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West Ham United moved into the top four in the Premier League with a win over local rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon.

Irons striker Michail Antonio’s sixth goal of the season was enough for the home side to seal all three points at the London Stadium. The 31-year-old talisman tapped home from close range after a pinpoint corner from Aaron Cresswell.

Both the goalscorer and provider were candidates for the ‘Man of the Match’ award, as were David Moyes’ resolute backline who kept their second clean sheet of the week.

But it was England midfielder Declan Rice who absolutely ran the show in east London.

With the captain’s armband on, the 22-year-old powerhouse led by example as he was graded a 7.5 by SofaScore – better than the goalscorer and both central defenders.

He led the game for passing accuracy, making 93% of his 40 attempts, ranked third in the Hammers’ squad for touches (58), so as ever, a lot of things ran through him.

But instead of bombing on and contributing in the final third as he has done recently, he was back to his anchorman duties, registering a game-high eight tackles – three more than the next best and two fewer than Spurs’ whole backline combined.

Rice also put in two interceptions and won a total of ten duels from 16 (62.5%) midfield battles, as per SofaScore.

The Evening Standard’s Jack Rosser waxed lyrical about his performance in his post-match column, claiming the academy graduate ‘oozed class’ in the win.

‘With Soucek off the pace Rice stepped up and dominated midfield almost on his own. First to almost everything and always looking to drive the Hammers forward,’ he wrote.

It’s no wonder new teammate Nikola Vlasic dubbed the £60k-per-week England interantional as “unbelievable” in a recent interview.

For the umpteenth time this season, Rice absolutely dominated another Premier League side. That will only cause interest in his services to increase heading into 2022, so the London Stadium faithful better enjoy it whilst they still can.

AND in other news, Moyes could unearth West Ham’s next Joe Cole in 19 y/o gem “similar to Jack Grealish”…

A big update has emerged on Newcastle United and their transfer interest in midfielder Philippe Coutinho…

What’s the talk?

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Magpies are plotting a major bid for the Brazilian as they are able to match Barcelona’s valuation of his services and they are willing to meet his wage demands to bring him in this summer.

The report claims that Aston Villa have the option to sign him for £33m (€40m) at the end of his current loan spell with the English side, however, the Toon are now hoping to hijack the deal.

He’ll get SJP rocking

Coutinho can get St. James’ Park rocking if he arrives on Tyneside next season as he is a proven Premier League performer who has the quality to be a huge player for Eddie Howe.

He has showcased his ability at this level for both Liverpool and Villa and this means that he would be less of a gamble than bringing in someone who has not played in the English top flight. Newcastle know what they will get from him and, for that reason, he would be a smart signing by PIF.

His former Reds teammate Roberto Firmino previously dubbed him as “phenomenal” and claimed that the 29-year-old has “magical powers.”

It is easy to see why he has been showered in praise when you look at his statistics in England. In 201 games for Liverpool, Coutinho scored 54 goals and provided 45 assists from attacking midfield, while he has also been in fine form for Villa since returning to the country in January – scoring four goals and producing three assists in just 12 outings.

He has also proven himself abroad, with 11 goals and nine assists in 38 games for Bayern Munich and 39 goal contributions in 106 outings for Barcelona. The midfielder has shown that he can do it in the Premier League, the Bundesliga and La Liga, whilst he has also scored 20 goals at international level for Brazil.

Therefore, St. James’ Park would be rocking with excitement at the prospect of Coutinho lining up in black and white next season. He has the ability to have a massive impact in the final third with his goals and assists and he can help Howe’s team to fight in the top half of the table by winning matches with his sublime quality on the ball.

Now, it is down to PIF to excite the fans by getting this deal over the line…

AND in other news: Howe can unearth his own Ginola in Newcastle’s rarely-seen 19 y/o “bright talent”

According to a report by Football Insider, Newcastle United will not pursue Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli in the upcoming January transfer window, despite previous rumours linking him with the club.

The Lowdown: Alli set to leave Spurs

Spurs have granted the player the opportunity to leave next month, permitting both permanent and temporary deals, but it is more likely that he will move on loan for the remainder of the season.

The 25-year-old has made just nine appearances in the Premier League this term, with only two of those coming under Antonio Conte. This includes a recent outing against Liverpool, where the midfielder played 81 minutes in Spurs’ 2-2 draw, receiving a 6.5 SofaScore rating.

Three years ago, Alli was worth a staggering £90m. However, a decline in game-time and form since then has seen his market value slip to just £22.5m. This illustrates the severity of the player’s decline and suggests that Spurs bosses are finished with the midfielder, with him set to be offloaded in January if a potential suitor can be found.

The Latest: Newcastle will not pursue Alli

According to a fresh report by Football Insider, Newcastle will not go in for Alli in January, as Eddie Howe has rejected the chance to push for the player, deciding that he needs to prioritise other areas of his squad.

This news arises following previous reports that the Magpies had made initial enquiries with Spurs, but now it seems that Howe has had a change of heart and no longer considers Alli a transfer target. Instead, he is keen to brining in a more traditional midfielder, rather than an attacking one, along with a defender in a bid to bolster the spine of the team.

The Verdict: Newcastle move could have been good for both parties

Alli is looking to revive his career after suffering a stagnant few years at Tottenham. His former manager Jose Mourinho labelled the midfielder as ‘lazy’ and said that he created ‘problems for his own team’.

However, his talent is undeniable. Mourinho admitted that Sir Alex Ferguson gave him one bit of advice whilst he was in charge at Manchester United – ‘buy Dele Alli’. Even Brazil legend Roberto Carlos once said that the Spurs ace is ‘undoubtedly good enough for Real Madrid’.

If this talent was to be utilised in full force again, Alli could still prove to be a top-class player. With Newcastle often lacking an attacking threat in the final third, the 25-year-old could have been a fantastic addition for Howe if he hadn’t shifted the focus to other areas of the squad.

In other news: Sky Sports journalist shares info as Newcastle eye potential ‘brilliant signing’

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”…

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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.

Borussia Monchengladbach’s Denis Zakaria is in the sights of Manchester City, according to Calciomercato.

The lowdown

The Switzerland midfielder’s contract at Borussia Park is up at the end of this season, and the report states that his deal ‘will not be renewed’. As such, his Transfermarkt value has fallen to £24.3m.

The 24-year-old is predominantly a defensive midfielder but has also operated further forward and as a centre-back.

Germany legend Lothar Matthaus has compared the Gladbach ‘pearl’ to Toni Kroos, while former manager Marco Rose called him a ‘very complete’ player with an ‘incredible’ understanding of the game (via Planet Football).

The latest

As per Calciomercato, City are said to be among the clubs in the frame as Zakaria’s contract ticks down. However, they face competition from title rivals Liverpool, along with Serie A duo Juventus (who have already been in contact with the player’s agent) and AS Roma.

Zakaria’s dream is to move to Barcelona, but there is no indication that they are in the running at this moment in time.

The verdict

Zakaria could be an excellent signing on a free transfer, and City may view him as a potential successor to Fernandinho. The 36-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and while the Premier League champions already have Rodri on their books, they will surely want to retain their strength in depth in that position.

Zakaria’s match average of 1.8 successful tackles is just shy of Rodri’s 1.9 and better than Fernandinho’s, while his excellent passing success rate of 90% is bound to please Pep Guardiola, a manager who places huge pride in ball retention.

They may need to move quickly if they really want the Swiss ace, though, because it sounds like Juventus may be getting the upper hand.

In other news, some City fans were unhappy with this comment from Pep  

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