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Rangers managed to reclaim their spot at the top of the Scottish Premiership table as they beat Hibernian 2-1 on Sunday.

Kevin Nisbet headed Hibs in front in the opening 10 minutes before Ryan Porteous was sent off in the 30th minute for a poor challenge on Joe Aribo.

The Gers were able to find the leveller in the 60th minute as Nathan Patterson put the ball on a plate for Kemar Roofe to nod home at the back post. Alfredo Morelos then won the match with his goal, assisted by Borna Barisic, in the 78th minute.

Roofe and Morelos may steal the headlines with their goals, but one player who was an unsung hero in the midfield was summer signing John Lundstram. He found a balance between defensive ballast and impressive play in possession to put in an all-around brilliant display.

Defensively, he was almost faultless for Rangers. Per SofaScore, he made four tackles, three interceptions and one block. He also won 62.5% of his duels on the pitch in the game, winning five of his eight 50/50 battles against Hibernian players.

This shows that he was able to snuff out Hibernian attacks with his defensive awareness and strength. He did not allow the opposition to pass by him easily, which allowed Rangers to dominate the game – contributing to the final result.

On the ball, he was composed and assured in possession to maintain the dominance. Per SofaScore, he had an eye-catching 118 touches of the ball – completing 99 of his 104 attempted passes (95%) and only giving the ball away six times from all of those touches.

Lundstram was efficient with his passing and did not give the ball away on a regular basis. Not only did this stop Hibernian from gaining the ball, but it also allowed Rangers to pile the pressure on the opposition goal and tire the midfield, which then created space for the Gers to work with.

Therefore, the midfield beast was Gerrard’s unsung hero in the match as he did the dirty work so that the forward players could shine in possession of the ball.

Hopefully, the summer arrival from Sheffield United will continue to perform to these standards and maintain his place in the starting XI to improve Gerrard’s side, which is – presumably – why he was brought to the club.

AND in other news, Gerrard masterclass: Rangers beast has seen his value soar 33.3% in less than 2 years…

Speaking to talkSPORT, as transcribed by Goodison News, commentator Sam Matterface has made an interesting claim involving assistant Everton boss Duncan Ferguson.

The Lowdown: Benitez under fire…

Toffees boss Rafael Benitez was appointed to replace ex-manager Carlo Ancelotti who suddenly and unceremoniously left to take up the Real Madrid role.

The Spaniard’s appointment was a controversial one bringing divided opinions given his ties to bitter Merseyside rivals Liverpool and their league form hasn’t exactly been sparkling since his arrival.

Currently lying 14th and eight points off the drop zone, speculation has arisen over whether Everton could opt to replace him already.

An unlikely 1-1 draw away to European champions Chelsea on Thursday evening would have eased the pressure somewhat but many supporters will be wondering who could replace Benitez if the club opted to part company.

The Latest: Matterface makes Ferguson claim…

Speaking to talkSPORT (via GN), their commentator Matterface has now made a claim involving assistant boss Ferguson.

He says that the 49-year-old is ‘in the thoughts of the ownership’ with some Everton chiefs, including chairman Bill Kenwright, eyeing him for a possible first time managerial role.

“Duncan Ferguson is in the thoughts of the ownership if there is a change of manager,” Matterface explained.

“Certainly there is a split on the board and some of those, including Bill Kenwright, would like to see Duncan get the job eventually.

“He’s going to make the step up, I’m sure it’s going to be the next time.”

The Verdict: Best candidate?

Ferguson attracted huge praise for his brief stint as caretaker boss before Ancelotti arrived at the Toffees helm, with pundit Kevin Phillips explaining how he was ‘pivotal’ to their revival at the time whilst doing an ‘unbelievable’ job (Football Insider).

The ex-Toffees player has since returned to his assistant role and continues to draw acclaim as former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan recently called him ‘huge’.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin also recently spoke of his admiration for Ferguson, with it being clear he has respect inside and outside the club whilst knowing Everton like the back of his hand.

Following his years of brilliant service, we believe he certainly shouldn’t be ruled out as a candidate should Benitez leave.

In other news: ‘Liquidate’, ‘Depressing’…Everton fans rage over ‘appalling’ exit development, find out more here.

West Ham United have not been shy when it comes to signing players from other English clubs over the past few years such as Said Benrahma, Kurt Zouma, Jarrod Bowen and Craig Dawson among others.

