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Neil Critchley got off to the perfect start as QPR manager on Saturday as his Hoops side earned an impressive 1-0 win against fellow playoff hopefuls Preston North End.

QPR travelled to Lancashire with hope rather than confidence as they sat bottom of the form table, while Ryan Lowe’s side were expected to be on top of their game after a morale-boosting 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers last time out.

Ahead of the game, QPR had earned just one point and scored one goal from their last six, but Jimmy Dunne’s second-half goal proved enough to beat the Lilywhites and hand Critchley’s side a vital three points.

While the former Burnley man stole the headlines after rectifying his mistake from last weekend and scoring the only goal of the game at Deepdale, it was arguably Tim Iroegbunam who was QPR’s best performer on Saturday.

As per Sofascore, the on-loan Aston Villa man would earn an impressive 7.5/10 rating for his display, with only Dunne (8.2) rated higher from both sides.

During the 90 minutes, the 19-year-old would run the midfield and looked highly dangerous in attack, finding himself extremely unlucky not to open the scoring in the first half when his superb long-range effort came back off the post.

In total, the teenager would register two shots on target and two off target, having averaged just 1.6 shots per game in the Championship so far this season, which emphasises how much he raised his game on Saturday.

He also completed an impressive three dribbles and three key passes, which again was a significant increase on the 0.7 key passes and 1.1 dribbles he has averaged per game in the second tier this campaign.

Ahead of his arrival at Loftus Road, former QPR boss Michael Beale described Iroegbunam as “super-impressive” and it seems as if the Hoops are starting to see the best of the Villa wonderkid in the Championship.

The youngster was certainly one of Critchley’s first heroes on Saturday afternoon and he will be hoping that the loanee can play a big part in pushing QPR back up the table in the second half of the season.

Chelsea ‘will talk again’ with N’Golo Kante before any decision is made about him leaving the club, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The Lowdown: Kante’s future

With Kante’s current Chelsea contract set to expire in June 2023, there have been reports linking him with a move away from Stamford Bridge in the near future.

Interest comes from Europe, with Spanish sources detailing that Barcelona were making progress on a deal earlier this month, with the Spanish club able to sign him on a pre-contract agreement in January.

There have also been claims that Tottenham manager Antonio Conte remained keen back in November, but there seems to have been no development on that front in more recent times.

The Latest: Phillips’ update

According to Phillips, who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT, there is still a possibility that the Frenchman extends his stay at Stamford Bridge, with the player himself keen to remain at the club:

“Kante is happy to stay at Chelsea and he’s hoping he can find an agreement there still, but right now it’s not happening. But they will talk again, I think, before a final decision is made either way.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

A hamstring injury sustained back in August has meant that the midfielder has only managed to make two Premier League appearances so far this season, but he has previously proven time and time again that he is up there with the very best in the defensive role.

BBC Sport’s Abbie McCarthy has lauded the 53-time France international as an ‘unreal player’, and for good reason, as he has displayed remarkable acumen in preventing opposition attacks throughout his time at Stamford Bridge.

Over the past year, the enforcer has averaged 2.94 tackles per 90 minutes, which places him in the 88th percentile compared to his peers, as does the figure of 1.65 interceptions over the same timeframe.

Given that he is now 31, Graham Potter may not want to tie Kante down on a long-term deal, but he deserves at least two more years at the club, given his previous success.

Manchester City return to domestic action on Thursday evening as they take on Premier League rivals Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

Pep Guardiola is set to be without a large amount of his squad for the game at the Etihad as a number of first-team players are yet to return after participating in the World Cup in Qatar.

This could force the Spanish manager to select a much-changed outfit against Jurgen Klopp’s side on Thursday evening, with several academy players in line for a senior appearance.

Here is how Football FanCast expects City to line up against Liverpool.

It features six changes from the side that lost against Brentford in their last game before the international break.

Although Ederson was second-choice for Brazil’s run to the quarter-finals, it seems likely that Stefan Ortega will get the nod against Liverpool to start in between the sticks.

