All posts by z3u9t.icu

Arsenal drew against Everton on Saturday to end the fleeting hopes of beating Liverpool to the Premier League title; the Reds will move 16 points clear at the summit should they beat Fulham at Craven Cottage.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side are still likely to finish second for the third season running, with attention now turned toward Tuesday evening’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.

Hosting Los Blancos – who lost at home to Valencia on Saturday – before travelling to Spain one week later, Arteta rested a host of his stars, but there was one man who played from the outset at Goodison Park who will hope to reprise their berth in midweek.

Indeed, Leandro Trossard opened the scoring with a cool finish, latching onto Raheem Sterling’s pass.

Leandro Trossard's performance vs Everton

Trossard has ebbed and flowed somewhat this season, but he came up with the goods on Merseyside, ending a nine-game barren run in the Premier League with his strike past Jordan Pickford.

Starting in the centre-forward spot, the Belgian will hope to keep his starting role against Carlo Ancelotti’s intimidating outfit, with one football analyst noting that his ability to shoot from multiple areas with both feet makes him “unstoppable.”

Playing the talismanic role well, Trossard got off three shots, hitting the target twice, while also seeing plenty of action with 46 touches and completing 90% of his passes, as per Sofascore.

Maintaining fluency will be important against a Real Madrid side who are susceptible defensively. To be sure, with Bukayo Saka and maybe Gabriel Martinelli installed on either attacking flank, supplied by Martin Odegaard behind, Arsenal have enough firepower to do some damage.

While Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined, there is, of course, another man whose skills have been called upon in the final third recently.

He put in an industrious display against Everton and will be looking to start against Madrid.

The Arsenal star reaching "cult status"

While Arteta will be working closely with new sporting director Andrea Berta to make improvements in the transfer market this summer, some of Edu’s signings from last year have come up trumps at times this season.

Mikel Merino is chief among them.

The Spaniard, who joined from Real Sociedad for a £32m fee in August 2024, scored five goals from eight games as a makeshift centre-forward to combat the club’s injury woes.

But he returned to the middle of the park against Everton, something that added more mettle and crunch to Arteta’s engine room. Given that Trossard scored, too, it feels like it was a good move from the Gunners gaffer.

Indeed, Merino’s duelling success is truly a thing to behold. Standing at 6 foot 2 and expertly using his frame, he is one of football’s foremost aerial experts.

Praised for covering multiple areas of the field by The Daily Mail, who also heralded his efforts in the duel, Merino blended his fighting spirit with a willingness to drive the play forward, as evidenced by the data below.

Trossard might have got the goal, but Merino offered a lot more in regard to his overall performance. Everton, let’s not forget, are a different beast with Moyes back at the helm, and having such steel in the middle of the park was always going to be imperative.

Touches

48

Passes completed

26/31 (84%)

Touches in att. pen

4

Possession won

6x

Successful take-ons

1

Tackles

3

Duels won

14/17

Arsenal podcaster Matt Kendala even remarked before the game that Merino is “approaching cult status” with his recent performances, a “mentality monster” who has been “emptying the tank for the team.”

His combativeness and attacking instinct make for a dynamic and dangerous player, and you wouldn’t put it past him to nick an all-important goal across the two-legged Champions League tie coming right up.

Better than Nico Williams: Arsenal lead race to sign "Bergkamp-esque" star

The incredible international would make Arsenal a far scarier proposition.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 3, 2025

Ipswich Town appear to have their eyes on an “exciting” EFL star who “scores and creates goals”, according to one Sky Sports pundit.

Ipswich Town transfer rumours with McKenna’s side in relegation zone

The Tractor Boys’ return to the Premier League looks like it may only last one season, with Kieran McKenna’s side nine points adrift of safety with nine games remaining.

A defeat at Portman Road last time out was coupled with Wolves’ win at Southampton and has left Ipswich with plenty of work to do in the final months of the season.

Best signing since Davis: Ipswich struck gold with "wrecking ball" star

Leif Davis has been one of Ipswich’s finest signings during the Kieran McKenna era.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 20, 2025

Should Ipswich suffer relegation, there could be a number of exits, including star striker Liam Delap, with several top-flight giants eyeing a move for the impressive forward, including Man Utd and Chelsea.

