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Everton will be hoping to return to winning ways when they take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in their Premier League clash at Molineux this evening.

Rafa Benitez’s charges have fallen to consecutive defeats at the hands of West Ham United and Watford in recent weeks following a fast start to the season, dropping the Toffees down to ninth in the table.

However, injuries to several key players have played their part in Everton’s recent slump and a much-needed victory over Wolves could take them back to within three points of the Champions League qualification places.

In Friday’s press conference, Benitez revealed he has no fresh fitness concerns, while star forward Richarlison is doing well in his return to full fitness.

The Spanish tactician is still expected to be without Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Yerry Mina for many weeks, but their enforced absences will present plenty of opportunities for fringe players to impress.

With that in mind, here’s how Football FanCast expects the 61-year-old to line up for today’s trip to the Midlands, with two changes from the side that started last time out…

England’s No.1 goalkeeper Jordan Pickford will keep his place between the sticks after carrying his good form at the end of last season and at the Euro’s into the current campaign.

Ahead of the 27-year-old is set to be a familiar back four. Although they conceded five goals against Watford in their previous outing, Mina’s hamstring problem means all of Lucas Digne, Ben Godfrey, Michael Keane and Seamus Coleman are likely to feature from the off.

There could be many changes made by Benitez in the Everton engine room, though. Doucoure’s absence was ruthlessly exposed by the Hornets, meaning a change of shape may be brought in to compensate.

That means Jean-Philippe Gbamin may get his first league start of 2021/22, lining up alongside Tom Davies and Allan in the midfield as the Blues look to sure things up in the centre of the pitch.

In attack, the £4.5m-rated Salomon Rondon is likely to be axed after failing to find the back of the net in his seven outings so far this term. That means, despite a lack of fitness, Richarlison starts up top. He is accompanied by Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend who occupy the wings.

And, in other news…Forget Doucoure: Rafa must unleash £65k-p/w EFC “monster”, he could be a game-changer 

Tottenham have held talks with a Championship club over an early exit agreement for striker Kion Etete, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Etete’s 2021/22

Etete, who made the move to north London from Notts County back in 2019, is currently on loan at League One side Cheltenham Town.

Labelled as ‘excellent’ by Harry Kewell, the 20-year-old has contributed to five goals in nine games.

Etete spent the first half of the current campaign with League Two side Northampton Town, where he netted six times, and it looks as if his natural progression will continue in the Championship next season.

The Latest: Source shares talks

Football Insider, who were informed by a Spurs source, shared a story on Etete on Thursday afternoon.

They revealed that Tottenham are lining up another loan move for the forward in the summer and have already held talks with a Championship side ahead of a possible early agreement.

The Verdict: Makes sense…

Etete appears to be making fine progress in the Football League, so a move to the second tier could well be the correct choice.

What matters most, though, is that Etete, who shares the same agent as Ryan Sessegnon, is playing regularly, as he has been this term.

Spurs have reportedly been left furious at Charlton Athletic’s handling of young midfielder Nile John, so if regular minutes can be guaranteed in the Championship for Etete, an early agreement could be a shrewd move.

In other news: Spurs now planning move for ‘brilliant’ player who left Pirlo amazed; valued at just £13.5m. 

Some West Brom supporters have slaughtered Karlan Grant’s performance in the Baggies’ disappointing goalless draw with Derby County.

Valerien Ismael’s side could only draw 1-1 at home to Millwall last weekend, although the point still took them to the top of the Championship.

On Tuesday night, West Brom faced another home league game, with Derby widely expected to be swatted aside at the Hawthorns.

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, however, with the Baggies unable to break down their opponents, eventually having to settle for a 0-0 draw.

One player who struggled was Grant, with the striker offering very little in the first half and eventually being substituted at the interval.

It was another performance that suggested the 23-year-old isn’t good enough to lead the line for Ismael’s side.

West Brom fans unhappy with Grant performance

These West Brom fans took to Twitter to criticise Grant’s display.

“Poor half #WBA too much long ball. Best passages of play have been quick sharp passing on the floor. Grant has been anonymous I was surprised he started. Would have Phillips on for him”

Credit: @beechyboy90

“I honestly hadn’t realised Grant was playing”

Credit: @HappyB79

“Grady Hugill Robbo on Saturday and it should have been those three starting last night. Grant offers absolutely nothing”

Credit: @Jackk_Ross

“Because Grant was absolutely shocking in the first half. Couldn’t tell he was even playing. Not so sure on Robbo though”

Credit: @ItsSamson2

“Unfortunately Grant is looking like a really poor signing for the money we have committed to pay, which despite what some think is actually £15m plus wages”

Credit: @Baggeridgebaggy

“We have to play Hugill, Grady and Robinson. Grant and Philips poor again”

Credit: @WBA78part2

In other news, some West Brom fans have been showing their love for one player. Find out who it is here.

