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When Fulham defeated Aston Villa 3-0 in the early phases of the Premier League campaign, concern over the proud club's status had not been so profound since the shambolic 2015/16 season that saw a detrimental relegation to the Championship, where they languished for two years.

Steven Gerrard was dismissed from duty after the loss to the Cottagers; the Liverpool icon started with promise at Villa Park, but failed to develop a connection with the Villan fan base and was sacked after growing discontent following the summer seeped into the performances on the pitch.

With the appointment of Unai Emery, former Arsenal manager and four-time victor in the Europa League, the ship steered back on course and worries of a plummet into the second tier are now a fleeting memory.

Indeed, the Claret & Blue perch in 11th place in the top-flight after 27 matches, level on points with Chelsea in tenth and just four points away from European contention, though seventh-placed Brighton & Hove Albion hold two games in hand on Emery's outfit.

The leaps made have been emphatic, but Emery will be hoping to make the necessary increments over the current international break to forge a surging attempt for a spot in competition across the English Channel next year, and unleashing Bertrand Traore in the place of Leon Bailey for the remainder of the term could be an astute route to achieving such a coveted goal.

Should Emery unleash Bertrand Traore?

Traore was recalled from his loan spell at Turkish Super Lig club Istanbul Basaksehir in January, with Emery seemingly unconvinced with his attacking options amid the scope of his ambitious schemes.

Talisman Danny Ings never quite found his feet at Villa following his £25m move from Southampton, scoring 14 times from 52 outings before moving to West Ham United for £15m.

Traore offers a very different, perhaps more dynamic offensive threat and could be a perfect tool for Emery to wield over the business end of the campaign; with Ings' departure scarcely felt following centre-forward Ollie Watkins' recent purple patch, scoring six goals and serving one assist from his past eight Premier League outings.

With Traore on the right flank, Emery could indeed ditch the £25m Bailey, who has been said to be "struggling" recently by Birmingham Live's Ashley Preece.

Bailey has scored just one goal from his past 13 top-flight matches and has also been branded "clumsy" by the aforementioned Preece, but a new dimension to the attacking flow could pay dividends for Emery's Villa, who will need to make every fixture count if they are to close the gap on the upper end of the table.

Hailed as a "marvellous technician" by former Lions boss Dean Smith, whom Traore enjoyed his most productive season under on English soil, reaping seven goals and seven assists from 29 starting appearances in the 2020/21 Premier League, the 68-cap Burkina Faso international will indeed hope that a new man in the dugout could prompt a resurgence.

The £78k-per-week man could offer something different to the squad, and given that the cohesion is gelled and fluid right now, he has the perfect platform to reignite his career at the club and make a marked impact on the pursuit of a phenomenal finish to the season.

Newcastle United could possibly offer the American winger Christian Pulisic with an exit away from Chelsea in the summer with the expectation for him to leave.

Will Pulisic leave Chelsea in the summer?

The 24-year-old will enter the summer with just one year remaining on his current deal at Stamford Bridge where he has had his struggles in recent months.

Albeit having been sidelined through a knee injury recently, the £58m American has only been able to earn seven starts in the Premier League this season (via Transfermarkt).

Pulisic has been linked with a potential exit from Stamford Bridge before with the likes of Leeds United said to be an interested club in the past.

And speaking on SiriusXM, insider Pete O'Rourke has suggested Eddie Howe's side are one of the clubs who would likely show an interest in the summer if the £150k-per-week winger is to become available:

(1:06:00) "But I think if he had been fit in January, I think there was a real possibility he could have left Chelsea even then there was some interest from other clubs.

"I'm sure there'll be interest from other Premier League clubs in the summer if he does become available on the transfer market. I know a number of clubs do like him, Newcastle being one of them, so maybe that might be a landing spot for him."

Would Pulisic improve Newcastle?

It has been a challenging campaign for Pulisic who has only been able to return one goal and one assist in the Premier League across his 18 appearances (via Transfermarkt).

