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Adam Reach hit a first-half brace as Sheffield Wednesday recorded a 3-1 win over Swansea City in the Championship on Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday raced into a three-goal lead before the interval, with Steven Fletcher joining Reach on the scoresheet in what was an incredible first 45 minutes.

Oliver McBurnie netted for the Swans in the 69th minute, but it was a case of too little, too late as the home side secured all three points.

Ahead of the clash with Swansea, Reach – a 2016 arrival from Middlesbrough – had actually gone eight Championship games without finding the back of the net.

However, the 26-year-old was back to his brilliant best against the Swans and that led to a host of praise from the Wednesday fans on social media.

Who are the best away fans in the Championship? Pl>ymaker FC’s Thogden gives his top 10 in the video below…

Reach has now managed eight Championship goals for the campaign and certainly played a key role in Steve Bruce’s side winning for the first time since February 2.

A selection of the Twitter reaction to Reach’s double can be seen below:

Angelo Ogbonna’s potential early return from a serious knee injury is a ‘massive boost’ for West Ham, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Ogbonna could return early

The Italian was enjoying a superb start to the season back in the early months of 2021/22, only for his campaign to be cruelly cut short by injury.

Ogbonna suffered cruciate ligament damage in the memorable 3-2 win at home to Liverpool back in November and it was generally thought that he wouldn’t feature again this season, potentially even playing his last game for the club.

It has recently emerged that the centre-back looks likely to feature again before the summer, however, in a positive update for both West Ham and the player himself.

The Latest: Journalist reacts to news

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke discussed the update, admitting it is an undoubted boost:

“It would be a massive boost to get Angelo Ogbonna back, who was in really good form for West Ham prior to the cruciate ligament injury he picked up against Liverpool.”

The Verdict: Enormous boost for Hammers

From a purely human perspective, it is heartwarming that Ogbonna looks likely to wear the Hammers shirt again, with the general assumption that he had donned it for the last time, as his contract expires this summer.

The veteran has been a great servant for West Ham and it is only right that he is able to receive a proper send-off at the end of the season, and although we won’t see him in action immediately, this could be a timely boost to morale around the camp ahead of Sunday’s clash with Everton.

That being said, David Moyes must be ruthless when it comes to using Ogbonna, only playing him if he feels he is truly ready, with European football on the line at the London Stadium, both in terms of the Premier League and Europa League.

In other news, an exciting West Ham transfer claim has emerged. Read more here.

West Bromwich Albion have only been able to score more than 50 league goals in just two of the nine Premier League campaigns they’ve been involved in since the start of the 2010/11 season.

Looking back down the years, one player the Baggies were linked with but didn’t end up signing that could have been a massive goalscoring threat for the team is Robert Lewandowski.

According to the Express & Star, former West Brom manager Tony Mowbray wanted to bring the then 20-year-old striker to the club in January 2009 when he was at Lech Poznan.

Having ended his time in Poznan with 41 goals in 82 appearances, it’s easy to see why the centre-forward was on West Brom’s radar.

The Polish side apparently wanted a fee of £2.6m for the striker, but Albion reportedly had no money to spend on him.Since then, the Poland international has shown with every season why the Baggies should have exhausted every financial possibility to be able to bring him to the Hawthorns when they had the chance.In the 2010 summer transfer window, the striker joined Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £3.7m where he then went on to score 103 goals and provide 42 assists in 187 appearances.The attacker then joined fellow Bundesliga side Bayern Munich in the summer of 2014 on a free transfer.During his time with the German giants, the 33-year-old has unbelievably found the back of the net 340 times in 369 appearances across all competitions.To highlight what an elite player he has become since moving to Germany, the veteran has won a combined total of 25 team titles and individual awards including nine Bundesliga trophies and one Champions League trophy.Labelled as a “breathtaking” player by Owen Hargreaves, Lewandowski has racked up a phenomenal total of 637 goals and assists throughout his illustrious club career.On the international stage, the former Poznan starlet has scored 75 goals in 129 appearances for Poland, showing just how much of an icon he is for his country.Taking all of this into account, it’s evident that had the Baggies been able to somehow finance a transfer deal for the striker, then they would have had a player in their side that could have been a vital figure for them.In other news: West Brom: Grady Diangana struggled in defeat to Stoke City…

Adam Jones has claimed that Everton must now make Burnley ‘regret’ their 2-0 loss at Norwich City in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

The Lowdown: Great results for Everton

After the Merseyside club beat Manchester United 1-0 at Goodison Park in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, other results at the bottom of the table also went their way over the weekend.