In doing this, the Hammers have spent a significant amount of money.

With the upcoming summer transfer window in mind, it seems as though a clue has been shared over one potential deal that could take place at the east London club that would surely delight David Moyes.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke had this to say about former West Ham loan star Jesse Lingard and the possibility of him returning to the London Stadium on a permanent transfer move in the summer.

He said: “I think for Jesse Lingard, if West Ham are playing in the Champions League next season – extra incentive for him to make that move to the London Stadium. I think that gives West Ham the edge over other Premier League clubs and foreign clubs if it does come down to it.

“I think they should be in pole position to get Jesse Lingard if it comes down to a personal decision rather than anything else to decide where Lingard moves after he leaves Manchester United.”

During the Englishman’s loan spell at the London Stadium in the second half of last season, the midfielder managed to score nine goals and provide five assists in 16 league games.

To further highlight how impressive he was during that time, Lingard ended the campaign with a higher percentage of shots on target (50%) than any other player in Moyes’ squad that had more than three attempts at goal.

This season has seen the 29-year-old start just two league games for the Red Devils, showing just how far down the pecking order he is there.

Taking this into account and the fact that Lingard’s contract at Old Trafford set to expire in the summer, the possibility of West Ham signing their former loan star on a free transfer could be a mouth-watering prospect for their supporters and Moyes.

Moving forward, whether the Hammers end up winning the Europa League or not, GSB should definitely explore the possibility of securing a permanent deal for the England international this summer.

If this were to happen and the player was able to replicate the same sort of form he was on in his previous spell at the club, this would surely have the Hammers manager buzzing.

In other news: West Ham plot bid for £21.6m-rated “leader”, Moyes can now axe “shocking” £61k-p/w dud

Celtic are in talks with KV Oostende and Hellas Verona over a move for defender Osaze Urhoghide, according to The Scotsman.

The Lowdown: Urhoghide’s struggles

Urhoghide was actually the club’s first signing under Ange Postecoglou, with the Hoops boss labelling the youngster as ‘ambitious’ after he penned Parkhead terms.

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However, the 21-year-old has made just one senior Celtic appearance this season, coming in a Europa League dead rubber against Real Betis.

He was last involved in a Scottish Premiership match-day squad back in September, and it seems as if a temporary exit could now be on the cards before Monday’s deadline.

The Latest: Oostende and Verona talks

The Scotsman shared a report on Urhoghide on Tuesday lunchtime, revealing that talks have been opened with both Oostende and Verona over a loan deal.

The Hoops don’t want to move the defender on permanently, with Verona currently ninth in Serie A and Oostende battling to avoid relegation in the Belgian Pro League.

The Verdict: Good move?

Celtic clearly have high hopes for Urhoghide, otherwise, they’d be open to permanent offers, so sending him out on loan for the remainder of the campaign could be a shrewd call.

Urhoghide will obviously have a say on his next move, and hopefully, both interested parties are willing to offer him regular first-team football.

We’ve seen in the past with Jack Hendry that a move to Oostende can do wonders for a Hoops centre-back, so perhaps that will come into consideration over the next few days.

In other news: Print newspaper shares significant Celtic transfer update as Michael Nicholson digs in his heels. 

Newcastle United return to action in the Premier League tonight as they face off against Manchester United at St. James’ Park.

The Magpies head into this match off the back of three straight defeats in the division, conceding four apiece to Manchester City and Leicester and three to Liverpool.

Eddie Howe’s team lost 4-0 to City in their last outing, with the Premier League leaders easing their way past them with relative comfort.

How many changes will Howe make to the side? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make three alterations to the team, with Fabian Schar, Sean Longstaff and Allan Saint-Maximin coming in.

Starting off in the defence, Schar could come in for Ciaran Clark. The £42k-per-week dud was abysmal against Manchester City and should now be axed from the XI for this match. He only won one duel in the entire game against Pep Guardiola’s side and gifted them the opener as he allowed a cross to go over his head as he ducked and Ruben Dias was on hand to nod into the back of the net.

This catastrophic error may now lead to him being kicked out of the team, which opens the door for Schar to return alongside Jamaal Lascelles. The Switzerland international has averaged a dismal SofaScore rating of 6.59 this season but Howe’s options are limited and it could be a chance for the defender to turn his campaign around.