Another player who has been struggling to find his form in the Premier League is Allan Saint-Maximin with the Frenchman not producing a goal or an assist in the league since November (via Transfermarkt).

Anthony Gordon did come in during the summer for a hefty fee which would suggest the spot at left-wing will be covered when he returns from injury.

Therefore, it would leave a big question as to whether Pulisic would be willing to fight for his spot in the Newcastle side having struggled to do so at Chelsea.

On the right wing, Miguel Almiron has shown some stunning form this season, however, there may be some doubts as to whether he can deliver those figures on a consistent basis.

The Paraguayan has netted 11 goals in the league this season, but there has been a slight decrease in his output since the turn of the year (via Transfermarkt).

Despite Saint-Maximin's poor record in front of goal, the Frenchman has provided a much more impressive number of take-ons per 90 minutes than the American (via Fbref).

Pulisic has been labelled a "magician" by sports writer Al Butler during the 2022 World Cup, however, his disappearing act in front of goal may be a big concern for any side if he becomes available in the summer.

Newcastle United will host Manchester United at St James' Park in their Premier League clash this afternoon and there is no doubt that there will be a hostile reception waiting for the Red Devils when they step out in front of the home support.

It will be the first time the two teams have met since Erik ten Hag's side were victorious over the Magpies in the League Cup final at Wembley back in February and Eddie Howe will be hoping the motivation to settle a score will put his team in a position to take all three points.

The North East club has enjoyed a phenomenal campaign and are currently just two points shy of a Champions League qualifying spot inside the top four with 12 fixtures remaining, so a win today will not only help to heal open wounds from Wembley but put them in a great position to take points away from one of their top four competitors.

Howe has been given a huge boost ahead of the clash as Brazilian midfielder Joelinton will be available for selection following a two-match suspension and could be exactly what Newcastle need to have the edge over their opponents later today.

Will Joelinton start against Manchester United?

It is no secret that Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff have formed a formidable trio this season, so it would make perfect sense for the 26-year-old to reprise his role at St James' Park against Man United.

The fiery midfielder – who has collected 11 yellow cards this season – is renowned for his ability to frustrate his opponents and cause chaos in the centre of the pitch by breaking the lines to play an important role in the attacking threat.

Over 22 league appearances, the £85k-per-week dynamo – hailed a "fierce competitor" by Howe – has scored two goals, registered one assist and created four big chances so far, as well as averaging 2.5 tackles, 1.5 successful dribbles and a whopping 6.7 duels won per game, proving he is a huge all-round presence in midfield.

Since converting from a centre-forward to a midfielder, Joelinton has had a stunning transformation from a £40m flop to an indispensable star and has drawn high praise for his impact from club legend Alan Shearer:

"I always felt it was really difficult for him personally because I never felt he was a number nine.

"For him to go from where he was to where he is now and playing such a major part in what Newcastle are doing in that midfield role, he deserves a huge amount of credit."

With that being said, it would a no-brainer for Joelinton to start this afternoon as a victory over Man United would be monumental in the race for a top four berth.

One problem position for Manchester United for a number of years has been at right-back, with a succession of names having tried and failed to nail down the position for an extended period of time.

In the present day, manager Erik ten Hag has flitted between Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot in that full-back berth of late, albeit with it yet to be seen if either man truly has the credentials to be a long-term solution.

In the case of Wan-Bissaka, it was only a matter of months ago that the former Crystal Palace man appeared unsuited to the Dutchman's style amid reports that he was heading for a January exit, while with Dalot, the Portugal international has looked a "bit off it" since returning from World Cup duty, as per The Mirror's Colin Millar.

That uncertainty surrounding the right side of the defence has been a constant theme throughout the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, with the likes of Ashley Young, Matteo Darmian, Antonio Valencia and Rafael having all been unable to truly impress on a consistent basis.

In truth, the Red Devils have arguably not had a reliable option in that role since the retirement of club legend Gary Neville in 2011, with the long-serving asset having racked up over 600 appearances for the club after rising up through the youth ranks.

