Over the past five years, Newcastle United’s fixtures with Brighton & Hove Albion have become a compelling Premier League rivalry defined by fine margins, contrasting styles, and tactical discipline.

The Magpies have often found Brighton’s fluid attacking shape difficult to contain.

Their 3–0 defeat in March 2021 under Steve Bruce was a low point in the club’s modern history – a result that underlined the growing gulf between a stagnant Newcastle and an ascendant Brighton.

Eddie Howe’s appointment marked a turning point, and by March 2022, Newcastle struck back with a 2–1 victory at St James’ Park, signalling their resurgence.

That resurgence peaked in May 2023, when Howe’s side thrashed Brighton 4–1 in one of their most complete performances of the season – a result that helped secure Champions League qualification.

But since then, Brighton have regained the upper hand.

Evan Ferguson’s stunning hat-trick in September 2023 sealed a 3–1 win at the Amex, while the Seagulls edged a dramatic 2–1 FA Cup victory after extra time at St James’ Park in 2025.

When the sides met in October 2024, Brighton’s 1–0 away win continued their dominance, meaning Newcastle have managed just one win in their last six meetings.

The rivalry has become symbolic of Newcastle’s fluctuating form – moments of brilliance offset by costly lapses – and no player embodies that sting of regret quite like Yankuba Minteh.

Why Yankuba Minteh was sold by Newcastle

Minteh’s story is one that still frustrates many Newcastle fans.

The Gambian winger, just 21 years old, joined the Magpies from Odense BK in 2023, instantly impressing with his blistering pace and low centre of gravity.

But due to the club’s rush to remain PSR compliant in the summer of 2024, he was sold to Brighton for a fee of around £30m – a decision that has since come back to haunt them.

Since making the move to the south coast, Minteh has thrived.

This season, he has already played seven times for Brighton, registering one goal and two assists, while his underlying performances show his growing maturity.

Yankuba Minteh – 2025/26

Matches

7

Minutes Played

591

Shots

11

Progressive Carries

37

Progressive Passes

7

Source: FBref

His dribbling, directness, and unpredictability have made him one of the Premier League’s most exciting young wingers.

The most symbolic moment came last season when he scored against his former club in Brighton’s home win over Newcastle.

His celebration – part praise, part provocation towards the travelling Toon Army – encapsulated both his passion and his defiance.

It was a reminder of what Newcastle had lost: a young winger capable of changing games.

Minteh’s 2024/25 campaign ended with six goals in 32 appearances, establishing him as a key piece in Fabian Hurzeler’s system.

Internationally, he continues to shine for Gambia, scoring seven goals in 19 caps since making his debut in 2022.

His evolution at Brighton highlights Newcastle’s biggest frustration – selling a player they had barely begun to utilise.

And now, as the two clubs prepare to meet again in the 3pm kick-off this Saturday, Minteh stands as both a warning and an inspiration for Eddie Howe: talent must be trusted early, or it risks flourishing elsewhere.

Newcastle's answer to Minteh

While Minteh is thriving in Brighton blue, Newcastle may already have their answer in Anthony Elanga.

The Swedish international has endured a mixed start to life on Tyneside since his move from Nottingham Forest, but recent performances suggest he’s turning a corner.

Elanga, 23, has been central to Howe’s efforts to reignite Newcastle’s attack.

Though the Magpies have been solid defensively – keeping six clean sheets already this season – their forward line has struggled to find rhythm.

Elanga’s energy, pace, and ability to stretch defences could be the key to unlocking that potential.

His performances have improved as the season progresses: sharper off the ball, more decisive in transition, and increasingly willing to take on defenders.

It’s that blend of directness and discipline that earned him the tag of “dangerous” by analyst Ben Mattinson – traits that made Elanga a standout at Forest and once an attacking outlet under Erik ten Hag at Manchester United.

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Much like Minteh, Elanga thrives when given space to run at full-backs, but his tactical versatility has allowed Howe to use him both wide and centrally.

His developing chemistry with Nick Woltemade gives Newcastle new dimensions going forward.

Crucially, Elanga represents something Newcastle lost with Minteh – fearless attacking intent.

The Swede’s willingness to press high, carry the ball aggressively, and exploit space behind defenders fits perfectly into Howe’s transition-heavy system.

With Brighton’s full-backs pushing high, Elanga’s pace could prove decisive in this weekend’s clash.

