West Ham United will look to end a disastrous sequence of performances and results that have left them in real trouble, when they face fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton in a potentially season-defining clash at the London Stadium on Saturday.

A 3-0 home defeat against Burnley at home last time out was their third in a row in the top flight by a three-goal margin, and was marred by crowd trouble as a handful of fans invaded the pitch.

The latest reverse came on the back of successive 4-1 losses on the road against Liverpool and Swansea City and has left the east London outfit in 17th position in the top flight standings, just two points above their 18th-placed opponents this weekend with eight matches remaining.

David Moyes took his side to Miami for a training camp during their three-week break without a fixture, and he will hope that the Irons have returned to England feeling fresh and having regained some of the confidence that drained out of them during the defeat against the Clarets.

The Scot will know the precarious situation the Hammers find themselves in right now, and considering they face Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City in their next five fixtures, the Saints encounter should be seen as must-win, or at least one that they can’t afford to lose.

The hosts may fancy their chances against Mark Hughes’ goal-shy team however, with the south coast outfit only netting 29 times in their 30 Premier League matches and being beaten 3-0 by Newcastle United at St James’ Park last time out – a result which saw Mauricio Pellegrino relieved of his duties.

Moyes stuck with a 3-4-2-1 formation for the visit of Sean Dyche’s men but made five changes to his XI, and as well as some enforced alterations he may want to mix things up a little for such an important match.

Here is how West Ham must line up when they host Southampton…

Moyes brought Joe Hart back into the XI between the sticks against Burnley for his first Premier League appearance since November, with Adrian struggling in the defeats against Liverpool and Swansea previously.

The Scottish boss now has another big decision to make ahead of the huge Southampton clash given Hart conceded three times against the Clarets, but he should choose to stick with the England international.

With James Collins set to miss out after he picked up a hamstring injury in the charity friendly against Dagenham & Redbridge last week, it leaves Moyes with Declan Rice, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell as the back three.

Pablo Zabaleta and Michail Antonio started as the wing-backs against Burnley with the latter replacing Patrice Evra in the starting line-up, and while Antonio has done well in that position he should be playing further forward.

Arthur Masuaku returns from a six-match ban for this game and given Evra has struggled to make an impression, he must come straight into the starting line-up, with Zabaleta remaining on the right.

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Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate will start in the middle, even though the Senegal international has come under criticism from the London Stadium faithful.

Manuel Lanzini and Joao Mario started behind Marko Arnautovic against Burnley but with the Argentina international a doubt for the clash against Southampton after picking up an injury on international duty, Moyes has a decision to make if he is absent.

Michail Antonio and Javier Hernandez could be in line to replace the 25-year-old in the starting XI, but the Scottish boss should go with the former and play him up top with Arnautovic – who scored three goals for Austria during the international break – with Joao Mario behind them.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

Everton fans have made it pretty clear that they want changes to the squad this summer, but who should the Toffees add to their midfield?

Despite their up and down season, Everton are now safe and sound in the top ten, and with the backing of Farhad Moshiri the future can only hold good things for the blue half of Merseyside.

Fans have voiced plenty of concerns this season, and the ageing defence and lack of attacking players with end product is certainly a problem.

First and foremost though, Everton must add to their central midfield department. Idrissa Gueye is a fantastic player, but will likely be the subject of plenty of transfer rumours and cannot do everything by himself.

Wayne Rooney and Morgan Schneiderlin simply don’t have the energy,or in the Frenchman’s case the desire, and the wait is still ongoing for Tom Davies to flourish into the player fans hope he can be.

There have been links to Jack Wilshere in recent weeks, but who else could the Toffees target? Here are three places they could start…

Tanguy Ndombele will likely be the subject of interest from about half of Europe this summer, so it would be a difficult task luring the Frenchman to Merseyside. That said, he may look for somewhere where he is guaranteed playing time, rather than jumping straight to huge club like PSG. The 21 year-old, valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, would offer everything Gueye does and more. In 26 Ligue 1 appearances, the wiry midfielder has averaged two tackles and 1.7 interceptions per 90 minutes, as well as an unbelievable 4.7 successful dribbles per game and 1.7 key passes. Everton may have to break the bank to land Ndombele, but he would be worth it.

