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Chelsea are heading into the international break fourth in the Premier League after their disappointing 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. The Blues were on a five-game win streak, which has now been put to a stop by Nuno Espírito Santo’s side.

Enzo Maresca’s side controlled proceedings, holding 67% possession, taking 22 shots, and generating 2.27 xG in the game. Noni Madueke scored his fifth goal of the season in all competitions, now making it five goals in eight games played.

The biggest negative from the game is that Chelsea defenders Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana will now miss the Liverpool game due to suspension, after both picking up yellow cards against Forest.

Marc Cucurella's start to the season

The 26-year-old defender has started every Premier League game so far this season for the Blues, and will now miss the Liverpool game, after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season already.

Often praised for his aggression on the pitch and ability to win duels, this does come with the caveat of the odd foul and poor challenge.

Against Forest, Cucurella played 90 minutes, was dribbled past twice, only won two of his six ground duels and two of his six aerial duels (losing 67% of his duels in the match), whilst also being booked. This wasn’t his best outing of the season – handed a 5/10 match rating by GOAL – and now Maresca will be forced into a change to his Premier League defensive lineup.

Luckily for Chelsea, this summer, the Blues invested in a new left-sided defender, who can play left-back, left centre-back, and even central midfield, with the signing of Renato Veiga from Basel for around £12m.

The 21-year-old could now be in line for his second Premier League start of the season.

Chalkboard

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

How Veiga compares to Cucurella

Veiga has already made eight appearances for the Blues this season, scoring one goal, providing one assist, and totalling 487 minutes played.

The Portuguese Swiss-Army knife has started all of their domestic and European cup games, as well as one Premier League game, where he started alongside Moises Caicedo in midfield.

The 21-year-old offers a much more physical frame for Chelsea in defence, Veiga standing at 6 foot 3, compared to the smaller frame of Cucurella, standing at just 5 foot 8. Now with the Spain international suspended, Veiga may well get his chance to stake his claim as the starting left-back.

Progressive Carries

2.40

0.91

Progressive Passes

6.40

2.91

Passes Attempted

71.2

57.6

Pass Completion %

88.2%

87.7%

Passes into Final Third

6.00

4.18

Tackles

3.60

1.27

Blocks

1.60

1.64

Interceptions

1.18

0.81

Aerials Won

0.80

1.27

Aerials Won %

50.0%

35.0%

Ironically, despite their height, one of the metrics Cucurella does beat out Veiga in is aerials won. However, the former Basel defender does win a higher percentage of his headers, winning 50.0% of the aerials he contests, compared to the 35.0% of Cucurella.

The Euro 2024 winner has played nearly double Veiga’s minutes, so the per 90 metrics need to be analysed with this in mind, but they do tell us the level of the Portuguese left-back, who excels in progressive metrics ahead of Cucurella, whilst still providing excellent defensive numbers; more than double the number of tackles per 90.

Veiga clearly has all the tools to be a brilliant modern-day fullback, adding height to the backline, whilst adding technical quality in possession too. Now, with Cucurella out against Liverpool, the 21-year-old will have his chance to secure the left-back spot for the future which could well mean the end for the Spaniard’s time as a regular starter.

Chelsea must rue losing "unstoppable" ace who's now worth more than Sancho

He left the club for £0…

1 ByJoe Nuttall Oct 5, 2024

TalkSPORT pundit Carlton Palmer has urged Sunderland to re-sign a former player in January, according to a recent report.

The Black Cats head into this October international break in an excellent position, as they sit top of the Championship table after nine games, losing just two matches under Regis Le Bris.

Biggest coup since Defoe: Le Bris could land a 'lifelong Sunderland fan'

Sunderland would love to secure this mammoth deal in January.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 8, 2024 Sunderland news and updates

Sunderland are now able to have a much-needed rest during this break and reflect on their intense 2-2 draw against Leeds United on Friday night. This break could give the Championship side a chance to get some players back from injury, but one individual who will not be returning soon is Ian Poveda.