If he can produce the kind of form that once made him one of Manchester United’s brightest young prospects, Newcastle may finally have their revenge.

He already dazzled last term with 17 goals and assists in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest, as per Sofascore, far eclipsing Minteh’s own record of ten goal involvements on the south coast.

For Howe, this fixture is more than another Premier League match – it’s a test of progress, identity, and belief in youth.

Minteh’s success elsewhere may still sting, but in Elanga, Newcastle have a player ready to define their future rather than haunt their past.

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Chelsea had the chance to build on their impressive win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, but as they have done so many times this season, they faltered.

On paper, a game against Qarabağ looked like an easy three points for Enzo Maresca’s side, but in the end, they had to settle for just one.

The draw leaves them 12th in the Champions League, but the worst thing to come out of the match was another injury to Roméo Lavia.

The Belgian has been extremely unlucky during his time at Chelsea, and unless his luck improves, he could eventually be replaced by one of Cobham’s most promising prospects.

Lavia's Chelsea career

Chelsea signed Lavia from Southampton, and from under Liverpool’s nose, in the summer of 2023.

At the time, it seemed like money well spent, as the youngster was one of the most exciting midfielders in the Premier League the previous season and, as journalist Sam Tighe pointed out, “a shining star despite playing in terrible circumstances most of the time.”

Unfortunately, the youngster suffered a muscle tear and then an ankle injury in September 2023 and couldn’t make his competitive debut for the club until the 27th of December.

However, he wouldn’t kick on from there, as, thanks to a hamstring injury, he wouldn’t make another appearance all season.

Last season was marginally better, but even then, five injuries limited him to just 22 appearances, four of which came at the Club World Cup.

To nobody’s surprise, this year has not been much better, as the 21-year-old missed the first five league games with a muscle strain and came off the pitch on Wednesday night with another muscle injury.

Across the last two and a half years, Lavia has made just 30 appearances for the Blues, coming to a total of 1341 minutes.

Lavia’s Chelsea career

Season

Games

Minutes

23/24

1

32′

24/25

22

1069′

25/26

7

240′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

It would be hard to describe his time at Chelsea as anything other than a failure at the moment, and if he continues to be unreliable over the coming years, he could see himself replaced by an upcoming Cobham gem.

The Cobham gem who could eventually replace Lavia

While the results for the senior side have been frustratingly inconsistent, the good news for Chelsea is that they have several exciting prospects coming through the academy at the moment.

In The Pipeline

Expand Collapse

The likes of Chizaram Ezenwata, Shim Mheuka and Reggie Walsh could all make as first team regulars in a few years.

However, when it comes to a potential Lavia replacement, it’s hard to look past Reggie Watson.

The hugely exciting talent may still be just 15 years old, but is already making waves in the academy and could become a part of the first team squad a few years from now.

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The up-and-coming ace has demonstrated an ability to play in several different positions, from central midfield to centre-back, but, like the Belgian, is primarily a defensive midfielder.

According to one analyst, the “excellent” prospect has several key strengths which could make him an ideal long-term six for Marseca, such as being an “excellent ball retriever,” having “good passing and vision”, and having a knack for “dictating the tempo of the game.”

As if that wasn’t enough, the youngster is also “physically strong” for someone his age, and with all that in mind, it’s easy to see why he’s been described as being “so complete.”

Finally, on top of doing the business for the Blues’ youth sides, the teenager has also won six caps for England’s U16s, in which he’s scored three goals, primarily from defensive midfield.

Ultimately, it will be a few years yet until Watson is playing for the first team, but if Lavia remains injury-prone at that time, the Belgian could find himself replaced by the youngster.

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Ruben Amorim had some strong words for a £120,000-a-week Manchester United star in front of the rest of the squad at their Carrington training ground, it has been revealed.

Amorim says Man Utd “have a lot to do” after Tottenham draw

The Red Devils boss bemoaned United’s inability to kill off Tottenham and insisted they still have “lots of problems” after a dramatic 2-2 Premier League draw.

Matthijs de Ligt struck deep into stoppage time to rescue a point for United, who faced a first loss since a difficult September following Spurs goals from Mathys Tel and Richarlison.

“We have a lot of problems. We are just in the beginning. I know that sometimes the results show to people that we are improving. We are improving but we have a lot to do,” Amorim reflected candidly.

