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Manchester United return to Europa League action away to Cypriot outfit Omonia Nicosia on Thursday evening, with the Red Devils looking to put Sunday’s dismal derby day drubbing behind them with a positive result against Neil Lennon’s side.

The Old Trafford outfit were simply put to the sword by their relentless neighbours at the weekend, with hat-tricks from both Phil Foden and the seemingly unstoppable Erling Haaland bringing United crashing back down to earth after a run of four straight victories in the Premier League had sparked renewed optimism.

Much of the discussion post-match was, inevitably, centred around the lack of involvement for Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo, with the 37-year-old left on the bench for that 6-3 mauling as a mark of “respect” to his stellar career, in the words of Ten Hag.

While Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane suggested that his former club were showing “disrespect” to the veteran marksman, the former Juventus man has seemingly not warranted a starting berth of late as a result of his dismal form for both club and country.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has netted just once for United so far this season – after angling for a move away over the summer – while he also distinctly underwhelmed while on international duty of late, having done little to push for a more prominent role back at the Theatre of Dreams.

Despite the potential repercussions of again leaving the legendary forward resigned to the bench this evening, Ten Hag may well have his eye on another figure to lead the line from the start, with Anthony Martial having impressed on his return from injury at the Etihad.

While the game was seemingly already over at the time of the Frenchman’s second-half introduction, the 26-year-old no doubt gave supporters something to cheer about having netted a clinical brace late on, proving a rare shining light on an otherwise grim day against what was a ferocious Manchester City side.

The former Monaco man has already doubled his Premier League tally from last term as a result of that late cameo, reacting quickly to head home after Fred’s initial effort had been parried by opposition stopper Ederson, before ruthlessly lashing home into the roof of the net from the penalty spot.

Although those efforts were little consolation as far as United were concerned, they showcased just what the club have been missing so far this term, with the £250k-per-week ace having been hampered by injury in recent months.

The fleet-footed “Ferrari” – as dubbed by Owen Hargreaves – made a telling impact on his only other appearance in the win over Liverpool, teeing up teammate Marcus Rashford in the build-up to the Englishman’s second-half strike.

Such a moment of quality had come after an impressive pre-season for Martial – with three goals while on tour – with the 30-cap menace looking reborn after previously sliding down the pecking order at the club, having spent the second half of last season on loan at Sevilla.

With the £14.4m-rated ace now in need of minutes to get up to speed, as Ten Hag alluded to, it could well be worthwhile to hand him a start for this group stage clash, ahead of the misfiring Ronaldo.

Southampton have made a conscious effort to shift their transfer focus in recent years, aiming for wholly young talent to be nurtured into top-quality players.

Then, once they reach that level, they can either propel them up the table or sell for a huge profit.

This summer they did not sign any permanent deals for anyone older than 25, and last summer, other than Theo Walcott, they upheld the same principles.

Their second most expensive transfer that window was to obtain Romain Perraud, where they unloaded €13m (£11.2m) for the promising Frenchman.

The 25-year-old was coming off the back of an impressive offensive season for a full-back, where he scored three, assisted seven, and was named in the Ligue 1 team of the season.

Ralph Hasenhuttl obviously saw him as the perfect man to fill their vacant left-back role, with Kyle Walker-Peters having deputised well in that position.

However, since moving to St Mary’s, Perraud has never really got going.

He made 20 Premier League appearances last season, and despite being renowned for his attacking, only managed one assist and no goals.

This season, he has started in a similarly disappointing fashion, with just one assist in seven games this time.

These poor performances may have been bred by his injury woes and struggle to acclimatise to his new surroundings, which he admitted had been “tough”.

However, given the money they spent, they are yet to get any kind of return on him. His value has actually depreciated since signing in 2021.

CIES Football Observatory now rates him at just €7m (£6.1m), marking a miserable slump of 45%.

To think that he has been playing so poorly whilst sitting on a £39k-per-week wage makes it even more frustrating, as they were arguably better off when they had a makeshift left-back in his place.

With youth on his side, he still has time to grow into an impressive Premier League defender. But as it stands, this has been a miserable piece of business from Southampton at a time when they really needed to get it right.

