Tottenham Hotspur have been told they have a truly "perfect" youngster as talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor makes a James Maddison comparison.

Spurs form under Ange Postecoglou

Spurs supporters are quite simply in dreamland right now, as popular head coach Ange Postecoglou enjoys the best start made by any new manager in Premier League history. Wins over Bournemouth, Man United, Burnley, Sheffield United, Liverpool, Luton Town and Fulham have sent table-topping Tottenham on an imperious run of form as they gear up to take on struggling Crystal Palace later today.

It's been a remarkable early-season run and Spurs' best start to a campaign since 1960/1961, where they went on to clinch a domestic double. Postecoglou is seemingly transforming the mood around N17, with Australian already setting a very high standard for his squad.

"I don't go into a job not believing I can't make an impact," said Postecoglou ahead of Crystal Palace (via football.london).

"That's my role. Like I said a few times, my measure of that is not really having some predetermined timeframe of when that happens or it happens. It's just trying to focus on putting the things in place that are important for what we're trying to build. Along the way the progress comes at various times and at different sort of trajectories.

"We're in a good space at the moment but again we've still got plenty of work to do to make sure what we do now is sustainable. That's the main thing. It's not about making a short-term impact, it's about building something which hopefully brings sustained opportunities of success for the club."

Star players like Maddison and Son Heung-min are a huge part of Tottenham's upward trajectory and look set to play a key role once again versus Palace this evening. The former has quite simply dazzled since joining Spurs from Leicester City for around £40 million, as Maddison is showered with praise for his incredible impact.

Udogie transforms Spurs "just as much"

Another player to seriously impress at Tottenham this season has been Destiny Udogie, who forms part of Postecoglou's starting eleven week-in, week-out. The Italy international could miss Palace due to fitness issues, which would surely be a blow considering his excellence. TalkSPORT'S Gabriel Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider this week, even claimed Udogie has transformed Spurs "just as much as Maddison".

“I really like Udogie. I’ve watched him a lot this season. He struggled initially with Saka in the derby, but in the second half – he was outstanding. Almost any left-back left one-on-one with Saka would struggle but he owned him. He’s strong, he’s quick, he’s good on the ball, he can get into dangerous areas and get assists – he’s the left-back and player Tottenham were crying out for.

Dribbling

Ball interception

Tackling

“He’s the perfect left-back because he’s taller than the average, and he’s strong and aggressive. For me, he’s been a revelation alongside Van de Ven and they’ve really transformed that defence, just as much as Maddison has transformed them at the other end”.

Arsenal have had the pleasure of seeing an abundance of attacking talent sport the cannon over the years, with Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta all having a scorer of some potency throughout their tenures.

The most notable of the Premier League era is of course the Gunners’ all-time leading goalscorer Thierry Henry, who scored 228 goals in 377 appearances during his time in north London, seeing him now cast in bronze at the Emirates.

While the Frenchman remains at the benchmark for others to attempt to reach, Arteta’s young and hungry talents of today are proving that they could be in good stead to hand Arsenal some well overdue major silverware.

The likes of talent of Bukayo Saka was unearthed in house at Hale End, however star forwards such as Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard were collected in the transfer market, all prevailing to be effective captures.

Emery and Arteta struck gold with their signings, who have contributed to a mass of goals so far in their careers at the Emirates, however not every signing has experienced such success at Arsenal.

Ironically it was one of Wenger’s attacking captures that failed to live up to expectation, as in 2016, all the hope was there for the legendary Frenchman to have discovered his next prolific source in the transfer window.

Lucas Perez's arrival at Arsenal in 2016

During the summer of 2016, it was announced that Arsenal had signed La Liga talisman Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Coruna for a fee of £17.1m.

The striker, who was 27 years old at the point of his arrival, admitted he was “flattered” when he heard of Arsenal’s interest, as the Gunners looked for a new face to bolster their attack after relying solely on Olivier Giroud the season prior.