“You can divide the game into the final 10 minutes and also when we have to take out Harry Maguire, then suffer two goals and then losing Ben. To overcome everything and manage to score is a good thing.

“If you look at the rest of the game, I think we were comfortable in the game but we should do better. Be more aggressive, feeling the environment in the stadium that the three points were there, the space was there and I think we felt too comfortable during the game.

“We need to expect that in one play anything can happen and change the mood of the stadium. Today was that. I think we control well the game, but we need to do better because the game was there to take.”

It was the first time United faced Spurs since the Europa League final, and it has now been revealed that Amorim was fuming with one of his players after the defeat in Bilbao.

Man Utd slammed Ugarte in front of teammates during Carrington meeting

The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell wrote an in-depth story on Amorim’s first year in charge at Old Trafford.

He revealed that Amorim wasn’t happy with Manuel Ugarte following the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham and let him know in front of his Man Utd teammates during a Carrington meeting.

Amorim felt that Ugarte ‘had let his work rate slide from their time together at Sporting’ adding that the midfielder ‘had gotten comfortable and said he did not recognise him as the same player from their first stint together’.

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Whitwell added that ‘criticising a former player in front of his team-mates certainly caused a ripple of reaction among those in the squad’ and ‘showed them that Amorim was hard, but broadly fair, when it came to assessing application’.

Ugarte’s Man Utd stats

Total

Games

55

Goals

2

Assists

6

Yellow cards

15

Red cards

0

Minutes played

3,239

The Uruguay international, on £120,000-a-week in Manchester, is yet to be fully trusted by Amorim during the 2025/26 season, considering that he’s started just two Premier League games so far.

Playing under 350 minutes in all competitions, Ugarte has been preferred to Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in central midfield, so by the looks of things, he still has plenty of work to do to get back in Amorim’s good books.

Casemiro's stance on new contract as Man Utd make U-turn and contact his agent

One player still on the books at Manchester United has been told that his Old Trafford “career is over” by a former Red Devils midfielder.

Players who could leave Man Utd in 2026

2026 could be another busy year at Old Trafford in regards to incomings and outgoings, with Ruben Amorim and INEOS continuing to make their mark in Manchester.

The Red Devils have four players out of contract at the end of the season, one of which is midfielder Casemiro.

Players out of contract at Man Utd in 2026

Harry Maguire

Casemiro (option until 2027)

Tom Heaton

Tyrell Malacia

Man Utd have the option to extend that by a further 12 months, however, Amorim and INEOS seemingly clashing behind the scenes regarding the Brazilian. Amorim wants to keep Casemiro whereas INEOS want him to take a pay cut from his current £350,000-a-week wage.

There are also numerous loanees away from Man Utd who could seal permanent exits at the end of the season. Rasmus Hojlund is at Napoli, Marcus Rashford is at Barcelona, Jadon Sancho is at Aston Villa and Andre Onana is with Trabzonspor.

United could look to move the quartet out on a full-time basis, with options to buy inserted in Rashford’s move to the Nou Camp and Hojlund’s move to Napoli. Now, another one of the four has been told he has no future at the club by a pundit.

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Posts ByTom Cunningham Strachan tells Onana his Man Utd “career is over”

Former Man Utd midfielder Gordon Strachan, speaking to Esports News relayed by The Manchester Evening News, feels that Andre Onana “has played his last game” for Man Utd and would be “shocked” if he played for the Red Devils again.

Onana’s Man Utd contract is worth £120,000-a-week and there is no option to buy for the Turkish side at the end of the season, with the ‘keeper’s Manchester deal not expiring until 2028.

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United forked out just under £50m on Onana back in 2023, but after numerous errors at Old Trafford and Amorim now having Senne Lammens, a permanent exit could make sense for all involved next year.

Forget Anderson: Man Utd in talks to sign "world's most underrated footballer"

While Arsenal dropped points prior to the international break, this weekend represented a colossal opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s men to stamp their authority on this Premier League title race.

Manchester City and Liverpool suffered defeat, meaning that once the Gunners had beaten fierce rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, their advantage over City in third was now seven points.

As Jamie Carragher put it at full-time on Sky Sports, the only team who can stop Arsenal from winning the league are Arsenal.

They have the tactics, they have the defensive shape and they now have the attacking firepower and depth to their squad to take on anyone.

