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Reporter Pete O’Rourke has described an injury to Aston Villa player Philippe Coutinho as ‘a blow for Unai Emery’.

The Lowdown: Muscle issue

The Brazilian has struggled under both Steven Gerrard and Emery this season, starting just seven Premier League fixtures. Coutinho got the nod against Arsenal last month however and ended his long wait for a goal or an assist by netting Villa’s second in the first half.

He was then missing for the win over Everton last time out, with Emery revealing the 30-year-old has a muscular injury and will be sidelined for a month.

The Latest: O’Rourke reacts

O’Rourke was talking to GiveMeSport where he gave his thoughts on the injury to Coutinho. He described it as a ‘blow’ for Emery and Coutinho, believing he was starting to improve with his display against Arsenal.

“It’s a blow for Unai Emery and Philippe Coutinho. He’s had a really difficult season at Villa Park this year, and it just looked like maybe he was starting to show some form with that performance and goal against Arsenal.

“Now to pick up this injury is a real frustration for him, and I’m sure it’ll be a frustration for Unai Emery as well.”

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The Verdict: Not ideal

As O’Rourke says, frustration will be the word to describe the news on Coutinho, who missed games earlier in the season with a hamstring problem.

Hailed as ‘quality’ by Gerrard, Coutinho showed last season he still has what it takes to star in England, contributing to eight goals in 19 games. That resulted in a move from Barcelona becoming permanent, but it just hasn’t clicked during the current campaign.

His long-term future in the Midlands could be in doubt as a result, with Christian Purslow expecting an extremely busy transfer window at Villa Park this summer when it comes to incomings and outgoing.

Coutinho has been Villa’s 17th-best player this season, as per WhoScored, averaging less than one key pass and dribble per match, so Villa and Emery may feel they aren’t getting their money’s worth, with Coutinho the third-highest earner at Villa Park.

Glasgow Rangers were not busy in the January transfer window as Ross Wilson and Michael Beale made minor adjustments to the squad instead of a complete overhaul.

Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin, from Norwich and Standard Liege respectively, both came in on permanent deals to bolster the head coach’s options in the middle of the park.

However, they were also linked with a move to add another talented young player to improve the team’s long-term prospects. During the January window, it was reported that the Light Blues were interested in a deal to bring Romanian attacking midfielder Alexi Pitu to Ibrox.

The report claimed that a number of Premier League and European clubs, alongside Rangers, were keen on landing the talented dynamo before the market closed.

However, Ligue 2 outfit Bordeaux ended up winning the race for his signature for a fee in the region of €1m (£900k), with the gem penning a four-and-a-half-year deal with the French side.

Beale and Wilson missed out on the opportunity to sign Ianis Hagi 2.0 for the Light Blues as they were unable to snap Pitu up ahead of the second-division team in France.

The now-Bordeaux dynamo played with Hagi at Farul Constanta when they were both in the very early stages of their respective careers and coincidentally they play in similar positions on the pitch.

Both players are versatile midfielders whose most-played positions are left-wing, right-wing, and in the number ten role, which shows that they can interchange across the three behind a central striker.

Prior to Pitu’s move away from Romania in January, FCSB owner Gigi Becali claimed that the gem has “exploded” this season and his statistics back that up.

The midfielder, who talent scout Jacek Kulig described as a “playmaker”, failed to score a single goal and provided five assists in 32 league appearances for Farul in the 2021/22 campaign.

This term, Pitu scored five goals and assisted five for his teammates in 20 SuperLiga matches for Farul, which shows that the 20-year-old has taken a lead forward in his development and is now capable of making big contributions at the top end of the pitch.

Hagi went through a similar growth during his early years at Ibrox as the Romania international went from scoring three times and providing two assists in all competitions in 2019/20 to plundering eight goals and 15 assists for the Light Blues in 2020/21.

Therefore, Rangers could have signed their next version of the 24-year-old talent by bringing Pitu in as, like his compatriot, the maestro is a versatile midfield player who has shown that he has the quality to deliver regular goal contributions.

Beale and Wilson may now be hoping that they do not look back on their decision, or failure, to not snap him up ahead of Bordeaux with regret if the youngster goes on to achieve great things in France.

Everton duo Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana have been praised for their dominant performances in midfield during their victory over Arsenal by Tony Cascarino.

What’s the word?

The Toffees secured a huge win in Sean Dyche’s first game in charge as they stunned the league leaders to claim all three points at Goodison Park, and their battling display was aided by some top performances in the midfield.

Doucoure and Onana have both earned praise for their energy in the middle of the park, which meant that Arsenal could not get fully firing, and the home side recorded an impressive clean sheet.

