All posts by z3u9t.icu

Newcastle United's preservation of impressive form despite the spate of injuries to key players is a glowing testament to the spirit and togetherness that manager Eddie Howe has instilled over the past two years.

Despite an early-season blip that yielded a three-match skid in the Premier League, Newcastle have been immense across the park and have climbed back up to fifth place in the table, now just four points off Liverpool and Arsenal in the top four.

And while successive defeats against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League have hindered the Magpies' chances of qualification to the knockout phase, they are still very much in with a shout with two matches to play, just three points off leaders Paris Saint-Germain despite sitting bottom of the group.

This week's loss against the ferocious Yellow Wall was a blow, sure, but Howe's threadbare side has been beset with so many injuries that it's a small wonder that they are still in the position that they are.

Indeed, less than one week ago in the Premier League, an injury-hit Newcastle repelled Arsenal's efforts at St. James' Park to secure three points; mere days before, Old Trafford was silenced in the Carabao Cup as the Tyneside team's rotated squad emerged as 3-0 victors.

But let's be honest, depth is a pre-requisite for success at the highest level, with Newcastle's present issues precluding Howe from achieving all that is possible this year.

With this in mind, United are sure to be busy in the market next year, and Lyon star Rayan Cherki is among those eyed for transfer.

Newcastle transfer news – Rayan Cherki

According to Football Insider, – as reported earlier this week – Newcastle are set to wage a transfer battle for Cherki against divisional rivals Manchester United, with both clubs keeping tabs on the player's development.

Cherki, aged 20, has been a prodigious presence with Les Gones over the past several years and was of a vested interest to Chelsea in the summer, who ultimately could not persuade the Ligue 1 team to sell.

Rated at £52m by CIES Football Observatory's valuation model, Cherki is out of contract in 2025 and may well be tempted to move, with Lyon enduring a terrible campaign and currently mired in last place in the French top-flight.

Rayan Cherki's style of play

Across 112 senior appearances for Lyon, Cherki has posted 14 goals and 17 assists, having scored five goals and provided six assists across all competitions last year, starting 21 times in the league.

Hailed for his “absurdly skilful” movements and tricks by journalist Tom Williams, the £60k-per-week gem's dynamism allows him to find success across the frontline, which could be crucial in convincing Howe to make his move.

Renowned for his elegance and breathtaking dribbling, Cherki is also two-footed and at ease both prioritising his goalscoring and creativity.

The Magpies have bolstered their attacking ranks with players such as Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes this year, but Cherki may well be the final piece of the puzzle to complement Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson as the focal frontmen.

#

Player

Club

1

Leroy Sane

Bayern Munich

2

Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid

3

Kvhicha Kvaratskhelia

Napoli

4

Kingsley Coman

Bayern Munich

5

Raheem Sterling

Chelea

*Sourced via FBref

Clearly, Cherki is a talented player, boasting skills that liken him to some of the wiliest weavers that European football has to offer, and given that he is only in the fledgling phase of his career, there is so much to get excited about.

And if Howe was to convince him to make the move to Tyneside, the Frenchman could be moulded into an incredible outlet to open a new dimension to the team.

For all the talent at the Toon manager's disposal, Cherki would bring natural flair and creativity that could surpass anything the squad currently boasts.

The stats that show Rayan Cherki would be a good signing for Newcastle

Cherki might be struggling right now but such is the magnitude of his side's capitulation this season; despite his woes, Cherki has still maintained a decent level of performance, completing 82% of his passes and averaging 2.1 shots and 1.2 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.

Still attempting to influence the play himself and provide support to his frontal peers, Howe knows that this rising star is willing to fight.

Given that Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior is listed as a comparable player to the Lyon man, it appears Newcastle could get their mitts on quite the player, unearthing a regen with a knack for ploughing forward with menace and unleashing creative might on hapless defenders.

As per FBref, Cherki ranks among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shots taken, the top 5% for shot-creating actions and progressive carries, the top 4% for progressive passes and successful take-ons and the top 11% for passes attempted per 90.

