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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who made 333 appearances for Newcastle United, believes Allan Saint-Maximin needs more help from his teammates if he is to produce performances like his match-winning one against Burnley.

Saint-Maximin came off the bench against the Clarets in the second half with Newcastle trailing 1-0, and within six minutes he had got an assist and a goal to completely turn the match on its head.

His second goal was very typical of the Frenchman as he picked up the ball in his own half, before heading for goal and forcing both James Tarkowski and Ben Mee to back-pedal towards their own box before the winger fired low into the bottom corner.

Speaking ahead of the Toon’s clash with high-flying West Ham United on why Saint-Maximin needs help from his teammates if he is to become more consistent, and how injuries may always be his downfall, Lee told FFC:

“We do need to see consistency from him and it’s up to the other players to get him the ball more often when he is playing well, because usually when he’s playing well everything will go for him.

“All we need is for him to get his fitness up because he’s been struggling with niggling injuries all season because he’s so quick. I think he’ll be one of those players that struggle with injuries, especially hamstrings.”

This season has been an injury-plagued one for Saint-Maximin having picked up calf, groin and ankle injuries which has seen him miss 18 games for the Magpies.

When the £38,462 per week winger has been on the pitch he’s been a difference-maker with his willingness to get the ball moving forward having completed 51 of his 81 dribbles in the league.

Kobbie Mainoo's class act to inspire Manchester United youngsters, following his exceptional display in Luton Town victory, won hearts at Carrington.

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• Mainoo rising rapidly at Man Utd
• Starred in United's win over Wolves & Luton Town
• Met the club's U-8s to inspire them for greater glory

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Amidst the buzz surrounding his breakout season at United and the potential senior England call-up ahead of the Euros, Mainoo remains grounded, showcasing maturity beyond his years. According to thein a heartwarming gesture, the teenage midfielder surprised everyone by visiting an Under-8s training session on Monday after he was done with the recovery session following the victory at Luton.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Engaging with the young players for an hour, Mainoo shared his experiences of professional football and offered encouragement, leaving an indelible mark on the budding footballers. The pre-academy group also had the privilege of witnessing the first-team training session. As a token of appreciation, the players posed for photos with the youngsters and graciously signed autographs, fostering a sense of camaraderie and unity within the club.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Under the stewardship of manager Erik ten Hag, Mainoo has emerged as a regular starter this season, featuring in 15 appearances and making 13 starts. The stellar performances have caught the attention of England manager Gareth Southgate, who is reportedly contemplating including the 18-year-old sensation in the national squad for the upcoming fixtures against Brazil and Belgium.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  As Mainoo continues to flourish in his footballing journey, his humility, dedication, and talent serve as a beacon of hope and inspiration for United's next generation of players. He will be next in action against Fulham on Saturday.

Toronto FC have signed ex-Newcastle United midfielder Matty Longstaff in a shock move for the 23-year-old Englishman.

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• Toronto FC sign Matty Longstaff
• English midfielder joins from Newcastle
• TFC bolster roster with signing

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  TFC announced their newest signing Thursday morning, with Longstaff being inked on a deal through 2025 with an option through 2026. He will be added to the first-team roster pending the receipt of his medicals and his ITC certificate.

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  WHAT TORONTO HEAD COACH JOHN HERDMAN SAID

  “I'm thrilled to welcome Matty to our squad,” said Toronto FC Head Coach John Herdman. “His Premier League experience and dynamic playing style will add depth to our midfield and complement our tactical blueprint.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Longstaff is well known across English football as being a young breakout star in 2019-20 for the Magpies. He was the scorer of an iconic goal for the Toons with a low-driven missile from the edge of the box to defeat Manchester United on his Premier League debut. He earned the EPL Goal of the Month for the hit.

  He'll now look to replicate that with TFC once he returns from injury in 2024.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TORONTO FC?

  Insigne and co. take on the New England Revolution in week two of the MLS season. After a 0-0 draw against 2023 Supporters' Shield holders FC Cincinnati, the club will look for their first goal and win of the campaign.

David Sullivan must strive to beat Manchester United and Hertha Berlin to hire Eintracht Frankfurt’s Fredi Bobic as West Ham’s new Director of Football.

What’s the word?

