All posts by n8rngtd.top

Liverpool winger Luis Diaz will be available for his side's Premier League clash with Leeds United, as relayed by journalist David Lynch.

How big a loss than Diaz been?

The Colombian joined the Reds from Porto in January 2022 and he made an immediate impression, injecting new life into his side's campaign and helping them mount a genuine quadruple bid. He scored four times in the Premier League and twice in the Champions League in the second half of last season, and was expected to potentially go up another gear this time around.

Unfortunately, Diaz's season has been hampered badly by injuries, with a serious knee issue picked up away to Arsenal back in October keeping him out ever since. He aggravated the problem late last year, when lengthened his absence, and he has been battling hard to play some part in the remainder of the 2022/23.

The 26-year-old has been a massive loss for Liverpool, and while he won't be available for Sunday's league clash at home to the table-topping Gunners, it looks as though his return is now imminent.

When will Diaz make injury return?

Taking to Twitter, Lynch relayed news from Jurgen Klopp that Diaz is likely to be back for the trip to Leeds a week on Monday:

"Virgil van Dijk available for Arsenal, Thiago Alcantara could be too, Jurgen Klopp says. Luis Diaz back for Leeds."

This is an enormous boost for Liverpool, with Diaz such a huge loss throughout this season, with his pace, end product and fight all making him such a lethal weapon for the Reds.

He has the ability to terrify defenders and he had been one of his team's better players earlier in the campaign, scoring a superb solo effort at home to Crystal Palace and bagging four goals and two assists before his injury.

Granted, Liverpool are unlikely to see the 37-cap Colombia international at his swashbuckling best between now and May, as he looks to get some match rhythm back, but simply having him in the mix again will still feel so positive, and the hope is that a full pre-season will leave him primed to star in 2023/24.

For all the physical and mental shortcomings that the Reds have displayed this season, injuries have also hurt them badly, and Diaz has been as big a miss as anyone, having been hailed as "exceptional" by Klopp.

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta is “back in the squad” for their Europa Conference League game against KAA Gent, according to David Moyes.

What's the latest injury news on Paqueta?

The Brazilian arrived in the Premier League back in August when he put pen to paper on a five-year deal from Lyon and during his 28 appearances to date, has been a real standout performer at the London Stadium. As per WhoScored, the Irons talisman is currently the E20 outfit’s top-performing defensive player and second overall with a match rating of 6.85, but he has recently been on the sidelines.

The Nike-sponsored star was missing from the matchday squad for Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Fulham, with the boss detailing that he picked up a minor knock to the ankle during the previous 5-1 defeat to Newcastle United, though a positive update on his situation has now emerged.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, Moyes confirmed that Paqueta will be available for selection for tonight’s fixture under the lights against Gent. As quoted by West Ham’s official website, he said:

"Paqueta got quite a bad knock [against Newcastle] and he trained a little bit on Friday. We thought he'd be okay [for Fulham], but his ankle was too puffy. But he's trained a couple of days [this week] and he's back in the squad."

Will Paqueta's return be positive for West Ham?

Paqueta’s technical ability has been lauded a “total joy” by journalist Josh Bunting and it’ll be a massive boost for Moyes to have him at his disposal for West Ham’s highly anticipated European showdown.

The Brazil Soccer client has provided three assists and scored two goals across all competitions this season, including one assist in six Conference League outings, so is capable of stepping up to the plate and contributing to efforts in the final third (Transfermarkt).

Even when he’s not on the scoresheet, the left-footed ace ranks in the 96th percentile for shots at a rate of 2.29 per game – higher than any other Irons midfielder – when compared to other players in his position at the top level over the past year (via FBref).

Paqueta is additionally a wonderfully versatile operator, having played in defensive, central and attacking midfield over the course of the current campaign, so is a useful option for the manager to have available for selection and he will undoubtedly have a huge role to play should he be given the nod tonight.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero was criticised by BBC Radio 5 Live's Chris Waddle for his performance against Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.

Who was to blame for Tottenham's defeat at Newcastle?