Former England international Carlton Palmer insists that Mikel Arteta cannot replicate the style of Manchester City at Arsenal because the players simply aren’t good enough.

The Gunners are in dire straits after an absolutely appalling start to the season.

Arsenal have not scored a goal in the Premier League and have lost 2-0 to both Brentford and Chelsea, and been thumped 5-0 by City.

Arteta, of course, worked as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at the Etihad Stadium between 2016 and 2019.

He has routinely attempted to implement a style of football in which Arsenal keep possession, pass the ball, and press high up the pitch.

This season, that has not paid any dividends and Palmer believes that the tactical style is actually limiting some of the club’s best players, including Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

The Gabon international scored just 10 goals last season, in 29 games, having scored 22 times in 36 games the campaign prior.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Palmer said: “You look at Arteta who’s coming in there, he wants to give it a Man City flare, but they haven’t got Man City players.

“The striker, who will score you 25, 30 goals, has gone off the boil because now it’s pass, pass, pass. He’s not that player. He need the ball fed through for him to run onto to score.

“He needs the ball gone early for him to score. Arsenal have lost that identity of what they’re about. Arteta’s trying to bring a Man City feel to Arsenal when he hasn’t got the players to do that. So I’ve said before the start of the season, I think Arsenal will struggle, I really do believe they’ll struggle, I don’t see them being any better than ninth or tenth in the league.”

Leeds United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup fourth round on Tuesday night by Arsenal thanks to goals from Calum Chambers and Eddie Nketiah.

Marcelo Bielsa chose a very strong starting line-up for the game, and would no doubt have been left very disappointed with how some of his first-team regulars performed, not least Tyler Roberts.

The Wales international has endured a nightmare start to the current campaign, with his latest shocker against the Gunners meaning he has now gone 12 games without a single goal or assist.

Against Arsenal, he was similarly ineffective, struggling to really get a hold of the ball and link up with the likes of Rodrigo and Dan James up top – in fact, he made just six successful passes in the entire time that he was on the pitch.

None of his three shots found the target, while he made no successful dribbles, and it was no surprise that Bielsa eventually hooked him for Joe Gelhardt just minutes into the second-half.

And, writing in his post-match player ratings, Leeds Live’s Beren Cross was particularly critical of him.

He said: “Not a whole lot fell for him, but another game with limited impact going forward from Roberts, who was hooked very swiftly after another failure to execute a promising opportunity with his back to goal and Arsenal out of shape.”

That feeling was shared by The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth, who added: “A couple of nice moments aside, didn’t take his chance again. Little surprise to see him withdrawn.”

Given Gelhardt is now seriously pushing for a place in the first-team, Roberts’ underwhelming display at the Emirates on Tuesday will have given Bielsa plenty of food for thought going forward.

Does the Leeds boss finally drop the underperforming Welshman, and give Gelhardt the chance to shine from the off.

Meanwhile, this Leeds star just embarrassed Bielsa vs Arsenal…

Tottenham Hotspur target Weston McKennie has reportedly knocked back the chance to sign for West Ham United in favour of a move to north London this summer [Gazzetta dello Sport print edition August 26th via Hammers News].

The Lowdown: Spurs look to tie up remaining business

With the transfer window set to slam shut in England on the 31st August, Lilywhites manager Nuno Espirito Santo will be desperate to tie up any remaining business as he plots success on both domestic and European fronts this campaign.

Recruiting intelligently so far within the window, the Portuguese boss has signed three first-team – Pierluigi Gollini, Bryan Gil and Cristian Romero [Transfermarkt].

Now, Spurs could be set for a major boost in their pursuit of 22-year-old McKennie, owing to reports in Italian media circles.

The Latest: McKennie rejects West Ham move

USA international McKennie is allegedly said to have rejected a move to the London Stadium in favour of a switch to Tottenham Hotspur this summer [Gazzetta dello Sport print edition August 26th via Hammers News].

The 6 foot tall ace is said to have opened talks with Tottenham over a move, however any deal would cost somewhere in the region just under £40 million [Independent].

Axel Witsel looks to have been earmarked as a potential replacement for Mckenzie in Turin, should the American depart before the end of the window [Tuttosport].

