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Former Everton man Kevin Campbell believes young striker Ellis Simms deserves a chance under Sean Dyche.

The Lowdown: Dyche must try everything for goals

Despite getting his Everton side to score at least two goals in a league game for just the third time this season last weekend, goals are an obvious concern for Dyche.

Everton are currently the joint-lowest scorers in the league, so it’s no surprise to see them once again engulfed in a battle against the drop into the Championship.

While they haven’t been helped by the inability of top striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin to stay fit for a prolonged run of games, they’ve left themselves horrendously short by not having sufficient backup.

The Latest: Simms could be the last option

After starting a natural winger in the form of Demarai Gray up front last weekend, Campbell has claimed on TalkSport that he believes Simms should be handed a chance to show his qualities.

He said: “The issue is, Calvert-Lewin really is the saviour, but he can’t keep himself fit. So by that time, how long do you wait? I think there’s a young lad there, Ellis Simms, who I think should get a chance as well because you have to try everything.

“Because, you know what, God forbid the worst thing happens and you don’t try him, you’re going to say to yourself open all the drawers and try everything. I think Ellis Simms might have a big part to play if Dominic Calvert-Lewin isn’t quite right.”

The Verdict: Huge pressure on young shoulders

Despite Neal Maupay’s woes in front of goal this season, with the Frenchman netting just once since joining in the summer, thrusting Simms into the spotlight of the Premier League could do more bad than good for the youngster and is arguably already a failed experiment from Dyche.

Simms was handed his first Premier League start by Dyche in the Merseyside derby earlier this season and it’s safe to say he was far from impressive, touching the ball just 19 times in his 60-minute appearance.

Therefore, instead of thinking about pinning their hopes on a young and unproven striker at this level, Everton should be focusing on getting their England international back fit for at least half of the remaining games this campaign.

Journalist Charles Watts has hinted that Bukayo Saka should be fit for Arsenal’s next game, despite appearing to pick up a knock in their previous win.

What happened to Bukayo Saka?

The winger has been in sensational form for the league leaders this season, and was one of the stars of the show as Arsenal came from behind to win last weekend.

Saka scored the Gunners’ equaliser against Aston Villa, but was also involved in some heavy-handed duels with left-back Alex Moreno, and was limping towards the end of the game.

Mikel Arteta has spoken out about the heavy tackling Saka has had to face this season amid fears that he could pick up an injury if he is not afforded the protection he should be given.

However, Watts appears confident the winger will be available for his side’s trip to Leicester City, claiming on his YouTube channel that he is expected to make the trip as Arsenal face yet another important game in their title challenge.

He said: “Saka, in terms of team news for him, yes, he got a bit of a battering against Villa at the weekend, we saw how much he was limping. But he got through the game. He was still on there at the end, he was still sprinting.

“So Arsenal will assess him as the week goes on and make a decision on him, but I’d be very surprised if Bukayo Saka isn’t fit to feature against Leicester at the weekend.”

How important is Saka to Arsenal?

Saka is a remarkable figure of consistency when it comes to fitness, as he has featured in all of Arsenal’s last 65 league matches, which is currently more than anyone else in the Premier League.

The England international has been in sensational form, notching up nine goals and eight assists in 23 league games, scoring against Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Liverpool – proving himself as Arsenal’s main star in their biggest matches.

Based on this, you would imagine Arsenal will need Saka to continue his high level of performance if they are to go on and win the league, and an injury to their star man could prove pivotal, with Gabriel Jesus and Thomas Partey already absent.

Being able to select him this weekend will therefore be a massive relief for Arteta, and if he is fit, Saka will likely continue in his starting role on the right wing.

Liverpool are scrounging for any scrap of positivity right now, but they could find light at the end of the tunnel after a woeful spell of shocking form in the Premier League ahead of tonight’s pivotal Merseyside derby against Everton at Anfield.

In fact, concerns of a wobble have now morphed into a fully-fledged crisis, with Jurgen Klopp’s Reds still chasing their first league victory of 2023.

During this period, the likes of Brighton & Hove Albion, Brentford and Wolverhampton Wanderers have all put three past Alisson en route to victory, whilst a drab stalemate against Chelsea at Anfield last month laid bare Liverpool’s problems in attack since the turn of the year.

