Chelsea's young beast proves he can scare off Premier League stars

During the course of this season, almost every Chelsea youngster has had a coming-of-age performance in a Blues shirt. Sports enthusiasts from around the world can purchase Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

Mason Mount was against Leicester City. Tammy Abraham came at Wolverhampton Wanderers. Fikayo Tomori starred up against Mo Salah when Liverpool visited Stamford Bridge. And Christian Pulisic although not an academy graduate shone at Burnley.

At the weekend it was the turn of Reece James. The 19-year-old full-back was handed his first Premier League start against Crystal Palace just days after he came on and scored in the dramatic 4-4 draw against Ajax.

Up against Wilfried Zaha, one of the top-flight’s trickiest wingers, James, who has been nicknamed The Beast by team-mate Mount, wasn’t handed an easy first assignment by Frank Lampard. Yet he passed it with flying colors.

The Ivorian’s threat wasn’t entirely nullified he completed the most dribbles of any player but what James did was manage these dribbles and ensure they didn’t hurt Chelsea.

The Chelsea defender confined Zaha to the left flank; he was unable to break into the Blues’ penalty area with the ball. The Palace star has averaged 6.47 touches in the opposition box per 90 this term but at Stamford Bridge that was reduced to just three.

Zaha also didn’t register a single shot, didn’t create a chance for a team-mate, completed just six passes in the final third, and saw his touches per 90 drops from his season average of 57.64 to 43.

Of course, not all that is down to James.  Chelsea dominated much of the contest and Zaha was starved of service. But when he did receive the ball, the Blues No.24 was always in close proximity ready to make a challenge or halt a run forward.

Yet it wasn’t only defensively that James stood out, he also made an impact in the final third. And it’s this aspect of his game which is why many Chelsea fans feel he may soon oust club captain César Azpilicueta from the starting XI.

The defender is a Blues icon. He has won Premier League titles, an FA Cup, and the Europa League. He is also one of the most durable players to have ever played for the club. Week in, week out, Azpilicueta is fit, available and reliable.

Yet it’s always been the case that the now 30-year-old is more comfortable in his own half than in the opposition. In the modern game that can be a problem, especially against opponents who sit deep, soak up pressure, and play on the counter.

Full-backs have become a vital component in breaking these sides down think Liverpool Trent Alexander-Arnold or Andrew Robertson and Azpilicueta can cross a ball well from deep areas of the pitch. But he doesn’t have the dynamism to break into the final third and impact the game on a consistent basis.

James has that ability and he will only refine it the more game time he is given. Against Palace, he completed all three dribbles he attempted, his strength on the ball enabling him to brush off opponents with ease. He also completed eight final third passes from twelve attempted and it was his cross that led to Chelsea’s best chance of the first half.

It’s a testament to James' character, mentality, and self-belief that he was able to slot into the Chelsea side so seamlessly against Palace. Yet those who know the full-back, and those who worked with him at Wigan Athletic last season, would not have been surprised.

You see a lot of young kids going on loan now and sometimes, it’s a shock to them what men’s football is really like, Wigan’s Nathan Byrne told The Athletic in September.

They have a struggle adapting but Reece just stepped in and started doing his thing. He didn’t take any time to settle. He just got on with his work and was impressive all season.

No time needed to settle. Straight into the team and impressive. And if James continues in the same vein, it won’t be long until he becomes a regular fixture in the Blues team alongside Tomori, Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Abraham.

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Premier League: Manchester City players fuming at Liverpool opener Gundogan

Manchester City players were left fuming in the dressing room after watching replays of Liverpool's controversial opening goal in a 3-1 loss at Anfield on Sunday, midfielder ilkay Gundogan has said. Sports enthusiasts from around the world can purchase Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold appeared to handle the ball inside his own box in the sixth minute but instead of a City penalty the hosts broke and 22 seconds later Fabinho drilled in a spectacular goal from outside the box.

The goal was checked by VAR and allowed to stand as Liverpool went on to clinch the victory and move nine points clear of City in the Premier League title race.

Their sense of criticism would expand when Liverpool went ahead 22 seconds later. Mane’s low cross was not cleared with any conviction by Ilkay Gundogan and, with no City challenges coming, Fabinho took a touch and ripped the sweetest of drives past Claudio Bravo from 25 yards.

