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Leeds United are back on the road again on Monday night with a showdown against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

Heading into this clash off the back of a 3-0 win against Watford, Jesse Marsch’s side have the chance to secure another victory and move away from the relegation zone.

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In terms of what the travelling squad could look like for Monday’s match, it seems as though an early clue has been dropped over the possible inclusion of two players in particular.

What’s the news?

In response to the announcement of the Leeds U23 starting XI for their league clash against Manchester City on Friday evening, journalist Phil Hay had this to say about the absence of attacking duo Joe Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood.

He said: “Marsch hinted that certain players might be missing tonight ahead of Palace away on Monday. Cresswell and Summerville start but Gelhardt and Greenwood not involved.”

This suggests that rather than be involved with the U23s on Friday, the attacking pair could be in the senior squad to take on the Eagles at Selhurst Park.

Fans will be delighted

Taking into account how Leeds have striker Patrick Bamford out with an injury, having the option to rely on Gelhardt and Greenwood if needed will be the best way forward for Marsch.

Should the young duo find themselves in the squad on Monday, as they were for the win over Watford, this would surely delight a lot of Leeds fans, especially if they manage to get any minutes on the pitch or even grab a goal or assist.

As this is what Greenwood managed to do when he provided the assist for Jack Harrison’s goal at Vicarage Road after replacing Dan James, Marsch could give him a chance to shine once again this time around as he is evidently improving game by game.

Gelhardt, meanwhile, has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign where he’s become a fan favourite in Yorkshire. He has found the back of the net twice and provided three assists in 14 league appearances this season, showing that he is also capable of being an attacking threat for the side.

As a result of their youthful exuberance and newfound importance to Marsch’s charges, supporters will be delighted that they’ll be rested and fully fit to play on Monday evening.

Moving forward, with Leeds needing to rack up as many points as possible to make sure they don’t end up back in the Championship, the 48-year-old could be relying on the young duo for the remaining games of the season.

In other news: 150% hike: Leeds United hit the jackpot on “real technician”, he’s a “proper talent”

Everton have been the epitome of frustration as far as a football club is concerned for a number of years now.

While many supporters would love to have the financial backing that the Goodison Park side have received in recent years, none would wish for their hierarchy to flutter away such vast sums so frivolously.

The likes of Morgan Schneiderlin, Davy Klaassen and Alex Iwobi have all arrived on Merseyside in big-money deals but ultimately failed to live up to expectations.

However, arguably none of the Toffees recent flops have left a bigger sense of frustration and disappointment lingering around Merseyside as Yannick Bolasie.

The Democratic Republic of Congo international joined Everton from fellow Premier League rivals Crystal Palace for a whopping £26m during the summer of 2016 after showing flashes of brilliance for the capital club.

During 2014/15, the tricky winger scored four goals and provided a hugely impressive 11 top-flight assists for a mediocre Palace side, highlighting his top-class potential.

Nevertheless, his purchase still represented a substantial risk for the Everton chiefs. While Bolasie clearly had the talent to become a more efficient forward, he had only scored 13 goals in 144 appearances for Palace prior to his sale.

The now 32-year-old made a fast start to life in his new surroundings, though, scoring one goal and laying on four assists for his teammates in his first 15 outings for the Blues in all competitions.

But then he suffered a devastating cruciate ligament injury which heavily impacted the future fortunes of his career. Bolasie only scored once more for Everton before embarking on a series of loan spells with varying degrees of success.

Short-term stints at the likes of Sporting Lisbon, Middlesbrough and Anderlecht failed to reignite his career, and he’s now plying his trade with Turkish outfit Caykur Rizespor.

Bolasie’s dramatic drop-off in form and fitness struggles saw him finally released on a free transfer this summer after a nightmarish five-year spell at the club. Sadly, both Everton and the player will be left wondering ‘what if’ for many years to come.

And, in other news…Fabrizio Romano drops exciting Everton transfer update that’ll have fans buzzing 

JustJoe Football ShowJustJoe Football Show presenter Joe Wainman would go along with Illan Meslier and Patrick Bamford signing new contracts being the best bits of business for Leeds this summer, when speaking prior to Dan James’ last-minute move.

21-year-old goalkeeper Meslier put pen to paper on a five-year-deal, keeping with the Elland Rad outfit until the summer of 2026.

The Leeds United shot-stopper was in inspired form last season for the Whites, keeping eleven clean sheets in 35 matches and helping his side finish ninth in the Premier League table.

It wasn’t just clean sheets which helped Leeds have a superb campaign last season, striker Patrick Bamford was the club’s leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 17 goals and this made him the fourth top goalscorer in the top flight also.

The 27-year-old also penned a five-year deal at Elland Road alongside Meslier and when asked if this was the best business of the transfer window for Leeds, Wainman told Football FanCast: “You could say that yeah, definitely. I’d go along with that.”

