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Statistics can be deceptive. They’re often portrayed as absolute, objective fact, but amid an era in which the beautiful game seems to know far about how to create statistics than what they actually tell us, virtually any set of numerical evidence can be skewed and twisted to fit a preferred narrative.

Yet, statistics unquestionably have the capacity to surprise us. Critics say they’ll never be as reliable as the naked eye, especially in a sport as subjective as football, but they can also show us what the naked eye can’t – or, at the very least, what the naked eye doesn’t initially pick up. Liverpool’s Nathaniel Clyne provides a prime example.

The 25-year-old hasn’t exactly uprooted trees since moving to Anfield in summer 2015. He earned his transfer as Southampton’s swashbuckling right-back, finishing the 2014/15 Premier League campaign with the second-strongest tackle average per match of any defender in the division and two goals in 35 appearances – two returns that highlighted Clyne’s ability to impact at both ends of the pitch. Accordingly, Clyne became England’s resident No.2, notching up nine appearances throughout 2014 and 2015, and certainly wasn’t short of suitors when his St. Mary’s contract entered its final year.

But since his switch to Merseyside, Clyne hasn’t quite had the same effect. His two terms with Liverpool thus far can be described as decent if noticeably unspectacular. In contrast, he’s scored just once in 53 league appearances for the Reds and his tackle average has dropped from the dizzy highs of 3.5 per match in 2014/15 to just 2.1 this year. Consequentially, Clyne’s lost his place in the England setup to Kyle Walker – in the eyes of many, the only real candidate for the PFA Team of the Season’s right-back slot.

But scratch a little deeper and the statistics suggest Jurgen Klopp is probably as pleased as he can be with Clyne’s contributions this season, even if he’s been a permanent member of a backline that’s conceded the most goals of any side in the Premier League’s top seven. Klopp looks to his full-backs to get forward and provide with in attack, and the statistics show the former Crystal Palace youngster has consistently excelled in that regard.

Indeed, of all 17 right-backs to make more than ten Premier League appearances this season, Clyne ranks second for key passes (unconverted created chances) per game with 1.4, whilst only four fellow No.2s – Seamus Coleman, Kyle Walker, Antonio Valencia and Adam Smith – have been able to trump his two assists. He also ranks sixth for successful crosses per match, further highlighting the attacking threat he’s provided from wide positions.

But it’s perhaps Clyne’s all-round efforts in possession that truly stand out; in addition to ranking second for passes per game, he’s been dispossessed less than once every two games and comes 12th for unsuccessful touches with less than one per match. That’s incredibly impressive for a side who have as much of the ball as Liverpool, who come second in the Premier League for possession this season with 57.9%.

Clyne’s defensive efforts, in contrast, may seem a little underwhelming – particularly the significant drop in his aforementioned tackle rate. Adding together clearances, interceptions, blocks and aerial duels won, the right-back has completed less than five defensive actions per match this term.

But defenders always have less defending to do in possession-dominant teams, so perhaps a better barometer would be the mistakes Clyne has made. Impressively once again, just one of the 17 right-backs in question have committed less fouls than him per match this season, whilst he’s the only one yet to receive a yellow card – some going after 28 games.

Clyne may still struggle to catch the eye at times, especially amid the trend of marauding full-backs expected to operate almost as wingers, asked to both create chances and convert their fair share as well. But there’s no doubt Clyne has been effective this season and the statistics suggest he’s doing everything Klopp’s philosophy demands of him. Perhaps it’s time the 5 foot 9 full-back received a little more credit from both inside and outside of Anfield.

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As reported by The Daily Record, Emilio Izaguirre is on the verge of a Celtic exit this summer with Costa Rican club Deportiva Alajuelense interested in signing him when his contract expires.

What’s the story?

Having made over 250 appearances for the Hoops over the years, only the long-serving Scott Brown has more appearances for Celtic in the current squad.

The Honduran’s long association with the club could be coming to an end though, with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, and no shortage of suitors waiting to snap him up.

The Record reckon not only are clubs in Major League Soccer interested but that Costa Rican side Alajuelense are certain to launch a bid to sign him at the end of the season.

As quoted by The Daily Record, Alajuelense president Fernando Ocompo said:

Emilio Izaguirre is a great player. We are going to wait until the end of the season before we negotiate a deal. We have a sports commission at the club who have a list of players we want for the new season and Emilio is on that. They will write a report and we will look at the funding it would require to bring him here.