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Watford lost 3-0 at home to Leeds United on Saturday afternoon, while Burnley then went and lost to Norwich. It means that Frank Lampard’s team are now four points clear of the relegation zone with just eight matches left to play.

The Latest: Jones reacts to Premier League results

Taking to Twitter, Liverpool Echo journalist Jones has now given his reaction to the results, claiming that the Clarets dropping off after beating Everton 3-2 in midweek was a ‘real let off’ for Frank Lampard’s side.

He chimed: “Well that is quite the weekend of results for Everton. In some ways, it’s a real let off.

“Burnley really dropped the ball after what seemed like a defining victory in midweek. Everton need to make them absolutely regret that over their next few games, whatever it takes.”

The Verdict: Not over yet

The race to secure Premier League safety is certainly not over yet, but of course the weekend’s results provide a huge step in the right direction for the Toffees.

Some of their next few fixtures look particularly daunting, with a trip to Liverpool in the Merseyside derby followed by a home match against Chelsea to come.

There could be plenty of twists and turns along the way, but Lampard will be hoping that Everton’s win against the Red Devils can install some much-needed confidence in his team, ready for the rollercoaster ahead.

In other news, one Everton ace has been branded ‘disappointing’

Manchester United manager Ralf Rangnick has been dealt a huge blow over the fitness of his superstar centre-back Raphael Varane.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-game press conference on Monday, interim manager Ralf Rangnick revealed news that the United fanbase will be gutted to hear ahead of such an esteemed clash against Liverpool tonight.

The German confirmed that Edinson Cavani, Scott McTominay, Luke Shaw, Fred and Raphael Varane will all miss the trip to Anfield.

On Raphael Varane’s injury status, Rangnick said: “Rapha [Varane] didn’t train with the team. He was on the pitch with one of our rehab coaches.”

Rangnick will be gutted

Whilst Varane has failed to live up to the standards we grew so used to seeing at Real Madrid defensively speaking, he has maintained his composure in possession – which would have been of great benefit to Manchester United against a high-pressing Klopp side tonight.

Maguire and Varane are difficult to split in their defensive metrics this season and are also the most composed duo on the ball within United’s central defensive line.

The 28-year-old has managed to transfer his passing prowess powers from his time at Real Madrid, with his passing completion percentages of both short and long pass types ranking him in and around the 90th percentile for positionally similar players across Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days, according to FB Ref.

His pass completion percentage for short passes is around 95%, whilst his pass completion percentage for long passes is lower at 81%.

It’s this particular range of passing that United will miss most tonight, with his efficiency in possession serving as a kickstarter for United’s counterattacks. For a defensive player, his ability to create is impressive, as can be evidenced through his assist against Wolves earlier this season.

Varane also brings experience at the back, with the Frenchman having a full understanding of the term ‘pressure’ with his experience on the big stage with Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid.

With Ronaldo ruled out and Maguire not seen as an out-and-out leader in most people’s eyes, Varane’s presence, just for experience alone, will be sorely missed.

Rangnick and the United faithful will be gutted, but can hopefully look forward to the Frenchman’s return soon.

In other news: Imagine him & Bruno: Ralf can terrify LFC by unleashing Man Utd’s “elite” £180k-p/w gem…

Liverpool have not even started negotiations with Sadio Mane over a new deal at the club, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Mane into final 18 months

The 29-year-old has been an incredible player for the Reds, scoring 107 goals and registering 44 assists in 244 appearances overall.

Mane’s current deal expires in the summer of 2023, however, and with his 30th birthday approaching, there are slight question marks surrounding his future.

The arrival of Luis Diaz also potentially clouds the situation, with the Porto man possibly seen as a long-term replacement for Liverpool’s No.10.

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The Latest: Jones makes important claim

Writing for Goal on Sunday, Jones claimed that ‘there have been no formal negotiations’ between the Reds and Mane’s representatives regarding a new contract.

He also states that the signing of Diaz ‘adds an extra layer of intrigue’, perhaps hinting that the Senegal superstar sees the signing as a threat to his future at Anfield.

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The Verdict: Potential exit on the cards?

There is an argument to say that Mane isn’t quite the world-class player he once was, even though he has still scored ten goals this season.

