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West Ham endured a difficult evening in their last Premier League outing against Liverpool.

The Reds ran out as supremely dominant 2-1 winners and restricted the Hammers to only two shots on target throughout the game.

After Lucas Paqueta’s sublime strike gave the Irons an early lead, they rarely troubled the Reds and failed to construct any periods of sustained pressure.

With the Europa Conference semi-final looming next week and a London derby against Crystal Palace this weekend, David Moyes should shuffle the pack to make his side more threatening.

One way that this could be done would be to replace the underperforming Michail Antonio with Danny Ings, who offers a far more complete package as the focal point up top.

Should West Ham start Danny Ings over Michail Antonio?

Antonio has surprisingly risen above the Englishman in the pecking order but drastically struggled in the last encounter.

After registering an assist in the early stages against Liverpool due to some slick and intricate link-up with Paqueta, the Jamaican was anonymous for the rest of the proceedings and recorded the lowest Sofascore rating of any West Ham player (5.8).

In a miserable evening for the Hammers’ record Premier League goalscorer, he only managed one successful dribble, had zero shots on target, missed two big chances, and failed to produce any accurate crosses, as per Sofascore.

Meanwhile, Ings has netted double the amount of goals (eight) as his fellow striker (four) in the Premier League this campaign and is surely a more logical option on Saturday in terms of rotation and tactics.

Across the £125k-per-week striker's career, the former Liverpool man has forged a respectable reputation for his link-up play and eye for goal.

During his stint with Aston Villa, retired forward Noel Whelan commented on his style of play and partnership with Ollie Watkins.

He said: “He’s showing what a good player he is and how dangerous he can be when he drops between the lines to feed Ollie Watkins. He is a phenomenal finisher as well, and we’re really seeing that partnership work with Watkins."

With top four yet to be secured and the Irons having only netted 34 goals in 32 games, the reintegration of the ex-Villa man could be the perfect antidote to bounce back against the Eagles this weekend.

Chelsea plan to offer Christian Pulisic as part of a swap deal to win the race for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic this summer, according to a recent report from Juve Live.

Which strikers could Chelsea sign this summer?

Chelsea could be set for another high-spending transfer window, with it being reported they are preparing a £100m offer for Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, who is deemed to be their priority target this summer.

However, the Nigerian is not the only forward being targeted by the Blues, as they have also been linked with a move for Brighton & Hove Albion striker Evan Ferguson, having been impressed by the 18-year-old's breakthrough season.

The west London club were alerted to the potential availability of Vlahovic back in December, making contact with the player's agent, and they could now be set to formalise their interest with an offer, which could end up being a swap deal.

As per a report from Juve Live (via Sport Witness), the Serbian is ready to leave Juventus this summer, and the Italian club would be willing to sanction his departure, but he could cost up to €80m (£70m).

In order to bring this price down, Chelsea could instead offer €50m (£44m) plus Pulisic, as the American is no longer a part of the club's plans, although it is not stated whether a move to Italy would interest him.

The Blues are not the only Premier League side competing for the striker, as Tottenham Hotspur are also in the race, while Arsenal are also said to be keeping tabs on him.

Should Chelsea sign Dusan Vlahovic?

It is evident that Frank Lampard's side are in need of a goal-scorer, given that they are averaging less than a goal a game in the Premier League this season, scoring 29 times in 30 games, just the 13th-highest total in the entire top flight.

The issues in front of goal have been particularly prominent in recent weeks, with Chelsea failing to score in their last three games, despite having 2.17 expected goals in the 0-0 draw against Liverpool.

Vlahovic could be the remedy to these problems, having been described as a "monster" by journalist Carlo Garganese, while Angelo Mangiante has lauded him as a "predator".

That said, the 23-year-old marksman has been eclipsed by Osimhen in the Serie A this season, having scored just eight league goals, compared to the Napoli star's 21, and so the latter player should still be the Blues' priority target.

Alasdair Gold has highlighted a worrying moment for Tottenham Hotspur as Richarlison was unhappy to give Harry Kane the ball before his penalty kick.

The Lowdown: Spurs pick up crucial victory

After a run of three successive poor results and performances, Antonio Conte got exactly the response he would’ve wanted from his side as they gained a much-needed three points this weekend.

Richarlison was handed an arguably surprise start against Nottingham Forest after his explosive comments in midweek about his season and Conte, but he certainly repaid the manager and showed what he’s capable of, although he still has areas to improve on having lost possession 11 times during 84-minute showing (Sofascore).

The Brazilian won the penalty for Spurs’ second goal and set up Son Heung-min for the third goal, while also seeing one of his own strikes cruelly ruled out for offside by VAR.