The Verdict: McKennie addition would excite the Tottenham Hotspur support

In need of midfield reinforcements, the decision made by McKennie to reject a move to the Hammers in search of a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will no doubt excite the Lilywhites support.

Possessing the capability to dictate play in central areas, he would bring some much-needed control and stability to the Spurs line up.

In 2020/21, he excelled for his current employers, registering nine goal contributions in 46 appearances; six goals and three assists [Transfermarkt].

Patrolling the middle of the park with his impressive ball retention, McKennie managed to record a pass accuracy of 85.4% across the piece in Serie A [WhoScored].

Once labelled as ‘outstanding’ by former Schalke executive manager Christian Heidel, Tottenham should look to finalise the deal before the end of the window [Schalke 04 Official].

In other news, a Spurs ace is in line for a surprise summer window exit. Find out more here.

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have gone wild for the latest update on their chase to sign Manchester United attacker Jesse Lingard this window.

Manager David Moyes is keen to bring the England international to east London on a permanent deal following a hugely successful 2020/2021 loan spell at West Ham.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-updates/” title=”West Ham latest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The 29-year-old bagged nine goals and four assists in just 16 Premier League starts over the second half of last campaign, but despite West Ham’s efforts, he didn’t join permanently in the summer window.

Instead, he chose to remain at his current club, a decision which has resulted in very little game time and broken down new contract talks as he now eyes a move away from Old Trafford.

The Daily Mirror, sharing an update on the situation, have now shared some very promising news out of West Ham.

According to their information, Lingard is now ‘ready’ to to leave United and ‘seal’ a permanent move to the Hammers – with manager Moyes and the club ‘determined’ to get it done before January 31.

West Ham fans go wild…

Flocking to this claim, given Lingard is now apparently ready to join, it’s little wonder some supporters believe this is a ‘very exciting’ development.

The Three Lions ace shone at West Ham last season and has been described as a would-be ‘massive signing’ for Moyes who could gift the club ‘another dimension’ (Paul Robinson, Football Insider).

There is little denying his coup would be a good move for Rob Newman and co with many Irons supporters certainly giving their thumbs up.

Find all of their best reactions from Twitter down below:

“Please please please please”

Credit: @Kayron27

“Tears in my eyes. Finally. Waiting for that certified yes from @ExWHUemployee”

Credit: @ovo_forbes

“COME ON”

Credit: @moyes_boy

“Don’t get me gassedddddddd”

Credit: @H_RICHY

“Very exciting news!”

Credit: @GoFlamesGo89

“Time to come home”

Credit: @DJ_Khalid3112

“PLEASE BE TRUE”

Credit: @ereags2022

“Imagine lingard and digne, what a start to the window”

Credit: @KyleMaccer17

In other news: Sky Sports journalist: West Ham join race to sign ‘big name’ dynamo with club now set to sell, find out more here.

Rangers have been hit with a fresh injury concern over Ibrox central midfielder Aaron Ramsey…

What’s the latest?

Gio van Bronckhorst has confirmed that the Wales international suffered a hamstring setback in the Scottish Cup win on Sunday.

The on-loan gem was forced off in the first half with the score at 0-0 as Scott Wright was pressed into action earlier than he may have expected, with the Gers going on to win 2-1 in extra time to make it to the final of the competition.

However, they could have to play in the showpiece clash without Ramsey if this knock rules him out for a number of weeks.

Journalist Phil Cadden quoted the head coach as saying: “He had a problem with his hamstring. It didn’t look really good. We will have to assess him, but of course it is a blow for us that he will be out. I don’t know for how long. We just have to assess him on Monday and see where he is.”

Van Bronckhorst will be infuriated

This is a huge blow for the Gers and van Bronckhorst will be furious with this latest injury issue for the midfielder as it has been an almost constant problem for him since arriving in January.

Ramsey has only started four matches in the Premiership and Europa League combined for the club as he has been dealing with his own fitness in recent months. The Juventus man has been unable to string a run of matches together and now looks set for another spell on the sidelines.

Until Rangers know the extent of the damage it is impossible to gauge how long he will be out for action for. Hamstring injuries can range from days to months to recover from depending on the grade of the tear and this means that he could be back next week or it could be his season over and done with.

Losing him for any number of matches will be a huge blow as he has shown that he does have the quality to make a big impact when he does play. He has scored two goals in his three Premiership starts, including one against Celtic in the Old Firm, and has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.98 in the division.

