Leeds United are keen to keep progressing in the Premier League and may now be privy to the situation of a gem who could be made available for a loan move in January.

Leeds keen to keep competing in the Premier League

The Whites have made an admirable fist of life in the top-flight so far, and it is fair to say that Daniel Farke is proving some of his detractors wrong as his side continue to build at Elland Road.

Even with Dominic Calvert-Lewin struggling to hit the target, Leeds are finding ways to put the ball in the back of the net and look considerably better than strugglers Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United at this moment in time.

Of course, the Whites’ victory over the Hammers on Friday painted a stark difference between both sides, and Joe Rodon made it clear on Sky Sports that his side worked tirelessly to recover from a disappointing defeat against Burnley on matchday eight.

He said: “It was important to show a reaction after last weekend. It was important to come out the traps early, and I’m delighted with the three points. I think every team is difficult in this league. I’m a bit frustrated to concede at the end, but overall delighted with the three points. It was important to keep that momentum and make it difficult for teams to come here.”

Now, a period of preparation on the training field will ensue before the Whites head to Brighton & Hove Albion, looking to make inroads towards the middle of the Premier League table.

Undoubtedly, a long season lies ahead, and Farke knows his side will need reinforcements in January, and they may now be in a position to land one of their reported targets.

Leeds send scouts to watch Man Utd youngster Shea Lacey

According to Alan Nixon on Patreon, Leeds sent scouts to watch Manchester United youngster Shea Lacey in action against Barnsley during the week, and the journalist has made it clear that he could be allowed to leave on loan in January.

Claiming an assist on the night to add to his tally of two goals and two assists from seven matches this term, the 18-year-old winger has also been scouted by Burnley, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Ipswich Town, Charlton Athletic, Norwich City, Hull City, and Derby County among others.

Labelled someone who could be ‘elite’ in the future by Phil Jevons, he is seen as a potential first-teamer by Ruben Amorim, albeit a loan may be the next step to maximise his development potential.

Leeds and Manchester United endure a frosty relationship at the best of times, though there may be a mutually agreeable deal to be had by all parties to benefit one of England’s rising stars.

Whether they are both able to put their difference aside remains to be seen. Either way, Lacey seems to be someone that is definitely on Leeds’ radar.

Related Leeds plot double January deal for exciting forward and 'new Busquets'

He would add great depth in the middle of the park.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Oct 25, 2025

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers unleashed Benjamin Nygren on the right wing against Sturm Graz in his latest attempt to fill that spot that was vacated by Nicolas Kuhn.

The Hoops sold the German winger to Como for £16.5m in the summer transfer window, after he racked up 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the club last season, per Transfermarkt.

Nygren, who missed four ‘big chances’ to find the back of the net, scored the winning goal against Sturm Graz on Thursday night in the Europa League with a close-range header.

However, Football FanCast have suggested that the injury to Kelechi Iheanacho could mean that the Swedish star is needed at centre-forward, which would leave the manager to find another right winger.

Why Celtic are struggling on the right wing

Celtic allowed Kuhn to move on from Parkhead without signing an out-and-out right winger, as Rodgers has mainly used Nygren in a central midfield role, whilst Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Sebastian Tounekti are both left-sided wingers.

This has meant that there has been pressure on Hyun-jun Yang and experienced winger James Forrest to step up on the right, but neither of them have risen to the task.

Per WhoScored, Yang and Forrest have failed to provide a single goal or assist in 12 combined appearances in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, which shows that they have not offered enough quality in the final third.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

With this in mind, Rodgers should look to unleash Luke McCowan in a new role on the right wing for the clash with Hearts in the league on Sunday.

Why Luke McCowan should start against Hearts

With Nygren moving over a centre-forward role, per our suggestion, the former Dundee midfielder could be an interesting solution to the team’s problems on the right wing.

As aforementioned, Yang and Forrest have simply not done enough with the ball at the top end of the pitch to suggest that they have the quality to be regular starters on the right wing to finally replace Kuhn at Parkhead.

McCowan, albeit in a different position, is a proven Premiership performer who knows how to score and assist goals fairly consistently for Celtic.

