West Ham battered Arsenal 5-1 in the FA Youth Cup Final on Tuesday evening to win the trophy for the first time since 1999.

That side over 20 years ago featured the likes of Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, but this new crop of supremely talented youngsters made history at the Emirates Stadium in front of 8,000 rapturous away fans.

Incredibly, it was the Gunners who went ahead after seven minutes, but the Irons produced a stirring and sensational comeback in the form of five unanswered goals.

Kevin Keen, the Hammers coach, was immensely proud of his squad and said: “This is my 40th year in football and that’s the proudest I’ve ever been. The crowd were like an extra man for us. It’s a massive moment for a club that is very well known for our academy and hopefully some of them can go on to have really strong careers for the club.”

This academy side possesses abundant raw, intoxicating, and captivating talent as it has just been crowned as the Premier League U18 South champions too.

Their demolition of Jack Wilshere’s academy products will serve as another pivotal indication of the host of spritely gifts that the East London outfit has at its disposal.

Gideon Kodua, the captain and scorer of the third goal, was one of the standout performers and is beginning to forge a massive future for himself.

Who is Gideon Kodua?

The forward has been with the Irons since 2017 after being scouted playing for Newham District and made his U18s debut in a 4-1 thrashing over Reading in April 2021.

In the 2021/22 season, his first full campaign as a regular starter in the U18s he scored 13 goals in 28 appearances, operating as either a right-winger or central striker.

The following season, he was in even more potent form, as the attacker netted ten goals in 16 U18 Premier League games, playing a key role in the title victory.

The Englishman was also a pivotal figure in the FA Youth Cup as his side secured the domestic double.

Just before half-time, Arsenal defender Josh Robinson miscontrolled a pass in the centre circle and Kudoa ruthlessly punished the mistake with an awe-inspiring 35-yard chip to put the Hammers 3-1 ahead.

The teenager has an impressive crop to follow in the footsteps of with the aforementioned Carrick and Cole bursting through to become England regulars.

The same can be said of Declan Rice. Although he never tasted Youth Cup success like Kodua, he was the pride and joy of the youth set-up after moving away from Chelsea.

The midfielder is now an £80m player in waiting and one of the first names on the teamsheet for Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions.

So “special” is Kodua – as per non-league manager Kiernan Hughes-Mason – that he could well live up to the same raw potential in the coming years.

Indeed, he has emerged as a mind-blowing blend of power, technique, and dynamism akin to that of Rice. We have been told to “remember the name” and this exciting starlet brimming with limitless potential will certainly be a prospect to closely monitor moving forward.

يقترب مسلسل مصير كيليان مبابي من نهايته، بحسب آخر التقارير الصحفية الواردة، والتي أفادت بتوصله لاتفاق للانتقال إلى ريال مدريد.

ويقضي مبابي السنة الأخيرة في عقده مع باريس سان جيرمان والذي ينتهي بنهاية الموسم الجاري في يونيو القادم، ولم يصل حتى الآن لاتفاق للتجديد، وهو حر في التفاوض مع أي نادٍ بالوقت الحالي.

وبحسب “فوت ميركاتو” كيليان مبابي توصل لاتفاق مع ريال مدريد في الأيام الأخيرة، ولم يوضح التقرير تفاصيل المفاوضات بين الطرفين.

ويأتي ذلك بعد أعوام من الشائعات حول مفاوضات مبابي مع ريال مدريد منذ عام 2017، حين كان لاعبًا لموناكو، والتي استمرت بصورة سنوية مع كل سوق انتقالات بعد انضمامه إلى باريس سان جيرمان.

وسبق وصرح مبابي بشأن مستقبله قبل أيام: “أنا متحمس جدًا لهذا العام، إنه مهم جدًا، لدينا ألقاب لنسعى وراءها وقد حصلنا على واحدة، لم أتخذ قراري”.

وأوضح: “لكن بالاتفاق الذي أبرمته مع الرئيس هذا الصيف، مهما كان قراري، تمكنا من حماية جميع الأطراف والحفاظ على هدوء النادي للتحديات المقبلة، والتي تظل الأهم، إذا كنت أعرف ما سأفعله، فلن يستغرق الأمر وقتًا طويلاً”.

وشارك مبابي مساء الأحد في فوز باريس سان جيرمان أمام ريفال بكأس فرنسا، حيث سجل هاتريك في انتصار فريقه بنتيجة 9-0.

