All posts by z3u9t.icu

Glasgow Rangers are back in action in the Europa League with the Light Blues currently unbeaten across their last eight matches in all competitions.

The Ibrox outfit will be hoping to keep that run going against a struggling Spurs team, that lost 4-3 to Chelsea on Sunday.

Philippe Clement’s side have a League Cup final clash with Celtic at Hampden Park on Sunday to look forward to and will want to have as much positive momentum as possible ahead of that match.

This means that they will need a strong performance and results against Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham to prevent the confidence in the group from being knocked ahead of the final.

Tottenham have failed to win any of their last four matches in all competitions and have lost their last two games in the Premier League, which suggests that they could be there for the taking if Rangers start the game well and put pressure on them early.

However, Spurs do still carry plenty of attacking quality in their team that can hurt the Gers, including impressive attacking midfield star Dejan Kulusevski.

Why Rangers need to keep Kulusevski quiet

The Sweden international has produced three goals and seven assists in all competitions for the English side so far this term, and can cause problems with his direct running through the middle of the pitch.

Kulusevski has spent the majority of his career with Spurs as a right-sided attacker, playing 61 times on the right flank, but has been deployed in a central role by Postecoglou in the 2024/25 campaign.

The left-footed wizard has made all, bar two, of his 22 appearances this season as a central midfielder or attacking midfielder for Tottenham, which shows that the manager has looked to get him more involved in the build-up.

Kulusevski has thrived in his new role in the Spurs team, as it has allowed him to drive forward with the ball in central areas to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.

In his 13 starts in the Premier League this season, the Swedish gem has scored three goals, created six ‘big chances’, and averaged 2.3 key passes per game.

Expected Assisted Goals

0.28

Top 5%

Non-penalty xG + xAG

0.42

Top 8%

Shot-creating actions

5.37

Top 4%

Non-penalty goals

0.24

Top 11%

Progressive carries

5.29

Top 2%

As you can see in the table above, Kulusevski has been incredibly effective offensively and progressively for Spurs in the English top-flight so far this season.

He ranks very highly as both a scorer and a creator of goals whilst also excelling at progressing the play by carrying the ball up the pitch with his dribbling ability.

Rangers will be without a player who offers similar qualities to Kulusevski for tonight’s clash, however, as Ianis Hagi was not included in the Europa League squad.

Ianis Hagi's Rangers resurgence

The Romania international started the season in the B team for the Gers after a contract issue meant that he was initially left out of the first-team squad.

Chalkboard

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

However, senior players, board members, and Hagi himself pushed to resolve the problem, which was that his pay was due to be increased with more appearances for the club, and he was brought back into the fold.

Unfortunately, however, the 26-year-old star’s return to the group came after the Europa League squad list had been finalised, which means that he cannot play in the league phase of the competition and will have to drop out after starting against Ross County last time out.

That is a shame for Clement and the team because Hagi’s form in the Premiership since his return has been impressive and suggests that he could have had an impact in the Europa League.

The Romanian wizard has produced ten key passes, created two ‘big chances’, and registered three assists – two of which came against Kilmarnock – in six appearances and three starts in the division this term, whilst playing out wide or centrally.

Clement will be without the creative guile of the former Genk starlet but he may still have his answer to Kulusevski in the form of Nedim Bajrami, who should come in to replace Hagi in the starting line-up.

Why Nedim Bajrami should start

The Albania international, who was signed from Sassuolo in the summer transfer window, should be brought back into the starting XI to play in the number ten position behind Danilo, with Vaclav Cerny and Hamza Igamane either side of him.

Like Kulusevski, and Hagi, Bajrami can be deployed on the flank to cut inside onto his favoured foot to cause damage in the final third, but he can also play centrally as an attacking midfielder.

This means that Clement can unleash the summer signing in the middle of the park to play ahead of Connor Barron and Nicolas Raskin, which would allow him – as the Swedish ace does for Spurs – to pick the ball up and drive from central areas to make things happen in possession.

Bajrami, who was hailed as “outstanding” by Albania boss Sylvinho, has showcased his quality in the Europa League already for Rangers this season, whilst he has also created four ‘big chances’ in seven Premiership starts.

Appearances

5

Goals

1

Big chances created

6

Key passes

12

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, the Albanian dynamo has been hugely unfortunate to not have registered a single assist in Europe for the Scottish giants so far this term.

He has made 12 key passes and created a whopping six ‘big chances’ for his teammates in just five outings, which shows that his fellow

attackers have let him down badly with their wasteful finishing in front of goal.

Bajrami, who also ranks within the top 15% of Europa League attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive carries (4.96) per 90, has the dynamism, technical quality, and creativity to be Clement’s own Kulusevski, which is why he should take Hagi’s spot in the team tonight.

Previously valued at £100m: Rangers could sign phenomenal Gelhardt upgrade

Rangers have been linked with an interest in both attackers ahead of the January window.

ByDan Emery Dec 10, 2024

A defeat on derby day is always something of a disaster, but Manchester City’s loss to Manchester United yesterday afternoon was something else entirely.

Pep Guardiola’s side are going through a crisis the likes of which they haven’t experienced under the Spanish coach before.

The Citizens have now lost eight of their last 11 games and look a shadow of their former selves, and yesterday was no exception.