This is a perilous situation and one that Klopp will be desperate to rectify, having clinched the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season, along with narrowly losing the Champions League final to Real Madrid and falling an agonising one point short to Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

There are a range of reasons as to why this internal collapse has occurred, and while injuries have played a part, the manner of the fall from grace cannot be chiefly attributed to setbacks this time around.

Nonetheless, Liverpool have felt the effects of several key players’ absences, notably Luis Diaz, Dioga Jota and more recently Virgil van Dijk.

Could Jota star against the Toffees?

Jota is in contention to make his return to the fold after missing 22 games since his calf injury setback against Manchester City in October, having only started on two occasions in the Premier League this term following a pre-season hamstring problem which saw him sidelined for the opening few weeks of the campaign.

Despite his stop-start season, the Portuguese forward has still supplied five assists from eight matches, including just four starting appearances, which is an illustration of the dynamic skill set that the Reds have been missing in his absence.

Klopp, who has hailed the 29-cap star as “exceptional”, waxed lyrical about Jota’s distinctive qualities, stating: “He has the technical skills, he has the physical skills and he is very smart and can learn all the tactical stuff pretty quick. He has the speed, has the desire to finish situations off really good. I think his goalscoring record is pretty impressive.”

Last season alone, the 26-year-old was one of Liverpool’s most pivotal components; not quite the pizzazz of Mohamed Salah, nor a replica of the blistering brilliance of Sadio Mane, Jota is still an incredibly efficient and composed seeker of goals, and the statistics above highlight just how important he is to his team.

Just take a look at FBref’s statistics on the player – Jota ranks among the top 1% of forwards in Europe’s five main leagues for rate of assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions and the top 9% for progressive passes over the past year. With Liverpool looking static and devoid of inspiration right now, such traits will only enhance the collective effort and help to burrow a hole out of their current rut.

With the gem – who was signed from Wolves for £41m in 2020 – often enjoying himself against Everton in the past, Klopp will certainly be delighted to have such an impactful player back for tonight’s derby. Jota has scored two goals from just four starts against Liverpool’s city rivals, losing just once in eight outings against them.

The £140k-per-week ace is selfless, robust and a multi-dimensional force within the spherical frontline of Liverpool’s attack.

His return, if it comes tonight, could give the Reds’ forward line a much-needed fresh impetus and might just be the catalyst for positive change at Anfield.

Arsenal head into today’s Premier League clash against Everton having enjoyed a solid January transfer window, adding Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior and Leandro Trossard to their title-chasing squad, and Mikel Arteta will surely be happy with the business that the club conducted.

Despite racing away at the summit of the table, the Gunners tasted defeat in their last match as Manchester City prevailed 1-0 in the FA Cup against a much-changed Arsenal side who appear to have one thing and one thing only on their minds – a first league title since 2004.

A trip to Goodison Park to face a struggling Everton side should give Arteta and co the ideal chance to bounce back to winning ways and assert their dominance in the league. The Spaniard may also unleash Jorginho and Kiwior at some stage.

The starting XI will also be back to near full strength following the rotation against City, and Arteta must surely unleash Martin Odegaard against the Toffees, with the Norwegian aiming to carry on his excellent form this season.

Odegaard has been a revelation since joining Arsenal on an initial loan two years ago. Nine goals and seven assists during his first 18 months in north London laid the foundation for what has simply been a magnificent campaign for the 24-year-old so far.

His performances during the first six months of 2022/23 has seen him receive a Sofascore rating of 7.49/10, ranking him not only as the club’s second-best performer in the Premier League this term but also as the fourth-best player in the top-flight, showing just how integral he is to Arsenal’s chances of glory.

Across 18 league appearances, he has scored eight times, registered five assists and created ten big chances, along with averaging 2.2 key passes per match. That underlines his attacking threat from a midfield role, helping to shoulder the burden from the injured Gabriel Jesus, the club’s main centre-forward.

Odegaard also chips in defensively, making 1.1 tackles and winning 3.4 duels per match, but it is his attacking feats which have been incredible and led to comparisons with a former Arsenal icon.

Football London editor Hush Kerai was full of praise for the 24-year-old’s performance against Nottingham Forest in October, describing Odegaard as like “watching Bergkamp”; and with the Dutchman gaining legendary status among the Arsenal faithful, there is arguably no higher praise.

