Manchester United haven’t exactly enjoyed the best of starts to their 2023/24 Premier League campaign. A lacklustre 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers was followed by a woeful 2-0 reverse to Tottenham Hotspur.
Erik ten Hag has made only three signings thus far in Andre Onana, Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount, but judging by their attacking efforts in the first two matches, more firepower is required.
The club are looking ready to make a move for Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo, yet could an Englishman be on Ten Hag’s radar?
Are Manchester United signing someone else?
The Old Trafford side are reportedly showing interest in signing Brentford striker Ivan Toney, according to FootballTransfers.
Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…
The player is banned from playing until January however as he was found guilty by the FA of numerous gambling breaches and this would give Ten Hag time to raise the sufficient funds needed to lure him to the North West.
The Bees have placed a £50m price tag on their prized asset and the Dutchman may have to move on a player or two before submitting a concrete offer.
What happens to Ivan Toney now?
His eight-month ban will take the striker up until January, meaning he can't play a single game for Brentford in that time.
Although United requires firepower now, it looks as though they are prepared to wait for Toney and Ten Hag will be hoping for improved performances from players such as Antony.
The Brazilian joined from Ajax last summer for a fee in the region of £86m but has yet to showcase his true abilities in a United jersey so far.
He did register 11 goal contributions – eight goals and three assists – yet this was much lower than the 12 goals and ten assists he recorded the season prior with the Dutch side.
The winger ranked out with the top five across the squad for league assists (two) and big chances created (two), and with a fresh start this season, the pressure will be on to succeed at the Red Devils.
Indeed, signing Toney could certainly help Antony get back to his best, with the £20k-per-week gem able to link up well with his fellow attackers and across the previous three seasons for his club, the 27-year-old has registered 21 assists.
Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
The former Peterborough United hitman created a whopping 12 big chances last term while averaging 0.8 key passes, further proving that he does more than just score goals when leading the line.
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His tally of 20 league goals was behind only Erling Haaland and Harry Kane, whilst Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher lauded him by saying he was "one of the best attacking players in the league" and "reminiscent of Harry Kane", which is certainly high praise indeed considering just how well the Bayern Munich star has done in England.
Toney might not solve all of United’s problems if he did make the move to Manchester in January, yet by unleashing him in his starting XI alongside Antony, Ten Hag could forge a lethal attacking setup.
The Brazilian needs players to link up with and judging by Toney’s statistics of late, he could be the perfect player to lead the line for the club while unlocking the Brazilian in the process.
The goalkeeper conundrum is one of the main issues that Mauricio Pochettino must combat if he is to oversee any progression during his first season at Chelsea.
Edouard Mendy’s form has suddenly capitulated after an imperious campaign in England that culminated in the club’s second Champions League victory in May 2021.
In the final stages of last season, Kepa Arrizabalaga was the preferred choice between the sticks, but he was unconvincing and unreliable – traits that have embodied the Spaniard’s career in West London since his record-breaking £71.6m move from Athletic Bilbao.
Indeed, writer Jai McIntosh aptly summed up his campaign in 2022/23, suggesting the Spaniard had "improved" but in the grand scheme of things, was still "terrible".
As such, one player who has caught the attention of the Blues hierarchy is Mike Maignan, who would be an excellent solution to an ongoing problem.
What’s the latest on Mike Maignan to Chelsea?
According to La Repubblica (via FC Inter News), Chelsea has submitted an offer of €60m (£52m) for the AC Milan goalkeeper.
The Frenchman has previously attracted interest from the capital, as Frank Lampard was reportedly plotting a move for him in 2020, as per le10sport.
The 27-year-old’s future has been plunged into uncertainty as it has been revealed that Milan director Paolo Maldini will leave the club due to disagreements with club chairman Gerry Cardinale.
La Repubblica has announced that this has left many players perplexed, and they are now considering their futures, and the six-cap international is one of those who could be tempted to depart.
Would Mike Maignan be a good signing for Chelsea?
