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Everton have suffered a huge injury blow after it was revealed star midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure has suffered a serious issue to his foot.

What’s the word?

The in-form 28-year-old has been the Toffees’ standout performer in the opening weeks of the current campaign, but he’s set for an extended spell on the sidelines after picking up a potential stress fracture.

It was initially believed that Doucoure had suffered a broken foot, with Paul Joyce, the Northern Football Correspondent for The Times, relaying the initial news.

He tweeted: “Everton concerned Abdoulaye Doucoure is facing lengthy time out with broken foot.”

However, the Merseyside outfit have since provided an update on the Frenchman’s situation, releasing an official statement on the club’s website.

“Everton can confirm that Abdoulaye Doucoure has suffered a stress response in a bone in his foot sustained during Sunday’s match against West Ham United,” the statement reads.

“The French midfielder is being assessed by the Club’s medical team at USM Finch Farm and is undergoing further investigation to determine the full extent of the injury. Contrary to reports, Doucoure will not require an operation.”

Rafa Benitez will be gutted

News that Doucoure is set to be on the treatment table for several weeks will leave Everton manager Rafa Benitez feeling gutted.

The box-to-box dynamo has been in fabulous form this season, bagging two goals and providing four assists in his eight Premier League appearances – a superior contribution to the entirety of the previous campaign in 21 games fewer.

His defensive attributes will also be a huge loss to the Toffees with the French brute winning 2.5 tackles per game this term, a tally only bettered by Allan.

And injuries to fellow midfielders Andre Gomes and Fabian Delph will leave the Blues extremely short of options in the engine room when Watford visit Goodison Park over the weekend.

It means the likes of Tom Davies and Jean-Philippe Gbamin will have to step up in Doucoure’s absence, gifting the youngsters a rare chance to impress from the off.

And, in other news…Brands must sanction EFC swoop for “incredible” £19.8m-rated gem, Benitez needs him 

A number of Liverpool supporters are fuming after it was confirmed that Anthony Taylor will referee the Reds’ Premier League clash with Chelsea.

Jurgen Klopp’s men face an enormous game on Saturday evening, in what is arguably the biggest match of the season so far.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea have won their opening two matches, with neither team conceding a goal and both comfortably winning their respective fixtures.

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It promises to be a nervy occasion at Anfield and a win for the Reds would be further proof that they are strong title contenders.

Taylor has been confirmed as the referee for Saturday’s game [via LFC Transfer Room on Twitter], with Chris Kavanagh on VAR duties.

His Manchester roots never make him a popular appointment for Liverpool matches and he also took charge of the Reds’ 3-1 defeat at Leicester City last season.

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Liverpool fans react to referee appointment

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to vent their anger.

“Ohhhhhh NO”

Credit: @drewski1980

“It really can’t get any worse, can it?”

Credit: @LFC_Lewis66

“Liverpool loss”

Credit: @tsrbys

“Ohh god. Not this awful Manc”

Credit: @AhijahB

“I don’t like this guy”

Credit: @iburniton96

“Mbappe dream over and now this”

Credit: @TQdeanoo

In other news, some Liverpool fans are livid at a transfer update that has emerged. Read more here.

Many Glasgow Rangers fans have been left buzzing over some news on Juan Alegria.

As per the official website of the Ibrox faithful, Alegria scored two goals at Rangers Training Centre as Rangers B won 3-0 against Partick Thistle in the 2021/22 City of Glasgow Cup.

Ross McCausland scored the opening goal, but it was Alegria in particular who caught the eye after his brace.

The 19-year-old had already scored a hat-trick earlier on in the season, and given that the Teddy Bears already have a Colombian striker in Alfredo Morelos, who has become a hero at the club for all of the goals and iconic moments, it is exciting to see another youngster seemingly with huge potential coming through the ranks.

Rangers fans on Alegria

These Light Blues were left buzzing as the news of Alegria’s second goal was shared on Twitter, with one Gers supporter even going as far as to claim that he is a ‘baller’:

“This boy is a baller btw”

Credit: @SIMA1872

“Surely needs a crack with the first team”

Credit: @LetsGio55

“This lad is looking class”

Credit: @Drazek89

“Get him promoted, Roofe is out and now’s the time!”

Credit: @MacKaMac

“Better prospect than Morelos and quicker, which is not hard to be, being honest. You might even get a newspaper below Alegria’s feet as well”

Credit: @Berti_Robertson

“Send that beast to the first team. Need someone to replace Mr Setback.”

