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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

BT Sport pundit Robbie Savage believes that Arsenal could become unstuck when they travel to Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United on Monday night.

What’s the word?

The Gunners’ face the 157-mile trip north to face the newly-promoted Blades after gaining automatic promotion with a second-place finish in the Championship last season.

During the current campaign, Chris Wilder’s side almost pulled off a shock upset against Premier League leaders Liverpool. After goalkeeper Dean Henderson fumbled Georginio Wijnaldum’s effort into his own net, Sheffield United lost 1-0 to the Merseyside club after what was a solid defensive display from the Yorkshire based-outfit.

Savage, who played Premier League football for various sides including Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers, has predicted in the Mirror that the Arsenal will not walk away with all three points from the affair but hold out instead for a 1-1 draw.

Two players can make the difference

Savage underestimates what the Gunners can do.

Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Arsenal have taken a step forward this season after finding themselves third in the Premier League after eight games, despite receiving criticism about the lack of imagination in attacking areas. This came to light after Arsenal were held to a 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

However, two Gunners’ players are capable of turning the tide during the game against Sheffield United on Monday night.

Dani Ceballos, who is on a season-long loan from Real Madrid, is one of them.

In the video below, we look at where it all went wrong for Arsenal’s former ‘saviour’, Mesut Ozil…

The Spaniard has had a bright start to life in north London and has been a valuable asset to boss Unai Emery’s team. During his first eight games, he has conjured up two assists in the Premier League as well as a passing accuracy of 89%.

His technical ability with the ball is matched with his ability to involve attackers ahead of him, enclosed in a typical 4-3-3 formation that Emery likes to play. With an average of 1.1 key passes and 1.4 successful dribbles per game, these traits that Ceballos has will help unlock the Sheffield United defence.

The second player is only on the basis that Alexandre Lacazette is not deemed fit enough to feature, and that is Bukayo Saka.

What an impressive start the 18-year-old has had to his Arsenal career. The youngster excelled during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United and outshone his £72m teammate Nicolas Pepe in the process.

Having scored one goal and provided three assists in all competitions, Saka has a bright future at the Gunners. His ability to run at full-backs and pick out a pass will trouble the Blades’ defensive line. The England U19 international was praised by former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who said that he was a player who is showing great maturity, as per the Metro.

Savage is wrong by saying that the Gunners will struggle, purely on the basis that they have players that can hurt Sheffield United.

Both Ceballos and Saka will have a significant impact on the game if the manager picks them. If Emery utilises them properly, Arsenal will leave Bramall Lane with all three points.

In today’s Leeds United roundup we take a look at what news has been making the headlines for the Whites. Helder Costa looks set to start his first Championship game for the club with Pablo Hernandez out, Marcelo Bielsa clears up why Patrick Bamford and Eddie Nketiah do not start together, and reports suggest the club are to deny loan bids for Ryan Edmondson unless they find themselves a new forward.

Bielsa on Bamford and Nketiah

Report: As reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Bielsa will not start Bamford and Nketiah up top for the Whites, as he suggests he may have to sacrifice a midfielder to do so. The Argentine said: “Patrick gives things to the team Eddie can also give. Patrick is a goal scorer, Eddie as well. Their difference in style is not too big because both of them can fill the position with the same efficiency.

“Patrick’s initial advantage over Eddie is he has more time with us, more experience and he is older than Eddie. What you are talking about, this polemic, is one of the things supporters like and the press like as well.

“If Bamford doesn’t play, you will ask why Nketiah does play, and if they both play you ask why Klich or Forshaw doesn’t play.

“It’s difficult to answer this polemic. This talk about different situations and that is fair and is nice. Sometimes, the reality offers space for this polemic. Sometimes this polemic is over the reality. What nobody can complain about is the winning.”

Verdict: Indeed, it does seem that if Bamford and Nketiah are to start together, a man from the midfield must be dropped. Like they did against Derby, Leeds have set up in a five man midfield a lot this season and considering they boast the best defence in the Championship, it would be surprising to see Bielsa alter the backline and therefore probably sacrifice a midfielder for Nketiah instead.

