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BBC Football pundit Mark Lawrenson has been giving his thoughts ahead of Manchester United hosting Premier League title hopefuls Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, saying players keeping their discipline will be key, and Naby Keita should take note.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Reds legend was delivering his weekly predictions – 1-1 in this case – for the upcoming matches in the English top flight, and he unsurprisingly had plenty to say about the clash at ‘The Theatre of Dreams’.

The visitors are looking for a positive result in their battle with Manchester City to win their first-ever Premier League trophy, while the Red Devils are a side reborn under the leadership of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in recent months.

With a big rivalry between the two, Lawrenson issued a warning via the BBC: “They have to deal with the history of the whole Manchester United-Liverpool rivalry, and everything that goes with it, as well as United’s recent revival. The atmosphere at Old Trafford will be white-hot.

“To come away with anything, the Reds will have to keep their heads.

“I know from playing in this fixture myself that the tackles will be flying in, so discipline is vital. No-one can afford to make a stupid lunge at someone early on because they will get sent off for it.”

Who needs to take note?

In one word, Keita.

While teammates Jordan Henderson and James Milner are guilty of losing their heads at times – see their dismissals this season – they both have the experience of playing at Old Trafford and know what they need to do to stay on the pitch.

It isn’t the same with the Guinea international, who will be making first appearance away against United and is still in a transitional period where he is looking to prove that he should be a regular starter in the Liverpool midfield.

He hasn’t picked up a single booking in 19 Premier League outings this season, but he has committed 21 fouls and was also sent off on three occasions for Red Bull Leipzig last term.

When you are a player looking to make an impact on the biggest stage, he could be in danger on Sunday of letting his enthusiasm get the better of him.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn ahead of the upcoming January transfer window, with new interim manager Ralf Rangnick keen to strengthen his first-team squad.

What’s the story?

According to The Sun, United are scouring the market for engine room options due to the uncertainty over several stars currently at the club.

The report states that: “JOHN McGINN is still on Manchester United’s radar as they prepare for a new future under Ralf Rangnick.

“United are in the market for midfield reinforcements as doubts continue to surround the long-term futures of the likes of Paul Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Donny van de Beek.”

It goes on to claim that Villa are set to demand upwards of £50m for their prized asset, who still has three and a half years left to run on his current contract with the Midlands outfit.

Rangnick can seal dream Man Utd deal

Enticing McGinn to Old Trafford over the coming months could prove to be a dream deal for United due to the £25,000-per-week gem’s suitability for Rangnick’s famous Gegenpessing style of play.

As per FBref.com, the Scotland international has made 4.63 successful pressures per 90 this season, 1.42 successful tackles, 4.55 progressive passes and 1.57 interceptions, outperforming compatriot Scott McTominay in each metric.

In addition to those eye-catching underlying numbers, McGinn has also bagged three goals and laid on a further two assists in his 14 outings, further highlighting his top-class ability.

And the box-to-box dynamo has caught the eye of several onlookers with his outstanding performances in recent weeks.

On the BBC Radio 5 Live Daily Podcast (as relayed by ReadAstonVilla), pundit Micah Richards lauded McGinn’s displays of late in the absence of Jack Grealish following his summer switch to Manchester City.

He said: “John McGinn, he’s really, really impressed me. He was a bit in the shadow of Jack Grealish and he’s not as technically great, but he gives so much to that team, energy, he runs in behind, he tackles and he’s got everything, he really has.”

His new manager Steven Gerrard was equally as impressed following Villa’s 2-1 win over Leicester City on Sunday, hailing the diminutive star’s passing.

“Some of his passing today was outstanding, so I’m super pleased with John over the past few games, the challenge for him now is for him to stay in this place,” he said.

Therefore, McGinn could be the ideal candidate to excel under the tutelage of Rangnick at United, and he could be set to become the first acquisition of his reign at Old Trafford.

And, in other news…Forget Poch: Man Utd must swoop for “remarkable” Rangnick heir, fans would love him 

Following on from their 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle at the weekend, Sunderland have been dealt yet another injury blow that could be a setback for their promotion charge.

What’s the news?

Speaking after the Plymouth game, Black Cats manager Lee Johnson said that Lynden Gooch picked up a groin strain in the match that forced him off the pitch and that “he will probably be fit for training on Tuesday or out for three or four weeks.”

Given the current lack of clarity around the severity of Gooch’s injury, it’s easy to see why the Northern Echo have said that Sunderland are still sweating over his fitness.

In addition to this, given the significant number of other Sunderland players currently out injured such as Luke O’Nien, Denver Hume, Dennis Cirkin, Aiden McGeady, Jordan Willis and Niall Huggins, it’s safe to say that it would be a big blow for Sunderland if Gooch’s injury is a serious one and isn’t able to play for the next few weeks, which would surely leave a lot of fans fuming.

