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Manchester United are set to join Liverpool in the chase for Arsenal contract rebel Theo Walcott, according to reports from the Mirror.

Despite his contract expiring in the summer of 2016, Walcott has yet to start negotiations with the Gunners hierarchy over a new deal.

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The England winger has struggled for a first-team role since returning from a long-term knee injury he picked up at the beginning of 2014, and is reluctant to sign a new deal unless he is guaranteed a pay-rise and regular playing time.

The 26-year-old ‘s situation has alerted Liverpool and Man United, with champions Manchester City supposedly also keen on his services.

But despite his lack of first-team football, Walcott was still called up for the England squad to face Lithuania in a Euro 2016 Qualifier on Friday and a friendly with Italy next week.

And Three Lions boss Roy Hodgson claims that unless Walcott can play on a regular basis, then his national team place could be in real jeopardy.

He said: “That’s the thing about football, isn’t it? If you’re not careful, there’s always someone behind you waiting to take your place. It’s a dog eat dog world, a bit.

“It is an important few months for him. He’s been concentrating on training. We’ve enjoyed having him back. You can see he likes to be with England and enjoys that aspect of his professional football career.

“But he’s got to satisfy a few of his critics and, if you like, make certain a) he stays fit and b) gets his place back as one of the first names on the Arsenal team sheet. When he does that, he might be pushing for a first name on the England team sheet.

“Every time, sometimes through no fault of your own… you can be injured. But then suddenly your position, which had looked very secure, suddenly six months down the line is not so secure. That’s something all footballers learn to live with.

“With England, he’s always been a very good servant. He’s been with me in my three years without necessarily playing the main figure. He’s always been there in the background.

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“Whenever we thought we could use him, he’s got injured again.”

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How big of a distraction will Wigan’s FA Cup run be to their bid for Premier League survival? The Latics reached the semi final with a stunning victory at Everton last week but fell back into the bottom three as a consequence of the positive results gained by the teams around them. With a month until their Wembley date with Millwall there is a big chance for Roberto Martinez to guide is side to safety with time to spare and bypass a final day usually fraught with nerves. To do that they must improve on the Premier League’s worst home record. 10 points from 14 games is poor by anyones standards and with the DW Stadium hosting Newcastle this week and Norwich in a fortnight the opportunity is there to start putting it right. After all its at this point in the season that Wigan come alive!

Alan Pardew’s side head to the North West with a major score to settle after they were trounced 4-0 by Martinez’s men last term. The Magpies were in the midst of a Champions League chase when they last visited the DW and ultimately ended up with a spot in the Europa League. A late, late victory over Anzhi Makhachkala on Thursday took them into the last eight of the competition and epitomised their recent upturn in form. Four wins from the last six in the league has given Newcastle reason to look up rather than down and Papiss Cisse’s injury time winner at home to Stoke last week put them nine points above the relegation zone. With the top-half now within their sights Pardew will be pushing his troops to right the wrongs of last season’s defeat at Wigan.

Team News

Callum McManaman (ankle) is a doubt for Wigan, while Ryo Miyaichi looks set to miss the rest of the season after damaging his ankle ligaments against Everton in the FA Cup last week.

Newcastle could travel without stand-in captain Yohan Cabaye after he tweaked his groin in the Europa League win against Anzhi on Thursday. Hatem Ben Arfa won’t play again this season as he awaits hamstring surgery but Shola Ameobi is fit.

What the managers said…

“Year after year that fight becomes harder because teams are more prepared and stronger to cope with the demands in that final push. I do see it as the strongest fight out of the last four I’ve been involved in. There is a very tight group in the middle of the table and until you get the points you need it is a difficult position to be in. Clearly 40 points will give you safety but from that point down you are relying on very small margins like goal difference. It is impossible to tell now because the games left are between teams involved in the bottom eight and they will have a massive bearing on the final points tally needed.” Roberto Martinez hinted Wigan may have to rely on goal difference if they want to stay up (The Sun)

“The question was asked to me yesterday, and of course I think we can win it. But we can’t get carried away. I do honestly believe that we have put one of the best teams out of this competition. If you ask me from the side of the pitch technically where do I pitch them, I would pitch them as a top-five team in the Premier League. They caused us a lot of problems. They have outstanding individual players in every area, really. We have beaten them, albeit with a slight bit of good fortune in this tie, so we can go on and win it. The one thing we do know is that the home tie here, whoever gets us is going to be in for another electric night. The fans played their part tonight, they really did.” Alan Pardew is adamant Newcastle can go all the way in the Europa League (Evening Chronicle)

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Pre-Match Statistic: Wigan have never suffered a home defeat at the hands of Newcastle in the Premier League, winning five of their six meetings

Prediction: Wigan Athletic 1-2 Newcastle United

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Liverpool convincingly beat Manchester City in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final tie at Anfield yesterday.

