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A number of Glasgow Rangers fans were shocked to see Brandon Barker named in the starting line-up by Steven Gerrard for this evening’s Europa League clash against Bayer Leverkusen.

The line-up was announced by the club’s official Twitter channel @RangersFC just over an hour before kick-off, with the ex-Manchester City winger among three changes from the team that started against Aberdeen last Saturday. Filip Helander and Steven Davis also come into the side, with Leon Balogun, Ianis Hagi and Glen Kamara dropping out.

Barker has been the subject of fierce criticism from numerous ‘Gers fans in the past and has made just 12 appearances so far in the 2019/20 season, with just a solitary goal to his name against Livingston last September. The 23-year-old comes in for his first Europa League appearance since the win over Porto nine months ago. [via TransferMarkt]

Having lost the first leg 1-3 at Ibrox, Gerrard’s side need to score at least three times this evening to stand any chance of reaching the quarter-finals. Therefore, the inclusion of the far from prolific Barker has shocked these ‘Gers fans, one of whom wryly wondered if it was April Fools’ Day:

‘Gers fans, were you stunned to see Barker in the starting line-up? Can he make a difference to the team this evening? Comment below with your views!

Key Information about Boundary Park

Boundary Park is the home of Greater Manchester football club Oldham Athletic. It first opened back in 1904 and was renovated in 2014.

The historic stadium holds a capacity of just over 15,000 and comprises six stands; the George Hill Main Stand, the Zen Office Stand, the Joe Royle Stand, and the Jimmy Frizzell Stand.

A history of Boundary Park

Boundary Park originally opened in 1896 and it was first known as the Athletic Ground for the Latics first professional football club – Oldham County FC. However, the town’s first club did not last more than three years, and Oldham Athletic AFC (Pine Villa FC) took over as new tenants of the ground.

From 1904, the Latics have played all of their home games at the newly built ground. Oldham Athletic RLFC is a Rugby League club, and they moved from their previous home of Watersheddings and moved in with the Latics in 1997 where they ground shared for four years until 2001, and a second time from 2003-09. In 2009, the Latics decided that they did not want to ground share with the Rugby League club, subsequently, they moved out at the end of their season.

In April 2013, the Oldham Borough Council confirmed the clubs planning approval for the new North Stand. The proposal was for the new stand to seat 2,671 fans as well as a health and fitness suite, bar for supporters, and facilities for stadium events. The main stand in Boundary Park has not been developed to hold more spectators since the ground was built in 1904.

The record crowd at Boundary Park is 47,671 and this massive record was set in 1930 during an FA Cup tie between Oldham and Sheffield Wednesday. At the time, the stadium was not all-seater and could hold many more spectators than it does today. The grounds first artificial pitch was installed in 1986 to enhance greater income for the football club. Boundary Park is incredibly the third-highest standing stadium in the whole of England, at 509 feet above sea level.

Oldham Athletic have recently agreed a new deal to purchase Boundary Park after a court case which could have seen the club enter administration was adjourned. The club’s owner, Abdallah Lemsagam has a six-week time frame to pay off the clubs outstanding debt which is a six-figure sum.

Tickets to Watch Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park

Early bird season ticket prices for next season (20/21) stand at £270 for adults which works out to be just £11.70 per game.

Over-65s and under-21s can purchase a season ticket for a discounted £160 (students with valid ID), under-18s can buy one for £48, and under-12s can go free with a full paying adult.

Matchday tickets are available through Ticketmaster, and are priced between £10 (under-18s) to £20 (adults) – family tickets are also available for £22, and this includes one adult and one junior under-18.

Related Links

https://www.oldhamathletic.co.uk/ – Official website of Oldham Athletic

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/oafc/ – Oldham Athletic Ticket Office

West Ham United left-back Aaron Cresswell argued that the players have not been consulted about project restart, in a Twitter post on Friday.

What did he say?

The Premier League clubs are set to vote today on whether players can return to training in small groups, ahead of a potential return to action in June.

Fourteen of the 20 clubs are needed to approve the proposal which if agreed on, could see players back in training from Tuesday.

