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BBC pundit Chris Sutton has praised Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper for the work he’s done so far after the club’s recent draw.

What’s the latest?

In their latest Premier League outing, the Garibaldi managed to pick up a point in a 1-1 home draw with Chelsea after putting in an impressive display in front of their own fans.

While the away side took the lead thanks to Raheem Sterling during the first half, Forest were much improved after the break and equalised thanks to Serge Aurier.

And even though they couldn’t pick up the win, Sutton was still full of praise for the performance of Cooper and his men claimed that they ‘gelled brilliantly’ and deserved all three points.

While speaking on the BBC Radio Show 606, he said: “Do you know what, I’ve got a lot of time for Steve Cooper.

“I think he’s had a really difficult job. People look at the spending and think that Forest have spent a fortune, they should stay up. It’s not that easy.

I thought they gelled brilliantly today. I thought they deserved all three points. And if you’re a Forest fan, I want to hear from you because that performance today must have given you a lot of faith.”

The right man for the job

Cooper, who was lauded for the ‘wonderful’ job he did last season by Frank Clark, certainly did a remarkable job in getting the club promoted from the Championship last season via the playoffs despite taking over as manager when Forest were stuck at the bottom of the league earlier on in that same season.

The team were then backed the following summer as they signed a remarkable 21 players – which is a Premier League record – splashing around £150m in fees.

Such a sudden rise to the top, and such a vast change in squad depth, has meant a swift change in expectations for the club but Cooper has handled it pretty well for the most part.

Indeed, he did enough to earn himself a new contract in October despite a shaky start to the season and has consequently steadied the ship a little, meaning Forest are only in the bottom three due to goal difference and have a good chance of survival.

Leeds United will ‘push’ to complete the signing of Club Brugge star Noa Lang during the January transfer window, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Lang linked with Leeds move

The Whites could do with attacking reinforcements next month, as Jesse Marsch’s side look to stave off the threat of relegation from the Premier League.

One player who has long been linked with a move to Leeds is Lang, who recently made one appearance at the 2022 World Cup for the Netherlands, coming on as a substitute in the quarter-final defeat to Argentina.

The 23-year-old has scored 3o goals and registered 29 assists in 101 appearances for Brugge, being hailed as a ‘phenomenon’ by journalist Peter Vandenbempt, with Victor Orta’s interest dating all the way back to summer 2021.

The Latest: Orta will ‘push’ for signing

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Leeds still had a good chance of signing Lang:

“They want to avoid that disappointment of suffering on someone like Gakpo and missing out on them and then seeing them linked with every big club in Europe, basically, the same thing will happen with Noa Lang.

“He’s got massive potential and is already doing really well, so I would expect them to push on with that soon.”

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The Verdict: Huge talent

Lang could be exactly what Marsch is after in January, proving to be a hugely exciting attacking player who is capable of producing match-winning moments – he’s even been likened to Neymar for his quick feet and showboating.

It could be that he feels he has outgrown Brugge at this point, with a greater challenge required, and he has the quality to be the next attacking hero at Elland Road, perhaps replacing the excitement and trickery void left by Raphinha’s departure.

Capable of playing as a centre forward, out wide or even as a No.10, Lang’s versatility is an added bonus in his game, while his age makes him a long-term investment rather than a short-term panic buy.

Manchester United are reportedly among the ‘main suitors’ to seal the signing of Atletico Madrid and Portugal superstar Joao Felix.

The Lowdown: Constant United rumours

Erik ten Hag is sure to be considering a number of signings in the coming transfer windows as he looks to continue his promising start to life at Old Trafford, and a marquee attacking signing is surely a must after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo.

One player who has been linked with a move to United more than most recently is Felix, who looks increasingly likely to leave Atletico either in January or next summer.

The rumour simply isn’t going away, with a fresh claim now emerging from the Spanish press.

The Latest: Red Devils among ‘main suitors’

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Felix has a ‘free path’ to leave Atletico and his agent Jorge Mendes ‘will present offers of around €100m (£86m)’.

United are among the ‘main suitors’ to snap up the 23-year-old and they have shown ‘more interest’ since the huge development of Ronaldo’s departure.

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The Verdict: Feels increasingly likely

This is a transfer that really does feel like it has legs to it and it would have the potential to be a hugely exciting capture by United, given Felix’s potential.

The attacker is a prodigiously gifted footballer who has already scored 53 goals at club level, and while some may argue that he hasn’t kicked on enough recently, he has been playing in an Atletico team hellbent on adopting a defensive approach.

