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Tottenham Hotspur legend and BBC Sport pundit Garth Crooks has paid tribute to West Ham United defender James Collins after naming the Welshman in his Premier League Team of the Weekend.

The Irons centre-back helped his team end a run of five straight top flight defeats as they beat Swansea City 1-0 at the London Stadium, in a result that moved Slaven Bilic’s men eight points clear of the 18th-placed Welsh outfit.

The Hammers’ relegation fears had intensified following the poor run of form, and they could have found themselves just three points above the bottom three if they had been beaten by Paul Clement’s side on Saturday.

Bilic knew that he needed his experienced players to stand up and put in a brilliant performance, and that is exactly what happened as they kept a clean sheet, with Cheikhou Kouyate’s first-half strike proving to be the difference between the two teams.

Crooks was quick to single out centre-back Collins for praise, with his committed performance and ability to deal with Fernando Llorente impressing the 59-year-old.

Crooks told BBC Sport: “There was so much riding on this result and Bilic did well to put his faith in an old head with a lot of experience.

“James Collins was that man and he did everything that needed to be done. He was magnificent in the air and needed to be, particularly when Fernando Llorente came on in the second half for Swansea.

“The Spanish centre-forward raised the stakes for the Hammers and it forced Collins to put his body on the line on a number of occasions.”

The Wales international was making just his 18th appearance of the season for the Hammers, and he will hope that he can help the team to two successive wins when they face Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Leeds United’s bid to make the Championship playoffs will continue on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Burton Albion in what has become a key fixture for Garry Monk’s side.

A 1-0 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday afternoon left Leeds in seventh position in the table – level on points with sixth-place Fulham entering the final three matches of the campaign.

Three wins would surely be enough to secure Leeds a spot in the top six this season, although they have only won one of their last five in the league during a difficult spell.

On Friday afternoon, following the club’s morning training session, Leeds winger Alfonso Pedraza, who is on loan at Elland Road from Spanish outfit Villarreal, took to Twitter, insisting that his team “are ready” for ‘three finals’ over the next few weeks.

The 21-year-old’s words brought a positive reaction from the Leeds supporters on social media as the Whites enter arguably their biggest game of the season this weekend.

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The recent bout of injuries within Manchester United has manager Jose Mourinho bemoaning the clubs place in the English Premier League. With nine injuries affecting the team over the past few months Mourinho feels it is possibly too late to gain enough points to put them back in the running. Due to having too many players absent, those remaining are fatigued and the team has paid the price.

The Portuguese manager has spoken often about the intense schedule of the English Premier League and Europa League, and how it has put pressure on his squad. Currently sitting just one point behind Manchester City they have four more chances to change the outcome; Arsenal on May 7th, Tottenham Hotspur on May 14th, Southampton on May 17th and Chrystal Palace on May 21st. At least two of these teams present serious competition and are expected to give Manchester United a ‘run for their money’; which is reflected in the football betting odds for Jose’s squad finishing in the Top Four.

Jose Mourinho currently has to cope with injury-affected players Shaw, Bailly, Fosu-Mensah, Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Rojo, Smalling, Jones and Wilson; and even though some of these players will become available, they will be far from their best form. The Old Trafford faithful has been encouraged with the return of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Eric Bailly and Paul Pogba who were back in training this week. The fact that these players are on the field, and Pogba is fit enough to play in the match with Celta Vigo in the Europa League semi-final, should put the smile back on Mourinho’s face.

Manchester United now have their sights set firmly on the Europa League as their opportunity for entry into the Champions League next season. With only 3 more matches and key players back on the team, Mourinho is optimistic for a successful outcome. This is definitely reflected with popular online bookmakers like Sportingbet shortening their odds on the chances of Manchester United winning the Europa League for the first time in the club’s history.

Sunday’s game against Arsenal will give Jose Mourinho and Arsène Wenger something to think about as both teams have suffered with the absence of injured players. April saw Arsenal’s Laurent Koscielny, David Ospina, Danny Welbeck, Shkodran Mustafi, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain leave the field with injuries to the back, achilles, foot etc.