Vinicius Jr., meanwhile, ranks among the top 2% for assists, the top 10% for shot-creating actions, and the top 1% for progressive carries, successful take-ons and touches in the attacking box per 90.

Season

Apps

Goals

Assists

G/A rate

23/24

12

4

4

0.67

22/23

55

23

21

0.80

21/22

52

22

20

0.81

20/21

49

6

7

0.27

19/20

38

5

4

0.24

18/19

31

3

12

0.48

*Statistics provided via Transfermarkt

The Brazilian wizard is now – quite unequivocally – world-class, and has risen to become one of the most prolific presences in European football.

Still only 23, Vinicius Jr. has demonstrated impressive incremental growth since his maiden days in the Spanish capital; while the 2018/19 campaign produced superior results to the two ensuing campaigns, he had largely featured off the bench and inflated his numbers through some maulings of lesser opposition in the Copa del Rey.

Nonetheless, he announced himself emphatically and currently serves as Los Blancos' starring centre-forward, now living up to praise from legendary compatriot Ronaldinho back in 2019, when the former Barcelona star proclaimed him to be "among the best" in the world in just a few years.

Now, this is very much the truth, and if Cherki can emulate the Madrid man at St. James' Park and start to ramp up his numbers to greater levels, he too could cement a spot among the game's elite.

One normal weekend of Barclays, that’s all Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal team were left asking for on Saturday evening.

This season has seen an unparalleled amount of attention on the PGMOL and Howard Webb’s merry band of referees.

The standard of officiating in this country has seemingly plummeted to an all time low. Apologies have made, statements have been shared left, right and centre, and yet still decisions are being made incorrectly.

Arteta may well need to look closer to home for why they lost 1-0 to Newcastle at a raucous St James’ Park this weekend, but the officiating for both sides left a lot to be desired.

A ridiculous and untimely challenge from Kai Havertz in the first half could have warranted a red card on another day while Bruno Guimaraes could have been sent for an early bath too after deliberately using his forearm to hit Jorginho in the back of the head.

The biggest moment of controversy, however, came when Newcastle took the lead.

How Arsenal lost to Newcastle

Truth be told, the Gunners didn’t play too badly in the north east on Saturday night.

A rigid and organised defence that had kept a clean sheet against Manchester City was on display again while Declan Rice’s powerhouse nature ensured Arteta’s men won the midfield battle.

However, it was in attack where they were lacking. A 0-0 draw would have been a fair result until a moment of chaos ensued just after the hour mark.

A stray shot from Jacob Murphy almost went out for a goal kick down by the corner flag but Joe WIllock, once of Arsenal himself, didn’t give it up. On the angle we were given during the TV coverage, it looked as though the ball was out. Alas, that was one of three VAR decisions that was seen as fine after Anthony Gordon had scored from close range.

A flighted ball in was missed by David Raya and couldn’t be dealt with by Gabriel who was seemingly shoved to the ground by Joelinton. No foul was adjudged to have been made. The next decision was assessing whether Gordon was onside.

The VAR claimed he was, although Arteta wasn’t happy, launching an aggressive series of vocal attacks towards the officials in his post-match press conference.

Indeed, he could blame the officiating all he likes, but the fact of the matter is that a number of players in red and white let him down.

Arsenal’s worst player vs Newcastle

After a £65m move from Chelsea in the summer much has been expected of Havertz but it was his ludicrous tackle in the first half that nearly put Arsenal down a man.

It was a big evening for the German who was given more of a creative role with Martin Odegaard missing through injury. Create he did not. In fact, he only served to frustrate more as the Gunners failed to score.

A large part of their failings in offensive areas was also down to the average performance of Eddie Nketiah.

A week ago the club’s number 14 was in inspired from against Sheffield United, netting his first Premier League hat-trick.

It was a display that saw him become the club’s joint top goal scorer this season alongside Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. That fact doesn’t tell the full story though.

At home, Nketiah offers the ability to hold the ball up and run the channels. He doesn’t set the world alight but his performance levels are generally sufficient.