Appearances

44

58

Starts

19

21

Goals

9

6

Big chances created

10

9

Assists

8

7

As you can see in the table above, the Scottish midfielder has produced more goals, more ‘big chances’ created, and more assists than both Forrest and Yang combined in the league since the start of last season.

These statistics suggest that the 27-year-old maestro, who was once described as a “game winner” by pundit Marvin Bartley, could make an impact in front of goal from a right wing position, in which he has played 43 matches in the past for other clubs, per Transfermarkt.

McCowan, as Kuhn did last season, would want to cut inside onto his left foot from a right wing position, which would then open more space for Colby Donovan to attack down the right.

Instead of having Yang and Forrest both wanting to go down the line and clogging up the width, McCowan could come infield to draw attention away from the young full-back, who provided an assist against Sturm Graz.

Celtic star who Lennon dubbed "world-class" was even better than Nygren

This Nakamura-esque Celtic star was even better than Benjamin Nygren against Sturm Graz.

ByDan Emery Oct 24, 2025

Donovan, who has created two ‘big chances’ in three Europa League outings, could, therefore, benefit from Rodgers unleashing McCowan as a Kuhn-esque right winger against Hearts on Sunday, with Nygren through the middle as a striker.

حسم التعادل الإيجابي مباراة الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي توتنهام هوتسبير أمام نظيره مانشستر يونايتد، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي.

وواجه مانشستر يونايتد بقيادة البرتغالي روبن أموريم، نظيره توتنهام هوتسبير بقيادة توماس فرانك، في المباراة ظهر اليوم السبت، على ملعب “توتنهام هوتسبير”.

وحسم التعادل الإيجابي مباراة مانشستر يونايتد وتوتنهام هوتسبير بنتيجة 2/2 في المباراة التي جمعت بين الثنائي ضمن إطار منافسات الجولة الثانية عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “بريميرليج”.

وجاء أول أهداف اللقاء لمانشستر يونايتد عن طريق الكاميروني بريان مبويمو في الدقيقة 32 من الشوط الأول بعد كرة عرضية متقنة من اللاعب أماد سددها مبويمو برأسه بطريقة ناجحة للغاية على يمين فيكاريو.

وأحرز التعادل لتوتنهام اللاعب ماتس تيل في الدقيقة 84 من عمر الشوط الثاني ليعود بالفريق إلى المباراة في وقت مثالي.

وفي الدقيقة 91 أحرز المهاجم البرازيلي ريتشارلسون هدفًا رائعًا بعد تسديدة من لاعب توتنهام سددها ريتشارلسون برأسه في المرمى.

وسجل دي ليخت هدفًا قاتلًا في الثواني الأخيرة من عمر المباراة بضربة رأسية من ركلة ركنية رائعة جلبت التعادل للشياطين الحُمر.

بتلك النتيجة أصبح مانشستر يونايتد في المركز السابع برصيد 18 نقطة، فيما توتنهام هوتسبير في المركز الثالث برصيد 18 نقطة أيضًا. أهداف مباراة مانشستر يونايتد وتوتنهام هوتسبير في الدوري الإنجليزي

Unai Emery has been warned that Ollie Watkins could still be "upset" over how the manager used Marcus Rashford as Aston Villa's "main man" last season, only to fall back upon the ex-Brentford forward this campaign. Rashford, who has since joined Barcelona on loan from Manchester United to resurrect his career, became the focal point of Villa's attack during his short stay in the West Midlands, but not everyone in claret and blue may have been thrilled about it.

