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Neil Lennon has breathed a sigh of relief after Celtic banked a 4-1 win over Motherwell in the Premiership this afternoon. The Hoops kept the pressure on league leaders Rangers and still have another all-important game in-hand to play.

Celtic’s star of the show was undeniably Mohamed Elyounoussi, who has apologised for his recent Europa League stunt with true class. The Southampton loanee bagged himself a hat-trick in a huge gesture which has not only restored his status, but gotten the Bhoys back on track.

However, not all of Lennon’s players put in an impressive performance. Despite the comfortable 4-1 scoreline, Diego Laxalt dropped a rather out-of-character poor display.

Diego Laxalt vs Motherwell

The left-back has put in some solid performances since he joined the Bhoys on loan, attracting praise from the likes of Chris Sutton who says the club has been “crying out for” a player like him for weeks.

However, today was not a good day at the office for Laxalt. According to Sofascore, the Uruguay international lost 66% of his attempted duels and was dribbled past on two occasions. He also lost the ball four times and committed two fouls. As a player who is usually eagle-eyed in attack, Laxalt additionally failed to make any successful crosses or long balls, despite attempting seven in total.

The 27-year-old’s performance will be far from a worry for Lennon, who will be pleased to be back on the bike and pedalling away. There’s a long road still to come as Celtic keep pushing to catch Rangers. One thing the manager must do however, is to ensure his squad are performing at the best of their abilities. The Hoops have lost too many matches so far to trust that performances like this won’t happen again.

Lennon must keep cracking the whip and not let individual displays slip.

In other news, Ralph Hasenhuttl will be furious with Mohamed Elyounoussi’s recent Celtic stunt…

After sealing a era-defining 1-0 victory at Manchester United last Sunday, Arsenal return to Premier League action this weekend as they take on Aston Villa at the Emirates.

On the face of it, picking up three points against a United side stuck in the bottom half of the table doesn’t seem like something serious to shout about, but the fact the Gunners ended their away-day hoodoo at a top-six club in the top-flight will surely have gone a long way in ensuring players and fans begin to believe in manager Mikel Arteta that little bit more.

But, as is always the case in the Premier League, anyone can beat anyone on any given day. And a win against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side last time out, will mean absolutely nothing if the Gunners slip-up against Aston Villa at the Emirates – the same team of course that beat them in the penultimate game of last season to take a pivotal step in avoiding relegation back to the Championship.

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And whilst Jack Grealish will be one of the players Arsenal look out for given his talismanic status for Villa, the Gunners simply cannot look past the Midlands club’s summer signing, Ollie Watkins.

The former Brentford striker, who arrived in a £33m deal, has started the campaign like a house on fire, bagging six goals in nine games across all competitions, including a brilliant hat-trick against reigning champions Liverpool.

His blend of pace and strength has made him a tricky customer to handle for opposition defences this season, and his that physicality is something Brentford’s programme editor, Chris Deacon, has raved about. He said: “Ollie transformed himself into a physical specimen. We’d call him a machine because it looked like he would set himself into third gear and then cruise along at the front while everyone else was blowing.”

By the middle of last month, only Newcastle’s Andy Carroll had a better win-to-lose ratio in headed duels among strikers known for their aerial dominance. He is a real menace to centre-backs, making 1.3 tackles per game (impressive for a centre-forward), and winning 8.2 total duels per match as well.

Arsenal’s own summer signing, Gabriel, has enjoyed a fine start to life in north London himself. On Sunday however, he will face one of his most unique tests yet – a more typical and more old-school Premier League striker, capable of going in behind and winning 50/50s. If he’s not ready, then he could face a difficult day.

David Moyes risks exposing West Ham United with a £5million January swoop for Leeds United and Torino target Frederik Alves, after Danish football expert Davor Milito stated how the Silkeborg IF defender could be caught out.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Torino Granata, Milito has likened Alves to former Manchester United and England defender Chris Smalling for the way the 21-year-old has fashioned his style of defending.

Alves has become a firm topic of discussion in recent weeks after Silkeborg confirmed to the Copenhagen Stock Exchange that he will be leaving JYSK Park in January, after receiving an offer that met the individual conditions requested.

West Ham were claimed to have been close to finalising a deal for Alves to move to east London in the New Year by BT, who noted the centre-half was pictured at the Stratford Hotel with his agent Christian Bysted ahead of a potential move.

