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The Italian's appointment was met by scepticism by some, while Adam Lallana had no idea who he was, but he is now the hottest manager on the market

On the evening of October 22, 2022, Roberto De Zerbi was a man under pressure. He had only been Brighton boss for just over a month, but he had yet to win a game in the Premier League. A 3-1 loss at Manchester City represented a third defeat in his first five outings.

It was feared that all of Graham Potter's excellent work on the south coast was in serious danger of being undone, with the team having dropped from fourth to ninth following his departure to Chelsea. Maybe Graeme Souness had been right when he claimed that De Zerbi "doesn't know our game".

Yet those that actually do know the game could see that the Italian's daring tactical approach was starting to take root at Brighton.

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  'His impact in England will be massive'

  City may have triumphed that evening at the Etihad, but something very strange had happened: the reigning English champions had lost the battle for the ball. Brighton had restricted their hosts to just 48 percent possession.

  "They propose a type of game we're not used to," Pep Guardiola admitted afterwards, before boldly predicting, "De Zerbi's impact in England will be massive." Guardiola has a tendency to lavish meaningless praise on opponents but, on this occasion, he meant every word. And he's been proven right, too.

  Just seven months after his arrival in England was greeted with almost widespread scepticism, De Zerbi is being hailed as a tactical genius who has managed to marry the best principles of Pep's possession play with Jurgen Klopp's controlled counter-pressing chaos.

  Not that he's allowing the praise to go to his head. "I've been coaching for 10 years and I've learned to live in this world," he told the last month. "Now that the results are smiling at us, compliments and nice words abound. But it's important to know how to decipher them.

  "I don't want to change anything, just do what I'm capable of: leaving my imprint on the team. Here, I think I have succeeded in a short time, but the credit goes to the players."

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  'Almost father-son relationship with players'

  The Brighton squad wasn't against his appointment. But that was mainly because they had never heard of De Zerbi, as Adam Lallana is now "embarrassed" to admit. The former Liverpool midfielder has claimed, though, that he was the first Brighton player to understand what exactly Potter's replacement was trying to do, and thus played a key role in his team-mates embracing the new approach.

  "Even if he doesn't speak English well, and I don't speak Italian, we understood each other just by looking at each other," Lallana told the . "It was hard for us at the beginning, because Potter had left us while we were fourth in the table: we were all sad and not at all players like change. But I knew we had to go on, that we had to move on, also because there were immediately important games to play.

  "And I remember how De Zerbi immediately wanted to get things across to the group, how he wanted everything to change quickly, and convey the passion and love he has for football. It took a little bit of time, but I think we still adapted very, very quickly, with an open mind and a willingness to hear what he had to say.

  "We started to see that things worked his way because of the way he is as a person, the almost father-son relationship he creates with the players. I remember telling him to let me know what he wanted, that I was ready to explain to the team-mates why they had to follow him. And I did it: I explained that it would be difficult at the beginning, but that we would see the results and we would be successful."

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  Few better footballing sides in Europe

  He wasn't wrong. Brighton narrowly missed out on a place in the FA Cup final, losing on penalties to Manchester United in the last four, while ahead of Thursday's game against the same opposition, they sit eighth in the Premier League table, with games in hand over all of their rivals for a fifth-placed finish.

  What's most impressive about Brighton's results, though, is how they are being achieved. There are few better footballing sides in Europe right now, let alone England.

  While he still occasionally dabbles with Potter's three-man defence, De Zerbi has successfully implemented his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation, which he uses to put opponents in a most uncomfortable position. If they choose to sit back, Brighton will dominate possession and pick teams apart with some of the remaining principles of Potter-ball. If they elect to press, though, Brighton will pass through them, as swiftly and directly as possible.

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  'Launching the ball is the equivalent of gambling'

  Obviously, such a daring strategy requires the utmost quality and composure from each and every single player entrusted with possession of the ball. It feels like a high-risk tactic. There are those that frown upon building from the back and instead espouse knocking it long when required.

  De Zerbi, though, sees things very differently. "To me, launching the ball upfield and trying to win the second ball is the equivalent of gambling," he once told , "and since I don't like to bet, I prefer to train a team to bring the ball carefully out of defence."