Away from home, however, the English striker has been the definition of mediocre. In 52 league outings on the road, he’s only found the net five times. For a team chasing a Premier League title that simply isn’t good enough.

It was feels harsh to criticise someone who’s scored three only a week ago but barring that, Arsenal need to see a lot more from Nketiah while Gabriel Jesus is out injured.

On Saturday, he struggled for any real service and was starved of the ball. That said, he very rarely made himself available.

As per FotMob, Nketiah only registered 33 touches of the ball, just one more than Raya and completed 16 passes, the worst of any starter for Arsenal, including the enigmatic Havertz. Even substitute Oleksandr Zinchenko made more with 30. Only two of those passes, meanwhile, were in the final third. Worrying for your focal point in attack.

Shots

1

Pass Accuracy

14/16

Expected Goals (xG)

0.15

Touches

33

Touches in opposition box

5

Successful Dribbles

0/2

Duels Won

5

Duels Lost

9

Fouls Committed

2

Stats via FotMob.

To make matters worse, the forward managed one shot, which was off target, and failed to complete either of his two attempted dribbles.

On top of that, the 24-year-old won 33% of his ground duels and 40% of his aerial duels as the Newcastle defenders well and truly bullied him. It was hardly a surprise to see his display get labelled as "anonymous" by some, including Arseblog's Andrew Allen.

This was not a night to savour for Nketiah who offered very little in attack. With the academy graduate largely underwhelming and Jesus’ fitness record inconsistent, the purchase of a new striker could well be looming in January. Such an eventuality may well determine whether Arteta’s men have what it takes to win the title.

Everton, over the years, have garnered a reputation as a club that produces high-quality youngsters spanning all the way back to when a wide-eyed Wayne Rooney burst onto the scene as a Toffees teenager before stardom at Manchester United materialised.

In the current Everton set-up, Jarrad Branthwaite is benefiting from the Toffees' insistence on giving youngsters time to develop and grow before being given a first-team berth – the 21-year-old a regular first-teamer under Sean Dyche this season at the back, learning the ropes of the Premier League quickly and excelling alongside experienced centre-back partner James Tarkowski.

Everton will be hoping that a current teenage phenomenon in their ranks can become a key player in the senior side further down the line, striker George Morgan appearing in the Guardian's Next Generation 2023 recently – the newspaper in question compiling the very best young talents emerging from all twenty Premier League clubs currently, 17-year-old Morgan tipped for greatness on this list.

The Blues will hope the 17-year-old follows a similar trajectory to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a young striker able to stamp his authority onto proceedings from the get-go and become a seasoned regular to rely on at Goodison Park.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin's numbers for Everton this season

Joining in 2016 from hometown club Sheffield United for £1.5m, the then-teenage Blades sensation has developed into a mature 26-year-old and become a goalscoring hero.

Calvert-Lewin's biggest obstacle always standing in his way has been question marks around his fitness and his injury record, sidelined frequently to leave the Toffees without a dangerous striker up top – only making 17 top-flight appearances last campaign, as Everton struggled against the drop.

Still, the 6 foot 2 striker has managed to make 220 appearances in total for the Merseyside club now – scoring 64 goals along the way, with four of those strikes coming this campaign.

His last goal for the Blues came in their recent slender 1-0 win away at West Ham, turning his Hammers marker effortlessly after being found by Jack Harrison before firing into the net.

Morgan will aspire to replicate what Calvert-Lewin has managed to achieve, another teenage talent expected to make waves in the first team for Everton in the not-so-distant future.

George Morgan's numbers for Everton

Playing in the Everton U18 ranks at this moment in time, managed by ex-Toffees great Leighton Baines, Morgan is being tipped to have a big future at Goodison Park.

Labelled as a "powerful, fast centre-forward" by the Guardian, Morgan has two goals from seven appearances in the U18 Premier League to date.

Both of those strikes came versus Sunderland at the end of September, Morgan's youthful Toffees team beating the Black Cats U18s 3-0.

This has led to Morgan winning International recognition for Wales, winning four U18 caps in total and even assisting versus Scotland when pulling on the red jersey in a convincing 4-2 win over the Scots.

