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BBC Sports pundit Chris Sutton has claimed that West Ham United manager David Moyes has the right to defend himself amid growing pressure on his job

What’s the latest on David Moyes and West Ham?

The Hammers had yet another day to forget in the Premier League this weekend as they travelled away to Brighton and were comfortably beaten 4-0.

That’s the club’s 14th defeat after 25 league games and it means they sit perilously close to the bottom three and could well be relegated this season.

Moyes is understandably under growing pressure but he seemed to defend himself with some sly comments to the press after the game which could be viewed as a possible dig towards the supporters calling for his name.

Indeed (via football.london) he accepted that the fans would be disappointed but suggested that they only feel that way as he has raised expectations of the club over recent years.

In full, he said: “They’ve been watching a really good team for the last three years, a team that’s been finishing sixth or seventh in the Premier League, been watching a team that’s got into the semi-final of Europe, a team that just won the group in Europe again, so I understand it’s hard to come and watch that performance today.”

While speaking to a listener who dubbed the comments “sneaky” on the BBC Radio Show 606, Sutton said (25:07): “You called it a sneaky point. I mean, I’ve not heard the interview but I’ll take your word for it.

“But I think David Moyes is entitled to defend his record at West Ham. Since he’s been in, was it a sixth-placed, a finish seventh-place finish?

“So do we allow him a blip, you know?”

What does the growing Moyes pressure mean for West Ham?

It’s certainly true that Moyes has led the club to some impressive campaigns since taking over. After all, the club have only ever finished inside the top seven in the Premier League on five occasions and the manager achieved this twice in the past two seasons.

What’s more, as he alludes to in his post-game comments, he did help the Irons reach their first major European semi-final in 46 years as they went deep into the Europa League last term.

Even so, you can’t always rely on the past, even if it’s the recent past, as a defence to excuse the team being so poor in the present. If West Ham can’t improve their form, they could easily be relegated.

As per The Athletic, it seems as though the club board will continue to back Moyes but you can’t help but feel as though he is one more bad defeat away from the sack regardless of his prior achievements with the club.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane will have the priority of remaining in north London but will need to be shown the club have the same ambition as him to win silverware.

What’s the latest?

Whether Kane will be playing his football in N17 next season or not feels as if it is one of the biggest questions surrounding the Premier League ahead of the summer transfer window now.

The England captain has just one year remaining on his current deal with the Lilywhites after the conclusion of the 2022/23 season.

However, there is the belief Spurs are looking to open talks with their all-time record goalscorer over the coming weeks to attempt to tie him down to a contract extension.

And speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested the 29-year-old will hold the priority of remaining in north London beyond this season:

“As long as Tottenham show their ambition and show they’re going in the right direction, I’m sure Harry Kane’s priority will be to stay with Tottenham.

“So the ball is in Tottenham’s court to try and prove their ambition to Harry Kane that they can win trophies.”

Spurs hold the cards

The England captain is certainly left with a big decision to make ahead of the summer with his next deal feeling like it could be the last major contract of his career.

Kane will turn 30 years of age over the summer meaning he may only have a handful of seasons left where he is able to compete at the top of his ability.

It is worth mentioning that the striker is – arguably – in the form of his life currently having already provided the Lilywhites with 17 goals in just 22 Premier League appearances this season.

However, this form has reportedly caught the attention of potential suitors elsewhere with Manchester United and Bayern Munich both credited with an interest.

But as O’Rourke mentioned, Spurs could hold the cards in this battle for Kane’s future and can show their ambition in the remaining months of the season.

The Lilywhites still have a big Champions League tie against AC Milan to come and sit in a strong position to make it through to the last eight of the FA Cup with a clash against Sheffield United to come.

But the future of Antonio Conte may prove a big influence on his decision making with the Italian’s contract at the club set to expire at the end of the season.

And with some reports suggesting he could look to walk away from the Londoners, we do question where this could leave Kane’s thinking over his own future.

Adam Pope has insisted that Crysencio Summerville isn’t far away from making his Leeds United return.

