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After a disappointing season last time around, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is under massive pressure to challenge for the top four and bring back Champions League football to Anfield.

His task has been made even more difficult by the fact that Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has left his boyhood club.

Rodgers wasted no time trying to improve his side ahead of the new campaign, bringing in a number of quality players.

He has added several proven Premier League talents in the likes of Nathaniel Clyne, James Milner and Christian Benteke, as well as the creative flair of Brazilian Roberto Firmino.

With all this new talent the Liverpool manager has a wealth of talent at his disposal and is facing a massive selection dilemma ahead of the new season.

Here is how the Reds should line up this year if they’re to return to the top four…

Goalkeeper – Simon Mignolet

Despite Brendan Rodgers never having full confidence in his goalkeeper, the Belgian will again ahead into the new season as first choice between the sticks.

Adam Bogdan has been brought in to compete for the number one jersey in the hope that it spurs Mignolet on to improve on his performances.

The goalkeeper has never quite showcased the talents from his time at Sunderland but there are signs of improvement.

Mignolet is a brilliant shot stopper and once he improves his ability in the air, he will be one of the best keepers in the league.

Right Back – Nathaniel Clyne

Clyne is yet another player to make the switch from Southampton to Liverpool, and what a signing he is.

The England international is one of the best right backs in the league and is the answer to all of Liverpool’s right back issues.

The 24-year-old made more tackles than anyone else in the Premier League last season.

Strong defensively, or bombing forward in support of the attack, the player will play an important role at the club this season.

Centre Back – Martin Skrtel

The Slovakian is a nailed on starter for Liverpool, and easily the best central defender they have.

He leads the back line and was a candidate to take over as captain following Gerrard’s departure in the summer.

He brings a wealth of experience to the back line and is always there to mop up when they need him.

He is a very strong aerial outlet, and a no-nonsense, block and clear presence at the back, whilst when in possession, he knows his limitations, playing the ball short and safe.

Centre Back – Mamadou Sakho

The best candidate to partner Skrtel has to be this Frenchman. He is a more solid option that the out of form Dejan Lovren.

After a very slow start to life at Anfield, the centre back has worked hard to establish himself as a regular starter.

Sakho is a brilliant interceptor of the ball, strong in a challenge he is always 100% committed.

The 25-year-old is also good on the ball and despite looking incredibly awkward, Sakho knows to keep things simple and rarely gives the ball away.

Left Back – Joe Gomez

Youngster Gomez is a new signing from Championship side Charlton and has been one of the most impressive players on their pre-season tour – as well as enjoying a solid Premier League debut in the Reds’ 1-0 victory at Stoke on Sunday.

Rodgers has never been afraid to breed young talent into the first team and has had a number of success stories in the past when trying this.

With doubts over the defensive capabilities of Alberto Moreno, Gomez offers a more solid option. He is a strong, tall player, with bags of pace.

Similar to Clyne, he is also strong moving forward and will no doubt become a regular at Anfield.

Central Midfield – James Milner

Arguably one of Rodgers’ best signings, Milner is the complete definition of an all around midfielder. He can defend, attack, score goals, create goals and pass; he has it all.

His best attribute, though, is his incredible engine; the 29-year-old just never runs out of energy.

Milner brings a wealth of Premier League experience to what is a young Liverpool side and will be expected to play a big role in replacing Steven Gerrard.

The England international will be determined to show Manchester City that he deserved more than just a bit part role, which is something that will only benefit Liverpool.

Central Midfielder – Jordan Henderson

New club captain Jordan Henderson is going to be vital to all things Liverpool this season. The midfielder is stepping into the shoes of a club legend.

Under Brendan Rodgers the midfielder has come on leaps and bounds, and he is now a star for both club and country.

Similar to new midfield partner Milner, he has all the qualities of a box-to-box midfielder, as well as that incredible engine that suits Rodgers’ high pressure game.

Henderson will be a vocal leader on the field and will be expected to play a massive role in helping the younger members of the squad develop.

Attacking Midfield – Jordon Ibe

Another star of the club’s pre-season tour, Ibe looks set to play a major role this season following the departure of Raheem Sterling.

