West Ham United have activated in option in Adrian’s contract that extends the goalkeeper’s contract by one year, according to The Sun.

What’s the word?

The Spaniard has struggled for first-team action this season after losing his starting spot to Darren Randolph.

In fact, Adrian has started just 11 Premier League matches this season, his last of which was the 1-1 draw with Stoke City on November 5.

Since then the 30-year-old has featured twice, in the EFL Cup defeat to Manchester United and their loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup, in which he conceded nine goals in total.

Due to Adrian’s ousting from the number one spot, rumours have been rife that the Hammers are hunting for a new goalkeeper, but The Sun reports that the club have triggered an option that will extend his deal until 2020.

Should Adrian look elsewhere?

The difficulty when it comes to goalkeepers is that there is usually very little rotation.

In some cases, managers use the number one for domestic action and the second-choice option for cup competitions.

Arsene Wenger used that approach this season when he played David Ospina rather than Petr Cech in the Champions League.

Adrian was West Ham’s number one last season, but midway through this campaign he has relinquished the role to Randolph, which begs the question, ‘Why does he want to stay?’

Most goalkeepers do not want to spend the majority of their time sat on the bench, and given Adrian’s experience, he is likely to fall into that category.

However, it was not that long ago when the Spaniard was first name on the teamsheet for manager Slaven Bilic, which means that there is an opening for him to work his way back into contention, particularly after Randolph conceded three goals in Saturday’s defeat to Bournemouth.

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Steven Gerrard is one of the greatest footballers of his generation who always seemed to play his best in the biggest moments.

Gerrard’s career at Liverpool was full of iconic moments and he will look to create a few more at the ICONS of Football 2017 Tournament at The Belfry from 23rd-25th June.

The Liverpool-born midfielder was the face of Anfield during his playing days and he has the stats and silverware to cement himself as one of the all-time greats. His achievements in the game earned him respect from managers, players and fans alike for his tireless effort, eye for a lethal cross-field pass, his deadly touch and his ability to hit missile-guided shots towards goal from seemingly half way across the pitch.

Gerrard made his first-team debut for Liverpool in 1998 although, at the time, the youngster experienced a constant shuffle of position – a curse of his undoubted talent to play in almost any position – and he was unable to cement a place in his preferred centre-midfield position. In the 2000-01 season, Gerrard helped lead Liverpool to a treble when they took home the FA Cup, League Cup and the UEFA Cup.

That season saw Gerrard finally show his goal scoring potential as the midfielder netted 10 goals in 50 matches whilst being named the PFA Young Player of the Year. He was given the Anfield captaincy in 2003 and in 2005 helped lead Liverpool to their first Champions League trophy in twenty years.

In the 2005 Champions League final, Gerrard helped orchestrate one of the greatest comebacks in football history – a night that has been rightfully dubbed the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’. The club was in a 3-0 pit against A.C. Milan at half time and seemingly looked all-but-out of the game. Following a rousing team talk (by none-other than Gerrard himself), what happened in the second half has gone down in footballing legend.

The Skipper, almost single-handedly pulling his teammates back from the brink, drilled a header into the back of the net to help spark the comeback. Liverpool would score two more goals to level the match and an incredible, Jerzy Dudek-inspired penalty shoot-out helped the club overcome almost impossible odds to triumph. It was Liverpool’s first Champions League trophy in 20 years and for his part in the shocking comeback, Gerrard was named Man of the Match. Gerrard’s loyalty and effort for Liverpool endeared him not just to the Kop, but to neutral football fans alike.

Gerrard continued his development and established himself as a superstar in the next few years. In 2009, the Liverpool captain was named the Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year. Over his tenure with the club the midfielder won two FA Cups, three English League Cups and the Champions League among his many accolades.

One of the qualities that endeared Gerrard to the Kop faithful was that he had opportunities to join clubs throughout, clubs where winning would have been easier, but Gerrard showed his loyalty to Liverpool every time. It was more important to win one at Anfield than a dozen somewhere else for Gerrard. As a result of his long tenure with Liverpool, Gerrard went on to become the longest serving captain in the club’s history and became one of three players to achieve more than 500 appearances with the same football club.

Gerrard’s leadership qualities were obvious so he served on several occasions over his international career as the captain of the England national team squad. Though England weren’t able to claim any silverware during his playing career, he was a driving force as the Three Lions reached the quarterfinals of the 2012 Euro’s – he was named in UEFA’s Team of the Tournament as a result.

The midfielder finished his England career with 114 caps, making him the fourth most capped player in country’s history.

