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Brighton boss Graham Potter has been hailed as “one of the best English managers I have met” by none other than his Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola.

The Spaniard paid the notable compliment to the 45-year-old following his team’s 5-0 win at the Amex Stadium on Saturday night and he thinks that Potter will make the Seagulls even better if given time to do so by the club’s board.

As per The Argus, Guardiola said: “It is the first season for Graham. The manager will need time. Graham is one of the best English managers I have met in the country with all respect to the other ones.

“He is and will be a successful manager because I have noticed how he is as a human being and as a manager. I am a big fan of the managers who try to play their own way and not just wait for circumstances or one moment to win the game.

“Sometimes you need more time because the way he wants to try to play is attractive, is seductive but it’s not easy. I’m pretty sure next season if the club follow him, he is going to build.”

Potter has so far had a reasonably impressive first season in charge of Brighton, who are 15th in the table on 36 points, five clear of the relegation zone with three matches left to play (as per premierleague.com).

At the same stage last season, the Seagulls were 17th on 34 points and only three clear of the drop, while are 35 games of their first Premier League campaign in 2017/18 they also had 36 points and were 13th but only four ahead of the relegation places. That points to slight improvement under the current manager.

Potter has also made Brighton slightly more potent and better defensively than they were at the same stage of last season, when they had scored 32 goals and conceded 54. They have so far found the net 36 times in the 2019/20 Premier League and shipped 52 goals, another sign of his progress with the Seagulls.

While Manchester City comfortably won both meetings with the Sussex club this season, Potter has been close to getting one over on Guardiola in the past. His Swansea side stormed into a 2-0 lead against Manchester City in last year’s FA Cup, only for the Premier League club to score thrice in the final 20 minutes and squeeze through (as per BBC).

Potter has made some gentle steps forward with Brighton this season and, assuming they don’t implode in their final three games and lose their Premier League status, they can feel that they have made some progress under the Englishman this season.

For a manager like Guardiola, who has won 29 trophies in his career (including eight league titles and two Champions Leagues) to describe the Seagulls boss as one of the best English managers that he has encountered is a tremendous compliment, and the signs from the current campaign are that Potter could make further strides with Brighton if he is shown patience by the club’s board.

Brighton fans, what did you make of Guardiola’s praise of Potter? Have your say by commenting below!

It was revealed earlier in the month that Bongani Zungu is interested in joining Glasgow Rangers and there is now an update on the possible transfer as it looks more likely that the player will be making the move to Scotland.

According to The Scotsman, the ‘Gers have now taken transfer negotiations a step further as the club are able to discuss personal terms with the midfielder, who currently plays at Ligue 1 side Amiens.

The report suggests that Gerrard’s side would need to have made an offer of around £3.6m in order to persuade his current French employers to sell. It appears that an offer of roughly this value has been presented and possibly accepted as the ‘Gers are being allowed to discuss terms with the player.

The South African international has made 57 appearances so far for his current club, scoring twice and assisting three goals, per Transfermarkt. He has also played in the top tier in Portugal, making 27 appearances for Vitória Guimarães.

The 27-year-old has also scored twice for South Africa in 24 caps for his country, with both goals coming in last summer’s Africa Cup of Nations as he helped them to reach the quarter-finals, per Transfermarkt.

This experience in two of Europe’s top leagues as well as on the international stage highlights that the ‘Gers could be acquiring a very good player; and the more quality they add to the squad the better, as it should help them to present a greater challenge to Celtic for the Premiership title in 2020/21.

Zungu is apparently keen on the move, which bodes well for Gerrard as that should help to tip the scales in favour of him completing a deal at Ibrox.

‘Gers fans, would Zungu be a good signing? Comment below with your views!

Say what you will about Leeds United, but you’re never short of drama at Elland Road.

This should be a time of celebration and unrivalled joy at Leeds, but still there remains a dark cloud lingering overhead, threatening to scupper the club’s post-promotion plans.

Of course, we’re talking about the Jean-Kevin Augustin situation.

Leeds had agreed to sign the Frenchman on a permanent deal this summer if they were promoted, but after the striker failed to start a single game since his arrival in January, they understandably don’t want him, but Leipzig still want their money.

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Nobody quite knows how this saga is going to end, but Phil Hay has given us his informed view on what is going to happen.

What’s been said then?

The journalist wrote a column in The Athletic documenting Leeds’ transfer plans this summer, and inevitably he had to broach the elephant in the room that is Augustin.

“Augustin was due to sign permanently for around £18 million if Leeds won promotion but a combination of injuries and the player’s attitude put off Bielsa. That deal looks increasingly likely to end in a legal dispute as Leipzig push for the money they were promised and Leeds attempt to wriggle out of a transfer they no longer want to complete.” Hay wrote.

Legal battle

If this goes to the courts it’ll certainly be an interesting case to follow.

If it’s been wholly agreed that Leeds would take Augustin off of Leipzig’s hands, it’s going to be very tough for them to get out of paying the fee, unless a settlement is reached where United pay a sum to get out of the deal or they make up any sale of the Frenchman to £18m.

It’s also interesting to ponder what the player’s view on all of this is.

Personal terms were presumably agreed already back in January, but it’s hard to imagine that Augustin will want to come back to Leeds after playing minimal minutes and seemingly not seeing eye to eye with the manager.

Whatever happens, Leeds have to hope this is wrapped up quickly so that they can get on with their other transfer business.

The founder of football data consultants MRKT have questioned the future of Will Grigg at Sunderland, claiming that he does not fit Phil Parkinson’s system.

After moving to the Stadium of Light in January 2019, the striker has had the spotlight firmly on him, seeing his move from Wigan Athletic much documented via Netflix series Sunderland Til I Die.

Featuring regularly for the Black Cats through the 2019/2020 season, the 29-year-old has failed to find consistent form, with just one goal and one assist to his name last term.

Reports claimed earlier this summer that Sunderland were willing to listen to offers for Grigg, who is valued at £1.08m by Transfermarkt.

With Sunderland now preparing for the 2020/21 season, Ram Srinivas, who is the co-founder of MRKT Insights, spoke to Roker Report about Grigg’s future at the club.

“It’s difficult for me to say how exactly to get the best out of Will Grigg, given he doesn’t particularly suit Parkinson’s system. Ideally he’d be loaned somewhere for six months to recoup value and/or confidence when he scores goals, because he will, somewhere.

“Gooch, O’Nien, Hume, Maguire and Wright is a good enough core to build the squad around with the likes of Embleton, Kimpioka (if he re-signs) and Diamond looking to prove themselves – hopefully they will have the opportunities to.”

Sunderland’s League One rivals Shrewsbury Town are said to have pulled out with their reported interest in Grigg over the last few days.

Grigg is best off leaving Sunderland now and it is best for the club to end the relationship. A lack of goals and minimal impact makes his involvement next season seem rather unlikely.

Selling him could prove difficult, however, especially with the salary cap being introduced in the English Football League, which may preclude many clubs at that level from being able to afford his wages.

Do you think Will Grigg can improve next season, Sunderland fans? Let us know your views in the comments section below…

Time could be up on Merseyside for Gini Wijnaldum who will not be offered a new contract following the expiration of his current terms. 

That’s according to The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe (relayed via @LFCTransferRoom), who claims that the Dutchman could become a free agent once the final year on his contract is up.

Fans have been hoping to see Wijnaldum pen a new deal with Liverpool, but this latest update doesn’t cast a good feeling over the situation.

The 29-year-old initially joined the club back in 2016 from Newcastle. The Toon agreed a fee of £25million for the midfielder, who looks like he could be leaving for free next summer. Wijnaldum has made a total 186 appearances for the Reds, accumulating 19 goals in that time (via Transfermarkt).

As expected, plenty of Reds fans are unhappy with the idea of losing Wijnaldum and have lashed out in the replies to the news. One supporter has described it as an ‘absolute shambles’ not to offer the Dutchman a new contract. Indeed, he has established himself as somewhat of a cult hero after his heroics against Barcelona in last year’s Champions League semi-final.

Another fan has echoed the sentiment and has described the news as ‘disappointing’.

