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Tottenham Hotspur’s season has hardly gone to plan, especially considering how they started under manager Antonio Conte.

The Italian head coach led his new team on an illustrious run of form resulting in securing Champions League football and would start this current campaign seven games unbeaten.

But they now find themselves five points adrift from the top-four, with their recent loss to arch-rivals Arsenal seeing them fall even further to the wayside.

Whilst that result was always going to be tough to take, and the ramifications have had a big impact at the top end of the table, it seems like the main takeaway has been to speed up the exit of club captain Hugo Lloris.

At least that is the thoughts of journalist Sami Mokbel, who writes in the Daily Mail that his north London derby blunder could pave the way for his replacement.

The 36-year-old veteran was at fault for the opening goal, as he parried a deflected cross into his own net on his way to earning a 6.6 Sofascore rating. He has now made three errors this season that have directly led to a goal.

Of those mentioned in the report is Jordan Pickford, who has been seen at the club as a potential replacement for the French shot-stopper for some time now.

The England international has starred for Everton since his £30m move with many arguing that his quality is undeserving of the relegation battles the Toffees have found themselves in.

His exploits last season helped Frank Lampard navigate his side to safety, as he made 117 saves across the campaign, with just one error that led to a goal. 

Whilst he earned many accolades for his standout performances that campaign, his display against Chelsea was particularly mesmeric, as he made five saves including a double stop that would earn the Save of the Season award.

Despite his side’s poor recent form he has seemingly upped his game again this year, maintaining a 7.07 average rating whilst also impressing once again on the international stage.

It was for England where he has seen the most exposure for his unorthodox but exceptional practices, with Sky Sports editor Simeon Gholam labelling him a “legend” during his EURO 2021 where he broke numerous records.

The Athletic’s senior football writer Stuart James would support this by describing him as “crucial” for England.

He is a man for the big occasion, despite what some might claim, and it is not controversial to suggest he deserves better than the issues plaguing his current club.

It might not be imminent, but Lloris must be replaced sooner rather than later. Pickford represents a fine alternative boasting plenty of longevity and quality.

Manchester City could use Jack Grealish in a swap deal to sign Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Guardiola’s Saka interest

According to a report from the Daily Mail back in November, Saka is happy at Arsenal and wants to commit to a new deal, but he is yet to sign a long-term contract, with the only development being an extension being triggered to keep him until 2024.

It is claimed in the same report that Pep Guardiola is a huge fan of Saka, and views the forward as a dream replacement for Raheem Sterling, who joined Chelsea in a £47.5m deal in the summer.

The Latest: Jones’ update

According to Jones (via Give Me Sport), the 21-year-old is still a player Man City like, and while he is not attainable at the moment, it is claimed that the situation could change later in the year.

One suggestion from the transfer insider is that Grealish could go in the opposite direction to the Arsenal man as part of a swap deal, but this is not something that is active right now.

The Verdict: Huge shock

It would be a huge shock if the Gunners were willing to agree to that deal, as while Grealish is improving, he has not reached the levels of his Aston Villa days since arriving at the Etihad Stadium for £100m, mustering just three goals and three assists in the Premier League last term.

Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has lauded Saka as being a ‘revelation’, and he has more than played his part in his side’s push for the title this season, with 12 goal contributions in 17 league games.

Given that Mikel Arteta’s side are currently five points clear at the top of the table, it seems unlikely that the starlet would want to leave his boyhood club, but if he does become available, there is no doubt that Man City should offer him better terms, as his success at such a young age indicates that he is destined to go to the very top.

Rangers boss Michael Beale made it two wins from two in his tenure thus far, with the Englishman seeing his side once again come from behind to claim a stunning victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie on Tuesday evening.

With goals from Duk and Leighton Clarkson having given the home side the lead following Fashion Sakala’s early strike, the Old Firm outfit appeared destined to lose even more ground in the title race, having still been trailing with just minutes left on the clock.

As was the case against Hibernian last week, however, the Light Blues showed remarkable fighting spirit to turn no points into three, with substitute Scott Arfield delivering the goods with a clinical brace in stoppage time.

That much-needed result has again put the pressure back on rivals Celtic at the summit with the gap back down to just six points at present, with hopes of wrestling the title back from their Glasgow neighbours having yet to be extinguished.

That triumph was also noteworthy as it saw experienced defender Connor Goldson make his long-awaited return to action, with the 30-year-old having been absent since suffering an injury in the defeat to Liverpool back in October.

With the likes of John Souttar and Filip Helander still sidelined – and with both Leon King and Ben Davies having endured their own injury woes of late – the Ibrox giants have been particularly depleted in that department, hence the notable lift to see the former Brighton and Hove Albion man welcomed back into the fold.