Wenger’s side had finished second in the 2015/16 campaign to Leicester City, giving the north Londoners fuel to improve their squad in the summer in order to continue the upward trajectory, however, this was far from the case.

The reasons why Arsenal signed Lucas Perez

Perez was signed after Arsenal had been unable to grasp their primary targets Jamie Vardy and Alexandre Lacazette, making critics gather quickly around the assumption that the Spaniard was the result of a ‘panic buy’.

Spanish football expert and journalist Guillem Balague was quick to defend the Gunners’ acquisition, explaining that the Premier League side had been “following Perez for a year”, branding the move a “top signing” for Arsenal.

In La Liga the season prior to his transfer, the 27-year-old had directly contributed to 27 goals in 26 appearances for La Coruna, scoring 17 and assisting ten in the league to showcase just what he could offer to Wenger’s front line.

The scene was set for the Spaniard to offer Arsenal a refreshed source for goals, after fans had become frustrated by the inconsistency of Giroud, and with an impressive scoring tally in Spain’s top-flight in 2015/16, the Gunners were poised to welcome the striker with open arms.

The impact of Lucas Perez at Arsenal

After all of the excitement of Perez’s arrival in what was a fairly inconclusive transfer window for Wenger’s side, things were quickly seen differently as the reality of the situation was realised.

The Spaniard made his Premier League debut in September against Southampton, however that start was just one of three starts that he secured for the Gunners during his year-long stay at the Emirates.

From lack of performance, to injury, to slipping down the pecking order, Perez failed to live up to expectation at Arsenal, and admittedly was given little chance to show his true potential in Wenger’s side.

The striker scored seven goals and registered five assists during his 21 appearances for the club, making the best out of what was a situation that starved him of game time due to competitions within the squad.

A hat-trick in the Champions League group stages against FC Basel was the highest point of the Spaniard’s time with the Gunners, however, he made it clear that he wasn’t at the Emirates to assume a sporadic role, despite being branded as "poor" by journalist Mattias Karen for his end product.

The reasons why Lucas Perez left Arsenal

A year after his arrival, Perez was sent back to La Coruna on a season-long loan, to grant his wishes of more game time after the north Londoners sealed the signing of long-term target, Alexandre Lacazette.

The forward made it clear that he was unhappy at Arsenal, telling Spanish media that the club had treated him badly, with the final straw being an “ugly gesture” in which Lacazette was handed Perez’s number nine shirt without asking, as relayed by Sky Sports.

On his return from his loan, the forward was prepped and ready to leave the Gunners, which he did, only by relocating to the other side of London, where he signed for West Ham United in a £4m deal.

History seemed to repeat itself, as Perez was handed only a slim chance to shine, leaving the London Stadium after just one year, having secured four Premier League starts that season, netting a total of six goals in 19 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers.

Lucas Perez's form since leaving Arsenal

After leaving England, Perez returned to his homeland, where he has remained since his exit from east London in 2018.

West Ham handed the out-of-favour striker to Deportivo Alaves, where he has since represented Elche and Cadiz, before this summer returning to his home club Deportivo La Coruna.

England

Spain

Goals

13

73

Assists

5

45

Via Transfermarkt

Currently playing the third tier of Spanish football at the age of 35, Perez has found sanctuary in his home country, as highlighted by his form at the point of his La Coruna return as he found himself among the goals with Cadiz in La Liga.

While things didn’t work for Perez at Arsenal, they certainly work for the striker in Spain, with him actually outscoring the Gunners’ current hitman Gabriel Jesus during the 2022/23 campaign.

Last term, the forward played half of the season with Cadiz, before joining La Coruna in January, where over the course of the football calendar he scored 13 goals and provided eight assists.

Jesus scored 11 goals and replicated Perez’s record of eight assists in 2022/23, finding the net two times less than the former Arsenal outsider to put into perspective just how difficult it is for some players to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

Jesus is far better suited to Arsenal, just as Perez is far better suited to the game in Spain, however one thing that’s for sure is that the Gunners learned from their mistake of recruiting the Spaniard, with their striker signings since his arrival proving to have improved significantly.

