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David Moyes is undoubtedly on thin ice at West Ham United but the Scottish manager could save his job by unleashing Flynn Downes in upcoming fixtures.

A 3-1 defeat against league leaders Arsenal on Boxing Day has left the Hammers precariously above the relegation zone in the Premier League, with last season’s flirtation with a top-four finish now a distant memory for the Irons.

While the east London side have had to deal with injury problems throughout the season, with new signings also flattering to deceive, the recent performances have been far from good enough, with Tomas Soucek among the guilty parties.

The 27-year-old midfielder would highlight his inefficiencies at the Emirates once again on Monday evening, completing just eight passes in his 78 minutes on the pitch, registering a woeful pass accuracy rate of 42%.

For a midfielder, this is absolutely criminal, and it seems clear that Moyes needs a partner for Declan Rice who is far more reliable in possession, otherwise the Hammers have no hope of keeping the ball and progressing things from midfield to attack.

Since arriving at the club from Swansea City in the summer, Downes has made just three starts in the Premier League but has averaged a far more impressive pass success rate of 87%, completing on average 16.7 passes per game, despite spending far fewer minutes on the pitch than his Czech teammate.

The Englishman has also caught the eye for Moyes’ side in the UEFA Conference League, with Joe Cole singing his praises on BT Sport after a win against FCSB earlier in the season.

He said: “(He’s been) outstanding. He’s been the bright spark for West Ham in the whole campaign.

“The one big positive that will have come out of this for David Moyes is Flynn Downes. He’s proven that he’s ready, he’s been like a senior player at (23) years of age.

“He nearly scored, he’s been involved in everything, an outstanding find for West Ham.”

Moyes clearly has to change something if he wants to turn West Ham’s fortunes around and with vital games to come against fellow relegation candidates Leeds United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton to come in January, he might consider finally giving Downes more regular game time in the top flight.

If he can keep the ball and allow West Ham’s attackers to flourish against struggling defences, then the Hammers could pick up enough points to keep Moyes in a job.

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.

Leeds United have reportedly made an enquiry for one of the World Cup’s heroes…

What’s the word?

According to La Gazzetta Express, the Whites have asked about signing Sampdoria midfielder Abdelhamid Sabiri, who is currently starring for Morocco on their way to the quarter-finals in Qatar.

It’s believed that they want to sign him in January but face competition from Olympique Lyonnais, Real Betis and Sevilla. The Serie A side may be forced to sell him due to their financial situation, whilst any exit could take the form of a loan-to-buy agreement.

It remains to be seen how much the 26-year-old would command, with CIES Football Observatory valuing him at just €10m (£8.5m).

World Cup hero

Some may vaguely recognise Sabiri’s name as he once played for Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town and whilst he didn’t exactly make his mark in England, he did have one particularly glowing game against Leicester City, where he terrorised Harry Maguire and co.

His only goal contribution across 13 appearances came in the 2017 encounter, where he created two key passes and provided an assist for Laurent Depoitre’s opener, via Sofascore.

Fast forward some five years and now Sabiri is one of the surprise names lighting it up on the world’s biggest stage.

Not only did he bag a goal against one of the tournament favourites in Belgium but he has also slotted home a penalty to see Morocco past another titan in Spain to set up a quarter-final tie with Portugal.

Both of his appearances against the two European giants saw the former Terriers flop earn Sofascore ratings of 7.0 or better, building on from the Serie A’s official Twitter feed lauding his ability to “produce wondrous moments.”

Sabiri has also been described as a “great talent” by his former youth coach Daniel Meisinger in the past and the creative no.10 could be exactly that for Leeds as when compared to his positional peers across Europe’s elite divisions, he ranks very favourably.

Indeed, the Sampdoria star sits within the top 5% for shots, the top 10% for goals and the top 15% for expected assists per 90 over the last year, via FBref.

Given his estimated worth, director of football Victor Orta could well discover quite the bargain in Sabiri this winter.

