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Steve Bruce must urge Newcastle United to re-sign Jetro Willems at the end of the season after the Eintracht Frankfurt defender was backed for a return to Tyneside.

What’s the word?

While speaking with the Transfer Tavern, Daniel Pinder, the editor-in-chief at Get German Football News, claimed Willems has his heart set on returning to the Premier League with the Magpies.

Willems joined the Toon on loan for the 2019/20 campaign in a deal that carried an €11m (£9.5m) clause to buy the Dutchman, but plans were derailed after he sustained a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament rupture in January.

The left-back had been keen to secure a permanent stay in the North East before the devastating blow, but was denied the chance and moved back to Germany where he is yet to feature since returning to fitness.

Newcastle had explored a potential return for the 27-year-old during the winter market when contact was made with his agent, but opted against pursuing a deal as “Jetro hasn’t played enough” as Bruce would later confirm.

Yet a possible summer switch was not scrubbed from the cards as Willems will be out of contract in June and is refusing to sign a new contract at Deutsche Bank Park, and Pinder believes a deal is entirely possible.

“I think Newcastle is where he wants to be, and I’ve seen him like tweets from Newcastle fans on social media about a return,” he told TT. “He hasn’t really played for Eintracht Frankfurt this season as he’s down the pecking order behind the likes of [Filip] Kostic and Erik Durm.

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“Obviously, his contract is up in the summer as well, so yeah, I think Newcastle will be the club for him.”

Should Newcastle re-sign Frankfurt’s Willems?

There are no guarantees of Newcastle re-signing the same player they saw during Willems’ time at St. James’ Park on loan if the Toon were to explore a summer swoop, but getting a full pre-season under his belt could see the left-back alleviate Bruce’s winter concerns.

Bruce was full of praise for Willems during the Dutchman’s five months in the North East that saw him score twice and offer three assists in 20 games across all competitions, noting via quotes by The Northern Echo:

“He was playing week in, week out and had done very well [before the injury], and his goals against [Manchester] City and Liverpool were there for everybody to see.”

The Shields Gazette’s Liam Kennedy also claimed on NUFC Matters: “He’s a player that really impressed a lot of people at the football club – not only with his performances, but his attitude.”

Bruce should now urge Newcastle to rely on those positive positions in the off-season with the Toon on the search for a new left-back at a time when funds are expected to be almost non-existent – surely making a free move for Willems all the more appealing to Mike Ashley.

The £2.5m-rated beast returned to fitness this January and has been named on the bench for 10 Bundesliga fixtures by Adi Hutter to date, and would likely have been given a chance to feature if it were not for Eintracht Frankfurt’s immense run of form.

After claiming 27 of a possible 51 points while Willems was in the treatment room, Die Adler have since taken 29 of a possible 39 – only runaway leaders Bayern Munich (32/39) have taken more since January 21.

It remains to be seen if he can get back onto the pitch before the season draws to a close next month, but that should not stop Bruce from making Willems a Newcastle player again if the chance arises.

AND in other news, an “absolutely awesome” Newcastle colossus is wanted in a £6m summer switch…

One of the Women's Super League's most promising goalkeepers talks to GOAL about her path, her ambitions and the influence of one of the game's best

Mary Earps is one of the best goalkeepers in the world. A European champion and a World Cup finalist, it’s a status backed up by a flurry of individual awards she has collected over the past 12 months or so. The judges for those accolades certainly know she’s right up there – be they journalists, fellow players or fans. Emily Ramsey knows it too.

During her time coming through the system at Manchester United, the 22-year-old shot-stopper worked closely with Earps on a regular basis and in February, when she was called up by England as a reward for her excellent form on loan at Everton, she got to see her in a new environment.

“To see the level that [the goalkeepers] train at…” Ramsey says, recalling the experience in an interview with GOAL. “The level of training was really, really high and you've got to step up to that. I know Mary and how she works quite well from United, but to see the commitment and the almost obsession with being the best and making herself the best for the games, it's really good for young goalkeepers to see that.