The Lowdown: Marsch set for injury boost

Leeds have certainly had to deal with their fair share of injury blows over the last 12-18 months with the likes of Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas all requiring large amounts of time out of the side.

This season has been slightly better and aided by the fact young stars such as Wilfried Gnonto and Summerville have been able to step up and show they have Premier League quality in them.

However, after a stunning run of form which saw him register five goal involvements in six league games, Summerville was stopped in his tracks when he was struck down by injury but could soon be back in first-team action according to Pope.

The Latest: Summerville nearing a return

The BBC journalist was speaking about the makeup of the Leeds attack and hinted that the winger could slowly be getting back to full fitness on the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.

He said: “Sinisterra, back at it; Summerville, not too far away; Gnonto, first pick, isn’t he, at the moment; you’ve now got Rutter in there; Rodrigo; Bamford; Aaronson; Harrison, as it stands – I mean, that is some firepower.

“Nobody’s got any worries about the final third.”

The Verdict: Leeds set for bright second half of the season

With the new additions to the Leeds team and players such as Summerville and Luis Sinisterra getting back to full fitness, Jesse Marsch could well get his team firing on all cylinders and away from the bottom three.

As things stand, Leeds haven’t really been able to have a full-strength squad with different players always seemingly out injured, so the poor results could well be down to that and Marsch not being able to play his preferred team.

However, now they have new signings through the spine of their team that Marsch clearly wanted and got, Leeds fans could well see how their manager wants his players to play and why Victor Orta is so keen to back his man.

As for Summerville, this really could be the time to show his worth, as having been given opportunities by Marsch earlier in the season, a potential formation change has been mooted at the club and he will be adding to the arrival of Georginio Rutter, as well as the return to fitness of Bamford in the attack.

Therefore, Leeds suddenly have plenty of talent up top, and with the Dutchman’s comeback providing yet another option to Marsch after nearly a month out of action, the level of competition for places could be just what is needed as the Whites hunt for the goals to beat the drop.

Arsenal could sign another Oleksandr Zinchenko, with Gunners chief Edu Gaspar keen on Ivan Fresneda…

What’s the word?

In recent weeks, the north London outfit have been linked with a move for the Real Valladolid CF gem, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano providing the latest on the situation. He told Caught Offside:

“Arsenal, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle have been monitoring Fresneda but at the moment there’s still no official bid on Valladolid’s table.”

It’s thought that the Premier League leaders are prepared to pay around €20m (£18m) to get the deal done, as per reports in Spain.

The 18-year-old talent could be the next January signing on the club’s radar as they accelerate interest in Brighton and Hove Albion winger Leandro Trossard – also according to Romano – having missed out on Mykhaylo Mudryk just last week.

The next Oleksandr Zinchenko

Just as football.london writer Tom Canton has suggested, manager Mikel Arteta is on the lookout for “his next Oleksandr Zinchenko” and Fresneda fits the bill immensely.

Once part of Real Madrid’s famed La Fábrica academy, the Spain U19 international is enjoying a breakthrough campaign at the LaLiga outfit – in which he’s already put himself amongst the very best in his role, ranking inside the top 1% for tackles, the top 4% for clearances and the top 9% for interceptions when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s elite five divisions, via FBref.

From his nine league appearances this term, we can see that he likes to come inside rather than hit the byline, as per his seasonal Sofascore heat map – very much in the style of Zinchenko – whilst he has created two big chances, averages 64 touches per game for a struggling side and rarely offers a cross.

Indeed, according to ESPNUK editor David Cartlidge, he’s “like a CM dropped in at full-back” due to his 6-foot frame, “athletic” ability and is “excellent” with the ball at his feet.

Such form and quality has seen the teenager dubbed as “one of the revelations of the season” by LaLiga expert Matt Clark, who further added:

“He is a remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too.

“He has that coveted combination of physicality and technical ability. Tall but agile, quick and athletic, he is also strong in the tackle and reads the game very well for someone so green when it comes to first-team football.”

Unlike the Ukraine star though, Fresneda is a natural right-sided option, so Arteta could well have two inverted sensations on either flank if Edu were to win the race for his signature.