Liverpool bowed the secure and their second goal was created by their pillaging full-backs. Alexander-Arnold swapped the play from right to left with a 60-yard permit to Andy Robertson, whose cross invited Mohamed Salah to flash in on Angelino’s blindside.

We saw the happening again in the dressing room then and for me, clearly, it's a penalty but if you ask a Liverpool player they would say, you can give it but it's maybe a 50-50 condition, Gundogan told reporters. It takes a hard attitude to fight counter to that and inappropriately, they scored the second conventional after.

City are aiming to become the first team since Manchester United in 2009 to win three consecutive Premier League titles but now occupy fourth spot in the table.

Last season, City recovered in the second half of the campaign to erase Liverpool's 10-point lead at the top and Gundogan wants the same level of commitment from his team mates. We have to accept it, but there is a long way to go. Last season in January we were rather far behind and able to turn it around Gundogan added.

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Premier League updates: Three Man City talking points from their defeat at Liverpool

Pep Guardiola must channel Anfield anger for Man City to have any chance of catching Liverpool now. Sports enthusiasts from around the world can purchase Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

Pep Guardiola has to use this. It's all he can do.

Sky's cameras picked up the Manchester City manager's comments to referee Michael Oliver at the final whistle: Thank you so much, he declared with no shortage of irony.

And while it would be a wild disservice to Liverpool to claim such a vital victory was owed solely to the decision not penalize Trent Alexander-Arnold in the opening minutes, it provides Guardiola and City something to cling to. Look at the cold, hard facts after this 3-1 defeat and City have it all to do. The city's manager will leave Anfield with the belief they have been severely wrong-done. 

In truth, Klopp would have had his own complaints had a penalty been awarded, given Bernardo Silva was as guilty of handling during the same incident as Alexander-Arnold. Either way, the correct decision would have been to halt play, rather than allow Liverpool to break up the pitch and score.

Now Guardiola needs to find the way to make the difference between now and the end of the season and instilling a siege mentality is a well-worn tactic that may just be his best approach from here-on in. 

Two years of unprecedented dominance has taken its toll on a dressing room that has found the going just that little bit tougher this term. Be it Norwich and Wolves finding ways to win against them or Southampton pushing them to the brink, is beginning to feel like a grind. 

But only a fool would write this City team off even from this distance. 

They've responded to their previous two defeats this season with five wins on the bounce. Do the same again after this and the table could look very different by the turn of the year. 

Guardiola's big transfer mistake

City's grip on their title may well have been lost at Anfield but the tone was set during a summer when Guardiola failed to strengthen in two key areas.

The Catalan's failure to replace the departed Vincent Company still beggar’s belief. And while he insists the champions didn't have the funds to compete with Manchester United for top target Harry Maguire, he still managed to make Joao Cancelo the most expensive right-back in English football. 

That decision looks all the more peculiar considering Kyle Walker remains his first choice in that position. Meanwhile, City also opted against bringing in a top-class left-back despite spending the past two seasons with makeshift options in that position. 

Angelino returned after City had already decided the Spaniard wasn't up to the required standard after selling him to PSV Eindhoven. It was a measure of Guardiola's ongoing doubts about Mendy and Nicolas Otamendi that neither started such a huge game, with midfielder Fernandinho playing at center back in a game in which City's defensive frailties came to the fore.  

Salah is in Guardiola's head

The decision to name Angelino ahead of Benjamin Mendy was a head-scratcher from the moment the team sheets came out. Mendy was outstanding in this same fixture last season and is City's best answer to Mo Salah – the player who consumes Guardiola ahead of these games. 

The Egyptians had one of his quietest games when the sides drew 0-0 at Anfield as Mendy's high line forced him to check his own attacking ambitions.

But there was no sign of that as he stole a march on Angelino in the first half to double Liverpool's lead and put the game beyond doubt.

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Premier League: Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood offer Man Utd tantalizing glimpse of the future

With an average age of 21, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer released a Manchester United forward line that looks every bit the future of the club. Sports enthusiasts from around the world can purchase Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood excited United into the hit stages of the Europa League but, more importantly, offered an enticing indication.

All pace, movement, danger, and technique are the epitome of the modern-day attack. And though still, raw Greenwood has just turned 18, while the expert of the group, Martial, is still only 23 they could well be the basis on which Solskjaer builds his United uprising.

