Everton remain unbeaten in their last five Premier League games and finally picked up their first three points last weekend when they hosted West Ham United at Goodison Park.

Frank Lampard will be delighted that his team is starting to gel and work well together, improving upon the disastrous campaign in the league last season that left the side in a difficult relegation battle, and there is no doubt the new signings made this summer have made a huge difference.

With James Tarkowski and Conor Coady forging a formidable centre-back partnership and Neal Maupay working well in the front line alongside Anthony Gordon, the future is looking bright for the Toffees, and a comfortable finish in the top flight is looking more achievable than it ever has over the last 18 months.

One newly acquired player who has been making a huge impact in the centre of the pitch is Amadou Onana, with the midfielder becoming the positive presence Lampard desperately needed to improve the quality of play in the midfield.

Last month, French football expert Julien Laurens heaped praise on the £33.5m Everton dynamo, comparing him to World Cup winner Paul Pogba:

“He’s a very exciting player, a midfielder who can play pretty much all across the midfield. For me he’s a great box-to-box because he’s powerful, he’s good on the ball, he’s tall, he’s strong, he will drive the ball very well.

“He’s very much like a (Aurelien) Tchouameni, or a Paul Pogba, but he’s got more of a defensive mind as well.”

That defensive mind has had a huge contribution to the Toffees’ ability to go unbeaten in the Premier League over their last five outings as he’s made 2.8 tackles, won 1.2 interceptions, completed 1.7 clearances and won six duels per game so far. Thus, Lampard will be thrilled he finally has a midfielder he can truly rely on to leave everything on the pitch in his performance.

Thanks to the signing of Onana, the Everton boss can finally ditch out-of-favour Allan with speculation that the £21m Brazilian dud could be about to make his exit from Goodison Park over the coming days and weeks.

Lampard spoke out in his pre-match press conference over the weekend about the midfielder’s exclusion from the team over the season so far:

“You have to make those decisions sometimes. We’ll see over the next week or two.”

The £120k-per-week midfielder who was dubbed “slow” by Gabriel Agbonlahor doesn’t appear to have any chance of getting back into this team after Lampard acquired the services of Onana and James Garner this summer, and now the team are performing with stability this season without Allan it is looking like his days are numbered.

With that being said, Lampard has a big decision to make on the Brazilian’s future at the club as he is not only one of the oldest members of the squad at 31 years old, but also one of the highest earners and if he is not in the manager’s plans he has to go.

Wolves’ injury problems continued on Saturday as they lost Pedro Neto to an ankle problem against West Ham.

The Old Gold dropped into the relegation zone after a 2-0 loss against the Hammers, with the Old once again failing to find the back of the net.

Sasa Kalajdzic, Raul Jimenez and Hwang Hee-Chan are all currently sidelined through injury for the Midlands side and they look set to be joined by Neto for the foreseeable future, which is limiting Wolves’ already sparse attacking options.

The now sacked Bruno Lage suggested that it looked to be a “bad injury” and with games set to come thick and fast before the World Cup, it is undoubtedly a blow for Wolves to lose one of their star attackers.

Indeed, whoever is welcomed to Molineux as Lage’s successor will be severely hamstrung and will have to deal with a tricky set of circumstances with a number of the club’s best players on the treatment table.

There were high hopes for Neto this season after the former Lazio man missed much of the 2021/22 campaign through injury but, like many others in this Wolves squad, he has endured a difficult start to the season.

In eight Premier League appearances, the 22-year-old has failed to score a single goal or assist, averaging a shocking 6.58 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The 2020/21 campaign saw Neto contribute five goals and six assists in the top flight, averaging a superb 7.11 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which only makes his less than impressive start to this season even more disappointing.

After scoring a winner against Southampton that season, Alan Shearer labelled the winger a “huge talent”, while Arsenal were said to be interested in signing him during the summer, with a fee of £50m touted.

In retrospect, Wolves might have taken that sort of money considering his form this term but even on poor form, the Portuguese attacker is one of the most exciting players in Wolves’ side and he will be sorely missed as the Old Gold look to turn their form around in the coming weeks under a new head coach.

Considering the lack of goals and creativity in their side, losing another winger to injury will have a lot of Wolves fans fearing a potential relegation, as it is difficult to see how they rectify their goalscoring issues given the lack of attacking options.

Sheffield Wednesday journalist Joe Crann has shared his verdict on the latest injury updates on Akin Famewo and Dennis Adeniran. 

The Lowdown: Injuries

Darren Moore has been unable to call on the pair since August, with centre-back Famewo making just a single League One appearance so far this season.