“Mary's a really good person to learn from because she's had so much experience and she's had it at different levels – not playing and playing, playing at the best team in the league and playing at one of the lower teams in the league. She's the full package to learn from, so why would you not try and tap into that?”

But there’s a fine balance to strike, too. While Ramsey was getting the chance to learn under Earps at Manchester United, it also meant her first-team opportunities were limited. To get the game time she needed to become one of the best in her own right, she knew she needed to move on.

And so that’s what she did. When her contract came up at United this summer, Ramsey, who has spent 12 of the last 13 years with the Red Devils, decided to leave. Now, she’s at Everton on a permanent basis, part of a team looking to cause problems for those big guns while hoping her individual form will earn her more England opportunities after the one in February was cut short by injury.

It's fair to say that both parties look to be on the right track.

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  Right time to move on

  When you’ve spent so long at one club, it’s never going to be easy to leave. But when Ramsey talks about her decision to move on from United earlier this year, she is confident that it was the right one.

  “It was something that I think I had sort of come to terms with in my own head quite a long while before my contract was running out,” she admits. “I knew that for me, for the best of my career, that I wanted to move away and then luckily, I had the great experience last season and Everton is also close to home. It just felt like the perfect fit and I've really enjoyed all of my time here so far.

  “The way Mary has played the past couple of seasons, you're never going to take her out of the team. She's been crowned the best goalkeeper in the world and I had to be realistic with that.

  “It was difficult because obviously I've been there for so many years, but I was never given that real opportunity in the first team, especially the last couple of seasons, and I didn't feel I was getting that opportunity again so it wouldn't have been the right decision for me, for my career, [to stay].”

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  Finding a new home

  Before her contract had even expired, Ramsey had found a new home. The goalkeeper joined Everton on loan last season and quickly realised it was somewhere she enjoyed playing her football.

  “We had conversations about [making the deal permanent] when I was here last year,” she says. “I knew I was going to be running out my contract at United. My focus was to play and I knew that if I was playing then I wanted to make that something permanent. I didn't want to sit on the bench behind another goalkeeper.

  “Everton has a unique environment because there is me and Courtney [Brosnan] and we both played last year. I really felt the opportunity to grow with the manager's backing and I felt like I was going to be given the opportunity to play a good number of minutes this season, so it was a pretty easy decision.”

  Ramsey talks highly of the style of play that Everton head coach Brian Sorensen wants to implement as being a factor in her desire to return, as well as the “cohesive group” of players in the squad.

  “The main factor is the opportunity to get minutes in the WSL, which is my priority to move my career forward,” she explains. “The rest of it was a bonus, which moved me towards thinking, 'Definitely Everton'.”

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  Competition for places

  But as Ramsey alludes to, those minutes are not guaranteed. She’s not left United and walked into a No.1 role. Everton is instead one of few clubs in the WSL where it genuinely feels like there isn’t a first-choice goalkeeper.

  Brosnan, Ramsey’s competition, has been capped 28 times by Ireland, becoming her country’s No.1 in recent years and starting every game at their first Women’s World Cup this past summer. She’s played football in the United States, France and England, and is an excellent shot-stopper.

  “It can be difficult for goalkeepers to balance that relationship,” Ramsey says. “I do think me and Courtney are quite good at it. We're friends on and off the pitch and we work well together, we push each other well. We both want to play, so one person will always be feeling a bit disappointed if they're not playing, but I think we're really good at making each other better.

  “It’s a privilege to play and train with somebody like Courtney. She is a very lovely person and really supportive of the whole team. What more can you really ask for from a team-mate?”

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  Getting used to the battle

  Ramsey is hopeful that the situation can “bring the best out of both of us” and that’s certainly what coaches who choose to have two top goalkeepers fighting for one spot believe can happen. “I think you're always going to train and play better when you've got someone else that's pushing you to that level, when you're not just coasting,” Ramsey says.

