Leeds United have struggled this season, with Jesse Marsch having struggled to make his philosophy bear fruit in time for them to avoid another battle for survival.

As such, his former team sit marooned hopelessly around the relegation zone with new manager Javi Gracia having been left to pick up the pieces.

The Spaniard has inherited a squad devoid of confidence and sorely lacking any cutting edge in the final third, with the Whites having scored just once in their last four matches in all competitions.

This downturn in goalscoring form has coincided with a recent drop-off in Wilfried Gnonto’s performances.

Having joined in the summer, the young Italian quickly captured the imagination for his dynamism and quick feet which often left full-backs floundering. Despite scoring just once in his last seven league games, his acquisition cannot be viewed as anything other than a roaring success thus far.

Survival could depend on his potential resurgence, however.

How much is Wilfried Gnonto worth?

The 19-year-old was signed for just £4m on deadline day, despite FC Zurich having reportedly demanded £17m earlier in the window. This alone outlines just how much of a coup this deal was, but given how his value has only risen serves to further exacerbate this.

FootballTransfers note that the apex of his expected Transfer Value sits at €20.4m (£18m), suggesting that in just six months that value has risen by an astronomical 350%.

This is in no small part to his 1.2 key passes and 1.1 successful dribbles per game, via Sofascore, which outlines him as a constant creative threat for the opposition.

It even led former Hibernian striker Tam McManus to praise him, with his display in their win over AFC Bournemouth impressing in particular.

The Scotsman claimed:

“He came on and he just looks like a little pocket rocket. He looks like he has a real low centre of gravity and he looks absolutely tremendous.”

He continued by praising the club’s youth recruitment as a whole:

“Leeds have so many talented young players now, they’re great to watch. This Gnonto just seems like the latest one and I can’t wait to see what he does next.”

Whilst Marsch’s tenure will likely not be remembered with overwhelming fondness, his work in signing Gnonto will remain one of the shining lights of his one-year reign at Elland Road.

Newcastle United are still interested in potentially signing Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, according to a recent transfer report.

The Lowdown: Gallagher on the periphery at Chelsea

The 22-year-old stayed put at Stamford Bridge last year after a loan spell at Crystal Palace but he has struggled to nail down a regular place in the team in west London.

Gallagher has only started 10 of his side’s Premier League matches in 2022/23 so far, in what was often been a frustrating campaign for him.

It could be that the Englishman moves away for good during the summer transfer window, and Newcastle have been linked with signing him in the recent past.

The Latest: Newcastle keen on signing Gallagher

According to Football Insider, the Magpies’ interest in Gallagher ‘has not diminished’, having wanted to snap him up in January.

A transfer in the summer reportedly feels ‘possible’, and it is believed that Chelsea would be willing to sell the midfielder for a fee of around £30m.

The Verdict: Exit seems likely

At this point, it does feel increasingly likely that Gallagher could jump at the opportunity to leave Chelsea in order to be a regular starter elsewhere.

There is no denying that the four-cap England international is a very capable player – Thomas Tuchel once called him ‘extraordinary’, while he was Player of the Season during his loan spell at Palace – but he is arguably not quite at the level required to be a star man for the Blues.

There is an abundance of quality ahead of the 22-year-old in the pecking order in Chelsea’s midfield and it is difficult to see that changing, especially with more signings possibly arriving in the summer.

Newcastle could be an ideal place for the £50,000-per-week Gallagher to continue his career, with Eddie Howe more likely to be able to make him a focal point in the team at St James’ Park, one which looks far likelier to be playing Champions League football than Chelsea next season.

Mikel Arteta has finally brought the feel-good factor back to the Emirates this season, with Arsenal sitting five points clear at the top of the table.

There is a genuine belief around the club that they could end their 19-year title drought this term and the recent success must go down to several of the Gunners’ young starlets, especially Bukayo Saka.

The 21-year-old has emerged from the Hale End academy in recent seasons to become not just one of the shining lights in Arteta’s side, but also one of the continent’s brightest talents.

He has already scored 27 Premier League goals for the club in just over 100 appearances and he has played a key role for the North London side this term. The question now is, can Arteta unearth another talent similar to Saka?

Seb Ferdinand may just be the answer.

