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Newcastle United roared to victory yesterday, brushing aside Tottenham Hotspur in the race for top four.

Eddie Howe's men went into the clash in the driving seat, three points ahead with a game in hand. Now, that gap has been extended to six points, with that one-game advantage still intact. The Premier League's Champions League spots now seem all but sewn up.

The former AFC Bournemouth boss is deserving of all the accolades coming his way, and despite spending big in a few key positions, most of their squad is made up of those he inherited. Masterminding the turnaround of Joelinton marked one such point of endearment for the Toon Army, but his work in helping others realise their potential only bolsters his reputation.

For example, many knew the qualities that Fabian Schar possessed, yet under Steve Bruce these were limited. Turgid football did not give way to allowing the Switzerland international to showcase his ball-playing assets, and as such he struggled.

Now, under this free-flowing system that is seemingly destined for Champions League football, the £40k-per-week titan is thriving. His work alongside Sven Botman has been nothing short of exceptional, with his rise to such a level deserving of the same attention that his Brazilian teammate garners.

How did Fabian Schar play vs Spurs?

In the last full season before Howe's arrival, the 31-year-old recorded a miserable 6.64 average Sofascore rating. That has since risen to a meteoric 7.21, as a key component in a defence that has conceded the fewest goals in the whole division.

Yesterday was one of many fine showings from the classy centre-back, as he boasted an 8.2 rating that was upheld by numerous defensive interventions. With four tackles and one interception alongside his seven duels won, via Sofascore, Schar played a key role in prohibiting the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son from getting any joy.

Both cut frustrated figures throughout a game in which they were largely silenced.

However, it was at the other end where he truly shone, recording two assists alongside his two key passes. To have such a decisive input whilst maintaining a 78% pass accuracy is indicative of this quality that Bruce kept under wraps.

Statman Dave even took to Twitter to laud an imperious display from the defender, claiming he was: "Important at both ends."

With Joelinton having gone from being branded one of the worst transfers in recent history to the important cog he is today has been well-documented. Indeed, the big-money Brazilian has seven goals and three assists from his central berth this term.

However, few have been singing the praises of Schar, who this season has played just as big a role in their unlikely European push. He deserves every ounce of credit as his midfield colleague is getting.

Newcastle United are reportedly eyeing up a summer move for exciting Lyon youngster Rayan Cherki during the summer transfer window.

How is Cherki doing this season?

The 19-year-old is a hugely talented young player who is already makes waves in France, becoming a key member of Lyon's attacking unit. This season, he has scored three goals and registered four assists in 25 Ligue 1 appearances, as his stock continues to rise.

Cherki is someone who is unlikely to remain at his current club for too much longer, with bigger teams possibly circling ahead of the summer window. Paris Saint-Germain are one of those sides in question and Kylian Mbappe has endorsed the teenager in the past, which highlights his potential. His current deal expires at the end of next season.

Now, it looks as though Newcastle could look to snap him up, following a new update.

Could youngster be off to Newcastle?

According to L'Equipe [via Sport Witness], the Magpies are ready to "get active" with regards to the possible signing of Cherki this summer. Eddie Howe sees him as a strong option to bring in and bolster his squad, ahead of what could be a very productive window for the club.

It is stated that the player himself would rather join PSG, however, with the lure of playing alongside Mbappe something that could be too big to ignore, so it may not be easy for Newcastle to get their man.

Cherki looks like a sublime talent – one who has been described as "incredible" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – so the idea of him in a Magpies shirt next is mouthwatering. To already be such a key figure in a top league at such a young age says a lot about how good he is, and he should only improve in the coming years, as his all-round game matures both on and off the ball.

Newcastle could do with more squad depth moving forward, allowing Howe to rotate more effectively in the process, and Cherki could come in as a great option and someone who can become one of the first names on the team sheet over time. It is essential that competition for places gets more fierce all the time at St James' Park, allowing the Magpies to go up another gear next season and potentially even push for more of a title charge in the Premier League.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has been reacting to Leeds United’s reported interest in Rangers winger Ryan Kent.

