Thierry Henry has praised Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain after the midfielder disputed the Frenchman’s earlier criticism.

Henry was heavily critical of Oxlade-Chamberlain when he made the move from North London to Liverpool this summer, but says the Englishman deserves plaudits for his form at Liverpool.

“I still don’t know what he’s good at,” Henry said when the 24-year-old left Arsenal, comments that were recently branded “stupid” by the midfielder.

Oxlade-Chamberlain had a tricky start to his career at Anfield, making appearances from the bench in thrashings at Manchester City and Spurs.

Since then however, the speedy ex-Gunner has found his feet in Jürgen Klopp’s system, and even started adding end product to his performances, something he always lacked at Arsenal.

He has three goals and five assists in the league for Liverpool this season, after only managing nine goals and 14 assists in 132 league games for the Gunners.

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Henry said in his Sky Sports column:

“At Arsenal, there has always been a lot of debate as to what Oxlade-Chamberlain’s best position is.

“One day he was a wing back, one day he was a left winger, one day a right winger and on another a number 10. That was the problem, we just didn’t know.”

“For Liverpool, we are now seeing a midfielder that puts the pressure on the opposition at every opportunity, he wins the ball back, he scores goals and also gives assists. Now we can see clearly what type of player he is.”

As Henry says, Oxlade-Chamberlain was a utility man at Arsenal, moving positions every week and never really finding his best form. Klopp has deployed him mostly as an advanced central midfielder with two more defensive minded players supporting him, and he has flourished.

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The 24-year-old has been in fantastic form recently, providing assists to Mohamed Salah in both of Liverpool’s last two fixtures. He will be hoping to keep his starting place for the trip to Old Trafford next weekend.

If Oxlade-Chamberlain can keep his form until the summer, he should be at the top of Gareth Southgate’s list for central midfielders, especially if the likes of Eric Dier and Jordan Henderson are placed behind him to do the dirty work.

Liverpool fans, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

According to Telefoot, Paris Saint-Germain are considering a move for Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.

What’s the story?

It is generally accepted that De Gea has developed into the finest goalkeeper in world football over the last couple of seasons.

The 27-year-old arrived at United from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011, and has been absolutely outstanding for the Red Devils in recent years.

Real Madrid continue to be linked with a move for the Spain international, but according to Telefoot, PSG are also in the race.

The report claims that the French giants – who have again fallen short in the Champions League this season – want an upgrade on current number one Alphonse Areola.

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There is no question that PSG have the finances to compete for De Gea’s signature, but it would be a huge surprise if United held off interest from Real Madrid just to sell to the French giants.

Should United fans be worried?

De Gea’s contract with United will expire in the summer of 2019, and the club are currently working on a fresh deal for the Spain international.

The goalkeeper, who is valued at £45m by transfermarkt.co.uk, came extremely close to joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2015, only for a faulty fax machine to prevent the deal from taking place.

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De Gea has continually insisted that he is happy at United, and the club’s progression since Jose Mourinho took charge places the Red Devils in a strong position.

The PSG project might well be of interest to De Gea, but the French side disappointed in the Champions League once again, and it is difficult to imagine the goalkeeper leaving United for any team other than Real Madrid.

Things are certainly looking up at United following a difficult few years, which makes any deal at the end of this season extremely hard to believe.

As reported by French outlet L’Equipe, Manchester United midfielder is set to start tonight’s France international friendly with Colombia on the bench, continuing his recent selection problems with the Red Devils.

What’s the story?

Pogba hasn’t started Man United’s last three matches amidst concerns about his form in Jose Mourinho’s midfield and it appears that his French national team boss Didier Deschamps also doesn’t fancy giving him a starting role.

L’Equipe say he is set to be benched against Colombia on Friday night, with N’Golo Kante and Blaise Matuidi in line to start in his place,

Can the 25-year-old turn around his problems for both club and country and show why he is considered to be one of the best midfielders in the world?

What must Pogba do?