  It will be a great learning experience for her and it’s something she will have to get used to if success at club level is to translate to the international scene, too. After all, England have a heap of promising young shot-stoppers coming through behind Earps. Ellie Roebuck, who has been playing regularly for Manchester City for the best part of seven years, is still only 24 years old; Sandy MacIver, Roebuck's competition at club level, is 25; and Hannah Hampton, who signed for Chelsea from Aston Villa this summer, is 22 – the same age as Ramsey.

  It's a highly competitive pool of goalkeepers that are all fighting hard for minutes at club level. Ramsey’s full focus is on Everton and how to be the best version of herself for the Toffees, but if she can achieve that, then you’d certainly think that those chances with England will come along.

With Leeds being linked with a stunning summer transfer move for Manchester City star Sergio Aguero, Marcelo Bielsa could form a lethal strike partnership at Elland Road by partnering him with Patrick Bamford.

Aguero recently confirmed that he would be leaving the Etihad Stadium once his contract expires at the end of the season, and reports in recent days have suggested that Leeds have pinpointed him as a potential target for the upcoming summer transfer window.

With Bamford firmly established as the Whites’ number nine – he has played in every single Premier League game this season – Bielsa may consider unleashing Aguero alongside the Englishman, rather than as his replacement.

While City have come accustomed to playing with just the one man up front, Aguero has shone in a two-striker formation before, both in his time at the Etihad and at previous club Atletico Madrid.

With the Citizens, the Argentine thrived alongside Edin Dzeko, particularly under Manuel Pellegrini’s leadership, with the duo combining for 17 goals between them whenever one provided the assist for the other’s goal.

However, his relationship with Uruguay hotshot Diego Forlan back at Atletico was even more remarkable, combining for a whopping 39 goals – only his partnership with former City stalwart David Silva has been more prolific in his entire career with 44.

Aguero’s more clinical nature and sheer consistency – last season’s tally of 16 Premier League goals came at an incredible rate of one every 91 minutes – goes a long way to addressing some of the issues which plague Bamford.

The Leeds man has often been someone who relies on needing a lot of chances to score – he has already missed 18 official big chances this campaign – but with Aguero alongside him, that burden and pressure of having to be the main source of goals for the team would be lessened considerably, and may just allow him to ease up in those crucial moments.

While Bamford could do more of the hard running into the channels, Aguero could work his magic inside the width of the penalty area and ensure that Leeds just don’t pass up gilt-edged chances because of poor finishing.

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Instead of seeing opposition teams come up with a snatch-and-grab, Bielsa’s side would feel more confident of going ahead in games or even closing them out by having a striker of the calibre of Aguero. It’s exactly why a partnership of Bamford and the Argentine could really light up Elland Road next season.

Hailed as “unbelievable” by Jason Cundy, Aguero’s potential arrival at the club would see Victor Orta surely complete Bielsa’s dream Leeds attack.

Meanwhile, Leeds could finally wave goodbye to this liability by signing this Premier League titan…

Sheffield Wednesday return to Championship action this afternoon but they will be without manager Darren Moore in the dugout after a fresh health concern, meaning assistant Jamie Smith will lead the Owls out for the fourth time in their last five games.

The South Yorkshire side will be looking to bridge the eight-point gap to safety but know that a defeat would all but confirm relegation to League One as there are only five games left to play, including this one.

Last time out, Wednesday were beaten by promotion-chasing Swansea City and now they welcome an out-of-form Bristol City to Hillsborough Stadium, with both teams desperate to pick up three points.

Moore may not be at the game but he will undoubtedly have a big say in terms of team selection, so here is our predicted XI along with the latest news from the Owls camp…

There could be three changes from the side that tasted defeat in midweek, though it is unlikely that any of their recent injury absentees feature just yet.

Between the sticks, we should see Keiren Westwood remain after his return to the starting XI on Tuesday night and Moore could well revert back to his usual back three, having tinkered it against Swansea.

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That means Julian Borner and Tom Lees welcome back 20-year-old gem Osaze Urhoghide, with Sam Hutchinson moving into midfield to continue his partnership with Barry Bannan once again.

Adam Reach is surely going to keep his place at left wing-back, though the Owls boss could be tempted to inject a spark into his side on the other flank, so don’t be surprised if forgotten man Kadeem Harris is given a run-out over 29-year-old Liam Palmer, despite starting eight of their last nine games.

