Joshua Oha, Author at Matchplug Blog

Sam Allardyce agrees to a SHOCK return to football as Leeds sacks Javi Gracia

Former England and Everton boss Sam Allardyce has emerged as the shock favourite to become Leeds United boss following their struggles.

According to a report by Sportsmail, the Yorkshire side are set to sack struggling Javi Garcia on Tuesday and will bring Allardyce in as an immediate replacement.

The former Bolton manager is expected to start on Wednesday to keep the club in the Premier League.

Leeds United have begun the process of restructuring the club and have already sacked Sporting Director Victor Orta. They currently sit inside the relegation zone and see Allardyce as the manager to keep them above the murky waters.

The 68-year-old has been out of work since failing to beat the drop as West Brom boss two seasons ago. The Englishman is one of the most experienced coaches in the game, having managed 13 different clubs.

His first two games will be against Manchester City and Newcastle, two sides in the top four. So it will be daunting for Allardyce, who will be desperate to keep his solid record as a relegation specialist.

Meanwhile, Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has backed the 68-year-old to help Leeds avoid the drop this season.

Speaking on Monday Night Football, Carragher was asked what he thought of Leeds United hiring Allardyce the former Liverpool defender said;

“Well, Sean Dyche is a similar sort of manager, and he’s come in at Everton to do that job of making them better defensively.

“We know in the past Sam Allardyce has done that job before.

“I don’t think he’s ever come this late. I think he’s normally come in [and] had a January transfer window.

“He can bring his own players in and have that time to change it. But I think it’s probably a decent appointment. Whether the crowd will get behind that, I’m not so sure.

“I don’t know how Leeds supporters would react to Allardyce. But in terms of trying to make them more solid, better defensively, there’s probably no one better out there.”

Jose Mourinho REJECTED Chelsea’s Offer to Return to Stamford Bridge

Former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho reportedly rejected a recent offer from the Blues to stay at AS Roma.

Chelsea are looking for a new permanent manager after sacking Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter this season.

The man currently managing the Premier League side is ex-player Frank Lampard. But the former England midfielder’s reign has been disastrous as he has recorded five consecutive losses while the Blues continue to slide down the table.

The London club are thought to be close to reaching an agreement with former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino.

However, they contacted their former boss Jose Mourinho about occupying the vacant managerial seat before settling for the Argentine, according to the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport via GOAL. But they were swiftly told that Mourinho was not interested in returning to London and only wanted to stay in Serie A with Roma.

The former Real Madrid has enjoyed relative success in the Italian capital, leading Roma to their first European title in over 30 years. His side are currently on course to finish in the top four in Serie A and in the Europa League’s semi-finals.

The Portuguese is out of contract at Stadio Olimpico in 2024 and has already been linked with an exit. He is reportedly wanted by French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain, the Brazil national team this season and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr side.

https://www.goal.com/en/news/jose-mourinho-rejected-chelsea-approach-potential-return-roma-stay/blt978dd6e1c5e64170

Sevilla vs Girona: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

La Liga continues this Monday with rejuvenated Sevilla welcoming in-form Girona in the 32nd Round of the league season.

The hosts have enjoyed a remarkable return to form under the management of 62-year-old Spanish journeyman José Luis Mendilibar.

His appointment has so far been an inspired decision from Sevilla, as Mendilibar has guided the Andalusian club not only to their longest undefeated period (W4, D1) of this La Liga season but also into the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League.

That has translated into an impressive seven games without a loss in his one-month tenure and a ten-point buffer from the relegation zone heading into this Round.

Meanwhile, they come into this tie on the back of a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao. However, they needed some luck to secure that win, as a last-minute penalty was their saving grace in the game.

They will now look to make it five wins in five games in all competitions in this match.

Given that they are yet to lose a La Liga game at home to any club ranked below ninth-placed Vallecano at the start of this Round (W5, D3), Sevilla have every reason to be confident of avenging January’s 2-1 loss at Girona. Moreover, the hosts will be particularly optimistic as they have six wins from eight league home games in 2023 (D1, L1).