Hearts striker and captain Lawrence Shankland, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has seemingly been identified as a possible replacement for Delap at Portman Road.

Loanee Kalvin Phillips is also unlikely to make his move permanent, and his replacement could be 6ft 6 midfielder Kalidou Sidibe, who currently plies his trade with French side En Avant Guingamp.

Towards the end of 2024, Ipswich were also linked with Peterborough United star Kwame Poku, alongside Southampton, Championship side Burnley and Scottish giants Rangers.

Ipswich Town told they can sign “exciting” EFL star if relegated

Now, talking to Football League World, Sky Sports co-commentator and pundit Don Goodman has labelled Ipswich target Poku as an “exciting” potential signing in the Championship, appearing to urge the Tractor Boys to make a move if they’re relegated.

“Well, Peterborough have finally found their mojo, haven’t they? They’ve just put a seven-game unbeaten run together, far and away their best run of the season. It took way too long.

“Kwame Poku, 10 goals and six assists this season from just 20 games, 19 starts, is very impressive. It’s on the back of 11 goals and seven assists last season.

“He’s been on my radar for a couple of seasons now, along with Ephron Mason-Clarke, who is now doing really, really well at Coventry.

“If you’re Burnley, Southampton or Ipswich, it’s obviously going to depend on which players stay and which players leave. That’s assuming Southampton and Ipswich will be in the Championship, Burnley will hope to be in the Premier League.

“So whether he’s ready for the Premier League just yet is a debate to be had, but certainly if I was a Championship club and I needed an exciting, ball-carrying winger that both scores and creates goals, he would be on my radar.”

Games

139

Goals

28

Assists

28

Minutes played

9,828

It could well be one to keep an eye on, and with Ipswich at this stage likely to come straight back down, someone like Poku could help in the final third as they aim to bounce back up.

Mikel Arteta opted to play what was effectively a b side for Arsenal’s Champions League second-leg game against PSV Eindhoven and got the sort of result and performance you’d expect from such a decision.

The Gunners were already 7-1 up on aggregate going into the match and all but through the quarter-finals, so it would be hard to describe the display as all that surprising.

The 2-2 scoreline was probably just about a fair enough reflection of the encounter, as both sides had chances to claim victory.

Moreover, while some squad players made a good account of themselves, like Raheem Sterling, others probably played themselves out of the lineup for Sunday.

Sterling's performance vs PSV

It’s no secret that this season has been something of a disaster for Sterling, and so going into last night, it was potentially the last chance he’d had to show Arteta that he still has something about him, and while the circumstances made it a bit of a nothing match, that’s what he did.

For what felt like the first time in months, if not the entire campaign, the Chelsea loanee looked full of life, and even though it didn’t pay off every time, he was trying to make things happen whenever he got the ball.

The Kingston-born star provided the assists for both goals and could have scored two of his own thanks to a well-timed run in the first half that left him one-on-one with the keeper and then a determined drive late in the second half that saw his close-range effort saved by the keeper once again.

The 30-year-old left an impression on GOAL’s Sean Walsh, who awarded him an 8/10 at full-time, writing that he worked ‘extremely hard’ for his two assists.

On top of the praise from the press, the experienced dynamo’s statistics also make for great reading, as in 94 minutes of action he amassed a combined expected goal and assists figure of 0.80, provided two assists, took two shots on target, played three key passes, created one big chance, took 47 touches and made one interception.

Minutes

94′

Expected Goals

0.57

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.23

Assists

2

Shots on Target

2

Touches

47

Key Passes

3

Big Chances Created

1

Interceptions

1

Overall, while Sterling almost certainly won’t feature in the lineup at the weekend, that won’t be because of his display last night, which might not be the case for one of his teammates.

The Arsenal starter who's played themselves out the team

Unfortunately, while the game wasn’t all that bad, and the result was ultimately meaningless, a few starters likely played themselves out of contention to start on the weekend.

One of those players was Jorginho, who had an uncharacteristically poor night in the middle of the park for the hosts.

