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Arsenal fell to a first-leg defeat in their round of 32 Europa League tie with BATE Borisov after they lost 1-0 at the Borisov Arena last Thursday.

Unai Emery will be confident his side can get the job done in the return leg — and has said as much (via Football.London) — but the recent humiliation that took place in Belarus remains something that could have so easily been avoidable had Mesut Ozil played.

Is this Arsenal team good enough to beat an outfit such as BATE without a player of Ozil’s ability on the pitch? Of course, even if Thursday’s showing suggests otherwise. It was just a bad day in the office which can happen to any team and at any point in a season.

However, having barely used Ozil of late, Emery had no valid reason to not give the German some minutes in that defeat with it having been the perfect opportunity for him to get time on the pitch and build a bit of momentum. Doing so could have completely changed the outcome.

It is hard to imagine Ozil with his astute playmaking skills not being able to carve open that BATE backline. It probably would have been enough for Arsenal to walk away with something be it the win or an away goal.

What is done is done but, going forward, Emery would be wise not to dismiss Ozil so easily. He is too much of a good player to be discarded like the way he has been with no suitable alternative anywhere in sight.

There’s been a lot of talking points that have stemmed from Arsenal’s season so far. Unai Emery’s arrival, for example, has been intriguing to watch. He’s adapted well to the Premier League, as have many of his summer signings like Bernd Leno and Lucas Torreira, but can he keep it up?

Likewise, Aaron Ramsey has caught the eye at points throughout the season, ahead of his move to Juventus, even if he hasn’t played as much as he has in the past.

However, the bigger story coming from the Emirates so far has been that which surrounds Mesut Ozil. The German’s involvement under Emery has dipped significantly over the course of the season, and despite maintaining a strong status under Arsene Wenger, he’s been knocked down more than a few pegs by his new manager.

Seldom given chances by the Spaniard, it’s been up to him to try and prove the boss wrong, and against Bournemouth on Wednesday, he certainly did just that.

He was given a rare start against the Cherries, and with so much pressure on his shoulders, he delivered as he so often has in the past at the Emirates.

It’s not often that the German has been given 90 minutes in the Premier League this term, but he certainly deserved to stay on for the duration. The headlines will be written about his goal and assist, but as per Who Scored, a further examination of his statistics resemble a player at the peak of his powers.

An incredible passing accuracy rate of just shy of 97% resembles Ozil at his very best, moving play on and creating magic with very little margin for error. He was, in fact, the only player to complete the entire game with a rate above 95%, and that speaks volumes of his involvement.

Beyond that, his 85 touches, a number only bettered by Matteo Guendouzi and Nacho Monreal, highlight the regularity of his involvement, whilst his 4 key passes show just how engaged he was with Arsenal’s offensive movement.

Stats, of course, only tell part of the story. Anyone that watched the game would have recognised that Ozil was at the centre of everything good that Arsenal did. But if Unai Emery is seeking a reason to keep the German in his team; he doesn’t need to look any further than the incredible numbers that the German produced.

Thoughts?

– Keep up with the rest of our Trending Topic coverage on The Mesut Ozil Problem by clicking here… –

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West Ham are reportedly set to land the signing of boyhood Hammer Jonjo Shelvey from Newcastle in the summer, having failed in an attempt to sign the midfielder in January as reported by The Sun.

What’s the word, then?

The England international has slipped significantly down the Magpies pecking order this season, and now sits fifth in Rafa Benitez’s midfield options out of Sean Longstaff, Mohamed Diame, Ki Sung-yeung and Isaac Hayden – Shelvey featured for the Under-23 side on Friday night and hit the winner against Fulham.

The former Liverpool and Swansea star has made just eight Premier League starts for the Tynesiders this season, and Benitez has said that he is finding it hard to accommodate the 27-year-old in his squad.

The Spaniard said: “He’s somebody who is keen to be involved so that is positive.

“Then we have the same problem though. There’s still 24 players available and 18 places in a squad.”

