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Former Tottenham captain Graham Roberts reckons the club have suffered in midfield since Mousa Dembele left, and are yet to replace the Belgian.

Dembele was a key part of the Spurs midfield for several seasons, establishing himself as one of the most unique in the Premier League.

He appeared more than 300 times for the club, although his exit proved a sour one following an ankle injury which saw him miss the final 18 games prior to his move to the Chinese Super League.

Following Dembele’s departure in January 2019, Tottenham bought in highly-rated pair Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso later that summer.

However, neither of those two have been able to step in the Belgian’s footsteps, and Roberts exclusively told Football FanCast that he doesn’t believe the club have been able to replace him:

“I’m not having a dig at players, but you need someone to replace Mousa Dembele, you need quality, and we haven’t had that.

“Mousa has been gone two-and-a-half years, and we have gone backwards since then, our midfield has been awful.”

Newcastle United chief Nick Hammond is reportedly now preparing an offer to sign Jordan Veretout in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Window opens

The winter window has now officially opened, and Hammond is sure to be a busy man.

Hired as a transfer consultant on a short-term deal, he will oversee who comes in and who goes out at St James’ Park (Sky Sports) as the northeast club look to find the right players in order to try and help them get out of the relegation zone come the end of the season.

Nonetheless, the quality of player that they can attract will be questioned, given their current predicament.

The Latest: Veretout offer

As per Foot Mercato, Newcastle are now ‘preparing an offer’ to sign Veretout, who is an ‘indisputable holder’ under Jose Mourinho at AS Roma.

It is not clear how much he would cost, but he is currently rated at £27m by Transfermarkt.

The Verdict: Upgrade

Veretout would certainly be an upgrade on Eddie Howe’s options in the middle of the park.

The France international is averaging more interceptions (1.1), key passes (two) and crosses (1.2) per game than Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey and Sean Longstaff in their respective domestic leagues so far this season, not to mention the four goals and five assists that he has in Serie A (WhoScored).

He also has experience of playing in the Premier League before with Aston Villa, so he should have no problems in adapting to the division if he goes to Newcastle.

In other news, NUFC have a ‘definite interest’ in signing this England international

Adam Jones was left slamming the performance of Ben Godfrey as Everton lost 3-2 away from home to Burnley in the Premier League on Wednesday night.

The Lowdown: Damaging defeat

It really was yet another damaging loss for Frank Lampard and his team at the foot of the table, as the win for the Clarets closed the gap between the two sides to just one point.

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The Goodison Park faithful were actually in the lead at half-time through two Richarlison penalties after Nathan Collins had opened the scoring for the hosts from a corner, but Jay Rodriguez and Maxwel Cornet ensured that they had to suffer another miserable defeat.

Worryingly, Sean Dyche even admitted after the match that he told his players the Everton squad ‘don’t know how to win’.

The Latest: Godfrey slammed

Writing in his player ratings piece for The Liverpool Echo, Jones slammed Godfrey’s display in particular, citing the ‘awful’ mistake that he made in the lead up to the decisive goal of the game, while he ‘didn’t cover himself in glory’ with his positioning for the hosts’ second goal either.

Jones gave him just a 4/10 overall rating, the joint-worst in the squad along with Jonjoe Kenny.

The Verdict: Must do better

Godfrey will know that he made a mistake for the third goal, and overall he must do better defensively if the Toffees are to avoid the dreaded drop.

The central defender lost out on two of his duels, and only managed to make one interception in the entire match, while his passing was not up to scratch, recording just 54% accuracy, one of the lowest in the squad (SofaScore).

He was also inaccurate with all seven of his long ball attempts, and lost possession 12 times from just 36 touches (SofaScore).

Nonetheless, Lampard must seriously consider whether to start him again as Manchester United come calling at Saturday lunchtime, but with Michael Keane now available after suspension.

In other news, find out which ‘brilliant’ leader the Blues are now eyeing here!

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has plenty to think about ahead of his side’s trip to Manchester United this evening.

