Man United vs Aston Villa Team News: Winger Returns

Manchester United could be boosted by the return of Alejandro Garnacho when they welcome Aston Villa to Old Trafford on Sunday, reports the Manchester Evening News.

What's the early team news?

The Red Devils welcome a high-flying Villans side to Manchester on Sunday in what has suddenly become a hugely important fixture in the race for European football. The hosts can move themselves nine points clear in the race for Champions League qualification, while Villa have their own aspirations and could actually sit just three points behind Erik ten Hag's side with a win of their own.

Unai Emery is expected to be without Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Philippe Coutinho and Leon Bailey, but United have some problems of their own, with first-choice centre-back pairing Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane both sidelined.

Man United's Raphael Varane

One piece of good news however is the return of Garnacho, after the teenager participated in training on Friday, the same day on which the club announced a bumper new contract for the rising star.

According to MEN, the 18 year-old, who has not played since March, "took part in first-team training on Friday afternoon at Carrington", which suggests he "could be available" when Villa come calling in what the paper describes as a "boost" for the manager.

Will Garnacho play vs Aston Villa?

The Argentina U20 international has been praised for being "dangerous" and having a "massive influence" when he plays by none other than Paul Scholes, and it's not hard to see why.

Capable of playing on both wings and terriying defenders with his quick feet and directness, Garnacho has mustered up nine direct goal involvements in 31 senior appearances for the club, a phenomenal return for such a young player.

With Anthony Martial not quite looking his best since injury and Wout Weghorst still failing to really make his mark, having Garnacho off the bench could prove to be the difference when the game gets stretched and Villa's legs are tiring.

If he is indeed fit enough to give Ten Hag 30 minutes of his usual high-tempo performance, Garnacho's return is indeed a massive boost and he should be granted the opportunity to make his mark.

Tottenham Set Sights On Signing "Sensational" £80k-p/w Star

Tottenham Hotspur have now set their sights on signing Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer, having been impressed with his performances this season, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

With ENIC keen on bringing in new options in midfield this summer, Tottenham have now joined the race for RCD Mallorca star Kang-in Lee, who could be allowed to leave for less than his €30m (£26.5m) release clause.

Spurs are also "hot on the trail" of Sporting CP's Manuel Ugarte, after first taking note of him in their Champions League matches against the Portuguese side earlier this year, while a new striker could also be in order, amid Harry Kane's uncertain future in north London.

To replace the England captain, the Lilywhites could look at signing Lille's Jonathan David, who is expected to leave his current club this summer, although it is not yet a foregone conclusion that Kane leaves the club.

While the rumours surrounding the Tottenham striker are likely to dominate the news in the summer window, the club are also keen on bolstering their options in midfield, and Football Insider reports Gibbs-White is now a target.

The Forest midfielder has been watched by Spurs throughout the 2022/23 season, and scouts have been impressed by the improvements he has made, while they also believe he has the potential to develop even further.

The report also claims that the Englishman is regarded as a classic Tottenham player who would be a great fit in the midfield.

Should Tottenham sign Morgan Gibbs-White?

Hailed as "sensational" by journalist Josh Bunting, the maestro has cemented himself as a vital player for Forest this season, making 33 appearances in the Premier League, during which time he has picked up four goals and six assists.

Only Brennan Johnson has amassed more goal contributions for the Tricky Trees this season, highlighting the £80k-per-week midfielder's attacking threat, while he is also very strong in the air, ranking in the 97th percentile for aerials won per 90 in the past year.

Morgan-Gibbs-White-in-action-for-Nottingham-Forest

That said, it is debatable whether the 23-year-old would help take Tottenham to the next level, given that Rodrigo Bentancur has averaged more non-penalty goals, assists, and is far better defensively, ranking in the 74th percentile for tackles per 90.

Of course, Bentancur is expected to be out until November, however, when the Uruguayan does return, Gibbs-White would find it very difficult to displace him in the starting XI.

Newcastle Set To Lose £45k-A-Week Man This Summer

Newcastle United utility man Matt Ritchie is ready to call time on his Magpies carrer and expected to leave St James' Park at the end of the season, according to a new report.

Has Ritchie been a key man this season?

The Magpies are enjoying a memorable season so far, looking highly likely to finish in the top four and secure a place in next year's Champions League. They also reached the EFL Cup final, albeit losing to Manchester United, so the progress since last summer has been huge.

Newcastle have various key men at the club right now, but Ritchie isn't one of them, with the Scot having to accept playing a bit-part role this season. The £45,000-a-week defender has only featured seven times in the Premier League, all of which have come from the substitutes' bench and totalled just 35 minutes of action.