Poveda has just played 44 minutes of Championship football this season, and he will have to wait a little longer to add to those minutes. The attacker was originally set to be out for two weeks with the injury he picked up, but Le Bris has since confirmed that Poveda could now be out injured for six weeks. It has been a frustrating start to life at the Stadium of Light for Poveda, and in the short term, it doesn’t appear to be getting any better.

Meanwhile, on a positive front for Sunderland, striker Wilson Isidor has revealed that he would like to join the Black Cats on a permanent basis. Sunderland have the option to buy Isidor from Zenit St. Petersburg at the end of the season, and the player seemingly wants to continue at the Stadium of Light beyond this 2024/25 campaign.

Pundit tells Sunderland to re-sign "athlete" as Black Cats eye deal

TalkSPORT pundit Carlton Palmer has urged Sunderland to re-sign Jordan Henderson in the January transfer window. This comes as the former Liverpool and Black Cats midfielder was linked with a move back to England over the weekend, as teams from the Premier League and the Championship eye a potential loan deal. Henderson is currently at Dutch side Ajax, but his lack of game time has caught the attention of teams ahead of January.

Henderson obviously has previous experience with the Black Cats, as he started out at the club and continues to be a big fan of the Wearsiders. Palmer believes Henderson, who he labelled as an “athlete,” would be a “fantastic” and “unbelievable bit of business” for the Black Cats, but tax implications could prevent a deal from happening.

Palmer told Football League World: “It’s such a shame what has happened to Jordan Henderson. This is what happens when you make the wrong decision – the wheels come off.

“It was the wrong decision for Henderson to leave Liverpool to go to Al-Ettifaq. It didn’t work out in the Saudi Pro League, so he decided to go to Ajax. He signed a two-and-a-half-year contract, but it’s still gone wrong for him. He failed to make the Euro 2024 squad, and he is not featuring regularly.

Apps

79

Goals

5

Assists

11

“The same tax issues that prevented him from returning to England in January could be an issue again. He’s a very, very good player, a very good athlete, a great leader, and great to have around the dressing room.

“What a return that would be if he could go back to Sunderland. They’re flying high at the top of the Championship, and signing someone like Henderson could be the catalyst that sees them get back to the Premier League. That would be an unbelievable bit of business from Sunderland. It would be great for the supporters.

“But we will have to watch this space because if he is under the same restrictions with the tax, I can’t see him leaving Ajax now. But it would be fantastic to see him back at Sunderland; that could well see them promoted.”

Over the last couple of months, Tottenham Hotspur’s academy has caught the eye, allowing multiple youngsters to make an impact on the club’s first team.

Mikey Moore is undoubtedly the biggest beneficiary, starting his first competitive match against Ferencvaros a couple of weeks ago, after a handful of cameos off the bench.

Despite being just 17, he’s given boss Ange Postecoglou a lot to think about regarding his role, potentially forcing himself into the Aussie’s plans after the ongoing international break.

Striker Will Lankshear also made his first senior start during the same outing as Moore, featuring for over an hour, demonstrating the success of the club’s academy in recent times.

However, the club have also recruited well, with one player transforming Spurs in the defensive department, making them a much harder outfit to break down since his arrival.

Micky Van de Ven’s stats for Spurs

Dutch centre-back Micky Van de Ven would’ve been an unknown quantity to many Spurs supporters before his move back in August 2023, but just over a year on, he’s cemented himself as one of the best in his position within the Premier League.

The former Wolfsburg ace has made 36 appearances since his £34.5m transfer, forming a solid partnership with Argentinian, Cristian Romero, at the back for Postecoglou’s side.

Van de Ven isn’t your average centre-back, often seen going on a mazy run or two, as demonstrated against Manchester United where he picked up a loose ball before driving from his own half to the byline before teeing up Brennan Johnson for a tap-in.

The 23-year-old currently holds the record for being the fastest player in Premier League history, clocking a speed of 37.38km/h last season.

Van de Ven has been part of a Spurs backline that has kept three clean sheets already this season, as he looks to boost the club’s chances of returning to Champions League football next campaign.