Having averaged a 7.2 rating against LaLiga frontrunners Real Madrid, it does appear as if the young wonderkid is ready for the leap to a much bigger side, perhaps that should already be known given Fresneda has been also dubbed as a “very special talent” by Cartlidge.

As such, Arsenal must look to hand Arteta his new right-sided Zinchenko by signing Fresneda before deadline day on January 31st.

AND in other news, Contact made: Arsenal eye “fearless” £52m-rated “demon”, he’d be better than Raphinha…

Manchester United have recently been beaten to the loan signing of Joao Felix after weeks of intense speculation regarding his next move, with Premier League rivals Chelsea securing his services until the end of the season.

A multitude of sources, including Fabrizio Romano, had touted Old Trafford as one of the likely destinations for the Portuguese international, but it was not to be, with Graham Potter’s Blues the victors in the race for his signature, largely due to the willingness to pay the £9.7m loan fee.

However, the Red Devils can swiftly forget about the recently missed target by intensifying speculation concerning their interest in Tottenham Hotspur’s star striker Harry Kane, who is yet again subject to rumours regarding his future in north London.

According to ESPN, United manager Erik ten Hag’s January acquisition of Wout Weghorst – nearing completion – is merely a temporary fix to the chasm left in the central striking position following the acrimonious departure of Cristiano Ronaldo in November.

And Kane could be the glistening gem to catapult the club to success next summer; a wealth of Premier League experience, an incredible goal record, innate leadership, and a creative spark that few world-class centre-forwards can come close to rivalling.

Forget Felix

Last year, Kane was at the centre of attention stemming from Old Trafford for his name, according to The Athletic, while in the summer of 2021, Manchester City nearly clinched a deal for the Premier League icon with a £100m bid, which was ultimately unsuccessful despite the player’s burning desire to seal the deal.

And should Ten Hag succeed in a move this year, United would finally cement the talismanic role at the club with a supreme striking option.

Kane has scored 265 goals for Spurs across 412 appearances, is England’s joint-record goalscorer with 53 international strikes – alongside Wayne Rooney – and is second in the all-time Premier League goal tally with 208 strikes, behind Alan Shearer with 260.

And as per FBref, over the past year, the £62m-rated forward ranks within the top 14% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for goals, the top 16% for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes – supreme statistics and an affirmation of the all-encompassing brilliance of his refined game.

Missing out on Felix will sting, but with mounting speculation over Kane’s future, and United seemingly at the forefront of the rumours, it might prove to be the eventual diamond acquisition for the Theatre of Dreams.

With United on a fantastic eight-match winning streak, and Marcus Rashford enjoying a prolific purple patch in front of goal, the often turbulent waters have been calmed, and with the club still fighting across every possible front this season, there is plenty of optimism and belief that Ten Hag can finally bring silverware back to the red side of Manchester after a five-year drought.

Injecting the “monster” – as described by Heung-min Son – that is the 80-cap Kane into the fold would be a terrifying prospect for the rest of the division, and beyond. His cutting edge, ingenuity and sporting charisma are all elements that will ignite impactful change at Old Trafford, and maintain it over the coming years.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has become the subject of ‘concrete’ interest from Premier League rivals Manchester United.

The Lowdown: Coutinho first out?

Philippe Coutinho could be set for a shock exit after being told by Unai Emery that he’s open to letting him leave, and after a remarkable tournament in Qatar, it looks like Martinez could follow him out the door in 2023.

The Argentine was recently crowned a World Cup winner after saving a penalty in the ultimate shootout which guaranteed his side the trophy, and his incredible display has already seen him attracting attention.

The Latest: United eyeing Martinez

According to Football Insider, United hold a ‘concrete’ interest in Martinez, with figures behind the scenes having been impressed by his ‘elite mentality’ shown in the Middle East.

The 6 foot 3 colossus is ‘highly rated’ by the Red Devils’ recruitment team, who have been ‘watching him closely’ ever since he first arrived at Villa Park.

Erik Ten Hag’s side are believed to be ‘assessing potential candidates’ to replace David De Gea, who will be out of contract at the end of the campaign.