The Latest: Richarlison desperate to get on the scoresheet

After winning the spot-kick in the first half, Gold noticed that Richarlison was not entirely happy about handing Kane – the club’s reliable penalty-kick taker – the ball, although he did eventually bow to the pressure.

Gold said: “Porro then found Kane again to play a nutmeg pass to Richarlison who was brought down in the box. The Brazilian didn’t seem delighted about giving the ball over to Tottenham’s penalty taker but he did and Kane duly guided his first spot kick since the World Cup down the middle.”

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The Verdict: Conte will be pleased with Richarlison’s response

After his explosive rant following Spurs’ Champions League exit, many may have not known what to expect from Richarlison, but his manager will be delighted that he seems to finally be getting a tune out of his £60m ace, who looked like a ‘man possessed’ during his latest outing.

While Richarlison will have been desperate to get on the scoresheet as he’s still yet to score in the Premier League for Spurs, he surely knew that at 1-0, Kane was the only person who was going to be taking the penalty.

Richarlison can’t simply be wanting to take over penalty duties when he sees fit, especially given how shockingly bad he’s been in the final third for Tottenham this term, so it’s certainly going to be a learning curve.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy’s recent comments on the club’s recruitment has been slammed by former Spurs left-back Danny Rose.

Is Daniel Levy to blame at Spurs?

Spurs were dumped out of the Champions League on Wednesday night and Rose was speaking on Sky Sports about where the club is currently at both on and off the pitch.

Something which was noted is the club’s poor recruitment over recent years which has seen a lot of money spent on players who have not improved the side.

“Our spend levels show we have invested in the team – however, we walk a fine line between long-term investment and short-termism. This is why our recruitment must be first class as mistakes at this level have a financial and sporting impact for future seasons,” Levy wrote in the 2022 financial statement.

Rose has previously voiced his thoughts on some of the player’s Spurs have brought through the doors claiming he had to Google the names of some of them.

And on the back of this, Rose suggested this is something which he had previously said during his time in north London but received a fine for speaking out against the club:

“I still like to try and go into the Spurs training ground. So, I’ll have to be careful what I say there, but I think everybody’s got to be held accountable. I heard recently, Daniel Levy said something about the signings haven’t been great and it’s bizarre, that, because I’m sure I said something like that six years ago and got fined two weeks’ wages.”

How could hiring Pochettino affect Spurs’ recruitment?

The Lilywhites’ season has quickly come undone over the last few weeks with exits from both the FA Cup and Champions League leaving them with only top-four football to play for.

This, along with their poor style of play, has led to calls for Antonio Conte to be removed from his position before the end of the campaign.

Spurs have spent well since the Italian’s arrival with Fabio Paratici leading the recruitment charge as the club’s director of football.

However, the reports suggesting Mauricio Pochettino could be in line to replace the Italian in north London will bring up potential issues for the club’s current recruitment setup.

It is believed the Argentine would not be willing to work under the current model with a director of football making the decisions on the club’s transfers.

So in that sense, it could be seen as a potential step backwards by hiring Pochettino. But there is another issue at the club with Paratici’s future also left unclear as a result of his recent court case.

The final verdict is expected in the coming weeks and it could leave him unable to carry on in his role at Spurs.

This could open the door for Pochettino to potentially return, but it would be interesting to see whether Levy would be keen to continue with the current recruitment model.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has compared Bruno Guimaraes to Cristiano Ronaldo after he shed tears following the Newcastle United defeat in the Carabao Cup final.

What’s the latest on Guimaraes and the NUFC cup defeat?

On Sunday night, playing in the club’s first major cup final since 1999, the Magpies sadly fell at the final hurdle as they lost to Manchester United at Wembley Stadium.

Indeed, first-half goals for Casemiro and Marcus Rashford were enough to see the Red Devils pick up the win, while Eddie Howe and co slumped to defeat.

After the game, when the Newcastle players took a moment to applaud their travelling support, cameras caught Guimaraes crying as he looked on with disappointment.

While speaking about this tender moment on his YouTube channel, Talbot noted that it reminded him of Ronaldo and praised the Brazilian midfielder for displaying just how much he cares for the club.

He explained (4:45): “I think even seeing Bruno crying tears was like, wow that’s something I saw Ronaldo do when Portugal got knocked out.

“You know, these massive stars getting so close but so near and I just thought wow, he really really cares about this club.” What do Bruno’s tears mean for Newcastle?

The Ronaldo incident Talbot is referring to is perhaps when the former Red Devil cried following a defeat with Portugal during the 2006 World Cup – although he has shed a tear more than once over the span of his career.

