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Everton manager Sean Dyche will have an exciting option to bring back into the fold when Nathan Patterson is able to return from injury.

What’s the latest?

The Toffees have been without Patterson for a few weeks now after the right-back picked up an injury issue in the game against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Patterson sustained ligament damage in his knee and it is believed he could be out for around six weeks, which would suggest he could return in just over one week.

In his place, veteran Seamus Coleman has stepped up and played a huge role in their victory over Arsenal on the weekend as he faced up against the in-form Gabriel Martinelli.

However, speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed seeing Patterson return will provide Dyche an extra option which he could unleash:

“But I felt Seamus Coleman was excellent against Arsenal the other day as well and really stepped up to the mark as well. But yeah, just gives Sean Dyche an extra option in defence as well once Patterson’s back to full fitness.”

Something different

Coleman has been a sensational servant for Everton having now racked up 399 appearances for the Toffees after signing for just £62k back in 2009.

And up against the young Brazilian for Arsenal, the 34-year-old was able to provide Dyche with six clearances and one tackle during the 90 minutes at Goodison Park (via SofaScore).

However, the young Petterson has shown some remarkable form for the Toffees since arriving from Rangers last January.

The 21-year-old ranks inside the top fifth percentile for tackles, blocks and clearances made per 90 minutes among other full-backs (via Fbref).

And in comparison to Coleman, Patterson has been able to provide Everton with more shot-creating actions and passes per 90 minutes.

It is apparent the youngster’s form in an Everton shirt has caught the attention of those back up in his motherland with BBC man Simon Donnelly lavishing him with high praise:

“There’s no fear in his play, wants to get forward at any opportunity, he’s easily slotted into this Scotland team and has already scored a goal. I’ve seen how he’s a fan favourite for Everton and he’s going from strength to strength,” he said.

It will be interesting to see how Dyche integrates Patterson back into the side when he returns to the squad as he knows what he will get from Coleman.

However, it is apparent that with Patterson, Dyche could provide the Toffees with a bright spark down the right side of the pitch.

West Bromwich Albion have a prime crop of youth talent just waiting to burst into the first-team, and with the senior squad in blistering form, there has arguably never been a better environment into which to unleash them.

Their integration could be seamless as they begin to replace their ageing counterparts one-by-one without disrupting the flow of a team who have been flying in the Championship, despite Friday night’s setback against Birmingham.

Whilst some players remain undroppable, there are others who leave room for improvement in certain facets of their performances. As such, that could leave a gap for one of those youngsters to exploit.

A prime example is Darnell Furlong, who has been a part of a solid back four and is entering his prime years. However, his lack of attacking impetus is a chink in his armour upon which Ethan Ingram could capitalise.

In 11 appearances this season in Premier League 2, the 19-year-old boasts four goal contributions already, which suggests that his technical proficiency puts him on a level above the U23s.

By contrast, across 25 Championship matches in the current campaign, Furling only has two goals and zero assists to his name.

This would be far more forgivable if the 27-year-old were a huge contributor to Albion’s fine defensive record, but with just 0.9 interceptions and one tackle per 90, one might wonder why he is retaining his place in the team.

A 6.90 Sofascore rating might hint at solidity, but with the potential attacking upside that Ingram could bring at right-back, a change might be in order.

The teenage sensation was noted for his remarkable all-around attributes just last year when journalist Josh Bunting wrote on Twitter that the youngster was “good at going up and down from full-back also aggressive”.

Along with his steely resolve and self-confidence, this makes him a hugely precocious asset for the present and the future. Despite his youth, he believes in himself enough to state his intentions to “push on” towards the first-team after a successful period in the West Brom academy.

With two senior appearances to his name already, there will be hope that he can add to that before the end of the season in order to give himself the best possible chance of a place in Corberan’s team, regardless of whether or not the Baggies win promotion.

He seemingly has the attributes and the mindset to succeed, and it will surely not be long before Furlong is looking over his shoulder when the time for team selection comes around.