Premier League

Manchester United (H)

2-1 (L)

Champions League

Juventus (A)

2-0 (L)

Premier League

Crystal Palace (A)

2-2 (D)

Premier League

Nottingham Forest (H)

3-0 (W)

Premier League

Liverpool (A)

2-0 (L)

There were poor performances across the pitch for the hosts, but two players, including Matheus Nunes, stood out for all the wrong reasons.

Nunes performance vs United

Now, the first thing to say is that much of the blame for Nunes’ poor showing should be shouldered by Guardiola, as injuries to the squad saw him start the Brazilian at left-back, which is a position he had never played before.

With that said, the former Wolverhampton Wanderers’ inexperience cannot be used as an excuse for his lack of impact throughout most of the game nor his costly mistakes at the end.

For example, while the team as a whole must face the blame for losing last night, it was the 26-year-old who gave away the equalising penalty for a foul on Amad Diallo, who had intercepted his lazy backpass.

Then, less than two minutes later, he failed to get back and clear the Ivorian’s match-winning effort off the line despite appearing to have the time to do so.

Unsurprisingly, such a display saw GIVEMESPORT’s Kerrie Jacobs-Bryant award him a 4/10, which seems more than fair considering his mistakes.

However, while Nunes turned a mediocre performance into a disastrous one in the final five minutes, one of his teammates was poor for the entire game and must not start for City again.

The City dud worse than Nunes

Now, as we said earlier, there were underwhelming performances all over the pitch for the hosts last night, but the worst was undoubtedly Kyle Walker.

The City captain has been lacklustre for some time now, but was notably poor yesterday.

The former Tottenham Hotspurs star was utterly ineffective going forward and, like Nunes, was a disaster in defence, strolling into the box for Diallo’s winning goal.

In fact, the most notable thing he did during the game was feign a head injury during his confrontation with Rasmus Hojlund, an incident Roy Keane said must have left him feeling “embarrassed” after the game.

Such a display left Jacobs-Bryant equally unimpressed, as she awarded the Englishman a 4/10 match rating at full-time and doubled down on the ’embarrasing’ nature of the Hojlund incident.

However, when we look at his statistics from the game, it can be argued that the 4/10 rating is still too generous.

For example, in his 96 minutes of action, the Sheffield-born defender amassed an expected assists figure of 0.03, made just one block, one tackle and one clearance, lost 50% of his ground duels, lost the ball a staggering 20 times, maintained a passing accuracy of just 76%, misplaced nine of 11 long passes and failed 50% of his dribbles.

Minutes

96′

Expected Assists

0.03

Blocks

1

Tackles

1

Clearances

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (2)

Lost Possession

20

Passing Accuracy

55/72 (76%)

Long Passes (Accurate)

11 (2)

Shots

0

Dribbles (Successful)

2 (1)

Ultimately, while the entire City team were poor against United yesterday, Nunes, and particularly Walker, stood out as the worst of the worst, and while the Brazilian may have to keep his place in the team, Pep must drop the Englishman.

Man City ready to go all out to sign "elite" £52m star after internal talks

He’d instantly replace Rodri.

ByTom Cunningham Dec 15, 2024

Boxing Day football in England is a tradition that dates back over 160 years to when Sheffield FC and Hallam FC faced each other on 26th December 1860.

Sheffield, founded in 1857 and recognised as the world’s oldest football club, won the game 2-0.

It wasn’t until after the First World War that Boxing Day fixtures became a regular feature of the football calendar, and they have since become one of the most eagerly anticipated highlights of the English football season.

Rank

Player

Club(s)

Boxing Day matches

Boxing Day goals

Harry Kane

Tottenham

7

Robbie Fowler

Liverpool, Leeds, Man City

10

Robbie Keane

Coventry, Tottenham, Liverpool

9

Alan Shearer

Blackburn, Newcastle

11

Thierry Henry

Arsenal

7

Jermain Defoe

West Ham, Tottenham

11

Dimitar Berbatov

Man Utd, Fulham

6

Andrew Cole

Man Utd, Blackburn, Man City

10

Steven Gerrard

Liverpool

14

Frank Lampard

West Ham, Chelsea

17

Each year, fans across the country flock to stadiums or gather around their screens to enjoy the festive fixtures, with matches often delivering dramatic moments, iconic performances and plenty of goals.

Ahead of this year’s bonanza, we have taken a look at the top 10 Boxing Day goalscorers in Premier League history.

Every club top of the Premier League at Christmas in history

Football FanCast breaks down every club top at Christmas in Premier League history.

ByAlex Roberts Dec 23, 2023 10 Frank Lampard 5 goals

Frank Lampard enjoyed a run of scoring on three consecutive Boxing Days between 1999 and 2001 – twice for West Ham United and once for Chelsea.

His other two Boxing Day goals were scored for the Blues – in 2005 in a 3-2 victory against neighbours Fulham and in 2008 in a 2-0 win over West Bromwich Albion.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 1999

West Ham

Wimbledon (A)

D 2-2

26th December 2000

West Ham

Charlton (H)

W 5-0

26th December 2001

Chelsea

Arsenal (A)

L 1-2

26th December 2005

Chelsea

Fulham (H)

W 3-2

26th December 2008

Chelsea

West Brom (H)

W 2-0

9 Steven Gerrard 5 goals

Despite Steven Gerrard’s long Liverpool career, he didn’t notch on Boxing Day until 2004, when he scored in the Reds’ 5-0 smashing of West Brom at The Hawthorns.