The 17-year-old, who models his game on Polish sharp shooter Robert Lewandowski according to the Guardian article, will continue working hard and hoping he can add to his current two goals soon for the U18s in a bid to push further on to a different age bracket.

If he can become a potent goalscorer on a regular basis in the youth ranks at Everton, Dyche could have an exciting homegrown talent on his hands ready to compete with Calvert-Lewin for a starting spot in the first team very soon.

A former Everton employee has dropped an extremely worrying update regarding 777 Partners' potential takeover of the club, as the saga continues to rumble on.

Everton takeover latest

The Blues have had so much to focus on in recent weeks, with the 10-point deduction in the Premier League acting as a major blow in their relegation fight this season. While there is still genuine hope that the drop will be avoided, there is plenty of work to do for Sean Dyche and his players.

There is also the big matter of the takeover of the club hopefully happening in the near future, although progress appears to be slow at the moment, despite so many supporters craving the end of the Farhad Moshiri era at Goodison Park.

It is something that Everton simply must nail, rather than taking a gamble with new owners ahead of their move to Bramley Moore Dock at the end of this season, so patience may have to be required within the fanbase.

Worrying Everton takeover claim

Speaking to Football Insider, former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness dropped a worrying update over the Blues' takeover, casting doubt over 777 Partners' credentials and saying a deal with them may actually never happen.

"It does seem that there are some pretty severe question marks about 777 Partners. It’s interesting that the regulatory process has been changed to include the Financial Conduct Authority. I think that is the area where 777 may have issues getting past those regulations. There’s a possibility they may not get the approval to complete the takeover. That would be a major issue.

"I think the issues, particularly in North America with their business model, do raise some serious questions that need to be answered fully. They may well be answered, and the takeover may well go through. But I do have my doubts at the moment. Those doubts come from how they’ve financed deals in the past, and the legal challenges they are facing in the US.

"Those are the key areas. I certainly have concerns about the strength of financing, the solidity of the financing – and how they have handled certain deals. Is there enough money to do the Everton deal? Can it be clearly shown where that money sits, and where it’s from? Those are the key issues the Premier League and the FCA will be looking at. They’ll want clear sight of the funds. I don’t know if 777 can do that. I hope they can."

These are clearly damaging comments for any Everton supporters to hear, considering how much a takeover is wanted by the majority, both in terms of having improved finances and simply heralding the start of a new spell at the club.

Everton considering move to sign £5k-p/w "extreme talent" for Sean Dyche

The Toffees are looking to bolster their attacking ranks at the end of the season.

ByChloe Chadwick Dec 1, 2023

That being said, it would be a grave error to rush through a deal with 777 Partners, considering how many doubts seem to surround the proposed next Blues owners, and Wyness is clearly someone who knows his stuff on such topics, given his past roles in the game.

It is arguably reaching the stage where Everton should pull the plug on any dealings with 777, instead looking elsewhere for new investors who can take the Merseysiders into the future at their new home.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have made an impressive start to life under Gary O'Neil and could now enter the market in January for a high-profile defender.

Wolves 1-0 Burnley

On Tuesday evening, Wolves secured a vital 1-0 victory over Burnley at Molineux, with a solitary strike from Hwang Hee-chan proving to be the difference between the sides as the West Midlands-based outfit moved on to 18 points from their first 15 matches played in the Premier League this campaign. O'Neil hailed his side's "massive" victory over the Clarets in his post-match press conference, saying:

"It’s a massive win for us. I’ve watched a lot of Burnley, they’re very well organised and every team I’ve watched against them has struggled to progress up the pitch with the ball."

"Burnley are a good side. It’s maybe disrespectful to say ‘job done’, because they won the Championship by some way and were big spenders in the summer. They (Burnley) have every right to be competitive at this level and no Premier League game is easy, so I’m really pleased. It’s a big win."

Wolves could sign a "monster" £25m Dawson upgrade

This £25m “monster” could be the perfect replacement for Craig Dawson at Wolves.

