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Arsenal continued their excellent Premier League form with a 2-0 victory in the North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, giving them an eight-point lead at the top of the table.

The Gunners dominated the first half, with Hugo Lloris at fault for the first goal as he weakly palmed a Bukayo Saka effort into his own net, before Martin Odegaard extended the visitors’ lead with a powerful shot driven into the home side’s goal.

The second half saw the home side start the strongest, but they couldn’t grab a goal which may or may not have changed the outcome of the game, and it was another fine win for Arsenal as they continue their march towards what could be a first league title in 19 years.

Thomas Partey and Odegaard particularly impressed, with the latter playing two key passes and scoring the second goal, but it was Granit Xhaka who was Arteta’s unsung hero in the match.

The midfielder is having one of his finest seasons at the club, having registered seven goal contributions across 18 league matches this term while taking 1.2 shots on target and making 1.5 key passes per game, underlining how effective his attacking qualities have become.

Against Spurs, the “smooth” maestro – as dubbed by Alex Batt of GIVEMESPORT – was in imperious form, creating one big chance, making one key pass and having one shot during the match as he dominated the midfield area alongside Odegaard and Partey.

His passing and defensive qualities were also on show throughout, with the 30-year-old holding a 98% pass success rate (45/46) while taking 59 touches during the game, losing possession just twice.

Add those to his three blocks, made two interceptions, one tackle and one clearance, and it’s evident that Arteta has managed to get the best from Xhaka this season, giving a masterclass on Sunday.

His ability to function well at both ends of the pitch is becoming a significant advantage for the Gunners, and if he can continue this rich vein of form through the next few months, it could go a long way to helping Arsenal win silverware of some sort.

Reliable journalist Jordan Campbell believes Glasgow Rangers could still potentially sign midfielder Todd Cantwell during the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Cantwell linked with Rangers move

Michael Beale will want to bring in his own signings in this window, the first of his tenure as Gers manager.

One player who has been heavily linked with a move to Ibrox is Cantwell, who has been limited to just nine starts for Norwich in the Championship this season.

A fresh update suggests that the 24-year-old could arrive at Rangers this month.

The Latest: January switch could happen

Taking to Twitter, Campbell claimed that Beale could look to sign a player who is out of contract this summer in January, mentioning Cantwell’s name in the process:

“Beale says that if an out-of-contract player is available to bring in early it is something he would look to do to help them adapt. Cantwell fits that bill.”

The Verdict: Great option for Beale

Cantwell would have the potential to be a superb signing for Rangers, bringing a combination of endless running and technical quality in midfield areas. He won two tackles and made three interceptions in his one EFL Cup outing this season, against Bournemouth, and has an 82.6% pass completion rate in the league.

The Englishman has 45 appearances to his name in the Premier League, as well as scoring six goals, and that experience at the highest level shows that he can be a hit at Ibrox.

Granted, his stock appears to have fallen a little at Norwich with his recent lack of game time, but a new challenge at Rangers, under a manager who he could thrive under, makes this an exciting potential signing, having been lauded for his ‘God-given’ talent by former coach Gary Cockaday.

Leeds United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of a teenage sensation…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Gianluca di Marzio (via Sport Witness), who claims that Jesus Vazquez may have now come available for a permanent transfer rather than the loan deal Valencia earlier touted.

With Torino still in the race, it will not be a comfortable deal, but Whites chief Victor Orta has retained an interest since mid-November.

The Spanish club are reportedly willing to part ways with their 19-year-old defender for a fee of just €5m (£4.3m).

The next Gareth Bale

Boasting one of the most notorious elevations through the game, the start of Gareth Bale’s career is one now well-documented.

Having started out as a left back, Harry Redknapp was struggling to accommodate him alongside the first choice Benoit Assou-Ekotto. As such, he decided that his pace and power could be better suited to a more offensive position, and in doing so created a monster.

In the 2011/12 campaign he would begin his ascent to the top with a ten-goal and 14-assist campaign, a tally he would obliterate the season following as he scored 21 and assisted nine.

More than earning his move to Real Madrid, despite a long-standing feud with fans and some of the hierarchy, he would score 106 goals for Los Blancos on his way to winning five Champions League titles.

Whilst to follow such a career path is a lofty ambition for Vazquez, he has been likened to the Welsh wizard in a report made by Breaking the Lines.