With Joao Cancelo and Kyle Walker both likely to be unavailable, Rico Lewis starts at right-back, with Sergio Gomez on the opposite flank.

Although all of City’s senior centre-back options would reach the knockout stages in Qatar, it seems likely that at least one will start against a dangerous Liverpool attack, so Aymeric Laporte partners Jadel Katongo in the heart of the defence.

In midfield, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne have all returned to training after relatively early exits in Qatar, so they keep their places at the Etihad.

They support wingers Riyad Mahrez, who should be raring to go after Algeria missed out on a World Cup spot, and Cole Palmer, with the “special” academy talent no doubt looking to emulate Phil Foden by making an impression in the first team against such esteemed opposition.

Finally, there are no prizes for guessing who starts up front, as Erling Haaland should be fully fit after recovering from the knock that sidelined him ahead of the international break, while Julian Alvarez will still be celebrating Argentina’s success.

Carlos Corberan has transformed West Brom from relegation candidates to promotion hopefuls in just a couple of months at the Hawthorns and the Spanish manager must consider who from his squad is good enough to play a part in any potential push for Premier League football.

One man who unfortunately falls into the category of no longer good enough is 29-year-old winger, Adam Reach.

Since Corberan’s appointment, the former Sheffield Wednesday man has been limited to just three cameo appearances from the bench in wins against QPR, Sunderland and Preston.

Reach has managed just one start in the second tier so far this campaign and sits behind the likes of Grady Diangana, Matt Phillips and Jed Wallace as wide options in the Baggies’ squad, so it seems unlikely that he will become a regular starter anytime soon.

In his 10 appearances in the Championship, the Englishman has failed to contribute a single goal or assist and has earned a less-than-impressive 6.13 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

This ranks him as the worst-performing outfield player at West Brom so far this campaign, of those to start at least once in the Championship, which emphasises that he is no longer good enough to play a part at the Hawthorns.

His two starts in the League Cup this season also returned disappointing displays, with WhoScored awarding him a 6.42 average rating for his performances in that competition.

Reach was once a regular under Steve Bruce and was praised by the 61-year-old for his versatility and ability during the summer, but he has failed to live up to his previous manager’s expectations of him so far this term.

Bruce said: “Adam Reach is a really, really top-class pro. He’s a really good lad to have in your dressing room, he can play a few positions.

“You never have a problem with someone like Adam Reach. And on top of that he’s got good ability.”
While there is no doubting Reach’s attitude and application, it seems clear that he is no longer good enough to be playing regularly for a West Brom side that have a real chance of going up if they can maintain their recent strong form.
Reach’s contract is set to expire in 2024 and Corberan cannot afford to have him sitting on the bench for the next one-and-a-half years, so he must look to get rid of the wide man in next month’s transfer window.

Phil Hay has insisted that there are now big questions over Junior Firpo’s Leeds United future.

The Lowdown: Firpo’s future up in the air

Firpo was hugely backed over the summer by Jesse Marsch as they opted against signing a replacement despite him picking up a hamstring injury. However, he’s been unable to repay that faith.

The former Barcelona man has only started two games across all competitions this season due to fitness issues, and that has led to Leeds bringing in Maximilian Wober in from RB Salzburg.

Therefore, Firpo’s future looks very unclear, with Wober now seemingly the number-one choice at left back, while Pascal Struijk has shown he can perform in that position if required.

The Latest: Hay not expecting Firpo to leave

Despite having an unclear future at Leeds, Hay has admitted on The Phil Hay Show that he would be surprised to see Firpo leave this month.

He said: “I don’t think you’ll see Firpo leave, I don’t think Firpo will go. But it does make you question more again whether or not Firpo is going to find a way to settle into that position and to make it his.

“It’s been a combination of things with him, but between fitness and form, you really can’t think to yourself of a period where you’ve watched Firpo play there and felt as if he was properly, properly settling in.”

