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Leeds United closed out their January run of fixtures in th Championship with a fourth straight victory, overcoming a lacklustre Norwich City 1-0 under the lights at Elland Road.

Picking up another three points to put on the board means the Whites are now only two points behind second-place occupied by Ipswich Town, with winnable games to follow to start February versus Bristol City and Rotherham United.

There were a number of standout performers in the assured win over David Wagner's uninspiring Canaries, including goalscorer Patrick Bamford who continued his goalscoring purple patch to steer Daniel Farke's men away from firing an unwanted blank and pile even more pressure onto the Tractor Boys as a result.

Patrick Bamford continues to shine

With four goals in his last five games since being reintroduced into the first team fold this year, Bamford continued to be the focal point in attack for the promotion chasers on Wednesday night.

Found in acres of space free in the box after a delightful Daniel James delivery into the danger area, Bamford had the simple task of connecting with the cross and powering a header in to give Leeds a 1-0 lead early into the first 45 minutes.

The reinvigorated number nine was also useful in his attempts to play others into the contest to try and make the lead more emphatic, registering two key passes during his excellent 90 minutes on the Elland Road turf and only misplacing three of his 26 passes.

Yet, Georginio Rutter was even more unerring in his calmness spraying the ball around the park with ease against the visitors from Norfolk and arguably stole the spotlight away from the 30-year-old centre-forward.

Georginio Rutter's performance in numbers

Not exactly endearing himself to the expectant Leeds fanbase last season as the club suffered relegation, alongside Bamford, Rutter is now a firm fan's favourite in West Yorkshire and for good reason.

The 21-year-old is oozing confidence at this moment in time when he struts onto the field of play, successful with six dribble attempts in the game as Norwich found it hard to keep tabs on the intricate Frenchman foraying forward all night.

Rutter also helped himself to two key passes in the contest, alongside two accurate long balls in a bid to push his team up the pitch and to help his side not just sit back with a precarious one-goal advantage.

Leeds did get over the line in the end – picking up their 11th clean sheet of the campaign – but they could have had more goals courtesy of their dynamic number 24.

Georginio Rutter vs Norwich

Minutes Played

90

Touches

61

Pass Success

22/27 (81%)

Key Passes

2

Dribble Success

6/8

Duels Won

13/26

Possession Lost

21x

Tackles

4

Stats via Sofascore.

The 21-year-old would have one on-target effort on Angus Gunn's goal in the 1-0 win, with his dogged determination to continually regain the ball also not going unnoticed.

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Winning a staggering 13 duels, there's no doubt in Farke's mind that his star Frenchman will continue being a fixed presence in the first team for some time to come after such a tireless display.

Given an 8/10 post-match rating by Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross – with Cross stating that Rutter's trickery constantly 'bamboozled' a stunned Canaries back four – the Leeds number 24 arguably offered more in the win than Bamford.

Farke will want both of his star players firing on all cylinders next month, the West Yorkshire giants still very much in the automatic promotion mix.

Arsenal are now "very optimistic" a key first-team player will sign a new contract, with talks set to continue now the international break is over, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Which Arsenal players are signing new contracts?

Mikel Arteta has been able to protect the core of his squad by securing new contracts for a number of first-team players in recent months, including the likes of Aaron Ramsdale, William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, and Bukayo Saka.

However, the manager does not want to stop there, and a few more key members of the squad are in line for new deals, with The Daily Mail reporting Ben White is set to enter formal talks over extending his contract, which is set to expire in the summer of 2026.

Not only that, but club captain Martin Odegaard has been touted for a new deal for quite some time, with transfer insider Dean Jones revealing the Norwegian is set for a "significant pay rise" if he does choose to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium.

Journalist Graeme Bailey even hinted Odegaard could be set to treble his wages, meaning he would earn over £300k-per-week, and there has now been an update on the progress that has been made towards agreeing an extension.

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Ben Jacobs has now suggested that talks are set to continue in the coming days, with Arsenal becoming increasingly hopeful their captain will agree a new contract to remain in north London

When discussing the pay rise the 24-year-old could receive, the journalist said: "If you've brought in someone like Declan Rice, you might have broken your wage structure a little bit. Someone like Odegaard, on £115,000-a-week, might be wanting up to £250,000-a-week – you just don't know because a lot can change when your project grows very fast.

"But there's optimism. and there is no reason to think that Odegaard won't sign. I would expect, now the international break is over, for talks to continue and move relatively fast towards some kind of agreement in principle.