They would write: “In fact, watching him is like watching Gareth Bale from his left-back days at Tottenham. He is over 6 feet tall like Centelles, and carries the ball into advanced positions like Bale used to. He even looks like that early 2010s Bale with the hairstyle. “

Whilst a glowing recommendation, the Spaniard only boasts 22 senior appearances for his club.

Despite this, he has impressed on every occasion, and last season he recorded a 74% dribble success rate alongside his 1.6 tackles per game.

Whilst unlikely to dominate the game in the way Bale did, Vazquez remains the “exciting prospect” that talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him.

And for the cut price he has now become available for, surely this move marks a no-brainer for Orta in January.

New Glasgow Rangers manager Michael Beale is set to face an almost unsurmountable challenge trying to win the Premiership title this season having replaced Giovanni van Bronckhorst at Ibrox.

The Gers are currently nine points behind Celtic in the chase for the title and Beale will have to have everybody fit and raring to go once the domestic season resumes again.

This is easier said than done, with the Light Blues having no fewer than eight first-team players missing through injury and the 42-year-old will have to rely on who he has available to him at the moment.

The biggest disappointment this season has been that of Alfredo Morelos, with the striker scoring just three times, being overshadowed by summer arrival Antonio Colak, who has 14 goals already.

The Colombian appears to have lost his goalscoring instinct which he utilised to good effect between 2018 and 2021, which coincidentally came under Beale, who was the first team coach during Steven Gerrard’s spell as manager.

If anyone is going to rejuvenate Morelos, Beale might just be the man, having created a system that was perfect for the 26-year-old. It allowed him to thrive while supported by two attacking wingers and a dynamic midfield, as he scored for fun.

Indeed, during Beale and Gerrard’s three full seasons at Rangers, Morelos netted 14, which tells the whole story.

For a striker who was once dubbed “lethal” and a “nightmare to play against” by Journalist Jordan Campbell, it is a shock to see his apparent decline so far this season.

The £33k-per-week hitman might have a lot to prove under Beale and appointing the Englishman might just be the correct call in order to bring back the best from Morelos.

The next few months could be pivotal in his Rangers career, especially with the player out of contract next summer, however, if he can get a few goals scored early on during the Beale tenure, the Ibrox faithful might just see the redemption of arguably the finest striker the club has had in the previous decade.

Former Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Paul Robinson thinks Lucas Moura is “well within his right” to leave and said his former club would be “silly” not to offer the forward a new contract.

The Lowdown: Moura’s season so far 

So far this season, the Brazilian has made 11 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions but only started two of them.

This shows that the 30-year-old is not currently at the top of the pecking order at Tottenham under Antonio Conte.

With that in mind and the fact that his current contract at the club is set to expire in 2024, it seems as though the player has been backed to move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Latest: Moura backed for Spurs exit

Speaking to Football Insider, former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who contributes to Sky Sports, had this to say about Moura’s current situation and his future at the north London club.

“Lucas Moura has cult hero status. He is well within his right to leave if he is not happy with the bit-part role that he has at the moment. He would leave with every Spurs fan’s blessing I’m sure.

“It seems as if he is way down the list. He is behind Richarlison, [Dejan] Kulusevski and [Heung-min] Son. He is not getting many minutes.

“If there is not the offer of a new contract, nobody would begrudge him running down his contract and leaving on a free. Everyone understands that he will want to play.

“If he signs a new deal he will not be playing that much. The question is, is that a role he is willing to accept? From Spurs’ point of view, it would be silly not to offer him a new contract.”

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The Verdict: A big decision for Spurs

Across the 98 minutes of Premier League action he’s had this season, Moura has racked up five shot-creating actions, leaving him with the second-highest rate of shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.59) at the club.

Having also picked up a combined total of nine tackles and interceptions, which is four more than Harry Kane has this season despite playing significantly more minutes, this further highlights just how useful the Brazilian can be when called upon.

Taking all of this into account, it seems as though a decision will have to be made at some point in 2023 between the club and the player regarding whether or not a new contract will be offered to Moura and whether or not his current role in the squad is something he’d want to continue with.

Fulham are one of numerous clubs now queuing up to sign in-demand Partick Thistle ‘sensation’ Aiden McGinlay, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Fulham impressing…

Marco Silva’s side have enjoyed a solid start to life back in the Premier League after their promotion from England’s second tier last season.

