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Reported Everton target Tanguy Ndombele produced a brilliant performance for Lyon as they picked up a goalless draw in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League tie with Barcelona at the Lyon Olympic Stadium on Tuesday, surely ending the Merseyside outfit’s chances of signing him.

On the chalkboard

Well, The Liverpool Echo reported in November that Toffees chief scout Martyn Glover had been sent to watch the powerful 22-year-old midfielder in action, with the media outlet reporting at the time that the France international was worth £40m.

The Liverpool Echo said that the interest in the Ligue 1 star was evidence that Marco Silva and Marcel Brands were keen to bolster the team’s options in the centre of the park across the January transfer window and then in the summer, which could be a priority given they did no business in that area last month.

Andre Gomes is only on loan from Barcelona, Idrissa Gueye has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain while 20-year-old Tom Davies has captained the team in recent weeks.

Could they sign Ndombele?

In a word, no.

Any chance they did have of bringing him to Goodison Park have surely vanished after his latest display in Europe, where he produced a display full of quality and composure against some of the best players in world football.

Not only did the powerful Frenchman shine from a defensive point of view – which is of course important given his usual deep-lying position – but he also made an impact going forward for the Ligue 1 outfit as well, as you can see from his WhoScored stats, as he completed five dribbles and was successful with all three long balls he attempted.

Everton may well be keen to strengthen their midfield this summer, but they won’t be getting Ndombele whose price will be soaring and who will surely be attracting interest from the very best clubs in Europe as he continues to excel at the highest level.

According to a report by Football Insider, it is looking increasingly likely that Tottenham Hotspur will be forced into a ‘crazy’ schedule in the New Year.

The Lowdown: Tottenham fixtures piling up

Tottenham have been heavily affected by the increased spread of the global pandemic. After Spurs stated that eight players had tested positive for the virus, the club’s Europa Conference League match against Rennes was called off. This was followed by the postponement of the Lilywhites’ away fixture to Brighton on Sunday.

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This has meant that Spurs’ fixtures are starting to pile up, and fans will surely wonder when they’re going to be played. This was exacerbated by the postponement of Spurs’ match against Burnley, which was set to take place at Turf Moor towards the end of November, which was called off due to heavy snowfall.

The Latest: Spurs could play heavy fixture list in 2022

As the outbreak at Hotspur Way led to the Premier League calling off Spurs’ fixture against Brighton, Antonio Conte’s men now have two games in hand on the majority of the league.

Speaking to Football Insider, Spurs insider John Wenham has claimed that playing out the heavy fixture list out in 2022 is the only way forward.

He said: “It’s a really difficult one, all of this is such a blow. I think we will end up playing three games in a week on a few occasions.

“You are looking at a Tuesday, Thursday then Sunday game all in the same week. That’s just to get rid of the backlog we already have before you think about other games that might be called off.

“Other clubs are having… issues so it’s not out of the question other teams might have games called off that will affect us.

“We are so busy already but I don’t see another way around it. It will be a crazy schedule.

“It will be a challenge but hopefully it will be after January so we may have a stronger squad to deal with that congestion.”

The Verdict: Conte needs additions in January

With the current schedule already looking hectic, it does not seem possible that Spurs will be able to fit in these fixtures anywhere else, besides in the New Year. This means that it will be crucial for Conte and Paratici to bring in a few signings in the January transfer window in order to bolster the playing squad.

Spurs have been linked with a plethora of players this season, with much of the attention centered around Fiorentina striker Dušan Vlahović. However, fans may want to see a greater number of fresh faces in January, especially if the squad continues to decimated with injuries, illness or a fixture backlog.

In other news: “Top, top player” – Paul Robinson delighted as Spurs eye ‘underrated’ beast; Conte is a big fan too

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a late blow ahead of the January transfer window deadline…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, a move for Wolves winger Adama Traore has fallen through at the 11th hour with the player rejecting Spurs’ offer and he’s now closing in on a switch to Barcelona instead.

