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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has been chatting to The Evening Standard about his plans for the south London-based club, and his words are certainly full of hope, determination and vision.

Parish embarked on a three-year plan back in the summer, a blueprint that will hopefully see a new Main Stand be built at Selhurst Park, as well as a £20m revamp of the academy with the intention of securing category one status.

The 54-year-old certainly has big plans for the Eagles, and aims to make Palace a “shining beacon of positivity” around south London and something for the community to be proud of.

Additionally, one particular snippet from his comments suggests that he has learned some lessons during his time in the Premier League.

What did he say?

When speaking about the academy in particular, Parish said: “We know that the academy is such a powerful thing, in terms of what it means to everybody, but also financially it benefits the club.

“We’ve got to put the finances in place and, at the same time, make sure that we do well in the Premier League. We have to bring through more Wilfrieds [Zaha] and Aarons.

“If you get the process right, then success follows. If you set short-term goals, you’ll do short-term things. I think we’ve probably been guilty of that in the past.”

11-word extract suggests lessons are being learned

The final 11-word sentence of Parish’s comments, in which he says “I think we’ve probably been guilty of that in the past”, suggest the Eagles chief is learning from previous errors.

Since achieving promotion back in 2013, Palace have had seven permanent managers – averaging roughly one boss per each campaign.

Additionally, some of the playing staff that has been recruited since promotion has reeked of short-termism – there are only four players in the Palace squad under the age of 28, with one of them being the on-loan Victor Camarasa.

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To further emphasise the point of unsustainable, short-term recruitment, only two players have been moved on for significant fees in that seven-year period – Yannick Bolasie moved to Everton for £25m, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka went to Manchester United for £50m.

Fair play to Parish. It really has felt as if the south Londoners have been making it up as they’ve gone along since earning promotion, riding their luck while being bailed out by survival experts. However, the chairman’s comments suggest that he has learned from the error of his ways, and is actively trying to guide the club onto a new pathway.

In other news, Patrick van Aanholt’s place may finally be under threat…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Sunderland have so far had limited success in attack this season, but bringing Marc McNulty into the side on a regular basis could be the right way to go.

On the chalkboard

Since arriving at the club Phil Parkinson has placed a lot of faith in Will Grigg, at least in the league, but so far the striker has continued to underwhelm, and has just two goals to boast of as a result.

One of those goals came against Tranmere, too, when the game was already won, so it is fair to suggest that the Black Cats could do with a more influential figure in the attacking final third.

McNulty already has more league goals than the Northern Irishman despite starting just six league games, and the energy he provides up-front means he can impact games in a more effective fashion than Grigg, even when he’s off-form.

He has shown previously that he is suited to playing in a lone role or as part of a two, notching 28 goals for Coventry in the 2017/18 season, when he was often partnered with Stuart Beavon in attack.

The Scot has struggled to hit the same kind of form since but if the team was built around him, and he had the confidence from his manager, then he could begin to show why he was brought in over the summer.

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Confidence player

The 27-year-old has shown throughout his career that he has a number of attributes which make him well-suited to League One football.

His hold-up play could be ideal in doing the hard graft up-front, freeing up Grigg or Chris Maguire to take advantage of the space he creates by drawing in defenders.

On top of that, according to Berkshire Live journalist Jonathan Low, he also works tirelessly by running into channels, and when his confidence is up it can be difficult to contain his poaching instinct.

As a result, he is very much the type of forward the Black Cats could do with – someone who can keep the ball in the opposition half and add pressure on the defence, as too often under Parkinson Sunderland have failed to provide an attacking threat.

That is shown by the fact they have scored more than one goal in just one match under him, and until he makes changes to the forward line that looks set to continue.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to a seventh straight game this afternoon, but a local rival stands in their way.

Nuno Santo’s side welcome Aston Villa to Molineux just a couple of weeks after they defeated them in the Carabao Cup, so maybe there is some revenge at stake too.

Michael Kightly reveals the truth about his exit from Wolves in the video below…

Last time out, the west Midlanders needed a second-half goal from Raul Jimenez to clinch a point against Arsenal, but there were encouragements for the future.

None more so than the performance from Ruben Neves, who finally was utilised in an advanced position – and it paid off.

On the Chalkboard

Football FanCast have previously highlighted the need for the Portuguese midfielder to play further forward to draw the best out of him.

He is known for the odd screamer, after all.

In fact, he’s not scored a goal from inside the area (aside from a penalty) in an old gold shirt, per Understat – remarkably at one stage, Neves had more long-range goals than touches inside the penalty box.

Playing next to his fellow countryman Joao Moutinho in a 3-4-3 formation, the 22-year-old was allowed to venture into the final third – 42 of his 45 passes were between the mid and final phases of the pitch.

