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Everton have picked up a much-needed victory at Goodison Park this afternoon in their Premier League clash with Brentford and Sean Dyche will be thrilled with the resilience his team showed throughout the performance.

The Toffees are now 15th in the league table after climbing out of the relegation zone following their 1-0 victory over the Bees, however, they are only two points clear of the bottom three and must continue to fight for more crucial points to secure safety over their remaining 11 fixtures.

Despite having far less possession of the ball (33%), Everton had more shots on target (6 v 4), more tackles won (25 v 10) and more clearances completed (26 v 11) – a testament to the outstanding defensive display that was perfectly executed to seal their sixth victory of the season.

It was a strike from Dwight McNeil in the opening minute of the clash that ultimately won the Merseysiders their first game in four, a player who has seen his game-time increase since the arrival of his former Burnley boss in January.

It has been a common theme throughout the team with another one of Dyche’s former players reprising their role as Michael Keane was once again deployed this afternoon in the back-line alongside James Tarkowski instead of Conor Coady.

However, not all the players at Goodison have been lucky enough to become one of the first names on the team sheet with Demarai Gray seemingly snubbed by the Everton boss upon his appointment.

How did Demarai Gray perform against Brentford?

Gray had been benched for two and made three appearances of under half an hour in each of the first five outings under Dyche but has finally been given the opportunity to prove himself in the latest two fixtures and has now rightfully earned his spot in front of goal.

The 26-year-old winger has been deployed in the most advanced position of Dyche’s 4-5-1 formation that saw the side draw with Nottingham Forest last week and win against Brentford today, proving his ability to adapt to a more central role in the final third.

Over his 86-minute performance, Gray – once hailed as ‘electric’ by BBC journalist Garth Crooks – won a whopping nine duels, created one big chance, made two key passes, and completed 100% of his dribble attempts, as well as winning three tackles, offering two shots on target and having a goal disallowed in the 43rd minute.

The wizard was a constant threat at the top end of the pitch and caused plenty of problems for the Bees defence to deal with, which allowed Everton’s defenders a breather whilst he was causing chaos in the opposition half.

It is clear the Everton star is shining in his new role, offering both a huge presence and lots of creativity to the attacking threat and could now be Dyche’s secret weapon in securing survival after failing to select Gray over the majority of his short tenure so far.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer to continue to deploy Gray, and gives the Everton manager a real dilemma as to how Dominic Calvert-Lewin will fit into the team when he returns from injury, especially if the team continue to thrive.

Insider ExWHUemployee has revealed that West Ham United are “really keen” on signing youngster Luca Fletcher who is currently on trial with the club.

What’s the latest on Luca Fletcher and his West Ham injury?

While the January transfer window has come and gone this season and we are still many months away from the summer market, it seems as though the Premier League club are still eyeing up some new arrivals.

However, the latest linked names won’t be players to come in and sign for the first team. Instead, the Hammers have been tipped to hand 15-year-old Fletcher an offer to come in and play for the club’s academy whilst he is on trial having been with Reading earlier on in the season.

Indeed, while speaking about the situation, Ex told The West Ham Way podcast, that the teenager has impressed the club and seems to be the standout trialist.

He said (5:39): “So we’ve got two players, former Reading players, currently on trial.

“Apparently, Luca Fletcher is the one they really really like and so they’re tempted to bring him in soon.”

Who is Luca Fletcher and will he end up at West Ham?

Still only 15 years of age, it’s hard to know the full potential of the young centre-forward but the talent spotters at West Ham clearly feel as though he might be worth taking a punt on.

To be fair, he has impressed at international level with the England U16 side. Indeed, earlier on this season, he scored three goals in two games against Turkey’s U16 as the youth teams met twice in the space of a week.

Seeing as he’s in the Three Lions’ academy setup already, he must be fairly highly rated and so perhaps it would be a good move for West Ham to get him swiftly confirmed as one of their own.

Taking it all into account, Fletcher certainly looks like a name to keep an eye out for in the future.

Celtic are interested in signing Cliftonville winger Sean Moore this summer, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Moore impressing

Moore is just 17, but he has already managed to cement himself as a consistent first team player for Cliftonville, making a total of 26 senior appearances for the club.

As such, the youngster has already attracted the interest of suitors from the Premier League, with West Ham United failing to get a deal over the line after entering talks at the end of the January transfer window.

The Latest: Transfer battle?

According to a report from NUFC Blog, Celtic are interested in signing the teenage sensation, who is also attracting interest from the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, West Ham and Newcastle United.

It appears that Newcastle are the most serious about signing the Northern Irishman, however, having scouted him multiple times over the past season.

