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Leeds United fans will be ecstatic after their triumph over Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday; however, Daniel Farke suffered an injury blow during the clash and he could now be without one of his star men for a period of time, as cited by journalist Phil Hay.

Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Leeds United

On Saturday, the Whites put on a commendable performance in front of a large travelling support as they comfortably saw off Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park, with goals from Daniel James and Crysencio Summerville making sure of three points for the visitors.

Moving up to 41 points, Leeds remain third in the Championship standings and seven points behind Ipswich Town in second position; however, they did gain ground on fourth-place Southampton, who could only muster a draw at Watford. Farke expressed his delight at being able to claim a clean sheet against a stern opponent, as he stated in his post-match press conference:

"I’m especially pleased that we travel back today with a clean sheet against a really good and dangerous side. We didn’t allow them to have much. They had their spells in possession but in terms of big chances, there was not too much."

Leeds star who lost 19 duels was as good as Summerville vs Blackburn

The Whites continued their bid for promotion with a hard-fought win on Saturday afternoon.

ByRobbie Walls Dec 9, 2023

"It was important after a few weeks where we have conceded one goal, sometimes even two goals, today to return absolutely rock solid defence with a clean sheet. It’s a really good performance and a massive win for us. I’m pretty delighted."

Right now, the Whites find themselves in a fantastic run of form, having won nine of their last 11 fixtures in the English second tier, illustrating their credentials as a genuine contender for promotion. Nevertheless, they may now have to do without one of their key men for upcoming matches against Sunderland and Coventry City, according to journalist Hay.

Sam Byram injury latest…

As per BBC Sport, Sam Byram was withdrawn in the 70th minute of the Whites' 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers and subsequently replaced by loanee Djed Spence. Taking to social media platform X, Athletic journalist Hay has now shared quotes from Farke detailing the reason for his substitution, revealing that the 30-year-old could now be set for a spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue, possibly missing Sunderland and Coventry over the next six days.

In what will come as a major blow for the Whites, Byram's absence could breed a prolonged opportunity for Spence to gain regular minutes at full-back. Nevertheless, Byram has been a magnificent capture on a free transfer and the former Norwich City man has been ever present this term, registering one goal and a solitary assist in 19 appearances across all competitions (Byram statistics – Transfermarkt).

Labelled "fantastic" by German coach Farke last month, Byram led the way at Ewood Park for his side, making four tackles, three clearances and winning four out of his five ground duels (Byram statistics – Sofascore). Looking ahead, Leeds United fans will hope that Byram can return to action as soon as possible as the Elland Road outfit continue their tilt at promotion.

Tottenham Hotspur are now looking toward the January window and have reportedly identified a player who could help to solve a major problem in N17.

Tottenham Hotspur's injury struggles…

Since arriving from Scottish Premiership champions Celtic in the summer, Ange Postecoglou has gone on to have a major impact in the Premier League and has repeatedly shown his unwavering commitment to playing a brand of high-intensity attacking football.

As most fans and pundits alike will now know, the Australian boss has absolutely no desire to change his system any time soon; however, the Lilywhites' relentless commitment to forcing the issue has begun to take its toll on his squad regarding injury concerns.

As cited by The Evening Standard, Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur are absent for the Lilywhites at the moment, with the latter set for a lengthy period on the sidelines. Cristian Romero has been suspended of late and has been a big miss in central defence for Spurs following his red card against Chelsea last month.

Micky van de Ven, Ryan Sessengon, James Maddison, Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon are mentioned by LondonWorld as other notable players who are currently on the treatment table at Hotspur Way, which will likely ramp up expectations for Postecoglou to move in January to secure additional squad reinforcements.

According to Football Insider, Tottenham will try to recruit another midfielder in the mid-season window following news of Bentacur's recent injury after internal talks were held at the club over their winter transfer plans.

Yves Bissouma and Matar Sarr are also expected to depart in January to feature in the African Cup of Nations for their respective nations, which has prompted Spurs to act as their options in the engine room dwindle by the week.

Fresh information has now come to light about who could potentially join Tottenham in January to help offer some cover in the middle of the park, according to one recent claim.

