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Many Liverpool fans have been left to slam the display of Sadio Mane in their 0-0 draw with Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

The former Southampton man did not have the best of games by his usual high standards as Jurgen Klopp’s men were guilty of missing a lot of golden opportunities on the night at Anfield, and in the end went out 3-1 on aggregate to the La Liga giants.

Mane lost out on 11 of his duels, more than any of his teammates to have set foot on the pitch, as well as failing to record a single shot on target, while losing possession of the ball on no fewer than on 23 separate occasions in the match, the second-most out of any outfield player (Sofascore).

Liverpool fans on Mane display

It’s fair to say Mane has had a poor season by his standards, and these Reds supporters slammed his latest performance on Twitter, with one LFC fan claiming that the Senegal international was ‘ineffective’:

“Sadio Mane has lost his pace, intensity and footballing ability. People said after the Crystal Palace game in December, “a world class player always comes back”. We are still waiting, it’s April. | #LFC”

Credit: @LFCApproved

“Firmino has lost too much of his pace..no idea what happened to Mane but he has been awful this entire season. Didn’t see much of Thiago this season. Only Fab and Hendo can play in that midfield. Summer needs big decisions..#lfc”

Credit: @8558Dhiraj

“The #LFC forward line has to take 75% responsibility for the relative debacle this season. Yesterday Mane was completely ineffective — not for the first game this season Bobby – not sure what he stands for anymore Salah – missed gilt edged chances as he seems to do so often”

Credit: @Manavaggar

“Wondering if there are any #LFC fans out there still defending Mane. Not only has his skill level dropped but his work rate, team work and attitude. Failed to even celebrate Trent’s winner on the weekend”

Credit: @TanneSaul

“The real Sadio Mane has been invisible all season. Not seen him once this year. What on Earth has happened to him? #LFC”

Credit: @DyerThomas

“Sadio Mane not good enough. His form has declined, no more the supermane that we saw in the previous years #LFC”

Credit: @azkizzle

In other news, find out what Liverpool ace Leicester have been linked with signing here!

Former Newcastle United winger Keith Gillespie has told Football FanCast that he is growing tired of constant talk surrounding the proposed takeover of the club.

The Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia have been involved in protracted talks to buy the club.

That deal is currently going through arbitration in court but it has taken a fair few twists in recent days.

The Daily Mail have reported that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia personally lobbied Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene in the potential takeover.

Elsewhere, owner Mike Ashley has shut the club shop and is said to have sent a letter to staff claiming that the decision stems from the new ownership, again per The Daily Mail.

Gillespie, though, insists that the Magpies’ fans deserve better than to constantly be hanging on news reports, and seeing their excitement both grow and diminish as a result. Indeed, he is aware of how many proposed takeovers in previous years have fallen apart at the last hurdle.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “In terms of will there be a takeover? It’s not something I listen to too much now, because I’ve heard it too often.

“You get asked to comment on this quite a bit when there’s talk again. Until something is confirmed, Newcastle fans don’t deserve to be put through the mill every single time, because they’re so passionate about their club and they want this takeover to happen.

“They start to get a little bit of belief that they could be getting closer, and then bang, it falls apart again. I feel sorry for them in that way.

“For me, until there is something concrete and we are very, very close, it’s not something that Newcastle fans deserve people to be talking about, because we’ve seen in the past how often it’s just fallen apart.”

Fans of Southampton have been reacting to a post on Twitter, in which Saints relayed their statement regarding the now-collapsing proposal of a European Super League.

In a statement posted on the club website, Southampton confirmed that they are in “complete opposition” to any plans for a breakaway league, and that club shares the feeling of its supporters in that the proposals involving the so-called big six sides were “borne from a position of greed” as well as “fear of true competition.”

The club also claimed that it will do “everything in its power” to prevent the plans from becoming reality, alongside the Premier League, the British government and the governing bodies of European and world football.

However, after Southampton shared their statement on Twitter, fans of the club flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing furious at the timing of Saints’ tweet, as the statement came a number of hours after it was already rumoured that Chelsea had pulled out of the ESL, and not long before all six Premier League sides had completely withdrawn.

By contrast, the likes of Everton and West Ham had shared their disgust at the ESL idea much earlier on Tuesday, drawing massive praise.

So, what exactly did these Southampton fans have to say in reaction to the club’s statement?

“Shambolic that it took so long.”