Who is Seb Ferdinand?

The 17-year-old signed a scholarship last summer having impressed with the U16 side and has made the leap to the U18s this season.

The jump certainly hasn’t fazed the winger – who is capable of operating on either wing – as he has netted five goals in just 19 appearances across the U18 Premier League and the FA Youth Cup this season.

Add in a further three assists and it’s evident he possesses the same attacking qualities that Saka does from the right flank, a keen eye for goal and the ability to create plenty of chances for his teammates.

His coach at U18 level is former Arsenal starlet Jack Wilshere, who knows exactly what it takes to impress and break into the first team and the 31-year-old has been delighted with the progress of his young prodigy, saying: “Seb is just getting better and better.

“He works hard in training, he’s always out there, he’s always willing to learn and when you have a player like that with that hunger and desire to get better, he’s a joy to work with.”

It looks as though Saka 2.0 is already thriving in the academy and there is no better place to learn, especially with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, Reiss Nelson, Emile Smith Rowe, and Saka himself kicking on to new levels since making their senior bow.

The future looks bright for Ferdinand, he just needs to continue scoring and playing well and the next 12 months could see him make his Arsenal debut.

Leeds United’s long-standing flirtation with a return to the Premier League became one of the big stories outside the top flight, as the sleeping giant finally seemed to be stirring as they crept back up towards the apex of the Championship.

The Whites had enjoyed steady progress under Marcelo Bielsa, which would culminate in their triumphant 2020 promotion to end a 16-year absence from the top flight.

The squad who achieved the feat became instant heroes, and the Argentine a god in Yorkshire. He was the man who had done what so many before him had failed to do, and he had done so with a brand of football that captured the imagination.

However, whilst it was unknown at the time, one member of that team would seek to undermine the accomplishment through the antics of his parent club.

That player was Jean-Kevin Augustin, and the club in question RB Leipzig.

What happened with Jean-Kevin Augustin at Leeds?

Having signed on loan for the 2019/2020 season, a year interrupted due to the pandemic, the Frenchman was expected to offer fine cover for the imperious Patrick Bamford.

Across that season the English marksman would score 16 and assist a further four, featuring in all but one of their league games.

It, therefore, left the 25-year-old resigned to the sidelines, as he would feature just three times before his loan concluded. It seemed like things would simply move on and the forward would be a forgotten piece of that infamous outfit, yet two years following the German team would win a case that enforced the Yorkshire outfit to pay £18m to sign Augustin permanently.

According to the Red Bulls, a clause was inserted into the deal that noted a mandatory future fee should they achieve promotion, whilst Leeds argued that due to COVID-19 delaying the season, that feat was achieved outside the time frame of the deal.

Having lost in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration, they were ordered to fork up the sum although they would later reach an unknown settlement.

Given he made just three appearances, and the proposed fee they may well have paid, the underwhelming frontman would have cost the club £6m per appearance.

Having suffered from what former Premier League goalkeeper Paul Robinson described as a “stop-start” career at the time of joining Leeds, this debacle did little to get his career back on track.

It was a complete disaster all-round stemming from their brightest moment in their recent history, whilst Augustin now plies his trade in Switzerland, where he plays for Basel.

In the public eye, it seems as if Chelsea are still confident that Graham Potter can turn things around and become a success at Stamford Bridge.

However, reports from behind the scenes suggest that Todd Boehly has already begun his search for a potential successor to the former Brighton boss, with Mauricio Pochettino the latest manager to be linked with a move to Chelsea.

Could Chelsea appoint Mauricio Pochettino?

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have now made contact with the former Tottenham and Southampton boss about taking over at Stamford Bridge.

The 50-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain in July and would reportedly welcome a return to Premier League management, although he did turn down Aston Villa when they approached him earlier in the season.

Pochettino still has a house in London from his time working as Spurs boss, so a move could certainly suit the Argentine, and he is said to be keen to take over should Chelsea pull the trigger on Potter.

Sunday’s defeat against Pochettino’s old side left Chelsea without a win in all competitions since their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace in January, with finding the back of the net a real issue for the Blues despite their significant investment on attacking players in the winter transfer window.