Tottenham Hotspur in race to sign Kalvin Phillips

Tottenham are believed to be keen on Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips, who has been told that he is free to leave the Etihad Stadium in January to seek a new challenge, as per Football Insider.

Kalvin Phillips' underwhelming spell at Manchester City (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

29

Goals

0

Assists

0

Nevertheless, Spurs will need to see off competition from several other clubs to sign the England international. Newcastle United, West Ham United and Serie A giants Juventus are all keeping tabs on the former Leeds United man heading into the January window.

Predominantly used as a substitute by his current employers, Phillips will be keen to secure a move sooner rather than later to ensure his inclusion in Gareth Southgate's Three Lions squad for EURO 2024.

Nevertheless, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano did share quotes last month from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, detailing that the Catalan manager labelled the 27-year-old as "exceptional" while also signalling that he is set for a January departure, as he stated the following on social media platform X.

Given Tottenham's injury crisis, bringing Phillips to north London could prove to be a shrewd bit of business from Postecoglou that would help to shore up his midfield ahead of the second portion of this campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur could look to utilise the January transfer window to bolster their squad when it opens for business at the start of next month.

Ange Postecoglou could improve the options within his squad by dipping into the market to add one or two fresh faces to provide them with a boost ahead of the second half of the season.

Spurs make move for Olympic gold medalist who Jenas called "unbelievable"

There’s been an approach ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 17, 2023

Calcio Mercato recently reported that Spurs are one of the clubs interested in signing versatile Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso at the start of next year.

The Italian giants do not want to part ways with the young defender. However, the outlet did claim that a fee of up to €25m (£21m) could be required to tempt them into cashing in.

It now remains to be seen whether or not Tottenham will press ahead with a deal for the Italian gem but, if they do, Postecoglou could repeat the club's Destiny Udogie masterclass.

Udogie's season in numbers

Spurs signed the Italy international from Udinese last year for a reported fee of £15m and the attack-minded left-back has caught the eye with his performances so far this season.

The 21-year-old star has produced one goal, two assists, and two 'big chances' created in 15 Premier League appearances under Postecoglou.

He has also averaged 4.82 progressive passes and 2.63 progressive carries per 90, which ranks him within the top 23% and top 19% respectively among his positional peers.

The Tottenham dynamo, who has also managed four tackles and interceptions combined per game, is an exciting full-back who likes to take the game to the opposition with his ball-carrying and passing skills.

Spurs could now land another terrific attacking option at full-back by raiding the Serie A once more for a promising young talent in Cambiaso.

The statistics that show why Spurs should sign Cambiaso

The 23-year-old whiz could provide the head coach with depth in a plethora of positions as he can play at right-back, left-back, or as a winger on either flank.

His most recent outing for Juventus came as a right wing-back against Genoa on Friday night and his versatility means that Postecoglou could use him in either full-back role.

The Spurs target, like Udogie, has contributed with one goal and two assists in 15 league appearances for his club so far this season.

Cambiaso, who was hailed as "serious" and "humble" by Milan legend Mauro Tassotti, also ranks within the top 12% of Serie A full-backs for progressive carries (3.51) per 90 and the top 16% for non-penalty xG and xAG (Expected Goals and Expected Assisted Goals) combined per 90.

These statistics show that the Juventus talent could arrive in England and have a similar impact to Udogie in terms of what he is able to do with the ball at his feet. He can progress the ball through carries and has the quality to chip in with goal involvements at the end of his runs.

However, Cambiaso has only made 1.2 tackles and interceptions per game and this is one area he could look to improve in order to become a complete full-back, like the current Spurs ace.

Therefore, Postecoglou could repeat the club's Udogie masterclass by signing another exciting and talented young full-back from Italy who could get Spurs fans off their seats with his dynamic attacking play.

After an incredible 3-2 Boxing Day comeback over Aston Villa, Manchester United travelled to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, where they suffered yet another disappointing 2-1 defeat.

It seems that every positive step is followed by a poor showing, which has meant that they sit seventh in the Premier League.

The United faithful are becoming increasingly frustrated with Erik ten Hag's team, as some individuals are completely underperforming.

Antony’s performance in numbers vs Forest

Antony’s game against Forest was another addition to his catalogue of unconvincing and incredibly frustrating performances.

