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Nuno Santo’s Tottenham side will be looking to bounce back in the Premier League when they host Manchester United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday evening, and the north Londoners could pile the pressure on under-fire Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with a victory.

Spurs recorded a narrow victory against Burnley in the Carabao Cup in midweek, where 29-year-old winger Lucas Moura was the difference-maker with his 68th-minute header.

The Brazilian was called into action earlier than expected after he replaced the injured Bryan Gil early on in the first half and it proved to be a fortuitous decision as he netted the game’s only goal.

As such, he must be in contention for this weekend’s clash with the Red Devils as he is in the sort of form which could punish the out-of-sorts visitors, who were whitewashed by Liverpool last Sunday – a result which saw them sink outside the top six.

Somehow, the Lilywhites find themselves one point ahead of the team which has Cristiano Ronaldo, Bruno Fernandes, Paul Pogba and Jadon Sancho amongst their attacking options.

It is in defence where United’s problems lie, having failed to keep more than one clean sheet across their last 20 matches in all competitions, another reason why Nuno should call upon Moura.

He currently ranks as their second-best player for the season so far, earning an average WhoScored rating of 7.05, which is only bettered by the less attacking Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

The £18m-rated dynamo, who stands at just 5 foot 8, leads the way at Spurs for aerial duels won (3.6) and dribbles (2.9) per game, proving to be a major influence in the final third. Meanwhile, only Harry Kane and Heung-min Son have averaged more shots per game than Moura (1.8), as per WhoScored.

According to teammate Eric Dier, the former Paris Saint-Germain star is an absolute “nightmare” to train against, so if he can bring that sort of energy to the match on Saturday, he could prove to be a massive nuisance against a team which seemingly can’t defend right now.

Moura’s involvement from the off could help pile more misery onto Solskjaer, and seeing United sink further down the table will only bolster Spurs’ top-six credentials.

AND in other news, “Been watching him”: Sky Sports journo drops Spurs transfer claim…

While things under the leadership of Bruno Lage have started to look on the up for Wolverhampton Wanderers in recent weeks, with results on the pitch having improved rather drastically, there is nevertheless one particular issue that could be starting to play on the 45-year-old manager’s mind.

This is the conundrum of Morgan Gibbs-White, with the attacking midfielder having been sent out on loan to Sheffield United this summer as a result of Wolves’ additions of both right-winger Francisco Trincao and centre-forward Hee-chan Hwang.

Indeed, speaking recently about the potential January activation of a recall clause in the 21-year-old’s temporary contract at Bramall Lane, Lage said: “When Hwang came, we took the decision to let Morgan go and play. We are very happy with him and what he is doing.”

It is easy to see why the Wolves boss is happy with Gibbs-White’s performances for the Blades, as, over his eight Championship appearances so far this season, the £6.3m-rated man has scored three goals, registered two assists and created three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots and making 1.4 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the former England U21 international average a SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Slavisa Jokanovic’s fourth-best player in the second tier of English football.

However, with Lage himself admitting that the signing of Hwang has pushed Gibbs-White down the pecking order at Molineux, it is difficult to see where Gibbs-White fits into the 45-year-old’s plans. Wolves have the option of signing the South Korea international for around £13m next summer while holding a similar option to purchase Trincao from Barcelona at the end of the season.

This is a situation that certainly has the potential to cause the former Benfica manager a problem, as, with Wolves fans not appearing happy at the player who Chris Basham dubbed a “breath of fresh air” being bombed out of the club on loan this summer, the prospect of Lage selling Gibbs-White permanently is likely to be an even less popular decision.

In other news: Report reveals key update on “excellent” £19.8m-rated gem, Wolves fans will be buzzing

Fabrizio Romano has insisted that Crystal Palace are yet to make a bid for Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard.

The Lowdown: Romano on the ball with Celtic

The transfer expert has been an in-the-know source when it comes to a number of the Hoops’ moves this summer.

He shared numerous updates in the club’s pursuits of Carl Starfelt and Joe Hart, while also posting about Celtic’s interest in right-backs Brandon Soppy and Aurelio Buta.

Romano was one of the first to reveal details of Edouard’s proposed move to Leicester City falling through earlier in the window and has now shared another update on the Frenchman.