Scoring five in total, his final strike on Boxing Day came in 2012 when Brendan Rodgers’ side were beaten by Stoke City.

The best of Gerrard’s Boxing Day strikes probably came in 2005 when Liverpool beat Newcastle United 2-0 at Anfield. The former England international latched on to a pass from Peter Crouch, took one touch into the box and thumped the ball into the top corner.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 2004

Liverpool

West Brom (A)

W 5-0

26th December 2005

Liverpool

Newcastle (H)

W 2-0

26th December 2007

Liverpool

Derby (A)

W 2-1

26th December 2009

Liverpool

Wolves (H)

W 2-0

26th December 2012

Liverpool

Stoke (A)

L 1-3

8 Andrew Cole 5 goals

Andrew Cole scored for three different clubs on Boxing Day, with his first three coming for Manchester United in 1990s. He also netted for Blackburn Rovers and United’s rivals, City, before hanging up his boots.

Cole’s Boxing Day goal for Blackburn Rovers against Liverpool in 2002 is one of the best Boxing Day goals in Premier League history.

The Reds were 1-0 up late into the second half when Cole chested down Stephane Henchoz’s clearance before hitting a sublime volley into the net from 30 yards out.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 1996

Man Utd

Nottingham Forest (A)

W 4-0

26th December 1997

Man Utd

Everton (H)

W 2-0

26th December 1999

Man Utd

Bradford (H)

W 4-0

26th December 2002

Blackburn

Liverpool (A)

D 1-1

26th December 2005

Man City

Wigan (A)

L 3-4

7 Dimitar Berbatov 5 goals

Three of Dimitar Berbatov’s five Boxing Day goals all came on one day when the Bulgarian striker hit a hat-trick as Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 5-0 in 2011.

Park Ji-sung had opened the scoring inside eight minutes, with Berbatov hitting a brace before half-time to make it 3-0. Antonio Valencia completed the scoring in the second half.

Berbatov had also scored a year prior against Sunderland, while he also netted in 2012 in a 1-1 draw with Southampton while playing for Fulham.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 2010

Man Utd

Sunderland (H)

W 2-0

26th December 2011

Man Utd

Wigan (H)

W 5-0

26th December 2012

Fulham

Southampton (H)

D 1-1

6 Jermain Defoe 6 goals

Jermain Defoe’s tally of 162 Premier League goals ranks as the 10th-highest in the competition’s history.

Six of those strikes came across 10 Boxing Day games – one for West Ham and five for Tottenham Hotspur, including twice against Aston Villa in a 2-1 win back in 2006.

Defoe also got in the act in Boxing Day thumpings against Fulham and Villa once more, but could not add to his tally after 2012.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 2001

West Ham

Derby (H)

W 4-0

26th December 2005

Tottenham

Birmingham (H)

W 2-0

26th December 2005

Tottenham

Aston Villa (H)

W 2-1

26th December 2007

Tottenham

Fulham (H)

W 5-1

26th December 2012

Tottenham

Aston Villa (A)

W 4-0

5 Thierry Henry 7 goals

Like Berbatov, three of Thierry Henry’s seven Boxing Day goals came on one day.

Arsenal thumped Leicester City 6-1 in 2000, with Henry scoring a sublime hat-trick. The Frenchman also provided two assists on the day, teeing up Patrick Vieira and Tony Adams. The hat-trick was Henry’s first of eight for Arsenal.

He also bagged against Leicester City, Wolves and Fulham during his time in N5, as the Gunners won every time the King scored on Boxing Day.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 2000

Arsenal

Leicester (H)

W 6-1

26th December 2002

Arsenal

West Brom (A)

W 2-1

26th December 2003

Arsenal

Wolves (H)

W 3-0

26th December 2004

Arsenal

Fulham (H)

W 2-0

4 Alan Shearer 8 goals

Given Alan Shearer is the Premier League’s all-time leading scorer with 260 goals, it’s hardly surprising that he’s also one of the division’s most prolific Boxing Day goalscorers.

He netted a brace in 1992 against Leeds and scored in back-to-back Boxing Day victories over Manchester City in 1994 and 1995. He continued his post-Christmas exploits for Newcastle, scoring four more times.

“For me as a player, I absolutely loved playing over the Christmas period,” Shearer told the Premier League’s official website back in 2018.

On playing on Boxing Day specifically, he said: “When you’re driving to the ground, whether that’s in your own car or on the team bus, it just seemed a bit more of a party atmosphere. Everyone seemed up for it. There was a little bit of a different atmosphere. There was huge excitement and I enjoyed it all.”

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 1992

Blackburn

Leeds (H)

W 3-1

26th December 1994

Blackburn

Man City (A)

W 3-1

26th December 1995

Blackburn

Man City (H)

W 2-0

26th December 1999

Newcastle

Liverpool (H)

D 2-2

26th December 2001

Newcastle

Middlesbrough (H)

W 3-0

26th December 2002

Newcastle

Bolton (A)

L 3-4

3 Robbie Keane 8 goals

Robbie Keane scored just as many goals as Shearer on Boxing Day, but in two fewer games.

The most memorable of those came against Arsenal in 1999, when the young Irishman netted what proved to be the decisive goal in a memorable 3-2 win for Coventry City.