Meanwhile, Girona boosted ambitions of eclipsing their highest-ever top-flight finish (tenth in their La Liga debut 2017/18) when they beat Real Madrid 4-2 in their last outing. That win was their third La Liga win over the Spanish giants from six attempts (D1, L2), keeping them in the top half.

The visitors start this round eight points adrift of the top six, so European football could still be within reach if they can build upon that momentum on the run home.

However, closing that gap will require them to do better away from home. They have not enjoyed their road trips since March and recently came back down to earth after following a scoreless draw at Camp Nou with a loss to lowly Valladolid.

While their superior position in the table to Sevilla might suggest they have an advantage, Girona’s league away record against current bottom-half opposition (W1, D2, L5) leaves much to be desired.

Click here to get sure win predictions.

Real Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

La Liga continues this Monday with Athletic Bilbao travelling to Palma de Mallorca to face Real Mallorca.

The hosts will look to get back to winning ways when they host Bilbao in this game. They suffered their first defeat in April in their last outing as they were beaten 3-1 by Atletico Madrid last weekend.

Head coach Javier Aguirre blamed a “lack of concentration and bad decisions” for his team’s 3-1 defeat in the capital. But a swift return home should suit Mallorca as they bid to return to winning ways, given they’ve lost just one of their last ten matches (W6, D3) on their own turf in La Liga.

The hosts have accumulated an impressive 63% of their points at home, a strong return they’ll be confident of improving against Athletic Bilbao given their solid head-to-head record as the hosts (W14, D10, L8).

Meanwhile, Bilbao travel to Visit Mallorca Estadi on the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Sevilla on Thursday evening. The visitors controlled much of the match but eventually conceded a stoppage-time penalty.

Boss Ernesto Valverde said there’s “no room for regret” over those dropped points as his side continues their hunt for a European finish, something they’re not guaranteed with a top-seven finish thanks to Osasuna’s progression to the Copa del Rey final.

The Lions start this round three points adrift of the top six with just seven games remaining, so they’ll need to start making inroads into that gap as quickly as possible. A trip away from home perhaps comes at the perfect time as Athletic have won each of their last three league games on the road.

However, they haven’t managed four successive away victories this century, so they might struggle to hit that height here.

Meanwhile, Mallorca home matches average just 1.8 goals per game, the lowest in the division. So we can expect a low-scoring game here, with under 2.5 goals the likely outcome.

Click here to get the best football prediction today.

Aston Villa confident of signing Tammy Abraham despite European interest

Aston Villa are reportedly confident of signing AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham this summer despite interest from several top European clubs.

The 25-year-old former Chelsea striker had a hugely successful 2018/19 loan spell as he helped the Villans to gain promotion back to the Premier League.

He transferred to Roma two seasons ago for a reported £34m fee and has enjoyed his time at the club. He has scored 25 Serie A goals during his time in the Italian capital, with eight of those goals coming during the 2022/23 campaign.

The 25-year-old was on the score sheet at the weekend to earn Jose Mourinho’s Roma a 1-1 draw with UEFA Champions League semi-finalists AC Milan at the Stadio Olimpico.

According to reports, that goal was witnessed by several top clubs from around Europe, with 90min claiming that Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham, Chelsea, Newcastle, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain all sent scouts to watch the game.

Although all these clubs are queuing up for Abraham, the report claims that Aston Villa remains confident of signing the England international.

Abraham scored 25 goals in 37 Championship appearances for Villa before returning to parent club Chelsea to become first choice under the management of Frank Lampard.

However, Villa will have to pay up at least £40m to sign Abraham from Roma, which would break the club’s transfer record as it will surpass the £38m Villa paid Norwich City to sign Emiliano Buendia.

Tottenham Consider Arne Slot for Manager Job

Tottenham’s search for a new permanent manager continues, leading them to the Netherlands, where they are looking to snatch exciting young coach Arne Slot from Feyenoord.

