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Everton will make a trip to Trentside tomorrow for their Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest and now the Toffees could be set for a big injury boost.

What’s the latest on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s injury?

Sean Dyche took to his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon to deliver a promising update on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s recovery.

The Everton boss told the press:

“Dominic Calvert-Lewin is recovering and getting strong. We’ll see [for Sunday].”

Will Calvert-Lewin play against Nottingham Forest?

Whilst the injury update from Dyche is promising it is not a confirmation that Calvert-Lewin will return to action on Sunday afternoon at The City Ground, however, it will give the Goodison Park faithful some hope heading into the away clash.

The Toffees are currently one point deep in the relegation zone and desperately needed to start picking up crucial survival points over their remaining 13 fixtures if they are to have any chance of avoiding a drop into the Championship at the end of the season.

Calvert-Lewin has tallied up 59 goals and registered 18 assists over his 203 appearances for Everton and scored the most important goal of the campaign for his club last season when he found the back of the net against Crystal Palace to secure survival in the Premier League, proving that the gem is an incredibly valuable asset to the squad.

There is no doubt that Calvert-Lewin is the most experienced striker at Everton with both Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms struggling to replicate the number nine’s impact in front of goal which has been an obvious issue in the most recent performances for the Merseysiders.

Over the last four league games in the 25-year-old’s absence, the Toffees have won one and lost three – with club captain Seamus Coleman scoring the only goal during this period against Leeds United, neither Simms nor Maupay have found the back of the net.

Calvert-Lewin scored 29 Premier League goals between the 2019/20 and 2020/21 campaigns and the Everton boss would have a lethal finisher on his hands if he can get the best out of the England international, which is why the marksman’s potential return is a big boost.

With that being said, the forward could be the linchpin in not only snatching all three points away from home on Sunday but also better their chances of survival at the end of the season if, of course, he can remain fit.

Arsenal’s Premier League title challenge took a serious dent as Manchester City emerged as 3-1 victors at the Emirates last night.

Heading into the interval with the scores tied at 1-1 following goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Bukayo Saka, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta would have been confident of pushing to secure a crucial win.

The second half turned into a nightmare however for the Spaniard, with City scoring twice and the subsequent three points allowing them to go top of the league table.

Takehiro Tomiyasu came in for Ben White at right back in the hope that he could add something different to the Englishman, yet his performance was woeful. Tom Dutton said it was a “bad night” for the player and by losing possession 17 times and completing just 70% of his passes, he was a major weakness in the Arsenal backline.

The Japanese full-back will rue not taking his chance tonight, especially with a potential opportunity there for more regular starting roles in the coming weeks to rest White and his performance let Arteta down badly.

However, captain Martin Odegeaard was the biggest letdown, especially considering the enormity of the occasion and just how little he offered to the team.

How did Martin Odegaard perform against Man City?

This season, the midfielder is ranked as the club’s second-best performer in the Premier League via Sofascore, while registering 13 goal contributions – eight goals and five assists – and taking his game to a new level in the process.

Against City, it was a different story, with the Danish star struggling with the intensity of the game and alongside Jorginho and Granit Xhaka, being “completely outmatched” in the words of writer Muhammad Butt.

He received a Sofascore rating of 5.9/10 – the second worst in the game, taking just 55 touches throughout the full game and completing only 38 accurate passes – a success rate of 88%.

The Norwegian passenger’s attacking input was limited to just the one key pass while having two shots blocked and failing to deliver either an accurate cross or succeed with an attempted dribble and these stats sum up his performance going forward.

Even defensively he was woeful, winning none of his six duels contested, losing possession 14 times, and being dribbled past twice, proving just how lightweight he was when City where attacking.

Having dropped five points in their previous two league matches, Arsenal simply couldn’t afford to lose last night and City, although not quite delivering the knockout blow, certainly have the Gunners on the ropes.

Newcastle United could look to the remaining days of the transfer window to strengthen their squad to improve their chances of qualifying for the Champions League and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What’s the latest?