While playing for Tottenham in 2007, he also hit a brace in a 5-1 thrashing of Fulham, with his second goal being the 100th of his Premier League career.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 1999

Coventry

Arsenal (H)

W 3-2

26th December 2002

Tottenham

Charlton (H)

D 2-2

26th December 2004

Tottenham

Norwich (A)

W 2-0

26th December 2005

Tottenham

Birmingham (H)

W 2-0

26th December 2007

Tottenham

Fulham (H)

W 5-1

26th December 2008

Liverpool

Bolton (H)

W 3-0

2 Robbie Fowler 9 goals

Robbie Fowler had held the Boxing Day record for the most goals until Harry Kane came along, with nine coming during his playing days for Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester City.

Interestingly, Robbie Fowler scored goals for and against Leeds on Boxing Day. In 1997, he scored both goals for Liverpool as they beat the Whites 2-0 at Anfield.

Four years later, this time wearing white, he scored a Boxing Day hat-trick as Leeds beat Bolton Wanderers 3-0 at Elland Road not long after his controversial switch.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 1994

Liverpool

Leicester (A)

W 2-1

26th December 1997

Liverpool

Leeds (H)

W 3-1

26th December 2001

Leeds

Bolton (A)

W 3-0

26th December 2002

Leeds

Sunderland (A)

W 2-1

26th December 2003

Man City

Birmingham (A)

L 1-2

26th December 2004

Man City

Everton (A)

L 1-2

1 Harry Kane 10 goals

Harry Kane is the Premier League’s highest Boxing Day scorer with 10 goals.

The former Tottenham Hotspur hitman surpassed the record previously held by Fowler in 2022 with a goal in a 2-2 draw against Brentford.

Kane’s goals came on consecutive individual Boxing Day appearances, with his seven games being the longest such streak in Premier League history.

Goal

Date

Team

Opposition

Result

26th December 2014

Tottenham

Leicester (A)

W 2-1

26th December 2015

Tottenham

Norwich (H)

W 3-0

26th December 2017

Tottenham

Southampton (H)

W 5-2

26th December 2018

Tottenham

Bournemouth (H)

W 5-0

26th December 2019

Tottenham

Brighton (H)

W 2-1

26th December 2021

Tottenham

Crystal Palace (H)

W 3-0

26th December 2022

Tottenham

Brentford (A)

D 2-2

Sky Sports commentator Guy Havord talked up Everton’s chances of signing a “fantastic” player in the January transfer window while live on air this weekend.

Latest Everton news

The Blues may not necessarily be playing the most expansive football in the Premier League at the moment, but they continue to chip away at important points in the relegation battle. On Sunday, Sean Dyche’s side secured a 0-0 draw at home to a Chelsea team who are right in the title battle this season, having also earned a stalemate away to Arsenal in their previous league assignment.

The future of Dyche at Everton continues to be a big talking point, and while he has steadied the ship after an awful start to the season, recent reports do suggest that the writing could be on the wall for him. It is believed that the Englishman has little chance of still being in charge beyond the end of the current campaign, with Dan Friedkin feeling a change in the dugout is best for the club.

In terms of players being linked with moves to the Blues, Rangers striker Hamza Igamane has been lined up as a potential replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, should he depart Goodison Park in the near future. The Ibrox ace has scored four goals in as many Europa League appearances this season.

Everton backed to sign "fantastic" player

Speaking on Sky Sports during West Brom’s clash with Bristol City on Sunday [via Goodison News], Havord claimed that Everton could sign Baggies midfielder Tom Fellows in January, having eyed him up in the summer/

Fellows may not yet be a proven Premier League player, which is something many Everton fans will likely crave in the approaching transfer windows, but he could be a great long-term signing.

The 21-year-old has featured in all 22 of West Brom’s Championship matches this season, starting 19 of them, with eight assists highlighting the creativity he would bring from midfield. He has also been lauded by former England international Carlton Palmer back in September: “He had his breakthrough into the first-team in the last 12 months, and he is an exciting player who is potentially going to have a fantastic future and is going to go up in valuation.”

It is vital that Everton look to sign a mix of experienced players in their prime and youngsters with high ceilings moving forward, and Fellows certainly fits into the latter category.

Only 7 passes & 81% duels lost: Dyche must now drop 6/10 Everton star

Everton battled bravely to hold Chelsea to a 0-0 draw but this Toffees man still underwhelmed.

2 ByKelan Sarson Dec 22, 2024

The Blues’ move to their new home has to represent the start of a more positive future, and the West Brom hero could mature into an important part of it as the years pass.

Tottenham Hotspur gave themselves a real chance of making it to the League Cup final with their 1-0 win over Liverpool last night, but aside from that, this season has been a tough one for the club.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have been riddled with injuries, which have contributed massively to their slide down the Premier League table over the last few months.

However, on top of their injury woes, the team have been wildly inconsistent on the pitch, and a number of stars have looked way off the pace for much of the campaign, including Son Heung-min.

The South Korean superstar has still been able to find the back of the net seven times but has been limited to 69% of available minutes in the league, so recent reports linking the club to a potential upgrade are not that surprising.

Tottenham Hotspur target exciting forward

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in signing Borussia Dortmund star Donyell Malen.

Alongside the North Londoners, the report claims that fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are incredibly keen on the Dutchman and that while they have supposedly agreed personal terms with him, they remain some way from the German side’s valuation, thus leaving room for Daniel Levy and Co to pounce.

A potential price tag is not mentioned in the report, but a story from earlier this week revealed that the Bundesliga behemoths value their exciting attacker at around £21m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get done ahead of the Villans, but given the reasonable price and Malen’s ability, it is one well worth fighting for, especially as he could come in as an upgrade on Son.