Shelvey hasn’t featured since the start of January, and looks extremely likely to make the £20m switch to the London Stadium with the Hammers keen to get a deal done.

The perfect compliment to Declan Rice

Mark Noble is currently enjoying another season in the Irons’ first-team, making 21 league starts this season alongside the man of the moment, Declan Rice.

However, the pair are fairly similar in the industrial work they do off the ball, both proving to be fine tacklers and difficult opponents for the opposition to get past.

Having said that, it could be argued that they are too similar, and that a more creative option would be better placed alongside the outstanding Rice.

Shelvey is renowned for his long-range passing ability, and ability to dictate the play from deep in a midfield two whilst also getting his name on the score sheet on the odd occasion.

Additionally, the likes of Manuel Lanzini, Felipe Anderson, Samir Nasri and Javier Hernandez would all see a lot more chances fall their way should Shelvey be deployed alongside Rice in the middle.

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After a lengthy spell on the sideline it appears that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is edging close to a return to Liverpool’s senior squad.

What’s the word?

The England international was a revelation last season following his move from Arsenal, but a cruel injury blow saw him ruled out of both the Champions League final and the World Cup.

He was initially expected to miss the entirety of the 2018/19 campaign, with the severity of the injury leaving him sidelined for more than a year.

However, according to a report from Sky Sports, Oxlade-Chamberlain could feature for Liverpool’s U23 side on Friday evening when they face Derby County away from home.

Naturally, the impulse reaction amongst the supporters is one of sheer delight and excitement ahead of a potentially priceless boost during the final months of the season, but that feeling is misplaced.

Are fan nerves to blame for Liverpool’s recent form? Pl>ymaker FC’s Tom Skinner discusses in the video below…

Too soon for Ox to make an impact

The lack of goals being provided from Liverpool’s midfield players to supplement the front-three has been cited as one of the main reasons behind their slump in recent weeks.

Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, Naby Keita and Georginio Wijnaldum are relatively goal-shy despite their obvious technical quality, but the returning 25-year-old midfielder offers a fresh dynamic with genuine impetus to drive the team forward.

On his day Oxlade-Chamberlain, valued at £36 million by Transfermarkt, is one of the most devastating box-to-box midfielders in the Premier League, but he is unlikely to rediscover his mojo until next season after such an extended spell on the sidelines.

One only needs to take a quick look back to the start of his career on Merseyside to appreciate how difficult it can be to integrate into an established side. After suffering with such a massive injury problem his transition back into senior football is likely to be defined by inconsistency.

With that in mind, Liverpool cannot expect fireworks from the long-term absentee until next season.

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A much maligned, hugely divisive figure, and one who has always found a way to mess things up when it looks like it’s about to go his way, but not anymore.

Granit Xhaka, a man who arrived for a hefty fee from Borussia Monchengladbach back in 2016 – £35m to be exact – saw his first few seasons at the Emirates defined by silly errors, wild long-range potshots and a lack of discipline.

Even in the early stages of the current campaign, we watched the Switzerland international hit a number of speculative, and frankly stupid, cross-field balls that were never going to reach their desired target, and consequently put his teammates under the cosh – Arsenal fans will tell you that most of those errors have been punished by the opposition.

Who will be the next ‘Big 6’ manager to be sacked? The Pl>ymaker FC squad all seem to agree on one name. Find out who in the video below…

However, something seems to have clicked in Xhaka’s head. He is taking less risks, which he doesn’t need to do anyway as he possesses a wonderful range of passing, and in doing so is setting an example to his teammates.

The 26-year-old has also played at left-back this season, as well as at centre-back, which shows that he is becoming more of a team player in his willingness to perhaps sacrifice his own performances for the sake of what is best for Unai Emery and Arsenal.

Xhaka has previously worn the armband for the side in the absence of club captain Laurent Koscielny, which goes to show that Emery trusts him as a leader and that he is beginning to demonstrate his qualities on and off the field in terms of setting an example to his teammates.

