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If matches were judged on referee decisions alone, then Celtic would have been the victors at Celtic Park on Sunday afternoon.

Ending the decade on a high against their fierce rivals Rangers would have been the ideal way to close out what has been a period of unparalleled success in Scotland.

They’ve won multiple titles but on this occasion, they tasted defeat.

In fact, this was the first time the Hoops have lost to their closest rivals at home since the very start of the decade, 2010.

It was a sluggish performance from Neil Lennon’s side, one typified by the fact that defender Christopher Jullien was their biggest threat. He won a penalty and went close with two attempts, only to end up on the losing side.

That spot-kick was missed, however, but it wasn’t as though other things didn’t go Celtic’s way. They scored a goal that should have been disallowed after Odsonne Edouard handled the ball while the referee also sent off Alfredo Morelos and one of Rangers’ first-team coaches.

Focusing on that, you’d have thought the Scottish champions would have prevailed.

That’s why the image above paints a very telling picture of the game that played out in front of Celtic’s manager.

Countless things went Lennon’s way so the disbelief written all over his face is understandable given they lost the clash.

No matter how many things played out in their advantage, Rangers’ players were more up for it and resultantly came away with all three points.

Hoops fans will be hoping that come the end of the season, their manager won’t have the same bewildered and pained expression on his face.

The greatest rivalry in world football: Test your Old Firm derby knowledge below…

If he does, they may well be staring at an end to their dominance and a Rangers title. That would be the club’s worst nightmare but it’s still very possible.

The gap now is down to just two points.

In other news, one Celtic player was described as “ten times better than Ajer” after the derby defeat…

West Bromwich Albion are yet to make any moves in the transfer window this month with manager Slaven Bilic claiming that they will only add ‘extra quality’ to the squad.

The Baggies splashed the cash in the summer with £8m being spent on Kenneth Zohore and £4m on Charlie Austin while it is expected that Matheus Pereira will make his loan move permanent at some point in January, totalling £9m.

It could mean that Bilic has very little money to manoeuver in the market, especially as they weren’t able to sign Dwight Gayle in the summer after his wage demands, £50k-per-week as recently reported by The Athletic, were all too much for them.

That £20m link to Hull City winger Jarrod Bowen is looking like a distant possibility.

Maybe the Croatian should look to offload some of his fringe and out of favour players; the first place to start would be with Ahmed Hegazi, particularly after recent developments on the field.

The Egyptian was subject to a bid of £3.4m from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad last month, per SkySports, but the Baggies rejected it. That is something that needs to be reconsidered should they or any other team comes back in for him.

Watch West Bromwich Albion Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

In recent weeks, Dara O’Shea has managed to pick up two appearances, one at centre-back and one at right-back and he impressed Bilic to the point of the Irishman receiving public praise, he said: “Dara is the future. I believe in him. Based on today, he’s a player. I love Dara.”

While youngster Jack Fitzwater made his senior bow in last weekend’s FA Cup victory, playing alongside Hegazi in defence. Bilic soon called him “first class” following the match.

These two could be the future for the club, and they are better served by continuing to get exposure such as this, which is another reason why West Brom could afford his departure this month as they have plenty of options behind him.

Can you remember how much each of these transfer icons cost? Only experts will get 100% on our quiz…

Hegazi has been at the club since Tony Pulis signed him in 2017, but maybe it’s time for an exit as it will only boost their finances whilst also giving a chance to the next generation at the Hawthorns.

And in other news, West Brom could be planning a raid for this Premier League youngster once likened to Frank Lampard…

Former West Brom loan star and recent transfer target Dwight Gayle is edging towards the exit door at Newcastle United this month after The Athletic provided a significant update over his current situation.

What’s the word?

The Baggies have held an interest in Gayle since the summer when manager Slaven Bilic opted for Charlie Austin due to the finances on the table.

And per this latest update, that temptation still remains with Leeds United and Nottingham Forest also keen.

Chris Waugh claims that Gayle simply does not fit Steve Bruce’s system and his desire for more regular game time makes him seem likely to leave St James’ Park during this transfer window.

He also says: “A loan may prove to be a stop-gap solution, although Gayle would prefer a permanent transfer.” However, there is scepticism over who could actually afford him as he sits on £50k-a-week wages and would command a £15m fee.

Should they push for him?

