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Newcastle United secured another Premier League victory away from home against Brentford this afternoon, and Eddie Howe will have let out a huge sigh of relief after the final whistle due to a challenging game of two halves in west London.

The Magpies move back into third, matching Manchester United on 56 points, and are looking comfortably on course to live out their wildest dreams of qualifying for Champions League football this season, with Tottenham Hotspur still trailing three points behind in fifth.

Despite having 59% possession, more accurate passes completed (340 v 203), more tackles won (17 v 16) and more interceptions (7 v 6), it wasn't easy for Newcastle to take all three points from the Bees, and the St James' Park faithful will be feeling that luck was firmly on their side after that performance.

In the first half, Newcastle were completely disjointed, with the usual stalwarts in the team struggling to have a positive influence on the game, which ultimately led to Sven Botman giving away a penalty for a reckless tackle on Kevin Schade.

Luckily for the Magpies, former Newcastle striker Ivan Toney missed his penalty after facing Nick Pope, however, it wasn't long before the visitors gave away another spot kick, which was converted by Toney to give Brentford the lead at half-time.

Newcastle finally came to life when Howe made two gamechanging substitutions at the break, with Callum Wilson and Anthony Gordon coming on, which sparked a massive turnaround in the performance.

Joelinton whipped a ball across the goalline which ultimately delivered the equaliser due to an own goal from David Raya, and the inevitable Alexander Isak scored the second to kill the game and snatch all three points from the Gtech Community Stadium.

How did Joelinton get on vs Brentford?

The striker-turned-midfielder has been a standout performer in the team throughout their rise to success this season, and although playing in the wide-forward position today, the Brazilian showed his quality, versatility and persistence after a questionable first half.

Over his 90-minute display, the £85k-per-week ace – hailed "exceptional" for his performance by journalist Jordan Cronin – had 58 touches, successfully completed three dribbles and accurately delivered 100% of his long balls.

Not only that, but his defensive output was outstanding in holding off Brentford's fight for an equaliser late in the second half – winning a whopping 11 duels, completing four clearances and two interceptions, as well as winning four tackles, proving he was a massive presence and an important influence in the well-fought victory.

That said, there is no doubt that Joelinton's transformation has been one of the biggest success stories on Tyneside since Howe's arrival, and his ability to take control of games has seen him become the lynchpin of Newcastle's rise to a potential spot in the Champions League next season.

Edu Gaspar is reportedly eyeing up an Arsenal summer move for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare as he looks to give Mikel Arteta some added quality ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Ibrahim Sangare to Arsenal?

According to 90min, PSV are preparing to agree to the departure of Sangare during the summer transfer window as a few Premier League teams have shown interest.

Arsenal face stiff competition, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur all keen on luring the midfielder to England ahead of next season.

Sangare has a release clause of €37m (£32.5m) and that is more than affordable for Arteta as he looks to plan ahead for the club's first foray into the Champions League in six years.

Will Arsenal sign Ibrahim Sangare this summer?

There is no doubt the Ivorian could move to the Premier League this summer, especially with PSV preparing for his departure and Arsenal could suit him well.

Arteta has a wonderful midfield triumvirate containing Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, and Granit Xhaka, yet only the Norwegian is under the age of 25 and in order to improve, the Spaniard will need to strengthen.

The PSV sensation would not only add strength in depth to the Arsenal side, but he could be the perfect heir for Partey, especially as their play styles are fairly similar.

Indeed, this season, the two midfielders have registered similar statistics with regard to goals (four to three), shots (27 to 25), pass success rate (86.5% to 84.3%), goal-creating actions (five to four) and tackles won (both 31), clearly proving just how comparable to the two are.

They are both effective at going forward and providing an attacking threat from the centre of the pitch, while being able to chip in defensively when required, judging by each winning 31 tackles.

WhoScored states that both Partey and Sangare’s key strengths are passing, dribbling and aerial duels and the Ivorian could be a straight replacement for Partey should his performances decline or Arteta decides to move him on.

The 25-year-old brute was praised by his former PSV manager Aad de Mos, who described him as “dangerous” and going by his statistics this season, such praise is certainly justified.