Since joining the Wearside club’s U18 side back in the 2012 summer transfer window from Santa Cruz Breakers Academy, Gooch has gone on to make a total of 185 appearances for Sunderland across all competitions in which he has managed to score 23 goals and provide 33 assists along the way.

This season has seen the winger earn himself an overall rating of 6.86/10 for his performances in the 16 League One appearances he’s made, putting him in the top ten of Sunderland’s highest-rated players according to WhoScored.

Prior to the Plymouth game, Gooch had managed to provide three assists in his previous three league games, showing the good run of form he was on and why it’s so unfortunate for him to have picked up this groin issue.

Moving forward, even though Sunderland don’t have a midweek league game this week, Johnson and everyone else at the club will have their fingers crossed and be hoping that Gooch’s injury issue isn’t a serious one and that he will be available for their next game against Ipswich Town at the weekend, so their promotion hopes aren’t knocked.

In other news: KLD can spark SAFC’s promotion charge with big winter decision, fans would be thrilled – opinion

An exciting claim has been made regarding Rangers’ potential revenue for the 2022/23 campaign…

What’s the talk?

Finance expert Kieran Maguire has reacted to claims that the Gers could make £20m from Champions League qualification by revealing that the figure could actually be much larger than that.

Rangers will qualify for the group stage of the competition if they win the Premiership title, rather than heading into the qualification rounds and potentially dropping into the Europa League.

Maguire told Football Insider: “Pre-[pandemic], they were making about £60m.

“So that is increasing your revenue by a third. That is transformational. When he talks about £20m, that’s a worst-case scenario. You get €2.7m for every victory and €900,000 for every draw. A few good results for Rangers and that £30m becomes £40m.

“Then, if you manage to make the knockouts, £40m can become £50m and so on. That’s enormous. It also has an impact on your UEFA coefficient, so it becomes a virtuous circle.”

Wilson will be buzzing

Ross Wilson will surely be left buzzing by this claim from Maguire as it directly relates to his role at Ibrox. He is tasked with making key decisions on the football side of the club, and having an extra £20m to £50m to spend would have a major impact on his job.

Not only would it broaden his horizons in terms of the level of player he could look to attract to Rangers, it would also mean that more funds are available to retain key players and to improve the club’s facilities. They could provide further funding to the academy and the first team training ground to give Giovanni van Bronckhorst the best possible tools to get 100% from his squad.

Wilson could afford to spend an extra million or so when attempting to seal a transfer, whereas he may be forced to give up on a deal for the same price in current circumstances. It would give him extra leeway in his negotiations and potentially raise the bar on the calibre of signing he can make as a result of the added finances, which could be exciting for him and for Van Bronckhorst.

The Ibrox chief will now be hoping that the Dutchman is able to see the team through to Premiership glory between now and the end of the season to clinch qualification for the group stage of Europe’s top club competition. Wilson will be elated as the prospect of having another £20m to £50m in the bank, while supporters will surely be excited for Champions League football to return to Ibrox…

AND in other news, “Rangers keen”: Jordan Campbell drops exciting transfer claim which will delight Van Bronckhorst…

West Ham have asked to be kept informed about Divock Origi’s situation at Liverpool as the club plot a late bid, according to a Football Insider source.

The Lowdown: Striker struggles

Michail Antonio is the only recognised senior centre-forward at West Ham. Unsurprisingly, he is the club’s top scorer in the Premier League this season, having netted eight times.

However, due to his vast injury history and the failure to replace Sebastien Haller, fans will no doubt be desperate to see a new name arrive before Monday’s deadline.

As it stands, were the Jamaica international to suffer a serious injury or enter a significant slump in form, it may be the nail in the coffin of any hopes of securing Champions League football.

The Hammers were reportedly pursuing Benfica starlet Darwin Nunez, but this has seemingly been put to bed by Sky Sports’s Transfer Centre, who report that the Portuguese side have rejected the Irons’ bid for the player.

As a result, West Ham have been exploring alternative attacking options.

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The Latest: Irons make contact with Liverpool

According to a West Ham source at Football Insider, the Hammers have their eyes on a late bid and have asked Liverpool to keep them informed about Origi’s situation.

The outlet’s source claims David Moyes ‘is personally overseeing the club’s late search for a forward and Origi is firmly on his radar’.

Liverpool are open to a loan, loan-to-buy and permanent bids for the striker, following the arrival of Luis Diaz from Porto.

Origi has entered the final six months of his contract at Anfield, but there is a 12-month extension clause in his deal.

The Verdict: Origi a solid option

With 103 Premier League appearances under his belt, Origi could prove to be a fantastic choice for Moyes and the club. Despite his limited game-time, the Belgian striker has scored 40 goals for the Reds, many of which have come during the most important of occasions.