Having appeared as a late substitute against Man City last week, the £115k-per-week star simply needs to be unleashed from the start against Everton today. Their new manager Sean Dyche could be set to walk into a baptism of fire if the Norwegian is in the mood, which he has been so often this season.

Manchester United have emphatically rewritten the narrative at Old Trafford this season, having cast the cobwebs of a woeful preceding campaign aside and forged an impressive run under Erik ten Hag, but work must still be done to return the cub to its former glory.

While close to £210m has been spent since Ten Hag assumed the managerial role at the Theatre of Dreams, further incomings are certain to follow this year, with centre-back Axel Disasi among those touted with a move to Manchester.

According to a report from the Daily Mail earlier this month, the Red Devils are among the interested suitors considering a bid for the AS Monaco man, who has emerged as one of the French Ligue 1’s best defenders over the past few years and could cost around  £44m to prise him away from France.

With uncertainty surrounding the Glazer Family’s ownership of the prestigious Premier League outfit this season, a deal might not materialise until the summer, but the club’s technical director John Murtough might indeed be prudent to await an apt opportunity to pounce, with the 6-foot-3 colossus offering all the promise of a defender reaching the very top.

Having made 28 appearances for his outfit this year, the “complete” and “dominant” Disasi – as lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has scored four goals and assists apiece, immensely impressive numbers for a defensive outlet, and has been a key component for his outfit over the past few years, blossoming into a refined and glistening gem.

As per Sofascore, Disasi has recorded an average rating of 7.04 in the French top flight this term, impressing with 1.2 tackles, 1.9 interceptions and 2.9 clearances, while maintaining an 84% pass success rate, illustrating his dynamic skill set that encapsulates the all-encompassing nature many a first-rate centre-back needs in the modern game.

And with the 24-year-old gem ranking among the top 12% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues for rate of goals, the top 4% for rate of assists, and the top 8% for progressive passes (via FBref), his authority as a ball-playing maestro from the back is indeed affirmed.

Should Ten Hag forge ahead with a move, it could spell the end at the Theatre of Dreams for Harry Maguire, who has fallen heavily out of favour this season after a tumultuous period at the club following his world record £80m transfer from Leicester City.

With reports from earlier this season stating that the 29-year-old could depart at the end of the campaign, the door is indeed wide open for the introduction of a new presence.

While United’s established pairing of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez have indeed found unity and resilience in their partnership this term, the inclusion of a young, exciting centre-back such as Disasi could go a long way toward turning the page to a new, prosperous chapter at Manchester United.

Charles Watts has provided an update on Arsenal’s pursuit of Mykhailo Mudryk, with the Gunners’ latest bid rejected.

What’s the word?

The Gunners have had two bids for the Ukrainian winger rejected so far according to Watts, as they seek to add to their attacking options in the January window.

Mikel Arteta’s side currently sit top of the Premier League, but want to strengthen the depth of their squad as they aim to stay above the chasing pack, and arguably need more firepower within the squad to do so.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts explained that Shakhtar are holding out for more money, and could even pull the plug on negotiations if the two clubs cannot agree a deal.

He said: “Arsenal’s latest offer was around the sort of £62m mark all-in – that’s including add-ons.”

“Shakhtar still very much saying, ‘no, that’s not what we want, we want €100m to do business’. As far as I’m aware, they are very, very much sticking to that. And that is what they are telling Arsenal, and that they are more than willing, I’ve been told, that they will put an end to all talks and postpone them until the summer if it becomes abundantly clear that that valuation is not going to be met.

“Now, of course, this is a negotiation period. It could be a case of who blinks first. I don’t know if that’s absolutely 100% certain what will happen – if they would just pull the plug on it – we’ll have to wait and see.”

How high should Arsenal go?

Arsenal are in a tough spot in these negotiations in that they are clearly keen on an attacker joining in January, and ideally would complete a signing before the North London derby halfway through the month.

However, the player appears eager to join Arteta’s side, and if the 22-year-old forces through a move, they may have no choice but to accept an offer from Arsenal which does not meet their valuation.

It is a big fee for a player with limited experience, but a dynamic attacker being added to Arsenal’s depth could be a game-changing signing in the title race, and ultimately Arteta will not want to lose out on a priority target as a result of difficult negotiations.