Should they qualify, he could be partnered by one talent who’s set to move to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium upon the completion of the 2024/25 season.

The man who could be Spurs’ own Gabriel

Every Spurs fan must be sick of the sight of Arsenal centre-back Gabriel, with the Brazilian scoring the winning goal against the Gunners in the North London derby earlier this season.

The 26-year-old has also scored against Manchester City, demonstrating a goalscoring threat despite his main responsibility being defensive work, having chalked up 17 goals in total during his time in English football.

Postecoglou’s side could be about to get their hands on their own version of the defender in the form of youngster Luka Vuskovic, who’s set to arrive in North London ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The 17-year-old agreed a £12m deal with Spurs last summer to join the club when he turns 18, subsequently spending the current season on loan at Belgian outfit Westerlo.

It’s already been a successful move for the “scary” youngster, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, with the 6 foot 5 defender scoring four times in his first ten appearances in the Belgian Pro League, showcasing that Gabriel-like threat in the attacking penalty area.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The Croatian is already a regular member of his nation’s under-21 side, with his defensive qualities just as impressive as his offensive numbers during his temporary loan spell in Europe.

Games played

10

Goals scored

4

Assists

1

Duels won

47

Aerial success rate

83%

Pass accuracy

82%

Recoveries

41

Vuskovic has already won 47 duels this season, whilst also boasting an 83% aerial success rate, providing that aerial dominance that Postecoglou’s side have been craving at the back.

Given his tender age, he will need time to settle into life in England, but all the early signs are positive for the youngster, with the hope being that he can form a long-term partnership with left-footer, Van de Ven, in the near future.

He has the potential to develop into one of the very best centre-halves in the league, potentially having a huge impact on both boxes for Spurs over the years to come.

It's not Moore: Spurs have a £100m star in the making who's like Yamal

Tottenham have a future star in the making under Ange Postecoglou.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 10, 2024

In search of extending their current unbeaten run to six games, Everton may have to cope without one of their most in-form players against Southampton this weekend following Sky Sports’ latest update.

Everton transfer news

The Toffees have turned a corner under Sean Dyche in recent weeks just when an eventual place in the Premier League’s bottom three looked inevitable following a disastrous start. Now five games unbeaten, with two wins and three draws in that time, Everton sit five points clear of the dropzone and as many as eight points ahead of bottom side Southampton, who they face this weekend.

In another winnable game, Dyche could see his side move into the comforts of mid-table in a crucial step towards the level that the Toffees will be desperate to return to, especially when The Friedkin Group complete their takeover of the club.

Southampton, meanwhile, will be in a desperate mood of their own after failing to pick up a single victory in any of their opening nine league games. In pursuit of what would be a crucial three points, however, they’ve been handed a major boost courtesy of recent injury news coming out of Merseyside.

Everton star who was sold by Dyche is outperforming Gordon this season

The former Everton star has impressed this season

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 30, 2024

According to Sky Sports’ James Savundra, Dwight McNeil is now a doubt to face Southampton after missing Thursday’s training session. The winger was forced to come off through injury against Fulham last time out and is seemingly still struggling to get back to full fitness in time for this weekend’s clash.

Savundra confirmed the news after McNeil was not spotted in Everton training by the on-watching cameras.

If he is to miss the Southampton game in the coming days, then those at Goodison Park will be hoping to see their in-form star return for their trip to face West Ham United next weekend.

"Terrific" McNeil hit form at the perfect time

Just as Everton were struggling in the early stages of the campaign, McNeil hit form at the perfect time before injury seemingly stopped him in his tracks. The Toffees’ talisman, with three goals and three assists in nine Premier League games so far this season, McNeil has become more important than ever under Dyche in Merseyside.

His recent form wouldn’t have come as a surprise to the Everton boss, however, who praised the £25,000-a-week winger at the end of last season. Dyche told reporters as relayed by the Liverpool Echo: “He’s been terrific since I’ve been back with him and I want him to keep enjoying his football but also taking it on. I thought at Brighton he took it on.

“He is a player who is still maturing in my view and he is grasping and grabbing it and taking things forward and making things happen and that is very pleasing for him and pleasing for us.”

