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Arsenal let slip their two-goal lead yesterday, but still walked away from Anfield with a more than respectable 2-2 draw against a struggling Liverpool side.

Although Jurgen Klopp’s men might not have been in the most glittering of form, having won just two of their last eight games in all competitions, at their infamous home stadium they remain a tough task for any side.

Especially for the Gunners, who historically have struggled to topple the Reds in Merseyside; their last win in the league came in 2012.

There were plenty of impressive performers on the day, who stood up to arguably one of their toughest tests as they enter the run-in. However, such was the bear pit environment crafted by the hosts, some also wilted.

Surprisingly, one such figure who disappointed was Martin Odegaard.

Their Norwegian captain has been ever-dependable all campaign, boasting ten goals and eight assists on the way to leading the pack in the Premier League.

However, it was a day to forget for the 24-year-old, who underwhelmed before his eventual substitution.

How did Martin Odegaard play vs Liverpool?

Whilst Rob Holding might steal the headlines for true poor performers, having been handed the worst Sofascore rating of any of Arsenal’s starting side and giving away a penalty, he does not demand the same lofty standards as his midfield teammate.

The English defender is merely standing in for the injured William Saliba, and everyone clearly knows that; likely even the 27-year-old himself.

Therefore, the occasional poor display against a tough side like Liverpool can be somewhat excused, almost expected.

Odegaard, however, has commanded such a spectacle surrounding each display, that when he underperforms it becomes a far greater story.

From his 80 minutes on the field, the maestro could only muster 40 touches, completing 24 passes. He would subsequently lose possession ten times, and the only cross attempted would miss the mark, compounding an abysmal creative performance (via Sofascore).

Odegaard did play a role in advancing the ball forward for Gabriel Martinelli's opener, but that was as good as it got for the Norwegian, with journalist Sergio Santana even taking to Twitter to outline the “weak performance” posted by the 5 foot 10 wizard.

Often the former Real Madrid prodigy would make up for any attacking shortcomings with an unparalleled work rate. That also seemed missing in yesterday’s clash, as the £115k-per-week magician would record just one tackle as his sole defensive interaction. He would lose the other four duels competed in as per Sofascore.

Offensively inept and defensively work-shy, it was certainly an afternoon to forget for the usually reliable midfielder.

Odegaard has been instrumental in the current success of his outfit, but he will quickly want to dispel yesterday’s showing in order to return to the form that has led to such widespread praise.

West Ham United have sent scouts to watch Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Scott to West Ham?

The Robins starlet has worked his way up through the academy ranks at Ashton Gate to become a regular feature of Nigel Pearson’s first-team squad, making 86 appearances – catching the eye of David Moyes at the London Stadium in the process.

Football Insider reported in February that the Irons were readying a summer move for the 19-year-old and haven’t decided to waste any time. GiveMeSport claims that the E20 outfit have already submitted an enquiry to discover his availability, but any kind of deal will be far from easy to complete.

The Championship ace is contracted until 2025, which means they will be entering the market in a very strong negotiating position, but having set a £25m price tag, it’s clear that they would be open to letting him go should they receive their demanded fee.

According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are on the lookout for replacements for Declan Rice and believe that Scott has what it takes to fill the role. Irons scouts “continue to watch” their target and were even in attendance to assess him at England U20's game against France last week. PSV Eindhoven’s Ibrahim Sangare and Manchester City’s Carlos Borges are thought to be two other central players being monitored, but it appears that City's talisman is currently the preferred choice.

Would Scott be a good signing for West Ham?

Scott is still a teenager, so viewing him as a possible successor to Rice right now may be too much pressure, but with the qualities that he possesses, he’s certainly got the potential to be his replacement in the long term.

The Guernsey-born talent is currently averaging 2.1 tackles per second-tier game so loves to get stuck in and win back possession for his team, but is equally as strong in the offensive aspect of his play. The Robins ace has provided five assists and scored two goals across all competitions this season (via Transfermarkt), whilst whipping 90 crosses into the box, highlighting his desire to create and put away chances.

Compared to positional peers playing at a similar level over the last 365 days, he also ranks in the 87th percentile for progressive carries and the 84th for successful take-ons, so isn’t afraid to beat his marker and make an impact in the final third (FBref).

