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Everton will host Leicester at Goodison Park this evening in an important clash that could push Frank Lampard’s side further into safety from the relegation zone if they can take all three points from the game.

In terms of injury news, despite having an almost fully fit squad when Lampard spoke yesterday in his press conference to confirm the return of Yerry Mina and Donny Van de Beek, there has now been a new injury worry in the team that could see a starting player out for the game ahead.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been named as a doubt for selection following a rumoured injury problem according to journalist Chris Beesley from the Liverpool Echo. However, there is no clarity yet on whether he will play against Leicester City and will likely come down to the game itself for official confirmation of the striker’s condition.

With that being said, this is how Football FanCast expects Everton to line up against Brendan Rodgers’ side…

We expect to see three changes in the team that beat Manchester United, with a 4-2-3-1 formation deployed.

The first change we expect to see is Yerry Mina’s instant inclusion in the selection following his long-term injury problems that have kept him sidelined since the beginning of February when he picked up a high-grade quadriceps tendon injury during the game against Newcastle United at St James’ Park.

The Toffees boss confirmed that the 6 foot 3 defender hailed a “monster” by Michael Ball, will “feature” in today’s team, and we predict he will replace Michael Keane to play alongside Ben Godfrey, which will be a huge boost in the back-line.

The second change that we think we will see in tonight’s game is the return of van de Beek but placed in a more attacking role, allowing the Man United loanee to have more freedom to be creative and play a part in troubling the Foxes defence, his attacking attributes are something he is well known for from his time at Ajax.

The third and final change we predict is Demarai Gray coming in on the left wing to replace Richarlison, who will take the centre-forward role in Calvert-Lewin’s absence.

If the rumours are true that the striker is injured again, Lampard will not be wanting to take any chances on his fitness and will likely either bench the forward or remove him from the squad completely ahead of the Merseyside Derby this weekend.

Everton can go six points clear of 18th place Burnley if they can secure their second win in a row against Leicester tonight, and Lampard will surely be hoping his team can carry their confidence from their surprise win over Man United into the game, especially with the added quality re-joining the side in the likes of Yerry Mina.

AND in other news: Lampard must unleash “unselfish” £22.5m-rated Everton star, he’ll terrify Leicester

Celtic have been involved in many transfer deals over the years, whether it be in terms of new players making moves to Parkhead or others leaving the club on loan or permanent deals.

One particular move that took place in recent years that the Hoops may now be regretting is their sale of winger Lewis Morgan.

Signed from St. Mirren during the 2018 January transfer window for a fee of around £300k, the attacker made just 31 appearances for the Hoops across all competitions.

In those appearances, the winger scored two goals and provided only three assists before being sold to Inter Miami in January 2020 for a fee of £400k.

Even though they managed to make a profit on him, it didn’t feel worthwhile signing him in the first place based on what they got out of him on the pitch in terms of consistent goals and assists.

With 58 appearances to his name for David Beckham’s club, the former Celtic figure found the net seven times and delivered seven assists before then being sold again.

This time, Morgan found himself staying in America but joining New York Red Bulls back in December for a fee of $1.2m (£942k).

Having played in just eight games for his new club, the attacker, who was picking up £8k-per-week in Miami, has scored four goals and provided one assist for his teammates.

According to Transfermarkt, the Scotsman’s current market value stands at £3.6m, which is significantly higher than the fee that Celtic got for him and what his value was listed as during his time at Parkhead.

This highlights just how impressive the 25-year-old has been since leaving Celtic, as he now seems to be shining in America.

Praised for his “unique” ability to use both feet to an equally high level on the pitch by his previous club, Morgan could now be filed under the category of players that Celtic were maybe a bit hasty when it came to selling.

Even though the Bhoys have not had much trouble when it comes to scoring goals in the league this season, it would have been interesting to see what Morgan could have achieved under the management of Ange Postecoglou had the club not sold him.

In other news: Ange can raise the roof at Parkhead as Celtic plot “huge” move for “immense” £10m gem

A major update has emerged on Newcastle United’s chances of landing Dominic Calvert-Lewin at the end of the season. 

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, a recruitment source has revealed that the striker will leave Everton this summer irrespective of the result of their fight against the drop.

The report claims that the attacker has told friends that Arsenal is his preferred destination as the Gunners and the Magpies compete for his signature.

His current contract at Goodison Park expires in 2025 and it was reported in January that the Toffees value him at a whopping £60m.

Eddie Howe will be fuming

The Toon head coach will surely be fuming with this news as it suggests that Newcastle are set to miss out on a deal for the England international.

He missed 16 games earlier this season because of a fractured toe and it has seemingly put him off his rhythm in the Premier League as he has struggled for goals. The attacker has only scored three times in 13 outings and this does not suggest that he would be an outstanding signing for the Magpies, but that is far from the case.