According to The Evening Standard, Newcastle are interested in a swoop for Chelsea playmaker Hakim Ziyech but the London club are reluctant to do business with them due to their position in the Premier League.

As per the report, the Morocco international could leave Stamford Bridge on loan this month with Newcastle one of the clubs interested in signing the player, however, Chelsea aren’t keen on handing over their player due to the competition for a position inside the top four over the second half of the season, despite the fact Todd Boehly has personal friendships with members of Newcastle’s board.

Better than Gordon

There is no doubt that Ziyech would be a great piece of business for the Magpies in their pursuit of a top-four place come the end of the campaign and it could signal the depth in their attacking threat that is needed in order to continue their domestic dominance.

Newcastle are currently third in the Premier League table after suffering just one defeat over their first 20 outings so far and since beating Southampton at St Mary’s on Tuesday evening are looking like real contenders to reach the final of the Carabao Cup at Wembley Stadium next month.

Indeed, Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the phenomenal form that his side has displayed already this season, however, the final push at the business end of 2022/23 will be the real reflection of how far his team have come since he joined just over a year ago.

Thus, adding some fresh perspectives in important areas of the team could be key to unlocking the added consistency needed to compete for the top four.

As a result, the loan move for Ziyech may well be an ideal solution for Newcastle as the talented attacker could be the creative output Howe is reportedly keen to strengthen in during the remaining days of the transfer window.

It has been heavily speculated that the northeast outfit are close to securing a deal for Everton winger Anthony Gordon this month, however, the £100k-per-week Ziyech would actually be a higher quality and more experienced alternative in the short term.

Over last season, Ziyech outperformed Gordon in a number of attributes including goal contributions (7 v 6), pass completion rate (72.1% v 64.9%), shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.57 v 3.03) and progressive passes (59 v 48).

What that suggests is that the Morocco international is a more reliable threat in the final third, one that would surely deliver immediate results as opposed to Gordon who is still very raw.

The Chelsea ace also has the experience of competing in and winning a Champions League, as well as going to numerous domestic cup finals including the Carabao Cup and FA Cup final last season which could bring another winning mentality into the team, whereas Gordon is likely to be lacking confidence due to the situation at Goodison Park.

With that being said, the signing of Ziyech would make more sense for Newcastle in their pursuit of European football, Premier League dominance and success in domestic competitions as his experience could give the side a great boost to meet their goals this season.

Everton in desperate need of reinforcements in their attacking threat after losing Richarlison to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s struggles to stay fit, which has led to what looks to be another difficult relegation scrap for the club over the second half of the season.

The Toffees are currently 18th in the Premier League after collecting just 15 points from a possible 54 in their first 18 games, with the third-worst goal tally in the entire division contributing to their plight.

Frank Lampard did have the opportunity to strengthen his forward line last summer by adding Dwight McNeil and Neal Maupay to the squad at Goodison Park, but it has quickly become clear that the attacking duo are not consistent and reliable goal contributors. Therefore, the current transfer window will likely be the manager’s last chance to get it right, with pressure mounting on his position at the club.

One player who has recently been linked with a move to Merseyside is Lorient forward Dango Ouattara, a talented young winger who could be the solution to Everton’s unfolding nightmare.

Across 16 Ligue One appearances this season, the 20-year-old – dubbed a “breakthrough” player by Robin Bairner – has scored five goals, registered four assists and created five big chances, along with averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.9 shots on goal, 1.1 interceptions, 2.1 tackles, 1.3 successful dribbles and a whopping 7.8 duels won per game.

Furthermore, Ouattara ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues over the last 12 months for tackles, interceptions, blocks, clearances and aerial duels, proving that he is not only potent in attack but one of the best performers defensively in his position.

In fact, Lampard could land his very own Bukayo Saka for Everton, with the Arsenal ace named as one of the most comparable players to Ouattara over the last 12 months, according to FBref.

The two tenacious forwards have shared many similarities in their output so far this season, including goals (5 v 6), shots on target rate (32.6% v 34.4%), progressive passes completed (35 v 33), goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.79 v 0.81) and dribble success rate (33.3% v 33.9%).