Credit: @SteveGSmith_

In other news, find out whose display against St. Johnstone was slammed here!

As per Football Insider, former England number one Paul Robinson believes that Nathaniel Phillips is more likely to be allowed to leave Liverpool than Joe Gomez, amid strong interest from West Ham.

The Lowdown: West Ham’s centre-back crisis

West Ham are now running short in the defensive department due to injuries sustained by centre-backs Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma.

Ogbonna is expected to be out for the rest of the season after suffering from a cruciate ligament rupture on the 7th of November, whilst Zouma sustained a hamstring tendon injury during the Hammers’ 3-2 victory against Chelsea.

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The 27-year-old Frenchman is especially important to West Ham’s defensive success, as he leads the team’s statistics with 5.2 clearances and 0.5 offsides won per game. The Italian defender also deploys the high-line to perfection, sitting second with 0.4 offsides won per game.

As a result of this huge blow to David Moyes’ plans, Liverpool player Phillips has been shortlisted as a January transfer target, and it is believed that a fee around £12m would be enough to secure his services.

The Latest: Robinson reacts to Phillips links

As reported by Football Insider, Robinson, a regular pundit on Sky Sports, believes that there is more chance of Phillips leaving Liverpool in the January window than Gomez. The former Spurs keeper said: “Phillips has got more chance of leaving than Gomez has, that’s for sure.

“I still think a deal will be difficult to do though given the injury crisis Liverpool had last season.

“Phillips was brilliant at the end of last season but whether he is of the same level as Zouma and Ogbonna, I would question that.

“It’s an area that Moyes probably need to address though.”

The Verdict: Phillips a possibility

The Sunday Mirror have reported (as shared by Football Insider) that the Reds will block any attempt at luring Gomez away from Anfield.

However, it is understood that Jürgen Klopp will listen to offers for the 6 foot 3 Phillips, who is deemed to be lower in the pecking order at Liverpool. This could open up the possibility of the 24-year-old making the switch in January.

The Englishman may not be as technically gifted as Zouma and Ogbonna, exemplified by not having made a key pass when playing in the League cup this season, but Klopp has hailed his heading ability, saying that “in the air, he’s a monster!”

Therefore, Phillips may just be the perfect addition to help reduce West Ham’s defensive crisis and simply add a bit more depth and solidity where Moyes needs it most.

This summer has been an interesting first couple of months for Bruno Lage at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Nuno Santo surprisingly left Molineux behind which meant his fellow Portuguese manager had to pick up the rubble after a disappointing campaign.

On the chalkboard

This has been a quiet transfer window for Lage who has prioritised keeping what he already has at his disposal.

Ruben Neves and Adama Traore were consistently linked with the exit door but it looks as though the duo are set to stay in the Midlands.

Neves had attracted the interest of Arsenal while Leeds were appealed by the idea of landing Traore.

Wolves were going to have to sell these players in order to build funds for further recruits but they are now taking a different approach.

The Athletic’s Tim Spiers reported last week that Romain Saiss, Patrick Cutrone and Rafa Mir would all be allowed to leave.

Saiss played a huge part during Nuno’s tenure but has made several mistakes in the last year or so that have lowered his status with supporters.

Indeed, after he gave away a reckless penalty against Celta Vigo last weekend, he angered fans further. One supporter described him as a “walking red card” while another dubbed him an “absolute liability.”

With the Moroccan already halfway through the exit door, Lage must step up the club’s attempts to move him on.

After all, he let the club down on countless occasions last season and is showing no signs of improving his discipline.

One of his most questionable performances came against Aston Villa. Although Saiss helped to keep a clean sheet in a 0-0 draw, he gave away possession easily, completing just 70% of his passes. He also missed a simple chance to win the game from just a matter of yards out.

Spiers claimed the miss “defied the laws of physics” while The Express & Star were even more damning in their assessment of the defender, saying; “His passing was inconsistent throughout. But it’s the miss of the season that will cause the Moroccan international some sleepless nights.”

He was abject against Burnley later in the campaign too. Once again the defender was guilty of gifting possession away and on this occasion, it led to a goal for Chris Wood after he was robbed of the ball.

Taking to social media at full-time, Spiers commented: “Saiss, Coady and Boly all play at centre half for their countries but it feels like Darren Peacock and Simon Coleman are back in defence today. A catalogue of basic errors.”

Conor Coady and Willy Boly have since proved their worth to the club but the £22k-per-week Saiss is expendable.

Lage has to sanction his exit at the nearest available opportunity.

