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Liverpool's season of struggle has come to a welcomed pause due to the international break and Jurgen Klopp will be assessing which players he will have at his disposal when the side return to action in the Premier League against Manchester City next month.

The Reds are currently seven points shy of a Champions League qualifying spot ahead of their remaining 12 top-flight fixtures and with a trophy out of sight, the manager can now fully focus on closing the gap with Tottenham Hotspur in fourth.

The Merseyside club has tallied up the worst injury record in the entire Premier League this season so far which has been a huge contributor to the inconsistent selection and performances on the pitch, however, this could be about to change just in time.

Explosive winger Luis Diaz is expected to be available for the highly-anticipated Etihad meeting on April 1st alongside Joe Gomez and Thiago Alcantara, which is a massive boost for Klopp going into the business end of the season with top four looking hard to grasp at present.

Indeed, the squad suffered a huge blow when midfielder Stefan Bajcetic was ruled out of the season recently, however, the return of Thiago could be the saving grace Klopp desperately needs in the centre of the pitch.

Should Thiago start for Liverpool?

There is no doubt that Thiago has become a firm fan favourite since making the move from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2020 and has proven on many occasions exactly why he is a valuable asset to the Liverpool manager and team.

The 31-year-old midfielder – hailed "world-class" by former footballer George Chomakov – ranks in the top 9% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for passes attempted, pass completion, progressive passes, tackles and interceptions, proving that he remains one of the best deep-lying players on the continent.

Over 14 Premier League appearances, Thiago has demonstrated his class through a pass completion rate of 86%, proving he is one of the best conductors in the squad.

A midfielder who oozes class on the ball, the Spaniard has successfully completed 83% of his dribble attempts, as well as averaging 1.2 key passes.

His German coach has never been short of praise for the player and his impact when fit, stating:

"I knew that when he arrived here, of course. He was unlucky with injuries and stuff like this at the start, but when he is fit he can give the game a real rhythm."

"He’s got an eye for that, he calms the game down in the right moments, he has a sensational overview of the game."

With that being said, in Liverpool's desperation to take control of games, the return of the £200k-per-week asset could not be more warmly welcomed by everyone.

Indeed, his presence on the pitch over the remaining fixtures could ensure that Klopp's charges end the season with a bang.

Journalist Jacque Talbot thinks that Manchester United will sell Dean Henderson this summer and has tipped them to demand around £25m for him.

The Lowdown: Henderson looks set for summer exit

Man United made the bold decision last summer to loan out Henderson as Erik ten Hag placed his trust in David de Gea, who’s had a troubled time over the past few months at Old Trafford.

Henderson was certainly far from pleased by the way he was shipped out last summer as he conducted an explosive interview – and that won’t have done his chances of becoming a Man United player any good.

The England international is currently out injured and will find it difficult to usurp Champions League winner Keylor Navas as Nottingham Forest’s No 1 when he finally does return, which could mean his long-term future isn’t with Steve Cooper’s side, either.

The Latest: Man United will look to cash in

Talbot has insisted on his YouTube channel that Man United will be letting Henderson go this summer as he’s a sellable asset that could help raise valuable funds for their recruitment drive.

He said: “With Dean Henderson, I think Man United will sell him because they want to have a bit of a spree. So they’ll probably ask for – this is just out of thin air, I don’t know – £25m for him or something like that, maybe £30m with potential add-ons or something.”

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The Verdict: A fresh start is needed for Henderson

Henderson’s loan spell at Forest has seen him keep six clean sheets in the Premier League and get back into England reckoning, having been on the bench for two UEFA Nations League games earlier in the 2022/23 campaign.

However, if Forest are willing to stick with Navas – who’s filled the void left by Henderson during his injury – the England shot-stopper will have to consider his options and decide what level of club he should be playing for.

It wasn’t too long ago that Antonio Conte was full of praise of Henderson, labelling him ‘incredible’, so he clearly has admirers and is indeed a top ‘keeper, but we feel he needs to find a new permanent home where he can start afresh and fall in love with a fanbase.

