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Derby County would have bitterly disappointed with their 3-2 loss against Norwich City at the weekend, with the performance of the Rams up-and-down on the day, alongside a controversial refereeing display stealing the headlines post-match.

Before this narrow loss, the Rams were unbeaten in ten on home soil, but a fortuitous opening goal for the Canaries – which could have been ruled out on another day owing to the ball looking to be out of play in the build-up – would swing the tie in favour of the visitors from Norfolk.

Away from the man in the middle, Paul Warne will have been disappointed with a number of his key performers when the full-time whistle was sounded, as Derby succumbed to their first defeat at Pride Park this campaign.

Derby's main underperformers vs Norwich

Derby’s glowing home form had been down to the exploits of Kayden Jackson putting chances away, but it was also massively helped by Jacob Widell Zetterstrom being rock solid in-between the sticks for his side.

The new Rams goalkeeper wasn’t his confident best against the Canaries, with Borja Sainz picking up a hat-trick at the expense of the Swedish shot-stopper, who made just three saves all afternoon.

Whilst Sainz was a controversial goalscoring hero on the day, the aforementioned Jackson fluffed his lines multiple times, which included a glaring miss in the first minute after being found in lots of space by a rampaging Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

Likewise, Jerry Yates was ineffective up top as the sole striker, with zero shots managed on Angus Gunn’s goal, as the ex-Blackpool striker continues to fire worrying blanks for his new employers.

However, Warne could be tempted to ruffle a few feathers by dropping Mendez-Laing for his side’s clash away at Sunderland tonight, after the Rams captain blew hot and cold against Norwich.

That was reflected in Derbyshire Live journalist Leigh Curtis’ post-match thoughts, with Curtis handing out a low 6/10 rating to the experienced winger after the dust had settled, stating that he only had a ‘couple’ of bright moments in the entertaining early kick-off.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

He was quiet in patches, with the ex-Cardiff City attacker managing zero shots on target, whilst Corey Blackett-Taylor starred when coming on with his Rams goalscoring duck broken late on.

Why Blackett-Taylor could now start for Derby

The former Charlton Athletic attacker could now start over his 32-year-old teammate tonight, who might well do with the rest, as more and more second tier games come thick and fast.

The 27-year-old hasn’t really been given enough gametime in a Derby shirt to date to really explode into life at Pride Park, with only 14 outings coming his way since a move earlier in the year.

Yet, his consolation strike against the Canaries could be the springboard for Blackett-Taylor to gain more minutes, as another option Warne can rely on down the left away from overworking Mendez-Laing.

Charlton

97

20

13

Tranmere Rovers

62

8

8

Walsall

10

0

0

Making a name for himself at the Addicks, after leaving the youth structure at Aston Villa behind, Derby could also sense that change down the wings might take Sunderland off-guard, with Blackett-Taylor’s trickery on the ball late on against Norwich proving to be effective.

Labelled as being a “difficult to defend against” attacker by his former Charlton boss in Johnnie Jackson, big calls by Warne such as dropping Mendez-Laing for the reserve attacker could work, especially if Derby end up shocking the Stadium of Light home masses tonight with the exciting winger fresh for the challenge ahead.

The 32-year-old could still make his presence known even if he is demoted to the substitutes bench, as Warne wrestles with what lineup to pick after a demoralising first home loss of the early campaign.

Left for £10.5m: Derby struck gold selling "demon" who's now unemployed

Derby County will have no regrets now over this sale.

1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 26, 2024

Manchester United have not made a good start to the 2024/25 Premier League season. In fact, Erik ten Hag has led the club to its worst-ever start to a Premier League season, surpassing his own record from the previous Premier League season.

Does that sound repetitive? So does this interminable cycle of struggle that the Theatre of Dreams have been embroiled in over the past decade. That said, INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival is hoped to be the watershed moment that will move United back into the limelight, in time.

Perhaps Ten Hag will turn things around, but much needs to happen for this to occur. One sure-fire way that he could get the club back into form could be to advocate for the signing of a former player who has since gone from strength to strength.

Indeed, the Red Devils are looking at completing a deal.