The Italian ace was entirely ineffective in attack and utterly hopeless when it came to the more important defensive side of his game, switching off and losing his runner for Ivan Perišić’s goal and then losing the ball entirely for Couhaib Driouech’s impressive lob.

Unsurprisingly, Sean Walsh was equally unimpressed with the former Chelsea man, awarding him just a 3/10 on the night, a rating more than validated by his statistics.

In 94 minutes of football, the 33-year-old amassed an expected assists figure of just 0.04, completed just 86% of his passes, made no key passes, failed to take a single shot, failed 100% of his dribbles, lost 100% of his ground duels, lost the ball 11 times, committed one foul and made one mistake that led directly to a goal.

Minutes

94′

Expected Goals

0.00

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.04

Assists

0

Shots

0

Passing Accuracy

48/56 (86%)

Key Passes

0

Dribbles (Successful)

1 (0)

Ground Duels (Won)

2 (0)

Lost Possession

11

Fouls

1

Errors Leading to a Goal

1

Ultimately, while Sterling put in arguably his best performance in an Arsenal shirt last night, Jorginho put in one of his worst in some time, and we wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t start a game again for a while.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 12, 2025

Chelsea are now seriously pursuing a Premier League star who was also highly thought of at Stamford Bridge during the Roman Abramovich era, with Blues recruitment chiefs holding a real admiration for him behind-the-scenes.

Chelsea set to invest in new forward signings this summer

A lot of rumours this week have centred around a possible new midfielder coming in to bolster Enzo Maresca’s engine room, with Man United starlet Kobbie Mainoo believed to be a serious target for Chelsea.

Boehly now personally "lining up a bid" to sign £40m midfielder for Chelsea

The American billionaire has a target in his sights.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 11, 2025

Chelsea are also lining up an offer for Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham, according to some reports, but the club are still widely expected to significantly invest in the acquisition of a new high-profile forward.

Arsenal (away)

March 16th

Tottenham (home)

April 2nd

Brentford (away)

April 5th

Ipswich Town (home)

April 12th

Fulham (away)

April 19th

Chelsea didn’t bring in a prolific new centre-forward in the January window, which was seen as a mistake at the time, with Noni Madueke, Marc Guiu and Nicolas Jackson succumbing to injury soon afterward.

BlueCo will be eager to ensure that Maresca does have a reliable number nine to call upon once we reach the beginning of 2025/2026, a season where Chelsea could be competing in the Champions League for the first time in years.

Chelsea are among the main contenders to sign Benjamin Sesko, while links continue to surround the likes of Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting Lisbon) and Liam Delap (Ipswich Town), who are all enjoying excellent campaigns right now.

However, with uncertainty now surrounding Jadon Sancho’s long-term future at Chelsea, not to mention Mykhailo Mudryk after his failed drugs test, it is believed they’re identifying targets for the wing position as well.

Chelsea have been sporadically linked with a new winger, but Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo is now climbing up their transfer shortlist.

The former Bristol City star has racked up nine goals and five assists in all competitions under Andoni Iraola this season, attracting attention from big clubs, and Chelsea were thought to be real fans even during his days at Ashton Gate.

Antoine Semenyo emerges as "massive" Chelsea transfer target

That is according to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, who wrote via his Substack this week that the Ghanaian was a target during the Abramovich era, with Chelsea even thinking about making contact at the time.

Semenyo has impressed for the Cherries since then, with BlueCo and the Chelsea recruitment team also thought to be major admirers of his. Indeed, it is believed that Semenyo is now a “massive” target for Chelsea, as they also consider moves for his Bournemouth teammates Illia Zabarnyi and Dean Huijsen.

“We’ve heard that Chelsea are now tracking versatile attacker Antoine Semenyo for a potential summer move,” wrote Phillips.

“There has been extensive scouting of late, and our top source tells us that Semenyo has now become a ‘massive’ target for the club. The 25-year-old, who can play on either wing as well as a central striker or a second striker, has been tracked by Chelsea for many years and was first scouted under the old ownership.