There is a reason why they sit just a point away from the relegation zone after nine games.

Journalist Dan Woffenden has slammed the ‘blatant decision’ ignored by referee Peter Bankes which went against West Ham United as they faced Southampton this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Disappointing result

The Hammers held out for a disappointing draw as Declan Rice equalised with a dazzling shot from 20 yards out after playing a quick one-two with Said Benrahma.

Despite the equaliser, the result was made all the more galling for David Moyes and co as the Saints’ goal, which came from Romain Perraud after 20 minutes, was laced with controversy.

The Irons argued that Kyle Walker-Peters’ foot appeared to be over the line for when he took the throw-in which led to their goal, with further shouts claiming that the referee impeded Jarrod Bowen from getting the ball moments prior.

The Latest: Woffenden’s claim

Woffenden slammed the referee’s decision to allow the goal, with the alleged impediment coming from Walker-Peters’ throw-in.

Taking to Twitter, the Irons-supporting journalist fumed: “Absolutely no surprise to see that West Ham have had a blatant decision go against them once again. The standard of officiating in the Premier League declines every week. Shambles.”

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The Verdict: Needed three points

With the chance to climb several places in the Premier League table, a point will come as a huge disappointment for David Moyes’ side, ending a run of four successive victories in all competitions.

With the Saints in the relegation zone and manager Ralph Hasenhuttl reportedly close to getting the sack, this felt like a must-win game for the Hammers, who now sit 11th in the league table.

After such a poor start to the season, three points at St Mary’s would have solidified West Ham’s form going into the final month of the campaign before the start of the World Cup.

Therefore, an apparent mistake by the refereeing team will come as a painful wound for the Irons, who were on the wrong end of a controversial call not for the first time in the season.

Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman struck gold in January 2021 when he brought in Scottish forward Ross Stewart from Ross County.

The striker has enjoyed a brilliant time with the Black Cats so far and is currently sat on 34 goals and eight assists in 72 competitive outings for the club, including five goals and three assists in seven Championship matches this term.

He is following in the footsteps of the likes of Kevin Phillips, Darren Bent, and Jermain Defoe in terms of strikers who have been successful on Wearside over the years.

There is another name who could have been on that list and that is Uruguayan predator Diego Forlan, who was wanted by Roy Keane during his tenure in charge between 2006 and 2008.

Speaking to The Athletic in 2021, the now-retired striker revealed that the Irish manager attempted to bring him to the Stadium of Light.

“I had to leave United for Villarreal. Something inside told me I needed to turn a page, start again. And I’m glad I did, that season turned everything around for me, but I could have gone back to England several times.

“Roy Keane called me when he was at Sunderland. ‘Diego’, he said. ‘I know you like a beach — we have one here at Sunderland’.”

The former Manchester United teammates did not end up linking up once again as the forward opted against arriving on Wearside. Instead, he signed for Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2007, with Keane seemingly unable to convince him to make the switch back to England.

Forlan scored 17 times in 97 matches for the Red Devils near the start of his career before finding his feet in Spain with Villarreal, where he plundered 58 goals in 125 outings.

His form for the Spanish side was enough to attract the interest of Sunderland and their failure to snap him up turned out to be a mistake on their part as he went on to enjoy a sublime spell in Madrid.

After making the move to the capital, Forlan scored 96 goals and provided 31 assists in 198 matches in all competitions. This included him netting 32 goals and assisting ten in 33 La Liga appearances in the 2008/09 campaign.

The prolific centre-forward also found the back of the net 36 times in 112 caps for Uruguay throughout his career, proving himself to be an elite striker on the international stage as well as in Spain. During the 2010 World Cup, Mark Lawrenson went as far as to say that he could “play in his slippers” in matches.

His impressive 224-goal career haul suggests that he could have been a fantastic signing for Sunderland, as he was superb in front of goal for Villarreal and Atletico, and that is why Keane made a blunder by failing to snap him up.

Newcastle United moved to within two points of fourth place with victory over Everton at St James’ Park on Wednesday evening, with the Magpies having now lost just one of their opening 11 Premier League games this season to continue the Eddie Howe revolution.