Man Utd looking to re-sign star

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo, Manchester United are interested in signing Alvaro Fernandez, who departed Old Trafford for SL Benfica at the start of the summer after the purchase option was exercised.

The 21-year-old is also attracting interest from Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Real Madrid following his fine performances in Portugal, but United inserted a buyback clause upon selling the defender and could now make their move.

Why Man Utd should re-sign Alvaro Fernandez

On the surface level, throwing money back at a talent who was cast aside only earlier in the year might seem like a lunge, erratic, without plan and purpose.

But, no. The wisest among us recognised when to admit a mistake, and given the never-ending injury problems attached to Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia at left-back, there’s no reason why Fernandez couldn’t prove to be a shrewd addition to the first-team ranks.

Hailed for his “amazing engine and quality” by talent scout Jacek Kulig while he was still a United player, Fernandez actually chalked up 62 appearances for the outfit’s respective youth sides, though never graced the field as a senior, albeit enjoying loan spells at Preston North End and Granada in his homeland before settling in Benfica.

His start to the 2024/25 Liga Portugal season has showcased his qualities and then some. As per FBref, the dynamo ranks among the top 7% of full-backs in the division this term for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 2% for shot-creating actions, progressive carries and successful take-ons and the top 12% for aerial battles won per 90.

When collating his metrics against those plying their art in one of Europe’s top five leagues, it can be noted that Fernandez is actually considered to be a comparable player to Noussair Mazraoui, who joined the club from Bayern Munich in a deal rising to £17m this summer.

Matches (starts)

7 (5)

7 (7)

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

1

Pass completion

80%

83%

Key passes*

1.6

0.4

Dribbles *

1.3

1.0

Ball recoveries*

4.7

5.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

4.1

Total duels won*

51 (61%)

6.3 (64%)

Once described as “immaculate” by manager Ryan Lowe, Fernandez is a robust and athletic player with a creative spark and a crisp and composed approach to his defensive duties. Obviously, he’s not quite at the refined level of the five-years-older Mazraoui, but he’s got the skill set to match and perhaps outstrip the Moroccan down the line.

Man United have made the most auspicious starts to a campaign but they have a real player in Mazraoui, whose combative and cultured mix of qualities makes for a real treat – just imagine if he was mirrored by a star of similar likeness on the alternate flank.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have taken note, but United have an opportunity to bite the bullet and admit that they should never have let this talented young defender go.

Balancing the fluency that has been erected on the right side of the rearguard, maybe Old Trafford could even lift off with this talent in the line-up.

Man Utd star whose value has risen 22424% may be sold for more than Ronaldo

The Red Devils ace has seen his value soar under Erik ten Hag

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 11, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers secured a confidence-boosting point against Brighton and Hove Albion at the weekend. The result was made even more remarkable considering the Old Gold trailed 2-0 until the final few minutes, coming back to nab a share of the spoils.

Gary O’Neil isn’t out of the woods yet, but the fight his players showed against a team shining under Fabian Hurzeler illustrates that the Molineux side are battling hard to secure their first Premier League win of the season.

If the same team starts against Crystal Palace on Saturday, the drought may come to an end.

Matheus Cunha & Rayan Ait Nouri's stats vs Brighton

Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri were the saviours for O’Neil on the weekend, scoring the goals to rescue a point away from home.

If the duo can stay fit over the next few months, they will be imperative to keeping Wolves in the top flight. Not only did the Brazilian score the equaliser, but he also succeeded with three of his five dribble attempts, made four key passes, created a big chance and was fouled twice.

Elsewhere, Ait-Nouri completed 92% of his passes and attempted seven dribbles – succeeding with four – while also winning six ground duels during the game, offering plenty of support to Cunha down the left flank.

If they continue this form, it may be hard to keep them at the club. Cunha earns £60k-per-week, while Ait-Nouri is reportedly earning only £10k-per-week. Both will be able to earn significantly more if they move to another club, no doubt about that.

One of the club’s highest earners is taking home more per week than the duo combined, yet has barely had an impact this season…

Why O’Neil must now sell Pablo Sarabia

Last season, Pablo Sarabia was impressive under O’Neil. Across 36 games in all competitions, not only did he score four times, but the former Paris Saint-Germain gem chipped in with ten assists, helping his side finish away from the relegation zone.