However, Cresswell has argued that the players’ opinions have not been properly taken into account.

“I think it’s been made pretty clear players opinions don’t count for much along with the head medical officer of fifa,” he wrote on Twitter.

“It’s been 10 weeks since we last played to try get a poll to see where players stand?”

The 30-year-old was responding to a tweet from Talksport quoting former England boss Sam Allardyce who had argued that the players had not been properly consulted.

Communication breakdown

It is becoming increasingly clear that there is a level of discontent among some of the players with regards to the level of consultation that has taken place.

In such an unprecedented scenario it is the players who are taking the biggest risk by taking the field and in the desperation to see a return, it appears they have not had their opinions properly heard.

Whether or not this will change as the plans are ramped up remains to be seen, but at this stage it feels like there has been a breakdown in communication.

Plymouth Argyle midfielder Antoni Sarcevic has been offered a new contract at Home Park but remains coy for now on whether he will stay on for another season.

Speaking to the club’s official website pafc.co.uk, the 28-year-old said: “It’s only been a couple of days, but I appreciate the manager and the club for trusting me and offering me a new contract. It’s going to take a bit of time, but I’ll think hard and focus on what’s right for me and my family.”

Sarcevic was this week named as Plymouth’s Player of the Season, gaining 58% of the vote as Byron Moore and Alex Palmer completed the top three (as per pafc.co.uk).

The Manchester native was Argyle’s top scorer in 2019/20 with 11 goals in all competitions, while his tally of eight assists was the second highest in Ryan Lowe’s squad, therefore playing a key role in helping them to achieve promotion to League One.

One of those 11 strikes was named as the club’s Goal of the Season, namely his stunning rocket into the top corner in the 3-2 win at Salford City in February. It was moments such as that which made it such an easy decision for the club to offer him a new contract, with his current deal set to expire this summer.

Without Sarcevic’s goals, Plymouth would have earned 10 fewer points this season, a return which would have seen them just about clinch a play-off place rather than going up automatically as they have done.

It would clearly be to Plymouth’s great benefit if Sarcevic agrees to commit another year to the club given his performances this season and, with the Pilgrims operating at a higher level in 2020/21, his influence could become even more crucial.

The 28-year-old is perfectly justified in wanting to make the decision that is best for his family but hopefully he will be content to stay put at Home Park and continue being a match-winning presence in Lowe’s line-up.

Plymouth fans, how big a boost would it be if Sarcevic accepts the club’s offer of a new contract? Have your say by commenting below!

This article forms part of our Total Duds feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how bad a deal the club got.

When Newcastle United decided to fork out £22.5 million to sign Michael Owen from Real Madrid back in 2005, it perhaps raised a good few eyebrows for a number of reasons.

On the positive side, the former Liverpool ace was arguably still a quality player then, and received heaps of praises from people associated with the Tyneside club. Manager at the time Graeme Souness said that the capture would represent the biggest transfer of his managerial career, whilst chairman Freddy Shepherd said that bringing him to St. James’ Park ranked alongside the signing of Alan Shearer as his proudest moment at the Magpies, as per The Guardian.

Indeed, the Premier League’s all-time record goal scorer and undisputed Toon legend was entering his final season wearing the famous black and white stripes, so Owen had some huge boots to fill.

His debut campaign in the North East was perhaps an underwhelming one to say the least, as he only managed 11 appearances in the top flight, scoring seven goals, according to Transfermarkt.

Scuppered by injury problems, the 40-year old would miss a staggering 54 games in the following term with a ruptured cruciate ligament, as per the website.

He would go on to miss another 17 matches through injury over the next two seasons, before leaving on a free transfer to Manchester United, representing a huge financial loss.

The ex-striker was arguably a loss on the pitch as well, making just 79 appearances over four campaigns, with 2007/08 being the only term where he racked up double figures in the goal scoring department (via Transfermarkt).

Owen did not even want to play for Newcastle in the first place. His heart was set on a return to Liverpool, and perhaps this is a reason as to why he failed to impress at United.

Nevertheless, the Englishman was still a waste of money and time.