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If Tom Davies continues to stagnate at Goodison, then the Toffees could do a lot worse than looking to another Englishman to take his place. Winks has struggled with injuries this season, but was fantastic when he broke into the Tottenham side. This could be a loan move, as Spurs would probably want a big fee for the 22 year-old to leave permanently, but it wouldn’t be surprising for him to seek a move elsewhere in search of regular playing time. Winks has a 90% pass success rate in the Premier League, and an even more impressive 92% from five Champions League starts.

If planning for the future isn’t your thing, how about a little more experience? 27 year-old Herrera would bring pace, muscle and a bit of snide to the Everton midfield. The Mexican midfielder, valued at £13.5m by Transfermarkt, is a classic box-to-box midfielder and could form a formidable partnership with Gueye. He has averaged 2.8 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the league this season, as well as providing 1.5 key passes per game. Herrera is fast, tough, technically gifted, and most importantly he knows what it takes to win.

The notion of Arsenal winning the Europa League to earn a Champions League qualification spot and bidding farewell to manager Arsene Wenger with a trophy is the ending that all the club’s fans want.

However, Laurent Koscielny could have potentially played a part in that dream crashing down following his costly blunder in the first leg of the semi-final against Atletico Madrid on Thursday night.

Wenger’s team put in a decent performance at the Emirates as Alexandre Lacazette gave the hosts the lead not long after the hour mark.

Arsenal played against 10 men for the majority of the encounter and it appeared as though they were going to see out the match with their slender lead, but a lapse in concentration cost them.

Koscielny – valued at £18m by Transfermarkt – failed to clear the ball, which allowed Antoine Griezmann to latch on, manoeuvre himself around goalkeeper David Ospina and slot the ball home to gain a crucial away goal.

It was a disappointing night for the defender as he managed to make just two clearances and one interception.

Even though he won the second-most aerial duels on the pitch, his error could end up being the moment when Arsenal threw away their chance of reaching the final.

The Gunners hopes of playing Champions League football rest on winning the second-tiered competition as they currently sit 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with four games left to play.

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Meanwhile, the fans have been deliberating over who the club should appoint as Wenger’s successor this summer.

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According to reports in The Mirror on April 24, West Ham United are one of six clubs interested in signing Manchester United contract rebel Marouane Fellaini this summer.

The Mirror says that the 30-year-old has turned down a new offer to stay with the Red Devils despite Jose Mourinho’s efforts to keep hold of him, and he looks destined to leave Old Trafford at the end of the season when his current £80,000-a-week deal is due to expire.

The Belgium international will be able to join whichever new club on a free transfer, and the Irons and manager David Moyes are reported to be in contention along with Leicester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Monaco and Besiktas.

Meanwhile, Fellaini’s former club Everton could be set for another big summer in the transfer market following a largely disappointing campaign, and whether Sam Allardyce is in charge or not next term the Merseyside outfit will already have identified players that can make a positive difference for them.

The Toffees, whose fans are keen to see John Stones return this summer after he was reportedly put up for sale by Manchester City, boosted their chances of securing an eighth-place finish at the end of the campaign when they beat Newcastle United 1-0 at Goodison Park on Monday night, and they should certainly have Fellaini on their radar this summer to help them try and challenge the top six clubs going forward.

Here are three reasons Everton should hijack West Ham’s bid to sign the big Belgian…

Everton already know Fellaini’s qualities given he scored 33 goals and provided a further 26 assists in 177 appearances in all competitions for them before he joined Manchester United, and he certainly hasn’t lost any of those during his spell at Old Trafford.

The 30-year-old is still a strong, physical player in the middle of the park, while he offers a big threat in both his opponents’ and his own side’s penalty area.