The 33-year-old is out of contract at the end of the current campaign, however, leaving his future with the Magpies up in the air. A new update has shed some light on the situation, however, with his time at St James' seemingly coming to an end in the next few months.

Is Ritchie leaving Newcastle this summer?

According to Football insider, Ritchie is "set to quit" Newcastle in the summer, as he goes "in pursuit of regular football" elsewhere. It is stated that he has "fallen significantly down Eddie Howe's pecking order" this season and is "ready to call an end to his time in Tyneside".

In truth, it makes complete sense for the 16-cap Scotland international to move on at the end of this season, with his first-team opportunities clearly limited already, let alone when more signings arrive during the summer window.

Newcastle have gone up a significant level, in terms of the calibre of player they can entice to the club and Ritchie is simply drifting further out of contention, which is only natural considering he is now 33 years of old age. Handing him a new deal would make little sense, while the player himself clearly wants to enjoy more regular playing time during the autumn of his career.

He should be remembered as an excellent servant for the Magpies, though – one who has scored 24 goals in 198 appearances and been hailed as "invaluable" and a "top player" by Eddie Howe – with his professionalism always shining through and his versatility allowing him to do a solid job in several positions, mainly down the left flank.

Sunderland Heading For Disaster With £15k-p/w Star

Sunderland have secured a place in the Championship play-offs with a chance of returning to the Premier League next season, however, Tony Mowbray could be heading for a disaster in the transfer market already.

What's the latest on Jack Clarke's future at Sunderland?

According to TEAMtalk, Sunderland are currently working on a new deal for Jack Clarke, amid interest from Premier League clubs following his fantastic form in the second tier this season.

As per the report, Crystal Palace and Brentford have expressed an interest in snapping up the young winger's signature this summer but the Black Cats are attempting to convince him to stay by putting together a new deal to secure his future at the Stadium of Light.

Why do Sunderland need to keep Jack Clarke?

Sunderland could be set for back-to-back promotions if they can win the Championship play-offs in the coming weeks, which would be a monumental achievement for the Wearside club.

Mowbray's managerial expertise combined with a squad full of promising talent has put the Black Cats in a fantastic position to achieve their dreams of returning to the Premier League for the first time since 2017, and should they prove victorious, it will be important to keep together as much of the squad as possible.

Whilst it may be tempting for the club to cash in on some of their hottest prospects this summer in order to raise precious funds, it could be incredibly detrimental to their chances of either retaining their Premier League status or competing again for promotion next season if unsuccessful.

As a result, there is no doubt that the Sunderland hierarchy must do everything they can to hold on to Clarke ahead of next season, even if a big fee is forthcoming, as the Black Cats talisman has been a key contributor throughout their impressive campaign.

Over 45 Championship appearances, the £15k-per-week star has scored nine goals, registered a whopping 11 assists and created seven big chances, as well as averaging 1.4 shots on goal, 1.7 key passes, two successful dribbles and 5.9 duels won per game, proving that he is an incredible attacking threat.

Championship, Sunderland, Jack Clarke, Sunderland news

In fact, the 22-year-old has the highest number of assists in the entire second tier this season, which is a testament to his unrivalled involvement in securing Sunderland a huge opportunity to return to the top flight.

As a result, losing him this summer, irrespective of the division Mowbary and co find themselves in, would be somewhat of a disaster.

Indeed, despite struggling to make an impact at his former club, Tottenham Hotspur, Clarke is finally firmly in the spotlight with huge praise from journalist Josh Bunting for his form this season:

"Clarke unplayable and that’s the games I love – with him just driving at the opposition defence, he’s a handful with his balance."

With that being said, if Sunderland can secure promotion to the Premier League it will put the club in a greater position to retain Clarke's services.

£60k-p/w Star May Leave West Ham In Swap Deal

Insider ExWHUEmployee has claimed that West Ham United may receive a swap deal offer for Declan Rice from Manchester City which includes Kalvin Phillips.

What's the latest on Declan Rice and West Ham?

The Hammers will no doubt be fully focused on their upcoming Europa Conferences League semi-final against AZ Alkmaar this week.

However, beyond that, the other topic on everyone's mind is the future of club captain Rice. After all, it seems he will be leaving in the summer with a host of top Premier League clubs linked.

As per a recent report in The Guardian, Manchester United now intend to rival Arsenal for the £60k-per-week England midfielder.

However, it sounds as though Man City are potentially ready to enter the race – as explained by Ex on The West Ham Way podcast.

The insider said (6:12): “100 per cent, Guardiola rates Declan Rice – I know that factually, I've got sources at Manchester City. I know he rates him.

