da bwin： Liverpool aren’t supposed to be miles clear at the top of the Premier League.

da betsson： With Jurgen Klopp stepping down from his manager’s role at the end of the 2023/24 campaign after missing out on the biggest prizes, rivals tittered as Arne Slot took the German’s baton and prepared himself for failure.

These might be echoes of misguided opinion, but Liverpool have been nothing short of mesmerising in their professional brilliance this season, sitting pretty at the top of the division with an 11-point lead over second-place Arsenal.

Into the Carabao Cup final against Newcastle United and preparing for a two-legged showdown with Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 of the Champions League, there’s plenty to play for. The high-flying Reds are firing on all cylinders.

Well, maybe not all cylinders – Darwin Nunez has been something of a conundrum since signing for the Merseysiders in a deal worth £85m (a club record), and he’s facing a summer departure after failing to kick on under Slot’s management.

Darwin Nunez's inevitable departure

This was supposed to be Nunez’s season. Liverpool hadn’t signed a striker last summer to kickstart the Slot era, leaving Diogo Jota and the Uruguay international as the two recognised senior options.

It’s nearly March, and Dominik Szoboszlai’s triumphant performance at the Etihad, moonlighting as a centre-forward as Nunez sat cold on the bench, epitomised the saddening situation he finds himself in.

He’s effectively fourth in the pecking order, behind Jota, Luis Diaz and now Szoboszlai. Cody Gakpo would be picked ahead of him too, were the Dutchman not performing so well on the left flank.

How has this happened? Retired striker Dwight Yorke remarked earlier this season that there is a “monster of a player” dwelling somewhere within Nunez’s recesses, but he hasn’t come out for more than flashes of promise across three years as a Red.

Perhaps the most concerning part is he’s having a comparatively effective season in front of goal. And even so, just four Premier League goals to his name, six from 35 appearances across all competitions.

It’s simply not good enough, especially with Jota missing 15 matches so far this term. He’s fit at the moment but has only scored eight goals, playing 22 times.

When you realise there’s a former Liverpool centre-midfielder who was offloaded on a free transfer, you begin to see how concerning Liverpool’s central striking options are in the long term.

The former Liverpool midfielder who's outscoring Nunez

Liverpool have hit the mark with the majority of their signings over the past decade, hitting with greater consistency than certain domestic rivals.

It’s not just about the big-money additions, but Klopp and Michael Edwards’ almost unerring ability to pick out players who had not yet established themselves at the top of the European game.

Take Gini Wijnaldum, for example. Relegated with Newcastle United in 2015/16, the Dutch ace joined Liverpool that summer in a move worth £25m.

Best-known across Europe for that moment in the Champions League, Wijnaldum was far more than an off-the-bench brace, even if it was one of the most significant cameos in Liverpool’s history, helping the injury-hit Reds on to an incredible 4-3 aggregate victory over Barcelona in the semis.

Wijnaldum, now 34, was described as an “irreplaceable” part of Klopp’s dynasty by correspondent Richard Jolly, playing 237 times. He only scored 22 goals, and only placed 17 assists, but then Wijnaldum’s role was one of control and fluency in the middle of the field, fashioned into an industrious workhorse after principally playing on the left flank with the Magpies.

He saw out his £75k-per-week contract on Merseyside, never once renewing. When Liverpool failed to tie him down to fresh terms in 2021, he was snapped up by Paris Saint-Germain, though failed to really kick on in the French capital and left for the riches of the Saudi Pro League in 2023, joining the now-departed Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq.

Klopp had actually gone on the record in November 2020 to state that he “would be happy if he would stay here,” but the impasse failed to find a resolution and Liverpool’s midfield perhaps didn’t look quite the same over the next two years, with Thiago Alcantara routinely injured.

The versatility of the Netherlands man could have been utilised over those next few years, perhaps even stabilising Liverpool in 2022/23, when they fell off a proverbial cliff as several members foundered.

He’s certainly showcased as such with his current outfit, playing across the midfield this season. Despite being fielded as an anchoring presence for the bulk of the term, Wijnaldum has still managed to fire nine goals home across 21 matches, recently claiming a brace in a 3-2 win over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.

Gini Wijnaldum – Al-Ettifaq Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Central midfield

31

7

7

Defensive midfield

14

2

0

Attacking midfield

7

7

2

Right winger

2

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

He’s still got it alright. That impressive dynamism has been on full show in Saudi Arabia, with his natural-born clinical edge even seeing him outscore Nunez and Jota for Liverpool this year.

The goalscoring engine is a man of many parts, and while his ship has now sailed over on the banks of the River Mersey, his continuing success serves as a rueful reminder of the talent that supercharged Klopp’s squad in its pomp, and the inverse of that, that his goalscoring form underscores just how flimsy Liverpool’s central strikers have been – either on the fitness front or in the final third themselves.