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The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Martinez has had a huge impact in between the sticks over the past two-and-a-half years, and having been dubbed an ‘unsung hero’ by Josh Bunting, Villa need to do everything they can to keep hold of him.

The shot-stopper has recorded 30 clean sheets during his time in the Midlands, with four of those coming this season alone, and he is a real vocal leader from the back (Transfermarkt).

Emery has already previously worked with Martinez at Arsenal, so his arrival in the dugout could play a significant role in whether he decides to stay or not.

A new era at Glasgow Rangers is set to get underway later today, with newly-appointed manager Michael Beale set to take charge of his first game following his return to Ibrox last month, with the 42-year-old having replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the dugout.

The highly-regarded Englishman – who previously worked at the Old Firm outfit as Steven Gerrard’s assistant – has been tasked with trying to revive the club’s fortunes following an underwhelming start to the campaign, with the Gers currently nine points behind rivals Celtic in the title race.

Although it will likely be a sizeable task trying to close the gap on Ange Postecoglou’s rampant champions, Beale will likely be more concerned with simply getting off to a positive start this evening, as the Light Blues return to Scottish Premiership action following the recent World Cup break.

The Glasgow giants are set to host Hibernian in what will be an intriguing start to the new man’s tenure, with the 42-year-old boss hoping to quash any potential doubters by securing a positive result.

One area of concern for the Bromley-born coach, however, will be the shortage of left-back options, with the club currently without summer signing Ridvan Yilmaz due to injury, while the experienced Borna Barisic is yet to return from international duty with Croatia.

With doubts also over the fitness of Ben Davies – who can line up in that full-back role if required – Beale may well have no other option but to turn to teenager Adam Devine for what would be just his fourth senior outing for the club and his first league appearance this term.

The 19-year-old – who typically lines up at right-back – has staked a claim for a starting berth following his promising display in the recent friendly triumph over Bayer Leverkusen, having been praised by his manager after that 3-0 victory:

“The academy staff have played Adam at right and left-back. Sometimes having a right-footer at left-back means they play inside the pitch more – Jon Flanagan did it well for us a few years ago.

“I’ve got a lot of trust in Adam, we always had high hopes for him when I was here before.”

The player himself – who has been lauded as a “powerful runner” by Craig Vickers in the past – has insisted he is more than ready to meet the challenge of making his league debut, having stated:

“Am I ready to face Hibs? Definitely. Saturday was a big game for me to show what I can do. Obviously with the injuries and with Borna being at the World Cup, it’s a great opportunity.”

That confidence will no doubt be refreshing for both supporters and his fellow teammates, with the young Scotsman clearly keen to make a good impression after having been on the periphery during Van Bronckhorst’s tenure.

It may well be something of a gamble as far as Beale is concerned to play such an inexperienced figure, although such a move could well help to quickly get the home crowd on his side, while also solving the big issue that is the lack of senior alternatives.

Wolves are eyeing a move for Real Madrid defender Nacho and the club’s new manager Julen Lopetegui could be a factor, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Lopetegui enters Molineux…

After sacking former boss Bruno Lage in October, the Premier League side have now sealed the appointment of ex-Sevilla manager Lopetegui in an exciting move by the Old Gold.

Wolves’ head coach boasts an impressive CV with his former La Liga side, including a Europa League crown in 2020, and also has ample experience in the Champions League.

Lopetegui is a name which could excite Old Gold supporters as they hope that club owners Fosun can start to deliver more success on the field.

The 56-year-old will need transfer backing to shape this Wolves side in his own image, with news emerging on Nacho.

The Latest: Wolves eye Nacho move…

According to reports from Spain on Friday (via Sport Witness), Lopetegui’s presence could be a factor in potentially helping Wolves to sign the Galacticos defender.

However, Wolves aren’t the only team interested in Nacho, with AC Milan, AS Roma and a host of unnamed MLS clubs all taking note of the 32-year-old’s exploits at the Bernabeu.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Nacho could bring an elite winning mentality to Wolves, and it’s safe to say that the Old Gold need it as the Premier League’s current bottom club.

