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Borussia Dortmund centre-back Manuel Akanji shone in Switzerland’s impressive 1-1 draw with pre-tournament favourites Brazil in their opening World Cup group game on Sunday, and Arsenal fans have urged their club to sign the 22-year-old.

The former Basel man lined up alongside Gunners new boy Stephan Lichtsteiner in the back four against Neymar and Co, but he and his defensive teammates produced a strong performance as they picked up what could be a valuable point in their bid to reach the knockout stages.

Meanwhile, the north London outfit already look set to add Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos to their squad this summer, but Unai Emery could be tempted to sign another centre-half given his new team’s problems last season, and the fact that Laurent Koscielny could be out of action until 2019.

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Arsenal supporters, who want their club to make a shock move to sign another 31-year-old star after his impressive World Cup performance, were quick to have their say on Akanji’s display via social media, and while one labelled him as a “future Arsenal CB”, another said “please Arsenal go and sign this Akanji”.

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Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Roy Hodgson salvaged a brilliant 11th-place finish for Crystal Palace in the Premier League last season, following a disastrous start under his predecessor Frank de Boer.

The Eagles had lost their opening four games without scoring a goal when the Dutchman was sacked and replaced by Hodgson, but the poor run continued until their eighth fixture when they netted for the first time and secured an impressive 2-1 win against Chelsea at Selhurst Park.

From then on they gradually moved up the standings, and their final placing and tally of 44 points was particularly impressive, with the likes of Wilfried Zaha, Andros Townsend and Chelsea loanee Ruben Loftus-Cheek excelling in attack, while Mamadou Sakho shone at the back on his return from injury alongside James Tomkins at the heart of the backline.

Having only finished 10 points seventh-place Burnley last term, there is certainly the potential for the south London club, whose fans want to see a 29-year-old re-sign for them this summer, to replicate Sean Dyche’s men’s success if they are enjoy a successful summer transfer window, and Hodgson will be relying on chairman Steve Parrish to delive the players he needs.

Here are three signings Palace must make to guarantee they finish seventh in 2018/19…

While Mamadou Sakho and James Tomkins formed a strong partnership towards the end of the 2017/18 season, you can’t help but feel that the Eagles could be even better defensively if they find an upgrade on the latter.

Dragovic could be the answer even though he often failed to make it into the starting XI under Claude Puel during a season-long loan spell with Leicester City last term.

The Austria international may not want to join the Foxes on a permanent basis if he isn’t guaranteed regular minutes, and Hodgson should move to bring the no-nonsense defender to Selhurst Park instead.

While he suffered from a few injury niggles during his season-loan spell with the Eagles last term, it would be fair to say that when he was on the pitch during his 24 Premier League appearances that he was a huge success.

As well as scoring two goals and providing a further four assists, his skill and link-up play with the likes of Andros Townsend and Wilfried Zaha was particularly impressive, and if Hodgson could bring him to Selhurst Park on a permanent basis he would surely jump at the opportunity.

The 22-year-old says that he will decide his future after the World Cup, and Parrish must bring him in if he leaves Chelsea.

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If Palace are to gatecrash the top seven next season then they need a centre-forward who is going to make a bigger impact and score more goals than Christian Benteke will, and they should make a big-money move to bring FC Porto striker Aboubakar to Selhurst Park.

The Cameroon international scored 26 goals in 43 appearances in all competition last term, and the pace, power and goalscoring threat that he clearly brings, he could form a fearsome attacking trio alongside Zaha and Townsend next term that could take the Eagles into Europa League contention.

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

West Ham fans mercilessly mocking Heung-min Son, after Javier Hernandez scored the goal to potentially send South Korea home from the World Cup.

Nothing quite compares to the emotion on offer at the World Cup, and West Ham fans are absolutely loving being on the right side of it.

Javier Hernandez drew plenty of praise for his part in Mexico’s 1-0 win over Germany, as the “little pea” put in tons of hard work despite not finding the killer pass or finish to put the game to bed on the counter attack.

That’s exactly what he did against South Korea on Saturday though, as the 30 year-old found his 50th international goal to put his side in the driver’s seat to win group F.

Chicharito put his side 2-0 up after being played through by Hirving Lozano, a goal that proved crucial as Tottenham’s Son scored a lovely late goal to cut the deficit.