This includes two goals in their infamous 4-0 win over Barcelona in the 2019 Champions League semi-final, which was further topped by scoring the winning goal in the final against Spurs, leading Jurgen Klopp’s side to the club’s sixth UCL trophy.

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders has said that ‘Divock is one of the world’s best finishers’, so it’s not hard to see why Moyes is interested in him. If the club can get this deal over the line before the deadline hits, this could prove to be a fantastic signing for the Hammers.

In other news: Jesse Lingard keen on Hammers move

 An update has emerged on Leeds United forward Raphinha, regarding interest in him ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

Italian reporter Fabrizio Romano has revealed that no clubs have agreed on a deal with the Yorkshire giants for the Brazilian winger’s services.

This comes after TNT Sports reported that he is set to join Bayern Munich in January for a fee in the region of €50m.

He told his YouTube channel:

“We had rumours during the Christmas period about an imminent move to Bayern. Someone in Brazil reported that it was a done deal with Bayern, but from what I am told, nothing has been agreed yet between Leeds and Bayern.

“It’s true that Bayern, as well as many other clubs, including Liverpool last year, are looking at Raphinha. We’re speaking about one of the best wingers in Europe, but as of now, nothing has been agreed yet.”

Delighted

Leeds fans will surely be delighted with this update from Romano as it quashes the report stating that the forward will join the Bundesliga giants next month. This suggests that he is now set to remain at Elland Road, based on the evidence we have to work with as it stands, which is a major boost to Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Raphinha is the club’s match-winner and his quality could be crucial to avoiding relegation back down to the Championship at the end of the season. He has the ability to score and create goals at this level, which is a talent that not many in the current squad possess.

The Brazilian is the only player in the team with more than two Premier League goals to his name this season, highlighting his importance to the side. In 16 starts, he has produced eight goals and one assist whilst averaging a WhoScored rating of 7.21 – with Liam Cooper’s 6.81 the second-highest score in the squad.

This suggests that he is Bielsa’s standout performer week-in-week-out, which is why losing him would be a gigantic blow. Therefore, fans will be delighted that the report claiming he is set to leave is seemingly wide of the mark, with Romano revealing that no one has agreed on anything for him.

His key contributions in the final third could win crucial points for Leeds in the coming months and it is imperative that Victor Orta is able to resist any interest if it does come about next month.

AND in other news, Bielsa can finally axe Leeds’ “unsung hero” by signing 23 y/o with “unlimited energy”…

As per Pianeta Genoa, as shared by Sport Witness, West Ham winger Andriy Yarmolenko has been linked with a move to Italian side Genoa, following the appointment of manager Andriy Shevchenko.

THE LOWDOWN: YARMOLENKO STRUGGLING FOR PLAYING TIME

The Ukrainian attacker has made just eight appearances in the Premier League this season, with all of his minutes having come as a substitute.

Yarmolenko, an experienced Ukraine international with 106 caps, has struggled for playing time under manager David Moyes due to a combination of Manuel Lanzini, Jarrod Bowen, Saïd Benrahma and Pablo Fornals all being preferred options on the wing.

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This has severely limited the number of opportunities the 32-year-old has had this campaign, pushing him out of the Hammers’ plans as more and more exit links pop up.

THE LATEST: YARMOLENKO EXIT CLAIM

As per Pianeta Genoa (via Sport Witness), Serie A club Genoa have opened talks regarding the possible transfer of Yarmolenko. The winger’s contract is due to expire in the summer, so this may mean West Ham are forced into selling him in the January transfer window for a small fee.

Pianeta Genoa claim that the talks are progressing well, although it is unclear whether Genoa are in talks with the player’s agents or with West Ham directly.

THE VERDICT: TIME TO LEAVE?

Following the arrival of Shevchenko at Genoa, it is evident from these talks that the manager was impressed with Yarmolenko whilst he was in charge of the Ukrainian national side.

This would indicate a good level of playing time for the West Ham player, who, at 32-years-old, would surely relish the chance of regular first-team minutes as he nears the end of his career.

When on top form, Yarmolenko can put in dazzling performances in the attacking third – just look at the quality he produced at Euro 2020. Fan favourite Declan Rice even labelled the Ukrainian international as ‘special’ (per Hammers. News), and raved about his technical ability.

Yarmolenko could prove to be an asset for Genoa if the Hammers choose to let him go in January, and this feels like a win win for all parties if the Irons can indeed bank a fee and let an unwanted fringe player move on.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an exciting Rangers transfer claim involving Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey…

What’s the story?

The Ibrox side look set to complete the signing of Lechia Gdansk right-back Mateusz Zukowski, and now it appears Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side could also be the destination for Wales international Ramsey according to Romano.