How Malen compares to Son

Okay, so the first thing that has to be said is that, given the incredible talent and natural ability that Son possesses, fans should not expect Malen to come in and reach the same heady heights he did a few years ago – that would simply be unfair on the Dortmund man as few players are capable of that.

However, while Son is still able to chip in with goals and assists here and there, age catches up with us all, and as most fans would likely attest, he has struggled to have the same overall impact on games that he used to.

This is where the former Arsenal academy gem could come in and, as his underlying numbers since the start of last season show, be an instant upgrade for Postecoglou’s side.

According to FBref, the “extremely fast and very dangerous” Dutchman, as dubbed by former Dortmund midfielder Mario Götze, comes out on top in the majority of relevant metrics.

For example, he scores more non-penalty goals, takes more shots and shots on target, completes more crosses and carries into the penalty area, and completes more successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Goals

0.56

0.40

Shots

3.57

2.47

Shots on Target

1.70

1.17

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.46

2.08

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.23

0.14

Shot-Creating Actions

3.02

4.24

Goal-Creating Actions

0.56

0.55

Successful Take-Ons

1.84

1.27

Carries into the Final Third

2.19

1.68

Carries into the Penalty Area

2.19

1.84

Aerial Duels Won

0.38

0.14

Ball Recoveries

3.36

2.87

On top of being more of an all-round threat, the 26-year-old also comes out on top when it comes to their defensive statistics, as he makes more blocks and clearances, makes fewer errors which lead to a shot, completes more ball recoveries and wins more aerial duels, also all per 90.

Ultimately, Son is unquestionably a Spurs and Premier League legend, but he is set to turn 33 this year, and while he can still be a useful player to have in the squad, he simply cannot be a regular starter in Postecoglou’s system.

Therefore, Levy and Co must act fast to secure Malen’s services before Villa do.

Personal terms now close: Spurs pushing to sign "ice-cold" Johnson upgrade

Spurs could be closing in on their first signing of the January transfer window.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 9, 2025

David Moyes spoke earnestly of his delight in returning to the Goodison Park helm, nearly 12 years after leaving to take the reins at Manchester United.

The 61-year-old had enjoyed an 11-year spell at Everton, reaching the Champions League qualifying rounds in 2005 and recording nine top-eight finishes in the Premier League.

Sean Dyche deserves credit for leading Everton through a tumultuous time, comfortably avoiding relegation last season despite the club being hit with an eight-point deduction for PSR breaches. But he took Everton as far as he could.

Moyes is back on a two-and-a-half-year deal and has been tasked with restoring integrity and focus, with dysfunction ruling supreme over the past however many interminable years.

It’s never quite been the same. For old – and, to be fair, new – time’s sake, let’s have a look a the lay of the land when he last led the Toffees out on the Premier League turf.

Moyes' best Everton XI from first spell

It’s been a long time since Moyes kept Everton solid and comparatively successful in the Premier League. Fans will be itching to see whether he can repeat the feat now that he has been anointed once more, but based on his previous squad-sculpting at the club, there’s just cause for optimism.

GK – Tim Howard

RB – Tony Hibbert

CB – Phil Jagielka

CB – Joleon Lescott

LB – Leighton Baines

CM – Marouane Fellaini

CM – Thomas Gravesen

RM – Mikel Arteta

AM – Tim Cahill

LM – Steven Pienaar

CF – Wayne Rooney

There are some iconic names in there. Tim Howard is one of the best goalkeepers in Everton’s modern history, and Leighton Baines is probably their finest left-back ever. Tony Hibbert just pips Seamus Coleman at right-back, though the Irishman is unquestionably one of Everton’s shrewdest signings at just £60k.

How could we exclude Marouane Fellaini? Tomas Soucek was something of a retelling over in east London, and Moyes will be keen on landing a monstrous new midfielder now that he’s back on Merseyside.

Wayne Rooney only scored 17 goals across 77 appearances for the Scotland tactician, but it was indeed Moyes who birthed one of England’s greatest-ever players onto the professional scene.

Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar and many, many more besides who failed to quite make the 11-man cut. There are so many fond memories with Moyes at the helm – and perhaps the best is yet to come.

However, there’s no hiding from the fact that Moyes has a gigantic task on his hands, and must strengthen with haste if he is to be successful in his endeavour.

Everton transfer news

You’d think that Everton will be focused on bolstering up top this winter, for Moyes is sure to recognise Everton’s deficiencies in the final third.

Ernest Nuamah could be the man for the job at right wing, a position of concern for the outfit. Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom have both fallen flat and with their loan moves up at the end of the season it’s unlikely their stay will be extended under Moyes’ wing.

Defensively, Goodison Park is solid. Moyes knows his stuff at the rearguard and should be able to maintain the defensive authority that has seen them concede just 25 goals in the Premier League this season – the fewest across any side outside the top seven.

Foot Africa have also confirmed since the new year that Everton are looking at signing Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra, with the progressive midfielder exactly what Moyes needs to charge his engine room.

Let’s piece this together and have a look-see at how the Toffees might line up under Moyes.

Everton's dream XI under Moyes

Jordan Pickford will keep his place between the sticks, hailed as he is as “monster” of a goalkeeper by content creator Josh Wright.