This was his 21st game of the season, and he is still yet to register a goal or an assist, but what’s even worse is the fact that he’s staggeringly picked up more yellow cards than goal contributions since joining the club.

The Brazilian was subbed just after the break due to an injury, but prior to that, he was very ineffective, giving the ball away 12 times and only winning four of his ten individual battles.

Additionally, he lacked intensity, intent, and the ability to create anything, with the 23-year-old often being forced to pass backwards due to his inability to take a man on.

Games

Goals

Assists

Shots

21

0

0

33

Games

Goals

Assists

Shots

33

1

2

69

Stats via TNT Sport & WhoScored.com

Football analyst Statman Dave described his showing as a "disasterclass,” which is extremely accurate and appropriate. The statistics below sum up his wretched evening in Nottingham.

xG

0.00

xA

0.03

Shots

0

Dribbles (succ.)

3 (1)

Pass accuracy %

78%

The man to replace Antony at Man Utd

The biggest issue that Antony now has is that Amad Diallo returned from injury to replace him at the City Ground, and the difference between the duo was night and day. The former Sunderland loanee didn’t look like a player who had been out since August, instantly setting the tempo and taking on responsibility in attack.

Unlike Antony, who stays on the touchline throughout a game, Amad often inverted to pick the ball up within the inside channel, creating combinations and linking up play. The 21-year-old showed his intelligence by retaining the ball when necessary while also working extremely hard to regain it. 94% pass accuracy, a shot on target, one key pass, and 100% duels won prove he was heavily involved in his short cameo.

However, what is even more worrying for Antony is that Alejandro Garnacho’s best performance in a United shirt came on the right against Villa. The Argentine netted a brace and was relentless throughout, using movement and direct dribbling to carve open the opponent.

The clear difference between Antony and the wingers is that the aforementioned duo simply makes things happen. Amad can create and score, as shown by his 16-goal contribution season at Sunderland, and Garnacho has also proved that this season. In short, the £85m man is too easy to play against.

Overall, if Garnacho doesn’t start, then Amad will, and therefore, it is reasonable to presume that the ex-Ajax man would currently be the third-choice right-winger at the Red Devils. This ultimately puts question marks around his future at Man United and with his job on the line, Ten Hag must start his best XI, unfortunately, Antony doesn’t feature in it.

Glasgow Rangers begin 2024 occupying second place in the Scottish Premiership table and Philippe Clement will be aiming to make this year a much better one than 2023, that’s for sure.

The first ten months of last year were nothing to shout home about, yet the Belgian manager took over and changed the fortunes of the club in the space of just two and a half months in what has been an incredible turnaround.

A League Cup trophy has already been added to the trophy cabinet and, despite a recent 2-1 defeat to Celtic, the mood is high heading into the winter break.

The onus on the 49-year-old coach will now be to ship out some deadwood this month along with signing a couple of new players in order to bolster his squad.

With this in mind, the Ibrox side have been linked with a move for a South American midfielder who was once teammates with former Ibrox cult figure Alfredo Morelos…

Rangers transfer news – Steven Alzate

The previous few weeks have been productive, to say the least, but Clement struggled with injuries to several central midfielders, such as John Lundstram, Ryan Jack, Jose Cifuentes, and Nico Raskin.

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Who is Philippe Clement eyeing up in the transfer window ahead of his first full season at Ibrox?

ByRoss Kilvington Jul 9, 2024

While they are all either totally recovered or close to returning to the senior side, the crisis means that the manager must bring in another midfielder or two during the transfer window.

According to Belgian outlet DH Les Sports (via the Scottish Sun), the Gers are monitoring the situation of midfielder Steven Alzate, who has only a few months left on his contract at Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion.

Brighton are looking to sell him during the January transfer window in order to secure themselves some sort of transfer fee, rather than see him walk free in the summer.

The Colombian has spent the previous 18 months on loan at Standard Liege. Although he is currently suffering from an ankle injury, he could be injury-free once Rangers return to action in a couple of weeks.

The Light Blues have a few midfielders out of contract themselves at the end of the season – most notably Lundstram and Jack – and this is a position which Clement will be desperate to bolster.