According to Sport BILD, via Sport Witness, the Irons and Red Devils have shortlisted Bobic as an option to be their new Sporting Director after the Eintracht chief announced that he intends to leave Frankfurt at the end of the season.

The 49-year-old has decided to step down from his role at the Deutsche Bank Park two years early, having remained at the club for the 2020/21 campaign to help Die Adler manage through the situation caused by the pandemic after first expressing intentions to leave last summer.

Eintracht had sought to change the former Borussia Dortmund and VfB Stuttgart striker’s mind with the offer of a more lucrative contract, but they are now resigned to losing him.

Bobic believes his time at Frankfurt has reached its end and will now possibly take on a new challenge with Hertha BSC, a club he supports and enjoys a good working relationship with CEO Carsten Schmidt.

West Ham, Manchester United and RB Leipzig are also interested in hiring the 2001/02 Bundesliga champion, as they look to appoint a new Director of Football to fill the currently vacant roles at the London Stadium and Old Trafford.

Frankfurt are noted to have been irritated, both privately and publicly, by the manner at which Bobic announced his departure, and are expected to hold out for compensation in the region of €5m (£4.5m) should any side look to hire the former Germany international.

Bobic is to stand before the Eintracht leadership at a crunch board meeting on March 10th to discuss his exit and actions, at which poin,t Die Adler will decide how best to handle his situation with the club chief believed to be keen on finalising a deal to join Hertha.

Should West Ham hire Bobic?

While £4.5m may seem like a lot of money to pay for the release of Bobic from his Eintracht Frankfurt contract, Sullivan should not baulk at the fee as the German has established a phenomenal record for discovering top talents at bargain fees in the Bundesliga.

Bobic is a hot commodity in Europe for the success Eintracht have built on the pitch during his four-and-a-half-years at the Deutsche Bank Park, having gone from a side that narrowly avoided relegation to one eying regular Champions League football.

He has also rejected offers to take up a Director of Football role at VfL Wolfsburg, RB Leipzig and AC Milan in recent years, and was even once suggested to be in the running to replace Christian Seifert at the head of the German Football League (DFL).

Now, with Bobic feeling like he is at the end of the road in Frankfurt, Sullivan should be doing all he can to tempt the transfer wizard to try his hand in the Premier League and hope to see players of the same calibre work wonders for West Ham.

Bobic has been at the Eintracht helm while Ante Rebic, Luka Jovic, Filip Kostic and Andre Silva all agreed to join Die Adler.

Rebic joined Frankfurt from Fiorentina for just €2m (£1.5m) in 2018 and provided 25 goals plus 12 assists in 100 games before leaving Germany for AC Milan in a €32m (£27.5m) deal in 2020.

Jovic left Die Adler in 2019 by sealing a €60m (£52.5m) move to Real Madrid, netting the Bundesliga outfit £42m in profit after the forward – who Kostic describes as “unbelievable” – struck 27 goals and provided seven assists in 48 games across all competitions.

The Serbian was replaced by Silva, who moved to the Deutsche Bank Park from AC for just €9m (£8m), and has since attracted a €30m (£26m) valuation amid interest from West Ham and Atletico Madrid after hitting 16 goals in 38 games this season.

West Ham would surely love to have the man responsible for those deals in charge of their transfer activity, making Bobic a dream hire if Sullivan does whatever it takes to get him.

AND in other news, West Ham have been dealt a huge blow with a David Moyes favourite ruled out until mid-April…

Matt Miazga was "forcibly removed" from the officials' locker room after FC Cincinnati beat New York Red Bulls last weekend.

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• Cincinnati advanced to knockout round on penalties
• Miazga handed second yellow in shootout
• USMNT star entered referee's locker room after match

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Professional Soccer Referees Association posted a statement claiming that a player had gained unauthorized access to the officials' locker room and was "forcibly removed" by security.

  They said: "After the Nov 4th NYRB/FC Cincinnati match, a player gained unauthorized entry into the Officials’ locker room & was forcibly removed by stadium security while acting in an aggressive & hostile manner. No one's safety should ever be at risk & we expect MLS to act accordingly."