In contrast to Partizan Belgrade, they clicked in a manner in which United just haven't this term each scoring picture book goals and creating sufficient chances to make a 3-0 score-line even more certain.

He also has Daniel James, who has been one of the highpoints of the season, but there is a balance to this trio that just looks right.

Marcus Rashford, playing off the left, was in his component and the main orchestrator of United's forward play. While he was shamefaced of missing a host of golden opportunities in the first half, it was clear to see just how much more confident he is facing jail.

His quick feet set up Anthony Martial to find the back of the net early on only for the offside flag to be higher. But he showed an accuracy of touch and vision in the 22nd-minute when finding Greenwood on the right-hand side of the box.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer comprehensibly wants to defend the academy graduate but that's three goals in four starts. And such is his perfect balance that he is the most usual option on the right.

Anthony Martial, temporarily, has five in seven, including a completely sublime solo goal to double United's lead in this match. The speed of his footwork saw him dance around Bojan Ostojic, Starhinja Pavlovic and Urosovic inside the box, before flicking his shot past Vladimir Stojkovic with the outside of his right wader.

That carried back memories of that remarkable debut goal against Liverpool in 2015 and stimulus questions as to just how much he would have developed by now if he'd been trusted in the No9 role sooner.

Juan Mata's cross-field pass was moderated into Rashford's path by Ashley Young and the England striker crashed a first time shot into the top corner. It's worth recalling he is still just 22 and even with a wealth of involvement is a work in progress.

On nights like this he establishes exactly why he is considered the future for both club and country and with Martial and Greenwood around him, Manchester United could have a forward line to distress for years to come.

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Manchester United manager secret meeting with Premier League officials in desperate bid to fix VAR

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met with Premier League officials on Wednesday to discuss possible perfections to the VAR system. Sports enthusiasts from around the world can purchase Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

The Premier League’s director of football Richard Garlick and head of football relations Simon Morgan moved to Manchester to hear Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's opinions and debate what changes would improve constancy and exactness of conclusions.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is unable to join when referees chief Mike Riley meets with top-flight managers based in the north of England. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer should have little to criticize. To date, United has ducked being on the wrong end of any divisive VAR results.

They were given a penalty in the match against Norwich after the VAR drafts, while Rashford’s goal against the blues was tolerable to stand after VAR measured. It is understood no strong opposition to the way VAR is being used was spoken when southern-based top-flight managers met last week.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp voiced his prevention at VAR after Roberto Firmino had a goal ruled out for offside during his side’s win at Aston Villa on Saturday. Klopp, who has demanded his side have been on the wrong end of several big VAR decisions this term, has called for an explanation about the current use of the system.

Thursday’s meeting is also likely to feature debates over the gradually spiky topic of pitchside screens. Monitors are widely used outside of the Premier League, however, following debates with clubs before the start of the season, officials are yet to use them in any of the 110 top-flight matches so far.

The views of all managers will be processed ahead of any latent VAR policy changes to be measured at the next Premier League shareholders meeting which will take place in London on November 14.

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Average Fans will spend £1,888 on watching football this Premier League season

A report has revealed expenditure that Football fans will on usual spend £1,888 each this Premier League season, with the biggest cost increases being merchandise, home tickets, TV subscriptions, and foods. Sports enthusiasts from all over the world can purchase Premier League Tickets online to enjoy its stunning performances.

In the 2019/20 season dedicated fans are predictable to spend more than £23.8m on replica shirts, a 31 percent increase in total spend since season 2014/15. While ticket amounts make up an important amount of this total price, the overall cost of tickets for a loyal fan has increased by only 1 percent since 2014/15.

A sky Sports analyst and Manchester United legend Gary Neville said Football needs to check itself. There are lots of positives about football. The stadiums are better, the quality of play is imaginary, and the atmosphere is far broader, but for me, affordability is something that needs to be addressed.

This report puts out the facts and I hope it will serve as a wake-up call. Football has to stand above other rest businesses. It is more than just a game. It is about public and we need to confirm we are doing all we cannot charge fans out of the game. The research focuses on the dedicated fan of an adult who attends all 19 home games and travels to a minimum of five away games.