Leeds United could now be on the verge of ending their manager search…

What is the latest news on Leeds’ manager search?

According to renowned journalist Phil Hay of The Athletic, the Yorkshire outfit are set to appoint former Watford boss Javi Gracia.

He tweeted:

“Leeds United set to confirm Javi Gracia as their new head coach. Interview with him went well and deal should be finalised shortly. Arrives with the initial target of staving off relegation.”

Is Javi Gracia a suitable appointment for Leeds?

It’s clear that the Whites’ quest to find a suitable replacement for Jesse Marsch has become a little desperate, having had several names ruled out of the running for one reason or another.

The likes of former Marcelo Bielsa assistant Carlos Corberan, his protege Andoni Iraola at Rayo Vallecano, Arne Slot of Feyenoord and Alfred Schreuder have all been linked to the post, but to no avail.

Gracia has been out of work for around eight months, having left Qatar Stars League outfit Al-Sadd in the summer and has not coached in England since being sacked by Watford in September 2019.

During the 2018/19 campaign, the Spaniard guided the Hornets to safety and made the FA Cup final for the first time in 35 years but as is often the case in north London, he wasn’t able to last long in Gino Pozzo’s ruthless regime.

Overall, his time in the country drew just a 37.8% win rate from 66 matches, with that decreasing to just 32% in the Premier League alone.

With Leeds languishing in the relegation zone, Gracia will need to hit the ground running at Elland Road, though his track record makes it seem like that’ll be an even more arduous task, especially as Marsch’s win rate (29%) at the club was very similar.

It won’t be easy to get his ideas across quickly, considering the side had worked with the American for a whole year and in the past two weeks, with U21 boss Michael Skubala and that’ll only be a further detriment to their survival chances and thus, it could have been better to stick it out with the former RB Leipzig boss before making a change in the summer.

AND in other news, Radrizzani could all but seal Leeds’ relegation amid managerial reports on 40 y/o boss…

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford failed to be at his best as he suffered another frustrating night in the Whites midweek 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.

The Lowdown: Derby draw

Just days after Jesse Marsch was sacked from the Elland Road hotseat, his former side earned a draw against opponents who headed into the clash on the back of 13 straight home wins (BBC).

Italian star Wilfried Gnonto opened the scoring for the Whites inside 60 seconds to stun Manchester United, before Raphael Varane deflected Crysencio Summerville’s cross into his own net just after the restart.

The Red Devils battled back through goals from Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho goals to salvage a draw, which was the very least managerless Leeds deserved in the hotly contested Premier League encounter.

The Latest: Cross’ ratings

LeedsLive’s Beren Cross delivered his player ratings after the game, which included a man-of-the-match 9/10 for Max Wober together with 8/10 ratings for fellow defenders Luke Ayling and Robin Koch alongside goalscorer Gnonto.

However, considering the result and the Whites’ performance, it was his lowly rating for Bamford that caught the eye, with the Englishman receiving the lowest rating of all the starters at 6/10.

He wrote: “Put himself about, but still not the game for him to shine. Ball did not stick to him and he had a hard time battling with the centre-backs.”

The Verdict: Still not at it

Taking back his role as the focal point for Leeds following the injury to Rodrigo, which sees the Spaniard out for two months (via Leeds United), Bamford was once again a shadow of his former self.

Despite picking up the assist for Gnonto’s opener in the opening minute – albeit a simple lay-off before the 19-year-old flashed home at David de Gea’s near post from 20 yards – that was as good of an involvement that the 29-year-old achieved all game.

Leeds’ No 9 failed to register a single shot in his 63 minutes on the field (via Sofascore) before he was replaced by the fresh legs of Georginio Rutter.

He lost possession a woeful 14 times from just 30 touches, leaving a pass accuracy of just 53% from a measly 10 completed passes – attempting fewer than goalkeeper Illan Meslier in both departments.

It was far from vintage from Bamford, but with Rutter’s involvement proving even less fruitful with just one accurate pass in 27 minutes, the Englishman may well keep his place.