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The Verdict: Firpo destined for an exit

Since joining the club for £13m back in the summer of 2021, Firpo – who has been slammed as a ‘liability’ – has only been able to make 20 league starts due to form and fitness woes, so a clean break could be best for everyone involved.

However, given he has a contract until 2025 and his performances have not been great for Leeds, it could well be difficult for the Whites to move him on without taking a significant hit on the investment they made.

It’s been a pretty drastic fall from grace for Firpo, who arrived as an exciting former Barcelona player and was once labelled the ‘driving force’ behind Leeds after his display against Brighton in the league by Matt Kilgallon on BBC Radio Leeds (via The Boot Room) and is now seemingly edging closer to the exit door.

Aston Villa will host Stevenage at Villa Park this afternoon in their FA Cup third-round clash and Unai Emery will be hoping to continue to transform the team’s fate by progressing to the next round of the competition.

The former Villarreal boss has picked up points in four of his first six games since taking over from Steven Gerrard in November but was knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Manchester United, so there is no doubt Emery will want to give the Villa supporters hope of silverware with a successful performance today.

In terms of injuries, John McGinn is currently being assessed for a thigh problem and Diego Carlos continues his recovery from a long-term injury that has seen him unavailable since August.

However, Villa are poised to welcome back Jacob Ramsey as Emery suggested in his pre-match press conference that the young midfielder could be back in contention.

With that in mind, this is how Football FanCast predicts Aston Villa will line up against Stevenage…
Robin Olsen (GK), Ludwig Augustinsson (LB), Tyrone Mings (CB), Calum Chambers (CB), Matty Cash (RB), Leander Dendoncker (CM), Jacob Ramsey (CM), Morgan Sanson (CM), Danny Ings (ST), Leon Bailey (RW), Philippe Coutinho (LW).
We expect to see eight changes to the side that drew 1-1 with Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this week, with Emery mixing first-team experience with fringe players who are rarely seen in the Villa starting XI.
The first three changes we predict to see are Ludwig Augustinsson and Calum Chambers joining Matty Cash and Tyrone Mings in the back four this afternoon, with Cash moving back into his right-back position to replace Ashley Young, Augustinsson getting the nod over Lucas Digne and Chambers replacing Ezri Konsa.
In midfield, we expect to see a full transformation with Ramsey reprising his role ahead of Emi Buendia after returning from injury, and he features alongside Leander Dendoncker and Morgan Sanson.
In the final third, Leon Bailey keeps his spot in the starting side with Philippe Coutinho joining the Jamaican forward in the front three, whilst Danny Ings comes into the team in the final change to the attacking threat.
Ings will replace Watkins with Emery likely to rest the £75k-per-week forward – who was hailed a “top player” by Michael Owen – by taking advantage of his quality rotation in the centre-forward position.
The eighth and final change we predict is Robin Olsen coming in for Emi Martinez as Emery will surely want to reward the ‘keeper for his contributions when the World Cup winner was unavailable due to the celebrations that followed.

Wolves produced a fine performance on Saturday night as they earned a 2-2 draw against Liverpool in the FA Cup, despite Julen Lopetegui selecting a number of fringe players from the start at Anfield.

A young Wolves side started well despite Jurgen Klopp selecting a full-strength side on Saturday and the Old Gold were gifted the lead when Alisson passed the ball straight to summer signing Goncalo Guedes, who tapped in for his second goal for the Midlands club.

The Reds enjoyed a strong spell just before half-time and equalised when Darwin Nunez volleyed home Trent Alexander-Arnold’s glorious pass.

Mohamed Salah would give Liverpool the lead when he capitalised on Toti’s poor header but Lopetegui’s substitutions worked a treat, as Hwang Hee-chan forced home Matheus Cunha’s cutback.

Wolves could, and arguably should, have won it when Toti found the net late on but Lopetegui’s side were controversially denied by the offside flag, meaning they will face Liverpool again in the replay at Molineux.

While there were a number of excellent performances from fringe players at Anfield, one man who disappointed and perhaps signalled the end of his Wolves career, was Raul Jimenez.