The Craven Cottage outfit haven’t exactly enjoyed the best luck in recent years when it comes to maintaining their top-flight status, but this time they have got off the blocks fantastically.

Fulham currently sit just four points off a Europa League place, losing only four out of their opening 13 league games, with Liverpool being the only team to score more goals than them outside the current top four.

It has been a dream start for Silva and his side who now look a shoe-in to remain in the first tier and establish themselves as a Premier League side for next year.

The Latest: Fulham scout McGinlay…

Amid their rise up the table, Fulham officials reportedly have one eye on the future and how best to maintain their growth as a football club.

According to The Daily Record, Silva’s men are now in the ‘queue’ to sign Thistle starlet McGinlay, with Fulham officials even dispatched to scout him.

Alongside the Cottagers, London top-flight rivlas Crystal Palace and West Ham are also keeping tabs on the ‘teenage sensation’.

The Verdict: Planning ahead…

Under the ownership of Shahid and Tony Khan, Fulham have yo-yoed from the top tier to the second these last few years, but this season could be the start of some real stability at Craven Cottage.

Planning for the future and keeping tabs on some of Britain’s brightest talents is a real indicator that plans are in motion behind the scenes to try and establish Fulham as Premier League mainstays.

Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji has been praised for his immediate impact on the team by Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson. 

The Lowdown: An immediate impact for City

City signed the centre-back towards the end of the previous summer transfer window from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth a reported fee of just over £15m.

Since then, the 27-year-old has made 11 appearances for the Blues across the Premier League and Champions League.

Given how much of a regular figure he has quickly become in Pep Guardiola’s side, the defender has now found himself on the end of some heavy praise.

The Latest: Praise for Akanji

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson had this to say about Akanji and his performances for City.

“His performances have surpassed expectations. Pep spoke very highly of him. Pep clearly trusts him.

“He is young but he has settled into that team so quickly. He has kept [Ruben] Dias out of the team at times.

“Akanji has been almost the first-choice centre-back. He is a top-class centre-back and I think there will be more to come from him. He will only get better under Pep Guardiola’s management.”

The Verdict: A masterclass signing

Across the six Premier League games that Akanji has played for City, the centre-back has racked up the fifth-highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (17) at the club, as well as having the second-highest passing accuracy percentage (94.4%).

His performances in the league have earned him a season rating of 6.81/10 from WhoScored, which is higher than the likes of John Stones (6.71/10), Nathan Ake (6.67/10) and Aymeric Laporte (6.34/10).

Having been praised by Guardiola for the “magnificent” ability he has on the ball, it’s easy to see why Robinson has shared his own praise for the City defender.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that Akanji, who will be hoping to have a successful time with Switzerland in the upcoming World Cup, has had a very strong start to life at City and will look to continue that throughout the remainder of the season.

Glasgow Rangers reporter for The Athletic Jordan Campbell has revealed another injury boost for the Ibrox outfit involving Ben Davies.

The Lowdown: Was assessed

Taking to Twitter on Thursday afternoon, Campbell revealed that Davies was ‘being assessed’ for an injury complaint after their humiliating 7-1 loss at home to Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League.

The central defender ‘felt muscle tightness’ during the game, but did not want to come off.

This comes after injuries to fellow centre-backs Filip Helander, John Souttar and Connor Goldson, although the latter is now likely to be out for weeks rather than months after having to come off on crutches in the same match, according to The Scottish Sun.

The Latest: ‘Positive news’

Taking to Twitter in an update on Friday night, Campbell has now revealed that he is ‘hearing positive news’ with regards to Davies’ injury, suggesting that it is not as bad as first feared, and that he could feature away at Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership at Sunday lunchtime:

“Hearing positive news re Davies ahead of Sunday after further tests. He’s been a positive in the last four starts. Been really composed and Rangers need him at the moment.”

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The Verdict: Relief

Davies’ situation could have been lot worse, and so the fact that there are ‘positive’ signs suggests that he could be fine for the match on Sunday.

The Englishman has ranked highly among his team-mates in the division in terms of aerial duels won and average interceptions, clearances and blocks per game (WhoScored), showing that he has been reliable when called upon by Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

With so many other senior centre-backs out injured at the moment as well, Davies could now become a key player for the Gers for their next run of fixtures.