The one-time United skipper was truly a 'leader of men' – as per the club's official website – having shown great "determination", in the words of Ferguson, to ensure that he remained a key part of the side year-in, year-out, for almost two decades.

While a figure of such elite service is almost impossible to find, Ten Hag could again look to the youth ranks to unearth a potential heir to that man Neville, with the Old Trafford outfit potentially having a prime candidate in the form of 18-year-old, Marc Jurado.

Who is Man United's Marc Jurado?

The promising Spaniard has been tipped for a bright future at the club ever since making the move from La Liga giants Barcelona back in 2020, having notably made "impressive" development over the past few years, as per Manchester Evening News journalist, Samuel Luckhurst.

The teen machine – who has been lauded as a "complete full-back" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – was notably part of the side that claimed FA Youth Cup glory last season, having started every game in the competition, including taking on the captaincy in the opening two fixtures.

Having taken on the armband on occasion throughout his time at United, Jurado clearly follows Neville in being something of a leader on the pitch, with that point having only been rubberstamped by former youth aid, Paul McShane, who previously stated:

"Marc Jurado is a great lad, he's got a great spirit about him. He's good around the training ground, he's good on the pitch, he's very vocal, wants to defend as well."

The Spain youth international has since made a smooth transition to life at U21 level this season having already racked up three goals and four assists from his 19 Premier League 2 outings, while also featuring five times in the EFL Trophy earlier in the campaign.

Despite coming up against senior opposition in that latter tournament, the exciting teen continued to thrive as he averaged 3.6 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game, showcasing the full array of his defensive prowess.

While a chance at senior level on a competitive basis has yet to emerge, Jurado was involved in first-team action during the mid-season trip to Spain, while also notably earning a promotion to first-team training alongside a handful of other youngsters earlier this month.

That close contact with Ten Hag may put the Spaniard at an advantage ahead of another youth star such as Ethan Laird, with the latter man currently away from the Theatre of Dreams after joining Queens Park Rangers on loan last summer.

Although the Englishman has enjoyed an encouraging year at Loftus Road, having made 26 appearances in the Championship this season, it remains to be seen if the 21-year-old's chance at his parent club may have already come and gone, particularly with just a matter of months left to run existing deal.

As such, it could be Jurado who emerges as the leading candidate to nail down the right-back berth in the near future, with the hope being that the Sabadell native can follow in Neville's footsteps and establish himself in the role for the long term.

Chelsea have held a positive meeting regarding a deal to bring Barcelona midfielder Gavi to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Gavi's future?

The Spaniard arrived at Camp Nou when he joined the Blaugrana’s youth side in 2015 and has since gone on to work his way up through the academy ranks to become a regular feature of the first team, making 87 appearances.

His contract isn’t set to expire for another three years, but Xavi is at risk of losing him on a free transfer at the end of the season as a result of La Liga not approving the registration of his contract extension due to a salary cap, meaning that he remains on his youth deal.

Despite making 22 league starts and five substitute outings this season, as per WhoScored, the 18-year-old is reportedly upset with how Barca have handled the situation and might therefore be on the lookout for his next destination – which could potentially be Stamford Bridge.

According to Spanish outlet AS (via TEAMtalk), Chelsea have held “positive initial talks” about signing Gavi ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Blues have “already been meeting” with the teenager’s representative, Ivan de la Pena and it is believed that technical director Christopher Vivell “emphasised” how much of an integral member of the squad he would be should he move to SW6.

Both parties are claimed to have walked away feeling optimistic about how the meeting went, which took place three weeks ago in Madrid. As a result, they have “mutually agreed” to continue negotiations leading up to the summer. The Blues would reportedly be willing to hand the £115k-per-week talent a sizable signing-on bonus as an extra incentive, with the next round of discussions set to occur “soon”.

Would Gavi be a good signing for Chelsea?

Gavi has been dubbed an “erupting volcano” by former Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, who is interestingly a managerial target for Chelsea, so should he take over the reins, this could give them an advantage in the race to secure the youngster’s services.