"I always said at the start as well that Moyes massively rates Kalvin Phillips and he wanted to actually pair the two up at West Ham, Rice and Phillips.

"But you know, apparently we bid £50m for Phillips, but it never got through at Leeds and then he obviously went to Man City after that.

"But I wouldn't, as I've always said, wouldn't be surprised if Man City do try to offer Phillips for Rice and money.”

Will Kalvin Phillips join West Ham?

As per a recent report in Sky Sports, while the Hammers expect at least £120m for Rice, they could be open to doing a swap deal to help reduce that fee as well.

And Man City could be on the look for a new midfielder as they seem set to miss out on touted target Jude Bellingham who will likely now end up at Real Madrid instead.

And so, with these two developments in mind, it's not hard to see how Ex's transfer claim could come to pass this summer.

West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice.

After all, Moyes has even gone on the record about hoping to sign former Leeds United midfielder Phillips in the past and actually offered more than the £45m he was eventually sold for.

He told the Daily Mail: "We bid more than that. We’re trying to be competitive with the big teams. If we can’t, we have to find another way of keeping up with them."

Well seeing as Phillips has hardly played for City this season – with just 104 minutes of league action – it seems as though he could be on the market again this summer.

Now with Rice to offer too, perhaps West Ham can finally get that deal done.

£90k-p/w Man Slammed As Leeds Lose Again

Journalist Beren Cross has slammed Leeds United winger Jack Harrison after he put in a "poor" display on the weekend as his team slumped to another loss.

What's the latest on Leeds and West Ham?

Coming up against West Ham on Sunday afternoon, the Whites were in desperate need of a win – or at least a point.

In the end, though, Sam Allardyce and co came away with neither and so defeat means they now go into the last round of Premier League fixtures inside the bottom three.

Although Rodrigo fired Leeds into an early lead, they let things slip from there as unanswered goals from Declan Rice, Jarrod Bowen and Manuel Lanzini saw the Irons win the match 3-1.

Evidently, it was a difficult afternoon for a number of men in white but it seems as though Harrison was one of the most disappointing performers on the day.

Indeed, in the player ratings for LeedsLive, the winger was slammed by Cross who gave him a lowly score of just 3/10.

The journalist also wrote: "Poor decisions with the ball when it came to him, poor execution when he seemed to make better decisions or simply not involved enough to make decisions at other times."

How bad was Harrison against West Ham?

On the Whites' last league trip to the London Stadium, Harrison stole the show as he netted a hat-trick to help his side take all three points in a thrilling 3-2 win.

This time around, he couldn't repeat the trick and was comparatively woeful when you consider the heights he scaled with that past outing.

Indeed, Cross wasn't the only one to be left hoping for more from Harrison's appearance, as Graham Smyth handed him a 4/10 in the Yorkshire Evening Post and wrote: "Gave some forward impetus but missed a big chance at the end of the first half. Not enough."

Jack Harrison's contract reportedly includes a release clause.

And when you look at his stats on SofaScore, it doesn't make for pretty reading either. Indeed, the £90k-p/w winger struggled with just 35 touches which is six fewer than goalkeeper Joel Robles.

He also lost the ball eight times despite not being that involved and failed to find a teammate with two attempted long balls, while he didn't help out much defensively either as he was dribbled past twice and made zero tackles, interceptions, clearances or blocks.

All in all, a day to forget for the Englishman as his side takes another step towards relegation.

Chelsea Pushing To Sign £45m ‘Monster’ For Pochettino

Chelsea's relentless transfer pursuits seem set to carry on into this summer transfer window, as Todd Boehly seeks to hand his manager-elect Mauricio Pochettino the best possible foundation for instant success.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Chelsea?

That's according to Football Insider, who revealed that the Blues remain heavily interested in Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.

Such is their desire to sign him, the report states they are making a big push to pry him from the already-relegated Saints, with their incoming Argentinian manager supposedly a 'huge' fan of his.

It is expected that a more concrete approach will be made once the new head coach is in place, although a deal has already been agreed for the former Tottenham Hotspur boss.

Talks have been ongoing for months over a move, but Manchester City's £45m buy-back clause, which only becomes active in 2024, is adding a ticking clock over a potential deal.

How good is Romeo Lavia?

Given the 19-year-old has just enjoyed his first full season in senior football, the comfort with which he took to the Premier League was truly astounding.

Despite the south coast outfit's failures likely being rooted in their reliance on youth, it seems that Lavia was one such asset that did not wilt despite a lack of experience to surround him. His 6.83 average rating actually puts him within the top six performers at his club, yet it is his defensive excellence and comfort on the ball that truly makes him stand out.