Ibe will face competition from the likes of Adam Lallana and Lazar Markovic for the role, but with the incredible amount of extra work the 19-year-old has put in pre-season, he deserves to start.

The youngster is a strong, quick and technical winger who loves to run with the ball and unsettle defenders.

More importantly, unlike his predecessor Sterling, he has that final ball, which the new Manchester City man lacked.

Rodgers has already stated the winger features heavily in his plans this season.

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Attacking Midfield – Philippe Coutinho

Easily the most impressive player at Anfield last season, Coutinho is the creative star at the club. Involved in every aspect of the attack.

He is a magical midfielder. His technique and skill are incredible and he is often on a different wave length to all those around him, spotting passes and opportunities that no one else can.

The Brazilian playmaker is deservedly one of the first names on the team sheet and will be expected to improve even more on last seasons’ performances.

At only 22 he is still learning his trade and he will constantly improve the more games he plays

Attacking Midfield – Roberto Firmino

One of the big money arrivals from Hoffenheim this summer, the Brazilian is expected to play a massive role this season.

He possesses many of the technical and attacking qualities of your typical Brazillian and will likely form a great relationship with Coutinho behind the striker.

Firmino had a very good goal record in Germany and if he can replicate that form in England, he will prove to be a nightmare for defenders.

He faces competition from the likes of Divock Origi and Danny Ings for a starting role, but if he hits the ground running, he will become a star at Anfield

Striker – Christian Benteke

Liverpool’s most expensive signing this summer, Benteke is going to be vital to solving the goalscoring problems the Reds faced last season.

With doubts over the long term fitness of Daniel Sturridge, the Belgian is the best man to lead the Reds’ attack this season.

Benteke is a big strong striker with a keen eye for goal. Despite being classed as a target man, he is good on the ball and extremely mobile.

The 24-year-old has proven Premier League experience and has the capability to go on to become one of Liverpool’s best strikers.

Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has set out his side’s aspirations for the rest of the season as the Lilywhites remain in the running for a top four finish.

The Lowdown: Top four on the cards?

Although things can change, it feels safe to assume that the top two teams are cemented out in front, with second place Liverpool ten points ahead of third place Chelsea.

After that, third place and more prominently fourth are both up for grabs. On Sunday, Arsenal clinched three points against Watford, moving themselves up to fourth in the table having overtaken Manchester United.

Tottenham sit in seventh place with 45 points, just two points behind Ralf Rangnick’s side – with a further two games-in-hand. Thus, Spurs could very easily move past West Ham and Man United, if they pick up the six points available. This would leave a top four battle with Arsenal, who have played one game less than the Lilywhites.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-2/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Conte’s ambitions

Following Spurs’ demolition of Everton, Conte took to his press conference to relay his ambitions for the remainder of the season. He claimed that the ‘important’ goal is to secure a top four finish and Champions League qualification, even though he ‘doesn’t like’ setting the bar so low.

As quoted by football.london, he said:

“You know I don’t like to speak about ambition and reaching a place in the Champions League because I like to play to win the league and win trophies, but in this situation this could be our Champions League, our Premier League title if we are able to reach fourth place.”

The Verdict: Tough fight

Whilst Spurs have been very impressive in their previous two Premier League games, having scored nine goals in total, they certainly have experienced mixed fortunes with Conte in charge.

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If the Lilywhites are serious about a top four finish, they need to maintain a level of consistency, rather than winning against a top team like Manchester City and then losing to Burnley four days later.

With Arsenal making a strong push lately, it will definitely be a challenge for the Italian, whose side are set to face Man United at the weekend. However, it is surely a challenge that he will relish.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Conte shares Sessegnon injury ‘problem’

Aston Villa are reportedly amongst the clubs monitoring Newcastle United winger Allan Saint-Maximin after it was reported that the Magpies would be prepared to sell the Frenchman for £50m.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle are willing to cash in on their star player this summer with Villa monitoring the situation at St.James’ Park.

It is believed that the £50m asking price, if received, would be added to Newcastle manager Eddie Howe’s transfer kitty with the Tyneside club expected to make major additions to their squad following the takeover by PIF.