It was an afternoon to forget for Tottenham, suffering a heavy 6-1 defeat at St. James' Park, having conceded five goals in the opening 25 minutes, in a result that has seriously dented their hopes of finishing in the Premier League top four.

Cristian Stellini's set-up was "disastrous", according to Jack Pitt-Brooke, however the journalist also expressed the view that the result is the culmination of over four years of bad decisions, which stem from chairman Daniel Levy. Of course, the players have to be held accountable as well, and Waddle was left particularly fuming with Romero's performance.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Commentary, the former Spurs man criticised the defender for his lack of effort, saying: "Romero, World Cup winner? He's turned up today, I don't know what head he's got on, I don't know who he thinks he is."

How did Romero play against Newcastle?

Waddle was not the only member of the media to lambast the Argentine for his poor performance, with Gary Neville taking to Twitter during the game to label his defending "shocking".

None of the Tottenham back four covered themselves in glory, however Sofascore ranked the 24-year-old as their worst-performing outfield player on the pitch, with a match rating of just 5.7, having made one error that led to a shot, while also winning just one of the five duels he contested.

In fairness, it was a rare bad day at the office for the £165k-per-week centre-back, who is normally among Spurs' most consistent performers in the Premier League, but the very poor team display was yet another clear indication the club will need to bring in multiple new defenders this summer.

The Lilywhites have now conceded 51 goals, the sixth-highest total of any side in the league, so it is no wonder they are running the rule over new centre-backs, with Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi, and Eintracht Frankfurt's Evan Ndicka both being targeted.

Aston Villa picked up another vital win in their quest for European football as they beat Fulham 1-0 at Villa Park last night, but it wasn't all positive for Unai Emery.

The Villans' progression since the dismal 3-0 defeat at Craven Cottage in the reverse fixture, which saw Steven Gerrard lose his job as Villa's manager, has been clear to see in recent months as the Midlands club have a real chance of securing Europa League football at least for next season.

Emery's transformation of John McGinn, Ollie Watkins and Jacob Ramsey has been particularly impressive, but he is yet to work his magic with Emiliano Buendia, who struggled immensely despite the win last night.

How did Buendia perform in Villa's win against Fulham?

As per Sofascore, the former Norwich City man would earn a shocking 5.6/10 rating for his performance, which was comfortably the worst of any player to feature in the game from both sides.

Despite playing 90 minutes on Tuesday night, the 26-year-old would manage just 21 passes and lost the ball on 15 occasions, which is a notable decrease on the 27.2 he has averaged per game in the Premier League this season.

The Argentine midfielder, who earns £75k-per-week, was dubbed a "warrior" by Gerrard but certainly didn't display any warrior-like characteristics against Fulham, as he was consistently bested from a physical point of view.

He would win just five of his 20 duels during the game with a woeful success rate of just 25%, while he was also dribbled past on four occasions, which again is significantly worse than his average of 1.5 times per game in the top flight so far this term.

In a game where Fulham offered very little, with Andreas Pereira's early volley their only effort of the game, you would hope that Villa's attacking midfielder would have been far more involved, but he mustered just one key pass and no shots on target in the 90 minutes.

It was a surprise therefore to see him keep his place while Jacob Ramsey was subbed, with Bertrand Traore coming off the bench, and given the Burkina Faso international's recent goals as a substitute, he could soon be given the nod to start unless Buendia bucks his ideas up.

The attacking midfielder has featured 33 times in the Premier League this season but has just five goals and two assists, as he has perhaps never lived up to the form he was showing with Norwich in the Championship, having contributed 15 goals and 16 assists in his final term with the Canaries.

While injury concerns to the likes of Philippe Coutinho mean that Buendia is almost a guaranteed starter right now, he could well lose his place under Emery next season with the addition of new signings, as his form in 2022/23 hasn't really matched Villa's phenomenal performances under the Spanish manager.

Arsenal are still showing life in the Premier League title race after they defeated third-place Newcastle United at St James' Park, becoming the third team to do since Eddie Howe took over.