Goals from Mo Salah, Saido Mane and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlin have put Liverpool in a convincing position before the second leg.

City disappointed for most the game, with no shots on goal. The game was marred due in the pre-match lead up when Liverpool fans attacked the Manchester City team bus.

When driving up to the ground, City were greeted with a hostile reception, with fans loudly chanting and releasing flares.

Small groups of fans took things too far, throwing projectiles at the team bus. The damage was so bad that the bus was undriveable and a replacement needed to be sent.

Fans reacted on Twitter, a section of this reaction can be seen below…

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Tottenham Hotspurs certainly know how to develop future stars, with young Harry Kane looking to be the latest “real-deal.”

The 21-year-old has been plastered all over the newspapers and on TV in the last few months, with many clubs across Europe keeping an eye on his progress. Everyone is familiar with the story of Gareth Bale. Played amazing at Tottenham, helped them shoot up the table, got sold for a record fee and Spurs haven’t been as good since. The bosses at White Hart Lane need to make sure they do not cash in on the situation and sell Kane too early. So have they learnt their lesson?

Kane has been the undoubted star and surprise package of this season’s Premier League and it seems like nothing can stop “Hurricane.” The nice thing is though it is clear he just wants to play football and at any level he can. Despite having made his debut for England on Friday night (and scoring) he still wants to join the England U21 team during the summer.

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Last time Tottenham had a superstar in their midst they sold him to the tune of £86million. At the moment the future is bright for Tottenham Hotspur. Mauricio Pochettino is proving to be a great manager, the players are building as individuals and a squad and they are in the middle of planning a new 56,000 seater stadium but should Tottenham fans get used to seeing their main stars leave for bigger and better things?

The big problem seems to be money. It always comes down to money. There is currently a big debate over what Harry Kane will spend his summer doing. Tottenham have a big summer tour planned away in Australia but the young striker wants to play for England U21s. Spurs are keen for him to play in Australia because it will mean more money for him but it could be the worst decision they make.

If Spurs tell Kane to join them in Australia rather than join England than they may live to regret it. It would certainly not show any learning from the Bale sale. While I think it is clear they will want to keep Kane’s talents for as long as possible they need to think about how best to deal with the situation. It is great to see a young star so desperate to play for his country, but it could have been so easy for him to say no to playing for the U21s now he has started to be noticed by Roy Hodgson for the Seniors but he didn’t and Tottenham should really respect that.

If they don’t respect it, they may just lose Kane whether they want to or not because they might have learnt that selling your best player and not replacing him will not work, but they haven’t learnt that sometimes money is not the best answer.

Kane wants to play football, and Tottenham need to appreciate that.

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Gabriel Obertan looks set to be leaving Newcastle when the transfer window opens in the summer, according to reports from TalkSport.

The French winger has spent the majority of 2013 on the bench, after Alan Pardew’s January signings left Obertan out of favour at St James’ Park.

Both Moussa Sissoko and Yoan Gouffran have impressed Newcastle’s faithful, scoring 4 goals between them since their winter moves across the English Channel. The instant impact of the two Frenchmen have helped their side win their last three Premier League matches at home, pushing them further away from the relegation zone.

Obertan will be desperate for game time, as the winger hasn’t played a league game since January, coming on in the 80th minute in Newcastle’s 2-1 defeat at home to Reading. Since then, Obertan’s appearances have been limited to Europa League matches only.

With star man Hatem Ben Arfa returning from injury, Obertan seems to have fallen further down in Pardew’s pecking order, with the Englishman reportedly ready to sell the 24-year-old in the summer. And with clubs in Ligue 1 rumoured to be interested in the winger, Pardew may not struggle to find a new club for the Frenchman.

Obertan has scored just once in his 35 appearances for the Magpies since his move from Manchester United in 2011, where he also struggled to impress in his short spell there.  With just nine games left in the season, Obertan will be looking to string a run of form together to ensure he’s a Newcastle player next season.

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Sam Allardyce arrived at Everton in November to stop their ship from sinking following a disastrous few months under former manager Ronald Koeman.

The experienced coach managed to drag the Toffees away from the relegation zone and life appeared a little bit brighter for the Merseyside outfit.

However, after recording just two Premier League wins across January and February, the tide turned, and fans began blasting Allardyce on social media.

Attention has now shifted to potential coaches that could take over at Goodison Park when the season comes to an end.

There does not seem to be a clear frontrunner as yet, but some fans have brought back an old candidate – Nice boss Lucien Favre.

