West Ham’s £85k-p/w Star Almost Cost Moyes vs Arsenal

West Ham United gave their survival hopes a big boost as they fought back from 2-0 down to earn a draw against league leaders Arsenal.

What happened in West Ham vs Arsenal?

Things could not have gotten off to a much worse start for the Hammers as they found themselves 1-0 down within six minutes when Ben White crossed for Gabriel Jesus to tap in, before Martin Odegaard made it 2-0 with less than ten minutes on the clock, volleying in Gabriel Martinelli's cross.

At that point, it seemed as if David Moyes' side could easily be overwhelmed by the Gunners but a mistake allowed the home side back into the game, with Said Benrahma converting a penalty after Lucas Paqueta was felled by Gabriel.

Bukayo Saka had a golden chance to restore Arsenal's two-goal lead when Michail Antonio handballed but he put his penalty well wide, and it was 2-2 minutes later thanks to Jarrod Bowen's well-taken volley.

The Jamaica international had a chance to make amends late on but headed Benrahma's superb cross against the crossbar, with both sides forced to settle for a point.

Who was West Ham's worst performer vs Arsenal?

Although fans may leave the London Stadium happy after a spirited second-half display, there were still a number of disappointing performances on Sunday afternoon.

As per Sofascore, Antonio was perhaps harshly the worst-rated West Ham player on the pitch with a shocking 6.2/10 rating, with only Thomas Partey (6.1) rated lower of every player to feature in the game.

David Moyes watches on as West Ham United face AEK Larnaca in the Europa Conference League.

Although his dogged determination often saw him get the better of Rob Holding, notably forcing the defender to bring him down for a free-kick on the edge of the box in the first half, there were several moments in which he nearly cost Moyes.

During his 87 minutes on the pitch, the experienced £85k-per-week forward managed just 30 touches and a disappointing eight passes, which was the fewest of any player to start the game, including Lukasz Fabianski, who managed nine.

Tomas Soucek has been the man who has been lamented recently for his lack of involvement from midfield and today the Czech Republic international managed just 21 touches and ten passes, which suggests that he deserves equal criticism for another almost anonymous display.

Despite seeing so little of the ball, the former Nottingham Forest man still managed to lose possession on ten occasions and gave away the penalty which could have easily cost West Ham a share of the points had Saka not fluffed his lines.

The 33-year-old perhaps should have ensured that the Hammers would take all three points when he headed against the bar from close range too, with the striker once again proving that he cannot be relied upon as a consistent option in the attack.

Antonio, who was dubbed "not good enough" by Glen Johnson earlier in the season, has managed just three Premier League goals so far this campaign, and was fortunate today that his poor performance didn't cost Moyes a point.

Newcastle Eyeing Swoop For £35k p/w Summer Target

Newcastle United are believed to be looking at Leicester City's Harvey Barnes as a potential target for the summer transfer window.

Could Barnes leave Leicester in the summer?

The Foxes find themselves in a really tricky position going into the final games of the Premier League season with relegation a real threat.

They have recently parted ways with their manager, Brendan Rodgers, and hired Dean Smith until the end of the campaign as interim boss.

Regardless of whether Leicester manage to avoid the drop, this season may have put serious question marks over the future of players like Barnes.

In recent seasons, the Foxes have been fighting for Champions League football and lifting their first-ever FA Cup, yet they now find themselves just weeks away from potential relegation.

With this in mind, it will be interesting to see whether the £35k-per-week ace is a player who feels he may need a move in the summer to continue his development.

And it is believed an option for him could potentially be Newcastle with the Magpies flying high in the Premier League table as they battle for a spot inside the top four.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, insider Jacque Talbot has suggested Eddie Howe is a big fan of the 25-year-old with the summer window just weeks away:

(1:00) "Not really much of a surprise if you're a Newcastle fan, you know, Eddie Howe loves his Premier League players, English players, Harvey Barnes has got 10 goals already this season with a struggling side.

"Leicester could even be relegated, so obviously that's going to help tremendously in their pursuit of him. Can play in the middle and on left, I believe so yeah, that's what we heard."

Would Barnes upgrade Newcastle?

It would certainly be an interesting addition to the side given the options Howe currently has on the left wing in Allan Saint-Maximin and Anthony Gordon.

