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Manchester United extended their winless run in the Premier League to four games in dramatic fashion over the weekend after they were thrashed 5-0 by fierce rivals Liverpool.

The Red Devils were picked apart by their far superior opponents during a dreadful 90 minutes, increasing the pressure on under-fire manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Naby Keita opened the scoring after just five minutes at Old Trafford after the visitors ruthlessly exposed the gaping holes in United’s defence, and it was a sign of things to come.

Before half-time, a Diogo Jota tap in and a Mohamed Salah brace had already put Jurgen Klopp’s charges out of sight, but things got even worse following the interval.

The Eygpt international completed his hat-trick on the 50-minute mark, and Paul Pogba’s red card ten minutes later rounded off a humiliating afternoon for the 20-time English champions.

It’s a result and performance that ultimately puts Solskjaer’s position in the dugout under intense scrutiny, but the players on the pitch also have to take a share of the blame.

And arguably nobody was more underwhelming on Sunday than club captain Harry Maguire. He clumsily collided with left-back Luke Shaw for the second goal – who also had a nightmare against the Reds – and was unable to prevent the onslaught as he failed to lay a glove on Liverpool’s ruthless attack.

The England international was slow to react to almost every situation throughout the 90 minutes and was outwitted by Roberto Firmino on numerous occasions.

As a result of his below-par display, Maguire was awarded a match rating of just 4.8 out of 10 by FotMob, the lowest total received by any outfield player.

And when looking at his underlying numbers, it’s easy to see why. The 28-year-old attempted just one tackle which he lost, failed to block a single shot or make an interception, and made just two clearances, highlighting his hugely ineffective performance.

Since returning from a calf injury following the international break, the usually dependable centre-back has put in three calamitous showings against Leicester City, Atalanta and Liverpool, and Solskjaer will be hoping his leader can return to form as soon as possible.

And, in other news…Forget De Gea: Man Utd liability who lost possession 13x had a shocker against LFC

Leeds United have joined the likes of Ajax and Benfica in the race to sign Fluminense starlet Matheus Martins in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Brazilian publication Globo Esporte (via Sport Witness), Jesse Marsch’s team are monitoring the 18-year-old’s situation with Fluminense, although no official contact has been made by any side on a potential move.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-marsch-raphinha-dest-philhay” title=”Read the latest Leeds news!”]

The report added that a deal could well be a pricey one, with Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk having had a significant bid for him rejected just last year.

Shades of Raphinha

In addition to following Raphinha on Instagram, Martins appears to be following in his fellow Brazilian’s footsteps in terms of style of play too.

Predominantly a left winger, the 18-year-old has earned international honours with Brazil at underage level, while he has begun to break onto the scene in the first-team at club level.

This season has seen him make three appearances in the past couple of months for Fluminense, while he was in outstanding form in Brazil’s Copinha tournament featuring some of the best academy sides, scoring two goals and providing one assist in six games.

As per Sofascore, he has completed 43% of his dribbles in the Brazilian top flight, while also averaging a reasonable 80% pass accuracy. However, what makes him an even more Leeds-like prospect is some of his defensive numbers, winning 0.6 tackles per match (stats which are near-identical to the likes of fellow winger Dan James, and Rodrigo too).

With a reported release clause of around £42m, the 18-year-old is certainly well regarded by those at Fluminense, and while a transfer fee may not reach that mark, it’s indicative of the kind of big-money needed by suitors to land him.

If Leeds could beat the likes of Ajax and Benfica to his signature – both of whom have a great history of having a real eye for young talent – then it would be a major coup for Marsch.

AND in other news – Signed for £5m, now worth 700% more: Orta struck dream Leeds deal with “quality” 22y/o

Celtic winger Karamoko Dembele may not be in line for a return to first-team action any time soon.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to a claim made by Kieran Devlin, with The Athletic journalist revealing in a recent Q&A that the 18-year-old’s injury sustained in pre-season appeared to be a break rather than a less serious knock, something which could see the forward ruled out until well into the new year.

When asked by a fan why Dembele has not featured for Celtic so far this season, Devlin said: “He’s also injured, *think* it turned out to be a break in the end but conflicting information on that.”

Postecoglou will be livid

Considering Dembele’s regular involvement in Celtic’s pre-season campaign this summer, in addition to Ange Postecoglou appearing incredibly excited to work with the teenager this season, the news that Dembele could remain sidelined until well into next year will undoubtedly have left the 56-year-old manager livid.

Indeed, shortly after his arrival at the club, the Greek-Australian coach singled the winger out for praise, stating: “He is obviously a hugely talented boy. He has been here for a while and I guess he gets an opportunity now.