The Nike-sponsored star is naturally a central midfielder and has provided six assists and two goals across all competitions this season, as per Transfermarkt, which is impressive for someone of his age at this high level.

The Spain international also ranks in the 96th percentile for progressive passes received, showing that he’s often getting himself into the right positions in and around the box, which is further backed up by being in the 95th percentile for the number of touches in the attacking penalty area (FBref).

To compare him with Mateo Kovacic too, the youngster has recorded a 6.96 average Sofascore rating compared to the 6.78 of the Croatian.

Gavi will know what it takes to compete at the highest level having had experience playing at the World Cup, as well as in the Champions and Europa League for Barca, so possesses the winning mentality needed to match the current squad at Stamford Bridge.

Aston Villa will be hoping to continue their remarkable run of form under Unai Emery as they face Brentford in the Premier League this afternoon.

The Midlands side are currently just six points off a Champions League spot, and having won their last five matches in a row, the momentum is currently with the Villans as they chase a European spot which seemed out of this world just six months ago.

Emery’s men have no fresh injury concerns ahead of the match today, with several big-name players such as Boubacar Kamara, Matty Cash and Philippe Coutinho still all on the treatment table.

The tie represents a major opportunity for Villa to secure another three points, while Brentford have struggled as of late, picking up just two points from their last five matches, and despite having a solid season, they will be hoping to end on a high note.

We at Football FanCast predict the starting XI that Emery will select for the crucial visit to the Gtech Community Stadium this afternoon.

How will Aston Villa line up against Brentford?

4-2-3-1: Emiliano Martinez; Ashley Young, Diego Carlos, Tyrone Mings, Alex Moreno; Leander Dendoncker, Douglas Luiz; John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia, Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins

Martinez will keep his place in goal and the Argentinian ‘keeper has kept a clean sheet in four of his previous five matches – with Villa conceding just one goal in that time – and he will be hoping to enjoy a comfortable afternoon.

Young will continue to deputise at right-back due to Cash being unavailable, while Alex Moreno will keep his place on the left side of defence.

Despite enjoying some solid performances of late, we think Emery could drop Ezri Konsa to the bench and give a runout to Carlos. The £100k-per-week centre-half – who was dubbed a “monster” by Watkins – hasn’t started a match since August, but he has recovered from his knee injury that has ruled him out of the majority of the season. Mings will partner him at the heart of the defence.

Dendoncker and Luiz will form the midfield axis like they did against Newcastle and will be hoping to replicate their performances against the Magpies.

Emery will yet again deploy three attacking players behind a lone striker. McGinn and Ramsey will operate on the flanks as the Englishman aims to build on his impressive display last weekend, where he scored and provided an assist. Buendia will hope to make things happen in the number ten role directly behind the in-form Watkins, who has scored 12 goals since Christmas.

Another three points will propel Villa towards the promised land of European football, but Brentford will make it a tough match as they seek their first win in over a month.

كشفت وسائل إعلامية إسبانية، عن رغبة تشافي هيرنانديز المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، في التعاقد مع لاعب جيرونا خلال فترة الانتقالات الشتوية المقبلة.

ويحتل برشلونة المركز الرابع في سلم ترتيب الدوري الإسباني، برصيد 38 نقطة، فيما يأتي فريق جيرونا في المركز الثاني برصيد 45 نقطة بالتساوي مع المتصدر ريال مدريد.

اقرأ ايضاً.. ذا صن: برشلونة يخطط لإغراء منبوذ مانشستر يونايتد بقميص ميسي

وأشارت صحيفة سبورت الكتالونية، إلى أن تشافي هيرنانديز يستهدف التعاقد مع لاعب وسط فريق جيرونا الإسباني، أليكس جارسيا، في فترة الانتقالات الشتوية القادمة.

وتابعت الصحيفة الإسبانية، أن خوان لابورتا رئيس نادي برشلونة يريد ضم لاعب جيرونا على سبيل الإعارة.