Neves also managed to fire off four shots at goal, all from considerable range – the most in one game since Burnley at the end of August – which only goes to show that he’s been given a bit more freedom.

This is most emphasised when taking a look at his heatmap from a game like Manchester City, where he was deployed in a very defensive role and this game against Arsenal.

The City victory (left) shows just how deep Neves was, while the Arsenal draw (right) displays him much closer to the opposition’s penalty area with more intensity in their half too.

Wolves may have beaten the reigning champions, but that was down to a moment of brilliance from Adama Traore as he netted a late brace, so that can be discounted in terms of Neves’ own personal performance – he had a far greater impact against the Gunners.

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And that is something that needs to continue going forward if Nuno wants his side to score more goals, which should in theory lead to more victories.

Wolves have just drawn too many matches as they sit 12th in the league despite losing the same amount of games as City and fewer matches than Tottenham Hotspur.

The £45m-valued (Transfermarkt) midfielder holds all the keys to unlocking future success.

Liverpool fans have suggested that right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold should become one of Jurgen Klopp’s reserve ‘keepers.

The England international was the subject of controversy after his side’s 3-1 victory against Manchester City on Sunday.

The 21-year-old was said to have handled Bernardo Silva’s flick in the sixth minute of the game, but referee Michael Oliver did not agree. As a result, the Reds went on the counter-attack and Fabinho scored a 25-yard strike that deceived Claudio Bravo at his near post to give the hosts an early lead.

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane ensured that Liverpool went eight points clear at the top of the Premier League and nine clear of City.

It isn’t the first time that appeals of handling the ball have come Alexander-Arnold’s way. Protests were waved away during the Champions League semi-final against Roma where the Englishman appeared to have handled, and the same happened at St James’ Park last season during their 3-2 win. All three were not given and went Liverpool’s way.

Supporters joked about the prospect of the youngster becoming backup to Alisson Becker and made their feelings clear on social media.

Here you will find some of the best responses from Liverpool fans, with one supporter giving a shout-out to former Red Stephane Henchoz after his infamous handball in the 2001 FA Cup final:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to Football Insider, Newcastle sent scouts to keep an eye on QPR left-back Ryan Manning in the R’s 2-0 defeat to Leeds United on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Magpies are keeping tabs on the Irish full-back ahead of the January transfer window, with a view to making a move for the impressive Manning, who could be available for a cut-price fee this winter.

The 23-year-old’s contract at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium expires next summer, and the aforementioned report states that the former Rotherham man could be available for a sum between £2m-£3m.

If Newcastle can secure his services for a fee as small as £2m-£3m there is no doubt it will be considered a shrewd piece of business.

QPR do have the option to extend his deal by 12 months, something that the Londoners might need to do in order to resist Premier League advances this January – Southampton are also believed to be interested in Manning.

Would fit Steve Bruce’s wing-back system perfectly

If Newcastle can get this deal over the line, Manning would be an ideal fit for Bruce’s preferred system.

The former Sunderland manager has set his side up with wing-backs in the majority of this season’s games – in fact, every game except for the 5-0 loss to Leicester has seen wing-backs involved in either a three-man or five-man backline.

Coincidentally, this is a system that Manning is well accustomed to as R’s boss Mark Warburton has also used wing-backs on five occasions so far this season.

One game in particular – a 2-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday – saw Manning take to the role like a duck to water, and his impressive individual statistics from the campaign so far emphatically emphasise his attack-minded nature – a trait needed for a wing-back.

Manning has scored two goals and recorded three assists and has played every minute of the season so far, while also making 2.2 key passes per game and drawing 2.5 fouls per game in the Championship.

If Manning did end up on Tyneside, he would be a ready-made option for Bruce’s system.

We wonder what Pires, a legendary figure in north London thanks to his part in the iconic Invincibles squad, thinks about Ozil’s current situation.

West Ham host Sheffield United on Saturday and despite the organisation and defensive robustness of Chris Wilder’s side, some fans have called for Felipe Anderson to be dropped.

He has been one of the Hammers’ most creative player since signing in summer 2018, adding to his five assists last season with four so far this term, so is perhaps the most likely player to find a way through the Blades’ backline.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

As a result, it would be a surprising move if Manuel Pellegrini chose to omit him from the starting line-up, even if his recent performances have dipped slightly, with Football London ratings of six and four against Crystal Palace and Everton respectively – his display against the latter particularly drawing the ire of supporters.

Instead, some fans want to see youth player Nathan Holland take to the field, with the winger scoring two against Stoke on Monday to take his season tally to four goals, with three assists also.

Others are keen to see Wilshere get a run-out, a change which could work in West Ham’s favour, with Manuel Lanzini also underperforming in the middle – he achieved a pass accuracy of just 73% against the Toffees last week.

