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Manchester United host Crystal Palace on Saturday just two weeks after Michael Olise’s dramatic late equaliser nicked a point for the Eagles at Selhurst Park.

The Lowdown: United drop points in London

The Red Devils played Saturday’s opponents last month and had a night to forget, dropping crucial points in the Premier League’s top four race while also seeing Casemiro pick up a yellow card which forced him to miss the defeat to Arsenal.

The Brazilian rashly dived into a challenge with Wilfried Zaha after Bruno Fernandes had given Erik ten Hag’s side the lead, only for Olise to pop up with an incredible last-minute free-kick to split the points.

Now, with Tottenham only three points behind after they put an end to their slump with a win over Fulham last time out, United cannot afford to slip up against Patrick Vieira’s side a second time.

The Latest: Olise the danger man

It wasn’t just his stunning late goal that earned Olise Palace’s highest match rating in the previous encounter (Whoscored).

The 21 year-old, playing down United’s left flank up against Luke Shaw, registered more touches of the ball than any of his teammates and created four chances, the joint-highest number of anyone on the pitch along with Fernandes.

Olise’s season totals now sit at 30 chances created, 22 successful dribbles and 23 shots at goal (Whoscored), and there’s no doubt Ten Hag will be having sleepless nights conjuring up how to stop him, with fellow Palace key man Wilfried Zaha missing out through injury.

The Verdict: Shaw must step up

In truth, the manager may have no choice but to simply trust his full-back to get the job done this time around. Injuries to Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen mean there are few options to inject some extra cover into midfield, while the last thing the boss will want to do is pull Marcus Rashford deeper on the left flank, considering how dangerous the red-hot Englishman currently is going forward.

Shaw has been in inspired form for most of this season, but it’s fair to say the 27 year-old has dipped a little recently, recording some of his worst displays of the campaign in the last three league matches against Arsenal, Palace and Manchester City (Whoscored).

While the probable inclusion of Fred alongside compatriot Casemiro may offer a slightly improved defensive shield in the centre of the park, the onus is going to be on Shaw give his manager something to smile about this time around.

West Ham United have been dealt a huge injury blow, made even worse by the fact he was meant to be the answer to their safety prayers…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to ExWHUEmployee, who issued an update on the fitness of new signing Danny Ings.

Having just moved from Aston Villa in a £15m deal, David Moyes handed his new man just under 20 minutes in their 2-0 win over Everton at the weekend.

However, it has since been reported that the 30-year-old is set for a spell on the sidelines, as was noted on the West Ham Way Patreon:

“In true West Ham form it appears the injury is true and it is a knee injury.

“This is a crushing blow but one that always seems to happen to West Ham and Ings has suffered knee injuries in the past including a serious one at Liverpool.”

Could cost Moyes his job

It is no secret that Ings was seen as the man to turn around their abysmal season and attacking fortunes, which before the aforementioned win had them joint-bottom of the Premier League table.

Having seen off his former employers, Moyes would have been hoping to kick on with his brand new marksman at the helm.

After all, he had scored five goals in his last four starts for the Villans, which was the bulk of his six-goal season thus far. It seems like quite the coup to acquire someone in such blistering form, which makes his injury even more frustrating.

Whilst it is not expected to be too serious, his history with that same issue will worry both the staff and supporters. 

Had Ings – who was once lauded as a “goal machine” by journalist Jon Dunham – enjoyed an injury-free career, he would likely have scored far more than his 115 senior goals across various clubs in England.

For Southampton, who seemingly always battled to avoid the drop, the lethal marksman scored 46 times in just 100 appearances as he enjoyed a true run of fitness.

There was hope he might achieve similar feats at the London Stadium, but with this instant injury, it already feels like a deal destined to go wrong.

Should the Hammers not build upon their win over Everton, continuing their toothless nature in front of goal, they can trace it back to Ings’ untimely injury should he not make a speedy recovery.

Whilst he represented a risk worth taking, it may well just cost Moyes his job.

Journalist Jason Soutar was left criticising the performance of Alfredo Morelos as Glasgow Rangers drew 2-2 at Ibrox in the Old Firm derby.

The Lowdown: Two points dropped

Michael Beale’s side will feel like it was two points dropped rather then one point gained at home after they were pegged back late on by a goal from Kyogo Furuhashi.