ووفقاً لما جاء في الصحيفة الإسبانية، فإنه إذا لم تتم الصفقة في يناير، سيعمل برشلونة على استئناف المفاوضات في الصيف القادم.

جدير بالذكر أن قيمة الشرط الجزائي في عقد اللاعب الإسباني، أليكس جارسيا، تبلغ حوالي 20 مليون يورو.

حرص أشرف صبحي وزير الشباب والرياضة، على الاطمئنان على كافة الترتيبات الخاصة بالبعثة المصرية المشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا بكوت ديفوار.

ومن المقرر أن تصل بعثة منتخب مصر إلي كوت ديفوار اليوم الثلاثاء، استعداداً للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.

وتواصل أشرف صبحي، هاتفياً مع السفير شريف سيف، سفير مصر لدى كوت ديفوار، اليوم من أجل الاطمئنان على كافة الاستعدادات أثناء تواجد بعثة المنتخب المصري في كوت ديفوار.

وخلال الاتصال، استمع وزير الشباب والرياضة إلى شرح مفصل من السفير شريف سيف، حول كافة الإجراءات التي اتخذتها السلطات في كوت ديفوار لاستضافة البطولة، والتي تشمل توفير كافة سبل الراحة والدعم للبعثة المصرية، وضمان سلامة وأمان اللاعبين والإداريين وكافة أعضاء البعثة، كما اطمأن على كافة الأمور اللوجستية التي تخص البعثة.

طالع | صور.. أشرف صبحي يزور معسكر منتخب مصر للمرة الأخيرة قبل السفر إلى كوت ديفوار

وأكد وزير الشباب والرياضة، أهمية البطولة، باعتبارها أحد أهم الأحداث الرياضية في القارة الإفريقية، والتي تحظى بمتابعة كبيرة من الجماهير المصرية والإفريقية، مشيراً إلى أن الوزارة تتابع كافة الاستعدادات الخاصة بالبعثة المصرية، من أجل تحقيق أفضل النتائج.

ووجه وزير الشباب والرياضة، الشكر إلى السفير شريف سيف، على جهوده المتواصلة في متابعة كافة الاستعدادات الخاصة بالبعثة المصرية، متمنياً التوفيق والنجاح للمنتخب الوطني لكرة القدم في البطولة، والعودة مجدداً إلى منصات التتويج والفوز بلقب كأس الأمم الإفريقية بعد غياب 13 عاماً، وإضافة النجمة الثامنة لتواصل تصدرها لأكثر المناخبات تتويجاً بالبطولة.

ومن جانبه، أعرب السفير شريف سيف عن سعادته بتواصل وزير الشباب والرياضة معه، للاطمئنان على كافة الاستعدادات الخاصة بالبعثة المصرية، مؤكداً أنه سيبذل قصارى جهده لتوفير كافة سبل الدعم للمنتخب المصري، من أجل تحقيق تطلعات الشعب المصري.

ويستهل منتخب مصر مشواره في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا يوم الأحد 14 يناير بمواجهة موزمبيق في الجولة الأولى من عمر منافسات البطولة القارية.

Chelsea have been gifted the chance to land Leroy Sane in a stunning swap deal involving Blues midfelder Mateo Kovacic.

Who are Chelsea linked with?

Todd Boehly is already hard at work identifying possible targets for the summer transfer window, with a goalkeeper looking high on the priority list. According to reports, the Stamford Bridge outfit are in serious discussions to sign Andre Onana, a signing which has already been approved by Mauricio Pochettino.

And it seems the Argentine, if appointed, will be overseeing a mini overhaul in midfield, with N'Golo Kante soon to be out of contract and both Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount linked with exits.

Now, it looks like Kovacic could be on his way out too, with the Croatia international starting just 15 times in the Premier League this season. According to Inter Live (via Sport Witness), who are reporting on the matter due to Inter's own interest in Kovacic, Bayern Munich want to sign the Blues star and do not want to "resort to cash".