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The Latest: Edouard post

Edouard has been linked with a move to Crystal Palace in recent days, with one reporter believing that Selhurst Park is the most likely destination in a potential £15m deal.

Romano, who has 4.3 million Twitter followers, was asked by a Palace fan for an update on any transfer late on Saturday evening, to which he responded at 9:39pm on Saturday night: “Fake. No bid from Crystal Palace for Edouard as of now.”

As Romano’s reply was directly to a Palace fan, it appeared to go under the radar, with fewer than 200 likes as of Sunday lunchtime.

The Verdict: A busy 10 days ahead

With the transfer window shutting in nine days’ time, it could well be a busy period for Dominic McKay and co at Parkhead.

The Hoops have already made eight signings this summer, but with Edouard’s contract up in less than 12 months, they could be keen to cash in on him now, providing they add a forward to their ranks.

Thomas Henry, Georgios Giakoumakis and Kevin Nisbet have all been linked in recent weeks, so if Celtic get one of those through the door, they may well look to grant Edouard his wish and sell.

Of course, a club would need to be open to striking a deal with Celtic for the 23-year-old, and as of now, that isn’t Palace.

In other news: Celtic set to sign another defender, find out who it is here. 

Wolves will take on one of the hardest fixtures of the season for any team in the Premier League today as they face Manchester City at the Ethiad Stadium.

Bruno Lage will need to go into this game with an immediate attacking threat and an early goal if possible to break down the incredible talents thriving in the Premier League champions’ starting XI.

Wolves are currently eighth in the Premier League table, with only one win from their last five games, but they may just fancy their chances of causing an upset at the Etihad in the early kick-off today to secure three points and get back into the conversation for a European spot in the league table.

With that being said, here’s how Football Fancast thinks Bruno Lage will set up his team against Manchester City…

Whilst there are only two changes in this line-up to the Wolves side we saw against Liverpool last weekend, they are both massive changes with the potential to have a positive impact and give Wolves a real chance of scoring in this game.

Daniel Podence returns after a viral infection, and many fans may well be buzzing to see the 26-year-old gem back in the side. He has offered plenty of attacking threat to the team so far this season, with two goals and two assists.

The Portuguese winger will be a welcome addition back into the team and could take the place of Adama Traore, who was hailed as a “fantastic talent” by Tim Sherwood last season.

The Spaniard has still failed to register a single goal or assist for his team in 16 appearances this term, which should put Lage off selecting the 25-year-old, as Wolves need to be clinical with their chances against Manchester City’s defence, which is the joint-moist miserly in the Premier League.

Another likely addition to the side is Joao Moutinho in place of Leander Dendoncker, which will be an important change to offer more experience and leadership in the midfield, where Premier League possession leaders Manchester City play a lot of their football.

City will do their best to break down Wolves in the middle of the park, so it’s important for Lage’s side to have experience of coming up against the level of quality in Pep Guardiola’s side.

Lage will be hoping that his team can go to the Etihad and pull off a shock result to give them a huge confidence boost going into the congested run of fixtures coming up at Christmas. The changes we have mooted may just help them to do that.

In other news: Wolves handed double injury boost ahead of Man City clash

Newcastle United are reportedly in a battle with another club in the Premier League to try and sign Jason Knight before the summer transfer window ends.

The Lowdown: Knight impresses

Despite a very disappointing 2020/21 season for Derby County, who barely survived relegation from the Championship, Knight had an impressive individual campaign.

Described as a ‘manager’s dream’ by Wayne Rooney back in January, the versatile player won six of his duels per game in the division and also averaged 1.5 tackles per match, scoring two goals (Sofascore).

The Latest: Knight monitored

As per The Irish Examiner, Knight is being monitored by both Newcastle and Burnley ahead of a potential move.

He has emerged as a target for the Tyneside club as Steve Bruce looks to strengthen his squad before the new season starts.

The Verdict: Sign

The Magpies simply need to get bodies in before the deadline given that they have one of the smallest squads in the Premier League, and Knight could prove to be a valuable player for them.