The 25-year-old signed a six-year contract in 2020 and is a majorly popular figure in the North-East, but could be sacrificed in order to raise funds for a squad overhaul.

Villa must swoop for Saint-Maximin

The idea of Saint-Maximin being available to purchase will undoubtedly prick up the ears of an array of clubs, particularly in the Premier League with the winger’s talents very much known of in England.

Since joining Newcastle from Nice in August 2019, the £28.8m-rated 25-year-old has scored 12 goals and registered 14 assists in 84 appearances for the Magpies and has been previously labelled as “breathtaking” by pundit Gary Neville.

Although that may not seem a tally that justifies a £50m price tag, the Frenchman has largely been playing in a drab, uninspiring Newcastle side since arriving from France.

In the two full seasons under Steve Bruce the Toon Army finished 13th and 12th respectively, with both campaigns seeing some dire football at times, with both seasons seeing the Magpies pick up 44 and 45 points respectively and score 38 and 46 goals whilst conceding 58 and 62.

This term in particular was looking set for disaster for a sustained period of time before Eddie Howe took over and steadied the ship, largely thanks to January arrivals.

Moreover, the Frenchman averages a 62% dribble success rate as well as a 75% passing accuracy and provides 1.5 key passes a game.

However, now that the Tyneside outfit are the richest club in the world following the Saudi-backed takeover, there are undoubtedly ambitious plans for the upcoming transfer window which could see fan-favourite Saint-Maximin sacrificed.

As well as Newcastle, Aston Villa are expected to spend as they enter Steven Gerrard’s first summer transfer window as Villa boss and have already been linked with big-money moves, such as paying £50m for Brighton midfielder Yves Bissouma.

Currently, the Villans have the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Bertrand Traore on the flanks but only Coutinho can hold his head high for his efforts this campaign.

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The Brazilian joined on loan from Barcelona in January and has already become a fan favourite with four goals and three assists and could be set for a permanent move to Villa Park this summer.

Both Traore and Bailey have spent good portions of the season out injured whilst Buendia has scored just twice after becoming the West Midland’s club’s record transfer last summer, joining from Norwich City for £38m.

There is certainly room in the Villa squad to accommodate Saint-Maximin in the Villa ranks who, alongside Coutinho, could establish a cut-throat partnership that would undoubtedly terrorise defences.

Major boost: Aston Villa now handed big double injury lift, supporters will be buzzing

The news just keeps on coming for Newcastle fans in the Transfer Tavern this summer. 

Rafael Benitez is on the hunt for some key signings to improve on his side’s tenth-placed finish last year. The club had been linked with a move (as per the Sun) for Josh King last month, which would see fan favourite Matt Ritchie return to the south coast club. While the quick winger would provide Newcastle with some added dynamism going forward, Benitez should be looking at Middlesbrough’s Adama Traore to push the club on.

The Breakdown

The former Barcelona academy man has an £18 million release clause according to the Sun and has been linked with a move to Wolves and Huddersfield. Tony Pulis will apparently allow the winger to leave the Championship club, as he needs the funds to be able to facilitate his promotion push next season.

Blessed with incredible pace, Traore has only ever shown flashes of his potential during his time in England.  On his day, the Spain under-21 international has the ability to cause any fullback problems. The only thing is that it doesn’t seem to happen enough. In Pulis’ side last year, Traore could at times bee incredibly frustrating as his end product was never entirely consistent. However, if Benitez can drill in some routine and consistency into the winger, he could have a talent that is capable of winning a game on his own.

Traore scored five goals to go with 10 assists last season according to Transfermarkt. It’d be a gamble but if Benitez can tap into his quality, the Newcastle fans could have a potential club favourite.

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Newcastle fans – is this an outrageous move?

They might be taking turns on the injury table, but Arsenal have built a squad bursting with incredible players in recent years.

Whether it’s at the back, in the middle of the park or up top, fitness permitting, Mikel Arteta has an embarrassment of riches to pick from.

In other words, if someone is underperforming, the Spaniard should have a few options at his disposal to replace them, and if they continue to underperform, the player in question could fall further down the pecking order.