An 86% pass accuracy gives way to two tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, whilst his 70% dribble success rate only emphasises just how press resistant the teenage star is, via Sofascore.

Such poise and grace mixed with a steely work rate, alongside their shared nationality, makes it hard not to draw comparisons to a former Pochettino favourite in Mousa Dembele.

His 2015/16 campaign in north London, arguably the apex of his career, saw his 7.41 average rating upheld by a 90% pass accuracy, 92% dribble success rate and 3.6 tackles per game, via Sofascore. Truly unattainable levels.

mousa-dembele-tottenham-pochettino

However, Lavia is certainly well-versed in those key assets, with plenty of time for the young "monster", as branded by journalist Benjy Nurick, to grow into such a role.

Transfer insider Dean Jones offered his solution for Pochettino to find his newest iteration of the 35-year-old, first outlining what made Dembele so special before presenting the former Citizens' youth product:

"His strength was, er, his strength! Yet he combined that power on the ball with brilliant awareness, incredible technical ability and a poise that made him so difficult to beat in a one-on-one battle.

"The signing of Romeo Lavia from Southampton would pretty perfectly fit the bill in this sense and that is helpful – because he is already on their watchlist for a summer transfer."

Given how imperative the ex-Belgian international was in laying the foundation for such steady progress at White Hart Lane, Pochettino will be keen on attracting Lavia, as arguably the ideal man to be moulded in his image.

Tottenham’s £90k-p/w "Hero" Could Relegate Leeds

Tottenham Hotspur travel to face their final Premier League game of the season, as one of few clubs left still with something to play for. Although at the start of the campaign many supporters might have been hoping to battle with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United for top four, instead it is Aston Villa and Brentford, and another spot in the Europa Conference League at stake.

Standing in their way is the relegation-threatened Leeds United, who too are fighting for their lives under Sam Allardyce. The experienced boss was enlisted as a last-gasp attempt at securing safety, but now finds himself in the unfavourable position of chasing Everton as this final day kicks off.

The hosts need to beat Ryan Mason's men and rely on the Toffees to drop points at home to AFC Bournemouth, meaning they are expected to throw everything at the Lilywhites.

Such a gung-ho style will likely leave plenty of space for the visiting attackers, and therefore their caretaker manager should seek to hand Richarlison a start, as the man who could relegate the Yorkshire club and help out his former employers yet again.

Will Richarlison play vs Leeds United?

Since Mason's arrival the Brazilian has seen his time within the Spurs starting XI increase slightly, starting three of their last five games whilst also claiming his first league goal since signing last summer.

The £60m initially expended was hard to be seen as anything other than good business, given how he had thrived in a very poor team under Frank Lampard on Merseyside last season. His ten goals and five assists had guided them to safety, with his exit sanctioned to allow their "hero", in the eyes of former teammate Andros Townsend, to leave for greener pastures.

Yet it has been a trying year for his new club, with such uncertainty and various manager upheavals likely playing a huge part in his struggling form. Just a 6.72 average match rating this term, as per Sofascore, is a far cry from the 7.02 earned in that prior success at avoiding the drop.

richarlison-brazil-spurs-leeds

However, when placed into a free-flowing side that is given the chance to express themselves, the £90k-per-week finisher has already proven his quality.

Roughly six months ago saw him shine up front for his country at the World Cup, where he would notch four goal contributions in as many games before their untimely exit at the hands of Croatia. Some of those finishes were truly exceptional too, with his acrobat strike against Serbia even winning goal of the tournament.

Former professional women's player Karen Bardsley would then suggest he had been "outstanding", thus cementing his stature as a fine striker when the conditions are favourable.

Fortunately for him, today is set to be one of the most pleasant situations for a forward all season, as the Yorkshire outfit will simply have to give everything. As a wily forward who operates best playing off the shoulder of another, he and Harry Kane could cause some serious damage in the pockets not just to Leeds' team, but to their Premier League status, firing them back down to the Championship.

Man United’s £47M Dud Was A Disaster vs Man City

Manchester United have suffered heartbreak at Wembley Stadium this afternoon after losing to Manchester City in the FA Cup Final and Erik ten Hag will surely be disappointed with the performance put on by his team.

The Red Devils were on course to secure the domestic double after winning the League Cup earlier this year, but it wasn't meant to be on the day with the undeniable force of their local rivals presenting itself in just seconds of the game commencing in London.