From Jesus, to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, gone are the days of lacklustre acquisitions in the strike department at the Emirates, and unfortunately for Perez, he had to be the final dud to change the trajectory in the transfer window for Arsenal.

Wolverhampton Wanderers' summer was marked by considerable levels of upheaval at Molineux, Julen Lopetegui leaving the club after a short stay in England whilst key first-teamers such as Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves and Nathan Collins all followed suit out of the building to Manchester City, Al-Hilal and Brentford, respectively.

It's left new boss Gary O'Neil with a tough old job to come into, many predicting Wolves to suffer even more on the pitch with relegation fancied by neutrals and Wolves fans alike.

But, at this present moment in time, the West Midlands-based outfit are performing above all expectation – occupying a commendable 12th spot in the Premier League so far, recent wins include a 2-1 victory over the team who sacked O'Neil in the summer in AFC Bournemouth and a smash-and-grab Molineux win over champions, Man City by the same scoreline.

Even with these promising results to kickstart the season, Wolves will be looking to strengthen their still depleted squad when January comes along – one potential signing in the form of Facundo Pellistri could be on the cards even on just a loan basis.

Are Wolves interested in signing Facundo Pellistri?

As reported by LR Uruguay – via Fabian Bertolini – and further on Molineux News, Wolves were interested in snapping up the Manchester United talent on loan this summer with the Red Devils wanting their young £20k-per-week gem to get more game time away from Old Trafford.

Luton, Burnley and Bournemouth all put their hat into the ring to potentially sign Pellistri also – as per the report above – but a move wasn't forthcoming in the summer.

Could Wolves reignite their interest in the Uruguayan when the transfer window reopens at the start of 2024?

Impressive in spurts for Man United – Pellistri making 16 appearances to date for the Red Devils, including six in the Premier League this season – Wolves' squad would be significantly boosted with this potential addition.

How good is Facundo Pellistri?

Signing for the Red Devils in the summer of 2020, featuring for Peñarol previously in his birthplace of Montevideo, the 21-year-old is highly thought of in Man United quarters.

Scoring three times for the Man United U21's in nine matches after initially moving to England, the Uruguayan midfielder has managed to gradually work his way into Erik Ten Hag's first team plans recently – one beneficiary of the recent up-and-down form experienced by Ten Hag's men, given opportunities to the likes of Pellistri ahead of underperformers.

Labelled as "scintillating" after a brief but impactful spell in a Europa League last-16 tie against Real Betis last season by football journalist Alex Turk – Pellistri having a part to play in Wout Weghorst's game-clinching fourth goal in a 4-1 win – the youngster has also further excelled in Cup competitions this year too.

The Uruguayan's work rate in a recent EFL Cup win versus Crystal Palace was highlighted as a major positive by football pundit Danny Webber, praising the collective "full-throttle" approach of the much-changed eleven fielded by ten Hag which saw Pellistri play the full 90 minutes.

Wolves could well look to Pellistri as a potential upgrade on Pablo Sarabia, the silky Spanish midfielder for the Old Gold is now 31 and his minutes in the first team have been cut under O'Neil's management – having started just two league games this season.

The former Paris Saint-Germain ace clearly has quality, with four assists to his name in all competitions to date in 2023/24, although three of those came in the League Cup clash with lower league side, Blackpool, having subsequently been "anonymous" against Premier League opposition – according to journalist Alex Richards.

If O'Neil and co do swoop in for the young Man United star again, Wolves would have an explosive and direct talent on their books who could usurp Sarabia's place in the squad, with the experienced asset just not cutting it at present.

If Pellistri were to impress, he could find himself knocking on the door for even more first-team opportunities at Old Trafford in the near future, or potentially move to cement a permanent stay at Molineux.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has U-turned over a "wonderful" West Ham United player, after originally calling his signing a "stupid" one by manager David Moyes.

