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Everton fell to a 5-2 defeat at home to Watford on Saturday afternoon, with former Toffees striker Josh King netting a hat-trick on his return to Merseyside.

Tom Davies gave Rafa Benitez’s side the lead early on and Richarlison netted in the second half to put the Toffees back in front, but a crazy final 15 minutes saw the hosts concede four times and leave Goodison Park with nothing.

As to be expected with the result, a number of Everton starters disappointed, as The Transfer Tavern dives into the three worst-rated outfield starters by statistical specialists SofaScore…

Allan

The Brazilian midfielder kept up his record of starting every Premier League fixture so far this season, partnering Davies in a 4-4-1-1 system.

However, he had an afternoon to forget, recording a SofaScore rating of 6.1/10. Allan lost six ground duels and one aerial duel, while losing possession 13 times and being dribbled past on five occasions.

Seamus Coleman

Coleman also received a SofaScore rating of 6.1/10 – the joint-worst when it came to outfield starters alongside Allan.

The right-back lost the ball on 16 occasions, lost four ground duels and two aerial duels and was dribbled past three times.

He also only made one tackle all game, compared to Lucas Digne at left-back who made seven.

Salomon Rondon

Summer signing Rondon is still awaiting his first Toffees goal, and like Allan and Coleman, he failed to have a single shot on goal against the Hornets.

He had just 26 touches all afternoon, lost the ball eight times and struggled in the air, losing eight of his 12 duels and three of five on three ground.

It seems as if the quicker Dominic Calvert-Lewin can return from injury, the better, following the much-maligned Venezuelan’s SofaScore match rating of 6.5/10.

In other news: ‘Don’t make me cry’ – Many Everton fans buzz over ‘great news’. 

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

According to Foot Mercato, West Ham are back ‘in the running’ to sign Montpellier striker Gaetan Laborde – coming after The Evening Standard reported a rejected January offer for the player.

The Lowdown: West Ham hunting strikers…

Time is fast running out for manager David Moyes to add to his attacking options for what is set to be a more congested 2021/2022 campaign.

West Ham’s involvement in the Europa League means more games and the need for new additions, with signing a new forward thought to be one of Moyes’ top priorities all window (Claret & Hugh).

New targets are entering the frame on a consistent basis, with 90min recently revealing that Netherlands striker Luuk de Jong has now emerged as an option for West Ham.

The Latest: West Ham re-join Laborde race…

As per Foot Mercato, another name is now being targeted by the Irons as they re-join the race to sign Laborde – coming after The Evening Standard revealed a failed January offer.

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The French striker formed a brilliant Ligue 1 partnership with Andy Delort last season with the duo scoring a combined 31 goals whilst also registering 17 assists between them (WhoScored).

West Ham are now again ‘in the running’ to sign him this summer alongside Rennes and it is believed that he will not be selected for Montpellier again in the event of a suitable offer.

The Verdict: Solid option?

Valued at around £13.5 million by Transfermarkt, Laborde’s impressive 16-goal French top flight haul last season is overshadowed only by his career total of 83 in all competitions.

The 27-year-old is still yet to enter the prime of his career and particularly proficient in the air, coming as a real strength and, potentially, a different option for Moyes.

He could be one to watch out for as the end of the transfer window creeps ever closer, offering the manager a potentially cheaper option and a different style of play as a traditional target man.

In other news: Bid tabled: West Ham make offer to sign ‘unbelievable’ player for Moyes, find out more here.

As per Football Insider, a Tottenham source has sung Ryan Sessegnon’s praises as he produced an “amazing” turnaround in Spurs’ 3-0 win over Norwich.

The Lowdown: Struggling for minutes

Sessegnon has not had the start he would have wished for since arriving at Tottenham in 2019 for a hefty fee of £24.3m.

The 21-year-old has been involved in just 79 minutes of play across two Premier League games this season. The left-sided starlet has suffered from two separate injuries which stagnated his 2021/22 campaign; the longest of which left him out of action for 74 days – missing a total of 14 games.