Mikel Arteta's side moved to within one point of defending champions Manchester City, who still retain a game in hand, so it's stil set to go right down to the wire. However, it could have been a very different story.

Bukayo Saka was quiet out on the right flank again, making it three straight matches without a goal contribution, whilst it's been six straight starts without a break and the England superstar has started to look a bit leggy.

He wasn't the only disappointment, though…

How did Oleksandr Zinchenko do vs Newcastle?

Had the Magpies been more ruthless and aggressive in the final third, then they would have made a fool of Oleksandr Zinchenko, who looked way off it at left-back as he consistetly got done by Jacob Murphy, Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson.

Thankfully for the Gunners' faithful, Arteta made an early change in the second half by withdrawing the Ukraine international for Kieran Tierney, who looked way more solid and resolute on their way to an impressive clean sheet in the north east.

As per Sofascore, the former Man City title-winner registered the lowest rating of any Arsenal starter (6.8), whilst from 50 touches of the ball, he squandered possession six times, comitted one foul and could hardly muster up any sort of influence past the halfway line.

Indeed, the "dodgy" 26-year-old – as described by one journalist – couldn't create a single key chance from 34 accurate passes, nor did he have a shot on goal or a successful dribble.

It was only the sixth league game of 18 throughout 2023 that he failed to have a pop at the opposition goalkeeper, while he has averaged 0.8 key passes and 1.1 total dribbles per 90 this season.

Such a poor display drew plenty of criticism both during and after the match.

GOAL reporter Charles Watts tweeted that "Zinchenko got turned inside out" by Murphy and co, with TheFootballTerrace presenter Terry Flewers also claiming that the £120k-per-week ace was "exposed massively by Newcastle."

Arsenal podcaster Sash also slammed the £32m man as "shocking" and even suggested that he "almost cost" a result against Newcastle, which given the evidence above and how poor he looked out there, is a very fair suggestion.

There is no doubt that Zinchenko will prove to be a vital asset come the culmination of the 2022/23 campaign and he may well help the Gunners to move victories before then but his defensive ability is questionable, if not hugely worrying.

Arteta may not be able to carry him at left-back for much longer, particularly with games against Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers on the horizon, where their attacking wide options could feast on the underperforming lightweight.

Incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino could decide to keep hold of striker Romelu Lukaku this summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth.

Is Lukaku impressing this season?

The 29-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by Thomas Tuchel last summer, so he made the move to Inter Milan on a season-long loan. He was exceptional there in 2020/21, which initially earned him a return to Chelsea, but he hasn't done as well this time around, scoring just five goals in 20 Serie A appearances. He has netted three times in the Champions League, however, helping the Nerazzurri reach the semi-finals.

Once this season is done and dusted, Lukaku will return to Chelsea, where imminent new boss Pochettino will have a decision to make over his future. The Blues are badly in need of a top-quality centre forward ahead of next season and remains to be seen if the Argentine views the attacker as someone he wants to keep hold of.

Could Lukaku stay at Chelsea?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Sheth failed to rule out of the prospect of Lukaku staying put at Stamford Bridge beyond this summer:

"You never know, a new manager might bring out the best in Romelu Lukaku. Everyone is immediately assuming that Lukaku probably won't play for the club again, but Mauricio Pochettino will probably want to assess everything that he's got before making any decisions about who's going to be staying in that squad and who's going to be leaving, simply because he will want to bring in some of his own players.

"And if he's going to bring in more players and spend even more money, there's going to definitely have to be more departures at that club as well."

This is an interesting update, and while some Chelsea supporters may not be enamoured with the idea of Lukaku staying put, it is only right that Pochettino gets a chance to assess him. He does turn 30 this year and his last spell at Stamford Bridge was poor – he only scored eight Premier League goals last season – but there is a chance that he could flourish under a different manager.

In truth, it would still be the best outcome to sell Lukaku permanently this summer and sign a younger elite option such as Napoli's Victor Osimhen, but he is still a proven goalscorer who could yet earn another opportunity to prove his worth in west London.

