manager Steven Gerrard, this exactly what his current boss will need him to be if he does end up starting against Celtic.

In other news: Forget Morelos: “Beautiful” Rangers gem who’s “unplayable” could fire GVB to the title

Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Santo has received a big injury boost ahead of their return to Premier League action this lunchtime…

What’s the latest?

According to the Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick, young midfielder Oliver Skipp is hoping to be fit to face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park today after he was forced off with injury during international duty in midweek.

The 20-year-old will be assessed ahead of the match but it’s thought that the injury may not be as bad as first feared, thus opening up the possibility of him retaining his place in the starting XI.

Major boost

This will come as huge encouragement to Nuno and others associated with the club.

The Portuguese head coach is facing a bit of a nightmare situation right now with several of his key stars likely to be unavailable for this encounter, so to have Skipp fit would be a massive boost.

He will be without the services of South American trio Giovani Lo Celso, Cristian Romero and Davinson Sanchez, who are all in Croatia to avoid having to quarantine upon their return to the UK following international duty.

Meanwhile, a trio of wingers in Steven Bergwijn, Heung-min Son and Ryan Sessegnon are doubts heading into kickoff, leaving Nuno with a threadbare squad.

That is something he would not have wanted to come back to after the break, considering that his team sit top of the table with a 100% win record. They are yet to concede this season but Sanchez’s absence means that the manager will have to change the backline for the first time since the campaign started.

Having Skipp available in front of the defence will certainly bolster their chances of continuing their fine form.

The Hotspur Way youth product has averaged 2.7 tackles per game this season, a feat only bettered by one other player at the club, so he has clearly made his presence felt in the engine room since being given the opportunity this term.

Nuno will surely be buzzing by this latest update.

AND in other news, Nuno could find Spurs’ “new Eriksen” by unleashing “unbelievable” £27m-rated sensation…

Celtic could actually pocket up to £20m in the deal that took Odsonne Edouard to Crystal Palace on deadline day, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Sky Sports claim

Edouard finally sealed a Parkhead exit he has been working on since April with hours remaining of the window, signing a four-year deal at Selhurst Park.

The Hoops brought in a striker of their own in Georgios Giakoumakis from VVV-Venlo.

Sky Sports claimed that a transfer for Edouard cost Patrick Vieira’s side an initial £14m that could rise to £18.5m. However, it seems as if it could be more than that, which is good news for Dominic McKay and Ange Postecoglou.

The Latest: Source shares Wednesday update

Football Insider shared a story on Wednesday after being informed by a Celtic source.

They suggested that a move for Edouard has actually cost Palace £15m which could end up totalling £20m with various add-ons.

The report adds that Celtic will now have to hand Paris Saint-Germain 30% of profits made on Edouard.

The Verdict: A good window

Celtic have brought in 12 summer signings and have come out with a profit, as per Transfermarkt.

The site suggests that the Hoops have forked out just over £20m on incomings and have received £31.59m in departures over recent months.

It seems as if that figure could well rise in the future with add-ons for Edouard, so overall, it appears to have been a productive window for McKay and co, rebuilding a squad in desperate need of a freshen-up with money to spare.

In other news: Deadline day activity away from Celtic means two of McKay’s signings cost effectively nothing.

With Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou having to deal with something of an injury crisis over the first few months of his reign at Parkhead, the 56-year-old Hoops boss will undoubtedly be delighted that the tide has started to turn in his favour regarding the return of his stricken players.

Indeed, the trio of Adam Montgomery, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Mikey Johnston all made further steps in their respective recoveries in the recent 2-0 Europa League win over Ferencvarosi TC, with all three of the previously sidelined players getting more minutes behind them on Tuesday afternoon.

However, regarding Johnston in particular, it was not simply more game time the winger managed to get under his belt against the Hungarian champions, but an extremely impressive performance too.

Completed eight passes

Despite being brought into the game late in the second half, with the 22-year-old featuring for a grand total of eight minutes against Ferencvarosi, the former Scotland U21 international was full of energy upon his introduction – with Sky Sports News journalist Anthony Joseph dubbing the forward as “lively”.

It is easy to see why, as the £900k-rated man managed to have 13 touches of the ball, complete eight passes – one of which was a key pass – and create one big chance despite his extremely limited amount of time on the pitch.

The £9k-per-week winger also completed both of his attempted dribbles, won both of his two attempted duels and hit the target with his one shot at the Ferencvarosi goal.

These returns saw Johnston earn an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.7, rather remarkably ranking him as the third-best player to feature in the match.

