West Ham United have struggled to achieve their pre-season ambitions this term and the same could be said for Liverpool, with Jurgen Klopp’s side failing to establish themselves as favourites in the race for Champions League football.
There is a real danger that Anfield could be without football in Europe’s most prestigious competition for another year and Klopp will certainly have to go back to the drawing board this summer, as he seeks signings to make Liverpool potential title contenders.
Reports today have suggested Klopp’s eye has been caught by West Ham United’s 24-year-old midfielder Pedro Obiang, who has performed well during the Hammers’ return to form in the past six weeks, but the statistics show he may not be the right fit.
The most concerning stat for Liverpool fans will be the fact Obiang has committed two defensive errors that have led to goals this season, something that a shaky Reds side cannot afford to have- as there is already too many players within the squad guilty of that.
22 fouls conceded is also not a great tally to boast, as it suggests Obiang leans on the wrong side of the football laws a bit too often. Judging by these numbers, the Reds should perhaps look elsewhere.
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Welcome to a new feature on our Fantasy Premier League cover, in which we try to give you teams with the best fixtures in the upcoming games and the players that could benefit from this run.
The English top flight this season has been rather unpredictable in terms of results, but one of the things that have remained rather consistent this year are players keeping their form.
This term, we saw Jamie Vardy break the Premier League record of scoring in 10 games by making it 11, while Romelu Lukaku has himself been in a eight-game scoring streak.
Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil also racked up points in 11 games in succession as well, albeit be a goal or a couple of assists.
So as we look ahead to which clubs could benefit from an easier fixture list, we can have the ease of mind that their consistency will continue, and they will perform even better in games they are expected to win.
Here are THREE teams and which players could benefit in the next several games.
Everton
After a Goodison Park clash with Tottenham and two away games against Manchester City and then Chelsea, Everton have the opportunity to pick up their first win of 2016 when they host Swansea City this weekend.
The Swans are struggling so far this season despite their 1-0 victory over Watford during the weekend, and could be overturned by a free-scoring Toffees on Sunday.
But even better news, after that the Everton will then face Newcastle (Home), Stoke City (Away), and West Brom (Home) in their next three… before a Merseyside derby against Liverpool which could also be a cracker.
Romelu Lukaku (9.2), Ross Barkley (7.2), Gerard Deulofeu (6.1) are the main men that could rack up some points during this run. Leighton Baines (6.1) is a high value risk in defence, but the Toffees’ mediocre defensive record makes us reluctant in suggesting the England left-back.
West Bromwich Albion
Early in the season, West Bromwich Albion were the go to team if you wanted points in defence. But after collecting six clean sheets in their first 10 games, the Baggies have been breached in every game except one since then.
However, Tony Pullis’ men face three out of the four bottom clubs in their next three games, with Aston Villa and Swansea City travelling to the Hawthornes before a trip to St. James’ Park against Newcastle United.
This brings any of their starting defenders into contention, but Jonny Evans (4.8) is a great option due to his rather kind price tag. Goalkeeper Boaz Myhill (4.7) is also a decent route into their back line, but with Ben Foster (4.9) now fit there may be a swap between the sticks. With their attack faltering, only invest in the back for now.
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West Ham United
West Ham United face rampant Manchester City this weekend… so how could this be considered a good fixture?
Well if you haven’t watched the English top flight this season, then you wouldn’t know that the Hammers have been walking over all the top clubs so far… already beating the Citizens at the Etihad 2-1 back in September.
But the City game apart, the Irons go on to play Aston Villa (Home), Southampton (Away), Norwich (Away), and Sunderland (Home) in their next four, making their Fantasy assets in demand.
Dimitri Payet (8.0) looks to be the most obvious candidate, but their defence are worth a mention after keeping four clean sheets in the last eight games. James Collins has become a consistent starter and is priced at just 4.3, but if you want a defender with attacking returns, Aaron Cresswell (5.6) is you guy. Enner Valencia (6.8) is a differential option up front, being their only fully fit striker.