• Rashford's eventful spell at Villa Park

  Rashford's loan move to Aston Villa midway through 2024-25 was seen as a masterstroke at the time. A £40 million ($52.5m) option to buy was embedded in the deal, and Emery was elated to have a proven Premier League name, one hungry to reignite his spark, in his ranks. The forward was part of Villa’s charge to the FA Cup semi-finals and the Champions League quarter-finals. For many fans, Rashford’s crowning moment came in the thrilling clash against Paris Saint-Germain in the latter. With Villa trailing 5-1 on aggregate and staring down elimination, Rashford transformed into a man possessed. He tore through PSG’s defence, inspiring a remarkable 3-2 fightback on the night and bringing Villa within one goal of a historic comeback. But while Rashford enjoyed his revival, Watkins was left watching from the shadows, his own form dipping as Emery restructured the attack around United’s outcast.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Heskey sounds the alarm

  Former England and Villa striker Emile Heskey believes the emotional toll of that period shouldn’t be underestimated. He’s warned that Watkins might still feel bruised by Emery’s preference for Rashford.

  In an interview with , Heskey said: "The last 12 months may have been difficult for Ollie Watkins. You’re only human as a player, and you want your manager to back you. So seeing Rashford become the main man might have upset him. If you look at what Ollie has done, he has been the best English striker in the league for a while now, ever since Harry Kane left. You should be backing that and giving him the confidence to kick on further. But players bear responsibility for their own performances too, and maybe Watkins needs to do more."

  Reports suggested that Watkins was even open to a new challenge, with United monitoring his situation closely. Had the Red Devils failed to land RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Watkins was seen as a cost-effective alternative.

• Scoring problems for Villa

  Watkins has managed just one goal in 13 appearances this season as he has been struggling to rediscover the sharpness that once made him a constant threat. Despite Watkins’ drought, Villa continue to punch above their weight under Emery. Nine games into the campaign, they sit just two points adrift of fourth-placed Sunderland and remain firmly in the mix for a Champions League spot. Their 1-0 win over Manchester City earlier this month, sealed by Matty Cash’s clinical first-half strike, showed Emery’s tactical nous remains intact. However, it also exposed Villa’s biggest weakness, a lack of cutting edge in front of goal. With only nine goals in the league so far, the lowest among the top ten clubs, the West Midlands outfit risk seeing their impressive structure undermined by wastefulness in attack. Heskey didn’t mince his words when assessing Villa’s attacking dilemma.

  "I think they need goal-scorers," he said. "Villa under Emery has done really well but you always need goals. "They need Ollie Watkins and other forwards to step up and contribute. They can create chances, and they really need people to finish them off. They did really well against City, too. They were aggressive, throwing their bodies on the line, but we need to see that kind of commitment every week. They also need people to finish things up the other end."

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  Injury clouds hover before Liverpool clash

  Villa’s next challenge comes at Anfield, where they’ll meet an injury-hit Liverpool desperate to reverse their own slump. Arne Slot’s Reds are without star striker Alexander Isak, goalkeeper Alisson Becker, and midfielder Curtis Jones. Still, Emery has headaches of his own. Andres Garcia, Youri Tielemans, and Emiliano Buendia are all doubtful, while on-loan midfielder Harvey Elliott is ineligible to face his parent club.

Naim has been recalled while seamers Taskin and Mustafizur have returned to the squad, having recovered from injury

Mohammad Isam04-Jul-2025

Najmul Hossain Shanto had an underwhelming 2024 and played only one T20I this year•ICC/Getty Images