If Potter’s side were to be knocked out of the Champions League when they face Borussia Dortmund next week in the return leg, it would surely spell the end of their hopes of achieving European football for next season, so Pochettino may not have to wait too long if he wants to succeed the 47-year-old Englishman at Stamford Bridge.

Would Pochettino be an upgrade on Potter?

While Potter has excelled on a small budget in the past, he has looked lost when handed almost unlimited funds, and Pochettino’s experience at the top level suggests that he could be a big upgrade at Chelsea.

Since joining Chelsea, Potter has averaged a disappointing 1.31 points per game, something which Pochettino has bettered with Southampton, Spurs, and PSG.

While he was sacked by the French giants, the coach did still lead them to a Ligue 1 title last season, so he seemingly knows how to get a tune out of world-class players, having worked with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar.

Pochettino was dubbed “world-class” by talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara after leading Spurs to the Champions League final during his time in London.

His success in Europe with Tottenham and his three trophies with PSG show that he can effectively manage a team at the top level, whereas Potter is yet to win a trophy outside of Sweden and his aforementioned points per game rate indicates that the Englishman is struggling badly.

Therefore, the experienced Argentine could be exactly what Chelsea need to turn their fortunes around and get the best out of this talented squad as the tactician has been there and done it – making him a big upgrade on their current boss.

West Ham United are under serious threat of being relegated from the Premier League if they don’t improve their form, with David Moyes struggling to get a tune out of his current squad at the minute.

The Hammers have won just twice in the league since Christmas and their recent 4-0 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion could be the final straw for the club’s hierarchy, with Moyes now under severe pressure.

Several names have already been linked with the club, with Steve Cooper and Mauricio Pochettino the ones named, yet it is a former Premier League and Champions League winning manager who was reported to be on standby according to the Daily Mail should Moyes have been sacked at the end of last month – Rafa Benitez.

Could Rafa Benitez replace David Moyes at West Ham United?

The Spaniard has plenty of Premier League experience, having managed Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Everton throughout his career.

His most recent stint came at the Toffees, who he managed between June 2021 and January 2022, suffering a disastrous spell, winning only seven out of 22 games and having points per game rate of just 1.14.

Although this certainly looks woeful on paper, there were mitigating circumstances at the club, and his career has been an excellent one besides that abject stint.

Indeed, he guided Liverpool to Champions League glory while winning the UEFA Cup and two La Liga titles with Valencia while he also achieved promotion with Newcastle and kept them in the top flight despite the club being caught up in the business of Mike Ashley.

His time at St James’ was hugely admired with skipper Jamal Lascelles suggesting he was a “special” coach at the time.

Having managed 359 matches in the English top flight, averaging 1.69 points per game, and with his teams scoring 543 times, he could certainly be an upgrade on Moyes with the Spaniard already showing he can guide a team through the rigours of a relegation dog fight,

An additional plus point is that the 62-year-old is not attached to any club at the moment and is consequently free to take over as soon as possible.

The Athletic’s Nick Miller claimed that Benitez has “been everywhere recently” and that the former Liverpool boss “wants a job” with that now potentially serving as music to the ears of the West Ham board.

Moyes has done well at the club, especially leading them to a major European semi-final last season, however, his methods haven’t quite got the team firing this term and with Premier League safety paramount for any club battling the drop, never mind a team the size of West Ham, a change could be imminent with Benitez looking a ‘special’ successor lying in wait.

Southampton’s most recent outing against Leeds United in the Premier League was perhaps the golden opportunity for their crumbling campaign.

Having completed a monumentally tenacious victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge the week before, The Whites got the better of the south coast club in the latter stages of the affair, with left-back Junior Firpo latching onto the ball and striking through the hapless Gavin Bazunu’s legs between the sticks.

The result now means that Southampton are five points adrift of safety after 24 matches, whereas clinching a successive victory would have veered Ruben Selles’ men outside of the relegation zone.

And with a massive fixture against Leicester City, who are only three points clear of danger themselves, up next, Selles must consider tinkering with his team to ensure past mistakes do not creep in once again, with every match pivotal in ensuring a climb up the table is forthcoming.

Should Selles ditch Bednarek?