A return for Gerard Deulofeu to Everton for next season always looked a long shot. The reshuffling of manager at Barcelona – Luis Enrique replacing Tata Martino – will precede the overhauling of a squad in dire need of fresh faces.
And Barcelona have a lot of reason to be impressed by Everton and Roberto Martinez’s handling of Deulofeu last term. A loan move was always on the cards for the Spanish winger, but the confirmation of a switch to Everton and the Premier League was greeted with much scepticism: was the Premier League the ideal fit when another La Liga club made much more sense? In hindsight, it was a brilliant move for all concerned.
Everton will of course feel a little hard done by. Martinez took the right approach in easing Deulofeu into first-team action, allowing for full acclimatisation to an unfamiliar country. But when the youngster did finally get starts under his belt and looked every bit capable of helping Everton to a top four finish, he was cut down by injury, missing eight weeks.
But it’s that stint in the Everton team that has convinced Barcelona and Enrique to hang onto the La Masia graduate, once considered capable of matching Lionel Messi’s brilliance. Along with Deulofeu, Rafinha, the younger brother of Thiago Alcantara, will join up with the Barcelona first-team squad after impressing on loan at Celta Vigo last season.
But it’s not all down hill from here for Everton. While Deulofeu is out of the question, Barcelona teammate Cristian Tello is very much on the table and reportedly available for loan – which will suit both clubs once again.
Tello struggled to find regular match time last season under Martino, in spite of a string of impressive showings under Tito Vilanova the season before. The winger, capable on either flank, had an extraordinary conversion rate during the 2012-13 season, hitting seven goals from 12 shots on target.
It’s also odd that Martino saw little value in Tello. The Spaniard doesn’t really fit the mould of a typical Barcelona player. He’s direct, leaning on his pace, shooting and delivery more than the type of passing mastery exhibited by Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. It’s odd the Martino overlooked him because Alexis Sanchez, a similarly direct player, saw his best season at the Camp Nou under the former head coach.
Tello’s talent, however, can be told by the interest held in him by various Premier League clubs, including Liverpool and Tottenham. This is a player who was introduced to the Champions League under Pep Guardiola. One of his highlights was scoring twice in a 7-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen. Unfortunately for Tello, his efforts were shadowed by Messi’s five-goal performance.
This is a fantastic alternative to Deulofeu for Everton. He may be slight, raising concerns, naturally, for his suitability for the Premier League. But the changing landscape of the English top flight, where many diminutive Spaniards are thriving, favours the 22-year-old.
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Once again, Tello will offer firepower to a squad in need of replacing the goals of Romelu Lukaku next season. Due to his familiarity with first-team football at Barcelona, as well as at international level with Spain’s U21 team, there shouldn’t be much requirement for Martinez to hold off on giving Tello his first start in the way he did with Deulofeu.
It’s difficult to see Tello as having a future at the Camp Nou; Deulofeu’s place at the club over the coming years always looked more assured. But Martinez looks on the brink of completing another highly favourable deal, which could eventually lead to the permanent signing of Tello if he impresses.
Olivier Giroud insists that Arsenal cannot afford another slip up when they come up against Montpellier in the Champions League tomorrow night.
Arsene Wenger’s side have failed to win in their last two games, both losses coming against Schalke and now take on the French champions who have just the one point in the group stage so far.
Giroud scored his seventh goal for Arsenal during the 5-2 victory against Tottenham at the weekend and understands the importance of getting a result when he comes up against his former team.
“It’s a must-win match for us because Arsenal have to go through to the next phase of the competition,” the Frenchman told The Sun.
“Montpellier have nothing to lose now they are already eliminated but we have to be careful as that’s when some teams are most dangerous.
“They didn’t become champions of France with no talent. We must not take anything for granted when they come to the Emirates.”
Giroud also hinted that Montpellier are struggling to cope with the success they achieved last season, adding fuel to the fire of his return to his former club.