The defence shouldn’t receive any work this winter, though Nathan Patterson could find himself going from strength to strength with Moyes in the dugout. As you were for Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski.

Transfer target Diarra’s progressiveness should see him make waves in midfield, perhaps even assuming the role that Declan Rice played under Moyes at West Ham.

Diarra has completed 87% of his passes in Ligue 1 this term while averaging 0.8 key passes and 3.7 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore. It’s also been recorded by FBref that the Senegal star ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries per 90, certainly in the same vein as the box-crashing Rice, who ranks among the top 9% himself.

We’ve already had a look at Nuamah, whose pace and potency make him the perfect electric option to add some dynamism and fizz to an Everton attack crying out for inspiration in that regard.

Iliman Ndiaye will keep his place on the left flank, to be sure, while Dwight McNeil’s playmaking expertise will come in handy in the new system – Lucas Paqueta Regen, anyone?

Then, last but not least, there’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign. Will Everton target a striker this month? Who knows. The funding might not be there given that Nuamah is being pursued.

However, with Armando Broja and Beto endowed with more athleticism than the England international, who has gone 15 straight Premier League fixtures without a single goal contribution, Moyes might be tempted to show some ruthlessness and throw him in the bin.

Moyes’ dream Everton XI after January – GK – Pickford; RB – Patterson, CB – Tarkowski, CB – Branthwaite, LB – Mykolenko; CM – Diarra, CM – Garner; RM – Nuamah, CAM – McNeil, LM – Ndiaye; ST – Broja

Ditch Calvert-Lewin: Moyes could instantly sign his next Bowen at Everton

Everton need to strengthen up front in January as they battle against relegation.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 11, 2025

Manchester City roared back into some form over the weekend, coming from a goal down to eventually prevail over Chelsea with a 3-1 victory.

The win moves the club up to fourth place in the Premier League table, although they still trail runaway leaders Liverpool by 12 points, with the Anfield side having a game in hand.

Winning the league title might be out of their reach, but Pep Guardiola has used the January transfer window to sign a few players who could send the club into a new era.

Omar Marmoush was given his first start for the Etihad side against the Blues. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but there is no question just how good a signing he could go on to be over the next few years.

Omar Marmoush’s game in numbers vs Chelsea

The Egyptian striker joined the Manchester side for a fee in the region of £59m in order to provide Erling Haaland with some competition up front.

Having scored 20 goals in just 27 games for Eintracht Frankfurt prior to his move to England, Marmoush had established himself as one of the finest centre-forwards in Europe.

Accurate passes

Manuel Akanji (84)

Ground duels won

Enzo Fernández and Mateo Kovacic (6)

Key passes

Erling Haaland (3)

Shots on target

Erling Haaland and Nicolas Jackson (2)

Tackles

Mateo Kovacic (4)

Against Chelsea, Guardiola perhaps rather surprisingly gave the Egpytian star his first start, unleashing the 25-year-old on the left wing, hoping that he could replicate the form he had displayed in Germany over the previous few months.

It was a solid enough debut for Marmoush, who registered two shots during his time on the pitch, while attempting two dribbles, creating one big chance and making one key pass for City.

It was definitely an eye-catching start and one that Guardiola will hope continues over the next few games as the club seek to go on a winning run which will claw back ground on Liverpool.

Indeed, challenging for trophies and appearing regularly in the Champions League were, of course, massive incentives for Marmoush to make the move from Germany to England.

While these are what a footballer wants in their career, making the most money possible as they are performing at the highest level is another major incentive.

Upon joining City, the former Frankfurt striker soon one of the highest-paid players at the club, earning a staggering £295k-per-week at the Etihad.

Compare this to the £32k-per-week he was taking home during his spell with the Bundesliga side, and it becomes clear why a move to City was his preferred destination.

£295k a week is astronomical, but if Marmoush delivers on the pitch, then the manager will consider it money well spent.

That said, one player is taking home more than this every week, but failing to contribute effectively during games…

Man City must sell high-earner who takes home more than Marmoush

With just one week left of the January transfer window, might Guardiola sell Jack Grealish?

Since arriving at the Etihad for £100m way back in 2021, the attacker hasn’t quite managed to live up to this lavish transfer fee, that’s for sure.

Yes, he may have played a part in the club’s treble success during the 2022/23 season, but was he worth £100m? That remains to be seen depending on who you ask.

It now appears as though his immediate future is uncertain at City. According to the Sun, a whole host of clubs are reportedly chasing a move for the Englishman before the window slams shut.

Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are keen on keeping Grealish in England.

It isn’t just clubs in the Premier League who are showing interest, however. Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund could be attractive options for the attacking midfielder as he eyes a new start.

With Marmoush now joining City, might this tempt Guardiola into selling Grealish this month?

Jack Grealish's season in numbers

The 29-year-old has featured just 22 times for the Manchester club this season, yet he has managed to start only 11 of those matches.

During his time on the pitch, Grealish has scored twice – one was a penalty against Salford in the FA Cup – while registering four assists in all competitions.

Those are hardly the contributions in the final third that Guardiola is looking for, especially with his team trailing in the Premier League and struggling in the Champions League.

Previously hailed as a “superstar” by presenter Dan Bardell during his final season with Aston Villa, but this praise has certainly worn off over the previous 12 months.

Across his 15 appearances in the Premier League, Grealish has created just two big chances, averaging 1.5 key passes per game while also succeeding with 0.9 dribbles per game.