Scott has been dubbed an “intelligent” midfielder by journalist Josh Bunting and we feel Moyes would be acquiring a real star in the making should the Irons successfully secure his services at the end of the season.

Everton have become renowned for their transfer disasters under Fahad Moshiri’s ownership with over £500m spent and little to show for it.

The Toffees are enduring another relegation scrap this season with Sean Dyche the seventh permanent manager appointed by the unpopular owner challenged with the task of turning things around at Goodison Park.

In more recent transfer windows, Everton have found themselves having to tighten their belts due to financial concerns after the reckless spending on numerous transfers took its toll.

Indeed, at the rate that the club were turning over players Moshiri was bound to get it right at some point and the controversial sale of Lucas Digne back in January last year is the perfect example.

It was a troubling time at Goodison Park with Rafael Benitez struggling to get the best out of his squad and with every game came another protest against both the manager and owners.

Behind the scenes, it was quickly revealed that Benitez had fallen out with Digne as the pair disagreed on the training pitch which led to the Frenchman being isolated and dropped from match-day squads.

Ultimately this fractured relationship would be the end of Digne’s career with Everton and the player was sold for £25m in the January transfer window to Aston Villa.

Ironically, it wasn’t long before the former Real Madrid boss followed Digne out of the door as he was sacked just five days later, nevertheless Moshiri surprisingly still had the last laugh on the sale.

How much is Lucas Digne worth now?

The move to Villa Park was a great opportunity for Digne to have a fresh start and move on from the seemingly sinking ship he was leaving behind under Benitez.

Under the management of one of Benitez’s player prodigies, Steven Gerrard, at first it looked like Digne was a key player in the young manager’s set-up playing 90 minutes in 13 of the remaining 18 games of the season.

However, shortly into the current campaign things began to unravel for Digne when he suffered an ankle injury in September 2022 that left him side-lined for 40 days.

During that time Villa found themselves edging closer and closer to the relegation zone and when the left-back returned in late October, Gerrard had been sacked.

With a new manager comes a new perspective, a fresh style of play and commonly a change of favour when it comes to selection and under Unai Emery, Digne has become a fading feature.

Digne has not played a full 90 minutes since New Year’s Day and the arrival of Spaniard Alex Moreno has only added insult to injury as the former Villarreal boss clearly doesn’t see the player in his future plans.

In fact, there are claims that the 29-year-old – dubbed "poor" by Luis Miguel Echegaray – could be on his way out this summer and with his market value plummeting 72% to (€8m) £6.9m compared to what they paid just 16 months ago – as per CIES Football Observatory – it’s safe to say Everton hit the jackpot.

With that being said, although the sale of Digne was met with fury from supporters, in hindsight, Moshiri made the right decision at the right time in a very rare transfer masterclass.

West Ham United chiefs have identified Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram as possible replacement for Declan Rice, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Rice exit looming?

The England international has been heavily linked with a move away from West Ham this summer with his deal expiring in 2024.

This summer could represent one of the last opportunities for David Moyes’ side to make any serious cash off Rice’s signature and reports suggest he isn’t short of suitors.

Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal are among the Premier League clubs chasing a move for Rice and journalist Dean Jones has now shared who West Ham could target to replace their star.

The Latest: West Ham eye Thuram…

As per the reporter, writing for GiveMeSport, Irons chiefs appear to be making ‘early’ plans as they consider who could succeed Rice.

One name in the mix is Nice star Thuram, brother of Marcus Thuram, and West Ham have him on their radar ahead of this summer.

However, they could face competition from Borussia Dortmund for his signature.

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The Verdict: Right man?

The 6 foot 4 powerhouse midfielder has been one of Nice’s shining lights over the 2022/2023 Ligue 1 season.

As per WhoScored, Thuram ranks among the French top flight side’s best-performing players by average match rating and specifically in their top five.

Also just 21-years-old, the Frenchman would come to the London Stadium as a signing of real longevity with members of the media also being highly impressed by his displays this season.