The latter has experienced injury issues over recent weeks which has allowed the Frenchman to make a solid run in the side where he has largely impressed.

And it is only a matter of months on from when the Toon parted with £45m for Gordon in the January transfer window.

However, it could definitely create a fierce battle for competition if Barnes was also to be added to the options at left wing ahead of next season.

Harvey Barnes battles for the ball as Leicester Cit play Crustal Palace in the Premier League.

But is it a headache which Howe would welcome?

Previously hailed as "special" by journalist Adam Bate, Barnes has actually returned the lowest number of shot-creating actions (2.01) in comparison to the two current Newcastle left-wingers (via Fbref).

However, his actual return in front of goal has been mightily impressive with 10 goals and one assist in the league which is more than the Newcastle pair combined.

It is apparent Barnes could provide Newcastle with a real attacking threat, but his arrival could certainly cause issues on Tyneside with the spot at left-wing at stake ahead of the new campaign.

Arsenal Could Find New Trossard In Hale End Teen

Arsenal’s academy production has kicked into overdrive of late, with a wealth of talent currently propping up the first-team exploits that see them sitting atop the Premier League.

Mikel Arteta must also earn credit, as a coach capable of embedding such unproven assets into the senior squad with such ease that they are unburdened by the pressures that these steps up bring.

The likes of Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and more all came as relative unknowns, but their youth was no barrier to their emergence into the top division.

Such is this golden pathway that has since been paved, many of their current academy stars are also now pushing for their opportunity to shine.

One such name who continues to crop up amongst their top Hale End prodigies is Charles Sagoe Jr, with the dangerous winger posing a threat to all full-backs he faces at the U21 level.

As such, the teenager could be seen as the natural successor to Leandro Trossard, who has enjoyed a fine start to life in north London but is far older than many of his attacking teammates, giving credence to the suggestion that his spot will be available in a few years time.

Who is Charles Sagoe Jr?

Billed as a 'livewire attacking player' with immense versatility by Arsenal’s official website, the 18-year-old marvel has truly shone this season in Premier League 2.

Boasting five goals and two assists, his scintillating work in the youth team even led to his place on the bench in Arsenal’s first-leg Europa League clash with Sporting CP.

Journalist George Addo Jr had taken to Twitter only last month to outline how Sagoe Jr’s displays had caught widespread attention too, writing: “Charles Sagoe Jr has been in fine form for Arsenal U21s all season. He's now Arsenal's leading scorer in Premier League 2."

Whilst Trossard has just one goal since signing in January, the 28-year-old more than makes up for his lack of potency with a fine injection of much-needed creativity.

Arsenal's Leandro Trossard.

In just 12 league appearances for the Gunners, the Belgian already boasts seven assists and was named the club's player of the month for March. Not bad for someone who's only been in north London a matter of months.

He will now be the player in which the budding stars of Hale End look at in order to hone their impressive skills and Sagoe Jr should be no different.

Indeed, the fleet-footed youngster boasts similar qualities to the former Brighton ace, with an unpredictable nature capable of causing carnage among opposition defenders.

That was notably picked up on by another Hale End graduate in Reiss Nelson, who spoke directly to the winger, noting: “I’ve been watching you, I watch a lot of the U21 games and literally, I’m not just saying this because you’re here, you have everything to be an Arsenal winger.

“You’re unpredictable, you can move on your left, on your right, you can score, you can assist, you’ve got everything.”

With this huge praise, and the pathway in sight to eventually take over from the offensive exploits of Trossard, Sagoe Jr should feel confident that his time in the senior spotlight is just on the horizon.

Man City Eyeing Summer Move For Benjamin Pavard

Manchester City are one of a number of clubs interested in signing Benjamin Pavard during the summer transfer window, according to a new report.

Is Pavard off in the summer?

This summer is hopefully going to be another fruitful one for City in the transfer market as they look to make their squad even more formidable by adding fresh legs. Full-back could be an area of the pitch to strengthen with Kyle Walker now in his thirties and Joao Cancelo's future up in the air after joining Bayern Munich on loan.

One player who could potentially be on the move at the end of the season is Pavard, who is currently a key figure for Bayern. The France World Cup winner has started 20 Bundesliga matches this season, as well as appearing seven times in the Champions League.