The Lowdown: Approach made

Speculation earlier this month suggested that the Whites have made an approach to sign Kent, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

As a result, the 26-year-old can discuss pre-contract agreements with clubs outside of Scotland right now ahead of a potential free transfer in the summer. Leeds aren’t the only side interested, though, with Championship leaders Burnley are also keen.

The Latest: McAvennie’s comments

Talking to Football Insider regarding the news on Leeds and Kent, McAvennie admitted he ‘can see Leeds taking a chance’ on the Rangers man, labelling the forward as a talented player.

“I do not think Leeds will get relegated.

“I can see Leeds taking a chance on him. I can’t see anyone taking a chance on [Alfredo] Morelos. Certainly not in the Premier League.

“Kent has got talent there is no doubt about that. So, I can see someone thinking they can get the best out of him. Morelos on his day is pretty good but we have not seen that for a long time.

“But I think Leeds might stay up. I think there might be a couple of offers for Kent because he’s available for nothing. You would take your chance on him.”

The Verdict: One to watch?

You’d expect that the Whites will need to remain in the Premier League to have any chance of signing Kent, who has been used to playing in Europe with Rangers in recent seasons.

This isn’t the first time Leeds have looked at Kent, though, with their interest dating back to Marcelo Biela’s time in charge at Elland Road after he guided the club to promotion.

He appears to be a player of real interest to sporting director Victor Orta with the links continuing, so a deal could be one to keep an eye on over the coming months, providing things go to plan on the pitch under Javi Gracia.

Journalist Matt Law has made a surprise Graham Potter reveal as he shares what the Englishman is really like behind-the-scenes at Chelsea.

The Lowdown: Potter under pressure…

Clinching just one Premier League win since the turn of 2023, the pressure is truly on Potter to turn things around at Stamford Bridge and in quick fashion.

A 1-0 home victory over Crystal Palace on January 15 remains their only three points of this year and Chelsea have been alarmingly weak going forward in that time.

Since the beginning of January, Chelsea haven’t scored more than one goal in any of their top flight games, even despite a wealth of attacking quality at Potter’s disposal.

This has lead to links with a potential replacement as the 47-year-old loses favour with Chelsea supporters.

The Latest: Journalist makes surprise Potter revelation…

Expanding on Potter’s managerial style in a piece for The Telegraph, journalist Law has made a surprise reveal on the ex-Brighton boss in contrast to his mild-mannered press conferences.

The reporter has shared information from one source who has described Potter as ‘intense’ behind-the-scenes and very different to his public demeanour.

He adds that the Chelsea squad have been under-fire from their manager at various points with Potter engaging in ‘tough discussions’ both inside the dressing room and on the Cobham training ground.

The Verdict: Good sign?

Some reports suggest that the board are leaning towards sticking with Potter, perhaps as they witness the job Mikel Arteta has done at Arsenal with time and sufficient backing.

This revelation that the Englishman is intense behind-closed-doors could come as a reassuring one for supporters given Chelsea are in serious need of a spark to turn around this major slump in form.

The west Londoners are also out of both the FA and Carabao Cup whilst trailing Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund 1-0 in their Champions League last 16 tie.

This first full campaign under the ownership of Todd Boehly isn’t exactly going to plan but Potter could earn back some favour with a first win this month against Spurs at the weekend.

Leeds United’s inability to bring in a replacement for Jesse Marsch ‘makes absolutely no sense’, according to pundit and ex-player Lucy Ward.

The Lowdown: No Marsch replacement in sight

Jesse Marsch was relieved of his duties earlier this month, with a run of poor performances and results in the Premier League ultimately proving to be his undoing.

For now, Michael Skubala is in interim charge at Elland Road, with the 40-year-old drawing one and losing two of his three matches in charge, including at Everton on Saturday.

The search continues for Marsch’s long-term replacement, with Steven Gerrard just one of several individuals recently linked with the Elland Road vacancy.