To put his journey from being just another member of the team to a valued leader into perspective, Emery didn’t even trust the Swiss midfielder to stay on the field after a first-half booking at Stamford Bridge earlier in the season. Xhaka was booked early on against Chelsea, and was withdrawn at half time with Emery saying: “It was a tactical substitution. We don’t take risks with yellow cards.”

Having previously not been trusted to even keep his head and not get sent off, his current status in the Arsenal team represents a remarkable transition.

The Gunners boss has been deploying 4-2-3-1 and 3-5-2 formations for much of this season, systems that depend on Xhaka being one of the most disciplined players as he starts in a two-man defensive midfield pairing, and boy has he been professional in his role.

His tackling is extremely effective, his long-range shooting is more measured as well as sensible, and Arsenal are all the better for him knuckling down and working on his game.

Arsenal fans have had to wait a while to see the best of their club’s investment, but they are being rewarded for their patience as the hard-hitting defensive midfielder has begun to smooth out the rough edges in his game to become a reliable, well-respected figure at the Emirates.

At 26, he should also be about to enter the peak of his career for a player in his position. Given his luck with injuries and excellent fitness levels, Xhaka could perhaps turn out to be a player who Emery builds his midfield around at Arsenal, or at the very least trusts to underpin it with the new-found leadership he’s shown.

If the Spaniard does end up doing that, it would represent a remarkable turnaround for a player who was previously one of the most criticised by the fanbase. Even if Emery doesn’t, Xhaka is deserving of the many plaudits that he is currently receiving, and long may it continue. A leader has been born.

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A number of Arsenal fans have criticised Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang despite his two goals in the second leg of the Europa League last-16 tie against Rennes on Thursday.

The Gabon international scored a brace as the Gunners won 3-0 at the Emirates to progress to the quarter-finals of the competition. Arsenal had lost 3-1 in the first leg in France last week.

But fans have expressed their disappointment at his conversion rate against the Ligue 1 side.

Per WhoScored, Aubameyang had five shots on goal throughout the game, with only two – his goals – being on target.

One miss came from six yards out after he was seemingly teed up to tap the ball into an empty net, leading to groans around the stadium.

And Gunners fans believe that they could have enjoyed a far more relaxing evening had the former Borussia Dortmund striker had his shooting boots on.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

Well, the season now looks all but over for Steven Gerrard and his men, after what was an embarrassing defeat to Aberdeen in the cup, there isn’t much hope sitting within Ibrox. Clearly, every Ger reading this will know that the Gerrard project is only in its first phase, though this Rangers we’re talking about. 

The pressure is on.

This season seems to have just passed Gerrard by, and with his maiden campaign coming to end, he can look to next season full of excitement and knowledge of what is needed. Things will improve. They simply have to.

Rangers must step up next season, surely it’s time someone stops Celtic’s reign, both in the league and cup competition.

During the season, Gerrard has mentioned time and time again after games that there will need to be changes made throughout his time as Rangers’ boss. With that in mind, this upcoming summer is a huge chance for the Liverpool icon to make a few requests to the board and really begin to pile some pressure on bitter rivals Celtic.

So, here are a couple of demands we feel the Englishman should make:

Investment in youth 

So far during his time, Gerrard has preferred signing the older player for the experience ala Gareth McAuley, Steven Davis or Jermain Defoe, or loaning in youth prospects. So, with that in mind, in order to get the correct balance, it can be argued that Gerrard should look to invest in the youth academy at Rangers.

Loaning in a youth player only brings a temporary connection to the club, meaning players may not necessarily give all they can because after all, it isn’t their mother club.

However, creating a successful youth academy of their own will bring a new lease of life to the Gers’ development, as well as saving the club some money from having to make loan deals themselves.

Basically, the more talents like Glen Middleton to emerge, the better.

Increase the transfer budget 

If there were to be a further increase in the transfer budget, it would without a doubt be music to Gerrard’s ears. It would mean not having to make cheap signings on older players, or relying on contracts to end for a free transfer. Going forward, it would give the 38-year-old manager a chance to bring in some real talent on a permanent basis, giving him that foundation that he can begin to build a successful side on.