“Barcelona working to sign Adama Traore from Wolves on loan with ~€35m buy option. #FCBarcelona speaking to #WWFC & 26yo. Not done yet. Spurs deal all-but over. Club-to-club talks were going positively but he wasn’t keen to play RWB,” he tweeted alongside an accompanying article.

The 26-year-old played for the LaLiga giants before moving to Aston Villa in 2015.

He looked set to join the Lilywhites after positive talks with the Old Gold hierarchy but now manager Antonio Conte has been dealt a gutting setback just days away from the transfer window closing.

Time running out

It appears as if the Italian head coach has little faith in his current wide options, particularly at right wing-back, where he has switched between Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty intermittently.

Traore would have likely been transformed into a solid option in the role, given Conte’s previous success with Victor Moses at Chelsea, where he converted the struggling attacker into a Premier League and FA Cup winner.

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The Spain international’s lack of end product makes him a weak choice to play up front but his physical and dribbling (seven successful attempts per 90) attributes would suggest that he would be quite the threat a little further back.

“He’s a machine. I was watching him pre-game and he could be a powerlifter or a cruiser-weight boxer – he’s huge,” pundit Rio Ferdinand once told BT Sport (via BirminghamLive).

With just the weekend to go in the window, it seems hard to envisage sporting director Fabio Paratici and co finding an alternative in such a niche position in time.

Attention will now surely turn to getting Sofyan Amrabat and Luis Diaz over the line before Monday but even if the club does manage to secure both, which seems unlikely – it is Spurs after all – then it still falls short of Conte’s desires to sign three players in priority positions.

This latest bombshell from Ornstein will surely leave him absolutely furious as he desperately needs to bolster the squad with quality additions.

AND in other news, “Spurs are..”: Alasdair Gold drops exciting transfer update, fans will be buzzing…

Lots of Everton fans have been left buzzing over some injury news that has emerged ahead of their game away at Norwich City in the Premier League.

As per The Athletic journalist Patrick Boyland, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and Yerry Mina are all now back in training for the Goodison Park faithful, meaning that they could all feature against the Canaries if deemed fit enough.

All three of them rank among the Merseyside club’s ten best players so far this season, according to WhoScored, with Calvert-Lewin number one.

The striker has scored three goals in the four matches that he has played in the Premier League this term, and having him back with Richarlison will certainly give Rafa Benitez’s team more of a goal threat, while Mina provides another solid option defensively.

Everton fans on injury news

These Toffees buzzed as the injury news was shared on Twitter, with one Blues supporter even going as far as to claim that it was a ‘huge boost’:

“Good news Boyland at the back post!!!”

Credit: @EFCMatt1

“Huge boost for weekend hopefully”

Credit: @GraemeMcV

“Yesssssss”

Credit: @Foxy0580

“Cracking news this”

Credit: @Byrdsman75

“Brilliant. Start all 3 on Saturday imo”

Credit: @CBobblers1878

“Things you love to see”

Credit: @JGreenway8

In other news, find out which EFC ace’s claim has fans speculating here!

Tottenham Hotspur are aiming to bolster Antonio Conte’s backline this summer, according to reports…

What’s the word?

The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath claims that Spurs have three central defenders on their radar ahead of next season, one of which being Lille colossus Sven Botman, who was heavily pursued by Newcastle United in January.

Conte’s former Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig gem Josko Gvardiol also feature on their shortlist.

Taking Spurs to the next level

It would be quite the statement to beat the Saudi-backed Magpies to Botman’s signature in the summer and he would be a signing that helps elevate the north Londoners onto the next level.

The Lilywhites have lost just once in the Premier League since the Italian’s arrival in November but still remain some way off the sides inside the top four, as the man himself referenced following their defeat to Chelsea last month.

“I have to think that in 14 days we lost three times to Chelsea. It means there’s a different level between us and them,” he told reporters (via football.london).

“To lose three games in 14 days means they are much stronger than you, as a team and as a squad.

“You have to accept this but only after a performance like tonight. Because we tried everything to get a big result here. But sometimes it’s not enough, especially when you play against this type of team. This club are on another level compared to us.”

Indeed, they are the Champions of Europe after all but they are the only side to have bested Spurs in the top-flight, so that’s an encouraging sign about the future under Conte.