“When the new owners came in, they continued running the data on Semenyo and tracking his progress closely.

“The former owners actually seriously considered a move for the attacker when he was at Bristol City and went as far as making contact. But nothing came of that and the player then of course moved to Bournemouth.

“But the Ghana international is now a player that the new recruitment team at Chelsea really like and are impressed with not just his quality but also his physicality.”

If the west Londoners are serious about striking a deal for the versatile attacker, Bournemouth could demand a fee of around £51 million.

On the balance of play, a 1-1 draw was a fair final outcome on Sunday evening as Manchester United and Arsenal both had their moments in the Premier League contest.

The visitors were ultimately punished in the first half for their lack of bite when Bruno Fernandes beautifully put away a free-kick in added-on time, whilst Declan Rice made sure the Red Devils would rue their own missed opportunities in the second 45 minutes when the ex-West Ham United titan powered home an equaliser.

Ruben Amorim would have lots of positives to hang onto at the full-time whistle despite the points being shared, with Fernandes sticking out once more as an obvious top performer for his underachieving team.

Man United's best performers vs Arsenal

Fernandes once again lit up Old Trafford with a terrific attacking display, with the free-kick effort sailing past David Raya for his sixth strike of the unfolding Premier League season.

With seven assists also next to his name, it’s clear that the 30-year-old is a key individual that Amorim relies on, especially when Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund are misfiring.

Whilst both Zirkzee and Hojlund failed to impress once more in an attacking capacity – the latter notably messing up a huge late chance to win the game as he was tackled by Rice – the likes of Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot very much did impress.

Indeed, the Moroccan wing-back notching up three key passes come full-time, whilst his left-sided counterpart would create one big chance himself away from valiantly defending.

But, whilst there were glimmers of hope on display to suggest United can push up the league away from an unsatisfactory 14th spot, there were other stale performances on show as this experienced Red Devils head struggled to ever get going against the Gunners.

Man United's worst performer against Arsenal

Fernandes has definitely cemented himself as a regular starter, but it’s his attacking midfield teammate Christian Eriksen who will worry for his spot in Amorim’s XIs moving forward, having put in a rather forgettable performance against Mikel Arteta’s opponents.

Indeed, the number 14 failed to attempt a single dribble all match as a timid performer partnering the classy Fernandes, alongside also never testing Raya with a single effort on goal. To make matter worse, he also had fewer touches than Andre Onana (53).

Minutes played

76

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Shots

0

Touches

34

Accurate passes

18/25 (72%)

Possession lost

11x

Accurate crosses

0/1

Accurate long balls

2/5

Successful dribbles

0

Total duels won

1/4

It was a weak display from the ageing Dane in every department, with seven of his 25 passes going astray, leading to possession being given up 11 times, once every three touches.

Moreover, it could be argued that his inability to get stuck in – which saw him just one duel all game – cost his team dear when Rice struck home his fierce effort, with Eriksen the closest man to the England international but doing very little to stop him levelling proceedings.

He could find his starting spot taken up by someone fresher in games to come consequently, with Gary Neville calling for the United squad to be “ripped up” in the near future, and Eriksen is just one face who might well be moved on as his contract expires this summer.

Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst handed out a poor 5/10 rating to Eriksen after the game, stating that he did “very little” when the ball was at his feet, which is in-keeping with his lacklustre season to date with just one assist coming his way in the league.

Whilst certain individuals continue to show they deserve to stick it out for the foreseeable at Old Trafford, others look very close to the exit door, with Eriksen very much deep now in that unwanted group.

Left for £0: Man Utd had the original Chido Obi in 600-goal academy star

Man Utd could have had a gem on their hands

ByJoe Nuttall Mar 8, 2025

Leeds United are in a promising position for promotion even despite Saturday’s draw with West Brom, but there is a collective realisation that squad surgery this summer could be required in a couple of positions.

Leeds held by West Brom but continue planning for promotion

Daniel Farke could only watch as his side were held in a somewhat frustrating Saturday lunch time encounter with West Brom, as they racked up 15 shots but only put two on target, settling for a point courtesy of Darnell Furlong cancelling out Junior Firpo’s opener.