The £60k-per-week star has been in imperious form this season, having made 29 appearances in all competitions he conceded just 27 goals and kept ten clean sheets.
His string of impressive performances means that he ranks within the top 11% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for goals against per 90, as well as the highest 22% for his clean sheet percentage, according to FBref.
The former Lille man has been described as a "monster" by Goal's Robin Brainer and his international teammate Raphael Varane has also provided a glowing sentiment of his compatriot, saying: “Maignan is a goalkeeper who brings serenity, as well as having those skills in goal.
“He is a calm person, sure of his strengths, and it is true that as a defender, feeling this presence behind is important. It’s not just the potential he has but also the presence he has on goal.”
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The ability to instil calmness within the defence is an unteachable trait, and it's something that Kepa has drastically failed to achieve.
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga
His lack of presence and quality has been a defining theme of his troubled time at Chelsea.
Ian Wright feels the £150k-per-week shot-stopper “makes too many mistakes” and on his podcast ‘Wrighty’s House’ he added: “I cannot as a Chelsea fan look at that goalkeeper and feel like he’s going to help us win a game. I can’t see it.”
If Pochettino was able to secure Maignan it would be a huge coup and a logical step in what is set to be an exhaustive rebuild.
BBC pundit Chris Sutton has claimed that there is no chance Brendan Rodgers could be hired as the next West Ham United manager.
What’s the latest on Brendan Rodgers to West Ham?
Over the weekend, the Hammers were unable to put up much of a fight as they lost 2-0 away from home in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur.
As a result, the club end the game week stuck inside the relegation zone on 20 points. Unsurprisingly, some supporters have started to lose patience with David Moyes.
For instance, while hosting the BBC 606 radio show, Sutton spoke to a caller who insisted that Leicester City boss Rodgers was the right man to come and take over for the rest of the season.
In response, the pundit said: “That’s not realistic. Do you think Brendan Rodgers is going to leave Leicester for West Ham? Come on, get in the real world.”
What does David Moyes’ pressure mean for West Ham?
It’s not been a great season for West Ham with Moyes accepting that his position was under press even before the new year. Though, up to this point, the board have stuck with him.
With the threat of relegation looming ever closer, however, it’s not hard to see why the fans will as though it could be an appropriate time for a change in manager.
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Of course, Rodgers isn’t having the best season with the Foxes either. Indeed, they were thumped 3-0 away from home at Manchester United on the weekend which leaves them 14th in the table, just four points above the Irons.
At Leicester, the 50-year-old has averaged 1.64 points per game from 198 matches, while Moyes is at 1.53 from 154 matches. So it’s easy to see why he might be seen as an upgrade but it feels like a lot would have to change quickly and dramatically for Rodgers to end up at West Ham any time soon.
Everton have reportedly made contact with the representatives of Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha over a potential move in the January transfer window.
The Lowdown: Wolves were in driving seat
It was reported earlier this week that Wolves are ‘close’ to reaching a definitive agreement with Cunha over a transfer, as the end of his time with Atletico is said to be drawing near.
The final transfer fee and personal terms with the player still need to be agreed upon, but is thought that the Wanderers are in the driving seat.
The Latest: Everton contact
Co-writing in his latest piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the Goodison Park outfit, as well as Aston Villa and Leeds United, have made contact with Cunha’s representatives over a move, and are ‘actively trying’ to strike a deal for him.
Cunha is interested in working with Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui, but ‘sources’ have claimed that he wants to explore all of his options before making a final decision on his future.
His entourage have also offered the Brazilian to Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Newcastle United, and Atletico are desperate to offload Cunha’s wages, and would be prepared to sanction a loan move.
The Merseyside club are in desperate need of more attacking reinforcements, having only scored 11 goals in their opening 15 Premier League games, the joint-second worst in the division.
Hailed as a player who is ‘very fast’, with ‘great technical skills’, ‘unpredictable gameplay’ and an ‘excellent goal instinct’ by his former manager Maurizio Jacobacci, Cunha showed early promise as a teenager at FC Sion, where he managed seven goals and four assists in 15 matches under the Swiss (Transfermarkt).