It’s no secret that Arteta is keen on bolstering his midfield, especially with a much higher standard of opposition to come next season when they take to the Champions League. Sangare would be a wonderful addition to their squad and over time, could develop into the ideal Partey heir.

Journalist Charles Watts has expressed his disappointment that Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net as he nearly scored a “truly great” solo goal in midweek.

What’s the latest on Gabriel Martinelli and Arsenal?

In the Europa League this week, the Gunners had to settle for a point away in Portugal as they took on Sporting Lisbon in the first leg of the competition’s last-16 stage.

William Saliba headed in from a corner to give Mikel Arteta’s men a lead before the opposition struck back twice to take the lead. In the end, Hidemasa Morita’s own goal via a deflected Granit Xhaka pass was enough to see the game finish 2-2.

However, things for the Premier League side may have been different had Martinelli managed to finish off his brilliant solo effort. The Brazilian ran from deep inside his own half, past numerous players, and even rounded the Sporting goalkeeper, only to be tackled by Jeremiah St. Juste at the last moment.

While speaking about it on YouTube, Watts lamented: “Martinelli, I gave a six [out of ten], mainly because of that amazing run in the second half, which I think we were all just begging for him to finish off.”It would have been one of the truly great goals and it was such a shame that he did all that hard work, ran all that way, beat all those players, and then just after he goes around the ‘keeper, the guy gets back and clears it before he can roll it into an empty net.”It would have been an absolutely amazing goal. That was a real, real shame.”Has Martinelli ever scored a brilliant solo goal for Arsenal?Martinelli has been in pretty impressive form for the Gunners over the course of the season, starting all but one of the club’s 26 Premier League games so far, providing 11 goals and two assists.Interestingly enough, though, he is yet to score in Europe this term despite having played six times in the competition. This goal would have been a brilliant way to put an end to that run and it’s not as if he doesn’t have previous of scoring such fantastic goals, either.Indeed, against Chelsea in the 2019/20 season, he ran 67 yards in 13 seconds to score in superb fashion – while the effort ended up being voted as the Arsenal Goal of the Season.What’s more, in pre-season against Fiorentina in 2019 when Martinelli had just joined the club, he once more ran from his own half, nutmegging a defender, only to agonisingly send the ball wide.Seeing as it’s the sort of goal most players can only dream of, it’s quite incredible that Martinelli has nearly repeated the trick on three occasions.

Manchester United are renowned for their production of young talent, with the likes of Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay and Alejandro Garnacho just a handful of the more recent examples of those who have emerged from the club’s academy ranks to become part of the first-team.

Current manager Erik ten Hag does appear keen to follow in the footsteps of those who have come before him by promoting deserving talent from within, with 17-year-old starlet Kobbie Mainoo having made his top-flight debut off the bench at the weekend.

The Dutchman will have to go some way, though, to replicate the success of legendary former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, with the serial-winning Scotsman having notably brought through the much-celebrated ‘Class of 92’.

Arguably the most successful member of that talented bunch – which includes the likes of Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and David Beckham – was wing wizard Ryan Giggs, with the now-retired Welshman the first of those to make his mark at senior level.

Having been plucked from rivals Manchester City at the age of just 14, the dynamic ace went on to make his professional debut in 1991, eventually playing a key part in ending United’s drought with regard to league titles in the inaugural Premier League campaign in 1992/93.

That triumph was the first of 13 league titles that the 64-cap sensation won during his time at Old Trafford, having gone on to rack up 964 appearances for the club in all competitions, unsurprisingly ensuring that he leads the way in that regard in United’s history.

That remarkable consistency and quality has ensured that Giggs is widely regarded as one of the best wingers to have played the game, with his former boss David Moyes having stated back in 2013: “The Premier League has seen some outstanding players but because of his ability and his longevity Ryan has to be just about the best. “

While it will prove rather impossible for any youngster to be able to emulate such a talent, Ten Hag and co could well have found a suitable heir to the 49-year-old in the form of teenage gem Shea Lacey.

Who could be Man United’s next Giggs?