“I’ve spoken to some of the guys at Montpellier and they have been having a difficult season. It was a big surprise to everyone that we were champions of France and maybe it was hard to digest,” he added.
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“Last season things seemed to go our way. We were riding a wave and it seems that wave isn’t there anymore.”
Sports minister Hugh Robertson has come to the defence of the FA, after the governing body’s decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy came under scrutiny from Fabio Capello.
With the Chelsea defender set to appear in court in July in regards to Anton Ferdinand’s claims that Terry racially abused him, the FA took the nation’s captain’s armband away from the centre back, much to the distain of Capello.
However Robertson has made a public statement of support for the FA.
“It’s a difficult situation and emotions are running high, but I think up to now the FA have acted very sensibly, very reasonably and come to the right decision,” Robertson told Sky Sports News.
“There were two things they had to tackle at the end of last week. The moral case, which is very, very difficult one, because in this country you are innocent until proved guilty.
“It would have been very tough to take action on that front, but then there was also the practical side of it which is that it was going to make it extraordinarily difficult for John Terry, fabulous footballer and great captain that he is, to discharge that responsibility in the white heat of this sort of publicity during the European Championship so I believe they entirely made the right decision.
“I don’t think there’s any, any way that John Terry could have carried out the very considerable duties that are required of the national captain with this sort of thing going on in the background. Every single press conference, every single appearance, everything the England team had done during those Euros if he would have been captain would have had that as a backdrop.
“Whatever you think of John Terry the person, what you think about the case that is bound to of had a very poor effect on the team. So it was the only practical and sensible thing the FA could do,” he concluded.
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Producing top-class young talent is nothing new for Manchester United and they may have their next superstar already waiting in the wings at the Theatre of Dreams.
Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Scott McTominay have all graduated from the Red Devils’ youth system in recent years, and there could soon be another name to add to that illustrious list.
The Guardian newspaper recently published their annual Next Generation list where they profile the next crop of talent rising through the ranks at Premier League clubs, and named amongst the division’s current crop of wonderkids was United’s very own Ethan Ennis.
After making the controversial switch from fierce rivals Liverpool, the 16-year-old bagged a 15-minute hat-trick as a substitute on his FA Youth Cup debut against Sutton United last season, illustrating why the 20-time English champions were so keen to add him to their setup.
The teenager looked set for a bright future at his boyhood club but rejected a scholarship offer from the Merseysiders, putting other top academies on red alert.
With both Chelsea and United vying for the forward’s signature, Ennis eventually decided to make the switch from one northwest powerhouse to another, announcing his decision to sign for the 20-time English champions on Instagram.
“I am delighted to announce that I have signed for Manchester United,” he wrote. “Grateful for this opportunity, can’t wait to get started.”
Ennis added two more goals and an assist for United’s under-18s in the remainder of the campaign after his treble against Sutton, earning praise from several impressed onlookers, who are already tipping him for greatness.
“He is two-footed, commanding in the air, and jet-heeled. In recent years United have produced Marcus Rashford and Mason Greenwood: might Ennis be next to hit the big time?” wrote The Guardian’s Jamie Jackson.
Famed for his eye for goal, impressive dribbling ability and brilliant passing range from his favoured number 10 position, there’s a genuine possibility that United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could unearth Juan Mata’s natural heir in the 16-year-old.
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The 33-year-old Spaniard is nearing the end of his time at Old Trafford, and with Jesse Lingard, Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek all being linked with moves away as well in recent months, the club’s engine room may be in need of a refresh over the coming months.
Whether Ennis is ready to make the step up to first team football anytime soon remains to be seen, but he’s certainly one of several exciting academy products at United worth keeping an eye on.