The hosts came out of the traps in the second half to turn around a 1-0 deficit from the first with goals from Ryan Kent and James Tavernier, but it was not enough for them to close the gap on bitter rivals Celtic at the top of the Scottish Premiership table.

The Latest: Morelos criticised

Taking to Twitter, Soutar was heavily critical of Morelos, claiming that he was ‘sluggish, slow and ineffective’, and has been ‘so poor’ for a while:

“Rangers were once so reliant on Alfredo Morelos. He was by far their most important player.

“Now, he has looked so poor for a while. Sluggish, slow and ineffective.”

Jonny McFarlane also noted that it was the Colombian’s “hospital pass” that led to the opening Celtic goal.

The Verdict: Time to sell

With his contract expiring in the summer, the January transfer window presents the perfect time for the Gers to get some money for Morelos and move him on.

The striker missed two big chances in the first half with two headers that he failed to put on target, while he also lost eight of his duels, failed to complete two dribbles, and lost possession of the ball eight times in total (SofaScore).

Having only managed five goals and two assists so far this season, Morelos is a player that already looks past his best at just 26 years of age, after a Rangers career that has seen him notch up a remarkable 170 goal contributions since joining in 2017.

Sadly, he does not look the same player, and the Light Blues have to bite the bullet now and move him on in this window.

West Ham United have identified Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo as a potential replacement for Declan Rice, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Rice’s future

While Rice is contracted until the summer of 2024, with West Ham also possessing an option to extend his deal by an extra year, his future at the London Stadium is looking uncertain amid interest from a whole host of other Premier League clubs.

In the summer, the Englishman rejected an eight-year-deal totalling £83m, while he recently spoke of his desire to win trophies and compete in the Champions League, which does not seem likely to happen with the Hammers at this moment in time.

As such, David Moyes and the recruitment team have started to identify suitable long-term replacements, and Caicedo is now emerging as a potential signing if Rice decides to leave the club in the near future.

The Latest: Caicedo considered

According to the Daily Mail, Brighton are now reaching a point where they realise they might have to sell the Ecuadorian, in light of his fantastic performances for both club and country.

The Seagulls have placed a price tag of £60m on the central-midfielder, a figure that is deemed unlikely to deter other potential suitors Newcastle United, while West Ham are also named as an interested party, with the aim of securing themselves a long-term replacement for Rice.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

No West Ham fan wants to see the Englishman exit the London Stadium, but if he must do so, then Caicedo would be the next best thing, given his level of ability at such a young age.

The 21-year-old is a staple in the Brighton midfield, making 14 appearances so far this season, and he has also already got 27 international caps to his name, having recently competed at the World Cup.

The ‘terrific athlete’, as lauded by South American football expert Tim Vickery, has some improvement to make with his pass completion, having averaged a rate of 85.5% over the past year, a little shy of the 90.2% figure attained by Rice, but he is showing some very promising signs in a defensive sense.

An average of 2.79 tackles and 1.61 blocks per 90 in the same timeframe places him in the 84th and 83rd percentile respectively, highlighting that he would be more than suited to taking on the defensive responsibilities in this West Ham team.

Chelsea have reportedly ‘held talks’ in Qatar over the potential signing of AC Milan and Portugal winger Rafael Leao.

The Lowdown: World Cup exploits

Leao featured for Portugal at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where he managed two goals on the way to them reaching the quarter-finals, despite not starting a match (Transfermarkt).

Before the tournament, the winger boasted seven goals and nine assists in 20 appearances in total across all competitions for Milan this season (Transfermarkt), and is sure to attract plenty of interest come the January transfer window.

The Latest: Talks held

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Leao does not want to extend his current deal at Milan, which is set to expire in 2024, and Chelsea are one of three clubs ‘in’ for his signature.

They have ‘held talks’ in Qatar over his potential signing, and Milan have rejected their first offer of €70m (£60.1m) for him, wanting his release clause of €150m (£128.8m) to sell.

The Verdict: Sign him up!

If the Blues can afford Leao, then they must sign him up in January at all costs.

Sitting in eighth place in the Premier League table, they are the lowest scorers (17) in the top half, and are in desperate need of a refresh in the frontline.

Leao has shown how threatening he can be in front of goal, and sharing a similar playing style to the likes of Mo Salah, Son Heung-Min and Luis Diaz, the 23-year-old is sure to thrive in the top flight.

