Marcelo Bielsa is highly unlikely to be fired as Leeds United manager despite the Whites’ current poor form, according to journalist Ian Herbert.
The Lowdown: Bielsa suffering poor spell
The Argentine has enjoyed a largely successful spell at Elland Road, guiding Leeds back into the Premier League and securing a ninth-place finish last season.
Bielsa is going through a rough patch at the moment, though, with no wins since the middle of January and a genuine relegation battle becoming increasingly likely by the week.
With the 66-year-old out of contract in the summer, there is plenty of speculation surrounding his future. Some journalists have gone on record to predict that he will leave at the end of the season, while there are also reports of potential successors being lined up.
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The Latest: Herbert urges Leeds to keep Bielsa
However, Herbert penned a column for The Daily Mail in which he discussed Bielsa’s future, which he subsequently shared on Twitter.
Upon doing so, he posted it with the emphatic caption: “Bielsa will not and should not be shown the door.”
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The Verdict: It’ll be Bielsa’s decision
Ultimately, given his hero status in the city, Bielsa’s future seems likely to be decided by the man himself, with the potential for him to sign another one-year extension, as was the case last summer.
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It depends on whether or not the 66-year-old feels he has taken Leeds as far as he can, or if he believes he is still the right man for the job, having been hailed as a ‘genius’ by Mauricio Pochettino in the past.
A spate of injuries have not helped Bielsa in the slightest, so the return of key figures such as Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford could save the Whites’ season between now and May, perhaps helping to play a part in him potentially staying put for another year.
In other news, a journalist has dropped a Leeds injury claim. Read more here.
James Hunter has praised the performance of Jack Clarke as Sunderland drew 0-0 at Lincoln City in League One on Saturday afternoon.
The Lowdown: Two points dropped by Sunderland
Alex Neil’s team will feel as if it was two points dropped more than one gained, given the amount of possession and chances that they had in the match.
Still, they find themselves in the play-off positions, but will certainly be looking over their shoulders at both Sheffield Wednesday and Wycombe Wanderers behind them.
The Latest: Clarke praised by Hunter
Writing in his latest player ratings piece for The Chronicle, Hunter waxed lyrical about Patrick Roberts in particular, giving him an 8/10 overall rating, the highest out of any Sunderland player on Saturday.
The journalist claimed that the 25-year-old was their ‘best player by a mile’ and ‘looked a cut above’, as the Imps ‘just couldn’t handle him’.
Hunter also praised Clarke’s display, given him the next best rating of a 7/10, noting his ‘real attacking threat’ and claiming that he did ‘everything but score’.
The Verdict: Clarke improving
Clarke is certainly improving on Wearside, having recently registered a goal and an assist against Fleetwood Town and Crewe Alexandra respectively, on top of his impressive performance against Lincoln (Transfermarkt).
Neil has certainly shown a lot of faith in the Tottenham loanee, playing him in every match so far under his management, and the 21-year-old will want to continue impressing not just for the Black Cats, but for Spurs as well.
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The loan deal looks to have been a successful one so far for both parties.
In other news, find out what ‘shocking’ incident on Saturday left this Sunderland podcaster fuming
There’s never a dull moment at Manchester United, with Bruno Fernandes chucking a proverbial grenade into the mix in the wake of Monday’s 4-4 thriller against Bournemouth.
Having rifled home a free-kick in pinpoint fashion to level things up at 3-3 on the night, the Portuguese genius reacted with an impassioned celebration, but the question was, whom was he directing it at?
Well, following the release of an interview that was reportedly carried out a few weeks ago, we may now have the answer, with the 31-year-old claiming that he feels that sections of the Old Trafford hierarchy intended to sell him over the summer, yet lacked the “courage” to do so.
The United skipper – who previously spoke openly about turning down Saudi side Al Hilal – also flirted with the prospect of securing a move away, after voicing the possible appeal of playing in Italy or Spain across the remainder of his career.
With just 18 months left to run on his current deal in Manchester, Fernandes has ensured his future will remain a talking point until next summer at least, with plans needing to be put in place in case the midfielder does drift off to pastures new.
