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Crystal Palace were laughed at when they decided to appoint Patrick Vieira at the helm, with many assuming them already relegated and the French manager first to be sacked.

However, 14 months on he has established himself as a fine Premier League manager that has quickly put together a youthful and vibrant team capable of troubling any opposition.

The likes of Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise supplement their true talisman Wilfried Zaha brilliantly, whilst the likes of Tyrick Mitchell and Marc Guehi headline an English core to their defence.

One man who would be able to jump into this fold without missing a beat is Yannick Bolasie, who at his peak was one of the most feared wingers in England.

Signed in 2012 by Dougie Freedman, the DR Congo international helped spearhead a similarly exciting front line as they pushed Palace to an unlikely promotion.

Already possessing a fine rapport with Zaha given their time together, to return the prime version of this attacker to the current Eagles side would be a seamless process.

A raw talent in the Championship, his 2014/15 season proved his credentials in the top-flight with four goals and an impressive 11 assists. He dressed this fine return up with a flair and trickery seldom seen nowadays.

The season following saw another five goals and four assists, sparking Everton to unload £25m for his services. A devastating cruciate injury would see him never return with the same explosive speed, but few will forget the terror he struck into the hearts of Premier League fullbacks at his brilliant best.

Standing at just under 6 foot 1 but blessed with wicked speed, the “silky” magician – as dubbed by Rio Ferdinand – was a physical marvel. It made him an even more terrifying prospect, and he could certainly come in to teach the likes of Olise and Eze a thing or two.

To see him partner back up with his former Ivory Coast teammate would be wonderful for football fans, who would delight in being able to see this cult duo reunited once more.

He would perfectly fit in with the current atmosphere that Vieira seems to have built around Selhurst Park, with an enthralling play style to match the rest of the expressive teammates he would join.

West Ham United midfielder Keenan Appiah-Forson has been called up to first-team training ahead of the club’s upcoming meeting with RSC Anderlecht.

What’s the latest?

In a recent video posted on the West Ham YouTube channel, the 20-year-old can be seen taking part in a number of drills with David Moyes’ first-team squad at the London Stadium ahead of the Hammers’ trip to Belgium on Thursday.

Appiah-Forson’s fellow West Ham U21 teammate, centre-back Levi Laing, can also be seen in training with the senior side, something that would suggest the youngsters may well be a part of Moyes’ Europa Conference League squad to face Anderlecht.

The next Kante

Considering just how much hype there is surrounding the future of Appiah-Forson, the fact that the defensive midfielder has now been called up to first-team training is undoubtedly an extremely exciting development for everyone involved with West Ham.

Indeed, the £270k-rated talent has been an ever-present part of Mark Robson’s U21 side so far this season, featuring in all nine of the youth side’s nine fixtures in all competitions in 2022/23, with his latest performance being particularly eye-catching.

Despite the Hammers’ 2-0 loss to MK Dons in the Football League Trophy, the 20-year-old was undoubtedly the Irons’ standout performer in the fixture, enjoying 57 touches of the ball, boasting a pass completion rate of 96% – the best of any player to feature in the match – and finding his man with his one attempted long ball.

The £350-per-week youngster also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, winning both of his duels – a success rate of 100% – making one interception and drawing two fouls for his side, with these returns seeing him earn a SofaScore match rating of 6.8 – the best of any West Ham player on the night.

Furthermore, from these metrics, it is easy to see why Terry Westley – the club’s former U21 manager – went as far as to compare the youngster to Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante, stating of Appiah-Forson in an interview with The Athletic last year:

“Keenan’s small but he’s such a tough boy. He’s similar to N’Golo Kante in terms of his work ethic because he’s so difficult to mark. Keenan has a lot of potential and it’s great that young players are getting an opportunity at West Ham under David Moyes. Keenan could be next.”

As such, while it remains up in the air as to whether or not the academy starlet will play a part against Anderlecht tomorrow evening, the midfielder’s future at the London Stadium appears much more concrete – with Moyes’ trust in the 20-year-old potentially resulting in the unearthing of West Ham’s very own Kante.