Read more replies from the Anfield faithful here:

Do you think Liverpool should offer Wijnaldum a new contract? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below…

Aston Villa appear to have been handed a clear shot at signing one of their mooted summer transfer targets after fresh reports emerged this week…

What’s the word?

The Midlands outfit have been linked with a move to sign former Dean Smith sensation Said Benrahma on more than one occasion this window but they’ve faced competition from some of their Premier League rivals.

One of which is Crystal Palace, who have seemingly ruled themselves out of signing the 25-year-old. Speaking to Football.London, manager Roy Hodgson claimed his focus was on adding another striker to his squad and claimed “a lot has to happen” before he moves for Benrahma.

Earlier this month, the Daily Mail claimed Villa were keen on signing the Bees frontman but it would cost around £25m to secure him.

Worthwhile boost?

Now that the door has seemingly opened for Smith, it would be a massive mistake on Johan Lange’s part if he were to not try to sign the impressive Algerian wizard.

During Brentford’s agonising playoff campaign, Benrahma provided 17 goals and nine assists, which is far greater than what any Villa player managed last term.

He’s so good that Sam Saunders, B team coach, claims the winger could “nutmeg a mermaid” whilst Bees boss Thomas Frank has previously lauded him as “magnificent.”

Benrahma also averaged a whopping 3.8 shots, three dribbles and 2.1 key passes per game, via WhoScored, so he’s more than just a goal threat on the wings.

The biggest benefit from this signing would undoubtedly be the familiarity that Smith already has with him having been the man to originally bring him to the Bees.

In the past, the Villa boss has lauded him as an “energetic” player who “has everything” whilst journalist Neil Dunsworth claims that “Smith obviously likes him,” so it would only make sense to secure him this summer.

For just £25m, this should absolutely be done.

AND in other news, Villa must steer clear of “unprofessional” £5m man…

Liverpool are preparing to face off against Arsenal for the second time in the space of a week under the lights of Anfield.

The Reds made easy work of securing a win the last time the two sides locked horns – a 3-1 victory puts the reigning champions into second in the Premier League table. Tonight, they’ll hope they can make it two wins out of two against the Gunners as they challenge each other for a spot in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.

It’s likely Jurgen Klopp will once again field a youthful side in order to keep senior personnel from picking up any injuries. The likes of Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott could return to the stage, alongside 19-year-old Neco Williams.

The deputy right-back has a chance to blow everyone out of the water with a strong performance tonight, something that should redeem him in the eyes of many fans.

After his performance against Lincoln City – despite the 7-2 scoreline – Williams received a hefty amount of backlash on social media.

According to Sofascore, the Wales international lost possession 15 times and was able to make just one of his attempted five crosses. However, despite some clumsy passes, Williams boasted two interceptions, two tackles and 2/3 successful dribbles. Given the fact he was also not at fault for either of Lincoln’s goals, it’s a respectable performance for a recent academy graduate.

Unfair Criticism of Neco Williams

Following the barrage of Twitter abuse, Williams blacked out his profile. This led to a number of independent fan sites issuing scoldings to those that had forced the teen off social media.

The pressure of living up to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dream transition into first team football weighs heavily on Williams’ shoulders. It seems that many supporters have grown accustomed to the 21-year-old’s exceptional situation and now expect the same kind of journey for his understudy.

It’s likely he will be selected to start against Arsenal this evening as the Reds hope to upset Mikel Arteta’s side once more. If he does, Williams must grab this opportunity with both hands and use it as a chance to silence those who lambasted his recent performance.

In other news, James Pearce suggests Neco Williams is ready for PL bow

West Bromwich Albion are bordering on desperation in their hunt for a new striker to lead Slaven Bilic’s line but perhaps there’s an easy solution…

What’s the word?

According to the Express & Star, the Baggies boss is keen to bolster his attack with another goalscorer but is having trouble securing number one target Karlan Grant.

Among the list of other alternatives is Watford veteran Troy Deeney, who the Midlands outfit are thought to have enquired about.

Previous reports from the same source suggest that it would be a temporary switch for the £5.85m-rated powerhouse rather than a permanent one.

Grant alternative?