This season has been a different story. Despite Pedro Neto leaving in the summer, the Spaniard has made zero starts in the Premier League, playing only 73 minutes in total.

Sarabia has created zero big chances during his time on the pitch, averaging only one key pass per game and losing possession eight times per game, despite averaging just 28 minutes per outing in the top flight.

Sarabia has been a decent signing since joining the club in January 2023, but it is clear he isn’t contributing as much as he should, especially given how much he earns.

Player

Weekly wage

Goncalo Guedes

£90k-per-week

Pablo Sarabia

£90k-per-week

Nelson Semedo

£80k-per-week

Hee Chan Hwang

£70k-per-week

Mattheus Cunha

£60k-per-week

Indeed, the 32-year-old is currently taking home £90k-per-week at Molineux, which is more than Cunha and Ait-Nouri combined, a staggering total for a player who doesn’t seem to be in O’Neil’s plans.

The January window is not far away, with rumours already rife that the veteran is seeking a winter exit amid his lack of game time. If the manager can move Sarabia on, it could free up a big chunk of the wage bill, that’s for sure.

Wolves make first move in race for "strong" in-demand Kilman replacement

He’s started the season in superb form.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 26, 2024

Leeds United very much find themselves in the reckoning for automatic promotion up to the Premier League once more in the Championship, with an unbeaten run of fixtures in October so far.

The seven-game run included the 2-0 win over rivals Sheffield United, one that will have made avid watchers of the second tier take the Whites more seriously, as Daniel Farke’s men ended the Blades’ own unbeaten start to the season with a confident victory.

Largie Ramazani has been a standout performer for the Whites amidst all this positive form, proving himself already to have been a top purchase this summer.

Ramazani's form this season

The former Manchester United youth product is already turning into a star playing for his ex-club’s arch nemesis, helping himself to a promising three goals and one assist in the Championship from just eight games.

His latest strike against Watford came after just four minutes, with a huge slice of fortune from goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann gifting him his latest goal in Leeds white, but his new set of adoring fans will worry that this will be his last golden contribution for some time.

Whilst Ramazani now faces up to six weeks on the sidelines due to injury, having been taken off shortly after this audacious effort owing to an ankle concern, there’s no denying that the Belgian has been an effective pick-up already and one that hasn’t dented the Championship club’s bank account too drastically.

Only on a modest £17.5k-per-week salary, according to Capology, the electric 5 foot 6 ace also only cost around the £10m mark to bring in, which isn’t an eye-watering amount compared next to some of Leeds’ more recent expensive mistakes.

Luis Sinisterra’s name would likely come into the conversation when discussing some costly modern misfires on Leeds’ end in the transfer market, with the Colombian attacker only making 26 appearances for his former employers, before uprooting again to AFC Bournemouth.

Sinisterra's costs at Leeds

He wasn’t an outright failure at Elland Road though, with the ex-Feyenoord winger showing off his obvious class for the Whites in flashes during his brief stint at the club.

The 25-year-old would tally up a promising goal return of five strikes from 19 Premier League games during the 2022/23 campaign, but that would end up being his only full season situated in West Yorkshire, with the millions Victor Orta and Co splashed out on him making the shortness of his stay sting.

Stat/Number

Sinisterra

Games played

26

Goals scored

8

Assists

1

Transfer fee

£21m

Wage

£65k-per-week

Full Wage costs over the season

£3.3m

Looking at the table above, Leeds overspent massively on picking up Sinisterra, with Ramazani already only five goals off his total tally for the Whites in the here and now, despite costing £11m less to snap up.

Moreover, Sinisterra would pocket a far heftier £65k-per-week salary at Elland Road, costing Leeds a steep £3.3m in wages alone during his only full season at the club, whilst the Belgian will end up costing Farke’s men over the full 2024/25 campaign a more reasonable £910k.

In total, when adding up his transfer fee and wage costs, Sinisterra ended up costing Leeds a staggering £24m, a high amount to part ways with for a player who never settled.

Leeds fans would have been gutted that Orta’s major statement signing from Feyenoord never really worked out, with memories of stunning strikes like these forgotten about now, owing to the fact Sinisterra jumped ship to Bournemouth instead of wanting to rough it in the league below.