As such, considering Liel Abada’s contrasting display, Postecoglou will certainly have a decision to make as to whether the forward deserves to start against St Johnstone this weekend. Despite the impressive performances of goalscorers, Jota and Kyogo Furuhashi, alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers, it was the 22-year-old Scot who finally proved his worth to Celtic on Tuesday, after what had an extremely frustrating campaign up until now.

In other news: Anonymous £2.7m-rated Celtic flop who lost 90% duels failed Ange in Europa League win

Considering the absolute mess that Derby County are currently in away from the pitch, the results that Wayne Rooney’s Rams side have been picking up in the Championship so far this season have been rather impressive.

Indeed, while a win, two draws and a loss are by no means groundbreaking returns in normal circumstances, considering the 35-year-old manager has just 17 fit outfield players to pick from, the fact that Derby are currently sitting comfortably in midtable is a rather remarkable feat.

The club’s most recent result, a 0-0 draw with a very solid Middlesbrough side, while perhaps not being the most exciting game in Derby’s history, was yet further evidence that Rooney is indeed a very steady hand on the wheel of a rather unpredictable ship.

However, while there were a number of impressive performances in the Derby ranks on Saturday, there was one player who caught the eye for all the wrong reasons – Louie Sibley.

Indeed, over his 64 minutes on the pitch, the 19-year-old managed just one shot, completed 11 of his 16 attempted passes and failed to find his man with his one attempted cross and his two attempted long balls.

The £2.7m-rated midfielder also gave away possession of the ball on 12 occasions, lost all 11 of his duels and touched the ball a grand total of 25 times – 12 times fewer than the Derby County goalkeeper, Kelle Roos.

These returns saw the England U20 international earn an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of 5.9, ranking him as the worst performer of any player to feature in the match.

As such, while Rooney does not exactly have a wealth of options waiting to replace Sibley in his squad, should the 19-year-old wish to keep his spot in the 35-year-old’s starting XI going forwards, he will certainly have to up his game in his side’s Carabao Cup clash with Sheffield United on Tuesday night.

In other news: Derby dealt big blow over “outstanding” £35k-p/w ace, Rooney will be livid with Morris

Plenty of Aston Villa fans have hit out at centre-back Kortney Hause on social media for his performance against Brentford on Sunday.

Steven Gerrard was back in the dugout and rang the changes from the side which lost to Chelsea last time out, one of which was Hause coming in for the suspended Tyrone Mings.

Hause was making just his fourth league start of the campaign and his first under Gerrard, who selected the 26-year-old amid Axel Tuanzebe being linked with a move to Napoli.

However, a number of supporters didn’t think the 26-year-old had a game to remember, with a bizarre moment in the first half where he conceded a corner under no pressure. The centre-back also appeared to get caught out when Yoane Wissa equalised for the home side shortly before the interval.

As per SofaScore, Hause failed to make a successful tackle or interception all afternoon and lost possession eight times on a frustrating afternoon for the defender.

Villa fans react

Here is what these Villa fans had to say about Hause on Twitter during the game, with one labelling him as a ‘donkey’ and another saying that he “can go” from the club.

“Shocking from Hause… Is anyone surprised though”

Credit: @Dean_AV

“Hause isn’t up to the level of a back 4 in the PL”

Credit: @CalFergie

“Hause looking like a donkey plodding along oblivious”

Credit: @avkv1874

“get rid of Targett man, he stinks. Hause can go as well”

Credit: @KonsaThings

“Hause and Targett are making me physically sick”

Credit: @Chloavfc_

“Targett’s done OK but should have put his foot in there. Don’t get me started on Hause. Shouldn’t be anywhere near a Villa first team”

Credit: @CraigJ1S

In other news: ‘Exciting’ – Many Villa fans react to big transfer update on ‘quality’ Gerrard target

Newcastle United supporters have a reason to look forward to the future under PIF after the Saudi Arabian consortium splashed the cash in January to help them avoid relegation from the top-flight.

It was a sign of intent from the new owners and the Magpies can now hope that they will be able to compete higher up the food chain in the Premier League in the years to come.

The Toon faithful may be jealous of the likes of West Ham and Leicester this week as both sides secured places in European semi-finals, dreaming that their side will one day make it to one under PIF’s leadership.

English midfielder James Maddison was named Man of the Match, and scored, as the Foxes beat PSV in the Conference League quarter-finals and he is a player who could have been wearing a Newcastle shirt.

In the summer of 2018, Newcastle were one of the teams reportedly interested in signing the playmaker from Norwich.

However, Mike Ashley was unable to get a deal over the line as Leicester swooped in to snap him up, with Transfermarkt valuing him at £9m at the time.

Since joining the Foxes, he has proven himself in the Premier League and in Europe with his ability to score and create from midfield.