AS reporter Andrés Onrubia Ramos, for instance, has called Thuram an ‘exciting’ component of the Nice midfield and, if he continues this form, could keep on earning real plaudits.

His stock is well and truly growing in France, leaving little surprise West Ham are taking note.

In recent years, only Declan Rice and Ben Johnson have managed to establish themselves as consistent members of West Ham United’s first-team squad having come through the academy.

A number of promising youngsters have been on the fringes of the squad but far too many have been shipped out without any real opportunities; and given their development elsewhere, the Hammers may soon come to regret their decisions on a number of players.

One such example is Josh Cullen, who has seen his stock rise significantly since departing the London Stadium in 2020, with a return to Premier League football with Burnley looking almost certain this year.

Should West Ham regret selling Josh Cullen?

Cullen was a product of West Ham’s academy but spent much of his youth playing away from the club, enjoying loan spells with Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic.

Despite a promising spell with the Addicks in the 2019/20 campaign, which saw him feature 34 times in the Championship, David Moyes clearly felt that Cullen wouldn’t cut it at the London Stadium, and he was duly sold to Anderlecht for a minimal fee.

After impressing under Vincent Kompany in Belgium, making 80 appearances in total, the Irish midfielder linked up with the Manchester City legend again in the summer, completing a move to Championship side Burnley.

He has since been a mainstay for the Clarets as they look set to run away with the title, contributing one goal and three assists in 35 appearances for the Lancashire outfit.

Kompany is certainly a fan of the 26-year-old and it would not be a surprise to see him keep his regular place in the team next season, when Burnley look certain to be playing in the top flight once again.

The Clarets manager said of Cullen: “I can’t be complimentary enough, but I think everyone can see what he does. The team appreciates it; his strength is that he’s the ultimate player that puts the team before himself.”

The Irishman’s impressive displays in Belgium and in the Championship have unsurprisingly seen his value rocket in recent years, with Transfermarkt now valuing him at €7m (£6.2m), which represents a mammoth 483% increase from his €1.2m (£1m) value upon leaving West Ham.

Given that West Ham occupy a relegation place in the Premier League, they could be leapfrogged by their former player this year. All the while, Moyes is stuck with expensive midfielders such as Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta, who cost a combined £70.1m to sign and £215,000 in wages each week, with Declan Rice likely to depart regardless of the division in which the Hammers find themselves next season.

Therefore, this feels like another transfer decision that the under-pressure Moyes will end up regretting, (think of the £10m spent on the rarely-seen Jordan Hugill in 2018), and it perhaps highlights why more youngsters should be given opportunities in West Ham’s first-team, before they end up prospering elsewhere.

Celtic wantaway striker Georgios Giakoumakis wanted to become a top earner at Parkhead leading to his exit, according to Anthony Joseph.

The Lowdown: Giakoumakis on the move

Greek striker Giakoumakis is set to leave Celtic in the coming days with a move to Atlanta United in the MLS the likely destination, with Fabrizio Romano revealing he’s heading to Mexico to join up with Atlanta’s pre-season ahead of a £4.3m move.

The 28-year-old arrived 18 months ago after netting SPFL appearances coming his way this campaign.

He’s been left out of the five previous squads as his departure becomes imminent from Glasgow.

The Latest: Joseph’s comments

Speaking to The Celtic Exchange, Sky Sports reporter Joseph revealed that Giakoumakis had become disgruntled at Celtic Park for a while and gave an update on the deal that is so far not official, saying:

(46:56) “Our understanding is that Giakoumakis was looking for improved terms and wanted more playing time, I think he felt he was promised more playing time.

“I don’t know the part about Ange not being happy about what he was asking for but I know that talks broke down between Giakoumakis and the club, he wanted to be one of the top earners at the club.”

“Over in America, there’s more complexities to a transfer, especially an integral international transfer inwards to the MLS, so as far as I was aware on deadline day that’s what was putting the move on hold, and there’s no rush with either club actually.”

The Verdict: Unsurprising departure

It’s unsurprising to see Giakoumakis head for the Celtic Park exit door amid the issues going on behind closed doors regarding his contract demands, with a lack of game time also down to the brilliant form that Furuhashi has enjoyed this season, with the Japanese the SPFL’s top scorer.

