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Liverpool will host West Ham United at Anfield tonight in their Premier League clash, and Jurgen Klopp will be hoping that the confident victory over Manchester City at the weekend will have been a turning point for his team.

The Reds defied the odds to beat Pep Guardiola’s side despite being in poor form over the season so far in the top-flight and they can continue their resurgence by beating David Moyes’ side in front of the Kop.

One of the biggest contributions to Liverpool’s inconsistencies has been their injury problems and when they host the Hammers at Anfield the side will again be without another key player.

Diogo Jota is the latest star to suffer fitness problems with the Portugal international sustaining a calf injury during stoppage time against Man City. That will be hugely frustrating for both the manager and the player who had only recently returned after persistent hamstring issues and will now miss out on the World Cup.

Jota will join Naby Keita, Luis Diaz, Joel Matip, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ibrahima Konate and Arthur Melo on the injury table, all of which will be unavailable for the West Ham clash.

With that being said, this is how Football FanCast expects Liverpool to line up against the Hammers…

We predict there will be just two changes to the team that beat Man City at Anfield on Sunday, with Klopp continuing to experiment with his formation and tactics.

The first change we expect to see is Darwin Nunez back in the starting line up to replace Jota alongside Mohammed Salah in the most advanced positions on the pitch.

It would not be surprising to see the German coach deploying Nunez and Salah as a centre-forward pairing with Roberto Firmino just behind them to complete the attacking threat in the final third.

The second change we think Klopp will make is the inclusion of Trent Alexander-Arnold who is set to reprise his role in the right-back position alongside an otherwise unchanging back four of Joe Gomez, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson.

Alexander-Arnold should replace James Milner, meaning the £150k-per-week ace who was dubbed a “leader” by journalist Leanne Prescott won’t be holding onto the armband and instead it will likely be Van Dijk who is nominated to guide the team through the fixture, with Jordan Henderson also likely to be benched with Milner.

With that being said, it will be an important three points for Liverpool tonight if they beat West Ham, as it could close the gap even further between themselves and the top four depending on the results surrounding them.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been the subject of praise following the north London club’s 3-2 win over AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. 

The Lowdown: Spurs leave it late

After drawing 1-1 against Sporting in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Lilywhites found themselves 2-0 down with 49 minutes on the clock against the Cherries.

With goals from Ryan Sessegnon and Ben Davies putting Antonio Conte’s side level, it was a dramatic late winner from Bentancur in the 92nd minute that secured the three points for Spurs.

Having replaced Yves Bissouma after 58 minutes played, Bentancur’s cameo also earned him some big praise.

The Latest: Big praise for Bentancur

Once the game had ended, journalist Seb Stafford-Bloor had this to say on Twitter regarding Spurs and the midfielder’s efforts after coming on in the second half.

“Half an hour of power from Tottenham, which is probably the limit for some of these players. Given the issues, Bentancur’s effect on games is quite amazing.”

The Verdict: Inspired decision from Conte

In addition to scoring the vital goal that completed Spurs’ comeback and gave them the win, the 25-year-old also managed to accurately complete 30 of the 33 passes he attempted, giving him a success percentage of 91%.

As well as successfully completing the two dribbles he attempted, the Uruguayan also won three of the four duels he was involved in, further highlighting how much of an impact he had on the game.

This heroic cameo performance ultimately earned Bentancur, who has been hailed for his “outrageous” skill in the past by Lee McQueen, an overall match rating of 7.7/10 from SofaScore, leaving Heung-min Son (7.8/10) as the only Spurs player with a higher rating on the day.

Although Carlos Corberan has secured his first win as West Bromwich Albion manager, he still has plenty to do before he can rest on his laurels.

His side still sits in the relegation zone, three points adrift and desperately trying to make up for the damage done by Steve Bruce.

Despite reverting to a back four for their win over Blackpool, it is common knowledge that the new manager prefers a 3-4-3 system with bombing full-backs.

Whilst he was Huddersfield Town manager, he benefitted from the offensive exploits of Harry Toffolo, who the previous boss Danny Cowley labelled “a really good kid” who was “hard-working”.

The left-wing back would then go on to score six goals and assist a further seven across their playoff-pushing campaign.

Whilst it may be a step too early to bring in youth players just yet, once they have secured a more confident degree of safety the Spaniard must surely promote Ethan Ingram into his senior side.

He has shown glimpses at youth level that suggest he could be a direct replacement for Toffolo at the Hawthorns, just on the opposite flank.

Already boasting one goal and two assists in seven Premier League 2 appearances this season, the 19-year-old has unsurprisingly often been deployed as a winger.

This experience will only mould him further into the perfect wing-back for Corberan.