The 27-year-old is out of contract in the summer of 2024, so this year could be the last opportunity to receive a decent amount of money for his signature, meaning he could move on to pastures new this summer. It looks as though there could be a scrap to sign Pavard in the upcoming window, following a fresh update.

Could Frenchman head to Man City?

According to 90min, City are in the hunt to sign Pavard from Bayern, although they are far from alone in expressing their interest. Manchester United and Real Madrid are the other top clubs who are believed in the conversation. All three clubs are keen on "bolstering" their right-back options and they see the France international as a strong option to bring in.

He may not be the most attack-minded full-back in the game – he has only registered one assist in the league this season – but he is a defensively astute player with a wealth of experience and a winning mentality, as highlighted by his World Cup triumph back in 2018.

With Uli Hoeness lauding him as "wonderful" in the past, Pavard could be seen as a strong option to rival Walker for minutes moving forward, easing the Englishman's workload as he gets older in the process and proving to be an intelligent signing who learns the City system quickly.

Having great squad depth can be key for a team like City who are battling on maximum fronts each year, and the Bayern defender could be someone who comes in and simply does a solid job – possibly even enjoying his best years of his career at the Etihad.

Carlton Palmer thinks Sheffield Wednesday could sign Elliot Anderson

Pundit and former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer believes that Hillsborough could be a possible destination for Newcastle United’s Elliot Anderson next season.

The Lowdown: Previous interest

The Owls appeared to have their eye on Anderson earlier in the year during the January transfer window, with reports suggesting that the club were keen on a loan deal for the 20-year-old, who contributed to 13 goals in 21 League Two appearances on loan at Bristol Rovers last season.

As we know, a move for Anderson failed to materialise, with the midfielder remaining at St. James’ Park under Eddie Howe, but it looks as if a loan move could be on the cards ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Latest: Palmer’s comments

Palmer, who contributes for the BBC, was talking to Football League World about Anderson, describing his display against Nottingham Forest as ‘brilliant’. The Pundit then name-checked Sheffield Wednesday as a potential destination for the midfielder next season, labelling him as a ‘very, very talented young player’.

“Elliot Anderson was brilliant for Newcastle the other night (against Nottingham Forest). He’s a very, very talented young player but all the noise coming out of Newcastle is that he could be loaned out to a Championship club, but it will be a Championship club that play football in the right manner.

“So yes, I think Sheffield Wednesday would be in the frame to get him and he would be a very, very good acquisition should they secure promotion.”

The Verdict: Wednesday to benefit?

A loan move to the second tier could be extremely beneficial for Anderson after playing just 179 minutes of Premier League action across 12 appearances. He caught the eye prior to the international break against Nottingham Forest, with Kieran Trippier hailing his display from the bench.

“He’s a young lad, with so much potential and I really mean that. It’s crazy really how good he is. He just has to be patient. Keep working hard as he has been doing. He was unbelievable when he came on (at Forest). He has a massive future ahead of him, like I said, he just has to keep being patient.”

He appears to be a star in the making, so Darren Moore’s side could benefit from having him upon their return to the Championship, should they get over the line and out of League One in the coming months.

The Owls have just one out-and-out attacking midfielder on the books in Josh Windass, so Anderson could be a shrewd signing to add strength in depth, although the club may face plenty of interest from possible second-tier rivals.

Aston Villa: Darren Bent claims Ollie Watkins should be in England squad

Former Aston Villa striker Darren Bent has bemoaned Gareth Southgate's decision to leave in-form striker Ollie Watkins out of the latest England squad.

How has Ollie Watkins performed for Aston Villa?

The striker has been in sensational form recently, scoring six times in his last seven Premier League matches, while netting 10 times in all competitions this season.

The 27-year-old has been Unai Emery's trusted figure up front to the point that Danny Ings was allowed to leave in the January transfer window, and has seven England caps already to his name.

He was once described as "outstanding" by former manager Dean Smith, and his current form has been nothing short of remarkable.

However, he was omitted from the squad for England's EURO 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine, in a move that has surprised Bent.

Speaking on TalkSport, Bent claimed that Watkins' form makes him more deserving of a place than other strikers who have been called up.

He said: "Someone who I think could count himself a bit unlucky to not be in the squad is Ollie Watkins.