Wade through the rich waters at Stamford Bridge and several shrewder players on the club’s books can be unearthed, with Chelsea’s summer signing Carney Chukwuemeka among the promising starlets awaiting full bloom.

Many Premier League followers would be forgiven if the fact that the Blues held such a talented young prospect within the senior ranks had been somewhat forgotten over the past few months, such has been the volume of new signings since American businessman Todd Boehly assumed ownership of the club last year.

In fact, Chelsea have spent more than £550m since last summer, and Chukwuemeka is indeed part of the vibrant crop to have joined the ranks in west London, signing from Aston Villa for a fee in the region of £20m on a six-year deal despite only being 18.

Should Potter provide a regular role to Chukwuemeka this season?

While Chukwuemeka is not expected to cement a regular starting role so early within his development, his past performances – notably against Manchester City last month – are an indication that he could be a dynamic and invaluable tool to open a multi-faceted box of talent for Chelsea.

Having made nine appearances for the Blues since his arrival in SW6, the 19-year-old has indeed offered glimpses of the mouth-watering potential within his clutches. With just one start to his name so far, he will be hoping that he is offered a platform to impress as the campaign approaches the business end.

The England U20 international made a marked impact in the 1-0 league defeat against Man City last month, recording a Sofascore match rating of 7.01 after replacing the injured Christian Pulisic in the 28th minute.

Completing 87% of his passes that night, Chukwuemeka was very much at the centre of the action, taking 47 touches, hitting the woodwork and supplying one key pass, also winning six of his ten ground duels.

With six successful tackles and two interceptions, it was exactly the kind of all-embracing, vigorous performance that Chelsea have been somewhat lacking this term.

It is perhaps a testament to Chukwuemeka’s skillset in itself that he is in-and-around such an affluent and expansive crop of players, featuring in the matchday squad in Chelsea’s last eight league games, and he is clearly held in high regard.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded him as a “superstar in the making”, whilst Sky Sports’ Melissa Reddy dubbed him a “phenomenal talent” after his move from the Midlands to London last year.

As per WhoScored, the former Villa gem has recorded an 80.9% average pass success rate across his career so far, a statistic which certainly belies his tender age and illustrates the slick assurance with the ball at his feet.

He also has an eye for his defensive duties, averaging 0.8 tackles per game in his career so far. Should the cogs fall into place in Cobham, he could well forge a path into Potter’s regular plans over the coming years.

Following a dreadful run of form which has left Chelsea with just three wins from their last 13 matches across all competitions, the 47-year-old might be inclined to take a punt on his precocious talent.

Granted, the Blues have a wide and glamorous pool of players following the heavy spending over the past year, but if he is given a more frequent role in the Chelsea squad, Chukwuemeka could turn their flagging season around.

Aston Villa have set aside funds to sign a marquee striker this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Busy summer…

Villa were relatively quiet in the transfer window last month even though NSWE promised Unai Emery a ‘huge’ transfer budget. Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran were the only additions, and it looks set to be a lot busier in the summer.

Christian Purslow is expecting an extremely busy summer, and it appears as if a new centre-forward is top of the club’s wishlist.

The Latest: Transfer update

FI reporter Pete O’Rourke shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding Aston Villa’s transfer plans.

He said that funds have been set aside to sign a marquee striker after a request from Emery, adding that a wide forward could also be on the agenda.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran are the only central attacking options at this moment in time, although Cameron Archer will return from his loan spell at Middlesborough in the summer.

However, bringing in a marquee name in the final third could help take Villa to the next level, especially as Duran and Archer are still young and inexperienced in the Premier League and the club have netted 28 times in 23 league games, the same as 19th placed Leeds United.

Watkins has been a regular and Villa’s third-best performer this season, as per WhoScored, but bringing in fierce competition could actually help the Englishman improve his game, making this an exciting update.

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Alasdair Gold has been left baffled by some news he’s heard regarding Lucas Moura.

The Lowdown: Lucas exit talk…

Earlier this week, Turkish news website Sabah reported (via Daily Express) that the Brazilian could leave for Super Lig club Fenerbache ‘immediately’, with talks seemingly at an advanced stage. This proposed move would also happen before the 30-year-old’s contract expires this summer, as the Turkish transfer window will remain open until March 5.