The UK media have slammed Tottenham Hotspur’s Oliver Skipp after his latest showing.

The Lowdown: Poor midweek performance

Skipp was handed yet another start by Antonio Conte as Spurs looked to pick up their first win in the Premier League since returning from the mid-season break – and the team duly delivered.

Tottenham eventually ran out 4-0 winners against Crystal Palace despite going into half-time level, but very little of Spurs’ success is going to be credited to the performance of Skipp.

For the second game in a row, Skipp was hooked off by Conte at around the hour mark, suggesting that the Italian doesn’t trust him to go the full distance and carry out his strict instructions.

The Latest: Media slam Skipp’s display

The midfielder was also the first Spurs player to be booked during the first half, which sums up his night and some of the media were left unimpressed.

Alasdair Gold had the following to say on Skipp: ‘Both Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and the rusty Oliver Skipp have struggled against their Palace counterparts, the latter picking up a yellow card after lunging to try to get to a poor pass from Ivan Perisic.’

Whereas, Dan Kilpatrick picked out a particular flaw in Skipp’s game against Palace as he said just before the 40-minute mark: ‘Skipp started the game well but Zaha has already ghosted past him twice and he just lost out to Eze, too.’

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The Verdict: Skipp fails to grasp his opportunity

Given the continued absence of star midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, Skipp will have done himself no favours at Selhurst Park to show why he deserves to keep starting when the Uruguay international returns.

This is because according to Sofascore, the midfielder put in a 6.5/10 performance and also struggled in several key areas of the match, losing possession four times and touching the ball on just 35 occasions, while not managing any key passes or shots at goal.

Therefore, it was no surprise to see him hooked off, and if Bentacur can return for their next crunch clash against Arsenal, it would be no shock if Skipp was the man to make way.

Sunderland are reportedly interested in signing Birmingham City midfielder Jobe Bellingham in January, and the Black Cats will be hoping that he can emulate his older brother Jude.

What’s the word?

According to TEAMtalk, the Black Cats, Newcastle United and Middlesbrough are all set to be embroiled in a northeastern battle to sign the 17-year-old starlet, who has followed in the footsteps of his brother by establishing himself in Birmingham’s first team at a young age.

The report claims that, while he is not held in the same high regard as Jude – who looks likely to leave Borussia Dortmund in an eye-watering deal for around £130m in the near future – he is still viewed as a top prospect by the Blues.

Sunderland’s own £130m talent?

It would be unfair to expect Jobe to have the same monumental rise as his older brother, who recently starred for England at the World Cup in Qatar despite being just 19 years old, but he certainly seems to have plenty of potential.

The youngster already has 15 first-team appearances for Birmingham to his name, although the vast majority of those have come from the bench.

There could be a temptation for the Blues to play the teenager at every opportunity given the meteoric rise of Jude after he established himself as a regular at St Andrew’s, but former manager Lee Bowyer suggested that Jobe’s hard work is the main reason for his involvement as a senior player, after he made his senior debut in January.

Bowyer said: “He’s earned that, he’s been training with us for two, three, four weeks now, you can just see him growing and improving every day.”

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The attacking midfielder’s contract at Birmingham is set to expire in 2024 and the Blues will surely want to ensure that they don’t lose him on a free transfer, so they could look to cash in on him in 2023.

If Sunderland could bring him in for a relatively small transfer fee, it could definitely be worth the outlay, as there is no telling just how greatly Bellingham would develop if he gets regular football at the Stadium of Light.

There will be a lot of pressure on his young shoulders but the potential reward for Sunderland could be huge, especially if he becomes even half the player that his brother (who came second in the Kopa Trophy rankings last year) already is at just 19, so the Black Cats should definitely try and sign the 17-year-old talent.

Another candidate has thrown his hat into the ring fill the managerial vacancy at Glasgow Rangers, with the Ibrox outfit having sacked Giovanni van Bronckhorst earlier this week.

What’s the word?

According to reports, Alanyaspor boss Francesco Farioli is believed to be keen on replacing the Dutchman in the dugout in Glasgow, with the 33-year-old joining the long list of names to have been linked with the role.

As per Twitter: “Highly Rated young manager Francesco Farioli is interested in becoming Rangers new manager. Farioli is the youngest manager to get a top job in a top ranked league and has been praised for his style and tactical approach to the game.”