Still, not many sleepless nights will have been had since regarding the 25-year-old’s exit, as Farke attempts to steer his side back to the big time with a more methodically put together side, over flashy signings denting the bank account.

Not just Bamford: Leeds must sell a player who earns as much as Joseph

The Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke should look to cash in on the attacker.

ByDan Emery Oct 21, 2024

Nottingham Forest are set to secure the first piece of business under Edu by offering a key figure a new bumper contract, according to a new report. The Reds’ very impressive start to the Premier League season continued over the weekend as they brushed West Ham aside 3-0 to put them in third place, six points off the top spot.

Edu and Nottingham Forest make contact to sign "machine" versatile attacker

Evangelos Marinakis is set to triple Edu’s salary.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 5, 2024 Nottingham Forest transfer news

Despite making a great start to the season, losing just one of their opening 10 league games, Nuno Espirito Santo has his eyes on improving his squad when January does arrive. The Reds have begun contract talks with Chris Wood, and they are hoping to wrap that up fairly quickly as the striker’s deal does expire at the end of this campaign.

But while Wood looks to commit his future to the City Ground, Forest also have their eye on adding another striker to their ranks. They are interested in signing Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto on loan in January. Forest are not the only side interested in the young forward, as West Ham, Everton, and Newcastle United are also keen.

It has since been confirmed that signing a new striker in January is a priority for Forest. Nuno was keen to add another forward to his side in the summer, but for whatever reason, they couldn’t get a deal over the line. Now they are looking to do that when January arrives.

Nottingham Forest set to hand Nuno bumper new deal

According to TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook, Nottingham Forest are set to offer Nuno Santo a new bumper contract in recognition of their excellent start to the season. The 50-year-old took over at the City Ground in December 2023 from Steve Cooper, and he steered the Reds away from relegation trouble.

Nuno has now improved Forest significantly, as they have five wins from 10 league games and already have 19 points to their name, a staggering 14 clear of the bottom three. The Midlands side are in the top flight’s top three for the first time in 26 years, and with Edu expected to join Forest’s multi-club group, his first piece of business looks set to be handing Nuno a new deal.

Games

35

Won

11

Drawn

10

Lost

14

Points

43

Points per game

1.23

The club’s owner, Evangelos Marinakis, has been “so impressed” that he wants to extend Nuno’s contract beyond June 2026, which is when it currently expires. The Portuguese has taken charge of 35 games as Forest manager in all competitions, and his 36th sees him come up against Newcastle United. A win against the Magpies and they will cement their place in the top three during the November international break.

West Ham United haven’t been shy of spending money in recent transfer windows; just ask Julen Lopetegui after his first summer at the London Stadium.

Their spending stretches back several years but the 2022/23 season was one of the most notable, shelling out around £179m, making nine new signings, eight of which came in the summer transfer window, and one of which was made in January; Danny Ings.

The Hammers continued to try and find a reliable talisman, signing Gianluca Scamacca from Sassuolo for around £35.5m. The Italian went on to make just 27 appearances for the club, scoring just eight goals and totalling 1,342 minutes.

Player

Fee (£)

Lucas Paqueta

£51m

Gianluca Scamacca

£35.5m

Nayef Aguerd

£29.2m

Maxwel Cornet

£17.2m

Emerson

£12.8m

Thilo Kehrer

£10m

Danny Ings

£10m

Flynn Downes

£8.9m

Alphonse Areola

£7.7m

However, the biggest move of the window was bringing in Lucas Paqueta, signing the talented Brazilian from Lyon for around £51m, a club-record fee still yet to be broken.

Lucas Paqueta's time at West Ham

Since joining the club for a record fee, Paqueta has made 97 appearances, scoring 15 goals and supplying 14 assists across 7,321 minutes on the pitch.

He has been a key man for both Moyes and Lopetegui in his time at the club and is seen as one of the Hammers’ most important players.

The 27-year-old is an attacking midfielder with an eye for a pass, looking to use his creativity in deep areas to get West Ham out of sticky situations, and then higher up the pitch to create chances for his teammates, while chipping in with goals himself.