A report in The Mirror from May 2016 revealed that Favre was being considered by Everton following the sacking of Roberto Martinez, but due to their lack of urgency in securing a replacement, the former Borussia Monchengladbach boss chose Nice.

With Favre’s future at the French outfit uncertain, Everton supporters are wondering whether their club should make a move at the end of the season.

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A thread on Reddit has given an insight into what the supporters are thinking.

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Reports from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo are suggesting that the Alexis Sanchez and Arsenal honeymoon is edging towards a messy end. Although the truth in suggestions that he’s worried about the club’s Premier League position, his role in the XI and Santi Cazorla’s emergence as the darling of the Emirates Stadium is unclear, there are now worries growing.

Alexis has been, without doubt, the key man in the Gunners’ XI this term, but his reaction to some losses, and even wins, has been a little alarming. The South American’s face after the dramatic Champions League victory against Anderlecht was one of frustration, but this could be, perhaps, a bi-product of his fierce will to win.

Regardless of what is going on, Arsenal must keep Sanchez… and here are FIVE reasons why!

Arsenal’s main man

A glance at the stats really does say it all… In terms of goals and assists, Sanchez wipes the floor with all his major competitors in the Gunners’ squad, registering a superior efforts on goal and accuracy rating, while creating far more chances for team-mates. Only Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is better in terms of beating his man one-on-one – which is an easier task on the wing – while 31 tackles shows he’s adept ant defending from the front in a high-pressing system.

Determination

Arsenal have often been criticised for lacking leaders and having a soft underbelly, but Sanchez is very much a player away from that mould. The 26-year-old’s game is all about action, pressing and fighting for every scrap, and his tendency to chase down lost causes is often infectious in the Arsenal team. Remove him from the equation, and where would the Londoners be this season? Lower than fifth, probably!

Star quality

As well as being a scrapper and a battler, Sanchez is also a pretty decent footballer! His hard-work is matched by silky skills, finishing ability and neat passing (he played for Barcelona, after all), and Gunners fans have witnessed what he can do on more than a few occasions since his arrival, which was made all the sweeter as he rejected rivals Liverpool.

Losing him would lead to ‘selling club’ worries

Over the years Arsenal have developed a reputation as a selling club. Robin van Persie left for Manchester United, Thierry Henry to Barcelona, Bacary Sagna, Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Adebayor have gone to Manchester City… big blows there! However, with the Emirates Stadium debt now no longer the issue it was – hence the big fee paid for Sanchez over the summer – the time to offload key men for sizable profits may be in the past, so letting the fulcrum of the side head off would be, perhaps, even worse than the aforementioned deals.

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Rivals could pick him up…

Leading on from the last point, rival teams could move for Sanchez. Manchester has been an area of the country north London stars have headed in recent times, and with both City and United financially strong, there is a potential risk that they could weigh in for a player of Alexis’ quality. There have been no official links as of yet, but football is a funny game and proven Premier League quality is always in demand at the top end…

Former Newcastle striker Michael Chopra has revealed his gambling problems have left him with insufficient funds to afford the £50,000 legal fees required to defend himself against allegations of fixing a horserace.

The Ipswich Town forward has said he would not be attending the hearing, brought forward by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), due to start on Monday.

Chopra is among three footballers facing charges for exploiting inside information concerning horse races ridden by former UK-based flat jockey Andrew Heffernan.

Doncaster midfielder James Coppinger, who previously played for Newcastle and Darlington, and England under-21 international Mark Wilson were also charged by the BHA.

In a statement released on Ipswich Town’s website, Chopra, 29, said: “I have extensive debts and loans and simply cannot afford the amount of money necessary to clear my name.”

The former England Under-21 international said he had been advised that even if found innocent, his legal costs would not be refunded by racing’s governing body.

Chopra said that not being licensed by the BHA, he was not subject to its rules, and that the only punishment that could be imposed on him would be a ban from racecourses and premises it licenses, a penalty he accepts would help him resist further gambling.

He said: “It is well publicised that I have a gambling addiction problem and I see any such sanctions as being a useful mechanism in helping me to address these problems.

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“As of this year, I’ve voluntarily excluded myself from all betting institutions from where I live in Ipswich in order to help me fight this illness.”

Meanwhile Coppinger has already said he would fight the allegations to clear his name.

As reported by The Scottish Sun, Swansea City striker Oli McBurnie has revealed his ambition to play for boyhood heroes Rangers one day.

What’s the story?

Currently on loan and in-form at Championship outfit Barnsley, McBurnie could make his Scotland debut during the international break after Alex McLeish gave him a confidence boosting call-up for the friendlies against Costa Rica and Hungary.

Now, the striker has revealed another big career goal is to one day play for Rangers, speaking with passion about his boyhood heroes from Ibrox.