As Arsenal swatted aside Spurs, they did so without a recognised centre-forward, they did so without captain Martin Odegaard and they did so without Gabriel, one of the most influential players in the entire division this season.

The man to thank? Well, it was certainly Eberechi Eze.

The key men as Arsenal defeat Spurs

Coming into this game the narrative was all about Eze.

The attacking midfielder had famously rejected a move to Spurs in the summer in favour of returning to his boyhood club.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank was quizzed on that in his pre-game press conference and muttered a response that he will now live to regret: “Who’s Eze?”

The Dane said that with a smile. Well, he certainly knows who Eze is now.

He became the first Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in the north London derby since Alan Sunderland in 1978 and he did so in some style.

It was Leandro Trossard who has opened the scoring but Eze, signed for £67.5m over the summer from Crystal Palace, stole the show.

Arsenal have lacked a player with his ability to shoot on sight and boy did he do so on Sunday evening. His first was a brilliant taken effort in a crowded penalty area but his second and third goals came with more space.

The quality, however, was equally as good each time. The England international scored a stunning goal for his country over the international break and was bang in form again here. The way he dispatched his second on his weaker foot spoke volumes of the form this man is in.

The third was also sumptuous. Fed the ball by Trossard, the former Palace star took one touch to set himself, ignored Bukayo Saka to his right and rifled the ball home.

Eze deserved most of the plaudits but the aforementioned Trossard did too. He scored and assisted, meaning that in the 32 games where he has found the net for Arsenal, he has never been on the losing team.

An amount of praise must be passed to Piero Hincapie too.

With Gabriel injured and out of the side the Ecuadorian stood in at centre-half and was exemplary on his first start in the Premier League, winning all three of his contested aerial duels.

Still, there was a rather underrated performance elsewhere that we’re yet to mention.

Arsenal star shows shades of Ozil and Odegaard

An attacking midfielder lights up the Emirates again and you’d be forgiven for thinking that Eze was the most alike to a certain Mesut Ozil and Odegaard.

Yet, in rather surprising circumstances, the player who evoked memories of those dazzling Arsenal players was Mikel Merino.

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When the Spaniard signed for the Gunners in 2024 he was renowned as something of a duel monster. While he’s played regularly in midfield for Arteta, he has been most impactful as a makeshift striker.

Injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus last term meant that the Spain international needed to fill in as a centre-forward. He performed admirably too, notably scoring against Real Madrid and rescuing that win against Leicester when he first featured as the number 9.

Arsenal signed Viktor Gyokeres in the summer but have still had to rely on Merino with Jesus, Havertz and the Swede on the sidelines in recent weeks.

The £32m midfielder netted twice against Slavia Prague in the Champions League a few weeks ago but perhaps saved his finest display of the season for Spurs on Sunday.

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He started the game slowly but held the ball up admirably and although he won’t run the channels like Gyokeres, he made the team click and was the catalyst for Eze’s hat-trick. That was outlined by analyst Raj Chohan on social media.

That wasn’t the best thing Merino did, however. The pass for Trossard’s goal was remarkable.

He received the ball 25 yards from goal, waited for precisely the right moment to clip the ball into the box and he did so delightfully, finding the Belgian who swivelled and then found the net.

It was a scarily good pass, one that evoked memories of a certain Ozil.

In the process of being hailed as “Arsenal’s most underrated player” by club insider, Hand of Arsenal, he stated that “if that pass is made by Ozil we are raving.”

Merino vs Spurs

Minutes played

88

Touches

44

Accurate passes

16/22 (73%)

Shots

1

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

0/2

Tackles won

5/5

Ground duels won

8/15

Aerial duels won

2/7

Recoveries

3

Stats via Sofascore.

CBS reporter James Benge had a similar viewpoint, remarking that it was “an Arsene Wenger building an entire midfield out of diminutive playmakers” type of pass.

Cast your mind back to the days of Ozil, to some of Odegaard’s magical assists in Arsenal colours, it was right out of their playbook and it broke down what had been a stubborn Spurs defence up to that point.

Merino is not the most stylish of players, he is not the Rolls-Royce. However, what he will always guarantee is a mighty strong shift and a very efficient performance. He delivered just that on Sunday again, all with a bit of Ozil flavour.

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Former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers made several additions to the playing squad during the summer transfer window, and Wilfried Nancy is tasked with getting the best out of them.