If he goes, it would be an emotional farewell for the 30 year old, who has enjoyed his seven years in Glasgow and built up a great rapport with supporters.

Should Celtic give him a new contract?

Plenty to offer

The emergence of Kieran Tierney has seen Emilio Izaguirre struggle for game time over the last two seasons. In fact, the Honduran has only made one start for the club in 2017.

While his desire may be to see regular first team football, from Celtic’s perspective, offering him a new contract doesn’t seem like the most stupid suggestion.

He offers depth and experience in a key position for the Bhoys. Tierney may be the top boy at left-back but should he get injured, as he did for 3 months this season, then Izaguirre is a capable hand to step in and make sure a beat isn’t missed.

That kind of reliability and competition will be hard to replace.

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has called on West Ham United to stick by manager Slaven Bilic.

It would be understandable if the 48-year-old has been feeling the pressure due to the Hammers’ results on the pitch this season.

The East London outfit finished in an impressive seventh place in the Premier League last season, but they currently sit 14th in the table, eight points above the relegation zone.

Recently, the club’s board issued a statement publicly backing Bilic amid claims by The Telegraph that he will not be offered a new contract at the end of the season, meaning that he will enter the 2017-18 campaign with one year left on his deal.

It has been a difficult few months for the Hammers, with the new London Stadium not being well received by many fans, while they have had to deal with losing their best player Dimitri Payet in January.

West Ham have won just 10 of their 32 league matches this season, but they eased fears of relegation at the weekend by beating Swansea City 1-0 at home.

Lampard, who began his career with the Hammers, told Goals on Sunday that he hopes West Ham do not make a managerial change in the summer.

“I really like Slaven Bilic, he’s an absolute gentleman and a talented manager as well. I think he’s had a tough year.

“I think West Ham’s recruitment wasn’t great last year, and the whole move to the stadium has been very difficult for all at the club. I’d like to see them stick with him and recruit better in the summer.

“West Ham moved to the stadium in order to challenge for the European places, and I think they have to be real now, to go out and spend that money.”

Newcastle may not have mathematically secured their promotion to the Premier League just yet but it appears Rafa Benitez is already eyeing up some potential additions for the summer.

Rock-solid defences have often been an important part of the Benitez philosophy and although the Magpies have conceded the joint-fewest goals of any Championship side this term, question marks linger over their current centre-back options – Ciaran Clark, Jamaal Lascelles, Grant Hanley and Chancel Mbemba – who have all featured but struggled to convince in recent weeks.

According to The Independent, the Toon gaffer is already eyeing a potential upgrade in the form of Stoke City’s Ryan Shawcross; a real old-school centre-back famed for his gritty, physical and aggressive style of defending.

With a year remaining on his Potters contract, Shawcross could certainly be whisked away this summer, and aged 29, the former Manchester United youngster should have a few good seasons still left in the tank.

But is he the signing to ensure Newcastle’s top-flight survival? Would you back a summer swoop for Shawcross? Let us know by voting below!

It is, perhaps, his best ever goal in a blue shirt, but when Chelsea reflect on Didier Drogba’s 2006 strike against Everton at Goodison Park ahead of their trip there on Sunday, they shouldn’t only remember his goal.

As Chelsea chased down Manchester United to retain their Premier League crown, Drogba used every bit of his considerable power and explosivity to beat Tim Howard from long range and deliver an 87th minute winner at the home of a David Moyes-era Everton in the heat of a title race. This was Drogba at his finest, and at his most decisive. He could always handle the pressure of the big moment.

It was Jose Mourinho’s third season at Stamford Bridge, and after Chelsea had won two Premier League titles in a row – on the back of Arsenal’s invincibles season the year before the Portuguese coach’s arrival – questions were being asked of United boss Alex Ferguson for the first time in the Premier League era.

Questions were being asked of Chelsea, though, too.

For one thing, after the investment of Roman Abramovich, many still wanted to know just how genuine this new owner really was: Andriy Shevchenko was bought for a club-record £30m fee, and even if the Ukrainian was one of the best strikers in Europe at the time, he will still go down as a massive flop during his time in the Premier League, even if his flick on means he will always have a part in Drogba’s goal at Goodison Park.

Mourinho didn’t want him, and with Drogba in the team, you could see why. But the signing created a climate which eventually became toxic, and added a stress that the manager never had to endure in either of his first two seasons.