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The 2-1 defeat leaves the Koreans on the brink of exiting the tournament, and Hammers’ fans are bashing Son for his reaction to the defeat.

The Spurs winger could now be forced to leave football for his country’s mandatory military service, unless they win gold at the Asian Cup next year.

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Spurs have had the better of the Hammers in recent years, so West Ham fans are certainly enjoying this one.

You can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

Chelsea have secured the signing of Barcelona attacker Pedro, right under the noses of Manchester United. No doubt this will make the addition of a World Cup winner even sweeter for everyone involved in West London, but perhaps there is a precedent to get even more excited about.

When former team-mate Alexis Sanchez left sunny Spain for London last year, questions were asked about his true quality. Clearly an exceptionally talented footballer, the fact the La Liga giants were willing to let him go seemed rather odd. If he’s that good – why sell him?

Well, the simple answer is that Blaugrana have arguably the best front three ever assembled in modern football. Luis Suarez joined Brazil captain Neymar and 4x Balon D’oR winner Lionel Messi in a three pronged attack that dominated the game both home and abroad.

However, the performances of Sanchez last year answered any doubts. Perhaps he is not as good as the aforementioned trio, but he is a world-class talent in his own right. The dynamic spearhead of the Arsenal attack, he was able to show just what he can do when given a proper run in the side.

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Perhaps the same can be said about Pedro. The Spanish international has struggled to break into the ‘MSN’ trio, but there is no shame in that. Really, other than Cristiano Ronaldo – who seriously could? There are a few you could make arguments for, but that’s another story for another time.

In signing the La Masia graduate, the Blues have all but guaranteed themselves goals in important games. Earning the nickname ‘The King of Finals’ is no mean feat, and Pedro brings with him a wealth of top class experience.

Like his Chilean former team-mate, the Spanish star can operate on both flanks, providing genuine width and stretch defences up and down the country. He can also offer incisive options through the middle, and that versatility will be crucial to a Chelsea side who so often looked out of ideas in the early stages of their title defence.

What earned the Chile international so many plaudits at the Emirates was his all action approach, chasing lost causes and harassing the opposition. As a graduate of Barcelona’s world famous academy, Pedro will offer a similar high pressing approach.

The La Roja star often made his mark in big games. His goals in El Classico’s, World Club Cup finals and the Champions League final are fondly remembered in Spain, and suggest Jose Mourinho is finally getting an added goal threat.

With Falcao floundering so far, and Diego Costa always on the brink of either getting sent off or pulling his hamstring – the 28 year old will bring much needed firepower. Just like Alexis did last year.

The precedent has been sent by the Arsenal star. Pedro must prove he is indeed a top-class talent, the ‘MSN’ might be other-worldly, but his arrival at Stamford Bridge is exciting to say the least. Sanchez was determined not to be seen as an out-cast, and Pedro must do the same.

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The weak title pun is in reference to Ranieri’s promise to buy all his players pizza, but only if they had kept a clean sheet against Stoke City earlier this season.

Unfortunately for the Foxes the game ended 2-2, although a pizza was the least the player’s deserved after another amazing fight back.

Their early season fighting spirit has epitmoised Leicester’s return to the Premier League, and they look as hungry as ever to grab a piece of the top 10 action. Not many would have anticipated this six months ago, and Nigel Pearson should be credited for the position Leicester City currently find themselves in.

Parallels can be drawn with Southampton from a few years ago. After sacking Nigel Adkins many Saints fans were outraged at the disloyalty shown to the man who had guided them to the Premier League. However, few would disagree with that decision now. Southampton replaced Adkins with Pochettino and the rest is history. Southampton are now a team who consistently finish in the top 8, a target not beyond the realm of possibility for Leicester City this season. The question is can they sustain it?

If the Foxes do continue their extraordinary form and finish in the top 8 at the end of season then changes will likely occur. Much like Southampton, many of Leicester’s stars will move on to bigger teams. A lot will depend on how well they replace the likes of Vardy and Mahrez, perhaps Ranieri will look to Serie A for his replacements in the same way Koeman has used the Eredivisie to strengthen his Southampton side.

Of course these permutations may not occur, although it is surely in the long-term interest of Leicester City to follow the example set by Southampton.