Although Goldson was part of a backline that shipped two against Jim Goodwin’s men, it was a typically solid display nonetheless from the £37k-per-week man, as he showcased just why he is a “leader” for the club, as described by pundit Alan Hutton.

The imposing titan notably proved a real hero in the backline having won 100% of his aerial duels, while also recording three clearances, one interception and one block in his 90-minute outing.

Despite losing possession on ten occasions from his 94 touches, the one-time Shrewsbury Town titan did offer real quality with his ability to play out from the back, having registered three key passes and claimed one assist, after somewhat fortuitously guiding the ball to his teammate for the game’s winning goal.

Such a performance unsurprisingly saw the Wolverhampton-born brute record a 7.4 match rating, as per Sofascore, with that the second-highest rating of any Rangers player on the night, behind only the aforementioned Arfield.

As Beale himself noted, it was “fantastic” to see the central defender back in action and be able to come through the clash unscathed, while Glasgow Live’s Alan Galindo suggested it was a ‘huge boost’ for the club to have him fit and firing again.

If the club are to truly kick on the second half of the campaign, having the heroic figure of Goldson marshalling the defence will simply be imperative.

West Ham United could list many issues that currently plague the club as factors in their disappointing season, which has left them loitering just one point above the relegation zone.

Before the enforced World Cup break, they were enduring a run of three straight Premier League defeats where they managed just one goal across them.

Whether that leaves this six-week hiatus from domestic football as a positive or a negative is David Moyes’ decision, however it is clear that a solution must be found to rectify their league position.

That could come in the form of January reinforcements, with one, in particular, looking to offer more time to their £35.5m summer signing.

Whilst Gianluca Scamacca has only scored twice in English football, the Scottish manager could turn to the MLS to snatch a rising star from under the noses of some Premier League powerhouses.

It was reported just last week that the Hammers, alongside Everton, had entered the race to sign Jhon Duran from Chicago Fire.

This was a race that already consisted of Manchester United and Liverpool, however.

What will give the Irons hope is the reported advice for the 18-year-old to join a ‘smaller club’ rather than become a small fish in a big pond, and with writer Bence Bocsak labelling him “one to watch”, it would be a shame for him to get lost in a squad where he has no standing.

In what has been his debut season in America, the Columbian youngster boasts an impressive eight goals and five assists.

This comes off the back of some fine performances in his homeland, where he had scored eight again and assisted three the season prior.

Clearly boasting incredible talent and physicality that allows him to compete far above his age, it is no surprise to see American football expert Tom Bogert label him a “wonderkid” in a tweet that also denoted expected offers of €10m (£8.5m).

Although their Italian frontman has a huge ceiling, outlined in last season’s 16-goal campaign, given his youth and the fee attached to his overseas move it is never easy to acclimatise.

That could allow Duran to step in and offer cover for the 23-year-old, relieving the burden somewhat. Then, should he take to the Premier League with more success, he could even force Scamacca to try and displace him from a starting spot.

Besides the host nation Qatar, the 31 teams playing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualified through a rigorous process. This long journey lasted an average period of 2 years, with different qualifying rounds for these countries.

With the World Cup starting in a few days, fans are looking for the best offers to support and stake on their national sides. Some Independent sites provide a review of the best World Cup 2022 betting offers of different bookmakers to ease up the process for fans.

How the World Cup winner will emerge?

Sixty-four games will be played in 6 rounds at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, including the group stage, the round of 16, quarterfinals, semi-finals, third-place play-off, and finals.

All teams have an equal opportunity to win the tournament. Teams will play 3 group-stage games to determine those who will advance from the groups. The 2 top teams in each group will advance to the round of 16, while the 2 bottom teams will exit the tournament.

From the round of 16, the tournament will employ a knockout format. Only the winners from the round of 16 will advance to the quarterfinals. Quarterfinals winners will advance to the semi-finals.

The winners from the semi-finals will advance to the final to determine the winner of the World Cup. Losers from the semi-finals will play against each other for the third-place prize.

Teams that are likely to win the World Cup

Here are some teams that will likely win the World Cup:

Brazil

Brazil’s five-time World Cup victory makes them a favourite to win at Qatar. Brazil’s latest World Cup triumph was in 2002. The current Brazilian squad has several top players.

England

It’s been several decades since football came home. England has been closer to winning a trophy under Gareth Southgate. Finishing fourth in 2018 is a big impetus for the squad heading into the Qatar tournament.

France

France is the defending champion of the World Cup. Didier Deschamps has retained the core of the team that emerged victorious in Russia. Despite missing a few key players, France remains the favourite to win the World Cup.