Wijnaldum will turn 35 before the end of the year and, in this twilight stage, perhaps no longer has the athleticism and crispness to withstand the rigours of Premier League football.

However, a prime Gini may well find a starting spot in this current Liverpool midfield, underscoring the value he had under Klopp’s management. The fact he’s still got enough in the tank to outscore the likes of Jota and Nunez, nearly four years after leaving, suggests that maybe his departure was premature.

Related Liverpool can save millions with academy grad who's like a £150m star

This Liverpool academy star could go the full mile if he lives up to his potential.

Posts

da gbg bet： Celtic moved one step closer to clinching a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title on Saturday with a hard-fought 5-2 win over St Mirren away from home.

da heads bet： The Hoops took advantage of Rangers losing 2-1 to Motherwell by winning their match and extending their lead at the top of the table to a staggering 16 points.

It now feels like a matter of when, not if, Brendan Rodgers and his men will be parading the trophy around Parkhead and Glasgow, with just nine matches left to be played.

The Scottish giants did make hard work of their win over St Mirren, though, as they were pegged back at 1-1 and 2-2 before going on to win the game comfortably.

There was a touch of controversy around the victory, however, as Alistair Johnston’s studs-up challenge, as shown above, went unpunished by the referee or VAR.

Rodgers will focus on things that he can control, though, and he may not have been too pleased with the performance of his starting centre-forward, Adam Idah.

Adam Idah's performance against St Mirren

The Ireland international was recalled to the starting line-up by the Northern Irish head coach after Daizen Maeda had been selected ahead of him as the number nine in the 5-1 win over Aberdeen in the previous match.

It was a huge chance for the summer signing from Norwich City to prove to the manager that he has what it takes to start regularly for the Hoops, rather than playing a back-up role behind Maeda for the rest of the campaign.

Unfortunately, it was an opportunity that the 24-year-old marksman did not take, which tracks with his performances over the course of this season, as he failed to put in a strong performance at the top end of the pitch.

Vs St Mirren

Adam Idah

Minutes

64

Shots

0

Key passes

1

Dribbles completed

0/1

Duels won

0/2

Pass accuracy

71%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Idah offered very little in the final third, with no efforts on goal in 64 minutes, and did not provide the physicality that he is capable of, standing at 6 foot 3, with zero duels won.

The Irish attacker, who has only scored eight goals from 10.28 xG in the Premiership this season, has been wasteful in front of goal in the division, but did not even manage to get the better of defenders to work the goalkeeper against St Mirren.

Chalkboard

Expand Collapse

This shows that the opposition defenders were able to easily outmuscle and ease the former Norwich academy graduate out of the game before he was taken off in the 64th minute.

Therefore, Rodgers must instantly and ruthlessly drop Idah straight back down to the bench for next weekend’s SFA Cup quarter-final clash with Hibernian.

The Celtic star who should replace Adam Idah

Whilst Maeda, who has scored 26 goals in all competitions this season, should replace Idah as the starting centre-forward, moving across from a wide position, Rodgers must bring in a player from the bench to take the Irishman’s place in the starting line-up.

The former Leicester City and Liverpool head coach has plenty of options to pick from, including Johnny Kenny, Jota, and Hyun-jun Yang – who were all on the bench to start with against St Mirren.

It is Yang, however, who should be given the nod to start out wide against Hibernian in the SFA Cup clash, because his outstanding cameo on Saturday should be rewarded by Rodgers.

As you can see in the clip above, Yang made it 3-2 to Celtic with a terrific header after coming off the bench, before he also assisted Maeda’s goal to make it 4-2 and then added a fifth for the Hoops with another header in stoppage time.

It was a terrific cameo from the South Korean star, who earned the Player of the Match award despite playing 25 minutes, and that is why he should be unleashed from the start against Hibernian to give him the chance to showcase his quality from minute one.

Hyun-jun Yang's progression this season

It is fair to say that Yang has progressed since his debut campaign with the Hoops last term, as he has offered far more to the team at the top end of the pitch.

After the win over St Mirren, Rodgers suggested that the player’s girlfriend being in the country has helped him to shine on the pitch, and that is something that supporters may not think about, as Yang arrived at Celtic last summer in a new country, a new continent, and may not have felt entirely comfortable without his family or loved ones.

He has now had over 18 months to acclimate to life in Glasgow and having his partner with him has seemingly allowed him to flourish on the pitch.

Hyun-jun Yang (Premiership)

23/24

24/25

Appearances (starts)

24 (10)

17 (8)

Goals

1

4

Big chances created

5

3

Key passes per game

0.9

0.9

Assists

3

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Yang has already racked up more direct goal contributions than he managed in the league last season, despite playing seven fewer matches so far.