So far this season, Paqueta has made 13 appearances, managing two goals in 877 minutes.

However, the Brazil international has attracted interest from the likes of Manchester City in the past, and there are still murmurs that his future could be up in the air.

West Ham's possible Paqueta replacement

According to reports by The Sun, West Ham are considering a swoop for Manchester City’s, James McAtee. This comes after some doubts about Paqueta’s future at the club, as the Hammers may have to replace the Brazilian.

The reports suggest McAtee could be landed for around £20m, which could prove to be good value for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder. A “special” talent in the eyes of scout Jacek Kulig, he has already had a loan spell with Sheffield United in the Premier League, scoring five goals and providing four assists in his 33 games in all competitions.

So, how do the two players compare? We’ve got the answer from a statistical point of view.

Goals

0.23

0.21

Assists

0.19

0.18

Progressive Carries

2.72

1.36

Progressive Passes

2.52

6.59

Shots Total

1.48

1.33

Key Passes

1.39

1.46

Passes into Pen Area

1.24

1.73

Shot-Creating Actions

2.97

3.12

Successful Take-Ons

1.63

1.38

Tackles + Interceptions

2.15

3.14

Said to be “like Odegaard” by BBC Sports’ Carl Asaba, you can see when watching the midfielder that he has the tight space control and creativity to match the comparison, and his metrics begin to tell that story too.

Making 1.39 key passes per 90, completing 2.72 progressive carries and 2.52 progressive passes per 90, the 22-year-old has already showcased his ability on the ball whilst on loan at a relegation-battling side, and these numbers could improve further if in a better team on a consistent basis, with the freedom to express himself.

Whilst Paqueta’s numbers are better in many areas currently, the age gap is five years between the two, and if the City gem is afforded time to develop, whilst being trusted and given a platform to grow, he could easily hit the heights of West Ham’s star man and prove to be an excellent acquisition for the Irons.

Antonio axed for £30m signing in West Ham's dream XI after January

Here’s what West Ham’s starting XI could look like after a window of spending.

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 17, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be hoping to remain outside of the bottom three in the Premier League as they prepare to take on Bournemouth at the Molineux on Saturday.

Gary O’Neil’s side are above 18th-placed Ipswich Town on goal difference and are one point above Crystal Palace in 19th, which means that they could end the weekend in 19th place if results do not go their way.

A win against the Cherries would almost guarantee their place outside of the relegation zone, though, unless Ipswich and other teams muster up big wins, and that should be the aim on Saturday.

The Old Gold secured their second win of the Premier League season last time out, beating Fulham 4-1 at Craven Cottage, and have to follow that up with another positive performance and result.

Goals from Matheus Cunha (x2), Joao Gomes, and Goncalo Guedes sealed all three points for Wolves against Marco Silva’s side, as Cunha starred once again for the club this season.

The Brazilian magician has enjoyed a terrific start to the 2024/25 campaign and has emerged as a huge talent and asset for O’Neil in the midlands.

Matheus Cunha's form this season

The 25-year-old forward has showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis in the Premier League so far this term, to become a shining light in a disappointing team that has only won two matches.

As a goalscorer, Cunha has found the back of the net seven times from an xG of just 3.13 and he has only missed one ‘big chance’. This shows that the attacker has been incredibly ruthless in front of goal as he has not wasted many opportunities to score.

The Brazil international scored 12 goals from 9.49 xG across 32 appearances in the Premier League during the 2023/24 campaign, and is now on course to better his tally in the current term.

Appearances

32

12

xG

9.49

3.13

Goals

12

7

Big chances created

7

9

Assists

7

3

As you can see in the table above, Cunha’s current form would mean that he would end the season with more goals, more ‘big chances’ created, and more assists than he managed in the previous campaign.

He has, quite simply, been electric for Wolves and his quality in the final third will be crucial to their chances of avoiding relegation down to the Championship. The Brazilian ace, in fact, scored two and provided one assist in the 4-1 win over Fulham to lift the team out of the bottom three last weekend.

Whilst Cunha thrived at Craven Cottage, one player who could be dropped from the starting XI after an underwhelming display is attacking midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde.