Jacobs later added: "Arsenal are very optimistic that Odegaard will be another key member of the club to renew."

How many goals has Martin Odegaard scored for Arsenal?

The attacking midfielder has scored 26 goals in 110 appearances for the Gunners, during which time he has registered 15 assists, and there were clear signs he is starting to come into his prime in the 2022-23 campaign.

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Last season, the Norway international amassed a remarkable 23 goal contributions in 37 Premier League games, solidifying his place as a key player for Arsenal, so it is exciting news that he is now close to agreeing a contract extension.

Former Gunner Alan Smith has lauded the maestro as "superb" in the past, and Arteta is well aware of the calibre of player he has on his hands, having described him as "exceptional" when discussing the progress he's made.

At 24-years-old, Odegaard should now be entering his prime years, and it will be a real boost for Arsenal if he signs a new deal.

Bayern Munich are hoping to steal away Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane after being given encouragement in talks with his family, according to Bild journalist Christian Falk.

This how now lead to an official bid of €70m (£60m)plus add-ons, as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

Another summer, another saga surrounding the future of Kane, coming two years after he was very heavily linked with an exit to treble-winning Premier League champions Man City.

The 29-year-old, who is out of contract in just over a year, is entering the final 12 months of his Spurs deal. While talks have been ongoing over an extension, according to reports, there is still no sign of an official announcement confirming fresh terms.

Kane, as a result, could leave the north London club for free in 2024 – a situation which has alerted many top clubs both domestically and abroad.

Manchester United, in their hunt to sign a star striker and guaranteed goal-getter for manager Erik ten Hag, have been credited with a serious interest in the forward.

Chelsea are also linked, but perhaps the real danger comes from Europe, with continental heavyweights Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Paris-Saint Germain targeting Kane.

The aforementioned sides are after classic number nines to provide an injection of quality in the attacking areas, and Kane more-than fits the bill for them.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, though, appears determined to keep his prized asset and could demand as much as £100 million in one up front payment for the Lilywhites superstar.

Writing in a column for CaughtOffside, German transfer journalist Falk has shared an update on Kane's future, as Bayern are still hopeful they can somehow pull off a move.

This comes after talks with the player's family, who have given encouragement to Bayern that Kane could be open to joining them.

“Bayern are hoping to still sign Harry Kane this summer," wrote Falk.

"Thomas Tuchel is not just dreaming of one striker – he would love to have two new strikers, which is a big challenge for the bosses.

“Kane would be his No.1 target again. Perhaps the idea is playing with Kane on the 9 and Randal Kolo Muani.

“There are talks with Harry Kane’s family and I think they get the idea that he’s thinking about moving. The message from the Kane family is that he’s still thinking about going to the Bundesliga.”

Following this, Ornstein wrote in The Athletic: "Bayern Munich have submitted a formal offer for Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane.

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The Bundesliga champions’ bid for the England captain is €70m (£60m) plus add-ons.

The 29-year-old has a year remaining on his current contract with the Premier League club."

How many goals has Harry Kane scored?

Kane, over a truly phenomenal career, has managed to become both Tottenham and England's all-time top goalscorers – racking up 280 for Spurs at club level and 58 for his country

The Three Lions star surpassed the legendary Jimmy Greaves to that landmark at Spurs, while Kane also usurped Wayne Rooney at the top of England's scoring charts.

If Bayern were to somehow steal the "world class" attacker away from Tottenham, it could be billed as the signing of this summer window.

Manchester United resume their Europa League campaign by taking on La Liga side Real Betis at home this evening, with the Red Devils hoping to put Sunday’s Anfield collapse behind them with a positive result this time around.

While that grim defeat to Liverpool has somewhat soured the mood among those at Old Trafford, it must not be forgotten the progress that has been made in Erik ten Hag’s brief tenure thus far, with it having only been two weeks ago that United supporters were basking in what appeared to be a seismic, season-defining win over Barcelona.

That being said, there must seemingly be casualties from the weekend loss with the former Ajax boss needing to shuffle his pack later today, with the only notable absentees set to be that of Anthony Martial and Marcel Sabitzer – as well as Christian Eriksen and Donny van de Beek.

What will Man United’s starting XI be vs Betis?

With that in mind, Football FanCast has predicted just how the Premier League giants could line up against Manuel Pellegrini’s side at the Theatre of Dreams.

We predict that there could be as many as six changes from the mauling on Merseyside, with David De Gea and Lisandro Martinez set to be the only survivors from the backline that shipped seven just a few days ago, with Raphael Varane and Diogo Dalot notably set to be axed after their grim displays last time out.