He never even played a Premier League match under former manager Nuno Espírito Santo, as he was either injured or on the bench.

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The youngster made his return from injury in Spurs’ 2-1 win over Leeds, after coming on as a substitute in the latter stages of the second half, but was then sidelined once again as he was sent off in the UEFA Europa Conference League, as the Lilywhites lost 2-1 to Slovenian side NŠ Mura.

The Latest: A big turnaround

Sessegnon came on to in the 22nd minute to replace Sergio Reguilon who suffered an injury on Sunday. Lilywhite Rose insider John Wenham (via Football Insider) was blown away by the Englishman’s performance, saying: “He produced one of the best performances I’ve seen from him after he came on.

“Sessegnon looked like a real option, he was really hugging that left-hand side.

“There was one ball he put in that was right across the face of the goal, unfortunately, no one was there to turn it in.

“That was much, much better from Sessegnon, I was so pleased.

“He was rightly sent off against Mura, I have no complaints with that. But what an amazing response from him.

“Clearly he’s knuckled down at Hotspur Way and I really hope he can build on that now.”

The Verdict: More minutes to come

Following Reguilon’s injury, it is expected that Sessegnon will be receiving more minutes in the upcoming weeks. Even though the former has claimed his issue is not serious, it is surely a warning sign for the manager to rotate the position during the hectic winter period.

Conte will surely use this time to assess the player and decide whether he will be included in his long-term plans.

Former Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic likened the 21-year-old to Real Madrid ace Marcelo after previous comparisons were made with fellow Galácticos star Gareth Bale, so there is certainly talent there, but it will be up to Conte to decide if the youngster possesses the full package.

Writing on Twitter, journalist Cesar Luis Merlo has said that defender Cristian Romero ‘will play for Tottenham’ as he backs a big N17 development.

The Lowdown: Spurs close in on Romero…

As widely reported, Tottenham are closing in on their third major summer signing after Pierluigi Gollini and Bryan Gil came through the door.

As explained by Alasdair Gold, the Lilywhites have been closing in on a moev to sign Romero from Atalanta for €50m (£42.7m), while Sky Sports claimed that Spurs have indeed agreed a deal.

Dropping a claim on Twitter, Merlo has backed these reports whilst detailing what happens in the next stages.

The Latest: Romero ‘will play for Tottenham’…

The journalist, who works for the likes of TyC Sports and Periodismo Deportivo, explained that Romero ‘will play for Tottenham’ and that Atalanta have indeed accepted Spurs’ offer.

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He added that lawyers will begin work on contracts and the 23-year-old could arrive in north London over the ‘next few days’.

“Romero will play for Tottenham,” Merlo explained on Twitter.

“Atalanta accepts the offer of €50M plus 5 bonus. The lawyers will start working on the contracts.

“The idea is that he arrives in the next few days until June 2026.”

The Verdict: Huge boost for Nuno…

Tottenham have arguably been crying out to sign a star centre-half for quite a while – they conceded 45 top-flight goals last season, just one fewer than 16th-placed Brighton – so this news of Romero being on the verge of joining Spurs will come as a big boost for Nuno Espirito Santo.

Looking ahead to his first full season in charge, Nuno can certainly be encouraged by the Argentine’s acquisition given his exploits in Serie A over 2020/2021.

He won the MVP award for the league’s best defender whilst attracting praise from critics. Italian football expert Conor Clancy, speaking exclusively to Football Transfer Tavern, waxed lyrical over the 23-year-old’s ability and dubbed Romero ‘one of the most exciting centre-backs in the world’.

Bearing this in mind, Spurs may have just captured an absolute gem.

In other news: ‘Excited’, ‘Huge coup’…Sky Sports pundit in awe of announcement out of Tottenham, find out more here.

Sunderland fans appear to be surprisingly happy as it is suggested Charlie Wyke could leave the Stadium of Light this summer.