Speaking on TalkSPORT, Cascarino picked out the pair for particular praise after the victory, which could prove vital as Everton battle the threat of relegation.

“They were absolutely brilliant from start to finish, Everton yesterday. I can’t give them enough credit. The two boys in midfield, Doucoure and Onana, terrific,” he stated.

“Two huge midfielders, they covered loads of ground, they got in the faces of Arsenal, pressed Arsenal when they had the ball. Defensively as a team, their work rate was extraordinary and it got them a result, and a deserved one by the way.”

Midfield engines

Arsenal could not match the intensity of the pair, who made five tackles and won eight duels between them as per SofaScore.

Onana particularly impressed, as he also made two key passes and earned a match rating of 7.7.

Dyche’s appointment has already had a huge impact on the Everton squad, and lining up with a three-man midfield required them to play with high energy in their pressing, as well as making tackles and disrupting the league leaders.

If these two and Idrissa Gana Gueye can continue this form, then it will give Everton a very good chance of staying up.

Liverpool fell to an abject defeat away to Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, compounding their deteriorating season and leaving a cacophony of deafening alarm bells to ring across the proud fanbase.

The 3-0 loss, which was comprehensively deserved against a cohesive and gelled Albion unit, was preceded by a 3-1 defeat at Brentford in the league, with a fortunate home draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the FA Cup wedged in the middle of those two abject results.

Jurgen Klopp’s side yield just 28 points from their first 18 matches of the league campaign; for comparison, the Merseyside giants recorded 92 points and a second-placed finish last year, also winning both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

This current crop of withered players are a shadow of the superlative, relentless squad which came so close to an unprecedented quadruple just last year.

It was an unequivocally woeful display from a squad which had aspirations of mounting another title challenge at the inception of the current campaign. Instead, the focus now lies simply on finding a vein of form to carry the team back into European contention, with current prospects suggesting that even that modest ambition might be a tall order.

With Brighton’s intense aura and inner belief that the sizeable chink in Liverpool’s armour could be exploited, the Reds were brushed aside, with several inexcusable displays from Klopp’s team.

Captain Jordan Henderson was unable to get a grip of his team and looked weathered at the heart of midfield, while 31-year-old centre-back Joel Matip was at the epicentre of the damage, giving away the ball in the build-up to the opening goal.

However, it was Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – deputising on the left flank once again in the absence of many of the club’s regular attacking options – who perhaps left the south coast with his head hung lowest.

As per Sofascore, the Englishman recorded a lowly average rating of 6.1, making only 29 touches across his 69 minutes on the pitch.

Despite completing 80% of his passes, the £120k-per-week dud was incapable of mustering any morsel of cutting edge, having two shots (one on target) but both of those branded as big chances missed.

In an affair which desperately called for someone to take the reins and demonstrate their worth to the beleaguered Klopp, Oxlade-Chamberlain could do little more than muster an “atrocious” display – in the words of prominent blogger Johnny Ward – who emphastically stated that it was a “war crime” for the player to still hold a place in the Liverpool team.

With the 29-year-old’s contract up for expiry at the end of the season, he is quickly running out of opportunities to impress, and he faces the daunting prospect of departing as a free agent unless he can stake an unlikely claim over the coming period of fixtures.

It was a pivotal afternoon, a clash of great magnitude for Klopp’s squad, and the manager was let down by the sheer absence of inspiration and cohesion. Change is needed, and Oxlade-Chamberlain is very much in danger of being deemed expendable.

France and Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann is on Manchester United’s radar ahead of a potential move, according to a new transfer update.

The Lowdown: Griezmann superb at World Cup

A number of players shone at the 2022 World Cup but Griezmann was right up there with the best of them, helping inspire France to the final.

The 31-year-old provided three assists at the tournament, and while Kylian Mbappe stole the show more often, he was arguably just as effective at times, with Didier Deschamps calling his star ‘world-class’.

Griezmann could possibly leave Atletico in the January transfer window, however, and an intriguing update has now emerged.

The Latest: Ronaldo replacement

According to Media Foot, United are interested in making a move for the French legend, as Erik ten Hag looks to add a top attacking player to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

The rumour is thought to be ‘gaining momentum’, with the Red Devils keen on bringing in a new superstar after Ronaldo’s exit.

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The Verdict: Is he needed?

There is no doubting Griezmann’s elite brilliance as a footballer, but it could also be argued that United don’t need a player of his ilk currently, considering they have Bruno Fernandes in the role Griezmann has shone in.

At 31, and with huge wages likely to be demanded, the attacking midfielder would also be an expensive and short-term fix, rather than someone who Ten Hag can build the team around into the future.