Given that he would be coming up from the Championship into the top flight, the Republic of Ireland international should not cost too much, and at 20 years of age, he still has a lot of potential while also being entrusted as Derby captain on a handful of occasions last term.

However, with the Clarets also interested in his signature, the Magpies need to act fast in order to get their man.

In other news, find out which Premier League club have agreed a fee for this NUFC target

Norwich City star Todd Cantwell is the type of player Aston Villa like, journalist Luke Hatfield has told The Transfer Tavern.

Villa have already raided Norwich this summer for Argentine playmaker Emiliano Buendia and it looks like there shopping may not stop there.

According to The Telegraph, the Midlands club have been monitoring Cantwell as Dean Smith looks to bolster his midfield options.

Cantwell played a key role in Norwich’s promotion success last season, with the 23-year-old featuring in 33 league games for Daniel Farke’s side.

On Villa’s reported interest in the player, Hatfield of the Express & Star said:

“Young, will have good resale value if they do bring him in and does know the Premier League – played in it for one season obviously with Norwich the year they ended up getting relegated.

“He’s certainly the type of player I think they would like.”

Villa are certainly not playing around this transfer window. As previously mentioned, they have already brought in Cantwell’s former Norwich team-mate Buendia in a deal believed to be worth £40m in total.

The Villans have also made two bids for Arsenal’s promising youngster Emile Smith Rowe, the latest thought to be in the region of £30m (per The Athletic).

A number of Liverpool supporters have reacted negatively to a rumour claiming the Reds could look to sign Declan Rice next summer.

Gini Wijnaldum left Anfield to join Paris Saint-Germain earlier in the summer, bringing an end to five memorable years at the club.

The Dutchman was such a dependable figure that his absence could leave a gaping void in the middle of the park, especially as Liverpool opted not to replace him.

[freshpress-quiz id=“359326”]

Granted, the emergence of Harvey Elliott has helped improve Jurgen Klopp’s options, but a new midfielder coming in could have been a shrewd move.

Liverpool will now wait until next summer, and according to 90min [via Anfield Edition on Twitter], the Reds see Rice as a potential option to bring in, having excelled for West Ham and England in recent times.

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Liverpool fans react to Rice claim

Despite this, these Liverpool fans took to Twitter to react to the news, saying they don’t want the 22-year-old to come in.

“No chance we sign an English player from a premier league club. The English tax would be mad. Rather Bellingham/Gravenberch”

Credit: @Sarrvish

“Just go for Gravenberch”

Credit: @msuhail_17

“Pathetic story!”

Credit: @BrooksFruit

“We don’t need him with English tax. Sign Nicolo Barella and Federico Chiesa”

Credit: @iamSaikatIslam

“No thanks he’s bang average and would cost a bomb because he’s English”

Credit: @azler85

“Not happening either way, but I’d rather Bellingham than him”

Credit: @6timesladd

In other news, some Liverpool fans are bemused by what happened to one Reds player on international duty. Read more here.

Pluck a tricky winger from thin air and it’s reasonable to think that Everton have targeted them this summer.

Football FanCast exclusively revealed earlier this year that a key priority was to sign somebody who could play on the right flank.

What’s the word?

Everton have already secured the services of Andros Townsend this summer but further wide players are on their radar.

In recent days, the Toffees have been linked with moves for Leon Bailey and Samuel Chukwueze.

However, they’re also after individuals who can feature on the opposite flank.

According to The Daily Mail, Everton have shown an interest in Jeremie Boga. They will face competition from Crystal Palace and Leeds, while Atalanta are due to make a second bid.

The Italian side have already had one offer rejected by his current club Sassuolo.

Dream Richarlison heir

Everton are in danger of losing some of their key players this summer.

One of the most likely exits could fall at the feet of Richarlison who has reportedly taken a call from Carlo Ancelotti who is interested in taking him to Real Madrid.

Eurosport claimed this week that he was seeking an exit to Spain and if they do go, they could replace him immediately with Boga.

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The 24-year-old endured an unsuccessful spell with Chelsea but has flourished since moving to Serie A.

He’s one of the most tricky players to deal with in the Italian top-flight, despite not possessing the greatest set of offensive numbers.