West Ham fixtures and results

The east Londoners, over a mixed start to this new Premier League season, have sealed impressive results against the likes of in-form Brighton and big-spending Chelsea but appeared to fall by the wayside in their most recent domestic encounter against Aston Villa. Moyes' 4-1 defeat away to Unai Emery attracted real criticism, especially given the hapless nature of West Ham's defending at times.

Overall, West Ham have won four, lost three and drawn two in the league. However, they've only reigned victorious once in their last five games domestically. That is a record Moyes will be keen to rectify and very quickly, as he seeks to build upon the club's historic Europa Conference League triumph at the back end of last term.

That being said, there are certain members of the Hammers starting eleven which have stood out as real success stories so far. Jarrod Bowen, who recently signed a new contract at West Ham, has been absolutely excellent alongside summer signing James Ward-Prowse. The latter has been called one of the bargains of the summer, with Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards praising the "amazing" midfielder recently:

“I’ve banged on about Ward-Prowse now for so long and nobody was taking me seriously," said the Sky pundit.

"I was literally saying, he’s in a struggling team that don’t have a style of play and once he goes somewhere where he can express himself more, he’s got more than just taking free-kicks. He’s a comfortable footballer.

“When he’s played for England he’s not really took his chance so everyone sort of questions is he good enough for the highest level. But he is. He’s an amazing player."

There's also been praise for Lucas Paqueta by McAvennie, but the former West Ham striker has now moved to admit he was very wrong about one player who hasn't even started that many games for Moyes this season.

McAvennie U-turns over "wonderful" Benrahma

Irons midfielder Said Benrahma, who's made seven league appearances for West Ham, but mostly off the bench, possesses just one assist to show for his efforts so far this season. The Algeria international, signed from Brentford in 2020, has racked up over 140 appearances all competitions over his spell at the London Stadium, scoring more than 20 goals and bagging nearly as many assists.

A tricky dribbler, the ex-Brentford star can be easy on the eye when at his very best, with McAvennie praising Benrahma for his contribution overall – admitting he was wrong to call his signing "stupid".

“At the time I thought it was stupid because there was a young player everyone was raving about in the exact same position, and they sold him and brought in Benrahma and I’m thinking really," said the pundit to West Ham Zone.

“But he proved me wrong, he’s a great talent, a wonderful, wonderful talent. So it just shows you David Moyes knows what he’s doing.”

Tottenham Hotspur are flying at the moment, but it seems the international break could have done more than just damage momentum. After all, a long-term injury to Cristian Romero could prove devastating…

How long is Cristian Romero injured for?

Having cultivated a reputation for rash recklessness since making his £42m move, with Darren Bent having branded him a "liability" back in May, it is outstanding the speed with which the Argentina international has shifted such a narrative, rebranding himself as one of the squad's leaders and a reliable asset once again.

He has been a true rock at the back this campaign alongside Micky van de Ven, and played a huge role in their unbeaten Premier League status, of which only one other side boasts.

Whilst his two goals have aided positive results massively, it is the defensive control he exerts at the back that has allowed them to dominate, boasting a 92% pass accuracy in the league supported by his 2.5 tackles, 4.4 clearances and 5.6 ball recoveries per game, via Sofascore.

The former Atalanta ace would be a hard man to replace, but one that could need a successor now given his substitution whilst out playing with his national team.

When quizzed about his half-time removal against Peru, the World Cup winner suggested that his right ankle had swollen too much, and that he had to look ahead to "an important home game with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday against Fulham".

Whilst his forethought is both flattering and refreshing for a South American often renowned for favouring country over club, it could still prove a step too far for him to be fit for that clash.

Who could replace Cristian Romero?

Given that Ange Postecoglou's revolution is still in the early stages, the Australian has hardly had plenty of time to bolster his squad sufficiently to add the necessary depth to mitigate such potential disasters.

As such, he will be forced to simply survive with what he inherited, with Davinson Sanchez and Joe Rodon's departures now seemingly like a potential blunder.

Especially because that only leaves one outstanding name to step into the vacancy, with Eric Dier the only real senior option for a right-sided centre-back.