The Spain international has five Champions League winner’s medals and three La Liga titles to his name and can also stand out as a solid ball-playing central defender (Transfermarkt).

Indeed, he has averaged a remarkable 97.1% pass accuracy over the 141 league minutes that he has played this season, but if Fosun wish to acquire Nacho, they may need to negotiate a lower salary than his current £133,000-per-week wages at Real Madrid.

Liverpool have had one of their worst starts to a Premier League season in over a decade and now Jurgen Klopp could be about to turn to the January transfer window to refresh his squad, with news of a potential transfer target emerging.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist and transfer insider Dean Jones, Liverpool are monitoring PSV Eindhoven’s Cody Gakpo “very closely” ahead of the transfer window re-opening in the new year.

Jones told GIVEMESPORT:

“They have watched him and they have monitored him very closely, as closely as most other teams have so far. They just haven’t been linked with him as frequently.”

“Now, I think it depends really on how their squad shapes up for the return to action as to whether they will be likely to go for him.”

Imagine him & Nunez

It is no secret that Liverpool have lost a certain amount of their spark this season as they sit sixth in the Premier League table after their first 14 outings but you can never write the Reds off in the second half of the season, especially if they can acquire the services of an “electric” – as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting – star in Gakpo.

The talented 23-year-old matches Erling Haaland for the most goal contributions (21) in the entirety of Europe this season with nine goals and 12 assists over 14 appearances so far, and will be one of the headliners at the World Cup when he represents the Netherlands over the next month.

Gakpo – who was also hailed “creative” by Bunting – has risen through the ranks at PSV scoring 55 goals and registering 50 assists over his career at the club so far. Over he entire career, he’s weighed in with a goal contribution every 105 minutes proving that he is a consistent and reliable threat in the final third.

If FSG sanction a move for Gakpo in January or the summer he could become the perfect partner to Darwin Nunez.

The Dutchman is predominantly a left winger but is also comfortable occupying a role as a centre forward or right winger too and possesses attributes through his experience in a wider role that could benefit a striker like Liverpool’s newly-signed Uruguayan.

Gakpo ranks in the top 5% of his positional peers in the top five European leagues for dribbles completed, shot-creating actions and touches, proving that not only is he a prolific goal-scorer himself but a selfless presence and a valuable team player on the pitch.

Indeed, his dazzling skillset of dribbling and chance creation would be perfect for Nunez, as the 23-year-old would no doubt benefit from his constant stream of service.

With that being said, if Liverpool could snap up Gakpo in the upcoming transfer window he would be a great asset to Klopp in the manager’s efforts to get his team back where they belong in the second half of the season.

Manchester United may look at scouting Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana at the World Cup, according to The Guardian reporter Ed Aarons.

The Lowdown: Sulemana profiled

Sulemana is just 20 years of age and is primarily a left-winger but can play anywhere across the front three.

The Ghana international was of interest to Old Trafford officials last year before he moved to Rennes, with the youngster contributing to 10 goals in 41 appearances so far for his current employers.

Talent scout Jack Kulig has described the forward as an ‘enormous talent’, and Aarons has backed United to monitor Sulemana over the coming months.

The Latest: Aarons’ comments

Aarons was asked by GiveMeSport about United possibly looking at Sulemana during the World Cup. The journalist believes that the Premier League giants may scout the attacker, labelling him a ‘very exciting’ player.

When asked if he believes the Red Devils will be on the case, Aarons replied: “I really do actually, this guy’s very exciting. He was in Denmark until this season, and he moved to Rennes in the summer in a Danish record for the league for €20 million. And in France he’s doing very well as well, he’s a very exciting winger.”

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The Verdict: Alongside Gakpo?

United are more likely to sign Cody Gakpo in 2023 than Arsenal, according to Dean Jones, so Sulemana could be another potential attacking addition at Old Trafford.

Reinforcements in the final third could be of use in the New Year, especially with Cristiano Ronaldo’s future still up in the air.

Should the 37-year-old move on, as has been rumoured, then signing either or both of Gakpo or Sulemana could be beneficial to Erik ten Hag, so the Ghana international could be a player for the club to track in Qatar.