The midfielder averages just 32.1 touches each match in the top flight, while he manages only 0.3 shots on target for City per match.

This is not ideal for a club chasing yet more success, and Grealish even earns more than their new signing Marmoush, despite failing to offer much during matches.

Kevin De Bruyne is the top earner at the club, taking home £400k-per-week, but Grealish isn’t far off, coming home as the joint-third highest earner at the Etihad, earning a staggering £300k-per-week.

This is even more than Marmoush and, given how well the respective players have performed this season, the striker should be taking home more than the Englishman, that’s for sure.

The transfer window closes in a week, which doesn’t leave long for Guardiola to get things in motion regarding player sales, but if there are teams interested, then Grealish should be his main priority over the next few days.

He won’t be able to recoup the £100m that the club paid three and a half years ago, but getting a decent fee for the attacking midfielder, plus getting his massive wages off the bill, would certainly go down as a major success. The next seven days could be very interesting indeed.

Better signing than Kimmich: Man City could land £70m Luiz alternative

Man City are interested in a move for a Serie A midfielder

2 ByRoss Kilvington Jan 26, 2025

Celtic do not have long left to go before the January transfer window officially slams shut this evening, with a few positions yet to be filled by the recruitment team.

The Hoops have not yet signed a left-back to replace Alex Valle, whose loan deal from Barcelona was cut short, and that has left Greg Taylor as the only first-team left-back in the squad.

Kyogo Furuhashi was sold to Rennes and the Scottish Premiership leaders have not yet signed a centre-forward to replace the Japan international.

Celtic swooped for Adam Idah on loan from Norwich on deadline day last January and they are reportedly interested in a striker who could help them to repeat that masterclass.

Celtic eyeing Premier League forward

According to reports, via The Scottish Sun, The Hoops are one of the sides interested in a last-gasp swoop to sign Danny Ings from Premier League side West Ham United.

Transfer Focus

Everton and Southampton are also said to have been linked with an interest in the former England international, as they look to bolster their respective attacks.

Brendan Rodgers worked with the Hammers number nine during his time in charge at Liverpool and the Northern Irish boss is in the market to add another forward to his squad after Kyogo’s move to France.

There are no further details at this time, however, and it remains to be seen whether Ings could move on permanently or on an initial loan deal.

Why Ings could be Idah 2.0

Idah arrived at Parkhead on an initial loan deal for the second half of last season after he failed to land a regular starting role with Norwich in England.

The Republic of Ireland international produced nine goals and two assists in 19 appearances in all competitions, including the winner in the SFA Cup final against Rangers.

Idah is living proof that Celtic can take advantage of a striker’s struggles in England to bring them to Parkhead to shine, which is why Ings could be an excellent addition to the group.

The 32-year-old forward has struggled this season for West Ham, with a return of one goal and two assists in 13 Premier League games, but has previously showcased his finishing quality in the top-flight in England.

Appearances

238

xG

67.63

Goals

72

xG differential

+4.37

Assists

23

As you can see in the table above, the experienced marksman has enjoyed a long career at the top level down south and has consistently delivered in front of goal, outperforming his xG by more than four goals in 238 appearances.

Ings was once described as “clinical” by journalist Leanne Prescott and these statistics back that up, as he has rarely let his team down when a big chance has fallen his way.

As was the case with Idah last January, it would be a gamble from Celtic to bring him in and hope that he can get back to his best in front of goal, but that is also why it could be a fantastic piece of business if it pays off.

Therefore, Rodgers should push to bring Ings in before the deadline passes tonight, so that he has an experienced and clinical striker to call upon in the second half of the season.

Big McCowan upgrade: Celtic ready bid for star who can "become world-class"

Celtic are looking to make their next signing after Jota

1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 3, 2025

Despite a flurry of activity late in the transfer window, this has not been an ideal weekend for Aston Villa.

Despite having 69% possession, they lost to 17th-place Wolves 2-0 as Unai Emery’s side only managed to generate 0.45 xG in the match, taking ten shots, and only creating just big chance.

On the other hand, Wolves were far more efficient, having 31% possession, but managing to create four big chances from just eight shots in the match, scoring two goals and walking away with all three points, valuable points at that considering their league position.

After losing Jhon Duran during the week, Aston Villa will be looking to improve their attacking line and bring some reinforcements to help the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers in this second half of the season.

Aston Villa looking at bolstering their offence

A deal to sign Marcus Rashford from Manchester United and their bid to sign Marco Asensio PSG looks as good as done with both players set to undergo medicals on Sunday afternoon.

That being said, Emery and Monchi could well be looking to complete more deals before the window slams shut on Monday evening.

Indeed, according to reports from Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa remain in talks with Chelsea over a move for Joao Felix.

However, the deal seems to be complicated at this current moment, with Chelsea demanding an “important financial package” due to Villa being a direct competitor for a Champions League spot this season.

Discussions between the clubs will continue, as Villa are also interested in Chelsea defender, Axel Disasi, where a similar “important fee” is being requested, so this will likely continue over the coming hours to see if any deal can be struck.

Felix has made 20 appearances this season for Chelsea since joining in the summer, scoring seven goals, providing two assists and totalling 947 minutes played, being a very important player in their UEFA Conference League campaign thus far.

How Joao Felix could improve Marcus Rashford

An agreement is reportedly already in place to take Rashford to Villa Park this month after a loan with an option to buy of around £40m was struck.