Bangladesh selectors have dropped Najmul Hossain Shanto in one of the five changes to T20I squad for three-match series against Sri Lanka later this month. Shanto was part of the squad for their previous T20I series against UAE and Pakistan in May, but featured in only one of the six matches.Shanto had an underwhelming 2024, where he averaged 18.84 in 21 T20Is, with just a single half-century. In contrast, he fared better in 2023, scoring 218 runs in ten innings at 31.14 average, and a higher strike rate of 119.78. Having stepped down from the T20I captaincy in January this year, he now finds himself out of the squad entirely.Left-handed opener Mohammad Naim has been recalled in Shanto’s place, among four other changes in the bowling unit. Naim, who has played 35 T20Is, has returned back to form during the 2024-25 domestic season. He was the highest run-getter in both the BPL and NCL T20s, finishing on 827 runs at an average of 37.59 average and a strike rate of 140.40, including a century and six fifties.Pace duo Taskin Ahmed and Mustafizur Rahman have also returned to the squad, having recovered from injury and featured in the first ODI against Sri Lanka on Wednesday. Mohammad Saifuddin has earned a recall as well, marking his return after more than a year.The 28-year-old fast bowler was overlooked for last year’s T20 World Cup after a disappointing performance in the T20I series against Zimbabwe in May. He subsequently took a two-month break from cricket in August. Since returning, Saifuddin has picked up 37 wickets across the BPL and DPL– Bangladesh’s premier white-ball competitions.Shoriful Islam, who suffered a groin niggle during the second T20I against Pakistan in May, has been retained in the squad. In the spin department, there’s another shuffle, with Nasum Ahmed replacing Tanvir Islam. The ongoing switch between left-arm spinners suggests the selectors are still undecided on their preferred option for the white-ball formats.Bangladesh will play the three T20Is on July 10 in Pallekele, July 13 in Dambulla and July 16 in Colombo.Bangladesh squad: Litton Das (capt, wk), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain Emon, Mohammad Naim, Towhid Hridoy, Jaker Ali, Shamim Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Shoriful Islam, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Mohammad Saifuddin.In: Mohammad Naim, Nasum Ahmed, Taskin Ahmed, Mustafizur Rahman, Mohammad SaifuddinOut: Khaled Ahmed, Tanvir Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto

MatériaMais Notícias

Capitão do Corinthians, o goleiro Cássio pediu desculpas por conta da eliminação na Conmebol Sul-Americana. O Timão foi derrotado pelo Fortaleza, por 2 a 0, na noite desta terça-feira (3), no jogo de volta da semifinal. No agregado, o Leão do Pici bateu a equipe alvinegra por 3 a 1.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasFora de CampoCraque Neto critica trio do Corinthians em eliminação e alerta: ‘A preocupação é o rebaixamento’Fora de Campo03/10/2023CorinthiansCorinthians deixa de ganhar quantia milionária com eliminação na semifinal da Sul-AmericanaCorinthians03/10/2023Sul-AmericanaVÍDEO: Assista aos gols de Fortaleza x CorinthiansSul-Americana03/10/2023

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

Cerca de quatro mil torcedores corintianos estiveram presentes na capital cearense para acompanhar a partida na Arena Castelão.

– A torcida do Corinthians sempre se faz presente. A gente pede desculpas para a torcida. Eliminação e derrota dura. Difícil falar, é digerir – destacou o goleiro ao fim da partida.

Com a desclassificação no torneio continental, o Timão terá pela frente somente o Campeonato Brasileiro. Na 13ª colocação, a equipe do Parque São Jorge está flertando com a zona do rebaixamento desde o início da competição. E mesmo com o ‘respiro’ dado nas últimas rodadas, o clube está somente a quatro pontos do Z4.

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Para Cássio, a missão a partir de agora é acabar com o risco de descenso e buscar coisas maiores no Brasileirão.

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

– Tem que ver e rever, seguir em frente. Temos jogo pelo Brasileiro, fazer o que a gente não tem fazendo, uma campanha mais regular, tirar o Corinthians ali debaixo e conseguir algo melhor – pontuou o camisa 12.

O próximo compromisso corintiano será neste sábado (7) contra o Flamengo, ás 21h30 (de Brasília).

“There’s definitely a difference in this surface,” says Sri Lanka’s ODI captain

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Jul-2025Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka thinks there may be more for seam bowlers in the Khettarama track than usual. He also thinks there may be more for batters.Having been left behind in ODI cricket – failing to even qualify for the Champions Trophy earlier this year – Sri Lanka are desperate to advance again. One of the ways in which the current leadership think they can close that gap is to match home pitches more closely to the behaviour of pitches found across the world.The pitch at Khettarama, for instance, has been extremely spin friendly for years. But ODI captain Asalanka suggested ahead of the match that this Khettarama pitch might be different. Sri Lanka had won their previous series, against Champions Trophy semi-finalists Australia, 2-0.Related