The report claimed that Lucas could potentially follow the same path as former Spurs star Dele Alli, whose career has been on a major decline since leaving north London.

The Latest: Gold baffled by Lucas news…

Speaking to football.london, however, Gold has poured cold water over the news about Lucas whilst being baffled by its emergence, stating that the mooted move to Istanbul would be ‘crazy’ and senseless.

He explained: “There doesn’t seem to be any current indication from within the club that he will leave before the summer. If that did suddenly change, it’s a move that doesn’t really make any sense for Spurs or, financially at least, Lucas.

“To loan out Bryan Gil and then also allow Lucas Moura to leave would be crazy. Antonio Conte has finally got proper squad depth in those attacking positions and to lose one of them for the sake of around three months’ wages would be daft.”

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The Verdict: Always unlikely…

Even if Lucas has had sparse game-time this season, featuring for only 90 minutes across nine substitute appearances in the top flight, it would still be an unwise decision for Spurs to offload him before the summer.

Antonio Conte’s side are chasing a Premier League top-four finish and remain well in contention after a crucial 2-0 London derby win over West Ham last weekend.

Lucas could still play a role for Spurs depending on developments, especially considering that he averaged more successful take-ons per 90 in the top flight than any other Tottenham player last season (WhoScored).

The club cult hero, who is famed for his Champions League semi-final hat-trick against Ajax in 2019, should surely be allowed to sign off with a flourish if Conte allows him to do so.

Arsenal have stuttered in recent weeks, losing to both Everton and Manchester City in the chase for the Premier League title, but they still remain two points ahead of City with a game in hand.

The chance of a first league title since 2003/04 will spur Mikel Arteta on and with the added bonus of a return to the Champions League after six years away, the Spaniard is still looking to strengthen the team.

Arsenal transfer news – Ollie Watkins

Recent reports have seen the club linked with Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling.

However, it is a potential move for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins which makes the most sense considering the lack of forward options Arteta has at his disposal, and his performance against the Gunners a few weeks ago may have stuck in the 40-year-old’s mind.

Could Watkins join Arsenal in the summer?

In Arsenal’s recent 4-2 victory over Villa, which featured a late comeback from the Gunners, Watkins bullied William Saliba throughout the encounter.

The £75k-per-week “absolute handful” – as dubbed by fantasy football writer Josh Norris – not only scored, but he won three of his five duels, made two tackles, and was just a general nuisance to the backline, making it a tough afternoon for Saliba, who struggled with the threat Watkins posed.

He may not be the most glamourous signing Arteta ever makes if he lures him to the club, however, he could prove to be very useful and would certainly form a solid partnership with Bukayo Saka.

Saka has been excellent on the right wing for Arsenal this season, registering 18 goal contributions – ten goals and eight assists – while also delivering 1.1 crosses and making 2.2 key passes per game this season, which would give Watkins plenty of chances to find the back of the net.

Indeed, the Villa striker has scored eight Premier League goals so far this term, with two of those headed efforts, and the Englishman would certainly take advantage of Saka delivering crosses into the box for him to pounce on.

The partnership could work well for Arsenal, and even though Watkins wouldn’t necessarily be Arteta’s first choice when Gabriel Jesus is fully fit, the 28-year-old could offer a different dynamic ahead of next season, and this could be crucial, with the manager looking at making his team less one dimensional and offering plenty of variance in their attack.

West Ham will be looking to put their Premier League woes behind them when they face Cypriot side AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League this evening.

David Moyes was the subject of a number of negative chants from Hammers fans at the weekend as his side went down 4-0 against Brighton but the board are yet to pull the trigger on the Scottish manager.

A win will be expected of the former Manchester United boss on Thursday and anything less might just cost him his job, but the 59-year-old should still ring the changes against AEK Larnaca.

