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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.

Aston Villa will be looking to continue their recent upturn in form when they take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Monday evening.

Steven Gerrard was under a lot of pressure as Villa boss but has seen his side pick up five points from the last three fixtures, although the draw against Manchester City was far more creditable than last weekend’s stalemate against 10-man Leeds United.

Despite holding a man advantage against their hosts in Yorkshire, Gerrard’s side rarely looked like scoring and it seems clear that a creative spark is needed if the Villans are going to pick up three points when they face Steve Cooper’s struggling Reds on Monday.

To do that, Gerrard should unleash Emi Buendia from the start at the City Ground, with the Argentinian having struggled for regular game time so far this season.

The former Norwich City man joined Villa in the summer of 2021 but has struggled to live up to his club-record fee, with just five goals and seven assists in 46 appearances, having managed 15 goals and 17 assists in his final season with the Canaries.

Buendia has struck one strike to his name in the Premier League in eight appearances this season but has only started twice, so deserves his chance to feature from the start.

Only Ashley Young and Jacob Ramsay have averaged more key passes than the Argentine this season, which suggests that he has the creativity in his locker to help end Villa’s woes in front of goal.

Despite Leon Bailey and Philippe Coutinho both having more game time this season, they have both averaged just 0.6 key passes per game and have only two goal contributions between them, so surely it is time for Buendia to start.

WhoScored suggests that the 26-year-old excels at through balls and playing key passes, possessing pretty much all the attributes you would hope an attacking midfielder would have, with long shots, finishing, dribbling and set-pieces also listed as his strengths.

Gerrard was full of praise for the £75k-per-week earner after a strong run of form last season, saying:

“He’s a tenacious little character and player, he’s got amazing talent and he’s got stronger and stronger with each training session.

“He believes he can only get better, I have that type of belief in him.”

With the Villa fans no doubt still questioning whether Gerrard is the man to bring European football to Villa Park in the future, the Liverpool legend can get the fans back on side and potentially rocking by unleashing Buendia from the start on Monday, as he can be a big difference-maker and a joy to watch when he is at his creative best.

With Leeds United’s scheduled Premier League meeting against Nottingham Forest last Monday being postponed, a number of Jesse Marsch’s first-team players were made available for selection for the Whites’ under-21’s Premier League 2 fixture against Southampton on Friday.The likes of Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo were all included in Michael Skubala’s starting XI, while youngsters such as Darko Gyabi, Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville and Sonny Perkins were also handed the chance to impress a crowd of nearly 11,000 at Elland Road.Impress they did, with 20-year-old winger Summerville scoring one goal and registering three assists, Gray providing one assist and Perkins getting himself on the scoresheet with an exceptionally-placed shot to give the Whites a six-goal lead on the night, the match ultimately ending 6-2 in Leeds’ favour.

This is not the first time that the former West Ham United forward has impressed following his summer arrival. Indeed, the £1.08m-rated striker has found the net in every match he has played for the under-21s so far this season, scoring six goals in just five appearances for the youth side – returns which saw the 18-year-old named as the Premier League 2 Player of the Month for August.

This immediate impact has not gone unnoticed, with Skubala dubbing the forward “dangerous” following his goal against Southampton. Meanwhile, Marsch has also suggested that he is hugely excited to begin working with the teenager in his first-team squad.

The American said of Perkins in July (via Leeds Live): “He’s got quality. He’s an explosive striker. I think he has flexibility in the positions he can play. He’s an intelligent player. We’re really excited to add him to our club.

“He’s been at Thorp Arch training with our 21s and we’ve had really good feedback so far. I’m looking forward to getting back and getting to know him more and getting to work with him more on a daily basis.”

Indeed, it would appear a wise move for Marsch to begin including Perkins in his first-team squad sooner rather than later, as the 18-year-old very much seems to have the potential to become Leeds’ next diamond.

An update has emerged on Rangers defender Adam Devine and the club’s plans for his future at Ibrox…

What’s the talk?

According to Football Insider, the Gers are in talks with the right-back to extend his current contract with the Scottish giants.

The report claims that his current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2023 and that they are now looking to pin him down to fresh terms.

It is stated that he is highly rated by the coaches at Ibrox and that they believe the youngster has the potential to become a first-team regular in the future.

James Tavernier’s heir

Rangers could keep hold of the long-term heir to their captain by convincing Devine to put pen to paper on an extension to his contract.

As it stands, the 19-year-old will be able to leave on a free transfer at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and that is why pinning him to a new deal would be a crucial piece of business by Ross Wilson.

Tavernier, who ex-Gers boss Steven Gerrard once dubbed “unstoppable”, turns 31 in October and recently committed his future to the club until 2026.

This does not mean that he is guaranteed to be the first-choice at right-back until then, though, as it is impossible to predict how his performances will go as he heads into his mid-30’s.

At the age of 19, Devine has plenty of time left ahead of him to potentially replace the captain in the future, whether that is down to his own displays forcing the issue or a natural regression from Tavernier.

Gio van Bronckhorst has already shown that he sees something he likes in the teen by handing him two appearances in the Premiership last season.

Journalist Craig Vickers hailed him after a meeting against Hearts, saying: “Devine isn’t as clean technically as Patterson and doesn’t have his self-belief in possession, but he looks like another powerful runner in that position.”

The defender has also been on the bench for three first-team matches in 2022/23 and this, coupled with how highly the coaches rate him, suggests that the potential is there for him to make a breakthrough in the future.

As with any young player, nothing is guaranteed and Devine has to keep working hard to improve and develop in training.

If he can continue on the right track and reach the levels his coaches believe that he can then he could end up being Tavernier’s heir, which is why securing his future with a new deal would be a good move by the club.