But Leeds and Russian side Rostov are also keen on the young talent, per the Daily Mail, while reports by Calciomercato mention Torino as a potential rival suitor for the defender who can play at full-back as well.

And Milito believes the rising interest in Alves could see the Denmark U21 international’s value continue to rise, noting: “Young people in Denmark, if talented, are never very cheap, but I think that between €4m and €6million (£3.5m and £5.3m) can be closed, counting that this season is a fundamental element for the team.”

Alves’ 6 ft 2 frame, wise brain and penchant for carrying possession out from the back also saw Milito liken him to Smalling, adding: “He knows how to use the body, not very fast but intelligent in the position, skilled in sliding, quite polite right foot and a lover of game changes.

“He likes to carry the ball but not to Lucio, good at pressing and decisive in the marking, so it could be very suitable for Italian football. Of course, with the short lines he could get into trouble. He should work even more on his defensive positioning, which is already his strong point.”

Risk of exposure

Milito claiming that defensive positioning is already one of Alves’ strengths but also an area where the 21-year-old needs to improve should raise alarm bells at the London Stadium, as Moyes giving the Denmark U21 international a baptism of fire in the Premier League could easily expose flaws in the Hammers defence.

Alves also liking to carry the ball out from the back but to, seemingly, not good effect will also be worrisome in east London, as the young centre-half could become an easy target for opposing teams to try and exploit until the youngster proves he is no weak spot.

West Ham have shown a willingness to hold a high line in the Premier League this season, too, with the SofaScore heatmaps of Angelo Ogbonna, Fabian Balbuena and Aaron Cresswell each showing a strong amount of their respective average 45.6, 50.7 and 69.6 touches coming far beyond Lukasz Fabianski’s area.

Moyes would likely need to see a lot of progress from Alves in the Irons’ Under 23s before feeling fit to field the Danish prospect in the first-team, or to loan West Ham’s potential January signing out to a side competing at a higher level than the Nordic Bet LIGA – Denmark’s second-tier.

AND in other news, David Moyes is “worried” by a West Ham blow that a Manuel Pellegrini favourite can capitalise on.

Andre Gomes badly let Carlo Ancelotti down during Everton’s 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday as the Portuguese midfielder offered an invisible display.

Ancelotti initially named Gomes among his substitutes for the Toffees’ trip to Turf Moor this weekend, but was forced to call on the 27-year-old following an early first-half injury to Fabian Delph.

Gomes had played just 23 minutes of Premier League football since starting Everton’s 2-1 loss at Newcastle United in an advanced role on November 1, yet slotted in on the left-flank with Everton without star full-back Lucas Digne after the Frenchman sustained ankle ligament damage in training.

Gomes recently admitted to the Liverpool Echo that he is still striving to regain full fitness after suffering a fractured dislocation to his right ankle against Tottenham more than a year ago, having returned to the field after just 112 days.

“The truth is, I am still trying to find my best feeling, to get fit, to get ready to be 100 per cent for all the game,” the £112,212-per-week maestro said. “In the past months, with the pandemic, it was hard for me physically. A lot of details can change, my body shape or how fit I feel.”

Former Premier League striker Darren Bent believes the signs of Gomes’ continued fight for fitness have been evident this season, with the Portuguese unable to get about the pitch in the fashion he could under Marco Silva.

“I’m a big fan of him and since he’s had the injury, he’s never quite been the same, which is understandable, it was a big, big injury,” Bent told Football Insider. “The quality on the ball, being comfortable in possession, that’s not what’s going to leave him.

“It’s obviously the physical attributes, getting around the pitch and stuff like that. I hope he stays with it. I hope he keeps working hard because eventually, his fitness will come, hopefully.”

Ancelotti will not be rushing to award Gomes his sixth start of the Premier League season when Everton host Chelsea at Goodison Park next week, after witnessing another tired performance from the former FC Barcelona midfielder.

Gomes was often invisible at Turf Moor on Saturday as the Toffees were held to a draw by Burnley, with the £21.6m-rated man registering fewer attempted passes (34) than goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (41) and completing just 29 of his efforts, per WhoScored.

The 29-time Portugal international further failed to direct either of his two shots on target, enjoyed a 50% dribble success rate, lost his only aerial duel, took possession with one of three attempted tackles, made one interception and offered zero clearances.

Ancelotti’s only positive from Gomes’ performance would have been in the 27-year-old completing each of his five attempted long passes and recording a key ball, though would have been greatly disappointed to see him lose six of nine ground duels and possession on nine occasions, per SofaScore.