Boga has 18 Sassuolo goals to his name but only four of them came in 2020/21. That said, he was among the best in the division for take-ons.

He completed 3.2 dribbles per game last season, a number that was only bettered by Rodrigo de Paul who has recently moved from Udinese to Atletico Madrid.

One of Richarlison’s best attributes is dribbling but the Ivorian usurps him in that department quite considerably. The Brazilian forward completed 1.8 last season by comparison.

Boga ranks in the 98th percentile for dribbles completed by players in his position in the last year which is way above the man he could succeed, who is in the 61st percentile.

Speaking about the spritely forward in the past, former Chelsea coach Michael Beale said: “The most unique talent and I’m talking in a window of being 13/14 and he just beat the other team possibly on his own is a young boy called Jeremie Boga.

“He just beat teams on his own, such a lovely boy. I thought wow, this boy is a supreme talent. he can stop and go and over three or four yards, he can just drift past you.”

Boga’s career hasn’t quite lived up the dizzy heights expected of him when he was younger but he’s still progressed very well.

He is lively, can beat most defenders in world football and can usually fashion a chance at the end of it.

Benitez would be wise to pick him up if Richarlison departs.

AND in other news, Rafa could discover Everton’s new Leon Osman by signing “special” 34-cap maestro…

Dean Windass thinks that the Scottish Premiership is Oli McBurnie’s sort of level, but doesn’t believe he’s a Steven Gerrard type of player.

Despite representing Scotland at international level, the Sheffield United striker has never kicked a ball north of the border.

But the 24-year-old has emerged as a target for Rangers despite scoring just once in 24 Premier League appearances for the Blades last season.

In fact, the boyhood Rangers fan has only found the just seven times in 65 outings since his move from Swansea two years ago and has been strongly linked with a move away from Bramall Lane following their relegation.

Sheffield United signed McBurnie for around £20m in 2019, but reports believe that Gerrard’s men could pinch him for significantly less – especially with just two years left on his Blades contract.

But despite the cut-price, Windass told The Transfer Tavern that he can’t see a move to Ibrox materialising:

“I can’t see him being a Steven Gerrard type of player. Not technically the greatest player in the world. Scottish Premiership is his level, but he’s not a Steven Gerrard type of player.”

Having failed to prove himself as a Premier League player, Rangers would be an excellent move for McBurnie, especially with the prospect of playing in the Champions League.

But his goal record since arriving at Bramall Lane isn’t exactly inspiring, so that could force Gerrard to look elsewhere.

Manchester United journalist Samuel Luckhurst has taken a swipe at three Manchester United defenders for their role in Arsenal’s opener on Saturday. 

The lowdown

United travelled to The Emirates Stadium for the lunchtime clash knowing that they could boost their chances of a top-four finish with victory against their rivals.

But it was a disastrous start as they fell behind within three minutes courtesy of a goal from Arsenal left-back Nuno Tavares.

Granit Xhaka crossed the ball into the United penalty area, and neither Raphael Varane nor Alex Telles were able to clear the danger. Bukayo Saka gathered at the back post and looked to bend a shot into the far corner, with Tavares on hand to turn home the rebound after David de Gea’s save.

The Portuguese full-back was able to beat compatriot Diogo Dalot to the ball. Arsenal would ultimately win the game 3-1, with Bukayo Saka and Granit Xhaka scoring either side of a Cristiano Ronaldo effort and a Bruno Fernandes penalty miss.

The latest

Luckhurst, chief United writer for the Manchester Evening News, lamented the ‘feeble defending across the back four’ for Tavares’ goal.

He thought it was ‘bad’ from Varane and even ‘worse’ from left-back Telles.

Dalot also came in for criticism, with Luckhurst describing him as a ‘hologram’.

The verdict

Luckhurst wasn’t the only one to criticise Dalot. At half time, BT Sport pundit Martin Keown said the 23-year-old ‘completely switched off’ by allowing Tavares to ‘ghost in’ and score.

Ralf Rangnick had handed the £16.2million-rated right-back a third consecutive start, and fifth in the last six Premier League matches.

But will his apparent loss of concentration cost him his place with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, benched on Saturday, waiting in the wings?

In other news, Manchester United already have an Ajax target.