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Steven Gerrard’s career as Aston Villa manager could not have got off to a much better start, with the 41-year-old’s side securing all three points, scoring two goals and keeping a clean sheet in front of a packed Villa Park last weekend.

Not only did Villa pick up the win, but they also played some incredibly attacking football, looked deadly on the break and bettered a highly impressive Brighton & Hove Albion side in metrics such as total shots, shots on target, counter attacks and interceptions.

There were also a number of impressive individual performances, with perhaps the most surprising of these being turned in by second-half substitute Ashley Young, with the 36-year-old playing a key role in his side’s victory.

Gerrard must unleash Young

Despite featuring for just 16 minutes of Gerrard’s inaugural victory at Villa, the versatile left-back highly impressed when replacing Emiliano Buendia in his side’s three-man attack during the closing stages of Saturday’s fixture.

Indeed, £900k-rated man almost immediately set up Ollie Watkins with some “fantastic” play to bag the game’s opening goal, as well as completing 11 of his 12 passes, blocking one shot, winning both of his two duels and making one key pass – with these returns seeing the £50k-per-week veteran receive a SofaScore match rating of 7.2.

Furthermore, Gregg Evans recently claimed in an article of his for The Athletic that Gerrard was so impressed with the performances of Young in training that he considered starting the 36-year-old as Villa’s No 10 last Saturday.

And, considering the 41-year-old’s comments concerning his former England teammate following the fixture, Evans’ claim is easily believable, with Gerrard stating: “I know Ashley extremely well and I must say he has been absolutely outstanding since we’ve walked through the door. Not just on the training pitch – his leadership and the standards he sets.

“We see players like him as an outer layer of the staff if you like – he really helps. We need to lean on him. He was ready today.

“The big thing about Ash is he can play right-back, he can play left-back, he can play as an eight, he can play as a 10, he can play wide. That’s what these players allow you to do as a manager, they allow you to use them in different ways so credit to Ashley.”

As such, considering the game-changing impact Young had on the Brighton match, in addition to his incredible application in training, it would appear highly advisable for Gerrard to unleash the left-back from the off against Crystal Palace this weekend.

In other news: Lange must seal AVFC deal for £25m “weapon” likened to Beckham, Gerrard would love him

Everton have made a number of howlers when it comes to transfer decisions over the years with many players finding success after leaving the club, but there have been a small number that have failed to reach their potential after leaving Goodison Park.

One player who may seem like he has been successful since leaving Everton due to his high profile move to the Emirates back in 2016, but has failed time and time again to reach the potential predicted is Shkodran Mustafi.

Mustafi joined Everton Reserves from Hamburg U17s in 2009 on a free transfer, but after three years the defender failed to make it into the first team with just one game in the Europa League defeat to Belarussian side BATE Borisov and was eventually sold for just £68k to Sampdoria.

The 29-year-old had even once said that his time at Everton was the “worst time I had as a footballer” in an interview with Arsenal Player relayed by Football365.

Despite failing to make a single league appearance for Everton, the former Arsenal defender went on to achieve some special things, winning a World Cup with Germany two years after he left Goodison Park, and then going on to win two FA Cups with the Gunners in 2017 and 2020.

Despite winning major trophies, the German has made a name for himself after making numerous defensive howlers and was dubbed “king of the blunders” by former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit.

His £35m move to the Emirates was full of potential but his tenure at the club saw him commit a number of high profile mistakes that cost his team over his 151 appearances and four and a half years at the club. As a result, he is now worth just £1.8m according to Transfermarkt.

The calamitous centre half’s most notable blunders came in the 2018/19 season against Crystal Palace where he cost the side an important three points by giving away a penalty in the 82nd minute and then made the exact mistake again in the North London Derby needlessly conceding a late penalty handing Tottenham the three points.

Mustafi was eventually released by the club in 2021 and then released again by Schalke in the summer of 2021. He now plays for Levante, with the 29-year-old clearly unable to revive his career following his shocking time at Arsenal and it’s safe to say Everton clearly dodged a bullet this time.

In other news: Sold for £4m, now worth 395% more: Everton made big mistake with “confident” Spurs gem

Having already brought in the likes of Phillipe Coutinho, Lucas Digne and Robin Olsen during the January transfer window, Aston Villa have not been shy when it comes to doing business in the market to help strengthen their squad.

With just over a week left until the window closes, it seems as though the Midlands club have their eye on making at least one more potential signing before the end of the month.

What’s the latest?

According to a recent post on The Athletic’s website by Brighton journalist Andy Naylor, Villa and “two other Premier League clubs are expressing an interest” in Seagulls midfielder Yves Bissouma.

Naylor then added that these clubs have been “sounding out Brighton’s conditions of a sale at this stage, rather than making any formal bids.”