Wolves were dealt a blow in their search for a new manager on Tuesday evening, as Julen Lopetegui turned down an offer from the Old Gold.

What’s the word?

The former Spain boss, who was sacked by Sevilla last weekend, was widely expected to take over at Molineux ahead of the weekend but he now won’t be moving to the Premier League, which leaves Wolves in a precarious position as they look to find the best possible heir to Bruno Lage.

Liam Keen, who reports for the Express and Star, confirmed the news on Twitter, saying:

“Julen Lopetegui has turned down the chance to take over as Wolves head coach. His elderly father is unwell and he decided this afternoon not to take the job.”

A blessing in disguise?

It seems likely that the Old Gold will continue with Steve Davis and James Collins in the dugout when they face Nottingham Forest at Molineux on Saturday and considering the importance of that match with regard to their respective positions in the Premier League, it is undoubtedly a blow that they couldn’t get Lopetegui in.

However, his recent form with Sevilla and Real Madrid does little to suggest that he would have been a success at Wolves, so while it is damaging in the short term, it may well be a blessing in disguise in the long term for Fosun.

This season saw Lopetegui win just one of his ten matches in La Liga and the Champions League, suffering heavy home defeats against Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund in Europe.

He also struggled during his time with Los Blancos, registering a shocking 1.43 points per game despite managing some of the best players in the world, so it is hard to see how he would have turned things around at Wolves considering their severe lack of confidence in front of goal in recent times.

While Lopetegui has impressed in the past, winning the Europa League with Sevilla, his side looked bereft of any confidence this season and bringing in a manager on the back of some awful form would have been a big risk for a side currently occupying a relegation spot in the top flight.

Therefore, while it is a less-than-ideal situation at Molineux, avoiding Lopetegui may be best for the club’s hopes of remaining in the Premier League this season.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has backed a major managerial twist at Middlesbrough after ‘fresh talks’ with chairman Steve Gibson making a move.

The Lowdown: Boro search…

Over two weeks after Boro sacked former boss Chris Wilder, it now appears Gibson and the club’s hierarchy are edging closer to finding his replacement.

Indeed, there have been many names mentioned for the role, with the likes of Michael Carrick, Rob Edwards and Carlos Corberan all previously linked alongside ex-midfield favourite Lee Cattermole.

The Championship side are seeking to turn their fortunes around as they currently sit in the division’s bottom three with just three wins from 14 games.

The Latest: Journalist backs major Carrick twist…

In the last few days, there have been reports of a major twist involving one of the managerial candidates.

Carrick has allegedly made a ‘U-turn’ on taking the job as he edges closer to a Boro appointment, with reporter Bailey now backing this news with his own update.

He explained (via Twitter):

“Middlesbrough have offered their manager’s job to Michael Carrick. Fresh talks over the weekend have seen Steve Gibson make his move. Club confident he will accept and be in charge by the weekend.”

The Verdict: Good news?

Despite his lack of senior managerial experience, the former Man United midfield star and England international has been praised for a brief interim spell in charge of The Red Devils by Premier League legend Alan Shearer.

A big name like Carrick would also, arguably, command respect from a number of Boro’s players who most likely idolised the 41-year-old during his Old Trafford career.

While Gibson could be making a gamble with this move, it may well be one that pays off in the long run.

Mauricio Pochettino is keen on a return to the Premier League amid talk of a new manager arriving at Aston Villa, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Gerrard under pressure

The Villans were beaten 2-0 at home to Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, with Mason Mount’s double securing all three points for the visitors.

The result has heaped further pressure on Steven Gerrard, with his team making a poor start to the season and now sitting 16th in the table.

With the 42-year-old subjected to “sacked in the morning” chants by both sets of supporters at Villa Park yesterday and amid reported in-house talks of a possible sacking, there is no denying that he is hanging by a thread at the moment, and Pochettino is one man who has been linked with replacing him.

The Latest: Jones talks up Pochettino prospects

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones admitted that the Argentine is interested in a return to the Premier League and that Villa should consider a move for him if they dispense with Gerrard.