Man Utd make move for potential future captain after Fernandes
The timing of that bombshell interview is intriguing, with Fernandes having seemingly finally found his groove in Ruben Amorim’s midfield duo, having registered seven goals and assists across his last four Premier League outings.
Indeed, only Manchester City’s Erling Haaland has bettered the ex-Sporting CP star’s tally of 12 goal involvements in 2025/26 to date, with the United talisman remaining so influential even in this deep-lying role.
Installed as captain back in the summer of 2023, after Harry Maguire had been stripped of the responsibility by Erik ten Hag, Fernandes has been at the centre of everything good about the club for over half a decade now, notably ending last season with 38 goals and assists in all competitions.
If the end is to be in sight, however, Amorim and INEOS will not only need to replace a majestic midfielder, but also the key leadership figure, hence the wisdom in pursuing a current top-flight captain, in the form of Marc Guehi.
According to TEAMtalk, United are among a raft of clubs who have held talks with the Crystal Palace star’s agents, with the Red Devils having alerted the Englishman’s representatives that they are willing to offer terms to him, heading into 2026.
While any suitor could pounce to strike a knock-down deal in January, the expectation remains that the 25-year-old will leave Selhurst Park for free when his contract expires in June, with the report outlining how his inner circle are viewing him as potentially ‘one of the most wanted free agents of all time’.
Having been so close to joining Liverpool on deadline day earlier this year, how sweet it would be for United to poach the ex-Chelsea man instead.
Why Guehi could be a perfect signing for Man Utd
Much of the focus for new additions has been on the midfield unit and the wing-back roles, with that latter search leading to United’s strong interest in Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo.
As reported this week, the Ghanaian is believed to be open to making that move, following his stellar strike on Monday evening, with the Cherries’ talisman available for £65m, due to a release clause which becomes active on 1st January.
The lack of depth out wide and centrally remains a key issue, although United’s latest outing also exposed that even the defensive line can look depleted relatively swiftly, with Amorim forced to deploy something of a makeshift lineup that included the teenage pairing of Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven, alongside Luke Shaw.
Transfer Focus
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Perhaps as to be expected, that new look set-up – in the absence of Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt – looked creaky and chaotic, having been opened up far too easily and far too readily on the night.
With Maguire also out of contract himself this summer, and the returning Lisandro Martinez only just back from an ACL issue, a further centre-back reinforcement could be just what is needed.
Indeed, it would be no surprise if Guehi swiftly assumes a leading role in Amorim’s side, potentially even replicating his compatriot Maguire in taking the armband soon into his Old Trafford career, with the latter man replacing Ashley Young as skipper in January 2020, after just six months at the club.
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The man who led Palace to FA Cup glory last season, defeating Manchester City in the Wembley showpiece, Guehi has rightly earned rave reviews for his standout performances in recent seasons, having been described as a “beast” of a defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Guehi vs De Ligt – 25/26 PL stats
Stat (*per game)
Guehi
De Ligt
Games
15
13
Starts
15
13
Goals (Assists)
2 (2)
1 (0)
Pass accuracy*
86%
88%
Key passes*
0.9
0.2
Tackles & interceptions*
2.9
2.7
Ground duels won*
62%
65%
Aerial duels won*
71%
62%
Clean sheets
6
1
Stats via Sofascore
Now a regular fixture at international level too, the 26-cap Three Lions star has been hailed for his “leadership qualities” by ex-interim boss Lee Carsley, having previously captained the U21 side in the past.
With the likes of Maguire and Casemiro out of contract, Martinez repeatedly struck down by injury and the aforementioned De Ligt not even part of the current leadership group under Amorim, it would be no shock for Guehi to assume captaincy status, provided United can win the race for his signature.
A man who ranks in the top 6% of Premier League centre-backs for progressive carries, and the top 8% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, Guehi is the perfect modern-day defender, albeit while possessing that old-school defensive nous too, having won 71% of his aerial duels this season, as per Sofascore.