Settled SL meet a Bangladesh in transition for ODI series opener

Rebuild, resurrect, recalibrate – Mehidy has an unenviable task as ODI captain

Freed from the burden of captaincy, Shanto could relaunch his career

“There’s definitely a difference in this surface,” he said “Even if it’s helfpul to spinners, even in the previous series against Australia, we saw that it would seam, and the fast bowlers got wickets. Asitha Fernando got five in two matches. I think this pitch will be a bit more batting friendly than usual”Sri Lanka’s seam-bowling stocks are unusually full. Asalanka suggested they would trial seam-bowling allrounder Milan Rathnayake in this series, but they also have the likes of Asitha, Dilshan Madushanka, and Eshan Malinga in the squad.This is also the first match Sri Lanka play under the new ODI playing conditions, under which one of the two balls used until the 34th over is then chosen by the fielding team to be used for the last 16. Ostensibly, this is an attempt to bring reverse swing back into the ODI game, which may suit the like sof Asitha, who has frequently reverse-swung the ball in Test cricket.”We’re also new to that rule, so we are still formulating our plans,” Asalanka said about the new playing condition. “It must be to favour fast bowlers that they brought this new rule to use one ball after 34 overs. It’s possible that we will have to treat two balls in two different ways before we decide which one we will use after the 34th. We’re hoping to land on the right plan from the first match.”Although Sri Lanka failed to qualify for the Champions Trophy, they have won enough ODI matches (now an infrequently-played format), to rise to fourth on the rankings. Asalanka thinks that is not enough, though.”We can’t be satisfied yet. I’ve said before that our main goal is to be in the top three. Right now we’re only in the top four. We’ve got one more rung to climb on that ladder, and then we have to think about where we go from there. We are confident about our past performances, but we think we have a long way to go forward.”

Colin Ackermann made 83 off 33 balls and Durham made their record T20 score as they returned to Vitality Blast action with a 49-run defeat of Nottinghamshire Outlaws at the Banks Homes Riverside.On a run-stuffed evening in the North East, the home side made 231 for 5 and the visitors replied with 182 all out, Kasey Aldridge, who had only taken two T20 wickets previously, finishing with a career-best 5 for 29 from 2.4 overs. The win is Durham’s fifth in this year’s Blast and clearly strengthens their bid to qualify for the knockout stages.The home openers, Alex Lees and Graham Clark, began in uncompromising fashion, by putting on 70 runs in six overs. They were particularly hard on Olly Stone, who was playing in his first match of the season after recovering from injury and conceded 27 runs in his first two overs.Joe Clarke’s decision to use the spinners, Farhan Ahmed and Calvin Harrison, in tandem slowed the run rate but it was Matthew Montgomery who took the first wicket on 83 when he had Clark caught on the cover boundary by Daniel Sams for a 27-ball 40Nevertheless, Durham’s hundred came up in the 11th over and Lees reached a 34-ball fifty a few deliveries later. By now faced with a battery of slow bowlers that also included Liam Patterson-White, Lees and his partner Ackermann sought to attack at every opportunity.Stone was reintroduced and was whacked for three successive boundaries before gaining his revenge with the next ball when he had the Durham skipper caught by Harrison on the deep backward square leg boundary for a 46-ball 77 that included 11 fours and one six.The dangerous Jimmy Neesham was bowled by Harrison for 3 and Ben McKinney was caught on the long-on boundary by Harrison off Montgomery for 3. Nevertheless, Durham had been well placed on 154 for 3 after 16 overs and despite the loss of three wickets for ten runs, they were able to pillage an astonishing 77 runs in the final four overs.Those efforts were assisted by two no-ball beamers from Sams, which necessitated the Australian being withdrawn from the attack. And the wheels really came off the Nottinghamshire attack in the 19th over when Ackermann smashed 32 runs of Montgomery, reaching a 25-ball fifty in the process.The Durham batsman was eventually caught at deep midwicket by Sams off Harrison but by then he had done the damage, hitting 83 off 33 balls with seven fours and six sixes, all those maximums being scored off the last 11 balls he received. Harrison escaped with the least punishment, taking 2 for 33, but every other visiting bowler conceded at least ten runs an over.Nottinghamshire’s pursuit of their distant target began poorly when Freddie McCann was dismissed off the fourth ball of their innings, caught by Will Rhodes off Callum Parkinson for 5, but the visitors were going well on 37 for 1 after 3.2 overs until Jack Haynes was brilliantly caught by Lees off Aldridge for 14, the Durham skipper running back 20 yards from mid-off to take the steepling chance.But the fall of wickets could make no difference to Outlaws’ approach. Lyndon James hit his first two balls for four and Neesham’s first over cost 19 runs. Nottinghamshire scored 76 runs in their powerplay, six more than their hosts, but their onslaught was halted by Nathan Sowter, who conceded five runs in his first six balls and had James caught at deep midwicket by McKinney for 30.Clarke was the next to go, caught at short third man by Sowter for a 25-ball 41 when attempting to ramp Neesham and the visitors reached the midpoint of their innings on 112 for 4, still needing 120 to win. That task seemed tougher still when Aldridge struck twice in four balls, bowling Moores for 5 and having Patterson-White caught at long off by Rhodes for 8.Parkinson conceded 19 runs off his next over as Outlaws dispensed with any scrap of caution but Sams was bowled by Sowter for 9. With seven overs remaining, 76 runs were still required and that was reduced to 61 off six thanks to Montgomery taking 14 off three deliveries from Parkinson.Aldridge took his fourth wicket when he had Harrison caught at backward point by Clark for 7 and Stone was run out for nought next ball after a complete mix-up. Aldridge completed his career-best figures when he had Montgomery caught behind by Ollie Robinson for 41.