The North London club, who sacked Antonio Conte last month, are in the midst of a crisis that has seen them fail to win in four games.

As such, they are in danger of missing out on European football next season, especially as their 4-3 loss to Liverpool at the weekend has caused the Reds to leapfrog them on the league table.

After sacking interim manager Cristian Stellini and replacing him with Ryan Mason, they remain in the hunt for a new manager.

According to ESPN, Feyenoord boss Arne Slot is now seen as a “serious contender to take over the job. The Dutchman is considered one of Europe’s most exciting young coaches after his remarkable work with Feyenoord in the Dutch league.

His side have lost just once in the Eredivisie this season (W22, D7) and are sitting comfortably on top of the Dutch league table.

Meanwhile, former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann is also a target and on the shortlist for Daniel Levy and co. At the same time, former Manchester City captain and Burnley manager Vincent Kompany is also a candidate.

Leicester vs Everton: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

The Premier League continues this Monday with a massive relegation six-pointer between Leicester City and Everton at the King Power Stadium.

Both sides are among the bottom five teams who are separated by just six points and most-likey to get relegated at the end of the season.

However, Leicester have been progressing under Dean Smith since the Englishman replaced Brendan Rodgers. The former Aston Villa began his reign with a 3-1 loss to Manchester City but did better in the second game, as his side beat Wolves 2-1.

They followed that up with a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Leeds United last time out. The result moved the Foxes to 29 points, one above their Monday visitors Everton. So a win here will take them four points above Everton and potentially put their survival chances in their hands.

So naturally, Dean Smith would be desperate to win here and record Leicester’s second consecutive league win at home for the first time since May last year.

Meanwhile, Everton are also desperate for maximum points to end their torrid run of six games without a win (D3, L3), with a 4-1 loss to Newcastle United last Thursday night the most recent in that sequence.

That loss came at home, where raucous fans with songs and blue flares welcomed them. But that reception did not inspire them to win, so it is hard to envision them winning away from home.

And the fact that Sean Dyche’s side have not won an away game in the Premier League since October also makes it difficult to picture a win here. The Toffees have lost ten of their last 15 away games in all competitions (D4), failing to score on nine occasions.

However, they have drawn three of their last four road outings while they have also enjoyed success at this venue recently, winning each of their last two visits to the King Power Stadium. This means they could register a much-needed third successive win here for the first time in their history.

Meanwhile, Everton have failed to score in four of their last five away games played on a Monday (D1, L4). So we might witness a low-scoring game with under 2.5 goals.

Liverpool vs Tottenham: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Liverpool will welcome Tottenham to Anfield this Sunday as both sides look to secure three points that will keep their quest for a place in Europe next season alive.

The Reds have endured one of their worst seasons in recent history, with eight losses from their first 32 games.

However, things have been better in their last few games, with a 2-1 win over West Ham United their third win in a row. The win also extended their run of games without defeat to give (W3, D2) and kept them within seven points of the top four with a game more.

But despite their winning run, things haven’t gone so smoothly for Jurgen Klopp’s men, as question marks around their defence remain. The Reds have kept only one clean sheet in their last eight matches.

A return to Anfield will boost their chances of keeping a clean sheet, though, as most of the eleven they have kept this season have come at home. Considering they’ve lost only once in their last 38 home PL games (W28, D9), they will fancy their chances of getting a good result here.

Meanwhile, Tottenham will travel to Liverpool on Sunday to get just their third win in 35 league visits to Anfield (D10, L23).

The North London side come into this tie on the back of a credible 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

After going two goals down in the first half of the game, the visitors put in a good second-half show to snatch a point against Erik ten Hag’s side and, in the process, kept their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive.

They will now travel to Anfield looking to record their first league win in three games and keep their hopes of finishing in the top four alive.

However, a run of seven matches with no win away from home (D2, L5) makes it difficult to envision a win here. At the same time, their terrible record at Anfield will raise more fears that Liverpool will leapfrog them here, which would most likely end any faint chances of claiming a Champions League place.