  As he now freely admits himself, this Brighton side best exemplifies his footballing philosophy, the one with which he enjoys "the most harmony". He rather humbly puts that down to the foundations put in place by his predecessor Potter and the intelligence of his players, but Lallana has been astounded by just how quickly "he managed to get so many guys to play in such a specific way".

  "I think that's what makes him so incredible," the Englishman said. "He got a group of 25 players to follow him, to always stay focused, and to embrace his idea of football."

For years, the U.S. has been begging for a striker. Now, Gregg Berhalter's side has two that look ready for the big moments.

They say a rising tide lifts all boats. It's an old saying but, in sports, it's often true. Competition, more often than not, is a good thing, and the introduction of just one newcomer can sometimes take everyone and everything to a new level.

That was apparent on Tuesday night. The introduction of Folarin Balogun has raised the potential of the USMNT in the long-term, and it's clear that the new striker has lit under a fire under one that was once in his place.

Balogun and Ricardo Pepi both got on the scoresheet in the 4-0 win over Oman, scoring in either half with both playing 45 minutes. Balogun's goal was a poacher's effort, a solid finish on a rebound from a Sergino Dest striker. Pepi's, meanwhile, was another well-hit missile after he scored a similar blast against Uzbekistan.

Balogun now has two goals in under 300 USMNT minutes. Pepi, meanwhile, has six goals in six USMNT appearances as Balogun's arrival, and his World Cup snub, haven't deterred him in the slightest.

The strikers were big winners on Tuesday night, but they weren't the only winners for the USMNT. It was a complete performance from top to bottom, one that will leave Gregg Berhalter excited looking ahead to bigger tests next month against Germany and Ghana.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Allianz Field…

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  WINNER: Weston McKennie

  It was, at least partly, a function of the game, as Oman's 4-4-2 diamond left them exposed. However, there's no denying the performance McKennie put in in this one.

  The Juventus midfielder played a seemingly never-ending series of diagonal balls, routinely opening up Oman's defense. In the first half, in particular, McKennie made it feel like the game was being played under his control thanks to both his passing and effort.

  That passing was the most noticeable part of his game, but it was the effort that helped pave the way for the USMNT goal. It was his hustle that kept the sequence going, leading to Balogun's goal, and that effort never went away no matter how lopsided the score got.

  It was a big game for McKennie, one even better than his performance against Uzbekistan. Despite not getting on the scoresheet, he was likely the Man of the Match, making quite a statement as he heads back to Juventus.

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  LOSER: Argentina

  The smile on Benjamin Cremaschi's face said it all. As he prepared for to come in for his USMNT debut, the Inter Miami teenager was smiling from ear to ear. You could see this meant something to him.

  And that's great news for the USMNT, who may just have the inside track on his recruitment. Cremaschi may have Lionel Messi in one ear, but whatever the USMNT is saying in the other seems to be working.

  It wasn't a wildly eventful debut. Solid, but not spectacular, it's fair to say, as Cremaschi didn't look out of his depth against a team that, for most of the night, looked out of theirs. Still, the questions immediately turned towards the future: with this one USMNT appearance under his belt, what does that mean for his future with Argentina?

  "We didn't talk about that," Berhalter said. "We'll have time talk about it. To me, it was about letting him see the environment, letting him see the guys, get to know the guys, know the coaches.

  "His performance did nothing to change my opinion: I think he's a highly, highly talented player. He has exciting potential, and I think he showed that today."

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  WINNER: Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi

  It's felt like forever since the USMNT had a competent striker. It proved to be their undoing at the 2022 World Cup. If that team had someone, anyone, that could finish chances, who knows what that tournament would have looked like?

  These days, the U.S. doesn't just have one; they have at least two. Heck, it could be argued that there are three or four. But, on this day, the focus was on Balogun and Pepi, the clear frontrunners in this ever-changing striker race.

  After a fairly quiet game against Uzbekistan, Balogun made an early impact against Oman. His goal set the tone, leading to the onslaught that followed. Yet, Berhalter says he believes Balogun could have scored more and, in the future, he will as his teammates adjust to his game.

  "I think we're still trying to figure out the best way to utilize Balo because we know that he's high quality," Berhalter said. "He made a number of good runs behind the back line that we didn't pick up on so he's still integrating on that side of it."