With a full pre-season under his belt, he has the potential to get back to his best and he has previously shown that he has the quality to be a major player at Premier League level. Last term, he found the back of the net 16 times in 32 starts as he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 7.10.

In 2019/20, Calvert-Lewin scored 13 goals and provided one assist in 30 starts and averaged a score of 6.95 for Everton. This means that he plundered 29 goals in two top-flight campaigns whilst being fit for the majority of the time.

Richarlison previously lavished the attacker with praise as he said: “He’s had a superb start to the season and without doubt deserved his England call-up. He must be a nightmare to play against and he has an incredible leap on him like Cristiano Ronaldo.”

Academy coach John Ebbrell also lauded the striker’s ability in the air as “prodigious” and these quotes, coupled with his statistics in recent seasons, suggest that Calvert-Lewin can be a sublime signing for Newcastle if he can get back to his best.

This is why Howe will be fuming with the player favouring a move to Arsenal as it stands. The head coach will be gutted that it appears unlikely that the Magpies will be able to secure a deal for him, given his preference in clubs as it stands.

AND in other news, Forget Burn: Howe can find new leader as NUFC plot bid for £24m tank with “no nerves”…

Everton’s bid for Premier League survival continues this weekend, as they take on Chelsea at Goodison Park on Sunday, with the hosts in desperate need of a positive result following Burnley’s comeback win over Watford on Saturday.

That stunning victory for the Turf Moor outfit has left the Toffees five points from safety and with games quickly running out to try and drag themselves away from danger, with a first relegation since 1951 very much on the horizon.

The Merseysiders do, however, have two games in hand on both the Clarets and fellow strugglers Leeds United, with the visit of Thomas Tuchel’s side offering the chance to try and reduce the gap, in what will be an emotional day for Blues legend, Frank Lampard.

Ahead of that clash, here’s how the Football FanCast think the Englishman will set his team up…

Lampard revealed in his pre-match press conference that January arrival Donny van de Beek remains absent, as too does Ben Godfrey – who could well miss the rest of the season – although centre-back star Yerry Mina is back in contention. The game could well come too soon for the Colombian, however, as we predict the only change from the derby defeat at Anfield will be a tactical one.

Having made just one successful pass against Liverpool, Brazilian midfielder Allan should well give way against the Blues, with the £70k-per-week star – who Harry Redknapp previously suggested “can’t run” – set to be replaced by Fabian Delph.

The former Manchester City man impressed in the win over Manchester United a few weeks ago and offers a reliable, trustworthy presence in the centre of the park, with Pep Guardiola having previously dubbed him a “banker” for his consistent displays during his time at the Etihad.

Elsewhere, it is all set to be the same as last weekend – following what the Toffees boss described as a “good performance” from his side in defeat – with Jordan Pickford, Seamus Coleman, Michael Keane, Mason Holgate and Vitaliy Mykolenko making up the defensive unit.

In midfield, Alex Iwobi and Abdoulaye Doucoure should retain their places alongside the incoming Delph, while in attack Lampard should deploy the youthful trio of Richarlison, Demarai Gray and Anthony Gordon, with the latter man having been dubbed a “revelation” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher for his recent form.

In other news, 146 duels lost: Lampard must finally axe £16.2m-rated Everton disaster vs Chelsea…

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani will reportedly wait until the summer to offer Kalvin Phillips a new contract, according to the Daily Star. 

The lowdown: Hot property

The 26-year-old is likely to be at the centre of heightened speculation at the end of the season, amid expected interest from West Ham, Aston Villa and Manchester United.

Phillips had been a revelation for both club and country up until an injury-hit 2021/22 campaign.

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However, now back to full fitness and hoping to save his boyhood club from Premier League relegation, the combative midfielder may have to wait to resolve his future.

The latest: Waiting game

As per the Daily Star, Whites owner Radrizzani is reportedly unwilling to present the 19-cap England star with a new contract offer until June at the earliest.

The report claims that a new deal worth £100,000 per week will ‘depend’ on the club’s top-flight status as Jesse Marsch’s men battle aaginst the drop.

It is stated that, in the event of relegation, the Elland Road club would have ‘no choice but to cash in’ on the midfielder, who was hailed as ‘amazing’ by Jose Mourinho following a standout display for England against Croatia at Euro 2020.

The verdict: Worrying times

Despite holding a contract until 2024 (Transfermarkt), there appears to be more doubt than ever regarding Phillips’ continued role at Leeds.

While the current campaign has been virtually a write-off for the 26-year-old, last season the energetic star was the best-performing player in Marcelo Bielsa’s squad with an impressive 7.21 Sofascore rating.