Fans are often warned about falling in love with loan players, as they will often return to their owner clubs, and either stay there or get a move elsewhere.

Some Crystal Palace examples include Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ashley Cole, and then one who eventually did return to the club permanently, Wilfried Zaha.

Loftus-Cheek was on loan from Chelsea, and the Eagles currently have Trevoh Chalobah enjoying a temporary stint at Selhurst Park from the exact same club.

One other loanee who came from Chelsea was part of the 2021/22 campaign, where Palace finished 12th under Patrick Vieira.

Crystal Palace's 2021/22 signings

During this window, Crystal Palace spent around £71.3m on bringing nine new players to the club on permanent deals. The most expensive was yet another player from Chelsea, this time not on loan, but on a permanent, with the signing of Marc Guehi for around £20m.

Another acquisition that was made during that season, who has gone on to become an important player for the Eagles, is Jean-Philippe Mateta. He joined Palace from Mainz, having spent a year on loan at the club already, joining for a fee of around £9m.

Marc Guehi

£20m

Joachim Andersen

£14.5m

Odsonne Edouard

£13.5m

Jean-Philippe Mateta

£9m

Michael Olise

£7.7m

Will Hughes

£5.8m

Luke Plange

£982k

Remi Matthews

£0

Jacob Montes

£0

The best deal of that season turned out to be Michael Olise joining from Reading, as he was later sold for a massive profit, penning terms with Bayern Munich over the summer of 2024 in a deal worth around £50.8m.

But there was one more deal made, with a particular loanee who won over the Palace fans’ hearts.

Conor Gallagher's transfer valuation after leaving Palace

Conor Gallagher spent the 2021/22 season on loan with Crystal Palace, making 39 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals, providing five assists, and totalling 3,210 minutes played.

At the end of his loan spell, the young English midfielder returned to be part of Chelsea’s squad under Thomas Tuchel, valued at around £21m at the time by Transfermarkt.

The 24-year-old went on to make 95 appearances for the Blues first team, netting ten times, providing ten assists, and even captaining the club for the majority of the 2023/24 campaign in the absence of injured duo Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

This summer, the England international secured a move to Atlético Madrid, for a fee of around £36m. Gallagher is now valued at £42m by Transfermarkt, double his valuation of when he was at Crystal Palace back in 2021/22.

The England international has already played 13 times for the Spanish giants, scoring two goals in La Liga, and totaling 835 minutes played.

The midfielder continues to impress, once labelled a “warrior” by Jacek Kulig whilst at Palace. The combative midfielder’s game hasn’t changed, still working his socks off, and affecting the game at both ends of the pitch.

Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace side could really do with a Gallagher-type midfielder right now, as Adam Wharton is out injured, Chiekh Doucoure has struggled for consistent minutes, and other options, whilst being sufficient, do not offer the same duel success numbers as someone like Gallagher.

Saved by Guehi: Crystal Palace star who won 11% duels let his team down

One Crystal Palace star let his team down despite the 2-2 draw with Wolves.

ByConnor Holden Nov 3, 2024

Manchester United have made some key additions over the last couple of years to try and push the club back towards the summit of the Premier League.

The supporters have been starved of success on the field for many years, often finishing outside the top four and settling for numerous woeful showings under former boss Erik ten Hag.

However, the Dutchman was ultimately given his marching orders a couple of weeks ago after another dismal start to the campaign, with Ruben Amorim brought in to try and fix the mess left by the 54-year-old.

The recruitment will allow Amorim to work with former players such as Manuel Ugarte after their time together at Sporting CP, whilst giving young talents like Amad Diallo the chance to consistently reach the levels they’ve shown glimpses of.

He won’t be able to work with multiple players who have departed Old Trafford in recent times, however, including one player who left his boyhood club during the recent transfer window.

Scott McTominay’s life after Manchester United

Midfielder Scott McTominay came through the Manchester United academy, going on to have a very successful career in the first-team at his boyhood club.

The now-Scotland international went on to make 255 appearances over a seven-year period after his debut back in January 2017.