With Mohamed Salah on course to leave the club in 2027, Liverpool are reportedly preparing a big-money offer to sign an impressive winger who’s an even better dribbler than Lamine Yamal.

Players who could replace Salah at Liverpool

Replacing Salah is an impossible task at Anfield, but Liverpool will have no choice but to get as close as they can to doing exactly that when 2027 arrives and the Egyptian’s contract comes to an end.

He will go down as one of their greatest players of all time, sitting alongside Sir Kenny Dalglish, alongside Steven Gerrard and others. That’s the level that the Reds will have to replace.

Mohamed Salah	Liverpool record
Appearances	411
Goals	248
Assists	116

Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes are always up for a transfer challenge, however, and have already reportedly set their sights on Michael Olise to replace one of the best Premier League wingers of all time.

The Bayern Munich star wouldn’t be a bad option in the slightest. He has reached a new level on the big stage and could be destined to return to English football with a bang.

Although a different type of player to goalscorer Salah, Liverpool could look towards a creative type rather than a player of the Egyptian’s ilk now that they’ve got an out-and-out No.9 in Alexander Isak.

Rather than replacing Salah’s goals with one player, it seems as though those at Anfield have commenced their plan to duplicate their star man in the aggregate.

Liverpool now racing PSG to sign "excellent" £80m star likened to Desire Doue

He’d be an excellent addition.

By
Tom Cunningham

Oct 16, 2025

That means that Olise isn’t the only one in Liverpool’s sights. Instead of signing the Frenchman, reports are now suggesting that the Reds are ready to make an offer for an impressive La Liga star.

Liverpool readying Williams offer

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now readying a €75m (£65m) offer to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Club. The Spain international has found himself on their radar even after signing a new contract instead of joining Barcelona in the summer.

Whilst that £65m fee may seem like a hefty price, it is still below Williams’ reported €90m (£78m) release clause. If Liverpool are serious about securing his signature, then they may have no choice but to spend big once again rather than eyeing a cut-price deal.

La Liga 25/26	Williams	Yamal
Minutes	291	303
Goals	1	1
Assists	1	3
Take-on success	48.5%	47.7%

Beating defenders at a better rate than Yamal, one of the world’s best wingers, Williams is not someone to be overlooked. Having been praised as “electric” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the 23-year-old is a star in waiting and needs that big move to arrive.

He stayed loyal to Athletic Club in the summer, but Liverpool must test that loyalty when 2026 arrives and Salah enters the final year of his current contract at Anfield.

It would be fair to say that this season is going about as well as any Arsenal fan could’ve hoped for back in the summer.