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Once dubbed ‘something special’ by former Hertha Berlin head coach Bruno Labbadia, he continued his impressive streak in Germany, managing 23 goal contributions in 40 appearances (Transfermarkt).
Cunha has not quite been able to hit the same heights at Atletico, failing to find the back of the net so far this season, but there is no doubt that the talent is there.
Nonetheless, the Brazilian has still not fulfilled his true potential at 23, and the Toffees could be the sole beneficiaries of that.
Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Nicolas Raskin dominated the headlines for the right reason last weekend when he scored in the League Cup win at Ibrox.
The Belgium international had been left out of the last two matchday squads in the Scottish Premiership, but returned to score the opening goal in front of the home supporters on Saturday.
Raskin met James Tavernier’s corner brilliantly to head the ball into the back of the net for the first of what will, hopefully, be many goals this season.
Why Nicolas Raskin is a key player for Rangers
Russell Martin needed to get the central midfielder back into the squad as quickly as possible after the manager claimed that a breakdown in trust led to the player being left out of the clashes with Celtic and Hearts.
The Belgian star is a terrific operator in the middle of the park because he can deliver quality at both ends of the pitch, having scored five goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions last season, per Sofascore.
Nicolas Raskin (24/25)
Premiership
Europa League
Appearances
33
12
Tackles per game
2.8
3.7
Interceptions per game
0.6
1.3
Ball recoveries per game
5.6
7.4
Ground duel success rate
57%
50%
Aerial duel success rate
56%
55%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Raskin was particularly impressive when it came to the defensive side of the game in the 2024/25 campaign, with his ability to disrupt attacks and win possession back for his side.
Despite the Belgium international’s quality in the middle of the park, it is Djeidi Gassama who has the potential to be the club’s best player this season.
Why Gassama could be the best player for Rangers this season
The Light Blues signed the electric winger from Sheffield Wednesday for a fee of £2.2m in the summer transfer window, and he has already shown plenty of promise on the pitch.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Gassama has delivered four goals and one assist in 12 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, per Transfermarkt, showing that he can provide a big threat in the final third.
The clip above shows that Rangers signed a player who they knew was capable of “glorious” goals from the left flank, cutting in to create something out of nothing.
Gassama has already shown that he can score glorious goals for Rangers, as his first strike for the club against Panathinaikos was very similar to that goal for the Owls.
The 22-year-old magician has the quality to simply create something out of nothing when the Light Blues need a moment of magic, which is an incredibly valuable trait to have.
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Gassama has yet to score in five matches in the Scottish Premiership, unfortunately, but he has been in a side that has struggled to progress the ball. As much as he can provide quality out of very little, the winger still needs to get the ball to his feet out wide to isolate his man.
If Martin can get the system and the starting XI right, the former Sheffield Wednesday winger could deliver consistent quality out wide with his impressive dribbling ability and ball striking.
That could make him a real difference-maker, as he was in the Champions League qualifiers with four goals in six games, for the Gers moving forward this season.
Rangers must rue losing their own homegrown Bukayo Saka for £0
Rangers lost a talented young player this summer and he is already being compared to Bukayo Saka.
ByDan Emery
Therefore, Gassama could be the club’s best player because of his ability to win games on his own with his goalscoring and creating potential, but it is down to the manager to put him in a position to exceed and shine brighter than the likes of Raskin and Bojan Miovski.
West Ham United have come forward to sign an “outstanding” striker, who is now likely to leave his club in the summer transfer window, according to a report.
Hammers set sights on striker after Forest defeat
Graham Potter would have been hoping the 2-0 victory over Manchester United would give his side the platform to have a strong end to the Premier League season, but his side fell to yet another defeat on Sunday afternoon, with Nottingham Forest prevailing 2-1 at the London Stadium.
Jarrod Bowen, who has been one of the only bright sparks for the Hammers this season, was once again on the scoresheet, netting his 12th Premier League goal of the campaign, with the England international featuring as a striker.