The 27-year-old can play all across the frontline, doing his best work from the left wing, making 24 appearances so far this campaign, scoring seven goals and, providing three assists.

Rashford, Felix and Ollie Watkins could thrive playing together, as the two Englishmen both look to make runs in behind the opposition defence at every opportunity. In turn, this could stretch the pitch, allowing Felix to pick the ball up in the pockets of space between the midfield and forward line, which is where he does his best work.

Goals

0.67

0.42

Assists

0.17

0.18

xG

0.54

0.19

xAG

0.24

0.18

Progressive Carries

5.12

2.52

Progressive Passes

6.34

2.38

Progressive Passes Received

7.07

8.18

Shots Total

4.83

2.23

Key Passes

1.46

1.26

Shot-Creating Actions

4.39

2.73

Successful Take-Ons

2.44

1.47

When comparing Felix and Rashford, you can clearly see how both players offer something different to the attacking dynamic, Rashford averaging more progressive passes received, showing his willingness to run in behind and be an outlet. Meanwhile, the Chelsea gem clearly excels dropping deep, receiving the ball to feet and impacting the game in all phases, such as build-up.

Alex Barker (EuroExpert on X) labelled Felix an “immense” talent, speaking on how the Portugal international has struggled with certain tactical fits. The 25-year-old has such clear talent, but the way he is utilised is a very important factor when judging his importance to a team.

At Villa, with other players wanting to stretch play and run in behind, Felix could finally become the player he is supposed to be, being the primary creator, having the license to roam, drop deeper and help progress play, but also arrive around the box to provide game-changing moments and output.

A dream for Watkins: Aston Villa target "monster" £70m Rashford alternative

Aston Villa weighing up a move for a current Premier League sensation.

ByRoss Kilvington Feb 1, 2025

During the January transfer window, Arsenal were in hot pursuit of a new striker to try and complete Mikel Arteta’s attacking lineup and boost their chances of a Premier League title charge.

Alexander Isak remerged on the shortlist after his goal against the Gunners helped knock them out of the Carabao Cup semi-final, but the Magpies’ £150m price tag saw the club move onto different targets.

Benjamin Sesko was another player on the Gunners’ shortlist of centre-forwards, understandably so given his form in 2024/25, which has seen him score 15 times in 30 appearances.

However, like Isak, Arteta was unable to secure a deal for the Slovenian, leaving him without any January transfers once more, with the Spaniard only able to use the options already at his disposal at the Emirates.

He’s subsequently got to stick with one player at the top end of the pitch, especially after Gabriel Jesus’ knee injury, highlighting the need for investment over the summer to solve the ongoing issue.

Kai Havertz’s stats for Arsenal in 2024/25

German forward Kai Havertz raised eyebrows over his move to North London back in the summer of 2023, costing the club a whopping £60m from city rivals Chelsea.

He impressed during his first year at the club, silencing some of his critics, scoring 14 times in his 51 appearances across all competitions – but it wasn’t enough as Arteta’s men finished runners-up to Manchester City once again.

This season, he’s already registered more goals than the previous, sitting on 15 with multiple months of the season to go, but it’s safe to say he could’ve had a lot more, showcasing the need for a number nine this summer.

Havertz has missed 15 big chances in the league alone, the third most of any player in the division, with the added goals potentially providing the difference in the club’s title ambitions in 2024/25.

1. Ollie Watkins

19

2. Erling Haaland

18

3. Kai Havertz

15

4. Nicolas Jackson

15

5. Mo Salah

14

Instead of delving into the market for a new option, the hierarchy may have been better off keeping hold of a young talent to lead the line, especially considering his form away from North London in recent times.

The player who could have been Arsenal’s very own Sesko

Striker Mika Biereth joined the club as an 18-year-old from fellow English side Fulham, linking up with the academy side upon his move to the Emirates.

He would score 11 goals during his debut season with the U23 side, but it wasn’t enough to force himself into the first-team picture, subsequently being loaned out to Dutch side RKC Waalwijk, scoring just twice in 13 games.

However, after a successful loan spell at Motherwell in the first half of 2023/24, he moved to Sturm Gratz in Austria – originally on loan, before moving permanently this summer, ending his stint with the Gunners.

He’s since excelled in front of goal, scoring 14 times in just 25 appearances, including twice in the Champions League – leading to Arsenal academy expert Will Balsam dubbing the young Dane as “incredible”.

Such form has seen the 22-year-old move to Monaco in a £10.8m deal during the most recent window, wasting no time in carrying over his impressive goalscoring record within the final third.

Biereth scored a hat-trick on his second appearance for the French outfit, taking his tally to four goals since his winter move, outscoring Havertz this campaign and showcasing what Arteta is missing by selling the striker in recent years.

Mika Biereth

18

Kai Havertz

15

Bukayo Saka

9

Gabriel Jesus

7

Gabriel Martinelli

7

Ethan Nwaneri

7

Leandro Trossard

5

Given the club’s desperate attempts to land a new talisman, there’s no denying that Biereth would’ve been a phenomenal option given his goalscoring record, undoubtedly ruing his departure from the Emirates.

However, the Dane will now go down as another player who’s slipped through their net, having bags of potential to improve further in the years ahead given his tender age.

Arsenal must rue selling £35m ace who's outperforming Trossard & Martinelli

The talented international would be a useful addition to Arsenal’s squad.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 8, 2025