The journalist stated:

“While Pochettino is out there with an interest in returning to the Premier League it would be pretty strange not to consider that as a good next option. That’s a boss who has high expectations but with a strong background too in managing elite players.”

The Verdict: Perfect potential replacement

Pochettino’s stock has admittedly fallen a little after a forgettable spell at Paris Saint-Germain, but he is a top-class manager who excelled with Spurs, guiding them to the 2019 Champions League final and consistently keeping them in the Premier League’s top four.

If Gerrard is to be sacked, the 50-year-old should be viewed as a primary candidate to come in, given his pedigree as a manager and the fact that he has proven his worth at the highest level in England.

The hope is that Gerrard can turn things around, though, with the 42-year-old possibly still being trusted to take Villa out of their current slump and prove that he is up to the job.

Leeds United forwards Joe Gelhardt and Wilfried Gnonto will both be involved against Leicester City this evening, Adam Pope reports.

The Lowdown: Gnonto’s absence

Jesse Marsch has selected both Gelhardt and Gnonto in a Premier League matchday squad just once, with the Italy international missing out against Arsenal on the weekend.

Gelhardt came off the bench late on in the 1-0 defeat, with Leeds somehow coming away from Elland Road empty-handed.

The Whites are now preparing for a trip to the King Power Stadium this evening, and it looks as if both exciting young attackers will make the 20-man squad.

The Latest: Pope’s post

Pope was present at Marsch’s pre-match press conference at Thorp Arch on Wednesday.

He relayed updates from the Leeds boss on Twitter, saying that Gnonto and Gelhardt will both be ‘involved’.

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The Verdict: Good to see

Both Gelhardt and Gnonto appear to be future stars, so it’s exciting that the pair will both make the squad this evening.

You’d presume that they’ll get the nod for a place on the bench, and should Leeds’ struggles in the final third continue, they may be called upon earlier than usual.

Gnonto is still awaiting his first-team debut, so tonight could be the perfect time for Marsch to unleash the deadline-day signing as the Whites look for a first away win of the season.

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Daniel Podence has been identified as a target by Premier League rivals Everton, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Neves in the news

Ruben Neves has been the Wolves player most linked with an exit this year, namely to Barcelona, and it sounds like he might not be the only one who could be making a Molineux exit either in January or next summer.

Podence will be entering the final 18 months of his contract come the turn of the New Year, with his future up in the air having not yet signed a new deal, and the Toffees are already plotting a raid to land him.

The Latest: Everton monitoring Podence

According to Football Insider, Everton are ‘interested’ in signing Podence, with the winger being ‘on the radar’ of the Goodison Park recruitment team.

It’s stated that agent Jorge Mendes ‘will look to find a new club’ for the 27-year-old, with there now being ‘growing signs’ that this season could be his last in the Midlands.

The Verdict: Let him go

Podence has been a decent servant for Wolves since joining back in 2020, but with no permanent manager and the league position that the club are currently in, now might be the right time to let him go.

The ‘bright spark’, as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, is the Old Gold’s joint highest goalscorer this season but with only two to his name, which proves the lack of clinical edge in the final third.

Wanderers did business with Everton in the summer for the transfer of Conor Coady, and he could soon be reunited with his former teammate should the Merseyside outfit pursue this deal further.

Depending on who the new permanent boss is, the club may see it as an opportunity to shift some deadwood and bring in more clinical attackers.

Manchester United have been dealt a blow in their attempts to sign rising star Benjamin Sesko, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that the Slovenian will join RB Leipzig.

The Lowdown: Sesko on fire at Salzburg

The 19-year-old has emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young attacking players, even being compared to Erling Haaland by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Sesko has already scored 17 goals in 62 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg despite still being a teenager, while he also has four goals in 15 caps for Slovenia.

The £40m-valued striker has been linked with a move to United recently, but it looks as though the Premier League giants are set to miss out on him.