Having been the target of much scrutiny across his nine years in England, the 29-year-old is actually a loyal servant to Spurs, having featured 360 times for them despite never claiming any silverware.

Although his powers have waned more recently, there have been fine campaigns to boast of, the likes of which Postecoglou will seek to usher out. After all, if he can turn Romero from a liability into a superstar, then he may be able to perform a similar trick with the 49-cap ace, who too was branded a "liability" by writer Mitch Fretton.

After all, as recently as the 2021/22 season saw the £85k-per-week titan impress, even if he can remain somewhat shaky in possession. Despite that, he remained more than impressive enough to deputise now in Romero's absence, posting an 86% pass accuracy alongside 1.1 interceptions and 3.3 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

The former Sporting CP man has the defensive credentials to shine, and alongside Van de Ven and under Postecoglou, it could mark the perfect environment for this confidence-shy star to reignite his career in what could be one of his last chances to impress.

Southampton return to action after the international break in the Championship this afternoon as they travel away from St. Mary's to take on Hull City.

Russell Martin's side are coming into this clash off the back of a 1-1 draw with Rotherham at home in their last league outing, thanks to a stunning equaliser from Jordan Hugill.

The Scottish head coach may look to make changes to his starting XI in order to bounce back and claim all three points today but one player he must stick with is Che Adams.

Southampton had 22 shots and racked up 3.23 xG against Rotherham but failed to secure the win as they only found the back of the net once from those efforts, which puts the attacking players in the spotlight as they were unable to make the most of the chances that fell their way.

What's the latest on Ross Stewart's fitness?

The Scotland international has been in first-team training with the Saints in recent weeks as he continues to step up his recovery from the Achilles injury that was suffered at the start of the year during his time with Sunderland.

However, it appears that his involvement against Hull will be limited to a place on the bench, at best, as the club try to ease him into the fold after his move from the Black Cats during the summer window.

This means that Southampton's alternative striker option is Sekou Mara, who has scored one goal in 28 league appearances since the start of last season.

The French attacker has failed to contribute with a single goal, assist, or 'big chance' created, in six Championship clashes so far this term, after one goal in 22 Premier League games during the 2022/23 campaign.

Will Che Adams start against Hull?

With Stewart unlikely to start, Martin must start Adams against the Tigers this afternoon as the talented marksman has the potential to be the match-winner.

The 27-year-old whiz missed one 'big chance' against Rotherham but he has also scored three goals and created three 'big chances' in five Championship starts this term.

Only Adam Armstrong (seven) has scored more goals for the club this term and these statistics suggest that the Scottish gem does have the quality to make a big impact at this level.

Adams also loves playing against Hull as he boasts a terrific career record against today's opponents from his time with Birmingham in the second tier.

The £52k-per-week finisher has scored four goals in three matches against the Tigers so far and has not scored more than four against any other team at any level. They are also the only side that the impressive forward has scored four against in fewer than five matches.

Therefore, Adams, who Ralph Hasenhuttl once hailed for his "fantastic" attitude, should retain his place within the starting line-up this afternoon, instead of dropping him in favour of Mara or Stewart, who is lacking match fitness.

The Scotland international has proven himself to be an excellent option at Championship level, in spite of his off-day against Rotherham, and has the potential to add to his superb record against Hull today.

Sri Lanka came to life during their 219-run DLS thrashing of England in the fifth ODI and Thisara Perera suggested his T20 side would be on the attack again