Writing on Twitter on Monday morning, he said: “There’s nothing done yet but Juventus are pushing Aaron Ramsey to find a new club on #DeadlineDay. Rangers could be a possibility, Juventus are prepared to accept. #transfers It depends on Ramsey and personal terms to be discussed, as per @DiMarzio.”

Fans will be buzzing

While Zukowski may be one for the future, Ramsey would certainly be the kind of signing who could have a major impact on this Rangers side for the here and now.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger raved about the Welshman’s ability to get into the box and find himself on the end of moves, saying: “In my head, Ramsey was going to be a player between 10 and 15 goals a year. He is a Frank Lampard type. He is (about) getting in the box and he has a huge capacity to run.

“Physically, he has a combination of stamina, power and his capacity to repeat high intensity is certainly the best in the league.”

Described as an “outstanding technician”, Ramsey would offer Rangers that much-needed knack of getting into the box at the right times and scoring those poacher-type goals – he’s got 74 career goals to his name thus far.

Ramsey’s the kind of marquee signing that would certainly have Gers fans absolutely ecstatic and send a statement to the rest of the Scottish Premiership that they mean business.

The midfielder’s experience of playing at the highest level, whether that be in the Premier League, Serie A, Champions League or even on international duty with Wales would add a wealth of quality to this Rangers side.

With the Gers firmly in a title battle with arch-rivals Celtic, bringing in someone of Ramsey’s ability could be the kind of game-changer that can help pip their foes to the trophy.

Meanwhile, this Rangers target is now “in Glasgow” to complete his move to Ibrox…

Liverpool secured their place in the FA Cup final by beating Manchester City 3-2 at Wembley Stadium this afternoon.

Reds defender Ibrahima Konate opened the scoring for his side with just nine minutes on the clock with a header.

After 17 minutes, Sadio Mane doubled Liverpool’s lead before adding another goal just before the half-time whistle.

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City duo Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva then managed to pull a couple of goals back for the Manchester club in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide for Pep Guardiola’s team.

With that result, it’s Liverpool who will be in the final this year to face either Chelsea or Crystal Palace.

Despite the victory, not every player in a Liverpool shirt had a particularly successful day in terms of their individual performance.

One player in Jurgen Klopp’s side that was something of a passenger on this occasion was Mohamed Salah.

With the entire 90 minutes under his belt, the winger only had 38 touches of the ball in total, which was 31 fewer than goalkeeper Alisson Becker managed to have.

Having completed just 15 passes throughout the game, the Egyptian gave possession away for his side 13 times, making him a bit of a liability on the ball.

Off the ball, the attacker ended up losing 78% of the duels he was involved in, as well as being caught offside twice and getting dribbled past on two occasions.

This display ultimately earned Salah an extremely underwhelming overall match rating of just 6.3, making him the joint-lowest rated player that started the game for the Reds, alongside Fabinho.

Having been slammed by Alan Shearer for his “awful” first-half display in the 2-2 draw between the two sides in the Premier League last weekend, the 29-year-old didn’t have much impact once more this time out.

Moving forward, with the Reds now having an FA Cup final ahead of them, as well as a final sprint towards potentially winning the Premier League and Champions League, they will undoubtedly need Salah to start firing if they are to have any chance of securing a famous quadruple.

AND in other news: In talks: Liverpool eye move for “ice cold” £31.5m-rated gem, he’s Klopp’s next “star”

Leeds United have been dealt a major setback in their bid to bring Oscar Mingueza to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), who claim that, despite Barcelona being keen to include a player in their negotiations to sign Raphinha at the end of the current campaign, Oscar Mingueza – who Victor Orta has been reported to be keen on and has been proposed to the Whites – is not interested in a move to the Premier League side.

Orta will be fuming

Considering Leeds’ rather desperate need for improvement upon their current options in the heart of defence this summer, in addition to Mingueza’s impressive form for Barca over the past two years, the news that the 22-year-old is not willing to consider a move to England is sure to have left Orta fuming.

Indeed, over his 27 LaLiga appearances last season, the £25m-rated centre-back highly impressed, helping his side keep seven clean sheets, scoring two goals and registering two assists, as well as making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 1.9 tackles, 1.6 clearances and 54.9 passes and winning 3.3 duels per game.

These metrics saw the £19k-per-week defender average an impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.96, ranking him as Barcelona’s 11th-best player in the Spanish top flight last term.

And, when considering the fact that Jesse Marsch’s side have shipped a league-high 68 goals over their 31 Premier League fixtures this season, it is clear for all to see that the American’s backline is an area of his squad which is in dire need of reinforcements this summer.

As such, the news that Mingueza is not tempted by the prospect of a switch to Elland Road is sure to have come as a gutting blow to Orta, who will now be forced to turn his attention in the transfer market elsewhere.

AND in other news: Fewer touches than Illan: “Headless” 8-pass LUFC dud once again failed Marsch v Saints