However, the 27-year-old would leave this summer, swapping Manchester for Naples and joining Serie A side Napoli in a £25m deal – a move which allowed Ugarte to move to the North West.

It’s certainly safe to say that McTominay was massively underrated during his time at Old Trafford, scoring 29 times, including a long-range screamer against local rivals Manchester City in March 2020, securing the victory for the Red Devils.

The hierarchy’s decision to offload the talent already appears to be a huge mistake given his early season form under former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte in Italy.

The midfielder has notched three goals and one assist in his opening ten outings, carrying on the record that saw him become a consistent goalscoring midfielder for United.

However, despite the transfer, there’s another talent who also departed the club in recent times before going on to enjoy major success away from Manchester.

The player who United must regret selling

After joining the club as a 17-year-old from Spanish giants Real Madrid, left-back Alvaro Fernandez was immediately placed into the youth setup at Carrington, allowing him to develop his game before making his mark on the first team.

He was given his first taste of senior football during the 2022/23 season, joining Championship side Preston North End on a season-long loan – making 42 appearances and registering six assists – winning their Young Player of the Season award.

The Spaniard would subsequently have two loan spells at Granada and Benfica during the previous campaign, before joining the latter on a permanent basis during the summer.

Fernandez moved for just £5m with a 50% sell-on clause in the deal, but crucially with a buy-back option should they ever want to re-sign the rising star.

His move to Portugal this campaign has been a roaring success, featuring 17 times in all competitions throughout 2024/25, registering a staggering two goals and two assists in his last five outings.

The 21-year-old “monster”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is a marauding full-back, who loves to get forward, able to have an impact at both ends, as demonstrated by his tallies – making him the perfect fit for Amorim’s three-back system which has a huge impetus on the wing-backs.

When delving into his stats from the current season, his underlying figures are just as impressive – making him the perfect option for the 39-year-old had the Red Devils kept hold of the youngster.

Fernandez has averaged 6.9 progressive passes, along with 2.9 progressive carries, but has still caught the eye defensively – averaging 2.4 tackles won per 90 – having all the tools to be a world-class talent for many years to come.

Games played

10

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

81%

Progressive passes

6.9

Progressive carries

2.9

Successful take-ons

1.1

Tackles won

2.4

Interceptions

1.2

Aerials won

1.1

It’s all well and good the club having a buy-back option with his departure from the summer, but it could’ve been totally avoided by keeping hold of the Spain U21 international.

With a shortage of natural wing-backs at Old Trafford – particularly on the left flank, amid the absence of both Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia – the sale of Fernandez may represent a bigger mistake than that of McTominay.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

As it is, United are already well stocked in the midfield ranks, with the likes of Ugarte, Casemiro, Kobbie Mainoo, Mason Mount, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes all on board, with it having been an opportune time to sell McTominay with just a year remaining on his contract.

As for young Fernandez, his talents are there for all to see, with Amorim potentially wishing that the hierarchy decided to keep the one-time Madrid man in Manchester.

Amorim must unleash Man Utd sensation who was "insulted" by Ten Hag

Manchester United could have themselves a potential world-beater on their hands.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 13, 2024

New incoming Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim is already planning to brutally axe a member of the Manchester United squad, with a departure coming as soon as January, according to one report.

Amorim takes control at Old Trafford

Following a successful interim spell in charge from Ruud Van Nistelrooy, Amorim officially took charge of Manchester United on Monday. Though he has the remainder of the international break to work with his side, his task looks daunting, with the club languishing in 13th place in the Premier League, only just above struggling West Ham United.

His first clash will be a trip to Portman Road to take on newly promoted Ipswich Town, who recorded their first win of the season in their last outing and will be looking to spoil his Manchester United start, while games against Arsenal and Manchester City also lie in the near future for Amorim.

Manchester United’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Ipswich Town (Away)

Everton (Home)

Arsenal (Away)

Nottingham Forest (Home)

Manchester City (Away)

All this comes against the incoming boss implementing a new style of football at Old Trafford, with Amorim widely expected to revert to a back three as he did to such great effect at Sporting CP, though he has promised not to sign any stars from his former club in January.