  As for Pepi, Berhalter was quick to praise the striker, who has used his World Cup snub as fuel to start this cycle. He's been unstoppable for the U.S. so far this year and looks like he's recovered all of the confidence that was drained from him at Augsburg.

  If the Copa America were to start now, Balogun would likely be the guy up top, but don't write Pepi off just yet. Those two will continue to push each other, it seems, and that's great news for the U.S. after waiting so long to have goalscorers like this.

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  LOSER: Oman

  In his pregame availabilities, Berhalter routinely pointed to the dangers of Oman's counterattack. Despite not being a traditional power, Oman are a team that can cause teams problems. Just last year, they played Germany tight in a 1-0 loss, while this year, they already beat World Cup partcipant Saudi Arabia in the Gulf Cup.

  There was no danger, though, on Tuesday night. Oman had absolutely nothing for the USMNT.

  Routinely torched by the U.S. throughout, Oman's 4-4-2 diamond was picked apart. And, in the few moments when they did get the ball, the USMNT centerback swept up anything Oman tried to throw at them.

  Berhalter left the game thrilled with his team's defensive performances, saying that he gave Miles Robinson and Chris Richards game balls as co-Man of the Match.

  "We never do that," Berhalter said. "The reason why we did is because the counter attack was non-existent. Anytime they tried to run the channels, they were there."

  As complete as the U.S. performance was, it was equally poor from Oman, who will need to go back to the drawing board as they begin World Cup qualifying next month.

Here's where you can watch Inter Miami vs FC Dallas in MLS on TV or stream live.

When Inter Miami hosts Dallas at DVR PNK Stadium on Saturday night, it wo;; be trying to snap a four-game losing streak in the MLS.

The hosts are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, while the guests have had a little bit of a better start and are currently sixth in the Western Conference.

▶ Watch every MLS match, including the playoffs, here

Inter Miami had a very promising start to the MLS season, winning its first two games. However, in recent weeks, its record has declined, and it is currently outside the playoff spots.

The Herons have only collected six points from its first six games and in its most recent game, it lost 1-0 away against FC Cincinnati despite controlling possession.

Dallas had a very good 2022 season, finishing third in the Western Conference, but it was eliminated from the playoffs in the quarterfinals after losing 2-1 away to Austin FC.

The Hoops have had a respectable, if not amazing, start to the season. It has eight points after six games, which puts it in the playoff spots but already seven points behind St. Louis City at the top of the standings.

GOAL brings you everything you need to know about where to watch the game on TV and stream live online.

• Inter Miami vs FC Dallas date & kick-off time

  Game:	Inter Miami vs FC Dallas
  Date:	April 8, 2023
  Kick-off time:	7:30 pm ET
  Venue:	DRV PNK Stadium

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• Where to watch Inter Miami vs FC Dallas on TV & live stream online

  Fans in the United States & across the world can watch MLS with Apple TV MLS Season Pass.

  Country	TV channel	Live stream
  US	N/A	Apple TV

  • Check out GOAL's soccer on U.S. TV guide

• Team news & squads

  Inter Miami team news and squad

  Inter Milan will be without Robbie Robinson and Leonardo Campana due to calf strains, Edison Azcona with a sore hamstring, and Ian Fray and Noah Allen because of knee injuries.

  Inter Miami possible XI: Callender; Yedlin, Kryvtsov, McVey, Negri; Gregore, Mota; Pizarro, Ulloa, Jean; Martinez

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Callender, Marsman
  Defenders	Negri, McVey, Yedlin, Kryvtsov, Sailor
  Midfielders	Mota, Gregore, Pizarro, Ulloa, Jean, Duke, Cremaschi, Neville, Duke
  Forwards	Martinez, Lassiter

  FC Dallas team news and squad

  FC Dallas has Tarik Scott unavailable after he underwent ACL surgery while Ema Twumasi is suspended for the game.