AND in other news, Carlo Ancelotti could unearth his ideal James Rodriguez heir in an Everton sensation David Unsworth loves.

Carlo Ancelotti would tarnish his Everton record by completing a deal to sign Sami Khedira in January after the Juventus outcast confirmed that talks had taken place.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Bild, Khedira has confirmed he’s spoken with Ancelotti over a potential move to Goodison Park in the mid-season market as the German continues his search for a route out of Turin.

The 33-year-old has been excluded from Andrea Pirlo’s plans at the Allianz Arena this term, while knee surgery and a tear in the abductor muscle saw Khedira make his most recent Serie A appearance in November 2019.

Reports have suggested Khedira has accepted the fact that his future no longer resides with Juventus, who would like to offload his gargantuan £185,000-per-week contract that runs until the summer.

Khedira has no intentions of waiting until his deal lapses before joining a new side, feeling there is still enough strength and energy in his elderly body to bring something to the pitch again.

“We spoke on the phone and wrote. You know my situation,” Khedira said of talks with Ancelotti. “I’m open to a new sporting challenge.

“I have had a difficult time and want to play football again, fighting for three points week after week. That’s what I long for.

“At the moment, I still have so much strength and energy, so I am not dealing with summer 2021 but with December and January. A change is realistic, my full focus is on that.”

Ancelotti to tarnish transfer record

Ancelotti persisting with a move to sign Khedira, who Shaka Hislop said of last year his “legs are gone”, would see the Italian tarnish his record in charge of Everton just months after setting the tone with the captures of James Rodriguez, Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

It appeared a sizable coup for Everton to sign Rodriguez from Real Madrid after winning two Champions League titles and two La Liga honours, plus a Bundesliga crown while on loan with Bayern Munich. Something the Blues would only have hoped to build on in future windows.

Khedira would not be the next step in the right direction, though, but rather the opposite, with Ancelotti showing himself to be living firmly in the past by signing another player he worked with years ago.

Everton’s need for a player like Khedira, who turns 34 in April, has also been questioned by former England international Rob Lee, who exclusively told Football FanCast that Ancelotti ought to look elsewhere to solve his real need in the Blues squad.

“Are you buying him for his name and what he’s done in the past? Do they need him? I’m not sure they do. I’m not sure he’s the sort of player they need,” Lee claimed.

“It’s strength in depth what they need. Is he going to come in and be a bit-part player? Probably not. Just hope they are not going to sign him just for the sake of his name.”

AND in other news, a “hungry” Everton maestro is fast becoming Carlo Ancelotti’s main man.

Leeds United are currently in a bit of a crisis as injuries continue to rock the boat. As it stands, Marcelo Bielsa will be without Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and Liam Cooper when his side hosts Burnley on Sunday.

This season has also seen the likes of Jamie Shackleton pick up an injury along with Adam Forshaw, who is yet to make a Premier League appearance with the Whites. Whilst fitness issues continue to damage the team, Bielsa will also be frustrated that he has so few options to rely on during this troublesome time.

For example, loan signing turned permanent Leeds ace Helder Costa has seriously declined since the Yorkshire outfit returned to England’s top flight.

The former Wolves man was a driving force in the Whites’ Championship-winning season. He featured in all but three league fixtures and contributed four goals and six assists, as per Transfermarkt. However, this time round, he has struggled to make the cut as the likes of Raphinha and even Ian Poveda have gotten into the team above him.

Speaking to Football Insider, Kevin Phillips said that he believes that Bielsa could choose to axe the winger in January if he continues to go under the radar. Costa has made just ten senior appearances since he signed for Leeds permanently on a £70,000 per week contract.

So not only does he have a hefty wage packet, but he is not proving his worth during such an important season in the club’s history. The Whites have been out of the Premier League for 16 years and now that they have finally returned, Bielsa cannot afford to lug along any deadweight players.

If Costa is not producing the results expected of him, he could find himself on the chopping block once the transfer window opens, which is not a situation many can say that they pre-empted.

In other news, Orta must move for “real talent” Michael Olise to replace Forshaw…

Liverpool travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday for the early kick-off and Trent Alexander-Arnold is likely to key in the Reds’ chances of taking away all three points.

The England international returned from injury recently and helped the Reds move back top of the table with a 2-1 win against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night.