While the Englishman has no doubt been aided by astute moves in the transfer market of late – notably bringing in the likes of Kieran Trippier and Bruno Guimaraes – his tenure has also seen the former Bournemouth boss help to drastically improve the fortunes of those already at the club.

That has been no more evident than with regards to Brazilian machine, Joelinton, with the versatile ace having gone from £40m flop to Magpies’ cult hero since the 44-year-old’s appointment, having notably been dubbed “outstanding” by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher last season.

The 26-year-old “colossus” – as described by journalist Mark Smith – is not the only asset to have undergone something of a revival under Howe’s tutelage thus far, however, with playmaker Miguel Almiron having also begun to showcase his talent on a regular basis.

The Paraguayan gem had previously flattered to deceive following his then-club record arrival from Atlanta United back in January 2019, memorably taking almost a year to net his first goal for the Tynesiders, while also scoring just once in the league last term.

Such form had seen the 28-year-old touted for an exit from the club over the summer – while also finding himself on the receiving end of a verbal jab from Manchester City man Jack Grealish – with it having looked as if the 47-cap machine’s days in England were numbered.

To his credit, the £16.2m-rated ace has since gone on to prove his quality amid what’s been a sparkling start to the new season on both a collective and individual basis, with the fleet-footed star having netted five times in just 11 top-flight games – his best return for the northeast side to date.

The £42k-per-week sensation notably netted a stunning volley in the 4-1 thrashing of Fulham a few weeks ago at Craven Cottage, before bolstering his tally with another exquisite finish last time out against the Toffees, curling in from just outside the box to help secure all three points.

The now wide man now looks somewhat “unplayable” – according to teammate Dan Burn – having also been “really exciting” to watch in recent weeks, as per former Scotland boss Alex McLeish, with the hope being that he can continue this eye-catching form moving forward.

As pundit Noel Whelan also suggested, Howe should well take “great credit” for the job he has done in helping to revive the player’s fortunes, with yesterday’s match-winning strike having epitomised the 5 foot 9 gem’s remarkable resurgence.

A figure who once got “so much criticism”, it is now great to see Almiron “getting the rewards” for his hard work, as per journalist Josh Bunting, with his form potentially set to be crucial for the ambitious outfit this season.

Manchester City could try and attempt an audacious move for Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Mbappe exit mooted

Having finished sixth in the 2022 Ballon D’Or rankings, the 23-year-old is undoubtedly one of the world’s best footballers right now, producing endlessly influential performances for a star-studded PSG team and being hailed as ‘unstoppable’ by the club’s former manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Mbappe has already scored 17 goals in as many games for the Ligue 1 giants this season but he has also been linked with a move away from Paris, reportedly keen to find a new club.

Few clubs will be able to afford the £413,000-per-week France international but City are arguably one of those, leading to speculation that they could snap him up.

The Latest: O’Rourke talks up Mbappe-Man City prospects

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that he could envisage a scenario where Pep Guardiola tries to sign Mbappe, in what would likely be a record-breaking deal for the Premier League champions.

The reporter stated:

“Manchester City have shown that they want to sign the world’s best players, so there’s no doubt that they would be looking at it to see if there’s a deal to be done there for him as well.

“I’m sure the idea of having Mbappe and Haaland will be a really exciting prospect for Pep Guardiola as well.”

The Verdict: Would be incredible to watch

Just how much City would need to pay to get Mbappe remains to be seen, with some reports claiming that PSG could demand as much as £300m for him, but it would be a transfer which would send shockwaves throughout the footballing world.

The idea of him and Erling Haaland partnering with one another in Guardiola’s attack is almost too exciting to imagine, considering they are arguably the two leading players of their generation, and it would make for spectacular viewing for the Etihad Stadium faithful.

In truth, it feels unlikely that even City would be able to afford the money that PSG want for Mbappe, but the mere suggestion of it happening is further proof of how powerful the Manchester club’s standing has become in world football.

Leeds United have been linked with a January move for Senegal World Cup hopeful Boulaye Dia.

