Liverpool fullback Kostas Tsimikas feels scoring an early goal will be what helps them win their Carabao Cup semifinal against Tottenham.  The Reds will host the second-leg trailing 1-0.  Tsimikas told liverpoolfc.com: “Yes, of course. I think everybody is really ready for this game. Everybody knows it will be a very tough game but I think everybody in this team is ready for every challenge. We just have to play our game and to win the game. “We said our goals from the start that we wanted to win every single trophy we have ahead. The first leg was maybe 20 days ago but we always want to face this team because we lost the first game away and now we play in our home and we want to win the game. ‌”The fans are always there for us and every single step we do they are always there to encourage us and to give us the extra power and extra confidence we need to win the game. Always with Anfield at our backs we are stronger – and we have to show that again.” On Liverpool’s strategy for the night, Tsimikas also said: “My feeling is to score a goal quickly and after it will be a very different game. I think they will try to go higher and try to play from the back, and we have to steal some balls and score. I think this game will be very, very tense – as it was in the first (leg). We don’t want to lose many chances, we want to score goals and to win the game.”

Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are chasing former Manchester United midfielder Angel Gomes, amidst reports that he will leave Lille for free in the summer.  Angel has had an outstanding stint at Lille this term, which earned him an invitation to join the England squad under former interim coach Lee Carsley, who saw that he had potential  Per reports by the Telegraph, any transfers will have to wait until the summer, when he’ll be available to move for free after his contract expires. Top Premier League teams like the Spurs and Hammers have already shown interest in him. They’ll certainly be watching Angel for the rest of the season before deciding where he goes next.  Gomes told L’Equipe that leaving Old Trafford in 2020 was “very difficult” and he would love to rejoin the club if he got the chance. With his contract nearing its end, Manchester United might take him back.  “It was a very difficult decision,” he said. “In my heart, I wanted to leave, in my head, I was thinking of staying. But I had to follow my heart. I felt that I needed to take another step in my career.  “I felt that had I stayed, there wouldn’t be a lot of opportunities for me. Luis Campos (Lille’s then sporting director) and Lille spoke about their project and I believed in it even more, that’s what convinced me to move – the faith Lille had in me.  “Do I imagine myself coming back one day? Obviously, it’s home. I would love to come back. But you never know in football. I just have to keep my feet on the ground, and keep playing, making the most of it. I can’t predict what will happen in the future.” 

Pep Guardiola’s attempt to sign Sergio Busquets to Manchester City has beenunsuccessful.The Citizens boss wanted Busquets to replace Rodri on a short-term loan while he recoversfrom his ACL injury.But the Veteran midfielder declined the offer after the phone call with Guardiola and chose toprepare for his second season alongside Messi and his other teammates in Miami.Guardiola confirmed: “No – because he is so happy in Miami. The weather there is so delightful! I spoke to Sergio, not for that issue, but quite often. We have the same agent, so I’ve been intouch for many years.”

A potential move to Crystal Palace might be underway for left-back Ben Chilwell.Palace has expressed interest to sign Chilwell on loan for the rest of this season. The 28 year old left-back who has barely got any play time at Stamford Bridge this season iseager to leave Chelsea in hopes of a fresh start.Last August, He was informed that he was not a part of Enzo Maresca for the season and isfree to leave if the right offer comes in.If this move is successful, Chilwell might make his palace debut against Doncaster Rovers on10th of February.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou was happy after a win against Brentford. Spurs won 2-0 courtesy of an own goal from their opponents, and Pape Sarr easing pressure on Postecoglou.  The manager said after the match,  “It is a difficult place to come and win at. “It’s also a difficult place to win with the way they attack and set up; you have to defend your box. You’re just going to have to do that. “I thought the lads handled that awfully well and we knew it was going to be key for us and the lads were brilliant and we felt we had the quality of football to hurt them the other way. Credit to the boys, they were brilliant.” On man-of-the-match Djed Spence, Postecoglou added: “Since he came into the team he has been outstanding. “We missed him the last couple of games but that’s the beauty of where we’re at at the moment. We’re slowly getting players back, improving us and helping us and I think that’s giving energy to the group. He was great today.”

Everton will pay close to £16m to get Charly Alcaraz permanently from Flamengo at the end of his loan contract. Alcaraz was named as a surprise prospect for Everton on Friday night, when a report came in that they had finalised a deal for him.  Flamengo confirmed those reports and explained that Charly is flying for England for a medical check up with the Toffees on Sunday. He will then sign on loan until the end of the term.  The loan contract will also cover a mandatory purchase clause, which will be activated if certain simple conditions are met. Alcaraz reportedly needs to play eight matches for the clause to activate.  The value of the clause has not yet been disclosed, although since Flamengo paid €20m to sign Alcaraz from Southamption in the summer, the amount should be around that figure. Journalist Venê Casagrande when speaking about the deal said:  “He will be bought (by Everton). Everton are obliged to buy. Flamengo have a clause there defending themselves,” he said on his YouTube channel. “The contract is a sale disguised as a loan. This happens all the time in Europe. He will be bought and it will be for, according to people inside Flamengo, for a figure that is almost the same value that Flamengo paid last year to sign Alcaraz from Southampton ($20m).”