Seeing as the Magpies have not won a major trophy since 1955, it’s not hard to see why the occasion would have meant an awful lot to the team.

Even so, Guimaraes only arrived in Newcastle just over a year ago – signing for £40m from Lyon in January 2022 – and so wouldn’t necessarily have any great reason to be so fond of the club.

Evidently, though, he has already formed a huge bond with the club and this latest display of raw emotion will likely only endear him to the Toon Army even more.

West Brom want to offer manager Carlos Corberan a new contract in order to ‘fend off interest’ from Leeds United, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Leeds eyeing Corberan

Over the weekend, the 39-year-old was linked with becoming the Whites’ next boss, with Jesse Marsch’s departure now confirmed.

It is a concerning update from a West Brom perspective, considering the impact Corberan has had since replacing Steve Bruce back in October.

He has turned the Baggies from relegation fodder to genuine promotion hopefuls, with his side now sitting sixth in the Championship after Friday’s 1-0 win at home to Coventry City.

The Latest: New deal incoming?

According to Football Insider, West Brom are ‘ready’ to offer Corberan a new contract at the club, as they aim to fight off Leeds.

The Baggies are believed to be ‘aware’ of the Premier League club’s interest in the Spaniard, who worked under Marcelo Bielsa during his time at Elland Road.

The Verdict: Would be a huge blow to lose him

It is imperative that West Brom keep hold of Corberan for as long as possible, considering the vast influence he has had since picking up the mess left by Bruce, being called a ‘genius’ by Romario Vieira.

He has won ten of his 13 league matches in charge at an average of 2.31 points per game  – they are third in the Championship form table in the last ten league outings – highlighting how big the turnaround has been.

Losing Corberan at this point in the season doesn’t bear thinking about and the hope is that he remains loyal to the club for at least the remainder of this season, and hopefully well beyond.

At the time of writing this, it was claimed that Newcastle United were not willing to spend more than £45m on the potential signing of the Everton youngster Anthony Gordon this month.

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe’s side are still looking to make their first signing of the January transfer window but the 21-year-old winger now appears to be coming in as the first, as Fabrizio Romano has said he’s set to sign.

However, this comes after a move for Gordon in the summer was valued in the region of £60m amid interest from the likes of Chelsea.

And, speaking on the Ranks FC Patreon page, insider Dean Jones suggested the Magpies were not willing to pay more than £45m for the 21-year-old:

(23:30) “I’m told that Newcastle wouldn’t go any higher than £45m for Anthony Gordon. And I would suggest that’s probably a reasonable place to set your stall out.”

A big risk?

Since PIF’s takeover in the latter stages of 2021, the Magpies have prided themselves on bringing in players who suit the environment Howe is building on Tyneside.

Although the Toon are backed by the richest owners in world football, they have not been willing to pay over the odds for players of interest.

This can be seen through the likes of Moussa Diaby and James Maddison with the Toon walking away from their £60m price tags.

And this has potentially proven a smart tactic from the Magpies by not setting a prescient of being willing to part with big money for a player they like and cave into the selling club’s demands.

However, there have to be some doubts cast overspending up to £45m for Gordon who has struggled to really prove what he is capable of in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old only has seven goals and eight assists to his name across the 79 appearances he has made in an Everton shirt (via Transfermarkt).

And perhaps a fresh concern for Howe could be the player’s attitude at Finch Farm having skipped training multiple times this week amid the interest from Newcastle.

Reports suggest that Howe would not be interested in bringing big egos into the Newcastle dressing room and we do wonder what the 45-year-old will be thinking about Gordon’s disruptive behaviour of late.

However, it is apparent some have high hopes for Gordon, so the Magpies will be really pleased to have got him for £40 million, which falls under their supposed fee they were looking to spend.

Glasgow Rangers completing the signing of Dion Sanderson “would make some sense”, according to a claim from transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Sanderson linked with Rangers

The 23-year-old has become a key figure on loan for English Championship outfit Birmingham City this season, making 24 starts in the division and winning 1.9 aerial duels per game, better than all but four Rangers players.

Sanderson has been linked with a move to Ibrox this month, as Light Blues manager Michael Beale looks to bring in players who are ideal for his style of play.

The Wolves-owned defender is contracted on loan at Birmingham until the end of the season, although a January move elsewhere is possible if he is recalled from his loan spell.

The Latest: Journalist talks up Sanderson move

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones talked up the idea of Sanderson moving to Ibrox, believing that the defender would be a good fit for Beale’s Rangers.

The journalist said:

“It’s a tricky one given his current loan situation, but his profile does fit with the foresight of Beale and the team around him.