The former Sheffield United enforcer will likely secure an extension to his deal, but this should be the final season for Jack at the Glasgow side, especially with his recurring injury niggles.

Alzate could be a dream replacement for the Scot, who has been a stalwart for the Gers since arriving in 2017.

Ryan Jack’s statistics at Rangers

The former Aberdeen gem cost Rangers nothing when he arrived during the summer of 2017 on a free transfer after his contract at the Dons expired, and it looked as though it could be a solid piece of business by the club.

Jack soon became a mainstay in the first team and, despite failing to win a trophy during his first three seasons at Ibrox, progress was shown.

Injury problems were his kryptonite, however, and prior to the title-winning 2020/21 campaign, Jack missed 41 matches due to various injuries and this would become a recurring theme during his spell in Glasgow.

He managed to play 19 times as the club won their first Premiership crown for a decade, chipping in with two vital goals, yet he featured just 22 times in all competitions the following season as he continued to pick up knocks on a regular basis.

Despite playing only eight times in the league this term, Jack has shown glimmers of his abilities as he currently has an 87% pass success rate along with losing possession just 4.9 times per game, and he is a useful option for Clement to call upon, when fit, that is.

16

2

36

2

22

1

24

2

39

5

46

4

21

0

Paying a wage for someone who could miss 50% or more of the season is a big gamble to take and the former Club Brugge manager should make the call to let him leave for free this summer.

Steven Alzate could replace Ryan Jack

The 25-year-old was picked up by Brighton in the same summer as Rangers signed Jack, yet it took him a couple of seasons to make his way into the senior side.

A decent loan spell at Swindon Town helped his cause and he went on to play 19 times in the Premier League during 2019/20.

Journalist Josh Bunting heaped praise on him during that season, saying: “Steven Alzate superb again for Brighton, he is so creative, brings so much energy into the game.”

This was as good as it got for Alzate on the south coast, adding just another 24 top-flight appearances to his CV before sealing another temporary switch away from the Amex, this time to Belgium.

Brighton’s loss has been Standard Liege’s gain as the English-born gem has shone in the Belgian top flight over the previous 18 months.

Last term, the midfielder ranked fifth among the squad for goals and assists in the top flight (eight), while also ranking fourth for big chances created (five), first for accurate passes per game (42), and second for tackles per game (2.4).

These statistics indicate that he would be an ideal replacement for Jack, especially as he clearly has the required passing and defensive abilities to succeed at Rangers.

Meanwhile, the talented gem could also offer a threat going forward with his ability to create big opportunities for his teammates in the final third.

Alzate has played just 11 times in the league this term, yet has already contributed one goal and two assists, proving that he can chip in with the odd goal contribution.

Jack’s spell at Rangers will go down as a major what-if. Although he has featured 204 times for the club, the reality is, it could have been so much more if not for the continuous stream of injuries.

Indeed, the Scot has missed a grand total of 118 matches through a succession of injuries since 2017 and the older he gets, the longer it will take for him to recover from any injury he suffers.

This represents an ideal chance for the Gers to bring in a player such as Alzate, who has shown his abilities both defensively and in an attacking sense during his spells with Brighton and Standard Liege in recent years.

Brendan Rodgers and Celtic are closing in on their first signing of the January transfer window. The Scottish Premiership leaders are reportedly "on the verge" of landing wide man Nicolas Kuhn from Austrian club Rapid Vienna for a fee somewhere between £2.5m and £3m.

But that's not all Rodgers wants to do this month. Football Scotland's Mark Hendry says that the Hoops boss also wants to add a striker and a left-back to his squad, with Estoril's Tiago Araujo among the potential targets for the latter role. Celtic apparently made contact over Araujo in November, but it's been "crickets" since, with no sign of any further movement. That, though, could be about to change.

Celtic may finally make Araujo offer

After a prolonged period of silence, Celtic may now spring into action out of nowhere with an offer for Araujo. As per O Jogo, the Glasgow outfit are preparing a proposal for the Estroil defender.

While fresh contact hasn't been made just yet, it would appear to be imminent. The Primeira Liga club will refuse to sell him for less than £3.5m, aware that his former club Benfica are entitled to half of the proceeds from his transfer.