With Villa manager Steven Gerrard recently revealing that there are currently a couple of potential transfers “bubbling” away at the Midlands club, and that he is keen to add to his squad this month, a possible move for Bissouma could be on the cards for Villa before the end of January.

Since joining Brighton in 2018 from Lille, Bissouma has gone on to make 111 appearances for Graham Potter’s side across all competitions, scoring four goals and providing two assists along the way, cementing himself as a crucial figure for the team.

Fans will be thrilled

After current Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba suffered a serious knee injury last month, securing an experienced Premier League midfielder such as Bissouma who can fill in for the Zimbabwean would surely delight Gerrard and many of the club’s fans.

In addition, the 25-year-old is listed as Brighton’s highest-rated player according to WhoScored, with an overall rating of 7.13/10 for his performances in the Premier League this season. That would also make him one of Villa’s highest-rated players, which suggests that he would not have too much of a problem fitting in with the rest of Gerrard’s squad.

Moving forward, as the end of the January transfer window draws closer, Villa will need to act quickly if they want to wrap up a deal for Bissouma this month, especially with Naylor claiming that two other Premier League clubs eyeing up a move for the Mali midfielder as well.

Nonetheless, the Villa Park faithful must be thrilled to hear that their club are in the mix for the in-demand African ace.

In other news: Gerrard eyeing swoop for £17k-p/w “goalscoring machine” who could be Villa’s next Tammy Abraham

Leeds United are keen on signing Derby County midfielder Jason Knight in the January transfer window, along with a number of other Premier League clubs.

The Lowdown: Knight impressing for Derby

Despite still only being 20 years of age, the youngster has already become an important player for the Rams, making 16 starts in the Championship this season and captaining the team.

The eight-cap Republic of Ireland international has chipped in with two goals and two assists in the league, with his manager Wayne Rooney seeing comparisons with himself in Knight from his playing days.

It now looks as though the midfielder could leave the crisis-stricken Championship club this month as speculation over a move continues to grow.

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The Latest: Leeds interested in Knight

According to The Times, Leeds are eyeing up an imminent move for the midfielder, whose current Derby contract expires in the summer of 2023.

The Whites aren’t alone in showing an interest, with Burnley and Newcastle United also mentioned in the report amid pressure on the Rams to sell their most valuable players or risk further points reductions, unless they can show proof of funding for the remainder of this season.

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The Verdict: Added midfield depth

The need for a new midfielder at Leeds in January is clear to see, with the absent Kalvin Phillips a huge loss with a hamstring injury and not set to return until March, along with a scarcity of alternatives in the middle of the park

Knight may not possess any Premier League experience but his maturity is highlighted by the fact that he is already captain of a Championship club at the age of just 20 and has eight senior international caps, so he could add much-needed depth in the middle of the park.

He has won 1.5 aerial duels and 1.1 tackles per game in the league this season, and Rooney’s high praise for him speaks volumes about the player that the 20-year-old can become, given the England legend’s standing in the game.

There seems no obvious reason for Leeds not to make a concerted effort to try and capitalise on Derby’s woes by luring Knight to Elland Road.

In other news, a journalist has made a key claim regarding Leeds’ transfer business. Read more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are confident of sealing a move for Luis Diaz before the January transfer window deadline on Monday night…

What’s the word?

That’s according to ever-reliable football.london reporter Alasdair Gold, who delivered a very exciting claim to his YouTube channel, where he suggested it was now a more likely deal than Adama Traore, at this stage.

“The latest I understand on that situation is there’s a growing hope that they might be able to get this deal done,” he said.

“They are throwing everything at it. That’s their priority right now. I understand at the moment, and I must stress at the moment, Spurs are more hopeful of this one happening than Adama Traore.”

Major coup

The Antonio Conte era in north London would be truly underway if Spurs manage to secure a move for the FC Porto star as he’s one of the hottest talents in Europe right now – that much is evident from the interest of Premier League rivals Manchester United and Liverpool.

Diaz has been in electric form this season, having provided the Portuguese giants with 16 goals and five assists across 24 appearances in the Primeira Liga and Champions League, primarily from left-midfield. That works out to be a direct contribution of once every 96.7 minutes, via Transfermarkt.

It builds on from his exploits at the Copa America, where he shared the golden boot with none other than Lionel Messi.

The 5 foot 10 winger has earned plenty of praise during this impressive run of form and that should only raise excitement from those around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium right now.

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He has been lauded as “phenomenal” by journalist Alex Goncalves and dubbed a “livewire” by presenter Manas Singh, though one of the most glowing endorsements has come from Portuguese football expert Marino Peixoto, who claimed the £36m-rated dynamo was “genuinely frightening” following a screamer against Vitoria this season.

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, it’s thought that Porto are asking for a fee in the region of €60-65m (£55m), which would equal Spurs’ club-record fee.