Ramsey can score from midfield and has the experience in European competition that can be vital against RB Leipzig in the semi-finals of the Europa League. He has played for Arsenal and Juventus in Europe and this means that he knows what it takes to perform at that level, making his potential absence against the German side a sizeable concern for the head coach and that is another reason why he will be furious with this injury blow.

AND in other news, Forget Arfield: “Superb” £24k-p/w Rangers machine was “out of this world” today…

Everton’s first victory since 25 September on Monday night steadied the ship on Merseyside, but the club remains firmly in a state of transition and disorder.

What’s the story?

Ahead of their crucial clash with Arsenal, it was announced that former director of football Marcel Brands had departed the Toffees, citing “a clear difference in the vision and direction” that he and the board wanted to take the club in.

The Dutchman followed Sarvar Ismailov out of the Goodison Park exit door, leaving Chairman Bill Kenwright, chief executive officer Denise Barrett-Baxendale and finance chief Grant Ingles as the only remaining board members.

Upon Brands’ departure, it was revealed via a club statement that a “strategic review of the football structure” will take place at Everton, and the Liverpool ECHO reporter Phil Kirkbride has provided an update on the situation.

He wrote: “Everton are planning to find two new board members following the departures of Marcel Brands and Sarvar Ismailov. And the ECHO understands that further additions to the Goodison top table have not been ruled out.”

Moshiri must axe Bill Kenwright

News that big changes are not expected at Everton will leave large sections of the club’s supporters extremely concerned and may have some calling for more of the hierarchy to depart, given their extensive failings in recent years.

According to TransferLeague, the Toffees have the third-highest net spend on transfers in the Premier League over the last five years, with their £275m outlay only falling behind Manchester United and Manchester City.

However, they have not had the results or any silverware to show for it. In that time, Everton have finished seventh, eighth twice, 10th and 12th, highlighting their huge underperformance both on and off the pitch.

The Blues’ fanbase has been growing ever-more frustrated with the club’s chiefs in recent weeks, unfurling a banner against them at Brentford and chanting ‘sack the board’ during the Merseyside before hosting a walk-out in protest on Monday.

And it’s Kenwright who appears to be taking the majority of the flack. Journalist Richard Buxton highlighted why in a recent tweet, questioning what the 76-year-old actually does behind the scenes.

He wrote: “What is Bill Kenwright’s defined role as Everton chairman? Yes, he’s involved in the day-to-day running but when it comes to the high-ranking decisions (managers, transfers etc) Moshiri’s autonomy renders him little more than a legacy figure with a fancy title.”

Therefore, despite Everton languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table, owner Farhad Moshiri ought to be wielding the axe upstairs once more rather than putting extra pressure on manager Rafa Benitez.

The Merseyside outfit’s issues run far deeper than the person sitting in the dugout on a Saturday afternoon, and unless extensive changes are made, their issues are likely to continue for many years yet.

And, in other news…Rafa must seal EFC swoop for “complete” £51k-p/w beast who plays like Platini & Zidane 

Celtic writer and podcaster John McGinley was full of praise for young forward Karamoko Dembele during the Glasgow Cup semi-final clash between the Hoops’ B side and Rangers B. 

The lowdown: Old Firm defeat

Following on from the senior side’s extra-time loss to their cross-city rivals at Hampden Park, the young Celts were unable to exact revenge.

Despite taking the lead in the away clash through Mikey Johnston, the Hoops were pegged back before the game was eventually decided on penalties as it finished 2-2 after yet more extra time tension.

Ultimately, Celtic B were unable to progress, but one starlet in particular caught the eye of those keen observers…

The latest: McGinley impressed

Taking to Twitter, football journalist McGinley was quick to credit the contribution of Dembele.

“Karamoko Dembele key in the build-up to Celtic’s first goal today and his assist for the second was pretty special.”

The 19-year-old has largely been an afterthought in Ange Postecoglou’s plans with just ten senior appearances in total, barely being seen by fans this season with just 20 minutes of first-team action across 2021/22.

The verdict: New deal pending?

Out of contract at the end of this campaign (Transfermarkt), standout performances such as this should encourage Celtic to do everything in their power to keep the talented teenager at the club.

Capped on 27 occasions at various youth levels by both England and Scotland, the London-born attacker clearly possesses plenty of potential and having already lost Ben Doak recently, the Hoops need to be careful not to let another star of the future walk away.

Albeit unlikely that Dembele appears again this season given the strength in depth at Celtic Park and the magnitude of each remaining game, next term could well be a breakthrough one for the starlet who has shone in Tommy McIntyre’s side.

In other news, former Celtic striker Chris Sutton has been left fuming. Read more here.