Much like Giggs – who was able to wreak havoc on the flanks or in a midfield berth – young Lacey also offers the benefit of being able to feature out wide or in a playmaking role, having already been making waves at youth level of late.

While still only 15, the precocious talent has already set tongues wagging with his quality in possession, with talent scout Jacek Kulig lauding him as a player who has a “left foot made of gold” – an assessment which could also have been made of the aforementioned Giggs.

Despite his youth, the exciting asset has already made six appearances for the club’s U18 side, notably scoring once and laying on two assists in just five appearances in the U18 Premier League this season.

A youngster who has been sparking a “lot of excitement” at the Theatre of Dreams, in the words of Goal’s Tom Maston, Lacey appears set for a bright future in the game, having also been described by Kulig as “one of the most interesting U17s in Europe”.

Also lauded as United’s answer to City star Phil Foden, the emerging superstar only recently set pulses racing among supporters after starring in the Rewe Junior Cup last month, showcasing his eye-catching trickery to produce a remarkable solo goal in the competition.

While there is always concern about hyping up a player who is still likely to be years away from earning a first-team bow, the signs are that the Red Devils do have a potential Giggs-esque diamond on their hands.

Everton are interested in a move for Sassuolo midfielder Davide Frattesi in the summer transfer window, according to reports from Italy.

The Lowdown: Midfielder wanted in January

The Toffees may have shown signs of resurgence in the early weeks of Sean Dyche’s tenure, beating Premier League leaders Arsenal in his first game in charge, but it has still been a hugely disappointing season so far as they sit 18th in the table.

It was claimed prior to the January transfer window that then-Everton manager Frank Lampard wanted to strengthen the midfield as a priority, but with no new incomings at all last month, it could still be a problem position at Goodison Park.

It could be that a new signing in that area takes precedence this summer, and one potential addition has emerged.

The Latest: Everton make offer for Frattesi

According to Italian outlet Tutto Juve [via Sport Witness], Sassuolo ‘have offers’ from Everton for Frattesi, as well as from fellow Premier League clubs Leicester City and Brighton.

Meanwhile, Juventus are also interested in snapping up the 23-year-old, although the Toffees would be willing to ‘offer much more’. The Bianconeri are only willing to go as high as €25m (£22.2m), which falls some way short of Sassuolo’s €35m (£31m) valuation of the player.

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The Verdict: Could be a strong signing

Frattesi could be a really strong prospective addition for Dyche this summer, having started 21 Serie A matches for Sassuolo this season and scored six goals along the way.

Despite playing as a defensive/central midfielder, he often likes to maraud into the attacking third of the pitch, as can be seen from his goal record. Also, as per FBref, he ranks among the top 6% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues for non-penalty xG, shots taken and touches in the opposition penalty area.

He has won four caps for Italy to date, further outlining his pedigree, along with being described as ‘super talented’ and ‘very interesting’ by Fabrizio Romano.

With Idrissa Gueye now 33 years of age and Abdoulaye Doucoure 30, fresh legs appear to be needed in Everton’s midfield, and Frattesi could be the man to provide just that.

While the Italian’s aforementioned goalscoring ability from midfield catches the eye, he has also averaged two tackles per game in Serie A this season, showing that he is a player with a variety of welcome attributes.

Leeds United could look at reigniting their interest in Leicester City forward Ayoze Perez late in the January transfer window, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Zaniolo also linked with Leeds

AS Roma’s Nicolo Zaniolo appears to be on Victor Orta’s radar on deadline day, with reports suggesting that a loan-to-buy offer has been made for the Italy international.

The 23-year-old seemingly wants out under Jose Mourinho and has faced a backlash from some of his club’s supporters after failing to turn up to training.

Leeds aren’t the only Premier League side keen on him, though, with Tottenham and Bournemouth also named with an interest. However, in addition to Zaniolo, it seems as if another name for Whites supporters to keep an eye on could be Perez.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments on Perez

The Leicester attacker – who can play as a centre-forward, second striker or right winger – has made just three starts in the Premier League this season and is out of contract at the end of June.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs said that the Whites made an approach for Perez earlier in the month and teased a potential ‘late’ swoop.