Whilst Grant would be a phenomenal addition at the Hawthorns, he would still arrive with several risks, most notably his lack of experience in the top-flight.

And that’s avoiding his £18m price tag.

The report even states that Charlie Austin and Kenneth Zohore could yet leave before Monday’s deadline, so might Bilic need more than one addition?

He ought to look no further than Deeney as he’s racked up 163 appearances in the Premier League, many of which as captain of the Hornets.

Despite being relegated last season, the 32-year-old still hit ten goals for the season. He also averaged a whopping 7.3 aerials won, 1.7 shots and 1.1 key passes per game, via WhoScored.

This practically gives Albion a new dimension as Deeney clearly likes to put himself about and make a nuisance amongst the opposition’s backline.

His old boss Malky Mackay once described the 6 foot 4 monster as a “real handful” whilst teammate Christian Kabasele has hailed him as a “great leader”.

The only downside would be coming to an agreement over his £65k-per-week wages but given it would only be a loan deal, it could be a move that Luke Dowling could afford.

AND in other news, West Brom ought to steer clear of £10m flop amid shock interest…

Leeds United seem to still be in the market for one more signing.

Todd Cantwell has been the name that has consistently cropped up over the past two weeks, and with Louie Sibley also being mentioned, it is quite clear that Leeds think they need a new attacking midfielder.

However, Leeds may want to reconsider their transfer stance, especially after the eye-watering fee Norwich want for Cantwell was revealed.

The Canaries apparently want £25m for their talisman, and although he is probably one of the best attacking midfield options available to Leeds at the moment due to the fact they can only buy players from the EFL, they shouldn’t be spending that much on a man who has just one Premier League season under his belt.

Fortunately, Leeds do have another option.

The pause in the football calendar earlier this year has led to the 2020/21 season starting later than anyone ever anticipated, and there are only 77 days between the end of this domestic window and the start of the January window, and that 11-week spell could be a huge blessing for Leeds.

United have a squad strong enough to tide them over until January, after all, they have seven points from their first four games this term, and rather than splashing out on Cantwell, they should take stock and use the 77-day gap between the transfer windows to sniff out a bargain in the same position who could prove to be even better than Cantwell for a cheaper fee.

January isn’t far away and if Leeds get to winter and feel that they still need a new attacking midfielder their options will be a lot more varied than they are right now as they will once again be able to operate in the international market, while also having the option of taking players from other Premier League sides.

Victor Orta would be better off saving Andrea Radrizzani £25m and re-assessing the situation in January.

Having crumbled to a timid 4-1 defeat to Manchester United last time out in the Premier League, Newcastle United make the trip to in-form Wolves on Sunday afternoon.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have won their last two games by one goal to nil, and have flown up the table to eighth, two points ahead of the Magpies.

All eyes will be on how Steve Bruce sets his team up for the game at Molineux, with the Newcastle boss surely needing to show greater attacking intent than they did against United – that match saw them out-shot at a staggering ratio of four to one (28-7).

With that in mind, below is a look at just how the Magpies might line up when they take on Wolves on Sunday.

After taking a painful-looking knock against United, Karl Darlow’s status for the game is very much uncertain, with Bruce admitting that whilst he’s made a “huge improvement”, it’s very much touch and go to see if he plays. If he doesn’t, then third-choice Mark Gillespie will have to stand in.

In defence, the Newcastle boss is unlikely to make any changes, despite seeing them completely collapse in the final few moments of the game against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

The midfield areas could be an area in which Bruce does look to shuffle his pack, with Jonjo Shelvey someone who has come under criticism from club icon Steve Howey for his performances.

With Miguel Almiron pushing for a recall to the starting line-up, that could be the kind of attacking change that shows the fans Bruce is determined to push for a win.

And having once again come on as a substitute, Ryan Fraser will surely be given the chance to start from the off, thus replacing Joelinton. Up top, Callum Wilson will look to continue his hot streak, having opened up his Newcastle account with four goals in five Premier League games.

Newcastle’s predicted XI: Gillespie; Krafth, Lascelles, Fernandez, Lewis; Hayden, Hendrick; Saint-Maximin, Almiron, Fraser; Wilson.