It’s not often that a free transfer is exciting but Tottenham Hotspur appear to have struck gold with the arrival of Ivan Perisic this summer.

The Croatian veteran, 33, was one of the first names through the door as manager Antonio Conte finally got to shape his own squad at Hotspur Way, he joined alongside former Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster as two bargain signings in the off-season.

Perisic had previously worked with the Italian head coach at Inter Milan, whom he joined the Lilywhites from back in May, signing a two-year contract.

As his contract was up at the San Siro, the north London outfit did not have to pay a penny in terms of a transfer fee, though – whilst unofficial – there was probably some sort of signing-on bonus or fee, meaning sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy snagged him for peanuts.

It also represented a change in policy as the club have rarely signed players on the wrong side of 30 but at the age of 33, the Croatia international has plenty to offer and we’ve already seen plenty of glimpses of his ambidextrous nature, set-piece precision and relentless work rate.

Indeed, Perisic has already provided four assists from his nine appearances in a Lilywhites shirt across both the Premier League and Champions League, in which just six of those have been starts, as per Transfermarkt.

That makes him the most creative outlet at Conte’s disposal with January addition Dejan Kulusevski tailing behind on three assists.

It makes it even more impressive when you consider the fact that nine other players have managed more minutes than the former Bayern Munich man this campaign, perhaps a sign of the Italian managing his workload.

Even former Arsenal foe Paul Merson has been left in awe by Perisic.

“I’m a huge fan of Ivan Perisic, he’s a top player who works as hard as anybody else on the pitch,” he told Sportskeeda.

“For every young kid who wants to be a professional footballer – watch this player and see how he makes things happen on the pitch. He sets the tone with his work ethic and professionalism and will turn out to be a great signing for Tottenham.”

Also capable of playing on the other flank and in a more advanced role, the vastly-experienced 33-year-old could continue to prove to be the biggest difference-maker in this Spurs squad.

According to CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis, Perisic is valued at around £18m, so when you combine the fact that Tottenham did not pay a penny for his signature with his impressive start to life in N17, then the club have surely struck gold with the £178k-per-week dynamo.

He is certainly living up to the once-dubbed “monster” tag by journalist Oliver Young-Myles. Age clearly isn’t everything in football.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops Ben Davies update…

Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Peterborough United centre-back Ronnie Edwards this summer and the teenage defender could be the next Marc Guehi in Patrick Vieira’s side.

According to the Peterborough Telegraph, Chelsea are readying a bid for the 19-year-old defender, who is also attracting interest from Palace, Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton.

The young centre-back broke into Peterborough’s side last season and caught the eye despite their relegation back to League One, as he made 34 appearances in the second tier.

He has kept his place as a starter in Grant McCann’s side this season, starting in each of their six League One fixtures so far this season, helping the Posh to fourth in the league.

Darren Ferguson waxed lyrical about Edwards after a 3-0 win against Birmingham City last season.

He said: “It helps having Ronnie Edwards at the back. He’s an incredible talent, easily the best young player I’ve managed. He seemed to get everyone playing. It was a remarkable performance as he also coped defensively against two Premier League standard players in Troy Deeney and Tahith Chong.”

Previous reports have suggested that Palace will need to pay £15m if they want to prise Edwards away from the Weston Homes Community Stadium but if he lives up to his obvious potential, he could prove to be a shrewd acquisition by Palace.

Should the teenage defender make the move to Selhurst Park, he will be looking to emulate Guehi in Vieira’s side. The former Chelsea man, like Edwards, first established himself in the Championship during a loan spell with Swansea City before his permanent move to the Eagles.

He has since gone on to represent England at the senior level and considering Edwards is a regular for England U19s, he will be looking to follow a similar career trajectory under Vieira’s guidance.

While it is unlikely that he would replace either Joachim Andersen or Guehi in Palace’s first team right away, he could be a great long-term option for Vieira to have, especially when James Tomkins likely departs the club when his contract expires next summer.

Should Edwards arrive at Selhurst Park this summer, there is no reason why, with the right amount of time and experience, he can’t enjoy similar success to Guehi in the Premier League, as it is clear that they are both highly-rated talents who have been coached well throughout the EFL.