However, Wenger is expected to stick with the 3-4-2-1 formation he has used in his last four games and hopefully drive his team to victory. Manchester United needs to gain all three points from this game if they are to keep their hopes alive of finishing in the Top Four of the League. It is hinted that Mourinho will field a weakened team against Arsenal due to his shift of prospective (towards the Europa League) so the results for Sunday’s game could go either way.

Premier League betting operators, as well as sports betting punters will be keeping a keen eye on developments leading up to Sunday’s game and the rest of the League matches. So, even though the end of the season draws to a close; there is still loads to play for and exciting football to be seen to the end!

Manchester United’s hopes of securing a top-four finish suffered a blow as Manchester City thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0 to move four points clear of the Red Devils in the Premier League table.

Jose Mourinho’s men had been looking to qualify for the Champions League but with an away fixture against Arsenal – who are in desperate need of points themselves – tomorrow, they look to face an uphill task to do so with just four fixtures remaining.

They are four points behind City and Liverpool in the standings, with the latter hosting Southampton at Anfield on Sunday.

United do know they can still secure a spot in next season’s Champions League if they win the Europa League, and they are on course to reach the final after beating Celta Vigo 1-0 in the first leg of the semi-final in Spain on Thursday.

Red Devils supporters were quick to give their reaction to the Manchester City result via social media, and many of them have given up on their chance of securing a top-four finish.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Manchester United have told Real Madrid star James Rodriguez to come to Old Trafford as their ‘new No.10’ in a deal which would see the end of Wayne Rooney’s time at the Theatre of Dreams according to reports from Colombia (via Mail Online).

What’s the word?

The reports, stemming from a radio station in James’ home country, have claimed that the Red Devils have told the Los Blancos playmaker the come and replace captain and all-time top goalscorer Rooney as the new No.10 in the red half of Manchester.

The Colombian international looks to be on his way to the Premier League this summer, with the Champions League holders, and finalists this season, supposedly happy to sell come the close of their campaign and with Antonio Conte’s and Chelsea also reportedly interested.

However, should the deal come through it would mean Rooney heading out after 13 years with the club, with the former Monaco man having a clause in his contract with kit manufacturers adidas stating that he must wear the No.10 shirt.

Will Rooney go?

With the clause in James’ contract all but forcing Rooney out the gates at Old Trafford should the deal come off, it seems that the former Everton youngster would have no choice.

Speaking on his future ahead of United’s Europa League semi-final tie with Celta Vigo, in which Rooney was introduced late on, the incumbent No.10 said that he would love to stay put next season but that he needed to be playing football.

His comments were taken in the context that he is almost resigned to leaving the his Manchester United era behind him come the close of this season. With his playtime already far lower than previous seasons, the arrival of the 25-year-old from the Spanish capital would see him fall further down the pecking order.

As reported by The Daily Mail, Chelsea are interested in signing Juventus defender Dani Alves this summer.

What’s the story?

Alves is currently preparing with Juventus for tonight’s huge UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid but his time with the Italian club could be coming to an end according to latest reports.

The Daily Mail reckon that although the 34-year-old has 12 months remaining on his contract at Juventus, the club are looking to move him on this summer and Antonio Conte is interested.

The paper say the Italian manager is looking to bring someone in to compete with Victor Moses in his right wing-back position that has been used to great effect over the last 6 months.

Still got it?

Dani Alves is one of the most decorated footballers in world football and if Juventus win tonight’s final he will have won the UEFA Champions League an absolutely massive four times. His current three European titles are part of a trophy haul that is made up of an unbelievable 34 major honours across his career for club and country. That kind of winning experience could be vital for Chelsea next season.

With the Blues looking to make a splash in the Champions League, they need players who know how to get the job done in the tournament and even at 34, Dani Alves still has it. He’s been a huge part of Juventus’ run to the final, making 11 appearances this term in the competition, scoring 3 times and assisting 4 more. It’s the kind of form that could make him the potential bargain of the summer if Chelsea can land him cheaply with just a year left on his deal in Italy.