The Lowdown: Dia profiled

Dia, who is set to feature for Senegal at the World Cup later this month, is 25 years of age and is currently on loan with Serie A side US Salernitana from Villarreal.

The Italian side has the option to make a transfer permanent next year, with the centre-forward scoring five times in 11 games this season, taking his senior tally for club and country to 53 goals.

Dia has been hailed as “impressive” by Serie A journalist Siavoush Fallahi, and it looks as if his displays have caught the eye at Elland Road.

The Latest: Leeds links

Sports Witness relayed an update from Gazzetta dello Sport regarding Dia on Wednesday. They claim that Andrea Radrizzani and co are in the picture for Dia’s services alongside Nottingham Forest and West Ham.

The report adds that the Whites are the latest side to show an interest, with Salernitana keen on exercising their option to make a transfer permanent.

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The Verdict: One to watch?

Radrizzani and the 49ers could do with freeing up some funds to bolster their centre-forward ranks in the New Year, with another potential relegation battle looming.

Patrick Bamford has missed nine big chances in the Premier League in just 427 minutes, so bringing in someone like Dia who has been finding the net over in Italy could be a wise idea.

A move for the Senegalese forward may also be more realistic than landing summer target Cody Gakpo, so this could be one to keep an eye on and potentially worth watching how Dia gets on in Qatar.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp started an interesting conversation a few weeks ago about the finances in football, suggesting that any transfer mishap for the Reds could be devastating behind-the-scenes.

Indeed, the Reds manager noted: “Nobody can compete with [Manchester] City.”

The German continued: “We cannot act like them. It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear and again you know the answer.”

However, what if Liverpool could act like the Premier League champions? Well, that could soon become a reality.

On Monday, there surprising news of FSG’s intention to sell the Anfield outfit broke and with it, there has been a host of speculation.

What will happen to Klopp? When will FSG sell? And what will the finances involved be? The answer to all three of those questions are uncertain, but what could be a certainty is that the Reds have more money to play with in the transfer market once everything is concluded.

They have spent some big sums of money down the years, namely on the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Alisson and Darwin Nunez. That said, they have not been able to plunge so heavily into the market in quite the manner their Premier League rivals do.

That could all change, however, with Liverpool supporters now surely hoping for mega riches.

If a lucrative takeover does occur, then it could give Klopp the tools he finally needs to sign some of his most sought-after transfer targets. Kylian Mbappe has regularly been a name touted with a move to Merseyside but the main target, specifically of late, has been Jude Bellingham.

The Borussia Dortmund sensation didn’t move in the summer but could leave Borussia Dortmund behind in 2023.

Bellingham, who is set to be a key figure in Gareth Southgate’s England squad at the World Cup, has taken European football by storm and any deal will not come cheap, with Football Observatory valuing him at a staggering £218m.

A more realistic sum of £101m has also been suggested in the last year, but whatever sum it is, it’s clear the club’s new owners would need to invest heavily.

Midfield is a vital area for whoever does take over from FSG too, with ageing but talented central players like Thiago, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson dominating that third of the pitch.

The club refused to strengthen in midfield over the summer, that was until transfer deadline day when they acquired Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus. Yet, fast forward two months and he has only been seen for 13 minutes, having sustained an injury.

Klopp’s side are incredibly low on depth in the centre and with the addition of Bellingham, they’d not only solve that issue but add some X-factor to their side in the process.

The 19-year-old “superstar” – as dubbed by journalist Dom Howson – has taken the game by storm over the last 18 months. He scored six times and registered 14 assists last term, but his form, especially in front of goal, has gone to the next level in 2022/23.

Indeed, the English wonderkid has found the net on nine occasions in 21 outings, with four of those strikes coming in the Champions League.

A “generational talent” in the words of Darren Lewis, the midfielder is only set to improve those numbers, with a move to the Premier League now surely only a matter of time.

Liverpool will be hoping, particularly with new owners on the horizon, that they can be the ones to tempt him back to his home nation. A move at the moment looks unlikely, but fresh investment from an ambitious new owner would do the trick nicely.

This is certainly one to keep an eye on as we move into 2023.