Harris should give them more flair in attack, and let’s face it, Wednesday need to score more goals to stand a chance of surviving.

The third and final change is likely to be in the attack with top goalscorer Callum Paterson returning alongside Jordan Rhodes up top, having been a casualty from the alterations in midweek.

Soon-to-be departing midfielder Liam Shaw will drop to the bench. The 20-year-old academy graduate is due to join Celtic at the end of the season.

As a result of Wednesday pairing the Scottish duo together, Josh Windass will drop deeper in a no.10 role behind the pair.

It does mean that the likes of Andre Green, Izzy Brown and Elias Kachunga are snubbed again despite the Owls’ lack of fortunes.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Palmer drops Sheffield Wednesday dressing room claim over Darren Moore…

Previous winners of the award include Alisson Becker and Thibaut Courtois, but who will claim this year's prize at the ceremony on October 30?

Only one goalkeeper has ever won the Ballon d'Or: Lev Yashin, in 1963. So, in a bid to ensure more shot-stoppers were recognised at their annual ceremonies in Paris, introduced the Yashin Trophy in 2019 to recognise the best goalkeeper from the previous season.

Voted for by past Ballon d'Or winners, previous recipients of the award include Alisson Becker, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Thibaut Courtois, and it is sure to be hotly-contested in 2023.

We will have to wait until the Ballon d'Or ceremony on Monday, October 30 to find out the winner, but for now, here is the shortlist of nominees:

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  Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal)

  Morocco made history at the Qatar 2022 World Cup, becoming the first-ever African nation to reach the semi-finals of the competition. The knockout penalty saves of their star goalkeeper Yassine Bounou contributed massively to that journey, and the 32-year-old also had a great season domestically, winning the Europa League with Sevilla and being named Player of the Match in the final against Roma.

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  Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)

  Thibaut Courtois' stellar 2022-23 season with Real Madrid made him the recipient of last year's Yashin Trophy, and he's amongst the contenders again this time round. While Los Blancos missed out on La Liga or Champions League glory in 2023, he still had an impressive campaign and was integral in helping them win the Copa del Rey.

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  Mike Maignan (AC Milan)

  French international Mike Maignan's recent performances for AC Milan led to GOAL labelling him the world's best goalkeeper earlier this year. His logic-defying shot-stopping has attracted the attention of fans all over the world, and he'll be one of the favourites to get his hands on the 2023 Yashin Trophy.

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  Marc-Andre Ter Stegen (Barcelona)

  For years, Ter Stegen has been considered one of the greatest keepers on the planet. In 2022-23, he only strengthened that reputation, keeping a remarkable 26 clean sheets in 38 La Liga games and conceding just 18 league goals all season as Barcelona strode to a first title under club legend Xavi.

England are preparing to open their quest for Women’s World Cup glory in 2023, but can they dethrone the all-conquering USWNT?

The Lionesses have headed to Australia and New Zealand as reigning European champions and winners of the inaugural Finalissima from back in April. Sarina Wiegman’s side are – despite having to deal with a number of unfortunate injuries – expected to go well Down Under and will feel as though they are a match for anybody on their day.

The United States are, however, the current holders and four-time winners of FIFA’s flagship event, with an almighty effort required from somebody in order to wrestle a global crown from their clutches.

Can England do that and what will it take to halt the USWNT’s relentless march towards title number five?

GOAL put those questions to Lionesses legend Rachel Yankey.

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  Ready to roar!

  Quizzed on whether England are, player for player, a match for any other team in the tournament at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, Yankey – speaking in association with – told GOAL: “Great question. I think it’s a good squad. Obviously if there weren’t injuries, it would probably be a different squad. I suppose throughout the three group games, we’ll see. I think the attack looks stronger than our defence – our defence is relatively unknown. You need time to form partnerships and obviously with players being injured and being out, that hasn’t been the case, but there is no reason why they can’t really go on and be strong. I think there will be more tinkering with this squad and group and the XI that starts than there was in the Euros.”