Wyke enjoyed a fantastic 2020/21 campaign. While Sunderland failed to earn promotion to the Championship, the 28-year-old enjoyed the best season of his career, scoring 30 goals in 54 matches in all competitions, 26 of which came in League One (Transfermarkt) – only Peterborough’s Jonson Clarke-Harris managed more in the third tier (BBC).

According to The Northern Echo, however, the Black Cats’ hopes of holding on to the striker have all but disappeared. Celtic are said to be heavily interested in his services, while he is believed to be in talks with at least three Championship clubs. However, despite the number of goals Sunderland stand to lose if he leaves, it seems the supporters would be happy to see him depart.

The news was shared on Twitter by journalist Scott Wilson, and the fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Wyke news below

“See ya”

Credit: @AndrewsPhilip7

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out, one great season doesn’t detract from the dross he served up in the two years prior. Rebuild with as few of the failures as possible.”

Credit: @KyzenSAFC

“Am I the only person who is absurdly happy about this? He had a good season, but his general play is poor, hold up play non existent…and without McGeady looked punchless. We need better.”

Credit: @Grahame_psprare

“Said it when the season was finished. I’m sure he’s a good lad but I don’t want us to play the type of football needed to get the best out of him. Best of luck to him for the future.”

Credit: @RWMDAWSON

“Appreciate what he did last season and grateful for it, but think we are all pretty comfortable with Wyke moving on. It’s a nice thank you and goodbye from me.”

Credit: @Capt_Fishpaste

“30+ goals last season but he’s proved he can’t do it consistently over a number of seasons. Clearly he’s had a great season. Also proved he still misses sitters. Strangely not worried by him leaving.”

Credit: @paulthomase

In other news, Sunderland are said to be interested in signing this former Chelsea man.

Leeds United could sign Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez in the January transfer window, according to a fresh report which has emerged from Italy.

The Lowdown: Leeds constantly linked with Nandez

The Whites were tipped to sign numerous players during the summer, but Nandez was endlessly linked with a move to Elland Road.

In the end, the 44-time capped Uruguay international, who is valued at £19.8million by Transfermarkt, stayed put at Cagliari.

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The Latest: Interest could return in January

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], however, Nandez is ‘ready to return to the market’ in January, as he eyes up a fresh challenge.

It is stated that there are ‘eyes from the Premier League’, which suggests Leeds remain keen on acquiring the signature of the 25-year-old.

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The Verdict: Possible Phillips replacement?

Nandez is an experienced international who possesses great quality in midfield – BBC pundit Mina Rzouki hailed him as ‘unstoppable’ and ‘amazing’. It could be that Leeds see him as a future Kalvin Phillips replacement.

While the idea of both playing alongside one another is a mouthwatering prospect, it is going to become increasingly difficult to keep Phillips, with big clubs likely to hover next summer after the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’ was crowned England’s player of the year.

Nandez could be the perfect fit instead, adding similar levels of energy and bite in the middle of the park, averaging 1.3 tackles per game in the league so far this season.

In other news, Phil Hay has given an injury update on two Leeds United players. Find out who they are here.

Many Crystal Palace fans have flocked to Twitter following a post from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano in which he claimed that Eagles youngster Zion Atta is set to complete a move to Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice.

At the age of just 16, the winger made one appearance in the Under-18 Premier League last term for Crystal Palace [Transfermarkt].

However, he has now elected to join Nice in France following recent reports from renowned reporter Romano, with the reported offer of a new scholarship and professional deal [Daily Mail] seemingly not enough to keep him at Selhurst Park.

Speaking to his large Twitter audience, the journalist relayed that there is a ‘deal now agreed’ between the winger and Nice, with a move set to be completed today. Juventus were also said to be interested in acquiring his services.

In light of this, plenty of Crystal Palace diehards took to social media to express their opinions on recent developments.