The Latest: Man United dealt Sesko transfer blow

Writing for Substack [via Caught Offside], Romano stated his belief that Sesko would be joining another Red Bull-owned club in RB Leipzig, treading a familiar transfer path for Salzburg players.

The Italian outlined:

“Another player being linked with United is Benjamin Sesko, but I’m less sure of the truth to these rumours.

“Sesko signed for RB Leipzig last summer and it will be completed in 2023, so I’m told he’s going to Leipzig. Man Utd have been tracking him for a long time, this is not new – last summer Man Utd and Chelsea were interested, but he’s going to Leipzig.”

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The Verdict: One for the future?

Missing out on Sesko would be a blow for United, who need to look at bringing in a high-quality centre forward to replace the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Anthony Martial eventually, with doubts emerging in recent weeks surrounding the Old Trafford futures of those two players.

A couple of years at Leipzig could see the Slovenian become an even more rounded and formidable footballer, though, so United could potentially look to snap him up further down the line whenever he has outgrown the Bundesliga club.

To be likened to the hugely prolific Haaland is enormously high praise, and Sesko does look like a special talent who could be a monster transfer target for the Red Devils in years to come, possessing pace, power and ruthlessness in front of goal.

Sheffield Wednesday take a break from League One action on Friday night as they host Morecambe in the FA Cup first round at Hillsborough.

While Owls fans will be expecting a win against a side who have won the fewest games in the division and will be hoping to progress to the next round, the game offers Darren Moore a chance to experiment with his team somewhat.

Although the FA Cup has a rich history of shocks, you would hope that, given their respective standings, Sheffield Wednesday’s reserves and younger players could still have enough to deal with the Shrimps, especially at Hillsborough.

Therefore, Moore should consider handing a rare start to Nottingham Forest loanee Alex Mighten, as it could be a confidence booster for the youngster after a difficult start to life with the Owls.

Despite featuring on the opening day of the Premier League season for Forest against Newcastle United, Mighten was allowed to join Sheffield Wednesday on loan for the campaign but has so far failed to live up to expectations.

The speedy winger has no goals or assists in just four appearances for Moore’s side, with WhoScored awarding him a disappointing 6.24 rating for his performances in League One.

However, the talent is clearly there and if Mighten can pick up a goal or assist against Morecambe on Friday night, it could be exactly what he needs to push on and make a difference for the Owls in their automatic promotion push.

Academy manager Gary Brazil sang the 20-year-old’s praises after signing a new deal with the Reds in 2020.

He said: “Alex is now developing into the elite footballer we all hoped he would become. Brave, exciting, self-confident, single-minded, he has all the ingredients to go a long way in the game. He is another quality outcome from a group of staff that continue to punch above their weight.”

Morecambe will no doubt sit back and look to hit the Owls on the counter, so having a tricky winger with Mighten’s quality might just be the difference as Moore’s side look to find the breakthrough on Friday night.

With the game presenting a great opportunity to rest key players such as Barry Bannan and Josh Windass, Moore should unleash the exciting Mighten for a rare start, so that fans can get a better idea of what he is capable of.

Leeds United are interested in signing Austin FC forward Sebastian Driussi, according to Nico Cantor.

The Lowdown: Driussi profiled

Driussi is 26 years of age and is primarily a second striker who can also turn out as a centre-forward or a left-winger.

The Argentine began his career with River Plate and has also turned out for Zenit St. Petersburg before moving to the MLS. Driussi has scored 30 goals in 55 games for his current employers, and it looks as if Leeds are keen on a possible move.

The Latest: Leeds links

Cantor took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to share a transfer update on Driussi.

The reporter revealed that Leeds are one of three Premier League sides ‘interested’ in the forward, describing him as a ‘highly sought after’ player.

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The Verdict: Interesting

Leeds could do with additions in the New Year, and a move for Driussi could make sense at Elland Road. Patrick Bamford has once again struggled for form and to stay fit, leaving Jesse Marsch with limited central options.

Driussi can seemingly play as a number nine or number 10 and appears to be in the form of his life with 25 MLS goals in 2022, so this may be one to watch closely.