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  Fear factor

  Pressed on whether there are any chinks in the American armour that could be exposed by the likes of England – with any side harbouring ambitions of going all the way likely to have go through the USWNT at some stage – Yankey said: “Yeah. Again, I think their defence. I don’t think they have got the strongest defence that they could have had. I always think that the way English teams play, you always have a chance of beating the USA. Even teams that I played for, and knowing a few of the U.S. National Team when we were playing, they always had a fear against the English – in terms of how we play football. It was more back then the mentality of did we really believe that we were good enough?”

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  Believe!

  Ted Lasso, the star of the hit Apple TV+ show, was big on the power of belief at AFC Richmond and Yankey feels that quality could serve England well on the back of their recent successes. She added: “I think this squad, because they have won the Euros, actually will go into this World Cup believing that they are good enough, and that’s powerful. I wouldn’t be fearful of playing the U.S. Sometimes it’s easier to play the bigger nations. I know it’s a more difficult game, but you’re not playing against that underdog – not to say that there is complacency, but you have got to up your standard, you know that when you come across a team like Spain, like USA, France, Germany, you have got to be at your best because at any time they could beat you. I think this England team will be able to look back at their experiences from the Euros and that will put them in a really good place.”

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  Winning mentality

  England now know what it takes to win a major tournament, while coach Wiegman boasts two continental triumphs to her name. Yankey said when asked if that winning mentality is what separates the class of 2023 from the Lionesses of years gone by, with there a belief now that they can beat anybody: “100 per cent. That’s why, for me, players like Lucy Bronze, you need players like that – that never say die and always pushing on for the next thing. OK, she hasn’t got the captain’s armband, but she is definitely a leader in that team. You need your team to be strong off the pitch. In tournament football it’s about being close, having each other’s back, and it seems like they have that. Draw on the experiences from the Euros, you believe in the manager. When you are maybe questioning if that’s the right thing, well she has been there, done it and won the Euros twice. That gives you a bit more faith to listen to the words and to go out for the tactics and what you want to do.”

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up a move for Sean Dyche as Steve Bruce is ‘under growing pressure’, according to the Daily Mail.

However, as per the news outlet, Crystal Palace are also interested in taking on the Burnley manager with Roy Hodgson’s future unclear as his current deal at Selhurst Park runs out at the end of the 2020/21 term.

Newcastle should consider Dyche

The St. James’ Park faithful should seriously consider hiring Dyche as their next coach if Bruce were to leave.

The former Watford boss is vastly experienced in managing in the Premier League, and has kept the Clarets in the top flight for a number of seasons now on a relatively low budget.

He even managed to guide the Lancashire club to a very impressive seventh-placed finish in the division back in the 2017/18 campaign, which gave them a chance to play in Europe, but unfortunately they missed out on qualifying for the UEFA Europa League group stages.

Nonetheless, what Dyche has been doing season after season with Burnley is quite remarkable, as former EPL striker Frank McAvennie branded him as ‘exceptional’ earlier this month following links to Celtic, and with the Magpies currently flirting with potentially being relegated down to the EFL Championship, some stability could be very useful in the North East.

Dyche is certainly a manager that the Tyneside club should at least be considering if they were thinking about replacing Bruce.

In other news, find out what takeover claim Ben Jacobs has dropped involving PIF and Inter Milan here!

A stunning stoppage-time strike from the right-back sealed three points for the USYNT in its first game of the tournament

Jonathan Gomez fired the United States to a 1-0 win with a late goal against Ecuador as Michael Veras' team got off to a perfect start in the Under-20 World Cup in Argentina.

The Stars and Stripes started strong in their opening Group B match, but the South American side managed to grow into it and kept them under pressure. Despite the dangerous presence of Jack McGlynn and Caleb Wiley and the trickiness of Diego Luna, it was right-back Gomez who got the decisive goal after 93 minutes, just as it looked like the game was set to finish all square.

GOAL rates the United States U20 players from Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario in San Juan…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Gaga Slonina (6/10):

  Did not have many dangerous shots to deal with as Ecuador failed to get an effort on target.