Still, the German will be delighted with Leeds’ position in the hunt for a return to the Premier League, and there is plenty to be done in Yorkshire to ensure his squad possesses sufficient depth to handle the rigours of next season.

Irrespective of what league his side ply their trade in later down the line, the Whites have been linked with several statement moves for high-calibre stars that could revolutionise Farke’s project at Elland Road.

Recently, Leeds United’s interest in Celtic winger Nicolas Kuhn has become public knowledge. Capable of playing on either flank, the former Bayern Munich man has been an impressive force north of the border with 18 goals to his name this campaign.

Continuing the theme of exciting potential arrivals, AC Milan loanee Tammy Abraham is an ambitious target for the Whites after a spell at San Siro where he has struggled to fire with regularity.

His previous experience in the Premier League and homegrown status would appeal should promotion come to fruition. Over the last few years, the tale of new top-flight sides being unable to retain their place in the division has been all too common, so you need to be equipped for the challenge that may lie ahead.

Leeds United’s last five league finishes

2023/24 – Championship

3rd

2022/23 – Premier League

19th

2021/22 – Premier League

17th

2020/21 – Premier League

9th

2019/20 – Championship

1st

Farke will be aware of this having experienced a similar fate at Norwich City, where he was dismissed with his side sitting adrift in the hunt for survival after 11 matches in 2021/22. Undoubtedly, he is keen to avoid a prospective repeat scenario, and Paul Robinson has urged the Leeds United boss to act in the market by securing the services of an England international.

Paul Robinson urges Leeds United to sign Aaron Ramsdale

Speaking to Football Insider, Paul Robinson has urged Leeds United to sign Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale this summer, with the outlet confirming the Whites leadership are “planning” to replace Illan Meslier with a new signing.

He explained: “The big one Leeds should look at is Aaron Ramsdale. If Leeds are in the Premier League next year, keen an eye on Aaron Ramsdale’s situation. You’ve got to admire his attitude, the way he’s gone to Southampton and played a lot of this season injured, playing in a team that’s struggled.

Leeds may have unearthed the Championship's new Gyokeres in "dangerous" ace

Leeds United have hit the jackpot with this impressive Championship star.

ByDan Emery Feb 28, 2025

“He’s not wanted to be part of a title-challenging team or Champions League side as a cup goalkeeper, he’s gone to Southampton to play week in, week out. I think he’s a top-class goalkeeper and would be a huge addition for Leeds. That’s going to be a key position for Leeds next year.”

Despite Southampton’s struggles in the Premier League, Ramsdale has made 86 saves this season and the former Arsenal man, who joined the Saints for £25 million, has also recorded a pass completion rate of 87% in his own half.

Keeping two clean sheets in 19 top-flight appearances, the England international looks primed for a new challenge to keep his hopes alive of featuring in the Three Lions’ World Cup squad in 2026. Leeds may be the ideal environment for him to keep developing, but they will likely need to secure promotion before the possibility can advance to becoming a feasible pursuit.

Leeds are now hoping to add some experience to their side this summer as they target a return to the Premier League, and Daniel Farke has put a goalscoring veteran at the top of his wishlist.

Leeds front line set to change

Heading into the final quarter of the Championship season, Leeds have scored at least 20 more goals than any other side in the division, adding four more in their most recent game as they thrashed Watford.

Joel Piroe leads the way for Farke’s side, with his 14 strikes enough to leave him second to Norwich City’s Borja Sainz in the golden boot race, while Dan James has also picked up 10 goals so far this campaign.

Despite their freescoring form though, Leeds are still keen to bolster their frontline this summer, and even tried to in January with a move for Southampton’s young talent Cameron Archer, only for a move to be blocked by the south coast side on deadline day, leaving the Elland Road side empty-handed.

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1 ByCharlie Smith Feb 14, 2025

Should, as expected, Leeds get promoted back to the top flight, they will want a reliable Premier League goalscorer in their ranks and though Bamford has had experience in the top flight, his future now looks to lie away from Elland Road after falling down the pecking order under Farke.