  FC Dallas possible XI: Paes; Jesus, Tafari, Ibeagha, Farfan; Quignon, Cerrillo, Velasco; Obrian, Ferreira, Arriola

  Position	Players
  Goalkeepers	Paes, Maurer
  Defenders	Farfan, Geovane, Twusami, Martinez, Ibegaha, Korca
  Midfielders	Pomykal, Lleget, Cerrillo, Quignon, Ntsabeleng
  Forwards	Ferreira, Velasco, Arriola, Jimenez, Obria

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Many Wolves fans have been left to fume as a damning stat has emerged ahead of their game at West Brom in the Premier League on Monday evening.

As per Sky Sports, no team have scored fewer goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches in the top flight than Nuno Espirito Santo’s men (three), and two of those came against bottom-placed Sheffield United in their first fixture of the 2020/21 term.

The stat suggests that the Midlands club are coming into matches sluggish and will of course be on the back foot straight away. Given that the goals that would be provided by Raul Jimenez have been taken away as well, this is certainly not a good combination.

With Sam Allardyce’s team still in with a fighting chance of survival, the Molineux faithful will need to start a lot better than they have if they are to get a result in what is a big game in the Black Country Derby.

Wolves fans on damning stat

These Wanderers fumed upon reading the stat as it was shared on Twitter, with a couple of WWFC supporters even going as far as to claim that it was ’embarrassing’:

“Laughable.”

Credit: @bromWWFC

“Lies solely at the manager’s feet, terrible no plan B all season”

Credit: @MarkFel39423091

“That’s utterly disgraceful”

Credit: @TheAdmiral2153e

“I can perhaps understand some of the reasoning behind our mediocre season when people mention injuries and some experienced players not performing but stats like this really show that there are major deficiencies with Nuno’s system that are going completely unaddressed.”

Credit: @SamW160

“This actually so embarrassing. We’ve conceded so many goals too in those first 15 minutes. Shambles club”

Credit: @Joshua93Ww

“Embarrassing”

Credit: @WolvesNumber37

In other news, find out what big managerial update has been slammed by Wanderers here!

Dean Windass has exclusively told Football FanCast that Daniel Levy should consider Marcelo Bielsa as a potential replacement for Jose Mourinho.

With Tottenham out of Europe and likely to finish outside the top four, the Portuguese was sacked on Monday morning, meaning Levy’s search for a successor is well underway.

Former player Ryan Mason has been placed in temporary charge for the remainder of the season, with Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann the Spurs chairman’s number one target, although the likes of Brendan Rodgers and Wolves’ Nuno Espirito Santo have also been mentioned.

But with Bielsa’s contract at Elland Road expiring this summer and no agreement for him to extend his stay in Yorkshire as things stand, Windass believes that he’s one Tottenham should be looking at.

Asked whether he thinks the Argentine could be tempted by the move to north London, Windass told Football FanCast:

“Good shout, good shout. Yeah, without a doubt. Who knows what Bielsa is thinking, but he would be one on the lips of Daniel Levy.

“We won’t have to worry about it until the end of the season because Ryan [Mason] has got it, so good luck to the kid.”

Leicester City have been linked with a number of wide options heading into the summer transfer window.

Two of the most prominent names have been Florian Thauvin of Olympique Marseille and Borussia Dortmund’s Thorgan Hazard.

It is certainly key that the Foxes bring in another wide option next season with on-loan Cengiz Under set to return to AS Roma. It should definitely be the former Newcastle United man Thauvin who Brendan Rodgers and Jon Rudkin target.

Both at the same age of 28, albeit Hazard being two months younger, the Frenchman is enjoying a much better season throughout 2020/21.

He has eight goals and nine assists in all competitions for Marseille, whilst the Dortmund man can only boast three goals and four assists, the lowest amount of goal contributions he has racked up in a single season throughout the entirety of his senior top-flight career.

Whilst Thauvin is clearly excelling thanks to his tangible output throughout the current campaign, the £25.2m-rated wideman continues to outperform Hazard in his general play.

[snack-amp-story url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/latest-leicester-city-news%2c-transfer-rumours-and-more-mcgregor-iheanacho-soyuncu-dewsbury-hall-rodgers” title=” Latest Leicester City news, transfer rumours and more… “]

According to WhoScored, he attempts more than double the Belgian’s shots per game in the league, racking up two per match in Ligue 1, compared to the Dortmund man’s 0.7 per game in the Bundeslliga.