At the time of his move from Gangwon in the summer of 2023, his former club president Kim Byung-ji claimed that the young winger has immense potential and compared him to another South Korean sensation, saying: “I hope Yang will continue to grow. He could easily become a world class player like Son Heung-min.”

Whilst it remains to be seen if he will go on to score 126 goals in the Premier League, as Son has, Yang is on the right track at Celtic, as shown by his progression this season.

The 22-year-old star has produced five goals and six assists in all competitions for the Scottish giants and will be hoping to add to that tally if he is included in the starting line-up on the flank against Hibernian next weekend.

Related Rodgers has unearthed his next Idah in Celtic star with "incredible pace"

The Celtic head coach may have found his new Adam Idah in the impressive loan star.

Posts 2

His incredible showing off the bench, coupled with Idah’s poor display from the start, suggests that Rodgers should drop the Irish striker in order to unleash Yang in the quarter-final clash.

da 888casino： In what would finally end their wait to welcome reinforcements, Newcastle United now reportedly want to hijack a Premier League rival’s summer move to sign an attacking addition worth just £21m.

Newcastle transfer news

da fezbet： The Magpies have once again taken one step forward and two steps back this season, with Eddie Howe’s squad struggling amid their lack of quality in depth for a second consecutive campaign.

It was an issue that they faced last season, but one that they still failed to solve in either the summer or January transfer window amid profit and sustainability concerns.

Now heading into the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool next weekend without both Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall, Newcastle’s lack of extended quality is set to be exposed once again.

Simply put, if those at St James’ Park want to match their Champions League ambitions once again, they must find a way past their PSR problems – even if that means making certain sacrifices this summer.

Do that, and they can finally end their wait for reinforcements, which could see a key addition arrive. According to CaughtOffside, Newcastle now want to hijack Chelsea’s move to sign Emanuel Emegha from Strasbourg, who valued their forward at around €25m (£21m) this summer.

Of course, the advantage that Chelsea have is the fact that owners BlueCo also have majority control of Strasbourg, making any summer deal far simpler to negotiate.

Related £42m Newcastle star who Howe loves "will" leave in future, agent reveals

He’d be a huge loss for the Magpies.

Posts

However, Newcastle shoudn’t be too discouraged. Emegha is an affordable, young option who could replace Callum Wilson. The former Bournemouth striker is currently on course to depart as a free agent this summer, leaving Howe without much-needed backup for Alexander Isak.

"Phenomenal" Emegha is one to watch

Whilst Emegha isn’t perhaps yet ready for a starting place at St James’ Park, he would instantly add to the attacking depth which Howe’s side have so desperately lacked at times behind Isak this season.

Meanwhile, at 22 years old, he could eventually replace the Swede, who is reportedly on the radars of Liverpool and Arsenal ahead of the summer transfer window.

Dubbed “phenomenal” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig last month, Emegha has certainly earned his praise in the current campaign – scoring 11 goals and assisting another two in just 21 games in all competitions.

Given his potential to become even better, the forward’s reported £21m price tag could become a bargain in the near future and one that Newcastle should act on when the summer transfer window arrives.

Ending their wait to splash the cash, Emegha should be the start of a summer spending spree on Tyneside.

da brwin： In recent weeks, Graham Potter has found a variety of ways to put points on the board in the Premier League, beating Arsenal 1-0 in one fashion, followed by a 2-0 victory against Leicester in a completely different fashion.

da betsul： The English coach was unable to make it three wins from three, as his side fell short in a 1-0 loss to Newcastle at The London Stadium, despite having 51% of the ball and levelling the Magpies’ shot tally of nine.

Many West Ham fans are hopeful of the future under Potter and sporting director, Mark Noble, has stated he and the new Hammers boss have a “great relationship”.

Noble is certainly still a valuable asset to the club and his career on the field was pretty special…

What made Mark Noble such an icon at West Ham

Despite starting off in the Arsenal academy system, Noble eventually moved to the West Ham academy, becoming the youngest player to ever appear in their reserve team, aged just 15.

In his 18 years of senior football, Noble made a staggering 550 appearances for the Hammers. In that time he scored 62 goals – barely ever missing from the penalty spot – and provided 58 assists across 42,332 minutes played.

Former boss David Moyes was a huge admirer of Noble, hailing the midfielder as a “great example” for younger players, playing at the top level for such a long period of time and conducting himself in the right way.

Although he never wont a major trophy at Upton Park and beyond, he is remembered as a legend after retiring at the end of the 2021/22 campaign. That led to Declan Rice taking over as club captain.