ByAdam Scully Dec 3, 2023

Generating momentum will be key for Wolves if they have designs on breaking into the top half of the league standings over the coming weeks and they will hope to record successive home victories on Saturday when Steve Cooper's struggling Nottingham Forest side will make the trip to Molineux in an all-Midlands clash. Looking ahead to January, though, Wolves have now reportedly put their hat in the ring to sign a World Cup winner as O'Neil looks to bring in reinforcements.

Wolves eyeing Marcos Acuna move

According to reports in Spain, Wolves are interested in a swoop for Sevilla left-back Marcos Acuna, who is under contract at the La Liga outfit until the summer of 2025. The outlet claim that the Argentina international is valued at around €12 million by his current employers, which is a fee the Old Gold can pay for his services.

Marcos Acuna statistics in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

13

Goals

0

Assists

2

Despite this, the Zapala-born man is an important presence at Sevilla so it may not be easy for Wolves to prize him away from his present environment, making the situation one to watch out for further developments in over the next few months.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola labelled Acuna as a "top defender" earlier this year following the Citizens' UEFA Super Cup victory against Sevilla on penalties, which is praise that can be backed up by the fact the 32-year-old has won 1.5 successful challenges per match in La Liga this term (Acuna statistics – WhoScored).

With Jonny Otto's uncertain future at Molineux leaving Wolves light in the full-back areas, bringing Acuna to the West Midlands in January could be a shrewd bit of business from O'Neil as he looks to bolster his defensive ranks, making this one to keep an eye on.

Manchester United could be set to lose one of their first-team stars next month, with a fresh report revealing that he’s received an offer to leave ahead of January.

Man United's summer departures

The Red Devils sanctioned the sales of 11 players during the previous window, with eight of those being on a permanent basis, while the remaining three were sent out on loan for the rest of the season in order to increase their experience and game time.

Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace)

Brandon Williams (Ipswich Town)

Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest)

Alvaro Fernandez (Granada CF)

Fred (Fenerbahce)

Mason Greenwood (Getafe)

Matej Kovar (Bayer Leverkusen)

Alex Telles (Al-Nassr)

Zidane Iqbal (FC Utrecht)

Eric Bailly (Besiktas)

Teden Mengi (Luton Town)

According to The Daily Mail, Erik ten Hag’s side are open to offers for Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial in the coming weeks, with the club’s football director, John Murtough, having travelled to Saudi Arabia to seek destinations for the out of favour players.

At Old Trafford, Casemiro is another squad member on that same list, with the defensive midfielder having made just eight appearances this season in the Premier League due to having missed the last nine games with a knock (Transfermarkt – Casemiro statistics).

The Brazil international has already attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Al-Hilal and an unnamed club in the Serie A, but if the following update is to be believed, the 31-year-old has been given the chance to move onto new pastures in the coming weeks.

Casemiro gets Saudi Arabia proposal

According to Spanish outlet Marca (via Sport Witness), Casemiro has received an “important offer” from Saudi Arabia, but it’s not stated which club it has come from.

The Man United veteran has recently been considering a “change of scenery”, and with his new proposal coming with a “lot of money”, he could be tempted to accept the deal.

The M16 outfit would be looking to recoup at least part of the €70m (£60m) that they paid for the talisman when he joined from Real Madrid, so this could be one to keep a close eye on in the coming weeks.

Man United need to keep "world-class" Casemiro

As it stands, Casemiro currently ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks and the 97th percentile for clearances, showing that he’s not afraid to put his body on the line and get stuck in to clear the danger and regain possession for his team (FBRef – Casemiro statistics).

However, Ten Hag’s star is also capable of making a positive impact at the opposite end of the pitch having clocked up five involvements, four goals and one assist, from 12 appearances across all competitions since the start of the season.

As hailed by Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers, Casemiro is a “world-class” player and the club could be making a huge mistake if they were to sanction his sale next month, especially considering that he has been their best-performing defensive player this campaign (WhoScored – Man United statistics).