"He's got six goals in his last seven games. He's timed his form to perfection if he was in contention for this England squad, so to get six in your last seven and not be in there, he can count himself unlucky.

"Callum Wilson, who was brilliant in the first half of the season, he's got one goal in 2023, so that's not going for him.

"I spoke about Tammy Abraham, he's got one in the last 10. Ollie Watkins is the one where he'd go, 'hold on a second here, why am I not in the squad?'"

Should Watkins be in the squad?

Whilst Watkins is evidently in better form than Wilson and Abraham, Southgate has elected to only pick two natural centre-forwards in the shape of Harry Kane and Ivan Toney.

Marcus Rashford is also capable of playing through the middle, and if Watkins was selected, his game time may well have been limited as a result of Kane's presence.

Although Watkins has been in better goalscoring form recently, Toney's 17 strikes this season place him ahead of the Villa star, as well as having one more assist throughout the campaign as a whole.

Whilst Watkins may bemoan his luck that he failed to make the squad when in such fine form, the other options at England's disposal mean he will face an uphill battle to force his way into Southgate's plans going forward.

With Kane the unquestionable starter, whichever forward makes it in out of Toney, Watkins or Wilson will still have to settle for a bench role anyway.

Rangers: Murray had a transfer shocker with Michael Ball

Glasgow Rangers’ transfer business has been well documented throughout the previous 25 years, with plenty of money being spent in order to vastly improve the squad and progress in Europe, especially under former chairman Sir David Murray.

The club won nine league titles in a row between 1988 and 1997 and in the first few years after the millennium, Murray wanted the Ibrox side to take the next step and become a European force. Of course, millions would need to be spent to achieve this goal, and they were, just ultimately on the wrong players.

When manager Dick Advocaat splash out £6.5m on Everton defender Michael Ball back in 2001, it looked as though the Light Blues had signed a player of considerable quality. It didn’t quite work out well for the left-back unfortunately during his spell at the club.

How much did Michael Ball cost Rangers?

At the time, the deal to bring Ball to Ibrox was the second highest in the club’s history and much hype was generated upon his arrival.

He missed 18 months of football early on in his Rangers career due to knee problems suffered at Everton and this heavily impacted the trajectory of his career.

The Englishman played just nine matches during his first season at the club and missed the whole of the 2002/2003 treble winning campaign.

40 matches in 2003/2004 was his best season at the Glasgow side, although in his last few years, he had to come to a strange agreement with Murray. If Ball played one more match, Rangers would have to pay another £500k to Everton and with the Gers short on money, Ball agreed to pay per appearance.

He said: "I remember it was a match at Ibrox when the gaffer Alex McLeish said the chairman wanted to see me – that's when he put the idea to me.

"Alex asked how it went, and I was still a little bit shocked about what had just happened.

Michael-Ball-Rangers

"I had agreed to pay £4000 every time I played so they could pay Everton.

"I wasn't sure if I had got it right. We had a bit of a chuckle about it and later that day I came on as a sub with a few minutes left. I remember thinking 'that's just cost me four grand'!"

All in all, he made 67 appearances for the club across five and half seasons, which works out at around £97k per game in relation to his initial transfer fee – excluding wages – and this simply wasn’t money that Rangers could afford to waste.

If he managed to keep himself fit, there is no doubt he could have enjoyed a wonderful career in Scotland, however it proved to be a massive transfer shocker by Murray.

Wolves: Liam Keen drops positive Cunha injury update

Journalist Liam Keen has revealed that Matheus Cunha is expected to feature for Wolves at the weekend despite an injury scare.

What's the latest on Matheus Cunha?

The forward, who joined from Atletico Madrid in January, is yet to score in 11 appearances for the club, and there was concern that he could miss his side's crucial game against Leeds United on Saturday.

The striker was withdrawn with an ankle injury against Fulham, which caused him to miss Wolves' loss to Liverpool, but Cunha is expected to be in the squad as Wolves host Javi Gracia's side at Molineux.

Speaking on the Express and Star Podcast, Keen claimed that his injury is simply careful management of his previous ankle problem and that he is fit to play.

He said: "He's having to manage the injury, having to take the load off the ankle at times and just manage it.

"He should be fine. They're not expecting him to be out injured. They're expecting him to still be fine for Saturday provided, obviously. there's no issues for the rest of this week.