Arsenal is the most expensive team to support loyal fans each paying £2,238 per season. Newcastle United are the only club outside of the traditional top six to feature in the six most luxurious clubs to follow. This season Newcastle Utd f1ans will travel 68 percent miles by train and 65 percent miles by car to away matches.

This approach reveals that while dedicated Liverpool fans may spend more contrasted with other fans in the Premier League, they saw good value for money based on a low cost per goal scored and points won, last season.

Of all the clubs, Manchester City fans got the most entertaining for their money, paying £16.90 per goal and £16.30 per point. Huddersfield Town fans got the poorest deal total, spending £96 per point and £70 per goal.

Gary Neville added This isn’t just about money. It is about the family that lives a mile from the club dreaming every weekend that they can go to the game and pay to watch their heroes play.

Iqbal V Gandham, UK managing director at eToro said as a sponsor of six Premier League teams we try to certify we are giving back to the devotees as much as possible. Our Le Tiss Air competition was well received by Southampton supporters and this is just the first of many enterprises we will be carrying out this season to prize loyal fans who invest in what they love.

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Premier League: Mohamed Salah has become obsessed with goals, says ex-Liverpool ace, Michael Owen

Mohamed Salah has become obsessed with goals, according to former Liverpool striker Michael Owen. And the ex-England star believes Salah's success has changed his mindset and style of play since he first arrived in England. Football fans can book Premier League Tickets from our website on discounted prices.

Mohamed Salah has come in for censure for being acquisitive in front of goal at times this Premier League season, including a high-profile row with team-mate Sadio Mane which has since been resolved.

And Michael Owen, known for his creative goalscoring during his spell at Anfield, drawn the exciting conversion of the Egyptian star after his performance against Genk in the Champions League.

Mohamed Salah was incapable to get on the scoresheet in a 2-1 win as he took a number of efforts in a proposal to get backfiring after scoring just five Premier League goals in 10 games so far this season, a low return by his unusually high standards.

Five years ago, watching him play, he would be beating players out wide, he'd be putting balls on. He got the backing tonight, but he just looks to me nowadays like a really, really hungry player for goals, almost to the state where he's infatuated by goals. That's definitely developed over the years with him. He never used to be gripped with goals.

But now he's getting a taste of it. Now he's won Golden Boots, now he's been the main man, it's almost as if he feels a huge pressure to score all the time.

There's nothing wrong with that, it's surely not a reproach, it's just exciting how he's grown over the years into being this real hungry goal-getter now. Five years he certainly wasn't like that, and now you're watching him thinking wow, he's just zoned in on scoring goals. He's such a goal-getter.

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Premier League: Jadon Sancho leads Chelsea's five-man Wishlist if transfer ban is lifted

Frank Lampard is supposedly set to be handed around £150million to devote if Chelsea's transfer ban is boosted, with Jadon Sancho thought to be among the club's top targets. Football fans can book Premier League Football Tickets on our website on exclusively discounted prices.

The Blues appeal will be heard by Court of Arbitration for Sport on November 20, having already served half of a two-window ban for breaking rules relating to the signing of immature players. If the Court of Arbitration for Sport decides to reduce their penalty, the club will be free to start signing players at the start for the January transfer window.

Although the ban has permitted many of the Blues' younger players to enjoy great success, Lampard has known he will try to make add-ons if he is given the green signal. With the futures of Pedro, Olivier Giroud and Willian also unclear beyond the end of the current movement, it is unstated that the club wants to add wingers and strikers as a significance.

And the newspaper reports that Borussia Dortmund and England star Jadon Sancho is one of their top goals together with Crystal Palace Lyon striker Moussa Dembele and wide-man Wilfried Zaha.

Since making the move to Germany in 2017, 19-year-old Jadon Sancho has recognized himself as one of the leading talents in Europe and is charming interest from many of the continent's top sides.

The Telegraph claims that Chelsea is looking to reinforce their defensive options and have shown interest in Bournemouth center-back Nathan Ake, as well as Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell.

Although it is expected that Chilwell will not be permissible to leave Brendan Rodgers' side in January, the Blues can bring defender Ake back to Stamford Bridge for £40million.

Chelsea will always expression to expand in transfer windows if we can and if the players, we might look at are well or we feel are an addition to the squad. I’m very concerned about the appeal of course because it’s apparently going to affect actually what we can do in January or not.

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