Central midfielder Adeniran has made four appearances in all competitions, scoring twice in the EFL Cup. The pair have missed the majority of the third-tier fixtures, but it looks as if they could be back sooner rather than later.

The Latest: Crann reacts

Crann took to Twitter on Monday afternoon, sharing a story for The Star regarding comments from Moore on Famewo and Adeniran’s respective injuries.

He said: “Good to hear that Akin Famewo and Dennis Adeniran are on the comeback trail…

“SWFC say they should be back in contention next month if all goes to plan.”

The Verdict: Good news

Wednesday have enjoyed a relatively strong start to the season, averaging two points per game after 13 league games. Moore has had a number of injury problems during that time, with Famewo and Adeniran just two of a number of issues the club have had to deal with.

Therefore, knowing that they are working hard behind the scenes and edging closer to a full return is ideal news for everyone associated with the club, especially as the Owls won’t be stopping when the World Cup gets underway next month.

Arsenal are a side who have reaped the benefits of possessing an impressive academy set up in recent years, with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka having all graduated from the Gunners’ youth ranks before establishing themselves as regulars in Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad.

However, arguably one of the club’s most talented academy prospects in recent memory, Reiss Nelson, is yet to fulfil his undoubted potential at The Emirates. And, with a matter of months remaining on his current contract in north London, time is running out for the 22-year-old to prove he has what it takes to make it at the club.

Indeed, former Arsenal manager, Arsene Wenger, previously stated his belief that Nelson “has shown that he can dribble, go past people and he isn’t fazed by the occasion,” while legendary Gunners centre-back Martin Keown claimed that the winger “showed the sort of touches you often see or associate with a Neymar or a real top player.”

There has been evidence of these claims on the pitch, with the £5.85m-rated talent having impressed during a loan spell at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim back in 2018/19, scoring seven goals and registering one assist over his 23 Bundesliga appearances, with Julian Nagelsmann going as far as to compare the attacker to another of Arsenal’s former academy graduates, Serge Gnabry.

Regarding Nelson, the former Hoffenheim manager said: “Reiss is a player whose qualities can be compared to those of Serge Gnabry, but just not so well developed.”

And, considering the fact that Gnabry now boasts a market valuation of £72m – having scored 67 goals and registered 43 assists over 182 appearances for Bayern Munich – just eight years after he left Arsenal for a measly £4.5m, it would appear extremely wise for the Gunners to learn their lesson from the 27-year-old’s rise and hand Nelson one more chance to impress before the end of his current deal.

Indeed, it is undeniable that the academy prospect possesses the potential to be a massive success in the professional game, perhaps even going on to match the level of the Germany international, but whether or not this development occurs at The Emirates looks to solely depend on whether or not Arteta affords the £15k-per-week starlet a final opportunity in an Arsenal shirt.

Celtic defender Alexandro Bernabei has endured a tough start to life in Glasgow, with off-field issues and a lack of game time having previously seen the Argentine struggle to make an impact in his new surroundings.

The former Lanus man – who arrived at Parkhead on a £3.75m deal in the recent window – had been brought in as cover and competition for first-choice left-back Greg Taylor, although has struggled to dislodge his colleague as a result of the Scotland international’s “consistent” displays, as lauded by teammate Matt O’Riley.

Amid the need for rotation ahead of a hectic run of fixtures, manager Ange Postecoglou handed the youngster a rare chance to impress in Saturday’s Scottish Premiership clash away at St Johnstone, with the 22-year-old’s only other league outing having come as a late substitute in the 9-0 thrashing of Dundee United back in August.

On what was just his second start for the club – having previously featured in the League Cup win over Ross County – the attacking full-back no doubt took his chance, playing a crucial role in helping to steer the Bhoys to victory.

The £2.97m-rated ace had looked lively from the off as the visitors took control of proceedings, notably producing a brilliant cutback across the box early in the first half that his teammates somehow failed to get on the end of.

Such quality from down the left flank did prove fruitful late on, however – after Alex Mitchell had cancelled out Andy Considine’s early own goal – with Bernabei producing a delightful whipped cross for Giorgos Giakoumakis to turn home right at the death.

That stunning assist – which was the defender’s first goal contribution for the club – came at the end of what was an “impressive” all-round performance against Callum Davidson’s side, in the words of journalist Josh Bunting.

The 5 foot 7 menace notably won 100% of his aerial duels despite his diminutive frame, while also recording two interceptions and one tackle to showcase his willingness to put in the hard yards defensively.