The Latest: Ward can’t believe manager saga

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, former Leeds player Ward, who also worked in the academy set-up for nearly 20 years and is now a pundit for BBC, BT Sport and talkSPORT, was critical of the club’s failure to have a successor to Marsch lined up straight away, blasting the goings on in the Leeds board room:

“Cannot understand how Leeds didn’t get a new manager in immediately they sacked Marsch. Makes absolutely no sense.”

The Verdict: Seems like poor planning

While Leeds were right to dispatch of Marsch when they did – they had won only four league games this season when he was sacked – their handling of the situation does seem odd.

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In Skubala, the Whites now have a hugely inexperienced manager in charge of a team desperately fighting to remain in the top flight, when a more renowned boss would surely make more sense – just look at Everton’s turnaround since landing Sean Dyche, picking up six of a possible nine points.

The proof is ultimately in the pudding – it could be that Skubala is retained until the end of the season – but Leeds would be wise to nail a new manager before the vital clash with Southampton at Elland Road this weekend.

Failure to win that game would further increase their chances of returning to the Championship and pressure would already be mounting on Skubala if that happened.

Aston Villa dropped to 11th in the Premier League over the weekend as they were beaten 4-2 by Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester on their own turf on Saturday.

Unai Emery’s side are sitting comfortably in midtable and one of the team’s best performers throughout the campaign so far has been veteran full-back Ashley Young.

The 37-year-old has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 in the Premier League so far this season and this places him second in the Villa squad – only behind Douglas Luiz.

Young has played 17 times in the top flight, starting 13 of those matches, and has contributed with three tackles and interceptions and 0.6 key passes per match for the team.

However, the gem turns 38 in July and Emery may start to think about what life may look like after the former England international retires or parts ways with the club.

Matty Cash, 25, is the other senior option at right-back but the Poland international would not have any competition for his place if Young moved on without a replacement coming into the squad.

Emery could find the dream heir to the ex-Manchester United winger’s place in the side by unearthing the talent of 20-year-old academy full-back Kaine Kesler-Hayden.

The young dynamo has already experienced League Two, League One, and Championship football out on loan in recent seasons and the Villa coach could look to slowly bed him into the side as Young heads towards the end of his playing days.

Reporter Jonny Leighfield previously hailed the talented youngster during the gem’s time on loan at Swindon Town during the 2021/22 campaign, saying: “As soon as the loan deal from Villa was done Garner told us that this kid’s got serious quality, a player who’s destined to play for Villa’s first team.”

The journalist added: “He’s just a cut above.”

“He’s got a brilliant turn of pace and a player who like to do his damage up the other end of the pitch. He’s got everything about him to play either Championship or Premier League football regularly.”

During the first half of the current campaign, Kesler-Hadyen made 1.2 tackles and interceptions and 0.7 key passes per match in the second tier for Huddersfield. This came after he made 1.9 defensive contributions and created 0.8 chances per match in League One during the 2021/22 season.

The 20-year-old may not be producing the kind of numbers that Young has been delivering for Villa in the Premier League, from a defensive perspective, this season but the gem has 17 years of development to catch up with the veteran.

Kesler-Hayden could be the future of Villa’s right-back position, given the glimpses of quality he has shown in the Football League so far, and Emery could find Young’s long-term heir by providing the youngster with chances to impress in the coming seasons.

Liverpool could unearth their next Giorginio Wijnaldum in the mould of Valencia’s Yunus Musah.

What’s the word?

The 20-year-old USMNT international has been linked with a move to Anfield over recent months, with manager Jurgen Klopp intrigued by his dynamic skill set.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the young Valencia midfielder – who boasts a release clause of £90m – could be the midfield presence to reignite the spark that has been missing within the Reds’ midfield.

O’Rourke said: “He’s a box-to-box midfielder and Liverpool haven’t really replaced Wijnaldum since he left the club. I think they’ve signed one midfielder in the last four and a half years.