Leeds got their first point of the season on the board last weekend against Everton after a 2-2 draw and they will be hoping that they can put a good run of form together and replicate last season with a top ten finish.

Manchester United were dumped out of the Carabao Cup in the third round after West Ham gained revenge for Sunday’s last-minute Premier League defeat.

Manuel Lanzini’s early strike, his first in almost 12 months, was enough to see off a lacklustre Red Devils side who made a full 11 changes from the weekend’s victory.

Not even the second-half introductions of Bruno Fernandes and Mason Greenwood could swing the game in the host’s favour, but one player struggled more than most on a disappointing night at Old Trafford.

Anthony Martial was tasked with leading the line for United; his first start since an underwhelming performance in the second game of the season saw him substituted after an hour against Southampton.

But the 25-year-old failed to grasp his opportunity to impress. As per SofaScore, he received a match rating of just 6.9 out of 10, highlighting his ineffectiveness in front of goal.

The France international won just three of his nine duels during the 90 minutes as he constantly struggled to hold the ball up against the physically imposing Issa Diop and Craig Dawson.

As a result, Martial only had 36 touches, one shot on target and failed to make any key passes, illustrating his lack of productivity in the final third and how the visitors kept him at bay with ease.

He failed to make his mark on proceedings in midweek and will now have to wait patiently on the sideline for another chance at redemption.

The result will come as a bitter blow for Manchester United and Solskjaer, as it ends their hopes of securing the first available silverware of the season and ending the wait for a major trophy that stretches back to 2017.

And, in other news…Murtough must seal MUFC move for “phenomenal” £49.5m-rated maestro, Ole would love him 

Harry Winks’ time at Tottenham Hotspur is surely running out after the Englishman endured another disappointing outing this week.

The 25-year-old has been restricted to only 60 minutes of action in the Premier League so far this season, so the bulk of his opportunities to impress have come in domestic and European cup competitions.

Nuno Santo heavily rotated his side for their Europa League clash at Vitesse on Thursday night, leaving home the bulk of his starting XI, a decision which seemed pretty smart considering that he still had plenty of options available.

One of those was Winks, who started in the Netherlands, making it four appearances from a possible five in the competition, but he failed to take the golden chance handed to him.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, it could be best if both parties go their separate ways.

According to The Times, the Hotspur Way academy graduate is likely to seek a temporary move away from north London. He attracted interest from Everton, Aston Villa and Brighton in the summer and needs regular game time to stand a chance of breaking back into the England squad.

Valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, it could be wise for Spurs to simply offload Winks, as it seems unlikely that a positive loan spell would see him suddenly rise through Nuno’s pecking order.

The Lilywhites could instead sell him and use the funds to bolster other key areas of the squad such as in attack, where Harry Kane still lacks a backup, or in attacking midfield as they have been bereft of creativity for quite some time.

With all due respect to the Dutch outfit, who were very worthy winners, the north Londoners should be sweeping aside such teams, especially when there are several players with points to prove on the pitch.

Winks was pretty poor once again, not only picking up a yellow card for his troubles, but also winning just two of nine battles (22%) in the engine room, thus proving to be lightweight. He also committed three fouls and lost possession 11 times, as per SofaScore.

At half-time, BT Sport pundit Chris Sutton questioned his attitude and ability, claiming that the 25-year-old maestro “looked a shadow of himself” [21st October, 18:40pm].

In the past, Spurs legend Graham Roberts dubbed him “an average player” during an interview with Football FanCast in the summer.

After another abject display and one which will hardly have Nuno rushing to keep him involved, perhaps it would be wise if Winks never featured for the club again as it is clear that he is simply not good enough.

If he can’t do it against Vitesse, then there’s no real hope in the Premier League. It’s time to get rid and move on.

AND in other news, Forget Lo Celso: £27m-rated Spurs lightweight who lost 89% duels failed Nuno yet again…

Manchester City have reportedly made a bid for Barcelona outcast Ilaix Moriba, and the teenage midfielder could be a superb addition to Pep Guardiola’s squad in the future.

What’s the word?

After a disagreement with manager Ronald Koeman, Moriba looks set to leave Barcelona in the near future, which has piqued the interest of several top clubs across Europe.

According to Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), the 18-year-old has already received offers from City, Chelsea and RB Leipzig, with the Citizens looking to bring him in on a free transfer in 2022 when his contract at the Nou Camp expires.

Would Moriba be a good signing?

Moriba is currently being made to train with the reserves at Barcelona due to an ongoing contract dispute, but his previous performances in the first team, as well as him being a product of the esteemed La Masia academy, would suggest that he’d fit in well at Manchester City in the future.

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In total, the teenage midfielder has made 18 appearances for the Barcelona first team, in which he has contributed one goal and three assists.

After the youngster opened his account for the Catalan side last season, Koeman sang his praises, saying: “Ilaix scored a fantastic goal, it was an incredible goal and had a lot of impact on the match. He took advantage of the opportunities he had. He is very good at controlling the ball and he is a very strong player.”