As Glasgow Live journalist Ben Banks noted in his post-match player ratings, the 124-touch gem provided real ‘attacking intent’ from his left-sided berth, with Postecoglou also lauding him as “very aggressive on the ball” after the triumph.

The Hoops boss also stated that the summer signing had “showed the attributes we really find exciting”, with the 57-year-old likely keen to see just what kind of impact Bernabei can make in the coming games.

On this recent evidence, there certainly is a lot to be getting excited about.

Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw will miss the Whites’ Premier League clash against Aston Villa this weekend, journalist Phil Hay has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Leeds host Aston Villa

Jesse Marsch’s side are back in league action after the international break, welcoming Steven Gerrard’s Villa to Elland Road for a Sunday afternoon showdown.

Leeds sit 11th in the table after six matches, winning, drawing and losing twice apiece so far, and this should be viewed as a very winnable fixture against a team who aren’t at their best, sitting four places behind the Yorkshire club.

Injuries continue to hamper the Whites, though, with Archie Gray and Stuart Dallas among those currently sidelined.

The Latest: Forshaw ruled out

Forshaw is another Leeds man who will miss Sunday’s clash, and taking to Twitter, Hay relayed an update from Marsch as to why the midfielder would be absent this weekend.

The reporter tweeted:

“Marsch starting on injuries: Forshaw has a twisted ankle and will miss the weekend. Archie Gray has a fractured toe, out for another couple of weeks. Dallas still working his way back. Everyone else is available.”

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The Verdict: Constant injury setbacks

Forshaw’s career has been hampered severely by injuries in recent times, with the 31-year-old missing almost two years of action with a serious hip problem between 2019 and 2021.

Other issues have also affected him badly, including a fractured kneecap towards the end of last season, and this current update is just the latest in a series of setbacks for the 30-year-old.

The hope is that Forshaw – who has been restricted to three substitute appearances in the current league campaign – will be back soon, considering that this particular injury doesn’t sound serious, but it is hard to rely on him staying fit for a prolonged period given his unfortunate history in that regard.

Leeds United have been dealt a fresh injury blow regarding left-back Junior Firpo.

What’s the latest?

Speaking on a recent episode of The Phil Hay Show, the titular journalist revealed that, after Jesse Marsch confirmed that the 26-year-old missed the 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday as a result of a knock, the defender’s latest setback is believed to be a thigh injury.

Hay went on to state that, with Firpo having already been sidelined for two lengthy spells following his move to Elland Road in the summer of 2021, in addition to Pascal Struijk having impressed at left-back, the full-back’s latest knock could well see the club make a move for a new player in the position in the not too distant future.

Regarding Firpo’s injury, The Athletic journalist said: “I’m told that he’s got a slight thigh problem.

“I think as it stands at the moment, it’s hard to see him shifting Struijk from the team, I think Struijk has done enough to keep himself there, but it seems to me that at some point they’re going to have to bite the bullet at left-back and sign somebody else.

“It doesn’t need to be someone vastly experienced, it can be a project of sorts provided that you feel confident enough to play them in first-team games.

“Firpo almost falls into the category of [Patrick] Bamford at the moment, the conversation about him of how it could be when you have Firpo in the team when he has a run in the team. He’s another player that hasn’t played much at Leeds.”

Bad news for Marsch

Considering just how little first-team football Firpo has played since his £13m move to LS11, the news that the defender has now suffered yet another injury setback, especially having only made a return to action in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa at the start of the month, is sure to have come as bad news for Jesse Marsch.

Indeed, with Stuart Dallas also being ruled out until at least the turn of the year as a result of a fractured femur, the American manager has been left with no other option than to deploy centre-back Struijk on the left of his backline for the majority of the current Premier League campaign.

And, while the 23-year-old has impressed over his eight league appearances in the position this term – averaging a SofaScore match rating of 6.91, currently ranking him as Leeds’ fifth-best performer in the top flight – it is nevertheless far from ideal for the 48-year-old coach to continue fielding Struijk out of position when he could be utilised at centre-back.

Furthermore, with Firpo reported to be earning a princely £55k-per-week at Elland Road – ranking him as the Whites’ seventh-highest-paid player – it is evident that the defender’s continuous injury setbacks only make the full-back appear more and more like a waste of money as each week passes.

As such, while his latest knock would not appear to be overly serious, the left-back’s increasing proneness to injury is sure to come as a huge blow for Marsch, who may well already be considering a long-term replacement for the former Barcelona defender in the January transfer window.

Southampton’s academy has produced untold amounts of talent, many of which were siphoned off to bigger clubs.