An "unbelievable" Liverpool player could seal a move away from the club in the January transfer window, according to an update from reliable journalist Gregg Evans.

Potential Liverpool exits

There is so much to admire about Jurgen Klopp's side at the moment, who aren't necessarily performing at their highest level, but still find themselves top of the Premier League after battling their way to numerous late wins.

The signings of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch have made a world of difference in midfield, while Klopp looks reborn after cutting a dejected figure during a dispiriting 2022/23 season. While there are so many important players at the club right now, whether it be Alisson, Virgil van Dijk or Mohamed Salah, to name just a few, there is always the risk that individuals could move on at some point.

Joel Matip and Thiago are both out of contract at Liverpool at the end of this season, for example, and it remains to be seen if either will end up signing extensions at the club. The same applies to Adrian, although he is clearly a more expendable figure, considering he is the Reds' third-choice goalkeeper.

Other fringe players and loanees could also look for new challenges in the coming months, and an important update has dropped regarding one such individual.

Fabio Carvalho could be set new loan move

According to Evans on X, Liverpool are now thought to be "considering a new loan for Fabio Carvalho", such has been his lack of impact at RB Leipzig so far this season.

The 21-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Klopp during the summer, so a temporary switch to the Bundesliga side came to fruition.

In Evans' report for The Athletic, he goes into more detail, explaining that a number of clubs are interested in the Liverpool man, should he return to Anfield next month:

"Liverpool are in discussions with Fabio Carvalho over his future after an unsuccessful loan spell at RB Leipzig. The 21-year-old could be recalled early and then sent on another loan in January with a number of clubs already showing an interest. Carvalho is unlikely to be reintegrated into the Liverpool first team this season, though."

Bringing an end to Carvalho's time at Leipzig seemingly makes complete sense for all parties, with the youngster growing stagnant there, starting just one Bundesliga match this season. That isn't helping his development at all, so it would be far wiser for Liverpool to end his loan spell prematurely, before allowing him to move elsewhere in January, to a club who are genuinely willing to offer him regular playing time.

Appearances

7

Starts

1

Goals

0

Assists

0

Key passes per game

0.1

Carvalho's career in the short term is in danger of petering out a little if he isn't careful, so he could do with settling at another club for the second half of the season and get things back on track, rather than being an exciting young talent who falls by the wayside.

He is still someone who Klopp himself has hailed as "unbelievable" in the past, however, so a strong loan spell elsewhere could reinvigorate him.

It's upon us. Liverpool's clash against Arsenal in the Premier League last today is probably the most important fixture of the club's season so far.

Having put last year's struggles behind them, Liverpool are back in the ascendancy and are challenging for the title, with the first-placed Gunners just one point ahead at the peak of the festive period.

Liverpool must bench £55k-p/w "game-changer" alongside Gomez

Jurgen Klopp most boldly keep this star from the starting line-up today.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 23, 2023

Jurgen Klopp's side have been immense this season with a rekindled never-say-die attitude marrying with blistering offensive credentials.

At present, the Reds are nursing several injuries to key personnel and this will be at the forefront of Klopp's mind ahead of a glorious opportunity to take the lead in a compelling title race.

Liverpool team news vs Arsenal

Ryan Gravenberch is expected to be available for Saturday's clash after the suspected hamstring injury he sustained during last week's draw against Manchester United was put down to muscular fatigue.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Diogo Jota and Alexis Mac Allister, with the influential pair still a week or two away from returning to fitness.

Andrew Robertson will return to first-team training in the new year but remains out; Spanish midfielders Stefan Bajcetic and Thiago Alcantara are still long-term absentees and Joel Matip's season is over after rupturing his ACL against Fulham earlier in December.

Why Darwin Nunez must start at left wing

One player who will be expected to start is Darwin Nunez, with the fleet-footed Uruguay international impressing against West Ham United on Wednesday night having been shifted to the left wing.

The 24-year-old's goalless run stretched to 11 matches, concerningly, but he bellowed his worth to his manager with a creative and impactful effort, creating four key passes, succeeding with three dribbles and incredibly winning 11 duels.