The Belgium international would also offer plenty of versatility to the Merseyside outfit, given that he can play as a central midfielder or in a more attacking midfield position.

With almost 250 Premier League appearances to his name as well as experience in the Champions League and Europa League during his time with Manchester United, Fellaini has plenty of know-how and that is perhaps what Everton have lacked at times this season.

They have been missing leaders during the difficult times this term and there is no doubt that the Belgium international is a strong character ad would be a big presence on the pitch and in the dressing room, and he could help the Merseyside outfit make the progress they are looking for during the 2018/19 campaign and beyond.

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While The Mirror reports that Fellaini is looking for a big final pay day given he is earning a modest £80,000-a-week at Old Trafford, the fact that the 30-year-old will be available on a free transfer should mean that Everton can stretch to almost double that for the Belgian – the amount it may take to sign him up.

The fact that the midfielder is looking for big wages may put some people off, but there is no doubt about the quality Fellaini can bring on his day, and it would be a no-brainer to sign him given he is available for nothing.

Do you agree, Toffees fans? Let us know below.

Leeds United failed to build on last week’s win in the English Championship on Saturday, losing 2-1 away to Norwich City.

Pressure is building on manager Paul Heckingbottom, despite only being in the job for just under three months.

The Elland Road side have won just three of his 15 games in charge and fans appear to have had enough.

Many feel he isn’t the right man to take the club forward beyond the summer and worry they will suffer more mid-table mediocrity if he stays in charge.

They harbour ambitions to make a serious bid for the play-offs next term and are now pleading with their club to make the change they feel is needed.

Is it harsh to be questioning Heckingbottom’s management so soon into his career at Elland Road or are fans correct to look for change before what will be a massive summer for the club?

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Supporters took to Twitter to share their thoughts…

That Liverpool have had such a strong second half of the season in the wake of Philippe Coutinho’s departure to Barcelona is a remarkable thing considering how important the Brazilian playmaker was to the way the Reds emerged as a lethal attacking force under Jurgen Klopp.

The season started with serious worries that they may even crumble should he move away from Merseyside, worries that have obviously been obliterated by the incredible season Mohamed Salah ended up having.

Still though, the goal in this summer’s transfer window must be to support Salah rather than rely on him in the way they did on Coutinho. If the Anfield side are ever going to compete seriously for the English Premier League title they need an array of superstars in support of the Egyptian sensation.

Coutinho was destined to never have the opportunity to play for too long with Salah and as such there are still puzzles left to be solved by Klopp, his coaching staff and those tasked with completing transfers.

One player that has been linked with the Reds this week is Lyon’s 24-year-old star attacking midfielder Nabil Fekir, a French international who is making quite a name for himself in Ligue 1.

He’s been instrumental in his side’s bid to qualify for the UEFA Champions League again, making them the best attacking outfit in the league outside of the untouchable Paris Saint-Germain.

From Liverpool’s perspective, his form has also been a demonstration that he can replace what Coutinho left when he moved to La Liga.

The player’s stats on WhoScored.com are evidence he can be a big hit at Anfield and offer Liverpool a level of excellence and style of play in midfield that they currently lack.

Even at an initial glance the signs are good considering nobody in the Liverpool squad has scored more than his 17 goals in league action.

On the creative side, only Salah has more assists than the Frenchman, with Fekir’s key passes also higher on average than everyone at the Reds this term apart from the departed Coutinho.

His average of 3.1 dribbles per game bests the entire Liverpool squad this season, including the Brazilian, who certainly wasn’t shy in taking the opposition on with the ball at his feet.

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That his numbers sit in the same conversation as both Salah and Coutinho is a testament to his ability, which is still improving all the time at 24 years of age.

Surrounded by better players Liverpool he can potentially flourish into a devastating weapon for Jurgen Klopp and help them reach their Premier League potential next season.

Leeds fans have all got the same answer to a report asking about Paul Heckingbottom’s future, and let’s just say the manager might want to stay off Twitter.

