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Liverpool will head to the south coast this weekend to take on Brighton and Hove Albion in their FA Cup fourth-round clash and Jurgen Klopp has been dealt another injury blow ahead of their visit.

What’s the latest?

The Liverpool boss took to his pre-match press conference to confirm that Fabio Carvalho is the latest to join the long injury list accumulating at Anfield.

Klopp told the media:

“Fabio has a little thing, but he will not be ready,” he said. “Maybe he can train today but will not be 100 per cent for the weekend.”

It’s bad news for Klopp

There is no doubt that the blow to Carvalho will be frustrating for Klopp as the manager likes to rotate in the FA Cup as much as he possibly can to ensure his team remain fresh in the busy schedule of fixtures over the second half of the season.

The Reds are currently ninth in the Premier League, knocked out of the Carabao Cup and have a huge two-leg Champions League tie heading their way in a few weeks time when they face their European rivals Real Madrid, so the German coach will be doing his best to ensure his team are in good condition to take on the challenges ahead.

Liverpool are currently without Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota, Virgil van Dijk, Arthur Melo and Roberto Firmino alongside Carvalho, so the manager’s options will be considerably weakened when they head to Brighton.

Over 11 Premier League appearances so far this season, the 20-year-old attacker has scored two goals and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles, as well as averaging one shot on goal and 1.8 duels won per game, despite only averaging 31 minutes per performance and falling even further out of favour since Cody Gakpo’s arrival.

Brighton have put three goals past Liverpool twice this season already with a 3-3 draw in October and a 3-0 victory over the Merseysiders at home earlier this month, so Klopp will certainly feeling the pressure when returning to the Amex Stadium on Sunday and will be hoping to break the trend to progress to the next round comfortably.

With that being said, Klopp will need to deploy his strongest team possible in order to stump an on-form Brighton side tomorrow as crashing out of the FA Cup would be another knock to the confidence of the squad and will be frustrating for the Anfield faithful.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed that West Ham United are now prepared to sell Harrison Ashby in the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

As per Jacobs, the Hammers were desperate to keep the young defender just a matter of weeks ago with Premier League sides keen on signing him with Newcastle United already putting in a bid this winter.

Ashby has seemed to draw a lot of interest in his signature in recent times, with Leeds United also said to have been keeping an eye on the situation in the past.

And while that latest offer from the Magpies was supposedly rejected, it sounds as though West Ham are still prepared to sell and they are just holding out for the right price.

Indeed, when talking on NUFC Matters, Jacobs has claimed that the club didn’t want to let Ashby go at first but have now “completely changed their position”.

He said (28:14): “So West Ham have completely changed their position. Now, they are open to a sale, because they don’t just want to lose the 21-year-old for free.

And he’s played in the Papa John’s trophy and Premier League 2 this season. And he’s made, I think, a handful of appearances for the under-21 side as well.

“So again, you’re not saying: ‘We’ll hang on to your keep us up in the Premier League’. You’re basically saying: ‘What’s the point in keeping a player that says he won’t sign, in our Academy, in our youth setup, in our Premier League 2 squad, if come the end of the season, he’s just going to walk away for free?’

“And that is why there is very likely to be an agreement between the clubs over the coming days. here are a few others looking at him as well.”

Right decision?

It’s interesting that Jacobs mentions that a “few others” are keeping tabs on the situation beyond just Newcastle who have already placed a bid this January.

As mentioned earlier, Leeds were previously keen on the player and with their young right-back Cody Drameh just heading off on loan to Luton Town for the rest of the season, perhaps they’ll be in the market for a new signing in that part of the field.

Up to this point his career, at 21 years of age, Ashby has featured only seven times for West Ham at senior level but has been a regular for the academy team.

With that in mind, even if he was to leave in the summer for free and join an English club, the Hammers would be entitled to some sort of compensation fee.

However, the club must feel as though they can make more financially from a sale now instead of waiting for that to go to a tribunal. It will be interesting to see what figure they have in mind and if Newcastle or anyone else will be willing to meet in the next few days.

An update has emerged on Arsenal and their pursuit of a deal to sign winger Mykhailo Mudryk during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that the Gunners are on the right track to securing a transfer for the Shakhtar Donetsk wide man this month.

He Tweeted: “Told very positive talks took place between Arsenal and Shakhtar on Monday. As reported, sources close to Mudryk say he will be “very disappointed” if a transfer doesn’t happen in January. #CFC have not placed any bid following their own meeting with Shakhtar.”

The reporter added: “Arsenal have still indicated, directly and via intermediaries, they don’t want to pay €100m. But structure of the deal being discussed will be more important than the final number. Shakhtar wanted more money upfront from the second bid (under €70m).”