With this in mind, Gerrard must know that he needs to improve the squad, as he has mentioned before, it is time to bring in some magic to the side and begin to mount a serious title challenge for the seasons to come.

Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar came off second best in a clash of heads between himself and Jemal Tabidze in Switzerland’s Euro 2020 qualifier with Georgia in Tbilisi, which left Schar unconscious and swallowing his tongue.

The incident occurred in the 24th minute of the match on Saturday which saw Georgian player Jano Ananidze rush over to Schar to help him by trying to free his tongue from his throat.

Schar, however, regained consciousness and carried on for the remainder of the match as the Swiss claimed a valuable 2-0 win.

The centre-back confirmed after the match that he couldn’t remember anything from the 90 minutes he was on the pitch.

Speaking to Swiss newspaper, Blick, via Sky Sports, Schar said that his head and neck was in severe pain after the match, which was the reason of him not remembering what happened in the match.

This should spell major warning signs to the player and Newcastle United as a club due to the severe consequences of worrying head injuries. Obviously, Schar has been a stalwart in the Magpies’ defensive structure this season and has been an important figure in the club’s turnaround in their season.

Manager Rafa Benitez will now start to worry a bit about his defensive problems after captain Jamaal Lascelles also suffered a knee injury not too long ago against Everton at St James’s Park.

Schar’s injury, though, is much more serious and it is unclear how long the 27-year-old will be sidelined for. Indeed, head injuries and concussions usually take some time to heal in a person’s body, meaning it is highly unlikely that he would be part of the squad that travels to Arsenal next week Monday.

The risks outweigh the gains. The Magpies are pretty much safe from the drop and one area of Benitez’s squad that’s pretty much set at the moment is their central defence.

Newcastle fans, do you think Schar should sit out this weekend? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Liverpool are set to welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Anfield this weekend for a clash of huge significance for both sides. Jurgen Klopp will be acutely aware that this represents his side’s biggest challenge from their remaining fixtures, on paper at least, and that could well play into Mauricio Pochettino’s hands.

Spurs arrive on Merseyside with their own set of pressures after a four match run without a win saw their title ambitions go up in flames, leaving them in a precarious position with Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea breathing down their necks for a place in the top-four.

It’s a fixture which promises to entertain given the magnitude of the occasion and the quality of talent on display, so let’s take a look at some of the factors which could influence the result today and predict the starting line-ups…

What history tells us

There is no way of sugarcoating this one for Tottenham supporters: the form books suggest a home win is on the cards.

Spurs have not won at Anfield since 2011 on a day when Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric were both on the scoresheet. In fact, they have only recorded two wins at Anfield since the Premier League’s inception, and Liverpool’s home form is hardly symptomatic of a side who are likely to lose this weekend. But, of course, that’s what’s so fascinating about historical trends: anomalies are inevitable.

The visitors might take some encouragement from their previous visit last season when they snatched a last-gap equaliser courtesy of a Harry Kane penalty. Had the England talisman netted from the spot just a few minutes before Mo Salah scored what had looked like a winning goal, Spurs could have recorded a deserved victory on Liverpool’s home turf.

Key Battle

The battle between two former Newcastle United midfielders is a compelling one. Both players have been scrutinised with vehement criticism for significant portions of their careers since moving away from Tyneside, but now find themselves as vital cogs in well-oiled machines.

Sissoko has clearly been replaced this season by an identical impostor, who has gallivanted around and bossed Premier League games in a selfless act to resurrect the reputation of a crestfallen figure devoid of popularity and respect.

Wijnaldum’s rise to popularity amongst the Anfield faithful has been a steadier and smoother process, and his perpetual improvement has enabled him to become a regular in Klopp’s midfield trio.

Statistically speaking, there is almost nothing to prise these two men apart. Neither are particularly decisive in the final-third, as their collective return of just four goal contributions this season serves to illuminate, but it is their all-round ability to dominate the central area which makes them vital first-team regulars.