The Verdict: Exciting news

Northern Ireland U18 manager Gerard Lyttle has given an overview of what the winger’s main attributes are, saying:

“He has got that pace about him, with a drop of the shoulder and a trick to get away from players. I’ve played with and coached a lot of players that never understood how best to use their pace, but Sean does. He faces defenders up and goes at them. That gets fans out of their seats.”

Therefore, it is exciting news that Celtic are competing for what appears to be a very promising young player, and the experience that he already possesses in men’s football would stand him in good stead to soon make a push for the first team.

This season, Moore has two goals and two assists in 19 league appearances for Cliftonville, and he is only going to get better with age, so the Hoops will now be hoping they can fend off the interest from elsewhere and secure his signature in the summer.

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth has said that ‘multiple’ bids are expected from several clubs in the Premier League and Europe for Arsenal transfer target Ivan Fresneda.

The Lowdown: Arsenal moving ‘behind the scenes’

It has recently been reported that the Gunners, along with Borussia Dortmund, are moving ‘behind the scenes’ to try and sign Fresneda and are ‘leading the race’ for the Real Valladolid right-back.

Both clubs have reportedly already ‘agreed terms’ with the 18-year-old, with the deal expected to cost €15m (£13.1m) and the Spaniard set to be loaned back to Valladolid for the rest of the campaign.

However, it now looks as if that duo will not be alone in their pursuits of Fresneda in the final days of the January transfer window.

The Latest: ‘Multiple’ bids could be incoming

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Sheth says that ‘multiple’ bids are expected from a ‘number’ of clubs in both the Premier League and in Europe for Fresneda in the final days of the month, which suggests that Arsenal and Dortmund could be dragged into a bidding war for the teenager.

The Sky Sports reporter stated: “I’m told that there are going to be multiple bids from a number of European clubs and Premier League clubs in what remains of this transfer window. I think Fresneda will need to make a decision if an interested club meets the €15m valuation simply because he’s playing at the moment for Valladolid – he’s getting first-team action, he will want to play.”

The Verdict: Urgency needed

If Mikel Arteta’s team are serious about signing Fresneda, then there needs to be some urgency in terms of getting this deal done, given that Transfer Deadline Day is tomorrow and other bidders are expected to come in for him.

Hailed by journalist and La Liga presenter Juan Arroita for his “beastly” ability to maraud forward and put in crosses, the teenager currently averages one key pass and 0.4 crosses per match in the Spanish top flight, ranking highly among the Valladolid squad in both metrics (WhoScored).

Fresneda also ranks in the top 11% for tackles, clearances and interceptions per match among full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues over the last year (FBref), showing how impressive he is defensively as well, and he already looks like the complete right-back at the tender age of 18.

Perhaps Arsenal’s bullish pursuit of Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo is holding up a deal for the Spaniard, or possibly the fact that Cedric’s expected move to Fulham has not gone through yet, but the north Londoners simply cannot let their Fresneda pursuit fall through the cracks.

Glasgow Rangers are yet to make their first senior addition to their squad during Michael Beale’s first transfer window in charge of the Ibrox giants.

The English head coach replaced Dutchman Giovanni van Bronckhorst during the break for the 2022 World Cup break and this month is his first opportunity to bring in his own players.

Sky Sports recently reported that the Light Blues are ‘leading’ the race to sign attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell on a permanent deal from Championship side Norwich and he could be Beale’s first addition.

However, the Canaries gem may not be the only signing of the month for the Gers as they are also reportedly one of a number of teams in Europe interested in a deal to sign Romanian youth international Alexi Pitu from FCV Farul.

Beale could now form an exciting pairing at the top end of the pitch by signing the 20-year-old gem and pairing him with his fellow countryman Ianis Hagi.

The pair trained, and played once, together when they were at Viitorul Constanta and Pitu recently responded to a question asking if reuniting with the Gers gem would interest him by saying:

“Yes I would very much love to play with Ianis again, but first I want to win the title with Farul Constanta.

“I focus on football, I do my training and in the matches, I try to give my best.

“I understand the interest in playing with Ianis at Rangers and of course, it would be very nice.”

Rangers must now convince Pitu to ditch his current club in favour of a move to Ibrox as his form this season indicates that he could be an excellent signing for the Gers.

The gem, who has been described as a “playmaker” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has produced five goals and five assists in 19 league starts for Constanta, which means that the forward has contributed with a goal contribution more than once in every two matches.