It’s fair to say that going into the summer transfer window that Pedro Caixinha has a clear idea of the kind of team he wants to form at Ibrox next season. Rangers have been plenty busy in the transfer market so far, securing the services of four players so far.

Bruno Alves, Ryan Jack and Fabio Cardoso have all joined up on a permanent basis while Dalcio has arrived from Benfica on loan.

Light Blues fans are excited and for good reason. They’ve had to endure a really poor season in the Scottish Premiership, finishing dozens of points behind Celtic and even finishing behind Aberdeen. With no success in any of the domestic cup competitions either, they need improvement badly.

That means as well as bringing players in, Caixinha will need to prioritise moving some on, both for squad harmony and to free up resources for other targets.

With that in mind we reckon there are two obvious contenders to leave the club and ONE star signing that we think could really enhance their ambitions next season…

Axe: Joe Garner

Joe Garner arrived at Ibrox with a big reputation and weighty transfer fee attached and he definitely didn’t live up to either. Ineffective for the vast majority of the season, it’s true he did improve slightly in the final weeks. On the whole we can’t see him ever being a player to celebrate at the club and he would likely represent a decent transfer fee in the summer window, even if they don’t recoup all that they paid last year.

With just ten goals in all competitions, Pedro Caixinha’s side can do a lot better next season. If they are to challenge Celtic they need a striker who can bang in the goals on a consistent basis against both lesser teams in the division but also against sides in the top six, including Brendan Rodgers’ Hoops themselves.

It’s of course difficult to attract a signing like that but we think there could be one in the Light Blues’ backyard that can really improve their attack next season…

Sign: Jason Cummings

With 69 goals in three season with Hibernian, Jason Cummings is one of the most consistent and lethal strikers in Scottish Football. While it’s true all of those goals have come in the Scottish Championship, he is well placed to repeat those goalscoring feats in the top-flight next season, with or without Rangers.

Hibernian fancy making their mark on the Scottish Premiership next season and that could be bothersome for Rangers who simply need to finish at least second or risk complete fan revolt.

In signing Hibs’ best player, it would be a real statement of intent that they plan to be the team that challenges Celtic for the title, especially in the wake of signing Aberdeen captain Ryan Jack on a free transfer.

Cummings isn’t just a token signing though, he could really be the man that the Gers have been crying out for all season to get onto the end of chances in the penalty box.

Martyn Waghorn was their top scorer this season with 15 goals, but as Cummings’ record in Edinburgh suggests, he’s good for at least 20 goals a season. He also thrives on the attention and big games and that kind of mentality would go down a treat at Ibrox.

Axe: Andy Halliday

Put simply, Andy Halliday does not have a future in the Rangers midfield. Yes, he’s a boyhood fan and yes, he loves the club but as this season proved, sometimes that is not enough if you want to make at a massive club like Rangers.

While he was impressive throughout their promotion from the Championship to the top-flight in 2015/16, he’s struggled badly to make the step up and with Ryan Jack coming in to stamp his authority on the midfield in a defensive sense, we just don’t see where Halliday fits in.

He is a big personality in the Rangers dressing room and the last thing Pedro Caixinha needs is influential players unhappy and not getting a game as he tries change the culture and processes at Auchenhowie.

Newcastle United have made a structural change to the club ahead of their return to the Premier League season.

Chief scout Graham Carr has left the club by mutual consent after spending the last seven years at the North-East outfit.

Newcastle announced the news via their official website on Wednesday, adding that they are reviewing the current “scouting operation” and will confirm updates in due course.

Carr took up the role in the closing stages of the 2009-10 season and went on to identify Yohan Cabaye, Vurnon Anita, Mathieu Debuchy, Papiss Cisse, Cheick Tiote and Moussa Sissoko.