Bowen’s output this season indicates he could be capable of remaining the first-choice centre-forward in the 2025-26 campaign, rather than moving back out wide, with Potter currently short on options in that area of the pitch.
West Ham United's JarrodBowencelebrates scoring their first goal
However, with Michail Antonio now 35-years-old and Niclas Fullkrug failing to make an impact in his debut Premier League campaign, it could be wise to bring in another striker this summer, and a forward with top-level experience has now entered the frame.
According to a report from Italy (via Sport Witness), West Ham have now come forward to sign AS Roma striker Tammy Abraham, who is set to leave the Italian side permanently this summer, upon returning from his loan with AC Milan.
A deal will not be easy, however, with Abraham setting his sights on a move to a ‘top-tier club’, despite his recent struggles, and there are doubts over whether he would be tempted by a move to the London Stadium.
West Ham now racing to sign £84m striker who's been "blowing teams away"
The Hammers have set their sights on a striker, who is also being targeted by Arsenal and Aston Villa.
ByDominic Lund "Outstanding" Abraham could reignite career at West Ham
In truth, the 27-year-old is unlikely to be in a position to be too picky about his next club, given that he has hardly set the world alight in the Serie A this season, picking up just three goals and five assists throughout the campaign.
The Englishman could get his career back on track by moving back to his native country, however, and a move to the London Stadium could be a good fit for all parties, with Potter currently lacking options in the striker department.
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Despite his recent struggles, the “outstanding” former Chelsea man also has a lot of experience at the top level, having made 22 appearances in the Champions League, winning the competition during his time with the Blues.
As such, Abraham, who cost AS Roma £34m back in 2021, could be a solid signing for West Ham this summer, should he be willing to change his stance and move to a club of the Hammers’ stature.
Arsenal have been handed a key advantage in the race to sign a highly-rated forward this month, after discovering that he’s keen to link up with Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal "highly likely" to sign new forward in January
The Gunners boss has publicly confirmed that his side are actively pursuing a fresh forward option before deadline day on February 3rd, leading to multiple reports linking Arsenal with a host of high-profile strikers.
"Extremely quick" £60m striker is very keen on joining Arsenal in January
He’s believed to be increasingly keen.
7 ByEmilio Galantini
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres, Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen and Botafogo star Igor Jesus are just some of the reported Arsenal striker targets, as interim sporting director Jason Ayto weighs up the best possible option.
“We lost two very important players in Saka and Jesus, we lack goals and options in the front, it’s clear,” said Arteta on signing a centre-forward.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Wolves (away)
Today
Man City (home)
February 2
Leicester City (away)
February 15
West Ham (home)
February 22
Nottingham Forest (away)
February 26
“If we can get the right player, that’s what we’re actively looking at. They’ve [the players] all been there, we have very short numbers for many weeks, they recognise the situation. Sometimes I consult the players on signings, especially if they know them. It’s away from the computer and the data, they can sense it, they know about them.”
While talks are yet to advance over any of their targets as things stand, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has reassured supporters – saying it is “highly likely” that Arteta’s side to end up bringing in a new centre-forward before the January deadline.
Arsenal managerMikelArtetabefore the match
“It’s highly likely,” said Romano on Arsenal’s search for a striker to GiveMeSport.
“This is the expectation of Mikel Arteta, so I expect the club to back him and find a solution on the market even if big clubs are not available.”
Another heavily-linked striker comes in the form of Wolves star Matheus Cunha, who is yet to pen a fresh contract at Wolves despite apparently agreeing financial terms. The sticking point has reportedly been Cunha’s desire to include a relegation clause, with the Brazilian’s talks over a new deal stalling and handing a transfer opportunity to interested sides.
Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs writes that he won’t come cheap, though, and Vitor Pereira’s side could demand as much as £80 million.
Arsenal discover Matheus Cunha wants to join them in January
In better news regarding their pursuit of Cunha, as per GiveMeSport, Arteta has been handed a “significant boost” in the race for his services.