There’s no denying that pretty much everyone at the Hawthorns would love to see the return of the 24-goal forward this month, but the broader picture suggests this would be a pretty dire financial deal for the club.

Albion couldn’t afford his enormous wages in the offseason, so the fact it’s only January makes no difference, and they certainly shouldn’t bank on promotion as a reason for being able to afford him as that could quickly come back to bite them if their form falters throughout the rest of the season.

If they want to sign him permanently, they’d have to cough up a seven-figure fee, and that’s excluding his wages on top.

Bilic splashed out a combined £12m on both Kenneth Zohore and Charlie Austin this summer while they also have Hal Robson-Kanu still on the books. Between the three, they have scored 15 of the Baggies’ 48 league goals this campaign, per WhoScored.

How much do you remember about football in 2019? Our quiz will test your knowledge…

West Brom should probably steer clear of this one.

While in other news, could a £2m-rated League One hotshot be a viable alternative to Matheus Pereira?

Several days have passed since Eddie Nketiah was recalled by Arsenal and though many strikers have been linked with a move to Leeds, there seems to be no imminent arrivals for the promotion chasers.

That is causing frustrations in some ranks, and an update by executive director Angus Kinnear is only adding fuel to the fire, as he claimed the club is looking to move early in their search for a replacement.

Nketiah left on the 1st of January though, and his departure was a very real probability in the weeks prior due to his lack of game time – starting two league games – which means the club should have prepared for his exit by lining up reinforcements sooner, as one fan suggests.

He’s far from the only one who feels that way, and the feelings of fans is very understandable as it suggests a level of disorganisation at the club.

Call yourself a Leeds expert? How much did each of these January signings cost?

In Kinnear’s defence he is right to be careful with the personnel brought in, as promotion to the Premier League could depend on it, but the likes of Dwight Gayle, Billy Sharp and Che Adams would really add something to the squad, as their Championship goal records attest to, and each has been linked. All three players scored over 20 times in the division last season.

Some supporters have been reacting to the update by naming the strikers they would like to see arrive, though it is possible the club is unwilling to target such players due to the potential expense involved.

They are correct to consider the long-term but with every fan itching for a return to the top-flight, it is easy to see why frustrations have boiled over. After all, Patrick Bamford is now the only natural striker in the squad, and his 10 goals in 27 games this term show he is far from consistent.

Going by history, it seems unlikely that Leeds will look to bring in anyone that isn’t a loan signing.

Nketiah was signed to replace a player like Kemar Roofe, with Ben White also the loan replacement for Pontus Jansson, and that record doesn’t inspire fans with much confidence, who have made their feelings known as a result.

Fans have also been left disgruntled due to another factor over recent days, something which makes the need for new signings all the more urgent.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer raved about midfielder Fred following his display in the 2-0 defeat against Liverpool on Sunday, via ManUtd.com.

What did he say?

Well, the Norwegian boss was asked about the £52m man’s performance at Anfield in a game in which his team were very much in contention to snatch a point until Mo Salah’s last-gasp goal secured the three points for the hosts.

He told ManUtd.com: “He’s a top, top performer. All the supporters can see now why we believe in him.

“He covers every blade of grass on the pitch and wins challenges. Of course he is more confident on the ball. I’m very pleased with Fred.”

Was he right to praise the Brazilian?

He certainly was, in general at least.

The Brazil international was impressive for the majority of the clash against Jurgen Klopp’s men, and according to SofaScore he had more touches (96) than any other player on the pitch showing his potential to dictate the play.

He also made four interceptions and three tackles against the Merseyside outfit, and fired narrowly wide when he got in a shooting position.

The big fat United quiz of 2019 – how much do you remember about the last year at Man Utd?

It wasn’t all perfect from the former Shakhtar Donetsk man though, who also lost possession on 17 occasions and was dribbled past four times, as per SofaScore.

That said he is exuding more confidence than he has at other spells during his United career to date, and it’s particularly interesting that Solskjaer pointed out to the supporters that they should now see why the coaching team believes in the midfielder.

Fred came under criticism from the Old Trafford faithful as recently as last week for his showing against Wolves, but on this latest display he will be a mainstay in the Red Devils’ midfield for some time to come.

In other Man United news, FFC has compared Paul Pogba with one reported Red Devils transfer target…

Jose Mourinho offered a cold comment when asked about Danny Rose, as reported on Sky Sports Transfer Centre (25/01/2020, 18:05).