Why Jean-Ricner Bellegarde should be dropped

The French gem started as one of the two number tens behind Jorgen Strand Larsen, alongside Cunha, but was unable to produce a quality performance with his work in or out of possession for the Old Gold.

It was his first start since the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in September and he did not do enough to suggest that O’Neil should select him from the start for a second match in succession.

Bellegarde has managed one goal and one assist in 11 appearances and seven starts in the Premier League so far this season, after he was unable to add to his tally of goals or assists in the convincing win over the Cottagers.

Minutes

87

Shots

0

Key passes

0

Dribbles completed

1/2

Duels won

3/7

As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old attacking midfielder had very little impact on the game as he ended his appearance with zero shots and zero chances created for his teammates.

The former Strasbourg star also failed to offer much out of possession for his side, with three of his seven duels won and one tackle completed, whilst being dribbled past once.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

O’Neil must, now, ruthlessly ditch the former Ligue 1 ace from the starting XI for this home clash with Bournemouth, as Goncalo Guedes could come in as a superior option at the top end of the pitch.

Why Goncalo Guedes should be unleashed

The Portuguese whiz returned to Molineux in the summer after spells with Benfica and Villarreal on loan during the 2023/24 campaign and is now fighting for a regular spot in the team under O’Neil.

Guedes scored one goal in 13 Premier League matches during the 2022/23 season, after his move from Valencia, but seemed to find his form again in Spain last term.

In nine starts in LaLiga during the second half of last season, the 28-year-old whiz produced three goals from 2.3 xG and two assists from four ‘big chances’ created.

Guedes, who was once hailed as a “great talent” by ex-PSG icon Pauleta, has since shown plenty of promise in limited minutes with Wolves in the current campaign.

The experienced forward came off the bench against Fulham last weekend to score the fourth goal in the game, getting on the end of Larsen’s pass to rifle an accurate shot into the bottom corner.

Appearances

2

Starts

2

Goals

3

Big chances missed

0

Big chances created

1

As you can see in the table above, Guedes also caught the eye with his performances in the League Cup earlier this term, with three goals and one ‘big chance’ created in starts against Burnley and Brighton.

This means that the Portuguese winger has produced four goals, one assist, and two ‘big chances’ created in 11 appearances and two starts in all competitions for Wolves this season.

The former Valencia star’s goalscoring form for Villarreal and Wolves in 2024 suggests that he could be perfect alongside Cunha as a second attacking midfielder, as the Brazilian has only been rewarded with three assists from nine ‘big chances’ created in the league.

Their next Ait-Nouri: Wolves want to sign "highly rated" £9m star

Wolves have enjoyed success recruiting from Ligue 1

1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 26, 2024

Guedes is a player with the finishing quality to make the most of Cunha’s creativity and that is why Bellegarde should be dropped from the XI for the 28-year-old against Bournemouth.

Everton have fuelled themselves with the taste of victory after thrashing Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek, but now face a different beast in neighbours Liverpool.

It’s set up to be a barnstormer. The final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park; the chance for the Toffees to pluck more points from their first-placed neighbours after they drew on Wednesday.

Sean Dyche has been dealt a reprieve after his side’s excellent Premier League win, but he knows that the gruelling run of fixtures still to come before the new year could be his undoing.

07/12/24

Liverpool

Goodison Park

14/12/24

Arsenal

Emirates Stadium

22/12/24

Chelsea

Goodison Park

26/12/24

Man City

Etihad Stadium

29/12/24

Nott’m Forest

Goodison Park

Liverpool have their flaws, but the hosts will need to silence Mohamed Salah if they are to banish their neighbours back across the river with more ground ceded.

Why Everton need to silence Mohamed Salah

Salah’s been rather good this season, with 15 goals and 12 assists across 21 matches in 2024/25. The Egpyt forward doesn’t always play well, but invariably finds one pocket from which he makes a key contribution for Arne Slot’s side.

Everton haven’t recaptured their defensive solidity from last season but still boast a resilient and steely backline, with their 21 goals conceded in the Premier League this year the second-lowest from any team in the bottom seven.

Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski have been up and down in recent weeks but kept the Wolves at bay in midweek and made 21 total tackles, interceptions and clearances between them, as per Sofascore.