It is almost like a circle of life now with how they continue to churn out stars only to have them poached, where they almost always go on to achieve bigger and better things.

One such example is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who did not go straight to Liverpool, but eventually made his way there as many from St Mary’s often do.

Sold for £15m to Arsenal in 2011, this marked a sensational fee for a 17-year-old.

However, the fact that he had ten goals and ten assists in 43 games for the Saints at that age suggested that he was truly destined for greatness.

Although many might argue he never properly fulfilled his star-bound potential, he achieved some pretty special feats across his career.

He scored 20 times in nearly 200 appearances for the Gunners, ending up with three FA Cups for his troubles.

It was not a sensational return but was certainly solid enough to denote the move as a success.

However, his transfer to Liverpool is what will really leave fans on the south coast somewhat regretting the decision all those years ago to sanction his departure.

The Reds forked out what seemed like an astronomical £35m fee for his services, and although injuries again halted his Anfield career, he has won nearly every trophy available to him now including a Premier League and Champions League.

Again a return of 17 goals and 15 assists is nothing special across 133 appearances, but his trophy cabinet is indicative of a fine player with the quality to contribute to all of these titles.

Journalist and avid Liverpool supporter Ben Webb predicted an “explosive” season for the 29-year-old back in 2019, just before they would go on to win their first league title since 1990.

He certainly was an explosive player, with his ability to pick the ball up and drive from midfield likely the reason he was so sought after.

Whilst he never seemed to recapture his form as a teenager at Southampton, his mere presence in these exceptional sides has meant that he will retire one day wholly satisfied with his extensive list of silverware.

He also featured 35 times for England, scoring seven times, including a famous goal at the Maracana against Brazil.

It is a shame he never did fulfil his touted potential, although for Saints fans it might have added insult to injury, as he has gone on to achieve insane amounts of triumph whilst his former club have been largely marooned in mid-table.

The Rangers Review journalist Jonny McFarlane was left criticising the performance of James Tavernier as Glasgow Rangers lost 2-0 at Liverpool on Tuesday night.

The Lowdown: Three losses

The defeat at Anfield means that the Ibrox outfit have now lost all three of their opening games in the UEFA Champions League group stages, and so face a huge uphill battle to qualify for the knockout rounds or even the drop to the Europa League.

Goals from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah were more than enough to give the hosts all three points on the night, and so Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team know that they probably need to get something out of the return fixture if they are to qualify.

The Latest: Tavernier criticised

Taking to Twitter, McFarlane criticised Tavernier’s performance in particular, claiming that he was having an ‘absolute nightmare’:

“Tavernier is having an absolute nightmare here.”

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The Verdict: Not his best

Considering that Tavernier was the Gers’ best-performing player in Europe last season, he certainly was not at his best against Liverpool.

The right-back lost four of his duels, and also failed to record a single dribble, key pass or cross, losing possession of the ball a total of 21 times, the most of any outfield Light Blues player (SofaScore).

As captain, Tavernier’s nervousness perhaps spread across the rest of the team, which meant that they struggled to find any rhythm or composure on the ball.

Leeds United right-back Cody Drameh suffered an injury scare for the U21s against Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday evening.

The Lowdown: 5-3 win

Michael Skubala’s U21s began their EFL Trophy campaign with an entertaining 5-3 victory over League Two side Tranmere Rovers.

The Whites named an attacking side that included Sam Greenwood, Joe Gelhardt, Wilfried Gnonto, Sonny Perkins and Mateo Joseph. Gelhardt netted twice, and goals from Perkins, Joseph and Drameh sealed an impressive victory.

However, it may have come at a cost, with Drameh, who started against Brentford in the Premier League last month, suffering an injury scare.

The Latest: Tranmere ‘knock’

Leeds journalist Joe Donnohue was at Prenton Park for the game on Tuesday evening and shared news of a ‘knock’ for Drameh.

He relayed comments from Skubala, who stated that the 20-year-old was due to be assessed on Wednesday, but there is no word yet on the severity.

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Drameh has missed just one of Jesse Marsch’s Premier League squads this season, with the Leeds boss heaping praise on the full-back back in August.

He seems to be in the mix alongside Rasmus Kristensen and Luke Ayling at Elland Road, so it would be a shame if his injury proves to be serious, harming his long-term development and the manager’s depth.

Donnohue labelled Drameh as a ‘level above’ on Tuesday, while former Cardiff City manager Steve Morison described the defender as ‘excellent’ during his loan spell last season, so fingers crossed he can be back playing and pushing his way into the first-team once more relatively soon.