Having already played once for the senior team this season too, in the EFL Cup, he is clearly well thought of amongst the club’s hierarchy.

Even last season, the bombarding defender recorded six assists at an even younger age.

He has been scoring and assisting goals throughout the whole of his short career, with his exploits surely to soon catch the eye of Corberan.

It was said at the back end of last season that Ingram wanted to “push for the first team”, and if this form is to continue then there is no reason why he cannot force his way into contention.

He aligns perfectly with the new manager’s ideals, and with Toffolo standing as proof that goalscoring defenders are his speciality, Ingram can start to feel excited about the new era at the Hawthorns.

Newcastle United haven’t had players who have made it into the England squad since Andros Townsend in 2016 but since the arrival of Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier, the St James’ Park curse on English players has been lifted.

Both Trippier and Pope are set to be almost certain contenders to make it into Gareth Southgate’s final draft of his squad before heading to Qatar in a few weeks for the World Cup, however, thanks to the phenomenal form and performances under Eddie Howe over the last 12 months there could be some more Magpies that will get the golden opportunity to feature.

Callum Wilson is the third most in-form English striker right now and there has been plenty of conversation surrounding his inclusion in the England manager’s squad later this month, but he isn’t the only wildcard Southgate could play when the squad files onto the plane.

On Wednesday night, England regular Ben Chilwell sustained a hamstring injury in the final minutes of Chelsea’s clash with Dinamo Zagreb and reports are suggesting that the talented left-back could now miss out on his chance to join the team for the prestigious international competition.

As a result, it has opened up the topic of who could replace him in the team and there is an argument to suggest that Newcastle’s Dan Burn could be a latecomer to get a shot at replacing the Stamford Bridge star.

The 6 foot 5 ace – who was dubbed an “underrated” asset by talkSPORT’s Tony Cascerino – signed for the northeast club in January for £13m and played a key role in the centre-back position to help Newcastle climb to safety in the Premier League.

Since then, Burn has been worth his weight in gold to the Magpies and has been occupying the left-back role in the team, keeping his position’s more experienced player Matt Targett out of the team due to his outstanding performances on the left flank.

Over 13 appearances, the 30-year-old has a pass completion rate of 88% in his own half and has won the majority of his duels (57%), as well as averaging 2.9 clearances, 1.3 tackles and one interception per game, proving that he is reliable and solid in his position.

Southgate was in attendance at St James’ Park to witness Newcastle’s 4-0 thrashing over Aston Villa last weekend, and it will be difficult for the England manager to ignore how consistent and influential in the backline Burn has been.

The Newcastle defender could be at a great advantage in earning a chance with his country as the 52-year-old manager is renowned for playing defensively and deploying full-backs who remain disciplined in their defensive roles in a more careful approach to games.

Burn also offers Southgate versatility in terms of his experience and attributes in the centre-back role too, giving England a player who can cover more than one position with ease.

With that being said, it would be a huge opportunity for Burn if he was called upon to represent his country at the World Cup and Southgate should not ignore the qualities and impeccable form that the defender could offer England over the tournament.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has the chance to take his new team into the next round of the EFL Cup as they travel away to face Manchester United.

The Villans head to Old Trafford tonight to play against the Red Devils for the second time in the space of a week, with a place in the fourth round awaiting the victor.

Emery enjoyed a fantastic first game in charge of the club as he masterminded a 3-1 win over Erik ten Hag’s men in the Premier League last Sunday, with Jacob Ramsey, Leon Bailey, and Lucas Digne all getting themselves on the scoresheet.

The former Villarreal and Arsenal boss may now want to make some changes to his starting XI in order to give some of the fringe players a chance to impress and one gem he must unleash is Cameron Archer.

He has not started a single first-team match this season, making six appearances off the bench in the Premier League and EFL Cup so far, and Emery must finally hand the youngster an opportunity, forgetting Danny Ings – who has already started eight games in all competitions.

Former Villa boss Steven Gerrard snapped back at a journalist for asking a question about Archer’s lack of minutes on the pitch earlier this season, saying:

“He’s only done one full session. Is he chomping at the bit? 100 per cent. You’re a fan of Cameron, you, aren’t ya? Or are you a mate of the family? Something’s going on because you’ve asked me 25 questions this year and I reckon 19 have been on Cam Archer. You’re a fan aren’t ya?”

Emery now has the chance to give Archer a platform to go and prove that he deserves to be starting more matches by putting in a convincing display against Manchester United tonight.

Journalist Josh Bunting described him as being “clinical” and fellow reporter Ryan Taylor once dubbed him a “goal machine”, which shows how much he has caught the eye of people who have been covering his performances. 