The 52-year-old must be backed quite heavily in the summer if he’s to bridge the gap to the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool.

A place in the top four isn’t out of reach either but it must be built upon and they can do so with the arrival of a player like Botman – a young but ready-made talent fit for the physicality of the Premier League.

Alongside Cristian Romero and Eric Dier, Spurs could have quite the backline and results like the ones against the Blues will quickly become a thing of the past.

The 22-year-old Dutch international played a crucial role in Lille clinching the Ligue 1 title over Paris Saint-Germain last season, where he featured in 37 games and averaged 3.2 aerial duels won, 3.2 clearances and 1.5 interceptions, via WhoScored.

His former manager Christophe Galtier waxed lyrical about his influence back in October 2020. He said (via the Ligue 1 official website):

“In football, you have leaders who are vocal, ones who gesticulate and ones who shake the team up… I have a few of those but you also have people who lead by example, through their performances, and it’s true that Sven is emerging as this type of leader.”

Valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, Botman is the sort of signing that could take Spurs onto the next level and given the lack of top-quality defenders at the club, he’s someone that Conte would surely love to land this summer.

AND in other news, Conte may have an even better Eden Hazard at Spurs in “explosive” £27m-rated “monster”…

Tottenham Hotspur are merely two games away from a trip to Wembley as they head to Stamford Bridge to face Premier League rivals Chelsea in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash tonight.

The competition usually sees managers ring the changes to their starting lineup but it remains to be seen what Antonio Conte will do here this evening as his side face League One minnows Morecambe on Sunday in the FA Cup.

And he went fairly strong against West Ham United in the last round.

But what sort of side could we see selected? Here’s our predicted Spurs XI ahead of kick-off…

There could be as many as three changes to the side that defeated Watford on New Year’s Day.

Versatile defender Japhet Tanganga could return to the XI over 25-year-old “real liability” Davinson Sanchez, pairing Eric Dier and Ben Davies in the backline, to provide some fresher legs in front of first-choice goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Due to injuries and a lack of options, Sergio Reguilon and Emerson Royal are likely to remain at wing-back.

Conte is then left with a midfield conundrum.

He could stick with his usual engine room of Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg but only the former is expected to keep his place, with Harry Winks getting another chance to impress.

It means Tanguy Ndombele is snubbed again.

The Italian also had decisions to make further up the pitch but with Morecambe at the weekend, he doesn’t have to rotate so heavily, meaning the third and final change could be Dele Alli’s inclusion over Lucas Moura.

Heung-min Son and Harry Kane should both start ahead of their likely rest on Sunday.

Predicted Spurs XI (3-4-2-1): Lloris; Davies, Dier, Tanganga; Reguilon, Winks, Skipp, Emerson; Son, Alli; Kane

AND in other news, Conte must brutally axe “incredible” £62k-p/w Spurs dud today, Chelsea could bully him…

Taking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have absolutely erupted over a fresh transfer update involving Manchester City defender Nathan Ake.

David Moyes has been tipped to target new defenders in the January transfer window following a blow to his colossal centre-half Angelo Ogbonna, who has now undergone cruciate ligament surgery.

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This is his main problem at the back even though Moyes is currently having to contend with mounting injury concerns in that department at the moment.

Bringing the latest on their search for a defender, 90min believe that West Ham could now target Netherlands international Ake, who has started only a handful of Premier League games under Pep Guardiola this season.

It is believed that the Hammers have registered their interest in the 26-year-old as they look to pursue a season-long loan deal with a potential obligation to buy.

West Ham fans erupt…

Despite his lack of game-time at City overall, Ake comes as a potentially fruitful addition, especially going by his past praise from some of the Premier League’s biggest figures.

For example, international colleague Virgil van Dijk has called him a ‘fantastic player’, with the versatile ace also capable of playing as a centre-back, left-back and in front of the defence (WhoScored).

The 26-year-old still has a long shelf life in terms of career and is already a pretty composed defender, having averaged a higher pass accuracy (92.4%) than any Irons regular with more than two starts this season (WhoScored).