This could be what eventually happens with Martin Odegaard, as while his talent is undeniable, the feeling among much of the fanbase is that he’s slowly becoming less integral to the team.

Therefore, it’s less than ideal for him that Arteta has an incredible prospect who is something of a Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze hybrid who could one day end his Arsenal career.

Odegaard's Arsenal regression

During his first two and a half years at Arsenal, Odegaard showed consistent improvement.

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For example, during his loan spell, the Norwegian international racked up two goals and two assists in 20 appearances.

That increased to seven goals and five assists in 40 appearances the following season, and then, in 22/23, he racked up an astounding haul of 15 goals and seven assists in 45 games.

In fact, all 15 of his goals came in the league, which saw him join Cesc Fàbregas as the only Arsenal midfielders to score so many in a single campaign.

Unfortunately, in the two and a bit seasons since, the former Real Madrid wonderkid has become less influential.

For example, while he actually produced more assists in the 23/24 season, 11, he scored significantly fewer goals, just eight.

Then, partly down to the ankle injury he suffered on international duty, and a general dip in form, the 26-year-old was only able to amass a tally of six goals and 12 assists last season.

Odegaard’s Arsenal Record

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

20/21

20

2

2

21/22

40

7

5

22/23

45

15

7

23/24

48

11

12

24/25

45

6

12

25/26

13

0

2

All Stats via Transfermarkt

It was likely this dip in productivity that, at least in part, influenced the club’s decision to sign Eze in the summer.

Injuries for the captain have once again blighted the start of this season, but even so, his return of two assists in 13 appearances is more than a little worrying.

In all, there is undoubtedly every chance that Odegaard gets back to his mercurial best this year, but if he continues to be less influential, he could see his place taken by someone who’s something of a hybrid between Saka & Eze.

The Arsenal gem who could replace Odegaard

Odegaard likely has a couple of years left to get back to his best, but if he doesn’t, Ethan Nwaneri could eventually take his place.

The Hale End dynamo might not be getting the game time he deserves, but his immense talent is practically undeniable, and last season proved as much.

For example, in what was his first consistent taste of senior football, the “unplayable” dynamo, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, scored nine goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances, totalling 1378 minutes.

Nwaneri in 25/26

Appearances

10

Minutes

427′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.1

Minutes per Goal Involvement

427′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In other words, the superstar in the making averaged a goal involvement every 3.36 games, or, more crucially, one every 125.27 minutes.

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Moreover, he did it playing off the right, covering for the talismanic Saka, and showing some of the same qualities his compatriot has demonstrated over the years, such as his eye for goal.

However, the 18-year-old also shares a lot in common with Eze, including a desire to play in attacking midfield, the ability to carry the ball in tight spaces, and a knack for making something from nothing.

In addition to being comparable to the two England internationals, the youngster is also a fair bit more direct than his captain and competitor for game time.

For example, while Odegaard likes to take plenty of touches and wait for an opening, the Enfield-born gem clearly prefers to drive at defences and either take the shot on himself, as he did in his cameo against Club Brugge, or quickly play a pass to a teammate.

Ultimately, Odegaard is still going to be Arteta’s first choice this season, and probably next year as well.

However, if the Norwegian can’t get his output back to the levels it was a couple of seasons ago, and Nwaneri continues to impress, there is every chance the youngster could one day take his place in the team.

Related Arteta must bin £40m star who was "Pires-like" in his first years at Arsenal

It’s time for Arteta to take the frustrating Arsenal star out of the team.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes

Ryan Kent would likely be open to joining Leeds United if they triggered the release clause in his Rangers contract. 

That’s according to sports journalist Pete O’Rourke, who was speaking to GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Kent’s £18,000-per-week deal only has 14 months left to run, which means this summer could be Rangers’ last chance to cash in if he is not going to extend his stay.

It’s believed to contain a release clause of £20million, potentially setting up the most lucrative sale in Rangers’ history. Nathan Patterson, who joined Everton for an initial £12.6million in January, currently holds that record.