The Northern Irish boss made 11 signings to bolster his options across the pitch before he eventually resigned after a 3-1 defeat to Hearts at the end of October.

Nancy has to try to get the best out of those signings in the coming months and years, as many of them have failed to live up to the hype so far this season.

Ranking Celtic's summer signings

Whilst this may say more about the rest of the business done in the summer, Benjamin Nygren has been the club’s best signing of the season, as he is currently Celtic’s top goalscorer in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, with seven goals in 25 games.

Kieran Tierney, who arrived on a free transfer, and Marcelo Saracchi, who joined on loan from Boca Juniors, have also been solid additions in the left-back position, sharing duties in that role.

Callum Osmand joined from Fulham after his contract expired with the English side and scored one goal and won a penalty in three first-team matches before picking up an injury, which suggests that he is an exciting talent to watch out for when he is back fit.

Ranking Celtic’s summer signings

Rank

Player

1

Benjamin Nygren

2

Kieran Tierney

3

Callum Osmand

4

Kelechi Iheanacho

5

Marcelo Saracchi

6

Ross Doohan

7

Sebastian Tounekti

8

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

9

Hayato Inamura

10

Shin Yamada

11

Michel-Ange Balikwisha

Ross Doohan, who joined on a free transfer as a third-choice goalkeeper, is the dividing player between poor and good signings in the rankings above, as the most average addition to the squad.

We have Sebastian Tounekti in the lower half of the rankings because he is starting to look like one of the biggest wastes of money since Albian Ajeti.

Why Sebastian Tounekti looks like a waste of money

After creating four chances, completing five dribbles, and scoring one goal in his first two matches, per Sofascore, the Tunisia international looked primed to be a star for the Hoops. Rodgers even claimed that he “excites the crowd”.

Celtic paid £5.2m to sign the forward from Hammarby to make him the most expensive signing of the summer, falling just shy of the £6m mark that would have taken him into the club’s top ten most expensive signings in their history.

Unfortunately, three months later, Tounekti has recorded two goals and zero assists in 18 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has struggled to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

Since Celtic paid £5m for Ajeti, who scored just nine goals in 48 games as a striker (Transfermarkt), the Hoops have signed six players for more than £5m: Jota (twice), Cameron Carter-Vickers, Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Auston Trusty, and Tounekti.

Jota was sold for £25m, before being re-signed, and Idah was sold for £6m after scoring 20 goals in all competitions last season, which shows that they were not complete wastes of money.

Carter-Vickers, of course, has been a long-serving regular starter for the club and Auston Trusty has made 50 appearances, now established as a regular starter, per Transfermarkt.

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Engels, signed for £11m from Augsburg, has been fairly effective at the top end of the pitch, per Transfermarkt, with a return of 12 goals and 17 assists in 76 appearances since the start of last season.

This shows that the five other most expensive signings since Ajeti flopped at Parkhead have either been successful signings or had plenty of positives in their time at Celtic, even if it did not work out perfectly.

Tounekti, though, has one goal and no assists in his last 16 appearances for Celtic, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be a regular starter under the new manager, after he was the first player to be substituted in the 2-1 defeat to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

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For a player signed for £5.2m, he has not delivered enough quality at the top end of the pitch to suggest that he was a worthwhile signing, which is why he currently looks like one of their biggest wastes of money since Ajeti flopped at the club with his nine goals in 48 games.

Glasgow Rangers lost in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since Danny Rohl replaced Russell Martin in the dugout as they were beaten 2-1 by Hearts on Sunday.

The Light Blues were unable to get one over the league leaders, who continue to march towards an unlikely title, and the German head coach has now won six, drawn two, and lost one in the division.

Rangers found themselves 2-0 down by the break and that convinced the ex-Sheffield Wednesday boss to ruthlessly withdraw Mohamed Diomande from the pitch to bring on Youssef Chermiti.

Why Mohamed Diomande was unlucky to be taken off

The Ivorian central midfielder, who is available because he did not make his country’s AFCON squad, was unfortunate to be the one who had to go off at the break, because he was far from the worst performer on the pitch.

Per Sofascore, Diomande won 100% of his tackles and 100% of his aerial duels, and was not dribbled past a single time. He only made one foul, which he was fortunate not to receive a yellow card for, and recovered the ball twice.

In possession, the left-footed star only lost possession five times from 20 touches, completing 90% of his attempted passes, and created one chance for the side.