In midfield, Isaac Hayden is suspended and will need to be replaced. The ex-Arsenal man has averaged 3.0 tackles and interceptions per game, which highlights the defensive hole that his absence will leave.

Longstaff, however, could fill that void as he has averaged 3.1 tackles and interceptions per game, showing that he has the ability to win the ball back for his side, much like Hayden does.

Finally, we are predicting that Allan Saint-Maximin will come in for Ryan Fraser on the left. He has averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.11 (highest in the squad) this season and produced three goals and three assists from out wide for the Magpies.

This shows the threat he can provide to the team, whereas Fraser has zero goals and one assist – which is why the Frenchman should be brought back into the fold.

AND in other news, NUFC must sign new Steven Taylor in £64k-p/w gem who Shearer dubbed “outstanding”…

West Ham might fancy a busy transfer deadline day after securing the future of Marko Arnautovic.

Speculation has raged on all month long with the Austrian international subject to significant interest from China. An unnamed club were believed to have offered upwards of £35m for the former Stoke man and his future seemed unclear. However, the forward eventually committed his long-term future to the Hammers by penning a new contract.

Arnautovic’s renewal is massive for Manuel Pellegrini who is hoping for a late charge for Europe in his remaining fixtures. Adding some more quality to the squad could prove to be vital in bringing European nights to the London Stadium.

One man Pellegrini could target is Schalke utility man – Daniel Caligiuri. Valued at £6.75m by Transfermarkt, the Italian has been one of the most consistent performers in the Bundesliga during recent seasons. Once again, the 31-year-old has been in fine form for his side, he has been a shining light in a dismal Bundesliga campaign so far.

Caligiuri would prove to be a useful option for the former Manchester City boss to have at his disposal. The former Wolfsburg man is comfortable at right-back or right wing back as well as the right of midfield. The German-born winger has helped his side’s cause with two goals and four assists so far this season and would be the ideal long-term replacement for Pablo Zabaleta on the right flank.

Luring the versatile defender to London on deadline day could prove to be a wise move by the Hammers.

West Ham fans, thoughts?

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has claimed that Jack Clarke will not make it at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Clarke failing to make an impact

The 20-year-old made the move to Spurs from Leeds United in the summer of 2019 when Mauricio Pochettino was in charge, but he has so far struggled to make an impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

He has made just four appearances for the north Londoners (Transfermarkt), with him leaving the club to move on loan to Queen’s Park Rangers and Stoke City since that 2019 transfer, and even all four of those were as a substitute (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: Bridge sees no future for Clarke at Spurs

Although Clarke is still just 20, Bridge believes that he has no future at Spurs. The journalist told Give Me Sport:

“Even Leeds fans found it odd and then when he was loaned back Leeds fans were saying to me, they didn’t want him back.

“He didn’t get back into their team, so that was a season wasted for him. He’s had a lot of problems.

“He looks skinny to me, he hasn’t really bulked, he’s playing in the Under-23s, he’s never on the bench for the first-team.

“There becomes a time when they have to say, well have to sell him, he’s not going to make it at Spurs.”

The Verdict: Big improvement needed soon

With just those four appearances to his name, it could be argued Clarke has not been given a chance to really show his ability at Spurs. There has not been too much indication during his loan spells that he has what it takes to make it at the highest level, even if his former Stoke boss Michael O’Neill said that the 20-year-old has “great quality” (via Stoke Sentinel).

If Clarke is to make a telling contribution at Tottenham, he must do so quickly. At 20, it’s not as if his whole career is over, but you would have hoped for him to have done more than he has so far. The next 18 months could well decide whether it will ever happen for him at Spurs, with none of Pochettino, Jose Mourinho or thus far Nuno Espirito Santo putting much trust in him.

In other news, this man wants to leave Tottenham.

ExWHUemployee has dropped a concerning update over West Ham United defender Ben Johnson following Saturday’s Premier League victory over Chelsea.

What’s the word?

In a recent post on The West Ham Way, the club insider revealed that the versatile 21-year-old is set for an extended spell on the sidelines after picking up a hamstring injury over the weekend.

Despite him going on to state that the ‘initial feeling’ was that Johnson didn’t suffer a ‘major tear,’ he did suggest that the full-back could be out for up to four weeks with his latest fitness setback.