Drogba’s 33 goals put him a long way ahead of the rest of the Chelsea team, but they weren’t enough to stop Manchester United from getting their hands on their first Premier League title in four years. The Ivorian’s strike in that 3-2 victory in mid-December brought Chelsea to the Christmas period – and the midway point of the Premier League – just two points behind their rivals, who lost 1-0 to West Ham United at Upton Park on the same day.

The title race was well and truly on.

But if Mourinho thought a late winner at Goodison Park would rally his team and kick-start a second half of the season where his side blew away all opposition in the same way they had done in the two previous seasons, he was mistaken. It may have taken 87 minutes to grab the winner against Everton, but the next game – away to Wigan – saw Chelsea win only thanks to a 93rd minute strike from Arjen Robben. Yet again, Chelsea left it late, and yet again, they won 3-2.

Throughout Mourinho’s time at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea always seemed to find a way. Even when not playing well, with scandal, drama and nasty words never far away, Chelsea still managed to win. But it was when big players came up with big goals that you knew the Portuguese coach’s team was a special one.

Not that season, though.

After Drogba’s late strike, Chelsea would only lose one more match all season – away to the iconic Premier League rivals of Mourinho’s first spell in charge, Liverpool – and yet their inexorable march to the league title never materialised.

This season under Antonio Conte, Chelsea are once again doing just enough to win, they are finding a way when they need it the most. They ground out a win against Manchester City, and they recovered from a chastening defeat at Old Trafford just two weeks ago to look like Champions-in-waiting once again.

And yet, if Chelsea fans cast their minds back to that season under Mourinho – in what was to be the last full season of his first spell before he left the club at the start of the next campaign – they’ll find a harrowing vision of what could be to come.

Back in 2007, Chelsea were on a nine-match winning run and only three points behind the leaders. With third-placed Liverpool a further 14 points back, it was well and truly a two-horse race. Yet in the end, Chelsea would lose out to United by six points after drawing each of their last five matches.

They dropped 10 points from those last five games, and could have won the league by four points; it would have been a third title in a row for Mourinho, and may have saved the blushes of Shevchenko and Abramovich. The excess money would no longer have been talked about.

And with five games left of this Premier League season left to play, and with Chelsea only four points ahead of second-placed Tottenham, perhaps another trip to Goodison Park is the perfect time to reflect not just on Didier Drogba’s wonderstrike, but also on a season where Chelsea imploded in the final five games.

The lesson for the Blues this time is that looking back on the past and only remembering the good bits is a certain way to fail. It’s the harrowing memories of the past that stop you making the same mistakes over again.

According to Sky Sports, Manchester United have joined Premier League rivals Chelsea in the race to sign AS Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan this summer.

Red Devils manager Jose Mourinho is keen to strengthen his squad this summer with the club guaranteed to finish sixth in the English top flight, and one of the areas he is targeting reinforcements in is in the middle of the park.

With Michael Carrick getting no younger and the likes of Marouane Fellaini unlikely to be a key first team player next season, the Portuguese boss has identified Nainggolan as a potential addition.

The Belgium international has enjoyed a standout campaign for the Serie A giants, scoring 14 goals and providing a further six assists in 51 appearances in all competitions.

Man United supporters were quick to give their reaction to the link via social media, and they are exicted about the potential arrival of the 29-year-old.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Chelsea’s captain, leader, legend John Terry played his final game at Stamford Brigde in a Blues shirt on Sunday where he was substituted in the 26th minute and given a guard of honour by teammates while handing over the armband to England international Gary Cahill.

Terry’s next move is still unknown, however a host of lower ranked Premier League sides have been linked with Bournemouth, West Brom and Swansea all in the mix.

However, Blues legend and former captain Ron Harris feels that staying in the top flight might not be the best idea for the former England international.

“John Terry has been a tremendous servant for the club over 20 years there,” the former defender told ChelseaFan12.com ahead of the launch of the Limited Edition Hardback signed edition of “King Conte.”

“But without being disrespectful the team haven’t missed him this season!

“Its a shame he’s going, of course, but he if wants another club, then he needs a bigger club rather than go to a struggling club.

“When you reach his age, a bit of pace goes, you lose that a bit, and he will be exposed.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes to China.”