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These statistics show that he was far from horrendous in or out of possession in the middle of the park, which was also the impression from watching the game live. He was not playing amazing and dominating the midfield, but Diomande was not a liability who had to be taken off.

Meanwhile, a poor Rangers performer who should be ruthlessly dropped from the starting line-up by Rohl is an experienced star who has started every game under the new boss.

The Rangers flop who must finally be dropped

The Light Blues head coach should finally drop Jack Butland from the team for the clash with Motherwell at Ibrox next time out, after a disappointing display against Hearts.

Per Sofascore, the former Stoke star has started every single game under Rohl in all competitions so far, but the English shot-stopper showcased the worst of himself at Tynecastle.

Firstly, it was his poor distribution that led to the set-piece that brought the first goal, as his telegraphed clipped pass was easily read and intercepted by Cammy Devlin.

Then, as shown in the clip above, he had a nightmare for the second goal as Lawrence Shankland, astonishingly, found a way to beat him at his near post from a tight angle.

Heart & Hand content creator David Edgar described it as an “unforgivable” error and journalist Jonny McFarlane noted that Butland “will always make three or four howlers a season”, which speaks to how frequent his mistakes have become.

The former England international was even worse than Diomande on Sunday because his two errors were costly for two goals, whilst the central midfielder simply put in an average display and was slightly harshly withdrawn at the break.

Butland’s errors have become far too frequent in the 2025/26 campaign. His mistake against Hearts is the fifth error that has led to a shot or goal in the Premiership, the most he has ever made in one season for Rangers, despite the fact it is only December.

Jack Butland’s Rangers regression

Season

Error led to shot

Error led to goal

25/26 Premiership

3

2

25/26 Europa League

1

1

24/25 Premiership

2

2

24/25 Europa League

0

1

23/24 Premiership

1

0

23/24 Europa League

0

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 32-year-old flop has already made more errors in the Premiership and the Europa League than he did last term.

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His regression between the sticks is perfectly illustrated by these statistics because they show that he has made more errors each season since he signed in the summer of 2023. To put it simply, he is getting worse.

Liam Kelly showed himself to be an able deputy in the 2024/25 campaign, with five clean sheets in 12 appearances, and should be given an opportunity to make his first league appearance of the season against Motherwell next time out.

Then, the Light Blues can take a look at the situation when the January transfer window opens for business to see if there is an opportunuity for them to move Butland on and bring in a new number one who is less prone to making significant errors.

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Rayan Cherki chose a good time to end his Premier League drought as his late strike earned Manchester City a vital 2-1 win at Nottingham Forest.

Guardiola answers questions over Semenyo transfer

The France international had not found the net in the league since the opening day of the season, but his 83rd-minute effort ensured Pep Guardiola’s side registered a sixth successive victory.

City had looked like they were going to have to settle for a point as a resolute Forest pegged them back when Omari Hutchinson’s strike cancelled out Tijjani Reijnders’ opener, which was created by Cherki.

And Guardiola was pestered over a move for Antoine Semenyo after the match, dropping a simple two-word response with a coy smile.

Semenyo has scored nine times and provided three assists in 17 appearances in the Premier League this season, and is available for a £65m release clause which becomes active in January.

David Ornstein has confirmed City are in pole position after the player rejected a move to Tottenham.

Man City send title message

The way City ground out another win was an ominous sign for their title rivals.

Forest had the better moment in the first half, going close in the seventh minute when Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross was begging to be touched home but neither Igor Jesus nor Morgan Gibbs-White both could connect.

The hosts defended well and repelled anything City had to offer. But that changed within three minutes of the restart as the visitors went ahead with their first shot on target.

A well-worked move saw Cherki slip in Reijnders and he fired a low first-time finish under Forest goalkeeper John Victor.

John was required to make an outstanding save to keep it at 1-0 shortly after when the Brazilian tipped Cherki’s shot on to a post.

It was a completely different game and Forest hit back in the 54th minute.

Gibbs-White set a counter-attack going, which ended in Jesus pulling the ball back for Hutchinson to drill home from 12 yards.

That saw Forest regain some control and they pushed for a second, with a big chance coming in the 66th minute.

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Neco Williams’ shot was palmed away by Gianluigi Donnarumma and right-back Nicola Savona blazed the rebound from an acute angle well over.