The former Liverpool captain will be representing England once again this June at the ICONS of Football 2017 Tournament as a group of England Icons will face off against the Rest of the World’s great former footballers. Gerrard will try help England get the victory at the tournament to add a bit more silverware to his impressive collection.

Tickets for Icons of Football 2017 are available now at icons-series.com

Aston Villa will look to keep their faint play-off dreams alive when they host Queens Park Rangers at Villa Park on Tuesday night.

A 2-0 home victory against Norwich City on Saturday – thanks to a brace from top goalscorer Jonathan Kodjia – saw Steve Bruce’s side close the gap on the top six by another point as they look to pull off what would be a remarkable end to the season.

While the side in sixth place going into the weekend’s fixtures – Sheffield Wednesday – were held to a 1-1 draw away at Barnsley, Fulham took advantage of the slip by taking all three points against bottom-of-the-table Rotherham United in a 1-0 success.

Bruce will know that his side just need to keep winning to see where it takes them, and they will be confident of doing so when they face QPR in midweek.

Here are three reasons Villa will continue to keep their play-off dreams alive against Ian Holloway’s men…

They are in form

Aside from a disappointing 1-0 defeat away at Huddersfield Town last month, Villa are bang in form and full of confidence at the moment.

Bruce’s side have won six of their last seven Championship matches to elevate themselves away from the lower half of the table and towards the top six, and the likes of Jonathan Kodjia – who has scored six goals in his last six league matches – will want the games to keep coming as the club continues to build momentum.

Their run at home

Successive home defeats in the space of three days against Ipswich Town and Barnsley in February summed up Villa’s season, but they have been in imperious form at Villa Park since.

They have won four in a row at their Midlands home – including fellow play-off hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich City and Derby County – and they will be confident of extending that run to five when they QPR, who are four points and four places adrift of them in the Championship standings.

Their defensive record

One of the reasons that Villa have struggled to compete at the top end of the Championship table this season is their failure to find the back of the net on a regular basis, rather than their record at the back.

Only the top two – Newcastle United and Brighton – and Leeds United and Derby County have conceded fewer goals than Steve Bruce’s side’s 39 this term, and they have been especially solid during their recent sequence of impressive results.

Villa have let in just one goal in their last seven matches, and their backline will be confident of keeping another clean sheet against QPR.

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

Underrated does not quite cut it for some players. Regardless of the successes of this team and their individual influence, some players are forgotten or overlooked. It often is midfielders who operate primarily in the defensive and middle thirds, the unglamorous role of breaking up the opposition and releasing their more talented teammates to work their magic.

One such player is Blaise Matuidi. As he turns 30, the Frenchman continues to be misjudged in Paris Saint-Germain’s glittering line-up, with starlet Adrien Rabiot, sensation Marco Verratti and Angel di Maria all enjoying the limelight. The excellent Julian Draxler, goal machine Edinson Cavani and their other forwards all get the understandable attention for game-winning moments, too.

Matuidi, who has started every single Champions League match this season despite starting only 19 Ligue 1 games, has been a long-time reliable performer in the French capital. Regularly appearing in the European Championship for France last summer as well, he features in the French squad despite remarkable depth in the midfield positions including N’Golo Kante and Paul Pogba.

His energy may be about to decline as his supposed peak years come to an end, but Matuidi has the experience and nous to compensate. He passes within his limits, which is perfect for a deep midfielder in a team filled with talent. His pass completion regularly registers above 90% with the vast majority of those, short, sharp simple balls in the middle third.

Far from the creator from deep that Rabiot can be or the feisty dribbler like Verratti, Matuidi knows his role and plays it superbly. It is, as the cliché goes, an example of doing the basics exceptionally well and relying on other players to do the flamboyant parts of the game. As his box-to-box engine begins to decline, Matuidi can slot into a number six role, reading the game and breaking up play before setting up his team to attack.

As Paris dominate possession in Ligue 1, Matuidi intercepts less frequently. His tackle rate is a lot lower at 1.7 per game, too, but this leapt up to well over 2.5 in the European Championship and Champions League.

Over the last few years, a move to the Premier League has been touted with regularity, but it has never happened. The Frenchman would fulfil a similar role to that box-to-box player with a defensive bent for any one of the top six sides, but you get the feeling that there are two in particular who could do with the services he provides.

In a Jose Mourinho midfield at Manchester United, you can see Ander Herrera bringing the busy-body harassing, Paul Pogba bringing the flair and the passing range, and Matuidi bringing the brawn and the running, and perhaps more of a sitting role in his later years.