The 36-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to the Chinese Super League, however, Shanghai Shenhua manager, and former Chelsea icon, Gus Poyet admitted recently that a deal may be less likely now that the league have restricted the amount of foreign players in each squad.

With the restrictions in place, CSL clubs are far more likely to opt for attacking stars to fill their allocation of foreign players as opposed to the likes of Terry.

“King Conte” ” is published in two weeks, but pre-orders are now being taken of this potential best seller.

It was very late on Wednesday evening when I first saw Jesse Lingard’s short video uploaded onto social media showing the Manchester United squad celebrating their Europa League victory in the dressing room by singing a derogatory song about their rivals City.My initial response was to assume this came courtesy of a City supporter retweeting an old post of Lingard’s – possibly from the revelry that followed last season’s FA Cup final win – and put up as a reminder that the Manchester ‘love-in’ that collectively greeted United’s Europa League triumph was getting a touch out of hand; a reminder that they were still the enemy.Assumption quickly turned to hope – the kind of hope that sparks up in a panicky way when someone you know says something very off-colour and there’s a chance you misheard them – and then there was confusion when reality set in. This was current. This was now. Now of all times.Elsewhere on my timeline Manchester City’s official account was being lavished with praise for responding to their neighbour’s continental victory by tweeting ‘#ACITYUNITED’ with each club’s badges beneath – reminding me of a civilised spell back in the sixties when Joe Mercer and Sir Matt Busby used to congratulate the other on their successes – while scores of Blues were receiving flak and plaudits in equal measure for declaring themselves pleased at the result in Stockholm. Additionally I’d seen a photograph of the United side, medals hanging from their necks, standing behind a banner that read ‘Manchester – A City United #prayformanchester’.

Then there was the rhetoric from the United camp pre-match and immediately after the game: Jose Mourinho’s dignified words following Monday night’s awful atrocity with the United manager saying, “I know, even during my short time here, that the people of Manchester will pull together as oneâ€. Paul Pogba stating on the Friends Arena pitch that, “We won for Manchester. We worked for themâ€.

Then came this, from nowhere this divisive antagonism of gloating that to City supporters who had publicly admitted that for one night only they were going to cheer on a hated rival must have felt like moving in for a hug in grief only to be punched in the gut.

Too far? No, the video was too far; a hypocritical, mind-melting misstep, and bizarrely timed insult complete with a gurning Lingard gleefully emphasising the line belted out in unison from the United players – “Why don’t City eff off home?â€

Home of course being Manchester, a city totalled in pain after two days earlier a despicable excuse of a human being walked into the Manchester Arena and killed 22 people – including seven children – at a pop concert. This complicated, swaggering and brilliant city had experienced many great hardships in its long existence but this was an evil impossible to comprehend.

Yet incredibly – and with a swiftness that reminded you that this was no ordinary metropolis – Mancunians reacted with love, togetherness and compassion. As DJ Dave Haslam tweeted alluding to the famous Joy Division song, “You’ve got the wrong city if you think hate will tear us apart,†and brews were made, free taxi rides put on, and sofas made available via social media. This sense of community and defiance to be united continues now; with vigils and charity events and smiles to strangers on the street as a tentative recovery begins.

For football’s part Yaya Toure and Wayne Rooney each donated £100,000 to the terror attack victims while Manchester City opened up the Etihad to act as a bereavement centre. For United’s part – in as much or as little as sport helps in such circumstances – it fell upon them to represent their city with pride and nobility as they prepared to face Ajax in this week’s Europa League final. And they did. From the build up to the game to their hard-fought victory to Ander Herrera’s commendable words after it they did in spades. That was until local lad Jesse Lingard decided to sour it all merely to bump up his Instagram following and mock a rival fanbase in great pain.

Even now, two days on, I am writing this while slowly shaking my head in disbelief at his stupidity. Not his actions. His stupidity.

It was such that even United supporters condemned the video though it wasn’t online for long. It was soon after replaced – presumably at the behest of the club’s frantic PR team – by a tweet containing a pictured message that read, ‘Let this City stand United’ in half red and blue and captioned with ‘Rivals on the pitch, united in tragedy. Manchester we did it for you’. Below it you’ll find hate, disunity and ill-feeling from Blues railing against the hypocrisy. So long brotherly love: it was good – and necessary – while it lasted.