Leeds United U21 centre-forward Sonny Perkins could be set to link up with Jesse Marsch’s senior side ahead of their Carabao Cup meeting with Wolverhampton Wanderers this evening.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Joe Donnohue, with the journalist revealing in a recent article for the Yorkshire Evening Post that, after being limited to a ten-minute substitute appearance in the young Whites’ 4-2 victory over Newcastle United U21s on Monday, the centre-forward now appears to be in with a chance of travelling to Molineux with the senior squad this evening.

Regarding the potential inclusion of a number of the club’s promising talents, Donnohue said: “[Leo] Hjelde and [Wilfried] Gnonto have both made first-team appearances this season, while [Darko] Gyabi and [Mateo] Joseph have been named on the substitutes’ bench by Marsch but are yet to earn their senior debuts.

“Perkins, on the other hand, has not made a matchday squad yet, but may travel with the group on Wednesday.”

Bamford heir

With Phil Hay recently revealing that Patrick Bamford looks set to be ruled out of first-team action until the return of club football after the World Cup, Marsch could well unearth the injury-prone centre-forward’s long-term heir at Leeds by unleashing Perkins against Wolves this evening.

Indeed, since making a move to Thorp Arch on a free transfer this summer, the 18-year-old sensation has been in astonishing goalscoring form over his nine Premier League 2 outings for the U21s, hitting the back of the net on seven different occasions, in addition to bagging one in three Papa John’s Trophy fixtures.

The teenage hitman has also been in fine form for England’s U19s in the current campaign, scoring five goals and providing one assist in three outings for Ian Foster’s side – meaning the youngster has averaged a direct goal contribution every 82 minutes of football played in 2022/23.

As such, with the goalless Bamford now looking to be out of action for a considerable amount of time, it would very much appear as if the £1m-rated Perkins has more than earned his chance to fill the boots of the England international until his likely return to first-team football in December.

Having said that, should the “dangerous” striker impress against Wolves this evening, perhaps the 18-year-old could even end up taking Bamford’s starting spot away from him on a much more regular basis, especially considering just how much of a struggle the Leeds’ number nine is finding it to get up to full fitness this season.

Newcastle United have experienced a phenomenal start to their Premier League season and there is no doubt they will want to continue their form in the second half the season, with the potential of strengthening their team even further in January as a new transfer target is revealed.

What’s the latest?

According to West Ham United insiders Claret & Hugh, Declan Rice could emerge as a potential target for the Magpies.

As per the report, the northeast giants believe Rice could be a cornerstone in their project at the club and Hammers officials believe that they could take their chances to sign the player if their form continues in the Premier League.

Imagine him & Bruno G

There is no doubt that Rice is one of the hottest English prospects at the moment and the attention surrounding the talented midfielder will surely only grow as he is set to play a starring role in the centre of the pitch for England in the World Cup this month.

Indeed, Newcastle will be in a great position to compete for the players signature should he become available to sign over the coming months despite Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City all reportedly interested in acquiring Rice’s services too, thanks to their ambitious project at St James’ Park and league position.

The Magpies have only suffered one defeat in their Premier League campaign and are currently 3rd in the table matching Man City for the best defensive record in the league so far after 15 outings and Eddie Howe will be desperate for his team to continue their dominance to guarantee a Champions League spot ahead of schedule.

As a result, the signing of Rice would be amazing for the club and when you consider his attributes in the central third it is clear he would make a fantastic partner for stand-out performer Bruno Guimaraes.

Over 15 league appearances, the £150m ace – who was once hailed “phenomenal” by Marlon Harewood – has scored one goal, registered two assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.3 key passes, 1.6 interceptions, 2.4 tackles and 1.3 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Rice also ranks second for dribbles, second in pass interceptions in the opponent’s half and 10th in passes completed into the final third in the entirety of the Premier League.

The England international’s clear defensive talents and work ethic in the centre of the pitch can perfectly complement Bruno Guimaraes’ playmaking and attacking skills that the Brazilian has displayed since joining Newcastle in January.

With that being said, the signing of Rice would be the perfect move for the Magpies as he could become an incredibly valuable asset offering quality and longevity on Tyneside for years to come.