Sissoko, who has made 22 league starts this season compared to Wijnaldum’s 26, has made two more tackles and one more successful dribble than his opposite number, while they have completed an identical number of key passes.

Their similarity could make for a fascinating midfield battle.

Ref In Focus

Martin Atkinson, 47, takes charge of our Fixture in Focus on Sunday. The history books may well suggest that Liverpool are favourites to come away with three points, but an away win bias of 39% is an intriguing statistic to note.

While John Moss boldly awarded two penalties to Tottenham in last season’s clash, Atkinson’s reluctance to point to the spot hints that no such repeat is looming on the horizon.

With a return of just 0.22 penalties per game, the 47-year-old is the fifth most penalty-shy referee in the division.

Team News

Liverpool are sweating over the fitness of Trent Alexander-Arnold ahead of the game. Klopp has a strong squad of players to chose from but with Joe Gomez also sidelined he could have a real problem if Alexander-Arnold fails to prove his fitness in time for the clash. Naturally, he will fill the right-back berth if he is ready.

Xherdan Shaqiri, who has been a secret weapon for the Reds in big games this season, is also a doubt after being forced to withdraw from international duty.

Aside from a few minor issues, Liverpool should have an incredibly strong team out this afternoon. Club captain Jordan Henderson in for Adam Lallana is the only predicted change from the 2-1 victory over Fulham prior to the international break.

Harry Winks has failed to recover from a hip injury in time for the game and that will leave Pochettino with a midfield conundrum to resolve. A bold solution may well be to start with a back-five, after fielding a diamond midfield in the defeat to Southampton, especially considering Eric Dier is ruled out having picked up a fresh injury problem on international duty.

Tottenham’s reliance on Harry Kane has continued since he returned to the fold, with his presence apparently stifling Son Heung-min, who could start alongside the club’s talisman in a frightening front-two.

When the debate of who had the hardest shot in football comes about, it doesn’t take long for Jon Arne Riise’s name to be mentioned.

Riise joined Liverpool from AS Monaco for £5.49 million (as per Transfermarkt) back in 2001 and it’s safe to say that the fee paid for the defender was soon repaid on the field.

Indeed, the Norwegian fullback’s legacy of hitting the ball ridiculously hard is something all football fans of a certain age remember well, and the former Liverpool star was quite literally one of the most explosive defenders to watch in the Premier League in the early 2000s.

Although Riise spent some time at Fulham in the latter years of his career, it is his spell at Liverpool that everyone remembers most. During his time on Merseyside, the former Monaco left-back scored 30 goals in 348 appearances for the Reds in which the Norwegian international won almost everything with the club.

Riise was the only Liverpool player to miss a penalty during their famous Champions League final win over AC Milan in 2005, however, the defender redeemed himself a year later, scoring the winning spot-kick against West Ham in the FA Cup final.

During his seven years at the club, Riise was one of Liverpool’s most important players both defensively and offensively. Primarily a left-back but able to play in a more advanced position, Riise made a name for himself as being a defender who was not afraid to venture forward whilst also doing well to return to defensive duties quickly.

As well as being an overall important player for the Reds, his set-piece wizardry made him one of the Premier League’s most lethal dead-ball specialists, being able to whip in corners with precision and power and being able to smash in free-kicks from both short and long distances.

Of course, Andy Robertson has made a name for himself since joining Liverpool from Hull City but he’s still got quite a way to go if he is to follow in Riise’s footsteps. The former Red literally had everything and supporters may have even loved him more than the Scotsman, which is understandable if you ever saw him play in the flesh.

His long-shot goals are the stuff of legend in English football, having one of the hardest shots out of any player in the history of the Premier League, something that built the foundation of Riise’s cult hero status on Merseyside.

Not all good things can last forever, though, and after losing his first-team place to Fabio Aurelio, Riise was sold to Roma in the summer of 2008, where he again asserted himself as a fan favourite.

Riise is a unique player in the history of Premier League. Known for his rockets shots, he is a player that is remembered fondly by neutrals and adored by Liverpool fans, who will also have time to reminisce about their former Norwegian superstar.