As for the midfield, experienced asset Casemiro – who looked ‘overwhelmed’ against Jurgen Klopp’s side according to Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – could be joined by compatriot Fred in the centre of the park once again, with the creative berth potentially set to be taken up by promising teenager, Zidane Iqbal.

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The inclusion of the Iraq international should see Wout Weghorst drop out, while under-fire leader Bruno Fernandes – who started on the flanks at the weekend – should also make way, the Portuguese playmaker arguably in need of a rest after starting 39 games already this season.

With talisman Marcus Rashford set to keep his place through the middle, the Englishman could be joined by the dynamic duo of Jadon Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho in the forward line, with summer signing Antony – who has been branded “useless” in the recent past by journalist Rhys Jones – set to be ditched to the bench.

Newcastle United continued their impressive top-four surge after holding league leaders Arsenal to a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening, with the Magpies still having lost just once in 18 Premier League games this term.

The foundation for that rampant run of form has been built on the club’s defensive strength, with that having again been evident last night as the Tynesiders racked up yet another clean sheet, ensuring they have now conceded just 11 times in 18 top-flight games this season.

That brutal and battling display to keep the Gunners at bay saw summer signing Sven Botman particularly standout in his centre-back berth, with the towering Dutchman having been an “absolute brick wall”, according to journalist Aaron Stokes.

The 6 foot 4 colossus notably recorded six clearances as he dealt with anything that came his way inside the penalty area, having once again served to showcase just what a “class act” he is at the heart of the backline, according to journalist Mark Carruthers.

Another vital part of what is currently the league’s best defence has been former Brighton and Hove Albion man, Dan Burn, with the Englishman having offered a real consistent presence at left-back so far this season.

The 30-year-old – who has started 17 of his side’s 18 games this term – was again something of a rock against the Gunners, having overcome the challenge of dealing with the in-form figure of compatriot, Bukayo Saka.

The fleet-footed forward had gone into the match with six goals and six assists to his name in the league this season, although was eventually blunted by the imposing presence of Burn who doggedly stuck to his task.

The 6 foot 7 machine had endured a “difficult” opening against his opposite number, as per Newcastle World’s Jordan Cronin, although recovered well to help thwart the north Londoners, notably winning 100% of his aerial duels.

Although the boyhood Newcastle fan did lose possession on 16 occasions, the £35k-per-week giant still appeared a ‘cool customer’ – according to the Chronicle’s Lee Ryder – as his ‘dream season’ continued.

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Like the aforementioned Botman, Burn also proved himself adept at sniffing out the danger and preventing any openings for Mikel Arteta’s men as he recorded six clearances, with it once again appearing a tough ask to penetrate Howe’s destructive, defensive unit.

Although a second successive stalemate may have been something of a frustration for the Magpies boss, the resilient and courageous display of the likes of Burn will have illustrated that his side are firmly up for the top-four fight.

Glasgow Rangers face arguably their biggest test of the season so far this evening in the Champions League.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s men take on Liverpool at Anfield and even though Jurgen Klopp’s men aren’t exactly in the best form, winning just three of their Premier League and Champions League matches this season, it will still be a tough task.

With the Light Blues’ European ambitions this season arguably resting on whether or not they can secure a positive result against the Reds tonight, thoughts turn to who will start the match.

Here is what we are predicting the Rangers starting XI will be under the Anfield floodlights…

Van Bronckhorst confirmed yesterday that Allan McGregor “will continue in goal” so he will be between the posts for the second Champions League match in a row.

The back four will feature James Tavernier and Borna Barisic flanking a central defensive duo of Connor Goldson and Ben Davies. James Sands is suspended for the match tonight due to his sending-off against Napoli, therefore Davies will face his former team.

The midfield area will be key in the battle tonight, and Van Bronckhorst should ditch Ryan Jack in favour of the experience of Steven Davis, with the former underwhelming in recent weeks. John Lundstram will slot in alongside him.

The right-wing position seems to be a battle between Scott Wright and Rabbi Matondo, but the Scotsman should be given the nod, with Ryan Kent lining up on the left wing as per usual, hopefully, full of confidence following his performance against Hearts, which included his first goal this season.

American Malik Tillman must come back into the starting XI to play in an attacking midfield role. He scored and grabbed an assist in the qualifiers, with the youngster looking like he has the potential to shine on the big stage.

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The biggest decision of the night is arguably who leads the line for Rangers. It is harsh on Antonio Colak, who scored a brace against Hearts, but Alfredo Morelos loves a big European night and simply has to be unleashed against Liverpool.