  The Philadelphia Enquirer followed the PRSA statement with a report that the individual was Cincy defender Miazga . However, the Cincinnati Enquirer then claimed that stadium security was 'not involved at all' in the situation, and that the PRSA report was exaggerated. The Athletic confirmed the report of exaggeration, revealing that a source on the incident said “the entire thing has been blown out of proportion.”

  MLS has begun an investigation of the incident, releasing a statement saying: “The safety of PRO officials must never be compromised and an investigation into this matter is being conducted.”

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The USMNT defender was shown a yellow card during regulation of the match before receiving a second in the shootout; he scored his kick, and then, in the eyes of the official, appeared to mock the New York Red Bulls fans with heart gestures. He also blew a kiss to the crowd.

  Postgame, Miazga said: “I’m annoyed,” he told the Cincinnati Enquirer. “The referee gave me a yellow card. For what? I went to my fans that I played for since I was 14 years old and gave them a heart. I gave them a heart and I was showing them my love. I get a yellow card for that? For what? And I have to take (that) and I’m suspended now. And after the game he gives me a yellow card because I asked ‘what the hell are you doing?’ Everyone’s yelling at the referee. Yeah, of course. I feel singled-out. I was speaking to (Rivas) the whole game normally. He’s talking to me nicely all game.”

  Miazga, per The Athletic report, went to speak with referee Victor Rivas about the yellow card postgame and was then removed from the situation by an FC Cincinnati staff-person, not stadium security.

  Head coach Pat Noonan said that Miazga 'knows better' and should not have put himself in that scenario postgame. “Matt’s suspended for the next game and that shouldn’t happen,” he said. “Matt knows better, we shouldn’t be missing him for the next round, as simple as that.”

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Miazga came through the academy at New York Red Bulls and grew up in New Jersey. There is, therefore, also a suggestion that he was merely paying homage to his hometown after scoring his penalty, but the gesture was not well received by the referee or the home fans.

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  After advancing from Round One of the MLS playoffs after knocking out the New York Red Bulls, the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and 2023 Supporters' Shield winners will host the winner of the best-of-three series between the New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

  As things stand, the Union lead the series 1-0 and game two takes place Wednesday evening.

Lionel Messi has starred in another commercial, with MLS and Apple TV pairing him with an Inter Miami-themed pink goat.

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• Argentine icon moved to America in 2023
• The biggest draw in domestic game
• Fans expecting more fireworks in 2024

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is the undoubted star of the show in American soccer and will be pulling in huge audiences across the United States in 2024. Supporters can follow his every move on Apple TV thanks to a lucrative broadcasting deal.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Unsurprisingly, Messi figures prominently in the latest advertising campaign to hit screens of the television and social media variety. Fans are seen catching a glimpse of the all-time great at the stadium and on streaming platforms, with the 36-year-old portrayed as a literal giant of the game as he tees up club colleague Benjamin Cremaschi.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  After taking a tumble to the turf, Cremaschi opens his eyes and is confronted by an actual pink goat – rather than ‘Greatest Of All Time’ Messi kitted out in a pink Inter Miami kit. Apple TV claim that “you’ve never seen MLS like this” as they look to take fans even closer to the action in 2024.

The Italian is taking football in a new direction and would be even better placed to change the game at the Etihad

It was almost a year ago that Roberto De Zerbi visited the Etihad Stadium for the first time. He arrived already under some pressure after taking two points from his first four matches after replacing Graham Potter, who had been head-hunted by Chelsea for his fabulous record with the Seagulls. De Zerbi had already been criticised by Graeme Souness for having had seven jobs in nine years and no Premier League experience, accusing the Italian of just brushing up on his Brighton knowledge on Google.

His Brighton side fell to another defeat at the hands of Manchester City but after the 3-1 loss to the champions, De Zerbi was given the Pep Guardiola seal of approval.

"The game was one of the toughest we could have faced because they propose a type of game that we are not used to, I would say a few teams are not used to," Guardiola said. "Outstanding the way they [Brighton] play. I’m a big admirer of Roberto and the way they play. We felt it, the players know it, how difficult it was."

Guardiola has a habit of overpraising his opponents after City victories but this time he was not exaggerating one bit and he had seen evidence of what was about to come from this most talented and forward-thinking of coaches. Brighton slaughtered Potter's Chelsea 4-1 in their next game and barely looked back, storming to sixth place in the Premier League and qualifying for Europe for the first time.