@_supersaints

“Being the last club to issue a statement on this is not something to be proud of lads.”

@BristolSaints

“So, in the end, we published this *less than an hour* before the English clubs announced they were leaving anyway.”

@lucyhighnett

“Bit late lads.”

@europasaintsfc

“See we are as gutless off the pitch as we are on it at the moment. Basically wait for it to fall then strong condemnation. Shambles.”

@SFC_BazChez

“Issue a statement after the idea is in the bin already. Well done lads.”

@andrewhal20

In other news: Reports from Germany reveal interest in key Southampton man; claim 15% chance of summer exit – find out more here!

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Marlon Harewood, who played 164 times for West Ham, believes Tammy Abraham has everything that the Hammers will be looking for in new signings.

Since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel, Abraham has fallen down the pecking order despite netting 30 goals in 80 games for the Blues, with the German now favouring Kai Havertz and Timo Werner as strikers, which has led to the 23-year old being linked with a move to West Ham.

Abraham was trusted to lead the line for Chelsea under Frank Lampard after the striker impressed during his loan spell at Aston Villa, in which his goals helped them clinch promotion back to the Premier League via the play-offs.

Speaking on how Abraham has everything West Ham will be looking for and why things could change very quickly for the centre-forward, Harewood told FFC:

“Football is a crazy game – it can go all sorts of ways because he might get back into the Chelsea team and then stay there but at the moment, he’s not playing. It would be a good signing come the end of the season for West Ham.

“He would be a very good signing for West Ham moving forward because he can bring a whole heap of attributes that West Ham are trying to find.”

The £57,692 per week striker has also had to deal with several niggling injuries since Tuchel arrived at Stamford Bridge which has not helped his cause to try to impress his new manager.

Having just booked their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League, the Blues may yet not need to finish in the top four to qualify for the competition next season, if they can win it.

Liverpool are once again set to be without Nathaniel Phillips for their clash against Manchester United this weekend.

The Reds centre-back has been ruled out for each of the last two Premier League matches with a hamstring problem and does not look set to return for Sunday’s clash. Ahead of the trip to Old Trafford, Jurgen Klopp suggested that all of the team’s injury problems are “all the same”, which suggests that Phillips is still continuing his recovery.

The news will be a sickener for Klopp and the team, with the 24-year-old having become one their main options at centre-back in the respective absences of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez, Joel Matip and Jordan Henderson this season.

Indeed, Phillips has appeared on 15 occasions in all competitions so far this season, with Liverpool having only lost on four occasions when he has taken to the pitch thus far. Meanwhile, the Reds have not won a Premier League game in which he hasn’t appeared since the 7-0 drubbing of Crystal Palace back in mid-December.

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However, in his absence, Fabinho will once again be required to step into the backline – a selection which has not yielded positive results recently. In the two Premier League matches that Phillips has missed since picking up his injury, Liverpool have been held to frustrating 1-1 draws by both Leeds and Newcastle.

Heading to Old Trafford in what is a key game for the Reds’ aspirations of finishing in the top four, Klopp would certainly have wanted to name the £65,000-per-week Phillips in the backline and move Fabinho back to his natural position in the middle of the park.

However, that does not seem like a possibility now with the Englishman continuing his stint on the sidelines.

AND in more news, a current Premier League star has been instructed to reconsider if he chooses to move to Liverpool…

Aston Villa could strike gold this summer with a swoop for Burnley star Dwight McNeil.

What’s the story?

A Report from Football Insider this week has claimed that Dean Smith’s side have their eye on the Burnley winger, with the 21-year-old “one of the top targets of their recruitment team” and that the Premier League club are “lining up a huge bid for him”.

Imagine him and Grealish

With his ability to beat players one-on-one – his average of 1.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League is the highest of any Burnley player and double that of the man in second – McNeil would ease the creative burden on Jack Grealish.

The £60m-rated McNeil has arguably been one of the few standout performers going forward for the Clarets, and it’s something that has led to Jamie Redknapp waxing lyrical about him.

He said: “Dwight McNeil is such a good player, lovely left foot, doesn’t stop running. Every time I watch him he gets better and better, he’s got real quality and certainly a player that the top six to eight clubs will be looking at, and that’s no disrespect to Burnley because I don’t like saying that sometimes, but he is that good.”

McNeil’s composure on the ball, something very much akin to Grealish, is what has led to Sean Dyche raving about him and his ability.