As per Sofascore, the Mexico international would earn a disappointing 6.3/10 rating for his performance in Merseyside, with only Jonny Otto (6.2) and Matija Sarkic (6.1) rated lower from the Wolves squad.

During his 63 minutes on the pitch, the former Benfica forward would manage just 27 touches of the ball, which was fewer than the 40 touches goalkeeper Sarkic would enjoy.

Jimenez also completed just nine of his 16 attempted passes with a shocking pass completion rate of 56%, which is far worse than the 69.7% he has averaged in the Premier League so far this campaign.

Despite barely being involved, the 31-year-old lost possession on 13 occasions, failing with both of his dribble attempts and winning only one of his six duels during the game, which suggests that a shaky Liverpool defence had no real problems in dealing with him.

There was a notable moment just after the hour mark when Wolves countered and Jimenez took on a speculative shot, despite having a number of options around him. It was no surprise to see him hooked by Lopetegui immediately after.

After yet another disappointing display, it seems clear that the Mexican striker is no longer the player he once was having scored two goals all term. Thus, Lopetegui should look to get rid of him for good in this month’s transfer window.

Aston Villa are currently looking to the future under new boss Unai Emery, with the experienced Spaniard likely hoping he can revive the club’s fortunes following a difficult period under both Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard.

The former Villarreal head coach will seemingly need to bring in fresh faces if he is truly implement change at the Midlands outfit, with the Spaniard having already snapped up the signing of compatriot, Alex Moreno.

The suggestion is that the 51-year-old could add to that recent addition with the signing of Udinese star, Gerard Deulofeu, with Birmingham Live reporting that the Villans have made an enquiry regarding a move for the 28-year-old.

The £22k-per-week dynamo is facing an uncertain future in Italy with just 18 months remaining on his existing deal, with talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – suggesting that the Villa Park outfit could look to bring the former Watford man back to England, having seemingly been in contact regarding a possible swoop this month.

The transfer insider stated: “I know that they’ve been offered the chance to sign Deulofeu, whether there’s an appetite to do so, I’m not 100% Sure. But certainly, talks have been held about that.”

Talk of a potential Premier League return for Deulofeu comes amid the forward’s scintillating form in Serie A of late, having provided ten goal involvements in 17 games in all competitions so far this season.

That continues what has been something of a “rebirth” for the playmaking ace at his current side, as per ESPN’s Luis Miguel Echegaray, after scoring 13 goals and laying on five assists in 34 league games last term.

The “sensational” asset, as described by journalist Josh Bunting, could well prove an ideal replacement for the struggling Philippe Coutinho at Villa, with the Brazilian dud having been tipped for an exit in recent times.

Although the 30-year-old has since quashed suggestions that he is keen to leave, the former Barcelona man could certainly be a player that Emery decides to move on, having been unable to register a single goal or assist so far this term.

The 69-cap maestro – who was signed by former Liverpool teammate Gerrard on an initial loan deal a year ago – has arguably failed to live up to the “massive expectations”, according to pundit Alan Hutton, having not been the talismanic figure that the club and supporters were likely hoping for.

Those woes are also illustrated by the fact that Coutinho ranks in just the top 37% for progressive passes among those in his position in Europe, as well as in just the top 47% for dribbles completed.

Deulofeu, by contrast, has been far more impressive of late as he ranks in the top 1% and the top 10% for those same two metrics respectively, proving that he could well be a smart replacement for the former Anfield hero.

With the one-time Everton man also providing the benefit of having worked under Emery previously at Sevilla, it could well represent a worthwhile move for all parties.

Newcastle United will head to South London this evening for their Premier League clash with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park and some major early team news has been revealed by a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

The Daily Mail’s North East correspondent Craig Hope has revealed that Bruno Guimaraes has recovered from a concerning ankle injury and will be in the squad against Palace tonight.

Hope tweeted: “Bruno Guimaraes has recovered from the ankle injury sustained on Sunday & will be part of the Newcastle squad this weekend #nufc.”