Should Marsch and indeed the returning midfielder manage to keep Leeds afloat, holding onto Phillips will surely be at the very top of the priority list for the summer, and Radrizzani must be prepared to act swiftly in that event.

In other news: Expert issues worrying update regarding Leeds star…

Transfer insider Dean Jones has delivered a worrying update regarding the future of Glasgow Rangers winger Ryan Kent. 

The lowdown: Kent a wanted man

Having arrived from Liverpool in 2019 following just one senior outing for the Reds, the 25-year-old has directly contributed to 77 goals in 171 appearances for the Glasgow giants.

Unsurprisingly, that form has encouraged major interest from Leeds United in recent months, but a move to Elland Road has failed to materialise thus far.

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Reportedly a target for numerous clubs from the Premier League and across Europe, the Gers still face a battle to keep hold of their highly-rated forward this summer.

The latest: Jones makes huge claim on Kent’s future

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones has claimed that the 25-year-old could be looking for a way out of Ibrox in spite of Rangers’ recent European exploits.

The journalist stated: “I’m told Ryan Kent will still look to leave this summer as he wants to play in the Premier League. Rangers are ready to make him a new contract offer, but it sounds like he fancies a move, and he knows clubs like Leeds and Everton are keen.”

Kent is out of contract in 2023 (Transfermarkt) and was previously valued at a reported £20m by the Gers’ hierarchy.

The verdict: Champions League on offer

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not Giovani van Bronckhorst’s side can overcome Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final, the realistic prospect of Champions League action at Ibrox next season could be enough of a lure to keep the likes of Kent in situ.

Doing so is of vital importance to the Dutch manager as, with 19 assists and three goals across all competitions this term, the winger’s value to the Rangers team cannot be underestimated.

In fact, Kent – who was described as ‘top class’ by former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard following a sensational start to life at the club – has earned the sixth-highest average Sofascore rating of anyone in the Gers’ squad this term.

Therefore, keeping hold of Kent and players of a similar ilk is crucial if Van Bronckhorst is to be given the best possible chance of dethroning Celtic in 2022/23.

In other news, Rangers now face a ‘big fight’ to keep another player at Ibrox

Reliable journalist Alan Nixon has revealed that Derby’s deal for Pride Park ‘still needs doing’, but has suggested that Chris Kirchner now has some ‘power’ behind the move.

The Lowdown: Kirchner confirms the deal is done

The Rams first entered administration last September amid ongoing financial problems at the club, but the American businessman was later named as the preferred bidder to swoop in and come to their rescue.

In a fresh update earlier this week, the 34-year-old expressed his delight in a Twitter post from his personal account confirming that the deal is done after exchanging contracts for the sale of the club with administrators Quantuma, with Kirchner now having until May 31 to complete the finer details after being granted conditional approval from the EFL.

However, it had previously been claimed by Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett that the new owner would be reluctant to proceed with the deal if he was unable to reach an agreement with Mel Morris over the sale of Pride Park, and Kirchner is still allowed to withdraw his plans to buy the club if he’s unhappy with the stadium situation.

The Latest: Nixon shares Pride Park update

When responding to a fan question on Twitter about whether the potential Pride Park roadblock would still be an issue in the takeover, Nixon wrote:

“The deal still needs doing… only thing is now Chris Kirchner has some power behind his move…”

The Verdict: Significant progress

The latest development means that the American is now funding the running of Derby, and that is hugely significant when it comes to the club being able to make progress in the short term.

Of course, there is still very much a chance that Kirchner could have a change of heart about making the final move if he fails to come to an agreement with Morris over Pride Park, but with every day that passes, it’s starting to look more and more likely that the takeover will be completed before the end of the month deadline.

As all of this is going on behind the scenes, Wayne Rooney will no doubt be starting to prepare his squad for their new chapter in League One where they will be hoping to make the immediate bounce back up to the Championship at the first time of asking.

In other news… a journalist has revealed that Derby are set to be handed a huge boost ahead of the start of the new season.

Tottenham Hotspur may have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye move…

The Lilywhites, after sealing their place in the Champions League for 2022/2023, will now have their eyes firmly on the summer transfer market and how best to improve Antonio Conte’s squad for his first full Premier League campaign.

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Paratici and Spurs are tasked with appeasing their manager, who is reportedly plotting a major overhaul at Hotspur Way.

The Times claim Conte wants ‘at least’ six major signings and as many as eight current players may be heading out the other way, including the likes of Sergio Reguilón, Emerson Royal, Steven Bergwijn, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele.

Sporting star Palhinha is said to be a target for the former Inter Milan manager as an update now emerges from Portugal.

The Latest: Paratici boost?

According to newspaper Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), managing director Paratici may have been handed a boost as he chases the 26-year-old.