Hagi, meanwhile, is due to return from injury this month and has already proven himself in a Light Blues shirt, with 15 goals and 21 assists in 85 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Both players can play anywhere across the attack and this means that Beale could pair them together in a multitude of ways, with one out wide and the other in the number 10 role, or both of them lining up on the flanks to run at teams and cause them problems.

Therefore, the head coach could seal an exciting, Romanian, duo for the Gers in the second half of the season by signing Pitu to play alongside Hagi and deliver goals and assists on a regular basis.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has already moved to strengthen his charges with the signing of Spanish defender, Alex Moreno, with the 29-year-old having been snapped up on a £13m deal from Real Betis.

The former Villarreal head coach is no doubt seeking to put his stamp on the current squad at Villa Park, with there seemingly a potential for more new faces to arrive this month.

According to a recent report from the Daily Mail, one player whom Emery is seemingly keen on signing is Udinese star, Gerard Deulofeu, with the fleet-footed winger having previously worked under his compatriot at Sevilla.

The former Watford man –  who made the move to Italy on an initial loan deal back in 2020 – could well be an attainable target with just 18 months remaining on his existing deal, having previously been valued at around £17m during the summer, as per the report.

Journalist Ryan Taylor – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – has now provided an update regarding a potential move for the 28-year-old, with the transfer insider stating that the 5 foot 10 dynamo is a player that Villa are tracking.

Taylor revealed: “Gerard Deulofeu is definitely one where there is interest. He’s done it in the Premier League before with Everton and Watford.

“Although he seems to bounce around clubs, I think Deulofeu is a player that is always going to have that quality. He’s a very direct winger with a decent end product.”

The one-time Barcelona man has warranted such interest as a result of his sparkling form in Serie A so far this season, having scored twice and registered six assists in the Italian top flight so far this term.

That follows his haul of 13 goals and five assists in the league last term, with the £22k-per-week playmaker having thrived since moving away from Vicarage Road just over two years ago.

Bringing such a “quality” asset into the fold – as lauded by former boss Javi Gracia – could well help Emery to find the Villans’ successor to Jack Grealish, with the England international having left a notable void following his £100m exit to Manchester City back in 2021.

The Birmingham-born hero had provided 75 goal contributions in 213 games for the Midlands outfit in all competitions after rising through the youth ranks, notably chipping in with 18 goal involvements in the Premier League during his final season at the club.

The 27-year-old had emerged as something of a talisman prior to his departure, proving truly influential with his creativity from his left-wing berth, having been lauded for such talents by Italian icon Gianfranco Zola, who previously stated:

“He always creates something important and, again, he never flinches. He always wants the ball and creates. These are qualities that will make him even more outstanding.”

Such traits could well be attributed to the aforementioned Deulofeu, with the former Everton menace also having that ability to create something out of nothing, notably earning praise from BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty for his “genius” goal in the FA Cup semi-final win over Wolverhampton Wanderers back in 2019.

Although currently thriving in a more central role, like the City man the Spaniard has typically done much of his damage throughout his career off the flanks, with the hope being he can replicate such impact amid his potential return to England.

To be able to secure a Grealish-esque talent in the coming weeks would surely represent a truly astute piece of business for Villa and for Emery.

Erik ten Hag could give Manchester United “an edge” by signing Ajax starlet Mohammed Kudus during the upcoming January transfer window.

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was discussing the Red Devils’ transfer interest in the Ghana star.

According to The Athletic, the Dutchman is thought to be keen on signing his former Ajax player as he looks to continue building his own squad at United, although reports earlier this month have claimed that the 22-year-old could cost in the region of £40m.

Speaking to Football FanCast about Kudus, O’Rourke stated: “I think there will be a number of clubs who will be monitoring his long-term situation at Ajax, and Erik ten Hag will know all about him having worked with him at Ajax as well.

“He will be hoping that might give him an edge in any pursuit of Kudus as well, but he’s a versatile player and he will be somebody who would definitely add options to United’s attack.”

Man United could have the edge on Kudus

Kudus has excelled this season for Ajax, scoring ten goals and registering two assists in 21 matches, netting four times in just six Champions League outings.

His sparkling club form saw him called up to the Ghana squad for the World Cup and the 22-year-old impressed in Qatar, notably scoring twice against South Korea in a 3-2 victory, and these performance on the world stage will surely have boosted his profile.

Previously described by Ten Hag as a player with “incredible potential”, Kudus’ statistics over the past year compared to positional peers in Europe’s major leagues have been excellent. As per FBref, he ranks in the top 5% for total shots, pass completion success, dribbles completed, touches in the attacking penalty area and progressive passes.

These figures clearly prove that he is performing at a high level and that a move to United shouldn’t faze him.