Newcastle fans, what are your thoughts on Michael Owen? Let us know below…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Of course, they would never say so publicly but it is hard to believe that Manchester City are not presently ruing their decision this summer to abstain in replacing their departed leader Vincent Kompany.

An early chasing of Harry Maguire eventually led to the Premier League champions baulking at the firmly-set price tag and while many observers expected subsequent targets to follow none were forthcoming. Instead City seemed content – or at least amenable – to going into the new season with what they already had.

There was Aymeric Laporte, a magnificent Rolls Royce of a defender. There was Nicolas Otamendi, an erratic loose cannon who only applied himself well when tethered to the calming presence of either Kompany or Laporte. There was John Stones, injury-prone and infuriatingly either imperious or a complete liability. And, for a fourth option, Fernandinho could be converted from a midfield 6 to centre-back in the same manner that Mascherano was reimagined under Guardiola at Barcelona.

A seismic long-term lay off for Laporte endured against Brighton in September changed everything, and since the loss of their most effective stopper City have been all at sea.

A calamitous defensive showing at Norwich resulted in a costly defeat while Otamendi’s shortcomings were ruthlessly exposed by Wolves at home. So far this term City have conceded 13 league goals, eight more than at this stage last year and the word is out that the formerly formidable Blues are decidedly shaky at the back.

It is not a crisis – not yet – but it’s certainly in the same postcode and a feeling persists that unless something is done about it City could very well slip from contention in the Premier League.

Here are three possible solutions to the growing crisis…

Sign Nathan Ake

A further complication to add to Pep Guardiola’s woes lies in the fact that the construct of his squad means that unless a ‘home-grown’ defender is sought it would require the selling of a ‘foreign’ player from his present contingent.

Having come through the Chelsea ranks, Nathan Ake qualifies as home-grown despite being a Holland international and with the club having already recently taken a keen interest in the Bournemouth star he is clearly someone who Guardiola admires.

The 24-year-old who boasts several years of top flight experience ticks every box but he comes at a price – a whopping £75m is what Bournemouth value him at, per Sky Sports.

Develop Eric Garcia

An alternative to a January transfer lies in the emergence of City’s teenage prodigy Eric Garcia. The accomplished La Masia graduate may only be 18 but his accomplished trio of first team performances have had City fans drooling over what is to come.

His innate reading of danger and excellent use of the ball has seen him compared to Gerard Pique and though his age unquestionably makes any fast-tracking a significant risk, would he be any less of a gamble than playing the unpredictable Otamendi?

Back three with Kyle Walker

Given the ease at which City cruised past Crystal Palace without fielding a single recognised central defender during a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park last month, it’s unlikely that Guardiola will be feeling compelled to make any drastic changes to his lineup. Fernandinho and Rodri marshalled the defensive unit with genuine authority while simultaneously allowing City to exert a frightening territorial advantage over the hosts.

But Palace’s meek resistance is not what City have to worry about and their most recent fixture against Liverpool laid bare some of their defensive frailties. Perhaps the solution, at least in away fixtures against some of the best sides in the division, is to revert to a system that incorporates three central defenders, with Kyle Walker dropping in to offer his physical prowess and previous experience.

The full-back thrived in a similar role during England’s route to the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup, and his familiarity with what’s required could help Guardiola implement a new system.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Leeds United face Luton Town this weekend, and the Whites are once again looking at a rather lengthy injury list.

The likes of Liam Cooper, Ezgjan Alioski and Adam Forshaw are all expected to be unavailable against the Hatters, and that means that Bielsa’s choices will be limited in one position.

Likely formation

With Luton more often than not opting to use a two-striker formation, it’s likely that Bielsa will opt to use a three-at-the-back tactic.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

With Liam Cooper out injured, the most likely scenario would see Luke Ayling step in as the third centre-back alongside Gaetano Berardi and Ben White, something that’s already occurred this season.

That move would probably mean that Stuart Dallas will play right wing-back on Saturday, which leaves Bielsa with a big call to make on the left side.

Bielsa’s big call

We spoke last week on FFC about how Marcelo Bielsa has a tough task on his hand juggling his left-backs, and this weekend will give us a good indication of what the pecking order is in that position.