On the above evidence, he would be quite the signing indeed and supporters should be very excited by Gold’s recent claims.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Dele: Spurs plot swoop for £18m-rated “extraordinary talent” who’s like Zidane…

Liverpool have had no issues when it comes to scoring goals in their latest Premier League season.

With 30 league games played, the Reds have found the back of the net 77 times, which is more than any other top-flight side have managed to score in this campaign.

One figure, in particular, that has contributed a lot towards Liverpool’s attacking power over recent months is winger Mohamed Salah.

Having appeared in 28 league games, the 29-year-old Egyptian has scored 20 goals and provided ten assists along the way, which is more league contributions than any other Reds player has been able to deliver.

Despite the 29-year-old’s deadliness in front of goal, it seems as though the Merseyside club could be looking to bring in another attacking talent that could potentially dethrone the iconic Liverpool star in the near future.

What’s the news?

According to journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, West Ham United winger Jarrod Bowen is one name on a list of players identified by the Reds for a potential summer transfer move.

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Since arriving at the east London club back in the 2020 January transfer window from Hull City, the Englishman has scored 22 goals and provided 21 assists in 93 appearances across all competitions, prior to their Europa League clash against Lyon.

‘Massive’ signing for Liverpool

With nine goals and eight assists to his name in 29 league appearances in this campaign, the 25-year-old has earned himself an overall performance rating of 7.23/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player in David Moyes’ squad. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that he was dubbed a “massive” player for the club by Pablo Fornals.

To highlight how much of an attacking threat the £75m-valued former Hull star is, he has managed to rack up more shots on target this season (29) than the likes of Diogo Jota, Bukayo Saka and Raheem Sterling among many others.

While Salah may have more goal contributions than Bowen, the West Ham figure has proven himself to be a much more defensive-minded attacker by making 55 tackles and 45 interceptions more than the £90m-rated gem.

Having been labelled as an “unbelievable” player by Klopp in the past, as well as being a “special” talent by Sporting Index, Bowen would certainly be a solid addition to Liverpool’s already attack-heavy squad.

Taking into account how the Hammers star is a few years younger than Salah, he could well be a potential replacement for the Reds winger if his contract situation doesn’t sort itself out and he ends up leaving.

In other news: Liverpool now plot bid for £144m-rated “phenomenon”, he’s even better than Salah…

Aston Villa players are enjoying the new management of Steven Gerrard and his backroom team at Villa Park.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Rio Ferdinand, with the former England international revealing in recent comments cited by Birmingham Live that the Aston Villa squad have been highly impressed with the training sessions and structure Gerrard and his team have put into practice at Bodymoor Heath since their arrival at the club earlier this month.

Speaking about Gerrard’s influence at Villa, Ferdinand said: “I’m hearing some really good, good vibes that are coming out of Villa, the way that they’re training. They’re super impressed with his coaching staff.

“The clarity with which they’re training, they’ve got a clear idea what they’re going to do. [They’re] enjoying the sessions and getting the results right now, so there’s some positive stuff right now.”

Fans will be delighted

Considering that, prior to Gerrard’s arrival, Villa were on a run of five consecutive Premier League defeats, the fact that the 41-year-old has secured back to back wins in his first two league fixtures would indeed appear to suggest that the Aston Villa squad are buying into the former Liverpool captain’s methods.

Indeed, there is one of Gerrard’s backroom staff who followed him from Ibrox to Villa Park, Michael Beale, who has a particularly impressive reputation on the training ground, with the Villa manager himself stating during his time at Rangers: “It would take me 15-20 years to become as good as Michael Beale as an on-pitch coach, delivering sessions on a daily basis, so I let Mick be Mick because he’s the expert.”

Furthermore, Danny Mills claimed that Gary McAllister, Gerrard’s assistant manager at both Rangers and Villa, is also an excellent figure to have around the club, with the former Leeds United defender stating:

“Villa fans should be delighted his whole backroom team is coming. Gary McAllister – part of that as well – he’s been there, seen it and done it at big clubs in the Premier League. There’s great experience coming with Steven Gerrard.”

And, considering Villa’s results on the pitch under the leadership of the 41-year-old, it would indeed seem as if Gerrard and his team deserve the substantial amount of praise being lavished upon them, with things very much looking on the up at Villa Park at present – something that will undoubtedly delight fans of the club.

In other news: “I’m sure”: Journo drops Jan update on 24 G/A “phenomenon”, Villa fans will be buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte could be without one of his key first-team stars this afternoon…

What’s the latest?

Spurs welcome Newcastle United to north London as both teams return to Premier League action following the international break, and the Italian will be hoping to maintain ground in the race for a top-four finish.

But ahead of kick-off, some worrying news has emerged as Sergio Reguilon could be a surprise absentee after pulling up in training on Thursday, as revealed by football.london reporter Alasdair Gold.