The Foxes have good financial backing, so there is no reason why they can’t kick on and compete in the Premier League. They need to make the most of the season they are having, and assess the changes after that. The most consistent teams in the Premier League are the most adaptable. It may even transpire that Ranieri will leave after one or two successful seasons with Leicester City, which will be another real test of Leicester’s Premier League resilience.

Most Leicester fans have fond memories of Martin O’Neill’s reign. Under the Northern Irishman the Foxes enjoyed two league cup successes and played European football. These are the last glory days in the club’s recent memory, and Leicester find themselves in a wonderful position to create a legacy to compete with that one.

To support Leicester at the moment must be an incredible feeling. Most fans will still be drunk from the Foxes’ unexpected Premier League status this season, whilst the rest will be plastered with the delight of things to come.

After consecutive defeats to Arsenal and Norwich, pressure is seemingly starting to mount on Swansea boss Garry Monk, with reports in the national press that the Welsh club were considering their manager’s position.

With the likes of Leicester City, Crystal Palace and West Ham overachieving this season, it appears club chairmen are looking at other teams with envy and the level of expectation across the board has been raised.

For Swansea, some retrospect is surely necessary before any decision over Monk’s future is made.

The Liberty Stadium outfit have quickly become a blueprint for clubs across the land, with their rise to the Premier League and subsequent consolidation a shining example of how to bridge the division gap. Brendan Rodgers led the club to the English top flight for the first time, while Michael Laudrup won the club’s first-ever major cup competition.

Since Monk has taken over, the Swans continue to be as competitive as ever, with not many people having any thoughts of potential relegation for the Welsh outfit this term.

On their day, Swansea remain a team capable of taking it to, and beating, the division’s biggest teams, with the Liberty Stadium not a venue that many teams relish visiting.

Unlike other sides that have been promoted to the Premier League and survived, the Welsh outfit have looked to play expansive and attacking football, with their fans becoming accustomed to a certain way of playing.

The Swansea brand of possession-based, incisive play continues under the current boss, but results have not perhaps been on the team’s side this season.

At the time of writing, Monk’s men sit 14th on the Premier League table and have won just three of their opening 12 games. Despite this, had luck been on their side on a number of occasions, Swansea would find themselves in the top half and with a chance of a top-six finish this term.

As it is, only six points separate the Swans from Crystal Palace in eighth place and there is every chance that the club’s fortunes will improve after the international break.

In Monk, Swansea have been brave in recruiting a virtually untried, young manager, but the supposed gamble has paid off to date. The 36-year-old’s positive attitude, energy and way of thinking certainly fit in at the club and the players clearly respect him despite his young age for a manager.

Monk has a bright future in the Premier League managerial circuit and should be afforded time to help Swansea evolve to the next level. Performances have been there, but a number of results have not gone the team’s way in close games.

Although other managers have excelled at the club in achieving their respective objectives over the last five years, the raising of the expectation levels makes the current head coach’s job a difficult one – but one Monk is fully capable of succeeding in.

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Sunderland has not been, on the whole, a happy club in recent years. Managers have come and gone, all of them grimly struggling to keep this grand old club of the north east afloat in the Premier League. The fans give a lot, and demand a lot back.

The list of managers who the job has burnt out in recent years is growing; Roy Keane, Steve Bruce, Martin O’Neill and Gus Poyet. With Dick Advocaat the latest man to step away from the helm at the Stadium of Light, the call went out for someone who would guarantee Premier League safety, as near as possible. Step forward big Sam Allardyce, a man who has never been relegated and never intends to be.

The larger-than-life Allardyce will sweep into the club like a blast of clean spring air, and I believe will not take long at all to make an impact on the club, the team and their results. Allardyce has, after all, been here before, several times actually. There are those who say he’s never been involved in a relegation battle, who say he does not have the experience of what it’s like to be right down the bottom of the league. To a certain extent, this is actually true.

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However, the only reason Allardyce has never been at the bottom of the league is due to his almost uncanny ability to keep these unfashionable, not particularly large clubs in the top half year after year. Bolton, Blackburn, West Ham… the list goes on. All were clubs that required stability and consistency above all; Big Sam certainly gave them that.

He got Bolton and Blackburn in to Europe – that takes some doing. He was unceremoniously sacked by Newcastle after not having had long enough in the job to properly prove himself. At West Ham, he was charged with getting them back to the Premier League – he did so. His job was then to keep them in the Premier League – he did so.