He said: “He’s a real talent. He’s a really good player, he’s improving, his calmness at the end – I’m saying get it in the corner – but he cuts in, and his calmness to cross it into a dangerous area, and then gets his reward.

“Before then, his calmness to dribble out of trouble – he’s a really good player, really good, and he can only mature.”

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Dean Smith could give Grealish a real partner in crime and ensure opposition defences don’t just double-up on the England international and try and shut him out of the game.

McNeil’s arrival could be the key to offering Villa another string to their bow and taking some of the pressure off of their captain’s shoulders.

Meanwhile, Villa should unleash this “outstanding” starlet…

With Xisco Munoz guiding Watford back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, Cristiano Giaretta now faces the challenge of bringing in additions to the Hornets’ squad, players who can help the club retain their top-flight status at the end season.

One position that appears to be in particular need of improvement is up top, as none of the club’s out and out centre-forwards have so far managed to break double figures for goals scored in the Championship – with Joao Pedro scoring nine, Troy Deeney bagging seven and Andre Gray netting four.

And, with The Athletic reporting that Brentford’s Ivan Toney would fit the bill for Xisco’s side, we’ve take a look at how we think the £16.2 million-rated hitman would get on at Vicarage Road.

Deeney’s heir

After joining Peterborough United from Newcastle United in what was a £351,000 deal back in the summer of 2018, Toney immediately proved worth the fee in his debut season at London Road, scoring 16 goals and providing seven assists over his 44 league appearances for the club, with Posh narrowly missing out on a place in the play-offs at the end of the season.

The centre-forward followed this campaign up with an even more remarkable season, bagging an astonishing 24 goals, providing five assists and creating eight big chances, as well as averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.64, over his 32 League One fixtures, with Peterborough once again being unfortunate to miss out on a play-off spot – this time on a point-per-game basis after the season was curtailed.

This form saw Toney secure a £5.04 million move to Brentford in September 2020 – when Watford were also reported to be interested in a move – and, despite a hefty price tag for a third-tier player, the 25-year-old has once again gone on to prove himself as a remarkable signing.

So far this season, the £21,000-per-week striker has somehow managed to improve further on his goalscoring record despite taking the step up in division, scoring 30 goals, providing 10 assists and creating nine big chances over his 44 Championship appearances, as well as averaging a SofaScore match rating of 7.38.

As such, it almost goes without saying as to why Toney would make a fantastic signing for Watford this summer, as the forward has cleared every challenge he has faced so far in his professional career with ease – and we would not bet against him doing so once again in the Premier League.

And, despite Troy Deeney’s recent protestations that he does not want to be a bit-part player for the Hornets next season, the fact remains that the Watford talisman is getting older, as well as having suffered a number of long-term injuries in the last couple of years.

Furthermore, when looking at Deeney’s individual output in terms of goals and general creativity this season, there is simply no comparison to be done with Toney – as the Brentford man blows the 32-year-old out of the water in almost every metric.

So, with Watford back in the big time once again, it would seem highly advisable for Giaretta to spend whatever it takes to land Toney in the upcoming transfer window, as the man Barry Fry dubbed an “exceptional” goal scorer seems to very much have the potential to take over as Watford’s star striker this summer, while Deeney takes a backseat.

In other news: Encouraging update emerges on “important” £30k-p/w Watford star, fans will be buzzing – opinion

Celtic youngster Karamoko Dembele has been waiting patiently in the wings for two years now.

It has been an arduous time for the Hoops prodigy, a player who broke onto the scene as a 16-year-old in 2019 but still only has seven first team appearances to his name.

The Bhoys have done well not to overexpose him but there is a fine line to be had. The truth is that Neil Lennon and now John Kennedy haven’t utilised him as much as they should.

Dembele has played so little that there are growing concerns over his future in Paradise. For a long while it was thought that the 18-year-old’s contract would expire at the end of the season, but Kennedy provided welcome news in the week that the teenager still has one year left on his deal.

However, if he doesn’t want to stick around, this will be their final opportunity to receive a fee for his services. If he still hasn’t signed by January, then Dembele will be free to speak to foreign clubs.

To lose a player of his calibre on a free transfer would be simply disastrous, especially now he looks set to make a proper breakthrough in Glasgow.

Dembele came off the bench in the 4-0 win over St Johnstone a few days ago to score his first senior goal. It has been a long time coming but it was taken like a player who’s been at the top for years.