That is likely to spell good news for the likes of Manuel Ugarte, who worked with Amorim at Sporting and is well suited to his system, but there are concerns about who will fill the wide areas in the immediate term, while it also leaves the likes of Mason Mount and Alejandro Garnacho without natural positions in the side.

January is expected to be busy therefore, and now it has emerged that Amorim is already prepared to axe one player.

"Magnificent" midfielder up for sale

That comes as reports in Spain claim that the new Manchester United boss is ready to part ways with Casemiro as early as the January transfer window. The Brazilian midfielder has not enjoyed life in Manchester in the last 12 months, and was strongly linked with a move away from the club in the most recent summer transfer window.

Amorim could unleash a "world-class" £90m star in the making at Man Utd

Manchester United fans will be desperate to see him play under Ruben Amorim.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 15, 2024

Nonetheless, Erik ten Hag was always a fan of the ex-Real Madrid man, dubbing him “magnificent” back in January 2023. “Casemiro is magnificent. In front of the back line, always taking good positions, in and out of position, and he can deal with the ball, he can give the right pass”, the ex-Man Utd boss explained.

But he is now 32-years-old and he sits among Manchester United’s highest earners, taking home a massive £350,000 a week (£10.5m per year), something that Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. will not be wanting to pay someone who Amorim chooses to name among the substitutes regularly.

And as a result, it is reported by Sport that Amorim has already told the Brazilian to look for another club as soon as January, though they will not let him leave for free as they look to recoup some of the massive £60m they paid Real Madrid to sign him two years ago.

With Casemiro down to the final 18 months of his contract at Old Trafford, they are unlikely to recoup a massive fee for him any time soon, but given his wage demands, it may be for the best that the Red Devils just cut their losses.

Leicester City are now prepared to shell out £2m to secure their next manager after parting ways with Steve Cooper, it has been reported, and he is keen to move to the King Power Stadium.

Leicester part ways with Steve Cooper

Leicester City announced that they had parted ways with Cooper 24 hours after their 2-1 defeat to Chelsea in their most recent Premier League outing, with the news coming as a shock to plenty.

Though they had only won twice all season, the Foxes remained clear of the relegation zone and had faced tough fixtures that included games against Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea in their opening games.

Played

11

Won

2

Lost

6

Goals Scored

14

Goals Conceded

22

Points Per Game

0.82

“Leicester City Football Club has parted company with Steve Cooper, who leaves his position as first-team manager with immediate effect”, an official statement read.

“Assistant manager Alan Tate and first-team coach and analyst Steve Rands have also left the club. Steve, Alan and Steve depart with our thanks for their contribution during their time with the club and with our best wishes for the future.

“Men’s first-team training will be overseen by first-team coach Ben Dawson, supported by coaches Danny Alcock and Andy Hughes, as the club begins the process of appointing a new manager, which we hope to conclude as soon as possible.”

There has since been plenty of speculation about who could come in to take the hot seat at the King Power Stadium, with Ruud Van Nistelrooy heavily linked with the vacancy, while the likes of David Moyes and Graham Potter have also been touted as possibilities. Now, though, a new option has emerged.

Leicester ready to pay £2m to secure top choice manager

That comes according to reports in Spain, which insist that the Foxes are continuing to keep close tabs on West Brom boss Carlos Corberan, and are now ready to trigger the £2m release clause in his contract at The Hawthorns.

Corberan has enjoyed a strong spell at West Brom, though he is currently going through something of a slump himself, with the Baggies having won just one of their last 11 outings and having drawn eight of those games.

Nonetheless, he has been labelled an “elite” coach by Football recruitment expert Petar Petrov on X, who claimed that “the job of an elite coach is to push his team to a level above what is expected of that group of players. That’s what Carlos Corberán is doing at West Brom and what he did previously at Huddersfield Town”.

Leicester City eyeing move for "exciting" £17m Abdul Fatawu replacement

The winger is set to miss the rest of the season.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 22, 2024

That would certainly be what he would have to do at Leicester too, with the current Foxes squad awash with Championship talent and few true superstars among their ranks.