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Oct-2018Fresh from piling on 366 against England in the final one-dayer, Sri Lanka are hopeful the tables they turned on Tuesday will remain upended, that the boots will stay switched, and that their batsmen will continue their plunder in the T20 on Saturday. Sure, victory in the fifth ODI came in a dead rubber against a substantially weakened England side, but its emphatic nature – the 219-run DLS win was Sri Lanka’s biggest this decade – has injected fresh energy into what had been an ailing limited-overs side.In particular, Sri Lanka may seek to target England’s key bowlers. In the fifth ODI they succeeded in taking more runs off legspinner Adil Rashid than they previously had in the series. Sri Lanka’s new T20 captain Thisara Perera said an aggressive approach against Rashid could pay dividends again.”If you take the last game, whatever we wanted to do against Rashid worked, I thought,” he said. “We wanted to be positive against him. When we have that mindset we can put a bowler under pressure. So we urged the batters to go out and play positively. But we also kept an eye on the variations to expect from each bowler.”The batsmen who began Tuesday’s onslaught were Niroshan Dickwella, who has had a good limited-overs leg of this tour, and Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made his maiden international fifty. The pair put on Sri Lanka’s first century opening stand since July 2017, and may have the opportunity to provide more early-overs fireworks. Because Kusal Perera remains sidelined with a quad strain, Samarawickrama has been brought into the squad, and will likely open the innings again.”We gave them the last couple of games hoping to get a good start, because we have to give players opportunities often,” Thisara said. “I thought they grabbed it by both hands. We have just a few games before the World Cup and we hope to settle on a side, rather than allowing new players to come in and find places.”On a personal note, Thisara believes the T20 captaincy came back to him on account of his much improved batting and bowling form in 2018. He had been T20 limited-overs captain for a stint in late 2017, before being replaced by Angelo Mathews in the role, but now takes the job back from Mathews. Having had three poor years between 2015 and 2017, Thisara has made an emphatic recovery this year, and averaging 37.66 and striking at 176 with the bat, even if his bowling in the shortest format hasn’t been as good as it has been in ODis.”Captaincy was not something that I expected,” he said. “I was keen on representing the country, and captaincy came to me as I became senior. I was taken out as captain this year, but when I started performing again I was entrusted with leadership again. If I can perform as a player and continue to lead the side I will be happy with that.”

Liverpool will inevitably target new additions in 2024, having impressed thus far during the 2023/24 season after an industrial midfield rebuild in the summer, though still not quite at full throttle.

Jurgen Klopp's side's midfield issues were exposed against Luton Town last weekend, with a lack of specialist defensive options inhibiting a possible title charge, while Andy Robertson's injury several weeks ago has underscored the need for left-sided reinforcements on the backline.

The frontline is in better shape, but could still welcome some exciting young talent to enrich the ranks and maintain Liverpool's attacking fluency across multiple fronts, and a rising star appears to have been earmarked.

Liverpool transfer news – Assane Diao

According to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness, Real Betis winger Assane Diao is on Liverpool's radar after an impressive start to the season in LaLiga, though the Reds will face stiff competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea and Newcastle United.

The report mentions that the listed suitors have all made separate approaches over the past weeks, with Diao having 'dazzled' the Betis supporters with his electric displays.

Aged just 18, the Spain U21 international is reported to have a €30m (£26m) release clause embedded into his contract, with manager Manuel Pellegrini actively seeking to tie up fresh terms that will elevate that amount to €40m (£35m).

Assane Diao's style of play

Joining the Real Betis academy from Cadiz in 2021, Diao was originally slated for a central midfield role but maintained a level of attacking prowess that simply couldn't go unnoticed, prompting a move toward the left channel.

Having now scored four goals across his first ten professional appearances with his Spanish side, Diao is proving that decision right, possessing a natural eye for goal that has alerted the prestigious English clubs. Indeed, in total this term he has already found the net six times.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 23% for successful take-ons, the top 18% for tackles, the top 11% for interceptions, the top 1% for blocks and the top 6% for aerial wins per 90.

So what does this mean? Diao's natural predatory instinct is highlighted, striking at an age-belying rate so far, and while his goalscoring steals the headlines, he is progressive and tenacious in his application across the park.

Such skills could be a welcome addition to Liverpool's attacking options, with Luis Diaz certainly of a similar mould in his barrelling, breakneck motions toward the byline, having scored four goals from nine starts this term to emphasise his effectiveness.