The Gunners bounced back from their defeat to Liverpool with a win over rock-bottom Newcastle United on Saturday, meaning they have lost just one of their last 11 matches across all competitions.

And now they face an out-of-sorts Red Devils outfit with a place inside the top four on the line.

United’s new interim boss Ralf Rangnick isn’t likely to be in the dugout, so it’ll be Michael Carrick taking the team once again but what sort of lineup will the Spaniard select to try and defeat him?

Here’s what we are predicting ahead of kick-off…

There could be just two changes from the win at the Emirates over the weekend.

One major call facing Arteta is at left-back, does he stick or twist with Nuno Tavares after a pretty impressive display against the Magpies? Kieran Tierney has been pushing for a return and that could come in this fixture.

His experience in big-game ties should see him given the nod over the young Portuguese. He will go into an otherwise unchanged backline alongside Gabriel, Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu, in front of shot-stopper Aaron Ramsdale.

The engine room should remain the same with Granit Xhaka still on the sidelines, so Albert Sambi Lokonga keeps his spot next to Thomas Partey.

However, further up the pitch, there could be an enforced switch with Bukayo Saka a big injury doubt. He could be replaced by Gabriel Martinelli, as he was when substituted on Saturday, with Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe there to provide further support.

The 20-year-old Brazilian, who was dubbed “very special” by former caretaker boss Freddie Ljungberg has found game time hard to come by, being restricted to 185 top-flight minutes, so this is a huge chance to impress.

Pierre-Emerick Aubamyang has a case to be dropped but it’s likely that Arteta sticks with his skipper.

AND in other news, Arsenal’s next Hale End gem is shades of Cesc Fabregas…

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has set his sights on a big name heir to club legend Fernandinho as news emerges on Real Madrid star Toni Kroos.

The Lowdown: Fernandinho set to leave Eastlands…

The Brazilian, speaking to media earlier this week, shocked both City supporters and Guardiola by openly confirming he will not be extending his stay at Eastlands for a third time.

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Fernandinho, a long-serving and crucial member of the Sky Blues’ squad over this past decade, put pen to paper on one-year contract extensions in both the 2019/2020 season and 2020/2021 campaign.

However, this time round, the 36-year-old will leave Manchester as he plans a return to Brazil for regular playing time – coming after discussions with his family.

The last of the old guard, this comes as some sad news for Citizens, with sporting director Txiki Begiristain and Guardiola allegedly drawing up a list of possible replacements.

The Latest: Kroos on the agenda?

As per Spanish sources, one of the big names who could now replace Fernandinho is Real midfield superstar Kroos.

The Germany legend is entering the final year of his deal at the Bernabeu with the report suggesting he is open to leaving this summer.

Guardiola, as a result, is allegedly ‘willing to convince him to play in England’ as City add him to their transfer target list.

The Verdict: Ideal heir?

No player can truly replace Fernandinho with the South American fan favourite proving to be a key player behind-the-scenes as well as on the field since signing from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.

Kroos certainly emerges as a shock contender given his age (32) and it is arguable that CFG would prefer to target younger additions with longer shelf lives – like West Ham star Declan Rice or AS Monaco starlet Aurelien Tchouameni for example.

That being said, both men would require major transfer fees, which may be a conundrum for Sky Blues chiefs given City’s top priority chase for Borussia Dortmund star Erling Braut Haaland.

Kroos would arguably be the cheaper option given his contract situation at Real and there is no denying he would add real class – with former Galacticos boss Zinedine Zidane branding the midfielder ‘spectacular’.

As this news emerges, it will be very interesting to see if Guardiola does personally convince the £307,000-per-week star to move to Eastlands.

In other news: Man City have made an offer for ‘unplayable’ star once valued at £125m, find out more here.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been dealt an injury blow ahead of their upcoming Premier League fixture.

What’s the latest?

In recent comments cited by Birmingham Live, Bruno Lage revealed that centre-back Willy Boly has picked up a training ground injury and has subsequently been ruled out of the trip to Leeds United this afternoon.