The English titans also won a combined six out of seven contested ground duels, and replicating that strength and toughness will be crucial in nullifying Salah.

Of course, the defenders can only do so much and will need those at the front of the ship to step up. Dyche will need Iliman Ndiaye to put in an electric display, for he might prove to be Everton’s own version of Salah this afternoon.

Iliman Ndiaye could be Everton's answer to Salah

Everton signed Ndiaye from Marseille for a £15m fee in the summer, and he has made his mark across the opening months of his Merseyside career, scoring three goals and being hailed for his “dynamite” quality by pundit Jamie Redknapp.

The Premier League has been alerted to his quality alright: as per FBref, Ndiaye ranks among the top 9% of attacking midfielders and wingers in England’s top flight for pass completion, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 1% for interceptions per 90.

This is a dynamic and rounded threat, capable of turning matches on their head through slick movements and combative defending – the latter of which was evidenced through his winning of eight duels against the Old Gold, not his flashiest performance but crucial for the win.

He’s so difficult to defend against, with that ‘X-factor’ that could swing the pendulum Everton’s way later today. Who knows, he might even prove to be Dyche’s answer to Salah, carrying that special something that none of his teammates can provide.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In any case, he’s “Everton’s new hope” – as The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland has dubbed him – and will be desperate to make his mark against Liverpool.

Everton must cash in on £80k-p/w flop who Koeman was "delighted" to sign

Everton need an overhaul in 2025, and must begin the process by casting out the deadwood.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 6, 2024

Newcastle United have now held talks to let one member of their squad leave in January amid interest from across Europe, according to a fresh report.

Newcastle fight to 3-3 draw vs Liverpool

It has not been a perfect start to the season for Eddie Howe’s side, but they were back to something like their swashbuckling and aggressive best in their Premier League clash against Liverpool in midweek.

Handed the lead by an emphatic finish from star man Alexander Isak, they should have been further ahead by half-time as they squandered several excellent chances.

It appeared that this had come back to haunt them when Salah put the Reds 3-2 up in the closing stages, but Fabian Schar slid in at the back post in the 90th minute to rescue a well-earned point for the Magpies. After the game, Howe was keen to focus on the positives, hailing his side’s resilience and “mental quality”.

“That was much better from us. You know with the quality Liverpool have off the bench we could have an issue and that’s what happened.

“But our mental quality came to the fore and we got the equaliser. We had chances to make it 2-0, we scored three goals and looked dynamic and energetic.

“I am really proud. We went toe-to-toe and matched them, it’s our best of the season. Our gameplan was to be ourselves, which is difficult against a team like Liverpool, it’s a delicate balance.”

It follows a tricky summer for Newcastle, who are still trying to navigate financial fair play regulations and rejuvenate and ageing squad. Now, they could be handed a boost in both of those aims.

Newcastle hold talks over January sale

That comes as reports from Italy claim that Newcastle United have held talks with AC Milan over a potential sale of Kieran Trippier in January.

The defender has struggled for form and fitness in the last 12 months and has not started a game for the Magpies for two months, playing just six minutes in that time.

Tino Livramento has stepped up in his absence and is now Howe’s first choice option at right-back, leaving Trippier a luxury option in reserve for the Magpies boss.

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Though he has been an excellent servant for both club and country, with Gareth Southgate hailing him “exceptional” over the summer, there is a feeling that Newcastle have outgrown the former Spurs man.

2023-24

2024-25

Appearances

28

6

Goals and Assists

11

0

% of games started

68%

21%

Yellow Cards

5

0

As a result, the 34-year-old could be sold, in a move that would also see his significant £120,000 a week salary shifted from the books at St James’ Park.

To that end, the report claims that Newcastle and Milan “held transfer talks recently” over a potential deal for the former England international, with previous reports suggesting that he could be available cheaply in January.

It is added that Trippier would replace Milan captain Davide Calabria in Paulo Fonseca’s pecking order, playing understudy to summer signing Emerson Royal at San Siro. For Newcastle, a chance to receive a fee for an ageing, highly-paid reserve player might prove too good to turn down given their financial issues.

Arsenal came into their Champions League clash with Monaco on Wednesday evening amidst some injury chaos that had engulfed the squad.