De Zerbi's stock has rocketed as a result and it is only a matter of time before he too is head-hunted by a bigger club. And there is every chance that club could be Man City, who may have to find a successor for Guardiola in the next two years as the Catalan's contract expires in 2025.

As De Zerbi prepares to face City on Saturday, GOAL explains why the Italian is the ideal man to take the baton from Guardiola whenever he chooses to step down…

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  Inspired by Guardiola's Barcelona

  De Zerbi would surely love nothing more than following Guardiola at City as the Catalan's work with Barcelona is what convinced him to dive into the world of coaching when he was winding down his career as a journeyman midfielder.

  While De Zerbi was playing out his final years with Avellino and then Romanian side Cluj, Guardiola was presiding over spellbinding football with Barcelona, romping to three La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues while playing an irresistible style that had barely been seen before.

  "I became a coach for Guardiola because I loved his Barcelona," De Zerbi said last May. "I studied him a lot, I didn't copy him but I took when I started to be a coach, before when I finished to be a player. Pep is still number one."

  De Zerbi took his first step as a head coach with Palermo in September 2016, just when Guardiola began his stint with City. He only lasted three months in his first job and in his second role with Benevento he inherited a team who had lost every game of the season. De Zerbi made unwanted history as he presided over a 14th consecutive defeat, the worst ever start to a season in Europe's top five leagues for 87 years.

  But things soon turned and although he could not avoid relegation he ensured they ended the campaign in dignified fashion with six wins. It was enough to secure him a job with Sassuolo and it was there that De Zerbi really built his reputation, overseeing a thrilling style of play and successive top-eight finishes in Serie A.

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  Pep adopts De Zerbi's ideas

  Brighton, who are the envy of all of Europe when it comes to recruitment, were attracted to the Italian and after one season in charge of the Seagulls everyone, even Souness, was convinced of De Zerbi's qualities as a coach. Still, Guardiola went a step further when he doffed his cap to the Italian ahead of City's visit to Brighton in May, just after they had clinched the Premier League title.

  "Pay attention to what I'm going to say. I'm pretty convinced I'm right in what I'm saying, I think Roberto is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years," Guardiola said

  "There is no team playing the way they play, it's unique. I have the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect them to do it in this short space of time."

  The City coach, in one of the great role reversals, said he was now being influenced by De Zerbi as he was preparing for the FA Cup and Champions League finals. He even likened him to a Michelin starred chef.

  "He creates 20 or 25 chances per game, better by far than most opponents, he monopolises the ball in a way it hasn’t been for a long time. One of the teams I try to learn a lot from," he added.

  "It is unique, like a Michelin-star restaurant unique. In Catalonia there was El Bulli with Ferran Adria, the best cook for many years and he changed the cuisine. Brighton are playing with something special. The way they move and it’s an incredible challenge to prepare for the two finals."

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  More goals than City this season

  De Zerbi's Brighton are the only team in the Premier League who can come close to City in certain metrics. Since he took charge of the club in September 2022, the Seagulls have the second-best possession stats with 61.6 percent, only trailing City's 63.8%. They are also only behind City when it comes to making sequences of nine or more passes, with 843 compared to City's 1018 and make the joint-fewest share of long passes in the league.

  Brighton have scored 82 goals since De Zerbi took over, only trailing City's 88 and Arsenal's 90. This season, Brighton lead the Premier League's scoring charts with 21 goals from eight matches, four more than City.

  And they visit the Etihad at a time when City are at their least creative. They had just four shots in their 1-0 defeat at Arsenal before the international break, their lowest amount in a Premier League game for 13 years. Brighton, meanwhile, had 14 shots in their compelling 2-2 draw with Liverpool.

  There is an argument to make that right now De Zerbi is a more exciting coach than Guardiola, albeit less successful. And if he is capable of playing this way with Brighton, just imagine what he could do with the talent and financial might City have.

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  'My work is my passion'

  There are further similarities between De Zerbi and Guardiola beyond their style of play and that is in their obsession with the game. When he was coach of Barca, Guardiola once missed his daughter's dance show in order to sit in a small dark room and watch videos of his side's next opponents. The match he was preparing for was not a big Champions League knockout game or a Clasico against Real Madrid. It was against Levante.