However, since Rice also left in the 2023 summer window, the Hammers needed a new leader to step up.

Thankfully, it looks as though they’ve found one, and he may just be a tiny bit better than Noble too…

West Ham have struck gold with their "real leader"

Rice was the poster boy of West Ham, until he wasn’t. Having lifted the Conference League, the midfielder craved further trophies and so, in controversial circumstances, left the London Stadium behind, joining Arsenal for £105m.

Where was the next star going to come from? Well, it’s come in the form of the man who scored the winner in that Conference League final, Jarrod Bowen.

West Ham signed Bowen from Hull City in the January 2020 transfer window, for a fee of around £18m with an additional £7m of potential add-ons. Since then, he’s soared to new heights, now reportedly valued at around £100m by the Hammers.

A different profile of player to Noble, of course, but he has already surpassed the midfielder’s statistics in claret and blue. Since joining the club, Bowen has made 228 appearances, scoring 68 goals, providing 43 assists and featuring for 18,012 minutes played.

The winger has been an important fixture for the Irons this season, playing a variety of roles, often having to fill in as a make-shift centre-forward due to the injury troubles of Michail Antonio and summer signing, Niclas Füllkrug.

Bowen 2020/21 vs 2024/25 comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

2020/21

2024/25

Goals

0.27

0.35

Assists

0.21

0.16

xG

0.25

0.26

xAG

0.18

0.21

Progressive Carries

2.91

3.48

Progressive Passes

1.54

3.18

Shots Total

1.88

2.83

Key Passes

1.02

1.76

Shot-Creating Actions

2.77

3.86

Successful Take-Ons

1.26

1.59

Stats taken from FBref

When comparing Bowen’s first full season at West Ham (2020/21) with his season so far (2024/25), you can see the vast improvement the England star has made across the board.

He’s providing higher output (despite lower assist numbers), having more of an effect in build-up with his progressive metrics and improving in all of his creative metrics such as key passes, shot-creating actions and successful take-ons.

Michael Brown was full of praise for the England international speaking on Football Focus, labelling the West Ham man a “real leader” back in 2023 and at the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Bowen went on to be named club captain, succeeding Kurt Zouma.

With the forward now 28-years-old, already in the England set-up and West Ham’s skipper, the possibility of the forward staying in East London for his entire career cannot be discounted, especially when considering his father-in-law is quite possibly the Hammers biggest fan.

Related A serious talent: West Ham may regret losing its biggest star since Rice

West Ham could regret losing “serious talent” who would’ve been their biggest star since Rice

Posts 1

da bet7： Thomas Tuchel is set to name his first squad as England head coach on Friday afternoon, with many eyes on the ex-Chelsea boss as he nears his first game in the dugout at Wembley.

da 888casino： While he has been charged with bringing football home in the shape of the World Cup in 16 months’ time, his first task is to select his squad for the start of the qualifying stages.

Related 10 wildcard players Thomas Tuchel could call up for England

The new era under the German begins in March, but could he spring a surprise in his first squad selection?

Posts

England have been drawn in Group K and will take on Albania and Latvia next week, handing Tuchel what looks like a kind introduction to international football.

While there are several areas of the squad providing intrigue, one of the most interesting may well be at left-back, with a number of senior players injured ahead of the Three Lions’ bow under Tuchel.

Thomas Tuchel’s confirmed England fixture list

Date

Opposition

H/A

Competition

Fri 21st Mar

Albania

H

World Cup qualifier

Mon 24th Mar

Latvia

H

World Cup qualifier

Sat 7th Jun

Andorra

A

World Cup qualifier

Tue 10th Jun

Senegal

H

Friendly

Sat 6th Sep

Andorra

H

World Cup qualifier

Tue 9th Sep

Serbia

A

World Cup qualifier

Thu 9th Oct

Wales

H

Friendly

Tue 14th Oct

Latvia

A

World Cup qualifier

Thu 13th Nov

Serbia

H

World Cup qualifier

Sun 16th Nov

Albania

A

World Cup qualifier

Here, we’ve listed 7 potential options for the new manager, with reasons why they should get the nod.

7 Dan Burn Newcastle United

While Dan Burn has been one of the Premier League’s more impressive defenders in recent years, it could be said that it’s a sad state of affairs that he is even a candidate for a left-back berth for England.

That’s not a stain on his qualities, which have helped Newcastle United reach some lofty heights under Eddie Howe, but rather the fact that he is neither a left-back by trade nor a player with the typical physicality that Tuchel (or most managers) would require.

He’d be a left-field option for sure, though if it works for Eddie Howe, who’s to say he couldn’t excel there for England?

6 James Justin Leicester City

As with Burn, turning to James Justin in this situation would represent something close to a worst-case scenario.