With his shooting skills, Diao could benefit immensely from a dynamic centre-forward such as Darwin Nunez beside him in the frontline, with the Uruguayan striker hailed as an “agent of chaos” by journalist Theo Squires for the kaleidoscope of offensive tools he brings to the table.

Having posted seven goals and four assists already this season, Nunez ranks among the top 11% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 18% for shot-creating actions and the top 6% for progressive carries per 90, emphasising his surging skills.

The £140k-per-week star is a dream for a rising talent of Diao's ilk to play alongside, and would only serve to enhance his skills on Merseyside.

Diao has been described as "sharp" and "intelligent" by journalist Josh Bunting and certainly looks to be a prospect worth investing in; given the riches Klopp possesses in an attacking regard already, he would find the perfect platform to continue his development at Anfield.

Manchester United’s recent 3-0 loss to Newcastle United in the EFL Cup means that their start to the 2023/24 campaign – which has included eight losses in 15 matches – is their worst since the 1962/63 season.

The result on Wednesday ensures they will not be defending the League Cup they won back in February and with just one win in three Champions League ties along with just five wins in the Premier League, there may not be any silverware adorning the United trophy cabinet this season.

Erik ten Hag is a man coming under severe pressure and unless results perk up immediately, starting with a tie against Fulham on Saturday, then his reign at the club could be short-lived.

The Dutchman has not been helped with a plethora of injuries disrupting his squad as the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Luke Shaw and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have been missing for large spells of the current season and a failure to field a first-choice defence has hindered the club.

The players he has been able to call upon however have not delivered consistent performances which match his ambitions and this has led the Old Trafford side down a slippery slope.

It is evident that his business in the summer transfer market was far from ideal, with Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat struggling to settle in and stamp their authority on the team.

If the Dutchman is still in the United hotseat come January, then he could use the winter window to add some much-needed quality to his squad as his attacking option have left a lot to be desired so far this season.

Indeed, Rasmus Hojlund, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford, Antony and Bruno Fernandes have scored just seven goals between them throughout the whole campaign.

Could this tempt Ten Hag to delve into the transfer market in a few months for another centre-forward? A previously linked striker, Benjamin Sesko, is reportedly going to be available in January for a potential move.

Man Utd transfer news – Benjamin Sesko

The Red Devils had a chance to sign the young striker from Domzale back in 2019 according to The Athletic, yet it was during the summer of 2022 when United really stepped up their interest in the youngster as Ten Hag wanted to bolster his options.

However, the Dutch boss missed out on signing him as Sesko ended up joining RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg for a fee in the region of £55m.

Fast-forward nearly 18 months, however, and it appears as though the 20-year-old ace may be ready to move on from the German side already having failed to really settle at the Bundesliga outfit.

That’s according to 90min, who claim that United and Newcastle will be on high alert having been notified of Sesko’s soon-to-be availability.

Having signed another one of Europe’s most promising strikers in Hojlund during the summer, it looks as though Ten Hag is building a team which could challenge for honours in the future. Will he be here to see the fruits of his labour, however?

As mentioned, the United boss has been let down by the lack of goals from his attacking players this term, with Martial in particular once again failing to show the Dutchman any signs of quality.

Anthony Martial’s season in numbers

The Frenchman has just a few months remaining on his current contract at United, and It is safe to say that he has hardly done anything of note to deserve a new and improved deal.

Across the whole squad in the Premier League, the former AS Monaco striker ranks tenth for shots on target per match (0.3) along with ranking 19th for successful dribbles per game (0.1) while scoring no goals in the competition at all.

6

0

2

0

0.6

0.3

2

0

8

0

The 27-year-old dud has netted just once all season, in an EFL Cup match against Crystal Palace, and he does not appear to have enjoyed playing under Ten Hag, scoring a total of ten goals during the Dutchman’s spell at United so far.

With players such as Martial underperforming, alongside Rashford and Fernandes, it shows how little United have going forward, which is why they could make a splash in January.

Making a move for Sesko may not solve every problem they currently have, but his vast potential and clinical nature would surely ensure he is an upgrade on Martial.

