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Newcastle United have been hit with a frustrating selection setback ahead of their trip to face Southampton at St. Mary’s in the Premier League next weekend.

What’s the latest?

Central midfielder Joelinton will be unavailable for selection against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the campaign in the 4-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

Five yellow cards in the Premier League before the midway point of the campaign leads to a one-match suspension and the Brazilian’s caution against Villa means that he will now be watching on from the sidelines for the next match.

Fabian Schar is the only other Newcastle player on the verge of a suspension, with four bookings, as every other player has been booked twice or less.

Big blow

This is a big blow for Eddie Howe as Joelinton has been in fantastic form this season and will be a miss for the match against the Saints.

The midfield machine put in a fantastic performance in the win over Villa as he got himself on the scoresheet, won three of his four aerial battles and created two chances for his teammates – as per SofaScore.

He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.08 in the Premier League across 12 appearances so far this season. Only six outfield players have averaged a higher rating than the former Hoffenheim man and this shows that he has been one of the top performers in the side this term.

Joelinton has been a monster in the centre of the pitch as he has averaged 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game. This shows that he is consistently cutting out opposition attacks and providing a shield in front of Fabian Schar and Sven Botman at the back for the Magpies.

He has also shown off the creative side of his game as he has made 1.1 key passes per match and created one ‘big chance’ this season in the top flight. The Brazilian is proving that he can make an impact at both ends of the pitch as a superb box-to-box midfielder.

Therefore, losing him is a frustrating setback as he has been consistently brilliant in the middle of the park and out wide on the left for Howe. He is a versatile, strong and quality option for the manager to call upon and he will now have to do without him for the clash with Southampton.

Tottenham Hotspur have produced some fantastic talents through their academy system over the years and have benefitted from that on the pitch in the Premier League.

The likes of Sol Campbell, Peter Crouch, Stephen Carr, and, of course, Harry Kane are just a few of the players who have broken through from the youth set-up at the club in the past.

Antonio Conte should now be on the lookout for the next star to rise through the ranks and one player who could be on his way to putting his name amongst the aforementioned gems is central midfielder Oliver Skipp.

The youngster first made his debut for the club in the 2018/19 campaign as he made 12 appearances in all competitions, including eight in the Premier League.

He was unable to kick on in the 2019/20 season as he played 11 matches in all competitions, eight in the top flight, but did make two outings in the Champions League.

Tottenham then decided to send him out on loan to speed up his development and opted to place him at Norwich under Daniel Farke in the Championship for 2020/21. At the time of the move, Transfermarkt valued him at £6.48m.

Skipp enjoyed a phenomenal campaign with the Canaries as he played 45 of their 46 league matches on the way to winning the title, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.02. He made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game in midfield for the Yellows, whilst winning 56% of his individual duels.

Farke heaped praise on the England U21 international during his spell at Carrow Road, saying:

“Oliver is a perfect lad. So humble. He is a brilliant loan signing.

“A fantastic lad. He reminds me a little of Max Aarons in his first season, who also delivered with unbelievable consistency, with no mistakes, never injured, never ill. I actually said before Birmingham there was one or two areas he can still improve, like in terms of the attacking side, and then in the very next game he scores at Birmingham.”

The £40k-per-week technician then came back to Tottenham and was given the number four shirt in a show of faith by the club. That was before going on to play 18 Premier League games in the 2021/22 campaign, featuring in 28 matches in all competitions despite dealing with a pelvic injury during the second half of the season.

Skipp has returned from his knock to play in eight games so far this term, six in the top flight and twice in Europe’s elite competition, and has been trusted by Conte to start the last two matches in the league.

The midfielder’s Transfermarkt valuation is now sitting at £13.5m, which represents an impressive 108% increase on the £6.48m he was valued at prior to his move to Norwich in 2020.

This shows that Tottenham have undeniably unearthed a diamond in Skipp as his valuation has been soaring in recent years and he is beginning to establish himself as a regular in the senior side. Hopefully, he continues his upwards trend and can become a star for Conte and Spurs in the future.

Everton are interested in making a move for exciting Sporting Lisbon youngster Fatawu Issahaku, according to a new transfer rumour from Portugal.

The Lowdown: Issahaku a top prospect

The 18-year-old has emerged as a talented prospect at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, making three Primeira Liga appearances this season, along with playing twice in the Champions League.

Everton’s Merseyside rivals Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Issahaku in the recent past as interest emerges from across Europe.

It now looks as though the Toffees could be in the mix to snap up the teenager, who already has 13 caps to his name for Ghana and could be named in their World Cup squad.