Aston Villa could see Lyon striker Moussa Dembele as the ideal replacement for Danny Ings this month, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Villa linked with Dembele signing

In recent times, the 26-year-old Frenchman has found himself linked with a move to Villa Park, having caught the eye greatly for the Ligue 1 side down the years.

Dembele has an impressive record of 69 goals in 160 appearances for the French giants, not to mention bagging 51 in 94 during his time at Celtic.

It doesn’t look as though Villa’s interest in the striker has gone away yet, following a fresh update.

The Latest: Possible Ings replacement?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Dembele could be seen as the best replacement for Ings, who has moved to West Ham:

“It’s a really interesting option. He’s one of the names that we floated at the start of the window as an option for somebody when they were desperate for a striking situation to be resolved.

“I think if you’re looking for somebody to replace Ings now in that frontline, Moussa Dembele would certainly be capable of that.”

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The Verdict: Upgrade on Ings?

It is important that Unai Emery brings in a new striker this month, mainly in terms of squad depth, and Dembele would be an exciting addition, with his aforementioned goalscoring record summing up his pedigree.

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In fact, the Lyon man could easily prove to be an upgrade on Ings, considering he is our years his junior and has been described as ‘excellent’ by Brendan Rodgers during their time at Celtic.

Looking at their underlying statistics, Dembele actually scores higher than Ings for every single attacking metric except for assists per 90 minutes, while he also wins out in many of the possession-based numbers, such as dribbles and pass completion.

The £66,000-a-week-earning Dembele could help take Villa up another gear in the second half of the season, at a point where Emery is threatening to build a formidable team, bringing more firepower to a side that has only scored 23 times in 20 Premier League outings this season.

The January transfer window is well underway and Tottenham Hotspur are yet to make a move to bolster their squad by dipping into the market.

Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte were busy over the summer as they brought in Fraser Forster, Richarlison, Djed Spence, Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, and Clement Lenglet with the hope of improving the team.

The pair could now work together to secure further additions to the squad in the final two weeks of the window to give the side the best chance of securing a Champions League place for next season.

One player who has been linked with a move to the club is current Brighton winger Leandro Trossard. Reporter Ryan Taylor recently told GIVEMESPORT that Spurs have made a “verbal proposal” to the Seagulls but is not sure if they will go back in with another offer for his services.

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi banished the Belgian international from their match against Liverpool and has since said:

“Nothing serious happened with Trossard. But recently, he didn’t give 100% in training and on matchday, that’s it on my side.

“Maybe his agent fancies selling him for a lower transfer fee… surely, Trossard didn’t tell me the truth. Everyone in the dressing room knows how things went. But if Trossand wants to rejoin us with the right attitude, I am happy to coach him.”

Tottenham must now pounce on any opportunity to sign the 28-year-old, if he is not settled at the AMEX, as Conte could form an exciting partnership at the top end of the pitch by pairing him with Harry Kane.

The Spurs centre-forward has been in phenomenal form in the Premier League this season as he has plundered 15 goals and one assist in 19 appearances.

Kane has created eight ‘big chances’ and provided 1.8 key passes per game in the top-flight but has only been rewarded with one assist for his terrific creative efforts.

Trossard, meanwhile, has found the back of the net seven times in 16 outings for Brighton this term, after scoring eight goals in 32 games in 2021/22.

The £40k-per-week gem, who was once dubbed a “magician” by journalist Deji Faremi, has proven that he can be a goalscorer in the Premier League and bringing in a player of his quality could allow Spurs to make better use of Kane’s passing ability.

No Spurs player, outside of the England captain, has scored more than four times in the division this season and this indicates that Trossard would be a welcome addition to Conte’s options out wide.

Now, just imagine Kane spinning on the halfway line and firing a through ball for the Belgian international to run onto and use to score a goal for Tottenham in the second half of the season. They could form an exciting partnership up front and that is why Paratici and Conte must swoop for him again this month.

Arsenal are in a strong position to sign Declan Rice ahead of their Premier League rivals, according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs…

What’s the word?

Speaking to Caught Offside recently, the reliable journalist said:

“Sources have said on multiple occasions that Rice would like to stay in London, which opens the door to both Arsenal and Chelsea, perhaps more so than Manchester United.