It’s a huge boost for Howe

There is no doubt that a rapid return for Guimaraes will be a huge boost for Eddie Howe as the midfielder has become one of the most important players in Newcastle’s transformation over the last 12 months.

Over 16 Premier League appearances this season, the Brazilian sensation has scored three goals, registered three assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.1 key passes, 2.4 tackles, 1.3 interceptions, 1.2 successful dribbles and 6.8 duels won per game, proving that he is defensively solid and potent in attack too.

Not only that, Guimaraes ranks in the top 6% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, dribbles completed and tackles, whilst ranking in the top 20% for assists and blocks, proving that he is one of the most high-performing central midfielders in Europe right now.

Howe is a huge admirer of his talented midfielder – who joined Newcastle from Lyon in a £40m deal just under a year ago – and has hailed Guimaraes an “incredible talent” when reflecting on the player’s time at the club so far:

“He’s an incredible talent and an incredible person. We love him to bits, and we’re enjoying watching him, coaching him and playing a part in his development.”

The Magpies are currently fourth in the Premier League table, however, a victory today over Patrick Vieira’s side away from home would see the side leapfrog Manchester United into third and put them just one point behind Manchester City in second.

With that being said, Guimaraes’ return to action will put Newcastle in a great position to continue their dominance at the top of the table and give them a boost ahead of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash with Southampton.

Chelsea are interested in instigating yet another hijack in the January transfer market, and this time could swipe Matheus Nunes from under Liverpool’s noses…

What’s the word?

Wolverhampton Wanderers completed the signing of Nunes from Sporting Lisbon for £42.2m last summer, but the Old Gold will face a strenuous task in maintaining one of their star midfielders following the interest from some of the Premier League’s most prominent teams.

Jurgen Klopp’s Reds have initially been the club with the most intense interest in a potential £50m deal, but a recent report from The Telegraph has pushed the Blues into contention.

While the west London outfit have indeed issued sweeping changes on the transfer front since Todd Boehly’s arrival last year, the central midfield is still an area subject to reinforcement, especially given the expiring contracts of N’Golo Kante and Jorginho in the summer.

Ditch Enzo plans?

Nunes has chalked up 22 appearances for Wolves since leaving his homeland, but he is yet to score and has provided just one assist from his deployment at the heart of his side, but the abundant quality awaiting full harness is evidence enough that he could yet be crafted into a leading force on the European scene.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola once heralded the 24-year-old as “one of the best midfielders in the world”, such is the natural talent at the ace’s disposal.

And while he hasn’t quite hit sixth gear in Wolves colours, it is worth noting that he has arrived at an outfit barren of fluidity and devoid of life across the early stages of the campaign, now offering mounting positivity following the arrival of Julen Lopetegui in November.

As per Sofascore, the “special” gem, as lauded by former coach Ruben Franco, has averaged 1.2 shots, 0.9 key passes and 1.7 tackles per game in the Premier League, also completing 83% of his passes, and the tools to clinch more prosperous fortunes are certainly there for the Portuguese maestro.

If Chelsea do indeed choose to forge ahead with plans for the 11-cap phenom, he could prove to be the perfect alternative to the high-profile Enzo Fernandez, whom the Blues are struggling to prise away from Benfica following his triumphant World Cup tournament with Argentina, where he also won the Best Young Player.

With a €120m (£105m) release clause, the South American sensation is his side’s most coveted asset by a long stretch, and Chelsea have found their pursuit positively fruitless thus far, following a bid earlier this month that the Portuguese club rejected.

And with Nunes available for half of this fee, Potter must push for the current Premier League player, with resources then amiable to inject into another area of the field; while Chelsea’s opulence stretches high and wide, after parting with over £400m in less than a year, being somewhat more circumspect in this particular instance could prove worthwhile in the long run.

As such, Boehly would be prudent to ensure that Nunes does not fall into rival clutches; while landing Fernandez might appear to be the more arresting option, Nunes – who would indeed come for a portion of the price of his Argentinian counterpart – could be the key to unlock success in an expansive pool of talent at Stamford Bridge.