Jacobs then Tweeted: “Told discussed offer will increase overall total but with some less ‘gettable’ add ons. It means #AFC can stick within valuation (& top-end of guaranteed fee they wish to pay) & offer extras that are either less likely or simply worth paying because tied to success if triggered.”

Kevin de Bruyne 2.0

Mikel Arteta worked with Belgian superstar Kevin de Bruyne during his time as Manchester City’s assistant manager, which lasted for 201 competitive matches, and could land his own version of the gem by signing Mudryk.

Pep Guardiola’s midfield magician has been in sensational form in the Premier League this season and is once again showing that he is one of the best in the business when it comes to creating chances.

The 31-year-old has registered nine assists – three more than any other player in the division – in 17 top-flight matches but has created a whopping 18 ‘big chances’ and averaged 3.5 key passes per game this term.

He ranks in the 99th and 99th percentiles respectively for non-penalty goals and assists per 90 amongst his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues and European competition over the last 365 days, which shows that he is one of the best attacking midfielders on the continent in terms of scoring and creating goals.

Mudryk, whose pace was described as “frightening” by journalist Josh Bunting, ranks in the 99th and 98th percentile respectively in the same statistics for Shakhtar Donetsk over the last 365 days.

The 22-year-old produced three goals and two assists in six Champions League outings for his club earlier this season and has racked up seven goals and six assists in 12 matches in the Ukrainian top-flight.

He has shown incredible promise at his young age and his statistics indicate that he could have a similar creative impact to the one that de Bruyne is currently having for Manchester City – Arsenal’s title rivals.

Newcastle United could well have been handed the ideal opportunity to strengthen their forward ranks on the cheap in the New Year, with reports in Spain having claimed that the Magpies have been offered the chance to sign Barcelona’s Memphis Depay on a cut-price deal next month.

The suggestion is that the 28-year-old could well be available for as little as €10m (£9m) in the January window, with the La Liga giants looking to cash in with just six months remaining on the playmaker’s current contract at Camp Nou.

The Netherlands international has largely been on the periphery in Catalonia since his move from Lyon back in the summer of 2021, although the 86-cap gem still boasts a respectable haul of 14 goals in just 41 games for the club to date.

Simply a “joy to watch” when in his pomp – in the words of former Holland boss Ronald Koeman – the fleet-footed forward was particularly impressive during his time in France, having scored 76 goals and provided 55 assists in 178 games in all competitions for the Ligue 1 outfit.

Although the £172k-per-week man’s previous spell in the Premier League proved ultimately forgettable – as he scored just seven times in 53 games for Manchester United – the experienced asset has typically thrived at the elite level over the years, notably scoring in the win over the USA at the World Cup in Qatar in recent times.

Were Newcastle boss Eddie Howe to bring Depay to St James’ Park, the deal would not only help to bolster his firepower, but also evoke memories of another Dutchman to have arrived in the northeast from Barcelona in the form of Patrick Kluivert.

The now-retired striker was snapped up by Sir Bobby Robson back in the summer of 2004, with the former Ajax youth product having made the move to England on a free transfer after coming towards the end of his contract with La Blaugrana.

Although the marksman’s spell at the club would ultimately prove rather brief – as he returned to the Spanish top flight to join Valencia just a year later – he certainly made his mark with the Magpies, having been lauded as a “special player” by ex-teammate Jermaine Jenas only recently.

Even if the deal may not have panned out quite as intended, as the swift nature of his exit can illustrate, Kluivert was still able to showcase his undoubted class in attack amid injury woes, having recorded a respectable tally of 13 goals in 37 games in all competitions during that 2004/05 campaign.

The hope would be that the addition of Depay could prove even more fruitful were he to join in 2023, with the case of his compatriot having illustrated that being able to sign such a high-profile figure for a bargain price is simply too good an opportunity to turn down.

With the former Red Devils man boasting a haul of 147 goals in his club career thus far at senior level, the chances are he could prove to be a real coup for Howe and co.

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has provided his verdict on reported Celtic target Cho Gue-sung following speculation linking the South Korea international with a move to Parkhead.

What’s the word?

The Scottish Sun revealed at the end of last month that the Old Firm outfit had joined the race for the 24-year-old, with the Premiership champions said to be one of ‘several’ European clubs who are interested in the Jeonbuk centre-forward.

The player himself has raised hopes regarding a move to Glasgow after outlining his desire to go to Europe in the near future, with the Hoops said to be plotting to secure a new attacking addition in January.

According to O’Rourke – in an interview with Football FanCast – the 20-cap marksman seemingly has what it takes to be a “success” for Celtic, with such an acquisition likely to help strengthen Ange Postecoglou’s firepower.