“It has been expected since he came to the job that he would draw on experience and contacts within the Football League to find talent that would fit and be elevated within the SPFL. So again, with all that in mind, it does seem one that would make some sense.”

The Verdict: Ideal January addition

This is indeed a tricky situation, considering that Birmingham expect Sanderson to stay put until the summer, but he could be an excellent signing by Rangers if they can get a deal over the line this month.

The 23-year-old has shown that he can excel in a notoriously tough division, and his match averages of 2.5 clearances and 1.7 tackles in the Championship this season highlight his defensive quality. For context, those returns would place him second and fourth respectively at Ibrox.

Depth is essential in Beale’s squad, and the manager could see Sanderson as a great option to provide centre-back competition for the likes of Connor Goldson and Ben Davies, having been hailed as a ‘Rolls-Royce’ player by his former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson.

Jamie O’Hara has suggested that Antonio Conte’s time at Tottenham Hotspur could be up if he does not change his ways.

What’s the word?

The Spurs manager has come under fire with his side struggling for form and putting in underwhelming performances, and the Italian’s stubbornness over tactics and selections has been criticised.

Speaking on TalkSport, O’Hara slammed Conte’s attitude, with his constant negative comments in the media helping to create a toxic environment, and said that he should leave the club if he did not show more adaptability to change.

He said: “I don’t think he’s giving out the right message to the media in the way he talks about the players and he talks about the team.

“What’s he like at the training ground with his meetings and the way he’s talking? If the players have lost confidence that he believes in them, because he obviously doesn’t, because he’s coming out and saying that he hasn’t even got 14 players to pick from.

“If he’s coming out and saying that, what’s his messages across in training, in team meetings? And I think the message is that the players have lost belief in him and he’s lost belief in them. And if that doesn’t change quickly, then he’s going to have to go.

“I thought his interview yesterday was a bit of a disgrace. He’s talking about we’ve got to do this, and we’ve got to spend money – I get that, everyone’s got to invest. But I also look at it and go, well, you’re just putting the blame on the board.”

Patience running out?

Conte’s contract runs out in the summer, and there has been much speculation over whether he will stay at the club or depart at the end of the campaign.

It is clear that the club will need to spend big to bring the players he wants to convince him to stay, but given his comments as well as the current performances, patience may run out at Spurs in terms of how much more uncertainty they can deal with.

If performances do not improve and Conte refuses to commit his future to the club, the Spurs board may even consider making a change sooner rather than later to help prepare them for the long-term beyond Conte’s tenure instead of signing players requested by the Italian.

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Joao Felix over the last few weeks, and a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to journalist Dean Jones, the Villans are “in the picture” to sign the Atletico Madrid and Portugal winger.

The transfer expert told GIVEMESPORT: “They’re not the only club that potentially have the chance to sign Joao Felix.

“I think there are others that he would probably choose ahead of them if it were to come to it. But they’re in the picture and, as an Aston Villa fan, I guess that is an exciting place to be.”

Emery can land his own Griezmann

Unai Emery is just getting stuck into his role at Villa Park after joining the club last month and will surely be looking forward to the opportunity to make his own mark on the squad when the transfer window opens next month.

The former Villarreal manager’s predecessor Steven Gerrard had a clearout of the wide forwards at the club during his short tenure in the Midlands, with Anwar El-Ghazi, Trezeguet and Bertrand Traore all shipped out either on loan or permanently.

As a result, Villa’s attacking threat could certainly use some depth and improvements to get them quickly competing for a comfortable top-half finish and ultimately pushing for an ambitious qualifying place for European football.

Felix is definitely the profile of a player who could help the Villains in their pursuit of a high finishing position in the Premier League, as the Portuguese talent is one of the hottest talents in Europe.

The €100m-priced (£87m) Atletico star – who was dubbed “world-class” by football writer Mohammad Butt –  ranks in the top 15% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues in 2022 for assists, dribbles completed, interceptions and progressive passes, whilst also ranking in the top 20% for non-penalty goals and shot-creating actions.

In fact, Emery could even land his very own Antoine Griezmann if he can secure the signing of Felix, as the Frenchman was named the most comparable player to the 23-year-old, according to FBRef.

The Atletico Madrid team-mates have shared many similar attributes over the season, so far including assists (three each), pass completion (73.3% v 76.8%, Felix first), aerial duels success rate (46.2% v 43.8%) and shots on target per 90 minutes (1.58 v 1.51).

Signing Felix would be a massive coup for Aston Villa, but they would surely need to provide a very tempting offer for the player, with several Premier League clubs also vying for the young attacker’s signature.