Thauvin’s composure and threat on the ball continues when looking at his 1.6 dribbles per game compared to Hazard’s paltry total of just 0.4. For context, even Leicester defender Wesley Fofana has completed more than that with his 0.6 per game according to WhoScored.

Meanwhile, the former Newcastle man is far more of a creative influence too, providing 1.5 key passes compared to Hazard’s 0.8.

So, whilst on paper, both Thauvin and Hazard may seem like extremely similar players, the former is the stand-out right-winger.

He then should certainly be Leicester’s number one priority should they, as is expected, choose to recruit a wideman in the summer transfer window.

AND in more news, the Foxes have been dealt a huge blow in the race for Celtic Odsonne Edouard…

Everton slipped up in the race for Europe with a home draw against Crystal Palace on Monday evening.

James Rodriguez had set the Blues on course for a precious three points, but Michy Batshuayi struck in the 86th minute to deny them.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side remain eighth in the table, but West Ham’s victory at Wolves means they have slipped five points off the top four, albeit with a game in hand.

Same old story for Everton

The result represented a continuation of Everton’s poor home form after defeats against the likes of Fulham, Newcastle and Burnley earlier in the season.

After the game, 27 year-old Lucas Digne took to Twitter in a bid to reassure supporters that the team would continue battling.

“We have the opportunity to do better but it’s football, keep going,” he wrote.

Digne had actually played reasonably well – he created three chances – but that didn’t stop fans venting their anger in the replies.

Everton fans air their frustration in response to Digne tweet

“Lucas it’s hard supporting this team sometimes. I was 15 last time I saw Everton win anything and I’m now 40. It is the same year on year and you become numb to it. It’s down to you as a team, if you collectively put the effort in then you win.”

Credit: @PaulSaul2001

“If only the players knew or cared how much we want and need this. Yes keep going, but please can you start winning.”

Credit: @jazzyjjo89

“It’s not football mate, it’s a case of not performing at the standard we expect, the home form is terrible and the lack of quality up top today was disappointing to say the least, we expect far better than recent performances.”

Credit: @18_JUNIOR_78

“You’ve had plenty of opportunities to do better…after the Fulham game, after the Newcastle game etc etc…heard it all before. Until the squad improves you lot will continue to disappoint.”

Credit: @5teVanDamme

“Not good enough lad, keep saying the same stuff week in week out”

Credit: @mxrganhulme7

“It’s April. We’ve won one match at Goodison this year. That’s not good enough. As a team, collective responsibility should be taken.”

Credit: @jimefc81

“Sounds like excuses every week, it’s really not good enough.”

Credit: @pbo1379

“Sorry mate but we’ve completely bottled this season”

Credit: @SlendermanXXI

In other news, a football finance expert has made a prediction about Everton’s spending.

After it was announced that Sergio Aguero will leave Manchester City in the summer earlier this week, there have been plenty of reports linking Pep Guardiola’s side with possible replacements.

However, City could be set to lose 18-year-old Liam Delap, who has been touted as a potential long-term replacement for the Argentine this summer, after it was reported that Real Madrid are considering a move for the teenager.

According to the Daily Star, the Spanish giants are weighing up a move for the former Derby County youngster, who has excelled in Manchester City’s academy sides since joining.

Despite only turning 18 in February, Delap has been a regular in City’s under-23 side this season and has been scoring for fun in the Premier League 2, with 20 goals in just 15 appearances so far this term.

His superb form in the academy has seen him make three senior appearances in Guardiola’s side this season, which included a debut goal in the 2-1 win against Bournemouth in the Carabao Cup earlier in the season.

After scoring a brace for the under-18s earlier in the season, manager Carlos Vicens was full of praise for Delap, saying:

“We know Liam very well, I worked with him all last season and he’s a winner.

“He’s a guy who loves being around this group of players, enjoys being on the pitch and obviously with his passion, his energy, his power, he’s almost a guy that creates fear when he’s on the pitch.”

With only Gabriel Jesus currently available as a senior option up front for Guardiola ahead of next season, the Spanish manager will be desperate to keep hold of Delap, who is clearly destined for a big future with the Citizens, but he may well be tempted away by the glamour of Real Madrid.

Therefore, City should do everything they can to keep hold of the teenage striker, as Guardiola would surely not be happy if he were allowed to leave.