On Tuesday, it was revealed that the likes of Gabriel, Riccardo Calafiori, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber had all missed training.

Gabriel and Calafiori have missed the last three matches now, ultimately sitting out of the 3-0 win against the Ligue 1 outfit in midweek too.

That being said, Partey and Timber were both in the squad, although only one of them started; a certain Mr Partey.

The Ghanaian has been used as a makeshift right-back at times this season to cover for injured players while Timber has had to do so on the opposite side at left-back.

It’s rather remarkable that even has to be done. This Arsenal side has huge depth at full-back but not many of them can stay fit. Presently, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White both find themselves on the sidelines too.

As a result, it allowed 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly to start on Wednesday and boy did he do well.

Myles Lewis-Skelly's first Champions League start

What a performance this was from the teenager. Handed a first Champions League start by Mikel Arteta, the young Englishman took to the field at the Emirates Stadium as an inverted left-back.

He has played there before this term, notably coming off the bench in games against Manchester City and Liverpool in the Premier League, as well as PSG and Shakhtar Donestk.

The fact he was trusted against some of the biggest clubs across the continent speaks volumes of how highly the coaching staff rate the Hale End gem.

Speaking at full-time, Arteta waxed lyrical over the academy graduate and was in awe of the quality of performance he’d just seen from someone with just six senior appearances to their name.

That praise, however, was justified, even if he did only last just over an hour on a cold north London night. He left the field having played a pivotal part, though.

Minutes played

64

Touches

53

Accurate passes

45/47 (96%)

Key passes

0

Tackles

1

Ground duels won

4/5

Possession lost

2x

Dribble success

2/2

The teen’s best moment came in the build-up to the opening goal of the match. Lewis-Skelly was fed the ball in midfield and he was hounded quickly by a Monaco player.

Rather than getting flustered and panicking, he evaded the press in beautiful fashion before playing a pass with surgical precision into Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian was guilty of missing two gilt-edged opportunities before this but made amends on this occasion, sweeping the ball into Bukayo Saka who scored the first of his two goals on the night.

A host of Arsenal players immediately rushed towards Lewis-Skelly for his genius piece of play and rightfully so.

After this performance, Arteta will no doubt have been given a healthy selection dilemma. As we’ve seen with fellow teenager Ethan Nwaneri, these Hale End stars are almost showing that they’re too good to miss out.

Injuries dependant, we could well see Lewis-Skelly back in that inverted role against Everton on Saturday but that doesn’t particularly bode well for a couple of players.

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Lewis-Skelly's emergence is bad news for £25m Arsenal man

Having been selected at left-back against Man United a week ago, Zinchenko was primed for another start against Fulham and Monaco but didn’t make the squads due to injury.

We knew the Ukranian was unlikely to be fit over 24 hours before this match which sparked a debate, would the lesser-spotted Kieran Tierney play?

Arteta hinted he could well get minutes in his pre-match press conference, saying that he’d earned an opportunity.

Sadly for the Scot, he didn’t see a single minute of action against Monaco and was left to rue a night where he would have featured for the first time in 16 months in Arsenal colours.

Tierney spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad and then picked up an injury during Euro 2024 when he was in action for Scotland.

Since then it’s been a case of rehab for the £25m signing and he’s appeared in a few squads since returning to the grass for full training at London Colney.

Signed for

£25m

Games

124

Goals

5

Assists

13

That said, you do now have to question the defender’s future at the club even more. This looked like a time for the former Celtic man to revive his career in London but in spite of several defensive injuries, it was an 18-year-old who was picked ahead of him.

Now, had the night gone awfully for Lewis-Skelly then Tierney’s worries over game time may not be so big. Unfortunately for him, the teenager had a mighty fine night that has bumped the Scotland international even further down the pecking order at left-back.

To put it simply, it would be a surprise if we ever saw the 27-year-old play another minute for Arsenal.

It’s a sad eventuality, it really is. 124 appearances have fallen his way since moving from north of the border. So good were his displays throughout most of that time that he was described as the Gunners’ “future captain” by his fellow Scot and pundit, Ally McCoist.

Alas, that dream will never become a reality. In January, an exit surely looms for Tierney.

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