Arsenal have been handed a big injury boost regarding right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a report by the Evening Standard, who relayed the claims of Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu, who himself revealed that the defender is set to be fit before their World Cup opener on November 23 – something which subsequently means the 24-year-old should be in line for a return to club football in December.

Regarding the current condition of the 29-cap international, Moriyasu said: “I hear it’s possible for him to return before the start of the tournament.”

Big boost

While the Evening Standard go on to suggest in their report that Tomiyasu remains a doubt for Arsenal’s Carabao Cup meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday and the Gunners’ Premier League meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, the fact that the right-back will be fit to feature in the World Cup is nevertheless great news for Mikel Arteta.

Indeed, while Ben White has impressed at right-back in the absence of the Japanese defender so far this season, it is undeniable that the return of a player who is a natural in the position will come as a very welcome boost for the 40-year-old manager.

Despite starting just four Premier League fixtures this term – making a further eight appearances from the bench – the £22m-rated talent has nevertheless impressed, helping his side keep one clean sheet, as well as making an average of 1.2 tackles, one interception, one clearance and winning 2.2 duels – at a success rate of 56% – per game.

Those statistics were boosted by a hugely influential display out of position at left-back when the Japan defender ‘pocketed’ a certain Mo Salah during their victory over Liverpool, a performance that demonstrated his importance to Arteta’s side.

The £55k-per-week full-back has also caught the eye over his six appearances in the Europa League, once again helping the Gunners keep one clean sheet and registering one assist, in addition to making an average of 1.7 tackles, 0.5 interceptions, 1.2 clearances and winning 3.5 duels – at a success rate of 75% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the 24-year-old average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Arteta’s joint seventh-best performer in the European competition.

As such, with Arsenal undoubtedly hoping to maintain a title charge, a European cup run and victory in domestic cups for as long as possible this season, squad rotation will be absolutely key for Arteta as the campaign goes on, leading us to believe that Tomiyasu’s return after the World Cup will come as big boost to the Spaniard and his side.

Leeds United chief Victor Orta has issued an apology after footage emerged following the 4-3 win over Bournemouth at the weekend.

The Lowdown: Dramatic comeback

It looked as if the Whites were heading for defeat at Elland Road after Dominic Solanke put the visitors 3-1 up shortly after half time.

However, goals from Sam Greenwood, Liam Cooper and Crysencio Summerville sealed a dramatic comeback and ensured Jesse Marsch’s side would make it back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season.

Footage emerged on Twitter after the win of Orta chanting ‘sack the board’ at one supporter, with Conor McGilligan labelling it ‘absolutely insane’.

The Latest: Orta’s apology

Leeds correspondent Graham Smyth took to Twitter on Sunday evening to share an update on Orta, tweeting:

“Victor Orta has released a statement apologising over an incident that was captured on camera at full-time yesterday. He’s also detailed abuse received in recent weeks.”

The statement, which was shared by The Yorkshire Evening Post, is available to view here.

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The Verdict: Tension

There appears to be plenty of tension between the supporters and the board, with chants aimed at Leeds officials during last month’s defeat to Fulham.

Fans are entitled to their own opinion, and with Orta being extremely emotional at full-time, it doesn’t come as a shock that he reacted in the manner that he did.

An apology was expected after his Elland Road antics, but the abuse he has received via phone calls and texts is unacceptable.

The club need to try and come together once again, but sadly it feels like the relationship between fans and the board is growing apart.

Chem Campbell is slowly but surely establishing himself as a first-team player at Wolves and the new manager must consider giving him more chances in the Premier League.

The 19-year-old winger has made four substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season to take his tally in an Old Gold shirt to six, and he is surely knocking on the door for his first start as a senior Wolves player.

Last season saw the teenager contribute an impressive nine goals and nine assists in the Premier League 2, and considering Wolves’ woes in front of goal so far this campaign, Campbell surely deserves his chance to shine.

The Old Gold are now the lowest scorers in the football league with just three goals in their nine Premier League games thus far and with the likes of Pedro Neto, Sasa Kalajdzic and Raul Jimenez out injured, and Hwang Hee-Chan, Daniel Podence and Goncalo Guedes all struggling, Campbell could be the new manager’s solution.

Bruno Lage may have had doubts about playing the academy graduate on a regular basis as his contract was set to expire at the end of this season, however, it has been suggested that he is on the brink of signing a new contract at Molineux.

Once this behind-the-scenes development has been completed, there seems little reason why the 19-year-old shouldn’t get his chance to impress, and he will be hoping to win over whoever takes over from Lage at Molineux.