Meanwhile, Mateo Joseph was subject to interest from Spain late in the January transfer window, and though Leeds opted to keep him, that interest may resurface in the summer when there is more time to replace the 21-year-old. With all that in mind, Leeds have now joined a gaggle of clubs chasing a potential free agent.

Leeds want Newcastle striker this summer

That is according to TBR Football, who report that Leeds hold an interest in Newcastle United forward Callum Wilson as a potential option to add more firepower to their side.

Wilson has spent much of his career in the top flight, enjoying a fruitful spell with Bournemouth before completing his move to Tyneside. Like Bamford though, Wilson has struggled with injuries and, now 32-years-old, is not a player that Eddie Howe can count on.

The Newcastle boss has worked with him at both Bournemouth and Newcastle, and is a masisve fan of his talents, labeling him “incredible” in 2023.

“He’s been incredible and I feel that his performance was right up there with one of the best I’ve seen him play, purely from a tactical perspective,” he explained after a 4-1 win over Brighton.

But now tasked with securing European football regularly, he cannot rely on the veteran. As a result, Wilson is in the final months of his £46,000 a week deal at St James’ Park and no efforts have been made to offer him a new contract, with Wilson having managed just six appearances so far this season.

Issue

Games missed

Hamstring injury

4

Hamstring injury

6

Calf injury

6

Chest injury

10

Illness

2

Back injury

15

Hamstring injury

14

Total games missed

57

Now, the report has revealed that “Wilson does not expect to be a Newcastle player by the end of the current campaign” but is keen to remain in the Premier League, limiting his options significantly.

It is added that both West Ham and Bournemouth are weighing up a move, while Leeds are “also interested” should they be promoted back to the top flight. While Wilson is undoubtedly a quality player even now, having shown that with two goals at Elland Road last time he faced the Whites, his injuries are surely a red flag even for a side looking to add Premier League experience on a budget.

Manchester United and Leicester City face off in the FA Cup this Friday evening, with the Red Devils’ quest to retain the famous domestic trophy continuing at Old Trafford.

United, who defeated Manchester City in the final last year, come up against former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who was actually in interim charge at Old Trafford earlier this season.

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1 ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025

Both clubs have struggled in the Premier League this season, making the FA Cup a welcome distraction and a real chance to save their campaign with silverware.

Man Utd v Leicester City team news Man Utd

The Red Devils were without Jonny Evans, Mason Mount and Luke Shaw last time out, and none of the trio look likely to feature at Old Trafford on Friday. A first appearance for January signing Patrick Dorgu could be one to keep an eye on, though.

United were also handed a new serious injury concern to Lisandro Martinez, who was stretched off against Crystal Palace and looks set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Leicester City

Long-term absentees at Leicester City are Issahaku Fatawu, Ricardo Pereira, Nathaniel Opoku and Wilfred Ndidi, however, Ndidi has been back in training and van Nistelrooy has confirmed the Nigerian will return to the squad against Man Utd.

When asked about any more injuries, van Nistelrooy said: “There are two or three with light injuries who will be assessed.”

Where to watch Man Utd v Leicester City on TV

For viewers in the UK, the game will be shown live on ITV1, STV, ITVX and STV Player on Friday 7 February with kick-off at 8pm (GMT).

In the USA, the match will be streamed on ESPN+, and in Canada, live on TV with channel Sportsnet.

Man Utd v Leicester City referee and is there VAR?

Interestingly, the FA has decided this season that VAR will only be introduced from the fifth round of the FA Cup onwards, meaning fans won’t have to worry about it on Friday evening.

The man whose decision will be final is referee Michael Salisbury. He will be assisted by Matthew Wilkes and Steven Meredith, with Thomas Bramall as the fourth official.

Salisbury has taken charge of four games for both clubs, and as can be seen, the Red Devils enjoy having the 40-year-old as the man in the middle with a 100% win ratio.

Games

4

4

Record

4W, 0D, 0L

1W, 0D, 3L

Cards received

3 Yellow, 0 Red

12 Yellow, 0 Red

Cards to opponents

6 Yellow, 0 Red

7 Yellow, 0 Red

Penalties for/against

1/0

0/0

Man Utd v Leicester City form Man Utd

Ruben Amorim’s side have struggled for consistency at Old Trafford, highlighted by recent Premier League defeats at Old Trafford to Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace.