While a number of first-team players should be dropped after their woeful displays against the Seagulls, playing such inferior opposition should open the door for a number of fringe and young players to start in Cyprus, with Divin Mubama surely near the top of the list.

Should Divin Mubama start against AEK Larnaca?

West Ham’s main concern in the Premier League this season has been scoring goals. The Hammers have found the net just 23 times in 25 matches so far this term, with Michail Antonio and Gianluca Scamacca managing just six between them.

The former’s disappointing display last week against Manchester United, combined with the latter’s failure to even get on the pitch at Brighton away, suggests that neither are particularly popular with Moyes right now.

While there might be clamours for Scamacca to start in Cyprus, given that he has four goals in Europe so far this campaign, he hasn’t Leeds in early January.

The Italy international was expected to be the long-term heir to Antonio at West Ham but he has followed in the footsteps of a number of big-money striker signings at the London Stadium, with WhoScored ranking him as the 11th-best performer in Moyes’ squad with a disappointing 6.50 average rating in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, the young Mubama has 20 goals and three assists for the various academy sides at West Ham this season and impressed in his previous Europa Conference League outing, grabbing an assist and seeing an effort ruled as an own goal in the 3-0 win against FCSB.

Despite his performance in that game, and sparkling form for the academy sides, notably being nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month in February, Moyes still hasn’t felt it necessary to unleash Mubama in the Premier League.

That said, the “top talent” – as he was dubbed by VAVEL’s Will Lebeau – must surely be given another chance in Europe this evening.

Leeds United have made plenty of transfer missteps in the past few decades, which ultimately culminated in their relegation. The allure of the club’s stature quickly dwindled as they became a Championship club, and later League One club, as the desire for better players to join and stick around also diminished.

It made their 16-year absence from the Premier League particularly dreary, as there was a clear lack of quality which was mainly to blame for this aforementioned length.

Had they retained some of the talent produced or acquired, perhaps they would not have had to wait until Marcelo Bielsa’s impressive 2020 campaign to see them cruise back to the top flight.

One such example is academy graduate James Milner, who had impressed since his promotion from the youth setup only to be sold upon their 2004 relegation.

Amongst all the misery of that year it might have been overlooked, had he not gone on to enjoy a rich career laden with silverware that Leeds could have only dreamed of.

Why did Leeds sell James Milner?

Whilst the relegation obviously played a huge part in the exit of the now 37-year-old, it was renowned how cash-strapped they found themselves back in the early 2000s. Even upon his £5m move to Newcastle United, the stalwart spoke of how he did so with a “heavy heart”.

Clearly his desire to stay was there, but again their future in the Championship was an unattractive proposition for those who saw their future at the top of the game. This was despite it being just three years earlier that they had reached the Champions League semi-final.

Milner would achieve all of his ambitions with various switches across his career, as his travels took him from Tyneside to Aston Villa, Manchester City and most recently Liverpool where he finished off his illustrious trophy cabinet.

Across his 606 Premier League appearances, he has won three titles and also boasts two FA Cups, two League Cups and a coveted Champions League, to go along with the Club World Cup.

The £60k-per-week talisman has been lauded during his career not only for his quality but for an unrelenting work rate, and as recently as 2019 he was praised by Liverpool journalist Leanne Prescott as a “workhorse” who could have been in his 20s.

For his age, he remains an imperative asset in Jurgen Klopp’s squad, which is a testament to the sparkling career he has enjoyed. One which he likely would have preferred to spend in Yorkshire had the option been viable. Indeed, the Whites will surely be full of regret that they couldn’t keep him for longer.

Manchester United were unable to put aside their Premier League nightmare from last week, as they were held to a 0-0 draw against relegation candidates Southampton.

Whilst on the surface that may seem a poor result, given Casemiro’s 34th-minute straight red reducingÂErik ten Hag’s Red Devils to ten men, they did well not to concede.

In the end, it became quite an open encounter in which either team could have won, making a draw a reasonably fair result.

However, that’s not to suggest that the hosts did not have the chances to bury the game regardless of its state, as the usually lethal Marcus Rashford suffered from one of his poorest displays all season.