AND in other news, Leeds may finally land £55k-p/w “animal” Bielsa wanted for nothing, he’s Dan James 2.0…

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.

Everton have not had the start to their Premier League campaign that Frank Lampard would have been hoping for after surviving relegation only in their penultimate game of last season.

The Toffees are currently 17th after losing four of their last five league games ahead of the World Cup break which has now left them one point clear of the relegation zone and the Everton manager will be scrambling for solutions to improve his side when they return to action after Christmas.

Everton suffered the worst injury record in the entire Premier League last season and the team is yet again struggling with a similar situation this time around with a number of key players picking up fitness problems over the campaign so far.

Currently, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Garner, Tom Davies, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andros Townsend are out of action, with not only the attacking threat weakened but a number of midfielders, in particular, picking up issues.

As a result, Lampard will be hoping that he can add quality depth to his squad in the January transfer window which will open just a few days after the Premier League resumes.

One midfielder who has been linked with a move to Goodison Park is Serbia and Torino ace Sasa Lukic and could be just the profile of player needed to inject some quality into the centre of the pitch.

Over 12 Serie A appearances, the 26-year-old ace has scored two goals and created two big chances, demonstrating his efficiency in the final third. He has tallied up an 89% pass completion rate, as well as averaging 1.4 tackles and winning 3.2 duels per game, proving that he is a solid all-round threat in his central role.

The midfielder, who could cost €15m (£12.8m), has been the recipient of high praise for his performances in the Italian side with former Torino team-mate Gleison Bremer commenting:

“I know some players from Serie A, such as Saša Lukić, I was with him in Turin, he’s an excellent midfielder.”

In fact, Lampard could land his very own Koke with the Atletico Madrid star named as the third most comparable positional peer to Lukic according to FBref.

The Spanish and Serbian midfielders have shared many similarities in their output this season so far including goal contributions (2 v 2), pass completion (86.3% v 82.1%), tackles won (12 v 13) and clearances (9 v 9).

That shows that they are both aggressive central fixtures for their team with an element of composure sprinkled into their passing play.

Lukic is currently representing his national team at the World Cup in Qatar and the powers at Goodison Park will surely be keeping a close eye on the player’s progress during the prestigious international tournament with Serbia set to take on Cameroon this morning.

Manchester United gained some form of revenge on Aston Villa with a 4-2 victory in their EFL Cup clash on Thursday evening following their Premier League defeat to the same opposition last week.

With Sunday’s match against Fulham their last until after the World Cup, Erik ten Hag will be aiming to go into the break off the back of a win and a solid performance.

The Dutchman should switch things up slightly for tomorrow’s match, with Jadon Sancho coming back into the squad following a bout of illness and he will be determined to make up for missing out on a spot in England’s World Cup squad.

On the chalkboard

Sancho should be unleashed against the Cottagers as he will be determined to prove to Gareth Southgate that he should have been on the plane to Qatar.

The World Cup heartache will be tough to take for the winger, and his exclusion is probably justified by his lacklustre displays this season combined with the form of other players.

The 22-year-old has shown glimpses of what he is capable of, however, scoring the opener against Liverpool at the start of the season while chipping in with three goal contributions in ten league appearances so far.

Sancho ranks third in the United squad for key passes per game this term (1.4) and ranks fifth for successful dribbles (0.7) proving his worth to the team.

Football writer Drake Hills previously dubbed the winger as “dangerous” and although he has yet to demonstrate to the Old Trafford faithful that he has been worth the £73m United shelled out on him last year, there is plenty of time for him to improve.

Who knows, maybe missing out on the World Cup may be a blessing in disguise for the player and he could come back even stronger.

Only time will tell, and the first step to redemption is putting in an excellent performance against Fulham and leading the club to all three points.