This in itself is a tough decision, considering Kalvin Philipps has played every minute so far, whilst Adam Forshaw and Mateusz Klich have averaged a 6.83 rating and 7.03 respectively, with even academy graduate Jamie Shackleton giving the boss some food for thought lately, playing four times so far and starting against the Rams.

There is also the fact the Arsenal loanee has scored twice from coming off the bench in the league, whilst Bamford has netted four times from a starting role. So, perhaps using Nketiah as a ‘super-sub’ would be wiser anyway.

Costa to start against Charlton

Report: As told in his pre-match press conference, Bielsa spoke on how it is time for Costa to make his first start for his new club. He said: “Pablo Hernandez is not going to play, he has a muscular problem. He felt that warming up in the last match and today it is not good.

“He is not well enough to play. It is Helder Costa who will play. Costa is prepared, he is ready, I can not say I am happy because people will think I am happy Pablo is not playing! I am happy that if it’s not Pablo then it’s Helder!”

Shackleton also spoke about ex-Wolves man: “Helder gives everything in training, he has been on the bench and if you slot him in things don’t look disjointed and hopefully add a bit more. He is brilliant one on one,” said the 19-year-old.Verdict: Costa signed from Wolves in the summer for a deal which will see him stay at the club until 2024, but so far has had to play each of the eight Championship games from the bench, seeing just 168 minutes.The 25-year-old brings with him proven experience and quality in the second tier. In his first season with the Wanderers, he bagged 10 goals and eight assists and the next year played a huge role in the club’s promotion to the Premier League, scoring five times and providing six assists (as per WhoScored).Although, the Portuguese international will come in as a replacement for Hernandez, who will undoubtedly be missed. The Spaniard has continued his red hot form from the last two seasons which has seen him win consecutive Player of the Year awards, after slotting home two goals and pitching in with two assists this campaign.However, his replacement in Costa is a healthy addition considering his track record in this league, which saw him win the Wolves Player of the Year during their Championship campaign of 2016-17.Whites set to decline offers for EdmondsonReport: According to Football Insider, 18-year-old Edmondson is the subject of strong interest from League One and Two sides, but the Whites are unwilling to loan him out in January unless they bring in a forward themselves. The report suggests Bielsa sees the teenager as a backup to Bamford and Nketiah, should either of them be unavailable.Verdict: It is always a wise decision to keep as many players as you can in the Championship, as clubs play 46 times in the competition and juggle FA Cup and League Cup duties, with even perhaps the possibility of the play-offs at the end of the season.It is also important to remember that Bamford – who has so far started every game – has struggled with injuries in recent years, missing 22 games last season alone, whilst Nketiah is only now adjusting to first-team football at the age of 20.Leeds are currently playing with just the one up top, and if Bamford were to be sidelined, the Bielsa would be low in the department. It is, therefore, a wise move to keep hold of Edmondson for the remainder of the campaign.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Crystal Palace must look to exploit West Ham’s weak link in defence this Saturday when they travel to the London Stadium to take on the Hammers – Aaron Cresswell.

Roy Hodgson’s men are in good form and find themselves 9th in the Premier League after a decent start to the campaign, but Manuel Pellegrini’s side have been even better.

The Irons sit 5th in the league and have lost just once in seven league games – this will presumably be an interesting spectacle given both sides’ fortunes so far.

It could well be decided by this key battle…

The weak link

Well, the former Ipswich man started the season opener against Manchester City, and was part of a defence that conceded five against the champions.

Pellegrini then bought Arthur Masuaku into the lineup for the next game against Brighton.

The Senegal international kept his spot in the XI before missing the visit of Manchester United due to suspension, where Cresswell then scored a stunning free-kick and kept his place for the trip to Bournemouth, which saw him score again.

However, his two goals should not gloss over the fact that he did in fact lose his place due to some poor performances in 2018/19, a campaign which he himself described as “up and down”.

In that campaign, Cresswell started just 18 of the Hammers’ 38 Premier League games and Pellegrini was presumably left unconvinced by his ability to start on a regular basis, seeing as Masuaku was also handed 19 starts.