As per their sources, Sporting are ‘willing to do business’ with Spurs for €30 million (£25m) – half of his €60m (£51) release clause – with the north Londoners firmly ‘in the running’ to sign him.

It is also believed that the Portuguese giants need to sell this summer to balance their books and make signings of their own.

The Verdict: Get it done…

If Conte wishes to add a tough-tackling ace to further solidify his Spurs midfield, he should look no further than Palhinha.

According to WhoScored, the Portugal international averaged more successful challenges per 90 domestically (3) than any of his teammates – all whilst attracting the joint-most fouls in that time alongside Matheus Nunes.

These numbers back why his manager Ruben Amorim has called him a ‘special’ player and why Tottenham are eyeing move ahead of the summer window.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano: Spurs make contact to sign ‘monster’ as his agents plan imminent club meeting, find out more here.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has been left hailing some news that he has now heard from Newcastle United on Eddie Howe.

The Lowdown: New deal?

As per The Daily Mail, the St. James’ Park faithful are now set to open talks talks with Howe over a new deal.

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He only has two years left on the contract that he signed when he took over in the North East, and having guided them to safety in the Premier League, he is set to be rewarded with a new one.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has now given his reaction to the news, with the 62-year-old claiming that it is ‘brilliant’ for both Howe and the Tynesiders:

“Eddie took a chance on Newcastle, he really believes in his own ability.

“I didn’t see this happening, how good Newcastle have been. I thought he would keep them up but I didn’t see them maybe finishing in the top 10.

“The work he has done is nothing short of miraculous. It’s why he’s been nominated for manager of the year.

“I’m not sure the fans were completely sold on him when he came in, maybe the owners weren’t either.

“A new deal would say ‘he is our guy for the future’. It would be a statement.

“It’s brilliant news for him personally as well, it’s deserved.”

The Verdict: Deserved

Howe’s new contract is thoroughly deserved, having guided Newcastle to safety with a few games to spare.

When he took over from Steve Bruce in November, the Magpies were 19th in the table and five points away from safety (BBC), and the 44-year-old has since managed to steer them well clear of the relegation zone.

Howe has been shortlisted for Manager of the Year as a result, despite not being at the Toon from the start of the season, so giving him a new contract is the least that the board can do after the job that he has done.

In other news, find out what ‘late’ NUFC injury update has now been shared here!

Aston Villa have stepped up their pursuit of Burnley’s James Tarkowski, according to reports.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Villa have offered the Englishman a bumper wage deal in a bid to tempt him into a move to Villa Park this summer, with the 29-year-old set to be available on a free transfer once his existing contract expires at the end of June.

The report suggests that the Midlands outfit have made a ‘double-your-money’ offer of around £120k-per-week in an attempt to ward off interest from the likes of Everton and Fulham.

This update follows a report from Sky Sports earlier this week that suggested that Steven Gerrard’s side were ‘in talks’ with the two-cap international, having already confirmed the signing of Marseille youngster, Boubacar Kamara on a five-year deal.

The next Southgate?

Moving for a player who has just suffered relegation from the Premier League may not appear a wise move to some, although the £19.8m-rated warrior has seemingly shown enough in his 194 top-flight appearances to warrant a high profile move to an ambitious club.

While not a particularly glamorous addition – amid rumours regarding the likes of Sevilla’s Diego Carlos and Inter Milan’s Stefan de Vrij – Tarkowski could well be the solid presence that is needed for the Villans, with the club having actually conceded more goals than the Turf Moor outfit in the 2021/22 campaign.

In a side scrapping for their lives for much of the season under both Sean Dyche and Mike Jackson, the former Brentford man still managed to record a string of impressive statistics, averaging 5.2 clearances, 1.8 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game, as well as winning 68% of his total duels.

Compared to those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, the Manchester-born brute – who has been dubbed “outstanding” by Dyche – has also performed remarkably, ranking in the top 1% for both blocks and aerials won, as well as in the top 3% for clearances.

A sturdy and reliable defensive asset, the one-time Oldham man seemingly has similar characteristics to that of former Villa captain Gareth Southgate, the current England boss having spent six years of his playing career at the club.

Never flash nor a standout name, much like Tarkowski, the mild-mannered centre-back also had the toughness required in his game to be a success, with former Crystal Palace teammate Bobby Bowry insisting that “he [Southgate] would smash you” when needed.

The one-time Middlesborough man helped Villa to League Cup glory in 1996 and to an FA Cup final in 2000, with the hope being that Tarkowski can enjoy similar glory to that of his national team boss.

Gerrard and co will also be hoping, however, that it doesn’t end for the potential new signing as it did for Southgate, with the former England international departing the club in 2000 after relinquishing the captaincy and handing in a transfer request.

IN other news, Gerrard can now axe £20m “mistake” by signing £15m ace who’s “capable of leading” AVFC