With that in mind, signing Ouattara – who has a price tag of £18m  – would be a major coup for Everton, and if a deal can be done over the next few weeks, it could be a huge boost in their chances of surviving relegation over the second half of the season.

Arsenal are considering a loan approach for Atletico Madrid forward Joao Felix as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his attacking options.

What’s the news?

According to The Athletic, Felix’s agent Jorge Mendes is trying to organise a loan move for the forward this month, with Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea all having been approached.

Atletico are looking at a financial package of €21m (£18.6m) which will comprise a €15m loan fee plus a €6m salary for the duration of the loan.

Arsenal were first linked with the player in December by Spanish publication AS (via Sport Witness), however, a move to bring the 23-year-old looks likely to be on a temporary basis, at least initially.

The rumours come amid claims that the Gunners have also upped their bid for Ukraine sensation Mykhaylo Mudryk.

Gabriel Jesus alternative

Despite Arsenal leading the Premier League table by seven points from Manchester City, an injury to Jesus during the World Cup has ruled him out for three months and has left a major attacking void to be filled.

Eddie Nketiah has scored in his previous two league starts, however, Arsenal can’t just rely on the 23-year-old to perform in every single match without having some support and Felix could help ease the burden.

His versatility means the forward can play as either a centre-forward, left-winger, or even as a number ten deployed just behind a lone striker and this could be a big bonus for Arteta.

During his time at Atletico, Felix has scored nine goals and registered six assists while playing as a centre-forward, proving that he has the required attributes to thrive in the role for the 40-year-old, even for the brief spell that Jesus will be missing.

His former youth coach at Benfica, Renato Paiva, once described Felix as “magic” and he could certainly display his creative abilities by joining Arsenal, with Arteta likely to give him a lot more freedom as opposed to being largely shackled at Atletico under the defensive and bullish Diego Simeone.

The north Londoners have coped so far without Jesus, winning both of their league matches since the season resumed after the World Cup hiatus, however, it’s clear that more strength in depth is required if the club are to keep up their excellent form.

Felix can be a superb alternative to the Brazilian, and if the 40-year-old can work his magic and lure him to the Emirates, it will be a massive statement of intent.

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Brighton  & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis MacAllister in January and his potential arrival at the Emirates could be another masterclass by sporting director Edu.

What’s the word?

According to TyC Sports journalist Gastón Edul, Chelsea, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid are all keen on the Argentina international, who stared at the recent World Cup in Qatar as Lionel Scaloni’s side triumphed against France in the final.

While Chelsea are said to be leading the race for the former Boca Juniors man, it is thought that a January move could be extremely difficult, as the Seagulls are in a strong position financially and won’t be keen to sell the 24-year-old after some eye-catching recent performances.

The young midfielder had already impressed in the Premier League ahead of the World Cup break, hitting five goals in 14 appearances for Brighton, earning a strong 7.05 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

However, he featured in a more advanced position in Qatar and was one of Argentina’s most consistent players en route to glory, scoring one goal and providing one assist, earning a 7.11 rating from WhoScored which ranked him as his country’s third-best performer behind only Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria.

Therefore, it is clear that MacAllister already has what it takes to perform at the very top and it is easy to see why Arsenal might want to bring him to the Emirates in 2023.

A repeat of Arsenal’s White masterclass

Brighton have cultivated a reputation for identifying top young talents and selling them on for big fees in recent years, with Ben White, Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma all leaving for big transfer fees after establishing themselves as top young talents at the Amex Stadium.

White, in particular, has caught the eye with his performances for the Gunners this season, earning a strong 6.89 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the top flight, despite being moved to right-back by Arteta this season in order to accommodate William Saliba in the starting XI.

WhoScored state that MacAllister’s strengths include passing, holding onto the ball and defensive contribution, all of which suggest that he has the ability and attitude to be a success at the Emirates.

Former Brighton boss Alan Mullery praised the versatile midfielder on BBC Radio Sussex’s Albion Unlimited podcast during the World Cup.

