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Many Sunderland fans were particularly disappointed with the ‘nightmare’ performance of goalkeeper Lee Burge during their 2-1 defeat on Saturday.

The Black Cats’ hopes of automatic promotion to the Championship from League One were dealt a blow this weekend as they were defeated by Charlton Athletic. Although they have a game in hand on second-placed Peterborough United, they are five points adrift (BBC), so their fate is no longer in their own hands.

As they succumbed to the Addicks, shot-stopper Burge was far from at his best. He was partly to blame for the opener – an own goal from Sunderland’s Josh Scowen – and the 6.4 SofaScore rating he received was the joint-worst of any of the 22 players to start the match. Lee Johnson will need the 28-year-old to bounce back quickly as the important clashes keep on coming.

Given the magnitude of the match, these Sunderland fans were angry with the goalkeeper’s display, and they took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about the performance of Burge

“A few facts that some can’t accept: 1.Burge is shocking 2. need Wright back 3. Wyke relies on good balls and poor defending 4.we play bad when Geads plays bad 5. Haven’t played well since Pompey away 6. Leadbitter should play in a midfield 3 7. We aren’t getting autos”

Credit: @jpsleightholme1

“Pathetic to a man today like, been beat all over the park. Team selection didn’t help and two Burge errors cost us massively”

Credit: @redman_aiden

“Burge was dreadful, at fault for first could have done better for second. Manager 2 out of ten McFadzean why ????”

Credit: @pootzwar

“Shouldn’t be starting Gooch. Jones has to start for me. Burge had a nightmare”

Credit: @rennwerken

“Poor team selection. Scowen not fit for purpose, Gooch???,Burge not good enough and others now been found out. Still hoping for automatic promotion which will bring massive changes.”

Credit: @Mcewan1320David

“Burge should have saved that all day long, once this season is over its paramount we get a new goalkeeper”

Credit: @piesarnie1

In other news, many Sunderland fans also slammed this man against the Addicks.

A number of Liverpool fans have been heaping praise on promising Reds youngster James Balagizi, following his hat-trick for the Under-18s.

It is always exciting to see a talented young player pulling up trees at the academy, with a view to them becoming the next big thing at Anfield.

The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Curtis Jones have done exactly that in recent years, jumping from youth team prospects to key first team squad members.

[freshpress-quiz id=“350790”]

Jurgen Klopp has always been a keen advocate of youth, which should give the current academy players even more hope of making the grade one day.

One of the most exciting current youngsters at Kirkby is Balagizi and he enhanced his reputation further on Friday night, bagging a hat-trick in the U18s’ 5-1 win away to Leicester City, securing a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup in the process.

Liverpool fans laud Balagizi

Some Liverpool fans took to Twitter to wax lyrical over the 17-year-old on Twitter, with supporters wondering if he could make an appearance on the first team bench, while others compared him to what Divock Origi should be capable of.

“Should he be on the bench now to add goals to the team?”

Credit: @lfcmaster33

“He does look special”

Credit: @pageyontour13

“The kid’s a baller”

Credit: @ReyaadM

“He plays like Origi should play”

Credit: @01mJulian

“Top top prospect”

Credit: @gavdabLFC

“He looks some player”

Credit: @graemewhammond

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a key update regarding the Reds’ famous front-three. Read more here.

After firing Leeds’ U23s to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title last week, Joe Gelhardt must surely now be unleashed by Marcelo Bielsa.

The former Wigan starlet only arrived at Elland Road last summer but has since made a big impression behind the scenes at Thorp Arch, with The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealing that the club feel they pulled off an absolute steal.

He said: “He’s been hugely impressive in the (Under-23s). Every time I see him, he looks like a massively talented player. Leeds have been quite honest in saying that the money they paid for him, around about £700,000 up front, from what I was told, is a small fee for somebody with massive amounts of talent.”

And Leeds Live’s Beren Cross echoed those sentiments about how Leeds pulled off a masterclass in the summer by signing Gelhardt for so cheap.

He said: “I think it remains, It’s very opportunistic. I think as we saw with Gelhardt, I think that was very much, unfortunately for Wigan, a case of Wigan were in administration, and they had to take what they could get.

“And as I’m sure we’ll find out in the years ahead, Gelhardt may well be the best bit businesses the club has done in the last 20 years, if not ever, because he just looks absolutely outrageous, very, very good player.”