The respected journalist stated of Cho: “He’s a player who looks like he’s got all the attributes to be a success in Europe. He’s a big strong forward as well.

“Obviously Celtic have had their problems with [Giorgos] Giakoumakis being injured on numerous occasions, while [Kyogo] Furuhashi has also had his injury problems as well. So it’s an area of the team that it looks like Ange Postecoglou would like to strengthen in”.

Big coup

Bringing Cho into the fold at Paradise could well be a notable coup for the Premiership champions, with the 6 foot 2 ace having been in prolific form of late at club level, having scored 21 goals and laid on five assists in 35 games in all competitions in the 2021/22 campaign.

That stunning season has ensured that his overall club career record now stands at 51 goals and 16 assists in 133 games at senior level, with the eye-catching talent having been lauded by journalist Jason Lee for his “incredible” form.

That hot streak was also replicated for his country in recent weeks, with the former FC Anyang man having starred at the World Cup in Qatar, notably scoring twice in an eventual 3-2 defeat to Ghana in South Korea’s second group game.

That clinical double saw the highly-coveted ace showcase his ruthlessness in front of goal, having twice powered home with two bullet headers, with such an impact unsurprisingly having caught the attention of Postecoglou and co.

As O’Rourke referenced, there is seemingly a need for further competition in the centre-forward ranks at Celtic due to the injury woes of Kyogo Furuhashi, with the Japan international having been absent for much of the second half of last season with a hamstring issue.

The same is also true of Giorgos Giakoumakis, who has endured his own injury woes over the last 18 months, with the Greek marksman currently facing an uncertain future in Scotland after contract talks hit an impasse.

As such, a new striker has become something of a priority for Celtic heading into the New Year, with Cho’s prospective arrival likely to be a big coup as the Hoops look to maintain their rampant autumn form.

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh and the youngster could be a big upgrade on Nathaniel Clyne in Patrick Vieira’s side.

According to TEAMtalk, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Crystal Palace are all interested in the 20-year-old, with Palace thought to see him as a great option for the future at Selhurst Park.

Leeds are reportedly keen to tie him down to a new deal at Elland Road but he is currently behind Rasmus Kristensen and Luke Ayling in the pecking order in Jesse Marsch’s side, which could lead to his exit in January.

The England U21 international has been limited to just seven appearances for the Whites’ senior side in his time with the Yorkshire club, but he did catch the eye during a loan spell with Cardiff City in the Championship last season, contributing three assists in 22 appearances for the Bluebirds.

And, the youngster’s former manager, Steve Morison, was full of praise for Drameh during his time with the Welsh side in 2021/22.

He said: “Barnsley was a horrible game. He’d never experienced anything like that and he came in with a couple of last-ditch tackles right at the death of the game, which was phenomenal.

“Tonight? It’s a good thing they can’t call him back after that because he was outstanding.”

While he was playing in the Championship, his performances last season would earn him a solid 6.89 rating from WhoScored, as he averaged 3.8 tackles, one interception and two clearances per game.

For comparison, Clyne has earned a woeful 6.19 WhoScored rating for his performances in the Premier League this season after averaging just 1.1 tackles, 0.6 interceptions and one clearance per game, which suggests that Drameh certainly has the edge from a defensive point of view.

During his time with Cardiff, the Leeds youngster also averaged more key passes (0.6 vs 0.5), dribbles (1.1 vs 0.1) and shots (0.3 vs 0) per game than Clyne, which suggests that he could easily take the 31-year-old’s place in Vieira’s starting side should he arrive at Selhurst Park next month.

Sheffield Wednesday are thought to be eyeing up a move for Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous.

The Lowdown: Porteous profiled

Hailed as ‘excellent’ by Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, the 23-year-old and is an out-and-out centre-back. He has progressed through Hibs’ academy and has made 150 first-team appearances in Edinburgh, scoring 12 times and registering eight assists.

The defender is also a Scotland international, making his debut against Ukraine in September.

The Latest: Wednesday keen on Porteous

The Daily Record’s Scott Burns shared a story on Thursday night regarding Porteous and Sheffield Wednesday.

He revealed that the Owls are one of four EFL clubs who are keen on the centre-back’s services, with his  current Hibs deal set to expire at the end of the season.

The Verdict: One to watch?

You’d expect that Wednesday are looking at a potential pre-contract agreement, which could see Porteous moving to Hillsborough for free ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Darren Moore’s side will be hopeful that they will be playing in the Championship next season, and securing Porteous’ services in the New Year could be a real coup.

He has a plethora of first-team experience and is still relatively young, so you’d like to think that he would only improve even further with time, making this one to watch heading into the New Year.

Arsenal slumped to just their second defeat of the campaign against PSV Eindhoven in Thursday evening’s Europa League clash.