In 12 top-flight matches, Maddison has scored 29 goals and provided 22 assists. He also has five goals and four assists for the club in 16 outings in European competitions, which shows that he can deliver domestically and in Europe.

At the time of writing (15/04/22), Transfermarkt value him at a whopping £45m. This is a huge increase in the space of just under four years and illustrates how he has been able to fulfill the potential he showed whilst at Carrow Road in the Championship.

Although he has only been capped once by England, Gareth Southgate previously hailed his “world-class” set-pieces and he still has time to make an impact on the international stage. At the age of 25, he has plenty of time to keep improving and increasing his value – which will cause the size of Ashley’s blunder to grow.

The former Toon owner endured a major howler by failing to beat Leicester to his signature as he has turned out to be a phenomenal signing for the Foxes. He is thriving under Brendan Rodgers with his goals and assists from the number 10 position and the magician could have been strutting his stuff at St. James’ Park…

AND in other news, Same agency as Joelinton: NUFC scouting 6 ft 4 star, he’s a dream Botman alternative…

Pascal Struijk is expected to be available for Leeds United’s Premier League clash with Brentford this weekend, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Struijk injured in midweek

The Whites picked up a crucial victory on Tuesday night, winning 1-0 at home to Crystal Palace thanks to Raphinha’s stoppage-time penalty.

One of the negatives on the night saw Struijk leave the field at half-time, though, with the centre-back picking up an injury.

Although his involvement in Sunday’s Premier League clash with Brentford at Elland Road looked in doubt, that now doesn’t appear to be the case.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

The Latest: Hay gives positive update

Taking to Twitter on Friday morning, Hay confirmed that Struijk is expected to be available for the weekend action, giving the following eight-word update:

“Struijk should be available for the Brentford game.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-25/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Injuries finally easing

This is another big boost for Leeds, with Struijk hailed as a ‘fantastic’ player by former Whites hero Noel Whelan and someone who provides real squad depth. He has impressed with his defensive efforts this season, with his match averages of 2.3 tackles and 1.6 interceptions among the highest in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad.

There is a feeling that the Whites’ injury problems are easing at long last, with Hay also confirming that key duo Luke Ayling and Patrick Bamford should be fit to face Brentford as well.

While Bielsa and his players deserve some blame for a poor start to the season, injuries haven’t helped at all and we should now hopefully start to see improvements on the pitch, with Leeds potentially pulling clear of the relegation fight.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with a new signing – find out who it is here.

While it is often difficult to predict which signings will and won’t work out, recruiting an injury prone individual more often than not tends to end in disaster for the buying party.

That has seemingly proved the case for Nottingham Forest and defender Carl Jenkinson, with the former Arsenal man having endured a torrid time of it at the City Ground, prior to his loan move away from the club in January.

Signed for £2m from the Gunners in the summer of 2019, the Englishman has since made just 15 appearances in all competitions, with both loss of form and fitness issues having perhaps predictably plagued his time at the club.

During his time at the Emirates, the Harlow-born full-back had failed to ever really nail down a regular starting berth, spending much of his eight-year stint out on loan at the likes of West Ham United and Birmingham City, as well as on the treatment table.

After making just 41 Premier League appearances for the north Londoners, he was eventually snapped up by Forest just under three years ago, albeit while never looking like a convincing option as he made just eight league appearances in his debut season.

The form of current Aston Villa and Poland star Matty Cash – as well as an ankle issue sustained just a month into his Forest career – ensured a tricky start to life in Nottingham, with the 6 foot 1 full-back having never recovered from that early setback.

He made just three more league outings the following campaign, with the arrival of Chris Hughton in the dugout bringing a halt to his already sporadic role, with the former Brighton man informing the defender that he could move on at the end of 2020/21 season.

Despite sticking it out with the second-tier side, the appointment of Steve Cooper was the final nail in the coffin, with the 30-year-old having not featured for the club since an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Swansea City in January 2021.

After a year out in the footballing wilderness, the £450k-rated man secured a surprise temporary move to Australian outfit Melbourne City over the winter, where he has since netted twice in 17 league outings.

In truth, Cooper and co will have been happy to offload some of the player’s hefty £27k-per-week wages, with Jenkinson having cost the club a whopping £5m – including his initial transfer fee – since his move from Arsenal, rinsing the club for a total of 128 weeks.

Thankfully, with just a few months remaining on his existing deal, the one-time Charlton Athletic man will likely be moving on this summer, bringing an end to what’s been a tumultuous and costly last few years for all concerned.

In other news, Forest must seal summer swoop for £2.7m-rated star who has “a touch of Collymore” – opinion