With 11 goals in just 16 games at Premier League 2 level, including a stunning hat-trick in a 5-0 win over West Brom just a couple of weeks ago, Gelhardt is more than knocking on the first-team door right now.

Bielsa has just Patrick Bamford as a recognised striker option to call upon, and with the English ace just beginning to feel the wear and tear of a long and hard season in recent weeks, it’s surely the perfect time for Gelhardt to be brought into the fold.

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The 18-year-old has made it onto the bench for the last couple of Premier League games against Manchester City and Liverpool, but wasn’t brought on.

But, with Manchester United up next for Leeds, Gelhardt may have the perfect opportunity to shine.

Meanwhile, Leeds have been handed a major boost before their clash against Man Utd…

Crystal Palace have been handed a double defensive injury boost ahead of their Premier League clash against, Leicester City with James Tomkins and Mamadou Sakho both returning.

Confirming the news on Thursday, Roy Hodgson said that the centre-back duo had returned to first team training in what is set to be a huge boost for the Eagles’ upcoming match and for the rest of the campaign.

Both Tomkins and Sakho have been missing for a considerable amount of time with respective injury issues. The former has appeared on just five occasions in the Premier League this season, his last outing coming in the 4-0 thumping at the hands of Manchester City in mid-January.

Meanwhile, Sakho has also only made four appearances of his own, having been ruled out of the last 14 Premier League games.

Their returns certainly give the Eagles more options at centre-back, a position which was on the verge of becoming threadbare.

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Senegal midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate has been forced to deputise in defense on numerous occasions, and whilst Gary Cahill has been consistent for Palace since the turn of the year, he has sustained a “minor problem” according to Hodgson.

Should he have been ruled out, this would have forced the former England boss to turn to 34-year-old Scott Dann. However, with the returns of both Tomkins and Sakho, it certainly relieves the pressure which had been building up at centre-back.

Heading into the clash against Leicester at the King Power Stadium on Monday, solid options would definitely have been required in order to keep the likes of the in-form Kelechi Iheanacho and the ever-dangerous Jamie Vardy quiet.

Whilst it might be too early for either Tomkins or Sakho to start in the East Midlands having only just returned, the fact that they could be called upon will be a huge relief to Hodgson and indeed Palace.

AND in more news, find out which HUGE transfer mistake Palace committed in 2016…

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts has told The Transfer Tavern that interim coach Ryan Mason must give Gareth Bale more chances in the Spurs starting XI.

The Wales international was used sparingly at best by ex-manager Jose Mourinho, who was sacked on Monday.

Indeed, Bale made just six starts under Mourinho in the Premier League, with his seventh of the campaign coming against Southampton on Wednesday.

He was in exceptional form as he came off the bench against West Ham United in February, a game Spurs still lost 2-1, and was then given a run of games, as he started against Burnley, Fulham, Crystal Palace and Arsenal.

He scored four goals in those games, laying on one assist, but he struggled against the Gunners and was substituted after 57 minutes, and has played a mere 10 minutes since.

And Roberts says that he wasn’t given enough of a chance by Mourinho, while hoping that can be rectified between now and the end of the season – starting on Sunday after it was reported that Harry Kane is a doubt having failed to train on Friday.

Speaking exclusively to TT, the former UEFA Cup winner said: “No, give him a chance now. Look what happened when we played West Ham.

“He came on and totally changed the game at half-time and then he played well for the next three or four games. We played Arsenal, everybody was garbage, because of his tactics, and we haven’t seen him since.

“He’s been on that bench again, warming the bench.”

Leicester City are seemingly edging closer to the summer signing of Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the Foxes are still “leading the race” to sign the midfielder amidst competition.

Whilst the 22-year-old would be an excellent addition to the Foxes’ squad, the latest development could potentially be bad news for current Leicester midfielder Hamza Choudhury.

Competing with the likes of Wilfred Ndidi and Nampalys Mendy for a starting berth as a defensive midfielder at the King Power Stadium, the Foxes academy graduate has made 20 appearances in all competitions this season – with just ten of those being starts.

The addition of Soumare this summer then would certainly see that competition intensify and likely lead to the 23-year-old Choudhury falling even further down the pecking order, despite Brendan Rodgers labelling him as “outstanding” in the past.