But with the likes of Luke Shaw and Lewis Hall out injured, Justin is arguably one of the best options out there who is playing regular first-team football.

The main drawback would be that Justin is primarily a right-back, and while he has occasionally filled in on the other side in the past, you would imagine he’d still be a fair way down the pecking order.

5 Ben Chilwell Crystal Palace

Ben Chilwell and Thomas Tuchel will know each other well from their Chelsea days, with the full-back featuring 39 times for the Blues during the German’s Stamford Bridge tenure.

That could give his chances of an international renaissance a lift, but the fact is he just isn’t playing regularly, even after having left west London on loan in January.

He will surely remain on Tuchel’s radar, but unless the new boss believes Chilwell is the player he can still get the most out of in spite of his lacking match sharpness, other candidates will surely be prioritised.

4 Leif Davis Ipswich Town

Having started every top-flight game he has been available for this term, Ipswich Town’s Leif Davis may remain with an outside chance of sneaking into Tuchel’s first squad.

Davis has become a trustworthy member of the Tractor Boys’ side this season, and showcased his creativity from left-back in the Championship last year, recording 20 assists in the second tier.

Whether this takes Tuchel’s fancy remains to be seen, but Davis is a competent player who may yet benefit from the unavailability of others in his position.

Related Every Championship Playmaker of the Year winner since 2004/05 – list

From Adel Taarabt to Leif Davis, here’s a list of the second tier’s undisputed assist kings.

Posts 3 Levi Colwill Chelsea

Levi Colwill and Tuchel never crossed paths as far as the defender playing for the Chelsea first team is concerned, but the 22-year-old’s recent international experience in the Nations League may come in very handy amid a dearth of quality options at Tuchel’s disposal.

Earning his senior competitive international debut under Lee Carsley, the European Under-21 champion would also bring a winning experience that few in the current squad would be able to match.

His versatility may see him get in the squad regardless, but should he make it, Tuchel could do worse than ask Colwill to solve his conundrum at left-back, where he started and kept a clean sheet against Ireland back in September.

2 Myles Lewis-Skelly Arsenal

Although uncapped at senior level, Myles Lewis-Skelly’s breakthrough this season has been meteoric. His class is undeniable, particularly when considering his age, with the youngster proving his competence at left-back.

However, what may work against the Arsenal youth product is that he has often been found walking a tightrope this season – a habit Tuchel may prefer him to nip in the bud before being entrusted with a starring role on the international stage.

That said, clashes against European lightweights such as Latvia may be an ideal opportunity to give the kid a chance in England colours.

Related From Cole to Wilshere: The best 11 players to come out of Arsenal's academy

There have been plenty of stars to come out of Arsenal’s famed Hale End academy.

Posts 1 Tyrick Mitchell Crystal Palace

It has somehow been three years since Crystal Palace full-back Tyrick Mitchell last made the England squad in friendly victories over Switzerland and Ivory Coast, starting the latter.

And with most – if not all – of Tuchel’s prime left-back options injured, Mitchell is surely the best-placed left-back providing a solution.

Mitchell is playing regularly for his club, becoming a trusted starter under Oliver Glasner – hence Ben Chilwell’s inability to break into the starting XI at Selhurst Park.

He is also one of the last few true left-backs available, with most of the players in this list not even left-backs by trade.

When all is said and done, Mitchell’s patience is surely about to pay off. Will a competitive debut await in Tuchel’s first game?

da dobrowin： Plenty of Chelsea stars are featuring for their countries during the international break, with Pedro Neto and Marc Cucurella both playing in the Nations League on Thursday night and the likes of Reece James and Levi Colwill are involved in Thomas Tuchel’s first squad for England.

da lvbet： Cole Palmer has pulled out of the Three Lions squad, meanwhile, staying back at Cobham to recover from his injury setback, with the hope of being available for Chelsea’s first game back against Tottenham on April 3rd.

But it isn’t just the senior stars who are featuring for their countries on international duty this week, as four academy graduates all featured for England U19 this week in their 2-0 win over Wales.

Chelsea's U19 England stars

Three of Chelsea’s academy stars started in the game against Wales, with Josh Acheampong captaining the side, playing as a left-sided centre-back, which isn’t his natural position.

Kiano Dyer started in midfield alongside Newcastle star, Lewis Miley and Tyrique George started on the left.

George and Acheampong have both played multiple times for the first team this season, with the 19-year-old winger making 17 appearances this season, providing four assists and totalling 713 minutes played.

Meanwhile, Acheampong has made eight appearances, totalling 421 minutes played.

But there was a fourth Cobham star who featured against Wales in England’s U19 European Championship Qualifiers, who many fans are already very excited about, due to the high praise the youngster is already earning at such a young age.