Such a feat warrants another starting berth from the left today, replacing Luis Diaz, who has not been at his best recently.

It's important to note that while Diaz might not be in the richest vein of form, he is still a brilliant, mercurial winger with pace, trickery and incisiveness in abundance.

With reporter Charlotte Coates dubbing him a "game-changer" following his match-winning performance off the bench against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the season, the £55k-per-week ace could be a valuable weapon against a rock-solid Gunners defence.

It's just quite difficult to discredit Nunez right now after such an effective display against West Ham, and this connection with Cody Gakpo, who will be eager to sculpt some impressive form after scoring in midweek, must be allowed to bloom.

Since Diogo Jota is still injured, this is the move to make as Klopp looks to leapfrog Arsenal into pole position for Christmas Day, with high-flying Aston Villa dropping points at home to Sheffield United on Friday night.

As per FBref, the Uruguayan ranks among the top 13% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for shots taken, the top 2% for touches in the attacking penalty area and the top 10% for aerial wins per 90.

This is all a roundabout way of stating that he is the man for the job on the left, which will enhance the hosts' offensive fluency and ensure that Liverpool have balance in their probes against Mikel Arteta's backline.

Important he may be, Nunez might not be the key component this evening, with Curtis Jones surely in line for a starting berth after his midweek masterclass.

"Truly special" Jones' time to shine

Jones was one of the most influential players during Liverpool's late-season purple patch before the summer, starting all 11 of the final Premier League fixtures, scoring three goals and supplying an assist, and impressing with his distribution and composure in the centre.

Pundit Gabby Agbonlahor has previously claimed that Jones is "not good enough", but then the ex-Aston Villa striker could not be wider of the mark, with the industrious and intelligent midfielder proving to be one of the most underrated players in Klopp's squad.

But he has been excellent this season and has scored two goals and provided three assists across all competitions this term, and must now start after starting the past four league encounters from the bench.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Passing

Aerial duels

Through balls

Tackling

*Sourced via WhoScored

The 6 foot 1 star ranks among the top 2% of midfielders for pass completion, the top 14% for goals scored, the top 5% for assists, the top 14% for progressive carries, the top 11% for successful take-ons and the top 16% for tackles per 90.

Very much the all-encompassing asset at the beating heart of Liverpool's system, Jones reannounced himself against the Hammers with two spectacular strikes, but while his innate eye for goal is a good tool for his side, it is the "phenomenal" level of his passing and ball retention that cements his standing at Anfield, as has been said by BBC Sport's Raj Chohan.

And it is because of this that he must start against Arsenal; Ryan Gravenberch is fit but does not seem to be clicking alongside Dominik Szoboszlai.

As per Sofascore, the 22-year-old complemented his two strikes with two key passes, success in both of his attempted dribbles and a 93% passing accuracy despite taking 89 touches, right in the thick of the action.

With Wataru Endo likely to anchor the midfield in Mac Allister's absence, Jones has to start to counterbalance his Hungarian teammate's creativity, keeping it crisp and ensuring that Liverpool stay on top in a midfield battle against the sensational Declan Rice.

Described as a “truly special” talent by one analyst, Liverpool's chances of defeating Arsenal will only improve with Jones deployed from the outset, allowing the likes of Nunez and Salah to flourish further up the field.

It's a gargantuan contest, but it's one that Klopp and his squad will be confident of prevailing in, assuming the lead in the title race and pushing to establish a gap.

Tottenham are said to be weighing up an offer to sign a "role model" defensive alternative to Genoa star Radu Dragusin as talks for the Romanian persist.

Spurs working on Dragusin deal

Earlier this week, reliable transfer source Fabrizio Romano shared news that Spurs have already agreed personal terms with Dragusin and negotiations are expected to continue over the weekend.

However, the presence of Serie A side Napoli appears to be complicating things somewhat, and there are some reports in Italy that they've even reached a draft agreement over Dragusin.

While it is believed Dragusin wants to join Spurs, it appears Ange Postecoglou faces stiff competition from abroad for the 21-year-old's signature.