Araujo can solve Taylor problem

Portugal under-21 international Araujo moved to Estoril in the summer of 2022 and has since gone on to make 53 appearances for the club, including 23 this season. He's delivered an impressive attacking output from full-back with six direct goal contributions (three goals, three assists).

Indeed, among left-backs in Europe's top 10 leagues, he ranks joint-10th for involvements in all competitions. If you look solely at players based in Portugal, only Sporting's Nuno Santos (12) and Portimonese's Goncalo Costa (seven) are ahead of him.

1

Alejandro Grimaldo

Bayer Leverkusen

16

2

Nair Tiknizyan

Lokomotiv Moscow

13

3

Nuno Santos

Spoting

12

=

Maxim De Cuyper

Club Brugge

12

5

David Raum

RB Leipzig

9

6

Federico Dimarco

Inter

8

7

Guilherme

Konyaspor

7

=

Theo Hernandez

Milan

7

=

Goncalo Costa

Portimonese

7

10

Tiago Araujo

Estoril

6

The stats reflect just how active Araujo is in the opposition final third. Relative to full-backs in comparable leagues over the last year, he ranks in the 85th percentile for crosses attempted per 90 minutes (4.58), and sits sixth in the Portuguese top-flight for completed crosses into the penalty area this season (11). He certainly doesn't shy away from going for goal himself either, placing as high as the 94th percentile for shots per 90 (1.33).

The 22-year-old's style of play is no surprise when you consider that he started out his career as a winger before shifting backwards. Talent scout Jacek Kulig has compared the "flamboyant" Araujo to former Spurs and Real Madrid man Gareth Bale, who underwent the opposition transformation in his career.

Rodgers has shown little trust in Alexandro Bernabei as a back-up for Greg Taylor, affording him just 71 minutes of playing time and refusing to start him in any competition. That's led to Taylor making the XI for every single league match up to this point, and completing 17 of those.

The squad clearly looks unbalanced in that area, with the Scotsman taking on a very high load, but Araujo's excellent form this season suggests he can provide the kind of cover and competition Rodgers needs. Celtic can expect Estoril to drive a hard bargain in the knowledge that they'll be forfeiting some of the fee, but their demands look fairly reasonable nonetheless.

Aston Villa are usually fairly shrewd in the transfer market and have reportedly moved closer to potentially carrying out a cheap deal to sign an experienced player this month.

Aston Villa chase January deals…

The Villans have been a consistent force in the Premier League this campaign, and Unai Emery will be keen to ensure his side continues to progress by bringing in one or two reinforcements in January.

According to The Evening Standard, Aston Villa have emerged as a surprise suitor for Chelsea striker Armando Broja following the Blues' decision to put the Albania international on the market.

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Despite being willing to listen to offers for the Cobham graduate, Mauricio Pochettino is keen to receive a fee in the region of £50 million in order to sanction his exit. Nevertheless, Aston Villa, alongside the interested trio of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and West Ham United, see his price tag as overinflated and would be more inclined to bid at the £30-40 million mark.

Kosta Nedeljkovic of Red Star Belgrade is set to become the Villans' first addition of the window and will undergo a medical examination on Friday before signing his contract and then heading back to join his current employers on loan for the rest of the campaign.

On another note, Aston Villa have now moved to the front of the queue in their hunt to sign an experienced playmaker, as per reports.

Aston Villa in pole position for Felipe Anderson…

According to reports in Italy via Sport Witness, Aston Villa have 'moved to the front row' to sign Lazio midfielder Felipe Anderson amid his deal having just six months to run in the Italian capital in what would be a cheap recruit for Emery.

Five similar players to Felipe Anderson (FBRef)

Player

Club

Jack Harrison

Everton

Jordan Ayew

Crystal Palace

Alvaro Garcia

Rayo Vallecano

Aleksandr Golovin

Monaco

Alexis Saelemaekers

Bologna

It is explained that the Brazil international is also attracting interest from Juventus; however, his Premier League experience and potential availability at a bargain fee seems to appeal. One added stipulation of any transfer is that his former club, West Ham, would inherit 50% of any future sum paid for his services.