I have heard it said since that in a similar situation it could easily have been City players misjudging their celebration. Even shoving aside all my bias as a City fan myself I find that scenario impossible to imagine: I mean literally impossible to even imagine City players two days after a terrorist attack on Manchester that had floored the entire city to then sing ‘Who the eff are Man United?’ or something of that ilk. And even then, should a young player have piped up individually Vincent Kompany would have slapped him a new one.

Yet noting the above could be conceived as points-scoring, on a subject it is wholly inappropriate to score points from. Which is why that night and the following day I vowed to not comment on it in print or, if I did, to come at it from a place of understanding.

Let the media condemn, I thought. Let them castigate with the same fury they unleashed on Lee Clark when the Sunderland midfielder was photographed with his Newcastle mates wearing a ‘Sad Mackem b*****ds’ t-shirt. Or Jack Wilshere when he led an anti-Spurs chant at an Arsenal trophy parade. Only more so, surely, as this was something else entirely. This beggared belief.

Only there was nothing, or as next to nothing as to prompt bewilderment. Manchester Evening News journalist Stuart Brennan highlighted the furore. There was one very short paragraph in the Mirror. That aside, there was only silence. Yesterday Andy Dunn in the Daily Mirror wrote that Lingard ‘did Manchester proud’ by ‘carrying on as normal’. I only hope his sycophantic spinning of the incident secures him further access to Mourinho’s posterior next season.

I was not only reminded of Clark and Wilshere. I thought back to February 8th 2008 when the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster coincided with the weekend of a Manchester derby and the media whipped up an imagined storm about the possibility of Blues disrupting the planned minute’s silence. As the game loomed City fans were found guilty before they could even be innocent as United came out with a strong pre-match stance and radio phone-ins had callers labelling us as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘disrespectful’. On the day – as was always going to be the case – Blues were impeccable ,for though the disaster greatly affected United the most, it was also a tragedy that hit the city. Manchester.

If City supporter’s behaviour that day was little surprise then perhaps so too was Lingard’s and United’s earlier this week. I could say more here, I really could. But now is absolutely not the time.

Instead I will quote a City forum member disgusted at seeing an immature, ill-considered, disrespectful video that tainted the togetherness this awful time had forged.

Referring to the players he simply said, “Not an ounce of class between themâ€.

You won’t read this in the papers mind.

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According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are interested in landing Croatian defender Jozo Simunovic from Celtic this summer.

What’s the Word?

After nearly leaving Parkhead last summer, 22-year-old Simunovic impressed and significantly improved under Brendan Rodgers and is now being chased by a number of club around Europe, including a trio of Premier League clubs.

Reports suggest that Newcastle along with Burnley and Huddersfield are keen on landing the Croatian as they all look to establish themselves in the Premier League this upcoming season. However, it is thought that Celtic will accept no less than £8million for the man that nearly left the club this time last year.

How good was Simunovic last season?

After a debut season to forget in a Celtic shirt, the 6ft3 defender improved immensely during his second campaign in Scotland, Simunovic made 29 appearances and was highly impressive, with fantastic aerial ability and the confidence to bring the ball out from the back.

There is no question that the 22-year-old still has plenty to improve upon, most notably his confidence. However, if he is given time to establish himself in the Premier League, it will not be long before he flourishes on the biggest stage in the world.

Where is Simunovic likely to end up?

With Spartak Moscow, Newcastle, Burnley and Huddersfield all interested in landing the imposing Croatian, Simunovic has a number of options to choose from this summer.

However, Huddersfield and Burnley may consider their budgets too tight to risk spending £8million on a relatively untested player. It is more likely that Newcastle and Spartak Moscow will battle it out to land a player who has yet to receive an international call-up.

According to reports in the Daily Telegraph, Manchester City want a buy-back clause inserted into any deal for West Ham United target Kelechi Iheanacho that could be worth £35m to the buying club.

The Irons are keen to bring the 20-year-old to the London Stadium this summer as Slaven Bilic looks to strengthen his attacking options and bring the average age of his squad down, but while City are willing to sell him for £25m, they want to be able to bring the player back to the Etihad for £35m if he impresses, guaranteeing a profit of £10m.

Iheanacho has scored 21 goals in 64 appearances in all competitions for City despite the majority of those outings coming from the substitutes’ bench, and the Hammers could face competition from Leicester City for the Nigeria international’s signature.

West Ham supporters were quick to have their say on the latest update via social media, and they believe the proposed deal is a “no-brainer” and that the club simply have to get the deal done.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…