He said: “Mac Allister has looked a class, quality player.

“He thinks of what he wants to do when the ball arrives, play it short, run it, defend it. He’s a very good midfield player. He has the capability to go forward and also defend. He’s not big and strong but he wins tackles. He has this attitude and when he has the ball he looks forward very carefully. I think he has been outstanding this season.”

Considering the success of their last signing from Brighton, it is no surprise that Edu is seemingly looking towards the south coast for another potential addition in 2023.

Liverpool have ‘contacted’ UEFA regarding their Champions League ticket allocation for the game against Real Madrid, according to journalist James Pearce.

The Lowdown: Last 16 showdown

The Premier League giants are set to face Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the last 16, with the first leg being played at Anfield on February 21 before the reverse fixture which will take place at the Bernabeu on March 15.

Los Blancos’ Stadium is currently at a reduced capacity as a result of ongoing construction work, which means that the Reds have received just 1,800 away tickets, despite being entitled to a whole lot more under competition regulations.

The Latest: Pearce’s update

Taking to Twitter, Pearce revealed that Liverpool’s hierarchy have made an official approach to both UEFA and their opponents in a bid to increase their allocation.

“Liverpool have contacted both UEFA and Real Madrid to complain about being given just 1,800 tickets for March’s Champions League trip to the Bernabeu. Even with the reduced capacity, they should have 3,000 tickets.”

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The Verdict: Doesn’t make sense

Liverpool and Madrid met last season in the Champions League final so the atmosphere inside the stadium will be electric, which is why it doesn’t make sense that they don’t want to allow as many fans in as possible.

Spirit of Shankly and the Disabled Supporters Association have also made their feelings known after being given just four wheelchair bays, which again limits the opportunities people have of going to the game.

All the Merseyside outfit can now do is continue negotiations with all parties ahead of the clash and hope that their wish is honoured for what will be a hugely exciting fixture in the calendar.

Aston Villa have been linked with Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie recently and the Ivorian could be Unai Emery’s own version of Yaya Toure.

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Villa would be willing to offer €14m (£12m) for the 25-year-old in January, a price tag significantly lower than his £52m value courtesy of CIES.

Indeed, the Catalan club might be prepared to accept such a low amount as they are in need of a financial injection after their excessive summer spending failed to result in a spot in the Champions League knockout stages.

Kessie only arrived from AC Milan on a free transfer in the summer but has struggled for regular game time in Xavi’s side so far this campaign, with just two starts in La Liga to his name thus far.

It is something of a surprise that the Ivory Coast international has struggled to win over his new manager, considering his superb form which helped AC Milan to the title last season.

He would make 31 appearances in Serie A, scoring an impressive six goals from his central berth and averaging a strong 6.94 rating from WhoScored, which suggests that he could be an excellent addition at Villa Park if he can rediscover that form under Emery.

His form at the San Siro earned him a lot of praise from Antonio Cassano, with the former Italy striker singing his praises on Bobo TV.

He said: “I want Kessie in my team, he scores goals, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s intelligent. I’m watching him carefully, he was devastating against Roma.

“It reminds me of the Yaya Touré of better times. He’s a different player, but in terms of impact. He is holding up the Milan midfield by himself .”

This is certainly a promising comparison, given Toure’s hugely impressive form in the Premier League during his time with Manchester City, who he also joined from Barcelona.

The powerful midfielder would notch an incredible 79 goals and 49 assists in his time at the Etihad, including 20 goals and nine assists in an incredible 2013/14 campaign.

Therefore, the prospect of having a similar player to Toure at Villa Park will surely be an exciting one for fans, and Emery will no doubt be hoping that he can entice the Barcelona man to leave Camp Nou.

Everton cruised to a fine victory at Goodison Park last weekend, brushing aside Crystal Palace in a 3-0 win.

This result was sorely needed, as the Toffees had lost their last three in the Premier League and were beginning a more favourable run of fixtures.