“So someone like Yunus Musah, who’s a young player and does play at the highest level in Spain, as well as on the international stage, is somebody they would definitely think could be an improvement for them.”

Gini 2.0

Having spent his formative years within Arsenal’s Hale End youth academy, impressing after making 18 appearances with the U18 side, registering five goals and three assists, Musah decided to make the switch to the Spanish La Liga in search of a foundation to kickstart his career.

This season, despite his tender age, Musah has been an ever-present in the Valencia set-up, having made 15 appearances and served two assists, and has been nurturing an all-encompassing toolkit that is earning the plaudits for his work.

As per FBref, the industrious pro ranks within the top 6% of midfielders for dribbles completed, the top 11% for progressive passes received, and the top 21% for touches in the attacking penalty area, indicating a vibrant, ubiquitous presence within his outfit on the pitch.

Indeed, much like Wijnaldum, Musah is the “real deal”, as praised by Ives Galarcep, and could bring life and energy back to a team that has lost the intensity levels that have gone in tandem with the philosophy under the enigmatic German manager.

Wijnaldum, a supreme passer of the ball and relentless recycler of possession, has left gulf within the very core of the Merseyside outfit after joining Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer in 2021.

Having made 237 appearances, scoring 22 goals and serving 16 assists, the Dutch phenom was integral in winning the Premier League and Champions League, among other honours.

As per Sofascore, Musah recorded an average rating of 6.75 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, starting all four matches as the USA clinched qualification to the knockout phase, notably drawing 0-0 in the group stage against England in a match that the nation will feel could’ve resulted in victory.

Musah’s average passing accuracy of 87% across the campaign, along with the 2.0 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 1.0 possession wins per match, were integral within the endeavours, and an encapsulation of the robust presence he brings in Wijnaldum-esque fashion.

Hailed as the “connector” by national team head coach Gregg Berhalter, Musah is steadily earning his place as a glistening gem on the European scene, and with a move to Liverpool, under Klopp, he could ascend to the next level.

Leeds United should not be allowing players like Mateusz Klich to depart if they are not intent on upgrading them this month, according to Conor McGilligan.

What’s the latest?

Wednesday night’s game at Elland Road marked Klich’s final appearance in a Leeds shirt with a pending offer coming from the MLS for the 32-year-old.

And McGilligan, speaking on the One Leeds Fan Channel, has welcomed the departure of players like Klich but has insisted he wants to see any departures upgraded with new and better signings across this month’s market.

This comes as the presenter has heard rumblings from Jesse Marsch that he is content with the options he currently has at Elland Road with the likes of Adam Forshaw:

“We have enough quality in the team, but his personality, his courage, his bravado, that part will be tough to replace,” Marsch said on Wednesday night when asked how they’ll replace the Polish ace.

And having heard the American’s comments, McGilligan hit out as he feels the Whites could be set to potentially even weaken their squad this month if they are not to look at bringing in upgrades:

(14:40) “There’s no point in evolving in that position just getting rid of someone because you’re not going to get better in that position, are you? You’re just going to become lighter. And what, are we now relying on Adam Forshaw who was injured again yesterday [Wednesday]? Is that all we’re doing and it’s just a joke.

“So I’m hoping the rumblings that are coming out of the club aren’t true. But you know, Jesse Marsch essentially saying after the game that he feels like he has sufficient backup, but he’s a puppet isn’t he for Orta and Radrizzani who probably know that a good midfielder, an evolution of Mateusz Klich, is going to cost £15m/£20m. So they’re not going to do that.”

A big window ahead

This January window is feeling incredibly similar to that of last year when the Whites found themselves in the relegation battle but did not make any moves to upgrade their side.

Leeds have actually already signed someone this month in Maximilian Wober from RB Salzburg but allowing Klich to potentially depart without lining up an upgrade does feel like a step back for the Yorkshire side.

Klich has been a big part of Leeds’ recent history having made 195 appearances since making the move to Elland Road back in 2017 from FC Twente in Holland.