Crystal Palace fans react:

Replying to Romano on Twitter, here is what some Eagles fans had to say as Atta gets set to depart Selhurst Park, with many taking aim at his agent Mino Raiola:

“Yeah but wanted 2 grand a week and we weren’t willing to break our wage structure for him. Raiola client so only wanted money”

Credit: @george_eard

“Good riddance. A lot can happen between now and him being ready to play first team football. Paying him what he demanded (£100k pa) would have been bad for morale in the academy group and a huge gamble.”

Credit: @DaveSturges”Raiola back to ruining football”Credit: @DrizzyCPFC”Raiola ruining football”Credit: @cpfcgoaat”Finished anyway tbh”Credit: @JamesCPFC11″Big L, especially with teams like Juve wanting him he was obviously special. However no team is paying 2k a week to a 16 year old”Credit: @L_cpfcIn other news, many Crystal Palace fans react to injury news. Find out more here.

Andros Townsend is reportedly subject of interest from Turkish champions Besiktas, according to Sport Witness.

The Lowdown

Predictably, the Besiktas interest in the 29-year-old England international is enhanced by his favourable contractual situation. His deal is due to expire at the tail end of this month, meaning the former Tottenham man is now free to talk to other clubs [Transfermarkt].

Signing from Newcastle United in 2016 [Crystal Palace FC], he has gone on to rack up 185 appearances for the Eagles notching 16 goals and 28 assists [Transfermarkt].

   The Latest

Intriguingly, this potential pursuit may hinge on whether Besiktas succeed or fail to secure Rachid Ghezzal from Leicester City. Following a successful loan spell at the club, Besiktas are said to be keen to secure his services permanently [Leicester Mercury].

Should this deal fall through, the European powerhouses could make their move for Townsend.

Open to a move away, Townsend has spoken this year in an interview with talkSPORT breakfast about one particular offer he has received from abroad, admitting he had spoken to a club from ‘around’ Turkey.

Verdict: Losing Townsend would be a blow to Crystal Palace

Losing players is never easy and Townsend is no different in that regard – even if he has not been a consistent feature in the team at times this season, his experience and quality is an asset to behold for any dressing room.

Once labelled a ‘flying winger’ by previous manager Roy Hodgson, he has provided plenty entertaining moments for the Palace supporters – perhaps most notably the stunning strike at Manchester City in 2018.

Despite this, his departure could pave the way for some younger talent to break through the ranks in South-East London. Having recently parted company with Hodgson, it may be time for large-scale replenishment encompassing all departments of the football club.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou could be facing a summer headache as news emerges from Parkhead about midfielder Tom Rogic.

What’s the story?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke said: “I’m sure, behind the scenes, Celtic’s powerbrokers will be looking at Rogic’s contract again. He’s out of contract in 2023, so he’s not got that long left on his current deal.”

Key player for Ange Postecoglou

While Rogic hasn’t completed the full 90 minutes for Celtic since the 4-0 victory over Motherwell back in February – a game in which he struck twice – he has certainly chipped in with some big contributions this season.

In 45 games across all competitions, he’s managed six goals and provided another ten assists, including netting in the superb 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Old Firm clash just a couple of weeks ago.

Indeed, speaking earlier this month, former Scotland boss Alex McLeish, said: “He’s been the bane of everybody recently, but he was invisible for a big period.

“It’s taken his countryman, Postecoglou, to come in and show the faith in him again. And he’s rewarded his gaffer with some incredible performances. I would have thought Celtic would make it a high priority to get Tom on board for a few more seasons.”

Sorting out a new deal for Rogic has to be an absolute priority for Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson, especially considering he won’t have long left on his contract heading into the summer.

Given the importance of Rogic to Postecoglou since coming back in the fold, the Hoops boss certainly wouldn’t be happy if a deal couldn’t be struck between the two parties.

If that can’t be done, then the Australian would either have to be sold on the cheap as he would have just the 12 months left on his existing deal, or would then leave on a free transfer next summer.

It’s the kind of nightmare scenario that Postecoglou could do without.

AND in other news – £4.7m down the drain: £12k-p/w Celtic liability rinsed Peter Lawwell for 140 weeks