Under someone more attacking like Ten Hag, Felix could absolutely flourish, showing precisely why Alvaro Morata has called him a ‘special’ player and providing much-needed guile and end product in the final third at Old Trafford.

Aston Villa may have to wait until next summer to pounce for the signing of Watford winger Ismaila Sarr, according to an update from journalist Ed Aarons.

The Lowdown: Villa keen on Sarr signing

Unai Emery will be eyeing new signings in the upcoming transfer window, as he looks to take Villa up a level and introduce his own style of play after an underwhelming period under Steven Gerrard.

One player who has been linked with a move to Villa Park since before Emery arrived is Sarr, who has scored six goals in 16 Championship starts for Watford this season.

The 24-year-old starred in the 2022 World Cup with Senegal, starting all four matches and scoring a crucial goal against Ecuador before being eliminated by England on Sunday night.

The Latest: Summer move more likely

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Aarons claimed the summer move to Villa is most likely:

“The premium of World Cup performances and scoring is going to result in Watford wanting a bit more money, I think.

“He may be one that they have to wait until the summer for, when he’s got just a year left on his contract.”

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The Verdict: Much-needed pace out wide

Speedy wide players are certainly something Villa are lacking currently, with the exception of the inconsistent Leon Bailey, so Sarr could be an excellent addition next summer.

Frankly, he is too good to be playing in the Championship – he bagged 11 direct goal involvements as a newcomer to the Premier League in 2019/20 – and he is at an age where he should only improve further, with Senegalese compatriot and hero Sadio Mane also 24 when he joined Liverpool from Southampton back in 2016.

Ben Foster has hailed Sarr as a ‘freak’ talent, and if Emery believes he is someone who could suit his system, sealing a move for him at the end of the season would make perfect sense.

Aston Villa have made their interest in Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino public…

What’s the latest?

As per the Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Unai Emery would “love to take” the Spaniard to Villa Park in January.

Boasting a €60m (£55m) release clause, he still has two years left on his £65k-per-week deal and could be tempted to join up with his compatriot.

The financial power of the Midlands outfit is reported as “indisputable”, however, it will be a tough deal to make following the World Cup’s commencement.

Big Luiz upgrade

With Douglas Luiz also linked with a move to La Liga, it could mark a wonderful switch around for the new boss.

Barcelona have been sniffing around the Brazilian who boasts 127 games for Villa and has been a mainstay in their midfield since his move from Manchester City.

Despite his recent contract extension, Emery could look to push him out the door in favour of Merino, who has starred in La Liga.

The 26-year-old offers everything a manager would want from a midfielder, with an eye for goal and creativity merged with defensive steel.

This season alone has seen him notch eight goal contributions alongside his 2.4 tackles and 2.3 clearances.

It marks yet another campaign where he is averaging an impressive SofaScore rating, with his 7.24 outlining his current best-ever season for the Spanish outfit.

Although Luiz is an impressive force in the engine room, he pales in comparison to Merino.

The 24-year-old offers little defensively, with his main contribution being his consistency with the ball at his feet.  

His 85% pass accuracy is a vast improvement on the 77% of the former Newcastle United man, but that is about as far as it goes for Luiz’s upsides.

When discussing his own talents, Merino suggested that “I like to think I’m one of the best”, after his manager had conclusively dubbed him “the best player in the league.”

To swap the solid Luiz with this sensational counterpart would mark a massive upgrade that could complete Villa’s midfield alongside John McGinn.

Journalist Steve Madeley was critical of Wolves striker Goncalo Guedes for walking straight down the tunnel after the 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal.

The Lowdown: Wolves beaten by Gunners

The final game before the Julen Lopetegui era at Molineux proved to be a disappointing one for Wolves, as they suffered a loss in the Premier League.

Martin Odegaard scored twice for the league leaders to secure victory on the night, meaning Wolves sit bottom of the table going into Christmas.

Guedes tried his best in attack, having three shots in total, according to Sofascore, but one thing he did left a bad taste.

The Latest: Madeley criticises Guedes

Taking to Twitter after the game, Madeley criticised the striker’s decision not to applaud the fans, walking down the tunnel instead:

“Wonder whether Goncalo Guedes would be going to Qatar if he’d found this form a couple of weeks earlier. Finally looking like a player. Shame to see him dart straight down the tunnel again while his team-mates connected with fans post-match, but a very good night for him.”