His blistering burst of pace has dropped off slightly and his all-round involvement in games isn’t as great as in the title-winning season, with only one league assist to his name in 2021/22.

That being said, he remains a player who would walk into most teams – Jurgen Klopp has hailed him as ‘unbelievable’ – and if he agrees to sign a deal that isn’t necessarily long-term it would make perfect sense.

He may gradually become more of a squad player if Diaz excels, as well as the increasingly influential Diogo Jota, but at 29, there are still years left in him at the top.

In other news, some Liverpool fans love an update regarding one Reds player. Find out who it is here.

Celtic have seen many players come and go out of the Parkhead club over the years throughout the numerous transfer windows that have gone by.

While a significant number of players that end up in a Celtic shirt have gone on to be successful with the Hoops, not every deal that was completed ended up being worthwhile.

One deal, in particular, that ended up falling into this unfortunate category is the club’s 2011 swoop for winger Mohamed Bangura.

Having previously been rather optimistically touted as “the next Henrik Larsson” by his agent, the then 22-year-old was also recommended for the Hoops by their Swedish hero.

He said: “Celtic called and asked me, so I told them what I thought about him. I spoke to Neil and Johan Mjallby. I said that Mohamed is a clever, intelligent player. He is quick and strong, even if he isn’t even 180cm tall (5ft 9in). And most importantly – he knows how to score.”

Despite Larsson claiming that the Sierra Leone winger knew how to score goals, it seems as though Bangura failed to bring that knowledge with him to Celtic Park.

Signed from AIK Stockholm for a fee of £2.2m in the 2011 summer transfer window, the winger made just 16 appearances for the Bhoys across all competitions and failed to find the back of the net on even one occasion.

After having a loan spell back with his previous club and one with IF Elfsborg, the attacker left Celtic in February 2014 for a free transfer to Istanbul BBSK.

To highlight how disappointing the now 32-year-old was during his time in Scotland, with ten appearances to his name throughout the 2011/12 SPFL season, he only registered three shots on target.

As well as his lack of attacking prowess, injuries also hampered his time in Scotland.

In terms of how much of a financial blow signing Bangura was for the club, every appearance the now 32-year-old made for them cost £137.5k based on the transfer fee they splashed out to bring him to Parkhead.

While this deal ended up being a complete waste of time and money for the Hoops, it at least taught them to not rely on Larsson’s player recommendations.

In other news: Sold for £1.3m, now worth £107k: Celtic hit the jackpot on “selfish” 28 y/o “villain”

Tottenham missed out on signing Adama Traore and Luis Diaz because chairman Daniel Levy felt he would be able to strike a cut-price deal for both wingers late in the window, according to talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook (via Give Me Sport).

The Lowdown: Lacklustre transfer window

After Antonio Conte made it known that he wanted to bring former Wolves powerhouse Traore to north London, Fabio Paratici and Levy undertook lengthy negotiations with the West Midlands club.

As per The Athletic, Wolves rejected a bid of £15million from Spurs a few weeks into the window. It was said that the asking price was around £20million, so it was expected that an agreement would be made soon after.

However, La Liga giants Barcelona made an approach at the last minute, throwing the 26-year-old’s move to Tottenham in the air. The Spain international decided to reject the Premier League club and returned to the Nou Camp on a loan deal with a £30million option to make the transfer permanent.

Spurs were also set to sign Porto winger Luis Diaz, and were willing to pay up to £46million to secure the 25-year-old’s services. However, Liverpool swooped in at the last minute, and the Colombian opted to join the Merseyside club.

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The Latest: ‘Classic Levy’

Crook believes Levy’s insistence on leaving deals until the end of the window proved his side costly.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: “It was classic Levy trying to get players over the line in the last few days of a transfer window because you think you’re going to save a couple of quid.

“Ultimately, it cost them with Traore because I think if they had just come in earlier in the window and paid £20million, that probably would have happened.

“Maybe they should have been looking at getting a deal done for Diaz a lot earlier in the window as well.”

The Verdict: Mistakes made

Tottenham made just two signings during January, and supporting Crook’s theory, they both signed on deadline day.

Conte was keen to sign the Spaniard from Wolves and convert him into a right wing-back, which the player did not seem too thrilled about, instead opting for a more advanced role in Catalonia. However, if Crook is correct, Traore would more than likely be a Tottenham player if the Lilywhites had just bit the bullet and met the asking price.