Everton have found themselves yet again struggling to retain their Premier League status this season and Sean Dyche has been tasked with the challenge of damage control at Goodison Park by securing survival over the remaining fixtures.

The Toffees are currently teetering on the edge of the relegation zone as only goal difference is saving them from being in the bottom three and with just eight games left to play, there is no room for error going forward until the end of the season.

Indeed, if the former Burnley boss can save the Merseysiders this season, there is no doubt that he will be keen to make his own mark on the squad to prompt improvement and resolve the disastrous decisions of those who preceded him.

One player who has been sparking media attention for all the wrong reasons yet again this week is Frank Lampard's signing Dele Alli, with the player banished from his loan club Besiktas this season and now suffering an injury that has left him unavailable to play for the remainder of the campaign.

Will Everton cut ties with Dele Alli?

Despite paying no transfer fee to sign him, there is no doubt that Alli has been one of the worst signings secured on the blue side of Merseyside in a while which is some achievement considering the club is renowned for their transfer disasters over the years.

The former Tottenham Hotspur playmaker made the move to Goodison Park on the same day that Lampard became the new permanent manager, back in January 2022.

After tallying up just 13 appearances over six months and averaging just 27 minutes per game with only three yellow cards to show for it, talkSPORT's Simon Jordan blasted Everton for signing Alli last summer:

"An awful transfer! This was how it was always going to end," he began. “Dele Alli’s career is going one way and I don’t think he can get it back.”

At first, a season-long loan move to Turkey for the troubled £100k-per-week talent looked promising with three goals scored in 17 appearances, however, it wasn't long before the Besiktas boss Senol Gunes became the latest manager to grow frustrated with him and delivered a scathing assessment on the player:

"Dele Alli has had a good career. But he doesn't deserve to play at the moment. The current situation has not met our expectations as a team,

"We expect him to contribute to the team, but we think he cannot contribute at the moment. We will evaluate it with him and the club."

Since then, the England international has seemingly not returned to Turkey after coming back to the UK with a knee injury and it has been reported in the last few days that Everton are considering their options to cut ties with the player once and for all.

With that being said, considering Everton's financial concerns, it would be wise for them to finally end Lampard's transfer disaster by letting go of the 27-year-old as soon as possible, in order to eliminate one of their many problems heading into the summer.

Everton's decision-making in recent history has been notoriously horrific, culminating in the predicament they find themselves in.

Their loss to Fulham yesterday further consigned them towards relegation, which they only narrowly avoided last season under Frank Lampard.

It seems that this season they might not be so lucky, with a threadbare squad desperately lacking in quality and confidence. Even Sean Dyche is struggling to get a tune out of them, despite what seemed like an instant upturn upon the former Burnley boss' initial arrival.

Of these missteps that have led to this miserable point in time, it seemed like the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti remains the outlier. The legendary Italian's decision to move to Goodison Park shocked the footballing world, but his decision to leave for Real Madrid just under two years later did not.

His one full season in charge had been underwhelming, although offered glimpses of a shift in mentality that was so sorely needed on Merseyside. This was aided by the four additions he had made in the summer, which included James Rodriguez.

However, of that quartet, the surprise standout was actually Ben Godfrey, who had joined from Norwich City on a £20m deal. Built like a tank but somehow boasting blistering speed, the centre-back was billed as the future of the Toffees back line.

This remained the case for some time, but his display against the Cottagers yesterday only served to exacerbate his recent fall from grace.

How has Ben Godfrey played lately?

Before launching into a condemnation of the 25-year-old's deficiencies, it must be noted that he has often been forced to deputise at full-back when there has been no alternative.

However, that again comes from his lack of dominance in a central role, which makes him an unlikely candidate to start in his preferred position.

Yesterday saw him once again forced into right back, where he would record a 6.3 rating before being dragged off after sustaining an injury. This was upheld by his 30 touches, abhorrent 50% pass accuracy and four duels won all game, via Sofascore.

What makes it even worse is that this is a display fans have become all too accustomed to.

An average Sofascore rating of 6.52 this season gives credence to the claims made by writer Peter Guy, who wrote on Twitter: "Honestly thought we'd signed a monster in Godfrey. He's looking more of a bust every week."

It was not a silly suggestion to have expected big things from the Englishman, who in his debut season on Merseyside had recorded an outstanding 7.03 average rating. This has disappointingly only dwindled with increased time among the first team, alongside the steady decline of the club.

With Dyche favouring the likes of James Tarkowski and Michael Keane at centre-back, famed for their brutish styles, and no future at full-back with performances like yesterday's, perhaps the steely 51-year-old boss should seek to cash in on the defender who just does not seem to fit into his plans.