He also guaranteed them top half finishes, and made sure that Hammers fans did not spend the spring months endlessly worrying about relegation. They might not have liked him or particularly appreciated the brand of football he brought to Upton Park, but they certainly respected him.

While the parting of the ways at the end of last season probably came as a relief to many West Ham fans, there will no doubt have been some who understandably felt a little nervous at this departure from the security of Allardyce’s style.

In short, Allardyce guarantees organisation, immense work ethic, discipline and as much defensive solidity as he can possibly whip into his players. While there is no doubt that the task awaiting him at Sunderland is immense, he can perhaps take heart from the fact that he has performed similar miracles with teams where the players were of a similar calibre before, notably at Blackburn where with a distinctly ordinary squad they regularly finished in the top half.

The defence at Sunderland in particular will of course be his main concern, but if even his powers are not enough to turn Younes Kaboul into a Premier League quality defender (that’s a little harsh possibly since the other members of the back four haven’t set the world alight this season either), he has shown plenty of times his willingness to dip into the loan market or transfer market in January to come up with a cunning solution.

Knowledgeable, canny, organised, positive and above all hard-working, Sunderland could not have hoped for a manager with as much nous and as much experience at taking un-fancied teams to league positions far beyond their expected level.

If Allardyce can pull this particular rabbit out of the hat, and I see no reason at all why he should not, it will all just be another chapter to add to the legend of Big Sam.

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino says his side deserved to win against Watford, while also praising his players for adapting to a new system at Vicarage Road.

A late Son Heung-min goal gave the North Londoners all three points against the Hornets, securing a last-gasp 2-1 victory when a draw looked like the fairest result.

Watford had come from a goal down to equalise, but saw Nathan Ake given a straight red card with 20 minutes remaining.

Despite Tottenham being far from their best, Pochettino has stated that his men deserved to win the clash.

“It’s always emotional when you get a winner in the last minute,” he told the club’s official website.

“I thought it was fantastic how we managed the game and how we conceded the goal was a little unlucky but at the end, we fully deserved the victory.

“We played against a tough, tough side like Watford and two weeks ago, Liverpool had big, big problems here. We managed the first half and we were unlucky in how we conceded the goal. Okay, maybe in the end it was a late victory but we fully deserved to win.”

The Argentine trainer opted to play Eric Dier in a deeper role at Vicarage Road, changing to three at the back in an effort to blunt the impact of Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney.

Pochettino stated that the system worked well and the players took to it as he hoped.

“Sometimes you analyse an opponent and how they create problems to other teams,” he continued.

“Liverpool play possession of the ball but the way Watford play is to always find a striker and create problems from there. They don’t elaborate too much or play from the back, they play forward and they are very strong. We worked on how to stop that.”

Tottenham’s top-four hopes have been boosted by the victory, with the White Hart Lane side moving into third after the result.

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It’s time for another round of Premier League fixtures as we look at three players you should consider when picking your Fantasy Premier League team ahead of Gameweek 26.

As always, some notable fixtures that should be considered when making your decisions are Sunderland versus Manchester United, Aston Villa versus Liverpool, and Everton versus West Bromwich Albion.

Last week we selected Reds star Adam Lallana, Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Wimmer, and Southampton keeper Fraser Forster, with all three giving you decent points.

Lallana picked up a total of nine points after netting a goal, Wimmer managed to register his second clean sheet with seven points, while Forster has now gone five games without conceding, tallying another six.

Picking differentials will always be seen as a risk, but if your gamble does pay off, you’re bound to make up some room or even overtake the players ahead of you in your respective leagues.

So, whether you agree with our selections or not, here are three Fantasy Premier League differentials for you to consider ahead of Gameweek 26.

Jesse Lingard

First off, Manchester United winger Jesse Lingard (4.3 and owned by 1.8%) is slowly getting picked by a few Fantasy Premier League players, so he could be a good selection as his price is also bound to rise.

He registered eight points against Stoke City in Gameweek 24 and then another nine in his previous match against Chelsea as his side now travel to face a struggling Sunderland side. Due to his form, manager Louis van Gaal will surely select him for the role on the right wing heading into the match.