Much has been made of Jose Mourinho’s treatment of the French international, with his decision to bench the midfielder in recent matches controversial amongst supporters.

The truth is though his form has been inconsistent since January, with a man-of-the-match calibre performance against Stoke City the only one that stands out in 2018 so far.

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Some may argue he is not being utilised in his best role in the United midfield but the player himself must take responsibility for his performances and do the duty expected of him from Mourinho. He can’t be considered an automatic pick and to be fair to Mourinho, isn’t.

That appears to be the case for France too and the 25-year-old must show the hard work, passion and conviction to get back into the first team plans of both managers or risks missing out on big moments in the prime of his career.

Jordan Henderson has had an on-off relationship with Liverpool supporters since taking the captain’s armband from club legend Steven Gerrard.

The midfielder has not always been consistent on the pitch, plus injuries have caused a problem in recent seasons.

However, on Wednesday night, the England international was part of a slick midfield that helped orchestrate an impressive 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

Alongside James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, the club captain helped play City off the park in the first half at Anfield, which was engulfed in a cauldron of noise from the home supporters.

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The result gives Liverpool a huge advantage heading into the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, particularly as they avoided conceding an away goal.

Every one of Jurgen Klopp’s players stood up to be counted, and they were rewarded thanks to goals from Mohamed Salah, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane.

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In the build-up to the match, Liverpool fans had urged the manager not to start Henderson, but after the final whistle, opinion swiftly changed.

Some fans were also left concerned that the midfielder will be suspended for the second leg at the Etihad after he picked up his third yellow card of the tournament for a challenge on Raheem Sterling.

Tottenham Hotspur fans, as well as the wider football community, gave an outpouring of love and support to Ryan Mason when he was forced to retire from the game earlier this season.

In a statement released via Hull City’s official website in February, the midfielder, who was playing for the Championship club at the time, confirmed that he was advised to end his professional career at the age off 26 due to a head injury.

Mason fractured his skull in January 2017 during a collision with Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, and went on to have surgery.

During his recovery, medical specialists warned the midfielder that returning to the pitch competitively could put him at risk of further damage.

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Since hanging up his boots, Mason has been carrying out punditry duties and has also started to do down the avenue of coaching.

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Tottenham, where the midfielder progressed through the youth ranks, confirmed on their official website that the ex-Hull player made a visit to Hotspur Way to learn the ropes.

Spurs fans were delighted to see his return.

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Tottenham Hotspur are on a high at the moment as they have gone 14 games unbeaten in the Premier League.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side also have an opportunity to win their first piece of silverware in a decade as they are due to take on Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals.

Before that, the North London outfit will face United’s neighbours Manchester City in a league match this weekend.

Pep Guardiola’s side have been dominating England’s top flight this season as they have a 13-point advantage over the rest of the pack.

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However, depending on how Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Liverpool pans out at the Etihad Stadium, it may be a good time to take on City.

At the moment, the North-West outfit are trailing 3-0, and they head into the return fixture on the back of a 3-2 loss to United, which prevented them from lifting the league title early.

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If City get knocked out of Europe before taking on Spurs, then Pochettino’s men will be brimming with confidence at Wembley.

Judging by the reaction on Twitter, fans are already hopeful.

According to reports by The Mirror on April 21, West Ham United are one of six clubs interested in signing Manchester United contract rebel Marouane Fellaini this summer, and Irons fans have been quick to have their say on the rumour.

The Mirror says that the Belgium international, who has been capped 80 times by his country, has told the Red Devils of his intentions to leave when his deal expires at the end of the season as he looks for one final big pay day in his career, despite the fact that Jose Mourinho wants him to stay.

Hammers boss David Moyes will already be targeting new players despite the fact that his team aren’t safe from relegation yet, and he certainly knows the 30-year-old well having signed him and managed him during his time in charge at Everton and then United.

West Ham supporters, who have also urged the club to sign the controversial Mario Balotelli this summer, took to social media to give their thoughts on the story, and while one said “surprise, surprise”, someone else labelled him as “another Moyes reject”.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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Liverpool’s run to the final of the Champions League has underlined just how close they are to being genuine Premier League title contenders.