As quoted by The Scottish Sun, the 21-year-old said:

There were murmurs about Rangers in January but nothing ever happens easily or simply for me.

I got told about 3pm on deadline day that nothing was going to happen and I had a certain amount of clubs to pick from. I ended up choosing Barnsley and it’s going well for me at the minute.

Would I play for Rangers down the line? Of course.

I grew up supporting them and one day I would love to pull on the jersey.

We’ll just have to see how my career goes and see if I am lucky enough to pull it on.

It certainly sounds like he’d love to play for the club in the future, but does he have the ability to shine for the Light Blues?

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Can he make an Ibrox impact?

McBurnie hasn’t had much first team football in his career so far, given his age, but has shown exciting potential and certainly enough ability to make himself a hero with the Rangers support.

In a short loan spell at Newport County he scored three goals in three games and this season at Barsnley has scored six Championship goals in nine appearances.

He has found it more difficult in the Swansea first team, netting twice in 18 appearances, but the Premier League is a massive step up from the level required at Rangers.

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His form for Swansea’s U23 side is un-paralleled, with the player scoring 34 times and assisting six more in just 36 appearances for the development side.

If he can replicate this record at Rangers he would be a massive hit and the club should currently be assessing all options to bring him to Scotland, given his passion for playing for the club one day.

Sean Dyche has admirably led his Burnley side, with comfortably the league’s lowest budget, into every chance of survival, despite the bookmaker’s vast doubts.

Burley began the season as relegation favourites at just 1.25/1, and after twenty games that has drifted out to 1.55/1, they remain the primary choice.  Even now, few outside Burnley seem to honestly believe they can stay up, which appears extremely harsh on a side who have improved as the season has progressed.

The Clarets had a terrible start, gaining just four points from 10 games, but, since their first win -a 1-0 success at home to fellow strugglers Hull – they have not looked out of place in the Premier League. Thereafter a Danny Ings double secured a first away success at Stoke, before a run that incorporated beating high-flying Southampton and four credible draws. Burnley have shown great character, equalising late against Aston Villa and more recently mounting a stunning comeback to draw 2-2 at the Etihad.  The Clarets backed this up by equalising three times against Newcastle recently, with opposition manager John Carver admitting the away side deserved to win.

The contrast to their early season form is marked, with the only real disappointment being a 2-0 loss at fellow strugglers QPR. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur could only narrowly beat the Clarets, who have developed into a difficult test for the top teams.  In contrast, Burnley lost four of their first 10 games this season by two goals or more, most humiliatingly going down 4-0 at fellow strugglers West Bromwich Albion. The Clarets gained just four-points across this period, but have more than tripled this return, gaining 13 points from the following 10 matches. This has seen them move from rock bottom, and five points shy of escaping the relegation zone, to being inside it only on goal difference.

Sean Dyche has been a huge part of this turnaround, through trusting his methods and backing his players, who have responded magnificently. Fellow strugglers appear to already be panicking, seen by managerial changes at West Brom and Crystal Palace, with potentially Hull City and/or Leicester set to follow this trend. In contrast, Burnley will benefit from the stability of their faith in Dyche, who deserves this chance, having magnificently guided the Clarets to promotion last season. They began the campaign fifth favourites for relegation – Burnley and Dyche enjoy defying the bookmakers.

Dyche has helped his players to find the confidence that they can perform at this level, particularly offensively, where they appeared to have major problems. In early season Burnley failed to score in six successive games in all competitions. However, the Clarets have scored 12 in their last 10 games, primarily through talismanic Danny Ings, though George Boyd has also been excellent. The attacking midfielder has scored crucial goals, such as the third and final equaliser at Newcastle recently, whilst working hard to keep his defensive discipline. Boyd ran 8.1 miles on both Boxing Day against Liverpool, and just two days later against reigning champions Manchester City, and is unmatched in this regard.

Striker Ashley Barnes has eventually settled nicely into the Premier League, taking the burden off Ings by scoring an important winning goal at home to Southampton, and equalisers at the Etihad and White Hart Lane. Moreover, Burnley striker Sam Vokes, who was vital in last season’s promotion with 20 goals before a bad injury, is only now returning to add further firepower.

In summary, Burnley’s recent performances and obvious improvement suggesting definite capabilities of Premier League survival. This has been aided by an excellent manager in Sean Dyche, an improved attacking threat and players continuously gaining confidence that allows them to match the division’s best teams. The Clarets now face fellow strugglers QPR, Crystal Palace at West Brom at Turf Moor and also travel to Sunderland. By replicating their current performance levels Burnley can gain the necessary results to climb comfortably out of the drop zone. The momentum is very much with the Clarets, so you’d appear foolish to write them off anytime soon, no matter what the bookmakers might tell you.

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