Argentina

Messi’s generation has another chance to win the World Cup. Having come close to winning in 2014, Argentina is highly motivated heading into this tournament.

Belgium

Belgium’s golden generation has only managed to earn a third-place finish at the 2018 World Cup. Belgium’s star-studded squad has a chance to prove their actual worth in Qatar.

Portugal

Portugal’s mix of experience and young talents sounds like a brilliant recipe for success in Qatar. The squad has played together for a while and has experienced victories at Euros 2016 and the first edition of the Nations League. Ronaldo’s leadership can drive them to another victory in Qatar.

Predicting the World Cup champion is never an easy task. Sometimes, the favourite teams may not perform as expected. Many surprises may offset the odds.

Photo from Pexels

Aston Villa are believed to be interested in signing Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte during the summer transfer window.

Has Laporte struggled for playing time?

The £120,000-a-week Spaniard has been part of a side City who have etched their name into history of late, winning a treble in 2022/23 that consisted of the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

That being said, Laporte struggled to be an absolute key man for Pep Guardiola's side during the campaign, with the form of the likes of John Stones and Ruben Dias seeing him slip down the pecking order. He only started 11 league games in total, highlighting his lack of playing time, and his future at the Etihad could be in doubt this summer.

The 29-year-old is contracted with City until the end of the 2024/25 season, meaning they could see this as the best time to receive the highest possible amount for him, should Guardiola consider him an expendable player moving forward.

Villa have been linked with a move for Laporte recently, as they look to make some significant summer signings, and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away.

Could Villa snap up Laporte this summer?

According to Football Insider, Villa are "considering a move" for the City centre-back before the new season gets underway, as Unai Emery looks to bolster his defensive options.

The report also states that "Villa are in the market for another centre-back and Laporte ticks a lot of boxes for Unai Emery due to his Premier League experience and ability to play on the left-side of a partnership", admittedly adding that "it is a difficult deal to get over the line and Laporte wants to play Champions League football next season."

Laporte, who has a 100% win record against Villa during his career, could be a superb signing for Villa if Emery manages to entice him to the club, considering he has arguably been one of the Premier League's standout centre-backs over the past five years or so. He has been lauded as "incredible" by Guardiola in the past, as well as the "best left central defender in the world", and he would bring with him a wealth of experience and a winning mentality that comes with enjoying so much trophy success.

It could be a real statement signing by Villa, further suggesting that they are really going places under Emery, and being an undisputed key starter could be enough to persuade the Spain international that a move makes sense.

Former Scottish Premiership striker turned pundit Frank McAvennie has urged Giovanni van Bronckhorst to drop Malik Tillman for Glasgow Rangers.

The Lowdown: Poor Anfield showing

Tillman put in a poor performance last time out in the 2-0 loss away at Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

The attacking midfielder recorded no shots on goal or dribbles, made just three accurate passes and only managed a mere 18 touches of the ball in total throughout the entire game (SofaScore).

He was heavily criticised for his work rate in the match, and so there are question marks over his form going into their clash at home to St. Mirren in the league on Saturday afternoon.

The Latest: Van Bronckhorst ‘has to drop’ Tillman

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie has claimed that Van Bronckhorst ‘has to drop’ Tillman ahead of their next fixture, and suggested that there may be an agreement with Bayern Munich that he has to play a certain number of games, which he dubbed ‘ridiculous’:

“He is not having the best of times at the moment.

“But there might be something in his agreement that he has got to play, which I think is ridiculous. If that is there the manager has to try and get it out of the contract because he has to drop him.

“Gio has got to be able to say, ‘you’re not playing well, you’re not playing’.“

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The Verdict: Take out of the firing line

Following Tuesday’s poor performance, Van Bronckhorst should be looking to take Tillman out of the firing line.

There is a lot of pressure to perform having come from a club like Bayern, and while he showed signs of early promise, with three goal contributions in August, he has only managed one assist since then (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, Tillman has only missed one match in both the league and Champions League combined so far this season, and so Saturday could be the best time to give him a rest.

When Leeds United parted with £11m in order to make Jack Harrison’s temporary stay at Elland Road a permanent move in the summer of 2021, many of the Elland Road faithful were well aware that Victor Orta had sealed the Whites an absolute steal.

Indeed, after the club confirmed their acquisition of the Manchester City winger on Twitter, hundreds of supporters flocked to share their delight at the news, with one stating their belief that the deal was “daylight robbery,” while another dubbed the former England U21 international’s signing a “bargain.”

And, considering the fact that the £25.2m-rated talent has already scored 29 goals and registered 25 assists over 172 appearances for Leeds – albeit with many of these goal contributions coming before the forward was made a permanent member of the Whites first team squad – it is not difficult to understand why supporters felt this way.