Leeds have been long-term admirers of Kent, though the now-sacked Marcelo Bielsa may have been one of the driving forces behind their interest.

The latest

O’Rourke reckons that former Liverpool man Kent may fancy another crack at the Premier League.

If Leeds trigger the clause, then, Rangers may be able to do little to prevent his departure.

“If Leeds were to meet [his release clause], I’m sure it’s something that Ryan Kent would seriously consider, moving back down to England and to the Premier League at this stage of his career,” he said.

The verdict

Rangers may already be resigned to losing the winger and his suitors may see an opportunity that’s too good to turn down this summer.

Indeed, this is a player who’s scored 30 goals and provided 44 assists in 164 appearances for the Gers since he joined, setting up a squad-high 16 this season.

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Kent, who featured in the Scottish Premiership’s official 2020/21 Team of the Year, was called a ‘sensational’ talent by former manager Steven Gerrard.

He did come in for some criticism following Sunday’s Old Firm derby defeat, with Ally McCoist calling one mistimed run ‘inexcusable’, but you’d expect his time at Ibrox to be remembered fondly overall.

In other news, Rangers are eyeing this Championship star. 

Pundit Kevin Campbell has been reacting to an update regarding Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Romano’s news

Rashford was left out of the starting line up against Manchester City earlier this month, with Fabrizio Romano revealing shortly after that the forward is considering his future at the club.

The 24-year-old will be into the final 12 months of his contract in the summer and reportedly wants clarity over his lack of game time.

He was brought back into the side against Tottenham on the weekend and could well feature from the off against Atletico Madrid this evening.

The Latest: Campbell’s comments

Campbell, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding Rashford.

Ahead of the Old Trafford clash with Atletico Madrid, he urged the forward to delay making a decision on his future until a new long-term manager is in place.

“Look, it was a slap in the face last weekend.

“Without a shadow of a doubt.

“It must have been tough for him to take.

“You have to remember that the manager in there at the moment will not be the manager next season. Rashford has to wait until the new manager comes in.

“There’s no point making a decision on your future now because Rangnick will not be the manager. Rashford has to re-assess the situation when the new manager comes in.

“He has 18 months left on his contract so he will have to re-negotiate soon. I don’t see him leaving Manchester United.

“The club are already losing four or five players in the summer. Rashford is an important, home-grown player.”

The Verdict: Spot on

Even though Rashford hasn’t exactly been a regular in Ralf Rangnick’s starting XI, it would be wise to take his time regarding his long-term future.

Rangnick will more than likely move into a consultancy role in the summer, so Rashford could well be firmly in a new manager’s Old Trafford plan.

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If he isn’t, then a move away could be best for all involved, but we feel Campbell is spot on by urging Rashford to delay making a call on his future.

In other news: Man United set sights on ‘mad’ new manager target after dramatic development. 

Dean Jones has said that Ruben Neves may not sign a new contract at Molineux, because he “might have bigger ambitions” than what Wolves have.

What’s been said?

Speaking with Football FanCast, the transfer insider admitted that it may not be so easy for Wolves to just slap a contract on the table for the Portugal international to sign – as he may be searching for Champions League football.

“You have to wonder how far Wolves can actually push, and what their ceiling is; it’s probably going to be Europa League. The player [Neves] might have bigger ambitions. And so when you’re going to sign a new contract, you’ve got to weigh up these factors.”

This comes just days after reports came out that the club were in talks with the midfield wizard, which will surely scare fans once again, after the Daily Mail reported earlier in the month that Barcelona were interested in Neves – who they view as Sergio Busquets future replacement.

Devastating for Wolves fans

Just as hope was beginning to build among the Wolves faithful, this latest update might have just brought them back down to reality and it will feel like a sucker punch – as they will already miss their star man for the next month, as he recovers from a knee injury which will keep him out until at least May.

This season, the former Porto prospect has averaged a 7.20 match rating in the Premier League according to SofaScore, scoring four goals and assisting two more in 28 appearances, maintaining his reputation as one of the top midfielders currently in England.

Among midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions, according to FB Ref, Neves ranks in the top 1% for long passes completed per 90 (14.92), top 3% for cross-field switches per 90 (4.49) and top 6% for passes into the final third per 90 (7.16).