In the last few seasons, a number of signings have done little to inspire the team, and while it is unknown why Carr has left, the departure indicates that Newcastle may change their scouting approach.

So far this summer, the newly promoted top-flight side have brought in just one summer arrival, and that is Christian Atsu on a permanent basis.

Rafael Benitez’s club have been linked to numerous footballers across the UK and Europe, but the squad is yet to be shaped.

This latest news has got fans talking, with many happy to see the change being made.

Southampton announced on Friday that they had appointed former Alaves boss Mauricio Pellegrino as their new manager on a three-year deal.

The Argentine replaces Claude Puel after the Frenchman was sacked earlier this month despite securing an eighth-place finish in the Premier League and reaching the final of the League Cup in his first season in English football.

Pellegrino – who appeared for Liverpool during his playing career and was also employed as assistant manager during Rafa Benitez’s reign at Anfield – led Alaves to a ninth-place finish in La Liga and the final of the Copa del Rey in their first campaign back in the Spanish top flight following promotion.

Southampton supporters were quick to have their say on the appointment via social media, and while many were delighted with the arrival of the 45-year-old, others had mixed feelings and are unsure whether he is an upgrade on Puel.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

As reported by ESPN, Rangers have been linked with a move for Manchester United youngster Matty Willock this summer.

The Ibrox camp have been quiet after the fall-out of their humiliating UEFA Europa League exit at the hands of Progres Niederkorn but Pedro Caixinha is still hard at work ensuring he can blend his assembled newcomers into a team worthy of challenging for the Scottish Premiership title next term.

Having made so many acquisitions already this summer, the scope for big signings in the remaining weeks of the transfer window is limited. However. one or two more quality newcomers could give them real depth and give them that extra spark they need to find genuine consistency in the top-flight.

The link to Matty Willock makes perfect sense and here are THREE reasons why…

They have a solid defensive base, now they need the spark

With the additions of Graham Dorrans, Ryan Jack and Carlos Pena this summer, it’s clear that Pedro Caixinha saw the central midfield areas at Ibrox as a massive priority. The likes of Andy Halliday and Jason Holt simply didn’t get the job done last term and it was no surprise to see Halliday head off in the close-season.

All the players mentioned though offer solidity to the middle of the park and not much flair. They will work hard and be effective and in Caixinha’s pragmatic set-up could be stars.

They do need an x-factor though, a wildcard or a spark that can really give them something extra driving into the final third of the pitch against dogged defences.

Willock offers that attacking sensibility and has a real eye for goal, something he has worked on as part of United’s youth sides.

He was a big part of United’s U23 side last season

Willock made 42 appearances for Manchester United’s U23 side last season, scoring five goals and assist three more from the middle of the park. His form was good enough for him to be given a first-team squad number by Jose Mourinho and called up to a match-day squad towards the tail-end of last season but ultimately he did not appear for the Portuguese.

However, his number of appearances and contribution of goals points to a player who has consistency and the personality to become a key member of a side. At 21 he is young, raw and lacks experience but likely has enough quality to compete well at Scottish Premiership level.

With spells at both Arsenal and Manchester United, it’s clear he’s been rated highly throughout his youth career and the final piece of the puzzle would appear to be regular first-team football.

 Loan moves can work well at Ibrox

While Rangers fans are rightly a little weary of loan signings in general having seen many over the last few years, last season they did see how the process can be a positive thing after Emerson Hyndman joined the club in January.

Before their season really went off the rails towards the end of the campaign, Hyndman was one of the team’s stand-out perfomers and one of the few fans would probably take in the starting eleven for the coming season. Ultimately he returned to Bournemouth, but it proved that loan signings can be beneficial.

A similar move for Matty Willock across an entire season would allow the youngster to bed himself into the Rangers team and become a key fixture, in a similar way to what Patrick Roberts did at Celtic and everyone knows how successful that was.

With limited resources, Pedro Caixinha needs to find quality on a budget and if they are going for loan deals, they might as well target players from the biggest clubs in the world, like Willock at United.