And so, whether Fernandes does depart next summer or beyond, Guehi would be a more than worthy successor to the captaincy at Old Trafford.
Their new Mainoo: Man Utd chasing PL star who's "like prime Roy Keane"
Manchester United are looking to sign a midfielder in 2026.
Everton manager Frank Lampard will be able to call upon Ben Godfrey against Wolves on Sunday after he returned from injury.
The lowdown
Godfrey hasn’t played since Lampard’s first match in charge – a 4-1 victory over Brentford in the FA Cup.
He was forced off in that game with a hamstring injury and has missed the last six.
It’s a particularly timely boost for the manager given the importance of the fixture – Everton’s 5-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur deepened their relegation worries, but their record of three wins from four at Goodison Park under Lampard offers encouragement that home form could keep them up.
They’ve been without two centre-backs in Godfrey and Yerry Mina, who has a quad injury.
The latest
The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland relayed an update from Lampard’s press conference on Friday.
The 43-year-old confirmed that Godfrey is ‘fit and available’ for the game, in addition to winger Demarai Gray.
The verdict
It seems Everton’s medical staff have given the £77,000-per-week Godfrey the green light to return before the international window, which is a positive twist after injury expert Ben Dinnery suggested last month that he may not get the all-clear until after the break (which doesn’t end until April).
But this gives Lampard another option not only against Wolves, but also against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarterfinal next weekend.
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He could perhaps slot straight back into the side after Everton faced stinging criticism for their defensive display against Spurs, led by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, who called their rear-guard ‘Championship’ standard.
In other news, Everton are interested in this Championship star.
Tim Spiers has been left wowed by a silver lining moment from Romain Saiss as Wolves lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace in the Premier League this afternoon.
The Lowdown: Disappointing
Ultimately, the result is what matters most, and it was disappointing afternoon for the Midlands club to drop all three points at Molineux against a team below them in the table.
They had more possession, but the same amount of shots as the Eagles, with the away side recording more on target (SofaScore), as Bruno Lage’s side’s lack of goal threat came back to bite them once more.
The Latest: Saiss moment
Even though they lost, it is nice to appreciate the good moments from Lage’s men, and even The Athletic’s Spiers was blown away by what Saiss did midway through the second half:
“Saiss, facing his own keeper with two Palace players for company….oh he just sends Olise to Asda with a filthy swivel then lays it to Neves.
“Best moment of the match by a distance.”
The Verdict: Bright spark
Saiss was one of the few bright sparks for a Wanderers side that simply did not do enough to win the match.
The Morocco international won seven of his duels in total, the third-most out of any of his teammates, while he also made a team-high three interceptions, and ranked joint-top with his two clearances (SofaScore).
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His skill against Michael Olise shows how comfortable he is at playing out from the back, and WWFC will need him on top form if they are going to make a late push for the European places.
In other news, find out what injury blow Wolves have now been handed here!
Newcastle United are sure to be in the market to improve their squad in the summer as PIF look to take the team to the next level in the Premier League.
Instead of battling against relegation, the Saudi Arabian consortium will surely want to see the club competing further up the table.
To do this, they may need to invest in the team and one player who would be a sublime signing is Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. He has been touted with a switch to St. James’ Park, with the Toffees valuing him at around £60m, and Newcastle can find their Andy Carroll 2.0 in a deal for the forward.
The England international has already impressed a Toon legend, with Alan Shearer hailing his “magnificent” aerial ability, and Brazilian attacker Richarlison claimed that he is a “nightmare” to play against.
Shearer said he’s superb in the air and this is certainly reflected in his stats. He has won 3.2 aerial battles or more per game in each Premier League season for the Toffees since the 2017/18 campaign. This includes 5.0 per match in 2019/20 and 4.5 or more per game in the last two terms in the top-flight for Everton.
Carroll has averaged 5.8 aerial battles won per game throughout his career, which suggests that Calvert-Lewin’s peak of 5.0 per match puts him in a similar bracket to the Geordie giant aerially. Both players are capable of being a target for their team to hit in the air and this is a useful quality to have as they can help to alleviate pressure on the side by winning headers to retain possession or force the defence back instead of allowing the opposition to push higher up.