Frank McAvennie has claimed Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has "lost the plot" after hearing about Harry Kane's influence on Spurs' next manager.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

The north Londoners' hopes of sealing a Premier League top four finish are dwindling with assistant coach Ryan Mason potentially having his eyes on a Europa League spot.

Levy, meanwhile, is apparently turning the screws further in Tottenham's search for a new manager next season, with Spurs apparently completing the due-diligence stage of their hunt.

The Lilywhites are now apparently set to step up talks with candidates, with both Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique already holding negotiations with the club. As well as the two out-of-work coaches, Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim and Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso are also being targeted.

Further reports in the last week have also suggested that star striker Kane, who is out of contract in the summer of 2024, is set to have a major say on Conte's replacement at Spurs (Football Insider).

The 29-year-old is apparently proving to be a huge part of negotiations as Spurs sit down for talks with prospective new bosses, which McAvennie believes is an "embarrassment".

The former West Ham and Celtic striker, speaking to Football Insider, says Levy has "lost the plot" and can't believe the say Kane is having in Spurs' manager search.

He explained:

"I can’t fathom that they are asking a player who he wants as a manager. For me it shows you the embarrassment of Tottenham.

“The chairman has lost the plot. First of all he had a meeting with the boys to ask them about getting rid of the manager, I have never heard of that at a football club.

“Harry Kane, Eric Dier and some of the other boys are dictating how that club is run, it beggars belief. Now they are talking about who they want as a manager, what kind of football club is it?“

Is this the right call by Levy?

While there is an argument to be made that players' voices should be heard, especially when considering who is best to take the club forward, we also believe they must only have a minor say.

It is the job of Levy and Tottenham's hierarchy to make informed decisions on which manager is best to transform Spurs' fortunes, not Kane's, and it will be interesting to see who comes through the door.

We believe ex-Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann should be the top target, especially considering his status as a young, exciting and elite manager who already boasts league titles at the age of 35.

Everton have been touted as a leading potential suitor to sign Real Betis striker Raul Garcia this summer, according to reports.

Who is Raul Garcia?

Garcia is a Spanish forward and academy graduate at the Benito Villamarin Stadium but currently plays his football at CD Mirandes who he joined on a season-long loan in July 2022, as per Transfermarkt. During his 37 appearances to date on the road, he’s grabbed the attention of Sean Dyche in the Premier League.

Last week, Estadio Deportivo reported that the Toffees had sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action and are closely monitoring him as a result of believing that he would be a strong signing and be able to perform well in the top flight, and they have been handed an apparent transfer boost after learning that his parent club are willing to listen to any kind of respectable offer put on the table.

Who is signing Garcia?

Now, according to ABC Sevilla (via Sport Witness), Everton have been given the green light because Real Betis don’t have Garcia in their long-term “plans” and have therefore “decided to sell” him during the upcoming window.

The La Liga side have already “communicated” their conclusion to the striker and his representatives in “recent days”, and whilst he has a €30m (£26m) release clause, it’s stated that €10m (£8m) is the “initial figure” needed to start negotiations.

The Blues, alongside Brighton and Hove Albion, are the only two suitors name-checked, and whilst the pair are yet to submit any formal bids, there is a “lot of interest”.

Everton have been missing an out-and-out centre-forward this season with the injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, not to mention that both Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms haven't been firing in front of goal, but having been hailed a “composed” finisher by journalist Josh Bunting, Garcia could be the perfect candidate to change their fortunes at Goodison Park.

The 2021/22 Spanish Cup winner has a mightily impressive record in the final third at CD Mirandes this term, scoring 19 goals and providing seven assists in 37 La Liga 2 appearances, whilst recording a total of 93 shots which is more than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef.

Garcia doesn’t have any previous experience of playing in England, so on tat basis, it could well take him a bit of time to adjust, but considering how threatening he can be and the prolific edge that he may bring to Dyche’s squad, whether that be in the Premier League or Championship, the hierarchy should definitely test the waters to see if an agreement can be reached this summer.