Glasgow Rangers have had quite a number of teenage starlets emerge from the academy and push their way into first team reckoning over the years.

Think back to Charlie Miller in the 1990s, who played a key role under Walter Smith during the nine-in-a-row era, to more recent players such as Barry Ferguson and Alan Hutton, two homegrown boys who made the club serious money in the transfer window – ranking among the club's top ten most expensive departures.

The Ibrox side has always looked at developing talents and there was one youngster who stood above the others during Smith’s second stint in charge of the Gers – John Fleck.

Fleck, the nephew of former Ibrox star Robert Fleck, made his debut aged just 15 back in 2007 during a pre-season friendly and by the end of that season, he had made history, becoming the youngest ever player to feature in a senior final as he played five minutes in the 3-2 Scottish Cup final win over Queen of the South.

Over the next few seasons, the Scot struggled to make a consistent impact in the first team, making only 56 appearances before eventually leaving in the summer of 2012 due to the club’s administration, joining Coventry City for free as manager Ally McCoist couldn’t keep hold of the youngster.

What is John Fleck up to now?

If McCoist knew just how much Fleck would improve by moving south of the border then he would have potentially tried harder to keep the midfielder as he has gone on to shine.

Nearly 200 appearances for Coventry prompted a move to Sheffield United in 2016, and he has since tasted Premier League football while also finally fulfilling his potential by claiming five Scotland caps.

This season, Fleck has played a key role in firing the club back to the top flight, making 23 appearances and with his contract expiring at the end of the season, there is no doubt he will be hoping for another year or two in order to give the Premier League another shot.

His former boss Chris Wilder once dubbed the 31-year-old “incredible” and to have carved out an excellent career like he has having been earmarked as one of the next big things back in 2008, is testament to his professionalism.

Could he have enjoyed similar success had he remained at Rangers? Who knows, however, there likely won't be one Rangers supporter who isn’t pleased that Fleck has managed to not only display his excellent talent, but to reach the heights that everyone at the club knew he was capable of.

Crystal Palace has often been accused of being a side lacking creativity, potency, and an attacking verve this season. This is reflected by a tally of just 31 goals in 33 Premier League games, which is the 15th lowest of the division.

There has also been a continued narrative that has shrouded Wilfried Zaha in unassailable importance within the side and has left many to question how the South London outfit will cope if he decides to depart when his contract expires at the end of the season.

In Tuesday evening's loss against Wolverhampton Wanderers, and without their injured starman, the Eagles starting line up only boasted 14 goals between them across the campaign and failed to conjure any clear-cut chances.

Roy Hodgson’s side tried but failed to break down their opposition’s stubborn resistance. The performances of Jordan Ayew and Ousanne Edouard highlighted the club’s alarming lack of depth and quality in attacking areas.

One man who would have been perfect for this frustrating scenario in his prime is Yannick Bolasie, who used to emphatically decorate proceedings at Selhurst Park with immense pace, trickery, and dynamism.

How long did Yannick Bolasie play for Crystal Palace?

The winger joined the Eagles from Bristol City in 2012 and recorded 43 goal contributions in 144 appearances before departing in 2016.

During his first season with Palace, he achieved promotion from the Championship via the play-offs to secure his side their first top-flight campaign since 2005.

The 50-cap international was an indispensable component of the team that secured 10th, 11th, and 15th-place finishes in its first three years after promotion to cement the club as a sturdy and efficient Premier League outfit.

Perhaps what is most endearing about Bolasie was his carefree and experimental footballing style – a joyous technician that married ruthless skill and astute technique.

This was perfectly executed when Palace met Tottenham Hotspur at the end of 2014 and the DR Congo international left Christian Eriksen bewildered with a spell-binding piece of magic.

Bolasie, heading towards the corner flag, seemed to be destined for a dead end, but in a devastating split second, he pirouetted past the onrushing Dane whilst flicking the ball away from his opponent's advances.

He was a player that oozed self-dying belief and after this moment he said: “It is good to express yourself in the Premier League. It will only get tougher as the opposition look at me and take me even more seriously. But because my confidence is high, I feel I can do anything.”

The attacker has also been described as “electric” by journalist Sam Tighe and that injection of speed, end product, and chance creation is an ingredient that Palace will desperately require if and when Zaha departs. If only Bolasie was still in his prime.