However, he now seems to have ruined any chance of having a future at Barcelona, and he deserves a fresh start at another club, with a Nou Camp exit seemingly on the cards for Moriba in the near future.

Considering that three of Guardiola’s key midfielders in Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandinho are all 30 or older, you could argue that the Manchester City manager needs some young talent capable of replacing them in the future.

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Moriba seems to have a huge amount of potential and City fans will surely be delighted to hear that the Premier League champions have reportedly made an offer to sign him.

In other news… Guardiola handed huge boost with academy talent, fans will be buzzing

 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”…

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”

Newcastle officially confirmed Eddie Howe as their new manager earlier this week as they finally replaced Steve Bruce, who was sacked last month.

The 43-year-old had been out of work since leaving Bournemouth at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and another key figure from that season on the south coast has been in the headlines recently.

Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was in the limelight for making a terrific save from a James Maddison free-kick against Leicester in the Premier League. Peter Schmeichel called it one of the ‘best saves’ he has ever seen and Mikel Arteta hailed it as ‘incredible’ as he lauded his shot-stopper.

Evidently, he has come a long way since player under the tutelage of the new Newcastle boss.

Ramsdale 2.0

Howe brought Ramsdale into the first-team at the Vitality Stadium and trusted him to be his number one in the Premier League, giving him the experience he needed to push on and get to the position where is now earning praise for his performances for a big club in Arsenal.

The Sun recently reported that Newcastle are interested in a potential deal to sign Dean Henderson from Manchester United and Howe could find his next Ramsdale in the young goalkeeper. Both stoppers are young, English, players on the verge of the national team.

Ramsdale has been in the England set-up but is yet to receive his first senior cap, whilst Henderson has one cap to his name and is one year older at 24 than the Gunners number one. This suggests that they are on a similar career path, albeit the former is currently playing regularly whilst the latter is in need of a move away from Old Trafford to get regular minutes.

Henderson has previously shown that he has the quality to play in the Premier League. At the end of the 2019/20 campaign, Toon legend Alan Shearer named Henderson in his Team of the Season, for his performances on loan at Sheffield United. He said:

“It was tough to leave out Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, but Sheffield United’s season has been one of the best stories of the campaign and Henderson has been key to their success.

“The Manchester United loanee has kept 10 clean sheets and his bravery and confidence belie his 23 years. He is a star in the making.”

This suggests that he has the ability to come in and make an impact for the Magpies between the sticks. Howe’s previous with Ramsdale also indicates that he could help Henderson to take the next step in his career and ensure that the titan develops as a player, which is why this could be a shrewd transfer move by the club in January.

AND in other news, “I’m told” – Craig Hope issues exciting NUFC claim that’ll surely leave fans buzzing…

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Luka Jovic to the London Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report from Spain (via Sport Witness), who claim that David Moyes’ side will go head to head with Tottenham Hotspur in a bid to secure the signing of the Real Madrid centre-forward at the end of the current campaign.

The report goes on to state that the 24-year-old himself is desperate to depart the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, while Carlo Ancelotti is also more than willing to part ways with the Serbia international – with the LaLiga side reported to be demanding a €30m (£25m) fee for the striker.

Imagine him & Antonio

Considering West Ham’s rather desperate need for a new centre-forward this summer, with Michail Antonio having been the Premier League side’s only recognised senior striker ever since the sale of Sebastien Haller back in January 2021, it is not difficult to understand why Moyes would be interested in a move for Jovic ahead of the Hammers’ 2022/23 campaign.

While it is true that, following his €60m (£52.4m) move to Madrid back in the summer of 2019, Jovic has struggled to make any real impact at the Bernabeu – featuring for a grand total of just 1487 minutes, the equivalent of 16 and a half matches, over his near three-year spell in Spain – the 24-year-old has nevertheless proven previously just how talented a player he is.

Indeed, over his 32 Bundesliga appearances in his final campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2018/19, the £16.2m-rated forward was in devasting form, scoring 17 goals, providing five assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of three shots and making 0.9 key passes per game.

These metrics saw the player who Mladen Krstajic dubbed a “dangerous” talent average a rather remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.14, ranking him as his club’s third-best performer in the top flight of German football.

However, it was not only domestically that Jovic impressed that season, as the £152k-per-week hitman was also in deadly form over his 14 Europa League fixtures, bagging ten goals, registering one assist and creating two big chances for his teammates, with these returns seeing the Serbian – who Zvezdan Terzic predicted to “explode” back in 2014 – average a SofaScore match rating of 7.26.

As such, should Jovic be able to refind this level of form following a potential switch to West Ham this summer, alongside Antonio, Moyes will have finally formed an extremely dangerous attacking duo at the London Stadium – something that has been a huge issue for the Hammers over the last year and a half.

AND in other news: Moyes could unearth WHU’s next Cottee in 18 y/o “talent” who’s “getting rave reviews”