“I think the way we play will suit him. He was positive [against Charlton Athletic], not just with the ball, he also worked hard without the ball. Yeah, I thought he did well. I never worry too much about age, at either end of the spectrum. It is more about can they do what we want them to do.

“He has been in and around the first-team squad for a little while now. I think he wants to break through and be a first-team player so I see no reason why anybody needs to protect him from that.”

And, when taking into account the excitement that surrounds the youngster, – the prolonged absence of the forward will undoubtedly start to raise questions as to whether he can indeed go on to fulfil his undoubted promise.

For instance, French publication L’Equipe once named Dembele as one of “the wonders of European football” alongside the likes of Ansu Fati, Joelson Fernandes, Sebastiano Esposito, Mohamed Ihattaren and Karim Adeyemi back in 2019.

Indeed, should the England U18 international find himself ruled out of action until after the rapidly approaching January transfer window, in which Postecoglou will look to bring in further reinforcements to his current attacking options at Parkhead, Dembele could well find his route to first-team football even more blocked than at present – something that does not bode well for his development in professional football whatsoever.

In other news: “Continuing talks”: Sky journalist reveals transfer update that Celtic fans will love

An exciting Newcastle United transfer update has emerged, regarding the club’s interest in Benfica’s Darwin Nunez…

What’s the talk?

Sky Sports reporter Pete Graves has claimed that the Magpies are keen on the 22-year-old forward, whilst they are also on the lookout for players with experience.

He Tweeted: “On second striker – #nufc rate Ekitike but nowhere near at the price they’ve been quoted. Some interest in Darwin Nunez as well but Benfica reluctant to sell. There’s a feeling amongst key members of the ownership that Premier League experience will be key in survival battle.”

Excitement

This update from Graves will surely excite Newcastle fans for multiple reasons. Firstly, it shows that they realise they need players who know how to perform in the English top-flight to get them out of the hole they are in.

The Magpies are 19th in the Premier League table and could be facing relegation unless they are able to turn things around quickly and pick up points to drag themselves out of the bottom three. This means that they need to sign players who can come in and hit the ground running.

Whilst it is possible for any new addition to do that, those who are already accustomed to performing in England’s top division will be able to instantly get going with no issues as they won’t need to adapt to the league. Whereas, someone coming in from a foreign division with no prior experience in the country may need time to find their feet and this could cost Newcastle points in the short-term.

However, there is a balance to be had and the claim that the club are keen on Darwin Nunez will surely excite the Toon Army irrespective of his lack of history in England. He has scored a whopping 13 goals in 14 league matches for Benfica in the Primeira Liga, showing that he can score on a consistent basis for the Portuguese giants.

The attacker has also scored three goals in two Champions League starts this season. This highlights his knack for finding the back of the net at the top level and suggests that he’d have a good chance of being a success for Newcastle, whilst he also has room to develop at the age of 22 and could be a signing for now and for the future.

Therefore, Newcastle could strike a balance between bringing in players with prior Premier League experience and finding talent from abroad with the potential to explode for Eddie Howe’s team in the coming months and years.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Wood: Romano drops big NUFC transfer claim that’ll infuriate Hammond…

Crystal Palace are looking to make Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move permanent.

That’s according to journalist Tom Barclay, and, as to be expected, a number of Eagles fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Palace brought Mateta in 12 months ago from Mainz on an 18-month loan which included an option to buy. [BBC]

The 24-year-old has scored against rivals Brighton and Millwall during his time at the club and has featured regularly under Patrick Vieira in recent months.

And it now seems as if he has done enough to make a Selhurst Park stay permanent, with Barclay stating he has won Vieira over in recent months.

The journalist added that a deal is not done yet, but a full-time transfer appears to be on the cards for the Frenchman.

Palace fans react

This is what these Eagles supporters had to say in reply to Barclay’s post, with one ‘buzzing’ for the forward and another labelling it as ‘incredible’.

“Good. Goals against Millwall and Brighton. I’m a fan forever.”

Credit: @HunterCPFC

“Buzzing for the man, Vieira clearly rated him above Benteke and at 24 years old we could get him on the cheap”

Credit: @ReeceJMT

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @EvilSashPioneer

“Would be incredible if he goes on to be a big player for us”

Credit: @SWPalace

“YESSSSS”

Credit: @MattCPFC

“Get in”

Credit: @Rpcpfc

In other news: ‘Onto the next one, sorry Donny pal’ – Many Palace fans react as Romano shares ‘bonkers’ update. 

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Confidence and momentum are absolutely integral to the success of centre-forwards at any level of the game.

What’s the word?

Charlie Wyke’s dismal run of form in recent weeks is a typical example of how the life of a striker can be unforgiving and confidence-sapping.