“Rice, personally, is ready for a new challenge, and he’s spoken positively about Arsenal, praising Mikel Arteta.

“Having said that, I don’t think it’s Champions League or bust for Rice. Chelsea have an ambitious project built around young players that they want for the long-term, and I think that will trump something like Champions League football.

“Still, the Champions League does affect a club’s budget, it can stop you getting more than one marquee signing.”

West Ham have been quoted to want around £70m for the England international, so he wouldn’t come cheap but if the Gunners were to qualify for the Champions League ahead of the Blues – or even better win the Premier League – then they could well be best-placed to land him.

Rice is perfect for Arteta

When you think of Arsenal’s greatest teams, they all had an absolute monster of a midfielder in the engine room – the likes of Patrick Vieira and Liam Brady instantly spring to mind.

It is perhaps what Arteta is lacking now.

Not that Granit Xhaka or Thomas Partey aren’t good because they are; very. But because neither are the sort of young, homegrown talent that’s evident right through this squad.

Rice fits the mould entirely.

He is currently the captain of the Hammers and a regular for Gareth Southgate at international level but he’s unlikely to win much if he remains at the London Stadium.

“Declan is the best central midfielder in the country,” ex-footballer Paul Parker once claimed. “If you wanted to spend a fortune on a midfield player, go and get Declan Rice,” before adding: “Give him what he wants and what happens is that he takes your team to another level.”

Indeed, it’s hard to argue against that as the 23-year-old – who has also been dubbed an “absolute monster” by ESPNUK editor David Cartlidge in the past – is currently the Irons’ best-performing player in the Premier League, where his average of 1.2 key passes, 1.6 interceptions and 2.3 tackles per game, via WhoScored, merely highlight his incredible ability to influence a game at either end of the pitch.

Some reports have linked Chelsea with a move for Arsenal target Mykhaylo Mudryk, so Edu Gaspar and co could deliver their own blow by launching a move for Rice, who has been long associated with a return to Stamford Bridge over the years.

Given the fact that he’s a young, English and immensely talented no.8 that can do everything, he’s absolutely perfect for Arteta and his system.

AND in other news, Ben Dinnery gives hint on Emile Smith Rowe return…

Journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says that Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans is ‘one to watch’ for Arsenal in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Busy January?

It was reported on Monday night that the Gunners have submitted an official bid for Mykhaylo Mudryk, but it falls short of Shakhtar Donetsk’s valuation of the winger.

They have also been linked with the likes of Joao Felix and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, which suggests that they want to strengthen the squad to help their push for the Premier League title.

The Latest: Tielemans ‘one to watch’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano says that Tielemans is also ‘one to watch’ for Arsenal in January, after making an ‘approach’ for him in the summer alongside Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz.

The Italian stated: “Tielemans has always been on the list at Arsenal, he has always been appreciated. They always had his name on their list.

“At the moment, there are no conversations with Leicester, but I think this is one to watch because in the summer, Arsenal arrived in the final days to try to approach Leicester for Tielemans, then they did the same with Aston Villa for Douglas Luiz.”

The Verdict: No-brainer

Given that Tielemans will be out of contract at Leicester next summer, signing him for a cut-price in January is surely a no-brainer for Arsenal.

Hailed as an ‘outstanding player’ and ‘one of Europe’s top midfielders’ by his manager Brendan Rodgers, the Belgium international ranks in the 85th percentile for tackles, 82nd for passes attempted and blocks and 81st for shot-creating actions among his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (FBRef).

Scoring 28 goals and supplying 25 assists for Leicester in 177 games, including the winner in the FA Cup final against Chelsea in 2021 (Transfermarkt), Tielemans has shown that he is capable of producing in big moments, and at 25 years of age, he has not even hit his peak yet.

If Mikel Arteta’s side can sign both him and Mudryk, they would surely give themselves a great chance of winning a first league title since 2004.

Manchester United raised a fair few eyebrows with their summer business, no less so than with 5 foot 9 central defender Lisandro Martinez.