West Ham fans will be gutted

News that Johnson could miss a large chunk of the hectic festive schedule will leave the West Ham fans feeling gutted, given his importance to the side.

The academy graduate has made 13 appearances for his boyhood club in all competitions this season, starting their last eight Premier League games, putting in a string of impressive displays along the way.

As per WhoScored, Johnson has averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.4 interceptions in the top-flight this term, placing him second and third when compared to his teammates for these metrics.

In addition to those eye-catching returns, he has also produced 2.8 clearances, won 0.6 aerial duels and made 0.4 crosses, highlighting his hugely effective displays for West Ham throughout 2021/22.

With a whopping seven games still to come in December alone for the Hammers against the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton, Johnson’s enforced absence will be a huge blow.

Moyes’ charges are currently sitting in fourth place in the Premier League table and fighting for a Champions League qualification spot, they will be devastated to lose their first-choice right-back for an extended period of time.

And, in other news…“They do like him”: Journo drops exciting West Ham transfer update, fans surely elated

Aston Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle are all keen on midfielder Yves Bissouma, with Brighton recently rejecting a £30m bid.

That’s according to French journalist and commentator Fabrice Hawkins, and, as to be expected, a number of Villa fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Villa are after a new defensive midfielder this month following the injury to Marvelous Nakamba and have been linked with a £40m move for Bissouma.

Sam Wallace of The Telegraph labelled a move for the Seagulls star as a difficult and potentially expensive one but not impossible.

Hawkins took to Twitter on Tuesday evening, claiming Brighton have rejected a £30m offer. He doesn’t name where the offer came from, but Villa, Arsenal and Newcastle are all name-checked with an interest.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful relayed Hawkins’ claim regarding Bissouma on social media. This is what these Villa supporters had to say in reply, with a few urging the club to get a move over the line and another labelling the midfielder as a potential ‘superstar’.

“Make it happen!”

Credit: @mooneyavfc

“Give them what they want boys!!!”

Credit: @AvfcRegan

“Stump up the £45m lads. Suarez and Bissouma + CB and we can get 7th imo”

Credit: @Neaarii

“Smart anchor bid, now Make it £35m as a final offer.”

Credit: @Daevion44070743

“I think £40m plus add ons gets him”

Credit: @hutchingss81

“£50m get it done. Exactly what we need and potential to become a superstar.”

Credit: @Muskehound01

In other news: ‘We’ve actually broken Lange’ – Many Villa fans ‘excited’ as more transfer news is now confirmed. 

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed that Everton manager Frank Lampard will be fearful of the sack even if the Toffees retain their Premier League status.

The Lowdown: Lampard’s results at Everton…

Since arriving at Goodison Park, the 43-year-old has struggled to make a positive impact. In his first seven Premier League matches in charge, the former Chelsea boss has won just twice, having lost the other five games.

As a result, the Toffees sit dangerously close to the relegation zone, just three points clear of Watford in 18th. Whilst Everton have two games in hand over the Hornets, their upcoming fixture list – including the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal – looks rather daunting.

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The Latest: O’Rourke’s claim on Lampard

O’Rourke believes that Lampard will be disappointed with his lack of impact upon taking over from Rafael Benitez and will be fearful for his future at Everton.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the transfer insider was questioned over whether Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri could look to exercise the break clause in Lampard’s contract, whereby they could relieve the 43-year-old of his duties at Goodison Park at the season’s end without needing to pay any compensation.

In response, O’Rourke claimed: “It will be a real worry for Frank Lampard. It hasn’t worked out as he probably hoped when he took over in January from Rafa Benitez.”

The Verdict: Could be gone

Lampard was over the moon when his team beat a much-improved Newcastle side recently. However, any hope that it would spark an upturn in form quickly dissipated as the Toffees bowed out of the FA Cup last weekend after suffering a 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Crystal Palace.

With such poor results, it would not be surprising to see the Merseyside club part ways with their manager, despite only appointing him in January. Whilst the situation may have been different if Lampard had been in charge from the start of the season, Moshiri could be hesitant to place his trust in the 43-year-old once again, even if he manages to keep them up this season.

Having already gone through six managers (excluding caretakers) since David Moyes’ departure in 2013, the Everton chief is not slow to pull the trigger when he feels it is necessary, which could be a worry for Lampard.

In other news: Noel Whelan drops Richarlison transfer claim