The 26-year-old forward has scored just one goal for Sunderland this season, and his struggle to find the net continued on Saturday against Bristol Rovers.

Wyke was brought on as a second-half substitute and he had chances to add to his tally for the season, but he let three big chances go begging.

Jack Ross, though, did not seem overly concerned by his failure to find the net and he praised the goal-shy striker for his intelligent positioning, as per Sunderland Echo.

“I was really pleased with him when he came on.

“I know people will say that’s easy [to say] because we won the game.

“But I was. His all-round performance when he came on, he got himself into three really good positions, his movement was good.

“He’ll score and I’m desperate for him to score.”

Confidence-boosting goal could stimulate turnaround

As Ross has alluded to, the fact the Black Cats recorded a 2-0 victory made it easier for him to take such a patient stance with Wyke, but the striker’s ability to manufacture opportunities during a rough patch is a sign of promise for the future.

Ultimately, the run Wyke is on is bound to frustrate Sunderland supporters, but a single goal could be all that he needs to stimulate a major turnaround.

While the former Carlisle hitman continues to find himself in the right positions, both Ross and the supporters should keep believing that he will eventually rediscover his clinical instinct.

Following on from their 2-2 draw against Cheltenham Town at the weekend, Sheffield Wednesday are set to take on Sunderland this evening in their latest League One fixture.

Speaking ahead of the match against the Black Cats, who are currently three places and six points above Wednesday in the league table, Owls boss Darren Moore revealed that defender Dominic Iorfa has a 50/50 chance of being fit to face Sunderland after picking up an ankle injury prior to the Cheltenham match.

With this in mind, here’s how we feel Wednesday could line up this evening with two changes expected.

In goal, we think Moore will stick with Bailey Peacock-Farrell after playing in their previous three league games and managing to make four saves in the game against Cheltenham.

For the defence, assuming Iorfa isn’t fully fit enough to start against Sunderland, we can see the manager sticking with the same back three that started last time out as Liam Palmer, Jack Hunt and Chey Dunkley, who grabbed himself a goal at the weekend, all feature.

For the wing-back positions, on the right-hand side, with Olamide Shodipo impressing against Cheltenham by completing three out of the four dribbles he attempted and ultimately earned himself a decent overall match rating of 7/10 according to SofaScore, we think Moore should stick with him in that position on this occasion with Marvin Johnson keeping his place on the left.

In midfield, we anticipate the boss making changes with Lewis Wing coming in for Oluwafisayo Dele-Bashiri to partner Barry Bannan in midfield.

That’s followed by Saido Berahino replacing 22-year-old Dennis Adeniran to play up close to the striker duo of Callum Paterson and Lee Gregory to see if Wednesday can replicate a similar scoreline that Rotherham United managed to secure against Lee Johnson’s side at the weekend then Sunderland were beaten 5-1.

Whether Moore goes with this exact starting XI that we have suggested or not, this is a big game for the Owls. If they manage to defeat the Black Cats and keep their unbeaten streak going, it would put them firmly in the race for promotion back to the Championship.

In other news: Forget Iorfa: Moore must unleash “solid” Sheff Weds beast, he could bully Sunderland – opinion

Everton’s Premier League status ahead of next season still hangs in the balance as they continue to flirt with the chance of relegation in 17th, however it has not stopped the club being linked with signings this summer, as fresh interest emerges from Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Newcastle United are ready to sell their star player Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, with Everton joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in the pursuit to secure the signature of the French winger.

90min reports that they understand Everton are ‘keeping tabs on the situation’ although their interest is likely to only gain more traction if Frank Lampard can seal another Premier League season for the Toffees.

Other reports claim he could be worth somewhere in the region of £50m.

Richarlison replacement

Due to Everton’s disastrous season, Richarlison has been linked with a number of moves away from the club with both Arsenal and Manchester United being tipped to sign the Brazilian winger this summer, and if it was the case that the Everton star did leave come the end of the season, Saint-Maximin could be a worthy replacement.

The £93k-per-week Newcastle wizard who has scored five goals this season, has been highly praised during his time on Tyneside, with Gary Neville even hailing the 25-year-old “breathtaking” after his performance against Leeds United earlier in the season.

Neville told Sky Sports: ‘To see his speed, his movement, it’s absolutely breathtaking.”

If you compare Saint-Maximin to Richarlison it’s clear to see who is having the better impact on his team this season, with the Magpies winger more successful in his aerial duels, tackles and dribbles, as well as offering a higher shot and pass accuracy according to Soccerment.