  Jonathan Gomez (8/10):

  Blasted in the winning goal from outside the box after a lovely piece of control. An energetic display on the right side overall and he had a dangerous moment earlier in the second half when a low shot was saved.

  Justin Che (7/10):

  A solid presence at the back with a few blocks to keep Ecuador from getting through on goal.

  Brandan Craig (7/10):

  Quality performance overall with strong tackles and blocks as well as plenty of passes from the back.

  Joshua Wynder (6/10):

  Did not do well in a couple of one-on-ones but was well positioned to stop a few of Ecuador's attempts.

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  Midfield

  Jack McGlynn (8/10):

  Pulled off some gorgeous passes and chipped in with some strong tackles in midfield. His team's brightest player in this game.

  Gavin Wolff (5/10):

  Got forward to help support the attack but a fairly quiet game.

  Obed Vargas (6/10):

  Made a vital block to prevent his side going 1-0 down in the first half and worked hard, covering a lot of ground to get up and down the field.

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  Attack

  Caleb Wiley (8/10):

  A dangerous presence with some lovely passes and good runs. Saw one long-range shot pose a threat early in the second half and then had an even bigger chance cleared shortly afterwards.

  Diego Luna (6/10):

  Had a hard time when sent through to face the Ecuador defence on his own but had more joy when he could drop back to link up with his team-mates. Unlucky to see a shot go just wide after capitalising on a terrible clearance.

  Quinn Sullivan (5/10):

  Had some decent moments but struggled to break through before being replaced after 65 minutes.

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• Subs & Manager

  Darren Yapi (7/10):

  Replaced Sullivan with the task of putting the Ecuador defence under more pressure and was a big threat with his runs and composure on the ball.

  Daniel Edelman (6/10):

  Brought on for the last 20 minutes but was unable to impact the game.

  Niko Tsakiris (N/A):

  A last-minute introduction.

  Mikey Varas (7/10):

  His team were strong throughout, preventing Ecuador from ever getting through on goal and there were plenty of strong displays to give him confidence that his side can compete in this tournament.

The La Galaxy defender's error led to El Tri taking the lead on Wednesday, and it remains to be seen if he has a future at international level

We'll start with a disclaimer: this match was one to forget. Not much can truly be learned from the U.S. men's national team's 1-1 draw with Mexico because of the circumstances. They were unusual, to say the least.

Two less-than-full strength teams in a midweek friendly sandwiched between league matches? There's only so much you can truly take away from something like that.

Wednesday's match was, by and large, a meandering, disjointed, forgettable affair between two teams that have bigger clashes on the horizon. Still, this was a night for players on the fringes to make their mark, even if few did.

There were some standouts, though, for the USMNT, as several players a bit further down the depth chart put in strong performances. Others, meanwhile, faltered, calling into question where they'll stand heading into a summer that includes both the Gold Cup and Nations League.

We'll learn more from those two tournaments than we will from this night, that's for sure. Even so, look at this draw as a little taste of what's to come for a USMNT still sorting out its player pool so early in the World Cup cycle.

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  WINNER: Jesus Ferreira

  The best part of being an attacking player: all it takes is one good moment.

  That's exactly what Ferreira provided on Wednesday night: just the one. He was largely poor and could have been a candidate to be named among this one's losers given his impact, or lack thereof, through 80 minutes or so.

  But goals change games, right? Well, they also change opinions.

  Ferreira definitely didn't have a good game, but there does need to be context to it all. Starting as a second striker, the FC Dallas star was given a new assignment. By the second half, he was back up top and, in the 81st minute, he was able to tap home Jordan Morris' cross for the equalizer.

  Ferreira is still in the striker race, although it is quite crowded at this point. It remains to be seen if he even projects as a striker at the international level, given his skillset as more of a facilitator.

  But none of that really matters for now. On Wednesday, Ferreira got his goal, his one good moment, to make something of a good impression.

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  LOSER: Aaron Long

  Post-World Cup, Long very much finds himself on the fringes, and players on the fringes can't make mistakes like he did for Mexico's goal.