It is certainly easy to see why that would occur with Soumare outperforming Choudhury in tackles, interceptions, aerial duels and blocks per game this season, whilst he also racks up more passes, key passes and dribbles than the current Leicester man according to WhoScored.

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So it is easy to suggest that the arrival of the Frenchman would hugely limit Choudhury’s chances of first-team football at the King Power Stadium. However, it could even signal the end of his Leicester career altogether.

Choudhury has been linked with a departure on numerous occasions in the past, the most recent being a potential loan switch to Newcastle United during the January transfer window.

A move never came to fruition but reports have resurfaced in recent days suggesting that the Magpies are once again eyeing the Leicester man, alongside recently promoted Norwich City in the summer window.

Should Soumare arrive at the King Power Stadium, this would certainly allow Choudhury to depart – bringing to an end a Leicester career that he started as a youngster.

AND in more news, take a look at which transfer target Leicester simply must sign this summer…

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce is making a major mistake over Florian Lejeune as Chris Waugh delivers a crucial update on his future.

What’s the story?

The centre-back joined Alaves on a season-long loan after an injury-ravaged time at St James’ Park, but has been a virtual ever-present for the La Liga side this season, making 32 appearances in all competitions.

And now, writing for The Athletic, Waugh said: “With Lejeune turning 30 later this month, there has been no indication yet that Newcastle will look to extend his deal and, as things stand, perversely, he actually appears to be the most likely defender to leave. Alaves, who are fighting relegation, are keen to keep him if they survive, and both Lejeune and Bruce may feel it is best for the Frenchman to move on.”

Bruce making a mistake

Dubbed by Waugh as someone who’s got “everything”, the journalist added: “The Frenchman, who is both comfortable in possession and an excellent reader of the game, is arguably Newcastle’s best all-round defender.”

And that belief is something that was reflected by former Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez, who seemed to absolutely adore the man he signed at St James’ Park. Speaking back in September 2018, he said: “Then, in the months after he came back, he settled down because he is strong mentally, and then he was passing the ball and giving confidence to the team and all the players around. He became a very important player for us.

“Florian has been a big miss for us in terms of what he means for us as a crucial member of the team. The style of football he brings and helps us to adapt to is something we have lost.”

The £40k-a-week earning titan has proven his fitness at Alaves this season, and news that he looks like the defender most likely to leave this summer seems incredibly baffling given the high regard both those inside and outside the club hold him in.

The Magpies haven’t exactly been a defensive fortress this season either, with their total of 56 goals conceded in the Premier League only better than three other teams in the entire division – two of them being in the relegation zone right now.

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Lejeune, at the very least, deserves a chance to impress in pre-season and prove that he can stay fit here in England just like he has been doing over in Spain, but this latest update just shows that Bruce is making a major mistake.

Meanwhile, Newcastle must finally offload this star after a major transfer update…

As West Ham United announce they will be welcoming 10,000 supporters back to the London Stadium for the final Premier League match of 2020/2021 against Southampton, many Hammers supporters have flooded in response to the ‘fantastic’ news.

As COVID-19 restrictions steadily begin to ease with the government slowly lifting restrictions on public contact, this will have an impact on Premier League stadium attendances up and down the country.

Making an announcement, West Ham now confirm that 10,000 fans will be allowed to attend the match against Southampton in what could be a crucial encounter in their race to qualify for Europe.

All Season Ticket Holders who renewed for the 2020/2021 term will be automatically entered into the ballot and handed a chance to attend the game, but holders who were successful in the last ballot against Crystal Palace will apparently be given first priority.

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As this news emerges, it’s little wonder one supporter called it ‘fantastic’ as the majority of the Irons faithful haven’t been able to attend a home game since last year.

Find all of their best verdicts from social media down below.

West Ham fans flock to club announcement

“please please please please”

Credit: @JackkWHU

“Fantastic enjoy whoever gets to go xxx”

Credit: @lisajune1980

“Yess”

Credit: @thehammerone1

“Super”

Credit: @julie_trudgill

“What a lovely day”

Credit: @_moseme

“COYI”

Credit: @sauerlandhammer

“IRONSSSS”

Credit: @whugabes

“Begging for the ballot”

Credit: @Leanne_Baker_

In other news: Sky Sports pundit in awe of this ‘great news’ for West Ham, find out more here.

With Lee Bowyer guiding Birmingham City to Championship safety this season, the 44-year-old now has the opportunity to build on his squad at St Andrew’s over the summer transfer window with the aim of a higher league finish next year.