He has been rock solid for the Red Devils this term but out in Qatar, another of the Dutchman’s first acquisitions is now outshining him.

Indeed, that arrival happens to be that of £70m Casemiro, who jetted to England after a distinguished career as the anchor of a Real Madrid team that completed incredible feats.

Such a fee was met with a few raised eyebrows, with the United hierarchy being accused by pundits of a “desperation” bid, despite the player himself remaining a world-class engine.

For Brazil, Casemiro has occupied the deep-lying midfield role in place of Liverpool’s Fabinho, reaffirming his stature on the world stage and the weight that he holds in the eyes of his managers.

And such a show of faith has been wondrously repaid, with his assurance and unmatched physicality providing Brazil and the squad’s creative flair to bomb forward, crushing the opposition with devastating effect.

Worth every penny

United manager Erik ten Hag described the Brazilian juggernaut as “the cement between the stones” upon completing the lucrative four-year deal, with Casemiro coming off the back of a fifth Champions League triumph, defeating Liverpool in the final for the second time.

Casemiro, still only 30 years old, has been deployed in the defensive slot at the pit pot the midfield, completing the gritty jobs that allowed Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to dominate the centre of the park with such supreme brilliance.

And completing 336 matches for Los Blancos, scoring 31 goals and serving 29 assists, has solidified Casemiro’s standing on the global stage.

In Qatar, he has flourished; as per Sofascore, Casemiro has recorded an average rating of 7.6 throughout the tournament, where he has started all but one match.

With a pass success rate of 84%, an average of 2.7 tackles per match, 1.0 clearances and 2.0 interceptions, the importance of his structured approach is unveiled.

His robust, daring escapades on the pitch allow the other player’s to flourish, and without him there would appear a veritable chasm in the Brazilian ranks, with teammates suffering from his absence, as evidenced by the 1-0 loss in the culminating group fixture against Cameroon, where the anchor was not risked with qualification already secured.

Once dubbed as a “monster” by former Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, the moniker is indeed aptly named, with his ferocious and unflinching attitude to his play a key component by itself.

As per FBref, the £43m-rated ace ranks incredibly among defensive statistics when compared to midfielders across Europe’s big five leagues, within the top 1% for blocks and aerials won, whilst also within the top 3% for clearances and the top 7% for tackles.

Such metrics offer a clear indication as to why United parted with so much money for a player past his 30th birthday. He might have won it all in Spain, but he is showing little sign of slowing, and might yet lead the Red Devils’ to glory in the coming years.

Everton could be ‘in the conversation’ to sign Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Daichi Kamada next summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Three-horse race

The Japan international’s contract with the Bundesliga giants is set to expire at the end of the season, but with Oliver Glasner’s side struggling to persuade him to put pen to paper on fresh terms, the chances of him departing on a free transfer are becoming increasingly likely.

Alongside the Toffees, Leeds have also been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old, but with competition from Champions League participants Benfica, it may be difficult for either Premier League club to convince him to move to England.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones played down such claims and insisted that Everton are more than capable of being contenders in the race for Kamada’s signature, although further attention could be created should he have a successful World Cup campaign with Japan.

The journalist said: “I definitely think that Everton have the capability to be in the conversation for a player like that.

“I think that the question will be is that there are obviously other clubs that have him on their radar, and with the World Cup coming up, there may be even more in a few weeks’ time.”

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Kamada has been dubbed an ‘incredible talent’ by Josh Bunting, and he would certainly be an upgrade on Everton’s current midfield options, making this a no-brainer of a deal to complete.

The 6 foot maestro already has 12 goals and four assists to his name in just 22 appearances across all competitions this season and is highly versatile, as he can also operate on the left wing (Transfermarkt).

His WhoScored rating of 7.08 for the season so far is superior to every outfield player at Everton, while the Toffees as a whole have scored just one more goal in 17 matches across all competitions in 2022/23 than Kamada has managed on his own.

Frank Lampard is desperately in need of attacking reinforcements with his team just one point above the relegation zone, and Kamada seems to have the potential to answer his prayers.