Instead, the Bavarian giants plan to "undertake an incredible exchange negotiation" involving Sane, who despite being on £281,000 per-week in Munich is not a nailed on starter under Thomas Tuchel. The player's wife is "fed up" with life in Germany and has already returned to the UK.

Should Chelsea sign Sane?

In truth, Boehly's spending across the last two transfer windows has put Pochettino in a difficult position, as the likely new manager will have a plethora of young attacking talents needing development and nurturing, from Noni Madueke to Mykhailo Mudryk.

However, if they can find room in the squad for one more, Sane could be an excellent signing, due in no small part to the fact that the former Tottenham manager is clearly a big fan. Indeed, Pochettino tried to sign Sane for just £8.5m eight years ago, when he was at Spurs and the winger was still at Schalke.

Racking up 72 direct goal involvements in 128 appearances with Bayern, we feel Sane could be the perfect accompanyment to Pochettino's arrival this summer, injecting serious end product into a group of attacking players currently lacking it.

Manchester United suffered a defeat in their Premier League clash with Brighton and Hove Albion last night with a last-minute penalty costing the club crucial points in their quest for Champions League qualification.

The Red Devils are currently fourth in the top flight table and are four points clear of their bitter rivals Liverpool with a game in hand at present, however, Erik ten Hag will be extremely frustrated that his team threw away an opportunity to distance themselves to secure a more comfortable position ahead of their remaining five games.

Brighton had no trouble at all with dominating every area of the pitch as their visitors only had 40% possession of the ball, registered fewer shots on target (5 v 6), and fewer accurate passes (287 v 453), stats which set the scene for an entertaining but wasteful outing for Man United.

Over the entirety of the clash, both teams struggled with finishing their chances in front of goal and neither looked like they were keen to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

In the final 45 minutes, there were seven yellow cards delivered by the referee, Andre Marriner, as frustration peaked between the opponents. That said, it wasn’t until Luke Shaw made a disappointing error in the dying moments of the game that Man United really lost control of their fate.

The England star, who has been playing in the centre-back role alongside Victor Lindelof over the last two fixtures, was faultless throughout and put in a defensive performance he can be proud of, making four clearances and an impressive three blocks. However, it was completely overshadowed by his handball when a Brighton ball came in from a corner.

Alexis Mac Allister stepped up in the fourth minute of extra time to seal the win for the home team and delivered a devastating blow when his penalty breezed past David De Gea just seconds before the whistle was blown for full-time.

Indeed, Shaw will take a lot of the blame for dropping points, but there were many opportunities for his attacking teammates to really put up a fight ahead of the error with Anthony Martial once again proving that he doesn’t fight in front of goal to lead his team to success.

How did Anthony Martial get on vs Brighton?

The 27-year-old Frenchman has had a mixed spell during his time at Old Trafford, with moments of magic often overshadowed by his inconsistency and lacklustre performances in front of goal.

Despite that, the attacker has been given another chance at redemption by his Dutch manager due to a lack of offensive options in the squad.

Martial has struggled with injuries over the season so far and, in spite of often starting on the bench when available for selection, has been given numerous opportunities to be effective in the attacking third, but after last night’s performance, Ten Hag may be regretting his decision.

Over his 84-minute performance, the £250k-per-week dud completed just 36 touches of the ball and amassed only 17 accurate passes as he proved to be incredibly wasteful.

Furthermore, the former Monaco man lost out in 100% of his aerial duels and struggled to trouble the Brighton ‘keeper throughout before he was hooked late in the game for Wout Weghorst to replace him in the central role.

The Manchester Evening News’ Chief Manchester United reporter Samuel Luckhurst even noticed Ten Hag losing his temper with Martial as he was clearly not following instructions in his role:

“Ten Hag slaps his thighs in anger and starts rollocking Martial, seemingly over a lack of pressing,” the journalist said as the game was ongoing.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Man United must replace Martial in the summer as his lack of presence in the final third is killing their opportunity to dominate games and, in the worst case, could cost his team even more vital points with his lazy displays.