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The Verdict: Not good enough

Every player is disappointed to lose a game, but it is a shame to see Guedes act differently to his teammates and not acknowledge the supporters, especially in the last game before the World Cup.

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It is the kind of behaviour that can immediately lose admirers, and while it isn’t necessarily the worst thing a player can do, it is something that the 25-year-old needs to change.

Guedes’ performances have also left plenty to be desired overall, having scored just once in 12 league appearances, and the hope is that he returns a more rounded player after Christmas.

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.

Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane is on Bayern Munich’s transfer ‘list for next summer’, according to Bild (via SportWitness).

The Lowdown: Conte not happy

Back during the summer window, Julian Nagelsmann refused to rule out a move for the England captain as the Bundesliga giants sought a replacement for Barcelona-bound Robert Lewandowski.

Spurs boss Antonio Conte asserted the German’s comments were ‘disrespectful’ as the 29-year-old remains a crucial part of his Lilywhites XI, proclaiming:

“I don’t like to speak about players from another club. If I want to do something I go to speak to the club, not through the media.

“I think maybe it’s a bit disrespectful for the other club. This is my way. This is my way to face the situation with other players.”

The Latest: Bayern’s interest

According to a report by Bild (via SportWitness), Kane remains one name which is ‘particularly hotly debated’ at Bayern, and the star striker has been added to the club’s transfer ‘list for next summer’.

Amid rumours the German outfit would struggle to secure the likes of Kane due to a lack of funds for a world-class player, Bayern president Herbert Hainer has said: “It’s not primarily a question of money, it has to be the right player on the market. If the opportunity arises, we will take a closer look at it.”

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The Verdict: Could be a huge loss for Spurs

Having made 288 top-flight appearances in a Lilywhites shirt, the striker has bagged a sensational 191 goals in the league, also contributing another 48 assists.

Astonishingly, bar last season, the 29-year-old has ended each Premier League campaign as Spurs’ top scorer since the 2014/15 season.

Hailed by Premier League record goal-scorer Alan Shearer as a ‘sensational’ player, it is clear to see why Conte decided to respond to Nagelsmann’s comments with Kane paramount to Tottenham’s success.

If Bayern do come in with an offer for their star man, the north London club should be asking for a quite simply astronomical fee to even enter negotiations.

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson has rubbished any suggestions of one-time Elland Road idol Kalvin Phillips returning to the club.

The Lowdown: Agbonlahor’s claim

The midfielder moved to Manchester City over the summer but has struggled for game-time under Pep Guardiola. The 26-year-old has played just 13 competitive minutes at the Etihad Stadium this season and now looks set for a spell on the sidelines with a shoulder injury.

His slow start to life in Manchester led to Gabby Agbonlahor claiming last week that Phillips should be loaned back to Elland Road, and Robinson has been giving his thoughts on the former Aston Villa striker’s suggestion.

The Latest: Robinson’s comments

Talking to MOT Leeds News, the 42-year-old – who also contributes for Sky Sports – had this to say on Phillips and a potential return to Elland Road in light of Agbonlahor’s comments:

“For him personally, it’s a new challenge and a new step. He’s got off to a slow start but you don’t judge him at the first sign of trouble.

“He’s a fantastic player and he’s not even had an opportunity at Manchester City. He’s had a couple of niggling injuries and that’s stopped him from the opportunity to keep going.

“You don’t go to a club of that size and after three or four weeks decide it’s not working and go back again.

“He’s a player of huge ability and huge quality and it’s only a matter of time before he makes his mark on that Man City team.

“He’s against one of the best players in the world – Rodri – to get into that team and with the way they play, there’s only room for one of them. Kalvin will get in that team eventually.

“There’s an option for him to play in a three at the back, there’s an option for him to play in midfield. But he’s part of a huge squad so there’s no way in the world he should be considering going back to Leeds.

“He’s earned himself that fantastic move and it will come to fruition at some point.”

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The Verdict: Not happening

It is a shame to see that Phillips’ move to the Etihad hasn’t worked out so far, but it looks as if injury has played a big part in his absence instead of being snubbed by Guardiola.

Hopefully the 26-year-old will return in good time for the World Cup and duly break into the Man City team regularly during the second half of the season.

A move back to Elland Road could well materialise towards the end of his career, but for the immediate future, we’re with Robinson in believing that the midfielder should be focusing solely on impressing in Manchester.

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.