AND in other news, Lage must seal Wolves swoop for £17m “phenomenon” who plays like Marcel Desailly…

According to Kicker (via Glasgow Live), Glasgow Rangers transfer target Salih Ozcan has agreed a new contract in principle with current club FC Koln.

The Lowdown: Rangers eye Ozcan

The Gers have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old midfielder this summer.

As it stands, the Germany under-21 international’s contract is set to run out at the end of this month (Transfermarkt), but it seems that there has been an update in that regard.

The Latest: Ozcan set to sign new contract at Koln

As per Kicker (via Glasgow Live), Ozcan is closing in on a new contract at the German club.

He has agreed a deal in principle, with the influence of new Koln manager Steffen Baumgart said to be an important factor in the midfielder’s decision to stay put.

The Verdict: Disappointment

You can certainly see why the Gers were in pursuit of Ozcan this summer. A 23-year-old with 64 Bundesliga appearances to his name, he started both the semi-final and the final of the European Under-21 Championships this summer as Germany won the trophy.

Valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt, the Gers would have been able to secure a bargain if they could have captured his services on a free transfer. It appears that he is set to remain in his home nation, though, which means that Ross Wilson and co will have to go back to the drawing board in the search for midfield reinforcements.

In other news, Rangers are set to ramp up their interest in this 27-year-old.

Everton have had an outstanding start to the season, and after their opening four games, Rafa Benitez’s side have amassed the same number of points as the league leaders.

The Spanish coach needed a quick start to life at Goodison Park after his controversial appointment but fortunately he’s managed to achieve results while his team plays eye-catching football.

Demarai Gray has hit the ground running and has now scored in three successive matches for the Toffees. They will need him to continue that record against Aston Villa on Saturday evening, though, because they will be without Dominic Calvert-Lewin again.

The striker had to withdraw from the latest England squad due to a broken toe but his injury problems have mounted, and according to Benitez, his situation is not improving.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, the manager commented: “It’s what I said after the game. We have to wait some weeks, we don’t know exactly how many but he will not be available for two or three weeks.”

Calvert-Lewin currently has a quadriceps problem, but despite Everton winning and scoring three goals against Burnley last Monday, he will still be a huge loss on Saturday evening.

After all, he is the club’s star man and has become one of the most frightening strikers in the country.

The 24-year-old is a big figure at 6 foot 2 but he combines that frame with scintillating pace.

A nightmare for any defender in the division, he started the campaign by scoring three goals in three matches, continuing where he left off from last term – 2020/21 represented the best season of Calvert-Lewin’s career to date.

He beat the goalkeeper on 21 occasions in all competitions, becoming the first Everton player to register more than 20 goals in a season since Romelu Lukaku in 2016/17.

Furthermore, the Englishman joined an illustrious club of just Lukaku and Yakubu in scoring more than 15 goals for the Toffees in one campaign during the Premier League era.

On that evidence, not having him available at all times is a mighty blow to Benitez. The Spaniard will be gutted to be without the 24-year-old for a number of weeks.

AND in other news, Everton may have their new Godfrey in rarely-seen 17 y/o who Unsworth dubbed “superb”…

Leicester City must be regretting the decision to sell Demarai Gray in January after he began life back in the Premier League with a bang following his arrival at Everton.

The 25-year-old winger joined Bayer Leverkusen halfway through the 2020/21 campaign in a £1.8m deal after falling down the pecking order at the King Power Stadium, but he swiftly returned to his homeland.

One that got away?

Gray’s talent and potential has rarely been in doubt. He was one of English football’s most exciting young prospects after rising through the ranks at boyhood club Birmingham City, earning a move to Leicester during their title-winning campaign.

Although he only played a limited role in the Foxes’ incredible 2015/16 campaign, Gray established himself in the first team over the subsequent years and occasionally caught the eye with some outstanding performances.

“He was excellent,” Brendan Rodgers said after a win over Bournemouth back in 2019 (as relayed by the Leicester Mercury). “He has been training very well. He is a big talent, and he showed that when he came in.”

However, showcasing his talent on a regular basis has been the real issue for the former England under-21 international.

The flying forward has often started well under a new manager or at a new club, scoring three goals in his first seven league outings under Claude Puel before failing to find the back of the net in his final 20 top-flight appearances for Leicester.

A similar pattern occurred during his six-month spell in the Bundesliga when he scored once and provided two assists in his opening three fixtures for Leverkusen but failed to contribute in his last seven games.