The Latest: Everton keen on Issahaku

According to Portuguese outlet O Jogo [via Sport Witness], Everton had a representative present to Issahaku in action for Sporting against Tottenham in the Champions League a fortnight ago.

The Toffees are eyeing up the winger as ‘part of the process of detecting business opportunities’ and they have ‘joined the list’ of British clubs’ watching him. Manchester United and Liverpool are both mentioned as well.

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The Verdict: One for the future

Issahaku may not be viewed as an immediate starter by Frank Lampard if Everton sign him, but he is a huge talent with a potentially big future ahead of him.

To already be so established at international level as an 18-year-old is a testament to his quality, and he has been hailed as a ‘great talent’ by Sporting manager Ruben Amorim.

Issahaku’s current Sporting deal doesn’t expire until the summer of 2026, though, so Everton may not be able to get him on the cheap, while beating higher-placed Premier League clubs to his signature could also be tough for the Toffees.

Having been dumped out of the EFL Cup by Derby County earlier this season, West Bromwich Albion got a much-needed rest during midweek whilst the majority of their rivals faced the next round of the competition.

As such, their last game remains their impressive 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers last weekend, which was the first time this season the Baggies had won two games in a row.

They now host Stoke City, knowing that a win could finally lift them out of the Championship relegation zone.

For once the Spaniard boss has few new injuries to report and actually could welcome back some new faces into the fold.

With that in mind, Corberan can be expected to make just two changes from that side that downed the Rangers on the road.

Alex Palmer will once again continue in goal, behind a back four bolstered by a big injury boost.

Whilst Erik Pieters and Darnell Furlong will remain in the full-back positions, Semi Ayayi is poised to make a return to the starting lineup after it was detailed nearly two weeks ago that he and two others were in the “last step of their recoveries”.

The “powerful” £16.5k-per-week stopper – as dubbed by Kevin Phillips – will be a welcome return to partner the resurgent Kyle Bartley. Young Dara O’Shea will be an unfortunate casualty of this recall.

Given their return to The Hawthorns, a midfield shuffle can be expected to allow West Brom to play more on the front foot.

As such, Taylor Gardner-Hickman will replace Jayson Molumby, whilst Okay Yokuslu will remain the sole enforcer in the engine room.

That, therefore, leaves an unchanged front four, which once again sees them start without a recognised striker.

John Swift will be hoping to continue his fine form in the number ten role, flanked by the talents of Jed Wallace and Grady Diangana.

Matt Phillips will remain up front, with his relentless running and experience sure to be imperative to maintaining an efficient press that could win them the game.

This game may come just too soon for the returning Daryl Dike.

Predicted West Brom XI: Palmer; Furlong, Bartley, Ajayi, Pieters; Yokuslu, Gardner-Hickman; Wallace, Swift, Diangana; Phillips.

Crystal Palace are reportedly eyeing Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres ahead of the January transfer window and the Swedish striker could be a superb addition to Patrick Vieira’s side.

What’s the word?

According to Football League World, Palace, West Ham, Everton and Southampton are all keen on the 24-year-old, who currently sits joint-top of the goalscoring charts on nine in the Championship after an excellent start to the season.

The website claims that the in-form Sky Blues are keen to offer Gyokeres a new contract in order to fend off interest from the Premier League, with Mark Robins’ side no doubt having their own aspirations of reaching the top flight after winning each of their last four games without conceding a goal.

Vieira would love him

For too long now, Palace have been far too reliant on Wilfried Zaha as the main source of goals at Selhurst Park. The Ivorian winger has topped the charts in each of the last three seasons and looks set to depart when his contract expires next summer, so it seems clear that Vieira needs a true goalscoring replacement.

Gyokeres could certainly offer that, as he has 26 goals in his last 64 Championship appearances, and scores in the 99th percentile for forwards receiving progressive passes according to FBRef, which emphasises his ability to get into goalscoring situations.

Watford manager was full of praise for the Sweden international after he scored the winning goal at Vicarage Road earlier this month.

He said: “He is a very strong striker, a player who can not only keep and hold the ball but he can hurt you. He can run into the channels and he’s strong.

“We weren’t surprised by him. We had him marked down as their target man. He’s not an old-fashioned typical target man though, because target men have problems in movement. He is a target man but also has good movement.

“The defenders stopped him well at times, they fouled him, they gave him a good game. But he is a very good player.”

Gyokeres certainly seems to have the physicality to be a success in the Premier League, which is emphasised by his average of 1.8 aerials won per game in the Championship – more than both Odsonne Edouard and Jean-Philippe Mateta this season.

Therefore, Steve Parish should definitely look at bringing the Swede to Selhurst Park in January, as he could be a huge success in Vieira’s side should he continue his form from the Championship in the top flight.