The 5 foot 11 striker scored four goals in two EFL Cup starts last season for Villa and plundered six goals and two assists in four outings in the EFL Trophy.

That earned him a January loan move to Preston North End and he scored seven goals, whilst creating three ‘big chances’ for his teammates, in 18 Championship starts.

These statistics show that the 20-year-old has the potential to be a lethal goalscorer for the Villans if he can sustain his consistency in front of goal over the course of a season.

However, he has not been given an extended run in the team to prove that he is capable of doing that and, therefore, Emery must finally unleash him against United ahead of Ings, who has had chances to impress already, to set him on his way.

PSV Eindhoven have emerged as potential suitors for Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, reliable journalist Joe Crann has claimed.

The Lowdown: Dele-Bashiru impressing for Owls

The 21-year-old has enjoyed an impressive season to date for the Owls, playing a key role in them sitting third in League One currently.

Dele-Bashiru has scored four goals 13 league appearances – he also has one goal and three assists in the Carabao Cup – including a double against Portsmouth on the opening weekend of the campaign.

There appears to be some interest in the Hillsborough youngster, which may come as a concern to Darren Moore and Owls supporters.

The Latest: Dele-Bashiru has interest from PSV

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, The Sheffield Star’s Crann confirmed that Dutch giants PSV are interested in signing Dele-Bashiru.

He tweeted:

“Understand Dutch club, PSV, are the latest on Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s list of admirers as he draws closer to the final six months of his #SWFC deal. Wednesday hoping to making significant progress this month, but key elements are still not agreed upon.”

The Verdict: Tough to keep him

While the thought of Dele-Bashiru remaining an Owls player for years to come is ideal, the reality is that they could find it hard to keep hold of him, having been described as ‘superb’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig during his Manchester City youth team days.

A move to Eindhoven could open the door for the 21-year-old to play Europa League football, with PSV in the knockout round play-offs of the competition, and that could be a big lure for the youngster.

His current Wednesday deal expires next summer, at which point he will be able to leave on a free transfer, should he decline an extension at Hillsborough.

The lure of joining someone of PSV’s stature could be too great for Dele-Bashiru to turn down, with promotion to the Championship arguably the one thing which could potentially keep him in Sheffield.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring David Raya to north London.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici are considering a number of goalkeepers in their bid to replace long-term number one Hugo Lloris – the soon-to-be 36-year-old whose current deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is set to expire in the summer of 2024.

The report goes on to suggest that the Brentford shot-stopper is one of the players on the 53-year-old’s shortlist of potential replacements for the Frenchman, and with the 27-year-old also out of contract in the summer of 2024, a move for the Spain international may not be overly difficult to pull off.

Lloris’ dream heir

Considering just how impressive Raya has been for Brentford in recent seasons, coupled with the slowly declining displays of Lloris over the last year or so, it is not difficult to see why Conte and Paratici would be considering a move for the Spaniard.

Indeed, over his 24 Premier League appearances in his debut top-flight campaign with the Bees, the £13m-rated talent was in exceptional form, keeping eight clean sheets and making an average of 3.3 saves – at a success rate of 74% – per game, with these returns seeing the shot-stopper average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.01.

It has been a similar story over his 15 league outings so far this season, with the £25k-per-week shot-stopper having already kept four clean sheets and made an average of 4.3 saves – at a success rate of 72% – per game, with these metrics seeing the 27-year-old average an even more impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.03.

In comparison, over Lloris’ 15 Premier League appearances this term, the £100k-per-week “legend” has kept four clean sheets and made an average of 3.0 saves – at a success rate of 68% – per game, with these returns seeing the 35-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.88.

Furthermore, aside from his “superb saves” – in the words of The Athletic’s Jay Harris – Raya also has “immaculate distribution” and is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet, with FBref ranking the Spaniard in the top 5% of ‘keepers in Europe’s big five leagues for touches per 90, as well as the top 22% for launched passes and the top 18% for average length of his goal kicks.

As such, with Raya being nearly eight years Lloris’ junior, as well as the Brentford star returning more impressive numbers in the top flight so far this season, it is not difficult to understand why Tottenham are keen on the 27-year-old, as the Spaniard would indeed appear to be something of a dream heir to the Frenchman between the Spurs sticks.

Newcastle United have submitted an enquiry to sign Ajax midfielder Mohammed Kudus in 2023, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Star in the making

The Ghanaian is currently in Qatar after being named in Otto Addo’s 26-man squad for the World Cup, and his performances in the Middle East appear to have caught the eye of several potential suitors, having stood out with two goals against South Korea on Monday.