Gray is now repeating the trick at Goodison Park. Three goals already this season for the Toffees has seen him score just one fewer than the whole Leicester squad put together while on league duty, elevating Everton into fourth position in the table.

It’s hard to criticise Leicester director of football Jon Rudkin given the exceptional work he’s done during his time with the Midlands outfit.

He has often sold key players at the perfect time, maximising the profit from their departures before wisely reinvesting the proceeds in the transfer market, allowing the current FA Cup holders to continually punch above their weight.

However, Gray may well turn out to be his biggest mistake of the century. Selling a highly promising young player for under £2m just as he was approaching his peak years when he will hopefully mature refine his game seems a totally illogical decision.

It remains to be seen whether the £7.2m-rated Gray can find the consistency over an extended period of time at Everton, but on the evidence of the opening month of the new campaign, Leicester fans must be regretting Rudkin’s fateful call to part ways with the 25-year-old winger.

In other news… Wesley Fofana drops worrying revelation which may leave Leicester fans feeling gutted 

According to a report by Football Insider, incoming sporting director Fabio Paratici could offload Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks and ‘behind-the-scenes preliminary talks’ have already taken place.

The Lowdown: Sell-to-buy…

Due to difficult financial circumstances at Tottenham caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Lilywhites will need to adopt a sell-to-buy policy this summer.

Many Spurs players have been touted with a possible move out of north London, with the likes of Erik Lamela, Moussa Sissoko, Juan Foyth and even Lucas Moura mentioned by Alasdair Gold recently.

Winks is also one of them, but now Football Insider bring a development involving Paratici.

The Latest: Paratici wants Winks sale

As explained by Football Insider, Paratici will tell Winks that Spurs are planning to listen to offers for him this summer.

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Indeed, Tottenham would accept around £30 million for the Englishman and could even offload for less.

FI explain that ‘behind the scenes preliminary talks’ have already taken place over a potential sale this summer but Winks does not want to move on.

Alas, if he wishes to play regularly, the 25-year-old may have no other choice.

The Verdict: Time to go…

Speaking to HITC, former England international Emile Heskey lauded Winks as a ‘phenomenal player’ despite playing a bit-part role for Tottenham last season.

The midfield maestro started just nine Premier League matches over 2020/2021 (WhoScored), a huge drop off in comparison to the 26 games over 2019/2020.

Still young and homegrown, Spurs will be hoping to recuperate a sizeable bid for him this summer and it may help greatly in their attempts to strengthen the squad.

Despite his quality, the time does feel right for Winks to move on.

In other news: ‘Massive for Tottenham’, ‘Best news’…Sky pundit thrilled by alleged N17 development, find out more here.

Ralf Rangnick is interested in a deal to bring Kalvin Phillips to Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Italian journalist and transfer insider revealing during a recent appearance on The United Stand that, with David Moyes appearing adamant that Declan Rice will not be sold for anything under £150m this summer, Rangnick could instead pursue a deal for the Leeds United midfielder.

Regarding United’s potential interest in the 26-year-old, Romano said: “Phillips would be the solution for a normal fee, not a crazy fee. He’s a player who is appreciated by the Man United board, so he could be a possibility.

“But, he’s still not been discussed with Erik ten Hag. So, he’s on Manchester United’s list, he’s appreciated by Ralf Rangnick – I’m told – but, still not approved by Erik ten Hag.”

Supporters will love it

Despite Romano’s claim that Rangnick and the Manchester United board are yet to discuss a potential move for Phillips with Ten Hag, the suggestion that the club are interested in a deal to sign the England international is sure to be an update the Old Trafford faithful will love.

While it is true that Phillips’ 2021/22 campaign has been largely hampered by injury, the 26-year-old undoubtedly proved his ability at the very highest level of the English professional game last season.

Indeed, over his 29 Premier League appearances last term, the £45m-rated talent was in sensational form for the Whites, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £38k-per-week defensive midfielder also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls, 41 passes and 0.7 dribbles per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Leeds fans have dubbed the Yorkshire Pirlo average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as Leeds’ best performer in the league but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the division as a whole.

As such, it is clear for all to see that, should Manchester United not be able to afford a move for Rice this summer, Phillips would undoubtedly be a fantastic alternative to the West Ham talisman – not to mention a signing who would be a dramatic improvement upon Ten Hag’s current options in the middle of the Old Trafford pitch.

AND in other news: Man Utd plot bid to sign “amazing” £164k-p/w “genius”, he’s a huge McTominay upgrade