However, he is in for another tough game on Saturday, as he likely be up against Palace talisman Wilfried Zaha on the left-wing, with the former Manchester United man’s recent performances certainly catching the eye.

The 28-year-old has seven goals and two assists in 11 appearances in the top-flight so far this season, which has seen him average a superb 7.10 rating.

This means that he has already beaten his goal tally of four from the whole of last season, with the winger having seemingly added goals to his already dangerous all-round play for Roy Hodgson’s side.

It is clear that he is extremely important to the way the Eagles play, with 45% of their attacks coming down the left-hand side, which is the most of any team in the Premier League.

Therefore, Alexander-Arnold will have to be at his best if he wants to keep Zaha quiet on Sunday but if he can, he will give Klopp’s side an excellent chance of picking up maximum points, which would see them remain top of the Premier League table at Christmas.

The 22-year-old has been impressive at times this season, although has enjoyed a lot more success in the Champions League, where he has averaged a 7.10 rating, compared to his arguably disappointing 6.68 average in the Premier League.

However, there is no doubting his extraordinary talent, with fellow superstar Kylian Mbappe lauding the youngster after he was asked about Alexander-Arnold mimicking his celebration after scoring in a win against Leicester City last season, saying:

“Yeah, I saw! I’m proud. This guy is amazing.”

So, if the Liverpool academy graduate can perform to the best of his ability, from both an attacking and defensive point of view, he will give the Reds a good chance of winning the game at Selhurst Park, especially if he is able to limit Zaha’s influence on the game.

And, in other news… The emergence of “extraordinary” talent at LFC could spell trouble for injury-prone liability

Liverpool were struggling to break down Aston Villa’s young defence on Friday night before Jurgen Klopp opted to introduce Xherdan Shaqiri just after the hour mark.

The Reds were drawing at half-time and had just re-taken the lead through Georginio Wijnaldum when the Swiss international was brought on and he quickly emphasised his class, registering two assists in less than five minutes.

First, he clipped a cross into the box which was met by Sadio Mane, and the former Southampton man’s looping header was enough to beat young Akos Onodi in the Villa goal.

Shaqiri was the provider once again just two minutes later as after being found by an incisive Thiago pass, he found Mohamed Salah and the Egyptian’s shot on the turn made it 4-1.

Therefore, whilst Thiago might pick up a lot of the plaudits after he helped the Reds turn the game around from the bench, Shaqiri demonstrated that he can be a really important player in Klopp’s squad this season.

As per SofaScore, the former Bayern Munich man picked up a 7.8 rating for his display, with only Mane, Salah and James Milner rated higher.

During his time on the pitch, Shaqiri, who earns £80k per week at Liverpool, would have 30 touches of the ball, completing 19/23 passes, which resulted in a solid pass accuracy rate of 83%.

Perhaps most impressively, the winger would contribute three key passes during his brief time on the pitch, which proves how effective he can be when trying to break down an opposition defence.

The Swiss international was widely expected to leave Liverpool during the summer transfer window ahead of this season and the arrival of Diogo Jota has meant that his playing time has been limited even further, as he has managed just two starts in all competitions, and just four appearances from the bench in the Premier League.

However, his performance against Villa, despite the nature of the opposition, proves that Shaqiri still has a role to play in this Liverpool side, and he can help the Reds overcome their recent woes in front of goal.

And, in other news, Imagine him and Fabinho: Edwards must seal bargain swoop for Champions League defender…

The Athletic journalist Phil Hay has claimed that Leeds United remain interested in signing Wigan prospect Sean McGurk.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent months had suggested Marcelo Bielsa’s side were eyeing up a move for the 17-year-old, who has yet to make a single competitive appearance for the first-team at Wigan.

And, speaking on The Phil Hay Show, the journalist said: “The incomings are quiet, and that was what we expected. I never rule out academy signings at Leeds, because they seem to be recruiting on that front all the time.

“McGurk, the youngster over at Wigan, again, that you mentioned is somebody Leeds are still interested in.”

Bielsa’s next Klich

At 17, McGurk is hardly going to come in and be a hit in the first-team straight away, but his performances at youth level with Wigan point to someone who could make a real mark in the future.

Speaking back in February 2020, the Latics’ U18s coach, Peter Murphy, said: “Sean (McGurk) was brilliant, he’s been amazing. He had a slow start to his scholarship with an injury in the summer, but since he’s been fit, he’s got himself into the team and stayed there. He’s so effective in games, he sets things up, he scores goals and he’ll always do that because of his ability.”