Wolves U23 boss, and current interim manager, James Collins was full of praise for Campbell when he made his senior debut against Newcastle United last season.

He said: “He’s always been a very talented boy, but sometimes it takes the really talented boys time to realise that it’s not just talent that gets you through.”

Praise has also been forthcoming from Steve Davis who once claimed that the Birmingham-born prodigy “can produce things out of nothing.”

With two goal contributions to his name in just four Premier League 2 appearances this season, Campbell is more than deserving of a first-team chance under the new Wolves boss, and given time, he could be the man to end the Old Gold’s shocking run of form in front of goal.

Everton have been backed to complete the permanent signing of Conor Coady ‘now’ by former BBC pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: Permanent fee revealed

The centre-back joined the Toffees on a season-long loan from Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers over the summer, and has enjoyed an impressive start to life at Goodison Park.

The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath and John Percy recently revealed that Frank Lampard’s side will only have to cash out £4.5m to maintain his services beyond this campaign, and the Old Gold don’t have the option to recall the 29-year-old in January.

The Latest: Whelan’s message to Everton

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan urged Everton to complete the deal for Coady and claimed that he could go on to become a key man on Merseyside in years to come. He said:

“It’s a no-brainer.

“If you’re going to trigger that, then do it now. He’s already proven his point.

“We can see how valuable he is already in that back line. Him and Tarkowski have grown a really good relationship and they’ve got two leaders there.

“They’re talking and organising.

“Coady has got international experience and quality, and that is nothing for someone who can be at the club for at least another three years.”

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The Verdict: Absolute bargain

Everton signing Coady permanently is something that the club shouldn’t even have to think twice about considering the instant impact he’s made.

Before their match against Manchester United this evening, the England international was averaging 5.4 clearances per top-flight game and already has a goal and assist to his name in just seven starts (WhoScored).

Lampard has already asked the board to complete the deal, so it shouldn’t be too long before an official announcement is made.

The funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II is set to take place on Monday after her passing earlier this month. The Transfer Tavern remember her with some of the stories from Arsenal’s famous trip to Buckingham Palace back in 2007…

Queen Elizabeth the Arsenal supporter?

Cesc Fabregas, a famous member of that iconic 2006/2007 Arsenal squad, revealed after the team’s visit to Buckingham Palace that the Queen had told them she was an Arsenal fan.

In fact, she had been fond of the North London club for ‘over 50 years’, according to a royal source, due to her mother’s admiration for the great Denis Compton, an England international cricketer who played for the Gunners between 1936 and 1950.

Arsenal remain the only football club to have ever been invited to the Palace for afternoon tea with the Queen.

Why did Arsenal go to Buckingham Palace?

The Queen was due to open the Emirates Stadium back in 2006, but was unable to attend due to a back injury.

As a result, she invited the Arsenal squad back to Buckingham Palace for afternoon tea in February 2007 as a way of apology.

What happened on the visit?

Cameras followed the Arsenal squad as they took a bus ride to the Palace and were greeted by Her Majesty and her staff members.

One Palace employee, who gave them a tour of the Queen’s photos, described meeting Gunners legend and captain Thierry Henry in particular as ‘very exciting’ and ‘extraordinary’, while even the forever composed Frenchman himself was starstruck by the ordeal, failing to properly tie his tie and even recently admitting that he ‘forgot’ his teammate Julio Baptista’s name during the visit.

Meanwhile, Manuel Almunia has since admitted that he doesn’t actually like tea, but said you ‘have to’ drink it if offered by the Queen.

Perhaps the most fascinating story during the visit involved Emmanuel Eboue, who allegedly asked the Queen if he could dog-sit for her corgis.

The Ivory Coast international said: “Ma’am, I am OK thank you but please, I don’t want to be a footballer anymore, I want to look after your dogs. I want to take them for walks, wash them, feed them. I want to be a dog carer.”

The Queen, Prince Philip and the team were all left laughing at the bizarre comment, particularly as Henry had warned the right-back beforehand ‘don’t do anything’.

What happened at the end of the visit?

At the end of the visit, the Queen was gifted a figurine of the club’s emblem, a cannon.

Manager at the time Arsene Wenger even drew a laugh from her after he said: ‘It’s not to incite you to make war!’

No other football club have visited the Palace since, showing just how much of a special occasion it really was.