  De Zerbi, whose wife still lives in Italy and whose daughter is at university in London, lives alone in Sussex and can feed his football habit with no restrictions. When he gets home from a long day's work at Brighton's training ground, he chooses to watch football on TV with his assistant coach.

  "Football is a hobby, work, passion, it’s my life," he told the . "The problem is when there aren’t any games. I love to spend my time with my assistant watching the Champions League, and for us it’s an honour playing in the Europa League this season because if you live for football and can play in the middle of the week, it’s an honour, a pleasure. I think I’m really lucky in life because my work is my passion. I’m enjoying working."

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood is unsure over what role Ollie Watkins could have with England.

Watkins, who joined Harewood’s old side from Brentford last summer, has had a season to remember at Villa Park. The 25-year-old has already reached double figures for the campaign and there are now calls for him to be included in Gareth Southgate’s England squad for the European Championships this summer.

Another former Villa forward, Gabby Agbonlahor, is one of those eager to see a call-up for £27m-rated Watkins. Harewood, however, is not too sure.

When asked if he could see Southgate turning to Watkins, Harewood told FFC:

“I wouldn’t rule it out. But with the calibre of strikers that we have now, I can’t see him being ahead of majority of them that can play up there because you’ve [also] got the likes of Sterling and players like that can play up front now.”

Indeed, England have some good options in attack, with Southgate really spoilt for choice in the No.9 department.

As well as Sterling, who has been used down the middle at times by club manager Pep Guardiola, Southgate also has the likes of Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Southampton’s Danny Ings to call upon.

Then there is, of course, England captain and Tottenham’s leading centre-forward Harry Kane, who will no doubt be the Three Lions’ first-choice striker at Euro 2020.

When you consider all of that, the tournament may just come a bit too soon for Watkins.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Sheffield United striker Brian Deane believes his old side should be considering Slavisa Jokanovic for the job in the Bramall Lane dugout.

In their search to replace Chris Wilder, Sheffield United have narrowed down their shortlist to five names, but Jokanovic, 52, is not thought to be included despite being linked to the role.

Current caretaker manager Paul Heckingbottom, however, is one name that is currently being considered.

Deane, though, thinks overlooking the former Fulham and Watford boss could be a mistake.

When asked by FFC if Sheffield United have missed a trick by not considering someone who has won Premier League promotion before, the retired Premier League footballer said:

“Yeah, possibly. I think that they needed to react before they have done because it’s like the club is just drifting now.

“I just hope they’ve got a plan in place, to be honest, but there just seems to be a lack of direction right now.”

Given that Jokanovic has taken both Fulham and Watford from the Championship to the Premier League in the past, he certainly looked like a safe bet for Sheffield United.

It seems, however, that the Blades want to go down another route in their quest to make a quick return to English football’s top division.

Crystal Palace have seemingly handed Celtic a major boost in their pursuit of Eddie Howe.

That’s according to Football Insider, who have been informed from sources close to both the Eagles and the Hoops.

Burnley’s Sean Dyche is now the favourite to take over from Roy Hodgson, with a Palace source admitting ‘Dyche figures most prominently in the thoughts of the board’ – ten words that could be key in Celtic’s attempts to land Howe.

Howe has spoken to Palace ahead of a potential Selhurst Park swoop, but it seems as if they now have Dyche at the top of their list.

A Celtic source meanwhile believes the 43-year-old, who verbally agreed on a Parkhead move at the beginning of the month, has been hedging his bets while waiting to see how events pan out in London.

Transfer Tavern take

In our opinion, Dyche being the favourite for the Palace job may now lead to Howe eventually putting pen to paper on a Glasgow move.

As a Hoops source believes, he could have been waiting to see what was going on in Croydon, however, he was tabled a ‘wonderful offer’ by Celtic and may now be willing to sign the paperwork with Dyche moving to the fore in London.

Of course, details such as his coaching staff, salary and transfer budget may still need to be agreed, but with Palace now aiming for Dyche, we feel that will only spell good news for the Hoops going forward if Howe is their man.

In other news: Manager of Premier League giants talks to Celtic star ahead of possible summer move, find out how it went here.