Recently, France legend and one-time Birmingham City striker Christophe Dugarry told French radio station RMC (via Le 10 Sport) that he sees Matuidi at Arsenal, as a player who can bring an intensity to Arsenal’s game and get rid of the ‘clowning around’ they do in the middle of the park.

It’s hard to disagree with Dugarry’s thoughts. Arsenal’s midfield has been a problem position for years, and someone of Matuidi’s intensity certainly would be a welcome change, and would bring a powerhouse of the role to the Emirates for the very first time, with Patrick Vieira having left the club before the move to the new stadium.

Sitting at the base of their midfield ready to cover ground to retrieve the ball when a counter-attack is bubbling, he could be a vital asset for any side in the league, whether from the bench or as a regular starter.

He may not come cheap, and his age could be a concern for a player whose intensity is so crucial, but his experience in France and of the Champions League would add a great deal to any squad – and there are at least two in the Premier League crying out for it.

Liverpool travelled to West Bromwich Albion on Sunday knowing that only a win would do in their quest to finish in the top four of the English Premier League this season.Thankfully for the travelling support that’s exactly what happened after a Roberto Firmino header gave them all three points in a hard fought victory over the Baggies.Jurgen Klopp’s side have turned around their early 2017 form and are now unbeaten in their last seven Premier League matches.They’re hitting winning form again at a crucial moment of the league campaign. They have have just five matches left in the season and they’re all winnable. Pick up fifteen points and that should be enough to see off the threat of Manchester United, who continue to lurk in fifth with games in hand.While much of the negative talk about Liverpool this season has centred on their defence, this stat from Squawka shows that there’s at least one reliable partnership at the heart of the Reds backline.

When Dejan Lovren and Joel Matip start together then Jurgen Klopp’s side don’t lose matches.

It’s a partnership that now needs to continue to the end of the season. If they continue to provide a solid base for Liverpool the build on, UEFA Champions League football could be coming back to Anfield next season.

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West Ham United fans have urged the team to end Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League title hopes this Friday.

The North London outfit are still within a shot of the much-coveted crown, but Chelsea maintain a four-point advantage.

Antonio Conte’s side got the job done when they overcame Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park on Sunday, and Tottenham responded later that day by earning a 2-0 triumph over arch rivals Arsenal in the final derby at White Hart Lane.

West Ham can throw a spanner in the works if they cause an upset to Spurs at the London Stadium on Friday evening.

If Tottenham do drop points, Chelsea will be able to extend their lead further if they get a result against Middlesbrough on the following Monday.

West Ham have not had the best of seasons as they sit 15th in the table, just seven points above the relegation zone with three games left to play.

Spurs will be favourites heading into the encounter, but West Ham damaged their rivals’ title bid last season.

A single goal from Michail Antonio at Upton Park last March handed the advantage over to Leicester City, who went on to win their first ever top-flight crown.

Some fans are hopeful that the Hammers can ruin Tottenham’s campaign again, while others are not as confident.

According to reports from Manchester Evening News, Manchester United are considering offering a role to Paul Mitchell.

What’s the word?

After some phenomenal success at Southampton and Tottenham, Paul Mitchell is a man in hot demand, with MEN claiming United and local rivals City are both interested in appointing him in differing capacities once his gardening leave at Spurs comes to an end. The one-time MK Dons player is part scout and part recruitment director and whilst City view him as a potential addition to their global operation, although they have no plans to appoint him to any role as of yet, the Red Devils seemingly want him to play a more direct part in their transfer policy.

Track Record?

You’ll struggle to find a recruitment director with a stronger track record than Mitchell over the last few years. He brought the likes of Nathaniel Clyne, Sadio Mane and Dejan Lovren to St. Mary’s – all of whom left for Liverpool in ridiculously lucrative deals – and had a similar effect at Tottenham Hotspur, his biggest achievement being the capture of Dele Alli for just £5million.

Mitchell was aware of the midfielder’s progress at his former club and worked with David Pleat to bring him to White Hart Lane. He also poached Toby Alderweireld from Saints, via Atletico, and clearly has a good eye for not only a talented player but what his manager needs.

The only reason his Tottenham tenure ended under a dark cloud is because he’d grown disillusioned with the way they conduct their business, particularly over a deal for Michy Batshuayi – who ended up signing for bitter rivals Chelsea instead – as reported by London Evening Standard.

Do United need a transfer guru?