What did he say?

Rose has previously been linked with a move to Newcastle United by the Evening Standard, with the suggestion being that they are offering him a way out of Tottenham Hotspur after he fell out of favour with Mourinho.

Since the Portuguese manager joined the club in November 2019, Rose has played in just three of the following 12 league matches, totalling 100 minutes.

There was to be no adding to his already low amount of game time in the FA Cup, as the England international didn’t even make the bench against Southampton.

Following the 1-1 draw, Mourinho was asked whether Rose would still be at the club next month, to which he replied: “I don’t know. I don’t know. Not injured. My decision [to leave him out]. My decision is based on performance and based on my analysis. Nothing else really.”

No reassurance

There was absolutely no reassurance for the 29-year-old in that comment, which felt pretty dismissive.

When the nature of the quote is taken into account, it feels difficult to imagine Rose forcing his way back into the side.

This is not helped at all by Japhet Tanganga coming in and impressing at left-back, having been awarded Man of the Match by WhoScored for his performance on Saturday.

Call yourself a Premier League expert? How much did each of these big-money January signings cost?

Rose has previously stated that he will not be leaving Spurs before his contract comes to an end, and while that can be seen as honourable, he may be better off going back on his word.

If he stays, Rose could find chances on the pitch very difficult to come by, but Newcastle is an example of how he could get himself guaranteed game time again – with Jetro Willems and Paul Dummett out for the rest of the season.

Mourinho may not have said much about the left-back, but his message seemed very clear.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Spurs will be making one particular permanent signing.

According to a recent update from The Independent, Tottenham Hotspur are poised to renew their interest in Real Sociedad’s Willian Jose and may come in with an improved offer.

What’s the word, then?

It seems that Jose Mourinho is going to try and land one final signing before the January transfer window closes on Friday and the Sociedad forward might be on the cards once again.

Spurs are currently eager to land a new striker, considering that Harry Kane could miss the rest of the 2019/20 campaign due to his long-term injury, and are set to send an improved offer for Jose.

Spurs die-hards are getting 70% on this Ultimate Tottenham Quiz. Can you beat them?

As The Independent notes, their introductory offer of £10m was rejected by La Real and, even though the La Liga outfit initially demanded £21m for the striker, they may now lower the demands due to the player’s reluctance to play for the club after Spurs’ interest became public knowledge.

Despite the fact that keeping Jose is probably in the club’s best interests, this might be an offer they can’t refuse.

Verdict

Losing a striker who has managed to bag eight goals in the ongoing 2019/20 campaign certainly isn’t an ideal situation for a club who are still fighting for the top spots in Spain’s top flight.

Sociedad are currently sixth in the table and a place in Europe is still very much a realistic possibility.

But if the report from The Independent is anything to go by, the player himself is reluctant to keep playing for La Real and wants the transfer to go through. Keeping an unhappy player is never a wise idea and they’d be wise to offload him before the situation turns sour.

It won’t really be the figure they wanted initially but it’s still better than the alternative of Jose’s unhappiness becoming an unwanted and disrupted sub plot.

In other news, if Spurs do end up signing Jose, there will be one clear winner and one clear loser emerging from the squad…

Angus Kinnear has been talking to the press once again.

We’ve previously spoken here on FFC how that can be a bit of a recipe for disaster, and he’s once again made himself look rather silly.

The managing director has once again gone on record to make comments that could very easily backfire.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

What’s been said then?

Kinnear spoke to the Yorkshire Evening Post about the Whites’ January transfer business.

The executive was seemingly pretty proud of the club’s signings as he made a really bold claim about Jean-Kevin Augustin and Ian Poveda.

“We believe that both Augustin and Poveda have the ability to make an immediate impact to an already strong squad that has put us in a fantastic position but, as importantly, we have signed two players of undoubted Premier League quality. This was a critical part of our recruitment brief.”

Could backfire

Kinnear really needs to start thinking before he opens his mouth.

He’s not allowed himself much room for error as he’s stated that Augustin and Poveda are ‘undoubted’ Premier League quality, but the signs aren’t really there to suggest that is true.

Poveda has never played a single senior league game, and Augustin hasn’t scored a league goal for over 12 months.

The reality is that Poveda might not receive that much of a chance in the first-team – he’s replacing Jack Clarke who played just 19 Championship minutes before he was recalled by Spurs, and if the new man isn’t given a run-out, questions will be asked of both Bielsa and Kinnear.