The outlet claims Arsenal have discovered that Cunha wants to join them this month, with the Gunners in pole position ahead of fellow suitors Chelsea, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
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However, that being said, Wolves remain determined to land the former Atlético Madrid star who’s scored 10 goals and assisted four others in all competitions so far this term – and in five different positions across the attacking third.
It could take a big-money bid from Arsenal to prise the “phenomenal” Cunha away from Molineux, but that was always going to be the case with any world-class forward midway through the campaign.
Unfortunately for Manchester United and their fans, it's already starting to feel like more of the same in the Premier League this season.
Erik ten Hag's men may have picked up all three points in their season opener against Fulham, but in the two games since, they haven't picked up any.
There is still clearly plenty of talent in this team, but with sides around them already starting to pull away, Ten Hag cannot afford to drop any more points against Southampton, and he must make changes.
Erik ten Hag
One of those changes should be to drop Marcus Rashford, as his underwhelming form from last season has seemingly carried over, and the manager has a solution on the bench.
Rashford's recent form
So the first thing to say is that when he's on song, Rashford is easily one of the most dangerous attackers in the Premier League, if not Europe, but therein lies the problem: he's not on song and hasn't been for some time.
For example, he followed up his incredible haul of 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 appearances in the 22/23 campaign with a disappointing return of eight goals and six assists in 43 appearances last season.
In other words, the Englishman went from averaging a goal involvement every 1.36 games to one every 3.07 games last year, and unfortunately, he's carried on that underwhelming form into this season.
Rashford's 24/25 stats
Appearances
3
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
0
Passes per Match
23
Offsides
3
All Stats via the Premier League
For example, in his three league games thus far, the 26-year-old has failed to score or assist a goal, and while he has created the odd chance for his teammates, he's just looked ineffective in attack.
There is undoubtedly still a quality player in there, but it feels like he could do with some time out of the team.
Manchester United's Marcus Rashford
Moreover, considering United are playing one of if not the weakest teams in the league tomorrow, it feels like the perfect opportunity to make a change and start one of the club's young and exciting wingers in his place.
Why Diallo should start
Yes, the youngster who should come back into the side is Amad Diallo, but he should do so on the right, meaning Alejandro Garnacho shifts over to the left, where he has started the majority of games in his career.
Now, nobody is claiming that the young Ivorian is a better player than Rashford at this point, but unlike the Englishman, he is not burdened with a combination of expectations for what fans know he can do and pressure due to what he has done.
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Moreover, while the former Atalanta gem is still young, 22 is old enough for him to be getting regular starts in the first team, and while he's still somewhat raw, he has looked good when given the opportunity to play.
For example, against Brighton & Hove Albion last month, he scored and looked dangerous in attack, and while last season saw him spend a lot of time out with injury issues, the campaign prior saw him light up the Championship with Sunderland.
In just 43 appearances, the Abidjan-born "superstar", as dubbed by football creator Liam Canning, scored 14 goals and provided four assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 2.38 games for the Black Cats.
Ultimately, while the step-up to Premier League football is significant, Diallo has shown he has the potential to thrive, and with Rashford still underwhelming, Ten Hag must take full advantage of a game against Southampton and start the Ivorian in place of the Englishman.
He's like De Jong: Man Utd have already sold their next Gomes for just £850k
A quality member of the Aston Villa squad is now open to leaving this summer as he ponders moving to a major European club, which will come as a concern for manager Unai Emery amid his chase for Champions League football next season.
Villa in driving seat for fourth after fantastic Premier League campaign
The Villans are now overwhelming favourites to seal a fourth-place finish and qualification for Europe's most prestigious competition next term.
Aston Villa now eyeing £11,000-a-week target who starred in UCL semi-final
He’s a player in-demand…
ByTom Cunningham
They've been locked in a tense battle with Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham for much of the season, but the north Londoners are now losing serious ground after three consecutive Premier League defeats, putting Villa in the ascendancy.