Most definitely. Whilst Jose Mourinho appeared to have a relatively strong handle on transfer affairs last summer, bringing in four players that have since established themselves pretty comfortably in his starting XI – Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly and Paul Pogba – the club still spent a staggering £157million and their overall strategy since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement four years ago has been, quite simply, to throw money at every problem with blockbuster transfer budgets.

That can only get United so far and whilst Ed Woodwood is clearly a shrewd businessman – he’s turned United into an incredible commercial force – some of his transfer dealings have raised eyebrows. Angel di Maria, Radamel Falcao, Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin all went on to fail at Old Trafford and fans are still puzzled as to how super-agents Mino Raiola and Jorge Mendes seemingly squeezed so much money out of the club last summer.

Bringing in someone to oversee transfers would not only ease United’s reliance on such relationships and free up Woodward’s time for purely business matters, but also allow them to pinpoint lesser-known recruits capable of making the step up, such as Sadio Mane at Southampton and Dele Alli at Spurs. Likewise, it will allow for greater continuity should United change managers in the next few years – Mourinho’s contract will expire in 2019.

As reported by The Daily Mirror, Everton are keen on West Ham United’s midfield maestro Pedro Obiang this summer.

What’s the story?

Ronald Koeman is on the hunt for talent that he feels can bring Everton closer to launching an assault on the top four in the English Premier League and according to latest reports has made the centre of midfield his priority.

The Mirror say that the Toffees are very keen on signing the Hammers’ Pedro Obiang, after a consistently good season at the London Stadium.

The paper reckon they want him to replace James McCarthy and work in partnership with the impressive Idrissa Gueye. Valued at £15m by the Irons, the report also says that in order to land their man, Everton will be competing with the likes of AC Milan and Sevilla for his signature.

The right fit?

Obiang was stand out for West Ham last season, finishing runner-up to Michail Antonio in the club’s player of the year award. With 60 appearances for Slaven Bilic since joining from Sampdoria in 2015, he’s a key part of the set-up at the London Stadium and would add serious depth to Everton’s midfield.

His defensive attributes are strong and in conjunction with Gueye, could be very formidable indeed. However, he also has the ability to drive forward with the ball into the final third and that spark could be just what the Toffees need to help support the likes of Romelu Lukaku.

In his column for Glasgow paper The Evening Times, former Rangers striker Derek Johnstone has given his verdict on the club’s link to Motherwell sensation Louis Moult.

What’s the story?

The Scottish Sun reported earlier this month that the Light Blues were interested in a £500,000 move for Moult after another impressive 18-goal season in the Scottish top-flight. The transfer was also said to have included Michael O’Halloran moving to Fir Park.

Derek Johnstone knows a thing or two about scoring goals for Rangers having netted 211 times for the Gers in a 554 game career across the 1970s and 80s. He reckons that while Moult is an impressive player, the deal doesn’t suit the Ibrox side.

Writing in his column for The Evening Times, Johnstone said:

I don’t think it would make sense for Rangers to part with half a million quid and Michael O’Halloran, a player who cost them about the same amount in the first place. If Rangers could do a straight swap, then I think that would be a very good bit of business.

While it’s true Rangers may have paid a decent sum money for O’Halloran, Pedro Caixinha can’t be expected to honour those values when identifying targets and given the former St Johnstone man is unlikely to be getting a game at Ibrox any time soon, it surely makes sense to get him off the Rangers books?

Still, Johnstone is correct, if the Light Blues can manage to do a deal without involving cash, it would allow Caixinha to divert limited resources to other top targets this summer.

Following the arrival of new signing Davy Klaassen at Everton, questions have now been raised over the future of Ross Barkley.

Questions were already being asked about the England international due to his apparent reluctance to sign a new contract.

Manager Ronald Koeman stated numerous times during last season that the 23-year-old will be sold if he does not put pen to paper on a fresh deal.

Barkley’s current contract expires at the end of next season, so it would make financial sense for Everton to sell rather than allow him to leave for nothing in the summer of 2018.

Now, though, the midfielder’s place in the team is under threat following the signing of Klaassen, who officially joined the club from Ajax for £23.6m on Thursday night.

The 24-year-old possesses plenty of attacking talent from the middle of the pitch as he managed to find the back of the net 16 times in all competitions for Ajax last season, and he also contributed nine assists.

In contrast, Barkley could only muster five goals and eight assists for Everton during the 2016-17 campaign.

Following Koeman’s capture of Klaassen, some fans are speculating over Barkley’s future, with some believing that he may even be encouraged to stay due to the club’s transfer activity so far.