His previous relationship with Ten Hag could well be a key factor in the Ghanaian choosing his next club, and as O’Rourke mentioned, potentially signing Kudus could give the Red Devils an added attacking impetus heading during the second half of the season.

Aston Villa have been linked with a move for former loanee Tammy Abraham.

The Lowdown: 2018/19 loan at Villa

Abraham spent the 2018/19 season on loan at Villa Park under Dean Smith and helped the club to achieve promotion to the Premier League. The forward, who has previously been labelled a “goal machine” by former Sunderland striker Stephen Elliott, netted 26 goals in the Midlands during that promotion campaign.

He has been with AS Roma for the last 18 months, where he has continued to score at a regular occurrence, with his tally for the Serie A club currently at 31.

The Latest: Villa linked with Abraham

Calciomercato shared a story on Tuesday evening regarding Abraham, with Roma no longer considering the forward non-transferable.

The report name-checked Villa, saying that they ‘can afford an important engagement’ for the 25-year-old.

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The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Abraham has scored goals wherever he has been during his career, with his senior tally for club and country currently at 124.

Still just 25 years of age, the England international could be just what Unai Emery is seeking as he searches for a new A-list forward, and you’d like to think that NSWE could afford a deal after promising the manager a ‘huge’ budget.

The former Villa loanee could prove to be a smart prospective signing to provide another option alongside Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins, so a possible 2023 move could be one to monitor.

Manchester City will benefit in more ways than one with the contract extension of Pep Guardiola.

The Lowdown: Pep commits…

In some absolutely brilliant news for the Premier League champions, their trophy-laden boss and fan favourite Guardiola has now put pen to paper on fresh terms tying him to the club until 2025.

With Guardiola committing his future to the Cityzens for another two years, the knock-on effect could see the likes of £131 million gem Jude Bellingham make the switch back to England – knowing that Manchester City can “guarantee the framework remains in place.”

The Latest: Bellingham boost

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who claims tying down Pep to a new deal was the natural next phase in rebuilding the side.

Now, high-profile players have been given somewhat of a ‘guarantee’ that the Spaniard’s winning formula will still be present at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “City have been hoping to get this Pep contract tied down so it would help with the next phase of rebuilding the team.

“It means they can turn to Bellingham or Moukoko or any other amazing young talent and guarantee the framework remains in place.

“It’s a really big moment and bad news for their rivals.”

The Verdict: A game-changing deal

Manchester City were always ranked highly in the race to sign England’s World Cup star, Bellingham.

With their beautiful brand of mass-possession football, combined with their winning mentality and respective capture of former Borussia Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland, the Cityzens could arguably be leading the race.

The doubts surrounding Pep’s future at the club served as the only potential stutter around this deal, but with the boss committing to another two years, the stability at the Etihad has been restored.

There is now clarity in what Jones rightly described as a “really big moment” for the club and “bad news for their rivals.”

Sunderland have endured a tumultuous season thus far under Tony Mowbray, seemingly struggling to find any kind of consistency.

It seems that any victories almost always fail to be built upon, and after recording a fine victory away to Huddersfield Town it seemed like welcoming Cardiff City to the Stadium of Light could have finally brought back-to-back wins.

However, despite the Bluebirds having hovered around the relegation zone all season, they snatched a result on Wearside once again leaving the Black Cats marooned in mid-table.

It seems like this will be the difference between mediocrity this season and an unlikely playoff push.

They now have to travel to Birmingham City, knowing a win would bring them to within a point of them.

To give themselves the best possible chance of recording a result on the road, Mowbray must surely return Elliot Embleton to the side in his favoured central midfield position in the place of Abdoullah Ba, who recorded an abysmal 6.4 SofaScore rating.

The 23-year-old has been forced to fill in up front for the majority of this campaign due to injuries to both Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart, despite only being an offensive-minded midfielder.

However, this attacking impetus pushed upon him could help him become more of a threat from the engine room alongside the more conservative Dan Neil.

With just two goals and two assists so far, he still boasts a solid 6.78 average SofaScore rating.

Returning him to the centre of the park will likely not only benefit his personal game but the whole squad, as his qualities are there for all to see.

Max Power in particular was full of praise for the youngster, as he said the following on the SAFC Unfiltered Podcast: “He’s technically one of the best players I’ve seen. A good mark of knowing someone’s technically good is he can take corners with both feet.

“He’s someone who sees that pass that other players don’t. He’s a nightmare to play against in training, because he can go either way, shoot off both feet.”

Placing someone of this quality back into midfield will surely boost their chances of winning on the road again, and boosting them up the Championship table.