Able to play in the centre of the park or even out wide on the right, McGurk has shown flashes of his immense potential, netting in back-to-back games in the FA Youth Cup last season, including against Manchester United.

The 17-year-old could be the man Bielsa looks at as being Mateusz Klich’s long-term successor at Elland Road. The Poland international, who turns 31 later this year, has been a real goal threat from midfield for Leeds over the past couple of seasons, registering 11 goal contributions last season, and a whopping 20 the year before.

In McGurk, Bielsa could find something similar, just like his coach Murphy said. And when you think of how disappointing summer signing Rodrigo has been – he’s scored just three times in 17 games – it may not be too long before the now Wigan starlet makes his mark on the first-team and even goes on to overtake the Spaniard.

Steve Bruce can deliver an upgrade on Fabian Schar by signing Omar Colley amid claims Sampdoria are open to selling the Newcastle United target.

What’s the word?

According to TuttoMercatoWEB, Toon chiefs have begun discussions with Colley’s representatives as they look to beat off rival interest from Super Lig giants Fenerbahce.

Colley only put pen to paper on a new four-year contract extension earlier this month, but has been granted permission to leave the Luigi Ferraris Stadium during the final week of the January transfer window.

Fenerbahce made unsuccessful efforts to sign the 29-year-old in December but have returned with a revised approach, after missing out on former Arsenal defender Sokratis following his move to Olympiacos having been released by Mikel Arteta’s side.

Colley was also linked with a move to Sheffield United recently, as Chris Wilder eyed a deal for the Gambia international to help fix the Blades’ leaky backline that has allowed 32 goals in 19 Premier League games this season. The report also claimed Colley would be excited by the prospect of a move to England, having previously enjoyed stints playing in Finland, Sweden, Belgium and most recently Italy.

Colley has made 14 appearances across all competitions for Sampdoria this season, starting their last nine Serie A fixtures after replacing Bartosz Bereszynski 20 minutes into December’s 2-1 defeat to AC Milan through injury.

Should Newcastle sign Colley?

Bruce has a solid group of central defensive options at Newcastle already, yet would sign an instant upgrade on Schar if Colley were to move to Tyneside before the February 1st 23:00 deadline.

Form would suggest United should be in the market for upgrades at the back, too, as only West Bromwich Albion (48), Crystal Palace (36) and Leeds United (35) have conceded more often than the Magpies (34) in the Premier League this season.

The Toon also lost a sixth game on the bounce when beaten at home to Leeds on Tuesday night to extend a now 11-game winless run across all competitions, that has seen Bruce’s side keep only one clean sheet.

Schar, who Rafa Benitez once claimed had evident “quality”, may have been lauded by supporters for his performance in Tuesday’s loss to Leeds, yet has also performed at a lesser level than the likes of Ciaran Clark, Federico Fernandez and even holding midfielder Isaac Hayden when fielded in defence in the Premier League this term.

The 29-year-old’s average WhoScored match rating sits at just 6.51 to his defensive colleagues’ respective 6.57, 6.78 and 6.74, thanks to Schar providing the lowest average number of successful tackles (0.9) per top-flight game among the quartet.

Schar’s defensive efforts further trail those of 6 ft 3 colossus Colley in the Serie A in almost every aspect, with the £4m-rated Sampdoria titan – who boasts an average WhoScored rating of 6.8 – recording a higher average of successful tackles (1.1) and giving away fewer fouls (1.1 to 1.4) per game.

He also breaks up opposition play with more interceptions (2.4) than any Newcastle player, catches opponents offside 0.9 times a game (Schar forces 0.3) and clears danger 4.1 times a game – only Fernandez (5.6), Clark (4.5) and Jamaal Lascelles (4.3) have forced an end to opponent’s attacks with a greater frequency in front of Karl Darlow this term.

Yet Colley is not afraid to play the ball out from the back with 39.2 accurate passes a game – only Jonjo Shelvey (48.7) completes more – showing how he can help United enjoy more possession, with the Magpies ranking second-last to West Brom for time spent on the ball in the English top-flight per game.

If Newcastle are to get out from their slump by playing defensive football, Bruce will need defenders who can both stop opponents and start attacks. And that is exactly what Colley would offer.

AND in other news, Newcastle may have found Steve Bruce’s ideal midfielder in a £1.9k-p/w target.