The CBS Sports reporter stated: “Leeds actually made an inquiry early in the window but didn’t follow up on it. And it’s again a classic example of a club that perhaps just leave something on the back-burner and then maybe is persuaded to move late in the window.”

The Verdict: Avoid…

Perez hasn’t been able to feature in Brendan Rodgers’ first-choice XI on a regular basis this season, so a move to Elland Road doesn’t exactly jump out as one that Leeds chiefs should be desperate to complete.

The Whites have already added to their attacking ranks with a club-record move for Georginio Rutter, while the likes of Rodrigo, Jack Harrison, Wilfried Gnonto and Crysencio Summerville have all outperformed Perez in the league this season, as per WhoScored.

The Spaniard is now 29 years of age and has seen his Transfermarkt valuation gradually fall since 2019, so you could argue that he is past his peak. As a result, a move should be avoided by Orta and co.

West Ham have been tipped to move for Liverpool striker Roberto Firmino and the Brazilian could solve a big problem in David Moyes’ squad.

Speaking recently on talkSPORT, journalist Alex Crook suggested that the 31-year-old, who joined Liverpool from Hoffenheim in a £29m deal in 2015, could leave either this month or in the summer.

He said: “I could see Firmino leaving, certainly in the summer, if not this month. I think there will be clubs looking at Firmino maybe West Ham, who need firepower.

“Half of the Premier League would want Firmino if he became available.”

Jurgen Klopp’s side have recently added the likes of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo as attacking options, while Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota are still to return from injury, which has seen Firmino lose his place as the main striker in Liverpool’s attack.

He has still impressed on his starts so far this campaign, contributing a superb seven goals and three assists in just 13 Premier League appearances, averaging a 7.20 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

No player in West Ham’s squad has contributed to more goals, while Declan Rice is ranked as the top performer in Moyes’ squad with a 6.90 average rating, which emphasises the quality that Firmino could add at the London Stadium.

In more than seven years with Liverpool, the skilful forward has contributed a hugely impressive 107 goals and 78 assists in 348 appearances, so he could definitely be relied upon to provide in West Ham’s ailing attack.

The Hammers have managed just 15 goals in the top flight so far this season, with only Nottingham Forest and Wolves scoring fewer, so it seems clear that Moyes does need some added firepower if he is to avoid getting dragged into a relegation battle.

Michail Antonio looks to have understandably regressed, while Gianluca Scamacca has failed to live up to expectations since his summer switch, so West Ham should be looking at a Premier League-proven striker such as Firmino, who was regarded as “world-class” by teammate Andy Robertson in 2019.

Therefore, with Firmino’s contract at Anfield set to expire at the end of the season, Moyes should definitely be looking to bring the Brazilian star to the London Stadium this month.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that England international Declan Rice ‘admires’ Arsenal and the feeling is ‘mutual’ amid recent transfer links.

What’s the word?

During the World Cup, the West Ham United midfielder made it clear that he hopes to soon be playing in the Champions League and so he is expected to leave the club in the near future.

Consequently, a number of Premier League sides such as Chelsea and Manchester United have been linked with a move for the player but recent reports in Spanish media also list the Gunners as a potentially interested party.

In a new update on the situation, Jacobs has now explained that a move this winter isn’t likely but it could be something to keep an eye out for in the summer.

While speaking as a guest on Curtis Shaw TV, he said (58:23): “Declan Rice really admires Arsenal and what they are doing at the moment and the feeling is quite mutual.

“So there’s nothing advanced on the Arsenal end but they don’t really need to worry about entering the race just now, because it’s only going to take place during the summer.

“So I think it’s one to watch after the window shuts. There’s definitely some substance in the links but we have to be very clear that Manchester United and Chelsea are further along at the moment.”

Midfield upgrade?

With Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk seemingly on their radar right now, it appears as if another exciting player is attracted to the club.

Rice, who is valued at £70 million (as per CIES), certainly looks to be a top player having already racked up 39 international caps with England despite still only being just 23 years of age.