A claim has emerged on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Sofyan Amrabat ahead of the upcoming January window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Ed Aarons has suggested that the central midfielder, who is currently competing at the World Cup in Qatar for Morocco, would be suited to Antonio Conte’s formation.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“I think, potentially, he’s a little bit what they’ve already got in a way.

“I think a lot of Tottenham fans want them to try and get a more creative midfielder, but in that system, it’s hard to have someone like that, you need kind of two pivots.

“But he’s really good at that, he’s got loads of experience as well. I think I remember seeing him much earlier in his career at a youth tournament, and it seems like he’s been around for ages.

“Obviously, his older brother Nordin Amrabat was at Watford for a bit as well, but he’s very important for Morocco with the tempo that they try to play under the new manager.”

Dream signing

Amrabat could, therefore, be a dream signing for Conte during the January transfer window as he would be able to slot in as one of the midfielders in the double pivot, whether that be alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Yves Bissouma, or Rodrigo Bentancur.

Italian publication La Repubblica (via Viola News) recently claimed that Spurs are interested in snapping up the Morocco international ahead of the second half of the campaign and the Tottenham head coach could love him as an option in the middle of the park.

Amrabat’s recent performances for his country at the World Cup have offered a glimpse of what he is capable of providing in midfield at the top level.

Football writer Adepoju Tobi Samuel claimed that the gem “does not get enough credit” and hailed the 26-year-old as Morocco’s best player in the tournament, whilst reporter Alvaro Canibe described him as a “tiger”.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.90 across his side’s three group stage matches as they topped their table, beating Belgium and Canada, whilst also drawing with Croatia.

In those games, the 26-year-old completed 89% of his attempted passes and made six tackles, five interceptions, and five clearances for his team, as per Sofascore.

These statistics show that he has the ability to perform to an impressive standard whilst playing at the pinnacle of international football, with the underrated enforcer providing steel in front of the defence with his excellent defensive contributions.

Oliver Skipp (6.67) and Bissouma (6.64) have struggled to make an impact in the Premier League, with their average ratings, this season and Amrabat’s form at the World Cup indicates that he would be a major upgrade on both of them.

Therefore, the Fiorentina gem could be a dream signing for Conte as he would improve the depth of the squad whilst perfectly suiting the double pivot in midfield that the Italian coach likes to deploy.

West Ham United defender Kurt Zouma could potentially be out of action for up to four months due to his knee injury according to medical expert Ben Dinnery. 

The Lowdown: Zouma’s injury blow

In the early stages of West Ham’s previous Premier League game against Leicester City, Zouma was forced off with a suspected knee injury.

Last week, the east London club revealed that the Frenchman had undergone surgery on his knee and will now begin his recovery process.

With domestic football on hold to make way for the World Cup, it appears that one medical expert has shared some details regarding how long Zouma could be out of action.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Dinnery, who contributes to Sky Sports, had this to say about Zouma’s current situation and how long he could be spending on the sidelines, hinting at a possible three to four-month absence in a worst-case scenario.

“Depending on the extent of that surgery – whether it’s just a bit of a flush out and a bit of a trim or it’s something a little bit more involved in terms of the meniscus – you could be talking a period of four to six weeks or possibly three to four months.

“Imaging may not have been conclusive but, suffice to say, it would give a strong indication that if the player wants to play pain-free going forward, that decision to take the operation was the correct move to make.”

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed at West Ham

Across the 14 league appearances he’s made for David Moyes’ side this season, the £125k-per-week defender has racked up the second-highest passing accuracy percentage at the club (85.9%).

Having made more clearances (68) than any other West Ham player, this further showcases how much of an important player he is for the team and what they could be missing if he ends up being out of action for a significant period of time.

Taking all of this into account everyone at the London Stadium will undoubtedly have their fingers crossed that it will be a matter of weeks rather than months until the centre-back is back in action for the team.

Former Aston Villa defender and pundit Alan Hutton has been reacting to the club’s reported interest in AS Roma forward Tammy Abraham.

The Lowdown: Abraham speculation

Unai Emery appears to want to sign a new A-list forward for Villa in 2023 and has been linked with a move for Abraham.

The 25-year-old enjoyed a memorable loan spell in the Midlands during the 2018/19 season, helping Villa into the Premier League.

He is no apparently longer considered ‘non-transferable’ by the Serie A side, with Villa thought to be in the race for his services.

The Latest: Hutton’s comments

Talking to Football Insider, Hutton was asked for his thoughts on a reunion between Abraham and the Villa faithful.

The Scot, who contributes for the BBC, admitted he would love to see the forward back in a Villa shirt, labelling him as a ‘very talented’ player.