As per Marca [via Sport Witness], Leicester City are ready to pay Corberan’s £2m release clause at West Brom, and they believe that he could be the man to steer them away from the drop zone.

Meanwhile, GiveMeSport add that “Corberan would be keen on the job, and he would even be willing to leave West Brom during the middle of the season if he was offered the job in the East Midlands”.

The Baggies boss is “seen as a strong, stylistic fit and Leicester believe that the Spaniard would be able to build upon Maresca’s system”, with the players having shown their desire to return to that sort of football already this season.

Will Corberan be the next man in the Leicester hot-seat?

Newcastle United were impressive in their 3-3 draw with Liverpool in midweek, but must now build on that foundation away from St. James’ Park.

Eddie Howe’s side have the perfect chance to do just that, meeting Brentford in the capital this afternoon with both sat on 20 points, one win behind fifth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion.

Attacking weapons have been blunted for much of the current campaign but there was plenty to admire against the Reds on Wednesday.

Brentford will provide a different test to be sure, having won six and drawn one of their seven top-flight matches at the Gtech Community Stadium this season. Newcastle need to be on their a-game.

Newcastle team news

Sven Botman is still not ready to make his anticipated return to the Newcastle backline, but he should make an appearance before the new year. Fellow defenders Emil Krafth and Jamal Lascelles are also out of action.

Sandro Tonali, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon all had little niggles after such a hard-fought performance against Liverpool but should be clear to start against the Bees.

While Thomas Frank’s side have been imperious on home turf, Newcastle cannot afford to be defeated, and must now produce a top-class display to leapfrog them into European contention.

It’s crucial that Newcastle win the midfield battle.

Newcastle's midfield balance

Against Liverpool, Newcastle’s centre-midfielders won 20 duels in combination, with the host side narrowly winning the total duel success (52% vs 48%).

Joelinton proved himself a menace, serving as a charging bull. This is something that works extremely well in counterpoint to Bruno Guimaraes’ elegant ball-playing game.

That’s not to say that he’s not combative himself, having won 7.9 duels per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore, but there’s a distinct contrast that works neatly for Howe’s system.

The question centres on who to place on the right side of the central engine room. Sean Longstaff is industrious, while Tonali carries a slickness that helps Newcastle to establish control.

But it’s Joe Willock who must be handed a starting role against Brentford, with the dynamic midfielder carrying the properties needed to send Brentford in a spin.

Howe must unleash Joe Willock

Willock failed to produce his finest football for most of the 2023/24 campaign, having been limited to just nine Premier League appearances as he recovered from an Achilles injury, with a recurrence chucking him back in the infirmary after a fleeting period of recovery.

The 25-year-old is a determined sort, however, and has managed to hit some impressive form in spells this season, notably combining with Joelinton to great effect. Willock’s technical flair deserves praise, and he might even be Newcastle’s best ball-carrying asset when fit and firing.

As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 midfielder ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries, the top 13% for shot-creating actions and the top 17% for tackles per 90, emphasising that point but also pointing toward a roundedness that will allow him to balance out the midfield at Brentford.

It’s interesting to note that Willock’s statistical style – as per FBref – is matched with that of Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, who scored a fine goal on Tyneside earlier this week.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

1

Touches

75

Shots (on target)

3 (2)

Accurate passes

55/57 (96%)

Key passes

1

Dribbles (completed)

2 (2)

Tackles

2

Ground duels (won)

10 (7)

Though Newcastle’s midfielders largely succeeded in their central battles, it’s clear that Jones managed to keep things balanced, with his crisp passing, progressive movements and solid combative approach making things difficult for Howe’s team.

He completed both of his attempted dribbles, and given that Willock is also adept in carrying the ball into the danger area, he must be handed a starting role today, allowed to push against the Londoners’ backline, bend it and seize openings.

With just two wins across ten recent Premier League matches, Newcastle cannot afford to cede further ground in the congested battle for a place at the front of the table. It’s early into the campaign still, but a standard needs to be set.