The Magpies academy product has scored 54 goals in the Premier League, with 24 headers, 22 with his left foot and six with his right. Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, has 43 strikes in the competition, with 18 headers, 20 with his right foot and five with his left.
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This shows that they are both similar types of strikers in terms of what they offer on and off the ball. Both of them equally excel at scoring with their head and their preferred foot, whilst they are also able to use their aerial strength to help their teams out in general play.
These statistics also prove that Calvert-Lewin knows how to score goals in the Premier League. He is a proven top-flight forward, just as the now-West Brom man was earlier in his career. Thus, Newcastle must bring him in to be their new English talisman at the top end of the pitch; Carroll 2.0 if you will.
AND in other news, Sold at £108k, now worth £10.8m: NUFC had howler on gem who proved Benitez “all wrong”…
Speaking to in an Anfield Watch Q&A, journalist David Lynch has made a very promising transfer claim involving Liverpool target and Fulham forward Fabio Carvalho.
The Lowdown: Liverpool reach agreement…
In the January transfer window, Liverpool were painfully close to sealing a deal for Carvalho but couldn’t complete the necessary paperwork in time to make the move official.
Indeed, the Reds shook hands on £8 million to sign the scintillating teenager in winter but Anfield officials couldn’t finalise his documentation before the 11pm cut off.
Jurgen Klopp, however, hasn’t given up on signing Carvalho and is a big admirer – having previously stated to the press that Liverpool would be ‘crazy’ not to maintain their interest.
The Latest: Lynch makes Carvalho claim…
Speaking to AW, journalist Lynch backs that Liverpool are fully expected to complete the move this summer, saying that personal terms shouldn’t be an issue.
When asked for an update on the Carvalho situation, he said:
“Liverpool already reached an agreement to sign Carvalho in January, they just weren’t able to finalise things due to time restrictions. Both clubs were happy, however, to shake hands on the same agreed figure and simply push back to the summer in order to avoid going through a tribunal. With personal terms unlikely to be an issue (let’s be honest, those tend to get agreed in advance anyway) I expect Carvalho to become a Liverpool player at the end of this season.”
The Verdict: Promising update…
Judging by this update, it appears Carvalho is far more likely than not to be a Reds player this summer in a big boost for Klopp.
The 19-year-old has shown real signs of promise in the Championship for Fulham at such a young age, scoring seven goals and assisting six others over 27 appearances.
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He’s also been called the ‘perfect fit’ and ‘perfect style of player’ for Klopp by ex-Leeds striker Noel Whelan, while members of the English press have lavished Carvalho with even more praise.
South London Press sports editor Richard Cawley branded the Portugal Under-21 international ‘absolutely unplayable’ earlier this season and news of his likely move to Liverpool could very well excite supporters.
In other news: ‘Told…’ – Big name journalist shares Salah update right out of the Liverpool ‘dressing room’, find out more here.
Taking this into account, as the Lilywhites reportedly continue plotting their rebuild behind the scenes, much has been made of who could come through the Hotspur Way door this summer.
However, some players will also need to make way, as one Spurs ace in winger Steven Bergwijn becomes heavily-linked with an exit recently.
The Netherlands international has been sparingly used by Conte despite arguably making an impact when selected, as highlighted by his dramatic late brace to seal a 3-2 victory for Tottenham away to Leicester in late January.
Now, La Gazzetta have quite a significant update on Bergwijn’s future.
The Latest: La Gazzetta share news…
According to the Italian newspaper, via SW, European giants AC Milan hold a serious interest, and San Siro chiefs have ‘already started’ taking steps to sign Conte’s winger.
As well as this, it is believed that the Rossoneri’s fondness is reciprocated by Bergwijn himself, with the 24-year-old becoming ‘attracted’ to Milan as he eyes a possible exit.
The Verdict: Blow for Conte?
Even though Tottenham’s manager hasn’t started the ex-PSV Eindhoven star too often lately, Bergwijn’s heroics at Leicester and Conte’s previous praise of the player back that he could still be an asset when needed.