Ake comes with a lot of merit, leaving little wonder why many West Ham fans think he could be a “quality signing” – check out some of their verdicts below:

“Would be a fantastic signing”

Credit: @HammerHopeless

“This would be a quality signing”

Credit: @liamforrest5

“I beg we get this bloke in. Exactly what we need”

Credit: @szn_bowen

“get it done”

Credit: @alfie_chambers1

“Would be a great deal”

Credit: @happyhammer190

“That would be a brilliant signing for us”

Credit: @EamonnDriscoll

“Should be all over this, Left footed replacement who’s still young, top signing if we get this one”

Credit: @Luke_Smith66

In other news: ‘Begging’, ‘Newman finally doing his job’…West Ham fans flock to ‘exciting’ offer claim, find out more here.

A lesser-known fact surrounding the EPL is that there have only ever been a few teams that circulate at the top.

Of course, this is something that doesn’t tend to get a lot of media attention, and if this truth was more well-known, it could lead to a potential decrease in anticipation for certain games (something which would be a nightmare for event organisers).

Despite this, it is true; there are a select few teams in the EPL that tend to dominate all competition.

In this article, we will be taking a look at the top three teams that have won the most games in the EPL, as well as also touching upon a few of the points why this phenomenon tends to take place.

 1. Manchester United

As many of you may have already expected, Manchester United takes the number one spot on this list.

However, even though most people tend to know about United’s notorious reputation, few actually understand the true depths that their talents go to.

As a whole, Manchester United has won an impressive 697 wins.

Even without giving any explanation at all, this is already somewhat mind-blowing.

Although, when you factor in the fact that the trailing Manchester has 100 fewer wins under their belt, this only becomes all the more awe-inspiring.

There are a ton of reasons why people love Manchester United, and United fans are known for being some of the most devout followers out there.

Their impressive win rate is just one of the factors that embolden their fans to such an extent, and out of any of the teams in the EPL, they have the right to call themselves the best club overall.

Moreover, most people who know a thing or two about football know this is the case.

Just try EPL betting at 10bet or your preferred booking hub of choice and you will see for yourself that despite the fact no one likes to admit it, everyone knows Manchester United is king.

2. Arsenal

Taking the number two spot, albeit with a huge margin between the first, is Arsenal.

More so than most other teams, Arsenal is known for being phenomenal at away games, and this is just one of the reasons why they have such a high win percentage.

If Manchester United was to be crowned the best EPL team overall, Arsenal would also have to be titled as the best performer at away games, and it is certainly their redeeming factor.

That’s not to say they are in any way bad when playing from home. On the contrary, they are an amazing side, and they have some of the best football players in the world amongst their ranks.

However, if they are considered a good side while at home, they should be known as being an exceptional team whenever away, and there are few teams out there that are able to perform as well under pressure as Arsenal.

 3. Chelsea

Coming in at number three, we have Chelsea.

It is important to note that number two and number three are pretty much identical in overall wins, with both Chelsea and Arsenal being interchangeable.

Chelsea is an all-around solid team, and they excel in almost every area.

Chelsea truly has it all; world-class players, an insane work ethic, intelligent strategies – they really are an incredibly well-rounded side.

Once again, if you happen to bet on EPL then you will already be accustomed to their high favorability in almost all situations, and it is not very often that Chelsea comes up against a team that is able to deal with them easily.

Chelsea and Arsenal truly are head-to-head in terms of overall wins, with them both sitting at 597. Only time will tell which one of them will pull ahead in the long term.

Either way, they are both incredible teams, and both deserve their impressive reputations.

 If you are an avid fan of football, then you may have already guessed one or two of the entries on our list.

Few people know just how dominant certain teams are within the premier league, and in reality, the teams we listed in this article are leaps and bounds above most of the others.

The EPL is one of the most competitive events there is in sports, and for just a select few teams to push so far ahead of everyone else, it only goes to show the skill and talent they each possess.

Image from: Old Trafford Manchester United – Free photo on Pixabay

Aston Villa left-back Lucas Digne could miss the rest of the Premier League season after sustaining a collar bone injury in Saturday’s 4-0 defeat to Tottenham at Villa Park.