‘football.london understands that Sergio Reguilon pulled up in training on Thursday with a problem and had to leave the session,’ he wrote.

Huge blow

Whilst not in the best of form, the absence of the Spanish wing-back would still be something of a major blow to Conte and the Spurs squad, especially as this game will be too soon for his alternative, Ryan Sessegnon, to return.

“The good news is that [Oliver] Skippy and Sessegnon are very close to being back with the team, to having training sessions with us. They are not yet ready for the game against Newcastle, but they are improving,” the Italian revealed in his pre-game press conference.

The prospect of playing the Magpies without an out-and-out left wing-back is certainly cause for concern, even more so given the fact that Conte’s system relies so heavily on attacking influence in the role.

Reguilon is amongst Spurs’ most creative options, averaging 1.3 key passes per game, a feat only bettered by frontline duo Heung-min Son (two) and Dejan Kulusevski (1.7), as per WhoScored.

Elsewhere, the former Real Madrid dynamo has been a key influence defensively too, where he has registered an average of 1.6 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game; numbers that exceed that of Sessegnon.

If unavailable, it leaves Conte with little options.

Matt Doherty could switch across to the other flank, something he has done only three times across his last 50 competitive appearances in all competitions, whilst there could be a change in formation that sees Ben Davies deployed in his natural left-back role amongst a back four, rather than three.

That’s something the Italian has done just once since being appointed as Nuno Santo’s successor, resulting in a 2-0 defeat to his former club, Chelsea.

Without Reguilon, Conte will be handed a late dilemma over team selection and that will surely leave him absolutely gutted, if not fuming as injuries show no sign of easing up at Hotspur Way.

AND in other news, Forget Davies: Conte must start £27m-rated Spurs “beast” today, it could be game-changing…

Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard will run the rule over loaned-out Frederic Guilbert in the summer, The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece says. 

The lowdown

Villa paid £4.5million to sign Guilbert, a right-back, from SM Caen back in 2019, and he made 25 Premier League appearances during their first season back in the top flight.

Last January, half a season on from the arrival of Matty Cash from Nottingham Forest, he sealed a loan move to RC Strasbourg.

That spell in Alsace was extended in the summer and will run to the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

Guilbert, who’s valued at £5.4million by Transfermarkt, has featured in the Ligue 1 outfit’s last 17 games, starting 14.

His £40,000-per-week Villa contract has 18 months left to run.

The latest

Preece was asked in a fan Q & A whether Gerrard would give Guilbert a chance to challenge Matty Cash ahead of the 2022/23 season.

“He’ll have a good look at him in the summer before a decision is made,” he replied. “He’s been doing well in France!”

The verdict

Guilbert could be worth a try. Since his switch to Strasbourg a year ago, he’s impressively laid on seven assists in 33 matches.

Compare that to Cash, who’s in the midst of something of a barren run in that department. His last Premier League assist came way back in December 2020.

Gerrard may want more production from full-back, which was a key part of his success at Rangers.

And that could open the door for the 27-year-old, who may still harbour hopes of resurrecting his Villa career.

In other news, Tyrone Mings reacts to this huge Villa boost.

Brighton and Hove Albion correspondent Aden-Jay Wood reckons that Dan Ashworth is likely to join Newcastle United as their new Director of Football (DoF). 

The lowdown

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported on Monday that the Seagulls had given Newcastle permission to speak to Ashworth about fulfilling the position.

Initial contact has been made, and formal talks are ‘likely to happen in due course’. It apparently isn’t the ‘style’ of the south coast club to deprive their employees of appealing opportunities when they arise.

Newcastle have previously been linked with former Chelsea and AS Monaco technical director Michael Emenalo. The Telegraph reported (via Sky Sports) that he had turned down The Magpies, although co-owner Mehrdad Ghodoussi insisted this was not the case.

The latest

Wood took to Twitter to provide the latest on Ashworth being linked with the DoF role at St James’ Park and is resigned to the 50-year-old departing Brighton.

He tweeted: “If Dan Ashworth goes (which I think he will), it will be a huge shame. Ashworth has almost singlehandedly changed Brighton’s approach both on and off the field and would be very, very difficult to replace.”

The verdict

Perhaps in an ideal world, Newcastle would have got their new DoF installed in time for the start of the January transfer window, but that appears very unlikely now.

They have at least managed to appoint Nick Hammond, the former Celtic and Reading director of football, in a temporary consultancy role. He may oversee signings designed to try and keep the Magpies in the Premier League, with Ashworth then taking the reins to guide them forward from thereon.

Ashworth did tell The Athletic in February 2020 that he hoped to be at the Amex Stadium for ‘many years to come’, but perhaps the Newcastle project would simply be too good to turn down given the sheer extent of wealth at their disposal.

In other news, Newcastle have offered this Brazilian beast a contract