Wilfried Zaha must pin him back

As well as attempting to pin Cresswell back for his defensive frailties, Zaha must also keep the three-cap England international under wraps due to the fact that the left-back is in good goalscoring form and could pop up with another.

Above that fact though, the Ivory Coast international will be key for Palace up against Cresswell – Zaha has lined up on the right flank five times already this term.

He ran Norwich ragged last time out, grabbing an assist – his first and only of the campaign – while he averages 4.6 dribbles per game and gets fouled 3.4 times per game in the Premier League.

It goes almost without saying that the former Manchester United winger is rapid, whereas Cresswell is anything but and sometimes it can boil down to a simplicity such as that – Cresswell will have to be positionally focused and keep tabs on Zaha, for he will have great difficulty catching up to him in a footrace.

Zaha’s skill and speed, coupled with Cresswell’s lack of, should mean Hodgson instructs his No.11 to target the Hammers No.3. But if the Englishman’s recent form proves anything, it’s that this will be a job that affects both ends of the pitch.

[ad_pod ]Trouble in paradise for Unai Emery?When it came to reviewing Arsenal’s shambolic performance against Watford on Sunday, which saw them squander a healthy lead, Mirror journalist and Arsenal fan John Cross didn’t hold back.It’s fair to say that the two goals Arsenal conceded were due to individual errors. The first, from Sokratis, a hospital pass inside the box that found the feet of former Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley, and the second resulting from a petulant mistake made by David Luiz to concede a penalty, his second in four games this season.Watch Arsenal Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

However, while the footballing world deservedly lay the blame on Arsenal’s calamitous defenders, apparently Emery doesn’t share the same sentiment, much to the bemusement of Cross…

The writer wasn’t convinced by the Spaniard’s reasoning behind the decision to take Dani Ceballos off either…

It was too hot so we brought off the Spaniard sits right up there in the dog eating the homework hall of fame of excuses, or perhaps the more modern version – the printer wasn’t working.

Cross also released a scathing review of Arsenal’s performance on the day that’s well worth watching for all those who just want to feel angry about something. It’s football, we all do it.

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Manuel Lanzini could not inspire West Ham United to a win over Aston Villa in Monday night’s Premier League clash at Villa Park.

The Argentina international played the full 90 minutes of the top-flight affair.

And according to WhoScored, he had a 91% pass success rate – that said, just one of those was considered a key pass, leading to a shot at goal.

Watch one of the best freestylers in the world attempt some of football’s hardest skills with fruit in the video below…

It was not really a match that will live too long in the memory as it ended goalless, but both teams did have opportunities to snatch all three points.

As expected, a number of West Ham fans took to social media both during and after the match to discuss the performances of a number of players.

Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Lanzini is one of those who has been widely discussed, and it would be fair to say that there’s a mixed reaction to his outing at Villa Park.

Whilst lots of the supporters were pleased with the South American’s display on Monday night, others were hugely critical – as shown by the tweets below:

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Son Heung-Min is set to return to action for Tottenham Hotspur after playing for South Korea at the Asian Cup.

The winger, playing in his second international tournament this season, could not avert a shock defeat for his country in the quarter-finals as they were beaten 1-0 by Qatar on Friday, and Son needs to be back in Mauricio Pochettino’s XI as soon as possible.

On the chalkboard

Spurs have struggled without Son.

Of course, Harry Kane and Dele Alli both sustained injuries at the worst possible time with Son already away, leaving Pochettino without his three most potent attacking weapons.

He had been on an electric run of form before his departure to the United Arab Emirates, scoring eight goals and providing five assists in just 10 games, as per Transfermarkt.

Spurs lost 1-0 to Manchester United in his final game, and have since been knocked out of two cup competitions without the winger.

Which big 6 club needs to do the most business in January? Check out what the Pl>ymaker FC squad think in the video below…

A 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday saw them eliminated from the FA Cup, while they were beaten by Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-finals on Thursday, losing on penalties at Stamford Bridge.

Son, during his time at the Asian Cup, drew a blank for South Korea, but he did provide two assists in the final game of the group stages against China as they won 2-0. Perhaps unfortunately for Spurs, Son played 89 minutes against China, 120 against Bahrain – in which his nation won in extra time – and 90 in the defeat to Qatar.