Speaking about the Ivory Coast international, who picked up an injury in pre-season and has yet to feature in this season’s Premier League, the 45-year-old said: “One guy will be out of the game for sure. Boly has stayed all week out with some problems, so he’s not going to be involved in the game.”

However, in better news for Wolves, Lage went on to reveal that Francisco Trincao will be available for selection this weekend after the winger completed his quarantine period after falling ill while on international duty with Portugal.

On the condition of the Barcelona loanee, the manager said: “Trincao has started with the team, he’s been training all week so that’s good news for us.”

Major blow

While the news of Trincao’s likely return to Wolves’ matchday squad is undoubtedly good for the club, the fact that Boly will be unable to play a part this afternoon will likely have left the Portuguese boss feeling gutted.

Indeed, with summer centre-back signing Yerson Mosquera having been ruled out of action for up to five months after sustaining a hamstring injury in September, Lage had already been left incredibly short of options for his three-man defensive lineup.

Prior to Boly’s injury, the 45-year-old had four players capable of operating in the position, a number which has now been reduced to three after the 30-year-old’s latest knock. Therefore, another injury or a suspension picked up by one of his centre-backs against Leeds will cause Lage a major problem in the heart of his defence, both this weekend and over the coming fixtures.

Also, Boly’s influence is evident from his squad-high match average of 2.7 headers won throughout last season, while only two players bettered his average of 1.5 interceptions per game, figures which showcase how vital a figure he can be at the back.

While Wolves are currently enjoying a fantastic run of form in the league, having picked up 12 points from a possible 15 over their last five fixtures, this could quite quickly come to an end should the worst happen at Elland Road on Saturday.

In other news: Wolves’ £6.3m-rated “breath of fresh air” could cause Lage a major problem next season

Everton have received a potentially significant boost after it was revealed Abdoulaye Doucoure’s injury isn’t as bad as first feared.

What’s the word?

The influential 28-year-old, who has been one of the Toffees’ standout performers in the opening weeks of the new campaign, picked up a foot problem in the 1-0 defeat against West Ham United last time out.

Originally, reports suggested Doucoure could be sidelined for up to seven weeks due to the stress damage in his metatarsal, but The Athletic’s Everton reporter Patrick Boyland has now provided a positive update on the situation.

He tweeted: “It is hoped that Doucoure will only be out for 5/6 weeks – better than feared but still a big blow… Our understanding is that it’s a very similar injury to one sustained last season but the issue appears less severe this time.”

Everton fans should be delighted

News that Doucoure could return to action sooner than first thought should leave Everton fans feeling delighted, given his importance to Rafa Benitez’s side.

The Frenchman has been in fine form at the start of the season, bagging two goals and providing four assists in just eight Premier League outings – bettering his output from last term already.

Boyland went into further detail regarding the box-to-box dynamo’s injury status in his report, stating: “The Athletic understands that the issue, stress damage in the metatarsal, could cause Doucoure to miss up to six weeks, although thankfully it is not likely to require surgery.”

But despite the good news regarding Doucoure, Benitez will still be concerned over his engine room options while the 6-foot maestro is on the treatment table.

Fellow midfielders Andre Gomes and Fabian Delph will leave the Blues extremely short of options in the engine room when Watford visit Goodison Park over the weekend.

It means the likes of Tom Davies, Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Tyler Onyango will have to step up in Doucoure’s absence, gifting the youngsters a rare chance to start and subsequently impress.

And, in other news…Everton suffer potential injury setback after Doucoure, Benitez surely devastated 

Kevin Phillips has urged Newcastle United to sell Sean Longstaff after a transfer update emerged.

The Lowdown: Longstaff price revealed

As per The Liverpool Echo, Rafa Benitez is considering a move to sign the 23-year-old for Everton, as he has entered the final year of his current contract in the northeast.

The Daily Mail have now reported that the St James’ Park club have put an asking price of £10m on the central midfielder, with both Southampton and the Toffees interested in his signature.