Griezmann could easily come in and do a great job – he is 99th percentile for assists – but there are younger alternatives out there and United would be wiser to focus on bringing in a centre forward instead.

Unai Emery has enjoyed a solid start to life as Aston Villa manager, with the club winning two out of three Premier League games before the World Cup break and building some confidence ahead of a crucial second half of the campaign.

There are still a few issues to fix, though, most notably in defence and attack. Villa have conceded 22 goals in the league, while scoring only 16 hasn’t helped their cause either when it comes to securing victories, and the Spaniard will surely be eyeing the January transfer market in order to strengthen his squad.

According to The Mirror, Emery is eyeing up a reunion with Villarreal forward Arnaut Danjuma in the winter, and this could give the manager the scope to ditch Ollie Watkins, who has underperformed this season.

Signed for £28m from Brentford in 2020, the striker has scored just 30 goals for Villa in that period. The current campaign has been the most disappointing of the lot, as he has netted only two goals from 14 league appearances.

This is an area which urgently requires some improvement if Villa are to challenge for a finish in the top half of the table, and a move for Danjuma makes perfect sense.

The £52k-per-week Dutchman has scored just four goals this season, although he missed the start of the campaign due to injury.

Danjuma has been dubbed a “nightmare for defenders” by Kevin Phillips in the past, and if he comes to Villa, Emery would surely be able to bring him back up to speed and allow him to rediscover the form that he showed last season.

His form last season was excellent under Emery, with the 25-year-old registering 20 goal contributions (16 goals and four assists), and he proved his importance to the team by ranking first with 13 league goals and assists, big chances missed (11) and fourth for successful dribbles per match (1.4).

It may be slightly harsh on Watkins, who was a regular starter under Steven Gerrard. However, it looks like Emery is looking to assert his own authority on the team, and by signing Danjuma, in turn he could boldly ditch the 26-year-old English marksman.

Newcastle United have been backed to become the next destination for Cristiano Ronaldo following his departure from Manchester United. 

The Lowdown: Ronaldo’s Man United exit

Last month, it was announced that the 37-year-old had left the Red Devils through mutual agreement after he was involved in an interview with TalkTV where he criticised the club, the owners and his manager Erik ten Hag.

Recent reports have claimed that the former Man United striker has received a formal proposal from Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr which would pay him almost €200m (£173m) per season on a contract to 2025.

Nonetheless, it seems that one former Premier League figure has backed the Portuguese legend to stay in England and swap one United for another.

The Latest: Newcastle backed to sign Ronaldo

In a recent interview with IlBiancoNero, former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko had his say on where he thinks Ronaldo will end up following the conclusion of the World Cup in Qatar.

He stated of the 37-year-old: “I think he’s going to stay in England and I see him at Newcastle. Only they have the money to be able to afford it in Europe, at least among the teams interested in him.”

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The Verdict: A decision for Howe and PIF

Bearing in mind how Ronaldo scored 24 goals in 37 appearances across the Premier League and Champions League last season, it’s safe to say that despite his advanced age, he still has the ability to be a top attacking figure in England and in Europe.

Hailed as an “extraordinary” player by Gary Lineker, it’s easy to see what the forward would be able to offer Eddie Howe’s side on the pitch.

However, having been picking up a rather hefty wage of £515k-per-week while at Old Trafford, it’s likely that it would take a significant investment from PIF to lure Ronaldo to St James’ Park.

With all of that in mind, it seems as though Newcastle certainly have the ability to ponder whether or not they want to make a move for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, but it should ultimately be down to Howe and whether or not he feels Ronaldo would be beneficial for the team.

Arsenal have been handed a boost in their bid to bring Ibrahima Bamba to The Emirates in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Tutto Salernitana, who claim that, following a number of reports linking the Gunners with a move for the Italian defensive midfielder this winter, Vitória Guimarães SC would be willing to part with the 20-year-old for a figure in the region of €6m (£5.2m) – despite earlier claims the youngster is valued at around £26.5m.

However, Mikel Arteta’s side are not the only club believed to be tracking the midfielder, with Atalanta BC, Villarreal CF, US Salernitana and Paris Saint-Germain also reported to be keen, while Vitória are not thought to be against parting with Bamba in January – as long as they were to receive a satisfactory offer for the talent.

The next Tchouaméni

Considering the sheer amount of ability and potential for future development Bamba quite clearly possesses, it is not difficult to understand why Edu would be interested in a deal to bring the 20-year-old to The Emirates this winter.

Indeed, over his 12 Liga Portugal appearances so far this season, the £3m-rated talent has been in sensational defensive form, making an average of 2.7 tackles – the joint 14th-most in the league – 1.2 interceptions, 4.3 clearances and winning an astonishing 4.8 duels – at a success rate of 62% – per game.