Mikel Arteta’s side are three for three in the Champions League without conceding a goal and currently sit atop the Premier League, seven points ahead of defending champions Liverpool.

However, the North Londoners have to shift their focus from the major competitions ahead of their League Cup clash against Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night.

The Gunners must do better in the domestic cups this season, but even so, Arteta should look to replace Declan Rice in the lineup with another international star.

Changes Arteta should make to the team

While this isn’t a game Arteta should take lightly, it is nowhere near as important as the league, and therefore, with the squad he has at his disposal, he should be looking to make some changes.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Starting in goal, Kepa Arrizabalaga should be given another start, and to ensure William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães are given a rest, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie should start together for the first time.

Likewise, Riccardo Calafiori and Jurrien Timber are in need of a rest, and in their place, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ben White should come back into the side.

At the base of midfield, Martin Zubimendi should be replaced by fellow summer signing Christian Nørgaard, and while there is an argument to also rest Eberechi Eze, it might be good for him to stay in the team following his goal on the weekend.

Moreover, by keeping the former Crystal Palace star in the lineup, Arteta can start Ethan Nwaneri on the right in place of Bukayo Saka, who was reportedly unwell against the Eagles, and therefore shouldn’t be anywhere near the team on Wednesday.

Finally, injuries once again leave the manager with few options when it comes to changing the striker and left-wing setup.

For example, while it would be great to hand Viktor Gyokeres a rest, the fact that Gabriel Martinelli is now out means he’s unlikely to get one.

This is because Leandro Trossard will now have to stay out wide instead of starting down the middle.

With all that said, there is one more regular starter who should be replaced: Rice.

The Arsenal star who should replace Rice

Like many of the other stars in the team, Arteta simply must drop Rice to the bench for the game against Brighton on Wednesday for a couple of reasons.

First of all, he just needs a rest as he’s already played 937 minutes of football for Arsenal this season, and he came off with a slight knock on the weekend.

Second, his importance to the side is massive, as on top of everything he does in open play, his deliveries are also one of the main reasons the team have been so utterly incredible at set-pieces.

With that said, who should come in to replace him?

Well, with Norgaad replacing Zubimendi and Eze potentially keeping his place in the team, the most obvious and best option would be Mikel Merino.

The Spanish international might be just a step below the former West Ham United captain, but he remains a top-level midfielder and someone who is capable of impacting the game in all phases of play.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won, the top 2% for non-penalty goals and touches in the opposition’s penalty area, the top 11% for through ball and more, all per 90.

Average Shot Distance

11.10

Top 1%

SCA (Shot)

0.39

Top 1%

Aerials Won

3.08

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.32

Top 2%

Touches (Att Pen)

3.92

Top 2%

Goals

0.32

Top 3%

Goals + Assists

0.49

Top 3%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.24

Top 3%

Shots on Target

0.74

Top 3%

GCA (Shot)

0.07

Top 3%

xG: Expected Goals

0.24

Top 5%

npxG + xAG

0.35

Top 6%

Goals – xG

+0.08

Top 6%

Goals/Shot

0.17

Top 7%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.08

Top 7%

Progressive Passes Rec

4.52

Top 8%

Shots Total

1.82

Top 8%

npxG/Shot

0.13

Top 8%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.56

Top 8%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.04

Top 8%

Shots on Target %

40.4%

Top 11%

Through Balls

0.42

Top 11%

Moreover, he has also transformed into a lean, mean goalscoring machine for club and country this year.

Since the start of 2025, he has scored nine goals and provided three assists for the Gunners.

On top of that, the 6 foot 2 titan has scored eight goals and provided one assist for Spain this year, which is a run of form that has seen his manager, Luis de la Fuente, claim he is “on the same level as Pedri and Rodri.”

Ultimately, Merino has proven himself to be an excellent player in most areas of the pitch, and therefore, he should be the one to come in for Rice against Brighton.

Arteta's £120k-p/w "wild horse" looks like this season's Timber at Arsenal

Just like Timber, the international monster is having an incredible season at Arsenal this year.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 28, 2025