Of course, he is also the West Ham club captain and so could bring some leadership qualities to Mikel Arteta’s side. However, it remains to be seen if the Gunners will feel he is worth splashing the cash on.

Seeing as the club already have Thomas Partey in the middle of the park, they may not feel as though Rice is needed. When comparing the two on WhoScored, this season the Arsenal man has a better average match performance rating of 7.20 (compared to 6.90).

However, Rice has been more accurate with his passing and wins more tackles and interceptions per game. Though this may be due to the way the two teams play and control games.

Regardless of that, it will be fascinating to see if Arteta makes a move for the 23-year-old in the summer.

Aston Villa have endured a good start under Unai Emery, with the Spaniard claiming two Premier League wins from three matches before the season halted due to the World Cup.

His immediate thoughts will now surely be on the upcoming January transfer window and asserting his own stamp on the team by adding a couple of new faces to the squad.

Journalist Dean Jones spoke to GIVEMESPORT regarding Villa’s interest in Matheus Cunha, saying: “I know Villa have had talks about Cunha, but Wolves remain ahead of them. Leeds were linked but, to be honest, I haven’t heard they were actually in for him.”

The Brazilian, who joined Atletico for £22m, might be Emery’s dream first signing at Villa and by landing the striker, the 51-year-old could unearth his next Alexandre Lacazette as the two players are comparable via FBref’s similar player model.

This season, the two have registered similar statistics when it comes to shots per match (3.12 to 2.86). However, it’s in the areas they influence play that is most comparable with Cunha taking 14.3 touches in the midfield third of the pitch while Lacazette takes 15.2 in the same third per 90 minutes.

FB Ref also showcases how the pair are willing to do the dirty work with the Atletico ace making 0.95 tackles per 90 to the Lyon striker’s 1.60.

Emery managed the Frenchman when he was at Arsenal and since leaving the north London side in the summer, he has thrived for Lyon, scoring nine Ligue 1 goals as well as grabbing three assists and it looks like he has returned to the form that saw him secure a move to the Premier League.

Cunha has also impressed, ranking in the top 25% across Europe’s big five leagues when it comes to assists (0.96 per 90), shot-creating actions (3.33), and total shots (3.06) over the last year, proving the quality he poses and he could be an excellent signing for Villa.

Not only that, but the Brazilian also offers some excellent defensive support, proving he is more than just an attacking threat. During the last 365 days, the 23-year-old ranks within the top 5% for tackles (1.33 per 90), interceptions (0.47), and blocks (1.40), and this versatility could be a big bonus for Emery.

The £45.5k-per-week gem has also been dubbed “incredible” by former Inter Milan player Paolo Tramezzani and he could certainly become an interesting signing for the club if he moved from La Liga in January.

Manchester United are ‘highly involved’ in the race to sign RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

The Lowdown: Gvardiol at World Cup

Gvardiol is currently in Qatar at the World Cup, with the Croatia international helping his country into the quarter-finals by playing every possible minute of action.

The 20-year-old will now be preparing for a quarter-final tie against Brazil on Friday, but his domestic future has been a hot topic of conversation in recent days.

The Latest: United interest

Plettenberg took to Twitter on Monday evening to share ‘news’ on Gvardiol.

He said that the defender actually doesn’t have a release clause in his contract and name-checked United alongside the likes of Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid in the race for his services.

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“News Gvardiol: We’ve been told: NO release clause in his contract until 2027. But lots of top clubs informed about him for 2023. CFC, MUFC, Real and Barcelona highly involved. For Tuchel he was the main target. Boehly also focused on him. NO contact with Bayern.”

The Verdict: One to watch?

Hailed as a ‘beast’ and ‘one of the most talented’ defenders in European football by writer Manuel Veth, Gvardiol is showcasing his ability on the world stage.

Erik ten Hag’s side have conceded 20 goals in 14 Premier League games so far this season – the second most in the top eight.

He has a number of senior centre-back options at this moment in time but appears to favour Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, so Gvardiol could come in and rival the duo or provide a long-term partner for Martinez, but United may need to pip multiple European giants to his services.