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The tide began to turn as City searched for a second and they too had a great chance.

After some slick passing, Phil Foden’s footwork created a shooting opportunity and the net seemed certain to bulge until John stuck a leg out and made a crucial save.

The winner seemed inevitable and it came in the 83rd minute when a corner fell to Cherki 12 yards out and he drilled a low finish that John was unable to keep out.

Against Barnsley, Liverpool proved that their biggest threat this season comes from within.

Arne Slot’s side won 4-1 to kickstart their FA Cup campaign, setting up a fourth-round tie against fellow Premier League side Brighton at Anfield, but perhaps the Reds flattered to deceive against the spirited League One side.

Liverpool are on an 11-game unbeaten run across all competitions, and Slot has steadied the ship after a wretched run of form that has left the champions well adrift of Arsenal at the top of the league table.

But performances have left much to be desired, with a new pragmatic approaching equating the avoidance of defeat to progress.

That is progress, to be fair, but the Liverpool faithful demand more. This team must excite and inspire, bringing fans that kid-in-a-playground feeling once more. If Slot hopes to spend many years in the Anfield dugout, he needs more creativity, which is why FSG are considering a new playmaker in the centre of the park.

Liverpool have held talks to sign Champions League midfielder

After Liverpool were held to a dramatic draw at Craven Cottage, Fulham boss Marco Silva said, “We controlled Liverpool”. He spoke of his side’s aggression and how the Reds struggled to match that.

To a point, this is true. Certainly, Liverpool have lacked verve in the engine room this season, especially when compared to last year. Alexis Mac Allister has shelled up, and Ryan Gravenberch’s flaws as an anchor man have been raised, even if he’s still one of the best in the business.

They can do it, though, as the recent draw against Arsenal showed. Liverpool’s biggest threat comes from within, and with the right addition, they could turn the tide.

Well, according to TEAMtalk, Arda Guler might be the man to bring Liverpool back to the top, with FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes understood to have made ‘numerous enquiries’ about the Real Madrid prospect over the past year.

Madrid have just parted with head coach Xabi Alonso after his tumultuous months-long stewardship, throwing plenty into doubt in the Spanish capital.

Guler may see this as a clean break, having dropped down the pecking order over the past few months, but with Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea all prowling, Los Blancos may want to cash in, having priced the creative midfielder at an unreasonable £130m.

How Arda Guler could become a Liverpool superstar

Funny that Liverpool should struggle to create after losing Trent Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid. The one-of-a-kind right-back is one of the incredible passers you’ll ever see, and what he gave Jurgen Klopp and then Slot from right-back is non-replicable.

Slot and Hughes recognised this, which is why Florian Wirtz was signed for £116m. The German operates from a more ‘normal’ creative area, but he is not of the same style as Trent, whose long, surgical passing is still missed.

Perhaps Guler can help rework that element into Liverpool’s line-up? The Turkish international, after all, has a whole wealth of experience performing from right midfield, though more and more often nowadays, he plays in the middle of the pitch.

Indeed, the 20-year-old has been labelled “the best centre-midfield prospect in world football right now” by writer Neal Gardner.

Arda Guler’s Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals + Assists

Attacking midfield

76

15 + 15

Right wing

62

15 + 19

Central midfield

22

4 + 6

Centre-forward

4

4 + 3

Left wing

4

0 + 1

Data via Transfermarkt

But Guler may be even more than that, with Santos star Neymar Jr. recently calling the up-and-comer “the best midfielder in the world”.

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That might be a touch overblown, Neymar, but we see your point. Guler left Fenerbahce in his homeland and joined Real Madrid aged 18, and he has starred 89 times, scoring 15 goals and providing 19 assists for his teammates.

Peer closer into Guler’s underlying ability and you’ll see why he could mimic Alexander-Arnold’s long ball-playing effect on Merseyside. As per data-driven site FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 11% for passes attempted per 90.

While Guler is considered an attacking midfielder, he could easily play in a deeper berth, orchestrating and directing play. In La Liga this season, he creates 2.2 chances per game, as per Sofascore, but he’s also won 55% of his ground duels, telling of composure and willingness when against the ball.

Signing Guler would bring Liverpool’s creative direction into a new focus, restoring that passing ability of Alexander-Arnold to the team, but in a different and new way.