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He's been a star player for Genoa under Alberto Gilardino this season, making 19 Serie A appearances as a starter and even chipping in with two goals in that time.

His young age and sky-high potential also makes the player a pretty enticing target for Spurs, but that isn't to say the Lilywhites don't have alternative options to Dragusin.

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19th December

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3rd January

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14th December

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One of them, according to recent reports, is Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly.

The Englishman is out of contract at the end of this season, making him a pretty viable and affordable option for Spurs with Premier League experience to boot.

Tottenham weighing up offer for Kelly

According to broadcast giant Sky Sports, Tottenham are weighing up an offer to sign Kelly from Bournemouth, either in January or in the summer when his contract expires.

The 25-year-old is attracting interest from abroad as well as from clubs in England, with previous reports suggesting Kelly would consider a move to Spurs if offered the chance.

Sky says major European clubs like AC Milan, Juventus and Stuttgart are also interested in a move for Kelly, who is free to open talks with them over a pre-contract agreement for the summer.

The Englishman was targeted by Spurs over the summer window, and it appears they are still real fans of Bournemouth's "role model" player.

“He’s a really good person. He’d give his time to anybody, and he’s an amazing role model," said Bournemouth's former academy manager Gary Probert on Kelly to The Athletic.

"The local lad that lived a stone’s throw away from the stadium, that comes through, plays in the team. He’s the poster boy, really.

“He’s an amazing role model for all of our young players, not just because of the football he plays for his country, in the Premier League and all of that, but just how he is as a person. If he walked into the academy now, you wouldn’t know he’s played in the Premier League and is an England Under-21 international.”

Arsenal are now looking at signing a £50 million striker alongside the heavily-linked Joshua Zirkzee, with sporting director Edu seemingly weighing up Ivan Toney alternatives.

Arsenal dealt Ivan Toney roadblock

Amid the January transfer window and beforehand, the Gunners have been credited with a very serious interest in signing the aforementioned Brentford striker.

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Manager Mikel Arteta is said to want a proven goalscorer in the form of a world-class new number nine, and Toney is regularly mentioned as a top target for Arsenal in that regard. The England international, who is set to return from his ban for alleged gambling breaches imminently, scored 20 league goals last season and stands out as a very exciting option.

However, Bees boss Thomas Frank recently poured cold water over the idea of Toney leaving in January, saying it would take an "unbelievable" offer to prise him away from west London.

"The very short answer is yes," said Frank, when asked if Toney would stay (via BBC). "He is a Brentford player. He is here, we miss a few offensive players and I cannot see why we should sell him. I would love to have him here for a long time.

"It is not for me to discuss (an offer), but if I could ever recommend one, it would need to be an unbelievable price, so he will stay here."

Arsenal cannot afford to splash out marquee prices on winter window signings after spending over £200 million in the summer window (Miguel Delaney), making a move for Toney this month pretty unlikely as things stand. Resultingly, the north London title-chasers have been looking at other options. One of them, according to recent reports, is Bologna star Zirkzee.

The 6 foot 4 centre-forward is a player whom Arsenal have expressed interest in signing, and it is believed he could cost around £50 million. However, Zirkzee isn't the only other striker grabbing Edu's attention.

Arsenal looking at signing Dominic Solanke

As per Football Insider and journalist Pete O'Rourke, Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke has admirers at the Emirates Stadium.

Indeed, Arsenal are reportedly "looking at" signing Solanke as the Cherries brace for bids. Like Zirkzee, the Englishman is likely to cost in excess of £50 million after proving he can perform in Europe's most prestigious division.

Solanke boasts 12 goals in 19 league starts for Bournemouth so far, with former boss Gary O'Neil calling him "absolutely massive" for the club.

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9.95

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9.15

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7.52

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7.28

"Dom works his socks off for me and you can see he comes off and we’ve not created loads of chances for him and he’s put in a load of work. People that maybe don’t know, could underestimate how big Dom is for this group.

“Absolutely massive. I couldn’t ask for a better number nine to go and face the challenges that we’re faced with.”