The 2-0 loss means that Mikel Arteta’s side now have to defeat Zurich next week to guarantee their spot in the last 16 as Group A winners.

PSV were utterly dominant throughout the match, securing the win with two second-half goals from Joey Veerman and Luuk de Jong, while also having a further three goals ruled out for offside.

There were far too many passengers in an Arsenal shirt. Eddie Nketiah made just 12 passes during the match and Granit Xhaka lost possession 13 times, but perhaps their most underwhelming performance came from Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli.

The 21-year-old has been excellent in the Premier League this season, scoring four goals and registering two assists, but he found it tough to create any sort of meaningful chance against the Eredivisie outfit.

Usually so efficient on the wing with his dribble attempts (58% success rate in the league) he only tried two dribbles last night and failed with both.

Martinelli had two shots during the match, with one going off target and the other blocked, also missing a big chance. His crossing was uncharacteristically poor, delivering just one into the opposition box from four attempts.

Defensively, the winger wasn’t much better. He lost possession a staggering 18 times, the highest number in the Arsenal starting XI and he won just 25% of his duels against PSV.

It was a wasteful performance from the Brazilian. These are games which require a solid end product and it just wasn’t good enough from him against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men.

The Europa League hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Martinelli this season, averaging a SofaScore rating of just 6.82 while contributing zero goals or assists in five matches.

Arsenal face Nottingham Forest on Sunday, giving them an excellent chance to bounce back with a victory. Arteta will be looking for a much-improved performance from the 21-year-old against the side  who are bottom of the Premier League.

Newcastle United’s decision to sell James Tavernier to Wigan Athletic in 2014 has massively backfired, with the right-back now starring in Europe as Rangers’ club captain.

After making just ten appearances for Newcastle’s senior side having progressed through the academy, the Toon cashed in on Tavernier, with Wigan reportedly paying just £90k to sign him on a three-year deal.

The defender struggled for regular game time during his spell with the Lancashire side but impressed on loan with Bristol City, contributing three goals and one assist in just 13 appearances for the Ashton Gate outfit.

That was enough to convince Rangers to bring him to Ibrox in 2015 and he has established himself as something of a legend with the Teddy Bears in the seven years since, with his form regularly attracting interest from sides in the Premier League.

In 362 appearances for Rangers, Tavernier has contributed a phenomenal 86 goals and 111 assists, helping take them from the Scottish Championship to the Champions League this season.

Last season saw the Englishman finish as the Europa League’s top scorer as Rangers lost in the final against Eintracht Frankfurt, which is a remarkable achievement for a defender and he has appeared three times in the Champions League so far this season as the Scottish side returned to the elite competition.

His performances in the run to the final earned him the praise of former Rangers man Andy Halliday. He said:

“I’m going to get stick for this and I do not care but Tav’s performances have been at a world-class level.

“He has performed to the highest level. In every knockout round, he’s scored the first goal at Ibrox.

“You’re wanting someone to lead the team forward and he’s scored first in every game – he’s unbelievable.”

Still only 30, Tavernier is a vital part of Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side and shows no signs of slowing down, with three goals and four assists to his name already this season.

While the Toon boast a top-quality right-back of their own in Kieran Trippier, there is no doubt that the club made a mistake in not giving Tavernier more of a chance during his time at St James’ Park, and selling him for peanuts has definitely backfired.

Aston Villa correspondent Ashley Preece has reacted to an injury update on midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

The Lowdown: Kamara adds to injury woes

It has been a relatively slow start to the season for Villa, with a number of injuries not helping the cause in the Midlands.

Diego Carlos was the first player to suffer a serious injury, and he’s since been joined on the sidelines by Matty Cash, Kamara and Lucas Digne.

Gerrard admitted he was ‘worried’ by the knee injury Kamara picked up against Southampton prior to the international break, and his fears appear to have been realised.

The Latest: Two months out?

French outlet L’Equipe claimed on Thursday that Kamara is set to be sidelined for two months with a right knee problem.

Preece took to Twitter to relay the update, saying:

“A two-month injury, via L’Equipe, with Kamara’s World Cup hopes now appearing over. Aston Villa have flew Kamara to Dubai for further treatment. How’s your luck?”

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Villa have since confirmed that Kamara has suffered a knee ligament injury and has begun a rehabilitation programme.

The Verdict: Gutted

Losing Kamara for the next two months is a big blow for both Villa and the player himself, especially with the World Cup around the corner.

The 22-year-old had been an ever-present figure for Villa this season and appeared to be in Didier Deschamps’ plans after being called up to the France squad last week.

However, he looks set to miss all nine of Villa’s fixtures prior to the World Cup and potentially the tournament itself in what would be nightmare news.