Labelled "terrific" by former teammate Robert Snodgrass, Anderson has made 28 appearances in all competitions this campaign, registering two goals and seven assists (Anderson statistics – Transfermarkt).

Quality players are arguably hard to come by stereotypically in January, which could make the 30-year-old a viable option for Aston Villa in their hunt to secure a strong league finish, making this one to keep an eye on.

West Ham United are now in talks to sign a club captain for manager David Moyes as the Hammers' transfer plans take a deadline day twist.

West Ham tipped for busy deadline day

There are suggestions that West Ham could well be one of the busier sides today, as technical director Tim Steidten and the recruitment team continue their work behind-the-scenes.

Moyes "also losing" a "popular" West Ham player as he closes in on exit

He’s nearing a move away.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 30, 2024

A West Ham move for Al-Ittihad winger Jota is yet to be fully resolved, with talks held over signing the Portuguese alongside another winger target in FC Norsjaelland sensation Ibrahim Osman.

Moyes' side are keen on signing a left-winger before the deadline strikes at 11pm this evening, and it is believed West Ham have agreed a deal to offload Said Benrahma on loan.

However, the Algerian is still yet to decide on whether he will indeed be making the move to Ligue 1, so it will be interesting to see whether the club can facilitate his exit on time.

Depending on developments, there could well be some movement at the London Stadium, with West Ham also interested in signing a centre-back.

Nayef Aguerd's future is seen as uncertain, so Steidten has apparently been looking at potential alternatives to the Morocco international.

One of them may well be Le Havre captain Arouna Sangante, with journalist Pete O'Rourke now breaking deadline day news on X this morning.

West Ham in deadline day talks to sign Sangante

Indeed, as per the reporter's information, West Ham are now in deadline day talks to sign Sangante, and he further details in a Football Insider piece that negotiations are at an advanced stage.

The Senegalese starlet is an integral player for Le Havre, with Sangante starting 16 Ligue 1 matches and ranking as their best-performing player by average match rating according to WhoScored.

FC Metz 0-0 Le Havre

7.83

Le Havre 3-1 Lyon

7.72

Le Havre 0-0 Monaco

7.55

Rennes 2-2 Le Havre

7.38

Lens 0-0 Le Havre

7.16

The 21-year-old has also been praised for his potential by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, who even compared him to Real Madrid star Eder Militao.

As per O'Rourke, a deal to bring Sangante to West Ham would be on loan, so this move represents little risk financially as well.

What difference one game can make, hey? Just last week, there was talk of Arsenal crashing out of the Premier League title race if they lost against Liverpool on Sunday.

Yet, in the aftermath of the Gunners' dominating performance, talk has again shifted to include them in the title race with Manchester City and the Reds.

Mikel Arteta's side looks to have put their festive period slump well and truly behind them with three wins on the bounce, yet there is still a feeling that they could be hamstrung by a lack of quality finishers in the squad.

According to Understat, the north Londoners are underperforming their open-play expected goals figure by 7.02, which is a serious problem considering the Citizens and Liverpool are overperforming theirs by 2.60 and 1.76, respectively.

What makes this situation all the more frustrating for fans, though, is that it looked as if Arsenal were primed to sign a new number nine last month, a number nine who took the league by storm last season.

Arsenal's search for a goalscorer

The Gunners have long been admirers of Brentford's prolific frontman Ivan Toney and were first linked with signing him all the way back in January 2021, when the former Newcastle United striker was still plying his trade in the Championship with the Bees.

That said, the supposed interest and subsequent rumours have seriously intensified over the last 12 months, reaching a crescendo in December and January, with reports suggesting a move mid-way through the season was a distinct possibility.

However, the price that the west Londoners wanted for their star striker – £80m – proved to be much higher than Arsenal were willing to go at this time in the year, so a deal ultimately failed to materialise.

While there is undoubtedly a solid argument to be made that the club made the right decision not to push things given the situation with PSR in the league at the moment, if poor finishing costs Arteta the chance to end Arsenal's two-decade title drought, questions might be asked.

How Ivan Toney compares to Jesus

So, had the Englishman joined Arsenal last month, who would lose out?

Well, unfortunately for Gabriel Jesus, it's pretty apparent that his position in the starting XI would be the most under threat by the arrival of the "unplayable" Toney, as once dubbed by Alan Shearer – something made abundantly clear with their recent goal records.