Benjamin Sesko would be better than Anthony Martial

The £58k-per-week striker has scored more than Martial since the start of last season (24 vs ten) and he has been making his mark on the continent over the previous 12 months.

The Slovenian forward is already outshining the current United player for domestic performances this term, indicating exactly why he would be a wonderful signing for Ten Hag.

According to FBref, Sesko has registered more shots on target per 90 (2.1 vs 0.8) than Martial, along with registering more shot-creating actions per 90 (2.51 vs 2) and higher successful take-on percentage (62.5% vs 50%) clearly demonstrating his vast potential as a threat at the top end of the pitch this term.

With 57 goals across just 136 professional matches, Sesko has displayed a ruthlessness nature which could get better the more he develops and learns his trade.

He was lauded as a “machine man” by talent scout Jacek Kulig back in 2021 as he was bursting onto the scene with FC Liefering, and he continued that scoring streak with Salzburg before sealing his move to Germany.

Ten Hag will be buoyed by the fact he could be available in the January transfer window and making a move for the young starlet should be a priority, especially considering there are other clubs interested in securing his signature.

Martial has failed to live up to the enormous hype that was generated following his move from Monaco in 2015 and while he has shown flashes of his talent during his eight-year stint at Old Trafford, it simply has not been good enough – as his aforementioned statistics under the current boss prove.

Alongside Hojlund, Sesko could be a future star and the Red Devils will know that if they lure him to Manchester, he could develop into a fantastic option for them at the top end of the pitch, which is not what their current French marksman is.

Glasgow Rangers are back in action this evening as they travel away from Ibrox to face fifth-placed Dundee under the light in the Scottish Premiership.

The Light Blues head into this match five points off their rivals at the top of the division and could cut down that gap if Celtic fail to pick up all three points in their game.

Philippe Clement has won both of his first two league matches in charge of the club – against Hibernian and Hearts – and the latest of those wins came at Ibrox against Steven Naismith's side on Sunday.

Lawrence Shankland scored the opening goal with a fine header after five minutes but two goals in stoppage time from James Tavernier and Danilo secured all three points.

The Brazilian striker's goal won the match for the Scottish giants and Clement must now unleash him from the start against Dundee this evening, in place of Cyriel Dessers.

Dessers' performance against Hearts in numbers

If a performance ever typified a player's season it was this one from the Nigeria international as he struggled in and out of possession throughout the first half.

Dessers played the opening 45 minutes before being hauled off by the Belgian head coach, who had seemingly seen all that he needed to from him.

The experienced marksman did not win a single duel for the team and only completed six passes in total, to go along with one 'big chance' missed from his two efforts on goal over the course of that 45 minutes.

It summed up his struggles this term as the 28-year-old flop has lost 71% of his duels and missed nine 'big chances' in ten Premiership outings so far this season, to go along with two goals.

He has, quite simply, not offered enough on or off the ball and should be ditched from the starting XI against Dundee this evening so that Danilo can be unleashed.

Danilo's performance against Hearts in numbers

The summer signing from Feyenoord replaced Dessers at half-time and produced an impressive display in the second half that was capped off with his winning goal.

He won four of his eight duels on the pitch and this shows that the talented whiz was able to put himself about and compete to win physical battles for the team, in a way that the man who started was unable to.

Danilo also created one chance for his side, from nine passes completed, and rose well to meet Tavernier's cross to head in the winner in stoppage time.

The 5 foot 9 ace, who was hailed as an “amazing instinctive finisher” by analyst and Eredivisie expert Melvin Dupper, has scored three goals in two Premiership starts and seven appearances in total for the Gers.

He has also won 41% of his duels, in comparison to Dessers' aforementioned 29%, and this suggests that the gem could provide more physicality in the number nine position.

Therefore, Clement must finally unleash Danilo, who is yet to start under the new boss, and move the Nigerian striker aside for tonight's game to give Rangers a greater goal threat at the top end of the pitch.