Indeed, following his signing last summer, the 25-year-old enjoyed a fine campaign in front of goal last season, scoring eight goals – including a last-minute winner against Brentford that all but secured Leeds’ top-flight status – over his 35 Premier League fixtures, with his performances reportedly catching the eye of both Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United.

However, with Orta reported to be demanding a figure of more than £60m in order to part with the former New York City starlet, Harrison remained at Elland Road upon the closure of the summer transfer window on September 1 – with Jesse Marsch’s side now believed to be eager to tie the £15k-per-week sensation down to a new deal in LS11 in order to fend off future interest.

And, considering his emphatic start to the 2022/23 campaign, it is no wonder the Whites are hoping to keep hold of the player who Hunter Godson dubbed “unbelievable” for as long as they can, with Harrison having already bagged one goal, registered three assists and created three big chances over his six Premier League fixtures so far this season.

These returns have seen the winger average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.22, not only ranking him as Leeds’ second-best performer in the league but also as the 36th-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole in the current campaign.

As such, considering his remarkable returns, coupled with the fact the Whites currently value the 25-year-old at a price 445% more than the £11m they paid for him last summer, it is clear to see that Orta very much hit the jackpot when bringing Harrison to Elland Road.

Nottingham Forest have made contact regarding the availability of Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah, according to a report in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Falling out of favour

The centre-back made his breakthrough into Thomas Tuchel’s first team last season, clocking up 20 Premier League appearances, but the recent arrivals of Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella have pushed him down the pecking order.

It’s been reported that the Blues are willing to let the 23-year-old leave on loan this summer, and following a fresh update, it sounds as if he won’t be short of potential suitors, with attention being drawn from the City Ground.

The Latest: Forest make Chalobah enquiry

90min report that Forest have ‘contacted’ Chalobah’s representatives over a potential move, and would be ‘interested’ in signing him if he enters the market.

The Reds are set to face stiff competition for his services though, with Leeds, Everton, Southampton, Inter Milan and Roma also name-checked.

It’s claimed that a permanent exit from Stamford Bridge would be ‘unlikely’ as a result of him still having four years left on his contract.

The Verdict: Niakhate replacement

Moussa Niakhate has now been ruled out of action with injury for a few months, so it makes sense that Steve Cooper is looking for a central defensive replacement, and Chalobah has all the qualities to be a rock at the heart of the boss’ backline.

The 6 foot 2 colossus, dubbed a ‘monster’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, averaged an impressive 90.6% pass success rate for Chelsea last season, alongside making 2.1 clearances and two tackles per top-flight game, via WhoScored.

The Reds have already signed Dean Henderson on loan from Manchester United, and Chalobah could be the next to follow in his footsteps and make the temporary move from a Premier League giant.

Sunderland are believed to be closing in on the signing of highly-rated Morecambe defender, Connor Pye, according to recent reports.

What’s the word?

As per Football Insider, the Black Cats are said to have ‘agreed a deal’ for the 18-year-old, having secured a ‘breakthrough’ in negotiations with the League One outfit for the promising left-back.

The report suggests that the teenager – who is said to have two years left on his current deal – is seemingly a player for the future at the Stadium of Light, as he is ‘unlikely’ to go straight into manager Alex Neil’s plans at senior level.

As per the report, the full-back was one of a number of players made ‘available for transfer’ by the shrimps earlier this summer due to financial restrictions, thus allowing the northeast side to pounce.

Neil should love it

Managing to secure the signing of a player who has been likened to Liverpool ace Andy Robertson would no doubt be a great source of delight for the Sunderland boss, with Neil set to love securing what would be a seventh major signing of the summer thus far.

Although Pye – who has made just a solitary senior outing for his current side – appears unlikely to make an impact for the Championship side this season, his capture could prove to be a notable coup in the longer term, having previously been linked with a move to Premier League outfit, Everton.

With Dennis Cirkin currently the only recognised left-back option in the first-team squad, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the impressive starlet could force his way into the manager’s plans sooner rather than later, with depth undoubtedly needed in what will likely be a gruelling season.

A move for the Englishman will also help the club to move on from the disappointment of missing out on former loanee Nathan Broadhead, with the 24-year-old recently opting to join Wigan Athletic on a loan deal from the Toffees.

The forward had reportedly been targetted by Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman ahead of a potential return to the club, although has favoured a move to the Latics in search of more regular game time.

Getting another new arrival in the door in the form of Pye, however, could ensure that transfer failure is swiftly forgotten about, with Neil no doubt set to love the chance to help nurture such a well-regarded young talent.