At the start of the campaign, Bednarek was signed by Southampton’s divisional rivals Aston Villa on a one-year loan deal to combat the long-term injury to Diego Carlos, but after making just four appearances he was recalled before the close of the January transfer window.

However, since returning to the St. Mary’s Stadium to help his parent club preserve top-flight status across the second half of the campaign, Bednarek has started the past four Premier League matches in succession.

And against Leeds, with the match finely balanced heading into the closing stages of the contest, former Barcelona star Firpo found space in the box after latching onto Jack Harrison’s ball, with Bednarek failing to assert his authority and repel the danger.

Detailing his thoughts on the strike that could prove detrimental to Saints’ survival bid, The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell said: “Bednarek actually makes himself smaller so Bazunu has a clear sight of the shot and it goes under him. Really poor all-round.”

Granted, in the previous week, the Polish titan produced a massive display to ensure the backline held the unwavering resolve that prohibited Chelsea from finding the back of the net in their own backyard, recording a match rating of 7.6, as per Sofascore, but given that one week later his faltering presence resulted in a loss in a definitive fixture, Selles might well be considering dropping the ace.

One week prior, during an inexplicable home defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers despite the away side contesting most of the match with ten men, Bednarek was at fault again, diverting the ball into his own net to restore parity for his opposition before they secured a late winner.

Tanswell was also on hand to lament the dud, saying: “That is an absolute howler of an own goal from Jan Bednarek. He has a penchant for them.”

And with Armel Bella-Kotchap recently returning from injury and Mohammed Salisu poised for a comeback from his own setback, Bednarek might find his inclusion in the starting fold less frequent over the coming months.

Mistakes and lapses of concentration are simply inconceivable in Selles’ mind right now; the fight to stave off the threat of tumbling into the second tier will soon appear insurmountable if the outfit cannot maintain a touching distance to the periphery of the bottom three.

And with Leicester travelling to St. Mary’s next time out, anything other than three points could result in a hurdle too great for Saints.

And if Bednarek cannot maintain his focus in key moments, all the clearances and interceptions will do little to calm the turbulent waters that roil into life upon each conceded goal, and for that reason, the 26-year-old must be dropped.

Tottenham Hotspur have had some shocking kits down the years.

Spurs are a club with a proud tradition of wearing lilywhite, of course, and their home kits are regularly white and navy.

It’s very hard to ruin a Spurs home shirt, but they do make some bizarre decisions when it comes to their away kits.

This season, for example, we’ve seen an away kit that looks more like a scuba diving suit, and that really is something.

As a result, we’ve taken a look at the 10 worst Spurs kits from the Premier League era.

10. 2009/10 Home

This is a really bizarre shirt, isn’t it?

As we’ve said, most Spurs shirts have blue accenting, which fits with the white quite nicely.

This one didn’t, this one had yellow accents. That is not good.

Add in the red Mansion sponsor and the kit looks very confused.

9. 1994/95 Away

Early into the Premier League era here and we’re back in the land of the baggy shirts.

This one isn’t bad because of that but the purple just doesn’t work, the badge is massive, and the collar doesn’t work.

Add in the weird contrast on the shorts and you’ve got a stinker.

8. 2006/07 third

This one is dreadful.

It’s meant to be chocolate coloured, we think, but it isn’t, it’s just brown.

It also has the gold trim but it blends into the brown and looks dodgy.

Awful.

7. 2016/17 third

These were divisive when they came out.

Some loved the bold nature of the shirt and the uniqueness of the pinstripes.

But it looks like someone spilled mustard on a Spurs shirt.

Even the fact that AIA isn’t red, as it usually is on Spurs kits, can’t save it.

6. 2013/14 home

Under Armour tried some new things but they rarely worked.

This Spurs home kit has such a strange looking collar, and is also largely ruined by the massive HP sponsor.

It doesn’t help that Spurs had just sold Gareth Bale when they started wearing this, and they didn’t exactly perform well in it.

5. 2010/11 away

This one is a little strange, really.

It’s very muted in terms of its colour scheme and the trim doesn’t really work.

It’s very safe, and very boring. Dull.

4. 2012/13 third

This is slightly iconic because of Gareth Bale but the kit doesn’t work.

You’ve still got a splash of yellow, the black and grey don’t really go together, and it looks a bit like something you’d buy in Sports Direct for a fiver.