However, it is not only in a defensive capacity in which the £2.5k-per-week youngster impresses, as he is also adept at launching attacks for his side, playing an average of 2.9 long balls, 1.5 chipped passes and completing 29.8 total passes – at a success rate of 85% – per game.

These returns see the player who journalist Zach Lowy dubbed “one to keep an eye on” and “intriguing” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.01, currently ranking him as Vitória’s fourth-best performer in the top flight of Portuguese football – playing a key role in his side getting off to a fantastic start to their 2022/23 campaign.

As such, with Bamba being a player who is excellent in his reading of the game, extremely strong in the tackle and more than capable of launching counter-attacks for his side, there are quite clear comparisons between the 20-year-old and Aurélien Tchouaméni – the 22-year-old who joined Real Madrid in a €100m (£85.3m) deal this summer.

Indeed, the France international also excels in his anticipation, tackling and ball-playing, with the £126k-per-week defensive midfielder making an average of 1.8 interceptions, 2.3 tackles and playing 1.3 long balls per game over his 12 LaLiga fixtures this season.

As such, should Edu manage to get a deal over the line for Bamba in January, not only would the sporting director be landing Arsenal an incredibly promising young talent, but he could also have unearthed the next Tchouaméni at The Emirates – something that is sure to be an extremely exciting prospect for both supporters and Arteta alike.

Leeds United midfielder Tyler Adams may be wanted by Manchester United but he is unlikely to leave the Whites, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Adams linked with Man United

The £57,000-per-week American has enjoyed a strong start to life at Elland Road since his arrival in the summer, starting 11 games in the Premier League and bringing bite and tenacity to the Leeds midfield.

Adams has been linked with a move to Man United recently, though, with Erik ten Hag viewing him as a potentially strong target for the Red Devils.

One journalist has now given his take on the situation, and it’s one which makes for pleasant reading for the Yorkshire faithful.

The Latest: Adams expected to stay at Leeds

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke has backed Adams to stay put with the Whites, rather than joining Man United so soon after arriving in England.

The journalist said of the USA international:

“He’s full of energy, has got a great engine on him as well, and as I said, I think he’s been one of Leeds’s better performers so far this season.

“So, obviously those performances have caught the eye of Manchester United, but I’m sure Leeds are pretty confident that they’ll be able to keep hold of Tyler Adams going forward.”

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The Verdict: Already a crucial figure

Losing Adams so soon would be an almighty blow for Leeds, with the 23-year-old already so influential, averaging a highly impressive four tackles per game in the league this season – the second-highest in the squad.

He was outstanding in last weekend’s 2-1 win at Liverpool, winning three tackles and five duels, and manager Jesse Marsch is a big fan, having said in the aftermath of that game that his compatriot is having a ‘great season’ for the Whites.

The fact that a club of Man United’s stature are already keen on signing Adams highlights how good he has been and this is hopefully only the start for him in a Leeds shirt, with the upcoming World Cup also a great chance to showcase his brilliance in the biggest stage of all for his nation.

Sheffield Wednesday return to League One action tonight as they take on Bristol Rovers at Hillsborough.

Darren Moore’s side lost ground in the automatic promotion race as they could only draw 1-1 at Lincoln City at the weekend, so they will be looking to get back to winning ways when they take on Joey Barton’s side tonight

Unfortunately for the Owls manager, he looks set to be without two of his key players for this game after both Ben Heneghan and Will Vaulks were forced off through injury at Sincil Bank on Saturday.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Moore to line up his Sheffield Wednesday side against the Pirates, with three changes anticipated from the team which started against Lincoln.

David Stockdale looks unlikely to lose his place in between the sticks any time soon after keeping eight clean sheets in the league so far this season.

With Heneghan out injured along with Reece James, Dominic Iorfa looks likely to return in a back three, with Michael Ihiekwe and Mark McGuinness both keeping their places.

Marvin Johnson and Liam Palmer will most likely continue as the wing-backs if Moore decides to stick with the 3-4-1-2 formation that he has favoured for the majority of this season.

After Vaulks’ injury against Lincoln, George Byers looks the favourite to reclaim the starting spot alongside Barry Bannan in midfield, which is a blow for the Owls given the former Cardiff City man’s “quality” performances in recent outings.

Josh Windass seems undroppable on current form after registering four goals and four assists in 15 league appearances this season, so he should keep his place at attacking midfield.

Lee Gregory’s three goals in his last two games see him keep his place in attack, but Michael Smith now hasn’t scored since September, so Malik Wilks could replace him as Moore looks to earn another important three points on Wednesday night in front of the Sky Sports cameras.