The Red Devils began 2025 in positive fashion with a draw at Liverpool and an FA Cup triumph at Arsenal, as well as qualifying for the last 16 of the Europa League.

Date

Opponent

Competition

Result

Sun 2nd Feb

Crystal Palace (h)

Premier League

L 0-2

Thu 30th Jan

FCSB (a)

Europa League

W 0-2

Sun 26th Jan

Fulham (a)

Premier League

W 0-1

Thu 23rd Jan

Rangers (h)

Europa League

W 2-1

Sun 19th Jan

Brighton (h)

Premier League

L 1-3

Leicester City

Things haven’t exactly gone to plan for van Nistelrooy at the King Power Stadium so far, with the Foxes coming into the cup encounter off the back of a heavy 4-0 defeat to Everton.

The highlight of 2025 was certainly the 2-1 win at Tottenham which took them out of the relegation zone, however, they are now back in the bottom three and in real danger of an immediate return to the Championship.

Date

Opponent

Competition

Result

Sat 1st Feb

Everton (a)

Premier League

L 4-0

Sun 26th Jan

Tottenham (a)

Premier League

W 1-2

Sat 18th Jan

Fulham (h)

Premier League

L 0-2

Wed 15th Jan

Crystal Palace (h)

Premier League

L 0-2

Sat 11th Jan

QPR (h)

FA Cup

W 6-2

Man Utd v Leicester City head-to-head

This will be just the fourth time these two sides have faced off against each other in the FA Cup. The first two meetings were back in 1963 and 1976, both won by the Red Devils.

The last FA Cup clash was in 2021 at the quarter-final stages, where Leicester ran out 3-1 winners thanks to two goals from Kelechi Iheanacho and one from Youri Tielemans. Overall, though, Manchester United have more wins against Leicester throughout history.

Man Utd wins

72

Draws

31

Leicester City wins

36

Everton have yet to get going in the transfer window, with only Carlos Alcaraz joining the club.

He was on loan last season, and therefore, he isn’t exactly a brand-new signing, but David Moyes and TFG will be working tirelessly behind the scenes to bolster his squad ahead of the first season at their new stadium.

While the Toffees face an away trip to Elland Road to face Leeds in their match, the opening game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium will take place a week later when Moyes’ men face Brighton.

Between now and then, supporters will no doubt be longing for some new additions.

Everton ready to hijack move for Ligue 1 star

With Alcaraz through the door, it’s looking likely that Everton will make another signing in the shape of Fulham defender Kenny Tete, with the BBC reporting that talks are in progress.

A right-back by trade, Moyes could also be in the market to sign a left-back from Ligue 1.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Indeed, according to Leeds Live, the recently promoted club are keen on signing defender Gabriel Gudmundsson from Lille this summer.

However, the report goes on to state that Everton are ready to hijack the move for the Swedish defender, who has just one year left on his current contract.

As such, Moyes could perhaps land a bargain should he convince the left-back to swap Lille for a move to Merseyside, rather than Leeds.

Adding some depth to the squad is a priority, which means a swoop for £6m-rated Gudmundsson could be ideal.

Given the fact that he would be moving from Ligue 1, the Swede could turn into Iliman Ndiaye 2.0.

How Gudmundsson could replicate Ndiaye at Everton

Ndiaye moved from Ligue 1 side Marseille last summer, going on to become one of the club’s key players last term.

Indeed, the winger netted 11 goals across all competitions for the Toffees, helping the club preserve their Premier League status for yet another season.

Goals

9

Assists

0

Big chances created

3

Key passes per game

0.5

Shots per game

1.1

Successful dribbles per game

2.1

The Senegal international also ranked in the top 9% for successful 1.96 take-ons (2.52) per 90 when compared to his peers in Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing why Leeds writer Joe Donnohue has described him as a “fun” player who’s also a “risk-taker”. He’s also competent defensively, however, ranking in the top 11% for tackles per 90 (1.96) over the previous 365 days.