Joshua Barrie claimed the striker “loves a goal” after he netted at the weekend, and the 26-year-old could be primed to score his first ever goal in the group stages of the Champions League.

The match represents an opportunity for Rangers to prove they can cut it at the highest level and much will depend on who the Dutchman selects to start. With both teams’ respective forms, it could go either way.

Leeds United correspondent Graham Smyth has provided an update on the club’s pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Darko Gyabi.

The Lowdown: Gyabi linked with Leeds

Victor Orta has been a long-term admirer of the 18-year-old and made previous enquiries regarding his availability, which were turned down.

However, Leeds appear to have made their move after City had a £42m offer for Kalvin Phillips accepted last month. The Athletic claimed when the news broke on the 26-year-old that Leeds were working on a separate £5m deal for Gyabi, who was due to undergo a medical on Friday.

The Latest: Smyth’s update on Gyabi

Smyth shared a Q&A for The Yorkshire Evening Post on Saturday, answering numerous Leeds-related topics.

One fan asked the journalist about the hold-up over an announcement for Gyabi. Smyth said that ‘finalising paperwork’ could be a reason for the delay, but he reassured the supporter that ‘everything is agreed’ and a medical has been passed.

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The reporter commented:

“Finalising paperwork, at a guess, or simply following the convention of announcing on a Monday rather than on a weekend, but he had his medical and passed it. Everything is agreed and Darko Gyabi will become a Leeds United player. Likely to be Monday at this rate.”

The Verdict: Under-23s addition?

It looks as if Gyabi could be announced as a Leeds United player in the next 24 hours, and you’d expect that Jesse Marsch would want to see the midfielder in the under-23s initially.

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The 18-year-old will leave Manchester without a senior appearance to his name for City, although he will arrive in Yorkshire with an impressive youth record.

Gyabi contributed to 15 goals in 39 appearances for City’s under-18s and under-23s, so another impressive campaign at youth level could see him break into Marsch’s first-team plans in the foreseeable future.

An exciting Newcastle United claim has emerged ahead of their Premier League trip to Norfolk…

What’s the latest?

Keith Downie has provided his thoughts on Eddie Howe’s pre-Norwich press conference by revealing that he thinks the head coach will make changes to his starting XI for the match.

The Magpies played against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night and now face the prospect of a long trip to East Anglia on Saturday, with the ex-Bournemouth boss potentially handing rests to a number of players.

Downie tweeted: “Sounds like Eddie Howe is planning to mix things up a bit at Norwich tomorrow, given the heavy schedule the NUFC players have got through in recent weeks.”

Supporters will be buzzing

This claim from the reporter will surely get supporters buzzing about what they will be seeing against the Canaries this weekend.

The Magpies are now 12 points clear of the bottom three with five games to go and this means that they can afford to experiment with different players and formations. It would take a colossal shift in fortunes for Newcastle and all of the teams below them for the Toon to be relegated this season, and this means that Howe can now take liberties with his team selections.

Therefore, a number of players who have been starved of first-team action over the last few months could be given the chance to show what they can do.

Whilst the current stars who are nailed down starters do not have much to worry about after survival is secured, the fringe players will be fighting for their places in the squad heading into 2022/23 and this means that the supporters could well see spirited displays from a much-changed side instead of an XI that is already on the beach.

The likes of Jacob Murphy, Jamaal Lascelles, Sean Longstaff and Dwight Gayle are all names that spring to mind as candidates to come in against Dean Smith’s side.

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They will all surely be keen to prove to Howe that they deserve to be part of PIF’s project moving forward and will, therefore, be determined to put in a quality showing against the Canaries, which is why it will be exciting for the Newcastle faithful to see how they get on at Carrow Road.

It will now be down to them to showcase their ability and help the side to another three points…

AND in other news: Imagine him & Bruno: Howe can seal terrifying NUFC duo with gem who’s a “joy to watch”

According to 90min, Paris Saint-Germain midfielders Georginio Wijnaldum and Julian Draxler are open to being part of a loan swap deal which would involve Tottenham’s Tanguy Ndombele or Dele Alli heading in the opposite direction.

The Lowdown: Ndombele and Alli exiled at Spurs

According to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs and PSG are still in talks over a loan move for club-record signing Ndombele, and the Lilywhites are considering various options as a direct replacement for the midfielder.

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Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte has exiled the 25-year-old at N17, leaving the Frenchman out of the matchday squads for their previous two Premier League games, and he has even forced him into training alone at Hotspur Way.