Leeds United remain interested in a deal to bring Noa Lang to Elland Road in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Voetbal Belgie, who claim that, despite the continued interest of the Whites and West Ham United, the Club Brugge KV winger would prefer a move to Italy this winter, with AC Milan and Atalanta BC believed to be keen on a move for the 23-year-old.

This is not the first time Victor Orta has been reported to be interested in a move for the Netherlands international, with Leeds having been linked with the €25m (£22m) valued forward ever since their return to the Premier League back in 2020.

De Ketelaere repeat

With Orta having already missed out on another of his Club Brugge transfer targets, Charles De Ketelaere, to AC Milan in the summer transfer window, the news that Lang now also favours a move to Italy ahead of one to Leeds in January undoubtedly represents something of a nightmare for the Whites’ director of football.

However, considering just how underwhelming Lang has been for Brugge this season, should Orta go on to miss out on the 23-year-old this winter, it could well be something of a blessing in disguise for the Spaniard.

Indeed, over his 11 Jupiler Pro League appearances – only three of which have come as starts – this season, the £16.2m-rated talent has been far from his free-flowing best, scoring just one goal, providing two assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.9 shots, making 0.9 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

These returns have seen the £25k-per-week winger average a SofaScore match rating of 6.94, currently ranking him as Brugge’s 13th-best performer in the top flight of Belgian football.

The 23-year-old also failed to impress over his two appearances in the Champions League, failing to score, providing no assists and missing one big chance, with these metrics seeing the five-cap international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.75 – once again ranking him as his club’s 13th-best performer in the competition.

Furthermore, with Jesse Marsch currently possessing a wealth of young attacking talent in the form of Crysencio Summerville, Sonny Perkins, Joe Gelhart and Mateo Joseph, the signing of Lang would likely stunt the growth of a number of the Whites’ most exciting youth prospects.

As such, missing out on the winger in January would not appear to be a bad thing for the Premier League side whatsoever, as not only would Lang fail to represent a noticeable upgrade on the Whites’ current attacking options, but his signing would also cause a blockage in the pathway from U21s to first-team football at Elland Road.

Celtic midfielder David Turnbull has to consider making a loan move elsewhere in January to earn more playing time, according to Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Turnbull struggling for minutes

The 23-year-old is a brilliantly gifted footballer but he has really struggled to nail down regular minutes under Ange Postecoglou so far this season.

Turnbull only has four starts to his name in the Scottish Premiership in 2022/23 to date, with other midfielders simply preferred to him in most games.

It could be that a temporary switch during the second half of the season makes sense – that’s certainly the opinion of one former Celtic hero.

The Latest: McAvennie talks up loan move

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie admitted that Turnbull should consider a temporary move in January:

“I do not think he is going to get in the team. He will get his bit part. I like him, I think he is a wonderful talent, he just does not have the pace that other people have got. He stops things and slows things down and I don’t think that is Ange’s way.

“He has got to get more game time and as a player that is really up to him. I am assuming Ange will tell him he is not going to get game time. That is a discussion only they can have.

“It is down to Turnbull and what his ambitions are and what he wants to do. He has got to play to get in the Scotland team. I think he should go on loan for six months if he wants to play.”

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The Verdict: Best decision for all parties

It is a frustrating situation for Turnbull, without question, with the Scot arguably one of Celtic’s most talented youngsters, having been hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Alan Hutton in the past.

As McAvennie alludes to, however, the youngster arguably lacks the physicality to be the right fit in Ange’s high-intensity style at the moment, which is why he is struggling to make his mark.

For that reason, joining another team on loan does feel like the best option for everyone concerned, allowing him to be a key man there and hopefully come back a more rounded player next summer.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst led Glasgow Rangers to Scottish Cup glory and an incredible Europa League final run last season, but it wasn’t without some disappointments.

Losing the league title to Celtic was a major blow, especially when the winners qualified for the group stages of the Champions League automatically.