Liverpool's move for Alexis Mac Allister is now "advanced", but it is not yet a done deal, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Such is Liverpool's desire to strengthen their midfielder this summer, TEAMtalk have recently reported they have been linked with 57 potential new signings, as they look at replacing Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner, who are all set to leave.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed the Reds have made a pitch to Mason Mount, amid ongoing speculation about the Englishman's future with Chelsea, while they are also the club closest to signing Southampton's Romeo Lavia.

Jurgen Klopp is considering a number of options who are currently playing in the Premier League, with Romano reporting a contract has offered to Mac Allister, and the transfer guru has now given a fresh update on Liverpool's pursuit of the midfielder.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, the Italian said: "Mac Allister is one of the priority targets for Liverpool but it's not something completed. Let me clarify, because the feeling I had in the last few weeks was 'Okay, it's a done deal, Mac Allister will join Liverpool.' Not yet.

"It is advanced [the discussions] yes on the players' side [to negotiate], but it is not completed yet. And so I will keep that open at the moment."

Who will Mac Allister sign for?

There are a number of teams looking at the Brighton & Hove Albion star, with Manchester United showing an interest, while Chelsea have also been named as potential suitors, so he is likely to have a number of offers on the table this summer.

The allure of Champions League football could play a part in the 24-year-old's decision, and Liverpool are currently looking unlikely to finish in the top four, despite their fantastic form over the past month.

If the Reds do manage to win the race for his signature, they will have an excellent player on their hands, given that the £50k-per-week maestro is Brighton's top scorer, with 12 goals and two assists to his name this season.

Hailed as a "golden boy" by members of the media, WhoScored ranks the midfielder among Brighton's best performing players in the Premier League, displaying his defensive ability by averaging 2.1 tackles per game, second only to Moises Caicedo.

Mac Allister has a lot to offer on the front foot, while he is also happy to pitch in defensively, indicating he is a well-rounded player, who would be a fantastic signing for Liverpool.

West Ham United star Declan Rice is ready to make it clear he "favours" a move to Arsenal this summer, according to reports.

Who could join Arsenal this summer?

The north Londoners and manager Mikel Arteta, despite fighting for the vast majority of this season, ultimately fell short in their attempts to win a first Premier League title in nearly 20 years.

Champions Man City secured a third-sucessive domestic crown as Pep Guardiola chases the treble, but given just how long Arsenal were in pole position, there are a lot of positives to take from this campaign.

Injuries to key men like centre-back William Saliba towards the backend of 2022/2023 arguably hampered their efforts, with many points dropped in April.

As such, strengthening in key areas is a top priority for the Gunners, with central midfield seemingly right at the forefront of their thinking.

Rice, Brighton star Moises Caicedo, City captain Ilkay Gundogan and Chelsea's Mason Mount have all been linked with moves to north London – with Wolves' Ruben Neves also billed as a target.

The Hammers captain, though, is thought to be a top target for Arteta, with reliable reports suggesting an official bid will be submitted next month and after the season draws to a close.

Now, as per The Mirror, there has been a further update – with Rice ready to express that he "favours" a switch to Arsenal in the summer window.

The London side have apparently already put in a lot of groundwork in regards to a move for the 24-year-old and Arteta personally has a vision for how Rice will fit into his system.

There is also a belief at Arsenal that they're in pole position for his signing, with Granit Xhaka also expected to potentially leave as Bayer Leverkusen push to bring him to the Bundesliga.

Who is Declan Rice?

The Three Lions ace, who also impressed at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is a key player for David Moyes – standing out as their best-performer by average match rating this season (WhoScored).

Rice is a midfield general at West Ham, averaging more interceptions per 90 than any of his teammates, with members of the media calling him "utterly sensational" for his contributions in claret and blue.

The former Chelsea academy ace has also been branded "underrated" for his efforts in the middle of the park, but if Arsenal are to sign him, reports suggest he could well cost north of £100 million.