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“I think he would be brilliant.

“I played with him and I thought he was outstanding during his time at Aston Villa. The fans absolutely loved him and he scored goals. He is a very talented boy.

“I do not think Aston Villa will be the only team monitoring his situation. Plus he is doing so well at Roma under Jose Mourinho, would he want to leave that at this moment in time? It would be a difficult one.

“Personally I would love to see him in a Villa shirt again. I think he could do a lot of damage for them moving forward but I do think it would be hard to get over the line.”

The Verdict: Shrewd move?

Abraham has already had success at Villa Park and has continued to score goals wherever he has been, so a 2023 swoop could be a smart call.

He still has plenty of high-level years ahead, however, you’d expect the forward would want to be guaranteed regular game time.

Emery, therefore, may have to make a decision on Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings or Cameron Archer, or manage all four forwards perfectly to keep them all happy.

Leeds United commentator Bryn Law appears to have confirmed a new contract for defender Pascal Struijk.

The Lowdown: Struijk rumours

Struijk has been turning out at left-back so far this season due to Junior Firpo’s injury issues. The 23-year-old has missed just one Premier League game and has been the club’s best-performing player this season, as per WhoScored.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed at the beginning of the month that Struijk has agreed on a new deal at Elland Road until 2027, although it is yet to be confirmed officially by the Whites.

The Latest: Law’s comments

Law was covering the club’s 2-1 mid-season friendly win over Elche on Thursday.

Relayed by MOT Leeds News, the LUTV commentator congratulated Struijk on a new deal during the first half, labelling him as a ‘stand-out find’.

“Pascal Struijk recipient of a new contract, so congratulations to him as he’s been a stand-out find.”

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The Verdict: Good news

Struijk’s current contract runs until 2024, so a new deal through to 2027 can only be viewed as good news. He has gone from strength to strength in Yorkshire and according to Romano, will be viewed as a ‘key player’ going forward.

The defender turned out in his natural central role against Elche, with Leo Hjelde at left-back, so Jesse Marsch may look to make Struijk a first-choice centre-back going forward.

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Cody Gakpo over the last few months and now a new update has emerged on the club’s pursuit of the player ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to The Northern Echo, Eddie Howe has the Netherlands and PSV Eindhoven winger on his transfer wish list that was drawn up in the autumn.

As per the report, Newcastle have been closely tracking Gakpo and have learned that the transfer fee that his current club will command is around £40m.

Matching Erling Haaland

Howe will be thrilled with the outcome of the Premier League campaign so far with his team challenging for a spot inside the top four as they currently sit third in the league table after losing just one game this season.

Just like league leaders Arsenal, Newcastle have only accepted one defeat which is owed to the phenomenal performances the Magpies have displayed over their first 15 outings in the top flight and the manager will be hoping that his team can pick up where they left off when they return to action after Christmas.

Indeed, it would seem that there wouldn’t be too much pressure on the club to make moves in the transfer window when it re-opens next month, however, if Newcastle want to remain competitive at the top of the table they could add some new additions to improve and strengthen the already impressive squad.

It has been reported that Howe is keen to add another wide forward to his formidable forward line in the new year, so the signing of Gakpo could be the perfect move to ensure Newcastle remain firmly and comfortably within a Champions League qualifying spot at the end of the season.

The PSV winger – who was hailed a “real talent” by Nigel De Jong – currently matches none other than Manchester City striker Erling Haaland for goal contributions (21) in Europe this season, scoring nine goals and delivering 12 assists so far.

That is a remarkable man to be alongside, with the Norwegian proving to be nothing but a sensation since popping up in English football.

It’s a testament to Gakpo that in Europe’s top leagues, no one comes close to matching him or Haaland aside from Neymar, who has managed 20 goal involvements of his own.

The Newcastle target has continued that form on the biggest of stages over the last few weeks, proving to be a real stand-out performer at the World Cup in Qatar, where he outscored the aforementioned Brazilian superstar. He became an integral player for the Netherlands in their progression to the quarter-finals of the prestigious international tournament.

Over five World Cup appearances, the 23-year-old star scored three goals during a breakout few weeks for the thriving attacker.

On top of that, he successfully completed 50% of his dribbles and made two key passes per match, proving he isn’t just a goalscorer. Furthermore, he contributed immensely from a defensive point of view, averaging 1.6 tackles, 1.2 clearances and winning 4.6 duels per game.

With that being said, the signing of Gakpo could be a major coup for Newcastle especially if they can secure his signature in January. A player with Haaland-like stats, he could play a huge part in the team’s pursuit of retaining their top-four position over the second half of the season.