Under Armour took some big swings but they usually missed.

3. 2018/19 third

Okay, so we know that this is arguably the most iconic Spurs kit of the modern era.

Lucas Moura scored his hat-trick against Ajax in this green number, sending Spurs into the Champions League final.

However, the shirt itself is an absolute mess.

It looks like paint has been randomly thrown across the design, and the shades don’t contrast properly.

A woeful effort, but that Ajax game stops it from being in the top two places.

2. 2017/18 third

It’s purple, but it’s also camouflage. That doesn’t work as a combination.

The bright yellow of the sponsor, manufacturer and club badge actually hurt the eyes, and the yellow accents look woeful.

There’s too much going on and it doesn’t hold together.

1. 2022/23 away

This thing is dreadful.

We’ve established in this list that any kind of yellow in a Spurs kit rarely works and it’s the same here, but the colour combination reminds anyone looking of scuba diving.

The badge in the middle, above the Nike tick, also makes the shirt look strangely fake.

Let’s never speak of it again after this season.

Newcastle United are thought to be interested in Leeds United defender Robin Koch, with an inquiry made over a potential deal.

The Lowdown: Praise from Gracia

Koch has been regular under both Jesse Marsch and Javi Gracia this season, missing just one Premier League game. The 26-year-old has already received special praise from the new Whites head coach following the 1-0 win over Southampton.

However, it looks as if his displays along with the possibility of relegation at Elland Road are alerting clubs over a potential Elland Road exit.

The Latest: Transfer update

German news outlet Sport1 shared an update in the last 48 hours regarding Koch, saying he ‘would like to take the next step in his development for the new season’.

They add that Newcastle ‘above all’ are ‘interested’ in signing the defender this summer, but he has also received ‘inquiries’ from the Bundesliga.

The Verdict: Decision needed

Koch, hailed as ‘outstanding’ by Clinton Morrison, is only under contract in Yorkshire until 2024. Therefore, a decision may be needed from both the player and the club over the coming months over a new deal or a move away.

Should Leeds drop down to the Championship, then perhaps Leeds may look to cash in, especially as Koch has made more clearances than any Whites player and also ranks highly for interceptions and blocks made per 90, as per WhoScored.

He already appears keen on taking the next step in his career, so Leeds may be hoping to receive more than the initial £11.5m they paid back in 2020, with Newcastle’s owners worth £320bn.

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action today, still licking their wounds from the midweek Champions League exit at the hands of AC Milan.

It marked a return to the sidelines for Antonio Conte, but an unwelcome reintroduction to management as his side were decidedly toothless once again in a game where they needed a goal.

This was not the first time the Italian had struggled to make his team tick offensively, and amongst the frustration, the night was marred further by Cristian Romero’s red card.

It marked the third of his career since moving to the Lilywhites in 2021, as the Argentine went steaming into an unnecessary tackle in typical fashion only to clear out the opposition man and receive his second yellow.

Although the issues once again lay up top, he was the man who resigned the ten-man outfit to defeat; it could well cost him his place today.

Should Cristian Romero be dropped for Spurs?

Once again playing host, this time it is Nottingham Forest who travel to north London hoping to continue their resurgence to avoid a potential relegation battle.

The Tricky Trees twice came from behind last week to draw with Everton, yet on the road have won just once in the league all season.

Conte will surely see this fixture as a fine opportunity to bounce back, but he cannot rely on the unruly 6-foot-1 stopper not to follow up his recklessness again today. Should they once again lose a man, it makes what should be a routine victory into an all-out war.

Jamie O’Hara summed up his frustrations with Romero following Wednesday’s clash, as he told talkSPORT:

“He’s a liability though, James [the caller]. He’s a liability.” This was followed up with a subsequent tweet which dubbed the central defender “ridiculous”.

Although he may well be imperative to the way they play, his desire to engage in aggressive situations often comes to the detriment of the team. It expunges his 87% pass accuracy, 2.6 tackles and 2.9 clearances per game (via Sofascore), and they cannot afford that risk today.

He must be dropped in favour of perhaps a lesser player with a cooler head, to allow him to the World Cup winner process how his actions have affected the club.