Celtic’s highest earner according to salary sport is captain Callum McGregor on £32k-per-week whilst the Greece international earns just £12k-per-week, but given Furuhashi’s form a bumper deal bringing him closer to McGregor would likely see him eclipse the 28-year-old’s salary, not something Celtic would be open to doing.

Postecoglou has also already moved to bring in Giakoumakis’ replacement with South Korean striker Hyeon-gyu Oh joining for a fee of £3m last month (via Daily Record), all but ending any chance that Giakoumakis would remain at the club.

West Ham United are reportedly in for yet another striker but could lose out if they don’t act quickly…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to French publication L’Equipe, who state that OGC Nice seem set to sign Terem Moffi after having a bid accepted for the Nigerian. 

This comes just days after Sky Sports reported the Hammers’ initial £25m bid.

The report claims that the French outfit has a deal in place with Lorient for the forward, but awaits the sale of Andy Delort before they can sign their top target.

As such, this leaves a small window of opportunity for director of football Mark Noble to gather additional funds and secure this deal.

Must act quick

If the Irons are truly serious about their interest in Moffi, then they must work with haste to add another striker to their squad.

It could be an integral deal in solving one of their big issues, as goalscoring has somewhat escaped David Moyes’ side at times this season. They have managed just 15 goals in 19 Premier League appearances, and unsurprisingly sit joint-bottom of the table.

That is in no small part thanks to the two strikers already at the London Stadium, who have both endured toothless campaigns thus far.

Michail Antonio can be somewhat excused given his age, with the 32-year-old having scored twice in 18 appearances.

But the man who was brought in to replace him has truly disappointed, as Gianluca Scamacca represented a £35.5m outlay of which they have seen little return.

The Italian has only mustered three league goals, and with an expected goals of 2.47, he is depressingly good value for that return.

This exacerbates the need for Moffi, especially given the perilous position they find themselves in. Moyes cannot afford to give the 24-year-old Italian time to acclimatise; he has to perform now.

That is exactly what the 23-year-old is doing in France, as he boasts 12 goals in just 18 appearances this season. He is only three shy of West Ham’s total goals scored in the league, which is both a damning indication of their performances as well as a glowing recommendation of their target.

His proficiency in front of goal is exactly what has been lacking, with journalist Jacque Talbot labelling him as “deadly as they come”. FBref even ranks him in the top 14% for non-penalty goals, compared to his position peers, which adds to his credibility as a lethal finisher in Europe.

With Nice closing in on a deal, it is left to the east London outfit to make their final move. It could be one of paramount importance, as missing out on this deal could be the difference between safety and relegation.

Insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that the recent West Ham United transfer links to Ruslan Malinovskyi are ‘wide of the mark’.

What’s the word?

With January now upon us, it’s that time of the year when rumours begin to swirl and it half feels as though every Premier League side is linked with every footballer on the planet.

For instance, the Hammers have recently been tipped to make a move for Malinovskyi of Atalanta. Indeed, according to Calciomercato, David Moyes and co are keen on a deal.

Despite this latest talk, it sounds as though it might be wise not to pay it too much heed. After all, insider Ex has now claimed that West Ham are not currently likely to make a move for the player.

He wrote on The West Ham Way Patreon page: “Despite reports linking us to the signing of Ruslan Malinovskyi of Atalanta, we can confirm that these are wide of the mark.

“The 29-year-old Ukrainian international is out of contract in the summer so does tick a box (players coming close to end of contract) that we wish to explore, however, no move has been made.

“There are reported to be a number of clubs in the race for the player and it isn’t thought at this point that West Ham will make a move.”

Not interested…

Even if West Ham were keen on Malinovskyi, it doesn’t sound as though it would be an easy deal for them to compete with the likes of Marseille linked and Tottenham Hotspur said to be his preferred destination.

The 29-year-old may well be an attractive proposition for a number of clubs as his contract looks set to expire this summer (via Transfermarkt). However, some reports in Italian media (via Football Italia) claim that he has actually signed a two-year renewal.

Either way, it sounds as though it won’t make a huge amount of difference to the Hammers as this seems to be one deal they won’t be pursuing this winter.