Levy did come close to securing Diaz from Porto, as there was confidence from both sides that a deal could be reached. However, this was before Liverpool reignited their interest, and the Colombia international chose Jurgen Klopp’s side instead. With that in mind, the criticism seems slightly harsh in the case of the former Porto star.

In other news: Fabio Paratici ‘wants’ Sven Botman this summer

Liverpool and Manchester City are both reportedly monitoring the progress of exciting Arsenal and England youngster Bukayo Saka.

The Lowdown: Saka shines for Arsenal

The Gunners may not have enjoyed their most successful period in recent years but the emergence of Saka has been an undoubted positive in north London.

The 20-year-old has already matured into one of Arsenal’s most important players, scoring 18 goals and registering 25 assists in 114 appearances to date.

Liverpool were linked with a move for Saka in the past but he ended up staying put, and it appears as though their interest hasn’t gone away.

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The Latest: Liverpool showing interest

The Reds are expected to make a move for Fabio Carvalho this summer after the near miss in January, reports Sky Sports, with Jurgen Klopp even confirming as much, but it seems he isn’t the only young talent on the agenda.

According to ESPN senior reporter Mark Ogden, Premier League title rivals Liverpool and City are both ‘watching’ the England international’s progress and ‘could make a move’ if Arsenal miss out on Champions League football.

Saka’s current Gunners deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2024, however, so a huge bid would likely be needed to prise him away.

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The Verdict: Fantastic signing

Saka is a wonderful young player who looks tailor-made to thrive in Jurgen Klopp’s system at Liverpool, such is his speed, creativity and versatility, so a summer move for him could feel significant.

He possesses great natural ability and aforementioned end product out wide – he has been hailed as both ‘fantastic’ and a ‘revelation’ by Arsenal legend Ray Parlour – but also works hard for the team, averaging 0.9 tackles per game in the Premier League this season.

On top of that, he has played in a remarkable seven different positions for the Gunners, which means Klopp could utilise him in various ways across his front three or even in midfield.

Saka’s age also means he would come in as a long-term addition, potentially being seen as the man who could eventually be Mohamed Salah’s replacement.

There are very few, if any, negatives to Liverpool signing him.

In other news, a journalist has made a big transfer claim regarding one player. Find out who it is here.

This hasn’t exactly been a mind-blowing transfer window for Rangers but when the Gers are undoubtedly the best side in Scottish football right now, what exactly can Gio van Bronckhorst add to Ibrox that the club doesn’t already have?

Of course, Nathan Patterson has left while there is still the threat of Alfredo Morelos leaving Glasgow behind but they have done some business, adding James Sands has been added to their ranks.

Further arrivals seem unlikely in the grand scheme of things but one player at van Bronckhorst simply has to lure to Ibrox is Andreas Skov Olsen.

The Danish winger has electrifying qualities and it’s thought the club are interested in a deal to bring him to Scotland this month.

However, they could be beaten to the 22-year-old signature by Club Brugge who are understood to be closing on a £5m deal for the attacker.

This is disappointing news for the Gers but if Ross Wilson and the club’s manager can still convince him to join then he’d be a terrific signing.

In fact, not only would it be an eye-catching signing for the Glasgow giants but the league as a whole.

Journalist Josh Bunting told his Twitter followers: “If because I don’t know the details and if it’s true Rangers sign Andreas Skov Olsen then wow, that’s actually groundbreaking for Scottish football. Shows that players really respect that league, beautiful footballer, would fit the side and the way that they want to play so well.”

Indeed, it’s incredibly hard to argue with those sentiments. The Dane may have failed to score in Serie A this term but you can’t ignore the rate at which he scored goals for Nordsjaelland, finding the net on 27 occasions in 51 outings.

Blessed with a lethal left foot, it’s easy to see why he’s modelled his play style on Netherlands great Arjen Robben.

Yet, under van Bronckhorst, it’s another Dutchman that he could replicate, that of Robin van Persie.

The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker played under the current Rangers boss at Feyenoord, where he was a revelation, bagging 25 times in 45 matches.

Therefore, with Skov Olsen possessing a similarly dangerous left foot and the ability to score goals on a regular basis, the club’s head coach could well find his next van Persie this winter.

The Scottish champions may already have the likes of Ryan Kent and Morelos in their ranks but Skov Olsen could take their attack to the next level. Rangers must complete a deal if one is still there to be done.

AND in other news, Rangers can finally replace Gilmour by signing “phenomenal” 18y/o who “has everything”…