However, a trip to Fulham today could be tougher than one might’ve thought at the start of the season, given their current form.

The Cottagers are unbeaten in their last three and scored three goals in each of their last two wins.

It is an away trip that will likely require plenty of hard work for Frank Lampard’s side to compete physically, and he must pick his team accordingly.

Especially after their respective displays against the Eagles, he must surely be considering dropping Demarai Gray and replacing him with the substitute goal scorer Dwight McNeil.

The winger capped off a sensational flowing move for their third last Saturday, driving infield and slipping in Alex Iwobi, then continuing his run to latch on to the classy flick from his Nigerian teammate.

Sending Goodison Park into raptures, it was a mere slice of what the 22-year-old can offer the Toffees after his move from Burnley, where he had been dubbed a “special player” by journalist Andy Jones.

It marked his second goal of the season, doubling Gray’s tally for the campaign in almost half the minutes.

Not only has he proven to be a scoring threat, but the fact that he is averaging 2.34 tackles and 1.65 blocks per game suggests that he might be more suited to this fixture on the road.

Sean Dyche was clearly a big fan of his, as he featured almost 147 times for the Clarets despite his youth.

His former boss dubbed him “a real threat”, once claiming that “he could slot into any team in the Premier League. I am convinced of that with his technical ability.”

This high praise and his slowly improving start to life on Merseyside promise big things for Lampard.

He must give him another opportunity today to strut his stuff and further prove just how good he is.

Liverpool host long-time Premier League rivals Manchester City at Anfield this afternoon, and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that his team can translate their confidence and performance from their 7-1 over Rangers earlier this week into their clash against Pep Guardiola’s side.

The Reds are suffering their worst start to a league season for a decade, currently 11th in the table and level with local rivals Everton on points, a full 13 adrift of today’s opponents.

Taking all three points against Man City could spark the resurgence of the Merseyside giants with the table still incredibly tight. A win will put Liverpool up to eighth following yesterday’s results and potentially take them to within three points off the top four, depending on how today’s matches materialise.

In terms of injuries, Klopp has decided to play his cards close to his chest in terms of who will be available for selection, remaining coy in his pre-match press conference on Friday.

The Liverpool boss told the media: “We still have to figure out who is available after the Rangers game for the City game. We have to see, there are no final decisions yet. We have to see.”

What we do know is that Luis Diaz will definitely not be available, as he is set to be sidelined for several weeks yet, and Arthur Melo is also set to be out for an extended period.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Joel Matip, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are all unconfirmed as to whether they will be available for selection, but have all sustained injuries and were not part of the squad in the Champions League in midweek.

With that being said, this is Football Fancast expects Liverpool to line up against Manchester City today…

We predict there will be three changes to the team which beat Rangers in midweek, with the German coach continuing his formation change in a 4-4-2.

The first change we expect to see is Andy Robertson reprising his role at left-back after recovering from a knee injury over the last five weeks, replacing £65k-per-week gem Kostas Tsimikas and getting his first start since the defeat to Napoli in early September.

The 28-year-old has faced Manchester City 19 times, winning six, drawing five and losing eight of those meetings. He has one goal and four assists to his name against the Premier League champions, so it would be a no-brainer to start Robertson at left-back this afternoon.

The second change we predict is Thiago Alcantara starting alongside midfield partner Fabinho, replacing Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in the team.

The Spanish midfielder started on the bench in the Champions League, only playing 23 minutes in a second-half appearance at Ibrox, so it would be no surprise if Klopp was resting Thiago on Wednesday ahead of the difficult challenge against Man City this weekend.

The third and final change we expect is Mohamed Salah joining Roberto Firmino in the more central role that he adopted against Rangers, which led to the Egyptian winger scoring the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history on Wednesday night.

Liverpool’s goal machine could replace Darwin Nunez in the starting XI as we predict that Klopp will lean on his more experienced players to open up the game against Guardiola’s side. However, it would be no surprise if the manager does give the 23-year-old some minutes as an impact substitute later in the game, especially if the Reds are in need of a goal or two.