Chelsea's own Osimhen & Aguero hybrid

Chelsea’s Shumaira Mheuka came from the bench against Wales for England U19 on Wednesday night, coming on for Manchester United’s Ethan Wheatley – who scored the other goal in England’s 2-0 victory – and netting in the 84th minute.

Mheuka has been labelled “Cobham’s Finest” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, stating the 17-year-old forward is a “jewel”.

The young striker has brilliant strength to initiate contact, often being able to ride challenges and bully defenders, even if they are slightly bigger than him. But he also has deceptive agility, especially inside the box, often crafting himself an extra half-yard of space to get shots off, much like Sergio Agüero.

This unique ability to shift the ball in tight spaces is extremely valuable for strikers in the Premier League, as they are able to create their own shooting opportunities, rather than relying on others to create chances for them, again reminiscent of Aguero, who was the master of creating his own shooting angles.

Whilst Mheuka has the ball-manipulation quality of an Aguero-type striker inside the box, he also possesses those physical traits of a Victor Osimhen, using his body to shield the ball and bully defenders inside the box. Chelsea has been linked with a move for Osimhen in recent windows, but Mheuka’s development could well save them a big chunk of change.

The 17-year-old is still developing physically, as well as technically, and if he continues to grow, adding some extra height to his advantage, his already strong base layer of physicality could become even more useful, making Mheuka a huge box presence in the Premier League.

Shim Mheuka vs Copenhagen performance

Stat

Mheuka

Minutes

45

Touches

9

Accurate Passes

4/5

Ground Duels Won

0/1

Aerial Duels Won

0/2

Stats taken from Sofascore

The 17-year-old striker made his first full debut, starting against Copenhagen in the UEFA Conference League, before being subbed off at halftime for Christopher Nkunku. Mheuka was unable to get himself involved, barely getting any service, leading to his three lost duels and just nine touches in 45 minutes.

Mheuka has made 42 appearances for Chelsea’s academy across the U18 and U21 sides, scoring 19 goals, providing five assists and totalling 2,593 minutes played. He has also netted ten times for various England age groups, making 20 appearances from U15-U19.

Whilst he is still young and developing, many have the right to be excited about Mheuka, who has all the attributes of an excellent forward, with the physical levels required to play in the Premier League already developing nicely.

Related After Yamal: Chelsea can soon unleash the world's second-best wonderkid

The Chelsea youngster could emerge as a first-team option for Enzo Maresca next season.

Posts

da cassino online： With Virgil van Dijk yet to sign a new contract, Liverpool are now reportedly willing to submit an opening offer to sign a replacement for the Dutchman as part of a £250m overhaul.

Liverpool set sights on VVD replacement

da heads bet： Whilst Van Dijk’s contract saga has been ongoing since the beginning of the season alongside Mohamed Salah’s and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s, it’s not until recent weeks that serious doubts have begun to set in.

The Dutchman recently had his say on the matter after Liverpool lost the Carabao Cup final, telling reporters: “Before the end of the season, there’s going to be news. I love the cub, that’s the main thing. That’s who I am.”

Related Best signing since Van Dijk: Liverpool struck gold on £150k-p/w "leader"

He’s been one of the most transformational acquisitions in recent years for Liverpool.

Posts

That love may not result in a fresh Anfield deal, however, and recent links to the likes of Paris Saint-Germain have hardly eased the nerves of those around Merseyside. Now in March too, it seems as though it’s only a matter of time before Liverpool have their answer over their captain’s future, given the words of the central defender.

As things stand, the Reds are seemingly at least preparing for the worst, having identified a potential replacement ahead of the summer transfer window. According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now willing to offer €75m (£63m) to sign Alessandro Bastoni from Inter this summer as part of an overhaul worth a reported £250m.

Replacing Van Dijk will be no easy task, whether it’s this summer or in years to come, but Bastoni represents one of the rare few who have shown all the traits to do just that at Anfield.

The deal certainly won’t come cheap and that is to be expected if Liverpool are forced to replace one of the best centre-backs that the Premier League has ever seen this summer. With a matter of months to go until Van Dijk departs, Bastoni is undoubtedly one to watch.

"Immense" Bastoni is one to watch

Still just 25 years old, Liverpool could ease any of their defensive concerns for years to come by signing Bastoni to partner Ibrahima Konate this summer. The Inter star has thrived on the biggest stage and is among the rare few that the Reds should turn towards if Van Dijk departs this summer.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Alessandro Bastoni

Virgil van Dijk

Starts

27

29

Tackles won

18

14

Aerial duels won

38

89

Progressive passes

147

137

On the ball, Bastoni has been particularly impressive – even outperforming Van Dijk when it comes to progressive passes throughout the current campaign. Meanwhile, although he has been unable to match the Dutchman’s aerial strength, he has won more tackles than the man he could be replacing this summer.