It proves that talent can be found at a reasonable price in France, so might Gudmundsson be the next player to move across the channel?

The 26-year-old would be a great signing. He made 45 appearances for Lille last term, which included nine in the Champions League.

An attacking full-back, he was notably impressive in the competition. When compared to his peers, the Swede not only ranked in the top 19% for progressive carries (2.96), but he also ranked in the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90 (1.66) last term.

Those are strong metrics, particularly considering the sheer quality of opposition he played against, with Lille coming up against Real Madrid, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid, defeating the two Spanish sides in the process.

Defensively, the 26-year-old won 54% of his total duels in Ligue 1 last season, along with being dribbled past on just 0.4 occasions per game, showing his strength in one-on-one battles.

Ndiaye made a wonderful impact after moving from the French top flight. If Moyes signs Gudmundsson this summer, the Swede has all the qualities to follow in his footsteps.

He's Ndiaye 2.0: Everton enter race to sign "wonderful" star

Everton have yet to make a signing this summer to bolster their squad.

ByRoss Kilvington Jun 21, 2025

Wolves fans orchestrated a powerful demonstration against controversial owners Fosun International during Monday’s 4-1 defeat to Man United, with an update coming to light on the future of the club.

Wolves linked with potential takeover amid torrid campaign

Supporters boycotted the opening 15 minutes of their heavy loss to highlight growing discontent with the Chinese conglomerate’s stewardship, and tensions have now reached boiling point.

The Old Gold Pack supporter group coordinated the protest, urging fellow fans to remain outside Molineux whilst displaying banners demanding change.

Multiple fan organisations, including Wolves 1877 Trust, Talking Wolves and Punjabi Wolves provided backing, describing the demonstration as “peaceful but unmistakable.”

Fosun acquired Wolves for £45 million in 2016, initially delivering impressive progress that even saw the club reach the Europa League quarter-finals under Nuno Espírito Santo.

However, supporters now view recent years as representing ‘managed decline’, with the systematic sale of key players, including Matheus Cunha’s £62.5m departure to United most recently, failing to result in adequate replacements.

The club currently sit rock bottom of the Premier League with two points from 15 games, not to mention zero wins, and are now 13 points adrift from safety.

Rob Edwards has struggled to generate momentum since arriving from Middlesbrough last month, with relegation appearing increasingly inevitable.

Fosun currently value Wolves at north of £350 million, with maligned American businessman, John Textor, previously submitting a ‘surprise’ estimanted £400 million offer (talkSPORT).

This proposal was made up of £150 million cash upfront plus £262.million in shares, though Fosun rejected the approach whilst maintaining the club’s ‘not for sale’ stance.

The ownership group instead seeks minority investment rather than an outright sale, though this stance contradicts supporters’ demands for wholesale change.

Executive chairman Jeff Shi faces particular criticism, with protesters displaying “Shi out” banners throughout Monday’s fixture.

Wolves now want to sign 'top talent' from Man City with player set to leave in January

Rob Edwards’ side need inspiration from somewhere.

ByEmilio Galantini 5 days ago

Financial implications weigh heavily, with relegation potentially costing over £60 million in revenue based on 2023-24 accounts showing a £177.7 million turnover. Historical precedent suggests the club’s value could plummet by £200 million should they drop into the Championship.

Bearing this in mind, a report this week by Football Insider makes sense.

Wolves will be 'forced to accept' cut-price takeover bid

According to their information, Wolves’ owners ‘will be forced to accept a cut-price offer’ if they decide to sell.

Given the club’s woes right now, Fosun’s negotiating position to demand their £350m valuation weakens by each passing day, with the club marooned bottom of the table and staring a drop to the Championship in the face.

However, the noise remains that, for the time being, they’re not interested in selling and only seek minority investment, according to Football Insider.

Wolves are also looking to be active in the January transfer window, even if it could be too little, too late.

Textor is now reportedly ready to make an official approach to buy Derby County instead, but according to former Botafogo president Carlos Augusto Montenegro, Wolves may have dodged a bullet.