For example, in the 38 games Toney has played since the start of the 2022/23 season, he has scored 23 goals and provided five assists, meaning he averages 0.73 goal involvements per match, whereas Jesus' 19 goals and 13 assists in 56 appearances give him an average of 0.57 goal involvements per match.

Toney

Jesus

38

56

23

19

5

13

0.73

0.57

Now, the argument for the much-sought-after striker was a little harder to make just a month ago as he hadn't so much as trained with the Brentford squad for eight months following his footballing ban for betting offences, but since then, he has shown that he's as sharp as ever.

The fact that the 27-year-old "monster", as described by writer Billy Grant, has been able to pick up exactly where he left off in the toughest football league in the world should now probably count as another argument in his favour.

Likewise, the fact that, according to Understat, in his three years of Premier League football, he has only underperformed his overall expected goals figure by 1.46, scoring 34 of the 35.46 goals he would be expected to score.

In contrast, Arsenal's dynamic Brazilian has underperformed by a staggering 25.21 across his eight seasons in English football, scoring just 73 goals from an expected 98.21.

Arsenal must regret selling £4m star who outscored Saka last season

The 28-year-old is one of the best attackers in Europe.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 8, 2024

Ultimately, opting not to sign Toney might have been a necessity due to financial constraints, but if it turns out that it wasn't, failing to secure his signature might be the very reason they fail to lift the title in May.

Tottenham have been dealt a blow after it emerged that one of their key depth pieces is set for time on the sidelines with a serious injury.

Spurs thriving despite injuries

Despite the departure of Harry Kane over the summer in a mega-money move to Bayern Munich, Tottenham are loving life under new boss Ange Postecoglou. The Australian has bought exciting football back to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the very thing that Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho tried to stamp out of the Tottenham DNA.

More importantly though, he has bought results too. As things stand, Spurs sit fourth in the Premier League, seven points off top spot and occupying one of the illustrious Champions League qualification spots for next season. In a campaign where many thought the departure of Kane would send them backwards, they have shot forwards remarkably despite their injury woes that have seen the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Mickey Van de Ven and James Maddison all miss large parts of the campaign.

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ByAngus Sinclair Feb 16, 2024 Ange reveals fresh concern over "fractured foot"

Quizzed on his team news ahead of Tottenham's clash with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ange revealed that he had quite a lengthly absentee list to deal with, and goalkeeper Fraser Forster is the latest to be added to the squad members sidelined in north London, expected to miss around 7 games.

Forster is yet to make a Premier League appearance so far this campaign, with his sole showing coming in the Carabao Cup Third Round where his side fell to a penalty shoot-out defeat to London rivals Fulham, but he remains the Tottenham number two.

Now, he may not be seen again for some time after picking up a foot injury in training that is set to keep him off the substitutes bench for several weeks. Quizzed on it, Postecoglou revealed (via Fabrizio Romano): "He picked up a knock in training – a fracture in his foot – he's longer-term, a couple of months. Yeah, disappointing."

His £75,000-per-week contract runs out at the end of the campaign and Postecoglou's side are yet to show any sign of wishing to extend his time in north London, meaning that the former Celtic man may well have played his final game for the Lilywhites.

Tottenham injuries

Injury type

Expected return

Pedro Porro

Groin

March

Destiny Udogie

Knee

March

Manor Solomon

Knee

Unknown

Fraser Forster

Foot

April

Ryan Sessegnon

Thigh

Unknown

It means that should first choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario be forced to miss a game through any issue, whether it be injury or suspension, Postecoglou will have a major headache on his hands. As it stands, his options are Alfie Whiteman or Brandon Austin, but neither will inspire confidence among the Lilywhite faithful.

Whiteman spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Swedish top flight side Degerfors and has only played for the Spurs senior side on one occasion, while Brandon Austin has been at the club since 2016 but is yet to make his debut for his boyhood side.

With Vicario having been incredibly impressive since his summer arrival, and Hugo Lloris having departed the club in January for pastures new, Tottenham fans will be holding their breath any time the Italian shot-stopper goes down in the final stint of the campaign.