The Manchester-born marksman had scoredÂ14Âin the league this season and had only failed to score inÂtwoÂof his lastÂten. This compounds to make the performance even more underwhelming.

How did Marcus Rashford play against Southampton?

Featuring for the full game, the 25-year-old earned theÂworst rating of anyone on the pitch other than the dismissed Brazilian midfielder.

From his 90 minutes, he could only muster 41 touches, which resulted in zero key passes and just one shot all game, via Sofascore.

His frustrations were only exacerbated as the game wore on, and Rashford became more desperate to try something different in the hopes it might bear fruit. As such he would lose possessionÂ17Âtimes whilst being unsuccessful inÂbothÂof his attempted dribbles.

In what arguably outlined the apex of his misery today, the English forward attempted to buy himself a way to victory with a shameless dive. Racing through on goal he was challenged by the goalkeeper, who upon attempting to round him threw himself to the ground despite there being a clear distance between the two.

Unsurprisingly the shout was waved away, but many felt he was fortunate to escape a further reprimand. Even journalist Kyle BonnÂsuggested so on Twitter: “Marcus Rashford with a miserably blatant dive. That’s very, very poor from the Man United attacker. Incredible that he’s gotten away without a booking.”

Although Casemiro’s red card might be the most high-profile of the events from the match, it has been somewhat debated as to how aggressive he initially intended to be with his admittedly overzealous challenge on Carlos Alcaraz. It was foolish, but it was not nasty.

Meanwhile, Rashford attempted to cheat his way to victory, and for someone who has won the hearts of many this season, he will likely have let them down especially.

West Ham United have made some big mistakes when it comes to transfers in the past but David Moyes' decision to sell Issa Diop in the summer transfer window might go down as one of his worst.

Should West Ham have sold Diop?

Following the summer signing of Nayef Aguerd, Moyes opted to sell the centre-back to Fulham in a deal worth just £15m, as his contract at the London Stadium was due to expire at the end of this season. On the face of it, that is good business, particularly for someone who didn't start each game.

However, Thilo Kehrer would arrive less than a week later as cover for the departed Frenchman but has so far struggled to match Diop's performances, averaging a shocking 6.40 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the Premier League with the Hammers.

Meanwhile, Diop has established himself as a mainstay in Marco Silva's side as they target a surprise European finish in the Premier League, with the Cottagers currently occupying ninth place in the top flight.

The 26-year-old's 6.67 average rating from WhoScored is hardly very impressive but it is better than all of Kehrer, Aguerd and Kurt Zouma have managed in the Premier League this season, which suggests that Moyes foolishly weakened his central defensive options at the London Stadium.

Although the former Toulouse man would lose his regular starting spot in the Premier League under Moyes in the last two seasons, he was still a reliable option when selected, as is evidenced by his impressive 6.98 average rating in the Europa League last term.

He would certainly impress in his first season in a Hammers shirt, starring in their 3-1 win against Manchester United in 2018, which earned the defender the praise of Jose Mourinho.

He said: “Their centre-backs had a fantastic match. Congratulations to the scout who found Diop, a monster who dictated everything.”

While there is no doubt that Diop didn't live up to his potential at the London Stadium, making 121 appearances across his four years at the club, there is an argument that a better manager would have got the best out of the powerful centre-back, as we are now seeing under Silva at Fulham.

He now ranks first for interceptions, fourth for aerials won and sixth for tackles in Fulham's squad, which suggests he is more than playing his part in the Cottager's impressive season.

The sale arguably has shades of the aforementioned Haller, with Moyes having come in for criticism from various quarters for his treatment of the striker.

Indeed, the forward went on to flourish with Ajax after his West Ham exit, scoring 47 times in just 66 matches before earning a move to Borussia Dortmund, ultimately replacing the goal-laden Erling Haaland.

Now, Diop is showing that he is a more than capable defender, as Haller did, and as such, he could well have ended up having a big say in the Hammers' survival hopes. Unfortunately, as they travel to Craven Cottage next month, the Frenchman may well do so but for all the wrong reasons.