It was a long and painful season for Leeds fans, and the arrival of Paul Heckingbottom in February had completely the opposite effect it was supposed to, dampening spirits instead of lifting them.

The former Barnsley man replaced Thomas Christiansen with the side’s playoff push faltering, but has won just four matches since the change, and fans voted strongly in favour of dumping the 40 year-old last month.

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Looking ahead to the summer transfer window, the Yorkshire Evening Post has asked fans what the future holds for the boss, and the responses are overwhelmingly negative.

There is a small section of fans that feel the manager should get his own transfer window to make an impact on the squad, but the majority just can’t look past the lack of improvement in the current players since he took over.

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Fans have been reacting to the report on Twitter, and an awful lot of them are saying the exact same thing. You can find some of the best reactions below…

As reported by The Mirror, Arsenal are interested in signing Freiburg defender Caglar Soyuncu this summer.

What’s the story?

The Gunners’ defensive line is arguably where most of the club’s transfer work needs to be done when the window opens, with any incoming manager having to stem the tide of goals they concede on a regular basis.

One player that could arrive at the Emirates Stadium is Freiburg centre-back Caglar Soyuncu.

That’s according to The Mirror, who say the club have already opened talks with the German side about signing him, as part of a three-signing strategy to replace Shkodran Mustafi and the injured Laurent Koscielny.

Soyuncu is rated at £10.8m by Transfermarkt.

Who is he?

Still just 21 years of age, Soyuncu moved to the Bundesliga last season and has already made over 50 appearances for Freiburg, emerging as one of the most talented young centre-backs in the division.

At 6ft 2in, he has a strong physical presence and the ball-playing ability that would allow how to fit into the way Arsenal play under Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal investing in a younger defender makes sense but they would really need Soyuncu to settle in immediately given their need for first-team centre-backs.

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The Gunners conceded more goals than any other side in the top seven of the English Premier League this season.

Many signings have arrived and failed to make an impact so signing a 21-year-old instead of an established, elite defender will be seen as a risk, but it’s one that could pay dividends given the potential the Turkish international has.

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There is nothing quite looking at the ability of the world’s elite footballing nations to leave behind top-class players to dampen the enthusiasm of some England fans ahead of a major tournament.

Spain’s star-studded defensive options mean that Hector Bellerin has been left at home in favour of Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal and Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta for this summer’s World Cup in Russia as they go in pursuit of a second win in three iterations.

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Carvajal’s injury problems may actually give Bellerin a second bite at the cherry in tournament terms but as it stands, he will be watching the action unfold on BBC and ITV like the rest of us.

So we put the decision to you on whether the Spaniard should have taken the Arsenal flier, 23, to the summer showpiece and it was nearly as tight as you can get.

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As it turned out, 53 per cent of Gunners fans backed the call to leave him at home, as you can see below…

Newcastle fans have been debating a move for Garry Rodrigues, after reports from Turkey claimed the Magpies will have to spend €20m (about £18m) to land the Dutchman.

After failing in a bid to sign him last summer, Newcastle look set to reignite their interest in Galatasaray’s Rodrigues this summer, but is he worth the price tag?

According to Turkish outlet Aksam, Newcastle have once again stepped up their pursuit of the pacey winger, but will have to pay the €20m price tag to get a deal done.

The Magpies had a bid for the 27 year-old rejected last summer, reportedly in the region of £6m, but his price has now gone up even more after a wonderful season.

[brid autoplay=”true” video=”252976″ player=”12034″ title=”Watch 21 things that will definitely happen at the World Cup”]

Rodrigues had the best season of his career so far with Galatasaray, grabbing nine goals and ten assists in 33 league appearances.

Rafael Benitez is desperate for some more attacking flair to help create for a potentially big signing up front, and Rodrigues has the tools to play on either flank.

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Fans have been voting if they think they should pay the asking price, and it’s a pretty even split, with 56 per cent backing a move for the Dutchman.

You can find the full poll results down below…