Arsenal are now leading the race for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, having overtaken London rivals Chelsea, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are in the market for a new central midfielder this summer, and they have reportedly held talks about signing Chelsea's Mason Mount, in what would be a shock deal, amid his stalling contract negotiations at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal's interest in Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo is not dead, despite the fact he has signed a new contract at the Amex Stadium, while they are also said to be in "constant contact" with the representatives of Everton's Amadou Onana.

In a recent update from talkSPORT, it was detailed that Rice is "excited" by the prospect of a move to north London, and he is now growing more likely to get his wish this summer.

According to a report from Football Insider, the Gunners are now in pole position for the £60k-per-week England international, and they are becoming increasingly confident about being able to win the race for his signature in the summer.

Chelsea had been considered favourites, but their financial struggles mean that a deal may be difficult to orchestrate, while Newcastle United are also said to have halted their pursuit.

Both Newcastle and Chelsea are unwilling to match West Ham's valuation of the 24-year-old, meaning Arsenal have now leapfrogged their rivals, becoming strong favourites to win the race.

Should Arsenal sign Declan Rice?

One of the major perks of qualifying for the Champions League is being able to attract players of the West Ham captain's calibre, and the Gunners must seize the opportunity to bring him to the Emirates Stadium.

Lauded as an "absolute monster" by members of the media, the Englishman would be an upgrade on Mikel Arteta's current options defensively, having averaged more interceptions, clearances and blocks per 90 than Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey in the past year.

Not only that, but the central midfielder displayed his threat on the front foot in West Ham's 4-1 victory against Gent, scoring a "stunning" individual goal after initially acquiring possession in his own half.

Rice is exactly the type of signing that Arsenal need to cement themselves as consistent challengers near the top of the Premier League, and it is fantastic news they have moved to the front of the queue for his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to reach out to Luis Enrique over the possibility of holding talks with him about their managerial vacancy.

Who will become the next Spurs manager?

It is now a few weeks on from the mutual parting of ways between the Lilywhites and Antonio Conte but the north London club are still searching for his replacement.

Currently, Conte's assistant, Cristian Stellini, is at the helm until the end of the campaign and this appointment has not seen any improvement in the club's results.

Spurs are in serious danger of finding themselves considerably adrift of the Champions League race with three huge games ahead of them in the coming week.

However, a number of names continue to be linked with the vacancy in N17 and one of those is believed to be the former Spain and Barcelona manager, Enrique.

He is also a name believed to be on the list of their London rivals, Chelsea, as well with the two clubs believed to be targeting similar names.

Speaking on talkSPORT, insider Alex Crook has claimed Tottenham are, in fact, interested in the 52-year-old and may even look to reach out to him soon:

(0:30) "And now we're learning this morning [Tuesday], and I've had this confirmed, that Tottenham are interested in Luis Enrique as well and may even reach out and try and speak to him about becoming their new manager."

Who should Spurs hire as their next manager?

Over recent days, it has been suggested Daniel Levy is keen to bring in a manager who would view Tottenham as his first choice option.

This comes amid the competition Chelsea are likely to pose over the coming weeks/months with the two teams sharing a list of similar names in their managerial search.

However, it is believed Enrique has already been in London to hold talks with the Blues as the Spaniard is said to be keen on succeeding Graham Potter.

With this in mind, perhaps Enrique would not fit the bill for Spurs with Julian Nagelsmann also believed to be seriously interested in the job at Stamford Bridge.

Amid the managerial search going on behind the scenes at Tottenham, a lot of the Spurs fans have made their feelings known b singing the name of their former manager Mauricio Pochettino during games.

As Chelsea's managerial search could play a big influence on who is available for Tottenham to choose from, it will be interesting to see if Levy does stick to his reported demand.

If Chelsea were to select either Nagelsmann or Enrique, would Spurs then be open to hiring the other which Chelsea didn't?

Chelsea take on Arsenal in a mouth-watering London derby on Tuesday in a game that could have massive implications for the Premier League title race.

A win for the Gunners would see them leapfrog Manchester City at the top of the table, whilst the Blues’ only objective is to derail Arsenal’s ambitions and restore some energy back to their lifeless campaign.

It has been a miserable season for Chelsea, who currently sit in 12th in the league and are winless in their last six top-flight outings.

Therefore, with nothing to play for except pride, caretaker manager Frank Lampard is expected to name a rotated line up.

One player who has been unfairly treated in recent weeks and deserves a chance at the Emirates Stadium is Benoit Badiashile.

Should Benoit Badiashile start against Arsenal?