Pochettino, per the London Evening Standard, expects to have Son available for the midweek clash with Watford but unsurprisingly revealed that the winger is exhausted: “He’s so tired, played three games. Very tough games. Not too much energy today, but we hope he’ll be available on Wednesday.”

Fatigue be damned

Son simply has to start against Watford.

He may be tired, but an exhausted Son is better than a fully-fit Georges-Kevin N’Koudou.

The 23-year-old turned in an atrocious display against Palace, despite earning his chance in a cameo against Fulham after Son’s departure; he came off the bench to provide the assist for Harry Winks’ dramatic late winner.

Son was sorely missed against both Chelsea and Palace, however, with no player able to offer his pacey, driving runs on the counter.

Fernando Llorente has played reasonably well without him, but it is very clear that he does not have the required ability to lead the line for Spurs for a considerable period of time.

Now Son is back, he should be restored to the striking position against the Hornets and give Spurs the cutting edge they have brutally lacked.

It is, of course, a tough ask to expect him to hit the ground running but with the lack of alternatives in the squad, Pochettino simply does not have another option.

As if Real Madrid were not having enough injury problems as it is, now there seems to be another casualty coming their way.

The Serbian national team officially confirmed that Luka Jović, Real Madrid’s new summer signing, suffered an injury on his outing with the squad during the international break.

Watch Spanish Football Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

And this is actually nothing particularly new. The “FIFA virus” looms large during the international break and Jović is neither the first nor the last one to fall.

But for Los Blancos, this could be another huge hit since they already have five players out injured.

Upon hearing this news, though, many of their fans simply couldn’t believe it and fell into despair, hating on the international break.

Some were even ready to give up, saying they can’t do this anymore and others are predicting that Real Madrid will have to field their Castilla player if this trend continues.

Either way, they didn’t really take the news that well at all.

You can see some of their replies in the tweets down below:

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Tottenham Hotspur could seal their best signing since Heung-min Son following an exciting claim from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

The north London outfit are in desperate need of fresh additions this month, certainly if Antonio Conte is to stand a chance at reviving this sinking ship.

Given his tactical system – primarily deploying three-at-the-back – he needs further reinforcements to his backline, where left-back Ben Davies has been plugging a gap and the likes of Davinson Sanchez and Japhet Tanganga have had to be trusted.

One player that Spurs appear keen on is Villarreal defender Pau Torres, who rejected a move to the club during the summer window but back then, it was the underwhelming Nuno Santo in charge – rather than the trophy-laden Italian.

And Romano believes their interest is something to keep an eye on heading into deadline day in a little under two weeks time.

“Let’s see what happens with a centre-back. Tottenham want to sign a new centre-back in January. Pau Torres has always been on their list since last summer, but Villarreal have no intention to let him leave in January,” he told the ‘Here We Go’ podcast last week.

Torres’ desire may well hinge on any sort of Champions League involvement but Spurs are firmly in the race for a top-four finish and that could well be achieved with the Spaniard’s arrival.

He played an integral role for former Arsenal boss Unai Emery at the Yellow Submarines as they defeated Manchester United to clinch the Europa League title last season.

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Meanwhile, domestically, the 25-year-old colossus ranked as their fourth-best player (6.76) in La Liga last season. Across 33 starts, he proved to be an excellent ball-playing option by averaging an 87.8% passing accuracy and 0.8 dribbles per game, as per WhoScored.

“When he was small you could see he had an extraordinary talent to construct the play, I even played him for a few games in midfield, but he told me he was more comfortable at the back. Bit by bit he picked up more intensity, more strength, becoming more physical and he kept developing,” once claimed his former youth coach, ex-Villarreal midfielder Javi Calleja.

His profile is exactly the sort of one that Conte would love in his backline – an aggressive but astute on-the-ball beast to pair alongside summer signing Cristian Romero and Eric Dier.

As such, any move for Torres would surely excite the manager and fanbase alike. He’d be such a necessary addition that it could well equal the arrival of Son, who has quickly become one of Tottenham’s most reliable players over the years.