The Latest: Phillips on Longstaff

Speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa striker Phillips has urged the Tyneside club to sell Longstaff if they can get the £10m transfer fee quoted for him. He said:

“It’s a lot of money for a player who hasn’t played an awful lot of games.

“£10million for Steve Bruce to strengthen another position in the squad – you’d get that deal done.

“Everton seem to be going down that British and English route with players like Andros Townsend and Demarai Gray.

“He’s got that relationship with Benitez as well. If you’re Newcastle – why not let the kid go?”

The Verdict: Agreed

It would certainly be a good idea for the Magpies to sell Longstaff for £10m, considering that he only has a year left on his deal and could therefore leave for free next summer.

The Englishman was limited to 27 games in all competitions across the entire 2020/21 season (Transfermarkt), and he may see his time on the pitch become even more limited by the permanent signing of Joe Willock from Arsenal.

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Therefore, to cash in on a squad player who has a year left on his contract would be smart business, and the sooner the better, given that Transfer Deadline Day is slowly edging ever closer.

In other news, find out whose performance versus Aston Villa was criticised by Lee Ryder

Many Wolves fans have been left buzzing as some injury news emerged on Pedro Neto.

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match away at Manchester City in the Premier League earlier this afternoon, Bruno Lage revealed (via The Express & Star) that the Portugal international is still on track to return to Molineux around the middle of next month, and that his last exam went well.

However, he does not know when Neto is going to start training with the squad again.

Nonetheless, the mere fact that the recovery is on track and he is still on course for his expected return date has delighted the Molineux faithful, given that he has not featured for them since April.

With five goals and six assists in the Premier League last season (Transfermarkt), the winger is clearly an important player to the team, and Lage will no doubt be excited to start working with him.

Wolves fans on Neto injury news

These WWFC supporters buzzed as the injury update was shared across Twitter, with couple even going as far as to claim that it was the ‘best news’:

“Best news”

Credit: @MOOKWOLF

“OH MANNNNNNN”

Credit: @wwfcglover

“Made my day”

Credit: @laurennandoo

“Good to hear this. Been getting worried about the lad. Can’t wait to see him linking up again with Raul and Adama!”

Credit: @ChrisMM__

“And boy do we need him!”

Credit: @aimstocks2021

“Best news”

Credit: @SammyLouisee_

In other news, find out what transfer update has Wanderers erupting here!

Queens Park Rangers’ Championship campaign of did not get off to the best of starts on Saturday afternoon as Mark Warburton’s men were held to a 1-1 draw at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium.

An 11th-minute Jed Wallace strike gave Millwall the lead in the fixture before Rob Dickie levelled for the home side just after the half-hour mark.

However, despite dominating possession of the ball – 59% to be precise – taking more shots, winning more corners and stringing together nearly 150 more passes than the Lions, the home side failed to make their superiority count, with the fixture finishing all square.

Neither of QPR’s starting front two particularly impressed, with Charlie Austin and Lyndon Dykes managing just one shot on target between them, receiving SofaScore match ratings of 6.6 and 6.5 respectively, but arguably the club’s worst performer on the day was new signing Moses Odubajo.

The former England under-20 international made two key passes over the course of his 90 minutes on the pitch, but in almost every other department, the 28-year-old badly let Warburton down.

Indeed, the £7.5k-per-week man was wasteful with the ball, completing just one of his four attempted crosses, one of his four attempted long balls and losing possession for his side on a whopping 17 occasions.

His metrics from a defensive standpoint do not provide any better reading, with the £630k-rated right-back winning just one of his nine duels, being dribbled past twice and conceding one foul.

All in all, Odubajo’s performance saw him earn a SofaScore match rating of 6.0, the worst of any player from either side to feature in the game.

As such, should the former Sheffield Wednesday man wish to keep his place in Warburton’s starting XI going forwards, he will undoubtedly have to improve on his debut display against Millwall, which certainly left a lot to be desired.

In other news: Bhatia masterclass: QPR confirm major development that will leave fans buzzing