The Spurs boss has described Bergwijn as an ‘important’ member of the squad, citing his creativity and versatility to play either as a number 10 or striker (Sky Sports).
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Tottenham’s young forward has also been revered by sections of the press, even before Conte’s time, with respected journalist John Cross of The Daily Mirror branding Bergwijn a ‘big game monster’ (Twitter).
His contribution at the King Power Stadium indicates that tag is still very much relevant and not having him as an option to call upon past this summer could well be a worrying thought.
In other news: £50m release clause: Spurs make contact to sign ‘one of the best players in the world’ for Conte, find out more here.
Fulham manager Martin Jol has called his side’s 5-0 win over Wolves a ‘perfect day’, and was full of praise for in-form new signing Pavel Pogrebnyak.
The Russian scored a hat-trick, with Clint Dempsey grabbing the other two goals in a comprehensive victory for the Craven Cottage outfit.
The win lifts Fulham into the top half of the table, and put a smile on the Dutch coach’s face.
“It was a perfect day because before the game we talked about how Wolves were fighting for their lives and to play like we did, especially in the first half, was outstanding,” he confessed to Sky Sports.
Pogrebnyak’s treble makes it five goals in three goals for the on-loan Stuttgart man, and Jol heralded the accomplished nature of the eastern European marksman’s finishing.
“I’ve got to say that of course he scored at the right moments which he didn’t do in the first part of the first half because we had so many shots on goal but we couldn’t score and luckily enough after that he scored the goal which was because that is what we needed.
“I didn’t know that he had a right foot as the goal which Andy Johnson had the assist (Fulham’s fourth goal) was a perfect goal, so yeah, he makes a name for himself.
“Even in Germany they will think, he’s probably scored more goals than in the 18 games that he played in Germany (for Stuttgart),” he concluded.
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After their latest in a long run of disappointing results, there are rumours that Roman Abramovich is ready to get rid of Andre Villas-Boas, after just eight months in charge. Speculation surrounding the man to take over has been rife, with some areas of the media suggesting that ex-Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez could be in line for the job.
A change is likely to occur sooner rather than later, with the Portuguese coach rumoured to have lost the dressing room at Stamford Bridge. Abroamovich is not known for his patience, and this latest revelation could well prove to the straw that broke the camel’s back.
A move for Benitez wouldn’t be the most popular decision among supporters of the club, who are believed to want Jose Mourinho back. Benitez could however be a shrewd decision on the part of the Russian, with the former Liverpool coach’s tactical knowhow and relationship with Fernando Torres.
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Benitez’s finest bit of business in his last visit to the Premier League, was taking Fernando Torres to Merseyside. The striker was a revelation under the guidance of his fellow countryman, scoring and breaking records for fun in the north of England. However, after the dismissal of the ex-Valencia coach at the Reds, Torres’ form dipped, and then collapsed completely following his move to the capital. If there’s one thing Benitez does know it’s how to get the best out, on his day, one of the finest front-men in Europe, and this could be a deciding factor for Abramovich, who will be very reluctant to take a significant loss on the £50 million paid last January.
Another weapon in the coach’s armoury is his impressive record in the Champions League, a competition that the Russian billionaire has craved success in since his arrival at the club. Benitez steered his Liverpool side to victory in 2005, beating Chelsea on the way, with a squad that, arguably, had no right to win the tournament. He was again successful in 2007, coming runner-up to Milan, once more defeating Chelsea en-route. It’s no secret that failure in the competition has been a factor in the demise of previous managers under the Russian’s regime, which shows just how high the trophy, is on his list of priorities.
All of these successes were quite some time ago now, with Benitez having a less enjoyable spell at Inter Milan in the mean time, but Benitez’s knowhow in the world’s leading club competition, alongside knowledge of the Premier League, could make him an ideal candidate for the Chelsea role.
Although there has been no official contact as of yet, Abramovich wants the Champions League, and Benitez wants a job, it could be a match made in heaven.
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