The centre-back was signed from Monaco for £33m in January 2023, and in an abysmal season for the club, has emerged as one of the brightest and most encouraging prospects so far.

The Frenchman has started eight Premier League games and the Blues have only conceded six goals in those outings.

After keeping a clean sheet at Anfield in just his second appearance for Chelsea, then-manager Graham Potter praised the youngster for how he settled in England.

He said: “He brings a calmness, he’s good with the ball, he’s left-footed so he gives us balance on that side.

“Attacking and defending, he’s had a solid start for us. Young player, you never know when they come into the country in a different situation, a different league, but so far he’s managed it really well.”

Potter’s complementary comments are reflected by the fact that the 21-year-old has made the third-highest clearances and interceptions per game in the squad, as well as ranking in the top 7% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for progressive carries.

In such a short space of time, he has displayed himself as a confident, physical, and technically astute defender.

The potential of the £90k-per-week star has also generated extraordinary praise from those in his homeland.

Nelson Caldeira, Monaco’s former assistant, showered the prodigy in praise saying: “Benoit had tremendous talent. In fact, he was the most talented player of that Monaco generation."

Joao Tralhao, another figure who has coached Badiashile, described him as the "complete defender."

For Chelsea to have such a highly regarded player on their books is a blessing, and he must be utilised to ensure the club finishes the season in the strongest way. That begins with Arsenal on Tuesday evening.

أكد مدرب نادي برشلونة، تشافي هيرنانديز، أن الأجواء داخل النادي الكتالوني جيدة والجميع متحفزون ومتحمسون قبل نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني.

ويلتقي برشلونة وريال مدريد غدًا الأحد، في تمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “الأول بارك” في الرياض بالمملكة العربية السعودية.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مدرب ريال مدريد يحذر برشلونة قبل نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني

وتحدث تشافي في مؤتمره الصحفي منذ قليل، وقال: “الكلاسيكو مباراة مثالية للاعبي كرة القدم، علينا أن نفرض أسلوبنا بشكل جيد كما حدث في العام الماضي”.

وتابع: “لقد كنا أقل من ريال مدريد، لكن عندما تبدأ المباراة النسبة تكون متساوية للفريقين، نريد أن نحقق أول ألقابنا”.

وعما إذا كان برشلونة يفوز دون استحقاق: “متى حدث ذلك؟ في الموسم الحالي كنا نستحق الفوز في الكلاسيكو ولم نحققه، وبالتالي العكس هو ما يحدث معنا”.

وعن اللعب يوم الخميس عكس ريال مدريد: “لا يهم كثيرًا، فهم لعبوا وقتًا إضافيًا ومتعبين، لقد حدث لنا ذلك في العام الماضي وحققنا الفوز”.

وعن التشكيل: “لن أكشف أي شيء عن خططنا في المباراة، لأن بذلك سأعطي أنشيلوتي معروفًا، سنرى أين سيلعب أراوخو وهل سيشارك أحد بجانب ليفاندوفسكي في الهجوم أم لا”.

وأضاف: “مباراة الغد مختلفة عن العام الماضي، هناك تغيرات كثيرة في تشكيل ريال مدريد، ورغم ذلك شاهدنا المباراة وقمنا بتحليلها”.

واستمر: “ريال مدريد يكون أقوى عندما نكون أقوى، لن نفوز بأي لقب دون مواجهتهم كما حدث في الموسم الماضي، كان علينا التغلب عليهم في السوبر وكذلك الفوز عليهم في الدوري، لديهم دائمًا رد فعل عندما يكون برشلونة قويًا، لقد تعادلنا معهم في الألقاب في السنوات الأخيرة”.

وعن مستقبله وإمكانية رحيله عن الفريق: “أنا على المحك للحصول على لقب جديد، هناك ثقة أكبر بعد الفوز بلقبين مع الفريق، ريال مدريد دائمًا لديه رغبة في الفوز بالألقاب، هم يحفزون برشلونة والعكس صحيح وسنقدم كل شيء من أجل هذا اللقب”.

وأنشيلوتي: “أحترمه كثيرًا، فهو لم يذهب إلى أي بلد دون الفوز بالألقاب، لديه مسيرة رائعة، لا أحد يتحدث عنه بأي سوء”.

وبيلينجهام: “لن نركز على لاعب واحد فقط، سنصاب بالجنون، لديهم لاعبين رائعين بمستوى استثنائي، لكن بالطبع جود لاعب رائع يصنع الفارق”.