In other news… Man City suffer potentially huge transfer blow with £80m-rated beast Pep dubbed “world-class”

Former Newcastle United star Keith Gillespie has exclusively told Transfer Tavern that the club will lose the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson if they are relegated to the Championship this season.

The Magpies have been in dire form under Steve Bruce and find themselves 17th in the Premier League table.

They have not won any of their last five games and currently sit just two points clear of 18th-placed Fulham. A win for Scott Parker’s men against Aston Villa, coupled with Newcastle losing to Tottenham Hotspur, would see Bruce’s men drop into the relegation zone.

They face a horror run-in, too, playing West Ham United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Leicester City and Manchester City in succession, while their last game of the season comes against Fulham.

Saint-Maximin and Wilson have been shining lights in a dismal season, the former’s electric dribbling and pace leading to two goals and three assists in 16 games, while Wilson has scored 10 goals in 21 outings, though he has struggled with injury issues.

And Gillespie, who played for the club 1995 and 1998, believes that the pair, along with Miguel Almiron, will almost certainly depart if the Magpies do drop through the trapdoor.

He told TT: “It’s really tough for them. Saint-Maximin, Almiron and Wilson are their creative players.

“I wouldn’t expect those players to be there next year if they go down because they are Premier League class players.

“They’ll be wanting to play at the top level.”

West Ham visit Manchester United on Sunday looking to stake their claim to Champions League qualification, but David Moyes has revealed there are a number of injury concerns.

The Irons are six points behind the Red Devils, albeit with a game in hand, and can put the pressure on fourth-placed Chelsea with a win after the Blues’ goalless draw with Leeds United on Saturday.

Manchester United have beaten West Ham in each of their previous two meetings this season, but required extra time to eliminate the Irons from the FA Cup last month. However, their Premier League form has been underwhelming, with five draws in their last eight fixtures.

Moyes will be without Jesse Lingard at Old Trafford, with the on-loan midfielder ineligible to face his parent club. With that in mind, here’s a potential line-up the Hammers may field…

Moyes confirmed on Friday that West Ham are facing a number of injury concerns ahead of travelling to Manchester United this weekend, but hopes that those facing late fitness tests will be able to feature.

“We’ve got a couple of slight doubts behind the scenes on a couple of players, who have just picked up slight injuries which I’m hoping will be okay,” he said. “I won’t know until tomorrow [Saturday] to see how a couple of them are going.

“That’s just something I’m nursing behind the scenes a little bit. It might be that they’re all okay, it might be that they’re not okay – that’s where it is.”

Lingard will be one who cannot feature against the Red Devils due to the terms of West Ham’s loan agreement, depriving Moyes of a four-goal, two-assist option who has been involved in more goals than any Hammers player since his arrival at the London Stadium.

“He’ll be a big loss because he’s had a big impact on the team and how we’ve played. He’s been a positive signing for us, coming in in January, so it is a loss to us, but we’ve got other people,” Moyes added.

Lingard is likely to be the only player who started Monday’s 2-0 win over Leeds to be withdrawn from the West Ham line-up against Manchester United, barring a tactical shift from the east London outfit or a late injury.

Jarrod Bowen will be expected to take over the England international’s place in the team and replace Pablo Fornals on the right wing, with the Spaniard changing sides and Said Benrahma moving centrally.

Bowen has not started either of West Ham’s last two Premier League games after falling out of the team which beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 last month, although the £25m-rated maestro has won plaudits this season, with Dean Windass telling Football FanCast that “he’s proved me wrong”.

Sunday’s trip to Old Trafford will be a big test for Benrahma after Moyes vocalised his desires to see a better end product from the Algerian after beating Leeds.

Benrahma is yet to score in claret and blue since his initial arrival on loan from Brentford last summer, while providing five assists in 22 appearances, of which he has started 12, across all competitions.

Moyes could look to reduce his forward options in Lingard’s absence, which may open the door for Ben Johnson to feature at left-back in a return to a five-man defence, or Mark Noble to start in a more congested engine room to try and thwart the dangerous Bruno Fernandes.

In other news, West Ham are keen to sign a “special talent” who his manager feels “privileged” to have in his squad…