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There aren’t many players capable in the world of replacing the kind of playmaking ability and confidence in possession that the 25-year-old brings to the team, and if the £36m-rated gem does exit this summer, he would leave a huge whole in the Wolves midfield.

In other news: Wolves must finally unleash “intelligent” 19yo who plays like he’s “in the playground”

Speaking live on talkSPORT, reporter Alex Crook has made a claim involving Tottenham Hotspur boss Antonio Conte amid the club’s recent up-and-down run.

The Lowdown: Spurs need for consistency…

Over these last few weeks, Tottenham and Conte have been unable to find any sort of rhythm in all competitions with the side seemingly on topsy-turvy run of form.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-copy/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Lilywhites battled to an impressive 3-2 win away to Premier League champions Man City near the end of last month, but that stellar performance was followed by a tame loss to Burnley after which Conte even hinted he could resign.

Spurs then got back on track with an imperious 4-0 victory against Leeds, yet just a few days later, Conte’s men were sent crashing out of the FA Cup by Middlesbrough  following Josh Coburn’s extra time winner.

These performances also came after disappointing losses to the Wolves and Southampton (tottenhamhotspur.com).

The Latest: Crook makes Conte claim…

Speaking live on talkSPORT, Crook has wondered why Tottenham’s inconsistent run hasn’t landed the manager in more hot water with supporters.

“Antonio Conte seems to feel a lot of love from the Tottenham fans for a manager who’s now been dumped out of the FA Cup by a Championship side,” he explained

“They’ve lost to Burnley, they’ve lost at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, and to Southampton as well, surely if Conte is this elite manager we’re lead to believe, those types of results should not be happening on his watch.

“I think he gets far too much of a free pass from the Tottenham fans.”

The Verdict: Correct verdict?

While Crook makes a point on Tottenham’s recently unacceptable run overall, we believe the lack of backing in January has also played a huge role.

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Conte certainly wasn’t helped by the club’s inability to land key transfer targets and the lack of investment in Tottenham’s team has been questioned since near the end of Mauricio Pochettino’s time at the club.

Much could depend on whether the Italian gets backed in the summer to see if he can truly make a success of Spurs.

In other news: Conte green-lights move for new top target as Spurs hierarchy pressured to strike agreement, find out more here.

Leeds United have been dealt a huge injury setback concerning Stuart Dallas ahead of their upcoming Premier League clash with Southampton.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Sky Sports commentator Gary Weaver (via MOT Leeds News), who claimed that, following the versatile defender’s withdrawal in the second half of Northern Ireland’s 3-1 win over Luxembourg on Friday evening, the 30-year-old was seen to be in discussions with medical staff regarding an apparent groin injury.

Following Dallas’ substitution, Weaver said: “Medical staff having a word with Stuart Dallas. Looks like it was his groin.”

Marsch will be devastated

Considering the fact that Dallas had already been something of an injury concern prior to leaving for international duty, as the right-back had been on the receiving end of a heavy challenge from Joao Moutinho in Leeds’ 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last week, the news that the right-back now looks to have picked up a fresh knock is sure to have left Jesse Marsch devastated.

Indeed, with Patrick Bamford, Diego Llorente, Mateusz Klich and Illan Meslier all sustaining injuries in the victory at Molineux, while Raphinha has also withdrawn from international duty with Brazil after falling ill, the American manager’s Leeds squad has been rather decimated over the past eight days.

As such, should Dallas join the aforementioned players in the Elland Road treatment room ahead of the visit of Southampton next Saturday, it would quite clearly come as a huge blow to the Whites’ chances of picking up all three points against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

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And, while the back-to-back victories over Norwich City and Wolves have eased Leeds’ relegation fears somewhat, the club are by no means out of the woods just yet – meaning the potential loss of Dallas may not only harm the Whites in the short-term, it could also see them slip back into a fight for survival over their remaining eight games of the season.

AND in other news: Orta set for Leeds disaster on £8.4k-p/w “bag of tricks” whose “talent isn’t in doubt”