Dubbed “immense” by analyst Ben Mattinson last summer, Bastoni is undoubtedly ready for the Premier League after rising through the ranks and becoming an Inter star.

However, whether he decides to swap Italy for Liverpool and England may depend on whether Van Dijk puts pen to paper on a fresh Anfield deal this summer.

da aviator aposta： Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy has been handed a boost in his pursuit of a 52-year-old’s appointment in N17, with the high-ranking board chief said to be seriously attempting to bring him to north London.

Ange Postecoglou makes comment on Tottenham future

da bwin： Following an alleged Ange Postecoglou row with Spurs supporters in their 1-0 London derby defeat at Chelsea, where he was seen goading the away end over Pape Matar Sarr’s introduction, the Australian has received serious backlash.

Related Tottenham ready to move for "elite" Postecoglou replacement after Chelsea loss

The Australian is treading on very thin ice right now.

Posts 1

Postecoglou brought on the Senegalese in place of Lucas Bergvall, which prompted boos from the Lilywhites fanbase, with Sarr then equalising with an excellently taken, albeit brief, strike from long-range.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

In response, the Tottenham boss cupped his ear to those who jeered his decision to bring Sarr on. This incident hasn’t gone down well with supporters and critics alike, but Postecoglou has since insisted that he was merely celebrating the goal, which was eventually ruled out for a foul in the build-up.

Postecoglou is now facing more pressure than ever before, especially following Tottenham’s sixteenth defeat in the Premier League alone this season, with Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola reportedly Levy’s top managerial target to succeed the tactician.

Celtic’s former boss was candid when asked about his long-term future this week, suggesting that Spurs need to think more long-term.

“I’ve almost lasted two years, it’s pretty good for Tottenham,” said Postecoglou on his job.

“At some point, I think the club needs to stick to something. If I say it now it sounds self-serving and defeats the purpose, so maybe not now. But I think that if you want to change the course of your events, you need to change materially a lot of things in terms of the way your outlook as a club.

“Last year was a good year, I don’t care what anybody says. We lost Harry (Kane). I know everyone talks about our start (but) we lost Harry, we finished fifth, we changed the way we played.

“It seems like, you have one good year, you have one poor year and then that’s it, ‘let’s move on to the next’, but that’s what I accepted so I can’t sit here and say, ‘ah, woe is me’. That’s the challenge I accepted.”

Daniel Levy handed Tottenham boost over appointing Fabio Paratici

As well as a new head coach, the north Londoners have been tipped to re-hire ex-managing director Fabio Paratici, who would play a key role in the managerial recruitment process.

Reports suggest that Levy has held talks with Paratici over re-joining Tottenham, and the chairman has apparently been “working hard” on his possible return (Graeme Bailey), but Milan are major foils in this move.

The Rossoneri are chasing their own sporting director, with Paratici’s worldwide football ban set to end on 30th June this year. However, according to Calciomercato, Tottenham have been handed a boost in their pursuit of the 52-year-old.

It is believed that Milan’s talks with Paratici have collapsed over various clauses they couldn’t agree upon, handing Levy a clear run at bringing back a former employee who enjoyed a productive stint at the club.

The Italian played a major role in Spurs’ appointment of Antonio Conte, whilst also orchestrating deals for Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr.

da betsul： Last night was arguably Tottenham Hotspur’s biggest game of the season so far, and things did not entirely go to plan.

da dobrowin： Ange Postecoglou’s side played host to Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, and instead of building up a lead ahead of the second leg, they played out a 1-1 draw.

Unsurprisingly, given the scoreline, it was a night of mixed performances from the hosts, with some starters putting in a real shift while others have given the manager a decision to make ahead of next week.

Tottenham vs Frankfurt

Tottenham

Statistics

Frankfurt

1

Goals

1

0.89

Expected Goals

0.36

57%

Possession

43%

2

Big Chances

1

10

Total Shots

4

1

Saves

5

9

Corners

3

8

Tackles

21

528

Passes

410

All Stats via Sofascore

In fact, one of Ange’s own signings was particularly poor, and truth be told, they let the manager down in a game which could seriously impact his job security.

Spurs' standout performers

So, before getting to the offender in question, it’s worth going over a couple of the starters who did at least put in a real effort and arguably deserved to come away with a win, such as Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch defender was immense at the back, making his trademark lung-busting runs on more than one occasion to completely snuff out counter-attacks.

Had it not been for the former Wolfsburg gem, there is a very real chance that Frankfurt could’ve got one or two more goals, and so he’s more than deserving of the 8/10 match rating he got from the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Expand Collapse

James Maddison was another of Ange’s signings who put in a decent performance last night.