"So it looks worse than it is, but it's just managing the load on the ankle. He was in the squad at Newcastle, he was warming up, I saw him on the sidelines, he looked fine.

"So I would imagine, unless there's [any] issues in the rest of this week, he will be fine for the weekend against Leeds."

Has Cunha been good enough so far?

The 23-year-old joined on an initial loan with an obligation to buy for around £35m, but his lack of goals will be of some concern to Julen Lopetegui.

Wolves' strikers have gone over a year without a Premier League goal, despite the likes of Cunha and Diego Costa arriving to support Raul Jimenez up front, and it was hoped that Cunha could provide more of a threat in attack.

The Brazil international has never been prolific at any of his clubs, and failed to score for Atletico Madrid this season before his move in January.

He may be more suited to a second-striker role rather than as an out-and-out number nine, but given the hefty fee Wolves will have to pay for him in the summer, they will be hoping for a vast improvement in his end product.

Wolves have navigated themselves away from the relegation zone for now, but there is still a long way to go this season as they continue to battle the drop, and their striking problems have been one of their biggest issues in what has been an overall underwhelming season.

And despite Cunha's slow start to life at Molineux in front of goal, having him back in first-team contention can only be a boost for the Old Gold.

Chelsea in pole position to sign Sanusi

Chelsea are currently in pole position to sign Birmingham City forward Trevan Sanusi, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Sanusi profiled

The Blues winger has worked his way up through the academy ranks at St. Andrew’s but his future is uncertain, having turned down multiple new scholarship contract proposals.

The Midlands starlet is 15 years old but will turn 16 next month, when he is reportedly hoping to move onto pastures new, and it sounds like there are two suitors waiting to snap him up in the Premier League.

The Latest: CFC leading the race

According to Football Insider, Chelsea and Arsenal are ‘battling’ it out to secure the services of Sanusi when he’s allowed to depart.

The London giants are both ‘hot on the trail’ of the teenager, but it’s believed that Graham Potter and his side are in ‘pole position’ at this stage having pushed ‘hard’.

The SW6 outfit’s scouts have ‘closely watched’ their target in multiple matches, where he has received ‘rave reviews’.

The Verdict: One for the future

Sanusi has been hailed an ‘exciting’ player by Birmingham’s U21s manager Steve Spooner and he would be a great signing for the future of Chelsea.

The talented prospect naturally operates on the left wing but offers wonderful versatility having also operated down the right and as a centre-forward throughout his career so far.

Sanusi is also an England youth international having been capped for both the U16s and U15s sides, so has a bright future ahead of him, quite possibly at Stamford Bridge.

Man Utd keen on sealing Bastoni signing

Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, with the Red Devils a ‘concrete threat’ to the Serie A side.

The Lowdown: Bastoni superb for Inter

The 23-year-old is arguably one of Europe’s most exciting young defenders currently, producing a string of influential performances for Inter in recent years.

Bastoni has made 19 appearances in Serie A so far this season, averaging 1.7 tackles per game in the competition, as well as 2.5 clearances in the Champions League, as per WhoScored.

The Italian is out of contract at Inter at the end of next season, however, meaning there could be potential suitors eyeing up his signature this summer.

The Latest: United linked with move

According to Inter Live [via Sport Witness], United are a ‘concrete threat’ to Inter with regards to Bastoni, as the Serie A giants desperately try to keep hold of one of their star men.

The Red Devils could reportedly ‘go as high as’ offering the young centre-back €8million (£7m) a year at Old Trafford, which is ‘triggering a new alarm’ at the Nerazzurri.

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The Verdict: Could be an outstanding signing

Bastoni could be a magnificent signing by United, considering what a formidable defender he already is, despite having most of his career ahead of him still.

The 17-cap Italy international could be viewed as a long-term successor to Raphael Varane at the heart of United’s defence, with the Frenchman turning 30 next month and never too far away from an injury layoff.

Bastoni and Lisandro Martinez could forge a wonderful long-term centre-back partnership at Old Trafford – one that may have the potential to match great pairings of the past, from Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, to Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister.

Whether or not Inter allow one of their most prized assets to move on remains to be seen – he won the league title in 2020/21 – but the player himself may jump at the chance to join the Erik ten Hag revolution.

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