And, with a recent report by Last Word on Sports claiming that the Blues, as well as a host of other Championship sides, are considering a move for recently released Huddersfield Town attacking midfielder Alex Pritchard, we’ve taken a look at whether or not this would be a smart signing by the former Charlton boss.

£3.7m-per-goal

After coming through the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur, and enjoying several successful loan spells at teams such as Swindon Town – where he scored eight goals and provided 11 assists over 44 appearances – and Brentford – bagging 12 goals and registering seven assists over 47 fixtures – Pritchard eventually secured an £8.46m move to Norwich City in the summer of 2016.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a fine one-and-a-half year stint at Carrow Road, scoring eight goals and providing 12 assists over his 43 appearances for the Canaries, before then-Premier League side Huddersfield Town spent a whopping £11.12m on the former England U21 international in January of 2018.

This is when things began to take a turn for Pritchard, with the midfielder scoring one goal and providing two assists over his 14 Premier League appearances in 2017/18, before scoring just two goals over 30 fixtures the following season – in which Huddersfield were relegated.

These two strikes were the last the midfielder scored for the club, with the former Tottenham man – whom Christian Eriksen once dubbed a “skilful” player – managing just one assist over his 36 Championship appearances in the club’s 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns.

As such, putting aside his whopping £30k-per-week wage, each goal Pritchard scored for Huddersfield cost the club around £3.7m.

And, with Birmingham having struggled financially in recent seasons – having points deducted for breaching the EFL’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules – although the 28-year-old would be available on a free transfer, he is still likely to demand something of an inflated salary.

However, considering the returns the midfielder has given Huddersfield over the past few seasons, it is evident that Pritchard is worth nowhere near the £30k-per-week he was earning at The John Smith’s Stadium, or even half this amount.

As such, it would be highly advisable for Bowyer to do all he can to avoid making a move for Pritchard this summer, and rather to invest his presumably limited wage budget in a player with significantly more promise, or even just one with a better recent record in the Championship than the attacking midfielder – as taking what could be a big financial risk on the 28-year-old could bring with it disastrous consequences for the Blues.

In other news: Bowyer drops encouraging BCFC update after major development, fans will be buzzing – opinion

West Ham United secured a vitally important 3-1 victory against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Wednesday night as they come teasingly close to European qualification, but a number of Irons supporters weren’t impressed with one man – midfielder Pablo Fornals.

David Moyes’ side, helped by the fact Tottenham Hotspur dropped points at home to Aston Villa, are now just one point away from confirming sixth place and earning a spot in the Europa League group stage for 2021/2022 (BBC).

Ending the campaign in that position would also secure West Ham’s highest league finish since 1999 and the Hammers are now very close to doing so as they set their sights on the last game of the season against Southampton.

It wasn’t an easy ride in the opening stages against West Brom with Matheus Pereira gifting the home side a 1-0 lead after Declan Rice’s missed spot kick.

However, the Irons displayed character and eventually came back to seal a 3-1 win – courtesy of strikes from Tomas Soucek, Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio.

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One man who didn’t seem to impress supporters, however, was Fornals – and it’s clear to see why judging by his SofaScore statistics from the encounter.

The lowest-rated player for West Ham (6.2), Fornals also missed a big chance, failed to complete any of his dribble attempts and conceded possession a whopping 17 times (SofaScore).

The Spaniard also lost the vast majority of his ground duels, winning just 2/10, with one Irons supporter on social media calling him a ‘liability’.

Find a flavour of their verdicts on the 25-year-old down below.

West Ham fans blast Fornals

“Sell Fornals not even joking”

Credit: @sksndnxjccjdjdn

“Please get Fornals off he’s a liability”

Credit: @marksjones70

“Genuinely think Fornals is one of the worst players I’ve ever seen.”

Credit: @AaronT1987

“Fornals has been absolutely shocking”

Credit: @westhamonline5

“Fornals’ end product is actually terrible”

Credit: @BenRowe39422353

“What is Fornals actually good at? Bloke is stealing a living”

Credit: @billy_grimmel

“Fornals has been dreadful tonight”

Credit: @thorpe9214

“Fornals has been awful tonight”

Credit: @marksims94

In other news: West Ham fans flock to this teasing ExWHUemployee claim, find out more here.