Spurs still possess a game in hand on Emery's side, though the gap between both sides is now much larger, so it would take a late capitulation from Villa for Tottenham to stand any chance of usurping them at this point.
Aston Villa's remaining matches
Tottenham's remaining matches
Brighton (away)
Liverpool (away)
Liverpool (home)
Burnley (home)
Crystal Palace (away)
Man City (home)
Sheffield United (away)
After a fantastic campaign, where critics have been taken aback by Villa's stellar form at times, the prospect of Champions League football in the Midlands next season is looking very real.
“We are fighting with Tottenham to get fourth position and the Champions League. It is an amazing season, if we are finishing like that,” said Emery on the race for fourth ahead of Brighton on Sunday.
“There is still work to do and we are very motivated because we have in front of us very important matches. On Sunday is Brighton and next Thursday in Athens. Sunday is a very important match to try and get closer to our first objective in the Premier League.”
If Emery does seal fourth, it will arguably be easier for him to keep hold of his star players. Arsenal have been interested in Douglas Luiz for a long time, and previous reports have suggested that they could lodge a summer move as they seek new midfielders (Football Insider via FFC).
joao-palhinha-douglas-luiz-liverpool-opinion
Meanwhile, Arsenal are also thought to be fans of striker Ollie Watkins, coming as the Englishman enjoys his finest top flight campaign to date and as sporting director Edu seeks a prolific new goalscorer.
The Gunners could be spoiled in their potential attempts to lure away both of Emery's stars if Villa find themselves in the Champions League group stage pot for 2024/2025, but that isn't to say Villa will be completely immune to the prospect of players departing.
Diego Carlos open to leaving Villa as he ponders AC Milan move
Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, defender Diego Carlos is already eyeing an exit this summer.
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The Brazilian has suffered from a few injury problems during his time in Birmingham, like his hamstring issue most recently. However, when fit and available, Carlos has played a big role in Villa's success under Emery.
Diego Carlos in Premier League action for Aston Villa.
His form has attracted interest from AC Milan, who have earmarked the 31-year-old as one of their top targets. The Rossoneri have plans to bring in a quality new centre-half and are among the favourites to seal a deal for Villa's £100,000-per-week ace.
Carlos is apparently evaluating a move to Milan and is open to leaving Villa, which will come as a worry for Emery ahead of what could be a historic campaign next season.
Unlike some other English teams in Europe this season, Liverpool have already sealed their fate in the Europa League ahead of Thursday evening's clash with Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise.
Jurgen Klopp's men have already qualified for the knockout phase and will finish top of Group E regardless of the result at the Stade Joseph Marien and with a huge Northwest Derby clash at Anfield against a wounded Manchester United to come on Sunday, Klopp will likely make changes to the starting lineup that faced Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
With that in mind, here is Liverpool's predicted XI for their final Europa League group game, with five potential alterations from the win over the Eagles – amid Klopp's decision to leave the likes of Alisson, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold behind for the trip.
1 GK – Caoimhin Kelleher
Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.
Due to an injury Alisson sustained in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, Caoimhin Kelleher was subsequently handed the reins between the sticks.
The Republic of Ireland international featured twice in the Brazilian's absence in the Premier League, with Liverpool winning both games, although Alisson has since returned from injury and started in goal on Saturday afternoon.
Nevertheless, Kelleher has been in the starting lineup four times in the Europa League this term and, given his Brazilian teammate is set to remain on Merseyside, will likely feature for the Reds in Belgium.
2 LB – Kostas Tsimikas
Kostas Tsimikas
There is a high chance that Kostas Tsimikas will be in Klopp's first eleven by default.
The Greek defender is Liverpool's only available left-back as a result of Andy Robertson suffering from a shoulder injury which he sustained back in October. It's unlikely that the manager will remove Tsimikas from the team given the lack of options in this area.
3 CB – Ibrahima Konate
joe-gomez-ibrahima-konate-liverpool-opinion
Van Dijk started at the back on Saturday against Palace and was Liverpool's best player, according to This Is Anfield – who handed the Dutchman a 9/10 match rating.