Hopefully, Kinnear will be proven right, but the signs are there to suggest that these comments could come back to haunt him.

In other news, Leeds may be delivered a financial blow.

Tottenham fans have taken to Twitter to react after Steven Bergwijn made his debut for the club against reigning champions Manchester City.

The 9-cap Netherlands international only signed for the club on January 29th, but was thrown straight into the starting lineup by Jose Mourinho, and against Pep Guardiola’s back-to-back champions of all sides.

Bergwijn had previously made 25 appearances in all competitions for PSV Eindhoven this term, the most recent of which coming against VVV-Venlo on January 19th, so match fitness didn’t seem to be too much of a problem.

The 22-year-old had five goals and ten assists in that time for PSV, and he got his Premier League career off to a fantastic start with a goal on his debut, taking Lucas Moura’s ball onto his chest before firing an exquisite volley past Ederson – it was the Dutchman’s only shot of the game.

Aside from his goal, Bergwijn was quite quiet, completing no key passes and recording two unsuccessful touches while he was also dispossessed twice – however, he presumably won’t care about his shortcomings one bit after a dream debut.

Let’s see what the Tottenham fans on Twitter have been saying about their £27m man’s first appearance…

To kick off the reaction, JB said that Bergwijn is “going to be some player for us” – on the basis of his first outing, there is little evidence to argue against this point.

Elsewhere, these two supporters both highlighted how the Amsterdam-born player has given the north London-based club a much-needed lift.

Will said that Bergwijn is “the breath of fresh air the whole club needed”.

Then, Harvey said that the former Ajax academy player is a “super talent” and has been the one to lift the “club, fans and the players” – high praise indeed.

Meanwhile, @HugoTHFC mentioned that Bergwijn has already done more for Tottenham’s season than Nicolas Pepe has for Arsenal – no need to compare the two, just enjoy the moment!

Lastly, Sam and Aaron waxed lyrical about the Tottenham No.23.

Sam conceded that Bergwijn was quiet despite the goal, but “clearly has incredible ability”.

Who is that?! Nobody has been able to name the teams all of these obscure managers were once in charge of…

Aaron ignored the negatives of the forward’s display, however, and simply said “how good does Bergwijn look already?”.

In other news, these Spurs fans have lauded this “gem” who has “fight, passion, skill and ball control” in his locker…

Marcelo Bielsa is one of the most enigmatic characters in football.

The Argentine is truly one of a kind, and some of the stories you read about him defy belief.

The 64-year-old’s mind quite clearly doesn’t work in the same way as many football managers – how many coaches do you know that would confront fans with a grenade? Strangely enough, that’s something he did when he was still in his homeland.

However, his peculiar ways can sometimes hurt his sides, ‘Bielsa burnout’ is a highly-publicised trend that has plagued his teams for years, but it seems as though he is developing a bit of an unhealthy obsession at Leeds United.

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Indeed, the former Marseille boss seems to want to know everything the media are saying about him and his team, and that is dangerous for a number of reasons.

Phil Hay stated on his podcast last week that Bielsa cut out every article he wrote about him in the Yorkshire Evening Post, having them translated for him.

“The initial impression of Bielsa is that he took virtually no interest in the media, beyond jousting at press conferences,” Hay said (The Phil Hay show 7/2/20, 2:30)

“Last season I heard he was cutting out everything I was writing about him and getting it translated,” Hay added. “He’s obviously on top of everything being discussed.”

The Argentine’s desire to know everything that’s being said was evident once again, in his press conference this week.

On Monday he complained about people making jokes about his 59-minute meeting with the media the week before.

It’s no secret that the Argentine isn’t fluent in English because he uses a translator in every single one of his press conferences, so he’d have to actively seek out these articles and criticisms.

The former Argentina boss is clearly affected by what he reads, even stating on Monday that he wasn’t happy with the response, and with a lot being made about Leeds’ mentality at the moment, he shouldn’t be tuned in to stuff like that.

Of course, the curiosity to know what people are saying about you will always be there, but the 64-year-old has to learn to ignore what’s being said, or else he’ll continue to be annoyed by what is being said about him, especially when Leeds are in a bad run of form.

In other news, Leeds fans have been worried about one of their players after a recent LUTV interview.