In other news… Report shares promising Man Utd update which should leave fans delighted
Liverpool will be out for revenge this weekend. Last season the Reds lost 1-0 at Anfield to Wolves, a defeat that was effectively the final nail in Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson’s coffin. Kenny Dalglish will be looking to put that right this season and he might just have talisman Steven Gerrard to call on. He’ll also be looking for your support, which you can give from the Anfield Legends Lounge!
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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.
Everton’s search for a match-winning centre-forward is heating up.
The club’s recruitment team are pushing hard to secure a signing who can both lead the line with authority and bring a clinical edge in front of goal.
The profile they are targeting is clear: a striker in the mould of Romelu Lukaku – a player who can bully defenders with physicality and convert chances at a prolific rate.
The Toffees have been crying out for a reliable forward since the Belgian’s departure in 2017.
Now, with David Moyes at the helm and a summer recruitment strategy shaped by ambition, Everton appear ready to act decisively.
Everton's looking at signing their new Lukaku
The club have already turned heads with the loan signing of Jack Grealish from Manchester City, adding star quality to their forward line.
But there is a growing acceptance that, without a proven striker to convert those chances, Everton’s attacking rebuild will be incomplete.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The latest target fits the brief, and reports suggest the Merseyside outfit are prepared to make a significant financial commitment to get their man.
According to Football Insider, Everton have submitted a £37m bid for AS Roma’s powerful Ukrainian striker, Artem Dovbyk.
Dovbyk, 28, has been the subject of widespread Premier League interest this summer, with clubs such as Leeds United, West Ham United and Sunderland all linked to him.
However, Everton appear to be leading the race, aided by the fact that Roma are also owned by the Friedkin Group.
The striker is reportedly keen on a move to England, just 18 months after joining Roma from La Liga side Girona.
His final audition came in a 1-0 pre-season win over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, where Dovbyk featured for 80 minutes.
The Lukaku Comparison
Everton’s interest in this “elite target man”, as he’s been referred to by European football expert Zach Lowy, comes alongside other forward-thinking moves in the market.
They are keeping tabs on right-wing options such as Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo and Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, both of whom could operate alongside the Ukrainian in a new-look attack.
Southampton's TylerDiblingcelebrates scoring their third goal with Mateus Fernandes
Dovbyk’s arrival would also provide valuable mentorship to 22-year-old French striker Thierno Barry, recently signed from Villarreal for £27.6m and boasting a similar physical style of play.
The comparison to Lukaku is an obvious one – and for good reason.
Both players stand at over 1.88 and combine their physical power with an instinctive eye for goal.
Career Goals
Romelu Lukaku
286
Artem Dovbyk
131
Source: FBref
Dovbyk’s stats from his 2023/24 season with Girona underscore just how effective he can be.
The Ukrainian scored 24 goals and provided 8 assists in 36 league appearances, helping the Catalan club secure Champions League qualification for the first time in their history.
According to FBref, he ranked in the 97th percentile for goals per 90 (0.83) and the 97th percentile for expected goals per 90 (0.84), demonstrating the kind of consistency that Everton have been missing for years.
Crucially, Dovbyk isn’t one-dimensional. His link-up play is strong, as shown by his 82nd percentile ranking for expected assists per 90 (0.13), and he is deceptively adept with the ball at his feet, completing 68% of his take-ons.
He also wins nearly half of his aerial duels, adding to his utility as both a hold-up player and a set-piece threat.
When comparing him to Lukaku’s time at Everton, the parallels are striking.
Lukaku scored 87 goals in 166 appearances for the club, registering double figures in the league for four consecutive seasons.
His best campaign, the 2016/17 season, saw him score 25 league goals and claim six assists – earning him Everton’s Player of the Season award.
Like Dovbyk, Lukaku thrived on using his physicality to dominate defenders.
Dovbyk offers a similar promise – a striker who can be the focal point of the attack, hold off multiple defenders, and still find the back of the net with regularity.
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The timing of this potential transfer could be transformative for the club.
Moyes’ side start their Premier League campaign on Monday against Leeds United and adding a striker of Dovbyk’s calibre before the window closes would give the squad a major psychological lift.