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Christian Pulisic in the January transfer window, and a new update has emerged regarding the player’s future.

What’s the latest?

The Chelsea and USA forward has spoken out about his future at Stamford Bridge, and his comments may have given the Magpies a boost in their pursuit of the player.

The 24-year-old told the Indirect Podcast on Friday: “I mean, right now I’m absolutely back at Chelsea and focused and ready to finish the season, but you know how things work in football. Things change quickly and anything can happen.

“At the moment I am just pushing myself in training and working at Chelsea because that’s where I am right now.”

It would be a major coup

There is no doubt that Eddie Howe must be thrilled with his current squad at St James Park after an outstanding start to their Premier League campaign.

Newcastle are currently third in the table after tasting defeat just once in their first 15 outings, and the Magpies boss will surely be hoping that his team can continue their phenomenal form over the second half of the season and retain their Champions League qualification place inside the top four.

Despite boasting an incredibly in-form squad at St James’ Park, PIF could definitely capitalise on the opportunity to strengthen even further by making new additions in the transfer window next month.

It was reported last week by 90min that the club are still looking at adding a wide attacker to their prolific forward line in January, so the signing of Pulisic would be a major coup for the Tyneside club.

In 133 appearances for Chelsea, the talented winger has scored 26 goals and delivered 21 assists so far, with a goal contribution every 162 minutes despite only averaging 57 minutes per game for the west London club.

Pulisic was also a standout performer for the USA during their World Cup campaign in Qatar, inspiring his team to the round of 16 in the prestigious tournament.

In four World Cup appearances, the £35m-valued ace – who was dubbed “skilful” by Joao Cancelo – scored one goal, registered two assists and created one big chance. He also averaged 2.3 shots, 2.3 key passes, one successful dribble and 4.8 successful duels per game, proving to be a huge presence for his national team.

If Newcastle are keen to add another forward to their squad ahead of the second half of the season, Pulisic could be a great option to provide them with a player who has ample Premier League and Champions League experience and who can make an instant impact at St James’ Park.

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh in January and the youngster could prove to be the next Aaron Wan-Bissaka at Selhurst Park.

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle United, West Ham United and the Eagles are all keen on signing the 20-year-old, although the report suggests that they all see him as an option for the future rather than a first-team-ready signing.

Jesse Marsch’s side are reportedly keen to tie him down to a new contract at Elland Road but he could depart in search of more regular minutes in the first team, as he is currently behind both Rasmus Kristensen and Luke Ayling in the pecking order at Elland Road.

The defender has managed just seven appearances for the Whites’ senior side in his time with the Yorkshire club, but he did impress in a loan spell with Cardiff City in the Championship last season, contributing three assists in 22 appearances for the Welsh side.

Former manager Steve Morison was full of praise for Drameh’s performance and energy levels during his time with the club last season. He said:

“He has been excellent. He was excellent in his first game, he was excellent at Barnsley, it was a right scrap but there were a few things when he was running back and making last-ditch tackles.

“He had a little bit of a down game, the Bristol City game, but outside of that he has been excellent. Having that break in the Liverpool game when he couldn’t play, letting his body catch up on where it needs to be, now he is like a Duracell Bunny, isn’t he? He just keeps going and going.”

Should he arrive at Selhurst Park in January, he would likely compete with Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne for a starting spot in Patrick Vieira’s side, both of whom have shown themselves to be past their best with their performances this season.

The Eagles duo are ranked as the 10th and 16th-best performers at Palace so far this season, while they are 33 and 31 respectively, so it is easy to see why the Frenchman might be keen on a young, long-term heir such as Drameh.

In that respect, the Eagles have never really replaced Wan-Bissaka, since he completed a move to £50m move to Manchester United in 2019 after producing some superb performances at Selhurst Park.

The Englishman only became a regular for Palace in the 2018/19 season when he was 20, so Drameh could definitely follow a similar path should he arrive at Selhurst Park and impress with his performances.

There would certainly be first-team opportunities for the Leeds youngster in Vieira’s side and if he can take his chance and make himself a regular with the south London side, there seems no reason why he can’t be another big sale for the Eagles in the future.