  To be fair, the mistake wasn't his alone. Kellyn Acosta put him in a bad spot with his ill-advised backpass, for sure. Still, Long did little to rectify situation as his touch played in Uriel Antuna for Mexico's opener.

  The LAFC defender already finds himself a bit further down the depth chart, having been a key part of last cycle. He's just 30, so it isn't out of the question to see him stick around this cycle, although it will be difficult given some of the rising stars in the pool.

  With so many established players ahead of him and a few younger stars coming up behind him, Long's place with the national team is far from secure, and he surely didn't help his case in this one.

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  WINNER: Alan Sonora & Aiden Morris

  Anthony Hudson admitted that his tactical tweaks weren't preplanned. Rather, they were an adjustment to the game that was unfolding in front of him.

  Hudson, though, got those tweaks right, with the two midfielders he tossed into the fray helping to steady the game.

  Thrown on shortly after Mexico's goal, Sonora and Morris entered the match as the U.S. shifted to a five-man defense. From that point on, by and large, the U.S. looked better, with the midfielders getting some credit for that.

  Sonora was the standout of the two, with his magnificent pass setting up Jordan Morris to, eventually, set up Ferreira. The Juarez star is a more creative player than many midfielders in the pool and, in a game like this, he offers something of a spark off the bench that few others can.

  Morris, meanwhile, was hailed as "fantastic" by Hudson. He's been spectacular in MLS with the Columbus Crew and, although he didn't look as confident as he has at the club level, he showed some signs of why he could play a part this cycle.

  Both have a long way to go and both need more looks, but a positive performance from the two supersubs.

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  LOSER: Brandon Vazquez

  All week, it felt like this could have been Brandon Vazquez's big coming out party with the USMNT.

  It certainly was set up to be. Facing off with Mexico, the country he was eligible to represent, Vazquez started up top with a chance to continue to make his case in the striker race.

  It didn't happen. In fact, not much of anything happened.

  Limited to just 15 touches, Vazquez was largely a passenger in this one. The FC Cincinnati star simply couldn't get into the game, through little fault of his own, it must be said. With the U.S. as a whole struggling, their striker had so little to do before being hooked in the second half.

  Unfortunate for Vazquez, for sure. Brighter days may be ahead for the striker, but this had so much potential to be one of the brightest so far before it all went wrong.

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes that youngster Joe Gelhardt can prove his worth in the next few months.

The Whites have enjoyed a successful first season back in the Premier League, sitting 11th in the table with nine matches remaining. There is no threat of relegation for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, who have been a breath of fresh air in the top flight, with very few of their games proving to be dull.

In Gelhardt, Leeds having a hugely promising young talent who is pushing to make his first team debut for the club, having joined from Wigan Athletic last August.

Robinson tips Gelhardt to feature

Someone who thinks this is now a great chance for the 18-year-old to shine is Robinson, with the ex-England ‘keeper telling MOT Leeds News that this is Gelhardt’s opportunity to show Bielsa he can be trusted moving forward:

“It just shows how far he’s come in the last 12 months and what the manager thinks of him.

“I don’t think he’s going to start games if Patrick Bamford is fit but this is his big opportunity for the manager to take a look at him in the Premier League.

“He might influence Bielsa’s transfer activity in the summer. This is his opportunity to prove that he doesn’t need to sign another striker in the summer.

“Bielsa has hinted that he’ll get minutes so he obviously thinks very highly of him.

“This is his opportunity to show what he can do. Leeds are definitely safe already, they’ve got more than enough points and it gives Bielsa the opportunity to take a look at his talented youngsters.”

Transfer tavern take

Bielsa will no doubt be eyeing up reinforcements this summer, but if Gelhardt impresses in the remaining games of the season, it may turn his manager’s head.

The teenager is an attacking player with seemingly huge potential and, having frequently been on the bench for the first team in recent weeks, it will be exciting to see him handed an opportunity between now and May if he gets his opportunity.

In other news, a former Leeds star believes the club should sign a Premier League defender this summer – find out who it is here.