David Turnbull played an inch-perfect ball into the teenager’s path before he burst away from the defence and calmly found the back of the net.

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He had a sensational impact and, if he doesn’t start on Saturday against Hibernian, it will feel like a crime against football, a devilish act deliberately made to trigger Celtic supporters.

The Hoops have nothing to play for on the final day of the campaign so this feels like the perfect time to finally unleash the winger. There is no pressure and no great expectation.

Speaking about Dembele in the week, Kennedy said: “Karamoko has been spoken about as the next superstar, but people develop physically at different rates. He is probably one who still has a bit of development, but is a terrific talent – we know that.”

Kennedy knows a flourishing young player when he sees one. He was crucial in the development of Kieran Tierney when he was coming through the ranks at Parkhead.

The left-back made a seamless transition to first team football, one that Dembele will now hope to follow. He has already made an impact at senior level and, if his goal on Wednesday tells you anything, it’s that he’s ready to start from the off.

Forget about Mohamed Elyounoussi, Celtic need to focus on players who will actually be at the club next season.

AND in other news, Howe set to be dealt big Celtic blow before he’s even arrived, McKay surely fuming…

New York Red Bulls director Kevin Thelwell has recently revealed that some at Celtic wanted to keep forward Patryk Klimala at Parkhead.

The Lowdown: Klimala’s big-money deal and wage increase

Klimala made the move to the MLS last month, ending his Celtic Park career after just 15 months.

The 22-year-old cost the Hoops £3.6m back in 2020, however, Celtic sold the striker for £3.93m despite the Pole scoring just three times in 28 appearances.

Reports have suggested add-ons could take the deal up to £5m, with Klimala now on around $22,000-a-week (£15,500) stateside.

The Latest: Thelwell’s claim on the forward

New York Red Bulls director Kevin Thelwell was recently talking about Klimala to The Atheltic and admitted that some at Parkhead actually ‘didn’t want to let him go’ – an intriguing six-word admission.

“I had outstanding references on him at Celtic. There were some people there who didn’t want to let him go, didn’t feel he had the opportunity perhaps he should have done and were also saying if he did get the opportunity Celtic would have been a lot better for it.

“These are people I trust and people we trust within our network.”

The Verdict: An offer too good to turn down

Let’s be honest, the offer from New York Red Bulls was just too good to turn down. Celtic have ended up making an immediate £330,000 profit on a player who averaged a goal every nine appearances.

He failed to become a mainstay in the Hoops side and had to deal with cameo appearances from the bench.

If the bid from New York Red Bulls was less than £3m, we could understand the Hoops rejecting it and keeping faith with the forward.

However, that wasn’t the case and we don’t feel that Celtic have made the wrong decision, even if some inside Celtic Park feel they might have.

In other news: ‘Howe wants…’ – Alan Nixon drops Celtic managerial demand which could be good news for Dom McKay, find out more here. 

Crystal Palace midfielder James McCarthy, who has been linked with a move to Celtic, will leave the club at the end of the season.

McCarthy is out of contract in a matter of weeks, and it seems as if the 30-year-old will be just one of a number of players to walk out of Selhurst Park for nothing this summer.

The Athletic’s Crystal Palace correspondent Matt Woosnam wrote a piece mainly on Patrick van Aanholt’s pending Eagles exit on Monday.

In that story, Woosnam added that the club has 12 players with deals set to expire, with McCarthy, Mamadou Sakho, Wayne Hennessey and Connor Wickham set to join van Aanholt in leaving for nothing.

As mentioned, McCarthy has been linked with a move to Celtic Park, with Newcastle United also now in the race to sign the central midfielder.

Palace fans react

@CPFCtransfersHQ shared the news regarding McCarthy on Twitter on Thursday evening.

This is what these Palace supporters had to say in reply, with one describing the Irishman as an ‘unsung hero’.

“Omg that means we’ll be down to only 8 CDMs”Credit: @machutuck”Unsung hero on several occasions”Credit: @cpfcboiling”Sad to think we spent legal tender on this man”Credit: @CPFCRonnie2″Can’t believe we spent money on this guy”Credit: @Sumo08112″Not really been a regular in the team, not sure what he offers.”Credit: @gary_sproul”i like james”Credit: @RRcpfc

In other news: Many CPFC fans react as Palace and Spurs eye foreign manager, find out more here.