Newcastle’s Premier League rivals Everton came close to signing the 22-year-old over the summer for £15m, whilst Liverpool had been monitoring him as well, but Eddie Howe is now keen to bring him to St James’ Park.

The Latest: Newcastle make Kudus enquiry

According to 90min, Newcastle, alongside Arsenal and Tottenham, have ‘asked’ about Kudus’ situation in Amsterdam following his outstanding displays at the World Cup.

Ajax are in ‘no hurry’ to lose one of their standout performers, although a ‘big offer’ would be ‘hard to turn down’ given that his valuation has now increased.

The Black Stars maestro’s price tag is believed to have ‘more than doubled’ to beyond the £30m mark as a combination of his long-term contract and his performances for Ghana.

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Saddick Adams has dubbed Kudus a World Cup ‘jewel’, and whilst it will prove difficult to fend off the strong competition for the 22-year-old, Newcastle should do what they can to get this deal over the line.

The Ghanaian has posted 12 goal contributions in 21 appearances across all competitions for Ajax this season and is a versatile player with the ability to operate in three different positions (Transfermarkt).

The Magpies are currently in the top four in the Premier League, and the potential arrival of Kudus in January could prove the difference as to whether or not they secure a Champions League place for the 2023/24 campaign.

Liverpool face a Premier League transfer battle for West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice…

What’s the news?

That’s according to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs who tweeted about the interest in the 23-year-old, saying:

“As previously reported, Chelsea really want Rice (always been a priority) and believe a summer move may be possible for under £75 million.

“Multiple EPL clubs looking. Don’t rule out #LFC. #MUFC keen. No clear frontrunner yet because Rice expecting plenty of concrete interest.”

Jacobs claims that the Hammers will be hoping for a bidding war over Rice, however, they won’t get anywhere near the price quoted earlier this year which was believed to have been around £150m.

Ideal Jordan Henderson heir

Jurgen Klopp is undergoing somewhat of a transitional season this year with the Anfield side, winning just six league matches as they went into the World Cup break sixth in the table.

There is no doubt the midfield needs some rejuvenation, with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita, and James Milner all out of contract at the end of the season and the likes of Henderson and Thiago on the wrong side of 30, next summer represents a perfect chance to add some quality to the side.

Rice would be a great signing as he could also become the ideal heir to Henderson, especially with the 32-year-old’s playing time suffering this season.

He has started just seven Premier League matches, averaging a rating of 6.92 as per Sofascore. Rice offers much more of a threat going forward, registering more goal contributions than Henderson (two to zero), more shot-creating actions (47 to 23) and completes more dribbles (44.4% to 33.3%) and this clearly shows the Liverpool player doesn’t quite offer the same attacking impetus as Rice.

Defensively, the West Ham midfielder – once dubbed as a “machine” by BBC reporter Paul Carter – also has the upper hand when it comes to tackles won (16 to five), blocks (20 to nine), and aerial duels won (60% to 55.6%), via FBref, proving that Rice has all the required attributes to eventually succeed Henderson as the leader at the heart of the Liverpool midfield, perhaps sooner rather than later.

Bournemouth caretaker manager Gary O’Neil lavished praise upon Rice, saying he is “The best all-around English midfielder we have.”

And Klopp, especially for the fee quoted, should be acting sooner rather than later in order to bring the player to Liverpool.

Leeds United absentee Stuart Dallas could make a pleasing return from his serious leg injury in the coming months, according to expert Ben Dinnery.

The Lowdown: Dallas out for many months

The Whites suffered all sorts of injury problems last season but Dallas’ setback was arguably the greatest gut punch, given the severe nature of his issue and his popular status around Elland Road.

Dallas suffered a femoral facture in a Premier League clash with Manchester City back in May, with a long-term absence guaranteed for the Northern Irishman.

However, it looks as though it won’t be too long until he is back in action.

The Latest: Return edging closer

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Dinnery, an expert on sports injuries, claimed that Dallas could be back in early 2023, in what is a hugely positive update:

“The end of December, maybe coming into early 2023 is realistic for a Dallas return.

“It could be that he makes some appearances for the U21 side first, to try and transition from training into eventually moving back into the first team.”

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The Verdict: Will he be the same player?

This is such good news for Leeds and Dallas, with the versatile hero a big miss in recent times, whether it be in midfield or acting as an auxiliary full-back.

At 31, there is the potential that he may not be the same energetic player again, however, such was the severity of his injury, although his physical prowess means he has as good a chance as anyone of remaining a force.

Having Dallas back in the squad again will suddenly give Jesse Marsch more options in various positions – Alan Shearer has called him ‘outstanding’ – and his return could help turn the Whites’ season around further.