What’s the story?

The Frenchman suffered a nasty-looking collarbone injury in the defeat to Spurs that manager Steven Gerrard fears could sideline the 28-year-old for the remainder of the campaign.

Gerrard said to the media after the game: “I’m concerned and worried about it because he’s in a sling right now. We’ve got a collarbone issue rather than a shoulder issue. If it’s what we fear, it could be season over.

“We’ll analyse it in the next 24 hours in terms of scans and we’ll have a medical report on it but the doctors have said they are worried and concerned and that tells you the story.”

It’s not the first injury Digne has suffered since making the move from Everton in January with the Frenchman’s whole campaign being full of setbacks.

Supporters will be gutted

Although Digne was omitted from the Everton team by former manager Rafa Benitez for the final four games of his time at Goodison Park, the signing of the left-back was certainly exciting for Villa fans.

The Frenchman, who was purchased for £25m, has an excellent pedigree having earned 44 senior caps for France as well as playing for both PSG and Barcelona.

Moreover, Digne averages 1.7 tackles, 1.1 interceptions and 1.9 clearances per game as well as having a 77% passing accuracy.

However, since making the move to the West Midlands, a tricky season for the 28-year-old has been made worse with numerous injury setbacks, making settling into the side tricky for Digne.

Saturday was the third time the left-back has had to be withdrawn from a game due to injury since joining Aston Villa, all of which being separate issues.

Moreover, with Matt Targett currently on loan at Newcastle United, Gerrard is now short of options at left-back with 36-year-old Ashley Young the only other alternative.

Villa have already lost their last four matches in the league so without Digne, it could mean dire consequences for the rest of the season.

In other news: Forget Martinez: Villa dud who lost the ball every 3.6 touches failed Gerrard’s test

Tottenham Hotspur suffered a major blow in the race for a top-four finish as the Lilywhites lost 1-0 at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday afternoon, with Leandro Trossard bagging a last-minute winner.

Antonio Conte’s men were lacklustre in front of goal, managing just five shots all game, none of which were on target, whilst Brighton managed to get five of their 12 shots on target.

Despite staying in fourth, the defeat will provide an opportunity for Spurs’ rivals in the top four race to make up ground as we enter the final weeks of the season.

No player in a Tottenham shirt can hold their head up high after the defeat, with Emerson Royal, Heung-min Son, Eric Dier all being well below-par.

However, it was undoubtedly left wing-back Sergio Reguilon who was the worst of the bunch against Brighton.

According to SofaScore, the Spaniard enjoyed just 46 touches all afternoon, as well as lost possession on 12 separate occasions – meaning he gave away the ball with every 3.8 touches.

Moreover, the 25-year-old failed to complete a single dribble, attempting just one.

Furthermore, there was also little defensive prowess from the wing-back, who failed to make a single interception, clearance or block, in addition to making just one tackle all afternoon.

Most of all though, Reguilon’s passing was well below par, with the Spaniard’s 62% accuracy – completing just 17 of his 28 attempted passes – being the worst out of Spurs’ starting lineup.

The left wing-back has had a decent season – for the most part – this term, averaging a 6.92 SofaScore match rating. However, against Brighton, the 25-year-old mustered a 6.6.

Against the Seagulls, Reguilon made his sixth appearance in Spurs’s last seven in the league – having missed the 5-1 win over Newcastle with a knock – and had certainly been earning his place in the side back after falling down the pecking order.

Following Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Southampton in early February, the wing-back who John Wenham claimed is the “worst of the bunch” and Tom Young labelled “pathetic” went a month without game time in the league before being reintroduced against Everton last month as the Lilywhites won 5-0, with Reguilon scoring.

What is for certain is that lacklustre displays as Tottenham pick up poor results won’t pass the grade for Conte, and Reguilon will certainly have to produce better performances over the remaining weeks of the season to ensure that his place in the side is a certainty going into next season.

AND in other news: Source: Insider drops major Spurs claim on £30m maestro, it’s great news for Conte