Given that Tonali didn’t enjoy his finest outing against Liverpool, surely it would be worth throwing Willock back in. The 25-year-old only made three touches during his cameo in midweek, but won his only contested duel and made a tackle too. He can do it all.

Howe praised Willock’s “infectious” energy in midfield last season, and indeed, it’s this kind of approach that will be needed to overwhelm Brentford and complete a statement victory to springboard the project back into the European realm.

Whether Newcastle become the first to beat Brentford in their own backyard this term remains to be seen, but Willock is a singular asset and must be unleashed. He might just be the difference-maker.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s recent run of bad form was extended in Glasgow last night.

Ange Postecoglou returned to the city where he made his name in British football, but instead of facing his old club, Celtic, an intense Europa League clash with Rangers awaited him and his side.

The hosts looked the far better of the two teams, and while Dejan Kulusevski managed to salvage a point for the North Londoners, it was another display that has only cast more doubt on the Australian’s project.

41%

Possession

59%

1.49

Expected Goals

0.87

1

Goals

1

2

Big Chances

0

15

Total Shots

12

7

Corners

7

9

Fouls

9

379

Passes

563

There were poor performances all over the pitch for the visitors, but there were two that perhaps stood out, with one of them being Timo Werer.

Timo Werner's game vs Rangers

It would probably be fair to say that even going back to when he first arrived at the club midway through last season, Werner has been an underwhelming, boarding-on poor addition to Spurs’ squad, and last night showed that yet again.

The former Chelsea flop started off the left, and aside from a shot he sent miles over the bar early on, he offered pretty much no attacking threat whatsoever, which made life incredibly easy for Rangers’ right-hand side.

Moreover, the RB Leipzig-loanee seemed unable to track back either, so Destiny Udogie was left to deal with the marauding Václav Černý and James Tavernier all alone at times.

It was such a dire display that Postecoglou hooked him at half-time and told the press his performance “wasn’t acceptable” in his post-match comments, which makes the 3/10 match rating he received from the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick look almost too kind.

While this all could sound hyperbolic, it’s entirely backed up by his statistics, as in 46 minutes of action, the Stuttgart-born dud amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.09, failed to take a single shot on target, failed in 100% of his crosses and dribbles, lost 100% of his duels, lost the ball 18 times was unable to play a single key pass and only completed 69% of his passes.

Minutes

46′

Expected Goals

0.05

Expected Assists

0.04

Shots on Target

0

Dribbles (Complete)

3 (0)

Duels (Won)

5 (0)

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

16

Key Passes

1

Passing Accuracy

18/26 (69%)

In all, it was an abysmal showing from the 28-year-old, although one of his teammates was arguably as poor on the other flank.

Pedro Porro's game vs Rangers

Yes, the player we are talking about is Spanish right-back Pedro Porro, who put in yet another dreadful performance for Spurs last night.

Like his German teammate, the former Sporting CP ace was utterly hopeless going forward, with the only meaningful contribution he made being a shot midway through the second half, which was saved by Jack Butland.

However, the biggest issue with his game last night was the same problem that’s been singled out multiple times this year: his defensive fragility.

For example, he lost Hamza Igamane for the opening goal and was constantly being attacked as Rangers could sense he wasn’t up to the battle, making Kilpatrick’s 4/10 match rating feel more than justified.

Unsurprisingly, his statistics from the game were also poor, as in 93 minutes of action, the defensive “horror”, as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, amassed an expected goal plus assists figure of 0.08, was dribbled past four times, lost six of nine duels, lost the ball 20 times, committed one foul, misplaced seven of eight long balls and two of three crosses.

Minutes

93′

Expected Goals

0.04

Expected Assists

0.04

Dribbled Past

4

Duels (Won)

9 (6)

Lost Possession

20

Fouls Committed

1

Long Balls (Accurate)

8 (1)

Crosses (Accurate)

3 (1)

Ultimately, it was a night to forget for the entire Spurs team, but Werner and Porro were particularly woeful and must be dropped for some time.

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