Over the monumental occasion, United struggled to dominate in any area of the pitch with just 40% possession, fewer shots on target (3 v 5), fewer accurate passes completed (267 v 450), fewer duels won (40 v 48) and fewer tackles completed (11 v 19), proving that Ten Hag's side were outplayed in both attacking and defensive play.

In the first half, nobody could have predicted that Man City would be breaking records just 12 seconds into the Wembley clash but Ilkay Gundogan's stunning volley secured the lead for the Sky Blues and became the fastest ever FA Cup goal in the history of the competition.

Following the German's strike, the spotlight was stolen by VAR and refereeing decisions with Jack Grealish penalised for a controversial handball in the box, which gave the Red Devils the golden opportunity to get back into the game with Bruno Fernandes converting a spot kick to equalise in the 33rd minute.

In the second half, Gundogan punished the Red Devils again early with another goal in the 51st minute to take the lead once again which ultimately turned out to be the match-winner, delivering the seventh FA Cup in the club's history.

Whilst Ten Hag will be proud of the achievements that his team have delivered with Champions League football and a trophy secured this season, this afternoon's outing will serve as a reminder that the rebuild is still very much in progress at the club with the need to offload some of the players clear.

How did Fred get on vs Manchester City?

The Brazilian midfielder – who was signed for £47m back in 2018 – has had a rocky tenure at Old Trafford, and if reports are to be believed he could be one of the players who will be shown the exit doors this summer.

Man United have been linked with a number of midfielders who could be set to replace Fred this summer with Declan Rice, Manuel Ugarte and Mateo Kovacic all named as potential targets for the Dutch coach this summer, and the midfielder did himself no favours to stake his claim to stay in his outing at Wembley this afternoon.

Over his 90-minute performance, the 30-year-old dud lost 81% of his duels (3/16), misplaced 100% of his crosses, lost possession of the ball ten times and was dribbled past twice, whilst he even failed in 100% of his dribble attempts too.

fred-man-united-fa-cup-final

Whilst Fred cannot be blamed for the entirety of the uninspiring display at Wembley, it is painfully obvious that Man Utd are crying out for a more energetic presence and a player who can look after the ball better going forward in the important position.

With that being said, Ten Hag must take a good look at his starting players and improve in key areas to ensure their pursuit for trophies and dominance doesn't stagnate again next season and Fred should be one of the players who shouldn't ever wear the shirt again.

Rangers Interested In "Magnificent" £4.1m Gem

Glasgow Rangers are showing interest in winger Kwadwo Opoku ahead of the summer transfer window as Michael Beale looks set to continue with his Ibrox rebuild.

What’s the latest on Kwadwo Opoku to Rangers?

According to German outlet Fussball Transfers, Rangers have ‘signalled interest’ in winger Opoku, who plays for MLS side Los Angeles FC.

The Light Blues aren’t alone however, with Old Firm rivals Celtic also keen, alongside Bundesliga side VfB Stuttgart, while several teams from Ligue 1 and the Premier League also keeping tabs on the player, as Beale faces stiff competition.

He could cost the Gers around €4.8m (£4.1m) if any move was to be sealed, which is surely within the 42-year-old's budget this summer.

Could Kwadwo Opoku move to Rangers?

With Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos departing Rangers, it’s clear Beale needs reinforcements both in the wide positions and through the middle heading into next season.

One key issue the manager has is in the right-wing area, which could well be fixed by signing Opoku.

Todd Cantwell has shone when being deployed there during his first few months at the Gers, registering 11 goal contributions from 20 games, however, with Malik Tillman returning to Bayern Munich following his loan spell, the Englishman could be pushed to a more central role in 2023/2024.

The LAFC winger has enjoyed success in America, registering 11 goal contributions during the 2022 season as he led his team to the MLS Cup, and he has continued this rich vein of form into the current campaign.

Two goals and two assists in 13 league matches underline his attacking potential from a wide position, and he averages two shots per game, makes 0.8 key passes per game and has created two big chances, solid numbers from the 21-year-old.

According to WhoScored, Opoku’s strengths include passing and long shots, while he typically likes to cut inside and dribble past opponents as often as possible, suggesting that he tends to make things happen as opposed to being static and waiting for the right chance to drop.

Rangers boss Michael Beale.

This proactive nature could be crucial for Rangers next term, especially with goals paramount for success, both domestically and in Europe, as Celtic scored 21 more times in the league than the Ibrox side last season, a key factor to where the title eventually ended up.

For just over £4m, the “magnificent” Ghanaian – as so dubbed by journalist Owuraku Ampofo – could be a wise investment and given he has plenty of experience in scoring and creating chances for others, it’s a move that makes perfect sense in the long run.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus