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Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti has admitted the Premier League leaders are facing a selection dilemma in midfield ahead of facing Liverpool in Saturday’s Merseyside Derby.

The Toffees welcome their inner-city rivals to Goodison Park this weekend looking to claim a fifth top-flight win in succession, having opened the campaign as the sole side to win their first four fixtures.

Jurgen Klopp’s visiting side will be eager to avenge a 7-2 drubbing at the hands of Aston Villa prior to the international break, having slipped outside of the top four places with a defeat that sees the reigning title-holders boast the league’s second-worst defensive record.

Everton have not beaten Liverpool in precisely 10 years, having last claimed a win over their Stanley Park neighbours since October 17 2010 when goals from Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta ensured the three points stayed with David Moyes’ side at Goodison Park.

Ancelotti has confirmed, via quotes by the Liverpool Echo, that he will have a near-fully fit squad to call on in his bid to end the Blues’ decade of misery. So, with that in mind, here’s a predicted Everton XI we could see this weekend…

After fears Yerry Mina had aggravated a previous hamstring injury in training whilst on international duty with Colombia this week, Ancelotti has confirmed the centre-half has returned to Finch Farm and undergone positive assessments showing the 26-year-old to be in good health.

“No news,” Ancelotti stated when asked on injuries ahead of facing Liverpool. “All the players are available. It’s true that they travelled, they played, but they came back in good condition and are all available for tomorrow.”

The Toffees boss’ comments also eased concerns Lucas Digne and captain Seamus Coleman may be forced to sit out the Merseyside Derby, after the star left-back developed a knee injury when playing for France and the Blues leader was forced to withdraw from the Republic of Ireland squad through a hamstring strain.

Digne was confident the issue would not prevent his involvement this week, which Ancelotti appears to have supported, meaning the £27m-rated star can maintain his 100% starting record in the top-flight this term.

Mina, Coleman and Michael Keane have also started each of Everton’s opening four fixtures of the league campaign, ensuring their place in the side to face Liverpool at the expense of £20million summer signing Ben Godfrey.

Everton’s Deadline Day deal for Robin Olsen should not force Jordan Pickford to depart his spot between the posts at Goodison Park, which the former Sunderland shot-stopper has held for the Blues’ last 131 games in succession.

Unlike the Everton backline, Ancelotti’s midfield should be the feature of some change from the side which beat Brighton & Hove Albion before the international break, with the Italian able to call on summer arrival Allan once more.

Allan was forced to miss the Seagulls affair through a groin injury sustained against West Ham United in the Carabao Cup, while joined in the physio’s room by Andre Gomes after the Portuguese’s knock.

Only Allan should step in to replace Tom Davies from the unit which beat Albion, though, as Ancelotti will have been impressed by how Gylfi Sigurdsson deputised for Gomes in the more advanced position.

It was Sigurdsson’s first start of the top-flight campaign at home to Brighton, adding to three late substitute outings, yet the Iceland international has recorded the same number of successful dribbles in the Premier League this term as his £112,212-per-week teammate (2), along with two more key balls and only one fewer ground duel won, per SofaScore.

Gomes has also only managed two more tackles than Sigurdsson, been dispossessed on five more occasions and is yet to register an accurate cross to the former Swansea star’s three.

Allan, meanwhile, should step in to replace Davies against Liverpool, as the Brazilian unit – who Ancelotti described to EvertonTV as a “fantastic player” with “fantastic energy” – continues to rank third for ground duels won (19), first for tackles (12) and sixth for accurate passes (158) despite missing a game.

Everton’s frontline picks itself after their unbeaten first four games, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin (6) and James Rodriguez (3) the Blues’ top-scorers, while the Colombian and Richarlison lead the side for assists (2).

Rodriguez further solidifies his name as one of the first on Ancelotti’s teamsheet through his team-high 13 key balls, four big chances created and second-most successful dribbles (8 to Richarlison’s 16).

Ancelotti will be glad to have so few selection dilemmas heading into a major test like Liverpool, but also be buoyed by having competition for places in midfield.

AND in other news, Everton have made a decision on the future of a £3million outcast.

Liverpool have been handed a major boost ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Manchester City. The recent round of injury updates have confirmed that Joel Matip could be in contention to start against Pep Guardiola’s side on Sunday.

After being named on the bench against Atalanta, Jurgen Klopp will be hoping to see enough from the Cameroonian in training to deploy him alongside Joe Gomez at the weekend. Indeed, whilst youngster Rhys Williams has done a superb job of stepping up to the plate, familiarity and seniority will be key for Klopp against City.

The Cityzens are without star striker Sergio Aguero, which already weakens Guardiola’s attack. Despite their 3-0 win over Olympiakos last time out, their recent Premier League form proves they are struggling.

City have fallen victim to some shock results over the last few weeks, including a draw against both West Ham and Leeds. In their last four league games, they have scored just four goals – one per match. This stat in itself will have taken Klopp’s fancy and he will be looking for ways to further force his rivals into trouble.

With both Gomez and Matip in the heart of the defence, they will make it their mission to ensure that City barely get a sniff of a chance. Matip’s 6 ft 4 stature will prove difficult for 5 ft 7 Gabriel Jesus and 5 ft 5 Raheem Sterling to counter against, especially if long balls are played in towards the attackers.

The Cameroon international uses his height to his advantage and is very strong both in the air and on the ground when battling for possession. Last year, Ian Wright waxed lyrical over the 29-year-old and his “absolutely brilliant” performance against Sheffield United.

If he pulls off a solid shift on Sunday, Klopp and many others will feel a huge sense of relief knowing that he is up to the challenge of stepping up in the absence of Virgil van Dijk. A win over their main title competitors will be a massive boost for Liverpool, who are already making strides towards their second Premier League success story.

In other news, Exclusive: Chris Kirkland tips Joe Gomez to be Virgil van Dijk partner for “next 10 years”…

With the transfer window set to start in a few months’ time, there is bound to be speculation about Ryan Kent, which will put the winger in an uncomfortable position over his Glasgow Rangers future.

Kent’s relationship with Rangers almost seems to be too perfect to break. Beloved by fans, players and pundits alike, the former England U20 international, who turned 24 earlier this week, has burst onto the scene at Ibrox since he first arrived at the club from Liverpool on loan in 2018.

Reports in recent times revealed that Ibrox bosses want the left winger to renew terms for the second time in 18 months after an impressive start to the season.

Kent has been in fine form in recent months, although his performances somewhat tailed off before the international break. Despite this, he has still scored five goals and supplied four assists so far this season, making him the club’s third-highest goalscorer in all competitions.

But former Celtic and St Mirren striker Frank McAvennie has questioned whether or not the Ibrox outfit will be able to offer him new and improved terms. Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “I am not sure if Rangers could afford to pay him the money he would want to renew terms again.

“If they win the league and do well in the Europa League then there is a chance but who knows.”

As is often the case, Rangers are in danger of losing one of their best players if Premier League clubs come calling once again, as they simply do not have the financial firepower to fend off the potential suitors.

Recently described as an “unstoppable” dynamo by former Aberdeen and Leeds striker Noel Whelan, Kent has made nearly 100 appearances for the Light Blues, whilst he has scored 19 goals and supplied 19 assists in all competitions, via Transfermarkt. Remarkably, he has not been sent off once in his entire club career so far, despite being on the receiving end of some hair-raising tackles.

If he helps Rangers reclaim the elusive Scottish Premiership this season, he may feel as if he has achieved everything possibly he can with Gerrard’s side, and consider a move elsewhere for a new challenge. However, a lucrative contract extension would throw a real spanner in the works, as it would tie him down to a new long-term deal.

Kent currently earns wages worth £18,000-per-week, per SalarySport, but a new contract could make him one of the club’s highest paid earners. He is arguably one of the club’s most influential players on the pitch alongside club captain James Tavernier. Should no transfer come to fruition in the not too distant future, it looks like he could spend the next couple of years of his career at the club. Bringing down the wage bill would create some space to increase his salary, so getting rid of Jermain Defoe would be a good step in the right direction.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers must give Connor Goldson a bumper new deal in Nikola Katic’s absence…

Ruben Neves has established himself as a top Premier League player in his two seasons in the top-flight with Wolves, so it is no surprise to see the Portuguese midfielder being linked with a move to Liverpool.

Ahead of the fixture between the two this weekend, the Daily Star have suggested that the Reds could take advantage of the relationship between Neves and Liverpool coaches Pep Lijnders and Vitor Matos in the future, with both having worked with the midfielder during his time at Porto.

Since joining the Old Gold in 2017, the former Porto man has gone on to make 147 appearances for the club, contributing 15 goals and eight assists.

A lot of the Portuguese international’s goals have been absolute screamers too, with his superb goal against Derby County in 2018 perhaps the pick of the bunch, as he picked the ball up about 35 yards from goal before taking a touch and volleying it into the top corner in an effort that certainly had shades of some of the incredible goals Steven Gerrard scored for the Reds during his time at the club.

Neves’ performances in the last couple of seasons have been very solid, and he has helped establish Nuno Espirito Santo’s side as real contenders to finish in the European spots.

He also earned the praise of former Reds midfielder Jamie Redknapp earlier this year, after he helped Wolves to a 3-0 win against Everton, with the pundit saying:

“It’s a magnificent pass, he’s a terrific player. I’m such a fan of Neves and the way he can just control the midfield.

“He can defend he can attack, he’s so talented. He can do it at Wolves but I think he’s going right to the top of the game, it’s effortless for him.” (per Daily Mail)

The Portuguese midfielder will also have a close relationship with Diogo Jota due to the performances they produced together at Wolves, so perhaps if Neves followed the winger to Liverpool, the two could work together to a similarly impressive level at Anfield.

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The midfielder cost Wolves £16m back in 2018 and given he is still only 23-years-old, you imagine that Jurgen Klopp could help him develop into a truly world-class midfielder should he join the Merseyside club in the near future.

And, in other news… Liverpool must sign 6 foot 4 beast with “huge potential”; he can be Klopp’s new Hummels

Granit Xhaka has always been an enigma at Arsenal. Signed for £35m by Arsene Wenger in 2016, it has been an acquisition that has caused endless debates within the Gunners fan base.

On his day, he can ping a 35-yard diagonal pass and dictate the tempo beautifully. Those days, however, are few and far between.

That being said, the Swiss has done incredibly well to come back from where he was. Booed off the pitch before he cupped his ears to the crowd in 2019, it looked like his days at the Emirates were done and dusted.

He was stripped of the captaincy but Mikel Arteta sparked rejuvenation in the midfield player. He bounced back and became a key part of the Spaniard’s rebuild.

However, against Tottenham on Sunday evening, he showed exactly why so many Arsenal supporters dislike him.

In truth, it’s hard to see what Xhaka offers besides his passing, but even that has become negative in recent weeks. Instead of turning and being positive with the ball, he plays it back towards the defence. It’s infuriating to watch, especially when you see a number of players in his position throughout the Premier League being more incisive with their play.

Unfortunately, we saw the very worst of Xhaka this weekend. He managed to complete 92% of his passes but in all honesty, not very many were positive attempts at kicking the football.

He made four fouls and lost possession an eye-brow raising ten times. He struggled with the relentless pace in Tottenham’s attack and looked completely out of the picture on the counter. With that in mind, it was unsurprising that he failed to make a single interception.

Xhaka’s game has always been a simple one but after reviving himself in north London, he is now producing performances that made fans boo him in the first place.

Are we back at square one with Xhaka? It certainly feels like it.

Once Thomas Partey is fit and up to speed again, he simply has to play alongside Dani Ceballos. Xhaka needs to be dropped and reserved for the Europa League. He has now failed under three separate managers.

Arteta should be angry – the midfielder isn’t good enough.

In other news, one Arsenal player was EVEN WORSE than Xhaka on Sunday…

Alex McLeish has said that Jesse Lingard would be an asset to Glasgow Rangers if he were to make the move to Ibrox.

Lingard would be top signing

The Gers have been linked with a move for the Manchester United midfielder, who will be out of contract at the end of the season.

Speaking to Ibrox News, McLeish has said that he believes he would be a top signing for Steven Gerrard, even if he does think he will want to stay in the Premier League. He said:

“Names are bandied about all season. When I was a manager I couldn’t believe some of the names that cropped up that we were linked with.

“The papers are out of the stratosphere sometimes. Players liked to be linked to Rangers, though, especially with how well they’re doing at the moment.

“Jesse has definitely struggled in the last couple of years, but he’s got undoubted ability and talent and he’d be an asset for Rangers. He’d be an asset for any team.

“He’s still quite a young guy, though, and I think he’d want to stay in the Premier League.”

Too expensive?

The last couple of years or so have not been too kind to Lingard. Last term, he managed to score just four goals in 40 matches, and although the campaign before that was slightly better, he still amassed only five goals in 36 games in all competitions.

At his best, he is no doubt a player that would bring plenty of ability to the 54-time Scottish champions. The £12.6m-valued former Birmingham City loanee (Transfermarkt) was an important player for England as they made the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, playing in all put one of their seven matches, while he has made over 200 appearances for the Red Devils throughout his career.

His wages, though, may be a problem. He currently earns £75,000 a week, a fee which the Gers would not be able to afford. At 27, he is unlikely to be willing to take a significant pay-cut – he is arguably in his prime years and his next contract could be his last big pay-day. As a result, it would be a surprise to see him make the move north of the border to the Gers.

In other news, Rangers fans have hammered this Ewan Murray tweet.

With the new year fast approaching, Manchester United were brought crashing back down to earth as they drew with Leicester City at the King Power Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Marcus Rashford opened the scoring following a sublime pass from Bruno Fernandes, before Brendan Rodgers’ side hit back shortly before the break after a sensational strike from Harvey Barnes, until Fernandes followed up his early assist with a fine finish to set the Red Devils on course for what seemed like certain victory.

But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side shared the spoils with the Foxes after they were left frustrated by a late goal from Leicester striker Jamie Vardy.

But while Fernandes may receive most of the plaudits after he accumulated his 44th goal contribution in 44 games across all competitions for the club, Solskjaer will have surely been delighted with Fred’s performance in the middle of the park.

He was at the centre of nearly everything in the midfield, breaking up attacks on a whim and

As per SofaScore, the 27-year-old, who earns around £120,000-per-week at Old Trafford, won nine out of his 14 duels overall (64%), which was the most out of any other player on the pitch, and made five tackles and four interceptions.

Fred also took 89 touches of the ball, made one key pass and created one big chance, which shows that he contributed going forwards as well.

The Brazilian has recently been accused of being “lazy” by club legend and Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane but it’s fair to say that he looked like anything but lazy with his latest showing against Leicester.

If Solskjaer wanted Fred to defy his critics, then there’s no doubt he precisely did just that. 52 out of 68 passes (76%) is certainly nothing to sniff at.

We’re only halfway through the season, but if Fred can maintain his current run of form, then he could help to propel United towards their first piece of silverware since they won the Europa League under Jose Mourinho in 2017.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Former Hull City striker Dean Windass says Jadon Sancho shouldn’t join Manchester United…

Pundit Kevin Campbell has recently talked about Kiko Casilla’s future at Leeds United and has talked about interest from other clubs.

Casilla had joined Leeds from Real Madrid in January of 2019 on a free transfer, when the goalkeeper had penned a four-and-a-half-year deal with the Whites. Campbell though, seems to have provided an update about his future.

Spanish clubs could be interested in Casilla

Campbell was recently talking to Football Insider and he talked about Casilla’s situation. Campbell believes that the Spaniard is still a ‘good goalkeeper’ but things ended up going ‘sour’ when an incident involving him had seen the veteran get banned from playing football temporarily.

Campbell also believes that moving back to Spain could be the right move for the former Los Blancos man, as there are clubs who are looking at him there.

He said:

“I am sure there are clubs in Spain interested in signing Kiko Casilla.  He is a good goalkeeper but I things went sour with what happened last year, the situation and the issue for which he was reprimanded.

“I just think it is the right move for him, to go back to Spain, and I am sure there are clubs there that would take him.”

Casilla hasn’t played too much for Marcelo Bielsa’s men this season and has made just one senior-team appearance in the League Cup. He has even been relegated to playing with the Under-23s in Premier League 2 and in the EFL Trophy (as per Transfermarkt).

Last season in the Championship though, the 34-year-old had made 36 appearances for the Whites while keeping 15 clean sheets.

Following a win over Hull last season, journalist Phil Hay had praised Casilla and even said the shot-stopper showed his “Champions League credentials.”

Replacement might be needed for Casilla

Considering how often Casilla had played last season and the fact that he was a regular for the Whites before that, he perhaps still carries some influence in the club’s first-team and could yet step in if an injury issue arises.

Having said that, the veteran may need first-team football and that is something that Leeds can’t quite offer. So while it may be time to let him leave, the club absolutely must replace him.

In other news, a Premier League star has been tipped to sign for Leeds – read more here.

Arsenal are making a poor decision by keeping hold of Eddie Nketiah, amid reported transfer interest from West Ham.

What’s the story?

The England U21 international has had a mixed start to the season thus far, breaking Alan Shearer’s goal-scoring record for the Young Lions, but struggling to replicate that form at club level with Mikel Arteta’s side – he’s managed just one goal in 12 Premier League appearances.

Reports in recent days have suggested the Gunners’ Premier League rivals West Ham are eyeing him as a potential replacement for Sebastien Haller, but The Athletic have now revealed that the north Londoners are adamant that they will not be selling him.

It’s claimed that Arsenal seem determined to keep him until at least the summer, with Arteta himself very recently responding with a definitive “no” when asked about whether he would consider allowing the young striker to leave in this January transfer window.

Arteta must reconsider

When Nketiah broke onto the scene at the Emirates with that iconic brace against Norwich City in the Carabao Cup, it seemed like Arsenal had unearthed yet another quality young striker who might be able to lead the line for the years to come.

Instead, the 21-year-old hasn’t quite progressed as much as he, or the club, would perhaps have wanted. He is still not yet an established part of the first-team, and sometimes, he is not even making it off the bench, as has been the case for the past three Premier League games that the Gunners have won.

What makes Nketiah’s situation even more important is the future of another one of Arsenal’s rising stars, Folarin Balogun. The teenager’s contract is set to expire come the end of the season, with reports recently even indicating he was close to joining a foreign team on a pre-contract deal as he wants more regular game time.

The question really then becomes ‘who do the Gunners really feel will be the better player going forward?’

Per Mertesacker, the club’s academy manager, has surely seen first-hand what both Nketiah and Balogun can bring to the table, whilst the latter has taken his brief opportunities this season with aplomb, scoring two goals and providing one assist in four Europa League games.

It’s highly unlikely the Gunners will be able to convince both of the players that their future lay at the Emirates, given they both play in the same position. But with Balogun almost two years younger, and the £18m-rated Nketiah still not truly laying a marker down after 57 first-team games, Arteta must surely reconsider his stance on the latter’s future, thus paving a way for Balogun to get more game time, which could then see him stay at the club.

As a young English striker, Nketiah could command a hefty price in the modern transfer market, and given the financial situation facings clubs around the world and the fact that the Gunners need to start pulling in big fees themselves, selling the 21-year-old might see sum more funds given to Arteta.

Arsenal forked out a hefty sum to bring Thomas Partey to the club in the summer, and it would make sense if the owners will be expecting the Gunners to balance the books with some sales before investing any more money this month. Selling Nketiah would go a long way to doing exactly that, and yet Arteta is making a rather hasty call by seemingly deciding to keep him and by proxy, pushing Balogun further towards the exit door.

Meanwhile, Arteta can finally unleash Thomas Partey if he does this…

Southampton look to have been handed a blow in their hopes of Danny Ings signing a new contract with the club, after it was reported earlier this week that the former Liverpool man is keen on a move to a team playing in Europe.

The Saints have been in negotiations with their star striker over a new deal since the summer but appear to have reached an impasse with Ings and his agent.

The Southampton Athletic reporter Dan Sheldon has suggested that the reason behind the stalemate in talks is due to a disagreement over a release clause, rather than the wages offered.

He reports that if the 28-year-old were to accept Southampton’s current offer, he would become the highest-paid player at the club, something which Ings is happy with.

However, the striker feels that signing a new deal with the South Coast club would potentially rule out any chance he has of signing for the likes of Manchester United or Manchester City in the future, as they are unlikely to offer a fee which Southampton would accept.

Therefore, he is keen to insert a release clause into any new contract, to ensure that if those ‘top-four’ clubs come knocking, then they won’t be priced out of a move. However, it seems as if the two parties are yet to agree on a fee.

This is, of course, a tricky situation for Hasenhuttl’s side, as Ings has been a huge part of their improved form over the past 18 months or so. After all, he finished last year’s Premier League with 22 goals, and has seven goals in the top-flight already this season.

The former Burnley striker’s importance to this Southampton team cannot be underestimated, as we have seen in recent weeks how much they struggle to score goals without him.

Hasenhuttl’s side have scored just once in their past five Premier League fixtures, in the 1-0 win against Liverpool, where Ings got the winner against his old side.

When the England international was missing against Fulham and Leicester City, much of Southampton’s attacking impetus was lost.

Former Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe dubbed Ings “hugely impressive” last season for the way he was able to turn his career around after his injury troubles at Liverpool.

Therefore, whilst it might not be financially sensible to offer Ings a lucrative new deal, only for him to leave once his release clause is activated, it is a risk that Martin Semmens and the Southampton board must take. That way they could have a striker with a new motivation who can help Southampton achieve European football of their own this term.

And, in other news… Forget JWP: 6 ft 2 Saints beast who had 112 touches was Hasenhuttl’s FA Cup star