AS Roma's ArtemDovbyklooks dejected after Lazio's Alessio Romagnoli scores their first goal
The prospect of linking him with Grealish, as well as emerging talents like Barry, hints at an Everton attack that could be both physically overwhelming and tactically versatile.
Furthermore, Everton’s recent struggles in front of goal have been as much about chance creation as finishing.
With Grealish capable of threading passes through tight defences and potential additions on the flanks to stretch play, Dovbyk could find himself in the kind of service-rich environment that allows him to replicate his Girona numbers.
For Everton, this feels like more than just another signing.
It’s a chance to reconnect with an identity that once made them a feared opponent – a team built around a powerful, relentless striker who can decide games almost single-handedly.
In Dovbyk, they may have found their next Lukaku.
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Liverpool fell to just their second Premier League defeat of the season this afternoon, losing 3-2 to Marco Silva’s European-chasing Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Alexis Mac Allister put Arne Slot’s side ahead after just a quarter of an hour but would trail 3-1 at the break after goals from Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Iwobi and Rodrigo Muniz.
Luis Diaz pulled a goal back in the second half, but it was too little too late, as the Reds squandered an opportunity to move one step closer to title glory in 2024/25.
They still sit 11 points clear of second-placed Arsenal with just seven games to go this campaign, still sitting in pole position to end their four-season drought for a league triumph.
It certainly was an afternoon to forget on the banks of the River Thames, with numerous players failing to deliver like they have done on so many occasions – undoubtedly contributing to the loss.
Liverpool’s poor performers against Fulham
Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher has been a superb replacement for Alisson in his absence this season, but his showing today was one of his worst of the season.
The Irish international had a goals prevented xG of -1.22 whilst also conceding three times – the most he has in any game throughout the current campaign.
As for star man Mohamed Salah, he blanked for the second game in a row after failing to make an impact in the Merseyside derby against Everton in midweek.
The winger registered just 49 touches, missing one big chance and failing to complete any of his attempted dribbles – once again unable to have an impact in the final third.
However, despite the Egyptian’s lack of positive impact in the capital, one other Reds player failed to deliver, with Slot needing to drop him from his starting eleven next weekend.
The Liverpool player who was worse than Salah against Fulham
Ahead of the game, Slot decided to make just one change from the team that beat their local rivals on Wednesday night, with Cody Gakpo coming in to replace Diaz.
Such a decision proved that the Dutchman had faith in the side to claim another victory, but were unable to do so, falling way behind the high levels they have set for themselves.
Liverpool managerArneSlotbefore the match
Diogo Jota scored the winner against the Toffees, but failed to have any form of positive impact this afternoon, with the manager desperately needing to drop the Portuguese international from his side.
The 28-year-old featured for 67 minutes against the Cottagers, missing a big chance and only completing two passes, showcasing how poor he was when the ball fell his way.
He also notched just 22 touches, an average of one every three minutes, and lost the ball 100% of the time he tried to take on an opponent, unable to repeat his heroics from midweek.
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Out of his 22 touches, he lost possession 13 times, meaning he gifted the ball away with 60% of his touches – with Slot needing to hand increased minutes to the likes of Darwin Núñez and Federico Chiesa.
Diogo Jota’s stats for Liverpool against Fulham
Statistics
Tally
Minutes played
67
Touches
22
Passes completed
2
Dribbles completed
0/1
Possession lost
13x
Big chances missed
1
Shots taken
1
Stats via SofaScore
As a result of his dismal showing, he was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by The Express’ Jack Mceachen, further highlighting how poor he was during the defeat.
Given his inability to take advantage of his starting position, Slot has to drop him from the side, with Jota simply not at the level required for a side at the top of the Premier League.
The summer could pose an interesting challenge for the manager, deciding whether to stick or twist, potentially ending his stint at Anfield after his inability to impress.
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Arne Slot’s side are expecting to be busy in the summer transfer market.