The Scottish Premiership side only recently relieved Van Bronckhorst of his duties following an underwhelming start to the 2022/23 campaign, with the 47-year-old having seen his side slip nine points behind leaders Celtic in the title race, as well as record the worst Champions League group stage performance in the competition’s history.

Nagelsmann-esque

After the highs of reaching a Europa League final and enjoying Scottish Cup success last term, the mood around Ibrox has no doubt nosedived in the early months of the new season, with any new appointment set to have a real job on their hands to try and bridge the gap to Ange Postecoglou’s rampant Hoops outfit.

Turning to the aforementioned Farioli to help lift the Gers from their current slump could well be a bold and exciting appointment for the club, with the emerging coach no doubt an intriguing option as a result of his relative youth.

Any fears over his inexperience as a manager – with the Italian having only taken on his first top job in Turkey last year at Fatih Karagümrük – should well be eased by the fact that he has racked up a wealth of coaching experience over the years in a variety of roles back in his homeland.

While his managerial career is still in its infancy, the promising figure impressed last term after guiding his current side to a fifth-placed finish in the Super Lig, ending up just a point behind the European qualification spots.

It would be a real leap of faith to appoint such a young candidate to fill the Light Blues vacancy, although there are notable examples of how such an appointment can prove to be a masterstroke, with the case of Julien Naglesmann showcasing the benefit of trusting an up-and-coming coach.

The German genius was memorably named manager of Bundesliga side Hoffenheim at the age of just 28 back in 2016, with that move ultimately paying off for the club as the coaching visionary went on to guide his side to Champions League qualification in his first full season in charge – the first time the club had achieved that feat in their history.

That impact attracted the attention of RB Leipzig who snapped up Nagelsmann in 2019, with that again proving fruitful as he guided the Saxony-based side to the semi-finals of Europe’s premier competition in his debut season, before joining Bayern Munich a year later.

Still only 35, the highly-rated ace – who led the Bavarian giants to the league title last term – is a shining example of what trust in a young manager can lead to, with it perhaps time for Rangers to take the plunge and bring Farioli to Scotland.

Nottingham Forest will host Tottenham Hotspur at The City Ground this evening in their third-round EFL Cup clash, and Steve Cooper will be hoping his team can use being on home soil as an advantage.

The Tricky Trees remain rock bottom in the Premier League table after 14 outings, so a good performance in the domestic cups this season would surely be massively welcomed by the supporters.

In terms of injuries, Omar Richards, Harry Toffolo, Giulian Biancone, Jack Colback and Moussa Niakhate remain ruled out and unavailable for selection in the squad tonight.

Despite the continued injury problems in the team and the meeting with Spurs, one that will be challenging for the Forest team, there is no doubt that Cooper will rotate to give opportunities to players who didn’t feature in the draw with Brentford last weekend.

With that being said, this is how Football FanCast expects Nottingham Forest to line up against Antonio Conte’s side tonight…

We predict that Cooper will make four changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Brentford last weekend, setting up more defensively in a 5-2-1-2 formation.

The first change we expect to see is Wayne Hennessey being given an opportunity to make his second appearance for Forest this season, with the Welsh goalkeeper also featuring in the 3-0 EFL Cup victory over Grimsby Town in the last round.

The biggest alteration we predict is the Forest boss opting for a back five over a four-man backline to hold off Spurs’ attacking talents more comfortably with Serge Aurier, Scott McKenna and Neco Williams retaining their positions in the team.

Joe Worrall and Willy Boly are the second and third additions we expect to see in the team, with Steve Cook losing his spot in the defensive set-up.

The £35k-per-week ace has featured 11 times out of the 14 Premier League outings in the starting 11 for Forest this season so far, so it would be no surprise to see Cook rested and replaced to give opportunities to rarely-seen squad players.

The fourth and final change we expect is Lewis O’Brien reprising his role in midfield alongside Ryan Yates in the centre of the pitch after failing to make a starting line up since returning from illness, but tonight could finally be his opportunity to get back in the team.

With that being said, it isn’t the easiest draw in the competition for the Garibaldi Reds but Cooper will be hoping that The City Ground faithful can get behind the team and a great result can be taken from the game.