Dele Alli has also faced a similar situation under the 52-year-old, having been excluded from Spurs’ matchday squad for the London derby against Chelsea and making the starting XI just four times in all competitions during the Italian’s reign at the club.

The Latest: Wijnaldum and Draxler open to Spurs loans

90min editor Sean Walsh reported of Wijnaldum and Draxler’s interest in a possible loan switch to Tottenham, sharing a link to his article via Twitter.

In the tweet, he summarised: “Georginio Wijnaldum and Julian Draxler are open to joining #THFC on loan, potentially as part of deal to send Tanguy Ndombele or Dele Alli to PSG.”

This news arises as the Ligue 1 club have been deciding on which players they could include as part of a swap deal to lure Ndombele or Dele away from Spurs.

Wijnaldum would be open to a return to the Premier League and his representatives have informed Tottenham of his willingness to move back to England. Draxler is said to also be an option for Spurs, as the German has been on the fringe of the PSG squad for several years, so it seems likely that the club would be willing to let him leave on loan.

The Verdict: Good deal for all parties

With the details of the deal yet to be determined, it is hard to determine the plausibility of a complex swap deal. However, looking at the players involved on paper, Spurs are seemingly getting a good deal, especially when you consider that the two potentially outgoing midfielders have both been effectively exiled by Conte.

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Having made 217 Premier League appearances and won some of football’s biggest competitions, Wijnaldum is a proven player who could make an instant impact in Spurs’ midfield.

Draxler could also prove to be a shrewd signing who could provide Conte with depth in the attacking positions. He has excelled in the Bundesliga in previous years, and squad rotation may be crucial if Tottenham are to achieve Champions League qualification, so they could do a lot worse than bringing in the Germany international too.

In other news – “Still in talks”: Fabrizio Romano provides the latest on exit-linked Spurs colossus

When Jack Grealish departed Aston Villa over the summer, tears will have been streaming down the face of many supporters.

The dynamic playmaker was the poster boy of the Midlands, he was their academy gem, boyhood fan and club captain but he still departed Villa Park.

It was a difficult decision for Grealish to make but ultimately, money talks. As does the opportunity to win silverware, something he’ll have at Manchester City on a yearly basis.

He is already a star in Pep Guardiola’s team, scoring in the Champions League after a mega £100m move.

A major clause in his contract allowed the youngster to depart if that valuation was met and as a consequence, it’s set Villa up nicely from a financial point of view.

Christian Purslow’s plan was to use that money on several new players, identifying performers who each had a little piece of Grealish’s unique qualities.

Emiliano Buendia brought the supreme technical skills and creativity, Danny Ings the finishing ability and Leon Bailey the speed.

However, there is another player currently in their academy vying to become the certified next Grealish.

That happens to be Carney Chukwuemeka, a 17-year-old talent with the world at his feet.

The teenager has only played five times for Dean Smith’s first-team but it’s only a matter of time before he starts to make more waves at senior level.

Chukwuemeka is the definition of a wonderkid, someone who’s not only held in high esteem by coaches but also the club’s hierarchy.

Speaking about the talented midfielder in 2020, Purslow went as far as describing the youngster as the ‘best 16-year-old in the country’.

That’s incredibly high praise but it speaks volumes about the level of talent and potential he’s got in his locker.

Capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, the Villa academy starlet has a wonderful chance of making a name for himself in the Midlands.

He’s caught the eye of many pundits, including Paul Merson. His description and praise of Chukwuemeka was incredibly similar to how somebody assesses Grealish’s game.

Merson said: “He will be an absolute star. He glides across the pitch. He is a nice size. He gets on the ball. He looks for it and makes runs without the ball. I think Villa fans going away will definitely be talking about him.”

If there is one element of Grealish’s game that sticks out the most, it’s his ability to pick up the ball and elegantly flow across the pitch that makes him one of the most outstanding players in the English game.

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The U23s manager Mark Delaney has also reserved special words for Chukwuemeka, commenting: “He’s a confident lad; will receive the ball anywhere on the pitch, under pressure and not under pressure. That’s what the manager likes; he comes into an environment and settles in quickly.”

With those assessments ringing fresh in your ears, it’s clear to see why he could be their next Grealish.

He is mesmeric with the ball at his feet and he also knows how to score goals, finding the net twice in three Premier League 2 outings this season.

Chukwuemeka is certainly one to watch out for.

AND in other news, Dean Smith could seal dream Villa midfield with “absolutely phenomenal” £75k-p/w beast…