An elite goalkeeper, another centre half and potentially a disciplined defensive midfielder are the three main ingredients that Jurgen Klopp needs in order to transform his side into a real threat to Manchester City.

Yet, with Virgil van Dijk’s bumper transfer fee and Naby Keita’s impending arrival, the Reds may not have a huge amount of cash to compete with the big boys – which has been the state of affairs for quite some years now.

That may require the German to get creative with his transfer targets and one man who may be available for considerably less than van Dijk was procured for is James Tarkowski of Burnley.

The one-cap England international is valued at just £5.4m by Transfermarkt and has enjoyed a mightily impressive campaign at Turf Moor.

So, we’re asking you; should Liverpool swoop for Tarkowski on the back of his performances after stepping out of Michael Keane’s shadow? Let us know by voting in the poll below and keep your eyes peeled for the results…

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According to Marca, West Ham are lining up a summer swoop for Miguel Layun, but do they need the Mexican full back?

It’s been a pretty long season for West Ham fans, but the Hammers secured their safety on Saturday with a 2-0 win at Leicester.

Beyond the obvious relief of avoiding the drop, fans can now look towards the summer transfer window and next season.

While the spine of the team is an obvious concern to most fans, reports suggest they are lining up a move for Layun, who can play in either full back position.

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The 29 year-old Mexican international is a Porto player, but has been on loan at Sevilla since January, making 1.8 tackles per game with the Spanish club.

The report from Marca claims the Hammers are already speaking to his agents, but while the international can certainly boast experience and versatility, it seems an odd move to make.

Aaron Cresswell has taken a lot of stick from fans in recent weeks, but despite his defensive frailties he is still a good player, and leads the team in assists this season despite spending plenty of time at centre back.

Arthur Masuaku is best when he’s attacking, but he can certainly perform at left back, and the right manager and system might just turn the Frenchman into a top full back.

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Of course there is the argument that Layun could play on the right side for the Hammers, but with the owners unlikely to splash out all over the pitch, they would be much better served spending their money on the positions in dire need of strengthening, like goalkeeper and centre midfield.

So, West Ham fans, would you back a summer move for Miguel Layun? Let us know by voting in the poll below…

According to Portuguese media outlet A Bola, Newcastle United have joined Premier League rivals Everton and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the race to sign FC Porto attacker Yacine Brahimi this summer.

What’s the word, then?

Well, A Bola says that the left winger is attracting attention from English clubs as he has just one year remaining on his contract, following another impressive campaign for the Portuguese giants as they won the top flight title.

A Bola says that the 28-year-old has a release clause in his current deal set at €60m (£53m), but they are likely to accept a lower offer for him this summer given they could lose him for nothing if 2019 unless he chooses to extend his stay with them.

Meanwhile, Magpies manager Rafa Benitez may well be looking to sign a new left-sided attacker this summer with Chelsea loanee Kenedy returning to Stamford Bridge following a successful loan spell, and with it being unclear whether he could return to St James’ Park or not.

How did Brahimi do this season?

The Algeria international impressed and was influential in Porto’s title win – the first time the 28-year-old had won a league championship during his career.

The wide man scored 12 goals and provided a further 10 assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for his team, and according to WhoScored.com he successfully completed 203 of the 305 dribbles he attempted in 40 outings in Liga NOS and the Champions League.

Would he be a good signing for Newcastle?

He certainly would be, and it would be one that would excite the fans – the majority of which don’t want to sign a £4.5m-rated Championship attacker they adored 12 months ago – and take the club to the next level to prove to Benitez that his ambitions can be matched by staying at St James’ Park.

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Brahimi would bring a much-needed goal threat and some creativity from wide areas for the Magpies as they look to push on and progress next term, and while he may be more experienced he would be a huge upgrade on fans’ favourite Kenedy in the left wing position.

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