Slot does not want to grasp at old straws, but reinvent this squad and push them further and further forward. Guler, for sure, could lead this new charge.

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Manchester United are a club who have become known for splashing the cash in the transfer market over recent years, in an attempt to edge closer to their former Premier League glory.

The Red Devils have shelled out over £800m on new additions since the summer of 2022, with various managers being backed by the hierarchy at Old Trafford.

Ruben Amorim was the latest manager in such a line, with the 40-year-old handed over £200m in the recent summer alone to try and resurrect his career in Manchester.

However, it appears that such a move was to no avail, especially after he was handed his marching orders and sacked from his position earlier in the week.

His dismissal may have come as a shock, but the hierarchy are still targeting added reinforcements during the ongoing January window to hand his replacement the best chance of success.

Man Utd preparing club-record bid for young talent

The need for investment in the United squad has been there for everyone to see in 2025/26, with the club still short of quality in numerous key areas of the squad.

The Red Devils’ midfield department still appears somewhat light in real star quality, something which the board have tried to rectify with a pursuit of Brighton star Carlos Baleba.

During the summer, Amorim made it clear he wanted to sign the Cameroonian international, but even after the manager’s departure, it appears the hierarchy are continuing with the pursuit – but any deal could cost over £100m.

The youngster isn’t the only player on their radar who could cost a small fortune this winter, with RB Leipzig sensation Yan Diomande another star currently being pursued.

According to TEAMtalk, United are just one of a number of sides keen on a move for the teenage winger who already has six league goals in just 14 appearances.

It also states that the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are closely monitoring the forward, who only joined his current side six months ago.

However, like Baleba, it would be a huge statement of intent from the board, with the Bundesliga side slapping a price tag of over £100m on the attacker’s head – a deal that would break United’s record.

Why Diomande would be a Sesko repeat for United

As part of the club’s recent spending spree last summer, United paid a staggering £74m for the signature of Benjamin Sesko to finally end their hunt for a new centre-forward.

Given the nature of the fee, the Red Devils fanbase were no doubt excited about the prospect of the Slovenian international, but his move hasn’t fully lived up to its full potential as of yet.

The 22-year-old has featured in 17 league outings so far this campaign, but has only managed to find the back of the net on four occasions – the third highest of any player in the squad.

However, Sesko registered his first double for the club during Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with Burnley – which could ignite the flame for the talisman during his time at Old Trafford.

Patience will no doubt need to be handed his way before he secures the hearts of the fans, but he’s certainly demonstrated glimpses of his quality in recent months.

He could benefit from the move to land Diomande during the current window, with the Ivorian star potentially following in his footsteps in the near future.

If he does move to the Premier League, it would be a repeat of Sesko, with the Red Devils hierarchy forking out a huge fee to land a star from German side RB Leipzig.

His incredible stats from his breakout season in the Bundesliga highlight the quality he possesses with the ball at his feet – potentially having the tools to provide the goods for Sesko on a consistent basis.

Diomande, who’s been dubbed the “best in the business” by talent scout Wasi, has completed 6.3 progressive carries and 4.3 successful take-ons in the Bundesliga this season.

Yan Diomande – Bundesliga stats (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

14

Goals & assists

8

Pass accuracy

82%

Progressive carries

6.3

Successful take-ons

4.3

Key passes

1.4

Passes into 18-yard box

1.4

Carries into final third

3.9

Carries into the 18-yard box

3.4

Stats via FBref

Such numbers showcase his phenomenal ability to glide past the opposition and create a problem at any given opportunity for any player who tries to stand in his way. It also shines a light on why The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor noted that Diomande is “physically similar” to United target Antoine Semenyo.

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However, he’s also been able to add the end product to his runs in Leipzig this season, as seen by his superb tally of 1.4 key passes and 1.4 passes into the opposition box per 90.

The aforementioned figures could hugely benefit Sesko in the long-term, with the striker potentially getting on the end of the winger’s darting runs into the opposition box.

Diomande’s quality in possession is further demonstrated with his tally of 3.4 carries into the final third per 90, which could inject needed pace into the current Red Devils attack.

Whilst any move would be a huge gamble on the United hierarchy’s part, it’s one that could turn out to be a masterstroke if the youngster continues on his current trajectory.

A partnership of Diomande and Sesko at United is one for the fanbase to get excited about, with the duo having the chance to write a new history for the club alongside one another and under the latest manager.

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