Now, he did lose the ball that led to the visitors’ opener, but after the first 15 minutes or so, he really found his feet and looked a genuine threat for much of the game.

The former Leicester City star got the assist for Pedro Porro’s goal and could have had one of his own in the second half, which, again, justifies the 7/10 match rating he got from Kilpatrick.

Unfortunately, one of Postecoglou’s other signings was far less influential last night, and as such, they let the fans and manager down.

The Spurs star who let Ange down

While the likes of Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-min were underwhelming last night, Brennan Johnson was arguably the worst Spurs player on the pitch.

It was only on Sunday that the Welsh international scored a brace against Southampton, so it made sense for Postecoglou to start him, but unlike then, the former Nottingham Forest star was utterly anonymous against Frankfurt.

In fact, it felt like whenever the “frustrating” wide man, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Jamie O’Hara, did have the ball, he either lost it or played it safe, and then when he had a golden opportunity towards the end, he fired the ball well over the crossbar.

It might sound harsh, but Kilpatrick shares our opinion, awarding the winger a paltry 4/10 match rating at full-time and writing that aside from his big miss, he ‘was otherwise quiet.’

Unsurprisingly, his statistics only further back up this narrative, as in 95 minutes of action, the 23-year-old ace amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of 0.15 and failed to have a single shot on target.

To make matters worse, the Welshman only had 32 touches, completed just 13 passes – three fewer than goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario – and failed with 100% of his crosses during a really wasteful evening.

Johnson’s game in numbers

Minutes

95′

Expected Goals

0.14

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.01

Assists

0

Shots on Target

0

Touches

32

Passing Accuracy

13/18 (72%)

Key Passes

0

Crosses (Accurate)

2 (0)

Long Balls (Accurate)

2 (1)

Lost Possession

11

Fouls

2

All Stats via Sofascore

Ultimately, it was a middling night for Tottenham overall but a particularly bad one for Johnson, and if Postecoglou wants to see a better performance from his side in the second leg, he’d be better off dropping the Welshman.

Related He's a lot like Dele Alli: Spurs want to sign £20m "freak of nature"

The incredible youngster would be a hit at Spurs.

Posts

da 888casino： Leeds United have been dealt a number of injury concerns ahead of the Championship run-in, with one star potentially out for four of the last six games.

Pascal Struijk injury update ahead of Leeds’ trip to Middlesbrough

da marjack bet： The Whites are currently involved in a tight three-way battle for two automatic promotion spots in the Championship and have gone through one of their worst periods of form at the worst possible time.

Daniel Farke’s side have won just once in their last six second-tier games, which has allowed both Burnley and Sheffield United to take full advantage.

Championship run-in

Leeds (82 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (84 pts)

Middlesbrough (a)

Millwall (h)

Derby County (a)

Preston North End (h)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Norwich City (h)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

Leeds now sit third with six games to go, and they were dealt another concern when defender Pascal Struijk limped off late on against Luton Town last time out.

An injury update has since been shared on Struijk, with the centre-back set to sit out the trip to Middlesbrough on Tuesday evening and then the home clash with Preston North End on Saturday lunchtime at the very least.

Farke has the option to use Ethan Ampadu at centre-back or the returning Max Wober, however, the manager’s midfield options are limited due to the injured Joe Rothwell.

Joe Rothwell could miss next 4 Leeds games with calf injury

As revealed by Farke, Rothwell “will be out this week and probably also for the Easter weekend” with a calf problem. The central midfielder was absent for the draw with Luton and looks set to miss Middlesbrough and Preston with Struijk.

However, worryingly, Rothwell could also be out for the trip to Oxford United on Good Friday and the Elland Road clash with Stoke City on Easter Monday.

The 30-year-old has been a regular in the matchday squad this season, making 39 appearances in all competitions. He’s produced some key moments in recent months, including providing two assists for Struijk in the 2-1 win over Sunderland.

Related West Brom star is hoping Leeds try to sign him, but he'd also join Wolves

Leeds already have their eye on a player who will cost them nothing this summer.

Posts

Talking about Rothwell earlier this year, Farke was full of praise for the midfielder. “We don’t have to speak about his quality, he’s a pure baller – with the ball probably one of the best in this country. What he does in terms of passing, his technique and tidy touches is outstanding. Sometimes in this position, you need a few different skills or you would win Premier League title after title and have 150 caps for England.

“But when it comes down to dominate the game and be there with tidy touches, to drive the game forward, if you enjoy football you enjoy him playing. It’s great we have him as a really good option.”

Now, Leeds will have Ampadu, Ao Tanaka, Ilia Gruev and Josuha Guilavogui as central midfield options with Rothwell sidelined.