Click here to get the best predictions for today.

Barcelona vs Real Betis: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

La Liga resumes this weekend, with league leaders Barcelona welcoming European hopefuls Real Betis to Camp Nou for the 32nd Round of the 2022/23 season.

The hosts, albeit poor in other competitions this season, have been brilliant in the league, shooting themselves to the top with 24 wins from 31 games.

However, they have been wobbly recently and have won just one of their last four league games (D2, L1). A surprising 2-1 loss to Rayo Vallecano was the most recent of those results.

Yet the Blaugrana remain in pole position to secure a first title since 2019 thanks to their 11-point lead ahead of this round. However, their huge lead at the summit is perhaps sparking worries about motivation levels amongst the squad.

But despite conceding two against Rayo, the hosts (11 conceded) are in line to better the all-time joint-best defensive record for a 38-game La Liga campaign (18).

Returning to Spotify Camp Nou could boost their plans as Barcelona have conceded only two league goals there this campaign – one from a penalty and the other an own goal.

Real Betis travel to Camp Nou in a poor run of form, having won just one of their last five games (D1, L3). Their goalless draw against Real Sociedad last matchday saw Los Verdiblancos fail to reduce the gap in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification.

Therefore, coach Manuel Pellegrini has admitted they are “fighting for the Europa League and everything else is a dream.”

The coach will be looking for a win, but he doesn’t exactly have a strong history against Barcelona to call upon, with the Chilean losing 23 of his 32 meetings in his illustrious career.

Improving that will require an improvement on the road where Betis are winless in over two months in all competitions (D1, L3), losing both of their last two away matches in La Liga.

Given how solid Barca have been at the back in Camp Nou this season, a low-scoring affair is expected in this game. So an under 2.5 goals game will be the likeliest outcome here.

AS Roma vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

AC Milan will take their quest for a top-four finish to Rome this Saturday as they face Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma, who are also looking to secure a place in the Champions League next season.

The hosts suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Atalanta in their last outing to throw the top four race in the Serie A wide open.

They come into this tie sitting on the same points as AC Milan but with a worse goal difference. So this match could make or break their season, as a loss takes their chances of qualifying for the top four out of their hands.

Mourinho’s men now have a growing list of absentees and will be sweating on the fitness of key man Paulo Dybala who left the pitch with a painful grimace after a challenge in Monday night’s defeat.

While they battle to find the right balance in the team after the injury to key men, a return to the Stadio Olimpico could be just what the home side need, having won seven of their eight league games here in 2023′ to nil’ (L1).

AC Milan will look to make it seven games without defeat when they travel to Rome on Saturday.

The Rosenneri were one of the teams that were most affected by the reversal of Juventus’ 15-point penalty. But they have reacted well to the ruling and have continued to pick up points.

The most recent was a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Lecce, which was decided by two magical moments from Rafael Leão. That win had helped them creep back into the top four last weekend.

Still, Stefano Pioli’s men have won just two of their last seven league games (D3, L2). They travel south again after two successful trips to Napoli this month (W1, D1) and a disappointing 1-1 draw at Bologna.

But worryingly for them, the spectacular 4-0 win over league leaders was Milan’s only away league victory against a team that started this round 11th or better (D2, L5).

Meanwhile, eight of the last nine H2Hs have seen both teams find the net. So despite Roma’s stubborn defence at home, we can expect BTTS/GG here.

Joshua Oha

Sam Allardyce agrees to a SHOCK return to football as Leeds sacks Javi Gracia

Jose Mourinho REJECTED Chelsea’s Offer to Return to Stamford Bridge

Sevilla vs Girona: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Real Mallorca vs Athletic Bilbao: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Aston Villa confident of signing Tammy Abraham despite European interest

Tottenham Consider Arne Slot for Manager Job

Leicester vs Everton: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Liverpool vs Tottenham: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Barcelona vs Real Betis: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

AS Roma vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

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