With that being said, although the loss of Richarlison would be a shame as he has become a fan favourite, if Farhad Moshiri could fetch an eye-catching transfer fee for the Brazilian and then follow up by signing Saint-Maximin as a replacement in the same window, it could be a huge upgrade for Everton.

The signing could turn out to be a superb piece of business for the club, especially if they can convince Dominic Calvert-Lewin to stay, giving the Toffees boss the opportunity to form a fierce attacking partnership between the Frenchman and their current star striker.

Ultimately, Lampard must focus on maintaining top-flight football at Goodison Park over the rest of the season if the club have any chance of attracting players of Saint-Maximin’s calibre and keeping hold of some of the key players in their current squad.

In other news: “Pretty likely…”: Insider drops huge Everton claim that’ll have Frank Lampard fuming

Newcastle United have offered Atalanta €30million (£25.1million) for striker Duvan Zapata, according to Duncan Castles for The Daily Record. 

The lowdown

Newcastle have already signed one striker this month in the form of Chris Wood. They activated the £25million release clause in the New Zealand frontman’s Burnley contract.

But it seems that Eddie Howe wants even more firepower at his disposal, with Zapata in the club’s sights as he enters the final 18 months of his contract in Bergamo.

Of course, Callum Wilson is out for the foreseeable future with a calf injury, and the Magpies will need all the help they can get in front of goal, having scored just 20 times in 20 top flight matches this term.

The latest

The report states that, while Atalanta are willing to sell, they want another €15million (or £12.5million) on top of Newcastle’s original offer.

Encouragingly though, Zapata is thought to be ‘open’ to joining Newcastle if a fee can be agreed.

Newcastle’s top target for the striker position is SL Benfica’s Darwin Nunez, but the Primeira Liga outfit are demanding just over £50million. ‘Sources close to the negotiations’ say Zapata is being lined up as an alternative.

He’s one of a number of ‘high-value’ targets Newcastle are working on.

The verdict

Zapata’s record is excellent. In 152 appearances for Atalanta, he’s been directly involved in 116 goals (scoring 78 and setting up 38). He’s on 12 goals and seven assists for the 21/22 season so far.

His ‘quite incredible’ performances under Gian Piero Gasperini have, in the words of football journalist Maxi Angelo, made him ‘one of the most notorious strikers in Europe’, and at 6 foot 2 with tremendous physical strength it’s not hard to see him adjusting to life in the Premier League.

If he’s willing to trade Europa League football and a Serie A top-four battle for a relegation scrap, it suggests he’s certainly up for the fight.

But there is a question mark – do Newcastle really another striker approaching their twilight years? They’ve paid a sizeable fee for Wood, and Wilson is 29, while Wood and Zapata are both 30. From that point of view, you could also ask whether this is sensible squad-building.

In other news, Luke Edwards breaks some ‘difficult’ transfer news.

Manchester United have suffered a potential selection setback ahead of their Premier League clash with Watford this afternoon, with key defender Luke Shaw unlikely to feature from the off.

What’s the word?

The Red Devils will definitely be without French duo Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane after they picked up thigh and hamstring injuries respectively. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could also have to contend with the enforced absences of both Edinson Cavani and Shaw.

Cavani missed the Manchester City match last time out and was not included in the Uruguay squad for the recent international break due to a tendon injury, while the England left-back has not appeared in training footage this week after he suffered a concussion against Pep Guardiola’s charges.

Solskjaer was coy over the pair’s availability in Friday’s press conference, but it’s very unlikely that they will be able to take their places in the starting XI when the Red Devils travel to Vicarage Road.

“There are a couple of doubts with illnesses and small niggles,” the Norwegian revealed. “Paul (Pogba) is out for a while, Rapha (Varane) is out for a while. Apart from that, players will be coming back in the near future, some this weekend, some in the week, but that’s the same for other players.”

Solskjaer will be gutted

The news that Shaw is highly unlikely to play any part for the 20-time English champions against Watford will leave Solskjaer feeling gutted.

Although the England international hasn’t been in top form this season, he has still started every Premier League game for United, highlighting how integral he is to the team.

His underlying numbers indicated how effective the 26-year-old has been this term despite his slip in performance levels. As per WhoScored, Shaw has averaged 1.8 crosses per league game – the highest tally amongst his teammates – and 2.1 key passes, the second-highest total when compared to his colleagues. Indeed, Old Trafford legend Rio Ferdinand has spoken highly of the left-back’s “exquisite” ball distribution in recent months.

Therefore, United’s attack could well be blunted if the marauding left-back is forced to watch on from the sidelines, providing a major blow to the Red Devils’ chances of securing a much-needed victory in Hertfordshire this afternoon.

In other news… Forget Telles: Ole could unearth MUFC gem in rarely-seen 18 y/o with a “great future”