Here are some of the suggestions from the London Stadium faithful that the Brazilian should be left out of the starting line-up.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Barcelona have recently acquired the services of another 16-year-old prodigy as they look to build more than just a solid foundation for the future.

After the recent emergence of Ansu Fati, their other 16-year-old super talent, Pedri of Las Palmas, is the next one in line to become a world-class player.

The Blaugrana tied him down with a contract not that long ago but the youngster is going to stay with his current club until June next year, as officially confirmed by the Catalan giants.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And Pedri mustered an incredible display for Las Palmas against Deportivo La Coruna down in the Segunda division on Sunday, bagging two assists to help his team to a 3-0 victory.

But that performance highlighted everything Barcelona will like about the young talent as the whole array of his skills were on display.

Pedri recorded a total of four key passes, created three big chances, two of which ended up in a goal, completed 100% of his dribbles and also managed the game-highest 9.2 match rating.

By all standards, this was a stand out performance from the 16-year-old who looks likely to conquer the world in the not so distant future.

Of course, it is still too early for such huge predictions but even the Guardian listed him in their Top 60 best young talents in world football – alongside the aforementioned Fati.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

With those two locked down and destined to work together in the years to come, Blaugrana’s foundation for the future looks set already.

And the best thing is, this is only the beginning. If Sunday’s performance is any indication, there’s a lot more where that came from for young Pedri.

Before the game vs Deportivo La Coruna, he had played nine games for Las Palmas and managed to score three goals and assist one.

Let’s see if the trend continues in the future.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

And just as Barcelona feared, Ousmane Dembele has been officially charged with a two-game ban after insulting and arguing with the referee, Mateu Lahoz, in the clash against Sevilla last weekend. But not all is grim for the Catalans, however, since they still have their 16-year-old talisman who could get his big El Clasico debut at the end of the month.

On the chalkboard

Even though Barcelona have confirmed that they will indeed appeal both red cards handed out by Lahoz last Sunday – Ronald Araujo was also sent off – at the moment it seems that Dembele is sure to miss the clash against Real Madrid.

Blaugrana will travel to Eibar first after the international break and then, at the end of the month, will host Los Blancos at the Camp Nou for this season’s first El Clasico.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And as things stand, Dembele’s two-game suspension would see him miss the big game in Catalonia.

But even if that happens, Fati will be there to embrace that opportunity with both hands.

History in the making

By this point, everyone knows who Barcelona’s 16-year-old prodigy is and how he has shattered multiple long-standing records in the first couple of outings he has had with the Catalan giants.

But making his El Clasico debut and potentially marking it with an excellent performance would surely be the cherry on the cake.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

And the stars seem to be fully aligned for Fati to actually participate in the clash, at the very least.

Recently, he wasn’t called up for Spain’s U17 squad, which means he will be available for Ernesto Valverde to pick if he so chooses.

But with Dembele potentially out of the picture due to that aforementioned suspension, Fati getting that call seems more than just likely and we’ve seen already that the coach is not afraid to throw the youngster into the fire when necessary.

He has, thus far, made five La Liga appearances, scoring twice and providing one assist.

And Fati himself seems ready to take on another challenge.

These are exciting times for both the teenager and Barca’s fans.

Phil Parkinson is “very excited” about the Kop End projects that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are piecing together at Wrexham.

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• Welsh outfit updating famous stadium
• Set to welcome more supporters through the turnstiles
• Atmosphere will improve again as a result

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  SToK Racecourse is in the process of undergoing a serious facelift, with a tired old stand behind one of the goals about to be brought into the 21st Century. That redevelopment remains a work in progress, with a stop-gap solution being sought for now that allows more supporters to head through the turnstiles.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  A temporary stand has been constructed in North Wales, with the hope being to offer a pre-Christmas boost to loyal supporters when a further 2,289 tickets are made available for a derby date with Newport County on December 23 – with an increased capacity then set to be enjoyed through to the end of the season.

• WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Red Dragons boss Parkinson has said of ramping up what is already a passionate atmosphere: “I'm so pleased, when the supporters arrive at the ground there's a different feel to the place. We're very excited about getting the supporters in there. When you look at it, there's a lot of people who support the club who have been unable to get tickets and this enables over 2,000 [to be] in the ground, but also it enhances the atmosphere around the stadium and that's what the Racecourse is all about.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Wrexham’s capacity is about to nudge above 12,000 for the first time in 16 years, with the new 5,500 all-seater Kop End set to replace a structure that has been out of commission since 2007. Red Dragons supporters have had plenty to get excited about of late, leading to regular sell-outs, and the club are currently flying high in League Two as they push for back-to-back promotions.