Fabio Paratici and co must seal a move for the £45m-rated Villarreal star at all costs this month.

AND in other news, “I understand..”: Sky Sports reporter drops transfer claim that’ll anger Spurs fans…

As per a report by the reliable Gary Jacob of The Times, Southampton are in the mix to sign bright Hull City forward Keane Lewis-Potter alongside a few big Premier League clubs.

The Lowdown: Semmens eyeing moves?

Saints chief Martin Semmens has kept his role even after Serbian-born businessman Dragan Solak completed his £100 million takeover earlier this month (Sky Sports).

The powers at be clearly still show faith in Southampton’s long-serving chief executive as he continues to oversee their transfer activity behind-the-scenes – with reports suggesting they are weighing a couple of moves.

Semmens and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl have been reliably tipped with an effort to make loanee Armando Broja’s stay on the south coast a permanent one (Sky Sports), meanwhile Dean Jones of Eurosport says they are in pole position to sign Fulham attacker Fabio Carvalho (GiveMeSport).

The Latest: Southampton eyeing Lewis-Potter…

According to Jacob’s information, Southampton are one of four English top flight sides eyeing a move for Hull’s exciting forward Lewis-Potter – with the 20-year-old attracting plenty of attention.

As well as Hasenhuttl’s side, Spurs, West Ham and Leicester City are in the mix as his suitors from the Premier League continue to grow.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Racking up 13 goals and six assists in Hull’s third tier promotion campaign over 2020/2021, Lewis-Potter has maintained that dazzling form into his first full Championship season at the MKM Stadium.

Indeed, the Englishman has so far bagged five goals and four assists in the league under manager Grant McCann – leaving little wonder he has been turning heads and Southampton are interested.

He’s even been compared to superstar winger Eden Hazard, with former Tigers player Craig Fagan calling Lewis-Potter ‘similar’ to the Belgium international (The Athletic).

Meanwhile, McCann also hasn’t held back in his praise for the ‘special talent’, and we believe he could well be a brilliant signing for Southampton if they can win the race.

In other news: ‘Inspiring’, ‘Yes yes yes’ – Many Saints fans rave as their club eye ‘unreal signing’, find out more here.

A frustrating injury update has emerged on Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden…

What’s the latest?

According to Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath, the Magpies enforcer is set to face months on the sidelines after undergoing surgery this week.

He tweeted: “#NUFC midfielder Isaac Hayden underwent knee op yesterday at private hospital in London and faces spell of recovery. Played with injection in last game but procedure needed.”

McGrath later added: Surgery was to repair MCL damage. Faces months rather than weeks recovery.”

Fans will be fuming

Newcastle fans will surely be fuming with this news as it comes as another big blow for the club, having also lost Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson to injury after the draw with Manchester United.

Hayden has been one of the better performers in the Magpies squad this season, albeit that is not too much of a compliment given their current situation in the league. He is ranked sixth in the squad for average WhoScored ratings, with fellow midfidlers Joe Willock, Jonjo Shelvey and Jeff Hendrick all below him.

These are the players who may now be needed to cover for him in the coming weeks and months in the Premier League, which is why fans will be fuming with this body blow.

Hayden has averaged three tackles and interceptions per game, along with 0.6 blocks, and he is a natural defensive midfielder who looks to break up the play and win the ball back for the side. This means that Newcastle will be losing his bite in the middle of the park, which could have a negative impact heading into crucial matches from which they will need to pick up points to escape the bottom three.

This may also place an added emphasis on the need to sign a defensive-minded midfielder in the January transfer window. Eddie Howe may need to reevaluate his plans for new signings because of these injury blows, which could potentially slow down the recruitment process as they need to readjust their priorities to deal with these frustrating setbacks.

Fans could also be frustrated by the news on Hayden as the potential change in plans could mean that signings take longer than previously expected. It could be a tense month for supporters if it comes down to the final days of the transfer window and a couple of key positions are yet to be strengthened.

AND in other news, PIF could save NUFC’s season with £20m move for “decisive” gem likened to N’Golo Kante…