The Dutchman’s January signings were also questionable last year, with James Sands, Amad Diallo, and Mateusz Zukowski all failing to really impress, with the latter two making just 14 appearances between the pair.

The Light Blues also brought in former Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey on loan, which was seen as a brilliant piece of business, especially by former Rangers captain Barry Ferguson.

The move didn’t exactly work out too well, however.

Ferguson got it badly wrong

The hype over Ramsey joining Rangers was understandable. This was a player who had played 262 games in the Premier League and won a Scudetto with Juventus and would unquestionably improve the Gers midfield.

Ferguson certainly thought so, speaking on Go Radio (via Rangers Review) just before the Welshman signed for the club, he said:

“He’s a player I’ve admired for a long time. He’s still got a lot of football in his legs and for me, Rangers have to get this deal done.

“If you look at the midfield area for Rangers, I think that’s their strongest point because you’ve got Kamara, Steven Davis who is out, Joe Aribo who for me has been Rangers’ best player this season and Scott Arfield.

“So there’s a lot of quality in there, but for me you can’t have too much quality and if Ramsey comes in, he’ll certainly help Rangers push for the title.”

With Rangers ultimately failing to secure the Premiership crown, Ferguson’s prophecy sadly didn’t come true as the Welshman endured a torrid time in Glasgow.

Ramsey played just 13 times for Rangers, chipping in with two goals and two assists, while he also missed a crucial penalty for the Ibrox side in the Europa League final shootout against Eintracht Frankfurt which cost the club their second ever European honour.

He was once dubbed “dreadful” in the past by football reporter James Dodd during his time at Arsenal and while this criticism would be slightly harsh on his Rangers career, his spell in Glasgow was certainly underwhelming, to say the least.

Perhaps former Rangers defender Richard Foster put it best, saying: “I said on paper he’s the best player in Scotland if he performs but he’s been so far away from that, he’s not even the best player at Rangers. Not by a long shot this season.”

That was after the ex-defender admitted that he’d been “a failure” in Scotland.

Van Bronckhorst took a gamble on Ramsey, and unfortunately, it didn’t pay off. Hopefully, he can learn from this mistake going forward with the club chasing league glory this term.

Everton have had a number of injury issues in the team over the season so far with Jordan Pickford the latest player to be sidelined. However, Frank Lampard could now receive a vital boost.

What’s the latest?

The Liverpool Echo have shared pictures of Dominic Calvert-Lewin in full team training after the Everton striker suffered a knee injury at Finch Farm ahead of the Premier League opener.

As per the report, it is not certain whether the forward will be available for the side’s clash in north London on Sunday but as he resumed training this week it is a promising sign that he will imminently return.

Huge lifeline

The injury to Pickford would have put a dampener on the confidence going into the game against top-of-the-table Arsenal this weekend, but the chance that Calvert-Lewin could start for the team is a huge lifeline for Lampard, not only in the upcoming fixture but for the season ahead.

The £72k-per-week goal machine has become a fan favourite amongst the Goodison Park faithful for his consistent contribution over his six years at the club, scoring 58 goals and delivering 18 assists over 191 appearances.

After suffering with long-term injury problems over the last 12 months, Calvert-Lewin only made 18 appearances last term, but the manager will be hoping his inconsistencies surrounding his fitness will finally be over.

The striker’s return will be warmly welcomed, especially after the exit of Richarlison who made a £60m move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer. Alongside Calvert-Lewin’s injury, that left the Toffees without a reliable centre-forward to deliver the goals needed to pursue a much more comfortable campaign in the Premier League.

Everton signed Neal Maupay late last month after struggling without an out-and-out number 9, but that said, it will be highly likely that the 25-year-old will reprise his role as soon as possible when he is ready to return.

Although the Toffees are currently unbeaten over their last four games in Premier League, they remain without a win after six outings and Lampard will surely hope that Calvert-Lewin can come back into the team and make an instant impact on the attacking threat, turning their equalising goals into all important victories and three points.