And he still has been a regular feature in the Leeds side this season with 14 appearances under Marsch. Albeit they have all come from the bench, however, he has proven a dependable option with injuries not halting his season, unlike Forshaw.

Now Klich is expected to depart for the States, it leaves Marsch with Forshaw as one of his immediate backups in midfield. A player who has proven anything but dependable due to his injury issues.

Having missed months of action already this season through injury, the 31-year-old once again finds himself on the injury table having only returned for the two games against Manchester City and Newcastle United.

So with this in mind, we can absolutely understand McGilligan’s frustration. If Leeds are hoping to survive the drop this season, we would also be hoping for a replacement if Klich is to depart.

Liverpool face a tall order as they travel to Manchester City tonight, looking to retain their EFL Cup crown after last season’s domestic cup successes.

However, what stands in their way is a team Jurgen Klopp will be well familiar with, as his tactical war with Pep Guardiola is reignited once more outside of Premier League combat.

This makes for an intriguing matchup so early in the competition, as it pits the only two clubs to have won the competition in the last five years against each other.

Although that dominance is seen through the four won by the Cityzens in the years preceding last season, it still marks two of the best sides in the country clashing.

Having already faced them once this season, the Reds ran out 1-0 winners at Anfield in what has comfortably been the apex of their campaign thus far.

Showing defensive solidity throughout, it will always take an almighty task to silence the free-scoring Erling Haaland.

What will increase the difficulty tenfold is that the Norwegian has been rested throughout this World Cup period, so Klopp must fight fire with fire.

To quell the threat of the hulking marksman, he must surely recall his own equally-rested titan at the back in Joel Matip given the absence of World Cup star Ibrahima Konate and the likely fatigue of Virgil van Dijk.

The 31-year-old has had a career blighted by injuries on Merseyside, yet still remains a “dominant” defender when fit, as dubbed by Sami Hyypia.

Having been confirmed available by Pep Lijnders, he must recapture his form in what will be his toughest personal test this season.

Despite featuring sparingly this season, he will draw upon last season’s performances as his benchmark for success.

Across that campaign, he recorded a 7.35 average rating in which he kept 17 clean sheets, aided by his 1.4 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and 2.9 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Not only will Haaland demand the best of him defensively – given how he already boasts 18 Premier League goals in just 13 appearances – but Matip’s ability on the ball will be imperative to bypassing the City press.

That year also saw the £100k-per-week brute record a 90% dribble success rate paired with an 89% pass completion rate.

Any success that Liverpool might have in this fixture will hinge on the African centre-back, so Klopp must start him tonight.

Glasgow Rangers could give a rare run-out to Alex Lowry at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership tonight.

The Lowdown: Barely seen

Lowry has only made eight senior appearances for the Gers over the last two seasons, and only one so far this term (Transfermarkt).

The 19-year-old has impressed for the ‘B’ side, scoring eight goals and making two assists in 14 games in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt), and has certainly earned more opportunities to impress in the first team.

It sounds like he will be given another chance on Thursday evening, as Beale looks to introduce some youthful exuberance into his first-team ranks.

The Latest: ‘Very close’ to making squad

Speaking to the media on Wednesday afternoon in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match at home to Hibernian, Michael Beale has confirmed that Lowry is ‘very close to being in the squad’, and could make a ‘breakthrough’ under the new manager:

“Lowry is right there at the stage to make a breakthrough, he will be very close to being in the squad tomorrow and it is important he keeps working hard to push the senior players.”

The Verdict: Exciting

It is certainly exciting to hear that Beale is keeping a close eye on Lowry, and that the attacking midfielder could be given more chances in the first team to impress under him.

When he has been given an opportunity, he has received rave reviews for his performances, and clearly has a bright future at the club.

The Light Blues need to try and find a way to claw the gap to bitter rivals Celtic in the SPFL table, and Lowry is hopefully a player they can unleash in the second part of the campaign, which could end up working in their favour.