Emmanuel Adebayor

Crystal Palace January signing Emmanuel Adebayor (5.8 and owned by 0.4%) could be another interesting pick given that he looks to have regained his match fitness after featuring for 85 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Swansea City last weekend.

The striker is now in line to net his first goal for the Eagles when they host Watford this coming Saturday as a win would see them overtake their opponents in the table. Adebayor has been away from the game for quite some time, but could very well replicate his form when playing for former clubs Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.

Aaron Lennon

Everton winger Aaron Lennon (5.6 and owned by 0.3%) will be a very good pick given that he has been on a good run of form lately, netting two and providing one assist from his previous two matches.

His recent performance has also seen him overtake Gerard Deulofeu in the pecking order as he played the full 90 minutes in his previous two matches. He scored a goal in the 3-0 win over Stoke City last weekend and could continue his form when his side host West Bromwich Albion this Saturday.

Predictably with Arsenal, the proverbial ‘business end’ of the season bares witness to a faltering title challenge on their behalf.

Their disappointing loss to Barcelona in the Champions League was followed up with reversals at the hands of Manchester United and Swansea, leaving the Gunners six points off the top.

While the doubts about their mental strength seem to never cease, perhaps the unpredictably that has marked the season throughout can serve as a figure of hope.

Though Leicester City and arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur sit above them in the league, both have proved they are prone to relative slip ups and there is so much more to be played for.

With the likes of Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla due to return before the end of the season, it seems as if writing Arsene Wenger’s men off right away may be a tad hasty.

Especially considering the nature of the season so far.

With 11 games to go, here are the FIVE fixtures that will make or break Arsenal’s title challenge…

VS SPURS (AWAY) 5TH MARCH

Has a North London derby ever had such high stakes? While usually any match between the two rivals is considered a showpiece, a loss tomorrow could all but end the title challenge. For either team.

Should Wenger manage to pick his side up after such a slump and manage to beat this hugely energetic Spurs side, it could spark the momentum required to catch the table topping Foxes.

Lose, however, and the mental block that is too often prevalent in Wenger’s side will only become a heavier burden to bare.

VS EVERTON (AWAY) 19TH MARCH

Between tomorrow’s North London derby and a trip to Merseyside, the Gunners travel to Barcelona and Hull in the Champions League and FA Cup respectively.

While many expect them to lose in Spain, the trip to Humberside will provide a tricky obstacle to navigate no doubt. Should they suffer a cup upset, a feasible outcome, the losing streak could mar their mentality when looking to put their title surge back on track.

Goodison Park is also a tough place to go and the Toffees provide the sort of pacy, powerful attack that can cause the Gunners’ backline real problems.

VS WEST HAM (AWAY) 9TH APRIL

Another difficult away day in the shape of a trip across to Upton Park. As the Hammers proved against Spurs on Wednesday night, they can pose real problems and could have a big say as to where the title ends up this season.

With Champions League ambitions of their own, Slaven Bilic’s side will provide a stern test on the Gunners’ last trip to the Boleyn. Dimitri Payet is poetry in motion, while the ever going threat of Michail Antonio is bound to cause Wenger’s defence problems.

VS MAN CITY (AWAY) 7TH MAY

When Arsenal beat Manchester City at the Etihad last season, we saw the emergence of Francis Coquelin in the anchor man role. It was a 2-0 win that heralded a new found solidity within their ranks, a certain efficiency to partner their flamboyance.

Well, while there’s a certain directness not seen before, performances like the one we saw in January 2015 have not come around often enough.

However, that was the past. When Wenger takes his men to Manchester, the result could have huge implications on the top order.

Though the expensively assembled City squad are trailing behind them in the league and largely underperforming, they have more than enough talent to claw their way back into the title race.

The penultimate game of the season could prove to be the decider on as to how Wenger is perceived going forward. Lose, and his team could have capitulated at the last. Again.

VS ASTON VILLA (HOME) 15TH MAY

Should the title race go right down to the wire, as it could well do, the final game of the season against Aston Villa could be defining moment for the Gunners.

If they are still within touching distance, they have a great chance of finishing the season in style. Villa, quite frankly, are awful. Hosting them with the title potentially in the balance, would make the home side strong favourites.

Can they do it with the pressure on, in front of their own fans? Only time will tell.