With Dallas looking likely to play on the other side, the only candidates to play at left wing-back are Barry Douglas and Leif Davis.

Davis hasn’t started a game for Leeds yet this season, but he’s been given chances off the bench in recent weeks, while Douglas is seemingly out of favour at Elland Road at the moment.

If Bielsa chooses Davis over Douglas it will say a lot about the £3m signing’s current position in the Argentine’s plans as well as potentially being damning for his future at the club.

After all, the fact that the Scottish defender has been neglected in recent weeks already says a lot. Opting for this formation and ignoring Douglas would be a big statement.

Real Madrid are simply on fire as of late.

Earlier tonight, they travelled away to a highly aggressive Eibar and treated them to four goals in their net by the end of the evening.

Watch Spanish Football Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Zinedine Zidane’s men truly did outclass their opposition and even though he wasn’t on the scoresheet, Eden Hazard was one of the standout performers on the pitch.

Many of the fans simply couldn’t get enough of his smooth tricks and displays of skill and they were quick to jump to social media and Twitter to shower the Belgian with a lot of praise.

One fan seems to believe that this game marked the true emergence of their star and they couldn’t be happier about it. Others were simply gushing over his performance and were even sad to see Hazard substituted off in the final stretches of the match.

You can see some of their reactions down in the collection of tweets below.

Check them out…

Cristiano Ronaldo is largely regarded as one of the best footballers of all-time and his incredible goal record of over 700 throughout his career would suggest he’s got the best out of many an opponent over the course of it.Â

Still, one opponent to have left a mark on the Juventus superstar is a certain Ashley Cole. Indeed, Ronaldo told Coach Mag (via Sky Sports) back in 2016 that the Englishman was one of his toughest opponents and that the former Arsenal ace does ‘not give you a second to breathe’.

Cole – who won pretty much every major trophy available to him as a Blue – was also part of a defence that limited the Portuguese to just one goal (albeit in a Champions League final) in 15 games against the west London giants, per Transfermarkt.

Chelsea’s official Twitter account decided to relive one of the games where Cole marked him ahead of the two sides meeting in the Carabao Cup tomorrow night, and some of the replies from Chelsea fans are brilliant.

Chelsea fans, how much do you miss this battle? Let us know below!

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

After securing their second successive away win in as many games, Manchester United make the trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup.

The Red Devils enjoyed a pretty impressive week, halting Liverpool in their tracks at Old Trafford, before beating both Partizan Belgrade and Norwich away from home in quick succession.

The indoor football skills in the video below have to be seen to be believed…

Focus now turns towards the League Cup, and whilst Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would no doubt want to bring a trophy home, it provides a great chance for him to give some key players a rest and use some of the club’s talented young prospects. And with that in mind, below is a look at just how United could line-up when they take on Frank Lampard’s men.

As a cup competition, Sergio Romero will likely once again relieve David de Gea of goalkeeper duties on Wednesday night, and will look to build upon the clean sheet against Partizan Belgrade last Thursday. In front of him, Solskjaer arguably faces his biggest call with whether to revert to a back-five. The Norwegian used it against Liverpool and in the Europa League, but switched back to an orthodox four-man defence against Norwich at the weekend.

Watch Manchester United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

But with Lampard’s men firing on all cylinders after a comprehensive 4-2 victory over Burnley, Solskjaer may feel he needs some added defensive protection with an extra centre-back. As such, Marcos Rojo could come back in from the bench, whilst Phil Jones will hope to get a chance after a particularly impressive display out in Serbia.

Similarly, Brandon Williams will have his fingers crossed that he gets another shot, whilst Wan-Bissaka should keep his place on the right-hand side. In midfield, Scott McTominay could be partnered by 18-year-old James Garner, and Jesse Lingard could be given a massive opportunity to finally kick-start his season. The England international has been in wretched form this year, registering no goals and just one assist.

And despite both of them getting on the score-sheet at Carrow Road, Solskjaer may be mindful of the fitness of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial, and thus look to rest them on Wednesday night. That could mean Daniel James operating through the middle, with teenage starlet Mason Greenwood alongside him to spearhead the attack.