However, Klopp will want to keep the 32-year-old fit for Sunday's bout against Man United and thus could bring Ibrahima Konate into the team to get the Frenchman up to scratch, having recently recovered from a hamstring injury.
Konate could start at the back this weekend alongside Van Dijk so Klopp will want his £36m defender match fit, meaning the France international could take the skipper's place in the team for this one.
4 CB – Jarell Quansah
Jarell Quansah.
20-year-old Jarell Quansah has become a first-team regular at Anfield due to injury woes at the back. However, on Saturday, the youngster gave away a penalty for Palace's goal and was replaced in the 57th minute for Konate, having struggled throughout the game, failing to win a single tackle or ground duel while also coming out on top in merely 33% of his aerial battles.
Nevertheless, with Van Dijk set to be rested, Quansah could keep his place for Liverpool's final match in the Europa League group phase.
5 RB – Joe Gomez
jarell-quansah-joe-gomez-liverpool-opinion
Joe Gomez replaced Wataru Endo at half-time at Selhurst Park last week and the versatile defender had an excellent game, being handed an 8/10 match rating by This Is Anfield.
Gomez had four touches in the opposition's box, created one opportunity and won 67% of his ground duels in just one half of football and may have guaranteed a starting spot against USG on Thursday evening.
6 LCM – Ryan Gravenberch
Loanee Ryan Gravenberch earned one of his five Premier League starts at the weekend against Roy Hodgson's pragmatic side, but failed to make a real impact on the game. The two-time Eredivisie champion only had a 72% pass completion rate and failed to win a single tackle during the match.
However, with such a colossal game to come later in the week, Gravenberch will likely keep his place in the lineup again, particularly since he has started four of Liverpool's five matches in the Europa League this term.
7 DM – Wataru Endo
Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo
On Saturday, Endo was replaced at half-time by Gomez, with the latter moving to right-back. In turn, Klopp pushed Alexander-Arnold inside to play as Liverpool's deepest-lying midfielder.
The head coach has allowed the academy product to drift into these spaces naturally from his wide position but the tactical change saw Alexander-Arnold feature primarily as a holding midfielder.
Endo was dispossessed twice by Palace and made just four passes into the final third in the first half as the Merseyside club struggled to move the ball forward. Meanwhile, the Englishman created six opportunities which was more than any other player on the pitch and played 14 passes into the attacking third.
That could then mean the Japanese international is replaced this weekend in that midfield pivot, although the summer signing will be spared the axe tomorrow night, with Alexander-Arnold staying at home.
8 RCM – Curtis Jones
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Dominik Szoboszlai didn't have the best performance of his stint at Liverpool on Saturday. The £60m summer signing had 63 touches of the ball but lost possession nine times in total, failing to create a single opportunity whilst having merely one shot at goal.
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With 15 minutes remaining, Klopp took the Hungary international off and replaced him with Curtis Jones. Within just over a minute on the pitch, the substitute grabbed the assist for Mohamed Salah's equaliser from a set-piece as the Reds cracked on to pick up all three points.
Furthermore, despite having such little time to get going, Jones won 67% of his ground duels, had two touches in the opposition's box and drew two fouls.
Klopp could look to rest Szoboszlai, who looked jaded at the weekend, by giving Jones a run in the team after his positive impact in the last match.
9 LW – Luis Diaz
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Given Klopp likes to keep his left-back in a deeper position, the left-winger has to hold the width on that side.
Admittedly, Luis Diaz seems to be the only player who can do this in the squad without being drawn inside and congesting the middle of the pitch, hence why he has started 14 matches for Liverpool this season which will likely rise to 15 away at USG.
10 CF – Darwin Nunez
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Against Palace, 0.48 of Liverpool's total 1.25 expected goals came from Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan had two big chances and missed both. Coincidentally, the Reds scored twice once he left the pitch.
However, Klopp will need his number nine in good form ahead of a visit from the Red Devils and will be hoping Nunez can bag a few goals in Belgium to help bolster his goalscoring mood.